With the prices of the DAC modules this high they should at least let the customers choose which one they want pre-installed. Also, battery replacement is a must.
Currently the op-amp module is slotted in from the rear face of the op-amp bay, facing downward into the bay, putting the op-amps facing upside down, which leaves impossible clearance issues for rolling some of the taller DIP-8 op-amps. If Xduoo do update & make a "Pro 2" they need to orient the input mini-pcie slot for the op-amp module on the bottom face of the bay so the module slots in with the the op-amps facing either side of the unit, or facing the volume knob, or facing the back. This "horizontal" orientation, in any of the 4 directions for the op-amps would mean that if we want to use the taller op-amps from companies like Burson, Orange, Staccato, etc. that we could do so without having to leave the op-amp bay door open and we wouldn't have to use extension cards or cables, like we do currently.
This would actually be great. But I am beyond happy with the Sparkos op-amps, it really brings the XD05 to life. Just waiting for the R2R dac and that would make the XD05 mind blowing good 😁
@@S.G54321 Do you know if you can choose between the ESS, ROHM & AKM DAC cards as an option when purchasing yet, or is it still the ESS as standard? Everyone keeps want the option and I agree.
@@SpirallingOut Unfortunately the ESS is still stock. But I personally think if you are going to upgrade the op-amps to Sparkos, the ESS is best. The other two dacs may be to warm
@@S.G54321 Thanks. Still got my eye on the XD05 Pro as my next DAC/amp upgrade when it drops below 1k AUD. I'll be getting all the DAC cards eventually anyway and as many compatible op amps as I can find, just for the fun of playing around with the sound. Hopefully this thing influences other better, modular, powerful portable headphone DAC/amps from other hifi companies. Nothing wrong with a little competition. I'd love to see a Schiit or Geshelli portable/desktop DAC/amp that can run even the most power hungry headphones as good as this.
9:30 "it doesn't have an overly sterile sound like a lot of the Topping amps do" - and there it is folks, the #1 recommender of Topping amps as end game spills the beans.
If you want your amps to be colouring your sound then just use bloody eq and stop messing around. DACS AND AMPS SHOULD NOT DISTORT THE SIGNAL IN ANY WAY. If yours is not "clinical" then it is not doing its job properly.
Schiit IS a joke. Terrible QC on the ES9028 DAC module. It randomly fails, I've had 2 die on me for no reason and I see at least one compaint each month on their subreddit. Not to mention that ES9028 DAC Card is outdated and underperforming; They just keep using it because they can get it for cheaper. Also the DAC Cards aren't user replaceable anyway.
Josh I got this because of you man when you teased it when you reviewed various items before the new year. Thanks, effing I love this thing 👍🏾👍🏾 and I couldn’t wait for you to review this.
Do you have a desktop amp to compare the PRO to? Mainly in the soundstage. Does the PRO, with the specs it has, have that desktop soundstage feeling with IEM's/Headphones?
Hi Josh, I was waiting for this review since you announced you were working on it. Thank you! I have one question: why would someone change the DAC and the amp? Do you see any scenario -different headphones, diverse styles of music- where this would make sense for you?
Wow great video as usual Joshua 🙂 What would be also nice of it also had hot swappable batteries too. So that I could change the battery in future if and when needed. Although the charge protection system during the desktop use is nice.
I don't see it going this way - My iCan arrived this week and it's the way I see things going. One switch for SS - Hybid - Tube, 10-20-40hz xBass, 3 step gain, and holographic speaker placement.... Most people like/prefer simple I think.
Hello, can I ask you? I currently have a D90se topping dac, in my studio calibrated and conditioned with Adam Audio S3H + sub three-way monitors. and I decided to buy the new D90 III topping dac, when comparing them, I have noticed that the new D90 III sounds more open, more transparent but I notice that it has a little more highs, and it lacks body and punch in the bass. Compared to my d90se, my question is, do dacs need a burn-in time to improve the sound? Will the bass appear and the highs calm down in this new DAC, after using it for a while? Or will its sound not change at all? I would love to know your opinion, thank you very much friend.
In the interests of clarification, what are your thoughts on the prices of Schiit's replacement DAC modules? They range from $80 for the Magni Unity card to $300 for the Bifrost 2/64 card. Are those too expensive as well?
Hi Joshua! Could I have a recommendation about headphone amplifiers? I have a Liquid Platinum but I want to ditch it for a true Solid State one. If you could recommend something with a similar sound signature, sound behavior, and if it was a Schiit model, the better (mainly because they seem the company will last forever and won't discontinue a product). Thanks
Minor detail but these are not "hot" swappable components. They're just swappable because "hot" means that you can replace them while the unit is running and it is definitely not the case for this device.
