Steely Dan is always a good choice to road test these players. I've got the Mk 2 with various Bowers and Wilkins headphones that I hook up. Hopefully I'll upgrade to this model by Christmas. Great video.
Outstanding review! I have been considering purchasing one of these devices to replace my old ipod classic. This unit seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this device along with the features. 👍🏼
@@lynnmiller1781 my pleasure and thanks! Which music library manager would you recommend? My research seems to be leading me towards media monkey and foobar2000. Is there anything else out there worth trying?
You may want to check the power rating on your USB wall charger. Especially if it is an Apple one which tends to provide a lower current. Could explain why the charging via a USB port is faster :)
An excellent point, Nathan. I was so wrapped up in the unit, I didn't even think about it! And now that I do, the plug I used is a several year old plug. Probably from an old Galaxy s3 (not that the unit matters, but it is old!). I will investigate a quick charge option when my unit arrives. Thanks again, cheers.
Hi Lynn! I came across your review and something caught my attention, in regards of charging X5 III. I was surprised when you're claimed it took roughly 3 hours to charge the unit, having already 40 percent juice??? You'd better try this charger from Samsung and you'll be amazed: EP-TA20EWE Travel Adapter (9V-1,67Ah and 5V-2Ah) from deplete battery to full charge takes,..70 minutes! Though, make sure to get a genuine one, if interested, avoid Ebay cause lots fake goods are trading there...!BTW, i'm not pleased with mine X5 III sound quality!
laurentiu margelus serban thanks for the info. I did end up getting a fast-charge wall plug, which has cut the time down to about the same time, if not a bit less (60min +\-). As for the sound quality, I do still like mine, but prefer the two Shanling's, which I also own. Neither of those has the ability to stream, though. My x5iii doesn't see much action, compared to the others in my ownership. Cheers, and thanks again for the tip.
You're very welcome, Lynn..glad to point the thread here, under your review, in case some X5 III's owners get this info...''on the fly''! I also did ordered from Anker a fast-charge 3.0, unknowing what i have home,..Ciao!
Here we are five years later... I had to reset my mk 3 this morning due to issues...and it's now bricked. There's no support for this device anymore from Fiio, the app market has completely gone and it's now essentially worthless. It wasn't a great device when I bought it but I can't believe it's now totally dead. I won't be replacing it with another Fiio thats for sure.
Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, electronics such as this have a “planned obsolescence.” Coincidentally, I pulled mine out a couple of days ago, did an update, then played music on it from my sd card. It worked and sounded fine. It was very slow in operation, though; which leads me to believe that it is indeed past it’s prime. I do know now that FiiO are not the most consistently reliable units, but their top tier DAP’s sound quite good. Not sure I’d take the plunge on them, either. There are many fine DAP’s out now, which cost a somewhat fraction of the X5iii. I would recommend looking at the HiBy R3 Pro Saber or a small Shanling. The R3P is used for my mowing set up and garage work, when I don’t want to use BT buds. It is quite nice.
For the FIIO music player app, is there a play queue UI ? ie, add album to a play queue, view contents of play queue. Also, it looks like the Artist view is primitive... no album hierarchy under artist.
Sorry, Jeff I cannot tell you. I did not spend much time on the player functions other than sort and the VIPER eq. As for the artist view, the music I had loaded (if that is what you mean) was just the basic songs, from some time ago without album artwork. I will admit that I am still fairly "young" in regards to loading music onto an sd card. Something I plan to rectify over the next couple of months. Thanks.
How organize is the music library? Does it organize by chronological or alphabetical order? for example:---Pink Floyd---The Piper at the Gates of Dawn A Sauceful of Secrets More Ummagumma Atom Heart Mother... so on...
You have many options when running the native FiiO music app. When browsing by album, it is alphabetical. When browsing by artist, it is alphabetical, then when you tap on an artist, it goes into that artists folder (such as Bob Marley), then alphabetically by album. Genre does almost the same thing, alphabetical by type, then alphabetical by FIRST name, mostly of artist in the sub folder. Under my "Rock" genre, it is a bit different...Doors, then Steely Dan, then a U2 album, then Peter Gabriel for some reason...I'm not sure why. Hope this helps.
