[jamato8]

I have been using the ZX2 a lot lately and really enjoying it. Some of the best sound out there. . . now I find myself listening to the DX90 and thinking I am listening to the ZX2. Oh, the sound is different but no less engaging on the DX90! Wow. 

 

[m3doel4]

  Almost any change, even an empty unused file, may (or may not) affect the sound signature. There is no a recipe like "do as such to have this sound change". That's the problem!

yeah, that is what im thinking about, about this DAP thingy..
 
maybe the basic setup, the soundcard and bla bla bla matter.., but how the digital thing effect the end sound is what makes DAP being loved and hated..
 
and i think the price of this gen DAP, is differentiate by user interface or build material..
 
correct me if im wrong!
thanks!

 

[M-13]

  Does she strip though?

She's never wearing anything

 

[HiFiChris]

 
Does she strip though?

She's never wearing anything

 

[brainosas]

Hi guys,
 
I'm very new to this world, as basically it was always phone (now Iphone 6 Plus) that I used to listen to the music. Today I got Ibasso DX90 - haven't listened to this DAP before, as our local store doesn't have it in place. But I used to listen X3/X5 several times - they really impressed me, especially X5 and its clarity and soundstage... Now that I've got DX90, I'm .... .... ..... shocked... how bad it sounds... And I've been waiting for it so impatiently. Now I'm try one song after another - it sounds not better than my Iphone 6 plus, sometimes maybe even worse. And that with 2.2.0 firmware installed. I remember the first impression of X3 - very, very good sound compared to the iphone. Then X5 which was even better... Now this. I know I have to burn in DX90, but can I hope it eventually start sounding better? For now, I'm just shocked...

 

[walkman666]

  Hi guys,
 
I'm very new to this world, as basically it was always phone (now Iphone 6 Plus) that I used to listen to the music. Today I got Ibasso DX90 - haven't listened to this DAP before, as our local store doesn't have it in place. But I used to listen X3/X5 several times - they really impressed me, especially X5 and its clarity and soundstage... Now that I've got DX90, I'm .... .... ..... shocked... how bad it sounds... And I've been waiting for it so impatiently. Now I'm try one song after another - it sounds not better than my Iphone 6 plus, sometimes maybe even worse. And that with 2.2.0 firmware installed. I remember the first impression of X3 - very, very good sound compared to the iphone. Then X5 which was even better... Now this. I know I have to burn in DX90, but can I hope it eventually start sounding better? For now, I'm just shocked...

 
Wow, I think most of us would be shocked...at your impressions.  If that is what you hear then, that is the most important thing. I think the obvious first question is how your music is encoded.  DAPs like this are going to make a difference if you have lossless or better uncompressed high resolution files.  I find the greatest sonic improvements when I listed to the two dozen or two high rez albums I downloaded from HD Tracks.  Those files sound better than my iPod 7g plus a very good headphone amp (Pico Slim).  I then find some slight improvement on my lossless non high rez files.  On standard iTunes 256 kbps files, I do not see a discernible difference.  I do not in any instance find that the sound quality has declined over my iPod + Amp combo, let alone a phone.  That comparison you are making is really quite curious.

 

[jk47]

  Thanks iBasso for continuous improvement and participation in this thread. Great customer service and interaction.
Thanks Lurker for your work and your review of the latest software.  Looks like you have informed iBasso's software development.  Very cool.

+1.  thanks for all your work, lurker0.  you made  difference every step of the way.

 

[brainosas]

   
Wow, I think most of us would be shocked...at your impressions.  If that is what you hear then, that is the most important thing. I think the obvious first question is how your music is encoded.  DAPs like this are going to make a difference if you have lossless or better uncompressed high resolution files.  I find the greatest sonic improvements when I listed to the two dozen or two high rez albums I downloaded from HD Tracks.  Those files sound better than my iPod 7g plus a very good headphone amp (Pico Slim).  I then find some slight improvement on my lossless non high rez files.  On standard iTunes 256 kbps files, I do not see a discernible difference.  I do not in any instance find that the sound quality has declined over my iPod + Amp combo, let alone a phone.  That comparison you are making is really quite curious.

