[Tysun]

Hi guys,

I have ordered HA2SE through Oppo China. It is appealing to me due to its inviting price in China for around 300usd. Just pay a small fee for a freight forwarder and hopefully it will arrive to my doorstep in Malaysia avoiding import charges (which is most of the time, fingers crossed).

Will be attaching it to OnePlus 5 (USB-C, android 7.1.1) for Tidal HiFi streaming to listen on my RHA T20i/KZ ZS5/Monoprice M1060/Philips SHP9500/Shure 840 and later next year, HD6xx (just joined the drop!)

I will report back if there is any issues on the connection. Cheers.

Hamster

 

[Tysun]

Side note,

HA-2SE has power output of 30mW @ 300ohm.
Maximum input power of HD650/HD6xx is 0.5W @ 300ohm, that is 500mW, {17 TIMES} of what ha2se can offer. It definitely will need something beefier than ha2se. Probably will get some DIY portable class A amp to go with it later on when I get the phones.

Can we have more inputs from owners with harder to drive headphones? Do you agree on needing another amp on top of what HA2SE can offer?

I need portable or at least transportable gears due to I don't like to be bound to my PC desk when I am listening to music and I am not stationed in one office for work and I would like to bring my gears when I move about.

 

[RojasTKD]

Side note,

HA-2SE has power output of 30mW @ 300ohm.
Maximum input power of HD650/HD6xx is 0.5W @ 300ohm, that is 500mW, {17 TIMES} of what ha2se can offer. It definitely will need something beefier than ha2se. Probably will get some DIY portable class A amp to go with it later on when I get the phones.

Can we have more inputs from owners with harder to drive headphones? Do you agree on needing another amp on top of what HA2SE can offer?

I need portable or at least transportable gears due to I don't like to be bound to my PC desk when I am listening to music and I am not stationed in one office for work and I would like to bring my gears when I move about.

I don't know I don't have the HA-2 yet or an HD650/6XX (had an HD600), but that's a MAXIMUM input power of HD650/HD6xx is 0.5W @ 300ohm not a minimum. I'm sure the HS-2 isn't the best gear to drive the HD650 but it MIGHT get you to a reasonable listening level and sound ok, better than you average smartphone for sure.

Of course better gear more powerful or proper desktop gear will give you better results.

 

[grayareauk]

Hi there,
I have the ha2se and hd580’s. It drives them Plenty loud enough for me switched to high gains for with the volume set to about 2. I don’t believe they are that electrically different to the 650’s.

Cheers
Anthony

 

[Tysun]

I don't know I don't have the HA-2 yet or an HD650/6XX (had an HD600), but that's a MAXIMUM input power of HD650/HD6xx is 0.5W @ 300ohm not a minimum. I'm sure the HS-2 isn't the best gear to drive the HD650 but it MIGHT get you to a reasonable listening level and sound ok, better than you average smartphone for sure.

Of course better gear more powerful or proper desktop gear will give you better results.

I'm sure they can power it up reasonably loud enough and I'm aware of maximum is not minimum. Maximum input power is the power is the power one phone can handle before it risk of breaking.

But when you are supplying an output power {17 times} less than the maximum power it can handle, it is definitely not performing at its optimal level.

An appropriate analogy, I think, will be, an RC drone, if you supply much less power than what the motor can handle, it might still fly decently, but it surely won't fly as optimally or as fast as it can.

Well, it will be months before I get my hands on the HD6xx (Massdrop and its Massdrop thing) but first thing first I will have to check whether ha-2se will play well with the usb-c port with my OnePlus5. My current little Fiio Q1 dac amp plays very well with it. Just make sure OTG function is turned on, plug it in and power up the Q1 and all audio is taken over by Q1's dac.

Fingers crossed it will be the same smooth ride with ha-2se.

 

[Ryland Johnson]

Side note,

HA-2SE has power output of 30mW @ 300ohm.
Maximum input power of HD650/HD6xx is 0.5W @ 300ohm, that is 500mW, {17 TIMES} of what ha2se can offer. It definitely will need something beefier than ha2se. Probably will get some DIY portable class A amp to go with it later on when I get the phones.

Can we have more inputs from owners with harder to drive headphones? Do you agree on needing another amp on top of what HA2SE can offer?

I need portable or at least transportable gears due to I don't like to be bound to my PC desk when I am listening to music and I am not stationed in one office for work and I would like to bring my gears when I move about.

