[kkcc]

  Awesome guys, so we'll probably get tracking tomorrow.
 
In other news, the Chinese guy who did the DX90 measurements is apparently very famous, and is the founder of Head-Fi equivalent of China. I guess we can think of him as the counterpart of our very own beloved Jude.
 
So I think DX90 actually only does 2.17 Vrms and puts out 147mW into 32 ohms at max. I think Ibasso should just say this on their website to avoid confusion. Unless the unit he has is beta or is defective.
 
No wonder people did not like the amp section of the DX50, that thing is weak, weak, barely better than the line out of most DAPs.

 
FWIW he did put a very favorable conclusion to his measurement and subjective opinion of the DX90:
 

总结：DX90是一台中性、各项指标非常优异的播放器，相对DX50而言提升是全方位的。（和其高端型号DX100比还是有一些差距）。DX90沿用了DX50优秀的外观设计和制造工艺、可更换电池、触控+实体按键方便的操作性等，使其具备了很好的竞争力。
飞傲X5的调音风格很有特点，是音乐性和解析力平衡的较好的一个器材，相对X3有明显进步，外观设计和制造工艺上和DX90以及国外品牌比起来还有一定差距。操作上主要问题是转盘有点松，反应有点太灵敏。

Conclusion: DX90 is a DAP with neutral FR and excellent measurements in all aspects, it improves in every way when compared to the DX50.  (but still some distance away from their top model DX100).  DX90 retained DX50's great design and built quality, replaceable battery, and operational features such as touch screen+physical keys control etc.  All these made it a very competitive DAP.
Fiio X5 has a very unique voicing, it strikes a balance between musicality and technical resolution, which is a clear step up from X3, however the design and built still has some distance compared to the DX90 and other foriegn brands.  Operationally key issue is the turnwheel is a bit loose, it is also too sensitive.

 
Also with regards to the DAP's output, his impression is that DX90 has 1.8 times the output of DX50 while achieving a better SNR which is excellent to pair with IEM and especially sensitive IEMs.  So I guess if the intention is to pair with harder to drive cans, may the X5 or DX100 with higher power output is better.

 

[M-13]

   
FWIW he did put a very favorable conclusion to his measurement and subjective opinion of the DX90:
 
 
Also with regards to the DAP's output, his impression is that DX90 has 1.8 times the output of DX50 while achieving a better SNR which is excellent to pair with IEM and especially sensitive IEMs.  So I guess if the intention is to pair with harder to drive cans, may the X5 or DX100 with higher power output is better.

Yeah I think it's fantastic for IEMs, should be plenty of juice. I don't own any IEMs and will be powering three headphones. All 3 are fairly efficient with low impedance, so we'll see how that goes. I'm thinking I'll be happy. None of this confusion would have occured if Ibasso would have just put out the real world values on their spec sheet. I always wondered why people said the DX50 amp was weak when on paper it was supposedly stronger than the X3. Now I know why.

 

 

[goodvibes]

The only part I disagreed with was his take on the sound of the the x5 but that's just my opinion vs his. Never heard a DX100. I thought it was really well done overall. My thoughts on the x5 is that it sounds like it's trying to achieve 2 different sigs at the same time and it doesn't really work for me. I know others love it so to each his own.

 

 

[headwhacker]

   
FWIW he did put a very favorable conclusion to his measurement and subjective opinion of the DX90:
 
 
Also with regards to the DAP's output, his impression is that DX90 has 1.8 times the output of DX50 while achieving a better SNR which is excellent to pair with IEM and especially sensitive IEMs.  So I guess if the intention is to pair with harder to drive cans, may the X5 or DX100 with higher power output is better.

 
I think most people here will agree the most important aspect of DX90 is how it will sound with TOTL iems on the go. Extra power is nice, but if you are going to use full-size hard to drive phone you will most like need an external amp 99% of the time. The extra power it has over DX50 is pretty sure more than enough for this intended scenario.
 
It would be huge if I can finally go for a walk with only a DX90 in my jeans pocket + Roxanne and just leave the amp and bag at home.

 

[Motts]

I got an email from iBasso about an hour ago stating that they are starting to ship. Apparently they only had my PO Box and requested a physical address from me so they could use DHL. This is my first correspondence from them so I received my PayPal receipt. So, it sounds like they're shipping some out today! Ah yeah!!!

 

[tin427]

Yay I've received the email from ibasso saying that the shipment is received by sf express!
That means I will receive my dx90 on Monday most probably;P

 

[BaTou069]

 Im not much into specs talk. So what is your conclusion with the X5 Vs. Dx90 for very low ohm impedance ba drivers like the shure se846?
I heard already that the X5+se846 is a pairing from heaven...

Well... is raw power the only thing important to you?
 
If that's the case the X5 seems to give you more current, so go with the X5. It will give you quite a bit more mW.
 
I think the DX90 will have the better DAC section and more cleaner sound/more black backgrounds. Like Jamato says. I'm expecting a very layered soundscape with great seperation and clarity. The amp section also has lower harmonic distortion. So it's weaker but might be the better sounding unless you need that power?
 
