[doublea71]

  I wouldn't exactly be getting in line to buy the new X-5 until they actually resolve the issues with the X-3. It almost seems like reviewers are paid by FIIO to review their products. I know they would never send one to me to test because well they might not want to hear what I have to say if the unit was a flop like their X-3 model. When the new unit comes out I will be asking some serious questions about file management of large complete albums ..... Which is where the X-3 turned out to be a complete failure....

You mean all the reviewers in the tour who didn't get to keep the X5 and had to pay out of their own pockets to ship it to the next person? Take your sour grapes elsewhere.

 

[zeissiez]

James@Fiio,

I have firmware 1.20 now, but I have a few suggestions to improve the X5:

1. Dial for volume control. Currently the dial mainly serves as a song scroll control. But when there are hundreds or thousands of songs inside, selecting a song we want by this mean is impractical. So this function is not meaningful, it might as well serve as a volume control, and a long press bring on the song selection menu.

2. Add Search By Category in the Main Menu. Currently there is a Play By Category function in the Main Menu, upon entering, only songs in the album/artist/genre caterogy will be played. However, we most often listen in Shuffle ALL Songs Mode or Play All Song Mode, instead of listening only in album/artist/genre categories. The Play By Category although allow a song to be found quicker, only the songs in the category are played. By adding a Search By Category function (Imagine a Magnifying Glass Icon), one can search a song and play it, and after that, it resumes in Play All Song Mode or Shuffle All Song Mode.

3. The two buttons at the bottom are too prone to accidental pressing. The two buttons at the top are less so. It's frustrating that songs are interrupted by accident. Since pressing Next/Previous more frequently happens than the Back/Shortcut buttons, re-allocating the Next/Previous buttons to the top should make far less such problem.

 

[musicheaven]

James@Fiio,

I have firmware 1.20 now, but I have a few suggestions to improve the X5:

1. Dial for volume control. Currently the dial mainly serves as a song scroll control. But when there are hundreds or thousands of songs inside, selecting a song we want by this mean is impractical. So this function is not meaningful, it might as well serve as a volume control, and a long press bring on the song selection menu.

2. Add Search By Category in the Main Menu. Currently there is a Play By Category function in the Main Menu, upon entering, only songs in the album/artist/genre caterogy will be played. However, we most often listen in Shuffle ALL Songs Mode or Play All Song Mode, instead of listening only in album/artist/genre categories. The Play By Category although allow a song to be found quicker, only the songs in the category are played. By adding a Search By Category function (Imagine a Magnifying Glass Icon), one can search a song and play it, and after that, it resumes in Play All Song Mode or Shuffle All Song Mode.

3. The two buttons at the bottom are too prone to accidental pressing. The two buttons at the top are less so. It's frustrating that songs are interrupted by accident. Since pressing Next/Previous more frequently happens than the Back/Shortcut buttons, re-allocating the Next/Previous buttons to the top should make far less such problem.

1. You are suggesting to switch the two functions? I think that could be disastrous if you accidentally hit the scroll wheel when reaching for the player in your pocket, that could spell hearing trouble, this is most likely why they have done it that way. The function is not useless if you segment your albums that way, only the album will show up. All songs is a different story but not that many people use that function regularly.

2. Interesting suggestion but the X5 is not an iPod I would like to see a search too but a general one looking for a song.

3. All four can be triggered accidentally, they need to allow a better lock screen control to be able to disable the buttons when in you pocket and re enable by another function say two presses of the center button or something of that sort.

Also can you please add your suggestions to the so called bug list so they can take action on them, in here it has less chances of happening. See the first page of the tour thread for the link if you own one or are on a tour you should be able to add your suggestions.

 

[zeissiez]

1. You get volume control by pressing the center button for few seconds so that would be redundant.

2. Interesting suggestion but the X5 is not an iPod I would like to see a search too but a general one looking for a song.

3. All four can be triggered accidentally, they need to allow a better lock screen control to be able to disable the buttons when in you pocket and re enable by another function say two presses of the center button or something of that sort.

Also can you please add your suggestions to the so called bug list so they can take action on them, in here it has less chances of happening. See the first page of the tour thread for the link, if you own one or are on a tour you should be able to add your suggestions.

Regarding 1, my point is, volume control is more frequently used than used for scolling through the thousands of songs.
Good idea for 3.
2 is not conflicting with others, just an add-on, and should be easily implemented.

 

[musicheaven]

Regarding 1, my point is, volume control is more frequently used than used for scolling through the thousands of songs.
Good idea for 3.
2 is not conflicting with others, just an add-on, and should be easily implemented.

