SONCOZ QXA1 Balanced Headphone Amp Review

The QXA1 from Soncoz is a desktop headphone amplifier and pre-amp with a fully balanced design, listed at $199.99 in Black or Silver. Per the page it takes XLR balanced or RCA single-ended input, drives a 4-pin XLR or a 6.35mm headphone output, and adds an analog RCA pre-out. The page describes it as a companion for the LA-QXD1 DAC, and it gives power at 33Ω, 300Ω and 600Ω for both single-ended and balanced operation.

Specifications

Options and pricing

Two colors are listed, Black and Silver, both at $199.99 with a crossed-out price of $269.99 shown on the page, and both were orderable when the page was read. The options differ only by color; the page gives no separate cable or plug choice. It does not list the box contents, so the page does not confirm a cable of any kind.

How it compares

The SMSL DS300 High-Performance MQA DAC & Headphone Amplifier costs $188 against $199.99 here, and its name pairs a DAC with the amp, while the QXA1 page lists analog XLR and RCA inputs only. The TOPPING L50 Headphone Amp NFCA Modules is $229, with a spec line citing an output power rating of up to 3500mW. The QXA1 suits a setup with a balanced DAC and a 4-pin XLR headphone cable; the DS300 suits one that needs a DAC in the same box.

Shipping, returns and warranty

HiFiGO sells from hifigo.com and says every order leaves its warehouse in China, usually 1-3 business days after it is placed, and says its delivery times are estimates, not promises. Its shipping policy gives the United States 1-2 weeks (about 10 days on average) by Priority and 6-10 days by Premium, both with duties and taxes prepaid by the store; Canada 2-3 weeks; the United Kingdom 1-2 weeks; and Australia 10-15 days. Express couriers (DHL, UPS, FedEx) take 3-7 days, but then the buyer pays any duties and taxes. No shipping page names New Zealand, PO boxes are not accepted, and the free-shipping thresholds differ between the store's own pages, so check the cart. One of its two shipping pages adds that a lost parcel on an order above $50 gets only a 50% refund. A US buyer reported a $40 tariff charge in August 2025, after which HiFiGO said it had added a customs notice at checkout.

Read the return terms before you order. The homepage advertises 7-day returns. Both of HiFiGO's policy pages offer a 7-day dead-on-arrival cover (a replacement or a full refund, with the return postage refunded) and also describe 30-day returns, but a request made 7 to 30 days after delivery loses 30% of the MSRP as a restocking fee (10% more if the packaging is incomplete), plus shipping both ways and duties, and the FAQ on the same pages says there is no refund or exchange once 7 days have passed. One version recommends reselling an opened product locally. Custom IEMs and custom cables cannot be returned, no return address is published, and buyers describe sending items back to China.

HiFiGO's warranty runs one year from the order date for parts and labor; its policy names desktop DACs and amps, IEMs and dongles at one year and gives cables and adapters three months. HiFiGO decides between repair and replacement, the buyer pays the shipping, and faulty items go back for service, not for a refund. Claims go to [email protected], the only contact the store lists: its pages name no company, street address or phone, and its terms are governed by the laws of China.

On Trustpilot, HiFiGO had 4.6 out of 5 from 378 reviews when we checked on 2026-10-28 (91% five-star, 5% one-star), and it had replied to about 75% of negative reviews; Trustpilot notes the store has not invited customers to review recently. The one-star reviews mostly concern the short return window and the deductions on returns, items listed in stock that turned out back-ordered, slow email support and a tariff charge on a US delivery in 2025. HiFiGO says its products are genuine and come in the brands' retail packaging; it does not claim to be an authorized dealer.