Ibasso DX90 - which headphones do you prefer to use with DX90?
Feb 18, 2015 at 4:51 AM Post #76 of 127
I am pairing my DX90 with Shure SE535. It already sounds fantastic, Still, I am looking for an amp stack so that i can test out at full volume 255. I am missing sth i am sure at the lower volume range.
Should you come across any comparable amp pls highlight, thanks.


I would suggest the PB2 :)
 
Feb 20, 2015 at 4:00 PM Post #77 of 127
I would say that the Shure SRH-1840 matches perfectly the iBasso DX90, so does the Beyerdynamics T90, which surprised me while i tested it, due to his high impedance!
 
Both are VERY GOOD headphones, by the way :)
 
Feb 25, 2015 at 11:53 AM Post #78 of 127
I've been using the Westone W40s with my DX90 and I'm always surprised at how good they can sound with a good recording. Talking Heads live and studio stuff sounds amazeballs as does the Donny Hathaway Live (just two stand out LPs). The W40s with good, new Comply foam tips is astounding in terms of isolation.
 
I've been reading about whether the DX90 can really handle the Senn HD700 without the need for an extra amp, since that's a set of phones I've got my hopes set on as a side-grade, if you get what I mean. I'm guessing it can but it's question of bass, clarity and soundstaging for me.
 
But I would thoroughly recommend the Westones (before that I had the W3s and before that IE8s + V-Moda (also sounds great with the DX90) and Shure SRH840) but the W40s are the best I've heard so far.
 
Feb 28, 2015 at 10:29 PM Post #79 of 127
portable- dx90> etymotic er4pt's with custom tips.  incredible isolation- ljokerl says at his iem list website that the isolation is dangerous unless you know you are in a safe place.  his site is a great resource if you want info on iem's.  it's   http://theheadphonelist.com/
 
transportable dx90 to either k812 or alpha primes.  i was impressed that the dx90 could drive the primes pretty well, though not as well as running the dx90 line out to the idsd micro's line in and using the latter's amp.  that sounds really very good.
 
Mar 25, 2015 at 10:36 AM Post #80 of 127
I'm using my Grado sr325i must of the time with my Ibasso Dx90, sound good with chamber music, intimate signers and minimalist instrumental in general but can sound congested when the music have too much layers. One thing sure, don't listen to (boumboum) electro with this.
 
Westone es2 sound good too and expand separation of instruments as well as the soundstage.
 
My biggest surprise tough was....the Xiaomi piston 2! They sound freaking good with this and compensate the lack of authority in bass of the Dx90. (not the mids tough)
 
I think I will buy the Koss portapro in a near futur, too much people praise them and people in this thread say it's a perfect match with the dx90. I was wondering if the sound leak as much as the grado?
 
Mar 25, 2015 at 3:37 PM Post #81 of 127
  I'm using my Grado sr325i must of the time with my Ibasso Dx90, sound good with chamber music, intimate signers and minimalist instrumental in general but can sound congested when the music have too much layers. One thing sure, don't listen to (boumboum) electro with this.
 
Westone es2 sound good too and expand separation of instruments as well as the soundstage.
 
My biggest surprise tough was....the Xiaomi piston 2! They sound freaking good with this and compensate the lack of authority in bass of the Dx90. (not the mids tough)
 
I think I will buy the Koss portapro in a near futur, too much people praise them and people in this thread say it's a perfect match with the dx90. I was wondering if the sound leak as much as the grado?


For your confirmation:  My Koss Porta-Pro is my favorite portable set of cans with my DX90.  (I did mod the ear pads replacing the foam with leatherette cushions though)  Favorite in-ears are VMODA Bass-Freqs which have a "flexible" EQ envelope allowing plenty of bass if desired, or it can be backed-off while retaining nice mids and high-end.
 
Now that said, if I have an amp (iFi iDSD Micro or FIIO e17) then the favorite phones depends on music.  House, Dance, electronic/funk, or Rap/club = JVC HA-SZ2000 with HA-M55x pads replacing the stock ones.  For classical, or more lyrical music with high detail, (rosin, fret fingerings, even the air moving in the studio/stage) Sennheiser HD-650s are my favorite.  Best with the iDSD Micro, but the FIIO can get them about 70% of the way there as well. 
 
It's a great source and player with good balance on it's own.  For the hard to drive HD-650s it can get the job done, but it's not quite to the point of being "satisfying" like when you've got that extra "oomf" from a good amp.
 
