Soncoz LA-QXD1 Balanced DAC Review

[MechEngVic]

...The headphones I'm using has a potentially skull-rattling bass performance. This bass performance could only be brought out through the final setup. (Again, Everything is compared to control!)

By "final setup", do you mean the last filter? The SLL linear phase slow roll off filter?

 

[Sophia Ann]

View attachment 66125
Fig 1: Setup with USB input.

TL: DR: I freaking love this DAC. It achieves all my goals at such a bargain price. Massive props to Ben&co, looking forward to other Soncoz products in the future.

I. Things I looked for when I was shopping for a DAC (decreasing order of importance):
✓ Excellent measurements! (First by WolfX-700, then confirmed by Amirm)
✓ Small footprint (As you can see from Fig 1, both the DAC&Amp can fit on my small desk where I study and work. I don't stack them because of heating concerns)
✓ Good customer support (@Ben1987 and @Sophia Ann are awesome. Though they might need to hire more people to help a lot more customers in the future )
✓ XLR-out
✓ ESS chip (A little less relevant)
✓ Price (For me the price is the least important issue, but the performance/price value of this product is just too good. That said, I would have bought the Soncoz SGD1 if it didn't weight 6.6 lbs (3 kg) and was much bigger)

I've been using this setup every day for almost a week. Here is my personal experience with the LA-QXD1 DAC.

II. Method:
All the comparisons made are 1) qualitative 2) subjective & 3) made as compared to the following control: laptop SE output -> RCA -> SMSL SP200 Amp -> Headphones. My final setup is described below: laptop S/PDIF -> Toslink LA-QXD1 -> XLR -> SMSL SP200 -> Headphones. Fig 2 provides some illustrations:
View attachment 66128
Fig 2: Illustrating control (orange) vs final setup.

III. Sonic Comparisons:
Sonically the LA-QXD1 is awesome. Things I noticed playing a 96khz/24 bit song: significantly better dynamic range, details, and bass performance. I want to stress the clarity and details that I've heard: I heard more details such as the breath of the violinist that I was listening to, the background instruments in Latin Jazz songs and etc. Even normal sound from Youtube/Spotify sounds so much livelier and better! The headphones I'm using has a potentially skull-rattling bass performance. This bass performance could only be brought out through the final setup. (Again, Everything is compared to control!)

There is a problem that is not specific to the LA-QXD1 DAC. When I use the USB input, despite the XLR connections, I hear audible pops and noise when I play a song on Youtube (for example, so other owners can try out) or in some audio files. Switching to S/PDIF Toslink completely solved this issue so I'm sticking with that for now. I'm looking into an Intona USB isolator as a potential solution to this issue so I can come back to listening to DSD songs.

EDIT: I also experimented with plugging the DAC RCA into my Bluetooth speakers and compare that with Bluetooth pairing. Expectedly, the DAC RCA sounds so much better than Bluetooth pairing but 1) I think I read that Ben doesn't recommend using both outputs of the DAC at the same time, and 2) I need the portability of the Bluetooth Speakers.

IV. Other comments:
I just love the small footprint and quasi-portability of my setup. I like the looks of the product, but this is a personal taste. My suggestions for a future product have already been listed in this thread such as 1) togglable DAC/pre-amp mode 2) togglable RCA/XLR outputs so people can connect both outputs to different devices and switch between them at the DAC controls. I will report back to this thread in the future should I encounter reliability issues. But for now, I'm a Soncoz fan. It's awesome how ASR brings together great engineers from all over the world who create such great products.

So great! Thanks for your generous sharing.

 

[kneading_kitten]

By "final setup", do you mean the last filter? The SLL linear phase slow roll off filter?

Oh no, my filter is default for every comparison I've made. I was trying to say the bass performance of my headphones could only be fully fleshed out using the setup with the LA-QXD1 DAC as compared to the laptop into amp into headphones (control setup) (using default filter).

I'll play with the filters later.

 

[MechEngVic]

This is because the unit was reviewed too early and the software did not turn on the filter mode function. The filter mode of the new unit is the same as SGD1.

What's your favorite filter mode?

 

[maty]

II. Method:
All the comparisons made are 1) qualitative 2) subjective & 3) made as compared to the following control: laptop SE output -> RCA -> SMSL SP200 Amp -> Headphones. My final setup is described below: laptop S/PDIF -> Toslink LA-QXD1 -> XLR -> SMSL SP200 -> Headphones. Fig 2 provides some illustrations:
View attachment 66128

With other players (Web browser, Spotify... ) with JRiver MC you should to try the WDM Driver. https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WDM_Driver

[ River Media Center version 20 for Windows introduced a WDM Driver (a virtual audio driver), which can be used to re-route all windows sound through Media Center. This allows full use of Media Center's DSP stack for web content, and allows better integration with external audio sources, like streaming video services or video games. The driver is currently only available on Windows. ]

Try with Kernel Streaming instead Wasapi.

