[good sound]

Okay, I 'm sure this has been covered in depth already, but in the year and a half that I have owned my X5 gen1, this is the first time I am going to attempt to configure it as a desktop DAC and I just want to make sure I am doing everything correctly. I will be using my X5 through a pair of Audioengine 5+ powered speakers. Just to confirm, once I have all of the drivers installed, I'm on Windows 10 so it's going to be a bit of a pain, and everything configured, I will connect the X5 to my computer via USB? Will any USB port work, and yes I know FiiO recommends using one of the rear USB inputs? Then I would connect the X5 to the 5+ powered speakers via the X5's line out is that correct? If there is a resource online that will guide me through this process, other than the X5 online users guide, which I already have, I would appreciate a link. Thanks.

 

[TheChosen0ne]

Hi guys I am gonna get the X5 second gen.  I have a HE-500 and K702, how does those headphones sound with the X2 ii?  Also which IEM(s) do you guys recommend that's $100-$200?  I want to get am IEM so I can listen music when I am not at home.  Thanks.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Ask the experts in the X5ii thread. You'll find a lot more of them there than you will here.

 

[TheChosen0ne]

Ask the experts in the X5ii thread. You'll find a lot more of them there than you will here.

 
 
Can you give me a direct link?

 

[Eddy Flycatcher]

Is it really that difficult to use the search option or Google?
http://www.head-fi.org/t/765943/fiio-x5-2nd-gen-impressions-and-discussion-thread
 
clearly you are not the chosen one 

 

[hardbop]

Of course, he's not the Chosen One. That username was already taken and this guy had to use a number in his name!

 

[good sound]

Got the X5 set up for DAC use on my Windows 10 PC. It wasn't really difficult at all.
I was fully expecting a significant improvement in sound quality in comparison to a direct feed from the sound card of my cheap HP PC. Unfortunately just the opposite occurred. The sound direct form the PC's sound card is better. I am using Audioengine A5+ speakers and JRiver Media Center 18 configured properly and optimally for output to the FiiO. The X5 clearly shows the different sampling rates of each file I feed to it form JRiver.
 
This took me completely by surprise and only reinforces my belief that while possibly real in some situations, expectation bias is far from automatic or guaranteed. I FULLY expected the sound to be MUCH better and yet, that didn't happen. I have read so much about how the line out and USB DAC are the X5's real strong points.
 
What could possibly explain this anomalous result? 

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Got the X5 set up for DAC use on my Windows 10 PC. It wasn't really difficult at all.
I was fully expecting a significant improvement in sound quality in comparison to a direct feed from the sound card of my cheap HP PC. Unfortunately just the opposite occurred. The sound direct form the PC's sound card is better. I am using Audioengine A5+ speakers and JRiver Media Center 18 configured properly and optimally for output to the FiiO. The X5 clearly shows the different sampling rates of each file I feed to it form JRiver.
 
This took me completely by surprise and only reinforces my belief that while possibly real in some situations, expectation bias is far from automatic or guaranteed. I FULLY expected the sound to be MUCH better and yet, that didn't happen. I have read so much about how the line out and USB DAC are the X5's real strong points.
 
What could possibly explain this anomalous result? 

 
Maybe there is something causing distortion?
 
How you supposed it would be better and how does it actually sound?
 
What were you expecting, and what you got?

 

[good sound]

 

  Got the X5 set up for DAC use on my Windows 10 PC. It wasn't really difficult at all.
I was fully expecting a significant improvement in sound quality in comparison to a direct feed from the sound card of my cheap HP PC. Unfortunately just the opposite occurred. The sound direct form the PC's sound card is better. I am using Audioengine A5+ speakers and JRiver Media Center 18 configured properly and optimally for output to the FiiO. The X5 clearly shows the different sampling rates of each file I feed to it form JRiver.
 
This took me completely by surprise and only reinforces my belief that while possibly real in some situations, expectation bias is far from automatic or guaranteed. I FULLY expected the sound to be MUCH better and yet, that didn't happen. I have read so much about how the line out and USB DAC are the X5's real strong points.
 
What could possibly explain this anomalous result? 

 
Maybe there is something causing distortion?
 
How you supposed it would be better and how does it actually sound?
 
What were you expecting, and what you got?
 
There was no distortion.
 
It would be better if it would have been less bright sounding with less glare, better sound stage with more resolution and refinement.
 
I was expecting the X5 in DAC mode to give better overall sound than the feed directly from the built in DAC of my cheap PC's sound card, I thought I made that pretty clear. Specifics not really necessary, but would include those mentioned in a previous sentence of this post, specifically ones concerning sound stage and resolution and brightness and so forth. Sometimes pinpointing and describing specific elements of a comparison can be difficult, but you just instinctively know when one sounds better than the other, at least to your own ears. This is one of those situations.
 
 

 

[Dobrescu George]

 

From the brightness POV, X5 will as a DAC will be brighter than most cheap DAC in computers.
 
From the details and so forth points of view, I am thinking that something might be off, X5 is amazing when it comes to these things.
 
First ideea that comes to my mind, - just give it a try - plug your speakers into the headphone output of X5 instead of line out. See if it sounds better. 

 

[brugis]

If some one is interested i sell my Mr.Speaker Mad Dog V3.2
http://www.head-fi.org/t/786363/mr-speakers-mad-dog-v3-2
If interested please PM me.

 

[Imaqtpig]

Hi everyone, I'm currently using Shozy Alien + UM 50 Pro, I'm tired of the Shozy Alien because it has no screen. I've been looking for a new player, is X5 2nd gen a good choice? I only listen WAV format, is X5 easy to import songs and organize? I hate spending a lot of time to organize songs, thanks for the help, have a great day everyone

 

[PinkyPowers]

You don't import. You will simply drag and drop folders onto a microSD card.

How well the X5 will organize your files is really up to the files... and you. If the tagging is done properly, there shouldn't be too much problem.

Of course, the very best way to do this, for any DAP, is to have a well organized library on your computer, transfer the files over in an orderly manner, and always use folder browsing. Don't rely on the DAP to organize anything.

It's time to curate your music yourself. Make sure the Meta Data is correct on every album, and the art is a reasonable size.

 

[Imaqtpig]

You don't import. You will simply drag and drop folders onto a microSD card.

How well the X5 will organize your files is really up to the files... and you. If the tagging is done properly, there shouldn't be too much problem.

Of course, the very best way to do this, for any DAP, is to have a well organized library on your computer, transfer the files over in an orderly manner, and always use folder browsing. Don't rely on the DAP to organize anything.

It's time to curate your music yourself. Make sure the Meta Data is correct on every album, and the art is a reasonable size.

thanks a lot I am going to order one, how you put artwork on X5?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Take a Sharpie and draw on the screen.