SHANLING ONIX ALPHA XI1 – Bold Sound, Good Function DAC Amp
Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 is a $109 USD DAC / Headphone Amplifier with a beautiful design, excellent software support, and with a balanced and single ended headphone output. Today we will review the Onix Alpha Xi1 and compare it with other DAC/AMPs including Shanling H2 (169 USD), Aune Yuki (179 USD), and Audioengine D1 (169 USD).
Introduction
Shanling is one of the most popular companies in the audiophile industry known for their house sound, which is warmer, fuller and smoother than the competition usually, but still aiming to provide the best resolution, clarity and detail possible, all while keeping the prices bound to reality, so that anyone with a passion can enjoy some good music. Onix seems to be a sub brand of Shanling, managed by Shanling, but the product design language is more brutalist and sober, with an emphasis on the color of onyx and strong contrast, so we will also explore if the house sound is the same as for Shanling, or if it is a different tuning they are going for. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Shanling has provided the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Bold and powerful bass that gives all music power and presence, a slightly recessed mdirange to take away the aggressive edge, and a bright, open treble to give music shimmer and air. The form factor is really neat, and the USB DAC function works flawlessly, plus the buttons work well with Windows and Android. Driving power is sufficient for most headphones, from the balanced headphone output, while the single ended output is best for IEMs. Stereo imaging is great, and the value is super good.
Cons – Soundstage on the intimate side, very sensitive IEMS may have a bit of hissing from the balanced headphone output.
Product Link
You can grab one here – https://amzn.to/3ROIFuF
Build Quality/Aesthetics
The new balanced Portable DAC from Onix and Shanling is a rather large DAC/AMP, and the version I have comes with a leather case as well, although this will be sold as an extra accessory. At the core, we have a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC in Dual Configuration, so two separate DAC chips, which allow support of up to 384 kHz and 32 Bit for PCM signals. You can also listen to DSD up to DSD256, but MQA is now but a fever dream, as Tidal cut off support for it, so moving forward, MQA support will not be relevant in any review, as the main source of those files ceased to provide them.
The Headphone Amplifier inside of the Onix Alpha XI1 is a Balanced module, with a Dual SGM8262 Operational Amplifier implementation, allowing Alpha Xi1 to power headphones with up to 180 mW over the Single Ended output, and up to 500mW for a 32 OHM impedance over the balanced headphone output. The output impedance is slightly high, at 0.4 OHMs for the single ended headphone output, and 0.8 OHMs for the balanced headphone output, and this will result in a bit of background hiss and background noise with the most sensitive IEMs.
Although there is support for the Shanling Eddict Player app, you don’t need to use it, although it does extend the usability a bit, offering 5 different filters for the Onix Alpha Xi1. This being said, the DAC/MAP has a mini 0.87 Inch Display, and a 3-Button design, with a large volume button which can be pressed at either end for increasing or decreasing the volume, and a play / pause button which works with both phones and windows. It actually even works with the currently playing video on youtube on my windows PC.
The power and data input is in the format of a Type-C Port, and the whole DAC/AMP has a weight of 37.8 Grams. Technically, we have high numbers, and a Channel Separation of 71 dB for the SE output, and 99 dB for the Balanced output. The Dynamic range is 125 dB for the SE output and 129 dB for the balanced output, while the SNR is 129 dB for the balanced output and 126 dB for the SE output. The channel separation is the only number which is on the lower side, and this indicates that there is a bit of crossfeed happening, usually this resulting in a wider soundstage, and the feeling that the soundstage is a bit deeper and more holographic at the cost of some stereo imaging and instrument separation.
USB DAC / Gaming
While usually Shanling DAPs, DACs and DAC/AMPs tend to have either a bit of USB DAC delay, or cut the first second of a song when you begin playing after a longer pause, Onix Alpha Xi1 doesn’t seem to show any of those problems, it works perfectly and it is adequate for watching movies and playing games.
The sound is also great for gaming, the imaging is great, and with an impactful bass present with all IEMs and Headphones, you can enjoy loud and punchy bang sounds, and for soundtracks, there’s plenty vibe and a good instrument separation for a good definition, aiding in the overall enjoyment factor. The soundstage is on the intimate side, but you get that directionality a lot, so you will know where to turn if you hear footsteps in a first person shooter, or where the enemies are in Moba games like Dota 2.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To test the Onix Alpha Xi1 I have paired it with a selection of IEMs and headphones, including ZiiGaat Cincotres, Letshuoer S15, Sivga Nightingale, Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced, Campfire Cascara, Campfire Bonneville, Kefine Klanar, and HIDIZS MS3. For IEMs, there is actually no background hissing or noise I can notice with music playing, and even with no music playing, I don’t notice the background noise. With headphones, the driving power is plenty, sound is controlled and deep, powerful, especially over the balanced headphone output. The Single Ended headphone output is a bit better for IEMs actually, as it allows for a bit more volume control, but it is much quieter at max volume than the balanced output.
