[Feedbacker]

 
Yes, I'm kind of disappointed that it doesn't have it's own memory, especially when you're spending £289, on a product you can't use, unless you buy microSD cards !!

Yes, though I like the flexibility of being able to load cards with music that I can interchange without having to load, unload and reload the machine itself. Swings and roundabouts, perhaps...

 

[AndrewH13]

  Hi Andrew,  I would be a little wary with the Sandisk Ultra 64.  I have just bought two of them from Amazon UK.  First thing is to make sure you get them supplied by Amazon and not a Marketplace re-seller.
A tip I read was to click the Amazon link for it to be supplied in frustration free packaging.  Have a look at the one star reviews for this product on Amazon and you will see there are a lot of fakes being supplied
by Marketplace resellers and some have even refused refunds on the grounds that the product has been opened.
 
I have tested my cards with H2testw and it shows the cards as genuine, but the read/write speeds are very disappointing for a class 10 card.
 
 

 
Thanks for advice SB. I did order the frustration-free packaging Ultra 64GB card but it IS direct from Amazon. I have downloaded that utility, and will check the card when it arrives.
 
Just checked an old LG 8GB Micro card, going through an SD card adapter and a SDHC adapter before USB extension cable from PC, don't know if all that lot will show it slower!
 
It showed   Writing Speed : 8.36 MByte/s Reading speed: 17.7 MByte/s before it failed, (often happens with extension connection!)   It was going to take about 20 minutes to test an 8GB card, is that normal?
 
What is a minimum acceptable read and write speed of a Micro SD card?

 

[ptravel]

  Just wondering what vendor you used on ebay for the purchase.   Based on your experience I may do the same.
 
Thanks
Mike

This was the listing:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271435729579?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[superbike999]

   
Thanks for advice SB. I did order the frustration-free packaging Ultra 64GB card but it IS direct from Amazon. I have downloaded that utility, and will check the card when it arrives.
 
Just checked an old LG 8GB Micro card, going through an SD card adapter and a SDHC adapter before USB extension cable from PC, don't know if all that lot will show it slower!
 
It showed   8.36 MByte/s Reading speed: 17.7 MByte/s before it failed, (often happens with extension connection!)   It was going to take about 20 minutes to test an 8GB card, is that normal?
 
What is a minimum acceptable read and write speed of a Micro SD card?

Hi Andrew,  I believe that if you order the frustration free packaging, it will be supplied by Amazon rather than a reseller.
 
I would think that the test speed of 20 minutes for the LG 8GB card would be about right, It goes through a writing phase and then a verifying phase.  My 64GB cards probably took over two hours for both phases.
I believe it writes the test files in 1GB chunks and creates a seperate file for each chunk.  The speed of your LG card is slight faster than both of my Sandisk cards.
 
I am currently re-testing Sandisk card 1, having reformatted it to FAT32 and it is currently writing at 6.80 MB which is slower than before.
 
I don't know the minimum acceptable read/write speeds of a Micro SD card.  It must depend on the class of card, as well as the size and type and the Sandisk cards are class 10, so you would expect them to be faster
 
You will see from my results in the previous post that the Samsung 32GB card was almost twice as fast as the Sandisks on the write speed and about the same on the read speed.  I suppose the read speed would be
the more important to playing music via the X5.
 
Good luck with your new card when it arrives.

 

[JonathanCandel]

Yeey! 
 
April 2nd: (from their Facebook page)
Singapore: Connect-it by Jade Gift Shop
Italy: AUDIO AZIMUTH 
Netherlands: HDPHNS S.V 
UK: K&S Distribution 
Russia: AUDIOMANIA
 
They are on their way to HDPHNS~!

 

[BrokenStevie]

I'm so jealous of you people who ordered form MP4nation! I made the mistake of placing a preorder with B&H back on March 1, thinking that that would get me in on the first batch of X5's to the US. Boy was I wrong. I just chatted with a B&H rep and was told that they had absolutely NO frigging date for arrival of their first batch of X5's. Nada. Now I'm a patient person, but this is ridiculous. They actually charged me the $349 way back on March 1 when most companies don't charge for items until they ship them. So they've had my money for over a month & they still don't have any idea of when they'll be getting their first batch. So of course I decided to cancel my "preorder" (otherwise known as a 0% loan to B&H...) and was told that I'd have to wait to hear back from them as to how I can achieve the refund of my money.
 
So I guess I'll have to wait even longer because of B&H since I'm hesitant to place an order with someone else before I actually get the refund for the money I loaned to B&H. I don't know if there are other companies that did this, but I wanted to warn others that they need to be more careful than I was when it comes to placing a preorder. Just because a company lets you place a preorder doesn't mean you're going to get your order first.

 

[twister6]

  ....
 
So I guess I'll have to wait even longer because of B&H since I'm hesitant to place an order with someone else before I actually get the refund for the money I loaned to B&H. I don't know if there are other companies that did this, but I wanted to warn others that they need to be more careful than I was when it comes to placing a preorder. Just because a company lets you place a preorder doesn't mean you're going to get your order first.

 
That's a problem of dealing with those video/camera/audio "superstores" like B&H or Adorama.  For them it's just another item added to a catalog of thousands of other items.  They are not a dedicated audio store, but I can guarantee you whenever a new Canon and Nikon camera is released - they will have it in stock right away.

 

[fleasbaby]

I'm so jealous of you people who ordered form MP4nation! I made the mistake of placing a preorder with B&H back on March 1, thinking that that would get me in on the first batch of X5's to the US. Boy was I wrong. I just chatted with a B&H rep and was told that they had absolutely NO frigging date for arrival of their first batch of X5's. Nada. Now I'm a patient person, but this is ridiculous. They actually charged me the $349 way back on March 1 when most companies don't charge for items until they ship them. So they've had my money for over a month & they still don't have any idea of when they'll be getting their first batch. So of course I decided to cancel my "preorder" (otherwise known as a 0% loan to B&H...) and was told that I'd have to wait to hear back from them as to how I can achieve the refund of my money.

