The iBasso AMP17 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links.
The price of the iBasso AMP17 is $249 and you can buy it from here or if you are within the EU you can get it from here.
iBasso Audio
iBasso Audio is a Chinese company specializing in designing and making high-end portable audio products. Known especially for their digital audio players (DAPs), they also make portable USB DACs, headphone amplifiers, in-ear monitors and headphones. iBasso has earned a cult-like admiration among audiophiles for offering audiophile-grade performance at very reasonable prices.
Click here to read more iBasso reviews and know their products.
iBasso DX340
The DX340 is iBasso’s flagship digital audio player (DAP) that is designed with an interchangeable AMP card system. The AMP card is a small removable board that integrates the analog circuitry of the player that usually comprises the input stage and the headphone amplifier. Each AMP card has a different audio architecture and the user can easily swap them to fine tune the sound.
The DX340 is compatible with most AMP cards that were made for the DX320/300 models while several new cards are specifically designed for it. These new AMP cards are unique because they support external 12V DC input that doubles their power output.
The DX340 is delivered with the AMP15 while iBasso has also released the AMP16 (tube hybrid) and the AMP17. Another one, the AMP18, is scheduled to follow shortly.
iBasso AMP17
The AMP17 is a discrete, balanced amplifier card and the first one in the portable audio industry to use GaN (gallium nitride) FETs in a combination with regular transistors.
Compared to traditional MOSFETs or bipolar transistors, GaN FETs offer an electron mobility of up to 2000 cm²/V-s, enabling higher electron velocities and lower conduction losses at high frequencies. The total Miller effect charge of GaN FETs is significantly lower than that of power MOSFETs with equivalent on-resistance.
The GaN FETs have an exceptionally low internal resistance, allowing for higher drive currents. Combined with the AMP17’s low output impedance architecture, this enables precise driving of various low impedance loads without stressing the amplifier.
Additionally, GaN FETs support higher operation frequencies and help reduce interference caused by inductor ripple currents on the audio signal.
The AMP17 has both balanced headphone and line outputs with dedicated 4.4mm sockets. There are no single-ended alternatives so the user must use the appropriate cables.
You can read more technical details about GaN FETs and the design of the AMP17 here.
Installation of the AMP17
For readers that are not familiar with the iBasso DX340 modular system, let’s remember that swapping AMP cards is as easy as unscrewing two small screws at the bottom of the player. Then carefully pull out the AMP card and install the new one in its place. Put the screws back and you are ready to start listening to your favorite music. The package includes a screwdriver and some spare screws.
With each new AMP card, iBasso makes sure to release an updated firmware to support it that needs to be installed before use.
Backwards compatibility with the iBasso DX320/300 models
The board of the AMP17 is designed with a narrower width than the AMP15 and AMP16 in order to be backwards compatible and fit the chassis of the iBasso DX320 and DX300 players. However the installation procedure is not exactly plug ‘n play as the user must exchange faceplates and also remove the 12V plug.
I have started disassembling the AMP17 in order to make it fit in the DX320 but I was hesitant to continue as I was not sure if I could easily reverse the procedure. So, although I was willing to test the AMP17 in the DX320 player, the project was eventually abandoned.
Power output and noise
The rated power output of the AMP17 is 1030mW*2/32Ω in battery mode and almost doubles to 1900mW*2/32Ω with the external 12V DC supply. These numbers are somewhat lower than the power output of the stock AMP15 which are 1200mW*2/32Ω and 2150mW*2/32Ω respectively. The output impedance of the AMP17 is as low as 1.1Ω.
The AMP17 can easily drive the Meze Audio Elite and Poet headphones in battery mode, however the use of the 12V DC power supply is beneficial to the overall sonic performance. It increases headroom and makes the headphones come more alive. The low-end becomes a tad more dynamic and impactful, the soundstage appears wider while you can hear the sound flowing with better fluidity.
