[NaittsirK]

AMP12EX impressions​

Preamble:
Well as I have stated before I was no stranger to enjoying Whitigirs mods; The hugely successful AMP8EX for the previous amp architecture of ibasso DAPs (160,200,220,240).

Simply I couldn't wait for what he was cooking up for the the AMP12 so after an enthusiastic inquiry I got an early recepie blueprint of swapping and soldering about 10 capacitators and thus creating what is now known as AMP12W.

But it seems Whitigir felt like the AMP12 could be tweaked further still, so after extensive time spent testing the very limits of the Amp12 , Whitigir crafted yet another recipe. Tweaking and tuning with, in just his estimate, 30 or more components the result was something he felt was now worthy and deserving of having the EX (extreme) suffix.

-Crafting the AMP12 EX was an effort he called "the most extreme of any modifications by far".

When I heard it was finally done, having enjoyed the AMP12W greatly I was eager to hear the EX.

What follows are my impressions using Whitigirs personal made and used AMP12EX board (so fully burned in) inside the DX300 of course and paired with with MMR Thummim and PW Audio Metropolis 50.


Impressions:

Having the first few seconds of my test track played , (volume set as I would have it on 12W) instantly noticeable was the vastness and airyness of the soundstage.

The sound went from perceiving to listening a band performing inside a studio to a band performing inside a much wider studio that had no ceiling on top.

Just the sheer openness of the sound put the first smile on my face.


Treble performance, In comparison to 12W , took my attention immediately afterwards.

It became lusher, more laid back, sweeter, presenting even more details but with less aggression in doing so.

But mainly, as I will point out later also, it was quick!

Just spawning fast and with stunning ability to layer sound up on top in the added space.


Vocal presence got a boost but stayed in the same position as they have in AMP12 and W.

The mids on the whole were a touch more fluid, notch more detailed and a bit more tube sounding.

I found the 12W to exhibit glare especially in some female vocal rendering. This was not the case anymore with the EX.

This, I think, also makes the EX more pleasant in dealing with digital harshness - hence I could say also it is more analogue sounding.


Bass got pulled back a level in terms of presence but got a more solid layer in texture and tightness.

Amp12W presented the bass with more weight and slam while the EX does away with more speed and impact.

In terms of timbre the sound is closer to natural/organic then 12W which had a more boosted and "amplified" feel to it. On the whole the EX has less sound density compering with W - probably aiding and enabling it further to feel more open and fast.


Technicalities wise it is an improvement in details by a notch and handles imaging with firmer precision having also better depth* (*hard to asses quantitatively as I use just iems)



In summation,

AMP12W felt like a muscled up AMP12.

Like a juiced up athlete looking at what the competitor (amp12) is doing and doing the same just better.

Having much of the same qualities as it, just having them amplified across the board.

But the AMP12 EX feels like a different amp almost entirely.

Different sound aspects got, not boosted but presented in a different manner; be it by different timbre , texture, presence etc...

To follow up on the, hopefully sense-making, athlete analogy, the EX is performing with a different game plan, utilising more agility timing and speed rather then power and force to ultimately over achieve the 12W at least in the game of audiophile fidelity.



In closing

I would love to take the closing words here to thank and show appreciation to @Whitigir for continuation of his work in creating these mods for us.

They are an exciting way for us to enjoy our gear and our music and make the very most out of the hardware we pay for.


The AMP12EX is a stellar effort that left me in amazement more so than AMP8EX or 12W.

I wholeheartedly root for @Paul - iBasso and the team to try and work with Whitigir and making this a production run like the FE edition of the 8EX.

Therefore enabling the broader sum of DX300 owners to enjoy the performance of their DAP to a significantly higher point !

 

[14christ]

AMP12EX impressions​

Preamble:
Well as I have stated before I was no stranger to enjoying Whitigirs mods; The hugely successful AMP8EX for the previous amp architecture of ibasso DAPs (160,200,220,240).

