Fiio X5 3rd generation.

This is the first detailed review (in English) that I've come across for the 3rd gen. Headfonics like it a lot.

FiiO X5iii Review

 

I'm going to sit this dance out...i am pretty content with my Fiio X3 II and Fiio X5 II...both a vast improvement over my collection of iPods...i really do not need a device with Android built in...i am however impressed with it's features and price point..i'm certain it will sell well.

 

Here's another, this one from Headfonia:

Review: Fiio X5iii 3rd Generation - The one that could - Headfonia Headphone Reviews

 

I was researching a lot of DAP players recently, this one is going to shake up the market....all these features in a $400 price point will hopefully get these devices to a more reasonable price point.

 

Having Wifi and the google play store for streaming apps is a game changer IMO. back before I lowered the bar and accepted the convenience of just using my phone as a DAP, this is exactly the device I wish existed.

 

I purchased the FiiO X3-II and would up returning it within 48 hours because I could not stand the software on it. I think the main thing that bugged me was that it did not read a great deal of the tagged information in my FLAC files, which made them a pain to play in order correctly. Im sure there was a way to workaround the broken album/playlist issue, but I dumped it and went back to my aging iPod classic with Rockbox loaded. I would be interested in giving the new version a chance but will wait for more feedback on the software before buying again.

 

48 hours, eh? You're no doubt well within your right to return it if you're displeased in any way, but, I would think that there might have been some kind of resolution to your concerns that could have been found given a chance, especially after spending $400. Did you try to raise your issue in the thread over on head-fi?

 

Actually, what always kept me away from the Fiios when I was in the market was bad software. I think the Pono is proof that great hardware can be tarnished by horrible UI. Playing music from a device like this shouldn't require workarounds or fiddle, IMO.

 

Looks interesting. I guess these things are getting better all the time but so are phones so I'd be interested in seeing some direct comparisons and tests by some of these reviewers. Running android is a no-brainer for things like Tidal and Foobar. The included software in these things always seems to be buggy, I'd just run Foobar if I had one.

 

The firmware that came loaded was the most up to date build at the time I purchased last year. The main trouble I had was that it was not reading the disc tagging so when I would load up a 2-3 disc live show for example all the tracks were sorted by track number only, so all track 1s in a row, then all track 2s etc.

Did a quick search, saw others having same issue and no fix, so yes as fast as that it goes back to Amazon. I already have an iPod classic and a Pono, so no need for another player that does not fit my bill of needs.

From what I see on this new version there is an option to use their music software or install a 3rd party app. That *should* make a big difference.

 

I see...Makes sense now. Well, look, you gave it the ol' college try, right? Looked into the issue and found it wasn't your cup of tea. At least you tried to SORT it out yourself before sending it back!

I don't have mine yet, so I couldn't tell you if all of my live Pearl Jam shows would have the same problem, but, I'd maybe try to post on head-fi to see if it's an issue that's been resolved in this new revision.

 

I'm a pretty staunch defender of my Pono, so, I'm gonna try not to get too fired up here cussing:), but, yeah, I'm with you on a device like the newer Android-based Fiio players that are attempting to accomplish multiple goals simultaneously. I find that I couldn't care less when it comes to a dedicated music player. Pick a song and press play.

 

My library was mostly re-ripped in FLAC over the last couple years for use with my Pono. I originally purchased the X3ii to use more as my 'road' player so that the Pono could stay safe at home (closer to a plug where its tough battery life is not a problem). When I realized that I could not just take use my library as is on the Fiio i got discouraged. The Headfonia link provided above mentions that with the Fiio X5iii "You can either use Fiio’s native music app for playing your music or you can install a 3rd party app like Hiby in example. It all works." This will probably resolve my issue with the X3ii.

 

Good deal, man. I've never used a 3rd party app for Android, TBH, but, it definitely sounds like this would be what you're looking for...

 

It's not so much that I disagree, it's that I wasn't born with narrow pianist figures, so navigating around a touch screen the size of a postage stamp is just no good for me. I very frequently touch the wrong thing. I think if Pono had "gone boring" and just made this standard ipod-ish device rather then the cute, kickstarter-esque pyramid candy bar shape, they could have had more space for a better UI.

This is a good time to tout another feature Fiio loves to include, which is external USB DAC functionality. If the Pono had some form of digital input you could leverage with the fixed line out, my word I'd love that thing.

 

I have toyed with buying one but haven't gotten a clear idea of what it takes to load songs and manage a library. I'm an Apple guy I have Mac computers and I-phones so how does this interface with my setup?

I don't love using my phone as a portable music player. I'm ready to go back to a separate music playing device and the I-pod is a dead end. So how would I load my library into this sucker?

 

Pretty much just drag and drop the files onto an SD card and you are all set.

 

You just load your files in their respective artist and album folders onto the two sd cards. I am not 100% sure how the X5-3 works yet exactly, but I expect that it will read all the tags completely this time (they realized that was a big complaint of earlier versions), so all Category View sorts for artists, albums, song names etc. would be driven by the tags; I also expect it will combine both SD cards into the single Category views/sorts.

On the X5-2 for example, you had to rely on your song file names being setup correctly, the standard firmware did not read the song name tags in Category sorts, or Folder view. Tagging software can easily convert file names from tags however, so it is pretty easy to use once you set yourself up (either combine multiple discs into one large album folder, or use your song file name numbering to be 1-01 Song Name then 2-01 Song Name for disc 2. I usually use folder view as I only ever listen to albums as they are, and except for switching between the SD cards in Folder view, where I have artists A-J on one card and K-Z on the other, it is just like using file view on a computer.

 

Where as Apple is all about syncing with itunes, with other players you connect them and they're basically recognized as a hard drive. Copy folders just like you would to an external disk.

 

That sounds very easy. So I can drag my iTunes files right onto it?

 

I've got one arriving on Friday. Ipod classic hard drive finally died, so I decided to move on. I'll be sure to post impressions once I've had a chance to listen to and play w/ the unit.

 

You will need to buy one or more micro sd cards in case you missed that, only 32gb on the device, 2 micro sd slots up to 256 each so far; but yes plug it into your computer and you will see the three drives to copy to. Sometimes a card reader provides faster copying speeds than connecting the device itself, but I don't know the transfer speed of the X5-3.

 

Being new to all this is the X7 a better buy right now? Or for about the same money would you get this one?
Thanks

 

This was how the X7 (which I bought) operated when it was launched. There is a "Pure Music Mode"; or "Android Mode": you're booting into a custom Android, but you can install, say, Tidal or Spotify. With Firmware 2.0 installed, and a driver installed on your host machine, the X7 could also act as a USB DAC.

But you still could not get hi-res audio with the version of Android that Fiio baked for the product, any more than you could from most American phones. If you wanted hi-res or DSD, you had to boot into "Pure Music Mode" and use their app. (Also... back in "Android Mode", I found that Tidal was complete fail on any firmware upgrade after 2.0.)

Page 3 of the Headfonia review:

Review: Fiio X5iii 3rd Generation - The one that could - Page 3 of 4 - Headfonia Headphone Reviews

quickly pits the X7 (which is now coming down in price appreciably) against the new X5III in several categories, and it seems to be somewhat of a draw. I read the full review (quickly, I admit), and I'm not getting the for-sure, for-sure feeling that hi-res playback under "Android Mode" is on the table, still.

 

I'll pass as I am already pretty happy with my 1st Gen X1. It's interesting Fiio isn't making this new X5 thinner in order to compete with products like the iPod Touch.