Aune X8 Magic XVIII and Sparkos opamp = $1000 Sound 

Sparkos arrived Yesterday and sounds on my Aune X8 all I can Say It Is an Amazing upgrade It worth every penny.Thank you for your job

Wow. Thanks for this review. Your DAC reviews are my gold standard. I’ve enjoyed the X8/Sparkos combination for a couple of years now but was toying with the idea of “upgrading “ to one of the SMSL DACs, eg M500 mkii which you reviewed favorably (I fancy being able to tweak the sound via 2nd and 3rd harmonics ). You’ve given me a good reason to postpone this (at least until you review the M500 mkiii). 👍🏻

This review is 100% on point! I can confirm that swapping generic opamp that comes with your DAC can improve on the sound! I have sabaj dac with es9038q2m dac chip and I soldered in opa2134 instead of standard opa1612 and the sound changed in exactly the same way like in this review! I can’t wait to get my hands on sparkos opamps to solder those in (they sell soic8 to dip8 adapters)

Thanks for this review Srbo, great as always and very informative. Amazing how a change of a single component can influence the sound so much

Thanks so much for this review! Your reviews are always super informative and entertaining. You've made me aware of a DAC that really excites me, particularly paired with the Sparkos opamp, not to mention the ability to experiment with other opamps. As always, great review!

Yes, I have this combo! And it is amazing! Could not blieve my ears when I changed to the sparkos

A really great review and detailed information on this DAC, as always. Tank you so much for your time and effort.

Always learning something new from your channel. Thanks for the detailed video.

Of course I got it! This thing sound massive. Paired with a simple O2 amp, it sound really phenomenal even with the stock opamp. To my ears it has it all: detail, clarity, separation, punchyness and musicality. A notch or two above the hidizs dh10s (already phenomenal for his price). Just waiting the aune x7s to make the stack. The bluetooh support LDAC and the sound is also very good (you can use it streaming from your phone) Big thanks, you're really a reference guy for dacs review and recommendations. Just hope that for a good amount of time nothing will top the x8 magic! (for my wallet :D)

You make the videos that I want to watch. Good work.

You have just took the X8 magic XVIII dac and made it to a X8 magic XVIII MKII, so you have done all the hard work for the Aune company, great review, thanks.

Mind has just been blown. Thanks. Large rabbit hole direct ahead

Really excited to see you comment on opamps, would love to see more of this

Wow! Fantastic review packed with information that really helps out the average audiophile! Thank you! Cheers!

Sjajna prezentacija i koristan savet kako uštedeti novac a doći do zvuka višeg cenovnog ranga. Hvala, velika podrška, sve si bolji!

Just having the convenient ability to change OPAMPS has me craving this new toy !

Love the video! Ordered mine from Aune while the video was playing :D

Captivating. Intriguing investigation. Thank you.

Very interesting…I have a Pontus II… so I think that I am good for now, but THANKS for including more music…You have good taste!!! 👍🏼😎

This was SO cool! Just an exciting and fun proposition that a fairly simple and affordable component upgrade could make such a difference. Wondering what would happen if I tried this on a D70s? Tricky, as the question remains if two Sparkos amps would fit inside of it (or other jam-packed dacs). So maybe the burr-browns. Now you've got me thinking! Thanks again for looking not these unique possibilities and for the detailed comparison (ot to mention the mod demonstration).

Outstanding review!!

Goood review and descriptions 😊

Very useful review, thank you...

Well I learnt something today, great review...now just waiting for the Spirit Wind review Lol.

I looked about a bit and Aune offers a dedicated linear power supply for this dac called XP2 It sells around 100 Dollars or Euro. It can actually power two different devices at once.

Thank you for your review of the Aune unit. I have some personal experience with Aune as I have the 2020 version that does not offer the easy option to change output op amp. However I have the option to swap out different op amps in a pre-amp in search of better performance and tried all your choices in your video save for the Sparkos. This was not an option for me as I was not willing to forward the cost. However, I found and exemplary op amp at a fraction of the cost that just was so superior to these op amps that I had an experienced engineer friend of mine desolder the op amp in the Aune 2020 and replace with an OPA 1656 and wow! Ultra musical. If you haven't tried this op amp, you should include this in your arsenal. It's very cheap and so the bang for the buck soars..

