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Manufacturer | FiiO Electronics Technology |
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Product family | FiiO X Series |
Type | Digital media, Portable media player, USB audio interface |
Introductory price | USD $99 |
System on a chip | Ingenic JZ4760B [1] |
CPU | Xburst1 (MIPS32) |
Memory | 128MiB |
Storage | External microSD |
Removable storage | microSD slot accepts SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards up to 128GB |
Display | TFT LCD 320x240[2] |
Graphics | Vivante GC200 |
Sound | Texas Instruments PCM5142 DAC; One 3.5 mm TRS audio output jack for headphones and line out |
Input | Physical buttons |
Connectivity | USB 2.0 |
Power | 1700 mAh Li-Ion battery |
Dimensions | 96.6 x 57 x 15 mm[2] |
Mass | 106 g[2] |
Website | www |
FiiO X1 is a digital music player manufactured and marketed by FiiO Electronics Technology. The player utilizes a Texas Instruments PCM5142 DAC and is capable of reproducing music sampled at 192kHz with a sample size of 24-bits per channel. The X1 is the entry-level member of the FiiO X Series of portable music players. It supports major lossy music formats, such as MP3, and lossless music formats such as FLAC. The player received very positive reviews towards price/performance ratio, however it was criticized for its poor UI and lack of internal storage.
Design and specifications
editThe player uses a Texas Instruments PCM5142 digital converter. The unit has a 2.0-inch TFT LCD display, 1700mAH lithium polymer battery for 12 or more hours play time and offers one 3.5mm audio output jack that can be changed for headphones or line out. It does not include any internal storage, but includes an expansion slot for microSD cards for capacities up to 128GB. It is enclosed in a silver/gold/blue/black lightweight aluminum casing and has 5 metallic buttons and a rubber scroll wheel. It comes with a 1m micro USB cable, coaxial adaptor, transparent case and 2 protective films.[3]
Features
editThe player is capable of playing MP3 files as well as supports major formats such as FLAC, WAV, WMA, Monkey's Audio (APE), AAC, Ogg Vorbis and ALAC. Unlike the X3 and X5, it is not possible to connect the player to a PC in order to function as USB DAC. FiiO X1 can drive both low- and high-impedance headphones: from 16 to 300 ohms. The player offers gapless playback and a 7-band equalizer.[3] It has a simple UI with a generic file browser. FiiO X1 will work with most major library managers such as Media Monkey, Windows Media Player and Winamp.
Sound
editHeadphonics wrote that the X1 has the best overall sound quality in the $100 price range, although the reviewer did not find the quality to be close to the X3 or X5.[4]
CNET wrote that high-resolution music 96 kHz and 192 kHz/24 FLAC sounded phenominal. The reviewer stated that when listening to 44.1-kHz/16-bit lossless FLAC and ALAC files "the sound is crisp and clear, and the imaging is wide open." CNET also added that "the iPod Classic can't touch the X1 for sound quality."[5]
SoundVisionReview commented about the sound presentation: "the X1 offered a warm sound character with plenty of detail. Dynamics and the sense of space was quite good. Higher frequencies are precise and well defined, but the music feels more playful than analytical. Bass, which put rhythm and weight to the music, has good definition and speed, and you also have the option to adjust any frequency to your liking with the 7-band EQ."[6]
Reception
editHeadphonics reviewer Marcus wrote that "the X1 has the best overall sound quality in the $100 price range, but if you want total portability and long battery life there are better options." He noted that most competitors have onboard memory, meaning adding a microSD is necessary and will set you back more.[4]
SoundVisionReview commented that "the build quality is great, and well selected electronic components provide a lot of musical joy for a modest price." The SoundVision team wrote that they were a little disappointed that the X1 couldn't be used as an external USB DAC, but understood that this was most likely left out to keep a competitive price. The team summed up the device's audio capabilities as "a calm and vivid music experience, which is more than adequate for listening on the go."[6]
2nd Generation
editIn October 2016, FiiO released an updated version of the X1 (X1II). Apart from changing the mechanical scroll wheel to a touch-based version, it adds Bluetooth support and a better DAC (TI PCM5242) for a comparable price.[7] The second generation's dimensions are 97 × 55.5 × 12 mm and it weighs in at 102g, both slightly smaller than the first version. The X1II's body is also rounded instead of angular to make it more comfortable to hold.
References
edit- ^ AmauryPouly; et al. "Fiio X1". rockbox.org. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "X1 Specifications". fiio.net.
- ^ a b "X1 Features". fiio.net.
- ^ a b "Headphonics". headphonics.com.
- ^ "CNET". cnet.com.
- ^ a b "FiiO X1 Review". soundvisionreview.com.
- ^ "FiiO X1 2nd Gen Review". headfonics.com.