dsnyder0cnn
Addicted to Fun and Learning
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2019
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That's a tough question to answer. The X18 is the best sounding DAC I've owned. In a good room with thoughtful setup, it throws a big soundstage when such is present in the recording. If you are into imaging, it's all there. Focus and spacial qualities of good recordings are present in spades.For those of you who have heard it, is X18 suitable for listening to music? What I mean is musicality. I don't want to use it to check whether the recording is good or bad, just to make my ears comfortable and happy!
Some may find the tonality to be boring because no portions of the frequency range are emphasized. I've never understood this objection since this is digital. If you want more punch or less mids, just dial that in using EQ. The X18 presents a blank canvas; you are free to color the sound however you wish.
The relatively low output impedance makes paring with downstream amplifiers easier. The remote control is nothing special, but it works way better than my Topping remotes.
Connectivity is pretty standard, but there's no USB-C input and no trigger outputs. Besides that, I can't imagine what you'd want in a dedicated DAC that the X18 does not have.