Review: iBasso IT01X

[notaris]

Review iBasso IT01X
Perfectly In Tune


Introduction

iBasso is a company that does not need any introduction. It is one of the Chinese leaders in the audio trade specializing in DAPs, amplifiers, IEMs and accessories. In the past few years, it has presented some very nice IEM sets, among them IT01 and IT01s; both were single dynamic driver IEMs with a very nice sound tuning that got very good reviews.

Recently, iBasso replaced IT01s with IT01X; the “X” in life always stands for the “unknown” or the “surprise” if you want to. When I saw a brief description of it, I immediately understood that it is an IEM that deserves some attention, and it has the potential to bring single dynamic driver IEM at a different level; now, add to this its very competitive price of $119.00, and you have a model that it is hard to pass by. So, I asked for a sample, and here we are!

Description

All iBasso IEM models have a number of technicalities, but I have to admit that IT01X has (much) more than the usual (fair) amount. So, let me take things one by one:

• As I already mentioned, IT01X is a single dynamic driver IEM belonging to the “In Tune” iBasso series.
• IT01X uses, instead of the usual iron, a brass internal cavity. Brass has higher density than iron, and this effectively reduces internal resonance and distortion. In addition, it provides a well-controlled low frequencies without affecting the mid frequencies.

  
• IT01X uses a system of brass dual Helmholtz resonators, which are known to improve low-frequencies performance; that way standing waves are cancelled and more natural sound is ensured.

  
• After trying many different materials for the diaphragm of the driver, including Magnesium and Titanium, finally it was chosen to plate both sides of the diaphragm with Beryllium, which is known to be lightweight and extremely rigid. That way it can be driven with ease, while it ensures low distortion, i.e., minimal deformation throughout the whole frequency range, which leads to very accurate reproduction of the whole of the audio spectrum.
• Another innovation that I have not encountered before is that IT01X uses a three-dimensional suspension. That way it can inhibit, or at least reduce to a substantial extend, the vibration of the driver, thus reducing the distortion and improving sound.
• Like other iBasso IEMs, IT01X utilizes a high magnetic flux Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NeFeB) magnet, which can drive the thin and lightweight double-sided Beryllium plated diaphragm very efficiently, thus resulting in fast transient response and overall excellent dynamics.

  
• IT01X is accompanied by a Micro-miniature coaxial (MMCX) detachable high-purity oxygen free copper (OFC) cable that is silver plated, with a 3.5mm gold-plated plug and cable splitter made of stainless steel; this is a high quality standard for IEMs costing $200.00 or higher, but it is unusual to find in a set having the price tag of IT01X.

  
• Furthermore, iBasso in IT01X paid attention to every little detail, even the aesthetics of it. The earpieces’ housings are made of aluminum and finished with a metallic paint like that used in luxury cars. The metallic paint adds hardness to the housings together with a beautiful, smooth luster. IT01X is offered in three colors, Black, Blue and Red.

  

All the above show that IT01X is loaded with technicalities, which again is very unusual for an IEM costing as low as $119.00. Are the technicalities alone the recipe for a great sounding IEM? No, but they are a very important ingredient, and together with a meticulous tuning it can do small miracles. iBasso has a history of 15 years in DAPs, amplifiers and of course IEMs. Particularly in the latter, it is well-known for single dynamic driver or hybrid (dynamic + balanced armature drivers) models. I do remember IT00, which is still in production, and IT01 and IT01s, which have been recently discontinued; all of them are great IEMs. IT01X, essentially, came as the replacement of IT01s; was it a good move? Absolutely, and let me tell you why.


The sound

With IEMs, I always do the usual burn-in of about 50 hours; it’s not that without this the IEMs do not sound right, but rather that the burn-in helps them to reach their full potential. Now, much more important than the technical burn-in, I consider the so-called phycological burn-in, which helps the listener to get acquainted with the IEM; in that sense, the phycological burn-in does not actually have a limit, and the more you listen to the better you get to know the IEM.

