# Audio-Opus   OPUS #11



## Hawaiibadboy

Ultra Slim Portable Audio Amplifier and USB DAC
 for your smart phone 


Ultra Slim Portable Audio Amplifier and
 USB DAC (Digital to Analog Converter)
 for your smart phone,
 presenting new listening experience 













Richer and Wider Palette of Sounds in Your Pocket 












Battery powered DAC / amp
8 hours battery life: 1750mAh
Power ON/OFF auto detection
Sabre ES9018K2M 32bit DAC for 100% native decoding of PCM and DSD / DXD
 PCM : up to 32bit / 384KHz PCM
 DSD : Native DSD
 DSD over PCM(DoP)
 DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz)
 DXD(24Bit/352.8KHz)
Sample rates :
 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz,96KHz,
 176.4KHz,192KHz, 358.2KHz, 384KHz
Outputs: 3.5mm Earphone Out
Output level: 1.9Vrms(No Load)
Output impedance: 1.2ohm
S/N Ratio: 113dB @ 1kHz
Cross Talk: 124dB @ 1kHz
THD+N: 0.008% @ 1kHz
 Compatible with IOS and Android OS
 Controllable by iPhone and other Smartphone applications 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






Mastering Quality Sound (MQS) Headphone Amplifier
 Ultra Slim High Definition & High-Resolution USB DAC 











   This Portable Smart-Fi USB DAC & Amplifier is designed to present brand new experience of music listening directly from your smartphone, converting digital audio signal into the High-Res Smart-Fi analog sound. This will allow you to get the professional MQS sound by simple connection of Opus#11 directly to your device, serving as a medium and portable amplifier, to present the highest quality studio sound wherever you go.



Mastering Quality Sound (MQS) Headphone Amplifier
 Ultra Slim High Definition & High-Resolution USB DAC 











   Opus#11 is probably one of the best possible solutions for your *High-Res audio* experience you may ever find at the market. Super Ultra slim *7.9mm* metal body comprises the high-end technology in the *DAC* area.
*The Bit* has come up with a revolutionizing remedy to bring the unheard before sound to your daily life, whether you are commuting to work or enjoy your favorite music at home, in order to make *MQS* accessible to the masses.








   The XS1-U8A-64 (XMOS) has Eight-Core Multicore Microcontroller with Advanced Multi-Core RISC Architecture. This highest 32bit processor core is designed to provide powerful performance while you go.
 The Sabre ES9018K2M delivers an unprecedented level of performance and spectacular sound quality up to 110dB dynamic range and 0.008% of total harmonic distortion
 Opus#11 presents an ideal solution for stereo conversion from digital audio input in DSD formats of up to 32bit/384kHz.



General specifications 

   Body Material[Design]
 Aluminium[Slim] 7.9T
 Dimensons[mm) [T.B.D]
 56*103*7.9T
 Weight
 80g [T.B.D]
 Battery Capacity
 1,750mAh / 3.7V[T.B.D]
 Playing Time
 8Hr[T/B/D]
 CPU
 XS1-U8A-64 (XMOS)
 DAC
 Sabre32 ES9018K2M (32bit DAC)
 OUTPUT IMPEDENCE[T.B.D]
 1.2 ohm
 OUTPUT LEVEL[T.B.D]
 1.9Vrms(No Load)
 S/N Ratio[T.B.D]
 113dB @ 1kHz
 CROSS TALK[T.B.D]
 124dB @ 1KHz
 THD+N[T.B.D]
 0.008% @ 1kHz,
 FREQUENCY RESPONSE
 20Hz~20KHz (0.03dB)
 USB Input Interface
 USB AUDIO 2.0 / 1.0 , asyncchronous
 Supported Audio Formats
 (T.B.D)
 PCM :
 up to 32bit / 384KHz PCM
 DSD :
 Native DSD
 DSD over PCM(DoP)
 DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz)
 DXD(24Bit/352.8KHz)
 Sample rate :
 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz,96KHz, 176.4KHz,
 192KHz, 358.2KHz, 384KHz
 I/O
 USB 2.0 IN (MICRO 5PIN)
 DC JACK-IN (5V/1.2A)
 EARPHONE-OUT (3.5pie)
 LED INDICATE
 LED1: CHARGE LED
 LED2: BATTERY LEVEL / USB CONNECTION
 Supported O/S
 [t.b.d]
 Windows XP/Vista/ 7/8.1, Mac OS x10.6.4 or later, Android(4.4 or above), iOS7/8/9
 Accessory
 (Package)
 T.B.D















  
  
 
  
 Phone Battery was draining fast
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Started the phone
 Started the OPUS by plugging in headphone...then connected both after both turned on.
 Seems to have fixed that issue.


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## Hawaiibadboy

This item is now available here
  
 http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/audio-opus-opus-11-portable-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac.html
  
  
  
  

  
  
 This is my main rig now.
 Honeymoon period is over. My hype brain is calm and it still sounds awesome


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## peter123

hawaiibadboy said:


> This item is now available here
> 
> http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/audio-opus-opus-11-portable-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac.html
> 
> ...




Excellent review, thanks a lot for sharing! 

I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind (I'm seriously considering getting one of these) :

1. Does it also work with streaming services like Spotify etc.? 

2. It's OK with me that it's low in power as long as it's also low (very low) on hiss, is that the case? 

3. What would you say are the biggest difference in sound between this and the Mojo? I'm not expecting any detailed comparison but just from the top of your head to get some idea.


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## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


> Excellent review, thanks a lot for sharing!
> 
> I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind (I'm seriously considering getting one of these) :
> 
> ...


 
  
 hey bro.
 Thanks!
  
 #1 Not sure? I am not a streamer but i will join one just to check.
  
 #2 The e18 by FiiO is a big hisser and the iDSD is not a black back drop either (even using the IEM switch..). Compared to those 2 directly it is in fact pretty quiet which is part of the appeal.
 **using Sony EX1000**
  
 #3
 I have received several items from vendors that will be and have been returned. I will not review them. None of them were new and un-boxed so it may be an inconvenience but nobody is out any money (They paid to ship to me and me to them...+/- = "0".)
 I cannot rec items to folks that follow me or trust my word if I am not going to offer to buy and use them myself. It's my own view on the whole matter.
 This thing was made by a company that was selling a plastic $600 DAP  ....I was expecting...not much with the hope of being surprised and was kinda blown away.
 Was actually totally blown away.
  
 I am on an Android
 Use Neutron
  
 The Mojo is outstanding. Will not work directly with my Note 4. Generic driver yes but direct it sounds and plays back at 4x normal speed. iDSD? generic yes but direct and it sound like an A.M. radio station in mono...out of range...horrible. I know that UAPP and ONKYO among others are options but it always bugged me that the one app that ID's the CPU and audio driver would not play back if i selected the option described as being _the one_ to bypass ALSA and audio finger (Android).
  
 Using an Android and Neutron and using the direct driver (the OPUS #11) v.s. the Mojo and a generic patch sounds so close it made me do the video, do the review on Head-Fi and offer to buy it from them.  The tracks I listened to while comparing the 3 (OPUS,Mojo,iDSD)
  
  

  
  

  
  
 Played the Floyd track in all it's multi layered masterfully mastered glory like a ******* BOSS!!
  
 Thick as a COZOY, has battery that runs 8 hours and has enough power for a IEM basshead (with some EQ).


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## peter123

Hawaiibadboy

Thanks for your answers. If you could be bothered to test 1 when you get the chance I'd really appreciate it. 

I'm not a big streamer myself (I use UAPP as my player) but I find myself using Spotify more and more but the lack of support for external dac's in most cases (just like you I've tried a lot of different devices) has started to irritate me but if this works natively with Spotify as well it does indeed look like the perfect Android partner for me as well. 

If Spotify works but the signal is processed by Android it honestly wouldn't be the end of the world for me as I wouldn't use Spotify for critical listening anyway. 

If you're not able to test it it's of course ok but if you do get the chance I'll be very curious to read your findings.


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## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


> @Hawaiibadboy
> 
> Thanks for your answers. If you could be bothered to test 1 when you get the chance I'd really appreciate it.
> 
> ...


 

 I will let you know.
 I get it.
 Most everyone has a phone and the # of devices designed to work with them directly is really few and it annoys me to no end.  That little micro-b to micro-b cable got me stoked and it should be automatic. For any Android user that has scoured the internetz for a short micro-b to micro-b (we are an army of folks) they will smile as soon as they see that and the winning keeps on going from there.
  
 Spotify is still not available in Japan
  
 I may not be able to give you that info. Hit em up on FB and ask directly. Pretty responsive group over there at Audio Opus.
  
  
  
 From the review comment section:


> Found the details of the Opus #11 in French. Here's the translated version:
> Portable audio DAC Thebit Opus # 11 is compatible with the reading of PCM 32/384 and DSD audio stream 256 via its USB input, has an auxiliary input and a battery of high autonomy.It is also compatible with iPhone, iPod and iPad, which _*it can support the conversion of audio files as well as the flow of online music services (Deezer, Spotify, web radio, etc.).*_ The USB DAC Thebit Opus # 11 can thus be used with any computer and even Android smartphones and tablets that supports USB OTG audio protocol.


 
  
  
 In a court of law that would be dismissed as heresay. It has been said though


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## peter123

hawaiibadboy said:


> I will let you know.
> I get it.
> Most everyone has a phone and the # of devices designed to work with them directly is really few and it annoys me to no end.  That little micro-b to micro-b cable got me stoked and it should be automatic. For any Android user that has scoured the internetz for a short micro-b to micro-b (we are an army of folks) they will smile as soon as they see that and the winning keeps on going from there.
> 
> ...




Thanks again! 

No FB for me but I'll shoot them an e-mail and ask.


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## Barolo

Tried this at London can jam with my iPhone and was pleasantly surprised at the level of sq also tried the prototype dac/amp I actually preferd these to the opus 1,let's hope they get the recognition they deserve


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## Hawaiibadboy

barolo said:


> Tried this at London can jam with my iPhone and was pleasantly surprised at the level of sq also tried the prototype dac/amp I actually preferd these to the opus 1,let's hope they get the recognition they deserve


 
  
  

  
 OPUS has a winner on their hands.
  
 Once enough folks who use their phone as their primary transport have a listen it will sell itself.


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## krismusic

Does this need the CCK to work with an iPhone?


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## Hawaiibadboy

krismusic said:


> Does this need the CCK to work with an iPhone?


 

  If the guy in the post above you doesn't answer fire him a PM. He used it with an iphone at the London CanJam


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## krismusic

hawaiibadboy said:


> If the guy in the post above you doesn't answer fire him a PM. He used it with an iphone at the London CanJam



Thanks for that. I just received a reply from a dealer I emailed. Unfortunately the 2 needs the CCK. Seems a serious limitation to me. Negates the neat form factor.


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## RedJohn456

krismusic said:


> Thanks for that. I just received a reply from a dealer I emailed. Unfortunately the 2 needs the CCK. Seems a serious limitation to me. Negates the neat form factor.


 
  
 *cough* http://penonaudio.com/L19-Lightning-to-Micro-USB?search=L19  *cough* 
  
 It should work as it worked for me with my dacs but I don't know for sure if it will work with the opus. Its a true lightning cable with the proper chips and stuff so it wont be messed up after an iPhone software update.


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## RedJohn456

hawaiibadboy said:


> OPUS has a winner on their hands.
> 
> Once enough folks who use their phone as their primary transport have a listen it will sell itself.


 
  
 Darn it HBB, I don't need another Dac I just got the GO V2+ infinity  
  

  
 How does the MA900 sound with it? And where do I get those MA900 pads? TIA!


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## Hawaiibadboy

redjohn456 said:


> Darn it HBB, I don't need another Dac I just got the GO V2+ infinity
> 
> 
> 
> How does the MA900 sound with it? And where do I get those MA900 pads? TIA!


