Thank you Andy! The only thing that is missing from portable dac/amps these days are firstly and most important for me the EQ and then a Line out option. But EQ would be very helpful so as to enjoys our EQ headphones/iems with the streaming services without third party apps. This for me is the trigger for my next buy. Till now enjoy my Onix Alpha.
Just got the XD05 Pro because so much youtubers speaks so highly about it wanted to returned it because it get extremely warm while using. I decided to keep it because it sounds so good.
Hi Andy! Incredible review as usual my friend. I'm interested in this but I'm concerned about the tubes lifespan and being able to find a replacement since they're pretty limited being made in the 60s and all. Any info about that? Thanks in advance brother
That enhanced airy treble was the dealbreaker for me as my primary headphones do that already too strongly. I agree with all your descriptions though, it out resolved my desktop equipment across the board; faster & more detailed than Gustard X16 & miles ahead of Hifiman HE400. Those were $500 units not long ago, no wonder gear that's only a few years old is hitting deep discount when components like this are hitting the market. I'm now using a Shanling H7 for a more velvet smooth sound and even that higher priced unit doesn't match the technical prowess of the XD05T(The H7 is close to the Colorfly MP1, minor detail improvement & a touch more neutral/dynamic)
Nice review again, anyway Andy have a small favour , future review can turn the light slightly brighter to make it more natural and clearer, my phone brightness max also so dark 😅
Thanks for doing the review and comparisons! How close is the Muse M5 Ultra to the XD05 T in your ranking? I just got the M5 Ultra and now having FOMO for this 😆
Having both in hands, M5 Ultra is close to XD05T but once you listen to it and just savor the moment, it is clear to me XD05T just clicked better to my specific taste and preferences, more colored exactly how I like it, more airy exactly how I like the transient flow are and MOST importantly how exceedingly sweeter it is driving my No.1 IEM the SIVGA Nightingale
hi Andy, last time I bought my Tanchjim 4U was based on my question in your video review of Takstar monitoring headphones, and I'm very satisfied with your recommendation. now this time would like to ask what's your recommendation for portable DAC of most uncoloured, battery powered, size at half of iPhone? thanks 🙏 and pls reply.
Have you seen my review on the Audirect Team 1? That's what you want. It has all the characteristics of being neutral, uncolored yet does not sound overly clinical or sterile. Or you can get iBasso DC07Pro for something smaller and Venture Electronics ODO at just $5 if you want to keep the price low yet getting performances way beyond the asking price
Still waiting on mine from the 11.11 sale. Andy, have you tried running it as pure tube amplifier from a flagship dongle like RU7/DCE? Highly curious how that would sound since I also happen to have RU7.
I will unlikely do that because as shown in this video, I have done it already with iBasso DX260 LO which is superior than both RU7 and DC-Elite, and to my ears, the internal dual DAC of ES9039Q2M is on par to DX260 OctaCore DAC. But then since you already have it, no harm for you to try and see if you will like it
Ouch another must buy item😅， does it have similar tube protection structure like the ultra M5? Would be good if you can compare xd05 pro in the future !
Hi Andy! I bought the R4 EVA based on your recommendation on OG R4. I've been listening to ESS, AKM, and Cirrus Logic powered dongles and DAPs. Now, I'm honestly extremely curious how tube powered amps sound like, but they all seem to be quite pricey. Would you direct me to an affordably priced tube amp/experience out there? Thank you, Andy. Regards to Geoff and Oreo!
If XD05T is too pricey for you, then the most attractively priced alternative would be the Musehifi M5 Ultra which I also own and use regularly. You can watch my review on it here
Hi Andy!. Please give me some advice. Based on your reviews and recommendations, I purchased a Shanling ua4 dongle and ARTTI T10 headphones. I like everything. Now I wanted to replace my ARTTI T10 headphones with Simgot EA 500 LM headphones and I don't know if I'm going to do it right? Will this be a step forward, or is it not worth it? I listen to music mainly orchestral, hard rock, blues, and instrumental.
From T10 to EA500LM is a sidegrade, EA500LM does not have the sheer speed of T10 magnetic planar but yes it does appear to be slightly less bright and a little bit smoother too. If you want an upgrade, go for Hidizs MP145/143 or LETSHUOER S12 2024.
using the Xduoo TA 20 and i love the sound with the HD800s. I am thinking of using the XD05 T as a replacement of my Mojo2. Any thoughts in terms of sound quality?
