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Measurement and Review of FX-Audio DAC-X6 DAC (compared to Topping D30 and Fiio E10K)

hackbart

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Hey guys, I just registered :)
I recently bought a FX-Audio DAC-X6 via Amazon.
The specs on the Amazon site was 90ma@600Ohms, max 2,1V, which is quite powerful.
The users manual and actual impression is quite different: The user manual states 38ma@300Ohms, and max 1,8V, which is quite weak, and when compared to my phone, from my subjective view it's only half of the volume(!!!).
The power supply that came with it weights nothing and is supposed to give 12V/1A.

Have I received a "modified" or "updated" version of the X6 that has cheaper/less parts in it, or has it something to do with the gain settings?
Did the users manual of the first batches of X6s (let's say 2017/18) already show the lower specs (38ma/300Ohms)?
From my actual point of view it looks like I have been ripped of and the device is not the same powerful thing it used to be in 2017.

I have attached as many pictures as I could to shine some light onto this matter :)

Thanks for your help!

hackbart
 

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sajunky

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Hi hackbart. Nothing inferior, I spotted some audiophile quality Nichicon capacitors. On my twice more expensive Topping D30 there are substandard and unreliable CapXon's and other cost cutting changes. Get a figure.

The only missing part comparing to the Amir's board is VR2 potentiometer. It is probably for HP voltage regulator (U7). There is nothing wrong with this, maybe they spotted a place that picks up a noise or they decided to not let users to play with.

It comes with SA9023 USB interface chip on a removable PCB. On Amir's it was VIA VT1603 soldered in.
 

MathewC

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Hi, im thinking of picking this dac amp up and a pair of dt990's at 600 ohm but am scared that this amp will not be powerful enough. Am I better off using the onboard dac and getting something like a schiit magni 3 for €100 more or will this amp be able to power it with the jumper mod?
Would it perhaps be better if I got the HD6XX with these instead?

Also on some sites i see descriptions of (for the price) quite high wattage output at different impedances but on some sites and in a previous mentioned comment, it is stated to be drastically lower. Which one do I believe?

Edit: would a monoprice dac amp solve the issues concerning the power?
 
Last edited:

thevirq

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Is it worth buying X6 in 2020? I have DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm and a very ****** motherboard that makes the bass non-existant on 770
 

verde57

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Help please.
Can I change the volume pot on the X6 PRO? My DT770 250ohm sits at 10 o'clock maximum on the dial and I am using low volume on foobar.
I want to have more flexible range in the analog spectrum, what value pot can I use instead of the standard one?
 

abm0

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Is it worth buying X6 in 2020? I have DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm and a very ****** motherboard that makes the bass non-existant on 770
Its MkII version might be worth it, a lot of people are hailing it as the new budget king. Seems to have improved the audio specs a bit (using a Sabre 9018), they're claiming only -0.5 dB frequency droop over 20Hz-20kHz this time, and it has plenty of power for the price. It can put around 500 mW into those 80 ohms, so way more than you will ever need for the DT770.
 

thevirq

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Its MkII version might be worth it, a lot of people are hailing it as the new budget king. Seems to have improved the audio specs a bit (using a Sabre 9018), they're claiming only -0.5 dB frequency droop over 20Hz-20kHz this time, and it has plenty of power for the price. It can put around 500 mW into those 80 ohms, so way more than you will ever need for the DT770.
I've bought first X6. It turned out to be defective with crackling noise issue :(
 

nofacemonster

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Does these measurements effect dac stage as well? Im using my dac-x6 as a dac to little dot mk2 powering a HD-6XX.

Im talking about the bad stuff that got detected during the tests.
 

AdamG

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Does these measurements effect dac stage as well? Im using my dac-x6 as a dac to little dot mk2 powering a HD-6XX.

Im talking about the bad stuff that got detected during the tests.
Welcome Aboard @nofacemonster.
 

vb09

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Since we revived this old thread. Does any one own the new version of this DAC/AMP: Fx audio dac-x6 mkII
Any thoughts around its performance or has it been reviewed by @amirm yet?
I am searching for integrated DAC/AMP solutions around this price range, want to use optical input (from fat PS4) for audio setup.
 

nofacemonster

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I am still looking for an answer to the question which I had last May!!! Does DAC stage gets effected by these measurements? If anyone knows it'll be a great help folks!
 

Sal1950

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I am still looking for an answer to the question which I had last May!!! Does DAC stage gets effected by these measurements? If anyone knows it'll be a great help folks!
In what way? Sorry but I don't understand your question ?
 

charleski

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I am still looking for an answer to the question which I had last May!!! Does DAC stage gets effected by these measurements? If anyone knows it'll be a great help folks!
I’m pretty sure Amir’s measurements of the DAC stage were made from the fixed-level rca outputs on the back. So yes, they reflect the performance you’ll get when using a different headphone amp.
 

ikd

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Is this worth getting at $45 nowadays? For driving a HD 560s
 

nofacemonster

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In what way? Sorry but I don't understand your question ?
Sorry for late reply and my bad English.

I just wanted to know that if I use my Dac-X6 mainly as the DAC only, Will these measurements still matter? I mean these measurements are through the DAC and AMP sections (As a combo).

What if i use the DAC-X6 to feed my Little DOT MK2 as its pure DAC mode?
 

AnalogSteph

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What if i use the DAC-X6 to feed my Little DOT MK2 as its pure DAC mode?
Such an effects device would be covering up a lot of the distortion for sure. That being said, the DAC-X6 measured had a ton of high-frequency distortion:
This is yet another THD+N measurement versus frequency in stereo (pairs of lines for each):

THD+N vs Frequency Topping D30 Exasound E32 FX-Audio DAC-X6.png
Mostly 3rd-order, apparently, and enough that I wouldn't be betting on it being entirely masked by the amp (likely dominant 2nd). I presume it's cheap ceramic capacitors in the output stage. The (probably) fake OPA2134 wouldn't be helping either but that's much further down on the list. The last time I had onboard audio hitting -60 dB worth of IMD at 10 kHz due to incorrect chip init and resulting linear interpolation, it was definitely audible to me, but this may not be 100% comparable.

I'm still a bit mystified by the results of the low-level linearity test, or how you can screw up a CS4398 implementation so badly that dynamic range doesn't even make it to 100 dB (stuck at 16 bit or what? SPDIF receiver not properly implemented? Very noisy Vref?). Looks like poor parts quality was only part of this DAC's issues.
 

nofacemonster

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Such an effects device would be covering up a lot of the distortion for sure. That being said, the DAC-X6 measured had a ton of high-frequency distortion:

Mostly 3rd-order, apparently, and enough that I wouldn't be betting on it being entirely masked by the amp (likely dominant 2nd). I presume it's cheap ceramic capacitors in the output stage. The (probably) fake OPA2134 wouldn't be helping either but that's much further down on the list. The last time I had onboard audio hitting -60 dB worth of IMD at 10 kHz due to incorrect chip init and resulting linear interpolation, it was definitely audible to me, but this may not be 100% comparable.

I'm still a bit mystified by the results of the low-level linearity test, or how you can screw up a CS4398 implementation so badly that dynamic range doesn't even make it to 100 dB (stuck at 16 bit or what? SPDIF receiver not properly implemented? Very noisy Vref?). Looks like poor parts quality was only part of this DAC's issues.
According to this, Even the used as a DAC gets all those bad stuff.... (I am not technically inclined as many of you here, so please bare with me)
 
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