Marcelo opinions the ONIX XM2, a brand new, non-Android, totally balanced compact digital audio participant able to as much as 800 mW of output energy. It’s at present priced at $449.00.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to me in trade for my trustworthy opinion. Headfonics is an impartial web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank ONIX and Shanling for his or her assist.
Click on right here to study extra concerning the ONIX merchandise beforehand mentioned on Headfonics.
Be aware that this text follows our present scoring tips, which you’ll learn right here.
ONIX XM2 Evaluation
Abstract
The ONIX XM2 is a completely featured non-Android-based DAP with good sound high quality that has barely exceeded my expectations. And I have to say, using the newly launched Cirrus Logic CS4308P flagship DAC made a noticeable enchancment in sound in comparison with the previous-generation DAC chip.
Professionals
Good decision and particulars with out sacrificing tonality.
Highly effective and clear output energy.
The brand new CS4308P DAC chip provides improved sound high quality in comparison with older CS DAC chips.
Cons
Non-Android working system limits ecosystem.
I by no means knew ONIX has been round since 1979, based in England, however has modified possession all through the years. I solely grew to become conscious of ONIX after they launched the ONIX Overture XM5 and Waltz XM10 Ltd in mid-2024 and early-2025, respectively.
I’ve at all times held ONIX DAPs in excessive regard. I’ve learn good opinions, and particularly after listening to each the Overture XM5 and the Waltz XM10 Ltd in audio shops throughout a visit to Japan, my expectations are excessive for the Tocata XM2, which sells for $439.
The specs of the XM2 wowed me once I checked the product web page, saying it includes a new flagship DAC chip, an OLED touchscreen, and a whopping 800 mW of energy output in a compact kind issue.
Will the brand new DAC chip and excessive output energy translate into improved sound over the competitors, together with the Shanling M3 Plus and the HiBy R3Pro II? Let’s discover out.
Options
The ONIX XM2 or Tocata XM2 is a compact, non-Android DAP that makes use of an Ingenic X2000 system-on-a-chip with an in-house-developed Linux-based working system.
The XM2 has the most recent flagship DAC decoder chip, a robust amplifier designed to drive demanding hundreds together with headphones, a transparent OLED touchscreen, and extra.
DAC
The XM2 makes use of the most recent DAC chip from CIRRUS LOGIC, the flagship CS4308P, a next-generation 8-channel DAC enabling a completely balanced circuit design.
This guarantees a significant leap in decision, dynamic vary, and tonal accuracy in comparison with the corporate’s earlier chips. It may decode Hello-Res Audio as much as PCM 32-bit768kHz and native DSD512.
I don’t consider any producer’s guarantees straight away; whether or not the brand new DAC chip actually improves decision, dynamics, and tonal accuracy is for the ears to substantiate.
Amplification
After the CS4308P, the audio sign goes by means of current-to-voltage (I/V) conversion utilizing ONIX’s personal circuit known as the “Brighton” I/V conversion structure.
This structure is predicated round two OPA2211s, that are low-noise, low-power-consumption, precision, wide-bandwidth dual-channel op-amps manufactured by Texas Devices.
For the ultimate stage, the sign goes to 2 SGM8262-2 op-amps, that are ultra-low-noise, high-current twin op-amps for balanced amplification to drive IEMs for headphones.
The XM2 is able to as much as 204 mW in SE mode with a 32Ω load, and as much as 800 mW balanced beneath the identical load.
Design
The XM2 is a delightfully compact DAP that matches comfortably in my hand. I just like the black, squarish, rectangular, one-piece, full-CNC-machined aluminum alloy physique with barely radiused sides to stop them from digging into my palm.
It has a glass-metal-glass sandwich design, with a glass again cowl and a 3-inch OLED Contact Display on the entrance.
The entrance additionally consists of 4 buttons. The left and proper sides are plain and clean. On prime are the USB-C knowledge and charging button, and the microSD reminiscence card slot.
On the backside are the three.5mm and 4.4mm output jacks, and the classy-looking gold-plated energy and quantity knob. This design is gorgeous and distinctive wanting in as we speak’s market of look-alike DAPs.
The XM2 is a small, palm-sized DAP measuring 82 × 65 × 18 mm and weighing 140 grams. It is extremely pocketable and ideal for day by day use. Nonetheless, I want it had been thinner.
