iBasso AMP17 Amplifier Card Review – Raw Prime Performer
iBasso AMP17 is a $249 USD Amplifier Card for iBasso DX340 DAP, and it comes with the unique Gallium Nitride + Transistor Discrete balanced topology. Today we will review AMP17 and draw comparisons with other AMP cards for DX340, including AMP16, the one with Dual Raytheon Tubes and AMP15, the one that DX340 comes with by default. In fact, even the AMP17 we are reviewing today is compatible with DX320 and DX300.
Introduction
iBasso is one of the companies that offers the best warranty and support for their products in the entire world. This is actual facts, they still offer updates for their really old DAPs, and they offer upgrade paths, accessories that are compatible with some of their older DAPs, and just in general, if you ever have an older iBasso unit you can send them an email and you can likely find answers to any question, including spare parts like batteries for a DAP or other components. iBasso DAPs are generally available on Amazon, Aliexpress and their own iBasso website.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4niGJHG
Build Quality – Design
iBasso AP17 is built around an entirely new era of portable amplification, now with Gallium Nitride. iBasso has always been a leader in the audio industry, but AMP17 is the first application of GaN or Gallium Nitride in high-end audio, which compared to traditional MOSFET or Bipolar transistor, has a mobility of up to 2000cm2/V*s, enabling higher electron velocities and lower conduction losses at high frequencies.
The total Miller Charge QGD of GaNFET is significantly lower than that of MOSFETs with equivalent on-resistance. This characteristic facilitates faster switching speeds which results in enhanced transient response and dynamic range. AMP Diagram of AM P17 is rather simple and elegant, with DX340 feeding the balanced signal to OP-AMPs which then feed the signal to a GaN FET x 2 + Transistor x 2 set per each of the 4 channels to then create the 4.4mm balanced headphone output.
What this achieves is exceptionally low internal resistance, allowing for a higher drive current, and coupled with AMP17’s low output impedance, this enables precise driving of low-impedance headphones, delivering a sound that is dynamic, layered and detailed. Integration of GaNs reduces interference caused by inductor ripple currents on the audio signal. This results in a crisp imaging, and an analog sound that is naturally articulated.
GaN switch speeds surpass those of conventional silicon-based MOSFETs by several tens of times. This makes AMP17 achieve near seamless zero-cross crossing. With support for the External 12V DC Power supply and + – 12V high voltage swing, AMP-17 can achieve powers of up to 1900 mW + 1900 mW at 32 OHMs for the balanced output. It is good to mention that AMP17 is compatible not just with DX340, but also with DX300 and DX320 players.
If you battery power the AMP 17, you can expect an output power of 1030mW + 1030mW for a 32 OHM impedance, and the output impedance is unchanged at 1.1 OHMs. With a crosstalk of -117 dB and a SNR of 122 dB, AMP17 can also achieve a Dynamic Range of 120 dB and a THD+N of -110 dB with a 600 OHM Load. AMP17 also supports a Line Out output with very similar numbers and technical data, situation in which you could use DX340 + AMP 17 as the DAC for an external Amplifier, using a cable like ddHIFI BC44XLR.
Sound Quality
Pairings – I have paired the new mighty iBasso DX340 running AMP 17 with a selection of earphones and headphones including KBEar Cepheus, Crosszone CZ-10 Enhanced, NFAudio NE4, NfAudio NA2+, FiiO FT13, Palma DHS-1, HIFIMAN Shangri-La Electrostatic System (As a DAC via the Line Out), ZiiGaat Crescent, Erzetich Thalia, Moritz Audio Enzo, Dunu Vulkan 2, Sivga Peng, Moritz Dragon, Sivga AIVA 2, Soundz Flame, YanYin Canon, and RAPTGO LEAF D01.
DX340 has more than enough power for all those headphones and IEMS, and the overall result is basically the same as with AMP15, although the sound is more controlled than with AMP16. I feel like AMP17 has the most precise sound at all levels, it is more consistent, but also AMP15 theoretically has a slightly higher driving power, which you could hear but only with Susvara unveiled.
