First of all I would like to thank FiiO for choosing me as part of the world tour of the new X3 DAP. I am pretty new in reviewing audio devices, and I feel really grateful for including me.
 
About me
 
I am not considering myself as an audiophile. I like enjoying my music, and if I don’t like it, I change it. I used to own several players from Cowon that did not deliver, and ended up selling them. Same with headphones, if the sound is not right for me – I try to sell or simply don’t use them. My preference is as natural sound as possible, I don’t want it to be pretty, bright, dark or anything else. As natural as possible, for as sane price as possible. Last month I visited BH Camera in NY, and listened to Audeze LCD-3, Fostex th500rp and Sennheiser HD800 headphones (hooked up to high-end rack as well), so I think I know what is a really high quality natural sound. Out of the three I really liked the Fostex.
 

Unboxing, package, physical impressions

 
I received the unit after it was reviewed by some other reviewers before me,and the unit is from pre-production batch that may have differences with the units becoming available in stores. The review was conducted with the unit running on version 1.0 firmware, the same as the production units should have.
 


 
 
 
The box itself looks really good, colored red and black. You can note that you see X3K on the box, it was one of the preliminary names given to the unit before it became simple 2^nd generation. The box also has a sticker that should assist to avoid buying counterfeit units.
 

 
 
Inside the red/black outer box sits another black carton box. It is hard and has a nice texture to it, great at making you expect something special within.
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
There is a lot of usefull stuff bundeled with the player.
There are 3 sets of stickers to be applied to the player, wood, graphite and American flag styled. There is usb to micro usb cable (same as most of smartphones use now) and line out coax cable (please note, that the default setting for the line out mode is coax, if you will connect it to a regular car stereo or and amp you will not hear a thing, you need to change the setting to Line Out).
There are two additional screen protectors (the player comes with one pre-applied)
And there is the silicone cover, more about it soon…
 
 

 
 


 
 
While the unit is inside the cover you have acess to all the necessary buttons and outputs. Line out has an integrated cover that you can open at time of need. The memory card (up to 128 Gb at the moment) is covered, but you can always cut a hole in the cover if you happen to swap those cards often. I intentionally did not clean the silicone cover to show how it looks like in real life. While protecting the player, it is also great at collecting dust particles as well.
 

 
 


 
 
 
 
As you can see from the pictures, the built quality is excellent. The whole unit is made from aluminum. The scroll wheel has a higher quality feel than X1 and X5. Still, one click does not mean one move in the menus/one item scroll. I got used to it, and don’t think it’s much of a problem.
The unit has a status LED that lights blue when the unit is one, green while it’s charging and red when it’s being charged. Pleae note that you can operate it while charging, just make sure you don’t connect it to a PC but to charger (or to PC with charging only cable, no data leads).
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Well, now I hope that you have a better understanding of the size of the unit. I was not surprised when I saw it at first, because of previous short experience with X1. But X1 surprised me at the time, it was much more compact than I expected. I think the size of the new X3 is just right, not too bix and not too tiny. At the pictures, you see it compared with Sandisk Sansa, LG Nexus 5 and a standard sized gift card. Ah, and my hand
 

Let’s Play?

At first I will describe the headphones used and my impressions, and give overall conclusion at the end.
 

 
Those are my best headphones, the Koss Tony Benett Special Edition 1. I sold ATH-M50’s in order to get those, and can’t be happier. Very natural sound.
Well, at first I thought that there is something wrong in the match between those headphones and X3. I heard a lot of high frequencies and a very weak bass. After hearing several albums I figured out that there is nothing wrong with the setup, it only plays what’s on those recordings. If it was poorly mastered, your ears will suffer. And if mastering was well done, it’s a joy joy joy.
 

 
As much as I like Koss KSC-75, they are just not a match for X3. A lot of information is just lost, and after listening with better phones you just don’t want to go back.
Of course X3 drives those 64 ohm headphones with ease, and the titanium coated drivers are great for metal.
 

 
 
 
Those are two earphones from Chinese smartphone companies – the Xiaomi Pistons 2^nd generation and the OnePlus silver bullet.
Usually I just can’t use Pistons – the sound signature is too V shaped. I was really surpriced but with X3 they sounded very different that I remember from trying them with the Clip+. They are actually usable. Not great, but still.
The OnePlus give a more balanced sound, but mid frequencies are somewhat distant sounding.
 
 

 
Now that’s a match. Those are Sennheiser PX 80. Actually those are PX 100 first edition, reissued. Same sound, with slightly different (still steel-enforced) headband.
Wow… Deep bass, sparkly teble. Mids are not the strongest part of those headphones but with most music they sound so good …X3 really makes you smile when you put them on, and keep on smiling…
 


 
 
That was an experiment. The Sennheiser HD 580 have 300 ohms of impedance, that’s twice the maximum rated supported impedance of X3. Well, actually they did sound nice, compared to the same headphones connected to AMC pre-amp (at about quarter of it’s max volume). While being driven decently, I had to crank up the volume of the X3 to 90-100% (High Gain setting), so if you really intend to use those, getting more powerful DAC or an amp would be a great idea.
 

About the sound

 
I would describe the sound of X3 as open, detailed and airy. I like the sound of X3 more than of the X5, because a slightly less piercing high frequencies, without that metal feel.
I cannot point at any property of the sound of X3 that I did not like, it’s great. It’s definitely not slow, and I like it. While testing I went from classical to metal, and enjoyed every second.
If you like laid back sound – this is not the DAC for you. If you like a heavy coloration – also, I could not find it in X3. I heard a very fast sound, great control of low frequencies, sweet mids and details in high frequencies area. The power is enough for me, any of my headphones can be driven to a volume above ridiculous with ease. I usually listen to flacs, and while enjoying the so-called hi-res tracks, not sure if I could notice a difference in blind test.
 
Usage,menu,additional
 
If you are a perfectionist, not ready to settle for nothing X3 might not fit you. The menus are far from being perfect, I don’t really understand why it’s divided the way it’s divided right now. Sometimes the screen does not refresh instantly after you skip to next track. And the screen itself can be called average at it’s best. The resolution is low, viewing angles are low, and the brightness at maximum … low. I don’t see it as a problem, as it’s not a video player and it’s acceptable. Switching to next song is instant, never had such a fast response in any player.
DAC function (using the unit as external USB sound card) works really well, after installing drivers for windows. In order to install the drivers for Windows 8/8.1 64 bit you have to do some additional actions besides actually running the setup, because the driver is not signed.
When I used integrated sound card, only 3/5 was my grade at Tidal test (blind testing if you can spot lossless vs 320 k audio). With X3 as DAC – 5/5.
The unit never got stuck, I never had the need to restart it or use the reset hole. At first it accepted 32GB Kingston memory card from Sandisk Sansa, and later a brand new 128 GB Sandisk memory card. Transfer rate is about 7 mbyte/sec, I consider it good enough for transferring several albums at once (an initial load would better be done using card reader).
The equalizer is implemented in a very unusual way, if you like playing with equalizer, I’d recommend to read forums or better ask owners about the implementation. It is difficult for me to explain, just trust me – it’s something completely different from what what you are used to.
The inline remote works for both earphones I tested the player with.
Before I got the unit I was warned that it’s a pre-production model that might have problems, and higher level of hiss could be one of them. Well, I did not hear that hiss, and I tried really hard with “silence” mp3 and maximum volume setting on all headphones I could find.
 
Final words
 
I really liked the unit, very sad that I have to return it. It is not perfect, what it does good it what I am looking for at the moment, and the other stuff I can live with.

REVIEW:
 
Equipment used:
Headphones: HD650, AH-D600, LCD2, T90, HA-FX850, UE900s, Momentum, ATH-M50x, Ostry KC06A, RE-400
Firmware: 1.0
 
Music used:
From Royskopp to Amber Rubarth, Diana Krall to Apoptygma Berzerk, Tom Jones to Sphongle, Yello to Camouflage, mostly FLACs 24/96 or 16/44.1 - some mp3 320kbps, some AAC 256kbps
Depending on headphone high or low gain - no EQ
 
Disclaimer: I received the Fiio X3II review unit from www.samma3a.com the local distributor of Fiio products. I have to return the unit, so there is no financial interest. I am not affiliated with Fiio or Samma3a.com Though I really highly appreciate what these guys are doing for the audiophiles in the region!! Thank you so much for letting me test and review this player. I had so much fun doing it!!
 
When I review DAPs I tend to use an input switcher and play the same song on both players, volume matched by ear and switch back and forth. Then I do some extensive listening with the unit and different headphones.

TL;DR

 
Buy it - you won’t get anything better for this price.
Now, the longer version:

Packaging & Accessories

In short it consists of USB charging/data cable, 3.5mm to RCA COAX digital out cable, one spare screen protector in the box, one already fitted on device, pattern stickers (??) in three different designs, warranty card and quick start guide. It also comes already packed into a silicon sleeve/case that is much better than the one from the X3 1st gen.
 
      
 
 
        
 

 
 

Technical Highlights

DAC Chip: CS4398, Amp: OPA1642+LMH6643
Ouput: 224mW into 16 Ohm, 200mW into 32 Ohm, 24mW into 300 Ohm
Output impedance: 0.2
Headphone out, Digital (COAX) out (switchable to line out), 2inch 320x240 pixel colour display, 1 mSD card slot for up to 128GB cards.
 

Size comparisons & Input switcher

      
 
       
 
AK100Mk2, X3II, Gloveaudio A1, X5 (with Cayin C5 and stacking kit HS6)
 

User Interface and Build Quality

As it has been mentioned before, I keep this part short as well. THe build quality is very good, solid, nothing squeeks, buttons and ports have no play and feel solid. The scroll wheel is much improved over the scroll wheel of the X5, it seems to have less feel and locks in you movements more reliably, however sometimes a “click” or turn is ignored.
 
The case really appeals to me and it’s a device that you will enjoy to hold and handle. It loses quite some appeal when put in the silicon protection case. It’s a shame that you wont’ see much of this nice device when using that case.
 
The User Interface is already known from the X5 and X1 and has slight variations to it. Overall it’s pretty straight forward and easy to master once you get the hang of it.
 
What I particularly like about Fiio players is that you have still dedicated buttons for many functions. You have volume buttons, play/pause/select and a FFWD, RWD (long press) buttons that skip forward and backward with a short press. Makes blind use at night or in the pocket easier.
 
I tested the device with Firmware 1.0 which will be the release Firmware - it was released on the 2nd day of my review and I didn’t revisit the sound tests I made with FW 0.22.
 
Overall the UI has only a few little quirks and is pretty well thought through.
 
The Deep Sleep mode is a very helpful feature and the battery seems to go on forever!
 

Sound Quality Comparisons

General

I was genuinely impressed how well the X3II drives my HD650, T90 high impedance headphones. Not bad at all for such a small DAP. NAtive DSD support in this price range is pretty crazy as well. For the comparisons below I used the Fiio HS2 Headphone Output switcher. I pitched the X3II against a single competitor every time.

Compared to X3 1st gen (from memory)

Since I sold the X3 a few month back this comparison is of course to be taken with a huge grain of salt.
 
Main differences:

1. larger soundstage
2. mids and highs crisper
3. more detailed across the frequency range

Compared to iBasso DX50

This was a difficult one. I have sold my X3 and kept the DX50 since for me the sound quality and usability was better with the DX50. Until now. Fiio has now reached and in some areas surpassed the DX50. There is a tad more bass impact with the X3II, in the mids and treble both are quite similar and the soundstage is now (FW 1.8 on DX50) pretty similar too.
 
Both players offer some great value for money, overall the X3II now feels like the more modern and advanced player - even though the DX50 has a touch screen.And it also sounds a tad better in everything compared to the DX50 to my ears, the same way the original X3 sounded a tad inferior in everything before...tables have turned.
 

 

Compared to AK100Mk2

The AK100Mk2 is my goto player when I don’t want any bulk. It runs Firmware 2.41 and is the blue special edition that was released exclusively in Japan December 2014. I love this little beauty. However, at a price around $420 depending on the exchange rate, it has only slight advantages in sound quality over the X3II - the X3II shows what’s possible for $199.
 
The AK100mk2 had the same amount of details but slammed the bass a bit harder and more precise, it also had a slight advantage in the soundstage.
 

 

Compared to AK100 & Gloveaudio A1

The Gloveaudio basically degrades the AK100 to a pure transport, it uses it’s own DAC and balanced amp. Unsurprisingly this combo is a level above the X3II - bass impact, layering and detail is way better, it’s more musical, has better grip on the headphones and controls them somewhat with ease, where the X3II was doing a good job but reaching it’s potential. Plus the background is dark dark dark, black hole dark. Lots of clean power. A brilliant device. CEntrance - this is amazing!!
 

 

Compared to Fiio X5

This was surprising. It seems that the design brief for the technical team was: Make the new X3II sound like the X5 for half the money. And they succeeded mostly.
 
I felt the X3II to have a slightly larger soundstage (!!) and shockingly similar in overall sound quality and signature. The X5 still has the upper hand in power handling and drives the headphones with ease where the X3II reaches its limits. So there is still a slight advantage for the X5 in regards to detail retrieval, clarity, musicality and fun.
 
Once I added the Cayin C5 amp to the X5, the soundstage opened up, more depth and width appeared and the music was more impactful. So in order to beat the X3II not only marginal but clearly, it needs help.
 

 

Line Out & Digital Out

For me this is an important function. I use the AUX line in in my car - and I use the digital out at home if I want to listen to music on my LCD2s via my DACMini CX or my Crack in the office. It’s also great if you want to try other gear with your own music without the hassle. Usually it’s easier for me to connect the Player to the DAC (Modi2Uber or DACMini) then use line out into the amps, so no unplugging of the whole setup, changing RCA to RCA - 3.5mm cable etc.
 
So, the digital out is “only” COAX but works extremely well. It’s digital, bits reach the DAC - nothing else to report….
 
Line out is important. I liked the DX50 for the ability to change the volume output on the line out as well. That helped match it better to some car stereos.
 

DAC use on a Computer

I didn’t try with a Windows machine as I currently prefer my Macs, especially when it comes to audio, the X3II is plug and play and I can just select bitperfect transport 24/192 in the menu - no driver to install, it just works out of the box. Like the X3 and X5 before the X3II - great job Fiio for making this so easy. Sound quality is as expected the same as if playing tracks from the memory card.

Conclusion

The X3II is amazing. It drove high impedance headphones like the T90 and HD650 well, has a very low noise floor with IEMs, sounds superb, works as a DAC/Amp on your PC/Mac, With the advancements in sound quality, I don’t see a competitor in its price range.
 
