The volume setting on the side of XI1 has 100 steps, run it in low gain and you should be fine no matter how sensitive your IEMs are.
ONIX Alpha XI1 - Smallest & Most Affordable ONIX DAC - High-Power Portable USB DAC/AMP
- Thread starter Shanling
- Start date
Can you compare for me ?
Deckard001
100+ Head-Fier
Hello I receive mine.
It is nice well designed device. I can not tell if I find differences between Onix and TP50. The option to change sound from the pc is very smart so as not to use always the buttons.
I am afraid if the buttons color lose their gold color over time. Is my only aesthetic note, as I would prefer them in another color, but this is not any important mention.
It can drive with authority my HD600 IN 4.4BAL.
I can not find out if the rbg bitrate color of the button could be turned of so to be more stealthy.
I was hopping for a rolling option to change the sound as I see to some dongles these days, that would be very nice.
So now to the most important factor the usb compatibility.
It is connected to my pc with any issues and has the new version 1.3.
I tested the onix to three devices:
Xiaomi Mi9 SE which is my primary device and is not working
Samsung A33 is not working too.
Samsung S21 is not working too.
All these devices were connected with the default factory usb c cable. And my only disappointment is that the cable has issue or is not good quality.
I say that because then I try from my Xiaomi charger cable, plug to my phone using a usb A to usb c adapter and I connect the Onix to my Mi9 se.
And it worked and recognize the device.
EPZ TP50 cable is of better quality and could be recognized from all of my phones
Then from the app I check the 1.3 versioning and all the app infos for the device.
These are my notes about Alpha, the usb cable should have been of better quality and is the issue as I see that was not working for my phones.
It is nice well designed device. I can not tell if I find differences between Onix and TP50. The option to change sound from the pc is very smart so as not to use always the buttons.
I am afraid if the buttons color lose their gold color over time. Is my only aesthetic note, as I would prefer them in another color, but this is not any important mention.
It can drive with authority my HD600 IN 4.4BAL.
I can not find out if the rbg bitrate color of the button could be turned of so to be more stealthy.
I was hopping for a rolling option to change the sound as I see to some dongles these days, that would be very nice.
So now to the most important factor the usb compatibility.
It is connected to my pc with any issues and has the new version 1.3.
I tested the onix to three devices:
Xiaomi Mi9 SE which is my primary device and is not working
Samsung A33 is not working too.
Samsung S21 is not working too.
All these devices were connected with the default factory usb c cable. And my only disappointment is that the cable has issue or is not good quality.
I say that because then I try from my Xiaomi charger cable, plug to my phone using a usb A to usb c adapter and I connect the Onix to my Mi9 se.
And it worked and recognize the device.
EPZ TP50 cable is of better quality and could be recognized from all of my phones
Then from the app I check the 1.3 versioning and all the app infos for the device.
These are my notes about Alpha, the usb cable should have been of better quality and is the issue as I see that was not working for my phones.
Thank you for feedback.
Have you tried to use the stock cable with computer, did it work? As it didn't work with any of your phones, it's possible it was faulty cable, your seller could get you replacement.
Deckard001
100+ Head-Fier
Hello, Yes the stock cable is working with my pc with any issues at all.
To all of my phones when I plug in with the stock cable the Onix turns on(did not mention that above) but stays in this condition, does not recognize the device as the pop up to let access to my device. This only happened with my Xiaomi charge cable.
With any other cable I check I face the same condition as I talked before (device turns on and stays in that condition without recognize from the phones)
Do you think that this issue has to do with fault cable? If that exist then I guess, I would not be able to work the device with the pc.
Which is better to use to improve high frequencies - Fast filter or LowLatency Fast?
If you want sharper notes i guess go for fast rolloff and vice versa.
Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
LowLatency Fast does sound tempting but didn't quite work out that way for me.
Then I googled and read this: https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/blogs/how-to/how-to-pick-the-best-filter-setting-for-your-dac
author talks about both (with slightly different names, but essentially the same)
You of course try both and see what works for you. Nothing like our own ears to assess - as we all hear differently. But one of those 2 should be good for treble. The Slow ones tame the treble, so ideal for too-bright an iem.
