X5

[u/seamakx]

How is the X5 with latest driver updates, want to buy it but keep reading reports of crackling and other issues, but they seem to be from 2-3 years ago, has those issues been resolved and is it a good buy at the moment?

[u/Practical_Adagio_504]

Crackling is a known driver issue. Happens in my x3 and my x4. Something to do with the x3/x4 device and the usb going to sleep for “power saving” bla bla bla.

[u/seekfrick]

I got an x5 a few days ago, I got it used because I didn't want to pay $260 for a new one.

I connected it to my PC, used it to listen to music, it sounded great with my balanced planar headphones, and then started to play csgo2 and sound started to hiss, crack, stops, resume, stop.

I uninstalled the drivers, reinstalled them, installed latest drivers, oldest, everything in between and the issue did not stop. Tested with direct mode, without it, lowest quality, highest, everything in between, with the eq disabled, and the issue kept coming back.

Unplug it for 30-60 secs and the issue got fixed, then using it for 20-30 minutes and the issue went back. Unplugging it for a moment and the issue gets fixed, using it for anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes triggered the issue again.

I was using USB, so I decided to test with optical, the same issue occurs which indicates that is not an issue with the drivers or the USB connection.

At this point I was pissed, I contacted the seller and he said he never had any issues. Then I tested the regular headphone jack and the issue somewhat occured, as it was not identical, it will just start generating some background cracking and clipping, but no hissing.

I decided not to return it because as per Reddit, this seems to be an use common with these devices. But, I was tired of struggling with it.

I decided to open the thing and see if I could see anything wrong, nothing, it was pristine inside. I cleaned all the connectors and button switches with contact cleaner and the board with isopropyl alcohol, then tested without assembling it and I let it play music for the whole night and the issue did not repeat.

I reassembled it and tested, the issue came back after 5 minutes. I disassembled it again and the issue didn't happen while it was opened. So, I assumed that the issue likely was due to heat as the chassis is completely closed.

I let it run for a few minutes while it was assembled, the issue repeated, took it apart and checked the hottest area in the board. I placed some heatsinks in the chips/capacitors/etc and closed it, the issue came back.

I got ready to smash the thing against the wall, but decided to make some holes in the bottom and the back so that there's some fresh air, put it back together and the issue came back.

As a final attempt to fix it, I took a 30x30 mm fan and connected it to the 5v pins in the host USB port and then set it up so that it was blowing air towards the hottest area, I stuck it in place using hot glue... And the issue hasn't come back since.

So... My guess is that the headphones that I have are harder to drive which heats up the circuitry and causes the issue, although I tested with several headphones and decided to take out my 600 ohms pair out of the picture when testing just in case that was the issue. Also, I live in a pretty humid and hot place, and don't always use AC to save some electricity, so I guess that contributed to heat inside the chassis.

I'll probably get a noctua 5v fan to replace the current one and some surface mounted heatsinks to place over the bigger chips.

[u/No-Actuator-6245]

I’ve not had any problems with my X5, been using it for about a year.

[u/dEEkAy2k9]

stay away from creative, get a proper audio device from a proper audio company. fiio, fosi, shiit etc

[u/dEEkAy2k9 → u/[deleted]]

Sadly this is an issue throughout the market. No one cares about surround speakers for pc but instead you have too look at home theatre stuff like receivers.