[slawts]

Not tried gapless but resume mode working fine. I like it. It does feel more stable and sound signature excellent.
 
Can't really tell much difference in sound between 3.0 exfat, 3.2 or this but I prefer it to 3.0. Maybe a touch more clarity or maybe my imagination.

 

[Chaz1952]

   
Same regression here, gapless playback doesn´t work anymore. Using 24/88.2 FLAC and 48 kHz MP3.

Unfortunately, FW3.21Beta failed my gapless acid test: "Side 2" of Abbey Road.  Too bad, I was enjoying other features of this update.  Guess I'll return to 3.0 for now...

 

[soniccircle]

My initial experiences for a week with FW 3.21Beta:
 
PROS:
1 - no more random freezes as in every other FW update I've encountered, even 3.0 (a BIG improvement, probably the biggest)
2 - beautiful sound signature (open, full, balanced)
 
CONS:
1 - same issues with as everyone else with hiccups in gapless playback (a drag when listening to live albums or stuff like side 2 of "Abbey Road").
2 - big discrepancy with 2-cd album files (new issue with this FW update, but did NOT experience this with other updates):
 
ALAC ID tags are correct in that, with 2-cd albums, cd 1 files are tagged as "disc 1 of 2" and cd 2 is tagged as "disc 2 of 2". Yet, when I'm in "album " mode, the songs list as follows: song 1 of cd 1, followed by song 1 of cd 2, then song 2 of cd 1 followed by song 2 of cd 2, and so on. I double-checked my tags and even the native folders in itunes and they're all listed correctly, yet this FW update is listing them differently, which is a real drag.
 
Anyone else experiencing this issue?

 

[SallymaeHogsby]

I was adding a new playlist-folder into my X3 today, and I remembered/realized that I still have to run the folder thru "Eject for Windows", to get rid of the "garbage track names". I'm so used to doing this, that I realized that I should have mentioned that this is still a flaw in FW 3.21B.
 
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, the Mac duplicates each song-file name with ._ in front of it. It shows up when viewed with a Windows machine (as well as the X3). Along with making the file list untidy, the X3 briefly tries to play the track before rejecting it. A software program like "Eject for Windows" gets rid of the file names.

 

[LordX]

Those silly 'crapple' computers.

 

[liderbit]

  My initial experiences for a week with FW 3.21Beta:
 
PROS:
1 - no more random freezes as in every other FW update I've encountered, even 3.0 (a BIG improvement, probably the biggest)
2 - beautiful sound signature (open, full, balanced)

 
I don't know how can you perceive a change in the sound signature, is really weird.
 
The sound is EXACTLY the same, and I have some good headphones....

 

[originalsnuffy]

I am normally a huge skeptic of changed sound signatures. But the line out signal with 3.21 sounds terrific in the car. And it sounds good with. headphones. Maybe it has something to do with the amplification and not the dac. But I have never been happier with the sound than right now. I thought 2.14 was pretty good but buggy.

 

[LordX]

I was talking with some other people about 3.21b VS 3.0EX in terms of sound. A few people swear by 3.0EX - even compared to 3.21b.
 
I don't want to go to 3.0EX - LOVE it, and then get 3.21 (non beta) and then feel like a downgrade.

 

[soniccircle]

   
I don't know how can you perceive a change in the sound signature, is really weird.
 
The sound is EXACTLY the same, and I have some good headphones....

I was just stating that one of the PROS was the sound signature in 3.21 and describing how it sounded to my ears, since I didn't have lots of playtime with 3.0 because of all the freezes.  I didn't report that there was any type of change.  

 

[Sergio88]

About of point 5. Added support for cover art for folder-based album art. 
 
I am a little confused, how does it look? can anyone post a picture or screenshot. thanks.

 

[Mmet]

  About of point 5. Added support for cover art for folder-based album art. 
 
I am a little confused, how does it look? can anyone post a picture or screenshot. thanks.

like this : 

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

  I was adding a new playlist-folder into my X3 today, and I remembered/realized that I still have to run the folder thru "Eject for Windows", to get rid of the "garbage track names". I'm so used to doing this, that I realized that I should have mentioned that this is still a flaw in FW 3.21B.
 
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, the Mac duplicates each song-file name with ._ in front of it. It shows up when viewed with a Windows machine (as well as the X3). Along with making the file list untidy, the X3 briefly tries to play the track before rejecting it. A software program like "Eject for Windows" gets rid of the file names.

 
Thank you very much for the tip for "Eject for Windows"! Hidden Cleaner is a nice utility for the same purpose. Nice to have all this garbage removed finally.
 

Gapless playback isn't working with firmware 3.21. (24/96 flac files)
All artwork is displayed like in Mmets post above.

 

[RedTwilight]

Just updated the FW, didn't realise you could do it with the songs still inside..

Anyway, to my untrained ear, it sounds airier now, tho not 'thin' like with the 3.2. Also, the soundstage seems somehow more.. open? And further away. Which is pretty nice haha..

 

[SallymaeHogsby]

Just updated the FW, didn't realise you could do it with the songs still inside..

Anyway, to my untrained ear, it sounds airier now, tho not 'thin' like with the 3.2. Also, the soundstage seems somehow more.. open? And further away. Which is pretty nice haha..

 
I permanently leave my current FW file on my regular music card. As far as I can tell, it's never caused a problem. (Or should I say, whenever I had a problem, removing the FW file didn't fix the problem.)  Back in the old freeze days, I'd occasionally re-start by doing the FW install, hoping that might make a difference. So I've had my 3.21b FW file on the card ever since the installation, and have still been free/crash free.
 
If anyone knows a reason to not leave the FW file on the regular music card, let me know.

 

[RedTwilight]

   
I permanently leave my current FW file on my regular music card. As far as I can tell, it's never caused a problem. (Or should I say, whenever I had a problem, removing the FW file didn't fix the problem.)  Back in the old freeze days, I'd occasionally re-start by doing the FW install, hoping that might make a difference. So I've had my 3.21b FW file on the card ever since the installation, and have still been free/crash free.
 
If anyone knows a reason to not leave the FW file on the regular music card, let me know.

I went in to delete the FW file because I thought it'd adversely affect the library updating. Since there's been no issue I shall do that as well. Sorta reassuring to have a backup FW handy.