iBasso DC-Elite Portable DAC/AMP

Using the DX320MAX as a blueprint, an outstanding flagship dongle has been created.

Featuring a ROHM BD34301EKV DAC chip, 24-step 4-section attenuator, current output DAC architecture, titanium chassis and numerous state-of-the-art technologies and materials, the iBasso DC-Elite embodies the MAX standard.

A flagship DAC chip with current output is used for the first time in a dongle. ROHM's BD34301EKV DAC, together with carefully designed circuitry, improves the dynamic range, expands the soundstage and enhances the high-fidelity audio capabilities of the DC-Elite.

iBasso has completely redesigned the traditional 24-position, 4-section attenuator by compressing the volume to one-tenth the size of the original attenuator while ensuring that the tolerance of channel imbalance is less than 0.1 dB. iBasso pioneered the use of this attenuator in the DC elite, specifically designed for the DX320MAX. Say goodbye to the problem of bit reduction in digital volume control. At normal volume with a 32 Ω load (approximately 50mV-100mV output), the DC-Elite's SNR is the leader among dongle products.

The iBasso DC-Elite not only features a highly efficient power supply with a synchronous DC-DC converter, but also extremely low-noise LDOs from Linear Technology, previously only used in flagship audio players. At just 0.8 μV, the noise is even lower than that of battery power supplies in most cases. In addition, the output current reaches an impressive 500 mA, which guarantees a sufficient and unadulterated power supply for the DAC.

Thanks to its exceptional internal circuit design, the iBasso DC-Elite has an impressive power consumption despite having a flagship desktop-level DAC and a comprehensive player architecture. With a balanced power consumption of 690 mW and a single-ended power consumption of 630 mW, this device offers significant advantages over other flagship models in its class. These unique features set it apart from the competition.

DC-Elite has a balanced 4.4 mm output and an unbalanced 3.5 mm output that can be used for both balanced headphones and unbalanced headphones. The 3.5 mm interface is compatible with SPDIF coaxial output and supports the transfer of the digital output to an external DAC. A long press on the PCM volume reduction button converts the 3.5 mm connector into the coaxial output. At the same time, the display changes to white colour.

The housing of the DC-Elite is made of space-grade titanium alloy, which, together with tempered glass on the top and bottom, provides an unparalleled sense of elegance. Titanium has the best strength-to-weight ratio of any metal, is lighter than stainless steel and stronger than aluminum alloys.

In the Japanese VGP2024 selection, the DC-Elite not only won the Gold Award for the Portable Amplifier and DAC category, but also the only Portable Audio Grand Award out of thousands of portable audio devices evaluated. This is the first time that a Chinese hi-fi product has won the VGP Portable Audio Grand Award.