Recently, Fiio works as a good automaker: a well-established product line, which leads them to the number of leaders in terms of price-quality ratio, periodic updating of popular models, interesting concept-development. Only recently came the second generation of their debut player X3 (not yet everywhere it appeared on sale), as the update of the older X5 is already on the way.
Upgrading the X3 to the second revision was almost revolutionary, in fact X3-2 is a completely different device both outside and inside. In the case of X5, the changes are more modest, here it is quite possible to talk about evolutionary development. What has changed in the new generation is still the flagship (Fiio X7 just around the corner)?
First, the design was slightly changed. The device was slightly smaller in all directions, which benefitted convenience. The buttons are round, as in the other Fiio players. The screen and the scroll wheel have been improved. The wide black sides on the edges of the screen have departed into the past, now the player's display fits into the design much more organically.
Secondly, Fiio reworked the amplifier, now the volume adjustment is analog, using PGA2311, which allowed to get rid of the loss of quality digital adjustment. In the role of the opamp is OPA1612, buffer - BUF634, LPF - OPA1652.
Thirdly, changes have affected nutrition. Now, when choosing a low gain, the player consumes less power, which has a positive effect on the lifetime of a single charge. Also, a sleep mode familiar from the X3-II was added, and a sensor for accurately measuring the battery level. The maximum power of the amplifier was increased to 14 volts, which is 40% more than the first generation X5.
Fourthly, the player learned how to play DSD without converting to PCM, including SACD ISO (up to DSD128 inclusive), and in the digital path two separate master oscillators are used, one for frequencies multiple of 44.1 kHz, the second for multiples of 48 kHz .
Of the nice little things you can note the support of control buttons on CTIA-compatible headsets.
The choice of the DAC has remained unchanged, in its role there is only one PCM1792A. Fiio reasonably decided not to join the marketing race and not use two DACs even in its future flagship X7.
Traditionally for Fiio, the price for a new player will be equal to the price of the existing X5, which was removed from production.
Specifications
- SoC: JZ4760B
- DAC: PCM1792A
- LPF: OPA1612
- Amplifier: OPA1612 + BUF634
- Output power: > 255 mW @ 32Ω
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: <0.001% @ 1 KHz
- Signal to noise ratio: ≥117 dB
- Battery: 3300 mAh
- Charging time: <4 h (5 V, 2 A)
- Operating time per charge: > 10 h (load 32Ω, medium volume, off display)
- Dimensions: 109 mm × 63.5 mm × 15.3 mm
- Weight: 165g
Packing and delivery kit
My copy of X5-2 came in a tight box of black cardboard, so I can not say how the packaging of the "final" version will look. Most likely, there will be something standard, in red and black tones.
The package includes: the player itself, a black silicone case for it, a few spare films on the screen (except that already attached), a microUSB cable, an adapter for coaxial output, several vinyl stickers for customization fans (US flag, tree and carbon).
The silicone case is quite good, but it tends to cling into the pocket behind the lining and actively collect dust and threads. I hope Fiio will not keep you waiting and will release a usual set of accessories for their players, including a leatherette cover.
No surplus, but everything you need is included.
Design and management
Above the appearance of the player as it should have worked, now it fits more into the "general concept" of the players Fiio. The case became smaller, control buttons - round, but unlike the younger models here they are recessed and are flush with the case. Control of the player is standard for the company. This is a great step from the point of view of users: by buying any Fiio player you already know how to handle it and what it does.
In the left panel there are buttons for selecting the volume, if the player's screen is off, you can switch the tracks by long presses on them (in the menu, you can choose several options for locking, which differ which buttons will work in this case). Immediately there is a power button, combined with an LED indicator. Since X5-2 also acquired the function of "deep sleep", you can not turn it off permanently, but leave it on pause, saving boot time when turning on. A very convenient feature, changing the approach to using the player.
On the bottom panel there are 2 sockets for microSD cards and a microUSB connector for connection to a computer and charging. Two memory cards - one of the strengths of the line of X5 from Fiio, combined with support for USB OTG, they allow you to carry a huge supply of music. When connected to a computer, the player can be seen as external drives, giving access to memory cards, or working in USB DAC mode with an amplifier for headphones, providing the owner with a quality sound.
