The Fiio X5 Thread

[dustmos]

How do you retag. I don't understand the process described above.

Hi goldendarko,
 
There are many ways to go about stripping and retagging the files. Depending on what operating system you are using, the software will vary.
 
I convert to wav file to strip the tags as it is fast and then I can set the compression level for the flac when I re-encode (plus it tests for errors while doing it).
 
However, you do not need to convert to wav file to strip the tags - just a good tagging program (dependent on your operating system).
 
On linux, I use EasyTag and Qoobar (Qoobar has more options available for composer, performer etc). However, flac tagging is a pretty open-ended system. You can pretty much make any tag you want as they follow a very simple format:
ARTIST=
TITLE=
Plus you can have multiple fields of ARTIST or TITLE or COMPOSER or whatever.
 
Just bear in mind that most devices and software will only recognise certain fields: eg. artist, title, tracknumber, year, albumtitle, etc., as most are designed for "popular music".
 
If you need more info regarding their use - search for "flac tag" or "vorbis comments" - they are the same.
 
For your software needs, just search this thread - I'm sure there are many recommendations for your operating system.
 
Cheers

 

[Loquah]

How do you retag. I don't understand the process described above.

 
What type of computer do you use?
 
For those using PC, you can download MP3Tag or use software like Foobar (I think) or MediaMonkey (what I use) to do this.
 
On MediaMonkey, the steps are as follows:
 

• Select the whole album
• Right click and select "Properties"
• Step through each field and delete anything you don't need / want (including oversize or strange format artwork) - for me, I only keep track name, album name, genre, disc no., track no., rating, date (sometimes), composer (sometimes) and artwork as a single 500x500 jpeg in the folder
• Accept changes

 
I do that with all new tracks and have so far encountered no skipping so I hope it helps others.
 
As mentioned by others, a more thorough option is to recode to wave (select the file with a program like Foobar / MediaMonkey and choose the convert option, then select wav as the output) and then recode (i.e. convert back) to FLAC / ALAC, etc. Please note that doing this means you will likely have to repopulate some of the tag information in your files which can be easy if you have an auto-tag feature, but may be a hassle for less-known tracks, etc.

 

[nmatheis]

And for people having problems with hi-res tracks from HDtracks and/or CD quality tracks from any other shop. There is no consistency in the way they have been tagged, or the embedding of artwork. What works for me is de-encoding the files to wav, (which removes all tags and artwork), re-encoding to flac and then tagging. Saves a lot of pain and you know they have been done correctly to your own standards/preferences.

+1 to HDTtacks having complete crap standards for tagging! I end up re-tagging almost every damn file I purchase from them. I've found that others that offer hi-res files (Bleep, Boomkat, etc.) aren't much better, though .

 

[Loquah]

+1 to HDTtacks having complete crap standards for tagging! I end up re-tagging almost every damn file I purchase from them. I've found that others that offer hi-res files (Bleep, Boomkat, etc.) aren't much better, though .

 
I agree that their tagging is all over the shop, but I think it might be the labels creating the music, not HD tracks just who distribute it. No different I think to a CD store selling CDs where some have great liner notes and some have a single sheet with crappy printing and zero useful information.

 

[nmatheis]

I agree that their tagging is all over the shop, but I think it might be the labels creating the music, not HD tracks just who distribute it. No different I think to a CD store selling CDs where some have great liner notes and some have a single sheet with crappy printing and zero useful information.

Then they should standardize - just like Amazon, Google, and iTunes!

 

[goldendarko]

I'm on PC using jriver. Don't see any tagging option

 

[Brooko]

I'm on PC using jriver. Don't see any tagging option

 
MP3Tag - it's brilliant.

 

[goldendarko]

Just downloaded it, it is way too complicated to use though for me though. I'll just wait until FW 3.0 comes out, should be fixed by then I hope.

 

[Loquah]

I'm on PC using jriver. Don't see any tagging option

 
Are you able to right click a track (or multiple selected tracks) and choose "properties" or something similar? I tried JRiver briefly, but don't know it well enough to help in any depth

 

[NightFlight]

So does the X5 improve or show any break-in? I've been living with it for a about maybe 5hrs of actual playback and finding it a bit hard to adjust. I mean I just went back to my main rig and had one of those "OH" moments.

 

[nmatheis]

So does the X5 improve or show any break-in? I've been living with it for a about maybe 5hrs of actual playback and finding it a bit hard to adjust. I mean I just went back to my main rig and had one of those "OH" moments.

What are your initial impressions compared to your main rig, and what is your main rig? What 'phones are you listening with?

 

[NightFlight]

Its in my sig.
 
My initial impressions is that with the W40's the X5 has an odd signature. Well detailed in the highs, but perhaps a bit 'damped' on the mids and while the bottom end is clean on bass light recordings, busy works can and will fall apart in the bottom end.  Soundstage is wide and layered. Well done!  Especially when compared to most portable devices on their stock output. That much I really like.  Dynamic range and prat are good, but still a bit shy from what I would prefer when compared to known recordings. Still for the money, the X5 is no slouch. The biggest weakness of the signature is what I define as 'presence'.  The form and coherence of the sum total character is a bit wanting.
 
In regards to the darker signature, I suspect fiddling with the gain curves via the Fiio Firmware are in place to achieve he 'Fiio house sound'.  I'm not a fan, and if it had tubes I'd be rolling in new ones by now. As someone who has spent more than a year tweaking the Crack's sound through component selection its very hard to stop and say "This is how it is - suck it up".  I've fiddled a bit with the EQ, but so far, that doesn't seem to be the solution.
 
I've no right to complain at the price point. I'm hoping I just need more time.  Its certainly better than what I was using.  Is a better headphone in order? I wanted to drop the $ on the W60's but they've not been forthcoming. 

 

[Brooko]

Just downloaded it, it is way too complicated to use though for me though. I'll just wait until FW 3.0 comes out, should be fixed by then I hope.

 
Actually it isn't that complicated (MP3Tag).  It just takes time to learn, and get used to it.  It's also very configurable, and you can virtually do an entire library once it's all set-up properly.  It's just a matter of getting the defaults set-up for your needs.
 
What I've done is set the default tagging to a very basic FLAC style - one which only has the following tags:
Artist
Album Artist
Album
Genre
Year
Track #
 
Once the defaults are set-up, I first delete all tags, then click undo (which resets all the tags properly).  This also gets rid of artwork.  Next I display extended tags, and mark for deletion anything that doesn't appear in my above list.  That leaves 6 basic tag fields.  Then by album, I add artwork.  I use 600x600 jpgs only.  The artworks is the only thing you'll have to add by album. Everything else can be done via library.
 
Again - over to you if you want to spend the time learning the program - but I definitely have no problems with the X5 stuttering.
 
Oh - and I doubt FW3 is going to fix stuttering if the issue is with untidy tags .......

 

[Peter_S]

Well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!  I'm listening to hirez HDTracks right now on a 128gb sandisk card without any hickups for over 40 minutes.  Perhaps the class 10, Transcend Extreme 300x disk is just not suited for hirez.  I don't know.  But if that's the case, that disk will be relegated to 16-44 and I'll use Sandisk for hirez.  Or I'll try to reformat the Transcend.
 
What kind of disks are people having the stuttering issues with?
 
this is working right now: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IIJ6W4S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
not: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CHHTOII/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[goldendarko]

Some albums from hdtracks work just fine for me, some don't. One example is paul Simons Graceland. That album always skips for me