[Animagus]

Hey guys! I've been using the DX160 for the past couple of months for music listening as well as testing gear for my reviews. Here is my take on the iBasso DX160 on Twister6. Hope you're all well! Let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!

iBasso DX160​

 

[superuser1]

Hey guys! I've been using the DX160 for the past couple of months for music listening as well as testing gear for my reviews. Here is my take on the iBasso DX160 on Twister6. Hope you're all well! Let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!

iBasso DX160​

Is that the 2019 or 2020 version? You have been hiding this from me

 

[Animagus]

Is that the 2019 or 2020 version? You have been hiding this from me

Haha this is the 2019 version. I had sent you a picture!

 

[majo123]

So I managed to get to try my dx2020s Bluetooth this morning, tried with fiio btr5 and a pure elan radio....I'm sorry to say it's no better infact maybe a little worse than my 2019.
I love the dx160 it sounds fantastic for the money but I can't in anyway rec this for it's Bluetooth, it cuts out on the slightest movement and even on distance it's feet away! .
Luckily I bought both 2019 and 2020 for it's audio which credit where credit is due punches way above its price range maybe even double.
But ibasso should be ashamed of themselves releasing something with advertised Bluetooth 5.0 that's this poor it's practically unusable , my fiio btr5 and my shanling mo are both Leagues ahead in stability and distance and about a quarter of the price.

I love this player truly, think on the whole they have done an excellent job but they should take responsibility for something that is advertised and pretty unusable, I know some may be thinking "well don't buy it" or "send it back if unhappy" well yes on both but it still doesn't change the fact it doesn't work properly on a lot of units and some have had multiple trys.

I will be keeping mine and I will still sing it's praises for audio it really is that good, but I'm not in anyway going to wash over the Bluetooth...

Edit...I haven't checked firmware version yet , it needed I will update and try Bluetooth again but I don't hold out much hope.

 

[John Massaria]

Hey guys! I've been using the DX160 for the past couple of months for music listening as well as testing gear for my reviews. Here is my take on the iBasso DX160 on Twister6. Hope you're all well! Let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!

iBasso DX160​

Great review... In your review you mentioned "DX160 2019 version and wish to have it updated to the latest buffer that is in the 2020 version, iBasso will update it for you for $32 (USD). " what does update buffer do exactly? Which version did you test? Also you mentioned interference with wi-fi router - so noise like digital fuzz coming through sensative ear phones on balanced side and unbalanced side? I heard the noise is when you touch screen or scroll muisc and on sensative in ears its noisy. What do you think? If you had to suggest a player under $1K what would it be?

 

[Animagus]

Great review... In your review you mentioned "DX160 2019 version and wish to have it updated to the latest buffer that is in the 2020 version, iBasso will update it for you for $32 (USD). " what does update buffer do exactly? Which version did you test? Also you mentioned interference with wi-fi router - so noise like digital fuzz coming through sensative ear phones on balanced side and unbalanced side? I heard the noise is when you touch screen or scroll muisc and on sensative in ears its noisy. What do you think? If you had to suggest a player under $1K what would it be?

Hey! Mine is the end of 2019 version. @twister6 just got the 2020 version and will have his impressions on the website soon. Wifi interference has been discussed here before and in general is slight background crackle that you hear for a couple of seconds when you're standing close to your wifi router with your DAP's Wifi on. It isn't a deal breaker at all. It is common in DAPs with low output impedance and high output power. In my case, it's very soft and only heard with sensitive IEMs. It isn't there when the songs are playing. I hear it only when I'm very close to my router and between when the song stops playing and the sound output goes on standby. I don't mind it at all personally as it is rather soft and doesn't disturb me at all. My Hiby R6 Pro has it too, again because of it's low output impedance and high power. There is no background hissing/noise in my DX160 with sensitive IEMs. Nothing at all when touching the touchscreen.

I love the DX160 and if you're considering something under $500, I'd say DX160 all the way. It's one of the best value DAPs in my opinion. The sound quality and screen are ! In the $500-1000 segment, try Hiby R6 Pro, Fiio M11 Pro or if you can find a used Sony WM1A. Besides these, I don't have a massive DAP collection like @twister6. Haha. But yes, I'd suggest you give DX160 a shot because even though I have more expensive DAPs, I tilt to and use DX160 most.

 

[Crispoo]

The noise while using the dx160 is only heard with sensitive IEMs and only occurs when you are interacting with the screen. It is not a deal breaking issue since it isnt enough to disturb your listening experience. The noise isnt loud enough to cause issues while listening and using the dx160.

 

[lithiumnk]

Hey guys! I've been using the DX160 for the past couple of months for music listening as well as testing gear for my reviews. Here is my take on the iBasso DX160 on Twister6. Hope you're all well! Let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!

iBasso DX160​

Thanks for the review.
I have few questions.
1. How is 4.4mm vs 3.5mm SQ?

