[sjb57]

Thanks. How do these compare to the X5iii? Would be interested to hear your thoughts just in case I can't resist a new toy

Just spent 4 weeks enjoying my X5iii and now returned to my X7ii. Even via AptX it sounds so 'clean' - Wow!

 

[DavidA]

To me ( and most) the X7ii kick this X5iii ass by a country mile! not really in the same league. Im jamming to it right now with my CIEMs and its pure sublime.

I still like the UI of the Onkyo A LOT more, however.

What specifically does the X7ii do better than the X5iii?

DAC quality? is the implementation of the DAC in the X7ii noticeably better than the X5iii and why?

interface? are there any differences since both are using Android

amp quality? (aside from the interchangeable amps of the X7) Is the base amp of the X7ii neutral, bright, or warm in comparison to other DAPs? FWIW the original X3 has the best sounding DAC/amp IMO compared to the X5, X5ii, and X3ii.

I'm mainly looking for sound quality, I don't use IEM/CIEM, only full size headphones: HD650/6XX, HD700, RS2e, Ypsilon R1, HE560, TH-600, LCD-2, and EL-8. These are the headphones that I want to use with a new DAP and currently only the X3 is able to drive them all decently. I do have desktop gear but I want to get a DAP for when I travel, I don't stream anything so its one reason I want 2 memory slots since most of my files are FLAC.

 

[Dobrescu George]

What specifically does the X7ii do better than the X5iii?

DAC quality? is the implementation of the DAC in the X7ii noticeably better than the X5iii and why?

interface? are there any differences since both are using Android

amp quality? (aside from the interchangeable amps of the X7) Is the base amp of the X7ii neutral, bright, or warm in comparison to other DAPs? FWIW the original X3 has the best sounding DAC/amp IMO compared to the X5, X5ii, and X3ii.

I'm mainly looking for sound quality, I don't use IEM/CIEM, only full size headphones: HD650/6XX, HD700, RS2e, Ypsilon R1, HE560, TH-600, LCD-2, and EL-8. These are the headphones that I want to use with a new DAP and currently only the X3 is able to drive them all decently. I do have desktop gear but I want to get a DAP for when I travel, I don't stream anything so its one reason I want 2 memory slots since most of my files are FLAC.

AMP quality, refinement and resolution.

Especially in the treble, where the difference is far from minor, X7mkii has considerably better extension, and less smooth // more realistic / engaging treble than X5-3.

I am not sure if there are other ultra large differences, but the treble of X7mkii is much better to my ears and to my liking, totally recommend going with X7mkii.

 

[howdy]

What specifically does the X7ii do better than the X5iii?

DAC quality? is the implementation of the DAC in the X7ii noticeably better than the X5iii and why?

interface? are there any differences since both are using Android

amp quality? (aside from the interchangeable amps of the X7) Is the base amp of the X7ii neutral, bright, or warm in comparison to other DAPs? FWIW the original X3 has the best sounding DAC/amp IMO compared to the X5, X5ii, and X3ii.

I'm mainly looking for sound quality, I don't use IEM/CIEM, only full size headphones: HD650/6XX, HD700, RS2e, Ypsilon R1, HE560, TH-600, LCD-2, and EL-8. These are the headphones that I want to use with a new DAP and currently only the X3 is able to drive them all decently. I do have desktop gear but I want to get a DAP for when I travel, I don't stream anything so its one reason I want 2 memory slots since most of my files are FLAC.

What George said. The UI still is a bit of an issue, for me it works most of the time with no issues but is still slow due to cheap chip they used. Not to take a way from FiiO but with your choices of Headphone's I would keep your X5iii and get a iFI DSD Micro BL!!!! to me iFI makes some of the BEST sounding AMP/DACs period. I prefer iFI to CHORD any day of the week, and iFI is reasonable priced for everything you get. Also with the Micro it will power anything you have and anything youll want. I used my X5iii with the Micro (and HUGO 1/2 and Mojo) and it is a great source!

