Oppo HA-2SE Portable Headphones Amplifier/USB DAC
Oppo HA- 2SE Specs:
• Output Impedance: 0.5Ω
• Frequency response: 20 Hz~200 kHz
• PCM Sampling frequencies: 44.1kHz – 384kHz, 16 / 24 / 32-bit
• DSD Sampling frequencies: DSD64, 128, 256
• Headphone Impedance: 16Ω – 300Ω
• Built-in battery: 3000mAh Li-Po
• Charging time: Approx. 90 minutes via included wall charger
• Operational time: Approx. 13 hours via analogue audio-in source, approx. 7 hours via USB digital source
Packaging
A product’s packaging says a lot to me. It gives me an impression of how proud the manufacturer is of their product. If they don’t fell the want or need to display rather than merely box up and protect their product, it makes me question how passionate they are about that particular type of product.
What’s in the box?
Oppo HA-2SE
Wall power adapter
USB cable
Full size USB to Lightning cable Micro-USB OTG cable
3.5mm Audio interconnect cable 2x Rubber/silicon bands Warranty card
Quick start guide
Accessories
Whilst Oppo didn’t include anything like a case or some kind of protective sleeve for Oppo HA- 2SE in the box, they were kind enough to include a fair amount if cables. Something else which genuinely impressed me is the fact that you also get a wall charger. From my understanding, Oppo did this with the original HA-2 as well, but I haven’t seen any other manufacturer do this. It’s a very welcome addition as this particular wall charger, which is rated at 5V and a crazy 4 Amps, allows you to charge the Oppo HA- 2SE from flat to full in 90 minutes. Charging the device directly from your PC’s USB port, which is usually rated between 0.5 and 1A, would take considerably longer.
I also must give props to Oppo for the included cables. The 3.5mm audio interconnect cable is pretty standard, but the USB-to-Lightning cable is a fantastic addition. Oppo included such a cable with the original HA-2, but the new cable has 90-degree plugs, which makes for a less bulky stack when connected to your iPhone. The micro-USB OTG cable’s plugs has been changed to a 90-degree design too.
Design:
Body and layout
There’s no denying it, the Oppo HA- 2SE, just like the original HA- 2, has a very sophisticated and somewhat minimal design. It doesn’t feature any outlandish edges nor any alien materials, which is part of its charm. It is perhaps a little understated, which I appreciate. From the beautifully machined metal, to the black leather and white stitching, the HA-2SE’s design is genuinely elegant. It looks grown up.
On the bottom we find the input selector switch, a full sized USB port (to be used with iDevices) and the Micro-USB port used for Android devices as well as charging the HA-2SE
The side features the Gain switch, the Bass Boost switch, as well as a button which, once pressed, will light up a series of 4 LED lights which indicate the battery level remaining.
At the top is the beautifully machined analogue volume control knob, a 3.5mm line-in/line out jack, as well as the 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume knob has some very clear marking to show at which volume level the knob is, and these are engraved and painted red. Once you turn on the device (which is done by turning the volume knob) you’ll also see a small green LED which is used to show that the device is turned on, but also the volume position.
Using the included micro-USB OTG cable to connect to an android phone produces an elegant, as opposed to obnoxious, portable Hi- Fi audio stack. My only concern is the stiffness of the cable, which may very well put unwanted stress on the micro-USB port of the HA-2SE and/or the phone that it is connected to.
The dimensions of the Oppo HA- 2SE almost perfectly matches those of the Samsung Galaxy S7, and thanks to the right-angled plugs of the included cable the stack is fairly minimal. Unfortunately, due to the large screens utilised on today’s smartphones, it isn’t really possible to use the included silicon bands to keep the 2 devices together.
Read More: Chord Mojo DAC amp Review
Sound
For the previous HA-2, Oppo elected to use the ESS Sabre Reference ES9018-K2M DAC, which is (as I understand it) the mobile version of the much loved ES9018 desktop DAC chip. This time Oppo has upgraded to the ESS Sabre Reference ES9028-Q2M. The music app I used is called Hiby Music. Quite a while ago I tested a few different apps, and Hiby Music seemed to give me the flattest frequency response. “That seems weird”, you might think, and I would agree with you, as I too didn’t think that the app used would or should make a difference to the audio quality. After all, isn’t the purpose of an external DAC to process any and all sound irrespective of the app used? I don’t get it either, but surely there must be a reasonable explanation for it.
Anyways, Hiby Music is a great app. It’s got a very nice, very modern interface, and is capable of playing a wide range of formats, including DSD (DoP) files. Best of all, it’s absolutely free. The result of pairing the HA-2SE with my Galaxy S7 and Hiby Music is nothing short of pure audio bliss. Every instrument, every note, every voice, comes across distinctly and clearly. Instrument separation and stage width are both excellent, and what you get is a wonderful, almost holographic presentation. There is just such a wonderful cohesion to the music, and everything just sounds right. There’s no bass bloat or excessively bright highs…it just sounds right.
Unfortunately, I haven’t heard the original HA-2 for me to compare the new to the old in terms of sound; but what I can compare the HA-2SE to is my personal iBasso DX80. I can honestly say that, for all intents and purposes, they sound identical. Perhaps, possibly, maybe, the HA- 2SE sounds a touch smoother, and maaaybe electric guitars don’t sound quite as fantastically aggressive as on the DX80…but I genuinely don’t know if I’d be able to tell the 2 apart in a blind test.