2. Is there a difference in SQ between LO vs headphone out( 3.5mm/4.4mm)?

3. How are the mids placed in the stage?
I have read in this thread that they are forward on headphone out. I guess no one has commented about the mids on line out into a neutral external amp.

 

[majo123]

There isn't noise on all units with sensitive iems , I have had both 2019 and 2020 streaming daily and never had any noise using Andromeda s.

 

[majo123]

Can someone please try the firmware updater for me...mine is coming up network error when the WiFi is clearly working , want to check there's no problems at ibassos end .... thanks

 

[thesheik137]

So sad that so many modern daps continue to have EMI noise issues. For me it is completely unacceptable when you are creating such an expensive, purpose-made music player and can't be bothered to include any isolation for the output circuitry to prevent this issue. There are daps in the same price range with WiFi that have zero noise so why should it accepted for others. Even most phones which have even more signals don't have this isse. Hiby r6 pro is even more expensive and was completely unusable for me because of the amount of emi noise it would pick up from my router. For this reason, I haven't picked up the dx160 so far and was hoping the 2020 may have improved this issue, but it doesn't look like it.

 

[jamato8]

What is really sad is all of the out of band noise and pollution of this type in general. That components that Hiby and iBasso put out pick it up, only shows how much we are being bombarded with.

 

[DJ Core]

3. How are the mids placed in the stage?
I have read in this thread that they are forward on headphone out. I guess no one has commented about the mids on line out into a neutral external amp.

Mids are indeed forward using Mango Player. With Lurkers add-on, using included bit-perfect Hiby player, Mids step back so as to present everything in alignment. I personally prefer this kind of presentation.

 

[Animagus]

Thanks for the review.
I have few questions.
1. How is 4.4mm vs 3.5mm SQ?

2. Is there a difference in SQ between LO vs headphone out( 3.5mm/4.4mm)?

3. How are the mids placed in the stage?
I have read in this thread that they are forward on headphone out. I guess no one has commented about the mids on line out into a neutral external amp.

Hey!
1. Well, I think doing a true clean AB test between 4.4mm and 3.5mm is a bit difficult unless you have the same exact cable in 4.4mm and 3.5mm terminations with same or similar impedance values because adapters add their own impedance (some adapters add more than normal amounts of it) and can change the clean direct 3.5mm sound a bit. I do have the same cable in different terminations but their impedance values have a difference of around 50 mΩ. I don't know if that contributed to the difference or not. Generally, more power from balanced out generally helps and benefits power hungry headphones and IEMs more than the regular ones. For example, Pola39 (likes power) EST driver treble sounds a bit fuller in the 4.4mm out. Overall, I felt that the 4.4mm has a slightly blacker background and in some IEMs a very slightly richer sound, though it wasn't consistent with all IEMs I tested it with. It also could be me imagining things. Haha

2. Well, only 3.5mm out is switchable between PO and LO. I'm sorry I didn't quite get you. Could you please specify what exactly you're wanting to know a difference between?

3. Well, I feel that DX160 is very neutral and portrays mids very naturally. Sorry, I don't find them forward or boosted above neutral.

 

[lithiumnk]

Hey!
1. Well, I think doing a true clean AB test between 4.4mm and 3.5mm is a bit difficult unless you have the same exact cable in 4.4mm and 3.5mm terminations with same or similar impedance values because adapters add their own impedance (some adapters add more than normal amounts of it) and can change the clean direct 3.5mm sound a bit. I do have the same cable in different terminations but their impedance values have a difference of around 50 mΩ. I don't know if that contributed to the difference or not. Generally, more power from balanced out generally helps and benefits power hungry headphones and IEMs more than the regular ones. For example, Pola39 (likes power) EST driver treble sounds a bit fuller in the 4.4mm out. Overall, I felt that the 4.4mm has a slightly blacker background and in some IEMs a very slightly richer sound, though it wasn't consistent with all IEMs I tested it with. It also could be me imagining things. Haha

2. Well, only 3.5mm out is switchable between PO and LO. I'm sorry I didn't quite get you. Could you please specify what exactly you're wanting to know a difference between?

3. Well, I feel that DX160 is very neutral and portrays mids very naturally. Sorry, I don't find them forward or boosted above neutral.

My main concern is the position of mids on LO. I have a preference for neutral mids.After reading other headfiers impressions about forward mids on HO I was curious about the LO performance.
Many people have reported a far better SQ on LO as compared to HO.
I will be using LO with my external amps driving hps/lcdi4. My past experience with HO/high gain/PMEQ/lcdi4 was not good.