[ngoshawk]

Is this new 1.6 firmware a stable firmware or is it a new beta? If it is stable, has the bugs in the 1.45 beta been fixed?

For those that don't know about the 1.6 firmware, you can read about it here...

https://www.facebook.com/FiiOAUDIO/posts/1087582094632656:0

The 1.6 replaces the official 1.4. Beta is different.

 

[fourrobert13]

You thought this was confusing. Have a look at this post below I just saw on Facebook. Out of nowhere, our device just got 1.6.

FiiO Introduces the Latest Official DAC Driver (v3.34.0) for X-series DAPs

Dear respected customers,

All the existing X-Series DAPs (except X1) can work as DAC for the computer. Each time we release a new official firmware on our website and forum, we provide the DAC drivers (v1.61.0) of the players for customers to install it on Windows computer.

However, although there is no need to install the DAC driver for iOS system users, but it is still required to disable the driver signature verification for Windows 8/10 users before the installation, while the majority users are using computers running Window 8/10 nowadays.

Therefore, in order to improve the user experience, we have made a major upgrade to this Windows DAC driver -- from the ancient v1.61.0 to the shiniest latest v3.34.0, which enables you to install the DAC driver directly without make any extra settings.

Thank Thesycon company for working with us to work out the licensing plan for their latest and greatest! Here is the new DAC driver（https://www.dropbox.com/s/qqz14rnt6at8q1o/FiiO%20USB%20DAC%20Driver%20v3.34.0.zip）
and the corresponding instruction about the installation（https://www.dropbox.com/s/64vwofwh5tvyv0g/Installation%20and%20usage%20guide%20of%20the%20new%20generic%20USB%20DAC%20driver%20for%20FiiO%20players.pdf?dl=0）.

With the brand new UI of the driver, this unique DAC driver can be compatible with FiiO DAPs including X3, X5, X3II, X5II and X7. For X3, X5, X5II and X7 users, you can just uninstall the old DAC driver and install this new driver to use directly, if you’ve ever installed. But for X3II users, please kindly update your device to FW1.6 and then install the new DAC driver.

Download address for X3II FW1.6: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r5qwy57r7fcdbhd/X3II-FW1.6.zip?dl=0
(X3II FW1.6 or above can be well supported by the new DAC driver)

The following is the cumulative list of main changes from driver version 1.61 to 3.34 (in chronological order, newest to oldest):

* Chg: USB buffer size default changed from Safe (16ms) to Reliable (12 ms)
* New: support for APO registration
* Fix: stop/start connector state polling timer on power down/up
* Fix: BSOD when multiple devices are connected, ASIO is playing and one device is disconnected
* Fix: channel mapping for speaker sound devices
* Chg: ASIO restores old sample rate after switching PCM/DSD mode
* New: dedicated ASIO instances supported
* Chg: KS filter/pin implementation refactored
* New: Windows 10 supported
* Fix: no ASIO reset when last device is removed
* Fix: DSD format detection improved
* Chg: control panel now shows maximum ASIO buffer size depending on the maximum supported sample rate
* Chg: report 24bit format also if device supports 32bit
Windows 7 did not show the 32bit format
* Chg: Windows XP and Windows Vista no longer supported.
Driver supports Windows 7 and newer.
* New: added DRM handler
* New: 64-bit API DLL included in driver installer,driver API now available to 64-bit applications or services
* Fix: control panel shows invalid ASIO buffer size warning in DSD mode, ASIOBufferSize returned invalid min size for DSD sample rates.
* New: ASIO buffer size selection applies to DSD mode as well.
* New: Automatic ASIO buffer size selection via control panel.Automatic mode is the driver's default.
* New: ASIO buffer size 16K and 32K added in control panel.
* Chg: KS filter internal name includes AS (stream format) ID now.
* Chg: On Windows 7 and newer OS: Driver Setup does not requirethat device is connected during install
* Chg: Stream startup optimized to reduce startup latency.
Startup delay is reduced from ~100ms to ~20ms.
* New: New control panel application, improved UI, fully customizable
* Fix: 32 bit PCM through WASAPI was not working
* Fix: send correct DSD idle pattern when streaming starts
* New: ASIO DSD mode supported, tested with Foobar

You can find more details about the changelog history at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s6vt201vhauee30/TUSBAudio_history.txt?dl=0

Note: Rather than the FW1.44beta, the new firmware FW1.6 is upgraded based on the official FW1.4. Compared to the FW1.4, the main changes on the FW1.6 just include 2 points: 1.Be compatible with the new DAC driver and 2.Disabling the OTG function. So some new functions on the FW1.44beta are not available on FW1.6.

Best Regards,

FiiO Electronics Technology Co.,Ltd
#FiiODAP #FiiOMusicPlayer #DACDriver #FiiOX3II

Pretty vague description of fw 1.6 IMO.  Compatible with new DAC driver, disabled OTG, and some features from the beta are not available yet they don't specify which ones.  I won't be upgrading because I use the OTG.  I never used the X3 as a DAC so none of that stuff concerns me.  1.6 isn't even listed on their website yet.  Oh well, time to move on to something else.