To me XD05T offers more than comparable overall sound quality to Mojo 2 in terms of resolution and imaging. I definitely prefer XD05T all the time over the clinical sounding Mojo 2
I just bought it today on AliExpress, I saw a deal taking advantage of Black Friday and in total it cost me 394 US dollars, I think it was an excellent price, right?
@ I am a user who always looks for the maximum synergy between my devices, and currently I have 3 portable dac / amp but that I use as a desktop device, because my headphones are relatively easy to move and I combine each headphone with 1 dac expressly, in this case my combinations are: 1- ifi gryphon + focal stellia a fun combination with good detail 2- earmen angel + campfire audio Astrolith a very fun combination with extreme speed and very good detail 3- Chord mojo 2 + fiio FA19 the reference combination that puts a magnifying glass on the natural sound they create 4- xduuo XD05T with the desired planar verum 2 that will soon arrive… by having several different combinations of sounds and never mixing them with each other without changing the established combinations my brain never gets used to the signature and every time I change between them it is like rediscovering music
I bought this XD05T last Saturday, and just because of Andy's review here. Great price on AliExpress indeed... Now I'm wondering if the xDuoo 05FS1 optional base can be useful to cool it and keep it powered properly, because it combines a heat dissipation fan, plus a linear power supply. So, practically I'd lose the discount advantage, but perhaps it would be more efficient.... Decisions, decisions!
Would you say the M5 Ultra in tube mode has enough "tube" specialness to compare with the XD05T? Sometimes tubes don't really impact the sound enough to distinguish from solid state
Yes it does, switching between solid state and tube mode in M5 Ultra and it is evident the tube element at play, more airy, pronounced coloration which is known coming from tubes, that ethereal sense of flowing transients. XD05T on the other hand does it a bit better with sweet effect which clicks to my taste a bit more
I also have the FIIO FA19, I wanted to ask you how it is in combination with tubes, I mean does it soften the highs a lot and make less micro detail perceived? I combine the fiio with mojo 2 to have an incredible naturalness but it softens perhaps a little the energy of the highs, however when I combine it with earmen angel it is crazy the resolution capacity and the synergy that this pair have
No, it does not reduce the resolution nor it softens the highs. What it does is imparting airy decays which is how I always prefer my Treble sounds like
I'm very intrigued by this product. I would love to hear it paired with my current favorite IEM - S12 2024. Have you tried this pairing? I see how much you praise the Sivga Nightingale. Do you think the Nightingale offers something uniquely different from the S12 2024? I might consider purchasing one in the future.
Have you watch this video? at 10:26 I specifically mentioned that I use S12 2024 with my XD05T 😅 Nightingale is my personal day to day use IEMs which I prefer over tons of other IEMsI have ever tried. A very personal thing, and my 2nd favorite is S12 2024. S12 2024 offers more technicalities but Nightingale is simply uniquely different which is why I love it so very much
@donglemadness Oh, whoops. I was a bit distracted while watching. Apologies 😅 Yeah, the technicalities of the s12 2024 are amazing. Thanks for the insight and the excellent review.
What I do know I prefer the sound of XD05T and Q15 a lot more than Mojo2 which I find at times to to be a bit too clinical to be musical. I am a tube guy so this one makes perfect sense to me
On the opposite, I don't have the XD05T. My XD05 Basic (AKM version) is very different to anything with tubes. I'll listen to my XD05 if I want punchy analyticalness and an impressively "balanced and true-to-life sound", but in my experience, everything got more depth and sounds more "like you're there" when you add tubes -- and that's apparently what Andy hears with the XD05T too. Yes the price difference is bonkers... Because the XD05T package is bonkers. It's kinda like buying the XD05 Basic with an integrated XD05 bluetooth module and integrated (my guess) "Xduoo TA-66 -sounding tubes", but all-in-one, heating your pocket.
@@AndyAudioVault Lol yeah, I am "that guy" who is often in the bus with his XD05 Basic (AKM chip) and even T50RP's sometimes (because why not). All the wiring and the XD05 "transportable brick" making me look like a terrorist.
That's a destructive test that I will not do. Not on this XD05T nor M5 Ultra. With glass tubes inside it is a guarantee that 80% of the time they will break. Applies to any tube amps and even solid state DAPs. I have accidentally dropped my DX180 and I broke something already
Good that you’ve stopped to pronounce Sabre (or saber, both are the same) wrongly. Sorry but need to correct you on another technical error. 26vp-p means voltage peak to peak which is not vrms (root mean square). At 26vp-p the actual root mean square is about 9vrms. Vrms is more commonly used as it’s has a real world implication.
