Head to head
iBasso DX180 vs Cayin N3 Ultra
Quad CS43131 DACs, 690mW of balanced power, and clean Android 13 on a sharp 1080p screen. iBasso's mid-ranger punches at players twice the price on raw measurements. The affordable way into tube sound on the go: dual AK4493S DACs plus real JAN6418 vacuum tubes with two selectable tube timbres, alongside a conventional solid-state mode.Here's how they line up on paper — differences highlighted.
iBasso DX180 | Cayin N3 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | ||
| Price | — | — |
| Released | 2024 | 2024 |
| OS | Android 13 | Cayin OS |
| Streaming apps | Yes | No |
| Audio | ||
| DAC | Cirrus Logic CS43131 ×4 | AKM AK4493S ×2, JAN6418 tubes ×2 |
| Max PCM | 32-bit / 768 kHz | 32-bit / 768 kHz |
| Max DSD | DSD512 | DSD512 |
| Balanced out | 4.4mm | 4.4mm |
| Unbalanced out | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Power (balanced) | 690 mW | 600 mW |
| Power (unbalanced) | 281 mW | — |
| Formats | FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, APE, MP3, AAC, OGG | FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, APE, MP3, AAC, OGG |
| Wireless | ||
| Wi-Fi | Yes | — |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | — |
| BT codecs | LDAC, aptX, AAC, SBC | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Storage & battery | ||
| Internal storage | — | None (microSD only) |
| microSD slots | 1 | 1 |
| Battery life | 15.5 h | 12 h |
| Battery | 3200 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | — | 200 g |
| Screen | 5" | — |
| Mac sync | ||
| Transfer | MTP | USB mass storage |
| USB DAC mode | Yes | Yes |
Highlighted rows differ between players. iBasso DX180 data verified 2026-07-23.
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