At the top there are two sockets - an output to the headphones and a linear output, combined with a coaxial one (you can switch them in the menu).
The front panel is traditional. At the top of the screen, it is very high-quality, with a good resolution and color rendering for the player, it will be blind in the sun, but you can still see the information. Reducing the size of the body of the player has benefited the design, wide black frames around the edges of the screen have become much smaller. In the lower half, the wheel and buttons for Fiio products are located. The scroll wheel has been improved and causes much less criticism than the first version of the X5. The two lower buttons are used to switch tracks and rewind, they can also be used to navigate through menus. The upper right button serves to return back, and the upper left button opens the context menu on the playback screen, allowing you to delete a track, add it to favorites, or switch the playback mode. The wheel is used for navigation, the button inscribed in it serves to confirm the selection and play / pause.
Also, a menu consisting of 5 items is organized in a standard way. The first one returns you to the playback screen to the current track. The second one allows you to view the music library, broken down by artists, albums, genres, etc. The third one shows files by folders, for those who prefer this way of organizing music. The fourth one is used to adjust the sound, you can change the equalizer (10 bands), playback mode, select playback without pauses, gain, etc. The fifth menu item contains system settings such as screen brightness, off timer and so on.
The player's running time in my test was 11 hours and 10 minutes on low gain, the charger from the iPad charged it in 3 hours and 35 minutes.
The build quality of the player is excellent, no squeaks, backlashes or flaws.
Sound
To listen to the player, the following headphones were used:
- HiFiMan HE560
- Dunu DN-2000J and Titan 1
- Lear LUF-4F
- Rhapsodio RTi1
- Ambient Acoustics AM10
Here I, perhaps, in advance will disappoint those who expect from X5-2 any sverhoktkreneny. The new revision of the player, of course, offers improvements in sound, but they are not as noticeably noticeable as in the case of X3. The fact is that the first X5 itself was a good player (not ideal, but very good), so it was not very real to make a significant breakthrough in sound, saving the price and dimensions. The main part of the improvements in X5-2 came with the amplifier, so if you listen to it through the line output, the changes will be even smaller. If you've heard the X5, you can imagine its sound with a smoother sound, improved resolution and microdynamics, you'll get a second-generation feed.
Actually, how does X5-2 sound?
If you evaluate the player "in general", then for its price segment, it offers just a great sound: fairly even, detailed, very musical-lively, with a slight bias in the darkness. But it was initially understandable, what if you look at the player without an adjustment to the "price"?
The bass is well controlled, it became slightly less accentuated than the first version of the X5, it seemed to add a touch of imposing power to it. This leads to the fact that most of the recordings sound more pleasant for the hearing, although on very rare compositions it is audible how the LFs get a little bit at the beginning of the MF range. Fortunately, this is a fairly infrequent phenomenon. Bass X5-2 is well-drawn, it has a solidity, it sets the basis of the melody confidently and reliably. You can complain a little about working out micro components and texture, but again only relatively more expensive solutions.
The midrange is slightly underlined, but done with the mind to emphasize the emotions embedded in the record. This helps the X5-2 to better cope with the dry-sounding headphones without losing in expressiveness and naturalness. Subjectively, the volume of the player is transmitted well both in width and depth. The indicators, of course, are not prohibitive, but are slightly better than the first generation. The tools are traditionally well separated, their character is transmitted very well.
The HF has also been tweaked, the player does not emphasize as much as the X5 did in the first modification, but they are well-designed and fed without the slightest attempt to soften them (bad news for RF fobs, good for connoisseurs of naturalness), this allows the X5-2 it is good to win back those very small nuances with which high-quality recordings are rich.
Actually, in the review of the type of this can not do without comparison with other players. I tried to briefly compare the X5-2 with other models that were "at hand". Please note that any such comparison a priori subjectively and with all the desire can not be free from the personal tastes of the author and the peculiarities of his perception.