So Ive seen other reviews and a lot of people say the best mode to use on this is the Normal mode (blue color), because Eco (green) lose a bit of the "class a" performance while Turbo (red) is a bit too try hard which can spike the treble losing the smooth vibe. I have personally tested this and can say that Normal seems to sound the best, performing super well with detail and soundstage while still produce enough power for 95% of headphone out there. Even on IEM, it sounded better on Normal than Eco, and the only downside is you get a lower volume range but most IEM can work with the range of 0-30, if you have extremely sensitive IEM you will hear hiss on both ECO and Normal (mine doesn't, dead silence). I have tested with Moondrop Variations, Dt1990s, and rather demanding planar HE1000v1. Blue is the sweet spot imo.
So the original XD 05 (I think) came with a very basic op amp, and the design of the unit made it very easy for owners to swap in other options. It was one of the big selling points of that early amp. I think Xduoo is really paying attention to what its customer base tends to like. Also, shout out to iBasso, whose dx range of DAPs feature swappable amp stages from a range of options, including a tube version!!
Schiit Audio has a few modular amps already. Not sure how long they have had them. Difference is that theirs are not made to be upgraded or swapped by consumers. The device needs to be sent back to them or you need to take it to a professional to do it if you don't have the knowhow. Cool that companies are doing this. Helps make devices future proof and you can just upgrade one component instead of buying a new unit.
I luv that most of xduoo line has that rugged military chunky boi aesthetic. And balanced and single ended have same power!? Nice, wish it was normal practice to not gimp unbalanced!
Usually it's just because they run one side of the circuitry for single ended. Also when balanced and single ended are both the same it's because the circuitry is unbalanced but has a balanced connector. It'd be interested to find out if this is the case on this amp.
@@ElvenSpellmakeris that what ifi call s-balanced? Not truly balanced, just a balanced connector? When I buy balanced amp I expect it to be truly balanced.
@@willielast Xduoo's got form on this. Like on the TA-26S, for example, the 4.4mm jack is not actually balanced, it's just a convenience so you can use either balanced or unbalanced cables but there's only one amp internally. A good rule of thumb is when SE = balanced then the balanced isn't the real thing. It's such a red flag I was shocked when Josh just glided right over it like it was fine - it's not fine.
6:03 does the USB charger have to be rated for 12 volt? Another reviewer (wave theory) said the power supply needs to be rated for 12 volt, so he uses an ifi ipower x with a DC to USB adapter.
I used this device for a little while. I thought it was quite powerful, but it's very big and heavy for a portable. I also didn't get to swap anything. Over on Head-fi, a lot of people with this amp "op-amp roll" with it. If you're into that, I think it's worth it, but otherwise it's quite a lot for what other more affordable amps offer.
Joshua: I have this unit. Can I suggest that you try the XD05 pro with the Sparkos Labs SS3602 Op Amps and a good 12V power source. I use the Fiio FL-50 or the iFi ipowerx 12v. This combination, with the ESS Dac module, improves the sound and performance quite a bit, especially the Sparkos op amps. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed. Mike Gutierrez.
Just buy something like a Topping DX3 Pro+ and you got all you need with out the mumbo jumbo swappy business that's only there for consumption sake and not actual audible differences. I mean most DACs and amps today are fully transparent, so if you need some kind of _actual_ sonic differences just use a DSP instead.
Can we choose which DAC and OpAmp modules that comes with the unit upon purchase? From someone who likes to modify his gear, this is a dream come true 😁
I don't think that the DAC replacement is worth it for $200. I think the point is that you can upgrade it in a few years assuming they still support the product. If you can upgrade an all in one system without having to buy a whole new system that is where the cost savings would come from.
yep because it's upgradable but ultra-proprietary system. Fiio did amp modules like this years ago for portable amps, it was cheaper. They stopped this, so if it's not worth for even such a known (and sold) brand as fiio, not sure it's a good solution for a much smaller company (regarding price and interest for the customer). But at least what would be good for portable amps is the possibility to replace the battery.
Honestly, this looks really cool with the modularity. I think it would make a bit more sense at a lower price point - I feel like for that amount of money, you just want it to work nicely out of the box and likely won't want to worry about tinkering with it. At least with the comparison to PCs and other similar modular tech, the appeal of the modularity is being able to upgrade a system to better suit your needs in the future which is more of a value add than a premium, enthusiast feature to me.