 
  
  
 Well....
  
 It's like floating down a river except it's not water it's creamy chocolate and those things jutting out of the water are not rocks....they're naked women and you are gonna crash into em any second. You don't care....cuz your naked too.


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## krismusic

Does anyone know if this clicks and pops with the iPhone 6S? That well known interference generator!
I'd love to get naked with women in a river of chocolate (see above)


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## Hawaiibadboy

krismusic said:


> Does anyone know if this clicks and pops with the iPhone 6S? That well known interference generator!
> I'd love to get naked with women in a river of chocolate (see above)


 

 I will try it with my chicks iphone 6 ....not sure if it's an "S"


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## krismusic

hawaiibadboy said:


> I will try it with my chicks iphone 6 ....not sure if it's an "S"



The S is particularly bad. The 6 would probably be fine.


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## peter123

hawaiibadboy said:


> Well....
> 
> It's like floating down a river except it's not water it's creamy chocolate and those things jutting out of the water are not rocks....they're naked women and you are gonna crash into em any second. You don't care....cuz your naked too.




I've had mine for some hours now and although I don't have the MA900 I concur with HBB, this truly an amazing device and I enjoy the chocolate river too


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## foreverzer0

krismusic said:


> Thanks for that. I just received a reply from a dealer I emailed. Unfortunately the 2 needs the CCK. Seems a serious limitation to me. Negates the neat form factor.


 
  
 I just bought the Opus #11 with this *Lightning Line Out Dock to MICRO USB cable* on eBay. I hope it works well. I will strap it to my iPhone 6+ with a TFY Security Hand Strap with Leather Belt Holder Stand.


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## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


> I've had mine for some hours now and although I don't have the MA900 I concur with HBB, this truly an amazing device and I enjoy the chocolate river too


 

  It has a creamy delivery that gives me plenty of detail.
  
 I sold my iDSD micro yesterday after hours (I have O.C.D) of playing 3 songs again and again and "A" "B"ing.
 I will use mojo for over ears ( my over ear stuff is not hard to drive) and
 OPUS #11 for IEM portable which is 70% of my head time right now.  They share a few traits that I find sonically appealing.
  
 I love chocolate.


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## foreverzer0

Have you compared this to either dragonfly black or red?


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## Hawaiibadboy

foreverzer0 said:


> Have you compared this to either dragonfly black or red?


 

 Tried the red but cannot compare by memory.


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## foreverzer0

hawaiibadboy said:


> Tried the red but cannot compare by memory.


 
  
 Hmm then if I asked it like people - you may not remember everyone, but you'll remember how they made you feel. What kind of impression did the red make on you? Also, it sounds like you purchased this but not the red, so that might be a sign.


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## peter123




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## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


>





>


 
  
  
 I will add to your  OPUS pron


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## avitron142

I have the OPUS #11, but can't seem to get it to work with my LG G3.
  
 I'm going to put up a listing for it tomorrow, but for anyone who's looking, I'm willing to let it go for $150 to people in CONUS. Practically new as I haven't been able to use it, pretty much been sitting in the box.


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## Hawaiibadboy

avitron142 said:


> I have the OPUS #11, but can't seem to get it to work with my LG G3.
> 
> I'm going to put up a listing for it tomorrow, but for anyone who's looking, I'm willing to let it go for $150 to people in CONUS. Practically new as I haven't been able to use it, pretty much been sitting in the box.


 

 If it does not work ask for your money back before selling a possible faulty unit. Works fine with a Note 4 and ASUS Zen 2 (Neutron, UAPP,ONKYO,Hiby all confirmed)


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## avitron142

hawaiibadboy said:


> If it does not work ask for your money back before selling a possible faulty unit. Works fine with a Note 4 and ASUS Zen 2 (Neutron, UAPP,ONKYO,Hiby all confirmed)


 
  
 I have. But I won't be getting a full refund for it, hence my choice to sell here.
  
 It works with my PC just fine, so I think (?) that rules out the possibility of the unit being faulty.
  
 Edit: To confirm, it did work with my friend's Note 3 - so no faultiness there. It just doesn't seem to play nice with my LG G3.


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## foreverzer0

avitron142 said:


> I have. But I won't be getting a full refund for it, hence my choice to sell here.
> 
> It works with my PC just fine, so I think (?) that rules out the possibility of the unit being faulty.




Darn it, I just bought mine! Maybe I can refuse shipment...


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## Hawaiibadboy

foreverzer0 said:


> Darn it, I just bought mine! Maybe I can refuse shipment...


 

  The hype and the horror.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I have tried most portable amp/dac on this site and the OPUS 11 and Mojo are the 2 keepers.
 Opus for true portable (pocket..any pocket) and mojo for power and similar syrup thick sound which makes the iDSD, COZOY, sound a bit thin/transparent.
  
 Unless you have a LG G3
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 **audio comments are based on Dark Side of the Moon tracks**


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## avitron142

It's funny, the cozoy works perfectly fine with the G3. I would use it more often, but the output hiss is downright annoying


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## Hawaiibadboy

.


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## avitron142

Via mail, they offered to cover shipping but did deduct that amount from the refund. I would make a bigger deal out of it, but if it works for everyone else, might as well just sell it and everyone's happy.

I used to flip, after all that's what is "right". But now it's easier to go for practical.


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## Hawaiibadboy

/


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## peter123

avitron142 said:


> I have the OPUS #11, but can't seem to get it to work with my LG G3.
> 
> I'm going to put up a listing for it tomorrow, but for anyone who's looking, I'm willing to let it go for $150 to people in CONUS. Practically new as I haven't been able to use it, pretty much been sitting in the box.




I'm using mine primarily with my LG G3 without any problems whatsoever so something weird is definitely going on here. I know different carriers can sometimes be enough for a phone to work or not with a dac. 

Anyway it may very well work for someone else with a G3 is what I'm trying to say. I've got a European G3.


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## avitron142

What makes this tricky is that it's possible every unit is like this - and then its my phone thats faulty, not the product. I know there's a chance that it wont work for others, and if that happens, I have a plan laid out for a refund - I have things I can use to force a refund, though I'd rather not.

But yeah, on it.


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## avitron142

peter123 said:


> I'm using mine primarily with my LG G3 without any problems whatsoever so something weird is definitely going on here. I know different carriers can sometimes be enough for a phone to work or not with a dac.
> 
> Anyway it may very well work for someone else with a G3 is what I'm trying to say. I've got a European G3.




I envy you. I have US Cellular, by far the least popular of the bunch, so yeah. It's interesting though that this is the first one that doesnt work with my phone.


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## RedJohn456

@Hawaiibadboy  Real talk, how does the opus sound compared to iDSD and Mojo? Price notwithstanding ofc. Damn Peter has been sweet talking me about the opus and I think I might spring for one eventually lol. Is there  #12 coming out anytime soon?


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## foreverzer0

Not sure if I'm setting myself up for high expectations as I still haven't done much audio reviews, I mostly just do this for my own enjoyment. However, I have a LH Labs Geekout V2A, AudioQuest Dragonfly Black, and out of curiosity just ordered the Dragonfly Red; finally, I also have @avitron142's Opus #11 on the way. I suppose I can try to do a comparison as well but not fully confident I'm qualified lol.
  
 So far, between the GOV2A and DFB, it seems the GOV2A is more precise and would be great for music professionals, well-recorded audio, and classical music. The DFB has a certain smoothness and richness to it, that's so forgiving of streaming or playback of compressed music. It's great to listen to for hours as it's very non-fatiguing, "analog" and musical sounding. Doesn't have much soundstage depth but it has width. Treble sensitive folks will also enjoy it.
  
 The GOV2A definitely has more power/drive/grip, resolve, extension, and depth. More control over the bass as it's also tighter. However, on Spotify streaming (even at extreme setting), it can be somewhat fatiguing after a while. It sounds great for well recorded tracks. For the normal consumer, I would definitely recommend the DFB for this. My fiancee thought my iPhone/DFB setup sounded almost as good as my desktop setup (LH Labs Geek Pulse Infinity/LPS4 with modded HE-400S in balanced) on streaming/mp3's.
  
 I'll try to do an overall comparison later when I get the others. Prolly not as qualified but tagging @peter123 since he's doing his own comparison of $250 amp/dacs too; curious how our impressions will compare. Not even sure if this is the right place to post this, so let me know if I should move it!
  
 --
  
 Got the DFR yesterday. My fiancee would say it's about 30% better and can hear it right away, but for her regarding the price/performance she would take the black. The red definitely has a more solid sound image compared to the black, which makes it sound like it has more depth and 3d. The red has more resolution and dynamic contrast, meaning separation and layering is better with a darker background, which in all sounds more refined. If a person were to use this for a variety of ways like hooking up to a larger desktop system, full size headphones or speakers, I would choose the Red. For IEM's, it's funny I find I have to push the volume higher for the red instead of the lower powered black. As most people notice, black has a looser bottom end making it sound warmer, while the red is more controlled so it sounds a bit leaner, but vocals come sounding more forward. With the black, I hear more pronunciation of the beats and instruments so the vocals are bit less forward. Perhaps that's why I feel I have to push the red up compared to the black. Both DFB and DFR have great tonality, and along with the AQ Nighthawk they all seem tuned to provide spatial information by upping the pronunciation around the left/right edges of the sound field. They also round off the treble so it never displays harshness and remains very smooth. Due to these characteristics, neither are as reference sounding as the LH products but not everyone enjoys reference all the time. Especially on the go I find myself enjoying a bit of guilty pleasure of extra low end and coloration to add that vividness and soundtrack to life. I'm not going to lie, I like pictures that look better than real life with very blue skies and really green grass/trees, makes real life seem dull. For hip hop, top 40, and fun tracks the black is definitely more fun sounding and makes you bob your head like a car with a sub, while the red sounds comparatively more reference so it's better if you're trying to figure out what the lyricist is talking about or how the song is produced, rather than saying ef it and dancing around like an iPod commercial -- hence I would still recommend the black to normal consumers (unless using harder to drive full sized headphones).
  
 --
  
 Got the Opus#11 and I would put it about with the DFR. The soundstage is more dense and rich, but also more narrow than DFB/DFR (I hear this is also a trait of the Mojo, so maybe that was Opus' design target). The Opus#11 is more detailed, controlled and tight than the DFB. Personal preference at this point but I enjoy the wider soundstage and tone of the dragonflys; maybe that minimum phase filter really does something.
  
 Going back to the GOV2A, it has more space, depth (so many more layers), and precision (tone, neutrality, speed) than all the others. Whereas the others try to make music sound prettier, the GOV2A tells it like it is i.e. reference sounding.


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## peter123

redjohn456 said:


> @Hawaiibadboy
> Real talk, how does the opus sound compared to iDSD and Mojo? Price notwithstanding ofc. Damn Peter has been sweet talking me about the opus and I think I might spring for one eventually lol. Is there  #12 coming out anytime soon?




The #12 won't be portable in the same way. Haven't read the specs but just from the pictures there's no way it'll be as small as the #11. 

Fwiw I've got the V2+ Infinity and micro iDSDamong others in front of the #11 in the review line yet the only thing I'm listening to is the smallest and cheapest of them all lol


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## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


> The #12 won't be portable in the same way. Haven't read the specs but just from the pictures there's no way it'll be as small as the #11.
> 
> Fwiw I've got the V2+ Infinity and micro iDSDamong others in front of the #11 in the review line yet the only thing I'm listening to is the smallest and cheapest of them all lol


 

  It looks like a Creative portable amp/dac and the ports look suited for PC as the 11 is all on one side and thin enough to serve a very important purpose which is be truly portable.
  
  


foreverzer0 said:


> I suppose I can try to do a comparison as well but not fully confident I'm qualified lol.


