[HK_sends]

  Has anyone had any luck using this model as an external DAC?

What model?
Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[Baysick831]

X5ii

 

[HK_sends]

Sorry, I knew that. 

  I thought you meant routing the sound from the X5ii to an external DAC (which I have done and it works well), not using the external DAC feature of the X5ii.  I apologize for being confused (my normal state of mind 

).
Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[Brooko]

Has anyone had any luck using this model as an external DAC?

Yep - works fine. windows 7, 64 bit

 

[danmlr]

   
My assessment is the ADL-H128 are perfectly tuned and balanced for the X5 Next Gen.  They've never sounded this vibrant with any other DAP so there's true synergy.  I'd been listening to Grados and the ATH-M50x previously, but the ADL cans are truly best suited for this FiiO.  I hope more people will get exposed to these headphones, so just spreading the word.  It's hard to start a dedicated thread without other participants since few possess these and I'd just be talking to myself which is quite dull.

 
Have you considered the possibility that the X5/X5II are just great players?
 
I just paired the X5 with some obviously fake portapro drivers + partsexpress headband and the comb sounds quite good, very good actually.
 
The X5 actually sounds phenomenal paired with Koss KSC75 drivers with partsexpress headband.
 
There are multiple paths...

 

[ASpencer]

  Have you considered the possibility that the X5/X5II are just great players?

Obivously, but the ADL-H128 is a pricey item and can sound flat without intense amplification.  They don't sound all that grand with certain DAPS, so I was delighted by the synergy I heard with the X5 II.  My point was lending focus to some headphones that are still obscure and not part of many discussions.  I found an opportunity to steer the spotlight on Furutech via this DAP.  A very nice pairing, like a Monastrell with Stilton.

 

[koan1011]

It is probably my card more than the X5ii but if I copy all my songs over in one go, I have no problems, but if I add just one folder or more later, I get stuttering playback whenever I explore the folders on that card.
 
It is just while going from one folder to another and only for a split second or two.
 
Not sure how to add more albums to a card other than one at a time once you've put all your songs on, then you get more.

 

[freddy315]

I'm having a problem with a playlist on my X5ii that I don't recall having on my X5 and unfortunately I gave my X5 to my daughter so I can't go back and look.
 
I transferred my music and playlists to the X5ii by moving the cards to the new unit.  There appears to be one, and only one song, that my Classical playlist indicates that the file can not be found.  It can be found and played in folders or any other mode.  I tried replacing the file from the original on my hard drive, I edited, deleted and replaced the file in the Playlist using Foobar's playlist creator, I used MP3Tag to check the tags and make sure they were the same as the other 3 songs from the same album (found that this file had a listing for Genre which I deleted), rescanned the media library.  Still the playlist can not find this one file. 
 
I can even bring up the playlist using Foobar or MediaMonkey and either program is able to find and play the file.
 
Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[ASpencer]

Using Windows, I once had to go into "Properties" to fully explore why one song file wasn't matching up and I found a floating period under details that had been added by a library entry.  I manually removed it as that was the obstacle.

 

[danmlr]

  Obivously, but the ADL-H128 is a pricey item and can sound flat without intense amplification.  They don't sound all that grand with certain DAPS, so I was delighted by the synergy I heard with the X5 II.  My point was lending focus to some headphones that are still obscure and not part of many discussions.  I found an opportunity to steer the spotlight on Furutech via this DAP.  A very nice pairing, like a Monastrell with Stilton.

 
There are so many fine headphones at a significantly lower price point. I do agree with others that these headphones should be discussed in a separate thread. Not that that admonition really matters much as it seems we are the only posters discussing them. 

 

[jjacq]

Was gonna make this into a review post but I don't have the pictures with me right now and the X5 is all packed for the next person so here goes! Pictures may follow depending on how good they look. 
 
