theBIT unveil their flagship Hi-Res Player – Audio Opus#2

theBit Opus#2

8.9

Sound and Build Quality

9.6/10

Specifications/Features

9.0/10

Value For Money

8.0/10

Pros

• Top tier high spec signature
• Very easy to use and fast boot times
• Competitive Pricing

Cons

• Only has 1 Micro SD Card Slot
• Volume Dial Lock on software would be nice

Bluetooth

With the Bluetooth I found some problems which I solved with perseverance. The range of the Opus 2 is limited and with a limited range Headphone the problem is exacerbated. After 10 feet the DAP can go out of range. After that , I found I had to switch the Headphone off and the DAP off.

Pairing was exactly the same process as any Android phone so was easy. I have several Bluetooth Headphones as I am a keen runner and working out with cables flying around can be off putting. I tried a gentle test of having the Opus placed beside my treadmill and gave an album a try.

The Ausdom AN7s I had always thought were a bassy V shaped signature ; good enough for a workout but quite typical of the lack of fidelity out there in the wireless market. There is another level to these headphones that shocked me ; they sound half decent! The bass is not bloated like I thought ; there are discernible vocals and strings can be told apart from keyboards. Something happened here….

Bluetooth is as much a triumph on the Opus 2 as it’s other attributes. theBIT have shown me here another example of their attention to detail.

After listening to what many purists would consider to be the least important feature in a Flagship DAP , I am even more convinced; this player can make even the bad come good!

150 step volume

The volume wheel on the right hand side of the DAP is a joy, each turn is a subtle tactile click so it can be turned 150 times. The perfect solution for those who need it perfect.

For those times when it needs to be turned up from low to high volume you can drag your finger upwards or downwards on the screen and micro adjust when you are near where an earphoniac should be. For this price , we deserve perfection!

Gain settings

3 gain settings are available on the Opus 2, none of which seemed to alter the sound signature just modifying the gain as expected.

This enables all the 3.5mm and balanced IEMs out there to be tailored exactly to the users needs. Software is a good feature and more discrete than a switch on the side of the casing, adding to the elegant minimalism of the Opus.

Firmware Updates via WiFi(OTA)

Currently on 0.001 version the Opus 2 is clearly in it’s infancy. An enhanced android experience is promised for the future but is not currently offered.

Apparently the Audio Opus 2 may be able to stream music in the future. The OTA firmware update is simplicity itself ; just another option easily found in system settings. The default setting is “search automatically for firmware updates once per week”. I knew a firmware update had been done this week , so I instead checked “search for updates now”. The OTA found theBIT’s server , downloaded the firmware seamlessly and then unpacked it , restarted, and to my immense relief worked straight away and with no change in speed.

Power Savings

The DAP has an ultra power saving capability – it can fall asleep when forgotten about for up to 2 months and will come out of hibernation at the simple press of  a button. The unit takes 4 hours to charge and in normal use , fiddling around with all manner of settings and types of music bitrates I surpassed their rated 9 hours of playback.

128 Gb inbuilt storage and single Micro SD Card Slot

There has been some murmurings of discontent on the lack of a 2nd Micro SD card slot. This would add enough storage space to satisfy most of the quad DSD collectors currently out there. DSD files do take up an awful lot of space. An additional facility of the Opus 2 can be utilised here; at the sacrifice of having a single device unfortunately.

Remember USB OTG? An Android phone could be strapped with this little beauty and , with streaming capabilities , the possibilities are limited only by one’s data package on the go.

Many Android phones have already get Micro SD Card storage themselves too , adding even more options. I am fairly certain that those who decide they cannot live without the Audio Opus 2 will have a phone with them at the same time as they are using the DAP. Why not combine the 2 from time to time ? Go on, you know it makes sense! Now, where are there some really nice looking straps….