The company xDuoo already rightfully can be considered an experienced player in the market of portable Hi-Fi. Let each of their products not become a revelation in terms of sound quality, the price-performance ratio is traditionally high. Recently, their lineup has been replenished with several devices, but the most interesting, of course, is the flagship of the X20.
Fortunately, people who are not burdened with wages with six or more zeros, xDuoo continue to expose very affordable price tags, despite the fact that in their older model they managed to "shove" a lot of everything, starting with ES9018K2M in the role of DAC and ending with two master oscillators for minimal jitter. Did not pass attention to the non-sound capabilities, there is everything that the rules of good tone dictate having a modern player: USB-C, working in two directions, balanced output, Bluetooth with aptX and much more. To cope with the soft part, xDuoo attracted the Hiby themselves, and this, perhaps, has become one of the main advantages of the device.
Specifications
- DAC: ES9018K2M
- OU: OPA1612
- Supported formats: APE, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, AAC, MP3, OGG, WMA, ISO, DSF, DFF
- DSD support: up to DSD256
- Input: USB-C
- Outputs: 3.5 mm earphone, 2.5 mm balanced, 3.5 mm linear, combined with a coaxial
- Bluetooth: 4.1 with aptX and Hiby Link
- Screen: 2 "TFT, 240 × 320
- Battery: 2400 mAh
- Operating time from one charge: ~ 8 hours from the normal output, ~ 7 hours from the balanced output
- Charging time: <3 h
- Dimensions: 110 mm × 56 mm × 16.6 mm
- Weight: 138 g
3.5 mm output
- Output Power: 210mW @ 32Ω
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0.15 dB)
- Signal to noise ratio: ≥114 dB
- Dynamic range: > 75 dB
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 0.0015%
Balance output
- Output Power: 300mW @ 32Ω
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0.15 dB)
- Signal to noise ratio: ≥ 116 dB
- Dynamic range: > 112 dB
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 0.0015%
Linear output
- Output level: 1.7 Vrms
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0.15 dB)
- Signal to noise ratio: ≥114 dB
- Dynamic range: > 108 dB
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 0.0012%
Packing and delivery kit
Counter-cultists from xDuoo decided to break the system and made a box for the player white, it looks not super-effective, but, on the other hand, why spray the effort at something that will almost certainly be thrown out. Traditionally, in the box there is a player on the top, below are various accessories, which this time besides the warranty card with the instruction are:
- USB-C-Wire
- Harsh as an armature and as thick as an armature of 3.5 mm interconnect
- A pair of plugs for a 3.5 mm jack (about 2.5 mm balanced, apparently decided not to worry)
- A pair of spare protective stickers on the screen
- Several self-adhesive silicone legs (here it is real - surprised and puzzled)
Unfortunately, the kit does not contain a cover, but in this case, the cover is not needed to protect the player when it falls to the floor, but rather the reverse - to protect the floor from damage to the falling X20.
Design and management
Previously, xDuoo rushed between two extremes, or, as in X10, they did not think about design, or, as in X3 - they thought too much, but in both cases it turned out sad. At this time, the company's managers correctly measured the time necessary for designers, and the player turned out to be balanced both externally and by UX. Of course, to the state of "the player's cool design" did not last long, do not call the same design a metal bar with buttons on the sides, but the X20 at least does not cause a shudder when looking at it and really good at managing.
Over the shape of the case in xDuoo did not think long (ahead was the difficult task of choosing the color of the power button), so we have an absolutely straight rectangle with slightly beveled ends. In terms of size, he is a little larger than most colleagues in the price segment, but still remains quite a pocket solution. If someone decided to hold a competition for the title of the most heterosexual player - there would be no competitors at all for this gadget, even the controls are limited only by buttons.
On the left there was a radio button with a radical red color and two volume keys, below is a reset hole (never useful) and a slot for MicroSD cards. The player does not have its memory, but in this age of big cards it does not matter.
The right end is richer with buttons, there are 3 keys for controlling the playback, they also serve for navigation through the menu and confirm the selection. To life does not seem very easy, the designers have mixed up the direction of the "Play" button icon, which at first cost me a few mistakes, but you quickly get used to it and start to manage blindly. Above are the buttons to return back and call the submenu.
In general, if I have not yet clearly formulated the above - despite the jokes, "usability" of the player xDuoo succeeded, the gadget is perfectly controlled and to the touch, and with open eyes. If to carp - that up to the bottom buttons on the right end face it is necessary to drag a little a finger, but to it I quickly got used.
