The THX Onyx DAC/Amp works with computers and smartphones to produce audiophile quality music ... [+]
Headphone DAC/Amplifiers are a bit like the proverbial London bus. You can wait ages for one to appear and then three turn up at once. That’s exactly what’s happened this year with the launch of three new DAC/Amplifiers, all in the first quarter of 2021.
The first model to turn up was the excellent and highly affordable Helm Bolt with its tiny form factor, THX Certification and support for MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) files for playing music streamed on TIDAL’s Masters Hi-Fi tier subscription. I reviewed the cute little Bolt back in January and it’s an excellent device for the money and a great way of upgrading the sound of almost any smartphone or computer.
The second model to pitch up was from Korean audio brand Astell&Kern. The new AK USB-C Dual DAC Cable features twin Cirrus DAC chips and was announced with quite a fanfare last week. I’m currently auditioning the model but it’s important to point out that it doesn’t support iOS devices and or render MQA files.
The THX Onyx is an advanced headphone amp and DAC that upgrades the sound of a smartphone and ... [+]
Today the third bus in this trilogy of DACs has come along in the form of the THX Onyx. A product of the legendary sound company set up originally by George Lucas, it’s possibly one of the most advanced DAC/headphone amplifiers to come on the market and includes the legendary THX AAA circuitry that’s found in some seriously high-end amplifiers. It’s the first product that THX has developed to sell directly to consumers. Usually, THX develops products with manufacturers of audio equipment and certifies the products that read THX’s demanding standards.
Not only is the new THX Onyx able to render MQA files at 768kHz resolution, but it can also handle regular PCM files at a maximum resolution of 32-bit/384kHz. It also handles DSD 128. The type of file being decoded by the Onyx is indicated by three colored LEDs on the body of the device. Inside the Onyx there’s a mobile version of THX’s AAA-78 (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) and it’s an absolute beast, offering up to five times more output than other USB-C DAC/Amps.
The performance of the Onyx is reaches the level of performance where it could easily be certified by THX. However the people at THX decided certifying their own product might a little boastful, so they decided not to officially certify it . However, rest assured, this is a top-flight DAC/Amp that can serve up high-quality audio with power enough to drive even the most demanding pair of headphones or desktop speakers.
The THX Onyx can work with headphones, earphones and even headsets with a microphone. This means ... [+]
With the THX AAA-78 circuitry at its heart, the THX Onyx can deliver the same power as a desktop THX AAA DAC/Amp, albeit in a much smaller and more convenient package. The AAA-78 produces the highest fidelity audio signal with very low levels of noise and distortion, reducing harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortions by up to 40dB.
The upshot is that this lower distortion is that the Onyx makes listening to music much less fatiguing. Sometimes, after listening to music for a while, on a less-than-perfect amp, a listener’s ears can begin to suffer fatigue. That’s when the urge to take the headphones off strikes and the listener just wants a break.
Listening fatigue is caused by excessive distortion in the audio signal. By cutting out most of the distortion, the THX Onyx not only makes fewer demands on the listener’s brain and ears, but it also enables delivers a higher output with a greater dynamic range and increased sound pressure level (SPL). This is very important with movie soundtracks and games and is also just what’s needed for driving demanding headphones.
The Onyx headphone amp and DAC can drive even the most 'difficult' headphones with plenty of volume.
Physically, the THX Onyx is smaller than the average USB thumb drive or a pack of chewing gum. It includes a 5cm rubberized cable terminated with a USB-C connector. There’s also a USB-A adapter included in the box for connecting older computers. Apple iOS devices also need a slimline Apple USB Camera Adapter for connecting the Onyx to an iPhone or iPad. Apple iPad Pros don’t need an adapter as the Onyx can plug directly into the USC-C port of an iPad Pro.
The THX Onyx is made from a solid piece of aluminum with a silver THX logo milled out of the black aluminum. It’s a beautifully made device that feels just right in the hand and is small enough to carry around on the move. There’s even a magnet built in which enables the cable to be folder back on itself so that it can stick to the main body of the Onyx. That’s a nice touch and a good sign of attention to detail.
