XDuoo X20

disclaimer: The X20 was provided by Xduoo and Xtenik for the purpose of this review. I am a big fan of the X10Tii so seeing what Xduoo has done with the X20 which combines the components of the X10T with a headphone amplifier was certainly of interest to me when Steven offered the X20 for review. Many thanks to Xtenik for sending the unit for testing. To learn more about the X20, see Xduoo's website or Facebook Page. To purchase the X20, see Xtenik's website.



Unboxing / Packaging:

The X20 ships in an outer transport box with photo of the player on front and specs on reverse with a presentation box inside it. The outer box is fairly thin and tears easily while the inner packaging is much more robust. The inner box is a black lift-top style with a foam tray for the player, and all other items hidden underneath. The X20 ships with 3 screen protectors (1 installed and 2 spares), a soft leatheresque case, a charging cable, a 3.5mm male to male interconnect cable, a pack of rubber feet, and the warranty cards and manual. All you need to get going is a pair of headphones and a micro-sd card with your music on it.




Build/Fit:

The X20 is all metal and glass and feels very solid in hand. The screen takes up roughly 2/3rds of the front with the remainder being anodized aluminum. The reverse is 3 pieces with a separate frame, top section, and main section. The upper section wraps from the back to the top with a single cutout for the USB-c port in it. The cutouts are precise with no slop and are tightly aligned to the ports they cover. Same goes for the bottom plate. The three ports in the lower plate are all tightly matched with no slop or play. Two small torx screws secure the bottom plate and are the only visible screws on the unit. Controls are down the sides of the player and are all metal buttons as well. Build quality is impressive and this is a player that should last well as long as reasonable care is taken.



Internals:

At the heart of the X20 is the ESS9018K2m DAC chip which ESS classifies as a 2 channel mobile chip. This is a very popular chip in both portable and desktop application and has been used in the Topping Dx7, Oppo Ha-2, Daart Canary, etc. In portable application, the 9018K2m is often paired with the the ESS 9601 Headphone amplifier chip to complete the audio chain. In the case of the X20, Xduoo has instead decided to use the Texas Instruments Opa1612 chip to handle the amplification tasks. The Opa1612 is a bit more power hungry than the 9601 but has more impressive SNR and lower distortion. The combination provides decoding of PCM up to 32bit /384 kHz and DSD 64 and 128. There is no internal storage on the X20 instead a single Micro-SD card slot is provided and Xduoo lists it as compatible with cards up to and incuding 256gb. I used Sandisk and PNY 512gb cards as well as a 400gb Sandisk branded card without incident so the player is capable of reading at least some cards above the 256gb mentioned in the documentation. Several output options are provided with the X20 being capable of single ended (3.5 and line out port) or balanced (2.5 port) analog output, coaxial and usb digital output, and Bluetooth. The 3.5 single ended headphone output is rated at 210mW@32Ω while the balanced is listed at 300mW@32Ω. Line output is slightly below normal at 1.7V instead of the more typical 2.0V RMS.



Controls/UI:

Physical controls are fairly straight forward and are all buttons as the screen is not touch enabled. I prefer this as my large hands inevitably hit the wrong thing on small touch screens. Down the left side of the player, from top to bottom, we have the power button (in red) then volume+ and volume - buttons, a reset pinhole, and the micro-sd slot. Cards insert with the pins toward the front and printed face of the card toward the rear of the player. Down the right hand side, we have the options button, the back button, reverse/previous, Play/pause, and forward/next buttons. The leatherette case provided with the X20 is nice but does remove some of the tactile feel of the buttons and I think I prefer to use the player without the case for that reason.

Unlike a lot of DAPs on the current market, Xduoo has not gone the android route and instead uses a linux based operating system. The Operating system is definitely more minimalistic than a lot of it its current competitors, but offers snappy performance and is fairly easy to navigate once you've had a little time to familiarize yourself with it On the main screen, music is to the left, and options to the right. On the left, from top to bottom we have music browser (folders), then My Music (playlists), followed by Now Playing that is the full width of the bottom of the screen. On the right, from top to bottom, we are greeted with Music Settings, System Settings, and Bluetooth settings. Unlike the left that can be described in a couple words, the menu options on the right all open sub-menus that expand on the functionality. I'll attempt to hit the highlights of the UI here but recommend the X20 Users guide provided by Xduoo for a more complete reference to UI functions. Those familiar with other Xduoo players can likely skip this section as little is different from previous offerings.



