[Feedbacker]

  @Relic
EDIT : something really bothers me....  i copied around 20Gb of files again on this card, i browse and try to play them in Foobar, no problem. I put the card in the X5, browse it and discover than most of the folders are empty !!! no music found.  I put the card back in the PC and folders are still empty now.... like the X5 damaged the indexes or something, and i haven't even tried to build the library. So now files are there... just invisible... (but the card remaining free space shows that the files should still be there).
 
 

This sounds like a fake card. I was unlucky to have a couple of them, and they behaved exactly like you describe...

 

[Stevemitchell]

  I have considered many of the useful suggestions re the stuttering problem.  the files in question are all 192 khz or 96 khz file purchased form HD Tracks.  I have removed all album art from the folders, tried playing with a 5 V DC source connected, checked the SD cards and run a disk test - clean, no errors.  I am still encountering this problem on a more or less random basis several tracks will play fine, then I will get an episode that lasts for several seconds.  Switch albums and the problem recurs after a few minutes and then will play without any issues for an entire track. An interesting factor is that this is a new problem; I did not have this issue with these files when I first received my X5 - It appears to have appeared/gotten worse over time, so perhaps it really is a hardware component failure of some kind?  It's just odd that it would only affect playback of these high res files.

The stuttering might be coming from another problem.  Here's a snippet of a dialog I had with HDTracks regarding issues with the downloads.  Then ended up sending me custom FTP links.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Mitchell
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 6:27 PM
To: 'HD Tracks'
Subject: Contact Inquiry From HDtracks - Order HD20XXXX
 
Hi There again folks.  Well, today was the first time I got a chance to listen to another one of my selections on another order - HD20XXXX .  It turns out that the Explorations in Space and Time as well as the Sound the Bells! American Premieres for Brass both have silent gaps in them.
    
 
 
I thought at first my sound card was simply puking on the high-sample rates.  I’d like to re-download both please. 
 
I have a 100Mbps connection, and they come down really fast, but NEVER report any CRC’s or anything.
 
-----------------------------------------------
 
 
I use Sound Forge to edit my sound files and that's what I sent them.
 
Steve

 

[Feedbacker]

I have a black one and have ordered a white one, didn't fancy the orange.

 
The Meenova's arrived, and doing a super job!

 

[x RELIC x]

SoundSquare after all that I'd have to agree that the card sounds like a fake (or has serious issues :rolleyes. Thanks for describing your troubleshooting, it helps a lot to understand what the issue is. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[x RELIC x]

Spoiler: Quote:

The stuttering might be coming from another problem.  Here's a snippet of a dialog I had with HDTracks regarding issues with the downloads.  Then ended up sending me custom FTP links.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Mitchell
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 6:27 PM
To: 'HD Tracks'
Subject: Contact Inquiry From HDtracks - Order HD20XXXX

[COLOR=1F497D]Hi There again folks.  Well, today was the first time I got a chance to listen to another one of my selections on another order - HD20XXXX .  It turns out that the Explorations in Space and Time as well as the Sound the Bells! American Premieres for Brass both have silent gaps in them.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D] [/COLOR]
   


[COLOR=1F497D] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D]I thought at first my sound card was simply puking on the high-sample rates.  I’d like to re-download both please. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D]I have a 100Mbps connection, and they come down really fast, but NEVER report any CRC’s or anything.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=1F497D]-----------------------------------------------[/COLOR]


[COLOR=1F497D]I use Sound Forge to edit my sound files and[/COLOR] that's what I sent them.

Steve

Yeah, that'll definitely cause gaps in playback! Difference is that this would have the gap no matter what it was played on so it's pretty easy to nail down the actual file as the source of the problem.

 

[Flomet]

The Meenova's arrived, and doing a super job!

I'm glad you are pleased with the Meenova, how do you find the LED light?

 

[Feedbacker]

I'm glad you are pleased with the Meenova, how do you find the LED light?

 
I can live with it. My X5 is in the E12 stack, even when I'm not using the E12, and the plastic frame helps to obscure the light!

 

[Flomet]

I can live with it. My X5 is in the E12 stack, even when I'm not using the E12, and the plastic frame helps to obscure the light!

I listen to music in bed before sleeping and have to cover the light as it keeps flashing, it's not too bad though.

