[BrianovichIV]

I'll take a little extra treble in exchange for the detail and soundstage I get out of NDFFF. I feel like I could fall into that reverb and never find my way out.
 
Question: Does Dualboot Rockbox need to be used with stock firmware? Or could I also use it with NDFFF? I'm noticing that NDFFF sounds amazing with my HD598s, but the Rockbox was nice for my Momentum On-Ears with heavier, faster songs. It'd be nice to switch between the two based on my mood.

 

[dragonsan16]

AFAIK you can't use mod firmware to be used for dual boot with the Rockbox..

Or maybe you want to try the RBSU firmware

Btw 7S Cameron do you use RBSU or pure Rockbox (dual boot)? Which RBSU is the most stable? Really want to try but i want to know the sound difference between RBSU and Rockbox only

 

[7S Cameron]

 

My favorite firmware from Doc is his ultimate final because on his favorite final the treble is very fatiguing.

 

I think Ultimate is significantly better all round than NDFFF. Shame it's FLAC only! If any one knows how to access settings for this, if it's possible, I'd be grateful. I have my fav albums in FLAC and the other 2/3rds of my storage split between high bitrate vbr MP3 and Ogg.

I haven't tried the Surround or Bass versions of Doc's firmwares but will do soon or are they FLAC only too?
 
NDFFF was far too shrill for me, I found the highs artificial, really distracting and unpleasant -- on material I'm very familiar with.

It being FLAC only does affect the sound.

 

[7S Cameron]

AFAIK you can't use mod firmware to be used for dual boot with the Rockbox..

Or maybe you want to try the RBSU firmware

Btw @7S Cameron do you use RBSU or pure Rockbox (dual boot)? Which RBSU is the most stable? Really want to try but i want to know the sound difference between RBSU and Rockbox only

I use pure Rockbox. RBSU is definitely not as stable and isn't updated anymore. I would use Sound Unlocked 1.3.3 or DOCs ultimate final if they had replaygain. I don't think Rockbox sounds as good and I like having hi-res play back.

 

[BrianovichIV]

AFAIK you can't use mod firmware to be used for dual boot with the Rockbox..

Or maybe you want to try the RBSU firmware

Btw @7S Cameron do you use RBSU or pure Rockbox (dual boot)? Which RBSU is the most stable? Really want to try but i want to know the sound difference between RBSU and Rockbox only

 
That's a shame. I'd love to be able to switch on the fly. There's plenty of internal storage space too.

 

[caml]

Well I said I was gonna test various firmwares and I did. What's surprising is that I don't really come to the same conclusions as most of you guys.
 
So I tried Doc2008's New Favorite Firmware Final, New Favorite Firmware Megabass Edition and New Favorite Firmware Surround Edition Final.
I must have wooden ears or something (I tested a couple months ago and I can't hear a damn thing above 15 kHz btw

) because in all honesty I can't really tell a difference between these 3. I perhaps could if I switched between two players, but here with the time of updating the rom and all, my auditive memory does not allow me to clearly pick out the differences. To me they all sound airy, dynamic, deep and sharp at the same time. Precise yet non tiring. Also, I can't understand the claims of the highs being shrill or fatiguing with NDFFF, those highs sound veeeeeeery smooth to me.
 
Now I also tried SU 1.3.3, it's a very different animal. I hope I won't get flammed as it's very well regarded here 

I don't wanna sound arrogant or anything but I didn't like it. I found it way too smooth, too bassy, lazy sounding, with the high seeming to be cut-off or something and an impression of lacking dynamic. Very analog sounding in a way, but also boring to me. I do understand why it is appreciated because well, yes, it is non fatiguing that's for sure, but it's not for me. I like a sound that is more incisive.
 
SU 1.4 seems to sound closer to the various Doc2008's I tried. Airier than 1.3.3, less analog sounding, sharper. It's quite good. At one time I didn't remember it was the one loaded and I thought it was NDFFF.
 
Note : those tests were loosely made, and ran across several afternoons and evenings with various levels of brain and ears fatigue and are by no means the truth, just my truth

 
In the end I'm keeping NDFFF for now but I will probably keep trying other FW as time permits and do not exclude trying again SU 1.3.3 once more just to make sure.
 
The conclusion to all this is that it's best to try it all for yourself and make your own opinion ! Your results compared to other's will vary depending on your own headphones, sound preferences, music genres tried, experience, the way you understand and use sound jargon, etc. Changing FW is so easy it hurts, and takes less than 10 minutes...

 

[BrianovichIV]

Some of these posts prompted me to revisit Doc's Favorite Final and Ultimate Final and compare just those two. I'll give both a listen tonight and report back for a second round of impressions.

 

[7S Cameron]

Well I said I was gonna test various firmwares and I did. What's surprising is that I don't really come to the same conclusions as most of you guys.

