Another "audiophile" player from another fairly well-known Chinese manufacturer. iBasso began to storm the market of portable HiFi with the top model DX100, continued the budget DX50, and finally they presented an interim solution in the face of the long-awaited DX90. It is about him that will be discussed in this review.
Externally, the DX90 almost completely repeats the younger DX50 model, although the filling is completely different. The player uses a circuit with separate channels. To decode the signal, two ESS Saber 9018K2M chips are used, one for each channel. This chip is a simplified version of one of the best modern Delta-Sigma DAC Saber 9018 (I reviewed the Yulong DA8, made on this chip). The younger model has only two channels, in contrast to the 8 channels of the older version, so it was quite possible to do with the “full-fledged” 9018, theoretically getting even the best result. This is exactly what iBasso did in the first DX100, which has now been discontinued. But marketing, obviously, dictates its own rules, and the principle of “two chips is better than one” is actively exploited by Chinese developers (in HiFiMan 901, two “full-fledged” 9018 are generally used). Of course, there are also two amplifier paths, one for each channel. They are based on the OPA1611 and BUF634 microcircuits and provide good output power. Judging by the measurements, this is paying off: the player leads in its niche in channel separation. Complementing all this is a dual-core central processor, designed to provide decoding of any formats.
The closest competitor to the DX90 in terms of performance is Fiio X5, which appeared on the market a little earlier, although the start of sales in Russia and Ukraine was a bit slower, and both players appeared almost simultaneously. The X5 is built on a different DAC and costs $ 80 less (if you look at prices in the USA), is the DX90 worth this overpayment?
Specifications
Linear output
- Frequency range: 17 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.1 dB
- Signal to noise ratio: -119 dB ± 1 dB
- Total harmonic distortion + noise: 0.0015%
- Channel separation: 115 dB @ 1 kHz
- Output level: 1.7 Vrms @ 1 kHz, 0 dB
Headphone Out
- Frequency range: 17 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.1 dB
- Signal to noise ratio: 0.0015% (with a load of 32Ω)
- Output level: 1.3 Vrms (Low gain), 2.0 Vrms (Mid gain), 2.8 Vrms (High Gain)
- Signal-to-noise ratio: -118 dB ± 1 dB (Low gain), -116 dB ± 1 dB (Mid gain), -115 dB ± 1 dB (High Gain), (with a load of 32Ω)
- Channel separation: 75 dB @ 1 kHz (with a load of 32Ω)
- Output Impedance : <0.1Ω
Are common
- Operating time on one battery charge: 8.5 h
- Battery charge time: up to 3 hours from the charger, 5.5 hours from the USB port
- Built-in memory: 8 GB
- Memory Card Support: MicroSD, up to 2 TB
- Supported formats: APE, FLAC, WAV, WMA, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, OGG, MP3
- Dimensions: 64 mm x 100 mm x 17 mm
- Weight: 140 gr
Package and Delivery
The packaging has remained the same as in the previous version: a small box of brown color with a cloth coating. By the way, iBasso is the first who thought of releasing a new player in the old design, I think many will follow this example in the future. A paper ring is put on the box with the text about the model and the manufacturer.
Inside, everything is traditional: the player is on top, under it is a box with accessories. The set included: a pair of protective films, a cable for coaxial output, a USB cable, a black silicone case (much better than a cloth in a DX50) and a warm-up cable. Manufacturers recommend to warm up the player using this cable for at least 400 hours, but, in my opinion, it looks like an excessive measure.
In general, the package is good, it has everything that is necessary for the full use of the player, although it would not hurt the bundled adapter for USB-OTG.
Design and management
The appearance of the player also has not undergone significant changes. The only visual difference from the DX50 is the thicker metal border of the connectors. The case remains the same: plastic base, metal front panel and battery cover. A replaceable battery is an idea that should be borrowed by all manufacturers: top players do not work as long as we would like, therefore, on a long trip, a charged spare battery will allow you not to lose the opportunity to listen to music. It is especially good that a standard Samsung Galaxy S3 battery is used, so there are quite a few alternatives (including higher capacity).
The case is very small and quite light, it is simply amazing how such a powerful stuffing fit inside.
