[waynes world]

Ok, so I took your advice and sent Xuelin a note in Chinese...  I'll let you know if I get a meaningful response...  Thanks again for the advice.

Ha! I was actually just being silly and not hinting that you should try it. Having said that, trying it can't hurt, so maybe we're both geniuses!

 

[jdog]

Ha! I was actually just being silly and not hinting that you should try it. Having said that, trying it can't hurt, so maybe we're both geniuses!

Or at least Xuelin might think we are!!

 

[crux19]

good day sir @jdog, i'm interested with this DAP. they say this sound better than the X1/X3 and DX50. i would like to ask how's the real life battery performance. i'm a student who commute alot so a DAP with atleast 10hrs+ is good for me. i hope you can give me some insight with this. this would be my first DAP if ever i choose this over the DX50. since they are saying i will only get a 6 to 7hrs on it.. Thanks in advance..

 

[jdog]

  good day sir @jdog, i'm interested with this DAP. they say this sound better than the X1/X3 and DX50. i would like to ask how's the real life battery performance. i'm a student who commute alot so a DAP with atleast 10hrs+ is good for me. i hope you can give me some insight with this. this would be my first DAP if ever i choose this over the DX50. since they are saying i will only get a 6 to 7hrs on it.. Thanks in advance..

Well, I haven't actually measured the battery life very accurately yet.  Give me a few days and I will check and see.  I use the iHiFi800 quite often, but recently, I have been splitting time with my Rockboxed 960 dual core.  I really enjoy the sound quality I get from the 800 and its size is perfect for commuting.  It is a high-quality DAP that has a solid feel.  Based on what I've experienced with the Rockboxed 960, it also has tremendous potential in terms of file support and functionality if Xuelin will commit to significant firmware updates.  I have emailed Xuelin several times encouraging them to upgrade the firmware and I hope they will eventually do it.  I have not been able to compare the 800 with any of the FiiO or iBasso DAPs yet, so I cannot comment on sound quality differences, but from what I have read, the FiiO DAPs (at present) have better file support and functionality.  I will have the chance to review the new FiiO X3 2nd generation soon, so I will then be able to compare sound quality between the two players.  Although I really still enjoy listening to the iHiFi 770s, I honestly prefer the sound quality I get with the 800 more.  Although some people in the forums say they are only getting about 7 hrs battery life with the 770C, I am easily getting 10-13 hrs battery life from both my 770 and 770c.  I can tell you that many people here really like the sound quality they get with the 770 (and 770c).  So, if you are open to another option, you might also consider looking at the iHiFi770.  Again the file support and functionality (at present) lag behind the FiiO DAPs, this player also has plenty of untapped potential.  Good luck and I'll come back to update battery life on the 800 soon.

 

[jdog]

Ha! I was actually just being silly and not hinting that you should try it. Having said that, trying it can't hurt, so maybe we're both geniuses!

Well, I did get a response to my Chinese note to Xuelin...  Their answer (in somewhat broken syntax) after translation from Chinese to English seemed to say, :we'll let you know when a firmware upgrade for the iHiFi800 becomes available"....  so, at this point, I'm not feeling the genius yet...  I did however, challenge them again to rockbox a 960 dual core (and I sent them the files needed to do this) and let me know what they thought...  As you can probably guess, I'm still waiting on a response to this... Not holding my breath.  It's such a shame, the overall value (in my opinion) of all the Xuelin players would markedly increase with significant, solid firmware upgrades.

 

[crux19]

very detailed input sir, i like the 770 aesthetic more than the 800(too much redundant buttons). but i'll still wait for your review of the 800. i'm planning to buy either of the DAP on june. i believe the 770 and DX50 have the same dac chip. i hope there would be a RockBox FW for the 770s too..

 

[waynes world]

jdog, looking forward to your X3ii impressions!

 

[jdog]

  good day sir @jdog, i'm interested with this DAP. they say this sound better than the X1/X3 and DX50. i would like to ask how's the real life battery performance. i'm a student who commute alot so a DAP with atleast 10hrs+ is good for me. i hope you can give me some insight with this. this would be my first DAP if ever i choose this over the DX50. since they are saying i will only get a 6 to 7hrs on it.. Thanks in advance..