Connectivity:

Coax/Line-out:

The X20 is quite versatile with options to use Analog line out, coaxial output, and usb output as well as Bluetooth. Starting with the Line out/Coaxial, the same port is used for both, but the port is not auto-sensing so must be configured in the Music Settings before use. Under music settings, the first option that must be looked at is the Output Selections option. If The selection shows the circle/arrow symbol, the port is in line-out mode. If the value shows SP it is set for Coaxial. When using the line out, a second option needs to be configured as well. Immediately below the Output Selections Option is the Line Out Volume option. When turned on, volume controls on the X20 are active and the line-out is variable. When turned off, the line-out is a fixed full volume output.

When in Coaxial mode, the line out volume option has no impact on output, but another setting comes into play. The DSD Output mode setting gives the option of DOP (DSD64 only) or D2P that allows DSD conversion of higher rate files to PCM for output.


USB:

USB is also an option for both input and output. Instead of Music Settings, this time we will need to go to System settings and then are presented with USB Mode. When configured for USB, this allows the player to operate as strictly a transport to another DAC and will allow direct export of DSD128 in DOP mode (Coax was limited to 64) and PCM up to 32/384.

In addition to use as a USB transport, the X20 can also read USB hard drives and memory sticks using a USB OTG cable to connect them. This allows external storage to be used beyond the single micro-sd card slot of the player itself. To use an external drive, Set the USB mode to USB and then go to the Music settings Menu and choose OTG to see your selections.

The other setting for USB is DAC mode. In this mode a USB-C cable from PC, Tablet, or Phone is needed and the X20 becomes a dac/amp connected to the other source. Windows does recognize the X20 but limits it to 16/48 unless you load the Xduoo driver. Once loaded, the X20 supports up to 32bit/384kHz in Windows 10.



Bluetooth:

Bluetooth follows the same model we have seen thus far with multiple configuration options available. The most commonly used will likely be configuring a Bluetooth headphone or earphone for use with the X20 as player. To do so, open the Bluetooth Settings, Turn on Bluetooth and then select Bluetooth Scanning to begin the pairing process. Once the name of the headphone is visible on screen, select it and choose connect. Enabling the High Quality Setting turns on AptX LL. Once paired, devices should automatically reconnect when in range. The X20 can store at least 8 different devices in memory based on my testing.


Another Bluetooth Option is to use the X20 as a bluetooth DAC to wired headphones. This allows you to stream from a tablet or phone and then use the X20 as a DAC/amp for wired headphones that are hard enough to drive they don't work well directly from a phone. It also allows you to preserve your phone battery. To use the X20 as a Bluetooth DAC, first turn it on and make sure HibyLink is disabled. Then on your phone or tablet scan for devices and pair with the X20. Since the Phone will be seen as a source device, the X20 will assume DAC/Amp mode without having to tell it anything additional.

The final option is HibyLink. This allows you to install the hiby app on your phone or tablet and then manage the X20 via your phone or tablet once setup. If you were using the X20 with an external USB hard drive and line-out to a stereo amplifier for a inexpensive room setup, Hiby Link would come in handy to control the X20 without having to pick it up each time to do so.



Battery Life:

The X20 sports a 2400 mAh battery that delivers roughly 7.5 hours of usable life (maybe a bit more if you listen at low volume using single ended output). This is respectable but not class leading battery life. Charge time will depend on the charger used but when paired with a charger capable of 2.1 A output, the X20 takes roughly 2 hours to fully charge from exhausted. If there is a Caveat here, it is that the battery is not user interchangeable as the X20 has no user serviceable parts and disassembly is a quite complicated process.



Sound Quality:

I found the X20 well extended on both ends with good speed of both attack and decay. This produced a very clean, detailed sound but not an entirely transparent one. The x20 does seem to have a very slight push to the upper-mids/lower-treble that pushes vocals to the front. The push is not enough to make female vocals harsh, but is not dead linear either. I like the lift, but others may not so know that it is there if only mildly. At the top end, treble is well extended but not pushed forward enough to become sibilant as I had not trouble with stridency or sibilance unless the track had it to start with. Stage is well shaped with good dimensions, although this is very tough to attribute to the dap. Perhaps the best way to say it is the X20 does nothing to take away from the stage and earphones present their full capability as a result. Overall the X20 comes off as near neutral and pairs well with all but the brightest of earphones as that slight upper-mid push can become a bit over-stated on extremely bright signatures.



Comparisons:

The x20 hovers around the 200USD price point which has gotten to be an extremely popular spot in the market. Recent releases at that price include the Hiby R3 Pro, Shanling M2x, Fiio M9, Hidizs AP200 and even the Activo CT10 has recently come down to within striking distance for 11.11 and black Friday sales (230 USD). So how does the X20 stack up?

