Oppo Sonica USB DAC and Streamer Review

[wrxified]

Yeah the other tweeter didn’t deflate and smoke like a campfire but it smelled really bad and I sent it to the spare parts bin. This is what makes me think I just sent too much power for a long enough time. We laid into them hard. The preamp I used has plenty of gain to get the 1200as to full power and I was about 90% through the first minute of Money for Nothing.

Almost every speaker my cousin does is 2nd order electrical because he views “less as more”. The tower is technically a 3.5 way. The only thing we added in addition to 2nd order electrical is a "contour filter" to tame the rising response of the tweeter.

In reality it's probably 3rd order acoustic. So a 2nd order electrical xover, used to achieve a 3rd order acoustic roll-off.

It dips low on the ohms too. 2.38 at the minimum. They would shut down my Emotiva XPA-2 Gen II amp if I laid into it. The As1200 hasn’t shut down yet. I’m just roasting tweeters instead.

 

[wrxified]

Well I’m thinking I might be chalking this purchase up to an epic fail. I bought it assuming a bit a risk given Oppo’s decision to move away from the business. I underestimated however just how much this device is reliant upon the app to make it work. The iOS app simply shuts down with 14.3.1. You get the main screen for a few second and the app quits.

It’s a $1000 paperweight. Well I take that back. Not entirely. It’s a $1000 Bluetooth adapter. I was able to get my phone to make a Bluetooth connection with the Sonica.

 

[C. Cook]

That sucks man. I didn't have any issues with the Android app, but I do remember reading some complaints about the Apple version. You could have saved $400 if you'd seen my post though, lol.

On a serious note, did yours come with the little remote control? Oppo shipped the Sonica with a little basic 'card' type remote and that should have been in the box, especially if TMR was billing it as "certified" and if it was supposed to be shipped in original packaging w/ all original contents. You might try finding one of those if you haven't already.

OPPO SONICA DAC - replacement remote control - $15.3 : REMOTE CONTROL WORLD

Replacement remote control OPPO SONICA DAC - 100% replacement 1:1 of the original remote control. The remote control has been specially developed for the following OPPO models: HA-1, HA1, SONICA DAC. (There may not be listed all compatible models. If you are not sure, just tell us your device...

www.remote-control-world.eu

The silver one on the right shipped with European models, I think. Here's a pic of the one mine came with.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Well I’m thinking I might be chalking this purchase up to an epic fail. I bought it assuming a bit a risk given Oppo’s decision to move away from the business. I underestimated however just how much this device is reliant upon the app to make it work. The iOS app simply shuts down with 14.3.1. You get the main screen for a few second and the app quits.

It’s a $1000 paperweight. Well I take that back. Not entirely. It’s a $1000 Bluetooth adapter. I was able to get my phone to make a Bluetooth connection with the Sonica.

That's going to be a problem with any app controlled device. I try to stay away from anything which uses an external app because all the interdependencies can go sour very quickly if the manufacturer decides to not support the device or the app or both.

I have a Sonica DAC in a second system and it works splendidly as a DAC.

 

[C. Cook]

That's going to be a problem with any app controlled device. I try to stay away from anything which uses an external app because all the interdependencies can go sour very quickly if the manufacturer decides to not support the device or the app or both.

As I mentioned above, Oppo did in fact provide a remote control for the Sonica DAC, but it seems like the OP may not have received one, having bought it used.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

As I mentioned above, Oppo did in fact provide a remote control for the Sonica DAC, but it seems like the OP may not have received one, having bought it used.

My Sonica never had a remote control and I've never had the slightest problem controlling the DAC.

 

[C. Cook]

My Sonica never had a remote control and I've never had the slightest problem controlling the DAC.

Was it new when you got it and did you use the Apple or Android app? I also never had any problems controlling it via the Android app, but the remote was definitely convenient when I didn't want to use a smart phone to operate it.

There is probably a fix for the issue wrxified is experiencing - including buying a remote online. RE: the IOS app, It is probably his IOS version and/or his wi-fi LAN.

Question - Oppo Sonica issue

Hi All, just treated myself to a sonica but having some issues and was seeking some advice. everytime i use the app on either my phone or tablet it resets my bt home hub router and kills my internet connection?? I have also used airplay directly from my phone and it does the same thing. now to...

www.avforums.com

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Was it new when you got it and did you use the Apple or Android app? I also never had any problems controlling it via the Android app, but the remote was definitely convenient when I didn't want to use a smart phone to operate it.

There is probably a fix for the issue wrxified is experiencing - including buying a remote online. RE: the IOS app, It is probably his IOS version and/or his wi-fi LAN.

