Eleven XIAudio Broadway Headphone Amp Review

[IAtaman]

Where can I get the most expensive batteries for the ultimate hifi sound? They should make batteries and sell them for $1000!

$1000? People charge a thousand bucks for devices that condition the electromagnetic energy in the air around the amp. An audiophile battery for $1000 would be a steal. Literally. More like $4,000 I'd say, and that is for entry level - $12,000 for the deluxe version that is treated with a burn-in in an anechoic chamber for 3 months. Allegedly.

 

[JayGilb]

$1000? People charge a thousand bucks for devices that condition the electromagnetic energy in the air around the amp. An audiophile battery for $1000 would be a steal. Literally. More like $4,000 I'd say, and that is for entry level - $12,000 for the deluxe version that is treated with a burn-in in an anechoic chamber for 3 months. Allegedly.

Damn it, you made me google audiophile battery. The first link had an advertisement for a Dan D'Agostino amp, so I knew I was on the right track, lubricated by snake oil.

 

[IAtaman]

Damn it, you made me google audiophile battery. The first link had an advertisement for a Dan D'Agostino amp, so I knew I was on the right track, lubricated by snake oil.

So how much was it?

 

[JayGilb]

So how much was it?

The Stromtank S2500 is a battery based ac generator and is available for $27,500 USD.

 

[peniku8]

Same situation existed with the HD650 were the A90 was out to take prisoners, pushing it to levels of loudness which could cause near instant hearing loss!

I hope they were not on your head at that time..!

 

[AudioSceptic]

The price is, of course, ridiculous, but what really puzzles me is what situation calls for a dubiously portable battery-powered amp like this?

I doubt that it's meant to be portable, more likely that it's aimed at those who believe battery power is somehow better because it's "pure" DC, with no mains "pollution", etc.

 

[sarumbear]

Testing proved challenging as the unit was very prone to ground loops when using my standard headphone load box. The loadbox has a power supply to operate its relays and was causing sever ground currents and reducing measured performance. I had to jump through a few loops to get around this.

I'm intrigued: If the load is controlled by relays, why would it has any reference i.e. connection to the input? Shouldn't the load be insulated from the text box circuitry?

 

[anphex]

What a timeline where American(UK?) products are starting to look and perform like earlier Chinese knockoffs.

 

[JDS]

Due to infinitely many odd harmonics, oddly..

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[dtaylo1066]

2.5K and channel imbalance. No thanks. I'm sorry but for 2.5K a headphone amp should be knocking it out of the park in all areas. Balanced only? Meh.

 

[AdamG]

Hey yes it is mine, I ended up with the Topping A90D/D90SE stack. Very happy with it - definitely a step up in build quality and sounds more transparent & “clear” than the Broadway

Thanks for taking one for the Team! That is very much appreciated and it’s dedicated Members like you that make this entire project work.

 

[poxymoron]

DCA Stealth/Expanse, maybe some Audeze - circa 4000/5000€, RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE - plus minus 2500€, Niimbus US 5 PRO - circa 5000€/Benchmark HPA-4 - circa 3500€.

Are you saying that the DC and Audeze headphones are that far ahead that they are the only SOTA headphones? You can buy a lot of SOTA Dacs and amps for less than the ones you listed.

 

[Adi777]

Are you saying that the DC and Audeze headphones are that far ahead that they are the only SOTA headphones?

Probably not.

You can buy a lot of SOTA Dacs and amps for less than the ones you listed.

Probably yes, but it still isn't cheap.
PS For me SOTA isn't only the best measurements.

 

[SuicideSquid]

I watched a video review of this and the guy there claimed that you can "roll the batteries" (switch for different brand) and get different sound!

"Can you believe someone made X absurd claim about audio?"

Yes. Always yes.

I don't understand how this company can justify this absurd price tag for this unit. I guess someone is willing to pay it. But who? Why? You can get comparable performance from a $200 unit and for $500, you can get a headphone amp that outclasses it across the board.

 

[VQR]

Not oddly as this is a balanced design.
When one would measure it SE there would probably be a lot of 2nd harmonics.
Appears to be audible transparent and powerful enough for higher imp. headphones.

Way too expensive for what it is/offers.

View attachment 268176

picture from: https://www.audionet.com.tw/thread-12588-1-1.html

I find it funny that inside are generic AA's. Shoulda soldered in coincells with silver fillets for a more tubey sound.

 

[Robbo99999]

The high-priced audio bashing continues, I'm all for it! Well ok, it does deserve it, I don't mind high priced audio gear that performs extraordinarily! @IAtaman , sure you don't want to defend this one!

 

[the_brunx]

Even Xi would be disappointed with Xi Audio.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

The only people that really buy this unit are ones who are purchasing Abyss headphones. They market it as the "perfect amp for the Diana series headphones". I originally had ordered a Topping A90D/Topping D90SE, which I was convinced by Abyss to return and order the XIAudio Broadway & K DAC from them for over $4500.

This was their reasoning:


I was luckily able to return the K DAC as I purchased it from Audio 46, but not the Broadway so I sent it in for review.

It's super easy to be convinced to go one route or another when you are a noob in this hobby. I went to Youtube to learn about this hobby in the beginning, found Joshua Valour, who praised Abyss headphones as the best headphones he's ever heard. As a nooby in the hobby, I had to try them. I liked them at first, but compared them to an HD6XX after instructed on ASR, and found that the HD6XX were more resolving, had a cleaner mid range, and a better soundstage.

I am very disappointed to see Youtuber's pushing their products so hard. When you just get into this hobby, it's super easy to be convinced to go one way or another. I used Youtube as a source of truth as I'm used to watching reviews from MKBHD, Unbox Therapy, LTT, etc.. for electronics. Joshua Valour wasn't impressed with the Susvara's but claims the Diana TC's are the best headphones he's ever heard. Everyone has their own opinions, but IMO you have to be deaf to truly believe the Diana TC's are superior to the Susvara's.

Needless to say, Im very glad i found ASR. I've learned a LOT and I am very happy with my gear now. I really hope more people like me can find ASR when getting into this hobby.

to be fair I think Joshua and some other youtubers are not necessarily snake oil promoters or liars, preference outliers can be really wild, I know some guy who loves Grado more than any other headphones he listened, and at one point he had like 30 headphones in his home. It's best if we can try for ourselves before making a decision.

I used to be like you too, the head-fi crowd cheered for AudioGD products so I tried them and didn't find them special, like not bad but after I purchased JDS Lab Atom stack I feel like I missed nothing from them.

 

[solderdude]

I find it funny that inside are generic AA's. Shoulda soldered in coincells with silver fillets for a more tubey sound.

Those are Lithium 18650 cells.... 18.65 kHz is a bit narrow for audio bandwidth. Maybe that's why they have 2 of these in series increasing the BW to 37.3kHz
Or 2 of them for balanced operation at 18.65kHz .. 4 for stereo of course.

 

[ZgSTar]

All of a sudden the Chord Hugo2 feels like a bargain that deserves a golfing panther. LoL