I just use iTunes from my MacBook Pro, or Decibel/Audacity for anything else. For my tired ears, iTunes is sufficient, but every so often, I will go for the higher quality of Decibel/Audacity.
Hi Lynn, great review of this DAP. with regard to this, how is the full functionality? does it lag considering that we only have 1 GB of ram? does it stall and restart? or hang?. just need your inputs in making an informative purchasing decision. appreciate your inputs and more power to you.
Thanks for the review - this looks wonderful, and they've certainly addressed the craptacular interface of the X5 ii but - and I realise this is subjective - how does the sound compare with the X5 ii? Despite the raves and hyperbole that led me to buy it and the amount of money I threw at it (amp, expensive headphones) I was never impressed with the sound - I find it flat and rather dull, as if everyone's playing in another room, or under a sheet. Is this any better?
Unfortunately, I do not own the x5ii. I did have the x3ii, which i believe shares a "somewhat similar" sound signature. In comparison, I found the x3ii more analytical. That sound characteristic lent itself to showing flaws in the music much more than the x5iii. The x3ii has a brighter signature, to me. I would call it more neutral. I enjoyed the sound sig of the x3ii, it was my first DAP back into the hobby for me. Bright, open, analytical would be my best description. The x5iii on the other hand is a bit north, warming the sound sig slightly, while presenting a more "full" characteristic. Robust, would be a bit too much, but between full and robust would be my best descriptors. I really enjoy the sound through both SD and Tidal so far. Always experimenting! That said, another review of the x5iii, does find it dull, and flat. You might want to check his review...he was not impressed: theheadphonelist.com/the-big-bad-bear-deep-in-hibernation-a-review-of-the-fiio-x5-3rd-gen/
Hello Lynn, Good thorough review there.. !! Did you happen to test the iBasso DX200. It is 2X the Fiio X5 (iii) price, but I was a bit curious if it's 2X the sound?
Sorry, I did not have access to an iBasso at the time. I have heard good things regarding their DAP's, though. I guess if I had to give an answer based upon my current situation, I use my Shanling's (M1/M5) much more than the x5iii. It's not that I have forgotten about it, I just find they fit my current needs, more. Thank you for the kind words, too! Cheers.
I have not heard the x3-3. But I do have the Shanling M3s, and absolutely LOVE it ($279, but close to your price). The Shanling M2s, and Cayin N3 are both good. The Cayin is $199, Shanling $149. Both are good. I will have a video up in about a week of the M3s.
I cannot tell you regarding the m2, I have no experience with any Aune products. Regarding the Shanling, though I prefer the m5 sound characteristics. To me, it is a bit clearer, more vibrant, and just an exceptional sound for a decent price. I have my own x5iii coming, as well as an m5, and I will test the two for my m5 review. Both are wonderful units. cheers.
Sorry for the delay. Yes it does. I just spent the better part of a week with the excellent Chord Hugo 2, which I am lucky enough to be testing. After seeing -RELIC- use the x5iii with the LO, and a 3.5 to 3.5, I tried that and could not get it to work. But the included micro-micro USB worked flawlessly. What a wonderful combination!!
Yes, you can stream RUclips through the FiiO, and the browser. You might even be able (should) to download the RUclips app to the FiiO. But this is an older technology now, with other more updated DAP's worthy of a look. Cheers.
I will be honest, I never tried Pure Mode, but from the Head-Fi thread, some can indeed tell a difference. I still like this critter, too. No functional problems with it, at all.
That I could not tell you. I do not have Google Home. And I would think if it did, the response would be slow. This is not the fastest device when streaming/online. Hope this helps.
Lynn Miller I recieved mine a few days ago and the Home app is supported. Theres a bit of a lag when casting to any of the google devices but it does work. I did however noticed that bluetooth works better if paired with Google Home, Google Home Mini, or Google Home Max.
I find Onkyo HF player (and UAPP) to be the best players when it comes down to sound quality. Neutron was great but it just re samples everything to 48khz which is a big no no for me.