 
  
  
 There is no _qualified_. No courses, no standardized methods. Just well structured informative opinions. I use Pink Floyd's "On the Run" because of brilliant mastering and lots of master layers and panning. Context ( what song and IEM/cans ) and that's it. The rest besides tech is pure opinion. Enjoy the giving of yours.
  
  
  
  


redjohn456 said:


> @Hawaiibadboy  Real talk, how does the opus sound compared to iDSD and Mojo? Price notwithstanding ofc. Damn Peter has been sweet talking me about the opus and I think I might spring for one eventually lol. Is there  #12 coming out anytime soon?


 
  
  
 Using Neutron and the Sony ma900 and Sony EX1000 they share a thick playback which is like lots of the mastered  layers being made available via detail.  I switched back from iDSD because it is very clinical which is less important than a lush musical sound which apparently for me is very important. I swore off the Mojo. But the OPUS is the same sound no caveats. My simple human brain and tested normal hearing cannot with Pink Floyd...hear the diff.
  
 The OPUS gets all my time now (Summer/IEM) When the cooler weather comes and it's coming the over ears will come out more and the Mojo is the OPUS on roids with it's great power stage so i will listen to it more.
 I have to disclose once again that I rolled my eyes, laughed and left a dumb comment under a review that i later deleted because a plastic dap with a screen res of the FiiO X5 but bigger (opus less res) and plastic just made me scoff and i heard it and was happy I am owning a Note 4. This #11 came with the hopes that a dac/amp/w/battery had finally hit the sweet spot but really didn't think so.
  
 Aaaaand now I eat humble pie with a smile. Tastes good.


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## RedJohn456

hawaiibadboy said:


> It looks like a Creative portable amp/dac and the ports look suited for PC as the 11 is all on one side and thin enough to serve a very important purpose which is be truly portable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I have to preface this post by saying that out of everyone on this site, you (and your reviews) and Peter have been the worst in terms of getting me to spend my money on gears I definitely don't need. Did I really need to buy the MA900? Certainly not! but then I made the mistake of watching your video review of it haha. Hate you both  jk
  
 I will go back and check in the thread as I have most likely missed it, but have they released final specs and or renders? Maybe they will exist side by side rather be an upgrade? Desktop vs portable application for the same quality?
  
 And yes I fully agree, anyone can review items, provided you can articulate your thoughts well, so people get an idea of what the thing sounds like (which is quite hard even at the best of times). Its funny because I am going in the same direction since tasting the Mojo. If the opus 11 is close to that..... darn it Chris you had to go and say that didn't you? Sigh whatever not like I needed the extra cash anyway lol. Is hifiheadphones.co.uk the only place to get it at the moment?
  
 Anyways If I were to purchase it, I would mainly use it with my laptop, I doubt it will work with my BlackBerry Z30 (FiiO E17K is the only dac that worked with it). But if the 12 is around the corner I dont mind waiting around to see what they decide to do with that.
  
 Its all good, take a big man to admit when they were wrong  this opus 11 seems to have come out of left field, I knew nothing about it until Peter started telling me about it. Excited to see what else Opus has cooking.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

redjohn456 said:


>


 
  
 I love my ma900 like a fat kid loves McDonalds but takes the double quarter pounder home so he can add more cheese and put mayo on it ( can't do that at the McD without getting strange looks)..mmmmm..mmmmmm good stuff!
  
 For a PC? I withdraw all my OPUS statements
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I honestly am strictly Note 4>>amp/dac. As an android user and with a compare to Mojo with the same droid source I am super happy but sources matter so ....


----------



## RedJohn456

hawaiibadboy said:


> I love my ma900 like a fat kid loves McDonalds but takes the double quarter pounder home so he can add more cheese and put mayo on it ( can't do that at the McD without getting strange looks)..mmmmm..mmmmmm good stuff!
> 
> For a PC? I withdraw all my OPUS statements
> 
> ...


 

 Haha right with ya there broski, I love my Ma900 to death. The only headphone in my collection that I would buy a replacement unit for, in a heartbeat regardless of cost. I do have to get me some of those cool looking pads tho, you wouldn't happen to have any extras would ya? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Fair enough, I do agree that sources matter. For example I heard a clear difference when using my laptop as as source for my FiiO E17, versus something like my Phone. Even though they are both using the E17K as a dac, they definitely sounded different but I digress. 
  
 I will be moving on to an apple or android device relatively soon so I will be in that boat soon enough!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

redjohn456 said:


> Haha right with ya there broski, I love my Ma900 to death. The only headphone in my collection that I would buy a replacement unit for, in a heartbeat regardless of cost. I do have to get me some of those cool looking pads tho, you wouldn't happen to have any extras would ya?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
 Those are pads from the SZ1000. I think most regular pads will fit? More comfy.  Try any soft pleather set from any other set of overears you own and it's high probability they fit.


----------



## foreverzer0

Do you find the soundstage signature more dense and upfront?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

foreverzer0 said:


> Do you find the soundstage signature more dense and upfront?


 

 The OPUS or MA900 with pad change?
  
 The #11 is about the same as the Mojo which is to say not as wide as the iDSD micro which is quite wide.
 The last amp with a truly compact stage was the e18 that i have owned. Most others recently are fairly decent with different levels of detail retrieval being the difference. That being noted in real world by the ability to hear certain instruments like the triangle strike in AMERICA's "Tin Man"
  
 It is set to play just before that instrument comes in.
  

  
 A better quality file is optimal but if you use the same earphones and the only swap out is the amp/dac and the volume is roughly the same then the only difference can_ partly_ be assigned to the DAC.
  
 The Opus does it as well as the Mojo and both are better than the iDSD on that track and that moment. I cannot be bothered to pretend i am a robot and claim entire tracks are blah blah blah subjective subjective subjective this or that.
 My brain has a very very short effective memory for stuff like that and so do other humans but that hit and other audio moments can give good hints to a gear's ability. Opus is not short on clarity and playback of audio minutia but it is lacking in power for demanding gear which due to it's size is to be expected.
  
 I am past my bedtime in Japan


----------



## foreverzer0

I meant of the Opus#11, while I'm not sure if burn in will do anything, I get the sense that the soundstage is very up front and center instead of wide and airy.


----------



## peter123

foreverzer0 said:


> I meant of the Opus#11, while I'm not sure if burn in will do anything, I get the sense that the soundstage is very up front and center instead of wide and airy.




This is not my impression of it so obviously we hear it differently. I agree with HBB that the micro iDSD is even wider but I wouldn't say it's by a large margin and I prefer the #11's overall presentation between the two. 

As always ymmw (and obviously does).


----------



## foreverzer0

Finished my comparison of them:
  
 Quote:


foreverzer0 said:


> Not sure if I'm setting myself up for high expectations as I still haven't done much audio reviews, I mostly just do this for my own enjoyment. However, I have a LH Labs Geekout V2A, AudioQuest Dragonfly Black, and out of curiosity just ordered the Dragonfly Red; finally, I also have @avitron142's Opus #11 on the way. I suppose I can try to do a comparison as well but not fully confident I'm qualified lol.
> 
> So far, between the GOV2A and DFB, it seems the GOV2A is more precise and would be great for music professionals, well-recorded audio, and classical music. The DFB has a certain smoothness and richness to it, that's so forgiving of streaming or playback of compressed music. It's great to listen to for hours as it's very non-fatiguing, "analog" and musical sounding. Doesn't have much soundstage depth but it has width. Treble sensitive folks will also enjoy it.
> 
> ...


----------



## McCol

Ordered this today from hifiheadphones will be here tomorrow. Going to use with LG G5, little bit worried about otg with usb c but have ordered a cheap cable from Amazon which will hopefully work.


----------



## peter123

mccol said:


> Ordered this today from hifiheadphones will be here tomorrow. Going to use with LG G5, little bit worried about otg with usb c but have ordered a cheap cable from Amazon which will hopefully work.




Please let us know how it works out, I'll probably get the G5 or V10 as my next phone pretty soon


----------



## Tony1110

Any feedback on how this fares with ultra sensitive IEMs? Looks interesting and the form factor, price, output impedance etc ticks all the right boxes.


----------



## McCol

Mine has arrived but only very briefed tried with partners Samsung S7, seemed very good but need to try it properly on my LG G5, however that has the new usb-c connection and it's proving difficult to get an OTG cable to use.  Bought one from Amazon but it doesn't support OTG, waiting for a cheap adaptor from ebay that claims to be OTG but not holding out much hope.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

tony1110 said:


> Any feedback on how this fares with ultra sensitive IEMs? Looks interesting and the form factor, price, output impedance etc ticks all the right boxes.


 

 Not as much noise as a e18 Cayin C5, iDSD micro, COZOY Aegis and on par with mojo and PHA-3 in black backdrop. Just my opinion


----------



## Tony1110

hawaiibadboy said:


> Not as much noise as a e18 Cayin C5, iDSD micro, COZOY Aegis and on par with mojo and PHA-3 in black backdrop. Just my opinion




Thanks man. I've just placed the order. Was going to play it safe and get another Mojo as I know the SQ is excellent. This at less half the price was too appealing though - especially as I only have one pair of IEMs.


----------



## McCol

OTG adaptor came from ebay and surprise surprise it doesn't work! Thats a cable and an adaptor now that both only charge but no OTG.  Must be a way of doing this as the G5 is not the only phone with USB-C connection.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

tony1110 said:


> Thanks man. I've just placed the order. Was going to play it safe and get another Mojo as I know the SQ is excellent. This at less half the price was too appealing though - especially as I only have one pair of IEMs.


 

 You should be pleased. Sound is terrific.
  
  


mccol said:


> OTG adaptor came from ebay and surprise surprise it doesn't work! Thats a cable and an adaptor now that both only charge but no OTG.  Must be a way of doing this as the G5 is not the only phone with USB-C connection.


 
  
  
 If nobody on here can help maybe XDA site can help with that model phone.  I got it working with a Note 4 and peter123 has it working with another.


----------



## McCol

In the end I've swapped phones with my partner. She's had the LG G5 and I've taken her Samsung S7.

 I've used the Opus for some listening through UAAP and Spotify with some video playing thrown in.
  
 With the USB otg on the uaap it excels, goes very loud but more importantly the sq is excellent, from memory easily on a par with the the oppo ha2.
  
 Where it lacks a little and it's probably more to do with the apps than the Opus is playback through non otg apps. Although sq is improved when using Spotify and Netflix, there is not the same power when driving earphones.


----------



## McCol

This thing is draining the battery very quickly on my S7. 10% in less than 30 minutes using neutron, cant be using its own battery.


----------



## foreverzer0

mccol said:


> This thing is draining the battery very quickly on my S7. 10% in less than 30 minutes using neutron, cant be using its own battery.


 
  
 Try the approach HBB recommended at the end of his review: plug in your headphones into the Opus to turn it on first, then plug Opus into the phone.


----------



## McCol

foreverzer0 said:


> Try the approach HBB recommended at the end of his review: plug in your headphones into the Opus to turn it on first, then plug Opus into the phone.


 
  
 Pretty sure I tried that but will try again later.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

mccol said:


> Pretty sure I tried that but will try again later.


 
  
 I had same issue and it's a deal breaker. But plugging in the headphone ( turning unit on) then plugging usb into phone that is already on keeps it from leeching the phone battery.


----------



## peter123

I'm pretty sure that it drain battery from the host device with a regular otg cable but not with the included/stock one. This is just a feeling I've got and I've been meaning to test it out but has been too busy lately. 

The stock otg cable seems to be identical to the Fiio otg cables and they typically don't work with dac's that doesn't have its own power so there's likely that there's no power pins in there....


----------



## McCol

peter123 said:


> I'm pretty sure that it drain battery from the host device with a regular otg cable but not with the included/stock one. This is just a feeling I've got and I've been meaning to test it out but has been too busy lately.
> 
> The stock otg cable seems to be identical to the Fiio otg cables and they typically don't work with dac's that doesn't have its own power so there's likely that there's no power pins in there....


