Soncoz LA-QXD1 Balanced DAC Review

[soundcheck]

Hi.

Nice to see, as KTB owner, a further sibling entering the scene. After reading the entire thread
I did get the impression that the QXD1 means just a slight evolution over the KTB.
Hmmh. I expected a bit more to be honest. Perhaps I got the wrong impression.

Unfortunately the "scientists" around here simply seem to silence inmates. And that happens as soon somebody
starts talking about his subjective and audible experiences, especially if these are not positive.
This silencing I consider destructive and leads to avoidance of any further comments in that direction.
Folks. Real science is open minded and has to be open minded towards different views.
It's actually a must to allow different opinions. Real science tries to get observations explained
and for sure won't simply silence or hide them. We'd still be living in caves if that would be any different.
I'm pretty sure though that at least Ben will have a look at e.g. the low-end topic.

Anecdote: We have seen once a weird issue on the Allo Katana. Actually a very similar DAC. Powered via USB-C.
The 1st generation Katana DAC was measuring fine. (Allo also uses AP equipment btw.)
Over at DIY-Audio an inmate measured the on-dac rails - just for fun - and found oscillations on the rails.
Hmmh. Not nice. Allo couldn't believe it first.
It turned out due to power rail issues (low dimensioning of buffer caps) the audio signal was modulating the
power rails. Allo had to replace the first batch.

All I'm saying. It can be very helpful to listen to what people have to say!

And further we all should keep in mind. This forum is not "scientific". Even if the name suggests it to be.
What's done are quality measurements. And that's it.
These are standard measurements with standard measurement equipment though. This is not science!
This is basic engineering at best. Measuring EQ under lab-conditions.
I do appreciate what Amir is doing. Very much so. And I hope he continues to run this place.

And not to forget. The complexity of the real audio world out there goes much beyond
these few lab-measurements or standalone EQ.

Sorry for this. It's off topic. I'm well aware of it. But after spending quite some time on this thread
I do get the impression that the time spent on it 's been wasted. I do hope that people continue report what they "hear".
BTW. If 10 people report the same thing. We can start talking about empirical evidence - which would also be a part of science!

Bottom line.

Just reading the measurements would have tempted me to buy the device. Some feedback over
here prevented me from doing that, at least for now.

I keep the fingers crossed that more people report their subjective impressions to get the full picture.

Enjoy.

 

[BDWoody]

Real science tries to get observations explained

Valid, repeatable observations are welcomed, and the forum will work with anyone who has such to try to explain them or figure them out.

However... that's not what you seem to want. You want the world to revolve around those who make whatever claims they like, with nothing more than 'because I say so, and I know what I hear.'

I believe 2+2=5, and I have a couple of friends who think the same thing. Shouldn't someone try to help me and my friends understand where I got off track rather than explore how I might be right?

People who hear things simply need to demonstrate it in a way that isn't profoundly flawed to get anyone to take it seriously.

 

[RickSanchez]

Unfortunately the "scientists" around here simply seem to silence inmates.

The use of the term "scientists" (in quotes) is pejorative. This forum has a number of technical experts, folks who've worked in audio for decades, and some EE's. These folks bend over backwards to provide insights into how audio equipment actually works -- not what they themselves hear -- and very rarely offer unfounded subjective opinions about equipment that they own or have used.

Real science is open minded and has to be open minded towards different views.
It's actually a must to allow different opinions.

You're right, science always remains open to better / more accurate explanations. However, science doesn't waste time on biased / purely subjective opinions that have zero evidence. If someone has a theory they must lay out their case, then through testing provide evidence to show that their theory is valid. So yes, on this forum you will see members pushing back on people with subjective ("my ears can hear it") opinions who have done no valid testing and have zero evidence for their claims.

The complexity of the real audio world out there goes much beyond these few lab-measurements or standalone EQ.

What are these other complexities? And why are they not measurable?

 

[kneading_kitten]

Unfortunately the "scientists" around here simply seem to silence inmates.

Read my "impression on LA-QXD1" post on page 12. The fact that a lot of this kind of subjective impressions can be found around here directly provides evidence against your claim. People are free to read them and comment on them and take from them whatever they wish to take.

But note, like BDWoody said, my method is (hopefully) not profoundly flawed, and this is not true for all the subjective posts you'll find on ASR. If you claim that you, yourself, subjective hear the difference between $1000 cables and $10 cables in otherwise identical systems, then we will definitely say that we disagree because we have the measurements to say that your claim is likely untrue. If you, however, showed the results of an experiment, where there are a group of people who listen to the two systems blinded, each listens to 10 songs of various types of music. And out of this group, your statistical analysis shows that people were able to tell the difference solely based on the sound and not by chance. Then yes, we will all learn something new.

And that happens as soon somebody starts talking about his subjective and audible experiences, especially if these are not positive.

This sentence is nonsense. Let's say there even is "silencing" of subjective impression, wouldn't that silencing be of BOTH tails, not just the lower tail since we are so "anti-subjective?"

I implore you to try the following: scrape ASR, find all the times that a subjective post is posted, find out how many times they are "silenced, " and then run a logistic regression on it and see if the odds are a silenced post is not positive, with a point estimate and a 95% confidence interval. I doubt you will find your biased claim to be true at all.

All I'm saying. It can be very helpful to listen to what people have to say!

