[usuario74]

I should have added that I use at the moment an iRiver H340 (modded with msata 256GB) and a Sansa Fuze.
This will be my first incursion into HiRes DAP.
So not sure not being an expert or having the experience if I will notice the difference between the X3ii and X20. Better said maybe the X3ii will blow me away considering the devices I had before.
I have read the headphonics review previously. Overall is good but not very convincing about the sound (I guess he knows more and is comparing with other devices. I am no expert). And the mentions it doesn't respond well to EQ. Also I read that the usb DAC doesn't respond well (maybe fixable with updates). How is the X20 in that department? But that isn't a primary use for me.
Is Xduoo better than Hidizs in the software updates front?

I was determined to get the X3ii... but now seeing the X20 I am tempted although I think I prefer the keys at the front instead of the side.
To any owner of the X20... is it easy to control with the side buttons?
Too many questions. As always...decisions, decisions, decisions.

I am surprised there are no individual threads for each player.

Thanks for your comments.

I am trying to figure out the difference between X3ii and X20.
Other than the DACs and different design, anything else I am missing?
Do the DACs justify the over $100 price difference?
I don't think there are any reviews for the X3ii in this site.
I see two for the X20.
I have 48 hours to decide which one to get.

Thanks

 

[hakuzen]

i don't own x3ii, so can't compare.
but i was in similar boat recently, first, when my iaudio x5l (one of the successors of h340), almost died. rockbox was a must, so i went for used or refurbished sansas; then, i needed more power, and went for an used/refurbished ibasso dx90 (the criteria of sound was my priority, because was going to use rockbox as ui).
and second, when vortex's ports of x3ii and x20 showed up.
i read some reviews, like you, and found some critics of x3ii sound (like of x10) which i didn't like. so i went for x20, got a good offer at ebay.
i was very skeptical about balanced output, but once tried, i'm very happy of having that option: apart of wider soundstage, which i'm liking, i manage to drive my hardest phones, without needing an amp.
side buttons, once you memorize buttons position, are comfortable to use with one hand, without having to make an effort with the thumb. i hold it with left hand, use thumb for volume (near), and index and mid finger for the buttons on the other side.
if the leather case goes too tight, better don't put it on: i'm not able to remove it now.
i've not tried usb dac yet. but by judging raa measurements, noise, distortion, crosstalk, jitter.. is even better than most of my usb dacs.

 

[hakuzen]

about firmware updates, guess xduoo is as poor as hidizs (but you have rockbox!)

 

[lotech]

Xduoo's track record of firmware updates is abysmal. So is their customer service.
That said the sound of the original X3 was outstanding, it was a shame the pitch error never got corrected by Xduoo, as Rockbox port didn't sound the same.
just know that if you go with Xduoo and there's an issue with your player you're pretty much on your own
(and there's great support here at Head-Fi for Xduoo questions/problems/issues).

 

[usuario74]

Well. It is done. I ordered the Xduoo X20... wont be able to open it till Christmas day.
I forgot... I do know the iAudio X5l.. I bought one at the time for my father... it is now in one of my drawers waiting to have the battery replaced and be sold on ebay eventually. Probably I will sell the iriver H340 too, too bad the original box is in storage in London.
Thanks everyone for their input.

i don't own x3ii, so can't compare.
but i was in similar boat recently, first, when my iaudio x5l (one of the successors of h340), almost died. rockbox was a must, so i went for used or refurbished sansas; then, i needed more power, and went for an used/refurbished ibasso dx90 (the criteria of sound was my priority, because was going to use rockbox as ui)..

 

[usuario74]

Xduoo's track record of firmware updates is abysmal. So is their customer service.
That said the sound of the original X3 was outstanding, it was a shame the pitch error never got corrected by Xduoo, as Rockbox port didn't sound the same.
just know that if you go with Xduoo and there's an issue with your player you're pretty much on your own
(and there's great support here at Head-Fi for Xduoo questions/problems/issues).

Wouldn't be like that for any Chifi manufacturer? Maybe there are exceptions.
That is why having rockbox is interesting, although I assume most of modern functions don't work under Rockbox (Bluetooth, HiRes formats..).

 

[hakuzen]

Well. It is done. I ordered the Xduoo X20... wont be able to open it till Christmas day.
I forgot... I do know the iAudio X5l.. I bought one at the time for my father... it is now in one of my drawers waiting to have the battery replaced and be sold on ebay eventually. Probably I will sell the iriver H340 too, too bad the original box is in storage in London.
Thanks everyone for their input.

nice choice, you won't regret of it. the only drawback of x20, imo, is battery life; not many hours. i use to carry a tiny diy powerbank if more than 5 hours play needed.
my iAudio X5L is also in a drawer. one of the two batteries is dead, and 3.5mm jack is not doing good contact (shall try to re-solder it one day..)

Wouldn't be like that for any Chifi manufacturer? Maybe there are exceptions.
That is why having rockbox is interesting, although I assume most of modern functions don't work under Rockbox (Bluetooth, HiRes formats..).

rockbox implementation of vortex in x20 allows you dual boot. and stock firmware isn't that bad. so if you need bluetooth or hires, just boot with stock fw.