Yeah, this sits in between the portable and desk but leaning towards the desk. And at $800 - $1000, I don't know who this is for. There is a better portable and better desk for that money. This is an easy pass.
This is not something new! Swappable DAC’s and Amps have been available on DAP’s for years. What may be new is having the option at this low of a price point. I’ve owned the FiiO Q7 for over a year now and it drives my tough to drive planars and 300 Ohm headphones extremely well. While I’m tempted to get this device as well, I really don’t need it. The flexibility is intriguing though!
With the prices of the DAC modules this high they should at least let the customers choose which one they want pre-installed. Also, battery replacement is a must.
Currently the op-amp module is slotted in from the rear face of the op-amp bay, facing downward into the bay, putting the op-amps facing upside down, which leaves impossible clearance issues for rolling some of the taller DIP-8 op-amps. If Xduoo do update & make a "Pro 2" they need to orient the input mini-pcie slot for the op-amp module on the bottom face of the bay so the module slots in with the the op-amps facing either side of the unit, or facing the volume knob, or facing the back. This "horizontal" orientation, in any of the 4 directions for the op-amps would mean that if we want to use the taller op-amps from companies like Burson, Orange, Staccato, etc. that we could do so without having to leave the op-amp bay door open and we wouldn't have to use extension cards or cables, like we do currently.
This would actually be great. But I am beyond happy with the Sparkos op-amps, it really brings the XD05 to life. Just waiting for the R2R dac and that would make the XD05 mind blowing good 😁
@@S.G54321 Do you know if you can choose between the ESS, ROHM & AKM DAC cards as an option when purchasing yet, or is it still the ESS as standard? Everyone keeps want the option and I agree.
@@SpirallingOut Unfortunately the ESS is still stock. But I personally think if you are going to upgrade the op-amps to Sparkos, the ESS is best. The other two dacs may be to warm
@@S.G54321 Thanks. Still got my eye on the XD05 Pro as my next DAC/amp upgrade when it drops below 1k AUD. I'll be getting all the DAC cards eventually anyway and as many compatible op amps as I can find, just for the fun of playing around with the sound. Hopefully this thing influences other better, modular, powerful portable headphone DAC/amps from other hifi companies. Nothing wrong with a little competition. I'd love to see a Schiit or Geshelli portable/desktop DAC/amp that can run even the most power hungry headphones as good as this.
9:30 "it doesn't have an overly sterile sound like a lot of the Topping amps do" - and there it is folks, the #1 recommender of Topping amps as end game spills the beans.
Sterile sound isn't necessarily bad though, especially for critical listening at higher dollar values
If you want your amps to be colouring your sound then just use bloody eq and stop messing around. DACS AND AMPS SHOULD NOT DISTORT THE SIGNAL IN ANY WAY. If yours is not "clinical" then it is not doing its job properly.
@@Criiiestell it to Marshall. Some like distortion and we are getting it with xduoo xd05T (T for Jan tubes) 😊
> A future with hot swappable components
Schiit: Am I a joke to you??!!
fk schii t this domniate lot in many ways at least you can change dac amp chips at any times other dac amps you cant so gtfo
Schiit IS a joke. Terrible QC on the ES9028 DAC module. It randomly fails, I've had 2 die on me for no reason and I see at least one compaint each month on their subreddit. Not to mention that ES9028 DAC Card is outdated and underperforming; They just keep using it because they can get it for cheaper. Also the DAC Cards aren't user replaceable anyway.
Schiit makes portable headphone amps?
Josh I got this because of you man when you teased it when you reviewed various items before the new year. Thanks, effing I love this thing 👍🏾👍🏾 and I couldn’t wait for you to review this.
Do you have a desktop amp to compare the PRO to? Mainly in the soundstage. Does the PRO, with the specs it has, have that desktop soundstage feeling with IEM's/Headphones?
Hi Josh, I was waiting for this review since you announced you were working on it. Thank you! I have one question: why would someone change the DAC and the amp? Do you see any scenario -different headphones, diverse styles of music- where this would make sense for you?
Try the Rohm dac in it, it makes it nice and smooth.
Wow great video as usual Joshua 🙂
What would be also nice of it also had hot swappable batteries too. So that I could change the battery in future if and when needed. Although the charge protection system during the desktop use is nice.
Hi, nice review!
How does it compare to FiiO K9 Pro ESS for desktop use?
Have you found the answer in these 5 months? I'm also curious about this
I don't see it going this way - My iCan arrived this week and it's the way I see things going. One switch for SS - Hybid - Tube, 10-20-40hz xBass, 3 step gain, and holographic speaker placement.... Most people like/prefer simple I think.