Cayin N6. Of course, Cayin plays better, which is not surprising, given the higher price. Nevertheless, there is some similarity among the players. X5-2 also uses a DAC from PCM, hence the overall delivery with an emphasis on musicality. At N6, however, it is better to control the frequencies, it plays faster and even closer to naturalness. He also builds a large imaginary scene.
iBasso DX90. That's it, for the sake of the DX90, I wrote about the subjectivity of perception. Specifically for me, the DX90 is worse than the X5-2 in almost any aspect, especially with regard to the emasculated, dry sound of the player from iBasso, its management and even the location of the connectors. At the same time, I understand that the taste perception should not dominate, and the DX90 comes out a little ahead in detail, but at one resolution you will not go far, so in 99 cases out of 100 I prefer the product from Fiio.
Fiio X3-2. One of the main questions that many will ask themselves is "Is it worth overpaying?", And it is really interesting, since with the X3-2 Fiio the price-quality ratio has been raised very high. If to compare, previously leveling the volume, then you can not hear the difference from the first seconds. After careful listening it becomes heard that X5 is better in speed, in drawing plans and resolution. Is it worth the overpayment, of course, everyone decides for himself, personally, I would pay for this gain in sound.
Hidizs AP100. At a similar price and what is called the "level", these two players differ more in nuances. The AP100 makes a bit more emphasis on bass, so its sound is perceived more "cloudy", and the imaginary scene - more clamped. Although I quite understand the people who of the two players will prefer the AP100, many like a little emphasized low frequencies. Update . After listening to the players a little longer, I realized that I slightly overestimated the AP100 rating. Precisely because of this forcing, the low-frequency sound loses sufficiently in volume and the real detail (quite good) goes unnoticed. This is not noticeable on all tracks, but on some recordings this problem is very striking. Therefore, alas, AP100 is not a competitor to X5-2.
Xuelin iHiFi 800. Unusual and unexpectedly quite good player from Xuelin. Despite the traditionally awful interface, it pleases very good sound with crystal mid frequencies and excellent detail. But at the same time it is quite light, it has fewer LFs, so it sounds "light" of the new Fiio players. I'm not going to judge whether this is better or worse, there is already pure "flavors" in full swing.
Compatibility
Naturally, the reserve for amplification of this player will be enough for almost any headphones, if traditionally not to consider tight isodinas. He is good at dealing with sensitive IEM, and with overhead models, loving more power. The redesigned power circuit of the amplifier allowed the X5-2 to improve the compatibility with the "hungry" models of headphones, even with the AKG K702 it can be listened to (not ideal, but quite tolerable).
To the quality of the recordings the player is quite critical, because of the natural transmission of the high-frequency range, low-quality tracks will be heard very well, especially if the headphones are not very dark.
By the way, about the headphones. Strangely enough, with X5-2 I liked the good one-driver headphones: HiFiMan Re600, Hippo Pro One, "Nails" of different modifications, Dunu Titan 1. To open the potential of the same Dunu DN-2000J to full X5-2 could not, but this, perhaps, is not his fault.
Opeth - Burden. Each track Opeth is an opening, a combination of amazing melodies, piercing vocals and sometimes unexpected brutality. The ballad Burden, in fact, is devoid of this aggressive component, immersing the listener in an atmosphere of melancholy and musical self-reflection. Especially interesting is the transition at the end to the next track, Porcelain Heart, a voice that turns into otherworldly sounds and the next burst of energy you just have to hear. Even if you do not like heavy music, Opeth is worth listening to. Especially with the player type X5-2, able to convey all the nuances of the track.
Pilate's Dream from Jesus Christ Superstar. Of course, the great rock opera is full of wonderful arias, but for some reason the party of Pilate is often overlooked, but in vain. This short composition was performed by Bari Dennen with amazing emotionality, which he managed to convey without much difficulty. It is with the X5-2 and its slightly underlined middle, listening to similar tracks is especially interesting.
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The title track from the last album of the greatest music geniuses at the moment is full of interesting nuances and unexpected moves that show both the composer's and the performer's talent for the band. Naturally, for a full perception of this track you need a good source. Should I say that the X5-2 copes with it, if not excellent, it's very good?
conclusions
It's hard to do without clichés like "a good player has gotten better", but what if that's what happened? Slightly improved ergonomics, a number of nice features, tuning sound by improving the amplifier, all this makes the second generation X5 more interesting than its predecessor.
Obviously, Fiio was not intended to force all users of the old X5 to upgrade, the calculation is more likely for those who buy a new player, for them the choice of solution from Fiio has become more justified.
The article is based on materials .
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