Additionally, the DC input makes the AMP17 capable of driving considerably more demanding loads like the Hifiman Susvara. I am not claiming that it can do them full justice, as a powerful desktop amplifier can do, but I got excellent results at 85-90 out of 100 volume steps without making the AMP17 start clipping.
I don’t have super sensitive earphones to test but with the LETSHUOER Mystique 8 (18Ω/107dB) I wasn’t able to detect any background noise or waterfall hissing. The low gain setting of AMP17 in combination with the low gain of the DAC, proved dead silent under all circumstances. The working temperatures of the AMP17 are very low, the device gets barely warm even under stress conditions.
The AMP17 was tested with Lavricables pure silver cables.
Impact on battery duration
The iBasso AMP17 consumes slightly more power than both the AMP15 and the AMP16 set in solid state mode. The battery duration of the DX340 with the AMP17 installed is quite similar to that of the AMP16’s tube mode, that is about 7-8 hours depending on the load and the gain setting with a WiFi streaming application like Qobuz.
Listening impressions
Readers familiar with the iBasso DX340 will know that it is considered as one of the best sounding flagship DAPs on the market without even thinking about its very competitive price.
Truly enough, the DX340 amazes with its sound quality that combines class-leading transparency and fidelity with exceptionally natural timbre and outstanding musicality. A masterful tuning that also has the benefit that you can shape it to your liking by just exchanging AMP cards.
Both during my review and daily usage for the past few months, I have tested the DX340 with the AMP15 and AMP16 as well as all the legacy AMP cards, always thinking that it sounds sublime no matter the combination.
Despite my deep experience with the sonic performance of the DX340, I was really stunned to discover how it improved with the use of the AMP17. I was shocked and remained speechless because I thought that it was nearly impossible for the best to become better.
The DX340 has exceptional sound quality with all AMP cards but it is only after installing the AMP17 that you realize what it is really capable of doing. The AMP17 truly unlocks its full potential and elevates it to summits never reached before.
Listening with the AMP17 you get the sense that the music becomes considerably more alive and realistic, not only because of its remarkably natural timbre, but also because it is very skilful in communicating time and space as are captured inside the recording.
More listening impressions
The soundstage emerges as more holographic and multilayered, it is deployed with additional greatness into all three dimensions with the aid of laser sharp positioning accuracy. With a high quality live recording you feel like being there, sitting in the audience and participating in the event rather than just listening to the music at your home. No other AMP card can surpass the AMP17 in this regard, even the tube-hybrid ones that are famous for having similar skills.
Speaking of tubes, all the hybrid-tube AMP cards (AMP13, AMP14 and AMP16) are very successful in enriching the harmonic structure of the music and making the DX340 sound more organic. The AMP16 is my favorite one in this regard, so imagine my surprise again to discover that the AMP17 manages to surpass and even beat it in its own game. The AMP17 might be lacking the additional warmth, the relaxed mood and the colorful sonic palette of the tubes, but to my ears it makes the music sound as lifelike and melodic as a high quality analog source.
In my opinion, that aspect alone could justify calling the AMP17 as the best sounding AMP card as it makes the music feel genuinely alive and authentic which is what true high-fidelity listening is all about.
The iBasso AMP17 is also characterized by its class-leading transparency and sonic precision as it lets the music unfold without adding any sound coloration of its own. It stays true to the recording that must be of the highest quality otherwise you are going to end with bad sounding music. The AMP17 also demands headphones/earphones of a certain standard and above as they must be really capable to take advantage and blend with its sonic virtues.
And some more…
The overall technical performance of the AMP17 is outstanding, it competes head to head with the AMP15, which is a technical beast, but it manages to do so without ending as clinical and sterile. The AMP15 is still the top technical performer but it sounds rather academic and less musical or expressive in comparison to the AMP17.