 
  
 That would make sense however the included otg cable in my box is faulty and doesn't work. Looks like I'll need to return to hifiheadphones.
  
 Just tried for 50mimutes with another otg cable I jave and it drained the phone battery 12% usong the Neutron app, using the same app bit with the earphones connected to thehone the battery only drained 1% in 30 minutes.


----------



## peter123

mccol said:


> That would make sense however the included otg cable in my box is faulty and doesn't work. Looks like I'll need to return to hifiheadphones.
> 
> Just tried for 50mimutes with another otg cable I jave and it drained the phone battery 12% usong the Neutron app, using the same app bit with the earphones connected to thehone the battery only drained 1% in 30 minutes.




Did the charge light light up while you tested? When it's not on I find the battery drain to be very low.... 

I hope you're getting a new cable soon so that you can test it properly.


----------



## McCol

peter123 said:


> Did the charge light light up while you tested? When it's not on I find the battery drain to be very low....
> 
> I hope you're getting a new cable soon so that you can test it properly.


 
  
 Well most strangely everything seems ok now. Tried the supplied cable again and it's now working. The connection light on the Opus is flashing blue and just played 25 mins of music with only 1% decrease in phone battery.


----------



## peter123

mccol said:


> Well most strangely everything seems ok now. Tried the supplied cable again and it's now working. The connection light on the Opus is flashing blue and just played 25 mins of music with only 1% decrease in phone battery.




That's great news! One time I had a glitch as well and got a feeling that the cable only worked one way but haven't had time to test that either. When I think of it now it feels unlikely though.....


----------



## waynes world

peter123 said:


> That's great news! One time I had a glitch as well and got a feeling that the cable only worked one way but haven't had time to test that either. When I think of it now it feels unlikely though.....


 
  
 One day I'll be pestering you for your impressions of the opus 11 compared to the zuperdac. But don't worry - that day isn't today


----------



## peter123

waynes world said:


> One day I'll be pestering you for your impressions of the opus 11 compared to the zuperdac. But don't worry - that day isn't today




Sounds good to me  Busy busy at the moment but it needs to be done one day


----------



## darkdoorway

mccol said:


> Well most strangely everything seems ok now. Tried the supplied cable again and it's now working. The connection light on the Opus is flashing blue and just played 25 mins of music with only 1% decrease in phone battery.



Well done. Have also tried other cables, and they drain battery on the phone. I know the included cable works properly for me.


----------



## twister6

I had a number of people asking me about where to get Opus#11 in US, since it's not available on Amazon yet.  It seems that original distributor who sent me Opus#1 for review either no longer associated with theBit or has no plans to carry #11.  Either way, I was looking around and asking my contacts, and turned out that MusicTeck in US now has it for sale here:
  
 https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/opus


----------



## Tony1110

Overall the sound of this little thing is pretty good. Detail retrieval is excellent but I have noticed a bit of a digital glare to the sound. Vocals can sound a little shouty too. I think it's a decent enough little product and is priced sensibly for what it is - but I don't think it's a giant killer likely to compete with Mojo or higher end DAPs


----------



## Matte82

twister6 said:


> I had a number of people asking me about where to get Opus#11 in US, since it's not available on Amazon yet.  It seems that original distributor who sent me Opus#1 for review either no longer associated with theBit or has no plans to carry #11.  Either way, I was looking around and asking my contacts, and turned out that MusicTeck in US now has it for sale here:
> 
> https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/opus




Thanks for that. Think I may pick one up.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

tony1110 said:


> Overall the sound of this little thing is pretty good. Detail retrieval is excellent but I have noticed a bit of a digital glare to the sound. Vocals can sound a little shouty too. I think it's a decent enough little product and is priced sensibly for what it is - but I don't think it's a giant killer likely to compete with Mojo or higher end DAPs


 

  I have a 24/192 Vinyl rip of the DSotM  "Harvest Edition" (You o.k. with Pink Floyd?) I will upload it so you can tell me exactly which part of what song....like a :30 second run which demonstrates audibly the difference between the #11 and the way waaaaay over hyped Mojo. I owned that thing twice and compared them with some EX1000 IEM.
  
 Help me help myself.


----------



## McCol

Even though my cable started working it now cits oit after a few minutes of play. Going to contact retailer for a replacememt.
  
 Also a bit disappointed with lack of power when using apps such as Spotidy, Sky Go and Netflix.  Volume needs to be at almost full whack and even then its not even loud. Mixed results with Usb players such as Neutron, Hiby and Usb audio pro.


----------



## peter123

mccol said:


> Even though my cable started working it now cits oit after a few minutes of play. Going to contact retailer for a replacememt.
> 
> Also a bit disappointed with lack of power when using apps such as Spotidy, Sky Go and Netflix.  Volume needs to be at almost full whack and even then its not even loud. Mixed results with Usb players such as Neutron, Hiby and Usb audio pro.




Nevermind, I wasn't able to reproduce this today. I must have been dreaming (or drunk)


----------



## Tony1110

hawaiibadboy said:


> I have a 24/192 Vinyl rip of the DSotM  "Harvest Edition" (You o.k. with Pink Floyd?) I will upload it so you can tell me exactly which part of what song....like a :30 second run which demonstrates audibly the difference between the #11 and the way waaaaay over hyped Mojo. I owned that thing twice and compared them with some EX1000 IEM.
> 
> Help me help myself.




I sent mine back to the shop. To be fair it sounded really good with my Trinity Audio Vyrus but I don't think it cut the mustard with my customs.

Definitely not a bad product or anything. Just isn't my cup of tea signature wise. Sounds a tad bright and artificial to my ears.


----------



## darkdoorway

FYI if people are interested in using 3rd party cables with the Audio Opus #11, it's totally possible.

3rd party cables work by default, but I've found that the phone charges the DAC with these cables. Not ideal, you'll drain fast.

Using the supplied cable of course causes no issues.

If you want to use a 3rd party OTG cable, just do a mod and cut the 5v wire on the cable. Presto, cable no longer drains the phone battery!


----------



## peter123

darkdoorway said:


> FYI if people are interested in using 3rd party cables with the Audio Opus #11, it's totally possible.
> 
> 3rd party cables work by default, but I've found that the phone charges the DAC with these cables. Not ideal, you'll drain fast.
> 
> ...




FiiO otg cables (for their DAPs) also work (they actually seem identical as far as I can tell).


----------



## alfianadjeh

can opus #11 connected in iphone 4s ?
 am curious about that.


----------



## artless

Does anyone know if this can improve the sound of Spotify via an Android phone?
 I've got a Samsung Note 3 and I'm using AKG K550 MKII and Ultimate Ears triple-fi headphones.
  
 So far :
  
 Audioquest Dragonfly Black - lower sound quality and volume than using headphone output direct.
 Audioquest Dragonfly Red - dreaded low volume issue. No sign of firmware fix yet.
 Chord Mojo - tried different cables in store, just couldn't get it to work.
  
 I've got USB Audio Pro Player, but it's Spotify that I listen to most.
  
 Would I be better off just getting an external amp like the Cayin C5 and give up on getting around the Android limitations/upsampling issues?
  
 Cheers.


----------



## darkdoorway

artless said:


> Does anyone know if this can improve the sound of Spotify via an Android phone?
> I've got a Samsung Note 3 and I'm using AKG K550 MKII and Ultimate Ears triple-fi headphones.
> 
> So far :
> ...




Am using on a oneplus and sound improves dramatically on Spotify with the Audio-Opus #11.

I think, from your description, the way you're thinking about android DAC/amp combos might need to change a bit.

Spotify will use the generic phone driver to interface with the Audio-Opus (as it would with any external DAC/Amp combo). Neutron / USB pro uses a direct driver, which is why those apps are recommended by theBit. 

How good Spotify sounds depends on how good your generic driver is. On the Oneplus the driver recently improved quite a bit, meaning sound through Spotify also improved as the system generically interfaces with external DACs better without specialist players like neutron. 

Now, i am not sure how much effort Samsung is putting into their generic OTG driver for audio output. I suspect not a lot, which is why you're getting sound quality issues and the phone needs a bit of help (USB Player pro/Neutron/Onkyo Player) to talk to the Audio Opus #11 or any external DAC/Amp. Which is probably the root cause of your issue with the Mojo as well.

BTW: this thing is freakin amazing. I mean I've previously used portable amps and DACs. But only with the Audio Opus #11 can I have beautifully tuned audio, Velcro to the back of the phone, and always have on me. Try doing that with a freakin Mojo.


----------



## artless

Hi,
  
 Thanks for the info and feedback of your personal experience.
  
 I'm pleased with the overall sound of the Samsung Note 3, but I would like extra volume headroom (if I ever get the money to pursue more expensive inefficient headphones) and always would like better sound quality.
  
 My current understanding of Android + Spotify was that Android automatically up samples signals, thereby causing a downgrade in sound quality using an external DAC/amp as opposed to UAPP which plays files using their native sampling rate. That's why I was thinking of just using an amp to avoid this extra conversion step. Maybe I've got that all wrong.
  
 I'm going to give the Opus #11 a try at least. The only stockist I can place in the UK I can see is hifiheadphones. Is that where you got yours from?


----------



## peter123

My take on the #11:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-opus-opus-11/reviews/17065


----------



## darkdoorway

peter123 said:


> My take on the #11:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-opus-opus-11/reviews/17065





Nice review. Great to see comparisons with some similar kit in other categories.

And I was actually wondering how it compared to the geekout v2. Didn't think i'd see that comparison without having to buy both. Thanks


----------



## artless

tony1110 said:


> I sent mine back to the shop. To be fair it sounded really good with my Trinity Audio Vyrus but I don't think it cut the mustard with my customs.
> 
> Definitely not a bad product or anything. Just isn't my cup of tea signature wise. Sounds a tad bright and artificial to my ears.


 
 I'm with Tony on this. I had the same experience with brightness and ended up sending it back.
 Who knows, maybe we British prefer a different sound profile?


----------



## peter123

darkdoorway said:


> Nice review. Great to see comparisons with some similar kit in other categories.
> 
> And I was actually wondering how it compared to the geekout v2. Didn't think i'd see that comparison without having to buy both. Thanks




Thanks! I really like them both and they're also quite different sounding so personal preference will play a big part here (as always).


----------



## darkdoorway

peter123 said:


> Thanks! I really like them both and they're also quite different sounding so personal preference will play a big part here (as always).




That's the impression I got. Also, great to see them photographed next to each other. Opus looks more portable, but did think they were comparable in size. Just nice to see an actual photo.


----------



## peter123

Pretty neat combo


----------



## thamasha69

Is there a line-out mode with this device? I am considering purchasing one. Thank you!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

peter123 said:


> Pretty neat combo


 

  That looks dope!


----------



## thamasha69

Anybody using this with an iOS device? I presume as was mentioned earlier that you plug in your headphones (to power the DAC on) then connect to your phone so as to ensure your phone does not try to charge/power the DAC....is this how iOS will handle it when the lightning to USB is connected? I just want to make sure there would not be excessive battery draw from my iPhone and that all works as it should before purchasing.


----------



## darkdoorway

thamasha69 said:


> Anybody using this with an iOS device? I presume as was mentioned earlier that you plug in your headphones (to power the DAC on) then connect to your phone so as to ensure your phone does not try to charge/power the DAC....is this how iOS will handle it when the lightning to USB is connected? I just want to make sure there would not be excessive battery draw from my iPhone and that all works as it should before purchasing.




I assume the power question is pretty common when talking about DACs drawing power from your device.

Can't speak for iPhone, but the otg supplied cable works perfectly.

If you do find the DAC draws power, you can always modify the cable. Super easy mod.

For example, I bought the cable (android l shaped counterpart) at :

http://penonaudio.com/Lightning-to-Micro-USB-Pure-Silver-Cable

And modified it as described earlier in thread.

