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Randy. The Aiyima A07 now has the A07 Pro The A07 is on sale at Wal-Mart for $56 The A07 pro is $80. It gives tone control and Bluetooth in. Hope you review it.
this was my first DAC/amp. It was my entry point into headphone dac amps. I no longer have a component system, I think bluetooth is satan and I was looking for a way to improve the sound from my laptop and android phone without all the different outputs, It performed well, but it gave me a starting point of reference as to where and how much I dove into the headphone rabbit hole. I was surprised at how good of sound came from this unit. It also gave me a reference point to where I wanted to go. It taught me that the laws of diminished return got really strict the more you spent. I gave mine to my daughter and for her, it is good enough and she enjoys it. For sixty five bucks, it was well worth the money.
2:48 that is also the reason why I love toying with my Zishan Z1 digital audio player! I'm also that kind of person who likes to tinker with their little gadgets. Fascinatin to note how each op-amp can change the sound a little bit.... For the untrained ear you might not notice the difference but once you've been doing it for a while you get to pick out some tiny changes. For now I'll be sticking to my Zishan Z1 since I'm still in college, but I might also grab this nice little toy once I graduate. Cheers! ❤
Had de DAC X6 for about a year, it's a solid unit that is great for Desktop use. There is the MkII with Bluetooth and I believe a little more power, for only $10 more.
I'm a big fan of designs that enable, or better yet encourage, users to tinker with or repair a product. I could see high school me buying this and then getting used op amps from places like e bay.
My first DAC/AMP combo was from a S. Korean company, Audinst. I have the HUD-Mini and it has the same ability, op-amp swapping. USB powered only but has an Optical out on it. Uses a Burr Brown 1791A DAC chip, does up to 24/192. So FLAC. Eight years now and it works perfectly, still in use today.
this one arrives in the mail in a few days, i got it for my hd560s, i dont really wanna spend more than the price of the headphone which was 150€ i believe, it was very hard to actually find a good dac/amp under 100€ this stuff is crazy expensive, the hd560s is 120 ohm, only thing is that the dac x6 doesnt produce frequencies up to 36khz like other more expensive ones, i know a human hears max 22khz but i read it helps with preventing distortion and what not but it will do fine i hope i mainly got a dac amp to fight the noise coming from my pc components, also tired of the audio controller in my pc cuting out because of latency, hopefully having it in a usb port should do the trick, from all the research i did this is a pretty good option to start off i'll update this comment when i get it and have been using it a bit
''HI-fi shouldn't cost more than having your arm reattached late at night by a rural vetenarian after a chainsaw juggling contest that you WON......and THESE DON'T!''
I have two, one with a bad op-amp. Apparently there are a lot of fake/bad op-amps showing up in these. I just put NE5532P chips in both of mine because I had them on the shelf. I only use the RCA outputs and I think they work good (much much better than a PC line out).
This was my first dac/amp when I got into the hobby 4 yrs ago. I now carry it in my backpack. Didn't know about the rolling OP Amp I think I'll have to use the AO7 OP Amp that's sitting in a corner collecting dust! Thx for the tip Randy!
Still running my DAC with high gain setting and a Sparkos dual op amp. Works well for my HD 600 headphones. More than enough for the casual gamer like me.
Randy man, I think you need to add a review category, the: "I thought heard a person in the room and I had to turn down the music, because I thought it was from something real", category
Similarly - I got the Fosi Audio DAC-Q4 on your recommendation. I have been using it as my desktop headphone amp at work since December. It's convenient because I can quickly control volume with the front panel knob.
@@clockcycle I'm pretty sure it's the same. It brings life to the aiyima a07. Without it, the A07 seems flat sounding. For the price, you got nothing to lose.
Actually really like the DAC X6 MK1 not tried the MKII but i prefer the physical switches on the MKI, Had to change the op amp on mine as the one it came with way BaaaaaaD guessing a fake / faulty one but that was the plan anyway. Still have this thing on my desk despite having an E50 and A30 pro. Opening it is easier, you can leave the front panel connected and just take the screws out of it n slide the board out. no need to mess with the knob :D
I own this product and I'm exceptionally happy with it. I run it on my desktop either to an Aiyma A07 powering Neumi BS5 speakers or to Sennheiser HD 58X headphones depending on what's going around at my office. I highly recommend this, whether working from a home office in headphones or connecting an amp and filling a medium-sized listening area with great sound, this will do it. Note that connecting both the headphone output and the AUX output could result in publicvcalyy expoesed radio traffic.
I understood FX Audio will launch some new products, I wait for the pictures I get from one of the salespersons. I am curious. For sure I buy some and test with the Qobuz streamer....
Hey I need your help. I'm putting together my first system and I want to stick close to the $350 budget you mentioned in your other video. Here's what I have so far...Aiyima A07 power amp, Aiyima A3 power amp, ad let me ask you what do you think of the Saiyin Bluetooth bookshelf powered speakers? The moukeys will be a little out of my budget. Oh I almost forget...A dac and you recommended the FX Audio Dac x6-=-= If I added the dac I'm coming in around $350 on amazon. OK...let me ask about cables...your suggestions please.