Thank you Andy!
The only thing that is missing from portable dac/amps these days are firstly and most important for me the EQ and then a Line out option.
But EQ would be very helpful so as to enjoys our EQ headphones/iems with the streaming services without third party apps.
This for me is the trigger for my next buy.
Till now enjoy my Onix Alpha.
Just got the XD05 Pro because so much youtubers speaks so highly about it wanted to returned it because it get extremely warm while using. I decided to keep it because it sounds so good.
Imagine if they turn the XDUOO XD05 PRO into
*XDUOO XD05 PRO T*
I will be buying this at Christmas. Tks Andy
🙏🏻
Stunningly Remarkable Review Video. I am floored.
Coincidentally, the Sound Flavour I personally prefer is virtually identical to Andy's.
Thanks 🙏 appreciate this
Great review and comparisons.
Thanks 🙏
Andy , you look like some guys from an Asian gangster movie :)
😎🤣
Hi Andy! Incredible review as usual my friend. I'm interested in this but I'm concerned about the tubes lifespan and being able to find a replacement since they're pretty limited being made in the 60s and all. Any info about that? Thanks in advance brother
Thanks. I am curios too and I am reaching out to xDuoo to clarify on this
That enhanced airy treble was the dealbreaker for me as my primary headphones do that already too strongly.
I agree with all your descriptions though, it out resolved my desktop equipment across the board; faster & more detailed than Gustard X16 & miles ahead of Hifiman HE400. Those were $500 units not long ago, no wonder gear that's only a few years old is hitting deep discount when components like this are hitting the market. I'm now using a Shanling H7 for a more velvet smooth sound and even that higher priced unit doesn't match the technical prowess of the XD05T(The H7 is close to the Colorfly MP1, minor detail improvement & a touch more neutral/dynamic)
I am a fan of the XD05 Pro, it's perfect with the AKM and ROHM DAC chips for me. Although at $549, the XD05T looks a little OP but enticing for sure.
thank you very much
My pleasure
Like comment then watch 🎉 I know it’s gonna be a good review ❤ Just hope they will offer more colour options.
Ordered my XA-02
Btw I'm a member of Head -fi. I'll post this review there.
Thanks!
Im going to try it with my Hiby FD5, at least colour match ❤
Nice review again, anyway Andy have a small favour , future review can turn the light slightly brighter to make it more natural and clearer, my phone brightness max also so dark 😅
Thanks. I was trying the classic 1980s "cinematic" look lol. I will improve the lighting next time
@@AndyAudioVaultI see 😂 then make sense now. I am getting my set today👍 let’s enjoy together
@@AndyAudioVaultI see 😂 then make sense now. I am getting my set today👍 let’s enjoy excellent tube sound together
Thanks for doing the review and comparisons! How close is the Muse M5 Ultra to the XD05 T in your ranking? I just got the M5 Ultra and now having FOMO for this 😆
Having both in hands, M5 Ultra is close to XD05T but once you listen to it and just savor the moment, it is clear to me XD05T just clicked better to my specific taste and preferences, more colored exactly how I like it, more airy exactly how I like the transient flow are and MOST importantly how exceedingly sweeter it is driving my No.1 IEM the SIVGA Nightingale
Thanks for taking the time to reply! Appreciate it!
I need to check this out. Lol
@@AndyAudioVault hi Andy, what you mean with colored? i bought XA02 and sounds a bit warm to my ears, maybe i need to leave it in play more.
hi Andy, last time I bought my Tanchjim 4U was based on my question in your video review of Takstar monitoring headphones, and I'm very satisfied with your recommendation. now this time would like to ask what's your recommendation for portable DAC of most uncoloured, battery powered, size at half of iPhone? thanks 🙏 and pls reply.
Have you seen my review on the Audirect Team 1? That's what you want. It has all the characteristics of being neutral, uncolored yet does not sound overly clinical or sterile. Or you can get iBasso DC07Pro for something smaller and Venture Electronics ODO at just $5 if you want to keep the price low yet getting performances way beyond the asking price
Still waiting on mine from the 11.11 sale. Andy, have you tried running it as pure tube amplifier from a flagship dongle like RU7/DCE? Highly curious how that would sound since I also happen to have RU7.
