[NYanakiev]

That is fair enough. It is expected for new devices. Cayin is running shortage on orders for C9 at some dealers and will only fulfill somewhere in March as well.

Yeah. @Paul - iBasso got back to me via email within 15 minutes of me reaching out (well impressed!);

Advised me to go back to the seller for an exchange/refund as it looks like a defective volume wheel.

 

[ScubaDrunk]

Has anybody hooked the DX300 to an external DAC/AMP?? Is there any benefit in doing so?
Thinking about getting either Xduoo XD05 Balanced OR the ifi idsd Neo for my desktop

Obviously the Xduoo is portable which gives the added benefit of being able to use it with the DX300 but is there any point and will it enhance music on the go???

if not I would go for a desktop solution for the desktop and forget about portability

Thanks all.

 

[fokta]

Has anybody hooked the DX300 to an external DAC/AMP?? Is there any benefit in doing so?
Thinking about getting either Xduoo XD05 Balanced OR the ifi idsd Neo for my desktop

Obviously the Xduoo is portable which gives the added benefit of being able to use it with the DX300 but is there any point and will it enhance music on the go???

if not I would go for a desktop solution for the desktop and forget about portability

Thanks all.

What CANS u want to drive?

U really need to try this pair with the cans u have...

if u said music on the Go, DX300 with my 320 ohms earbud alrd Good...
additonal Balance AMP will give a slightly better imaging.
Again, with my CANS, i find a few DAP only can drive on the go... and DX300 is one of it

 

[ScubaDrunk]

What CANS u want to drive?

U really need to try this pair with the cans u have...



if u said music on the Go, DX300 with my 320 ohms earbud alrd Good...
additonal Balance AMP will give a slightly better imaging.
Again, with my CANS, i find a few DAP only can drive on the go... and DX300 is one of it

Thanks for the information

I’m Looking to drive the Gold Planar GL2000, Fostex TH909, Sony MDR-Z1r and a set of CF andromeda’s

 

[fokta]

Thanks for the information

I’m Looking to drive the Gold Planar GL2000, Fostex TH909, Sony MDR-Z1r and a set of CF andromeda’s

Nice CANS....

well IMO, adding power will be beneficial for planar CANS. And drive direct to DAP for CFA IEM, since its high sensitivity.

Same like u, my eyes also point the new balanced DAC/AMP XD05. Though u can look for ifi micro iDSD Signature (with IEmatch on, can also plug to CFA IEM) or Diablo, which has more power for that planars...

 

[Skullar]

Some days I really hate this hobby.

TLDR: the dx300 and dx228 are both fantastic players and depending on whether you value ”naturalness” and ”width” over ”spatial accuracy”, ”clearly defined layers in space outwards” and higher resolution in the low frequencies, your preferences will go to the former or the latter.

The story
I love my dx228, really. In my humble, totally personal not be taken as gospel opinion, that thing is the ultimate TOTL DAP killer. I've listened to everything else (except M8, R8, but yes, all high end AK, Lotoo, Fiio), never found anything that made me change, except it's best companion, the H2 (more on that later*)

Then only fairly recently I heard about the dx300. Holy moly, a more technically advanced architecture, better power management, amp8 derived amp11...?!? Made me hyper excited and hit the order button pretty quickly. Spent serious money on the dx300. But then...

In all the obvious practical ways it's a much better experience than the dx220/8 (SOC, OS, screen, battery life (!!, damn you dx228), overall UX as a media consumption device).

But sound...

In some ways it scores better points ”subjectively ” wider, more ”natural” (what the screw does that even mean anyway with headphones?),
”timbre”/”naturalness” in real instruments,
”immersiveness” (puke... sorry guys).

But...
If width comes at the expense of layers in depth
If naturalness comes at the expense of separation
And if ”mid-high bass muddiness” compromises the layering and low end ”transparency” (puke)
... then the choice for the newer, brighter sexier thing comes at a grave cost.

Without knowing what the amp modules will bring, I feel I'm in position where statistically it makes more sense to sell the dx300 keep most of my money and be perfectly happy soundwise with my dx228 (on the move) and the H2 (at home, never really used as straight comparison, rather an anchor point -- more on that in the end*) .
Disclaimer 1: some people much prefer natural sound over crazy 3D spaciousness, seperation and layering. Great, dx300 will be amazing for you, it's a fantastic unit. Piano, strings, etc... trumps dx228 no question. So you'll love it !!

I listen mostly to of-the-now highly complex, masterfully engineered electronic music and impeccably engineered metal and hip-hop with dozens of layers in the space and frequency domains (yes, I went there). The dx228 represents those elements much more precise in both frequency and spatial domains. That's my thing, may not be your thing. Suubbjjjeeeecttttivvee.

