The Earwerkz Legend R is by far the most sensitive monitor in my collection. It picks up hiss like it’s its favorite thing to do. The Legend R doesn’t even like the Astell&Kern players and till now the only almost quiet player I got to use the Legend R with without external amplifier was the iBasso DX90, one of the quietest players on the market. Well the X5SG is even quieter and I haven’t really noticed any floor noise with any of my gear and that’s simply awesome! Of course the X5SG doesn’t have any problems driving any of my custom and universal monitors. There are a whole lot of earphones that sound good with the new X5 but one IEM I particularly like with it is the Alpha & Delta AD01. It’s a brand new dual Dynamic Driver universal IEM that focusses on bass and clarity and while it doesn’t have an audiophile tuning, it has been extremely fun listening to it. RHA’s brand new T20 with the reference filters to me wasn’t the best match. I had to switch to the Bass filters to make the T20 enjoyable to me but in all honestly I only just unpacked the T20 and from what I’ve read they take a while to sound their best, so there’s still hope.
Friends & Competitors
I’ve spilled it already, the X5SG is Fiio’s best DAP for me. The X3SG sounds a bit heavier, it has more body but at the same time it also has (too much) floor noise which the X5SG doesn’t have. The X5SG is clearer sounding, has a blacker background and shows more space between the instruments. The X3SG is the warmer and more musical sounding player and it also has a tad more focus on bass. The X5SG is the most correct sounding DAP in Fiio’s lineup but I do have to give the edge to the X3SG for what timbre and layering is concerned, the X5SG misses out on that a little. The X1, like The X3SG also is noisier and it’s even warmer sounding with more bass focus. Soundstage and detail level is lowest and there’s quite a big gap in sound quality between both players. With the X1 and X3SG I preferred using the LO with an external amp and with the X5SG this isn’t the case at all. iBasso DX90’s sound is closest to the X5SG’s but the DX90 has the better UI and touch screen. Sound wise I actually find both DAPs to be very close to each other, the X5SG’s attack might even be a bit better and it maybe is a tad more clear sounding but both players are very close to each other and I’m not sure I would easily name the right player in a blind test. I do prefer the Coax out on the D90 though. I hope to receive the AK Jr soon so I can test it against Fiio’s latest. Until it does my ranking based on SQ is:
X1 – X3 – X3SG – DX90 – X5SG – AK120ii – AK240. The X5SG and DX90 switch places when you throw the UI and touch screen in the mix.
Conclusion
Looking at the specs the X5SG surprised me a little as some of the specs of the earlier players are better, yet I find this to be the best sounding Fiio DAP so far. If we’re just looking at sound quality it even bests the DX90 and that’s quite the accomplishment. In the mid-fi market it has become a serious contender for the aging DX90. The DX90 is getting a FW update one of these days but there of course won’t be a night and day difference in how it sounds. (the X5SG will get one too one of these days). Just looking at usability the DX90 still is the best for me, sound wise however the new X5SG is the winner.(unless you’ll be using the coax out)
Compared to the higher end DAPs, what I still miss in the Fiio X5SG is more timbre and layering over the full spectrum in combination with a higher detail level. The X5SG has a high price/quality ratio and it sounds darn good, superb even for its price. I’m not saying the X5SG is flawless but in the Mid Fi segment this is the new DAP to beat. If you’re looking for a new DAP I would save up and get the new 5SG instead of the X3SG, the price difference isn’t that big but the difference in sound surely is. Those of you who made it to the end of this extremely long double review will see Paul and me don’t fully agree as he would still recommend the X3SG over the X5SG. That’s the beauty of a double review: not everyone looks for the same things and this gives our readers an even better view on things. Anyway, I love what Fiio has done and is doing with its DAPS and I expect a lot from the upcoming X7.
Tobias Ong
I think you describe the A&D01 wrongly, it should be a dual dynamic iem 🙂
Headfonia_L.
Indeed it is, modified. thx
Tobias Ong
No worries,I had the same thoughts about the A&D01 as well 🙂
A nicely written review too!
Tronco
“A double EL-8 review will be posted in the short future.”
