Xduuo x3
Credit to: @brian ganchua for lending me his unit for the purpose of this review
Pros
Basic and straightforward menu
2 MMC slots
Clean sounding
Black background
Spacious soundstage
Detailed sound
Best dap in its price bracket, even beyond its asking price
Bold color and discreet looks
Line out
Lightweight
Desirable daily beater dap
Cheapest ticket to introduce you to hifi
Simple UI that works
Cons
Old style led screen
Not colored, no coverart
Aluminum front and sides, but back and buttons is made of plastic.
The design of the facia is dust magnet
No music or library organizer
The Xduuo X3 is very popular as a budgetfi dap here in our country. One of the reason why FITEAR also manages to rebrand it for its company as their main choice.
It has a hint of pitch black background. It retains musicality without loosing details from being too thick on mids. The sound reminds me of the famous dac amp - MOJO. Less the push, less the micro details and midbass. They share similarities in warmth.
Ill start this review with the use of my TG334 by FITEAR as my reference iem.
The lows is detailed, fast and accurate but less the fun factor and midbass you hear from MOJO. Never boomy nor loose no matter what genre. It compliments well with the rest of the frequency.
The midrange is articulate and open. This is the big picture in the signature. There is no feeling youre too close or too narrow. moves freely to its space. Its lush and never thick. With the right amount of smoothness to like it easily.
Treble part has a right amount of sparkle in it. To bring out life to instruments and vocals. Not extended though. Its like playing safe, to stay away from harshness. I can say its well controlled for fatigue free-long listening sessions.
My hunch is the tamed treble may be the culprit to some micro detail's veil.
The separation is excellent for its price. Soundstage is wide and spacious. Its one thing you will notice. But not too much 3d-like like the ADR. More spacious than that of AIGO's.
There are times when im having a doubt if what im testing here is from an iem, that terribly good!
My only gripe, personally, is its push and attack. Its a little on the soft side. (Add the +6db option to remedy softness) It lacks that powerful amp section which is present in the AIGO 105. You will have to increase the volume to get the perfect push, that thing you enjoy in the music.
UPDATE:
I was informed by mr. bryan ganchua about this:
Theres a hidden option on the option button when playing back music, theres a +6db additional for the volume. I was trully became more impressed when i pushed play WHAT CAN I DO song by THE CORRS. I was blown away! It brings out that lossed pushed and impact i wanted to hear. Those i felt lacking just pop out of thr blue. It felt like this one has been a new level of XDUOO i once reviewed in the previous days.
Adding that +6db will give you more balanced treble and bass. It will increase impact, push and attack. That softness will diminish instantly.
Compared to my usb dac amp, ADR, the sound is less thicker but more cleaner, a more on micro details, same black background and more 3d. More open sounding, instruments shine on their own right. I can hear the ADR is more spacious than XDUOO. But thats not to say the XDUOO is bad, its really competitive as a good dap.
When i changed iem, from FITEAR to INEAR Stagediver SD2S, the signature compensates a little in the treble area. It gives more life than what ive experience in TG334. However, i still feel that softness in the attacks. (This softness is gone with the additional +6db option)
UI is straighforward and basic, not confusing to use like the AIGO 105, no delay in UI. Its polished and very easy to use.
No library organizer. You will have to browse by folder. No artists, songs, or album browsing.
Two MMC slots! Yay!
This is your cheapest ticket to HIFI. It will provide you good sound, good build and useful, functioning UI.
The Xduuo x3 is smooth, warm and clean sounding dap.
I just wish they provided a more powerful amp for this so that the push and attack in music is more present and not softly presented. (Add +6db option to remedy the softness)
But aside from it, ill consider buying myself one. Its one of the best daps ive heard next to AUNE M2S. It may not be as organic and as natural to the level of AUNE M2S, but smoothness is similar to the MOJO's.
The FITEAR TG334 and XDUOO combo provided good synergy. Its like you can touch the music, its organic and natural at the same time, I loved the outcome. That good timbre! Ugh!
The XDUOO has more PROS than CONS. It has proved to be a good instrument to enjoy your music better.
Excellent details without being too clinical, couple that with spacious soundstage and good lows. And paint it with the smoothness of midrange and behave treble, thats what the XDUUO X3 is capable and is all about.
What i experienced with the XDUOO is really something memorable, it is something to write about. I never thought such dap existed for its price. Id definitely recommed it to anyone, Audiophiles or Newbies alike. This kind of sig is what i personally prefer, its more worthy than its asking price. Its really a pleasure trying it, I really enjoyed my time with it.