I love a cup of hot black coffee, but for some reason I could never enjoy it in a thermos. Maybe it’s the aluminum interior, idk what it is. Seems like a predictable problem for an audiophile to have. Lol
Hi, I had to buy an audio interface Behringer umc22 (70$) during corona to do online music lessons, what I have noticed is that it was fantastic as a headphone DAC, I have also used it with a mic for karaoke. I was wondering, what do you think of using a cheap audio interface as dac for a hifi system ?
Beringer headphones pre-amps on cheap/consumer sound cards don't have enough power to drive most 32 ohm headphones at their potential. Dynamic range is poor, sound is compressed. But for me this was a feature: I bought one for my children PC, few years ago because it is impossible to break your ears even with all knobs at max volume.😅
Hi Randy, I'd be interested in hearing/seeing you discuss your impressions of different power supplies on amps/dacs/streamers. Have you been able to notice any differences in upgrading PSU's and if so, what differences have you heard? Of course, this would put you at risk of the "do cables make a difference" audiophile rage comments...
That's an interesting question. We reviewed the FOSI TB10D and tried it with an Audience and AudioQuest power conditioners. We thought we could hear the difference, but it was subtle. Still we felt it improved the sound. I'm waiting on a beefier power supply from FOSI for the amp as I was able to drive it into clipping using PS Audio's new loudspeaker SACD.
If you drive the final amp stage hard enough, you’ll get full output, so either gain is likely do the job.. higher gain just means you need less input signal to get the power out of it. Hopefully they designed it so that you won’t overdrive the pre-final amp stage(s) before you get the power out.
Open letter to Randy: Please review the Aiyima T9 Pro -- it's a total redesign from the T9 and I'm dying to know if you like it as much or better than the O.G.
I'd like a beginner's video. In the past, when looking at suduophile setups, I was a broke and stupid kid, now im an adult, still broke/stupid. Instead of a Bose qc45, is there any setup you recommend for regular person who likes to hear nice sound, even its a boring speech, but doesn't know any of the jargon audiophiles use. Headphones + amp + DAC ?
This was my first DAC amp and it is a good starting point. I still have it, but now it runs into a vali2++. Just using it as a DAC until I get a Geshelli.
The J2 is a really good sounding dac with massive Soundstage. I don't like it all that much with my other class A or AB amps but it took my crown xls that I was about to basically give away and made it into a completely different animal. Synergy was definitely made.
I have a denafrips ares II , an FX Adio D01, and a Schiit modi 3 DACS, and a switch to test them and compare them. the FX Audio is almost as good as the Denafrips, really, Great DAC, A lot way better than the Schiit. The schiit was veiled on the top and lack a lot of clarity, and the bass was muddy, not clear or tight, I was impressed with the test, but it was what it was. FX Audio D01. One of the best DACS under 1000 dollars for me
The Astell & Kern AK-HC3 is £199 here in the UK and its the best DAC dongle I have ever heard...its seriously impressive...would love to see you review it :)
This was my first DAC...and my first amp...when I decided I wanted to see what good sound from headphones were all about. It is a small device that has a nice substantial feel to it across the board...the case, knob, switches, input/output connections. At its price point, it could be a try-it-and-toss-it if you don't like it or outgrow it device. However, it is built well enough, and works well enough that it is not the kind of thing you would want to get rid of. I have this on my home/family computer, and it has been a workhorse. It is simple, it is utilitarian, but it does what I need it to do from a functional standpoint. For sure my Magni+/Modi+ stack I have on my work computer outperforms it, but that Schiit stack with Snake Oil Krait RCA cables is a $260 purchase. That I could go so many years without getting a better headphone DAC/amp setup I think says a lot about the original FX Audio DAC-X6 as a starter kit. Sure, after tasting Schiit, now I think I want more for my home/family computer as well, but as I ponder my options, I don't feel rushed, and I think when the time does come to swap it out, I might miss the little guy until I can come up with another user for it.
What about the more recent FX-AUDIO DAC-X6mkII, which IIRC features an ES9018 DAC; CM6642 USB controller; TPA6120, and OP275 and OPA2134 op amps which can be freely replaced; a sample-rate display arc of LEDs; and Bluetooth 5.0 supporting APT-X, SBC, AAC codecs, etc.., for ~£79.99?
Would this be a good DAC to hook up with a bluetooth receiver and put with the FosiAudio TB10D and listen with a pair of speakers, or other option? Thanks
Dude, I love my Dan Clark Aeon RT but they are very much a headphone that needs juice and something to hold back the high end. It's just not fair for that little guy!! (I have mine on an r2r dac/amp - hifiman ef400)
i need a dac/amp that can power a set of older Boston acoustics vr1 with a 95db sensitivity. they want to be around 100w x2 at 8ohm. im looking to be all in for a computer/desktop setup for like 200-250$ at most, will be using them for gaming/movies. thinking about this for a dac and Fosi-BT30D for an amp or im going to get 2:1 Fosi DA2120C. What are you thoughts? i love the look of the tubes though and it would go amazingly with the looks of my setup (think mission control 7 monitors/tv)
Do yourself a favor. Buy the Aiyima A07 from Walmart for $56 or spend a little more and get the A07 pro for additional tone control and direct Bluetooth for $80 Buy the Wiimi for $99 This gives you a decent dac and 10 band eq plus streaming $155-$180 you will not beat this combo If you are able to bi amp those speakers, buy both. The 3.5 out on the A07 and A07 pro are full range out. You get a 3.5 to rca cord and daisy chain the two amps. You can still run a sub if you choose with the other 3.5 out.
