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This is a Review of Cayin N6 Hi-Res digital audio player (DAP). http://penonaudio.com/Cayin-N6
A lot of people think that upgrading headphones to a more expensive/multi-driver version can improve a sound quality without realizing how much impact a hardware source "plays" in order to take their sound experience to the next level. As some make a leap from using their smartphones or budget audio players to a dedicated quality DAP (digital audio player), you re-discover your headphones all over again and realize what you have been missing. Things can get quickly out of control when we are in search of perfection, don't have access to audition and to compare audio gear, and make assumptions that high quality audio hardware has to come at a premium price. Today I would like to share with you about a new flagship N6 DAP from Cayin that shatters these typical stereotypes while delivering a true high definition audio which sets itself above all mid-fi contenders and aims to challenge a more expensive hi-fi competition. Here is what I found.
I have reviewed Cayin C5 portable amplifier in the past and stayed in touch with Cayin team to quickly realize how much they are obsessed with sound quality and design details as well as customer support. Even when N6 was ready for prime time closer to the end of the last year, they still took their time to perfect everything, including a first test run limited to a small group of local pro-audio users just to get more feedback. All this hard work really paid off, and when N6 was ready for an official release and I finally received my production quality review sample - it already felt like a mature product with a polished hardware and a stable firmware. But everything starts with unboxing.
There is definitely a WOW! factor once you hold N6 box in your hands. They made it very clear you are dealing with a premium product in a premium box. You are not going to find any high res pictures on the outer sleeve, only a hand sketch of the product with some hints of its sexy curves. There is also a very minimum description of main functions and features, mostly referencing types of devices and supported formats with no further description, I guess trying to keep user in suspense. With outer sleeve off and the main box out and open, you are presented with premium "jewelry" box display setting of N6. Out of the box underneath a form fitted tray with N6, you'll find all the included accessories in another partitioned tray.
To be honest, for such a fancy box and premium flagship product, I expected to see more accessories. Don’t get me wrong, it’s on par with other DAPs I have reviewed in the past, but would have been nice to see something like a leather holster or a travel case or maybe to include 2A wall adapter. Still, there were plenty of goodies to go around. You have a quality usb to micro-usb cable, coax adapter, micro-usb to usb card reader, and two sets of round screen protectors with one already being applied to N6. One bonus that I actually found impressive was a keychain with the same carbon fiber finish as featured on the back of N6 – fancy! Also included was a silicone protection skin, but it wasn’t in the box but rather in the packaging envelope. I know it’s a shame to hide N6 curves under the “skin”, but it’s a smart way to protect it from scratches.
Unboxing and Accessories pictures.
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Looking at N6 DAP, the first thing you notice is a rather unique round display - a centerpiece of the design. Just like with their C5 portable amp that stood out from a crowd, N6 makes a very bold statement even before you turn it on and plug in your headphones. Even though display looks round, the active part of it is 2.4" IPS square screen with a high contrast and excellent visibility under any condition. With display off, it's hard even to distinguish the square part of the screen, thus you have an illusion of a round display. On the left side of the display like a watch crown you have a thumb control navigation wheel to assist in scrolling and also with a spring-loaded push action to click/select/enter. I found this scrolling wheel to have an excellent tactile response and to be of a great assistance when scrolling through either a long playlist or adjusting volume or just going through menus. It's not really necessary for navigation of N6 since all these functionalities could be done with other buttons, but still comes in very handy and blends in well with a round screen display.
Below the display, you have 4 control buttons in a very unique shape. When it comes to N6 DAP, it looks like Cayin wasn't just creating a functional audio player with a great sound, but also making a piece of art. In theory, these are your typical multifunctional 4 directional buttons with up and down list scrolling or track skip or fast forward/back, and left and right buttons for going back in navigation or selection or play/pause. It takes a little bit to get used to controls, but after a while using these becomes a second nature. I also think a custom shape of these buttons plays a very important role in a flow of navigation and controls as your finger slides across them.
You will also find a more traditional buttons, such as volume up/down in the upper right corner on the side, and a power button on the top. With a screen off, volume buttons do control volume with a single click and skip track with a long press. Also, scrolling wheel controls play/pause with a push when screen is off - a very intuitive control you can access without even looking at the player. At the top, you also have three 3.5mm ports for Line Out (LO), Headphone Out (HO), and Coaxial cable Out (CO). To eliminate confusion, I did cut off HO cover flap in silicone case so I knew right away where to plug in headphones. At the bottom you have micro SD card slot, a reset pinhole, a tiny led light pinhole, and micro-usb port. The body of the case is made out of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy and feels very solid in your hand. The back of N6 has a real carbon fiber finish.
Design detail pictures.
As impressive as it looks outside, inside of N6 you will find a true audio powerhouse. Everything from dual core processor, powerful enough to support native DSD hardware decoding as well as other formats up to 24bit/192kHz resolution with MP3/WAV/FLAC/OGG/APE/ALAC/AAC/WMA/M4A and even CUE, to 8GB of internal memory and microSD card supporting up to 128GB size. You also have a very impressive array of internal chips with top performance dual PCM1792A DACs arranged to process left and right channel separately to control high definition of a sound and a width of soundstage separation. There is also a dedicated high performance PGA2311 volume control chip, and even 3 different TCXO crystal oscillators to meet low jitter clock requirements. Power is provided by a high capacity 5600 mAh lithium battery which does a great job of supplying enough juice for up to 7-8 hours of continuous playback. For a piece of audio equipment with so many power hungry ICs, this is actually not a bad performance. Also, Cayin is constantly working on battery life optimization, especially in standby mode, so perhaps with some future firmware upgrades they might even be able to improve a total playback time.
Another important spec worth mentioning is the HO and LO output performance where HO is rated at 220mW+220mW w/32ohm load and super low output impedance of 0.26ohm, and LO rated at 1.7V of output power. I had no issues driving any of my IEMs or open/closed back full size headphones, and even in low gain setting had a volume at only 30%. Even with low sensitivity headphones I never exceeded 50% of volume level. With high sensitivity headphones, I didn't hear any hissing and found background to be solid black. But in general, if you need to drive power hungry high impedance full size headphones, you can always pair up N6 with another member of Cayin family - C5 portable amp.
Furthermore, besides being a standalone digital audio player, N6 also functions as an asynchronous USB DAC which you can connect to your laptop or computer to turn N6 into an external sound card. One thing you need to know, the internal memory of N6 has a zip file with all the necessary drivers to setup the connection. Once installation is complete, moving forward it’s a simple plug'n'play operation as long as you have DAC mode enabled in your System setting of N6.
Even with so much electronics and a large battery, N6 still feels pocket friendly and not that heavy. For a comparison, I put N6 next to X5, both wearing a silicone case, and found N6 to be 248g with 128mm x 70mm x 20mm dimensions, and X5 to be 218g with 118mm x 70mm x 16mm dimensions.
Pictures of N6 next to C5 and X5.
It is a little bit taller and thicker in comparison to X5, but overall weight felt the same and inside of the pocket N6 was actually a lot easier to operate "blind" with fast access to play/pause, skip, and volume controls.
Before I get into a sound of Cayin N6, the next topic I would like to discuss is GUI interface. Of course the sound characteristic is the most important factor, but a poorly designed controls and user interface can ruin your experience of enjoying the music even if it sounds great. I already mentioned about how much I like buttons/wheel controls of N6, and the same positive experience extended to graphic user interface as well. When you hold the power button to turn it on, you are greeted with a round vinyl-disc main interface resembling a turn table. In there, you have 5 main menu choices of Playing Now (which goes to your current playing song), Music Library (where you have an option to update the library, to view Local memory content, and removable card content), Music Category (were everything is sorted by My Favorite, Recent Played Songs, Albums, Artists, Genre, and a list of All Songs), System Setting, and Music Setting. Playing Now and Music Library is self explanatory, while in Music Category you have My Favorite based on a quick playlist you can create by tagging songs as Favorite, and the rest of the menu choices with songs sorted based on the ID tags of your music files.
