Hey all,
After reading through the thread I decided to purchase one of these, as my old dac/amp just died.
I’m using a S.M.S.L SU-8 > 2 XLR cables > Loxjie P20 > HD800s in balance mode
It sounds good but I have audible static in my headphones which I don’t hear when I’m listening to music but when I’m mute a song it becomes quite irritating, anyone know what the issue might be?
My first unit also arrived with broken tubes so this is starting to get a little frustrating.
Thanks in advance
Welcome to the forum @philo1449.
I don’t have an answer for you, but I’m sure someone will chime in soon enough.
Sounds like normal tube-noise to me.
Some amps are worse for it than others, and some tubes are noisier than others.
If it’s tube noise, it’ll usually gradually get better over the first 100 or so hours of use. It might never go away entirely, or it might in short order. And if it is tube noise it’ll often be somewhat intermittent … especially as the tube burns in.
It is also possible that the tubes are picking up RF/EM noise from the environment. If that’s the case, the only fixes involve shielding the tubes, or moving the amp/removing the source of RF/EM noise (if it’s near a WiFi access point or a USB 3 hub, those are prime offenders).
Seems to have settled a bit, maybe I was a bit hasty thanks I think your right
New to tubes!
Sounds amazing for the price, happy thus far with the purchase
They can be interesting when you’re new to them.
Bigger tubes, like 2A3, 300B, 45 etc. will actually make pinging and tinkling sounds that you can not only hear as microphonics through the headphones, but are loud enough to hear directly.
Good to hear. These days tubes are fashion accessories, but they often do best in a shielded cage.
Hi all.
I’m new here and new to this world too.
After reading a lot about the P20, I’m considering buying it to drive my HD6xx, HE4xx, and DT990 Pro, but I also have some low impedance cans (k371, HD599se, and SHP9500 are among them) and some IEMs. I’m driving all my stuff by means of a SMSL M3 and a SBx G6.
Anyone here already used an impedance adapter (for the SE output) with the P20? If so, with any issue?
Thank you
Me, no experience. I reserve the P20 for thin sounding sources and other misguided production decisions. Note that the P20’s SE output isn’t as good as its balanced output. I used it with balanced output exclusively.
I might reserve the P20 for the balanced cases too and then keep the M3 (it’s a combo) acting as the DAC for the P20 and also as a combo for the low impedance IEMs and cans.
The M3’s SE output is much weaker than the P20’s one (108 mW against 385mW @ 32 Ohm, respectly), and that is why I would like to use the P20 even for the SE cases. However, I’ve forgotten that due to an impedance adapter the SE output ‘may become’ even weaker than the one from M3.
Love mine. Sounds so much better than the Magni to me. Use it with the Earstudio M100 mk 2 2.5mm balanced out set to 2 volts and I think it’s a winner.
I had a lot of static/noise when I ran my earstudio mk2 into it from the computer. I think it’s the USB cable as I didn’t notice any static when I went Earstudio to Loxjie with 2.5mm balanced to 2 XLR’s in bluetooth mode. Have it hooked up to Modi DAC now with no audible noise.
Update: after buying a set of Focal Clears I’m using the P20 with more and more sources. While many things sound great with the Clear on a solid-state amp (e.g., vocals, acoustic), some electric/dynamic productions are too bright or jumpy/edgy. The P20 takes off the edges and adds a little warmth.
I’m mainly using JAN GE Triple Mica 5670 tubes, but recently ordered a set of Soviet 6N3P-DR Reflectors to see what they’ll do. They are in the mail, and will report back when they arrive.
Where did you order the Reflectors from (if you don’t mind me asking)?
I was looking a couple of weeks ago and the two russian tube stores I usually buy from don’t have them for some reason.
Ebay seller in the Ukraine. I cannot vouch for quality or anything else, as I’ve never done business with them previously. Nothing has yet arrived.
They had a limited quantity, and I seemingly got the last ones from an old posting:
Friends don’t let friends use GE tubes.
Just saying
I rather like the GE tubes for the intended purpose: a very slightly rounded off clean solid-state presentation. For this use case I’m just trying to remove some brutal SS details.
Most of the time I seek neutrality and anything else becomes a distraction over time.
I’m currently using the Clears balanced out of the P20 with the stock tubes after some recommendations of pairing it with the RME ADI-2, and I feel pretty much the same way as you had described. There is a sort of “clinical-ness” going straight out of the ADI-2, which I had not noticed when I had my Elears.
I also ordered a set of 6N3P-DR straight from a Russian website, which seems to have finally been able to ship them out last week, so hopefully it makes it past Canadian customs in a timely fashion.
In some ways, I really prefer the P20 to the Valhalla 2 I had last year. Although the Valhalla 2 was an OTL amp, it never really did enough to the sound signature, something I confirmed when I bought the Asgard 3 and did a lot of listening between the two.
Mine seems to be much brighter on the left side than the right. I can’t really tell if there is any issue or not.
The factory tubes are run of the mill modern production and probably not matched. You might unplug the power and then swap the tubes – see if the brightness reverses. If the left side stays brighter than it could be receiving more power than the right side, and that would call for amp repair/replacement.
The factory tubes may indeed differ and/or one may have been damaged at some point.
If the brightness reverses with a swap, you can’t hear a difference between channels and are happy with the sound, you might either let it go or shop for new tubes.
Appreciate it. Will swap the tube positions tomorrow if I get the time.