Great! I got myself a EL-8 Closed some weeks ago and I wonder what you think of it.
Headfonia_L.
I do prefer the open version over the closed one but both have their strengths
Tronco
If I have the choice, I always end up with an open headphone. But at work and when my kids are noisy…
I’m using the EL-8C at work and very happy so far. Not as comfy as the Alpha Dog but very good SQ.
I’d love to have both and compare.
Colin
Keep watching on Headfonia.com for EL-8 review.
Brian
How are you feeling about this vs the Hidizs AP100?
Headfonia_L.
I don’t have the AP100, sorry
Savage Brit
I’m eagerly awaiting the Hidizs AP300, but am very impressed by FiiO’s unified look for their players and commitments to aural improvements.
Ed
As a lover of the DX90 myself, it’s really interesting to hear that the X5SG performs better. May have to pick one up to see for myself.
At the end of your review, you rank your list of DAPs. Would you still say that the jump from DX90/X5SG to the AK120II is a large difference in sound quality? Right now I can get an AK120II for around $1000 so the value would be a lot closer.
Headfonia_L.
It’s always hard to tell if the extra dosh is worth it. The AK are clearly luxury products and as such it depends on your personal situation if you can spend that amount on a DAP.
Not looking at money, I do think the AK120ii is the better player, it’s cleaner, more detailed, better layered, has optical out (which I love), adaptable LO output and it sounds more neutral, where the X5SG or DX90 do lean more to the warmer side with more bass focus
Ed
It definitely seems as if though the AK players have the complete package and if you want that, you will have to pay a premium. I owned an AK100II myself and while it sounded great and was a joy to use, I found myself selling it since I preferred a more bassy signature for most of my music.
I would consider the DX90 to have more bloom in the bass compared to the AK100II. Would this be the same for the X5SG? I really enjoyed the sound of the bass on the AK100II but the impact was lacking. I am looking for something that has less bass bloom but retains an acceptable level of impact.
Thanks for the review by the way. Always enjoy reading about these gadgets.
Headfonia_L.
I find the DX90’s bass and the X5SG’s fairly comparable
Ilias K
Thanks for the great review. How does it compare with X3SG+E12A? In sound quality alone
Headfonia_L.
Thank you. Like I said in the review I was using the X5SG alone without amp as I find ti to be better than the X3SG with an amp, the E12A included. The E12A is a good IEM amp though, but tI don’t find that the X5ii needs it
Observer
I would probably agree with you.
But some of us just want to have that extra ‘experience’ of offboard amp. Kinda like separates at home.
I’m even thinking a crazy thought of purchasing a 2nd E12A and splitting channels into Oppo PM-3s or Audeze LCD-2. Just to simulate the ‘monoblock’ experience of separates.
Yeah, I know, crazy, but the E12A is affordable.
johthor
A really excellent review Lieven. As usual you do not “pull your punches” which makes for a completely honest review. I bought the X1 just out of curiosity and actually quite like it using the LO to a JDS labs C5. Both Brooko’s review and yours will have me purchasing the X5SG as soon as it is available.
Headfonia_L.
Glad to hear, and thanks. Enjoy your X5SG!
Lofthanza Art
everything i wanted to know about this Fiio was said, except for how it pairs with Fidelio X2. Thank you indeed!
Dreamriser Kit
Nice review as always. Even X5II sound (slightly?) better than DX90, I believe I still prefer touchscreen + Rockbox for daily use. Don’t think the difference in term of sound is night and day anyway.
P.S. We have X5II tour in my country and I will have a chance to test this DAP for a week. Maybe I will change my mind after that 😀
Jeroen Wijnands
So, in other words. A pretty good player but not if you want to drive a 300 ohm DT770?
Headfonia_L.
Are we inventing headphones now? 🙂
Jeroen Wijnands
I obviously shouldn’t try to talk audio gear before my second cup of coffee.
Headfonia_L.
For a 250ohm DT770 I would recommend an amp
Jeroen Wijnands
yeah, and then I’m in the budget where I just might as well get a DX90.
