Hidizs XO Review: Party On The Outside, Business on The Inside

PRICE: $99 (PHP. 5,000.00)

PROS:

  • Unique 15-mode RGB Feature
  • Digital Filters
  • Sleek, lightweight, compact design
  • Detachable Type-C input for solid device compatibility
  • Intuitive controls
  • Noise Free Output
  • Decently Powerful SE and BAL 
  • Uncolored and neutral sound
  • MQA (16x), DSD256 and Hi-Res (32bit, 384khz) support 

CONS:

  • Gets hot pretty fast
  • Battery drain can be a little bit much
  • RGB is more of a party trick than something practical
  • Digital Filters only have a minimal effect
  • No physical volume rockers
  • No LO
  • 2.5mm (nitpick, I just prefer 4.4mm)
  • Might come across as too clean/clinical

WHO THIS IS FOR: 

  • People looking for a compact DAC with 2.5mm BAL output
  • People who like quirky features on their DAC
  • People who are looking for a powerful but portable source
  • People looking for a clean, versatile DAC

WHO THIS ISN’T FOR:

  • People looking for the most powerful DAC for the price
  • People who want an unadulterated, no frills source
  • People who want dedicated physical volume rockers
  • People who want a vibrant, energetic sounding DAC

SHORT REVIEW:

“The Hidizs XO is a small yet powerful DAC with quirky 15-mode RGB lighting that sets it apart from other DACs with its unique presentation. While it may not be the best in one specific thing, it makes up for being a solid, all-rounded solution for portable audio enthusiasts.” RECOMMENDED

FULL REVIEW

When it comes to sources, you can’t really get much variations in terms of how it is presented. Most DAC’s are a piece of metal with plugs and buttons with varying shapes. Recently, some manufacturers have decided to switch it up by presenting the DAC in a unique manner. And today, we’ll be taking a look at one such DAC. Let’s take an in depth look at the Hidizs XO!

SPECS: 

DAC CHIP: ESS Tabre ES9219C x2

BIT AND SAMPLE RATE: 32bit/384khz PCM

DSD SUPPORT: DSD64/128/256

MQA SUPPORT: MQA 16X Unfolding

INPUT: Type-C

OUTPUTS: 3.5mm SE, 2.5mm BAL

POWER:

  • 78mw x2 @ 32ohms 3.5
  • 195mWx2 @ 32ohms 2.5

OTHER FEATURES:

  • Independent Crystal Oscillators
  • Single 5-axis Aluminum CNC
  • Sample rate based on the color
  • Hiby Music App support
  • Hi Res and MQA certified

DNR: +121dB

THD: -114dB 

WEIGHT: 11 Grams

SUPPORT: Windows, Mac, iPad OS, Android, iOS

CROSSTALK:

  • 3.5mm: 76dB
  • 2.5mm: 128dB 

UNBOXING:

WATCH THE UNBOXING HERE: https://youtu.be/Gm6N71zXj_Q

The Hidizs XO comes in a rather small box with a pretty exterior that shows the XO with an iridescent finish. Removing the outer packaging, you’re met with a solid plastic case that holds the XO, the paperwork, a Type-C to Type-C cable and a USB C female to USB A male.

BUILD QUALITY, INPUT AND CONTROLS: 

The Hidizs XO has a very sturdy, single 5-axis CNC Aluminum build that makes me feel confident that this DAC was made to last. The Type-C connector has a very satisfying click every time you plug it in and stays snug. 

The same can be said with both the jacks with the 2.5mm jack being considerably tighter than the 3.5mm. I’m not much of a fan of 2.5mm connectors as I find them a little too thin for comfort, but I understand that it’s necessary to keep the XO compact.

There are two buttons located at the very top with the O being the button to change the digital filters and the X being able to change the RGB. The buttons are responsive and clicky and quite satisfying without feeling too hard. The sides are patterned in a way that makes the RGB pop out in an aesthetically pleasing way that compliments the colors well. 

DEVICE SUPPORT:

I used this on my PC, Hiby R2 Gen II and my Huawei Nova 7 SE. All devices worked wonderfully with the XO, including my Nova 7 SE which is usually problematic with DACs.

