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

If FW are bit perfect - and they are - there is no difference at all.

 
 lol. Have a listen first, then decide if there is no difference. If you honestly can't hear a difference perhaps try cleaning out the ear wax from your ears and trying again 

 

 

[PDVJAM]

   
 lol. Have a listen first, then decide if there is no difference. If you honestly can't hear a difference perhaps try cleaning out the ear wax from your ears and trying again 

 

lol, indeed. First - try to listen FW's in volume level matched blind tests, then we will speak.
But wait, you have golden ears, so why do you need those blind tests, right...

 

[headwhacker]

   
I instantly heard an imaging difference going from DX90 coaxial to QA360 coaxial into NAD M51 > Fostex Monitors. Also tested connecting DX90 coaxial and QA360 optical simultaneously to NAD M51 allowing me to switch between sources on the fly with remote while playing the same song on each. Testing can't get any more side by side than that!
 

One more thing you can add to it... Do it blind 

 

 

[ReizeiMako]

I have no golden ears but the different between 2.1.5 and 2.1.8 FW is quite obvious, especially the vocal.

 

[tepet08]

  I can't seem to hear any difference between the different FW version. I guess my ears are not sensitive enough. Honestly for me I usually go for the lurker's FW only for the font. It would be interesting to know in more detail exactly what aspect of the DX90 changes with the different FW versions that is causing most people to hear such noticeable differences.

I understand how u feel bro.I can't say that i am hearing any difference either,but the font alone worth the few clicks it takes to get Lurker0's FW.When i changed my HP from FAD pandora hope 6 to Alpha Prime,i can hear lots of difference especially the wider soundstage and better bass but I cant notice any improvement SQ-wise when i change the Prime's cable to solid silver.Adding Just Audio AHA120  to the chain,i can notice a slight improvement.Soon i will have a sr71B and Pico Power for more comparison too see (hear?) if i can live with 'JUST DX90'. 

 

[omastic]

   
 lol. Have a listen first, then decide if there is no difference. If you honestly can't hear a difference perhaps try cleaning out the ear wax from your ears and trying again 

 

To be honest, the amount of time it requires to change firmware and listen to a particular track again, I really believe a reliable comparison between the different firmwares is a hard one to make. I already find differences between the different players subtle (but noticeable) at best. If the different firmwares really sound so different, there has to be something measurable that can explain it. At least that is what my logical part of the brain says.
 
But the most important thing is, I enjoy the hell out of the DX90 sound and have done so regardless of firmware version. 

 

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

lol, indeed. First - try to listen FW's in volume level matched blind tests, then we will speak.
But wait, you have golden ears, so why do you need those blind tests, right...

One more thing you can add to it... Do it blind 

 

 
Believe it or not, I have successfully blind tested batteries and, wait for it, sd cards 

 I can't be bothered blind testing further as I've already proven Golden Ear status to myself, I hear everything, I'm confident I could hear the real world even if stuck in the Matrix 

 In saying that, things like Bias, Placebo, Mood etc etc still effect me, so I'm still a realist, just with very good ears hehe, blind tests I suppose are the only way to do it right.
 
I'm still young though (25), plenty of time for my ears to go to schiit 

 

 

[jamato8]

   
Believe it or not, I have successfully blind tested batteries and, wait for it, sd cards 

 I can't be bothered blind testing further as I've already proven Golden Ear status to myself, I hear everything, I'm confident I could hear the real world even if stuck in the Matrix 

 
 
I'm still young though (25), plenty of time for my ears to go to schiit 

Sure you can. Golden ears. right. (kidding with you)
 
I don't have the patients to listen to cards but I did bet a Toshiba after you talked about them and to me, they seem warmer and with less detail but this is the lower cost one not the high end one you wrote about. And it is 64gb. 
 
I am amazed, I can still hear to 17khz. Just tested my ears the other day and I am much older than you. Supposedly past the age of 17 or 18 you naturally loose the ability to hear much past 15khz. I was in the court the other day (not for me) and I could hear what the DA was saying to his client and to was at low volume just between them. My wife was amazed. And I listen to a lot of music and not very low volumes. Well I am happy with it. 

