[vkalia]

Oh I hear ya, if I had 7 or 8,000 files it'd be a tough choice. Hopefully there can be an implementation solution like the one a few posts back that works for all of us.

 
+1.   With gapless fixed, that would sort out the X5 for me (well, that and touch screen functionality via the next firmware upgrade ).

 

[ptravel]

As long as this "compromise" does not have a negative influence on the current way of searching by folders that would be fine I guess. Slowing down the search for those (not personel) who may be too lazy to put other albums on the TF cards or can not decide which albums to put on their TF card(s!) - >5800 songs would equal appr. 400 albums - doesn't seem fair to those who intend to use the X5 for mostly HiRes files as this device wasn't developed with 10.000's of MP3 in mind. It is portable device, please let it be. I'm very happy with my unit even though I can not store over 7.000 of my HiRes/Flac albums on it. Adding a few 100 extra songs to the X5 should not make the UI /search worse. Nevertheless I do hope we can all be pleased with whatever FiiO will come up with.

Folder browsing doesn't require indexing and would be unaffected by any changes made to tagged searching.  It is tagged searching that would be slower if it were moved to the SD card,  Slower tagged searching would affect those with fewer than 5800 tracks total (not on each card), but would offer the benefit of allowing those who do have more than 5800 tracks combined to use tagged searching, which won't work at all now, because it stops indexing when it reaches 5800 tracks.
 
Different people use portable devices in different ways.  From the request for armbands, it is clear that some want a device that they can take on their morning jog or to the gym.  I'd agree that those people don't need their entire library with them, and would be more interested in playlists than in tagged searches.  However, some people (including myself) want to take the X5 on long-haul flights, to the office, or to friends houses to connect to their stereo systems.  For us, tagged searches are very important because we have no idea what we're going to want to listen to until we actually decide to listen to it.
 
I don't have any mp3s on my X5.  I bought it specifically because it offered similar functionality to my iPod Classic, but permitted the use of hi-res, lossless file formats, and has better audio quality than the iPod.  I've re-ripped my CD collection to ALAC (so my wife can have a subset of my collection in the iPod Classic) and it just fits on two 64 Gb SD cards.  It consists of considerably more than 5800 tracks.  I can live with folder browsing now that gapless is fixed, but it would be very nice to look for "jazz" or "Miles Davis" or whatever, if that's what I'm in the mood for.
 
The X5 is a portable device, but it is not an iPod Shuffle.  It was specifically designed in contemplation of large, lossless music collections which is why it has 2 SD slots, will support up to half a terabyte of storage (when the larger cards are released to market), and has an OTG feature that allows virtually limitless amounts of music.  I don't think it's fair to simply dismiss it as a "portable device," when there is already a clear demarcation within the portable device market between casual, limited listening devices, and more comprehensive machines.  I think a good analogy is between the iPod Classic and the iPod Shuffle -- both appeal to different types of listeners.  However, the iPod Classic can do what the Shuffle does, albeit at the penalty of more weight and size.  The Shuffle, however, cannot do what the Classic does, which is provide comprehensive access to a large music collection.  The X5 is the audiophile analog of the iPod Classic, not the iPod Shuffle.  That it is capable of serving Shuffle-like needs doesn't change its inherent nature.  In fact, in response to the armband request, James has already said that Fiio wasn't considering this particular accessory, and that the upcoming X7 is designed to fulfill that kind of function.
 
I am sure, however, that, whatever Fiio does, it will be a well-considered decision and that almost all of us will continue to love these nifty little machines.

 

[ptravel]

No, that's not what I said at all. I'm not sure where you got that from? I am merely saying that slowing down category browsing so as to benefit folks with >5800 files would be unfortunate to me, and doesn't seem to be a compromise from my point of view. But I do understand the other side of the aisle, just wanted my $.02 that perhaps not the "vast majority" of X5 users would take that trade. But maybe they would - don't know unless we speak up

Ah, I see -- thanks for the explanation because I really didn't understand.  I see your point.
 
