[Dramlin]

do I need two pieces of AD827SQ, or should I just use one piece and put it in the middle to replace the stock opamp?

For the XD-05+ you would just need one AD827SQ. The XD-05+ takes one dual (2 channel) op amp, or two single channel op amps.

 

[InEarDistortion]

For the XD-05+ you would just need one AD827SQ. The XD-05+ takes one dual (2 channel) op amp, or two single channel op amps.

I see.. noted with thanks.

 

[CUBIX]

Hello, I have Xduoo XD05 Bal for my principal portable dac/amp for sometime. I'm interested switch opamps with Burson V5i dual. Someone tries this? What what's the change?
Thanks!

 

[Mouseman]

Hello, I have Xduoo XD05 Bal for my principal portable dac/amp for sometime. I'm interested switch opamps with Burson V5i dual. Someone tries this? What what's the change?
Thanks!

I don't have the balanced, just the "normal" one, but the Bursons were a significant upgrade in SQ and soundstage from the stock. I don't see why it wouldn't be the same with the balanced version.

 

[Julius Decimus]

Over the last few months I've tested 42 different Op Amps......

Thank you good sir for posting these results and comparisons. Super helpful for choosing the right one.

 

[Dramlin]

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted an opamp review here, but I finally got my hands on another opamp that pairs well with the XD-05+ and wanted to share. Some time ago I ran subjective tests on 43 different opamps in the XD-05+ (42 at once, and another later on). Since that point I've been happily enjoying the XD-05+ with an AD827SQ as my favorite, but I've always been curious about some of the other higher end op amps out there. The two I've been most curious about are the Burson V6 Classic & V6 Vivid. I didn't try them before as I knew they wouldn't fit in the XD-05+ case, but it never stopped me from being curious. Well, fast forward to now and I finally have my hands on a V6 Vivid (no V6 Classic just yet).

V6 Vivid with an extension lead. The capacitor next to the opamp slot blocks the V6 from being able to sit flush. Only options are to either relocate the capacitor, use multiple adapters to raise opamp slot, or use an extension:

Below are comparisons to some of the other top performers in the XD-05+:

Burson V5i
The V5i is a top contender for being one of the best opamps in the XD-05+. If you read the entire thread you'll find it's the thread favorite, being almost universally praised for improving the sound over the stock op amp. Compared to the V6, The V6 is significantly clearer than the V5i. I wouldn't consider the V5i to be dark or muffled, it's closer to clear than dark, but it does end up sounding more congested and muted compared to the V6. Clearer doesn't mean brighter here, as the V6 also has more fullness on each note. On the V5i that fullness is replaced with a little sharpness. The V6 also has a minor amount more stage width, similar depth, clearer separation, more note impact, additional detail, and improved bass control. Basically it's an upgrade across the board.If you like the overall V5i sound and want further improvements and fixes, then the V6 is a definite upgrade. Of course, if you don't want to modify your XD-05 in any way, the V5i is still in the top tier for the XD-05+.

AD827SQ:
The AD827SQ has been my favorite op amp for quite some time, and has been my top recommendation for a neutral op amp in the XD-05+. Comparisons here get more complex and are more subtle than other tests so I'm listing them out below:

• V6 is moderately clearer sounding vs the AD827SQ. In direct comparisons the 827SQ has a warmer sound. The V6 doesn't sound brighter, just clearer with the same overall note timbre.
• Both the V6 and 827SQ have the same bass quantity, but the slam is slightly improved on the V6 due to the clearer presentation.
• The 827SQ is more airy, but the V6 has improved note placement and each note is fuller sounding. This leads to an interesting situation where the 827SQ gets more micro detail due to hearing each sound expanded in a diffused way, but at the same time the V6 has more micro detail due to how precise & full each note sounds. All things considered, the V6 has more perceived detail.
• V6 has a slightly wider sound stage
• V6 has better instrument separation despite not being as airy.
• 827SQ has a bit more treble extension. The V6 isn't soft in treble, but it doesn't have as much of an edge on each note.
• V6 has significantly more impact on each note, wheras the 827SQ is more laid back.

In an overall comparison the 827SQ and V6 are quite close in overall sound quality, but the V6 is more refined. The AD827 sounds wonderful, but I do prefer the V6 due to the increased dynamics, clearer presentation (which I typically prefer over added warmth), and improved stage.

Muses02:
The Muses02 is similar in tonality to the V6, both having a clear presentation with great note impact. Instrument separation is also similar, with the V6 having a little clearer separation. Where the Muses02 falters is a moderate amount of compression compared to the V6. This leads to a reduction in sound stage width, squishes notes a little, and reduces overall detail. Despite this the Muses02 still retains a mostly holographic sound. The Muses02 is also leaner, with less fullness on each note and a slightly elevated treble. This combination pushes the op amp a little closer to a U shaped sound. With this leaner sound the Muses02 ends up with slightly more impact on each note compared to the V6. Overall the V6 shares a similar clear tone but with much less compression, more stage, and a generally fuller more neutral sound all around.

