Loxjie P20 Discussion- Starved for information on this thing!
Apr 2, 2019 at 12:39 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 801

GravityEyelids

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Okay so there is really not much out there on the Loxjie P20. There's a few out there that have given really high regards to this thing, and i feel like it deserves a good discussion. (TL;DR: just read the bold stuff)

The main thing i want to know is regarding the balanced in/out. I DON'T want this to descend into a balanced argument thing. The point is that nearly every reviewer has mentioned how the balanced is noticeably better on this thing. I personally don't care about balanced - it's not something i need or care about. HOWEVER. It seems like the circuitry/electronics/whatever in this specific amp is somehow better than the unbalanced.

What i want to know is this - can i still take advantage of this "better" balanced sound by simply using something like RCA --> XLR adapters and running them into the Loxjie P20 inputs? The balanced output thing is relatively cheap/easy, but i'm definitely not spending balanced DAC money anytime soon. Is it just the balanced OUTPUT that gives this benefit? Do i need to even run balanced into it to benefit?

Question 2: [Loxjie P20 owners ONLY] - does this make a good first real amp for the HD6xx? I know that a JDS Atom is a "safer" choice, but i kind of want something interesting and different, which leads me to...

Will this still give me SOME amount of the benefit of tube despite being hybrid?
The warmness, light distortion, and soundstage/reverb type of effect that people talk about? Reviewers seem to think that it.

It would also give me an upgrade path if i DID want to eventually buy a balanced DAC.
 
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Apr 5, 2019 at 6:56 PM Post #2 of 801
Just got the P20.

PC spotify (USB) > Khadas tone board (non-balanced)> Loxjie P20 amp > Shure 1540

Non-balanced for now until I make new cables for the headphones.

I want to use the single ended for a while and determine what the balanced adds.
I like that I can experiment with so many options like, cables, tubes, balanced dacs (future) etc all on one $99 device.

I wanted more warm, tube sound but not the physical size of the Darkvoice that my son has because I work at the kitchen table with closed headphones all the time. So a small stack with short RCAs works for me.

Sound is more warm than the Spark Amp I just put away in the closet. This sound is so smooth to my ears. Anita Baker "Caught up in the Rapture" never sounded this good.
 
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Apr 5, 2019 at 7:35 PM Post #3 of 801
I pulled the trigger and this should be delivered tomorrow. I'm excited. Going to DIY a balanced cable, and maybe get some RCA to XLR adapters. And use my Fiio e18 as a DAC.

might swap the tube with I think it's called GE 5670?
 
Apr 5, 2019 at 8:12 PM Post #4 of 801
"might swap the tube with I think it's called GE 5670?

I did take a chance on cheap ebay Jan 5670W General Electric co. tubes. Be aware they are tiny and sit real low in the amp compared to the orginals.
I'll take pic later, still enjoying it so much that I don't feel like shutting down.
 
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Apr 5, 2019 at 9:07 PM Post #5 of 801
"might swap the tube with I think it's called GE 5670?

I did take a chance on cheap ebay Jan 5670W General Electric co. tubes. Be aware they are tiny and sit real low in the amp compared to the orginals.
I'll take pic later, still enjoying it so much that I don't feel like shutting down.
Socket savers lift them up
 
Apr 5, 2019 at 9:49 PM Post #6 of 801
Socket savers lift them up

People have said that there is almost no room around them and that socket savers could potentially get trapped in there and if they break, you're SOL. But i mean this is a pretty budget amp so that's not a HUGE deal.


rrg123, did you notice much of an improvement over the originals? The JAN GE ones are the ones i was going to get. Don't really have money to buy like $60 tubes right now. Ha some prick on another forum was absolutely appalled that someone put like nice $100+ tubes into a budget tube amp enough though he had never even seen or heard the amp. Just on principal.
 
