[Moris Renar]

In that case, I'd advise against the XD-05 BAL. In my experience, it's a neutral to perhaps slightly bright DAC. The V5iD opamps perhaps contribute to this so you may be able to tweak the signature with different opamps. I think it pairs best with slightly warmer headphones or IEMs though. The XD-05 BAL and Plus are quite different in character due to different DACs and overall design, so I wouldn't necessary use the latter as a baseline.

It's interesting you mention the Link2 Bal. This uses the same Cirrus Logic DAC as the Quloos MUB1, but in a less flexible / technically competent package. If you can audition the latter, it would be worth a try. However, I also appreciate there's a significant difference in price.

Thanks again. I've read somewhere the v5i-D makes the sound slightly warmer and wider. I could be mistaken.
I had experience with the Quloos MC01 dongle. It didn't sound right to me. Overly analytical with unnaturally boosted treble and not very refined so don't have very high hopes for this company's products.

 

[LoneFurrow]

I try to avoid basing my view of a company on just one of their offerings, and the MUB1 is the first I've tried from Quloos. It has impressed me so far.

I don't have any high impedance headphones like the HD650s, but have just spent some time comparing the MUB1 and XD-05 BAL with my KLH Ultimate One headphones. These are relatively easy to drive (32ohm, 108dB SPL) but are the most appropriate comparison I can offer. I was using Qobuz from my MacBook, directly connected to each device via USB-C.

The differences between the MUB1 and XD-05 BAL are subtle, but noticeable. I felt bass was a little deeper and more textured with MUB1. Tom toms and kick drums seemed to have more nuance to them, as did bass guitar. Mids / vocals were quite similar. Treble was more natural-sounding on MUB1. XD-05 BAL seemed a little sibilant at times, depending on the track. Cymbals, such as on Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, seemed a little splashy and didn't come across as decaying entirely naturally. Stage width, height and depth were mostly similar. I occasionally felt the XD-05 BAL had the edge in terms of vocal separation, but there was little in it overall. I've generally sound stage width, depth, and height all improve with better amplification.

I'm afraid my RU6 is currently with a reviewer so I can't compare that directly. I should have it back in about a week. He has been comparing the RU6 and RU7 so will hopefully be able to share insights soon.

To give you a sense of scale, below is the XD-05 BAL, MUB1, and Fiio BTR7. The RU6 and RU7 are a little smaller than the BTR7.

 

[kaiba]

I've only had this ~3days, along with an Ether CX & Sony z7m2, used ~ like new; but just wondering if anyone else has experienced distortion off of the balanced output? Mine came with a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter already in the balanced output; so, I connected into that ("balanced" must be better ~ probable rough thought...) ~ & sounded fine - for a couple of days of light use -, until the song "Maltex - Lost" came on:

Which created buzzing/fluttering/sputtering/breaking-up/flapping-ish noises on the low frequency notes, & @ fairly low volume on the Ether CX - 100% OS with xDuoo xd05 bal volume dial at ~2.5 + gain, or, ~4 w/out gain switch on, but took a lot higher volume to hear any distortion on the Sonys. The distortion disappeared after connecting into the unbalanced output...

Searching online, the adapter looks to be a "Geekria Apollo 4.4mm Balanced to 3.5mm Balanced"; described as: "4.4 mm M to 3.5 mm F convert adapter lets your 4.4mm output devices work with 3.5mm NOT ONLY balanced BUT ALSO the stereo headphones". Perhaps, someone with a similar adapter could try that Maltex song for distortion ~ do I have to buy fully balanced cables(/adapter for the Ether CX) to connect to the balanced output? The Ether CX comes with a balanced xlr, but an unbalanced xlr to 3.5mm/1/8" (+1/4" unbalanced screw-on) adapter. How about a balanced cable into the unbalanced output ~ would that produce distortion? - surprised that bal-unbalanced is even compatible to point where left & right channel audio comes through! Or, is this distortion specific to this amp/balanced-output ~ hopefully, not mine having a faulty balanced output..?