Everything has been improved from the X3 - and the performance is now VERY close to the X5. The only omission is that the player has no more internal memory.
 
For the recommended sales price, this device is a huge hit and I am sure Fiio will sell them by the boatload - hands down - a full recommendation from my side. 5 stars

 
THANKS to www.samma3a.com and @Mazen4samma3a for the review loaner!

Several years ago, when I was new to high-fi audio world I was looking for an answer to this question: is dap necessary in the world of smartphones, will you benefit from it if you are using even easy-to drive headphones? Very surprisingly after days of searching I couldn’t find a decisive answer to it. Bear in mind that I live in caucasia, where buying-selling this kind of technology is extremely limited, so I didn’t wanted to cash on device I wouldn’t use. In the end I decided and bought original fiio x3 (black one) to pair with first gen sennheiser momentums and luckily wasn’t disappointed. Same applies today, after 4 years, when it seems that audio quality is less important for smartphone manufacturers and have started to removing headphone jacks.

So long story short YES, you will benefit from getting even an entry level dap compared to high end smartphones, like galaxy s9, lg g6 etc.

Comparing Fiio x3II to Samsung galaxy s7 (Headphones used Sennheiser momentum 2.0, Fidue a83)

Two biggest advantages of X3II compared to smartphone is bass performance and soundstage. First of all you are getting much more power, that will drive your headphones to higher volume. My galaxy s7 couldn’t even get momentums to desired volume level. More power will give you much better bass performance – better impact and control. Also you are getting better soundstage/imaging. Instrument separation is also better. Everything has its own space and doesn’t sound like congested mess.

Fiio x3 II has better tone. By that I mean that instruments sound more lifelike, have better texture. Treble, unlike s7, isn’t harsh and artificial.

Conclusion:

From my personal experience, Fiio x3II is much better than a Samsung galaxy s7. I would say, in overall sound quality, you are getting 40-50% better sound performance. If you own a decent pair of headphones it’s definitely worth getting a dedicated Dap. You can get x3II on used market under 90$, which makes it very good value.

Thanks for attention!

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Me: I am a 21 year old student living in a small town in India. I would like to call myself a music enthusiast, rather than an audiophile. I was inspired by music since childhood, and as the time passed, the passion of music grew in me, and that subsequently led me to join Head-Fi. Eventually, I found the pleasure of listening to music mainly by the HD600 and recently, by the seductive LCD2 headphones, and realized the true components of recorded music. I usually like to listen to Indian Classical Music along with Bollywood songs. My main listening genres include classical, vocal, instrumental, jazz and sometimes pop.  With time, my sonic preferences have very much grown. I avidly admire transparency, accuracy along with neutrality, and my favourite headphones are K702, HD800 & K812.
 
I appreciate Audio Players which deliver a very neutral & transparent sound quality, along with good battery backup and a decent User Interface. Output power or exterior looks/weight/shape is really not an important factor for me, as long as it delivers sonically. My all-time favourite DAP is QLS’s QA360 which simple is the most wonderful Audio Player I heard & have till date.  You may read my opinion on the excellent QA360 DAP here: http://www.head-fi.org/products/qls-qa360-portable-hifi-lossless-music-player/reviews/12197
 
I will be using my DN2000 IEM & MH30, MH40 & K812 headphones to evaluate the X3 Gen.2 DAP. I will also test USB DAC functionality of the X3II by connecting to a portable O2 amp.

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Intro: FiiO is a highly popular & well established Chinese brand specializing in the area of portable DAP’s & amp/dac’s. FiiO was established in 2007.  Even though a relatively newer establishment in the field, FiiO managed to capture attention of the world by their amp/dac offerings which had attractive price tag & appreciable performance. Back in time, we can remember portable gears (especially DAP’s) would be expensive, and out of reach of a humble Enthusiast. It was the FiiO, who made well performing portable amps, DAP in an affordable price. Particularly their E11 model is legendary & a benchmark in low cost portable amps. This made them a well known name across the Audiophile World. 
 

 
FiiO’s Motto: Love Music, Love Life, Love FiiO!
 
FiiO’s X3 Gen.2 was initially named as X3k, following in the lead of their E11K amp. But later in the production stage FiiO changed the name to X3 second generation or X3 II as we call it. The X3 II is designed to be the successor of aging yet very popular original X3 DAP. My profound Thanks to Jospeh from FiiO team for arranging a review unit for my evaluation.
 
Specifications of FiiO X3 Gen.2:
 

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Let us see how good the X3 Gen II performs,
 
Packaging and Accessories: The X3II arrives packed inside a plain black cardboard box, packed inside a foam packing. Packaging is very good: a usual best by FiiO, nothing to complain about, considering X3 II’s high value aspect.
 

 

 

 

 
List of accessories in the box, which include the following:
 

 
USB cable: Can be used for charging & to transfer the data from X3II to computer.
 
Coaxial Cable: One 3.5mm jack to single RCA socket: henceforth to connect to standard coax cable to carry coax output.
 
Screen guard: Two spare screen guards for applying on X3II's screen.
 
Body Skins: Can be carefully applied on body to give a personalized exterior looks.
 
User Manual: Contains all information about operating theX3II, including contains warranty information.
 
Silicon case: This black & flexible silicone case is supplied to protect the X3II from falls or scratches, and also gives a firm holding grip and anti-skid feature to the X3II.

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Design and Build: The X3II has an excellent overall build quality. Its design is very practical, or shall I say modern, & is easy for day-today operation without any confusion or hassle. The entire housing is made up of high quality aluminium, and is painted in matt titanium colour, and is resistant to fingerprints. It is rectangular in shape with smoothened edges, the X3II is actually quite small & compact in size, and just appears to be smaller in pictures. It feels fairly light when held in hand.
 

 
At the front side, we have an analogue rotating wheel pad (performs up/down scrolling function upon rotating) the pad has rubbery grip surface. It includes an embedded central play/pause button. The rotation is not completely smooth, but with step interval type ratchet mechanism. The knob has grips on its side for easy rotation. Power switch has a pretty great feel, and is very precise in its job. Four buttons (Menu, back, foward/rewind) are uniformly placed around the wheel. An LED is embedded right in the lower centre area of the front side, which gives it a really attractive look.

 

 

 
The display screen here is again large enough for comfortable viewing, and color/resolution on X3II is one of the best I have ever seen in DAP’s. It’s really good & better than most of the DAP’s. The screen is anti-reflective, resistant external lights, and colour output is very crisp and natural. On the top, there is a headphone out socket, and a Line/Coax Out, both in same 3.5mm format. These jacks are a smooth operator, which is neither too tight nor too loose. The socket employs ball bearings instead of clips to avoid scratches/damage on the headphone jack. If we look at the bottom side, we can observe a micro USB port. On the right side a micro SD card slot is present, which again works flawlessly, and has right cuttings to hold the micro SD card. On the left side of the X3II, Power button & two volume keys are located. The Power button is slightly recessed inorder to avoid mistaken switch off’s.  All these work without any hassle, and are of good quality.
 

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Sound: The X3II in overall has a very ‘clear’ & ‘detailed’ sonic character. ‘Accurate presentation’ is the key word. In my view, it is essential for a source to be as neutral and as accurate as possible for an optimal sound quality. Though stage is not very spacious.
 

 
Burn in: The X3II audibly improves with time. Let’s say a playback of 10 hours provides few minor audible improvements, Bass prior to break-in is quite sterile, and eventually it becomes more in body. Mids will sound more open, airy and natural. highs become slightly more clean, soundstage will open up by a margin. DAP’s are known to slightly change their final sonic impressions by using different memory cards. In my case, I have found: Sandisk memory cards provided a slightly rich sound, whereas Lexar’s sounded audibly more detailed and analytical, so that made me choose Lexar card for X3II for best possible neutrality.
 
Driving Power: There is gain setting Low/High, which if switched, provides a high gain (ideal for demanding cans). Else, will provide a low gain (ideal for low impedance dynamic cans & IEM’s) The X3II has 120 step volume adjustments, which is quite accurate and precise. I hardly ever cross ‘80’ volume low gain.  I can say, this DAP is very powerful when it comes to output power, and can put up very high listening volumes in low gain itself. The X3II is also audibly dead silent on any give gain and volume pot. It is also totally immune to EMF and other such disturbances.
 
Lows: are accurate, tight and refined; have a good impact. Depth & extension are good.
 
Mids: sound very neutral, clean. Mids are neither forward nor recessed, and are just about the neutral line.
 
Highs: Clear and detailed treble with very less grains.
 
Soundstage: The X3II is not very spacious or airy sounding. The soundstage width & depth are just good enough. Instrument separation & detailing is very good & appreciable. I really liked the way X3II picked out the details. This is an area where X3II excels. The X3II portrays music as it was recorded. The X3II is very neutral in nature. Faulty recordings are not forgiven, and are immediately picked out by the X3II. I am fully satisfied by the performance given out by X3II, as I firmly believe, sources should be as transparent as possible, and X3II wins in that. Due to its neutrality, X3II does not sound organic, natural or lifelike. But inturn it sounds like a very detailed & accurate high fidelity DAP. The X3II can also act as a USB DAC and can give multiple outputs. Performance as DAC is also pretty good, but as expected, performance is not upto mark as compared to dedicated standalone DAC’s.
 

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Battery & UI:  Battery life on X3II DAP is appreciably good, with about average 7-9 hours general playback. Absolutely no heat detected when charging or during playback. The charging time is also quite fast, (at about 3 hours) by using a 5V 2A adapter as recommended by FiiO. User Interface is actually very modern, fast, and appealing for our eyes. The UI has all basic and convenience general features. Though there are small bugs here n there, which I believe will be solved by FiiO in upcoming days.
Actually UI & button layout it’s pretty simple, yet very advanced functional layout, which I quite like. With X3II,  FiiO has definitely rolled out a very unique, modern yet practical design, which is simple to operate for everyone alike.

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Comparison: I will write a brief comparison with well performing DAP’s in similar price range,
 
FiiO X3: FiiO’s first DAP release & original release of X3 DAP over three years ago. I still have my trusty & three year old FiiO’s original X3. This was then a very popular & performing DAP with a great value aspect. The original X3 is now discontinued. The Original X3 holds a huge personal importance to me, as I enjoyed a lot through it, in my early days of Audio & Head-Fi Journey. Feels very nostalgic whenever I even look at it. The original X3 is comparatively warmer & darker in sound presentation. Also, the function, technology & practical usage aspect is really high in its successor X3II. Build quality is really great on both predecessor & successor.
 
Shanling M3:  Shanling’s sole DAP offering. The M3 is also a excellent performer. Sonically, the M3 is slightly superior to X3II. Transparency & soundstage definition level is greater in M3. The M3 costs about 70$ more than the price of X3II, but well worth the additional price. But the X3II has better UI layout, and practicality features. But in terms of sheer sound quality: Shanling M3 clearly triumphs.
 
Conclusion:  I feel the FiiO X3 Gen.2 is a phenomenal DAP for price. It offers an amazing neutral sound quality, and employs cutting edge design, modern UI and very neat and easy controls. Build quality is very good, sonic presentation is neutral & detailed. It can fairly drive any cans upto 300 ohms. I can whole heartedly recommend X3II for music enthusiast & audiophiles who would prefer a reliable DAP in a reasonable price. A very easy & confident recommendation.
 

 
Pros:
 
1) Build Quality: The X3II has a very good all-metal build. No compromise to be seen anywhere in exterior. Very well designed indeed.
 
2) Sound quality: Sound presentation here is very neutral &detailed, very much appreciable for becoming a good source on the move, which is the base of sonic chain. But comparatively lacks soundstage definitions.
 
3) Driving Power:  X3II DAP is very powerful when it comes to output power, and it can comfortably drive even power hungry cans to insanely loud volumes. Also, the noise floor is very low, and is audibly silent. Good job!
 
4) UI, Display & Controls:  This where X3II stands out from rest. X3ii’s display is simply one of the best I have seen DAP’s. Its vivid and deep colour presentation and low brightness capability has impressed me. UI is very much user-friendly, easy on battery, doesn’t warm up. For controls, the rotating wheel is very innovative inclusion, very soothing and comfortable for fingers.
 
5) Value: Considering the points mentioned above, it is safe to conclude, the X3II DAP has a sheer price/performance ratio. Without hesitation, It is the best performing DAP under 250$.
 
Cons:
 
None at This Price Point

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First of all, I would like to thank Fiio for letting me one of review tour members and providing me with a sample of X3 2nd(X3K/X3 II). This is my honest opinion. 
 
Unboxing: 
 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Size comparison with X1 and AK120: 

 

 

 

 

 
Quick review for operation of X3 2nd: 

 
 
Sound Quality(phoneout):
 
I have owned Fiio X1, X5, AK120, and Cayin N6 and had owned Colorfuly C4 and HM-901. Sometimes I do comparison with them. The word "more" doesn't mean "better" for me. Even if I say "Fiio X5 has more brilliant high than X3 2nd", it doesn't mean "X5 is better than X3 2nd on high." I want to describe X3 2nd's sound by comparing with other DAPs.
I pair X3 2nd with 1964-Qi and AKG K495NC. Following review is based on the set of X3 and Qi.
 
High:
X3 2nd's high is very clear and accurate. The amount of high is C4>N6>X5>X3 2nd>X1. X3 2nd doesn't have so much high, but I don't feel lack of high from X3 2nd. I think this is sufficient amount of high. X3 2nd's high doesn't go spread and isn't brilliant, so I don't recommend this if you are "high-lover" person. I think C4's high is more brilliant, extended, and sharp. X5 has more sharp and solid high. N6 has more sharp, strong ,and thick high.
 
Vocal: 
X3 2nd 's vocal is clear and airy. X5, X1, and N6's vocal is more accurate and solid. I don't mean X3 2nd's vocal is backward. Vocal is intimate and smooth. I enjoy dance, metal, and electronic music with X3 2nd. X1, X5, and N6 has more solid vocal. 
 
Bass: 
I'm surprised at X3 2nd's bass. I love its bass. There is so much bass, but it is hard, accurate, and well controlled. Also it is powerful. Its bass doesn't mask vocal and high. Because of its bass, X3 2nd sounds more "dancy" than X5 and X1. But X3 2nd's bass is not deep and warm. If you like that kind of bass, I recommend HM-901 and AK120. 
 
Soundstage: 
X3 2nd has a bit opened soundstage, but it's not spacious. The rank of soundstage is X3 2nd>N6≥X5>X1. I think X5 and X1 has unopened soundstage. I remember C4 has much more larger and opened soundstage. 
 
