[bowei006]

What are owners / peoples thoughts for a good match $150 ish IEM for the x3?
I got some brainwaves r3 pretty much free from mp4nation, but I really don't like them, especially as the memory wire stuff goes Over the ear.....I just can' get them to fit well, even with comply's, so a bit hesitant about the vsonic gr07 I have seen mentioned.

I know nothing about IEM's, having been ardently anti.....but now....why not?

I listen to a wide range of genres, So a good all-rounder?
So you know - there are no shops where I can try out or even look for at least 2500km so I am stuck with what I buy....

Far out. I am so pleased with this machine. I really had my doubts.

T.

The R3's don't fit me too well either.
 
What bands artists and genres do you spend more time on? I know you say a wide range and I do as well, but there are indeed some genres I want my music to sound good on etc.
 
The Brainwavz S1 is a very good all around IEM. The Astrotec AX30 is not as easilly availble in the USA or much of the world right now. But the AX30 is superior to the S1 and cheaper. The S1 is built better, more accessories, only $10 more expensive, and much easier to buy however.
 
I've heard good things about the GR07 BE's being good all arounders. I heard the GR07 MK2 and that one wasn't an all around IEM. Let's see, what other popular IEM's.
 
The TF10 if you can buy one for sub $200 is also a great all arounder IEM. Dunu DN 19 Tai Chi is also quite good.
 

  Please remember FiiO that there are A LOT of people who really wish to have a more advanced eq on the x3! If the 10 band equalizer from the x5 would be transfered to the x3, this machine would be freaking great! To me that is the only thing that is missed in this device. So yeah, don't forget that FiiO You would please so many souls if you did this!

 
Long ago, FiiO did state that they would, if possible, like to port the X5's GUI to the X3. HOWEVER, this was long before they decided on the new fancy look of the X5's. I'm not sure if the X5's GUI is lisenced by another company or how 'portable' it is or if its the same 'lisence'. 
 
That statement doesn't have any real weight right now due to how much they changed since they made that post. (The post was made at around the time the X3 was releasing) 

 

[xaddictionx]

how is it compared to J3 , sound-wise ?

A flat/EQ off J3 is no match for the X3. A heavily EQ-ed (BBE, custom EQ etc) only comes close to X3 but X3 still edges past marginally. Further, not all EQ settings on J3 will synergies with your phones. Will take a lot of effort and time to slowly tune the EQs to your liking. However having said that, J3 is stellar in its EQ, portability and battery life.

 

[Togril]

The R3's don't fit me too well either.

What bands artists and genres do you spend more time on? I know you say a wide range and I do as well, but there are indeed some genres I want my music to sound good on

Well - I was just listening to killing Joke "absolute dissent", I love how utterly dense their mixes are, but in honesty I listen to a lot of classical , zappa and film scores such as morricone and zimmer.

T.

 

[bowei006]

Well - I was just listening to killing Joke "absolute dissent", I love how utterly dense their mixes are, but in honesty I listen to a lot of classical , zappa and film scores such as morricone and zimmer.

T.

I think you may do fine with the S1

 

[RagunaAsh]

Yeah, I'm actually kinda surprised that I haven't heard more complaints about this, but I guess most people don't keep mp3's! On songs with quiet portions (for me, 'Baby, I'm Gonna Leave You' by Led Zeppelin and Schubert's unfinished symphony) it comes across as a digital-sounding hiss. I don't notice it much on songs with constant sound, but it's very annoying on those others, so I'm looking forward to the fix!

Oh, I see why you posted then.

In regard to the MP3 decoder, I am one of the few who complained about it.
It occurred in 2 or 3 specific tracks which, unfortunately, I don't have the FLAC versions... Just compared hearing through other sources using the same earphones and did not notice the noise/hiss on those tracks.

 

[sajib]

So, it finally happened...Fiio X3 gave up on my torture, got a X3 with broken LCD (my bum to blame, didn't knew it was on back pocket) does anyone know where from can i buy a replacement LCD? and if its easy to repair?
 
