iBasso DX100 Reference DAP - ES9018 inside - Page 9

Indeed. I was actually looking at 64GB iPod Touches on eBay when I saw this thread yesterday and closed them immediately. Obviously time will tell as far as reviews go, but there's no point rushing into an iPod/CLAS/amp or iPod/HP-P1 set up until I know for sure if this thing will slay or not (and on paper it should), and cost wise they'll most likely be quite similar so... just have to wait and see! The appeal of a custom IEMs > single DAP is obviously great though; no need for custom low-profile interconnects, different methods of strapping it all together etc, just plug and play. I'm an Apple guy mostly but for music as long as I can just take my ALAC iTunes library, have it convert everything to AAC and dump it in the device then I'll be happy. I know there's a thing for Android that does smart-playlists so I wouldn't miss Genius, and obviously there's always the possibility of gapless too.
 

Also this thread must be the fastest growing on HF at the moment! Out of the blue comes a new challenger haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 

Count me subscribed, and keenly watching the developments.

 

Somnambulist-

Bet it'll make for a really powerful pairing for your eventual MG6Pro's, don'thca think? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by seekadds 

 

I too am concerned about the size of it. If it's anywhere close to as thick as those pics make it seem, then I don't want to carry a separate amp with it either. Hopefully the amp is as good as other iBasso portable amps.

Not to worry, iBasso replied that the amp in DX100 outperforms the one in D12 by several steps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randius 

Not to worry, iBasso replied that the amp in DX100 outperforms the one in D12 by several steps.

I've had the D12 and that was no slouch. An awesome DAC paired to an amp that bests the D12? Greatest portable player EVER.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Somnambulist 

Indeed. I was actually looking at 64GB iPod Touches on eBay when I saw this thread yesterday and closed them immediately. Obviously time will tell as far as reviews go, but there's no point rushing into an iPod/CLAS/amp or iPod/HP-P1 set up until I know for sure if this thing will slay or not (and on paper it should), and cost wise they'll most likely be quite similar so... just have to wait and see! The appeal of a custom IEMs > single DAP is obviously great though; no need for custom low-profile interconnects, different methods of strapping it all together etc, just plug and play. I'm an Apple guy mostly but for music as long as I can just take my ALAC iTunes library, have it convert everything to AAC and dump it in the device then I'll be happy. I know there's a thing for Android that does smart-playlists so I wouldn't miss Genius, and obviously there's always the possibility of gapless too.
 

Also this thread must be the fastest growing on HF at the moment! Out of the blue comes a new challenger haha.

 

 

That's because everyone's been hoping for an audiophile quality DAP that's affordable for a very long time and iBasso has a good reputation on here.  Let's keep our fingers crossed this new product hits the shelves at an affordable price. If it hits a thousand bucks I stand by my previous statement that it'll be dead before it's had a chance to crawl. Not to say they won't sell I'm sure there's enough rich types out there who will scoop it up. Us average people will just go to other options out there and iBasso will have to settle for selling a lot fewer units

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigitalFreak 

That's because everyone's been hoping for an audiophile quality DAP that's affordable for a very long time and iBasso has a good reputation on here.  Let's keep our fingers crossed this new product hits the shelves at an affordable price. If it hits a thousand bucks I stand by my previous statement that it'll be dead before it's had a chance to crawl. Not to say they won't sell I'm sure there's enough rich types out there who will scoop it up. Us average people will just go to other options out there and iBasso will have to settle for selling a lot fewer units

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of people who do not think about money, or at least when they buy audiophile equipment. For example those, who buy custom iems, they are all in the area around 1000$.

If I had those 1000$, I would go for a DSLR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigitalFreak 

That's because everyone's been hoping for an audiophile quality DAP that's affordable for a very long time and iBasso has a good reputation on here.  Let's keep our fingers crossed this new product hits the shelves at an affordable price. If it hits a thousand bucks I stand by my previous statement that it'll be dead before it's had a chance to crawl. Not to say they won't sell I'm sure there's enough rich types out there who will scoop it up. Us average people will just go to other options out there and iBasso will have to settle for selling a lot fewer units

 

 

 

 

As I said before "you can't judge an individual's sense of value, especially when it comes to enjoyment." So while price is an important factor for many, speculating about it here I think will only stir negative sentiments. I doubt the iBasso execs are keenly subscribed to this thread, listening to our pleas. Pricing is probably decided already, so all we can do as consumers is agree on one thing about price: the lower the better. So now we just wait and see. 

Yep, the lower the better. If you want an overoptimistic bit of speculation, perhaps they'll price it to undercut the iPod+transport double or triple stacks (presuming an equivalent capacity iPod), which IMO is the most obvious competitor product and would mean they wouldn't have to jump through Apple's hoops to release their own version of the CLAS/HP-P1 as quickly, or at all.