If you mean, can it play RUclips files, yes it can. While you can view the videos in landscape, it does not take up the whole screen. Here it lags behind any competent smartphone. Hope this helps.
This is one I could find. www.avshops.co.uk/collections/cables/products/fiio_l12s I could not find one on Amazon. there may be others, too but the L12S is a Toslink optical cable, which will work. Thank you for the kind words, too. Best of luck!
You can download the RUclips app from the Play store. But, I think the aspect is only vertical, no horizontal viewing. I will have a look, when I make time.
J Mohd I was about to pull the trigger on this unit but it doesn't have optical output and usb audio host to an outboard dac is a battery nightmare ....shame this looks awsome....
hi lynn nice video you made and u seems to know what u r talking about, wondering if you can help me please. i'm looking for an mp3 player that can handle 64 to 128 gb card that will play folders. i just want to add my folders to a sd card and be able to play the folder i pick. i would like to be able to shuffle only the folder i pick. this player u r showing seems to be able to do what i want but at $400 i'm not willing to spend. i am looking to spend $100 or less. thank you for your time. hope to hear from u. have a good day
Hmmm...Not sure I can help you there, but I will make a couple of suggestions. I hear good things about the Sansa Clip+, SansaDisk Sport, and the Sansa Fuze. You can even run a program called Rockbox, which is an eq-type program to help with the sound signature. Some on Head-Fi swear it is the second coming, haha. That said, I do hear good things about Sansa, including the price. Not sure about card capacity, though. Best of luck!
Heya Jim, if you're still looking around for a cheap and cheerful DAP I'd suggest looking at the XDuoo X3. It has ample storage space and can be rockboxed.
i saw those but i bought the moto gen 5 that just came out. amazon had a deal on it. i download the Folder Player app and it will play folder only. also i need it for a hiking gps and maps and i think this will do the job. thank you again for all your help. :)
Sorry for the delay. I have not heard the x1ii. I can say that the x5iii is better than my old x3ii if that helps. While the x3ii was good, it had a bit too cold/analytical sound for me. The x5iii is more neutral and a good large step forward.
JP yes you can. I would opt for something newer now. The OS of this is getting on in age. If you want to watch videos, I would have nothing else running in the background. Cheers!
Two MAJOR FLAWS (SHITS) 1. Not easy to replace depleted batt 2. The almost eternal lag problem and memory and proc requirements I WILL NOT BUY SHAME !!!
Steely Dan is always a good choice to road test these players. I've got the Mk 2 with various Bowers and Wilkins headphones that I hook up. Hopefully I'll upgrade to this model by Christmas. Great video.
Thank you for the kind words. Best of luck! Cheers.
Outstanding review! I have been considering purchasing one of these devices to replace my old ipod classic. This unit seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this device along with the features. 👍🏼
TL R thank you, much appreciated! Good luck with your next device!
@@lynnmiller1781 my pleasure and thanks! Which music library manager would you recommend? My research seems to be leading me towards media monkey and foobar2000. Is there anything else out there worth trying?
Omg I love Steely Dan. I have the DVD-A of that album as well. Listen to it in 5.1 it is amazing.
Great Video
You may want to check the power rating on your USB wall charger. Especially if it is an Apple one which tends to provide a lower current. Could explain why the charging via a USB port is faster :)
An excellent point, Nathan. I was so wrapped up in the unit, I didn't even think about it! And now that I do, the plug I used is a several year old plug. Probably from an old Galaxy s3 (not that the unit matters, but it is old!). I will investigate a quick charge option when my unit arrives.
Thanks again, cheers.
Hi Lynn! I came across your review and something caught my attention, in regards of charging X5 III. I was surprised when you're claimed it took roughly 3 hours to charge the unit, having already 40 percent juice??? You'd better try this charger from Samsung and you'll be amazed: EP-TA20EWE Travel Adapter (9V-1,67Ah and 5V-2Ah) from deplete battery to full charge takes,..70 minutes! Though, make sure to get a genuine one, if interested, avoid Ebay cause lots fake goods are trading there...!BTW, i'm not pleased with mine X5 III sound quality!
laurentiu margelus serban thanks for the info. I did end up getting a fast-charge wall plug, which has cut the time down to about the same time, if not a bit less (60min +\-). As for the sound quality, I do still like mine, but prefer the two Shanling's, which I also own. Neither of those has the ability to stream, though. My x5iii doesn't see much action, compared to the others in my ownership. Cheers, and thanks again for the tip.