I just bought it a month ago, its a shame that broken LCD is not covered by warranty

 

[themad]

Yeah, I'm actually kinda surprised that I haven't heard more complaints about this, but I guess most people don't keep mp3's! On songs with quiet portions (for me, 'Baby, I'm Gonna Leave You' by Led Zeppelin and Schubert's unfinished symphony) it comes across as a digital-sounding hiss. I don't notice it much on songs with constant sound, but it's very annoying on those others, so I'm looking forward to the fix!

 
Yes, I heard this same strange hiss on quiet portions of the songs.
 
I'll look for the Led Zeppelin CD, rip to FLAC and then convert to MP3 and compare the two. I'll also listen to some classical music in FLAC and MP3 formats and see if I can reproduce it.
 
Just to be clear, the X3 is not sounding bad at all! It is great, really! But maybe I could be listening to a cleaner sound in some songs. And sound quality improvements are always welcome!

 

[RagunaAsh]

   
Yes, I heard this same strange hiss on quiet portions of the songs.
 
I'll look for the Led Zeppelin CD, rip to FLAC and then convert to MP3 and compare the two. I'll also listen to some classical music in FLAC and MP3 formats and see if I can reproduce it.
 
Just to be clear, the X3 is not sounding bad at all! It is great, really! But maybe I could be listening to a cleaner sound in some songs. And sound quality improvements are always welcome!

Great! I'm no expert, so it'll be nice to know for sure that it's the encoding issue I'm hearing, not something in the recording itself. To be honest, listened to Schubert for about five seconds before switching to something else; I've been to scared to try listening to it again!
 
But, yeah, pretty much everything else in my library sounds spectacular. I still listen to Zeppelin, even, since the sound quality is so good it makes up for the hiss!
 
TL;DR: If you're considering the X3, get it. Seriously. Best $200 DAP you're gonna get your hands on any time soon, despite everything I just said!

 

[mikeyb48]

Hi,
 
I have just upgraded my hifi to include a Rega Brio-R amp which does not have Digital in so at the moment I am outputting my X3 via the line out to the RCA in on the amp, my question is this...
 
Would I see a benefit from connecting the X3 via a DAC to the Amp using the Co-Ax out on the X3, then out via RCA to the amp, would this be any better than my current setup?
 
I realise the DAC on the X3 is pretty good but I can't see any other way of using the Co-Ax out on the X3 to my amp other than adding a DAC with ( analog out ) in between.
 
Any help/advice greatly appreciated.
 
I have my eye on the Rega DAC as it would go perfectly with my current setup ( sound and size matches amp )
 
Thanks,
 
Mike.

 

[ostewart]

It would be an upgrade to have a separate DAC do the decoding, but not a huge one. Personally I can tell quite a difference between computer > X3 > iCan > Headphones and computer > iDAC > iCan > Headphones
 
The DAC of the X3 sounds sloppy and warm in comparison to the clean tight iDAC. Thats just my take though.

 

[Bray90820]

FIIO should make the X3 firmware open source so we can really unlock the power of this device 

 

[bowei006]

  FIIO should make the X3 firmware open source so we can really unlock the power of this device 

It has been brought up many ways why they can not do this right now.
 
Their firmware is licensed. Until that lisence expires or until the terms or legality's allow them can they do it.

 

[Bray90820]

  It has been brought up many ways why they can not do this right now.
 
Their firmware is licensed. Until that lisence expires or until the terms or legality's allow them can they do it.

To my knowledge I thought it wads android based which is completely open source 

 

[bowei006]

N

To my knowledge I thought it wads android based which is completely open source 

The X3 and X5 are not Android based. Their UI firmware is under lisence by another party

 

[viperman3]

is it possible for the next X3 firmware to have the current playing folder being recalled when using the file browse option to navigate for songs?  I know that the X3 can recall the current song playing, but I'd like to see an option where the file browser opens on the current playing song and allows to continue navigating from there.