And The Least Among You Shall Be The Most.......
Specs
Power Supply: DC12V/1A
Gain: +15dB
Output Power: 1300mW(32Ω)
Size: 12*7. 8*4cm
THD+ N: 0.1% (1KHz&32Ω)
Weight:0.38kg
Frequency Response:: 10Hz~60KHz(±0.5dB)
S/N: 115dB
Suitable Headphone Impedance::16~600Ω
6.3mm & 3.5mm Single Ended Headphone Jacks (6.3mm to 3.5mm Adapter Provided)
3.5mm Aux In
Single RCA Input
RCA Line Out (Volume Controlled)
Dual 6J1 Tubes
Equipment
SMSL Sanskrit 10th V2 DAC
Earphones: Kbear BElieve, Kbear Lark, Smabat NCO, TRN TA1, Whizzer HE01, KZ EDX
Tubes: Stock 6J1, GE Jan 5644W, Sylvania JHS 5654 6AK5W EF95 6096, Russian 6J1P-EV
Preamble
The Xduoo is a compact Hybrid Tube Headphone amplifier that also serves as a preamp. It employs high quality capacitors and circuitry in a surprisingly compact, and in my opinion, attractive enclosure. At a rated 1300mw/32ohms, the 602 has good power output and during my testing had no issues powering all the earphones used. For the very reasonable asking price of $99usd, Xduoo have managed to pack lots of goodness in a small package. Build quality is also very good.
Setup & Use
Setup couldn't be simpler. There is no DAC onboard so connection to a source is needed. Interestingly enough, both headphone outs could be used simultaneously, although I would not recommend that be done. The line out is controlled by the volume knob so using the MT-602 to drive other devices such as powered monitors is easily achieved. Power is provided by the provided 12v brick. Tube removal is fairly easy to accomplish and will facilitate "Tube Rolling". The power switch has a nice solid feel to it with a gratifying "Click" when turning the unit either on of off. The volume control is smooth in operation with one caveat stated below.
**For the majority of the the testing, the Sylvania tubes were used.
Sound
Overall the sound of the MT-602 can be characterized at clean and detailed with a welcome smoothness to the sound and a slight bass emphasis. Those expecting the expected "Warm" characteristics of a tube amplifier may be taken back by the presentation of the 602 as it is not overly warm.
Bass is impactful with good detail and is slightly elevated, in particular when compared the the excellent Topping a50s. This fleshes out the lower register of more neutral/bright tuned iem's such as the Heart-Mirror and TRN TA1 while giving up nothing in the way of detail. The lower registers have good speed, are clean and tactile with great separation keeping well recorded tracks from sounding muddy indecisive in the low end. Depending on the tubes used, iem's with prominent mid-bass and or bass emphasis can sound somewhat heavy. This was more noticeable with the stock 6J1 tubes shipped with the unit.
MIds are detailed and neutral. The MT-602 is very good at relaying the emotions of a track with good layering and detail retrieval. Very natural sounding with good dynamics and handling of transients. As stated above, the MT-602 does not present the stereotypical "Warm" tube sound. Mids are left natural and engaging without added warmth, lending itself to long listening sessions without fatigue. Upper mids are also clean and natural. The stock tubes were found in some instances to add a small element of hardness to the upper-mids and treble region more easily heard on sharp transients such as loud cymbals crashes and stringed instruments.
The treble is sweet and airy with good detail retrieval. Treble extension is good and the ability to convey space around this region is very noticeable. Other than the bass, this is the region most effected by swapping tubes. The GE Jan 5654w's really smoothing things out, compared to the stock tubes, at the expense of some detail ,while the Syvania's really adding back that detail with no loss of clarity, air and smoothness. Treble is very well done on the 602 and from upper mids to treble there is a seamless handoff.
Imaging is great on the 602. Airy and detailed with stable placement. With respect to imaging, the MT-602 will not get in the way of showcasing what what various earphones are capable of in this regard.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The MT-602 does have a small number of minor issues. The volume pot suffers significant imbalance when in the extreme lower portion of it's range. With higher sensitive earphones this can be an annoyance as to get good balance, the volume level will have to be turned up. My solution was turning down the volume out of my DAC to compensate so I could use more of the 602's volume pot range without having to listen at higher than necessary volume levels. Again when using with higher sensitivity earphones, some noise can be heard with the volume turned all the way down. This includes hum if your hand comes in close proximity to the tubes. This noise is buried when playing music though and is less perceptible when using less sensitive earphones such as the KBear Believe. The small form factor may not be for everyone, but that is a personal decision at most.
The strengths of the MT-602 far outweigh the annoyances. For $99 you get a hybrid tube amp/preamp with very good sound and the ability to swap tubes to tailor that sound to some extent. A solidly built device which in my opinion is much more than something to serve as a gateway to the world of tubes. Listening through the MT-602 is a satisfying experience and I can easily recommend this unit, in particular when it's asking price is taken into consideration. The MT-602 provides ample power, ease of use and a very good sonic presentation. Tube rolling is the icing on the cake.
Tube Rolling With The MT-602:
Tube rolling with the MT-602 is a joy in particular since compatible tubes can be had for a very reasonable price, more often than not at least. Below are some of my experiences with different replacement tubes. The difference noted are really a function of the equipment used and of course, the listener.
Stock 6J1:
Strong Bass with smooth mids but a slight hardness or abruptness to the highs, in particular transients, that can be hard most easily on cymbal crashes and prominent high hats. Good air and stable imaging.
GE JAN 5654W:
Less bass prominence than stock 6J1,overall smoother as well throughout the frequency range. Some loss of detail compared to stock 6J1.
Sylvania JHS:
Great energy, clarity and coherence throughout the frequency range. Smooth and extended natural treble with good air and presence. Very clean sound with solid, slightly elevated bass.
Russian 6J1P-EV:
Good energy & clarity top to bottom. Bass emphasis matches the Sylvania JHS. Treble clarity is on par with the Sylvania but just ever so slightly beat out on midrange clarity by the Sylvanis JHS.
Comparison:
Topping a50s:
The Topping has a dryer more "Neutral" presentation than the 602 . The MT-602 has a slight bass emphasis vs the a50s but not at the expense of clarity. Both are fast with great detail with those characteristics being able to be tuned via tube rolling on the MT-602. Each has ample power and never feels breathless. I find the MT-602, with Sylvania tubes, being superior to the single ended output of the Topping a50s with more liveness and a noticeably more organic musicality. This is not necessarily the case when comparing the MT-602 to the balanced output of the a50s. The energy & control gets turned up a notch on the a50s using the balanced output and transients are slightly more impactful on the a50s when using said output in comparison. Still the MT-602 remains more organic while the a50s is more dry and dead neutral. For example, I prefer the KBear BElieve on the a50s while favoring the Whizzer HE01 when using the MT-602 to drive it. The same can be said for other earphones. I prefer the HZSound Heart-Mirror & TRN TA1 on the MT-602 vs the KBear Lark & Smabat NCO on the a50s, and so on and so on.
The Xduoo MT-602 and Topping a50s are more compliments than rivals. Their strengths and weaknesses do not step on each other.
Conclusion:
The MT-602 gets a firm recommendation. From the build quality, functionality, pricing, and most importantly the sound, the 602 belies it's small size and cost. Add in the ability to swap out the stock tubes for reasonably priced alternatives, and you have a delicious recipe.
Is the MT-602 end game? No , even Xduoo and others have more expensive offerings that purportedly perform better with more features. This in no way diminishes the achievement that is the MT-602. A great product at an even better price.
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