[B-Rayn]

Well I paid more than a hundred and ten dollars less than that price for a new X5 classic. The comparison reviews I read did not lead me to believe it was worth the extra money. But all I had to go on was the internet forums and reviews.
Thanks for the heads up though

 

[Praguepolo]

Does anyone have experience pairing the X-5 in a stack with CLAS/ALO or Centrance M-8? I want to replace one of my older 160 GB iPods and from what I can see the X-5 seems to be the best DAP in the under 500 USD price range. Thanks!

Sorry for being impatient, but I was hoping for some feedback to the above question before the Massdrop offer on the X5ii expires. Thanks!

 

[ClieOS]

  Does anyone have experience pairing the X-5 in a stack with CLAS/ALO or Centrance M-8? I want to replace one of my older 160 GB iPods and from what I can see the X-5 seems to be the best DAP in the under 500 USD price range. Thanks!

 
 

Sorry for being impatient, but I was hoping for some feedback to the above question before the Massdrop offer on the X5ii expires. Thanks!

 
You should know that X5II only has one digital output and it is S/PDIF. Neither CLAS nor M8 supports it. If you only need a digital transport that will work with CLAS or M8, you want an iDevice, not X5II.
 
X5II, on the other hand, is more like an all-in-one unit that is meant to replace the whole 'iPod+DAC+amp' stack.

 

[Praguepolo]

You should know that X5II only has one digital output and it is S/PDIF. Neither CLAS nor M8 supports it. If you only need a digital transport that will work with CLAS or M8, you want an iDevice, not X5II.

X5II, on the other hand, is more like an all-in-one unit that is meant to replace the whole 'iPod+DAC+amp' stack.

Thanks for your reply, that is what I thought. I'm curious about how the X5ii sounds verses my stacks. I am running .WAV files through the iPods and listening through EL8's,HD 650s, AKG kxx and occasionally SE535s all with balanced connections. I suppose I should wait for an under 1000 usd DAP with mini XLR connectivity.

 

[aangen]

 

You should know that X5II only has one digital output and it is S/PDIF. Neither CLAS nor M8 supports it. If you only need a digital transport that will work with CLAS or M8, you want an iDevice, not X5II.

X5II, on the other hand, is more like an all-in-one unit that is meant to replace the whole 'iPod+DAC+amp' stack.

Thanks for your reply, that is what I thought. I'm curious about how the X5ii sounds verses my stacks. I am running .WAV files through the iPods and listening through EL8's,HD 650s, AKG kxx and occasionally SE535s all with balanced connections. I suppose I should wait for an under 1000 usd DAP with mini XLR connectivity.

I run a first gen X5 through SE 535s and SE846s. I came from an iPod 160GB Classic that I used an external amp to listen to. The X5 smokes the iPod with no question. I find that the X5 on it's own sounds fine. It sounds a tad constricted and a little warm using the headphone out jack. Using the line out (analog) jack to a Fiio E12DIY amp the sound opens up nicely. The bass is tighter and more controlled, the soundfield opens up wider, and the top end has a bit more air. This is noticeable, but it is not painful to just listen to the X5 alone. I can't imagine the X5ii being worse. I was very pleased with the X5 alone until i heard it with the E12DIY. Now I carry the stack and I enjoy it.

 

[514077]

 

 

You should know that X5II only has one digital output and it is S/PDIF. Neither CLAS nor M8 supports it. If you only need a digital transport that will work with CLAS or M8, you want an iDevice, not X5II.

X5II, on the other hand, is more like an all-in-one unit that is meant to replace the whole 'iPod+DAC+amp' stack.

Thanks for your reply, that is what I thought. I'm curious about how the X5ii sounds verses my stacks. I am running .WAV files through the iPods and listening through EL8's,HD 650s, AKG kxx and occasionally SE535s all with balanced connections. I suppose I should wait for an under 1000 usd DAP with mini XLR connectivity.