Overall: 
X3 2nd has accurate high, airy vocal, and hard and well controlled bass. Because sound is well controlled, there's no mid-bass bump, mids are smooth, intimate, highs are mild but still enjoyable. Fiio makes really enjoyable-sounding DAP for affordable price. 
 
Final Thanks:
Sample X3 2nd I borrowed was shipped and has been in next reviewer's hands now. Because I became one of X3 2nd lovers after review, I ordered, and my X3 is going to be in my hands today!
Really thank you for reading my review. If you have questions, please leave comment freely. 

 
 

Disclaimer
 
I got this unit as part of Australasian tour arranged by Brooko, thank you very much for including me in this tour.
 
Introduction
 
I am just another music fans in this world, I love listening to music, and that made me stumble into head-fi around 7 years ago when looking for the best way to listen to my music. I am not in anyway an audiophile, heck not even close, so please forgive any lack of details in my review. Most importantly this is my personal impression on the unit, most likely i heard things differently than you, my ears, my preferences, my brain
 
I listen to the X3 II daily in my commuting from home to work and in the office for about 5 days.
 
Since Fiio X3 II is a DAP, I think it's only proper to compare them with other DAPs, having said that i never own a lot of DAPs, so for this review I will just compare them with the Kogan MP4 player and my phone, HTC One M7 in term of sound quality.
 
For the majority of my listening i am using JVC HA-FXT90.
 
Build Quality
 
Similar to the X1, the X3 II is build in a similar manner, solid all metal body, really feel good in your hand, like holding a premium phone (smaller of course).
 
Interface
 
This kind of stuff never bothered me much, but if anyone need to know i found them very easy to use, no problem here, i kinda get used to the interface from my handling with the X1 on my first tour.
 
Deep Sleep
 
One thing that i really like is their ability to go to deep sleep without shutting them down, when i plugged out my earphone X3 II will go to deep sleep after it's idle for a couple of minutes, when i plugged my earphone back it will resume the music instantly, awesome!
 
Sound Quality
 
Ok the most important part for me, sound quality, so how do they sound? In summary: super awesome! I would say they are neutral with bit of warmth and added treble sparkle (just a hint). Music just sound beautiful, musical, straight out of X3 II, and it's quite consistent experience with my other headphones (Senn HD 580, KRK 8400, Sony SA1k, etc).
 
In the beginning i was planning to compare the Fiio with my Kogan & HTC One M7, but i dont see any point, to me the X3 II is just a class above them. I remember when reviewing the X1, the Kogan gives a good competition to the X1, but the X3 II just kill Kogan & HTC M7 completely. It's quite sad for me, i've been quite happy listening to my HTC M7 on my daily commuting before the X3 II arrives, when i start listening to X3 II, and switch to Kogan or HTC for comparison, the magic is gone....i guess that shows how good the sound coming out of X3 II.
 
Since the X3 II can also work as a DAC, i give it a try and plug them to my Linux (ubuntu based) laptop, they work sweet, Ubuntu just pick them up immediately and i can play music without any problem. 
 
My desktop system is usually Micromega MyDAC + Project Sunrise V1 + headphones of the day, and replacing Micromega MyDAC with X3 II is fine, but as you probably guess Micromega MyDAC is just a level above X3 II, soundstage, resolution, detail, is noticably lower on the X3. I understand that this is not a fair comparison in the first place, but it's the only one i have, so that will have to do. X3 have an advantage though, it can play DSD while Micromega can't.
 
DSD playing
 
DSD is a new stuff for me, before X3 II i don't have anything that can play DSD, hence i don't have any album in DSD, but i manage to grab a lot of freebies DSD sample just to try out their SQ. This is my impression on how the DSD sounded on X3 II: They are good of course, but for my ears i can't really distinguished any noticable differences from FLAC. Did i hear any improvement on the DSD files? or is just my imagination? I don't know.
 
I would argue that a DSD and FLAC from the same source will most likely equally mastered or gone through the same mixing process, so in a lot of ways they would sounded almost the same, with DSD have the added information.....maybe? I am not an expert on this kind of stuff so i will have to do a bit more testing when i bought a DAC that support DSD. In summary it's really great that you can have DSD playing on 1 single small box that can act as a straight DAP or a dedicated DAC.

Amping
 
I tried pairing my Headstage Arrow 2G out of the X3 II line out and surprised to find some noticable improvement to their sound, bass just sound tighter and fuller, and i think the treble got even more spark and definiton to them. I was using the X3 II without amp for a couple of days and after i tried pairing it with the headstage i never go back, excellent sound quality. 
 
Random thought
 
Interesing things happened, one morning on my way to work i was listening to this song i downloaded from youtube, and oh they sound so good out of the X3 II + headstage arrow I just get lost in the music. The train is delayed, i am gonna get late to work, got project deadline that i haven't finished yet...but interestingly when this song played...it's all gone from my mind, it's just the music playing...when the song finished i quickly switched to my Kogan just to see if i can get the same feeling again....nope! not there! Ok let's get back to X3 again and see if i can recreate the feeling, yep! beatiful music again! Hmmm....this is the first time this kind of stuff ever happens to me (out of portable DAP), well i just think that really tells how good and musical the fiio is, or maybe my gout medication is triggering something on my brain, oh well.
 
Summary
 
They are awesome, sounds good, feels good, work as DAC, work as DAP, good standalone, even better amped. If you're looking for all rounder solution in a box i don't think you can't go wrong with Fiio X3 II, they're the one.

At first, I'm very thankful to FiiO for giving chance to use and review this great portable music player.
I'm owner of the FiiO X3 1st, E3, E7 and E9, so I know how FiiO made great DAPs and portable amps.
This X3 2nd gen is one of the greatest DAP which FiiO made than ever, I thought.FiiO always give us variety of choice of hi-grade DAPs and portable amps at an affordable price.
 
There's no doubt that X3 2nd gen give us great experience with great cost performance.
 

Unboxing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE REVIEW

 
Package

 
I know the package of E3, E7, E9 and X3 1st, and FiiO products' package designs are becoming more cooler and cooler.
But I have to say that it is NOT easy to open retail box and other boxes.
 
For accessorise, there includs follwing things,
・micro USB cable
・A digital out to coax cable(4pin plug)
・3 type of stickers.
・Warrenty card
・Quick start guide
・spare screen protecters

Comparing to X3 1st and X5

 

 

 
I wrote I own X3 1st, so I have to compare and tell you how X3 improved from 1st gen to 2nd gen.
You know X3 1st's sound is warm and musically with thick Bass and cleaar High (in Japanese we say sound like this for "Don-Shari, ドンシャリ")
Comparing to X3 1st, X3 2nd's sound is cleary sound, monitor like sound I think.BUT more musically than X5.
X3 2nd's sound inclination lie between X5 and X3 1st.
I forgot to write, sound resolution improved from X3 1st, nealy X5.(But X5 is still better than X3 2nd)

Sound Quality(phoneout):

 
hmm, I wrote X3 2nd improved its sound resolution from X3 1st.
Then, I'll write X3 2nd's own sound quality.
These reviews based on the set of X3 2nd and Etymotic Reserch ER-4PT.
 
High:
X3 2nd's high sound area is very clear, as X3 1st and other FiiO products.
Its' female vocal quality is very well, brought up free of all care.
 
Bass:
X3 2nd's bass is smarter than X3 1st, it's tight, solid, but I did't feel unsatisfying.
I can hear enough bass line, but this bass line is not superfluous.
 
Overall and comparing to other DAPs:
Right, X3 2nd's sound is clear and bass line is very tight.
For sound resolution and soundstage, X3 2nd improved from X3 1st.
 

 
At last, I'm very proud to became the member of reviewer.
Actually, I bought X3 2nd and it is already arrived and I use the unit everyday.
Thank you FiiO!Giving us great chance and great unit!

For the complete review click on the IMHO Tech Blog link. 
 

I just bought this recently and so far  I am very impressed by the quality of this unit. It's a very capable unit capable of many things other than just playing music. The DAC mode is good for anybody wanting to upgrade their sound interface on a laptop. There is 4 ways of output,USB device into PC/Music system, headphone (Low and High Gain) and Line Out and Digital Coax options. It is also capable of decoding DSD in file format using DSF downloads at 2.8Mhz/5.6MHz (64/128 fs) or SACD ISO files through software or on the device itself. Although I haven't been able to try the latter as yet.
 
The UI is a little basic to say the least however it does what it says on the tin. It shouldn't take long to learn however this is no iOS or Android (technically it is) interface in appearance, it seems more like a Symbian environment without the Java. When you just want to play music you shouldn't need too many options. There's not much in the way control although it does feature an equaliser, stereo balance and favourites tool for keeping your best tunes in the one place.
 
You can research the parts such as the DAC and Amplifier components elsewhere. A quick summary would be it will drive a lot of headphones such as sensitive IEM to Studio reference headphones under the $500 bracket with no issues. The stated range is up to 150 Ohm headphone resistance which will cover a lot of options. I tried my Shure SE425 IEM with them and the sufficient gain really makes them shine. Also gone is the electronics hiss I was getting from my mobile phone. Then I tried my AKG K702 on High Gain which use 62 Ohm and 200mW drivers and is harder to drive due the AKG driver design although it's clean and impressive for a small player.
 
Music auditioned:
 
Pink Floyd - The Endless River (24/96 FLAC)
Chase 'n' Status - No More Idols (160K MP3)
The Orb - Blue Room (40 Minute mix - 128K MP3)
No Doubt (256K M4A)
Emeli Sandé (320K MP3)
 
and some other FLAC 44.1K/16 bit encodes direct from my CD collection.
 
To create some DSD files I used Cakewalk Sonar Platinum which exports 1-bit 2.8Mhz/5.6Mhz formats by using the SSE3 found on CPU processors. This information was given to me by the CTO Noel Borthwick although the actual DSP codec was created by someone at Tascam.
 
If you do prefer your other music interface then you can use it as a DAC and bind them together with a USB OTG cable which will turn your mobile device into a portable hi-fi device, if you don't mind the chunkiness. There is a few options of connection and is compatible with Windows 7 onwards and Mac OS X. I'm not sure about Linux however there is always a workaround there.
 
 
So would I recommend it?
 
Yes, if you don't mind the fact it has no internal memory and relies on external SD. Officially you are restricted to 128GB although maybe this limit will be lifted when more Fiio products become available. The next model up X5/X5 ii offer two slots meaning you double the potential and a slightly improved amplifier stage. I can't fault it for the majority of things I have currently thrown at it. The TF/SD card slot threw me at first. The picture shows a straight insert of the memory card however the actual insertion requires snapping the card in at an angle.
 
 
To summarise, this is a great piece of kit and great introduction to the world of high-end portable players.

Many Thanks to Fiio for the review sample!
I`ve been a Fiio user for some time. Currently I have Fiio X3 (1st gen) and Fiio E12DIY amp. Also had Fiio X5 before, and I reviewed Fiio X1 a while ago. So far my experiences with Fiio products have been positive.

 

Review sections:

Summary, Pros & Cons, Suggestions for improvement.
Sound Quality & Comparisons.
Features & Measurements.

 
 



 
 

 

Summary

Design wise, Fiio X3 2nd gen looks closer to Fiio X1, and very different from the older Fiio X3. The heart of the player is DAC chip Cirrus Logic CS4398, which is also used in higher end players such as Astell&Kern AK120 II and AK240. X3 2nd gen supports playback of both PCM and DSD, all the way up to PCM 24bit-192kHz and DSD128. Not only it supports most of the common audio file formats, it also supports CD image formats (wav / flac / ape + .cue) and SACD ISO image. Basically it plays nearly almost all common audio formats.  

 
 

Beside as a standalone player, Fiio X3 2nd gen also functions as USB DAC. As USB DAC it also supports both high resolution PCM and DSD format as well. While PCM support is up to 24bit-192kHz, in DAC mode DSD support is only for DSD64. Probably it will support DSD128 as well in the future, but as the time of this review, only DSD64 is supported in DAC mode. Nevertheless, for such a small player in this price range, those features are already very impressive.  

A few features that I consider improvement from X3 are:
Sleep or hibernation after a certain time of idles, instead of total power off. We know that iPod already implemented this long time ago, but this is a great improvement from previous Fiio players. After idle for a few minutes (adjustable from 1 to 8 minutes), the player goes to hibernation mode, and consuming less than 5 mW during hibernation. And the player will immediately ON when we press the power button. Anyway, even without this feature, X3 2nd gen starts pretty fast, from power off to ready to use in less than 10 seconds.
Improved EMI immunity. My experience with Fiio X1, X3, and also iBasso DX90, they might get interfered by phone EMI, and occasionally I can hear EMI noise when hold them side by side with my smartphone. But so far none with Fiio X3 2nd gen. The all-metal chassis function as an excellent EMI shield for the player. Watch the video below showing EMI test on X3 2nd gen and other players.  

 
 

Feature rich is not good enough without good sound quality. Don't be fooled by the modest price tag, Fiio X3 2nd gen sounds way beyond its price tag, both the headphone output and line output sound quality. What impresses me most is the soundstage. It has 3D holographic imaging that has been greatly improved from 1st generation X3. Imaging is more 3D, wider, and more spacious, with good layering and better depth. Also quite accurate in instruments separation & placement. Hall's acoustic portrays realistically. The improved soundstage greatly improved the music listening experience.  

Although the old X3 has more powerful headphone output than X3 2nd gen, but most of the time the extra power doesn't translate to better sound on IEMs, and even on some full size headphones. Headphone output of the X3 2nd gen has more than enough power for most IEMs. X3 2nd gen sounds powerful with all earphone / IEMs I've tested. Therefore, IMHO, the more refined sound quality of Fiio X3 2nd gen with its spacious holographic imaging is preferable than the high power output of the X3. I've also tested X3 2nd gen to drive some full size headphones, Philips Fidelio X1, Philips SHP9500, Shure SRH840, Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 & Audio-Technica ATH-M50, no driving issue at all, X3 2nd gen drove them with full authority, spacious imaging, detailed, with good quality & powerful bass. Really impressive to hear this little player drives those full size headphones, it really has good driving power.  

Beside the imaging quality that impresses me most, X3 2nd gen has a very neutral tonality. It has excellent detail, clarity, and transparency, at the level that is just right, before entering to the analytical region. Both line and headphone outputs have good bass and treble extension. Dynamic is surprisingly quite lively. Transient is fast and snappy. Bass has good punch and speed, with good texture, at neutral level, without any bass emphasize or de-emphasized. Detail and clarity are excellent, clean sounding with realistic transparency, without sounding analytical. The headphone output can drive some low impedance full size headphones really well, with sound quality that pretty much conveys the quality of the DAC, and relatively sounds as good as the line output.  

