[dumbhead]

Not sure this is a proper thread to ask, as the discussion mostly goes around streaming music, blackberries and other things.
 
Is there a list of the apps to be supported on X7? I am particularly interested in any of Last.fm scrobblers.

 

[Ripvanlink]

  Qobuz focuses in particular on classical and jazz music. Like Tidal, they do redbook FLAC streaming and practice similar pricing strategies. At this point it's not clear if X7 will support Qobuz... I hope @JamesFiiO has plans for this.

This is all good to know! I'll certainly keep this in mind. Thanks for your nice and informative reply, Landroni. I now wonder what obscure but worthy composers are on their lists. Btw, have you heard of Tubin, expatriate from Estonia to Finland? He is one of the top composers on my list, wonderful stuff! His later works especially, have delicious remoldings of Bartok, along with his wonderful, ponderous and meaningfull style of composition.
 
I, myself, have high hopes for the X7. I'm somehow certain it will become one of the classic and very popular daps
 and I intend to get one when the day comes that I can afford it and, 7 is a lucky number if you know how to work it. I happen to know how! I'm really interested in the balanced amp and look forward also to getting balanced cables so that I can listen with my wonderful K10 ciem, which I'm sure will be the Cat's Pajamas!

 

[Ripvanlink]

Can anybody tell me (I'm sure there are some on this thread) which balanced cables would go best with the K10 for use on my future X7? Of course I know that until the X7 comes out that it would be next to impossible to tell, but still, basically what I am asking is, which ones will bring out the wonderful excellence of my K10 ciem. When the Headfiers on this thread begin to obtain and try out the X7, I will be on the alert for more info to possibly amend this early recommendation.

 

[twister6]

  Can anybody tell me (I'm sure there are some on this thread) which balanced cables would go best with the K10 for use on my future X7? Of course I know that until the X7 comes out that it would be next to impossible to tell, but still, basically what I am asking is, which ones will bring out the wonderful excellence of my K10 ciem. When the Headfiers on this thread begin to obtain and try out the X7, I will be on the alert for more info to possibly amend this early recommendation.

 
RSA/ALO Kobiconn 4-pin balanced connector
 

 

[Ripvanlink]

   
RSA/ALO Kobiconn 4-pin balanced connector
 

Thanks Twister. I like the Noble cable that comes with the K10 because it's just the right amount of stiffness-flexibility. How would the
RSA/ALO Kobiconn 4-pin balanced connector compare in that regard?

 

[twister6]

 

   
RSA/ALO Kobiconn 4-pin balanced connector
 

Thanks Twister. I like the Noble cable that comes with the K10 because it's just the right amount of stiffness-flexibility. How would the
RSA/ALO Kobiconn 4-pin balanced connector compare in that regard?

 
I assume stock Noble cable is a regular single ended (TRS) 3.5mm terminated connector?  If you want to go balanced you will need to get a new cable to have TRRS termination (keeping 4 separate terminals without shorting together common ground).  Also, you want to keep the flexibility of being able to use it with other balanced wired DAPs where 2.5mm TRRS connector is dominating the market (A&K, Cayin, Lotoo, etc.).  Despite what others say about not liking 2.5mm connector, the truth is that format overtaken HiFiMAN 3.5mm balanced wired standard (which beside HFM DAPs only used in GO v2 usb dac).
 
Thus, get a replacement cable for your K10 with a usual 2-pin connectors and 2.5mm A&K balanced connector, and then get 2.5mm balanced female to RSA/ALO made adapter like this one:
 

 
It will give you flexibility to use K10 balanced wired with A&K/Cayin/Lotoo and with adapter to connect to balanced wired X7 amp.

 

[landroni]

 
This is all good to know! I'll certainly keep this in mind. Thanks for your nice and informative reply, Landroni. I now wonder what obscure but worthy composers are on their lists. Btw, have you heard of Tubin, expatriate from Estonia to Finland? He is one of the top composers on my list, wonderful stuff! His later works especially, have delicious remoldings of Bartok, along with his wonderful, ponderous and meaningfull style of composition.

