twister6
Android Expert
This is a Review of iBasso DX80 Digital Audio Player (DAP) with touch screen. http://www.ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=304, also available on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017I5NONY/?tag=vectron00-20
Apparently I have been living under a rock since this is my first encounter with iBasso DAP. In the past I have heard of their DX50, DX90, and DX100 audio players and quite often been asked to compare iBasso and FiiO DAPs, but I never had a hands-on experience with any of their products until now. It’s hard to judge where DX80 fits in their models lineup because it’s indexed below DX90 yet has an updated design. One thing for sure – DX80 offers a very impressive amount of features at an affordable price which elevates it close to the top of price/performance ratio in mid-fi DAP category, even challenging some summit-fi models. I don’t want to give away too much ahead of the review, so let’s just proceed to read what I’ve found.
Unboxing.
After awhile of reviewing multiple products from the same manufacturers, you get used to their packaging style and unboxing experience becomes rather predictable. Upon discovery of a new product brand, you get a hope for something different, and iBasso doesn't disappoint. Once you remove the outer sleeve, the main box opens up along the diagonal split on a side, in a setting reminiscent of a designer watch display. I know some people don’t care as much about unboxing, but I always appreciate it because of the time and the effort spent by manufacturer to make their product enjoyable from the moment you get that box into your hands. In my personal opinion, iBasso created a very elegant box setting with a practical storage and display functionality.
Once you remove the top portion where DX80 resides in a secure foam cutout, you get an accessories box in a shape of a wedge and the rest of the goodies inside of it.
Accessories.
The included accessories cover the basic essentials and then some surprises. Since we are dealing with a large 3.2” touch screen surface, screen protector is a must-have to keep scratches away, especially when in your pocket, and 2x film protectors are included. With such large display I wouldn’t mind a tempered glass for extra protection, so hopefully some aftermarket company will offer it one day. Also included is a high quality usb to micro-usb charging/data cable, and I really mean – high quality! The same with included coaxial short interconnect cable, a high quality thick shielding cable with a durable build. Optical cable would have been nice, but I know that not too many people have an external DAC to support it, thus probably a reason why it wasn’t included.
You will also find a soft silicone skin case which enhances the grip, adds scratch protection, and offers a minimum bump/drop protection by cushioning the DAP. Plus, all the physical buttons (playback control and power/volume) are covered to prevent dust accumulation, the same with Coax/Optical port. Overall, the case is OK, but due to static it becomes a lint magnet which is very noticeable on a black silicone finish. Personally, I’m waiting for Dignis leather case since I'm aware they are working on one to be available soon. I wouldn’t say DX80 is slippery in your hand, but the grip enhancement never hurts as long as it complements the style of the product. And speaking of style, I also liked how warranty card and manual was printed “in style” on a quality black paper with silver letters – almost like a fancy event invitation.
Now, here comes a surprise. Prior to receiving DX80, I read through a list of accessories and stumbled across “burn in cable”. I have reviewed a lot of audio gear, but never heard of such thing. Due to the nature of analog electrical components, DAPs need to have a burn in before evaluating a sound. Turning it on and hitting play button only exercises the screen/display, not the internal circuit driving headphones. Thus, you typically need a headphone connected to HO for a full burn in – a load for a current to start “circulating” through internal circuit. You also would want to drive it at different gains and higher volume, all of which going to be limited by your headphone driver and convenience of where you can burn in without disturbing others with sound leakage. Here, iBasso came up with a brilliant solution of a short cable with a passive load in a small box to simulate a speaker driver. There is no sound, but it loads the output of HO to get the juices going. And just like that you can have it running anywhere for days, going through a quiet burn in of internal circuit.
Silicone case.
Design.
Though I’m not a fan of using my smartphone as a dedicated DAP, touch screen interface is the most intuitive way to navigate through music files and to control the playback. I don’t have hands-on experience with DX50/DX90 models, but have seen a resemblance to the original AK100/AK120 DAPs with a similar compact footprint and a small touch screen, except iBasso took it to a whole different level with their 3 playback buttons. DX80 evolved into something brand new and original with a large touch screen, solid all metal body and elongated “smartphone” bar shape, while still keeping their unique front panel hardware playback buttons.
