[CoiL]

For what it counts, I also find HO @ mid gain sounding best. There were some measurements also made somewhere in this thread and if I remember correctly mid gain had best output results.

 

[Yanec]

 
 
not sure about this Running 100 Ohm ER-4s  IEMs on high gain (with DX-50 Capacitor upgrade) and  my chosen Doc firmware I cannot agree with this statement.
 
Cheers

 


The FW that you use has no effect on the way the 3 amp stages differ in sonic character so it doesn't matter.

The fact that you have custom capacitors may be the reason while your experience differs.

What I personally hear: low has the flattest sound character, mid gain adds more to the bass compared to what it adds to other frequencies and high gain adds more to the treble and presence zone so it definitely is more v-shaped than low and more energetic in the treble than mid - this is my constant experience no matter the FW and the headphones ranging from $10 to >$1K. Of course the frequency response can be measured, actually it has been measured but I am lazy to search

Cheers!

 

[CoiL]

And for what it counts again, I found stock and upgraded caps both @ mid gain best sounding. I also don`t bother to search for measurements, I know I`ve read and seen about it and it confirmed my listening results. But this all is subjective and I`m not here to prove something. Each person uses his/her own ears/gear etc. and makes conclusions and that`s OK.
 
Edit:
 
Got bored and searched for those measurements. Here ya go:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonalaudio.ru%2Fraa%2Fotchety%2Fusiliteli%2Fibasso-dx50%2F&edit-text=

 

[polyrhythm]

The FW that you use has no effect on the way the 3 amp stages differ in sonic character so it doesn't matter.

 I realise this, just added it in without thinking.
 
Regarding the gain settings and frequency. I did a quick initial test into RME recording equipment for all 3 gain settings.
 
Update:
 
test results removed due to being completely incorrect!

 

[CoiL]

I did a quick initial test into RME recording equipment for all 3 gain settings.

Can You be more precise how You did that test? Just curious.
 
Did You look through this DX50 measurements report?: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonalaudio.ru%2Fraa%2Fotchety%2Fusiliteli%2Fibasso-dx50%2F&edit-text=
 
Imo it`s not all about FR but also output mW, V and impedance match with DX50. 
From Your graphs I can read out mid gain being slightly better than L/H gain.

 

[U6astik]

Spoiler: DX50 vs iDSD micro

 
Yanec, just curious, will you get the same results by feeding a digital signal from the DX50 via both the USB and Coaxial outputs to your iDSD?
 
Also, do you find that HE-400i (and other headphones) benefit most from the amplifier of iDSD micro or from the DAC compared to DX50?
 
Regards,
U6astik

 

 

[Yanec]

   I realise this, just added it in without thinking.
 
Regarding the gain settings and frequency. I did a quick initial test into RME recording equipment for all 3 gain settings. Here is a swept sinewave 20hz-20khz comparison for the 3 settings.

log
 

linear

I will conclude this discussion on my side with this message.
 
Given the 20 db difference between bass and treble in your measurements which is not present in other reviews of the DX50(or any other source that I have heard of) do you consider the measurement correct? And you labeled a 20db shift from bass to treble - linear?
 
I can repeat what is my opinion and I will not comment this graph as I don't find the results your measurement produced correct. I do hear a linear sound as logically expected of any source and as I said I do hear slight sonic differences which are probably due to slight current variances(variances between the three amp presets) throughout the plot which appear at the amp stage.
 
Cheers!

 

[Yanec]

   

1. Yanec, just curious, will you get the same results by feeding a digital signal from the DX50 via both the USB and Coaxial outputs to your iDSD?

I have only tried the Coaxial connection. Actually I think the USB connection will work only to charge the DX50 from the Ifi micro battery, but not as a digital transport. Off-topic: the micro iDSD is an astonishing DAC and amp. It sounds leagues better than comparable TI BB chips implemented in top-series AV Receivers and by far better than the ESS products. I have performed a test using the same source material and the same amplifier and speakers I compared the results of the top-line ESS ES9023P used in the Popcornhour A-410 vs the BB used in the Marantz SR7009 vs the BB used in the iDSD micro - the result out of the iDSD micro is indisputably better - different league. It was recently used to demo DSD on a $150k amp and speaker system at an audio show...
 
And as you asked about orthos too - my opinion is that orthos and DX50 are not a good combo. The DX50 drives them but they just don't perform the way they do from much more powerful sources, yes even the HE400i changes its characters for the better and in a very strong manner when paired with a more powerful amp/source.

 

[polyrhythm]

Got bored and searched for those measurements. Here ya go:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonalaudio.ru%2Fraa%2Fotchety%2Fusiliteli%2Fibasso-dx50%2F&edit-text=
 

 
Thanks, will give that a read.
 

 
Given the 20 db difference between bass and treble in your measurements which is not present in other reviews of the DX50(or any other source that I have heard of) do you consider the measurement correct? And you labeled a 20db shift from bass to treble - linear?
 
I can repeat what is my opinion and I will not comment this graph as I don't find the results your measurement produced correct. I do hear a linear sound as logically expected of any source and as I said I do hear slight sonic differences which are probably due to slight current variances(variances between the three amp presets) throughout the plot which appear at the amp stage.
 

Not a terribly scientific approach I admit (not tried this before)
 
I volume matched the outputs at each gain setting and recorded the signal on each at 32bit float and 48 Khz.
 

And you labeled a 20db shift from bass to treble - linear?

No, the 'scale' type is linear and the first one Logarithmic on Right Mark Audio Analyzer.
 
Donno why there is a 20db shift in the scale as comparing the audio files themselves there is no shift in level from 20hz to 20khz.

 
I will conclude this discussion on my side

I agree, me too. Getting a bit distracted from listening and enjoying

 

[Maorijoe]

NEW DX50 OWNERS which includes me as of 4 days ago.
Firmware if want a starting point go to the first page of this thread.Then scroll down to Firmwares at the bottom of the page.Clicking the +symbol will open up all the Firmwares for the DX50 and you can click on the disscusions pages when the Firmwares were released and see what other members thought about all the releases.
Also the download links for all the firmware realeases are there as well.
A good starting point in my opinon is the ibasso realease 1.2.8 because it is stable and really good SQ IMO
How to install Firmware is on Page 1158 supplied to me by Coil.
Follow that method to the letter and you shouldnt have any problems with install.
Thanks again to the members who have helped me get to this stage with my DX50.

 

[7S Cameron]

Is stock 1.2.8 more stable than SUEX?

 

[CoiL]

yes, but not same sounding.

 

[Yanec]

Is stock 1.2.8 more stable than SUEX?

It should be since SUEX was based on an earlier stock with more problems this of course is theory I have no idea actually as both worked stable for me.

 

[Maorijoe]

SUEX has been stable for me so far Yanec.
You are right about the vocals they sound really good very natural.
I was sold on 1.2.8 thought i would never change of that Firmware after installing it.
But as they say Never say Never.
I will stay on Suex for the time being and keep listerning.

 

[CoiL]

Maorijoe, what settings are You using from bootup menu with SUEX? It is based on original 1.2.2.