Muses03:
The Muses03 has a much more up front presentation when compared to the more holographic sounding V6. It's about the same overall sound as a Muses02 with stage depth reduced, less compression, fullness is increased, and the tonality is lowered to lower than neutral. Stage depth on the Muses03 is small, but the width is excellent. The V6 has more depth, and is very similar in width. In prior testing I found that the Muses03 had the largest stage width of all the opamps I tried on the XD-05+, so the V6 shares the top spot there. Details are similar, but the Muses03 has a little less partly due to a subtle softness on each note. The V6 also once again has more fullness in each note, which further improves detail over the Muses03. The V6 has a correct clear presentation to it, wheras the Muses03 has a rolled treble response that pushes it a little lower than neutral. The Muses03 still sounds great with it's great stage width and details, but the V6 ends up besting it.


Summary:
TL;DR is that in my opinion the V6 vivid is the most complete sounding op amp of all the 44 op amps I've tried. It's typically the top performer in each sound category, and in cases where another op amp is better in some aspect the V6 is still a top contender. The V6 Vivid takes the clear tonality of the Muses02, sound stage width of the Muses03, depth of the V5i, bass quality from the 827SQ, and note timbre from the 827SQ. Take that package and add in the best detail, note placement, separation, and holographic sound of all the op amps I've compared. Finally sprinkle in great dynamics on every note. Overall the V6 has the best qualities from the top performing op amps in the XD-05+ without including their drawbacks.

The Elephant in the Room:
The V6 is big, too big for the XD-05+. I looked around in the case to see if I could relocate any capacitors to make it fit somewhere, but I'm not seeing any immediate solutions. The only good options I can see are to either keep the case open (like in my screenshot above) for desktop only use, or cut a square above the opamp portion of the case and cover the opamp with something sturdy and non-conductive. One such creative setup was posted here by Vannak. I'm personally thinking of cutting the case then attaching a top plastic piece from a vending machine toy (you know.. those rounded clear plastic bubble containers that have a toy inside). In the end my XD-05+ would look like a Jetsons car, but the sound would be worth it

 

[haziee]

@Dramlin have you tried the cheaper ad827jnz to see if they are similar to the ad827sq? would appreciate if you could

 

[Dramlin]

have you tried the cheaper ad827jnz to see if they are similar to the ad827sq?

I have not--- I've only tried the SQ, AQ, and single version (847SQ). In all cases they sounded differently, but not sure if that would hold true with the JNZ variant. I'll add the JNZ to my to do list as I'm curious about it, but it will take some time. I've got a bit of a backlog of things to test and compare . Next up will probably be the V6 classics.

 

[marco1kw]

Over the last few months I've tested 42 different Op Amps in order to find one that makes the XD-05+ sound just as good as a high quality desktop amp. In short, I failed. The chip that sounds closest to my desktop reference is probably about 90% there. 90% is certainly close, but I really was hoping for perfection. Having tried almost all of the reputable chips, I would bet the remaining 10% is probably some other part of the Amplifier that would need to be upgraded (capacitors, or some other part of the design).

Below is some info on the chips, all of which is entirely subjective and mainly applies to the XD-05+. This is likely also relevant to the regular XD-05 (for dual chips), but I've got no way to confirm that. My main focus was to find a sound that is faithful to the original intent, and as close as possible to what a desktop amp would provide. That said, some chips are just technically better than others even if they aren't truly neutral, so trying to rank them gets complicated.

The Winner:

AD827SQ : Tonally perfect, with a semi 3D sound stage and great details. With this chip the only thing holding the Amp back is a little more separation and refined clarity on every note. It's close, but a desktop amp will still sound better in a subtle but noticeable way.

Notable Runner Ups:

AD829SQ: Just like the AD827SQ, but a little thinner. May be preferable if your headphones are a little thick by default.

AD827AQ: Similar to the 827SQ, but without the 3D stage, softer details, and an extended treble. Costing less than half of the SQ, this is a great choice if you don't feel like spending for the SQ, and don't mind a treble that extends all the way without being sibilant.

AD829AQ: Just like the AD827SQ, but with a little less of everything (stage, details, separation, etc...)

Muses02: Slightly higher than neutral which leads to a much 'clearer' sound compared to the 827SQ. Very good separation and stage, but the downside of this chip is that it is brighter and thinner than it should be. May be a good choice if you have dark or thick sounding headphones.

Muses03: Brilliant stage and details, marred by a much lower than neutral tone. This probably has the best stage and separation of all the chips. The treble is very rolled off, leading to a much lower than expected tone. May be a great choice for those that have overly bright headphones, or those that are very treble sensitive. Those looking for neutral should look elsewhere though.