 

[reihead]

I tried this tool audiotester http://www.vuplayer.com/other.php
But crashed around 90%
I don't have any problems with my files on the X5 but wanted to check just in case

 

[fotis1972]

Hello i/m reading this post since 3 weeks continously.
recently i bought Focal Spirit Pro and soon i hope i'll buy x5
One question: how x5 sound as a dac using a pc, is it like you have a standalone dac with amp???
or i must have x5 for music on the move and desktop dac for my pc
 
Thanks a lot

 

[x RELIC x]

Hello i/m reading this post since 3 weeks continously.
recently i bought Focal Spirit Pro and soon i hope i'll buy x5
One question: how x5 sound as a dac using a pc, is it like you have a standalone dac with amp???
or i must have x5 for music on the move and desktop dac for my pc

Thanks a lot

Yes, when in DAC mode the X5 operates just like a stand alone DAC and amp. It just reads the files from the computer instead of the microSD card and should sound the same as when used as a stand alone player, which is to say very good. The X5 amp would likely be less powerful than a stand alone desktop amp, but the Focal Spirit Pro will be driven just fine by the X5 amp.

 

[fotis1972]

Thank you Relic for your answer, and i have one more but "silly" question
 
I have a portable player from cowon iaudio f2  http://www.cnet.com/products/cowon-iaudio-f2/
 
i connect both the in-ear headphones from cowon supplied with the package and the focal spirit pro,
i don't have "expert" ears, but is it possible to sound the same with those 2 headphones ?
Cowon cost 50 euro i don;t remember well and focal 260 euro. what is going wrong, i try flac files and several music genre
 
do i need a doctor to see my ears, or the SQ of the player isn't very good to hear a difference between those headphones
 
pls help me because getting crazy
 
Thanks a lot for your answer

 

[x RELIC x]

Spoiler: Quote:

Thank you Relic for your answer, and i have one more but "silly" question

I have a portable player from cowon iaudio f2  http://www.cnet.com/products/cowon-iaudio-f2/

i connect both the in-ear headphones from cowon supplied with the package and the focal spirit pro,
i don't have "expert" ears, but is it possible to sound the same with those 2 headphones ?
Cowon cost 50 euro i don;t remember well and focal 260 euro. what is going wrong, i try flac files and several music genre

do i need a doctor to see my ears, or the SQ of the player isn't very good to hear a difference between those headphones

pls help me because getting crazy

Thanks a lot for your answer

It's been my experience that the better the audio chain (music file mastering quality, DAC and amp) the more of a difference you will hear between different headphones. Less revealing gear tends to mask what makes a great headphone sound great as the player can't provide the detail or provide a good enough soundstage or dynamics to hear much of a difference. Only you can be the judge if it's worth the difference you hear though.

Looking at the supplied earbuds you should notice quite a difference with the Focal Spirit Pro IMO.

Also, if you don't hear much of a difference, what are the source files your listening to? Going to a better setup usually requires listening to better quality source files that are hopefully well mastered in the recording studio. 320kbps is the minimum compression I listen to on my X5 as I can slightly/barely hear a difference with 256kbps but I don't like192kbps or lower. Mostly I just rip CDs to ALAC or FLAC and I'm happy with that. Never, ever up convert highly compressed music. It won't do anything but waste space.

So it's a double edged sword. The more revealing the player and headphones the better your music quality should be (better master and not heavily compressed) or you will hear all the unpleasant sounds lower end players mask and it'll make both earphones and headphones sound the same. On the flip side you should be treated to a much more musical experience with better source files and better gear.

 

[Brooko]

  Thank you Relic for your answer, and i have one more but "silly" question
 
I have a portable player from cowon iaudio f2  http://www.cnet.com/products/cowon-iaudio-f2/
 
i connect both the in-ear headphones from cowon supplied with the package and the focal spirit pro,
i don't have "expert" ears, but is it possible to sound the same with those 2 headphones ?
Cowon cost 50 euro i don;t remember well and focal 260 euro. what is going wrong, i try flac files and several music genre
 
do i need a doctor to see my ears, or the SQ of the player isn't very good to hear a difference between those headphones
 
pls help me because getting crazy
 
Thanks a lot for your answer

 
The problem with quick A/B comparison - especially if you don't know the headphones well - often lies in:
 - improper volume matching
 - unfamiliarity with a headphones signature.
 
If you don't volume match both headphones - the one that is slightly louder will often be perceived as better.  So in this case - if you have the buds volume louder than the fsp - they may sound similar to you, when in fact there is a world of difference.  The only way to accurately match is with an SPL meter and test tones.
 
And secondly, if you rapidly A/B two headphones without spending enough time with each, it's often very hard to really understand SQ differences.  Your brain needs time to 'acclimatise' to the new sound signature.  If you are used to the buds, but not used to the fsp, then switch rapidly between both - you may find you prefer the SQ of the buds as that is what you're used to.  My advice - wear the fsp for a couple of days - then switch to the buds, and see if you then notice a bigger difference.  Often it's more apparent once our ears/brain have adjusted.
 
Hope this helps.

 

[x RELIC x]

^^ This also ^^