You're very welcome, Lynn..glad to point the thread here, under your review, in case some X5 III's owners get this info...''on the fly''! I also did ordered from Anker a fast-charge 3.0, unknowing what i have home,..Ciao!
Here we are five years later... I had to reset my mk 3 this morning due to issues...and it's now bricked. There's no support for this device anymore from Fiio, the app market has completely gone and it's now essentially worthless.
It wasn't a great device when I bought it but I can't believe it's now totally dead. I won't be replacing it with another Fiio thats for sure.
Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, electronics such as this have a “planned obsolescence.” Coincidentally, I pulled mine out a couple of days ago, did an update, then played music on it from my sd card. It worked and sounded fine. It was very slow in operation, though; which leads me to believe that it is indeed past it’s prime. I do know now that FiiO are not the most consistently reliable units, but their top tier DAP’s sound quite good. Not sure I’d take the plunge on them, either.
There are many fine DAP’s out now, which cost a somewhat fraction of the X5iii. I would recommend looking at the HiBy R3 Pro Saber or a small Shanling. The R3P is used for my mowing set up and garage work, when I don’t want to use BT buds. It is quite nice.
set in dev options the animations to 0
will make the device faster
Ninjafrog84 I do that too with all my phones
The most important thing is the sound quality not the functionality.
Agreed, I also have the Shanling M5 coming, which matches if not better the x5iii's sound. Best of both "mid-fi" worlds if you will...
Viper effects is gone! I spoke to Fiio and they didn't renew the licence this year
Wow, so I would be able to sign into my iTunes acct, and stream Apple Music with this??
Yes, you should be able to, either from an internet page, or possibly download iTunes from the Google Play store.
Lynn Miller thanks! , just made the purchase..I'll post if it works with iTunes just in case someone else is curious
so how did it work?
matthew shove did it work?
I'm curious as well
For the FIIO music player app, is there a play queue UI ? ie, add album to a play queue, view contents of play queue. Also, it looks like the Artist view is primitive... no album hierarchy under artist.
Sorry, Jeff I cannot tell you. I did not spend much time on the player functions other than sort and the VIPER eq. As for the artist view, the music I had loaded (if that is what you mean) was just the basic songs, from some time ago without album artwork. I will admit that I am still fairly "young" in regards to loading music onto an sd card. Something I plan to rectify over the next couple of months. Thanks.
Have you change the setting to pure music mode before listening?
How organize is the music library? Does it organize by chronological or alphabetical order? for example:---Pink Floyd---The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
A Sauceful of Secrets
More
Ummagumma
Atom Heart Mother... so on...
You have many options when running the native FiiO music app. When browsing by album, it is alphabetical.
When browsing by artist, it is alphabetical, then when you tap on an artist, it goes into that artists folder (such as Bob Marley), then alphabetically by album.
Genre does almost the same thing, alphabetical by type, then alphabetical by FIRST name, mostly of artist in the sub folder. Under my "Rock" genre, it is a bit different...Doors, then Steely Dan, then a U2 album, then Peter Gabriel for some reason...I'm not sure why.
Hope this helps.
what software do you use to sync your music to your device?
I just use iTunes from my MacBook Pro, or Decibel/Audacity for anything else. For my tired ears, iTunes is sufficient, but every so often, I will go for the higher quality of Decibel/Audacity.
Hi Lynn, great review of this DAP. with regard to this, how is the full functionality? does it lag considering that we only have 1 GB of ram? does it stall and restart? or hang?. just need your inputs in making an informative purchasing decision. appreciate your inputs and more power to you.
No comment
Thanks for the review - this looks wonderful, and they've certainly addressed the craptacular interface of the X5 ii but - and I realise this is subjective - how does the sound compare with the X5 ii? Despite the raves and hyperbole that led me to buy it and the amount of money I threw at it (amp, expensive headphones) I was never impressed with the sound - I find it flat and rather dull, as if everyone's playing in another room, or under a sheet. Is this any better?
