[514077]

Yeah, thought we were losing our humourous self-depricating way about us.  You brung us back to earth, olddude.
I'm willing to believe ol' FiiO's learned a lot from their previous Xs.  I'm looking forward to something really special from them.
(All right, late night, good night).

 

[castleofargh]

so here are my SF but far from "impossibru!!!" ideas:
2backs, one for reasonable size, one for a huge battery so we could get one DAP and just get the back that fits our needs with the choice of size vs battery. (become some of us will want more than 10hours of playback!!!!!!)
that's simple enough at this point.
 
now step 2:
the same idea but you don't change only the battery, you have 2 amp sections (removable or selectable by switch). one with the power of THOR, the second more resource friendly, maybe more oriented on silent background  and low power for IEMs. so both choices would also have a big impact on battery life vs power and we the customers would have the choice inside 1 same DAP with a good basic architecture.
 
the el cheapo option of this would be to make a battery pack that can stick to the DAP with some hidden plug(we don't want cables everywhere), but that is not my preferred option.
 
low impedance, low noise at the amp output(I couldn't care less about digital noise levels).
 
now more of a gadget, but some people like to have the jack up on the DAP other down (depending how you put it in your pocket) so having one output on each side? maybe with a tweak like, one with a setting to be line output or headphone out? well anyway not really important to me, but I know some who complain when the jack is not on the side they like.
 
having "pause" "next track" and "volume" available at all time (screen off, in the pocket, in any circumstances we want those available to us). just like we want a lock button that disables effectively all of those.
 
 
 
an then your firmware:
-the back button should not go back to previous page used, but always go one up in the menu/folder tree. your back button seems to work more like a back button on a web browser going to last visited page, that's not what we want on a DAP. the back button should in effect be a "up" button.
-as mentioned playlist support (m3u or something) would be a great thing as it would solve any track order or tag reading that would not work. so having a m3u in each folder could become a workaround for any tagging/naming issue.
 
 
what DAC chipset, or how many, how many µSD slots, touchscreen of not, scrollwheel or not, I have no interest in all this if the resulting sound is ok.

what matters is the entire road not how pretty the bus stop is.

 

[kenz]

Just wish the Fiio X7 will arrive already.
 
My X5+E12DIY as amazing as they are as a combo, is registering way too much congestion (splashy harshness in highs for vocals, instruments) with the JH Roxanne. Have to stick to my JH13 for the time being. 

 

[Dobrescu George]

i want to be able to "jump" from one folder to the next... i still cannot understand why fiio cannot actually imlpement this in the firmware of x5, but i hope it will be possible in x7. i have to take out of pocket to change every 2-3 songs because i cannot jump folders while in pocket.

 

[Ripvanlink]

  See, NOW we're thinking outside the box!  I just attached a cup holder, and you're taking it to a whole other level.

Hey Old Guy, you know, some of us like hot tea!

 

[Ripvanlink]

  i want to be able to "jump" from one folder to the next... i still cannot understand why fiio cannot actually imlpement this in the firmware of x5, but i hope it will be possible in x7. i have to take out of pocket to change every 2-3 songs because i cannot jump folders while in pocket.

Yes, I agree, that's a needed thing, and should be easy to implement through software fixes. Are you listening, James?

 

[wateryakcat]

Fiio, why You can't also make simple DAPS without fancy DAC and AMP, but with long battery life, rockbox and SSD storage in flagship model?
For example, X5 with Rockbox and Ipod grade internals, smaller battery for $200 and Msata versions - 512GB for $500, 1TB for $750.
I have owned X3 and i was realy dissatiesfied with it. Poor UI with 2 frozes a day, short battery life and in SQ doesn't beat Rockboxed Ipods.

 

[olddude]

Of all the kitchen sink stuff I see on these seventy pages, this "i want to be able to 'jump' from one folder to the next" is the absolute single thing I want.  
 
Though the teapot idea sound good as well.  Of course then you have to carry an oven mitt, and a cup, and sugar, and lemon, and ...well now we are back to the kitchen sink stuff.
 
Oh, and I have both an X5 and an X1 and have never had a freeze with either.  Can't speak to the X3.  
 
Again, best sound available (A&K killer), common sense buttons, just a "better" X5.  
 
Thank you, James and Joe. 

 

[Ripvanlink]

  Of all the kitchen sink stuff I see on these seventy pages, this "i want to be able to 'jump' from one folder to the next" is the absolute single thing I want.  
 
Though the teapot idea sound good as well.  Of course then you have to carry an oven mitt, and a cup, and sugar, and lemon, and ...well now we are back to the kitchen sink stuff.
 
Oh, and I have both an X5 and an X1 and have never had a freeze with either.  Can't speak to the X3.  
 
