[Topspin70]

By the way, it's an active thread with a question for a header. It will draw people to come in and answer that question. If that question no longer needs answering, then let's close this and move to a new thread and call it the Upcoming FiiO Transport or something. Fair enough?

 

[masterpfa]

  I hear you guys. I was sharing my sense of puzzlement more than anything. Wasn't planning to change anything. But if you look up just a few posts, you will see that James responded asking to hear more about my thoughts, so I shared with him. It must have pained you to hear familiar material again so my apologies. You might also notice that he gave the impression that decision isn't final on adding dac/amp to the transport. Perhaps you folks know something more than what he lets on?

  By the way, it's an active thread with a question for a header. It will draw people to come in and answer that question. If that question no longer needs answering, then let's close this and move to a new thread and call it the Upcoming FiiO Transport or something. Fair enough?

This has above all got the debate going, where it will end up will be interesting.
I have my thoughts and preferences as do may here, but let's just say I have been very happy with the consensus thus far.

 
 
EDIT: That's a brilliant idea I suggest as a new title
 
"MasterPFA's transport:- You know you want it"

 

[f4phantom2500]

I had not noticed james' words about the dac/amp still being up in the air. Personally i would be fine either way.

Not including the dac/amp would not only be, as by james' admission, technically simpler, but if it were included, if the transport sounds good enough from the headphone jack to justify its purchase over the x3 for its storage capacity, it will jeopardize the relevance of the x3 for the general consumer. But if it doesnt sound good enough, then it will simply be tarnishing its own image with mediocre sound quality from the headphone jack. This may lead some people to think of it as just an ok sounding dap with high storage capacity, rather than a transport with added versatility.

 

[WCDchee]

I think this transport should have no dac or amp section, but what's important in the transport is to be a really really clean source. I would like to see the following

1) good, smooth UI, what's the point of a separate transport if you don't have that?

2) all three digital output options, USB, coax, and optical

3) special attention paid to clean power on the USB output

4) high quality well regulated femto clocks, since coaxial and optical inputs are synchronous and would depend on transport clocking quality

 

[JamesFiiO]

Updated the title for this thread.

 

[Topspin70]

I had not noticed james' words about the dac/amp still being up in the air. Personally i would be fine either way.

Not including the dac/amp would not only be, as by james' admission, technically simpler, but if it were included, if the transport sounds good enough from the headphone jack to justify its purchase over the x3 for its storage capacity, it will jeopardize the relevance of the x3 for the general consumer. But if it doesnt sound good enough, then it will simply be tarnishing its own image with mediocre sound quality from the headphone jack. This may lead some people to think of it as just an ok sounding dap with high storage capacity, rather than a transport with added versatility.

 
I agree with those scenarios. So besides my being a purist when it comes to transports, it doesn't seem to benefit FiiO by adding that dac/amp section. They already have many good to great DAPs, why throw yet another one into the range, albeit one with a confused identity. 

 

[Whitigir]

Wow...omg, that is exciting . I hope you have huge battery, and an external USB charging slot, so it can charge devices just like external battery pack.

Oh btw, I agree with the above statements from people who recommend not to have build in DAC/amp for it.

 

[JamesFiiO]

BTW， we have make decision about the DAC/AMP section, people can pretend it does not exit. good to everyone now 

. 

 

[x RELIC x]

BTW， we have make decision about the DAC/AMP section, people can pretend it does not exit. good to everyone now  . 

It looks like you've decided to move forward with this James, any projected release date?

 

[masterpfa]

  Updated the title for this thread.

I see you didn't take on my suggestion~

 

[JezR]

I vote Transport only, no DAC/Amp section, I would use it on the move and at home, I don't want to get into computer audio so a Transport only would suit me, put me down for one.

 

[tkteo]

Dual full size SD card and Apt-X Bluetooth are important features to how I will use this transport so push comes to shove I will accept certain other compromises in the design of this transport.
 
But for the coaxial digital output, *especially* if it is going to be shared with line-out, please set coax digital out as the default setting rather than analog signal lineout as default.
 
And if the coax digital and lineout ports are to be shared and thus require TRRS, will be great to bundle a TRRS to TRS adaptor cable.
 
update: saw Relic's post below. +100000000000000000.... you know what I mean yeah

 

[x RELIC x]

In the proposed pictures by James the coaxial is shared with the 3.5mm optical connection, which wouldn't necessitate a TRRS jack for the coaxial. This is a very good thing. I hope that FiiO never shares the coaxial with line out again as its a serious pain to find a compatible short 3.5mm TRRS to a standard 3.5mm TS coaxial cable.

Please FiiO, do not share coaxial with line out in this transport (shared with optical is fine).

 

[masterpfa]

In the proposed pictures by James the coaxial is shared with the 3.5mm optical connection, which wouldn't necessitate a TRRS jack for the coaxial. This is a very good thing. I hope that FiiO never shares the coaxial with line out again as its a serious pain to find a compatible short 3.5mm TRRS to a standard 3.5mm TS coaxial cable.

Please FiiO, do not share coaxial with line out in this transport (shared with optical is fine).

+1
I have not had the problem of trying to source short coaxial cables, but I have felt the pain via reading many a thread and seen the same question asked repeatedly
I am fine with shared optical as optical would most likely be my personal choice.

Just need shorter USB Type C to USB Micro type B OTG cables to be readily available, my only reservation for the USB Type C proposed with this "Transport"

 

[x RELIC x]

Will there also be WiFi and DLNA support? WiFi in a transport would be essential for the many users who stream their music with apps like Spotify or Tidal. DLNA for streaming from a NAS server. To me these are much more important in a transport than a DAC/amp (I know, you've already decided on the DAC/amp).