Choosing between Loxjie D10 and iFi Zen ?

[kostaaa]

Hello,

Which DAC would you recommend me for listening music for many hours (at low/mid volume) from an old PC (USB 2.0)?
I want to have more detailed but still warm "audiophile" sound. Now, with the on-board sound I hear every mouse movement and other strange noises.

The speakers are Altec Lansing CS21 and I use EqualizerAPO with many lines of code for different frequencies.....
I run Sine wave generator to hear where exactly to correct. Boosting the lows adds a lot of Harmonic Distortion/strange noises and reflects on other frequencies too.

In a small room but with very good Acoustic treatment, I can have nice bass definition (well absorbed sound, no booming) and a lot of details in mid/high.

I was about to order Asus Essence STX II but after reading many reviews here I changed my mind and started to look in another direction.

I'm wondering if there will a noticeable difference with these speakers. They have SNR 86 dBu.... is that means that I can't reach even CD quality no meter what DAC I will use? Maybe, I have to consider upgrade the electronics some day....

iFi Zen shows not so impressive results on Amir's tests (SINAD only 90 dB?!) but this guy makes me think:

Should I get the low noise power supply too? (+50 euros)

The Loxjie D10 have great results and as I understand, maybe it's the best sounding DAC with ES9038Q2M chip.
Also, it's cheaper.

Nobody talks about THD distribution.... I look at the graphs, if every next spike is lower and if a spike is "missing".

Any observetions from what you hear actually?


Cheers!

 

[kostaaa]

Do you think that I will have maximum performance on USB 2.0, if I get the Loxjie D10?
What about power it with 5V phone recharger using the "AUX Power"?

by the way, I'm now with Sound Blaster Audigy 4 (SNR 106).

 

[Africanman]

I've had my iFi Zen Dac since the beginning of January. Currently connected via usb to my MacBook Pro streaming HiFi via Deezer and Tidal. My daily cans are my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohms (I also have other headphones like Hifiman HE4XX, Grado SR80e, Koss Porta Pros, Klipsch Image One). I updated the firmware with the GTO filter. This Zen dac/amp from iFi has got to be one of the best value for money in audio, in my opinion. My DT770 Pros have taken on a new life paired with the Zen. And for the first time, most of my music sounds as close to analogue as I can remember (from my vinyl days). I have tried it with a power supply and virtually no noise whatsoever that my ears can pick up - the same with the usb connection. I have not listened to the Loxjie D10, but I can definitely vouch for the iFi Zen. I love it!

 

[ZolaIII]

Loxjie D10 is around 90$ on Ali but their store is currently down, Topping E30 is 130$... I don't see any reason for going for iFi.

 

[Africanman]

Since they are all in the budget-enthusiast price category, for me it would boil down to which sound signature you prefer of their dac chips:

Loxjie - Sabre Dac
Topping - AKM Dac
iFi - Burr Brown Dac

I really love the Burr Brown vibe.

 

[oldsysop]

How much work remains to be done at ASR.
The road is very long.

 

[LTig]

Since they are all in the budget-enthusiast price category, for me it would boil down to which sound signature you prefer of their dac chips:

Loxjie - Sabre Dac
Topping - AKM Dac
iFi - Burr Brown Dac

I really love the Burr Brown vibe.

Uh huh.

 

[Hugo9000]

I love the Burr-Brown/Texas Instruments "vibe" as well. So many decades of incredible work! Look at everyone that has stood on their shoulders, while these companies actually did the hard pioneering work. I also like the "vibe" of Bell Labs, and of RCA Labs under Dr. Harry Olson.

Look at Burr-Brown's importance in the NASA program, helping us to invade the moon, and then their role in digital audio. Quite a vibe!

(I realize the poster probably meant another sort of vibe, perhaps like "velvet-soft" sound from AKM, "sharp/stabbing/piercing of a sabre" ESS, or the "classic and natural musical goodness" of BB haha!)

 

[A800]

Since they are all in the budget-enthusiast price category, for me it would boil down to which sound signature you prefer of their dac chips:

Loxjie - Sabre Dac
Topping - AKM Dac
iFi - Burr Brown Dac

I really love the Burr Brown vibe.

Sabre for me.

 

[A800]

"sharp/stabbing/piercing of a sabre" ESS

LOL.
Come on.

 

[Hugo9000]

LOL.
Come on.

No one gets a gentle or loving caress from a sabre! The curved shape of a sabre also implies a "U"-shaped EQ, tilted up at the extremes, for overpowering bass and stabby highs! And don't forget "steely"/"metallic" sound signatures! Why would they choose such a name, otherwise? Might as well take them at their word, I guess, since all data is closely held and subject to NDA, even simple spec sheets for their chips! hahaha!

Regarding AKM, I certainly hope they mean pure silk velvet, and not some awful synthetic that passes for velvet nowadays.

 

[A800]

No one gets a gentle or loving caress from a sabre! The curved shape of a sabre also implies a "U"-shaped EQ, tilted up at the extremes, for overpowering bass and stabby highs! And don't forget "steely"/"metallic" sound signatures! Why would they choose such a name, otherwise? Might as well take them at their word, I guess, since all data is closely held and subject to NDA, even simple spec sheets for their chips! hahaha!

Regarding AKM, I certainly hope they mean pure silk velvet, and not some awful synthetic that passes for velvet nowadays.

LOL!
Thank you!