@@ed0c I have the regular A09 and have not had the time to listen to it. I believe it to be a fantastic little amp. I don't know if it will overthrow the A07 as far as sound goes but I will hopefully find out in a month or so.
@@ufarkingicehole looks like you can upgrade the OP chip of the a07 right from the aiyma website to the LM4562 do you suggest that? looks like it comes with 32v5a psu too.
@@ed0c I have tried several op amps with it to include Burson classics and Sparkos. I can honestly say they really nailed it with the originals for the value. I tried several opamps that were more expensive than the factory ones that sounded worse. I can say something similar about the power supply. I upgraded it as well and it absolutely added distortion that was audible. Lol. I would stick with the originals unless you are dying to roll opamps. Yes the Burson and the Sparkos sounded a little better but it wasn't worth the extra cost in my opinion. The A07 pro has 4 or 5 opamps in it. I believe this has to do with the input stages and tone control. If you decide to swap opamps, its really easy to do. Just make sure you put them in correctly. I blew one of my A07 screwing that up. The Burson classics could be put in either way. Still super easy to swap. To be honest, your money would be better spent buying a decent inexpensive sub than a really expensive opamp. I've also gone through a ton of Dacs ($100-$1300) and its a tricky ordeal. Synergy matters and its often not a good cost to benefit ratio after a few hundred bucks no matter how much people rave. A better way to go would be something like a minidsp with room correction. I'm going to muddy the water a bit... If you want to eventually go all out, Another option for you if you don't mind spending a little more money is to buy a used amp thats higher end. I have a harman kardon pa2400 or even a pa2200 that sound much better than any of these that go for around $300. Hk citation 22,24 are fantastic. I also have a citation 16 and a 7.1 that I will never sell but those are up there. The citations blow my parasound 2250v2 out of the water. Hk signature 2.1 would work great for you. My PA2400 (used a Cambridge Audio DaC magic as a pre/Dac) possible a hair better than my parasound and again the PA2400 can be had for under $300. For chifi amps. The Aiyima A07 is truly king budget amp. If you want to step up from the A07, consider something like the used amps i mentioned. They are built like tanks and I've never had issues with any of them.
This looks great. Have you tried the line output? In a significantly more expensive league (similar to Topping DXPro) but for a similar (smaller) and semi-portable form factor take a look at xduoo xd05 range. I run xd05 plus with Hifiman Sundara and fixed line out via a Fostex pot into the power stage of my old Sherwood Newcastle R725. Sweet.
@jamessalepe for headphone use. It's a good, full sounding amp it might be a little too clinical in some of the highs. Or some might say tinny sounding . That's really the only complaint, in my opinion. Using it just as a dac for my television to my vintage marantz 2252, it sounds great. I think nice and full.
Yep. Alot of us are just want to go cheap .Maby a better one might be the route to go if you got good cans. I say whatever floats your piroqe.HAPPY LISTENING.RANDY
@@Exploder11 nice! I would buy the A07 pro AND the A07 Hook the A07 to the A07 pro using a 3.5 to rca cable. This will allow you bi amp your speakers and give you a ton of control Both can be bought from Walmart for around $140 or buy the A07 from CAM link for a few bucks more. Buying
Randy, now you got me wondering 🤔if you get a Modi+ DAC and a good separate headphone amp, you’re probably looking at a couple of hundred dollars at least, before including the cost of a decent set of cans, so I guess my question to you is .. what standalone headphone amp and standalone DAC are you going to recommend for $50 apiece? ( to go with a $100 headset). 😉
Personally I wouldn't pay 100$ for a DAC/HP AMP to use with a 100$ headset... Have you tried a dongle DAC/HP AMP with your current headset? Those are usually cheaper than separates and could work well if you plan to keep your 100$ headset for a bit of time. Later if you want, you could buy better headphones like the Sennheiser 6XX with a new/better HP AMP. Depending on the model you choose, you maybe could use the dongle as the DAC only and plug it in a great HP AMP like the JDS Atom+. Hope this helps ✌️
@@1337sim1 thanks for your efforts but that was only a hypothetical question to Randy I don’t have $100 pair of headphones I’m not even into headphones although I do have a $200 pair of studio monitors, but I never really use them
My advice would be a Dork Audio U3 as its a remarkable sounding litttle amp with huge power 1300mw x2 cute as a button and you know what? It sits next to my Magni 2 uber and guess which one i use more? Yep, the U3 and its cost.... £30! Its also sold under the Nobsound banner too.