At the bottom there are three outlets, here the main thing - do not stick the headphones accidentally into the line output (remember that the kit comes with convenient caps? I recommend). On the top side there was a USB-C-connector, and it fully corresponds to the expectations: charging, access to the memory card, USB DAC, USB OTG, USB Audio - everything is in stock. The USB DAC function works with a slight delay, but otherwise the function surprisingly functions without any complaints. The player is able to output a digital signal (including DSD) via coaxial and USB, which makes us understand that the "player-transport" X10T died before it was born.
On the front panel is only the screen, expected for a budget player it is smaller than the one allocated for it, but wanting another for 200 with a few dollars is clearly stupid. The resolution and color rendition of the screen are average, but the brightness margin is quite good, even in the sun it remains readable (albeit not very well). In the upper left corner above the screen there is a small LED for indicating important events (mainly, of course, connected with the battery).
The battery life is not phenomenal, but pulls to the average level by modern standards with a margin, with MEEAudio P1 as a load when playing FLAC 44.1 / 16 the player has worked 8 hours and 15 minutes. The full charge time was 2 hours and 45 minutes. For a fairly powerful device - very decent figures.
Firmware
Since any girl should have a mystery, and in any Chinese player - some kind of add-on (the more appropriate verbal noun is not allowed to me by the site rules), the product managers xDuoo (or Hiby, I do not know which of them was engaged in the firmware design) decided to recoup the menu. It contains 6 points, with it done with "circular" navigation, that is, when moving on the right column, pressing the "down" button shifts the selection upward. Add to this is not the most clear selection of the current item, and you will understand the whole point of the difficulties experienced by the user who first turned on the player. Fortunately, the developers have limited this single "feature", and you get used to it very quickly.
In the rest, the praise of Confucius, everything turned out very well, thanks first of all to Hiby, who was developing the firmware, and secondly - xDuoo, who decided this time to skip this important process.
On the firmware - before us is a typical Hiby product with the maximum use of the company's developments. The menu is divided into 6 parts, so I will describe them in order of navigation.
Music Browser. Here everything is expected, viewing the media library by folders, an SD card and a USB OTG flash drive are available. Someday, Chinese programmers will learn to determine that the USB flash drive is not connected and remove the "extra" menu item, but it did not happen soon. In the same section there is a menu for updating the library (which prevented it from being placed in the next section, where this same media library lives - the enigma is smothered by the smile of Yuri Loza). Button "option" - allows you to delete files and folders as well as add music to your favorites.
My Music. Here is expected to be a media library: viewing by genre, album, artist, and all together. Of the additional bonuses - the list of favorites, playlists and a list of recently played. There is also a submenu called by the "option" button.
Now Playing. This menu item displays the cover of the current album and a brief information about the track being played, its selection, expected, returns us to the playback screen. The latter is quite traditional, the album covers the most part, pressing the "option" button opens a submenu with quick settings.
Bluetooth Settings. Here everything is also expected, turn on the wireless interface, select devices for connection, enable / disable aptX and Hiby Link. By tradition, the player can work as a Bluetooth transmitter and as a receiver, but in the latter case, the quality is limited to the SBC codec.
System Settings. All the variety of system settings, from the choice of language (Russian is present) and ending with the mode "Car" (the player automatically turns on when the power is supplied via USB and turns off when disconnected). Naturally, there are brightness settings, shutdown timers, firmware update, etc. Also, for some reason, this subsection placed the option to go to the next folder while playing.
Music Settings. The same familiar settings of everything connected with sound. Gain, digital filter (only two options), playback order, equalizer (as usual, implemented so-so), remember volume and position when turning off and all other settings that it is decent to have a modern player.
If to say "in general", the firmware is fairly stable, fast and does not contain any special problems. The player is friendly with non-Latin characters (provided that the owner knows what UTF-8 is, or knows how to use the head and Google), so the idea of outsourcing the software gave beautiful results.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: iBasso IT03 , Meze 99 Classics , Audio Zenith PMx2 , Noble Kaiser Encore , Campfire Audio Andromeda , 64 Audio U12 , HUM Pristine and others.
The search for "their sound", started by XDuoo on the X10, finally came to the end, and in the X20 the company's engineers managed to make the feed simultaneously "their own" and at the same time without strong distortions in the sound. If you evaluate the sound of the model as a whole, then the player is slightly darkened and a bit relaxed, but it's done very carefully and moderately.
The bass is slightly accented, although, perhaps, it would be more appropriate to say that the bass seems to be accented due to the features of the feed of the upper half of the frequency range. LFs are decent in depth, although the "lower LF" is not controlled perfectly, for this price category everything is more than good, the player has massive feed, decent texture transfer and good resolution. Biting is not ideal, but it is also at a decent level, especially when using fast headphones. High-speed characteristics are not prohibitive, but "four" are quite pulling.