Unfortunately, I do not own the x5ii. I did have the x3ii, which i believe shares a "somewhat similar" sound signature. In comparison, I found the x3ii more analytical. That sound characteristic lent itself to showing flaws in the music much more than the x5iii. The x3ii has a brighter signature, to me. I would call it more neutral.
I enjoyed the sound sig of the x3ii, it was my first DAP back into the hobby for me. Bright, open, analytical would be my best description. The x5iii on the other hand is a bit north, warming the sound sig slightly, while presenting a more "full" characteristic. Robust, would be a bit too much, but between full and robust would be my best descriptors. I really enjoy the sound through both SD and Tidal so far. Always experimenting!
That said, another review of the x5iii, does find it dull, and flat. You might want to check his review...he was not impressed:
theheadphonelist.com/the-big-bad-bear-deep-in-hibernation-a-review-of-the-fiio-x5-3rd-gen/
Many thanks I might give it a go for the interface and see what the sound does for me!
Hi
can you please test Audible app , audiobook on OverDrive app and TuneIn app.
i want to buy it but not sure these three apps it works.
Sorry, I loaned the x5iii to a fellow Head-Fier and he is reviewing it. Best of luck.
Hello Lynn, Good thorough review there.. !!
Did you happen to test the iBasso DX200. It is 2X the Fiio X5 (iii) price, but I was a bit curious if it's 2X the sound?
Sorry, I did not have access to an iBasso at the time. I have heard good things regarding their DAP's, though. I guess if I had to give an answer based upon my current situation, I use my Shanling's (M1/M5) much more than the x5iii. It's not that I have forgotten about it, I just find they fit my current needs, more. Thank you for the kind words, too! Cheers.
Nice story but didn't you just post this on Steve's site a few hours ago?
What's your Opinion on the Fiio X3-3 gen. As of now i am planning to buy under $250 mark. So suggest one if not Fiio x3-3. Thank you in advance.
I have not heard the x3-3. But I do have the Shanling M3s, and absolutely LOVE it ($279, but close to your price). The Shanling M2s, and Cayin N3 are both good. The Cayin is $199, Shanling $149. Both are good. I will have a video up in about a week of the M3s.
How long do it use the battery
Hi I already have a Aune m2 pro ,do u know if sound is better on Aune or fiio
and shanling m5
Regards Ateeq
I cannot tell you regarding the m2, I have no experience with any Aune products. Regarding the Shanling, though I prefer the m5 sound characteristics. To me, it is a bit clearer, more vibrant, and just an exceptional sound for a decent price. I have my own x5iii coming, as well as an m5, and I will test the two for my m5 review. Both are wonderful units. cheers.
Does it support audio out through micro USB to connect to external USB DACs?
Sorry for the delay. Yes it does. I just spent the better part of a week with the excellent Chord Hugo 2, which I am lucky enough to be testing. After seeing -RELIC- use the x5iii with the LO, and a 3.5 to 3.5, I tried that and could not get it to work. But the included micro-micro USB worked flawlessly. What a wonderful combination!!
what about streaming youtube music? can I do this? please comment on this🙏🏻
Yes, you can stream RUclips through the FiiO, and the browser. You might even be able (should) to download the RUclips app to the FiiO. But this is an older technology now, with other more updated DAP's worthy of a look. Cheers.
Can you detect any sound difference in pure mode vs android mode? I have 1st gen X3 and X1 and thinking about this model :)
I will be honest, I never tried Pure Mode, but from the Head-Fi thread, some can indeed tell a difference. I still like this critter, too. No functional problems with it, at all.
is there a specific brand or specs for the sd card I should get? thanks in advance
Sorry for the late reply. I prefer SanDisk cards, but PNY work, as well as others. Pretty much anything should work.
Hey Lynn does it support the Google Home App? Its the app that controls all google devices like chromecast, home, chromecast audio etc.
