ONIX Alpha XI1 - Smallest & Most Affordable ONIX DAC - High-Power Portable USB DAC/AMP

[TheFritz]

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005...LjE3MzQ4ODYyODYuNTYuMC4w&gatewayAdapt=glo2ita

It sounds so good that I ordered two more. LOL

Could you provide the name/brand/seller of that cable so that I can search it elsewhere?
Your link does not work for me since they do not deliver this item to Germany/EU (like many items on aliexpress) and aliexpress is so "kind" to not even show the product page to me if I can't buy it there ... (text translates to "not available at your location") ... and they even check my geo-location and not the delivery address... really annoying.

 

[Polky74]

Same chip in ( only one ) like the Aune Yuki and the DUNU DTC800. I sold both because the soft note weight and lack of bass punch and extension. Unfortunately I'm basshead
What about the Questyle m15c's dynamics and bass extension ?

Here... I had perfectly identified the type of listening you are looking for... and in fact the Questyle (both the M15 and the M15i and the M15C) share one of the best bass, if not the best bass of all the dongles I own. The real difference between the three models is that both the M15 and the M15i have a much higher extension and brightness than the M15C. They would seem to have more details and soundstage, but it is not so... they just have a tuning that Andy from Donglemadness would define as more "HIFI" which contrasts with the more "analog" one of the M15C. That said I prefer the M15C because it is smoother but with the same characteristics of the two brighter brothers (M15/M15i) and that is the refinement and class typical of Questyle creations combined with an astonishing power when connected to a PC. Practically "your" dongle.

 

[Polky74]

Could you provide the name/brand/seller of that cable so that I can search it elsewhere?
Your link does not work for me since they do not deliver this item to Germany/EU (like many items on aliexpress) and aliexpress is so "kind" to not even show the product page to me if I can't buy it there ... (text translates to "not available at your location") ... and they even check my geo-location and not the delivery address... really annoying.

https://www.audioreviews.org/e1da-splitter-apple-camera-adapter-review/

 

[de666]

Could you provide the name/brand/seller of that cable so that I can search it elsewhere?
Your link does not work for me since they do not deliver this item to Germany/EU (like many items on aliexpress) and aliexpress is so "kind" to not even show the product page to me if I can't buy it there ... (text translates to "not available at your location") ... and they even check my geo-location and not the delivery address... really annoying.

That's strange, I live in France and I have no problem accessing this article (which I own and which works very well).
Try searching with the keyword "e1da cable splitter"

 

[TheFritz]

That's strange, I live in France and I have no problem accessing this article (which I own and which works very well).
Try searching with the keyword "e1da cable splitter"

Merci beaucoup! That actually happens quite often that they do not deliver specifically to Germany and that they do not show the product page even if the items are delivered to other countries of the EU ... probably due to complications with the German customs/delivery service restrictions or alike.

 

[smegel]

No teasing. The powerbank make the Alpha's sound thinner, kill the Alpha's cool coloured analog sub bass flood, the treble will be harsher ,maybe the stage will be bigger
Since I bought the Alpha, I haven't pulled out this L-shaped cable, so the usb c port is intact

I didn't think so.
Ok so when I plug the Alpha into my macbook sounds great. Able to up sample the quality due to the midi app.
When I plug it into my phone using phone's power supply and the Alpha sounded good, but not as crisp and the sound stage not as wide.
Then used my Jackery battery. (Jackery doesn't make these portable batteries anymore) The sound stage was wider and crisper, similar to the laptop.
When I tried the Jackery w my laptop, I couldn't tell a difference.

So from my personal observation using an external power source (battery) It improves the sound. Also as other have pointed out... no impact on phone's battery which prolongs the life of the phone. (Its battery).

Of course YMMV based on iems, and power source, etc ...

 

[laleeee]

I didn't think so.
Ok so when I plug the Alpha into my macbook sounds great. Able to up sample the quality due to the midi app.
When I plug it into my phone using phone's power supply and the Alpha sounded good, but not as crisp and the sound stage not as wide.
Then used my Jackery battery. (Jackery doesn't make these portable batteries anymore) The sound stage was wider and crisper, similar to the laptop.
When I tried the Jackery w my laptop, I couldn't tell a difference.

