New Release : xDuoo XA-10 Balanced DAC & AMP

[Tortie]

But it does have a balanced connection 4.4mm the 05 is 6.5mm only

There's a *useless* pentaconn jack that simply outputs single-ended sound. It's a deception. Nothing about the amp topology is balanced. Therefore the user will not realize any benefits using the 4.4mm pentaconn over the 6.3mm SE jack.

The spec on the AUX lineout shows the output voltage is 2.0v. So even the lineout direct from the I/V stage is not balanced. 4.0v is the standard for balanced output, i.e. double the typical single-ended 2.0v standard.

So in no way is this product balanced other than DAC stage but that is completed negated because the rest of the internal circuitry is unbalanced.

xDuoo is hoping they can fool people into paying a premium for this repackaged XD05+ with bluetooth thrown in. Both products internally look like shoddy. If you look at the board layout for the slightly older XD05+ it looks like a packrat designed it.

There's an over reliance on electrolytic caps. Most of those caps are presumably pirated clone parts. The reason they use so many electrolytic caps is because this company apparently doesn't have the manufacturing wherewithal to utilize surface mounted thin film caps. This looks like it was hand soldered. They don't have access to an industrial Pick and Place machine. Note the battery. It's the cheapest crappiest LiPo pack imaginable. This wouldn't meet the quality control standards of any respectable smartphone or tablet manufacturer for use in their products. Yet here it is in the XD05-BAL.

 

[ninetylol]

There's a *useless* pentaconn jack that simply outputs single-ended sound. It's a deception. Nothing about the amp topology is balanced. Therefore the user will not realize any benefits using the 4.4mm pentaconn over the 6.3mm SE jack.

The spec on the AUX lineout shows the output voltage is 2.0v. So even the lineout direct from the I/V stage is not balanced. 4.0v is the standard for balanced output, i.e. double the typical single-ended 2.0v standard.

So in no way is this product balanced other than DAC stage but that is completed negated because the rest of the internal circuitry is unbalanced.

xDuoo is hoping they can fool people into paying a premium for this repackaged XD05+ with bluetooth thrown in. Both products internally look like shoddy. If you look at the board layout for the slightly older XD05+ it looks like a packrat designed it.

View attachment 110064

There's an over reliance on electrolytic caps. Most of those caps are presumably pirated clone parts. The reason they use so many electrolytic caps is because this company apparently doesn't have the manufacturing wherewithal to utilize surface mounted thin film caps. This looks like it was hand soldered. They don't have access to an industrial Pick and Place machine. Note the battery. It's the cheapest crappiest LiPo pack imaginable. This wouldn't meet the quality control standards of any respectable smartphone or tablet manufacturer for use in their products. Yet here it is in the XD05-BAL.

Almost looks like a DIY bomb LOL

 

[Tortie]

I'm probably talking to myself here but after 5 days of researching my options for a portable amplifier to pair with my LG V20 I've come to the disappointing conclusion that there's no product that checks all the boxes for me.

If I was forced to buy a portable amp today I would get the iFi xCan. But I wouldn't be happy to do so.

Since most of my listening is done in my bedroom I think my best course of action is to buy desktop components. You can get a Schiit Asgard 3 for $200 and a good DAC for $200 or less. Such a setup would run circles around any portable DAC/Amp on the market.

 

[Tortie]

Erm they just offer the connector. There are a lot of products that do this. The SP200 and SH-9 amps for example are not balanced, but both have very high gain and power output, you would not notice it's "truly" balanced... in any case calling it fraud is just silly, the consumer should also read the fine print. If the power is the same, it's not balanced. No need to get offended lol.

Upcoming Topping A30 Pro will also have 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm in a similarly unbalanced amplification stage like the SP200. It will have extremely high power output. Balanced is not necessary if the design is good anyway. Not sure you've ever read this...
https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

Your examples are both sketchy Chinese based companies. Try again. This is a deceptive practice that no reputable company would be caught doing.

Don't pretend thqt offering a bogus balanced jack is a "feature". Every headphone comes with a single ended cable and if not a simple adaptor can be purchased that allows the user to plug their balanced cable into a SE jack and they cost just a few bucks. No one would buy a fake "balanced" amp just for the "convenience" of plugging a balanced cable into it. LMAO.

