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The iBasso DX180 is an Android 13 music player with a quad DAC array: four Cirrus Logic CS43131 chips working in unison, using the same DAC matrix technology as iBasso's DX260, under the control of iBasso's FPGA-Master 2.0. iBasso measured 133dB signal-to-noise ratio and −121dB THD+N from the balanced output, with a noise floor as low as 0.79µV. It gives up to 690mW per channel into 32Ω, bypasses sample-rate conversion for every app, and plays for up to 15.5 hours, or 30 hours from the line out.

CS43131 × 4: a flagship DAC array

The CS43131, a flagship DAC chip from Cirrus Logic, is rated for 130dB dynamic range and −115dB THD+N. With four of them working in unison, the DX180 goes beyond the theoretical limit of a single chip: iBasso's Audio Precision measurements show −121dB THD+N.

The four Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs of the iBasso DX180

FPGA-Master 2.0

After years of algorithm development, iBasso's FPGA-Master is in its second generation. As the audio system controller, it requests audio data directly from the processor and plays a major part in reproducing the signal and keeping it intact. It generates and synchronises all the audio clocks from two NDK femtosecond oscillators, controls the DAC clocks and data with picosecond precision, and builds an FIR filter from the DACs.

The FPGA-Master 2.0 controller of the iBasso DX180

Two ways to use four DACs

FPGA-Master 2.0's algorithm makes full use of the four CS43131s, so together they outperform what one chip can do. In synchronous parallel mode, the DACs run together to reduce the "discrete distortion" between them. In FIR 2x mode, each DAC's data stream is adjusted independently and the DACs run one clock cycle apart, forming a hardware analogue FIR filter that averages out the differences between them, reducing distortion and bringing out detail.

How the FIR 2x mode of the iBasso DX180 combines two delayed DACs

A noise floor as low as 0.79µV

The line out's noise floor is just 0.79µV, and even at maximum volume on high gain the balanced output measures only 1.1µV, so the DX180 has a distinct quietness, and its black background makes music sound vivid.

iBasso DX180 with in-ear monitors

690mW + 690mW into 32Ω

The 4.4mm balanced output gives up to 690mW per channel into 32Ω (4Vrms on low gain, 6Vrms on high gain), and the 3.5mm output 281mW into 32Ω or 525mW into 16Ω. Both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm sockets can also be switched to line out for an external amplifier, and the 3.5mm socket doubles as a coaxial digital output.

iBasso DX180: 690mW + 690mW at 32Ω

Snapdragon 665 and non-SRC Android 13

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, with eight cores on an 11nm process, generates less heat and runs stably for smooth operation. Android 13 lets you install any streaming app, and the DX180 bypasses sample-rate conversion at system level, whether you use Mango Player or a third-party streaming app, so hi-res music stays hi-res. A 5.0-inch Sharp 1080 × 1920 screen, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage and a microSD slot for cards of up to 2TB complete the platform, in a new design with a new interface and a removable back cover.

iBasso DX180 running Android 13

A low-latency USB DAC

A dedicated USB receiver for USB DAC mode makes the DX180 a low-latency USB DAC for your computer, supporting ASIO and WASAPI output on Windows.

The dedicated USB controller of the iBasso DX180

84 minutes to charge, up to 30 hours of play

With PD3.0 and QC3.0 fast charging, the 3,200mAh battery reaches 83% in 60 minutes and 100% in about 84 minutes. Improved power management gives up to 15.5 hours from the balanced output on low gain, 13 hours on high gain, and 30 hours from the line out.

Charging curve of the iBasso DX180

Parts used in the iBasso DX180: NDK oscillators, Sharp screen, Snapdragon 665, Cirrus Logic DACs

DACs 4 × Cirrus Logic CS43131 · FPGA-Master 2.0 · two NDK femtosecond oscillators · parallel or FIR 2x mode
4.4mm balanced 690mW/ch @ 32Ω · 4/6Vrms · SNR 133dB · THD+N −121dB (600Ω) · crosstalk −144dB · <1.1µV · 1.1Ω
3.5mm 281mW/ch @ 32Ω · 525mW @ 16Ω · 2/3Vrms · SNR 127dB · THD+N −116dB (600Ω) · crosstalk −118dB · 0.6Ω
Line outs 4.4mm: 4Vrms, SNR 133dB, THD+N −121dB · 3.5mm: 2Vrms, SNR 125dB, THD+N −112dB
Frequency response 10Hz-75kHz (−1dB)
Digital 3.5mm coaxial out · USB OTG out · USB DAC (ASIO/WASAPI)
Formats PCM to 768kHz/32-bit · native DSD256 · APE, FLAC, WAV, WMA, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, OGG, MP3, DFF, DSF, DXD, DST
Platform Android 13 (non-SRC) · Snapdragon 665 · 4GB RAM · 128GB · microSD to 2TB · Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz) · Bluetooth 5.0
Screen Sharp 5.0-inch 1080 × 1920, on-cell touch
Battery 3,200mAh · 15.5h (low gain) · 13h (high gain) · 30h (line out) · about 84 minutes to charge
Size and weight 123 × 75 × 16mm · 206g

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