iBasso T5 - A newly designed small portable. Specifications. - Page 6

having background hiss with my j3 and fx700 on both high and low. of course on low is much less noticeable but its still there.  think that will change with burnin or is this issue completely different? any suggestions on what might be wrong because i thought the t5 would be perfect for iems.

Saw all the reviews and decided to give it a go. Have great experience previously with an really old iBasso amp but eventually had to return due to RF issues. Had the Mustang P-51 but didn't like it and sold it quickly. The iQube the longest amp that I kept and really loved it till I couldn't carry rigs out anymore.

 

This time I'm aiming to keep it all small and decided that this should go well with my iPhone 4s or iPod as source. I'll be using ES-5, ESW10, IE8 and SE535 with it. Jamato, wondering if you have anything to comment on my set up... I've pretty much bought amps with your reviews since a long long time ago.

The T5 is at about 150 hours of burn-in I will wait till 200 and compare them. Needless to say they are different beasts in that the UHA4 is a USB DAC and amp combo versus just  an amp for the T5. The UHA4 is a larger unit and IMO the case by virtue of being larger (just like me) is easier to carry and place on a workstation. I find the volume pot on the UHA4 to be  my favorite of the small portable amps and the mute feature just fantastic both in use and in implementation.

I ordered a FIIO LOD to use with my iPhone 4s and T5. Will it degrade drastically if I use this LOD instead of those expensive ones? Previously I had the ALO SXC with my iMod but I have nothing to compare it against, now that I have sold it. Just wondering if it justifies to get an LOD that costs the same as the T5. Will be using the combo with Westone ES5, ESW10 or IE8....

Don't waste your money on expensive LOD. A FiiO LOD is more than enough to do the job.

I actually tried an LOD 3x the price of the Fiio and preferred the Fiio, for what it's worth.  

Actually as long as the LOD has a decent plug enough plug at the end it would sound very decent, no matter what the wire. I favour the viablue T6 a lot. Considering making an LOD with it soon.

 

Comparison of the iBasso D4 Mamba (w/ TopKit w/ buffers bypassed), D-Zero, T5 versus Leckerton Audio UHA4 (AD8610).

 

What an interesting afternoon, it has been a while since I set aside time to compare portable amps and so I found myself enjoying myself quite a bit with 4 examples from iBasso and Leckerton Audio. Since three of the units are amp/dac combos I decided to use the line out of the D4 Mamba to feed the T5, D-Zero, and the UHA4. The D4 Mamba sports the TopKit from HiFlight except the buffers are bypassed since IMO the unit sounds better that way.

 

The D4 Mamba was fed from an iMac 3.06 using iTunes 10.5.1 and BitPerfect version 0.32. The files were from Joe Pass Unforgettable album in Apple Lossless. The cans used were an Audio Technical ATH-ESW9 and all the components were fully burnt in with the T5 having the least amount at 192 hours.

 

Since age has a lot to do with the listening experience I am 53 YO and I listen at low levels ... 65-68 dB on average with peaks into the low 70 dB’s.

 

First I compared the iBasso T5 with the D-Zero. I found the T5 go be more open, clear, and with better detail. I also find the T5 to have better treble extension. So overall IMO the amp section of the T5 is the better sounding of these two units.

 

Next I compared the iBasso T5 with the Leckerton UHA4. I found the T5 to have better bass and overall a punchier and gutsier presentation. On the other hand I found the UHA4 to be more open, extended and clearer. The UHA4 has a wider soundstage. Not a night/day difference but enough to notice. Perhaps the difference is due to the abundance of bass in the T5. IMO for the cost difference I would go with the UHA4 over the T5.

 

Next I compared the iBasso T5 with the D4 Mamba, of course the dac in the D4 fed itself while I used the same IC to connect the D4 to the T5. Although you can hear the iBasso similarities between these two units the D4 is to my ears the clear winner by its musicality and ability to draw me into the music. It has a better top end with great clarity and definition, the bass in the T5 continues to be the best among the 4 units compared but not enough to make it to the top.

 

Lastly I compared the iBasso D4 Mamba with the Leckerton Audio UHA4. The D4 has a wider soundstage, and more air between the notes. The D4 is the more engaging and musical of the units and gets the top spot.

 

So in closing I prefer the D4 Mamba with the HiFlight TopKit w/ buffers bypassed. This is followed by the UHA4 which has the best volume pot of all the portable units I have used under $275- $300 regardless of manufacturer. The T5 follows not too far behind and the D-Zero rounds up the pack.

 

The differences between the first three are not huge but to my ears noticeable. If  you need to save some money and size is of importance then the iBasso T5 is for you. If you can spare the funds and do not mind opening the unit up to replace the op-amps then the iBasso D4 Mamba would be the way to go. If space is important and you need a dac then go for the UHA4 by Leckerton Audio.

 

I realize my findings are quite different from others who have compared these units but, we all hear differently. Cheers and thanks for reading.

Great impressions. Its a good little unit.

Has anyone tried this amp paired to an HD25-1 II?  If so, please share your impressions.

The amp has reached my address since last week but I'm away from home. Will only be able to play around tonight... Wondering if my L9 LOD has reached too...

X2.

I just got a HD25-1 II last week. I use it with my phone (HTC DROID Incredible 2) on my daily one hour commute on the train. The phones sound good, but struggle with the cellphone's wimpy amp. Bass is uncontrollable, and distortion creeps in. I often end up keeping the volume on the handset at maximum for an acceptable listening level. Plugging it into my Lovely Cube(a Lehmann BCL clone) at home makes these puppies sing with tight, powerful bass, and insane volume levels that can blow out eardrums.

I'm on the fence about tiny amps. I tried a fiio once with a Grado. Not impressed at all. Hopefully the T5 is the ticket to great portable sound with my rig.

Hmmm...wonder how this amp will pair with my ipod mini and triple-fi's/pro900.