I won't repeat my discussion above, but I do want to emphasize that the X5 is specifically designed to accommodate up 512 Gb of data and, right now off-the-shelf, can accommodate 256 Gb.  Even at 128 Gb, that's more than 5800 FLAC or ALAC tracks.  Just as the audiophile quality of the X5 is a major selling point, so too, I think, is its large storage capacity.  Both factors held equal weight in my decision to buy one, and I'd really be surprised if its storage capability wasn't a significant factor for most people.  No real way to tell, I suppose, short of a marketing study and focus groups.

 

[Arcright00]

Just ordered one from Amazon UK supposed to be here by Monday!
I only have a microscopic library compared to some, all of which came from my cd collection they are mainly in Apple lossless format so is there a better quality file type I could re-rip the cds to ?
 
 
Arcright

 

[AndrewH13]

  Just ordered one from Amazon UK supposed to be here by Monday!
I only have a microscopic library compared to some, all of which came from my cd collection they are mainly in Apple lossless format so is there a better quality file type I could re-rip the cds to ?
 
 
Arcright

 
No, FLAC, ALAC, WAV all lossless from CD.  What you rip with some say has an effect. dBpoweramp and EAC maybe better than iTunes.

 

[Shenook]

  Folder browsing doesn't require indexing and would be unaffected by any changes made to tagged searching.  It is tagged searching that would be slower if it were moved to the SD card,  Slower tagged searching would affect those with fewer than 5800 tracks total (not on each card), but would offer the benefit of allowing those who do have more than 5800 tracks combined to use tagged searching, which won't work at all now, because it stops indexing when it reaches 5800 tracks.
 
Different people use portable devices in different ways.  From the request for armbands, it is clear that some want a device that they can take on their morning jog or to the gym.  I'd agree that those people don't need their entire library with them, and would be more interested in playlists than in tagged searches.  However, some people (including myself) want to take the X5 on long-haul flights, to the office, or to friends houses to connect to their stereo systems.  For us, tagged searches are very important because we have no idea what we're going to want to listen to until we actually decide to listen to it.
 
I don't have any mp3s on my X5.  I bought it specifically because it offered similar functionality to my iPod Classic, but permitted the use of hi-res, lossless file formats, and has better audio quality than the iPod.  I've re-ripped my CD collection to ALAC (so my wife can have a subset of my collection in the iPod Classic) and it just fits on two 64 Gb SD cards.  It consists of considerably more than 5800 tracks.  I can live with folder browsing now that gapless is fixed, but it would be very nice to look for "jazz" or "Miles Davis" or whatever, if that's what I'm in the mood for.
 
The X5 is a portable device, but it is not an iPod Shuffle.  It was specifically designed in contemplation of large, lossless music collections which is why it has 2 SD slots, will support up to half a terabyte of storage (when the larger cards are released to market), and has an OTG feature that allows virtually limitless amounts of music.  I don't think it's fair to simply dismiss it as a "portable device," when there is already a clear demarcation within the portable device market between casual, limited listening devices, and more comprehensive machines.  I think a good analogy is between the iPod Classic and the iPod Shuffle -- both appeal to different types of listeners.  However, the iPod Classic can do what the Shuffle does, albeit at the penalty of more weight and size.  The Shuffle, however, cannot do what the Classic does, which is provide comprehensive access to a large music collection.  The X5 is the audiophile analog of the iPod Classic, not the iPod Shuffle.  That it is capable of serving Shuffle-like needs doesn't change its inherent nature.  In fact, in response to the armband request, James has already said that Fiio wasn't considering this particular accessory, and that the upcoming X7 is designed to fulfill that kind of function.
 
I am sure, however, that, whatever Fiio does, it will be a well-considered decision and that almost all of us will continue to love these nifty little machines.

I believe you meant x1 not x7.

 

[BeBop Lives]

I agree, rip from CD seems to work best for me too.  However, I have tried several amps with the X5 and surprise. surprise, the BH2 X5 combo knocked me out.  WOW!

 

[sherifcalder]

  really? I have a bunch of 24/88.2 ALAC files and those have been playing fine for me.

Mine are FLAC files. All my 24/88,2 files sound distorted. I don't know if it's a firmware issue (I downloaded the last version on FIIO site) or a specific default on my DAP.

 

[Arcright00]

   
No, FLAC, ALAC, WAV all lossless from CD.  What you rip with some say has an effect. dBpoweramp and EAC maybe better than iTunes.

