[FooFighter]

My default was D2 Slow Roll Off

That's not the IOS default without UAC app.
That's hard coded: D1 fast rolloff is the standard setting

 

[FooFighter]

Thank you, Paul, for the clarification and explanation. I updated my review accordingly to correct the info for 4.4mm output with 280mW @32ohm

@Paul - iBasso @twister6
I found Alex finding interesting regarding the theoretical max wattage and then your response that it's limited to save the mobile phones battery.
Is this limitation maybe on the analogue side of things so if you crank it up all the 24 clicks it's only up to a fraction of its power and thus having lots of headroom to spare or is the amp designed to have as "little" power as was mentioned?

As mentioned I could even run DCA Stealth headphones and have reached not even half of the clicks of the dongle, so just interested in the design
Thx

Reading Paul's explanation I think it answers my question: the used opamp limits the current to 4V, so the limitation seems to be there by design.

 

[ayang02]

That's not the IOS default without UAC app.
That's hard coded: D1 fast rolloff is the standard setting

Well I did see D2 the first time I connected to the UAC app. Not sure how else I could have gotten it to D2. So you see D1 the first time you checked in UAC I suppose?

 

[FooFighter]

Well I did see D2 the first time I connected to the UAC app. Not sure how else I could have gotten it to D2. So you see D1 the first time you checked in UAC I suppose?

No, it's mentioned before for example in Alex twisters Review.
D1 is hardcoded standard without the app.
There is no flash memory on the dongle preserving any filter settings
That is all done through the Android App code and according configuration data saved on the source mobile phone.
That means if you change the filter to D2 on your Android phone and switch over to your iPhone it will still default to D1 filter.

Edit: Paul from Ibasso has clarified that D1 is the stock filter, yes.
But DC Elite has the ability to store configuration changes.
That means if you change the filter to D2 using the Ibasso UAC app on some Android or Windows device then this change is saved into the DC Elite flash memory and once you change the source to some IPhone for example you will still have D2 filter enabled - sorry for the confusion.

 

[ayang02]

No, it's mentioned before for example in Alex twisters Review.
D1 is hardcoded standard without the app.
There is no flash memory on the dongle preserving any filter settings
That is all done through the Android App code and according configuration data saved on the source mobile phone.
That means if you change the filter to D2 on your Android phone and switch over to your iPhone it will still default to D1 filter.

I just read the DC elite review by Alex and I don’t see this mentioned. I guess this is a known behavior then.

Thanks for the info! Now I wish we have an iOS App otherwise it’s always D1 filter

 

[FooFighter]

I just read the DC elite review by Alex and I don’t see this mentioned. I guess this is a known behavior then.

Thanks for the info! Now I wish we have an iOS App otherwise it’s always D1 filter

Gosh, now I don't find the reference anymore, I was quite certain it is the way I mentioned about the D1 as a standard filter.
@Paul - iBasso can you please confirm D1 is the standard filter or not without UAC app or on IOS generally?

In general I have to say I am anyway leaning towards D1 filter on my AP IEM and the slow filter isn't enough to make my non synergetic target imducers sound good enough for me so I think it's really up to preference and pairing.
Sound tweaking options in apps like Hiby Music Player etc are far more obvious to me but I personally also prefer the simplicity of sound tweakings through the device itself to be more flexible for example just firing up Qobuz app for streaming.
In these regards I see the advantages of Dongles like my Ifi Go Bar where you can configure various filters, XBass or XSpace on the Dongle.
On the other hand DC Elite is following the principles of SQ as priority and here it's not disappointing.
I think this might be the best sounding Dongle on the market - if the sound signature is up to taste and IEM / headphone synergy - at least I realized the standout features like enormous stage, transparency and bass authority on first listen

 

[peppy]

Gosh, now I don't find the reference anymore, I was quite certain it is the way I mentioned about the D1 as a standard filter.
@Paul - iBasso can you please confirm D1 is the standard filter or not without UAC app or on IOS generally?

