The Fiio X3 Thread.

[Mmet]

I have been demoing a couple of DAPs in the past four months with the focus on Sub Bass and which can provide more Sub Bass than the other.I am comparing my X3 (Original version) to the various DAPs.The Daps Tested were: Cowon P1,DX90, X5, X3 (Original) , X3II, and AK120II. I used 5 tracks and I used my Arrow portable amp on every DAP. Right away I noticed the X5 and DX90 sounded wide but lacked the depth. Add the amp and boost the bass on the amp and the bass got stronger but didnt go deep as I heard on the X3. DX90 and X5 voice and treble were nice and in that area it wins but in bass and especially sub bass they do not even with the help of an amp they are greta but not sub bass DAPs.Tested the new X3II and something sounded not as good as the original X3 and by the way I tested the AK Jr, three times and it was similar to the X3II. Now the Cowon P1 that was nice, it had a wide sound stage but the depth of the bass was intense and went almost as low as the X3. One thing the Cowon has is tons of settings and it has a Bass exciter that made the bass go nuts my ASG2.0 and A3 could not take that setting. Also the EQ on the Cowon is nice and a lot better than all the other Daps and the Cowon sounds more ANALOG than DIGITAL. Now what I find that makes the X3 better especially in the SUB BASS reion is that its EQ is not in its FIRMWARE its EQ is in the HARDWARE so I can adjust the TREBLE and the BASS even when I have an amp connected so if I boost the bass on the amp I can also adjust the bass or treble in the X3 and so these songs I picked all sounded better on the X3 because on the X# the bass hits so low very low and hard that I stop and look around thinking a car crashed or and earth quake just hit around me. Without an amp the X3 sound stage is a bit more narrow but not as narrow as an Apple player but with an amp its sound stage is very wide and so dont think the X3 lacks width but those other DAPs were more focued on the width than the depth.

nice impressions ... you are lucky guy for trying all these DAPs  ! ... and i agree with you about the hardware bass and treble boost in x3 ... they are helpful and clean ... but they only works with the headphone out .. not the line out which supposed to be the connecting port to an amp ... you amping the X3 from its headphone out ?

 

[johnwamp55]

 
nice impressions ... you are lucky guy for trying all these DAPs  ! ... and i agree with you about the hardware bass and treble boost in x3 ... they are helpful and clean ... but they only works with the headphone out .. not the line out which supposed to be the connecting port to an amp ... you amping the X3 from its headphone out ?

 

[Paulus XII]

x3 with it hardware eq with an amp is way better than the clip and the same amp.

Of course it is.

 

[Mmet]

 

It is the line out as i see .... so the bass & treble will not work with it

 

[Paulus XII]

 
It is the line out as i see .... so the bass & treble will not work with it

 
Unfortunately not.

 

[johnwamp55]

If it doesnt work with a amp then it still produces more sub bass than the DX90, X5 or AK120II.

 

[reihead]

  just go back for this thread and can't believe now we have released X1/X3/X3II/X5/X5II and soon will be X7 and other new DAPs, should we choose one as a lucky guys and win a X3 2g to thanks everyone who joined this forum? any suggest about how to choose the lucky guys? 

 
A Fiio quiz?

 

[Mmet]

If it doesnt work with a amp then it still produces more sub bass than the DX90, X5 or AK120II.

And what is the advantages of the DX90, AK120II over it ?

 

[johnwamp55]

 
And what is the advantages of the DX90, AK120II over it ?

vocals seems to sound a bit wider, ui is better even though the DX90 lags when choosing a song. Seems having two chips it tries to make the sound stage wider but the depth swallow. X3 with a good amp the sound stage gets wider. The Cowon was as wide but had more depth than the DX90, X% and the AK120II.

 

[Mmet]

 
vocals seems to sound a bit wider, ui is better even though the DX90 lags when choosing a song. Seems having two chips it tries to make the sound stage wider but the depth swallow. X3 with a good amp the sound stage gets wider. The Cowon was as wide but had more depth than the DX90, X% and the AK120II.

thanks ... it seems that not selling my X3 was a good idea

 

[johnwamp55]

 
thanks ... it seems that not selling my X3 was a good idea

I have mony burning my pockets but what I been hearing is not worth it except for the ui but the Cowon P1 and  M are very very nice and I might be getting one of them but I am also thinking to get another X3 original Dap aswell. Not sure which amp you use mostly but I would look for a neutral or bright amp and with the X3 it will make the sound stage wider if one wants sound stage. I use the Headstage Arrow which really improved the over all sound.

 

[Mmet]

 
I have mony burning my pockets but what I been hearing is not worth it except for the ui but the Cowon P1 and  M are very very nice and I might be getting one of them but I am also thinking to get another X3 original Dap aswell. Not sure which amp you use mostly but I would look for a neutral or bright amp and with the X3 it will make the sound stage wider if one wants sound stage. I use the Headstage Arrow which really improved the over all sound.

i am getting soon a BSG cmoy amplifier to pair with it and with my walkman , i sold my E11

 

[eaglearrow]

Thank you for your suggestions ppl.. i think ill pass on x1 and buy the x3 1st gen to go with my e11k..

 

[originalsnuffy]

Thank you for your suggestions ppl..

i think ill pass on x1 and buy the x3 1st gen to go with my e11k..

 
While I really like FIIO, I did not love the sound of the X1.  I sold that and applied the funds to the X3 Gen II.  I also kept my original X3 as the hardware tone controls have a place in certain situations.  For example, I have been testing out the Altone 250 IEM, and they really need toning down of bass and treble.  Since I play hi res material quite often, the hardware tone controls were useful.

 

[eaglearrow]

Yea.. i read about those hardware buttons too. I find it more userfriendly(in my e11k) compared to software based eq in my clip. also, one more thing. Is $110 a fair price for a used x3gen1 ?