Music setting has an extensive selection of options with Gain setting (low and high), Digital Filter (added in fw1.1 where you have SHARP and SLOW with a subtle change of sound attack, my personal preference being SHARP), DSD gain compensation, EQ setting (10 band EQ with 8 presets and a separate Customizable option). Play mode (to cover different repeat modes), Breakpoint resume, Gapless playback (after fw1.1 it's nearly perfect!!!), Max Volume limit setting, Startup Volume, Startup volume value, Balance control (L/R), Album art (display on/off), and Lyrics (display on/off). In a System setting you have Language selection, USB Mode (usb connection to read and to transfer files or USB DAC setting as external soundcard), Backlight time, Brightness setting, Schedule Power off (enable/disable), Schedule Power off time (this will turn off N6 after a preset time; Sleep time option is coming in the next firmware update), Reset (to factory setting), About the Player (which has model and firmware number, as well as local and microSD card total and remaining free memory capacity). Also, within "About the Player", you can skip pages from the main screen to see a very comprehensive electronic manual of the N6 with all the controls and functionality description.
GUI and Setting pictures.
Uh, so here comes a sound, and the first word out of my mouth was: WOW!!! To be honest, I personally don’t care about what DAC or volume IC or processor is being used in the design. It’s irrelevant because you can pick’n’choose the best available audio components and still mess up the signal flow, the circuit design, the layout of the board, etc. I look at every DAP as a black box, evaluating it on a sound quality, control usability, and GUI. In my opinion, Cayin N6 delivered a nearly perfect score in every single of these categories.
Reviewing sound quality of a DAP is not an easy task. What you hearing is not a direct “sound” of the audio player but rather a sound delivered by headphones according to their sound signature. So a better evaluation of a DAP is by referencing it to other sources for comparison. I have a number of DAPs in my collection, such as FiiO X1 and X5, HiFiMAN HM700, Hidizs AP100, and more budget oriented audio players from xDuoo, Sandisk, Ruizu, and also my Galaxy Note 4. If I pick the best source out of this bunch, which happens to be X5, and even after pairing it up with either of my favorite portable amps, C5 and E12A, I still can’t get anything closer to a near perfection reference sound I get from HO of N6. Yes, that good!!!
N6 sound is very detailed, transparent, and musical, with an organic tonality, close to reference quality without being cold or analytical. It has an excellent separation and layering of instruments with a wide and deep airy soundstage. Relative to headphones in my collection, there is no hissing or background noise (though I don’t have SE846 to confirm which always comes up as being over-sensitive), and I found it to have a black background. In comparison, the level of detail retrieval from N6 is on a much higher scale than X5, and the soundstage presentation is significantly better as well. As a matter of fact, the soundstage directly from N6 will remind you a lot of C5 paired up with X5. And that is a beauty of N6 where you don’t need to pair it up with any external portable amps to improve the sound quality or staging unless you want to experiment with coloring of your sound by introducing other amps. I paired up N6 with E12A, but found it handicapping the soundstage width and depth. Pair up of N6 with C5 is great if you really need to drive a demanding high impedance cans, but comparing N6 HO in low gain to N6+C5 (in low gain as well) – sound tonality was almost identical to my ears, and the only benefit was a slight improvement in width and depth of soundstage.
This brings me to how well N6 pairs up with different headphones. In this analysis, I found it more beneficial to compare every pair of headphones to see how it sounds on N6 vs X5. Also, please keep in mind, X5 is one fantastic DAP and it costs $270 less than N6. This is like a relative comparison. But my point is that value of N6 is highly justifiable considering sound quality improvement without a need to use external amps and special LO cables.
UM Pro 50:
N6 - richer bass texture, better 3D positioning/imaging, better dynamics, sound is more organic/analog, a little smoother/musical.
X5 - sound is flatter, a little more digital in comparison.
CRK10:
N6 - sound is more airy, staging a bit deeper, improved bass texture, sound has more body.
X5 – sound has less sparkle, a bit narrower staging.
A83:
N6 - amazing bass texture, super wide/airy sound, smoother upper mids/treble.
X5 - reduced soundstage, less sparkle in upper frequencies.
DITA Answer:
N6 - higher level of detail retrieval, sound is more airy, improved soundstage.
X5 - sound is a bit flatter and not as organic.
IM03
N6 - sound has richer texture, more natural, smoother, improved staging.
X5 - sound is a bit flatter, not as dynamic.
Titan 1
N6 - sound has more sparkle, wider soundstage.
X5 - sound is smoother and warmer, a bit narrower.
VSD3
N6 - bass texture is richer and more detailed, wider staging, more airy sound.
X5 - sound is flatter, less dynamic, and a bit harsher.
In conclusion, next to my other audio players and amps Cayin N6 DAP is without a doubt TOTL audio equipment. Of course a question begs to be asked how it compares to AK120 II or AK240 II, and perhaps in a near future I might be able to answer this. But N6 is still 1/2 the price of the cheaper AK120 II, and that needs to be factored in. Do I think N6 represents an absolute perfection? Well, it has a sound signature which is near a sound perfection to my ears, and I got used to and enjoying its controls very much. But based on the size and the weight, it’s not exactly super portable or a pocket friendly for everyone’s taste. Plus, I wish battery life would be a few more hours longer. I know Cayin is working hard on firmware optimization, and they have done an amazing job delivering a very stable FW1.0 followed by FW1.1 only a month later with a lot of improvements. So I hope they can do some magic to squeeze even more out of their battery life. But even as it stands, this digital audio player represents an amazing value with a true hi-def sound performance. I never really listened to DSD audio files until I got N6 where it plays these without skipping a beat with a sound quality that took my breath away. I no longer need an external amp to improve my soundstage presentation or to add that extra juice to make my bass sizzle with layers of texture – N6 internal DAC/amp is top class! I no longer have to reach out for a dedicated USB DAC to enjoy listening to hi-def audio from my laptop – flexibility of N6 design covers that. There are too many benefits to list and I can go on, but the bottom line is that Cayin delivered a remarkable hi-def audio player and set a new price bar which is quite affordable considering spending the same amount of money on mid-fi DAPs, LO cables, and external amps without even reaching 100% level of N6. Very impressive considering this is Cayin’s very first portable DAP release! Can’t wait to see what they’re going to come up with next!
Nice review ! ??
Excellent review, thanks
Hello everybody,
Where can I find Tools for the subj for Win 7? I'd like to change the fonts for 4.3 FW.
Hi there,
Does anybody know how to delete all the songs on Favorites with one click but not one by one?
alex5908 said:
Hi there,
Does anybody know how to delete all the songs on Favorites with one click but not one by one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better post this queston on head-fi in corresponding thread. I used to mirror my audio reviews here on XDA and also AF, but eventually moved to HF where audio gear reviews belong And since I haven't used N6 in a long time, it will take me awhile just to charge it up before I can answer it, but I'm sure - if it's not obvious, it can't be done, probably.
Btw, their N8 flagship is just around the corner, using Korg nano-tubes
Plus, they released N5iiS stainless steel limited edition, which I just reviewed on my blog.
Cayin been doing pretty good with all these DAP release and desktop gear (their tube amplifiers are top notch), and actually today (on August 8th) is their 25th anniversary as a company.
I did that awhile ago. The thread is dead and nobody posts anything.
alex5908 said:
I did that awhile ago. The thread is dead and nobody posts anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe send a PM to "'AndyKong" in there. He will be able to help you, man.
Hi vecton, would you like to review our product?
avatarcontrols said:
Hi vecton, would you like to review our product?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please, PM me.
