[fonsocm]

  I totally agree with you on this matter.
 
On almost all files I've heard from HD tracks, my ears just can't hear an improvement over the 16bit ''normal'' cd ones. The earlier mentioned Pearl Jam's Ten Redux version is an exception on that untill now.
 
The 24bit Pono files I have are on another (higher) level though, with those (Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers & Neil Young) I can clearly hear an improvement over the 16bit cd ones.
I'm not here to promote Pono as a brand or something and of course this files can also be played on a X5, DX90 (to stay on-topic) or other dap. Don't know how they pulled it off, must be in the (re)mastering itself I guess...

 
Does Pono Music sell Europe? I think they are a US service only.

 

[chawya22]

 
Thanks Paul for monitoring the DX90 threads. I think I fixed my problem by deleting file:///Volumes/DX90microSD/.audio_data/ (DX90microSD is the name I gave my microSD Card) and file:///Volumes/DX90/.album_img/ while the DX90 was connected to my MBP. I think this was a tip from you somewhere in one of the threads. I used a utility to display hidden files. Once they were deleted, I did a complete rescan of the directories and now gapless is so far working as expected. The only existing problem is the player still misses the first gapless play when first turned on but as stated before, this also existed in FW 2.15. I can't comment on any sound changes because I've only owned it for a few weeks but I've always thought the SQ punched way above it's weight class. 

Update: I reverted back to FW 2.15 just to check and gapless is definitely not being handled correctly in FW 2.18. The conundrum is, there's a significant improvement in sound with FW 2.18. The superlatives about the new sound signature, other users have made, is easy to hear once you do the comparison.

 

[CutzNClickz]

I don't do it (anymore) but wanted to put an emphasis on that the provided vinyl rips on the Internet are illegal material because as private person you are only allowed to make a copy of a CD, LP or digital file if you own the original medium. This copy must not be shared.
I don't know if there are some sites that offer legal vinyl rips after all (that would be the case if they had bought the rights from the company that published the album, e.G. Universal Music or Sony BMG).
There are lawyers that have specified in admonishing people who commited a copyright trespass and have got only one or two big clients in the film or music industry.

Not everyone my be aware of this so I jist wanted to clarify it to inform people who think it might be legal.

I don't know where you are from, but in Germany you could copy / rip anything IF :

> ANALOGUE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Material is DIGITAL > Output is ANALOGUE = Legal
Source Material is ANALOGUE > Output is ANALOGUE = Legal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There were many judgements and they come all to the fact, that if the Output is analogue
( ripped from an analogue stream, too ) there is a strong degrade of the Source Quality and
so it's no 1:1 copy. 1:1 Copy's and the Copy Tools ( Programms ) are forbidden,
so you are nailed to always rip down to a downgrading quality. ( all available legal Tools you
could buy digitize the analog outs ! )

> DIGITAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Material is DIGITAL > Output is DIGITAL = ONLY Legal...
Source Material is ANALOGUE > Output is DIGITAL = ONLY Legal...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... if Source is NOT Copyprotected OR Copyrighted !

BUT up to 7 (!) Digital Copies of this kind are legal for private use ONLY and sharing intern
with your family ONLY. ( judgements )

So if you download a Vinyl Rip ( Source Analogue > Output Digital ) it is legal if no copyright
is broken ( Copyprotections in the Analog Domain are rare esp. on vinyl . It is always wise
to check some information about the Rips, OFTEN they are no more copyrighted, because
they are very old ( many classical recordings older than 30 years are free for everyone if the
labels did't renewed their copyrights for the next years...)

You could find many pearls if you search deep enough. Some Producers i know, do a special
search for kid's analogue audio tapes ( kid's audio drama ), they digitize them & doing little or
less ramaster work and sell them legal as digitally remastered under a new label, because the
licenses were not renewed. They do a real hunt for the time a copyright ends. It makes them
really happy that the studio equipment is so much better these days and analogue rips could
transport the analogue magic, too. Click's and crackle's are cool, not sterile...

@iBasso Paul ( the quiet listener )

i personally wish for my DX90 that the HOLE song title is slow scrolling at the homescreen, the finger swipe is ok, but my very long Track Names are always cut off . Another thing is to turn of these unnessesary Services and Video codecs like Lurker0 did, hand on your heart: it makes sence to do it ( there is no wifi !! etc... ) and seeing this from original iBasso would satisfy me.
Thankx

 

[Lurker0]

I've updated the page in my signature with firmwares based on 2.1.8.
 