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Oh, this is interesting to read! Many people choose NOS, considering it the most accurate)
Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
The NOS on a R2R dac like HiBY fc6 is fabulous. Rich, organic, analogue. This isn't as refined, imo.
Andy compared FC6 with Onix in the review. And he said, that they are somewhat similar in terms of analog sound.
Do you agree with him?
I just realized shanling put metal on the front of alpha's case. 
Its should be a weak magnet on the back so it sticks to magsafe like lp w4 case. How the hell are we supposed to press the button if it's sticks upfront?
Such a missed opportunity.
Its should be a weak magnet on the back so it sticks to magsafe like lp w4 case. How the hell are we supposed to press the button if it's sticks upfront?
Such a missed opportunity.
Singaravelan
Headphoneus Supremus
Andy is the guru! I picked this up after chatting with him only.
That said, in this case am talking about NOS . And I don't know how the R2R works, but it's a different beast when it comes to that analogue warm richness and a sense of fullness.
ut overall yes, my experience with this (just few days though) does indicate that analogue ish sound, smoothness, rich to - tending towards that fc6..Andy also does say that fc6 is richer, more analogue timber etc.. In his chart.
One thing better in this alpha is the soundstage seems widened , definitely more than fc6 (again this could differ from person to person but that's the impression I get).
And fc6 doesn't have balanced 4.4 mm termination. More power in the alpha. And I can easily sense couple of my iems sparkle with that juice.
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Possibly an odd question.. in XI1 the XI is roman numerals, right?
Haven't really compared them on the XI1 yet. Normally, fast filters have more extended treble. A potential side-effect depending on synergy is causing less natural sound (disjointed notes, metallic/plasticky timbre) due to likelihood of ringing, so likely best used with dark IEMs. Slow filters roll off sooner in the treble could help with situations where you have a metallic or plasticky timbre or disjointed notes (by reducing ringing). I always start with Nonoversampling whenever the option is available, just to start on a blank slate.
Side note regarding the leather case (reason for test is others reported sonic differences from limited edition DAPs that used different housing metals):
Anyone can feel free to blind test the XI1 with and without the leather case. At least I am not spreading snake oil because most people got the case for free (plus I am not recommending the case anyway). Unlike $3,000 cables, everyone can blind test with the cheap leather case that they got for free.
To test, it is very simple (use stock OTG cable to test):
1) Find a partner to assist you with the blind test.
2) With the case already on, connect the ONIX Alpha XI1 to your computer's USB port and leave it suspended (hanging down) in the air. Then connect headphone.
UPDATE: Use High Gain (4.4mm balanced output) instead of Low Gain for the test (will make difference easily discernable). Use Low Gain for regular listening.
3) On foobar, play a song you are familiar with (I suggest a soft vocal track with constant bass and cymbals. This lets you easily identify if the bass starts distracting from the soft atmosphere).
4) Ask your assistant to play your selected passage at the selected timestamp (remember your observations).
5) Ask your assistant to slide the case off and replay the same passage (remember your observations).
6) Your assistant will now randomize it and you can begin guessing. State your guess to your assistant who will note down "correct" or "wrong".
7) Note your observations and repeat. Try to get 9 or 10 out of 10 to ensure confidence level is high.
8) Based on the final tally, you have your answer as to whether you perceived any difference in sound with/without the case on.
9) If the result is that you perceived a difference, then you can then proceed to test with the dongle flat on your desk, inside your pocket, etc. If the result is you perceived no difference, then there is no further need to proceed.
10) Blind test done.
My observations using the stock OTG cable + ZMF Verite Closed on Windows 10:
-Case on: reduced diffusion/denser notes, narrower/deeper soundstage (more holographic), grounded/less elevated cymbal trails, subdued presence region, more contained reverberations, punchier/deeper bass
-Case off: more diffuse, wider soundstage (left/right), more airy/elevated cymbal trails, cymbal trails linger and spread more over soundstage, softer/lighter bass
Anyway, this is faster to do on the fly than changing filters since there's no need to disconnect anything due to the case being automatically secured by the OTG cable between the dongle and the source player.
Listening blind tests are reliable as long as it's a personal result with high confidence level across multiple guesses, although the result is not universal since someone else can have different hearing.
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