Hello, can I ask you? I currently have a D90se topping dac, in my studio calibrated and conditioned with Adam Audio S3H + sub three-way monitors.
and I decided to buy the new D90 III topping dac, when comparing them, I have noticed that the new D90 III sounds more open, more transparent but I notice that it has a little more highs, and it lacks body and punch in the bass. Compared to my d90se, my question is, do dacs need a burn-in time to improve the sound? Will the bass appear and the highs calm down in this new DAC, after using it for a while? Or will its sound not change at all? I would love to know your opinion, thank you very much friend.
In the interests of clarification, what are your thoughts on the prices of Schiit's replacement DAC modules? They range from $80 for the Magni Unity card to $300 for the Bifrost 2/64 card. Are those too expensive as well?
What is the model of these Dunu IEM?
Won’t fit my Sparkos 3602 Op Amp and too expensive. But seriously, no mention of the cool cables and tools that come with it?
Framework started a movement. We're about to live through a new amazing era for technology
Josh, what da hell with your Elex? What is that headband? Hifiman mod?
Hi Joshua! Could I have a recommendation about headphone amplifiers? I have a Liquid Platinum but I want to ditch it for a true Solid State one. If you could recommend something with a similar sound signature, sound behavior, and if it was a Schiit model, the better (mainly because they seem the company will last forever and won't discontinue a product). Thanks
Minor detail but these are not "hot" swappable components. They're just swappable because "hot" means that you can replace them while the unit is running and it is definitely not the case for this device.
How does this compare to DC elite exclusively for iem listening?
So Ive seen other reviews and a lot of people say the best mode to use on this is the Normal mode (blue color), because Eco (green) lose a bit of the "class a" performance while Turbo (red) is a bit too try hard which can spike the treble losing the smooth vibe. I have personally tested this and can say that Normal seems to sound the best, performing super well with detail and soundstage while still produce enough power for 95% of headphone out there. Even on IEM, it sounded better on Normal than Eco, and the only downside is you get a lower volume range but most IEM can work with the range of 0-30, if you have extremely sensitive IEM you will hear hiss on both ECO and Normal (mine doesn't, dead silence). I have tested with Moondrop Variations, Dt1990s, and rather demanding planar HE1000v1. Blue is the sweet spot imo.
How does this compare to your WA7 Fireflies Joshua?
Is this good for Ananda Nano? or are there better DAC for those Headphones?
So the original XD 05 (I think) came with a very basic op amp, and the design of the unit made it very easy for owners to swap in other options. It was one of the big selling points of that early amp. I think Xduoo is really paying attention to what its customer base tends to like.
Also, shout out to iBasso, whose dx range of DAPs feature swappable amp stages from a range of options, including a tube version!!
I see you with the hd 490 chillin' in the thumbnail lol
Patiently waiting on that full hd490 review...
Is it the same as audio jd r2r desk dac/amp (power wise) ? Because i need a portable dac/amp for my dt1990 ???
They really are running out of ways to get people to buy the same device over and over again lol
Right because only people with a DAC buy one.
Odd thing is I had a vacation but I keep wanting another but I already had one. Hmm that’s so odd.
@@davidmaddon554Upgraditis is a disease.
@@davidmaddon554 That's a weird example tbh
Not the same
Would love for your take in xDUOOs filters! Bought the TA-22 due to many creator reviews but no one covers these! :)
Cheers
At that size I wonder if they could fit on an xlr output.
Hasn't the Nad Masters have swappable boards?
Off topic but did he review the fiio k11? Or did I just dream that?
Schiit Audio has a few modular amps already. Not sure how long they have had them. Difference is that theirs are not made to be upgraded or swapped by consumers. The device needs to be sent back to them or you need to take it to a professional to do it if you don't have the knowhow. Cool that companies are doing this. Helps make devices future proof and you can just upgrade one component instead of buying a new unit.
I luv that most of xduoo line has that rugged military chunky boi aesthetic. And balanced and single ended have same power!? Nice, wish it was normal practice to not gimp unbalanced!
Usually it's just because they run one side of the circuitry for single ended.
Also when balanced and single ended are both the same it's because the circuitry is unbalanced but has a balanced connector.
It'd be interested to find out if this is the case on this amp.
@@ElvenSpellmakeris that what ifi call s-balanced? Not truly balanced, just a balanced connector? When I buy balanced amp I expect it to be truly balanced.
