[Retrias]

I just want an all in one solution , pays decent price to get nicely couple dac amps stage in one box , if it was purely transport or purely line out, it would have to be way less for it to be attractive to me

 

[kenz]

Regardless of all the features we want, i'm for getting the fundamentals right.
 
Amazing sound quality, great 10 hours battery, sufficient built-in memory with micro-SD/SD storage (up to 256GB would be nice) and great usability (be it touchscreen or not). 
 
For USD699, great focus on the above items will still put the X7 in good standing even in 2015. 
 
Look at Hifiman HM-901, it just plays music. That's it. 
For an 18 months product, it's still arguably the best sounding DAP today. 
Owners of the HM901 (hardly) never mention the lack of any feature (maybe looks).
Which is ok, the HM901 got the fundamentals right. 

 

[Makiah S]

  Regardless of all the features we want, i'm for getting the fundamentals right.
 
Amazing sound quality, great 10 hours battery, sufficient built-in memory with micro-SD/SD storage (up to 256GB would be nice) and great usability (be it touchscreen or not). 
 
For USD699, great focus on the above items will still put the X7 in good standing even in 2015. 
 
Look at Hifiman HM-901, it just plays music. That's it. 
For an 18 months product, it's still arguably the best sounding DAP today. 
Owners of the HM901 (hardly) never mention the lack of any feature (maybe looks).
Which is ok, the HM901 got the fundamentals right. 

That's what I like about my hm 801, it just does what I need it to do. Play music, it does that one thing REALLY well [and I think it looks great] the hm901 is still at the top of my list. It proably looks better in person though, than it does in pictures 

 

[kenz]

  That's what I like about my hm 801, it just does what I need it to do. Play music, it does that one thing REALLY well [and I think it looks great] the hm901 is still at the top of my list. It proably looks better in person though, than it does in pictures 

 
The hm801 still sounds like a million bucks today as it did before. A real classic by any measure.
 
The hm901 is, to my ears, the current top player in terms of sound quality, over all the recent releases and perhaps future releases.
And yes, it looks better in person too. i personally like the way it is designed. Only caveat, the scroll wheel which could be better made (perhaps replaced with hm650 D-pad). 
 
The money put down for the hm901 is all in service to deliver that incredible sound. 
Dual Sabre 9018 DAC desktop class, amp cards that rival even ALO amps (to me), balanced headphone out sound design, replaceable battery.
EVERYTHING built is in service to deliver the best sound. NOTHING is wasted or unused.
 
Hats off to Dr Fang for delivering such a great product and keeping steady with his course on how portable audio should be made and priced.

 

[Makiah S]

   
The hm801 still sounds like a million bucks today as it did before. A real classic by any measure.
 
The hm901 is, to my ears, the current top player in terms of sound quality, over all the recent releases and perhaps future releases.
And yes, it looks better in person too. i personally like the way it is designed. Only caveat, the scroll wheel which could be better made (perhaps replaced with hm650 D-pad). 
 
The money put down for the hm901 is all in service to deliver that incredible sound. 
Dual Sabre 9018 DAC desktop class, amp cards that rival even ALO amps (to me), balanced headphone out sound design, replaceable battery.
EVERYTHING built is in service to deliver the best sound. NOTHING is wasted or unused.
 
Hats off to Dr Fang for delivering such a great product and keeping steady with his course on how portable audio should be made and priced.

