IKKO ITX01 Multifunctional Docking Station Review
IKKO ITX01 Multifunctional Docking Station Review
Introduction:
IKKO Audio (IKKO Technology Co. Limited) is a relative new Chinese brand that designs & develops Hi-Fi components like In-Ear Monitors, Portable DAC/AMP, Docking Stations and many more.
The ITX01 is IKKO’s Multifunctional Docking Station that features 10 interfaces that supports a wide variety of devices such as TV, PC, Smartphone, Earphone, Switches, Various Memory Cards, etc. The most important part for us audiophiles is that the ITX01 comes with both 3.5mm Single Ended and 4.4mm Balanced (TRRRS) outputs that do receive their audio signal from the SNC 8600 DAC SoC.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Ikko Audio for providing me the ITX01 sample for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Ikko Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.
Price & Availability:
The IKKO ITX1 is currently available for 89.10 US$. More information’s can be found under the link below;
Package and Accessories:
The IKKO ITX01 came inside a rectangular box in black color that sports the illustration of the product and product related brandings and adverting on the front, while the rear surface has a sticker (label) with information’s and features of the ITX01.
This box of the ITX01 contains the following items;
- 1 x IKKO ITX01 Multifunctional Docking Station
- 1 x Storage Bag
- 1 x Print Material (Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card, etc.)
Design, Interface and Build Quality:
The IKKO ITX01 is a Multifunctional Docking Station that features 10 interfaces, which are located around a rectangular shaped body design that has a lightweight (100grams) but very robust metal housing. The housing has been made from aviation-grade magnesium & aluminum alloy material, which is processed by a special anodizing process with anti-oxidation coating for longer durability.
The device has a body size of 133mm (L) * 50mm (W) * 17mm (T) and features a sand blasted surface with a dark grey finish
The build quality of the device is decent for the price, which doesn’t show any imperfections such as burrs or openings.
On the top of the ITX01 is the IKKO brand logo, a Hi-Res Audio (left corner) Sticker and a small IKKO Audio branding (right corner).
At the rear side of the device is a flat profiled cable with a length of 13mm that has a Type C interface to connect it to your Smartphone, PC, Tablet and other devices that support this connector.
The left surface of the IKKO ITX01 sports a 1x Micro SD (TFT Slot) and 1x SD Card Slot for fast data transfer between the cards or to a device like a PC, Tablet, Smartphone, etc. that is docked to the ITX01.
Here is also 1x Multifunctional USB Type-Type C Data/File Transfer Port and 2x fast USB 3.2 ports that do offer a data transfer speed up to 10Gbps, which is pretty impressive.
The right surface of the IKKO ITX01 features a touch LED panel for the “Audio Touch Mode” that allows you to switch between 3 different sound profiles, which are HiFi, Movie and Gaming Mode. In order to switch between these 3 sound modes, you have to touch the LED surface for about 2 seconds.
The IKKO logo on the LED screen will light up yellow in HiFi mode, Blue in Movie Mode and Purple in Gaming Mode, which are pre-adjusted sound profiles.
Here is also a third USB 3.2 high speed port, a USB Type C fast charging interface that supports quick charge up to 100W.
Another important port is the HDMI interface that supports 4K screen mirroring with a refresh rate up to 60Hz. The IKKO ITX01 is compatible with Samsung’s DEX application, which is a feature that will turn Samsung Smartphones with DEX support such as the Galaxy Note 10+ in to a PC when you connect it to a Display or TV Screen via HDMI. You can even attach a Wireless Mouse and Keyboard to the ITX01 while Screen Mirroring over one of the USB 3.2 ports.
Please note that your smartphone or tablet should support Screen Mirroring over its USB Type C Port to use this feature.
On the front of the IKKO ITX01 are 1x 3.5mm Single Ended (TRS) and 1x 4.4mm Balanced (TRRRS) headphone outputs, which are one of the most important part for us audiophiles.
DAC & Amplification:
The IKKO ITX01 is equipped with the SNC 8600 Digital to Analog Converter or in short DAC that has a decoding capability up to PCM 192Khz. It offers a SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) of about 100dB and THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) of 0.01%.
The maximum output power of the ITX01 is 64mW @ 32 ohm, which is sufficient for easy to drive earphones and headphones, while it is not the ideal device for harder to drive headphones and earphones.
Compatibility:
The IKKO ITX01 is compatible with Android OS, IOS, Mac OS, Linux, Windows 10, PS5 and the Nintendo Switch.
