[headwhacker]

Guys, yesterday I lost my beloved DX50 and a pair of IEMs that were in the same box. When I realized 20 minutes later, they weren’t there. I hope the motherf****r that took it enjoy enough.
Well, the good part is that now I’m considering the DX90. I was pretty happy with my DX50, but the DX90 is tempting. I know it may seem a silly question, but do you really think it worth to spend the double of money for the upgrade?. Difficult to say if any of us has listened the DX90 yet, but I’m so desperate to have a DAP again in my hands that I would buy the DX90 without reading any review before. I just want to know if you think there is going to be a big difference between the Wolfson and the Sabre. Supposing they make a good implementation, what should be the sonic differences?.      

In paper, DX90 is better than DX50. The dual-sabre DAC and the supposed to be better/upgraded amp section.

Why do i get the felling that you are happy that you lost the DX50 so you can get the DX90 soon. lol

 

[musicheaven]

Guys, yesterday I lost my beloved DX50 and a pair of IEMs that were in the same box. When I realized 20 minutes later, they weren’t there. I hope the motherf****r that took it enjoy enough.
Well, the good part is that now I’m considering the DX90. I was pretty happy with my DX50, but the DX90 is tempting. I know it may seem a silly question, but do you really think it worth to spend the double of money for the upgrade?. Difficult to say if any of us has listened the DX90 yet, but I’m so desperate to have a DAP again in my hands that I would buy the DX90 without reading any review before. I just want to know if you think there is going to be a big difference between the Wolfson and the Sabre. Supposing they make a good implementation, what should be the sonic differences?.      

Sorry about your lost, I'd be very upset if I'd loose mine and not returned, it's true with anything I own. But like you said no one has listened to the DX90 yet and specifically with the new chip and with a double dac implementation. As you read through this site, there have been good and bad implementations of the bigger brother (ES9018) however when good, the impressions have been highly positive, cases at point is the DX100 and Hifiman HM901. Bottom line, if iBasso pulls a star implementation, it sure will sound magnificent, at least that is the hope.

 

[Mython]

Sorry to hear your bad luck about losing the DX50.
 
I suspect that the biggest difference between the DX50 and the DX90 will be caused by the upgraded amp section rather than by the upgraded DAC section (even though the upgraded DAC will obviously help a bit)

 

[Sakadagami]

In paper, DX90 is better than DX50. The dual-sabre DAC and the supposed to be better/upgraded amp section.

Why do i get the felling that you are happy that you lost the DX50 so you can get the DX90 soon. lol

Oh man, possibly I'll be happier at the end of the story, but I was saving some money to get a AKG 550 and now I have to go for the DX?? and a IEM. You know... sooner or later the followers of this forum have a hole in the pocket.

.

 

[Sakadagami]

Sorry about your lost, I'd be very upset if I'd loose mine and not returned, it's true with anything I own. But like you said no one has listened to the DX90 yet and specifically with the new chip and with a double dac implementation. As you read through this site, there have been good and bad implementations of the bigger brother (ES9018) however when good, the impressions have been highly positive, cases at point is the DX100 and Hifiman HM901. Bottom line, if iBasso pulls a star implementation, it sure will sound magnificent, at least that is the hope.

Thanks, Musicheaven, I was just reading at the start of this threat that you said that the Sabre are slightly more bright/analytical.
As I said I love the DX50. An improvement such that will be amazing.

 

  Sorry to hear your bad luck about losing the DX50.
 
I suspect that the biggest difference between the DX50 and the DX90 will be caused by the upgraded amp section rather than by the upgraded DAC section (even though the upgraded DAC will obviously help a bit)

Thanks, Mython. Sorry for my ignorance, but what's the impact of the amp section in the sound?.

 

[Mython]

DELETE

 

[burtomr]

.

 

[Mython]

DELETE

 

[M-13]

The future is expensive. Haha

 

[Sakadagami]

   
 
It's no use having an amazing DAC if the amp section that follows it lacks the ability to accurately and strongly control the transducer (IEM/CIEM/Cans or whatever) diaphragm(s). You need excellent control of the diaphragm so that it can accurately start&stop (to reproduce transients well), accurately travel back and forth for tiny excursions (for micro details), and achieve full excursion for deep and convincing bass notes, etc, etc.  Only a well-designed amp, with decent current delivery, damping, etc. can do a good job of this. Fortunately, iBasso seem to be pretty good with their DAP amplification stages, yielding a relatively neutral and refined sound (especially the DX100). The DX90 allows iBasso to spend more money on the amp stage than they could within the limited cost constraints of the DX50 (good though the DX50 may be, in its own right).
 
Many people swear that you don't need much current to drive something as sensitive as an IEM / CIEM, but subjective experience has taught me that this is actually not the case, if maximum SQ is desired. I discussed this a bit in one of the X5 threads, some time ago.
 
 
.

 
Interesting. Very well explained, thanks.

 

[Mython]

DELETE

 

[burtomr]

 
But that's not a microSD card - it's a fullsize SD card.
 
Are you suggesting use of a microSD=>fullsizeSD adaptor cable?
 

 
Yeah, I mistakenly thought the DX50 used a fullsize SD card...my bad, but yes you could definately use an adapter.

 

[Mython]

DELETE

 

[reginalb]

   
 
It's no use having an amazing DAC if the amp section that follows it lacks the ability to accurately and strongly control the transducer (IEM/CIEM/Cans or whatever) diaphragm(s). You need excellent control of the diaphragm so that it can accurately start&stop (to reproduce transients well), accurately travel back and forth for tiny excursions (for micro details), and achieve full excursion for deep and convincing bass notes, etc, etc.  Only a well-designed amp, with decent current delivery, damping, etc. can do a good job of this. Fortunately, iBasso seem to be pretty good with their DAP amplification stages, yielding a relatively neutral and refined sound (especially the DX100). The DX90 allows iBasso to spend more money on the amp stage than they could within the limited cost constraints of the DX50 (good though the DX50 may be, in its own right).
 
Many people swear that you don't need much current to drive something as sensitive as an IEM / CIEM, but subjective experience has taught me that this is actually not the case, if maximum SQ is desired. I discussed this a bit in one of the X5 threads, some time ago.
 
 
.

 
 

   
Interesting. Very well explained, thanks.

 
 
The fact of the matter is that at a given SPL, amp 1 and amp 2 are delivering the same power. Period. End of story. A more powerful amp at a lower volume doesn't supply more current. Now, watts are a function of both voltage and current, so two amps that deliver the same power output (in watts) might have different current levels, but I don't think that's what Mython is saying. I think he thinks that a more powerful amp (when at a lower volume level) will deliver more power to sensitive IEMs when at 50% than a half as powerful amp at 100%. 
 
This isn't correct. The people that swear you don't need much current to drive sensitive headphones and in-ears are called engineers.

 

[darkwasim786]

Ok so got a reply from ibasso...they also said to me it will be officially available to order on the 7th of april finally a date set, just hoping most bugs are sorted before the release, unlike what happened with the dx50