[aerosuffly]

I just got the X5ii today. I transferred some lossless, Hi-Res and DSD files to a 64GB micro SD card (took 2 hours. ugh.), plugged in HD600 and played on high-gain. Quite impressive. It definitely sounds a bit dry, neutral but not natural, but the good transparency and details make up for the lack of warmness. This is probably the most transparent and detailed Fiio I have ever heard. It is a bargain for the price. This will be a keep for now. I will be using it as a portable music player and a desktop DAC at my office. Thanks @Brooko for answering my questions regarding the DAP.
 
However, the lack of support for discnumber tag is unfortunate. They figured out how to make a good DAP but not reading specific tag from files? Ugh. But I guess I can live with directory mode for multi-disc album.
 
The only real problem that I have now is that DSD128 is not usable in DAC mode with Audirvana+ on Mac via DoP. Is it because the X5ii can only do DSD129 via native ASIO driver which does not existed on Mac?

 

[Luvdac]

Give it some time to burn in and the warmth will creep in. As for dsd128 in Dac mode I cant say for sure, but it definitely wont output dsd128 digitally to an outboard dac. Fiio confirmed it.

 

[aerosuffly]

  Give it some time to burn in and the warmth will creep in. As for dsd128 in Dac mode I cant say for sure, but it definitely wont output dsd128 digitally to an outboard dac. Fiio confirmed it.

By DAC mode, I mean using it as a USB DAC for a computer, not outputting DSD signal via digital coax. Do you mean the same thing?

 

[Luvdac]

I haven't tried it in USB DAC mode. Only via coax out.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  rofl @Brooko yea yea. i get it haha. i do sound hypocritical. if you'll allow me to put my tail between my legs... haha. i just hate when people capitalize mac as MAC, as if it stands for something. as for me never using capitalization? im too lazy to hold shift for a split second, whereas he is going out of his way to caps lock the word "mac". would you refer to your dodge mustang as " i just washed the MUSTANG today. my MUSTANG broke down. im going to take the MUSTANG out for a ride... 
 
in the end, im a jerk for calling him out on it, but maybe he'll stop writing it that way. or maybe not. as for me? i'll never use capitalization on this forum and you cant make me  
 
anyway, this is getting OT, love you @Dobrescu George please dont hate me

OK, I will stop capitalizing mac. 
 
I remember reading it MAC, and thus my ideea of using capitals. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On another note, this just crossed my mind, but I remember Fiio planning to build a docking station for X3/X5 II DAPs. I was wondering if there are any news about this. 

 

[r2muchstuff]

  OK, I will stop capitalizing mac. 
 
I remember reading it MAC, and thus my ideea of using capitals. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On another note, this just crossed my mind, but I remember Fiio planning to build a docking station for X3/X5 II DAPs. I was wondering if there are any news about this. 

No action on that thread in days.  However, it is in the pictures on their web site under "News" of 2015 Hong Kong High-End Audio Visual Show--Review
 
r2

 

[AndrewH13]

OK, I will stop capitalizing mac. 

I remember reading it MAC, and thus my ideea of using capitals. 







On another note, this just crossed my mind, but I remember Fiio planning to build a docking station for X3/X5 II DAPs. I was wondering if there are any news about this. 

I thought in Caps it was clear what you meant and not a rain jacket

 

[x RELIC x]

I thought in Caps it was clear what you meant and not a rain jacket

LOL!! You crazy British folk!

 

[AndrewH13]

LOL!! You crazy British folk!

 

[Luvdac]

Hi Folks,
Having problems with my x5ii and a friends x3ii. Both were bought together and within a couple of weeks the scroll wheel and cursor started to go their own ways. The cursor now jumps all over the place, so we are resorting to using the forward and back buttons for navigation within menus. Have written to Fiio about this, even sent them a video of the errant units. They want us to send them to  China. We are in India, the units were bought in the U.S. and now it looks like we may have to be without our precious music for weeks to come. And this from brand new units

 

[DecentLevi]

Here are my impressions that I posted on the main X5 thread
 
Quote:

  Thanks for your assistance above. 
So here's my general impressions of the X5 version 2.
 
Build quality is top notch with great accessories such as casing you didn't expect. Exterior metal finish seems solid as a brick (but let's hope the internals are as sturdy). Included instruction booklet is short & concise, leaving me to think the non tech-savvy may struggle figuring everything out.
 