I'm using mostly flacs and some dsf files. I forgot to add, I'm using the only headphones I have - Beyerdynamic DT-770 250 ohms. I was at least expecting soundstage wider than X5, but nothing like this. I want to like this player, but for now it's just one thought - "Mistake.Mistake.Mistake". My fault I bought it without trying first, but I've read so many great reviews. And now even iphone outperforms it - at least to my ears. I know it can't be such bad performer, but maybe those headphones don't suite DX90?

 

[walkman666]

  I'm using mostly flacs and some dsf files. I forgot to add, I'm using the only headphones I have - Beyerdynamic DT-770 250 ohms. I was at least expecting soundstage wider than X5, but nothing like this. I want to like this player, but for now it's just one thought - "Mistake.Mistake.Mistake". My fault I bought it without trying first, but I've read so many great reviews. And now even iphone outperforms it - at least to my ears. I know it can't be such bad performer, but maybe those headphones don't suite DX90?

 
Okay, a few quick thoughts:  Based on all you have read here, it is not a "bad performer."  However, it could be you have a bad unit, but I doubt it. I guess it is not your cup of tea.  I will let others chime in on the synergy between your cans and your DAP (all things being =, the DX90 should easily beat your iPhone across most headphones).  Ultimately, if you do not like it, and you know you like something else, I would get the something else and return this item.  Sometimes, it is a matter of taste (like fine wine, good food, etc.)...!

 

[Caruryn]

Probably not his cup of tea.Sometimes we buy things based on others impressions and have some preconceived notion in our brain that a dap would sound that way and when it doesn't we feel let down.Burn in aside,things like clarity,detail,separation should be instantly apparent when coming from a phone.Gear plays an important role of course as we have discussed some pages back.Some iems/headfones  sound better on x5 others on dx90.

 

[jamato8]

  I'm using mostly flacs and some dsf files. I forgot to add, I'm using the only headphones I have - Beyerdynamic DT-770 250 ohms. I was at least expecting soundstage wider than X5, but nothing like this. I want to like this player, but for now it's just one thought - "Mistake.Mistake.Mistake". My fault I bought it without trying first, but I've read so many great reviews. And now even iphone outperforms it - at least to my ears. I know it can't be such bad performer, but maybe those headphones don't suite DX90?

Out of the box, if new, it is ok but really opens up, IMO, after a number of hours burn in. It needs this time for the caps to form and everything to settle. Normally at least 100 hours for it to start reaching the possibilities of what you will hear. I have compared it to some of the very best out there and I own a number of them, and it holds up extremely well. Time is what you need to give it. Not burn in for your head but for it. Then compare. 
 
I imagine you are using the headphone out. Yesterday I was trying my Sony Z5 IEM's. Gah they sounded terrible, I thought something had malfunctioned, a driver died, I don't know what. Anyway I left them running all night. Today, open, spacious and enjoyable. Maybe it was them, maybe me, I don't know for sure. :^)

 

[mrmoto050]

  Hi guys,
 
I'm very new to this world, as basically it was always phone (now Iphone 6 Plus) that I used to listen to the music. Today I got Ibasso DX90 - haven't listened to this DAP before, as our local store doesn't have it in place. But I used to listen X3/X5 several times - they really impressed me, especially X5 and its clarity and soundstage... Now that I've got DX90, I'm .... .... ..... shocked... how bad it sounds... And I've been waiting for it so impatiently. Now I'm try one song after another - it sounds not better than my Iphone 6 plus, sometimes maybe even worse. And that with 2.2.0 firmware installed. I remember the first impression of X3 - very, very good sound compared to the iphone. Then X5 which was even better... Now this. I know I have to burn in DX90, but can I hope it eventually start sounding better? For now, I'm just shocked...

@brainosas What gain setting do you have the DX90 on?

 

[brainosas]

  @brainosas What gain setting do you have the DX90 on?

I have tried mostly middle and high, but settled down on middle setting. I'm not complaining player can't drive 250 ohm phones, it actually does it easily. 

 

[Vizir]

Use HI GAIN only!

 

[napka]

When new iBasso flagship player is released, I think they should send one to Lurker0 for free for more impressive research findings