[superuser1]

So we know the X5iii hisses with SUPER sensitive IEMs, but luckily for everyone, there are lots of TOTL IEMs that sit around the 16-18 Ohm range, that do not pick up hiss on most of the DAPs out there. In fact, of all the IEMs I've owned, and of all the DAPs I've tested them on, only one DAP gave audible hiss. That was the Cayin N5. But even then, only on the balanced output. Cayin didn't do a very good job of their balanced architecture, causing Angie to hiss.

I don't expect to hear much, if any, hiss on the X5iii, using my U12 or Solar.

The trick is, don't buy an earphone that is known for being unreasonably prone to hiss.

 
Thank you very much. Appreciate it. I thought you would pull one of the magic hat just like you did with the 99 Classics 

 

[scottm18]

  Well, I'm not sure if it's a typo, but the title of this thread says DTS...so not sure if that's meant to be DST
 
Absolutely...but as I initially said, it's just a bit of friendly advice. He (or someone else) may very well end up disregarding a perfectly fine product solely due to an insignificant, or otherwise, spec

No...it's definitely DST, which stands Direct Stream Transport as opposed to DSD (Direct Stream Digital).   Its the "sub-format" used for Multichannel DSD sound so it doesn't take a ridiculous amount of space.  I didn't know about it either until i realized that was the only way to encode my dozens of MC SACDs to eloquently play them on my Exasound DAC  via J River.  That said, it takes quite a bit of CPU to handle that encoding--so very few players can do it.    Fiio even "jokes" about it on their own site:  http://fiio.me/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=40387&highlight=dst
 
I know of a grand total of ONE player at ANY price point that can handle them (yes, even the ridiculously priced AK units)--this one:
 
From a Cayin I5 review:

Let’s start with what’s under the hood of the i5. Later, we’ll take a closer look on the i5 itself and its user interface on the next succeeding pages. The Cayin i5 features an AKM4490 DAC chip, the same DAC chip you see on other high-end portable audio players and other D/A Converter devices. It supports a wide range of audio formats, including native DSD decoding and DST encoded DSD.

 

[TheoS53]

  No...it's definitely DST, which stands Direct Stream Transport as opposed to DSD (Direct Stream Digital).   Its the "sub-format" used for Multichannel DSD sound so it doesn't take a ridiculous amount of space.  I didn't know about it either until i realized that was the only way to encode my dozens of MC SACDs to eloquently play them on my Exasound DAC  via J River.  That said, it takes quite a bit of CPU to handle that encoding--so very few players can do it.    Fiio even "jokes" about it on their own site:  http://fiio.me/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=40387&highlight=dst
 
I know of a grand total of ONE player at ANY price point that can handle them (yes, even the ridiculously priced AK units)--this one:
 
From a Cayin I5 review:

Let’s start with what’s under the hood of the i5. Later, we’ll take a closer look on the i5 itself and its user interface on the next succeeding pages. The Cayin i5 features an AKM4490 DAC chip, the same DAC chip you see on other high-end portable audio players and other D/A Converter devices. It supports a wide range of audio formats, including native DSD decoding and DST encoded DSD.

What i meant was, I don't know if the "DTS" in the title is a typo (meaning it should be DST), or if DTS means something else in this case

 

[PinkyPowers]

Thank you very much. Appreciate it. I thought you would pull one of the magic hat just like you did with the 99 Classics 

For the 99C sound, the closest thing I can recommend is the Rhapsodio Solar, in the TOTL mark, and the ATH-IM03, in the mid-fi mark.

I was just listening to the IM03 Sunday night, and it's still one my favorites. Discontinued now, but I'm sure they can still be found. Second-hand would be a great bargainl.

 

[superuser1]

For the 99C sound, the closest thing I can recommend is the Rhapsodio Solar, in the TOTL mark, and the ATH-IM03, in the mid-fi mark.

I was just listening to the IM03 Sunday night, and it's still one my favorites. Discontinued now, but I'm sure they can still be found. Second-hand would be a great bargainl.

 
Thank you very much for the suggestions. I'm just sitting here and trying to squander away my inheritance on mid priced equipment.

 

[Djsenjaya]

Just received my x5ii today. And from the build quality it was rock solid. I love the dimensions and the Weight.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I'm just sitting here and trying to squander away my inheritance on mid priced equipment.

Anything I can say about the sound of the Meze 99 Classics I can say about the IM03, to one degree or another. They share much the same blood.

