It is hard to believe that until now I haven't get any contender for my reference source with the decent price range. It is old Sony Playstation SCPH-1002. The sound quality is marvelous and it is become my daily CD player, yet my reference.
I know this PS1 will due in the short time. I am now have skipping CD issue and it is become worst. I could not enjoy the glorious sound from it anymore. The adjustment has been made and I think that it is already at maximum. I also cannot find any optical replacement, the original one, not the China made.
I have post something that could replace it someday. But it sound far from good. I am not happy with that. I could make remedy by build an external DAC but it is not my point for good sound out of the box.
So, this is what I have spent my time for searching a good audio player. The Digital Audio Portable Player, lets call them DAP. I already have my iPod Video gen 5 for more than 10 years, I love using it, I listen music as much as I can compare listen to CD's, but this iPod is also very limited for future upgrade.
That is why the simplicity and practical is a key for this new DAP. Of course without breaking the bank. I want to make sure the sound quality is good and can match with my reference CD player, the PS1.
Amplifier: First Watt F5 integrated amplifier
Speakers: Bookshelf full-range speaker Vifa TG-9
Cables: Canare cable with Dr. Raskin RCA plugs, Amphenol 3.5 mm jack, Yosheng 3.5 mm jack, Switch-craft 3.5 mm jack.
After searching on the web and digging my money out from my pocket, I lay my choice to thi Ibasso DX50. This DAP is already discontinued but you can find it on online store less than US$190. This price is cheaper than my Ipod when I bought it new in 2004.
When most people complaining about the limited access and restriction to the Ipod, then why don't try the other DAP? This DX50 is ultra future proof for my audio system. It can support DSD and most of audio format, which I only consider WAV but not alergic to FLAC and ALAC. The most important things is drag-and-drop transfer that makes your life easy.
The DX50 is already have a line-out jack but unfortunately the volume control on DX50 is effect the level to the line-out as well. I should rise the volume to the maximum to get the optimal line out level. It is not pure audio output. DX-50 has built in 8GB memory which you can only use about only 5 GB after system data calculated. I also have to mention about the micro SD card and USB OTG for more memory expansion. In this review, a 32 GB micro SD class 10 from Sandisk is put on my DX50.
This DX50 main feature for future proof audio player is having a coax digital output. Lets say I don't like the sound from the built-in DAC, I can build the others that can suit my audio preference later.
My current audio cable is from Canare and the RCA plugs is from old-school product, Dr. Raskin. It is very good cable by the way and I still using it. I also make a conversion cable from RCA to 3.5 mm headphone jack like the picture bellow. This 3.5 mm headphone jack to accommodate the connection of DX-50.
I also do the alternative by using the cheap converter like this one.
Okay, now back to the DAP. I love how DX50 are design. It very classy but how does it sound? I played the three player with the same CD's that I played on the PS1. All CD's are ripped using free program from Exact Audio Copy. The audio format is WAV 16 bit.
The more I listen to this DX50, the more I wish I could find the negative sides from it. I dig out all my CD's collection, from the best recording that I have up to the normal recording and found the album from Angela - Sings Michael Learns To Rock, then the cons from DX-50 is reveal. This voice character from the singer is a little bit high and the music are dominating by piano. The lower octave piano is very dominating the overall presentation of the music itself, while the higher tone voice is now become attenuate. I guess the frequency response from this DX50 is quite low at around 5 to 8 khz and goes up again to 20 khz.
The other downside of this DX50 is the staging. While most of my recording that I played with the PS1 could determined the position on each instruments played very well, in contrast, DX50 instruments presentation is more forward blurred with the vocal. Let's say with the PS1 the instruments at the back of the singer while on the DX50 the instruments are side by side with the singer. This could be the problems with the compression files Vs. the original from CD.
Yes, the PS1 still the winner. But the sound from DX50 is the sound you can live with it. I am very happy with the result and don't mind to using this DX50 as my next audio source. The simplicity, the easy to use, and a lot of music stored in this DX50 make my listening session longer and often than before.
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