Great video!!! You basically confirmed my suspicions about DACs. I was an audiophile and computer nerd 20 yrs ago and changed the OPAMP in my Soundblaster when it was trendy. It seems I was correct and that people are getting taken with these audiophile dacs when the output stage is where the sound is influenced the most. This is also confirmed with the enormous power supplies, and discrete outputs of super high end DACs. Interesting tidbits... -The Topping D10... you can interchange the OPAMP. -I believe the SparkOS is a discrete A amplifier using smaller SMD IGBT transistors. It isn't actually an "OPAMP" per say. -You might want to try the Burson Audio DACs as well.

Its nice to be able to taylor the sound To your taste with your hifi system Its not one op amp is better than other Its the right op amp for you 😆 Thanks for the video .Your doing An amazing job !!

I am very impressed with the sound of my Geshelli J2 AKM - which happens to use three Texas Instruments TI1656 opamps - one for single ended, and two for the balanced outputs. Texas Instruments bought Burr Brown a while back. As I look for this number, I am finding surface mount parts. Also, using a LPS seems to be a similar big improvement in the treble and soundstage and instrument separation, etc.

All grist to the mill. Thanks, man.

I was very intrigued by your very detailed review. My Aune was delivered two days ago and the Sparkos about a week ago. Like you I listened to JRC op amp for a day or so and then I put in the Sparkos op amp. Wow! So much more of the real body and detail of the music is coming out of my speakers now. You are absolutely right! This is fantastic! Thank you for telling us about this combination!

Great review !!! Btw in regards to DACs with changable op-amps, its worth taking a look at the Burson fi Composer. Would be great if we get to have a review for this one from you :)

Great and interesting review. Most of the people are mislead by reviewers that DAC chip has a "sound" and speculating AKM over SABRE over BB and reverse. Well, to some extend yes DAC have sound signature - thus old Philips TDA chips are still used and percived as best "sounding", however I wouldn't overestimate this feature. What "make" dac sound is end stage, buffer, you name it. And this fact is completely ignored by most of reviewers. Therefore thank you for raising this topic and for your op-amp rolling. For me, results are no surprise, however expected Muse 01 to beat all, well technology goes forward, however visibly discrette type op-amp are now better and better than integrated ones. Would like to hear it with Burson discrette op-amp! Also did you consider to replace the end bufder in SMSL and Topping? Maybe this sparkos would bring them to even higher level? Same with mentioned ladder type dacs- most probably they also use opamps in buffer stage. Would be interesting to see this review. Thank you and keep on doing, your reviews are awesome!

Thanks brother!

I did this with a headphone dac/amp from China and had the same problem that the discrete op amp was too big. Anyway I was using Chinese made discrete op amps costing about $20 and even at the very low cost end of the scale there was a big difference. I had 2 discretes and 1 paired extremely well to my taste, but the other was too sharp sounding. So thanks for your review, it was very interesting to hear about the effect higher up the quality scale.

Sorry for the late post, but I recently bought the Aune X8 for my secondary nearfield system at under half the price (£280 inc P&P and taxes) of my Tradutto, now in my main system. I prefer the op-amp in the pill box to the one that came installed, and am surprised how good it sounds as supplied -- quite punchy and nuanced, though, as you intimate, a little lacking in fullness. It's certainly worth the price purely as a reasonably priced DAC. I've noticed its output is louder than my Tradutto and a couple of other (inexpensive) DACs I have, and that's quite welcome. I have the Sparkos (£100 inc P&P and taxes) on order from the USA; hopefully, it will be arriving in 10-14 days, and I can hardly wait to try it out. Another op-amp I've heard about, the Stacatto, is slightly more expensive but according the OCD hi-fi guy -- see ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zDA90yMoT18.html&ab_channel=OCDHI-FiGuy -- who gave a demonstration of the two, maybe even better -- though how easily it would fit into the X8, I can't say. Thought I'd mention it in case you ever decide to give it a whizz. I'll let you know how I get on with the Sparkos in due course.

I too used a sparkos in a cheap (106 euro) chinese DAC, with spectacular result. Look at the pictures of the inside of those DAC's, because the exististing OPAMP has to have a DIP8 socket, and if you need two or more dual OPAMPS it will be more expensive. Adding a linear power supply does the rest.

😉 Thanks for this ... I Bought it with SPARKOS Chip ... LEVEL UP MUSIC GEAR ! MUSIC AS IT IS ...