Overall Signature – While Shanling has generally been popular with smoother and warmer signature lovers, Onix Alpha Xi1 completes that Shanling house sound with a similar level of bass and impact, but adding a bit of extra sparkle up top, keeping everything which was interesting with Shanling, and improving upon their already beloved house sound. Onix Alpha Xi1 sounds warm, intimate, with a deep, thick and punchy bass, but a bit of extra sparkle and high-end extension, great resolution and detail, and with a good kick to the sound in general. This tuning is best for EDM, Pop and music with a synthetic bass, where it enhances and outlines it beautifully, while for rock and metal, the whole song is presented naturally.
Bass – The bass of the Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 is where it has the most coloration, as it enhances and strengthens the sub bass extension and presence of all songs, especially compared to the vast majority of DAC/AMPs. Voices and instruments in general are pushed back relative to the bass, especially male voices, but the whole bass is only slightly warm, just the sub bass is present and evident. This is perfect if you feel your IEMs and Headphones could use a bit of extra backbone, and also makes already bassy sounding IEMs complete, full and voluptuous, as the bass is sloppy, large, and hits hard.
Midrange – You can easily hear how the midrange inherits the warm, lush and deep character from the bass, and both voices and most instruments are nicely outlined by the powerful bass and sub bass, but even in rap songs, the most evident part is the sub bass, while voices are obviously pulled backwards, if they are a male voice. For female voices, those are forward, colorful and clean, vivid and presented clearly, the way you typically want to hear them with ACG tuned DAC/AMPs and IEMs. The tonality has warm coloration, with a bit of extra brightness in what seems to be an upper midrange bump, but not exaggerated by any means.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – The speed of sound with Alpha Xi1 is natural towards slow and sloppy. This is satisfying especially in te bass and the big, impactful low-end, but aids in making the whole sound somewhat relaxed in the textures, and dynamic. A compressed dynamic range usually is aggressive and forward, like a wall of sound, while Onix Alpha Xi1 presents music in the high dynamic range, audiophile way, allowing for depth and difference between the background and foreground instruments, the quieter parts being actually rather quiet, with the louder parts being loud but still relaxed, thanks to the previously mentioned softer texture speed.
Soundstage – If an intimate soundstage sounds appealing, Onix Alpha Xi1 provides that nicely, creating a pretty small soundstage, but with strong stereo imaging and instrument separation. You get a really good idea of where a sound is coming from, but you never feel like it is particularly spacious or spread apart, everything having very clear and well defined bounds, which you can hear and almost touch if you focus a bit.
Volume Control – Shanling has excellent volume control in general, and the new Onix Alpha Xi1 is no exception, it sounds the same at low and high volumes, with no real preference or better performance at any volume. This being said, the specific tuning and signature it has shines best at very high volumes, as the high dynamic range makes details and backgrounds of the instrument less obvious, so increasing the volume brings them back in focus. Also, the strong bass does not distort at very high volumes, being impressive and satisfying to listen to.
Treble – Pop, EDM and Electronic music is clearly the style the engineers were enjoying while tuning the Onix Alpha Xi1, as this is a really different sounding DAC/AMP from the Shanling house sound, and either it was commercial pop, rap or ACG, because this is where the tuning shines most. There’s a clear emphasis on the lower treble and upper midrange, bringing quite a bit of sparkle and clarity to sound, to contrast the bold and strong bass. The treble can be a bit aggressive with EDM music at times, exactly the way ACG fans like it, but it somehow stays balanced and fairly clean with rock and metal, the peak being clearly tuned to bring forward energy in EDM and electronic music in general.
Comparisons
Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 vs Audioengine D1 (109 USD vs 169 USD)
Build – D1 is mainly a desktop DAC/AMP, but a lot of my testing even for portables is done at the desktop, as I cannot write while walking, as much as one cannot dance while eating, so I have used both a lot with my windows PC. The DAC and AMP configuration is very different, and D1 uses an AK4396 DAC, with an unnamed Op-AMP solution. The maximum driving power of Alpha Xi1 is much more balanced across the volume, so basically D1 gets really loud really fast, with IEMs, but above 70% of the max volume, it distorts with harder to drive headphones. This all makes the sound really not that useful for portables, and it is intended more to be a desktop DAC/Preamp for Audioengine’s speakers.