I own the Oppo HA 2SE also the Sennheiser HD650, both new last month. The Oppo drives the sennheiser's fine 'for a portable sound'. Of course when the HD650 are connected to a home set up the headphones will obviously give their best.

Please understand though that a portable sound is just that? Can such a quality sound ever be heard or appreciated when outside the home? Aircraft, buse's, trains, cars and walking expose us to so much external noise that the senn's are rather wasted in that respect.

I can only use about half volume on the Oppo when using the HD650 and very little less when using the HD598 that have half the impedance.

I was serching for a decent portable sound for nearly 18 months and returned no end of DAC's and other devices. I bought the iPhone 8plus added the Oppo HA2SE also the Teac Ha Se and they both power the HD650's fine for a portable listening experience that I can live with and that also is capable of giving me a positive goose bump test result!

It would be very unwise indeed to expect the sound stage from a portable source nor in car set up to match the multi thousand euro home set up I-We have. Its always going to be a compromise and, of course, personal taste.

I am happy to recommend the 'portable set up' mentioned above.

Ryland

 

[Tysun]

I own the Oppo HA 2SE also the Sennheiser HD650, both new last month. The Oppo drives the sennheiser's fine 'for a portable sound'. Of course when the HD650 are connected to a home set up the headphones will obviously give their best.

Please understand though that a portable sound is just that? Can such a quality sound ever be heard or appreciated when outside the home? Aircraft, buse's, trains, cars and walking expose us to so much external noise that the senn's are rather wasted in that respect.

I can only use about half volume on the Oppo when using the HD650 and very little less when using the HD598 that have half the impedance.

I was serching for a decent portable sound for nearly 18 months and returned no end of DAC's and other devices. I bought the iPhone 8plus added the Oppo HA2SE also the Teac Ha Se and they both power the HD650's fine for a portable listening experience that I can live with and that also is capable of giving me a positive goose bump test result!

It would be very unwise indeed to expect the sound stage from a portable source nor in car set up to match the multi thousand euro home set up I-We have. Its always going to be a compromise and, of course, personal taste.

I am happy to recommend the 'portable set up' mentioned above.

Ryland

Thank you Ryland for your input. My situation is a little different as I only listen to music through my smartphone (Tidal HiFi) and I work in multiple locations. My workplaces are quiet (hence opens cans like SPH9500, M1060 and HD650 are possible and I leave one pair of them at each offices). But, I can't justify one set of desktop setup for each offices and I would like to be able to just chuck my device into a shoulder briefcase and carry it around when I rotate to different offices.

This bring us to HA-2SE - which I think would suit me the best in my situation. Thanks for letting me know HA2SE can push Hd650 to a loud listening level.

Do you know of any {portable/transportable} amps which I can piggy back against HA2SE to utilize its awesome DAC while pushing with near-destop-amps level of power?

 

[RojasTKD]

Thank you Ryland for your input. My situation is a little different as I only listen to music through my smartphone (Tidal HiFi) and I work in multiple locations. My workplaces are quiet (hence opens cans like SPH9500, M1060 and HD650 are possible and I leave one pair of them at each offices). But, I can't justify one set of desktop setup for each offices and I would like to be able to just chuck my device into a shoulder briefcase and carry it around when I rotate to different offices.

This bring us to HA-2SE - which I think would suit me the best in my situation. Thanks for letting me know HA2SE can push Hd650 to a loud listening level.

Do you know of any {portable/transportable} amps which I can piggy back against HA2SE to utilize its awesome DAC while pushing with near-destop-amps level of power?

Another possible option would be a powerful DAP like the the A&K Kann (or something else) or a powerful transportable/portable DAC/AMP like the iFi iDSD Micro (regular or Black Lable version). I have the Black Lable version and it small enough to be transportable, can run off better power and offers LOTS of power to drive almost anything. I'm sure there are other options, these are just want came to mind first.

If you just want a portable AMP to pair with the HA-2 I hear the Fiio A5 has decent power and have seen some good reviews. Personally I'd opt for the iFi iDSD as an all in one solution before stacking a HA-2 and separate AMP as a transportable option, but that's just me.

 

[Tysun]

Another possible option would be a powerful DAP like the the A&K Kann (or something else) or a powerful transportable/portable DAC/AMP like the iFi iDSD Micro (regular or Black Lable version). I have the Black Lable version and it small enough to be transportable, can run off better power and offers LOTS of power to drive almost anything. I'm sure there are other options, these are just want came to mind first.