As a throw-away set of closed back headphones, the ~$30 JVC HA-M55x is acceptable, and you won't cry if they are lost/broken, but they are NO WHERE near the quality or as capable of reproducing ACCURATE bass (As opposed to just LOTS of bass) as the JVC HA-SZ2000s.
 
Mar 25, 2015 at 4:26 PM Post #82 of 127
Thanks for the reply. I think the near futur will be even nearer than I think:wink:...in fact I already begin a search and was wondering if there are more than one type of Portapro because some came in fancy box and other in cheap plastic package...
 
Ifi DSD intrigue me since alot of time and is on my curiosity list. I adore the Ibasso Dx90 sound but know that it cannot make shine EVERY type of music, still, i'm an amateur audiophile for now, because of budget issue, not ears issue.
 
Strange about the Hd650...some people telling they are too gentle I was thinking it mean there were a roll of or something in high frequencies...the fact that the details are spot on in Dx90 perhaps help it, in anyway, I never listen to them and always keep an eye open for super auction deal on ebay for the Hd600 or 650...wich is very rare.
 
Hum, the vmoda are quite intriguing too, I just chek them out on amazon...don't look serious earphones when you look at them but appearance doesn't mean anything. Do they feel durable?
 
I put back in the Xiaomi, the bass is quite incredible, go deep and have good texture but as any V shape earphone the mids lack some presence, John Taylor piano drown between the sax and the double bass, it does it "elegantly" tough. Way more than the Vsonic Gr06 for example wich cost 3 times more than the Xiaomi.
 
Mar 26, 2015 at 11:55 PM Post #83 of 127
  Thanks for the reply. I think the near futur will be even nearer than I think:wink:...in fact I already begin a search and was wondering if there are more than one type of Portapro because some came in fancy box and other in cheap plastic package...
 
Ifi DSD intrigue me since alot of time and is on my curiosity list. I adore the Ibasso Dx90 sound but know that it cannot make shine EVERY type of music, still, i'm an amateur audiophile for now, because of budget issue, not ears issue.
 
Strange about the Hd650...some people telling they are too gentle I was thinking it mean there were a roll of or something in high frequencies...the fact that the details are spot on in Dx90 perhaps help it, in anyway, I never listen to them and always keep an eye open for super auction deal on ebay for the Hd600 or 650...wich is very rare.
 
Hum, the vmoda are quite intriguing too, I just chek them out on amazon...don't look serious earphones when you look at them but appearance doesn't mean anything. Do they feel durable?
 
I put back in the Xiaomi, the bass is quite incredible, go deep and have good texture but as any V shape earphone the mids lack some presence, John Taylor piano drown between the sax and the double bass, it does it "elegantly" tough. Way more than the Vsonic Gr06 for example wich cost 3 times more than the Xiaomi.


The HD650s aren't regarded as "analytical" headphones by some, it's true.  I myself considered the lower-end Grado 225e more "Detail-revealing" than the HD-650s, but I personally listen for enjoyment rather than technical accuracy, and I just enjoy the HD-650s more.  Great detail, but not at the expense of mellow relaxation.
 
As for my VMODAs, I think they might be 10 years old, or even more now...  I believe I got them before I got any audiophile headphones, and were my favorites even over the Ultimate Ears UE3 Super.Fis I had at the time I bought them.  They are white, so aside from not being quite as white as they were new, they look pretty good.  No scratches, chips, or even decal peeling. (VMODA Logo & Left or Right symbols all look new)  No cable distress or cracking, and they still sound great to me.
 
They are discontinued, but you can still find a few here and there.  Like these:  http://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-Headphone-Platinum-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000G00UOU/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1427428059&sr=8-16&keywords=vmoda+bass+freq
 
Are they audiophile?  No.  But they sound great to me, and have literally outlasted every other in ear set that I have ever owned while still performing like new.  I truly have no qualifiers about that statement.  They aren't "fussy" about getting a good seal, no problems with cord noise, no breakup of signal if the plug rotates a bit in the player...  Nothing.  In a sentence, the bass is there if you want it, but bass isn't all that they offer.  Good soundstage, reasonable detail, balanced if you back the bass off a bit as the mids aren't recessed, and the highs are not shrill or grating.
 
Mar 27, 2015 at 11:59 AM Post #84 of 127
Did you hear the HD600 too? Because I wonder what are the difference between them....look more easy to find an affordable pair of them than the 650. Depending on my mood I could prefer very analytical headphones but this isn't the only factor that I take into consideration, it's all about sinergy of the whole listening experience and if the 650 have excellent instruments separation and big soundstage I consider this more valuable than let say ultra analytical headphones that show you all the pixel of the whole picture but not the constrast in colors.
Must admit that since I begin the "audiophile" quest, it was by an immense love and curiosity for music, and more you have better source or headphones, more you can fall in a "chirurgical" approach of sound wich can kill the pleasure. I want goose bump and this isn't cerebral, its visceral.
 