Ever since I had an X3 for a test and was rather disappointed by it I am thinking that I am maybe expecting too much from a portable player.
For now the E10k does the job since I have my laptop near me a lot of the time
Headfonia_L.
I even use an amp with the 2500USD AK240…
Dhia Oshaish
Have you tried it with the Fidelio X2? Would it be a good combination?
Headfonia_L.
for sure. the clarity and detail of the X5SG match great with the X2’s characteristics, and it’s easy to drive
Dhia Oshaish
Thank you for your answer! I already have the dx90. But although great with the Fidelio X2, it sounds a bit distant and lacks some oomph in the sound. Will the Fiio x5ii have closer vocals and a more energitic sound than the dx90?
Thanx again!
Headfonia_L.
A little but not much, I advise to use an amp
Dhia Oshaish
Could you please suggest an amp around/under $300? This amp would be my first amp. (I have the Fiio e6, but that doesnt count, does it? )
(I hope the suggested amp can be used with the Ibasso dx90 as long as with a normal samsung phone.
And thanks for all your help!
Headfonia_L.
Cayin C5 maybe?
http://www.headfonia.com/cayin-c5-bubbly-baby/
Dhia Oshaish
Won’t this pairing be overly warm?
Headfonia_L.
Trial and error
willy vlyminck
Maybe I missed that point but how did the Stagediver do with the 5 II ? Do you think the Stagediver 2 would be the best option, or does this one fitts the 3II better?
Headfonia_L.
I didn’t put that in the review. If we’re talking DAP alone, no amps:
X5SG + SD4
X3SG + SD2
The 5 is clearer and can use the 4’s bass and body. the 3 is warmer and basier and thats what the SD2 can use (to me of course)
willy vlyminck
Will demo them this afternoon but wanted to hear your opinion. Not sure about the Dap issue yet, the X7 and iPod Touch 6g ( if it comes) might be the better choice for me but for Bandcamp downloads the X5 will be top.
Lofthanza Art
Is the Fiio X5 ii a bit brighter than the dx90 or a bit warmer?
And is the amp section of the Fiio better than that of the dx90?
Headfonia_L.
certainly not warmer. More clear though.
They both are pretty powerful
Colin
“X1 – X3 – X3SG – DX90 – X5SG – AK120ii – AK240.”How if include Lotto 5000 & paw gold?
Headfonia_L.
I didn’t accept to review the Lotto DAPs, couldn’t tell you. sorry
Observer
My personal Opinion: AK240 is just a waste of good coins.
An iPod Touch with the Oppo HA-2 and Onkyo HD Player will give much more choice for Hires Formats at a much much lower cost. You could even throw in a pair of Oppo PM-2s and still save money.
Patrick.C
Good review lieven. Always good to see what fiio is doing with his products. As an oldgen user I think I stick with my current setup.
Q: I heard many things of the Cardas Audio EM5813 and I would love to see this product reviewed on headfonia. How does it perform against his competitors? Is it worth it with?
Regards Patrick
Raphaël G.
thanks for the review! I have a important question : is the X5 ii able to be connected to a android phone with otg usb cable? thank guys for the answer !
Headfonia_L.
Why would you connect a DAP to your phone? Just for the DAC? I don’t think that’ll work but I’m no expert in phones as source, you better check Head-fi
Observer
No.
The HA-2 does not have an S/PDIF interface and the X5 already has built-in DAC which is inbound. That is, the USB OTG port is used to supply data to the FiiO, not the other way around.
Freckle
Nice review. How does the FIIO X5ii compare with the Astell & Kern Jr?
Freckle
One other question: I’m a DAP newbie – would this be a good one to start with? I’m an older user and I’ve not even used an iPod before.
dalethorn
My take on it, from an average-user standpoint, is that the X5 DAP can give you high audio performance in one unit without extra devices and cables. If you went the other direction, you might be able to get the same sound quality with an Android device that supports 128 gb or greater memory and a digital connection to external DAC and amp. iPods and iPhones are trickier because they don’t output hires data across the USB with players that use the common memory area supported by iTunes, so you would need a player that creates its own memory space, or a jail-break app, etc. etc.
