OKAY, i got my onix alpha xl1 in the mail yesterday and have been absolutly blown away by how damn transparent and beautiful this little dongle sounds omg im buying a second one its just that freaking amazing. Iv been comparing it to my moondrop dawn pro which i thought sounded great but i couldnt have been more wrong wow i just cant believe they are selling this thing for only $109 what a freaking steal this thing is. I literally cant recomend it enough. I also want to add if you want a really good headphone on the cheap get yourself a koss kph40 utility heaphone, this is a very good headphone and it WILL grow with you as you upgrade your dacs and amps. Its a very capable headphone and very comfortable.
I wanted to add iv been playing with the filters and here is my take on the filters. Slow Filter is like a rolling hill smooth sides rising to round peak then slowly rolls back down this is what a note sounds like on this filter. On Fast Filter picture the same hill but its been squished in from the sides its now taller more powerful sound but dosnt linger around as much as the slow filter. The low lattency are like the fast and slow but picture the start of the note being replaced by a sharp cliff instead of a steadily increasing slope. This gives notes a sharper frontal edge. Personally i perfer the slow filter but i can see where fast filter could help with more mellow headphones. If your chasing details you might perfer the low latency filters but for me I found them more fatiguing to listen to.
@@haneko6422hi I’ve ordered mine for my s12 iems . Can you give some advice on settings ? Also does it have a battery or needs to be connect to a device ? I seen 10 hours but was confused
After watching the review I ordered it yesterday and I received the Onix Alpha Xl1 the next day. Thanks to the fast shipping since I was having an assignment in China, shipping was fast. Spent a good 1 hour listening and I must say it beat my questyle M15 hands down. Spot on review Andy! Thank you!
Picked up Onix Alpha after listening to you and a couple other reviewers I trust and am super impressed. I have several nice dongles including Cayin RU6, Hiby FC6, Lotoo S1, Penon Tail, and L&P W2 but have been listening to Onix Alpha more than those since I got it. Great recommendation!
I ALMOST pulled the trigger on this one to get a discount on the last day of the AliX sale. Told myself to wait until 11.11 to see what else comes out in the coming months. I think the dongle, Bluetooth Amp/DAC game is going to see some crazy improvements in capability over the next two years! Thanks for the review.
Thank you Andy for your review, I was waiting for it with some impatience. Now listening to your opinion and the incredible score of this dongle, I placed my order! My wife is not going to be happy yet....Ah Ah Ah!!!
I’ve been listing to this for a week and I’m super happy with it. I have the Onix Mystic and love the sound, now finally I have something super portable that carries the similar sound tonality on the go. I also pair it with the HUM MA-1B portable class-A amp. It is heavenly
After watching a lot of your videos I bought the Hidizs MP145 as my fisrt IEM, and for how you describe the sound of this dac it seems to be exactly what I was looking for, your reviews are the best Andy 🤘
Hi Andy! I finally got my ONIX Alpha XI1. I am happy with my purchase! Thanks for the review and recommendation! More power to you and regards to Geoff!
Hi andy. Just received my onix alpha xl1 today and tested it right away. This is just the kind of sound i really love. Listening to 70s-80s music, that kind of punch and body of sound elements in a track just hits really different. Listening to modern records, it plays like welcoming, like you want to see the song in front of you and hug it.
Here’s my big BUT: i’ve been experiencing a playback hiccup (1-2 second no-sound interruption) very randomly. I really think there is a solution for this to be solved with UAPP under “USB audio tweaks” setting portion. I really hope this sheds some light for discussion here.
Just pulled the trigger on this ONIX . My first ever decent DAC dongle(compared with some cheap 3.5mm adapters). Absolutely mind blown by how good music sounds especially through the 4.4mm port. Almost like you’re in front of the musicians . Terbaik bos
Hello Andy, you’re awesome @reviewing audio gadgets and great human being too..thanks a ton for your time! Your suggestions makes my audio gadget purchases more valuable and satisfactory. God bless you!
Thank you for this great review! This is the one I was waiting for and I had made a blind purchase last week. I'm glad I got it right. Along with the M12i, on the way, they're going to be my favorites. Thank you also for all your other reviews, they are a great help.
Dangg! I decided to pulled the plug and get this Onix Alpha 🤩🤩🥳🥳 Can't wait for it to be matched with my Kinera Baldr OG. Would love to see how it all sounds like. Thank you Sir for this detailed review ! Awesome stuff as always! !🥳🥳
@@donglemadness I just got my Onix Alpha XL1!! 🥳🥳 I love how this sounds with my Kinera Baldr. Thank you again Sir Andy for this review and recommendation!
Thank god I'm poor so I didn't spend my money immediately after watching your review of Shanling UA4 video and after your recommendation of the EPZ TP50 and up to now, I think the strategy is to save up real good and buy this one. Unless there is another better dongle with about the same 100$ price tag. Very informative video, Andy. I hope they will sell this on AliExpress or better, at my country's official shops
Hey Andy, I have finally been able to purchase my first dongle: "the ONIX Alpha" and I have been using it for about a week now. Everything you said in your video are correct ( the look, the material, ease of use and most important, the performance, all on point ) and I hope this dongle will be the best dongle for this year. BUT, one thing I notice about this dongle that after researching about it on reddit, some complains that the dongle despite having a type C interface, it doesn't work with some (unknown exact amount) phones out there. I use it mostly on my desk pc but other time I pair it with my Samsung S9 and it works well. However when I let my friend use the dongle with his Nothing phone, despite having a type c port, the phone doesn't register Onix and plays audio through the built in speaker. I hope ONIX can do something about this soon, but beside this compatibility issues, everything about this dongle is a big thumbs up. Thank you for your videos, Andy
I have the Cayin RU 7 which I love except for the energy drain. I am glad good tech is getting more affordable but I am going to be disciplined and hold. Thank you for tempting all of us with amazing tech when it happens.
I have both right now. I started with the Onix and just got RU7. The RU7 completely destroys the Onix in every way, especially the soundstage. As an analogy, the Onix feels like looking through binoculars while the RU7 feels like removing them. It's that much of a difference. Don't be tempted by the Onix, this guy is so off when it comes to it. You have the better DAC
Oh Andy, i’m anti dongle guy because i don’t like dangling on my phone. So i usually like desktop amps and DAPs . This will be my first dongle to try, thanks bro.
Thank you for your great review, otherwise I will never have to look over ONIX XI1, because of the price of $109, thinking this is a knock-off of high end brand and my low opinion of Cirrus Logic chips. But hey a DAC chip is only part of the whole implementation. Never expected a sigma-delta DAC dongle to sound more impressive than R2R matrix and to be able to hear clear difference between reconstruction filters (not a suggested one) and you are right those are not a different equalizer settings. As a death beat planar IEM lover I am in love with this dongle. It requires a lot of power from OTG to function properly which may be a disappointment for iPhone and DAP users. I have ordered blindly, based only of your opinion. Thank you Andy for the recommendation !
oh my, i just got my onix today. It is just so silky smooth, feel kind of milky. Really a slick dongle. Finally i find peace in my ears, comfortable and feel rewarding! Now awaiting NICEHCK MixPP 6N OCC cable in 4.4mm BAL (MMCX) to upgrade to 4.4 bal configuration. My heart is pounding with excitement now. Really a thousand thanks to donglemadness channel and especially Andy for releasing this special video as early as possible and introducing me the budget IEM Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro.
