[LeeC]

actually the power from LO is well enough for nornal iem. the amps around this price will do a better job than the internal amp.

Thanks. I compared the HO and LO at the same volume level, to my ears the HO is still much better. But with SE535 the hiss is too bad. I may just use W4R with the DX50 or get a C5 to pair with it.

 

[wizard327]

Did some more extensive listening using the Vsonic VSD1S and now I'm thinking the DX50 may just not be for me. For reference I prefer a mid-forward sound signature. Also the main thing I listen for is clarity in vocals. Just not getting it with the DX50. Thought it was just a synergy issue with the re400 but it's not where I want it to be with the VSD1s, although it is improved. I posted up quick impressions after 1 song but it seemed like it was the recording of the song that made it sound good. I listened to several other songs and the vocals sound like they are going through a megaphone or something making it sound slightly unnatural lol. Dang it!

Maybe you should try other phones like ER4S. Mine has a mid-forward ss and very clear vocals.

 

[Dopaminer]

 
Just to clearly outline what I now have:
Scandisk MicroSD Class 10 64GB card with 2,525 tracks on it, totaling 55.7GB.  This is made up of 1,532 flac files totaling 47.9GB and 993 mp3 files totaling 7.8GB.
It used to scan in around 30 mins, I have just scanned it in 5mins 09secs.
 

 
I`ve never had a scan last more than a few seconds, have a 64gb card full of FLAC,AIFF with a little mp3, and have never had a problem playing any track.  
 
Obviously quite a range of user experience with this device.  (mine is batch 7)

 

[Fluvance]

Maybe you should try other phones like ER4S. Mine has a mid-forward ss and very clear vocals.

 
It seems no one ever tries out the Monster Turbines. I guess the entire name gets a bad rap in the audiophile community because of the Beats.
Anywho, my Turbine Pro Coppers sound beautiful with my DX50. Just about no hiss whatsoever, and the details are very crisp. The combination of this player and Turbine IEMs is outstanding. Coming from a MacBook, the soundstage on the DX50 is so wide, I'm constantly checking to see if the tips are in my ears properly.

 

[Dopaminer]

  I emailed iBasso about this. They said it's a hardware design flaw. try to use Hi-Gain and see if you can stand the hiss.
 
I didn't like the hiss, so I got an external amp to remove it.

Strange, isn`t it?  Mine has disruptively noticeable hiss on LOW gain and basically none on high gain.  (9 0hm Shure se846)  
Or is this not strange?  

 

[H20Fidelity]

It seems no one ever tries out the Monster Turbines. I guess the entire name gets a bad rap in the audiophile community because of the Beats.
Anywho, my Turbine Pro Coppers sound beautiful with my DX50. Just about no hiss whatsoever, and the details are very crisp. The combination of this player and Turbine IEMs is outstanding. Coming from a MacBook, the soundstage on the DX50 is so wide, I'm constantly checking to see if the tips are in my ears properly.

Wow! That's a pretty wide stage you're experiencing!

Turbines actually have a decent following here with above average reviews. it's mainly the Dr Dre line which isn't popular.

 

[highfell]

It's not adding a zero. It's doubling the value. The number "1" in a 4-bit representation is "0001" (I'm shifting left in this example). If you shift left by 1 bit you get "0010" which equals 2. Shift again and get "0100" which equals 4. Shift again and you get 8. Shift again... and the bit falls off the end -- it gets clipped. This technically is not gain but the results are similar enough. Gain and amplification are modifications to electrical signals on a line. They're both analog processes (that's why "digital gain" isn't really gain).

Gain is the ratio of input voltage to output voltage across a circuit. It's a simple additive process: increase volts = increase power. The problem is that gain introduces distortion which you typically don't want unless you're a rock guitarist and you want distortion. Gain happens in the preamplifier stage. Going back to digital gain, you may not need a preamp if the signal coming out of the DAC is line level. I'm not sure if the Wolfson DAC does this or if DX50 has a preamp. Either way, you're getting line level voltage on the LO jack.

