[hongky]

   
2,   the UI will be the original Android L .with our music playback app.

James, please add DLNA support to the music playback app.
With DLNA we can access terabyte of music from NAS or portable wifi HDD. It's also cheaper than copy our music to multiple SD cards

 

[CasperBxl]

  Casper
Are we talking at cross purposes? I am suggesting that playback using the PC as the server gives better SQ than using the X5 as the server (using the files on micro SD Cards). I am therefore asking Fiio to improve the server/player-software section of the upcoming X7, not just the DAC and Amp sections. To my mind, Fiio's DAP server functions must be able to be improved if an external server, with cheap cable and USB feed to an X5, sounds better than the same files held internally on micro SD Cards in the X5, hence the request for improvements in the X7...
Frank

 
Yes we where. Good spot.
 
As the difference between a PC playback and the X5 itself, i would not know.
 
I own a iPod and an AK100 II. So I cant compare PC/X5.
My FIIO E18 does a great job playing from PC or my Samsung S5, with the same sound (to my ears).
Same from an iPad with the CCM + E18.
 
Good question you posed.
Maybe somebody could measure or try to quantify your remark.
 
 
Kind regards,
 
Casper

 

[vincent215]

My dream DAP is exactly like the Sony nwz-zx1 with a few modification
Stock Android and upgrade-able with wifi, so that I can use Spotify. Bluetooth/NFC would be nice, but not important.
Good DAC Chip, prefer Sabre chip
Powerful amp to drive at least efficient Orthors like Hifiman HE400(i) or OPPPO and balance output.
Physical play/pause/forward/backward buttons
2 sd card slots
Line Out
And last but not least, please costs under USD500.

Wasn't that so hard to make?

 

[NawiLlih]

And last but not least, please costs under USD500.

ull b lucky m8

 

[xp9433]

  My FIIO E18 does a great job playing from PC or my Samsung S5, with the same sound (to my ears).
Casper

Casper
Can I recommend that you download Fidelizer 6 (free) and a trial version of JriverMC20 (free I think). Run fidelizer before opening Jriver. Then listen to your E18 through the PC. I think you will surprised at the increased fidelity over S5 > E18.
Frank

 

[Ekul61]

X7 needs more power than the x5... my x5 is a little weak with the hifiman he-400.. and $700 would be fine if the sound was above the x5

 

[Skyfall]

Might be a little too late to chime in but here are mine.
 

Ideal DAP:
 
Size and weight
between Ipod and DX100
 
Battery
Playtime 6-8 hrs charging 2-3 hrs.
built in and last at least for 3 years. After that there's going to be a new one anyway.
 
UI and designs
A dedicated << O > >> up and down plus main menu button is a must. Simple layout, solid feel and responsive. Use a little part of high end material on the body at least the front of it for that high end look and feel. Nice soft blue LED light and a dedicated lock button.
The Ins and Outs I'll leave it to you.
 
Sound:
Dual DAC top of the line Sabre chip whichever sounds best. The sound should be neutral with a little warmth, excellent clarity but not sterile like DX90, good impact and bass body, superb imaging and 3D sound space. Works as stand alone DAC.
 
Amp section:
Just similar to X5 but better. I would suggest not to invest a lot on it unless you can do it for less. You can't please everybody no matter how good it is folks will still prefer to use their own favorite amp anyways.
 
Features:

1. Wifi streaming from PC or MAC, plays third party app such as Spotify etc.
2. Hardware quality 10 band EQ with 3 user own presets and pre amp level.
3. Sound customization/adjust.

       Different headphone has different freq problem such as lack of bass, lack of body, muddy, closed sound, too bright, and so on...
       It will be helpful if you design a built in sound adjustment.
       Create:
       Bass ( >170Hz) increase or decrease (+/-) 3db to adjust bass respond.
       Lower mids (150Hz-250Hz) +/- 3db to adjust body and weight
       Upper mids (3Khz-5Khz) +/- 3 db instrument definition and attack
       Highs ( above 10Khz) +/- 3 db for detail, clarity and air.

1. Crossfeed: out of the head sound
2. Virtual environment: natural, club, hall

      Some people might think it's a joke but when done right it could add enjoyment especially for EDM and classical music. The effect should be subtle or less dramatic so it doesn't sound fake.

1. Volume equalization: same level for all tracks.
2. Night mode listening: increase low freq when listening on low volume.
3. Freq spectrum extension: add high and low extension to a compress file ie. mp3, aac.
4. Easy add/create to playlist
5. Battery indicator: shows how many percent left
6. Storage: at least 32 Gb on board and two micro slots
7. Search function: find a specific file ( album,title artist or songs)
8. Docking station: charging and nice to stare at.
9. Touchscreen would be nice.
10. Comes with protective case ie. leather, silicon or synthetic leather.
11.  

Other than that please don't cut corner on looks. A lot of idiots buy things for looks and popularity instead of real quality. Also most people feel better when they purchase something expensive so ..price it right !

 

[SilverEars]

   
None, in the strictest definition.
 
But the F880/ZX1 comes closest, because it takes in DSD and does PWM with it (basically the same thing) into an analog low-pass, so very little conversion is necessary and is as close to a true 1-bit DAC as it can get without gutting a 1990s era Sony SACD player. This is basically the same principle as the PS Audio DirectStream DAC. Unfortunately, doing this this way suffers from poor SNR (at most about 16-bit ENOB with today's MCUs and switching capacitors) and low-level resolution for PCM conversion (subjective). The thing about the F880/ZX1 is that I think its MCU can't do PWM at fast enough rates and retain voltage precision, so the DSD data is almost certainly also decimated to a lower data rate.
 