First of all I'm not an audiophile, just a music lover. I have many good dongles. The one I use the most is the Mini Tube from Woo Audio. I received my Alpha xl1 yesterday and WOW! It's totally amazing how this Gem is only 1/4 the price of mini tube. You need to hear it yourself to appreciate how good it sounds. The slow filter mode really smooth out some of my sibilant iems. Thank you Andy for your excellent review and recommendation 👍👍👍
Hello Andy and thank you for your work it really helps to make the right choice. I just have a question : are your ratings based just on performance or performance for the device price range ?in the dc07 pro video you say that it is similar to the DC elite and you say that both the Onix and the dc07 are very good. Does that mean that the Onix alpha is as good as the DC elite or does the rating you give it in your file takes into account the price range ? If I buy the Onix alpha, would it be worth it to later buy the DC elite ? Or since it's rating is lower than the onix's, it's not worth it ? Thank you very much I love your work!
All the dongles you mentioned already operating at the highest level with minor differences separating them. I don't recall saying DC Elite not worth it, it is an amazing dongle without a doubt, if you look closely at the rating breakdown, DC Elite rating is already above many other great dongles regardless of price. I just feel that ONIX Alpha or FC6 offers a bit more on the timbre and sound richness while all of them are equally matched on technicalities
I’ve had many Onix products over the years. As far as I can tell, they just rebadge products from other companies. My tube amps from them were from a brand named Harmony, for example. They had a lot of high value products with terrific performance in lower price ranges back in the 2000s.
I bought this device based on your recommendation. It sucks! Just kidding 😂 This thing is amazing! I absolutely love this DAC. I could not be happier with it. Amazing device for around 100 bucks. Wonderful. Thank you for your recommendation. Your review was spot on.
Your review always very informative and crystal clear! Glad im not rushing to buy UA4 or EPZ50 back then, and bam! new dongle king arrive (coz you declared it lol). I may buy this since this pretty affordable. May i know your impression with this and tanchjim origin..?
Thanks, just like many other highly rated dongles with synergy factor, ONIX works great with Origin, both being transparent so they complement each other nicely
Hi Andy! I was about to purchase Shanling UA4 but after this review, my attention is now focused on ONIX Alpha XI1. It's a good thing that I waited for this review. It's also significantly cheaper in price than most of your other excellent top picks. Shall I pick the ONIX Alpha XI 1 over the Shanling UA4? Awesome review and more power to you! Also, regards to Geoff!
@donglemadness I'm still waiting for my ONIX to arrive. Just a follow-up question from your extensive list, which low - or mid-priced IEM would you recommend pairing it with? Thank you Andy and more power to you! Regards to Geoff!
Hello. Did you already own the Colorfly cda-m1p or did you choose the Onyx when on first order? I have CDA-M1P and i'm now thinking whether if i should change it to onyx or not. 🤔🤔
@@donglemadness Hello. Will there be your review for Khadas Tone2 Pro? I saw a very good review of the sound of this device. I wonder how many points it would get in your rating system. 😉
Hello Andy, I need your advice please. I'm interested in which dongle sounds more musical and analogue and which one you should choose. I can get a lightly used Cayin RU6 for 110 euros or I can also get a new Onyx XL1 Alpha for 109 euros. Many greetings from Germany Thomas
Thanks. All else aside, cost and power efficiency make it easy choice. I have the RU7 and GO bar and enjoy them both. It’s encouraging to see that Cirrus Logic appears to be working through its dependence on Apple. I subscribed to your channel. I’ll enjoy your reviews even more now that I know you like cats :)
Thank you my friend, if you try senneheiser ie200 you will love it because its neutral and brighter sound but its not fatiguing. similar sound to tanchjim zero and ie600 very pricey.
@@donglemadness its cheap thats why you need to mod a little bit use aftermarket good seal ear tip like dinu ss or spinfit w1. also tape the hole increase sub bass.
Hi Andy! I've probably already tired you with my questions. But I have more questions. I have a Shanling UA4 available and I want to add another dongle, but I do not decide which one to choose. I listen to music through my smartphone and laptop. If I buy another Onix Alpha, won't it seem to me that I will have two almost identical dongles? Or maybe add some other dongle to my existing Shanling UA4 dongle? What can you say to that?
Dear Andy, Does the NEXT/PREVIOUS work SIMULTANEOUSLY with the VOLUME UP/DOWN (e.g. long pressing for the former and short pressing for the latter, like the FiiO KA5 and the KA17 which was launched without but it was added through a firmware update) or is it an option that, if enabled, disables the Volume control (like Shangling UA4) being either or? As always, thank you so so much for existing in my and others' audio world... You are the best!
As far as I can tell, the Play/Pause button works independently and does not work in combo like what you mentioned. It doesn't influence the volume adjustment behavior
@@donglemadness Thank you for replying... I will rephrase my question do that it is industry this time better: yes, the Menu button is also Play/Pause which is great, but what I wanted to please know is sitting else - in your review you mentioned that there was a Next/Previous Track option in the dongle settings - I was asking about that - does enabling it disables/replaces the Volume Control (case of either/or) or is it added (and one can have both Volume and complete Playback controls simultaneously)? Thank you so much for your help, patience and effort ❣️
Hi Andy, over on the XI1 thread on head-fi, I'm reading that the dynamic presentation is well-balanced as you said (don't need to keep adjusting volume), but some users are saying the dynamic range is poor in that there is little volume difference between the loudest and quietest sounds. Does your experience confirm this? I noticed you covered dynamic transients and dynamic presentation in this video, but I couldn't find the part about dynamic range.
I don't quite understand the issue here. When I said well balanced, it is the presentation of entire dynamic range which is linear neutral from one end of the sound frequency to another opposite end not exhibiting any kind of coloration or enhancement. If the dynamic range is poor as mentioned, then I would never personally place this ONIX Alpha as high as it is, I would not even recommend it if there's any indication of impairment or deficiencies to the way it present sound dynamics
@@andresvr8357 the last few pages. I hope they are wrong though. I got this for neutrality. The only thing they said that worried me is they said loud and quiet sounds don't stand out from each other. I hope its just due to their usual gear being too boosted. I want something that neither boosts nor compresses. I can only hope XI1 is normal and they are just used to boosted stuff. I hope it's not overly smoothed out.
@@Viewer13128 It also made me lose interest, I think Andy is confusing dynamic range with sound signature when he says neutral, since if something is neutral it doesn't mean it's very dynamic, that thing where the weakest and strongest sounds stand out. If it can serve to explain the dynamic range, when something low volume has to sound it will be precise and if from one moment to the next it changes to a loud sound it will be noticeable as in real life, perhaps it will be noticeable with classical music that goes from passages low to strong
Versus JDS Labs Atom 2 and some other DAC/Amps I have tried, I would say ONIX Alpha literally sounded as wholesome as those bigger compatriots, however JDS Labs Atom 2 still has the upper hand with outright soundstage width and BURSON Audio Playmate 2 (V7) still has advantage over absolute resolution. But by how much? just probably 5% differences which is negligible if you don't compare side by side
1. It works on ASUS laptops, but can have a maximum bitrate of 32bit, 384kHz in sound settings on Windows 11. Specification 768kHz is not shown. 2. On Samsung A52s smartphones, it is not recognized by Edit Player with the message 'connected to a high-power device'. I haven't experienced the above 2 issues with other dongle DACs including IBasso DC04 Pro. I hope it's resolved with firmware. There doesn't seem to be a window for feedback on the manufacturer's website. - Written in Korean by papago
@@donglemadness / I inquired by e-mail on the ONIX site and received an answer. 1. Windows doesn't have system wide support for 768 kHz, as it's not something any normal app would be using. For your playback of 768 kHz files, we recommend using dedicated playback software with Wasapi/Asio output, for example Foobar. 2. Does it happen with both UAC1.0 and UAC2.0 settings? (Press down play button while connecting to device to enter UAC1.0 mode). We reported it to software team to check on this. -------------------------------------- In the case of No. 2 above, I tried something other than the bundled cable. It was the cable of iBASSO DC04 PRO, the USB 3.1 data cable that I used to connect the DAC from my laptop. It was impossible to check because the smartphone did not power the DAC. On PC, it is set to UAC1.0. It cannot be used because it does not recognize the moment you connect to your smartphone. At this time, the A52S smartphone says, "High-power device connected. Device not accessible. Connected device needs external power." And when connected to PC again, it returns to UAC2.0. When connected to smartphone, ONIX Alpha XI1 is not powered and cannot be set. What's unusual is that the ONIX Alpha XI1 is a 500mW output. The iBasso DC04 pro I used until yesterday is 650mW output, but I wrote it without any problems. I'm checking the problem on ONIX, so I look forward to it being resolved. Other than me, there seems to be users who are not connected on smartphones such as Vivo, Huawei, and Xiaomi.