@@willielast Sadly not always the case, generally when SE == Balanced you're looking at a single ended amp with balanced connectors
@@willielast Xduoo's got form on this. Like on the TA-26S, for example, the 4.4mm jack is not actually balanced, it's just a convenience so you can use either balanced or unbalanced cables but there's only one amp internally. A good rule of thumb is when SE = balanced then the balanced isn't the real thing. It's such a red flag I was shocked when Josh just glided right over it like it was fine - it's not fine.
Ext should be for ‘External’
Thank you for the video.
Interesting concept.
Josh..uhmm..it has a 6.35 single ended/4.4 balanced outputs..not 3.5/4.4...🧹
Can I use it with iphone11?
Would this work for a console?
6:03 does the USB charger have to be rated for 12 volt? Another reviewer (wave theory) said the power supply needs to be rated for 12 volt, so he uses an ifi ipower x with a DC to USB adapter.
Battery replaceable by now as well? Not seen the video yet but hopefully. Bonkers bad thing to miss for a "modular" anything.
But can it make Tungsten happenning ? :-)
Josh, where is the review of sennheiser hd490 ? i’ll waiting all week for this, and you release xduoo review 😂
It’s on my list
I used this device for a little while. I thought it was quite powerful, but it's very big and heavy for a portable. I also didn't get to swap anything. Over on Head-fi, a lot of people with this amp "op-amp roll" with it. If you're into that, I think it's worth it, but otherwise it's quite a lot for what other more affordable amps offer.
Do you know smaller amps with more power that could be used via a portable setup
Joshua: I have this unit. Can I suggest that you try the XD05 pro with the Sparkos Labs SS3602 Op Amps and a good 12V power source. I use the Fiio FL-50 or the iFi ipowerx 12v. This combination, with the ESS Dac module, improves the sound and performance quite a bit, especially the Sparkos op amps. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed. Mike Gutierrez.
But can it play Crysis!?
Just buy something like a Topping DX3 Pro+ and you got all you need with out the mumbo jumbo swappy business that's only there for consumption sake and not actual audible differences. I mean most DACs and amps today are fully transparent, so if you need some kind of _actual_ sonic differences just use a DSP instead.
Anyone have issues with outputting Tidal MQA over USB to this device? Plays the choppiest music I’ve ever heard, alternating because 44.1/88.2kHz
I guess you missed the Shanling M30. You should go to headfi more.
If the battery is replacable, the DAC and OP-AMP prices go down, and a parametric EQ is added, this could be a legitimate long-term solution.
Can we choose which DAC and OpAmp modules that comes with the unit upon purchase? From someone who likes to modify his gear, this is a dream come true 😁
not currently at least
This vs the gryphon?
This.
This is one of those things, that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
I would prefer empty 18650 batteries slots, and an empty opamp slots
I was so looking forward to this review. ToOk YoU lOnG eNoUgH. XD
Well this is cool as hell.
Xduoo just doubled down on their wobbly knobs. Never seen any knob wobble that much for an $800 base price piece of gear.
Looks like a cassete program recorder from the 80s
Wow, you've reached peak audio. I've never seen anyone do it. Content loudness on the video says -0.0dB. So literally peak.
Wow
I don't think that the DAC replacement is worth it for $200. I think the point is that you can upgrade it in a few years assuming they still support the product. If you can upgrade an all in one system without having to buy a whole new system that is where the cost savings would come from.
An r2r module would interest people regardless.
yep because it's upgradable but ultra-proprietary system. Fiio did amp modules like this years ago for portable amps, it was cheaper. They stopped this, so if it's not worth for even such a known (and sold) brand as fiio, not sure it's a good solution for a much smaller company (regarding price and interest for the customer).
But at least what would be good for portable amps is the possibility to replace the battery.
Honestly, this looks really cool with the modularity. I think it would make a bit more sense at a lower price point - I feel like for that amount of money, you just want it to work nicely out of the box and likely won't want to worry about tinkering with it. At least with the comparison to PCs and other similar modular tech, the appeal of the modularity is being able to upgrade a system to better suit your needs in the future which is more of a value add than a premium, enthusiast feature to me.
"Sorta trusts you not to be an idiot" Oh ye have too much faith
Yeah, this sits in between the portable and desk but leaning towards the desk. And at $800 - $1000, I don't know who this is for. There is a better portable and better desk for that money. This is an easy pass.
What is a better portable than this?
"Sort Of" Lol
This is not something new! Swappable DAC’s and Amps have been available on DAP’s for years. What may be new is having the option at this low of a price point.
I’ve owned the FiiO Q7 for over a year now and it drives my tough to drive planars and 300 Ohm headphones extremely well. While I’m tempted to get this device as well, I really don’t need it. The flexibility is intriguing though!