This a cross-platform device and it can be plugged into a computer running macOS or Windows 10. It also works with Android and iOS devices. Even better, the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Onyx supports headphones and headsets. It can work with 3.5mm TRS and TRRS plugs There’s a small issue with iOS devices as Apple uses a slightly different audio protocol that doesn’t always support external mics, especially on the Phone and FaceTime apps. Apple always seems to need to do its own thing. With all the other platforms the THX Onyx can play music through headphones and headsets, enabling users to take calls. It’s also brilliant for gaming because it works with a headset and gives gamers ultra-high-quality sound from their games console.
Thanks to the power of the THX Onyx's AAA-78 amplifier, the Onyx can drive even the most demanding ... [+]
At the heart of the Onyx is a high-quality ESS ES9281Pro; a top-notch DAC that does amazing things when coupled with the THX AAA-78 amplifier. The sound levels produced are astonishingly good and, if you ever found yourself running out of steam while listening to music, the THX Onyx can easily fix that. I played Mose Allison’s 1988 “If You’re Going To The City” on TIDALs MQA Masters tier. I urge you to try it for yourself as the Onyx pulled out a performance that was close to breathtaking. If followed it up with Anjelique Kidjo’s “Cucala from her excellent Celia album. That is also available on TIDAL Masters and features the drumming of the late, great Tony Allen. The Onyx brings those rhythms to life in a way that no smartphone could, largely thanks to being able to unwrap and render MQA at its highest resolution.
Even with the volume level set at just 20%, there was a huge amount of volume. There’s even enough output to power a pair of desktop computer speakers and ut will also work as a DAC for a traditional audio system. We’re talking here about the level of audiophile performance that the excellent Chord Mojo can provide, albeit in a far more convenient package without all the wires and cables.
There’s an old saying that “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. That is spot on with the THX Onyx. This DAC/Amp has to be heard to be believed. To illustrate the point, if you have an iPhone without a headphone jack (that’s a lot of us) you can buy one of Apple’s $9 headphone adapters to get your wired headphones to work with your smartphone. Frankly, I don’t feel that I want to plug an expensive, high-end pair of headphones into a cheap $9 DAC/Amp that doesn’t have enough power to take the skin off a rice pudding. If you are an audiophile and you like to use a great pair of wired headphones to listen to hi-res music on your iPhone, you’ll need a DAC/Amp to do your headphones justice.
It's impossible not to stress how good this headphone amp/DAC sounds. it's the closest you can get ... [+]
And if you sit at your desk for hours on end, typing away while listening to music from a streaming service like TIDAL or Qobuz, then the THX Onyx makes the ideal gadget for upgrading a computer’s audio performance and takes up hardly any space while dishing up impeccable sound from almost any flavor of digital audio file. It even works well when driving desktop computer speakers.
Verdict: This is a new era in the sort of audio quality that can be had from a smartphone, tablet or computer. The THX Onyx has one of the best amplifiers that money can buy, plus a top-end DAC that can unfold MQA files as well as most other digital files. The sound is not only incredibly detailed, it has a wide dynamic range and very low levels of distortion that produce clean music that won’t tire your ears. The sound levels from this tiny gadget are incredible and the Onyx only draws 100mA of current. I estimated and hour’s worth of listening on my iPhone SE 2020 would suck up about 14% of my battery. It’s definitely not as economical as a pair of Bluetooth earbuds, but it’s not too bad. In true Spinal Tap style, the THX Onyx ought to have a volume knob that goes up to 11. Compared to what else is on the market, the THX Onyx can play a huge range of files at amazing volume levels. If you take listening to music seriously, this is one way of getting audiophile quality music on the move. Just make sure your headphones are good enough. Highly recommended.
Pricing and Availability: The THX Onyx is available globally from April 7 and costs $199.99 / €209.99 / £199.99.
More info: www.thx.com
Tech Specs:
- Distortion and noise THD +N: -112dB
- Dynamic range: 118dB
- Output power per channel <0.1THD: 180mW
- Output impedance: 0.2Ω
- Headphone impedance: 22 – 1,000Ω
- MQA playback: up to 705.6/768 kHz
- DSD playback: DoP 64 and DoP 128 input
- PCM playback: 32-bit and 384 kHz input
- Headset mic support: Yes
- USB chip: ES9281PRO
- DAC chip: ES9281PRO
- Amp chip: THX AAA-78
- Compatible platforms: macOS, Windows 10, Android, iOS (with Apple USB Camera Adapter)
- Dimensions: 7.2 x 14 x 210mm
