# The Qudelix-5K thread



## peter123 (Oct 6, 2020)

Noticed this from the new company of the former CTO at Radsone.

Target retail price is $99.

Estimated launch time is early next year (January - February).

Needless to say I'm hyped


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## peter123 (Oct 6, 2020)

More information can be found here:
https://www.qudelix.com/5k-dacamp

Highlights:


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## peter123 (Sep 7, 2019)

Reserved for future reviews and impressions.


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## Lurk650

Hopefully they have the same customer engagement as Radsone


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## HungryPanda

subbed


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## gr8soundz

FINALLY!  aptx Adaptive


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## silverfishla

That looks mighty fine.  Hopefully they will have a stellar app like the Radsone.  Although it says onboard built in EQ and DSP?  Which, is exciting.


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## HungryPanda

I hope it is well built as that is my only concern regarding the ES100


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## DBaldock9

Wish they had designed it with balanced OPA1622 amplifiers, to provide the higher voltage output on the 2.5mm TRRS jack - rather than relying on the lower voltage, direct output from the AK4377 DAC chip.


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## CactusPete23

I am fine with similar Build Quality to the ES100. (Still have mine from Kickstarter.  Looks new.)    But better build quality and durability of buttons is always a good thing.

I guess that the extra OPA1622's might have required a bigger battery? (And resulting weight size...)  Will be interesting to see how the OPA SE sounds compared to the Balanced from the AK chip.

Like the better Bluetooth Antenna.  Think that's a problem with many receivers and wireless iems, and with some DAP's.

Happy to see that this is still a small size, and probably weight.  Last think I'd want is a Bluetooth Receiver as big and heavy as a DAP.  It's tough to balance size, weight, battery life with everyone's wish list.  

From Specs the 5K looks Great !   (Aside from the name reminding me I should run more...)


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## courierdriver

peter123 said:


> Noticed this from the new company of the former CTO at Radsone.
> 
> Target retail price is $99.
> 
> ...


Thanks for starting this thread. I'm keeping my eye out for this. I think I like the design layout better than the ES100. Just hope the build quality and EQ will be as good, or better.


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## Cevisi

Luv


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## Cevisi

Here we have the next es 100 i buy one safe


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## Zerohour88

Really excited for it. Gonna have to curb my desire to get any other DAC while waiting for it to come out. 100 bux range is really getting quite competitive now.


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## waynes world

peter123 said:


> Noticed this from the new company of the former CTO at Radsone.



Anyone we know?


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## scotvl

waynes world said:


> Anyone we know?


This device has wslee's es100 audio design and elegant simplicity all over it.


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## Lurk650

Maybe that's why he stopped contributing and didn't have to do with the mods dispute on here


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## peter123

waynes world said:


> Anyone we know?



wslee


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## slowpickr

I emailed them about release and availability.  Here is the response:

Hi,​Sorry for the late reply.
We plan to release it 2020 Jan~Feb.
And we'll start Kicstarter campaign mid October.

We'll update any further progress via facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/qudelix/
Please check our facebook page.

We don't and can't officially write any posting on head-fi.org but there's the 5K thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/

Thank you for your interest and strong support!

Best regards
Qudelix Team


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## waynes world (Sep 9, 2019)

peter123 said:


> wslee



Very interesting. Pretty much guarantees an awesome device 

Edit: it looks like his influence is all over the website as well - it is very clean and informative. Yup, seems like the 5K is going to be awesome.


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## slowpickr

Already have plans for this.  ES100 will stay at work.  5k will be for home and on-the-go use.


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## Slater

I can’t wait as well!


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## zolom

Me Too (but in a positive way )


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## MisterMudd

Oh man. This thread is gonna be jacked up to 100 pages before they start selling the darn thing. Lol. I'm in!


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## HungryPanda

Always the way on head-fi


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## waynes world

HungryPanda said:


> Always the way on head-fi



Especially when we _know_ the product is going to be great


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## C_Lindbergh

Would be cool if you could use to connect BT headphones to your PC... But Guess you can't get everything


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## DBaldock9

C_Lindbergh said:


> Would be cool if you could use to connect BT headphones to your PC... But Guess you can't get everything




I believe that the Shanling M0 can be used as a USB DAC / BT transmitter.


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## HungryPanda

C_Lindbergh said:


> Would be cool if you could use to connect BT headphones to your PC... But Guess you can't get everything


 usb bluetooth adapters  are a thing


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## Cevisi

HungryPanda said:


> usb bluetooth adapters  are a thing


Yes I am still impressed from the es 100 i will get the 5k 100%


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## CactusPete23

HungryPanda said:


> usb bluetooth adapters  are a thing


Would like to see a USB adapter that can transmit LDAC, APTx-HD, or UAT.  But Have not seen any of those Higher Quality Bluetooth Codecs installed on a PC, or a Bluetooth Adapter.  Only have seen "Plain Vanilla" APtx on a few. 
That way one could transmit higher quality bluetooth music from their computer to a Bluetooth Receiver (Like the 5K ), or directly to headphones/earphones with LDAC or APTx-HD.  To go wireless within the home/yard.  
- So if the 5K, (or even a DAP) could also transmit Bluetooth via USB connection, that seems lik a great added feature to me.


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## DBaldock9

CactusPete23 said:


> Would like to see a USB adapter that can transmit LDAC, APTx-HD, or UAT.  But Have not seen any of those Higher Quality Bluetooth Codecs installed on a PC, or a Bluetooth Adapter.  Only have seen "Plain Vanilla" APtx on a few.
> That way one could transmit higher quality bluetooth music from their computer to a Bluetooth Receiver (Like the 5K ), or directly to headphones/earphones with LDAC or APTx-HD.  To go wireless within the home/yard.
> - So if the 5K, (or even a DAP) could also transmit Bluetooth via USB connection, that seems lik a great added feature to me.



There is a BT driver, available for Linux (since Android is basically Linux), that can transmit LDAC. I installed it on an old Mint Linux laptop last Christmas. Haven't seen anything about it being ported to a Windows driver.


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## CactusPete23

DBaldock9 said:


> There is a BT driver, available for Linux (since Android is basically Linux), that can transmit LDAC. I installed it on an old Mint Linux laptop last Christmas. Haven't seen anything about it being ported to a Windows driver.


Maybe time to switch to Linux!  Just need to learn how to do all the simple things I do now,  on Linux software.   That ought to keep me busy !


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## AJCxZ0 (Sep 11, 2019)

CactusPete23 said:


> Maybe time to switch to Linux!  Just need to learn how to do all the simple things I do now,  on Linux software.   That ought to keep me busy !



The hard part is getting used to all the software which just works, including things like the sound settings with the drop-down which gives the choice of SBC, aptX, aptX-HD and LDAC for the ES100 without having to install or configure anything*.

*[That is assuming you picked a suitable Linux distribution and desktop environment, but it's quite difficult to make a poor choice if you stick to the major ones.]


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## chidmas

DBaldock9 said:


> I believe that the Shanling M0 can be used as a USB DAC / BT transmitter.


Recently just been looking at one for this exact function. Strange that no other device has this ability.


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## chidmas

CactusPete23 said:


> Would like to see a USB adapter that can transmit LDAC, APTx-HD, or UAT.  But Have not seen any of those Higher Quality Bluetooth Codecs installed on a PC, or a Bluetooth Adapter.  Only have seen "Plain Vanilla" APtx on a few.
> That way one could transmit higher quality bluetooth music from their computer to a Bluetooth Receiver (Like the 5K ), or directly to headphones/earphones with LDAC or APTx-HD.  To go wireless within the home/yard.
> - So if the 5K, (or even a DAP) could also transmit Bluetooth via USB connection, that seems lik a great added feature to me.


 I've purchased the Avantree adapter which transmits in APTX HD however I haven't tried it out yet. Will give you my thoughts when I finally set it up


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## Sylmar

Interesting. One to keep track of.