It could be due to the dual clocks in X3 2nd gen are very well implemented and perform better than X3 clock, or it could also be due to better design of the analogue output stage, or other improvements. But one thing for sure, Fiio have done it well on X3 2nd gen. It is not only feature rich, but to my ears it has the sound quality that is simply punches through its suggested price tag. Overall I rated it a little less than 5 stars due to mostly the quality of the LCD display, and playlist management that could be improved. But for sound quality alone, I would rate it 5 stars. Kudos to Fiio!  

 
 

Pros:

Exceptional sound quality from such a small and affordable player.
Feature rich. It has almost everything we could expect from a modern player in this category.
Sleep / Hibernation mode.
Good battery life.
Very good all-metal chassis build quality with excellent EMI immunity.
 

Cons:

LCD display could be improved, especially for day time outdoor usage.
Not the best playlist management.
Silicon protective cover easily attracts dust and lint.
 

Suggestions for improvement:

Higher contrast and better resolution LCD display.
Better material for the protective cover, material that doesn't attracts dust and lint. 
Beside 'pure mode' line output, fix gain and without equalizer, it would be a nice feature if user can choose to enable volume and equalizer for the line & SPDIF output.
Option to enable headphone output when the line or SPDIF output is connected.
Option to enable and disable battery charging in USB DAC mode.
Option to disable volume lock feature when screen is off.
Larger database capacity for the library to manage more than 5800 songs.
Automatic playlists such as: Recently played lists, Most frequently played lists, and Recently added lists.
 


 
 

 

 

Sound Quality & Comparisons

 

The sound signature of Fiio X3 2nd gen is clean, detailed, spacious, and transparent, without sounding analytic. The detail and transparency sound natural, and not over emphasized to make it entering the analytic category. Overall tonality is neutral with very good spaciousness and driving power. It significantly sounds more spacious, with better imaging than the older X3. Clarity and detail are also improved from X3. X3 2nd gen is not a warm and mellow sounding type of player, but also not the harsh and analytic type. It has excellent perceived detail with the right level of smoothness to make it sounds musical. Driving power is good on X3 2nd gen, most of IEMs and full headphones I tried with it sound well driven.  

Personally I'm impressed with the sound quality of Fiio X3 2nd gen, and it has been my daily player for the last 2 months now. I found that it has good matching ability with most of the IEMs and headphones I tried, with my favourite pair would be to pair it with DUNU DN-2000. Simply a wonderful sounding portable system, probably one of the best neutral sounding portable system for under $500. Beside DN-2000, ATH-IM50 also matches beautifully with X3 2nd gen. The transparent and spacious X3 2nd gen complements the warm and bassy signature of IM50 really well. Resulting a full and spacious sounding, powerful bass with clear and full bodied mids, and silky smooth treble. Listening to both DN-2000 and ATH-IM50 paired with Fiio X3 2nd gen, are truly addictive.  

 
 

Previously DX90 was my daily player since last year, now using X3 2nd gen for 2 months somehow I don't feel that I missed my DX90. They have different sound signature, and DX90 still has slightly better transparency and treble sparkles, but X3 2nd gen sound quality is good enough to make me not missing my DX90 for daily commuting. X3 2nd gen smaller size is also more comfortable in the pocket.  

Pairing Fiio X3 2nd gen with portable amplifier Fiio E12DIY (Op-Amp OPA827 + Buffer LME49600), I was simply impressed by how well they drive my Sennheiser HD800. They manage to give body to HD800 mids and bass, while maintaining good detail and transparency. While not really quite up to the level of good tube desktop amp which I prefer for HD800, this small system is good enough that I would confidently bring them around in a headphone meet or local shops to test IEMs and headphones. Recently I brought this pair, X3 2nd gen + E12DIY to a local shop to audition MrSpeakers Ether, and they don't disappoint. They have good tonality, power, with excellent detail and imaging. Impressive!  



 
Testing MrSpeakers Ether at local headphone shop
 

 

 

Comparisons

During the more than 2 months period, I've compared it with other players:
Fiio X3 (1st generation, Ver. 3.3)
Apple iPod 6th Generation 80 GB (Ver. 1.1.2)
iBasso DX90 (Ver. 2.1.0)
Astell&Kern AK100 (Ver. 2.4)  

As for the Fiio X3 2nd gen itself, the latest firmware version I tried for this review is version 1.1.  

Main headphones and earphones used for comparisons:
Audio-Technica MSR-7, Shure SRH840, Yamaha HPH-200, DUNU-DN2000, DUNU-DN-1000, DUNU Titan 1, and ATH-IM50.  

 

Comparison with Fiio X3 (1st generation)

Fiio X3 is using Wolfson WM8740 professional DAC and AD8397 high current op-amp. Fiio X3 2nd gen is using Cirrus Logic's top-flight CS4398 DAC and OPA1642+LMH6643 for the amp section. To me, X3 2nd gen is totally a different player than X3 1st gen. What puts them together is only their price which is within the $300 price bracket. Other than that they don't have many things in common.
 

Most noticeable difference in sound character is the imaging. Switching from X3 to X3 2nd gen I can hear better, and more spacious soundstage, better depth, and clearer instrument separation. X3 soundstage sounds a little flat and congested when compared to X3 2nd gen. The 3D & spacious imaging adds a lot of pleasure in music listening, and probably the best improvement of X3 2nd gen over X3.  

Besides that, X3 2nd gen sounds more transparent than X3, not much, but audible. Nothing wrong with X3 treble, but X3 2nd gen sounds like it has smoother upper treble extension, so treble sounds silky smooth, more airy and transparent. X3 2nd gen has slightly better micro detail, and sound slightly more refined than X3.  

There is also improvement on power efficiency on X3 2nd gen, it doesn't heat up as much as X3. X3 will gets quite warm after sometime, especially when kept in less ventilated place, like in a bag or pocket. So far I didn't have any heat issue with X3 2nd gen, at max it only gets a little warm. Power efficiency seems to be better on X3 2nd gen, smaller battery, yet longer playing hour and less heat. Beside that I also found the navigation is a little easier on X3 2nd gen, requires less button clicks with the scroll wheel.  

 
 
 

Aside from their sound quality, in my opinion, the following are some features of each model that can be considered better than the other:  

X3 1st generation:
1. Analog circuit bass and treble adjustment that sounds good, and works even when playing high resolution PCM and DSD format, where digital EQ of both models doesn't work for DSD, and only works up to 48 kHz PCM.
2. More powerful headphone output.  

X3 2nd generation:
1. Plays DSD 128 and DSD ISO image. Well, practically to me this feature is not very important, but YMMV.
2. More efficient battery consumption, less heat and slightly longer playing time.
3. Scroll wheel for easier navigation.
4. Hibernation mode.
5. Playback from USB OTG storage.  

Both are excellent players in their category. Sound quality wise, both won't disappoint at their price point. Features wise, easy to use and user friendliness, I prefer X3 2nd gen.  

 

Comparison with Apple iPod 6th Generation 80 GB

My iPod is probably too old to be compared with the new X3 2nd gen, but just for comparison sake I will write a brief comparison between them.
 

The 2 x 30mW iPod headphone output is no match for the X3 2nd gen more powerful headphone output. X3 2nd gen has better driving power, bass has better texture, tighter, and punchier than iPod. Fiio X3 2nd gen also has better detail and faster transient. Upper treble is more extended on X3 2nd gen, and overall sounds more transparent than iPod.  

I used my iPod classic for years, and it is more or less retired early last year. It is a nice sounding player, smooth, polite, with friendly sound characteristic, but it is rather too old, and doesn't offer many features as compared to modern players. Limited playable formats, no line output, no USB DAC function, etc. But I think iPod has better UI, and especially the automatic playlists, the recently added, recently played, and Top 25 most played playlists are quite useful.  

Size comparison with Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPod classic 6th gen.
 

 

Comparison with Astell&Kern AK100 (first generation)

AK100 20 ohms output impedance might not be suitable for some multi drivers IEMs, so for fair comparison, I mostly use single driver IEM, but also tried the DN-1000 and DN-2000 hybrid just for comparison. For example, DUNU DN-2000 has wonderful matching with X3 2nd gen, it sounds transparent and holographic, with excellent detail. on AK100, DN-2000 bass is slightly boosted, and treble level is slightly less than X3 2nd gen. Overall still sounds balanced and enjoyable, and I do like AK100 pairing with DN-2000. With DN-1000, the difference is even more audible, as DN-1000 starting to lose its transparency on AK100.
The difference is quite audible between X3 2nd gen & AK100 when comparing them using multi driver IEM.
 

Operation wise, X3 2nd gen feels quicker and more responsive than AK100. Probably due to simpler OS and the lack of touch screen. As for the size, AK100 is smaller. About similar width and thickness, but much shorter.  

AK100 sounds warmer and a little smoother than X3 2nd gen. AK100 also has slightly stronger and fuller bass presence. While X3 2nd gen sounds more transparent and open sounding. Vocal sounds fuller and more intimate on AK100, and overall I do prefer the smooth and intimate vocal on AK100 for pop music. If you like open sounding vocal, X3 2nd gen vocal sounds a tad more open and transparent. But the difference is not much. I also notice that the perceived transient is slightly faster on X3 2nd gen. Both have good imaging, with excellent detail and dynamic. Though the price difference is quite high here, IMHO X3 2nd gen doesn't sound inferior to AK100. They do have different character, but I don't hear one player to be inferior to the other. It is all depending on personal preferences, as well as matching the right earphone to the player. For example with ATH-IM50, X3 2nd gen transparent signature really helps to balance the warm and bassy signature of the IM50, in this case, better than AK100. While AK100 might be better on other pairing. In general, those who like smooth & warm character with stronger bass will find AK100 is preferable, while those who prefer transparency will find X3 2nd gen is really a good deal.  

 

Comparison with iBasso DX90

DX90 sounds a little more transparent and powerful than X3 2nd gen, with better dynamic. DX90 treble sounds more extended with more treble sparkles. It also makes DX90 a little more prone to sibilant as compared to X3 2nd gen. Bass punches harder and fuller on DX90. Both the sparkling treble and more powerful bass make DX90 sounds livelier. But vocal sounds a little smoother on X3 2nd gen, less grain, more focused and rounded. Sometime I do like vocal of the X3 2nd gen a little better than DX90, especially with matching IEMs such as DN-2000 and ATH-IM50. DX90 vocal may sounds a little sharp and grainy sometime. But again it comes back to matching. With smooth sounding full size headphones like my new ATH-R70x, DX90 sounds better, more open sounding with better detail.
 

Soundstage presentation is rather different between the two. DX90 imaging is perceived wider, while X3 2nd gen is perceived deeper. Both have excellent capability to produce 3D holographic imaging.  

I observed that sound quality between low and high gain on X3 2nd gen is quite consistent. While on DX90 I always set it to high gain due to noticeably better sound quality at high gain. DX90 sounds tighter with better driving capability at high gain.  

Though in general, I feel that DX90 is still a better sounding player, but the difference is not night and day despite of the double price. And X3 2nd gen comes pretty close.  


Size comparison with AK100 & DX90:
 
 
 
 

 

 

Features & Measurement

 

Fiio has listed most of the features of X3 2nd gen here:
http://www.fiio.net/en/products/39
 
The following are some of the features I would like to highlight or have been tested.  

Line Output & SPDIF Coaxial Output

Beside the headphone output, there is a switchable multi-function output, for analogue line output and digital SPDIF coaxial output. Selection is done in system settings menu. Headphone output is disconnected when line output or SPDIF output is connected.
 

 
 

Line output level is fix at 1.45 Vrms (measured 1.46 Vrms), bypassing the digital volume control and digital equalizer. Probably due to the limitation of the battery voltage, the level is slightly below the standard 2 Vrms for line output. Some users provided feedback that it would be nice if there is an option to enable variable gain and equalizer for the line output.  

SPDIF coaxial output connector pin assignment is different than the X3 and iBasso DX90. That means, we cannot use SPDIF cable from X3, for the X3 2nd gen SPDIF output. Older X3 and DX90 use the Tip and Shield of the 3.5 mm connector for SPDIF output. X3 2nd gen use the 4 poles TRRS 3.5 mm connector. From the Tip, Ring 1, Ring 2, & Shield (TRRS), X3 2nd gen SPDIF output uses the Ring 2 and Shield poles. Ring 2 connected to the ground or shield of the RCA connector, while the Shield pole of the 3.5 mm connected to the Tip of the RCA connector. So it is similar to CTIA standard for TRRS phone connector, the SPDIF coaxial output uses the microphone pole for the SPDIF signal. The new arrangement is quite make sense, since the SPDIF is sharing the same port with the line output.  

 
 

The SPDIF coaxial output works for all PCM sampling rates from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz, including 88.2 kHz and 176.4 kHz. SPDIF output sampling frequency follows the sampling frequency of the audio file.  

The interesting part of the SPDIF output is when X3 2nd gen playing DSD64 files. Instead of muting, the SPDIF output will output 88.2 kHz PCM signal, converted from the DSD64 files. So X3 2nd gen functions as DSD to PCM converter. Brilliant! But please take note, DSD128 is not supported by the SPDIF output, therefore when the multi-function output is set to 'Coax Out', DSD128 files are not playable. In order to play DSD128, the output must be set to Line Out.  

 
 

CTIA Inline Remote

Another interesting feature is the compatibility with inline remote. Using earphones or IEMs with microphone and inline remote, the remote middle answer button functions as the following on X3 2nd gen:
1 click: Play or stop
2 clicks: Next song
3 clicks: Previous song
 

Please take note, X3 2nd gen only supports the more common CTIA standard, not the less common OMTP headphone jack standard. More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)
 
 

USB DAC & USB OTG

Beside a standalone player, X3 2nd gen also functions as USB DAC. All PCM sampling rates from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz are supported, including DSD64 format. DSD128 is not supported in DAC mode. Probably not yet. DSD playback method in foobar is using the common DoP Marker setting.
 

 
 
 

The micro B USB port also supports USB OTG storage. Using the common USB OTG cable for Android smartphone or tablet, X3 2nd gen can access flash storage connected to the OTG cable. I tested PNY 128GB USB 3.0 flash drive (formatted in exFAT), as well as Transcend USB 3.0 card reader to read micro SD, so far the OTG function works well. This feature is quite useful especially if we have a full micro SD in the player, but want to try some audio files with the player. Simply copy the files to a flash drive, and plug it to the OTG cable.  