 

[Veri]

Since most of my listening is done in my bedroom I think my best course of action is to buy desktop components. You can get a Schiit Asgard 3 for $200 and a good DAC for $200 or less. Such a setup would run circles around any portable DAC/Amp on the market.

Yup. Asgard wouldn't be my first choice, but yup.

Don't pretend that offering a bogus balanced jack is a "feature". Every headphone comes with a single ended cable and if not a simple adaptor can be purchased that allows the user to plug their balanced cable into a SE jack and they cost just a few bucks. No one would buy a fake "balanced" amp just for the "convenience" of plugging a balanced cable into it. LMAO.

You're missing the point. If your headphone is balanced you can plug it in. It takes hardly any real estate on the chassis. You're thinking too deeply about this. As I linked earlier in the benchmark myth article, balanced amplification is pretty pointless anyway, unless you're driving some crazy load like a Susvara or Heddphone.

 

[Tortie]

Almost looks like a DIY bomb LOL

Haha! Reminds me of the Lovely Cube days and circa 2008-2010

 

[Tortie]

Yup. Asgard wouldn't be my first choice, but yup.


You're missing the point. If your headphone is balanced you can plug it in. It takes hardly any real estate on the chassis. You're thinking too deeply about this. As I linked earlier in the benchmark myth article, balanced amplification is pretty pointless anyway, unless you're driving some crazy load like a Susvara or Heddphone.

Haha maybe I should buy a Topping product so I can blow my effing house up. Thanks, but I'll stick with Schiit and keep the money in the USA. I previously owned their Magni 3 and slaughter my FiiO A5 in sound. The latter retailed for $130. The Magni for $99.

Regarding your second point, there is no such thing as a balanced headphone. There's balanced and unbalanced circuits. The headphone cable can be either be wired for balanced or unbalanced transmission.

The XD05-BAL confers no benefit to any headphone owner over the previous model, XD05+. Both are unbalanced amplifiers that output 1,000mW @ 32ohms.

Another consideration is the driver and firmware situation for xDuoo's USB reciever chips. Their forum has several examples of customers struggling with the drivers and driver updating. The xDuoo rep seems just as confused and the processes he outlines to the beleaguered xDuoo product owners is a maze of convoluted instructions such as installing an older USB driver version, then extracting the nested firmware folder, installing that firmware, then uninstalling the USB driver, and then installing a newer driver. It's a never ending loop of install/uninstall with a language barrier further hampering the exchanges.

xDuoo customers are reporting their that DACs get bricked or that their device eventually loses USB functionality and they have to resort to the mini toslink. Others say the battery fails to hold a charge.

I can't imagine they sell many XD05 units. No one of repute is repping their products. They'll eventually fade away.

 

[Tortie]

@Veri, I'm curious what you'd recommend as far as a desktop amp.

 

[Veri]

@Veri, I'm curious what you'd recommend as far as a desktop amp.

Depends on how far you can stretch your budget. Fiio K5 or modi/magni is good starter gear, although I'd go Atom DAC + Atom amp over the schiit personally. Stretching budget more you can go modius/magnius or THX 789/Monolith 887 + any good DAC that you fancy.

I'm not a fan of the discrete magni 3+ or Asgard. I'm sure they're fine, but if you ask me, I'd rather get a less stellar DAC with a super clean amp, rather than pairing a stellar DAC with a less clean amp. Just what I'd do... I don't believe in some Class A magic. I do believe in solid feedback reducing distortion. Less distortion can result in fatigue-free listening.

Don't even get me started on tubes

 

[Tortie]

Depends on how far you can stretch your budget. Fiio K5 or modi/magni is good starter gear, although I'd go Atom DAC + Atom amp over the schiit personally. Stretching budget more you can go modius/magnius or THX 789/Monolith 887 + any good DAC that you fancy.

I'm not a fan of the discrete magni 3+ or Asgard. I'm sure they're fine, but if you ask me, I'd rather get a less stellar DAC with a super clean amp, rather than pairing a stellar DAC with a less clean amp. Just what I'd do... I don't believe in some Class A magic. I do believe in solid feedback reducing distortion. Less distortion can result in fatigue-free listening.

Don't even get me started on tubes

Appreciate your input. I'm actually reading up on the Magnius. Looks like a nice stack.

Hopefully, one day I can log on here and discover that iFi has turned things around and started to make portables that don't fall apart in your hands or that Schiit or Cambridge Audio have launched a compelling and sleek portable DAC/Amp product that can be rubberbanded to the back of a smartphone. I won't hold my breath. Seems like a shrinking market segment that's circling the drain.

