[headwhacker]

 
Lets not go there - the flip side is that a lot of people who find these sound differences are minor/non-existent can claim the same about your impressions.    If someone feels that the differences are minor or non-existent, let's respect that.     Or, if we are going to challenge that (which i am ok with), then it should be ok to challenge all those "night and day" differences as well.


 
 
 
I am curious.   Do you actually get a sense of performers placed in front of you, the way they would at a live event, with ANY headphones?     With every headphone i have tried, i get the performers around or behind my head.  Never in front (although the HD800s do a game job there).    Does anyone actually perceive the performers in front of them with headphones?
 
(This is a genuine question, not a challenge, btw).

 



Differences are difficult to quantify. A subtle to one is "night and day" to another. So take these kind of description subjectively.

As far as headphones go, it is a combination of the music and headphones used. Recordings with somewhat recessed vocals gives me the impression I'm hearing the performance in front of me rather than around me. This is more obvious on my T1 than the DT250.

 

[shakur1996]

Wow, where did all that quality bass come from all of a sudden with the DX90. My DX90 has been sitting in the drawer collecting dust while my X5 has been getting all the love. However, I decided to go slumming today at the gym with my lowly TF10 giving my CIEM a rest and decided to pair it up with my DX90 to give the X5 a rest. Wham, the DX90 bass is hitting hard, detailed, and going low unlike what I had heard before. My TF10 was hitting harder than my CIEM which is hard to do. This is not what I heard before when I paired the TF10/DX90 previously. The whole frequency range cleared up and the mids came a little forward while providing a wider sound stage with the normally congested TF10. I'm liking this, but will have to try the DX90 with my CIEMs again to see if the new slam translates to them as well. I am not feeling the X5/NT6pro textures that draws me that direction, but the bass is better with the DX90/TF10 pairing. Maybe the texture I am talking about requires the skills of the NT6pro. I'm going to have to go find out..........

I have more or less the same experience. After some burn in (around 80 hours) the mids and the treble opened up, the soundstage became more 3D like and what is more important dx90 started to play songs in a dynamic way (to my ears, at the beginning it lacks dynamics).

 

[vkalia]

  If little difference is heard then why switch? 

 
2 reasons, mainly:
 
1/ Ability to play high-res music and 128GB capacity without having a moving HD like the iPod Classic
 
2/ If I am honest with myself, a little bit of audiophile insecurity.  Even though in an A/B test, I cannot be certain that the differences  I perceive are NOT placebo, it is just easier in a way to say "f'k it, this one has 2 DACs.  Atleast it wont be worse and it may be better"     They're cheap enough that I can indulge myself here
 

  On the HE560 and the Fostex TH900 I get a more in front of you impression and yes, the drummer (if listening to well recorded rock) guitar is in front of me as are voices. On some recordings, it is more of around me and it varies. 
 
I do not get a U frequency response from what I hear, and that is comparing to the other daps as well as the Hugo, which has been highly reviewed. 
 
What would be nice would be to keep this a review and impressions thread. I try to give mine as I go along without saying the same thing over and over, though I imagine I do overlap at times. 
 

 
Interesting.  No matter what I do, I never get that - i did read that this is a matter of how our brain translates audio cues, and may also be a reason why I do not give a rat's rear about soundstaging in headphones while someone who perceives cues the way you do might.   Thanks for the reply.
 
And agreed re your last comment.   In an ideal world, it would be ok to share some feedback on other opinions, esp if they are out of left field (be it "night and day" difference or be it some lead-eared idiot  saying he cannot hear a difference ), but that always leads to ugliness.    
 
And now, back to the DX90.

 

[Jensenchua]

 
-------------------
 
Right now I am driving the HE-560's. Surprising that the DX90 does very well with this. The soundstage is of a normal width with well placed instruments and voices. Crowd noises, applause, is well place on live music and has the quality I associate with what I hear live, within the capabilities of IEM's or headphones and in this case, the 560's. 

 
Wao, The DX90 drives my LCD2.2 very well too, never heard of HE560 though but I think that is my next headphone and my place is on booking now for the HE560

 

[Marleybob217]

  I didn't say all DAPs sounded the same, but I said DX90 is not better than ipods or any mp3 players out there as it sounds artificial like the rest of them with U shaped sound.  As for the bass sounding clean, yes it sounds clean with no definition.  The player lacks definition period.  Compared to X5, clarity is there, but details are missing.  Mid definition is lost basically.  Oh well, I can return them, but for those that cannot, maybe purchasing based on few reviews is not the best choice, but hearing yourself.