 
 

Storage

Officially supported file format is FAT32, up to 128GB maximum capacity, and it is recommended to use the player to format the micro SD card. Nevertheless, I found that X3 2nd generation (firmware v1.1) supports exFAT file system as well. At the time of this review, I haven't seen this feature mentioned on Fiio website, but I have tested both 64GB micro SD and 128GB USB flash drive connected using OTG cable, both formatted in exFAT, and both were supported by X3 2nd gen. I have tested exFAT cluster size 32kb, 128kb, and 256kb, all work. Though during testing, exFAT file system works fine most of the time, but some users reported that occasionally they have issues playing 24/192 PCM files and DSD files from exFAT storage. exFAT support is probably still in early stage and need further development, but this is a good sign to support larger storage in the future.
 

 

Media Library

The media library scanning is quite fast, faster than DX90 and AK100. It scans 1114 songs in about 21 seconds. Currently, with firmware 1.1, media library maximum capacity is 5800 songs. Not sure if the capacity will be expanded in future firmware update, but IMHO, 5800 is generally sufficient for 64GB storage. With 64 GB micro SD, in average we could use around 59.5 GB of storage space. Averaging some of my collection, around 2739 songs, a mixture of MP3 320kbps & AAC 512kbps, resulting an approximate of 11 MB file size per song. It means, for high quality lossy formats, 59.5 GB could hold around 5400 songs. Most of my songs are in FLAC format (mixture of standard and high resolution), which is in average around 4-5 times larger than 320 kbps MP3 file. Therefore the 5800 songs of media library capacity is quite sufficient for 64 GB storage, especially for mixture of lossy and lossless formats. But when 128 GB is getting cheaper and more popular, it might not be enough for a collection with mostly lossy formats.
 

But please take note, that this 5800 capacity is 'Media Library' capacity, and not X3 2nd gen file browsing capacity. The file browser is not limited by the media library capacity. We can have 128GB storage with much more than 5800 songs, and we can browse them all using the file browsing feature. Since most of my song collections are folder organized, I never used the media library so far, and always use file browser to select songs. So the 5800 limitation is not relevant if we browse our songs using file browser. But I could imagine if in the future the playlist management has been much improved, more will start using the media library function, and with 128GB storage, the 5800 capacity will need to be expanded.  

 

File Formats

Tested the following file formats & sampling rate, except the DXD format, all are playable, including DSD files, both DSF and DFF format, in both DSD64 and DSD128 resolution.
 

 
 
 
 

CD & SACD Image

Supporting various common audio formats is probably not something unique these days, but playing CD images and SACD ISO images directly from the player is not what many portable players claim able to do. This is especially useful for those who backup their collection of CDs and SACDs as images.
 

I've tested the following CD images format:
CD_Image.ape + CD_Image.cue
CD_Image.flac + CD_Image.cue
CD_Image.wav + CD_Image.cue  

 

All are playable on X3 2nd gen. Only gapless playback on CD image is still not perfect, with a very short, probably around 0.3-0.4 second gap. Hopefully future firmware upgrade will fix it.  

The neat way to organize the image files is probably to put each of the image file in a separate folder, with proper naming. But we have the option to put all the CD images together in the same folder. The displayed artwork for the CD Image playback will follow the file name of the CD image file. So just name the artwork jpeg files accordingly, with the same file name as the associated CD image, and X3 2nd gen will display the artwork accordingly.  

 
 
 
 

Also tested SACD ISO image that was placed in a folder together with artwork jpeg file with different file name, and X3 2nd gen has no problem displaying the artwork file while playing the SACD ISO file.  

Please take note some of the following limitations for DSD playback. Some SACD ISO images might be in DST format (compressed DSD) and is not supported by X3 2nd gen. The solution is to convert the ISO image to DFF files, with DST to DSD conversion option selected. When I found some the SACD ISO images were not playable by X3 2nd gen, I was not aware of the DST codec. I have to thank @WayneWoondirts for the tips to check the DST codec! ISO image in DST format may be converted to DFF files using Sonore ISO2DSD (freeware). The other limitation is surround DSD files. Fiio X3 2nd gen is a stereo player, meaning DSD 5.0 and 5.1 files are not supported. Only 2.0 DSD file is supported.  

 

Display Quality & User Interface

There is not much improvement for the LCD display from previous X3, most probably to keep the cost low. But I do hope that in the next generation X3, Fiio would improve the quality of the LCD display, especially to improve the contrast & resolution. It is difficult to use the display in bright outdoor condition. And it would be nice to have higher resolution display.
 

 
 

In my opinion, the new wheel navigation is preferable over the buttons navigation on the old X3. The X3 2nd gen wheel and buttons arrangement are quite intuitive and easy to use. User interface has also been improved and quite user friendly.  

What I would like to be improved is the back button behaviour and playlist management.  

1. I prefer for the back button to have the following behaviour:
Short click from the currently playing song is dedicated to always bring back one level up to the song file directory, or one level up of the playlist hierarchy, for example back to the list of songs in the album.
Currently, once we long press the back button to go to the home menu, when we go back to the currently playing song, when we short click the back button, it won't bring us back to the song's folder or album, but goes back to home menu.  

2. Automatic playlists such as:
Recently played:
Songs; Albums; Folders; Artists
Most frequently played:
Songs; Albums; Folders; Artists
Recently added:
Songs; Albums; Folders; Artists  

Something like this:
 
 

Equalizer

Equalizer is standard 10 bands digital equalizer with +/- 6 dB adjustment. Equalizer only works for PCM files with sampling rate 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. It doesn't function for higher sampling rate and DSD files. When EQ is on, it reduces the whole level by 6 dB to provide a 6 dB headroom for EQ adjustment.
 

 
 

This is quite a common implementation in today's digital audio players. I would like to suggest a slightly different approach to Fiio (and other vendors). I suggest integrating the digital volume and the digital equalizer, so headroom calculation can be done in an integrated manner. Instead of cutting the volume by 6 dB immediately when EQ is activated, why not just reduce the maximum volume instead. For example, if maximum volume is let say 18 dB without EQ, when EQ is activated maximum volume is reduced to 12 dB max, providing the 6 dB headroom for EQ. The digital volume control is limited to 12 at max when EQ is activated, instead of 18 dB max without EQ. The reason is, when using IEMs, we seldom use near the maximum volume, so there will be some headroom from digital volume control that can be used for EQ. When EQ is activated, users don't have to experience that the overall volume is reduced, because EQ is using the leftover headroom from the digital volume control. Only the maximum level of the volume control is reduced when EQ is activated. In headroom calculation, it might looks the same, but different user experience, since user no longer has to adjust the volume when activating EQ.  

For example, maximum volume of X3 2nd gen is at level 120, and -6 dB from maximum is at level 108 (the same for both high and low gain). So, just make it that when equalizer is enabled, reduce the ceiling of maximum volume level from 120 to 108. Most of the time my listening volume with my IEMs, DN-2000, DN-1000, ATH-IM50 are only in the range from 40 to 70. If the ceiling of max volume is lowered from 120 to 108, it is not affecting the playback volume, and I don't have to adjust the volume when enabling equalizer. My 2 cents  

 

Power Management and Battery

Mentioned earlier, the newly implemented sleep / hibernation feature is a very welcomed feature. Sleep when idle can be set between 1 to 8 minutes. Sleep mode is indicated by blue LED. The LED will turn off when in sleep mode, and the player consumes less than 5 mW of battery power. To activate the player, press the power button.
 

From my experience, battery life is pretty good. Though battery life varies by many factors, with more than 2 months of almost daily use, I don't feel the battery capacity is lacking.  

X3 2nd gen uses similar 0.8 mm P2 pentalobe screws to those found on the iPhone 4. Using the pentalobe screwdriver from generic smartphone tool kit, we can open the back of the X3 2nd gen. Pictures below shown the battery and circuit board or the X3 2nd gen. The battery seems to be removable.  

 
 
 
DIY expert might know how to open the battery connector.
 
 

EMI Rejection

As mentioned earlier, the X3 2nd gen all-metal chassis design has improved the EMI rejection from the first generation X3. X3 also has metal chassis, but EMI rejection is not as good as the X3 2nd gen. Using X3 2nd gen, now I'm no longer annoyed by EMI when holding the audio player side by side with my smartphone.
 

The following video is showing a simple EMI test using the base of home DECT phone. The base of DECT phone is transmitting consistent radio signal, that easily interfered audio players on close distant. A simple electromagnetic transmitter for EMI test.  

 
 

The test setup is simple:
4 players: Fiio X3, Fiio X3 2nd gen, iBasso DX90, & Astell&Kern AK100.
All players were set to high gain (except AK100 which doesn't have gain adjustment), and the volume was set to 0.5 Vrms when playing 0 dBFS 100 Hz sine wave. So output level were equal.
During the test all players were playing silent track.
Headphone output of DUT (Device Under Test) connected to Line Input 1 (Left) and 2 (Right) of Zoom H6, gain set to 7.
Zoom H6 headphone output connected to a small active speaker (Creative Woof), to monitor the sound of the EMI noise.
Video recording was using Panasonic DMC-FZ1000. Sound in the video was recorded from the speaker sound using the FZ1000 build-in mic. No audio post processing.  

http://youtu.be/OQsoGI-uzYE

 

From the Zoom H6 recorded file, we can see that Fiio X3 2nd gen has the best EMI immunity from other players in the test.  

 
 

Headphone Output

The following is some measurement of the headphone output. I don't have lab grade accuracy measurement instruments, or dedicated audio analyzer, so the measurement result should be taken as estimated value.
 

Low gain maximum output voltage at 600 ohms: 1.345 Vrms / 3.8 Vpp
High gain maximum output voltage at 600 ohms: 2.69 Vrms / 7.6 Vpp  

Low gain output impedance: 0.34 ohm
High gain output impedance: 0.39 ohm  

 
 

Measured power output:

My digital oscilloscope doesn't do THD measurement, but it has FFT feature. Power output criteria is maximum output at less than 1% THD. To estimate the maximum output voltage before the waveform get distorted, I visually monitor the waveform on oscilloscope, and monitor the FFT window to keep the harmonic distortion is less than 40 dB (100 times) from the main frequency.
 

Maximum volume before distortion, at 20Hz & 200Hz on 15 ohms load (at volume 106 - high gain):
 
 
 

Waveform started to get distorted, at 20Hz & 200Hz on 15 ohms load (at volume 107 - high gain):
 
 
 

For low impedance load, I made a custom cable as shown below, where the load is connected using 4 pins XLR. This way I can use the cable with various load, including balanced headphone.  

 
 

Maximum output voltage at high gain, at 15 ohms load:
At 20 Hz: 1.157 Vrms (volume @ 106)
At 200 Hz: 1.167 Vrms (volume @ 106)
Average: 1.162 Vrms
Maximum current at 15 ohms load: 1.162 / 15 = 77.5 mA  

Maximum output voltage (Vrms) at high gain, at 600 ohms load: 2.69 Vrms  

Calculated maximum power output @ 32 ohms: 192 mW
Calculated maximum power output @ 300 ohms: 24 mW  

 

Line Output:

Measured output impedance: 99 ohms
Measured maximum output voltage: 1.46 Vrms
Line output is fix gain, bypassing the digital volume control and digital equalizer.
 

 

RMAA Test Results

Audio interface for RMAA test is using HRT LineStreamer+. HRT LineStreamer+ doesn't have any gain at the input stage, so it is a direct connection to the ADC stage, at 24bit-96kHz sampling rate. Line output is connected directly to HRT LS line input as shown below, while headphone output is connected with 600 ohms load (different cable).
 

 
 

Please take note:

RMAA test is only as good as the quality of the audio interface used for the measurement. And in most cases, only useful for verification purpose of the audio quality within the 20Hz to 20 kHz range. For example, most audio interface line input only have linear frequency response up to around 20 kHz, if I measure an amplifier with flat frequency response up to 100 kHz (which is common), RMAA test result will only shows frequency response up to 20 kHz. In this case RMAA test result doesn't reflect the frequency response of the amplifier under test, but the frequency response of the line input of the audio interface. Besides that, noise and total harmonic distortion result are also affected by the performance of the line input interface, which in many cases has inferior specification than the tested unit. Once again please take note, RMAA test is only for verification purpose, and not accurately reflecting the real specification of the equipment.
 

Sampling mode: 24-bit, 96 kHz
Fiio X3 2nd Generation Outputs: Line Output, Headphone Output at Low Gain & High Gain.



 
The frequency response (FR) graph is pretty close to the official FR graph published by Fiio. The HRT LineStreamer+ FR is 20Hz-20kHz in +0 / -.4 dB tolerance, so won't get better result than that even if the player FR is flatter. From the individual output result, I don't see any issue with channel imbalance. Output level balance between Left and Right channels is good.  

 

 

That concludes my Fiio X3 2nd generation review. It is a wonderful audio player, very reasonably priced, with performance that exceeds many other players in the category. Congrats to Fiio!



 
   

 

Additional pictures:

 

Accessories:
 
Fiio X3 2nd gen comes with silicon protection case and screen protector. One of the screen protector already applied to the player from factory.  

 

User Guide:
 
 
 

System Settings:
 
 
 
 

Play Settings:
 
 
 

Equipment used in this review:

 

Headphones:
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica MSR7LTD
Audio-Technica M50
Philips Fidelio X1
Philips SHP9500
Sennheiser HD 800
Shure SRH840
Yamaha HPH-200
 

Earphones / IEMs:
Audio-Technica ATH-IM50
Audio-Technica ATH-IM70
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000
DUNU Titan 1  

DAPs, DACs & Headphone Amplifiers:
Apple iPod Classic 6th gen 80GB
Astell&Kern AK100 (loan)
Fiio X3
Fiio X3 2nd gen
Fiio E12DIY (Op-Amp OPA827 + Buffer LME49600)
iBasso DX90
ifi micro iDSD (firmware 4.06)
Mytek Stereo192-DSD  

Computer & Player:
DIY Desktop PC: Gigabyte GA-H77-D3H-MVP motherboard, Intel i7-3770, 16 GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1.
foobar2000 v1.3.3  

Measurement & Other Instrument:
Amprobe Digital Multimeter AM-160
Amprobe Pocket Meter PM51A
Owon VDS3102 Digital Storage Oscilloscope
Velleman PCSU 200 PC Scope & Generator
Zoom H6  

 

Some recordings used in this review:

 

Video review of the Fiio X3 Second Generation player.
 
  
 
DSD SQ comparison:

Before I get into my review, I should state that I received a pre-production unit from Fiio as part of their pre-release “World Tour.” I got to keep the unit for 10 days, during which I used it extensively, before sending it on to the next reviewer on the Canadian tour. I did not have to pay for the unit (only to forward it to the next reviewer), and unfortunately do not get to keep it. Because I was reviewing a pre-production unit running beta firmware, it is quite possible that release models will feature changes and/or improvements to hardware and firmware over what is reflected here.
 