The L shaped version is really easy to open if needed.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

When i am home I use the PHA and when out I switch covers and use the portable friendly OPUS.
 Just read the thread and missed the folks calling this bright.  Lets say warm is furthest from bright and neutral sits between them.
 Bright? Cozoy Aegis, Some idevices. 
 Neutral? PHA, FiiO X7
 Warm? Mojo, OPUS, Soundaware M1
  
 I think it's on the other side of the scale. Pink Floyd vinyl rip of DSoTM used on all the devices mentioned.


----------



## thamasha69

darkdoorway said:


> I assume the power question is pretty common when talking about DACs drawing power from your device.
> 
> Can't speak for iPhone, but the otg supplied cable works perfectly.
> 
> ...




Thank you for this, I never considered modding the cable. I was hoping to get a lightning to micro USB cable that had the necessary CCK hardware so I wouldn't have to use my lightning to USB adapter and then another cable. I am thinking though that I would need the "decoding" cable from Penon 

http://penonaudio.com/Lightning-Pure-Silver-Decoding-Cable

Or another equivalent to test with and potentially mod.


----------



## thamasha69

hawaiibadboy said:


> When i am home I use the PHA and when out I switch covers and use the portable friendly OPUS.
> Just read the thread and missed the folks calling this bright.  Lets say warm is furthest from bright and neutral sits between them.
> Bright? Cozoy Aegis, Some idevices.
> Neutral? PHA, FiiO X7
> ...




Thanks for the comparisons. Where do you place the HA-2 in that mix? It's my other possible candidate....


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

thamasha69 said:


> Thanks for the comparisons. Where do you place the HA-2 in that mix? It's my other possible candidate....


 

  If I am not mistaken the OPUS #11 was in fact built/designed/sourced or whatever term.. by the folks at OPPO. Pretty sure it was and uses the same DAC.
 I liked the HA-2 but that was at my peak power hunting stage (portable basshead spirit walking) and I was more focused on bass switches and max power.
 I would not call the HA-2 bright. Nice piece of kit. If....warm is a way of describing a thicker sound with slightly forward mids in sound if not on graph..then I'd say the HA-2 would be a more powerful adjustable neutral item with a switch that can thicken and warm the sonics.
  
 I have heard many say the X7 is neutral and I agree and the Mojo is thick and warm and I agree. I would add the iDSD nano and micro to the bright category as others have implied and I agree.  I always use Neutron and the apps do have an effect on sound. ONKYO which if using DSD up sampling makes everything sound bright is a no go for me. Just my opinions. RHA is coming out with a dac/amp that is worth keeping an eye on. I just remembered that as i was typing so put that on your list.


----------



## thamasha69

hawaiibadboy said:


> If I am not mistaken the OPUS #11 was in fact built/designed/sourced or whatever term.. by the folks at OPPO. Pretty sure it was and uses the same DAC.
> I liked the HA-2 but that was at my peak power hunting stage (portable basshead spirit walking) and I was more focused on bass switches and max power.
> I would not call the HA-2 bright. Nice piece of kit. If....warm is a way of describing a thicker sound with slightly forward mids in sound if not on graph..then I'd say the HA-2 would be a more powerful adjustable neutral item with a switch that can thicken and warm the sonics.
> 
> I have heard many say the X7 is neutral and I agree and the Mojo is thick and warm and I agree. I would add the iDSD nano and micro to the bright category as others have implied and I agree.  I always use Neutron and the apps do have an effect on sound. ONKYO which if using DSD up sampling makes everything sound bright is a no go for me. Just my opinions. RHA is coming out with a dac/amp that is worth keeping an eye on. I just remembered that as i was typing so put that on your list.




This is helpful- thank you. I had no idea the affiliation between this device and Oppo- very cool! I demoed the HA-2 at RMAF in 2015 and the HA-2SE this year at RMAF though I didn't spend enough time with either to delineate the differences between the two (let alone after a year in between). From my memory though, I share similar feelings as you. The bass boost was nice to warm things up. I'm just not sure I need all that the HA-2 has to offer. I appreciate the simplicity of the Opus #11. 

I felt that the Mojo was thick and easy to listen to, quite musical. Dragonfly Black very smooth and warm sounding, but I could use a bit more detail. DF Red was too bright for my tastes. I've been using a Hifimediy 9018 which uses the same ESS 9018k2m as the original HA-2 and Opus 11 and that device strikes a nice balance for me. I get good detail and separation but I don't feel I'm missing anything in the mid bass, it manages to still sound full but "un-muddied". I like the form factor however of the Opus #11 and HA-2 as the Hifimediy 9018 is not really portable/pocketable. If there are no battery drain issues with the Opus #11 and iOS then I feel that is the device for me. I suppose I could always purchase from Amazon and test it.


----------



## dragonsan16

thamasha69 said:


> Is there a line-out mode with this device? I am considering purchasing one. Thank you!




Same question.. 

Is there a line out mode so I can pair it with external amplifier?


----------



## darkdoorway

It's a thing of beauty


----------



## thamasha69

darkdoorway said:


> It's a thing of beauty


 

 Very nice indeed! I just pulled the trigger and ordered the Opus #11. I plan on testing with my iPhone 6S and Apple USB 3 adapter. So long as I enjoy it sonically and it functions the way I need it to, then I will order a Lavricables lightning to micro usb cable (with CCK decoding chips) as mentioned in the Mojo thread to hopefully have a functional, tidy stack.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

thamasha69 said:


> Very nice indeed! I just pulled the trigger and ordered the Opus #11. I plan on testing with my iPhone 6S and Apple USB 3 adapter. So long as I enjoy it sonically and it functions the way I need it to, then I will order a Lavricables lightning to micro usb cable (with CCK decoding chips) as mentioned in the Mojo thread to hopefully have a functional, tidy stack.


 

  It is a very nice piece of kit.
 Love the sound. My portable solution.


----------



## thamasha69

I received my Opus #11 and it just sounds wonderful-- Easy to listen to anything...smooth at times, yet with detail and delineation...I love the signature. My only disappointment is in the build quality. My unit's case is slightly warped/pushed in around the charge/connector lights. I purchased on Amazon so I may see if I can get another one sent because I definitely love what I'm hearing. 
  
 Also, has anyone updated to the latest firmware? Apparently there have been concurrent firmware releases with the same updates, though one firmware has -9 db in the volume and the other 0??? This is what I've been able to decipher from the website and translating random posts in the forum/faqs of the audio-opus website.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

thamasha69 said:


> I received my Opus #11 and it just sounds wonderful-- Easy to listen to anything...smooth at times, yet with detail and delineation...I love the signature. My only disappointment is in the build quality. My unit's case is slightly warped/pushed in around the charge/connector lights. I purchased on Amazon so I may see if I can get another one sent because I definitely love what I'm hearing.
> 
> Also, has anyone updated to the latest firmware? Apparently there have been concurrent firmware releases with the same updates, though one firmware has -9 db in the volume and the other 0??? This is what I've been able to decipher from the website and translating random posts in the forum/faqs of the audio-opus website.


 

  The sound is excellent so I will not mess with any FW updates that I might regret.  I had a FiiO X5 FW (2.5?) maybe or another and after upgrading something was off. I sold it instead of rolling back so if it ain't broke don't fix it is my thing unless it is G.U.I or functional upgrade .


----------



## darkdoorway

thamasha69 said:


> I received my Opus #11 and it just sounds wonderful-- Easy to listen to anything...smooth at times, yet with detail and delineation...I love the signature. My only disappointment is in the build quality. My unit's case is slightly warped/pushed in around the charge/connector lights. I purchased on Amazon so I may see if I can get another one sent because I definitely love what I'm hearing.
> 
> Also, has anyone updated to the latest firmware? Apparently there have been concurrent firmware releases with the same updates, though one firmware has -9 db in the volume and the other 0??? This is what I've been able to decipher from the website and translating random posts in the forum/faqs of the audio-opus website.




Hey, did the firmware upgrade. As I recall at the time I could choose some settings, which at the time I thought was cool and did


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

darkdoorway said:


> Hey, did the firmware upgrade. As I recall at the time I could choose some settings, which at the time I thought was cool and did


 

  We both got the opus and Ex1000...hell might give it a try....do you have a link?


----------



## thamasha69

hawaiibadboy said:


> We both got the opus and Ex1000...hell might give it a try....do you have a link?




Link to Windows driver (req'd for firmware update) and Opus #11 firmwares:

http://www.audio-opus.com/?page_id=15757


----------



## HardstyleLoco96

Hello i'm just wondering how the Opus compares to the Oppo Ha-2SE and the Aune B1 in sound quality. I'm currently using as my source the HTC 10 with poweramp alpha and my Shozy Magic DAC/Amp and Fidelio X2. Do you think the Opus will bring the extra detail to the Fidelio X2 or should I go for the Oppo or Aune?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

hardstyleloco96 said:


> Hello i'm just wondering how the Opus compares to the Oppo Ha-2SE and the Aune B1 in sound quality. I'm currently using as my source the HTC 10 with poweramp alpha and my Shozy Magic DAC/Amp and Fidelio X2. Do you think the Opus will bring the extra detail to the Fidelio X2 or should I go for the Oppo or Aune?


 

  HA-SE2 has more power for over ears. Sound is very similar. I think the #11 sounds smoother than the SE with IEM (Sony ex1000 and 800st to be exact)


----------



## HardstyleLoco96

hawaiibadboy said:


> HA-SE2 has more power for over ears. Sound is very similar. I think the #11 sounds smoother than the SE with IEM (Sony ex1000 and 800st to be exact)


 The magic Works great with iems so I just want more juice for my over ears  But I don't really want to really spend over $300 Aud so I think the Aune B1 is my choice


----------



## darkdoorway

hawaiibadboy said:


> We both got the opus and Ex1000...hell might give it a try....do you have a link?




Was a bit slow posting the link, but someone posted it 

I'm finding the EX1000 and this dac amp a good pairing. Love listening to the two together.

However. The whole point of getting the #11 is to go portable audiophile. I.e, store it in my pants pocket. Which with the #11 works fine.

The EX1000 does not go in my pants pocket. It can, but not something I'd prefer to do with it's odd cable angle.

In real life, mostly use the 4in1. Inferior to the EX1000..but more "portable".

Will probably get something that winds up nicely and fits in a pouch in the near future. Probably the FI-BA-SS


----------



## nmatheis

I'm getting Opus #1 and #11 in tomorrow. I've heard a lot of good things about them and wanted to hear for myself and let people know how they stack up against the rest of my collection. Should be fun!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

darkdoorway said:


> Was a bit slow posting the link, but someone posted it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 This one?
  
 http://www.e-earphone.jp/final/fi-ba-ss
  
 That's a nice affordable portable
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
  
  


nmatheis said:


> I'm getting Opus #1 and #11 in tomorrow. I've heard a lot of good things about them and wanted to hear for myself and let people know how they stack up against the rest of my collection. Should be fun!


 
  
 The #11 really flew under the radar. I saw it in the background of a picture of the #1 at a Japan show.
 Love it.


----------



## thamasha69

I returned my Opus #11 with the intent of ordering another one after the return was processed (my unit had a damaged/warped enclosure). It sounded better than anything else I've tried. Any info on the Opus #12 aside from the pic on the Audio Opus Facebook page?


----------



## thamasha69

nmatheis said:


> I'm getting Opus #1 and #11 in tomorrow. I've heard a lot of good things about them and wanted to hear for myself and let people know how they stack up against the rest of my collection. Should be fun!




Definitely interested in your thoughts on this!


----------



## nmatheis

thamasha69 said:


> Definitely interested in your thoughts on this!




Cool. Just charged it last night and will try it out tonight but just for a short bit. I need to spend most of my time with the iDSDBL right now...


----------



## thamasha69

Appears the Opus #11 is on Massdrop, now available in a silver color.


----------



## Matte82

Thanks for the heads up. Went ahead and jumped in.


