Loxjie D30 DAC and Headphone Amplifier Review

[crisppacket]

My english is not the best, the only thing i wrote is that since the latest driver that can be downloaded from the S.M.S.L site is also signed for Loxjie, and Loxjie itself has not put the Update for more than a year we can use this newer driver from SMSL.

I updated to the latest driver on the SMSL site for my D30.
Unfortunately it would not work properly with my setup - Windows 10 using JRiver. JRiver kept freezing when I tried to play a file..
I had to reinstall the version of the driver from the Loxjie website and it works as normal again.

 

[crisppacket]

I updated to the latest driver on the SMSL site for my D30.
Unfortunately it would not work properly with my setup - Windows 10 using JRiver. JRiver kept freezing when I tried to play a file..
I had to reinstall the version of the driver from the Loxjie website and it works as normal again.

Update: think this is an incompatibility issue with my setup, nothing to do with the drivers not working.
I cannot get any xmos drivers to work properly after v 4.82.0.
Strange.

 

[Chromatischism]

The Loxjie targets the most common configuration and features one needs for a desktop product: DAC, headphone amp and bluetooth. The DAC performance is excellent. Anything better would cost you hundreds of dollars more. The headphone amplifier has very good noise and distortion but limited power. And too high a noise floor for sensitive IEMs.

@amirm Great review and great looking product! Regarding your comment about having too high a noise floor for sensitive IEM's, is there a certain sensitivity level where this would be an issue? I have the Moondrop Starfields which are 32ohm, 122db sensitivity.

I have also tried some IEM (Beyerdynamic Byron, probably not particularly sensitive) and they work perfectly, no significant noise floor.

The most underwhelming thing with the amp is the noise floor which is audible on my IEM:s

Is anyone else using this with IEMs and can comment on the noise floor?

 

[MediumRare]

Is anyone else using this with IEMs and can comment on the noise floor?

Choose something different, not great for IEMs. Look at the list in the review for better ones. There are a lot.

 

[Zek]

New D30 with ESS ES9068AS D/A chip.
http://www.loxjie-audio.com/productshow.asp?id=156

 

[Labjr]

I wonder why they didn't rename it or add a suffix? Especially since they've changed from AKM to ESS.

 

[michman66]

Last time I searched for this product I could find anyone who sells it? I'd like to get one.

 

[Labjr]

Last time I searched for this product I could find anyone who sells it? I'd like to get one.

Amazon lists the new version but currently unavailable. Price will likely be going up since it's really a different product.

 

[threni]

I wonder why they didn't rename it or add a suffix? Especially since they've changed from AKM to ESS.

Because only 7 people care, and they already noticed without having to be told!

 

[Ramdi]

The new d30 is full decoder mqa!!!

 

[Veri]

The new d30 is full decoder mqa!!!

The ESS9068AS chip can decode on DAC level.

 

[Zek]

Price will likely be going up since it's really a different product.

Yes, the old one was $170 and the new one is $260.

 

[Ramdi]

Is a big difference!

 

[Paolo]

I‘m using a D30 as headphone amp for my TV and would like to add a pair of active speakers, mainly for music listening.
There’s practically no space for them and the room is fairly small too, so I’m looking for something like 5” monitors.

Do you guys thinks the ROKIT 5 4G would be a good match?

 

[MNMLSM]

I‘m using a D30 as headphone amp for my TV and would like to add a pair of active speakers, mainly for music listening.
There’s practically no space for them and the room is fairly small too, so I’m looking for something like 5” monitors.

Do you guys thinks the ROKIT 5 4G would be a good match?

In terms of performance every active monitor would be a good match for the D30. But there are a few things to consider. The D30 has only RCA out (not balanced). Pricier monitors like Neumann or Genelec only offer balanced inputs (as far as I know).
You should also consider that the KRKs are nearfield monitors, I don't know the distance between you and the TV.

PS: The Rokits offer only Balanced Inputs too, a cable like that should work but you don't have a real balanced connection in that case, which shouldn't be a problem if you don't have difficulties with ground loops.

Cordial CFU 3 MC

Cordial CFU 3 MC: professionelles Audiokabel; XLR male --> Cinch male; 1x 0,22mm²; mit Neutrik (Rean) Steckern; handgelötet mit vergoldeten Kontakten; Zwillingskabel, Farbmarkierung, Länge 3m

www.thomann.de

Used a similar one with my ADAM T5V and had no problems, amirm reviewed the KRKs.

 

[Paolo]

…
You should also consider that the KRKs are nearfield monitors, I don't know the distance between you and the TV.
…

Well, they should sound better than the TV internal speakers or a sound bar, I hope. Space is really the only reason I’m not going for bigger speakers…

 

[navin]

Hi.How is your Loxjie D30 working to this day ? Have you been staying with this same dac or you change it ? Im looking for reviews of
new Topping D30 Pro (399 usd) but many folks says that they doesnt feel a change from cheaper toppinng e30 (150).It seems like the rise in dac prices is for featues (knobs ,xlr outs ,etc) and not for the chip but the implementation of itself and power supply. And other reviews says Loxjie d30 just beat in sound to topping e30,d50s and even smsl 200m, so its a good deal in my mind .Bluetooth isnt important to me because with an app on smartphone I can control my Pc music from Foobar and since it would be connected to the dac by Usb input ,the Pc it works as an excellent streamer without losing quality of details that get lost with bluetooth, and without having eyes glued to the Pc screen.

Before this review came out I ordered the Topping DX3 Pro+ (the one with the ES9038Q2M chip) and am now wondering if I should cancel that order and get the LOXJIE D30 (with the ES9068AS chip) instead. My use case is as a desktop amp using my laptop as a source and my headphones (Sundara or AKG 712Pro).

The D30 is $234 on Amazon while the DX3Pro+ is $199. There is also a LOXJIE D20 (with the AK4497 chip) for $128. Why is the D20 so much cheaper?

Thanks.

 

[gvl]

The DAC chip differences are inconsequential but the Topping has a much more powerful amp, so it will be much better for HP use than the D30.

 

[navin]

The DAC chip differences are inconsequential but the Topping has a much more powerful amp, so it will be much better for HP use than the D30.

Thanks, I will retain my order for the Dx3Pro+.

 

[michman66]

I have the topping D50s I just got a JDS LDAC and I must say it has bettered the d50s by far. I would highly encourage someone to give the JDS a try they have a two-week return policy I really feel you would be very pleasantly surprised and it's an American company!
Number two the power supply is AC which makes a big difference no switching wall wart. I agree it's not all in the deck chips it's in the power supply which makes a much bigger difference in my humble opinion.
The customer service and communication with JDS has been outstanding something to consider.