Yeah no I checked of course the unit was reset properly so that's not it
Keep in mind I have "uncharacteristic" tastes and while many will just love the SP1000 for example I don't because of its upper treble presentation. Note that the Max to me is not agressive in the upper treble, it's just that the prominence in the mix is more pronounced so you get all the details delivered in a very refined manner but details on some recordings take precedence over what I consider to be the main musical message so to speak. This is where the LPGT shines IMHO, it doesn't push details they're here, just not overly so. LPGT is a bit understated in a way with a less energetic but more nuance presentation (at least at this stage of burn-in).
I hope that makes sense...
Edit : After discussing with @ExpatinJapan and reading his account of Max burn in and @jamato8 post I feel reassured it's just the burn in process. Need to be patient, not my biggest quality 
I like Damon's sentence : "It seems to be stitching itself together like Dr.Manhattan in the Watchmen comics."
I have tried LPGT and I agreed about what you found out here. The LPGT upper highs were aimed toward the similarities of Walkman and Sony, where as the Dx200/220/Max are aimed toward SP2K and AK styles of retrieval.
The burn in process only helps the graininess of the textures here (upper mids and high extensions). However, the presences and the details will remains the same
I am using HD800S and I love these details presents. This is yet another point why I would take it over any AK and said that “Max is the best portable player right out of the box and can wipe the floor against 1Z or SP2K”
In a live performances, cymbals and hi hats are prominences (enough to tell apart) while yet subtle as a blend within the whole pictures. They don’t sound like you have to be using a magnifier to look for their presents at all.
The reason why many players rather tuned it toward a less agressiveness in it presences is because this part is the hardest to get right. Just like very deep sub bass problems but also different in a sense that if you have distortions here, the sibilants would kill everything, where as Deep sub bass distortions can easily be ignored and accepted by the human brains
When speaking of Sub bass distortions , the MAX also behaves in a way that I am very surprised to see, it doesn’t distort in complex passages that I have only seen by 2 occasions
A/ from the DMP Z1
B/ from high end Desktop systems with many upgrades, including a good Power sources (very hard here as power conditioners can make it lose details too)
I was so delighted and surprised that a mere player that can be carried around with me that cost $1899 can be this good. It has virtually 0 distortions and graininess in both ends of the spectrums Low-High , yet playing all the details and presentations very nicely.
The Max is pushing the Sabres toward the very edges of capabilities even when compared to my DMP Z1 in these regards, the sections where it retrieves and presents the prominences minutes details in Deep lows and upper highs. The DMP Z1 is also pushing the AKM 4497EQ as well, and I have to conclude that the AKM subtleties is not as well received as the Sabres.....but realistically speaking, once you have pushed them both the to edges, the Burrbrown and Cirrus would be a better choices (more balances) .... grins
However, Ibasso has hugely succeeded in pushing Sabres to the edges!! That is for sure
Also, please bears in minds that when the players or the sources are this much capable, you better have a capable headphones or buds as well....because otherwise, you will be getting a lot of “
Damn it!! Moments”. Usually multi drivers buds and incapable phones would do so
....and don’t forget the cables
while retaining impressive resolution and the speed and control as well as black background is just stunning... oh my!
