[FatmanSize48]

James thanks off the reply! Hopefully mp4nation pays soon so we can get them they certainly took our money!

I too ordered from mp4nation...I want my X5, and I want it now

 

[mhammond]

   
sorry not, MP4naiton is not reseller of Carver Link. and we have not schedule about the ExFAT supported in X5.

Oh wow, bummed about that. On Fiio's website, (I thought) it showed Carver Link as the only distro in HK and MP4Nation as the only retailer in HK, so thought for sure that first batch was going to be our pre-orders. Bummer. MP4 already charged us so sure hope they paid for their order of X5s. Lol, I hope my re-pre-order doesn't backfire and leaving me wating longer than if I stuck with Adorama/BH, heh heh.
 
edit: I know it just makes me an anxious waiter, but I shot an email to MP4Nation asking if they have any updates on the preorder availability. It's 12:30 AM Monday morning there, so maybe will hear from them today

 

[monkeybone]

Hi all you people here. I've been a lurker on Head-fi for the longest time. Been following this X5 thread since page 1!

I just want to say, this is really a wonderful and helpful community. With the start of the X5's worldwide distribution, I've decided to give up my lurking days and join up!

So..... TA DA! First post.

 

[monkeybone]

I live in VietNam and my X5 will come in 4 day 
i think there are 3 shop u can trust 
HCM city
http://3kshop.com.vn        
HaNoi city
http://tainghe.com.vn    
http://ido.com.vn/

 

Hi Viet. I live in Vietnam too. Where are you getting your X5 from? 4 days? I booked mine thru 3kshop, but haven't heard from them when it'll arrive .... Just an indication of early April. Did you have to pay some sort of deposit or something?

Just anxious to get my hands on the X5. Time to retire the old iPod Classic G5 (stacked with a Fiio E11).

 

[Ripvanlink]

  Oh, Hi MusicHeaven,
Nice to hear from you again. If what you mean by a wallet-emptier, would you, by any chance, be referring to the Astell-Kern 240? I looked at the pics of that one with its very impressive body and amazing sq but could not believe the price...almost $2500!!!
If it was say, around the price of the HiFiMan 802 or 901, I would consider buying it, BUT! WhoaHoahhh! Yikes.
I also tried my hand at the violin in high school. My "home room" was orchestra b/c I got to play in it, even upon my graduation, receiving my diploma in my left hand with violin and bow in my right. For the graduation music, we played Mendelssohn"s Wedding Day at Traufhogen, believe it or not ( hope I got the spelling right) while the diplomas were presented. Those of us graduating of course left our orchestra seat to retrieve our diplomas, after which we had to rush back to our seats to continue to play, lol.
Speaking of the bow...when I first met Charlie Mingus at the Engage (with accent egue over the last e) Cafe, he had with him a large and long leather case with him and ... knowing he played the Bass, I asked him if what was in his case was a bow for his bass, he then answered: No, that is the bow for my bow and arrow set. And making sure I wasn't thinking he was kidding me, he was such a kidder, you know, he actually opened up the case and inside, was a bow and arrow set, honest to God!
Is that Beethoven Symphony collection conducted by Von Karajan, by any chance?
After graduating high school back in '64 I did not continue to play violin but am now contemplating the synthesizer (as a composer's tool, mind you).
I hope we are not getting too much off subject, and if we are, Ripvanlink does apologize.

Uh oh, I spelled it wrong and the composer, it's Troldhaugen, and the composer is Edvard Grieg. It's been a while, heh heh. It's a great, rousing march from a great 19th Century composer.

 

[Ripvanlink]

I'm so small that I need American size 28 pants tailored down to fit me--that's why I'm stuck with overpriced, European designed apparel

By M8, I meant CEntrance M8, a fairly new transportable DAC/AMP with MFI certification. I am, unfortunately, saddled with an iPhone 5 until September--the new HTC One does look to be a killer phone!