This is a Review of Astell & Kern AK120ii Digital Audio Player (DAP). http://www.astellnkern.com/eng/htm/ak120/ak120_2_feature01.asp , also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Astell-Kern-AK120II-Resolution-Player/dp/B00L3NAW42/
Either if you are a novice audio enthusiast or a seasoned audiophile, you are probably familiar with a name of "Astell & Kern". It’s like a fashion brand name or a luxury vehicle known for their stylish looks, durable design, and top of the line performance. Nevertheless, for a number of people A&K products are still an intimidating mystery because of their premium price and somewhat exclusive review coverage. I've read some of those reviews and still had a few unanswered questions, especially what makes this DAP so special at a premium price? As you can see, I've already mentioned “premium price” twice, and I'm only a few sentences into my review. Unfortunately, premium price quite often clouds are judgment since we have high expectations when in reality we are looking at diminishing returns. In the last few years I covered close to a dozen of DAPs priced between $50 -$700, and as a reviewer when you focus on a performance and features it makes it easier to judge a product without a biased opinion clouded by its price, though you still have to consider it. So let me proceed with my review, to share with you what I found, and to let you be the judge if this amazing piece of electronics (oops, a biased slip!) is worth your hard earned money.
People, who appreciate the art of sound or just educated enough to understand that free earbuds supplied with your smartphone or endorsed by celebrities just don’t cut it, are usually in constant search of new headphones to get closer to their ideal sound signature. Unfortunately, a lot of the times we neglect an important variable in this sound signature equation - the audio source. No matter how good you think your iDevice or Android phone sounds, it’s not an ideal source even if you manage to load it with lossless audio files. It will not substitute a dedicated DAP designed with one specific functionality in mind - playing audio without compromises or interferences from 3G/4G radios, noisy power supplies, social media updates, and a ton of apps running in the background. I always looked at DAP as anti-smartphone, and perhaps that’s why I was happy with small screens, hardware buttons, and other mechanical scrolling options. Now, I made a full circle and came back to a product which you can almost call a smartphone without a “phone”.
Arrived in a formally dressed silver carton sleeve, A&K wanted to keep an element of surprise without any revealing glossy pictures or too much of an artwork beside a stamped logo and a company name with a sticker of DUAL DAC on the front. AK120ii is their dual CS4398 DAC version, very similar in looks to AK100ii - a single CS4398 DAC version with a slightly shorter body and a few other cut down specs. On a back side of the packaging you will find a very comprehensive device specification that resembles a typical compact smartphone spec. We are talking about 3.31” AMOLED touch screen display with WVGA 480x800 resolution, 3,250 mAh li-polymer battery, 128GB of internal NAND memory with microSD expansion supporting up to 128GB flash card, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, MTP media device connection, micro USB input, and OTA (over-the-air) firmware upgrade. Yes, we are still talking about DAP, and to reassure that – I removed the sleeve and opened an impressive black gift-box to reveal AK120ii inside of it.
Unboxing.
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I have seen pictures of AK100ii/120ii before, but the first hand experience of opening the box and taking a glance at this DAP is priceless. Out of the box I found AK120ii to be surprisingly compact with dimensions of approximate 118mm x 55mm x 15mm and very lightweight at only 177g. Along with AK120ii, included accessories were a high quality usb to micro-usb charging/data cable, clear screen protectors for the front display and the back, a comprehensive quick start guide (printed on a quality paper like it was a wedding invitation), a warranty card, and a fancy leather case. And by fancy, I mean a designer quality "Made in Italy" case with perfect cutouts to reveal all the hardware controls and ports, and to provide a full access to touch screen where only a microSD port was covered. Btw, once fitted, the case is not easy to slide out, but I found a little trick by pushing it out with an eraser tip of a pencil through micro-usb port opening at the bottom. Could A&K have included additional accessories? I certainly would be happy to see more considering the asking price, but optional color leather cases, cradles, and some cables are available for purchase directly from Astell & Kern website.
Accessories.
As I already mentioned, the unit itself felt very compact and rather lightweight despite its solid build and alloy metal housing with a front touch screen. If this would have been a smartphone, I would have already proceeded to power it up, but I was still hesitant holding it in my hand while examining design details. I think the experience of testing and reviewing other DAPs made me appreciate this design even more, including how thoughtfully it was crafted. The ergonomics was perfect for use with one hand, and it felt very comfortable to reach hardware transport controls and volume knob as well as touch screen - not bad considering I have just an average size hands. The transport control buttons are located on the top left side, and you have Play/Pause in the middle between Skip Next/Prev where single click skips a track and a long press fast forwards/backwards. Buttons felt solid, no rattling or shaking, with a very nice tactile response. At the bottom of the same left side you will find microSD slot with a card sitting flush once fully inserted. The bottom of AK120ii has micro-usb connector for charging (impressive battery life of up to 12hrs) and connection to a computer (for a file transfer and use as USB DAC). The top has 3.5mm TRS headphone output (HO which also doubles as electrical/optical Line Out) and 2.5mm balanced output with a 4-pole TRRS connector (for a balanced wired output).
The upper right corner of AK120ii is protruded with a small power button at the top and a dedicated volume knob facing to the right. There is no denial it looks and feels like a real authentic scaled down hardware volume knob you can find in high end desktop systems. The rotation of the knob felt well controlled with a nice feedback, and I was able to adjust it even with a roll of a thumb. I was kind of wishing this volume knob would also function as a push-button control, but it didn’t. I mean, the whole look of the knob design with a cap just screams to be pushed, maybe with some hidden functionality like a quick mute. At the same time, I can understand it would be too easy to accidentally trigger it in your pocket, so this volume knob can only rotate.
Design.
Finally, I was able to tear myself away from pushing the buttons and turning the knob, and went ahead to power it up. Greeted by a glowing “A” logo, it took a little while for the player to boot up. From what I understand, previous AK versions were Unix/Linux based, and the new AK100ii/120ii/240 are Android based for a better support of wireless connection with OTA updates. As a matter of fact, as soon as I booted up and connected to Wi-Fi, within a minute I had a message in notification bar informing me about downloading a system update. It felt like at home with familiar smartphone functionality, especially with touch controls and notification bar. Touch screen was very responsive with every move/slide/touch registering without a lag or a delay, thus suggesting a well optimized custom OS on top of Android. The main screen was well laid out with tiles for Songs, Albums, Artists, Genres, Playlist, and Folder – all corresponding to a specific sorting method of accessing your song library. On top of that there were also tiles for MQS Streaming and Setting. Also, there was an “invisible” Home touch button at the bottom in the middle which took you back to a playback screen. From playback screen, where you have access to touch transport controls and song/album artwork, you can also create a Playlist by clicking on the screen and selecting "+".
The Setting menu was my first stop where you have toggle switches for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EQ, Gapless playback, Line Out and Balanced Out selection, L/R Balance, Brightness control, and Theme selection. There was also system settings related to Date/Time, Language, Power management, USB Connection, and Downloads folder. Further in System Info you can keep a track of model and firmware, internal storage management, and SD card management. But I think the greatest feature of A&K OS is how you can access most of these settings from one place in pull down notification bar. It was simply brilliant how you get a bird eye view of all the important settings where you enable/disable it with a simple touch and get into a detailed setting menu by touch’n’hold of the corresponding control. With notification bar accessible from any screen, this was the best and the easiest way to change settings on the fly.
One of the settings I found quite interesting was EQ where you can create a numerous custom presets. Also, you can draw EQ curve on the screen with a finger, and every EQ-band slider will self-adjust in animated fashion following a drawn curve. It was great to see a complete set of 10-band EQ (30Hz/60/120/250/500/1k/2k/4k/8k/16k), but I found it a bit frustrating to adjust individual bands since they were too close to each other to zero in with a finger touch. I would suggest for A&K to implement a zoom-in feature to expand EQ screen for a more precise selection of the EQ band.