 

[lotech]

I'm not sure about the other Chi-Fi DAPs, I do know I've been impressed with TheBit (Korean) and their responses to UI issues.
Granted their cheapest player is 3x the cost of the Xduoo but one would expect a company that expects to keep selling products
to fix issues.
I personally don't use the advanced features, bluetooth, streaming etc. so for me Rockbox was the perfect solution (well as perfect
as can be expected). I still like the sound of the X3 but don't use it nearly as much since getting the Opus#1.

 

[usuario74]

nice choice, you won't regret of it. the only drawback of x20, imo, is battery life; not many hours. i use to carry a tiny diy powerbank if more than 5 hours play needed.
my iAudio X5L is also in a drawer. one of the two batteries is dead, and 3.5mm jack is not doing good contact (shall try to re-solder it one day..)

Hmmm. I expected a bit longer battery life..at least 7 hours but I am sure if I am far from a power source for that long I surely would be carrying a powerbank.
Funny enough I didn't mention but my iAudio 5XL also needs left audio channel fixed (it was my fault I pulled the cable once opening the whole thing. I need to re-solder too).

One disappointing thing that the reviewer here:
mention in the comments is this: "X20 is really so-so as a Bluetooth receiver. For receiving it supports only SBC, no aptX. It’s listenable, but not as good as playing as a DAP"
This is not obvious in xduoo website.. no aptx as receiver. Hopefully is not a hardware design and maybe can be fixed by an update.

But then I remembered that iPhone XS (or any iPhone) doesn't do aptx.. so wont be such a big issue except for some aptx transmitter I have.

 

[usuario74]

This aptx iPhone thing made me wonder. Is it possible to use a lightning to usb-c cable to connect the XDuoo to the iPhone and use it as a DAC?

 

[usuario74]

I'm not sure about the other Chi-Fi DAPs, I do know I've been impressed with TheBit (Korean) and their responses to UI issues.
Granted their cheapest player is 3x the cost of the Xduoo but one would expect a company that expects to keep selling products
to fix issues.
I personally don't use the advanced features, bluetooth, streaming etc. so for me Rockbox was the perfect solution (well as perfect
as can be expected). I still like the sound of the X3 but don't use it nearly as much since getting the Opus#1.

I am not that worried about the updates for the Xduoo X20 as so far the things I have read nobody mentioned any bugs. It wasn't the same with the Hidizs comments and they having some issues with release software.
But there are more comments about he Hidizs than the Xduoos. At least on the models I was focusing.. so fingers crossed.

 

[hakuzen]

Hmmm. I expected a bit longer battery life..at least 7 hours but I am sure if I am far from a power source for that long I surely would be carrying a powerbank.
Funny enough I didn't mention but my iAudio 5XL also needs left audio channel fixed (it was my fault I pulled the cable once opening the whole thing. I need to re-solder too).

One disappointing thing that the reviewer here:
mention in the comments is this: "X20 is really so-so as a Bluetooth receiver. For receiving it supports only SBC, no aptX. It’s listenable, but not as good as playing as a DAP"
This is not obvious in xduoo website.. no aptx as receiver. Hopefully is not a hardware design and maybe can be fixed by an update.

But then I remembered that iPhone XS (or any iPhone) doesn't do aptx.. so wont be such a big issue except for some aptx transmitter I have.

guess battery life depends of the load you add and volume (lower the load and higher the volume, lower the life). read some people say rockbox life battery is lower than stock; guess actual rockbox version for x20 doesn't estimate battery life accurately, so it might report battery is empty, when it's not actually (couldn't find battery settings in rockbox to change that estimation, like in x3). anyway, i charge the battery before it's below 10%, so i've not checked life accurately. guess when using max volume, for he400i in balanced mode, battery life barely reaches 4h. i'll try to run a complete charge cycle with load of 32ohms, sensitive iem, at normal volume; this way it might reaches advertised 7(balanced)-8(single end) hours.

solder station is in transit now. shall try to re-solder the 3.5mm jack of iAudio X5L then. i loved that player (used it a lot for years), although when i recently measured it, found it has some more lows and highs roll-off than i'd wish.

 

[hakuzen]

it's a pity it doesn't support aptX. i don't use bluetooth, because i haven't found similar performance than wired connection ever. maybe i'll try again with hidizs ap80, if it ever arrives..

 

[trellus]

It supports aptX, just only as a transmitter, so it will encode aptX and transmit to aptX-enabled speakers or headphones. It just won't receive using aptX codec, so people (like me) who might fancy using it as a Bluetooth DAC/amp, streaming from smartphone via Bluetooth, can only do so using standard SBC. Minor annoyance, I have an ES100 that supports aptX as well as AAC and LDAC.

 

[hakuzen]

i've read the comment better: SBC as receiver (not so good for receiving music from phone+tidal, for example) but AptX as transmitter (so good for pairing with aptx iems receiver). not using tidal here either..