iBasso DX160 - The listening experience only gets better and better. ******NEW FW 1.09 - link 1st page.******
Oct 22, 2019 at 7:29 PM Post #721 of 6,983
I'm curious if anyone has tried using the new Amazon Music HD service with their DX160. I'd like to know if you can play their ultra HD tracks (24 bit 196khz) without any problems and most importantly, are you able to download the tracks for offline play? There is also the question of whether you can store the high resolution tracks on a micro SD card for offline play, or whether the Amazon Music Application forces you to use the internal device storage for this.

I'm currently using Amazon Music HD with my office setup and I think its going to be (if not already) the best high resolution streaming service on the market. I have retired my Tidal subscription and couldn't be happier. Taking the Amazon service mobile with my DAP is a very big deal for me, so I'm looking for concrete answers before I buy a DX160, Fiio M11, Shanling M6 or a Hiby R5 or R6 Pro. I'm leaning heavily towards the DX160, but I need confirmation on the Amazon Music HD play before I pull the trigger.

I am interested in trying that out too. I have the DX160 on order from Moon Audio. It shall be delivered in 2-3 days according to them. If you have a bit of time I can tell you if Amazon HD works on the DX160.
 
Oct 22, 2019 at 7:34 PM Post #722 of 6,983
Believe me I know Vince! I've been A/Bing all day. That is one song that it's pretty "in your face" better. Don't get me wrong, my Test Music playlist sounds great on both devices, 95% of the tracks sound better on the DX220EX+AMP8EX...but that other 5%....


I do believe you, nothing is perfect. That is why personal preferences is always a “key role” here. Hence the reason why I said the dx160 sound too good for it price tag. The Line-Out performances is too good! Especially that blacken blacked out floor noises. The only thing that set dx160 behind a little compare to dx220 IMO is only very little, which I stated all on the review.
 
Oct 22, 2019 at 7:49 PM Post #723 of 6,983
I have installed UAPP and used it. It works for PCM recordings. For native DSD support, somebody (me?) should contact the developer and provide him some information.
Please... For the sake of humanity please do :D
It would be great to be able to use UAPP on the dx160 as the dev himself said it wasn't possible on the R5
 
Oct 22, 2019 at 7:58 PM Post #724 of 6,983
So I'm waiting for the iBasso DX160 from AMP3. Hopefully I will get it about the end of October. I'm migrating from a FiiO M9. Amazon HD won't play music on my M9 using the Amazon Music App, I don't think the processor can handle the Amazon App's way of streaming. So I'm using Amazon HD on my Samsung S9 Exynos on a 90 day free trial. I have a paid for Spotify account which is 320 kbps OGG streaming. The Amazon at their HD quality is about 850 kilobits. It's really hard to tell the difference for me with 320 Ogg Spotify. I'm sure the day will come when all my old fashioned rock albums will be put out at absolute master quality but Spotify at 320 kbps and Amazon at CD quality 850 kbps are not different enough for my ears and brain. They sound the same to me. I still need to do some more listening but at the moment they both sound great. I'm sure in the future, because of lots of memory, processor speed and recording quality, it will become academic as everything will be recorded totally pure in every respect. Maybe someone can test 320 Spotify vs 850 Amazon HD on the DX160.

I managed to test Fleetwood Mac in ULTRA HD on Amazon vs Spotify. The ULTRA is more defined and just better on Amazon ULTRA HD than the Spotify 320 Ogg version.
 
Oct 22, 2019 at 8:03 PM Post #725 of 6,983
Not to derail but I signed up for Amzon HD but it says I can only play 24/48, which isn't true as I play 24/96 on Tidal. Anyone know the issue? Customer service at Amazon so far is useless.

What are you able to stream on Amazon HD? Up to 24/192 or 24/96?
 
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Oct 22, 2019 at 8:04 PM Post #726 of 6,983
You're going to be really pleasantly surprised Luke!

I just finished A/Bing Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell with the Meze Rai Penta's on the DX160 vs the DX220EX + AMP8EX and I have to say it...the DX160 sounded better. More "alive", punchier, in your face. Sounded fantastic!
Thx, rumors has it. The 160 might be a tad warmer than the m11. This should be a lot of fun as my last dap was a FiiO 1st gen X5
 
Oct 23, 2019 at 2:11 AM Post #727 of 6,983
thank you for explaining your reasons @stuartmc (and i wonder if one can put a price tag on the damage that Jay-Z's activism has done to Tidal.)

Tidal's "Master Quality" (MQA) caps out at 24 bit 96khz and you must have an MQA compatible player
but regarding this statement, fwiw: i regularly listen to 192kHz Tidal Master tracks - but (as you point out) with an MQA-capable DAC, and on the desktop. Imho these tracks sound marvellous compared to the same Tidal tracks in CD-quality. (There could be any number of reason for that, not just the increase in resolution.) My aim is to get a comparable experience from a DAP - plus offline mode in the Tidal app.
 
Oct 23, 2019 at 3:17 AM Post #728 of 6,983
Can anyone confirm that iBasso has resolved some issues from the DX220 on this?

Namely interested in downgrading to a player that can actually act as a USB DAC from a new MacBook Pro with only USB C connections (the DX220 has a problem with this).

Also interested in confirming the DX160 can meaningfully manage USB-C output (unlike the DX220 in stock configuration), and that it supports AptX HD bluetooth (the DX220 does technically, but not officially).

Seems these are all things the equivalent Hiby players can do, but thought I'd give iBasso another look before jumping ship.
 
Oct 23, 2019 at 5:31 AM Post #730 of 6,983
Hello
I am interested in the DX160...

1) Does any one know what remote control phone apps i could use with the dx160 (not just Spotify Connect, but to access all my files)?
Want to control it from the sofa wirelessly, plugged into an external DAC.

And 2) What are the options of outputting hi res audio to external DAC? via coax only, or via USB output (is that enabled)
 
Oct 23, 2019 at 7:09 AM Post #732 of 6,983
Bummer, one review said he enjoyed the 150 more so than the 220. I guess we cant believe everything we read



I’ve had every iBasso DAP and I was never a fan of the DX150, although many are. But to say it sounded better than the DX220? That I’ve never heard! lol
 
Oct 23, 2019 at 7:11 AM Post #733 of 6,983
Bummer, one review said he enjoyed the 150 more so than the 220. I guess we cant believe everything we read

I’ve had every iBasso DAP and I was never a fan of the DX150, although many are. But to say it sounded better than the DX220? That I’ve never heard! lol
Time to cross out that reviewer.
 

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