Overall Signature – iBasso made the AMP17 a neutral, clean and transparent sounding amplifier module, with a slightly colder and less colored midrange, very similar to AMP15 and different from AMP15; The bass of AMP17 is a bit deeper and more punchy than that of both AMP15 and AMP16, AMP17 has a more holographic sound, better soundstage expansion and it is in general a more vivid, more engaging sounding amplifier module. With most headphones and IEMs, I like the sound more if keeping the DAC gain in high, allowing the AMP to stay in low gain mode, except for a few select very hard to drive headphones, where I needed both the AMP and the DAC in high gain mode.
Bass – At the bass, AMP17 achieves the fullest, deepest bass I heard from DX340 so far, with a better depth and more punch, more weight, and more overall substance than the other two amp modules. While bass is still not quite warm and the whole sound is tinted a bit bright and cold in the mids, AMP17 can deliver the blow and impact needed for gaming, movie soundtracks, EDM and Electronic music.
Midrange – With a slightly colder, cooler presentation, AMP 17 is quite detailed and precise, it has strong separation between layers, and defines more layers than just voices or forward and background. It actually creates and defines a black background that helps each instrument stand out and which increases contrast in music. AMP17 is great for complex tracks and the resolution / technical ability makes AMP17 sound like an upgrade from AMP15 which sounds more simplistic.
Treble – At the top end, AMP17 is quite bright, extended and airy, and all that tech talk about how GaN is faster and better in the highs really hits home now that I hear what a crisp, airy treble AMP17 can produce. This being said, AMP17 feels really honest, with very little input and coloration, it can render grain and texture more faithfully to the recording, not imposing its own characteristic as much as the other two AMPs.
Dynamic Range And Textures – Texture of AMP17 is incredibly fast, it renders absolutely everything, every last bit of detail, it is a revealer, analytical sounding amplifier, with exceptionally quick response. This means that a bad recording will have all its grain and mistakes rendered, but this is what this hobby is all about, and I feel more confident enjoying my library with AMP17 as it is just rendering what I have than I usually feel with tube amps that color the sound a bit on their own. Dynamic range is also very high with AMP17, higher than both AMP15 and AMP16 Tube can deliver.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – You can forget about stressing over the loudness saturation gradient, and volume, AMP17 delivers a punchy, vivid sound and can get extremely loud, but you can notice a faint background noise with very sensitive IEMs if you put it in high gain. I recommend keeping it in low gain for as much as possible, as that seems to be the way it sounds best, and I don’t mean to listen at quiet volumes, but just keeping the gain of the AMP gain as low as possible while allowing you to achieve your desired listening volume.
Super Gain mode on AMP17 changes things a bit, it overdrives the sound a bit, dynamic range is muh higher, and bass is even stronger, detail is better, and THD is actually lower. This is different from AMP16 and AMP15 where those advantages came with a slightly higher THD for Super Gain with certain IEMS and Headphones, and AMP17 with the same headphones and IEMS has better control. This effect is more noticeable with hard to drive, single dynamic driver IEMs, or with hard to drive headphones, and less noticeable with multi-driver IEMS, easy to drive IEMs or with IEMs in general.
Soundstage – And the caking is that AMP17 has a wide, holographic staging that actually is the first thing you notice. Not only does it has a black, bleak black background, but it also makes each instrument stand out more, increases the contrast between instruments and makes the whole sound wide and spacious.
Value and Conclusion
The price for an additional amplifier for DX340 is not a high one, and considering the amount of research and engineering that went into creating the first Gallium Nitride and GaN AMP, iBasso is actually looking at some of the best price / performance ratios for you to further experiment and enjoy your DX340 DAP.
At the end of the day, iBasso never stops to amaze me and DX340 was already brilliant, but while I found AMP 16 to not be quite as much of a personal favorite, due to increased THD and textures characteristics of the tube AMP, the GaN presentation is much cleaner, analytical yet seemingly natural in the midrange, quite excellent for music enjoyment and for a low price too. As it has no added heat nor downsides, I find AMP17 to be an extremely easy to recommend purchase if you already have an iBasso DX340, DX320 or DX300.
PROs
- New tech, first engineered by iBasso
- Reasonable output impedance
- Clean and analytical sound with excellent details
- Still revealing textures and crisp sound
- Complete and fun signature with good bass reproduction
- High transparency
- High compatibility with older iBasso DAPs, down to 3 generations now
Cons
- As the first of the series, GaN has a unique sound that is characteristic to it
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4niGJHG
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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