[Joe Bloggs]

and I appreciate them taking a stand...

@jkauff, we're not taking a "stand" against improving mp3 decoding. And the chatter about mp3 decoding issues is not "noise". Every user's opinion counts But a decision taking into account every user's opinion has been made and it's not in mp3's favor For now

 

[ozkan]

  The whole point of the X3 is that it's an affordable hi-res player. If you don't own or plan to buy hi-res files, why on earth would you choose the X3? Just about any portable can play a variety of lossy formats, and many of them can play FLAC or ALAC. Just about any smartphone can, too. There are so many options available.
 
I bought the X3 because almost none of these alternatives offer 24/96 or greater playback, and I have a lot of hi-res music. The X3 has a high-quality DAC, a built-in amp, and a quality line-out. For $200.

 
I have several dozen MP3 files of out-of-print songs, but that's all, and I have lots of ways to play them. I don't care if they don't sound great on the X3--they don't sound great on anything. I wouldn't put them on my X3 in the first place--I need all the storage space for hi-res.
 
If you have most of your collection in MP3 and didn't rip to lossless in the first place, you made a big mistake, and compounded it by buying a hi-res player to put them on. Ignorance can be expensive, cut your losses and sell your X3 and buy something more appropriate.
 
I think the philosophy behind FiiO's priority list for future dev work is right on target, and I appreciate them taking a stand for the right way to do things in the face of all the noise on this forum.

 
Sorry but I don't agree with you. Even a cheap mp3 player can play flac or wav files without any major problems. Mp3 is one of the oldest formats as you know. So I think it mustn't be a major problem for a company like Fiio which aims to be one of the best for hi-end models such as X5 and X7. In my opinion, I don't have to play flac or wav files because X3 can't do well with mp3. On the go, I don't know if it is only me but I can't differentiate between mp3 320k and a flac file because of the surrounding noices like traffic, people or bus engine etc. So I prefer mp3 while I'm out and flac or wav when I am at home or work. 

 

[james444]

  The whole point of the X3 is that it's an affordable hi-res player. If you don't own or plan to buy hi-res files, why on earth would you choose the X3? Just about any portable can play a variety of lossy formats, and many of them can play FLAC or ALAC. Just about any smartphone can, too. There are so many options available.
 
I bought the X3 because almost none of these alternatives offer 24/96 or greater playback, and I have a lot of hi-res music. The X3 has a high-quality DAC, a built-in amp, and a quality line-out. For $200.

 
I have several dozen MP3 files of out-of-print songs, but that's all, and I have lots of ways to play them. I don't care if they don't sound great on the X3--they don't sound great on anything. I wouldn't put them on my X3 in the first place--I need all the storage space for hi-res.
 
If you have most of your collection in MP3 and didn't rip to lossless in the first place, you made a big mistake, and compounded it by buying a hi-res player to put them on. Ignorance can be expensive, cut your losses and sell your X3 and buy something more appropriate.
 
I think the philosophy behind FiiO's priority list for future dev work is right on target, and I appreciate them taking a stand for the right way to do things in the face of all the noise on this forum.

 
I'm afraid your post comes across as arrogant, condescending and insulting. I see you're quite new to posting here, so I suggest you read the forum rules before making any further comments.
 
I can imagine several other buying motives for the X3 besides the one you mentioned. It's not only marketed as a hi-res capable DAP, but also as having a "high current op-amp capable of outputting 300mA into 16Ω headphones". Perhaps some of us care less about hi-res than you and just wanted a powerful portable DAP without the need to carry an extra amp? Are you going to tell these people they were stupid?
 
Dismissing other people's opinions as "noise" isn't going to help anyone, not even FiiO. If anything, it might increase tension and radicalize the discussion. Think about it.

 

[darkarn]

Hmmm... Anyway, any news for a revision for a X3 with a scroll wheel? I am asking since the X5 looks really good but I just can't justify paying 100 more USD over the X3 just because of that scroll wheel.

 

[ClieOS]

  Hmmm... Anyway, any news for a revision for a X3 with a scroll wheel? I am asking since the X5 looks really good but I just can't justify paying 100 more USD over the X3 just because of that scroll wheel.

 
You are not paying $100 more for the scroll wheel alone. It will have a better amp section and DAC as well - those are what most of your money goes. In any case, don't expect a revised / updated X3 to come any time before later 2014.

 

[darkarn]

   
You are not paying $100 more for the scroll wheel alone. It will have a better amp section and DAC as well - those are what most of your money goes. In any case, don't expect a revised / updated X3 to come any time before later 2014.

Ah I see, I forgot about that new DAC... In that case, maybe I should just get a second-hand X3 first and then make a leap of faith for the X5? (Getting the Chinese copies of the X5 seems impossible here) :X

 

[JamesFiiO]

Life is too short to enjoy pleasure in good time, the next always means better.