----------



## thamasha69

I'm thinking I probably will too since I returned my 1st one to Amazon... I'm thinking the silver will pair better aesthetically with my space grey iPhone 6S than the original gold.


----------



## DJ The Rocket

I just read this entire thread and I still can't decide whether to jump into the massdrop for this or not!


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

dj the rocket said:


> I just read this entire thread and I still can't decide whether to jump into the massdrop for this or not!


 

 It is still my main "portable" amp/dac. Slim with it's own battery and very nice sound.


----------



## Niteowl360

Are you referring to USB Audio Player Pro? 
I could not get my LG v20 to output any sound, even though the App did pick up the hardware. 
Thanks
Edit: Developer of the App has fixed the issue of not working with the LG V20. Awesome support which now ensures compatibility with the LG V20.


----------



## JaRGoNzZ

I have a question. If i am going to use the #11 as dac and connect it to my desktop amp for more power hungry headphones, is there a lineout option or this can only be use together with smartphone and iem?


----------



## Niteowl360

There is a standard headphone socket, USB and power charging either via USB or ac adapter. No outputs.


----------



## Aradea

peter123 said:


> Pretty neat combo



That's the Shanling M1 right? How's the sound?
I am really tempted to purchase the M1 with a possible mojo pair up.
But if the #11 provides much more value (considering the price difference with the Mojo), then I am really excited to buy the Opus!


----------



## peter123

aradea said:


> That's the Shanling M1 right? How's the sound?
> I am really tempted to purchase the M1 with a possible mojo pair up.
> But if the #11 provides much more value (considering the price difference with the Mojo), then I am really excited to buy the Opus!




Yes, it's the M1. Imo the #11 represent a better value than the Mojo but this is extremely subjective. Not only does sound preferences matter but also how much you're willing to pay for better sound and how much better it really is.....


----------



## rustyvinyl

Hi, need advise please. 
My stock otg cable is broken. Where can I buy one that's similar? Need one that won't drain battery from my phone?
I bought one from AliExpress,it works but my Android phone is charging my opus. Thanks!


----------



## peter123

rustyvinyl said:


> Hi, need advise please.
> My stock otg cable is broken. Where can I buy one that's similar? Need one that won't drain battery from my phone?
> I bought one from AliExpress,it works but my Android phone is charging my opus. Thanks!




I believe it's the same as the ones FiiO uses with their DAPs. At least it looks and work identical.


----------



## rustyvinyl

peter123 said:


> I believe it's the same as the ones FiiO uses with their DAPs. At least it looks and work identical.




Thanks! Any idea where can I order one? Tried eBay,Amazon,and AliExpress but to no avail.

I've also checked with opus,their stock one shipping is us20 to Singapore


----------



## Aradea

peter123 said:


> Yes, it's the M1. Imo the #11 represent a better value than the Mojo but this is extremely subjective. Not only does sound preferences matter but also how much you're willing to pay for better sound and how much better it really is.....



Thanks Peter

So I haven't had the time to research the #11 further but a friend told me that the Opus do not have a volume control. Meaning that the volume must be set from the source (DAP or mobile phone).
Is this true?


----------



## nmatheis

aradea said:


> Thanks Peter
> 
> So I haven't had the time to research the #11 further but a friend told me that the Opus do not have a volume control. Meaning that the volume must be set from the source (DAP or mobile phone).
> Is this true?




Yes, that's true. As with all such devices I've used, Opus #11 is best used with a third party music app with fine grained volume control baked into the app.

KaiserTone on iOS and UAPP on Android work well...


----------



## Aradea

nmatheis said:


> Yes, that's true. As with all such devices I've used, Opus #11 is best used with a third party music app with fine grained volume control baked into the app.
> 
> KaiserTone on iOS and UAPP on Android work well...



I see.

Well if I would buy a dac-amp, it would be used to be paired with a DAP or plug it to my PC.
I am interested to know more about the experience of pairing it w/ a DAP and playing the volume. Is it simple/straight forward exp?


----------



## peter123

rustyvinyl said:


> Thanks! Any idea where can I order one? Tried eBay,Amazon,and AliExpress but to no avail.
> 
> I've also checked with opus,their stock one shipping is us20 to Singapore



Hmm, I bought mine from the FiiO store on Aliexpress but I see now that they don't list it anymore. Maybe contact FiiO directly? 



aradea said:


> I see.
> 
> Well if I would buy a dac-amp, it would be used to be paired with a DAP or plug it to my PC.
> I am interested to know more about the experience of pairing it w/ a DAP and playing the volume. Is it simple/straight forward exp?




In my experience this is very simple and no less straight forward than to change the sound on the DAP itself.


----------



## nmatheis

Which DAPs have you used #11 with @peter123? It isn't really in my use case to pair #11 with a DAP. With a phone or computer for sure, but I haven't used it with a DAP yet. Might try with Shanling M1, but I'm pretty happy with that paired up with my Mojo...


----------



## peter123

nmatheis said:


> Which DAPs have you used #11 with @peter123
> ? It isn't really in my use case to pair #11 with a DAP. With a phone or computer for sure, but I haven't used it with a DAP yet. Might try with Shanling M1, but I'm pretty happy with that paired up with my Mojo...




The M1 only really but I wouldn't expect changing volume would be difficult on other DAPs either. I agree with you though that the #11 pairs up nicely with phones.


----------



## nmatheis

peter123 said:


> The M1 only really but I wouldn't expect changing volume would be difficult on other DAPs either. I agree with you though that the #11 pairs up nicely with phones.


 

With my OnePlus 3, volume is pretty low with all music apps with the exception of UAPP. The other music apps also have very noticeable jumps in volume when volume buttons are pressed. With UAPP, I get potential for much lost volume and smoother volume adjustment with no noticeable steps when volume increments are set to 100.

Is volume adjustment smooth with the M1 peter123? Are there noticeable jumps in volume?


----------



## darkdoorway

At the IT fare in Singapore at the moment. Demoed the x5 gen 3 among a few others. Pretty good....but the #11 is still winnning the day in terms of portability for sound quality ratio.
  
 For those of you that haven't upgraded to v1.07 / 1.08 of the firmware yet - I can confrim that theBit has addressed the volume auto pumping up max and killing your ears when first plugged in issue. Now the volume is only like 92 % when plugging in and accessing Neutron (and I presume other direct driver apps).
  
 Good job theBit for thinking about usability.


----------



## Niteowl360

Interesting read. Thanks 
I listen on my LG v20 phone. 
Would the firmware be relevant in my scenario as well. 
Apologies for ignorance but I haven't read much on updating firmware ar all.


----------



## darkdoorway

niteowl360 said:


> Interesting read. Thanks
> I listen on my LG v20 phone.
> Would the firmware be relevant in my scenario as well.
> Apologies for ignorance but I haven't read much on updating firmware ar all.




Sure. Pretty sure the firmware update will help. As long as you're using neutron / a USB drive to driver player.


----------



## Niteowl360

Thanks.


----------



## HardstyleLoco96

Hello i'm just wondering, would it be worth getting the Opus#11 for my Htc 10? Think the audio would be upgraded?


----------



## Niteowl360

Trying to update my Opus #11 to latest firmware. 
However.bin file cannot be located. 
Any assistance would be appreciated. 
Thank you


----------



## Td310

Hi,

You know if the opus #11 work with spotify on Android ? 

Thanks


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

td310 said:


> Hi,
> 
> You know if the opus #11 work with spotify on Android ?
> 
> Thanks


 

  Via OTG?
 Yes it will. I did/do it.


----------



## Td310

Thank you for the fast answer. 

Yes with the otg. To be sure, don't need another player application to use the #11 with spotify on Android ?  

Sorry for my english...


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

I use Spotify and send the signal out OTG. Not using any other software besides Spotify app
  
  
  
  
 1. unplug the external DAC  from the device
 2. start playing music in Spotify; music will come out from device's loudspeaker.
 3. set Spotify/device volume to mid or low level to avoid sudden burst later on.
 4. plug in earphone to the external DAC, and then plug in the DAC to the device while Spotify is still playing.
 5. Wait for few seconds, and then music output will switch from device loudspeaker to earphone via DAC.
  
  
 via spotify


----------



## Td310

Thank you Hawaiibadboy !


----------



## Wiencon

Is there a way to get line out from this DAC? EDIT: nevermind, I found the answer
 Is camera connection kit needed to plug this thing into iOS device?
 Has anyone compared it with Xduoo XD-05 and Dragonfly Red? They all are the same price where I live and I have no way to audition them myself


----------



## Td310

Hi,
  
 I have the Opus#11 for a couple of days. But i have a problem with a new cable OTG. I have bought it on Ebay.
  
 I try on 2 smartphone Android. Same problem with the new cable : the Opus#11 charging with the new cable.
  
 I don't understand why. I follow each step (first jack, and then the micro usb) and i don't have this problem with stock cable. However i can play music...
  
 Maybe i have to buy a special cable not OTG ? Or the new cable is a defective product, not really OTG ?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

td310 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have the Opus#11 for a couple of days. But i have a problem with a new cable OTG. I have bought it on Ebay.
> 
> ...


 

  The OPUS #11 comes with it's own OTG cable in the box.
 Check your box again.


----------



## Td310

Hi Hawaiibadboy,
  
 Thank you for the answer. Yes i have the stock cable, when i have bought the opus#11. But it's too short. That why i have bought a new cable...
  
 The stock cable is really OTG ? So... the new cable bought on eBay have a problem...


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

td310 said:


> Hi Hawaiibadboy,
> 
> Thank you for the answer. Yes i have the stock cable, when i have bought the opus#11. But it's too short. That why i have bought a new cable...
> 
> The stock cable is really OTG ? So... the new cable bought on eBay have a problem...


 

 ​ Some cables appear to be for power/charging while others can transfer data like music. Sometimes it's something else. My FiiO OTG  data cable will not work with my OPUS. The only cable I used that worked beside the OPUS one was a $50 OTG cable from Audio Technica


----------



## Niteowl360

On the LG V20 an OTG cable did not work with USB TYPE C. But a normal connector like the Apple USB to Type C works fine. Could this be your issue?


----------



## Td310

I have bought this cable on eBay ( i don't know if i can share that...)
 http://www.ebay.fr/itm/302256136127?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
  
 Thanks Niteowl360, the two smarphones are xperia z3 compact and nexus 5. Basic micro usb no ?
  
 I suppose i have to buy other cable to try ?


----------



## Niteowl360

No worries. 
Just thought perhaps you may have had a Type C USB device where in my case an OTG cable would not work. 
Hope you sort it, but most likely easily sorted with another Cable. 
I know you can also experiment with USB Config settings in Developer Options once enabled.


----------



## Td310

I try to enable and disable usb debug Niteowl360, sadly no change


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

You can try and contact theBit and ask if they know of a longer cable that will work with the #11


----------



## Td310

hawaiibadboy said:


> You can try and contact theBit and ask if they know of a longer cable that will work with the #11


 

 ​Thanks i will do


----------



## Td310

Hi,

I have the answer from Audio Opus ! :bigsmile_face: 

The stock cable is different :


----------



## Td310

Hi,
  
 I have found one solution : open the cable and cut the red wire :
  
 http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-USB-no-data-charger-cable/
  
 Work now and you don't need to follow each steps (1. jack , 2. usb)


----------



## jeffhawke

Has anyone compared the Opus#11 to the Centrance DACport HD, SQ-wise? I need a DAC/amp for my Android smartphone and I narrowed my choice down to these two, but I'm undecided. Unfortunately I have not listened to either.
Thanks


----------



## jeffhawke

Has anyone compared the Opus#11 to the Centrance DACport HD, SQ-wise? I need a DAC/amp for my Android smartphone and I narrowed my choice down to these two, but I'm undecided. Unfortunately I have not listened to either.
Thanks


----------



## peter123

Fwiw I've got the DACport Slim (should sound identical to the HD)  and the #11 and enjoy both a lot. I haven't done any direct comparison between the two but would easily recommend the #11 for your usage. The reason for this is the internal battery on the #11. The DACport draw a lot of power from the host device so I really wouldn't recommend it for that usage.


