xDuoo TA-30 Review

xDuoo TA-30

Sound performance

 

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For the purpose of this review, I used the Audeze LCD-X, LCD-3, and the Sennheiser HD-800S for headphone comparison.  All files were streamed from Qobuz in Hi-Res, when available, Spotify and my own catalog.

Overall Signature

Out of the box, one feature will immediately strike you: the xDuoo TA-30 is very, very, powerful.

Of course, as the amp is supposed to deliver up to 3000mW – with a 32ohm load – this isn’t a big surprise. But still, even knowing that I was blown away the first time I plugged my LCD-X, with just 10%, the sound pressure is already enough to fill 90% of any user need. Above 20%, it gets CRAZY loud, so you better avoid IEM.

Fortunately, it’s a good thing if you have big cans like Audeze, Beyer or Sennheiser, if loud, the amp is also good. Dynamic range remains excellent, bass is tight and highs not too recessed, at all. Plus all the good things I said about the previous version, remains true to this day but emphasizes.

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That said, switching from the AK4490 DAC to the ES9038Q2M leads to a very different result in terms of signature. If I expected the amp to sound more “tube-like”, the new DAC displays a much wider sound stage. Voices are sharper, layering is better, and head to head, improvements are huge with those scary/magic uncanny moments where sounds seem to appear from your blind spot.

This was especially true with my faithful HD800S, listening to Solee – What remains are the memories. The polyphonic sounds, combined with the ethereal voices almost made me dizzy, when played on the TA-30.

Instruments are superbly rendered, transients are sharp and, over time, I found lots of improvements compared to the previous amps. In Weird Fishes by Lianne La havas – a good reprise of Radiohead mythic song – the singers go solo for nearly a minute, and the TA-30 clearly outplayed the TA-20 and TA-10 this time. I even preferred it to my Hugo 2, as the xDuoo gave me, somehow, more magic in the sound.

As usual, I tried the different filters, but could not really hear a difference between the six of them. Maybe some little improvements with the Apodizing filter, but nothing really “distinctive” if I should say so.

Still, the xDuoo TA-30 remains one of the best DAC/Amp I heard at his price-point, for now. The sound stage is incredible with amazing pan/stereo rendering and whatever the track, or genre, it constantly impressed me and transcribe every little nuance. From Run The Jewels raging flow in DJ Shadow Nobody Speak, to Charlotte Day Wilson soft whispers in Rhye Patience

Tonality

The sound signature is mostly linear, but each frequency range got its own flaws and qualities. A quick overview.

Bass : tight and clean. The TA-30 managed to reach super deep notes on my LCD-X  and, thanks to the beefier amp circuit, the device is now on-par with higher tier DAC/Amp. Even the HD800S surprised me there, and that’s clearly not his forte. Bravo xDuoo

Test track : Wurlitzer – Leifur James

Mids : slightly forward. Very good dynamic range, combined with a superb DAC makes for an excellent voice rendering. It’s a bit grainy and compared to Chord millimetric precision, it feels like something is missing. That said, it’s still pretty impressive and fed with a High-End DAC, I’m sure you would be able to approach the Hugo 2 excellence.

Test track : It takes a lot to know a man – Damien Rice

Highs : slightly recessed, absolutely delightful. This is one of the biggest improvements compared to the TA-10 and TA-20 in my opinion. Even if xDuoo chose a Sabre DAC, highs are slightly recessed, giving the sound a warm tube-touch, absolutely delightful.

Good test track : The Spoils – Massive Attack

Power and drive

It comes as no surprise, the xDuoo TA-30 is pretty powerful.

I paired it with various headphones and IEMs, ranging from the mighty Sennheiser HD800S, my faithful Audeze LCD-X or the Meze Empyrean. None gave the amp a hard time.

At low volume, you’ll hear some channel imbalance, but once you reach your regular listening volume, that completely disappears. Apart from that, there is not much to be said: it’s able to drive all major headphones/earphones and honestly, you’ll never need to push higher than mid-gain.

From 50%, distortion becomes audible, but that may also be my LCD-X drivers screaming for their life. Who knows?`

Conclusion

The xDuoo TA-30 is the best DAC-AMP of the brand, to no-one’s surprise. It’s insanely powerful, supports almost every source, and will be a great all-rounder device for anyone in need of a tube-headphone-amplifier + USB DAC.

The brand simply took all the good points of the TA-20 and TA-10, then pushed it to the limit. Amazing sound stage, powerful lows, sweet highs, and blissful vocals. If you want to discover the tube world, for a “relatively” low price, this is one of the best offer at the moment.

My only drawback is the lack of an IEM mode, but there is the XD-05 plus for that.

 

4.2/5 - (137 votes)
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A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

5 Comments

  • Reply August 11, 2020

    Sergio Convers

    I am looking for a tube amp it dosnt hat to be a DAC but has to work as a preamp, I have as options Quad PA +. Cayin H1-A1 mk 2, this XDuoo just came to the list, can you recomend any of the three or any other to consider. I will use it to drive my Senn HD800s, Beyer T1 mk2, Quad era 1 and AKG q701.

    Thanks

  • Reply September 13, 2020

    BattousaiX26

    I have heard from other reviews that it generates too much heat and cause issue like fuse dying early, do you think it is an issue on all model?

    Also what do you think about its pairing with lets say lcd 2 fazor and he1000 v1?

  • Reply March 21, 2021

    Peter

    I have Focal Clear and Shure SRH 1540
    Using Woo Audio WA3 + Chord Mojo.
    Wanted warm and sweet sound for mainly quiet female vocal.
    20 % improvement for Shure using the DAC and amplify
    5 to 10 % improvement on Focal
    Please advise will xDuoo TA-30 be a good upgrade.
    If not, please recommend another tube headphone amp or Dec
    Budget around US $1000-1500
    I am 76, list some hearing for high notes music.
    Thank very much for your excellent reviews
    Peter Chu

  • Reply October 9, 2021

    Bill S

    I just bought this amp, I plugged my Sen 6xx in and they sound amazing. I need an adapter for my HiFiMan Sundaras, but I was wondering if this amp would be better served by a set of Focals, open backed?

  • Reply April 9, 2022

    Mingo One

    “If the TA-10 and TA-20 didn’t get a full tube-amp section, the xDuoo TA-30 goes all the way.”
    You’re wrong: the driver stage is tube but the actual output stage is Class A solid state .

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