 

[HWTest]

  The whole point of the X3 is that it's an affordable hi-res player. If you don't own or plan to buy hi-res files, why on earth would you choose the X3? Just about any portable can play a variety of lossy formats, and many of them can play FLAC or ALAC. Just about any smartphone can, too. There are so many options available.
 
I bought the X3 because almost none of these alternatives offer 24/96 or greater playback, and I have a lot of hi-res music. The X3 has a high-quality DAC, a built-in amp, and a quality line-out. For $200.

 
I have several dozen MP3 files of out-of-print songs, but that's all, and I have lots of ways to play them. I don't care if they don't sound great on the X3--they don't sound great on anything. I wouldn't put them on my X3 in the first place--I need all the storage space for hi-res.
 
If you have most of your collection in MP3 and didn't rip to lossless in the first place, you made a big mistake, and compounded it by buying a hi-res player to put them on. Ignorance can be expensive, cut your losses and sell your X3 and buy something more appropriate.
 
I think the philosophy behind FiiO's priority list for future dev work is right on target, and I appreciate them taking a stand for the right way to do things in the face of all the noise on this forum.

Sorry but I can't agree.
 
Most of my music collection is in mp3, some ogg, some flac and finally some hi-res. Should I now take 2 DAPs with me? One for hi-res and lossless and a second one for mp3 and ogg? Really?
I started ripping my collection to mp3, when mp3 was hot news, later switched to ogg and finally to flac and I don't think there was anything wrong with my decision in that time.
If the X3 is advertised of being capable play not only lossless and hi-res stuff, but also lossy formats, it should do it it properly.

 

[Wokei]

The whole point of the X3 is that it's an affordable hi-res player. If you don't own or plan to buy hi-res files, why on earth would you choose the X3? Just about any portable can play a variety of lossy formats, and many of them can play FLAC or ALAC. Just about any smartphone can, too. There are so many options available.

I bought the X3 because almost none of these alternatives offer 24/96 or greater playback, and I have a lot of hi-res music. The X3 has a high-quality DAC, a built-in amp, and a quality line-out. For $200.

I have several dozen MP3 files of out-of-print songs, but that's all, and I have lots of ways to play them. I don't care if they don't sound great on the X3--they don't sound great on anything. I wouldn't put them on my X3 in the first place--I need all the storage space for hi-res.

If you have most of your collection in MP3 and didn't rip to lossless in the first place, you made a big mistake, and compounded it by buying a hi-res player to put them on. Ignorance can be expensive, cut your losses and sell your X3 and buy something more appropriate.

I think the philosophy behind FiiO's priority list for future dev work is right on target, and I appreciate them taking a stand for the right way to do things in the face of all the noise on this forum.

Yes... Made a BIG MISTAKE and even a bigger mistake in buying X3 and definitely need to cut my losses according to you and all these noise are just irrelevant.

Well let me just say.... In this forum there are some headfier who are very helpful n understanding but you come in with gusto of how arrogant you are especially since you are future proof because you did rip your stuff to lossless. Well done.. You must be very proud of yourself... I salute you man.

As for me... I'm a mistake bcuz most of my stuff are in mp3 format... Aaaah there are reasons for that :-
-spent most of my time outdoor
- mp3 format allows me to cram as much music as I can without carrying multiple sd card
- never had a friend like you to point out my MISTAKE

And that is why my music is in mp3 format... Any suggestions what to get since I will be cutting my losses by disposing my X3 and not be a noise... Much appreciated

Cheers and have a nice day jkauff

 

[shrimants]

The whole point of the X3 is that it's an affordable hi-res player. If you don't own or plan to buy hi-res files, why on earth would you choose the X3? Just about any portable can play a variety of lossy formats, and many of them can play FLAC or ALAC. Just about any smartphone can, too. There are so many options available.

I bought the X3 because almost none of these alternatives offer 24/96 or greater playback, and I have a lot of hi-res music. The X3 has a high-quality DAC, a built-in amp, and a quality line-out. For $200.

I have several dozen MP3 files of out-of-print songs, but that's all, and I have lots of ways to play them. I don't care if they don't sound great on the X3--they don't sound great on anything. I wouldn't put them on my X3 in the first place--I need all the storage space for hi-res.

If you have most of your collection in MP3 and didn't rip to lossless in the first place, you made a big mistake, and compounded it by buying a hi-res player to put them on. Ignorance can be expensive, cut your losses and sell your X3 and buy something more appropriate.

