[dandelo]

I am in HK as well, and the latest firmware removes the volume cap.  With wifi on the player should prompt you for an over-the-air update and once installed, you're all set.  After the firmware upgrade, line level output is about 12dB louder than before - quite a difference.

 
Quote:

  Another member said he had no issue and that he was a member on an Asian audio forum where nobody was reporting a sound quality change. Not sure what to say, but it was mentioned that the lock range and filter go back to the default so perhaps for the people reporting a quality reduction that might explain it, plus, to be fair, people can imagine things as well so don't rule that out as a possibility. I'm not saying that is the case, but it is a plausible explanation as well.

 
Sorry to bother
 
I've found a good price on the Onyko from mainland UK for £510, however the eBay warehouse is based in Hong Kong. Does anyone know if volume cap is an issue with all HK devices / Does the latest firmware detail on the page the removal of the issues? My last purchase was in 2010 for a Cowon X7 - big step-up! 

 

[sabloke]

I've got a HK unit and there's no volume cap.

 

[dandelo]

I've got a HK unit and there's no volume cap.

 
Thanks for the reply!
 
 
After reading this thread religiously since last year, I decided to finally buy it. It should arrive at the latest on the 5th. 

 

 

[Peridot]

 
You can get them for a reasonable price from Ebay sellers, or the independent cablers here on headfi. I actually got a 2.5trrs-to-dual RCAs cable, and then used XLR adaptor plugs, seen here with my AK feeding my Denon PMA-S1:

 
 
A balanced XLR connection should have a ground reference (XLR pin 1). I assume the absence of this has caused no problem with operating to the Denon?
 
The only place to pick this up on the DP-X1 would be from the 3.5mm SE output. However the manual indicates that inserting a 3.5mm jack plug, switches the player into SE output mode so that would be a problem. I was going to have a play with connecting mine to a Liquid Carbon amp at the weekend. I'll try different configurations and report any useful info.

 

[addyg]

   
 
A balanced XLR connection should have a ground reference (XLR pin 1). I assume the absence of this has caused no problem with operating to the Denon?
 
The only place to pick this up on the DP-X1 would be from the 3.5mm SE output. However the manual indicates that inserting a 3.5mm jack plug, switches the player into SE output mode so that would be a problem. I was going to have a play with connecting mine to a Liquid Carbon amp at the weekend. I'll try different configurations and report any useful info.

Woh.. dp-x1 connects to Liquid Carbon, I am real interested to see the outcome.(-:

 

[addyg]

Yesterday I went to try out a new headphone JVC HA-SS01. It is quite good with dp-x1. I think better than ATH-MSR7. And later found out it is designed to be used with balanced cable even it has single sided cable.  I think many manufacturers will bring out more balanced capable headphones.

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
Thanks for the reply!
 
 
After reading this thread religiously since last year, I decided to finally buy it. It should arrive at the latest on the 5th. 

 

Awesome, glad to see we won you over! I loved the DP-X1 and have no regrets for the time I spent with it. Had I not gone Bluetooth I would have it still for sure. So what headphones/earphones are you planning to use with it?

 

[clarkydaz]

  Don't waste your money on Onkyo E900m IEMs. They are simply terrible. Not worth $200.00 yet the galling $460.00 they cost me.
 
I own both the Onkyo DP-X1 and the Questyle QP1R, and have had them for some time now. No contest between the two using the non-balanced outputs from both. The Questyle blows the Onkyo away in every area. The balanced output on the DPX1 is something special, and with top of the line IEMs, does provide a wider soundstage and a bit better imaging then the Questyle. If you are going all in for the balanced out with the DPX1 then buy it. If you are not, buy the Questyle, The QP1R truly produces audiophile quality sound. 

I didn't know these E900s were even on sale yet. could you describe how they sound, and what you feel they lack?

 

[sq3rjick]

To my ears K10 are not as good as UE remastered reference ones and/ or Layla and Angie when pairing with DP-X1. I just found out at CanJam SoCal 2016.

It is all a matter of opinion. I cannot stand the sound signature of the older UERM or the Angie or Layla. To my ears they are just artificial. Of course, I haven't heard the reference remastered, but I assume it would still not be for me. The only UE monitor that I would consider owning is the UE18 Pro. For me, the K10 is perfect. Of course YMMV. I've had the custom K10 for over two years now, and the only thing that sounds better to my ears and what I like is the 64 Audio A12. But the A12 is such a marginal difference and such a slight improvement that it isn't worth spending another 2K on it for me. To my ears, the K10 is just about perfect. That may not be the case for you. But we are lucky that we have so many awesome options out there to fit our needs and different concepts of what sounds good.