The AMP17 produces bass that is deep and weighty, muscular and visceral, yet fast, layered and controlled with class-leading definition and timing. The AMP17 might be less powerful than the AMP15 but it offers wider dynamic contrasts and greater physical impact while it is not lacking intricate micro-dynamic resolution. The bass is not dry or lean and despite being carefully etched it is not lacking in elasticity and roundness.
We’ve already highlighted the mid-range’s natural harmonic profile and its notably organic timbre, but it’s also worth emphasizing the refinement of its textures and the precision with which it articulates. The AMP17 combines outstanding clarity and definition with deep emotional engagement and poetic expression so it manages to connect the listener with the music without sacrificing in purity of tone.
The treble is genuinely extended and overflows with energy but it is not perceived as bright or sharp. The AMP17 is very resolving but it doesn’t make the DX340 sound as analytical as it happens to a certain extent with the AMP15. You can’t say that the treble is smoothed out or muted but it is certainly more docile and less pronounced as it is in AMP15. The higher frequencies are produced with naturalness and a certain politeness but without lacking in sparkle and excitement.
Evolution
The sound signature of iBasso AMP17 reminds me of the AMP12 which happens to be my favorite of the legacy AMP cards. It seems that iBasso has taken it as the starting point and improved it in every single way by employing the GaN FET technology and extensive fine tuning. To my ears, the AMP17 sounds like the AMP12 on steroids and although I am a devoted tube aficionado, these two solid-state AMP cards have won my heart.
The line-out purity
The AMP17 has a dedicated 4.4mm balanced line output with a variable level that maxes at 3 Vrms, up to the industry standards and enough to drive all kinds of integrated and power amplifiers. You can set the output level to its max value or use the DX340 as a preamplifier.
Unlike the AMP15 and AMP16, the signal is a direct path from the DACs analog output after the D/A conversion without further processing. The GaN FET circuitry is entirely bypassed so this is the best way to enjoy the DX340’s DAC output in its purest form.
I have tested the line-out with the Cayin C9 portable headphone amplifier and I have to admit that it was among the best listening experiences I have ever had with it. These two devices match exceptionally well and the Cayin C9 is a great way to add tubes to the equation. Unfortunately I don’t have the iBasso PB5 but I bet that it is going to be a perfect partner.
The line output of the AMP17 is clean, transparent and uncolored, just carrying the unique sonic characteristics of the DX340’s PWM discrete DAC, letting the external amplifier do any further sound shaping. The AMP17 is the best option to enjoy the DX340 as a standalone high quality DAC and this is a feature that should not be overlooked at all because to my experience it easily compares with a lot of high-tier desktop DACs.
In the end
The iBasso AMP17 is not just another AMP card but the brand’s most mature sounding and sonically refined analog circuitry thus far. This is the best amplifier module ever made by iBasso and not only it unlocks the true sonic potential of the DX340 but it also elevates it to the highest summit of the DAP industry.
In my original review of the iBasso DX340 I wrote that it would be a bold and rather naive statement to say that it is the best sounding DAP in the market, after all I haven’t tested all of them.
However, with the release of the iBasso AMP17, I am now convinced that the DX340 sits at the top seat, perhaps sharing it with a very few other DAPs, but none of them at a comparable price, even when counting the additional cost of the AMP17.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Excellent audio quality
+ Class-leading technicalities and fidelity
+ Exceptional musicality and expression
+ Lifelike and realistic presentation
+ Holographic and immersive soundstage
+ The AMP17 unlocks the true sonic potential of the DX340
+ Powerful output especially in DC mode
+ Virtually silent background
+ Pure line output direct from the DAC
+ Very easy to install
+ Backwards compatible with iBasso DX320/300
+ Cost effective solution to elevate the sound quality of the DX340/320/300
- Very demanding of source material and headphone quality
- Slightly lower battery duration in comparison with the AMP15
- Not as powerful as the AMP15
- Not exactly plug ‘n play with the DX320/300
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