[TheoS53]

   
I hope the screen is not as bad as it looks in that picture (sometimes pictures make it worse). This is a really big disappointment for me.
 
With the touch wheel i think there will be some software updates which will make it better, i think (hope) this will be a step into the right direction because i did not like the old wheel very much.

You're right, that pic does make it seem worse than what it is. Here's an unedited pic taken with my Galaxy S7. Still not great

 

[firemouz]

Thank you for the new picture. Still not good (the screen/display, not the picture), but here it looks much better than in the other picture. I think i can live with that...
 
For the wheel, i think this is very hard to describe in a review and for every user different. Some will like it, other will moaning about the new wheel i think. I can't wait will i can test this new wheel. I hope it is an improvement from the old one (for me).

 

[MPNow]

  Hmm, from what I played with the old X1 on recent firmware after the fixed the sensitivity issue, the scrollwheel didn't seem at all inaccurate to me.
 
As for the screen, I got that impression when you mentioned in the review that the old X1 had a "

much larger contrast ratio (perhaps too much contrast)."  From the picture right after that, while the new X1 does seem more natural and less washed out, it appears considerably darker/worse for outside.
 
IMO, the biggest improvement of the new X1 over the old X1 that I haven't seen mentioned much is the deep sleep/standby mode that I'm guessing is similar or the same to the one in X3ii.

 
1. I have the same impressions.
 
3. I agree. I would also like to know how well the Fiio responds to the ability to "In Vehicle" mode.
 

  1. I suppose you could, as it's not a stiff glass protector....but I think where the larger protector makes contact with the already applied protector, after some time it will lift up. Also, the protectors to create some VERY SLIGHT distortions to the screen (like little holographic chromatic aberrations)..so I can't imagine having 2 protectors on would look great.

2. I had a quick look at that product, it doesn't seem to have Apt-X

 
2. Sorry, I miss-interpreted your last sentence  in the Bluetooth section about using an earbud that does not have Apt-X protocol support, (if Fiio happens to obtain Apt-X support in the future). If the X1 does have apt-x support later on and I have earbuds that do not support the apt-x protocol then the earbuds won't work, but if I do have some that support apt-x then they will.

 

[harpo1]

   
1. I have the same impressions.
 
3. I agree. I would also like to know how well the Fiio responds to the ability to "In Vehicle" mode.
 
 
2. Sorry, I miss-interpreted your last sentence  in the Bluetooth section about using an earbud that does not have Apt-X protocol support, if Fiio happens to obtain Apt-X support in the future. If the X1 does have apt-x support later on and I have earbuds that do not support the apt-x protocol then the earbuds won't work, but if I do have some that support apt-x then they will.

The earbuds will still work.  

 

[TheoS53]

   
1. I have the same impressions.
 
3. I agree. I would also like to know how well the Fiio responds to the ability to "In Vehicle" mode.
 
 
2. Sorry, I miss-interpreted your last sentence  in the Bluetooth section about using an earbud that does not have Apt-X protocol support, if Fiio happens to obtain Apt-X support in the future. If the X1 does have apt-x support later on and I have earbuds that do not support the apt-x protocol then the earbuds won't work, but if I do have some that support apt-x then they will.

Yup, as the person before me stated, the earbud will still work...but they just won't be able to take advantage of Apt-X

Think of it like plugging a USB 2.0 device into a USB 3.0 slot

 

[MPNow]

  The earbuds will still work.  

 In both cases?
 

  Thank you for the new picture. Still not good (the screen/display, not the picture), but here it looks much better than in the other picture. I think i can live with that...
 
For the wheel, i think this is very hard to describe in a review and for every user different. Some will like it, other will moaning about the new wheel i think. I can't wait will i can test this new wheel. I hope it is an improvement from the old one (for me).

 
I agree the image looks much better than the original one shown.

 

[TheoS53]

updated pic with some slight colour correction:



I'm not sure how this will look on your screens (unfortunately I don't have a colour calibrated monitor, nor do the vast majority of people), but on my screen the colours seem to be spot on to what the screens on the 2 devices looks like.

 

[EinTheVariance]

IMO, without apt-x support (which is out of Fiio's hands at this point and is probably very unlikely it would ever change), the sound quality over bluetooth won't really be up to snuff.  Why would you get a hi-res DAP and then cripple the audio quality by going with non-aptx bluetooth over 3.5mm?  I get the convenience of bluetooth/wireless, but to sacrifice audio quality over it seems like putting the cart before the horse.  The bluetooth seems to be only useful for the fiio remote if you want to use it in a car or something.

 

[TheoS53]

  IMO, without apt-x support (which is out of Fiio's hands at this point and is probably very unlikely it would ever change), the sound quality over bluetooth won't really be up to snuff.  Why would you get a hi-res DAP and then cripple the audio quality by going with non-aptx bluetooth over 3.5mm?  I get the convenience of bluetooth/wireless, but to sacrifice audio quality over it seems like putting the cart before the horse.  The bluetooth seems to be only useful for the fiio remote if you want to use it in a car or something.

to some extent I completely agree with that.

But i still think it is possible that Apt-X will come to the new X1. As mentioned in my review, this isn't a hardware issue, it's just that Qualcomm need to pull their head out of their........you get the picture, lol

 

[EinTheVariance]

  to some extent I completely agree with that.

But i still think it is possible that Apt-X will come to the new X1. As mentioned in my review, this isn't a hardware issue, it's just that Qualcomm need to pull their head out of their........you get the picture, lol

sure, it's possible, but I doubt it's high on Qualcomm's list.  I'm not really sure I'd blame them in the first place either.  Fiio knew going in that APT-X isn't supported on Linux with MIPS SoC so they could have built the DAP from the ground up with a supported architecture if they wanted one that supports APT-X.  It's really on Fiio to build on a platform that is supported by the technology.

 

[TheoS53]

  sure, it's possible, but I doubt it's high on Qualcomm's list.  I'm not really sure I'd blame them in the first place either.  Fiio knew going in that APT-X isn't supported on Linux with MIPS SoC so they could have built the DAP from the ground up with a supported architecture if they wanted one that supports APT-X.  It's really on Fiio to build on a platform that is supported by the technology.

Yup, it's definitely a 2-sided coin

 

[bruce1967]

  yup, that's my review

Excellent review! Very well done.

 

[TheoS53]

 
Excellent review! Very well done.

Thank, much appreciated. As other have noted, there were a few things I left out...but the shop have allowed me to keep the X1 until there is another firmware update so that I can update the review accordingly, if needed.

 

[fourrobert13]

@TheoS53
 
Any issues with Bluetooth cutting in and out like @Brooko described?

 

[TheoS53]

  @TheoS53
 
Any issues with Bluetooth cutting in and out like @Brooko described?

On firmware v1.0 I couldn't get more than about 5m......on v1.2 I could get 10m as long as there were no obstructions. Walls, doors, furniture, etc cut the range to around 5m