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## DBaldock9 (Sep 12, 2019)

chidmas said:


> I've purchased the Avantree adapter which transmits in APTX HD however I haven't tried it out yet. Will give you my thoughts when I finally set it up



I've got the Avantree Oasis Plus, but ended up switching to a BlitzWolf BW-BR4 (BT V5.0, aptX HD) Transmitter, to get more range  - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32893538587.html


*EDIT:*  The device I'd like to have connected to my home A/V system (via TOSLINK), is a *Transmitter* - built like this Receiver - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000115140164.html

If your system can be connected with USB, then this device will work in the same way as the Shanling M0 (USB input, BT LDAC output), and is a bit cheaper - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32996995824.html


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## courierdriver

DBaldock9 said:


> Wish they had designed it with balanced OPA1622 amplifiers, to provide the higher voltage output on the 2.5mm TRRS jack - rather than relying on the lower voltage, direct output from the AK4377 DAC chip.


Yeah, I agree; but I'm curious about the 4.4 volt output capability of the 3.5mm single ended out. I have been subbing out the 3.5mm cable on all my iems for 2.5 balanced, because I feel the extra power and separation makes a difference, and sounds much better out of my Fiio Q1MK2's balanced output. Yet, I am aware that many desktop amps don't offer balanced outs and are also very good, but they offer a higher voltage output. Thinking Monoprice Liquid Spark, JDS ATOM, more expensive gear like Vioelectric, Burson, etc. I wonder if a device like this, with the higher powered OP AMPS would be an improvement in single-ended form, and possibly bring the sound quality up to that of 2.5 balanced? It would be great if that was the case, since most iems ship with a standard 3.5mm unbalanced plug. In the past year, I have purchased 4 iems; and in every case I have subbed out the supplied 3.5 unbalanced cable, for an aftermarket 2.5 balanced cable. To my ears, doing so has made an improvement in each case. The only downside has been that, when others want to audition my iems on their own gear...majority don't have a balanced out on their phone or DAP/DAC/AMP. So, I'm like "Sorry, but my iems won't work on your setup, cause I only use 2.5 balanced". I really need to get myself a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter/short cable for these kinds of situations, but it would be nice and more convenient to just be able to use a stock 3.5 cable that came with the iem, and not sacrifice SQ, better bass, more power and better separation as a result. I wonder if that OP AMP and higher voltage out of single-ended would get me more of the way to the sound I get from balanced?


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## CoiL (Sep 15, 2019)

DBaldock9 said:


> Wish they had designed it with *balanced OPA1622 amplifiers*, to provide the higher voltage output on the 2.5mm TRRS jack - rather than relying on the lower voltage, direct output from the AK4377 DAC chip.


Was hoping for same... but, oh-noes, bummer 
Anyone has idea about current (mA) this unit is giving out?

Not related directly but OPA1692 sounds crazy good in my desk setup. Probably 1622 will sound great on SE output too 
But then again... it`s all about implementation.


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## ClieOS

I beg to differ with the balanced OPA1622.

To achieve that high an output (*double for what it is now), you not only need to use two OPA1622 to form the balanced circuit, you will need to do a much more complex and bigger voltage step-up circuit as well, which will eat into battery life and therefore have to use a much bigger battery - before you know it, you will have a device as big as a full sized DAC/amp. That will completely miss the point of having a portable high quality Bluetooth adapter in the first place.


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## CoiL

ClieOS said:


> I beg to differ with the balanced OPA1622.
> 
> To achieve that high an output (*double for what it is now), you not only need to use two OPA1622 to form the balanced circuit, you will need to do a much more complex and bigger voltage step-up circuit as well, which will eat into battery life and therefore have to use a much bigger battery - before you know it, you will have a device as big as a full sized DAC/amp. That will completely miss the point of having a portable high quality Bluetooth adapter in the first place.


Good point! Tho, personally still would wish more power out of its balanced output


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## peter123

CoiL said:


> Good point! Tho, personally still would wish more power out of its balanced output



What would you need that for? 

I'm having a hard time seeing that someone would use a device like this to drive very power-hungry full size dynamic headphones or low sensitivity planars for serious listening. The trade off for doing this would most likely defeat the whole purpose with a product like this.

Fwiw the Radsone ES100 can drive the HD800S good enough for causal listening on moderate volume, the 5K should be able to do the same.


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## redrol

OK im on board.  WHERE DO I BUY ?!


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## Cevisi

redrol said:


> OK im on board.  WHERE DO I BUY ?!


We got to wait


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## redrol

nooooo


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## courierdriver

redrol said:


> nooooo


I think I read in an earlier post, that they were going to do a Kickstarter in October. If you joined that, you might get the product much sooner and even at a possibly reduced price. Hopefully, @peter123  can confirm and keep us all posted. I've never supported a Kickstarter before, but I certainly think I could support this one.


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## andersos

I asked them on Facebook yesterday and they don't have an exact date for Kickstarter yet. It will happen in middle of October.

I also asked what kind of app support they planned. They will support PEQ and GEQ in the app.


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## moisespr123

chidmas said:


> I've purchased the Avantree adapter which transmits in APTX HD however I haven't tried it out yet. Will give you my thoughts when I finally set it up



I got the Avantree DG60. It works, but it has an issue where it defaults to aptX Low Latency instead of aptX HD. Also, it is only detected as a 16-bit/48Khz device in Windows, so no, it will not take advantage of the aptX HD 24-bit depth, but may take advantage of the extra bandwidth.


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## chidmas

moisespr123 said:


> I got the Avantree DG60. It works, but it has an issue where it defaults to aptX Low Latency instead of aptX HD. Also, it is only detected as a 16-bit/48Khz device in Windows, so no, it will not take advantage of the aptX HD 24-bit depth, but may take advantage of the extra bandwidth.



Wow wish I had known this and I would have bought the cheaper unit on AliExpress. That's plain ridiculous. Thanks for the info


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## CactusPete23

Well, we don't have to "worry" about the 3.5mm being more powerful than the 2.5mm balanced any more.   According to their facebook page, When running some tests, the 4.4V output was "noisy".   So the 3.5mm will be reduced to 2.2V Output, same as the 2.5mm balanced.     Still good power for such a tiny device.   Exact same design, just not running the 3.5mm so hot.


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## courierdriver

CactusPete23 said:


> Well, we don't have to "worry" about the 3.5mm being more powerful than the 2.5mm balanced any more.   According to their facebook page, When running some tests, the 4.4V output was "noisy".   So the 3.5mm will be reduced to 2.2V Output, same as the 2.5mm balanced.     Still good power for such a tiny device.   Exact same design, just not running the 3.5mm so hot.


Yeah, that could still be a good thing. Still, I wish that the output from both would be specified in milliwatts. It would give me a better idea of power output, compared to my Fiio Q1MK2. My version puts out around 220-230 milliwatts into 32 ohms out of the balanced output, which has been more than enough for any of the iems I currently have. If this new device can't match that, then I don't see a need to buy it.


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## CactusPete23

courierdriver said:


> Yeah, that could still be a good thing. Still, I wish that the output from both would be specified in milliwatts. It would give me a better idea of power output, compared to my Fiio Q1MK2. My version puts out around 220-230 milliwatts into 32 ohms out of the balanced output, which has been more than enough for any of the iems I currently have. If this new device can't match that, then I don't see a need to buy it.


Probably around 150mw with 32 ohm headphones.   Should be enough for most IEMs.  Just a touch more than the Dragonfly Red that is 2.1V.


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## acygni

CactusPete23 said:


> Probably around 150mw with 32 ohm headphones.   Should be enough for most IEMs.  Just a touch more than the Dragonfly Red that is 2.1V.


The btr5 uses duo 9128p for 160mw balanced out. But too bad it doesn't have the lastest power efficient chips after having been delayed for almost a year. It even got Shanling enough time to copy it's exact spec for their own up4 Lol.


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## Slater (Sep 19, 2019)

moisespr123 said:


> I got the Avantree DG60. It works, but it has an issue where it defaults to aptX Low Latency instead of aptX HD. Also, it is only detected as a 16-bit/48Khz device in Windows, so no, it will not take advantage of the aptX HD 24-bit depth, but may take advantage of the extra bandwidth.



Wow that sucks.