One place the x20 wins is in durability. While others may show more finesse in their builds, the X20 retains a more industrial look and heavier gauge metal in the shell. Of the group, the X20 is the only one I can say without doubt will survive a fall (save it hitting precisely on the screen). All are roughly the same size and shape so no points to any of them to separate any one from the pack.

Another place the x20 out-does a lot of its competition is in output power with the single ended output of the x20 matching the balanced on the R3pro, and outclassing the M2x and M9 by nearly as big a margin and the AP200 by an even larger one. The Activo is much lower powered and doesn't offer balanced output.

The UI is quick and easy to navigate, but simple and lacks some functions compared to others as search by entered text is not an option as it is on the android based models. Some will find the UI on the X20 to be great as it handles the primary functions with a few clicks and can be used in pocket (without the case) as all functions are button based. Others will prefer the touch screen of the competitors as it makes navigation more rapid, but at the expense of having to have the player out of your pocket to do so.

Probably the biggest downside to the x20 is the lack of built in streaming. Admittedly, one can stream from a phone or tablet to the x20, but many of its competitors now offer this function without the need to tether to another device for wifi.



Thoughts / Conclusions:

The x20 is an interesting DAP that provides great sound for the price but lags behind what some others are offering at the price point. In many ways the x20 is a combination of the X10T and the X3ii circuitry into a single unit. The Single ended output specs are nearly identical to the X3ii while the USB output functionality is clearly borrowed from the X10Tii. The addition of hiby link and bi-directional Bluetooth is a plus, but the limit of 4.1 rather than 5.0 implementation means the X20 lacks AptX HD, LDAC, and AAC that some of its competitors offer as well. Some will lament the lack of touch screen while others (myself included) prefer physical buttons for use in pocket without needing line of sight to the player. The fact that hte case obscures those buttons is a disappointment as it was near impossible to tell by feel where reverse/play/forward were with the cover on. Without the cover, finding the proper button by feel is very simple. I think those looking for a dap to play their music collection who are not interested in streaming, the X20 represents very good value and may be the best option short of spending a good bit more on something like the DTR1. What it does, it does extremely well, it is just less of a Swiss army knife than some of its competitors.

RED Magic - xDuoo X20 DAP Review



xDuoo X20 is a Player created by xDuoo and sold by Xtenik, with the software designed by Hiby. It has no touch screen, and instead relies on physical buttons, but this has been something a lot of folks wanted, and it has Hiby Link and other awesome features that will make it quite the attractive option, priced at 250 USD. Like always, I'll be puttin it against other similarly priced, and this time even more expensive DAPs.




Introduction

xDuoo is a very reliable company from China, but they don't offer service directly, instead their products being sold and serviced by X-Tenik, one of the best shops to work with, when you need great support and a nice offering of products, all at good prices. xDuoo products are quite reliable in terms of build quality, they have good design, and usually good firmware, as they are programmed by Hiby, one of the strongest firmware providers from China. With XTenik, you're sure to have an awesome audio experience, along with good support.

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with xDuoo or XTENIK, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. This review is not sponsored nor has been paid for by xDuoo or XTENIK or anyone else. I'd like to thank XTENIK for providing the sample for the review. The sample was provided along with XTENIK's request for an honest and unbiased review. This review reflects my personal experience with xDuoo X20. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in xDuoo X20 find their next music companion.



Product Link (no affiliate links)

https://www.xtenik.com/product/xduoo-x20-audio-player/



About me

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/about.html



Packaging

First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:













It is nice to see a product that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, but which still comes in a beautiful package, and X20 surely delivers nicely, coming not only in a beautiful box, but also being accompanied by a large number of very handy accessories and extras.

Inside the package you can find the Player, a leather cover case, a USB Cable, and a Coaxial cable, for pairing X20 with an external DAC/AMP.

Considering the fact that X20 also has a Line Out, and both a Single Ended and a Balanced output, the package is quite awesome and surely is up to the price of X20.



What to look in when purchasing a midrange DAP

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/what-to-lookl.html



Technical Specifications





Build Quality/Aesthetics/UI/Firmware

Starting with the build quality, you can totally tell that this is a solid device. Even more than that, this is a device made to last even a zombie apocalypse, there are no touch screen inputs, and the whole device is made of metal, and a bit heavy. All buttons for navigation and controlling X20 are found on the sides of the DAP, so you can pocket it quite safely without risking a button getting pressed by accident. There is a reset button, and a microSD slot on the left side of the DAP, with all of the navigation buttons being on the right side.

On the bottom, you can find a USB Type-C port, which I think it very awesome, as microUSB is becoming more and more rare, and even for a more affordable DAP, having Type-C is a bonus.







