Test Equipment: iBasso DX340, normal USB cable, Cayin, 4.4 to 3.5 adapter, SilverWidow V3, 64 Audio U18T.
This unit is borrowed from a friend.
Portable DAC/AMP from 2013.
Tuning - Balanced. Everything is available and in the correct amount. Not bright, leaning a tad warmish.
Details - Slightly above average today. Phenomenal back in the day.
Imaging - Above average. Not laser precise like modern good dac/amps. But not terrible like entry level Chifi either. Instruments have their own little bubble, no overlapping balls of muddiness.
Staging - Average. Not big. Just outside the ears.
Dynamics - Slightly above average. Energetic presentation.
Bass - Electronic bass lines are very good. Enough mid bass to slam and extension into the sub bass. Bass heavy music are rendered high energy.
Mids - Good. Not recessed. Textured mids back in 2013. Vocals both upper and lower sound good but oddly electric guitars are not biting.
Treble - Plenty of treble. But this is the part it’s not outperforming. High hats sound artificial. Decay is poor. Not sharp though. You get plenty of treble, but it’s not so elevated, you get spikes and sharpness. Some instruments do better than others.
Clarity - Above average. It doesn’t sound veiled in any way. The note definition is however average.
Timbre - Good. The thicker notes make it sound natural.
Note Weight: Above average. Not thin sounding. A good balance leaning slightly to the fuller side.
Musicality - Very high. The emotions are coming through.
The sound signature is lively, with ample bass that brings songs to life. The mids are excellent, capturing emotions and enhancing musicality. The treble adds clarity without being overly bright or sharp, resulting in a balanced and modern sound. This 2013 release outshines many contemporary DAPs and DAC/AMPs with its remarkable sonic performance. Additionally, it boasts impressive power. Even a decade later, it remains a formidable competitor in the market. An outstanding piece of equipment.
Latest
More from the site
EWU
Prototype Purple
Test Gear: DX340, amp12-EXN-S, U18T Very high clarity, resolves very highly as well. Vocals sound very detailed and lively. It doesn’t truncate any of the frequencies. High, mids, lows, all present w
Read post
EWU
7th Acoustic Asteria
Very nice vocals. Reminds me of Gaea without being so peaky. Blackpink sounds very nice. Good balance of bass and treble. No stray peaks. Slight tinge of warmth makes it very musical. Dynamics is mid
Read post
EWU
Unique Melody MEST Jet Black
Using the PW cable. Bright Bass is on the mid bass side of things. Relatively airy presentation. A more clinical IEM. Quite fatiguing. A lot of upper register energies.
Read post