 
I, myself, have high hopes for the X7. I'm somehow certain it will become one of the classic and very popular daps
 and I intend to get one when the day comes that I can afford it and, 7 is a lucky number if you know how to work it. I happen to know how! I'm really interested in the balanced amp and look forward also to getting balanced cables so that I can listen with my wonderful K10 ciem, which I'm sure will be the Cat's Pajamas!

A quick search uncovered 27 Tubin-related albums on Qobuz, including one with complete symphonies.
 
As for the X7, I too have high hopes. Yet I can only with difficulty get over the fact that it's a Delta-Sigma design, fundamentally a low-bit device that synthesizes high-bit performance, and which will unavoidably inherit the Delta-Sigma sound. To avoid steering this off-topic, see these threads:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/779572/r2r-multibit-vs-delta-sigma#post_11885328
http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/thoughts-on-a-bunch-of-dacs-and-why-delta-sigma-kinda-sucks-just-to-get-you-to-think-about-stuff
 
If FiiO can successfully tame the ES9018S in a mobile setting, I can but wonder what they could do with an R-2R DAC chipset... I very much hope James will one day consider a multibit design for a future FiiO flagship. Now THAT could drive a spear right through AK!

 

[PoRidge]

Exactly, "has to be confirmed by James", otherwise everything else is a speculation.  My understanding was that Pure Music mode is optimized for whitelisted apps while pure Android lets you have a regular android experience.  But I don't know for sure and making my own assumptions, thus better hear it from James or other users who already got X7 in their hands (@ASpencer
?)

Regarding X7, yes I was promised a review sample but haven't received a tracking info yet.  For sure will compare it to L5 Pro and AK120ii, N6, QA360, and maybe QP1R.

my bad, i thought you meant it has to be whitelisted to be used even in a limited sample rate.

it is android so i don't think app installation should be limited in that way. and if so, the whitelist can only be for accessing the high sample capability.

 

[PoRidge]

Facts (that I can confirm by myself):
+The built-in player app can run in both Android and Pure Music mode, and runs the same way in either mode (bit-perfect to the ES9018 DAC at all supported sample rates)
+The built-in player app is the ONLY APP that may run in Pure Music Mode (in fact you can't even get to the Android homescreen in that mode). It's a mode where all non music-related Android services and apps are disabled.
+Other whitelisted apps only run in Android mode and output at the shared Android sample rate (don't know whether this is 44.1 or 48k, for the X7)

Not confirmed:
+Other whitelisted apps that explicitly support multiple sample rates (such as Hiby and UAPP) may or may not also be able to output bit-perfect at the original sample rate to the DAC.

what we are confused with is that if an app not yet whitelisted by fiio can be installed in android mode and output at the android limited sample rate.

i am also wondering if the pure music mode will have the normal android home screen or like a heavily modified android? i assume, after disabling other things in pure music mode, the x7 will have a longer battery life?

 

[PoRidge]

I assume stock Noble cable is a regular single ended (TRS) 3.5mm terminated connector?  If you want to go balanced you will need to get a new cable to have TRRS termination (keeping 4 separate terminals without shorting together common ground).  Also, you want to keep the flexibility of being able to use it with other balanced wired DAPs where 2.5mm TRRS connector is dominating the market (A&K, Cayin, Lotoo, etc.).  Despite what others say about not liking 2.5mm connector, the truth is that format overtaken HiFiMAN 3.5mm balanced wired standard (which beside HFM DAPs only used in GO v2 usb dac).

Thus, get a replacement cable for your K10 with a usual 2-pin connectors and 2.5mm A&K balanced connector, and then get 2.5mm balanced female to RSA/ALO made adapter like this one:




It will give you flexibility to use K10 balanced wired with A&K/Cayin/Lotoo and with adapter to connect to balanced wired X7 amp.

i am also looking for the balanced upgrade. but doesn't the x7 has 3.5mm trs-trrs switchable connector like in the zx2 and old hm901? don't understand what that squared 4pin is for(the balanced module will have a separate output in squared 4pin?)

