[ProtegeManiac]

Just to be fair with the X3 vs mainstream electronics, my Samsung SIII gets too hot with 4g LTE running.  I thought the case was just trapping heat so I removed it before I switched it on, lo and behold, it was just insulating it - I felt the same temp barely halfway through the emails I was checking.

 

[severim]

Picked up an X3 over the weekend while I wait on my DX50.
 
I've done some initial testing with my Westone 4R and Beyerdynamic DT1350s. So far, I'm very impressed with the audio quality. It is a significant improvement over my Cowon J3 and Walkman F807. I'm not the best at describing what I'm hearing acoustically, but I'll say that it sounds a lot 'fuller'. For instance, Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' sounds much improved, with the vocals coming through a lot clearer and 'personal'. A favourite test track is ET Flying Theme from "John Williams Greatest Hits" album. It didn't seem quite as much as an improvement, but then I have to remind myself that I'm not using my ALO Rx Mk2 with it (which I usually pair with the Walkman F807 or rockboxed iPod video). So the take-away from that is that the player's built-in amp is doing it's job very well. 
 
I had to do some fiddling to get my SDXC 64GB card formatted to FAT32 (I strongly suggest that Fiio include instructions or a link to formatting utilities for SDXC cards).
 
Updating the firmware was a breeze. However, it was not easy to find instructions for updating firmware on the official fiio website! I had to locate the instructions for updating firmware via a Google search, which then linked me to a head-fi thread instead!
 
My main issue with the player is that I can't "play all" songs, since 'play all' only seems to include songs on the internal memory. Since I have a bad habit of only listening to some of my collection. I really want to be able to randomly play tracks across my entire sdcard.
 
Oh, and I can't explain just how awesome it is to finally have a player that has a standard micro-usb charger for charging and transfers! My Cowon J3, iPod video and Walkman F807 all had stupid different cables. 
 
I haven't yet had a full day with the unit so I can't comment on power usage. 

 

[sbradley02]

Add me to the list of those who can't get gapless to work
 
1. I am using a 32GB card
2. Firmware is at 1.25
3. All files are MP3 - have tried my own rips, Amazon MP3s and transcoded FLACs. All fail gapless.
4. I have attempted it using Category -> albums
5. Tags are good, double-checked with Media Monkey
 
I always get a 4-5 second gap between songs. Will try again with the next firmware release. Most of the time the gaps don't bother me, but for classical and a few rock albums it is annoying.

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Well it gets hot - I'm just being picky here.
Regarding firmware, I think it is wrong in this day and age to be writing your own OS anyway. Rather take something like Android and have your developers writing drivers instead of an entire OS - like for example, Cowon are doing.
Just because it's audiophile doesn't mean it should be inconvenient.

Look at iBasso's experience of Android on the DX100 and how hard for them to get it right (and they are still not 100%), then you would know there is not such convenient thing that you have assumed it will be.
 
Most of you don't know this but Android was on the table when X3 was in early R&D stage. But given >90% of the processing power will be dedicated to running Android instead of playing music, that option is quickly abandoned. If you think the current 10+hours play time isn't particularly long, running Android will cut that time probably by a fairly significant amount Simply put, using Android is an overkill for what X3 is meant to be, a simple DAP.  It might have look very cool at first, but ultimately the cost outweighs its benefit.

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Add me to the list of those who can't get gapless to work
 
1. I am using a 32GB card
2. Firmware is at 1.25
3. All files are MP3 - have tried my own rips, Amazon MP3s and transcoded FLACs. All fail gapless.
4. I have attempted it using Category -> albums
5. Tags are good, double-checked with Media Monkey
 
I always get a 4-5 second gap between songs. Will try again with the next firmware release. Most of the time the gaps don't bother me, but for classical and a few rock albums it is annoying.

 
I assume you already have the gapless option enabled in the setting? Anyway, 4~5 seconds gap doesn't sound normal. Even without gapless support, the gap should only be 1 second or 2.

 

[sbradley02]

Quote:

 
I assume you already have the gapless option enabled in the setting? Anyway, 4~5 seconds gap doesn't sound normal. Even without gapless support, the gap should only be 1 second or 2.

Yes, I have gapless enabled.
I am using the time counter to measure the gap.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

you can't have a folder in a folder in a folder in a folder.
SD root-> folder -> folder in folder -> folder in folder -> audio.flac
that can't be read because the file is too many levels(folders) deep.

root -> folder -> folder in folder -> audio.flac
This could and should work.

on my X3 i have the following structure:
Root-> ARTIST -> ALBUM -> TRACKS.flac

 
Sounds just like what I have always done.....artist folder full of individual album subfolders. Simple and logical. 
 
