Soncoz LA-QXD1 Balanced DAC Review

[porotikos]

many report issues. let me report that i have no issues at all. and i have it plugged 24/7

 

[theoblue80]

many report issues. let me report that i have no issues at all. and i have it plugged 24/7

And what about your listening experience up to now? Does it justify the hype?

 

[Jimbob54]

And what about your listening experience up to now? Does it justify the hype?

It's a dac. If it's working, I'm not sure what experience there is to detail.

 

[porotikos]

And what about your listening experience up to now? Does it justify the hype?

exactly what jimbo said. i had khadas before. no complaints there. i havent ab'ed them, but i love that the dac sounds natural (transparent). if there is any colorisation or something off in comparison to khadas, i would have noticed. it does its job perfectly.
does it justify the double price over khadas? for me yes but it is up to anyone to determine. for me it is a vfm flagship killer (like khadas).

 

[theoblue80]

It's a dac. If it's working, I'm not sure what experience there is to detail.

Yes but if it is only a matter of 'it works' or not, then what's the purpose of all these measurements and comparisons?

 

[porotikos]

Yes but if it is only a matter of 'it works' or not, then what's the purpose of all these measurements and comparisons?

to see if it works. by working we mean it is transparent or it colorizes the sound. we dont talk about whether it powers on or not

 

[Jimbob54]

Yes but if it is only a matter of 'it works' or not, then what's the purpose of all these measurements and comparisons?

Exactly as @porotikos says above. You might notice Amir is focusing far less on DACs now- this is the reason. It adds no great value- we all know you can get a good DAC from Topping, SMSL, Schiit, Soncoz etc etc - they arent likely to make one now that measures badly. Im sure on other sites people will say the next hype sensation is different from all that came before - but it wont be.

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

Well, I hate that my first post after all the reading I have done here is a problem but here goes...
First Thanks to everyone ere for all the valuable posting you do! Much appreciated. I took delivery of the Sonocoz today and I am at a complete loss at how to get such a simple DAC to work?

My Mac Can see the DAC, Audirvana sees the DAC everything points to it should work, Lights on, yes i turned the volume up by holding the button.
But sadly I get no sound out of this DAC, using same cables switch over to my Schiit Modius and I have sound!

Any one know a trick? @Ben1987 Can you Help? @Sophia Ann any suggestions?

I am baffled...

Thanks in advance for any direction

Edit: Also in my Midi control panel, I have no way to control volume of this Unit, all sliders are at zero and cannot be moved, if I missed something in my mac midi setup, my bad. I remember i had something similar with SMSL M500 but that was easily solved as all I had to do is move the sliders up they were just low, but moveable

 

[Jimbob54]

Well, I hate that my first post after all the reading I have done here is a problem but here goes...
First Thanks to everyone ere for all the valuable posting you do! Much appreciated. I took delivery of the Sonocoz today and I am at a complete loss at how to get such a simple DAC to work?

My Mac Can see the DAC, Audirvana sees the DAC everything points to it should work, Lights on, yes i turned the volume up by holding the button.
But sadly I get no sound out of this DAC, using same cables switch over to my Schiit Modius and I have sound!

Any one know a trick? @Ben1987 Can you Help? @Sophia Ann any suggestions?

I am baffled...

Thanks in advance for any direction

Edit: Also in my Midi control panel, I have no way to control volume of this Unit, all sliders are at zero and cannot be moved, if I missed something in my mac midi setup, my bad. I remember i had something similar with SMSL M500 but that was easily solved as all I had to do is move the sliders up they were just low, but moveable

I hate asking such an obvious question, but you didnt explicitly mention selecting the relevant input.

Also- you havent connected the digital coax out, have you?

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

I hate asking such an obvious question, but you didnt explicitly mention selecting the relevant input.

Also- you havent connected the digital coax out, have you?