I think the philosophy behind FiiO's priority list for future dev work is right on target, and I appreciate them taking a stand for the right way to do things in the face of all the noise on this forum.

no, the point of the X3 is that it is CAPABLE of playing high res files (and has numerous high quality output options), but that is not the SOLE PURPOSE of it. The SOLE PURPOSE is to be a high quality playback device with multiple output options. And for it to do this, it needs to support the basic subset of formats (mp3, ogg, flac, wave, etc) and needs to have a functional interface. As far as output options go, Fiio has it under control. Only apple and some 700+ dollar audiophool products were the competitors before this. Get your head out of your butt, this is a 200 dollar mp3 player with 8 gigs of internal memory. Just because YOU bought it for 24/96 playback and driving huge headphones, doesnt mean some average joe will buy it for that reason. Average Joe will buy it because an ipod classic is 300 bucks and this thing is 200 bucks. Average joe might still go with a clip/fuse over this unless he understands the output options a little bit.

If you want it to be a player for high res ONLY files, strip out the support for non-lossless media. And then put something more than 8gb of internal storage before you try to make that argument. And put support for more than 64gb external storage. Put an internal HDD before you say anything about "high res only".

Be real, only a small subset of the younger population has their music "ripped to lossless from CDs". Everyone is going to have legal downloads from itunes (lossy), legal downloads from amazon (VERY lossy), and illegal downloads (320kbps or v0 mp3, or FLAC).

I can understand you're saying people can always go and re-download their music as FLAC, and thats totally fine for the people who illegally acquired their music in the first place. But thats not OK for the huge amount of people who have itunes or amazon as their main stores. Its not OK for people who have been trading CDs for years between friends and family and getting mp3 copies.

Your argument is bunk and narrow minded.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I want to report the bug i have seen with the X3

 
1. If i hit the back button during a library update the device freezes.

2. The folders on the SD card need to have a specific name IE.The library update would freeze when the root folder was named "Aarons Music" but once i changed it to "Music" it worked.
3. The album art for some albums don't show up on the device but they do on my computer.
4. Not really a bug but i thought i would mention it anyways. It would be nice when you select an artist it would be nice to have a list of the albums like on an iPod with a view all button within the artist list.

What firmware version are you running?

 

[shrimants]

Yes... Made a BIG MISTAKE and even a bigger mistake in buying X3 and definitely need to cut my losses according to you and all these noise are just irrelevant.

Well let me just say.... In this forum there are some headfier who are very helpful n understanding but you come in with gusto of how arrogant you are especially since you are future proof because you did rip your stuff to lossless. Well done.. You must be very proud of yourself... I salute you man.

As for me... I'm a mistake bcuz most of my stuff are in mp3 format... Aaaah there are reasons for that :-
-spent most of my time outdoor
- mp3 format allows me to cram as much music as I can without carrying multiple sd card
- never had a friend like you to point out my MISTAKE

And that is why my music is in mp3 format... Any suggestions what to get since I will be cutting my losses by disposing my X3 and not be a noise... Much appreciated

Cheers and have a nice day jkauff

Seriously dude, i cant believe you're so ignorant. everyone knows you should be wheeling around an AV rack with all your vinyl, your record player, a preamp, a burson conductor, and some nice headphones around. And if you didnt have the foresight to be rich enough to afford a butler to cart it around for you, well, ignorance is expensive. Sounds to me like you just made some poor upgrade decisions

 

[L'Seraphic]

I have vaguely read over recent comments saying that distortion was evident(?) whilst playing MP3 files.
 
Most of my tracks are 320kbps MP3 files. Paired with the Westone 4Rs, I cannot hear a discernible difference between 320kbps MP3 files and FLAC files.
 
Is this due to my untrained ears or do you guys have a more complex setup requiring more juice?
 
As you can tell, I have no idea whatsoever about MP3 decoding, just rather curious on the debate at hand.

 

[ClieOS]

  I have vaguely read over recent comments saying that distortion was evident(?) whilst playing MP3 files.
 
Most of my tracks are 320kbps MP3 files. Paired with the Westone 4Rs, I cannot hear a discernible difference between 320kbps MP3 files and FLAC files.
 
Is this due to my untrained ears or do you guys have a more complex setup requiring more juice?
 
As you can tell, I have no idea whatsoever about MP3 decoding, just rather curious on the debate at hand.

 
It is mostly limited to Classical music that has very low dynamic (*recorded in very soft volume), other wise you probably won't hear anything out of the ordinary.

 

[tjw321]

   
It is mostly limited to Classical music that has very low dynamic (*recorded in very soft volume), other wise you probably won't hear anything out of the ordinary.

Agreed. I have only ever heard it manifest itself as low-level background noise in james444 samples of very quiet (relatively) sections of classical music. So far, it has been completely irrelevant to me, even though I do listen to some classical music - just not as dynamic as james444's examples.