In general I have to say I am anyway leaning towards D1 filter on my AP IEM and the slow filter isn't enough to make my non synergetic target imducers sound good enough for me so I think it's really up to preference and pairing.
Sound tweaking options in apps like Hiby Music Player etc are far more obvious to me but I personally also prefer the simplicity of sound tweakings through the device itself to be more flexible for example just firing up Qobuz app for streaming.
In these regards I see the advantages of Dongles like my Ifi Go Bar where you can configure various filters, XBass or XSpace on the Dongle.
On the other hand DC Elite is following the principles of SQ as priority and here it's not disappointing.
I think this might be the best sounding Dongle on the market - if the sound signature is up to taste and IEM / headphone synergy - at least I realized the standout features like enormous stage, transparency and bass authority on first listen

How do you think the sound quality compares with mid priced daps? I know it’s not going to compete with the N30le but how does it stack up compared to your Kann ultra?

 

[FooFighter]

How do you think the sound quality compares with mid priced daps? I know it’s not going to compete with the N30le but how does it stack up compared to your Kann ultra?

That's the point, I think it does compete with TOTL DAPs in terms of its strengths like transparency and stage size and bass authority and detail retrieval / resolution.
Once I started listening my first thought was it doesn't sound like a Dongle.
Specifically for my Amber Pearl IEM I rate this Dongle over both Ifi Go Bar Gold and Kann Ultra.
I think Go Bar Gold is lusher and warmer and friends have compared its tonality similar to RS6 R2R midfi DAP.
On paper Go Bar Gold has more power and so does Kann Ultra than DC Elite but with IEMs I don't hear that advantage in power.
Go Bar Gold is hissing with many IEMs which can only be remediated using the IEMatch switches (which I personally don't like to use as I find them changing the frequency response),I cannot hear any hissing noise on DC Elite in comparison.
I find Kann Ultra neutral sounding and less colored than DC Elite in the sense of having less pronounced upper frequencies (which are responsible imho for the sensation of transparency and stage width) and with also less bass authority.
Kann Ultra is tuned slightly more wet than DC Elite.
Kann Ultra's stage size is also remarkably more narrow than DC Elite, heck I think in that regards its wider than even my N30LE though latter one seems to be more delicate, organic and with more vertical stage extension.
I find DC Elite tonality though very specific (dry in this case) and have the impression that at least for my taste this tuning is rather a specialist than an Allrounder.
So even though I rate it higher than the mentioned Go Bar and Kann Ultra for my Amber Pearl IEM I find these alternatives more flexible in terms of synergies with other IEMs than DC Elite.
So as mentioned I am getting slight listening fatigue on RN6 with DC Elite with some music with tendencies to sibilances and hot zing sounds and I can imagine that can happen with any more neutral / brighter IEMs too but that's only my own ears perception so don't take that as a bible for everyone

Ergonomics are though maybe the worst of all Dongles I know with the known hard moving volume wheel (which on the other hand is like a protection to preventing accidental volume changes in your pocket with drastic consequences as the volume steps are quite large for IEMs) and the downsides of the resistor ladder volume control with noise and sound cut between the clicks.
But still I am feeling it's a purist device which is like a bang for bucks if the synergy is there.
I see myself using it also at home side by side with my N30LE DAP and my Amber Pearl IEM frequently and I think that's saying enough.

 

[FooFighter]

Btw as I don't want to carry my Uber expensive Amber Pearl set around on the go I am yet wondering about further "relatively" more affordable IEMs with good synergy (imho warmer and ticker stock tuning).
Have been thinking about FIR XE6 but if anyone has found further synergies please post here...

 

[Paul - iBasso]

The DC-Elite saves settings so if you have an iPhone etc., which does not use the UAC app but have an Android device that can use the UAC, you can make settings on the DC-Elite and they will be there when you change back to the iPhone etc. The rest of our series of DC does not have on board memory so the source sets and keeps the UAC settings.

The stock filter setting is D1.

I hope this clears any confusion.