Again, best sound available (A&K killer), common sense buttons, just a "better" X5.  
 
Thank you, James and Joe. 

As one "old dude" to another, I can come very close to agreeing with you about the wonderful X5.

 

[JaviAl]

I'm using portable player from year 1998. The best player i own is an iRiver H-140.
 
The most important things i need from my audiophile perspective:
 
1. Best Audio Quality with the best DAC's in the market.
 
2. DSD Native Playback. Not DoP (DSD over PCM).
 
3. High Store Capacity. Like 2 or 4 MicroSD Slots. And very important, USB OTG. This allows me to connect a 1 TB. Pen Drive and to have for example, 1 Pen Drive for one style music, and another Pen Drive for other style of music. Like CD's.
 
4. Replaceable battery. For example, if i need to go travel for very hours, i want the option to change the battery when the first discharged. I want the option to buy 1, 2, 3, 4 or more batteries.
 
5. More big screen. 4 o 5 inches is best. 3 inches is very little. And more big fonts. Fiio X3 is hard to read and more for people with visual deficiencies. Fiio X3 requieres glasses for people with some years old.
 
6. User Interface: In Fiio X3 is hard to read the title song, the specs and more if the text is over the cover image. The information of the file needs to go on a black band (for example) with the name of the song, the artist, the genre, the rating, the quality and format, etc.
 
7. Playback options:
 
a. Continuously: In folder mode, plays the song, then the next song in the folder order. When fnish the last song in the folder continues to the next song in the next folder or the next song in the previous folder. Always following the same folder and files order structure. In Library mode plays the song, then the next song in the library album, artist or any other selected order, and when finish the last song, continues with the next song in the library order selected. (Like the iRiver H-140).
 
b. Repeat All: In folder mode, plays the song in the folder order and when finish the last song, begins again with the first song in the same folder. In library mode, depending the order selected (artist, album, style, etc.), when finish the selected order (artist, album, style, etc.) the begins again with the first song on the selected order.
 
c. Repeat: Plays the song and when finish plays the same song again.
 
d. Random All: Plays random any song in all memories in the devices.
 
e. Random: In folder mode, plays random any song in the folder order and when finish the last song, begins again with other random  song in the same folder. In library mode, depending the order selected (artist, album, style, etc.), select any random song on that order and when finish the selected order (artist, album, style, etc.) the begins again with anyrandom song on the selected order.
 
8. An option to select a song to be the next to play when finish the actual playing song.
 
9. In library mode option to select various criteria. For example i want to play Rap Songs, from year since 1984-1990 and with ratings more than 3.
 
10. Lyrics support and Sync Lyrics Support.
 
Thanks for reading.
Javier.
Madrid. Spain.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I'm using portable player from year 1998. The best player i own is an iRiver H-140.
 
The most important things i need from my audiophile perspective:
 
1. Best Audio Quality with the best DAC's in the market.
 
2. DSD Native Playback. Not DoP (DSD over PCM).
 
3. High Store Capacity. Like 2 or 4 MicroSD Slots. And very important, USB OTG. This allows me to connect a 1 TB. Pen Drive and to have for example, 1 Pen Drive for one style music, and another Pen Drive for other style of music. Like CD's.
 
4. Replaceable battery. For example, if i need to go travel for very hours, i want the option to change the battery when the first discharged. I want the option to buy 1, 2, 3, 4 or more batteries.
 
5. More big screen. 4 o 5 inches is best. 3 inches is very little. And more big fonts. Fiio X3 is hard to read and more for people with visual deficiencies. Fiio X3 requieres glasses for people with some years old.
 
6. User Interface: In Fiio X3 is hard to read the title song, the specs and more if the text is over the cover image. The information of the file needs to go on a black band (for example) with the name of the song, the artist, the genre, the rating, the quality and format, etc.
 
7. Playback options:
 
a. Continuously: In folder mode, plays the song, then the next song in the folder order. When fnish the last song in the folder continues to the next song in the next folder or the next song in the previous folder. Always following the same folder and files order structure. In Library mode plays the song, then the next song in the library album, artist or any other selected order, and when finish the last song, continues with the next song in the library order selected. (Like the iRiver H-140).
 
b. Repeat All: In folder mode, plays the song in the folder order and when finish the last song, begins again with the first song in the same folder. In library mode, depending the order selected (artist, album, style, etc.), when finish the selected order (artist, album, style, etc.) the begins again with the first song on the selected order.
 
c. Repeat: Plays the song and when finish plays the same song again.
 
d. Random All: Plays random any song in all memories in the devices.
 
e. Random: In folder mode, plays random any song in the folder order and when finish the last song, begins again with other random  song in the same folder. In library mode, depending the order selected (artist, album, style, etc.), select any random song on that order and when finish the selected order (artist, album, style, etc.) the begins again with anyrandom song on the selected order.
 