 

[TheSacredSoul]

Just received it. Really couldn't be happier. Setup was a breeze, no driver issue whatsoever. I'm no audiophile but I love the sound coming from this thing. Drives the Arya with authority. Everything comes through with great detail. Only think I dislike is that it doesn't auto-mute the RCA outs when headphones are plugged in but I gotta live with that I guess.

 

[bier_ist_gut]

Just received it. Really couldn't be happier. Setup was a breeze, no driver issue whatsoever. I'm no audiophile but I love the sound coming from this thing. Drives the Arya with authority. Everything comes through with great detail. Only think I dislike is that it doesn't auto-mute the RCA outs when headphones are plugged in but I gotta live with that I guess.

Awesome! Glad to hear it, especially the bit about the Aryas. I am looking for something to drive the HEDDphone, so that's relieving to see. Checked your history, it seems you were in the same boat I was. I was also looking at Magnius and I also really like the SU-9. I'm assuming, besides the channel bleed, they're good for your monitors otherwise?

 

[Atanasi]

Erm they just offer the connector. There are a lot of products that do this. The SP200 and SH-9 amps for example are not balanced, but both have very high gain and power output, you would not notice it's "truly" balanced...

Some retailers advertise their outputs as balanced, which is wrong, if the circuit is not actually balanced. Balanced means, for example, that the impedance of both poles of a channel relative to signal ground is the same. On the other hand, higher power compared to single-ended is not strictly a requirement of a balanced connector.

 

[TheSacredSoul]

Awesome! Glad to hear it, especially the bit about the Aryas. I am looking for something to drive the HEDDphone, so that's relieving to see. Checked your history, it seems you were in the same boat I was. I was also looking at Magnius and I also really like the SU-9. I'm assuming, besides the channel bleed, they're good for your monitors otherwise?

I know the HEDDphone requires heavy power. The XA10 is 4W at 32 ohms. Not sure if that would be enough. You might be better off with the Magnius. Only reason I didn't go Schiit is the insane shipping prices ( 70USD!). Which is why when the XA10 released I snagged it right up.

As for the SMSL, I bought a used SU-8 before and it was dead on arrival. Managed to send it back and get a refund but for now, a bit wary of SMSL. The XA10 is perfect for me really. Other than the auto mute not being present, everything else is great.

 

[Senegalas]

Yup. Asgard wouldn't be my first choice, but yup.

And what is wrong with asgard 3? I have one ordered with magnius (should be shipped in 10 days). Chose because should give warm rich sound.

 

[Veri]

Chose because should give warm rich sound.

It's always the same thing perpetuated. 'Class A' amp means it is 'warm'. I don't believe that. A good discrete amp will sound just about identical to a good solid state amp. Only difference that even the best discrete amp tends to perform worse on low-impedance loads. So overall it is, at best, as good or worse than the solid state alternatives. I don't see the appeal.

But it's not a bad amp. PS, why get both magnius and asgard? Intending to return one?

 

[Senegalas]

Oops I meant modius.

 

[SHENZHENAUDIO]

Do we need to ask XA-10 review from Amir?

 

[Veri]

Do we need to ask XA-10 review from Amir?

That would be awesome

 

[kiyu]

Just received it. Really couldn't be happier. Setup was a breeze, no driver issue whatsoever. I'm no audiophile but I love the sound coming from this thing. Drives the Arya with authority. Everything comes through with great detail. Only think I dislike is that it doesn't auto-mute the RCA outs when headphones are plugged in but I gotta live with that I guess.

Hi,
I guess you playing a lot with your xDuoo XA-10, still all good?

does it feel like a good quality in the components? any noise/distortion on the sound or problem so far?
I wanted the Topping D30pro +A30 pro , fully balanced and awesome spects, but too expensive like 700 + RCA cable 750.. unfortunately too much for me. I was hoping for 500$.
Today I found this xDuoo XA-10 and 2xAKM 4493 balanced, port 4.4, dsd, mqa, it got everything.
so if you could tell us more about your experience so far will be awesome, especially with the Arias that a hell of headphones.

I want the hype of Gold planar GL2000 by default they come with 4.4mm no other adaptor or anything.. so is really nice for me that the xDuoo XA-10 already got that.