[329161]

I must disagree here. Surely, if one BT performs better than another, great. But the BT DAC/amp is to be used in substitute to the player's internal DAC/amp, and should first be compared to that which it replaces. If not, there is no base, and no possible standard against which to test/compare. 

Well I was basically comparing XB10 to other devices in this class, that is BT amp/dacs. Comparison to DragonFly and Mojo is aimed for someone who knows them and have never tried bt receivers but would like to get some vague reference point.

Comparing XB10 (or any oher device of this type) directly to bt headphones is problematic because the headphones themselves are very different beasts, so youd have to choose one as an universal reference point. But sure, if someone can compare xb10 + wired sennheisers momentums to wireless sennheiser momentums that would be interesting to read.

I was coming from the point of view that the devices you used to compare all involve wired connections and not bluetooth, and so should be inherently superior.
My take on the purpose of the xb10 was to provide bt ability to all headphones. To be even more of a fair comparison is to use the recent Noble bt device as a comparison. Exact same purpose.

 

[shigzeo]

I was coming from the point of view that the devices you used to compare all involve wired connections and not bluetooth, and so should be inherently superior.
My take on the purpose of the xb10 was to provide bt ability to all headphones. To be even more of a fair comparison is to use the recent Noble bt device as a comparison. Exact same purpose.

I have already covered the BT. Writing about it on a site not my own in comparison to other devices isn't fair. I shoot Noble Audio's advertising photography. And it is the only other BT device I own. For your reference: Noble Audio BTS RMAA.

 

[lostman]

Don't quite understand what's going on here:
 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000106840/
 
Some sort of AK Softbank branding? And it comes with headphones?
 
Will probably get my XB10 over the weekend at Headphone Festival in Tokyo. Can't wait!

 

[shigzeo]

  Don't quite understand what's going on here:
 
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shopdetail/000000106840/
 
Some sort of AK Softbank branding? And it comes with headphones?
 
Will probably get my XB10 over the weekend at Headphone Festival in Tokyo. Can't wait!

See you there.

 

[DJ The Rocket]

More accurate & in-depth impressions after using it daily this week:

* The sound quality seriously benefits from giving the device circuitry time to warm up. I haven't tested any to find out how much time is needed, but I feel like 15 mins will get you most of the way there (~75%?), but it takes about an hour to get to 100%.

* While both outputs improve by about the same amount, it's most important in the SE connection, because cold it sounds quite a bit worse then the headphone jack on my phone (LG G3, so to ne fair it's well above average, as phonees go). After 15 or 20 mins however, the SE out on the XB10 is about on par with my phone, which is really as much as I can reasonably expect

* Battery life is pretty atrocious. I'm not sure I've gotten more than 4 hours on a charge. I use mostly full size cans though, I would assume primarily using IEMs could help. This isn't a huge issue for me because I already have a small battery wth a built-in microUSB cord. It's not enough to give my phone more than a small boost, but it at least doubles the XB10's life, and I think even more, but I haven't formally tested it. Using the larger (but still pocket size) portable battery I use for my phone, the XB10 doesn't even put a dent in it.

Still, it's so small I would be happier if it was bigger and heavier to accomidate a larger battery. Since I need to carry an extra battery anyway, it.would be less clumsy to just put it internally on the first place.

* While I'm not a fan of the button layout on the top, It works well enough, if barely. I don't need to look to adjust the volume, I do have to take an extra second to verify to myself I've got the right one. The controls around the circumference are impossible to find. Even looking at it ai have to rotate the thing more than 360° to find the power/hold switch. I know that doesn't even make sense, but it's still true!

It seems like AK used some top engineers to design the XB10, had a good artist to make it look cool, but couldn't afford an ergonomics/usability expert after all that. Hopefully the next version will sound even better AND be more easily usable!

* The bottom line hasn't changed: if anyone knows of better way to take balanced sound on the go for anything like this price point, I haven't heard of it! Everything else costs what, three times as much? The least expensive competitors are maybe Fiio X7 + AM3? Maybe the Pono? I haven't tried either, so while I imagine they sound better, how much.better

 

[DJ The Rocket]

* Bluetooth range is excellent; I've had solid connections at 15-20 yards, with 2 or 3 interior walls inbetween.

