Christophe P. / France (30-03-2025)
Christophe chose the enclosures I recommended for his RStAudio XOno 2019. He uses individual transformers for the two audio channels and the digital power supply. He has also arranged the circuit boards in the power supply housing differently. A very nice and excellent piece of work.
Equipment:
- Thorens TD165 MK2
- Shure M97 Pickup
- DIY integrated amplifier on an improved Hafler DH200 base
- J Speakers Studio 3 Speaker’s House
Dieter A. / Germany (21-01-2024)
Dieter has placed his RStAudio XOno 2019 in a slim enclosure. A really great job! Here are a few more lines from him:
Due to lack of space in the hi-fi rack, some things have been designed differently from the original.
- Power supply unit and amp are in 24cm wide cases from the “Italian” – saves space. Power supply 2U, amp 3U
- As there was no room for a single mains transformer, it was “halved” and arranged vertically behind the front. 40VA transformers from Toroidy per side just fitted in.
- The controller was too big for the 24cm front, so something else was needed. A small controller board with MM/MC and gain switching as well as adjustment of the MC load resistors. The muting circuit is also on the board. So everything is “passive” without clock generators.
- Since the power supply for the controller had to be realized differently due to the transformer solution, there was a standby power supply with a small 12V switching power supply and relay, which switches on the main transformers (the XOno is not run through). There was just enough space for this additional board and the AC/DC filter on one side of the power supply unit.
- Due to the narrow housing of the amp, the circuit boards had to be arranged one above the other. The only disadvantage I can see is the adjustment. I have therefore led a cable out for adjustment so that I can measure there. There is a metal sheet at the same distance below the sensitive circuit parts in order to have the same capacitive ratios for both channels.
- As the voltage of the 1st power supply unit ramps up very slowly, I wanted to have a control so that the muting circuit only starts as soon as the voltages are stable. I wanted to prevent the muting from being enabled before the level is stable. The voltage control is on a small additional board, which taps connector J6 (R98/99 have been removed and moved to the additional board. Everything works well – as soon as the voltage is applied, the signal is sent potential-free via optocouplers to the muting circuit, which releases the output after approx. 60s.
Equipment:
- Turntables: Everything from Clearaudio: Innovation turntable, Magnify tonearm, daVinci TA system
- Preamplifier: Audionet DNP
- Integrated Amplifier: Audionet AMP, DIY Hypex NC1200, active solutions from Hypex and Fouraudio
- Alternative Integrated Amplifier: Copland CTA408
- Speakers: Achenbach Akustik, i.e. my own. Depending on what I feel like doing.
- Cable: Inakustik, Spura
Michael W. / Germany (16-07-2022)
Michael used his own microcontroller system with a great display to run the XOno 2019. A very impressive work! More pictures will follow.
Paul D. / United Kingdom (22-11-2021)
The current set up of Paul:
- Linn Sondek LP12 with newly added Mose/Hercules II power supply, Helius Omega arm (silver wired) and Audio Technica AT33PTG.
- Naim NAP 32.5 preamplifier with MC boards (Paul: “not that I need them any more!”)
- Naim SNAPS Power Supply
- Naim NAP160 Power Amplifier
- Linn Keilidhs Speakers
- A mixture of QED and Naim interconnects and speaker cables.
- The little speakers on top of the Keilidhs are some DIY speakers that Paul made just before the XOno. According to him, they sound pretty good with the ACP+ and ACA from Nelson Pass.
A very beautiful equipment in which the XOno 2019 fits in wonderfully.
Lothar D. / Germany (27-09-2021)
On view is a very remarkable DIY setup, a wonderful environment for the XOno 2019:
- Pro-Ject Perspective Anniversary turntable with Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge
- XOno 2019
- Pass Labs Aleph 2 Mono Power Amplifier Replica
- Centre loudspeaker for the surround system with Focal loudspeaker chassis according to a construction proposal from Hobby HiFi.
- Audio PC with analogue low-noise power supply and Roon Optimised Core Kit (ROCK) as operating system as streamer/player
- Pioneer surround amplifier
- Mains filter with galvanic isolation
- Sabre ES9038PRO DAC with tube output stage according to a circuit by Audiodesignguide
- Passive preamplifier with volume control via Sowter transformers and circuit boards for relay switching by Dantimax
- Ambient loudspeaker based on a construction proposal from Hobby HiFi
- Stereo loudspeaker with drivers by Focal and ribbon tweeter by Fountek based on a Hobby HiFi construction proposal.
- Subwoofer with lower cut-off frequency of 17Hz for surround sound according to a Hobby HiFi construction proposal
Steven W. / USA (09-02-2021)
The RStAudio XOno 2019 in a wonderful DIY environment. Unfortunately, the photos do not show the legendary Klipschorn in a modified version with which Steven listens to music. The XOno settings with relays but without a controller are solved very well with a DIP switch on the side. The XOno amplifies the signal of the Transrotor Fat Bob / Kuzma 4 Point / Sound Smith Sussurro – very impressive.
A complete review can be downloaded as a pdf file: Pass XONO Clone, Boards by RStAudio
Thomas C. / Germany (19-11-2020)
The RStAudio XOno 2019 in company with a Symphonic Line integrated amplifier, what a beautiful combination. The black cabinet fits very nicely into the system. The knob, adapted to the design of the integrated amplifier, looks very noble on the XOno.
The XOno 2019 has the full configuration without EQ boards – that means controller, 2SK2145, relay and servo controller. The large display is built in.
Meinolf S. / Germany (02-11-2020)
A Revox / Studer PR99 together with the RStAudio XOno 2019 in one rack, what a great sight. Especially the EMT drive equipped with 2 tonearms is a real eye-catcher.
The XOno 2019 has the full configuration – i.e. controller, EQ boards, 2SK2145, relay and servo controller. The small display is built in.
Heiner F. / Germany (03-10-2020)
This is the prototype which can already be seen on the XOno 2019 page. Here you can admire the phono preamplifier in its final environment. Special attention should be paid to the do-it-yourself drive with the beautiful DIY tangential tone arm by Detlef R., which also sounds outstandingly good.
The XOno 2019 has the full configuration – i.e. controller, EQ boards, 2SK2145, relay and servo controller. The large display is built in.