AnAnalogSpirit
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Posts
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DIRECT LINK TO FIRMWARE in ENGLISH with TUTORIAL for Windows 32 bit Machines: LINK
Link updated 04/02/2012 due to problem with the zip file reported by a user. Hopefully all is fixed. If not report in thread and please PM me with details. Thank You.
04/02/2012: Picutres Added to First Post at bottom of post.
03/30/2012: Firmware Upgrade Tutorial with Englsh translation of Upgrade Tool Firmware Version 01.20.0000: http://www.head-fi.org/t/599124/teclast-x30-x-series-new-model-basic-flac-mp3-player-tf-card-clean-sq#post_8195665
03/28/2012: Sound Quality Initial Impression Added : http://www.head-fi.org/t/599124/teclast-x30-x-series-new-model-basic-flac-mp3-player-tf-card-clean-sq#post_8195667
PREAMBLE:
Teclast has a variety of players, each belonging to a different series.
I think we, here at Head-Fi are most familitar with the T-Series (due to the T51 aka s:flo2) and somewhat of the X-Series due mostly to the new hifi-oriented, budged player model X19HD (or perhaps its earlier predecessor models, the X19+, and X19). The T51 and X19HD are in line with Teclast's "HIFI" concept, and hopefully the successor to the T51 will be available in about a year: the T59.
Back to THIS THREAD.
Back to the X30.
The X30 falls somewhere between standard and premium. It's also a member of the "primarily for audio/no-nonsense/MP3-player" genre that makes up the X-Series, though it does have some limited video playback capability, why would you want to watch a movie on a LARGE postage-stamp sized screen? Not me, I just want to see some decent(ish) UI (rather than squint at a tiny OLED), and select my files, menus, and play my music.
Why am I writing a post about it? Because there isn't any information out there on it, at least none I could find in any of the English-Language Forums.
Why did I get one? On a whim, lark, whatever... Mostly because of curiousity and, owning 2 T51's (gifted one/kept one), I was curious about the SQ of Teclast's other models, especially after reading about the X19HD, which has some interesting features, but unfortunately for me, no TF/microSDHC card slot (i.e. a dealbreaker for my purposes). Additionally, one of my Sansa Fuze's has just broken on me, and looking at the costs of getting another refurbished unit, well, the prices have soared to the neiborhood of a hundred lately... I'm used to something below fourty. The X30 fits the specs nicely. On paper. Lets see what my experience with it is like.
Everyone (Well, ME, anyway) needs a "throwaway/I-won't-cry-about-it-if-I-get-mugged" player to run around with. I'm sure most of us do, hence, the use of "Everyone".
INTRODUCTION:
This is a no-nonsense DAP, rather than a full-fledged Cowon-Style "everything but the kitchen sink" PMP.
That said, what is the purpose of this thread? Well, Since I couldn't find any information about the X30 on Head-Fi, or any other English-speaking site out there, and since I was also curious enough to bother ordering one of these devices, I figured I might as well keep a journal of my experience with it and share that on Head-Fi. It's what Music PPL do, right?
Yeah, so being that I was curious for something in a similar product category to my recently departed Fuze: simple, small (but not microscopic screen-size-wise), with physical key controls (non-touchscreen), FLAC-capable (and MP3 of course), card-slot (in this case TF/(microSDHC)), with a decent physical build quality (metal alloy frame, sturdy plastic exterior (vs. all-plastic of the Sansa Fuze). The Fuze is really what it is competing with/replacing in my stable, and this is all an exploration about whether or not the X30 can cut the mustard...
...Or will it really, really, really be a "throwaway" device? Time will tell.
Using my remaining Sansa Fuze as a "standard candle" by which to compare it with the X30, here are some initial impressions:
SIZE:
The Teclast X30 is about 4/5 the WIDTH as a Sansa Fuze. The X30 being slimmer, The Fuze being wider.
The Sansa Fuze is about 4/5 the HEIGHT of the Teclast X30 by comparison. The Fuze being shorter, and the X30 being taller.
The Teclast X30 is about 2/3 the DEPTH of the Sansa Fuze. The X30 being thinner, while the Fuze is thicker.
[Pictures to follow after an upload]...
WEIGHT:
Despite the metal alloy frame, there is really very very little difference in weight between an X30 and a Sansa Fuze.
LOOKS:
In the looks department, I feel the X30 is a winner. It has an understated, utilitarian elegance, and while not matching the looks of the CUBE C60, or having the same sleek finish, the clear coated black polymer, and silver metal alloy accents & buttons, coupled with silver alloy metal frame make this one nice looking DAP. It won't embarrass you to be seen holding one in public, iDevice or not.
PICTURES:
[This concludes the First Post. I will follow with posts about Settings, Menu Operation, Battery Stats, and SQ/Listening Comparisons/Burn-In in subsquent posts.]