[EH-Yeon]

hi , if you just use it occasioanally (set as paperweight) why don' t you sell it ? You can get a good price , if it is like new .

it went through some battle.

 

[ph58]

have just buy the P5 Falcon to pair with the DX100 , i think that the  DX100 desktop Sabre dac will be outstanding ! with the P5 

 

[icefalkon]

IMO DX100 is better...but not by much.  The actual differences in sound matter more if you have headphones that "appreciate" the greater power the DX100 has to offer. 

That aside, I find the DX90 to be warmer with less soundstage and slightly more bass.  The DX100 seems to retrieve micro details better and the bass is a little tighter.  They are so close, I could live with either...and when I feel ultra critical I'm sending the coax output of either to an off board DAC (which of course they perform equally as a transport). 

+1

 

[ph58]

1. [img]http://cdn.head-fi.org/8/81/100x100px-LS-81cc36ee_avatar-120-5.jpg[/img]

1. robin1990
2. 
3.  
4. offline

1. 54 Posts. Joined 10/2012
2. Location: Penang, Malaysia

I have no chance to own/listen to AK240, C4 and HM901, but I think AK240 should out of this league for the price-value comparison.
I've listen to AK100, AK120, owned DX100 and currently happily stay with DX90.
 
I personally favour (based only on SQ, no other element) 
DX100 > DX90 > AK120
 
Based on other element like UI/ Output provided/ Size and Weight/ Outlook
AK120 > DX90 > DX100
 
Note: 
AMP section is not put into consideration as I cannot get a full size can to test with. I'm more like a portable user. 
 
DX100 is using ES9018 which is very neutral to me, they have widest soundstage, best bass punch, fastest decay, but they are more of a reference DAP IMHO. You can listen to every genre, it brings out almost all kind of headphones.
 
AK120 in comparison does not sounds neutral, some instrument sounds very different from DX100 and DX90, but definitely you would still enjoy it. The player easily make you feel shouty at volume above 60. Maybe it is just me.
 
DX90 sound more like DX100, but they are using the same line of DAC, (ES9018 vs 2 x ES9018K2M), in compare with AK120 which is using Wolfson, they sound totally different. I cannot tell DX90 have a pitch black background like DX100 and AK120, I cannot tell it doesn't have either. DX90 is more like picking up every single element in the recording, including the ambience. That's why sometimes you will listen to the air flowing in the recording studio, giving an impression of airy space.
 
Other element like UI/ Output provided/ Size and Weight/ Outlook
DX100 is not as portable as the other two. AK120 is the smallest, has a nicest UI, most responsive of all, lesser bug in the firmware, longer battery life, nicer look, better build quality, provide dual micro sdcard slot, plays DSD (now or future), usable USB DAC feature, easy and nice to use in conclusion.
 
DX90 does not lose much on this aspect, it is small, convenient to bring everywhere, able to give you a long listening hour by letting you replace the battery (Samsung S3 battery), provide 1 micro sdcard slot, not too bad on the look, not fully usable USB DAC (reply from iBasso says that 32-bit driver will be released next week), and a little more buggy UI than AK120. In conclusion more than worth for the 1/3 price tag from AK120 and 1/2 price tag from DX100.
 
Listening Session
Hotel California - The Eagles 24bit/192khz
DX100 - Wide soundstage as you were in their live show. Good instrument separation makes you even more a live show feeling. The guitars in the beginning sounds very dynamic, even make obvious difference on how hard they struck their guitar. When the eagles come in, focus quickly shift to the vocal. The bass doesn't sound boomy at all, fast decay make the clear clarity clearer. The backing singer were not only left behind, they made a very nice harmony chords I've never heard before. Only sometimes I would feel the dap sound too neutral that it miss out some fun it could make on dynamics and all.
 
DX90 - In compare, DX90 sound quite different from DX100 despite of it using two mobile version of ES9018, each for left and right. The soundstage is not to say less, but it make you feel that you're in a different environment. Let say a smaller room. Instrument separation is still good, for the good source I can increase the volume over 200 - 220, it doesnt sound shouty at all but instead you're standing nearer to the singer in the live, but doing so might hurt our ear canal. 
 
