[JoetheArachnid]

Just subbing to this thread in case anything interesting crops up. I'm currently more excited for the E11, but then again we haven't seen any pictures of the yet...

 

[davidcotton]

Mac compatibility, user replaceable battery, drag n drop etc etc, micro sd slot, or just a 2011 updated version of iriver 120

 

[KuKuBuKu]

A digital line out would be pretty cool.

 

[EddieE]

 
Ah I'm glad this thread exists now. For FiiOs considerations, I'm going to categorise DAP features from essential to being even considered viable, right through to nice but not essential. 
 
Essential -
There has been a lot of talk about RockBox but so long as these basic features are there then the DAP will be basically as good as any other. Surprisingly the most expensive players out there don't even manage the first one - making them worthless pieces of junk in my book.
 
Gapless playback
Support of all the usual codecs
File/Folder browsing option
MSC file transfer option
Bare minimum of hardware controls (volume, back and forward tracks, play/pause, power)
Pan/Balance control (for those with one ear that hears less well than the other and one that goes all the way over to one ear mono for one eared listening)
Decent, usable batterly life
Non laggy UI with basic standard of usability
 
Any player that does not implement all of the above is not worth a penny.
 
Important -
Not absolutely baisc features, but could easily be the dfference between chosing this DAP over another.
 
Long battery life
Good EQ (parametric if possible)
Easy to use interface with lots of functionality
Replaygain support
Other sound features like crossfeed, stereo width etc
An extra hardware button or two which can be assigned to functions by the user
 
Nice but not essential -
 
For all the fuss about line out - so long as te HP out is of a decent quality and you work out the volume sweet spot then lineout and HP out are impossible to tell the difference between. But it would be a nice "peace of mind" feature.
 
24bit FLAC is another one which there is a lot of fuss about but also a thread making a pretty compelling case for the fact that it is no different to 16bit. Would still be a nice feature for peace of mind though.
 
EDIT:
 
Just saw the suggestion of digital line out above - would LOVE that. A lot of people have portable dac/amps - why not let them use the dac section of they want to.
 
Mini USB out on a DAC (since most portable dac/amps are USb) would be a revolutionary first I think... may well be that would drive up costs too much but if viable I'd love that.

 

[KuKuBuKu]

If there was Digital line out we could use something like iBasso's Portable Balanced amp and DAC effectively. Portable balanced FTW.

 

[EddieE]

Lol - I don't know how portable I'd call that rig, but it would make a great work-desk set up, granted.
 
If digital out was considered I'd think usb out rather than optical or coaxial would be best, as most portable dac/amps use usb and only i-Bassos optical.

 

[WalkGood]

 
Quote:

 
Ah I'm glad this thread exists now. For FiiOs considerations, I'm going to categorise DAP features from essential to being even considered viable, right through to nice but not essential. 
 
Essential -
There has been a lot of talk about RockBox but so long as these basic features are there then the DAP will be basically as good as any other. Surprisingly the most expensive players out there don't even manage the first one - making them worthless pieces of junk in my book.
 
Gapless playback
Support of all the usual codecs
File/Folder browsing option
MSC file transfer option
Bare minimum of hardware controls (volume, back and forward tracks, play/pause, power)
Pan/Balance control (for those with one ear that hears less well than the other and one that goes all the way over to one ear mono for one eared listening)
Decent, usable batterly life
Non laggy UI with basic standard of usability
 
Any player that does not implement all of the above is not worth a penny.
 
Important -
Not absolutely baisc features, but could easily be the dfference between chosing this DAP over another.
 
Long battery life
Good EQ (parametric if possible)
Easy to use interface with lots of functionality
Replaygain support
Other sound features like crossfeed, stereo width etc
An extra hardware button or two which can be assigned to functions by the user
 
Nice but not essential -
 
For all the fuss about line out - so long as te HP out is of a decent quality and you work out the volume sweet spot then lineout and HP out are impossible to tell the difference between. But it would be a nice "peace of mind" feature.
 
24bit FLAC is another one which there is a lot of fuss about but also a thread making a pretty compelling case for the fact that it is no different to 16bit. Would still be a nice feature for peace of mind though.
 
EDIT:
 
Just saw the suggestion of digital line out above - would LOVE that. A lot of people have portable dac/amps - why not let them use the dac section of they want to.
 
Mini USB out on a DAC (since most portable dac/amps are USb) would be a revolutionary first I think... may well be that would drive up costs too much but if viable I'd love that.

I agree with you here but have my doubts after reading this new dap is for mass appeal :/
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The ability to dock the new DAP to the E9 (I'm gonna take a wild guess in saying it will), would be AWESOME.
 
If I remember correctly, James said that more than the E7 will be able to dock with the E9.
 
OMG, PLEASE FIIO, PLEASE! I would buy the new DAP in a freaking heartbeat.

 

[JamesFiiO]

some feactures includes in our X3, now you know the model:
 
1, the size is about the same as E7, so it can really put into your pocket;
 
2, With line out/ coaxial digital out; I can find anyother DAP have both output! of course there are Headphone out;
 
3, WM8740; depend on our E7, it is good enough to most of you! and in fact, it is almos the best solution to balance the cost, performance, playtime and size;
 
4, FiiO dock so you can dock it into our E9, we leran from Apple, it is a user friend design we learn from Apple!
 
5, Hardware key control!
 
6, fold/files browsing!
 
7, Not a ordinary solution like rockchip,
 
8, 320*240 TFT display so we can invole in some kind of music library like artist, album, cover and style!
 
We don't want to make a expensive DAP , but we also don't need to make some cheap DAP, what we wants to make is a total innovation, high quality, high performance,and affortable , slim DAP ( of course it can not compare with iPod or Sansa ).
 
Anyway, it is under deveoping, although the hardware is decided but we can still adopt lots of your reqest, for example about the Gapless  playback, but we need to find out whether we can do it !

 

[SharkSkin]

Thanks for the info. Sounds pretty interesting. Gapless should definitely be done if possible.

 

[moodyrn]

Wow, sounds like this is the dap I've been waiting for the last several years; line out, digital out, lod for e7, and a decent dac chip? Sounds like a winner.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Score one for me. I had a feeling it'd dock to the E9. Instant buy. Will pre-order as soon as the Fiio  X3 becomes available.
 
Love the model name. <3

 

[Evoke]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like a keeper to me.

 

[ClieOS]

Since James already revealed most of the detail - I have saw the design of the new player (first draw, nothing final yet), and for the least I can say it is a pretty good looking player, at least on par of many brand name player out there.

 

[EddieE]

Sounds great! 
 
The WM8740 is a nice DAC, I've been content with it in the E7 and it makes sense to continue it. Docking with the E9 - fantastic idea. Will be interesting to compare the E7 connected to laptop to E9 and X3 connected to E9 and see what the differences are in sound.
 
Line out and coaxial out is unique - and very welcome. Not many portable dacs use coaxial in though, so it will be limited to iBasso offerings. Might be worth thinking of usb out for future daps - so many portable amps have usb DACs it does seem to make sense.
 
Good news on the file/folder browsing...
 
It does hang on the gapless though. I wouldn't consider a player without it.
 
By the way -as far as I know in the case of every player that hasn't had gapless playback which Rockbox has been ported to - the RB team have managed to implement it.
 
So if your firmware contractors are telling you its not possible - call them on it.