[cn11]

I think a DX90 is the next DAP on my radar... as I put up my ZX1 for sale as an interest check, and it went super fast (prob put a bit too low of a price on it!)... so currently I'm without a DAP!

 

[goodvibes]

  I think a DX90 is the next DAP on my radar... as I put up my ZX1 for sale as an interest check, and it went super fast (prob put a bit too low of a price on it!)... so currently I'm without a DAP!

What clips are for.

 

[vkalia]

  Stereo recording with waves hitting the mic that are reflected from walls, there are delays to the waves that hit the mic. Your ears get a sense of space from delays of the sound waves what we call phase. You ears perceive all this and gets a sense of space based on the recording.  Some recording do better at providing this perception as they are recorded well and the sound will be reproduced closer.  So more realistic than others.  Some DAPs more realstic than other in representing this.  

 

 
The thing is - in a typical recording, the mikes are a lot closer to the performers than the audience.   So going by the distance-squared fall-off, the mike records a much lower perception of the room delays than is heard by the ear.     In speaker systems, the rooms reintroduces those artefacts.   In headphones, this is impossible to do without crossfeed - I have never heard a single album on my headphones where the band is in front of me, like it should be.   The soundstage, such as it is, is around my ears and behind my head.
 
I am genuinely curious - does anyone get a proper soundstage (ie, with performers in front of them) with headphones?

 

[goodvibes]

In standard recordings, no, it's not there like with out of ear environments. It can be done with binaural recordings and I've heard some that are reasonably convincing but couldn't care less about it. I care about timing, which means harmonics and dynamics lining up, clarity and contrast which will in kind mean good phase character and localization of sounds. Even the spread is less important than the focus. I don't get scale or forwardness from headphones but when right, I can get the message.

 
 None of this will ever compete with a good home setup and your home space is likely much too small to create ambiance. More like resonance blur as short reflections from close boundries. You basically tune a room by diffusing (randomizing) or absorbing reflections to make it relatively balanced sounding both tonally and dynamically. The rest is in the recording, whether natural or enhanced in the mix. The difference in the recording space or mix are rather apparent when listening with great kit in a well tuned room. Should give a clue as to where these clues come from. Take a look at one of the best speakers of all time. Perhaps the best within it's limitations which are overstated. The Quad esl57. It radiates in a relatively smallish cardiod pattern and has little dispersion, especially in the vertical plain. It doesn't excite rooms much and has been a standard of the industry forever.

 

[SilverEars]

Why did ibasso add so much bass?  It's definitely not neutral.  

 

[Dave74]

Why did ibasso add so much bass?  It's definitely not neutral.  

I find my X5 to have more bass then my DX90. To my ears the DX90 seems closer to neutral. I think I had replied to your post in the X5 thread and my point was that I find different iems and headphone pair better with different daps. Just because you don't like the DX90 with what you have doesn't mean you wouldn't like it with a different iem which might not pair as well with the X5.

 

[SilverEars]

I just looked at your sign, it says X5> Pico slim.  Is your assessment based on X5 line-out to Pico slim?  To me it's pretty obvious that DX90 HP out is bass boosted.

 

[zeppu08]

I just looked at your sign, it says X5> Pico slim.  Is your assessment based on X5 line-out to Pico slim?  To me it's pretty obvious that DX90 HP out is bass boosted.

By the way what FW are you at? Im using FW 2.05 and never find it bass boosted. In some song the bass is coming out and in some its just there. And with that I concluded that the DX90 just give the amount of bass the song is intended for.. If the recording is boomy and punchy its will give that boom, but if the recording is plain and the bass is just singing into the melody, it will be just like that.

For comparison I used Treasure by bruno mars (were I hear the bass boom thing) vs Hump de Bump by RHCP(which i hear a very clean natural pop slapping bass line).

 

[Dave74]

I just looked at your sign, it says X5> Pico slim.  Is your assessment based on X5 line-out to Pico slim?  To me it's pretty obvious that DX90 HP out is bass boosted.

I have tried both the hp out and lo. I find the LO to the pico slim is a big improvement over just the hp out on the X5. It helps to firm up the bass. The DX90 doesn't seem to have as great of in increase in sq as the X5 when using the LO. This is just my opinion.

 

[jamato8]

  Why did ibasso add so much bass?  It's definitely not neutral.  

I have a number of headphones and IEM's and I don't hear this. And comparing to the Chord Hugo, though not the same sound, find the frequency response pretty even, as many others have posted. I listen to both the X5 and the DX90 and in comparison, I don't hear a bass that is out of line with the DX90. This also in relation to the 901, the DX100 and a few others. We all have a right to our opinion though without question and if the DX90 doesn't suit you then I would sell it. 

 

[SilverEars]

  I have a number of headphones and IEM's and I don't hear this. And comparing to the Chord Hugo, though not the same sound, find the frequency response pretty even, as many others have posted. I listen to both the X5 and the DX90 and in comparison, I don't hear a bass that is out of line with the DX90. This also in relation to the 901, the DX100 and a few others. We all have a right to our opinion though without question and if the DX90 doesn't suit you then I would sell it. 

I'm going to return it, X5 I may keep it doesn't have as artificial sound as the DX90.  It's just ridiculous how DX90 sounds.  I recommend people to stick with iphones than get eh DX90, it's not neutral at all.

 

[Sauntere]

  I'm going to return it, X5 I may keep it doesn't have as artificial sound as the DX90.  It's just ridiculous how DX90 sounds.  I recommend people to stick with iphones than get eh DX90, it's not neutral at all.

 
That is such an opposing view compared to many here. Why ? It is interesting to read various opinions though sometimes it can lead to confusion.

 

[SilverEars]

That's good, I like to bring my honest impressions into this thread, good thing it's not an appreciation thread.  

 The reviews I like best are the ones with cons in it.  Didn't see that, with jamato's review.  Anyway, all my impressoins line's up with joker, AJ, and etc.. basically the most prolific reviewers, but for some reason not with the DX90..  Anyway, I stop following reviewers once I find out my impressions does not line up with theirs.  Anyway, DX90 is a return.  I was hoping for it to be my liking, but unfortunately it didn't.

 

[hotfever]

Im la treble-head,im looking for a dap with forward mid-range to balance my ciem(soon to come), extend ss both in width and depth

Is the dx90 for me?????

 

[lin0003]

The DX90 has an awesome soundstage but is nnot mid-forward.