Overview of theBit OPUS # 1S is a good step forward

Looking back, we can admit that theBit company has already proved its worth in the market of portable audio. Their OPUS # 2 and OPUS # 3 players showed that the company can produce stylish solutions with good sound and usability, completely competing with A & K. Now it's time to get your portion of updates to the first model of the company, meet OPUS # 1S.

Outwardly, the new "budget" is not much different from its predecessor , the difference has touched only the color options of the case and the improved screen. Inside, the changes are more cardinal, the DACs were changed to fresh chips from the Cirus Logic CS43198, also underwent a revision and the amplifier, the power became higher, and most of the passport characteristics (distortion, separation, etc.) - better. Unfortunately, the player never got wireless interfaces, like his older brothers, but theBit put up for him a fairly humane price tag compared to the first revision of $ 400.

Specifications

• Processor: 4-core ARM Cortex-A9 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB
• DAC: 2 × Cirrus Logic CS43198
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0.02 dB), 10 Hz - 70 kHz (± 0.3 dB)
• Signal to noise ratio (@ 1 kHz): 123 dB unbalanced output, 125 dB balanced
• Channel separation (@ 1 kHz): 140 dB unbalanced output, 142 dB balanced
• Total harmonic distortion + noise: 0.0007% unbalanced output, 0.0005% balanced
• Output level: 3.1 Vrms unbalanced output, 3.4 Vrms balanced
• Supported formats: WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WMA, DSD, MP3, OGG, APE
• Maximum resolution: up to 192 kHz / 24 bit
• Screen: 4 "TFT, 800 × 480
• Outputs: 3.5 mm TRS Earphone, 2.5 mm TRRS balanced
• Inputs: MicroUSB
• Built-in Memory: 32 GB
• Memory Cards: 2 × MicroSD up to 200 GB
• Battery: lithium polymer, 4000 mAh, 3.7V
• Operating time on one charge: ~ 11 h
• Charging time from 2A charger: ~ 4 hours
• Dimensions: 72 mm × 112 mm × 18 mm
• Weight: 190 g

Packing and delivery kit

To ensure that the packaging does not look very traditional, the Bit decided to play a little, but not with fonts, but with shades. Therefore, the inner box has a nice red color, and the outer cover is made in gray and with a stylish texture. Polygraphy is traditionally low-key, technical characteristics are printed on the back side.

Inside is the player itself, a MicroUSB-cord for charging it, instructions with a warranty card and spare protective films (besides those that are glued from the factory).

As always, theBit, the player has a very cool leather case, and this time in two colors (like the player itself), but it must be bought separately. However, already now many sellers offer sets of a player + a cover at once with a discount.

Design and management

The appearance of the player did not change, all the same quality plastic, the same inserts of glass on the front and rear panels. Of the variety this time brought a modified color, the new 1S exists in a dark blue and burgundy versions, both look very impressive. The back panel is now made with a pattern, it also looks good. The build quality of the player still does not cause censures, everything is neatly adjusted, without cracks, backlashes and creaks. Tactically plastic feels nice and, strictly in my opinion, copes with its tasks no worse than aluminum.

The OPUS # 1S itself is quite large, although, in my opinion, the facet of "pocketability" does not pass, it lies comfortably in the hand, it is controlled without problems. The case in the form of a rectangle with bevelled corners is still not similar to any other model, which gives the player its own identity.

Despite the presence of a touch screen, the developers did not forget about the management of the "blind": on one end of the player there are navigation buttons for tracks (3 pcs.), On the second - volume control (2 pcs.). The buttons are small enough, but with good progress, so they are quite comfortable to control (although it's hard to find them in the case). On the left side, in the lower part, there are two slots for MicroSD cards, closed with a lid.

On the upper side there are outputs: 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm, beside them there is an on / off button. On the lower side is expected to be a MicroUSB-connector, which serves for charging the player, access to memory and USB DAC function.

The front panel is almost completely occupied by the touch screen, the developers decided that the new revision of the player is worthy of a new display, so the quality of the matrix used has greatly increased. This, of course, is not the screen of the modern top-end smartphone, but for the world of players it's very good: resolution, color rendition, viewing angles do not cause, and even a margin of brightness is enough to see at least something on a bright sunny day (although in view of the weather the last time I'm beginning to doubt that such are).

The operating time of the player in my standard test (FLAC 44.1 / 16 and MEEAudio P1) was 10 hours and 10 minutes. Charge the player from 2A charger for 3 hours and 50 minutes. In OPUS # 1S very well implemented sleep mode, so on a pause, even when it's on, it consumes a charge very economically.

Firmware

As in the previous version, Android plays the role of OS here, however, unlike older models equipped with wireless modules and the possibility of installing third-party applications, the young OPUS from this fact, as they say, "neither cold nor hot". The operating system from Google does not show itself almost in anything, and the entire user interface is taken over by the custom software player.

Immediately after launching the user greets the playback screen, everything is familiar: the album cover, track information and playback control buttons are displayed large. Tap on the cover shows additional information and buttons for adding to favorites and playlists. For the transition to the media library is responsible button with three bars in the upper left corner. In the media library, everything is customary: browsing through folders, genres, albums, artists, favorites and playlists. Fonts are large, so navigation is very convenient.

