Ibasso 1 bit Discrete portable DAC with Resistors Array D16

[Loftprojection]

It could also be even better sounding than the 1bit implementation in D16. If so, its going to be quite a hit! iBasso seems to have a very good engineering team designing their sound signature with D16/PB5 so we can certainly hope D17 R2R will be even better!

 

[Whitigir]

Isn't the 1bit technically superior though? Would be an odd choice developing r2r if the 1bit does everything better.. unless..?

They both works on different toppologies. Each of them have pros and cons. It depends on what your preferences are

Isn't the 1bit technically superior though? Would be an odd choice developing r2r if the 1bit does everything better.. unless..?

I agree that Ibasso have amazing engineering teams

The D16 is downright the best digital Converter I have witnessed. It capability to reproduce analog timbres and emotions are unreal. I judge it from my own recording of a piano sessions.

Others people preferences may differ. It is just like how you look at a tree in real life, snap a picture and see it being a bit different. Then using a other camera and see the picture being more vivid but a lot more artificial. If you bring these 2 pictures to someone who doesnt have a clue what you saw in real life before taking the pictures, you will see each person preferences will be different as well. This is similar to our hobby. The good thing is that Ibasso keeping up with innovations and new releases.

 

[audionewbi]

It

 

[justsomesonyfan]

They both works on different toppologies. Each of them have pros and cons. It depends on what your preferences are

I agree that Ibasso have amazing engineering teams

The D16 is downright the best digital Converter I have witnessed. It capability to reproduce analog timbres and emotions are unreal. I judge it from my own recording of a piano sessions.

Others people preferences may differ. It is just like how you look at a tree in real life, snap a picture and see it being a bit different. Then using a other camera and see the picture being more vivid but a lot more artificial. If you bring these 2 pictures to someone who doesnt have a clue what you saw in real life before taking the pictures, you will see each person preferences will be different as well. This is similar to our hobby. The good thing is that Ibasso keeping up with innovations and new releases.

I see. Alright, I assume naturally the 1bit will be better for dsd files..
I got into dsd lately, do you think the 1bit dac is the best for those too? Or would akm with their design be better (strictly for dsd)

 

[REXNFX]

I prefer 1 bit ADC's and multibit DACs, all current digital is a compromise.

 

[Whitigir]

I see. Alright, I assume naturally the 1bit will be better for dsd files..
I got into dsd lately, do you think the 1bit dac is the best for those too? Or would akm with their design be better (strictly for dsd)

Actually 1 bit is great fot DSD, but the D16 convert all signals into DXD. It isnt capable to directly conduct it like the AKM

I prefer 1 bit ADC's and multibit DACs, all current digital is a compromise.

Pretty much it !

 

[xinaijiajun123]

Yo Yo Yo Yo, this is the first experience from China (my English is not good enough to support me in describing my listening experience, the following is translated by deepl).

Due to the low discussion of the D16 in China (it's strange that the D16 was marketed a year later in mainland China than the rest of the world), I often go on this thread to read people's discussion, and I'm likewise a fan of the D16.

At the show in Guangzhou, Ibasso showed the D17 prototype for the first time, and after auditioning and comparing it to the D16, I came to the conclusion:

D17 is warmer, provides more but not excessive ambience, and will be softer than D16; D16 is more neutral and cohesive, and has an advantage in treble. It is worth mentioning that the soundstage and sound Imaging performance of the two are similar, and it is hard to imagine that this is from two different configurations of 1BIT DAC+transistors/multi-bit DAC+tubes if it is not mentioned at all, which makes me feel that Ibasso was making their own interpretation of the two hardware pairings with a fixed sonic aesthetic as a starting point, and it's clear they did.


Some additions to the D17:
①DAC MODE, there seems to be three modes: NOS, OS and SD, but there is no sound in SD mode (probably because it is still in the engineering stage).
② The D17 is a bit thicker than the D16, and the IO is the same for both.

Some additions to the D16:
The DX340 (with the latest AMP15) was also on display at the show, and the 340, compared to the D16, has a larger longitudinal soundstage, more powerful low frequencies, and a more pronounced sense of separation on some tracks, with a slightly reduced sense of speed to create a more refreshing sense of atmosphere, however, the cohesion of the D16 has always been the soul of the D16, and the 340's sound, especially in the midrange, lacked the distinct and detail-laden shape carving of, say, the D16; the 340 was farther away and more ethereal.

All in all, is it an upgraded or downgraded version of the D16? Not really, in my opinion, it presents the D16's sonic identity in a more “modern” way and adds a lot of pleasing features (wider soundstage, dynamic bass and more power baby!), which is what a flagship player should be in today's demanding HIFI market! But the D16 is the D16, and it's the only one that sounds like it, even if both players are from the same manufacturer and they share the secrets of the dac and fpga.

(Which also makes me wonder if the D16's magic may still be in its amplification section)

 

[Whitigir]

Yo Yo Yo Yo, this is the first experience from China (my English is not good enough to support me in describing my listening experience, the following is translated by deepl).

Due to the low discussion of the D16 in China (it's strange that the D16 was marketed a year later in mainland China than the rest of the world), I often go on this thread to read people's discussion, and I'm likewise a fan of the D16.

At the show in Guangzhou, Ibasso showed the D17 prototype for the first time, and after auditioning and comparing it to the D16, I came to the conclusion:

D17 is warmer, provides more but not excessive ambience, and will be softer than D16; D16 is more neutral and cohesive, and has an advantage in treble. It is worth mentioning that the soundstage and sound Imaging performance of the two are similar, and it is hard to imagine that this is from two different configurations of 1BIT DAC+transistors/multi-bit DAC+tubes if it is not mentioned at all, which makes me feel that Ibasso was making their own interpretation of the two hardware pairings with a fixed sonic aesthetic as a starting point, and it's clear they did.