 

[quaddac]

I've only had this ~3days, along with an Ether CX & Sony z7m2, used ~ like new; but just wondering if anyone else has experienced distortion off of the balanced output? Mine came with a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter already in the balanced output; so, I connected into that ("balanced" must be better ~ probable rough thought...) ~ & sounded fine - for a couple of days of light use -, until the song "Maltex - Lost" came on:

Which created buzzing/fluttering/sputtering/breaking-up/flapping-ish noises on the low frequency notes, & @ fairly low volume on the Ether CX - 100% OS with xDuoo xd05 bal volume dial at ~2.5 + gain, or, ~4 w/out gain switch on, but took a lot higher volume to hear any distortion on the Sonys. The distortion disappeared after connecting into the unbalanced output...

Searching online, the adapter looks to be a "Geekria Apollo 4.4mm Balanced to 3.5mm Balanced"; described as: "4.4 mm M to 3.5 mm F convert adapter lets your 4.4mm output devices work with 3.5mm NOT ONLY balanced BUT ALSO the stereo headphones". Perhaps, someone with a similar adapter could try that Maltex song for distortion ~ do I have to buy fully balanced cables(/adapter for the Ether CX) to connect to the balanced output? The Ether CX comes with a balanced xlr, but an unbalanced xlr to 3.5mm/1/8" (+1/4" unbalanced screw-on) adapter. How about a balanced cable into the unbalanced output ~ would that produce distortion? - surprised that bal-unbalanced is even compatible to point where left & right channel audio comes through! Or, is this distortion specific to this amp/balanced-output ~ hopefully, not mine having a faulty balanced output..?

I have distortion with the adapter 4.4 male to 3.5 female on xd05 bal2. Xd05 bal1 is ok. Balanced cable works fine on unbalanced inputs bal1 and bal2.

 

[LoneFurrow]

I have distortion with the adapter 4.4 male to 3.5 female on xd05 bal2. Xd05 bal1 is ok. Balanced cable works fine on unbalanced inputs bal1 and bal2.

As a general rule, you shouldn't go from a balanced output to single-ended input - e.g. 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm single-ended, or RCA pair output to 4.4mm input. Whilst you will typically get some sort of sound, there's often distortion, uneven soundstage and positioning, and potential to damage your equipment. I've been warned of this numerous times. Whilst I haven't damaged any of my gear, the differences are certainly audible.

You can generally go the other way without issue - single ended output to a balanced input (or a pair of dual mono outputs to balanced input), should you need to.

 

[kaiba]

@LoneFurrow, thanks for your knowledge! If that's the case, wish that the Ether CX came with a balanced xlr to balanced 3.5mm adapter, instead of a 4-pin balanced xlr to double black-stripe unbalanced 3.5mm.

@quaddac that's strange! Is there a quality control issue with xDuoo amps? Or, perhaps your headphones don't break-up easily ~ the Sony z7m2s needed a lot more volume than my Ether Cxs before they started buzzing/distorting on the low notes, and even then it was more at the start of those notes/measures vs the Ether CX distortion extending over many notes.

 

[LoneFurrow]

@LoneFurrow, thanks for your knowledge! If that's the case, wish that the Ether CX came with a balanced xlr to balanced 3.5mm adapter, instead of a 4-pin balanced xlr to double black-stripe unbalanced 3.5mm.

@quaddac that's strange! Is there a quality control issue with xDuoo amps? Or, perhaps your headphones don't break-up easily ~ the Sony z7m2s needed a lot more volume than my Ether Cxs before they started buzzing/distorting on the low notes, and even then it was more at the start of those notes/measures vs the Ether CX distortion extending over many notes.

