XDUoo XD05PRO
Mar 6, 2024 at 11:35 AM Post #1,546 of 3,071
ESS module without hardware mod sounds like chainsaw in treble for me personally. Someone said that Sparkos Opamps make that sound warmer.
Strongly recommend to get AK4499EX DAC module - In my personal opinion it is the best for now.
Ya the ESS module sounds so dry and grainy... I couldn't stand if for more then few songs haha.
AKM and ROHM are so good and overall the xd05 pro is a great pairing with my mest2 as it boosts the mids a bit which the mest2 lacks.
But sadly the unit still goes into protect mode switching to turbo mode (which I don't even use anyways), even after getting a 12V3A adapter for it..
 
Mar 6, 2024 at 11:56 AM Post #1,547 of 3,071
Podejrzewam, że przyczyną tego jest przejście na wzmacniacze operacyjne Sparkos. Nie stosowałem podkładek i wydawały się pasować. Ale mogło to powodować ciśnienie na rezystorze. To samo zauważyłem w przypadku tego nowego urządzenia. Tyle że ten natychmiast wykazywał błąd. Po pewnym czasie problemów ze strzelaniem dodałem pion do jednego ze Sparków, aby lepiej usuwał rezystor i bum. Działało dobrze. Wydaje się też, że działa chłodniej.
Maybe you're right, but I think the reason lies somewhere else. My device does not work in battery mode and does not charge the battery, but in external power mode everything works fine. I've never had any errors.
 
Mar 6, 2024 at 5:59 PM Post #1,551 of 3,071
Is MUSE02 good for the Xduoo XD05 Pro?
 
Mar 7, 2024 at 1:03 AM Post #1,552 of 3,071
ESS module without hardware mod sounds like chainsaw in treble for me personally. Someone said that Sparkos Opamps make that sound warmer.
Strongly recommend to get AK4499EX DAC module - In my personal opinion it is the best for now.
Very interesting. I find the Xduoo to have a much more pleasing tonality compared to something like the Fiio Q7, it's closer to the warmth of the Mojo 2 or something like the Schiit Lyr+ with the ESS dac. I've tried AK dacs and while I like them, I find they can be a little mushy sounding to my ear. But I'll first wait for my Sparkos Op Amps as the ESS with Sparkos seems to be a very good combination. Then I'll wait for the R2R dac to come out, eventually I'll try all dac modules that come out 😁
 
Mar 7, 2024 at 1:50 AM Post #1,553 of 3,071
How to move it upsides??? That is the main problem for any further modifications 🤔🤔🤔
Actually, simple DIP-8 extenders work without the need to modify the op-amp board. Here I installed the SA200 op-amps with the extenders. The SA-200s are just too large to fit within the compartment.
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Mar 7, 2024 at 7:41 AM Post #1,556 of 3,071
Very interesting. I find the Xduoo to have a much more pleasing tonality compared to something like the Fiio Q7, it's closer to the warmth of the Mojo 2 or something like the Schiit Lyr+ with the ESS dac. I've tried AK dacs and while I like them, I find they can be a little mushy sounding to my ear. But I'll first wait for my Sparkos Op Amps as the ESS with Sparkos seems to be a very good combination. Then I'll wait for the R2R dac to come out, eventually I'll try all dac modules that come out 😁
ESS + Sparkos is a match made in heaven.
I can understand why everyone has a different preference. In the end, it’s all about pairings. Which headphone/IEM you are using matters. For eg. ESS + reference or bright headphones is for me a no go. Same for AKM + warm headphones.

In other words don’t pair bright DACs with bright headphones, warm headphones with warm DACs.

Although I must say the ESS on the XD05Pro is tuned neutral warm and not overly bright. So unless you have a bright headphone/IEM, I’d say the new ES9039Pro is very enjoyable and superior in every way to the AKM and ROHM DACs. If you find ESS too bright switch from the stock op-amps to Sparkos or Burson. OPA1612 does not do very well in upper treble.
 
Mar 7, 2024 at 11:59 AM Post #1,557 of 3,071
ESS + Sparkos is a match made in heaven.
I can understand why everyone has a different preference. In the end, it’s all about pairings. Which headphone/IEM you are using matters. For eg. ESS + reference or bright headphones is for me a no go. Same for AKM + warm headphones.

In other words don’t pair bright DACs with bright headphones, warm headphones with warm DACs.

Although I must say the ESS on the XD05Pro is tuned neutral warm and not overly bright. So unless you have a bright headphone/IEM, I’d say the new ES9039Pro is very enjoyable and superior in every way to the AKM and ROHM DACs. If you find ESS too bright switch from the stock op-amps to Sparkos or Burson. OPA1612 does not do very well in upper treble.
I should be getting the Sparkos this up coming week. But stock, I really do enjoy the sound. And absolutely do not find it bright at all. Yes, very bright headphones, maybe can be a mis match. But even with my Hifiman Ananda Nano which are bright leaning headphones, the pairing sounds great. HD800s is very nice to, I love it. But I think with the Sparkos. All that I am hearing that I love will just be improved upon. Smoother, more dynamic, larger stage, more depth and air between instruments, more detail and overall clarity is what I expect with the Sparkos upgrade. But calling the ESS bright or edgy on the Xduoo, I'm not so sure about. Maybe mid forward and a little more forward in overall presentation? Maybe. But bright, sharp, edgy and lean. Nah, not to my ears. It's warm, lush, extremely punchy and overall musical. One of the best ESS tunings I've heard to date, and if the Sparkos improves that, 10000000% match made in heaven 😁👍
 
Mar 9, 2024 at 4:51 PM Post #1,560 of 3,071
This thing sounds amazing with the Sparkos. So smooth yet so clear. More extension up top, retains the same energy but it's smoother and much more refined. The detail is amazing. Mids gain a touch of weight but again, not sacrificing clarity, instead its improved. The low end becomes extremely dynamic, fast, textured and highly detailed. I use a little eq on my Ananda Nano, but this combo. To say the Ananda Nano actually slams hard. Very impressive. But the main thing is the staging and imaging. The XD05 Pro stock is already very very good. But yes, the Sparkos takes it next level. I was listening to Type O Negative The Glorious Liberation Of The People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined. At 58 seconds a helicopter goes past. From one ear to the other. I was using my HE1000 stealth and I seriously felt a helicopter was going past me. Plus it was extra realistic because I was sitting outside enjoying a beer haha. Overall, I am beyond impressed. One of the best purchases I've done in years. And if the XD05 Pro sounds this good. Truly amazing. I can't wait to hear how It'll sound with the R2R dac and maybe other higher end dacs that come out. Imagine a very nice R2R dac, or better ESS dac. And Sparkos release a triple discrete Opamp that is not as wide, just slighly smaller in width but obviously height will be taller. But if the height can be less compared to the SS3602 with the extra dip socket/riser. It would be a game changer 🤯🤯🤯. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Overall. Xduoo XD05 with ESS dac and Sparkos SS3602. Just like @nioh said. It's a match made in heaven 😁👍
 
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