[x RELIC x]

flexibility is key

I disagree. If FiiO is going for a TOTL DAP then yeah, balanced out. I SERIOUSLY don't want to pay for a balanced topology (read - expensive) in a product designed to serve files digitally to another device. There is already concession for a (cheap) built in DAC/amp, but really, asking for balanced output seems rather nonsensical for a transport. There are plenty of devices that have a balance output and the price and size to go along with it.

 

[tienbasse]

Don't make it more complicated than a transport needs to be.
 
Huge battery, huge storage, a couple of output connectors, Bluetooth, a polished UI and it's good to go.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I disagree. If FiiO is going for a TOTL DAP then yeah, balanced out. I SERIOUSLY don't want to pay for a balanced topology (read - expensive) in a product designed to serve files digitally to another device. There is already concession for a (cheap) built in DAC/amp, but really, asking for balanced output seems rather nonsensical for a transport. There are plenty of devices that have a balance output and the price and size to go along with it.

Wait a second! 
 
I'm confused 

 
Is it even technically possible to have a balanced transport? I mean, what would be balanced? Data stream? 

 
We just need Big data bank, high grade software, lots of battery, nice UI and controls, and of course, good sound when used as what it is 

.
 
Feels like overcomplicating and adding to cost with things that people won't use this product for would be counter productive for us, buyers... 
 
I think bluetooth really has it;s place with this one though 

 

[x RELIC x]

Wait a second! 

I'm confused 

Is it even technically possible to have a balanced transport? I mean, what would be balanced? Data stream? h34r:

We just need Big data bank, high grade software, lots of battery, nice UI and controls, and of course, good sound when used as what it is  .

Feels like overcomplicating and adding to cost with things that people won't use this product for would be counter productive for us, buyers... 

I think bluetooth really has it;s place with this one though 

FiiO has said they want to have a cheap integrated DAC/amp to maximize flexibility and marketability for the device. However, just as I predicted long ago, they are confusing their consumer and target market by doing so. There are repeated requests for battery draining, size increasing, price inflating implementations, that have no place in a transport.

 

[AndrewH13]

FiiO has said they want to have a cheap integrated DAC/amp to maximize flexibility and marketability for the device. However, just as I predicted long ago, they are confusing their consumer and target market by doing so. There are repeated requests for battery draining, size increasing, price inflating implementations, that have no place in a transport.

Always thought this would happen, and will be the same when external reviewers get hold of it.

 

[Dobrescu George]

FiiO has said they want to have a cheap integrated DAC/amp to maximize flexibility and marketability for the device. However, just as I predicted long ago, they are confusing their consumer and target market by doing so. There are repeated requests for battery draining, size increasing, price inflating implementations, that have no place in a transport.

 

Always thought this would happen, and will be the same when external reviewers get hold of it.

 
 
Oh. 
 
That sounds not very good. I mean, if it's a top player, it's good to have a DAC / Amp inside, but to have a very good transport, but with a mid range DAC/Amp, it might confuse the market. I mean, it would be easier to market as transport (but there might be too few customers) than a mid end DAC/Amp. 
 
If they include a high end DAC/Amp, then it's another story, which I think everyone could be happy to hear, depending on price and how good it is.^_^.

 

[x RELIC x]

Oh. 

That sounds not very good. I mean, if it's a top player, it's good to have a DAC / Amp inside, but to have a very good transport, but with a mid range DAC/Amp, it might confuse the market. I mean, it would be easier to market as transport (but there might be too few customers) than a mid end DAC/Amp. 

If they include a high end DAC/Amp, then it's another story, which I think everyone could be happy to hear, depending on price and how good it is.^_^.

'Too few customers' is exactly what FiiO has said is their fear. However, I think they are underestimating the market for a transport, especially considering they are releasing their own Q5 which needs....... a transport. I see them releasing Bluetooth remotes and docks, and other accessories that I'm sure (IMO) would sell less volume than the T3 transport. I get why they want to include all of the announced features, but I think people generally should take a step back on ridiculous feature requests on the T3. The market is RIPE for an affordable transport and I wish FiiO well on creating one at a reasonable cost. My opinion anyway, and I'm sure there are those that will disagree.

 

[HK_sends]

'Too few customers' is exactly what FiiO has said is their fear. However, I think they are underestimating the market for a transport, especially considering they are releasing their own Q5 which needs....... a transport. I see them releasing Bluetooth remotes and docks, and other accessories that I'm sure (IMO) would sell less than the T3 transport. I get why they want to include all of the announced features, but I think people generally should take a step back on ridiculous feature requests on the T3. The market is RIPE for an affordable transport and I wish FiiO well on creating one at a reasonable cost. My opinion anyway, and I'm sure there are those that will disagree.