Though I seriously considered purchasing an AK240 at the $500 off meet price before I actually listened to it, such thoughts evaporated as soon as I was able to sneak an X5 over for comparison (well, I didn't need to sneak it from TekFX, but I did need to make sure that the AK rep didn't see me comparing the two). With the HD800, it was a complete toss-up. Neither had enough juice to make it sing, and I couldn't tell apart detail levels or soundstage. Both did have the muscle to push around my T70, but...uh...due to...let's say...uh..."meet conditions," I couldn't give either player a plus in any way. It was only when I used Noble Audio's flagship universal that I was able to hear the AK240's barely deeper soundstage.

Like any other human who indulges his depression with...depressing music, I always find myself crying, or, at the very least, tearing by the end of the fifth movement (Adagio) of Mahler's symphony #5.

Yes, the HTC One does look like a killer, but I'm changing over on April 1st to MetroPCS from Cricket so I can get 4G service that Cricket promised but did not yet deliver here in San Diego but I'm getting an Alcatel "Fierce," At $29, it's a killer price, even if the battery is not user replaceable. At least I'll get 4G service and can more easily cruise the internet on the phone.
The appearance of the AK240 is very unusual, from what I've seen on this thread. What did you think of it? From one of the reviews on Head-Fi, the reviewer raved about the sound quality, so much so as to perhaps eclipse that of the X5. What you say, though, seems to bring to comparison back down to Earth, although the conditions were not optimum for an accurate appraisal. What is your opinion of the center wheel operation? It seems many here find it a bit fiddly. I don't imagine it could be worse than the Sansa Fuze+ Rockboxed though, which I've found to be somewhat disappointing, the controls working too much intermittently and arbitrarily.
When I get my X5, hopefully in June, I'll be listening with the UM-modified TF10. I think it will be a good pairing. Then I can go listen to Mahler's 5th (If Mahler can't make you cry, maybe Rachmaninoff can) but I know what you mean...Ah .... Mahler! Are you a Rachmaninoff fan? He's one of my faves, for sure. I listen though, mainly to 20th Century composers, which I seem to prefer most of the time. Many are from Britain, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Lot's of hidden gems there, like Eduard Tubin, Finland emigre, originally from Estonia. Try him!  I like the intelligent placement of dissonance to make the music interesting. Too much consonance can easily bore me, I find. A little bitter makes the sweet so much better!

 

[musicheaven]

Uh oh, I spelled it wrong and the composer, it's Troldhaugen, and the composer is Edvard Grieg. It's been a while, heh heh. It's a great, rousing march from a great 19th Century composer.

Must have been amazing mine was not as grandiose unfortunately and it was a recording but classical it was, graduations have always been done with classical music in the background.

You are right about the conductor, Karajan was Berlin's best.

My favorite symphony:
Ode an die Freude - Ninth Symphony

Bernstein with the Vienna Philarmonic was the one recording I played just too many times.
The reason why I was so attached to the ninth symphony was the fact the Beethoven composed it and played it when he was entirely deaf, an amazing maestro and a never equalled musical genius.

Sorry back to the X5. That dap you mentioned was one I considered except for the price.

I think that the Calyx M is the one for the classical music lover but don't quote me on that and James might not agree. Once FiiO creates the X7, I think you will be in for a possible amazing classical music experience.

 

[Ripvanlink]

Must have been amazing mine was not as grandiose unfortunately and it was a recording but classical it was, graduations have always been done with classical music in the background.

You are right about the conductor, Karajan was Berlin's best.

My favorite symphony:
Ode an die Freude - Ninth Symphony

Bernstein with the Vienna Philarmonic was the one recording I played just too many times.
The reason why I was so attached to the ninth symphony was the fact the Beethoven composed it and played it when he was entirely deaf, an amazing maestro and a never equalled musical genius.

Sorry back to the X5. That dap you mentioned was one I considered except for the price.

I think that the Calyx M is the one for the classical music lover but don't quote me on that and James might not agree. Once FiiO creates the X7, I think you will be in for a possible amazing classical music experience.

