Excellent video! I've been going crazy researching so many DAPS, readings reviews and Reddit forums. Your style and format was very refreshing. I really felt that you were honestly giving us your true critique and not just patronizing a Manufacturer. Thank you! Your enthusiasm may have helped me to finally make a choice for my next DAP.
Nice review! I was going to purchase DX180 yesterday but ended up going all out for DX260. I agree with you regarding the rule of diminishing returns, DX180 was already a great device. DX260 pushes everything a little further
I am so tempted just to get the DX180. I think the DX260 is better to future poof. It does have more power which could be a big deal. Its also nice to have the extra SPDiF out the top could be handy. The dual os is kinda cool too. Then of course the octa-core is super cool. I do wish the DX260 came with Android 13 like the DX180 and not just 11...maybe A13 with an update. I was seriously thinking Fiio M15s with the desktop mode to extend battery life, but the DX260 form factor with the easy battery replacement makes it a total winner.
Thanks Andy. Excellent Review. I also noted some albums from this video. Requesting you to put a video only for songs / albums good to listen using IEMs / Headphones. 👍
Great review Andy, obviously a wonderful DAP. Do you have any plans to review the Sennheiser HD490 Pro headphones. I have a set and they seem like they would be right in your wheelhouse. Cheers my friend.
Thanks my friend, DX260 is wonderful indeed and I am loving every singe moment using it. HD490 is hot on my radar and hopefully I will land one very soon haha
@@AndyAudioVault Thank you, the decision is not that easy between M15s, DX260, or even Fiio Q7 als Alternative DAC used with an smartphone or other device.
Audio never works that way. A $100K pair of speakers isnt 10X better than a $10K pair of speakers. Hey I get it, the DX180 looks dam good. I think in the end I will get the DX260 though...I wish I could buy both.
Thank you for your great and honest reviews! I'm probably never buying this DAP (too expensive) but I'm learning a lot from your videos, today my Onix Alpha is arriving :D And soon I might have a Stax S5, what is your opinion on that, or bluetooth headphones in general? Greetings from the Netherlands ;)
Excellent review! Greatly appreciated! I’m in the market for a DAP…based on your review, I was so close to just buying the DX260, but then saw that the Cayin n6iii is available. It has the same DAC architecture…ugh! Not sure which direction to go here. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated 😊
I can't speak for N6iii as I haven't use it. But I do own the N6ii and I can say DX260 is clearly superior than the N6ii in every ways. But perhaps N6iii is on par to DX260 now
Upgraded my DC06pro with a DC-Elite and BOOM! This is High Fidelity (only reason to pay 1000 bucks would be the power output of the dx260)! Result is flexible (LTE / 5G) medium / endgame HiFi for less then half the price. Using DUNU SA6 Mk2 with the DC-Elite on an S24 Ultra.
@@AndyAudioVault Hi Andy! hope your doing great, Since you owned Dx260 and dx180, did u try to swap their cases? Does dx260 case fit dx180. I already checked online that only few millimeters only are different from each other.
I would like to see a comparison between dongles and DAPs, start with like Shanling m1s, which dongle beats it, and go up from there, until dongles don't keep up.. You would just plug dongles into the actual unit, in this case an m1s, until the dongle sounds better. Something like that. This would be very good info for a lot of us when making major decisions about our primary gear for everyday use, we can make better cost benefit decisions. We would also know, at what point we actually need a DAP.
While the Prime DAC + RA2BFE offers outright more power, DX260 offers better overall dynamic refinement and resolution due to that amazing Octa core implementation. It is hard for me to admit this because I love Prime DAC + RA2BFE, but I am being objective here
Hi! Thank you for your video. I’m new to daps since I don’t travel a lot. And when travelling I have the iphone wired to fiio btr7 and the Fiio fh9 or the Meze 99 Classics on balanced cables. At home I have the Fiio k9 pro ess with node x and the Meze Empyrean, also balanced. And Tidal, cds from time to time. I was wondering if the dx260 will offer better sound from the two setups mentioned. Taking in consideration a home usage mostly. Thank you so much!
