In addition, significant performance, capacity, and accuracy enhancements were made in Spectre X in the SPECTRE 19.1 ISR releases. Besides many design and technology-specific enhancements, the key changes were: Reduced LX and VX mode peak memory usage in SPECTRE 19.1 ISR3, post-layout simulation accuracy improvements in SPECTRE 19.1 ISR8, VX performance improvements in SPECTRE 19.1 ISR9, and CX mode accuracy improvements in the SPECTRE 19.1 ISR10 releases. I used both of the iPad mini 5 and iPhone 12 as the source to play my music library through the Spectra X2 and connected to my IEMs. XtraSOUND technology is advertised by the company that should help to achieve lower distortion and noise floor.

We have simulated our advanced-node 5G designs with the Spectre X simulator and it shows up to 7X run-time improvement, even when factoring in large amounts of parasitics in post-layout verification. More Information The first noticeable difference is the higher driving power of the NextDrive Spectra X, which offers more juice if you want to drive your full sized headphones. The second noticeable difference is the overall tonality. The AUDIRECT Beam shows a warmer tonality with slightly more subbass depth and extension. The midbass region of the Beam shows more impact and intensity, while the Spectra X shows a tighter bass response with higher level of clarity and resolution. The midrange of the NextDrive Spectra X has the upper hand in terms of detail, transparency and airiness, while the AUDIRECT Beam is lightly more emotional and musical. The upper midrange and lower treble area of the Spectra X is more highlighted compared to the Beam and offers a higher level of sparkle and extension.

Resources

I used the Spectra X with the Campfire Audio Solaris, JH Audio Roxanne, and Fearless Audio S8 Pro for the purpose of this review, and never once did I question its capability to drive them. Comparisons Spectra X vs Dragonfly I am sure readers already know my thoughts on this DAC. I am very unfond of it and feel it more than last-generation. I don’t want to see any products housing the ES9018 at all. Ever, not even the mobile or desktop versions. This is old tech and I want to see innovation with new circuits. As usual I started testing with Sennheiser HD-650. Here, power was clean up to max volume. This was listenable and just a hair loud. Bass was good but no match remotely for any desktop product. The Spectra X delivers on pride of ownership and good DAC implementation. On the headphone amp side, there is more power than ordinary dongles but we are talking about a price that is 20 times higher. The DACport runs circles around it on this front but is ugly as sin compared to Spectra X. Maktar Spectra X2 vs Lotoo PAW S1 (200 USD vs 170 USD) - PAw S1 has more abilities, including an on-board EQ, it has a balanced output and more driving power, with physical buttons to control it. It is also Apple compatible, and ships with an apple connector, but it drains more power from your iPhone when used. The overall signature is warmer, smoother and with less treble sparkle on PAW S1, while it is more neutral, more dynamic and more punchy on Spectra X2. If you have cold sounding IEMS, PAW S1 would be more recommended, while if you're rather happy with your IEMS, Spectra X2 may be able to improve the dynamics and punchiness of the sound. If you're really into DSD, PAw S1 decodes DSD up to DSD 128, while Spectra X2 decodes DSD up to 256.

This is a great DAC for starters who need an ultra-portable solution. Those who want a balanced and un-exaggerating experience down below. If you like purity factor in the bass this is a good option for you. Midrange NextDrive champions the Spectra X as one of the smallest DAC/Amps around, and there’s definitely some truth to that. The piece itself is quite long but very narrow and easy to store. The device is lightweight but highly durable, with an aluminum chassis and an extra-long, flexible cable. If I could compare the size to anything, it’s like a small pen attached to your device. NextDrive sports a few different input options as far as sources go. I was given the USB-Type C connector, but Type A and B versions are also available. Type C was perfect to use for my android phone, but standard USB is more friendly to use with desktop and gaming devices. Spectre X targets the most challenging simulation problems, including advanced node designs with complex FinFET (and other) device models, and RC-dominated post-layout designs. It includes the following two technologies: The entire experience of the Spectra X is very balanced and linear. I do not detect a forward midrange or any bloom from top to bottom. The presentation is very streamlined and easy on the ear. Build quality and sound are on a par and both will drive portable headphones and earphones to their potential.I am able to boost up to about a +5dB before I start to hear distortions and feel them in my bassier models out yonder. For the price, that is a good response! But, I expect more weight and less physical slam factor, which raises up a fair deal as I slide that EQ bar up on the bassy end of the spectrum. At the rear surface of the main body is the lettering Designed by NextDrive and a label with some industrial certifications. Of course, just a few short years later other companies have followed suit and we are left with a few options. You can carry a second device dedicated to audio, you can use a dongle via USB-C or Lightning connector, or of course, you can go wireless. The DAP option will give you great sound quality but is the most intrusive bulky solution. That sense of balance does robs it of any intimacy, but then again, that might have been the point of the design. Some DAC’s have a very forward midrange that are great for midrange-centric headphones. Others are wider feeling with great balance. The latter being more in line with the Spectra X’s presentation.