Hi my friend. Your reviews are simply the best. I’m intrigued to know what you might think of the gishelli labs j2 AKM dac for this category of competition. It is highly rated by other reviewers in this price range against even more expensive equipment and I noticed many comments in this section requesting this comparison review. Thanks for all you do.

The SS3602 was known for being one of not the best OP amp but with the recent release of the Burson V7 it has been dethroned. I`m getting a V7 Vivid for my X8 in a couple of days when it has arrived and then my X8 is upgraded as far as possible. I have the Aune XP2 torodial power supply for it too, way better than the cheap switching power supply

New insights..... The Burson V6 Vivid improves upon what the Sparkos does. But now we have a few daring folks, myself in particular, are going to try the SparkosLabs PRO SS2590 in a dual setup on the Aune X8 XVIII.

I Have used Aune X8 magic dac with Burson Classic op amp for two years. You must turn it upside down to use because it is a tall op amp. I bought the sparkos and put it in. Great detail verging on analytical, but not as musical or engaging as the burson classic. imho

A sound comparaison between this aune with sparkos and topping d50s with sparkos, please ? Wich one the more natural sound...and good soundstage

I finally got one. I actually preffered the installed njm5532JD over the Opa2134 by burr brown the opa sounded 2134 congested to me. I had a opa627 already. That already sounds much better. Sweet and detailed but lacking a bit of body, ordered the Sparkos. I experienced some dropouts with high res 96khz tracks. I never had that with the SMSL Sanskrit MkII that sat in it's spot before. Using the optical TOSlink.

This DAC sounds even better with the Aune XP2 linear power supply. Consider that upgrade for your X8 too!

so if we are swapping op-amp in a single AMP/DAC combo unit (like the Dx7 Pro), we are actually swapping the DAC part, not the AMP part, right? Does this mean all the amp specs are remains the same after op-amp swap (e.g., output impedance, output power, etc.)?

25/12/22 edit After using this DAC + Sparkos OPAMP for over a month and using it with the Chord Mojo2, I would like to explain some differences between the two. The Mojo2 has more midrange presence and deeper soundstage, is more dynamic and has better slam. The Mojo also brings you closer to the soundstage, while the X8 is more relaxed in its presentation and wider soundstage. The X8 feels airier and seems to show more texture than the Mojo2. But this is not true, some aspects of the frame are highlighted, while others are shaded, pushed into the background. I would say that the Mojo2 is a better DAC in many respects and gives a lot more for almost the same money. The Aune X8 is a great DAC and depending on the system it might be a better fit (if your system sounds just a little muddy the x8 will bring back some air). The Aune X8 + Sparkos is a great DAC, but in a neutral system the Chord Mojo2 (not the original Mojo) will be better + they have some other cards up their sleeve!!! So my list under 500 eur/usd Chord Mojo2 / Aune X8 + Sparkos, under 1000eur RME ADI2 fs / Chord Qutest - Mojo2 / Denafrips Ares / Aune X8 / Topping D90 Srboljub, it's your fault that I bought this insanely good DAC (with Sparkos upgrade..). This is my favorite DAC of the many DACs (also some Higher End) on my audio journey and in my home. Only one thing is missing, the organization of complex passages and large orchestral works. Still, the organization is much better than on the Denafrips Ares, still a bit behind the Chord Qutest, the RME ADI2FS, maybe even the Mojo2. Everything else is absolutely fantastic, and this DAC is the keeper of DACs, it will stay at home, no matter what the future holds. My list of DACs under 1100 Eur as of now is this: Aune X8 + Sparkos, RME ADI2FS / Chord Qutest, Chord Mojo/Mojo2, Denafrips Ares.

Amazing review and report as always.You are so clear and professional your review are true. I have Aune X8 with Xp2 external Power supply and all you Say Is true,I made the same test and confirm opamp Rolling Is funny, with jrc 5532 and LTE sound Is precise but flat and involving,Muses 01 seems tò sounds good ,very clean and tight but I feel loses something in the music,opa 2134 Is the best of the bunch,less clean,dirty but music Is come again with live ,body and emotion,3d Is good also and now ..........Now I'm waiting Sparkos Ss 3602 ,I bought It Yesterday obiovusly.Thank you for your job guy much appreciated

I've currently got a Topping E30, thanks in large part to your review of it. I was wondering, would this be a good upgrade (with the sparkos) to the E30?

The reason for only pre out has balanced output is that this output isn't really balanced but a complete parallel for the RCA. It's meant for connecting the DAC to powered monitors and controlling the volume via the X8. It's a convenience thing.