8. An option to select a song to be the next to play when finish the actual playing song.
 
9. In library mode option to select various criteria. For example i want to play Rap Songs, from year since 1984-1990 and with ratings more than 3.
 
10. Lyrics support and Sync Lyrics Support.
 
Thanks for reading.
Javier.
Madrid. Spain.

some of these things were asked a LOT of times... but as far as batterry goes, you can actually get a better solution than user removable batterry. you can buy a portable batterry, which lasts a LOT and works a lot better than user removables. the only downside is that you cannot use otg while using a usb batterry.

 

[bungle]

  some of these things were asked a LOT of times... but as far as batterry goes, you can actually get a better solution than user removable batterry. you can buy a portable batterry, which lasts a LOT and works a lot better than user removables. the only downside is that you cannot use otg while using a usb batterry.

Except you have the extra bulk, and once the internal battery dies you'll always need the external solution, or else you'll have to go find the perfect player yet again.  Constantly throwing away working devices just because of battery death is wasteful and expensive.  Perhaps I'm missing some engineering advantage but I don't understand the point of a purposefully non-removable battery unless the device is made to be waterproof or something. Or, cynically, someone wants to force me to re-purchase another device in a few years.
 
I like Rockbox support for the same reason.  I have more faith that the device will get updates and fixes in the future (and I can theoretically do it myself) regardless of the manufacturer's desire/ability/continued operation.

 

[originalsnuffy]

I am all in favor of the folder mode suggestion for all FIIO devices.

If FIIO cannot support mSATA then they should consider SD cards instead of microSD. Much cheaper and higher storage limits.

Rockbox is a great idea but with FIIO it is not going to happen.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Except you have the extra bulk, and once the internal battery dies you'll always need the external solution, or else you'll have to go find the perfect player yet again.  Constantly throwing away working devices just because of battery death is wasteful and expensive.  Perhaps I'm missing some engineering advantage but I don't understand the point of a purposefully non-removable battery unless the device is made to be waterproof or something. Or, cynically, someone wants to force me to re-purchase another device in a few years.
 
I like Rockbox support for the same reason.  I have more faith that the device will get updates and fixes in the future (and I can theoretically do it myself) regardless of the manufacturer's desire/ability/continued operation.

in say 4 years, there will be a better player, better sound, better everything. This is not because someone wants it to be, it is because the technology advances. FAST. Likewise for IEMS. For headphones, hd800 is the top for sennheiser and audeze are making one every year or so. It is not because of a conspiracy. just usual technological advancement. User replaceable batterries is a bad ideea. Anyone still uses a samsung galaxy 1, or an even older phone just because you could always have bought a new batterry. 
 
It is about caring for the product. I happen to know this. Say, you have a device. You will abuse the batterry if you will be able to. So you will abuse the device. No problem so far, you will buy a new one. BUT, what if you will take it to warranty. This can damage the company's profit, so to avoid abuse, to avoid warranty returns, it is a good ideea to avoid user replaceable batterries.
 
You can actually tell me whatever you want, bad words and such, but this is the truth. 
 
 
 

I am all in favor of the folder mode suggestion for all FIIO devices.

If FIIO cannot support mSATA then they should consider SD cards instead of microSD. Much cheaper and higher storage limits.

Rockbox is a great idea but with FIIO it is not going to happen.

mSata is not the way to go, mostly because it is cheaper but very hard to implement without a processor and a better motherboard. so basically it needs better electronics to work properly, things which are expensive. That would be nice, but might bump the price of the product a LOT...
 
SD cards actually is a very nice ideea. But might be hated by some. Also SD card readers report much more errors than microsd card readers. Cards are better, but as i posted above, it might impact the company and the buisness bad, as some will return their players after a year or so, because they have like 6 SD cards, and keep changing them. SD cards readers fail faster with usage, than microsd.
 
Rockbox might actually be something, but it is not done by fiio, it should be done by rockbox developers if it is intended. Fiio doesn't have anything to do with this.
 
 
better folder play is necesarry, ad best sound quality.
 
 
 
I hope i have not been to harsh with anyone, my bad if i have been, and i apologize in advance.

 

[originalsnuffy]

The modders of ipods can purchase a mSATA adapter for $20 retail. $40 if you want a premium Tarkan unit. Again, at retail.

So integrating mSATA onto a device motheboard can't possibly add that much cost. So that argument does not work for me.

Personally more storage would be big deal for these devices. Hi res files are 4-8 times bigger than the equivalent redbook flac. And of course redbook files are about 3 times the size of the equivalent MP3 or other high quality bit reduced files.