[Saoshyant]

 
orrrr
 
take off the tinfoil hat, and realize that creating software costs a lot of money and it would cost you, the user, more if FiiO were to keep updating older devices. (as apple does)

 
I agree with the sentiment.  It's too bad Fiio can't release the proper FW info in order for some more adventurous users to fix some of the issues or try to implement new features.  I kind of wish my phone had an SD slot so I'd be more inclined to use it as a DAP.  Then again, a lot of people seem to like Tidal, so I could always check that out.

 

[Lucser]

As far as phones go, I did change to Apple, even with the"old" 4s you can upgrade your software to todays standard. Fiio and others follow the path of phone brands, with only one goal, to boost sales. People are very sensitive for "new" playtoys, even if differences are minimal see Sony , who changing hardware every 6 months.

Same here. Now on Apple iPhone after a period going with Samsung Galaxy (s2& S4). I must say that Samsung has a better update policy than all others (except Apple).
On the subject now I don't quite understand Fiio. From my point of view a present client must be regarded as a very potential future client. They act like once they had a client this is like a prisoner and will stay with the brand. Maybe is because a big number of people actually act like that and they still buy a brand products even if the brand do not have a strong customer orientated policy.
When I've purchase Fiio it was clear that there are issues with the interface that were supposed to be fixed by further firmware release. They did it for very short time and there are many things that need to be fixed or improved.
As you said they are just focus on the present sales and as long as these are going according to their plan is OK. Unfortunately for the brand is not a good thing on medium term as the bad reputation is building up slowly but steady. When it will became obvious will be too late and too hard for them to react.
As I said for me Fiio is a close chapter. I will use the X5 until an update "itch" will occur. The only chance that the next device to be Fiio is ... to be free of charge . There are many others that deserve some attention.

 

[willyvlyminck]

Same here. Now on Apple iPhone after a period going with Samsung Galaxy (s2& S4). I must say that Samsung has a better update policy than all others (except Apple).
On the subject now I don't quite understand Fiio. From my point of view a present client must be regarded as a very potential future client. They act like once they had a client this is like a prisoner and will stay with the brand. Maybe is because a big number of people actually act like that and they still buy a brand products even if the brand do not have a strong customer orientated policy.
When I've purchase Fiio it was clear that there are issues with the interface that were supposed to be fixed by further firmware release. They did it for very short time and there are many things that need to be fixed or improved.
As you said they are just focus on the present sales and as long as these are going according to their plan is OK. Unfortunately for the brand is not a good thing on medium term as the bad reputation is building up slowly but steady. When it will became obvious will be too late and too hard for them to react.
As I said for me Fiio is a close chapter. I will use the X5 until an update "itch" will occur. The only chance that the next device to be Fiio is ... to be free of charge . There are many others that deserve some attention.

At this pricepoint the lPod Touch is unbeatable but for my Bandcamp downloads I have the X1, great for the money, but I might also look somewhere else, for example iBasso, if their service policy is good of course

 

[Lucser]

 
orrrr
 
take off the tinfoil hat, and realise that creating software costs a lot of money and it would cost you, the user, more if FiiO were to keep updating older devices. (as apple does)

 The tinfoil hat is working in both directions and not only for people that use apple products.
For sure software development cost money as everything else. To keep updating a product that is not so old, is a sign of quality and customer respect commitment. Nobody pretend to have it indefinitely but ~3-4 years is the normal practice. Not to mention that the software update is part of the normal business practice and must be accounted for from the beginning (I'm not aware of any product involving software that didn't need updates and fixes ). It is not so expensive as developing a new firmware from the ground and if you want to be a brand with a good reputation you must not disregard it.   If these are not take into account as a base of how the brand is functioning than sorry to say is just a greedy business without any other target than profit. I know, all are greedy and all are after the profit but not all are doing that disregarding the other principles. For Apple for instance, several of them were the quality of the product, perfectionism in design and customer satisfaction beside others. I have an iPod touch first generation (2007) that was reasonable supported with updates and fixes and in regards with the quality I must say that is still running today (I'm just using for some internet radio broadcasts. 
Fiio wheel was broken just before warranty expired during my holiday. It was clear from the begining that will not last for long being a really bad design and low quality implementation. I must say that I've used only several times during traveling so maybe actual usage for ~ 30-50 days. When I contact the "representative he was asking to pay so I've paid more than 50 USD for repair. After that searching on internet I've noticed that is a common problem but ... When the controller will break again then my X5 life will end.
As I said I've learned my lesson. Not any purchase based on initial good reviews or opinions. The next one will be after a much deeper research considering also the other factors.
The initial low price is hiding sometimes future costs (my X5 is now 50 USD on top of the initial price) plus the other frustrations that come from an immature non user friendly interface. An this is more important than others as it will you will not be able to fully enjoy your product. 

