[Kukyo]

  I've just received my iBasso DX50 in the mail today and my first impression overall is that htis is a fantastic DAP all-round.
 
I do have some questions though and if anyone is able clarify fro me that would be fantastic!
 
1) I find that when pausing songs it can take a while to pause however when pressing play again its almost instantaneous, is there a fix for this or is this a known issue?
 
2) I was confused when I was able to plug my SE215s into both the Phone out and Line Out ports and still received a signal and was able to listen through both. Am I correct in thinking that line out would be for something like connecting to my FiiO E07k and phone out would be directly for headphones?
 
3) There are two ways to browse music in the DX50, via the directory and through album/artist/etc, however when browsing in Directory, the songs are organised Alphabetically and not in their track order like they are when browsing by Artist. Is there anything that can be done about this?
 
4) I'm also having issues with gapless playback, it is currently set to "off" however there is still a fade-in and fade-out when the song changes, I have no idea why this is happening, anyone else?
 
 
Again, these are all MINOR grievances that can likely all be fixed with firmware updates. But if they can be fixed sooner, I'd be over the moon!
 
Thanks in advance

 

1. This is how the hardware buttons work for DX50. There is a lag and the response time is not always consistent. It's annoying at first but you'll get use to it. I doubt this can be fixed by software. It appears the internal processor, hardware interface is the limiting factor here.

2. Correct phone out to headphone, line out to external amp.

3. I'll let someone else respond to this. I only browse exclusively by Artist/Album.

4. This is the hottest topic right now and one of the last remaining major bug for me (although some people still have freezing issues). Ibasso is working to fix it.

 
Picking up from 3 and 4, and correcting n°2 a little:

2) The Line out also works for sensitive iem's instead of just an external amp. Most people use it because it's cleaner than the headphone out (though it requieres a little more volume, since you're bypassing the gain stage).
 
3) I use Directory mainly and it might be an issue with your tags. I re-tagged my entire library due to some issues with some albums on 1.2.2, and i have no issues with playback in Directory Browsing. Might also work if you rename your songs to "01-xxxx; 02-xxxx" and so on. If you're not having issues with Album/Artist browsing, i'd suggest you stick with that.
 
4) It's perfectly normal with the 1.2.6 firmware (in Gapless mode Off, it reduces the cross-fading to about 1 or 2 seconds). Most of us are just waiting on the next firmware, since iBasso claimed that they'd fix it back to the way it worked on 1.2.5, or even better (maybe, who knows).

Hope that helps.

 

[headwhacker]

Picking up from 3 and 4, and correcting n°2 a little:


2) The Line out also works for sensitive iem's instead of just an external amp. Most people use it because it's cleaner than the headphone out (though it requieres a little more volume, since you're bypassing the gain stage).


Hope that helps.

lol, just because you can connect it directly to a headphone does not mean you should. A line out for it's intended purpose is suppose to hook up to an external amp. Sure its signal is clean as it should be but it's not recommended to directly drive even sensitive headphones.

It may sound nice and you may like it but most sensitive phones have low impedance and the line out has a huge impedance value which surely is affecting the frequency response of these phone. So the sound you are hearing is completely different from what it is suppose to be. Especially on the bass region.

The main reason you want to hook it up in with an external amp is because DX50 implemented the volume control in the DAC. For optimal SQ you have to turn up the volume all the way up and let the amp attenuate the volume going to your headphone so as not to damage your hearing.

So yeah you can connect a headphone directly to the line out. But you should not do that.

 

[tak-]

Yup, the music sounds very flat and dynamic range is very constrained when I try listening directly out of the line out. My ears and iems are pretty sensitive so I end up using line out to the O2 to remove the background hiss from the internal DX50 amp. I barely move the O2 knob more than half a marking from the lowest volume if I max out the DX50 volume. (And that is on a 1x "gain" from the O2...)

 

[KHill]

Quick question.  Do you think that the C5 pairs better with the DX50 (Westone 4R) than an RSA Tomahawk?  With the Tomahawk and DX50, I honestly can't tell that much difference between the headphone out of the DX50 (other than the Tomahawk has no hiss).  I'm on the fence about ordering a C5 and want to be sure that it's going to be a step up and not a downgrade/even step.