Uh oh! Upgrade-a-titus, here we come! I'll have to give the Calyx M another look then. I see myself, though, sticking with Fiio's products b/c I'm impressed by his (their) responsiveness to the people they serve, and, besides, the X7 sounds intriguing. I see myself selling the X5 sometime in the future, but only to then obtain the X7. Any word on when that beast is expected?
On another subject, I would like to see comparisons between the different custom iems, including UM's, the Sennheisers, the Transcendents,etc. I don't see any threads on that subject here, I did I miss something.?
The dap I mentioned, MusicHeaven, do you mean the AK240?
Karajan was definitely among Germany's best but some greats were before the stereo era and would get short shrift, like Furtwangler and others. I heard Mahler was quite something too, but that goes way back!
What I would love would be a Head-Fi gathering here in San Diego. Will that ever happen? Oh... and are there any Head-Fiers living nearby San Diego who'd like to get together, say for lunch? Think of what a good time we'd have sharing our disease (Just kidding). How about you, MusicHeaven, where do you live?

 

[Ripvanlink]

Yes, that story about Beethoven's deafness is very famous indeed. What amazes me is how German, often felt as a bit harsh to the ear when spoken, although I love to hear it spoken, is so lovely in song, such as Beethoven, Schubert and Mahler. I know that 9th chorale as "Ode to Joy.'

 

[frankrondaniel]

  Yes, that story about Beethoven's deafness is very famous indeed. What amazes me is how German, often felt as a bit harsh to the ear when spoken, although I love to hear it spoken, is so lovely in song, such as Beethoven, Schubert and Mahler. I know that 9th chorale as "Ode to Joy.'

 
Just caught this.  I believe that Bernstein's late performance of Beethoven's 9th after the fall of the Berlin Wall called it "Ode to Freedom" in celebration.

 

[eke2k6]

  What amazes me is how German, often felt as a bit harsh to the ear when spoken, although I love to hear it spoken, is so lovely in song, such as Beethoven, Schubert and Mahler. I know that 9th chorale as "Ode to Joy.'

 
German can be extremely beautiful, especially their Lieders. My absolute favorite German composition is Schubert's Erlkonig. Its extremely haunting when performed well, and is a great test track for gear. The X5's fullness with male vocals really helps brings this song to life.
 
IMO, this is easily the best rendition:
 

 
 
 
The lyrics in English:
 
Who rides, so late, through night and wind?
It is the father with his child.
He has the boy well in his arm
He holds him safely, he keeps him warm.

"My son, why do you hide your face so anxiously?"
"Father, do you not see the Elfking?
The Elfking with crown and tail?"
"My son, it's a wisp of fog."

"You dear child, come, go with me!
Very lovely games I'll play with you;
Some colourful flowers are on the beach,
My mother has some golden robes."

"My father, my father, and don't you hear
What the Elfking quietly promises me?"
"Be calm, stay calm, my child;
The wind is rustling through withered leaves."

"Do you want to come with me, pretty boy?
My daughters shall wait on you finely;
My daughters will lead the nightly dance,
And rock and dance and sing you to sleep."

"My father, my father, and don't you see there
The Elfking's daughters in the gloomy place?"
"My son, my son, I see it clearly:
There shimmer the old willows so grey."

"I love you, your beautiful form entices me;
And if you're not willing, then I will use force."
"My father, my father, he's grabbing me now!
The Elfking has done me harm!"

It horrifies the father; he swiftly rides on,
He holds the moaning child in his arms,
Reaches the farm with trouble and hardship;
In his arms, the child was dead.

 

[arlstine]

Nothing to add to this awesome thread, but wanted to thank everyone for the wealth of knowledge. Love my x3, and am looking forward to possibly selling and upgrading!

 

[Ripvanlink]

Thank you for that rendition of the Schubert lieder. Very nice! I listened twice!

 

[mochill]

Getting my x5 next week...excited

 

[BeBop Lives]

I too ordered from mp4nation...I want my X5, and I want it now

Qusetions about MP4 Nation have existed for some time.  I have seen many delivery and service issues on more than one thread with the Caveat Emptor reference.  Best of luck!