MFs are submitted with a bias in macrodynamics, this is not a model for fans of microdetal and monitored dryness. Due to decent performance in the field of "macro", the player perfectly conveys emotions, neatly accenting them. However, it is not particularly critical to the quality of the recording (a drive player that accentuates emotions well, I think it's clear for which styles it will be good), but the characteristic features of the track information still do not disappear. The imaginary scene is somewhere medium in width and a drop less than the average in depth, but horizontally the instruments are divided well, although a slightly better separation of plans would go to the G20 for good.
HF, perhaps, the most simplified part in the sound of the player. The X20 should appeal to those who do not like the top of the range, softened attacks and attenuation on the HF allow the player to sound comfortable enough. The top remains very legible, but sometimes it lacks more presence. I think the player is just "sharpened" for not very high quality recordings, in which decent HF is a rarity, since the player copes normally with most modern music.
Since I can not compare the player to all the models that are available on the market physically, for comparison, I chose basically the models of a similar segment. Comparing the X20 with obviously more expensive models is pointless, and with significantly worse - disrespectful.
FiiO X3-III. Virtually in all respects the FiiO player acts as an antidote to xDuoo, it concerns both the firmware and the sound. The "Third Three" plays neutrally, with a slight bias in the light feed, offering a monitor sound for connoisseurs of unadornedness, while the "twenty", on the contrary, accentuates emotions and slightly darkens the sound (however, without strong distortions).
Shanling M3s. Of course, at a price it would be more logical to include M2s in this comparison, but in fact the X20 can compete with the older model. The Shanling player is better at working on the HF, offering a more interesting sound of this part of the range, but on the MF and LF, perhaps, the scale tilts in favor of xDuoo (if you discard subjective preferences, of course).
xDuoo X10. Actually, the "younger brother" up to the X20 is noticeably inadequate, but is included in the comparison to demonstrate the fact that xDuoo is working on the sound. X20, of course, is more expensive than one and a half times, but this is the case when it is worth paying. The older model sounds more natural, with more involvement and better detail throughout the entire frequency range.
Hidizs AP100. This player was included in the comparisons for one simple reason - it's much like the X20 on the pitch, but the xDuoo brainchild develops these ideas at a higher level: better resolution for midrange, more resilient deep bass, in general, almost anything that lets say about "Half a step forward" or to stick in some other cliché with a similar meaning.
Compatibility
One of the advantages of the X20 is its power, it's not a record, but it's enough for most modern headphones, including full-size ones. Of course, background noise with the most sensitive IEM is in some way "paid" for this very power, but its volume is at a quite acceptable level, so there are no special problems with the selection of headphones for the X20. He, for example, liked me very much with HiFi Boy OS V3, with FiiO F9 Pro and Campfire Audio Cascade (of course, this is a subjective and far from complete list).
The genre player is quite universal, but at a discount to its price, for complex styles, perhaps, it is worth considering something more expensive. Just in my opinion, the player should like those who like the sound of a la Hidizs AP100 - with the pressure on the bass and the added "drive" on the lower midrange. To the quality of recording X20 is quite tolerant, somewhere by 6 points out of 10.
Several traditional sample tracks
Amon Amarth - Valhall Always Awaits Me. The collection will begin, let's say, not the most complex and intellectual representative of the heavy genre. Fortunately, Amon's lack of complexity in their music is perfectly compensated by emotion and drive, and the X20, often acting in much the same vein, is great for their creativity, enhancing the effect.
Perry Como - Young at Heart. There are performers and songs that work like a time machine, and a given track from their number. In the variant from the player xDuoo, it clearly performs its task, transferring us to the distant past, allowing us to enjoy this vintage record: back-vocal, orchestral background - are recouped just fine.
Marillion - Kayleigh. I do not think that there are among my readers music fans who are not familiar with the work of Marillion and especially their biggest hit. But since last year there was a remaster (or rather a remix) to which the One who makes the Best Remasters put his hand, I can not but return to this album again. I will not praise Steven again, but he again managed to modernize the album, completely retaining his spirit, and the xDuoo X20 with its drive feed shows it at a very good level.
conclusions
I do not know if it will not be too pathetic to write something like "at last xDuoo did it"? X20, of course, this is not a "killer of all competitors", as it is being tried in some places, but it is definitely a player, for which it is no longer necessary to make a discount on the price, justifying some shortcomings with low cost. Before us is a player with all the modern "chips", a good sound and convenient control, and a low price serves only as an "additional bonus" to its indubitable pluses.
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