[highfell]

This DAP will have the latest dac chips from Sabre, the ES9018K2M. Chips, in that it will have two. There will be a dual core CPU for fast scan times and performance. Amplification is op amp based with output buffers, the BUF634. Same screen as the DX50 and UI, which will be very polished. 
 
7 op amps and 2 buffers (BUF634). 
 

Will the OPamps be rollable ?

 

[AmberOzL]

Will the OPamps be rollable ?

I doubt that but I guess one can dream.

 

[Mython]

Will the OPamps be rollable ?

 

 
I doubt that but I guess one can dream.

 
 
There's rollable and there's rollable.
 
Maybe not pull and push, but perhaps viable for anyone handy with a soldering iron?
 
Anyway, I'm not one who seeks rollable op-amps - I trust iBasso to choose decent ones, unless there is, perhaps, a budgeting constraint, under which circumstances, even I might feel inclined to implement higher-spec op-amps sometime in the future.
 
But, basically, I trust iBasso to provide a well-considered and decent spec, right off-the-bat.
 
Some folks made a big deal about the fact that iBasso removed the identification on the op-amps in the DX100 (and I do dislike that practice), and I haven't actually heard an HDP-R10, to compare (the HDP-R10 is known to have OPA627 op-amps implemented as standard), but, you know what? The DX100 sounds fantastic anyway - I did not feel it was lacking in the amplification department, so, as I said... I basically trust iBasso to deliver, with the standard spec of the DX90. Rollability of the DX90 op-amps would therefore be gravy, rather than necessity, for me.
 
YMMV...

 

[headwhacker]

I would rather not have them make DX90 opamp rollable. It will defintely kill the size. The thickness to be exact. For me, I just want them to implement a clean, transparent amp with plenty of power to drive 95% of the headphones out there.
 
It would be awesome if I can let go of my UHA-4 while on the road.

 

[highfell]

There's rollable and there's rollable.

Maybe not pull and push, but perhaps viable for anyone handy with a soldering iron?

Anyway, I'm not one who seeks rollable op-amps - I trust iBasso to choose decent ones, unless there is, perhaps, a budgeting constraint, under which circumstances, even I might feel inclined to implement higher-spec op-amps sometime in the future.

But, basically, I trust iBasso to provide a well-considered and decent spec, right off-the-bat.

Some folks made a big deal about the fact that iBasso removed the identification on the op-amps in the DX100 (and I do dislike that practice), and I haven't actually heard an HDP-R10, to compare (the HDP-R10 is known to have OPA627 op-amps implemented as standard), but, you know what? The DX100 sounds fantastic anyway - I did not feel it was lacking in the amplification department, so, as I said... I basically trust iBasso to deliver, with the standard spec of the DX90. Rollability of the DX90 op-amps would therefore be gravy, rather than necessity, for me.

YMMV...

I asked Ibasso for the OPamps in the Dx50 but they declined to tell me.

The two OPA627s do sound very good in my Leckerton.6S Mkii

I would like to try a Muses01 or Muses02 sometime & in some amp but the Leckerton only takes dual OPamps -

 

[headwhacker]

I asked Ibasso for the OPamps in the Dx50 but they declined to tell me.

The two OPA627s do sound very good in my Leckerton.6S Mkii

I would like to try a Muses01 or Muses02 sometime & in some amp but the Leckerton only takes dual OPamps -

 
The 627s also sound nice on UHA-4 paired with DX50. It's transparent, very good detail and instrument separation next to O2. I like it over the C5D which I'm thinking of selling soon.

 

[jamato8]

No rolling.

 

[the wizard of oz]

Very interesting DAP, but will skip and wait for a 512GB DX200 with ø6.3mm HO. I really appreciate that plug & play feature with any SE headphone.

A&K have just gone down another notch in my esteem with their AK240. I already found their AK100 ugly and overpriced, but this takes the proverbial ride to a new level. Still, I have no doubt it will sell.

 

[bmichels]

Very interesting DAP, but will skip and wait for a 512GB DX200 with ø6.3mm HO. 

 
+1  

 

[Mython]

No, for $500, the DX90 deserves a try!

 

[jamato8]

I like external memory but I also see that internal memory uses less power. What I do on my DX100 is to have my music that I know I will listen to over and over. The hassle with that is, I don't like to delete and reload to internal memory whereas I have many 64gb cards so I can swap out very fast and with the new UI of the DX50, which is the UI for the DX90, the first scan doesn't take long and the second and from there on, when you put the same card back in, is very fast as the information is saved for that card scan. 10 or 11 hours on the DX90 will be fine with me and then you have the quick option of have a couple of batteries, which cost very little and you have 30 plus hours. 
 
Wow, huge snow flakes coming down right now. :^) 12 degrees here and nice snow. 

 

[vkalia]

I really done get all the moaning about Astell Kern. I think they are over-priced as well, but some of you guys are acting as if this is unique in the audiophile world.
 
I have a DX50, an X3 and an AK100 - the AK100 was the only device that worked right off the bat, doing what it was supposed to do. The others took ages - I had to manually clean up the ID3 tags of a a WHOLE lot of files to get them to work, and that too, after repeated attempts at other things. In terms of pure time and frustration savings, the AK100 was a better value.
 
Certainly, A&K can justify their position a lot better than the people selling $500 cables based on zero science. But this seems to be a head-fi trait - you cannot talk about one product without talking smack of another (eg, funny how all the Noble Audio fans seem to enjoy taking digs at Heir).
 
Let's stick to talking about the DX90 without denigrating A&K, please?
 
FWIW - I think this is gilding a lily. I strongly doubt whether anyone can hear the difference between the 2 DAC sections in a blind A/B test.   More memory would have been far more useful than pandering to audiophile insecurities and relying on the Emperor Without Clothes as a marketing strategy.  IMO.

 

[Levanter]

^ +1

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Its awesome that the DX90 and X5 are both projected to be released in March, bring on the pocket size DAP war!

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

Its awesome that the DX90 and X5 are both projected to be released in March, bring on the pocket size DAP war!

It's the PS4 and Xbox One war all over again :-D