Still working on the battery life for you; I have been playing a mix of FLAC and MP3 files (like I normally would) and I've logged 7 hrs and the 800 is still going strong.  Once I get the final battery life answer, I'll post for you...

 

[jdog]

  very detailed input sir, i like the 770 aesthetic more than the 800(too much redundant buttons). but i'll still wait for your review of the 800. i'm planning to buy either of the DAP on june. i believe the 770 and DX50 have the same dac chip. i hope there would be a RockBox FW for the 770s too..

I'm not sure what more to tell you about the iHiFi800 right now.  Both the 770 and the 800 have very good sound quality; to be honest, I prefer the 800 over the 770, but I'm sure others might prefer the 770.  To my ears, I feel the 800 presents music a little more accurately, and it has better sound stage and placement.  From a functional standpoint, the iHiFi800 does offer a bit more than the 770, but the file support is the same.  As I have stated earlier, the biggest deficit for the Xuelin players (all of them) is the rather simplistic firmware.  The 800 is a solid, high quality DAP with high quality components and it has huge potential (in my opinion) for improvement in terms of functionality and firmware support.  I have expressed my opinions/concerns to Xuelin several times; I just hope they are working on major firmware improvements at this point.  I will get the chance to preview the new FiiO X3 II soon; I'll do my best to honestly compare the sound quality between the X3 II and Xuelin's 770 and 800. But from what I have read so far, the X3 II easily bests the 800/770 when it comes done to functionality and file support.  After having the chance to use my 960 dual core player with Rockbox, I can tell you that the potential for the Xuelin players is huge, but until the folks at Xuelin make this happen with significant firmware updates, then it is still all just potential...

 

[jdog]

@jdog, looking forward to your X3ii impressions!

Well, after reading Brooko's encyclopedic review on the X3 II, I can say I'm excited about the chance to preview the player.  But I will admit that I am more than a bit intimidated by his review.  I guess there is no reason why I should have to try to match his review in depth and scope: I can easily just refer to his review for all the product details.  I suppose the best thing I can do is to try to honestly compare the sound  quality between the X3 II and the various Xuelin players.  The unfortunate truth is that the Xuelin players can't match the functionality or file support of the X3 II.  But, I suppose there are at least a few people out there (like me), who are content with simplistic UI/frimware as long as they get the sound they like...  Maybe a few more messages to Xuelin in Chinese....?? will get them more serious about firmware updates....

 

[crux19]

i like the simplicity of the Xuelin daps, though we have to really hammer Xuelin about the firmware since they have a good player, its just that they have a lacking FW. i don't like the jog wheel of the Fiio daps coz' they are kinda flimsy(esp the X1). as I've said earlier, i hope there's a Rockbox FW in the works so we could bypass Xuelin and unleash the 770 and 800 full potential as a dap.. i hope there would be a significant upgrade before i buy in June.  

 

[jdog]

  good day sir @jdog, i'm interested with this DAP. they say this sound better than the X1/X3 and DX50. i would like to ask how's the real life battery performance. i'm a student who commute alot so a DAP with atleast 10hrs+ is good for me. i hope you can give me some insight with this. this would be my first DAP if ever i choose this over the DX50. since they are saying i will only get a 6 to 7hrs on it.. Thanks in advance..

I am getting right at 10.5 hrs of battery life on my 800 listening to a mix of MP3 and FLAC files, but I tend to listen at loud volumes, so some might get a bit better..

 

[crux19]

  I am getting right at 10.5 hrs of battery life on my 800 listening to a mix of MP3 and FLAC files, but I tend to listen at loud volumes, so some might get a bit better..

 thanks sir @jdog, looks like it will only come to my budget when choosing between this two.. thanks, i hope the FW will get a significant update. since its the only thing that hold this daps back.. maybe a rockbox FW soon?
 

 

[sbose]

@jdog
have you received the X3-II ?

 

[jdog]

  @jdog
have you received the X3-II ?

Yes, I have.  I don't think I'm allowed to say too much about it until I send in my official review, but I can tell you the firmware on the X3 is really very, very good.  Way ahead of Xuelin... The sound quality is good, but to my ears, IHiFi 800 is a bit better.  This is all I can report for now,,,