[Brooko]

I found the sennheiser hd600 relatively cheap. Would the X5 alone, be enough to power them, or should I seriously start considering the bundle?

The X5 will drive an HD600 with no problems. More than enough power I have both.

 

[Loquah]

  Sorry, bit of a subject change...so I understand the X5 will "support" 2.8Mhz DSD.  I though it would down sample and convert to PCM, but then the latest firmware will allow true native DSD?  Can someone please confirm?   
Happy Thanksgiving!  

 
As far as I know, it will always have to convert to PCM. Where did you see something about native in the newest FW? (in case I'm wrong)

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

 

[PapaThrust]

Having a negative digital preamp doesn't cripple anything

Nevertheless, the new implementation on the X1 matches EQed loudness with EQff loudness at the same volume setting, but caps the max volume setting lower than with EQff. Would that help?

Doesn't a negative preamp reduce the gain available to the amp?
When I need to make some adjustments more than a couple decibels on the EQ (this is working from the top of the sliders) the volume is dramatically lower until I go back to the volume control and raise it. Well -I have some older recordings and in some cases I use ALL the gain left, therefore I feel the amp has been crippled because as soon as I go and defeat the EQ - BAMM...plenty of amp/gain.
 I feel that capping anything on the player is essentially taking away something I already paid for. And it's assuming to know my source material and my desired listening experience. There is a lot of source material with ridiculously low output, if anything, having more  availabe gain in the EQ makes sense.
In all my experience with EQ's since the early 70's  this is the first implementation that uses a negative pre ....but why?
IF I could call it - I would say to make it just as virtually any other EQ in existence  and with a gain slider next to the bands -  it's so simple and it works.
Sometimes it's helpful to add gain others, subtract, that all depends on the source material and the desired result.
 The one on my apple computer is beautiful -nothing distorts unless I do something extreme and then ya know what I do? Back something down again, and even then I'm not sure what is distorting - electronics, software or speakers. 
 
It sounds like the X1 implementation might simplify the EQ process because one wouldn't need to keep toggling volume back and forth for comparison.
So yes, It probably would help.
 
I'm quite sure that others have asked for more user customizable presets, man that would be awesome!
Just eliminate the useless presets and use those for custom.

 

[Loquah]

The only difference is a 6dB drop in volume so if you just turn the X5 up a few notches you'll be getting the exact same output as with the EQ off.

When you're defeating the EQ you're experiencing a 6dB volume lift which is why it sounds better.

If FiiO didn't take an approach like this many users would complain of distorted sound, etc. not realising they had EQed the sound to clipping levels.

 

[BubbaBob]

At this price level, they should not be catering to uninformed entry level users. Distortion is merely the punishment for being clueless.
 
I agree with PapaThrust 100% about the equalizer.

 

[Dobrescu George]

The only difference is a 6dB drop in volume so if you just turn the X5 up a few notches you'll be getting the exact same output as with the EQ off.

When you're defeating the EQ you're experiencing a 6dB volume lift which is why it sounds better.

If FiiO didn't take an approach like this many users would complain of distorted sound, etc. not realising they had EQed the sound to clipping levels.

i am on your side on this... clipping can happen easy, and fiio had a great ideea with the eq. This reduces the probability of distortions by a lot, if done by someone who doesn't know what he/she is doing...
 
Everyone, we must remember that fiio is a player for more than audiophilles and is marketed in China. 

 

[ptravel]

  Can the X5 play .mid files? And if not support should be relatively easy?

It cannot.  A .mid file is not an audio file.  It's a set of instructions to a device -- computer or standalone hardware -- as to what note to play when, for how long, how loud, etc.  The computer or standalone hardware has to provide the actual sound generation, whether synthesized or sampled.  It would be impossible for the X5 to support .mid, nor can I think of any reason why anyone would want it to.  It is an audio file player, not a musical instrument.

 

[BubbaBob]

  i am on your side on this... clipping can happen easy, and fiio had a great ideea with the eq. This reduces the probability of distortions by a lot, if done by someone who doesn't know what he/she is doing...
 
Everyone, we must remember that fiio is a player for more than audiophilles and is marketed in China. 

How about making the EQ gain adjustable with a -6db default but enough adjustment range to take it to 0dB? Maybe an extra slider in the EQ tool for gain.

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

   
okay... you really seem to be enjoying bass... 
 
As you seem to had had a iaudio10... the mach3bass on it shoudl have been a very very good bass setting... if you still have it, you should try to amp the signal using mach3bass + e12 + bass on e12.. that would already be overkill...
 
with all serioussness, if you want to add the bass of x5 and bass of e12 you should use headphone out of x5 with the sliders for bass pulled up, The line out of x5 doesn't have any eq adjustments. but if you use headphone out and e12, you get some bass in plus out of x5 and e12 still has the bass setting.    
 
 
 
 

 
 
Overkill??
 

 
I use your overkill as my basic test and listening setup.
 
For almost 500 bucks I am expecting the X5 to at least keep up with the 120 buck Cowon. I'll be sharing vids on my channel and thread either way. If this thing isn't for bassheads it should say so cuz I spent my cash and it's gonna push it or not and I'm gonna tell folks either way. If you think bassheads don't spend loot you'd be mistaken. I expect fiio (which I like) to bring the bass and it will be asked. Put 2 sliders under in sub bass and you are implying some possibilities that I am about to explore....like can an X5 for 500 using an EQ keep up with a 120 Cowon and BBE/Mach3Bass. For the price it should be yes without question.
 
If it's a no...that will be unfortunate
 
**crosses fingers**

 

[Ekul61]

Can u get a digital signal out of a gallaxy phone to play through the x5?

 

[chrisssj2]

Question, do u need to update the library everytime your content on the SD changes?
 

 

[Loquah]

  At this price level, they should not be catering to uninformed entry level users. Distortion is merely the punishment for being clueless.
 
I agree with PapaThrust 100% about the equalizer.

 
I'm not saying this to be argumentative, but you could argue that people complaining about the implementation of a 6dB drop when using the EQ and not understanding the benefits of this type of approach are equally clueless.
 
Again, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but merely highlighting that there are multiple ways to approach the challenge. FiiO has chosen one (good) option, but it's not the only one. The fact that it's not the one some users would like doesn't make anyone clueless or worthy of being ignored / punished

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

   
 The line out of x5 doesn't have any eq adjustments. but if you use headphone out and e12, you get some bass in plus out of x5 and e12 still has the bass setting.      

 
 
Wait wait..I missed this
 
running the X5 to my e12 (both FiiO)  and running my headphones out of the amp makes the eq useless?
 
 X5 is source.... signal is tweaked there...passed to the amp...where it is boosted and adds it's bass boost and passes it to the cans.
 
I cannot use the eq if I use that chain

 
I musta misread that? Please tell me the line out works. It is how that signal is passed to the amp then the headphone jack out of the e12 is where I plug in....right? EQ o.k. like that right?
 
EDIT:
My Cowon only has a headphone out...... to line in of e12 headphone out of e12 of my cans so it is the same I guess....good to know though

 

[nmatheis]

How about making the EQ gain adjustable with a -6db default but enough adjustment range to take it to 0dB? Maybe an extra slider in the EQ tool for gain.

I asked for a gain slider quite awhile ago with no luck...

 

[trenino]

Cannot tell from the video reviews. Does the album art show in thumbnails when browsing songs? Or does it just show the folder icon? I had a look at the dx90 and it seems that it uses thumbnails of the album art everywhere, so was wondering if this is also the case with the x5. I ordered a nice case for the x5 and now I am having second thoughts...