[Whitigir]

of course it does , but the signature will also change

 

[Ojisan]

Man dont be soft on your judgements. Its well known that IBasso tunes their daps pushing upper mids forward. Its dubbled by the ROHM dacs which are very realistic.
Im actually surprised by the fact that you have a problem with upper mids using the u12t which are tamed down in this area.
Why you just dont say that you dont like the sound?? You dont like it, its obvious. Why try to hide it behind a nice words?? It will not help anyone.
I think its an issue that started from the dx300. I remember that the dx200 and x220 didnt have this problem. They were a very linear sounding daps.
This is one of the main reasons why i moved to the Shanling players. They dont have this issue. Also the Fiio M11 Plus didnt have this problem.
There is an issue here cmon, just call it what it is.

I agree DX220 was linear and DX300 had relatively forward upper mids. To my ears though, DX320 is not as forward as I remember DX300 was. DX320 is helped by thicker, more analog texture, and depth. It has a fast rising edge to accurately reproduce metallic instruments and piano upper registers, but no nasty harmonics/shimmer that lingers to annoy my ears. M8 was more reserved in the rising edge which I found lacking for my taste... Just another viewpoint...

 

[samandhi]

Man dont be soft on your judgements. Its well known that IBasso tunes their daps pushing upper mids forward. Its dubbled by the ROHM dacs which are very realistic.
Im actually surprised by the fact that you have a problem with upper mids using the u12t which are tamed down in this area.
Why you just dont say that you dont like the sound?? You dont like it, its obvious. Why try to hide it behind a nice words?? It will not help anyone.
I think its an issue that started from the dx300. I remember that the dx200 and x220 didnt have this problem. They were a very linear sounding daps.
This is one of the main reasons why i moved to the Shanling players. They dont have this issue. Also the Fiio M11 Plus didnt have this problem.
There is an issue here cmon, just call it what it is.

I agree DX220 was linear and DX300 had relatively forward upper mids. To my ears though, DX320 is not as forward as I remember DX300 was. DX320 is helped by thicker, more analog texture, and depth. It has a fast rising edge to accurately reproduce metallic instruments and piano upper registers, but no nasty harmonics/shimmer that lingers to annoy my ears. M8 was more reserved in the rising edge which I found lacking for my taste... Just another viewpoint...

Y'all must have golden ears because I find the DX300 to NOT have boosted upper mids like you are hearing. The thing is that I am super sensitive to that area, and it hurts my ears. Now the DX160 has a bit of it though.

 

[DAPpower]

Man dont be soft on your judgements. Its well known that IBasso tunes their daps pushing upper mids forward. Its dubbled by the ROHM dacs which are very realistic.
Im actually surprised by the fact that you have a problem with upper mids using the u12t which are tamed down in this area.
Why you just dont say that you dont like the sound?? You dont like it, its obvious. Why try to hide it behind a nice words?? It will not help anyone.
I think its an issue that started from the dx300. I remember that the dx200 and x220 didnt have this problem. They were a very linear sounding daps.
This is one of the main reasons why i moved to the Shanling players. They dont have this issue. Also the Fiio M11 Plus didnt have this problem.
There is an issue here cmon, just call it what it is.

No I like the soundstage, clarity and overall presentation, it is just the energetic splashy mids/upper mids that jump too closely at me, this doesn't really have much to do with the dacs or the DX320 at all. My AMP12W still sounds fantastic (on the DX320) and doesn't have this "issue" that I have with the EXN2 (again, not Steve's fault, it is my personal tastes).
Trust me, I know when I don't like something immediately, I don't like to dwell with gear that bothers me in audio, I'm quick to resell things.
Its not a tremendous problem, especially now that it is calming a bit in this region with rigorous high gain burn in, but if I could swap some caps to change it a bit, I would spend the money to do so.

 

[Ojisan]

Y'all must have golden ears because I find the DX300 to NOT have boosted upper mids like you are hearing. The thing is that I am super sensitive to that area, and it hurts my ears. Now the DX160 has a bit of it though.

I wish it was golden… just an old rusty ears Seriously, I think the newer amp on DX300 had better upper mids from what I recall. I had the mk1 which was slightly fatiguing for me.

 

[samandhi]

I wish it was golden… just an old rusty ears

LOL Same here!