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Apr 6, 2019 at 9:48 AM Post #7 of 801
They are an improvement but I can not say how much since I just got the amp.
I got my tubes for $19.58 for two - $9.95 each. I have read over and over that the Russian tubes sound really good but I don't want to spend that much. I also knew I didn't want to keep the ones that come with it.
Do a search on cheap bay if you are interested in theses little guys over the stock bigger ones.
5670 GE NOS NIB JAN 5670W Tube 2C51 date code B 11/85 comes in original box.

1_2tube2.jpeg
5670 GE NOS NIB JAN 5670W Tube 2C51

PS:To the OP question - One NOTE: I just pulled out my Massdrop Sen HD6XX.
Compared to the Shure 1540, the HD6xx do require more power but no problem and plenty of room to spare on the decibel logarithmic scale represented by the volume knob, low to high -60 to -00. I have it at -28.
 
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Apr 6, 2019 at 11:37 AM Post #8 of 801
That's super helpful. Thanks. I'll be getting them tonight so I'll let you know by impressions
 
Apr 6, 2019 at 4:45 PM Post #9 of 801
I had to wiggle quite a while before I got the 5670's out of the P20.
Swapping between JAN Sylvana 5670's and 6N3P (both found for ~ €15 a pair on ebay).
This amp is really really nice btw!
 
Apr 6, 2019 at 6:35 PM Post #10 of 801
so are you saying the new 6N3P $15 a pair are better, in your opinion over the slyvania
5670s??

FYI -
volume on the Shure 1540 at -33 (lower power) very smooth sound - remember -60 is off
volume on the DT1770 at -30 (more clinical precise sound, more tight thump)
volume on the HD 6xx at -28 (more power needed) of course very open airy, less bass than above closed back

my2cents
 
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Apr 6, 2019 at 11:18 PM Post #11 of 801
Just recieved my Loxjie (they sent black instead of red and im pissed because im not going to feel like sending it back), and actually...i'm not super impressed. Not sure what it is, but it just sounds muddy and not detailed at all. Do these things need to burn in or something? Or are the stock tubes and Single Ended outputs really that bad? Nonetheless, i'm going to give it a fair shot, as it's my first dedicated desktop amp, and i will be trying balanced as well as different tubes.
 
Apr 7, 2019 at 5:36 AM Post #12 of 801
so are you saying the new 6N3P $15 a pair are better, in your opinion over the slyvania
5670s??

FYI -
volume on the Shure 1540 at -33 (lower power) very smooth sound - remember -60 is off
volume on the DT1770 at -30 (more clinical precise sound, more tight thump)
volume on the HD 6xx at -28 (more power needed) of course very open airy, less bass than above closed back

my2cents

For my ears both the 5670 and 6n3p sound very good. Detailed and wide. Most listening is done balanced in and balanced out to either fostex th900 or focal Stellia.

I'll stick to the 6n3p for a while cause they are easier to handle in this amp.
 
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:12 PM Post #13 of 801
For my ears both the 5670 and 6n3p sound very good. Detailed and wide. Most listening is done balanced in and balanced out to either fostex th900 or focal Stellia.

I'll stick to the 6n3p for a while cause they are easier to handle in this amp.

So it looks like I have the chance to pick up a pair of Western Electric 396a for like $50. This seems like a great price for great tubes from what I can tell, so thinking maybe I should jump on them?
 
Apr 7, 2019 at 3:36 PM Post #14 of 801
So it looks like I have the chance to pick up a pair of Western Electric 396a for like $50. This seems like a great price for great tubes from what I can tell, so thinking maybe I should jump on them?
Well if you still have doubts about this $99 amp, is this really the time to invest $50 for tubes? What I have read (and experienced) is that the amp is meant to be used fully balanced and is less performant single ended.
 
Apr 7, 2019 at 4:51 PM Post #15 of 801
Well if you still have doubts about this $99 amp, is this really the time to invest $50 for tubes? What I have read (and experienced) is that the amp is meant to be used fully balanced and is less performant single ended.

I'm going to be running it balanced once I get my cable materials in
 

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