Great review but one important (to me) aspect was not addressed...I think the DX260 has the option to boot up in Mango OS (I mean Mango OS, not Mango Player), while the DX180 has only Android. I don't like Android on my audio devices because I don't need a computer OS, with all the unnecessary smartphone-like functions. I am a purist and want ONLY functions that deal with audio. That said, I also wanted to know if the Mango OS has all the options/settings that can take advantage of the DX260 hardware?
I forgot to show that in my video and yes you can easily switch to pure offline Mango OS which will only show Mango player and options which are accessible to Mango. Super useful for pure offline playback. I guess I don't use that one much because I need my DX260 to play Tidal 70% of the time. Same functionality as when Android mode which already maximise the capabilities of DX260 but simpler and more straightforward
I am a purist, too, and have the DX260. The Mango player is OK, but is very minimalistic: it won't even do ReplayGain (at least not that I can find), so that makes it a no-go for me. For purist playback, I would not choose an Android player at all, but instead a specialist player like Cayin N3, Dethonray DTR, or Onix Overture.
Hi Andy hope you’re doing well, I just bought a dx260 and I was wondering what streaming app should I use for lossless, there are so many that I can’t decide (Apple music, Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon music…) Thanks for you’re vidéos you helped me a lot
Congrats on your purchase. To me, I use Tidal on daily basis. Especially now that Tidal offers lossless FLAC files, it is a no brainer choice for me as my go to streaming service for music
Thanks too. I use FA19 a lot with DX260 and that's probably the best combo I can hope for because DX260 has the depth and richness to fully exhibit what FA19 capable of. So if you want to maximize the potential of your highly resolving IEMs, DX260 is one of them that can do that exceedingly well
I have both with me now and since the arrival of DX260, I literally have stopped using M23. Both being musical but DX260 just objectively more resolving. That Octa core DAC is not gimmick, iBasso pulled some wonder here
Hi Andy, So there is no re sampling on the android side either? I.e you get the full bitrate from the streaming apps? Like apple or Amazon music? I heard that android devices can force everything to be resampled to 16/44? Thanks for your help
Many reputable dedicated DAPs that runs on Android already have the Android SRC removed and does not force resampling on the Android side. However resampling may still occur on App level and I have no idea if Apple or Amazon apps will do that because I don't use them
How does it compare to DX180 and Hiby R4 which has quad dac setup. Does double the dac really mean double the performance or is it diminishing return. Is it worth the price diff by price to performance ratio
It is evident DX260 is superior than R4 sound wise, but R4 does scale up really close which makes it the best for anything under $250. To me what DX260 offers is worth the price if you are chasing for perfection
10:59 I covered this subject. M23 is already a great DAP and while DX260 does appear superior with overall sound, the gaps are not big. True for many other things in audio at this level, usually the differences are marginal from one to another, because the reality is, there's no bad devices anymore especially if you look into releases for the last 3 years
I have both and I agree with Andy's take. There is a small difference, but it's small, and I can see some preferring the M23 (depending on transducers and music genre/quality) and others the DX260. I would say the difference is small enough to not worry about: choose based on form factor/ergonomics, price, and features.
I have both. The DX260 wins on ergonomics and technical prowess. The M23 is chunkier and harder to operate, but wins on features, especially Roon Ready mode. The M23 also offers a smoother, bassier sound. Sound wise, I think it comes down to preference.
Nice Review : Does the DX260, with its Octa DAC, produce the same sound quality as the DX180 with a Quad DAC when connected to the DC07Pro, which also has a Quad DAC?