Get yourself a nice big cup of yummy coffee, maybe a breakfast sandwich and please, pretty please, do an opamp roll/ comparison. Love to hear thoughts on that. I am still planning on doing the Sparkos Labs upgrade on my A07.
hey Randy, what do you think about the FX-Audio DAC-X6 MKII version that is currently $75 in amazon? And for $10 more than this, it's got bluetooth with dac chip ESS9018 that goes 24-bit/192kHz. also, 2 op amps TPA6120 and OPA2134 that can be rolled.
There is a KGUSS DAC-K3 PRO on Amazon that is almost exactly the same product but with the Sabre SS9018 chip (So likely the same as the X6 MK II). Why Amazon is still selling the MK1 is a mystery to me.
Thanks Randy. Is the DAC chip in both the Wiim Mini and Wiim Pro the same as Amazon states? Is difference in the implementation or are there different DAC chips?
Good for listening or good for the price? Chinese product usually stops working in 3-5 years, so be prepared to upgrade just too soon. No, thanks. Keep $65 for something longer lasting.
The engineer does not need or have to implement all features of any chip(set) in any given project. Therew is no magic here. The firmware running the show, simply avoid programming for non-implemented features & VIOLA! 😊 "$100 (or whatever) and you get the upgraded firmware that does iumplement the feature, same as modern oscilloscopes, $10,000 for the scope, $5,000 for the options, etc." no change in hardware. a 70MHz o-scope may implement 200MHz hardware, again 13:47
Im a gamer, and using sound blaster g6 as my dac for desktop.. at least on paper it looks better then Fx, does anyone have a compare on those? in my case the amplifier is Fosi BT20A
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Randy.
The Aiyima A07 now has the A07 Pro
The A07 is on sale at Wal-Mart for $56
The A07 pro is $80. It gives tone control and Bluetooth in.
Hope you review it.
this was my first DAC/amp. It was my entry point into headphone dac amps. I no longer have a component system, I think bluetooth is satan and I was looking for a way to improve the sound from my laptop and android phone without all the different outputs, It performed well, but it gave me a starting point of reference as to where and how much I dove into the headphone rabbit hole. I was surprised at how good of sound came from this unit. It also gave me a reference point to where I wanted to go. It taught me that the laws of diminished return got really strict the more you spent.
I gave mine to my daughter and for her, it is good enough and she enjoys it. For sixty five bucks, it was well worth the money.
2:48 that is also the reason why I love toying with my Zishan Z1 digital audio player! I'm also that kind of person who likes to tinker with their little gadgets. Fascinatin to note how each op-amp can change the sound a little bit.... For the untrained ear you might not notice the difference but once you've been doing it for a while you get to pick out some tiny changes.
For now I'll be sticking to my Zishan Z1 since I'm still in college, but I might also grab this nice little toy once I graduate. Cheers! ❤
Had de DAC X6 for about a year, it's a solid unit that is great for Desktop use. There is the MkII with Bluetooth and I believe a little more power, for only $10 more.
I'm a big fan of designs that enable, or better yet encourage, users to tinker with or repair a product. I could see high school me buying this and then getting used op amps from places like e bay.
@@gunnerdunbar what does a snowflake mean?
Thank you so much for highlighting this! Love this DAC!! I have it and have thoroughly enjoyed it!! Highly recommend.
My first DAC/AMP combo was from a S. Korean company, Audinst. I have the HUD-Mini and it has the same ability, op-amp swapping. USB powered only but has an Optical out on it. Uses a Burr Brown 1791A DAC chip, does up to 24/192. So FLAC. Eight years now and it works perfectly, still in use today.
this one arrives in the mail in a few days, i got it for my hd560s, i dont really wanna spend more than the price of the headphone which was 150€ i believe, it was very hard to actually find a good dac/amp under 100€ this stuff is crazy expensive, the hd560s is 120 ohm, only thing is that the dac x6 doesnt produce frequencies up to 36khz like other more expensive ones, i know a human hears max 22khz but i read it helps with preventing distortion and what not but it will do fine i hope
i mainly got a dac amp to fight the noise coming from my pc components, also tired of the audio controller in my pc cuting out because of latency, hopefully having it in a usb port should do the trick, from all the research i did this is a pretty good option to start off i'll update this comment when i get it and have been using it a bit
My first DAC was the newer MKII version. Very pleased with the sound, and rolling Op amps was a blast.
I have on too. The mk two is a little bit better then the one he is showing. It cost 199 nz dollars.
''HI-fi shouldn't cost more than having your arm reattached late at night by a rural vetenarian after a chainsaw juggling contest that you WON......and THESE DON'T!''
Awesome 😂
I have two, one with a bad op-amp. Apparently there are a lot of fake/bad op-amps showing up in these. I just put NE5532P chips in both of mine because I had them on the shelf. I only use the RCA outputs and I think they work good (much much better than a PC line out).
I bought this like five years ago, and it was so good I quickly bought an another one. They've been great value for money.
Same here, for $35 used I'm about to buy a 3rd...one for each PC that I use regularly.
I used many of those for a sound "art installation", unbeatable price to sound quality ratio.