In general, it was a pleasure to be able to see song names and artwork, and effortlessly control the playback and selection from a large and clear touch screen without straining my eyes. But it's not only the size of the screen, but how logical everything is laid out and utilized, from pull-down notification bar with access to all the settings, to a "home" button to get back to the playback and the rest of the controls and settings. I also liked how cool it was to adjust the volume once you turn the volume knob and get on-screen volume-arc graphics to slide your finger up/down and also to quickly enable/disable Balanced output. It takes a little bit of time to figure out controls, but afterwards it becomes a second nature to navigate. Going back to my other DAPs after using AK120ii was a painful experience using small screens and clicking buttons to navigate around.
GUI/Interface.
Having an ample storage is very important when you are dealing with high resolution audio and lossless formats, where AK120ii supports everything under the sun. And despite the fact that AK100ii/120ii doesn’t support native DSD decoding (only 240 does it natively while 100/120 converts it internally to PCM), you still will be tempted to load this DAP with your DSD files. Depending on the size of your lossless library, even 128GB of internal storage and another 128GB of external one might not be enough. Or perhaps when you are at home you want to listen to a few other songs/albums without going through a hassle of copying them to a DAP. To expand your storage capacity while you are at home connected to your local Wi-Fi, AK120ii supports MQS Streaming from your local computer. All you have to do is to download a small lightweight MQS Server program to run on your laptop or PC/MAC, select your shared directory, and within seconds it will be mirrored and ready to be accessed from your AK DAP. It’s insanely easy and efficient, and there is no delay or buffering stutter as you streaming the music – sounds just like you are playing it from internal NAND memory. Of course, with a full Android based OS on my smartphone I can also stream anything from the cloud (Pandora, Spotify, Tidal, etc.), but unfortunately you can’t run any 3rd party or even native Android apps with AK120ii. Furthermore, you can also play music directly from your laptop/PC/MAC through AK120ii by utilizing its USB DAC functionality like an external soundcard.
MQS Streaming.
Obviously, AK120ii has an excellent design and one amazing GUI with hardware buttons to complement touch controls, but how does it sounds? Here, I found a few surprises. Keep in mind, the intent of my review was to test AK120ii as a standalone portable DAP rather than a puzzle piece of the equation that requires another $2.5k DAC/amp and $2.5k pair of IEMs to complete a picture in order to make it sound good. I found that it was absolutely not necessary to stack up AK120ii with other portable Amps or to use it exclusively with TOTL multi-driver IEMs in order to enjoy the sound. To my surprise, it paired up quite well with a lot of my headphones straight out of HO, but you have to be VERY selective which headphones to use - everything comes down to finding headphones with a perfect synergy to work with sound signature of AK120ii.
I had a bit of a rough start when I began testing AK120ii only to realize that warm, bassy, and generally v-shaped headphones are not a perfect match for this DAP. I found sound signature of this DAP to be neutral-smooth with a slight touch of warmth. It made my bright and revealing IEMs and Headphones to sound lush and organic while retaining clarity and high level of details. I would even go as far as saying this DAP shapes a sound to be more smooth analog rather than cold-analytical. The background was perfectly black, and I didn't experience any hissing or high level of noise, though my headphones are not that sensitive either. With a help of it's Dual DAC architecture, soundstage had a great level of width/depth, though it wasn't too airy in my opinion. I wasn't able to quite reach that precise level of detailed analytical layering and separation. Don't take this as a negative comment, actually AK120ii was able to breath in a new life into some of my brighter tuned headphones, adding more body and texture making them sound more natural and less fatigue.
As expected, once you switch to 2.5mm Balanced Output and if your headphones can support wide imaging, balanced output did improve soundstage width/depth by further expansion and even some treble enhancement. The difference wasn't exactly night'n'day, but after closer listening it was definitely noticeable, especially with my UM Pro 50 (advantage of replacement cable to go between 3.5mm and 2.5mm was priceless). To get the most out of the balanced output you really need to look into aftermarket quality replacement cables for your headphones. Just a stock OFC or cheap silver plated wires won't be enough. For example, I noticed a better margin of improvement once I switched to low impedance Linum Balanced BaX cable. A balanced wired Whiplash Pure Silver cable (part of modular system) did introduce an improvement as well, but hearing my UM Pro 50 or W40 or A83 with Linum Balanced BaX took it a notch higher, which I attribute to lower impedance of Linum Litz cable.
Speaking of headphones I used for testing, I picked Pro 50 since it has a darker/warmer signature, while W40 is smoother and brighter, and A83 hybrid delivers revealing bright upper mids/treble thanks to BA drivers balanced out by dynamic driver covering low end. I also used ATH-MSR7 since these full size cans deliver a high-res extended and detailed sound and not as forgiving when it comes to bright recording. With AK120ii a performance of all these headphones was very consistent and sound became very smooth and organic in upper mids and treble while still preserving high level of detail retrieval. It's very interesting how with the same CS4398 DAC used in Hidizs AP100 DAP and FiiO X3 2nd gen as well as AK100ii/120ii, due to variations in low path filter and voltage/current amplification there is a difference between colder analytical bright sound of AP100 vs smother warmer sound of X3ii vs analog-smooth detailed sound of 120ii. Of course, you do need to try different pairs of headphones to find a match with a better synergy. When it comes to low end (bass), AK120ii favors headphones with more quality than quantity. A sound with headphones that have a typical v-shaped signature and exaggerated bass spilling into lower mids will become muddy. Even a more controlled low end of UM Pro 50 with stock cables (or Pure Silver cables) wasn't shining until I went through cable-rolling to find a better match which turned out to be Linum Balanced BaX. In there I found Linum to be a better match to open up the sound with even more details and soundstage expansion, while their new prototype of Super Balanced BaX impressed me a lot with a smoother balance of low end.
Even so I'm not a fan of EQ tweaking and hate how other DAPs usually have one custom preset option, being able to have numerous custom presets you can name according to your pair of headphones was very convenient with 120ii. I was actually pleased with sound shaping after EQ adjustment where frequency boosting didn't introduce any unnatural harsh artifacts. YMMV since its a matter of a person taste, but I just wanted to make a point that you can sound-shape any pair of headphones to make them work with AK120ii.
Another great way of sound shaping is to pair up AK120ii with your favorite portable amp while bypassing the internal one. I really felt like a mad scientist playing with all these combinations of headphones, cables, and amps - but it turned out to be quite a rewarding experience. I know I already mentioned that my review intent was to see how it performs standalone without any external stack up, but I was actually able to shape a sound other than with EQ by pairing it up with two of my favorite amp (FiiO E12A and Cayin C5). These both amps did take a bit of an edge off analog warmth in comparison to 120ii internal amp, but they also introduced more byte to the sound with a different texture at low end and brighter crispiness at top end. Especially C5 added more analytical clarity to upper mids and a touch more details while brightening the treble, though I personally liked the "looks" of 120ii stack-up with E12A.
I'm sure a lot of you will be curious how does $1.7k DAP compares to other cheaper DAPs I tested in the past. I know the sound quality is very important, but when it comes to A&K DAPs you have to look at the whole picture where overall experience plays a significant factor. It probably sounds very cliché and some of you might think I got spoiled by having access to test and to compare different DAPs, but it's an important point where you can forget for a minute a price tag and just focus on the product's sound, ergonomics, flexibility, and control interface. All I have to say is that experience of testing and reviewing AK120ii ruined the enjoyment of my other favorite DAPs. Maybe it's a temporary infatuation since I spent the last few weeks mostly using this A&K DAP, but I felt that a touch screen interface made such a perfect sense in song browsing, playback control, and overall settings - I actually became a bit frustrated with a button clicking or a wheel scrolling to get to where I wanted in other DAPs. And this touch screen interface was not a reminder of a "smartphone", absolutely not! It enabled me to be in full control of how I wanted to listen to my music, and I found that to be quite liberating.
