Oppo Sonica DAC Expected this fall

I only heard the Oppo HA-1 driven by a Macbook air. The top end was brittle and glaring.

Not the same type, but the Fiio portables I have listened to have been consistently good, if sometimes a little weak, performers. I needed to add an external amp to my X5.

Best,

Erik

@erik_squires 

I only heard the Oppo HA-1 driven by a Macbook air. The top end was brittle and glaring.

Good to know. Was it via headphone or HiFi?

I took my AKG 7... 12? 721.... damnit.  My orange AKG K headphones. :)

I heard them at the last California Audio Show in SF. The little UFO sold by Blue Coast was MUCH MUCH better, as is the X5. I invited some audiophile friends to come listen, and one happened to have owned the HA-1 and said the same thing.

To your own ears be true!

By the way, love my 103 BD player for features, convenience, cost. When I have my HT setup it's my "processor" and feeds my Halo P7 preamp. It's still hard, relatively, to my Brooklyn DAC, but not nearly as objectionable as the HA-1.  If I could spring the money for a Vanity digital output board and 2 more Brooklyn's I would be in some sort of nirvana.

Best,


Erik

@erik_squires 

If I could spring the money for a...

That is one phrase most audiophiles would agree on.

Is your listening on the Brooklyn headphone or hifi?

I have been narrowing my DAC choices and really would like to get a multifunction unit. Headphone/DAC/Pre. But since most of my listening is done HiFi, I am most concerned about how the units tradeoff each function.

Most of my listening has been via my speakers. I did listen quite carefully with headphones while trying to evaluate the alleged benefits of MQA which I could not find.

I’m very very happy with the Brooklyn in both senses as a DAC and headphone amplifier. I am very curious to try it as a preamp, bypassing my P7. The main reason for the P7 is to be able to do movies and music.

I have not tried the Brooklyn as a phonograph preamp but it and the Manhattan get pretty good reviews. As I wrote elsewhere, Mytek has been very thoughtful in the power supply design. In addition to the standard AC / IEC connector they also provide a 12V input for those who can afford to get an outboard ultra-quiet linear supply. I’ve not tried it.

Erik