[Theogenes]

An alternate POV: If the iBasso sounds significantly better than the X3 or X5 (which is certainly a possibility, and maybe even a probability given the SQ of their previous releases), then I'm not sure they will really be direct competitors. If iBasso felt that their device offered a noticeably better sound, they would almost be better off bringing it to market first, as it would prompt FiiO to either delay the release of their product while they work on improving SQ or possibly to reduce the price point so that it did not directly compete with the DX50. Also, establishing a beachhead at the $300-400 range (hopefully) could be a positive thing, as any other device that comes along in that price range would be compared to it (the DX50). 
 
Conversely, there is a danger in waiting too long-- if you wait long enough for other competing products to be announced, you give people more options to wait for; your competitors can have time to work on improving their designs; the natives (=us) can start becoming restless and irritable; and your product runs the risk of missing its moment and being delayed into being inconsequential. 
 
Ultimately, if you release a player that strongly outdoes competitors with its SQ-to-cost ratio, you'll have a winner on your hands. I just hate waiting and would like to provide any rationale possible for them to release some @#$% information
 
All IMO, etc. 

 

[cyberalpha11]

Quote:

 
 

 
 
 
 
...joking aside, I'm already somewhat expecting the DX50 and the X5 to be released in first half 2014. Not just for R&D reasons, but also for competitive (DX50 vs X5) reasons. Nobody wants to show their cards first!
 
 
.

I thought Fiio X5 would be competing with latest Ivy League DAPs such as HM-901 or AK120 or even the aging DX100/HDP-R10???
 
For me iBasso DX50 is more in Mid-range League and may be competing with Studio V Anniversary, Colorfly C4 or AK100.
 
Anyway this is just my view. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Mython]

An alternate POV: If the iBasso sounds significantly better than the X3 or X5 (which is certainly a possibility, and maybe even a probability given the SQ of their previous releases), then I'm not sure they will really be direct competitors. If iBasso felt that their device offered a noticeably better sound, they would almost be better off bringing it to market first, as it would prompt FiiO to either delay the release of their product while they work on improving SQ or possibly to reduce the price point so that it did not directly compete with the DX50. Also, establishing a beachhead at the $300-400 range (hopefully) could be a positive thing, as any other device that comes along in that price range would be compared to it (the DX50). 
 
Conversely, there is a danger in waiting too long-- if you wait long enough for other competing products to be announced, you give people more options to wait for; your competitors can have time to work on improving their designs; the natives (=us) can start becoming restless and irritable; and your product runs the risk of missing its moment and being delayed into being inconsequential. 
 
Ultimately, if you release a player that strongly outdoes competitors with its SQ-to-cost ratio, you'll have a winner on your hands. I just hate waiting and would like to provide any rationale possible for them to release some @#$% information
 
All IMO, etc. 
 

 
All good points. I particularly agree with the last point, and have said similar on Head-fi, recently (think it may have been the X5 thread). Quality and value will sell (and rightly deserves to).
 
 
Quote:

I thought Fiio X5 would be competing with latest Ivy League DAPs such as HM-901 or AK120 or even the aging DX100/HDP-R10???
 
For me iBasso DX50 is more in Mid-range League and may be competing with Studio V Anniversary, Colorfly C4 or AK100.
 
Anyway this is just my view. Take it with a grain of salt.

 
Yeah, but it all remains to be seen;  I guess we'll need to wait and see how the dust settles! 

 

[Mython]

I can see that there are quite a few unexpected vendors who could, if they were willing to put in the R&D investment, enter the high-end DAP marketplace.
 
I'm thinking of the likes of UE/Logitech...

 

[AmberOzL]

Quote:

I can see that there are quite a few unexpected vendors who could, if they were willing to put in the R&D investment, enter the high-end DAP marketplace.
 
I'm thinking of the likes of UE/Logitech...

Logitech? Instead of getting into the stuff, they would buy one manufacturer and make them produce with Logitech logo on them. Just like what happened to UE and they become more consumer oriented.
 
Maybe Tralucent can enter dap business. They have the iem, the cables, the amplifier. Why not DAP?
 
