iBasso DX100:24 bit for bit, PG 1> Reviews & Impressions, Downloads, VIDEO, NEW Firmware 1.4.2.

It's more like being spoiled and having the bar set real high .
 

What we need is a transformer

 
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lee730 said:

It's more like being spoiled and having the bar set real high .
 

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Or you can be addicted to suffering.
 
 
Now recommended CD for the DX100.

 

 
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lostid said:

Now recommended CD for the DX100.

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The XRCD version sounds much better but both versions suffer from clipping every here and there.

Hi all,
 
Last night's battery conversation had made me very curious so just now so I've done some of my own little investigation. In the end, the DX100 -is- a 8.4V. The battery is wrapped in a single package appearing to be a single battery. Although 2xflat cells can be seen in that single package. The output also shows there's only a +ve and -ve lead coming out of it - therefore, there is no Lipo balancer in the DX100 to ensure each cell is charged independently in parallel. This is potentially dangerous as charging Lipos in serial without balancer means you could charge one cell more than the other (as such "imbalanced").
 
The DAC is naturally the expected ESS9018, however the OpAmp was filed/sand papere-ed off. I talk to some DAC/Amp manufacturers in Tokyo and they tell me that this is quite a standard practice to prevent those that opening up to see what kind of OpAmp is really being used.
 
 
So, now the question comes is if the HDP-R10 is drastically different requiring only 4.2V to operate, whilst the DX100 requiring 8.4V. This would imply different hardware and therefore different lines of production (essentially, different product altogether!).
 
Here are some pix :-
 


 
A little less than 8.4V (but usually Lipos come in 3.7V increments...3.7V, 7.4V, etc. Discharge though is higher than rated, as such 8.12V below).

 
Double cell :-

 
Single package :-

 
Audio board :-

 
The display side of the DX100...dangling is probably the Wifi.

 
The infamous ESS ES9018 DAC :-


 
 

 
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uelover said:

 
 
The XRCD version sounds much better but both versions suffer from clipping every here and there.

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Yes I have the XRCD version. It sounds very good on my RB'd ipod video paired with the EX1000. I have no idea about the clipping since I was not bothered by anything from my gear. Are you saying that's another suffering from the high end DAP's?

Good job AnakChan!
 
The potential battery issue seems to be a problem but what is the implication (if it implies physical danger) of having a battery being charged more than the other?
 
Now, we just need to wait for someone else to open up the HDP-R10 to see the differences in hardware.
 
Quote:

lostid said:

Yes I have the XRCD version. It sounds very good on my RB'd ipod video paired with the EX1000. I have no idea about the clipping since I was not bothered by anything from my gear. Are you saying that's another suffering from the high end DAP's?

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The mastering/recording on the CD isn't good up to standard in the sense that every here and there in the tracks the music will clip. It has nothing to do with the gears.

@AnakChan, Man you've got b@lls, and the know how. Thank you as this proved to me that the Hibino is going to be different, how different we have to buy it and see.

 
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turokrocks said:

@AnakChan, Man you've got b@lls, and the know how. Thank you as this proved to me that the Hibino is going to be different, how different we have to buy it and see.

Better, worse?.....I love the smell of the PCB, and the capacitors, is it me or somebody has this fetish.....

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Its about time you do the same to your Sony Z

 
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uelover said:

The mastering/recording on the CD isn't good up to standard in the sense that every here and there in the tracks the music will clip. It has nothing to do with the gears.

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I see. My ears need more training then or my ears are immune from bad recording.

 
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uelover said:

 
Quote:

turokrocks said:

@AnakChan, Man you've got b@lls, and the know how. Thank you as this proved to me that the Hibino is going to be different, how different we have to buy it and see.

Better, worse?.....I love the smell of the PCB, and the capacitors, is it me or somebody has this fetish.....

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Its about time you do the same to your Sony Z

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My precious...my precious...no one will take my precious from me...not even you.....DX100...or the Hibino

Go on, open your Sony Z !! I'm curious what's inside the Sony too...esp the DAC/OpAmp.
 
Anyhow so this tells me :-
 

1. I'm wrong that the 2x batteries are connected in parallel. They are connected serially totalling the 8.4V. Kudos to HiFlight & the iBasso guy (who's tech is right).
2. iBasso hasn't given me much security in the way they design their devices for Lipo charging; not just for the DX100 but for some of their other products too :-

"Hi,
Charging batteries in series isnt a difficulty to us. Our D6, P4, PB2 have 3 battery in series.
 
Sincerely
iBasso Audio"

1. iBasso doesn't want anyone to know what OpAmp they're using as such their OpAmps are filed/sanded off.

 
This begs a few questions :-

1. Is iBasso correct in saying the HDP-R10 needs only 4.2V to run?
2. If true, then is the HDP-R10 different h/w altogether, only retaining the DX100 shell?
3. Is the DX100 non-compliant with Japan's battery laws 'cos according to the Hibino HDP-R10 page (http://www.hibino-intersound.co.jp/information/2937.html), according to Google Translate it states, "Corresponding to the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law) will be equipped with a lithium-polymer battery capacity of 4800mAh."
   
4. Does iBasso have a different production line for the HDP-R10 and it's really a completely different beast from the DX100? I guess from the Hibino page, there is no reference to the DX100 at all. Only in the photo it looks like the same as the DX100. So that means we really can't refer the HDP-R10 as the Japanese version of the DX100.

 
OK I can't think of anything else for now.

The DX100 will push the HE 500 and a very picky guy who looks for the best in equipemnt has posted positive reviews about the Dx100/HE 500 combo.
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pdiddypdler said:

Also, I assume if I was getting a headphone like the HE500, it would be recommended to buy something more powerful than the dx100? Maybe a Lyr...

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I will say if you are able to find enjoyment with soso recordings then you have a gift that you shouldnt lose but if you can learn to also enjoy the better recordings as well then you will have more music to enjoy.
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lostid said:

 
 
I see. My ears need more training then or my ears are immune from bad recording.

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+5 on the furthest left on the EQ.
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uelover said:

 
 
On the old firmware, my EQ started off with everything at flat. I activated the EQ feature and then deactivated it. Heard no difference (meaning that the sound I had with the EQ deactivated did not have any EQ boost on it). I know some had theirs started off with all the faders either to the extreme left or to the right.
 
On the new firmware, my EQ started off with all the faders on the extreme right (+6). When the EQ is activated, the sound with all the faders being set at +6 sounds the same as the sound when the EQ is deactivated (meaning that there is an EQ boost when the EQ is deactivated). I could achieve that sound again at anytime I want by simply pushing all the faders to the right. When the EQ are boosted across the entire range, the mids is more forward (but lacks that magic in the older firmware). When the EQ is not being boosted, the mids is pushed back in the relative sense.
 
I am trying out the 1/4" plug method as well on my custom. Seems to sound a bit better. Hmmmmmm.

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