X20 sports some awesome features that work flawlessly, like the Two-Way Bluetooth connection, and the USB DAC feature, so you're surely going to find a lot of usage scenarios for this one, and I was able to use it with Hiby Link, making it a very powerful bluetooth receiver that I was able to simply pocket while using my smartphone to control it.

You can check my Youtube video for more details about X20 and how you can use it.

There are some things to consider though, and to be quite honest, it takes a while to get used to controlling it, as after having a touch-screen device, or many other touch screen based devices for so long, getting used to using only buttons can take a while, especially since they are all on the side. This being said, after taking it outside once, I got the hang of it, as the interface itself is quite intuitive, and pretty solid.

I experienced zero issues and zero crashes with X20, and I find it to be a very stable Player, Hiby having done their usually good job when designing the firmware for it. You even have gapless playback, which I know some of you wanted quite a lot with previous DAPs.



As far as the support for microSD cards goes, I used it successfully with a 256 GB MicroSD card, everything works flawlessly, the DAP itself is very snappy and quick, there are no lags and no issues when using it. When connecting X20 to a smartphone you can have the best of both worlds, you get both the amazing sound of X20, and the control of a smartphone, and I'm quite happy that now the entire Hiby Link / Hiby Remote is stable and reliable.

Overall, this is how a golden DAP looks and feels like at 250 USD, and it will be a sweet treat if you are looking for something full of features, but which doesn't rely on a touch screen to work.



Sound Quality

When it comes to the sound of X20, it is as amazing as the overall firmware and build quality is. The sound is very dynamic, a touch forward, but with excellent width to its soundstage, the depth of the soundstage is about average, and the thing that impressed me the most is that, like with the XD10 Poke, I feel that X20 is a touch cold.



If other reviewers found it to be a touch warm, I will respect them, and the tuning may be slightly different between the RED and the Black color of X20, I can only say that my unit in particular has a bit of a cold tinge to its sound, the treble is expressed really nicely, but the bass is very linear. This is quite evident if you come from a DAP that is smoother, like FiiO X5-3, or one that is warmer, like Shanling M2s. The overall speed of the sound is outstanding for this price point, and the overall clarity and detail are also very good. The sound tends to be a touch forward in general.

The bass is very linear, and also very quick, and I am impressed by the overall response of a DAP that is in this price range. The speed of the bass, and overall resolution is easily comparable to DAPs in the 400 USD price range, like the Opus #1s, although #1s is a touch warmer in general, where X20 is very neutral and precise with its sound. You can totally listen to technical death metal using X20 and have a very upbeat experience, especially if you like your music quick and impactful. The bass is sufficient to deliver impact and depth with hard to drive headphones, like HIFIMAN Sundara.

The midrange is very linear, clear and crisp, a touch forward at times, with a soundstage that is good in width and average in depth. The beauty of the treble is that the very linear nature means that you can very easily pair X20 with warmer headphones or warmer IEMs, like Brainwavz Alara, or Beyerdynamic Xelento, and you'll have a more balanced experience, since those can be quite warm and smooth usually. The resolution of X20 is quite outstanding and I'm able to enjoy complex music, and even large symphonies without feeling like I'm using a DAP that is only 250 USD.

The treble is sparkly, and very well extended, and this is quite welcome, especially when you come from something that is overly smooth, or when you're pairing it with headphones or IEMs that are overly smooth. Even with HIFIMAN Sundara, I am able to appreciate the fact that although the treble has very good extension and sparkle, it is never harsh nor grainy, which is rather rare for DAPs in this price range.

The overall sound has good to excellent dynamics, and the DAP doesn't feel like anything is holding it back. Even when using the Bluetooth connection to stream music from your smartphone, you are getting rather excellent results, and although using the bluetooth cuts a bit on the overall detail, it doesn't cut much on the dynamics of X20.



Portable Usage

I love the portability of X20. Something that I have to mention is that X20 is very portable. This is because it is extremely well built, it is a solid, one piece device, with a thick glass panel over its display, you can push, you can step on it, it won't break. You can throw X20 in a backpack, and use your smartphone to stream music to it, and you won't be bothered by X20.

The battery life of about 8 hours, which is pretty much what I got with it, is very fair, and in line with other DAPs in this price range.



The driving power of X20 is enough even for very demanding headphones, like HIFIMAN Sundara, so you aren't locked to using it only with IEMs, which is rather different from most 250 USD DAPs, which have less power, and are more aimed for a fully portable usage only with IEMs.

You get almost no hiss, or none that is significant enough for me to talk about, even with pretty sensitive IEMs, so you can safely use X20 with IEMs like Campfire Atlas if you want to, without having to worry that you'll run into issues.