 

[Lilfurbal]

With all this discussion of ohms and headphones, I feel compelled to ask now.  Does anyone have any recommendations for in ear headphones, custom molded or otherwise, that pair wonderfully with the DX50 using nothing but its built in amplifier?  Strapping an external amp to my DX50 is not a valid option as there's no convenient way to transport that around.  I'd like a pair of headphones that could take full advantage of the internal amp.  Ohms still rather confuses me though, and people having said their sensitive headphones have a hiss concerns me.  
 
I want something without hiss, so perhaps can't be too sensitive.  Right now the headphones I'm using are 50 ohm with a 110 db sensitivity, and have no hiss and sound good.  But are neither custom molded, nor pro, and they certainly don't feature a smooth frequency response which causes me to heavily use the equalizer.  But they sound clean, and there is no hiss with the DX50's built in amp.  
 
I was looking at stuff like jhaudio but they all seem extremely sensitive, like more so than I would want with the DX50's internal amp.  And they seem to be about 15 ohms, compared to the 50 I'm using now (not sure exactly what that implies coming from the DX50).  
 
Anyone able to help me out here as to good headphone pairings?  Again, I don't want to need an external amp for the best of the best.  Just really good sound from the internal amp.  

 

[headwhacker]

Yup, the music sounds very flat and dynamic range is very constrained when I try listening directly out of the line out. My ears and iems are pretty sensitive so I end up using line out to the O2 to remove the background hiss from the internal DX50 amp. I barely move the O2 knob more than half a marking from the lowest volume if I max out the DX50 volume.

 
Same here, I turn the volume down a bit on DX50 with O2. I find 245 to be the best match with JH16. But for C5D and UHA-4 I turn the volume all the way to 255 and the digital volume control on these little amps works well and precise.

 

[HiFlight]

With all this discussion of ohms and headphones, I feel compelled to ask now.  Does anyone have any recommendations for in ear headphones, custom molded or otherwise, that pair wonderfully with the DX50 using nothing but its built in amplifier?  Strapping an external amp to my DX50 is not a valid option as there's no convenient way to transport that around.  I'd like a pair of headphones that could take full advantage of the internal amp.  Ohms still rather confuses me though, and people having said their sensitive headphones have a hiss concerns me.  

I want something without hiss, so perhaps can't be too sensitive.  Right now the headphones I'm using are 50 ohm with a 110 db sensitivity, and have no hiss and sound good.  But are neither custom molded, nor pro, and they certainly don't feature a smooth frequency response which causes me to heavily use the equalizer.  But they sound clean, and there is no hiss with the DX50's built in amp.  

I was looking at stuff like jhaudio but they all seem extremely sensitive, like more so than I would want with the DX50's internal amp.  And they seem to be about 15 ohms, compared to the 50 I'm using now (not sure exactly what that implies coming from the DX50).  

Anyone able to help me out here as to good headphone pairings?  Again, I don't want to need an external amp for the best of the best.  Just really good sound from the internal amp.  

Two of my best pairings from all my phones are the StageDiver SD3 and Cardas 1840. No need for external amp and no hiss. Large out of head soundstage with both. Both are universals but with the performance of customs. The SD3 is the more portable of the two, as the Cardas has quite a large and heavy cable.

 

[guido]

Can I connect an external 2TB powered hard drive with about 8000 Flacs to the DX50?
 
How long would it take to scan the library and would it even work?

 

[ratinox]

How long would it take to scan the library and would it even work?

Will it work at all? Let's find out. I have a 1TB SATA drive, a powered SATA to USB converter, and a USB OTG cable, and a DX50.
Yes, it works with the equipment that I have.

 

[Dabboo]

Did you get yours from the 11th or 12th batch?

I ordered from MP4Nation and they advised it was from the latest batch so I'd assume I've got the a 12th. Is there any way for me to check?