----------



## jeffhawke

That is certainly a major point. The reasons I keep considering the DACport HD are two, output power (which obviously directly influences battery drain), and the separate volume control. Also I could get the DACport HD with a 40% discount...


----------



## jandr272

Will a direct lightning to mini-USB work when connecting Opus 11 to an iPhone?


----------



## s4tch

bumping the thread with a quickie: this, or the xduoo xd-05? i prefer warmer sound signature, tight bass, i listen to rock, metal and jazz, and i'd pair the dac/amp with my android phone to drive my akg n40. any feedback is appreciated.


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Your pref's are dead on OPUS#11. Still my fave OPUS device yet


----------



## ebjarrell

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Ultra Slim Portable Audio Amplifier and USB DAC
> for your smart phone
> 
> 
> ...



Interesting review.  I have a less interesting question though.  What is the case that you have for your Note?


----------



## Paul Oorbeek

I have an Oppo PM3 headphone and i just bought an second hand Ifi Nano IDSD how will the Audio Opus 11 compare with it soundwise? I will use both connected to my LG-V20 handphone.


----------



## pinoyman

Subscribing...


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

ebjarrell said:


> Interesting review.  I have a less interesting question though.  What is the case that you have for your Note?



It's a Note 4

I can look for the item if you got a Note 4

Love the #11 BTW.  Paired with my Note 4 is better than 2 of the 3 OPUS DAPS IMO


----------



## bencherian

Just a question here. LG G6 quad dac has Ess sabre chipset using and that too in quad dac version. Ess sabre 9028 i guess. How does it sound fare against this Opus 11 dac connected phone let's just say iPhone dor example


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

No idea. OPUS #11 is my 2nd favorite OPUS product only behind the #1 aluminum DAP.
Love the #11 smooth yet detail rich sound


----------



## bencherian

I am using G6 now and planning to change the phone to Mate 10 maybe.. But the audio will be a huge let down in that compared to G6. 
Which portable dac should i use in order to get warmer sound... Ya i like warmer sound rather than brighter sound...
Audioquest dragon fly Red and Opus #11 are currently in my list.


----------



## peter123

bencherian said:


> I am using G6 now and planning to change the phone to Mate 10 maybe.. But the audio will be a huge let down in that compared to G6.
> Which portable dac should i use in order to get warmer sound... Ya i like warmer sound rather than brighter sound...
> Audioquest dragon fly Red and Opus #11 are currently in my list.



I've never heard the Dragonfly red but for phone usage I'd strongly recommend getting a dac with internal battery.


----------



## bencherian

Means opus 11# has internal battery. Have you got any other options ? I dono much about these dacs . Budget friendly also preferred around 250$ . 
Warm sound is what i like.



peter123 said:


> I've never heard the Dragonfly red but for phone usage I'd strongly recommend getting a dac with internal battery.


----------



## peter123

bencherian said:


> Means opus 11# has internal battery. Have you got any other options ? I dono much about these dacs . Budget friendly also preferred around 250$ .
> Warm sound is what i like.



For phone usage the #11 is my favorite in that price range. It sports a very good combination of size, features, battery life and sound quality imo.


----------



## bencherian

peter123 said:


> For phone usage the #11 is my favorite in that price range. It sports a very good combination of size, features, battery life and sound quality imo.



I guess i have to drop the idea of Opus #11 because i need a bit warmer sound. I don't like sharp sounds . It triggers my headache. 
Can you suggest warm sounding dacs at same price point please?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

Who is advising you??

This thing is warm. Analogue(ish). If someone is telling you the #11 is sharp they have never heard it


----------



## bencherian

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Who is advising you??
> 
> This thing is warm. Analogue(ish). If someone is telling you the #11 is sharp they have never heard it



Oh ok... I thot it will be sharp since ESS Sabre ES9018K2M  is inside. 

How about Schiit Fulla 2 with AKM AK4490 D/A converter, coupled with an Alps RK09 potentiometer, high-quality filter and amp stages from Texas Instruments . Have you used it ?


----------



## Hawaiibadboy

No I haven't

The Calyx-M also has an ESS chip and it is warm and lush with detail. The DAC coloration on sound is very very overstated by reviewers and parroted by others.
i think the #11 is the warmest item made by OPUS. This is still one of the best amp/dac portables on the market. I thought that end of the market would take off this year but it has not. Leaving this to be still...one of the best options available IMO


----------



## s4tch

bencherian said:


> I guess i have to drop the idea of Opus #11 because i need a bit warmer sound. I don't like sharp sounds . It triggers my headache.
> Can you suggest warm sounding dacs at same price point please?


xduoo xd-05 is certainly a warm sounding one. also, the amp section might be tuned by replacing the opa in case you need a slightly different signature.


----------



## s4tch

bencherian said:


> Oh ok... I thot it will be sharp since ESS Sabre ES9018K2M  is inside.


as @Hawaiibadboy said, dac coloration is overrated. sound signature is mostly decided by the amp section. i haven't heard the opus #11 unfortunately, but i listened to an oppo ha-2 lately (sabre based dac, too), and with my warm iem's (akg n40) and headphones (nad hp50), it's natural, dynamic, detailed, without the slightest touch of harshness.


----------



## peter123

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Who is advising you??
> 
> This thing is warm. Analogue(ish). If someone is telling you the #11 is sharp they have never heard it



^^This! Couldn't agree more.


----------



## bencherian

peter123 said:


> ^^This! Couldn't agree more.



Means you too agree that it is warm sounding signature ? How does it fare against Schiit Fulla 2 and Ultrasone Naos ? Please reply


----------



## peter123

bencherian said:


> Means you too agree that it is warm sounding signature ? How does it fare against Schiit Fulla 2 and Ultrasone Naos ? Please reply



Yes, it's a lush, smooth and liquid sounding device. Unfortunately I've never heard any of your other options. 

What's your source for the #11 being bright?


----------



## bencherian (Oct 19, 2017)

peter123 said:


> Yes, it's a lush, smooth and liquid sounding device. Unfortunately I've never heard any of your other options.
> 
> What's your source for the #11 being bright?



I didn't use opus 11 but ess sabre used in that seen in G6 quad dac. It's bright and sharp trebles with SOUNDMAGIC E80C.

That "SABRE GLARE"  i hate cos it hurts my ear and plus soundmagic E80C got sharp treble all those hurted my ears more


----------



## bencherian

peter123 said:


> Yes, it's a lush, smooth and liquid sounding device. Unfortunately I've never heard any of your other options.
> 
> What's your source for the #11 being bright?



Am going for a 200 dollar headphones which needs to be Warm sounding. 
I know Sonys are warm sounding but many says it lacks details. 
Can you or anyone help me with some good warm sounding headphones ?


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## s4tch

bencherian said:


> I didn't use opus 11 but ess sabre used in that seen in G6 quad dac. It's bright and sharp trebles with SOUNDMAGIC E80C.
> 
> That "SABRE GLARE"  i hate cos it hurts my ear and plus soundmagic E80C got sharp treble all those hurted my ears more


i can only repeat myself: a dac chip won't be decisive for the sound of a device. you can't judge hifi devices by their spec sheets.

as for sub-$200, warm sounding headphones, my first suggestion is always the nad viso hp50. they are on the warm side of neutral, smooth and easy to drive.


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## bencherian

s4tch said:


> i can only repeat myself: a dac chip won't be decisive for the sound of a device. you can't judge hifi devices by their spec sheets.
> 
> as for sub-$200, warm sounding headphones, my first suggestion is always the nad viso hp50. they are on the warm side of neutral, smooth and easy to drive.



Any other headphones ? Nad is not available here and also shipping not possible. 
How about Beyerdynamic DT770 80ohms version ? How does it sound ? I have an inbuilt dac for now with my Lg G6 mobile


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## s4tch

bencherian said:


> Any other headphones ? Nad is not available here and also shipping not possible.
> How about Beyerdynamic DT770 80ohms version ? How does it sound ? I have an inbuilt dac for now with my Lg G6 mobile


where's that 'here'? many sellers offer worldwide shipping.

beyer's are usually v-shaped, with a characteristic spike at the treble. i wouldn't call them warm. also, what's your budget? anyway, you should start here and post a thread, i prefer not to derail the opus #11 thread anymore.


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## bencherian

s4tch said:


> where's that 'here'? many sellers offer worldwide shipping.
> 
> beyer's are usually v-shaped, with a characteristic spike at the treble. i wouldn't call them warm. also, what's your budget? anyway, you should start here and post a thread, i prefer not to derail the opus #11 thread anymore.



India actually... Thanks for your efforts on opus#11 . appreciate that


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## bencherian

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Who is advising you??
> 
> This thing is warm. Analogue(ish). If someone is telling you the #11 is sharp they have never heard it



What are the headphones or earphones that you used with it ?


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## peter123

bencherian said:


> What are the headphones or earphones that you used with it ?



FWIW I've used it with a very wide variety of headphones and IEM's (as I'm sure that HBB has as well) and it tends to pair well with everything but particularly the HD700, SR325is and the HE400i imo. This is because those headphones (especially the two former ones) tends to perform their best (for me) with a warm and smooth source


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## Hawaiibadboy

bencherian said:


> What are the headphones or earphones that you used with it ?



Sony EX1000, MA-900 mostly. Too many others to mention. The EX1000 are thought to be peaky to some so a clinical source with any bright traits would not pair well. The EX1000 and OPUS #11 pair very well.-


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## bencherian

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Sony EX1000, MA-900 mostly. Too many others to mention. The EX1000 are thought to be peaky to some so a clinical source with any bright traits would not pair well. The EX1000 and OPUS #11 pair very well.-



Thanks... Now am satisfied  By the way which phone you using to pair with opus ?


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## Hawaiibadboy

bencherian said:


> Thanks... Now am satisfied  By the way which phone you using to pair with opus ?



I use a Note 4


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## bencherian

peter123 said:


> FWIW I've used it with a very wide variety of headphones and IEM's (as I'm sure that HBB has as well) and it tends to pair well with everything but particularly the HD700, SR325is and the HE400i imo. This is because those headphones (especially the two former ones) tends to perform their best (for me) with a warm and smooth source


 
I have PMed you. Please check


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## Quartex

Good day - apologies for following up with yet another cabling questions, but when I read this thread start to finish, I didn't find an answer, I think.

My question: Does *anybody with a Samsung S8 or any other USB C plug phone* has managed to successfully connect ? I tried all sorts of connection combos but none of them worked out.

As to my understanding, there exists no USB c to Micro-USB OTG adapter / cable.

Therefore my question whether any of you have successfully managed to connect ?

Cheers


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## bencherian

Quartex said:


> Good day - apologies for following up with yet another cabling questions, but when I read this thread start to finish, I didn't find an answer, I think.
> 
> My question: Does *anybody with a Samsung S8 or any other USB C plug phone* has managed to successfully connect ? I tried all sorts of connection combos but none of them worked out.
> 
> ...


 
actually u need type c to pen drive otg cable or adaptor and micro usb to type a usb cable as in the pic shown below. Or they come with new model...who knows


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## Quartex

Thanks. I tried that combo. After your hint, I just verified whether the original Samsung adapter that shipped with the S8 supports OTG but it doesn't look like. At least now I know that I need to connect 2 adapters. Horrible, imho !


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## Quartex

HI - just closing my previous request with this update.

I certainly apply for the title of Head-Fi's dumbest user ... but at least I learned a lesson 

My cabling works (worked) flawlessly - I just didn't realise I had to plug in a headphone to make the Opus visible for UAP. Once I had done that, it was detected and worked. Stupid me.