 

[JWolf]

  Pretty vague description of fw 1.6 IMO.  Compatible with new DAC driver, disabled OTG, and some features from the beta are not available yet they don't specify which ones.  I won't be upgrading because I use the OTG.  I never used the X3 as a DAC so none of that stuff concerns me.  1.6 isn't even listed on their website yet.  Oh well, time to move on to something else.

 
In the current beta, there are reports of thr EQ not properly working and the search is very broken. What happened to 1.5?

 

[fourrobert13]

   
In the current beta, there are reports of thr EQ not properly working and the search is very broken. What happened to 1.5?

No clue about 1.5 and I only read one post where someone bought a new X3 with 1.5 on it.  My issue is the disabling of OTG.  That was most important feature to me since I don't use the X3 as a DAC. 

 

[originalsnuffy]

The OTG support removal is something that I wish did not happen.

I did get overly heated on the issue and formally apologize.

 

[fourrobert13]

  My memory may be faulty but I do not remember needing to change the firmware to test the beta version of the signed firmware driver.   
 
It is one thing to state the OTG is no longer officially supported, but to leave it "as is" in the code. It is another to completely remove the feature.

I agree.  I can't imagine that it would affect anything, but I'm not a programmer.  Now if you want OTG from FiiO, you have to shell out $645 for an X7 because that's the only device they say will have it.  I won't be doing that with my next purchase because there are other options that are cheaper that offer what I want.  FiiO will lose customers over this whether they think so or not because OTG is a big deal to some of us.  I hear what Brooko is saying, but I'm still going to vioce my opinion on the subject because it matters to me.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Brooko,

I had edited my original post and what remained was incorrect.  I was venting about forcing us to use the firmware that removed OTG support in order to get to the new DAC drivers.

The fact of the matter is that the PID used by the original X3 2nd firmware for DAC function, also happened to be the PID every device used for USB storage mode. It was the reason for this particular behaviour of the beta driver, and I quote:

Unfortunately I may have found a bug with the new driver. I had to remove the driver in order to Windows 10 to recognize the X3 Gen I as a usb storage device. Yes, I did change from DAC to storage....multiple times.

As soon as I removed the new driver the X3 was recognized as an external drive lickety split.

The solution was either to re-issue a new X3 2nd gen firmware for an amended final driver (for DAC compatibility), or re-issue new drivers for all devices for storage compatibility with the new DAC drivers. The latter option would also have meant that the X3 and X5 1st gen would never be properly supported by the new DAC driver, since firmware development for them have stopped.



As for removing OTG support, I was told that this was an effort to increase reliability of USB detection for storage and DAC modes. More and more users were complaining that their devices were not getting recognized at all on the computer.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

No worries snuffy. I know how frustrating it can be for the vendor to take away your cheese on your favorite device or for some nagging issue to be stuck unfixed. That's why FiiO has always held an open attitude towards explaining why everything is how it is to its users. The other half of the solution would be to simply fix all the issues that come up, but that's easier said than done. h34r:

One could also note that they stated the what but not the why of the feature removal with this DAC firmware update, in contrast to the original changelog for the 1.44 firmware which did state why the OTG function was removed. IIRC I asked the same questions you asked, and put down the "why" in point 15 of the changelog.

 

[kr0mka]

So OTG will not come back in any future update?

 

[originalsnuffy]

No, unfortunately.  FIIO has stated that OTG interfered with USB sync connections in storage mode.
 
It has been noted by other forum posters that this feature is only present in the X7 with current firmware.   I can not verify that from personal experience as I do not have the X5II or X7.

 

[fourrobert13]

  No, unfortunately.  FIIO has stated that OTG interfered with USB sync connections in storage mode.
 
It has been noted by other forum posters that this feature is only present in the X7 with current firmware.   I can not verify that from personal experience as I do not have the X5II or X7.

To my knowledge OTG was removed or is going to be removed from the X5II.  FiiO said the X7 will be the only one that will support OTG from here on out.  Sticking with fw 1.4.

 

[russell finch]

In that case Fiio will have to add extra card slots in order to provide reasonable capacity on their players.
 
I have OTG on my first gen X5 and use a total of about 620gb of storage. Any other player which can't cope with that would be a non-starter for me

 

[Romani]

Look at this gang, a large font version of 1.44beta and 1.6:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/805856/large-text-font-firmware-for-x1-x3-2nd-gen#post_12524983

 

[oldschool]

Fiio released a 2.0 final version of the X5ii firmware a few days ago. Hopefully, X3ii will follow soon.

 

[cazone]

  No clue about 1.5 and I only read one post where someone bought a new X3 with 1.5 on it.  My issue is the disabling of OTG.  That was most important feature to me since I don't use the X3 as a DAC. 

 
That's my case.
Bought an new X3II last week with FW 1.5 on it. 
Never heard of this firmware. Not even on the fiio website.
 
Any idea?