Thanks. When you connect any external DAC to any DAPs be it DX180 or DX260, all audio processing will be done at the external DAC now, the host DAP will only serve as transport to feed the sources. So, what this means, you will only get the performance of DC07Pro which is consistent regardless of you connect it to DX180 or DX260 or any Android hosts for that matter
You want to focus on Bass? the problem is most good DAC do not add coloration or boost. What you need is EQ to boost the lows, perhaps the new JA11 might work for you since it supports EQ
There's a few I would consider playing near the sound quality offered by DX180, which is the DC07Pro - practically like a simplified version of DX180. Better than DX180 or even DX260, I don't think so. The gaps are small but it is still a gap and you will hear the differences once you start critically comparing them side by side
@AndyAudioVault 🥲@AndyAudioVault Thanks Andy, so you mean that at the moment there isn't any dongle that can have better sound quality than the DX180 and DX260.🥲
Hi Andy , wanted to ask between Dx260 and N3Ultra which would you prefer (how would they compare) just on sound alone? they very different in price but i am between the 2
It is clear to me I prefer DX260 over everything else I have except for Sony PCM-D100 which is still my ultimate favorite. But I use DX260 more now for streaming flexibility which PCM-D100 doesn't have. I like N3 Ultra but I just prefer DX260 a bit more
Would DX260 give fun when playing music like rock (pop rock, J pop, etc.)? I heard many comments which said it is very good at detail retrieval but just worry it is less musical or fun.
Yes of course, I love DZ260 because it does not sacrifice the element of musicality while being exceedingly technical, I did mention this in the video especially when comparing it with the highly analytical Cayin N6ii ES9038
Andy, should i buy ONIX XL1 and using smartphone or should i buy DAP instead or perhaps i buy ONIX XL1 and using at a dap? This is make me confuse everytime i want start to join this hobby. Or it just enough with headphones or iems. Will it change everything either had 1 of it category or i need to have it all?
The two items serves different needs on form factor and usage. If you have a DAP, you don't need a dongle because a dongle was designed to provide DAP level quality to your ordinary USB equipped phones. ONIX Alpha XI offers the sort of sound quality comparable to DAPs like iBasso DX180 or FiiO M23 but with limited functions that only DAPs can offer. People use DAPs mainly because DAP gives freedom to your phone from being attached to anything that can be cumbersome. I am more inclined to use DAPs now because I like the idea of keeping my phone lightweight, I don't mind putting a dedicated DAP on my other pockets. No, you don't need to have them all, you just need to understand which usage scenario makes more sense to you
Can I ask: if I play from Apple Music or other streaming apps via Android - does the DX260 override the Android down sampling process so that you can play hi-res files from streaming apps without any Android interference?
DX260 offers slightly better dynamism and overall resolution vs DC-Elite, I like both a lot and I do feel that DX260 offer richer and denser sound with more vertical depth to imaging and resolution
What bothers me is that the Dx 180 has Android 14 with Google Play Store. The DX 260 only Android 11 and only APK Pure. APKPure is getting worse and worse with updates. The 180 seems better to me for the future. Greeting
There are only two types of DAPs that make sense: a full-featured DAP with filters etc. and a DAP that is dead neutral (flat-measuring) at any resistance and frequency. Also he, Android 11 is disappointing. I want a DAP, that will be still relevant 2 years from now.
Excellent video! I've been going crazy researching so many DAPS, readings reviews and Reddit forums. Your style and format was very refreshing. I really felt that you were honestly giving us your true critique and not just patronizing a Manufacturer. Thank you! Your enthusiasm may have helped me to finally make a choice for my next DAP.
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks
My pleasure. Thanks so much for your generosity, really appreciate this.
Nice review! I was going to purchase DX180 yesterday but ended up going all out for DX260. I agree with you regarding the rule of diminishing returns, DX180 was already a great device. DX260 pushes everything a little further
Indeed 🙏
Thanks for the review Andy as always 🙏🏼
No problem 👍
Fantastic review, Andy! Seems like a very nice DAP!
Thanks! 🙏
The specs look very impressive. Thanks for another awesome dap review.
My pleasure! 🙏
Great review! This is a very nice Dac/amp player!
Thank you kindly!
Andy, thank you for another wonderful DAP review.
Keep-up the good work! 🙏
My pleasure!
Incredible review, incredible iBasso DX260.
🙏 Thank you!
Nice review. Few reviewers dare to speak of diminishing returns!. We need a DAP rating chart!!!
