xDuoo TA-10 Balanced Headphone DAC/Amp Discussions | Drop

xDuoo TA-10 Balanced Headphone DAC/Amp

Showing 1 of 70 conversations about:

Sep 13, 2017

I have a feeling the "balance" is mostly just how they advertise XLR output. I wouldn't guess true full balance at the price of this unit, but it does have the XLR out which I believe is similar to the Schiit Jotunheim which was advertised at one point as balanced but technically isn't true balance.
Marketing is just hitting the buzzword for balance with the XLR output. If you want true balance you will need to spend a bit more, but if you don't mind, the power this gives is decent for the price and being a DAC/AMP.

Furukitsune

Sep 16, 2017

Brosefstalin42What exactly do you mean by the Jotunheim not technically being truly balanced?

Oct 9, 2017

FurukitsuneI think I've heard people reference that the circuits inside aren't totally separated left and right so there is possibility of crossover/crosstalk? I haven't seen inside one but I've seen it several times that Jotun isn't purely balanced from a technical standpoint. Nobody seems to have contradicted other posts of it not being a true balance in other posts but I could also be remembering wrong.
But it seems now if you have XLR out marketing slaps it as a balanced out even if there isn't a balanced in or balanced circuitry.

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Furukitsune

Oct 9, 2017

Brosefstalin42Totally agree about the marketing not being honest. I did find some info since posting my question, it seems it might be the fact that the two channels share a transformer, or something else power-supply related. I don’t know how much it matters, but I think that’s the reason they say that.

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DarknessAngel

Jan 8, 2018

FurukitsuneJotunheim is fully balanced. It uses 2 4490 dacs for L and R XLR output and USB input which = fully balanced. You would have to have a nice balanced cable for your headphones with XLR connection, then USB 2.0 audio cable to PC. Ontop of this, being USB I would suggest something like the schiit USB wyrd that eliminates any USB noise.
This product on the other hand, doesn't state if it has 2 separate DAC chips to handle L and R. Also the specs showing at 32 ohm 2000mw in SE and balanced, almost tells me its not truly balanced. it should provide more power using balanced if it was a true balanced amp. Not saying this is a bad amp, but if your strictly looking for a balanced product I would look elseware. Theres nothing wrong with SE connections though. Just have to know what your driving and how much power you need. Balanced is also supposed to sound a bit better, but having never run a truly balanced setup I cannot say. Next month i'll be ordering a jotunheim to run with my hd6xx and wyrd with a balanced XLR cable and USB to the PC. we'll see then what I think about the difference.

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Jan 8, 2018

DarknessAngelYeah balanced is mostly just marketing lingo for XLR out now. This is a nice Swiss army knife for headphones with SE, XLR, and even roll a tube to change sound signature at a decent price.
Drivers are a pain for Windows 10 but if you follow through properly they aren't too bad. I didn't have to do anything special for mine to work but mileage varies it seems.

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DarknessAngel

Jan 9, 2018

Brosefstalin42I agree. XLR output gives the false impression of balanced system. Its an easy sale, you'll find trickerly like this alot on chinese made products. Is what it is. I'm sure this is a great little product. Some point in time, i'll pick me up a nice tube amp to play around with so i can do some rolling. It'll be a balanced setup though hopefully, not because its the best, but because i like to have all the options available to me to play around and listen with, balanced, SE, different DACs, tube rolling, you get the jist. I just recently got heavy into home audio (used to be really big into car audio many years ago) so now i'm having a bit of fun!
Since you've played around with this little guy, do you have any idea what kind of mW its pushing through 300 or 600 ohm?

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Jan 9, 2018

DarknessAngelI'd assume similar to the Magni 2 since it's got about the same 32 ohm power output

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