[nehcrow]

Hmm, DX50 or Fiio X5... decisions, decisions

 

[Retrias]

  From memory, I can say that I prefer the X5 over modded AK100. It drives iems with much more authority and power, and offers a fuller sound. Since it is only from memory, I cannot swear it is more detailed / refined.

wow it seems it would be somekind of an upograde from my ak 100, i am just hoping now that the ui and library would be as good , so i can peacefully upgrade into another dap

 

[ClieOS]

 

  There are various engineering techniques to stop the mid wheel from spinning out I believe. FiiO also could have engineered it so that the X5 disassembles from the back up? If they did this, the mid wheel would have been secured so its only rear removable. But of course, this increases the amount of time to replace front objects by a LOT.

 
I reckon a tiny drop of thread-lock should solve the problem, though not the overly strong stuff or else it will never come off.

 

[AnakChan]

  Just added my X5 review a minute ago, enjoy!
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/fiio-x5-high-res-portable-music-player/reviews/10382

 
Originally Posted by Retrias /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Anakchan, how warm do you qualify the x5 would be

 
It's my bad wording. I was coming from the ZX1 which isn't exactly neutral so relative to the ZX1, the X5 seems to shift towards the warmer side. I highly encourage some of the X5 reviews where these guys have spent more time on it than me and I actually agree with musicheaven who feels the X5 leaning towards a neutral clean signature. One of the reasons why I warn of taking my initial impressions with a large grain of salt .
 
I brought my HM-901 with me to work too and will see if I can do a quick comparison if I am free of meetings.
 

  Volume 62?! I am around 40-45 on the Kaede and below 40 on the SE5. Is the 335 particularly not sensitive?

 
I claim I have some slight deafness - my sister calls it selective hearing.
 

  From memory, I can say that I prefer the X5 over modded AK100. It drives iems with much more authority and power, and offers a fuller sound. Since it is only from memory, I cannot swear it is more detailed / refined.

 
Originally Posted by Retrias /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  wow it seems it would be somekind of an upograde from my ak 100, i am just hoping now that the ui and library would be as good , so i can peacefully upgrade into another dap

 
I don't have the AK100Mk2 but used to have the RWAK100 and I share the same sentiments as Mim above. Although I've not heard the DX50, I'm kinda getting the feeling the X5 is competing more with the "big boys" of DX100/AK120. Somehow from my gut & memory (as I sold my AK120 over a month ago), ignoring size and GUI but going by SQ alone, I think the X5 would still be my preference over the AK120. As I can't compare them side by side anymore, I can't pin point the reason why.
 
So personally in my opinion, the question now is more be X5 vs HM-901 vs ZX1 (and upcoming Calyx & DX90 but no one's heard those yet). One thing though, as said by many others, Sony's NW-ZX1 & Fiio's X5 are some examples of where makers very capable of producing formerly $1000 DAP SQ at sub-$1000 prices.
 
BTW, more practical update on the X5. So far the battery has lasted just shy of 15 hrs - driving AD's at high gain for 11 hrs and remaining 4 hrs on my MH335DW at low gain - 16/44.1 FLACs of Christopher Cross looping over and over again - thank you Chris. That's pretty acceptable battery life to me.

 

[Mimouille]

  I claim I have some slight deafness - my sister calls it selective hearing.

She must know my wife as they seem to share some vocabulary.

 

[johnwu]

   
It's my bad wording. I was coming from the ZX1 which isn't exactly neutral so relative to the ZX1, the X5 seems to shift towards the warmer side. I highly encourage some of the X5 reviews where these guys have spent more time on it than me and I actually agree with musicheaven who feels the X5 leaning towards a neutral clean signature. One of the reasons why I warn of taking my initial impressions with a large grain of salt .
 
I brought my HM-901 with me to work too and will see if I can do a quick comparison if I am free of meetings.
 
 
I claim I have some slight deafness - my sister calls it selective hearing.
 
I don't have the AK100Mk2 but used to have the RWAK100 and I share the same sentiments as Mim above. Although I've not heard the DX50, I'm kinda getting the feeling the X5 is competing more with the "big boys" of DX100/AK120. Somehow from my gut & memory (as I sold my AK120 over a month ago), ignoring size and GUI but going by SQ alone, I think the X5 would still be my preference over the AK120. As I can't compare them side by side anymore, I can't pin point the reason why.
 
