Quick Look: Hidizs XO Portable DAC/Amplifier

[VSG]

Did you ever look at the missing 3.5 mm audio jack on your phone, decide you wanted a dongle or portable DAC/amp to help replace it for better sound and compatibility for both IEMs and headphones, and also want it to have RGB lighting on the side? Hidizs has just the thing for you in the form of its new XO portable DAC/amplifier!

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[VSG]

@SOAREVERSOR

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

@SOAREVERSOR

Yeah I can see it now. Dunno why it does this with your quick reviews? LOL.

But wanted to point out as I know someone with one of these and tried it out they do sell a USBC to lightning cables along with OTG dongles on their site specifically for their products. Which is nice as they are made to work rather than faffing about on Amazon looking for a cable that might work for a device that might work with your iphone.

 

[GreiverBlade]

89-99$??????

oh... that's a nice price, not much higher than the KA1 (although dual 9219C vs single 9281AC Pro ) if i were still in the market for a dongle ... that would be an option

also another option i can see for DAC (and DAP) right now ... would be a HiBy R3 Pro Saber 2022 (dual ES9219) at 248chf which is not much higher than the 209$ (discounted atm from 229$) from the HiBy website
so much options from budget to mid ... but kinda want something else from a Sabre chip... (or AKM)

 

[VSG]

89-99$??????

oh... that's a nice price, not much higher than the KA1 (although dual 9219C vs single 9281AC Pro ) if i were still in the market for a dongle ... that would be an option

also another option i can see for DAC (and DAP) right now ... would be a HiBy R3 Pro Saber 2022 (dual ES9219) at 248chf which is not much higher than the 209$ (discounted atm from 229$) from the HiBy website
so much options from budget to mid ... but kinda want something else from a Sabre chip... (or AKM)

I have that R3 Pro Saber 2022 here along with a couple of other DAPs. Should get to them sooner rather than later.

 

[GreiverBlade]

I have that R3 Pro Saber 2022 here along with a couple of other DAPs. Should get to them sooner rather than later.

well, as i plan a budget of 300 sooner than later, i thought, "why not a DAC/DAP" as i had a Fiio X5 II before and quite liked it ...

if that R3 Pro Saber has your seal of approval: why not, although not 100% sure it's the 2022 revision my etailer has, is the non 2022 worth it at that price?

 

[VSG]

well, as i plan a budget of 300 sooner than later, i thought, "why not a DAC/DAP" as i had a Fiio X5 II before and quite liked it ...

if that R3 Pro Saber has your seal of approval: why not, although not 100% sure it's the 2022 revision my etailer has, is the non 2022 worth it at that price?

I don't have any experience with the previous one unfortunately, but I'll see what the differences are.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

89-99$??????

oh... that's a nice price, not much higher than the KA1 (although dual 9219C vs single 9281AC Pro ) if i were still in the market for a dongle ... that would be an option

also another option i can see for DAC (and DAP) right now ... would be a HiBy R3 Pro Saber 2022 (dual ES9219) at 248chf which is not much higher than the 209$ (discounted atm from 229$) from the HiBy website
so much options from budget to mid ... but kinda want something else from a Sabre chip... (or AKM)

Go through their site honestly you'll be shocked. They have quad balanced IEMs for 150, slightly better DAC/AMPs for just a tad above this. And they have full blow players for sub 200.

I've never personally owned any of their stuff* but a buddy on a budget got a full kit off a recomendation and it's rather nice. The full copper stuff is really spiffy looking if you've got copper IEM cables along with it and care about that stuff.

If you don't want ESS or AKM ifi makes stuff and sticks to Burr Brown and Astel & Kern will give you cirrus logic. Both are higher end brands. https://headphones.com/products/ifi-audio-hip-dac-v2-portable-dac-amp https://headphones.com/products/astell-kern-hc2-portable-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier While I like ESS I do tend to agree that they have taken over the market completely with the single and dual configurations. It's all in the execution of it though.

A distant third, and somewhat bonkers crazy stupid option if you don't mind something larger and goofier is to pull a Chord Mojo off ebay. As they rather recently dropped the Mojo 2 back in Feb a lot of people are selling off their Mojo and going for the Mojo 2. There really isn't a change in sound it's more adding stuff like USBC. It's a non stop five star product but it runs hot, is large for a portable, looks goofy as fuck, and only has single ended (no balanced). That it somehow manages to keep getting five stars and is used in audio shows by big name headphone makers to demo units in the 4k+ range should tell you something about it though. This is an FPGA deal though. It's the type of thing that most people are going to look at a laugh at. But those in the know are going to smile and nod. It's complete overkill for most people though unless you want to drive four figure planars on the go and piss everyone in the office off! "What is that thing on your desk. It's a DAC and AMP, looks like a toy for special children. Turn it off turn it off I can hear it through the wall"

*I do have their OTG C to lightning adapter and their C to lightning cable but I wouldn't count those. That said they do exactly what it says on the tin.

 

[hurakura]

that rgb really improves the sound

 

[GreiverBlade]

that rgb really improves the sound

Yes! It make the colour of the sound more... Hum... Vivid?

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

that rgb really improves the sound

My guess with this is that they are selling it to gamers. Laptops outsell desktops by a wide margin and you can't take a proper dac/amp with you so dongles picked up slightly ave they took off with cell phones. Slap it on an alienware and call it a day.

To prove the point schitt is by no means a gaming brand but more of a serious brand. The stuff comes in classy all alu or a mix of black and alu. They introduced a combo dac/amp/soundcard type deal a while back called fulla (I have one and it's great for the price). Didn't really take off. Then they started selling their stuff in black and red and calling it gaming and sales took off. Which is all to say PC gamers are some of the most shallow and gullable consumers out there. I'm pretty sure the RGB here is the same thing. Bling it out and PC gamers are going to by it, specs don't matter.

Also there is dumber shit... take it away dyson!

https://www.dyson.com/headphones/zone/announcement