Review on 🎧 FX AUDIO DAC-X6MKII: High-Performance 192kHz DAC Converter with Bluetooth 5.0 Receiver and Headphone Amplifier (Black) by Roberto Manzer

**SECOND UPDATE**September 2020 I finally got a chance to test this updated version of the DAC X6 MKII. I tested the Bluetooth inputs, optical and USB, with a home theater system and ATH-M50 headphones as outputs. ***Using Headphones*** First Impression: Severe hum/hum fixed with new capacitors. This brings this DAC back onto the field. Second impression: generally good sound quality. I lost myself in movie soundtracks. White background noise is still present regardless of the input. The volume does not change. Bluetooth interference seems to permeate the audio. Especially when plugging in or starting playback, I hear a lot of beeps, tweaks, squeaks and buzzes. It's not loud, but definitely noticeable. ***Home Theater Use*** Performance seems to be slightly better here - perhaps because I can turn up the volume on the DAC X6 MKII and use my amp to adjust the volume - which brings the DAC's noise floor below a noticeable level. Neither white noise nor Bluetooth interference seemed to pose a problem in this regard. ***Final Thoughts*** This DAC's variety of inputs and user-friendly interface are its strengths, along with its affordable price. The sound quality is good, but not outstanding. If you want higher quality audio, you'll have to spend more. If you're looking for more connectivity in this price range, I don't think you'll find much. As a headphone amp, it may or may not be an improvement over your PC's built-in audio. However, if you connect it to a stereo amplifier, it might be a good multi-input solution. There's no 5-star territory here due to BT interference and basic white noise. I'm really hesitating between 3 and 4 stars, but since the price is affordable, the materials are versatile, and the customer service seems good, I think it's a well-deserved 4 stars. **FIRST UPDATE** July 2020 I was contacted by FX AUDIO within 3 weeks of posting this review - they said they fixed the HISS issue. Fair enough I guess - things like that happen in production and manufacturing, and this really is a budget DAC. You get a lot of features for the price so you can handle multiple problems in production. I believe they will fix this in the future. They also said that if you have an old block and are good at soldering, you can "destroy 2 capacitors C11 and 26" to fix the problem. I've already got my device back and used a custom Modi/Magni stack instead, but otherwise I'd be curious to know if this hardware patch fixes (A) the squeaking/hissing in headphones and/or (B) distortion/clipping in headphones moderate fixes volume . Thanks to FX Audio's support team, it looks like they want to offer a good product on a budget. You may want to try the DAC-X6MKII if you have purchased a modded block or know how to use a soldering iron. -X6MKII for its variety of inputs, affordable price and positive feedback on its predecessor DAC-X6. I wanted to use it as a hub for a home theater system. As a test, I listened to Ezio Bosso in FLAC format via an additional isolated cable on the Aiwa Exos-9. After unpacking, I attached the supplied antennas. and power bank and connected Bluetooth/aptX from my phone with no problems. The Bluetooth sounded good for the most part, but there was some cracking and distortion in some of the more difficult areas. I don't experience this type of distortion with my other Bluetooth/aptX devices such as B. with a direct BT connection to the Exos-9. Thinking that this problem could only be caused by the BT radio, I plugged in the included USB 2. 0 cable into my PC, switched inputs with just one handy button on the front - and heard the same crackling/distortion, especially at higher volumes. If I crank my PC volume to the max and turn the DAC volume down far enough that I don't notice any obvious distortion, I have to crank up the speaker volume myself a bit more to get a reasonable volume, adding to background noise and causing frustration. experience in general. Changing the USB input from 48kHz to 96kHz or 192kHz made no difference here. Testing the same setup with my Scarlett 2i2 as the DAC, by comparison, produced much clearer sound with no distortion or crackling, even in the most challenging or noisy environments. sections. The 2i2 isn't as loud as the DAC-X6MKII at full volume, but it doesn't produce any distortion either. When I turned off the DAC-X6MKII to reduce distortion, the 2i2 was also the clear winner in loudness. DAC-X6MKII, both via USB. 2i2, again, gave an excellent and clear listening experience at different volume levels. The DAC-X6MKII emitted a high-pitched static squeak in the background that didn't diminish as the volume was adjusted. That made any musical enjoyment unreasonable for me. I may have gotten a bad unit as the squeak in particular was outrageous for a DAC at any price - I don't see why they would release such a design. Perhaps you and I as buyers are the FX Audio QC team. Heavy distortion at high volume also seems unusual, but perhaps the choice of designers trying to squeeze more volume from limited devices. If your input requirements are simpler and you only use USB I can make a few recommendations: The XtremPro X1-1 USB DAC was cheap and reliable, I would recommend it at half the price, currently $31. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is designed for recording, but for me it was also a solid DAC. If you don't need the recording capabilities, you can check out the simplified Focusrite Scarlett Solo sibling model, which costs around $110. I will be returning this unit and looking elsewhere for my home theater needs. I hope that the time I have spent on this purchase/return/review,