Spot on , lets be able to mod a bit!

J'ai acquis le X8 et sparkos 3602 et en réglant les filtres sur D, c'est un régal de précision, espace entre notes respecté, aucune agressivité et du détails d'une propreté exceptionnelle. Après 55 ans de HiFi voici enfin un début de perfection (j'écoute de la pop, du rock plus ou moins hard, du black metal, bossa nova, blues). Merci iiWi

Going to purchase one of htese along with the Sparkos opamp. Two questions regarding the two offerings, one edition with BT and one without...1) does having BT in the unit have the potential to degrade the SQ while using one of the other inputs and 2) can the BT on the BT version be disabled when not in use?

I got a used x8 with the latest sparkos took me a day tweaking but its so smooth i love it setting A is recommended by Aune China site and they are spot on . I come from a topping e30 II. The difference is astonishing Also got the xp2 with upgraded power cord and its cleaner nicer more air ..love it Thx Mate

Like tube rolling. My vote for coolest DAC/preamp of the year!

Thanks again for a great review. I have the Modi Multibit which I like. How do you think the Aune with the Sparkos might compare, and does the Ifi Zen DAC belong in the ring?

Breaking in the Aune X8 with the Sparkos op amp. Only a few hours on the unit so wondering if more of a break-in period might yield a difference but so far it is nice, but different from my other dac, a Topping D70s. Some of what Srboljub stated about the D90LE applies here as well. The D70S is definitely more dynamic and punchy. It also gives alot of detail and seems a bit having wider stage. I think as to depth, I didn't think it was too bad and don't seem to notice much difference at this point. But the sound itself is definitely different. With the D70s being more dynamic and punchy it gives a more energetic and exciting presentation, lots of detail with that detail standing out. For movies with lots of dialogue, sound effects and details, it gives alot with more emphasis to edges and to me, more resolution. There's good space and depth and you notice that with certain scenes. Spatial imaging seems very good. With the Aune X8, I first listened to it with the stock chip it came with. Nothing special to me and sounded like alot of other $300 or less dacs I have listened to in certain ways. Pretty much none of them could beat out the dac in my Marantz CD 6006 although some were close to it. The Aune X8 w Sparkos op amp I believe is a step up but it is still pretty close (hence perhaps needing more of a breakin period). The Topping D70s has a similar sound to the Marantz but is better in every way, enough to notice more easily. So at this point, the Aune w/ Sparkos sits between them. I do think the Aune is pretty detailed without sounding harsh where the D70s can up the sibilance and/or glare in recordings, as well as speakers as all of mine are not considered on the warm side. As to which has more detail, it depends. The D70s has more low end, bloom, punch and etches sounds better while the Aune w Sparkos is warmer, perhaps a bit more laid back and takes the edge off as well as presenting less glare and sibilance. So if the Aune might seem a bit more detailed at times compared to say a D90LE it may be due to that which it doesn't emphasize making other things stand out more and enough to notice. On the Aune, human voices seem a bit more diffuse but still thick, something like hearing dialogue in a theater. There's that thickness, warmth vs say the topping variants which are less warm but a bit more resolved. Can't say one is better than another, just different and one could prefer one over the other or have a preference depending on the music/soundtrack/movie/music, etc. This is all just preliminary at this point. Adding a better PS might even up the ante but, for those of you having a D70s, I don't think the Aune/Sparkos combo outright beats it, its just different. That difference might lend itself to a preference depending on amp, speakers, room and music. If I had to say which is ultimately the better dac, I give the nod to the D70s. I will eventually try it against the dac in my hegel to see what it yields. At this point, I think it is just different. I really like the D70s, has a bit more to offer as to inputs/MQA, is better built and has become a classic in its own right. But it was essentially double the price too. The D70s compared to the one in my Hegel h160 using RCA inputs are more similar than different and play on equal footing. The D70s has more low end emphasis and the one in the hegel is a bit cooler with a bit better separation of instruments but both are very good and close. The d70s provides a higher output voltage too to the Aune, lending a bit to its sound as well. I feel though that the Aune would make a really good desktop solution. Add some extension to its feet and use the Sparkos or some other op amp to your liking. With the sparkos, it gives a nice locked in image when up close with the speakers I am using which are both the dali Opticon 1 MK 1 and Triangle Zetas. I think the Aune/sparkos combo would be good on a lively, cooler speaker. Even with a warmer speaker, there;s still sufficient detail to probably not sound too woolly. All in all, for the discounted prices I paid during the holiday sales, it was a well priced purchase. Drawbacks? Well it could have BT 5.2 although most don't just yet. Also, a remote would have been nice, hence making it a bit more suitable for the desktop than living room. One thing I would like to know is how this Aune X8 with Sparkos, or other op amp compares to the Geshelli JNOG2 dac.

