[sandalaudio]

  Does this mean that you should not max out your volume on your DAP when amping it?(that's if you are using headphone output)  The line-out should limit the ouput so it doesn't introduce distortions at high output correct?

 
Use line output. It ignores HIGH/LOW gain setting and outputs 4.5V p-p on full scale. The distortion and noise level is the same or slightly better than the headphone output at the same level (which is about Vol 119 with no load).
 
The main difference is that the line output is intended to be connected to a high input impedance device, like an amplifier. A quick measurement shows around 80 ohm output impedance on the line output, compared to < 1 ohm on the headphone output. It simply means you should never put any heavy loads on the line output. It's an excellent design by Fiio.

 

[nmatheis]

[COLOR=0000FF]Gapless is Fixed![/COLOR]

That's right -- in the latest firmware beta, 1.22, gapless now works perfectly.

I was having a unique problem with my X5 which may or may not be a hardware issue, and Fiio's excellent customer service suggested I download version 1.22 of the firmware.  Unfortunately, it didn't fix my issue, but I was presently surprised to find that the album on which the problem I'm having occurred now plays completely gapless -- not the slightest hint of a delay between tracks.

Thanks, Fiio!  You guys are the best!

That's great! Using File/Folder or Categories browsing (or both)?

 

[Canaudio]

  Gapless is Fixed!
 
That's right -- in the latest firmware beta, 1.22, gapless now works perfectly.
 
I was having a unique problem with my X5 which may or may not be a hardware issue, and Fiio's excellent customer service suggested I download version 1.22 of the firmware.  Unfortunately, it didn't fix my issue, but I was presently surprised to find that the album on which the problem I'm having occurred now plays completely gapless -- not the slightest hint of a delay between tracks.
 
Thanks, Fiio!  You guys are the best!

Can someone provide a link to download the 1.22 firmware?

 

[doublea71]

Fixing gapless is a HUGE +1 for me - I didn't think they would be able to based on James' recent post. Well done, Fiio! There are more bugs to sort out, but progress is being made.

 

[ptravel]

That's great! Using File/Folder or Categories browsing (or both)?

I've only tried it with Categories.  I'll try it later with File/Folder.

 

[andrewjamesdean]

I've cancelled my pre-order with mp4nation, at least until we get a response from Fiio about the 5800 limit. If they can fix it via a future firmware update I will re-order an X5, but if not I will unfortunately have to look elsewhere.
 
Great to see Fiio are responding to people's complaints/requests though. While I don't ever listen to gapless albums, that fix will surely be a big win for some people

 

[nmatheis]

I've only tried it with Categories.  I'll try it later with File/Folder.

I'd really appreciate it if you could try with File/Folder browsing and report back. I've got an X3 already and an X5 on the way and think I remember reading that Fiio was going to implement the Gapless fix for both X3 and X5. I'm hoping the fix is for both File/Folder and Categories browsing. I've got some file where the tags aren't recognized even though I've tried to fix them all with Media Rage and/or MP3Tag.

 

[ptravel]

I'd really appreciate it if you could try with File/Folder browsing and report back. I've got an X3 already and an X5 on the way and think I remember reading that Fiio was going to implement the Gapless fix for both X3 and X5. I'm hoping the fix is for both File/Folder and Categories browsing. I've got some file where the tags aren't recognized even though I've tried to fix them all with Media Rage and/or MP3Tag.

Okay, I just tried it.  It works in File/Folder browsing, too.
 
Note that I've only tried it on one album, and it's one that I recorded, mixed and mastered.  Rather than ripping the CD for this album, I transcoded ALAC files directly from the master file in my editing software, with track breaks indicating the file breaks.  This album played only with gaps before this firmware revision -- a sub-1 second gap in Categories and a more pronounced one in File/Folder.  Now, each track plays smoothly and flawlessly into the next without any gap whatsoever.  Note, too, that the music on this album is completely continuous from track to track without any breaks -- any gap would have been very obvious, but there are none.
 
It looks like Fiio has solved this problem completely.

 

[nmatheis]

Okay, I just tried it.  It works in File/Folder browsing, too.

Note that I've only tried it on one album, and it's one that I recorded, mixed and mastered.  Rather than ripping the CD for this album, I transcoded ALAC files directly from the master file in my editing software, with track breaks indicating the file breaks.  This album played only with gaps before this firmware revision -- a sub-1 second gap in Categories and a more pronounced one in File/Folder.  Now, each track plays smoothly and flawlessly into the next without any gap whatsoever.  Note, too, that the music on this album is completely continuous from track to track without any breaks -- any gap would have been very obvious, but there are none.

It looks like Fiio has solved this problem completely.

Thats's FANTASTIC news! Thanks for confirming. I've got a lot of music that flows seamlessly from track to track, so this'll take care of one of my biggest complaints about the X3 .

 

[mhammond]

  Gapless is Fixed!
 
That's right -- in the latest firmware beta, 1.22, gapless now works perfectly.
 
I was having a unique problem with my X5 which may or may not be a hardware issue, and Fiio's excellent customer service suggested I download version 1.22 of the firmware.  Unfortunately, it didn't fix my issue, but I was presently surprised to find that the album on which the problem I'm having occurred now plays completely gapless -- not the slightest hint of a delay between tracks.
 
