Questions About Fiio X5 - experts, please help

[Dobrescu George]

So, i am not a noob, and i read a LOT about it, but i still have some questions:
 
1. About the cards: The x5 has microsdxc slots as i understand, but, Is it able to use uhs1 to the full extent of it, and it X5 able to use exfat file system?
 
2. Can i use equalization while i am using the x5 as a usb DAC
 
3. Using it as a DAC, does it break the batterry, or i am able to use it, like, during the day, it is my portable Player, and when i am at home, it becomes my good quality DAC?
 
4. If a music file, has a greater bitrate than 4 mbps, what does happen?... (as far as i read, x5 cannot do anything anymore than 4mbps, so if i try, it freezes, can i unfreeze it by hardware buttons?)...
 
5. Has it happened it yet to anyone to drop it, and if yes, has it become unusable, like the battery heating, or it bricking?
 
6. Does the X5 have any songs limit?... (the j3 has about 9000 songs limit)...
 
7. It is not avalaible to public eye, but i know, that there must be someone knowingly of this: What is the X5's internal memory?... (for firmware tweaks, if possibly)
 
I have been doing AB Listening between devices, with my sennheiser IE8, and i have been able to hear a GREAT difference between the J3 cowon, and sandisk sansa clip+... If anyone is interested i can tell a story about this..
 
Also, if it would be possible i would like to know if x5 has the best sound in ~500$ , Because this is the only price i can fiind it in my country...

 

[ClieOS]

  So, i am not a noob, and i read a LOT about it, but i still have some questions:
 
1. About the cards: The x5 has microsdxc slots as i understand, but, Is it able to use uhs1 to the full extent of it, and it X5 able to use exfat file system?
You don't need UHS-1 card as X5's internal card reader doesn't read that fast. But the good news is that no music files need that kind of speed anyway. A normal Class 10 card is already well more than enough. Right now FiiO is still experimenting with exFAT, and for what I know, it is not particularly stable. Just format you card to FAT32 for now.
 
2. Can i use equalization while i am using the x5 as a usb DAC
You can use the EQ on the software player in your PC. It is likely better than the EQ on X5 anyway.
 
3. Using it as a DAC, does it break the batterry, or i am able to use it, like, during the day, it is my portable Player, and when i am at home, it becomes my good quality DAC?
No, it won't 'break' the battery.
 
4. If a music file, has a greater bitrate than 4 mbps, what does happen?... (as far as i read, x5 cannot do anything anymore than 4mbps, so if i try, it freezes, can i unfreeze it by hardware buttons?)...
Dunno about the bitrate limit - however, you can press and hold the power to soft reset X5. There is also a reset hole to hard reset X5.
 
5. Has it happened it yet to anyone to drop it, and if yes, has it become unusable, like the battery heating, or it bricking?
Never heard of anyone has dropped and brick his/her X5 or cause it to be unstable. Mostly likely you will crack the screen if it is dropped hard enough. Get a case to protect it and you should be fine.
 
6. Does the X5 have any songs limit?... (the j3 has about 9000 songs limit)...
Yes, 5600 in one folder or something like that. Can't remember the exact number. I think they are working to see if they can fix it. If you use folder browser to select music, then you can avoid the file limitation.
 
7. It is not avalaible to public eye, but i know, that there must be someone knowingly of this: What is the X5's internal memory?... (for firmware tweaks, if possibly)
Dunno.
...  
Also, if it would be possible i would like to know if x5 has the best sound in ~500$ , Because this is the only price i can fiind it in my country...

 
There is also the iBasso DX90, which I think is about the same class as X5 with different pros and cons.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Thanx for the information... 
 
In my country i cannot order ibasso, and the fiio x5 is 480$.... The main problem is that most big companies do not deliver in my country. This, or the delivery taxes are so great, that it is cheaper to buy from local vendors..
 
I would go as far as trying to buy the ibasso, if the sound differences would be that great, but i can bet that both players are most an audiophile could wish if he stays on a limited budget,..
 
I need money to buy a pair of headphones too, so i don't have an unlimited budget..

 

[Dobrescu George]

so... the fiio X5 does not support exFat.... 
 