That I could not tell you. I do not have Google Home. And I would think if it did, the response would be slow. This is not the fastest device when streaming/online. Hope this helps.
Lynn Miller I recieved mine a few days ago and the Home app is supported. Theres a bit of a lag when casting to any of the google devices but it does work. I did however noticed that bluetooth works better if paired with Google Home, Google Home Mini, or Google Home Max.
@@dgreigor78 can you use the internet to watch videos on youtube?
JP yes but it the processor is not the best for videos
@@dgreigor78 thanks for the reply. I also read your comment on the youtube app, have you try using it?
I find Onkyo HF player (and UAPP) to be the best players when it comes down to sound quality. Neutron was great but it just re samples everything to 48khz which is a big no no for me.
all good and well but the onkyo is triple the price
Can you please tell me if this supports mp4 or mpeg without converting?
If you mean, can it play RUclips files, yes it can. While you can view the videos in landscape, it does not take up the whole screen. Here it lags behind any competent smartphone. Hope this helps.
Thank you for a prompt answer. really appreciate it.
Hi Lynn, great revew thanks, quick question. if I wanted to use the FIIO with a unit that accepts optical out, what cable would i need ?
This is one I could find. www.avshops.co.uk/collections/cables/products/fiio_l12s
I could not find one on Amazon. there may be others, too but the L12S is a Toslink optical cable, which will work.
Thank you for the kind words, too. Best of luck!
can you use the youtube app with the x5iii??
You can download the RUclips app from the Play store. But, I think the aspect is only vertical, no horizontal viewing. I will have a look, when I make time.
Just checked...RUclips downloads and plays fine. by hitting the fullscreen mode, it automatically switches to horizontal (landscape) viewing. Cheers.
Definitely, that is why I bought it in the first place and expandable memory.
Lynn Miller thank you
J Mohd I was about to pull the trigger on this unit but it doesn't have optical output and usb audio host to an outboard dac is a battery nightmare ....shame this looks awsome....
hi lynn
nice video you made and u seems to know what u r talking about, wondering if you can help me please. i'm looking for an mp3 player that can handle 64 to 128 gb card that will play folders. i just want to add my folders to a sd card and be able to play the folder i pick. i would like to be able to shuffle only the folder i pick. this player u r showing seems to be able to do what i want but at $400 i'm not willing to spend. i am looking to spend $100 or less. thank you for your time. hope to hear from u. have a good day
Hmmm...Not sure I can help you there, but I will make a couple of suggestions. I hear good things about the Sansa Clip+, SansaDisk Sport, and the Sansa Fuze. You can even run a program called Rockbox, which is an eq-type program to help with the sound signature. Some on Head-Fi swear it is the second coming, haha. That said, I do hear good things about Sansa, including the price. Not sure about card capacity, though.
Best of luck!
Heya Jim, if you're still looking around for a cheap and cheerful DAP I'd suggest looking at the XDuoo X3. It has ample storage space and can be rockboxed.
i saw those but i bought the moto gen 5 that just came out. amazon had a deal on it. i download the Folder Player app and it will play folder only. also i need it for a hiking gps and maps and i think this will do the job. thank you again for all your help. :)
how does this compare to the x1ii?
Sorry for the delay. I have not heard the x1ii. I can say that the x5iii is better than my old x3ii if that helps. While the x3ii was good, it had a bit too cold/analytical sound for me. The x5iii is more neutral and a good large step forward.
@@lynnmiller1781 can you use the internet to watch videos on youtube?
JP yes you can. I would opt for something newer now. The OS of this is getting on in age. If you want to watch videos, I would have nothing else running in the background. Cheers!
@@lynnmiller1781 Thanks for your time!
"Deleterious." Look at the vocab on you!! :-)
Bill Stewart haha, thanks! I like to use excellent verbiage, when possible. Cheers!
@@lynnmiller1781 😂
Two MAJOR FLAWS (SHITS)
1. Not easy to replace depleted batt
2. The almost eternal lag problem and memory and proc requirements
I WILL NOT BUY SHAME !!!
Sorry you have had a bad experience with the x5iii. Have you tried to contact FiiO regarding your battery issue? I would suggest that. Cheers.