Nevertheless, if you compare it to other DAPs like for example Cayin N6, those who are after a lush organic sound will prefer A&K sound signature, while if you want a more analytical detailed sound - N6 is a better candidate. In my opinion, they both are relatively neutral, but AK leans more toward neutral-smooth with a touch of warmth, while N6 leans more toward neutral-bright with a slightly better retrieval of details. With something like FiiO X5, I hear X5 being thinner, more neutral, less dynamic (sound is a bit flatter), and soundstage being narrower. Especially with X5 (single DAC architecture), you can hear an advantage of dual dac design of AK120ii and N6 where the width/depth of soundstage along with airiness and improved separation/layering becomes more apparent.
Next to N6, X5, and X3ii
Conclusion.
I mentioned early that I took a pricing out of the equation, just focusing on design and performance. I guess in a conclusion with my traditional "Overall" statement, I should put this variable back in and look from a perspective of the overall AK120ii value. I have reviewed a lot of DAPs and various stack up combos of my Note 4 with portable Amps or usb otg DACs, thus I tend to believe I have a good base for comparison. With that in mind, I still feel that Astell & Kern delivered a product that took the best out of all that audio equipment and encapsulated it in a very compact Digital Audio Player with the most logical touch and hardware controls I have experienced to date. It looks solid, it feels solid, and with a right pair of headphones it sounds solid! I know some people expect $1.7k DAP to sound 2x as good as $800-$900 DAP, but you have to keep in mind that with TOTL audio equipment (just like with multi-driver IEMs) you are in a territory of diminishing returns. Can Astell & Kern keep this crown forever? Only time will tell since we are facing a number of new TOTL DAPs from other manufacturers planned for this summer, and I know that competition will heat up! But I can tell you with certainly, A&K set a very high bar (and not just in pricing) where all my upcoming reviews will be measured against this little masterpiece!
This is a Review of FiiO X5 2nd gen (X5ii) Digital Audio Player (DAP). http://www.fiio.net/en/products/41.
With a consistent flow of new releases, I feel like we have been spoiled by FiiO and their quality audio products. I didn’t even realize it has been year and a half since the release of their original X5, and now I’m looking at their new X5ii flagship DAP released a few months after another impressive X3ii DAP update. What strikes me the most, FiiO continues to update a number of their previously released models (DAPs and amps) while keeping price in the same ballpark. And I’m not talking about a cosmetic refresh or a firmware update but actually a complete redesign. Perhaps it’s the way how they challenge themselves, trying to come up with a creative update without raising the cost. In my opinion, they do succeed every single time, with their latest X5ii being another perfect example of it!
At the same time this high pace of new releases sometime feels like smartphone industry where every six months to a year we are faced with choices to either stay with a current phone or to upgrade, and if you decide to upgrade - either going with a smaller or bigger screen model. I think a lot of FiiO fans will be facing a similar choice, either keeping their original X5 or upgrading to a “smaller” X3ii or a “bigger” X5ii, figuratively speaking. If you want the latest and the greatest new release, a decision is simple - go with X5ii without looking back. But for other loyal FiiO fans or new customers who are looking into different DAPs, I hope my review will provide some useful guidance to make your decision easier. FiiO is very active and generous in various audiophile communities, such as Head-fi, where a lot of reviews and impressions have been posted already. With my write up I hope to fill in some gaps and to offer a different perspective to compliment other available info.
Though the unit I received is pre-production review sample, the content of the packaging should be close to the final product which I'm sure will include a colorful outer sleeve on top of the box my unit came in. Keeping up with a tradition, X5ii arrived in a formally dressed black gift box setting with a nicely padded interior to ensure a secure transport of its content. I personally like such gift-box detail, actually adapted by a number of manufacturers, since it makes unboxing experience a little more special and a sturdy carton box is also a great storage.
Unboxing.
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Already dressed in silicone skin and ready for action, after removing X5ii from a cutout of the foam insert tray, I accessed the accessories box and was able to explore the rest of the included goodies. No surprises were found here, just a familiar set of accessories consistent with their other models. You get a quick start guide and a separate flash card with a layout and explanation of hardware controls, extra 2 sets of screen protector in addition to the one which comes already pre-installed, a cover stickers for the front/back/sides if you decide to personalize your DAP further (includes US flag, wood, and carbon fiber themes), usb to micro-usb power/data cable, and a short Coax patch cable. I think a final production unit will also feature a flash card reader.
While a carbon fiber sticker doesn't look too bad, I’m not so sure about other two themes and would suggest in a future to include something alternative for the ladies. Brushed aluminum and carbon fiber finish is great for guys, but I would like to see FiiO making an effort to widen their sex appeal. Actually in my personal opinion, the brushed aluminum body finish is too cool to cover with anything permanent, except with an included silicone case. Screen protector is always a good idea to protect X5's gorgeous 2.4" HD IPS screen from scratches and smudges. As for usb cable, FiiO usually includes a quality one which also guarantees a fast 2A charging with an appropriate supply. The micro-usb connector is slim and has a nice lock grip, just another detail I want to bring up since with a few of my other usb charging cables I had to take silicone skin off in order to get a proper fit/connection. Coax cable is different from the original X5 since in X5ii LO and Coax 3.5mm ports are shared, thus you will find extra ring-contacts (TRRS style) on 3.5mm connector side.
Accessories.
I usually don't spend too much time talking about silicone case, but still wanted to bring up a few important points. There is no surprise, silicone case gets static and becomes a lint magnet, but I still prefer it over any slippery plastic case because I like a secure grip. Another benefit, it protects your DAP from scratches and minor drops, creates extra friction when placed on a smooth surface, protects outside surface itself from scratches, and protects the shell from scratches when stacked with external amp rubber-banded together. The case has a perfect cutout for screen and navigation wheel, micro-usb port, a flap over LO/Coax port, and open HO port.
HO port opening is very useful in this case because FiiO flipped HO and LO ports in comparison to their other DAPs where left-most port used to be always for Headphone Output. We are creates of habit, and without a case and both ports exposed there is a very good chance that you will make an attempt to plug in your headphones into LO port to get a very unpleasant ear-full surprise, especially if you are a/b it with original X5 or X3ii. So even if you prefer to go naked without a case, use it for the first few weeks as training wheels until you get used to HO port being on the right side at the top.
Another interesting discovery I made even before turning the power on was a hole right in the middle of the power button cover. In this new X5ii model FiiO integrated a status multi-color LED right inside of the power button thus an explanation for a small opening in the case to view the light. Volume up button on a silicone case, just like with an actual DAP button, has a little id bump so you can identify volume+ control blindly in your pocket with a brush of a finger. Power button itself is flush mounted to avoid accidental pressing. The other 4 control buttons around navigation wheel are flush mounted as well and also nearly flat on the silicone case. It's useful if you have selected Lockscreen option that enables their control for track switching, and you no longer have to worry about accidentally pressing buttons in your pocket the way how it was with raised buttons in original X5. But at the same time, I would prefer buttons to be raised just a little bit like it was in X3ii which is the most ideal in my opinion.
Silicone case.
When it comes to the actual design, in my opinion X5ii is definitely a step forward in terms of a more compact footprint in comparison to the original X5. While keeping the thickness nearly the same, the length and the width got trimmed down and weight got reduced by nearly 30g. Similar to X3ii design, top of the unit has 3.5mm Headphone Output (HO) and a shared Line Out (LO) and Coax outputs. There is nothing on the right side, and left side is consistent with a top Power button (already discussed with a built-in status led) and volume up/down buttons. No longer will you find a reset pinhole, just need to press and hold power button for the same functionality. Consistent with the original X5 design, the bottom has 2 micro-SD card slots and micro-usb connector. You are also going to find 2 screws at the bottom if you dare to take X5ii apart, though be aware of voided warranty.