AptX-LL is even lower resolution than normal AptX. It’s not really optimized for music, but rather super low latency for movies/speech.

So for music, it ranks in quality from AptX-HD > AptX > AptX-LL


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## gr8soundz

Slater said:


> Wow that sucks.
> 
> AptX-LL is even lower resolution than normal AptX. It’s not really optimized for music, but rather super low latency for movies/speech.
> 
> So for music, it ranks in quality from AptX-HD > AptX > AptX-LL



Which is why the Qudelix having aptx Adaptive is so important (imo) with simultaneous support for 24/48 HD and low latency.

Not sure how many phones/devices can use it yet but my Oneplus 7 Pro already has the aptx Adaptive profile.


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## moisespr123

Slater said:


> Wow that sucks.
> 
> AptX-LL is even lower resolution than normal AptX. It’s not really optimized for music, but rather super low latency for movies/speech.
> 
> So for music, it ranks in quality from AptX-HD > AptX > AptX-LL



Avantree will solve the issue in the next batch by having a physical button to switch between aptX HD and AptX LL.


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## CactusPete23

FYI, "First Engineering Sample".   A little smaller than expected.   Final version could be slightly different. Nice "use" of the clip to add the 2nd headphone jack.


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## acygni

I just hope it doesn't follow the btr5 and gets delayed for almost year to when somebody is already coming out with a better product for the same price.


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## openyoureyes

Will it support multipoint connections?


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## Slater

CactusPete23 said:


> FYI, "First Engineering Sample".   A little smaller than expected.   Final version could be slightly different. Nice "use" of the clip to add the 2nd headphone jack.



I can’t tell from the photo if the clip is metal or plastic.


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## Cevisi

Slater said:


> I can’t tell from the photo if the clip is metal or plastic.


That is coated steel


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## courierdriver

Cevisi said:


> That is coated steel


Really???!!! Coated STEEL?! Are you sure it's not just coated aluminum? I mean, the strength factor has really got my testosterone going; but seriously...if this thing is supposed to be Bluetooth, then a solid steel clip affixed to the unit will make the bluetooth range and connectivity weak. Not sure if that's a good way to go. ES100 might be better.


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## ClieOS

courierdriver said:


> Really???!!! Coated STEEL?! Are you sure it's not just coated aluminum? I mean, the strength factor has really got my testosterone going; but seriously...if this thing is supposed to be Bluetooth, then a solid steel clip affixed to the unit will make the bluetooth range and connectivity weak. Not sure if that's a good way to go. ES100 might be better.



Actually any full metal housing will cut down BT range. However, if it is just the clip than it won't be much of an issue.


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## TrueLight

Hi i looking for a dap recently, es100 is in my list, with current spec view may i know this dap any difference with es100? Should i wait ? Tq


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## acygni

TrueLight said:


> Hi i looking for a dap recently, es100 is in my list, with current spec view may i know this dap any difference with es100? Should i wait ? Tq


Neither the es100 or this is a dap. For the same price range try the fiio m5


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## courierdriver

ClieOS said:


> Actually any full metal housing will cut down BT range. However, if it is just the clip than it won't be much of an issue.


I was just joking around. I thought it funny that he mentioned that the clip was "pure steel". That attribute might be awesome for a fullsize desktop or home amp, but it doesn't make sense for a more portable, Bluetooth setup to me. I guess some might not have gotten my joke....sigh! Oh well...let's carry on.


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## TrueLight

acygni said:


> Neither the es100 or this is a dap. For the same price range try the fiio m5


Dac amp sry, fiio i hear a lot complaint their ui


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## acygni

TrueLight said:


> Dac amp sry, fiio i hear a lot complaint their ui


Not sure about their older ui but their music app on android is one of the best for me. It even gives your phone hwa support. If you just want a bluetooth dac/amp the 5k is definitely the best choice if you can wait. If you can't the fiio btr5/shanling up4 (they are pretty much the same prpduct) will likely be available next month. And if you really don't care about getting a 3 years old product you can get the es100.


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## TrueLight

acygni said:


> Not sure about their older ui but their music app on android is one of the best for me. It even gives your phone hwa support. If you just want a bluetooth dac/amp the 5k is definitely the best choice if you can wait. If you can't the fiio btr5/shanling up4 (they are pretty much the same prpduct) will likely be available next month. And if you really don't care about getting a 3 years old product you can get the es100.


Noted, thanks for your advice


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## Slater (Sep 26, 2019)

.


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## Outrager

I wonder if those 2 corner strips are the buttons.


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## rkw

Outrager said:


> I wonder if those 2 corner strips are the buttons.


Yes, they press on the actual buttons, which can be seen in the circuit board and see-through images in post #1.


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## Nolbert0

So... I think I read somewhere (maybe on their website) that it supports inline remote/mic. Is that true? If so, the 3.5mm is also TRRS?

That would be an awesome feature if people with longer cables (with inline mic) can just put the thing in their pocketses (or clip it on their belt or where ever it convenes). Especially nowadays where the phones are getting increasingly unpocketably large and the oh-so-fashionable omission of headphone jacks. So if putting it pockets are part of their design, how about a hold function for accidental pocket presses?


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## rkw

Nolbert0 said:


> I think I read somewhere (maybe on their website) that it supports inline remote/mic. Is that true? If so, the 3.5mm is also TRRS?


Qudelix said on their Facebook page that it supports inline microphone and remote buttons. They are also adding a mute function. To be compatible with mic headsets, the 3.5mm must be TRRS.


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## andersos

So it's now October. Maybe they have a starting date for the Kickstarter campaign now.


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## acygni

andersos said:


> So it's now October. Maybe they have a starting date for the Kickstarter campaign now.


I hope so. Because it's coming out so late I am now considering the getting the Hiby R3 Pro if it doesn't offer any earlybird discount with their kickstarter.


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## andersos

acygni said:


> I hope so. Because it's coming out so late I am now considering the getting the Hiby R3 Pro if it doesn't offer any earlybird discount with their kickstarter.



R3 Pro is a new DAP? When is that coming?


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## acygni

andersos said:


> R3 Pro is a new DAP? When is that coming?


Yes it was just announced but preorder coming up this month, in China at least. It pretty much got all the bluetooth dac/amp features but got dual higher end cs43131 and stand-alone playback capability.


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## andersos

acygni said:


> Yes it was just announced but preorder coming up this month, in China at least. It pretty much got all the bluetooth dac/amp features but got dual higher end cs43131 and stand-alone playback capability.



Where can I read about it? Can't find anything on Google.


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## acygni

andersos said:


> Where can I read about it? Can't find anything on Google.


https://card.weibo.com/article/m/show/id/2309404422268406071348
Its all in chinese but may be google translate can help


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## Nolbert0

There's an R3 pro? I've got the regular R3 (demoted to 'amateur' now, I guess? lol) and pretty happy with it since i only use it as a transport for the Mojo... But really curious to see what I'm missing out on. 

But what if you pair it with the Qudelix 5k... See what I did there?


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## acygni

Nolbert0 said:


> There's an R3 pro? I've got the regular R3 (demoted to 'amateur' now, I guess? lol) and pretty happy with it since i only use it as a transport for the Mojo... But really curious to see what I'm missing out on.
> 
> But what if you pair it with the Qudelix 5k... See what I did there?


Yea but I think the R3 Pro covers all the features of the 5k so it would be redundant.


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## andersos

Will they launch R3 Pro on Kickstarter?


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## acygni

andersos said:


> Will they launch R3 Pro on Kickstarter?


I don't think Hiby is that kinda company. It's pretty established like Fiio. Their products are available normally in the west though usually at a higher than in China.


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## Nolbert0 (Oct 3, 2019)

@acygni With the 5K being a BT receiver and R3 being a DAP, apples and oranges...? And as a BT receiver, the R3 (amateur?) I have is quite limited. Doesn't do ACC in RX mode IIRC, dunno about other codecs. A grudging iPhone user here - so take from that what you will. Also, I wouldn't clip it onto my shirt cos of the size and weight. And no mic on R3 so no calls. That being said, great as a basic DAP and even better as a Mojo transport.

