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Member Reviews: Audinst HUD-MX1

Positive Reviews

milosolo

Great value in a desktop DAC/amp

Posted
By milosolo

Pros: Powerful amp, (USB) DAC sounds nice, Versatile connections, Very good value

Cons: None really for the price

I have been researching a more potent amp for my desktop system and all I have to say is Wow! I just plugged the MX1 into my office system for the first time and I am very impressed. The amp section is robust enough to drive my HD650 in a similar (not quite as refined) fashion as my Schiit Lyr in my main system. Great extension in the bass with solid mid, airy and extended top end indicating a respectable DAC stage to go with the powerful amp. And I can easily switch between HP and desktop speaker out with the RCA line out on the back panel. Overall I give it a 4 out of 5.
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WestLander

Audinst HUD-MX1 - Small Box, Great Sound

Posted
By WestLander

Pros: Great price, optical out, dual headphone jacks, small size (almost portable)

Cons: No optical in

I just received my Audinst amp yesterday, and only have about 15 hours on it so far, so this is a review based on my early impressions..   This is my first serious, dedicated amp/DAC combo that I bought to power my Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO (250 Ohm) as the FIIO E5 I had just wasn't cutting it. I'll be updating this review as the amp burns in, but I can say that at the moment, I am liking how the amp pairs with the DT990.   Review gear:  Macbook Pro > USB > Audinst HUD-MX1 > DT990   :: Looks ::   The Audinst is a small, small amp. From the pictures on the Audinst homepage or the internet, one would think it's bigger than it is, but it's...
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Negative Reviews

tgeml

Audinst... Lots of hype but poor production quality

Posted
By tgeml

Pros: Decent audio quality when it works, small size

Cons: cheaply manufactured/designed. Did not live up to the hype.

I purchased this DAC/Amplifier with the expectation it would perform at least to the level of the Asus Essence STx it was replacing. The unit was purchased from amazon.com, and delivered relatively quickly. Box/Manual/Packaging were all very nicely done. Now to the meat of the review, my initial impression.    The unit felt pretty well constructed, with a decent heft, however the volume control is a cheap rubber knob id expect on something in the 30 dollar range, poor  decision audinst! This is not a cheap device, and the knob most used makes it feel like crap, what were you thinking, a aluminum knob is not that expensive...   The initial audio quality...
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stockpimp007

Audinst...hmmmmm

Posted
By stockpimp007

Pros: Decent build quality

Cons: Static/Noise 50+% of the time

Way overhyped...nice build quality for a small piece of equipment. but that is honestly the only positive thing I have to say about the Mx1.    Customer service is slow to respond and does not resolve issues. Constant static out of headphone jack.  Tried numerous headphones, made changes to setting, etc. it did not go away.   Even when there was no static, it sounded exactly the same as both of my laptop headphone jacks.        
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More Reviews

12345142

Nice, versatile piece of equipment

Posted
By 12345142

Pros: powerful headphone amp, good DAC for the money, dual headphone outputs

Cons: a bit too loud

For less than 200 dollars, there's not a lot to complain about here. The MX1's amp sounds quite good and powers K702s without trouble, and the DAC does a respectable job and sounds even better when hooked up to a separate amp.   One problem I have with the MX1 is the gain is a little too high. With most of my headphones, I can barely turn the volume control past the 8 o'clock level, which causes some channel imbalance. As a preamp, though, I don't have this problem, probably because my headphone amp allows me to further adjust the volume.   I fully recommend the MX1 as a convenient, one-piece solution to get great sound out of a computer. Although it's not the last...
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project86

Excellent choice for a USB DAC/amp under $200

Posted
By project86

Pros: Great sounding DAC, powerful amp section, works as a pre-amp, optical passthru, handles 24-bit/96kHz audio, swappable opamps

Cons: none realy.... a toslink or coaxial input would be nice but would of course add to the price and complexity

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/484235/review-audinst-hud-mx1-usb-dac-amp   That's my full detailed review. In summary:   The Audinst is still one of my most often recommended pieces of gear, especially for people just getting into this hobby. As a DAC it is detailed and transparent with no specific weak points. As a headphone amp it is very poweful but of course has it's limits (could use more refinement but what do you expect for the price?). The overall package is very well done, with lots of nice features like an optical out for transcoding from USB to toslink, a front panel switch for disabling the RCA output when listening to headphones, and variable volume outputs...
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