One of many issues I like concerning the XM2 is its 3-inch OLED display, which is uncommon in as we speak’s DAPs, most of which use IPS LCD screens. As , OLED screens provide glorious distinction, black ranges, colour, and viewing angles.
I/O
The XM2’s USB-C port on the prime can act as both a USB DAC or a USB Digital Output, along with serving because the charging and knowledge port.
Whereas the three.5- and 4.4-mm headphone output jacks can act as line outputs to drive exterior amplifiers, they don’t seem to be actually devoted line outputs; quite, they’re fixed-volume outputs linked to the identical circuit because the headphone outputs.
Controls
Having solely 4 metallic buttons on the entrance, that are the again, play/pause, ahead, and the perform button, and the ability and quantity knob on the backside.
The XM2 may be very straightforward to make use of. Controlling the XM2 may be very refreshing, because it’s managed on the entrance, the place you possibly can see which button your finger lands on, in contrast to the facet buttons on most DAPs.
Moreover, there isn’t any rattling from the buttons once I shake the XM2, indicating precision in its design and manufacturing.
The gold-plated quantity management knob additionally acts as the ability button when long-pressed, and the display on/off button when short-pressed. I like that when turning the knob to regulate the quantity, I can really feel gentle dents as I flip the knob.
Battery Life
The XM2 makes use of a 3000 mAh battery, rated to final 8.5 hours per cost.
I did my very own check, and I received from one hundred pc battery to 29 p.c in about 5.5 hours utilizing the Punch Audio Portazo IEM in steadiness mode, low acquire, and at 50 p.c quantity, which is my regular listening quantity and loud on this setup.
That stated, I may inform the battery life ranking is true. Charging in all fairness quick. In my check, I received from 19 p.c to 80 p.c in a single hour, so I estimate that charging from 0 to one hundred pc ought to take about 2 hours or much less.
Packaging & Equipment
The XM2 ships in a cute-looking field that, from a distance, seems to be an IEM field, measuring solely 138 x 115 x 54 mm. The packaging design is easy and sensible, but it provides good shock safety for the XM2 by incorporating foams and cardboard dividers.
The Package deal consists of the XM2, a person guide, a guaranty card, a 1-meter USB-A-to-C cable, and two display protector movies.
Protecting Case
My evaluate pattern got here with an attractive-looking orange leather-based case and a skinny, round metallic plate with ornamental print studying “radiator” and “magnetic deflector,” which magnetically sticks to the again of the case, presumably to radiate extra warmth.
The leather-based case is a separate buy, accessible in orange, cyan, and black, and sells for $28.
Software program
The Ingenic X2000 platform that powers the XM2 runs a extremely optimized in-house music working system targeted purely on sound efficiency.
Freed from smartphone-style distractions, it guarantees a responsive person interface, steady playback, and uninterrupted sound. Music might be performed domestically from MicroSD playing cards, streamed by way of Tidal, or accessed by means of DLNA and AirPlay for a seamless listening expertise.
I’m at present working firmware model 1.13, which is the most recent on the time of writing.
Navigation
Push and maintain the quantity knob for about three seconds to activate the XM2. It then boots for about eight seconds, totaling 11 seconds to start out utilizing the XM2, which is quicker than the common Android-based DAPs.
XM2’s UI is straightforward and intuitive, so I by no means need to seek the advice of the guide to take pleasure in it totally. After inserting a MicroSD card that’s loaded with music, I solely need to click on the replace the library icon on the primary web page of the menu, then go to the ‘all songs’ icon subsequent to it to benefit from the music.
On the third web page of the menu, there’s a playback setting icon, the place you possibly can regulate the acquire (lo/hello), which can be accessible within the drop-down shortcut menu.
There are additionally 4 digital filters to select from, and a customizable 10-band graphic EQ with three customized settings and eight presets.
Within the music participant UI, there may be an choice to show an analog VU meter for output degree. Nonetheless, it isn’t an correct VU meter as a result of it’s impartial of quantity degree, and the needle is simply too slow-acting to precisely characterize the music.
Navigation is mostly quick, and the touchscreen is responsive. Nonetheless, throughout my preliminary use of the XM2, I skilled occasional lag and touchscreen freezing.
This subject was utterly resolved after I carried out a manufacturing unit reset, following Marcus, the proprietor and editor-in-chief of Headfonics, who suggested me to take action.
I did, nevertheless, discover a slight insensitivity to the touch management when my finger was dry, resulting from spending too lengthy in a room with AC and having callosities, which by no means occurred on my telephones.
