[goodvibes]

Quote:

Of course. I thought it might get more exposure there. I seem to get good sound with the 4400uA battery I have from Anker and would like to get an OEM Samsung S3 battery as I have read a number of times that it affects the sound of he DX50  in a positive way so it might have the same affect on the DX90, but only way to know is to try one but find a true OEM seems to be the task.  

Jamato, Sorry for not searching but do you hear a difference between the Anker 4400uA and the stock offering? The extra capacity should have more cells in parallel which could mean a lower impedance. There's more to it as chemistry and delivery times can vary besides. The battery used by Ibasso is also considered a very good after market battery. They could have easily used something cheaper with the same specs.

 

[headwilier]

Originally Posted by headwilier

Thanks to everyone for your feedback and advice. I finally found a shop to trial the DX90, AK120II and AK240, pairing them to my SE846. Here are some personal findings, with all marks out of 5.

DX90
Sound - 4 - a completely different signature from the AKs. DX90 has a very airy embracing sound quality. Actually really amazing pairing with SE846.
Stability - 1 - this was what stopped me buying the machine. One second skipping on FLAC files which is just unacceptable.
Price - 5 - if the skipping didn't occur, it would be the perfect budget machine.

AK120ii
Sound - 4.6 - really accomplished with great stability on the lows, mids and treble (non fatiguing). Different from AK120, which i found was too warm with the SE846
Stability - UI is much better than DX90. Be careful of ejecting the SD card... it flew away!
Price - High but reasonable
Aesthetics - 5 - love the industrial design

AK240
Sound - 5 - the most all round with best definition. Is it worth it?
Stability - same UI as AK120ii
Price - For the incremental (hardly noticeable) benefit, you pay a staggering premium. I only listen to FLAC files for now, so not sure i can benefit from native DSD playback.
Aesthetics 3 - matter of taste

So there you have it... i brand new marriage of AK120ii and SE846s! Time to sit back and enjoy!

 

[Jensenchua]

Originally Posted by headwilier

Thanks to everyone for your feedback and advice. I finally found a shop to trial the DX90, AK120II and AK240, pairing them to my SE846. Here are some personal findings, with all marks out of 5.

DX90
Sound - 4 - a completely different signature from the AKs. DX90 has a very airy embracing sound quality. Actually really amazing pairing with SE846.
Stability - 1 - this was what stopped me buying the machine. One second skipping on FLAC files which is just unacceptable.
Price - 5 - if the skipping didn't occur, it would be the perfect budget machine.

AK120ii
Sound - 4.6 - really accomplished with great stability on the lows, mids and treble (non fatiguing). Different from AK120, which i found was too warm with the SE846
Stability - UI is much better than DX90. Be careful of ejecting the SD card... it flew away!
Price - High but reasonable
Aesthetics - 5 - love the industrial design

AK240
Sound - 5 - the most all round with best definition. Is it worth it?
Stability - same UI as AK120ii
Price - For the incremental (hardly noticeable) benefit, you pay a staggering premium. I only listen to FLAC files for now, so not sure i can benefit from native DSD playback.
Aesthetics 3 - matter of taste

So there you have it... i brand new marriage of AK120ii and SE846s! Time to sit back and enjoy!

Thanks for your simple and quick reviews, unfortunately I don't have the chance to listen to AK120ii & the AK240....and also out of my budget for AKs!!! What you mean for the AK120ii is the titan version?
 
Now I am pairing my DX90 with SE846 

 

[headwilier]

Thanks for your simple and quick reviews, unfortunately I don't have the chance to listen to AK120ii & the AK240....and also out of my budget for AKs!!! What you mean for the AK120ii is the titan version?

Now I am pairing my DX90 with SE846 

It's a new model entirely using same Cirrus chips as AK240.

 

[goodvibes]

It's a new model entirely using same Cirrus chips as AK240.

I suspect the DX90 you heard didn't have the latest FW but who knows. I think the DX90 really likes wav files(good enough to hear differences) and I don't use any of the enhancement like gapless etc. 

 

[Jensenchua]

It's a new model entirely using same Cirrus chips as AK240.

Got it and thanks very much. WAO the price of the AK120ii.....still out of my budget I think I still stick back to my DX90 though

 

[headwilier]

I suspect the DX90 you heard didn't have the latest FW but who knows. I think the DX90 really likes wav files(good enough to hear differences) and I don't use any of the enhancement like gapless etc. 

I tried the dx90 in a different store and it didn't skip on wav files. This was the first time I brought my own flac files on an sd card and the problems arose. So I don't know what caused the problem as too many factors changed.

 

[goodvibes]

Sounds like the FW was updated on one and not the other.

 

[Marleybob217]

  Quote:

Of course. I thought it might get more exposure there. I seem to get good sound with the 4400uA battery I have from Anker and would like to get an OEM Samsung S3 battery as I have read a number of times that it affects the sound of he DX50  in a positive way so it might have the same affect on the DX90, but only way to know is to try one but find a true OEM seems to be the task.  

Jamato, Sorry for not searching but do you hear a difference between the Anker 4400uA and the stock offering? The extra capacity should have more cells in parallel which could mean a lower impedance. There's more to it as chemistry and delivery times can vary besides. The battery used by Ibasso is also considered a very good after market battery. They could have easily used something cheaper with the same specs.

Hmm interesting, I hope someone can just point me/us to the right batteries...  
It really does seem like I can hear a difference between the aftermarket battery and the stock one. Maybe there is a difference, maybe there isn't and me not liking the sound of the new battery proves my pessimistic nature...

 

[goodvibes]

  Hmm interesting, I hope someone can just point me/us to the right batteries...  
It really does seem like I can hear a difference between the aftermarket battery and the stock one. Maybe there is a difference, maybe there isn't and me not liking the sound of the new battery proves my pessimistic nature...

Your impressions count and the larger battery may not be more cells, just larger ones which wouldn't represent an advantage other than length of play. Somebody should stack 2 Samsung batteries, LOL.

 

[jamato8]

  Quote:

Of course. I thought it might get more exposure there. I seem to get good sound with the 4400uA battery I have from Anker and would like to get an OEM Samsung S3 battery as I have read a number of times that it affects the sound of he DX50  in a positive way so it might have the same affect on the DX90, but only way to know is to try one but find a true OEM seems to be the task.  

Jamato, Sorry for not searching but do you hear a difference between the Anker 4400uA and the stock offering? The extra capacity should have more cells in parallel which could mean a lower impedance. There's more to it as chemistry and delivery times can vary besides. The battery used by Ibasso is also considered a very good after market battery. They could have easily used something cheaper with the same specs.

I am not able to right now as my right ear has kicked up again with an infection. Listening with my left ear and part of my right but the sound is still fun. 
 
Quote:

  Your impressions count and the larger battery may not be more cells, just larger ones which wouldn't represent an advantage other than length of play. Somebody should stack 2 Samsung batteries, LOL.

Great idea. If I can find some true Samsung 3S oem batteries I will buy 3 and stack two of them. 

 

[Migou67]

My wife phone me just now to tell me that a Samsung battery arrived, I will give a try this evening 

 

[Dave74]

  My wife phone me just now to tell me that a Samsung battery arrived, I will give a try this evening 

I'm using the Samsung S3 battery with my DX90... When they shipped my DX90 I thought that they didn't ship a battery with it as the battery was taped inside the cardboard behind the packing slip.  I haven't really compared the two though.  The DX90 with the Samsung battery does sound very good though, I'll probably use the extra battery on trips when I need more hours out of the DX90 between charges.

 

[Migou67]

I will also use the second battery for traveling, if the sound improve with the samsung is just a bonus, this DAP sound already amazing to my ears, now I want a new IEM to replace my IE80 at my job, the IE800 can be just a perfect pairing with this DAP 

 

[Caruryn]

  I will also use the second battery for traveling, if the sound improve with the samsung is just a bonus, this DAP sound already amazing to my ears, now I want a new IEM to replace my IE80 at my job, the IE800 can be just a perfect pairing with this DAP 

It is