I wouldn't use the Geekria 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter you mentioned - I suspect that's the cause of some distortion. Have you tried the Ether CX using the XLR adapter, but with the 1/4" screw-on connector into the 1/4" single ended output of the XD-05 BAL? That should be fine. You can buy a 4.4mm male to XLR female adapter for $20-$40 if you want to use the balanced output from the XD-05 BAL to your Ether CX headphones, such as the example below.

The BAL2 is more powerful than original BAL, which might explain why more distortion is audible when using the "wrong" connectors. Let us know if you have any issues using the single ended output.

 

[kaiba]

@LoneFurrow; yup, the Ether CX works fine off of the xDuoo's unbalanced output. Yesterday, I re-remembered that the z7m2 came with a 'silver-coated' 4.4mm-terminated balanced cable - was still sealed-new in its packaging (not sure why the last owner didn't use it...); it works great w/out distortion, and adds a tiny volume boost - way less than volume doubling; possibly a 3dB, double-the-power-used, boost... ~ otherwise, didn't detect any audible difference compared with the xd05's unbalanced output.

@quaddac kindly tested/reported that their xd05 bal version1 is 'ok' ~ mine gets distortion... so..., not sure why? ~ even if their bal2's distortion may be due to having some different internals, higher max power output; unless the version1 has had some internal changes during production, & mine & @quaddac's are a bit different..? If anyone else out their can test unbalanced cables into the balanced output; much appreciated! If the Ether CX had come with a balanced xlr-to-3.5mm adapter, owners w/out a balanced pairing would, 'generally'.?., have been fine connecting it into unbalanced/single-ended, source outputs; thus, would have been nice to have a balanced adapter vs spending more to buy one ~ though, looking around, don't see many balanced 3.5mm connectors being sold - plenty of 2.5mm & 4.4mm, & noticed that most 3.5m connectors seem to be 2stripe ~ 3 wire capable, even when only power & ground wires are needed; like in these more expensive headphones, unbalanced cables, that have separate wires going to each earcup (mass produced cheaper connector option?).

 

[quaddac]

The BAL2 is more powerful than original BAL, which might explain why more distortion is audible when using the "wrong" connectors. Let us know if you have any issues using the single ended output.

The adapter on the left causes distortion on the balanced headphone output with an unbalanced cable, but works fine on the balanced line output with 3,5mm cable from the hiby r6 2020. The adapter on the right mixes the left and right channels on the balanced headphone output and the balanced line output on both xd05 bal2 and hiby r6 2020.

 

[Moris Renar]

Can anyone please share the 6C9 firmware file with me? Xduoo support isn't responding to any of my emails.

 

[LoryWiv]

I posted in the XD05 Bal 1 vs. Bal 2 thread here but traffic there seems sparse so wanted to inquire here as well: what type of screwdriver is needed to remove the front panel screws to change opamps? My aging eyes weren't certain if that is just ultra-small Philips head or something different, so a pointer to the right type of screwdriver would be much appreciated. Thanks for the help!

 

[Moris Renar]

I posted in the XD05 Bal 1 vs. Bal 2 thread here but traffic there seems sparse so wanted to inquire here as well: what type of screwdriver is needed to remove the front panel screws to change opamps? My aging eyes weren't certain if that is just ultra-small Philips head or something different, so a pointer to the right type of screwdriver would be much appreciated. Thanks for the help!

I read somewhere it uses Torx T5 screws. I use a Torx T4X screwdriver with mine and it works.

Edit: Found this

 

[LoryWiv]

I read somewhere it uses Torx T5 screws. I use a Torx T4X screwdriver with mine and it works.

Edit: Found this

Thank you! Any reason not to use one with a magnetic tip, i.e. - will the magnet damage any of the electronics within the amp?

 

[quaddac]

Thank you! Any reason not to use one with a magnetic tip, i.e. - will the magnet damage any of the electronics within the amp?

No, a screwdriver with a magnetic tip is included in the factory set, but remove the screws very gently, because the screws are quite delicate, as are the threaded holes. It is better not to tighten the screws very tightly.