I hear ya 😁 once I have enough number of DAPs tested, then it would make sense to start a tier list
I am so tempted just to get the DX180. I think the DX260 is better to future poof. It does have more power which could be a big deal. Its also nice to have the extra SPDiF out the top could be handy. The dual os is kinda cool too. Then of course the octa-core is super cool. I do wish the DX260 came with Android 13 like the DX180 and not just 11...maybe A13 with an update. I was seriously thinking Fiio M15s with the desktop mode to extend battery life, but the DX260 form factor with the easy battery replacement makes it a total winner.
First to like! I have been
waiting for this a long time. Thank you so much Andy, ❤
My pleasure!
Wow New ibaso ❤
Nice tip's N info
Thanks Andy. Excellent Review. I also noted some albums from this video. Requesting you to put a video only for songs / albums good to listen using IEMs / Headphones. 👍
Thanks for the suggestion, I may do that once I have the time to do it
I'm hoping you get increasing returns on long term reliability
Man I miss my DX260. Why did I sell that one :(
I'm enjoying my DX180; it's very snappy and great sounding. For an upgrade, I might get the PB5.
I might be pulling the trigger for DX 260 vs other brands. I own DX220 with the Amp9 and delivers warm and spacious sounds.
Great review Andy, obviously a wonderful DAP. Do you have any plans to review the Sennheiser HD490 Pro headphones. I have a set and they seem like they would be right in your wheelhouse. Cheers my friend.
Thanks my friend, DX260 is wonderful indeed and I am loving every singe moment using it. HD490 is hot on my radar and hopefully I will land one very soon haha
@@AndyAudioVault your video and audio quality has gone up exponentially in the last few months as well. A major kudos to you and your channel.
Compared to Fiio M15s and M17?
Thank you
I have only tested and compared DX260 vs M23 and M11S of which I consider DX260 superior in every way compared to those two
@@AndyAudioVault Thank you, the decision is not that easy between M15s, DX260, or even Fiio Q7 als Alternative DAC used with an smartphone or other device.
Don't forget the DX 260 is almost double at the price of the DX 180. I doubt that the performance of the DX 260 is 80-90% better than the DX 180.
Audio never works that way. A $100K pair of speakers isnt 10X better than a $10K pair of speakers. Hey I get it, the DX180 looks dam good. I think in the end I will get the DX260 though...I wish I could buy both.
wow we are early today 😮
-
for design wise looks like ibasso got astell&kern'ed (jokingly btw)
Thank you for your great and honest reviews! I'm probably never buying this DAP (too expensive) but I'm learning a lot from your videos, today my Onix Alpha is arriving :D And soon I might have a Stax S5, what is your opinion on that, or bluetooth headphones in general? Greetings from the Netherlands ;)
Thanks!. Occasionally I use BT headphones especially when on the move. Hopefully can try STAX SR5 too
Hello Andy. The IBasso DX 340 is here. Are you taking a test? Greetings from Germany✌️
@@amishwhip9921 Yes I have one on the way
@AndyAudioVault 👍
Awesome 👍👍👍
Thanks 🤗
Excellent review! Greatly appreciated! I’m in the market for a DAP…based on your review, I was so close to just buying the DX260, but then saw that the Cayin n6iii is available. It has the same DAC architecture…ugh! Not sure which direction to go here. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated 😊
I can't speak for N6iii as I haven't use it. But I do own the N6ii and I can say DX260 is clearly superior than the N6ii in every ways. But perhaps N6iii is on par to DX260 now
Upgraded my DC06pro with a DC-Elite and BOOM! This is High Fidelity (only reason to pay 1000 bucks would be the power output of the dx260)!
Result is flexible (LTE / 5G) medium / endgame HiFi for less then half the price.
Using DUNU SA6 Mk2 with the DC-Elite on an S24 Ultra.
Thank you for the great review just one question in your opinion what is the warmest sounding dap that you heard
That would be the older Cayin N3 Pro which was released sometime ago around 2020
Another great review Andy!