LoL, yes I have selected the correct input, even cycled thru them just to make sure....probably 10 times more than I think I have lol

And no no COAX just usb is all I use, USB in analog out, XLR nothing..RCA nothing, just simply have not sound out of it. Thank you for checking me tho Appreciated

 

[Jimbob54]

LoL, yes I have selected the correct input, even cycled thru them just to make sure....probably 10 times more than I think I have lol

And no no COAX just usb is all I use, USB in analog out, XLR nothing..RCA nothing, just simply have not sound out of it. Thank you for checking me tho Appreciated

US? or other 2 prong power sockets? Try putting the charger plug in the other way round. (Its a thing, mentioned a few times on here). One thing us Brits dont have to worry about due to 3 prong plugs. Change chargers too. Or are you using USB power from the PC- if so try an old (not silly high power) phone charger

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

US? or other 2 prong power sockets? Try putting the charger plug in the other way round. (Its a thing, mentioned a few times on here). One thing us Brits dont have to worry about due to 3 prong plugs. Change chargers too. Or are you using USB power from the PC- if so try an old (not silly high power) phone charger

Yes in the US, I'm ready to give up, I have tried flipping the socket, lol not a bad idea. I have tried 3 different USB C charging cords I have, all the same result DAC lights up pretends to act like its working but nothing, all button functions seem as they should.

I have tried 4 different USB B cables again all known to be working, and although Audirvana and my MAC recognize that it is connected and Audirvana begins to play an album, I simply just have no sound.

I sent a message to @Ben1987 but no answer as of yet. If nothing works by tomorrow I guess i'll just send it back, damn I was looking forward to this after my M500 just up and died a few days ago, ugh,...what a week, at least I still have me Schiit...lol

 

[Jimbob54]

Yes in the US, I'm ready to give up, I have tried flipping the socket, lol not a bad idea. I have tried 3 different USB C charging cords I have, all the same result DAC lights up pretends to act like its working but nothing, all button functions seem as they should.

I have tried 4 different USB B cables again all known to be working, and although Audirvana and my MAC recognize that it is connected and Audirvana begins to play an album, I simply just have no sound.

I sent a message to @Ben1987 but no answer as of yet. If nothing works by tomorrow I guess i'll just send it back, damn I was looking forward to this after my M500 just up and died a few days ago, ugh,...what a week, at least I still have me Schiit...lol

Doesn't sound promising. As you say, its a simple thing and if its recognised and allegedly playing- I have no more suggestions - sorry.

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

Pretty sure It's time to pack this up and do a return, hate doing that however, with as many pieces of electronics as I have owned over my lifetime you'd think I'd know by now if I got a bad one, and sadly I think....I got a bad one! lol

Unless I'm missing something major, It's a DAC give it power if needed, hookup your source, select the right input, and voila! but this time no Voila!

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

Doesn't sound promising. As you say, its a simple thing and if its recognised and allegedly playing- I have no more suggestions - sorry.

Thanks so much for your input! Appreciated!!

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks so much for your input! Appreciated!!

PS- my gut feel is its a PC/Driver issue - any way you can plug a phone or other USB source in? Or try optical/ coax?

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

I'm on a MAC, I would agree with you completely, but I usually don't have "Driver issues" that's one reason why I love my MAC! lol

The only way I could check it on a PC would be to take it to a friends house, Also have never had a single issue with any USB device since I went over to Mac/Apple years ago!

Thanks for thinking of it !

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

Just an update after some playing around...

The only thing other than analog and USB that I could test was Coaxial, well guess what USB in to Coax out works! But nothing else does so it just putting out signal thru the Coax, if I change the input with the selector on the unit, it still outputs over coax, just no analog.

Even when putting the unit into mute it does nothing it still outputs over coax..

Replacement order in, I will give them another chance, if another bad unit comes it will be the last from them, Thanks for the input!!

 

[Jimbob54]

Just an update after some playing around...

The only thing other than analog and USB that I could test was Coaxial, well guess what USB in to Coax out works! But nothing else does so it just putting out signal thru the Coax, if I change the input with the selector on the unit, it still outputs over coax, just no analog.

Even when putting the unit into mute it does nothing it still outputs over coax..

Replacement order in, I will give them another chance, if another bad unit comes it will be the last from them, Thanks for the input!!

Which I think rules out anything on the Mac/ Driver side- so looking like something blown inside. I would expect the coax out to work regardless of what you do to the controls- I think it feeds out before the DAC chip

 

[Mr. BubbaHyde]

Which I think rules out anything on the Mac/ Driver side- so looking like something blown inside. I would expect the coax out to work regardless of what you do to the controls- I think it feeds out before the DAC chip

Gotcha, well hopefully I will be enjoying one in a day or two, cheers, and Thanks again