Soncoz LA-QXD1 Balanced DAC Review

[DarrylG]

I Googled Lonicer and got a botanist of note. Was that what they were going for? Maybe organic sound or something.

Lonicera is the botanical name for honeysuckle.

 

[theoblue80]

However for me, it is a major drawback for such devices to lack an LCD screen showing what kind of audio files they are currently playing.
e.g. DSD64, DSD128, PCM 24/192 etc.
This kind of display helps verify that your PC has the correct configuration to play back hi-res audio files at their original quality.
Is there maybe another way to verify this in this otherwise excellent product?

 

[Robbo99999]

Maybe good DAC chips can deliver very similar output, but there is also output stage.
Do you want to say, that one opamp output stage powered with opamp (switched) ps regulator will sound the same, as the output stage built from very good high quality parts (paired transistors, good resistors and very good caps) powered with shunt power supply ?
I doubt very much. I have build the Buffalo DAC and compared to it KTB is very good, no doubts, but Buffalo performs in all areas better. Deeper bass, better resolution, better dynamics, softer, warmer more analogue sound, better 3d stereo.

I don't really know the specifics of your example so can't comment on that, but what I am saying is that the job of DACS in terms of what we here at audiosciencereview generally want, is transparency...ie the DAC is not adding any of it's own colour to music....so you're talking flat frequency response, high SINAD, flat linearity, low distortion. Once all those variables have been satisfied to 'good/excellent' levels then there is no audible difference between DACS, which should be the goal if you're striving for a transparent sound with no colouring coming from the DAC, it's job should be to deliver music as is without any additional colouring. Not everyone likes that approach, ie tube amps, but on this website the measure of a good DAC is complete transparency. That's my understanding, and I'm a proponent of that dogma.

 

[Tks]

Non flagship ESS chip outperforming the very low distortion performance of the DX3 Pro? Hello? That’s amazing, I’m surprised no one noticed this.

Also willing to bet the noise issues in the SINAD chart are power supply issues.

There’s a website like this one (measures devices) that deals with USB powered power supplies. Many of them are evidently pretty trash. The name of the site escapes me at the moment.

Thanks for the review boss man. Where the thermal graphs at tho ;(

 

[Veri]

Maybe good DAC chips can deliver very similar output, but there is also output stage.
Do you want to say, that one opamp output stage powered with opamp (switched) ps regulator will sound the same, as the output stage built from very good high quality parts (paired transistors, good resistors and very good caps) powered with shunt power supply ?
I doubt very much. I have build the Buffalo DAC and compared to it KTB is very good, no doubts, but Buffalo performs in all areas better. Deeper bass, better resolution, better dynamics, softer, warmer more analogue sound, better 3d stereo.

Come on man don't go there. lampizator buffalo DAC? This is audio science review right here, not subjective head-fi review.

 

[Ben1987]

Manual hump correction is not shipped to the user, only for testing. BTW,The "Loniceraudio" has been removed from the new batch production.

 

[Labjr]

The Balance Khadas Tone Board finally arrives. Congratulations!

Maybe nit-picking but a couple of things I noticed.

Lack of a display for sample rate. Thus no way to verify if your player is outputting the correct sample rate or transcoding DSD to PCM without your knowledge.

Why not a barrel connector for power? Then supply a USB adapter if you power from your computer. USB connectors are not very robust.

I expected slightly better multitone test. Especially in the upper registers?

 

[VielenDanke]

I'm glad to see it measures so well. I can't wait to get one of these at the end of the month. I just have to be patient...

 

[pavuol]

Dear Soncoz,
you have mastered the first level of "audio mfg game", now let's move to level 2 (not easy):
"Design and manufacture of budget reasonably priced golf panther power amp/integrated amp".
Do you dare?

 

[Francis Vaughan]

Do you want to say, that one opamp output stage powered with opamp (switched) ps regulator will sound the same, as the output stage built from very good high quality parts (paired transistors, good resistors and very good caps) powered with shunt power supply ?

Sound the same or perform as well? An all discrete custom little IV is likely to have colourations and a sound of its own. The problem with The Buffalo, and many other boutique designs is that there is not that much science in their design. There is a form of cargo cult mentality that says that throwing "high quality" parts at a problem, preferably with a higher parts cost, will yield a superior result. The guys at Twisted Pear have made a nice business, but so far as I have seen, there has been no measurement of their designs as they progressed. They don't own an AP. They actually don't know how what they create measures. One also notes that the Legato IV stage is the only fully discrete thing they have. And that they make no claims about the objective performance of it, rather explicitly that is has been sonically tuned through many listening sessions. It has a manufactured sound that they like. Which is fine if you like that idea, but there is some desire for accuracy. So yes, it will sound different, it was designed to sound different. Not more accurate, but "nice".