If you just want a portable AMP to pair with the HA-2 I hear the Fiio A5 has decent power and have seen some good reviews. Personally I'd opt for the iFi iDSD as an all in one solution before stacking a HA-2 and separate AMP as a transportable option, but that's just me.

Totally agree. I totally drool over Ifi micro black label but I wasn't sure will it be worth it for me to trade the form factor of Ha2SE and double the price of the Oppo - here an Ifi Micro BL cost 640usd vs 300usd for Oppo HA2SE which caused me to make an obvious decision.

Will fill my glass up with some Black Label if ha2se + amp can't satisfy me. But I have also heard good things about a Chinese DIY brand called FineAudio DaMi MG2 portable class A amp with dual 15V inputs and outputs at max of 0.4W @ 300ohm. Costing a mere 150usd. Who knows I might go that route. Let's see.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Symptom-MG2-...ortable-Headphone-Amplifier-amp-/132102253594
(No idea why it is 230usd when it arrives at eBay. Probably a reseller?)

Thanks @RojasTKD !

 

[Tysun]

.

 

[RojasTKD]

Totally agree. I totally drool over Ifi micro black label but I wasn't sure will it be worth it for me to trade the form factor of Ha2SE and double the price of the Oppo - here an Ifi Micro BL cost 640usd vs 300usd for Oppo HA2SE which caused me to make an obvious decision.

Will fill my glass up with some Black Label if ha2se + amp can't satisfy me. But I have also heard good things about a Chinese DIY brand called FineAudio DaMi MG2 portable class A amp with dual 15V inputs and outputs at max of 0.4W @ 300ohm. Costing a mere 150usd. Who knows I might go that route. Let's see.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Symptom-MG2-...ortable-Headphone-Amplifier-amp-/132102253594
(No idea why it is 230usd when it arrives at eBay. Probably a reseller?)

Thanks @RojasTKD !

Yeah, here in the US it goes on sale for $378 every so often Regular price is $549 I think). At that price it's not much more then the HA-2 SE and well worth it unless you need the smaller more portable form factor.

 

[Hikoki]

Hi. I am thinking about getting the Oppo as a DAC to use with chromecast audio and ifi iCan.
I'd like to ask: is there even an optical in on the Oppo? Can't find this info anywhere. And if yes, is anyone using Chromecast Audio to stream through the Oppo? If yes, is there a substantial improvement in SQ versus using the CCA on its own, utilizing its internal DAc?
Thanks a bunch for any feedback, or even suggestions of a different solution to upgrade the SQ of CCA line out.

 

[RojasTKD]

Hi. I am thinking about getting the Oppo as a DAC to use with chromecast audio and ifi iCan.
I'd like to ask: is there even an optical in on the Oppo? Can't find this info anywhere. And if yes, is anyone using Chromecast Audio to stream through the Oppo? If yes, is there a substantial improvement in SQ versus using the CCA on its own, utilizing its internal DAc?
Thanks a bunch for any feedback, or even suggestions of a different solution to upgrade the SQ of CCA line out.

Sorry no optical out with the HA-2. It meant as a potable DAC/AMP to mainly be use with smartphone so optical out isn't in the equation. You need something else for that functionality.

 

[radiocalm]

Hello everyone. I just received my ha2se in the mail. It’s charging right now, can’t wait!! The build quality is pretty top notch. I have a question for you all, I would like a shoulder bag, like a carrying case, camera bag type of thing to use for portable. Anyone have one they could recommend that works with their ha2/ phone setup? Back in the day I used various ray samuels amps with a lod cable and an iPod and it worked so well in a bag that I actually got from headroom, back when they were making amps. With the cables exiting the front and back on the ha2 a pocket isn’t really going to work, I need a bag that will alow the rig to sit flat and horizontal so it doesn’t put pressure on the usb or headphone cable. Any ideas? Thanks for any help!!

 

[Alexdre119]

So I’ve been using my 2SE for a while now with my iPhone and finally figured out that the intermittent cutting out of audio simply comes from the loose connection of the usb jack. Using any lightning cable I can replicate this problem, whether Apple or not. Anytime I wiggle the usb connection it cuts out for a split second. I think the only reason the Oppo cable cuts out more is because it’s smaller and moves more, whereas longer cables have slack to absorb the movement.

In comparison, the ifi Nano BL also uses usb, but in the inverse. I wonder if Ifi did this on purpose to stabilize the usb connection, because I’ve never had that issue with the Nano.

I’m going to try to use a lightning to usb-c connector with a converter to usb-micro to see if that has a more stable connection.