FEATURES:

As stated above, the XO’s main features digital filters and a total of 15 RGB modes. They are also capable of decoding MQA 16x, DSD supports up to 256, and are powered by two ES9219C chips. While omitting any physical volume rockers or mic support, it’s a relatively adequate and unique feature set that separates it from other DACs. The digital filters don’t provide much of a difference personally and the RGB modes, while cool, is arguably gimmicky and could have been put into something more practical. Still, I can’t blame the Hidizs for including such a weird feature. 

POWER AND BATTERY:

The XO has a more than decent SE output with 78mW x2 which is more than capable of powering IEMs and some low-impedance headphones, but these pack over 195mW x2 on its 2.5mm Balanced output which is more than capable of powering even harder to drive headphones, but might struggle with planars. Unfortunately, I do not have any properly hard-to-drive headphones on hand to test out its performance. But I’m going down as low as 15/100 on Windows with the PR2 where I usually go over 25/100, so these are definitely powerful. 

However, it does have two drawbacks with that amount of power. One is its power consumption is a little bit on the heavier side. Plugging it into the R2 Gen II at an average of 40-60 volume, I found myself draining more than 30% of the battery in a single album and over 15% with my smartphone. The other is the heat generated on the DAC is quite a lot. Even leaving it on idle will make it quite toasty to hold. 

SOUND:

There is virtually no noise floor with the Hidizs XO, even on sensitive IEMs like their very own MS5 which I found to be prone to producing such noise floor on more powerful DACs. This was the case for both the 3.5mm SE and the 2.5mm BAL

The sound of the XO is neutral and clean. Coloration is put to a minimum while also providing a very crisp and technical sound. Comparing this to something like my Audioquest Dragonfly Red, the DF Red still pulls ahead in terms of clarity, detail, and openness. But the XO sounds smoother with a less colored sound and slightly improved low-end dynamics. 

Plugging my Aful Performer 5 into the 2.5mm output, the XO smoothened the treble out while still maintaining a clean balance throughout the frequency. It also allowed the P5 to be pushed to its potential as I found the P5’s overall bass dynamics and transients to have been sharpened and more incisive without harshness or distortion. The usually rounded-sounding bass of the P5 was given a little bit of punch and texture, although only by a tad bit. The real improvement the XO brought about to the P5 was definitely opening up the midrange and smoothening the treble. Stage unfortunately doesn’t seem to have changed a lot despite the midrange sounding a tad bit more open, even in the Balanced output.

Plugging it into the Simgot EA500 and right out the gate, the XO improves on what makes the EA500 solid while also smoothing out the edginess that some might find harsh or unnatural. The bass sounds tighter with better texture and a smoother transition into the midrange where it retains a well bodied lower mids but also opening up the vocals and instruments to have more breathing room. The refinement to the upper mids and treble was also quite phenomenal as it still presents the EA500 as the sparkly beast that it is but making it smoother and overall more euphonic to listen to.

However, this definitely isn’t for those looking to make their IEMs more fun on both ends. The XO delivers a more neutral sound rather than an energetic one. It doesn’t boost the bass quantity as much as it tightens it to sound clearer while still maintaining an adequate body. The treble is about the same story with the treble being well extended but not elevating much from the usual sound. 

VERDICT:

The Hidizs XO is a quirky, tiny but powerful piece of DAC that is perfect for those looking for a compact, portable but versatile source with a colorful presentation that’s perfect for those who like to listen in style. While it may omit the usually useful features like volume controls, it instead features a quirky 15-mode RGB and digital filters that are supposed to give you a different listening experience per filter. And while I did find both more gimmicky than useful, it doesn’t change much from the fact that this is a very solid DAC solution for the price. Heat may come as an issue, as well as power consumption. But for the power that it brings out, I’d say it’s more than justified. Overall, the XO allows both your eyes and ears to feast in its beauty. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review. I would also like to thank Hidizs for sending over the XO for me and my fellow reviewers to share our thoughts on. If you would like to see more of my content, please consider following my Facebook page and my other social media accounts: 

If you would like to avail the product reviewed today, check the non-affiliate link below!

Hidizs XO Single-ended & Balanced MQA Dongle

Have a nice day, and enjoy music!

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Hi, I'm Obie! I like audio gears and I like to yap a lot

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