Ok I'll try one of the suggestions I want to stay away from the Apple products just wasn't sure if something like WAV was better as I understand it has no compression at all Thanks 
Arcright 

 

[Ramtha604]

I picked my X5 up from my local distributor today and I want to say, I'm very satisfied. It looks great, feels great, and I have zero qualms about interface so far. The sound is good. It's not DX100-perfect (like the way, the DX100 never left me wish for anything more/different at all), but I'd say it's right between the X3 and the DX100 in overall sound quality, so considering its price (and also size and weight), that's a great achievement, I guess. It could be the case that it's voiced a bit contrary to my personal preferences. I experience the X5 to still have a slightly hard/forward/wanna-impress/in-your-face sound, rather than the laid back and effortlessly neutral signature, I always admired in the DX100, but it does seem to me like it has a very high resolution and could sound extremely close to the DX100 if it would have been intended to imitate the DX100's signature.
 
I have not heard a lot of DAPs, but there was an extreme "forced detailedness", which I experienced with a HM-801, which I listened to briefly, which made the HM-801 practically unlistenable to me. I then was able to borrow an X3 from a local head-fier for a few days and it also had quite a bit of that in-your-face forwardness, which the HM-801 seemed to possess way too much of, but was already much better. Contrary to the HM-801, I would have actually picked the X3 over the extremely boring, but at least balanced sounding sansa clip. And now the X5 is almost there. Not quite "DX100-perfectly-pleasant" to listen to, but already _very_ acceptable for its price, in my opinion.
 
So, thank you for making this great player, FiiO! =)
 
Just to mention it: My main reason for getting the X5, was that it offers 2 microsd slots for a potentially 256GB (and maybe 512GB should 256GB microsdxc happen to come around in a few years) no-hassles-one-box-solution.
 
Oh, and a short question, because I came across this in the DX90 thread: http://www.mix-computer.de/html/product/detail.html?artNo=IMILU6&
Should this work when plugged into the X5's usb port to expand the X5's storage? (Is this what OTG is about?)

 

[AndrewH13]

  Ok I'll try one of the suggestions I want to stay away from the Apple products just wasn't sure if something like WAV was better as I understand it has no compression at all Thanks 
Arcright 

 
I posted a few days ago, maybe this thread, that 'some' believe WAV to be better on high class systems, I'm talking Linn, Naim etc, but that surmises that the uncompressing within these expensive  players is not perfect. I wouldn't worry about it as I have never read any DAP owner say they can detect a difference. Especially as WAV files do not have embedded built-in meta data support as standard.

 

[AndrewH13]

  Ok I'll try one of the suggestions I want to stay away from the Apple products just wasn't sure if something like WAV was better as I understand it has no compression at all Thanks 
Arcright 

dBpoweramp checks your rip against a known 'perfect rip' database!

 

[ptravel]

 
dBpoweramp checks your rip against a known 'perfect rip' database!

I'm pretty sure that EAC does, too.

 

[Shenook]

 
dBpoweramp checks your rip against a known 'perfect rip' database!

accurate rip compares rips from all rips and assumes the bits that are the same on a majority of rips is considered correct and "accurate". There is no single master recording you are compared against. If an artist releases an album and the cd has a flaw in sound and 100 people use accurate rip then it will use that as the comparison. If the artist and label discover this they may fix this and then when you rip his new cd it will report as innacurate. That is how it was explained to me.
 
I use dbpoweramp and media monkey and perfect tunes to rip, manage and play my music files. All wonderful programs. Foobar is ok too but am always using media monkey for some reason. To each their own!
 
when the x5 supports playlists I will report back my experience with syncing with media monkey and x5.

 

[Jess70]

While I believe in and have experienced burn-in with headphones, I always thought the people who discussed burn-in of cables and solid state electronic players were crazy.
 
HOWEVER,  I swear that my X5 sounds markedly smoother, fuller, and with more forwards mids now than it did when I recieved it a week ago.  Maybe I just have gotten used to the sound, however, this is also doing back to back comparisons with my iPhone 4s.
 
Does anyone else think they have experienced a noticable change in sound with burn in with the X5 ?