IBasso DC-Elite . . . The no compromise DAC/AMP with a true Stepped Attenuator

[RIGATIO]

Yes, I notice differences. The DC Elite sounds much better from my Galaxy S6 tablet than my S24 Ultra to my ears. It sounds bigger from my S6 tablet, as in sounds more separated and wider/deeper stage.

I connected it to my girlfriend's iPhone 11 and it sounded more crisp from her iPhone in comparison to my S24 Ultra.

I want to buy the HiBy (£170) M300 DAP and connect the DC Elite to that to see something. And compare the sound coming from the M300 in comparison to the sound connected to my Astell and Kern SP1000.

Technically the DC Elite should take over and do all the 'work' or something like that, right? But it has confused me how it sounds different.

I also want to buy the D16 Taipan, as that is supposedly far superior to DC Elite. The Elite is already amazing, how much better can it get from here? We shall see...

I've tested the Elite with the M300 and sp1000. It sounded bright and analytical from the M300, slightly better from the sp1000 but way better from Samsung s20 or PC. More warmth, smoother trebles, wider and more layered stage.
I don't like using sp1000 as a digital source because it sounds bright and very analytical. It's headphone outs are waaay superior sounding and I think that's how the sp1000 is supposed to be used.

 

[Yefry]

I have always been a fan of ibasso, everything and that my current DAP is N7, I am returning to the fold with my recent purchase of the DX180 since I am looking for something more compact with good battery life and that does not have a charging time of endless 4 hours, but that's not the point here.

Dc-elite never caught my attention but I am asking myself the question that perhaps it would have been a better option to go for dc-elite for greater sound performance but I admit that it is not a very useful solution for me. Connecting different devices with cables does not attract me too much and becomes less encouraging with the fact that the optimal performance of the device is achieved by powering it independently through a power bank.

So my question is the following, according to the reports in the thread, Dc-elite consumes a fairly high amount of current and if it is not powered correctly the device can sound thin and out of its full potential, then, DAPs like N7 and DX180 with USB 3.1 should be able to supply all the necessary current to Dc-elite, even @twister6 and others mention that Dc-elite sounds better with Dx180 than with other sources like Samsung phones, what I want to go for is:

Can I get the maximum sound quality from dc-eliten by connecting it directly to the mentioned DAPs? If so, does anyone know how many approximate hours of operation I can get with those DAPs?

Dx180 has a smaller battery but N7 has a gigantic 9000mha battery and its circuit already consumes a lot of power so I understand that there should be no problem in ignoring the amplification stage of the DAP and feeding dc-elite, sorry for so long post but the fact of having to use a power bank for dc-elite may make me stay away from it completely, on the other hand I would love to be able to try it

Thanks!!

 

[RIGATIO]

I have always been a fan of ibasso, everything and that my current DAP is N7, I am returning to the fold with my recent purchase of the DX180 since I am looking for something more compact with good battery life and that does not have a charging time of endless 4 hours, but that's not the point here.

Dc-elite never caught my attention but I am asking myself the question that perhaps it would have been a better option to go for dc-elite for greater sound performance but I admit that it is not a very useful solution for me. Connecting different devices with cables does not attract me too much and becomes less encouraging with the fact that the optimal performance of the device is achieved by powering it independently through a power bank.

So my question is the following, according to the reports in the thread, Dc-elite consumes a fairly high amount of current and if it is not powered correctly the device can sound thin and out of its full potential, then, DAPs like N7 and DX180 with USB 3.1 should be able to supply all the necessary current to Dc-elite, even @twister6 and others mention that Dc-elite sounds better with Dx180 than with other sources like Samsung phones, what I want to go for is:

Can I get the maximum sound quality from dc-eliten by connecting it directly to the mentioned DAPs? If so, does anyone know how many approximate hours of operation I can get with those DAPs?

Dx180 has a smaller battery but N7 has a gigantic 9000mha battery and its circuit already consumes a lot of power so I understand that there should be no problem in ignoring the amplification stage of the DAP and feeding dc-elite, sorry for so long post but the fact of having to use a power bank for dc-elite may make me stay away from it completely, on the other hand I would love to be able to try it

Thanks!!