This was my first dac/amp when I got into the hobby 4 yrs ago. I now carry it in my backpack. Didn't know about the rolling OP Amp I think I'll have to use the AO7 OP Amp that's sitting in a corner collecting dust! Thx for the tip Randy!
I got to test it out. I usually use my phone's DAC connected through RCA cable to my receiver
Still running my DAC with high gain setting and a Sparkos dual op amp. Works well for my HD 600 headphones. More than enough for the casual gamer like me.
how much space is there for the Sparkos dual op amp, is it tight or lots of space.
@@abubukhari6264It’s kinda tight. Barely avoids the capacitors on the board but it fits like a glove.
@@clayton8816 thanks for the info
Randy man, I think you need to add a review category, the: "I thought heard a person in the room and I had to turn down the music, because I thought it was from something real", category
Similar model: Aiyima DAC A5-Pro , Headphone amp, DAC, can use volume knob to control amp volume, push button controls, been real happy with it
Aiyima dac a 02 has tone controls and is a headphone amp also. Makes everything sound fuller.
As always, CAM gives us another splendid affordable product review. Thanks CAM!
Just a heads up... Aiyima A07 is on sale for $56 at wallyworld and now they have an A07 pro for $80
Definitely check it out
Very nice! Have you reached hifi nirvana?!
Similarly - I got the Fosi Audio DAC-Q4 on your recommendation. I have been using it as my desktop headphone amp at work since December. It's convenient because I can quickly control volume with the front panel knob.
I think the aiyima dac 02 is the same. I just got it directly from aiyima website for 37 shipped
Wow that Aiyima DAC-A2 looks externally exactly like the Fosi Audio DAC-Q4
@@clockcycle I'm pretty sure it's the same. It brings life to the aiyima a07. Without it, the A07 seems flat sounding. For the price, you got nothing to lose.
Is it better than the FX-Audio DAC-X6?
FX Audio brings affordable audio gear. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks. Was wondering if any of these small formfactor DACs allow you to access a USB storage device directly?
Actually really like the DAC X6 MK1 not tried the MKII but i prefer the physical switches on the MKI, Had to change the op amp on mine as the one it came with way BaaaaaaD guessing a fake / faulty one but that was the plan anyway. Still have this thing on my desk despite having an E50 and A30 pro. Opening it is easier, you can leave the front panel connected and just take the screws out of it n slide the board out. no need to mess with the knob :D
I own this product and I'm exceptionally happy with it. I run it on my desktop either to an Aiyma A07 powering Neumi BS5 speakers or to Sennheiser HD 58X headphones depending on what's going around at my
office. I highly recommend this, whether working from a home office in headphones or connecting an amp and filling a medium-sized listening area with great sound, this will do it.
Note that connecting both the headphone output and the AUX output could result in publicvcalyy expoesed radio traffic.
Great review and a tinkering dream for any self-respecting music officianardo. Thank you for your time and the introduction to this piece of kit.
I understood FX Audio will launch some new products, I wait for the pictures I get from one of the salespersons. I am curious. For sure I buy some and test with the Qobuz streamer....
Hey I need your help. I'm putting together my first system and I want to stick close to the $350 budget you mentioned in your other video. Here's what I have so far...Aiyima A07 power amp, Aiyima A3 power amp, ad let me ask you what do you think of the Saiyin Bluetooth bookshelf powered speakers? The moukeys will be a little out of my budget. Oh I almost forget...A dac and you recommended the FX Audio Dac x6-=-= If I added the dac I'm coming in around $350 on amazon. OK...let me ask about cables...your suggestions please.
Amazing video!!! I love upgradable gear
I'm using this and it works great. Very happy with it
I have DAC-X3 Pro (Sabre ES9023). It is amazing sound quality for the price.
Could you do an episode on why running a linear power supply into a device that then uses a switching power circuit itself would be of some benefit?
very interesting, but the reviews on amazon have a lot reviews stating it dies after a few months >.
What Op-Amp recommendations for Sony 7506's? I listen to a variety of music, mostly rock tho and also movies, gaming.
I love a cup of hot black coffee, but for some reason I could never enjoy it in a thermos. Maybe it’s the aluminum interior, idk what it is. Seems like a predictable problem for an audiophile to have. Lol
Hi, I had to buy an audio interface Behringer umc22 (70$) during corona to do online music lessons, what I have noticed is that it was fantastic as a headphone DAC, I have also used it with a mic for karaoke. I was wondering, what do you think of using a cheap audio interface as dac for a hifi system ?
Beringer headphones pre-amps on cheap/consumer sound cards don't have enough power to drive most 32 ohm headphones at their potential. Dynamic range is poor, sound is compressed.
But for me this was a feature: I bought one for my children PC, few years ago because it is impossible to break your ears even with all knobs at max volume.😅
Hi Randy, I'd be interested in hearing/seeing you discuss your impressions of different power supplies on amps/dacs/streamers. Have you been able to notice any differences in upgrading PSU's and if so, what differences have you heard? Of course, this would put you at risk of the "do cables make a difference" audiophile rage comments...