I've always thought that dongles did little to effect an iem's sound. I've always looked at the power output first, then the features. Just got this dongle and I can say that a lot of my iems sound better to my ear compared to both my jcally jm06 pro and shanling up4 22.
I recall a while back you mentioned phones must have pd3.0 to drive dongles properly or something? Nowadays I don't see pd3.0 on the phones' spec sheet. Has it been replaced? How do we check if our phones can properly drive a dongle?
PD 3.0 is the best for maximum power at over 900mA, but at the minimum most dongles already can operate effectively with PD 2.0 of which like this ONIX Alpha and quite a few more are doing so very well in USB Exclusive mode. With my PD 2.0 Xiaomi Mi9T, I do not feel or hear that this dongle performs any less great as when connected to my PD 3.0 Sony Xperia 1 iV
Hello Andy, as always a very interesting video. I'm currently using the Questyle M15. Is the Onix more of an upgrade or a sidestep? Thanks and best regards
To me, ONIX is an upgrade from M15 in several areas, especially that rich analog sound and outright power, also ONIX Aplha being more versatile with filters that really work. Alpha is also wider sounding. Technically both are quite evenly matched with resolution and imaging
I hope they don’t raise the price because this is accessible for a lot of people who otherwise can’t afford products $300 and up. Smart move on Onix with the introductory price to get us hooked!
Hi Andy dongle expert, can I ask in general whether you've experienced popping or clipping sound when you move dongles or its cable during usage? Because I attach my dongle to my phone or tablet, and sometimes when the dongle usb cable is tugged or pulled gently I would hear soft popping, clipping sounds, I'm not sure if it's because of the connection with its usb cables but i tried several cables and its all the same. When the dongle or cable doesn't move it sounds great. Lastly would these popping or clipping sounds damage the IEM or headphones? This experience always makes me a little scared to use dongles. Love your videos, from Singapore.
Does this happen to all of your IEMs or specific ones? Hybrid IEMs (with crossover components inside) are prone to picking up interferences. And you did not mention what dongle it is? or it could be simply you have some issues with the USB C port which may have developed an issue with grounding. Usually these type of issues are related to cables and connection points
Halo pak Andy i love all of your videos! But i just want to ask what is the firmware version you are using when testing during making this video? Because seems like shanling released a new firmware version which is version 1.1.3 and some people said it changed how the dongle sounds
@@donglemadness hi Andy, its been a week i use this dongle personally very good sounding... what filter do you recommend for jpop music (female singer) ? Thanks Andy🔥🔥
I personally don't have any of the compatibility issues with 4 of my Android phones, but then all of them are not Samsung (which seems to be having issues with ONIX). Also I do not hear any impairment of sound with the new FW updates
@@mrayars you'll have to wait until November for the next linsoul 1/2 price gift cards. Limited quantities of $100/$50 gift cards means you only have to play $59 instead of $109 for onix alpha
Actually I ordered EPZ TP50 from HiFi Cat two days ago and I cancelled it and purchased this ONIX instead . I also use Sundara and mp145 . Andy now do you prefer this over TP50 ?
Hi Andy, great review as always. Your love for this hobby is infectious. Help please : I'm new to auidiophile world and have Tangzu Wan er and KZ AMO1 and listen to mostly progressive rock (Tool), metal, rock and heavy rock, but do listen to most music. Bwfore you recommended Sivga Nightingale and Allegro to me, but sivga too expensive and dont like look of Allegro. What will go well with Onix Aplha? Initially fancied Kefine Delci but now fancy Tinhifi P1 Max 2. Also thinking to get Sivga Robin at a later date. Thoughts please sir🙏 Sorry for long message. Thank you Andy and Geoff 🙏❤️🙏 Want to upgrade
No worries, if you can get TINHiFi MAX 2 now then go for it, such a well tuned IEM and will go perfectly with ONIX, you can also consider AFUL Explorer if you want a bit more relaxed dynamics
Just started to explore dacs, does this greatly improve the sound quality for budget IEMs like KZ Castor and EDC Pro? Or this dac will only be worth it if I use expensive IEMs? Really thanks for the detailed analysis!
I am not sure what are you comparing it to, but assuming you referring to PC or phone out, then yes dongles like these will offer improved sound quality even for many KZ IEMs
@@donglemadness Thanks for the response! Currently I use VE Odo for my KZ Castor. I'm a bit hesitant to buy an expensive dongle like Onix Alpha Xl1 because I am not sure if it has a big difference compared to Odo. Do you think that Onix Alpha will be a worthy/big upgrade compared to the Odo?
Great review as usual! I’m looking for a lower impedance dac than my current FiiO KA3 to drive my Volares (a purchase partially influenced by your glowing review of it). Would the Onix make a better pairing since the Volares are so low impedance at 4.8ohm?
Hace un par de días salió Dunu dtc480 lo interesante es que aunque ya habían hecho doongle dac económicos con dual 43198,este tiene dos amplificadores independientes así que creo estará pronto en el canal
😂going to Pahang dulu, kawan kita Cheng want to try first. But I have limit one week for tour, ONIX is my reference dongle now so I cannot be away from it too long
Oh man, that's some rave! You continue to make my wallet bleed! Better than my fc6, especially the power. Think I shall get it. Luckily not expensively priced. How is the battery draining of the source?
LOL, sorry for your wallet. But the price is no where near being expensive if you consider the value you get. At 17:20 I showed the stats for Onix and you can see there the power drain rating was 10 hours running from 100% to 1%
@@donglemadness ohb yes saw the relevant section just a short while ago. considering I had pruned my dacs to fc6 and dc03pro (still remains such a great value), will get this and go 4.4 with my iems. Need one proper power source as some of new iems am eying be it Volare or pilgrim or something similar (need to decide on one good bright -neutral iem) will need proper balanced connection. Thanks!
Just to be clear , FC6 isn't exactly dethroned, lol. If you look at the scores, only 3 dongles managed to get 10/10 for the sound category, DACport HD, FC6 and now ONIX, out of over 170 dongles I have tried. To me all three are champions, until perhaps something else decide to pop up and join the 10/10 rank, but let's see what else 2024 has to offer. Thanks
Q15 offers a more traditional rich velvety AKM sound tuning and would appear slightly colored with lower Midrange to Bass region, denser too. Otherwise, I consider both ONIX Alpha and Q15 to be on par for being well tuned for balance between analytical prowess and musical smoothness
@@donglemadness Now it might be worthwhile to compare these two driving low-sensitivity planar headphones. At least Q15 offers the desktop mode that might help....
At this level the differences on soundstage is marginal at best, but what I heard from my Sundara and Etymotic ER2XR suggests that the impression of soundstage does seem a tad wider than TP50
What level would you say the Alpha XL1 competes at with desktop Amps? Does it match or beat ones like the IFI ZEN Dac V2, Topping DX3 pro? If so what would you compare it to?
