The iBasso DX150 Is Now Available!

iBasso has been in this audio game for quite some time now, and they’ve managed to produce some of the finest-sounding DAPs out there. The DX80 is still regarded as one of the greatest devices, and their flagship DX200 is deeply loved by many. A few months ago we were treated to a few leaked images of the DX120, but since then we’ve neither seen nor heard anything more of the device. But now, seemingly out of nowhere, iBasso launched the DX150.

The DX150 Looks Very Promising

We could argue that the DX150 actually seems like a “mini DX200”. But, in reality, it seems that the DX150 isn’t mini at all. In fact, judging from dimensions posted by iBasso, the DX150 seems to be almost exactly the same size and weight as the DX200, with just a few minor design changes.
Perhaps the most likely reason for the dimensional similarities between the 2 devices is because iBasso wanted the new device to also be compatible with their swappable “AMP cards” (essentially the same idea as the swappable amp modules of the Fiio X7 and Q5 devices).

Other similarities extend to the display as well. It seems that the DX150 is perhaps sporting the exact same 4.2-inch display as the DX200. A 4.2-inch display might not sound like anything ground-breaking, but at a pixel density of 355PPI that makes the displays of the DX150 and DX200 the highest of any other DAPs out there (including any DAPs built by Astell&Kern).

Under the hood, we find a few more similarities, and the only real changes seem to come in the form of the audio hardware.

We again are treated to an 8-core CPU along with a total of 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, but only 32GB of internal storage (as opposed to the 64GB of storage found in the DX200), and the OS is once again based on Android 6.0.

Where the DX200 made use of dual ES9028PRO DAC chips, the DX150 instead gets dual AK4490EQ chips. This seems to be the same chip as used in the Shanling M2s (but the Shanling only has a single DAC chip). And, just like the M2s, this allows the DX150 to decode PCM files of up to 384kHz/32-bit, and DSD files of up to DSD256.

However, the DX150 isn’t aimed at competing with the likes of the Shanling M2s, but perhaps rather the Fiio X5 3rd Gen, or perhaps even the X7 Mark II!
Below is a table to compare a few parameters, including some of the key audio-related specifications.

Pricing and Availability

The DX150 is apparently already available as of right now from iBasso’s website, and will set you back around $500 (excluding shipping and/or applicable taxes). That’s just a little more than the X5 3rd Gen, and around half the price of the DX200!

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