Overall, this is a golden DAP in terms of portability, as long as you were looking for a DAP without a touch screen, although otherwise you can still use Hiby Link from your smartphone to control it.



Select Pairings

Since X20 is slightly cold and has a lot of driving power, you can pair with anything that is smooth or warm. You can always pair it with both headphones and IEMs, and you don't have to worry much about the power requirements of a headphone, as X20 has quite a lot of driving power. For the comparison part of this review, I have chosen Brainwavz Alara, Ultrasone Signature DXP, and Acoustune HS1650CU.

xDuoo X20 + Brainwavz Alara - I have chosen Brainwavz Alara because it is an awesome headphone, with great comfort, and a deep, powerful sound. The reason why it pairs so well with X20, is because X20 has both enough power to drive them well, but X20 also has a slightly colder signature, which pairs nicely and counters Alara's usually warm and smooth signature, leading to a more balanced and snappy overall sound. You get all the detail you could desire, but you also get a quicker, more punchy sound, that's still very deep and clean. You don't even need to max out the volume on X20 to drive Alara, and it still has enough headroom, indicating a very well designed amplification stage.

xDuoo X20 + Ultrasone Signature DXP - Ultrasone Signature DXP is another headphone that pairs beautifully with X20, and this is for a different reason than why Alara pairs with it so well. DXP is not quite as warm nor as smooth as Alara, but DXP really is a very detailed and resolving closed back headphone with quite a lot of bass. I love the pairing because the quick and linear bass of X20, and its more sparkly treble compliments the DXP's bass-heavy signature, leading to a more neutral overall sound, that's even more snappy than DXP originally was. Furthermore, DXP feels like it has taken steroids when it comes to its punchy and impact, and X20 gives it beautiful dynamics, making this pairing very engaging and fun to listen to.

xDuoo X20 + Acoustune HS1650CU - Acoustune HS1650CU is an excellent example of a beautiful IEM, that already had a very amazing and natural sound, but which pairs really well with X20. HS1650CU is very natural, very easy to drive, and very comfortable, but its sound always felt a bit on the slightly smooth and slightly warm side, and adding X20 to the mix speeds up HS1650CU, builds up on its already excellent resolution, and makes the pairing sound like HS1650CU is even more open and clear sounding than it is with most DAPs, making me fall in love even more with the little Japanese Jewel that HS1650CU is.



Comparisons

For the comparisons part of this review, I had to take into account both the price point of X20, which is a friendly 250 USD, but also the fact that it doesn't have a touch screen, so the main competitors for X20 are Opus #1s, FiiO M9, and iBasso DX120. All of those have a different feature set, and all of them are from slightly different price points, but they all make very interesting comparisons for X20.



xDuoo X20 vs Opus #1s - Let's start with something a bit more difficult, #1s is quite a bit more expensive than X20, and actually has a bit more driving power. #1s also has a touch screen, which X20 doesn't and #1s has two microSD slots, which X20 doesn't. On the other hand, X20 has a few interesting features, like its 2-way bluetooth, and X20 can be used with your smartphone, and be left in a backpack. When it comes to actually driving headphones, the two DAPs feel very similar in terms of driving power, although #1s has a bit more juice, unless you're using something like the Audeze LCD-MX4, you're unlikely to notice, and with something like Brainwavz Alara, you're not maxing out the volume on either anyways. The sound is quite different, the width of the soundstage feels similar between the two, and so does the depth. On the other hand, the overall sound is warmer on #1s, more quick on X20, and more snappy on X20. The treble is more sparkly on X20, and has a more airy feeling to it, although the midrange feels colder on X20 as well. This makes the pairings part interesting, because if you already have a warm and smooth IEM, or headphone, you're likely to want X20 more, while if you already have a colder and brighter headphone, #1s will compliment them more.

xDuoo X20 vs iBasso DX120 - DX120 from iBasso is close in terms of pricing to X20, but they are very different devices, with DX120 being a pretty basic DAP, but which sports a touch screen, while X20 has a few more features, but sports full physical buttons for its interface. Another thing you may notice is that DX120 is a bit more sleek and sexy in terms of its physical design, X20 looking more bulky. When it comes to their driving power, X20 has a bit more driving power than DX120, and with Sundara, you can go a bit louder with more control with X20. This being said, you're unlikely to want to max out on the headroom on either with something like Alara. The sound is quite different between the two, DX120 is more warm, more creamy, although it has a similar soundstage width and depth to X20. On the other hand, X20 feels colder, more analytical and a touch more revealing when directly compared to DX120. If you're sporting more warm and smooth IEMs or headphones, and if you want to make them more neutral, you should get X20, while if you are already happy with your headphones or IEMs, DX120 isn't especially warm, and it won't color them much in any direction, being a good pairing for almost any IEM or headphone, regardless whether they are warm or bright.

