Iaudio X5L vs Iriver H10

[purplemonkey]

Hi there

I'm stuck between which units to buy as my very first mp3 player (having been an avid MD follower!!)

I can get a H10 6G for £142 and a X5L for around £200. (£200 is stepping into the wrong side of expensive)

At the moment the two things stopping me going for the X5 are the price and the fact that i don't really need 20g.

However i've read very good reviews on the X5 and just want to know your opinions from people who have owned/used both units as to whether the extra cost for the X5 is worth it!!!

Let me know what you think... and unbias opinions please im aware that this is an Iaudio forum i have posted the very same post at an iriver forum to compare


Cheers guys

[is that a boat?]

Hey, I had pretty much the same quandry! But I ordered the X5L today.

things i liked more about the iriver h10 -
much cooler looking
trackpad interface looked decent
iriver build reputation

the things about the iRiver which put me off were -
no ogg/linux support anymore in the h10, - i have quite a bit of ogg audio
no playing video support despire a colour screen,
shorter battery life,
inssues with some versions of windows
poorer signal/noise ratio
different chip from the iRiver 3x0 series, which I'm a big fan of*.

btw... I think quite a lot of people on here were also iriver 3x0 fans... so I reckon you'll get a fairly unbiased opinion. it's just iriver seem to be going backwards

[purplemonkey]

nice to know i'm not alone

Just out of interest are you from the UK? (trying to look for a good deal on an x5 otherwise i'm going to have to wait until end of jan when I fly out to america!!!)

So do you have information on the differences between the chipsets? Are most users of the opinion that the new chipset isn't as good?

One more thing that's scaring me from ordering one or the other is I suspect that new units might just be round the corner as the X5 is fairly old now isn't it?

Hmm i'm not sure how much i would actually use video playback, well maybe to upload a couple of episodes of the simpsons!!

Cheers for your feedback :thumbsup:

[CptnObvious999]

Well for the most part the only thing I don't like about my X5L is that it has a few bugs. My friend got an iRiver h10 a while ago and the touch pad got stuck and it wouldn't get unstuck untill he left it alone for an hour or more. I took it apart and fixed it for him. Now he said it randomly deletes songs by itself. He got it off ebay so it isn't under warranty. I havn't had any hardware problems with my X5L but I just got it so I can't tell you how well built it is. I can tell you my M3 was very well built. As far as features go the X5L has more. I think the USB-Host and Video playback make it worth the extra cash.

[Scribblingchimps]

I bought my girlfriend the iriver H10 6Gb and myself the IAudio 30Gb x5l
I have done a good bit of research on both.
The Iriver is a great product and very easy to use. You figure it out in 2 mins.

The Iaudio has much more functionality and features but takes a little bit longer to get used to manouvering around it.

My girlfriend was looking for simplicity and flexibility with regards to where she could get her music from. She can now take music from me when ever she likes (unlike with the ipod)

I also have a cool gadget with loads of functionality and honest to god drag and drop capability.

If i were you id gor for the iaudio - its a cut above the rest

[purplemonkey]

cheers scribblingchimps... but!

I've worked out the X5l is going to be about an extra £70 compared to the h10 which only costs £142.

Is this giant leap in price worth it, as far as I can find they are pretty much equal in terms of functions... owning both units are you able to list the differences?

One more thing... and maybe i should wash my mouth out saying this on an Iaudio site, but the X5L brings me into the realms of the Ipod Video 30g in money terms, what are people's opinions of the latest ipod in comparison to the X5?

[Konechiwa]

I had them both. The X5 is much easier to use and much better.

The iPod actually is pretty nice. But it doesn't have FM radio, any recording type, and you have to use iTunes, along with MP3 or their own format, so basically MP3 or bust.

It actually sounds alright, but the EQ is absolutely horrible (exact opposite to X5).

If you don't need 20GB, i suggest the H10. But if you want nice sound, video, great battery life, etc, get the X5.

[is that a boat?]

Teehee, I'm guessing this was your thread.

I read through, and what the users have said there seems pretty much spot on. MU4L seems in-particular like a knowledgable forumista, and not just because he's a fellow United supporting Mancunian

Just out of interest are you from the UK? (trying to look for a good deal on an x5 otherwise i'm going to have to wait until end of jan when I fly out to america!!!)

So yeah I am indeed a uker... I bought it for £200 from misco.co.uk for what it's worth. It's also availible from Tescos Extra fro £220 with an included carrycase if you want to buy it from a bricks-and-mortor store, but the two I phoned up didn't have it in stock.

So do you have information on the differences between the chipsets? Are most users of the opinion that the new chipset isn't as good?

The chip changed from the original 3x0 variant to one used in some of the more contemporary ipods. I heard these chips are worse, but when I think about it, they weren't authorative sources. The s/n for the h10 is 90db, where as 95db on the X5. Whether these are rated numbers, actual numbers, and how much they have to do with sound quality I'm not sure on tbh. Probably best to look into it for yourself.

[genocide]

definitely x5l dude,support many stuff and way much more better then h10 alot

[Scribblingchimps]

Originally Posted by purplemonkey

cheers scribblingchimps... but!

I've worked out the X5l is going to be about an extra £70 compared to the h10 which only costs £142.

Is this giant leap in price worth it, as far as I can find they are pretty much equal in terms of functions... owning both units are you able to list the differences?

One more thing... and maybe i should wash my mouth out saying this on an Iaudio site, but the X5L brings me into the realms of the Ipod Video 30g in money terms, what are people's opinions of the latest ipod in comparison to the X5?

Iaudio x5l is better than H10 as it has longer battey life,
plays video lets you record radio, record yourself, record directly from a cd player - i could go on - its a superior product in my eyes and is well worth the extra cash - for me it was anyway.

My brother has the 30Gig ipod video - the quality of the screen is phenomenal and much better than that of the iaudio. However the batery life is shite. Seriously if you watched a film on it - it would kill your battery. I have watched 4 episodes of family guy on the iaudio and it hasnt even dented the battery. It has a 35 hour life span.
Plus sticking videos on the ipod is a pain in the hole - utting videos on the iaudio is more straight forward and quicker.