There is always another device that is supposed to be the very best. The Ibasso Dx260mk2, Dx180, or even the large dx340 have all shared incredible hype as the best for their price range. The dx180 for the $500 DAPs, the dx260 for the $1000, and the dx340 for the $2000 range. Ibasso did a good enough job of making each tier a little better than the previous one as to not cannibalize themselves. And these are the things that keeps people loyal to the concept of having their DAP’S. That and the Ibasso sound ability they nailed with their products with the user replacement battery options they give the consumers access to.
Since I started looking into DAPs, I will say there was something that stood out with the Dx260 lineup. I love the look and shape of them. I love the direction they took towards black backgrounds, resolution, and holographic imaging. I love that they optimized their battery life and made it user replaceable. However, I still don’t believe this is the Endgame balance one should look for. I still believe this is found in the Dx180.
I believe the dx180 is everything a DAP should be at the price point that is sold for. I believe its the most complete DAP performance vs price, size,weight, functions. There is nothing about it that is truly lacking. Sure you might be able to add something to it to bring out something you feel you want more from or might be able to find something that might have more battry life, for instance. But for the most part you have arrived and there are only small colorations that other DAPs can add that truly even begin to make things different but even with those, these differences aren’t great in scale nor justify prices in any case I’ve seen online or graphs
Look, don’t get me wrong, the Dx260mk2 is still my favorite looking DAP(it was literally the one I wanted from the very beginning of thinking about DAPs until I settled on testing out lower priced DAPs because I didn’t feel the cost would justify the sound) and I also love how it feels in the hands along with the Battery life. And perhaps if this was just what I went with at the first start I would be thinking about what else is this amazing that cost more or something and could run into this law of diminishing returns all over again but with more money wasted with more expensive items. So I most likely wouldn’t be able to avoid this confirmation on the diminishing returns that I keep breaking the law of and paying the price.
Conclusion:
My suggestion to everyone is that if you want a DAP and one that is amazing and you can basically buy one time and keep for years and years, you don’t have go further than the Dx180 at $599. It has everything including replaceable battery access. Now if you assume its better than the DX260MK2…it isn’t. The dx260 line up is not just more expensive, it has better build quality, battery life, and features that help it be “overall” better by about 15% over the Dx180. So this isn’t a issue where I’m telling you that you can take a $599 DAP and beat a $1100 DAP. IT’S NOT! All I’m saying is that 15% doesn’t support the cost difference in my eyes and those differences might not even be what you want or care enough for the price they are asking. Everything else is completely up to you from there. If you ok with the money, spend it and know that it is better than any other player under $1000 technically. But also know other players that cost the same or more may end up putting you back on the same path of diminishing returns while being technically better too. So if you pull on the string, there is more to come but the same truth lives….The Law of Diminishing returns Rules.
Tech-N-Things 