 

[OneEyedHito]

That's the point, I think it does compete with TOTL DAPs in terms of its strengths like transparency and stage size and bass authority and detail retrieval / resolution.
Once I started listening my first thought was it doesn't sound like a Dongle.
Specifically for my Amber Pearl IEM I rate this Dongle over both Ifi Go Bar Gold and Kann Ultra.
I think Go Bar Gold is lusher and warmer and friends have compared its tonality similar to RS6 R2R midfi DAP.
On paper Go Bar Gold has more power and so does Kann Ultra than DC Elite but with IEMs I don't hear that advantage in power.
Go Bar Gold is hissing with many IEMs which can only be remediated using the IEMatch switches (which I personally don't like to use as I find them changing the frequency response),I cannot hear any hissing noise on DC Elite in comparison.
I find Kann Ultra neutral sounding and less colored than DC Elite in the sense of having less pronounced upper frequencies (which are responsible imho for the sensation of transparency and stage width) and with also less bass authority.
Kann Ultra is tuned slightly more wet than DC Elite.
Kann Ultra's stage size is also remarkably more narrow than DC Elite, heck I think in that regards its wider than even my N30LE though latter one seems to be more delicate, organic and with more vertical stage extension.
I find DC Elite tonality though very specific (dry in this case) and have the impression that at least for my taste this tuning is rather a specialist than an Allrounder.
So even though I rate it higher than the mentioned Go Bar and Kann Ultra for my Amber Pearl IEM I find these alternatives more flexible in terms of synergies with other IEMs than DC Elite.
So as mentioned I am getting slight listening fatigue on RN6 with DC Elite with some music with tendencies to sibilances and hot zing sounds and I can imagine that can happen with any more neutral / brighter IEMs too but that's only my own ears perception so don't take that as a bible for everyone

Ergonomics are though maybe the worst of all Dongles I know with the known hard moving volume wheel (which on the other hand is like a protection to preventing accidental volume changes in your pocket with drastic consequences as the volume steps are quite large for IEMs) and the downsides of the resistor ladder volume control with noise and sound cut between the clicks.
But still I am feeling it's a purist device which is like a bang for bucks if the synergy is there.
I see myself using it also at home side by side with my N30LE DAP and my Amber Pearl IEM frequently and I think that's saying enough.

100% concur with the ieMatch switches on iFi gear. I have never gotten along with it, it is like the opposite of an old school loudness button to me in sound. I appreciate the technology and I am sure it has plenty of fans but I am not one of them. As for listening fatigue I find the Mojo2 a better fit for my ears with my current collection of IEM's, I am going to spend some time with it and the ETA O2 I have as those will lean a bit warmer and see how it gets along.

A warmer DD IEM like the Singularity would be the ticket I bet............

 

[helloh3adfi]

The DC-Elite saves settings so if you have an iPhone etc., which does not use the UAC app but have an Android device that can use the UAC, you can make settings on the DC-Elite and they will be there when you change back to the iPhone etc. The rest of our series of DC does not have on board memory so the source sets and keeps the UAC settings.

Good to know. Someone mentioned the DC-Elite to not save settings inside a memory. So it was just a false rumor.

 

[FooFighter]

The DC-Elite saves settings so if you have an iPhone etc., which does not use the UAC app but have an Android device that can use the UAC, you can make settings on the DC-Elite and they will be there when you change back to the iPhone etc. The rest of our series of DC does not have on board memory so the source sets and keeps the UAC settings.

The stock filter setting is D1.

I hope this clears any confusion.

Thx Paul, that's good news actually for anyone switching around the sources like myself so one could apply his favorite settings and carry these over to iPhone, sorry for any confusions my assumptions might have caused

 

[FooFighter]

100% concur with the ieMatch switches on iFi gear. I have never gotten along with it, it is like the opposite of an old school loudness button to me in sound. I appreciate the technology and I am sure it has plenty of fans but I am not one of them. As for listening fatigue I find the Mojo2 a better fit for my ears with my current collection of IEM's, I am going to spend some time with it and the ETA O2 I have as those will lean a bit warmer and see how it gets along.

A warmer DD IEM like the Singularity would be the ticket I bet............

Yep, I am seriously thinking about XE6 instead of RN6.
Joke is that I have had Mojo2 like one year ago but at that moment I had different IEMs and headphones and found it bright too.
So any perceptions are only valid with according combinations and synergies are very often more important than slightly better Technicalities, that's my takeaway from last years in headfi...

 

[slumberman]

Oh yes please.

Didn’t work on the iBasso DX320Max. Will try Cayin later!