[MotleyG]

Thanks, will try them later, but I just purchased the Neutron.

GoneMAD has a free trial period, so no risk.

 

[wolfstar76]

I don't use Mango player normally. But with the issues reported here I tried it for testing. It crashed before I even started scanning, just changing some settings in the options menu. After a restart I was able to begin the scan process, but it crashed again while still showing 0% on the progress wheel. I have yet to install the lurker mod as I suspect another firmware update will be posted to fix this issue.

In my case, each time, the Mango player crashed when the scanning finished around 25%.

 

[samandhi]

I agree, Neutron is a great app and allows the DX160 to have "bit perfect" playback among the other sound benefits listed above by @samandhi . You just have to get past the somewhat utilitarian UI that has been in serious need of an update to look like it was developed in this century. With a good pair of wired headphones plugged into the DX160, Neutron is probably the best sounding of the apps I have installed. It is my go-to as well when I'm using the DX160 as the source for my audio setup at home.

I have also used Poweramp for years, it has a really great interface IMO, but the one key playback feature it is missing is the ability to follow the source file frequency. This is something that Neutron can do very well, but the Poweramp developer has indicated that it isn't a priority to be addressed, if it will be at all. So you are stuck choosing a sample rate (up to 192kHz on our beloved DX160), and all of your songs will be then be up or down sampled to that. This has to be harder on the battery of your DX160 I would imagine. It still sounds good, even compared to Neutron, but the added resampling means I don't use it when I'm really listening.

I do have to call out one other player app that I really love that generally hasn't been mentioned here - GoneMAD (GMMP). Admittedly the audio engine is still waiting for an overhaul to be able to handle audiophile quality playback, so anything over 48kHz gets down sampled to either 44.1kHz or 48kHz, depending on whichever multiple applies. The development roadmap does show hi-res support is planned, and the developer actively updates this and publicly has access to the plan on Trello. However if the majority of your library is ripped from CD or your downloads are 48kHz or less, this is irrelevant. The UI is beyond fantastic, especially on the big display of the DX160. You can customize the metadata display on any part of the interface (Now Playing as well as any tab or page in the Browser). The library management is unbeatable including the ability to properly handle multiple Artist, AlbumArtist, Composer, and Genre tags. A huge upgrade last year was adding the "Sort" tags that compliment the standard Artist/AlbumArtist/Album and Composer into the database scanner, and this works flawlessly - it may be the only app on Android that does this currently. Plus it has a "Smart" playlist feature to build on the fly. So if you have a well-curated library with properly tagged music, this is the app that I think will be the one to beat, especially once the engine gets the planned revamp. When I am just casually listening, GoneMAD has become my preferred app, as it is the easiest to use for browsing and finding what I want.

Very nice write-up!

I also have an app like that I really want to use, but is not written for hi-res. It still follows the android limitations (which also means it cannot play either DSD or MQA). Mediamonkey has been my go-to for tagging and sorting for a really long time, and just within the last 5-7 years have released an android version. If Neutron had the sorting/playback/tagging options of Mediamonkey (and I also suspect from your telling, GoneMAD too), plus the UI (which I actually don't mind in Neutron that much), it would be nigh on perfect. The tagging features for Mediamonkey on android are not quite as robust as on Windows, but you can pretty much do all of it (just not with the ease you can in Windows), including adding/subtracting basically any category to sort that you want.

Oh and let's not forget the syncing ability that Mediamonkey has. While you CAN sync your device using only the Windows version, the android version also allows you to sync wirelessly and several other features also.

 

[superuser1]

Same, crashing upon scanning with the new FW. Did you resolve it?

As pointed out in this thread. reset the DAP after a FW upgrade. I scanned my folders individually and that did the trick for me or else id have to reset the DAP.

 

[eloelo]

As pointed out in this thread. reset the DAP after a FW upgrade. I scanned my folders individually and that did the trick for me or else id have to reset the DAP.

That's what I have already done exactly. Factory reset after FW upgrade. Still the same issue. However I have not tried scanning individually.

In my case, each time, the Mango player crashed when the scanning finished around 25%.

I have the same issue, exactly 25% too lol

 

[MotleyG]

Very nice write-up!

Thanks! The big one for me is the sorting fields. Having several IOS devices, it is the one thing I really missed on Android after using an iPod for so long. Just ”Imagine” how happy I was when John Lennon appeared properly as he should have under “Lennon, John” when browsing, but still displays correctly as “John Lennon” visually on my DX160. The pun was intended. Many thanks to the solo dev at GoneMAD for making this happen!