And, I see, somebody has already downloaded it while I'm writing For me, the bugs found are not critical, I like the result and don't want to downgrade.

 

[pOOB73]

Great, thanks again. Leeching already.

 

[CutzNClickz]

I've updated the page in my signature with firmwares based on 2.1.8.

And, I see, somebody has already downloaded it while I'm writing For me, the bugs found are not critical, I like the result and don't want to downgrade.

Thank You, too Lurker0 !!

 

[proedros]

  I've updated the page in my signature with firmwares based on 2.1.8.
 
And, I see, somebody has already downloaded it while I'm writing For me, the bugs found are not critical, I like the result and don't want to downgrade.

 
will check it out , thanx
 
so does gapless at 2.1.8 work not perfect ? this is my only problem with trying it out
 
also , do you find the 2.1.8 to be better than the 2.1.5 L2 sound-wise ?

 

[uli87]

Getting the 2.1.8 L0.. go go go!
 
Will check out gapless and report...
 
Update : The gapless is identical to 2.1.5L0 for me (When the music gets very quiet I still get a tiny audible glitch between tracks) Sound wise... I can't say I hear a significant difference. 

 

[nc8000]

As far as I can detect gapless works exactly the same on 2.1.8 as it did on previous versions, that is it does not work between the first 2 tracks played after power on but after that it works fine. This with flac files. Scan time seems the same on my files with embedded album art but it now properly handles the tags in a few problem files that it didn't handle before. Sound seems punchier and more dynamic. Will get the lurker version for the better font.

 

[CutzNClickz]

DX90 firmware - 2.1.8

- wider sound stage / better separation of instruments
- bass - more present. taken a more domineering role
- highs & mids - along with the bass these seem a lot more live

... had a touch too much 'excitement' added to it.

Hi Jon Parker,

your findings seem the same for me.

You talked about an "excitement" the DX90 sound signature got little to much.
You mean an excitement like squaching the transients of a snare sound ?
For me the 2.1.8 FW sounds like there is some compression. At higher sound levels i could hear some filter noise. And trust me the production i played back has no compression at all.
So that some volume levels are lifted up ( more/harder Bass / mids + highs more live ) for me it sounds like little but subtile compression, because background noise is lifted, too.
The smoothness of the last Firmwares has definetly gone with v2.18. It sounds MORE modern like the Sony ZX2, but it is not bad at all. The separation & clearness is at it's best.

 

[jon parker]

 

DX90 firmware - 2.1.8

- wider sound stage / better separation of instruments
- bass - more present. taken a more domineering role
- highs & mids - along with the bass these seem a lot more live

... had a touch too much 'excitement' added to it.

Hi Jon Parker,

your findings seem the same for me.

You talked about an "excitement" the DX90 sound signature got little to much.
You mean an excitement like squaching the transients of a snare sound ?
For me the 2.1.8 FW sounds like there is some compression. At higher sound levels i could hear some filter noise. And trust me the production i played back has no compression at all.
So that some volume levels are lifted up ( more/harder Bass / mids + highs more live ) for me it sounds like little but subtile compression, because background noise is lifted, too.
The smoothness of the last Firmwares has definetly gone with v2.18. It sounds MORE modern like the Sony ZX2, but it is not bad at all. The separation & clearness is at it's best.

 
Yes, exactly. Ive mastered a fair amount of music in my time  and if I didn't know better i would say someone has been adding some effects to the sound to make it more appealing to the masses!

 

[proedros]

so 2.1.8 isn't as 'natural' as 2.1.5 ?

 

[jon parker]

  so 2.1.8 isn't as 'natural' as 2.1.5 ?

 
That would be my opinion.
To use an analogy - 2.1.8 sounds a lot more like a concert 'experience' in terms of the audio whereas 2.1.5 sounds more like a studio recording 'experience'
Both have their merits and drawbacks
I have found though that different headphones gave a marked difference so as always it depends on equipment etc etc

 

[ch1n4]

any comments on the sound of the new lurker firmware compared to the original 2.1.8?

 

[Arturoo123]

I have found a bug in the “order” play mode in Artist/Album, when you play a song different from the first one (2,3,4…) from an album that is a single flac file with his proper cue file, after finish playing that song, the DX90 will start playing the first song from the album.
 
For example if I power on my DX90, pick an album that is a single Flac file (with his cue file) and play the third song when it finishes playing the DX90 will play the first song and the information on the display will stuck with the third song. I have the play mode set to “order”.