[Dobrescu George]

  Got my X5 II  !!!
I updated fw to 2.1 first. Then loaded an album on available class 4 card
and bundled it with Etymotic hf5 earphones.
Well... Album is low on volume, have to say. I had to wind device volume
up to over 70. Today I will buy before mentioned sandisk 200gb card, the
10 class. It would probably be much better.
Is this volume up on x5 normal? Further, I might be looking after new buds.
Neutral, flat. Any other idea aside Etymotic? Locally, it is almost all about
Sennheiser. Internet buy seems to be out of question, sadly. What would
anyone recommend for neutral?
Finally, I have an impression of fw be a bit slow.
I will report news, if of interest to someone.

 
Volume is normal to be cranked over 70 if you're on low gain and if you're having EQ engaged. Even if you don't, it might still be normal. 
 
Sennheiser ie800 if you need the best Sennheiser IEM 
 
Download and install this if you want a snappier / faster / smoother UI experience 
 
https://mega.nz/#!Y0sDjSJL!xetgjoeQcDpFW4yzhnjj6ZtUGlxqyqQD-JQFUxlds2g
 
Not mine, but I love it! 

 

 

[fooboo]

In fact, I have old shure se210. Never liked it. Connected it to x3/a3 combo.
How it sounds? Fine at first. Then you realized bass is too much. Nice
sound stage, but it is all bass.
That sennheiser iem is about $800. I'd not sleep for weeks if I'd buy it.
Etymotic is fine, but not love for life. I might go for 4sr model, if any chance.
Whenever I get new device, I feel quite nervous and find all kinds of mal-
function of it. Did it stay in depot too long? How about batteries? Is it
working at natural speed? You see how it goes?
One may say a3 cannot help, but I like the sound better and x3 working
as source only. Why? I don't know.
It is too early for me to say how I like x5. It will take few days to get
a card and populate it.
Best regards.

 

[fritobugger]

Volume is normal to be cranked over 70 if you're on low gain and if you're having EQ engaged. Even if you don't, it might still be normal. 

Sennheiser ie800 if you need the best Sennheiser IEM 

Download and install this if you want a snappier / faster / smoother UI experience 

https://mega.nz/#!Y0sDjSJL!xetgjoeQcDpFW4yzhnjj6ZtUGlxqyqQD-JQFUxlds2g

Not mine, but I love it! 


 

I never have to go above 40 with my 64 Audio U10.

 

[fourrobert13]

Got my X5 II  !!!
I updated fw to 2.1 first. Then loaded an album on available class 4 card
and bundled it with Etymotic hf5 earphones.
Well... Album is low on volume, have to say. I had to wind device volume
up to over 70. Today I will buy before mentioned sandisk 200gb card, the
10 class. It would probably be much better.
Is this volume up on x5 normal? Further, I might be looking after new buds.
Neutral, flat. Any other idea aside Etymotic? Locally, it is almost all about
Sennheiser. Internet buy seems to be out of question, sadly. What would
anyone recommend for neutral?
Finally, I have an impression of fw be a bit slow.
I will report news, if of interest to someone.

The low volume would be the recording, and wouldn't have anything to do with the card. I'm not familiar with your headphones. Are they high impedance? You could turn on high gain, but it would raise the noise floor. The 200 gig card you chose is good to go. Just format it in the player to avoid any playback issues.

 

[fourrobert13]

I never have to go above 40 with my 64 Audio U10.

I rarely go above 20 on low gain with my EX1. Most of the time I'm between 13 to 15. The EX1 are only 16ohms and I don't use the eq.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I rarely go above 20 on low gain with my EX1. Most of the time I'm between 13 to 15. The EX1 are only 16ohms and I don't use the eq.

 
EX1 are extremely sensitive 

 
 

I never have to go above 40 with my 64 Audio U10.

 
 
That is also absolutely normal!
 
 
 

  In fact, I have old shure se210. Never liked it. Connected it to x3/a3 combo.
How it sounds? Fine at first. Then you realized bass is too much. Nice
sound stage, but it is all bass.
That sennheiser iem is about $800. I'd not sleep for weeks if I'd buy it.
Etymotic is fine, but not love for life. I might go for 4sr model, if any chance.
Whenever I get new device, I feel quite nervous and find all kinds of mal-
function of it. Did it stay in depot too long? How about batteries? Is it
working at natural speed? You see how it goes?
One may say a3 cannot help, but I like the sound better and x3 working
as source only. Why? I don't know.
It is too early for me to say how I like x5. It will take few days to get
a card and populate it.
Best regards.

 
FiiO EX1, Dunu DN2000J, Senn momentum in-ear. 
 
Cannot say which wll be your favorite, all are good all-rounders. 
 
I generally recommend listening before buying anything because this hobby is extremely subjective. 

 

[bmoregnr]

  Got my X5 II  !!!
I updated fw to 2.1 first. Then loaded an album on available class 4 card
and bundled it with Etymotic hf5 earphones.
Well... Album is low on volume, have to say. I had to wind device volume
up to over 70. Today I will buy before mentioned sandisk 200gb card, the
10 class. It would probably be much better.
Is this volume up on x5 normal? Further, I might be looking after new buds.
Neutral, flat. Any other idea aside Etymotic? Locally, it is almost all about
Sennheiser. Internet buy seems to be out of question, sadly. What would
anyone recommend for neutral?
Finally, I have an impression of fw be a bit slow.
I will report news, if of interest to someone.