ONIX Alpha is superior in terms of sound quality versus iFi ZEN DAC V2 + ZEN Can stack which I used to own, ONIX Aplha is more resolving and more open sounding. It is also superior than most other entry level desktop DAC/Amps. When compared with my desktop reference of Burson Audio Playmate 2 (with V7 Opamps), ONIX Alpha offers close to 95% of what I am hearing from that dedicated Class A amp even when subjected to driving Sennheiser HD600 or HiFiMan Sundara, and pretty much on par to JDS Labs Atom 2 in terms of resolution and imaging, except that of course JDS Labs Atom 2 stack still have the upper hand with outright soundstage width and depth
Ohh wow! I currently have the FIIO K5 pro ess and moondrop dawn pro. I use the K5 for gaming but by the sound of it, this should greatly outperform it. I already have this ordered! Was considering getting a better desktop amp like the Zen Dac v2 or DX3 pro but now it seems unnecessary.
Wow...now only question is how is it vs Q15? Better and by 4 times price...and vs TP50 people are saying it's bright if You say Onix is brighter than TP50..hmm
Q15 offers the same dense and rich sound texture with even stronger analog timbre, and it is more colored from midrange to the lows. When I said brighter than TP50, it does not mean the same type of brightness you get from ESS Sabre type of dongle, it is just more resolved with micro details in the treble region while TP50 will be appearing less pronounced (yet still there)
Hi Andy, Is this dongle good for Reggae and Hip-hop, or what's an alternative upgrade to the Ibasso DC03pro? I would really appreciate it if you could add music genres to your ranking sheet. This would make it easier for folks like us, who aren't well-versed in technical jargon, to make our choice. Thank you!
This ONIX is great for any music genre since it is transparent and neutral, but since you listen to Hip Hop and Reggae, DC03Pro is actually more colored and energetic for that type of music, more fun. Get ONIX only if you want something more transparent/neutral
Which filter would you recommended for Onix on IEM Hidizs MP145 Andy ? I just received ONIX a few hours ago I can say its the most effective dongle in filters along with Soundblaster G6
For the most part, quite comparable to my JDS Labs Atom 2 stack except that the stack offers even wider sense of staging, and on technical side, my BURSON Audio Playmate 2 (V7 Opamps) is still superior with outright imaging/resolution, perhaps superior by just 5%
It is your money and how you spend it is a decision purely on your side to make. I can only describe the items I review and hopefully my audiences can make their own decisions with information that makes sense to them. But I would say, at this price ONIX is offering something which is amazingly good
OKAY, i got my onix alpha xl1 in the mail yesterday and have been absolutly blown away by how damn transparent and beautiful this little dongle sounds omg im buying a second one its just that freaking amazing. Iv been comparing it to my moondrop dawn pro which i thought sounded great but i couldnt have been more wrong wow i just cant believe they are selling this thing for only $109 what a freaking steal this thing is. I literally cant recomend it enough. I also want to add if you want a really good headphone on the cheap get yourself a koss kph40 utility heaphone, this is a very good headphone and it WILL grow with you as you upgrade your dacs and amps. Its a very capable headphone and very comfortable.
I wanted to add iv been playing with the filters and here is my take on the filters. Slow Filter is like a rolling hill smooth sides rising to round peak then slowly rolls back down this is what a note sounds like on this filter. On Fast Filter picture the same hill but its been squished in from the sides its now taller more powerful sound but dosnt linger around as much as the slow filter. The low lattency are like the fast and slow but picture the start of the note being replaced by a sharp cliff instead of a steadily increasing slope. This gives notes a sharper frontal edge. Personally i perfer the slow filter but i can see where fast filter could help with more mellow headphones. If your chasing details you might perfer the low latency filters but for me I found them more fatiguing to listen to.
Congratulations on your purchase! 😁
@@haneko6422hi I’ve ordered mine for my s12 iems . Can you give some advice on settings ? Also does it have a battery or needs to be connect to a device ? I seen 10 hours but was confused
I dont need new dongle. I dont need new dongle. I dont need new dongle.
I neeeed it!
😂😂😂😂😂
Hahaha
Doesn't matter, you need to buy it even if you don't need it.
:D:D:D:D:D:D;););):):):):|:|:|:|:|:|:|:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(
TRUTH.
I'm putting all my trust on this man's ears. Going straight to Aliex after this vid. Great review.
Or, in my case, the equivalent of USD$85 on Lazada.
Same here, just ordered one
After watching the review I ordered it yesterday and I received the Onix Alpha Xl1 the next day. Thanks to the fast shipping since I was having an assignment in China, shipping was fast. Spent a good 1 hour listening and I must say it beat my questyle M15 hands down. Spot on review Andy! Thank you!
Is it really that good? Do you have any comparison beside m15?
My pleasure!
Picked up Onix Alpha after listening to you and a couple other reviewers I trust and am super impressed. I have several nice dongles including Cayin RU6, Hiby FC6, Lotoo S1, Penon Tail, and L&P W2 but have been listening to Onix Alpha more than those since I got it. Great recommendation!
How does it compare to RU6 soundwise?
@@Sebastian-gc2hcRU6 is a more neutral sounding dongle. Smooth but with very nice dynamics and resolution.
I ALMOST pulled the trigger on this one to get a discount on the last day of the AliX sale. Told myself to wait until 11.11 to see what else comes out in the coming months. I think the dongle, Bluetooth Amp/DAC game is going to see some crazy improvements in capability over the next two years! Thanks for the review.
My pleasure
I wish the same. only need that additional BT feature!
Same here. Not sure I can wait until 11.11...we shall see.
This review is excellent and the ONIX's performance is outstanding and at the price of $109, it is a winner.
Thanks, at this price it is hard to beat surely
Or, in my case, the equivalent of USD$85 on Lazada.
Thank you Andy for your review, I was waiting for it with some impatience. Now listening to your opinion and the incredible score of this dongle, I placed my order! My wife is not going to be happy yet....Ah Ah Ah!!!
😂😂😂
😂😂😂 same
Same here! hhahaaha
I’ve been listing to this for a week and I’m super happy with it. I have the Onix Mystic and love the sound, now finally I have something super portable that carries the similar sound tonality on the go. I also pair it with the HUM MA-1B portable class-A amp. It is heavenly
That's awesome
Thank you Andy!!! I held off buying a dongle dac amp and you came through with perfect timing, as did team ONIX!🙂
😁😁🤘🤘
After watching a lot of your videos I bought the Hidizs MP145 as my fisrt IEM, and for how you describe the sound of this dac it seems to be exactly what I was looking for, your reviews are the best Andy 🤘
Thanks so much!
Hi Andy! I finally got my ONIX Alpha XI1. I am happy with my purchase! Thanks for the review and recommendation! More power to you and regards to Geoff!
Awesome. Geoff says thanks! 😻😁
Hi andy. Just received my onix alpha xl1 today and tested it right away. This is just the kind of sound i really love. Listening to 70s-80s music, that kind of punch and body of sound elements in a track just hits really different. Listening to modern records, it plays like welcoming, like you want to see the song in front of you and hug it.
Here’s my big BUT: i’ve been experiencing a playback hiccup (1-2 second no-sound interruption) very randomly. I really think there is a solution for this to be solved with UAPP under “USB audio tweaks” setting portion. I really hope this sheds some light for discussion here.
That's awesome. We are on the same wavelength here 😁
Just pulled the trigger on this ONIX . My first ever decent DAC dongle(compared with some cheap 3.5mm adapters). Absolutely mind blown by how good music sounds especially through the 4.4mm port. Almost like you’re in front of the musicians . Terbaik bos
Sama sama :D
Hello Andy, you’re awesome @reviewing audio gadgets and great human being too..thanks a ton for your time! Your suggestions makes my audio gadget purchases more valuable and satisfactory. God bless you!