True, and this is exactly what we are doing. For example, anyone who read this thread would have surely came across mine and others' subjective experiences with the LA-QXD1. I do not see the problem you are seeing.

And not to forget. The complexity of the real audio world out there goes much beyond
these few lab-measurements or standalone EQ.

Go read this thread if you want, especially the responses by Amir. My patience, attention span, and vocabs are too limited to fully respond to this claim.

Just reading the measurements would have tempted me to buy the device. Some feedback over
here prevented me from doing that, at least for now.

Like which feedback? The one from the guy who discriminates against "the Chinese," who are world-class engineers and manufacturers, and claims that he can hear the differences between $1000 cables and $10 cables?

 

[sinski]

They are two firmware available - min. Volume and max. Volume. If i would like to go back to the factory setting (-64dB), than i have to install the default minimum volume fimware ?

 

[kneading_kitten]

They are two firmware available - min. Volume and max. Volume. If i would like to go back to the factory setting (-64dB), than i have to install the default minimum volume fimware ?

Yeah, if you use the DFU tool, you will see the firmware number. v3.0.0 is the min volume, whereas the v3.0.1 is the max volume.

 

[Brab]

Is the digital output a pass through or regenerated output?

 

[Ben1987]

Is the digital output a pass through or regenerated output?

USB to SPDIF regenerated digital output.

 

[Brab]

Thank you! What if the input is SPDIF, e.g. a jittery tv output signal I'm trying to clean up?

 

[Brab]

Just ordered one of these for a bedroom system. What differences should I expect with my current Audiolab M-dac, ESS9018 pro based?

 

[Daze]

Just ordered one of these for a bedroom system. What differences should I expect with my current Audiolab M-dac, ESS9018 pro based?

None

 

[Veri]

None

Wellllll we don't have any objective data on the M-dac right? So it could really be better ..

 

[Brab]

Well- as a chronic post decision dissonance (buyer's remorse) sufferer, I'm not sure how helpful these replies are. wrong forum I guess!

 

[Veri]

Well- as a chronic post decision dissonance (buyer's remorse) sufferer, I'm not sure how helpful these replies are. wrong forum I guess!

Enjoy your new technologic marvel don't overthink it.

 

[kneading_kitten]

What differences should I expect with my current Audiolab M-DAC, ESS9018

What I do know: I know the 9038Q2M (LA-QXD1) is the mobile version of the 9038PRO and this is the flagship ESS chip. The QXD1 measures very well for its price by Amir. But since the Audiolab M-DAC hasn't been measured, it's literally impossible to objectively compare the two DACs. What I can tell you is that what you've bought is a great product based on the evidence we have so far.

On the other hand, you would be the perfect person (because you physically own the two units in question) to do A/B testing. Let us know the results of your A/B testing between the two DACs when you get it. Personally, as an owner of the LA-QXD1, I'm curious to see your results.

Also, keep in mind audio equipment measurements are not as cut and dry as something like computer gaming benchmarks where you can have a meaningful statistical difference based on an increase in gaming fps or time it takes to run a workload. As Veri said, if it sounds good to your ears then that's all you should care about, don't let all the measurements get to your head.

 

[Brab]

What I do know: I know the 9038Q2M (LA-QXD1) is the mobile version of the 9038PRO and this is the flagship ESS chip. The QXD1 measures very well for its price by Amir. But since the Audiolab M-DAC hasn't been measured, it's literally impossible to objectively compare the two DACs. What I can tell you is that what you've bought is a great product based on the evidence we have so far.

On the other hand, you would be the perfect person (because you physically own the two units in question) to do A/B testing. Let us know the results of your A/B testing between the two DACs when you get it. Personally, as an owner of the LA-QXD1, I'm curious to see your results.

Also, keep in mind audio equipment measurements are not as cut and dry as something like computer gaming benchmarks where you can have a meaningful statistical difference based on an increase in gaming fps or time it takes to run a workload. As Veri said, if it sounds good to your ears then that's all you should care about, don't let all the measurements get to your head.

My setup allows very quick A/B contrasts (blind if I can get my wife to cooperate) so will be happy to oblige.

 

[alanhuth]

I’m getting a little nervous. Mine was supposed to ship a week ago Saturday. No news. No tracking number. No response from Ann despite two emails and a PM here. Has anybody had responses recently?

 

[VielenDanke]

I’m getting a little nervous. Mine was supposed to ship a week ago Saturday. No news. No tracking number. No response from Ann despite two emails and a PM here. Has anybody had responses recently?

Yes, I received a very polite response recently, June the 6th to be precise, saying that I will get a tracking number just as soon as the DHL courier can provide the numbers for the packages shipped. I'm guessing this is the same reason you have not got a tracking number yet. Most likely your package has shipped already and Soncoz is having to wait on the shipping company.

 

[alanhuth]

That’s good to know. Thanks.

 

[MechEngVic]

That’s good to know. Thanks.

I was in the same boat. But now I am the proud owner of one of these units and could not be happier. It takes them a while to go from ordered to shipped, but once it starts moving it's a quick process. The following link is the other big thread for this DAC, lots of info in it. The last few pages will give you a better idea of the order process. You're gonna be real pleased with this DAC. The best DAC dollar-for-dollar you can buy IMO.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-pre-production-evolution-of-kte-board.10471/