Member Reviews: iBasso DX100 Reference DAP

lin0003

Great Player (HDP-R10)

Posted
By lin0003

Pros: SQ, Battery is better than DX100, ES9018 DAC Chip

Cons: UI, Price, Size

I got these a month ago and it still amazes me. First of all, I have to say that burn in is very important, with the HDP-R10 at least. At the start, the sound is a bit muddy and it has a bit of hiss, but that is completely eliminated after about 300 hours. It is said to be superior to the DX100 which is why I purchased it instead of the DX100. The specs show that it is recommended for any headphone from 8-600 OHMs which is basically everything. Below is my full review. UI The UI is alright but is lags quite a bit. Swiping is a bit weird because it takes long to respond and scrolls weird. Then once again, I'm used to the very responsive Samsung Galaxy S3 screen so I'm sure it's not...
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Mimouille

Another dimension of sound

Posted
By Mimouille

Pros: Huge, rich, detailed sound, great build quality, all-in-one, android UI, very powerful

Cons: Requires to clean up you library, a bit large, fairly poor battery time, still some bugs to be fixed, no USB charge

When I first received my iBasso DX100, I think I lost a week or so really getting everything to work perfectly, even though I had solid advice from other headfiers (see the FAQ on the player), and even if I went straight to 1.2.7 firmware.   The main things that will take time is that you need to clean all your tags (I thought they were clean, but apparently not DX100 clean). Then you have to understand the small issues (for instance, when you turn it on after transferring a lot of music, you have to leave it alone for a long time, even if it seems to be doing nothing, or it will freeze - for the longest time I thought something was wrong. Apparently they will fix this in the...
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Painterspal

Initially a deeply flawed product, now transformed via firmware upgrade into a world beater

Posted
By Painterspal

Pros: Great sound, great flexibility, one box solution

Cons: Quirky UI, battery life, pricey

Until recently I would have said stay well clear of this player. I bought mine in June from a fellow Headfier. Sound was good but the UI was poor. Worse, the player app crashed regularly (read daily, virtually every session) and it had a couple of very frustrating flaws - most importantly if you changed track manually, the sound for the first second or so would be quiet, ruining the start of many songs. Buggy would be a polite way to describe it. I tried a whole range of fixes but nothing worked.   But, the sound was good, very good actually. It had obvious potential and brilliant flexibility so I've stuck with it. I almost reached the point where I'd had enough, but didn't...
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Currawong

A very flexible DAP that brings portable audio into the high-end

Posted
By Currawong

Pros: Many ways to connect it. Light weight. Full-size headphone socket. Excellent sound. Android OS means it is customisable. Will play almost any file.

Cons: Playback software limited to the buggy iBasso software if you want to play high-res files. Software is buggy. Battery life isn't great.

  For years now we have had a lot of hype over portable gear, much of it not living up to any expectations in comparison to dedicated home components. There is even a whole thread dedicated to why. However, with the popularity of custom fit IEMs and vast improvements in digital technology, with portable DACs able to use an iDevice as a source, the possibility of having a truly hi-fidelity portable system is becoming all the more possible.   iBasso surprised everyone by coming out with an Android-running DAP (Digital Audio Player) using the famed Sabre ES9018 DA chip. Unlike iDevice-based solutions, this can play high-res music files up to 192/24 in most formats. While it...
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bmiamihk

Ultimate Portable Music Player

Posted
By bmiamihk

Pros: Clarity, Details, Sound Stage, Power, Storage, EQ, 24 Bit Music

Cons: Battery (3.5 Hours) Due to EQ and Hi Resolution (24 Bit) Music

Placed an order for this player with the goal of getting great sound, power, storage in one player! Got it some months later and boy the sound was awesome from the minute I heard it. The more I heard it (burn in) the better it sounded. Clear, detailed and sound stage is the best I ever heard in a portable player. Very powerful which is also important to me because I do not want to be walking with alot of things in my pockets or hand. As of now not easy to create my play list but i have not even really tried cause I love the sounds from this player. The issues with the Android and Wifi I do not care at all cause I never use it and I do not plan to. I also love the EQ! Bass was pounding...
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the wizard of oz

Best sound quality I've heard so far, let alone on a DAP!

Posted
By the wizard of oz

Pros: The sound quality! Powerful amplifier, with an appreciated 3-steps gain-switch

Cons: Battery life certainly could be better, but the sound quality you get makes up for that disadvantage.

  A bit of background: I'm coming from using Sony MiniDisc Walkmans, Hi-MD specifically, with their ability to play full CD-quality LPCM, and providing true gap-less playback, aside a sound quality that is way above that of iPods and other typical MP3 players -and I have tried a few of those. My musical library just keeps growing, the price per 1GB Hi-MD MiniDisc just isn't competitive any more, and lugging around many discs isn't always convenient, so I'd been on the look-out for a replacement for my Hi-MD Walkmans, and ideally even an upgrade in sound quality, since from using Sony MDR-EX90SL's I'd upgraded to the Audio-Technica W5000's.   I'd considered the iMod...
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dc-k

Best I've ever heard

Posted
By dc-k

Pros: Remarkable SQ, plenty of power, plays pretty much any format

Cons: not cheap, buggy software, shortish battery life

Bought as part of my upward spiral into high quality portable audio. I wanted something to surpass my Cowon J3 and the DX100 certainly achieves that.   The sound quality is better than anything I've ever heard. This is not, of course, an exhaustive list, nor do I have any home audio to compare with. I'm not really an audiophile but I listen to 2-3 hours a day while I commute. With this and my ACS T1 custom IEMs, the rest of the world just vanishes into the background. It's just as well I get off at the end of the line or I'd miss my stop every day.   The interface has not been well received, but coming from a J3, it's certainly no worse, and as someone who's been using...
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turokrocks

Warning , after reading this review, you'r gonna hate your old DAP

Posted
By turokrocks

Pros: SQ...SQ...SQ

Cons: Bugs everywhere,up, down...

  So after some long waiting I finally received my Ibasso DX100. Its the first DAP from Ibasso, and I think it has done  a very good one. I will not review the SQ of the DX100, not until I get it burned for some  time, for now I will talk about the UI . Its an android gingerbread in its simplest form. The Screen is, well lets say its adequate, but not build for video, reading your emails or surfing, as it made my eyes soar after couple of minutes (as coming from the Galaxy Note with is SAMOLED and the Sony Z). It has a good, no, brilliant music player, sound wise. But it has many, many bugs and one of the main it hangs/stalls a lot. Where as the Poweramp player...
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