U shaped sound? 

 According to measurements they are perfectly flat...

 

[Poimandres]

No, mine works very well, but I"m using extremely revealing neutral monitors.

It appears you think the rest of us do not use revealing monitors?

 

[Caruryn]

It appears you think the rest of us do not use revealing monitors?

My ie800 is revealing.I can hear the singer stripping while singing 

 

[philiptw]

  My ie800 is revealing.I can hear the singer stripping while singing 

 
I wonder what music you are listening to... 
 
 
 
 
 
PLZ SHARE 

 

 

[funkforfood]

Ok, from a couple of days I finally have my hands on the DX90.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed by its sonic performance, yes, i'm sad!
Contrary to what I read in many reviews, I find that the sound of this DAP is not particularly revealing and analytical.
I miss the micro-contrast, it all sounds a bit muffled, lifeless.
It's a sound in some ways even pleasant, round, soft and comfortable, but at the same time a bit vague.
Listening with my Grado's sr60i (with flat pads) classical music, for example, I can't capture the micro information i'm used to.
Sometimes I realize I'm turning up the volume, trying to grasp the details that seem hidden, and this is not a good sign.
The sound of the strings, for example, seems to be reduced to a "simple" tone, because i perceive less than the usual roughness of the bow on the string.
Even the sound of plucked strings seem blunt, rounded.
My reference is an old Rio Karma, modified to work with a compact flash, and I must say that combined with my little Grados, it sounds surprisingly good.
Compared to DX90, I find a bass less extended but also a little more controlled.
The headstage is more restricted, but the outlines of the instruments are much more contrasted.
The Rio Karma performs tangibly more sharp and in focus, more lively and authentic to my ears.
The sound of DX90, by comparison, seems less direct and natural, more "processed".
I do not know how to explain this better, English is not my language, i'm sorry.
Going back to the DX90, I have to say that unfortunately I listened too briefly with its stock firmware, I updated immediately, hoping to improve the behavior of the UI, so my listening impressions are based on FW 2.0.5.
Frankly, I do not expect that moving from stock to the new FW will make a day to night change, but I could not verify this.
I experimented with the digital filter settings, and if there's one thing I'm sure of, is that it is not this that may change as I would like the sound of the device.
Now I do not know what to do, most likely i will give back the DX90 to the seller but I have no idea what will replace it.
I might change it with X5, makes sense?
Any help/comment will be welcome!

 

[jamato8]

  Ok, from a couple of days I finally have my hands on the DX90.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed by its sonic performance, yes, i'm sad!
Contrary to what I read in many reviews, I find that the sound of this DAP is not particularly revealing and analytical.
I miss the micro-contrast, it all sounds a bit muffled, lifeless.
It's a sound in some ways even pleasant, round, soft and comfortable, but at the same time a bit vague.
Listening with my Grado's sr60i (with flat pads) classical music, for example, I can't capture the micro information i'm used to.
Sometimes I realize I'm turning up the volume, trying to grasp the details that seem hidden, and this is not a good sign.
The sound of the strings, for example, seems to be reduced to a "simple" tone, because i perceive less than the usual roughness of the bow on the string.
Even the sound of plucked strings seem blunt, rounded.
My reference is an old Rio Karma, modified to work with a compact flash, and I must say that combined with my little Grados, it sounds surprisingly good.
Compared to DX90, I find a bass less extended but also a little more controlled.
The headstage is more restricted, but the outlines of the instruments are much more contrasted.
The Rio Karma performs tangibly more sharp and in focus, more lively and authentic to my ears.
The sound of DX90, by comparison, seems less direct and natural, more "processed".
I do not know how to explain this better, English is not my language, i'm sorry.
Going back to the DX90, I have to say that unfortunately I listened too briefly with its stock firmware, I updated immediately, hoping to improve the behavior of the UI, so my listening impressions are based on FW 2.0.5.
Frankly, I do not expect that moving from stock to the new FW will make a day to night change, but I could not verify this.
I experimented with the digital filter settings, and if there's one thing I'm sure of, is that it is not this that may change as I would like the sound of the device.
Now I do not know what to do, most likely i will give back the DX90 to the seller but I have no idea what will replace it.
I might change it with X5, makes sense?
Any help/comment will be welcome!

You describe nothing like what I hear with the DX90. My reference is the Chord Hugo so from there I compare and it would seem something is amiss with the DX90 you are listening to, from what you describe. 

