[originalsnuffy]

NMatheis;
 
The wonderful thing about opinions is that we can each hold one.
 
Fiio clearly intends to support use of the X3 as a DAC with the new firmware releases.  I was hoping to make my E07 less necessary and use it the X3 as a DAC for the iphone.  There is quite a bit of discussion about DAC units that work with the iphone and ipad.  The E07 when set to not charge via USB is one such DAC.
 
My hope is that a similar setting can be added to the X3.
 
My interpretation of your comments is that you view my thoughts as being somewhat out of line here.  Given Fiio's support for just such a function with other DAC units from Fiio, an observation that the function is currently not available is not, in my view, an out of line observation.

 

[nmatheis]

Hi

There is a ongoing discussion on a Russian forum (http://player.ru/showthread.php?t=90020&page=342) regarding the SQ of the 2.16 FW. Some people there are claiming that SQ of 2.14b is better than 2.16b.

For the knowledgeable people here: care to comment on this? Which SQ tuning is planed for the stable version: 2.14 or 2.16?

FYI: Those of us in the beta testing program aren't supposed to comment on the beta firmware we're testing and shouldn't be posting on Fiio's behalf about their future firmware / tuning plans. Maybe Joe or James will comment on this matter.

 

[nmatheis]

Fiio clearly intends to support use of the X3 as a DAC with the new firmware releases.  I was hoping to make my E07 less necessary and use it the X3 as a DAC for the iphone.  There is quite a bit of discussion about DAC units that work with the iphone and ipad.  The E07 when set to not charge via USB is one such DAC.

My hope is that a similar setting can be added to the X3.

It does function as a DAC with a PC or Mac - just not with iOS or Android devices - and such functionality was never advertised nor inferred. That was my point - just don't want newcomers to the thread reading your post and thinking that the Fiio isn't delivering on a promise they never made...

 

[originalsnuffy]

To my knowledge Fiio has gone well beyond its initial promises for the machine.  Hard to complain there.
 
I think the biggest concern is that they seem to be more focused on the X1 at the low end and the X5 at the high end. I just hope this machine does not get squeezed out.
 
So yes, I really do not know what promises were made about DSD support (which is somewhat unnecessary based on what I have seen so far; FLAC files are more compact and sound the same) or about the DAC support.  But if they CAN add the same low power DAC USB setting as the E07 it would be great.
 
It would also be great to read memory cards formatted as Ex-FAT or NTFS.  
 
These suggestions and some others have now been published in Bugzilla.

 

[gatucho]

OK, no problem... we'll see when it is released then...

 

[nmatheis]

originalsnuffy: After you join the Fiio bugzilla group, there should be choices for X3, X5, or All. Just choose X3, look over the preexisting bugs, and see if what you want has already been suggested. If not, add a new bug and post a link to it here with an explanation. And don't forget to vote up the bug fixes and enhancements you're most interested in. You get a total of 25 votes, with a maximum of 3 votes per bug. You can change them at any time, so don't feel locked in with your initial choices. What I do is vote for my critical needs and then remove those votes once the status for the bugs changes to 'in process' or 'resolved', so they're freed-up for other bugs / enhancements.

Can I ask why you're so keen to use the X3 as a DAC for a smartphone? Is it just to avoid buying mSD cards?

 

[originalsnuffy]

Thank you for the bugzilla tips.
 
Best reason to use this as a DAC on the smartphone is that I can browse my Synology server using nPlayer and get a huge library at home.  This makes the mSD storage look puny  (Terabytes vs. Gigabytes).
 
On the road, can use this with the iPad (as opposed to iPhone)  to improve audio quality when flying.  The Fiio units provide improved  amplification in the somewhat noisy jet cabin.  Also have used the E07 with the notebook PC with good results.  Now will experiment with the X3. Just got the unit and have not tried it with the notebook yet; did try it with the iphone and discovered an unanticipated glitch.  Not a glitch in something that was promised it would appear  

 

[nmatheis]

originalsnuffy: Gotcha. It'll work with a Mac out of the box - done this myself. You'll need to install drivers for a PC, though.

And sorry to have gotten off on the wrong foot earlier...

 

[JohnMarch]

As an SACD devotee I can't agree with you about support for DSD. I'm certainly hoping that they keep their promise and eventually make it another hi-rez option.

 

[gatucho]

Well, I did it. I hope I haven't broken any rule

, but I "got" the 2.16b (not from any of the beta testers).
 
I kind of agree that the 2.14 is better sounding. It is more smooth and has better sound-stage. HOWEVER, it may be all placebo, I cannot compare directly since I only have one x3. I trust that FIIO will just use the better tuning available to them (who knows, maybe 2.17 is even better!

).
 
I think that it is widely agreed that the 2.14b is indeed a very nice sounding FW.
 
Currently listening to it and enjoying....

 

[roamling]

you should always consider dx50... it is a dap with a different sound signature.

 


I had the DX50 already but sold it. Did not like it to much

 

[schlagsaite]

After a week of using the X3 with the 2.14b beta Firmware exclusively as a USB-Interface on my Imac, i'm sonically quite pleased with it. Switching resolution with Audirvana set to Itunes integrated mode works great. Once in a while it crashes/hangs at the startup. I can only get it to work after a "soft" reset. Otherwise it seems to work flawless.

 

[razorblader]

  Well, I did it. I hope I haven't broken any rule

, but I "got" the 2.16b (not from any of the beta testers).
 
I kind of agree that the 2.14 is better sounding. It is more smooth and has better sound-stage. HOWEVER, it may be all placebo, I cannot compare directly since I only have one x3. I trust that FIIO will just use the better tuning available to them (who knows, maybe 2.17 is even better!

).
 
I think that it is widely agreed that the 2.14b is indeed a very nice sounding FW.
 
Currently listening to it and enjoying....

Please don't discuss anything regarding 2.16beta or subsequent beta FW revisions in public forums.
The whole purpose of having a group of beta testers is to help refine the FW more efficiently without spreading rumours and misguided discussions all over the net.
Once FiiO has released the next official FW update we'll all be happy to share and discuss it far and wide.
 
Thank you!

 

[Gabriel12]

you should always consider dx50... it is a dap with a different sound signature.

 


I had the DX50 already but sold it. Did not like it to much

Why is that so?

 

[skalkman]

  Well, I did it. I hope I haven't broken any rule

, but I "got" the 2.16b (not from any of the beta testers).
 
I kind of agree that the 2.14 is better sounding. It is more smooth and has better sound-stage. HOWEVER, it may be all placebo, I cannot compare directly since I only have one x3. I trust that FIIO will just use the better tuning available to them (who knows, maybe 2.17 is even better!

).
 
I think that it is widely agreed that the 2.14b is indeed a very nice sounding FW.
 
Currently listening to it and enjoying....

You are not under a NDA so technically you can talk about it. Though you are not supposed to have it in the first place. I would tell you to revert to 2.14beta and not talk about the betas henceforth, but since you clearly have no respect for a closed project i would not expect anything out of the ordinary.