Thanks man. Appreciate this. You have a great day there!
He's right, your energy is really filled with light, positive vibes all the way 😊
Thank you for this great review! This is the one I was waiting for and I had made a blind purchase last week. I'm glad I got it right. Along with the M12i, on the way, they're going to be my favorites. Thank you also for all your other reviews, they are a great help.
Hope you enjoy it!
Let's goooo! Take my money! 🤑
Thanks for review Andy
Any time!
Dangg! I decided to pulled the plug and get this Onix Alpha 🤩🤩🥳🥳
Can't wait for it to be matched with my Kinera Baldr OG. Would love to see how it all sounds like. Thank you Sir for this detailed review ! Awesome stuff as always! !🥳🥳
My pleasure
@@donglemadness I just got my Onix Alpha XL1!! 🥳🥳 I love how this sounds with my Kinera Baldr. Thank you again Sir Andy for this review and recommendation!
I already bought Onix Alpha,
it's worth it..
Thank,
Andy ❤️
I just got the Onix Alpha XI1 yesterday and I really like it. Thank for review.
My pleasure
Thank god I'm poor so I didn't spend my money immediately after watching your review of Shanling UA4 video and after your recommendation of the EPZ TP50 and up to now, I think the strategy is to save up real good and buy this one. Unless there is another better dongle with about the same 100$ price tag. Very informative video, Andy. I hope they will sell this on AliExpress or better, at my country's official shops
Hey Andy, I have finally been able to purchase my first dongle: "the ONIX Alpha" and I have been using it for about a week now. Everything you said in your video are correct ( the look, the material, ease of use and most important, the performance, all on point ) and I hope this dongle will be the best dongle for this year. BUT, one thing I notice about this dongle that after researching about it on reddit, some complains that the dongle despite having a type C interface, it doesn't work with some (unknown exact amount) phones out there. I use it mostly on my desk pc but other time I pair it with my Samsung S9 and it works well. However when I let my friend use the dongle with his Nothing phone, despite having a type c port, the phone doesn't register Onix and plays audio through the built in speaker. I hope ONIX can do something about this soon, but beside this compatibility issues, everything about this dongle is a big thumbs up. Thank you for your videos, Andy
Was definitely waiting for this review.
Wanted to compare with Ibasso DC elite .
I have the Cayin RU 7 which I love except for the energy drain. I am glad good tech is getting more affordable but I am going to be disciplined and hold. Thank you for tempting all of us with amazing tech when it happens.
My pleasure
I have both right now. I started with the Onix and just got RU7. The RU7 completely destroys the Onix in every way, especially the soundstage. As an analogy, the Onix feels like looking through binoculars while the RU7 feels like removing them. It's that much of a difference.
Don't be tempted by the Onix, this guy is so off when it comes to it. You have the better DAC
@@carlosdominguez3108 I have both and fold my Onix . Not only soundstage but the Cayin goes deeper in Bass
Thanks for your detailed reviews Andy, I'm already waiting for my Onix Alpha to arrive. Greetings from Mexico.🤘🏻
Saludos! 🙏
Excellent and super detailed review as usual!
Now I’m really curious about this DAC.
Have a great day and best regards,
Yuri
Thanks, you too!
Thanks so much! Excited to preorder this next week 🙌🙌
Have fun!
Oh Andy, i’m anti dongle guy because i don’t like dangling on my phone. So i usually like desktop amps and DAPs . This will be my first dongle to try, thanks bro.
Never too late to start, lol
BROTHER, DONT DO THIS TO ME, I JUST BOUGHT THE EPZ TP 50
same here lol.
Thanks for the review Andy, I really appreciate your efforts ❤😊
My pleasure! 🤘😁
I have buy the akliam pd4 plus based on your review Andy am very happy with my decision thank you from Algeria
And now I want to buy onix Xl1
No worries. Enjoy!
Thank you for your great review, otherwise I will never have to look over ONIX XI1, because of the price of $109, thinking this is a knock-off of high end brand and my low opinion of Cirrus Logic chips. But hey a DAC chip is only part of the whole implementation. Never expected a sigma-delta DAC dongle to sound more impressive than R2R matrix and to be able to hear clear difference between reconstruction filters (not a suggested one) and you are right those are not a different equalizer settings. As a death beat planar IEM lover I am in love with this dongle. It requires a lot of power from OTG to function properly which may be a disappointment for iPhone and DAP users. I have ordered blindly, based only of your opinion. Thank you Andy for the recommendation !
My pleasure! and thanks!
oh my, i just got my onix today. It is just so silky smooth, feel kind of milky. Really a slick dongle. Finally i find peace in my ears, comfortable and feel rewarding! Now awaiting NICEHCK MixPP 6N OCC cable in 4.4mm BAL (MMCX) to upgrade to 4.4 bal configuration. My heart is pounding with excitement now. Really a thousand thanks to donglemadness channel and especially Andy for releasing this special video as early as possible and introducing me the budget IEM Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro.
Awseome!
Con suavidad no te refieres a lo mismo que analógico, es un sonido diferente?
@@andresvr8357 I think at the video at about 24:21 Timbre Signature, there is comparison.
And I was so so close to pulling the trigger on the EPZ TP50, then ONIX comes out of nowhere. Sold!
First of all I'm not an audiophile, just a music lover. I have many good dongles. The one I use the most is the Mini Tube from Woo Audio. I received my Alpha xl1 yesterday and WOW! It's totally amazing how this Gem is only 1/4 the price of mini tube. You need to hear it yourself to appreciate how good it sounds. The slow filter mode really smooth out some of my sibilant iems. Thank you Andy for your excellent review and recommendation 👍👍👍
Hey my pleasure. Enjoy your weekend there!!
Hello Andy and thank you for your work it really helps to make the right choice.
I just have a question : are your ratings based just on performance or performance for the device price range ?in the dc07 pro video you say that it is similar to the DC elite and you say that both the Onix and the dc07 are very good. Does that mean that the Onix alpha is as good as the DC elite or does the rating you give it in your file takes into account the price range ? If I buy the Onix alpha, would it be worth it to later buy the DC elite ? Or since it's rating is lower than the onix's, it's not worth it ?
Thank you very much I love your work!
All the dongles you mentioned already operating at the highest level with minor differences separating them. I don't recall saying DC Elite not worth it, it is an amazing dongle without a doubt, if you look closely at the rating breakdown, DC Elite rating is already above many other great dongles regardless of price. I just feel that ONIX Alpha or FC6 offers a bit more on the timbre and sound richness while all of them are equally matched on technicalities
I’ve had many Onix products over the years. As far as I can tell, they just rebadge products from other companies. My tube amps from them were from a brand named Harmony, for example. They had a lot of high value products with terrific performance in lower price ranges back in the 2000s.
Hello Andy, Great reviews as always :), is the ONIX soundstage wider than the TP50?
Thanks, they are about the same with width and openness
Thank you Andy for this recommendation ! WOW
🤘🤘🤘🤘
Thanks for the review, fantastic as always. Detailed, informative, knowledgeable and with lots of enthusiasm!
Onix ordered!
Hope you enjoy it! and Thanks!
This is the most beautiful dongle i ever seen, like i could buy it just by the look of it alone, thanks for the review~
My pleasure!
bought it. thanks for the review
My pleasure 🙏
Hope they release a product between alpha and overture.😁
I bought this device based on your recommendation. It sucks! Just kidding 😂 This thing is amazing! I absolutely love this DAC. I could not be happier with it. Amazing device for around 100 bucks. Wonderful. Thank you for your recommendation. Your review was spot on.