I will have to format the new microsdxc 64gb cards to Fat32...
 
What is the best Alocation unit size for this?....
How will it impact the speed of the card (write speed, Read speed, while it is on the cardreader of the pc)?...
I understood that there is a limit in the x5 to the speed, but the Microsdxc cards might be usefull for later usage, and formatting from Exfat to Fat32 will make the cards run slower forever... now, i am asking by how much?... i kinda searched the internet but did not fiid where it was tested...
 
also, as far as space is concerned i am wondering if i should get one 64gb card, two 64gb cards or one 64 and one 32 gb cards?...
 
 
Edit: If there is a 5600 file limit in one folder, it means a 5600 limit in one card, in both cards, 5600 is the maximum number of songs that can be put on x5, or i can have like 3 folders each having 5600 songs on one card?....
 
(i am going to use folder browsing, and for enterteinment purposes shuffle function may be nice, if it exists)

 

[ClieOS]

  so... the fiio X5 does not support exFat.... 
 
I will have to format the new microsdxc 64gb cards to Fat32...
 
What is the best Alocation unit size for this?....
How will it impact the speed of the card (write speed, Read speed, while it is on the cardreader of the pc)?...
I understood that there is a limit in the x5 to the speed, but the Microsdxc cards might be usefull for later usage, and formatting from Exfat to Fat32 will make the cards run slower forever... now, i am asking by how much?... i kinda searched the internet but did not fiid where it was tested...
 
also, as far as space is concerned i am wondering if i should get one 64gb card, two 64gb cards or one 64 and one 32 gb cards?...
 
 
Edit: If there is a 5600 file limit in one folder, it means a 5600 limit in one card, in both cards, 5600 is the maximum number of songs that can be put on x5, or i can have like 3 folders each having 5600 songs on one card?....
 
(i am going to use folder browsing, and for enterteinment purposes shuffle function may be nice, if it exists)

 
There is a freeware call GUIformt, google and download it to format your SD card to FAT32. Allocation size is not important. Just leaves it on the default setting.
 
exFAT doesn't have any major speed advantage over FAT32, that is why no one is talking about it. Plus, reading / writing speed is mainly determined by the hardware (SD card class and reader's limit). Also, you can always reformat the SD card back to exFAT if you needs it for something else. The only significant advantage exFAT has over FAT32 is that FAT32 only supports up to 4GB in single file while exFAT supports much larger file size - but this is somewhat irrelevant to X5.
 
You should buy whatever size you need, depends on how much music you want to put on the SD card.
 
5600 (or 5800, can't remember) only applies when you want to build the internal library. It doesn't apply to file browser. Using the file browser to select and play music doesn't have a file limit.

 

[Dobrescu George]

ok... i kinda got it... so i will get 2X64gb...  but.... can i play in shuffle more than ~5000 files?
 
does the x5 have any shuffle?...

 

[ClieOS]

Yes, it has shuffle, but it is pretty limited. If you want to shuffle all 5000 songs in file browser, you will have put them all under one single folder, which will be a mess. Otherwise you will have to use the library to shuffle, but it will have the file number limitation.

 

[Dobrescu George]

ok....
 
Thanks for your help and answers, mate!...

 

[Dobrescu George]

I kind of need a fast answer... is the samsung evo 64gb class 10 uhs 1 great for x5, or do i have to buy a kingston class 10?...
 
samsung has 48mbps speed, kingston has 10
 
but i need better realiability... a lot of bad comments on sandisk, have the clip+, love it, but i think that it would be better to not risk...

 

[warrior1975]

The speed won't matter much for the X5,if you are copying music or files from computer then it will. Personally I've used Sammy cards for years without issues, I've always felt they were made excellent. I don't think I've ever tried Kingston.

 

[Dobrescu George]

ok, thnx for feedback

 

[Dobrescu George]

Actually gone and buyed the samsung, as i couldn't fiind any thread on any problems/fails with it.... 
 
now... i have x5 and ultrasone 1 dj pro.... it is a nice~ setup...
 
Thanks for all the recommandations....
 
Just one more thing would be fun... to be able to use equalizer on USB DAC mode...