 

[CH23]

 
 The tinfoil hat is working in both directions and not only for people that use apple products.
For sure software development cost money as everything else. To keep updating a product that is not so old, is a sign of quality and customer respect commitment. Nobody pretend to have it indefinitely but ~3-4 years is the normal practice. Not to mention that the software update is part of the normal business practice and must be accounted for from the beginning (I'm not aware of any product involving software that didn't need updates and fixes ). It is not so expensive as developing a new firmware from the ground and if you want to be a brand with a good reputation you must not disregard it.   If these are not take into account as a base of how the brand is functioning than sorry to say is just a greedy business without any other target than profit. I know, all are greedy and all are after the profit but not all are doing that disregarding the other principles. For Apple for instance, several of them were the quality of the product, perfectionism in design and customer satisfaction beside others. I have an iPod touch first generation (2007) that was reasonable supported with updates and fixes and in regards with the quality I must say that is still running today (I'm just using for some internet radio broadcasts. 
Fiio wheel was broken just before warranty expired during my holiday. It was clear from the begining that will not last for long being a really bad design and low quality implementation. I must say that I've used only several times during traveling so maybe actual usage for ~ 30-50 days. When I contact the "representative he was asking to pay so I've paid more than 50 USD for repair. After that searching on internet I've noticed that is a common problem but ... When the controller will break again then my X5 life will end.
As I said I've learned my lesson. Not any purchase based on initial good reviews or opinions. The next one will be after a much deeper research considering also the other factors.
The initial low price is hiding sometimes future costs (my X5 is now 50 USD on top of the initial price) plus the other frustrations that come from an immature non user friendly interface. An this is more important than others as it will you will not be able to fully enjoy your product. 

i agree with you, but again, the scale has product price versus support weighing against eachother.
 
a lot of functions/ux/ui could do with an overhaul, and it's strange that you had to pay for something that is within warranty, and a design flaw.

 

[Lucser]

 
i agree with you, but again, the scale has product price versus support weighing against eachother.
 
a lot of functions/ux/ui could do with an overhaul, and it's strange that you had to pay for something that is within warranty, and a design flaw.

 
As I told you for me the the Fiio products are history. I will not touch another one no matter how many stellar reviews they will receive. At least I've learned a valuable lesson. In the end is very simple if they don't care about me why I need to care about them.
For the sake of fairness I need to make a clarifications:
The wheel was broken just several weeks before warranty but I didn't knew as I was in holiday. The claim was done shortly after my return and was already out of warranty. As I couldn't prove that was happens in the warranty period I didn't contest their decision to charged and I've paid. I was just willing to say that a serious company was at least quietly accepting an extended warranty only for this wheel that I think that is wrongly designed and wrongly implemented. For the firmware part I must say that many modern devices used in Hifi are now software dependent (players, DACS, streamers etc). As I said I don't know any product that has software involved that will not require further fixing, tuning or just pure improvements. A company , especially providing devices supposed to be HIFi class, that is not striving to obtain the maximum that could be obtained from a device released to the market and advertised as High class audio device is does not worth my money and attention.
I'm not willing to finance yearly release of not final engineered products just for the sake of releasing.
In this idea why the gen 2 was necessary? Why even shortly after X7 was released? If for X7 it could be argued that is actually different device for X5 gen II is not the case. Instead they could split their efforts and many to maximize X5 at his full potential and to make the new X7 better that they did with x5. Otherwise they will continuously release incomplete developed and supported products.
Also think about the K5 docking station. It doesn't support X5 gen 1. The X5 gen I was released internationally ~ 2years ago and now they considered already obsolete. Taking into account that a new product need some serious time from the idea to the final implementation it seems that they don't have any strategy even for short term.
As I said is only one target: The customer wallet.
For all the Fiio owners I wish only the best of luck and enjoy your device.

 

[Vince325]

Thanks for the thoughts guys maybe someone can give the settings they have for XLD with the X5 and their workflow. I know I got it to work before with the X1. Also what is the best windows program if I have to go that way just not looking forward to ripping all 60 cd's again. Thanks in advance Vince

 

[Kerouac]

For all the Fiio owners I wish only the best of luck and enjoy your device.

 
Thanks and yes I still do enjoy my X5 (classic) after almost 2 years to the fullest

But I was probably lucky as I never had problems with its UI, the wheel or whatever part of it. Stacked it up with a Headstage Arrow 5P amp some months ago and it's giving my much more expensive Cowon P1 a run for its money. Love it with both hp's and iems!
 