So from my personal observation using an external power source (battery) It improves the sound. Also as other have pointed out... no impact on phone's battery which prolongs the life of the phone. (Its battery).

Of course YMMV based on iems, and power source, etc ...

Don't you found the bass weaker with powerbank ?

 

[smegel]

Don't you found the bass weaker with powerbank ?

No.
Not weaker.

Look, my Dita Project Ms aren't big on bass.
I hear the bass but its not booming or heavy. So I didn't hear a loss of bass.
Irony is that several reviewers and the graph shows my Dita's have more treble even though I didn't notice that.

It could be that you're hearing more mid / treble instead?

 

[laleeee]

No.
Not weaker.

Look, my Dita Project Ms aren't big on bass.
I hear the bass but its not booming or heavy. So I didn't hear a loss of bass.
Irony is that several reviewers and the graph shows my Dita's have more treble even though I didn't notice that.

It could be that you're hearing more mid / treble instead?

I hear the bass well without the powerbank

 

[smegel]

I hear the bass well without the powerbank

But you're saying that you're hearing less of it w the power bank?

 

[laleeee]

But you're saying that you're hearing less of it w the power bank?

Yes

 

[smegel]

Yes

I think its more about hearing more detail in everything else.
You might say its 'brighter'.

 

[smegel]

Ok, so I went to MicroCenter and picked up a 3' USB-C cable rated for40Gb/s It was ~15.00 USD
Then used locktite to put it in to the Alpha.
I decided to do this since I'm using it w my laptop only as my dac w headphones.
The cable is thicker and stiffer than what you get w the audio cables... due to shielding and higher speed ratings. Its a trade off. I can always pull the cable,
The 3' added length is a benefit.

I was online and I was looking at some DIY DAC boards and they made a comment about the bit quality of music where one of the software packages would change the quality based on volume and you wanted to control the volume at its source.

So... looking at my Alpha... I use the rocker to control prev/next song.
When I went into the settings, I noticed my volume was ~50% where I last kept it.
So I upped it to 100 and then went back to my macbook to set the volume.
Big difference... I honestly don't know if I can hear any change in quality... but now w the DAC at 100, my laptop sound is at 30-40% depending on what I am listening to.
Some of you may want to check this out and to see if you hear a difference.

Running it thru MacEQ also makes a bit of difference. They have a sound profile for DITA project Ms and they cut the volume by ~5-6db to stop distortion.

On a side note... I took one of those online hearing tests. I'm 58 so on paper, normal hearing would be 11.3kHz. (rounded)
Yet I was able to hear just over ~16kHz. Note that YMMV depending on your background noise and what headphones/IEMs you are using.
According to the one YouTube test... I have the hearing of a ~28yr old. Of course I've been exposed to a lot of loud noises, plus 25yrs of marriage so I expected my hearing to be worse. On a different test I have drop out at/around 4kHz. So who knows...

Another side note... depending on the recording... I'm using spotify... I can hear intermittent noise/crackles and pops.
Still running the original version.

 

[smegel]

Just to add.
I tried a different site:
https://onlinetonegenerator.com/hearingtest.html

And there's a tone generator where you can set a tone.
Could hear down to 15hz... (more felt it) but here 15.8kHz
Still better than 11.3kHz. Right?

 

[Lépine]

I don't think so, Lépine said the same with a 10A industrial powerbank
My powerbank is good quality anyway.
The alpha sounds thinner and loses its analog charm due to the powerbank, that's a fact.
Maybe someone likes this

"I am using a Dell Computer 100W GaN (Gallium Nitride) USB-C Ultra Slim ($69) power supply connected to a Y-adapter. Definitely not portable, but it sounds really great.
Everynote is solid and dynamic. Obviously, now there isn't a hint of the ONIX Alpha straining to reproduce the music, which by the way I am on the fly
converting to DSD64 to send to the ONIX."

There is probably no battery that will deliver current faster and more constantly that the GaN power supply. It's not a battery. 20V/5A (Continuous) or 100W

Watts = volts x amps.

Typical battery pack is 5V / 2A or 10 Watts. A cheaper usb battery maybe 1.5 amps. So you may want to check what is the sustainable constant watts. Some batteries only give you a peak power and can not sustain higher wattages.

If you are a "bass head" then you already perfer a more heavily colored sound.