The same device can mean different things to different people as they have different uses for them. I've been using the Shaling M0 as a BT receiver with mixed results. A DAP will never function perfectly as a BT receiver in my experience, hence finding this product and started singing to myself "mellorine!" (One Piece reference, not the ice cream!)

This is quickly becoming an R3 Pro thread... Am I the only one trying to reign it back to the 5K?

edit - the OG R3 was on Kickstarter


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## acygni

Nolbert0 said:


> @acygni With the 5K being a BT receiver and R3 being a DAP, apples and oranges...? And as a BT receiver, the R3 (amateur?) I have is quite limited. Doesn't do ACC in RX mode IIRC, dunno about other codecs. A grudging iPhone user here - so take from that what you will. Also, I wouldn't clip it onto my shirt cos of the size and weight. And no mic on R3 so no calls. That being said, great as a basic DAP and even better as a Mojo transport.
> 
> The same device can mean different things to different people as they have different uses for them. I've been using the Shaling M0 as a BT receiver with mixed results. A DAP will never function perfectly as a BT receiver in my experience, hence finding this product and started singing to myself "mellorine!" (One Piece reference, not the ice cream!)
> 
> ...


The R3 Pro is both a bluetooth reciever and transmitter and covers all of the bluetooth codecs except aptx adaptive. But it also adds their proprietary UAT codecs that is suppose to be better than LDAC. Its only disadvantage to the 5K would be size and price. You can see some of the specs even from just the words and numbers in this:
https://card.weibo.com/article/m/show/id/2309404422268406071348

Anyway this is getting off topic. I was just mentioning it could be my alternative. I may create a new thread for it.


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## andersos

acygni said:


> I don't think Hiby is that kinda company. It's pretty established like Fiio. Their products are available normally in the west though usually at a higher than in China.


They launched the R3 on Kickstarter last year.


----------



## acygni

andersos said:


> They launched the R3 on Kickstarter last year.


Did they. I never paid attention. Nowaday so many ppl try to use Kickstarter as a preorder platform rather than a crowd funding one.


----------



## Nolbert0

I'm not a Facbooker so can somebody keep me updated on this thread of when the 5K is coming to Kickstarter? Very keen on getting one, especially as an Early Bird, if possible. Thanks


----------



## CactusPete23

Nolbert0 said:


> I'm not a Facbooker so can somebody keep me updated on this thread of when the 5K is coming to Kickstarter? Very keen on getting one, especially as an Early Bird, if possible. Thanks


No New news on Facebook.  I am 100% sure that someone will post when any new news is posted there.


----------



## Nolbert0

Much appreciated (in advance)


----------



## moisespr123

you know what else would be awesome?

Using this as an aptX HD or LDAC transmitter! Given that those are lacking in the market, since it will support USB DAC 24bit/96Khz, I think having a USB transmitter function would be useful


----------



## Lurk650

moisespr123 said:


> you know what else would be awesome?
> 
> Using this as an aptX HD or LDAC transmitter! Given that those are lacking in the market, since it will support USB DAC 24bit/96Khz, I think having a USB transmitter function would be useful


Why though, what you want to transmit to? It's already receiving BT, then it will have to transmit it to something else? Is that even possible? What would be the use of that when you just connect your source to what to you want to transmit to such as a car or BT speaker


----------



## moisespr123

Lurk650 said:


> Why though, what you want to transmit to? It's already receiving BT, then it will have to transmit it to something else? Is that even possible? What would be the use of that when you just connect your source to what to you want to transmit to such as a car or BT speaker



True, but when the battery dies, I could use it as a transmitter while it charges to send the audio to, for example, the ES100, via LDAC or aptX HD.

Anyway, Qudelix just replied to my comment on Facebook that Qualcomm at the moment doesn't provide an SDK for such functionality.


----------



## DBaldock9

I believe the Shanling M0 does have the ability to take a USB input, and transmit a BT LDAC signal.


----------



## Cevisi

Somone know the output impedance


----------



## ClieOS

Cevisi said:


> Somone know the output impedance



No one can be sure till they finished the prototyping phase. But given the chips used I'll say it should be very low, unless someone make the big mistake of putting resistors on the output path.


----------



## Cevisi

ClieOS said:


> No one can be sure till they finished the prototyping phase. But given the chips used I'll say it should be very low, unless someone make the big mistake of putting resistors on the output path.





 

No resistor on the output path i hope they have nearly zero impedance i get some whit noise on my t800 whit my q5s


----------



## Cevisi

ClieOS said:


> No one can be sure till they finished the prototyping phase. But given the chips used I'll say it should be very low, unless someone make the big mistake of putting resistors on the output path.


I wrote a mail they aswered like you said. Its still in prototyp. BUT they say it will be really low. Thats what i want to hear


----------



## akai008

Looking forward to this. I hope they release more information about the app soon.


----------



## Cevisi

akai008 said:


> Looking forward to this. I hope they release more information about the app soon.


I hope its good as the app from the es 100


----------



## veraideishal (Oct 15, 2019)

This may be a strange request, but I honestly hope that they improved on the “Ambient Mode” from the ES100, which was basically a gimmick that didn’t really work all that well in practice.


----------



## Outrager

veraideishal said:


> This may be a strange request, but I honestly hope that they improved on the “Ambient Mode” from the ES100, which was basically a gimmick that didn’t really work all that well in practice.


Maybe it'll be better if they are able to use the inline mic if the headphones if they are available.


----------



## moisespr123

DBaldock9 said:


> I believe the Shanling M0 does have the ability to take a USB input, and transmit a BT LDAC signal.



Same as with the Hidizs and Hiby DAPs that I own. But again, having this in the product would be a really nice addition.


----------



## ChavaC

I wonder how significant an upgrade this flexible bluetooth antenna will be compared to the ES100's. My only complaint with the radsone is the range on the bluetooth isn't amazing. Otherwise this looks pretty exciting.


----------



## PMAismycity

Well, I was going to wait for this mostly because it used a dual AK DAC but they just changed it to ES9218p just like the other 2 direct competitors ( Shanling UP4, Fiio BTR5) which will be released earlier than the 5k. I'm likely not going to wait for an extra month unless they make an app that is comparable to the ES100's one.


----------



## Lurk650

Wow, what a disappointment


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Nov 3, 2019)

PMAismycity said:


> Well, I was going to wait for this mostly because it used a dual AK DAC but they just changed it to ES9218p just like the other 2 direct competitors ( Shanling UP4, Fiio BTR5) which will be released earlier than the 5k. I'm likely not going to wait for an extra month unless they make an app that is comparable to the ES100's one.


Oops! That’s too bad - although the 9218p in my LG V30 is doing a fine, fine job. Just would have liked a change.

Oh well, it still has the newest QCC5124 Qualcomm chip, huge power in balanced mode, aptX Adaptive, a novel antenna implementation, and I’m pretty confident about the app.
Fiio are just hopeless at software, and the Shanling up4 I auditioned and it didn’t impress.
Edit: what I auditioned was the up2, not the up4 - maybe that one will turn out great.


----------



## kukkurovaca

The app and EQ are the main points of interest for me. Specific DAC chip used matters much less than how it's implemented.


----------



## ClieOS

PMAismycity said:


> Well, I was going to wait for this mostly because it used a dual AK DAC but they just changed it to ES9218p just like the other 2 direct competitors ( Shanling UP4, Fiio BTR5) which will be released earlier than the 5k. I'm likely not going to wait for an extra month unless they make an app that is comparable to the ES100's one.



Not just DAC change, but OPA1622 is gone as well. 

Now the only interesting bits left for me are the Qualcomm QCC5124 with its aptX adaptive support, as well as the app.


----------



## redrol

How you know that?
If true, im out.  Ill get another es100 when/if mine breaks.


----------



## veraideishal (Oct 23, 2019)

redrol said:


> How you know that?
> If true, im out.  Ill get another es100 when/if mine breaks.



Their website has been updated, and there is a comment asking about the change by on their Facebook page. Apparently the Dual AK+OPA design had too high heat output (when trying to put out 4.4V RMS) and power draw (even at lower output levels).


