Overview xDuoo TA-10 - the new DAC-amplifier with a warm tube sound

destiny

Over the past decade, gadgets for high quality playback of music have changed dramatically. If earlier the rack audio equipment could take half of the room, but now most people bypassed the smartphone in your pocket and miniature headphones. Huge progress, but seasoned web audiophiles do not cease to talk about some special "tube sound." According to them, from the past amplifiers have a characteristic atmospheric sound, which is now almost lost.

Especially for fans of manufacturers have established production of amplifiers operating in the vacuum tubes. Layfhaker tested one of these devices, to personally experience the magic magic tube sound, or make sure that it is only nostalgia, Warmed advertising promises manufacturers.

Specifications

DAC device is implemented on-chip AK4490. Responsible for strengthening 12AU7 lamp, as well as transistors operating in Class A. Fans of customization can easily replace the lamp DEFAULT for something better and discover a vast field for experiments with sound.

In XDuoo TA-10 is a digital USB-in on the XMOS chip for connecting to a computer. The device supports PCM-resolution signal to 32-bit / 384 kHz and up to DSD DSD256. Built-in amplifier is able to work with the headphones with an impedance of 600 ohms. There are both balanced output and linear.

Packaging equipment

xDuoo TA-10 comes in a large cardboard box, which is completely devoid of any design refinements. Dense yellow cardboard, at least inscriptions, impressive size and weight - is immediately obvious that this is a serious product. However, its main task packaging coped brilliantly: amplifier get to us safe and sound.

Inside we found the device itself, power cord, cable for connection to a computer, headphone adapter, CD with drivers and instructions. Separately packed a special frame, which serves to protect the lamps from accidental damage.

Most of us are surprised by CD-ROM drivers included c. Now quite difficult to find a computer equipped with the appropriate drive, so it is unclear why the manufacturer has added a disc here. Well, that although not forgotten on the site to publish all the necessary files.

Appearance

XDuoo TA-housing 10 is made of high-quality black metal. All surfaces are perfectly smooth, rough edges and burrs not. Stationary model, so the materials are not saved. The walls of the device is quite thick, and do not bend even under heavy pressure.

On the front panel there is a volume control, combined with the input selector. He moves slowly and softly, and when you click on it is heard a quiet click Relay. Also, there is a front linear connector and XLR-input for connecting headphones. The latter uses the balanced connection, which is mainly used in professional audio equipment.

Main attention is attracted by vacuum tube. It is located outside, which makes it easy to change it to any other, as well as gives an unusual appearance of the amplifier. During operation, the glass bulb emits a faint flickering light, which looks very cool at night.

the sides of xDuoo TA-10 completely empty. But on the back of the present chaos: here is the connector for the power cable, over it - a power button, and the left - three nests group for connecting external sources.

In general appearance xDuoo TA-10 is impressive his rigor and thoroughness. The device pleased with quality materials, good build and the availability of all the necessary interfaces for use in both domestic and professional purposes.

connection

Thanks to numerous connectors there are two modes of use. If you submit a signal to the line input, then xDuoo TA-10 will only work as an amplifier. And if you connect the device with the bundled cable to the USB-output of the computer, It will completely replace its sound card. In this case, the TA-10 xDuoo will assume the role as a digital-to-analog converter and amplifier.

When you first connect the gadget to the computer itself is the system to detect, and then install the necessary drivers. Anyway, that's how it happens in Windows 10. Users of other operating systems will have to install drivers from a disc or the Internet.

Then you need to open System Preferences and choose the XMOS speakers as the device to output the default sound. This will redirect the digital signal to an external DAC to bypass the built-in sound card. Now you can connect to xDuoo TA-10 headphones or powered speaker system.

Sound

For sound quality testing, we connect your machine as a desktop computer and a laptop. Play music recordings in FLAC format different artists and genres. To listen using headphones oriolus Finschi.

Even after a cursory acquaintance became clear that the sound of this tube amp is very different from its competitors in the semiconductor. Primarily affects the breadth and depth of the sound stage, where every note has its own place. Music is heard not inside your head, like it usually happens when using headphones, and around, and even sometimes as though in the distance. TA-10 proves that the stories about the corporate tube sound indeed they are the real foundation.

The device has a good response to the lower range and can easily reproduce even the lowest notes. Due to the high output power is obtained dense bass at any volume level, the mean frequency is not muted.

But the higher frequencies, in our view, would not hurt to add speed and sharpness. Many students may not like them too soft and enveloping surround sound experience, even that is not well suited to play aggressive musical genres. However, maybe this is the indescribable peculiarity of tube sound, which is so much talk of his worshipers?

results

Company xDuoo gained its popularity primarily due to the production of high-quality portable devices: players, amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters. However, as the example of TA-10, the manufacturer and copes with fixed appliances.

xDuoo TA-10 has a stylish strict design quality filling and sound which can not issue any smartphone. The possibility of rapid replacement of the vacuum tube opens audiophiles wide field for experimentation.

At the time of writing the price xDuoo TA-10 is 18 950 rubles.

Layfhaker thanks Store Xtenik for providing the test device.