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Miter Fiio X7 II & DX200 Case Review

Pros –

Streamlined and luxurious design, Stable kickstand, Easier control access

Cons –

Exposed top and corners, May obscure ports

Verdict – 

This is a fine accessory for any DAP owner, bringing more premium materials and additional functionality.


Introduction –

Miter is a South Korean accessory manufacturer that specialises in cases. And though they provide a reasonably wide range of models, they’ve garnered a strong following for their high-quality DAP covers that provide additional protection and higher quality materials. Of course, as a lot of manufacturers such as Fiio and Astell & Kern are providing cases from factory, it’s essential that Miter differentiate their products.

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Luckily, their cases are a product of focus and function; rather than introducing gimmicks or overly premium materials that would overly inflate pricing, Miter have instead pursued improved in-hand feel and extended features. Moreover, they do so at an attainable $30-50 USD price point. Please see Miter’s website here for the full list of specifications and features.

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Unboxing – 

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The Miter case has a simple unboxing with a protective outer hard-box that prevents deformity during shipping. The case is also kept scuff-free via a fabric pouch inside.

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The DX200 case is identically packaged but also includes a screen protector, a nice touch.

 

X7 II –

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While a lot of manufacturers are including cases from factory, none feel truly luxurious in the hand. The vast majority are constructed from slim but tacky TPU and silicone or generic pleather that feels stiff and plasticky. Miter don’t use genuine leather, but their cases are handcrafted in Korea from Italian faux leather. This provides a very agreeable compromise between price and quality; with the Miter cases offering a clear upgrade to the stock, manufacturer provided units.

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In this instance, the difference between the Miter X7 II case and the Fiio case was immediately evident. The Miter case has a tighter, more secure fit around the DAP and a far suppler feel in the hand that aids tactility. The Miter’s suede interior is also a huge step up from the textured vinyl on Fiio’s case, ensuring the DAP doesn’t become scratched by trapped particles. The buttons also demonstrate greater tactility than either the stock TPU or pleather cases.

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It should also be noted that the Miter case covers the bottom of the DAP with an opening at the top, whereas the Fiio case is the opposite, with an opening on the bottom. As such, the Miter case provides more comprehensive protection during drops, which are most likely to damage the bottom face. In return, the case does cover the ports which may interfere with some plugs, but the vast majority such as those from Oyaide are case-friendly. The case is also half a millimetre short at the top, leaving the top edge partially exposed.

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Perhaps the headline feature of the case is its inbuilt kickstand. The back of the case opens via a hinge on the bottom. A magnetic support arm follows metal rails in the back plate before locking into a small groove. This enables the player to be propped up in portrait for convenient media consumption and the magnetic system reliably keeps the back closed during portable use; in fact, the stand looks almost perfectly integrated into the case.

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The stand is super simple to open and holds its place very firmly due to its steel internal frame; it offers plenty of stability for the user to interact with the device while propped up for instance. Furthermore, despite the extended functionality, the case is only 1mm thicker than the original and it does feel fairly minimal both in the hand and pocket as the back has tapered edges.

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Unfortunately, listening while propped on the stand is not ideal as the plugs on the bottom become obscured. You can partially alleviate this by placing the DAP on the edge of the table, but it seems that a landscape stand would have been more appropriate for DAPs with bottom facing interfaces. And given the simplicity of its mechanism, it seems like a missed opportunity not to include various levels of adjustment, especially since a more acute angle would have permit use with larger plugs.

 

DX200 – 

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Miter’s DX200 case differs enough in both form and construction to warrant independent attention; effectively appending my main complaints with their Fiio case. iBasso’s included case is pleasing, it has a more realistic texture than Fiio’s included pleather case and a rustic press stud that more firmly secures the player.

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That said, as I already find the DX200 to be a large DAP that I struggle to use single-handed, its thick, squared off case only exacerbates ergonomic issues. The stock case also leaves the side control bar exposed to damage and its thick front plate obscures the volume wheel.

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The Miter case was everything I was hoping it to be. It has the same suede inner lining as the X7 II case, ensuring that the DAP doesn’t become scratched within the case. However, it uses a sleeker material on its exterior and is appreciably more compact than both the Fiio and stock case as a result.

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Furthermore, the case is more homogenous with the shape of the player, with the front and sides being crafted from the same sheet of material, omitting bulky seams and joins.

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I still find the case to be just as tactile due to a slightly more aggressive yet fine-grain texture. It isn’t quite as supple as the X7 II case, but feels more hard-wearing. Miter’s case also covers the control bar and leaves the side volume wheel exposed for ease of access.

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Though the DAP slots into the top, the cutouts on the bottom are larger than the X7 II’s and the stock case, permitting use with larger non-case friendly plugs. If I had one caveat with the Miter DX200 case, it would be its lack of corner protection, though this was necessary to create its streamlined design.

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As with most Miter cases, this model has an integrated kickstand that feels very stable and well-integrated into its design. However, the DX200 case props the device up in landscape as opposed to portrait, which is far more practical as it doesn’t obscure either the top or bottom facing ports. And though iBasso’s music app only works in portrait, other third-party music players are able to take advantage of this orientation.

 

Verdict –

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Miter’s cases aim to provide an upgrade in both form and function. This does come at the expense of some practicality chiefly, obscuring of the bottom facing plugs on certain models. However, in return, their cases provide a very well-implemented kickstand, a more streamlined design and much-improved material choices. Moreover, their cases do so while being more visually pleasing than the manufacturer provided unit. This is a fine accessory for any DAP owner looking for a more premium way to protect their device.

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ABOUT AUTHOR

Ryan Soo

Ryan Soo

Avid writer, passionate photographer and sleep-deprived medical student, Ryan has an ongoing desire to bring quality products to the regular reader.

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