Audioengine HXL headphone amp/DAC review
Hands-on with AudioEngine's latest pocket-sized digital-to-analog converter
W
hen I heard Audioengine was releasing a new DAC some months ago, I was stoked. I don't think I've ever said "yes" to reviewing a product quicker than when they asked me to check out their new HXL DAC.
For context: I have a small obsession with digital-to-analog converters. As of writing this article, I have about seven that I personally own, each with their own purpose. Some are better for metal, while others are better for pop. Some have more advanced feature sets, but others are more simple and portable. I looked forward to seeing how the HXL compared to what I already owned. Spoiler warning — it rocks!
The unboxing experience
When the DAC arrived and I unboxed it, the first thing I noticed is how subtle its packaging is. It's not some gaudy, flashy packaging with all sorts of buzzwords emblazoned on it; rather, it simply said what the DAC was and listed its specs. I appreciated that as I'm not a huge fan of when companies make the packaging bespoke instead of the product.
Getting into the meat and potatoes of it, the HXL comes with the DAC itself, two short USB cables (USB-C and Lighting-to-USB-C), and the product manual and registration info. I removed the DAC and noticed how good its machined aluminum outer shell felt in my hand; it was durable without being super weighty. The two volume control buttons on the side aren't clunky feeling and have a satisfying tactile "click" when pressed.
The HXL is easy to carry around thanks to its compact size. The onboard volume control buttons are slim and don't get in the way.
The "top" of the DAC features two outputs: an unbalanced 3.5mm output and a 4.4mm balanced output. I really appreciate that Audioengine gave the HXL a balanced out for headphones. An affordable USB-sized DAC with that type of output is hard to find!
Fantastic sound reproduction on different headphones
I also own a considerable number of headphones of all different impedances and sensitivities. Over the course of about a week, I tried each pair with the HXL. I wasn't listening analytically, just enjoying my tunes. I noticed no dips in detail or clarity between headphones; each pair stayed properly powered and didn't feel starved or lacking. From an affordable pair of Grados to the open-backed Cleer Next, to a high-end pair of Focal headphones, the HXL's powerful amplifier kept each pair thundering through even the most demanding tracks.
The HXL is a workhorse that powers low-impedance in-ear monitors just as easily as it does higher impedance over-ear headphones.
Putting the HXL to the test
For the critical listening portion of my test, I settled on my Focal headphones, as they're the most revealing. I used the TIDAL streaming service at its maximum resolution to put the HXL through its paces.
A soft guitar- and vocals-focused track to start
I began with Opeth's "Coil," a very well-recorded track featuring beautiful acoustic guitars and layered vocals. When I say the HXL made this song sound alive, that's not a hyperbole. Not only were Mikael Akerfeldt and Nathalie Lorich's voices textured and airy, but I could hear the room the song was recorded in. I could hear reverberations within the guitar's body. It's a track that I've listened to a bunch, and yet, the HXL made me feel like I'd just heard it for the first time.
Killer performance and separation on blazing metal tracks
Moving on to something with a bit more panache and energy, I played Tallah's "What we want" from their newest album. This frenetic track has a lot going on — intricate drums with heavy double kick patterns, punchy guitars, and Justin Bonitz's insane vocal delivery. Playing this track on other systems, I've noticed a tendency for the bass to get buried or the vocals to get overpowered by the drums. I thought this was a production issue, but the HXL proved me wrong. This little DAC cleaned up this track (as well as the rest of the album) and gave it new life.
Cooling off with some pop
I moved onto some pop music to finish up, namely Lady Gaga's "The Dead Dance" and Mickey Callisto's "Supernova." The HXL came through again, delivering tight bass, musical energy, and nuanced, lifelike vocals.
The HXL connects to virtually any device with a USB-C output, including smartphones and laptops.
Final thoughts
Consider me impressed. This is an awesome little DAC that you can take anywhere. It's the simplest upgrade you can make to improve how your music sounds through your headphones. And at its asking price, it's one heck of a deal.
Details:
- dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 32-bit/384kHz digital-to-analog converter chips
- unbalanced 3.5mm headphone output (2 volts)
- balanced 4.4mm headphone output (4 volts)
- compatible with headphones up to 600 ohms
- onboard 60-step volume control for smooth level adjustments
- signal-to-noise ratio: 125dB (unbalanced), 132dB (balanced)
- THD: 0.0002%
Any questions? Give us a shout
Have questions about the Audioengine HXL or a different DAC? Contact us today.
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