[philiptw]

   
Of course!

But short while ago, I did a test that I had not yet tried, I used an external (desktop) amplifier feeded by the DX90 LO and....BINGO!
The veiling of which I complain, it is dissolved and now my files sound like I expect.
 
The problem is that I have no intention of buying an amplifier to drive a headphone easy as the SR60, it makes no sense...

 
Makes me wonder if the built in amps are faulty.. the built in amps are quite transparent to my ears with low imped headphones/earphones (eg. AKG K545, SE530)

 

[Caruryn]

   
Agree!
The problem is: what else?

Here you go http://redwineaudio.com/mods/rwak240.You'll get a decent enough sound and the price is a steal!

 

[jamato8]

   
Of course!

But short while ago, I did a test that I had not yet tried, I used an external (desktop) amplifier feeded by the DX90 LO and....BINGO!
The veiling of which I complain, it is dissolved and now my files sound like I expect.
 
The problem is that I have no intention of buying an amplifier to drive a headphone easy as the SR60, it makes no sense...

Then I suspect there is something wrong with the internal amp, which is extremely good so I would get another DX90, which is why this one is most likely being sold or something else but I can say that from experience, that the DX90 by itself, does not sound as you have described and using the external amp has shown you what it can do. 

 

[philiptw]

  Here you go http://redwineaudio.com/mods/rwak240.You'll get a decent enough sound and the price is a steal!

 
Dude u didnt have to help lead a new head fier to this because he/she wont be buying new gears and selling them on here for cheaper price as he/she upgrades you know! 

 

 

[Marleybob217]

   
Of course!

But short while ago, I did a test that I had not yet tried, I used an external (desktop) amplifier feeded by the DX90 LO and....BINGO!
The veiling of which I complain, it is dissolved and now my files sound like I expect.
 
The problem is that I have no intention of buying an amplifier to drive a headphone easy as the SR60, it makes no sense...

Haha good
 
Well, the synergy could just be bad I suppose. The DX90 (and its internal amp) happens to sound a lot better with my cIEMs than my desktop setup...

 

[funkforfood]

  Here you go http://redwineaudio.com/mods/rwak240.You'll get a decent enough sound and the price is a steal!

 A&K's are way overbudget for my pockets!

 

[Barra]

 

   
If you dont like it, get something else.  Life is too short to spend obsessing with gear that doesnt make you happy.

 
Agree!
The problem is: what else?

 
Right now you have a lot of choices depending on how much you want to spend. I am excited to see if the new Calyx M or AK100 II sound significantly better than my DX90 or X5 although it is currently not sounding promising. I personally am not willing to go over $1K as I think that the headphones make a bigger sound quality difference than the DAP and don't want to worry about carrying around and losing or damaging a very expensive DAP. That being said, I believe that the headphones are therefore the biggest limiting factor when listening to a high quality DAP. You just cannot expect to get the full quality of the DAP displayed when listening to a lower-tier or even a mid-tier headphone. My TF10s, Monster Coppers, and even my HD595 hold back the full capabilities of both my DX90 and X5. On the other hand, my CIEMs and my LCD2s really sing with both taking them to their full potential. While these DAPs cannot drive my CIEM or LCD2 to their full potential, these headphones can drive both DAPs to their full potential showing off their capabilities.
 
Also in my experience, neither wow'ed me immediately as it took a bit to wrap my head around the sound and to really start appreciating them. Now I would never look back even though I miss the small convenient form factor of my Clip Zip in the gym.
 
If you want to stay in the same price bracket, you may want to consider auditioning a X5 to see if you prefer that signature. While I own both the DX90 and the X5, I spend more time with the X5 due to my preference in sound signatures, listening volumes, and headphone pairings. While both sound great, they pair differently per headphone and they have slightly different strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few things that I noticed:
 

• Texture: Both display texture well, but do so differently. The X5 signature has the advantage for me of boasting a thicker and richer texture that you can actually feel in your chest - even at lower volumes.
• Intimacy: The X5 has a more intimate signature while the DX90 has a much wider sound stage. The X5 displays details in your face like the band is in your living room while the DX90 spreads them out and layers them very naturally as in a live experience. Neither are better, just up to your listening preference and the music played.
• Volume: I find that I have to listen to the DX90 very loud (200 of 255, high gain) to get to its full potential and the wow factor. In the gym, this works well for me due to the noisy environment, but at home for critical listening, this is just too loud for me even though the DX90 holds together well all the way up as experienced listening to the LCD2. On the other hand, the X5 has the massive chest felt texture that I crave even at lower volumes (45 of 120, low gain). It should be noted that I am sensitive to louder volumes and prefer to stay at lower volume settings.
• Pairings: I mainly use my CIEM - for maximum portability and premium sound quality - which pairs better with the X5's signature and additional power.