Just a basic question: since you have a few Android DAPs, do you turn them off or let them idle when not in use?
For those that I am not using regularly, I turned them off. DX260 normally I let it idle on Airplane mode and the standby is really long
@@AndyAudioVault Hi Andy! hope your doing great, Since you owned Dx260 and dx180, did u try to swap their cases? Does dx260 case fit dx180. I already checked online that only few millimeters only are different from each other.
Thank you sir
Does this dap go good with the UM mest Mk2 ?
My pleasure. Yes perfect for MEST MK2
I would like to see a comparison between dongles and DAPs, start with like Shanling m1s, which dongle beats it, and go up from there, until dongles don't keep up.. You would just plug dongles into the actual unit, in this case an m1s, until the dongle sounds better. Something like that. This would be very good info for a lot of us when making major decisions about our primary gear for everyday use, we can make better cost benefit decisions. We would also know, at what point we actually need a DAP.
How would compare the DX260 with Venture Electronics Prime Dac + RA2B-FE?
While the Prime DAC + RA2BFE offers outright more power, DX260 offers better overall dynamic refinement and resolution due to that amazing Octa core implementation. It is hard for me to admit this because I love Prime DAC + RA2BFE, but I am being objective here
Hi! Thank you for your video. I’m new to daps since I don’t travel a lot. And when travelling I have the iphone wired to fiio btr7 and the Fiio fh9 or the Meze 99 Classics on balanced cables. At home I have the Fiio k9 pro ess with node x and the Meze Empyrean, also
balanced. And Tidal, cds from time to time. I was wondering if the dx260 will offer better sound from the two setups mentioned. Taking in consideration a home usage mostly. Thank you so much!
Thank you mr. Andy! I'm interested in your opinion of Cayin N7. Have you ever listened to him?
Thanks! Unfortunately, I haven't tried N7 yet
Great review but one important (to me) aspect was not addressed...I think the DX260 has the option to boot up in Mango OS (I mean Mango OS, not Mango Player), while the DX180 has only Android. I don't like Android on my audio devices because I don't need a computer OS, with all the unnecessary smartphone-like functions. I am a purist and want ONLY functions that deal with audio. That said, I also wanted to know if the Mango OS has all the options/settings that can take advantage of the DX260 hardware?
I forgot to show that in my video and yes you can easily switch to pure offline Mango OS which will only show Mango player and options which are accessible to Mango. Super useful for pure offline playback. I guess I don't use that one much because I need my DX260 to play Tidal 70% of the time. Same functionality as when Android mode which already maximise the capabilities of DX260 but simpler and more straightforward
I am a purist, too, and have the DX260. The Mango player is OK, but is very minimalistic: it won't even do ReplayGain (at least not that I can find), so that makes it a no-go for me. For purist playback, I would not choose an Android player at all, but instead a specialist player like Cayin N3, Dethonray DTR, or Onix Overture.
Hi Andy hope you’re doing well, I just bought a dx260 and I was wondering what streaming app should I use for lossless, there are so many that I can’t decide (Apple music, Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon music…)
Thanks for you’re vidéos you helped me a lot
Congrats on your purchase. To me, I use Tidal on daily basis. Especially now that Tidal offers lossless FLAC files, it is a no brainer choice for me as my go to streaming service for music
@@AndyAudioVaultThanks man you are the best, easy and quick response
I owned the ibasso 260 and shanling m6 ultra but honestly the difference in sound quality between a high end dongle dac is minimal in my opinion
Hi Andy. Thanks for the review. I was wondering how does this DX260 play/match with the Fiio FE19 you also own?
Thanks too. I use FA19 a lot with DX260 and that's probably the best combo I can hope for because DX260 has the depth and richness to fully exhibit what FA19 capable of. So if you want to maximize the potential of your highly resolving IEMs, DX260 is one of them that can do that exceedingly well
If you were just to pick one dx 260 or m23? Which one is more musical? I just bought the m23 :/
I have both with me now and since the arrival of DX260, I literally have stopped using M23. Both being musical but DX260 just objectively more resolving. That Octa core DAC is not gimmick, iBasso pulled some wonder here
@@AndyAudioVault thanks for the reply. I might return the m23 and get the 260 👌
Hi Andy,
So there is no re sampling on the android side either? I.e you get the full bitrate from the streaming apps? Like apple or Amazon music?