This is my conclusion based on internet research. I will have both units in hand next week, but I don't own the 846, so... haha, but I can tell you how they are with my 3 headphones I own.
 
For reference 2.1 Vrms is what the AK240 gives you in balanced mode. The DX90 gives you almost 2.2 (rounding up

), and should be "fine" for most applications other than really heavy loads.

I'm maybe not much into specs but the power you're referring to is not current but Volts. The output power doesn't help me.
I think I'll go with the dx90 for several reasons...
The x5 available in my country costs $591, I didn't like the wheel and the ui was little bit messy or complicated.
I checked the dx50 ui on YouTube and it looks easier.
Why can't there be a DAP that has a UI from the iPod but LH labs interior in an dx90 case


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[IaHawkeye]

Yay I've received the email from ibasso saying that the shipment is received by sf express!
That means I will receive my dx90 on Monday most probably;P

Where are you located? I'm in Iowa and don't expect it until late next week...China is a long long ways away!

 

[tin427]

Where are you located? I'm in Iowa and don't expect it until late next week...China is a long long ways away!

I'm in Hong Kong. So it is really fast from china to here.

 

[headwhacker]

I'm in Hong Kong. So it is really fast from china to here.

It's a shame. Had iBasso shipped it yesterday you should have had it by now and enjoying already.

 
Looks like Monday is the earliest for pigs impressions.

 

[Lilfurbal]

   The guy from that website clearly has no actual experience - as usual he is someone spouting an opinion based on something he himself has read and for some childish reason believes without the adult maturity to investigate for himself - slightly irrelevant but looking at the picture - yeah, I wouldn't burn in a pair of apple buds! 
 Im amazed at how different my DT 880's sounded after 50 hours burn in - i listened before, after 1 hour and other times - the sound signature totally changed
 
Also I really dont trust or understand someone who publically creates and posts on the www to try to prove a 'negative' - just comes from pride, anger & arrogance
He says there is not enough 'evidence' from audiophiles! - why would we waste precious time with 'Doubting Thomas's' when we are perfectly happy and content with our beautifully burned in Headphones and equipment - It takes a certain maturity and the capacity to sit down and quietly listen (concentrate) which many people don't have. as they say - Empty vessels make the most noise  
The main point from the audiophile side almost always simply comes from their experience - 'facts' and science and graphs have no relevance compared to someones actual experience. Even if their experience was somehow wrong - so what, they are still going to carry on enjoying their delusionally better sounding equipment!
To be honest I have no time for the types of minds that seem desperate to cling to facts and graphs whilst avoiding actual experience - such tight babyish small minds.
Science = looking at thing with eyes and naming them - there is slightly more to life than that
Rant over
x 

 
 
My own experiences seem to point to headphone burn in not being real, lol.  I am still using the same headphones I got back in 2009, still going strong, sound the same as I ever recall them sounding which is good.  However that wasn't my test.  My test was that I, fairly recently, picked up a brand new pair of the same headphones.  Stuck them into my DX50 with the same EQ settings, they sound 100% exactly the same.  Exactly.  I was actually surprised by how identical the new sounded right next to the old highly-burned in pair.  Direct a/b comparisons lead me to believe burn in is a mental thing.  To really know for sure you need two pairs of the same headphones.  Burn in one pair, leave the other pair alone.  Do a/b comparisons.  Mine resulted in no change, so I became a believer that burn in is not relevant.  Which is also good, since I feel it should sound optimal out of the box so I can make my decision of whether or not I like the new sound after my brain is done getting use to it.  In the meantime I'll be listening to it directly, not letting it play on its own for a couple days.  
 
I do find that article a pretty good one.  Based on my own experiences, he speaks truth.  I'd prefer to see scientific graphs, if a pair of headphones looks the same on paper before and after burn in then nothing should have changed.  Only pure data can reveal the truth, what anyone thinks they hear is not a proper test, mind has been proven to play tricks on us.  I don't trust my own brain anymore than I would someone else's.  
 
I still don't even know if I can hear differences between 16/44.1 or 24/192 khz.  I like to think I do, that I identify new details and clarity or something that I haven't noticed before.  Then I return to the cd counterpart and hear the new found details the same way, which proved my mind was just looking for something different.  It hasn't found anything concrete.  Right now as would seem I like listening to HD tracks only purely because the numbers and bitrates are higher, so it's better.    Generally consumes too much space though.  In this situation the data on paper actually shows that the HD tracks are better.  Of course they are.  I like to pretend I'm taking advantage of the better quality on the few albums I have that are HD, even if I can't figure out how they're better with my ears.  

 

[tin427]

  It's a shame. Had iBasso shipped it yesterday you should have had it by now and enjoying already.

 
Looks like Monday is the earliest for pigs impressions.

Better than just waiting for the confirmation of shipping
Now I can check via the sf express page instead of my email~!

 

[whereas]

Burn-in = not real. But this thing should definitely sound leaps and bounds better than an iPod Classic. Just about anything sounds better than an iPod Classic.

 

[RainHeaven]

I'm using an iPod Classic with Rockbox so hearing that makes me quite excited.

 

[BaTou069]

Did the ibasso dx50 have any revisions?

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