The Fiio X3 Thread.

[sbradley02]

Thanks Panda, very well said.
At least unlike say Colorfly as an example, Fiio is proving to be very responsive.
I am looking forward to the next firmware release.
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Think about it this way. This here is a discussion forum of the X3. Most that have bought the X3 after seeing this thread will never return back and just lurk. Those that do post, will of course post all their qualms about it.
 
Yes, we know the X3 has UI inconsistencies and quirks to using it.
 
This point and where it fails for each and every individual person is just repeated 5 times a day by 5 new different people who use it 5 different ways. 
 
The UI does have issues, there is no escaping that. However the thing is, most DAP's made by audiophile companies have UI issues. These companies do not have the budget to spend hundreds of millions on UI like Apple does and then sell it for cheaper. 
 
If good UI+sound is what you want, I'm afraid you either need to check out some of the more fancy DAP's from iBasso or AK and see if those UI's fit you(I have been hearing that those have UI issues as well) or buy a pre thunderbolt iPhone/iPod and strap an amp to it.
 
With non mass billion dollar companies like these, there are things you can expect to be different from their counterparts.

 

[bowei006]

I find that too many people are ready to whine here instead of actively looking for solutions to their problems.
 
Yes, yes. Your tea spilled. Now instead of whining about it on a public forum. I can better assist you in you asking questions if you don't know what alternatives to seek, or better yet. If the user already knows what to do next.
 
 
Questions and Answers for most issues here! Come one come all and all your questions will be answered by these 3 amazing stories of generic users talking to the panda!
 
X3 UI just really really bad for your daily life? -Sell the X3/Gift the X3 and buy a consumer grade DAP with or without an external amp
   User: But but but, me no like Apple or Sony or etc for no reason.
   Me: So don't buy a DAP
 
X3's line out proves to make your external amplifier incompatable with your IEM's or headphones? Switch out the external amp for a new one or use a different DAP 
   User: But but but,
    Me: No buts, what else are you going to do about it? Constantly whine on a public forum about it instead of doing something?
 
X3's specs on paper and da jitter with all the squigly lines and small drop offs on the graphs not fullfill the perfect numbers and graphs you want of which provide little to no audible improvements? Buy the AK, photoshop or edit the X3's specs page so it looks good to you.
  User: Photoshop or edit the specs page? You stupieedee?
  Me: Half the specs you are complaining about make little to no audible difference and are within hearing tolerances. If specs pages matter that much, edit the numbers to make yourself feel better. 
 
 
 
These are solutions that will work very well
 
Because seriously. Drop a note of your experience and what you are planning to do here and what the X3 isn't working out for you once and go on about with your solution. Aggragating these and letting others and James know whats up is nice. Drop a note here and go on with your day. Whining constantly here waiting for a golden solution that costs nothing and takes no time will not happen. 
 
Edit:
I am not a fan of the UI of the X3 as well. But guess what. I'm adapting to it, and using it to fit my needs. I'm using custom tags and what not to organize my library in ways that better suit my life. Organizing select albums into playlists in manual browse. Organizing the id3 tags to follow artist--album--song style etc etc. 
Adapt or move on. This is an enthusiast hobby. Even the top DAP's of this hobby feature very problematic UI's. If that doesn't work. Use the consumer DAP alone or with external amp idea or drop a few hundred on a CLAS.

 

[hifimiami]

I recently purchased an X3 epect delivery early next week around Aug 20th. I would like to ask a question of the experienced X3 owners.
Can files FLAC and WAV be downloaded to X3 or do files have to be converted to only one format?

 

[hoichi]

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I recently purchased an X3 epect delivery early next week around Aug 20th. I would like to ask a question of the experienced X3 owners.
Can files FLAC and WAV be downloaded to X3 or do files have to be converted to only one format?

We don't read much, do we?

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

I recently purchased an X3 epect delivery early next week around Aug 20th. I would like to ask a question of the experienced X3 owners.
Can files FLAC and WAV be downloaded to X3 or do files have to be converted to only one format?

 
 
If you have any additional questions on its capabilities and specs. Please refer to 
http://fiio.net/products/index.aspx?ID=100000045041475&MenuID=105026016
http://www.head-fi.org/t/651769/fiio-x3-thread-full-review-http-www-head-fi-org-t-663600-impression-fiio-x3-high-fi-low-price
 
Which are the FiiO X3 Official Products page and the first page of this thread.
 
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We don't read much, do we?

Nope.

 

[castleofargh]

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I'm starting to think the X3 is "buggy" at this stage - a lot of the posts are UI related questions/usual allotment of requests...is anybody using it without issues?

can't talk for others, but what I sluggishly complained about is the very last step of convenience for my own personal habits. not a real problem. I posted only because it looks like something that might not be too hard to do and would make sense (imo) for most users.
 
