The FiiO X3 Thread UPDATE: Project Back On! Read the First Post for Information.

[FatmanSize48]

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But he said $600, so I thought he was saying the X5...

He's just saying that right now, he has to pay $600 for an audiophile player with good UI--and he's hoping that the X3 will change this. This is based upon my extremely detailed full analysis of his post above, with my findings published here. 

 
About the iPod DAC-I have the Classic 7G and I find the soundstage to be a bit narrow and the treble to be a bit harsh. But hey, that's just me. I love the UI and storage space of the Classic (160G can hold all of my music) but the DAC does not quite cut it. Sure, now I have a fairly measly portable setup (Went from a E11 w/ RE262s, which were stolen, to a pair of "temporary" GR06s), but I can hear an audible difference between the iPod DAC and my ODAC, rPAC, and receiver integrated DAC (Pioneer Elite VSX-52 DAC being worse than the iPod's) But hey, this is just based on subjective listening and the opinions of many of my friends.

 

[Achmedisdead]

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About the iPod DAC-I have the Classic 7G and I find the soundstage to be a bit narrow and the treble to be a bit harsh. But hey, that's just me. I love the UI and storage space of the Classic (160G can hold all of my music) but the DAC does not quite cut it. Sure, now I have a fairly measly portable setup (Went from a E11 w/ RE262s, which were stolen, to a pair of "temporary" GR06s), but I can hear an audible difference between the iPod DAC and my ODAC, rPAC, and receiver integrated DAC (Pioneer Elite VSX-52 DAC being worse than the iPod's) But hey, this is just based on subjective listening and the opinions of many of my friends.

Have you heard a 5.5G? Sounds like that would be more to your liking, sound-wise. I prefer it over the sound of the 7G.

 

[FatmanSize48]

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Have you heard a 5.5G? Sounds like that would be more to your liking, sound-wise. I prefer it over the sound of the 7G.

No, I haven't heard a 5.5G. I'll do my best to find one and give it a shot, though.What comparisons could you make with the sound of the 7G?

 

[7nationarmy]

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Nissan almost made it. Yup, you can compare the GT-R to a 458 Italia. However, you are still comparing a Datsun to a timeless beauty.

Well yeah GTR is a true legend. Still it costs a lot more than Civic. The whole point is that we just can't have every high end feature we want in a $200 DAP, at least for now. We are not living in a dreamland. I think X3 will hit the sweet spot between mainstream players (iPods, etc) and the high end DAPs (DX100, Altmann Tera), quality wise. There are several DAPs in between those two categories, but they seem to be have similar problem: buggy UI (yes I am talking to you Hisound). Let's just see how X3 will turn out (we are all eager, aren't we), just do not expect it to trump the SQ that costs 5 times as much.

 

[Achmedisdead]

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No, I haven't heard a 5.5G. I'll do my best to find one and give it a shot, though.What comparisons could you make with the sound of the 7G?

I'll try to describe it as best I can. 

 
There's more of a fullness to the sound (if that makes any sense), and the treble seems toned down a little bit. Using the line-out with just my FiiO LOD and E6 and E11, if I am sitting and  listening with no other distractions, I just seem to feel more drawn into  the music.
 
The 7G reminded me of the sound of my Rockboxed Clip Zips, which is not a bad thing, but I can walk around just listening to them as background music as I go through my day, but the 5.5 makes me want to just chill out and listen. 
 
Hopefully somebody else familiar with both players can describe them better than I can....

 

[tds101]

Indeed,...the 5.5G does sound more involving. The classic 7G, while sounding quite crisp, is flat & lifeless. The 5.5G has a fuller & more spacious sound. 

 

[icefalkon]

Holy Christ! This thread has become like one big childish rant of what you kids want for Christmas!!
 
A perfectly good thread gone to sshiitt. LOL

 

[FatmanSize48]

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Holy Christ! This thread has become like one big childish rant of what you kids want for Christmas!!
 
A perfectly good thread gone to sshiitt. LOL

Maybe you can help fix it.

 

[hoichi]

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Nah, nevermind :/
Maybe I just don't get what it takes a DAP to be called "audiophile" I thought it was just about the SQ, the number of supported formats, lots of storage and beeing able to drive even more demanding headphones/IEMs properly.

I don't think most of the players marketed for audiophiles have a lot of storage or play a lot of formats. They're optimized for SQ, not for convenience. In that respect, X3 is not and 'audiophile player', being designed to be convenient as well as sound reasonably good (better than the mainstream players like the Cowons or the Sonys, one hopes).

 

[hoichi]

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Holy Christ! This thread has become like one big childish rant of what you kids want for Christmas!!
 
A perfectly good thread gone to sshiitt. LOL

We've a lot of time on our hands till summer 

.

 

[FatmanSize48]

But what about second Christmas?

 

[hoichi]

Has the Second Coming already happened? 

 

[tds101]

This is only the first coming of this most holy-of-holy dap's.

 

[FatmanSize48]

The most holy DAP shall rise again, greater than ever before! (X5!)

 

[FatmanSize48]

Hopefully we won't have to wait as long as we have for the other holy one.