In my review I did comparisons using the X3 1^st generation, Fiio E12A and Cypher Labs Picollo amps, and Sennheiser HD598 and Sony XBA-H1 headphones. I also did extensive general listening using the previously listed headphones in addition to the RHA MA750 and Audio Technica ATH CKX9. All of the above equipment is my own, paid for by me.
 
Early news of the X3 update had it called a number of things, including X3K and X3ii. The literature that came with my review unit explained that Fiio’s naming conventions are changing, and that the update will be sold as the X3 on release, with the term “2^nd Generation” to set it apart from the original. For the sake of my fingers, I’ll call the new model “2G” in this review, and the original “1G.”
 
While I’ve been a music lover for decades, I am relatively new to the MidFi/HiFi/Head-Fi game, especially high quality portable audio equipment, and this is my first review. I haven’t listened to a lot of different equipment (certainly nothing in the high price, TOTL realm), so this is very much a review by a newbie, for other newbies.
 
Unboxing and First Impressions:
 
Box and notes from Fiio about the review process. Box still says X3K, but, as noted, the production model will be X3 (2nd Generation), and will simply say “X3” on the packaging.
 

 
Stuff that came with the review unit: USB cable, coaxial adaptor, 2 spare screen protectors in addition to one pre-installed, 3 sets of "body armour" stickers, and a rubberized protective case. The case is thicker and more substantial than the one that came with the 1G. Not 100% sure if this is what will come with the production models.
 

 
The unit itself: The 2G has a gorgeous finish! Full metal jacket, good heft and nicely finished all over. Feels significantly more high-end than the 1G. Horizontal screen, mechanical scroll wheel with select button in centre, menu button top-left, back button top-right, and track forward/backward at bottom of scroll wheel. Layout very sensible and intuitive.
 

 
Top Side: Headphone Out jack and switchable Line Out/Coax
 

 
Left Side: Power button and volume controls. Volume can also be controlled during playback using the scroll wheel by pressing and holding the select button in the middle.
 

 
Right Side: Micro SD slot. That is all.
 

 
Bottom: Micro USB, for charging and DAC usage. Little LED below the scroll wheel glows blue when X3 is powered on, red when charging and green when charging is complete.
 

 
2G, E12A and 1G side-by-side. In my opinion, the 2G’s colour is a better match with the E12A than the 1G.
 

 
2G and 1G are about the same thickness. 2G is about 1 mm wider than 1G (2 mm when in their cases). 2G is significantly shorter, and has a really nice hand-feel (fitting perfectly in the palm). I never was a big fan of the 1G’s elongated shape.
 

 
Other impressions:

1. As a long-time iPod user, the scroll wheel is so much more intuitive than the 1G’s diagonally arranged buttons. I’ve gotten used to the 1G over time, but it still feels clunky. I actually prefer the Fiio mechanical scroll wheel over the old iPod tactile wheel.
2. The 2G’s micro SD slot is recessed (as in, the card doesn’t stick out at all). This is an improvement over the 1G in my mind, where the SD card stuck out just a smidgeon.
3. The 2G lacks internal memory: This is one of only two faults I could find with the new X3. I have two 64 GB micro SD cards at the moment, one with Classical music, and one with Jazz, Rock, Pop, Funk, etc. With the 1G’s 8GB of on-board memory, I could have a few favourite, heavy rotation albums at my finger tips at all times without having to switch out SD cards. This is a relatively minor quibble, but a quibble nonetheless.
4. Protective silicon case: The 2G’s black silicon case is sturdier and more attractive than the 1G’s rather flimsy clear case. That said, the 2G case attracts lint lie a magnet. Again, a minor annoyance, but an annoyance.
5. User interface: I far prefer the horizontal display and user interface of the 2G over the vertical display and zig-zaggy arrangement of the icons and options on the 1G. The 2G is far more intuitive.  I won’t go into detail about the UI as Brooko and twister6 do a great job of this in their extensive reviews.
6. Deep Sleep feature: Once the 2G has been powered on and booted up for the first time, the power button acts like a sleep/wake switch, with "instant-on" feature a massive improvement over having to wait through the 1G's full boot-up cycle every time you wake the device.

 
Comparative Listening Tests:
 
As an owner of an X3 1^st generation that I rarely use without either the Fiio E12A or Cypher Labs Picollo, my interest in comparing revolved around these three pieces of equipment. Even without having heard other DAPs (besides iDevices) before this review, I found the 1G to have shortcomings in sound quality, and so used it with an amp to improve sound quality and staging. Because I travel a fair bit for work and am also a runner, it would be nice to have a DAP that doesn’t require stacking with an amp when on the go, and my comparative tests were done with that in mind.
 
Test 1: X3 2^nd generation (FW0.22Beta) vs. X3 1^st generation (FW3.3)
 
Low Gain, EQ off, Sennheiser HD598. Tracks: Supertramp – Give A Little Bit (Even In The Quietest Moments), Joni Mitchell – Carey (Blue)
 

 
I found the 2G very slightly quieter at the same volume settings, but more balanced from low to high than the 1G. The 1G was more mid-forward with occasional sibilance in treble, some bass bleed into mids, and overall a bit muffled. The 2G mids were less prominent, with treble clearer and bass tighter and no bleed into mids. There was greater clarity and texture, and I could hear vocals and each instrument distinctly.
 
The 2G had wider soundstage and depth, with an airy freshness. Even listening un-amped, the SQ was rich and sonorous. The 1G felt like listening inside a cardboard box in comparison; sound didn’t “travel” anywhere. I stress "even listening un-amped" as I have always amped when using the HD598s with the 1G as the SQ is too restricted without. The sound quality and staging using the 2G unaided was thus a hugely pleasant surprise.
 
Test 2: 2G un-amped vs. 2G + E12A
 
Un-amped: Low Gain, EQ off, Sony XBA-H1. Amped: LO, Low Gain, EQ off, Bass Boost off, Sony XBA-H1. Track: Miles Davis – Blue In Green (Kind Of Blue)
 

 
I was surprised at how little difference I noticed between un-amped and amped. I found very slightly more instrumental separation and texture using the 2G with the E12A, but minimally so. What differences existed were certainly subtle. Trumpet and sax were perhaps a little clearer and brighter in the upper registers with the E12A. Piano was very slightly recessed through just the 2G un-amped, and cleaner and more prominent when combined with E12A.
 
I found that the 2G’s sound quality fell somewhere between the two E12A Bass Boost settings. The 2G alone was a touch more bass-forward than with the E12A and Bass Boost off, while the 2G + E12A combination was noticeably more bassy with boost on.
 
I also found soundstage differences minimal with the 2G un-amped and amped. Amping gave slightly more depth, but not to the level that I felt something was missing when listening to the 2G on its own. As mentioned already, this was a pleasant surprise as it means portability isn’t limited by the need to stack with an external amp.
 
Test 3: 2G un-amped vs. 2G + Cypher Labs Picollo
 
Un-amped: Low Gain, EQ off, Sennheiser HD598. Amped: LO, Low Gain, EQ off, Sennheiser HD598. Track: Wilhelm Kempff, Henryk Szeryng & Pierre Fournier – Beethoven Piano Trio No. 2
 
     
 
As with E12A, I didn’t find a huge difference with or without the Picollo. Kempff’s piano was ever so slightly more nuanced with the Picollo, but Szeryng’s violin was pretty much the same either way. Fournier’s cello was more textured (less buttery) without the amp in this case. The Picollo is described as a “warm” sounding amp, and that colouring came through compared to the 2G on its own, but not in a way that made me prefer one set-up over the other.
 
Conclusions of my A/B tests: First, the 2G is a significants step up on the 1G. Second, I felt less need to use an amp with the 2G compared to the 1G. I can happily use my IEMs and HD598s with just the 2G and not feel like I’m “missing out” on anything. Am less willing to use the 1G un-amped as sound quality and staging suffer. I realise that my headphones are all pretty easy to drive, so your mileage may (and probably will) vary if you’re using more power-hungry cans.
 
General, everyday listening:
 
In his review of the Pono music player on the InnerFidelity site (which I read a few days into my time with the new X3), Tyll Herstsens wrote, “Blind testing back and forth between gear may give me the opportunity to hear the differences between products, but it's difficult because most gear is only subtly different. But when it comes to long-term listening, those subtle differences can mean the large difference between an irritated or ecstatic experience.”
 
I have not listened to the Pono, and this is not a review of the Pono. As mentioned at the beginning of the review, I am relatively new to the audiophile world, and so my experience of DAPs up to now has been limited to iDevices and the X3 1^st generation, sometimes on their own but usually in concert with one of my portable headphone amps (E12A, Picollo and Meier Porta Corda III). But that thought from the Pono review stuck with me with regards to my listening for this one.
 
     
 
I listened to the X3 2^nd generation DAP a LOT in my 10 days with the unit, and found myself lost in my music – in listening ecstasy – over and over. Myaskovsky Cello Sonatas, Dusty Springfield, Miles Davis, Roxy Music, Gaelle, Thad Jones, Daft Punk, Beethoven Piano Trios, Rush, Doris Monteiro, Jean Michel Jarre, Al Di Meola, Rickie Lee Jones, Brahms Symphonies, Rodriguez, Supertramp, Billie Holiday, Pink Floyd, New Order, Haydn String Quartets, Fleetwood Mac, Etta James, Zero 7… I could go on (and already have a bit). In all the myriad musical styles and artistic stylings, I heard things and noticed nuances and sounds in songs and albums that I hadn’t heard or noticed previously with my other equipment.
 

 
While I did perform some A/B tests, and did find subtle and not-so-subtle differences in those tests, for me the experience in my everyday listening is what set the X3 2^nd generation apart. Immersing myself in the listening experience, letting it take me away, and suddenly realizing the quality of a horn passage, a thumping bass, an exquisite electric guitar riff, a textured cello, a swirling synthesizer, a syncopated drum rhythm, a soaring vocal, a wailing sax solo, a strummed acoustic guitar, or an intimate piano run… album after album, song after song, I had moments of connection with my music that raised goose-bumps. I listened a lot, and loved every minute of it, and my ears were never fatigued – never irritated. In a nutshell, my general listening experience made me feel the X3 2^nd generation is a special music player.
 
Conclusions:
 
If it isn’t obvious already, I seriously loved having the opportunity to play with the X3 2^nd generation. I really was disappointed when I had to send “my” unit on to the next reviewer. I’m sure there is a lot of equipment out there that is “better” than the 2G (for the prices charged for some of the more popular equipment I see hailed in audio forums and on Hi-Fi websites, I certainly hope they’re better), but I can’t imagine you’ll find more bang for your buck right now. For someone just entering the head-fi audio game, I truly believe you can’t go wrong with the X3 2^nd generation, and for those who’re already in it waist-deep, the 2G makes a strong case for consideration as your next addition to the DAP collection.
 
Thanks to Fiio for the opportunity to participate in the tour, and I hope this review was useful. If you have a question or comment, please leave feedback in the comments below.

FiiO X3 Generation 2  Review sample. 
 
From the start FiiO has given value for the money you spend. The new X3 Generation 2 continues the history of the value given for what you spend. Starting with the X3 and now the X3 G2, improvements have been made that add to the positive side of the equation on what you get. 
 
One the the first things the X3 G2 impressed me with, before we get to the sound, is the update user interface, UI. For me the X3 never jelled. I had to do too much thinking about what button did what, it wasn’t intuitive, to me. The new X3 washes that away and brings this DAP in with a new UI that is intuitive and functional. There is almost no learning curve, which bespeaks a well thought out concept on what the user goes through to get to what they want, music. The wheel and button placement is easy to follow and now is intuitive. 
 
The all aluminum body also has a great feel to it and should hold up to the unfortunate abuses that our DAPs occasionally go through, like the fall from a place on the desk or pocket and will be more unscathed and yes I do drop things or pull them off the desk from time to time. Forgetting that your headphones won’t reach 20 feet isn’t always helpful. 
 
The new X3 charges via the USB, which makes it easy to keep it ready to go as there are so many sources of usb charging now. There is a headphone output jack on top and on the opposite side to the right, is the combination line out and coax output. As a complete package the X3 G 2 pretty much as everything you need to use as a portable player, a source using the coax or a source feeding an external amp. 
 
For me a simple straightforward easy to use UI and enjoyable sound are pretty much on the same level. If I have to fumble around figuring out how to get to the music or switch to new music, even if the sound is excellent, the whole interaction is decreased. So with that in mind I am glad that the new X3 is easy to use and has a sound to match. How is the sound? 
 
I use the ESW10 Japan headphones quite a bit. They are a portable, though I don’t wear them when out and about but do take them with me on trips in a nice semisolid carrying case. They are on the ear phones that I am so familiar with, I can tell how music sounds or will sound on my much more expensive phones. To this end I used them most of the time with the X3 G2. For music type, I listen to most everything, favoring well recorded no matter the genre. I don’t enjoy mono much, never have and if it is hard panned right and left stereo with no depth, again, I don’t use the album much. 
 
Sound:
 
Even I often skip ahead after a short bit of reading of a review, wanting to know how something sounds, later, possibly, going back to the other details if I am further interested in the item, whatever it happens to be. 
 
The X3 G2 is a step up from the sound of the sound of the X3. It is more open, dynamic, more detailed, transparent and less warm. So how is that? I don’t enjoy a too warm sound as it covers the music in a thick blanket and I miss the contrasts and musical inspiration that I seek. The X3G2 isn’t cold sounding and slants to the warm but not enough to suck the life out of the music. 
 
On some favorite tracks that I listen to, Neil Young’s live acoustical album from 92, Dreamin’ Man Live 92, there is plenty of space around the sound, that live sound that is important to capture. There is good hall reverb retrieval to connect you with the event. The voice of Mr. Young, is caught with his slight strain unconventional sound is Neil Young’s voice. I enjoy his voice and if you can appreciate it, it has to be done right. I once had Fang of HiFiman listen to a cut I enjoy and he didn’t care for it. He thought Neil sound nasally and he does, a little but it is part of his charm. But if this is glossed over and the bite of his harmonica playing isn’t there, then neither is the essence of his music. 
 
Highs on the X3 G2 are thankfully free of grain, they are smooth and extended. The bass could have more definition but we are not talking about a 1200 or 2400 dollar DAP and for the approximately 200 dollars, the new X3 does a great job of conveying the music to your ears and the bass while not the most defined is not overblown, which can detract from the music. I had no problem driving most all my headphones from the Foster TH900, HiFiman HE-560 and various IEM’s. 
 