Based on the above, IT01X has a very balanced and natural sound, more so than the vast majority of the IEMs that I have tried; it is not V or even U shaped, it is nicely balanced and very relaxing. However, IT01X’s biggest merit, soundwise, is its beautiful tonality, and for me this is the most important characteristic of an IEM; honestly, I don’t care much about subtle differences in low, mid or high frequencies as long as they collaborate nicely for the final outcome. Among the many IEMs that I have tried, I love the Final tonality in pretty much every model of the company; it is a perfect blend of bass, mid and tremble, all in the right amount for an impeccable final result. Well, I dare to say that IT01X came damn close in matching the Final tonality. I used the latest Final model A4000, which I consider to be a reference IEM in its price category, and in some musical pieces IT01X came so close to A4000 that I had a really hard time to find the difference between the two. This made a big impression on me.

IT01X has almost perfect bass, at least for my taste; it is mainly mid-bass with some amount of sub-bass, it is very taut and always well-controlled. The mid frequencies are never forward or recessed, and female and male vocals are very nicely reproduced without being intimate or cold. The highs are very well extended and open, but not excessive; so, I never felt any kind of roll off, or some kind of harshness or hissing.

On top of the above, IT01X is overall very transparent, maybe not as much as A4000, but well above average with a very clean, clear and detailed sound. It also has a big soundstage, both in width and depth, again not as much as A4000, but certainly well above average, and great image, while its dynamics and separation are outstanding. Furthermore, IT01X is excellent in reproducing fast transients, which is consistent with the double-sided Beryllium plated diaphragm.

I tested IT01X on a variety of musical genres. I started with the classic songs “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, from the album with the same name, Verve; “She’s Got Her Ticket” by Tracy Chapman from the album with her name, Elektra/Asylum Records; “Texas Sun” by Khruangbin and Leon Bridges from the album with the same name, Dead Oceans; “One More Second” by Matt Berninger from the album Serpentine Prison, Concord Records; as well as many different songs of Dire Straits from the album Sultans Of Swing – The Very Best of Dire Straits, Mercury Records Limited. In all of them, I could not find something that was forward or recessed; instead the performance was always accurate and relaxing. So, IT01X qualifies for a great all-rounder compared to other IEMs which are appropriate (only) for specific genres. Then I tried “Move” by Hiromi (Uehara), from the album with the same name, Telarc International. This is a very complex piece, with Hiromi on piano, Anthony Jackson on bass, and Simon Phillips on drums. It is very difficult to catch the powerful and fast playing of Hiromi and Phillips, complemented by the beautiful bass tones of Jackson, and IT01X went through the fast transients in an exemplary way. The same was the case with “Fanfare for the Volunteer” by Mark O’Connor, from the album with the same name, Sony Classical. This is a very demanding Orchestral piece composed by O’Connor, and played by him on the violin and London Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Steven Mercurio. It has many ups-and- downs, which is very common in Orchestral music. IT01X delivered the piece in a masterful way; I was particularly impressed by the fact that during the (very) high ups I did not notice even the slightest distortion, which that alone is not a small feat.

Is IT01X unforgiving? I would say that although it is not the most unforgiving IEM among those that I have tried so far, it is nonetheless extremely accurate, and this is a real challenge for a designer.


Selected comparisons

I first chose to compare IT01X to iBasso IT00, as this is the other single dynamic driver IEM of iBasso having an MSRP of $69.00. IT00 has a 10 mm multi-layered Graphene diaphragm, a customized magnet and a dual Helmholtz resonator. So, from the technicalities point of view, IT00 is certainly behind IT01X. It also has an MMCX high purity OFC cable, although not of the same quality as the IT01X cable, while the earpieces’ housings are made of very good quality plastic. IT01X is of higher quality and aesthetics, and although the latter is a matter of preference, I personally prefer its looks over the looks of IT00. The quality of IT00 is very good, too, but IT01X is more luxurious. Soundwise IT00 is balanced on the warm side, although it is by no means “bassy”; IT01X is certainly more “neutral”, although the difference is not big. The highs are quite revealing and extended in both of them, without any impression of roll off. The vocals, both female and male, although not intimate, are not recessed or lacking liveliness, while the warmth of IT00 is reflected to a certain extend in some female vocals. Where IT01X has a clear head is that its sound is more delicate and refined, with more details; it is better defined and more clear, with higher transparency. The difference is not big, but it is there. The soundstage is about the same in both of them, and although not huge, it is very good, both in width and depth, and certainly well above the average among IEMs of this price categoty. IT01X has slightly better image, while IT00 has slightly better dynamics, while both have excellent separation. Overall, IT01X is a clear improvement of the already very good IT00, and it does worth the extra $50.00 by all means, at least for me.

