[mikaelmark]

  You can drive new headphones and speakers at full power from the start. This does no harm to them. Quite the opposite: they fulfill their break-in cycle faster that way.
 
I didn't notice any improvement with the sound of the X5. But I must say that I didn't care for it, because it sounded very good from the beginning. And I used it much more frequently with the Hugo than alone, so I couldn't really adapt to the sound of its headphone output.
 
I have experienced break-in with headphones (among others HD 600, K 701, HD 800) and burn-in with amps (among others Metaxas Solitaire power amp, some Meier Audio Cordas). And measured break-in with speakers.

So do you jump up from the bed in morning and run as fast as you can at the street? Just take a look at you animal if you have some cat or dog, they always use to stretch when they have woken up from sleep. Just look at an elite trainer, they do not getting their full potential before they have runned/ warmth up!
 
The same with an dynamic speaker/ headphone driver - if you getting to much power to it directly, it can be damaged. Usually you can´t se this (if the damaged is not too big), but I think it will not get an undistortioned good sound an undamaged speaker can.
 
When I bought some car speakers, the seller telled me to make them burn in for about 20 hours before listening at higher levels.
 
For myself, I alway use to burn-in my new speakers and headphones for about 10 - 30 hours with my own compilated CD with white/ pink noise, frequency sweep tones, demagnetizer tones and resting session etc. The first hours I will play very low, then higher the volume until the last hours, then I will go as high as it nearly unlistenable.
Then, after burn-in, every time a begin my listening session, I will also begin low and turn up the volume, but now for about 10 - 30 min. before the real listening. This will also make the electronic equipment to warm up.
 
I have also seen an manufacturer recommend burn-in.
 
When it come´s to electronic equipment without movable parts, like DAC´and amp´s and also cables, the volume will not be critical. But for cables, if they have been playing for a long time in one direction, then you should not switch the direction for them. That´s often why many cables has direction arrows, so you alway have them the same way. A good idea is just to draw your own arrows at your cables, as I use to do.
 
If someone are interested of my burn-in files, just tell me. You´ll get them for free.
 
 
/ Mikael Markstrom

 

[nmatheis]

Whoa, we're talking about interconnect "directionality" now :blink:

Isn't there a Sound Science forum around here somewhere :wink_face:

 

[mikaelmark]

Whoa, we're talking about interconnect "directionality" now

Isn't there a Sound Science forum around here somewhere

I know it get a bit off topic, but I could´nt hold my horses when it get to this topic.
 
But hey, it can be good to know, when you plug in (off course not your headphones, as they can´t be reversed), but a line out cable to an external amp, as many of us with X5 does!
 
 
/ Mikael Markstrom

 

[Dobrescu George]

  I know it get a bit off topic, but I could´nt hold my horses when it get to this topic.
 
But hey, it can be good to know, when you plug in (off course not your headphones, as they can´t be reversed), but a line out cable to an external amp, as many of us with X5 does!
 
 
/ Mikael Markstrom

i want to know...
 
please, point me to where i can read about why to not change direction, or write here if it is not too long.
 
i too want to use x5 with coaux and as line out.

 

[Gangrel]

  Many DSD recordings will have originated from 24/192 PCM masters. It is only recently that DSD recording has become more common.
The variable of whether you can hear the difference is the most important thing here as you can vastly reduce the file size that you are transferring to your X5. As far as DSD is concerned for playback on X5, the question is whether you convert to 24/88.2 or 16/44.1 and the answer will depend on wheteher you can hear the difference.
As far as the X5 goes, I would say that the likelihood of a better recording is the only advantage...

 
Interesting insight.  Thanks for the info.   Being new to this hobby, I have no benchmarks to compare it to.  I've basically gone from listening to Mp3s and maybe some 16/44 FLACS on my HTC One, to the X5 with Momemtum over ears and then some hi res files, including some DSD.
 
I am envious of you guys who also have nice stereo set-ups at home, or listen to $1000 DAPs with $1000 headphones...... but unless I win the lottery, I won't be doing that.

 

[Kerouac]

I am envious of you guys who also have nice stereo set-ups at home, or listen to $1000 DAPs with $1000 headphones...... but unless I win the lottery, I won't be doing that.

Well, it's all a matter of priorities I guess. I had to sell some stuff myself to afford this hobby, but now I'm really enjoying it in my new home...
 

 

[AudioBear]

deleted by author

 

[AudioBear]

   
Interesting insight.  Thanks for the info.   Being new to this hobby, I have no benchmarks to compare it to.  I've basically gone from listening to Mp3s and maybe some 16/44 FLACS on my HTC One, to the X5 with Momemtum over ears and then some hi res files, including some DSD.
 
I am envious of you guys who also have nice stereo set-ups at home, or listen to $1000 DAPs with $1000 headphones...... but unless I win the lottery, I won't be doing that.

IMHO, by listening on an X5 with Momentums you are getting >90-95% of the sound quality that there is to be had.  If you are enjoying it, just enjoy it.  If you let pursuit of that last 1% become an obsession you'll be so busy trying to enjoy the equipment that you won't have time to  enjoy the music.
 
I bought my wife a pair of Momentums and I am impressed with them, she loves them.  Everyone here thinks the X5 compares favorably with more expensive gear.
 
Tell us, does your present system sound amazingly good to you?  Is there something missing or bad that makes you want to change something?
 
The biggest bang for the buck when acquiring new gear in this hobby is in headphones and IEMs.  There are an amazing variety of them and they all have their own sound signatures.  You might look around for something you like better, not so much an upgrade to something more expensive, but a sound you like more.  More expensive won't always equate with a sonic signature you like better. There are so many good options in the $250-$750 price range you could spend years evaluating them.  Which is best for you is a highly personal decision.  Don't get sucked into believing reviewers.  Use your own ears!

