[AmberOzL]

Hello guys, I'm a newbie in the community and I'm looking for a new DAP (at the moment I have a IPod). Maybe it's too early asking this but how much will it cost?

350 USD apparently.

 

[Brooko]

A little more update from today's experimentation.
 
Managed to get USB drivers installed and working (thanks @MusicHeaven)
 
Works perfectly as a DAC - still really neutral sounding.  This would be perfect for someone who uses both DAP and also laptop (ie a traveller/rep).
 
Also tested the line-out (to my LD MKIV) - signal seems to be very clean and clear.  No drop outs or noise.  Sounds just like my NFB-12.  Impressed!
 
Next I tried the digital out - using the X5 as a digital source, via coax to my NFB-12.  Works perfectly.
 
Really enjoying the unit so far.  Extensive testing planned for the weekend (sonics and UI + pairing with different cans/IEMs), plus will start comparing to iPhone4 and Studio V3.

 

[AmberOzL]

A question, to James or Joe:
 
James mentioned something about X3, if you use X3's line out, the battery life goes up.
 
So I assume it is same for X5 too, using with line out would increase the battery.
 
What about digital out (coax out)? Using coax out would also increase the battery life?

 

[roamling]

  OK  - I just checked again.
 
With my iPhone4 and also home system - the opening transition between track one and two on "Wish You Were Here" is seamless (so it's not the album).  On the X5 there is a very small gap (very small).

 
Thanks for checking. Something for Fiio to work on. Very Small is still to big in my world  

 

[cooperpwc]

   
Thanks for checking. Something for Fiio to work on. Very Small is still to big in my world

 
 
Then the X5 is not for you (at this point in its evolution). I find the gap to be acceptable (for an audiophile DAP; I still don't understand why Apple and Rockbox alone get this right ) but it's definitely there.

 

[goodvibes]

   
Oh, come on.  Who's being overly dramatic here, me or you?  Try taking a breath and re-reading what you just wrote. 
 
I was genuinely tring to be helpful when I asked if you had gapless switched on.  Several people complained that gapless did not work on the X3 because they didn't realize there was an on/off switch.  Which is perfectly reasonable BTW - why would anyone ever want to switch gapless off? 
 
I maintain that non-working gapless with FLAC is totally unacceptable, especially considering that FiiO has already gotten it right on the X3 firmware.  FLAC is a gapless format by design, mp3 is another story - that's why I asked. 
 
Sheesh.  People are SOOOO sensitive here! 

People may want to switch gapless off because it uses additional buffers which can be audible. Someone that's accustomed to critical listening with great phones should compare.

 

[AmberOzL]

FiiO,
 
Gapless playback will be fixed right? I mean seriously, it has to be fixed, that's not really nice honestly.

 

[cooperpwc]

   
Then the X5 is not for you (at this point in its evolution). I find the gap to be acceptable (for an audiophile DAP; I still don't understand why Apple and Rockbox alone get this right ) but it's definitely there.

 
I just had a transition that was perfect. So  (based on limited usage) The X5 seems to be a lot like the DX50 in this regard. Sometimes the gapless transition is perfect; usually it is not quite.
 
Honestly I do not understand why this is so difficult.

 

[musicheaven]

We can't go in a thread without a good discussion of gapless or the lack thereof

Life wouldn't be the same.

 

[Mython]

We can't go in a thread without a good discussion of gapless or the lack thereof

Life wouldn't be the same.

 
These images are for the Londoners reading this thread

:
 

 

 
Personally, although I do listen to Pink Floyd occasionally, I don't listen to much else that requires gapless, so it's not a dealbreaker for me if the X5 doesn't do gapless flawlessly. I'm much more interested in whether or not a DAP can play music in beautiful sound quality.

 

[frankrondaniel]

I think gapless is important to anyone (i.e. myself) that listens to a lot of classical music.  Many pieces appear as multiple tracks the flow from one to the other.  Not having gapless really spoils the experience.  It's certainly not a deal breaker for me but it seems to me that at this point in time gapless capability shouldn't even be part of the discussion - it should just work.

 

[DMinor]

I actually wish there is a gap so I can take a break between tracks. Damn it rockbox doesn't support that.

 

[bcarr112281]

  I think gapless is important to anyone (i.e. myself) that listens to a lot of classical music.  Many pieces appear as multiple tracks the flow from one to the other.  Not having gapless really spoils the experience.  It's certainly not a deal breaker for me but it seems to me that at this point in time gapless capability shouldn't even be part of the discussion - it should just work.

I strongly agree. Approximately 80 percent of my music is classical, and much of it has no gaps between tracks. DAPs should be able to offer the same basic functionality that CD players have had since the 1980s.
 
Regards,
Brian

 

[Mython]

  I think gapless is important to anyone (i.e. myself) that listens to a lot of classical music.  Many pieces appear as multiple tracks the flow from one to the other.  Not having gapless really spoils the experience.  It's certainly not a deal breaker for me but it seems to me that at this point in time gapless capability shouldn't even be part of the discussion - it should just work.

 
I can see both sides of the issue.
 
I'm not actually disagreeing with you that gapless should be present, and work properly; I'm just saying it's not a deal-breaker for me.
 
I fully appreciate your standpoint.
 
Please don't hate me for saying this, but, as a workaround, I would venture that you could format your memory cards to NTFS and then concatenate your classical tracks into single-album-files.
 
I appreciate that one shouldn't have to go to that hassle, but maybe it's worth making the effort for a DAP that offers so much good stuff for an extremely reasonable $350 bucks.
 
Just sayin'....  

 

[frankrondaniel]

   
I can see both sides of the issue.
 
I'm not actually disagreeing with you that gapless should be present, and work properly; I'm just saying it's not a deal-breaker for me.
 
I fully appreciate your standpoint.
 
Please don't hate me for saying this, but, as a workaround, I would venture that you could format your memory cards to NTFS and then concatenate your classical tracks into single-album-files.
 
I appreciate that one shouldn't have to go to that hassle, but maybe it's worth making the effort for a DAP that offers so much good stuff for an extremely reasonable $350 bucks.
 
Just sayin'....  

 
lol - I don't hate you!  And like I said, it's really not a deal-breaker for me either.  Sound quality really is my top concern.  But having gapless or not having to do extra work to get it would be a bonus.