Tech always makes it hard to get what you want from a single device. It’s like their job is to give you just enough to keep you buying more and more. Worst yet, is my willingness to continue to fall for it. I have an amazing combo right now in the Ibasso Dx260mk2 and my Ie600’s. Its a reference DAP paired with one of very best IEM on the planet today under $1000. Best of all, the things that both do well actually match themselves perfectly.
My only problem is that I’ve experienced the dx180 and it was better sounding in my opinion. Despite the the watt advantage of the Dx260mk2…the dx180 at matching volumes played louder and had more dynamics. It was just more musical and had better weight in it’s tonality. The Dx260mk2 for me had better hardware build and battery life along with a larger soundstage. I figured it would get better over time snd burn in time but hasn’t, at least not that I noticed.
Could I try something like the Cayin N6III which is similar but gives more musical presentation with more weight, warmth, and smoothness? Yeah, I guess. The universal EQ, more musical sound, and board replacement for different sound profiles are great, but the $1200 DAP has no option to keep it with you for years and years like the Ibasso gives you with the battery replacement option it delivers on. Which means that about 200 or so charges, your battery will start to decline and fall away until you have a $1200 paper-weight.
The ibasso brand is just not beatable in this area. I wish other brands did this option, like ibasso does with its battery but its just not an option on any other brand of DAP. Which is why the Ibasso DAps aren’t really replaceable or beatable in my opinion. Although, if I was do this all over again, the question is if I would have ever bought the dx260mk2 knowing now what I know? The answer is NO! The $1100 price tag just doesnt live up to its billing with the experience I have with the Dx180 at $599. Despite the more battery life, higher quality materials used, and the wider soundstaging. It never gives me anywhere near the cost difference in sound.
I had the perfect combo right here and should have stayed right here but I didn’t. I blame myself and nobody else for this direction even though I was lied to by the store I got it from. I was told I had 30 days to allow the burn in to show the worth of the sound. But on their site, it says I only had 15 days on DAPs. So now I’m stuck as I have had it 16 days. At the end of the day, it’s a lesson learned, a expensive one. But like I said, if I could, I would have never kept the dx260mk2 over the dx180 if I could do this all over again. Yes, the dx260mk2 is amazing still as a reference DAP. Yes, I have the most resolution and soundstaging ever on a DAp at this price or less. But the dx180 gives me 90% of all those things too while giving me better power usage in volume with better dynamics, engaging musical sound. So don’t make my mistake. The Dx180 at $599 is all you need.
Tech-N-Things 