Loxjie D10 - an interesting product to put on the radar?

[WondrousHippo]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MLJVPZN/ - $129 and it has a SABRE 9038Q2M in it. So while it'll probably have the hump, and the shape of that DAC is ridiculous, what's not ridiculous is the possibility for the kind of performance we've seen from other 9038 devices for just a few bucks more than the Khadas Tone Board (and you get the benefit of three inputs you can switch between easily).

Unfortunately, the D20 kinda stinks: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nts-of-loxjie-d20-dac-and-headphone-amp.6011/

Fortunately, it uses a totally different DAC chip.

Hmm! Do wish it had a remote.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Fortunately, it uses a totally different DAC chip.

Hmm! Do wish it had a remote.

Well the one thing these reviews have shown over the years is that the DAC chip itself isn’t as important as the implementation. There are often much bigger influences from power supply, board layout and the analogue output stage on the performance of DACs than the converter chip it uses.

 

[WondrousHippo]

Well the one thing these reviews have shown over the years is that the DAC chip itself isn’t as important as the implementation. There are often much bigger influences from power supply, board layout and the analogue output stage on the performance of DACs than the converter chip it uses.

Right, but with this being from the same parent company as SMSL, and them producing some good results with their Sabre products (eventually, in the case of the SU-8) and reports all over the place of issues with AK4497 DACs, I'm optimistic here.

 

[NTomokawa]

This DAC needs to come with this here sign...

 

[Frank Dernie]

Right, but with this being from the same parent company as SMSL, and them producing some good results with their Sabre products (eventually, in the case of the SU-8) and reports all over the place of issues with AK4497 DACs, I'm optimistic here.

Therein lies the problem. When the same company produces both good and poor implementations one wonders how many design teams they have or even if design (I don't mean the styling here) is sub-contracted.
When one looks at how many different stylings the products have this seems entirely possible to me.