*remember higher up I said dx228 is flipping awesome in some ways? Well if you like them ways, you owe it do yourself to hook up a dx220 over optical to Hugo2 and experience, what is in my humble experience, in some ways a dx228 with all the good attributes turned up to 11 and the end result is the culmination (to date that I have heard) of how far you can push that type of sound (super 3D, pin accurate spatial positioning, blaaaaaack background, surgical knife cuts defining the elements of separation, well balanced, tight bass but still all the extension you ever need etc etc...). Shouldn't come as a surprise my Anchor point to evaluate everything to eventually

Hmm. What iems you are using? Some of your impressions are completely opposite from mine.
First. Dx300 is more subbass focused and a bit slower. Dx228 just is a bit faster but i find its midbass more prominent. personally for me dx300 bass is a big win not just over dx228 but over R8 too. Because it has that massive rumble without interfering anything.
What tips are you using? If you find bass muddy. I would really recommend trying E-pro Hornshapes. They tame midbass and really allow some air between notes. They brighten warn sig up. It work very well with my LX. But yeah tips might be the reason why we hear it so different.
Second. For me dx228 doesnt even come near 300 in terms of layering and staging depth. 228 staging is good i agree. But after a/b comparison it felt relatively 2 dimensional.

Dx228 was my best purchase a yaer a go and it still is good player. I fully unerstand why you love it so much.
But for me dx300 sound is a step up in every way. The only thing thats a step aside is its signature as its quite warmer.
Honestly i did not expect to love this signature with my already warm and bassy iems. But i do. Those energetic mids with massive rumble combined with deep layered staging is just enchanting.

Though if ibasso would not have released it i dont thi i would have upgraded from 228. modded amp8 helped keeping fairly up to date.

Not here to bash your opinion just wanted to share how i hear it.

 

[Whitigir]

He should get himself a Max. It is basically a DX228EX on Steroid . Yes, I do love the Max for a good deal, especially crazily good as a line out source (can’t stretch enough)

 

[NaittsirK]

He should get himself a Max. It is basically a DX228EX on Steroid . Yes, I do love the Max for a good deal, especially crazily good as a line out source (can’t stretch enough)

Could you share your personal opinion on which gain setting sounds the best?

I always sided and found your opinion accurate to my ears regarding dx220 being best in low gain.

And also is there a big SQ difference between Mango Os and Android like you notted in dx220?

Thnx

 

[DarginMahkum]

Because it has that massive rumble without interfering anything.

With HPs, DX300 has both good rumble and clean texture in the bass. Even driving the Solitaire P it performed really well for a portable.

 

[Whitigir]

Could you share your personal opinion on which gain setting sounds the best?

I always sided and found your opinion accurate to my ears regarding dx220 being best in low gain.

And also is there a big SQ difference between Mango Os and Android like you notted in dx220?

Thnx

I prefer MangoOS and the High gain with D3 filter

 

[ThomasHK]

I confirm the last 2 posts completely from my experience

I'm seeing some positive differences (imaginary or real) with Fiio music as app. Tighter low end.
Makes me wonder/imagine there's some difference in how the 3rd party apps vs. Mango apps are routed in Android or even beyond.

 

[NaittsirK]

I'm seeing some positive differences (imaginary or real) with Fiio music as app. Tighter low end.
Makes me wonder/imagine there's some difference in how the 3rd party apps vs. Mango apps are routed in Android or even beyond.

Ive had the best SQ with dx220 with Neutron. Give that a try.

 

[subguy812]

I know I said I would put the DX300 up on the classifieds last week, sorry I just got around to it today.

 

[ipaddy]

I am considering upgrading from my current FIIO m11 pro to the dx300. An alternative is the m15 (*not* the m17--that looks like some kind of tank).

Does anyone here have both the m11 pro and the dx300? I have not seen a direct comparison. I would assume that since the m11 pro is now almost a year and a half old, was not the top end (the m15 was) even in its time (late 2019-early 2020), that the dx300 *should* sound better. Can anyone provide guidance on that supposition?

(Note: I guess it's also important what I listen to. Not top-end stuff. Some FLAC's but more AAC VBR 320)

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Meh, seemed a bit dull, flat at around 250 hours....

280 hours it seems to be approaching maturity. And is quite listenable and enjoyable. More coherent overall.

Even Coldplay sounded good.

i will have to compare with my Max notes and see if theres any parallels.
It seems on the cusp of of dap self actualization at the moment.lol.
Thinking beyond 300 hours there will not be any significant changes.

@jamato8 probably knows as he is ahead of me.

Low gain, D3 filter 95% of the time (except periodic switching between em. To just check what's happening). Mostly using Andromeda MW10.

usually popping in to listen every 24 or 48 hours.


- just got interrupted before by a big as earthquake...