xDuoo X10
={Straight out of left field}=
First Impressions
I wanted to take this opportunity to thanks xDuoo for providing this review unit in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. I would like to point out that I did pay for shipping and import tax FWIW.
I would like to preface this post with the disclaimer that I received the unit about a day ago and as such these are
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS and should be interpreted as such. These opinions are mine and mine alone, and I reserve the right to change my opinion as time goes on. With all the pleasantries out of the way, lets get to the good stuff
xDuoo is a brand name that I have heard quite often during my time here at head-fi, and often in conversations about DAPS and DAC/Amp combos. They have managed to amass a an impressive loyal fanbase here on head-fi, as can be evidenced by populous threads about their products. My first exposure to xDuoo was my first ever tube amplifier purchase - the TA03. I have been an ardent fan ever since, closely following the development of X10 and I thoroughly looking forward to exploring how it sounds!
Unboxing and Build quality
Here are some pictures shot with my
potato cellphone
As you can see the packaging is eye catching and compact. The front panel is very apple-esque and pleasing to the eye, me likey! The back panel sports technical information with regards to format support, software information and the like. Overall not bad, feels premium and that you are getting your money's worth.
I found the included accessories to be par from the course (including screen protectors is a nice touch), but I was expecting a bit more, an included case or pouch would have been greatly appreciated! I was pleasantly surprised to discover color image inserts within the manual, loving the attention to detail thus far.
The X10 is a purely hardware button driven Digital Audio Player with nary a touch screen to be found, just the way I like it frankly speaking. But we will touch (heh) upon that later. As you cab see above, there are a number of input and output options available. Quite a looker if I say so myself.
The main face sports 4 buttons (
<,
Back,
Option and
>) and a giant hard to miss navigation wheel. While I was initially worried before its release, I am happy to say the wheel is sturdy, easy to use and intuitive, but I do wish it had rubbery surface texture, would help with gripping it. The other ports buttons and ports are self explanatory and self evident.
Some nicer official pics highlighting the design and features.
- Headphone Out
- Line out/Optical out
- MicroSD slot x 2
- Micro usb port
- Two stage gain switch
- Volume Up + Down
- Reset
- Power
- Lock
-
Hardware, Software, UI
Specs:
The X10 feels durable and rugged, while at the same time premium to the touch; dark, sleek and business like. It sits nicely in the hand and is easy to operate one handed and I am enjoying how ergonomic it feels.
User Interface:
The unit is quick to start and turn off, which is always a good thing. UI is smooth and easy to navigate, but you will have to keep your music organized (ID3 tags and all that) to make the entire process easier, or you could just use folder view, which is what I do. I am getting used to the UI but I can easily use the buttons while the DAP is in my pocket to blindly change tracks and volume. Its all about muscle memory and I am still learning about the software so it is early days yet.
Long before the X10 arrived I had gone through the X3 thread and I read of the software issues people were having. I expected the worst turning on the X10, to my surprise what I found was an absolutely monster of a DAP that ran without making too much of a fuss. I am sure people will run into bugs as more and more people use it, but by and large I have had a smooth user experience.
My microSD card was not organized and my ID3 tags are a mess so that's on me, but using folder view makes it easy to get around. The software is prime time ready in my opinion, and surely it will only get better with future updates.
If it is not abundantly clear by now, I love the X10 and I am quite impressed by it. It does a lot of well right out of the box, and it has left me speechless on more than a few occasions. It is remarkable what this little beauty can do.
I am glad I went on a recent binge buying high res music online, because they sound just heavenly on this device. The X10 has a detailed yet musical sound, bringing forward background elements that I didn't even know was there. Yes, things I haven't picked up on my FiiO X7 with the various amp modules. I have been holding back gushing about how great I think the X10 is, but I will say that the line out is so impressive I haven't felt the need to reach for my FiiO X7.
Listening to the same tracks on both the X7 (stock music player) and X10 (these chinese companies need to come up with better names -_-), I find myself enjoying the X10 more, listening with my precious Havi B3 Pro 1.
So you might be thinking, RedJohn456 you sexy beast what about the
headphone out? Well I am glad to you asked! To my non-plebian ears, the headphone out sounds a tiny bit more closed in
RELATIVELY speaking but at the same more engaging, more forward. In fact, I can see many people preferring the Headphone out SQ to the Line out, they are BOTH exceptional sounding. Great separation, layering and positioning of instruments, all of which is highlighted on complex orchestral tracks. Very easy to follow along individual elements and all this is done without sounding cold or clinical. The distinct elements are all highlighted on a pitch black background, making for a very realistic and life life rendition of your favorite tracks.
In comparison ,the Line out sound quality sounds a bit more airy up top and paired with an exceptional portable amp such as the FiiO A5, it makes for an amazing portable package that is sure to leave you scratching your heard wondering how something small sounds so darn good!
I am gonna call it right now xDuoo X10 + FiiO A5 = one of the best portable setups for the price - with respect to SQ.
Now its still early days yet, and as with any other DAP I am sure I will run into more findings, both good and bad. I will post a more in-depth look at the software and features in the upcoming review. But if there is a demand for it, I can do a standalone feature for it and not wait for the review. As always
YMMV and we all have different preferences when it comes to music, headphones etc, so keep that in perspective when reading
any impressions/reviews, not just mine.
Happy Listening!
xDuoo X10 + FiiO A5
Silent, deadly and powerfully potent!
Edit: I am literally speechless at how good it sounds with line out to FiiO A5The headphone out is no slouch either, in fact it sounds quite dynamic but line out to A5 has that special sauce that is making me feel things lol. I daresay xDuoo might have a gem on their hands...