Discrete opamps are widely acknowledged to provide much superior sound to the inexpensive opamps commonly used by manufacturers. I'm gratified that you mentioned that, when inserted the sparkos opamp extends out enough that the AUNE's cover plate cannot be reattached. That's probably the case with any competing discrete opamp. That may or may not matter to some purchasers but care must be taken when moving the DAC, as it could otherwise be damaged if moved carelessly. Replacing the feet and covering the sparkos would obviously lessen the chance of damage. It's not surprising that the $380.00 Aune/Sparkos combo would fail to match the $1,100.00 MusiCian Pegasus. I would love to see you report on any DAC you have on hand with the AUNE X5s 8th Anniversary Edition Digital Desktop Music Player. It too costs $299. and can be connected to an external clock for even higher fidelity. I would also love to see you report on MusiCian Audio's MDP-2 Digital Player connected to the Pegasus. FWIW, Sarajan Ebaen, editor of the 6 moons high end audiophile website strongly prefers the fidelity of file card playback over streaming for critical listening. He attributes that partially to the avoidance of sending the signal through Ethernet equipment and cabling. Thank you for the work you do in reviewing inexpensive, high performing equipment.

Nice review! Thanks. Im still searching for a good dac for listening to stereo music for my dad. Which is better? Aune X8 vs Geshelli Labs J2 ? AK or ES26/38 chipset? My dad is a audiofile so I bought him a raspberry pi with a hat on it as a dac but he didn't find the music full enough. Hopefully you can help me out. Otherwise I might be going for this one with the Sparkos chip on it.

Thank you very much for another great Dac review. I have à pair of Focal Chora 806 speakers. Great sound but sometimes too much forward midrange and dynamic. Which Dac or Dac+opamp combination could you advice to tame this 2 sound aspects with more smooth midrange(less forward) and more laid back presentation .Thanks to you and all the people that could suggest me some items in the 200-500 euros range. Peace

Great review! Let me ask you, why didn't you changed the OPAMP in SMSL MKII? It would be nice, to see if M500 goes to a level up...

Awesome review. What were the two bur brown (Texas instruments?) Op-mps (part or model #) that you tried? Which one was better? And how much better was the sparkos than the better of the burr/brown ?

Merci beaucoup, thanx so much

Which op amp in combination with the DAC and a tube preamp would you recommend? I already have great holographic imaging and soundstage from the tube preamp.

Hey, I really like your videos, very interesting and understandable! Have you ever thought about trying this with the Topping d10s and it's dedicated socket to change opamps? This ~100euro DAC combined with one of the burr brown chips would be a really budget combo as these chips sell for some Euro...

Great review as always, Srboljub. Have you happened to hear HifiMan EF400? It's an R2R DAC/Headphone Amp for $600. I'd love to hear your opinion about how this DAC compares to SMSL M500 mkII and Denafrips Area II / Musician Pegasus. Greetings from Germany :)

If you like op-amp rolling you can tray Creative AE-9 soundcard for PC ($280) a bit chipper than the X8 and a bit better spec . The only downsides no Balanced output and you need a PC Burson Audio has very good Op-Amp ( Vivid V6) and very good headphones amplifier or speaker amplifier that use the V6 as input buffer

SRBOLJUB…JUST HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR CHANNEL AND HOPE SOME WANT THE FEW ACES IN THIS DAC 🤗😁👍😎💚💚💚

Btw I just saw that Topping D10 also allows for opamp swapping. Interesting to see results from this (more like hear and not see).

@iiWi Reviews Would you please revisit the review with the XP2 power supply added to the same config (X8 + Sparkos)? Seems that one can get a €1.500,- sound for a €480,- price.

Great video! Thumbs up! But, maybe you could help me a bit? :) How would you compare the Aune X8/Sparko op-amp combo with the Aune Flamingo? Is it worth the extra 160euro? I love listening to music, but am a layman when it comes to DACs etc. I want to get a DAC for my pc setup with PreSonus Eris 4.5 active speakers, so not the most audiophile setup, but I still would like to have a nice full sound because I listen alot to acoustic/rock/metal music genres and also can't stand really high pitced sounds. Or do you maybe have other DACs in mind which would provide this kind of sound for a more budget DAC? I don't think I can get the fullest out of an expensive dac with these active speakers? Thanks alot!