I then compared IT01X to the Final A4000. Final is known for making excellent IEMs, and A4000 is one of the two (the other being A3000) recent additions to the A series, in which also belongs the legendary A8000. Both A4000 and A3000 have a newly designed driver, which is really unique as to its technical innovations as well as its difficult manufacturing; the diaphragm is from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and pushed to its limit, which together with a Copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) voice coil, a reduced gap between the magnet and the voice coil and a copper housing, has taken the performance of the new driver to a very high level. A4000’s MSRP is $159.00, so I thought I could compare it to IT01X. Undoubtedly, IT01X housing is of higher quality and looks more luxurious compared to the housing of A4000, which is made from ABS resin. Soundwise, A4000 has the beautiful Final tonality, with this slight touch of warmth that makes the sound very relaxing, yet revealing, with amazing transparency and huge, for such a small driver, soundstage. IT01X is slightly colder, but equally revealing, although the transparency and soundstage are not at the same level. However, IT01X has better dynamics, while image and separation is great in both of them. One thing I ought to mention again is that IT01X’s tonality approaches that of A4000 more than any other IEM I have tried for quite some time; so, I came to love IT01X as much as I do A4000.


Accessories and fit

The exterior box of IT01X is aesthetically very nice and inside it the user will find, besides the IEM and cable:

• 9 different sets of silicon eartips and 2 sets of foam eartips in various sizes (S,M,L).
• An extra set of screw on filters, in case that you need s replacement.
• A beautiful metal case of excellent quality for carrying and storing IT01X.
• A Quick Start Guide.
• A warranty card.

IT01X is very lightweight, and its earpieces are quite small (much smaller than the earpieces of IT00) and of a very ergonomic design. So, assuming that you found the right shape and size of eartips (which is not difficult given the many available choices), IT01X will fit very well in your eardrum without any feeling of oppression.

Furthermore, the eartips are nicely designed, providing a high level of sound isolation, so ambient noise with IT01X was never a problem.

Finally, as already mentioned, the cable of IT01X is a MMCX connector OFC cable of high quality and not susceptible to microphonics.


In conclusion

When I read IT01X’s description, I was really impressed, while the quality of the earpieces and cable looked great. So, the ingredients were there, but what about the performance? I have to admit that it surpassed my expectations, and I mean it! IT01X’s sound is very balanced, with the right amount of taut and well controlled bass, extended but never harsh highs, alive vocals and lovable tonality. Moreover, IT01X has a very good soundstage and very nice image, great dynamics and excellent separation.

If one would ask me for an IT01X weakness, I honestly would be hard pressed to find one. If you add to all of these a price tag of (only) $119.00, then IT01X is a clear winner. If you are in the market for an IEM set, you ought to give it a try. You would most likely find your winner!


Specifications

Housing: Aluminum metallic finish
Driver: 10 mm Dynamic driver
Frequency response: 10 Hz – 40 kHz
Sensitivity: 108 +/- 2 dB
Impedance: 16 Ω
Noise attenuation: -26 db
T.H.D.: <1% at 1 kHz / 1 mW
Plug size: Gold plated 3.5 mm
Cord length: 1.2m
Weight: 7.0 gr without cable
Price: $119.00

www.iBasso.com

Reviewer’s note: The reviewer is grateful to Paul Hu at iBasso Audio for sending him a sample of IT01X.