If you have a good dap like the N7 i would keep it. The Elite has an amazing sound quality but all these cables and the fact that the Elite is very fussy about the sources made me sell it and stick with my dap. It was just too inconvenient to use. Its a dongle but it made the entire setup less portable than my heavy dap - ak sp1000.
If IBasso makes a dap that sounds like the Elite, i will buy it next day. Second scenario which is much less possible is to make a small and light dongle with such sound but this is unlikely to happen.

 

[Beh0lder]

I've tested the ifi Defender with the Elite - works like a charm meaning it draws power mainly from the port on the side of the defender (checked with a Chargerlab power-z thingy). In case someone has it in the drawer and/or wants to skip the quite short and USB A port only iBasso cable. Sadly the male port on the defender is quite short so phone/dap cases might be an issue, and it does not fit the female port of the Elite since the volume knob gets in the way. Haven't checked the SQ changes yet.

 

[musicplayer123]

If you have a good dap like the N7 i would keep it. The Elite has an amazing sound quality but all these cables and the fact that the Elite is very fussy about the sources made me sell it and stick with my dap. It was just too inconvenient to use. Its a dongle but it made the entire setup less portable than my heavy dap - ak sp1000.
If IBasso makes a dap that sounds like the Elite, i will buy it next day. Second scenario which is much less possible is to make a small and light dongle with such sound but this is unlikely to happen.

I suspect the DX320 Max ibasso DAP should easily be better than any Elite Combo, but price point is high,circa £2,999, although competitive with AK high end SP3000, watch this space though, as I believe ibasso will release a new DAP this fall….the Elite gives you the flexibility to use your phone, and get high quality sound, having both a DAC and a DAP is quite a nice collection…

 

[Yefry]

If you have a good dap like the N7 i would keep it. The Elite has an amazing sound quality but all these cables and the fact that the Elite is very fussy about the sources made me sell it and stick with my dap. It was just too inconvenient to use. Its a dongle but it made the entire setup less portable than my heavy dap - ak sp1000.
If IBasso makes a dap that sounds like the Elite, i will buy it next day. Second scenario which is much less possible is to make a small and light dongle with such sound but this is unlikely to happen.

I think I will follow your advice and keep N7 as the main player and DX180 as secondary, in fact people will be very satisfied with DX180 so possibly the SQ is not that far away, thanks!

 

[RIGATIO]

I think I will follow your advice and keep N7 as the main player and DX180 as secondary, in fact people will be very satisfied with DX180 so possibly the SQ is not that far away, thanks!

If you only had something like dx180 then the Elite would be a more significant upgrade. But if you already have something on the level of Elite or even slightly better than it doesnt make much sense, unless you sell the N7, buy Elite and save good money.

 

[Nulliverse]

I have always been a fan of ibasso, everything and that my current DAP is N7, I am returning to the fold with my recent purchase of the DX180 since I am looking for something more compact with good battery life and that does not have a charging time of endless 4 hours, but that's not the point here.

Dc-elite never caught my attention but I am asking myself the question that perhaps it would have been a better option to go for dc-elite for greater sound performance but I admit that it is not a very useful solution for me. Connecting different devices with cables does not attract me too much and becomes less encouraging with the fact that the optimal performance of the device is achieved by powering it independently through a power bank.

So my question is the following, according to the reports in the thread, Dc-elite consumes a fairly high amount of current and if it is not powered correctly the device can sound thin and out of its full potential, then, DAPs like N7 and DX180 with USB 3.1 should be able to supply all the necessary current to Dc-elite, even @twister6 and others mention that Dc-elite sounds better with Dx180 than with other sources like Samsung phones, what I want to go for is:

Can I get the maximum sound quality from dc-eliten by connecting it directly to the mentioned DAPs? If so, does anyone know how many approximate hours of operation I can get with those DAPs?

Dx180 has a smaller battery but N7 has a gigantic 9000mha battery and its circuit already consumes a lot of power so I understand that there should be no problem in ignoring the amplification stage of the DAP and feeding dc-elite, sorry for so long post but the fact of having to use a power bank for dc-elite may make me stay away from it completely, on the other hand I would love to be able to try it

Thanks!!

To answer one of your questions...