Anything that uses multi-bit delta-sigma DACs with "native DSD support" (CS4398, AD1955, ES9018S/K2M, WM841) will perform some kind of internal decimation of the DSD sample rate to whatever the chip itself works at (e.g. >1.5 MHz for ESS, which is partly why the ES9018 likes >80 MHz MCLK, as the DPLL settings are tight). The WM8741 has a "dedicated DSD mode", which requires an analog low pass and analog volume control, but it is locked into that mode, so very few DACs actually use it, and use WM8741's DoP mode, which decimates DSD into the 24/352.8 form of PCM.
 
The "least native" is anything that uses WM8740, because it requires the SoC to accept the DoP headers and decimate the DSD data into something the WM8740 can read, which doesn't support DSD. This hand-off introduces extra jitter at least by a little bit.

Who cares.  If you can hear the difference, sure.  That $5k DAC was measured by JA at Stereophile and this much sums it up:
 
"In many ways, PS Audio's DirectStream DAC measures superbly well. But I was somewhat bothered by its ultimate lack of resolution with data capable of higher-than-CD resolution, which I suspect lay behind AD's finding the processor to sound "a bit rounded off" and lacking in immediacy. Whether or not that will be an issue will depend on the listener's taste and the character of his or her other components. It is also fair to point out that the DirectStream's introduction of random noise at the 17-bit level will be sonically preferable to a processor whose errors consisted of enharmonic tones. But I was bothered by the PS Audio's poor linearity at low frequencies. Yes, some extra second- and third-harmonic content at low frequencies will add some "phatness" to the sounds of bass instruments; and as the nonlinear transfer function has been significantly improved in the midrange and above, that "phat" quality will not be accompanied by the high-frequency harshness of intermodulation. But the engineer in me doesn't like to see it.—John Atkinson"
 
My DAC2(costs significantly less) measured by JA:
 
"Summing up the Benchmark DAC2 HGC's measured performance is easy: It's simply superb."
 
Anyway here the are measurements.
 
http://www.stereophile.com/content/ps-audio-perfectwave-directstream-da-processor-measurements
 
http://www.stereophile.com/content/benchmark-dac2-hgc-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-measurements

 

[Lurker0]

Software wise, I'd appretiate a good CUE support, meaning, like in foobar2000, or PowerAmp. They operate with CUE like with a folder with tracks, regardless of the number of files referenced by CUE. There shall be no relations between CUE file name and audio data file names, because a CUE sheet contains all audio data file names.

The current implementation found in Fiio, iBasso and many other players make me wonder if their developers ever used CUE shhets in good software players...

As I imagine (I'm a programmer), CUE sheet handler can be implemented like a sound format filter from the player side, and like a proxy to other filters internally. And I see no problems in such an implementation.

 

[tomscy2000]

  Who cares.

 
That was sort of my whole point. All of the different DAC designs these days aren't "purist", so I was explaining how each approach is different and not what the earlier guy had believed, that DSD decoding needed analog volume to be "purist", because purity goes out the window in this debate. It's all just bits, manipulated.

 

[H20Fidelity]

That was sort of my whole point. All of the different DAC designs these days aren't "purist", so I was explaining how each approach is different and not what the earlier guy had believed, that DSD decoding needed analog volume to be "purist", because purity goes out the window in this debate. It's all just bits, manipulated.

Well, it was an epic post Tom regardless (your post Silver Ears quoted). You're a world of information. Now I know why I shouldn't of skipped school so many days.

Cheers

 

[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

will the x7 have balanced output?

 

[Shluupag]

What do these $700 DAP's do that cheaper options (including separate amps and such configurations) don't? I'm not experienced in these things, so may be my ignorace. Considering what a lot of of other electonics and music equipment cost, these seem awfully overpriced. I don't see myself ever paying $700 for a DAP, especially one that is mass manufactured in China.
 
What are you paying for in such product? It's not the components of the device, is it? Is the main point to have everything in one package?

 

[x RELIC x]

What do these $700 DAP's do that cheaper options (including separate amps and such configurations) don't? I'm not experienced in these things, so may be my ignorace. Considering what a lot of of other electonics and music equipment cost, these seem awfully overpriced. I don't see myself ever paying $700 for a DAP, especially one that is mass manufactured in China.

What are you paying for in such product? It's not the components of the device, is it? Is the main point to have everything in one package?

That depends on what you value. If your looking for the most accurate representation of the music as it was mastered with as much detail and lifelike texture as possible people will pay a hefty premium (AK240 =$2,400). Quality components add up, as well as quality implementation.

If you want to be able to do everything under the sun with a handheld device then audio quality and power output will have to be sacrificed.

There is only so much space in a DAP that can be utilized before it is considered to be too big to be portable. Quality electronics and implementation take up space along with a large enough battery to drive it all (especially the well powered FiiO amps in their DAPs). Storage slots, capacitors, CPU, RAM, DAC, opamps, etc., all take up space. Not to mention the cost involved in writing a usable stable GUI and research and development costs required.

Among better sounding DAPs FiiO has some of the less expensive products with fantastic sound quality. As far as being mass manufactured in China, well, the build quality is very good from FiiO.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

will the x7 have balanced output?

Think so. James was asking which balance configuration is the best. Most likely its gonna be 2.5/3.5 TRRS because it takes up less space.