Question - Oppo Sonica issue

Hi All, just treated myself to a sonica but having some issues and was seeking some advice. everytime i use the app on either my phone or tablet it resets my bt home hub router and kills my internet connection?? I have also used airplay directly from my phone and it does the same thing. now to...

www.avforums.com

I got it new directly from OPPO a few years ago. I never used the app at all. I just used it as a straight DAC. It was my main DAC until I replaced it with an SMSL M400.

 

[wrxified]

Yeah this is was my bad. First off I went into this with some expectations. The draw to the Sonica was really 3 fold. Today I use an A&K Kann DAP where I store about 500 GB of FLAC, AIFF, & DSF files. I simply connect it with the balanced headphone jack to my receiver using XLR interconnects. They're kind of noisy and the A&K connect app on the phone is somewhat glitchy and lags quite a bit. I also have a Focal bluetooth receiver hooked to the preamp and occasionally stream Apple Music directly to the receiver that way.

With the Oppo labeled as a "DAC/Network Streamer" with AirPlay capability, I was hoping to kill several birds with one stone. My hope was to hook an SSD up to the device via USB, have an interface to play the albums I have stored, and use the AirPlay feature when needed. That and I'd get a far better DAC and connection to my preamp.

So I managed to find a spare unused Android phone in a drawer. Loaded the Sonica app and managed to get it connected. It’s definitely an issue more with IOS. While the Android app was kind of quirky it's connected and sounds good. The Oppo app though does a pretty bad job of loading media from the SSD. Maybe I need to reorganize the files. They're loaded the same way most media players like to see them with a folder for each artist, and the appropriate albums as a sub folder under each of the artist folders. The Sonica app doesn't seem to recognize any artist or albums. When I click on the Artist or Album folder in the app, nothing shows up. If I click on the all music folder I get all the songs in alphabetical order. If I click on the "folder" link at the bottom I can then start going into each artist folder.

I did order the remote from Oppo. It's the small credit card type remote. Just looking at the remote I don't think that's going to help me scroll through any folders on the USB drive. I could be wrong. I'm half tempted to just bite the bullet and order the Roon Nucleus music server. I've held off on this for a while due to the monthly cost and cost of the server itself.

I'd also like to find a way to play music through a device that is AirPlay 2 enabled so I can send music from my phone on apple music to the preamp without losing much in sound quality.

I'm open to any suggestions if you guys think there is a better way to accomplish my goals. I have 14 days to return this Oppo if it doesn't work out. I probably would've gone a different route had I known the app and playing music from it was going to be an issue. Think there are some really good DAC's in this price range that would have at least a warranty and support.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

The lesson to take away from this is to NOT buy any product which relies on apps or any external program if the company is anywhere near to going out of business or if the product has any chance of becoming obsolete or discontinued in the near future as in the case of the Sonica. The Sonica is a great DAC which uses a current generation chip, but realistically it should only be used as a straight DAC given its obsolete status.

 

[C. Cook]

I got it new directly from OPPO a few years ago. I never used the app at all. I just used it as a straight DAC. It was my main DAC until I replaced it with an SMSL M400.

So it didn't come with any remote? That's crazy. Maybe I got some sort of beta edition??

 

[Billy Budapest]

So it didn't come with any remote? That's crazy. Maybe I got some sort of beta edition??

No, the beta units were not offered for sale and were returned to the company (I was a Sonica DAC beta tester).

I agree with the above comments—the Sonica DAC is great as a stand-alone DAC, but the Sonica ecosystem is dead and using it as a streamer is a losing proposition. You should go for a streamer that is currently in production.

I use Roon Server running on an Asustor NAS. There are Roon Server builds that run on Synology and QNAP NASes as well. You can connect the NAS to a USB DAC or connect a Roon endpoint such as an SOtM SMS-200 to your network and then to a DAC. The Roon ecosystem is very well thought out and works in a pretty much plug and play manner.

As you said, you can also purchase a Roon Nucleus server but IMHO those are overpriced. You can get exactly the same thing minus the fancy case by purchasing an Intel NUC and installing the Roon OS or running Roon Server atop Windows or Linux. You could also run Roon Server atop MacOS.

 

[C. Cook]

No, the beta units were not offered for sale and were returned to the company (I was a Sonica DAC beta tester).

Did the beta units come with the credit card remotes? It's possible a beta unit was re-released out into the wild after having been returned to Oppo. I wonder if there's a way to check the serial number.