Thanks, Fiio!  You guys are the best!

Do you notice any improvement in the UI lagging at all? i.e. the scroll wheel on volume or delay if skipping tracks, moving between songs/folders, etc. Thanks!

 

[Man in White]

So, we are waiting any changelog for 1.22  (exept gapless fix) and link to download  from Joe Bloggs.

 

[Jobbing]

  I think Fiio will just include more RAM with their next product. Seems like the engineers are telling James, either you can have gapless playback + unlmited scanning OR you can have insanely awesome sound quality. And James said give me insanely awesome sound quality. So they set the RAM to prioritize sound over other functions and set limits on the RAM buffer for gapless and file scanning to not compromise the sound. Now if they had more RAM, this would not be a problem and the DAP could do both things really well. However, the way the X5 is currently built I think it's more a hardware issue that can't be fixed with a simple firmware upgrade for the moment. Basically we need more RAM in the X5.
 
At least, that's my understanding from what James was saying.
 
I think Fiio will continue to improve. With the Android based X7 on the way. I'm thinking Fiio will leave a lot of these issues behind. I'm excited for what's coming later this year. RAM is pretty cheap and I think Fiio could double their current capacity quite easily now that they know it's important to do so. Hell just quadruple it just in case.

 (I'm thinking some fool will try to use gapless playback with a 40 minute DSD track and the RAM won't be able to buffer it and this will be a "deal breaker" and they will cancel their order and repeatedly complain of this issue on the X7 thread, but they have never held the X7 in their hands nor heard it)
 
*I think people need to remember that as passionate audio enthusiasts it's all about the sound quality. I think most people are just blown away by the sound of the X5/X3 so they're more than wllling to live with its limitation. In other words the trade-off factor is more than satisfactory as they just can't get this kind of sound from devices with perfect UI's and better functions. Honestly, even just a 1 year ago there was nothing in the $700 price range that could compare to the X5. I'm very happy it's 2014 and I'm grateful for Fiio, as they don't price their gears at ridiculous prices. So I think critizing the features without hearing the sound is kind of moot, as you won't know if the awesomeness of the sound will overpower the other faults. It's like I'm introducing you to a girl who is unemployeed and is a high school dropout and comes from a family of crimminals. She might look terrible on paper but if you see her in person and she's stunning looking, like the best looking girl you've ever seen in your life, you might not care.

 

 
I think you are spot on and I like your thoughts on this matter especially the *-part

 

[Pekku]

Has anyone else ever encountered a problem where the X5 just skips to the next song during another? There's one particular mp3 I have that every time, without fail, will just skip to the next @ the 0:45 mark. It plays back properly on my computer and phone.
 
EDIT: Hang on, I deleted and copied the album over again and the problem is gone. Weird.

 

[sandalaudio]

  I think Fiio will continue to improve. With the Android based X7 on the way. I'm thinking Fiio will leave a lot of these issues behind. I'm excited for what's coming later this year. RAM is pretty cheap and I think Fiio could double their current capacity quite easily now that they know it's important to do so. Hell just quadruple it just in case.

 (I'm thinking some fool will try to use gapless playback with a 40 minute DSD track and the RAM won't be able to buffer it and this will be a "deal breaker" and they will cancel their order and repeatedly complain of this issue on the X7 thread, but they have never held the X7 in their hands nor heard it)
 
*I think people need to remember that as passionate audio enthusiasts it's all about the sound quality. I think most people are just blown away by the sound of the X5/X3 so they're more than wllling to live with its limitation. In other words the trade-off factor is more than satisfactory as they just can't get this kind of sound from devices with perfect UI's and better functions. Honestly, even just a 1 year ago there was nothing in the $700 price range that could compare to the X5. I'm very happy it's 2014 and I'm grateful for Fiio, as they don't price their gears at ridiculous prices. So I think critizing the features without hearing the sound is kind of moot, as you won't know if the awesomeness of the sound will overpower the other faults. It's like I'm introducing you to a girl who is unemployeed and is a high school dropout and comes from a family of crimminals. She might look terrible on paper but if you see her in person and she's stunning looking, like the best looking girl you've ever seen in your life, you might not care.

 

 
You are absolutely right. I really love the sound of the X5 and I continue to use it every day, despite some minor interface issues.
 
For some people the X5 might be an expensive purchase, but they probably didn't use the first generation of high-end DAPs from iRiver, iBasso, HiFiman, etc. They were very expensive and were often faced with more catastrophic bugs compared to the X5.
 
If someone has a complaint with the device that is a deal breaker for them (e.g. file number limit, GUI, etc), then they need to file a report to Fiio through their help and support.
Some people are getting furious because they think there are fanboys that are protecting the X5 and ignoring these "major deal breaker" flaws.
 
People like myself come to this forum because they love the X5 and want to share the experience with other potential buyers. I want to encourage people to buy X5 because it is an excellent sounding product. I don't find any of the mentioned issues a "major deal breaker" (unless if it is a serious bug like music stops playing half way through..), so I don't need to file a report to Fiio. It's quite pointless to convince us that X5 is a flawed piece of junk, because I already have it and it is sounding amazing.

 

[Hutnicks]

What is really alarming here is that no one actually expects it to work "as advertized"  The audio world has done a job worthy of Microsloth in lowering expectations.