 

[Dobrescu George]

I actually have to really underline what audiobear has said.
 
I ended up with ie800 and signature dj being my end game setups. Hd800, and every other thing i tried were not meant for me, as i loved the best signature dj and ie800. What is the most expensive is not necessarly the best for you. 
 
What is the most neutral/natural is not neccessary the best for you.
 
What is objectively the best for everybody else is not subjectively the best for you.
 
I tired momentum, and they were comparable with 598 and urbanite xl. i liked both urbanite xl and 598 better because they would fit my tastes better, but momentum are a very fine contender.

 

[AudioBear]

I should have probably added that there is no argument that IEMs, speakers, and headphones sound different than one another. 
 
On the other hand, the forums are full of arguments about double-blind ABX testing, whether DACs sound different, whether DSD or Hi-Res files are audibly different from well made CD files, and so on.  The fairest thing that can be concluded is that some of us hear differences that others don't and how you do a test is important. There are tons of opinions and threads on these subjects.  It's big part of the hobby for many Head-fiers.  If you're interested fine, it's a good hobby that will keep you off the streets at night.  But you don't have to go there to enjoy music. 
 
There is other factors to consider in wanting new gear.  Looks can be important, ergonomics matter too, being better built, and having all the inputs, outputs and features you want may mean buying up too.  Those are all good reasons to consider new equipment but if the sound you hear is good and you have no compelling reason to change don't, you're not missing anything.  That also doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the discussions and new information here on Head-fi.  I do but I seldom buy new stuff.
 
Just don't get the feeling that you are missing something and you'll be fine.  Oh, and put cables, interconnects, and power cords at the bottom of your upgrade list.  )

 

[Gangrel]

I am very happy with my X5 and the On Ear Momemtums......  I actually got the headphones first on a boxing week sale, confusing them with the OVER Ear momemtums..... but glad to see the ones I got are nearly as good as what the reviews were saying about the other ones.
 
It's all springsteen's fault...... hearing about how his new remasters  were also available in hi-res sound, led me to many hours of reading online, and ultimately to the X5 (on another good Boxing Day Sale.  It's like someone WANTS me to spend money!)
 
I'm sure if I could try some super expensive headphones with an amp through the X5 you're right, I might notice 5-10% of a difference.  But being that I'm happy with the setup I have (at least for now) and the fact 2 year olds go through diapers and food and that requires money, I won't be chasing around a lot of equipment!
 
But I definitely can tell the difference when I try to plug my old pioneer portable headphones (DJ 51s I think?) into the X5.  The pioneers were just fine for my phone, but sound like mud on the X5........
 
So I will just keep enjoying the music while being an Audiophile-lite (Audiophilite?) and trying to understand what the rest of you are saying lol........

 

[Dobrescu George]

every headphone should sound better with x5..
 
my old yamaha eph 30 sounded so much better with x5 than with my phone.

 

[FlatulentDonkey]

I am loving the sound of my Fiio X5 with the E12 amp and my AKG K550 headphones (although I use the K451s when out and about as the 550s are bulky).  Along with FLAC downloads from Bandcamp, that is all I need. I couldn't envisage spending any more on my portable audio equipment (except on bigger micro SD cards as my music collection grows of course).

 

[JaZZ]

  So do you jump up from the bed in morning and run as fast as you can at the street? Just take a look at you animal if you have some cat or dog, they always use to stretch when they have woken up from sleep. Just look at an elite trainer, they do not getting their full potential before they have runned/ warmth up!
The same with an dynamic speaker/ headphone driver - if you getting to much power to it directly, it can be damaged. Usually you can´t se this (if the damaged is not too big), but I think it will not get an undistortioned good sound an undamaged speaker can.

No, that doesn't look like me. I'm a rather bad wake-upper. But I have to clarify one thing: Headphones and speakers are neither humans nor animals. If they were, I wouldn't be so cruel to get their muscles strain and relax by electrical pulses within a few microseconds. I don't know where you've got your analogy from, but it's definitely wrong. You can't damage your headphones with allegedly harmful signals which wouldn't do the same after thousands of hours of operation.
 

For myself, I always use to burn-in my new speakers and headphones for about 10-30 hours with my own compilated CD with white/pink noise, frequency sweep tones, demagnetizer tones and resting session etc. The first hours I will play very low, then higher the volume until the last hours, then I will go as high as it nearly unlistenable. Then, after burn-in, every time a begin my listening session, I will also begin low and turn up the volume, but now for about 10-30 min. before the real listening. This will also make the electronic equipment to warm up.

That's kind of you – and I'm sure your headphones and speakers are thankful for that. 

 

...for cables, if they have been playing for a long time in one direction, then you should not switch the direction for them. That´s often why many cables has direction arrows, so you alway have them the same way. A good idea is just to draw your own arrows at your cables, as I use to do.

I also own some cables with arrows on them. Connecting them the wrong way makes no audible difference to me (this from a «cable believer»!).
 
 

  i want to know...
 
please, point me to where i can read about why to not change direction, or write here if it is not too long.
 
i too want to use x5 with coax and as line out.

No worries, Skerry! The arrows aren't there as traffic signs for the current, just for guaranteeing that the cable's shield is connected with the ideal ground (as which apparently the sending device is considered) for best noise rejection – given that just the plug on one end of the cable has contact with the shield. Actually I don't believe in this theory. As far as the direction of the current goes: it always moves in both directions, since it's alternating current.

 

[x RELIC x]

As far as burn in on the X5 is concerned I beleive it was noted way way waaaaaay back that the capacitors do change slightly after a period of time after which the unit settles in to its 'burned in' state. I'm not an EE or anything of the sort, just passing on info. I liked mine straight away and didn't percieve any difference from burn in, but other others say they have.