FiiO X3 Mark III Portable High Definition Audio and MP3 Player 192Khz/32Bit Bluetooth 4.1 Satnav Wheel

Product Information

The scroll wheel was a great “invention” in the days when touch screens weren’t available yet in DAPs, nowadays however the most basic MP3-players have a touch screen already so I was a bit surprised to see the latest X3iii revision still using that touch screen. Sure it’s typical for the X1/X3 series as I said, but do DAP users still appreciate scroll wheels and non-touch screens in 2017? I personally have my doubts and I’m a bit disappointed but I do get why Fiio is still using it. Like I said it is typical of the X3(ii)-series and it probably cuts down the production cost a lot, but it also means the firmware and user interface aren’t the most modern. If your headphones are generally not exaggerating in tonality, but, also do not impact hard, then this is a fantastic portable choice for you. If you are okay with strapping a musical amplifier to it while on the go, I highly recommend doing so. Pairing and range of this BT module and implementation are much better than the X1 2nd gen though with far less dropout, greater distances by up to 3-4m and a faster bootup and pairing time. USB-DAC Compatibility

LA Times noted that the player's sound quality was superior to similarly priced music players, portable players included. [5] I also found it does not correctly charge when using my 6-port USB power source, which never had any issues charging tens of different devices. After a few minutes it just stops charging, as the LED on the front shuts down. I was left with an empty battery on a few occasions, though I left it charging overnight. The problem seems to occur when the device is powered on and is connected to the power adapter, though I have no evidence that the two things are directly linked. Software I also love the concept of the in-vehicle mode where the BT signal powers down the X3iii when the car itself is turned off and when you turn on the engine (and the audio system) the X3iii powers up again. A very nice feature indeed. No AptXThe X3 Mark III uses a 2.3″ 320x240px TFT screen on the front panel. It is a non-touch screen with navigation and control through the physical buttons and touch-scroll wheel below it. The type and resolution of the screen are the same as the last gen X3, however, it is slightly bigger than the 2.0″ version used on the 2nd gen unit. The casing is made entirely of aluminum alloy, the finish is in an attractive titanium color, and the second generation X3 looks high-end and feels robust. The TFT screen has a diagonal of 2 inches and is the same used in the X1 and has a resolution of 320 × 240 pixels, while the larger IPS display with a resolution of 400 × 360 pixels remains reserved for the more prestigious X5 model. The more expensive DAPs I have heard, including the AK120, 901, and DX100 perform at higher levels than the X3, which is to be expected due to the price differences. There were times where the X3 performance was close to the AK120, as the AK120 had a relatively large variation from headphone to headphone, but the 901 and DX100 always had at least minimal improvements in comparison with the X3.

The 2.3″ screen is decent, but nothing more; its viewing angles are rather small and its brightness is acceptable. The 320 x 240 resolution is enough to provide a decent user experience. It could see a few improvements, though it works pretty well even as it is. Specifications FiiO X3 III The line-out performance of the X3iii when used as a USB-DAC is even better than the second gen with a proper 1.9Vrms rating as opposed to the much weaker 1.45Vrms in the 2nd gen. If you happen to have a more powerful analog amp then the X3iii is a useful and well equipped pure DAC. What I do appreciate is the quality of the screen, the UI navigation and the responsiveness of the UI. Again not quite AK quality screen, but it’s a good quality screen and I like how the UI is quite responsive and snappy. The UI graphics is pretty good as well and though the positioning of the buttons can be made to be more intuitive (+ shaped, for instance), overall I’d give an 8/10 for the UI. Highs retain edge and force at every volume range. From about 2K, an unloaded X3 exhibits very little audible loss of stereo separation but enough to set it below the iBasso DX100. But only barely...

Sound

is a new, low price point for a portable potentially able to deliver sound quality better than any CD player, as well as far better sound than portables like the iPod. Little hi-res players like the FiiO X3 I am reviewing here aren’t so common as yet but they’re an intriguing proposition for any hi-fi enthusiast. Aimed at headphone users and the portable market, they also have a Line output to drive a hi-fi. You can think of them as a high-quality ‘CD player’ then, a portable one. Generally speaking, sound is detailed and shows many nuances. Since it sounds balanced, there is no significant remark to be made about the different parts of the spectrum. Everything is where it should be, and that’s what counts. It’s alive and dynamic, so it never becomes boring nor lifeless. The FiiO X3 III is a good lower-midrange device which offers reasonable functionality and good sound quality at a reasonable price. Its value-price ratio is not extreme, but it’s high enough for it to be a serious competitor for the Aune M1s, Shanling M2s and the other similarly-priced DAPs.

The original X3 used a Wolfson WM8740 chip and the op-amp was the AD8397. The new X3 SG has been completely redesigned. It’s even completely different from their last DAP, the X1. This overview says it all: As before you have two levels of settings on the X3iii, Play and System Settings. Play will control functions such as gain levels, volume, gapless, channel balance, and line-out mode. Now commercially I find the majority of hi-res to be either PCM 24BIT/192k or DSD64 and rarely do I come across DSD128 or DSD256 but I do have some. That is why I find it curious that FiiO capped it at DSD64. Possibly to get the dual chip implementation in under budget is my best guess. Processor

You can still control the mode of output via the settings menu and a small icon will tell you which mode is currently selected in the top bar on the screen. Micro USB

NOTE: at Head-Fi I’ve earned the name ‘hiss king’. I am irked by hiss levels that others are not. Even well-respected reviewers. Those afflicted with the same ear are few, but vocal. The above paragraph is written for them.

The FiiO X3 comes with a few accessories for you to use it. It comes with 2 screen protectors, a white case, USB transfer and power cable, Coaxial adapter, and the manuals it gives you. There is no 3.5mm interconnect cable this time around, but in my opinion, its expected that if you have an external amp you wish to use with the X3, you would already have the cable yourself. The final key external difference between the X1 and X3 Gen 2 is the added lineout/coaxial out from the top plate of the X2 2G which is not a feature of the X1 but was a feature of the original X3. Will Chinese manufacturer FiiO have a runaway success with their new budget X3 digital audio player? Noel Keywood thinks so. Sadly, there is no warning about the battery being almost empty, so the player will suddenly stop reproducing music. There also seems to be a bug in the battery display: it often goes from two bars left to zero in less than 15 minutes. There either is an issue with the battery or the firmware shows the wrong result. Formating the SD Card: For 64GB Micro SDXC cards, it is recommended to format to FAT32. I have not used it, but SD Formatter 4.0 seems to work and do what needs to be done. 32GB's and other cards are also recommended for FAT32 formating. This should fix most problems with X3 not recognizing your micro SD card. 128GB Micro SDXC is not yet confirmed to work or if it will work. If it keeps the same number of pins as the current SDXC cards, it should work. But that is not a definite.