Very nice unboxing experience.
Included case is protective but quite ugly and doesn't appear premium (also limits the accessibility of the volume potentiometer).
Included USB cable coated with fabric or nylon (which I don't like, but it is); highly supple and flexible.
Questionable included 2.5 mm burn-in cable...
In some ways I like the design, in others I don't fully. All in all, it's nice.
Good build quality.
Quite heavy but feels good in my hand.
Replaceable amplifier modules. Aside from different ports and different internal technology (different kinds of amplification circuits), very few of the optional modules actually offer anything that would be an advantage over the included one.
Good touchscreen.
Gapless playback works perfectly with FLAC files on both operating systems (once it is enabled in the settings).
- - -
Has got two operating systems - Android and Mango OS. The latter is almost identical to the iBasso DX80's interface and has all the wireless stuff and apps disabled. While offering more volume steps (-> higher precision (finer scaling) in the low attenuation range to find one's sweet spot), it feels somewhat slow and unresponsive. It doesn't have a search feature.
Android OS but unfortunately without Google Play Store (additional apps have to be installed by copying them to the internal or external memory or downloading them from the internet - unfortunately Gmail and YouTube didn't work, Google Chrome, TIDAL, Spotify and SoundCloud did, though).
Very responsive (no lags) and intuitive to use. Feels fast and responsive (it also is and also handles rather complex video games like GTA: San Andreas on advanced/high graphics settings without any lags). Great Mango music player app; very good and intuitive design and navigation. Doesn't have a search feature either, though, which is definitely somewhat disappointing for a flagship product.
Booting into Android takes around 23 seconds. Booting into Mango OS takes only around 8 seconds.
- - -
Every now and then, some interference noise can be heard on the left channel when WiFi is activated and connected (at least on 2.4 GHz WiFi; I cannot report about 5 GHz WiFi). That's quite disappointing for such an expensive product and given that smartphone manufacturers get this, the shielding and stuff, right on their models.
aptX (and LDAC) Bluetooth since latest Android 8.1 firmware. Didn't support it before (which was audible compared to aptX Bluetooth streaming sources).
Battery Life:
Ultimately, the battery life will of course depend on how one is using the DX200 (headphones, volume setting, file type, WiFi, Bluetooth, …).
My test procedure was to play FLAC files from a micro SD card and to stream some music for around 90 minutes while occasionally unlocking the screen and navigating through the menus. With the volume set to 75 out of 150 in Android mode and with the Superlux HD668B connected as load, the battery lasted for quite exactly 8 hours and 4 minutes.
Sound:
All measurements are about the unbalanced 3.5 mm headphone output on the included AMP1 module with the default digital filter #4 (fast roll-of, minimum phase).
Volume Control:
Digital rotary potentiometer instead of traditional buttons. I like it, though.
150 volume steps (system-wide) in Android mode with a scaling of 0.5 dB per step in the medium and higher ranges, and somewhat coarser steps in the lower range (listening very quietly is still easily possible, though).
More than 200 attenuation steps in Mango music player OS mode with a scaling of 0.5 dB over the entire range (listening very quietly is easily possible and the attenuation is also very precise in the low range thanks to the constant scaling of 0.5 dB attenuation per step).
No Load:
Flat and therefore as it should be. No surprise here.
Complex Load (Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10):
Only very small deviation, which is very nice to see. The thereof calculated output impedance is below 0.5 Ohms, which is very good, and also confirms iBasso's specs that state a low output impedance value.
Hiss Performance (3.5 mm Headphone Output):
Almost perfectly hiss-free using my Shure SE846, Pai Audio MR3 and Ostry KC06A; only very little hiss in quiet passages/with an empty audio file. Therefore among the best portable devices with low output impedance.
Nonetheless my iBasso DX90 performs even a bit better in this regard.
Subjective Sound Quality Perception (unbalanced 3.5 mm headphone output):
Clean, transparent and subjectively neutral, as it could be expected.
Balanced Output:
I don't care about the symmetrical (2.5 mm TRRS in this case) output anyway on any (in my opinion, it's one of the most useless and overhyped trends in personal audio in the past few years, while it can and does serve a purpose in a professional and studio environment).
That said, it's more powerful (read: louder), which was to be expected. This goes along with somewhat inferior hiss performance, though.
Volume-matched to the unbalanced 3.5 mm output (sighted comparison, not blind-tested), using the Fidue A91 SIRIUS, it appears subjectively a tad more "aggressive" on cymbal attacks ("glare"), and a bit more "spacious" sounding in comparison.
Similarly clean and transparent.
All just a minor difference, if any.
Conclusion:
Very good audio performance and good, modern interface.
Still, I'm missing the search feature in the standard Mango music player application as well as Mango OS; then the occasional WiFi noise shouldn't be present on an expensive streaming music player; and last but not least, while the hiss performance is among that of the best digital audio players on the market, my DX90 is even somewhat ahead with near-extremely sensitive in-ears.
Result: very good in many areas but with some flaws.