In a failing international economy, they'd have to be very short-sighted to price this too greedily. I hope they see sense and issue it at a fair (dare I say, keen) price. If they do that, they'll get a good return from ample sales and they'll have many happy customers - AKA "everyone's a winner".

I think it's fairly obvious that sales of HM801 and C4 haven't been greatly more than 'pedestrian' - there's a lesson to be learned from that.

We shall see what early 2012 brings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Somnambulist 

Indeed. I was actually looking at 64GB iPod Touches on eBay when I saw this thread yesterday and closed them immediately. Obviously time will tell as far as reviews go, but there's no point rushing into an iPod/CLAS/amp or iPod/HP-P1 set up until I know for sure if this thing will slay or not (and on paper it should), and cost wise they'll most likely be quite similar so... just have to wait and see! The appeal of a custom IEMs > single DAP is obviously great though; no need for custom low-profile interconnects, different methods of strapping it all together etc, just plug and play. I'm an Apple guy mostly but for music as long as I can just take my ALAC iTunes library, have it convert everything to AAC and dump it in the device then I'll be happy. I know there's a thing for Android that does smart-playlists so I wouldn't miss Genius, and obviously there's always the possibility of gapless too.
 

Also this thread must be the fastest growing on HF at the moment! Out of the blue comes a new challenger haha.

 

 

I'd been thinking of an iPod Touch 64 also recently. And a *cough* Cowon J3... But neither had it all so that I felt it was time to jump ship from my trusty X1060. And now this comes along! One DAP to rule them all?? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAFA 

 

There are a lot of people who do not think about money, or at least when they buy audiophile equipment. For example those, who buy custom iems, they are all in the area around 1000$.

 

If I had those 1000$, I would go for a DSLR.

I am not sure this applies to Ibasso, a company known for selling excellent quality dacs and amps for cheap.  They are smart, they want it to sell and the only way to do so is to set a price point that is half the price of the other daps in its tier.  I predict $299-399 price tags for this dap once it is released.  
 

Well, the idea was 64GB Touch > Fostex HP-P1 (seemed to work well with DD IEMs and sound a little warmer, with some ultra-low-profile interconnect). 2nd hand 4th Gen Touch can be had for around £250 on eBay. I think the Fostex was about £479. Add the interconnect and we're talking £700-800. There's no way that this will cost more than that. Let's just hope they've looked at some of these high end players with cheapo UIs and done the right thing and gone with something pre-made that works. Even if it's an older version like Gingerbread, it'll be fine for music.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 

I'd been thinking of an iPod Touch 64 also recently. And a *cough* Cowon J3... But neither had it all so that I felt it was time to jump ship from my trusty X1060. And now this comes along! One DAP to rule them all?? 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater 

I am not sure this applies to Ibasso, a company known for selling excellent quality dacs and amps for cheap.  They are smart, they want it to sell and the only way to do so is to set a price point that is half the price of the other daps in its tier.  I predict $299-399 price tags for this dap once it is released.  
 

 

I really hope so. If it is really priced like that, they will reach the break even point really fast. I'll buy one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Somnambulist 

Well, the idea was 64GB Touch > Fostex HP-P1 (seemed to work well with DD IEMs and sound a little warmer, with some ultra-low-profile interconnect). 2nd hand 4th Gen Touch can be had for around £250 on eBay. I think the Fostex was about £479. Add the interconnect and we're talking £700-800. There's no way that this will cost more than that. Let's just hope they've looked at some of these high end players with cheapo UIs and done the right thing and gone with something pre-made that works. Even if it's an older version like Gingerbread, it'll be fine for music.

 

+ nothing wrong with 3rd Gen. 64GB Touches; you don't need the camera to play music, and they're even cheaper to buy. I was considering that with the HP-P1 too... & now this iBasso DAP shows up... Ah well... As I said, if it does gap-less, this is a serious alternative.

But TBH, 64GB in both cases, is a bit tight, if you intend to store 24/96 audio... I don't see that swapping of MicroSD's all that practical, but maybe one could get used to it. I guess I swap Hi-MD MiniDiscs in my Hi-MD devices...

That retina display is too nice (I have an iPhone 4S), and the thinness of the 4G is important in terms of keeping the overall bulk down. Well.... it was. I'd like to think I could fit just about everything in 64GB in AAC. I have a lossless digital library for desktop playback but I'm not doing it for portable until there's big strides in flash memory size/price. I had mp3s of various bit-rates on my S:Flo2 and that still sounded great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 

I'd been thinking of an iPod Touch 64 also recently. And a *cough* Cowon J3... But neither had it all so that I felt it was time to jump ship from my trusty X1060. And now this comes along! One DAP to rule them all?? 

 

One does not simply walk into head-fi!

But in seriousness, I too am still sporting a Sony X1060, have contemplated Cowons as a replacement, and hesitated to upgrade because I want a DAP that does it all. Here's to hoping iBasso doesn't disappoint!