You will no longer find a dust cover rubber flaps over micro-SD slots similar to the original X5. If you carry your X5ii in a silicone case, it really doesn't matter since it will be covered and protected from dust already. I also believe it's not a big deal without a case with a card inside, like it is with any other DAP. But considering dual card slot and if you are not using a case and only have one card populated - it's not ideal for the other slot to be open while collecting the dust. Perhaps, get some dummy or super cheap micro-sd card from ebay just to use for the purpose of keeping a dust away.
The front of X5ii has 2.4" HD IPS screen at the top and a scrolling wheel with 4 control buttons around it and one button in the middle, a familiar layout carried over through all of the X-models (after the original X3). I know a lot of people will be curious about a scrolling wheel "evolution" since FiiO has been consistent with improvements from X5 to X1 and X3ii. Unfortunately, my review unit came from a first pre-production batch where FiiO made it clear this is not a final wheel version. It wasn't as wobbly as X5 wheel, but still had a loose movement without a click-feedback like implemented in X3ii. FiiO mentioned that final production units will have a scrolling wheel similar to X3ii which has been already confirmed by some users who got their hands on final production units. When it comes to my actual review unit, I wasn't as pleased with a wheel due to a light-touch turning by simply brushing against it. Unfortunately that happened a lot because control buttons were flushed with a surface and I had to hover over a surface with my finger to locate them. Even with a scrolling wheel mechanism such as the one used in X3ii, I personally think the layout of these buttons pushed away a little more from the wheel and the flush mounted design is a step back from X3ii where it was just perfect for one handed operation. X5ii is still feasible to use with one hand, but I just wish the beveled area and buttons around the wheel were similar to X3ii. Either way, if I get a chance to play with final production unit, I will come back and update my scrolling wheel impression.
Design details.
Though exterior changes are the most obvious differences when you first look at the new X5ii, the 2nd gen update included a lot of substantial internal design changes and improvement as well. Probably the first and the most noteworthy change come from a new redesigned amplification stage and analog volume control. To my ears the improvement was noticeable enough and I will talk more about it in sound test section of the review. Another change had to do with all new digital audio architecture with a dedicated dual crystal oscillator covering all major rates. Using multiples of common clock rates to derive other rates ensures a reduced jitter performance. I was also glad to see implementation of hardware DSD decoding with a native DSD support without a need for internal PCM conversion - another noticeable improvement when playing hi-res lossless files. Of course, X5ii still supports almost every available lossy and lossless format under the sun, everything from DSD64/128 to 24bit/192kHz in FLAC, APE, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, and other formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG, etc.
Native DSD support was introduced in X3ii already, the same way how the introduction of in-line remote control support got carried over from X3ii to X5ii. Don't expect volume control on in-line remote to work, but a single click Play/Pause and multi-click track skip worked flawlessly with a lot of my headphones. It's true that a lot of audiophiles prefer audio-only cable, but when you are on the go and want a simple remote control without reaching for your DAP or fumbling in your pocket - support of in-line control is extremely valuable. Another improvement carried over from X3ii was a new power management with a deep-sleep standby and instant-on resume - an absolute life safer when you take periodic breaks from listening and don't want to restart your DAP if it shuts down after time out.
Btw, this deep sleep is not a gimmick. I tested it on a number of occasions and was always amazed by how little battery was drained while in this standby mode. Even when you are playing the music, battery life was still impressive with playback of about 10-11 hrs depending on the gain level and the volume level. FiiO also mentioned about implementation of Coulomb meter for precise battery level readout. I just hope that at some point they will implement the actual % of battery display in notification bar as well. This 10-11 hrs battery endurance was accumulated across various tests where most of the time screen ended up being off - a typical real life usage. With a screen on the time will be reduced a little, though it's hard to quantify it since it all depends on your usage. And speaking of a screen, the rich color saturated display of X5ii is among the best out of the entire FiiO lineup, and it was an absolute pleasure to use it indoors and outdoors with a clear and crisp visibility of menus and full album cover art, actually a big step up from X3ii display.
Since I mentioned about a display, I think now it's a good time to dive more into FiiO’s updated GUI. Actually those who are intimately familiar with X1 and X3ii, X5ii GUI layout will be seen more like a dot update. With a clear semi-circle left to right menu layout, it was updated with an improved graphics details and more features added under setting and playback menus.
The main screen presents you with 5 selections of Now Playing (defaults to a currently playing track), Play by Category (with a choice of All songs, Album, Artist, Genre, Collection of Favorites - tagged from song playback, and Playlists selection), Browse Files (my favorite selection to view files by folders in Card 1, Card 2, and OTG connection - as long as you have FAT32 formatted device, you can expand your storage capacity by connecting external memory through usb OTG adapter), Play Setting, and System Setting. As you can see, there are plenty of choices for music browsing and playback, and navigation is super easy with a scrolling wheel. Once you select a song and it starts playing, the playback screen will display song/album art, if available, and you will see a current time marker for the song and the total time, the title of the song and the artist, and briefly a display with info about the file type.
In the notification bar you can always see a volume level with corresponding value, Gain setting (L or H), EQ selection, a number of populated micro-sd cards, Playback status (plays/pause), and a battery status. During the playback you can skip a song using two control buttons at the bottom or just by scrolling a wheel which brings you to a folder list where you click Play to select another song. Pressing and holding skip song buttons will fast fwd/rev through a song, while a middle button works as Play/Pause, unless you press'n'hold it to get into volume control using a scrolling wheel. Upper right button works as "go back" and upper left button brings up an icon menu where you can add a song to a favorite list or to a specific playlist, to delete a song, or to select different playback modes (loop, through, crossfade, and repeat one). All this is extremely convenient for one handed operation.
Going back to Play settings, you have a very comprehensive list of options related to playback. You can change Play mode (similar to accessing playback modes), enable Resume mode, Gapless playback, cap the max volume level, set power-on volume and associated fixed volume setting, select between Low and High gain, enter EQ screen (10-band EQ with a custom setting and a lot of genre specific presets), L/R Balance setting, and a new option of Play through Folders setting.
System settings gives you an option of language selection, Media Library update, Key-lock settings (with different options for lockscreen controls when display is off), Screen timeout, Brightness setting, Idle standby and corresponding timer, Sleep on/off and corresponding timer, Selection of shared output as either Line Out of Coax, File name display (as either Title or the actual file name), USB mode (DAC or Storage), enabling support of in-line headphone controls, display theme selection (5 unique choices), About X5 inf (which gives you both cards total capacity and available capacity, total number of songs, firmware version and serial number, and entire digital copy of detailed Quick Start Guide), Format (important if you are having problem with FAT32 format of your flash card), and last but not least - Reset to factory defaults.
I already mentioned about in-line remote control, and just want to talk briefly about USB mode. Storage selection enables you to connect X5ii to your computer where you can update the content of the flash cards by a simple drag’n’drop. But with USD DAC selection you turn X5ii into an external usb soundcard. After installation of proper drivers, X5ii is recognized as usb audio output to stream audio from your computer. Though I personally prefer a dedicated USB DAC and feel like using DAP for this functionality is overkill, it was still nice to be able to improve sound quality (more detailed clean sound) of my ThinkPad laptop with a help of X5ii. In this configuration while using DAP as usb DAC you are also charging it in parallel through usb port so you don't have to worry about drain a battery. Furthermore, you can use Play/Pause and change volume right from X5ii remotely - very convenient for an external audio interface. Just remember, you are not changing volume level on your computer, just relative to X5ii playback.
GUI details.
