[modwright]

Hi guys, it is now 2015 and I am looking at our next mod...

I am intrigued by the Oppo HA-1 and believe it could be a very good platform for mods.

Questions:

How do you use it?
What would you like to see improved?
What type of mods interest you?

The HA-1 is a : DAC, preamp and Headphone amp.  It is extremely flexible and I see a lot of potential here!  I am ready to buy a unit and see what we can do.  First, I would like to know what the level of interest is, and, specifically, what mods options and end goals for the mod are of greatest interest.

Thanks and i look forward to your reply.

Dan W.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Great dynamics and resolution of a Wyred 4 sound DAC-2 DSDse  with the Femto Clock upgrade but with a softer edge and warmer sound and a $2500 price tag.

Maybe tubes!

My interest in it is more for 2ch audio not headphones.

[dminches]

Hi guys, it is now 2015 and I am looking at our next mod...

I am intrigued by the Oppo HA-1 and believe it could be a very good platform for mods.

Questions:

How do you use it?
What would you like to see improved?
What type of mods interest you?

The HA-1 is a : DAC, preamp and Headphone amp.  It is extremely flexible and I see a lot of potential here!  I am ready to buy a unit and see what we can do.  First, I would like to know what the level of interest is, and, specifically, what mods options and end goals for the mod are of greatest interest.

Thanks and i look forward to your reply.

Dan W.

Hi Dan.  I actually asked about this a couple months ago.

I am using it as a DAC and headphone amp in one.  I am feeding a digital stream to it via coax and listening to headphones with it. 

I would be great if you could create a tube mod for the output stage for headphone listening.  I really think this is a great unit.  You could do wonders to it.  The tube mod would give it a bit of warmth which it lacks. 

[modwright]

Hi and thanks guys, my experience with the SABRE chip is that the clock cannot be upgraded, but I can look into it.

Tubes for sure and perhaps even a way of getting the HA-1 power transformer out of the box also, to keep noise levels down.  If we could supply ALL power to the unit from our external supply, it would allow more room inside the box and undoubtedly keep noise levels down….especially important for a headphone amp.

Please keep the input coming!

Thanks,

Dan

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Definitely add some warmth.  I have found that the Sabre based DAC's to run a little on the Sunny side.  I want a DAC that won't break the bank but has good detail and resolution, tight and deep bass with a wide sound stage and a deep midrange.  Is that asking too much

[redbook]

Jitter will always be greater going  to a dac from a drive . There is no reason that the latest dac can't be in a single box player. I think Naim's reputation for rhythm and drive  is a result of minimising timing errors . The BCD1 has achieved this as well. To have an even finer Bryston player  with the latest chips would be a treasure to those of us that still play records. Of course the company has to consider the production cost vrs sales and I regret it if the appreciation of such a gem is lost in our obsession with computer downloads ect, ect. I am glad to see these other high end companies still think so.

[dlach]

Hi Dan,

I'm using it as DAC/Headphone amp in my bedside system - fed by a Windows 7 laptop and Jriver Media Center  playing a combination of converted CD flac files and high resolution wav download files, plus a few dsd files. I find the sound a little dry and uninvolving - would be great if you could jazz that up a little.

I also tried using it as dac/single input preamp in my main 2-channel system but again found it rather dry vs. my LS100 (who wouldn't?) but thought it was worth experimenting with in the summer time to cut down on heat generated.

Overall, the unit has a nice feature set...compromised, though,  by what I feel is relatively lackluster sonics.   -Denny

[roscoeiii]

Hi Dan,

I'm using it as DAC/Headphone amp in my bedside system - fed by a Windows 7 laptop and Jriver Media Center  playing a combination of converted CD flac files and high resolution wav download files, plus a few dsd files. I find the sound a little dry and uninvolving - would be great if you could jazz that up a little.

I also tried using it as dac/single input preamp in my main 2-channel system but again found it rather dry vs. my LS100 (who wouldn't?) but thought it was worth experimenting with in the summer time to cut down on heat generated.