Power conditioners make a big difference, psu just depend on the amount of power it needs to produce
That's an interesting question. We reviewed the FOSI TB10D and tried it with an Audience and AudioQuest power conditioners. We thought we could hear the difference, but it was subtle. Still we felt it improved the sound. I'm waiting on a beefier power supply from FOSI for the amp as I was able to drive it into clipping using PS Audio's new loudspeaker SACD.
I love the tech knowledge and sarcasm dealt out in equal measures. Lol. Love the videos.
If you drive the final amp stage hard enough, you’ll get full output, so either gain is likely do the job.. higher gain just means you need less input signal to get the power out of it. Hopefully they designed it so that you won’t overdrive the pre-final amp stage(s) before you get the power out.
I've had one of these for about five years. It is hard to beat in this price range.
Take one of these FX DACs, a Fosi TB10D and a pair of your favorite desktop speakers and Bob's your uncle.
Is this a speaker amp or just a headphone amp?
Open letter to Randy: Please review the Aiyima T9 Pro -- it's a total redesign from the T9 and I'm dying to know if you like it as much or better than the O.G.
I'd like a beginner's video. In the past, when looking at suduophile setups, I was a broke and stupid kid, now im an adult, still broke/stupid. Instead of a Bose qc45, is there any setup you recommend for regular person who likes to hear nice sound, even its a boring speech, but doesn't know any of the jargon audiophiles use. Headphones + amp + DAC ?
This was my first DAC amp and it is a good starting point. I still have it, but now it runs into a vali2++. Just using it as a DAC until I get a Geshelli.
The J2 is a really good sounding dac with massive Soundstage. I don't like it all that much with my other class A or AB amps but it took my crown xls that I was about to basically give away and made it into a completely different animal. Synergy was definitely made.
I have a denafrips ares II , an FX Adio D01, and a Schiit modi 3 DACS, and a switch to test them and compare them. the FX Audio is almost as good as the Denafrips, really, Great DAC, A lot way better than the Schiit. The schiit was veiled on the top and lack a lot of clarity, and the bass was muddy, not clear or tight, I was impressed with the test, but it was what it was. FX Audio D01. One of the best DACS under 1000 dollars for me
Can you review fx audio dac-m1 your thoughts about it I think this DAC headphone amp is good
"Is that a Hemi in that DAC?"
The Astell & Kern AK-HC3 is £199 here in the UK and its the best DAC dongle I have ever heard...its seriously impressive...would love to see you review it :)
How does it stack up against smsl su-9pro?
@@shangrilaladeda no idea whatsoever
I wonder how it stacks up to similar priced FiiO or ifi products
Would this be a decent budget option to run Sennheiser HD 6XX? Asking for a coworker.
A nice cheap dac for the masses...I'm sure some people out there will appreciate this one.
Flexible DIP8 extensions. Life savers.
Is Sith Audio going to have an amp blower? Root's or centrifugal?
I purchased your 250 recommended setup with this dac and I think it sounds great thanks
This was my first DAC...and my first amp...when I decided I wanted to see what good sound from headphones were all about. It is a small device that has a nice substantial feel to it across the board...the case, knob, switches, input/output connections. At its price point, it could be a try-it-and-toss-it if you don't like it or outgrow it device. However, it is built well enough, and works well enough that it is not the kind of thing you would want to get rid of. I have this on my home/family computer, and it has been a workhorse. It is simple, it is utilitarian, but it does what I need it to do from a functional standpoint. For sure my Magni+/Modi+ stack I have on my work computer outperforms it, but that Schiit stack with Snake Oil Krait RCA cables is a $260 purchase. That I could go so many years without getting a better headphone DAC/amp setup I think says a lot about the original FX Audio DAC-X6 as a starter kit. Sure, after tasting Schiit, now I think I want more for my home/family computer as well, but as I ponder my options, I don't feel rushed, and I think when the time does come to swap it out, I might miss the little guy until I can come up with another user for it.
What about the more recent FX-AUDIO DAC-X6mkII, which IIRC features an ES9018 DAC; CM6642 USB controller; TPA6120, and OP275 and OPA2134 op amps which can be freely replaced; a sample-rate display arc of LEDs; and Bluetooth 5.0 supporting APT-X, SBC, AAC codecs, etc.., for ~£79.99?
There's a x6 mk2 version now..
Would this be a good DAC to hook up with a bluetooth receiver and put with the FosiAudio TB10D and listen with a pair of speakers, or other option? Thanks
I came for knowledge, got a perfect minimalistic comedy show instead 😁
Does it beat a typical laptop dac?
Dude, I love my Dan Clark Aeon RT but they are very much a headphone that needs juice and something to hold back the high end. It's just not fair for that little guy!! (I have mine on an r2r dac/amp - hifiman ef400)
I use denon receiver avr 2807 as a pre out,rotel mk2 1582 amplifier with 702s2,should I get dac?
Coffee is definitely number 1!!!
Upgrade with a Muses 8920 great op amp no space problems, cheap too!
One of my favs. Also love the LME4562 and 472 for their honest, non -colored, clear sound.