----------



## fsi22

Unbalanced @ 2v & Balanced @ 4v, is higher than btr5 which is 1,8v & 3,6v respectively.


----------



## Cevisi

how is the sq compared to ak 4377a


----------



## ClieOS

fsi22 said:


> Unbalanced @ 2v & Balanced @ 4v, is higher than btr5 which is 1,8v & 3,6v respectively.



Actual output power under load will be much more important than simple max output voltage. Those number above don't really tell us anything performance wise.


----------



## Nolbert0

I too am far less excited about this now... It really boils down to the app now. And at the kickstarter pledge stage, is going to be a massive gamble against the BTR5.


----------



## Cevisi

My driam is over.....

..... But maybe it is really better then the ak4377


----------



## moisespr123

Honestly I don't mind about the DAC change. Personally, I've enjoyed the sound of ESS chips better. AKM may be sometimes too warm to my ears.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

It was a much more unique and intriguing architecture with the AKM DAC/amp and Texas Instruments op-amp for sure.

I liked the possibility of switching amplification depending on power need, whim (!) and headphones or iem signature. I imagined the softer AKM sound would continue to complement balanced armatures well, while the TI op-amp would maybe sound brighter and kick things up with large or slower drivers.
Not that I’ve heard either of these, this was pure speculation based on my experience with other AKM- or TI-powered gear.


----------



## ChavaC

Wow, disappointing. This thing went from super exciting to forgettable BTR5 clone in like 5 minutes flat. Guess I'll keep dreaming on the ES100 mk ii.


----------



## Cevisi

ChavaC said:


> Wow, disappointing. This thing went from super exciting to forgettable BTR5 clone in like 5 minutes flat. Guess I'll keep dreaming on the ES100 mk ii.


Thats so sad


----------



## acygni

The 9218 does look better on datasheet so it could for the better, at least for balanced users?


----------



## acygni (Oct 24, 2019)

ChavaC said:


> Wow, disappointing. This thing went from super exciting to forgettable BTR5 clone in like 5 minutes flat. Guess I'll keep dreaming on the ES100 mk ii.


It is still going to have the lastest bt chip and aptx adaptive plus a smaller foot print. If you are a balanced user the only thing that changed was the dac really... The Shanling UP4 is what I would call a "clone" of the BTR5.


----------



## peter123

The reason they changed is better battery life. That's fine with me as I find implementation to be much more important that the chip of choice.


----------



## Cevisi

peter123 said:


> The reason they changed is better battery life. That's fine with me as I find implementation to be much more important that the chip of choice.


I mean it dont have to hold up 21 hours 9 would be enough


----------



## acygni (Oct 24, 2019)

Cevisi said:


> I mean it dont have to hold up 21 hours 9 would be enough


I would consider that personal opinion. Besides, those numbers are for at the lowest quality setting with the worst codec and for 3.5 unbalanced so not really what you would get in practice for both btr5 and the 5k.


----------



## peter123

Cevisi said:


> I mean it dont have to hold up 21 hours 9 would be enough



I see it otherwise, depends on personal preference and the way one use it I'd guess. 

If I can choose between a great sounding device with great battery life and one great sounding device with good battery life it's an easy choice for me.


----------



## blockchainhero

Both DAC options will be audibly transparent so I’m not really put off by this.YMMV.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

blockchainhero said:


> Both DAC options will be audibly transparent so I’m not really put off by this.YMMV.


I would normally agree, but in this instance both the AKM and ESS chips are DACs _and_ amps, so not really transparent. They have some real character that tends to shine through, although implementation remains what’s most important.


----------



## nomad2000

cannot wait any more,,,,,,,,

a es100 user shouted~~


----------



## dnaimad

My Hidizs AP80 already has the ESS 9218P DAC and is an LDAC receiver, making this device pretty redundant.


----------



## p50kombi

I've got the btr5 and the es100, the app is what makes them different, also fiio eq doesn't work in ldac or USB dac which is very disappointing.


----------



## acygni

p50kombi said:


> I've got the btr5 and the es100, the app is what makes them different, also fiio eq doesn't work in ldac or USB dac which is very disappointing.


About the Fiio, is that with their music app? On Android? IOS?


----------



## Cevisi

dnaimad said:


> My Hidizs AP80 already has the ESS 9218P DAC and is an LDAC receiver, making this device pretty redundant.


Does the ess sound good ?


----------



## peter123

Cevisi said:


> Does the ess sound good ?



The ESS will sound as good as it's implementation is.


----------



## darmanastartes

p50kombi said:


> I've got the btr5 and the es100, the app is what makes them different, also fiio eq doesn't work in ldac or USB dac which is very disappointing.


Yeah, the big draw for me is system-wide EQ over LDAC through the Qudelix app. I knew Fiio's EQ doesn't work outside of their music player app, and I figured it wouldn't work with USB, but it doesn't work using LDAC?


----------



## dnaimad

Cevisi said:


> Does the ess sound good ?



It sounds great in the AP80, better than the Shanling M0 which also has the ES9218P, so yes implementation is everything. It's refined and transparent, indistinguishable from my Topping D10.


----------



## acygni

Not sure if you guys know but they have opened their own forum on their home page:
https://www.qudelix.com/forum?t=1572122614622
We may want to bring the conversations to them.


----------



## mhoopes

I’m not terribly concerned about an amp/DAC sound “signature” if a 20-band parametric EQ is on offer, and non-EQ’d LDAC with my Sony Blu-Ray and the FiiO FA7 would be a non-starter for me. Just keep the latency low enough, please - hopefully the RF signal quality will be equivalent to, or better than the ES100. We already know about FiiO’s compromises to satisfy the metal-body fan boys out there.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Oct 29, 2019)

Well if they keep the Max. 21 hours battery time i'm happy, I had the ES100, used it extensively for more than a year and the battery got really bad near the end.

I rather have 21 hours battery than 9 hours (BTR5)  just because of an OLED screen that you'll barely use..


----------



## ClieOS

C_Lindbergh said:


> Well if they keep the Max. 21 hours battery time i'm happy, I had the ES100, used it extensively for more than a year and the battery got really bad near the end.
> 
> I rather have 21 hours battery than 9 hours (BTR5)  just because of an OLED screen that you'll barely use..



All good and well, but you also need to consider that they are probably not tested under the same condition - simply by changing the test load, BT codec as well as the output voltage (which results in different output power), you will end up with very different battery run time. Unless they are tested in similar condition, the two numbers are more apple to orange and need to be taken with a grain of salt.


----------



## Cevisi

ClieOS said:


> All good and well, but you also need to consider that they are probably not tested under the same condition - simply by changing the test load, BT codec as well as the output voltage (which results in different output power), you will end up with very different battery run time. Unless they are tested in similar condition, the two numbers are more apple to orange and need to be taken with a grain of salt.


I think the 21h is for the lowest settings


----------



## acygni

ClieOS said:


> All good and well, but you also need to consider that they are probably not tested under the same condition - simply by changing the test load, BT codec as well as the output voltage (which results in different output power), you will end up with very different battery run time. Unless they are tested in similar condition, the two numbers are more apple to orange and need to be taken with a grain of salt.


Both of them have disclaimer that reads "3.5 unbalanced with AAC" somewhere for the "up to" battery time they listed.


----------



## ClieOS

acygni said:


> Both of them have disclaimer that reads "3.5 unbalanced with AAC" somewhere for the "up to" battery time they listed.



...and that's the only piece of info we have, but not enough. What are the test load? Pure resistive or real world? 32ohm or 16ohm? What is the output voltage (or power)? 5mV, 50mV, 500mV or 1V? All of these need to be considered on both sides (or at least they need to be fairly close to each other) when comparing their number. On a side note, will love to see also the THD+N and SNR into those load, but that's probably too much to ask.


----------



## acygni (Oct 29, 2019)

ClieOS said:


> ...and that's the only piece of info we have, but not enough. What are the test load? Pure resistive or real world? 32ohm or 16ohm? What is the output voltage (or power)? 5mV, 50mV, 500mV or 1V? All of these need to be considered on both sides (or at least they need to be fairly close to each other) when comparing their number. On a side note, will love to see also the THD+N and SNR into those load, but that's probably too much to ask.