When you look at the top panel of the DX80, approximately 3/4 of the space is occupied by a smooth 3.2" screen. Below it you have 3 identical size/shape large hardware buttons with Play/Pause in the middle and Prev/Next on the left/right sides of it. Personally, I would have loved to see their functionality symbols etched into the buttons. The combination of a large touch screen and physical playback buttons is not uncommon, but iBasso front panel placement is unique. The dimensions of the player are 4.7" x 2.5" x 0.66" with 178g of weight, making it very comfortable to hold in one hand. As long as it's not too wide, in my opinion the extra length is not as critical. The narrow width, tapered corners, and 3.2" screen is a perfect combination for a slide navigation with a thumb, even if your hand is not that big. Power button is easily accessible on the left side and volume +/- buttons are on the right side. But once the screen is off or in your pocket, you have a convenient access to three large control buttons with a nice tactile response. I have a number of touch screen DAPs with hardware playback controls, and those buttons are always on the side, small, and often not as easy to locate. Here you have the best of both worlds, like in the past when we used to have touch screen phones with a slide-out physical keyboard
The bottom of the DAP has 3.5mm metal reinforced Headphone Output (HO) and 3.5mm reinforced Line Out (LO) ports. I know they’re within a close proximity, but having HO closer to the corner makes it easy to ID so you don’t stick your headphone in LO. Both of these ports have a rather tight fit, and I actually I had to apply some force removing headphone plugs, in one case (w/UE600) I had to apply an excessive force since the plug almost got stuck. I assume the connector will loosen up after some use. I already mentioned the volume +/- buttons are on the right size, made from plastic with a clear marking on top, and nicely spaced for easy access. The left side has a power button which also turns the screen on/off with a short press.
The top of the unit has multi-function micro-usb port for charging, data transfer, and usb/usb-otg dac operation. You can set the port as Charge only when connected to your laptop, or normal charging with data transfer. You can also use DX80 as USB DAC connected to your computer. No drivers required for MAC/Linux, and Windows driver available for download. For some reason the provided driver didn’t work with my Win7 laptop. Since I read others had a success, I need to figure out what’s going on with my machine. But USB OTG works without a problem. I was able to use DX80 with my usb-otg thumb drive, and also connected it as USB DAC to my Note 4 – works flawless!
Next to micro-usb port there is a dual microSD card slot, which can accommodate 2x 128GB cards and most likely the latest 200GB cards for a combined storage space of up to 400GB. I like how the card slots are stacked in parallel which saves room, and there is also a protective dust cover which tightly seals the opening. Last, but not least, is SPDIF Coax port which also has an Optical out – enabling output of up to 24b/192k signal.
In my personal opinion, exterior design and ergonomics of controls in DX80 is top notch! Ideally you want to be able to use your DAP with one hand, thus a reason why so many manufacturers shrink their design so you can reach all the controls. But shrinking the design means less room for inside circuits (analog components, especially power/filter caps) and compromise of features. Plus, small size results in hard to see screen, and the lack of touch controls. Making screen bigger pushes hardware controls off the top panel to the side/top, making them smaller and hard to reach. With DX80, iBasso struck a good balance between touch screen size, large easy to use hardware control buttons, and a lot of ports, except for the balanced wired one (perhaps they are saving this one for their next flagship model).
Apparently I have been living under a rock since this is my first encounter with iBasso DAP. In the past I have heard of their DX50, DX90, and DX100 audio players and quite often been asked to compare iBasso and FiiO DAPs, but I never had a hands-on experience with any of their products until now. It’s hard to judge where DX80 fits in their models lineup because it’s indexed below DX90 yet has an updated design. One thing for sure – DX80 offers a very impressive amount of features at an affordable price which elevates it close to the top of price/performance ratio in mid-fi DAP category, even challenging some summit-fi models. I don’t want to give away too much ahead of the review, so let’s just proceed to read what I’ve found.
Unboxing.
After awhile of reviewing multiple products from the same manufacturers, you get used to their packaging style and unboxing experience becomes rather predictable. Upon discovery of a new product brand, you get a hope for something different, and iBasso doesn't disappoint. Once you remove the outer sleeve, the main box opens up along the diagonal split on a side, in a setting reminiscent of a designer watch display. I know some people don’t care as much about unboxing, but I always appreciate it because of the time and the effort spent by manufacturer to make their product enjoyable from the moment you get that box into your hands. In my personal opinion, iBasso created a very elegant box setting with a practical storage and display functionality.
Once you remove the top portion where DX80 resides in a secure foam cutout, you get an accessories box in a shape of a wedge and the rest of the goodies inside of it.
Accessories.
The included accessories cover the basic essentials and then some surprises. Since we are dealing with a large 3.2” touch screen surface, screen protector is a must-have to keep scratches away, especially when in your pocket, and 2x film protectors are included. With such large display I wouldn’t mind a tempered glass for extra protection, so hopefully some aftermarket company will offer it one day. Also included is a high quality usb to micro-usb charging/data cable, and I really mean – high quality! The same with included coaxial short interconnect cable, a high quality thick shielding cable with a durable build. Optical cable would have been nice, but I know that not too many people have an external DAC to support it, thus probably a reason why it wasn’t included.
You will also find a soft silicone skin case which enhances the grip, adds scratch protection, and offers a minimum bump/drop protection by cushioning the DAP. Plus, all the physical buttons (playback control and power/volume) are covered to prevent dust accumulation, the same with Coax/Optical port. Overall, the case is OK, but due to static it becomes a lint magnet which is very noticeable on a black silicone finish. Personally, I’m waiting for Dignis leather case since I'm aware they are working on one to be available soon. I wouldn’t say DX80 is slippery in your hand, but the grip enhancement never hurts as long as it complements the style of the product. And speaking of style, I also liked how warranty card and manual was printed “in style” on a quality black paper with silver letters – almost like a fancy event invitation.
