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Oppo Sonica DAC Expected this fall

The Absolute Sound issue #267 has an ad on page 25 for the Oppo Sonica DAC due this fall. The DAC uses the ES038PRO 32-bit DAC chip and has many other features.  Control is via the Sonia App for iOS and Android.   The projected list price is $799.  Please see this link:

https://www.oppodigital.com/sonica-dac/

Does anyone have any additional information?
hgeifman
erik_squires
16,268 posts
 
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
dbtom2
382 posts
 
@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.
erik_squires
16,268 posts
 
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
cordobaman's avatar
cordobaman
30 posts
 

I emailed OPPO to get a few questions answered now that the RMAF is over.

"Our upcoming products are still, unfortunately, deep in development, which is why we have not updated the Sonica Grand, Sonica DAC, and UDP-203 websites. Once we are closer to release, we will be updating our website to contain all the features and specifications of these products.

- Availability date and price?
1. The Sonica DAC will be released ideally in December. The price should be $799.00.

- Will it indeed stream DSD files gapless over ethernet from a networked PC/NAS?
2. The Sonic DAC will not support gapless playback out of box. This is something that we hope we can add in a future firmware release in the future.

- Capability with Tidal, Pandora, MQA, other?
3. The unit will support Tidal through the Sonica application and Airplay for any other streaming services. Additional services will be added to the Sonica application in the future. MQA may be added to future firmware, but we are only in the discussion phase with Meridian at the moment.

- Will it be Roon ready?
4. Roon may be added in the future but is not a part of the product at launch.

- Is the volume control mechanical (pot) or digital?
5. The control is purely digital.

- Will the balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs work simultaneously?
6. Yes, just like the HA-1, all outputs are available simultaneously.

- Is the internal power supply switching or linear?
7. The internal power supply is switching.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc."
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,994 posts
 
@cordobaman...thanks for sharing the info!  You got answers to a few of the questions I had too.
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