Sound – Sonically, the sound of D1 is really crisp and clean when driving speakers, but when driving IEMs and Headphones, it sounds warm, bassy, and full, or bright and somewhat hard, depending on the impedance of the headphone. With D1, you will get lower bass with harder to drive headphones, and it has a higher output impedance, but still with a good detail and resolution, while Alpha Xi1 has a more cohesive sound, it does not change character with the impedance and it does have a lower noise floor, and lower distortion even at close to maximum volume. Overall, for a desktop Preamp with DAC, D1 makes more sense as it has RCA connectors, but for portable usage and something to drive IEMs and Headphones, Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 is a better solution.
Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 vs Aune Yuki (109 USD vs 179 USD)
Build – Aune Yuki and Alpha Xi are about the same size and weight give or take, and both have a Dual CS43198 DAC configuration inside. The AMP part is very different, and this results in a different sound, with Yuki having a lower noise floor but a much lower driving power than Onix Alpha Xi.
Sound – Sonically, Yuki has a more forward, more aggressive sound, and it feels like a Class A Amplifier, it puts so much punch and kick into music, sounding really bold and wide / holographic as well. By comparison, Alpha Xi is much more intimate, the staging is focused and not overly expansive, but the treble is more shimmery, bass is deeper and more in quantity, while the sound stays within a well defined bound more. For a wide and holographic sound, Yuki, for an intimate and more V-Shaped flavored tuning, then Onix Alpha Xi.
Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 vs Shanling H2 (109 USD vs 169 USD)
Build – H2 is a larger device, with its own battery, and for 60 extra dollars, it adds a lot of ability, including Bluetooth DAC AMP, it can play music off a microSD file, and also works fairly well as a USB DAC, with a higher driving power. Output impedance is the same, so hissing and background noise levels will be mostly similar. H2 is more functional and larger physically, while Onix Alpha Xi is smaller and more ergonomic and has a higher price / performance point if you just need a simple USB DAC AMP.
Sound – Sonically, the two are fairly similar, and that may be because they are using largely the same DAC configuration, with H2 using one DAC, and Onix Alpha Xi using two of that DAC, and the OP-AMP configuration is pretty much the same. The one difference I am hearing between them is in the upper midrange / lower treble, where Onix Alpha Xi has more energy, shimmer, air and sparkle, and makes music much more exciting and more engaging, while H2 sounds smoother and allows for a more relaxed listening experience.
Value and Conclusion
Although Shanling is a premium brand which is often associated with more of a premium approach, the Onix Alpha Xi1 actually offers a clarity, performance and overall sound better than the market usually does at the same price point, being an excellent value for the 109 USD paid.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a perfect USB DAC implementation, a basset, boil and powerful sound, with excellent dynamics, strong detail, resolution, and which has quite a bit of extra strength in the lower treble to give contrast, and a perfect sound with EDM, Electronic and ACG music, the new Shanling Onix Alpha Xi1 is a fully recommended purchase and one of the best DAC/AMP dongles for this tuning I heard to date.
Product Link
You can grab one here – https://amzn.to/3ROIFuF
Technical Specifications
Product type – Portable DAC, Portable Headphone Amplifier
DAC chip – 2x CS43198
Headphone amplification – 2x SGM8262
Inputs – USB-C
Outputs – 1x Single-ended 3.5mm jack. 1x Balanced 4.4mm jack
Supported sample rates – PCM up to 32bit 384kHz, DSD up to DSD256
Output power – 3.5mm jack: 180mW, 4.4mm jack: 500mW
Display – 0.84″
SINGLE-ENDED – 3.5MM JACK OUTPUT
THD+N – 0.0004% @ 32Ω (A-weighted @ 2V)
Dynamic range – 125dB @ 32Ω (A-weighted)
Channel separation – 71dB @ 32Ω
SNR – 126dB @ 32Ω
Output impedance – 0.4Ω
BALANCED – 4.4MM JACK OUTPUT
THD+N – 0.0005% @ 32Ω (A-weighted @ 2V)
Dynamic range – 129dB @ 32Ω
Channel separation – 99dB @ 32Ω
SNR – 129dB @ 32Ω
Output impedance – 0.8Ω
Dimensions – 64 x 32 x 14mm
Color – Black
Weight – 37.8g
Package – 1x Shanling Onix Alpha XI1 Portable DAC
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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