AK120 - It sounds most different from DX100 or DX90. The bass and guitar in the beginning of the track sounds as they are using another instrument. Different texture, different dynamic. The bass is a little bit stronger, and stays longer, but guitar decay as fast as the other two dap. Soundstage is near to DX90, and it picking up the ambience quite good. The joy of the audience, the clapping, the shout is so fun as you're together with them. The only drawback is I do not favour how they sound. lol
 
In conclusion -
If you need a best price-value portable dap to bring around, travel around, you should go to DX90. If you're picky about the sound quality and how the instrument should sound, go for DX100. If you want a fun dap and have extra budget you can go for AK120.              + 10

 

[ph58]

To my ears the DX100 is far superior to the DX90 , i use to have the DX90 pairing with a Portaphile Micro , even in this case it is behind the DX100 , the only dap that is on par with the DX100 but with different taste is the the HM901 + Fenli card or balanced card with TRRS headphones ( i use to have too ) , but , at the end i prefer the DX100 for its outstanding sound quality . To me the DX90 is far behind ! . Thanks .

 

[icefalkon]

I feel the same way...my DX100 is far superior to the DX90. Back when I had the DX50 combined with the Tralucent T1, THAT was as close to the DX100 as possible. Even my RWAK100 isn't superior to the DX100....it's close, but the 100 still wins after all this time.
 
If ONLY they came up with a better UI for it and fixed the glitches it would still be outselling the other comparable DAP's out there today I feel.
 
But no...they discontinued it instead of addressing the issues with the UI.
 
Steve from NYC

 

[ph58]

  I feel the same way...my DX100 is far superior to the DX90. Back when I had the DX50 combined with the Tralucent T1, THAT was as close to the DX100 as possible. Even my RWAK100 isn't superior to the DX100....it's close, but the 100 still wins after all this time.
 
If ONLY they came up with a better UI for it and fixed the glitches it would still be outselling the other comparable DAP's out there today I feel.
 
But no...they discontinued it instead of addressing the issues with the UI.
 
Steve from NYC

I know , but i can live with the buggy UI of the DX100 , for me  the most important are the sound qualities , the DX100 have something that the others dap don't , that sounstage , that 3d , allow you to immerse completly  to the music , even the HM901 with balanced card and trrs headphone don't do better , for a single ended dap the DX100 is INCREDIBLE !  It is discontinued but Ibasso continue for 10 years the after sale sevices (  reparation , spare parts ....... ) for a very reasonnable price  . xcuse me for my English ; i'm French  . Thanks

 

[icefalkon]

I agree completely...
 
LOL don't worry your English is fine!
 
Steve from NYC

 

[bmichels]

but....what are they waiting for launching the DX100's successor ???

 

[EH-Yeon]

  but....what are they waiting for launching the DX100's successor ???

next year.

 

[bmichels]

  next year.

 
Where do you get this info ? 
 
anyway, "next year "is ... in 45 days

 

[EH-Yeon]

   
Where do you get this info ? 
 
anyway, "next year "is ... in 45 days

Not sure in this or the dx80 thread. The spokeperson from ibasso posted about the dx100 successor to be out in next year.

 

[cattlethief]

Just joined the DX100 club,got a well looked after player from a fellow headfier,still getting used to it but enjoying the sound very much,pretty amazed that spotify works great,I have a stong wifi signal,will probably use the internal storage for spotify downloads and carry a few cards with me for all my flac files.Is there a Tidal apk that will work Ive tried a few which have failed.I have the new Fiio on loan and the new Pioneer coming soon,so hopefully do a small comparison between all three.

 

[wirefriend]

Tidal requires higher Android version so it is not supported by DX100.
I got Tidal streamed over from my phone to DX100 over WiFi.

 

[cattlethief]

  Tidal requires higher Android version so it is not supported by DX100.
I got Tidal streamed over from my phone to DX100 over WiFi.

Have tried the Bubbleupnp route but its not recognising my DX100 as renderer.