The FiiO X5 Gen 2 is perhaps what I felt the Gen 1 should’ve been. I have owned the X5 a while ago and while I enjoyed it, I did not enjoy travelling with it. For one, it was heavy and I don’t want to nitpick and complain but it was something you held that you could feel the weight of. The display could’ve been better in terms of pixels, the clickwheel felt like it was broken, and the UI was not very easy to use when you’re on the go. Some of these problems still exist when it comes to the Gen 2 but I would say this is a step towards the right direction. I’m not a very big fan of the outer casing design because I liked how the Gen 1 looked but that can be subjective. The clickwheel is different but it still has some moments where it’ll skip a couple of steps or lag. When it comes to the screen, I am quite pleased with how beautiful it looks. The album art looks great, and the text also reads perfectly. I wish the first iteration of the X5 had this display instead.
 
The accessories are simple and straightforward though I don't know if this is is what comes with the final product. I liked the carbon fiber and wood skins particularly. I'm glad FiiO added something fun like this into their product without having the customer pay extra. The silicone case still is kind of crap but it does the job. The buttons feel great, perhaps except for the wheel as I've mentioned and the middle select button. I am also glad that FiiO retained the OTG feature for those with more music than mSD cards can ever fit.
 
Sound quality
 
I have compared a few songs with my JH13. I used my AK100ii to contrast what I hear with the same tracks. I found the differences to be very slight but I have recorded them anyway for this review’s sake.
 
The AK100ii bass sounds harder hitting and more forward while the X5 gives less impact but with similar energy. Songs that were used to observe these is Bastille’s cover of The Rhythm of the Night from Corona and Zedd’s Follow You Down with Bright Lights. This combination of the AK100ii + JH13 may be said as fatiguing but the X5 can also exhibit this gradually. I would also note that is also more subbass quantity with the X5 than the AK100ii. Sound can definitely rival my AK100ii though it lacks the resolution and depth that the AK100ii brings to the table. They are not too far off each other, I would even go as far as saying that the X5 is the winner when it comes to neutrality. Instrument separation is great in the X5 though better with the AK100ii. I enjoyed it with my IEMs just like how I felt with my AK100ii.
 
Even though the AK100ii is twice as expensive as the X5, I think they are well matched rivals with the X5 getting an edge in perhaps being a better functioning DAC as the AK100ii(the AK100ii is plug and play but there have been issues with static), having dual microSD slots, and native DSD support. In contrast, the AK100ii has a better screen, UI, touch screen, toslink out, a physical volume knob, and balanced out.
 
To close, I would like to thank FiiO for creating such an excellent sounding product and I look forward to the future improvements of this model. I believe that this player is for those that want to invest on a good solid player with a massive music collection that perhaps only two mSD slots or more can only fulfill on the go. The fact that it can hold its own when pinned against something like the AK100ii says a lot about the X5 and I believe it’s not something you can go wrong with when it comes to the search of highly portable fidelity at a great price.

 

[Treeko]

^^ Nice mini review Jjacq and considering the talk about AK players, I wonder how the x5 second gen measures up against the ak100 mk2 or the RWAK100 mod in terms of pure sound quality. I've been wondering this as i have the opportunity to both for round about the same price.

 

[ASpencer]

   
There are so many fine headphones at a significantly lower price point. I do agree with others that these headphones should be discussed in a separate thread. Not that that admonition really matters much as it seems we are the only posters discussing them. 

 
A previous poster in this thread expounded how well the X5 II sounded using the ATH-M50x, so it seemed wholeheartedly appropriate to do likewise here.

 

[Uncle E1]

  Obivously, but the ADL-H128 is a pricey item and can sound flat without intense amplification.  They don't sound all that grand with certain DAPS, so I was delighted by the synergy I heard with the X5 II.  My point was lending focus to some headphones that are still obscure and not part of many discussions.  I found an opportunity to steer the spotlight on Furutech via this DAP.  A very nice pairing, like a Monastrell with Stilton.

 
the hidden agenda ...

 

[ASpencer]

   
the hidden agenda ...

 
Seems like you missed the other "agenda," unless you thought that wine and cheese pairing were a set of cans.