[jj69]

  I have HM901, I have also ET MA9 and I used to have DX100 and DX50.
 
I must say that cowon was better than DX50. DX100 had superb fidelity and super effortless, I still miss DX100, I ordered its upgraded version (R10).
 
I wish DX90 is like DX100 but I have doubts, notice that DX90 has low voltage (4V), DX100 driven with opa627 at 8.7V is somehow different device.
 
I have HM901 that sounds superbly, but imaging was much better on DX100. opa1611 in DX90 sounds nice for sure, but opa627... well its different league.

 
I would be very interested to hear your impressions of the ET MA9, and how it compares to the other players.  That looks like a very serious design, but I wonder if it's worth the cost (and its bulk) in comparison to something like the DX90? 

 

[jamato8]

"Originally Posted by piotrekfronc /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I have HM901 that sounds superbly, but imaging was much better on DX100. opa1611 in DX90 sounds nice for sure, but opa627... well its different league."
 
I have used the 627 for years and still do, and I really like it but I do not agree that the 1611 is a lesser op amp. It does cost less, for sure, but the 1611 goes way above its price point in performance. It was/is the op amp I have finally settled on in the FiiO DIY 12. It does so many things right. So, 
 
I have been trying a number of different amps with the DX90, for fun, as they sound a little different. I still find the internal amp, like having a separate but nothing wrong with using a stack if at home and you want a different flavor or have some hard to drive phones. So even with some fairly inexpensive amps, the DX90 does well as it makes them sound good because the LO gives them a very good signal to work with. I would say it takes lower priced amps up a notch or two. Nothing bad about that. Can I hear the difference from my fi.Q to the cheaper amps, sure can but they still sound good and enjoyable and that is what music is all about, at least for me. 

 

[Vartan]

fi.Q ??????

 

[Barra]

Any suggestions on properly burning in a DAP? Does it require headphones plugged in for a load or for any other reason or can I just plug it into power and hit play all by itself? Should the volume be turned up or down or is there any type of signal that assists? Or should I just let it burn in naturally as I listen to it?

 

[jamato8]

  fi.Q ??????

fi.Q was a limited run of a larger portable amp by iBasso for a company in Japan. It is all nonpolar Black Gate capacitors, old stock Japanese tantalum resistors, and so forth. It is by far the best portable amp I have heard and was better than my very modified Woo Audio 6. It was also compared to some 2000 plus amps and as good and better in some areas. Puts out around 1 watt with 18 volts. The last ones sold for around 2000. I don't think the company exists that I bought it from, any longer. 

 

[Mython]

  fi.Q was a limited run of a larger portable amp by iBasso for a company in Japan. It is all nonpolar Black Gate capacitors, old stock Japanese tantalum resistors, and so forth. It is by far the best portable amp I have heard and was better than my very modified Woo Audio 6. It was also compared to some 2000 plus amps and as good and better in some areas. Puts out around 1 watt with 18 volts. The last ones sold for around 2000. 

 
So, nearly as good as a Portaphile 627, then?

 

[jamato8]

So, nearly as good as a Portaphile 627, then?

Oh, I wouldn't go that far. lol

 

[pachoo5]

Showing how much a newbie I am, I had no idea amps needed burn in as well. About how many hours to make most amps sound their best? I have an O2, for example. What is the ideal burn in time for that?

 

[lin0003]

Depends on who you are listening to. Some people don't believe in burn in, but I think around 100 hours should be enough for most gear. 

 

[jamato8]

I would say that a couple of hundred for the DX90. Many well known manufactures like Audio Note UK, and Cary Audio and some headphone manufactures,  recommend it to give time for the caps to form and other changes to go on but we don't need to get into a big discussion here about it. Prefer to stay on track with the DX90 and hopefully it will be in some other hands very soon. 

 

[headwhacker]

I do believe in burn-in. I do it for all new gears I have. But for me, burn-in for amps/DAP yield very little/subtle difference before and after compared to headphones/iems.

 

[howdy]

Does anyone want to lend me there brand new unopened DX90 for awhile?

Thanks in advance.

 

[thegunner100]

Does anyone want to lend me there brand new unopened DX90 for awhile?

Thanks in advance.

DAP burn-in service? 

 

 

[howdy]

​

DAP burn-in service? :evil:  

Exactly. I did not think like that but great idea!

 

[nmatheis]

If iBasso's shipping elves are quick, I might just end up getting the DX90 I ordered yesterday before I get the Fiio X5 I pre-ordered a month ago