 

[RIGATIO]

I agree DX220 was linear and DX300 had relatively forward upper mids. To my ears though, DX320 is not as forward as I remember DX300 was. DX320 is helped by thicker, more analog texture, and depth. It has a fast rising edge to accurately reproduce metallic instruments and piano upper registers, but no nasty harmonics/shimmer that lingers to annoy my ears. M8 was more reserved in the rising edge which I found lacking for my taste... Just another viewpoint...

The dx320 has less boosted upper mids but it still not completely linear. The dx320 has slightly boosted upper mids and it can start being annoying after a couple songs.
I experienced that and this was the main reason why i left the IBasso train, even tho im a fan of their players and i loved the dx80, dx200 and the dx220.
The Shanling M8 is sooo linear in mids/upper mids/lower treble that i really can enjoy the most annoying songs ive came across. Its just true, not my hate towards IBasso.
Im actually still IBasso's fanboy and will observe their incoming players. But the facts are the facts- i really enjoy Shanling M8. Its the best dap ive ever heard, PERIOD.

 

[RIGATIO]

No I like the soundstage, clarity and overall presentation, it is just the energetic splashy mids/upper mids that jump too closely at me, this doesn't really have much to do with the dacs or the DX320 at all. My AMP12W still sounds fantastic (on the DX320) and doesn't have this "issue" that I have with the EXN2 (again, not Steve's fault, it is my personal tastes).
Trust me, I know when I don't like something immediately, I don't like to dwell with gear that bothers me in audio, I'm quick to resell things.
Its not a tremendous problem, especially now that it is calming a bit in this region with rigorous high gain burn in, but if I could swap some caps to change it a bit, I would spend the money to do so.

I get ya but.. Not the soundstage, not the quality of notes and not the layering and separation are the problem. We can all agree that these areas are amazingly handled by IBasso.
I was mentioning the tuning which is annoying for me and it looks like for you too.

 

[RIGATIO]

Y'all must have golden ears because I find the DX300 to NOT have boosted upper mids like you are hearing. The thing is that I am super sensitive to that area, and it hurts my ears. Now the DX160 has a bit of it though.

Well then youre a happy man and im really jealous

 

[Ojisan]

The dx320 has less boosted upper mids but it still not completely linear. The dx320 has slightly boosted upper mids and it can start being annoying after a couple songs.
I experienced that and this was the main reason why i left the IBasso train, even tho im a fan of their players and i loved the dx80, dx200 and the dx220.
The Shanling M8 is sooo linear in mids/upper mids/lower treble that i really can enjoy the most annoying songs ive came across. Its just true, not my hate towards IBasso.
Im actually still IBasso's fanboy and will observe their incoming players. But the facts are the facts- i really enjoy Shanling M8. Its the best dap ive ever heard, PERIOD.

Happy for you that you found THE dap for you! I know you’ve been around iBasso threads a long time Personally, my LP6 AE and DX320 firmly sits on the top for me.

 

[palexander]

I got the AMP12EXN2 4625 from Steve at NPaudio.co.uk, and let me tell you, it completely breathed life into my HD6xx. It sounds amazing! I love it.

 

[hoth]

For the few following my posts regarding @Whitigir's Amp12 Ada-XF, here's what will probably be most last update. The amp continues to open up. I would describe it using the following adjectives: power, clarity, dynamics and stage. I am right now listening to Jack Johnson's On and On (w/ MEST Indigo) and I feel like I am there. What more can I ask for? I am definitely keeping this amp. Big thanks to Whitigir first of all for putting in the time and effort to create this mod, for being so easy to work with, and totally being cool and trusting with people auditioning his work (and not at all pressuring them to buy). Just a great experience all around.

 

[DAPpower]

For the few following my posts regarding @Whitigir's Amp12 Ada-XF, here's what will probably be most last update. The amp continues to open up. I would describe it using the following adjectives: power, clarity, dynamics and stage. I am right now listening to Jack Johnson's On and On (w/ MEST Indigo) and I feel like I am there. What more can I ask for? I am definitely keeping this amp. Big thanks to Whitigir first of all for putting in the time and effort to create this mod, for being so easy to work with, and totally being cool and trusting with people auditioning his work (and not at all pressuring them to buy). Just a great experience all around.

If it has the same non forward stage placing and separation with space like my older AMP12W, it sounds like a solid other option relative to Steve's great mods!

 

[Maxx134]

368g

So the dx320 limited liquid metal edition is 68g heavier... but maybe the metal keep it cooler?
I feel that iBasso really has their marketing team @$$ backwards, because they offer this beautiful limited version WAY TOO LATE, as I would have spent the extra dough for it when dx320 first came out. Not now...

