Zorloo ztella vs dragonfly cobalt8/26/2023 ![]() This transparent amp section is combined with a high-quality DAC section based around the ESS ES9281PRO DAC chip. This is the same principle used in high-end THX AAA desktop amps like the Benchmark HPA4 headphone amplifier. To achieve this, THX AAA uses a patented version of feed-forward error correction which means two inverted signals are summed at the output canceling out distortion and removing noise. Most who have listened to it, including me, agree. The “Achromatic” in Achromatic Audio Amplifier means “without color.” That speaks to the amp circuit’s promised lack of distortion or noise, which THX says provides a “realistic, fatigue-free” listening experience. ![]() Even with the AFC headphones, I never had to raise the volume level above 50%, and I heard none of the compressed dynamics I have heard with other portable amps. That means it will drive some of the most power-hungry cans on the market with no problem, including my Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Closed headphones, which are known for being hard to drive properly. ![]() The AAA-78 offers about double the power output of the AAA-38, and at 180mw into 22 ohms, the Onyx has output power that rivals many desktop amps. That product used the THX AAA-38 mobile amp circuit, but THX included its best mobile amp circuit in the Onyx, namely the THX AAA-78. On the portable side, HELM Audio utilized a mobile variant of the THX AAA amp in their DB12 AAAMP Headphone Amp, which provided tons of power and transparency when we tried it last year. You see, THX is known more for licensing audio technology and standards to other companies that build and market the hardware than building their own.įor example, THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) circuitry, which forms the heart of THX Onyx, has started a craze via products like the THX AAA ONE and THX AAA™ 789 desktop headphone amps from Drop. It’s really hard to believe this is their first consumer-focused piece of hardware. It’s a nice little touch that lets you know THX had innovation in mind when creating this product. You can also use the loop to hang the DAC/Amp out of the way when not in use. The cable’s metallic end next to the USB connector can bend back and magnetically attach to the main body, which helps to make a compact shape for storing. It has a streamlined aluminum casing with the THX logo in raised relief, plus the USB cable portion is flexible and rubberized, which makes it feel quite durable. I really love the design of the THX Onyx. PLUG and PLAY-easy connection with PC, Mac, Android, and iOSĭisclaimer: The THX Onyx was provided to us by THX in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.Magnetic cable management to keep headphone wires neat and tangle-free.ESS ES9281PRO Flagship Mobile DAC for depth and resolution.Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) Renderer for Tidal Masters high-resolution audio.THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) for transparency and power.If you’re looking for a mobile DAC/amp that provides near-reference sound at a very attractive price, you need to check it out. The Onyx’s sound is stunningly transparent, with a depth and separation rarely encountered at this price point. Add to that a flagship ESS DAC chip with MQA decoding, and you do, in fact, have something special here.
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