[panasonicst60]

It came in early today but still waiting for my 4.4mm cable for my amp8. Only running unbalanced right now...oh well...My elex finally has a friend.

 

[Ainhart]

I followed the instructions to switch the DAC mode on before plugging in and it's working as a DAC now. However I am only getting a lot of noise and distortion out of the output. If anyone knows what the problem is, please kindly enlighten me. I'm currently using the wire that iBasso provided in the DX220 accessories.

 

[DaYooper]

Before that, 1000 messages of rants

Already on ignore.

 

[cathee]

It came in early today but still waiting for my 4.4mm cable for my amp8. Only running unbalanced right now...oh well...My elex finally has a friend.

Lovely set of gate-way drugs

 

[rutter]

Before that, 1000 messages of rants

On that note the DX220 with amp8 sounds sterile at the moment. I'm not yet hearing the technical qualities I was expecting - soundstage, imaging, clarity, definition, vibrancy. It's actually a relatively low to mid-fi sound and tonally the dubious mids of the IER-Z1R aren't being done any favors. I'm not quite sure how but the liveliness is sort of sucked out of the sound. Power is there but the sound is dull and unrefined. At this point of listening with the ZX300 I would say that it may have been worse, it sounded just plain wrong. I don't believe much in brain burning in but there may be a good deal to physical burning in so obviously judgment is reserved. Suffice it to say I'd agree with toughnut that initially the DX220 is unlikely to blow you away.

I followed the instructions to switch the DAC mode on before plugging in and it's working as a DAC now. However I am only getting a lot of noise and distortion out of the output. If anyone knows what the problem is, please kindly enlighten me. I'm currently using the wire that iBasso provided in the DX220 accessories.

The first USB port I got USB dac to work on had serious crackling. It's marked as a Bios usb port but I think I may have used it before with something else. Anyway, I tried another one and aside from one obvious skip things have been ok from a glaringly bad standpoint. I'll speculate that your case has something to do with the port. Can you try another one?

PS

Out of curiosity, @jmills8, what are your impressions of the DX200 with amp 8 or of the DX220 if you've heard it? I know you're someone else who isn't on this forum for an impromptu party over the stuff he listens to.

 

[dlegendkiller]

iBasso DX220 & Campfire Audio (New) Andromeda V3

Books and music <3

Hello! I am going with this path as well, DX220 and Andro. How is it so far?
Have you tried DX220 with the Andro S as well?

Please share your experience

 

[rutter]

Amp8 sounded poorly with the IER-Z1R so I decided to give amp1 mkii a try. I think the latter is more mid forward and the former plain boosts bass, which may be good for bass-light iems but not for others, which is unfortunate given amp8 is the only 4.4mm balanced amp available. Amp1 mkii sounds more refined and less offensive from a technical standpoint. However it's giving something up in space in comparison to amp8. The curious thing about amp8 is that I didn't think its imaging was good. Mids were definitely recessed with the ier-z1r whereas amp1 mkii seems to do a much more agreeable job. There also seemed to be holes in the sound. On the other hand I think there was more dimension with amp8. In either case not ideal, but amp8 does not sound right at this point in time. Amp1 mkii is unmistakably more cluttered - cluttered and spatially flat - but with the ier-z1r more tonally correct and relatively clear. Unfortunately iBasso deemed there wasn't enough space for 4.4mm balanced so they used 2.5mm instead. Take this with a grain of salt as amp1 mkii has zero burn in and amp8 just a few hours. I would also say that amp1 mkii may be on the tamer side of things in general.

@Paul - iBasso In the course of less than two hours I think the battery went from 50% to 20% with amp8, middle gain, and the IER-Z1R. I used the DX220 in USB dac mode which is under the Mango OS and the screen was off. Is the DX220 practically usable as a USB dac+amp or does it drain too quickly despite charging?

(By the way, if I recall correctly the what should be comparable iFi Micro Black Label charged and played on low gain, was neutral on middle gain, and would lose battery charging and playing on high gain)

 

[jmills8]

Amp8 sounded poorly with the IER-Z1R so I decided to give amp1 mkii a try. I think the latter is more mid forward and the former plain boosts bass, which may be good for bass-light iems but not for others, which is unfortunate given amp8 is the only 4.4mm balanced amp available. Amp1 mkii sounds more refined and less offensive from a technical standpoint. However it's giving something up in space in comparison to amp8. The curious thing about amp8 is that I didn't think its imaging was good. Mids were definitely recessed with the ier-z1r whereas amp1 mkii seems to do a much more agreeable job. There also seemed to be holes in the sound. On the other hand I think there was more dimension with amp8. In either case not ideal, but amp8 does not sound right at this point in time. Amp1 mkii is unmistakably more cluttered - cluttered and spatially flat - but with the ier-z1r more tonally correct and relatively clear. Unfortunately iBasso deemed there wasn't enough space for 4.4mm balanced so they used 2.5mm instead. Take this with a grain of salt as amp1 mkii has zero burn in and amp8 just a few hours. I would also say that amp1 mkii may be on the tamer side of things in general.