xDuoo X20 vs FiiO M9 - FiiO M9 is quite an interesting competitor because it is in the same price range, and features some interesting stuff as well, including support for apps like spotify and Tidal. M9 is even more interesting, because it has a touch screen, and it has a pretty good battery life, it also has USB DAC features, and has a USB Audio Output feature. The place where M9 falls short of X20 is in its actual audio output, M9 has considerably less driving power, and is mainly designed to drive IEMs, and X20, despite still having a slightly colder overall tonality when compared to M9, feels more powerful, more dynamic, and more detailed. This doesn't make M9 bad, but if you plan on using headphones, X20 is a better option, while M9 still makes one amazing DAP if you're using IEMs, especially when it comes to having access to a long list of apps, Wifi, Streaming, and other bells and whistles and even I find more and more useful lately. FiiO is also working on a FiiO Link feature, similar to Hiby Link, so M9 surely won't fall behind when it comes to its features, but when it comes to driving full sized headphones, X20 surely feels more punchy, more controlled and more dynamic, having a larger headroom.



Value and Conclusion

Now that the value part of this review is up, I think that the opinion is quite unanimous, X20 makes an excellent overall value, being not only feature-packed, but also having enough driving power, a solid build quality, and all the stuff you could desire from a DAP at this price point, even coming with a beautiful case. The only thing that could ever make you not desire one, is if you wanted an Android or a touch-screen based DAP, as X20 does not rely on an Android software, and it doesn't have a touch-screen either.





Strting with the build quality, X20 is one of the most solid DAPs you can find on the market at this point. This is inherent to the way it was designed, as it wasn't meant to be as slim or as small as possible, instead being a touch heavy and being made of metal, with a solid build. This being said, it still manages to be quite ergonomic, although going from a fully touch-screen based DAP to a button-based one can be a bit tricky at first. You do get used to using the buttons-only interface quickly though, and you have a lot of features to help you, like Hiby Link and being able to use a two-way Bluetooth module inside X20.

With enough driving power to drive even a very demanding headphone like HIFIMAN Sundara, and with almost zero hiss, X20 will surely pair nicely with pretty much anything you can throw at it, although it pairs best with warmer and smoother IEMs and headphones. This being said, it will be able to power those for almost 8 hours of continuous music playback, and even more, you will get this play time even at loud volumes and on high gain, which I think it quite important.

You have both a Balanced output, and a normal, 3.5mm Single Ended output on X20, and even more, you have a Line Out / Coaxial Output, so you can always pair X20 with an external Amplifier, or use it as a transport. Combined with the fact that you can use Hiby link with X20, this thing surely is like a swiss army knife.

Now, the sound, it is very good for its price point, very clear, crisp, sharp, and well defined. Although a touch cold, it is never dull nor harsh, and it is pretty much grain-free, instead being quite dynamic and punchy. Indeed, X20 can power enough punch even for hard-to-drive headphones, and its overall sound is fast, resolving and actually a bit better than the price point would have otherwise predicted.



At the end of the day, if you're looking for a very solid, very well built Player, that has a ton of features, and a very vivid and punchy sound, and which has only physical buttons and doesn't rely on a touch screen, you should totally consider xDuuo x20 as your next music companion.



Product Link (no affiliate links)

https://www.xtenik.com/product/xduoo-x20-audio-player/



Full Playlist used for this review

While we listened to considerably more songs than those named in this playlist, those are excellent for identifying certain aspects of the sound, like PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you're searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy.



Tidal Playlist

https://tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b



Song List

Bats - Gamma Ray Burst: Second Date
Eskimo Callboy - Frances
Incubus - Summer Romance
Electric Six - Dager! High Voltage
Kishida Cult - High School Of The Dead
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Infected Mushroom - Song Pong
Attack Attack - Kissed A Girl
Doctor P - Bulletproof
Maximum The Hormone - Rock n Roll Chainsaw
Rob Zombie - Werewolf, Baby!
Escape The Fate - Gorgeous Nightmare
SOAD - Chop Suey
Ken Ashcorp - Absolute Territory
Machinae Supremacy - Need For Steve
Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Wanna Stop
Crow'sclaw - Loudness War
Eminem - Rap God
Stromae - Humain À L'eau
Sonata Arctica - My Selene
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back
Metallica - Fuel
Veil Of Maya - Unbreakable
Masa Works - Golden Japang
REOL - Luvoratorrrrry
Dope - Addiction
Korn - Word Up!
Papa Roach - ... To be Loved
Fever The Ghost - Source
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Mindless Self Indulgence - London Bridge
A static Lullaby - Toxic
Royal Republic - Addictive
Astronautalis - The River, The Woods
We Came As Romans - My Love
Skillet - What I Believe
Man With A Mission - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Yasuda Rei - Mirror
Mojo Juju - Must Be Desire
Falling Up - Falling In Love
Manafest - Retro Love
Rodrigo Y Grabriela - Paris
Zomboy - Lights Out
Muse - Resistance
T.A.T.U & Rammstein - Mosaku
Grey Daze - Anything, Anything
Katy Perry - Who Am I Living For
Maroon 5 - Lucky Strike
Machinae Supremacy - Killer Instinct
Pendulum - Propane Nightmares
Sirenia - Lithium And A Lover
Saving Abel - Addicted
Hollywood Undead - Levitate
The Offspring - Special Delivery
Escape The Fate - Smooth
Samsara Blues Experiment - One With The Universe
Dope - Rebel Yell
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Silverstein - My Heroine

