[CasperBxl]

Wish for new devices:

USB OTG Support for external storage.  =>  Alows for SSD/HDD via microUSB
                                                                 => Super easy library management and super fast.
                                                                 => Sizes easaly over 200GB-500GB-1TB and +
 
 
Kind regards,
 
Casper

 

[GL1TCH3D]

Heyo. Looks like I found this too late xD
Probably going to end up getting an AK120 anyway but currently have the Fiio X5 and being a Fiio fan may as well weigh in with my opinion.

For a portable DAP the main thing is being able to fit in a pocket.
The Fiio X5 is the absolute max I'd be able to handle in terms of size.
For screen size I honestly don't care. I used the sansa clip zip for a while and had no issues with screen size. As long as I can read the names of the songs / folders (meaning that the text scrolls) I'm fine.
One of the main reasons I bought the X5 is because of the compatibility with my computer. More specifically, I can use it as a USB DAC/Amp combo. If this wasn't implemented in the X5 I simply would not have purchased it. Not many DAPs have this capability so I'm really happy that the X5 has it.
Power requirements. I think the X5 is more than enough power for a DAP. Though I understand having a bit of extra juice to satisfy those people who will use it as an everything device for all their headphones.
Sound. Probably the most important aspect for people. I feel the X5 a bit thick sounding which works well with some headphones and not so much with others. It ensures that you won't have an overly electronic type of sound (abrasive, especially in the highs) but will be a limiting factor in my mind since I feel like I'm lacking micro detail. There's also noticeable hiss when using my Roxannes straight out of my X5.
Having an analogue control is a very nice touch but not something I would say is necessary. I do realize from other comments that for a high end product this is somewhat expected.
UI. I have no issues with the X5 UI. Generally I make myself a folder for each playlist and put duplicates of the songs for that playlist in those folders. This makes it really easy for myself and doesn't take up too much space if I'm running 100+GB of storage. Though this is also something that a lot of people don't do.

 

[violencer]

Sound. Probably the most important aspect for people. I feel the X5 a bit thick sounding which works well with some headphones and not so much with others. It ensures that you won't have an overly electronic type of sound (abrasive, especially in the highs) but will be a limiting factor in my mind since I feel like I'm lacking micro detail. There's also noticeable hiss when using my Roxannes straight out of my X5.

I agree with you. I also wanna note that X5 have a neutral but boomy bass and turning the eq makes details even less.

 

[ClieOS]

It is funny that, if you know how to read Chinese and go to FiiO's own forum, one of the most common request out of the FiiO's Chinese user is that they feel that bass is thin on the X5 and ask for some kind of firmware fix to address this "problem".
 
Just show you there is no such a thing as a right tuning, except an interpretation of what is right.

 

[SilverEars]

I'd take X5's more neutral sound than DX90's V shaped response any day. I much preferred the treble on the X5 vs the DX90.  DX90 was just bad.  My clip+ sounds better than it with iems.

 

[Poimandres]

Silverears we are the minority here, I too prefer the 5 to the 90. Not too many people do.

 

[shakur1996]

I preferred x5 over dx90 too. But, this was only the case in rspext of dx90 on 2.0.0 firmware. With 2.0.5 firmware I preferred dx90. I did not have a chance to listen to dx90 with Rockbox or with Lurker0's modded firmware.

 

[Havre]

  It is funny that, if you know how to read Chinese and go to FiiO's own forum, one of the most common request out of the FiiO's Chinese user is that they feel that bass is thin on the X5 and ask for some kind of firmware fix to address this "problem".
 
Just show you there is no such a thing as a right tuning, except an interpretation of what is right.

 
Interesting.
 
Still I would argue there is a "right" tuning. If an artist plays a piece of music you would want the player, headset etc. to "replicate" that as best as possible. My guess very few artists would want the X3 to have more bass to make it sound more like they intended it to when making it.
 
But yes, I accept that I might be wrong.

 

[SilverEars]

A player should output the recording not be influence by the analog circuit.  For example, the amp section should not warm up the sound of all recordings.  If the recording has lots of bass, it should output it.  If it's bright, it should output it.  If it's very dynamic and has wide stage, it should output it.  If it sounds like crap, it should output it. If the recording sounds warm, it should output warm sound.  If the recording sounds cold, it should  output cold sound.  It should be transparent as possible.  What I mean by transparent, true to the recording.  I learn a DAP I just recent ran into to is true to recording.  If the recording is crap, it outputs crap.  I have not run into such a source until recently.

 

[violencer]

making it neutral as possible please don't forget that it's portable device with almost more than 256 Gb storage space and you don't always have opportunity to switch one headphone to another for specific music genre. That's why I think EQ etc is important (only if it works ofcourse). Anyway, I think I will be make my choose between X7 and Cowon P1 in the near future.

 

[Preben]

A player should output the recording not be influence by the analog circuit.  For example, the amp section should not warm up the sound of all recordings.  If the recording has lots of bass, it should output it.  If it's bright, it should output it.  If it's very dynamic and has wide stage, it should output it.  If it sounds like crap, it should output it. If the recording sounds warm, it should output warm sound.  If the recording sounds cold, it should  output cold sound.  It should be transparent as possible.  What I mean by transparent, true to the recording.  I learn a DAP I just recent ran into to is true to recording.  If the recording is crap, it outputs crap.  I have not run into such a source until recently.

Interesting gotta ask wich one are you talking about ?

 

[SilverEars]

Interesting gotta ask wich one are you talking about ?

AK240 seems to be true to the mastering.

 

[JamesFiiO]

  making it neutral as possible please don't forget that it's portable device with almost more than 256 Gb storage space and you don't always have opportunity to switch one headphone to another for specific music genre. That's why I think EQ etc is important (only if it works ofcourse). Anyway, I think I will be make my choose between X7 and Cowon P1 in the near future.

 
we have better idea to solve this challenge to meet the different requirement about the sound genre. 

 

[JamesFiiO]

  It is funny that, if you know how to read Chinese and go to FiiO's own forum, one of the most common request out of the FiiO's Chinese user is that they feel that bass is thin on the X5 and ask for some kind of firmware fix to address this "problem".
 
Just show you there is no such a thing as a right tuning, except an interpretation of what is right.

 
it is true, that is what we try to solve in x7 so people don't need an portable amp to solve this problem. 

 

[Ripvanlink]

   
Interesting.
 
Still I would argue there is a "right" tuning. If an artist plays a piece of music you would want the player, headset etc. to "replicate" that as best as possible. My guess very few artists would want the X3 to have more bass to make it sound more like they intended it to when making it.
 
But yes, I accept that I might be wrong.

I think you are right. That seems very logical to me. My tastes are predominantly classical, though I also love Jazz and some rock that isn't all "incessant pounding" like Aerosmith. People who like that kind of pop, it seems to me, like an over-emphasized bass, so let them fiddle with the equalizer controls, right? They're obviously not going for accuracy anyway so why would they mind the artifice of equalizer control. As for me, I want to hear the artistry of the artists and engineers.