If Neutron had the sorting/playback/tagging options of Mediamonkey (and I also suspect from your telling, GoneMAD too), plus the UI (which I actually don't mind in Neutron that much), it would be nigh on perfect.

Ah, the dreaded “If only” combined app functions for the ultimate user glory. I have a few I can think of as well.

Oh and let's not forget the syncing ability that Mediamonkey has. While you CAN sync your device using only the Windows version, the android version also allows you to sync wirelessly and several other features also.

I stopped trying to edit metadata on the fly, it just is such a hassle on mobile devices. Now I just make a note if I see something wrong, and make the corrections to my main library. I use MS SyncToy (not officially supported any longer, but still works as expected and can be found with a search) to update the uSD card regularly to grab the changes.

 

[wolfstar76]

Thanks! The big one for me is the sorting fields. Having several IOS devices, it is the one thing I really missed on Android after using an iPod for so long. Just ”Imagine” how happy I was when John Lennon appeared properly as he should have under “Lennon, John” when browsing, but still displays correctly as “John Lennon” visually on my DX160. The pun was intended. Many thanks to the solo dev at GoneMAD for making this happen!

Ah, the dreaded “If only” combined app functions for the ultimate user glory. I have a few I can think of as well.

I stopped trying to edit metadata on the fly, it just is such a hassle on mobile devices. Now I just make a note if I see something wrong, and make the corrections to my main library. I use MS SyncToy (not officially supported any longer, but still works as expected and can be found with a search) to update the uSD card regularly to grab the changes.

me too, synctoy. however, i have to sync my sd card only in the card reader.

 

[MotleyG]

@Paul - iBasso it seems the recent firmware 1.08 has a problem in Mango Player.

If I may, I’d really like to also have the display brightness control improved. Even at the lowest setting, it is very bright in a dark room. The upper range is fine, but perhaps there is a way to drop the output further on the low end of the scale?

 

[superuser1]

Even at the lowest setting, it is very bright in a dark room

i second that

 

[Lurker0]

Even at the lowest setting, it is very bright in a dark room.

The change "A different approach to control brightness at low levels" in my add-on was an attempt to address this problem, and it makes no significant difference. Just because the backlight of this display at its absolutely minimum level is too bright.

 

[Music225]

Hi, is there a system wide, no root 10 bands parametric eq options for our DX160? Including paid option.
Thanks all.

Desperately looking for a way to tame the treble of my newly acquired TH 909 and the most effective, intrusive and cost effective for me is EQ so far that only works on Mango. Otherwise, I love the sound with my DX160, either with this new hp or any others that I have.

 

[MotleyG]

Hi, is there a system wide, no root 10 bands parametric eq options for our DX160? Including paid option.

Neutron and Poweramp apps both have parametric EQ options built in.

Edit: Sorry just realized you were looking for something system wide. I believe the developer of Poweramp does have a beta app available that does this. But it doesn’t work with all apps apparently. I can’t give you any feedback or experience as I don’t use it.

 

[Music225]

Neutron and Poweramp apps both have parametric EQ options built in.

They are player apps that have their own eq functions within, not system wide, eg: tidal, spotify.
Poweramp has a standalone eq app but only support android >9.0

 

[samandhi]

Hi, is there a system wide, no root 10 bands parametric eq options for our DX160? Including paid option.
Thanks all.

Desperately looking for a way to tame the treble of my newly acquired TH 909 and the most effective, intrusive and cost effective for me is EQ so far that only works on Mango. Otherwise, I love the sound with my DX160, either with this new hp or any others that I have.

Good news and bad news. The good news is that there are lots of free, non-root EQs on the play store. That bad news is that they are terrible sounding and sound fake when taking things too far (along with adding distortion), and most all of them are simply EQ not PEQ. There are really only two that I have seen that work well system wide. Wavelet, which will not work for our version of android (plus you must be rooted). And the other is vper4android, which also doesn't work for our device, and also needs root.

Your best bet is to always try and use apps that have one built-in, though I know when streaming, it all depends on the service that you are using. If you are using either Qobuz or Tidal, you can interface them through UAPP which has really nice PEQ and EQ. Amazon Music has an EQ app built in, and although it is only 6 band, it does work pretty well. That is the extent of my knowledge on whether other services have built-in EQ or not.

 

[Rfx9123]

@MotleyG
Have you already emailed Paul@iBasso.com ? Here in this forum he seems to look in only sporadically.