JACKY
Would you mind to recommend a good closed headphone under US$700 to work with X5 ii?
dalethorn
B&O H6, B&W P7, Sennheiser Momentum v2, AKG K553, Beyer T51p/i, Thinksound ON1, or v-moda M100.
JACKY
highly appreciate your suggestion, will check it out at the shop. At least I have a shorter list to try. 🙂
dalethorn
I see I forgot the DT770-32 that Lieven just mentioned.
Headfonia_L.
That’s why I added it 🙂
JACKY
Thanks, both gentlemen 🙂
Will try it out as well.
dalethorn
The T51p(or i) might win on fit, but I think the K553 wins on neutrality.
JACKY
Dalethorn, may I seek your comment on Oppo PM-3? Since I am living in Hong Kong, K553pro is not available in Hong Kong. And both headphones are made in China…
dalethorn
I don’t have the PM3, but I just got the Audioquest Nighthawk. I’d like to compare them, but the Nighthawk is good enough that I’m in no hurry to get a PM3.
JACKY
Finally I bought v-moda M100. a bit too warm for me, not crystal clear. Bass is perfect and the price is cheap. Thanks for your tips.
dalethorn
Here’s the curve I apply to the M100 – makes it sound better than most planars I’ve heard.
http://dalethorn.com/Photos/Audioforge/Vmoda_M100.jpg
Headfonia_L.
DT770 32
Observer
Oppo PM-3s. Full stop.
Dreamriser Kit
Listened to X5ii demo unit for quite a week and decided to keep DX90. No doubt X5ii has a good sq but I feel it sound somehow boring, especially a vocal.
Andy Crane
AKjr vs. Fiio x5ii (second generation aka X5)
I’m ready to ditch my iPod classic for a new high res music player. The sound quality of the iPod just doesn’t cut it. And the WAV files I added to the device are all distorted.
After reading several reviews for sub $500 hi-res players, I narrowed down my list to two players, the AKjr and the Fiio X5ii. However, there was no review that compared the two devices head to head. So here is my quick, non-audiophile review.
Sound
Let’s start with the most important factor first. I compared both devices with the same FLAC
files ripped from CD’s using Easy CD. I used my Sure SE530 in ear headphones and the Sennheiser Moment on-ear headphones which were included with the AKjr as a promotion from B&H. While both players sounded great, the AKjr had better staging for a more 3D sound. The AKjr had greater breadth and depth compared to the X5. Both were very comparable in their reproduction of voice and instrument sound.
Form Factor
The AKjr is incredibly light and thin. The X5 is a brick compared to the AKjr in form and weight. The X5 is bigger than my iPod but pretty much the same exact form. The one major issue with the AKjr form factor is the four sharp corners. I mean sharp to the point where
it hurts your hand when you squeeze it. It looks great but feels like a rough prototype that needs sanding (which I may wind up doing). And finally, the AKjr is totally pocketable while the X5 is just not.
Function
I was really excited about the volume dial on the AKjr. I prefer dials over buttons, especially for volume control. While I love AKjr volume dial, I wish there was an option to change the volume increments. Each notch in the dial raises or lowers the volume by 0.5. Each thumb swipe moves the volume by approximately 5 notches. When you have a scale from 0.00 to 70.0 its 140 notches or 28 thumb swipes to go from zero to 70, which is way too many swipes on the dial. I would like the option to change it to an increment of 1 or 5 and
change the min/max from 0-70 to 0-100. Why they chose a max volume of 70 is beyond me. In contrast to the AKjr volume dial, the X5 volume buttons are on the side and the wheel and the volume range is from 0 to 120. The buttons and the dial have a short delay and one must hold down the button too long to make a significant volume adjustment. The dial volume
requires that you press the center button and then roll the wheel. The X5 volume wheel control is poorly executed and non-intuitive.
I was concerned about the AKjr touch screen for a couple of reasons including battery life, inability to advance songs in a pocket and inadvertently making changes when rubbing against something. Well, I can tell you that AKjr solved these issues. First, the unit turns off the screen which reduces battery consumption. They also added a next, pause/play and previous button to the side of the devise for touch and feel control while in your pocket.