And see that's the issue I have right now. The HM 801 pairs REALLY well with my W1000x, the hm801 is the ONLY reason I still have the Audio Technica, it's a crazy wonky can, the layering is insane, but it's super aggressive and dry, which pairs like magic with the HM 801. So the two... always impress me and give me goose bumps! just cuz their nuts
 
my HE 4 and NFB 10ES2 lack that "WOW" factor but are much more consistent and more linear, a very transparent rig at home
 
where as the Portable rig does 2 things
 
forces everything to be layered, mids up front, bass in the rear treble some where in between, left and right are balanced well but if there's... a deviation, a little more on right than left it's emphasized, the portable rig can take badly mastered music and make it some what pleasent and worth while to listen to! It can take good music and make it REALLY awesome, though I like it better for older music. Stuff that was back in the day good but not quiet as "3D" as some of the newer music
 
Binural sounds bizzare on the Portable rig, where as it's magical on my at home
 
but my overall point here is if I get rid of my hm801 my W1000x Goes with it. How ever the issue is the hm801 is going to break down at some point... I will most likely wind up just Franken Modding my hm 801 in the event that it ever dies,  But I'm not sure how well it will re sell, as it stands the unit has 0 USB support, connect it to a pc and it doesn't do a thing [PC dac function shot to, though I've been told thats a seperate [and not as nice sounding] circuit] ! Reads SD cards and the internal memory just fine! Line out and Headphoen Amp works like MAGIC 
 
any ways, I can't really sell it as it is... unless you wanna pay like $300 [half what it cost me] and take a gamble on how long till it dies
 
any who, if and when the HM 801 dies, I'll not only need a new DAP but possibly a new Headphone to go with that rig q.q that or I find a DAP with the same "magic" or warmth and spacious sound of the HM 801 to mellow the W1000x out a smidge
 
So we shall see! I found the Fiio X5 to be a disappointment, the Line out form that unit managed to be slower, more compressed and less dynamic than what the HM 801 hadd. Let's hope the X7 is at least on par and still sonically different 

 

[kenz]

  And see that's the issue I have right now. The HM 801 pairs REALLY well with my W1000x, the hm801 is the ONLY reason I still have the Audio Technica, it's a crazy wonky can, the layering is insane, but it's super aggressive and dry, which pairs like magic with the HM 801. So the two... always impress me and give me goose bumps! just cuz their nuts
 
my HE 4 and NFB 10ES2 lack that "WOW" factor but are much more consistent and more linear, a very transparent rig at home
 
where as the Portable rig does 2 things
 
forces everything to be layered, mids up front, bass in the rear treble some where in between, left and right are balanced well but if there's... a deviation, a little more on right than left it's emphasized, the portable rig can take badly mastered music and make it some what pleasent and worth while to listen to! It can take good music and make it REALLY awesome, though I like it better for older music. Stuff that was back in the day good but not quiet as "3D" as some of the newer music
 
Binural sounds bizzare on the Portable rig, where as it's magical on my at home
 
but my overall point here is if I get rid of my hm801 my W1000x Goes with it. How ever the issue is the hm801 is going to break down at some point... I will most likely wind up just Franken Modding my hm 801 in the event that it ever dies,  But I'm not sure how well it will re sell, as it stands the unit has 0 USB support, connect it to a pc and it doesn't do a thing [PC dac function shot to, though I've been told thats a seperate [and not as nice sounding] circuit] ! Reads SD cards and the internal memory just fine! Line out and Headphoen Amp works like MAGIC 
 
any ways, I can't really sell it as it is... unless you wanna pay like $300 [half what it cost me] and take a gamble on how long till it dies
 
any who, if and when the HM 801 dies, I'll not only need a new DAP but possibly a new Headphone to go with that rig q.q that or I find a DAP with the same "magic" or warmth and spacious sound of the HM 801 to mellow the W1000x out a smidge
 
So we shall see! I found the Fiio X5 to be a disappointment, the Line out form that unit managed to be slower, more compressed and less dynamic than what the HM 801 hadd. Let's hope the X7 is at least on par and still sonically different 

 
It's an issue many of us here probably face at some point in this hobby.
It's hard when a pairing gives the kind of synergy that is so addictive. 
 
I think Fiio has done well for the players in their respective price segment. 
It's not the best sound that money can buy but they do offer what's reasonable.
And if more out of the players, they have complementing portable amps to juice up the sonics.
 