I hope my review is helpful to you!

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Introduction

Xduoo is a Chinese company that specializes in digital analogue converters (DACs), digital audio players (DAPs) and amplifiers. They have a lineup that consists of the X2, X3, X10 and X10T. Recently, they have released the Nano D3 and X20. The X20 is currently the flagship DAP from Xduoo. I would like to thank Xduoo and Penon for the review unit of X20. At the moment, you can purchase the X20 from https://penonaudio.com/xduoo-x20 .



Specifications

Headphone output: 3.5mm

• Output power: 210mW (32Ω/THD +N<0.0015%)
• Frequency response: 20Hz~20kHz (±0.15dB)
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR): ≥114dB
• Resolution: >75dB
• Distortion + noise: 0.0015%@1kHz (32Ω@1kHz)

Balanced headphone output: 2.5mm

• Line output: 300mW (32Ω/THD +N<0.0015%)
• Frequency response: 20Hz~20kHz (±0.15dB)
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR): ≥116dB
• Resolution: >112dB
• Distortion + noise: 0.0015%@1kHz (32Ω@1kHz)

Line out

• Line output level: 1.7Vrms (10KΩ@1kHz)
• Frequency response: 20Hz~20kHz(±0.15dB)
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR): ≥114dB
• Resolution: >108dB (10KΩ@1kHz)
• Distortion + noise: 0.0012@1kHz (10KΩ)

Others

• Built-in 2400mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery
• Battery life: 8 hours (3.5mm headphone output)
• About 7 hours (balanced headphone output)
• Charging time: < 3 hours (DC5V 2A)
• < 6 hours (DC5V 500MA)
• Size: 110*56*16.6mm
• Weight: 138g

Unboxing & Accessories

The X20 comes in a black package inside a white protective box that sports the model name, image of the X20, brand name and some specifications. At the back of the box, there are product introduction, specifications and the package contents. The black package has the brand name printed on the front. After opening the package, there are the X20, screen protectors, user manual, USB Type C cable, warranty card and 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable.





DAP Build & Design

The X20 has a rectangular design and it is black in color. On the front, there are no buttons and the brand name is printed at the bottom right. At the top of the X20, there is the USB Type C charging port. At the left side, there are the switch on/off button in red color, volume up/down buttons (there is a dot on the volume up button), reset button and micro sd slot. At the right side, there are previous, play/pause, next buttons (there is a dot on the play/pause button), back and options buttons. At the bottom of the X20, there are line out / coaxial, 3.5mm standard headphone output jack and 2.5mm TRRS balanced headphone output jack. The back of the X20 shows the model name.













Functionalities

The Xduoo X20 has 10 sections of EQ and 18 kinds of sound effects and can be used as a standalone digital analogue converter (DAC). It supports line out and coaxial outputs. In addition, it utilizes bluetooth 4.1 bi-directional transmission that supports the latest Apt-X bluetooth protocol. With the HiBy link, the X20 can be controlled through the mobile phone and there is convenience of wireless.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The X20 has a moderate amount of sub-bass quantity with excellent extension. The sub-bass reproduction has a strong tightness and demonstrates an authority in its control. The bass decay is quick with agility shown. The speed improves the overall bass impact. In addition, the bass texture is expressed smoothly. Each bass note is articulated with a good combination of speed and precision. The punch elevates the engagement level of the sound. The mid-bass has a moderate amount of body and it is able to deliver its slam in an agile manner. The bass definition is clear and refined.

Mids

The midrange on the X20 has excellent details retrieval and it commands a high standard of transparency. The body does not have the quantity for a thick and lush midrange. Instead, it is presented in a clean manner. The lower mids has a moderate amount of quantity which can tackle male vocals well and the presentation is good without sounding dry or hollow. The upper mids on the X20 has nice forwardness that helps to enhance the female vocals performance with a higher level of intimacy and they do not come across as shouty. The liveliness creates an energetic listen with a crystal-clear expression.