The main screen is expected to have a "shutter" settings, which contains the basic options of the player. There is also a button with a gear, which opens a menu of additional settings. It almost completely duplicates that of any smartphone on Android, except for a few added items (sleep timer, gain switch, USB mode).

Since the players of theBit use a common code base, the firmware is very stable, non-selective in formats and not seen in "bad behavior".

Sound

To listen to the device used the following headphones: iBasso IT03 , Meze 99 Classics , Audio Zenith PMx2 , Noble Kaiser Encore , Campfire Audio Andromeda , 64 Audio U12 , HUM Pristine and others.

The first version of the "junior Opus" by sound was quite an interesting model - a neutral feed with an additionally enlarged scene gives a stylish "holographic" effect, but not on all styles and genres it is appropriate. TheBit perfectly understood this, and in the updated version the input of the player was changed quite a bit: 1S offers a more drive sound with a pleasant weight of almost the whole range, but without any bright accents.

LF here are powerful, massive, but not imposing, with good texture transfer and good impact. The bass goes very deep, although the deepest low cuts are slightly reduced quantitatively, so as not to crawl to the main part of the range. The resolution of the bass is very good, as is the separation of the instruments of this register. For lovers of accented low-frequency player will not work, but for connoisseurs of naturalness it will be quite to the court.

SCH differs by a successful combination of macro and microdynamics, which, on the one hand, allows it to play well different strokes, rumblings and roar, and on the other hand it gives a good detail (although not ideal), while avoiding excessive monitorability of the first revision. The player is only slightly inclined to the "scale" in the pitch, it slightly emphasizes the emotions and energy of performance, while the shortcomings of the recording are slightly concealed. The imaginary scene here artificially does not swell, so it is already, than the first version, but still more than the average in both directions. The player has a qualitative separation of tools and plans. Of course, up to the spectacularity and three-dimensionality OPUS # 2 "younger brother" is far, but we will not forget about the difference in price.

HF is slightly simplified in terms of attacks and attenuations, but they have good length and resolution, which allows them to play very well "air" and high overtone, which largely compensates for the nature of the supply of the rest of the range. The resolution of the upper part of the range is normal, so the player sounds good with high-quality headphones even of the upper price segment.

A few comparisons.

Other models of theBit. The difference with the first revision of OPUS # 1 I have already painted above, so let's talk about the other two models. OPUS # 2, of course, is the flagship with all the attributes inherent in this status: more natural, more natural, closer to a neutral and unadorned pitch. He also better builds an imaginary scene and shares instruments. OPUS # 3 stands a little apart, it is slightly more smooth on the pitch and slightly darker, which causes a more vintage sound and a slightly smaller imaginary scene than the # 1S, although the SQ of the "troika" sounds, perhaps, more spectacular.

FiiO X5-III. This player also produces a massive sound, especially the lower half of the range, but it is slightly darker in general sound. OPUS # 1S slightly emotionally serves the MF and slightly better studies HF, but the difference is "big" is an exaggeration, the main difference still more flavor.

Lotoo 5000 Mk II. This player as a whole serves very similarly to the hero of this review, and the difference between them should be carefully listened to, but OPUS # 1S makes a small, albeit noticeable step in the naturalness of the presentation.

Cayin N5ii. Well, it's obvious that the players are completely different, so you can just read the two reviews and, comparing them, understand their cardinal differences.

Compatibility

The increased power, of course, went to the device for use, almost all modern headphones are now no problem for him: full-size capacity is enough (except very tight models), and with the IEM the noise is practically nonexistent. I would recommend something neutral to the player, starting with HiFiBoy OS V3 and ending with even Andromeda. The last, of course, you can pick up a source and more abruptly, but the bundle with this "Opus" is quite harmonious.

Stylistically, the player is quite versatile, I can not single out any more or less successful genres for it, the criticality to the quality of the record is average, somewhere by 7 points on the conditional scale of "fault-finding".

By tradition - several tracks for example

The Cinematic Orchestra - Time & Space. With all my love for this band, live recordings for them are much better than studio ones, and this very meditative track is a vivid example. The updated OPUS perfectly emphasizes the versatility of this recording, immersing the listener in an atmosphere of performance.

Frank Sinatra - Somethin 'Stupid. That's all good old songs of one of the best vocalists of the world, except for the quality of the recording. Luckily, remasters come to our aid, here, for example, this one from 2008. On the one hand, the orchestral substrate is carefully preserved, which is an obligatory attribute of the compositions of those years, on the other - the vocal is restored beautifully, and with a little help OPUS # 1S just falls in love with itself.

FKJ - Tui. Sometimes, quite by accident, Deezer in Flow mode throws tracks that I would never have listened to in my life, and here's a vivid example. I did not google, what kind of team, did not get acquainted with the rest of the creativity of this project, deciding to leave it a fleeting meeting. The amazing combination of deep LF and light basic melody in the "weighty" performance of the hero of today's review is fascinated once and for all.

conclusions

In general, if you are looking for a mid-range player, your choice has become a little more difficult, since in this niche there is another very good player. theBit significantly improved the delivery of its player, and now it is able to compete on an equal footing with its classmates, often leaving the winner. It's a pity, of course, that the player did not get wireless interfaces, but the new screen falls in love with itself right away.