Ok, thanks for the info. Might be the extended character numbers (Alt + 4 digit number) you get on the special characters menu. I'll have a look at whether I can stick them back into standard ascii (Alt + 3 digits)... I reckon the extended character map equates to Chinese symbols I'm seeing...

I've just loaded my mp3 catalogue onto my x5 and I'm noticing that accents on letters are not shown or picked up as Chinese characters, e.g. Communiqué shows on the album list as 'Communiqu' and song titles that have ó, ò or other accented letters in them have these substituted with what looks...

  Did you mean that it's only a hobby and it's not worth fretting over or did you mean to say it's a hobby and it will suck you in...?

Eeek! Never meant to open what looks like a massive can of worms!   Your findings make for interesting reading though Koolpep, providing your switch is indeed not adding its own signature to the sound.   I just thought it was odd that reviewers appear to be saying that the X5 is of a...

I'm a relative noob in head-fi & I've just purchased an x5. Hope to get it delivered tomorrow. Reading reviews on it has left me wondering how it's fair to compare a sub £300 piece of kit with Astell & Kerns at at least twice the price? Has anyone got any thoughts on this?

  Does anyone know whether iBasso have stopped including the silicon case in the box? I'm considering getting this off Amazon and they suggest buying the player and a silicon case together, which would be pointless if it's included in the box... Many thanks in advance for any light anyone can...

Does rockbox on the dx50 give a noticeable improvement in sq?

...just realised, my question is now a matter of iBasso DX50 vs. FiiO X3 - I'll jump to that and give it a read

Having done some (quite a lot) of research and reading quite a few reviews, I'm torn now, between the FiiO X3, the iBasso DX50 and a last resort of the FiiO X5, though this is somewhat (read: entirely) out of my budget, especially considering that, realistically, to make them anything like...

Nice one, thanks; have you any ideas on the FiiO x3? I know it's a big step up in cost compared to the clip and even a clip/amp combo but do you reckon it might be worth spending the extra and getting that? I presume that that would have a more powerful amp in it from the start?

Thanks both. Am I right in thinking that Rockbox is a custom firmware for the sansa? Not sure about adding a separate amp because of the extra wires/bulk/items, not to mention cost... What are the upsides of a combo?

My trusty Creative Zen Vision:M 60GB seems to be on its last legs, after nearly 10 years of service the hard disk appears to be giving in and I fear that it's time for a new player.   I've had a look around the internet and despite there not being a massive amount of choice, I'm finding it...