Maktar is the new name for the old company NextDrive, a company that produced the Spectra X, a DAC / AMP / Dongle that has the same shape as Spectra X2, but which was made for Android. As we studied before, Spectra X had tons of power, good control, low distortion, and was priced similarly to Spectra X2. The units are produced in Taiwan, and the company takes great pride in being Taiwanesse, their units having apple certifications and all that needs for them to be supported on all iOS devices. Spectre X provides performance and capacity that is much improved compared to Spectre APS, as shown below. In addition, it significantly simplifies the Spectre use model, thereby making the Spectre APS tuning options obsolete. Wigner Functions of SR: T. Tanaka, Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams 17, (2014) 060702 The NextDrive Spectra X is a powerful, good looking and robust device with a quite impressive sound performance, which will satisfy you If you are searching for a DAC/AMP adaptor with lots of driving power that offers a dynamic, musical and detailed presentation. Both the NextDrive Spectra X and the IKKO Zerda ITM03 do share a slightly warmer than neutral tonality. The Zerda ITM03 shows a tad more subbass depth and extension, while the Spectra X has the upper hand in terms of midbass intensity and tightness. Both devices do have in general a pretty linear and detailed bass presentation. The midrange of the Spectra X is slightly fuller and a bit more emotional compared to the Zerda ITM03, while both do share a good level of clarity and airiness. The upper midrange and treble area of the IKKO Zerda ITM03 is slightly more highlighted compared to the Spectra X. Both devices are pretty similar in terms of treble detail and extension.In the SPECTRE 20.1 release, you'll be able to use Spectre X in Spectre RF analyses. In addition, you'll be able to run a distributed harmonic balance analysis using the Spectre X solver. The Spectre X solver will also be supported in Spectre MS. Watch out for the SPECTRE 20.1 release announcement blog for more information.

General Methods for SR Calculation: T. Tanaka and H. Kitamura, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 8, 1221 (2001) The Spectra X is essentially a DAC and amplifier unit that you plug into your phone’s USB-C, Micro-USB, or Lightning port (The Spectra X is available in all three configurations). It essentially bypasses your phone’s internal audio components (The DAC and Amplifier) which are usually inferior because in your phone the priority is not on enhancing sound quality but saving space. In version 10.0, rigorous estimation of brilliance based on the Wigner function method has become available, which is in contrast to the traditional method based on the Gaussian approximation. Although the brilliance estimation by the Gaussian approximation is still available for compatibility with the older versions, it is referred to as GA.Brilliance (Gaussian-Approximated) and is distinguished from the rigorous estimation. This morning at DAC, Cadence announced the Spectre X Simulator, the latest version of its circuit simulation product. The short value proposition is up to 10X speed improvement, up to 5X capacity improvement, the same golden accuracy. So the same results as the old Spectre simulator, but faster, and on bigger designs. I have noticed that the Spectra X warms up if you use it for longer periods and with power demanding headphones.The bass is punchy and articulate and it has a lot more depth than just using a headphone dongle. The soundstage is far wider and deeper which makes for a more grand listening experience and this is brought about via clarity in the top end. The NextDrive Spectra is a dongle-sized DAC/Amp, made for computers and smartphones. It’s well-built with a beautiful aluminum, tube-shaped, case and a classic USB-A port/3.5mm output. Inside, you can find the classic ES9018Q2C from Sabre, able to decode 32 bits / 384 kHz PCM files and drive medium to high impedance headphones.