iBasso DX160 - The listening experience only gets better and better. ******NEW FW 1.09 - link 1st page.******

[wolfstar76]

Brand new DX160, fully charged, was using in my 1 hour 40 min running, with IEM (Thieaudio Monarch) on 3.5mm, battery down to 80%. I realized that I forgt to turn off wifi. Second time, another 1 hour and 40 min, battery down to 64%, this time with wifi off. I would say under best scenario, DX160 has only 10 hours' battery life. I don't stream with DAP, so the wifi is not issue for me. The sound quality, imho, is better than Kann Alpha, though sometimes a little bit on the bright side too much. I am not sure it is common to Chifi, all their IEMs or DAPs are a little bit too bright, and a little bit fatiguing for long term listening. In this regard, either my Sony NW-A55 or Kann Alpha is doing much better job. Same for my Ety 4XR, though a little bit two-dimensional and lack of details, but very comfortable for long term listening.

 

[jamato8]

Brand new DX160, fully charged, was using in my 1 hour 40 min running, with IEM (Thieaudio Monarch) on 3.5mm, battery down to 80%. I realized that I forgt to turn off wifi. Second time, another 1 hour and 40 min, battery down to 64%, this time with wifi off. I would say under best scenario, DX160 has only 10 hours' battery life. I don't stream with DAP, so the wifi is not issue for me. The sound quality, imho, is better than Kann Alpha, though sometimes a little bit on the bright side too much. I am not sure it is common to Chifi, all their IEMs or DAPs are a little bit too bright, and a little bit fatiguing for long term listening. In this regard, either my Sony NW-A55 or Kann Alpha is doing much better job. Same for my Ety 4XR, though a little bit two-dimensional and lack of details, but very comfortable for long term listening.

Brand new? It needs some burn in and that tames the higher frequencies. Also the battery will hold an even longer charge once the unit has been used for a while as the battery fully forms (chemically).

 

[weexisttocease]

Brand new DX160, fully charged, was using in my 1 hour 40 min running, with IEM (Thieaudio Monarch) on 3.5mm, battery down to 80%. I realized that I forgt to turn off wifi. Second time, another 1 hour and 40 min, battery down to 64%, this time with wifi off. I would say under best scenario, DX160 has only 10 hours' battery life. I don't stream with DAP, so the wifi is not issue for me. The sound quality, imho, is better than Kann Alpha, though sometimes a little bit on the bright side too much. I am not sure it is common to Chifi, all their IEMs or DAPs are a little bit too bright, and a little bit fatiguing for long term listening. In this regard, either my Sony NW-A55 or Kann Alpha is doing much better job. Same for my Ety 4XR, though a little bit two-dimensional and lack of details, but very comfortable for long term listening.

I would say it is warm neutral, maybe it needs a bit of burn in. Anyway, compared to my ZX507 could be a little fatiguing when using Mango player.

 

[jamato8]

I would say it is warm neutral, maybe it needs a bit of burn in. Anyway, compared to my ZX507 could be a little fatiguing when using Mango player.

You can find it fatiguing? Interesting. I find it one of the most musical daps I have and the opposite of fatiguing.

 

[weexisttocease]

You can find it fatiguing? Interesting. I find it one of the most musical daps I have and the opposite of fatiguing.

Compared with the ZX507 I find it a little bit fatiguing, especially with Mango player but it sounds great to my ears.

 

[jamato8]

Compared with the ZX507 I find it a little bit fatiguing, especially with Mango player but it sounds great to my ears.

The ZX507 must be really easy going. :^) I like a sound more closely resembling what I hear in live music, which I often listen to. I don't gauge the sound by other players, though I will compare them, but real sound is my gauge and most important to me, and for that my preference, most of the time, is unamplified. I was at a outdoor classical event once and they were amplifying. I couldn't believe it and it sucked. I asked them if they could play just one song with just natural sounds. They said people would hear them but they would do one. People heard it find and it was much better! I used to enjoy the huge outdoor organ in San Diego (Balboa Park) when they played it on Sundays.

 

[wolfstar76]

Brand new? It needs some burn in and that tames the higher frequencies. Also the battery will hold an even longer charge once the unit has been used for a while as the battery fully forms (chemically).

Thanks, will see if it gets better after a week.

 

[wolfstar76]

Just listened with my full size Sundara in home, and A/B test with Thieaudio Monarch, and I have to retract my previous impressive that DX160 is too bright. With Sundara, it is much tamed in treble. The bright side impressive should all comes from Monarch. However, even with Monarch, I may not spend enough hours to burn in. Monarch's treble is very airy and bright, and it's such a difference experience from Sundara, and it's really hard for me to tell which one is better.

 

[seanwee]

The ZX507 must be really easy going. :^) I like a sound more closely resembling what I hear in live music, which I often listen to. I don't gauge the sound by other players, though I will compare them, but real sound is my gauge and most important to me, and for that my preference, most of the time, is unamplified. I was at a outdoor classical event once and they were amplifying. I couldn't believe it and it sucked. I asked them if they could play just one song with just natural sounds. They said people would hear them but they would do one. People heard it find and it was much better! I used to enjoy the huge outdoor organ in San Diego (Balboa Park) when they played it on Sundays.

I've made a detailed comparison between the ZX507 and DX160 before. Its certainly not as resolving as the DX160.

It has the typical sony touch of warm dark tonality but to a lesser extent compared to the WM1A/Z

 

[samandhi]

I assume the DX160 doesn't have anything resembling a 4.4mm lineout? As the audio settings (or the pull up menu at front screen) only let me choose PO/LO for the 3.5mm out.