I tried my Hf5 with the X5ii and I didn’t think it sounded all that great.  My Hf5 has always sounded pretty good right out of an iphone but not so much here.  It is very likely I felt that way because I was also using an ER4-XR which I love with this.  The XR seems like a big step up from the Hf5 to me.  The SR would be flatter of course, I have never tried it but had an ER-4S years ago so I know the approach; but I enjoy the XR being a little less analytical maybe is what I would say, but I recognize I am not getting as flat a response with it—I think I would care more if I was mainly into jazz or vocal/piano music.
I listen in low gain with no eq and I am probably in the 65-72 range volume wise depending on the song/album.

 

[fooboo]

To answer previous question. Etymotic hf5 is 16 ohm iem. For some reason
I liked it better via a3 then straight from x3.
At my area I cannot go for internet stores. They don't ship. So, I have to go
local and buy what is available.
First step: getting a card today.
Next step: slowly looking after some different iem. Flat, neutral, but different.
It gonna be fun to mess with x5, I suppose.
Best regards all.

 

[fritobugger]

   
EX1 are extremely sensitive 

 
 
 
 
That is also absolutely normal!
 
 
 
 
FiiO EX1, Dunu DN2000J, Senn momentum in-ear. 
 
Cannot say which wll be your favorite, all are good all-rounders. 
 
I generally recommend listening before buying anything because this hobby is extremely subjective. 

 
The Dunu DN-2000 is an excellent all-rounder.  The DN-2000J is a little too bright

 

[fooboo]

Would have to ask someone to get Dunu for me and ship me. Complicated as much
as one might consider.
Looking local stores online. Bose, JBL, akg, sennheiser, shure... One klipsch r6i.
Few beyerdynamic ones. I will reread threads about "neutral iem".
There is Beyerdynamic dtx 102 ie ready for about 70 euros. Focal sphear 100.
Beyerdynamic idx 160 ie for E100. AKG k376... Man! No way I might choose.
If someone has an idea about mentioned brands, I will search further and with
goal in front of me. If fails, I will find the way for dunu.
Best regards.
 
Edit, after more  reading: Audio Technica ath e models probably available.

 

[fooboo]

  I tried my Hf5 with the X5ii and I didn’t think it sounded all that great.  My Hf5 has always sounded pretty good right out of an iphone but not so much here.  It is very likely I felt that way because I was also using an ER4-XR which I love with this.  The XR seems like a big step up from the Hf5 to me.  The SR would be flatter of course, I have never tried it but had an ER-4S years ago so I know the approach; but I enjoy the XR being a little less analytical maybe is what I would say, but I recognize I am not getting as flat a response with it—I think I would care more if I was mainly into jazz or vocal/piano music.
I listen in low gain with no eq and I am probably in the 65-72 range volume wise depending on the song/album.

Exactly the same.
Got the card, put files on it. X5 has wider stage, sounds a bit more flat and detailed.
Etymotic hf5 is better on X3, for sure. For some reason it is not easy to satisfied
this little beast on X5. One might say "not a match". Volume seems to be the same
on both devices. Strangely, putting A3 between gives live sound. I assume it is about
Etymotic. The reason to look after new buds.
Now I have to read posts on phones matching X5 better. Dunu 2000 comes as a
fine choice. Any other solution for flat, neutral, but not weak would be good to know.
Thanks all for support.

 

[397324]

Have you considered the Fidue A83? Always been a favourite of mine. I prefer them to my Shure SE846's with the X5ii. Also sounds great with the A5 amp. You shouldn't need the bass boost though as the bass is really good without it.
 
Personally, I have always found Dunu a bit too orientated towards the treble, but then again, I am a bit treble sensitive.
 
I said in a post yesterday either here or the X7 thread, that even though I have just got an ifi Audio Micro iDSD Black Amp/DAC and Audioquest NightOwl Carbon headphone setup for home use, I would be happy if all I ever had was a FiiO X5ii and Fidue A83's.

 

[fooboo]

Never heard Fidue. Nor Dunu. Regarding Shure, I think I finished with them
after 210 model I still have.
I assume Etymotic hf5 is simply not sensitive enough and it takes me to
turn the volume up. It never took a breath out of me, frankly. Reading reviews,
people mostly rave about dunu 2000 and hifiman re-600. How do they set
with x5 II in fact? Amp or not?
When time comes, I will ask a friend to get desired phones and ship it to me.
Now just to decide which ones.

 

[fritobugger]

  Never heard Fidue. Nor Dunu. Regarding Shure, I think I finished with them
after 210 model I still have.
I assume Etymotic hf5 is simply not sensitive enough and it takes me to
turn the volume up. It never took a breath out of me, frankly. Reading reviews,
people mostly rave about dunu 2000 and hifiman re-600. How do they set
with x5 II in fact? Amp or not?
When time comes, I will ask a friend to get desired phones and ship it to me.
Now just to decide which ones.

 
The DN-2000 does fine on low gain on my X5ii.

 

[fooboo]

   
The DN-2000 does fine on low gain on my X5ii.

I'm quite interested.
Would you elaborate a bit more, please? About flat/v-shaped, volume height,
everything you find important. And how it fits ear canal? Silicone tips that
come with it. For ety it was a disaster, till I found they kept shure olives.
Strange is how posters describe phones differently. One is flat or v shaped.
The other the same. Reading reviews, seems dunu 2000 and fidue are ones
to follow for x5 II.
Best regards.