I believe at least one of them also includes 32ohm in their disclaimer. It may be the minimal standard they go by. As for the power output is there even an user operable setting for that? They do list THD+N and SNR in their specs but not sure if the 5k has it finalized yet


----------



## ClieOS

acygni said:


> I believe at least one of them also includes 32ohm in their disclaimer. It may be the minimal standard they go by. As for the power output is there even an user operable setting for that?



A standard for most testing usually is a pair of 32ohm resistors. Good for keeping things simple but generally not a real simulation of the real world usage as headphone also has induction and capacitance. I think FiiO might be using their own IEM during playback test as they usually did on the past. Not sure about the 5K as I didn't find anything on it. You can't control power output, but it is related to voltage output. If you also have the info on THD+N and SNR, it will give a fairly good picture on how the device is performing in general.


----------



## acygni

The most concerning aspect for me is availability for the 5K given they are already going into the switching hardware and delaying hole. I followed the BTR5 for a whole year just watching them posting about delay after delay.


----------



## ClieOS

acygni said:


> The most concerning aspect for me is availability for the 5K given they are already going into the switching hardware and delaying hole. I followed the BTR5 for a whole year just watching them posting about delay after delay.



BTR5 is really in the market, hopefully it won't be long for 5K to hit Kickstarter as well.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

I'm glad the Qudelix 5k will support muilti point! 

"1. Yes, 5K will support the multi-point connection." From the forum.

That's one of the reason i'll prob stick with BT dac/amp instead of true wireless earbuds for a while more.


----------



## Cevisi

C_Lindbergh said:


> I'm glad the Qudelix 5k will support muilti point!
> 
> "1. Yes, 5K will support the multi-point connection." From the forum.
> 
> That's one of the reason i'll prob stick with BT dac/amp instead of true wireless earbuds for a while more.


Tws are coming


----------



## jsmiller58

C_Lindbergh said:


> I'm glad the Qudelix 5k will support muilti point!
> 
> "1. Yes, 5K will support the multi-point connection." From the forum.
> 
> That's one of the reason i'll prob stick with BT dac/amp instead of true wireless earbuds for a while more.



Multi-point...  That, and the infinitely greater choice in IEMs to fit any sound signature, style, and price point.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Not sure if this is new or not, but there's a page for the app on their website, with some info and screenshots of the app.

https://www.qudelix.com/app


----------



## darmanastartes

C_Lindbergh said:


> Not sure if this is new or not, but there's a page for the app on their website, with some info and screenshots of the app.
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/app


Oh, it's beautiful.


----------



## Devh

Wow, the parametric EQ is better than what I was expecting.  I wish they would make a dedicated source version based on the same thing.


----------



## Slater

C_Lindbergh said:


> Not sure if this is new or not, but there's a page for the app on their website, with some info and screenshots of the app.
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/app



The parametric EQ looks great. Hopefully once Radsone sees the Qudelix app, they will make some upgrades to their app too


----------



## veraideishal

Slater said:


> The parametric EQ looks great. Hopefully once Radsone sees the Qudelix app, they will make some upgrades to their app too


 
How? The guy who coded it is now at Qudelix


----------



## Cevisi

Woaw


----------



## Slater (Nov 1, 2019)

veraideishal said:


> How? The guy who coded it is now at Qudelix



There’s a million iOS/Android developers out there...it’s not like that guy is the only guy in the entire world that knows how to add features to the app.

Besides, Radsone would have retained a copy of their app source code, even if one of the developers left (unless they have no idea how to run a business and protect IP). So they would just need to get another developer in to pick up where the previous guy left off.

Hopefully, the original developer used good programming practices - commenting the code, using meaningful/descriptive variable names (instead of “stuff1”, “test2”, “junkjunk3”, etc), making sure it’s not spaghetti code, etc.


----------



## veraideishal

Slater said:


> There’s a million iOS/Android developers out there...it’s not like that guy is the only guy in the entire world that knows how to add features to the app.
> 
> Besides, Radsone would have retained a copy of their app source code, even if one of the developers left (unless they have no idea how to run a business and protect IP). So they would just need to get another developer in to pick up where the previous guy left off.
> 
> Hopefully, the original developer used good programming practices - commenting the code, using meaningful/descriptive variable names (instead of “stuff1”, “test2”, “junkjunk3”, etc), making sure it’s not spaghetti code, etc.



Sure, but the actual audio processing part (i.e. the parametric EQ) happens not in the phone app, but on the ES100’s CSR8675 chip itself. It’s firmware/embedded development, which is considerably more difficult to code for. Hopefully Radsone did retain enough expertise in that area.


----------



## Crandall (Nov 1, 2019)

veraideishal said:


> Sure, but the actual audio processing part (i.e. the parametric EQ) happens not in the phone app, but on the ES100’s CSR8675 chip itself. It’s firmware/embedded development, which is considerably more difficult to code for. Hopefully Radsone did retain enough expertise in that area.


The Radsone app already has the ability to switch between two EQ modes in which a blanket change for the Q on all frequency points is swapped between 0.7 and 1.4. I'd bet that the code used to process the EQ should already be able to handle arbitrary Q amounts based on this and you'd just need to update the UI to allow you to change them directly.

If they can't do that, then it looks like I'm going to be getting myself a new Christmas present.


----------



## veraideishal

Crandall said:


> The Radsone app already has the ability to switch between two EQ modes in which a blanket change for the Q on all frequency points is swapped between 0.7 and 1.4. I'd bet that the code used to process the EQ should already be able to handle arbitrary Q amounts based on this and you'd just need to update the UI to allow you to change them directly.
> 
> If they can't do that, then it looks like I'm going to be getting myself a new Christmas present.



Out of morbid curiosity, I went and found a programming manual for the Kalimba DSP found in CSR chips (disclaimer: I cannot vouch for its accuracy). It really does seem that the EQ coefficients are just loaded into the chip from on-board memory, so it’s possible that they are pre-calculated by the app and passed to the ES100.


----------



## Cevisi

Slater said:


> There’s a million iOS/Android developers out there...it’s not like that guy is the only guy in the entire world that knows how to add features to the app.
> 
> Besides, Radsone would have retained a copy of their app source code, even if one of the developers left (unless they have no idea how to run a business and protect IP). So they would just need to get another developer in to pick up where the previous guy left off.
> 
> Hopefully, the original developer used good programming practices - commenting the code, using meaningful/descriptive variable names (instead of “stuff1”, “test2”, “junkjunk3”, etc), making sure it’s not spaghetti code, etc.


When its easy who cant fiio get thier software right same fails across all ampdacs


----------



## Devh (Nov 1, 2019)

The ES100 is still ahead of its time. Even if another manufacture makes a parametric EQ app it doesn't mean its going to be any good.  I have tested parametric EQs particularly for car audio applications where they are necessary  and many color the sound in a negative way once its switched on. Very few actually have the resolution of making things better than without EQ turned on.  All EQs can ruin the sound if you go out of bounds by boosting too much or not knowing how to use them to your advantage and the compromises that go with it.  For a headphone application its not as important. 

 After looking at how the software is designed for the 5K PEQ I knew right away  the guy behind it is talented. I highly doubt the other manufactures will understand or even implement these kind of pro tools and they would be right. Its fascinating that they are in $100 devices.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

I really hope they improve the buttons on this compared to the ES100, the placement/feel/tactile feedback was is so infererior to the BTR3. Obviously the ES100 trumped the BTR3 in almost every other way, but the overall built quality is really good on the BTR3. I would have wished that the Quadelix had gone the 2.5D glass route instead of plastic, but as long as they get the buttons right im happy about the build quality.


----------



## kukkurovaca

my kingdom for a volume knob tbh


----------



## veraideishal (Nov 1, 2019)

kukkurovaca said:


> my kingdom for a volume knob tbh



The Bluewave Get has an analog volume knob. I found the noise floor to be unacceptably high for use with my IEMs, though.