I heard that android devices can force everything to be resampled to 16/44?
Thanks for your help
Many reputable dedicated DAPs that runs on Android already have the Android SRC removed and does not force resampling on the Android side. However resampling may still occur on App level and I have no idea if Apple or Amazon apps will do that because I don't use them
How does it compare to DX180 and Hiby R4 which has quad dac setup. Does double the dac really mean double the performance or is it diminishing return. Is it worth the price diff by price to performance ratio
It is evident DX260 is superior than R4 sound wise, but R4 does scale up really close which makes it the best for anything under $250. To me what DX260 offers is worth the price if you are chasing for perfection
@@AndyAudioVault How much percentage of improvement are we talking about here for extra $700
Compare to Fiio M15s.. Any thought which one better..? 🤔
DX260 have the advantage of more depth resolution and imaging due to that Octa cores. Otherwise both are already excellent
Is there no big difference in performance between the two when comparing m23 and dx260?
10:59 I covered this subject. M23 is already a great DAP and while DX260 does appear superior with overall sound, the gaps are not big. True for many other things in audio at this level, usually the differences are marginal from one to another, because the reality is, there's no bad devices anymore especially if you look into releases for the last 3 years
@@AndyAudioVault Thank you for your kind answer.❤
I have both and I agree with Andy's take. There is a small difference, but it's small, and I can see some preferring the M23 (depending on transducers and music genre/quality) and others the DX260. I would say the difference is small enough to not worry about: choose based on form factor/ergonomics, price, and features.
Andy - review some iBasso IEMs please? I have AM05s and IT04s. Interested to see what
you think please.
I can only see the 3T being available for sale, perhaps the IT04s and AM05 are older IEMs now?
It's IT04, now discontinued, but iBasso website still has the AM05. I'd also be interested in a review of the IT05 vs IT04 (if possible). Thanks.
Thank you Andy Iam actually between M23 and DX260, one of them I want to get… hmmm😁😉🙋♂️❤️
No problem. Yes it is a tough one, but really both are already great in their own ways
DX260.
I have both. The DX260 wins on ergonomics and technical prowess. The M23 is chunkier and harder to operate, but wins on features, especially Roon Ready mode. The M23 also offers a smoother, bassier sound. Sound wise, I think it comes down to preference.
@@merinoboyoif you were going to pick one dx 260 or m23? Which one is more musical? I just ordered the m23
@@teamkaskas You ordered the wrong one.
Hiby RS6 or DX260
I haven't tried RS6
Nice Review : Does the DX260, with its Octa DAC, produce the same sound quality as the DX180 with a Quad DAC when connected to the DC07Pro, which also has a Quad DAC?
Thanks. When you connect any external DAC to any DAPs be it DX180 or DX260, all audio processing will be done at the external DAC now, the host DAP will only serve as transport to feed the sources. So, what this means, you will only get the performance of DC07Pro which is consistent regardless of you connect it to DX180 or DX260 or any Android hosts for that matter
@donglemadness, thank you so much! I’ve gained valuable insight.
Hola Andy, que dac me recomiendas en el estilo y rango del KA11 pero con tendencia a acentuar bajos definidos y potentes?
You want to focus on Bass? the problem is most good DAC do not add coloration or boost. What you need is EQ to boost the lows, perhaps the new JA11 might work for you since it supports EQ
Can you use the usb audio line out so I connect to an external dac?
Yes, it works as AUX Line Out which you can select from the drop down menu
@@AndyAudioVault Have you reviewed the Hiby R6 Pro 2? If you are able to review the Fiio KH19 - I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Andy, does any dongle have better sound quality than the DX260 and DX180? thanks.