 

[twister6]

 

I assume stock Noble cable is a regular single ended (TRS) 3.5mm terminated connector?  If you want to go balanced you will need to get a new cable to have TRRS termination (keeping 4 separate terminals without shorting together common ground).  Also, you want to keep the flexibility of being able to use it with other balanced wired DAPs where 2.5mm TRRS connector is dominating the market (A&K, Cayin, Lotoo, etc.).  Despite what others say about not liking 2.5mm connector, the truth is that format overtaken HiFiMAN 3.5mm balanced wired standard (which beside HFM DAPs only used in GO v2 usb dac).

Thus, get a replacement cable for your K10 with a usual 2-pin connectors and 2.5mm A&K balanced connector, and then get 2.5mm balanced female to RSA/ALO made adapter like this one:




It will give you flexibility to use K10 balanced wired with A&K/Cayin/Lotoo and with adapter to connect to balanced wired X7 amp.

i am also looking for the balanced upgrade. but doesn't the x7 has 3.5mm trs-trrs switchable connector like in the zx2 and old hm901? don't understand what that squared 4pin is for(the balanced module will have a separate output in squared 4pin?)

 
It doesn't.  James already posted a picture of the balanced output X7 amp module which has RSA/ALO connector:
 

 
Btw, I found that chart about Android vs Pure modes.  Apparently, in Android mode looks like only whitelisted apps can be installed?
 

 

[jamato8]

i am also looking for the balanced upgrade. but doesn't the x7 has 3.5mm trs-trrs switchable connector like in the zx2 and old hm901? don't understand what that squared 4pin is for(the balanced module will have a separate output in squared 4pin?)

The X7 has the Kobiconn connector, that is the square looking connector in the image. It is a lightweight 4 pin connector that RSA Audio starting to use and has shown to hold up extremely well and do great as a balanced connector for portable audio and even some home audio. 

 

[ASpencer]

i am also wondering if the pure music mode will have the normal android home screen or like a heavily modified android? i assume, after disabling other things in pure music mode, the x7 will have a longer battery life?

 
By default in "pure music mode" it launches into "FiiO Music" and operates akin to a pure DAP.  I've noticed longer battery life when disabling WiFi... which should come as no surprise, right?

 

[Pianist]

Originally Posted by landroni /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
As for the X7, I too have high hopes. Yet I can only with difficulty get over the fact that it's a Delta-Sigma design, fundamentally a low-bit device that synthesizes high-bit performance, and which will unavoidably inherit the Delta-Sigma sound. To avoid steering this off-topic, see these threads:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/779572/r2r-multibit-vs-delta-sigma#post_11885328
http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/thoughts-on-a-bunch-of-dacs-and-why-delta-sigma-kinda-sucks-just-to-get-you-to-think-about-stuff
 
If FiiO can successfully tame the ES9018S in a mobile setting, I can but wonder what they could do with an R-2R DAC chipset... I very much hope James will one day consider a multibit design for a future FiiO flagship. Now THAT could drive a spear right through AK!

 
I agree with this!
 
DOWN WITH DELTA-SIGMA! GIVE US MULTIBIT DAPS FIIO!!!
 
Also, read the following Fiio:
 
http://sjeng.org/ftp/SACD.pdf

 

[ClieOS]

.... If FiiO can successfully tame the ES9018S in a mobile setting, I can but wonder what they could do with an R-2R DAC chipset... I very much hope James will one day consider a multibit design for a future FiiO flagship. Now THAT could drive a spear right through AK!

 
You should ask TI, AKM, ESS or Cirrus Logic to produce a good R-2R DAC chip for portable devices first. Barking up the wrong tree IMO.