That is correct. The 4.4mm is balanced only. The 3.5mm jack does triple duty here PO/LO/SPDIF.

 

[Zambu]

That is correct. The 4.4mm is balanced only. The 3.5mm jack does triple duty here PO/LO/SPDIF.

I was mostly wondering about balanced (4.4) line-out since some devices have that. Probably not here. Asking for the occasional use of DX160 with the Cayin C9 portable amp, (so far I've just connected the 4.4mm as PO with the pre-amp mode of C9... or using the 3.5mm in LO mode but I rarely use 3.5mm).

 

[seanwee]

I was mostly wondering about balanced (4.4) line-out since some devices have that. Probably not here. Asking for the occasional use of DX160 with the Cayin C9 portable amp, (so far I've just connected the 4.4mm as PO with the pre-amp mode of C9... or using the 3.5mm in LO mode but I rarely use 3.5mm).

Yeah, my N3 PRO has it but it doesn't sound as good as the DX160

 

[samandhi]

I was mostly wondering about balanced (4.4) line-out since some devices have that. Probably not here. Asking for the occasional use of DX160 with the Cayin C9 portable amp, (so far I've just connected the 4.4mm as PO with the pre-amp mode of C9... or using the 3.5mm in LO mode but I rarely use 3.5mm).

WOW! That amp looks like a beast. It seems like you might be stuck with 3.5mm for use with the DX. Though, I would almost argue that you wouldn't get much more benefit either way, because I have used the 3.5mm LO with amps, and have tried PO with the same setup, and I honestly can't hear a difference. I tried this because of the weird quirk that is the DX LO, where you can adjust the volume while in LO mode just as if you were using it in PO mode. So, it almost seems as though iBasso is not treating the LO as a true transport, and is still amped (though it may just seem that way). SPDIF is where it does act as it should, and sounds fantastic if this amp is capable of it.

Given the options you face, I would almost stick with 3.5mm because of the 1/2Watt(ish) difference in amping between the 4.4mm and 3.5mm jacks. I guess if you are going to double amp, keep it as low as possible right? Also, the resistance output through 3.5mm is less than the 4.4mm (though by so little, I'm not sure you would hear a difference)?!

Out of curiosity, what headphones are you using with this setup, that you need so much amping? Or are you just using it for the tube amp? The highest ohms headphones I use with the DX are my HD700, which are 150 ohms. Though I have to admit that some of the planar headphones I have can be driven by a phone (on paper), but in reality, they really shine from using 4.4mm out.

 

[Zambu]

WOW! That amp looks like a beast. It seems like you might be stuck with 3.5mm for use with the DX. Though, I would almost argue that you wouldn't get much more benefit either way, because I have used the 3.5mm LO with amps, and have tried PO with the same setup, and I honestly can't hear a difference. I tried this because of the weird quirk that is the DX LO, where you can adjust the volume while in LO mode just as if you were using it in PO mode. So, it almost seems as though iBasso is not treating the LO as a true transport, and is still amped (though it may just seem that way). SPDIF is where it does act as it should, and sounds fantastic if this amp is capable of it.

Given the options you face, I would almost stick with 3.5mm because of the 1/2Watt(ish) difference in amping between the 4.4mm and 3.5mm jacks. I guess if you are going to double amp, keep it as low as possible right? Also, the resistance output through 3.5mm is less than the 4.4mm (though by so little, I'm not sure you would hear a difference)?!

Out of curiosity, what headphones are you using with this setup, that you need so much amping? Or are you just using it for the tube amp? The highest ohms headphones I use with the DX are my HD700, which are 150 ohms. Though I have to admit that some of the planar headphones I have can be driven by a phone (on paper), but in reality, they really shine from using 4.4mm out.

Yes I've noticed that the DX160 lineout seems a bit suspicious and when you're in "lineout" and can adjust any volume knobs it's a bit like "what's the point anyway...".
I do have the Cayin N3Pro as well and that one is more compatible with the C9 amp (even the 4.4 "pseudo/shared LO). It just has a more clunky UI so I have a bigger SD card on my DX, and also use Soundcloud. And it's not like any of my IEMs (or the 10 year old HD598 haha) actually "need" much of anything, it's just a fun brick to pair with other items and the differences in soundstage and details are certainly noticeable (plus tubes are always nice). Its main purpose is in IEMs so it's not like it's designed for high impedance headphones. Amps are nice in the sense that they hopefully stay relevant for a long while and eventually I will upgrade my android DAP anyway.

 

[samandhi]

Yes I've noticed that the DX160 lineout seems a bit suspicious and when you're in "lineout" and can adjust any volume knobs it's a bit like "what's the point anyway...".
I do have the Cayin N3Pro as well and that one is more compatible with the C9 amp (even the 4.4 "pseudo/shared LO). It just has a more clunky UI so I have a bigger SD card on my DX, and also use Soundcloud. And it's not like any of my IEMs (or the 10 year old HD598 haha) actually "need" much of anything, it's just a fun brick to pair with other items and the differences in soundstage and details are certainly noticeable (plus tubes are always nice). Its main purpose is in IEMs so it's not like it's designed for high impedance headphones. Amps are nice in the sense that they hopefully stay relevant for a long while and eventually I will upgrade my android DAP anyway.

IC. Well, for myself I am glad to be rid of carrying a stack around. I replaced my Fiio X5 (first gen) and Alpen amp, and again Fiio X3II and Alpen 2 amp, with the DX160 and I haven't looked back since. But I do like what I am seeing with that C9. A portable tube amp, how awesome is that? heh