Using the DC-Elite with just my iPhone 13 Pro (no power bank) does not sound thin. It sounds incredible. Really good. Massive sound with my Monarch Mk3, Meteor, Falcon Ultra and all of my IEMs. My only IEM that requires a power bank with the DC-Elite is the Final E5000. This IEM is infamously power hungry, though. Note that this is a problem with the iPhone power output, not the DC-Elite itself. As far as I'm aware, Android phones do not have this problem.

The above said, the DC-Elite sounds different with my MacBook Pro. Has a bigger soundstage with a warmer and more effortless presentation.

Others may have different views and opinions but this is my experience so far. I hope the helps.

 

[musicplayer123]

I have seen that FIIO have the M23 which can operate as a standalone portable DAP or be used as a DAC - but has had some bad reviews regarding the music cutting out - from my research this is the first of its kind…..it offers flexibility but only if its reliable!

 

[RIGATIO]

To answer one of your questions...

Using the DC-Elite with just my iPhone 13 Pro (no power bank) does not sound thin. It sounds incredible. Really good. Massive sound with my Monarch Mk3, Meteor, Falcon Ultra and all of my IEMs. My only IEM that requires a power bank with the DC-Elite is the Final E5000. This IEM is infamously power hungry, though. Note that this is a problem with the iPhone power output, not the DC-Elite itself. As far as I'm aware, Android phones do not have this problem.

The above said, the DC-Elite sounds different with my MacBook Pro. Has a bigger soundstage with a warmer and more effortless presentation.

Others may have different views and opinions but this is my experience so far. I hope the helps.

Yeah you just confirmed what was discussed in this thread already- the Elite needs a lot of power to sound like it should. It should sound like from your MacBook with every source. But the problem is- it doesnt. It doesnt even sound like it with many Android sources.

 

[Nostoi]

No complaints with Elite on Sony Xperia 10VI. Can't tell any discernible difference my laptop nor with using a powerbank. Solid battery life, great performance all around.

About the N7, I review it a while back. To my ears, Mojo 2 was superior and I would expect the Elite to match if not outperform the N7.

 

[jamato8]

No complaints with Elite on Sony Xperia 10VI. Can't tell any discernible difference my laptop nor with using a powerbank. Solid battery life, great performance all around.

About the N7, I review it a while back. To my ears, Mojo 2 was superior and I would expect the Elite to match if not outperform the N7.

I find the Elite to have more life than the Mojo 2. I enjoy the Mojo, but getting last bit of detail, acoustical space I give to the Elite.

 

[Nostoi]

I find the Elite to have more life than the Mojo 2. I enjoy the Mojo, but getting last bit of detail, acoustical space I give to the Elite.

Yup, don't think you can go wrong with either. I had the Mojo 2 twice, and it's a great unit. But in terms of dynamics and sheer musical engagement, the Elite certainly has the upper hand.

 

[Nulliverse]

Yeah you just confirmed what was discussed in this thread already- the Elite needs a lot of power to sound like it should. It should sound like from your MacBook with every source. But the problem is- it doesnt. It doesnt even sound like it with many Android sources.

Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, as that is
Incorrect.

I said that the DC-Elite does “not” sound thin from my iPhone 13 Pro. I said that it sounds excellent. I did not say that it sounds better from my MacBook, I said that it sounds “different”, and I didn’t speak of a problem.

Indeed, there are many times where I do not want a warmer / more effortless signature, particularly with my warmer IEMs. In these cases I prefer to use the DC-Elite with just my iPhone.

Hope this helps

 

[RIGATIO]

Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, as that is
Incorrect.

I said that the DC-Elite does “not” sound thin from my iPhone 13 Pro. I said that it sounds excellent. I did not say that it sounds better from my MacBook, I said that it sounds “different”, and I didn’t speak of a problem.

Indeed, there are many times where I do not want a warmer / more effortless signature, particularly with my warmer IEMs. In these cases I prefer to use the DC-Elite with just my iPhone.

Hope this helps

It wasn't criticism or malice on my part. For me you confirmed my impressions. And this lighter, analytical and less effortless sound is unfortunately the result of lack of proper power supply. IMHO it's a worse sound and the Elite shouldn't sound like this. But if you perceive it as another sound signature and you use it to your advantage, then all good.