Simply I couldn't wait for what he was cooking up for the the AMP12 so after an enthusiastic inquiry I got an early recepie blueprint of swapping and soldering about 10 capacitators and thus creating what is now known as AMP12W.

But it seems Whitigir felt like the AMP12 could be tweaked further still, so after extensive time spent testing the very limits of the Amp12 , Whitigir crafted yet another recipe. Tweaking and tuning with, in just his estimate, 30 or more components the result was something he felt was now worthy and deserving of having the EX (extreme) suffix.

-Crafting the AMP12 EX was an effort he called "the most extreme of any modifications by far".

When I heard it was finally done, having enjoyed the AMP12W greatly I was eager to hear the EX.

What follows are my impressions using Whitigirs personal made and used AMP12EX board (so fully burned in) inside the DX300 of course and paired with with MMR Thummim and PW Audio Metropolis 50.


Impressions:

Having the first few seconds of my test track played , (volume set as I would have it on 12W) instantly noticeable was the vastness and airyness of the soundstage.

The sound went from perceiving to listening a band performing inside a studio to a band performing inside a much wider studio that had no ceiling on top.

Just the sheer openness of the sound put the first smile on my face.


Treble performance, In comparison to 12W , took my attention immediately afterwards.

It became lusher, more laid back, sweeter, presenting even more details but with less aggression in doing so.

But mainly, as I will point out later also, it was quick!

Just spawning fast and with stunning ability to layer sound up on top in the added space.


Vocal presence got a boost but stayed in the same position as they have in AMP12 and W.

The mids on the whole were a touch more fluid, notch more detailed and a bit more tube sounding.

I found the 12W to exhibit glare especially in some female vocal rendering. This was not the case anymore with the EX.

This, I think, also makes the EX more pleasant in dealing with digital harshness - hence I could say also it is more analogue sounding.


Bass got pulled back a level in terms of presence but got a more solid layer in texture and tightness.

Amp12W presented the bass with more weight and slam while the EX does away with more speed and impact.

In terms of timbre the sound is closer to natural/organic then 12W which had a more boosted and "amplified" feel to it. On the whole the EX has less sound density compering with W - probably aiding and enabling it further to feel more open and fast.


Technicalities wise it is an improvement in details by a notch and handles imaging with firmer precision having also better depth* (*hard to asses quantitatively as I use just iems)



In summation,

AMP12W felt like a muscled up AMP12.

Like a juiced up athlete looking at what the competitor (amp12) is doing and doing the same just better.

Having much of the same qualities as it, just having them amplified across the board.

But the AMP12 EX feels like a different amp almost entirely.

Different sound aspects got, not boosted but presented in a different manner; be it by different timbre , texture, presence etc...

To follow up on the, hopefully sense-making, athlete analogy, the EX is performing with a different game plan, utilising more agility timing and speed rather then power and force to ultimately over achieve the 12W at least in the game of audiophile fidelity.



In closing

I would love to take the closing words here to thank and show appreciation to @Whitigir for continuation of his work in creating these mods for us.

They are an exciting way for us to enjoy our gear and our music and make the very most out of the hardware we pay for.


The AMP12EX is a stellar effort that left me in amazement more so than AMP8EX or 12W.

I wholeheartedly root for @Paul - iBasso and the team to try and work with Whitigir and making this a production run like the FE edition of the 8EX.

Therefore enabling the broader sum of DX300 owners to enjoy the performance of their DAP to a significantly higher point !

Excellent review friend. Since I like amp 12 so much so, I'll be doing the amp 12w mod.

On another note and for those that own a dx300, do you all turn the DAP off after use or do you leave it powered on?

 

[legabian34]

I never power off the DAP, just turn on airplane mode for not draining battery too much.

 

[moorashj]

I never power off the DAP, just turn on airplane mode for not draining battery too much.

Turn off…is that bad?

 

[14christ]

Turn off…is that bad?