So I tried Doc2008's New Favorite Firmware Final, New Favorite Firmware Megabass Edition and New Favorite Firmware Surround Edition Final.
I must have wooden ears or something (I tested a couple months ago and I can't hear a damn thing above 15 kHz btw:atsmile: ) because in all honesty I can't really tell a difference between these 3. I perhaps could if I switched between two players, but here with the time of updating the rom and all, my auditive memory does not allow me to clearly pick out the differences. To me they all sound airy, dynamic, deep and sharp at the same time. Precise yet non tiring. Also, I can't understand the claims of the highs being shrill or fatiguing with NDFFF, those highs sound veeeeeeery smooth to me.

Now I also tried SU 1.3.3, it's a very different animal. I hope I won't get flammed as it's very well regarded here :wink_face: I don't wanna sound arrogant or anything but I didn't like it. I found it way too smooth, too bassy, lazy sounding, with the high seeming to be cut-off or something and an impression of lacking dynamic. Very analog sounding in a way, but also boring to me. I do understand why it is appreciated because well, yes, it is non fatiguing that's for sure, but it's not for me. I like a sound that is more incisive.

SU 1.4 seems to sound closer to the various Doc2008's I tried. Airier than 1.3.3, less analog sounding, sharper. It's quite good. At one time I didn't remember it was the one loaded and I thought it was NDFFF.

Note : those tests were loosely made, and ran across several afternoons and evenings with various levels of brain and ears fatigue and are by no means the truth, just my truth

In the end I'm keeping NDFFF for now but I will probably keep trying other FW as time permits and do not exclude trying again SU 1.3.3 once more just to make sure.

The conclusion to all this is that it's best to try it all for yourself and make your own opinion ! Your results compared to other's will vary depending on your own headphones, sound preferences, music genres tried, experience, the way you understand and use sound jargon, etc. Changing FW is so easy it hurts, and takes less than 10 minutes...

Do you use an external amp with the DX50?

 

[caml]

Do you use an external amp with the DX50?

 
Not when testing the various firmwares, as the whole point to me was to test the headphones out alone.

 

[CoiL]

 I found it way too smooth, too bassy, lazy sounding, with the high seeming to be cut-off or something and an impression of lacking dynamic.

 
 
Ok, I totally respect Your subjective opinion but maybe this "I can't hear a damn thing above 15 kHz btw" contributes how You hear this FW way way different from others?
This "high seeming to be cut-off or something" seems to also indicate to this problem. Honestly, there ain`t nothing cut off (just littlebit smoothed and not harsh/sharp highs). Neither is it lazy sounding... maybe littlebit "analog" or natural sounding but it`s rather neutral, clean and detailed sounding with great spacious soundstage and imaging.
Also, additionally, maybe Your HPs aren`t capable of so large soundstage and imaging? I had similar "problem" when I upgraded my Aune T1 and got high-end tubes... I had to get Fidelio X1 to catch up with source gear (Had modded HD-681 mkII).
 
Just some thoughts. All that matters is that You find what sounds best for YOUR ears and taste

 

[caml]

Yes that's what I meant and that's why I mentioned my upper hearing threshold. I'm guessing there's something either with my hearing or my headphones that makes me hear such differences from you guys. I absolutely didn't want to bash against firmwares or whatever, but I thought it might be interesting to post my own opinions to show that in the end it's all relative and the best thing to do is to listen for yourself

YMMV right...

I don't care too much about the actuality of my results as at least I found something that sounds good to me and that's all that matters.
 
Also what I'm discovering here is that it's really cool to be able to switch firmwares and I'm thankful to all the firmware makers for such work, and to the companies too that release gear that is so easily modable. I mean they could have taken special measures to stop people from doing that and keep it all closed and proprietary.

 

[spookygonk]

I also have either terrible ears or terrible short term memory as I couldn't really tell any differences between different firmwares.
 
So I just kept the one that gave me the least problems (track skipping or playing stopped).
 
THen I just enjoy the music.  Really need a new back cover for my DX50 as mine has a dent/chip out of it when I supposedly dropped it sometime.  Must email the iBasso guy on here.

 

[BrianovichIV]

The Ultimate Final firmware just isn't doing it for me. I feel like the music loses something from the regular Doc's Favorite Firmware Final. Like it's not as lively. The details aren't as clear, the reverb and echo not as lush. Perhaps that's due to the extra treble?
 
I'll be sticking with NDFFF for the foreseeable future.

 

[7S Cameron]

Do you use an external amp with the DX50?

Not when testing the various firmwares, as the whole point to me was to test the headphones out alone.

DOCs firmware can be better without an amp, but with an amp I think that SU 1.3.3 is definitely the best. Try it out with your favorite portable amp if you have one. You may be surprised.

 

[caml]

DOCs firmware can be better without an amp, but with an amp I think that SU 1.3.3 is definitely the best. Try it out with your favorite portable amp if you have one. You may be surprised.

 
Okay I will. I want to try out SU 1.3.3 once more anyway for sure, I feel like I must have missed something.