It has become clear across many DACs (and well known for a long time really) that the devil in DAC design is all in the implementation. Even subtle changes in board layout can have dramatic effects on the outcome. There has been a steady stream of expensive DAC designs that are significantly outperformed by well executed cheap designs. Magic dust, high quality parts, overengineered bits, none of this is a replacement for a serious understanding of HF design principles and adequate measuring equipment.

I doubt very much. I have build the Buffalo DAC and compared it; KTB is very good, no doubts, but Buffalo performs in all areas better. Deeper bass, better resolution, better dynamics, softer, warmer more analogue sound, better 3d stereo.

Given your comparison was sighted, and you are heavily invested in the Buffalo, you will forgive us from not placing any credibility in your comparison.

The Buffalo is something of a darling in parts of the DIY community. Full specced out it is hardly cheap either. By the the time it is a nice box with power supply(ies), output stage, etc many run over 1000 USD. It would be very interesting if an owner would be prepared to send one to Amir for testing. I suspect none will be brave enough. At those prices there is a very high benchmark in quality to meet.

 

[onslash]

Dear Soncoz,
you have mastered the first level of "audio mfg game", now let's move to level 2 (not easy):
"Design and manufacture of budget reasonably priced golf panther power amp/integrated amp".
Do you dare?

Its said to be confirmed. Scheduled for release October if i recall correctly.

 

[Koeitje]

Maybe good DAC chips can deliver very similar output, but there is also output stage.
Do you want to say, that one opamp output stage powered with opamp (switched) ps regulator will sound the same, as the output stage built from very good high quality parts (paired transistors, good resistors and very good caps) powered with shunt power supply ?
I doubt very much. I have build the Buffalo DAC and compared it; KTB is very good, no doubts, but Buffalo performs in all areas better. Deeper bass, better resolution, better dynamics, softer, warmer more analogue sound, better 3d stereo.

Looking forward to your Buffalo DAC to be reviewed by Amir.

 

[onslash]

The Balance Khadas Tone Board finally arrives. Congratulations!

Maybe nit-picking but a couple of things I noticed.

Lack of a display for sample rate. Thus no way to verify if your player is outputting the correct sample rate or transcoding DSD to PCM without your knowledge.

Why not a barrel connector for power? Then supply a USB adapter if you power from your computer. USB connectors are not very robust.

Usb c is actually pretty sturdy , i would say more sturdy than small diameter barrel connectors

 

[Veri]

Looking forward to your Buffalo DAC to be reviewed by Amir.

Spoiler: it won't.

 

[Labjr]

Usb c is actually pretty sturdy , i would say more sturdy than small diameter barrel connectors

Barrel connectors are much better.

 

[sinski]

LA-QXD1 does not remember the volume. We provide different firmware with the default volume. The factory setting volume is currently the minimum volume.

Does the DAC remember the filter setting ? If not, would it be possible to get (one day ...) firmware with different filter settings and max. volume ?

 

[MenloBob]

How about a matching case for the pi4?

 

[TomB]

I am using Khadas now and i am waiting for the delivery of LA-QXD1. I hope, that LA-QXD1 will sound better, but maybe the simple Khadas Tone Board with no frills will deliver the better sound, who knows ... I am using KTB with very good linear ps, 30cm USB-Cable + Pi4/Mezzanine/Picoreplayer. What are the distortions peaks between 20 and 500 Hz ? Maybe it comes from the power supply ? The preproduction model was measuring in this area better, or ?

I wonder how these Soncoz Dacs will sound compared to the Toneboard too. Given this review and that both this DAC and the Toneboard use the same output op amps., I am expecting the sound to be the same or very close to the same. I look forward to hearing how they compare.

 

[Neuromorphism]

Dear Soncoz,
you have mastered the first level of "audio mfg game", now let's move to level 2 (not easy):
"Design and manufacture of budget reasonably priced golf panther power amp/integrated amp".
Do you dare?

If you are taking requests, a DAC with built in user programmable DSP/PEQ would be great. RME ADI-2 DAC seems to be your only competition in that space. I just ordered the RME. If only there had been a cheaper option with equal or greater DAC performance with equal or greater EQ options (hopefully more than 5 band PEQ, ideally custom bi-quad input also). While you're at it, an HDMI audio extractor built in would be useful to many and set you apart from any other DAC I'm aware of.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

The English shop button on their website doesn't work with Firefox. :-(

Or with Google Chrome.