Summary:
 
So what do you get with the X3 Generation 2? You get a well laid out machine. It is versatile, easy to use with a great UI, a solid body and some accessories to take care of your needs for charging from a 5 volt source, external amp or digital transfer to another dac and you get a silicon slip on case to protect your conveyor of musical enjoyment! 
 
Looks like to me, for a small package, if you want to have fun and enjoy your music the X3 Generation 2 is waiting for you. 
 
 
Support for: 
Native DSD 64 and 128
AIFF
APE
FLAC 
ALAC
WMA
WAV
MP3 and 2
 
Full specifications can be found here: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/39/parameters

DISCLAIMER

 
I was provided the new X3 as a review sample as part of the U.S. tour. There is no financial incentive from Fiio in writing this review.  I am in no way affiliated with Fiio, and this is my honest opinion of the new X3.  I would like to thank Joe & James from Fiio for giving me the opportunity to test drive the new X3.
 
 
ABOUT ME

 
I'm a 43 year old father who loves music. From electronic (Autechre, Boards of Canada) to modern/minimalist composition (John Cage, Philip Glass) to alternative rock (Flaming Lips, Radiohead) to jazz (John Coltrane and Miles Davis) to metal (Behemoth, King Diamond) to classic rock (Eagles, Rush), I listen to a wide variety of genres and artists. 
 
My portable music journey started with the venerable Sony Cassette Walkman and then progressed to portable CD players, minidisc recorders (still have my Sharp DR7), and finally on to DAPs like the Rio Karma, iRiver IHP-120 (just picked a lightly-used IHP-140 for nostalgia's sake), iPod 5.5, iPhones, and the newer crop of DAPs from Fiio and iBasso. 
 
I typically listen with IEMs from my ever-growing collection from budget to mid-fi. Less often, I grab a pair of full-size cans. Recently, I've been listening a lot with Brainwavz S0 & S5, Heir 4Ai-s, Philips Fidelio L1, and Vsonic VSD5. You can always check my profile for a reasonably up to date gear list. 
 
As with a lot of people my age, I've got some hearing issues. I've got mild tinnitus and suffer from allergies, which often affect hearing in my right ear. I'll admit it, I'm not blessed with a pair of golden ears. That said, I've been listening to portable gear for a long time and feel confident in assessing audio gear - just wanted to be transparent up front. 
 

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INTRO

 
Previous reviews have great unboxing pics, specs, and a full accessories list. I'm not going to duplicate that effort and will instead focus on a more experiential take on the new X3. I will say that if you've purchased a Fiio product recently, the unboxing experience will be very familiar and you get all the accessories you need to get up and running and protect your new DAP. And it's really nice that the X3 comes with screen and rear protection films pre-applied. Thumbs-up, Fiio! Do you (and your new X3's) a favor though, and buy a Dignis leather case for it when they become available - you will not be disappointed!
 
Glamor Shot #1: New X3 + Philips Fidelio L1

 

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BUILD & ERGONOMICS

 
My first reaction after opening the box was, "Whoa, this thing is tiny!"  When I lifted it from the box, I was reassured by the weight. It may be smaller than I expected, but it felt really solid - especially compared to the old X3 which felt light for its size. I was also struck by how attractive it is with careful attention to detail and gunmetal finish. 
 
As I turned it on and started to play with the controls, I was again impressed by how well-centered all the buttons were in the frame. This is something that can get overlooked and was definitely appreciated at this price point. Not only were all the buttons nicely centered, they felt good when pressing them with just the right amount of resistance. 
 
Some much-appreciated differences coming from my X5 were the four control buttons, which are now round and well-marked. The four control buttons on the X5 are okay, but their shape makes them easier to accidentally press. Having smaller targets means fewer navigational faux-pax. 
 
The power button was moved from on top on the X5 to the left side just above the volume controls, and it's now recessed. Again, this means fewer accidental presses. The volume buttons are more distinct and separated than those on the X5, and the X3 volume up button has a small raised dot to distinguish it from the nearby recessed power and volume down buttons. Nice touches!
 
In contrast to my old X3 and my X5, the new X3 has a shared Line / Coaxial Out jack. I think this is a quite reasonable compromise to conserve space, but I found one UI quirk that I hope is fixed before final release. The default is Coax Out, which is an odd choice given how many people use Line Out vs. Coax Out. I could easily see this leading to confusion when people hook their new X3 up to their favorite amp and get no signal. Fiio, please fix this and make Line Out the default.
 
I saved my two favorites for last: the screen and scroll wheel. The screen is flush with the X3's body and there's no wasted screen space. In contrast, the X5's screen is raised up a few mm above the X5's body and has a bezel on the left and right sides which gives a letterboxed look to the screen. 
 
And finally the scroll wheel, what a love or hate thing it is. I'm in the love it club and found the X3's scroll wheel to be a nice improvement over the X5's. The X3's scroll wheel is tighter and has quite noticeable clicks when rotated. In contrast, the X5's scroll wheel feels much looser and has no clicks as you rotate the scroll wheel. The one nit I have to pick with the X3's scroll wheel is that with noticeable clicks, I felt an expectation that each click would represent one line or movement through the X3's UI. That didn't happen, and I could see it leading to frustration for some people.
 
To sum up: The size, weight, and placement of controls makes one-handed use easy. It also makes the new X3 very pocket-friendly. Attention to detail like "right-sized" buttons with just the right amount of resistance means fewer accidental button presses. Small details like the recessed power button and raised dot on the volume up button allow Fiio to place important buttons in close proximity while allowing for blind operation.
 
The lineup: X5, old X3, DX90, new X3
 

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USER INTERFACE
 
User Interface (UI) can make or break a positive experience with any piece of technology. Luckily, Fiio is learning fast! I was an early adopter, buying the original X3 on pre-order. To be completely honest it was a bit of a wild ride at first. But to their credit Fiio not only listened to customer feedback, they actively solicited customer feedback. I'm proud to say that I and many fellow headfiers actively participated in that process, identifying bugs, suggesting new features, and beta-testing firmware, making the original X3 a much better DAP. 
 
Next came the X5, and it had a much more mature UI than the original X3 had - even with all the community-driven improvements the X3's UI now had. The X5's UI was very stable but was lacking some some features more mature DAPs have, especially when it came to reading tags and building a database for tag-based browsing. The new X3 shares those limitations, so you need to go in eyes wide open if you're used to using a smartphone or a DAP with more mature firmware. Many commonly-used tags just aren't recognized by Fiio's DAPs - like Album Artist, CD#, and Composer. And when browsing by Genre, you just get a big list of songs for each Genre in numerical order. IMHO, it would be handier to have Genre browsing act like a filter for Genre-specific Artist -> Album browsing. 
 
To overcome these limitation many Fiio DAP users have become fans of File Browsing, which doesn't rely on the database. For instance, the 128GB mSD card I used while testing the new X3 was organized at the top level with folders named A-C, D-F, G-I, etc. Inside those, I maintained the following folder naming scheme: Artist / Year  Album / Songs. To easily accomplish this, I set up Media Rage or MP3Tag to rename my folders to follow that folder structure, pulling the relevant information from tags. This structure lets me quickly navigate through my artists and once I'm at the album level, albums are all arranged I chronological order. Nice!
 
Other than weak support for tags, the new X3's UI is very easy to navigate and is easy on the eyes. Of course, there is a flourishing community of themers for Fiio DAPs on headfi. So if you're not completely satisfied with the stock UI, once the new X3 is released you should be able to easily find a number of alternate themes to choose from - from professional to fun!
 
Just like the X5's, the new X3's features a very functional10-band equalizer with several fully-customizable presets. If you learn how to mod the firmware, you can even rename them. I did this with my X5, renaming the presets after my most commonly-used HP / IEM. This allows me to tailor each preset for my HP / IEM and then easily switch between them without remembering whether my VSD5 was the Metal or Rock preset - handy!
 
On a related note, the new X3's "deep sleep" mode works a treat! Fiio DAPs are known for good battery life to begin with, so I wasn't expecting to charge the new X3 much during my time with it. No surprise there that I only had to charge it once during my time and then topped it off before mailing it out to the next reviewer. I was pleasantly surprised with how fast the new X3 was at resuming playback when picking it up after a period of non-use. Instead of waiting for the DAP to boot before I could listen to music, I experienced near instantaneous resumption of music playback - brilliant!
 
To sum up: The new X3 is no iPod and does lack support for some commonly-used tags that will frustrate some users - especially classical music fans. For most users though, this is easily overcome with some basic file / folder organization and File Browsing. And despite not being as feature rich as a more mature DAP like an iPod, the new X3 is very easy to use and most users will find little to complain about especially with lightning-fast response with the new "deep sleep" feature. 
 
Glamor Shot #2: New X3 + Heir 4.Ai-s

 

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SOUND

 
Since Gold Master firmware was not released yet, I tested the new X3 with firmware 0.22b.  During my time with the new X3 very, I used the following HP / IEM: Brainwavz S0 & S5, Heir 4.Ai-s, Philips Fidelio L1, TPEOS Altone200, and Vsonic VSD5. I didn't encounter any sound-matching issues with any of these, and could easily recommend any of them for use with the new X3. For critical listening, I set the new X3 to a comfortable listening level with a pair of Denon AH-D1100 I had close at hand, played a 1kHz test time, and volume matched the new X3 with my X5 and DX90 using the Decibel 10th iPhone app. I don't have a setup to volume match IEM yet, so I extrapolated the results with my AH-D1100 to the other HP / IEM I used. Here are the volume matching results I got:
 
X3 @ 30 (Low Gain) = 77dB ->1x multiplier
X5 @ 26 (Low Gain) = 77dB -> 0.87x multiplier
DX90 @ 160 (Low Gain) = 77dB -> 5.3x multiplier
 
Other reviewers much better at describing what they're hearing have weighed-in on the new X3's sound - and have done a very good job at it! In light of that, I'm going to make my sound section the lightest part of my review. I listened to the X3 as my sole DAP for my time with it, only comparing it with my DX90 and X5 at the end of the week before my time was up. 
 
I typically switch off between my DX90 and X5 from week to week and was just coming off a week with the X5 when the new X3 arrived for testing. As soon as the new X3 arrived, I immediately started using it as my sole DAP and sound-wise found nothing to be lacking. It drove all of my HP / IEM to my satisfaction. I typically used High Gain for HP and Low Gain for IEM, as I would with my X5.
 
When comparing more closely with my DX90 and X5 later in the week, I found the new X3 was indeed very close sound-wise to my X5. Close enough in fact, that I could see the new X3 being a very good substitute for the X5 if one doesn't need the extra mSD slot. I'm glad Fiio has adopted this quite neutral sound signature as their new house sound. 
 
Comparing the new X3 with my DX90 (Lurker0 2.1.8 FW), the DX90 has a more v-shaped sound signature with slightly enhanced bass, more energetic treble, slightly better separation and layering and a slightly larger soundstage. There are plenty of advocates and detractors in both Fiio and iBasso's camps. I find both Fiio's more neutral sound signature and iBasso's more v-shaped sound signature complement each other, and I enjoy having both around to switch back and forth between. 
 
To sum up: I found the new X3's and my X5 to have very similar sound signatures. So similar in fact, I could easily live with the new X3 in lieu of my X5 sound-wise. As compared to my D90, both the new X3 and my X5 have a more neutral, more linear sound that purists will appreciate. Those looking for a more v-shaped sound should look elsewhere. 
 
Glamour Shot #3: New X3 + TPEOS Altone200
 

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SUMMARY

 
The new X3 is a very attractive, well-made DAP with excellent attention to detail that solves a lot of the little niggles I had with previous Fiio DAPs. Fit and finish are definitely upgraded when compared with the original X3 and X5. It's size and design make it it very ergonomic for one-handed use. It's small size and strong-enough amp stage make it pocket-friendly with no need for an amp to get a great portable listening experience. The neutral sound signature really allows the unique sound signature of your HP / IEM to shine through without worrying about synergy. 
 
The only detractors for me are minimal and not enough to prevent a strong recommendation. First - the UI isn't as polished as more mature DAPs like the iPod. However, this can be easily mitigated with basic file management and tagging practices. Second - when compared with the X5, the new X3's has only one mSD slot as compared to the X5's two mSD slots. For me, this is the difference between carrying around my music library in AAC (new X3) vs. FLAC (X5). Third - when compared with the old X3, the new X3 is missing the very nice hardware bass and treble controls. This is a feature that really works a treat, and I'd like to see incorporated into more of Fiio's DAPs in the future. 
 
In short, if you're looking for a new DAP with a neutral sound signature that's easy to use, well-built, stylish and very ergonomic and pocket-friendly and don't mind living with one mSD slot, the new X3 from Fiio should be at the top of your list. Fiio's learning how to make very competitive DAPs very quickly, and I can't wait to test out the X5 2nd Generation when it's released!
 
Thanks again to Fiio for giving the headfi community an early taste of this brilliant new DAP!
 
Glamor Shot #4: New X3 + Vsonic VSD5

 

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P.S., If you do end up buying a new X3, I'd suggest investing in a nice leather case from Dignis.  I have one for both my X5 and DX90 and love them.  Here's an example of a nice leather X1 case from rakuten.com:
 

So, first off, I must say that for 200 dollars (or 170, in my case, for a unit that was previously a store-display model), you CANNOT go wrong with this superb little DAP.  The soundstage and dynamics, detail separation, and overall frequency-response are FAR AND AWAY better than what you hear in something like an iPod, Zune, or Smartphone.  That being said, does it sound as good as a 1400 dollar hi-Res Walkman, or a 1000 dollar Astell and Kern or HiFiMan DAP?  No, of course it doesn't, but you're only paying 200 bucks for it so just sit back and enjoy it, guys   The bass is very accurate, in fact, the WHOLE frequency-range seems incredibly accurate on this through my V-Moda Crossfade M-80 headphones, but I will say thaty the treble seems just a LITTLE bit bright, to the point where when it's on a high enough volume that the mid-range doesn't QUITE hurt my ears yet, some of the higher treble-notes sound a bit painful.  But it's probably not good to listen to it that loudly for extended periods of time anyway, so it's not much of an issue.  The sound also is a TAD bit more analytical as opposed to warm or fun, but many people may like this. . .personally, I'd prefer a bit more warmth, but heck, this is still WAY more fun-sounding than my laptop's on-board sound, or the sound from my old iPod for that matter!  Then there's the fact that unlike the X1, you can use this as a USB DAC for your computer. . .and oh BOY does it improve vastly upon the onboard sound in my laptop!  As a result, you're basically paying for two devices in one, both a DAP AND a DAC, which only serves to make this an even BETTER value for your money.  It is also quite good at driving headphones at al different impedance levels, even without an amp, although I'd imagine that if you're using something with an impedance int he range of a few-hundred ohms, you probably want to pair this with an amp.  The UI is quite customizable, and it has a very nice built-in equalizer.  The build-quality is excellent, all solid-aluminum, and it comes with some nice accessories: a silicone carrying-case, and a line-out with gold-plated connectors.  Also some stickers that personally I think are kind of silly, haha.
 