Some additions to the D17:
①DAC MODE, there seems to be three modes: NOS, OS and SD, but there is no sound in SD mode (probably because it is still in the engineering stage).
② The D17 is a bit thicker than the D16, and the IO is the same for both.

Some additions to the D16:
The DX340 (with the latest AMP15) was also on display at the show, and the 340, compared to the D16, has a larger longitudinal soundstage, more powerful low frequencies, and a more pronounced sense of separation on some tracks, with a slightly reduced sense of speed to create a more refreshing sense of atmosphere, however, the cohesion of the D16 has always been the soul of the D16, and the 340's sound, especially in the midrange, lacked the distinct and detail-laden shape carving of, say, the D16; the 340 was farther away and more ethereal.

All in all, is it an upgraded or downgraded version of the D16? Not really, in my opinion, it presents the D16's sonic identity in a more “modern” way and adds a lot of pleasing features (wider soundstage, dynamic bass and more power baby!), which is what a flagship player should be in today's demanding HIFI market! But the D16 is the D16, and it's the only one that sounds like it, even if both players are from the same manufacturer and they share the secrets of the dac and fpga.

(Which also makes me wonder if the D16's magic may still be in its amplification section)

Amazing write up my friend! It is just what I would suspect

I do now know why people still have not appreciate the D16 yet. The well balances all around especiallt mid range and dynamic punchiness woth it analogues timbres are amazing

The D17 in development stage is very very interesting from your descriptions of impressions. It has great possibilities to improve a lot more

 

[Death_Block]

I think the 340 sounded more like my preference

 

[Whitigir]

I think the 340 sounded more like my preference

It will be an amazing DAP with modulat designs. I am starving to see it technical specs and pictures

 

[Whitigir]

I am very very interested in what Ibasso can do with the current engineers and technologies available, especially desktop or transportable.

The newest Planar transformers are amazingly small and together with GAN technologies. There is a huge possibilities to design and architect an all out dedicated Desktop/Transportable DAC/Amp in an approximate size of DX340Max or so

I have all this in my built gaming PC with 4090. It is pretty amazing

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Actually 1 bit is great fot DSD, but the D16 convert all signals into DXD. It isnt capable to directly conduct it like the AKM

Pretty much it !

I see.. damn, ever since I tried the pcm to dsd on neutron I got hooked beyond words. And I did see that akm is one of the top choices for dsd. Maybe the cayin n7? Since it has inbuilt pcm to dsd.. I wonder how S master does when it comes to dsd, and if it is on the same level as akm, because with neutron, the wm1am2 is absolutely phenomenal when using pcm to dsd.. even better than their own dsd remastering, imo.

Sorry for hijacking the thread

 

[gylyf]

Yo Yo Yo Yo, this is the first experience from China (my English is not good enough to support me in describing my listening experience, the following is translated by deepl).

Due to the low discussion of the D16 in China (it's strange that the D16 was marketed a year later in mainland China than the rest of the world), I often go on this thread to read people's discussion, and I'm likewise a fan of the D16.

At the show in Guangzhou, Ibasso showed the D17 prototype for the first time, and after auditioning and comparing it to the D16, I came to the conclusion:

D17 is warmer, provides more but not excessive ambience, and will be softer than D16; D16 is more neutral and cohesive, and has an advantage in treble. It is worth mentioning that the soundstage and sound Imaging performance of the two are similar, and it is hard to imagine that this is from two different configurations of 1BIT DAC+transistors/multi-bit DAC+tubes if it is not mentioned at all, which makes me feel that Ibasso was making their own interpretation of the two hardware pairings with a fixed sonic aesthetic as a starting point, and it's clear they did.


Some additions to the D17:
①DAC MODE, there seems to be three modes: NOS, OS and SD, but there is no sound in SD mode (probably because it is still in the engineering stage).
② The D17 is a bit thicker than the D16, and the IO is the same for both.

Some additions to the D16:
The DX340 (with the latest AMP15) was also on display at the show, and the 340, compared to the D16, has a larger longitudinal soundstage, more powerful low frequencies, and a more pronounced sense of separation on some tracks, with a slightly reduced sense of speed to create a more refreshing sense of atmosphere, however, the cohesion of the D16 has always been the soul of the D16, and the 340's sound, especially in the midrange, lacked the distinct and detail-laden shape carving of, say, the D16; the 340 was farther away and more ethereal.

All in all, is it an upgraded or downgraded version of the D16? Not really, in my opinion, it presents the D16's sonic identity in a more “modern” way and adds a lot of pleasing features (wider soundstage, dynamic bass and more power baby!), which is what a flagship player should be in today's demanding HIFI market! But the D16 is the D16, and it's the only one that sounds like it, even if both players are from the same manufacturer and they share the secrets of the dac and fpga.

(Which also makes me wonder if the D16's magic may still be in its amplification section)

Thank you for the great write-up! I’ll be very curious to also hear a comparison between the D17 and the D16/PB5 stack - I wonder how much the Nutube amp stage of the D17 is a factor in the differences you noticed between D16 and D17.

 

[Death_Block]

I want a flagship planar headphones. Possibly a higher tier DD also

 

[Loftprojection]

Thank you for the great write-up! I’ll be very curious to also hear a comparison between the D17 and the D16/PB5 stack - I wonder how much the Nutube amp stage of the D17 is a factor in the differences you noticed between D16 and D17.

Yes that is exactly the comparison we need to value the D17 and what it brings to the table.