Thanks for sharing，would the upgrade gives more airy / spacious soundstage
Do i need to download the drivers from the website?
This might be a good option for my Desktop PC.
How does it stack up against the smsl su1.
*** News Flash *** - Geshelli Labs will be offering an op amp upgradable version of their J2 DAC very soon...
I have a astro mixamp from 2014 which is both a dac and a amp. Would this be about the same and would it be a upgrade?
How does this compare to the inbuilt DAC in the Aiyima T9?
i need a dac/amp that can power a set of older Boston acoustics vr1 with a 95db sensitivity. they want to be around 100w x2 at 8ohm. im looking to be all in for a computer/desktop setup for like 200-250$ at most, will be using them for gaming/movies. thinking about this for a dac and Fosi-BT30D for an amp or im going to get 2:1 Fosi DA2120C. What are you thoughts? i love the look of the tubes though and it would go amazingly with the looks of my setup (think mission control 7 monitors/tv)
Do yourself a favor.
Buy the Aiyima A07 from Walmart for $56 or spend a little more and get the A07 pro for additional tone control and direct Bluetooth for $80
Buy the Wiimi for $99
This gives you a decent dac and 10 band eq plus streaming
$155-$180 you will not beat this combo
If you are able to bi amp those speakers, buy both. The 3.5 out on the A07 and A07 pro are full range out. You get a 3.5 to rca cord and daisy chain the two amps. You can still run a sub if you choose with the other 3.5 out.
@@ufarkingicehole
i saw the A09 pro as well, is that any good?
@@ed0c I have the regular A09 and have not had the time to listen to it. I believe it to be a fantastic little amp. I don't know if it will overthrow the A07 as far as sound goes but I will hopefully find out in a month or so.
@@ufarkingicehole
looks like you can upgrade the OP chip of the a07 right from the aiyma website to the LM4562 do you suggest that? looks like it comes with 32v5a psu too.
@@ed0c I have tried several op amps with it to include Burson classics and Sparkos.
I can honestly say they really nailed it with the originals for the value. I tried several opamps that were more expensive than the factory ones that sounded worse.
I can say something similar about the power supply. I upgraded it as well and it absolutely added distortion that was audible.
Lol. I would stick with the originals unless you are dying to roll opamps. Yes the Burson and the Sparkos sounded a little better but it wasn't worth the extra cost in my opinion.
The A07 pro has 4 or 5 opamps in it. I believe this has to do with the input stages and tone control.
If you decide to swap opamps, its really easy to do. Just make sure you put them in correctly. I blew one of my A07 screwing that up. The Burson classics could be put in either way. Still super easy to swap.
To be honest, your money would be better spent buying a decent inexpensive sub than a really expensive opamp.
I've also gone through a ton of Dacs ($100-$1300) and its a tricky ordeal. Synergy matters and its often not a good cost to benefit ratio after a few hundred bucks no matter how much people rave. A better way to go would be something like a minidsp with room correction.
I'm going to muddy the water a bit...
If you want to eventually go all out,
Another option for you if you don't mind spending a little more money is to buy a used amp thats higher end. I have a harman kardon pa2400 or even a pa2200 that sound much better than any of these that go for around $300. Hk citation 22,24 are fantastic. I also have a citation 16 and a 7.1 that I will never sell but those are up there. The citations blow my parasound 2250v2 out of the water. Hk signature 2.1 would work great for you. My PA2400 (used a Cambridge Audio DaC magic as a pre/Dac) possible a hair better than my parasound and again the PA2400 can be had for under $300.
For chifi amps. The Aiyima A07 is truly king budget amp. If you want to step up from the A07, consider something like the used amps i mentioned. They are built like tanks and I've never had issues with any of them.
This looks great. Have you tried the line output? In a significantly more expensive league (similar to Topping DXPro) but for a similar (smaller) and semi-portable form factor take a look at xduoo xd05 range. I run xd05 plus with Hifiman Sundara and fixed line out via a Fostex pot into the power stage of my old Sherwood Newcastle R725. Sweet.
Bringing new sound and versatility to old gear..nice!
I got the upgraded version the fx-dac6 mkii . And I gotta say it's pretty sweet.
Hi. How does it sound?
@jamessalepe for headphone use. It's a good, full sounding amp it might be a little too clinical in some of the highs. Or some might say tinny sounding . That's really the only complaint, in my opinion. Using it just as a dac for my television to my vintage marantz 2252, it sounds great. I think nice and full.
@@timbabyfacesavage377 Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Would consider this tp be an upgrade to the built in DAC for the WiiM Mini?
Seems like it would be..not sure though, never heard the Fosi
what amp do u mentioned in 11:45?
Another great idea from the cheap audio màn🤩. Looking for a headphone amp. Daç. Thanks for the input. Might have to look into this one.
I just got the aiyima dac a 02. Pretty sure it's the same as the fx audio q4 but cheaper. Got one for 37 landed.
Can't agree more on the cheeseburger and a couple of other thoughts. Nice video 👍
This (silver) was the very first DAC I bought.