There's a few I would consider playing near the sound quality offered by DX180, which is the DC07Pro - practically like a simplified version of DX180. Better than DX180 or even DX260, I don't think so. The gaps are small but it is still a gap and you will hear the differences once you start critically comparing them side by side
@AndyAudioVault 🥲@AndyAudioVault Thanks Andy, so you mean that at the moment there isn't any dongle that can have better sound quality than the DX180 and DX260.🥲
Si tuviera que ponerlo en una tabla de sonido Analogico ¿con que lo compararia?.
Same like iBasso DC07Pro, pleasingly analog
DX260 or A&K SE300? The SE300 is close in price when used. Thanks!
I haven't tried A&K SE300, hopefully someone can help you answer that
Hi Andy , wanted to ask between Dx260 and N3Ultra which would you prefer (how would they compare) just on sound alone? they very different in price but i am between the 2
It is clear to me I prefer DX260 over everything else I have except for Sony PCM-D100 which is still my ultimate favorite. But I use DX260 more now for streaming flexibility which PCM-D100 doesn't have. I like N3 Ultra but I just prefer DX260 a bit more
@@AndyAudioVault thanks alot for the feedback Andy :)
@@AndyAudioVault i took your advice Andy its lovely, i have the onix alpha which i love but i have to say this is just another ball gam e :D . thanks
Would DX260 give fun when playing music like rock (pop rock, J pop, etc.)? I heard many comments which said it is very good at detail retrieval but just worry it is less musical or fun.
Yes of course, I love DZ260 because it does not sacrifice the element of musicality while being exceedingly technical, I did mention this in the video especially when comparing it with the highly analytical Cayin N6ii ES9038
What to choose between Fiio m11 plus ESS and ibasso DX180? Please guide
DX180 is what I would choose, exceedingly analytical yet smooth at the same time
Andy, should i buy ONIX XL1 and using smartphone or should i buy DAP instead or perhaps i buy ONIX XL1 and using at a dap? This is make me confuse everytime i want start to join this hobby. Or it just enough with headphones or iems. Will it change everything either had 1 of it category or i need to have it all?
The two items serves different needs on form factor and usage. If you have a DAP, you don't need a dongle because a dongle was designed to provide DAP level quality to your ordinary USB equipped phones. ONIX Alpha XI offers the sort of sound quality comparable to DAPs like iBasso DX180 or FiiO M23 but with limited functions that only DAPs can offer. People use DAPs mainly because DAP gives freedom to your phone from being attached to anything that can be cumbersome. I am more inclined to use DAPs now because I like the idea of keeping my phone lightweight, I don't mind putting a dedicated DAP on my other pockets. No, you don't need to have them all, you just need to understand which usage scenario makes more sense to you
@@AndyAudioVault TQVM Andy. I got my answers now and i choose Onix instead. U r so amazing, idk how to appreciate u more.
Fuuh. New better things every day.
I am almost paralyzsed from buying (and committing) to anything.
Can I ask: if I play from Apple Music or other streaming apps via Android - does the DX260 override the Android down sampling process so that you can play hi-res files from streaming apps without any Android interference?
Yes, a DAP like this always play Bitperfect for any music app you play on it
Ibasso dc-elite ??? Vs ibasso dx 260
DX260 offers slightly better dynamism and overall resolution vs DC-Elite, I like both a lot and I do feel that DX260 offer richer and denser sound with more vertical depth to imaging and resolution
Depends if you want to use a dongle with a smartphone or standalone DAP. I personally like a DAP so I don't get distracted from the music.
review fh19 plz
I look forward to that too
What bothers me is that the Dx 180 has Android 14 with Google Play Store. The DX 260 only Android 11 and only APK Pure. APKPure is getting worse and worse with updates. The 180 seems better to me for the future. Greeting
There are only two types of DAPs that make sense: a full-featured DAP with filters etc. and a DAP that is dead neutral (flat-measuring) at any resistance and frequency. Also he, Android 11 is disappointing. I want a DAP, that will be still relevant 2 years from now.
We have 260 here but not 180