Disclaimer: I am not related to FiiO, nor am I paid to do this review, they have kindly organized a tour to let the previewers have a 'taste' of how it actually sounds like.
Intro: I first came across FiiO's dap in Early December , which is their first and only dap in 2013 , I was particularly impressed on how it actually sounds , especially for it's price . In late December there was the FiiO X5 world tour application, decided to try my luck , and unfortunately I wasn't that lucky , but a few weeks after the shortlisted names were announced , I received a PM from my fellow group of local-Head-Fiers, enclosing a message sent by Joe that there'd be an extra set, so there it is, I'm in the X5 world tour !
This is a simple review of mine:
[Sorry for the low quality pictures , I do not have a proper camera so I took these using my phone]
The packinging: 9/10
It's a simple yet elegant box
Open up the box and you'll find a black box, it has the leather-texture, though it's made out of paper.
Accessories: 9.5/10
Inside the box, you'll get a silicon protective case for the X5, a micro USB charging/data transfer cable, 2 instruction manual, 2 screen protector, a warranty card, a coaxial cable, 3 anti-dust plug, a micro sd card reader, a USB OTG cable (for future firmware use) and a HDtracks discount code.
Build/design: 8.5/10
It is heavy(200g as stated), build quality like a tank, though I have not (and will not) try to drop it to see whether it'd survive after a drop
There're a total of 5 clickable buttons at the front side, they're have a tactile feeling when you try to press it.
The scroll-wheel has a rubbery texture and it is turnable , unlike the iPod , where you'd only touch and go round the circle.
There're two volume buttons at the side, it has also the tactile feeling when you press it.
At the top of the X5, you'll see 3 output holes, the first hole to the left is Headphone Out, second hole is the Line Out and lastly to the right is the Coaxial Out.
[Picture (bottom)]
On the bottom of the X5 you'll find 2 micro sd cards slot, with a rubber flapper attach to it, not the biggest fan of it , as I had problems opening up the rubber flap , takes awhile to open it up .
Battery: 9/10
It is a built-in 3700mAH Li-polymer battery, it is said that it'd last 12-15 hours of playback which is quite impressive it has to be said.
UI: 9/10
Not the fanciest UI , but it's simple , good , and best of all , fast .
This UI reminds me of a Sony Walkman-style (phone) kind of theme , scrolling speed is great , no lag or whatsoever .
General specifications (Thanks Brooko!)
Dimensions:64.6 x 114 x 15.6 mm (W/L/H)
Weight:122 g
Display:2.4” 260K HD IPS (400x360)
CPU:Ingenics 4760B 600MHz dual core
DACCM1792A (supports up to 192/24 res)
Outputs:3.5mm headphone out, 3.5mm line out, 3.5mm digital coax out
Storage:2 x microSD (max support 64Gb x 2 at time of review)
Battery:3700mAh Li-Polymer, up to 15 hours playback (~12 hours currently)
Gain options:0 / 6 dB
Supported Formats:APE, WAV, FLAC, WMA, ALAC, MP2, MP3, AAC, OGG
Supported Resolution:Up to 192K/24bit – dependent on format
Headphone Out:
Output Impedance<0.26 Ω
Crosstalk:>75 dB @ 1KHz
THD+N< 0.003% @ 1KHz
MAX output voltage:> 8 Vp-p
MAX output current:> 150 mA
SNR > 115 dB
Output Power:460 mW @ 16Ω, 255 mW @ 32Ω, 28 mW @ 300Ω
Line Out:
Crosstalk> 100 dB @ 10KΩ @ 1KHz
THD+N< 0.0025% @ 1KHz
SNR> 115 dB
Line output> 1.5 Vrms
Here's the main part of the review , it's a little short and simple section .
Sound: 9.5/10
Treble: It's extends very well , yet smooth and natural . Consiered 'netural' in FiiO's product, it is a little warm if compared to other daps , excellent for bright sounding headphones or in-ear monitors.
Bass: It's punchy yet controlled , it produces the right amount of bass when needed .
Sound-stage: It has more depth than width , I'd give a score of 3/5 for depth and 3.5/5 for it's width .
Mids: If you have a 'mids-laid back' headphones or IEMs and you want a dap with forward mids, this is for you, presentation of the mids is just stunning, one of the excellent aspects of the player .
Micro-detailling: W-O-W . By far , the best I have ever heard , every strumming of the guitar , beat of the drums , this player will never fail to capture every micro detail of the music . Just wow .
Final thoughts: 350 USD ? You don't get what you pay for this player , you have gotten a steal of the century , it has to be the best player for it's price tag , and with a great customer service , you'll not regret buying this player . Judging from it's build , it can last for at least a good 5 years . If you're looking to buy a player that sounds excellent and can last for long time , FiiO's X5 is for you .
I'd like to thank FiiO , James and Joe for organizing this tour and giving me a chance to preview the X5 , it has been a amazing and wonderful experience .