Sorry you had such bad luck (broken wheel) with it and hope you will find another (brand) dap that you will enjoy more.
I never considered the X5 1st gen as wrongly designed or incomplete myself though, just bang for buck from day one that I use it.

 

[mandrake50]

  Help can't seem to get my x5 1st get to recognize my new music files that I transfer to a msd card. 
 
Ive been using an old card from my X1 and now want to add some more music to another card. Formatted card several times so all good there, but after moving files from my mac's external drive nothing seems to be there once I insert into X5. It's amazing that a hardware supplier doesn't  supply a program to populate their device. Help  
 
I used XLD to rip them to the external drive

Have you tried putting the original card in the second slot to see if the X5 will read it. Maybe putting the new card in the left slot to see if it is readable. At least this would tell you if one slot is actually bad.
Checking for those hidden files and deleting them is a good idea. They have caused problems for quite a few people in the past. You can search this thread  and find many references to this issue.

 

[Vince325]

Tried it and it updated and recognized my X1 mSD card just fine so it's not the X5, made sense to cross that off our list.

 

[magicalmouse]

I, too, am unhappy that a product is considered obsolete after 2 years (by Fiio), i think their business model is flawed in this respect as i (and i suspect many others) have grown up with the expectation of continued support for at least 4-5 years (my now deceased ipod classic was an example of this and even more so my quad amplifier/cd/tuner system which the company (originally UK now i believe Chinese owned) still support after well over a decade and i believe will still service 30 year old products)
 
If Fiio do not wish to support models older than 2 years they should say so upfront so this can be known and taken account of before buying.
 
Also since the x5 (original) is now, apparently, obsolescent, could they not arrange with the writers to release the firmware code so it can be rockboxed as there is, presumably, no commercial value still residing.
 
d

 

[CH23]

  I, too, am unhappy that a product is considered obsolete after 2 years (by Fiio), i think their business model is flawed in this respect as i (and i suspect many others) have grown up with the expectation of continued support for at least 4-5 years (my now deceased ipod classic was an example of this and even more so my quad amplifier/cd/tuner system which the company (originally UK now i believe Chinese owned) still support after well over a decade and i believe will still service 30 year old products)
 
If Fiio do not wish to support models older than 2 years they should say so upfront so this can be known and taken account of before buying.
 
Also since the x5 (original) is now, apparently, obsolescent, could they not arrange with the writers to release the firmware code so it can be rockboxed as there is, presumably, no commercial value still residing.
 
d

the code used on the X3, X5, X3II, and X5II is also used on a number of other devices (i believe cowon and astrel&kern) so this will not happen.

 

[x RELIC x]

the code used on the X3, X5, X3II, and X5II is also used on a number of other devices (i believe cowon and astrel&kern) so this will not happen.

Don't forget Cayin and Questyle as well.

 

[x RELIC x]

If you guys are having issues I'm sure FiiO will still support the X5. If you want different features, well, that's not going to happen anymore. Not sure where this 'won't support the X5’ comment is coming from. One user needed service outside of warranty and had to pay. They are not happy with the interface and the bad luck with timing of a warranty issue. I sympathize with that user for the warranty timing, but the X5 generally functions just fine and as expected, at least mine does. You guys should try contacting Astel & Kern for service, it's a bloody nightmare (almost non-existent) and look at the cost of those devices being replaced with new models more rapidly. Just adding a bit of perspective.

 

[Koolpep]

I, too, am unhappy that a product is considered obsolete after 2 years (by Fiio), i think their business model is flawed in this respect as i (and i suspect many others) have grown up with the expectation of continued support for at least 4-5 years (my now deceased ipod classic was an example of this and even more so my quad amplifier/cd/tuner system which the company (originally UK now i believe Chinese owned) still support after well over a decade and i believe will still service 30 year old products)

If Fiio do not wish to support models older than 2 years they should say so upfront so this can be known and taken account of before buying.

Also since the x5 (original) is now, apparently, obsolescent, could they not arrange with the writers to release the firmware code so it can be rockboxed as there is, presumably, no commercial value still residing.

d

I don't understand, which part of your X5 is obsolete? Mine works exactly as it did in the beginning, actually even better thanks to improved firmware. Just because a new version is out, doesn't mean the old product is obsolete.

You still get service and warranty for your product. Take a look at when the final firmware for the X5 was released, I find that pretty nice from Fiio.

Not sure what you expect? Maybe you can elaborate?

Also others mentioned already that parts of the code might have libraries that cannot be released or open sourced as its only licensed to be used and not to be published.

Cheers.