I'm sure the most important question on everyone's mind is how X5ii sounds, especially in comparison to the original X5 and X3ii DAPs. Evaluation of a source sound quality is not an easy task because it's a function of your headphones sound signature, and sometimes it’s easier to describe in a relative comparative analysis to other DAPs. Still, it was clear as a day to hear sound improvement of X5ii which shifted more toward the neutral sound signature with a decent extension at both ends of the spectrum and a detailed airy sound with an above average soundstage. Background was perfectly black with no audible noise floor even in high gain.
While going through a round of checking various headphones, I found a lot of solid pair ups with an impressive synergy. Driving full size ATH-R70x (470 ohms) was with ease and authority at both low gain (vol at 105) and high gain (vol at 90) - at high gain bass had a bit more textured rumble and treble had a touch more sparkle, where in comparison X5 sound was looser and not as dynamic. With UE600 iem, my “hiss” test case, there was literally zero hissing with X5ii while original X5 had a noticeable hissing when idle. ATH-MSR7 had a nice wide soundstage, excellent retrieval of details, no sibilance, and well controlled low end punch. With Havi's B3 Pro I the volume was raised by 10 notches (to 77), soundstage was still wide, and it still had a great extension at both ends of the spectrum with a warm neutral sound. ATH-CKR10 had a nice tight bass and detailed and crispy treble - both complimented by a clear smooth mids which bring the best of AT house style. It was also driving A83 low end with an authority, keeping bass tight and punchy with a great sub-bass extension, mids being clear and detailed, not harsh or grainy, and treble with a nice extension, soundstage width/depth was excellent as well. With Westone W60 sound was warm, smooth, detailed, wide/deep soundstage, punchy bass, mids pushed a little back, and treble detailed but not overly crisp/bright.
Next to the original X5, X3ii, and X1 (for a size comparison).
Stack up with X5ii/E12A/UM Pro 50.
I’m sure a question on many people’s mind will be how X5ii compares in sound to the original X5 and recently released X3ii.
While comparing X5ii to X5, I found original X5 sound to be warmer, flatter (less dynamic), loudness to be on the same level but not driving headphones with the same level of authority, with difference more noticeable at low end where I’m hearing some additional sub-bass rumble/texture in X5ii. I’m not discounting and actually quite certain that different people will hear these changes on a different level. Furthermore, since most of the sound changes could be attributed to a newly redesigned amp section, I wanted to find out how these compare from LO using a few of my favorite portable amps. To my big surprise, I found pair up with Cayin C5 (connected to LO of X5 and then X5ii) to yield nearly an identical sound. With FiiO’s E12A amp, sound was very close but X5ii still had a little more sub-bass texture with an overall perception of a fuller body. This observation brings up a very important point where if you are happy with a current gen X5 interface and control ergonomics and you prefer to use an external amp – perhaps there is not much advantage for you to upgrade to X5ii.
What about those who recently upgraded from X5 to X3ii, is it worth taking a step further with X5ii upgrade? With a volume level matched for a more accurate comparison between X5ii and X3ii, I found X3ii to be a little warmer and with a little less treble extension, all of which results in X5ii having an edge in detail retrieval across entire frequency range. Pairing it up from LO with C5 and E12A yielded the same test results where sound was nearly identical with C5 and had a little more sub-bass rumble and top end sparkle with E12A. I tested it numerous times, going back’n’forth between X5, X5ii, and X3ii, and my results were consistent despite different DAC being used in X5/X5ii and X3ii. This reinforces my previous point where if you are a fan of aforementioned portable external amps, perhaps sticking with an original X5 or X3ii would make sense if you only care about a sound and happy with a footprint and storage capacity of your current DAP.
Since both X3ii and X5ii support native DSD decoding versus X5 processing it through PCM conversion, I was also pleased to hear a noticeable difference when playing hi-res files on X5 and X5ii/X3ii. Without a doubt during DSD (2.82MHz test files) playback in comparison to X5, X5ii sound was noticeably wider and deeper, more dynamic, more layered, and with a higher level of detail retrieval. When comparing X5ii to X3ii, I found DSD playback to have a very similar level of width and depth, with a sound being equally layered and dynamic, though X5ii stayed consistent with its brighter and more detailed signature while X3ii was warmer and less detailed.
For those who are considering X5ii along with other non-FiiO DAPs, here is a brief comparison notes with some of my other favorite DAPs, such as N6, AK120ii, AP100, and LP5.
X5ii vs N6: N6 has a little wider soundstage, tighter bass, slightly brighter sound signature (based on fw2.0) with a little better retrieval of details. N6 sub-bass extend a little deeper and sound is a little more layered/dynamic. There used to be a bigger gap between X5 and N6, but now X5ii is a lot closer to N6 in comparison. Also keep in mind, N6 is bigger in size and almost 60g heavier in weight, thus X5ii is more portable and pocketable. With a sound quality getting closer, size getting smaller, and price still at almost a half, X5ii is a better value. But if you want to squeeze every drop of sound performance without adding an external amp and only care about sound quality – in my opinion N6 still has a slight edge (which recently got even more ahead with N6 fw3.0 update).
X5ii vs AK120ii: AK sound is warmer and with a fuller body, a little wider in soundstage (similar to N6), with a little more sub-bass rumble, a very similar retrieval of details, and with a bit less treble extension. When it comes to a sound quality, I would probably choose X5ii due to my own personal taste, but in terms of a sexy compact design with touch screen and hardware controls and volume knob and balanced output – I still haven’t found any contender to dethrone AK120ii. Also, keep in mind that X5ii cost quarter of AK120ii. Furthermore, X7 is just around the corner with touch screen and modular amp design; though I believe it will have a bigger footprint.
X5ii vs LP5: Luxury & Precision has a wider soundstage, tighter more detailed bass, overall more layered sound with a much better retrieval of details, better dynamics, etc. In terms of sound quality, LP5 is very hard to beat thanks to its AKM DAC and cherry-picked component (I have Gold model), and yes LP5 stands out in looks with a rather boutique style. But in terms of the usability, display, GUI, controls, and features, it falls far behind X5ii which cost 1/3 of the price.
X5ii vs AP100 (with 24b/192k enabled oversampling): Now we are getting to a more interesting competition since I mentioned in the past that AP100 sound quality was better than X5 (by a noticeable margin). In this new comparison, sound is very similar in quality to X5ii, but AP100 has just a little wider soundstage. I believe X5ii really closed a gap on this one, though AP100 is still smaller and more compact.
Conclusion.
I’m going to make this short and simple. If you are still using your smartphone as a main source to listen to music because you mostly stream your media - wait for X7. I know that expectations are high, but I will give FiiO the benefit of the doubt regarding this upcoming Android-based touchscreen DAP which I think going to set a new bar. If you want to leave the world of push notifications and social media updates behind, and ready to make your first audiophile step into the exciting world of hi-res audio without breaking the bank - X5ii should definitely be at the top of your list. At the current moment it will not be easy to find another DAP in this price range with similar solid hardware build and slick design, unique hardware controls, mature firmware, high quality audio, and a ton of configuration options. The decision gets a little harder if you already own the original X5. If sound quality is at the top of your priority list and you are using your first gen X5 with an external portable amp, I'm not sure if you will benefit switching to X5ii while continuing using external amp. But if you are like me who wants improved sound quality and values portability of a slick pocketable design without the hassle of bulky add-ons - X5ii is one great option. As an alternative, if you don't mind a slightly warmer sound, especially if you have brighter headphones, and ok with 128GB micro-sd card storage - X3ii offers the best value in FiiO DAP line up. It will give you the most flexibility of a small footprint with a powerful sound, support of all hi-res audio formats including native DSD decoding, using it everywhere even during exercising while carrying it in armband, and also ability to pair up with an external portable amp to step up in sound quality. As a matter of fact, I think X3ii release made X1 a bit obsolete to the point where I would suggest to FiiO in the next X1ii update to get rid off scrolling wheel and make it more compact on a scale of Clip+. Overall, DAP market is on the rise with a lot of choices in sub $600 category, but you can rest assured that FiiO offers some of the best price/performance ratio products in corresponding price categories.
does the folder browser function list ALL the files in the folder or just the ones the device knows how to play?