Thank you for reading
Intro: I first came across FiiO's dap in Early December , which is their first and only dap in 2013 , I was particularly impressed on how it actually sounds , especially for it's price . In late December there was the FiiO X5 world tour application, decided to try my luck , and unfortunately I wasn't that lucky , but a few weeks after the shortlisted names were announced , I received a PM from my fellow group of local-Head-Fiers, enclosing a message sent by Joe that there'd be an extra set, so there it is, I'm in the X5 world tour !
This is a simple review of mine:
[Sorry for the low quality pictures , I do not have a proper camera so I took these using my phone]
The packinging: 9/10
It's a simple yet elegant box
Open up the box and you'll find a black box, it has the leather-texture, though it's made out of paper.
Accessories: 9.5/10
Inside the box, you'll get a silicon protective case for the X5, a micro USB charging/data transfer cable, 2 instruction manual, 2 screen protector, a warranty card, a coaxial cable, 3 anti-dust plug, a micro sd card reader, a USB OTG cable (for future firmware use) and a HDtracks discount code.
Build/design: 8.5/10
It is heavy(200g as stated), build quality like a tank, though I have not (and will not
) try to drop it to see whether it'd survive after a drop There're a total of 5 clickable buttons at the front side, they're have a tactile feeling when you try to press it.
The scroll-wheel has a rubbery texture and it is turnable , unlike the iPod , where you'd only touch and go round the circle.
There're two volume buttons at the side, it has also the tactile feeling when you press it.
At the top of the X5, you'll see 3 output holes, the first hole to the left is Headphone Out, second hole is the Line Out and lastly to the right is the Coaxial Out.
[Picture (bottom)]
On the bottom of the X5 you'll find 2 micro sd cards slot, with a rubber flapper attach to it, not the biggest fan of it , as I had problems opening up the rubber flap , takes awhile to open it up .
Battery: 9/10
It is a built-in 3700mAH Li-polymer battery, it is said that it'd last 12-15 hours of playback which is quite impressive it has to be said.
UI: 9/10
Not the fanciest UI , but it's simple , good , and best of all , fast .
This UI reminds me of a Sony Walkman-style (phone) kind of theme , scrolling speed is great , no lag or whatsoever .
General specifications (Thanks Brooko!)
Dimensions:64.6 x 114 x 15.6 mm (W/L/H)
Weight:122 g
Display:2.4” 260K HD IPS (400x360)
CPU:Ingenics 4760B 600MHz dual core
DAC
CM1792A (supports up to 192/24 res)Outputs:3.5mm headphone out, 3.5mm line out, 3.5mm digital coax out
Storage:2 x microSD (max support 64Gb x 2 at time of review)
Battery:3700mAh Li-Polymer, up to 15 hours playback (~12 hours currently)
Gain options:0 / 6 dB
Supported Formats:APE, WAV, FLAC, WMA, ALAC, MP2, MP3, AAC, OGG
Supported Resolution:Up to 192K/24bit – dependent on format
Headphone Out:
Output Impedance<0.26 Ω
Crosstalk:>75 dB @ 1KHz
THD+N< 0.003% @ 1KHz
MAX output voltage:> 8 Vp-p
MAX output current:> 150 mA
SNR > 115 dB
Output Power:460 mW @ 16Ω, 255 mW @ 32Ω, 28 mW @ 300Ω
Line Out:
Crosstalk> 100 dB @ 10KΩ @ 1KHz
THD+N< 0.0025% @ 1KHz
SNR> 115 dB
Line output> 1.5 Vrms
Here's the main part of the review , it's a little short and simple section .
Sound: 9.5/10
Treble: It's extends very well , yet smooth and natural . Consiered 'netural' in FiiO's product, it is a little warm if compared to other daps , excellent for bright sounding headphones or in-ear monitors.
Bass: It's punchy yet controlled , it produces the right amount of bass when needed .
Sound-stage: It has more depth than width , I'd give a score of 3/5 for depth and 3.5/5 for it's width .
Mids: If you have a 'mids-laid back' headphones or IEMs and you want a dap with forward mids, this is for you, presentation of the mids is just stunning, one of the excellent aspects of the player .
Micro-detailling: W-O-W . By far , the best I have ever heard , every strumming of the guitar , beat of the drums , this player will never fail to capture every micro detail of the music . Just wow .
Final thoughts: 350 USD ? You don't get what you pay for this player , you have gotten a steal of the century , it has to be the best player for it's price tag , and with a great customer service , you'll not regret buying this player . Judging from it's build , it can last for at least a good 5 years . If you're looking to buy a player that sounds excellent and can last for long time , FiiO's X5 is for you .
I'd like to thank FiiO , James and Joe for organizing this tour and giving me a chance to preview the X5 , it has been a amazing and wonderful experience .
Thank you for reading