All that being said, the X3 2nd Gen certainly has its issues, although nothing that I find to truly be a nuisance.  The UI seems to "glitch out" sometimes, and in very random ways that I can't even quite describe, leaving me no choice but to force a shutdown and restart the device.  I use this for at least six hours a day, and the glitches seem to occur maybe every third day or so. . .not too bad, really, it hardly bothers me at all.  Right now the device is only on v1.1 of its firmware. . .I'm sure that the glitches will be fixed in future updates from Fiio!   UPDATE (September 10, 2015): Sure enough, since installing the newest released stable firmware, v1.3, for the X3ii, I have not experienced a single glitch, either in DAP mode or USB DAC mode.  Also, it seems like things lag a little bit less when browsing through files and skipping songs.  This is still a very early version of the device's firmware, but already seems to have fixed the vast majority of stability issues.  Very nice job, Fiio programmers!
 
I would recommend this device for ANYONE looking to buy a good DAP for anywhere under 300 dollars to vastly improve upon the sound they get from their smartphone, laptop, or other such devices.

 
 
 
-~::The Review::~-
 
I’m not much of an audiophile. I’m too new. It was only this last January I bought my first pair of decent headphones. Since acquiring the Klipsch R6m it’s been a weird romp of financial irresponsibility. 
 
After upgrading to the Klipsch X7i a month later, I realized I needed a better DAC than the one inside my Galaxy S4. I could hear the limitations of that poor thing. So I did some research and settled on the Dragonfly 1.2 by Audioquest.
 

 

 
 
In a lot of ways, this is a review of the Dragonfly nearly as much as it is of the X3ii. For the last four months, my mobile Digital Audio Player has been my Samsung Galaxy S4 connected to the Dragonfly via USB On-The-Go. That’s the comparison I must make. As I said, I’m new to this. My store of equipment has the limitations of a light purse and short time.
 
Be warned, ere you read on! I’m not a professional reviewer. In fact, I’m a ramped amateur. There will be no readings, or measurements, and if the review happens upon some semblance of structure, know in your heart it was incidental.
 
For the first two days with the X3ii I paired it solely with my newest IEM, the Audio Technica IM03. I’d owned these phones for a few weeks now, and was intimately familiar with the sound they produced with the Dragonfly. 25 days of near-perfect auditory rapture. So you can perhaps understand my irritation when I plugged them into the FiiO and was aggressively underwhelmed. It sounded cheap and small compared to the Dragonfly. There was plenty of power, but no comfort to any of the notes.
 
I thought, “Holy Hell! This can’t be right.” All the reviews spoke very highly of it. Maybe they weren’t comparing it to DACs, but only other DAPs. Maybe the DAP market is cluttered with poor audio. I wouldn’t know. Like I said, the Galaxy>Dragonfly combo is the closest thing I have to a DAP.
 

 
 
Two days, I fiddled with it at work. My job has me sitting at a bench all day testing controller boards for air-conditioning units. I’m an electronics bench tech. So I can listen to my music all day long… and I do. When I say I fiddled with it for two days, I mean two whole work days.
 
At the end of the second day, I came home quite depressed over the affair. Not only because my new toy was poop from a butt, no, this suggested the whole DAP market was a cesspool of undesirable products. If, of course, you inferred the state of the market by the praise the X3ii received. Which I did, and then howled at the moon with a belly full of despair… and tacos.
 
It was in this dejection I pulled out my Klipsch X7i. I had always intended to try out the FiiO on all my headphones. You need data to make a cake. Or you need cake ingredients. But I was all out of eggs and flower.
 
Sad and miserable, I put the eartips in and pressed Play. HOT DAMN! This thing sounded kind of good. No, it sounded excellent. The music was smoother, no longer dark, and the details were coming out to play. It even sounded more open. It was a transformation the likes of which I couldn’t believe.
 
You’d think I was happy. And I was… sort of. The burr in my panties was that this meant the awesome-sauce ATH-IM03 was the problem. Everyone knows the ATH-IM series are tricky to pair. The 03s sounded messy in my desktop DAC/Amp as well. So my best and favorite earphones would not pair with my one and only DAP. This notion did not uplift my rotting spirit.
 
As I tried to sleep that night I was struck by a moment of clarity. I jolted out of bed, turned on my computer monitor and submitted a return on Amazon for the IM03. Three days before the 30-day return policy expired. Then, to do this properly, I placed an order for the IM04, and splurged on 1-day shipping.
 
That was Wednesday night. Thursday and Friday were spent with the fabulous paring of X3ii and X7i. Friday evening I came home to the ATH-IM04.
 

 
 
If the Klipsch phones brought the X3ii out of the muck, the IM04 unlocked its full potential. Four drivers need a little extra juice, so I run on High Gain, and there is nothing about the sound that does not impress. The bass is enormous and ever-present. There is sparkle in the guitar plucks and vocals. Plenty of micro detail pops up all over. You can hear the slight echo of vocals as the soundwaves bounce around the recording room. The X3ii renders a wonderfully smooth, vibrant sound.
 
What was once a chasm between the FiiO and the Audioquest is now a mere hop and a skip. Nonetheless, the gap is there. Audioquest’s USB DAC gives a more refined sound. The overall signature is much alike between the two, yet the Dragonfly has an extended soundstage and depth. They create more or less equal levels of detail. In the sub frequencies there are more natural tones and texturing with the Dragonfly.
 
When the sound is narrower and more in-your face, as it is with the X3ii, it comes off a little artificial. The Dragonfly spaces everything out quite well, and it sounds more realistic because of it. This impression might owe some tribute to how familiar I am with the Dragonfly’s sound. However, over the last week I’ve listen to the X3ii almost exclusively, save a little A/B testing.
 
I volume-matched the two units by ear, and even gave the X3ii a notch or two extra, out of wanton benevolence. My appraisal is as accurate as I care to make it. I do get ever so bored with tedium.
 
On the grounds of amperage, the X3ii wrestles down the Dragonfly and sprains the DAC’s ankle. I’ve had an ankle sprain many times; I use the metaphor with all the weight one can muster in times such as these. It gave my Sennheiser HD600 enough power to sound more than decent at high volume. In order to really rock-out I need to set the volume very near the X3ii’s limits, but it works. Of course, it’s fairly far removed from the might and beauty of a proper headphone amp. Still… not bad. The Dragonfly really loses grace when trying to power the HD600. When I start raising the gain in USB Audio Player Pro, the sound deteriorates.
 
I solemnly deem the FiiO X3K a brilliant device. If I had paid much more for it, I would have expected more. As it stands, the DAP does not carry with it great financial burden. Instead, it mocks its price tag and delivers a lovely, clear, and rich auditory experience.
 
There. That happened. You want to know about menus and buttons? Do you lust after information about that sultry scroll wheel? Read those other reviews. They're better.
 
-~::Pinky_Powers::~-

I've only used Sansa devices prior to getting this player a few weeks ago - Fuzes and Clip+'s - and I wondered if the Fiio X3 2nd Gen would provide any perceptible audio improvement. Within a minute or two of swapping the SD card over the answer became obvious: yes, there's an improvement and it's actually a pretty big one. I'm no word-smith audiophile and it's pretty much all been said but I can say this: transparency, detail, separation, sound-stage, blackness of background - they are all simply better with the X3 2nd Gen than with the Sansas. I've kept a Clip+ for ultimate portability (for jogging  with, basically) but I've sold the Fuzes as the X3 2nd Gen made them instantly redundant. I was very fond of my Fuzes and I would never have guessed that the audio upgrade would have been so noticeable or so devastating with regard to my affection for the little Sandisk devices.
 
In terms of the usability: it's great. My player came loaded with the newest 1.44Beta firmware and it makes using the wheel simply an efficient and straightforward way to navigate files and volume with no niggles or glitches at all. It may not have been so in the past and I can see that a scroll wheel with such noticeable clicks that wasn't synchronised with items on a list would be a recipe for instant crazy irritation - but with this firmware though, as far as I can see, the matter is just closed. It's fixed, it works and for me at least, it's a non-issue.
 
Actually getting my hands on the X3 2nd Gen made me realise how misleading reading lots of reviews prior to actually using a device can be. It's possible to pick up on several points that individual reviewers have found to be sticking points and accumulate them all into a ball of confusion about the player. So I had a pile of preconceptions and worries about the X3 2nd Gen that turned out to uniformly baseless: I'd need to upgrade the firmware with it straight away (no); the wheel was glitchy in use (absolutely not); the wheel cannot be used to adjust volume (it totally can); you can only skip tracks with the side buttons when the player is locked (nope, you can use them to adjust volume too: long press versus short press); the screen is unreadable outdoors (no, it's fine - and my eyesight is pretty poor. Just boost the brightness and take the small battery life loss in your stride); having no internal storage is a pain (no, it doesn't matter at all if you can put huge micro SD cards in, and you can); the drivers for the DAC are almost impossible to install in Windows (really no, they're not. I just followed the guide and bingo: a great USB DAC as well as a great DAP).
 
So it's a great player and a clear upgrade - for me at least - over the Sansa's that I've owned before. Does it mean that my lust for portable aural pleasure has been sated for good? I suspect not. Those DX90's look kinda interesting to me and the fun of putting Rockbox on them appeals too (Rockbox for the X3 2nd Gen? Well, yes please!) but the price jump to the Ibasso is a pretty big one. So for the time being, the X3 2nd Gen suits me just fine.

FOREWARD: as a relatively new user to head-fi, i dont expect many of you to take my review seriously. however, although i'm new to POSTING on this site, i've been an audiophile and a lurker of this site for quite some time. i've got several years of hifi under my belt, a low post count, and an electronics degree to work with, so thats my resume to you guys. without any further ado: the FiiO X3ii!!!!
 
UNBOXING: the item arrived beautifully packaged. the presentation was beautiful, and upon first opening, you could tell that effort was put into fitting everything in this box, while still making it look beautiful. multi-lingual directions, the DAP, a micro-usb cord (of good quality), extra screen protector, stickers (kind of cheesy USA flag, carbon fiber, and fake wood grain). as soon as i registered the product and made a user name on FiiO's site, everything was promptly thrown away (i'm not gonna use any of that crap). also, it comes with a sleek, sexy silicone case which i prefer to leave on. its very thin, but seems very secure and allows for headphones to feel securely inserted into the jack.
 
FEATURES: this DAP is quite feature packed for its price, hardware-wise. the build quality is phenomenal. as mentioned in other reviews, its a one-piece metal body, rather than last-gen. it feels like it could take a drop on the floor and be ok functionally, although the screen is suspect to durability. features include a headphone out, line-out/coax out, recessed power button (useful for when it's in your pocket), a decent scroll wheel, basic control layout, integrated DAC features (plug and play for linux/posix systems i.e. ubuntu, fedora, debian, mac), and a USB charging/data transfer port. software EQ is decent, software hi/low gain allows you to drive different impedence headphones accordingly without introducing noise. battery life is quite long on this device, as of this submission, ive been listening for a solid 4 hours straight and i've still got a full 4 bars, VERY IMPRESSIVE FiiO!
 
USER INTERFACE: this is easily the worst part of this DAP. i really really dont want to give this DAP a bad mark on anything, but as a newbie to portable hi-fi, this is unacceptable. i'll let many, many things slide. but the screen/UI is abysmal. i realize that there is only so many pixels you can fit on a small TFT screen like that, but its just not well made. i dont wish to start any flame wars, and no, i couldnt make one better, but thats not whats on trial here. i realize that FiiO devs post here, and aware of the current situation, but for people like myself who are just jumping into this market, its hard to "accept" this in 2015. understandably, to keep the price point low, sacrifices had to be made, and FiiO did do the right thing by cutting corners on the screen rather than the circuitry. the UI is simply not very intuitive. the main screen is split into 5 categories: Now Playing, Category, Browse Files, Play Settings, and System Settings. within 2 minutes of using this device, i could see glaring issues. on such a small screen, why wouldnt you minimize the amount of onscreen objects to simplify the UI? "now playing" shouldn't even exist, it should be accessible by long holding the "back button". "play settings" should be IN "system settings", why have multiple settings categories? just put all configuration settings in ONE place, dont over-complicate things for the end-user. "browse files" and "category" should be unified into one as they both are ways to play your audio. these steps would simplify the UI, while at the same time, getting the user to their music quicker. 
 
SOUND QUALITY: the best part of this product (besides how small and light it is). i'm usually a fan of mids/highs, but i'll make acceptions for this DAP. its not that mids/highs aren't clear, they just seem less prominent in the mix. however, its not a bad thing, the soundstage allows the instruments to sound evenly spread across the mix (having nicely mastered FLACs doesnt hurt either). i'm running this DAP straight into a pair of SHURE SE215's and for low impedance IEMs, this is a dream to listen to. in the end, thats exactly what this hobby is about, and in that regard, FiiO really knocked it out of the park with this one. i'll admit that i never turned on EQ because i like a flat response. i prefer to listen to the recordings as they were mastered and not try to compensate, its a personal thing. whatever rocks your world, keep doing it
 
OVERALL: put it this way, if you were on the fence about buying this, do it. if you're just getting your feet wet in portable hifi audio but dont want to spend too much money, buy this. if you dont need a fancy pants flagship device, buy it. if you want to be pleasantly surprised with what a portable can provide/do, buy it. the only reasons i can think of NOT buying it, would be if you are a) broke b) already have something you are happy with c) don't like excellent sound quality. for what you pay, i feel like the X3ii will be the model that other DAPs aspire to become. its got the right features-to-pricepoint ratio. sure, there are some areas that need improvement, but its not the audio department, FiiO has clearly listened to its' customers, and its paying dividends. FiiO: if you are listening, your UI needs some drastic improvements, its the only reason i cant give you 5 stars. its THAT bad. simplify it, it HAS to feel natural, and at this point there's too much clutter. its literally the only glaring issue i have.
 
tl;dr sound quality rules, n00bs should buy this and be done with it, everything is 0mG except UI, but that can/will be improved.
 
ALBUMS LISTENED TO: (all flacs)
 
thin lizzy - jailbreak
genesis - the lamb lies down on broadway 24-bit SACD rip
queen - innuendo
porcupine tree - the incident
camel - rajaz
camera obscura - desire lines
10cc - how dare you!
king crimson - the power to believe
marillion - misplaced childhood
tears for fears - the seeds of love
the smashing pumpkins - adore