Edit: The knob is just a knob, not a knob-button combo thingy. They’ve since made an impedance adapter that apparently removes the hiss (didn’t buy it, jumped ship to an ES100 instead). It doesn’t have EQ functionality, if that is also a consideration.


----------



## kukkurovaca

veraideishal said:


> The Bluewave Get has an analog volume knob. I found the noise floor to be unacceptably high for use with my IEMs, though.



Shanling UP2 has a (digitial) volume wheel, but it looks like it's a button/wheel combo like they had on the M3S, which was a bit of a nightmare, so


----------



## Nolbert0

C_Lindbergh said:


> I would have wished that the Quadelix had gone the 2.5D glass route instead of plastic



I disagree. Plastic keeps the costs, but more importantly, the weight down. I've had experiences with the weightier clip on devices (I'm looking at you M0!) and I'm totally convinced that lighter is better. BTR5 is also heavier than I would like...

On a side note, I've also been converted to loving the removable clip. I'm sure the ES100 owners with broken clips would agree. I think @Shanling deserves some credit for that with M0 and UP2, upon which the BTR5 clip design was 'inspired' from, IMO. I really hope 5K gets a removable clip. Obviously not the end of the world if it doesn't.

I'm totally atheist but... “Ye have not, because ye ask not”


----------



## ClieOS

Nolbert0 said:


> I think @Shanling deserves some credit for that with M0 and UP2, upon which the BTR5 clip design was 'inspired' from, IMO. I really hope 5K gets a removable clip.



Not inspired from, but improved upon. The way Shanling implemented the shirtclip makes it mostly useless unless there is already a seam or openning on the clothing that you can slip it in. As it doesn't actual have any real clipping force behind it, so it will always want to undo itself and fall off.

Keep the hingers strong, then we don't need to worry whether it is removeable or not.


----------



## Nolbert0

Agreed, the implementation of a sprung clip on the BTR5 looks WAY better than the soft moulded plastic found on the Shanlings'. But the bigger innovation (by an order of magnitude, IMO) here is the removable aspect, (not the sprung clip, as the sprung clip has been done a gazzillion times before by everybody and their copyright infringers!) which was what I was trying to say. 

Anyways, credit where credit's due. Fiio _might _have done it better but Shanling did it *first*. 

Clips have always been the Achilles' heel in these kind of things - being one of the only load bearing and/or moving parts. Since way back in the cassette walkman days, this has been true. I think it will always be the case, unfortunately. Making it replaceable seems the best compormise I've seen yet.


----------



## andersos

Devh said:


> After looking at how the software is designed for the 5K PEQ I knew right away  the guy behind it is talented. I highly doubt the other manufactures will understand or even implement these kind of pro tools and they would be right. Its fascinating that they are in $100 devices.



You should try the E1DA PowerDAC V2. For under $60 you get superbly designed hardware and it's dedicated app, hptoy, which has very well implemented PEQ functionality. 

US $55.00 | PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC and Cables
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/rdiQN8tw


----------



## ClieOS (Nov 2, 2019)

Nolbert0 said:


> Anyways, credit where credit's due. Fiio _might _have done it better but Shanling did it *first*.



In recent time on BT adapter, probably. But removeable backclip on its own isn't a new concept. Some of the old Sony and Phillips USB driver style mp3 players have it. One of my very old Sony Ericsson dumphone back in the 90s has it too.


----------



## Nolbert0 (Nov 2, 2019)

@ClieOS Touché


----------



## Devh

andersos said:


> You should try the E1DA PowerDAC V2. For under $60 you get superbly designed hardware and it's dedicated app, hptoy, which has very well implemented PEQ functionality.
> 
> US $55.00 | PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC and Cables
> https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/rdiQN8tw



Thanks. I have been following that thread and it looks great, does fill many roles but it unfortunately comes up short without bluetooth implementation particularly LDAC. Im using the ES100 for my home system that is controlled by my DAP which makes it a handheld jukebox.   Im also going to be setting up my Brother in laws outdoor pool system the same way once the 5k is available. 

 There are now two dedicated source components in the market that  can do LDAC (Topping 50S and Blue Zen) because this is the future but unfortunately none of them have a DSP EQ that can do room correction and have excellent sound quality. I have tested the ES100 against  some stand alone DSPs including one that has bluetooth connectivity in Apx but it was no where near as energetic, just dull.  Having a DSP can improve the sound but only if it  doesn't degrade it for the worse once its switched on. 

The ES100 stands alone in this regard for just being ahead of its time.  Maybe next year we will see more PEQs but im not holding my breath as most manufactures don't really care and although they may give you EQ fictionality as a selling point they might  not implement it well enough to sound good. I have seen this kind of thing in car audio where there is a disconnect and only a few engineers get it.   At least in the 5k literature they mention a higher resolving EQ because they know that EQ can be a killer of sound  for those that can hear it.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Nov 11, 2019)

Battery life chart from the 5k forum, even tho its not the final results yet:

"It's a simulation result, but there wouldn't be much difference with the real world battery time.
We'll update the full specification of battery time for each codec and use cases, once we fix and confirm the final HW design."

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UFNZj07Z-sOSHCwurqOd4KETnK4JUhDcsQrh6Pb3zwg/edit#gid=0

Looks really promising, almst 19 hours with a pair of low Ohm IEMs using LDAC!


----------



## CactusPete23 (Nov 14, 2019)

C_Lindbergh said:


> Battery life chart from the 5k forum, even tho its not the final results yet:
> 
> "It's a simulation result, but there wouldn't be much difference with the real world battery time.
> We'll update the full specification of battery time for each codec and use cases, once we fix and confirm the final HW design."
> ...


Sounds Great !  Any idea if that's LDAC 330, 660 or 990 ?    If LDAC @ 990 it's very good news.   

-Would love to see some distances that the 5K can receive Bluetooth without drop-outs for the different formats too.  (And maybe with some different Bluetooth Sources; Like a top shelf Phone vs a DAP .  Most phones have much stronger bluetooth signal than any DAP I've had, so I'd expect a shorter useable distance with a DAP.


----------



## Marco Angel

Ok ok, my es100 still going strong but having the btr5 with no eq in ldac, and also knowing that fiio will beta test on the early buyers, that's a go for the qudelix.
I'm totally in


----------



## arbiter76

i hate whoever spilled the beans that a radsone dude is designing this awfully named thing.  here i thought i had the one ring to rule them all and he's blacksmithing another.  i was disappointed to read the ak4377 was ditched but not really.  if it's the same blacksmith with the same ears it is probably good to go.  wishful thinking but is the hardware guy the software guy too?  

btw, the mk2 es100 is a great consolation prize.  pure function over form and mk2 added more function with the raised buttons.  have not tried the clip but the new teeth design is better.  no broken clip for me yet.  am eager to see this iteration.  new battery life rating with the sabre dac?  am hoping for at least 15h.  es100 was a solid day and small change, not a solid two days.


----------



## Cevisi

arbiter76 said:


> i hate whoever spilled the beans that a radsone dude is designing this awfully named thing.  here i thought i had the one ring to rule them all and he's blacksmithing another.  i was disappointed to read the ak4377 was ditched but not really.  if it's the same blacksmith with the same ears it is probably good to go.  wishful thinking but is the hardware guy the software guy too?
> 
> btw, the mk2 es100 is a great consolation prize.  pure function over form and mk2 added more function with the raised buttons.  have not tried the clip but the new teeth design is better.  no broken clip for me yet.  am eager to see this iteration.  new battery life rating with the sabre dac?  am hoping for at least 15h.  es100 was a solid day and small change, not a solid two days.