10 years old, wow, that's quite durable! Did the Vmoda need special perfect seal to achieve the perfect sound? That's something that begin to annoy me...I sell my Shure se420 for a ridiculous price because of this...I think I want to go back to good old earbuds. Don't know wich one tough.
 
And by curiosity, i'm I the only one to find that burning in the Dx90 change DRASTICALLY the sound in a glorious way? The serious change begin after 100 hours of burn in. Burn in is like a slow classy striptease, if I can use a bad metaphore.
 
Anyway, thanks for your toughs. And sorry if i'm too curious.
 
Now I need to find someone on headfi that can recable my Grado because yesterday I discover that the cable is broke and will surely cut the sound of the right ears in a matter of months, weeks or...days. Gulp!
 
Mar 27, 2015 at 12:09 PM Post #85 of 127
  I've been using a DX90 for a few days now and the sound is a little boring imo. It's just lacking excitement and emotion for me, seems so focused on detail. For earphones I've used HF5, Beyer DTX 102, and IE80.... none of which I have really enjoyed. 
 
I'm looking to get an IEM that would make the DX90 more enjoyable for me. I want something that will sound at least decent across most genres (Hard Rock/Metal, Classical, Dance, Electronic), but an IEM that will especially make female vocals sound more beautiful. Would prefer at least neutral bass, as long as it's not recessed and can be EQ's up a little bit and still sound good. 
 
Any advice for IEM's that would add some excitement and emotion to this DAP? I was considering Westone W40 / W30, Shure SE535, and Nuforce Primo 8 (disregarding price among these). $500 is the limit. I have not heard any of these earphones before, only the ones I mentioned in the first line. For over-ear headphones, I own and enjoy some HD700 and AKG K7XX (massdrop edition) for comparision. I appreciate any thoughts or help on this thanks! 

 
Burn in is NOT a joke. Seriously, I was sincerly deceive by the sound the first time I listen to Dx90 out of the box. Sound dry, bass was congested, details was there but boring and ''digital''. And I was sceptic about burn in. After 50 hours sound begin to open up, minimum for real change is 100 hours. Be patient with the Dx90...for IEM I use my custom Westone es2, they focus on mids and sound quite good for vocal, less so for details and the bass could be better for earphone of this price, soudstage is immense tough, but perhaps its all the customs that do this don't know. I adore my Grado sr325 for female vocal, listenning to Arianna Savall right now and it's extasic.
 
Mar 27, 2015 at 12:50 PM Post #86 of 127
Burn in is a huge joke and you will notice how you never hear about something sounding worse after burn in.
 
Why do you never hear about any other electronic devises needing burn in? 
 
Basically, you got used to the sound.
 
Mar 27, 2015 at 1:36 PM Post #87 of 127
  Burn in is a huge joke and you will notice how you never hear about something sounding worse after burn in.
 
Why do you never hear about any other electronic devises needing burn in? 
 
Basically, you got used to the sound.


Sound more like an opinion than a fact to me. As mine is one too.
Are you an audio technician or something? Did you have the Ibasso Dx90? I try to read more about this but find barely nothing...
I only trust my ears and as I was more than sceptical about burn in I was aware of the theory that you get use to a sound and I lucidly take note of what displease me, and it was a sound I do not want to get use to as it was congested and have a lack of air in soudstage and extension in bass section, all feel something with a good potential but somewhat badly articulate. Listen the same tracks every 20 hours and clearly notice change in sound section that I focus and the soundstage open up more. I'm open to have more factual explanation about this as i'm not an audio technican neither specialize in audio gear.
So their alot of humorist out their, including Ibasso that specifically write about a 400 hours burn in...it look ridiculous but what the point to specify something that is false...perhaps some people think they write this so you get use to a sound that will displease you otherwise wich look like a strange conspiracy theory to me.
 
Apr 21, 2015 at 11:03 PM Post #88 of 127
is anybody routinely using a truly portable amp with the dx90?   i have an ifi idsd micro, which sounds great from the dx90's line out [i prefer the dx90 dac stage to the ifi's], but the micro is hardly something you'd want to carry around.  so is there a smaller, truly portable amp that anyone is using regularly and getting better quality sound?
 

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