Audio power amplification takes the output from the preamp (or perhaps directly from the DAC) and boosts it. Gain is involved, but so are filters (tubes, transistors, FETs, etc.) to clean up the noise caused by manipulating gain. It's a power-hungry step. A power amp needs to boost the signal beyond what is needed for driving speakers. It then filters out the noise. The filter mechanisms turn noise -- that is, the parts of the electrical signals that are not desired -- into heat. That's why amplifiers get warm.


Does that help?

Yes it does - but I am 'not there' yet -, although it helps & also very interesting especially the bit about why amplifiers get warm, fascinating stuff , so thanks. Am going to do more reading around the subject.

Thanks again for taking the time

 

[simonsullivan1]

I`ve never had a scan last more than a few seconds, have a 64gb card full of FLAC,AIFF with a little mp3, and have never had a problem playing any track.  

Obviously quite a range of user experience with this device.  (mine is batch 7)

Perhaps I should have been more clear, that is only in relation to the first scan to build the database. All subsequent scans when I turn the unit back on are only a couple of seconds as you describe. Or am I wrong and even your initial scan is only a few seconds?

 

[xnuthecaveman]

Strange, isn`t it?  Mine has disruptively noticeable hiss on LOW gain and basically none on high gain.  (9 0hm Shure se846)  
Or is this not strange?  

Yes very strange because on the Arrow the higher the gain more hiss/noise with my 1plus2

 

[bluesyfluesy]

Is it really better to resize album art to less than 400x400? It looks the same to me, 640x640 and 300x300. Also, my unit is a little strange, since when I fill my SD card with music in this format "artist/albums/" it won't fully scan the SD card, leaving some songs missing. The directory will display the SD card as blank too. Changing the format to "albums/", the DX50 won't even scan the card. What worked for me was just simply placing all my music straight into the SD card with no folders.

 

[simonsullivan1]

Is it really better to resize album art to less than 400x400? It looks the same to me, 640x640 and 300x300. Also, my unit is a little strange, since when I fill my SD card with music in this format "artist/albums/" it won't fully scan the SD card, leaving some songs missing. The directory will display the SD card as blank too. Changing the format to "albums/", the DX50 won't even scan the card. What worked for me was just simply placing all my music straight into the SD card with no folders.

You've got me on the scanning issue, never experienced that! And can't think of s reason without completely guessing. As for the album art, you won't see a difference between the resolutions you've mention on the DX50, or even iTunes etc. Its more of a file size thing - if the DX50 scans you're card for album art, in theory it shouldn't take quite as long if the files are smaller. But ultimately I agree with you, it won't make much difference either way at any of those resolutions. Up to.

 

[alchemical]

Strange, isn`t it?  Mine has disruptively noticeable hiss on LOW gain and basically none on high gain.  (9 0hm Shure se846)  
Or is this not strange?  

How do your 846s sound with the DX50 on high gain? Have a pair myself and thinking of pulling the trigger on a 50.

 

[bluesyfluesy]

You've got me on the scanning issue, never experienced that! And can't think of s reason without completely guessing. As for the album art, you won't see a difference between the resolutions you've mention on the DX50, or even iTunes etc. Its more of a file size thing - if the DX50 scans you're card for album art, in theory it shouldn't take quite as long if the files are smaller. But ultimately I agree with you, it won't make much difference either way at any of those resolutions. Up to.

I wonder if it could be due to faulty tags or SD card. Anyway, my DX50 is working fine that way so I won't complain! I'll enjoy my unit - I don't want to send it for warranty *again* if it comes to that. Thanks for your help

 

[Sorensiim]

Am I the only one bugged by the ordering of the "My music" menu? I created a poll, please take 20 seconds out of your busy schedule and let me (and Ibasso, whom I've been bugging) know what you think: http://www.head-fi.org/t/692298/dx50-should-the-menu-be-re-arranged

 

[cooperpwc]

www.screenpatronus.com now have the correct measurements for the DX50 screen since I ordered a set of their screen protectors.
 
For those that are not familiar, screenpatronus make these remarkable screen protectors that are like little lenses that actually increase the clarity of what they protect. I used them for years with Blackberries.
 
The ones they just made for me are perfect. Not sure a picture can show just how insanely clear these are.