 

[MechEngVic]

OK, I think I figured out setting the filters.

Long-press the power button to enter filter change mode (it enters and moves the filter forward one), then you can hold the power button down to cycle through the filters, or long-press to cycle through one at a time. When you settle on the filter you want, short-press the audio inputs switching button to set the filter and exit the mode (it switches your input also so you'll have to go back to where you were). Short-pressing the power button just mutes the DAC, it doesn't set and exit the filter mode, nor do the volume buttons.

 

[Veri]

Try with Kernel Streaming instead Wasapi.

Please leave the unproven kernel streaming stuff out of dac threads matty...

 

[maty]

He has click problems. I should try and it is free.

I clearly notice the difference in sound with KS.

 

[sinski]

Are the filter settings saved or getting lost after powering off ?

 

[mt196]

Are the filter settings saved or getting lost after powering off ?

Technically they should be saved

 

[kneading_kitten]

[ River Media Center version 20 for Windows introduced a WDM Driver (a virtual audio driver), which can be used to re-route all windows sound through Media Center. This allows full use of Media Center's DSP stack for web content, and allows better integration with external audio sources, like streaming video services or video games. The driver is currently only available on Windows. ]

I know that clicks and pops are usually more associated with driver problems (WDM, ASIO, WASAPI, KS, etc.) because of all the different settings with buffering and priority and etc. However, these pops just completely go away when I swapped from USB connection to Toslink so im using it for now.

Your suggestion definitely makes sense though. I will try that out later and edit this post with the results. Thanks!

 

[maty]

Just now I have tried with Direct Sound, Wasapi and KS with JR MC v26.0.80 64-bit and Kernel Streaming sounds better in my system.

With new remastered (mono) vinyl rip of: https://www.discogs.com/Thelonious-Monk-Brilliant-Corners/release/15132913

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR16 -0.08 dB -19.29 dB 7:44 01-Brilliant Corners
DR18 -0.79 dB -22.15 dB 13:09 02-Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
DR15 -3.57 dB -20.92 dB 8:51 03-Pannonica
DR16 -2.55 dB -21.20 dB 5:26 04-I Surrender, Dear
DR12 -0.08 dB -15.48 dB 7:46 05-Bemsha Swing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 5
Official DR value: DR15

- End of topic -


Update

Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (1957), Vinyl, mono, The Electric Recording Co., Remastered 2020, UK
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/music/6958-playing-listening-post6225393.html

 

[Molasses]

With other players (Web browser, Spotify... ) with JRiver MC you should to try the WDM Driver. https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WDM_Driver

[ River Media Center version 20 for Windows introduced a WDM Driver (a virtual audio driver), which can be used to re-route all windows sound through Media Center. This allows full use of Media Center's DSP stack for web content, and allows better integration with external audio sources, like streaming video services or video games. The driver is currently only available on Windows. ]

I found the WDM driver on JRiver kinda glitchy, so I switched to APO Equalizer. It's also system-wide, it also hosts VST plugins, its always on in the background, it runs much smoother on my system (even without buffering), and it's free

[edited out an error}

 

[Veri]

Just now I have tried with Direct Sound, Wasapi and KS with JR MC v26.0.80 64-bit and Kernel Streaming sounds better in my system.

Maty you know how utterly subjective that is so why keep bringing it up? There are entire threads around WASAPI/ASIO/KS.

 

[maty]

It is not subjective because the sound difference is evident and has been increasing as I have been optimizing my second audio system. The only subjective thing is my preference for KS.

It is like using tubes versus SS. Objectively the amps sound different. The subjective is the preference for one or the other sound.

- The End -

 

[Veri]

It is not subjective because the sound difference is evident

Do you have any proof of this "evidence"? Some kind of comparison log, anything? Because if not, it does not belong on this forum. It is utter pseudoscience that stems from your "beliefs". If it's not validated somehow, your only evidence is purely anecdotal maty. Please refrain. Because if not, before long tons of members start proclaiming their "evident" belief that some player, codec, cable or capacitor is "better" because "they are sure of it". This is really just noise, on an audio science forum...

- The End -

 

[Tks]

@maty

How you been bud? Long time no see.

 

[maty]

I have been focused on getting well informed about the pandemic, as I live in Spain (Tarragona). I did not really feel like listening to new vinyl editions or trying new optimizations of the Win 10 for multimedia.

 

[BDWoody]

I have been focused on getting well informed about the pandemic, as I live in Spain (Tarragona). I did not really feel like listening to new vinyl editions or trying new optimizations of the S.O. for multimedia.

Would love to see an actual DBX test log if you are going to make subjective claims, like is asked of pretty much everyone else...for once...

 

[Tks]

Would love to see an actual DBX test log if you are going to make subjective claims, like is asked of pretty much everyone else...for once...

Maybe we can get some audiophiles to 'feel' if someone has corona or not. Would save lots of money on purchasing ap555's testing kits