 

[Dobrescu George]

What George said. The UI still is a bit of an issue, for me it works most of the time with no issues but is still slow due to cheap chip they used. Not to take a way from FiiO but with your choices of Headphone's I would keep your X5iii and get a iFI DSD Micro BL!!!! to me iFI makes some of the BEST sounding AMP/DACs period. I prefer iFI to CHORD any day of the week, and iFI is reasonable priced for everything you get. Also with the Micro it will power anything you have and anything youll want. I used my X5iii with the Micro (and HUGO 1/2 and Mojo) and it is a great source!

I have also been thinking that for that selection of headphones, iDSD BL might be a good addition, either this or adding AMP5 to X7mkii instead of keeping AM03A. X5-3 is quite weaker than X7mkii even when we speak about X7mkii + AM03A, the driving power of X5-3 is laregely not enough for LCD-2, EL-8, HD700, and here I am talking about loudness, they just don't get loud enough for me liking, especially if adding an EQ.

 

[DavidA]

@Dobrescu George and @howdy thanks for the replies, I guess I need to do some additional research on getting a new DAP to replace my X3.

@howdy I've heard the Hugo 1/2 and Mojo and only the Hugo1 was to my liking since one of the few DAC/amps that paired well with my HD800 and HE560 but I'll take your suggestion and take a serious look at iFi gear.

@Dobrescu George , since I don't listen at very high levels my old X3 drives my HD700, EL-8 and LCD-2 easily to my listening levels so more power is not really needed for these, only the HE560 is a problem for most DAPs that I've tried.

 

[LightBlue77]

I also have first gen fiio x3 dap, it gives enough power to lcd2f so on high gain volume level need not be over 50%, most of the time is around 40% (25 to 30 out of 60). But there are people saying that these lcd2 need serious amping to hear their full potential. I even sense some kind of mocking at you about it.
But neverthanless, i feel that for x3 times and technology, it is overall better than x5iii. Because of amping and speed of usage. It is a dap and performs very well. Soundwise, x5iii is better, but it has too many software flaws for the price.

 

[Dobrescu George]

@Dobrescu George and @howdy thanks for the replies, I guess I need to do some additional research on getting a new DAP to replace my X3.

@howdy I've heard the Hugo 1/2 and Mojo and only the Hugo1 was to my liking since one of the few DAC/amps that paired well with my HD800 and HE560 but I'll take your suggestion and take a serious look at iFi gear.

@Dobrescu George , since I don't listen at very high levels my old X3 drives my HD700, EL-8 and LCD-2 easily to my listening levels so more power is not really needed for these, only the HE560 is a problem for most DAPs that I've tried.

Then X5-3 might be loud enough, but in the treble, X7mkii is a true flagship, X5-3 is way too smooth for my liking .

I also have first gen fiio x3 dap, it gives enough power to lcd2f so on high gain volume level need not be over 50%, most of the time is around 40% (25 to 30 out of 60). But there are people saying that these lcd2 need serious amping to hear their full potential. I even sense some kind of mocking at you about it.
But neverthanless, i feel that for x3 times and technology, it is overall better than x5iii. Because of amping and speed of usage. It is a dap and performs very well. Soundwise, x5iii is better, but it has too many software flaws for the price.

I might listen way louder than you do, but I have my X7mkii kept at 90% of volume even with ie800 and signature studio, X5-3 was at absolute full volume and it was not loud enough...

 

[LightBlue77]

Yeah, i don't use high volume levels but x5iii needs amping. Otherwise, it won't be any significant upgrade compared to previous fiio daps. Even with all the superior audio hardware, nevermind cpu and all the other "smart" components. It is a dap, make it work as a dap. My kid broke a ~10 years old sony dap with a lightning speed ui and great sound. Take some lessons fiio. Ui experience is not the most important feature, though some find it essential, but speed is. You have none of these on x5iii.

 

[javre76]

Guys, we need to set expectations, we are comparing two devices with a US$250 difference. If money is not an issue, by all means, get the X7, but for US$395 for the X5, with all its features, it is fantastic (now, @FiiO, I really hope you work on the stability of the firmware, it has been looong time since the last release).

