Design & Build Quality
Casing
What can I say, the iBasso DX320 is an exact copy of the previous DX300.
A beautiful, but massive monolith, made of CNC-carved aluminum, covered on both sides by a beautiful bonded glass, slightly tainted in a dark blue or black hue. Compared to the DX220, and even the DX240, it’s a clear step-up and this player remains, in my opinion, one of the lushest DAP available out there – even reaching up to my mighty A&K SE180 on some aspects.
If available in two colors (black, blue), the brand sent me the starry blue version, and I thank them for that – definitely cooler than the black one. If the tone isn’t as vibrant as the one available on the DX240, the player remains absolutely gorgeous, topped by a deported volume wheel, found on the right upper side. Also, if it doesn’t look like it in picture, I can assure you that the DX320 is a MASSIVE player in real life.
The screen ratio is excellent – still better than FiiO or Astell&Kern, and the front panel is almost entirely covered by the display. The only bezel you’ll be able to spot remains that tiny little one on the lower end, but compared to the notch I got on my new MacBook Pro… that’s more than acceptable.
In hand, it looks and feels like a TOTL DAP and my only complaint is, once again, the lower part, where the amp card comes in. There are two little gaps, so you can swap out the card, which is great ergonomically, not so much visually, but aside from that I think iBasso totally nailed it with this player.
Long story short, same design, minus the gold on the scroll-wheel, plus a geeky led-window on the backside, for the new KORG amp module (more on that later)
Layout
Like I said above, nothing changed here.
The scroll wheel is still there, but now silvery-toned, instead of gold-plated, with the same semi-haptic feedback that emulates the “clicks” of a true analog one.
Just under, you have the usual three buttons to control the playback: play/pause, next song, and previous song. This makes the player a little more easy to control in blind mode, and iBasso already offered that option on previous models. It feels clicky and the height was just perfect in my daily usage, even if some might prefer the old round design.
On the opposite side, you get the micro-SD port, not sealed with a rubber cover (ohhh) but still avoiding the tray-cart (yees) so you can easily change your card on the go. On the upper side of the player is the USB-C port, used for data and charge, seconded by a mini-coax port, to connect the DX320 to your own DAC.
Finally, you have to remember that the player doesn’t support previous-generation modular amps anymore. If I’m a bit sad about that – the AMP7 and AMP9 really sounded great on my DX220 – the brand keeps on producing new models for the DX300 and DX320, and the stock one already gets 4.4mm Pentaconn/2.5mm TRRS/3.5mm outputs.
So far, so good. Let’s take a look at the screen now.
Screen
Good news, iBasso is still offering one of the best screens for a DAP out there, all hands down.
Clou du spectacle, the new 6.5” 2340×1080 LTPS IPS screen is just amazing. None other players, to this day, can rival the DX320 in this aspect and, once again, the brand completely outperformed my expectations!
If the 397ppi definition is lower than the 445ppi of the DX160, the higher resolution display combined with the behemoth size of the screen makes the DX300 the clear winner here. Brightness is impressive, colors are vibrant, and even compared to some modern smartphones, the result is absolutely magnificent.
Add to that a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, almost bezel-free, tapered glass, a new UI with Android 11.0(!), and you have the best-looking player of the moment, all categories included. Album covers are crisp, fonts are cleaner and the overall experience is simply astounding.
On that good note, let’s check the bundle, and we’ll be able to look at the spec sheets then.
Bundle
Inside the box
The iBasso DX320 bundle is pretty good, t :
- the iBasso DX320
- the AMP13 amp card
- an USB-C cable
- a Coaxial cable
- a glass protection
- a quick-start manual
- a whole new leather case
- and… the famous one (you know what I’m talking about)
The case is a nice gesture and compared to my SE180 which forced me to purchase the case separately, this makes a real difference in terms of q/p ratio.
The review continues on Page Three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.
Page 1: about the brand
Page 3: UI, Usage
Page 4: Technical specifications
Page 5: Sound performances
ginandbacon
I couldn’t agree more with your review. The DX320 is only my second DAP (I returned my first) but there is some magic to the stock 11.2(?) amp and ROHM DAC’s that is very neutral yet fun and sometimes surprising at how good it can make low bitrate Spotify songs sound. My previous DAP was returned due to it not being a huge upgrade over a dongle IMO. I won’t name the brand but it was half the price as the DX320. I see you mentioned receiving the AMP13 card in the review but no mention of it outside it being in the bundle. Or it may be a separate review for later. Personally I prefer the stock card that comes with the DX320 but different ears have different opinions and options are never a bad thing.
Alessandro Sabatino
Io posseggo un Ibasso DX220 amp8 e mi trovo molto bene, a parte che si surriscalda troppo, un po’ lento come sistema operativo e la batteria dura poco, per il resto come qualità sonora, in bilanciato, con powerAmp, suona che é una meraviglia. La domanda é questa, la mia mente da appassionato di audio di qualità mi sta portando o spingendo nellacquistare l’Ibasso DX320. Secondo qualcuno che li ha provato entrambi, ne vale veramente la pena spendere 1450€ per fare questo salto? Parlo solo di qualità audio, che é la cosa che m’interessa maggiormente. Potete rispondermi il più presto possibile, perché le mie mani mi prudono a tal punto che devo prendere gli antistaminici… 🤣
Alessandro Sabatino
I own an Ibasso DX220 amp8 and I feel very good, apart from that it overheats too much, a bit slow as an operating system and the battery lasts little, for the rest as sound quality, in balanced, with powerAmp, it sounds that is a wonder. The question is this, my mind as a quality audio enthusiast is leading me or pushing me to buy the Ibasso DX320. According to someone who has tried both, is it really worth spending € 1450 to make this jump? I’m only talking about audio quality, which is the thing that interests me the most. You can answer me as soon as possible, because my hands itch so much that I have to take antihistamines…