And when you do use the side controls, the screen remains off, preventing inadvertent changes. One great feature of the touch screen is the ability to fast forward or rewind the current song by grabbing the song timeline and moving it in either direction. Unlike the X5 which requires that you hold down the FF or RW button for several seconds to get where you want to go.
The X5 controls are clunky and non-intuitive. The dial is slippery and hard to control,
especially with the included silicone case. When you navigate through songs, the screen highlights the selected song but moves the title from the right side of the screen to the left side which totally throws you off in your search. The controls and screen menus just feel cheap.
Summary
The AKjr met my expectations of a sub $500 hi-res player. A few tweaks and it would be
closer to perfect. The X5 seems like a step backwards from my iPod classic, except for the ability to play hi-res, lossless files. But what really killed the X5 for me is that it froze up several times during operation. On certain occasions, it would eventually catch up and execute the past ten commands at once. Other times, I just had to reboot the device. The AKjr has performed flawlessly. Therefore, I recommend the AKjr. But if you are looking for a less expensive bypass the X5ii
Juan Luis Quiroz Guevara
Which of these headphones works better with x5ii? Beyerdynamic T51P or dt770 32ohm?
Headfonia_L.
They both are great with the X5SG, the T51P should be a bit better even
Cuong Cao
Hi guys,
I’m looking into buying my first DAP and stuck between iBasso
DX90 and Fiio X5 2nd gen (X5ii). My concern is that is the DX90’s current fw or rockbox more
stable than the X5ii’s latest fw? ‘cuz Lieven mentioned in the review that the X5ii froze and it’s not uncommon for DAP. Does that also mean DX90 can freeze some time as well? Also, in the review, Lieven also mentioned the X5ii gets warm after few hours. Is it it the same for the DX90? And finally, if both of them are similarly priced, which you would you recommend me to get? My main concern is stability in operation. As for SQ, as they are close, I wouldn’t think it is discernible to a newbie like me.
Thanks very much and have a good one, guys!
Cheers,
Cuong
Headfonia_L.
Every DAP can freeze, even the AKs. DX90 rockboxed is nice but the DX90 has been discontinued. I think the smarter choice would be to go for the X5/X7 or the nex DX80
Cuong Cao
Freeze is fine, as long as they don’t do that often. If DX90’s still available, should I get it? The DX80 and Fiio X7 are sadly not yet available here in Australia 🙁
Thanks a lot, mate!
Headfonia_L.
you could but it is no longer supported by iBasso
Cuong Cao
I see. I think the X5ii is the answer. Thanks a lot 🙂
Cuong Cao
Hi, it’s me again… Sorry… So the iBasso DX80 is available here in Australia. However, it’s a bloody $100 more than the X5ii… I don’t know why ‘cuz they’re supposed to be the same price as in the States. So have you guys tried the DX80? I don’t know if it’s worth $100 more… Sorry again, I’m a student so just wanna make sure I don’t make any bad purchase decision…
dalethorn
You might want to repost your question here, since it’s the only place where they discussed the DX80: http://www.headfonia.com/canjam-essen-15-pleasure-overload-part-2/
Cuong Cao
Thanks dale. I’ll switch over there. Cheers 🙂
Headfonia_L.
should be with me over the next few weeks if all goes well
Cuong Cao
I’ll wait then lol. Looking forward to your review. Thanks a lot for your hard work!
Cheers,
Cuong
Dimitrizan
Hello!
I have a Shure SE846, and I’m stuck between X5ii and DX90. Which do you reckon will be the best match?
Dave Ulrich
On the simple fact that the DX90 is discontinued and no longer supported, I would go with the X5ii. Although, the DX80 should be around soon, so, who knows on that one
Headfonia_L.
