[JamesFiiO]

i think it's worth it. maybe you can divert the design from X7 module? i don't know.
but if you can archive mSAST support and decent battery life (at least 10hrs), you have a winner on your hands imo.

 
here is two important question.
 
1, What kind of transport will be the best for audiophiles.
 
2, How many people will buy it.
 
so far I think the second question is more important to us. lol. 

 

[Replicant187]

1, What kind of transport will be the best for audiophiles.

can't speak for others but for me decent battery (at least 10 hrs), outputs (usb, optical, etc), large storage (mSata would be the best).

EDIT: oh, and include stack kit just like the one you have with X5. that was great idea.

2, How many people will buy it.

i think enough people will buy it but what do i know lol

 

[x RELIC x]

here is two important question.

1, What kind of transport will be the best for audiophiles.

2, How many people will buy it.

so far I think the second question is more important to us. lol. 

I think you have lots of ideas already in this thread for #1.

For #2 I imagine almost everyone who has a Mojo or HA-2 or ALO CDM would want one. They are selling very well.

 

[sandman1990]

I agree with the others saying that a built-in DAC/AMP completely defeats the purpose of being a transport.
Maybe drop the DAC/AMP in favor of things like a dedicated DSP.

 

[AndrewH13]

2xFull SD Storage, good UI, coax with standard 2 pole 3.5s (no sharing making short cables difficult), plus optical. 10 hours battery and a blue light, no Dac and amp, I'll order now! So would so many other Dac/amp owners as Relic said.

 

[Whitigir]

here is two important question.

1, What kind of transport will be the best for audiophiles.

2, How many people will buy it.

so far I think the second question is more important to us. lol. 

1/ There is no best transport for audiophiles. It is all about Data being read and processed by the system. I would say the faster and better hardware would be "future proof". Wireless connections for upgrades, and the better DSP like someone said, ofcourse.

2/ Enough people will buy it. Because ESS is releasing newer technology every year (so fast) now, and being "pure transport with fast processing specs", it allows people to upgrade their DAC+AMP accordingly to new technologies being released. Assuming Fiio support it well enough

See ? ESS is releasing System On Chip which is ES9118 (DAC+AMP together).....they did release so many this year

 

[x RELIC x]

I would not want any DSP on a transport (unless it could be completely defeated), other than a quality EQ. Bit perfect out to the DAC as I want as clean a signal as possible.

There's another market James, desktop DACs. Quite a few people simply don't want to use their computer for audio, or they can't for various reasons (work computers for example). Imagine an excellent transport feeding your desktop rig and not having to be tied to your computer chair, or draining your DAPs battery if using one as a source to the desktop gear.

 

[Replicant187]

There's another market James, desktop DACs. Quite a few people simply don't want to use their computer for audio, or they can't for various reasons (work computers for example). Imagine an excellent transport feeding your desktop rig and not having to be tied to your computer chair, or draining your DAPs battery if using one as a source to the desktop gear.

good point.
many people on Head Fi are already using thier DAPs on thier desktop rigs so transport device with mSata support can be a great replacement.

 

[tjl5709]

I would not want any DSP on a transport (unless it could be completely defeated), other than a quality EQ. Bit perfect out to the DAC as I want as clean a signal as possible.

There's another market James, desktop DACs. Quite a few people simply don't want to use their computer for audio, or they can't for various reasons (work computers for example). Imagine an excellent transport feeding your desktop rig and not having to be tied to your computer chair, or draining your DAPs battery if using one as a source to the desktop gear.

Bingo! My target for this was my desktop.

 

[Staxton]

I wholeheartedly agree that the transport/front-end should not have a dac or amp.
 