I run a first gen X5 through SE 535s and SE846s. I came from an iPod 160GB Classic that I used an external amp to listen to. The X5 smokes the iPod with no question. I find that the X5 on it's own sounds fine. It sounds a tad constricted and a little warm using the headphone out jack. Using the line out (analog) jack to a Fiio E12DIY amp the sound opens up nicely. The bass is tighter and more controlled, the soundfield opens up wider, and the top end has a bit more air. This is noticeable, but it is not painful to just listen to the X5 alone. I can't imagine the X5ii being worse. I was very pleased with the X5 alone until i heard it with the E12DIY. Now I carry the stack and I enjoy it.

Aggreed.  I replaced my 160G IPod with the classic X5.  Major step up.  But then, I hooked an ALO RX IEM amp and now, don't listen to the HP of X5I anymore.
However, if it's balanced you want, Check out Twister6's review of the Cayan M5.  It has two card slots but also has a balanced HP as well as SE.

 

[kino lau]

So I joined the forum just about a year ago, when I wanted to pick up an X5. A year later...
 

 

[mordicai]

Gave my x5 to my kids and bought a x5II for me. Can't upgrade to fw2.5. Screen keeps saying " file not found". Ive upgraded many time on the original x5 with no problems. Tried it many time with new downloads and such. Any advice is welcome!

 

[x RELIC x]

Gave my x5 to my kids and bought a x5II for me. Can't upgrade to fw2.5. Screen keeps saying " file not found". Ive upgraded many time on the original x5 with no problems. Tried it many time with new downloads and such. Any advice is welcome!

You can't load X5 firmware on the X5ii (2.5 is for the original X5). The latest firmware for the X5ii is 1.1, and the file name has to be x5ii.fw or the player won't recognize it.

 

[x RELIC x]

You can find the official firmware from FiiO that I linked here, as well as the custom themes that are available for the X5ii (in the second post).

http://www.head-fi.org/t/771221/fiio-x5-ii-custom-themes-thread#post_11680987

 

[mordicai]

Thank you. I mistaken thought it was 5II firmware. Ill try 1.1. Much appreciated

 

[magicalmouse]

 I run a first gen X5 through SE 535s and SE846s. I came from an iPod 160GB Classic that I used an external amp to listen to. The X5 smokes the iPod with no question. I find that the X5 on it's own sounds fine. It sounds a tad constricted and a little warm using the headphone out jack. Using the line out (analog) jack to a Fiio E12DIY amp the sound opens up nicely. The bass is tighter and more controlled, the soundfield opens up wider, and the top end has a bit more air. This is noticeable, but it is not painful to just listen to the X5 alone. I can't imagine the X5ii being worse. I was very pleased with the X5 alone until i heard it with the E12DIY. Now I carry the stack and I enjoy it.

 
I agree - i use the original X5 and tried various amplifiers settling on the E12a (i tried the X5 without amplifier but found that adding the amplifier made a considerable difference to my listening pleasure) - i use se535 (custom eartips)

 

[kino lau]

   
I agree - i use the original X5 and tried various amplifiers settling on the E12a (i tried the X5 without amplifier but found that adding the amplifier made a considerable difference to my listening pleasure) - i use se535 (custom eartips)

 
Agreed about the E12A making a difference. It's something that I need to stay aware of when considering picking up a new DAP. It's quite possible that going into a new player may only give me a smaller storage device to get the same sound that I'm getting currently with the player/amp combo. I came very close to pulling the trigger on a Questyle QP1R last night after reading some reviews. If there was a Dignis leather case available for it, I probably would be posting in the QP1R forum right now...lol. The X5 serves all of my purposes, including jacking into my cars audio, which is really where it gets the most use.

 

[Thx1326]

Is there any place to see actual screen shots of the modded software packs before actually installing them?
 
And... is there a way to just change the names of the EQ's.  Would like to change the "Rock", "Classical", "Jazz" to something like "Sennheiser", "AKG", "Car", etc to reflect the enviroment it is being used in.
 
Any help?
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[kino lau]

 
Is there any place to see actual screen shots of the modded software packs before actually installing them?
 
And... is there a way to just change the names of the EQ's.  Would like to change the "Rock", "Classical", "Jazz" to something like "Sennheiser", "AKG", "Car", etc to reflect the enviroment it is being used in.
 
Any help?
 
Thanks in advance!

 
Firmware mods are no big deal to change from one to another if you don't like one. The thread can be found here http://www.head-fi.org/t/717947/fiio-x5-custom-modded-firmwares