Gavin hear us 

 

[Mython]

Quote:

Logitech? Instead of getting into the stuff, they would buy one manufacturer and make them produce with Logitech logo on them. Just like what happened to UE and they become more consumer oriented.
 

 
 
LOL!   So true!!

 

[kkcc]

Info on X5 and DX50 far from complete but we can make some guess based on what ibasso and Fiio mentioned before.

1. iBasso seems to emphasis the "no compromise on sound" line in a few occasions. DX100, while hardly more than a year old, had since had its spotlight stolen by AKs and Hifiman. It make sense to have a refresher product in dx50 without the costly (hw and sw) implementation of full touchscreen android but deliver on sound that get as close to the current flagships with a sleeker profile and slightly lower price tag, and follow with a more premium product to reclaim the "throne".

2. In the Fiio thread James had already mentioned they don't look to compete directly with any existing or announced products with the X5. It was also mentioned Fiio will continue to differentiate itself on the bang-for-the-buck category.

Combining these baseless but possible interpretation/speculation, as well as current product offerings, I will guess X5 to be at $350-$450 level, with DX50 at $500-$600 level. With both sounding better than what we have in the market at these prices today.

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

How much I'm longing for this player is beyond depth.
 
Ibasso, please keep the price reasonable. We live in an age where a DAPs shouldnt be over $500.

 

[Mimouille]

I heard some rumours it is going to be 1.6k$ not including the battery.

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

That may be a 'special edition' just for you.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

That may be a 'special edition' just for you.

 
That would be the LS version (Less crap) .

 

[nihontoman]

"no compromise in sound" just like the 8$ crappy no-name hi-fi audiophile iems?

 

[Mython]

Quote:

"no compromise in sound" just like the 8$ crappy no-name hi-fi audiophile iems?

 
Point taken, but, to be fair about this, I think iBasso have rightly earned sufficient respect from the community, for their work with the DX100, to not have any such concerns (potentially) aimed in the direction of any of their due-for-release DAPs  

 
 
That is not to say that I think the DX50 will necessarily perform as well as the DX100, because I don't personally expect that it will, but I am confident that it will sound appropriately decent in relation to whatever price they eventually choose to sell it for. They're not rip-off merchants, thankfully.

 

[nihontoman]

Quote:

 
Point taken, but, to be fair about this, I think iBasso have rightly earned sufficient respect from the community, for their work with the DX100, to not have any such concerns (potentially) aimed in the direction of any of their due-for-release DAPs  

 
 
That is not to say that I think the DX50 will necessarily perform as well as the DX100, because I don't personally expect that it will, but I am confident that it will sound appropriately decent in relation to whatever price they eventually choose to sell it for. They're not rip-off merchants, thankfully.

Of course they will sound good, but claiming the ultimate usually doesn't work. I understand the respect the company has from their customers is deserved, but if they can manage to deliver a sound without compromises for a price that is affordable for everyone, than I'll just buy two of them just because they deserve that money.
that being said, I still hope that by "affordable for everyone" they meant under 300$.

 
Also this (or the X5) will be my first "high-end" dap (coming from the sansa clip +, everything is high end, even though for the cost, sansa is not bad) and which one I'll go for will be decided by:
1- proper pricing
2- availability, which is not one year after the announced "and of July"
basically, if iBasso releases DX50 earlier than fiio releases X5 and the price is right, I (and I'm sure many more) won't wait for X5...

 

[Greed]

Quote:

Of course they will sound good, but claiming the ultimate usually doesn't work. I understand the respect the company has from their customers is deserved, but if they can manage to deliver a sound without compromises for a price that is affordable for everyone, than I'll just buy two of them just because they deserve that money.
that being said, I still hope that by "affordable for everyone" they meant under 300$.

 
Also this (or the X5) will be my first "high-end" dap (coming from the sansa clip +, everything is high end, even though for the cost, sansa is not bad) and which one I'll go for will be decided by:
1- proper pricing
2- availability, which is not one year after the announced "and of July"
basically, if iBasso releases DX50 earlier than fiio releases X5 and the price is right, I (and I'm sure many more) won't wait for X5...

 
Wishful thinking.