 

[gmahler2u]

Does the X5 3 hiss worse than the original X5?  I find the original X5 to be okay for me hiss wise.  My laptop hisses horribly.  My new desktop is dead silent.  It is the best I have heard in that regard.

Thanks

Riley

I have fiio x5ii and x5iii. Hissing wise. The new x5iii generates more hissing than x5ii

That is unfortunate.  Anybody with more insight would greatly help my choice for a new dap.  This concerns me a bit.  I don't like to hear a lot of hiss.

Thanks

Riley

Yes i agree. To be honest i dont get much hissing but then i dont use sensitive IEMs.

My intention was getting fiiox5iii for senstive iems...roxanne and jh16...if this dap has hiss issue then i should else where....

 

[TheoS53]

So I thought I'd share a few pics and some more impressions with you guys. In the past I've been quite critical of Fiio's software, and I'm glad to see that they've decided this time 'round to hold off on the release and give themselves a bit more time to polish things up. As such, I'm not gonna say much about the software for now. Don't take that to mean that it still isn't good, actually, it pretty darn good as far as I'm concerned. But there are a few things here and there that do need revising and refining.

So, since there won't be any hardware changes (AFAIK), I think it's fair to share my thoughts on the device's build

 
It genuinely is a handsome, very well crafted devices. All the ports and jacks line up nicely, and there doesn't seem to be any silly oversights on Fiio's part. I'ts got a bit of heft to it, making it feel all the more premium and substantial. It does have some slightly sharp edges, but nothing that makes it utterly uncomfortable to hold. Speaking of holding it, it's actually a very decent size; not overly big. It honestly does look and feel like Fiio's best built, most refined design to date. 



Along the bottom we see all the jacks and ports. I did notice a fair amount of clicks and pops on the 3.5mm socket when inserting or removing a headphone cables, but nothing that'll make you absolutely cringe.
 


A notable change in Fiio's usual design is the addition of an analogue volume wheel. The gold colour actually provides for a nice subtle accent on the otherwise black body. However, I do think it would've been better to make the wheel slightly thicker. The radius is fine, but the actual thickness would've provided just a bit more feel on the wheel. There is a bit of up and down play on the wheel, as well as some "more than expected" play in between each 'click' of the wheel when turning it. The play/pause and skip buttons also have some slight play, as well as a very slight squishy feeling on the play/pause button. But it's genuinely nothing dramatic or something to be concerned about.



Fiio had also decided to go for a stealthy approach with regards to the card slots, which consists of trays that sit flush with the body and require a pin to eject them, exactly the same as you'd find on modern smartphones for the simcard. My only real complaint with the design is the position of the power button. I feel it would've been better suited to put this on the top, rather than the side. The reason I say this is because, when trying to press the button and due to the way the device is held, you can accidentally end up pressing one of the skip buttons. This is actually more of a problem when the device is lying down on a table, in which case, depending on how you grip the device between your thumb and index finger, you might end up pressing one of the skip buttons or play/pause button. 

 

[RAFA]

I guess the x5 has a line out. Is the line out balanced?

 

[jmills8]

I guess the x5 has a line out. Is the line out balanced?

no

 

[blackdalhia]

Hi guys,
 
I have an X1 for 2 years now and enjoy it a lot... I am thinking about a little upgrade with the X5iii. I have 2 headphones to pair it with, both by Audio-Technica: ATH-MSR7 for home and ATH-ANC9 for travelling (both pairs very well with X1, hope to be the same with X5).
 
quick question about the 2 headphone outputs: I don't get what "single-ended" vs "balanced" means .... can anyone clarify ?
 
I see lots of effort have been put in the connectivity with WIFI: can I access my NAS and download music files on my X5?
 
What are the most interesting app available on X5 related to music (I am not planning to install game )?
 
I am not asking anything about difference vs. X1, I expect a good upgrade in terms of sound stage and details, especially to pair with my MSR7. As this one lacks of bass, I hope to get more bass than with my X1 ....
 
 
thanks in advance !
 
Laurent

 

[seamon]

Can anyone tell me if this dap is better than DP-X1 sonically?

 

[audio123]

  Can anyone tell me if this dap is better than DP-X1 sonically?

they are around the same level on par with xdp300r too

 

[justjag]

Brooko Any hiss with your Andromedas? What about the power output for driving hungrier cans?

And again, can anyone comment on the USB dac feature with regards to any hiccups like random disconnects such as during periods of idle? Thanks!