Burson V5i: The thread favorite. Going by majority consensus this is the chip to get. As far as technical performance goes, it is excellent. Great stage width, depth, and details. What keeps this from being my #1 or #2 is the much darker than neutral tone, and a subtly loose bass response. It's not as tonally low as the Muses03, but it's close. Every note is a bit off which is fine for most music, but with electronic music it's very noticable.

Other Chips worth mentioning:

OPA627: Renowned in many DIY forums for many different setups, but it just doesn't work that well in the XD-05. Produces a good sound, but overall flat and boring.

Muses01: Way north of neutral in tone. All notes are brighter than they should be. The only nice thing about this chip is how clear everything is, but that is just due to how thin the mids are.

Muses8920: Of the Muses this one is closest to neutral. Less bright than the Muses02, but just a hint north of neutral and a bit thin. It has better stage and separation than most regular chips, but lacks refinement compared to Muses02 and Muses03. May shine with the right headphone setup, and also costs significantly less than the rest of the Muses line.

OPA1612 (Stock): Similar to OPA627, this is also renowned in DIY forums. It seems like a technically capable chip, but something about it isn't right in the XD-05. Puts out a dark, muffled, and mostly flat sound in this application.

Here's the rest of the breakdown. This is not ordered in a true ranking. I've got details on all the chips, but it would take too long to truly rank them. I doubt anyone cares which one is #37 as opposed to #38 (I certainly don't), so they are just categorized more in generalized groups:

Op Amp	Single/Dual	Rank
AD827SQ	Dual	1- Best
AD829SQ	Single	2 - Excellent
AD829AQ	Single	2 - Excellent
Muses02	Dual	2 - Excellent
Muses03	Single	2 - Excellent
AD827AQ	Dual	2 - Excellent
AD822	Dual	2 - Excellent
AD828	Dual	2 - Excellent
Burson V5i	Dual	2 - Excellent
AD811	Single	3 - Great
AD844AQ	Single	3 - Great
LT1122	Single	3 - Great
Muses8920	Dual	3 - Great
NJM2114	Dual	3 - Great
OP275	Dual	3 - Great
OPA2134	Dual	3 - Great
OPA2227	Dual	3 - Great
OPA2228	Dual	3 - Great
OPA2277	Dual	3 - Great
RC4558	Dual	3 - Great
AD797	Single	3 - Great
AD711	Single	4 - Good
Muses01	Dual	4 - Good
OPA604	Single	4 - Good
OPA627	Single	4 - Good
AD712	Dual	5 - Mediocre
LF353	Dual	5 - Mediocre
LM4562	Dual	5 - Mediocre
LM833	Dual	5 - Mediocre
LME49720	Dual	5 - Mediocre
NE5532	Dual	5 - Mediocre
NJM4560	Dual	5 - Mediocre
OPA2132	Dual	5 - Mediocre
TL0171	Single	5 - Mediocre
TLO52	Dual	5 - Mediocre
OPA1612 (Stock)	Dual	5 - Mediocre
AD823	Dual	6 - Bad
AD826	Dual	6 - Bad
NE5534	Single	6 - Bad
NJM2068	Dual	6 - Bad
NJM4558	Dual	6 - Bad
OPA134	Single	6 - Bad

hello everyone I do not write much but I read a lot, I bought yesterday xduoo xd05 bal and I am waiting for its arrival, and I wanted to know if like you there was someone who had tried many op amps since the free ones made by you are on chip dac ak4493. furthermore, upon arrival, I will test whether the balanced output has separate masses. as for the op amp they attract me both for the price and for the speed of finding them the "oracle 2" has anyone tried them on xd05 bal? goodasetara to all

 

[jpierre]

hello when I turn the volume of my xduoo 05 plus, I hear a rubbing noise, is this normal thank you

 

[Dramlin]

Is the sound coming through your headphones? If so, I'd say that is normal. Mine does the same with some op amps. Kind of a static scratching/rubbing noise any time the volume is changed.

 

[jpierre]

yes that's it, the amp works perfectly, I use the burson aop, I don't know if that's it. your answer is reassuring

 

[rlanger]

hello when I turn the volume of my xduoo 05 plus, I hear a rubbing noise, is this normal thank you

It's the volume pot. Turn the amp off and then turn the volume knob back and forth quickly a bunch of times. That will likely get rid of the static for some time. It will probably return at some point, so just repeat the process. It happens to many amps.

 

[Julius Decimus]

hello when I turn the volume of my xduoo 05 plus, I hear a rubbing noise, is this normal thank you

Yes, is normal. I confirm as well. No worries.

 

[rodel808]

Yes, is normal. I confirm as well. No worries.

Perhaps a blast of contact cleaner into the volume pot might remedy it.