So personally in my opinion, the question now is more be X5 vs HM-901 vs ZX1 (and upcoming Calyx & DX90 but no one's heard those yet). One thing though, as said by many others, Sony's NW-ZX1 & Fiio's X5 are some examples of where makers very capable of producing formerly $1000 DAP SQ at sub-$1000 prices.
 
BTW, more practical update on the X5. So far the battery has lasted just shy of 15 hrs - driving AD's at high gain for 11 hrs and remaining 4 hrs on my MH335DW at low gain - 16/44.1 FLACs of Christopher Cross looping over and over again - thank you Chris. That's pretty acceptable battery life to me.
 

That is high praise for X5.......competing against the big boys at 1/2~ 1/3 the price.
 
Can't wait till X5 hits New Zealand and to have a listen myself............Damn! Waiting is hard!!!

 

[musicheaven]

  That is high praise for X5.......competing against the big boys at 1/2~ 1/3 the price.
 
Can't wait till X5 hits New Zealand and to have a listen myself............Damn! Waiting is hard!!!

Wow, I have Microsoft screen savers of New Zealand nature on my Windows 8.1 PC and it sounds like a beautiful place, would not mind listening to the X5 on a beach in New Zealand. It's not going to be long though couple of months max. so hang in there.

 

[gelocks]

 
BTW, more practical update on the X5. So far the battery has lasted just shy of 15 hrs - driving AD's at high gain for 11 hrs and remaining 4 hrs on my MH335DW at low gain - 16/44.1 FLACs of Christopher Cross looping over and over again - thank you Chris. That's pretty acceptable battery life to me.

 
Is that continuously playing?
I tried 3 times (I work long hours usually...) and it never reached 11 hours (for me...)

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Strike 1 for the X5.

It's mid button came off. If you scroll counterclockwise for a bit and touch the middle button with some 'force' while doing it. The middle button will co me off.

First time it's happened to me.

The mid button and scroll wheel are a bit jiggly. FiiO is still on vacation but... I would like to see some improvement in this when they get back.

James and co. mentioned there should be threadlock of a black or yellow color applied to the screw, and bowei doesn't see any on his. They also say the screw should break before the threadlock unbinds.

While I must admit that it doesn't exactly inspire confidence when such an omission is made on a review unit, at least now we know that this should be considered a returnable defect, not a "situation normal" snafu

 

[musicheaven]

Is that continuously playing?
I tried 3 times (I work long hours usually...) and it never reached 11 hours (for me...)

Keep in mind those are beta units so mileage may vary, mine has never been beyond 11 hours.

 

[Shawn71]

@Anak »»» you are so good about X5's warm rating that Retrias asked.

 

[Stuff Jones]

I have to say that the X5 reviews make the sound sound nearly perfect for my preferences. Neutral with a hint of warmth/musicality/analog-iness. I'm probably going to cave and get it, even though I just got the X3.

 

[bowei006]

James and co. mentioned there should be threadlock of a black or yellow color applied to the screw, and bowei doesn't see any on his. They also say the screw should break before the threadlock unbinds.

While I must admit that it doesn't exactly inspire confidence when such an omission is made on a review unit, at least now we know that this should be considered a returnable defect, not a "situation normal" snafu

 
I'm not sending it back. 

 
I'll make do with it. This will be noted in the review though. 

 

[AnakChan]

   
Is that continuously playing?
I tried 3 times (I work long hours usually...) and it never reached 11 hours (for me...)

 
Yes admittedly it was continuous playing without playing with it (call it a burn-in or run-in) - ok not true, I did play with it for about 45 mins during that 15 hrs and that was for the quick dodgy impressions I made last night. But effectively playing the whole time. Maybe it's the constant track switching that could contribute to shorter life - or note that I was playing 16/44.1 during the looping.

 

[musicheaven]

I'm not sending it back. 

I'll make do with it. This will be noted in the review though. 

Lol you are tough. Well if I had the experience I would most likely mention it like the inability of the player to read my microSD card I used extensively on the DX50 which by the way was fussier than the X5, at least so I thought

By the same token report that this was a demo unit so it will be fair.