I will unlikely do that because as shown in this video, I have done it already with iBasso DX260 LO which is superior than both RU7 and DC-Elite, and to my ears, the internal dual DAC of ES9039Q2M is on par to DX260 OctaCore DAC. But then since you already have it, no harm for you to try and see if you will like it
Whoaa :o
Please review on Gryhpon XDSD
I'll try
thanks Andy, been waiting for your thoughts on this. 💸 there goes my money flying to china again smh 🤦🏻♂️
🙏😂
I knew you will be the first who get it haha
Ouch another must buy item😅， does it have similar tube protection structure like the ultra M5? Would be good if you can compare xd05 pro in the future !
Yes it does. I have no pinging issues when I lug it around like a madman lol. XD05 Pro is in my wish list
Hi Andy! I bought the R4 EVA based on your recommendation on OG R4. I've been listening to ESS, AKM, and Cirrus Logic powered dongles and DAPs. Now, I'm honestly extremely curious how tube powered amps sound like, but they all seem to be quite pricey. Would you direct me to an affordably priced tube amp/experience out there? Thank you, Andy. Regards to Geoff and Oreo!
If XD05T is too pricey for you, then the most attractively priced alternative would be the Musehifi M5 Ultra which I also own and use regularly. You can watch my review on it here
@@AndyAudioVault Hi Andy! I've watched it. Thank you.
Hi Andy!. Please give me some advice. Based on your reviews and recommendations, I purchased a Shanling ua4 dongle and ARTTI T10 headphones.
I like everything. Now I wanted to replace my ARTTI T10 headphones with Simgot EA 500 LM headphones and I don't know if I'm going to do it right? Will this be a step forward, or is it not worth it? I listen to music mainly orchestral, hard rock, blues, and instrumental.
From T10 to EA500LM is a sidegrade, EA500LM does not have the sheer speed of T10 magnetic planar but yes it does appear to be slightly less bright and a little bit smoother too. If you want an upgrade, go for Hidizs MP145/143 or LETSHUOER S12 2024.
I'm still looking for the xd05 addon Bluetooth module which I think they have discontinued 😅
using the Xduoo TA 20 and i love the sound with the HD800s. I am thinking of using the XD05 T as a replacement of my Mojo2. Any thoughts in terms of sound quality?
To me XD05T offers more than comparable overall sound quality to Mojo 2 in terms of resolution and imaging. I definitely prefer XD05T all the time over the clinical sounding Mojo 2
@@AndyAudioVault any replies on the tube replacements when they burn out?
No idea as of yet
I just bought it today on AliExpress, I saw a deal taking advantage of Black Friday and in total it cost me 394 US dollars, I think it was an excellent price, right?
Awesome price
@ I am a user who always looks for the maximum synergy between my devices, and currently I have 3 portable dac / amp but that I use as a desktop device, because my headphones are relatively easy to move and I combine each headphone with 1 dac expressly, in this case my combinations are: 1- ifi gryphon + focal stellia a fun combination with good detail 2- earmen angel + campfire audio Astrolith a very fun combination with extreme speed and very good detail 3- Chord mojo 2 + fiio FA19 the reference combination that puts a magnifying glass on the natural sound they create 4- xduuo XD05T with the desired planar verum 2 that will soon arrive… by having several different combinations of sounds and never mixing them with each other without changing the established combinations my brain never gets used to the signature and every time I change between them it is like rediscovering music
I bought this XD05T last Saturday, and just because of Andy's review here.
Great price on AliExpress indeed... Now I'm wondering if the xDuoo 05FS1 optional base can be useful to cool it and keep it powered properly, because it combines a heat dissipation fan, plus a linear power supply. So, practically I'd lose the discount advantage, but perhaps it would be more efficient.... Decisions, decisions!
Would you say the M5 Ultra in tube mode has enough "tube" specialness to compare with the XD05T?
Sometimes tubes don't really impact the sound enough to distinguish from solid state
Yes it does, switching between solid state and tube mode in M5 Ultra and it is evident the tube element at play, more airy, pronounced coloration which is known coming from tubes, that ethereal sense of flowing transients. XD05T on the other hand does it a bit better with sweet effect which clicks to my taste a bit more
I also have the FIIO FA19, I wanted to ask you how it is in combination with tubes, I mean does it soften the highs a lot and make less micro detail perceived? I combine the fiio with mojo 2 to have an incredible naturalness but it softens perhaps a little the energy of the highs, however when I combine it with earmen angel it is crazy the resolution capacity and the synergy that this pair have
No, it does not reduce the resolution nor it softens the highs. What it does is imparting airy decays which is how I always prefer my Treble sounds like
I'm very intrigued by this product. I would love to hear it paired with my current favorite IEM - S12 2024. Have you tried this pairing?
