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Product Description
The Aune X1s 2020 follows the popular Aune 10th Anniversary Edition, which provided an excellent value in an all-in-one DAC/amp solution. The X1s is the 7th generation of the Aune X1 Series Read More
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Quick review, this amp provides a LOT of power, is fairly linear, but does provide a little bit of distortion for trade off, particularly with lower impedance headphones/earbuds. You will only really hear it with volume turned fully up with nothing playing but it's there. If you have an extra $50 to $100 go for a THX amp with much lower distortion with slightly less overall power.
There is something unique about this amp, at least to my rather inexperienced ears, but that should be obvious given it is an (almost) pure class a design? I'm not sure exactly how to describe it without drifting off into a land of semi-coherent subjective mouth diarrhea. There seems to be a confident immediacy to how it delivers music but I fully admit that could be my brain validating belief more than reality. There has been significant improvement to the slew rate of other topologies, enough that I fully acknowledge a lot of the benefits of class a might not be as relevant to leading edge transients/dynamics as they once were. This is still a very new subject to me and without some actual blind comparisons, I can't be sure if I'm merely confirming my own bias. That all being said, even if purely placebo, there is something different going on here that I absolutely love. That alone is worth the price of admission to me. It's also built like a damn tank and has a wonderful volume knob. Sometimes I pet it and tell it I love it.
I purchased this piece because it was affordable and because I love DROP and what they have done to bring quality products to folks like me. I am useing it with my well worn HD650 headphones and love the smooth, detailed and silk like sound the combination offers the listener. I had my own recording studio and am not a causal listener. I loved the combination so much that I just ordered a second pair of HD6XXX from drop and can hardly wait for them to arrive. I just listened to Jazz at the Pawn Shop an LP recoded in 1976. I couldn't be happier, well maybe a little happier were the folks at DROP to send me an extra pair of HD6XXX for my wife. I can dream can't I.
Had my X1s for a week or so and it pairs wonderfully with the HD6xx
Initially was worried it may not have enough power to drive them but has plenty of power to drive these no problem at all. At 100% volume in windows, comfortable at 9 o'clock, wayyyyyy too loud at 11 o'clock. Adjust as necessary.
Very clean sound with HD6xx and also with ATH-m50x. No colouring or distortion that I can notice, very neutral. Fairly well defined soundstage and instrument seperation.
Also looks good, input selection button is tactile and volume wheel is smooth too.
The only other DAC/AMPs I have to compare this to is an Earstudio ES100, which is not really in the same category. If I want elevated volumes out of my Hifiman HE4xx I need to use the Aune X1S which delivers the extra power required by the planars. Max volume for short listening periods is about 3 o'clock on the dial with the HE4xx and between 12-1 o'clock with Sennheiser HD58x. What I lose when using the Aune vs. the ES100 is the equalizer. The HD58x sound great out of the box but the HE4XX require some tweaking with the EQ on the ES100. I have been running the Aune exclusively via the USB port from a Mac to either headphones, or the RCA out to a set of powered monitors on my desk. Overall I'm pleased with my purchase.
Lo estoy usando aproximadamente 1 mes, y realmente me impresionó la calidad de sonido, con la actualización de su dac y la incorporación de su amplificador clase A mejora su sonido, tuve la oportunidad de probar la versión de su décimo aniversario (que tiene un amplificador clase AB) y prefiero la versión 2020.
Es un buen producto a un precio razonable que puede compararse con productos mucho mas caros.
Have been using the unit for about a month now and it's very enjoyable.
I use this as an dac/amp replacement from my BTR3 which should be used more for portable.
Driver install is not needed for Windows 10, but I installed anyway just to test the thing.
This unit can drive HE4XX with the knob at noon and this thing goes up to 6 o' clock, so it's very capable to power almost anything that aren't argons.
For those who own budget iems or headphones should be careful with the volume, as it is a class A amplification.
But I'm happy to report that this amp has a very clean, energetic and engaging sound without emphasize any frequency range that makes me feel weird or fatigue.
This is an ideal budget dac/amp for people who want great sound with enough power to drive most (typical) headphones in one package.