You.... Are..... BRILLIANT! 👍😁😁👍

I wonder if there are any audible differences between the 8X and 8X-XVIII regarding the DAC section?

Hi...i am a big fan of your channel...need an opinion...do you prefer Aune X8 woth Sparkos op amp or smsl su9 Pro...please let me know so that i can make a purchase decision...thank you

Thanks, great information. I have the Aune 10th version w/o the bottom trap door…can I easily replace opams in this Aune edition?

How does this compare to the Geshelli J2 which is the same price range with USB module. Also is it worth upgrading from Topping E30 old version.

Hi, thanks a lot for your reviews. What would a Aune X8 VIII add to my sound if I add it between my Bluesound Node 1 and my Atoll IN100SE Thanks in advance Stephane

Very useful review.. thanks Can i replace any op amp with another one with no problem ?! Or it's like transistors, should be replaced with a matching one?!!!

Can you add the op amp sparkos ss3602 to a a90 le or se or to the smsl 500? How many do you add to the auna magic?

Shame the op amp opening isn't on top, you could then try even bigger op amps like the Burson. I think if I tried your combination I'd use blu tack to stick some small oak cone feet to lift it. I usually prefer the sound of those kinds of feet to rubber ones and blu tack doesn't leave any residue if you reverse it.

On a previous post I had asked if anyone was experiencing cutouts/dropouts during playback on the coaxial input. As this unit utilizes a ess chipset, does anyone know if the receiver chip used is the cirrus logic cs8416? Apparently, some have reported this issue with the topping d50s also which has this combo. There seems to be no known solution as topping was informed of those issue. I'm guessing similar for the aune but trying to confirm tech being used. Thanks.

Staccato discrete opamps seem to be even a bit more refined and natural sounding. Google for reviews. (I myself used a SparkoS). Don't forget to use a linear power supply; with the SparkoS that gave me an equally huge improvement

What other DACs that have opamp interchangeability would you recommend?

WIll you be reviewing that new Gustard r2r DAC, R26? Initial impressions look promising, but would be really curious of your opinion.

Try to use linear power supply with aune x8 + ss3602. It gives a great difference if we compare to the complete impulse power supply.

Hello I'm kind of new to the DAC I've been into stereo for many years and I just happened to come upon this it's just a digital to analog converter for like CDs watching the video to see exactly what this thing does I have a Yamaha integrated amplifier it puts out about 130 watts per Channel would I be able to hook this deck up to my CD player to my amp thank you

A bit like tube valve rolling, i might have to look into trying some op amplifier rolling.

Is the X8 internal design fully balanced or the balanced TRS out is just for convinience only.

Yes the op amp make a big difference...I experienced that from many years ago...I owned an asus essence stx audio card in the pc until 2 years ago...an audiophile oriented audio card that had 3 op amp changeable the same way...

Pozdrav Srbo, iako sam propratio sve tvoje raporte molio bih ipak za preporuku (izbor) DAC-a do 450 eur (AUNE MAGIC X8+Sparkos/SMSL M500 MKII/SMSL DO200 MKII/GUSTARD DAC-X16 MQA) ili ipak još par meseci štednje za ARES II / PEGAZUS ??? Hvala!!!

Burson opamps are a good option too

When I hear you say an op amp or DAC reveals space in the recording, I assume you believe the space is already in the recording…but is it possible that the space isn’t in the recording and the electronics are adding it? Great video btw.

Does the OpAmp will work when the only DAC portion is used? For Line out or PreOut analogue outputs?

Is the Burson Audio V6 Vivid Dual Opamp equal to the SQ of Sparkos SS3602 ??

Thank for review, so if I have to spend around $300, Aune X8 will be the choice with Sparko's opamp, would you agree or you have other recommendations

Have you tried the ifi DSD Neo. Would be interested in what you think.

Use a muses02 opamp. I think it’s even better then the sparkos.

Just order with Sparkos and LHY Power Supply. This should be interesting to see how it compares to my now failing Musician Draco DAC.

Terrific review. How does it compare with the earmen Tradutto? Also, does it have a remote?

What would smsl 500 mk 2 sound like with the sparkos?