Son of Kalas said:
does the folder browser function list ALL the files in the folder or just the ones the device knows how to play?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
only shows the supported audio format files.
can i use a heapdone with a balanced cable or i need an adapter?
obi1301 said:
can i use a heapdone with a balanced cable or i need an adapter?
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Click to collapse
You mean like 2.5mm TRRS (A&K) balanced cable? X5ii only accepts 3.5mm single ended TRS, so you will need an adapter. The same if you are talking about HiFiMAN 3.5mm balanced, will need 3.5mm adapter like they use in RE600.
vectron said:
support of all hi-res audio formats
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Well no. It does support more than some other players but it does not support all bitrates of APE (Monkeys Audio), it does not support Wavepak (IIRC) and it does not support MPC. Unfortunately I have a lot of rips from the old days that my X5ii won't play.
I realize FLAC now has the lion's share of the market and I appreciate FiiO supports APE at all when many others don't. I don't know how their firmware is designed but they should have had a pluggable codec setup and they should really support all the mainstream and not so mainstream but still popular formats and they would be unbeatable. It can't be that hard, PowerAmp Android seems to decode a lot more than FiiO.
Other than that I do agree it is quite good and am happy with it.
vectron said:
including native DSD decoding
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Not all bitrates and not compressed DSDs. I have had like 25% luck getting a DSD to play on my X5ii.
Nitpicking This is an old DAP
Here is what is support Lossless:
DSD: DSD64, DSD128 (.iso&.dsf & .dff);
APE (Fast): 192 kHz/24 bit;
APE (Normal): 96 kHz/24 bit;
APE (High): 96 kHz/24 bit;
AIFF: 192 kHz/24 bit;
FLAC: 192 kHz/24 bit;
WAV: 192 kHz/64 bit;
WMA9.1 Lossless: 96 kHz/24 bit;
Apple Lossless: 192 kHz/24 bit;
and Lossy:
MP2、MP3、AAC、WMA、OGG.
as far as the current "industry" standard, many listen to FLAC as high res since it's the best compromise between the sound quality, compression, and the file size. DSD is a true jewel, but files are huge, and not too many popular recordings you can find in DSD (mostly classic music, etc). So, to be fair, it supports all the POPULAR lossless and lossy formats.
For a full format coverage, you need to step up to full Android based X5 3rd gen or X7 2nd gen. This will allow you to run audio apps that decode and support all the formats. Not sure, maybe Neutron will support everything under the sun?
midnightrider said:
Well no. It does support more than some other players but it does not support all bitrates of APE (Monkeys Audio), it does not support Wavepak (IIRC) and it does not support MPC. Unfortunately I have a lot of rips from the old days that my X5ii won't play.
I realize FLAC now has the lion's share of the market and I appreciate FiiO supports APE at all when many others don't. I don't know how their firmware is designed but they should have had a pluggable codec setup and they should really support all the mainstream and not so mainstream but still popular formats and they would be unbeatable. It can't be that hard, PowerAmp Android seems to decode a lot more than FiiO.
Other than that I do agree it is quite good and am happy with it.
Not all bitrates and not compressed DSDs. I have had like 25% luck getting a DSD to play on my X5ii.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vectron said:
Nitpicking This is an old DAP
as far as the current "industry" standard, many listen to FLAC as high res since it's the best compromise between the sound quality, compression, and the file size. DSD is a true jewel, but files are huge, and not too many popular recordings you can find in DSD (mostly classic music, etc). So, to be fair, it supports all the POPULAR lossless and lossy formats.
For a full format coverage, you need to step up to full Android based X5 3rd gen or X7 2nd gen. This will allow you to run audio apps that decode and support all the formats. Not sure, maybe Neutron will support everything under the sun?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah like I said I am very happy with mine and I think it's a good value. The problem is for people who have a lot of old rips in APE or MPC or WV etc. Which I do...
It kinda sucks to have to play them on a phone since they're not supported on the x5ii. And I really don't want to buy an Android-based portable music player. I can just use my phone and PowerAmp.
Edit: another point I should make is what's old in America is new or unavailable in ROW. So.. everything is relative.
DAC
midnightrider said:
Yeah like I said I am very happy with mine and I think it's a good value. The problem is for people who have a lot of old rips in APE or MPC or WV etc. Which I do...
It kinda sucks to have to play them on a phone since they're not supported on the x5ii. And I really don't want to buy an Android-based portable music player. I can just use my phone and PowerAmp.
Edit: another point I should make is what's old in America is new or unavailable in ROW. So.. everything is relative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi.
You can use FiiO X5II as a DAC with your phone as I do (but I can not find any good short cable USB-C --> microUSB to bundle them together as compact multidevice). Because I am missing OTG and CopyPaste support or any possibility to move files, you can only delete them. Another thing is why it is not support .txt and .jpge/.png as viewer (I know it is not necessary).
Regards
Hi! I was planning on getting this. But I was wondering how is it's audio quality? I understand this is a mid-range phone, and it's not on the same level like Hi-Res phones on major flagship devices. But I've tried Asus Zenfone Selfie, though a phone geared towards photography, but I found it to have an awesome sound output thru headsets. It also has an Audio Wizard that you can finely tune like the Bass, Treble, Environment etc...
So it would be great if you can give me a feedback on this.
One of the reasons I choose the G7 was because of SQ, and in no small parth Bluetooth as my Huawei P9 Plus has very weak Bluetooth both features and strength. I love my wired phones, and I love the Quad DAC, but not on the go. I hate wires, they always gets in the way and are best for stationary listening.
I experienced a big improvement already with my old Bluetooth cans, the Urbanears Plattan ADV, as I used to have dropouts wich now was gone. And the inclusion of DST:X in the G7 does wonders for listening with cans, the Plattan ADV sounds really good with the G7 but it's far from High-Res sound but more of a kick ass rock and roll sound.
But, I wanted to be able to listen to more delicate music wireless too. After some market research I ended up with the Sony WH-H900N cans. They are sort of a budget version of the Sony WH-1000XM3 which sits on the top of the BT-sound food chain.
Featurewise they are close, Google Assistant, Noise cancelling, AptX HD and LDAC support, Sony proprietary DSEE HX-upsampling, dedicated app etc. What is cheaper is the noise cancelling which isn't nearly as capable, and even more plastic of course, thankfully Sony hasn't been as cheap on SQ which is reported to be about on par with their much more expensive big brother.
Anyway, after some struggling finding I needed to change the SQ setting under Bluetooth-devices I was able to activate LDAC. And yes, it sounds very good indeed, it made the sound noticeably more smooth and less sibilance compared to AAC which was sort of default with my setup. I tried it with streaming FLAC from my music server and got away very impressed, the SQ these cans can produce are not at all inferior to a wired connection and the Quad DAC. It sounds damned good.
Still, DTS:X is of much use, it can really enhance the soundfield of any can. The Sony cans sounds much better with DST:X activated than without, so I will continue using it.
The LG G7 is sort of the ultimate sound machine, both wired and wireless, exactly what I wanted from my phone.
Lastly, even if Sonys has gone cheap on the noise cancelling with these one step down cans, I was equally impressed today when I was driving my car and it didn't seem to have neither a motor nor tyres
Just bought the Sony wh-1000xm3 silver color. ??? Amazed by LG and Sony once again.
Ultimate machine indeed. Also bought hifi mqa quality Tidal subscription. Also bought USB player pro also the mqa plugin, although it wasn't necessary, but to be there. Ultimate machine! ?
I got the Radstone Es100 which does LDAC and my G7 talks to it at the higest quality and sounds freakin amazing.
NICE