[x RELIC x]

And that's why I asked him the question directly. He certainly wasn't clear in his post.

 

[imackler]

And that's why I asked him the question directly. He certainly wasn't clear in his post.

Yeah...I was still confused, too! 

 

[Mmet]

i think the guy means that the X3 sounds better as an external DAC than a player ... which i agree with it and really i don't know why !

 

[Paulus XII]

Still confused here. Are you plugging headphones directly in to the line out socket?

 
No.

 

[Paulus XII]

  i think the guy means that the X3 sounds better as an external DAC than a player ... which i agree with it and really i don't know why !

 
Exactly.
 
The answer: firmware.

 

[x RELIC x]

Mystery solved. :wink_face:

 

[Paulus XII]

Mystery solved.

 

 

[steelglam]

I have another question about using the X3 as a DAC, since I haven't done so before. I know that if I have the X3 connected to my laptop and in DAC mode, and I play a media file (WAV, FLAC, MP3, etc.) that I have on my computer with some media software (WMP, Foobar, MediaMonkey, etc.), the signal is sent to the DAC in the X3 via the USB as a digital out.

But the question I have is does the same thing happen if I play a CD that I insert in the laptop's disc drive? Or when using the CD drive is the signal first converted to analog before being sent via USB to the X3-as-DAC? What if instead of using the laptop's CD drive, I used an external CD/DVD/CDR/DVR drive that I have connected to the laptop via one of the other USB ports?

Basically, I'm wondering if I can effectively use the USB DAC (in the FiiO X3) as a DAC for CDs that I play either in the laptop's disc drive or an external USB disc drive that I have connected to the laptop. I know that there are issues with jitter, etc. when using a laptop's disc drive, but I'm just confused about how the signal passes when using an internal or external disc drive and a USB DAC.

Thanks in advance for any insight that you can provide!

 

[chailee80]

I have another question about using the X3 as a DAC, since I haven't done so before. I know that if I have the X3 connected to my laptop and in DAC mode, and I play a media file (WAV, FLAC, MP3, etc.) that I have on my computer with some media software (WMP, Foobar, MediaMonkey, etc.), the signal is sent to the DAC in the X3 via the USB as a digital out.

But the question I have is does the same thing happen if I play a CD that I insert in the laptop's disc drive? Or when using the CD drive is the signal first converted to analog before being sent via USB to the X3-as-DAC? What if instead of using the laptop's CD drive, I used an external CD/DVD/CDR/DVR drive that I have connected to the laptop via one of the other USB ports?

Basically, I'm wondering if I can effectively use the USB DAC (in the FiiO X3) as a DAC for CDs that I play either in the laptop's disc drive or an external USB disc drive that I have connected to the laptop. I know that there are issues with jitter, etc. when using a laptop's disc drive, but I'm just confused about how the signal passes when using an internal or external disc drive and a USB DAC.

Thanks in advance for any insight that you can provide!

All audio will be handled by the x3. Data travels from your cd/dvd drive the same way it travels from your hard drive.

 

[steelglam]

All audio will be handled by the x3. Data travels from your cd/dvd drive the same way it travels from your hard drive.

So the only DAC that will touch the signal when using the CD drive is the one in the X3? I was concerned that the laptop's internal DAC would convert the signal to analog first before sending it to the X3 when using the CD drive.

 

[Paulus XII]

So the only DAC that will touch the signal when using the CD drive is the one in the X3? I was concerned that the laptop's internal DAC would convert the signal to analog first before sending it to the X3 when using the CD drive.

 
The laptop's internal DAC is disabled. You are using another DAC already. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[steelglam]

The laptop's internal DAC is disabled. You are using another DAC already. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ok, cool. I was just checking. Thanks!

So, is the reason folks don't usually use the disc drive in a laptop as a dedicated CD source connected to a USB DAC such as the X3 because the drives are usually inferior in terms of build quality, noise, jitter, etc.? If so, I'm wondering if the external disc drive that I also have decreases some of those problems. It's definitely a lot more robust.

 

[ShreyasMax]

i think the guy means that the X3 sounds better as an external DAC than a player ... which i agree with it and really i don't know why !

Exactly.

The answer: firmware.

Totally agree on the DAC mode being better sounding than as standalone DAP. Hence the urge to further upgrade separate amp. Eyeing the E12A.
Like when my wife keeps asking, "Does this never end?"

 

[chailee80]

Ok, cool. I was just checking. Thanks!

So, is the reason folks don't usually use the disc drive in a laptop as a dedicated CD source connected to a USB DAC such as the X3 because the drives are usually inferior in terms of build quality, noise, jitter, etc.? If so, I'm wondering if the external disc drive that I also have decreases some of those problems. It's definitely a lot more robust.

Yeh theres always the possibility of some kind of electrical interference inside desktops and laptops which can effect audio quality.

 

[bikerboy94]

The COAX out is also outstanding with a good amp/dac combo.