I am not one of those who disagree.
Cheers!
-HK sends

 

[Mython]

  The market is RIPE for an affordable transport and I wish FiiO well on creating one at a reasonable cost. My opinion anyway, and I'm sure there are those that will disagree.

 
You know I see the current market situation the same way, too.
 
It's one of the few niches left, that has barely even been acknowledged by manufacturers, at any level of the market.
 
I am amazed that James is nervous about producing the T3 - if it's done well, without silly library limitations, it may be one of Fiio's most successful products (especially as Fiio will be making their own high-performance DAC-Amp, at some point)

 

[FizzlePop]

Quote:

The market is RIPE for an affordable transport 

Highly disagree -- but only on the keyword affordable. I think most of the folks asking for a transport are more enamored with the idea of any transport at all -- because one does not exist -- over a $200 one from FiiO. In fact, the idea of a DAC-less device is so niche and audiophile that probably 70% of those here would jump ship if Chord or Questyle or whoever announced one with silver solder, premium components, etc. for $700. 
 
T3 is a stepping stone for some other manufacturer to make the 'true' transport that some are asking for. Don't expect it to be as affordable as this device, though. 

 

[Dobrescu George]

Business wise, there are potential customers for a transport, but how many, no one knows 

 
If you ask me, it's a variable thing, not all audiophiles know what a transport is, not all audiophiles like an external DAC/Amp, but those who do, surely would like one of these. 
 
But then, there is X5ii which is very nice as a transport...
 
Overall, it would be nice to see it, but I would not vouch on either side. Sure would be sweet for the people who need a transport, but it's hard to estimate how many are there 

 

[x RELIC x]

I would guess thousands of Mojo owners would buy it if the price and functionality are good. iDSD users, Q5 users, users who don't want to use their computer to serve files, users who find the MicroRendu too pricey (which is selling well). There is a market.

My whole point of my initial post wasn't to say that an amp/DAC is not absolutely necessary. The point was that the features being requested, like a balanced output, seem unrealistic to me given the underlying goal of the T3, and that the simple fact that they are including a cheap amp/DAC solution is confusing the market and reducing the T3's chance for success with it's target audience. Again, IMO.

 

[howdy]

I would guess thousands of Mojo owners would buy it if the price and functionality are good. iDSD users, Q5 users, users who don't want to use their computer to serve files, users who find the MicroRendu too pricey (which is selling well). There is a market.

My whole point of my initial post wasn't to say that an amp/DAC is not absolutely necessary. The point was that the features being requested, like a balanced output, seem unrealistic to me given the underlying goal of the T3, and that the simple fact that they are including a cheap amp/DAC solution is confusing the market and reducing the T3's chance for success with it's target audience. Again, IMO.

I would be one who buys it for my Mojo.

 

[Mython]

It's funny... the market is saturated with DAPs, yet still companies around the globe, large & small, keep churning them out, as if the market is infinite...
 
Sure, the number of potential DAP customers vastly exceeds the number of potential Digital-Transport customers - I acknowledge that, but that does not necessarily mean one should be pessimistic about how large the Digital-Transport market might be. It is growing, all the time, as more and more people expand their awareness of how flexible such products can be, and, frankly, I wonder how many people accurately predicted how successful Oppo's HA-2, and Chord's Mojo would be, for example? (and Fiio's own DAC-Amp products, of course). Surely, in a world saturated with DAPs, it would be risky to develop and manufacture DAC-Amps like the HA-2 and Mojo? And yet they are exploding in popularity, selling in their tens of thousands.  OK, so it's not hundreds of thousands, or millions, but tens of thousands is not to be sniffed-at, and definitely repays the R&D efforts made by the respective DAC-Amp companies.
 
So, I reckon whoever makes it to market, first, with a decent-performing Digital-Transport (with 2x SD slots, and lighter & slimmer than a similar DAP) will make their investment back, and more - even if it doesn't make them billionaires!

 
 
 
...if Fiio get their act together, and release the T3 quickly enough, just the mere fact of offering 2x fullsize SD card slots will, ALONE, make a huge number of people want one. Fiio need to take the opportunity to play that ace-card before someone beats them to it.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Balanced would be totally overkill for a DAP / Transport. 
 
It is even now, there are very few IEMs / headphones that can work balanced, it's mostly hit and miss.