Now, here comes a surprise. Prior to receiving DX80, I read through a list of accessories and stumbled across “burn in cable”. I have reviewed a lot of audio gear, but never heard of such thing. Due to the nature of analog electrical components, DAPs need to have a burn in before evaluating a sound. Turning it on and hitting play button only exercises the screen/display, not the internal circuit driving headphones. Thus, you typically need a headphone connected to HO for a full burn in – a load for a current to start “circulating” through internal circuit. You also would want to drive it at different gains and higher volume, all of which going to be limited by your headphone driver and convenience of where you can burn in without disturbing others with sound leakage. Here, iBasso came up with a brilliant solution of a short cable with a passive load in a small box to simulate a speaker driver. There is no sound, but it loads the output of HO to get the juices going. And just like that you can have it running anywhere for days, going through a quiet burn in of internal circuit.
Silicone case.
Design.
Though I’m not a fan of using my smartphone as a dedicated DAP, touch screen interface is the most intuitive way to navigate through music files and to control the playback. I don’t have hands-on experience with DX50/DX90 models, but have seen a resemblance to the original AK100/AK120 DAPs with a similar compact footprint and a small touch screen, except iBasso took it to a whole different level with their 3 playback buttons. DX80 evolved into something brand new and original with a large touch screen, solid all metal body and elongated “smartphone” bar shape, while still keeping their unique front panel hardware playback buttons.
When you look at the top panel of the DX80, approximately 3/4 of the space is occupied by a smooth 3.2" screen. Below it you have 3 identical size/shape large hardware buttons with Play/Pause in the middle and Prev/Next on the left/right sides of it. Personally, I would have loved to see their functionality symbols etched into the buttons. The combination of a large touch screen and physical playback buttons is not uncommon, but iBasso front panel placement is unique. The dimensions of the player are 4.7" x 2.5" x 0.66" with 178g of weight, making it very comfortable to hold in one hand. As long as it's not too wide, in my opinion the extra length is not as critical. The narrow width, tapered corners, and 3.2" screen is a perfect combination for a slide navigation with a thumb, even if your hand is not that big. Power button is easily accessible on the left side and volume +/- buttons are on the right side. But once the screen is off or in your pocket, you have a convenient access to three large control buttons with a nice tactile response. I have a number of touch screen DAPs with hardware playback controls, and those buttons are always on the side, small, and often not as easy to locate. Here you have the best of both worlds, like in the past when we used to have touch screen phones with a slide-out physical keyboard
The bottom of the DAP has 3.5mm metal reinforced Headphone Output (HO) and 3.5mm reinforced Line Out (LO) ports. I know they’re within a close proximity, but having HO closer to the corner makes it easy to ID so you don’t stick your headphone in LO. Both of these ports have a rather tight fit, and I actually I had to apply some force removing headphone plugs, in one case (w/UE600) I had to apply an excessive force since the plug almost got stuck. I assume the connector will loosen up after some use. I already mentioned the volume +/- buttons are on the right size, made from plastic with a clear marking on top, and nicely spaced for easy access. The left side has a power button which also turns the screen on/off with a short press.
The top of the unit has multi-function micro-usb port for charging, data transfer, and usb/usb-otg dac operation. You can set the port as Charge only when connected to your laptop, or normal charging with data transfer. You can also use DX80 as USB DAC connected to your computer. No drivers required for MAC/Linux, and Windows driver available for download. For some reason the provided driver didn’t work with my Win7 laptop. Since I read others had a success, I need to figure out what’s going on with my machine. But USB OTG works without a problem. I was able to use DX80 with my usb-otg thumb drive, and also connected it as USB DAC to my Note 4 – works flawless!
Next to micro-usb port there is a dual microSD card slot, which can accommodate 2x 128GB cards and most likely the latest 200GB cards for a combined storage space of up to 400GB. I like how the card slots are stacked in parallel which saves room, and there is also a protective dust cover which tightly seals the opening. Last, but not least, is SPDIF Coax port which also has an Optical out – enabling output of up to 24b/192k signal.
In my personal opinion, exterior design and ergonomics of controls in DX80 is top notch! Ideally you want to be able to use your DAP with one hand, thus a reason why so many manufacturers shrink their design so you can reach all the controls. But shrinking the design means less room for inside circuits (analog components, especially power/filter caps) and compromise of features. Plus, small size results in hard to see screen, and the lack of touch controls. Making screen bigger pushes hardware controls off the top panel to the side/top, making them smaller and hard to reach. With DX80, iBasso struck a good balance between touch screen size, large easy to use hardware control buttons, and a lot of ports, except for the balanced wired one (perhaps they are saving this one for their next flagship model).