So I guess I'll have to wait even longer because of B&H since I'm hesitant to place an order with someone else before I actually get the refund for the money I loaned to B&H. I don't know if there are other companies that did this, but I wanted to warn others that they need to be more careful than I was when it comes to placing a preorder. Just because a company lets you place a preorder doesn't mean you're going to get your order first.

I'm stuck on the B&H boat as well. I emailed them this morning and got the same response (before I was told (early April). I honestly thought they would be in the front of the line as well because they were the first I saw offering a preorder.

It does suck being in limbo with no clue while others are getting theirs.

 

[nmatheis]

I ordered from MP4 Nation on March 22nd (pre-order batch #2) and haven't received any info yet.

Not complaining. Just informing.

 

[quimbo]

I'm stuck on the B&H boat as well. I emailed them this morning and got the same response (before I was told (early April). I honestly thought they would be in the front of the line as well because they were the first I saw offering a preorder.

It does suck being in limbo with no clue while others are getting theirs.

Me tool.  Bought on 2/27, my birthday.  was hoping to have for a trip next week, now hoping for the next trip which is first week of may.  

 

[Mr Trev]

  I can't find the original message with a question since this X5 thread is growing exponentially everyday.
 
Someone from Canada asked me about availability of Sandisk Ultra 128GB microSD cards on Amazon, and I just got an official reply from their rep it will be available in May/June.  With Amazon US, they are out of stock temporarily, and a few outside sellers (who added their listing under official Amazon listing) just jacked up the price by doubling it.  Personally, I would be careful because you never know if those are real, and even if they are - don't know how the warranty works when you buy from unauthorized reseller.

That msg. would be mine.
Many thanks. I'm starting to get storage envy up here.

Was thinking I might have to get one of those "genuine unbranded" 128gb cards off ebay.

 

[donwhee]

@BrokenStevie, are you sure B&H charged you?  I know they normally do a initial run on the credit card, but that's it.  The actual transaction doesn't occur until they ship out the order.  Also @fleasbaby, I feel for you too.  After speaking with the rep yesterday, I contacted headphone.com and placed an order there.  Last when I spoke with them, there were 4 remaining spots open for the 1st batch.  They mentioned that their shipment will be arriving either today or tomorrow.  Otherwise most certainly Monday at the latest.  
 
Depending on which company ships first, I'll cancel with the other company.  For all those lucky people who already received their unit(s), I really look forward to your experiences with the X5!

 

[ptravel]

   
That's a problem of dealing with those video/camera/audio "superstores" like B&H or Adorama.  For them it's just another item added to a catalog of thousands of other items.  They are not a dedicated audio store, but I can guarantee you whenever a new Canon and Nikon camera is released - they will have it in stock right away.

Well, my 2 cents:
 
I've been buying all sorts of gear, both audio and photographic, from B&H for, literally, decades.  B&H is the platinum standard for on-line, mail order and brick-and-mortar sales.  They deal honestly, ethically and promptly -- if you check them out on www.resellerratings.com, you'll find that's true.  As I understand it, all US product distribution for Fiio comes through Fiio's US manufacturer's rep, TekFX.  This is a common scenario for smaller manufacturers like Fiio that don't maintain their own distribution network in other countries.  B&H must get their Fiio stock from TekFX, just like every other authorized dealer in the US (including Headroom, from whom I ordered -- I would have gotten it from B&H but, by the time I decided I wanted an X5, B&H was no longer accepting pre-orders).  Nikon and Canon, on the other hand, are large enough to have their own distribution network in the US and, because B&H sells such an enormous quantity of their products, I'm sure B&H is given special treatment.  Note, too, that major audio companies, for example, Tascam, almost certainly have their own distribution networks and B&H would get product direct from them, too.  It's not a question of whether its cameras or not, but whether the manufacturer does direct shipment or through a manufacturer's rep.  Note that Headroom is a dedicated audio store, but they're not getting product any sooner than B&H.
 
I have no connection with B&H, other than I've been a very, very satisfied customer for decades, and know that they are extraordinarily customer-focused, and provide excellent, completely reliable service.

 

[Mr Trev]

 
Yes, I'm kind of disappointed that it doesn't have it's own memory, especially when you're spending £289, on a product you can't use, unless you buy microSD cards !!

I wouldn't sweat the loss of internal memory that much. The transfer rate to the 8gb of internal memory of my x3 is really slow, so I barely use it that much. I just dumped a few "essential" albums on it and that was all. I have to imagine that a 8gb microsd is cheap enough these days, plus you x5 owners get 2 slots so buying a cheap small card isn't going to be wasted when you upgrade.

 

[ptravel]

  @BrokenStevie, are you sure B&H charged you?  I know they normally do a initial run on the credit card, but that's it.  The actual transaction doesn't occur until they ship out the order.   Also @fleasbaby, I feel for you too.  After speaking with the rep yesterday, I contacted headphone.com and placed an order there.  Last when I spoke with them, there were 4 remaining spots open for the 1st batch.  They mentioned that their shipment will be arriving either today or tomorrow.  Otherwise most certainly Monday at the latest.  

donwhee, in all the years I've dealt with B&H, I've never been charged until the item ships, and I've done pre-orders and back-orders with them before (the exception is if you pay through PayPal).
 
Glad to hear that headphone.com is expecting delivery today or tomorrow, as I'm on the first-batch pre-order list.  They confirmed to me that they'll be shipping the same day as received and I paid extra for 2-day shipping.