Overall, the unit has a nice feature set...compromised, though,  by what I feel is relatively lackluster sonics.   -Denny

Denny, can you give us an idea where you find the sonics lackluster?

[dlach]

Hello,

Well, in just about every area.  So, my primary basis of comparison is the Benchmark DAC2 HGC, which is the dac I use in my main system.  Headphones I use are the Sennheiser HD650 or the AKG K701. 

Admittedly, the DAC2 is almost twice the price of the HA-1, and that may be the issue and the real answer to your question...just how much sonics can you pack into a dac/amp combo for $1100..?

Anyway, through the DAC2 the sound emerges from an entirely black (noiseless) backround.  I think this is a key factor for good headphone listening. The sound is very liquid and is reproduced with large, round, full tones and all the overtones.  It's balanced from top to bottom. Spacial queues are captured too, and the soundstage is wide.  Dynamics are quite stunning with great bass slam when it's in the recording.  Regrettably, I just don't hear any of this through the HA-1.

My second basis of comparison is my neighbor's xmas present to himself - a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP, which I'm baby sitting this week while he and his wife are up skiing.  HP apparently stands for high-power or head-phones...take your pick.  He's already rolled-in nos RCA 5814A tubes, replacing the front-end Chinese 12AU7's.  I have to say that the headphone output on this thing is simply amazing and better than the DAC2.  Everything I said above plus all the warmth and sparkle you can imagine.  Staging is deep and huge, and the sound is, well, huge!

So, If Dan can pull this kind of a tube mod off for the HA-1, I'll be the first customer in line.  Hope this helped answer your question...Denny

[roscoeiii]

Thanks. Very helpful.

[dminches]

I don't see the point in comparing the HA-1 to a $2000 DAC.  The HA-1 is a headphone amp/DAC combo.  It does a bunch of things that the Benchmark cannot.  Having said that, I find the HA-1 to be a very nice sounding unit.  I am using it with a pair of ATH 3000ANVs.  I have 2 much more expensive headphone amps but I while I am listening to the HA-1 I am not thinking about them.  I can enjoy it for what it offers.

In addition, the PrimaLuna is a $2400 tubed integrated amp.  How do you even compare that to the HA-1.  Adding a DAC would put that well over $3000.  I don't get the comparison.

BTW, my $4000 Leben sounds better than the HA-1.  So?

[dlach]

Hello,

Actually the Primaluna HP is $4199.  My intention was to answer the question posed, and doing some comparisons seemed one way to do that.  I agree it's pointless.  My hope is that Dan will find the HA-1 a worthy mod candidate with a long runway of potential sonic improvements and give me a compelling excuse to upgrade mine.  Cheers...Denny

[jackox]

Hello Dan,

I use my HA-1 as a multipurpose unit.
DAC
Preamp
Headphone amp (fostex TH-900 and OPPO MP-1)

My main source is a tweaked PC over USB.

It is a very good unit, but the inside is quite packed already and the unit tends to get hot.

[modwright]

Hi guys and thanks for the replies!  I apologize for my tardy reply....been pretty busy around here!

It sounds like the HA-1 IS a good candidate for mods.  It is not a BIG unit and it is pretty full of transformers, etc.  Sounds like Oppo did a great job, as they always do, for offering EXCEPTIONAL cost/performance and features!

If anyone is willing to send me their unit to at least investigate, I can offer the following:

1) If I look at it and decide that I don't see a viable mod, then I will return the unit within two weeks and pay all shipping.
2) If I find that we CAN develop a mod for the unit, then the customer who sends me their unit to work with, will get a 50% discount on the final mod.

The fact that it is a DAC, preamp and headphone amp is pretty cool!  I have some ideas, but until I get a close look at one, really can't say more.

Please feel free to email me directly: modwright@yahoo.com or call: 360.247.6688

Thanks!

Dan Wright
President, ModWright Instruments Inc.