Now keep in mind, the DX80 has 2 DAC chips, whereas the HA-2SE only has 1…so that’s quite a result for Oppo. They really are both excellent performers, and the HA-2SE is easily the best bang- for-buck portable DAC that I’ve heard at and under the $600 mark to date. Heck, I’m not even sure if the Chord Mojo sounded that much, if any, better than the HA-2SE.
The Oppo has plenty of power too, capable of driving headphones up to 300-ohms. I was able to drive my MEE Audio Pinnacle P1s (50-ohm) on low gain but at max volume, or on high gain at a fairly low- to-medium volume setting and it was plenty loud.
Will Oppo HA- 2SE improve my audio experience?
If your main portable source is just your phone, or iPod, then I can pretty much say with absolute certainty that the HA-2SE will be a big step up in terms of audio fidelity. The great thing is that it can be used with a range of devices and platforms. The other aspect to keep in mind is that it does provide A LOT more power. So, if you have some fairly power hungry headphones or IEMs, the HA- 2SE would very likely be exactly what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer COAX or Optical connectivity, so you won’t be able to use the DAC functionality of the HA-2SE with any other sources that don’t support USB audio.
Value
Oppo HA- 2SE is a wonderfully designed, excellent sounding device. In terms of value, I think it has phenomenal bang-for-buck value considering how it sounds and how versatile it is.
Exactly how valuable it is will depend on what you’re looking for. Some people may prefer a standalone DAP simply because they prefer not to have to be tethered to their mobile device all the time, whilst others like the idea of having all their music on their phone and then simply connecting an external DAC to it when they’re in the mood to listen to high quality audio. There’s no right or wrong camp there, as both rationales are perfectly valid. If you’ve heard the Oppo HA- 2SE and you enjoyed the sound, but would prefer a standalone DAP, I strongly recommend iBasso’s DX80. Likewise, if you’ve heard the DX80 but would prefer an external portable DAC, the HA-2SE is an equally excellent choice.
If you are leaning more towards the external DAC option, rest assured that Oppo HA- 2SE is definitely one of the best options out there, and quite possibly the best option given its price-point and intended purpose for mobile devices. However, it would be interesting to see how the Oppo HA- 2SE performs against Fiio’s upcoming Q5 portable DAC/AMP which has dual AKM 4490 DACS, a modular amp section (like the X7), Bluetooth, and is rumoured to be at around the same price point as the Oppo.
Pros&Cons
Pros
- Great sound quality.
- Good value
- Package includes numerous cables
- Easy to navigate UI Balanced output
Cons
- Design might not be to everyone’s taste
The rating system is based on 2 premises; the 1st is a 70-point rating of the DAC as a whole. This is an attempt to take every aspect of the device into account. The 2nd is a 55-point rating which focuses solely on the device as a portable DAC, disregarding all the (essentially) unnecessary bells and whistles such as packaging, accessories, and wireless connectivity, for example.
Packaging
Look and feel: 5 / 5
Total: 5 / 5
Included Accessories
Power adapter: YES Protective case: NO Cables: YES (3) Total: 4 / 3
Build
Metal body: YES
Premium look and feel: YES Excellent quality control: YES Total: 3 / 3
Sound
Plays lossless audio: YES Plays 24bit resolution: YES Plays 32-bit: YES
Plays DSD: YES
Sound Quality: 9.5 / 10
Total: 13.5 / 14
Portability
Small size: 9 / 10
Relatively low weight: 8 / 10 Battery life more than 10 hours: – Fast charging: YES
Total: 18 / 22
Connectivity
Bluetooth: –
Apt-X: –
WiFi: –
Lineout: YES
Digital output: YES
Balanced output: –
USB DAC functionality: YES
Universally accepted PC connection: YES Lighting connection: YES
Multi Gain: YES
Bass boost: YES
Can be used as power bank: YES Total: 8 / 12
Value
Competitive price-point: YES Relative value: 9 / 10
Total: 10 / 11
Overall Rating: 8.8 / 10
Portable Hi-Fi Rating
Sound
Plays lossless audio: YES Plays 24bit resolution: YES Plays 32-bit: YES
Plays DSD: YES
Sound Quality: 9.5 / 10
Total: 13.5 / 14
Portability
Small size: 9 / 10
Relatively low weight: 8 / 10 Battery life more than 10 hours: – Fast charging: YES
Total: 18 / 22
Connectivity
Lineout: YES
Digital output: YES
Balanced output: –
USB DAC functionality: YES Lighting connection: YES
Multi Gain: YES
Bass boost: YES
Can be used as power bank: YES Total: 7 / 8
Value
Competitive price-point: YES Relative value: 9 / 10
Total: 10 / 11
Overall Rating: 8.8 / 10
I have just purchased one of these and cannot make it work with my S7. How did you set it up?
Hi Craig,
Apologies for the late reply. You will need to use an app such as Hiby Music to allow the phone to output the audio data via USB. Install the app and scan for your music (leave the Oppo unplugged). Once the scan is done, first turn on the Oppo, then plug it in. At this point a notification will pop up asking you if you’d like to allow Hiby Music to use the external device. Select YES. You should be good to go now.