Am keen to see what Fiio can deliver with their top of the line player. 

 

[Retrias]

I dunno about the comment about not the best sound for the money , I havent been able to get something that is both have the feature that I want and have a better sound than my fiio x5 at the same price point , but eh , I am rather sure china have like ten million daps that may perform better

 

[kenz]

  I dunno about the comment about not the best sound for the money , I havent been able to get something that is both have the feature that I want and have a better sound than my fiio x5 at the same price point , but eh , I am rather sure china have like ten million daps that may perform better

 
Misread me. I meant not the best sound money can buy (that goes to HM901 and AK240).
 
The X5 is definitely the best sound in its class and price. Perhaps even twice the price.
The next one (in my view) would be AK100 mk2, but for the price and sound, an X5 with E12 DIY, would compete well and less than two thirds the AK100 mk2 price.
 
So yes, it is difficult to find a better sounding player (significantly better sounding) without spending about 3 times the price. 

 

[Retrias]

The AK100-2 here is around 850 bucks ish , I would have to say thats a better dap compared to the mk2 version , however since the x5 is around 300 bucks and the E12 DIY is around 110 , thats like half price for what I judge and equivalent quality or at least competing in the same level with both its pros and cons

 

[Makiah S]

  The AK100-2 here is around 850 bucks ish , I would have to say thats a better dap compared to the mk2 version , however since the x5 is around 300 bucks and the E12 DIY is around 110 , thats like half price for what I judge and equivalent quality or at least competing in the same level with both its pros and cons

I paid $500 for my hm801 and $300 for my iBasso Pb2 so for half the price the X5 an E12 are a pretty stellar combo 
 
Though I never had a Chance to compare it to my Hm601 [paid $125 for it] and my iBsso Pb1 [cost me $85]  q.q

 

[kenz]

  The AK100-2 here is around 850 bucks ish , I would have to say thats a better dap compared to the mk2 version , however since the x5 is around 300 bucks and the E12 DIY is around 110 , thats like half price for what I judge and equivalent quality or at least competing in the same level with both its pros and cons

 
Yup. Which makes the X5+E12DIY a more value for money alternative (although bigger) over the AK100-2.

 

[Retrias]

Doesnt the hm801 comes with ****load of optional amp cards? I actually liked the hm603 as well , I had it for like 2 weeks before finding the x5
 
I am still thinking of changing to another dap sometime , once I can get something that doesnt hurt my wallet too much and is an improvement from the x5

 

[kenz]

  Doesnt the hm801 comes with ****load of optional amp cards? I actually liked the hm603 as well , I had it for like 2 weeks before finding the x5
 
I am still thinking of changing to another dap sometime , once I can get something that doesnt hurt my wallet too much and is an improvement from the x5

 
The HM801 had the balance and game card i think. 
 
A better dap than X5 without breaking the bank? Guess that would likely be the Fiio X7 next year. 
For USD699, it'll be Fiio's best effort in the portable player segment.
 
Am looking closer at the daps out there today. For price value, the iRivers are definitely out. 
Which means likely we have to turn our sights to the chinese daps. So far, Cayin N6 looks closest to a commercial release.

 

[Makiah S]

   
The HM801 had the balance and game card i think. 
 
A better dap than X5 without breaking the bank? Guess that would likely be the Fiio X7 next year. 
For USD699, it'll be Fiio's best effort in the portable player segment.
 
Am looking closer at the daps out there today. For price value, the iRivers are definitely out. 
Which means likely we have to turn our sights to the chinese daps. So far, Cayin N6 looks closest to a commercial release.

I'm watching the N6 as well 

 

[Retrias]

I dunno, the only iriver player I am considering is the ak100 2 , because well not many have its ui thats imo so intuitive
 
so yeah I am waiting for some chinesse daps ,like the 605 , 802, x7 and the n6. my criteria is mostly simple , it is to have to actually tag browsing that is not wonky , i hope these chinesse options does that fine