Regarding SQ: I do prefer this combo over the Beyerdynamic A200p (AK10 twin). Wider stage, more defined heights / brighter and more energetic. On top it plays 24/192 & DSD. 

I mainly used it with the Oppo PM-3 and the power is sufficient. 

When I use the Opus with the HE-560, I think it really reaches it's limit. But it's still ok.

And then attaching the 846s, is turning out really great. What a slim & decent "to-go" option. (Ok, on the other hand, IMHO, the SQ advantage diminishes with every decibel of outer noise surrounding me. E.g. when being on the train, a lot of the "hifi" benefit over standard phone listening is absorbed by the noisy environment, unless I pump up the volume massively, which I avoid).

How does the Opus perform against the Onkyo DP-X1 ? Difficult to judge - some additional testing required. I think I do prefer the X1 by a margin, but comparing the 2 different price tags, the Opus clearly wins the price-performance benchmark. Even though the "value" comparison between a DAC and a DAP certainly seems to be a strange thing to do...

One more thing to try in the future: Attaching the Opus to the Arrow 5TX - which I think will be a superb combo (also for the HE-560), but let's see 

Thanks for reading.


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## ebjarrell

Hawaiibadboy said:


> Well....
> 
> It's like floating down a river except it's not water it's creamy chocolate and those things jutting out of the water are not rocks....they're naked women and you are gonna crash into em any second. You don't care....cuz your naked too.



That absolute best response I've ever read.  And.............I'm stealing it.


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## bencherian

Did anybody tried Opus #11 with Ultrasone performance 820 headphones ?


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## Hawaiibadboy

ebjarrell said:


> That absolute best response I've ever read.  And.............I'm stealing it.



LOL

My attempt at explaining through visualization, the creamy playback of the #11 
Another reason Head-Fi never gives me front page review space.


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## Jmop

Hey @Hawaiibadboy have you tried this with iDevices? Thinking on getting it with the Touch, another review said only 5th or 6th gen will be compatible.


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## Hawaiibadboy

Jmop said:


> Hey @Hawaiibadboy have you tried this with iDevices? Thinking on getting it with the Touch, another review said only 5th or 6th gen will be compatible.



No.
If others say it's compatible it surely is. I am in the Android ghetto wilderness. I am happy there


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## Jmop

Haha good stuff. Appreciate the quick reply.


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## tokteacher

This thread may be dead, but I thought I would post this question in hopes of an answer. I find the micro usb to usb to apple cck connection cumbersome. However, I have yet to find a custom cable that I could use in its place. I tried the Uranus micro usb to lightning, the penon micro usb to lightning, and Lavricables micro usb to lightnings.  
-The Uranus does not reliable connect and, when it does, it can take up to minute to connect to the dac
-the penon-audio read "accessory not supported and its angled fittings blocks the headphone jack
-the Lavricable does not seem to transfer the audio to the dac.

Has anyone found a cable that works without the use of the Apple CCK?

Thanks


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## Hawaiibadboy

tokteacher said:


> This thread may be dead, but I thought I would post this question in hopes of an answer. I find the micro usb to usb to apple cck connection cumbersome. However, I have yet to find a custom cable that I could use in its place. I tried the Uranus micro usb to lightning, the penon micro usb to lightning, and Lavricables micro usb to lightnings.
> -The Uranus does not reliable connect and, when it does, it can take up to minute to connect to the dac
> -the penon-audio read "accessory not supported and its angled fittings blocks the headphone jack
> -the Lavricable does not seem to transfer the audio to the dac.
> ...



I can't answer your question since I'm droid but I have recently got my hands on several of the latest amp/dac devices and this is still my favorite in overall sound. Love it.
Good luck with your search,I hope someone can help you


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## tokteacher

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I can't answer your question since I'm droid but I have recently got my hands on several of the latest amp/dac devices and this is still my favorite in overall sound. Love it.
> Good luck with your search,I hope someone can help you



Thanks—I hope I can get this to work. If not, I will offload for an oppo ha-2se which does not require a specialty cable.

For anyone who finds this thread looking for a cable for an iPhone, I can tell you that the offerings targeted for the chord mojo do not seem to work—I have tried the Uranus cable, the penon-audio cable (the cheaper one) and Lavricables. They either do not transfer sound to the DAC or do it after a long delay and sometimes not at all (Lavricables). The first two also charged the DAC drawing power from the idevice. I am now looking into Meenova Cables.


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## thamasha69

tokteacher said:


> Thanks—I hope I can get this to work. If not, I will offload for an oppo ha-2se which does not require a specialty cable.
> 
> For anyone who finds this thread looking for a cable for an iPhone, I can tell you that the offerings targeted for the chord mojo do not seem to work—I have tried the Uranus cable, the penon-audio cable (the cheaper one) and Lavricables. They either do not transfer sound to the DAC or do it after a long delay and sometimes not at all (Lavricables). The first two also charged the DAC drawing power from the idevice. I am now looking into Meenova Cables.



Thank you for posting your findings. I owned the Opus #11 briefly in 2016 and loved the sound but returned it due to a cosmetic issue on my unit. I was considering the lavricable at the time and have had the Meenova cable Amazon page saved for like a year. Please do report back if you try the Meenova cable - been considering trying to get one of these again.


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## blademaster1990

Hi ,
I am currently looking at a dac/amp to replace my xduoo x3. I have shortlisted opus #11 and fiio q1 mk2. Could somebody compare these two and what would be more recommended


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## tokteacher

blademaster1990 said:


> Hi ,
> I am currently looking at a dac/amp to replace my xduoo x3. I have shortlisted opus #11 and fiio q1 mk2. Could somebody compare these two and what would be more recommended


I have only heard the Audio opus #11. However, I believe hawaiiboy has owned both. You might want to pm him.


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## Hawaiibadboy

tokteacher said:


> I have only heard the Audio opus #11. However, I believe hawaiiboy has owned both. You might want to pm him.



I can compare this weekend. Gotta get the 11 back from my gf.


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## blademaster1990

Hawaiibadboy said:


> I can compare this weekend. Gotta get the 11 back from my gf.





Hawaiibadboy said:


> I can compare this weekend. Gotta get the 11 back from my gf.


Thanks a lot hawaiibadboy. Here in india Fiio q1 mk2 is nearly half the price of opus#11 and I was mighty impressed by both of these based on your review videos.


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## Hawaiibadboy

blademaster1990 said:


> Thanks a lot hawaiibadboy. Here in india Fiio q1 mk2 is nearly half the price of opus#11 and I was mighty impressed by both of these based on your review videos.



1/2 price?

The q1mkII has balanced, a bass switch and a gain switch. As much as I love #11 a Q1mkII at half the cost and brand new would be my rec. I will still compare but unless you love vinyl, analogue sound ( collect vinyl and have an uber turntable) the FiiO is for you.


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## blademaster1990

Hawaiibadboy said:


> 1/2 price?
> 
> The q1mkII has balanced, a bass switch and a gain switch. As much as I love #11 a Q1mkII at half the cost and brand new would be my rec. I will still compare but unless you love vinyl, analogue sound ( collect vinyl and have an uber turntable) the FiiO is for you.


Fiio q1 mk 2 is usd 100 and opus#11 is $200. I will be using the USB dac with my Android phone, listening to streaming music. Headphones I will be using are Ath M50x. I already own fiio q1 but it I am now looking for a update and fiio q1 mk2 at 100$ is a tempting offer.


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## Hawaiibadboy

blademaster1990 said:


> Fiio q1 mk 2 is usd 100 and opus#11 is $200. I will be using the USB dac with my Android phone, listening to streaming music. Headphones I will be using are Ath M50x. I already own fiio q1 but it I am now looking for a update and fiio q1 mk2 at 100$ is a tempting offer.



$100

That's a dinner for 2.   Grab the mkII


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## tokteacher

tokteacher said:


> Thanks—I hope I can get this to work. If not, I will offload for an oppo ha-2se which does not require a specialty cable.
> 
> For anyone who finds this thread looking for a cable for an iPhone, I can tell you that the offerings targeted for the chord mojo do not seem to work—I have tried the Uranus cable, the penon-audio cable (the cheaper one) and Lavricables. They either do not transfer sound to the DAC or do it after a long delay and sometimes not at all (Lavricables). The first two also charged the DAC drawing power from the idevice. I am now looking into Meenova Cables.



_*UPDATE*_: I have found a sequence that reliably transfers the sound from the iDevice to the Audio-Opus #11, using the Meenova Micro Usb to Lighnting. This sequence may have worked with the others, for all I know, but it certainly works with the Meenova. You must turn on the ipod touch/iPhone (in my case). Then select the music player (Onkyo or iTunes in my case) and start to play a song at low volume. Then plug the music player into the Audio-Opus #11 dac and *THEN PLUG IN THE EARPHONE.* That's right plug the earphones in and start the dac last. 

WARNING: with the Onkyo app the volume jumps considerably, so to be on the safe side, don't insert your earphones until after the dac is activated, which you can see by the volume slider jumping up.

It is not perfect, but it does work. Again, I do not remember if I tried this exact sequence with the Penon-Audio, Uranus, or Lavricables, so perhaps they would work with this sequence as well. Still, the Meenova is the least expensive of these cables and does not try to charge from the iDevice.

I hope this will help other users who did not want to use the clunky cable to Apple CCK approach.


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## thamasha69

tokteacher said:


> _*UPDATE*_: I have found a sequence that reliably transfers the sound from the iDevice to the Audio-Opus #11, using the Meenova Micro Usb to Lighnting. This sequence may have worked with the others, for all I know, but it certainly works with the Meenova. You must turn on the ipod touch/iPhone (in my case). Then select the music player (Onkyo or iTunes in my case) and start to play a song at low volume. Then plug the music player into the Audio-Opus #11 dac and *THEN PLUG IN THE EARPHONE.* That's right plug the earphones in and start the dac last.
> 
> WARNING: with the Onkyo app the volume jumps considerably, so to be on the safe side, don't insert your earphones until after the dac is activated, which you can see by the volume slider jumping up.
> 
> ...



Awesome info to know- thank you  and I'm especially glad to hear it does not try to charge from the idevice. I just need to hunt one of these down again, seems unavailable on Amazon now, hoping it will go up on Massdrop again.


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## surfratt

Anyone looking to sell the Opus #11?  If so, I am interested.  Hawaiibadboy, when is your portable dac/amp shootout going to be up?  Will you include the Opus #11 in it?  Nice that we are getting so many choices to use with our phones, problem is trying to decide which one


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## ebjarrell

surfratt said:


> Anyone looking to sell the Opus #11?  If so, I am interested.  Hawaiibadboy, when is your portable dac/amp shootout going to be up?  Will you include the Opus #11 in it?  Nice that we are getting so many choices to use with our phones, problem is trying to decide which one


I may be willing to let mine go.  Wanna get some cash for the new iFi xDSD.


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## bencherian

blademaster1990 said:


> Hi ,
> I am currently looking at a dac/amp to replace my xduoo x3. I have shortlisted opus #11 and fiio q1 mk2. Could somebody compare these two and what would be more recommended



Xduoo-xd05 has better sound quality than Fiio q1 mk2. 
Not much people know it but even many of people don't know the beauty of Xduoo-xd05. 
The amp part... Opamps we can roll, means we can change the opamps with different ones and sound signature changes very much


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## bencherian

blademaster1990 said:


> Thanks a lot hawaiibadboy. Here in india Fiio q1 mk2 is nearly half the price of opus#11 and I was mighty impressed by both of these based on your review videos.




https://www.headphonezone.in/products/audio-opus-opus-11


They sell at reduced proce now. One of the trust worthy brand for audio purpose. I think there is a difference of 5k only now.


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## ebjarrell

Selling my nearly new #11 for €130 (obo) if anyone is interested.


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## abhijollyguy

Does anyone know if Opus #11 is compatible with SONY NW-A46?


----------