Highs

The treble has fantastic extension without sibilance and harshness. The approach the treble operates on is slightly brighter. It presents itself in a lively manner while being competent at exhibiting its flair for details. The amount of air rendered is great and there is sparkle present to inject excitement into the overall sound. The definition on the treble is presented clearly and it has a moderate amount of body. There is good clarity shown and the crisp gives a nice bite.

Soundstage

The soundstage expands in a natural manner and it has a good width magnitude that is able to give an open feeling. The spaciousness helps to tackle busier tracks without any congestion happening. The depth offers an effective amount of space but still maintains intimacy. Positioning of vocals and instruments is precise and there is good separation. The soundstage presents itself in an immense manner.



Comparisons

Xduoo X20 vs Cowon Plenue D

The X20 has more sub-bass quantity than the Plenue D and the sub-bass reproduction takes on a fuller approach. The extension on the X20 has a greater magnitude. The X20 is able to create an impactful presentation which delivers a great punch. Each bass note on the X20 is articulated with extra precision and definition. The bass texture on both is rendered smoothly while the bass decay is slightly quicker on the X20 and improves the overall pace and engagement level. The mid-bass on both has similar body but the slam of the X20 is expressed with a cleaner hit. The Plenue D has additional warmth which aids in the musicality. The midrange of the X20 is slightly more transparent than the Plenue D and the details retrieval is quite similar. The lower mids on both has similar body and presentation of male vocals is nice without sounding dry. The upper mids on both has good forwardness but Plenue D has the edge in the control to portray a smooth female vocals presentation. The X20 presents vocals with extra clarity. The treble on the X20 is extended slightly better and it is competent at details retrieval. The amount of air rendered on both is similar but there is more crisp and sparkle with the X20. The Plenue D takes on a smoother approach. Lastly, in terms of soundstage, the Plenue D expands more naturally while X20 has a slight edge for the width magnitude. The depth of the Plenue D is more closed in.


Xduoo X20 vs Shanling M2S

The M2S has more sub-bass quantity than the X20 but the X20 excels in its extension with a deeper stretch. The sub-bass reproduction on the X20 has a strong tightness and the control helps to showcase its authority. The M2S carries additional warmth. The mid-bass of the M2S has slightly more quantity than the X20 which helps to give a weighted feeling. The bass texture on the M2S is smoother while the bass decay of the X20 is quicker and presentation takes on an agile nature. Each bass note on the X20 is articulated with a stronger and cleaner hit. There is nice musicality offered from the M2S Precision for both is rather similar. The lower mids on the M2S has slightly more body and male vocals benefit from it with a fuller presentation. The upper mids on the M2S has greater forwardness which helps to boost female vocals and giving it a clear defined expression. The midrange on the X20 commands a higher level of transparency and clarity while the M2S operates on a warm and full approach. The X20 is slightly brighter with better definition. The treble on the X20 is more extended with a greater amount of air rendered. There is an airier presentation on the X20. In terms of soundstage, the M2S expands in a more natural manner and has a closed in depth. The X20 excels with a greater width magnitude.


Xduoo X20 vs Xduoo X10

The X10 has slightly more sub-bass quantity than the X20 and the X20 extends better. The bass texture on the X10 is rendered more smoothly than then X20 while the X20 excels in its bass decay with agility. There is more punch from the X20 which provides a stronger impact. The mid-bass on the X10 has extra body and the delivery of the slam is not as tight as the X20. Each bass note on the X20 is articulated with accuracy. Bass performance on the X20 has a higher engagement level. The midrange of the X20 commands better details retrieval and it is more transparent. On the other hand, X10 has more body. The lower mids of the X10 has more quantity than the X20 and it accentuates the thickness. The upper mids on the X20 has a bit extra forwardness which helps to liven up female vocals. The treble on the X20 is extended better than the X10 with crisp and sparkle present. The amount of air rendered on the X20 is slightly more while X10 has additional body. X20 is able to express it in a cleaner manner. In terms of soundstage, the X10 expands in a natural manner. The X20 has an advantage for both the width and depth.

Conclusion

The X20 has a detailed yet clean sound which is able to deliver punchy bass, transparent midrange and extended treble. There is nice crisp and sparkle to inject excitement into the sound. Moreover, with bluetooth 4.1 bi-directional transmission and the HiBy link, there is an added convenience. There is a solid construction of its housing. The X20 is Xduoo’s latest flagship player and it excels in a spectacular manner.



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