FiiO X1 2nd Gen

While the majority of people would say that digital audio players (DAPs) are a thing of the past, companies like XDuoo and FiiO have started a renaissance of sorts in the lower end market. The FiiO X1 might still raise eyebrows with its BDT 9799 price tag but I found it completely justified.

Sound Quality: The X1 2nd gen, or X1ii, is a luxury device in my opinion, for those who take their music listening experience seriously. If you're moving from your mobile device to the FiiO, you will notice some changes right away. For one, the DAC chip ensures that frequencies are smooth with minimal distortion and high levels of clarity. The clarity is something you'll notice right off the bat. The mix will seem clearer and the sound will have a tendency of grabbing your attention and not letting go of it. Moreover, it's also Hi-Res Audio certified, if that matters to you.

Build: The X1ii comes with an aluminium back and a plastic front that also holds the touch wheel, which is great for old school iPod lovers. The unit is light and feels premium with its finishing, actually. The headphone jack is at the bottom that also doubles as a lineout for your home theatre system or your car. A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of a plastic back cover and a screen protector. Much appreciated, FiiO.

User Interface: This is one area the X1 disastrously falls behind on. The UI is laggy and not that intuitive. Although it is much, much better than the Chinese devices of the past, you'll instantly feel as if there could be so much more added to the experience when it isn't. Navigating the library is a lot of fun the first few times but can be a chore later on without any filtering by keyword options. If you've put in a 256 GB card and decided on MP3s (why, though? It has FLAC support), imagine wheeling through 60,000 songs. The inclusion of Bluetooth is good news to all of us with portable speakers or earphones.

My setup: I coupled the X1ii with a 32 GB SanDisk class 10 SD card and used KZ ZST IEMs, and extensively listened to M.I.A.'s AIM album in lossless FLAC.

Verdict: If you want to experience your favourite songs as if you're hearing them for the first time, grab the X1, a pair of good earphones and make sure the tracks are lossless. You'll be in heaven, trust me.

You can buy the unit from Bangladesh's sole FiiO distributors, Gears for Ears.

Rating: 8/10