The front panel features a touchscreen display and three large playback control buttons. The display is not bad in quality (as for the player), 2.4 ″, IPS matrix with a resolution of 320 x 240. The screen is used without an air gap, so the viewing angles are acceptable, although the brightness in the sun is still not enough. Personally, I prefer purely mechanical control, but this is a matter of habit.
On the left panel are the power switch and the lock slider, on the right - the volume buttons. iBasso belongs in this absolute record - 255 steps with logarithmic adjustment. At first, it is a little embarrassing that after pressing the power button, it takes about 5 seconds before the screen lights up, so it seems that the player does not want to turn on, but then you get used to it.
The top panel contains a coaxial output jack, a slot for memory cards and micro USB. A nice addition is the USB OTG player support, with an adapter cable (it was not put into a bundle for nothing), the DX90 easily reads music from flash drives.
The bottom panel contains the headphone, line-out, and gain control jacks. I really hoped that in the new version of iBasso they would correct the defect (in my opinion) and transfer the headphone jack to the top, but this did not happen.
The player interface has not changed as compared with the DX50, the menu is quite simple, but everything you need is available. You can browse music by artists, genres and albums, or use folder navigation if you do not maintain order in the media library. You can create your own playlists by grouping music. In the settings, you can twist the eight-band equalizer, change the playback mode, start playback without pauses between tracks, view track information. System settings allow you to select the interface language (Russian is, but the quality of localization is below the baseboard), choose the screen time on and off when idle, change the brightness. The settings also have a switch that allows you to turn on a mode in which the player, when connected to a computer, works as a DAC, but judging by the fact that my MacBook did not respond to the player in this mode - this is done with the future.
There are a certain number of software errors, during the tests the player once hung, the sound stuttered several times, plus there is a common navigation problem for all Chinese devices in large files. There are not so many software flaws like the DX50 on the first firmware versions, but they still exist. I think the next couple of months the firmware will be actively “finished” and corrected.
The operating time and battery charging is close to what was stated theoretically. My player worked on one charge for 7 hours and 50 minutes.
Sound
The following headphones were used to listen to the player:
Work necessary errors model DX50, of course, failed. The main problem of “fifty kopecks” - the shallow bass depth - was taken into account and corrected. The sound of the player is very smooth, with good detail and typical for Saber easy detachment. The player is well suited for fans to "listen to" the nuances of music and details of performance.
Low frequencies are well controlled, have depth and detail. The midrange is close to impeccable in terms of detail and evenness of the presentation, but the composition sounds distantly on some, as if some of the musicians were recorded separately, and sometimes this leads to strange effects in the construction of the scene. The upper frequencies are probably the best in the price range, sometimes even surprising that the device is priced at 430 dollars, and not something twice as expensive. There is a slight bloom of artificiality typical of Saber, but it is not always audible. Sibilant to achieve almost impossible.
Due to the almost zero impedance, the player works great with rebar headphones, although it will not disappoint with good dynamic ones. There is enough power reserve for most overhead headphones, with the exception of the tightest, non-stationary models. I would advise to immediately choose something with a high level of detail to emphasize the merits of this player.
Of course, you can not do without a comparison with the closest competitor from Fiio. In general, the difference between the two models is primarily in the manner of submission. Roughly speaking, you will have to choose between the neutrality of the DX90 and the energetic performance of the Fiio X5, based on the available headphones and music preferences. High frequencies are better at DX90, I prefer the middle on the X5 (despite its flaws). Again, it is impossible not to take into account the difference in price, which can be used to buy higher-quality headphones, having received a noticeable increase in the sound of the resulting bundle.
The player is quite critical to the quality of the recordings, so in order to unlock its potential you may have to reconsider your library.
findings
IBasso is a very strong step, taking into account all the shortcomings of the previous model and allowing the company to confidently press competitors in the fight for a place in the sun. The player is very good in hardware, which reveals its potential in high-quality sound, is pleasing in size and ergonomics. In the near future, the release of two more experienced audio equipment manufacturers from China is expected: the QLS 360 and the Aune player, but iBasso is definitely not worth worrying about - they have laid a good reserve for the future.
Traditionally, I want to thank my friends from the company for providing an opportunity to get acquainted with this player.
The article is based on materials .
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