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Review Players FiiO X3-II, X5-II and X1: a feast for music lovers
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This is a review of three products audio player best sound quality FiiO: X3-II, X5-II, and X1, which make up the line of portable media players, Hi-Fi. The era of cheap Chinese hobbies digital MP-3 players have passed, and now perform their functions perfectly smartphones, but with high-quality audio content cope only specialized devices. It’s about these now will be discussed.
FIIO HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO PLAYER X1
The audio player best sound quality FiiO X1 – is not new, but the opportunity to start a successful introduction to portable Hi-Fi-players. The average cost of a model today is less than 10 thousand Russian rubles, but the pleasure you get sea. The model has a very small size (96,7 x 57,7 x 14,1 mm) and weight (106 grams), so it is easy to carry in your pocket. But in this very pocket will be the sound level of mastering studio!
This is no exaggeration, for the Texas Instruments PCM5142 chip is vastly superior to the level of the chips installed in smartphones, so do not even dream to hear the sound on your phone professional level. In addition, the player is set high-quality professional power ISL28291 from Intersil. Sound FiiO X1 displays in two ways: directly on the headphones or through the line-out. Switching between modes is done in the menu. Linear player input can be connected to an external amplifier.
With regards to the supported lossless formats, it is such popular formats like APE, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, and Apple Lossless. Among the lossy formats supported MP2, MP3, AAC, ALAC, WMA, and OGG. Although small in battery capacity (1700 mAh), the player is able to play music offline for nearly 12 hours. Keep an array of music is offered on a MicroSD memory card up to 128GB.
Menu and other information are displayed on the two-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 320×240 pixels. The control buttons are located on the front of a body and at the ends.
FIIO DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Impressions of use: if X1 regarded as a “step” into the world of high-quality portable audio, all at a decent level. Minimalism is very “on the subject”, and the sound is the pleasing contrast in comparison with the fact that they can offer the standard device – smartphones, tablets, etc.
The sound may vary depending on the choice of the amplifier, but it sounds perfect on high-quality headphones, but we most enjoyed listening to rock and classical music (especially that of electronic music lovers and prefer corresponding headphones).
Hi-Fi audio player best sound quality FiiO Chinese company X3-II belongs to the second generation and has a DSD direct support and two quartz oscillators. Available in packages of gold, black, and titanium color. It features a new digital audio architecture, namely: native support for the DSD, direct decoding SACD ISO, support WAV lossless-format, FLAC, APE, WMA, ALAC, AIFF, and many others. The above quartz oscillators have frequencies which are multiples of 48 and 44.1 kHz. They provide the lowest jitter and high accuracy of reproduction of music for all sample rates.
Along oscillators eliminate conversion artifacts. “Heart” of the player – DAC Cirrus Logic CS4398, having a low-pass filter and has a very low noise level and phase distortion. The analog circuit applied premium tantalum capacitors. Playback controls tracks and menus are on the front of the shell model. Buttons adjust the sound volume – on the left side. There is a power button on / off the device. On the right side, you can see the bottom of the slot to insert a memory card MicroSD capacity of up to 128GB.
In addition, the upper and lower ends of the body are located and other connectors: coaxial, linear (3.5mm) headphone jack (3.5 mm), MicroUSB. The wheel is used to navigate and button inside it serves to confirm and play / pause. The audio player best sound quality FiiO display is large enough – and a two-inch LCD with a resolution of 320×240 pixels. Ten-equalizer supports custom playlists .m3u and m3u8. Friendly interface, it is virtually the same as the previous interface FiiO models. The main menu consists of five points clear: a return to the playback screen, browse the library, preview the contents of the card, adjust the playback and setup of the player.
In the playback settings the available range of the repeat mode, storing the current track and position it in, activation playback without pausing, selecting a volume limit, and much more, including the aforementioned equalizer. Although the metal housing (polished, by the way), the player weighs only 135 g Package great black silicone case, two spare protective films on the screen (one has already been carefully glued), MicroUSB cable, 3.5 mm S / PDIF and three coaxial adapter set of stickers on the body.
Impressions from the use of: the font is too small on the screen, but the controls are easy and informative. Sound juicy even when the equalizer, but for the pleasure of music in the format required lossless-quality headphones, in general, FiiO X3-II an excellent choice for hard rock fans.
Hi-Fi Player FiiO X5-II – a model more “advanced”, if you compare it with the FiiO X3-II. So, it has to improve the quality of sound is applied smooth switching between different voltage gain. This means that at high gain operational voltage reaches 14V (± 7V), which is 40% higher than it was the player of the first generation X5.
This in turn significantly increases the level of the sound. Conversely, low operating voltage gain adjustable in the range ± 5V, thereby reducing power consumption and increasing the operating time of the internal battery. Excellent performance! The player can decode the “native” DSD64 / 128 and play back SACD ISO, and other lossless formats (WAV, FLAC, APE, WMA, AIFF, ALAC, etc.) is also supported with the parameters of up to 192 kHz / 24-bit. Color screen from FiiO X5-II larger – 2.4 inches. The display, by the way, is based on IPS-matrix.
Supports installing two memory cards MicroSD with a capacity of up to 128 GB each. Note support control buttons on the CTIA-compatible headsets. The bundled we found a black silicone case, replacement of the film to the screen, MicroUSB cable, coaxial cable and an adapter for vinyl labels.
Impressions of use: in comparison with the model X3II, in X5II win screen fonts – information easier to perceive, however, subjectively, in bright sunlight severely lacking brightness of the screen. The buttons are as good as the sound equalizer that prevents more than necessary. High-quality headphones, as is the case with X3II, recommended.
CONCLUSIONS
Portable Hi-Fi audio player best sound quality FiiO – a real feast for music lovers. Each player can choose like and can afford. Model FiiO X3-II is inexpensive but has direct support for DSD and two quartz oscillators. Model FiiO X5-II offers, even more, possibilities. So, the player to improve the sound quality of the voltage applied smooth switching between different amplification modes, as well as two integrated slots for MicroSD memory cards with a capacity of 128 GB each. Finally, the model audio player best sound quality FiiO X1, in fact, this is far from being a novelty, and it can be described as a home. If the task is to start somewhere, then this is a good choice but wants to continue after him. In addition to playing most lossy-format, all three player supports almost all known formats lossless-studio.