Well that's what I'm trying to determine. It might be better to leave it on due to the lithium ion batteries. Was hoping someone with a better knowledge of LION batteries could chime in

 

[jamato8]

Excellent review friend. Since I like amp 12 so much so, I'll be doing the amp 12w mod.

On another note and for those that own a dx300, do you all turn the DAP off after use or do you leave it powered on?

I tend to always turn my daps off.

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

Me to. Turn my also off.

 

[moorashj]

Me to. Turn my also off.

That’s what I always have done

 

[14christ]

Ok good then I'm not alone in assuming that by turning it off, it is somehow placing less of a load on the batteries and therefore in theory is extending the life of our DAPs. Sounds good to me

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

Excellent review friend. Since I like amp 12 so much so, I'll be doing the amp 12w mod.

On another note and for those that own a dx300, do you all turn the DAP off after use or do you leave it powered on?

Good idea to make the 12W mod. Then you don't change the complete sound signature. I love 12W. Beautiful tight dynamic bass, more fine resolution and awesome airy highs. Goes perfectly with Mest MK II now. Imagine you're making EX and the Mest don't sound good anymore

 

[14christ]

Good idea to make the 12W mod. Then you don't change the complete sound signature. I love 12W. Beautiful tight dynamic bass, more fine resolution and awesome airy highs. Goes perfectly with Mest MK II now. Imagine you're making EX and the Mest don't sound good anymore

Exactly why I'm going with W. I don't want to lose the signature of the amp12 with mest but do agree it can always be improved.

 

[German Expat in Vietnam]

If the EX sounds like a completely different amp, an alternative would be to buy another 12 amp and modify it to EX. Who knows how long it will be before iBasso finally presents the Amp 13.

 

[14christ]

If the EX sounds like a completely different amp, an alternative would be to buy another 12 amp and modify it to EX. Who knows how long it will be before iBasso finally presents the Amp 13.

I agree with that solution

 

[JoelWilcox]

AMP12EX impressions​

Preamble:
Well as I have stated before I was no stranger to enjoying Whitigirs mods; The hugely successful AMP8EX for the previous amp architecture of ibasso DAPs (160,200,220,240).

Simply I couldn't wait for what he was cooking up for the the AMP12 so after an enthusiastic inquiry I got an early recepie blueprint of swapping and soldering about 10 capacitators and thus creating what is now known as AMP12W.

But it seems Whitigir felt like the AMP12 could be tweaked further still, so after extensive time spent testing the very limits of the Amp12 , Whitigir crafted yet another recipe. Tweaking and tuning with, in just his estimate, 30 or more components the result was something he felt was now worthy and deserving of having the EX (extreme) suffix.

-Crafting the AMP12 EX was an effort he called "the most extreme of any modifications by far".

When I heard it was finally done, having enjoyed the AMP12W greatly I was eager to hear the EX.

What follows are my impressions using Whitigirs personal made and used AMP12EX board (so fully burned in) inside the DX300 of course and paired with with MMR Thummim and PW Audio Metropolis 50.


Impressions:

Having the first few seconds of my test track played , (volume set as I would have it on 12W) instantly noticeable was the vastness and airyness of the soundstage.

The sound went from perceiving to listening a band performing inside a studio to a band performing inside a much wider studio that had no ceiling on top.

Just the sheer openness of the sound put the first smile on my face.


Treble performance, In comparison to 12W , took my attention immediately afterwards.

It became lusher, more laid back, sweeter, presenting even more details but with less aggression in doing so.

But mainly, as I will point out later also, it was quick!

Just spawning fast and with stunning ability to layer sound up on top in the added space.


Vocal presence got a boost but stayed in the same position as they have in AMP12 and W.

The mids on the whole were a touch more fluid, notch more detailed and a bit more tube sounding.

I found the 12W to exhibit glare especially in some female vocal rendering. This was not the case anymore with the EX.

This, I think, also makes the EX more pleasant in dealing with digital harshness - hence I could say also it is more analogue sounding.


Bass got pulled back a level in terms of presence but got a more solid layer in texture and tightness.