* another's complaint about the hardware controls: it seems like at least once a day Ill sit in a position that presses the volume + button (its always the + somehow) and it gets way too loud long before ive figured out how to stop it, let alone lower the volume again. The hold switch is not a practical solution, as I wrote above, controls around the circumference are neigh inaccessible. I've also inadvertently skipped tracks, usually somewhere in the middle of a several hours long dj set. Trying to find my place again is frustrating.

 

[DDDYKI]

I was thinking that maybe a small battery would work well with this, I'll have to look at work. I would also have sacrificed a few mm to fit a larger battery. But what do I know, I would have done the same to keep the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. 

 

[shigzeo]

* Bluetooth range is excellent; I've had solid connections at 15-20 yards, with 2 or 3 interior walls inbetween.

* another's complaint about the hardware controls: it seems like at least once a day Ill sit in a position that presses the volume + button (its always the + somehow) and it gets way too loud long before ive figured out how to stop it, let alone lower the volume again. The hold switch is not a practical solution, as I wrote above, controls around the circumference are neigh inaccessible. I've also inadvertently skipped tracks, usually somewhere in the middle of a several hours long dj set. Trying to find my place again is frustrating.

What is impractical about the hold button?

 

[329161]

Early impressions from an hours use- balanced connection is pretty noisy and bad. SE is not bad. About as good as your average smartphone, except that the Xb10 can go louder. About right for the money. My B&o h5 wireless iems are better at about the same money though.
To be honest, I was expecting better from the XB, but can't really complain because of the price. Certainly not up to the standard of their other products. Those used to high end dedicated daps like A&K's own, and Sony zx1/2 etc, will likely find the sound quality a noticeable step down.
Just my two cents.

 

[cj3209]

Early impressions from an hours use- balanced connection is pretty noisy and bad. SE is not bad. About as good as your average smartphone, except that the Xb10 can go louder. About right for the money. My B&o h5 wireless iems are better at about the same money though.
To be honest, I was expecting better from the XB, but can't really complain because of the price. Certainly not up to the standard of their other products. Those used to high end dedicated daps like A&K's own, and Sony zx1/2 etc, will likely find the sound quality a noticeable step down.
Just my two cents.

Interesting.  Perhaps your expectations were much higher than mine.  I think the balanced out connected to my CIEM Angies sound very very decent on Spotify - this is via aptX and not 'regular' bluetooth.  Can't wait to try aptX HD.  I don't hear noise, honestly.  I don't think you should use 'regular' BT with the XB10.

 

[dopeyzombie]

Hi guys,
 
I currently am using Iphone 6+ and Angie, but was wondering if getting the xb10 using balance out will experience the same "eargasm" as when I first started listen to music with IEM.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[shigzeo]

  Hi guys,
 
I currently am using Iphone 6+ and Angie, but was wondering if getting the xb10 using balance out will experience the same "eargasm" as when I first started listen to music with IEM.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

No.

 

[cj3209]

  Hi guys,
 
I currently am using Iphone 6+ and Angie, but was wondering if getting the xb10 using balance out will experience the same "eargasm" as when I first started listen to music with IEM.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

No, because the iPhone 6+ doesn't have aptX.  If it did, it would sound better with the XB10.
 

 

[dopeyzombie]

Thanks for the feedback, guess I'll wait for IPhone 8 hoping AptX HD will be included.

 

[lostman]

Doubt it
 
Apple head the "courage" to get rid of headphone jack but they didn't have the courage to pay for AptX/HD licensing fees. Or at least have their own high-def codec.
 
I always wondered why Mac OS has AptX and iPhone doesn't. My best guess is that because Macbook has Qualcomm bluetooth chip and it's just something Qualcomm includes in the bluetooth drivers? It's all very murky and that's probably the reason why we don't have widely adopted high-def wireless yet.
 
And Sony are pushing their own thing...