List of Features:
- Dual headphone outputs, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced
- Custom Hi-Fi DAC and AMP chipset
- Hi-Res Audio certified
- 10x Connection Interfaces
- Touch Panel (Switching between Sound Modes)
- Three Sound Modes (Music, Movie & Game)
- 100W Fast PD Charging
- 3x USB 3.2 Ports
- HDMI port with 4K 60Hz for Screen Mirroring
- Exclusive Core Chip for Silent & Cool Operation
- Simultaneously Working Dual Card Slot (1x MicroSD and 1x SD card)
Technical Specifications:
- Model : ITX01
- DAC Chip : SNC 8600
- THD : 0.01%
- SNR : +100dB
- Sampling Rates : up to 192Khz
- Power Connector : Type-C
- Supported Systems : Windows 10, Mac OS, iOS, Linux, Android OS, PS5, Nintendo Switch
- Dimensions : 133mm*50mm*17mm
- Net Weight : 100g
Equipments used for this review:
- Sources : IKKO ITX01, Asus TUF Gaming Laptop, Samsung Galaxy Note10+
IEM’s : IKKO OH2, Hidizs MS2
Albums & tracks used for this review:
- Barry White – Just The Way You Are (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Isaac Hayes – Walk On By (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sting – Englishman in New York – (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- B.B. King – Riding With The King (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Chopin – Nocturn No. 20 In C-Sharp Minor (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Edith Piaf – Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
- First Aid Kit – My Silver Lining (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sertap Erener – Aşk (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
- Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Fazıl Say – Nazım Oratoryosu (Live) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (Spotify)
- Armin Van Buuren – Vini Vici (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Lorde – Royal (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Massive Attack – Angel (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Twerl – Lishu (Spotify)
- U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Portishead – The Hidden Camera (MP3 320kpbs)
- Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Rush’s – Leave That Thing Alone (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Slayer – Angel of Death (Spotify)
- Tom Player – Resonace Theory “Album” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
The Sound:
The IKKO ITX01 comes with a SNC 8600 DAC chip for that I couldn’t find any data on the web. However, it shows a fairly neutral presentation and has a mildly bright tonality, when paired with the IKKO’s new budget IEM the OH2 and the Hidizs MS2.
My sounds impression of the IKKO ITX01 below are based mainly to my auditions with the IKKO OH2 and Hidizs MS2 over the 3.5mm Single Ended headphone output that didn’t show any remarkable difference form its 4.4mm Balanced output. I have used the HiFi sound mode, which is more suitable for music listening.
Sound Analysis (Bass / Midrange / Treble / Soundstage):
The IKKO ITX01 is a pretty interesting Multifunctional Docking Station with dedicated DAC/AMP (SNC 8600 from an unknown brand) that offers both 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced outputs, with an output power of up to 64mW @32ohm.
It offers a fairly linear and clean bass response for such a competitive priced device. The subbass depth, extension and resolution are on a moderate level, when I do listen to Lorde’s “Royals” and Massive Attack’s “Angel”, paired with both IEM’s the MS2 an OH2. The midbass performance of the IKKO ITX01 is pretty good for such a device. It offers a sufficient sense of midbass depth and intensity, and doesn’t show any remarkable negative situations such like muddiness and mixings.
The IKKO ITX01 shows a slightly warmer than neutral midrange tonality, which has a fairly transparent and neutral character, when I do listen to it with both the Hidizs MS2 and IKKO OH2. The upper midrange is quite controlled, while the resolution and extension is on an average level with instruments like violins or pianos or female voices like Adel or Diana Krall.
The lower midrange shows an efficient sense of body and depth when I do listen to strings like acoustic guitars or a contrabass, or to brass instruments like trumpets. Male vocals like Isaac Hayes or Barry White are reproduced in a fairly emotional manner.
The IKKO ITX01 has a fairly clear treble presentation with moderately bright tonality. The treble range shows a sufficient level of airiness and extension, when I do listen to instruments such like clarinets, hi-hats, pianos and cymbals. The general resolution and extension of the treble range fulfils the expectations from a device at this price level.
The ITX01 shows a relative airy and transparent soundstage atmosphere, while the depth and wideness of the stage is on an average level.
Conclusion:
The IKKO ITX01 is a very versatile Multifunctional Docking Station that packs tons of useful features like screen mirroring, 100W fast PD Charging and both 3.5mm SE & 4.4mm Balanced outputs in to a relative small, lightweight and robust device. Moreover, it offers also a pretty exceptional sound performance for such a reasonably priced product. All this abilities do make the ITX01 to a highly recommendable gadget.
Pros and Cons:
- + Tons Useful Features
- + 10x Interfaces
- + Robust Build Quality
- + Both 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced Outputs
- + High Value for Your Money
- – Limited Headphone Output Power
- – Gaming & Movie Sound Modes are not that impressive in terms of sound performance
- – Use of a cable with a flat profile makes it less flexible
Thank you for the Read!
