I was too wound up after playing a gig one winter Sunday evening. Watching episodes of the Grand Tour over a couple shots of Ballantine Scotch Whiskey was not enough to relax my mind. So I ended up "window" shopping on Amazon.
This tiny USB DAC piqued my interest and I thought I could use it for my Lenovo laptop. Given that the above specs were very similar to my current AQ Dragonfly Black at less than 1/3rd the price, I bought it and called it a night.
A shootout with the AQ Dragonfly Black was inevitable. I will just admit outright that this $29.39 USB DAC blew away the Dragonfly Black! The XtremPro X1 is more dynamic, transparent across the audio band and extended at both frequency extremes. Although I'm just a casual headphone listener, the healthier output voltage of the X1 was also an advantage through my 90s vintage Grado SR60 cans.
Unfortunately, the XtremPro X1 does NOT work with iOS devices as-is (see update below) but there were no issues with the aforementioned Lenovo and my 2013 MacBook Pro.
Apparently, this USB DAC has had quite a following in Europe.
Important Update!
As suggested by a kind reader, Miguel (see comment below),
this issue
can be by-passed through a generic 2 port USB 2.0 Hub. This Eyeboot model from Amazon did the job for $5.99.
How to:
Plug the 2 port USB hub wall wart to an AC source,
XtremPro X1 DAC > 2 port USB hub > iOS camera adapter > iOS device, plug your headphones to the 3.5mm socket or connect to your preamp or integrated amp, happy listening!
XtremPro X1 + Eyeboot 2 port USB Hub = great value for the money!
Hello, I was intrigued with this device and buy one from Amazon, and work fine on my notebook and try with in mi Ipad with camera adapter and a cheap 2 port hub 2.0 for bypass the "power demands limited issue" and works.
ReplyDeleteHi Miguel,
DeleteThat's a great tip! Can you please give more details on how you managed to by-pass using a "2 port hub 2.0"? Did you use something like this - https://www.google.com/search?q=2+port+USB+hub&newwindow=1&safe=off&rlz=1C5CHFA_enPH726PH726&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjek5aD9unaAhXEt1kKHT_JCa4QsxgIKQ&biw=1024&bih=499#spd=3809183981886276991
Thanks!
JE
Hi
DeleteFirst of all if you try to use in a Ipad with the camera adaptor display this mesage
https://flic.kr/p/25FEp5g
The function of the USB hub was hide the device, in my case is a cheap "no mark chinese" Hub USB2.0, in some places mention the plugable2.0
https://flic.kr/p/HpcV5B
https://plugable.com/products/usb2-2port
Thanks again Miguel! I figured it out and can now use the XtremPro X1 with my iOS devices. See my update above. Muchas Gracias!
DeleteJE