Who waits months after a release, to buy a nicer metal version?
The hard-core buyers buy first. They done.
Now who buys last? Those that looking for a "used" deal.

Stup1d move on the marketing team if you asked me. Am I expected to buy twice? Done that already with the 300Max SS&Ti.

I would have bought it if released firts, but nobody is getting richer in this economy, and so I'll stay with my 68g lighter model that I don't have to worry as much about, compared to any dap more valuable.
Still, have to admit I would have loved to get it. Maybe when the economy gets better..
If they wanted to come out with something new for their anniversary, they should have made a new amp12 board instead.

it is this hyperrealism that is challenging me a bit.

Them ADA chips...

the forward upper mids is probably caused by the red caps,

That is an incorrect misunderstanding here.
That red cap is a PSU cap, and not responsible for mids.
I believe your issue is really caps settling, especially the Kaisie are lively during burn in.
They become transparent after 200hr mark.

No I like the soundstage, clarity and overall presentation, it is just the energetic splashy mids/upper mids that jump too closely at me, this doesn't really have much to do with the dacs or the DX320 at all. My AMP12W still sounds fantastic (on the DX320) and doesn't have this "issue" that I have with the EXN2 (again, not Steve's fault, it is my personal tastes).
Trust me, I know when I don't like something immediately, I don't like to dwell with gear that bothers me in audio, I'm quick to resell things.
Its not a tremendous problem, especially now that it is calming a bit in this region with rigorous high gain burn in, but if I could swap some caps to change it a bit, I would spend the money to do so.

The issue here is that, although you are burning in your unit, your observations are not the end result, because them Kaisie caps in both input and PSU, take a minimum of 200hr to settle, and they change rather noticably, which happened to me with a custom EXN amp12 that had Kaisie caps. It is true the Kaisie are a bit more "mid"- centric untill fully settled, in which they become more balanced, transparent and a touch wet even... The bi-polar version of the Kaisie caps have been commented for that issue.

The dx320 has less boosted upper mids but it still not completely linear. The dx320 has slightly boosted upper mids and it can start being annoying after a couple songs.

That is your perspective, from my perspective, the dx320 ROHM dac chip is a bit more realism and involving in the mids and better soundstage layering. Certainly more dynamic and alive, over other DAPs, which can be viewed as "bland", flat, laid back and recessed in comparison.

For the few following my posts regarding @Whitigir's Amp12 Ada-XF, here's what will probably be most last update. The amp continues to open up. I would describe it using the following adjectives: power, clarity, dynamics and stage

Is there a pic in this thread on that one. I believe it is over at NPAudio site.

Looks like the ADA chip version of amp12 are elevating dynamics and realism.

 

[jamato8]

So the dx320 limited liquid metal edition is 68g heavier... but maybe the metal keep it cooler?
I feel that iBasso really has their marketing team @$$ backwards, because they offer this beautiful limited version WAY TOO LATE, as I would have spent the extra dough for it when dx320 first came out. Not now...
Who waits months after a release, to buy a nicer metal version?
The hard-core buyers buy first. They done.
Now who buys last? Those that looking for a "used" deal.
Stup1d move on the marketing team if you asked me.
I would have bought one then, but nobody is getting richer in this economy, and so I'll stay with my 68g lighter model that I don't have to worry as much about, compared to any dap more valuable.
Still, have to admit I would have loved to get it. Maybe when the economy gets better..




Them ADA chips...



That is an incorrect misunderstanding here.
That red cap is a PSU cap, and not responsible for mids.
I believe your issue is really caps settling, especially the Kaisie are lively during burn in.
They become transparent after 200hr mark.


The issue here is that, although you are burning in your unit, your observations are not the end result, because them Kaisie caps in both input and PSU, take a minimum of 200hr to settle, and they change rather noticably, which happened to me with a custom EXN amp12 that had Kaisie caps. It is true the Kaisie are a bit more "mid"- centric untill fully settled, in which they become very balanced, transparent and a touch wet even...



That is your perspective, from my perspective, the dx320 ROHM dac chip is a bit more realism and involving in the mids and better soundstage layering. Certainly more dynamic and alive, over other DAPs, which can be viewed as "bland", flat, laid back and recessed in comparison.



Is there a pic in this thread on that one. I believe it is over at NPAudio site.

Looks like the ADA chip version of amp12 are elevating dynamics and realism.

They wrote it is for their 10 years of daps and for their 16 years in business. Now it was released months ago, that would not have made sense.