I discovered an answer by flippantly wetting my finger; the contact management then grew to become responsive.
Third-Get together Music Gamers
Being a proprietary working system, putting in a third-party music participant app is sadly not potential. That is the primary draw back of non-Android DAPs.
I’m not saying the default music participant is unhealthy; it’s truly good, however I just like the PowerAmp music participant app higher, with its shifting, movable waveform-type music progress indicator that may be manipulated extra precisely, particularly on very lengthy music combine tracks.
Streaming
The Tidal streaming app is constructed into the XM2. Sadly, it isn’t accessible in my nation, the Philippines.
As a result of it runs a non-Android working system, I’m unable to put in my favourite music streaming apps, corresponding to YouTube Music and Spotify.
Sound Impressions
For the sound analysis, I used all kinds of ear audio system, together with the Tipsy M5, Binary Audio EP321 MEMS, QoA Martini IEMs, Sennheiser HD 6XX, FiiO JT3, FiiO JT7, and Moondrop Horizon headphones.
As an alternative of doing my normal 24-hour burn-in, I did greater than 50 hours of burn-in as I used to be busy with different opinions and couldn’t evaluate the XM2 straight away. And likewise to check the battery life and charging occasions.
As for the sound settings, all the pieces is within the default mode: the filters are set to linear section/sluggish roll-off (the default), the equalizer is turned off, and the acquire is ready to low for IEMs and excessive for headphones.
Abstract
I’ve heard many DAPs in a value vary just like the XM2, and most of them have some type of subject, together with a dry sound, a flat soundstage, being too heat, low perceived decision, and coloration.
Happily, the XM2 makes use of a brand new DAC chip that I’ve by no means heard of earlier than, and from what I’m listening proper now, it provides a unique sound from older chips.
The very first thing I seen concerning the XM2 was that the sound is evident, clear, and highly effective, which is noticeably clearer and cleaner than most DAPs in its value vary.
The XM2 has highly effective, energetic bass, a impartial, uncolored decrease and higher midrange, and a clear, uncolored treble with a subtly relaxed higher treble.
The bass is punchy, deep, detailed, and well-controlled. The decrease and higher midrange is impartial and freed from coloration; the treble is very resolving but smooth-sounding and ethereal, although I seen a delicate rest within the higher treble.
I attempted different digital filters within the settings to see if they alter the higher treble, however they don’t.
I like how pure the sound is coming from the XM2, as I don’t hear the vitality bump within the decrease treble that some DAPs with older ESS Sabre DAC chips exhibit.
The overt heat of some DAPS with AKM DAC chips; XM2 additionally doesn’t have the marginally dry sound I usually hear from DAPs with CS43198 chips, or the perceived lack of decision I usually hear from DAPs with CS43131 chips.
I hear very detailed, excessive perceived decision, and there may be virtually no coloration, as XM2 sounds very clear and pure.
The XM2 will not be tremendous analytical-sounding, because it doesn’t provide as ahead or dry a presentation of particulars. But I can’t name it an analog-sounding DAP both, because the sound may be very impartial and too detailed for that; it’s in between.
Timbre
The XM2 has a really pure timbre; the devices and vocals sound clear with no added brittleness, softening, nasality, or any coloration.
But when I’ve to nitpick, the transient responses aren’t as crisp or as quick as one of the best I’ve heard. That is because of the delicate rest in vitality within the higher treble that I discussed above.
Staging & Dynamics
Though the XM2 doesn’t have the most important or grandest soundstage I’ve heard, it’s undoubtedly good and spacious sufficient that it doesn’t depart me wanting extra. The XM2 has a soundstage that, if I weren’t critiquing it, I wouldn’t even take into consideration, take pleasure in, or get misplaced in.
The soundstage is as huge as it’s deep, with good top. There may be good layering and separation of the vocals and devices with loads of areas in between.
I additionally hear good background cleanliness, permitting the vocals and devices to decay cleanly with lengthy reverbs and echoes.
XM2 has no drawback powering all my IEMs and headphones, together with the difficult-to-drive ones, making dynamic headroom a non-issue because of its 800mW energy output.
The XM2 sounds energetic, particularly within the bass, even at low volumes, with out being annoyingly so.
I by no means heard the XM2 clip its output; the sound is at all times clear, even at increased volumes. It’s at all times the IEMs, headphones, or my ears that may give up first.
Click on on web page 2 under for my really helpful pairings and chosen comparisons.
