[bruce1967]

   
At the end of January, James wrote in this threat that they will upgrade their products per year: http://www.head-fi.org/t/651769/the-fiio-x3-thread/8190#post_10202167
 
So theoretically we should have news about X3k soon...

I see. I wonder how soon we might see a new X3...

 

[betula]

Somebody already asked James if by "final" he meant there wouldn't be any more X3 updates. He assured them that there would be additional X3 updates. I'm guessing it was a miscommunication where James meant a new stable ("final") release after the recent round of betas. I could be wrong in my interpretation, though.

I read that answer from James too. I think, he said, there is a new official firmware coming, and it is NOT going to be a final one.

 

[Mr Trev]

 
I see. I wonder how soon we might see a new X3...

I'm hoping we can hear some info about it by years end. I read a comment by James on another thread saying something like they were busy developing new players. This was after the x1 release, so I would assume we'd have the x7 <see it's own thread> and the next gen x3. All speculation on my part, but hopefully something to look forward to.

 

[Andymaxwell]

   
I've just had the X3 for a few days, but I noticed a big improvement going to high gain vs low gain. Low gain had more compressed dynamics, more grain in the treble. For example, Art Gafunkel's voice with low gain sounded like rayon, high gain sounded like silk on a 16/44 flac of What a Wonderful World. The air around high voices improved with high gain. Low voices like my 24/96 of Strange Days with Jim Morrison's voice not as affected. I'm using 3.2 firmware, using old Grado SR225e and Ultrasone DJ1 headphones just out of the box. Both phones are 32 Ohm, not particularly hard to drive with very different sound signatures, but both were equally affected by the change. Even though I have to put the volume at less that half, I'm sticking with high gain. Low gain makes mine almost as bad as an iPod. I'm glad I found that switch!

Interesting, I will keep flicking between the two to see where I hear a difference. Good to hear your thoughts on it

 

[Andymaxwell]

Good to know. I'm still waiting for mine to arrive, and am looking to test high gain vs low gain as well as x3 alone vs line out to topping nx1. I'm also curious to go line out to my audio gd nfb 10se to see how this works out as a source when I don't want to use my pc.

I can definitely say that the LO quality is miles ahead of the HO quality. (Didn't notice as much of a difference with the Ibasso DX50 for those who are interested.

 

[Mmet]

I can definitely say that the LO quality is miles ahead of the HO quality. (Didn't notice as much of a difference with the Ibasso DX50 for those who are interested.

so , it is suitable and will scale with high end amps ?

 

[bruce1967]

  I'm hoping we can hear some info about it by years end. I read a comment by James on another thread saying something like they were busy developing new players. This was after the x1 release, so I would assume we'd have the x7 <see it's own thread> and the next gen x3. All speculation on my part, but hopefully something to look forward to.

Yes I'll be watching for news on this. I hope it stays in the $200 to $250 range. I love my X3 but a new improved one would be great and the X7 sounds interesting too but it will be well out of my price range. The X5 is almost affordable for me but the X3 sounds good  enough.

 

[Mr Trev]

I wouldn't mind a modest price bump if it meant better components (dac, opamp, better (outdoor readability) screen) Still would set my budget at $250 tops. Any higher than that and might as well get an x5.

 

[hemipowered007]

I can definitely say that the LO quality is miles ahead of the HO quality. (Didn't notice as much of a difference with the Ibasso DX50 for those who are interested.

Thanks, I'll try it with the nx1, any amp beyond that I'd rather just sell the x3 and buy a higher end dap with a great built in amp. It'll be real cool to see how different going line out to my audio gd from the internal. Single mobile Wolfson 8740 vs the agd dual Wolfson 8741 balanced dacs

 

[bruce1967]

  I wouldn't mind a modest price bump if it meant better components (dac, opamp, better (outdoor readability) screen) Still would set my budget at $250 tops. Any higher than that and might as well get an x5.

 

[Scott6113]

Maybe not all phones are affected, since I got it used and it was already set to low gain. Then of course, the seller could have had tin ears.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I'm trying to balance the ease of buying one 128gb card with the much cheaper option of four 32gb cards (or two 64gb cards). I think I can put classical on one 64gb and everything else on another. All flac files. 

After you've copied all your files on to the microsd(s) with your computer (I don't care how long this process takes), when you install the microsd into your X3 do you have immediate access to the music on them through the X3? Can you start searching folders right away? Or do you have to wait for them to be read through once by the X3? If it takes time for the X3 to prepare to play a microsd for the first time, how long does it take (on a class 10 card, for example)? 

The X3 has a media library scanner (categorizes songs by ID3 tags) which, if set to Auto, will scan each new card you insert, taking a minute or so with a big full card. But if you're navigating by folders as mentioned above, you can set the scanner to Manual, in which case the player will be ready to navigate by folder and play songs from each new card instantaneously.

 

[Scott6113]

I have a 64gb class 10 full of pop songs and it takes about a minute to update almost 3000 songs, between the base memory and card. Since you can get 64gb cards for $25  (sandisk from Amazon) and 128gb for $100, the choice seems clear to me. 64GB is the lowest cost per GB.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

  I have a 64gb class 10 full of pop songs and it takes about a minute to update almost 3000 songs, between the base memory and card. Since you can get 64gb cards for $25  (sandisk from Amazon) and 128gb for $100, the choice seems clear to me. 64GB is the lowest cost per GB.

I have a Phillips 64gb class 10 card and I have 3500 songs on it and it is only has about 40gb on it. I mainly use 320kbps Mp3s so that will be what saves the space.

 

[Scott6113]

 
I have a Phillips 64gb class 10 card and I have 3500 songs on it and it is only has about 40gb on it. I mainly use 320kbps Mp3s so that will be what saves the space.

I use mostly FLACs from CDs. To go down from 1440kbps to 320kbps would lose information. And, I have a half-dozen 24/96 albums. I've seen a lot of debate about when data compression is audible. I don't think 320kbps loses much if anything. I'm just not willing to take the chance.