FiiO X3 Portable Music Player

FiiO X3 is a digital music player manufactured and marketed by FiiO Electronics Technology. The player utilizes Wolfson DAC and is capable of reproducing music sampled at 192kHz with a sample size of 24-bits per channel, and to function as a USB audio interface. The X3 is the mid-level member of the FiiO X Series of portable music players. It supports major lossy music formats, such as MP3 and lossless music formats such as FLAC. According to CNET it is affordable and "terrific sounding" music player. According to LA Times FiiO X3 is a better alternative to an iPod. The player received very positive reviews towards price/sound quality ratio, however it was criticized for inelegant interface and confusing placement of buttons.

FiiO X3

Manufacturer	FiiO Electronics Technology
Product family	FiiO X Series
Type	Digital media, Portable media player, USB audio interface
Introductory price	USD $299
System on a chip	Ingenic JZ4760B [1]
CPU	XBurst1 (MIPS32)
Memory	128MiB [1]
Storage	8GB internal
Removable storage	microSD slot accepts SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards up to 128GB
Display	TFT LCD 240×320[2]
Graphics	Vivante GC200
Sound	Wolfson WM8740 DAC; Three 3.5 mm TRS audio output jacks
Input	Physical buttons
Connectivity	USB 2.0
Power	3100 mAh Li-Ion battery
Dimensions	1.6 x 5.5 x 10.9 cm[2]
Mass	122 g[2]
Website	www.fiio.com.cn

Design and specifications

The player uses Wolfson WM8740 digital converter which is a "true audiophile-grade", according to CNET. The unit has a 2.4-inch TFT LCD display, 3100mAH lithium polymer battery for 10 hours play time and offers two 3.5mm analog stereo outputs, as well as 3.5mm coaxial digital outputs. It comes with 8GB of internal storage and includes an expansion slot for microSD cards for capacities of up to 128GB. It is enclosed in a black solid metal case and has nearly the same size as an iPod Classic.[3] It comes with USB cable, coaxial adaptor, silicone case and screen protectors. It is being charged via micro USB.[4]

Features

The player is capable of playing MP3 files as well as supports major formats such as FLAC, WAV, WMA, Monkey's Audio (APE), AAC, Ogg Vorbis and ALAC. The X3II also supports native dac. It is also possible to connect the player to a PC with Windows, Mac, Linux OSes and devices that offer USB On-the-go in order to function as USB DAC. FiiO X3 can drive both low- and high-impedance headphones: from 16 to 300 ohms. The player offers gapless playback, hardware (non DSP) bass and treble controls.[2] It has a simple UI with a generic file browser. FiiO X3 will work with most major library managers such as Media Monkey, Windows own Media Player and Winamp.

Sound

LA Times wrote that sound quality the player produces has never been available at anything close to this price on any kind of player, including portable players.[5]

CNET wrote that high-resolution music 96 kHz and 192 kHz/24 FLAC sounded remarkable. "Bass definition firmed up, and after I spent a few hours with the X3 the iPod sounded rather bland and boring." The sound on X3 was "more complete and realistic" than that of iPod and "it's a much better sounding player [than iPod classic]".[3]

Headfonics commented about the sound presentation: "is a nice warm laid back tonality with next to no background noise or hiss for sensitive earphones, a well defined mid section, good tight bass without being too dominant (you can EQ that if you wish) and a slightly rolled off treble." The reviewer noted a hiss-free background.[4]

Hi-Fi World noted that FiiO X3 can potentially deliver better sound quality than any CD, as well as far better sound than portables like the iPod. According to their measurements that were performed at 3V through the headphone socket at high gain the X3 had "50% more output than most CD players, and ten times more output than most portables." However, it was noted that music sounded better via external amplifier such as Audiolab Q-DAC comparing to internal amplifier of the X3. The magazine commented about playing hi-res music files: "conveys the intrinsic quality of high resolution digital audio files well."[6]

Reception

LA Times' music critic Mark Swed wrote in an article named "New audio player Fiio X3 tops the iPod, and is cheaper too" that it is a better alternative to an iPod and that X3 utilizes that same digital-to-analog converter that is found in much more expensive players, such as Astell & Kern models that are being sold for $699 and $1,299. In his opinion the FiiO X3 may not have A&K’s sweet and open sound, but it cost $200 as of April, 2013. However, he noted that the X3 is "thicker and clunkier" than an iPod Touch.[5]

Steve Guttenberg of CNET in his article "FiiO's nifty $200 portable high-resolution music player is a knockout" wrote that it sounds sweet with MP3s and it is "192kHz/24-bit awesome music player". In his opinion the X3 "smashed the price barrier". He commented: "the FiiO X3 is the one to get if you, like me, have been waiting for a music player to take your sound to the next level." He noted however, that X3 can't match the Classic's 160GB storage capability, as it offers only 8GB of memory, though it can be expanded with a memory card.[3][7]

The Gadgeteer's Bill Henderson wrote that X3 supports more music formats and higher resolutions than iPod. However, he noted that "The front face of the X3 is a confusing array of buttons." and the screen's resolution is low, although readable. He noted, that periodically, FiiO releases software updates for the X3 that improve its various aspects. As such, he mentioned that memory cards up to 128GB are being supported.[8]

Headfonics noted that the player offers good quality to price ratio.[4]

2nd Generation

In April 2015, FiiO released an updated version of the X3 (X3II). It was revealed at CES 2015. Review samples were sent out as X3K, but upon release the name was changed. Apart from a radically updated casing and interface, reminiscent of FiiO X1, it adds hardware DSD support and a better DAC (Cirrus CS4398) for a comparable price.[9] The second generation's design also incorporates dual crystal oscillators in order to ensure precise, artifact-free sound reproduction.

3rd Generation

The FiiO X3 Mark III has a redesigned case and button layout and supports Bluetooth and a balanced output.[10]

References

1. Undersys; et al. "Thread regarding FiiO X3 and X5 hardware on the Rockbox Technical Forums". forums.rockbox.org. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
2. "Fiio X3 DAP Review". headfonia.com.
3. "FiiO's nifty $200 portable high-resolution music player is a knockout". CNET. CBS Interactive.
4. marcusd. "» The X3 DAP by FiiO". headfonics.com.
5. "LA Times". latimes.com.
6. "FiiO X3 review". hi-fiworld.co.uk.
7. "Why wait for the Pono portable high-resolution music player? The FiiO X5 is here now". CNET. CBS Interactive.
8. Bill Henderson (13 April 2014). "Fiio X3 Portable Digital Music Player review". The Gadgeteer.
9. http://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/feature-exclusive-first-looks-fiios-new-x3-ii-gen2-high-resolution-music-player
10. http://gagadget.com/en/fiio-x3-mark-iii/32226-fiio-x3-mark-iii-review-evolutionary-next-step-in-the-popular-hi-fi-players-line-up/