Nice review, I like the fact that you touched on some aspects we haven't in particular functional test, phone static test and your cons aspects is what others would rather want to pass then go for the player.

Haha. Perhaps a side by side comparison to X3? So that I will feel gatal to buy it..

Good review. While I don't like FW1.10 for the button press warning - it drives me nuts actually and I switched back to 1.0 - I agree that the sound stayed the same between the two. That is good! The X5 uses proper mature codecs - no experimental nonsense - and the soundstage sounds natural.

So the SS (sound stage) wasn't expansive then, and highly dependable on the speaker/headphone/earphone's SS characteristics?

Yeah I agree kind a make me very nervous about updates now, I am always afraid of sound changes, for the worst that is.

@autumnholy i would say yes the SS on x5 definitely doesnt sound artificial...it quite depend on the source/music file and the earphone/heaphone use. i would say it present the SS accurately

All these good reviews on the fiio x5
Just release it already!
*starts throwing money at fiio*

Perfect timing. March international release. That leaves a few more months for the sensible feedbacks to be incorporated to each succeeding firmware revisions. Then by October or September, when most glitches have been ironed, a nice early Christmas present to myself.

Just enough time to make the most of my 1 1/2-day old X3

@Oldandcurious that's very sensible of you to wait till the year end! Normally I hear people can't wait to lay their hands on new things! (me including ><)

@autumnholy - I guess patience comes with age A few decades ago, I would be excited to be one of the first with "that new toy." I almost jumped at the X3 bandwagon a few months ago, but the issues brought up against its file management - hrrmm - music management, convinced me to wait and device a simple solution to that.

I use my X3 with its limitations, so I just created two main folders in my memory card: "Classical" and "Contemporary." I use the ""Browse file" to enjoy my music. Problem solved

Ease of use is very nice to have and the X5 shows much improvement in that area. Personally though, I am looking forward to the X5 for its now-established better-sounding DAP than my X3. And as planned, stop the chase right there. And just enjoy my music while attending to other priorities old people like me tend to have