Like Dave says, and on top of that the DX80 FW isn’t the best
Sergey Green
The good:
* Very clear sound
* Dual card slots
The bad:
* Lacks sub-bass
* Has almost no textures in the middle
* Very dry, slightly forward sound, not exactly musical
Kind of reminds me of Harman Kardon AVR 7000 receiver (that I literally threw away some years ago) – very clean and detailed sound, yet uninspiring and boring.
The headphones used; Klipsch X10, Yamaha EPH-100, AudioTechnica M50, Beyerdynamic DT-880 (250Ohm), Beyerdynamic DT-770 (32Ohm), Sennheiser HD600. Some respond better than the other, but overall in comparison Sony NWZ-A17 gives more rounded and musically pleasing sound. Never had DX90, but I hear one can still buy it in the States.
I did not search through the comments, how does X5ii compare against HiFiMAN, say HM-802 to start from?
thanks.
Juan Luis Quiroz Guevara
Its a good match with the Cloud Nine?
Headfonia_L.
Of course, yes
Mateo
When you say “but I do have to give the edge to the X3SG for what timbre and layering is concerned, the X5SG misses out on that a little” you mean the implementation of the dac or weak amp section?
Lieven
It’s probably a combination of both really
Emrah Yıldırım
I have a Bose QC25, and I’m stuck between X5ii and DX90. Which do you reckon will be the best match?
Headfonia_L.
In all cases the X5SG should go over the DX90 now as that last one was dicontinued
Emrah Yıldırım
Sorry. DX80 would be! X5SG vs DX80. Which device is more suitable for my headphones?
Headfonia_L.
I put them more or less on the same level
Juan Luis Quiroz Guevara
The fiio x5 shows the full potential of he400i ?
Headfonia_L.
of course not, you would need an amplifier
Mateo Ocaña
When you say “but I do have to give the edge to the X3SG for what timbre and layering is concerned, the X5SG misses out on that a little” you mean the implementation of the dac or weak amp section?
dori
i have rha ma 750. Do you think it’s good to pair it with x5 ? Now i have xduoo x3 dap, but i want better sound.
dale thorn
I had the MA750 – it’s a very detailed sound, but it can be bassy if you use the right eartips. The X5 should be a good DAP for that earphone, and the 10-band equalizer would be great for fine-tuning the bass if you want more control. Plus you get a good DAC that can be used with a computer.
Mark Sanchez (mrjimmybob)
What gives?. In the previous review, the sound of the X3ii and the X5ii is very similar, and not really worth the upgrade.
And now all of a sudden the X5ii is far superior to the X3ii. Totally worth it.
What is going on here ?
Every time someone reviews a DAP its sound is *totally* different but worth spending your hard spend money. Every time.
Something must be wrong. Are these reviews honest?, Are they just trying to sell?, or is it true that the sound is so subjective that to someone, any given DAP can be better than any other DAP?
Getting a bit tired of all this.
Lieven
Which previous review? I don’t think I ever said the upgrade wasn’t worth it. The Part One review was from a different reviewer, he thinks they’re closer together than I do, the part 2 reviewer. To me:
X1 – X3 – X3SG – DX90 – X5SG – AK120ii – AK240. The X5SG and DX90 switch places when you throw the UI and touch screen in the mix.
Mark Sanchez (mrjimmybob)
Sorry Lieven.
As I saw part 1 and part 2, I assumed they were both made by you.
At the end of the day it is all subjective to the ear of the listener.
But nonetheless it is very confusing and hard to choose between models and justifying to oneself that spending so much more is worth it or not.
Thanks for a great review.
Still don’t know if to pull the trigger on the X5ii or the X3ii. *scratches head*
Mark.
dale thorn
Part of what makes it difficult is everything sounds different. But what makes it infinitely more difficult are the comparisons, since not everyone wants to compare the 3 to the 5 – most people want comparisons to other players, and the combinations of comparisons run into the thousands.
Danny
Well, there will be no end to comparison. Just get one and start enjoying.
David reeves
Hey, I have Fiio x5 2nd gen. I’m really satisfied with it’s sound quality. I want to have a desktop dac/amp with the same sound quality. Is Fiio e10k a good alternative to Fiio x5 2nd gen in terms of sound quality? Thanks alot.