1. I got it, I edited my post to discuss this point please have a look at the edited version.

For 2 I just don't know how easy they can actually provide the function. It looks like a major change, maybe it isn't but you already see that they have to add some search functionality, popups etc..

People keep forgetting that they need to perform regression testing for their firmware and sometimes they introduce bugs by adding functionality so it's not only what you add but also what could go wrong by adding.

 

[zeissiez]

Well, maybe James think: piece of cake

 

[musicheaven]

Well, maybe James think: piece of cake

I don't think he does when I looked at the bug list those are classified, proposed and either implemented or dropped. If they have a decent software/firmware department which I am sure they do, everything needs to be submitted, reviewed, estimated and implemented or dropped. It's never one man or two man show but a team of experts albeit sometimes small depending on the firm size. James is at the head but he has to rely on his reports to perform the work, it's a company not a garage venture.

 

[kenz]

If the 4 keys surrounding the dial of the X5 can be customized to specific functions already available, would give the user a lot of control and many ways to use the X5 player.
The functions are there already, just need software to assign the function to each keys. Why i think this is possible, is the availability of lockscreen 1 and 2 selections, so it is very possible and can be done soon.
 
It would give the X5 a big leap in flexibility and usability, to be flexible to any audiophile.

 

[CH23]

If the 4 keys surrounding the dial of the X5 can be customized to specific functions already available, would give the user a lot of control and many ways to use the X5 player.
The functions are there already, just need software to assign the function to each keys. Why i think this is possible, is the availability of lockscreen 1 and 2 selections, so it is very possible and can be done soon.

It would give the X5 a big leap in flexibility and usability, to be flexible to any audiophile.

I second this motion.

 

[musicheaven]

If the 4 keys surrounding the dial of the X5 can be customized to specific functions already available, would give the user a lot of control and many ways to use the X5 player.
The functions are there already, just need software to assign the function to each keys. Why i think this is possible, is the availability of lockscreen 1 and 2 selections, so it is very possible and can be done soon.

It would give the X5 a big leap in flexibility and usability, to be flexible to any audiophile.

That's been proposed already it's in their bug tracking system

 

[Francki Conniff]

Looks like FiiO just updated ship out to Distributors and retailers>>
 
~~March 29th:
New Zealand: Sound Essentials
Malaysia: E1 Personal Audio
Israel: Turtle Voice Amplifiers LTD
France: AUIDO GARDEN
Poland: Audiomagic.pl
USA: Liquiana INC
USA: Office direct
USA: Office Direct Sales NYC
Chile: Xweb Ltd
 

 

[viet1357911]

My local shop said my X5 will come in 5 day !! 

 

 

[zeissiez]

I don't think he does when I looked at the bug list those are classified, proposed and either implemented or dropped. If they have a decent software/firmware department which I am sure they do, everything needs to be submitted, reviewed, estimated and implemented or dropped. It's never one man or two man show but a team of experts albeit sometimes small depending on the firm size. James is at the head but he has to rely on his reports to perform the work, it's a company not a garage venture. 

 

  If the 4 keys surrounding the dial of the X5 can be customized to specific functions already available, would give the user a lot of control and many ways to use the X5 player.
The functions are there already, just need software to assign the function to each keys. Why i think this is possible, is the availability of lockscreen 1 and 2 selections, so it is very possible and can be done soon.
 
It would give the X5 a big leap in flexibility and usability, to be flexible to any audiophile.

Good idea!!!

 

[zeissiez]

I don't think he does when I looked at the bug list those are classified, proposed and either implemented or dropped. If they have a decent software/firmware department which I am sure they do, everything needs to be submitted, reviewed, estimated and implemented or dropped. It's never one man or two man show but a team of experts albeit sometimes small depending on the firm size. James is at the head but he has to rely on his reports to perform the work, it's a company not a garage venture.

 
Whether they have the resource is a separate matter. But I'm sure James like to hear user feedback to improve his products, that is probably why he pops up Headfi. Although a user's suggestion may not work for others, but I think at least we should give some feedback which we genuinely think worth considering, and let him decide what should be improved based on his collective info. 

 

[musicheaven]

   
Whether they have the resource is a separate matter. But I'm sure James like to hear user feedback to improve his products, that is probably why he pops up Headfi. Although a user's suggestion may not work for others, but I think at least we should give some feedback which we genuinely think worth considering, and let him decide what should be improved based on his collective info. 

Good point, I take it that you like the X5?