I bought the Ifi Zen II next then the Ares II.😁👍
Yep. Alot of us are just want to go cheap .Maby a better one might be the route to go if you got good cans. I say whatever floats your piroqe.HAPPY LISTENING.RANDY
Can this be connected to the iPad Pro?
. . . the little nut near the volume pot . . .
Is it worth going WiiM Mini -> FX Audio DAC X6 -> AIYIMA A08 PRO, or is the X6 not going to be much of an upgrade over the A08's guts?
No. Save your money
Buy the wiimi
Buy the A07 or the A07 pro and use the money on something else. What speakers are you using?
@@ufarkingicehole I have Klipsch RP-600M II.
@@Exploder11 nice!
I would buy the A07 pro AND the A07
Hook the A07 to the A07 pro using a 3.5 to rca cable. This will allow you bi amp your speakers and give you a ton of control
Both can be bought from Walmart for around $140 or buy the A07 from CAM link for a few bucks more.
Buying
Randy, now you got me wondering 🤔if you get a Modi+ DAC and a good separate headphone amp, you’re probably looking at a couple of hundred dollars at least, before including the cost of a decent set of cans, so I guess my question to you is .. what standalone headphone amp and standalone DAC are you going to recommend for $50 apiece? ( to go with a $100 headset). 😉
Personally I wouldn't pay 100$ for a DAC/HP AMP to use with a 100$ headset...
Have you tried a dongle DAC/HP AMP with your current headset? Those are usually cheaper than separates and could work well if you plan to keep your 100$ headset for a bit of time.
Later if you want, you could buy better headphones like the Sennheiser 6XX with a new/better HP AMP.
Depending on the model you choose, you maybe could use the dongle as the DAC only and plug it in a great HP AMP like the JDS Atom+.
Hope this helps ✌️
@@1337sim1 thanks for your efforts but that was only a hypothetical question to Randy I don’t have $100 pair of headphones I’m not even into headphones although I do have a $200 pair of studio monitors, but I never really use them
@@shipsahoy1793 lol ok! Hope this post can help others... 🤣
My advice would be a Dork Audio U3 as its a remarkable sounding litttle amp with huge power 1300mw x2 cute as a button and you know what? It sits next to my Magni 2 uber and guess which one i use more? Yep, the U3 and its cost.... £30! Its also sold under the Nobsound banner too.
Get yourself a nice big cup of yummy coffee, maybe a breakfast sandwich and please, pretty please, do an opamp roll/ comparison. Love to hear thoughts on that. I am still planning on doing the Sparkos Labs upgrade on my A07.
I definitely need to do that
hey Randy, what do you think about the FX-Audio DAC-X6 MKII version that is currently $75 in amazon? And for $10 more than this, it's got bluetooth with dac chip ESS9018 that goes 24-bit/192kHz. also, 2 op amps TPA6120 and OPA2134 that can be rolled.
I opened mine up and i have all crap china caps in it what a RIP OFF!
I'm thinking of recapping the hole dam thing
Thanks!
There is a KGUSS DAC-K3 PRO on Amazon that is almost exactly the same product but with the Sabre SS9018 chip (So likely the same as the X6 MK II). Why Amazon is still selling the MK1 is a mystery to me.
The volume knob / enclosure very much reminds me of the aiyima a07, is it the same size?
Begone bot
High-gain, low-gain, or Rogaine.
Hi Randy i have the mk2 version. They say it is slighty better then the one you are showing. Plus it has bluetooth.
Better sound?
Thanks Randy. Is the DAC chip in both the Wiim Mini and Wiim Pro the same as Amazon states? Is difference in the implementation or are there different DAC chips?
Wiim states on their website its the same thing. Their forums are full of info too btw!
Says on the amazon product page that it's been sold since July 2019. Is this a newer version?
Pleas pick up a Fosi Audio K5 Pro headphone Dacamp and review it.
Naw, gonna stick with this J2 DAC AKM chip, it still smells new!
Good for listening or good for the price? Chinese product usually stops working in 3-5 years, so be prepared to upgrade just too soon. No, thanks. Keep $65 for something longer lasting.
$50/$60, bucks you get 4_5 yrs, not gonna last forever, ps Every thing comes from china, I hate it too.
The engineer does not need or have to implement all features of any chip(set) in any given project. Therew is no magic here. The firmware running the show, simply avoid programming for non-implemented features &
VIOLA! 😊
"$100 (or whatever) and you get the upgraded firmware that does iumplement the feature, same as modern oscilloscopes, $10,000 for the scope, $5,000 for the options, etc." no change in hardware. a 70MHz o-scope may implement 200MHz hardware, again 13:47
Im a gamer, and using sound blaster g6 as my dac for desktop.. at least on paper it looks better then Fx, does anyone have a compare on those? in my case the amplifier is Fosi BT20A
I just had to remove the 4 screws from the front and it comes out
HI Sir lg V30 mobile dac still better than IFI zen blue V2 or Fiio BTR 30 pro dac for my old Yamaha RX n600 Avr i want quality audio
@cheap_audioman6 ????
👍❤️🫂