iBasso DX220 Review - expatinjapan

The iBasso DX220 dap review.- expatinjapan

iBasso website: https://ibasso.com/product/dx220/

The iBasso DX220 comes on the scene in a world awash by daps. What does it bring to the table?

Specs and stats follow eventually down the page. But what one gets is a dap that gives a high performance listening experience, medium battery life and variable wifi. I myself usually use Micro SD cards and found it a pleasure to listen to. Improvements and variations on sound signature came with amp modules and software updates.

*some more recent photos were added as i revisited this earlier post.

As the next in the chain after the earlier DX200 - it succeeds in capturing the crown.

Earlier DX200 review here: https://www.headpie.net/2017/03/ibasso-dx200-review-expatinjapan.html?m=1

The new look iBasso manual answers most questions and renders many a review void as far as general and even specific information is concerned:

http://www.ibasso.com/uploadfiles/20190913/201909131757298437.pdf

An interlude 2021:

As i look back to the iBasso DX220 and the other more recent releases i especially appreciate it for its excellent sound.

I truly used the thing to its very ends and replaced the battery twice through over use. The recent DX300 exclipses it in battery life, wifi and faster ui, but the recently announced DX240 promises a more faster dx220 redux as speedy as the dx300. And it can use some of the earlier amp modules too.

I loved the DX220 so much i even bought a smexy Dignis case for it and the limited edition amp8EX.

Not to mention the many other amp modules from 1-9 that enabled the user to tailor their experience more.

And back to the future and our originally scheduled programme.

First look and ui video

General unboxing and close visual look.

Further on the ui video

DX220

Lets get started and show some menus and the iBasso Mango player.

Scanning was fairly rapid

Pure Mango mode accessed via a long push on the power button.

What can i say at this point?

I have had the DX220 for quite sometime.

Spammed my thoughts on head-fi, Head pie, Facebook

and super spammed photos on Head pie instagram.

A google search of the iBasso DX220 on google images will bring up a wealth of photos taking by yours truly.

I have a stack of daps here and always end up taking the DX220 most of al unless i have a review to do.

It.just.sounds.excellent.

I myself use micro sd cards. I have heard varying things about streaming - perhaps the next gen of daps will be faster all round. 2020?2021?

You’ve seen the photos, seen the videos, read the specs.

For pure sound alone it is exquisite. The implementation of the Sabre dacs is implemented wonderfully. No usual sabre glare here, just layered wonderfully textured tonality.

Mostly it is neutral and the coloring is left to your earphones.

The different amp modules add their own flavors. My favorites in the end were the Amp 4, then i moved onto the amp8, enjoyed the tube amp 9.

Eventually the pinnacle was the amp8EX which brought it alive (a amp1mk2 /amp8 kind of mix. Fantastic stuff.

The iBasso DX220 is truly a dap if one wants the best sound possible. It has a few rivals and some match it.

At this level like high end iems it comes down to what signature one prefers and to a certain extent dac brand.

The DX220 certainly lets iems and headphones reach their full potential in detail, imaging, separation, texture, tonality and large sphere like holographic sound stages in earphones that are able to reproduce the best of sound. No choking here.

iBasso has produced a racehorse that competes well, and surpasses much on the market.