Almost from the moment I started using portable DACs, first the iFi nano, then the iFi DSD, and now the Chord Mojo, I have been frustrated by the lack of a decent transport. As I see it, here are some of the problems with the existing transports:
 
1. Apple iPhone 
       a. lack of storage generally, and lack of removable storage of any kind
       b. the need to use proprietary connectors (lightning, etc.)
       c. need for third-party software for hi-res bit perfect playback
2. Android phones
       a. The OTG morass -- some phones have the protocol, others don't; some work, some don't (e.g., my Samsung Galaxy S4 works great with portable DACs, my Huawei does not
       b. With older phones (pre-Lollipop), the need for third party software for hi-res/bit perfect playback
       c.  While many Android phones have microSD storage (although some are cutting back on this now), despite a theoretical 2 TB capacity, the current limit is 200 gb, and by the time microSDs reach 2 TB, some new storage type might well have been developed
3. Phones in general
       a. Possible interference issues with some DACs
       b. The inconvenience of trying to use the phone as a phone when you are using it as a DAP
       c.  Cost--if you buy a phone just to use as a transport, you are paying for a lot of features you don't need, e.g., a phone
4. DAPs (AK, Fiio, etc.)
       a. Limited storage, although some have more storage than phones; but again, all are limited by the capacity of the SD and microSD formats,which are currently 512GB and 200GB respectively
       b. Unnecessary and presumably inferior amp/dacs--otherwise, why would people be buying separate DAC/Amps?
       c.  Cost--again, you are paying for a DAC/Amp you are not using
5.  Windows PCs (Desktop use)
       a. All kinds of possible configuration issues (ASIO, USB drivers, etc.)
       b. Lots of features that aren't necessary and can actually degrade sound quality
       c. Power supply issues
       d. My personal opinion that the sound from an Android phone or a Low Power computer is far superior to a Windows PC, probably because of the points above.
6.  Low Power PCs (Raspberry Pi, Banana Pi, etc.)
       a. Although they can be used with higher capacity storage, including SSDs, 2.5" HDs, and sound great, everything is DIY, including connections, enclosures, software, etc. 
 
As many on this thread have said before, a transport with SSD or mSATA, and multi-SD storage; USB, optical and coaxial digital outputs; Wifi and/or bluetooth connectivity; long battery life (preferably a removable battery), with also the capacity to be plugged in and used as desktop device; and a versatile, easy to use and easy to upgrade interface (i.e., one that permits the user to find files in every possible way, not just the iTunes album, artist, track, but by folder and file as well), that can be accessed directly via a touch screen or remotely via some kind of web interface, is just what is needed to serve just about any need I can think of as a front-end for a DAC like the Mojo.
 
One footnote on storage: while mSATA is currently probably the best compromise for portability/capacity/cost (a 1TB mSATA drive goes for about $300 U.S. compared to $400 or a 512GB SD card), it appears that mSATA may be obsolete, and thus I don't know if larger capacity mSATA drives will be made. The relatively new kid on the block is m.2 mSATA, which is a different form factor, but allegedly will lead to greater capacity and performance. I'm no expert on any of this, I only know what I get from the internet. I also don't know what is going to happen with 2.5" SSDs--will they top the current 2TB capacity? Or will they be replaced with something else? All this makes future proofing difficult, but a transport should probably contain both the storage interface that at the time it is made is projected to have the greatest capacity in the smallest form factor, plus something more traditional like SD. 
 
Now, if we could only connect the transport to the Mojo without external cables......

 

[tusharthegamer]

the real problem is price ! its all about affordability and the balance... most people dont see dedicated devices and they always look for a cheaper product

 

[AndrewH13]

I wholeheartedly agree that the transport/front-end should not have a dac or amp.

Now, if we could only connect the transport to the Mojo without external cables......

Well a Mojo 2 might have Bluetooth like Hugo, but with a sonic compromise that brings.

But Mojo is having add on units designed by Chord to hide CCK and enable SD cards. Now, suppose Chord and Fiio went into partnership and produced a combination of Transport and DAC neatly attached together. That would be something?

 

[Deftone]

I think you have lots of ideas already in this thread for #1.

For #2 I imagine almost everyone who has a Mojo or HA-2 or ALO CDM would want one. They are selling very well.

This.

 

[Staxton]

  I also don't know what is going to happen with 2.5" SSDs--will they top the current 2TB capacity? 
 

Just a follow-up: Apparently SSDs will greatly grow in capacity. Samsung has announced a 16TB 2.5" SSD, as well as 7.68TB, 3.84TB, 1.92TB, 960GB and 480GB models based on some new technology.Samsung starts shipping the world's largest capacity SSD

 

[JamesFiiO]

  the real problem is price ! its all about affordability and the balance... most people dont see dedicated devices and they always look for a cheaper product

 
How about $300 ?