@Paul - iBasso In the course of less than two hours I think the battery went from 50% to 20% with amp8, middle gain, and the IER-Z1R. I used the DX220 in USB dac mode which is under the Mango OS and the screen was off. Is the DX220 practically usable as a USB dac+amp or does it drain too quickly despite charging?

Maybe its the 1R with the big issues.

 

[rutter]

Maybe its the 1R with the big issues.

Quite possible and by comparison probably, but it's grounded in context. I've already heard what the ZX300 was able to do with it spatially. If you're to look at normal people impressions you'll find an overwhelming majority praising its imagining, whether they like the Z1R overall or not. So if one amp has poor imaging and the other sounds flat and cluttered that's not on the Z1R. A lot of people will also claim the Z1R has a good soundstage/dimension. Also, the fact that the two amps will show different qualities with the same iems is informative. Amp8 may do good things for iems that struggle with or lack bass while having solid mids, but so far it has not sounded good with the Z1R. Amp1 mkii, on the other hand, might not be a good fit with such iems and is probably behind amp8 spatially on the whole, but unfortunately may be a better fit for the Z1R and for example the Campfire Atlas. It may also be tamer, its sound being less strong. It didn't really sound less dynamic to me due to the aforementioned dullness of amp8, but it doesn't really come at you. You can dislike the Z1R but it's not the low-end iem you imagine it to be.

Going back to amp8 it's definitely better spatially and comes at you a lot more. I think this is the one I should be focusing on with burn in, later on try eq if necessary. Hope for the best.

 

[toughnut]

Those big capacitors inside Amp 8 should hint you it need major burn-in before the sound settled.

I don’t believe in equipment burn-in but proved wrong enough time to actually do it before judging the sound.

 

[jmills8]

Quite possible and by comparison probably, but it's grounded in context. I've already heard what the ZX300 was able to do with it spatially. If you're to look at normal people impressions you'll find an overwhelming majority praising its imagining, whether they like the Z1R overall or not. So if one amp has poor imaging and the other sounds flat and cluttered that's not on the Z1R. A lot of people will also claim the Z1R has a good soundstage/dimension. Also, the fact that the two amps will show different qualities with the same iems is informative. Amp8 may do good things for iems that struggle with or lack bass while having solid mids, but so far it has not sounded good with the Z1R. Amp1 mkii, on the other hand, might not be a good fit with such iems and is probably behind amp8 spatially on the whole, but unfortunately may be a better fit for the Z1R and for example the Campfire Atlas. It may also be tamer, its sound being less strong. It didn't really sound less dynamic to me due to the aforementioned dullness of amp8, but it doesn't really come at you. You can dislike the Z1R but it's not the low-end iem you imagine it to be.

Going back to amp8 it's definitely better spatially and comes at you a lot more. I think this is the one I should be focusing on with burn in, later on try eq if necessary. Hope for the best.

Enjoy the trial and errors.

 

[Lurker0]

Thanks Lurker. I figured given the DX220’s demands and dual Pro chips it couldn’t run any higher clocks without a problem.

I tell you more, to better understand CPU demands of a DAP. The official lowest speed of RockChip SoC is 216MHz. For years, I add 126MHz to the line, and this is the frequency used most of the time during music playback!

Did you notice any speed improvements in general usage with “software cooler” state?

In general use it does not matter at all.

Would you add the option which allows end user to change it, please, or can I ask you addon with “software cooler” off state in PM?

That software cooler is always there: it is implemented at the kernel level. My change, mostly, to lower the limit to 70C instead of 80C. Most of the time the SoC runs under 50C. I don't believe you want your DAP to run continuously with SoC temperature over 70C, but that was you asked for. Do you? Also, please note, that in DAPs, the battery is very close to the SoC, and high temperature affects the battery life.

 

[rutter]

Those big capacitors inside Amp 8 should hint you it need major burn-in before the sound settled.

I don’t believe in equipment burn-in but proved wrong enough time to actually do it before judging the sound.

So how big of a difference did you find burn in to make with the DX220 specifically? Details would be nice. How many hours have you reached now? I presume your amp8 was already burned in?

Enjoy the trial and errors.

Knowing the good person that you are I'm positive there is not a drop of malice in this.

 

[toughnut]

So how big of a difference did you find burn in to make with the DX220 specifically? Details would be nice. How many hours have you reached now? I presume your amp8 was already burned in?

Amp 8 not arrived yet. Device total over 100hrs, split between Amp 1mk2 and 3. I believe burn-in is more for the amp module due to those caps residing inside. Solid state device usually don’t required burn-in (might be proven wrong).

 

[ropie]

Question here:

I saw DX220 firmware is out on Ibasso site
Anybody knows if this will work on my good old DX200?

Would love to see the new Mango UI

Thanks