Amp12W presented the bass with more weight and slam while the EX does away with more speed and impact.

In terms of timbre the sound is closer to natural/organic then 12W which had a more boosted and "amplified" feel to it. On the whole the EX has less sound density compering with W - probably aiding and enabling it further to feel more open and fast.


Technicalities wise it is an improvement in details by a notch and handles imaging with firmer precision having also better depth* (*hard to asses quantitatively as I use just iems)



In summation,

AMP12W felt like a muscled up AMP12.

Like a juiced up athlete looking at what the competitor (amp12) is doing and doing the same just better.

Having much of the same qualities as it, just having them amplified across the board.

But the AMP12 EX feels like a different amp almost entirely.

Different sound aspects got, not boosted but presented in a different manner; be it by different timbre , texture, presence etc...

To follow up on the, hopefully sense-making, athlete analogy, the EX is performing with a different game plan, utilising more agility timing and speed rather then power and force to ultimately over achieve the 12W at least in the game of audiophile fidelity.



In closing

I would love to take the closing words here to thank and show appreciation to @Whitigir for continuation of his work in creating these mods for us.

They are an exciting way for us to enjoy our gear and our music and make the very most out of the hardware we pay for.


The AMP12EX is a stellar effort that left me in amazement more so than AMP8EX or 12W.

I wholeheartedly root for @Paul - iBasso and the team to try and work with Whitigir and making this a production run like the FE edition of the 8EX.

Therefore enabling the broader sum of DX300 owners to enjoy the performance of their DAP to a significantly higher point !

Re "I wholeheartedly root for @Paul - iBasso and the team to try and work with Whitigir and making this a production run like the FE edition of the 8EX."
At the risk of having missed this somewhere, is this actually in the works? It would be delightful and on my wishlist, too.

 

[samandhi]

If the 15K songs that you noted is correct, that's well over a month of continuous music without hearing the same song twice. I could see that being an issue for home server/NAS situation but should be plenty for a portable. Then again, I guess this model does get more home use but there are other player programs that sound good and may offer a larger catalog.

Yep. Neutron.... You are correct in the amount of time that could give me, but the problem is that it is a home and mobile solution. It is my entire library. The problem is that I do not know what is NOT being recognized by the app, so I don't know what I am missing until I go to use it. AFAIK a limit on the number of songs has never been announced. And if I have not hit the limit in the size of card I can use, it stands to reason that there is no real limit (being as this IS a music player first) of songs.

Have you replicated this on Mango OS?

To some extent, yes. In MangoOS I get 19k, which is closer but still not all of them. It seems as though it is inconsistent to me. I may delete the database and try scanning again to see if I get a different number. To me this is a bug that needs addressed.

Excellent review friend. Since I like amp 12 so much so, I'll be doing the amp 12w mod.

On another note and for those that own a dx300, do you all turn the DAP off after use or do you leave it powered on?

I never power mine off. But there aren't too many times that I DON'T use it at least some in a day. Even if I don't it still stays on. It is just like your phone. As long as I don't have any errant apps taking up juice mine can last for at least a week with no intervention (airplane mode on). This works for me because even if it did run down, you are supposed to cycle your battery once per month anyhow (which I never do on purpose but you get it)... hehe

I am still using a Note 9 for about 5(?) years now, and it is still going strong. It is my belief that if you take care of your battery, it can last for a very long time. For an example, if you aren't going to use a device for a long time, charging it then turning it off is actually the worst thing you can do. Discharge it to 50%, then shut it off. It can be stored for up to 5 years in this way with no (or very little) wear. This is why most electronics only have a partial charge when you get them, so that they can sit on a shelf without damaging the battery in it.

I used to run RC cars a lot and had to learn how to properly take care of my batteries. One of the best things that worked for me having so many different batteries, is discharge them to 50%, then throw them in the refrigerator. LIPO and LION actually like the cold temperatures.

Obviously this doesn't work for phones, and other electronics as this would introduce moisture/condensation (when warming them back up).