Upon trying it with both my 8-ohm IEMs and Beyer. DT 1350 on-ears on low-gain setting, I was underwhelmed by a somewhat thin & non-refined sound like that of a cheap laptop... but welcome to HIGH GAIN! That very very dramatically improved things! Now the bass is well refined and textured, and the treble as well with more natural sound. The overall impact/dynamics is improved much with the high gain as well on both the IEMs and headphones I tried on it. 
 
Now testing this DAP with a flagship headphone: HD 650 from Sennheiser. WOWza the x5 is actually able to properly drive this 300 ohm beast... well enough that I could see myself using this as a portable DAP to show my non-audiophile friends the sound possibilities of this hobby.
 
Comparing the X5 (briefly several times) to my full size tube amp rig (Gustard X12 DAC with Project Ember and aftermarket tubes), here are some differnces I noticed: The X5 has more clear treble presentation and a sound that is perhaps a smidget more 'syrupy'... meaning a combination of clean, lush and... just 'different' in some hard to quantify way. It seems the soundstage was slightly better on the tube amp and maybe the bass definition as well.  I still like my  tube amp rig better though, and all the differences mentioned were entirely influenced by the tube I'm using; of which this amp is able to handle many different types of tubes.
 
The only downsides for me are the slightly slow UI lag, ease of getting to/back from the settings, inability to edit tags / add stars to tracks, and no control over the volume increments which are by factors of 1%. But all in all, I would say this is hard as heck to beat at $300 and IIRC, the only benefit from other DAPs I've tried costing 4-6x more is that they're slightly slimmer yet still don't sound any better than the X5.
 

 

[dudiadudia1]

Hi Folks,
Having problems with my x5ii and a friends x3ii. Both were bought together and within a couple of weeks the scroll wheel and cursor started to go their own ways. The cursor now jumps all over the place, so we are resorting to using the forward and back buttons for navigation within menus. Have written to Fiio about this, even sent them a video of the errant units. They want us to send them to  China. We are in India, the units were bought in the U.S. and now it looks like we may have to be without our precious music for weeks to come. And this from brand new units:mad: :mad:

Hi dude,
I was in a same situation where Fiio asked me to send them my unit.
Also, i didnt want to wait a few weeks without my X5ii.
If there is an official retail/distributer in your area, you can ask Fiio to simple go there and ahow them the problem. And push for a replacement.
It worked for me. Joe(a memeber here) was very helpful.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hello guys I'm hoping someone can help me on this please:
 
Updating the firmware on the X5 v2, I followed all the instructions, but it just won't update! I put the X5II.fw file into rotot directory, reset it, and pressed the upper left button and power buttons, but every time I try it and no matter what order / length of holding the buttons, nothing happens; only the normal result of holding the power button (screen off or power off). I've even formatted the SD card with the X5 and tried it again with the .fw file but it doesn't seem to be updating. Thanks in advance

 

[Dobrescu George]

I have been testing X5II against X5II + E12A.
 
With my ultrasone dj one pro seems as if X5II alone has more dynamic range. 
 
I will receive ie800 monday, and will report back with results, if the difference is the same. 
 
Anwyay, after some time of having X5II still sounds special and exciting. 

 

[514077]

 

  can @Dobrescu George stop capitalizing "mac", it's not abbreviation of anything, its short for "macintosh". the posix and linux operating systems treat any files starting with a "." as a hidden file. i run both linux and posix systems and have had zero problems writing to micro SD cards with either operating systems default file explorers (nautilus and finder, respectively). also, you can't "upset" a chipset, that doesnt make sense. it may have bugged something out in earlier versions, but i can confirm that i am not experiencing any problems. this may not be the end-all-be-all solution for everyone, but the fact that i am not having any problems on either operating system proves that it IS possible to have a working FiiO DAP, AND/OR laptop/computer with perfect synergy between the devices.

 
LOL - just read this.  Sorry - not being a pedant or anything but this just struck me as funny .......
 
How about he stops captitalising "mac" and you start capitalising first letters in sentences, and the letter "i" when used as a personal pronoun?
 

I have to +1 that, in a general way.  My beef is posts that have "dot dot dot" between sentences.  Makes it hard to listen with a computer voice. 
Thanks George.  You used to do the '...' thing a while ago, but your posts are much easier to enjoy.
Just sayin.