 
Remember this is in my opinion and experience and your mileage may vary depending on the listening environment, your preferences, headphones used, and music played. Even though these come off as being major differences when written down, others may feel like I am just splitting hairs and these DAPs are interchangeable.... just sayin'.  

 

[headwhacker]

 A&K's are way overbudget for my pockets!

My DX90 sounded similar on both HO and LO with my ciems. Only time I notice a difference is using my T1. It would have less sub bass energy using HO.

If your DX90 is new give it more burn in time. I found it sound boomy and muffled out of the box using my ciems.

It only came to it's full potential for me after the 200 hours mark.

 

[SilverEars]

I might change it with X5, makes sense?
Any help/comment will be welcome!

Try the X5, I didn't think the 90 was that great using my reference neutral revealing phones.  X5 is more accurate, extremely clear and detailed.  Of course jamato doesn't hear any of what you say from his Grado.  

  I just got the DX100, and nothing like what jamato says, it's much much better than the 90.  jamato said at one time that 90 is better than the 100.  

 Way to hype it up jamato!!
 
Right now I like the 100 the best, but the interface is not so great, a bit of lag when you select songs, but it's not that bad.  It competes with the AK series, and somebody says it's better than Hugo with CIEMs.

 

[funkforfood]

  Listening with my Grado's sr60i (with flat pads) classical music, for example, I can't capture the micro information i'm used to.
Sometimes I realize I'm turning up the volume, trying to grasp the details that seem hidden, and this is not a good sign.
 

 
 

• Volume: I find that I have to listen to the DX90 very loud (200 of 255, high gain) to get to its full potential and the wow factor. In the gym, this works well for me due to the noisy environment, but at home for critical listening, this is just too loud for me even though the DX90 holds together well all the way up as experienced listening to the LCD2. On the other hand, the X5 has the massive chest felt texture that I crave even at lower volumes (45 of 120, low gain). It should be noted that I am sensitive to louder volumes and prefer to stay at lower volume settings.

 
Perhaps we are saying the same thing in different ways?
Anyway, i'm beginning to think that I do not find often reflected in the descriptions of others what I hear because I listen through a different kind of hardware.
Almost all you hear with IEM's / CIEM's, I use only open headphones (i dislike IEM's) two totally different worlds.
Really don't know...

 

[jamato8]

  Try the X5, I didn't think the 90 was that great using my reference neutral revealing phones.  X5 is more accurate, extremely clear and detailed.  Of course jamato doesn't hear any of what you say from his Grado.  

  I just got the DX100, and nothing like what jamato says, it's much much better than the 90.  jamato said at one time that 90 is better than the 100.  

 Way to hype it up jamato!!
 
Right now I like the 100 the best, but the interface is not so great, a bit of lag when you select songs, but it's not that bad.  It competes with the AK series, and somebody says it's better than Hugo with CIEMs.

I said you can get a little more detail from the Dx90. I am not hyping anything. You do offer your own way of hyping though. So lets tame it down and not belabor things. 

 

[SilverEars]

  I said you can get a little more detail from the Dx90. I am not hyping anything. You do offer your own way of hyping though. So lets tame it down and not belabor things. 

Nope, not hering more details here.  It's pretty obvious DX100 is more detailed.  

 

[jamato8]

Great, glad you are happy with what you have now. 

 

[SilverEars]

jamato, can you tell me what the 90 lacks from the 100?  

 

[goodvibes]

  Try the X5, I didn't think the 90 was that great using my reference neutral revealing phones.  X5 is more accurate, extremely clear and detailed.  Of course jamato doesn't hear any of what you say from his Grado.  

  I just got the DX100, and nothing like what jamato says, it's much much better than the 90.  jamato said at one time that 90 is better than the 100.  

 Way to hype it up jamato!!
 
Right now I like the 100 the best, but the interface is not so great, a bit of lag when you select songs, but it's not that bad.  It competes with the AK series, and somebody says it's better than Hugo with CIEMs.

So your willing to do 'somebody says' but completely discount what an owner of all of them thinks. Just because you disagree doesn't mean you are allowed to question a well regarded poster's sincerity. It would be the same as someone calling you a troll for your posts here which hasn't been done nor am I doing so now. I believe that you're also sincere with your opinions but rather rude with your character assassinations and assumption that yours is the only transducer capable of correct evaluation. It certainly doesn't reinforce your opinions.