 

[Marleybob217]

  Ok, from a couple of days I finally have my hands on the DX90.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed by its sonic performance, yes, i'm sad!
Contrary to what I read in many reviews, I find that the sound of this DAP is not particularly revealing and analytical.
I miss the micro-contrast, it all sounds a bit muffled, lifeless.
It's a sound in some ways even pleasant, round, soft and comfortable, but at the same time a bit vague.
Listening with my Grado's sr60i (with flat pads) classical music, for example, I can't capture the micro information i'm used to.
Sometimes I realize I'm turning up the volume, trying to grasp the details that seem hidden, and this is not a good sign.
The sound of the strings, for example, seems to be reduced to a "simple" tone, because i perceive less than the usual roughness of the bow on the string.
Even the sound of plucked strings seem blunt, rounded.
My reference is an old Rio Karma, modified to work with a compact flash, and I must say that combined with my little Grados, it sounds surprisingly good.
Compared to DX90, I find a bass less extended but also a little more controlled.
The headstage is more restricted, but the outlines of the instruments are much more contrasted.
The Rio Karma performs tangibly more sharp and in focus, more lively and authentic to my ears.
The sound of DX90, by comparison, seems less direct and natural, more "processed".
I do not know how to explain this better, English is not my language, i'm sorry.
Going back to the DX90, I have to say that unfortunately I listened too briefly with its stock firmware, I updated immediately, hoping to improve the behavior of the UI, so my listening impressions are based on FW 2.0.5.
Frankly, I do not expect that moving from stock to the new FW will make a day to night change, but I could not verify this.
I experimented with the digital filter settings, and if there's one thing I'm sure of, is that it is not this that may change as I would like the sound of the device.
Now I do not know what to do, most likely i will give back the DX90 to the seller but I have no idea what will replace it.
I might change it with X5, makes sense?
Any help/comment will be welcome!

You sure you're not connecting your headphones to the line out?

 

[vkalia]

  Ok, from a couple of days I finally have my hands on the DX90.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed by its sonic performance, yes, i'm sad!
Contrary to what I read in many reviews, I find that the sound of this DAP is not particularly revealing and analytical.
I miss the micro-contrast, it all sounds a bit muffled, lifeless.
It's a sound in some ways even pleasant, round, soft and comfortable, but at the same time a bit vague.
Listening with my Grado's sr60i (with flat pads) classical music, for example, I can't capture the micro information i'm used to.
Sometimes I realize I'm turning up the volume, trying to grasp the details that seem hidden, and this is not a good sign.
The sound of the strings, for example, seems to be reduced to a "simple" tone, because i perceive less than the usual roughness of the bow on the string.
Even the sound of plucked strings seem blunt, rounded.
My reference is an old Rio Karma, modified to work with a compact flash, and I must say that combined with my little Grados, it sounds surprisingly good.
Compared to DX90, I find a bass less extended but also a little more controlled.
The headstage is more restricted, but the outlines of the instruments are much more contrasted.
The Rio Karma performs tangibly more sharp and in focus, more lively and authentic to my ears.
The sound of DX90, by comparison, seems less direct and natural, more "processed".
I do not know how to explain this better, English is not my language, i'm sorry.
Going back to the DX90, I have to say that unfortunately I listened too briefly with its stock firmware, I updated immediately, hoping to improve the behavior of the UI, so my listening impressions are based on FW 2.0.5.
Frankly, I do not expect that moving from stock to the new FW will make a day to night change, but I could not verify this.
I experimented with the digital filter settings, and if there's one thing I'm sure of, is that it is not this that may change as I would like the sound of the device.
Now I do not know what to do, most likely i will give back the DX90 to the seller but I have no idea what will replace it.
I might change it with X5, makes sense?
Any help/comment will be welcome!

 
If you dont like it, get something else.  Life is too short to spend obsessing with gear that doesnt make you happy.

 

[goodvibes]

2 days won't have it singing yet either. Play it constantly for a the next few days and try it again.

 

[funkforfood]

  You sure you're not connecting your headphones to the line out?

 
Of course!

But short while ago, I did a test that I had not yet tried, I used an external (desktop) amplifier feeded by the DX90 LO and....BINGO!
The veiling of which I complain, it is dissolved and now my files sound like I expect.
 
The problem is that I have no intention of buying an amplifier to drive a headphone easy as the SR60, it makes no sense...

 

[funkforfood]

   
If you dont like it, get something else.  Life is too short to spend obsessing with gear that doesnt make you happy.

 
Agree!
The problem is: what else?