I am very satisfied with the X3. at the moment I have too many daps (inexpensive daps). the cowon i10 and an old samsung yp-p3 were the only ones with perfect clean background on 334.the sony a865 was the only one with an ok line out for my pico, the sansas (a bunch of them) i use for audiobooks, sport, and backup source.
X3 + a few sansa clips will stay and I will get rid of the rest. that's how I estimate the X3's real value.
 
X3 is not the 8th wonder of the ancient world, but for 200$ it's a very competent dap with technical qualities I would have loved to see on the ak100 (trollmod).
and if like me you navigate by folder it is already fully functional.

 

[hifimiami]

I know it is "supposed" to play all formats but I'm concerned with all the UI conflicts and bugs that are being reported on this forum.

 

[bowei006]

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I know it is "supposed" to play all formats but I'm concerned with all the UI conflicts and bugs that are being reported on this forum.

Apple formats AAC/ALAC (maybe AIFF) are currently the only formats with issues. Those formats will still play but will not have any tag information.
 
There are also isolalated cases where people with too many songs and folders and albums and what not on their mSD cards are reporting later artists not showing up. The fix is to seperate your music artists into two or three folders if this becomes the case.

 

[hifimiami]

I'm aware that X3 is "supposed" to play all formats however I'm concerned about all the bugs with the UI as posted in this forum, thus the motivation for my question.

 

[phlashbios]

Quote:

There are also isolalated cases where people with too many songs and folders and albums and what not on their mSD cards are reporting later artists not showing up. The fix is to seperate your music artists into two or three folders if this becomes the case.

 
That workaround is fine for being able to use the X3's browse function, but none of the songs are indexed and put in the X3's database, therefore the 'Category' function does not work and you cannot sort by Album or Artist etc.
 
Fiio have now identified the issue with reading folder structures however, and have said they will be fixing it in a forthcoming firmware. For me, I can split my music archive into two and use the browse function for now, while waiting for a fix. I am perfectly happy now that I know they have identified the problem and a fix will be coming.

 

[castleofargh]

Quote:

I know it is "supposed" to play all formats but I'm concerned with all the UI conflicts and bugs that are being reported on this forum.

ahah. you realize that a good part of the reported bugs since the beginning are about people unable to format a 64giga sd card correctly? (using guiformat for example)
 
the navigation problems are for some just really requests to make an apple or a sony out of a fiio (myself included). we ask, only because we can, James being so nice and open minded. it doesn't mean how it's working now is bad.
and for most of the actual problems, James said they were already working on it.
 
it's been like a big week since world wide release, give it a little time. the dx100 had been a mess for almost an entire year and it was not a 200$ toy.

 

[jj69]

Can someone recommend a custom cable assembler to build a 1/8" to RCA coax cable for the digital out? 
 
I'm looking for someplace reasonably priced.  The company I used to use for custom assembly (Heartland Cables) appears to have closed up years ago.  They were great.  They used primarily Canare cable and connectors. 
 
Is there anyone else out there building something similar? 

 

[TommyTunes]

I got mine last week and think it's a steal if you want to play high res albums. All of my files are in AIFF, I renamed ever track with the song title when I ripped my high res files so all song titles are displaying fine. I also tend to play complete albums and don't build play lists so I have no problems.

 

[ramaka]

Sorry if this is offtopic, but can any of you experts please help me-
 

I recently bought a X3 and pairing it with Grado SR60i, but I feel like its time to upgrade/change the headphone. Based on my budget, I have shortlisted to Senheisser HD600, HD 650 and HiFiMan HE 400. Which of these three would pair well with X3? Do I still need to buy an amp? 

 

[sandalaudio]

Quote:

I am not a fan of the UI of the X3 as well. But guess what. I'm adapting to it, and using it to fit my needs. I'm using custom tags and what not to organize my library in ways that better suit my life. Organizing select albums into playlists in manual browse. Organizing the id3 tags to follow artist--album--song style etc etc. 
Adapt or move on. This is an enthusiast hobby. Even the top DAP's of this hobby feature very problematic UI's. If that doesn't work. Use the consumer DAP alone or with external amp idea or drop a few hundred on a CLAS.

 
I am sure many of us are writing about the UI issues because we are confident that James and Fiio will be able to fix many of it in the upcoming firmware updates.
 
It may not be fixed overnight, but the fact that the manufacturer is actively responding to us on the forums means a lot to the early buyers like us. It is better to complain now, rather than to be quiet and come up with a fiddly work around.
 
Yes, I am currently adapting to the fact that it has issues with AAC/ALAC tags, and the 64GB issue, but I am also hoping that this problem will be fixed soon.
If Fiio becomes silent and ignores us in the future (it happens a lot with other companies, as soon as they release a newer better product), then I will have to give up on the X3 and try something else.
 
Audiophile DAPs used to be enthusiast hobby with exclusive price tags (such as the AK100), but I think Fiio made a good product that makes it affordable to the curious and novice users who are just starting to enter the Hi-Fi market. I think Fiio has the potential to make good impression on those people if they did a little bit more tidy-up of the UI issues.