😁🙏
Your review always very informative and crystal clear! Glad im not rushing to buy UA4 or EPZ50 back then, and bam! new dongle king arrive (coz you declared it lol). I may buy this since this pretty affordable.
May i know your impression with this and tanchjim origin..?
Thanks, just like many other highly rated dongles with synergy factor, ONIX works great with Origin, both being transparent so they complement each other nicely
Hi Andy! I was about to purchase Shanling UA4 but after this review, my attention is now focused on ONIX Alpha XI1. It's a good thing that I waited for this review. It's also significantly cheaper in price than most of your other excellent top picks. Shall I pick the ONIX Alpha XI 1 over the Shanling UA4? Awesome review and more power to you! Also, regards to Geoff!
Thanks, and from Geoff too.
At this time, ONIX is the one I would personally recommend, I use it and like it very much. So yes! Go for ONIX!
@@donglemadness Awesome! Then, ONIX it is! Thank you, Andy! Regards to Geoff!
@donglemadness I'm still waiting for my ONIX to arrive. Just a follow-up question from your extensive list, which low - or mid-priced IEM would you recommend pairing it with? Thank you Andy and more power to you! Regards to Geoff!
Thank You....Food for thought, think I'll get it!
My pleasure
Thanks for the review my friend! I ordered it instead Colorfly cda-m1p:)
Hope you enjoy it!
Hello. Did you already own the Colorfly cda-m1p or did you choose the Onyx when on first order? I have CDA-M1P and i'm now thinking whether if i should change it to onyx or not. 🤔🤔
@@donglemadness Hello. Will there be your review for Khadas Tone2 Pro? I saw a very good review of the sound of this device. I wonder how many points it would get in your rating system. 😉
Hello Andy, I need your advice please. I'm interested in which dongle sounds more musical and analogue and which one you should choose. I can get a lightly used Cayin RU6 for 110 euros or I can also get a new Onyx XL1 Alpha for 109 euros. Many greetings from Germany Thomas
Ay this point despite loving the RU6 a lot, I choose ONIX Alpha XI over it, that's based on my preferences
Good reviews you are doing Andy. Kindly assist, where can I buy a proper cable to use with Sony Xperia 1iv?
Thanks. Look for ddHiFi USB cables, any options from them are great
I've bought it! Thanks Andy!
Hope you enjoy it! 😁🎊
@@donglemadness thanks! Hope it pairs well with my HD 660S2! But i trust you 100%!
Waiting for mine. 🔥
Thanks. All else aside, cost and power efficiency make it easy choice. I have the RU7 and GO bar and enjoy them both. It’s encouraging to see that Cirrus Logic appears to be working through its dependence on Apple.
I subscribed to your channel. I’ll enjoy your reviews even more now that I know you like cats :)
My pleasure, and Geoff says hellomeeeow 😂😻
Thank you: video was very useful !
My pleasure :D 🙏
Thank you my friend, if you try senneheiser ie200 you will love it because its neutral and brighter sound but its not fatiguing. similar sound to tanchjim zero and ie600 very pricey.
Thanks. I hope to try one soon
@@donglemadness its cheap thats why you need to mod a little bit use aftermarket good seal ear tip like dinu ss or spinfit w1. also tape the hole increase sub bass.
Hi Andy! I've probably already tired you with my questions. But I have more questions. I have a Shanling UA4 available and I want to add another dongle, but I do not decide which one to choose. I listen to music through my smartphone and laptop. If I buy another Onix Alpha, won't it seem to me that I will have two almost identical dongles? Or maybe add some other dongle to my existing Shanling UA4 dongle? What can you say to that?
Not identical. ONIX Alpha offers more organic natural sound with rich density to the body of sound versus UA4
Thanks Andy
Dear Andy,
Does the NEXT/PREVIOUS work SIMULTANEOUSLY with the VOLUME UP/DOWN (e.g. long pressing for the former and short pressing for the latter, like the FiiO KA5 and the KA17 which was launched without but it was added through a firmware update) or is it an option that, if enabled, disables the Volume control (like Shangling UA4) being either or?
As always, thank you so so much for existing in my and others' audio world... You are the best!
As far as I can tell, the Play/Pause button works independently and does not work in combo like what you mentioned. It doesn't influence the volume adjustment behavior
@@donglemadness Thank you for replying... I will rephrase my question do that it is industry this time better: yes, the Menu button is also Play/Pause which is great, but what I wanted to please know is sitting else - in your review you mentioned that there was a Next/Previous Track option in the dongle settings - I was asking about that - does enabling it disables/replaces the Volume Control (case of either/or) or is it added (and one can have both Volume and complete Playback controls simultaneously)?
Thank you so much for your help, patience and effort ❣️
Yes, if you change it to next/reverse function, the volume will not be active anymore
@@donglemadness Thank you so much!
Thanks for the review Andy, so this is truly the clear upgrade of the Dc04Pro?
Absolutely, at least to me personally, ONIX presents the pinnacle of Dongle tech that I have been waiting since HIBY FC6
@@donglemadness can you explain how wide is the soundstage compared between dc04pro and onix?
@@jyip1442 About the same
Hi Andy. Thanks for the remarkable review. What do you say if this Onix match with Volare?
My pleasure. Yes absolutely perfect match for Volare, or for any other IEMs of every type since this thing is rated max on synergy factor
Hi Andy, over on the XI1 thread on head-fi, I'm reading that the dynamic presentation is well-balanced as you said (don't need to keep adjusting volume), but some users are saying the dynamic range is poor in that there is little volume difference between the loudest and quietest sounds. Does your experience confirm this? I noticed you covered dynamic transients and dynamic presentation in this video, but I couldn't find the part about dynamic range.
I don't quite understand the issue here. When I said well balanced, it is the presentation of entire dynamic range which is linear neutral from one end of the sound frequency to another opposite end not exhibiting any kind of coloration or enhancement. If the dynamic range is poor as mentioned, then I would never personally place this ONIX Alpha as high as it is, I would not even recommend it if there's any indication of impairment or deficiencies to the way it present sound dynamics
@@donglemadness I certainly hope they are wrong.
What page of the thread did you read it on?
@@andresvr8357 the last few pages. I hope they are wrong though. I got this for neutrality. The only thing they said that worried me is they said loud and quiet sounds don't stand out from each other. I hope its just due to their usual gear being too boosted.
I want something that neither boosts nor compresses. I can only hope XI1 is normal and they are just used to boosted stuff. I hope it's not overly smoothed out.
@@Viewer13128 It also made me lose interest, I think Andy is confusing dynamic range with sound signature when he says neutral, since if something is neutral it doesn't mean it's very dynamic, that thing where the weakest and strongest sounds stand out. If it can serve to explain the dynamic range, when something low volume has to sound it will be precise and if from one moment to the next it changes to a loud sound it will be noticeable as in real life, perhaps it will be noticeable with classical music that goes from passages low to strong
Hi Andy,
So, compared to a DAC/AMP Combo, with the Sennheiser HD600, theirs absolutely nothing missing? (Sound wise and Power wise)
Thanks 🙏
Versus JDS Labs Atom 2 and some other DAC/Amps I have tried, I would say ONIX Alpha literally sounded as wholesome as those bigger compatriots, however JDS Labs Atom 2 still has the upper hand with outright soundstage width and BURSON Audio Playmate 2 (V7) still has advantage over absolute resolution. But by how much? just probably 5% differences which is negligible if you don't compare side by side
1. It works on ASUS laptops, but can have a maximum bitrate of 32bit, 384kHz in sound settings on Windows 11. Specification 768kHz is not shown.