 
Quote:

Well it gets hot - I'm just being picky here.
Regarding firmware, I think it is wrong in this day and age to be writing your own OS anyway. Rather take something like Android and have your developers writing drivers instead of an entire OS - like for example, Cowon are doing.
Just because it's audiophile doesn't mean it should be inconvenient.

 
You're suggesting Cowon's Android players as an example for others to follow? You've got to be kidding....

 

[ClieOS]

Alright, here is some FLAC music for those of you who wants to test gapless playback: MediaFire (6.14MB)
 
They are free of copyright, if anyone is concerned. I have confirmed they will work on X3, fw1.25, on both internal as well as TF memory.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I received my modded X3 , the mod involves changing the DAC to 8741, opamp to AD8620 and a 4 pin balance headphone out. The result is that the balance out gives a very powerful yet detailed sound. However, there are still rough edges but I think it is the inherent nature of X3. The battery life is reduced to ~8 hours from 1X hours, the bit rate can only handle up to 24/96 instead of 24/192. Another thing is that the mod is quite expensive approx. 350usd not counting the cost of re-terminating and adapters. I still feel happy with the result because the sonic difference is significant and also there is no need to carry a stack anymore. I can just put the X3 in my jeans back pocket when go out. I don't have a stock X3 anymore so I cannot compare, but I used to carry DB2 as DAC and Intruder balance end-to-end... The DB2 DAC dual 8740 balance implementation gives a more laid back sound and intruder amplifies the clear details brilliantly. With this mod, the output is powerful (of coz, I dont expect it to drive HE-6 which the X3 was not designed for at the first place) and I do not miss carrying the stack one bit.
 
As you can see, the coaxial out is now replaced with a balanced phone out:
- note that single ended out and line out still work with no issue..
 

 
 
The benefit is to travel in light:
 

 
I will do more A/B-ing with the 901 once I get the trrs cable, and I will then lend it to my friend who is a more experienced head-fi and also a AK 120 owner for some further comparisons.
 
If the DX50 turns out to be less impressive, it is very unlikely I will send it for mod as well...
 

 

[nihontoman]

Quote:

I received my modded X3 , the mod involves changing the DAC to 8741, opamp to AD8620 and a 4 pin balance headphone out. The result is that the balance out gives a very powerful yet detailed sound. However, there are still rough edges but I think it is the inherent nature of X3. The battery life is reduced to ~8 hours from 1X hours, the bit rate can only handle up to 24/96 instead of 24/192. Another thing is that the mod is quite expensive approx. 350usd not counting the cost of re-terminating and adapters. I still feel happy with the result because the sonic difference is significant and also there is no need to carry a stack anymore. I can just put the X3 in my jeans back pocket when go out. I don't have a stock X3 anymore so I cannot compare, but I used to carry DB2 as DAC and Intruder balance end-to-end... The DB2 DAC dual 8740 balance implementation gives a more laid back sound and intruder amplifies the clear details brilliantly. With this mod, the output is powerful (of coz, I dont expect it to drive HE-6 which the X3 was not designed for at the first place) and I do not miss carrying the stack one bit.
 
As you can see, the coaxial out is now replaced with a balanced phone out:
- note that single ended out and line out still work with no issue..
 

 
 
The benefit is to travel in light:
 

 
I will do more A/B-ing with the 901 once I get the trrs cable, and I will then lend it to my friend who is a more experienced head-fi and also a AK 120 owner for some further comparisons.
 
If the DX50 turns out to be less impressive, it is very unlikely I will send it for mod as well...
 

 
 
compared to what? stock X3 or the modded one? 

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Quote:

 
 
compared to what? stock X3 or the modded one? 

mod X3 and 901

 

[In Over My Head]

Sorry, full noob question here:
 
Does X3 accept Flac Q-sheets for albums that have not been divided into separate tracks?
 
Thanks in advance

 

[doublea71]

A $350+ mod on a $200+ dap? Just to avoid carrying a stack while sacrificing battery life? Really? A near $600 X3?
 

 

[sykoakustic]

No heat issues with my X3. Room temp consistently. Warm when charging though. And I use the X3 a LOT!

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

A $350+ mod on a $200+ dap? Just to avoid carrying a stack while sacrificing battery life? Really? A near $600 X3?

LoL... I guess i am happy with the result n just been told that 24/192 csn be fixed. Yay... I dont think there is a dap with this form factor at this price which can produce as gd the hires sound in the market.. Anyway, it just goes to show x3 has so much potential
Kudo to James again..