 

[C. Cook]

You can get exactly the same thing minus the fancy case by purchasing an Intel NUC and installing the Roon OS or running Roon Server atop Windows or Linux. You could also run Roon Server atop MacOS.

That's exactly what I was doing for a while before I realized that Roon was charging me $100/year and wouldn't apply the previous 2 years toward a lifetime purchase despite me pointing out to them that their payment processor (Stripes) had - without my knowledge or permission - updated my debit card (the one I used to subscribe to Roon in the first place had expired long ago) and was charging me on behalf of Roon with me thinking I *had* bought the lifetime sub.

Now I'm just using Tidal "Masters" on my NUC and running it to the DAC via USB; hopefully have all the Windows sound settings correct and have Tidal using exclusive mode and volume pegged at max. Since I never used any of the Roon parametric EQ functions or other features, I don't notice any difference in sound or frankly in ease of use. I'm pretty unhappy with Roon - the company and their business practices, I might add. I need to get in touch with Stripes and complain to them as well.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Did the beta units come with the credit card remotes? It's possible a beta unit was re-released out into the wild after having been returned to Oppo. I wonder if there's a way to check the serial number.

From the time I bought my Sonica, the remote was an optional accessory at extra cost. I don't know why that would be, but one feature the Sonica does have which makes a remote unnecessary for me is a 12V trigger input. Turning on my system turned on the DAC. That isn't the case with my SMSL M400, or most any other DAC I've seen reviewed here; I must separately turn on the current DAC.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Did the beta units come with the credit card remotes? It's possible a beta unit was re-released out into the wild after having been returned to Oppo. I wonder if there's a way to check the serial number.

The beta units came with the silver remotes, as did the commercial unit I used to have.

 

[wrxified]

As you said, you can also purchase a Roon Nucleus server but IMHO those are overpriced. You can get exactly the same thing minus the fancy case by purchasing an Intel NUC and installing the Roon OS or running Roon Server atop Windows or Linux. You could also run Roon Server atop MacOS.

I've been looking at doing the Intel NUC as well but holy crap they make it clear as mud on how to do it. To make matters worse people try to "dumb it down" with videos on YouTube to make it easier for people.

First thing I'd say, if dumbing it down needs to be put into a 58 minute tutorial video, or better yet part 1, part 2, and part 3, then you're not doing a great job of dumbing it down.

The Nucleus is expensive but it's almost like Roon knows it's complicated enough that they get the $1500 premium from people that lack a PhD in Computer Sciences.

 

[benanders]

Almost the anniversary of this thread’s last activity, hopefully not completely ghosted.

I’m finally abandoning my Sonica’s transport/server feature. More like it abandoned me ( er, us )
Been using a USB-A connected 8TB SSD, which eased an increasing trend of freezes with bus-powered 3-5TB external HD’s. Then Oppo Digital closed and every iOS update made the app increasingly problematic.
Year and a half ago I was given a damaged (screen) iPhone; reset it to factory with only the Sonica app installed. This worked “slightly,” with the app not automatically closing 2-3 secs after opening, but down-time from freezes and drop-outs still accounted for more time on the clock than actual successful playback, during operation. Simple functions like resuming play upon app reentry and pause-unpause were still impossible and often required reboots of both app and DAC. My iOS devices with additional apps installed could not run Sonica at all. I won’t buy an Android device just to have a slightly-less-awful UI given the obvious: Oppo Digital’s parent company (aka their executioner) invested nothing meaningful towards the Sonica app survival.

I liked the Sonica transport’s minimalist format since I only use folders/files, with naming formats that don’t always agree with music server freeware. I’ve no real need for all the peekaboo graphics, playlists, remote server access etc. The all-in-one-chassis factor was nice, too.

Seeing no reason to give up the perfectly fine DAC side of Sonica, I’ve taken the plunge to try transport hardware / software / apps on the Raspberry Pi.
Anyone else doing this now, with the Sonica DAC? Thoughts, impressions, measurements?

 

[Billy Budapest]

From this article, it looks like that BBk actually has 20% market share.
https://www.androidauthority.com/bbk-phone-manufacturer-808839/

BBK is huge. In addition to Oppo phones, they also own the Vivo and OnePlus brands.

 

[PenguinMusic]

Hi there,

One question to those having the Sonica or owned it...

I know it is software depepndant but for what ? For it's set-up ? Or for it's streaming abilities ?
If it is for the set-up is there no way to set it up in any other way than with the software ? Like with a remote control ?

If it is for streaming, is it not possible to use it with third-party apps like BubbleUPnP ?
If so, will it support gapless playback if fitted with latest firmware update ?

Thanks a lot for your answers.

Regards.

FRED