2. On Samsung A52s smartphones, it is not recognized by Edit Player with the message 'connected to a high-power device'.
I haven't experienced the above 2 issues with other dongle DACs including IBasso DC04 Pro. I hope it's resolved with firmware. There doesn't seem to be a window for feedback on the manufacturer's website.
- Written in Korean by papago
Thanks for the feedbacks, I would suggest you email Shanling support and report your findings
@@donglemadness / I inquired by e-mail on the ONIX site and received an answer.
1. Windows doesn't have system wide support for 768 kHz, as it's not something any normal app would be using. For your playback of 768 kHz files, we recommend using dedicated playback software with Wasapi/Asio output, for example Foobar.
2. Does it happen with both UAC1.0 and UAC2.0 settings? (Press down play button while connecting to device to enter UAC1.0 mode). We reported it to software team to check on this.
--------------------------------------
In the case of No. 2 above, I tried something other than the bundled cable. It was the cable of iBASSO DC04 PRO, the USB 3.1 data cable that I used to connect the DAC from my laptop. It was impossible to check because the smartphone did not power the DAC.
On PC, it is set to UAC1.0. It cannot be used because it does not recognize the moment you connect to your smartphone. At this time, the A52S smartphone says, "High-power device connected. Device not accessible. Connected device needs external power." And when connected to PC again, it returns to UAC2.0. When connected to smartphone, ONIX Alpha XI1 is not powered and cannot be set.
What's unusual is that the ONIX Alpha XI1 is a 500mW output. The iBasso DC04 pro I used until yesterday is 650mW output, but I wrote it without any problems.
I'm checking the problem on ONIX, so I look forward to it being resolved. Other than me, there seems to be users who are not connected on smartphones such as Vivo, Huawei, and Xiaomi.
I've always thought that dongles did little to effect an iem's sound. I've always looked at the power output first, then the features. Just got this dongle and I can say that a lot of my iems sound better to my ear compared to both my jcally jm06 pro and shanling up4 22.
I wouldn’t know it’s shangling if you didn’t mention. Brighton my favourite town overseas. Would love to visit again one day.
Me too bro
How is the treble presentation? E.g., is it laid-back or shimmery, etc.?
I describe that in this video - in general it is very resolved with micro details and exhibit mature sparkle and energy, never offensive
I recall a while back you mentioned phones must have pd3.0 to drive dongles properly or something? Nowadays I don't see pd3.0 on the phones' spec sheet. Has it been replaced? How do we check if our phones can properly drive a dongle?
PD 3.0 is the best for maximum power at over 900mA, but at the minimum most dongles already can operate effectively with PD 2.0 of which like this ONIX Alpha and quite a few more are doing so very well in USB Exclusive mode. With my PD 2.0 Xiaomi Mi9T, I do not feel or hear that this dongle performs any less great as when connected to my PD 3.0 Sony Xperia 1 iV
@@donglemadness great to hear, thanks!
Hello Andy, as always a very interesting video. I'm currently using the Questyle M15. Is the Onix more of an upgrade or a sidestep? Thanks and best regards
To me, ONIX is an upgrade from M15 in several areas, especially that rich analog sound and outright power, also ONIX Aplha being more versatile with filters that really work. Alpha is also wider sounding. Technically both are quite evenly matched with resolution and imaging
I hope they don’t raise the price because this is accessible for a lot of people who otherwise can’t afford products $300 and up. Smart move on Onix with the introductory price to get us hooked!
I was going to buy TP50, but after watching this I think I'm going to use my Linsoul 618 coupon to buy the Onix instead!
Hi Andy dongle expert, can I ask in general whether you've experienced popping or clipping sound when you move dongles or its cable during usage? Because I attach my dongle to my phone or tablet, and sometimes when the dongle usb cable is tugged or pulled gently I would hear soft popping, clipping sounds, I'm not sure if it's because of the connection with its usb cables but i tried several cables and its all the same. When the dongle or cable doesn't move it sounds great. Lastly would these popping or clipping sounds damage the IEM or headphones? This experience always makes me a little scared to use dongles. Love your videos, from Singapore.
Does this happen to all of your IEMs or specific ones? Hybrid IEMs (with crossover components inside) are prone to picking up interferences. And you did not mention what dongle it is? or it could be simply you have some issues with the USB C port which may have developed an issue with grounding. Usually these type of issues are related to cables and connection points
Hi Andy! Super review. I completely agree with you. I bought it and really enjoyed the music.
Thanks. Enjoy your ONIX!
Halo pak Andy i love all of your videos! But i just want to ask what is the firmware version you are using when testing during making this video? Because seems like shanling released a new firmware version which is version 1.1.3 and some people said it changed how the dongle sounds
This review was made using the original firmware
@@donglemadness thanks for the info! Guess i won't be updating the firmware then, i trust your ears!
Hi Andy ! amazing video as always, currently im using epz tp20 pro... compares to this Onix is that a big upgrade ? Thanks
Yes, audibly an improvement over what TP20 Pro offers
@@donglemadness hi Andy, its been a week i use this dongle personally very good sounding...
what filter do you recommend for jpop music (female singer) ? Thanks Andy🔥🔥
Hi Andy gotta get this dongle soon 😅 heard the recent compatibility issues and the latest firmware update affects the sound、 could you devise on this?
I personally don't have any of the compatibility issues with 4 of my Android phones, but then all of them are not Samsung (which seems to be having issues with ONIX). Also I do not hear any impairment of sound with the new FW updates
Damn. Missed out on linsoul deal. Could have bought it for $60 with $100 half discount card. Hopefully nothing better comes out 😄
where do you find such deals like half discount card?
@@mrayars you'll have to wait until November for the next linsoul 1/2 price gift cards. Limited quantities of $100/$50 gift cards means you only have to play $59 instead of $109 for onix alpha
Actually I ordered EPZ TP50 from HiFi Cat two days ago and I cancelled it and purchased this ONIX instead . I also use Sundara and mp145 . Andy now do you prefer this over TP50 ?
Yes, while I love both ONIX and TP50 very much, I am already switched to ONIX as my primary dongle now
@@donglemadness thanks man I appreciate it, take care!
Hi Andy, great review as always. Your love for this hobby is infectious.
Help please :
I'm new to auidiophile world and have Tangzu Wan er and KZ AMO1 and listen to mostly progressive rock (Tool), metal, rock and heavy rock, but do listen to most music.
Bwfore you recommended Sivga Nightingale and Allegro to me, but sivga too expensive and dont like look of Allegro.
What will go well with Onix Aplha?
Initially fancied Kefine Delci but now fancy Tinhifi P1 Max 2.
Also thinking to get Sivga Robin at a later date.
Thoughts please sir🙏
Sorry for long message.
Thank you Andy and Geoff 🙏❤️🙏
Want to upgrade
No worries, if you can get TINHiFi MAX 2 now then go for it, such a well tuned IEM and will go perfectly with ONIX, you can also consider AFUL Explorer if you want a bit more relaxed dynamics
@@donglemadness Hello and thank you what about theHIDIZS MP-145 is the AFUL Explorer a better choise
Thank you Andy 🙏@@donglemadness
@@eleftheriospadeloglou6596 If you check my IEMs rating it is quite clear how much superior MP145 is over many other IEMs
@@donglemadness THANK YOU
Just started to explore dacs, does this greatly improve the sound quality for budget IEMs like KZ Castor and EDC Pro? Or this dac will only be worth it if I use expensive IEMs? Really thanks for the detailed analysis!