 

[Bong Hollywodd]

I did the exact same thing and I was in CanJam Socal... You really can't base opinion on sound quality while you're there as floor noise is so ever present.  I brought my OPPO PM-1,PM-3, AUDEZE EL-8, Macbook pro and Shure 846 and I sat with Mike (Rep for Onkyo) and auditioned the DP-X1.  I've also Auditioned the Capital Record UE and for some reason it sounded tiny to any setup I've tossed on it.
 
Let me just say that my DP-X1 is coming on Monday so as multiple Trrs Cables that I have to modify and build (with 4 pin xlr interconnect).

 

[beardedwombat]

Got my DP-X1 today and been happily driving my HD800 phones via 3.5 SE for around 8 hours. Volume setting twixt 125 - 135, occasionally a little higher (the X1 makes a very good hand warmer too!) Sounds great but should be getting a balanced cable from Custom Cables tomorrow or Thursday which will ease the strain a bit. Sounded a fair bit better after running 6 or 7 hours, particularly the bass it seemed to me but it could be my imagination.
 
I also connected it via the 3.5 SE socket to my Icon Audio valve system amp using a cheapo 3.5 SE to twin RCA cable and it sounded almost identical to my Oppo 105, not surprising since its also got Sabre dacs. I will try it again after its burnt in for a few more hours. I emailed Onkyo to ask if it is possible to use a 2.5 TRRS to twin RCA connectors without bricking the X1 but haven't heard back from them yet. Will report if I do hear from them.

 

[LoryWiv]

I had a chance to audition the DP-X1 at last weekend's CanJam SoCal. The environment was a bit loud and the only balanced headphones to listen with were the Pioneers (I believe SE-MHR5) so I won't comment too extensively on the sound, except to say I would describe it as just north of neutral, great micro detail and instrument separation running in balanced mode. I preferred standard balanced to ACG even with volume matching but perhaps in a less noisy environment I would feel differently. The interface took a bit of getting used to even though it's android based (some settings like lock range, digital filter selection seemed to be accessible within the player application only). I noted the occasional track stutter when changing settings, but would probably use it in standalone mode most of the time when settling in for longer listening sessions so probably not a major issue. I also was surprised that only sample frequency but not bitrate were displayed on the main track information screen, seemed like an omission. Viewing angles on the screen were not as good as I hoped particularly from the sides, but display quality was excellent straight on. Overall, the display was clear, bright and quite impressive as below:
 

 
Regarding the much-discussed gap in balanced socket, it did appear asymmetric but when the cable jack was plugged in it felt rock stable, so my conclusion was that it's an aesthetic more than functional issue. Obviously it would require a longer time of use to know that with more certainty.
 

Lastly, I asked the rep. if Onkyo was planning to provide PC USB DAC functionality with an upcoming firmware, and he was not certain but said the question has been posed multiple times. That is a common use scenario and highly desireable feature for me so I hope they address it soon.

 

[FidelityCastro]

The headphones socket is definitely functional and not just an aesthetic issue. My balanced socket has become loose and could easily pull out, so I'm being extra careful when inserting or removing the headphone cable. It is without doubt a design / manufacturing fault of my batch: I've had personal music players / phones etc etc for years and never had this issue.
DP-X1 is a great product on many levels and I'm enjoying the sound immensely, but a company with Onkyo's experience should franklg be a bit embarrassed about this hardware glitch.

And yes I realise it is probably covered under warranty (pricejapan?) and that these things happen. But it's not exactly new, pushing-the-envelope stuff here; headphone socket design and manufacture is personal audio 101.

 

[LoryWiv]

The headphones socket is definitely functional and not just an aesthetic issue. My balanced socket has become loose and could easily pull out, so I'm being extra careful when inserting or removing the headphone cable. It is without doubt a design / manufacturing fault of my batch: I've had personal music players / phones etc etc for years and never had this issue.
DP-X1 is a great product on many levels and I'm enjoying the sound immensely, but a company with Onkyo's experience should franklg be a bit embarrassed about this hardware glitch.

And yes I realise it is probably covered under warranty (pricejapan?) and that these things happen. But it's not exactly new, pushing-the-envelope stuff here; headphone socket design and manufacture is personal audio 101.

I'm sorry to hear your balanced socket has become loose. When did you purchase yours....perhaps worth an RMA? Hopefully this flaw is corrected in current production batches.

 

[Whitigir]

Guys! Why don't you fix the Socket Gaps with either Acrylic, or Suguru ? Why let the inevitable happen ? Once it happened, the only way is to have Opened up the unit and redone the soldering....don't let it happen !

Of course it was design flaws, you would be lucky and skip out a couple times....but it will happen. You just can not go on with it being this way. It had been a few months and I already see more 2.5 sockets damages :mad: