iBasso DC05 DAC/AMP Dongle - Power For Androids
iBasso comes back to the entry-level to help music lovers enjoy their passion, DC05 being a 69 USD Dongle DAC/AMP with a Dual ES9219C DAC, and capable of decoding MQA up to 16X, and 140mW output power. I will also be comparing DC05 to Spectra X2 from Maktar (200 USD), Soundmagic A30 (50 USD), and Audirect Beam 2 (100 USD).
Introduction
iBasso has been creating and designing DAPs, IEMs, Headphones and Dongle DACs for over 10 years now, and they've been the company to offer best service and coverage for their products to this date, leaving competitors in the dust when it comes to supporting really old products like the mighty DX200, and even if your question is how to replace its battery, iBasso will take the time to help and answer all your questions. You can be sure that they will be there for you if you need support. They usually have the best price / performance ratio for high quality products, so most of their products are fully recommended purchases in terms of value for what you're getting, so I hope that DC05 will keep this tradition for iBasso.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with iBasso. I'd like to thank iBasso for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with iBasso DC05. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in iBasso DC05 find their next music companion.
Packaging
First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:
DC05 is a really simplistic dongle DAC, but it still comes with a fun little adapter. It is a type-C adapter, so iBasso knowing that we would want to use it with computers too, included a Type-A to Type-C adapter in the package. You can use that adapter for anything else, if you have a type-C device and need such an adapter.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Features
DC05 is a single ended dongle DAC/AMP featuring Dual ESS Sabre ES9219C DAC chips, arranged in an iBasso custom Qad DAC+ tech circuit. They also included the Time Domain Jitter Eliminator and HyperStream III Architecture. You should know that they didn't pick a random ESS chip for the job, and ES9219C is part of Sabre's Hifi Line of DACs, offering a 64-step internal volume control, which adds some control for IEMs, if you find that there's too much variation between two steps of volume.
We have excellent decoding abilities too, with MQA decoding up to 16X, and 32 Bit / 384 kHz for PCM. iBasso didn't leave out DSD fans either, and DC05 can decode up to DSD265. iBasso is not shy to mention the technical data of DC05, as it features 121dB of Dynamic Range, and 0.00056% THD+N. The total frequency range is rated to be between 20Hz and 40kHz, enough to impress both humans and serpent people.
The power rating is rather high for a dongle, at 140mW for 16OHMs, and 93mW for 32 OHMs. The output impedance is not very high, at 0.5 OHMs, and if you want to use DC05 as a pure DAC with an external AMP, it has a 2V signal at 300 OHMs, and 1.73V at 32OHMs. If you're looking for comparisons, DC05 has almost double the driving power DC03 had, even though it has the same size physically.
Speaking of which, DC05 is pretty much a tiny metallic device, with a cable, and a headphone jack in 3.5mm single ended format. It takes in signal through its type-c male port. All in all, the unit is fairly quiet with IEMs, and I also noticed that it does not draw too much power from my smartphone, leaving the battery life fine while using it. At 9 grams, you have very low chances to notice that you're using it.
Despite consuming rather little from my smartphone's battery, it is normal for DC05 to get fairly warm, and it consumes more battery while it is not playing something and turns cooler while it is playing something, having a Class-A like behavior. While I don't think DC05 is quite enough for HIFIMAN HE400SE, or HIFIMAN Deva, it is good to go if you're running iBasso IT01X, iBasso IT07, and iBasso SR-2, and even iBasso AM05. More surprising is that DC05 has enough power for Sivga Robin SV021, Avantone Pro Planar, and even Sivga Peacock. It can bring all of those to very satisfying levels, and I'm one of those crazy listeners that goes loud, so if it wasn't powerful enough, I would tell. This may be partially the reason why I wasn't reminded to review anything from DC01 and until now, as I understand the previous series had lower driving power.
Sound Quality
The overall presentation of DC05 is detailed, clean, but also has a strong bottom end, with a nice amount of impact and depth. The treble is on the smoother side, fatigue-free, yet it is brighter, more lively, more aggressive and forward, also more dynamic and vivid than the vast majority of dongles that I reviewed to date. With a more intimate soundstage, DC05 works well with brighter and wider sounding IEMs / Headphones, and as it has quite a bit of power, should be fine for most portable headphones and IEMs.
Speaking of which, I've been using DC05 with a vast collection of IEMs for writing today's review, including Campfire Holocene, Tin T3 Plus, Dunu Falcon Pro, IMR Audio Ozar, and Earsonics Corsa. All of those were easily driven by DC05, and I couldn't notice any hissing or background noise with any of them, but I could notice excellent control, low distortion, and a good overall instrument separation with all of them.
The bass of DC05 is enhanced a bit above what I would consider purely neutral, having a strong bottom end extension and impact. This reflects well for EDM, Dubstep and Electronic music in general, where you can hear the deepest bass notes in every song, and you can even notice nuance and depth quite easily. DC05 doesn't sound like it has a bass boost turned on, but it surely has good weight and body to music.
The midrange of DC05 is clean, crisp and clear, and somewhat bright in the overall signature. This is because the treble isn't necessarily aggressive, but the midrange has that "iBasso house sound", of being live, energetic and punchy. The dynamics of DC05 are over-the-top, and for such an affordable tiny dongle, it has quite a bit of life in it. The stage is intimate, but there's good instrument separation and stereo imaging, so DC05 sounds pretty precise in spatiality. It has enough stage width to not be narrow, but doesn't go above natural. Happily, the soundstage is well rounded, so there's a similar amount of depth as it is of width.
The treble of DC05 is smooth in texture, but energetic in quantity, punchy and vivid. This means that DC05 presents the full might of that "iBasso house sound" of live, dynamic and punchy. The treble has excellent extension, and you never hear a roll off, but you don't really feel any fatigue, as the treble is not harsh nor metallic. I could say that DC05 has outstandingly low noise floor and background hissing, so any IEM, even ultra sensitive ones should do just fine paired with it.
Comparisons
iBasso DC05 vs Matkar Spectra X2 (69 USD vs 200 USD) - I was able to compare those loosely, since they are not interchangeable , DC05 being a Type-C dongle for Android, and Spectra X2 is made for iPhones. The sound is actually comparable, but Spectra X2 has a bit more dynamics and more detail, where DC05 has more punch in the lows and more impact in the bass.
iBasso DC05 vs Soundmagic A30 (69 USD vs 50 USD) - A30 is thicker, larger, and draws even less power from smartphones. This comes at the cost of driving power, and DC05 has considerably more driving power and amplitude, being able to drive harder to drive headphones and push more volume into both IEMs and Headphones. If you can afford it, the difference in price is worth it for DC05, if you want a better sonic performance.
iBasso DC05 vs Audirect Beam 2 (69 USD vs 100 USD) - Beam 2 is a bit more ergonomic with the cable detachable, but it draws quite a bit more power from the smartphone, shortening its battery life. The overall driving power is comparable between the two. The sound is actually fairly similar, and both are pretty peppy, pretty forward, lively and punchy, and also dynamic. Beam 2 is a bit brighter than DC05, and where DC05 has a stronger bottom end, Beam 2 has a stronger treble edge, and sounds a bit wider, at the cost of depth.
Value and Conclusion
At the end of the day, DC05 has a pocket-friendly price, and it is a pocket-friendly device, with a tiny shape, and low power draw. It follows the tradition of iBasso providing excellent price to performance ratio, and I will be adding it to Audiophile-Heaven's Hall Of Fame, right next to iBasso IT00, one of the few entry-level IEMs that really surprised me over the years.
At the end of today's review, DC05 is tiny, it is nimble, but packs a punch and some roar. It sounds live, and if you're looking for a high-quality dongle to power both your IEMs and your Headphones, with a dynamic and punchy sound, DC05 should be the one to go for, at 69 USD.
Technical Specs
iBasso comes back to the entry-level to help music lovers enjoy their passion, DC05 being a 69 USD Dongle DAC/AMP with a Dual ES9219C DAC, and capable of decoding MQA up to 16X, and 140mW output power. I will also be comparing DC05 to Spectra X2 from Maktar (200 USD), Soundmagic A30 (50 USD), and Audirect Beam 2 (100 USD).
Introduction
iBasso has been creating and designing DAPs, IEMs, Headphones and Dongle DACs for over 10 years now, and they've been the company to offer best service and coverage for their products to this date, leaving competitors in the dust when it comes to supporting really old products like the mighty DX200, and even if your question is how to replace its battery, iBasso will take the time to help and answer all your questions. You can be sure that they will be there for you if you need support. They usually have the best price / performance ratio for high quality products, so most of their products are fully recommended purchases in terms of value for what you're getting, so I hope that DC05 will keep this tradition for iBasso.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with iBasso. I'd like to thank iBasso for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with iBasso DC05. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in iBasso DC05 find their next music companion.
Packaging
First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:
DC05 is a really simplistic dongle DAC, but it still comes with a fun little adapter. It is a type-C adapter, so iBasso knowing that we would want to use it with computers too, included a Type-A to Type-C adapter in the package. You can use that adapter for anything else, if you have a type-C device and need such an adapter.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Features
DC05 is a single ended dongle DAC/AMP featuring Dual ESS Sabre ES9219C DAC chips, arranged in an iBasso custom Qad DAC+ tech circuit. They also included the Time Domain Jitter Eliminator and HyperStream III Architecture. You should know that they didn't pick a random ESS chip for the job, and ES9219C is part of Sabre's Hifi Line of DACs, offering a 64-step internal volume control, which adds some control for IEMs, if you find that there's too much variation between two steps of volume.
We have excellent decoding abilities too, with MQA decoding up to 16X, and 32 Bit / 384 kHz for PCM. iBasso didn't leave out DSD fans either, and DC05 can decode up to DSD265. iBasso is not shy to mention the technical data of DC05, as it features 121dB of Dynamic Range, and 0.00056% THD+N. The total frequency range is rated to be between 20Hz and 40kHz, enough to impress both humans and serpent people.
The power rating is rather high for a dongle, at 140mW for 16OHMs, and 93mW for 32 OHMs. The output impedance is not very high, at 0.5 OHMs, and if you want to use DC05 as a pure DAC with an external AMP, it has a 2V signal at 300 OHMs, and 1.73V at 32OHMs. If you're looking for comparisons, DC05 has almost double the driving power DC03 had, even though it has the same size physically.
Speaking of which, DC05 is pretty much a tiny metallic device, with a cable, and a headphone jack in 3.5mm single ended format. It takes in signal through its type-c male port. All in all, the unit is fairly quiet with IEMs, and I also noticed that it does not draw too much power from my smartphone, leaving the battery life fine while using it. At 9 grams, you have very low chances to notice that you're using it.
Despite consuming rather little from my smartphone's battery, it is normal for DC05 to get fairly warm, and it consumes more battery while it is not playing something and turns cooler while it is playing something, having a Class-A like behavior. While I don't think DC05 is quite enough for HIFIMAN HE400SE, or HIFIMAN Deva, it is good to go if you're running iBasso IT01X, iBasso IT07, and iBasso SR-2, and even iBasso AM05. More surprising is that DC05 has enough power for Sivga Robin SV021, Avantone Pro Planar, and even Sivga Peacock. It can bring all of those to very satisfying levels, and I'm one of those crazy listeners that goes loud, so if it wasn't powerful enough, I would tell. This may be partially the reason why I wasn't reminded to review anything from DC01 and until now, as I understand the previous series had lower driving power.
Sound Quality
The overall presentation of DC05 is detailed, clean, but also has a strong bottom end, with a nice amount of impact and depth. The treble is on the smoother side, fatigue-free, yet it is brighter, more lively, more aggressive and forward, also more dynamic and vivid than the vast majority of dongles that I reviewed to date. With a more intimate soundstage, DC05 works well with brighter and wider sounding IEMs / Headphones, and as it has quite a bit of power, should be fine for most portable headphones and IEMs.
Speaking of which, I've been using DC05 with a vast collection of IEMs for writing today's review, including Campfire Holocene, Tin T3 Plus, Dunu Falcon Pro, IMR Audio Ozar, and Earsonics Corsa. All of those were easily driven by DC05, and I couldn't notice any hissing or background noise with any of them, but I could notice excellent control, low distortion, and a good overall instrument separation with all of them.
The bass of DC05 is enhanced a bit above what I would consider purely neutral, having a strong bottom end extension and impact. This reflects well for EDM, Dubstep and Electronic music in general, where you can hear the deepest bass notes in every song, and you can even notice nuance and depth quite easily. DC05 doesn't sound like it has a bass boost turned on, but it surely has good weight and body to music.
The midrange of DC05 is clean, crisp and clear, and somewhat bright in the overall signature. This is because the treble isn't necessarily aggressive, but the midrange has that "iBasso house sound", of being live, energetic and punchy. The dynamics of DC05 are over-the-top, and for such an affordable tiny dongle, it has quite a bit of life in it. The stage is intimate, but there's good instrument separation and stereo imaging, so DC05 sounds pretty precise in spatiality. It has enough stage width to not be narrow, but doesn't go above natural. Happily, the soundstage is well rounded, so there's a similar amount of depth as it is of width.
The treble of DC05 is smooth in texture, but energetic in quantity, punchy and vivid. This means that DC05 presents the full might of that "iBasso house sound" of live, dynamic and punchy. The treble has excellent extension, and you never hear a roll off, but you don't really feel any fatigue, as the treble is not harsh nor metallic. I could say that DC05 has outstandingly low noise floor and background hissing, so any IEM, even ultra sensitive ones should do just fine paired with it.
Comparisons
iBasso DC05 vs Matkar Spectra X2 (69 USD vs 200 USD) - I was able to compare those loosely, since they are not interchangeable , DC05 being a Type-C dongle for Android, and Spectra X2 is made for iPhones. The sound is actually comparable, but Spectra X2 has a bit more dynamics and more detail, where DC05 has more punch in the lows and more impact in the bass.
iBasso DC05 vs Soundmagic A30 (69 USD vs 50 USD) - A30 is thicker, larger, and draws even less power from smartphones. This comes at the cost of driving power, and DC05 has considerably more driving power and amplitude, being able to drive harder to drive headphones and push more volume into both IEMs and Headphones. If you can afford it, the difference in price is worth it for DC05, if you want a better sonic performance.
iBasso DC05 vs Audirect Beam 2 (69 USD vs 100 USD) - Beam 2 is a bit more ergonomic with the cable detachable, but it draws quite a bit more power from the smartphone, shortening its battery life. The overall driving power is comparable between the two. The sound is actually fairly similar, and both are pretty peppy, pretty forward, lively and punchy, and also dynamic. Beam 2 is a bit brighter than DC05, and where DC05 has a stronger bottom end, Beam 2 has a stronger treble edge, and sounds a bit wider, at the cost of depth.
Value and Conclusion
At the end of the day, DC05 has a pocket-friendly price, and it is a pocket-friendly device, with a tiny shape, and low power draw. It follows the tradition of iBasso providing excellent price to performance ratio, and I will be adding it to Audiophile-Heaven's Hall Of Fame, right next to iBasso IT00, one of the few entry-level IEMs that really surprised me over the years.
At the end of today's review, DC05 is tiny, it is nimble, but packs a punch and some roar. It sounds live, and if you're looking for a high-quality dongle to power both your IEMs and your Headphones, with a dynamic and punchy sound, DC05 should be the one to go for, at 69 USD.
Technical Specs
- Dual ESS abre ES9219C DAC chips
- iBasso Custom Quad DAC+ Technology
- Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
- HyperStream III architecture
- MQA Decoding
- 32-Bit/384kHz PCM decoding
- Native DSD256 decoding
- THD+N: <0.00056%
- Output voltage: 2Vrms(300Ω load), 1.73Vrms(32Ω load)
- Output power: 140mW@16Ω, 93mW@32Ω
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz
- Dynamic range: 121dB
- SNR: 121dB
- Output Impedance: <0.5Ω
- Weight: 9g
- Length: 105mm
- Interface: Type-C, 3.5mm Single Ended
Hi friends!
It just so happened that my last reviews on audio-ph were devoted to devices that, due to their cost, did not fall into the “budget and interesting” category, beloved by many. But this time we have prepared just such a gadget for you.
Almost immediately after the anniversary edition of the iBasso DX240 DAP, another device from this wonderful brand, the DC05, arrived at our office, which became a significant update to the line of "audio dongle", compact DAC/ amplifiers.
We have already talked about DC01, DC02 and last year's hit - DC03. And today we have a "five-star" newcomer, who follows in the footsteps of the "two" and "three" because it has a standard 3.5 mm stereo output on board. I think that in the near future we should also expect a similar device from iBasso, but with a balanced 4.4 mm output, which will continue the DC01 and DC04 models. But that's just my guess for now.
The main circuitry difference between generations lies in the change of the main components, DAC chips. Instead of 4493EQ from Asahi Kasei Microdevices (used in DC01 and DC02) and CS43131 Cirrus Logic (DC03 and DC04), two Saber ES9219Cs are used inside DC05. How this affected the voice of the "five", I will tell in detail in this review.
Let's go ahead immediately - following the wonderful melody coming from iBasso DC05!
Text: Alexey Kashirskey (aka Hans Barbarossa / audio-ph.ru)
Specifications
Dual ES9219C DAC chips
Self-developed Quad DAC+ Technology
Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
Hyper Stream III architecture
MQA 16X Decoding
Supports 32-Bit/384kHz PCM decoding
Supports native DSD256 decoding
THD+N: <0.00056%
Output voltage: 2V RMS (300Ω load), 1.73Vrms (32Ω load)
Output power: 140mW@16Ω, 93mW@32Ω
Frequency Response: 20 Hz-40 kHz
Dynamic range: 121dB
SNR: 121dB
Output Impedance: <0.5Ω
Weight: 9grams
Length: 105mm
Interface: Type-C
Appearance and kit
The device is packed modestly, but tastefully. Through the transparent plastic of the box, the DC05 itself peeps out, and all the necessary information is placed on the cardboard tab around it: the brand logo, a message about the support of the MQA format, the model name and the "profession" - Hi-Res DAC Cable Adapter. Detailed specifications are listed on the back.
Inside, in addition to DC05, we find a USB adapter from type-C to type-A for connecting the device to a PC or laptop.
The appearance of the DC05 retains the retro motives already familiar to us from its predecessors. For seasoned fans of good sound, it will surely remind you of the remote control for Walkman CD players from the 90s. At the same time, the design of the “five” cannot be called outdated: conciseness and elegance are served here in one bottle.
The newcomer is available in both green and black. We have, as you probably already saw in the photos, the second color option.
The metal case has very modest (120 x 15 x 9 mm) dimensions, and weighs only 9 grams. But the inscription on the outside again reminds of the device's extraordinary abilities: 32bit/384kHz DSD256x.
Not without the obligatory status of the golden Hi-Res Audio sticker.
On one of the ends there is an output for connecting a 3.5 mm TRS connector. In the same place, a little lower, a tiny blue LED signals us that the DC05 is working properly. A short “tail” comes out from the opposite side - a four-wire silver-white pigtail of a cable, consisting of silver-plated copper. It ends with a type-C connector, native to many phones and other mobile units. Well, with the help of the adapter already included in the kit, a connection is made with a laptop or a stationary PC.
Connecting the DC05 to anything is easy enough, but let me once again give you a couple of tips. To correctly adjust the volume on Android, you should download the proprietary iBasso UAC application either from the Google Play Market or the apk file from the manufacturer's website. I recommend adding Hiby Music software as partners to it. Everything is clear, understandable and regulated by default without problems. On the iBasso website, you can also take a special USB driver "DC-series" for ASIO output on Windows devices and activate it in the settings of the foobar2000 program.
Yes, before I forget, I recommend updating the firmware for DC05, which is also posted on ibasso.com. Moreover, this can be done in a matter of minutes, and the instructions for this are attached in the archive with the update file.
The device is powered by a smartphone / tablet battery, but it does not suffer from “gluttony”, so you should not worry about increased battery discharge on your phone. Well, in the case of a PC and a laptop, there is nothing to worry about at all.
Heating, as in the case of DC03, our hero is not strong, so you will not experience any discomfort.
Well, the DC05 has been thoroughly examined by us from all sides, we also figured out the software nuances, now let's move on to sound impressions.
Sound Impressions
As I mentioned above, the DC05 is based on two SABER ES9219C DAC chips from ESS Technology. The new heart, in addition to the expected impact on the audio signature, added more "athletics" to our hero. Now the output voltage is 2Vrms/300Ω under load), 1.73Vrms (32Ω under load), and the output power is 140mW/16Ω, 93mW/32Ω. Pretty serious parameters for such a baby!
We used: 64 AUDIO A12t, FIR Audio M5 и M4, Vision Ears VE8, VE7 и EVE20, InEar PP8 и ProMission X, iBasso IT07, Softears RSV & Phonon 4400.
With all the Headphones/IEM, the DC05 performed well with no issues with the power and variety of music genres on offer.
Despite its diminutiveness, the "five" gives out a rather adult sound, laying out the palette of sounds cleanly and accurately, in a neutral-melodic manner.
The lower register is delivered extremely accurately and energetically, with good articulation and good depth elaboration. And let the bass not indulge us with tonal diversity, but it is well assembled, accurate and has decent speed characteristics. For an XS size device, this is an amazing result! Midbass development takes not so much quantity as quality, demonstrating a good transfer of textures and vigor. This is a neutral, cheerful and comfortable manner with a good rhythmic basis.
Mids are smooth, bouncy and contrasting, with a commendable transfer of the emotional component of the composition. It is reproduced accurately, melodicly, with a little bit of expression, but without sharp peaks that strain the ear. The vocals impress with their temperament, while the piano and string instruments sound smooth, clean, comfortable and picturesque. This is a melodic and rather detailed manner of sound, presented in a neutral form.
The high-frequency range is slightly accentuated, but at the same time it is served quite comfortably and does not draw too much attention to itself. In this case, the high frequencies add some width, expression and fresh air to the sound. They do not try to impress the listener with refined manners and refined overtones, but at the same time they are transmitted quite cleanly, distinctly, without harshness and obvious simplification.
In general, I would describe this sound as neutral and unusually melodic. At the same time, there are no significant shortcomings that could prevent you from enjoying music in the DC05. In my opinion, this approach to setting up the sound will appeal to many.
In terms of genre preferences, iBasso DC05 is not capricious at all. He is interesting, with his refined emotional "color", plays both instrumental music, jazz, electronics, and rock.
Finally, let's compare the "five" with their brothers in the "audio dongles" line from iBasso. The DC02 sounds a bit similar in the midrange and treble, but has a more rounded, warmer tone in the lower register. The DC03's delivery is a little more dense, picturesque, with flesh-filled audio images and a slightly darkened background, expressed in a light V-shaped manner. Personally, I like the newcomer the DC05 the most. On the one hand, it gravitates towards a neutral manner, on the other hand, it sounds very melodious and exciting. However, this is more a matter of taste, and each of the listed devices has its own interesting style.
Conclusion
The question "how to fit a big sound into a tiny trinket" is the most non-trivial, and its successful practical solution invariably causes me childish amazement. However, in the case of the "five" pleases not only the flawless implementation of this difficult task, but also the evolutionary development of engineering, which is consistently traced in mini-devices created by iBasso.
The DC05 is a rare example of how design engineers put all their energy into pushing the boundaries of audio performance without trying to lure the customer with unnecessary and pointless "cosmetic" changes. "Five" outwardly does not differ in any way from its predecessors, however, when listening, it immediately becomes clear what a great and painstaking work has been done.
Needless to say, the rampant development of streaming services (Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, etc.) makes these audio dongles an ideal addition to a smartphone or laptop.
At the time of writing the review, the recommended retail price for the iBasso DC05 was about $69. And this is one of the most affordable options to get your entry ticket to the world of high-quality sound.
It just so happened that my last reviews on audio-ph were devoted to devices that, due to their cost, did not fall into the “budget and interesting” category, beloved by many. But this time we have prepared just such a gadget for you.
Almost immediately after the anniversary edition of the iBasso DX240 DAP, another device from this wonderful brand, the DC05, arrived at our office, which became a significant update to the line of "audio dongle", compact DAC/ amplifiers.
We have already talked about DC01, DC02 and last year's hit - DC03. And today we have a "five-star" newcomer, who follows in the footsteps of the "two" and "three" because it has a standard 3.5 mm stereo output on board. I think that in the near future we should also expect a similar device from iBasso, but with a balanced 4.4 mm output, which will continue the DC01 and DC04 models. But that's just my guess for now.
The main circuitry difference between generations lies in the change of the main components, DAC chips. Instead of 4493EQ from Asahi Kasei Microdevices (used in DC01 and DC02) and CS43131 Cirrus Logic (DC03 and DC04), two Saber ES9219Cs are used inside DC05. How this affected the voice of the "five", I will tell in detail in this review.
Let's go ahead immediately - following the wonderful melody coming from iBasso DC05!
Text: Alexey Kashirskey (aka Hans Barbarossa / audio-ph.ru)
Specifications
Dual ES9219C DAC chips
Self-developed Quad DAC+ Technology
Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
Hyper Stream III architecture
MQA 16X Decoding
Supports 32-Bit/384kHz PCM decoding
Supports native DSD256 decoding
THD+N: <0.00056%
Output voltage: 2V RMS (300Ω load), 1.73Vrms (32Ω load)
Output power: 140mW@16Ω, 93mW@32Ω
Frequency Response: 20 Hz-40 kHz
Dynamic range: 121dB
SNR: 121dB
Output Impedance: <0.5Ω
Weight: 9grams
Length: 105mm
Interface: Type-C
Appearance and kit
The device is packed modestly, but tastefully. Through the transparent plastic of the box, the DC05 itself peeps out, and all the necessary information is placed on the cardboard tab around it: the brand logo, a message about the support of the MQA format, the model name and the "profession" - Hi-Res DAC Cable Adapter. Detailed specifications are listed on the back.
Inside, in addition to DC05, we find a USB adapter from type-C to type-A for connecting the device to a PC or laptop.
The appearance of the DC05 retains the retro motives already familiar to us from its predecessors. For seasoned fans of good sound, it will surely remind you of the remote control for Walkman CD players from the 90s. At the same time, the design of the “five” cannot be called outdated: conciseness and elegance are served here in one bottle.
The newcomer is available in both green and black. We have, as you probably already saw in the photos, the second color option.
The metal case has very modest (120 x 15 x 9 mm) dimensions, and weighs only 9 grams. But the inscription on the outside again reminds of the device's extraordinary abilities: 32bit/384kHz DSD256x.
Not without the obligatory status of the golden Hi-Res Audio sticker.
On one of the ends there is an output for connecting a 3.5 mm TRS connector. In the same place, a little lower, a tiny blue LED signals us that the DC05 is working properly. A short “tail” comes out from the opposite side - a four-wire silver-white pigtail of a cable, consisting of silver-plated copper. It ends with a type-C connector, native to many phones and other mobile units. Well, with the help of the adapter already included in the kit, a connection is made with a laptop or a stationary PC.
Connecting the DC05 to anything is easy enough, but let me once again give you a couple of tips. To correctly adjust the volume on Android, you should download the proprietary iBasso UAC application either from the Google Play Market or the apk file from the manufacturer's website. I recommend adding Hiby Music software as partners to it. Everything is clear, understandable and regulated by default without problems. On the iBasso website, you can also take a special USB driver "DC-series" for ASIO output on Windows devices and activate it in the settings of the foobar2000 program.
Yes, before I forget, I recommend updating the firmware for DC05, which is also posted on ibasso.com. Moreover, this can be done in a matter of minutes, and the instructions for this are attached in the archive with the update file.
The device is powered by a smartphone / tablet battery, but it does not suffer from “gluttony”, so you should not worry about increased battery discharge on your phone. Well, in the case of a PC and a laptop, there is nothing to worry about at all.
Heating, as in the case of DC03, our hero is not strong, so you will not experience any discomfort.
Well, the DC05 has been thoroughly examined by us from all sides, we also figured out the software nuances, now let's move on to sound impressions.
Sound Impressions
As I mentioned above, the DC05 is based on two SABER ES9219C DAC chips from ESS Technology. The new heart, in addition to the expected impact on the audio signature, added more "athletics" to our hero. Now the output voltage is 2Vrms/300Ω under load), 1.73Vrms (32Ω under load), and the output power is 140mW/16Ω, 93mW/32Ω. Pretty serious parameters for such a baby!
We used: 64 AUDIO A12t, FIR Audio M5 и M4, Vision Ears VE8, VE7 и EVE20, InEar PP8 и ProMission X, iBasso IT07, Softears RSV & Phonon 4400.
With all the Headphones/IEM, the DC05 performed well with no issues with the power and variety of music genres on offer.
Despite its diminutiveness, the "five" gives out a rather adult sound, laying out the palette of sounds cleanly and accurately, in a neutral-melodic manner.
The lower register is delivered extremely accurately and energetically, with good articulation and good depth elaboration. And let the bass not indulge us with tonal diversity, but it is well assembled, accurate and has decent speed characteristics. For an XS size device, this is an amazing result! Midbass development takes not so much quantity as quality, demonstrating a good transfer of textures and vigor. This is a neutral, cheerful and comfortable manner with a good rhythmic basis.
Mids are smooth, bouncy and contrasting, with a commendable transfer of the emotional component of the composition. It is reproduced accurately, melodicly, with a little bit of expression, but without sharp peaks that strain the ear. The vocals impress with their temperament, while the piano and string instruments sound smooth, clean, comfortable and picturesque. This is a melodic and rather detailed manner of sound, presented in a neutral form.
The high-frequency range is slightly accentuated, but at the same time it is served quite comfortably and does not draw too much attention to itself. In this case, the high frequencies add some width, expression and fresh air to the sound. They do not try to impress the listener with refined manners and refined overtones, but at the same time they are transmitted quite cleanly, distinctly, without harshness and obvious simplification.
In general, I would describe this sound as neutral and unusually melodic. At the same time, there are no significant shortcomings that could prevent you from enjoying music in the DC05. In my opinion, this approach to setting up the sound will appeal to many.
In terms of genre preferences, iBasso DC05 is not capricious at all. He is interesting, with his refined emotional "color", plays both instrumental music, jazz, electronics, and rock.
Finally, let's compare the "five" with their brothers in the "audio dongles" line from iBasso. The DC02 sounds a bit similar in the midrange and treble, but has a more rounded, warmer tone in the lower register. The DC03's delivery is a little more dense, picturesque, with flesh-filled audio images and a slightly darkened background, expressed in a light V-shaped manner. Personally, I like the newcomer the DC05 the most. On the one hand, it gravitates towards a neutral manner, on the other hand, it sounds very melodious and exciting. However, this is more a matter of taste, and each of the listed devices has its own interesting style.
Conclusion
The question "how to fit a big sound into a tiny trinket" is the most non-trivial, and its successful practical solution invariably causes me childish amazement. However, in the case of the "five" pleases not only the flawless implementation of this difficult task, but also the evolutionary development of engineering, which is consistently traced in mini-devices created by iBasso.
The DC05 is a rare example of how design engineers put all their energy into pushing the boundaries of audio performance without trying to lure the customer with unnecessary and pointless "cosmetic" changes. "Five" outwardly does not differ in any way from its predecessors, however, when listening, it immediately becomes clear what a great and painstaking work has been done.
Needless to say, the rampant development of streaming services (Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, etc.) makes these audio dongles an ideal addition to a smartphone or laptop.
At the time of writing the review, the recommended retail price for the iBasso DC05 was about $69. And this is one of the most affordable options to get your entry ticket to the world of high-quality sound.
Review Date: 16 January 2022
SPECIFICATIONS
- Dual ESS Sabre ES9219C DAC chips
- iBasso Custom Quad DAC+ Technology
- Time Domain Jitter Eliminator
- HyperStream III architecture
- MQA Decoding
- 32-Bit/384kHz PCM decoding
- Native DSD256 decoding
- THD+N: <0.00056%
- Output voltage: 2Vrms(300Ω load), 1.73Vrms(32Ω load)
- Output power: 140mW@16Ω, 93mW@32Ω
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz
- Dynamic range: 121dB
- SNR: 121dB
- Output Impedance: <0.5Ω
- Weight: 9grams
- Length: 105mm
- Interface: Type-C, 3.5mm Single Ended
Test Equipment
Headphones:- FOSTEX T40RP MK3 (Magnetic Planar, 50 Ohm, 91db Sensitivity)
- Beyerdynamic DT880 (Dynamic Drivers, 600 Ohm, 96db Sensitivity)
- Etymotic ER4SR (Single BA, 45 Ohm, 96db Sensitivity)
- TRN VX Pro (8 BA + 1DD Hybrid, 22 Ohm, 106db Sensitivity)
- TIN HiFi T3+ (Single DD, 32 Ohm, 105db Sensitivity)
- Shure KSE1500 (Single Electrostatic 200V, KSA1200 Energizer)
- VE Asura 3.0 FE (Single DD, 155 Ohm)
- VE ZEN 2.0 SLQ (Single DD, 320 Ohm)
- Windows 10, Foobar 2000 (Native USB Drivers)
- LG V50 ThinQ (UAPP USB Exclusive Mode, Bitperfect)
- Sony Xperia X Compact (UAPP USB Exclusive Mode, Bitperfect)
- Tidal Masters (via UAPP)
- iFi ZEN DAC V2 + ZEN CAN Stack (15.1 Vrms)
LISTENING EQUIPMENT USED IMPARTED HUGE INFLUENCE TO SOUND IMPRESSIONS & RATING
iBasso DC05 is a direct successor to the popular DC03. The major change, iBasso opted to shift from Cirrus Logic CS43131 (dual) to the ESS Sabre camp, with ES9219C (dual). This I believe has a lot to do with iBasso wanting to integrate MQA into their DC lineup – with ES9218C being natively capable of MQA unfolding. Otherwise the look and feel of DC05 build is practically identical to DC03. But what’s inside that matters, yes?
Build, Functions, Usability
True to DC series legacy, DC05 is a very compact Dongle, with minimalist approach that favors fixed USB C cable instead of the more popular detachable option. Now this is a mixed bag for some. While I welcome the simple design, many would also find this a bit worrying because if anything goes wrong with the USB jack, then it is pretty much a dead end, unlike some other Dongles where you can swap in fresh new USB C cable replacement.Other than that, there’s a single led indicator that will tell the user at which resolution the unit is processing the audio feed. As would be normally found on other Dongles, Green being PCM and Purple being MQA.
Despite being devoid of any hardware volume adjusters, iBasso claimed that DC05 has an internal design that will allow for precise volume adjustments (64 Steps on UAC2 compliant devices). I can attest that this is fully operational on my devices. A much welcomed innovation by iBasso as it allows for fine tuning of loudness levels.
On November 22, 2021, iBasso released a new Firmware update for DC05 which can be downloaded here: LINK
Initially I have issues updating my DC05, it kept on failing no matter how many times I tried. And then with the help of ChiFi Audio Reviews group members as per discussed here (FB Link), all it took was to type in 001 instead of the value as per instructed by iBasso on their update document. I am pretty satisfied with it now. As far as I can tell, the FW was meant to implement “Disable ES9219C’s automatic clock gearing to improve the Inter-Modulation Distortion (IMD)” – as per iBasso statement. Otherwise I can’t tell the FW introduce any significant sonic change to an already great sounding unit. But, I do sense that there’s subtle improvement on lower frequencies presentation now at which it impacts Bass responses (more details on this later).
DC05 exhibits great usability for both USB Exclusive mode (UAPP) and Tidal Masters MQA (USB Exclusive Access). As for MQA, the unfolding of Masters done flawlessly without any hint of issues that I have observed with Dongles of past year (2021), where sometimes I can hear clipping and artifacts during playback. So this is a good thing indeed for DC05.
For endurance test, DC05 scored 6 hours of continuous play on my Sony Xperia X Compact (Android 8, 2700 mAH battery, UAPP bitperfect mode, driving TRN VX Pro). This is pretty much a decent mileage on par with the likes of Cayin RU6 and Lotoo PAW S2.
Sound Impressions
iBasso DC05 is one very well rounded DAC/Amp. The sound signature of DC05 I regard as naturally balanced with slight boost on the lower frequencies. It is not exactly neutral. Compared against the older DC03, that older unit sounds a bit more aggressive, brighter, edgy and euphonic. DC05 in comparison is a refined improvement on the same tuning approach by iBasso – now with less aggression, better controlled brightness, less edgy attack and closer to neutral timbral balance.However I would still say that DC05 lacks the analogue organic touch that I prefer. Dynamic presentation and transients are clean and clear, but ultimately still digital sounding to my ears. This is especially apparent when paired with Etymotic ER4SR, Shure KSE1500, Fostex T40RP MK3 and Beyerdynamic DT880. I would even say that if paired with highly resolving partners, the tendency is to veer towards that cleanliness and thus sacrificing analogue touch in the process. I am quite picky on this subject, being analogue sounding is what I consider as enjoyable – analogue and organic presentation is all about being believable sounding that reflects realism. But then this is just me with my preference of sound signature. Otherwise for those preferring clean and crisp presentation, DC05 will deliver in spades. I must also note that on this subject of dynamics, timbre and tonality, the best output I get from DC05 is from TRN VX Pro, TIN HiFi T3+, VE ZEN 2.0 SLQ and VE Asura 3.0 FE. These pairing partners does exhibit better synergy with DC05, the output being closer to that organic natural presentation that I adore so much. What this translates to me, DC05 seems to prefer warmer sounding partners, pair it with something natively bright and exceedingly resolving IEMs like ER4SR or Shure KSE1500, there’s a tendency for the notorious ESS pinna glare to emerge.
On the subject of ESS “pinna glare”, this unfortunately is a widespread issue observed from many ESS DAC implementation that I have tested so far. And I have tested over 50 units of Dongles running on ESS. Prime examples of well tuned and balanced implementation for ESS can be had from Apogee Groove, Questyle M12, REIYIN DA-Plus, THX Onyx, ASUS ROG Clavis, Audirect BEAM 2S, HiBy FC5 and Shanling UA2. The most typical bright pinna glared ESS implementation being HiBy FC3, Zorloo Ztella, E1DA 9038D and Audirect BEAM 2SE (not limited to these). DC05 thankfully does not have this issue, at least not severe enough, and this place DC05 somewhere between Questyle M12 and HiBy FC3 – not a bad option at all eh?
As mentioned earlier, I stated that DC05 is a naturally balanced Dongle with a touch of lower frequency boost. What this mean, DC05 audibly has that Bass hump when tested with my FOSTEX T40RP MK3 and Shure KSE1500, both of which capable of resolving every ounce of details, textures and imaging especially for Bass responses. Compared against my reference Dongle of CEntrance DACport HD, I can clearly hear the pronounced boost of Bass on DC05 that is elevated beyond what I consider neutral. Now this is not a bad thing especially for those enjoying dense and textured Bass performances. But for Diffused Field Neutral geeks (me included), this is something that can prove detrimental to perceived neutrality. Otherwise, Bass responses of DC05 is decidedly fast, textured, impactful and clean. With more preference on crisp decays over smooth lingering edges.
For the rest of the sound spectrum, DC05 exhibited great Mids presentation. Instruments and vocals being clean and crisp with mature dynamics. However I must note that for some peaky vocals, Alison Krauss for example – she has that natively sharp Soprano voice and when she gets into crescendo, I can hear something that is borderline sibilant. The good thing is, it never actually went all out SSS sibilant, just almost there, haha. On the other hand, the Contralto vocals of Diana Krall sounds as rich as how it is meant to be, so does the Baritone of Nick Cave and Morrissey. Works great too for the Jazzy vocals of Sinne Eeg, her singing wholesome and engaging, perhaps just lacking a bit of organic warmth but I would not complain too much on it already. The overall attack and transients of Mids I will regard as polished and crisp, clean and convincing imaging. I would have prefer to have a bit more of smoothness, otherwise without going into nitpicking mode, DC05 does it admirably still.
As for the highs, DC05 must be commended for exhibiting great control to keep Treble well presented. It is as sparkly and vibrant as can be expected from a well tuned ESS Sabre DAC. My only complaint here being the lack of air due to preference towards crispy decays. Yes the decays and extension are there to be heard, it just does not have pronounced bias to airiness. For as long as DC05 is paired with “warmer” partners, Treble is totally free of any fatigue element, but can be a bit edgy for natively bright sounding partners.
Technically, overall DC05 is a decent performer. The caveat being Soundstage seems to offer average size width and breadth. I am not too surprised with this as it is quite common for most ESS based DACs. Tall and narrow, it’s the same story for many other ESS Dongles. Placement of instruments seems to be closed in – while not being muddy, I wished that there’s a bit more of space to it. What is great, imaging is sharp and clean, layer separation remained succinct. Spatial imaging as holographic depending on how competent the partner is. Details handling being great too, with my ER4SR, T40RP MK3, KSE1500, TRN VX Pro and DT880 being able to pick every Micro details available in the recordings.
Driving Power
As part of #donglemadness 2022 standard procedures, driving tests with two of my most difficult to drive Headphones. My desktop stack of iFi ZEN DAC V2 + ZEN Can (15.1 Vrms) used as a reference to ascertain how close DC05 able to drive those two juggernauts. With the ZEN stacks providing 100% experience, this is how DC05 compares:IBASSO DC05 3.5MM SE
- Fostex T40RP MK3: 65% (Vol 96/100)
- Beyerdynamic DT880: 60% (Vol 98/100)
- Listening loudness (proper level)
- Dynamic transients and density
- Headroom spacing and staging
- Imaging strength
- Details articulation
The limit of DC05 driving power for proper fidelity is best limited to 320 Ohm. As proven with VE ZEN 2.0 SLQ which sounds satisfyingly great to my senses. It is rich and engaging. Great dynamics density with proper level of vibrancy. The same can be said of 155 Ohm VE Asura 3.0FE.
VERDICT
Overall, iBasso DC05 proved to be a great Dongle with just minor quirks. Cons that I consider as non deal breaker. The strength of DC05, being well balanced at presenting crisp, clean and mature sound. It is assuredly a better unit than the predecessors of DC03 (and even DC04). Less aggression and more articulation. The key factor for DC05 is all about pairing it with the right partners. Preferably something that is not already natively bright sounding.#donglemadness
andjayik
iBasso or
XDUOO Link2 Bal would the price diff be worth it?
OspreyAndy
@andjayik Yes, Link2 BAL is simply a better unit that has more neutral balance. Also more power and functions
The DC05 was kindly provided free of charge to be featured in a series of reviews.
The price is €58.33 ex.TAX and you can buy from this not affiliate link - iBasso.
Introduction
It was less than a year ago when I reviewed the brand new (then) iBasso DC03 and DC04.
Two small sized USB DAC/amps that I liked a lot as you can find out here.
Unfortunately they were short lived due to the chip shortage that is plaguing the industry for almost two years now.
The popular Cirrus Logic CS43131 is now out of stock because the company couldn't meet with the increased demand so designers like iBasso who haven't stocked enough supply had to turn to another manufacturer.
The US based ESS seems to be the only manufacturer who can meet the increased demand but I don't know for how long.
Anyway the obsolete CS43131 was substituted with the ES9219C and the DC05 was born.
Technical specifications
The DC05 features a parallel dual DAC chipset configuration with two high-performance ES9219C to achieve better SNR and THD.
The ES9219C is a third-gen chip from Sabre Technologies that handles both decoding and amplification duties.
This premium DAC is supported by Quad DAC+ and HyperStream III audio architectures and time domain clock jitter elimination delivering class-leading performance.
It supports full MQA decoding and full support for 32-Bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256 decoding.
The iBasso DC05 houses a 3.5mm single-ended output port that delivers up to 140mW/16Ω and 93mW/32Ω of output power, so it is slightly more powerful than its predecessor.
Power consumption is minimal so it will not consume the battery of the host device.
Appearance and build quality
The form factor is exactly the same and nothing has changed.
It is a full aluminium body with an excellent build quality.
It is small and lightweight measuring 38x15x9mm (105mm with the cable) and weighing 9gr so it can easily be carried into your pocket.
The USB type C plug is connected to the main body with a short braided cable of good quality that features strain reliefs for further protection.
It is available in two colors, black and green.
User experience
The iBasso DC05 is plug 'n play with Android and iOS while for windows the user must install a driver to enable full DSD support.
It comes with a USB type C to type A adapter but in order to use it with iOS the user must buy a separate adapter because for now a lighting version is not available.
During testing with my mobile phone I haven't experienced any interference.
UAC
iBasso has developed a custom volume control application that uses the latest UAC2.0 USB protocol to enable 64-step volume control by a connected source device.
This allows the users to use both sensitive as well as demanding earphones/headphones with the DC05 with a good range of adjustment.
The application can be downloaded from the iBasso website and it is available for Android only.
Upon hooking the iBasso DC05 to the host device, a window pops-up asking for a permission to access the UAC application.
Sound impressions
I have tested the iBasso DC05 with their own ITX01, FiiO FD3, DUNU Falcon Pro and with the Sennheiser HD660S that did an excellent job in driving them with ease and headroom.
The latest firmware 1.8.2 was installed prior to listening evaluation.
It is truly amazing the amount of performance that is packed inside these new DAC chips, especially when they are well implemented by a competent designer like iBasso.
The DC05 is truly excellent sounding and in blind tests, someone would have a hard time to tell that this kind of audio performance is coming from a tiny USB DAC dongle that is hanging from a phone.
The sound is crystal clear, crisp and tonally neutral yet pleasant and enjoyable with all kinds of music.
The low end is deep, tight, fast and controlled with great contrast and nice layering.
The dynamic range is excellent for such a dongle and the DC05 is doing a great job in presenting large scale works in a grand scale manner.
Mids sound open, spacious, with fine articulation and fluid expression in the vocal range, timbre is mostly natural without severe digital artifacts while instruments sound well textured.
Treble is extended, sounding lively and agile with excessive energy but without any disturbing sharpness.
It is airy and clean with good levels of resolution and fine detail and scales quite well with better earphones that are highly resolving.
The whole presentation is wide open with great positioning accuracy and the DC05 will not hold back a spacious and open sounding iem like the FiiO FD5 or a good open back headphone.
Compared to the DC03
I don't have the DC03 ATM to do a direct comparison but from memory I would dare to say that the two dongles are close enough.
It is a somewhat different presentation, the DC03 is slightly more polite and laid back where the DC05 is more upfront, lively, detailed and a touch more clean with better overall layering and control throughout the whole range.
I remember the DC03 to be quite powerful and could certainly drive the HD660S but I have the impression that the DC05 is slightly more effortless with greater headroom and dynamic range.
My opinion is that current owners of the DC03 should not get the DC05 and better save for something higher tier in order to do a meaningful upgrade.
Maybe for the upcoming balanced edition?
At the end
I have greatly enjoyed my time with the DC05 and the truth is that from one point onwards the evaluation duties took a second place as I found myself sitting back, listening to my favorite tunes.
The new iBasso DC05 is a truly excellent sounding USB DAC with a very friendly price.
There is a lot of competition in the market and it would be difficult to call it the best of the bunch but it certainly belongs among the leaders.
In fact it is so good that it is touching the big boys like the THX Onyx and Violectric Chronos but with less than half of the asking price and this is a hell of an achievement.
Test playlist
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2021.
The price is €58.33 ex.TAX and you can buy from this not affiliate link - iBasso.
Introduction
It was less than a year ago when I reviewed the brand new (then) iBasso DC03 and DC04.
Two small sized USB DAC/amps that I liked a lot as you can find out here.
Unfortunately they were short lived due to the chip shortage that is plaguing the industry for almost two years now.
The popular Cirrus Logic CS43131 is now out of stock because the company couldn't meet with the increased demand so designers like iBasso who haven't stocked enough supply had to turn to another manufacturer.
The US based ESS seems to be the only manufacturer who can meet the increased demand but I don't know for how long.
Anyway the obsolete CS43131 was substituted with the ES9219C and the DC05 was born.
Technical specifications
The DC05 features a parallel dual DAC chipset configuration with two high-performance ES9219C to achieve better SNR and THD.
The ES9219C is a third-gen chip from Sabre Technologies that handles both decoding and amplification duties.
This premium DAC is supported by Quad DAC+ and HyperStream III audio architectures and time domain clock jitter elimination delivering class-leading performance.
It supports full MQA decoding and full support for 32-Bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256 decoding.
The iBasso DC05 houses a 3.5mm single-ended output port that delivers up to 140mW/16Ω and 93mW/32Ω of output power, so it is slightly more powerful than its predecessor.
Power consumption is minimal so it will not consume the battery of the host device.
Appearance and build quality
The form factor is exactly the same and nothing has changed.
It is a full aluminium body with an excellent build quality.
It is small and lightweight measuring 38x15x9mm (105mm with the cable) and weighing 9gr so it can easily be carried into your pocket.
The USB type C plug is connected to the main body with a short braided cable of good quality that features strain reliefs for further protection.
It is available in two colors, black and green.
User experience
The iBasso DC05 is plug 'n play with Android and iOS while for windows the user must install a driver to enable full DSD support.
It comes with a USB type C to type A adapter but in order to use it with iOS the user must buy a separate adapter because for now a lighting version is not available.
During testing with my mobile phone I haven't experienced any interference.
UAC
iBasso has developed a custom volume control application that uses the latest UAC2.0 USB protocol to enable 64-step volume control by a connected source device.
This allows the users to use both sensitive as well as demanding earphones/headphones with the DC05 with a good range of adjustment.
The application can be downloaded from the iBasso website and it is available for Android only.
Upon hooking the iBasso DC05 to the host device, a window pops-up asking for a permission to access the UAC application.
Sound impressions
I have tested the iBasso DC05 with their own ITX01, FiiO FD3, DUNU Falcon Pro and with the Sennheiser HD660S that did an excellent job in driving them with ease and headroom.
The latest firmware 1.8.2 was installed prior to listening evaluation.
It is truly amazing the amount of performance that is packed inside these new DAC chips, especially when they are well implemented by a competent designer like iBasso.
The DC05 is truly excellent sounding and in blind tests, someone would have a hard time to tell that this kind of audio performance is coming from a tiny USB DAC dongle that is hanging from a phone.
The sound is crystal clear, crisp and tonally neutral yet pleasant and enjoyable with all kinds of music.
The low end is deep, tight, fast and controlled with great contrast and nice layering.
The dynamic range is excellent for such a dongle and the DC05 is doing a great job in presenting large scale works in a grand scale manner.
Mids sound open, spacious, with fine articulation and fluid expression in the vocal range, timbre is mostly natural without severe digital artifacts while instruments sound well textured.
Treble is extended, sounding lively and agile with excessive energy but without any disturbing sharpness.
It is airy and clean with good levels of resolution and fine detail and scales quite well with better earphones that are highly resolving.
The whole presentation is wide open with great positioning accuracy and the DC05 will not hold back a spacious and open sounding iem like the FiiO FD5 or a good open back headphone.
Compared to the DC03
I don't have the DC03 ATM to do a direct comparison but from memory I would dare to say that the two dongles are close enough.
It is a somewhat different presentation, the DC03 is slightly more polite and laid back where the DC05 is more upfront, lively, detailed and a touch more clean with better overall layering and control throughout the whole range.
I remember the DC03 to be quite powerful and could certainly drive the HD660S but I have the impression that the DC05 is slightly more effortless with greater headroom and dynamic range.
My opinion is that current owners of the DC03 should not get the DC05 and better save for something higher tier in order to do a meaningful upgrade.
Maybe for the upcoming balanced edition?
At the end
I have greatly enjoyed my time with the DC05 and the truth is that from one point onwards the evaluation duties took a second place as I found myself sitting back, listening to my favorite tunes.
The new iBasso DC05 is a truly excellent sounding USB DAC with a very friendly price.
There is a lot of competition in the market and it would be difficult to call it the best of the bunch but it certainly belongs among the leaders.
In fact it is so good that it is touching the big boys like the THX Onyx and Violectric Chronos but with less than half of the asking price and this is a hell of an achievement.
Test playlist
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2021.
Ichos
Thank you very much.
The E3000 are rated at 100 dB/mW - 16Ω so the DC05 can handle them with ease.
The E3000 are rated at 100 dB/mW - 16Ω so the DC05 can handle them with ease.