I am not sure what are you comparing it to, but assuming you referring to PC or phone out, then yes dongles like these will offer improved sound quality even for many KZ IEMs
@@donglemadness Thanks for the response! Currently I use VE Odo for my KZ Castor. I'm a bit hesitant to buy an expensive dongle like Onix Alpha Xl1 because I am not sure if it has a big difference compared to Odo. Do you think that Onix Alpha will be a worthy/big upgrade compared to the Odo?
Great review as usual! I’m looking for a lower impedance dac than my current FiiO KA3 to drive my Volares (a purchase partially influenced by your glowing review of it). Would the Onix make a better pairing since the Volares are so low impedance at 4.8ohm?
Yes absolutely
Hace un par de días salió Dunu dtc480 lo interesante es que aunque ya habían hecho doongle dac económicos con dual 43198,este tiene dos amplificadores independientes así que creo estará pronto en el canal
Soon I hope
Sir are you available on twitch stream too. i am freaked out of horrible youtube ads.
Sorry, I am only on YT now
gila babas score 98 DEMMMM!! Highest in history... please tour penang bang andy!
😂going to Pahang dulu, kawan kita Cheng want to try first. But I have limit one week for tour, ONIX is my reference dongle now so I cannot be away from it too long
hi andy is there a chance that u can share your blessings i really want that onix dac 😭 its my dream dac since i watch ur video
Oh man, that's some rave! You continue to make my wallet bleed! Better than my fc6, especially the power. Think I shall get it. Luckily not expensively priced. How is the battery draining of the source?
LOL, sorry for your wallet. But the price is no where near being expensive if you consider the value you get. At 17:20 I showed the stats for Onix and you can see there the power drain rating was 10 hours running from 100% to 1%
@@donglemadness ohb yes saw the relevant section just a short while ago. considering I had pruned my dacs to fc6 and dc03pro (still remains such a great value), will get this and go 4.4 with my iems. Need one proper power source as some of new iems am eying be it Volare or pilgrim or something similar (need to decide on one good bright -neutral iem) will need proper balanced connection. Thanks!
Perfect review
onix onix onix onix onix................
FInally Hiby FC6 Dethroned and Here ANDY presents you the new king
ONIX ALPHA Xl1
Just to be clear , FC6 isn't exactly dethroned, lol. If you look at the scores, only 3 dongles managed to get 10/10 for the sound category, DACport HD, FC6 and now ONIX, out of over 170 dongles I have tried. To me all three are champions, until perhaps something else decide to pop up and join the 10/10 rank, but let's see what else 2024 has to offer. Thanks
How does this stack up against Fiio Q15 Andy?
Q15 offers a more traditional rich velvety AKM sound tuning and would appear slightly colored with lower Midrange to Bass region, denser too. Otherwise, I consider both ONIX Alpha and Q15 to be on par for being well tuned for balance between analytical prowess and musical smoothness
@@donglemadness Now it might be worthwhile to compare these two driving low-sensitivity planar headphones. At least Q15 offers the desktop mode that might help....
Soundstage wise also how does it compare with EPZ TP50 besides the more analytical approach with the macro and micro details.
At this level the differences on soundstage is marginal at best, but what I heard from my Sundara and Etymotic ER2XR suggests that the impression of soundstage does seem a tad wider than TP50
@@donglemadness that's what I needed to hear hehe , thanks again Andy
Great work as usual!
Thank you! Cheers!
Hi Andy great review as usual, how does it compare with the iBasso DC Elite?
Thanks man. Technically on par to DC-Elite, but denser and richer sounding
@donglemadness thanks DC Elite cancelled And the ONIX XI1 ordered looking forward to using it. £85 sounds like a real bargain
Great videos. How would you compare the sound quality to fiio BTR5 older model.
Thank you for your help.
Thanks! I haven't tried BTR5 so it would be hard for me to assume how they would compare, sorry
Based on limited research/feedback, I just blind bought the Onix. Hope this doesn't cause noise/hissing for my sensitive iem (5 ohms and 119db) 🙏.
What level would you say the Alpha XL1 competes at with desktop Amps? Does it match or beat ones like the IFI ZEN Dac V2, Topping DX3 pro? If so what would you compare it to?
ONIX Alpha is superior in terms of sound quality versus iFi ZEN DAC V2 + ZEN Can stack which I used to own, ONIX Aplha is more resolving and more open sounding. It is also superior than most other entry level desktop DAC/Amps. When compared with my desktop reference of Burson Audio Playmate 2 (with V7 Opamps), ONIX Alpha offers close to 95% of what I am hearing from that dedicated Class A amp even when subjected to driving Sennheiser HD600 or HiFiMan Sundara, and pretty much on par to JDS Labs Atom 2 in terms of resolution and imaging, except that of course JDS Labs Atom 2 stack still have the upper hand with outright soundstage width and depth
Ohh wow! I currently have the FIIO K5 pro ess and moondrop dawn pro. I use the K5 for gaming but by the sound of it, this should greatly outperform it.
I already have this ordered! Was considering getting a better desktop amp like the Zen Dac v2 or DX3 pro but now it seems unnecessary.
@@donglemadnessI was lightly shocked when reading your comparison of Onix Alpha to other much pricier desktop gear 😱
Wow...now only question is how is it vs Q15? Better and by 4 times price...and vs TP50 people are saying it's bright if You say Onix is brighter than TP50..hmm
Q15 offers the same dense and rich sound texture with even stronger analog timbre, and it is more colored from midrange to the lows. When I said brighter than TP50, it does not mean the same type of brightness you get from ESS Sabre type of dongle, it is just more resolved with micro details in the treble region while TP50 will be appearing less pronounced (yet still there)
Q15 vs ONIX, which is your choice in best analog sounds
Have a look at section 24:27, you will find my answer there. Thanks
Andy, have you considered reviewing the Questyle M15i in the future?
Yes of course, once I get it, I will review it
@@donglemadness Awesome!
Hi Andy, Is this dongle good for Reggae and Hip-hop, or what's an alternative upgrade to the Ibasso DC03pro? I would really appreciate it if you could add music genres to your ranking sheet. This would make it easier for folks like us, who aren't well-versed in technical jargon, to make our choice. Thank you!
This ONIX is great for any music genre since it is transparent and neutral, but since you listen to Hip Hop and Reggae, DC03Pro is actually more colored and energetic for that type of music, more fun. Get ONIX only if you want something more transparent/neutral
@@donglemadnessI think I will stick with DC03Pro until something pops up then. Thanks Andy for your time and assistance.
This looks, and sounds from your description, like a $500 item. How does it compare to go bar Kensei?
I am still testing Kensei, soon I will know
Which filter would you recommended for Onix on IEM Hidizs MP145 Andy ? I just received ONIX a few hours ago I can say its the most effective dongle in filters along with Soundblaster G6
With my own MP145, Slow Filter of course, I am getting more analog timbre with Slow filter and smoothness with decays
@@donglemadness thanks bro take care! amazing piece of technology this ONIX Alpha Xl1
In tonal precision m12i vs ka17 do you say that m12i is better in instruments realistic but vs this how do you compared? ¿in soundstage how is it?.
ONIX is aligned to M12i with tonal accuracy and transparency, where KA17 appeared enhanced/colored
This must be a no brainer to get. I wonder how if would fare against desktop dac's
For the most part, quite comparable to my JDS Labs Atom 2 stack except that the stack offers even wider sense of staging, and on technical side, my BURSON Audio Playmate 2 (V7 Opamps) is still superior with outright imaging/resolution, perhaps superior by just 5%
Respected Andy I purchased the Akliam PD5. Can I purchase this product???
It is your money and how you spend it is a decision purely on your side to make. I can only describe the items I review and hopefully my audiences can make their own decisions with information that makes sense to them. But I would say, at this price ONIX is offering something which is amazingly good
Thank you for always