 

[Sorensiim]

  With all this discussion of ohms and headphones, I feel compelled to ask now.  Does anyone have any recommendations for in ear headphones, custom molded or otherwise, that pair wonderfully with the DX50 using nothing but its built in amplifier?  Strapping an external amp to my DX50 is not a valid option as there's no convenient way to transport that around.  I'd like a pair of headphones that could take full advantage of the internal amp.  Ohms still rather confuses me though, and people having said their sensitive headphones have a hiss concerns me.  
 
I want something without hiss, so perhaps can't be too sensitive.  Right now the headphones I'm using are 50 ohm with a 110 db sensitivity, and have no hiss and sound good.  But are neither custom molded, nor pro, and they certainly don't feature a smooth frequency response which causes me to heavily use the equalizer.  But they sound clean, and there is no hiss with the DX50's built in amp.  
 
I was looking at stuff like jhaudio but they all seem extremely sensitive, like more so than I would want with the DX50's internal amp.  And they seem to be about 15 ohms, compared to the 50 I'm using now (not sure exactly what that implies coming from the DX50).  
 
Anyone able to help me out here as to good headphone pairings?  Again, I don't want to need an external amp for the best of the best.  Just really good sound from the internal amp.  

The Noble K10 is a >35ohm custom IEM and completely hiss-free on the DX50. Sounds great straight from the headphone output.
 
 
You might want to sit down before you look at the pricetag though.

 

[Sorensiim]

  Can I connect an external 2TB powered hard drive with about 8000 Flacs to the DX50?
 
How long would it take to scan the library and would it even work?

 
 

Will it work at all? Let's find out. I have a 1TB SATA drive, a powered SATA to USB converter, and a USB OTG cable, and a DX50.
Yes, it works with the equipment that I have.

You would need an external power source and media connected via USB OTG will not be scanned, so directory playback only.

 

[Lilfurbal]

Two of my best pairings from all my phones are the StageDiver SD3 and Cardas 1840. No need for external amp and no hiss. Large out of head soundstage with both. Both are universals but with the performance of customs. The SD3 is the more portable of the two, as the Cardas has quite a large and heavy cable.

 
 
Where is the StageDiver SD3 headphones available to buy from?  Not finding those other than a german web page.  lol
 
The Cardas seems interesting.  And shiny.  
 
The thing with most universal in ear headphones seem to be that I tend to never like the ear tips.  Don't like foam tips, and the silicon tips are usually round shaped which don't seal in my ears properly, if at all.  Klipsch did make me spoiled in the regard that they have the comfiest ear tips I've ever used.  That's the brand I'm using now, but they don't have anything headphone wise for pro audio.  Least not yet.  They're new enough to the headphone scene as it is but knocked it out of the park in terms of in ear headphone comfort.
 
Thanks for these recommendations!

 

[ratinox]

You would need an external power source and media connected via USB OTG will not be scanned, so directory playback only.

Yep. That's why I used a powered SATA to USB adapter. USB OTG won't provide nearly enough power to drive a full-sized hard drive.

 

[JoeDoe]

  With all this discussion of ohms and headphones, I feel compelled to ask now.  Does anyone have any recommendations for in ear headphones, custom molded or otherwise, that pair wonderfully with the DX50 using nothing but its built in amplifier?  Strapping an external amp to my DX50 is not a valid option as there's no convenient way to transport that around.  I'd like a pair of headphones that could take full advantage of the internal amp.  Ohms still rather confuses me though, and people having said their sensitive headphones have a hiss concerns me.  
 
I want something without hiss, so perhaps can't be too sensitive.  Right now the headphones I'm using are 50 ohm with a 110 db sensitivity, and have no hiss and sound good.  But are neither custom molded, nor pro, and they certainly don't feature a smooth frequency response which causes me to heavily use the equalizer.  But they sound clean, and there is no hiss with the DX50's built in amp.  
 
I was looking at stuff like jhaudio but they all seem extremely sensitive, like more so than I would want with the DX50's internal amp.  And they seem to be about 15 ohms, compared to the 50 I'm using now (not sure exactly what that implies coming from the DX50).  
 
Anyone able to help me out here as to good headphone pairings?  Again, I don't want to need an external amp for the best of the best.  Just really good sound from the internal amp.  

TDK BA200. Not too sensitive and the warmth of the BA200 pairs wonderfully with the brightness of the DX50.