[H20Fidelity]

After following this thread since basically it's birth - it would be amazing to see a DAP with every recommend software / hardware feature. It would probably be the footprint of a two storey house, a boat shed and nuclear power plant nearby to run it.

 

[reihead]

^ lol, no, it has to be smaller because it has to fit in a car cup holder

 

[H20Fidelity]

^ lol, no, it has to be smaller because it has to fit in a car cup holder

They can probably scale it down, but visions I'm having of a large caravan connected to a car tow ball won't leave my mind, big X7 flag raised high above its roof, and a logo embedded on each side in italic font saying "we knew you could do it FiiO" the entire thing powered by a petrol generator.

 

[kdub]

The Pono sounds VERY good.  I think it has more "life" and, especially, detail than does the X5, after a week of listening to it.  Maybe a bit less forgiving in the uppers with less than stellar source material, but with good source material it's really amazing in the uppers.  Good strong bass, very good mids.  I haven't done an a/b comparison yet, will do so at some point.  But I can say that I haven't listened to the X5 since getting the Pono.

I have to assume that the 8 channel DAC will be "better."  If it's better than the Pono, it will be very good indeed.  I didn't expect to like the Pono, it was a gift and I thought "oh yeah, sure," but it's really won me over.  Easy to use, though not much GUI on it (only an On/Start/Stop/Forward/Backward, a Volume Up and a Volume Down button, no way to turn off the display, have to let it time out - shortest is 10 seconds).  Smallish touch screen, software works well.  No EQ.  Battery life the typical 8 or so hours.  

I dumped the computer interface Pono app and now just drag and drop files onto it and the mSD.  Loading files on it takes some time, but once it's loaded (the Pono itself, not the card), it responds quickly.  No folder to folder, but it has gapless and some sort of replay gain though I'm not sure how well that's working.  All in all, quite nice, though a weird shape.  

Oh, and it accepts balanced cables, which I understand have a rather fantastic presence with this device.  Apparently it's even better plugged in that way than with HO and iems or single-cable headphones.  Even with a home unit.  Check out the Pono thread, people like it a lot.  

I will be buying an X7, especially if the sound quality is as good as I think it will be.  Fiio makes quality products, and I think it has its eye on the prize with the X7.  

I assume you can buy physical 24bit at some of the hi-res sites, but haven't done so myself.  Check ProStudio Masters, I just got some stuff there, see if they offer it.

That's fantastic to hear. Now I'm even more excited than ever to audition what the X7 can deliver with its chosen hardware and implementation. Has there been any rumor or official set release dates yet?

 

[olddude]

June-ish

 

[jstps]

I for one hope that the x7 is non fatiguing to listen to for long periods of time. The Fiio x5 causes pretty bad listening fatigue with me, whereas the x1 causes no listening fatigue whatsoever. So Fiio knows how it's done, but only knows since the x1. Maybe it is called jitter, maybe something different, I don't know, but if someone could measure the x5 vs x1 (jitter?), that could be great.

 

[olddude]

That's stange.  To my ears the X5 is much easier on me than the X1.  It's a smoother sound, so less fatiguing.  Are you using eq on either?  Same exact files on each?  Same headphones/iems on each?  Same volume (which is what I think is probably causing you issues).  

 

[jstps]

That's stange.  To my ears the X5 is much easier on me than the X1.  It's a smoother sound, so less fatiguing.  Are you using eq on either?  Same exact files on each?  Same headphones/iems on each?  Same volume (which is what I think is probably causing you issues).  

Everything exactly the same. Offcourse the sq of the x5 is much better, but what I mean is that my ears get tired of what can't be heard. As a sort of veil over the sound, and not a sound characteristic. For example, it doesn't help to turn the volume down. The ibasso dx90 also had this before burn in (but then much worse).

 

[originalsnuffy]

OldDude;

Can you point to the thread where James says the hardware is frozen, and what James or his team says is the final hardware spec?

 

[Mython]

Can you point to the thread where James says the hardware is frozen, and what James or his team says is the final hardware spec?

 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/713735/x7-the-flagship-dap-from-fiio-updated-on-15-12-2014/2205#post_11183633

 

[Mython]

Most recent word from James, regarding specs, is on the first page:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/713735/x7-the-flagship-dap-from-fiio-updated-on-15-12-2014#post_10438534
 
 
Obviously, this is subject to minor changes, here and there, but should fundamentally hold true for the production model.

 

[clayman80]

June-ish

Would be nice if it was indeed so but so far I haven't seen this estimate anywhere else. I might even postpone my getting the X5/E12A, although it would be really hard.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/713735/x7-the-flagship-dap-from-fiio-updated-on-15-12-2014/2205#post_11183633

But it still says "2x mSD", which does not seem to be the case anymore.

 

[Mython]

But it still says "2x mSD", which does not seem to be the case anymore.

 
 
It's true that the info does need some updating, but the majority of the info is as accurate as you'll find anywhere else

 

[olddude]

Would be nice if it was indeed so but so far I haven't seen this estimate anywhere else. I might even postpone my getting the X5/E12A, although it would be really hard.

 

It's been June-ish (middle of 2015) since the start.  It was said again a week or two ago.
 
I'm going to say this as nicely as I can- If you ask for information, and someone gives it, say "thank you."  If you are unsure of the information given you, don't say thank you but go looking for it yourself.  Saying you haven't seen it is clear, because you asked the question in the first place.  You asked, I responded.  It's a social interaction.  Your response makes me not want to respond to you any more.  In effect, your response was rude.  
 
Just saying.

 

[olddude]

   
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/713735/x7-the-flagship-dap-from-fiio-updated-on-15-12-2014/2205#post_11183633

Thank you, Mython.