[dandandaaan]

Hello! Tried to search the thread for this but I am losing my mind as nobody seems to have this problem! I am trying to install jkbuha kernel with stock firmware on my X5iii. I had successfully (or so I thought) flashed recovery_TWRP.img and boot.zip as outlined in this post using Homebrew/ADB/rkflashtools (I am on MacOS with no access to PC). However I can not for the life of me get my device to boot into TWRP recovery to install the kernel - when I try either from a USB connection with terminal (using adb reboot recovery), or manually using the power/play/prev track buttons I have the same issue - my X5 turns "on" but I just get an unresponsive blank screen. Where have I gone wrong?!?! Happy to answer more questions if you need more info. Thanks in advance!

 

[New Fiio Owner]

If you use custom kernel, TWRP, root, etc removing FiiO music is a trivial task. Removing FiiO music and Pure Music Mode is one option in the custom kernel installer. (Pure Music mode is a facade anyways, it is still running Android and no sonic or performance benefits come from using it)

Hello,

Sorry for being so late with this reply, I hope you don't think I was being rude. I gave up in the end and threw the X5iii in my broken tech drawer alongside the Fiio X5ii.

I went back to using my phone until I finally bought another DAP which I believed would be a downgrade but has proved to be a much better experience for me, I am now using a compact Hiby Dap, the 'R3 Pro Saber 2022'.

Thanks for the advice, now that I have a working DAP I may start tinkering with the X5iii to see if I can bring it back to life.

 

[Doudy]

Hello everybody,

I would like to boost my old Fiio X5 3rd gen.

1) I would like to know if it accepts Micro SD Cards greater than 256 Gb per slot, for example a 512 GB card?

2) Would it be faster to change the official firmware with an alternative firmware?

Currently it is updated with the official firmware and it is not rooted :

- FW 1.2.5
- FiiO Music app 3.1.6
- Kernel 3.0.101+
- Fii0@asc #1203
- Android 5.1.1

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[alxfrmmng]

Hello everybody,

I would like to boost my old Fiio X5 3rd gen.

1) I would like to know if it accepts Micro SD Cards greater than 256 Gb per slot, for example a 512 GB card?

2) Would it be faster to change the official firmware with an alternative firmware?

Currently it is updated with the official firmware and it is not rooted :

- FW 1.2.5
- FiiO Music app 3.1.6
- Kernel 3.0.101+
- Fii0@asc #1203
- Android 5.1.1

Thanks in advance for your advice.

1 tB card works fine.
A great upgrade is Fidelizer https://www.fidelizer-audio.com/
Im very disapointed with my M11 plus ESS, x5 is more musical than.

Alex

 

[Doudy]

Thank you for your answer

1) Is it possible to have 2 sdcards of different sizes? For example one of 256 GB and the other of 512 GB?

2) What is the maximum size per slot? Is it 2 X 1 TB or 2 X 512 GB?

3) If I understand correctly , I have to replace the original FW 1.2.5 firmware with the Fidelizer Purist ROM firmware. That's right ?
Will "FiiO Music app 3.1.6" need to be reinstalled along with all apps like USB Audio Player Pro and Hi-FI Cast?

4) Does this new firmware improve system speed or audio quality or other things?

5) Will battery life be reduced?

Thanks again for your advice

 

[WitzyZed]

Dear god no, do not recommend a new user Fidelizer roms

 

[WitzyZed]

Dear god no, do not recommend a new user Fidelizer roms

@Doudy follow instructions in my signature, let me know here or via PM if you need any assistance, cheers!

 

[Doudy]

@WitzyZed
Thank you , I will try to follow your tutorial, hoping that I do not brick my X5iii, because I am not very good for these manipulations

 

[desutruction]

Thank you all for the work you've done. My X5iii is back in working order (it wasn't dead, just insanely slow) and it's better than it was on its first day. For fellow X5iii owners looking to have a much more usable device, this is it. I followed the guide from @WitzyZed and it worked flawlessly, it's linked on his signature as he said above.

 

[BobSmith8901]

Thank you all for the work you've done. My X5iii is back in working order (it wasn't dead, just insanely slow) and it's better than it was on its first day. For fellow X5iii owners looking to have a much more usable device, this is it. I followed the guide from @WitzyZed and it worked flawlessly, it's linked on his signature as he said above.

I've moved on to a more powerful DAP but had the occasion to use my X5III the other night. I've just got the vanilla 1.25 FW. I can still use the latest USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP 6.09.10 I think) and v2.30 of the Tidal app.

Both apps work just barely passably well once the unit has warmed up. Any delving into settings or another app while streaming in either app meets with long waits for processing. As long as you're just listening to streaming music in either app you're OK and it will generally skip to a new song reasonably well. I removed both of my micro SD cards with local files so it's just a streamer for now. Out of the balanced 2.5mm (in turbo mode) it still sounds pretty good to me, just underpowered.

I've been tempted for years to try WitzyZed's guide and even made an attempt a few years ago (got stuck in a non-responsive boot loader) so maybe I'll give it another go since it's not my sole DAP any more. Can you still use Android apps as with the regular firmware? Are there any issues with WiFi or anything else that have come up in the custom firmware?

 

[WitzyZed]

Thank you all for the work you've done.

Hats off to @jkbuha and @prispewnic for the bionic legs they gave this player to keep on kicking all this time later !
Glad I still get to help anyone with it.

 

[WitzyZed]

I [can] still use the latest USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP 6.09.10 I think) and v2.30 of the Tidal app.

At this point if I were you I might hold off.
UAPP for me is unbearably slow to use. Due to this bug, plus all UAPP versions since 5.9.9.6(?) don't allow you to cache the license and continue running the app with google play store/services/framework disabled/frozen. It saved a ton of RAM that way, but fear of piracy caused the developer to stipulate that GP services must be active when launching the app. You used to be able to change the date/time on the device to get it to cache the license immediately. (Then you could go about debloating things for long term use, but alas it's no more).

Custom kernel version 3.4.1 has some CPU scheduler conflict with the way UAPP and core Tidal app process MQA files, and would always cause stuttering. Normal Redbook flac files streaming from Tidal/UAPP still play fine. Custom kernel version 3.3.2 did not have this stuttering for either file type served by tidal.

Long story short, you can try it, but there's lotsa caveats to bear in mind. Cheers!

 

[WitzyZed]

Can you still use Android apps as with the regular firmware? Are there any issues with WiFi or anything else that have come up in the custom firmware?

Without going into libelous territory, the custom ROMs were found to be pretty bunk. Nothing to gain by installing it.

Custom kernel on the other hand, besides the Tidal/MQA specific hiccups on version 3.4.1, they're rock solid and have no less functionality than stock.

 

[BobSmith8901]

Without going into libelous territory, the custom ROMs were found to be pretty bunk. Nothing to gain by installing it.

Custom kernel on the other hand, besides the Tidal/MQA specific hiccups on version 3.4.1, they're rock solid and have no less functionality than stock.

Thank you so much for all of the great info! Yeah, I was conflating ROM and kernel, oops...

I'll probably just keep it vanilla for now, meanwhile trying to whittle away every last unnecessary app/function on the machine. It's nice to have a DAP backup in case other things go awry. Plus, the battery on mine (bought late 2017) is still surprisingly robust.

 

[desutruction]

I've been using mine with Spotify and balanced output (actually pretty much the sole reason I brought this out of the vault - I got a Hyla CE-5 with a 2.5mm cable and this is the only thing I have rn that has 2.5mm bal)
No issues so far WiFi has been fine, no dropouts whatsoever.