 

[omastic]

   
Believe it or not, I have successfully blind tested batteries and, wait for it, sd cards 

 I can't be bothered blind testing further as I've already proven Golden Ear status to myself, I hear everything, I'm confident I could hear the real world even if stuck in the Matrix 

 In saying that, things like Bias, Placebo, Mood etc etc still effect me, so I'm still a realist, just with very good ears hehe, blind tests I suppose are the only way to do it right.
 
I'm still young though (25), plenty of time for my ears to go to schiit 

 

Good for you!
 
May be some day I will try and hear the differences but for now at least I don't have to worry about which firmware I like the best for sound  

 

[headwhacker]

 
Sure you can. Golden ears. right. (kidding with you)
 
I don't have the patients to listen to cards but I did bet a Toshiba after you talked about them and to me, they seem warmer and with less detail but this is the lower cost one not the high end one you wrote about. And it is 64gb. 
 
I am amazed, I can still hear to 17khz. Just tested my ears the other day and I am much older than you. Supposedly past the age of 17 or 18 you naturally loose the ability to hear much past 15khz. I was in the court the other day (not for me) and I could hear what the DA was saying to his client and to was at low volume just between them. My wife was amazed. And I listen to a lot of music and not very low volumes. Well I am happy with it. 

 
Test tone I can hear all the way up to 17Khz as well. But I'm just not sure in practical scenario as there are not much material/music having data up that region. If there is, it may have just easily be masked by the sound dominating from the lower frequencies. 
 

Originally Posted by T.R.A.N.C.E. 
 
Believe it or not, I have successfully blind tested batteries and, wait for it, sd cards 

 I can't be bothered blind testing further as I've already proven Golden Ear status to myself, I hear everything, I'm confident I could hear the real world even if stuck in the Matrix 

 In saying that, things like Bias, Placebo, Mood etc etc still effect me, so I'm still a realist, just with very good ears hehe, blind tests I suppose are the only way to do it right.
 
I'm still young though (25), plenty of time for my ears to go to schiit 

 

Edited by T.R.A.N.C.E. - Today at 1:59 pm

 
If we are talking about the level like the Philips GE challenge then congrats. Took me a couple of tries to pass the Silver Ears level. Have not taken the GE challenge yet. 

 

[e30ernest]

I think I am right to say that there is a consensus that the DX90 changes sound after a burn-in period.  My question is, why does it change?  What does burning-in a DX90 actually do?
 
Thanks!

 

[PDVJAM]

   
Believe it or not, I have successfully blind tested batteries and, wait for it, sd cards 

 I can't be bothered blind testing further as I've already proven Golden Ear status to myself, I hear everything, I'm confident I could hear the real world even if stuck in the Matrix 

 In saying that, things like Bias, Placebo, Mood etc etc still effect me, so I'm still a realist, just with very good ears hehe, blind tests I suppose are the only way to do it right.
 
I'm still young though (25), plenty of time for my ears to go to schiit 

 

too shame we're live in different countries. it would be nice to repeat all those tests you made. and to sweeten them, i'd bet 500$ that no difference, man, not at all

 

[jamato8]

  too shame we're live in different countries. it would be nice to repeat all those tests you made. and to sweeten them, i'd bet 500$ that no difference, man, not at all

Make it a little more and I will fly over, even though the challenge is for TRANCE. Maybe he will take you up on it. Oh you are in Ukraine. How is it going?

 

[PDVJAM]

  I think I am right to say that there is a consensus that the DX90 changes sound after a burn-in period.  My question is, why does it change?  What does burning-in a DX90 actually do?
 
Thanks!

I've asked this question to iBasso TS. These are the answers I got:
ibasso: "Hi,
Parts inside the DX90, such as capacitors takes a few hundred hours to reach a steady state condition, this is why we recommend burn in. Burn in would not change output impedance, frequencry response. 
 
Sincerely"
 
me: "Will this somehow changes sound?"
 
ibasso: "Yes, burn-in changes sound."
 
me: "So what is changed in can be measured?"
 
ibasso: "Hi, We can't measure the sound change by graphs.  But it is surely can be heard by ears.
 
Sincerely"
 
 
So, for me it looks like some snake oil are boiled inside DX90

 

[M-13]

  I have no golden ears but the different between 2.1.5 and 2.1.8 FW is quite obvious, especially the vocal.

+1
 
The difference between 2.1.5 and 2.1.8 is painfully obvious