 

[LightBlue77]

Sure, but features running slow make me give up using them after a while. E.g. freezing youtube. Yeah, i play youtube on it to listen via speakers. And the list is endless, usb dac mode is not always activated or it is but no sound, no volume control sometimes, no eq while playing. It is too much. Luckly the sound is good, not great but good. But i ended buying features i find unusable.
By the way, i've been having one thing in my mind to tell fiio management. They advertise their daps as having "highly customized android" or whatever. They should ask their developers about it, highly costumized always, ALWAYS! and there is no exception to the rule, means highly problematic. And it is clear by looking at the final result, this dap in our case. For sure they rushed things too much, leaving no room for their developers but to do a poor job. It doesn't have to be perfect, but not poor by all means.
So, @FiiO and whoever decides your next moves, start with clean, pure, no custom apps added android. Then bypass android drivers so sound is directly bit perfect handled. And that's it. Ok, add your pure music app too. No other customization needed.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Guys, we need to set expectations, we are comparing two devices with a US$250 difference. If money is not an issue, by all means, get the X7, but for US$395 for the X5, with all its features, it is fantastic (now, @FiiO, I really hope you work on the stability of the firmware, it has been looong time since the last release).

\\

I agree about that tho, at 400$, X5-3 is pretty awesome.

The question was about X7mkii andf X5-3 and whether X7mkii brings any improvements, and to me, it is a huge Yes, X7mkii is FiiO's Flagship.

Sure, but features running slow make me give up using them after a while. E.g. freezing youtube. Yeah, i play youtube on it to listen via speakers. And the list is endless, usb dac mode is not always activated or it is but no sound, no volume control sometimes, no eq while playing. It is too much. Luckly the sound is good, not great but good. But i ended buying features i find unusable.
By the way, i've been having one thing in my mind to tell fiio management. They advertise their daps as having "highly customized android" or whatever. They should ask their developers about it, highly costumized always, ALWAYS! and there is no exception to the rule, means highly problematic. And it is clear by looking at the final result, this dap in our case. For sure they rushed things too much, leaving no room for their developers but to do a poor job. It doesn't have to be perfect, but not poor by all means.
So, @FiiO and whoever decides your next moves, start with clean, pure, no custom apps added android. Then bypass android drivers so sound is directly bit perfect handled. And that's it. Ok, add your pure music app too. No other customization needed.

Youtube is something like a rare usage scenario for an audiophile DAC, but it should be eventually supported.

USB DAC mode advication and volume is one thing, but EQ during USB DAC should not work, that is the design on all DAPs I currently have, there is none that allows for EQ during USB DAC as far as I know and as far as I tested.

Android is customized on every single Android DAP and that is because otherwise the SRC resampling is hard to bypass, and because without customizations it might not be as fast, as light or consume as little battery. You really don't want an uncustomized Android DAP. Rather, you can go with a smartphone and a FiiO Q5, iDSD Nano BL, iDSD Micro BL if you are looking for full Android support.

 

[matique]

Any idea what's draining my battery overnight?

I had forgotten to turn it off, but I paused all the music players etc. My off timers are set to 5 mins to sleep and 10mins to power off. Am I doing anything wrong here? It went from 100% to 10% in 8 hours without playing anything.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Any idea what's draining my battery overnight?



I had forgotten to turn it off, but I paused all the music players etc. My off timers are set to 5 mins to sleep and 10mins to power off. Am I doing anything wrong here? It went from 100% to 10% in 8 hours without playing anything.

Try to talk with FiiO. Was it warm when you turned it on?

 

[matique]

Try to talk with FiiO. Was it warm when you turned it on?

Not particularly warm. I've done a complete reset to make sure it isn't a software bug. If it persists I will contact Fiio. Just to check, what are your timer off settings?

Also, is there any way to disable lockscreen for Fiio Music? I want to jump into the player the moment i turn my screen on.