[x RELIC x]

To follow up on my own post in regards to requesting a replacement, I would like to say that I'm very happy I actually replaced it.


I didn't realize there wasn't supposed to be any hiss with my Shure SE535's; with my new unit, even on high gain, there is no hiss whatsoever and I can now turn it on and off without pressing the power button hundreds of times (literally)!


Lastly, I thought I had messed up my music files or something due to the distortion/muddiness I was hearing, turns out it was just a defective player (I used the exact same sd card with all the same files).

Very glad you're enjoying it now.

 

[gibby]

  Can Itunes be used with an X5?

How do you mean?  Copying files is as easy as copying to any removable drive. I just now found that the X5 works wonderfully as a DAC playing all audio including iTunes.  This sounds fantastic connected to my Mac.  It feels like a DAC and amp combined.  So useful this little DAP/DAC.  I am really appreciating FLAC again and hearing music like it's new.  I've been lurking here for a few days and now also have a pair of Fidue A83's on the way.  I'm currently using my old Sony MDR V-6's and everything sounds excellent.  I've especially been learning from Olddude here and in the FIDUE A83 impressions and discussion thread.  I even learned of Tony Joe White and he sound excellent on this device.  I am really happy that I bought one and can't wait for the IEM's to arrive.  Thank everyone for contributing to this thread and I hope to become helpful to someone at some point.  

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Is there a link somewhere to the X5 DAC driver? It seems to have disappeared from the Fiio site.

Try looking on the right of the support page for the X5 when scrolling down.

 

[bubba-ho-tep]

Thanks, Joe!  Didn't notice that before.

 

[precisionmike]

I was interested in using Itunes because I lack the knowledge and patients to be able to utilize Foobar.  My main concerns in sound quality, and from what I understand, lossless is lossless.  I actually like the layout of Itunes.
 
Is Itunes limited to 16/44?  Or I can also go up to DSD?

 

[Chris J]

I was interested in using Itunes because I lack the knowledge and patients to be able to utilize Foobar.  My main concerns in sound quality, and from what I understand, lossless is lossless.  I actually like the layout of Itunes.

Is Itunes limited to 16/44?  Or I can also go up to DSD?

I have to admit that I lack the knowledge and patience for Foobar too!

 

[Dobrescu George]

foobar took me about 15 minutes to basic learn, and in about one hour it you can fully understand everything it does...

 

[olddude]

  I was interested in using Itunes because I lack the knowledge and patients to be able to utilize Foobar.  My main concerns in sound quality, and from what I understand, lossless is lossless.  I actually like the layout of Itunes.
 
Is Itunes limited to 16/44?  Or I can also go up to DSD?

I really don't think so.  Some people are using third-party apps to use DSD on Apple devices but I don't think they are using iTunes to do so.  I think you are limited to Apple Lossless codec when it comes to lossless.  iTunes converts whatever you import into it.  It won't even import FLAC as FLAC.  So DSD?  Not unless you downsample it first.  Lossless IS lossless, and if you like 16/44, then that should be ok for you.  I use hi-res up to DSD and I like it, for the most part, more than the equivalent album in 16/44.  If you care about hi-res, just drop the files into a card "as is."  It will show up and you can play it.  All iTunes is really doing is organizing things.
 
As for Foobar, I went to the trouble of getting a Windows emulator for my Mac and trying it.  It seemed like a lot of effort when my Mac apps worked just fine (XLD and Xact and Audirvana).  Dumped it.  Besides, I don't use playlists and I play from Folder view.

 

[precisionmike]

  I was interested in using Itunes because I lack the knowledge and patients to be able to utilize Foobar.  My main concerns in sound quality, and from what I understand, lossless is lossless.  I actually like the layout of Itunes.
 
Is Itunes limited to 16/44?  Or I can also go up to DSD?

I just researched and I think I have determined that Itunes will support (not downsample) up to 24/192.  Is this accurate?
 
Also- does anyone know the Windows equivalent to Dapper?

 

[olddude]

I just did a search and likely found what you did.  Nothing from Apple seemed to answer the question but several posters on different sites suggested that ALAC would work up to 24/192.  I don't know if the X5 will play ALAC.  If it does, import and then play a track, the X5 will display what it is in the first few seconds of play on the display.  I suppose you could try importing a hi-re 24 bit file into iTunes and then going to your iTunes folder in User>Library>Music>iTunes and doing a get info on the file.  If it is bigger than 20-30mb for a single song, then you may be getting a hi-res transfer.

 

[514077]

  I just did a search and likely found what you did.  Nothing from Apple seemed to answer the question but several posters on different sites suggested that ALAC would work up to 24/192.  I don't know if the X5 will play ALAC.  If it does, import and then play a track, the X5 will display what it is in the first few seconds of play on the display.  I suppose you could try importing a hi-re 24 bit file into iTunes and then going to your iTunes folder in User>Library>Music>iTunes and doing a get info on the file.  If it is bigger than 20-30mb for a single song, then you may be getting a hi-res transfer.

I use ALAC almost exclusively up to 24/192 on the X5; no problem.  I tried ripping an album with HDCD encoding (Mark Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia with DBPowerAmp) and got cracks and noise on the IPod160 I had.  No prob on the X5.
     I believe ALAC support came with version 1.22 or so, but don't quote me on that.

 

[nmatheis]

foobar took me about 15 minutes to basic learn, and in about one hour it you can fully understand everything it does...

Thanks for letting us know how much smarter you are than the OP!!!

 

[precisionmike]

 
I use ALAC almost exclusively up to 24/192 on the X5; no problem.  I tried ripping an album with HDCD encoding (Mark Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia with DBPowerAmp) and got cracks and noise on the IPod160 I had.  No prob on the X5.
     I believe ALAC support came with version 1.22 or so, but don't quote me on that.

Excellent, that is great news.  I have not had a chance to test yet.
 
If I can find a support program  like Dapper, this could be a nice fit. 

 

[mandrake50]

  foobar took me about 15 minutes to basic learn, and in about one hour it you can fully understand everything it does...

I tend to agree. It took me a little longer as I wanted to do a lot with it. Everything is well documented online. Once it is setup according to your desires, it is actually quite easy to use.
Once it is going with all of the add-ons available, you can do more with it than probably any other music player software in existence.
For the cost, which is nothing, it really should get a try out. Those who are a bit intimidated will likely be surprised at how easy it really is. I hesitated for a long time for the same reasons expressed here. Now I wish I had not!

 

[mandrake50]

Thanks for letting us know how much smarter you are than the OP!!!

That was uncalled for! I tend to think he was simply saying that Foobar was easier than some think it is!
Which is accurate!