I see how much you praise the Sivga Nightingale. Do you think the Nightingale offers something uniquely different from the S12 2024? I might consider purchasing one in the future.
Have you watch this video? at 10:26 I specifically mentioned that I use S12 2024 with my XD05T 😅 Nightingale is my personal day to day use IEMs which I prefer over tons of other IEMsI have ever tried. A very personal thing, and my 2nd favorite is S12 2024. S12 2024 offers more technicalities but Nightingale is simply uniquely different which is why I love it so very much
@donglemadness Oh, whoops. I was a bit distracted while watching. Apologies 😅
Yeah, the technicalities of the s12 2024 are amazing. Thanks for the insight and the excellent review.
Is the tube needed to be changed after awhile? Or we do not need to change the internal tube?
I am unclear on this subject and I plan to ask xDuoo sometime soon to see if it is possible to swap out the tubes at much later stage
how about Cayin C9ii? and Luxury and Precision EA4?
I don't have them, so I have no idea really
What happens when the special 1960s tubes they use burn out?
Good question. I am asking xDuoo on this one
@@AndyAudioVault following
This is exactly what i need, a portable tube amp with BAL line in. I know C9 is pretty cheap rn but that battery pack is gross.
Andy este xd05t es mejor que el xd05pro?
Sorry I don't have XD05Pro to compare with
Wonder how does it compare with mojo2 and Gryphon
What I do know I prefer the sound of XD05T and Q15 a lot more than Mojo2 which I find at times to to be a bit too clinical to be musical. I am a tube guy so this one makes perfect sense to me
How does the sound differ compared to XD05 Basic or XD05 Plus 2? The price difference is bonkers.
I wish I know, haven't tried XD05 Basic nor Plus 2 yet and that's why I didn't mention them in this video
On the opposite, I don't have the XD05T. My XD05 Basic (AKM version) is very different to anything with tubes. I'll listen to my XD05 if I want punchy analyticalness and an impressively "balanced and true-to-life sound", but in my experience, everything got more depth and sounds more "like you're there" when you add tubes -- and that's apparently what Andy hears with the XD05T too.
Yes the price difference is bonkers... Because the XD05T package is bonkers. It's kinda like buying the XD05 Basic with an integrated XD05 bluetooth module and integrated (my guess) "Xduoo TA-66 -sounding tubes", but all-in-one, heating your pocket.
26Vpp are equivalent to approximately 9.21Vrms. Not that it makes much difference to the discussion 😂
is the tube replaceable?
I have no idea. I will likely reach out to xDuoo about this
@donglemadness thank you!
Oh well you can always attach a 27000 mAh powerbank to it. Disadvantage is that people will call you Andy with the bulge 😂.
Or a bomber 🤣
@@AndyAudioVault Lol yeah, I am "that guy" who is often in the bus with his XD05 Basic (AKM chip) and even T50RP's sometimes (because why not). All the wiring and the XD05 "transportable brick" making me look like a terrorist.
Arr the tubes user replaceable?
As far as I can tell, does not seem to be user replaceable
@AndyAudioVault Thank you 😊
Have you done a drop test on it. Can the tubes survive?
That's a destructive test that I will not do. Not on this XD05T nor M5 Ultra. With glass tubes inside it is a guarantee that 80% of the time they will break. Applies to any tube amps and even solid state DAPs. I have accidentally dropped my DX180 and I broke something already
Not much qualification of why the sound is good, or why it sounds better than the Muse. No description of the sound characteristics.
So basically, this is a niche item...🤔
Good that you’ve stopped to pronounce Sabre (or saber, both are the same) wrongly.
Sorry but need to correct you on another technical error.
26vp-p means voltage peak to peak which is not vrms (root mean square). At 26vp-p the actual root mean square is about 9vrms. Vrms is more commonly used as it’s has a real world implication.
3 hours battery life is disappointing really.Charging takes another 3.5 hours.l think they intended this for desktop than anything...lt's a shame!