I mean the guy said the sabre is better more efficient better filters better battery life time better sound if you have the know how to implement it

https://www.qudelix.com/blog/akm-and-ess

If this is really the guy who invented the es100 software and hardware. I think he know 100% what he is doing


----------



## arbiter76

Cevisi said:


> I mean the guy said the sabre is better more efficient better filters better battery life time better sound if you have the know how to implement it
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/blog/akm-and-ess
> 
> If this is really the guy who invented the es100 software and hardware. I think he know 100% what he is doing



lol.  sarcastic joke.  first AK experience is a marantz processor with some nice ab amps.  quite pleased with the AK in the es100.  essabre sound great too if implemented proper.  probably chose better battery for a reason.  those of us who have serious first world problems have been whining about the 8-10h battery on the es100.  good but double the battery and only small hit to size and weight.  what makes the es100 so awesome and potentially the 5k is size and weight along with the great sound and functionality.  the price is fantanstic too.

i do wonder if the es100 being radsone first product and if this one guy is the mastermind and he didn't get his due.  things that make you go hmmm...


----------



## arbiter76

https://www.qudelix.com/specification

battery life and the clip is...  pure aluminium.


----------



## rkw

A couple of things I saw on the Qudelix Facebook page.

66% increase in battery capacity (300mA to 500mA)
production is scheduled for Feb-March 2020 (but didn't see updates about Kickstarter launch date)


----------



## weexisttocease

rkw said:


> A couple of things I saw on the Qudelix Facebook page.
> 
> 66% increase in battery capacity (300mA to 500mA)
> production is scheduled for Feb-March 2020 (but didn't see updates about Kickstarter launch date)



It's getting a little bit bulky but battery capacity looks really good.


----------



## Slater

weexisttocease said:


> It's getting a little bit bulky but battery capacity looks really good.



For almost double the battery capacity, I’ll take a minor increase in size/bulk!


----------



## arbiter76

part of the fun of having a wireless DAC....long live 3.5mm... is portability.  too big and it's a fail. 

i'm just going to break the feature request line before the product even launches.  can it be wirelessly charged?  lmao.  i imagine we would be finding qi batteries to duct tape to body parts to keep it going.  but i will be happy to test one without wireless charging.


----------



## kukkurovaca

I would prefer a beefed-up oversize model suitable for stacking my Ray Samuels SR71A...but I know that puts me well in the minority : )


----------



## Cevisi

kukkurovaca said:


> I would prefer a beefed-up oversize model suitable for stacking my Ray Samuels SR71A...but I know that puts me well in the minority : )





arbiter76 said:


> part of the fun of having a wireless DAC....long live 3.5mm... is portability.  too big and it's a fail.
> 
> i'm just going to break the feature request line before the product even launches.  can it be wirelessly charged?  lmao.  i imagine we would be finding qi batteries to duct tape to body parts to keep it going.  but i will be happy to test one without wireless charging.



I want a Rocket launcher on it


----------



## Nolbert0

Cevisi said:


> I want a Rocket launcher on it



Master Chief? Is that you?


----------



## ClieOS

With the new schedule, likely the actual ETA will be April / May 2020 if we are lucky.


----------



## BananaOoyoo

Hope funding for these start soon. My ES100 just died


----------



## G_T_J

Hope so too. I had to return my ES100 as the clip broke. Thankfully I was within the 30-day return window...


----------



## Slater

G_T_J said:


> Hope so too. I had to return my ES100 as the clip broke. Thankfully I was within the 30-day return window...



Wow, you broke the clip in less than a month? What were you specifically doing at the time, and where did it break exactly?


----------



## arbiter76

got an email reply the other.  february-march 2021 now.  just kidding.  2020.


----------



## Podster

Cevisi said:


> I want a Rocket launcher on it



Well you know those two holes in the top are actually Rocl-N-Roll launchers right They just came out the side of it's predecessor


----------



## Podster

Every time I drop by here I have to cue up Carly Simon's "Anticipation" @kukkurovaca , would be a hoot if he could design a full size (but thin, thinking my Topping NX2 here) variation of the K5 for stacking


----------



## Cevisi

Its getting quite on the qudelix any new news available?


----------



## Lurk650

Cevisi said:


> Its getting quite on the qudelix any new news available?


Production doesn't start til Feb/March so expect release not until at least April.


----------



## Podster

Lurk650 said:


> Production doesn't start til Feb/March so expect release not until at least April.



Guaranteed to be more timely than Trinity Audio ever was


----------



## Marco Angel

Omg
I will wait till the 5k is released ,(please sell it aliexpress and amazon)


----------



## 511634

Own the BTR3, need a 2nd Bluetooth dac/amp. The BTR5 actually has worse battery than the older BTR3! Considering the ES100.
Wish the 5K was available now!


----------



## Podster (Dec 11, 2019)

Even though a hair larger I like it's more industrial looks and for sure the 3.5/2.5 sockets on top vs. the side entry which for me and my ES100 gets bumped far more than on top I did not even mention the real upgrades

Since we are here let's just marvel this little beauty again This is not helping my anticipation at all





I mean it absolutely looks like "Pheasant Under Glass" or like a little city is going on in there





Quick, someone reel Pod back in as he's losing it OK I admit I gotz issues but seriously what's not to like





Did I mention it has like "One Million" hours battery life!


----------



## Dogway

I just miss a LED for codec being used and estimated weight, other than that a dream come true, will wait keenly until April.


----------



## psikey

Apart from battery life what makes this better than BTR5?

Thanks


----------



## kukkurovaca

psikey said:


> Apart from battery life what makes this better than BTR5?
> 
> Thanks



We won't actually know if it's better or not until it, you know, exists.

But to answer the question based on anticipation: EQ implementation, and especially parametric EQ. (For me.)


----------



## Podster (Dec 11, 2019)

psikey said:


> Apart from battery life what makes this better than BTR5?
> 
> Thanks



Well you do have a point but let's compare, assuming you have this page for the BTR?

*Qudelix-5K Reference DAC/AMP*

Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth System-on-Chip
Dual ES9218P SABRE HiFi® DAC
3.5mm Unbalanced output max. 2.0V RMS
2.5mm Balanced output max. 4.0V RMS

aptX Adaptive, LDAC, AAC, aptX-HD, aptX, aptX-LL, SBC
Max. 21 hours battery time / 500mA Battery
High-Resolution USB DAC 96KHz / 24-bit
20-band Double Precision PEQ/GEQ
High Sensitivity Flexible PCB Antenna
Qualcomm® cVc™ noise cancellation technology
High Sensitivity MEMS Microphone
Earphone Inline Remote/Mic. Support

Companion mobile app iOS/Android
*Qualcomm QCC5124 *
The new Qualcomm® Low Power Bluetooth SoC QCC5100 series is designed for advanced Bluetooth application. The breakthrough SoC series is engineered to reduce power  consumption by up to 65 percent for both voice calls and music streaming, compared to previous CSR8675 solution. It is designed to reduce power consumption dramatically and offers enhanced processing capabilities.

Qudelix-5K is the world 1st Bluetooth DAC/AMP designed with QCC512x chipset. QCC512x's ultra-low power consumption and the most powerful DSP capability enable Qudelix-5K to maintain high bitrate LDAC streaming more secure and for a longer time.

*Bluetooth Audio Codecs*
The Qudelix-5K is the world's 1st Bluetooth DAC/AMP to support all the latest codec technologies, including aptX Adaptive, LDAC, AAC, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, aptX, and SBC.







aptX Adaptive is Qualcomm next generation dynamically adjustable audio codec designed to deliver robust, low-latency, low-bit rate, high quality wireless audio. *aptX and aptX-HD are also supported.

For more Information : aptX Adaptive






Sony's LDAC™ is a new audio technology from Sony that allows you to enjoy high quality wireless audio via Bluetooth. With 3x the data transmitted, LDAC provides an enhanced wireless listening experience for all your music.

*LDAC and LDAC logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Qudelix is an official Technical Partner of SONY LDAC.






Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is an audio coding standard for lossy digital audio compression. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves better sound quality than MP3 at the same bit rate.

*




Dual ES9218P*
ES9218P is a high-performance 32-bit audio SABRE HiFi® D/A Converter with Quad DAC™ Technology, headphone amplifier, and analog volume control designed for the audiophile-grade application.

Qudelix-5K, integrated with two ES9218P, delivers the best in class sound quality.

*Four DAC modes*
To provide more extended battery time, Qudelix-5K works with single ES9218P for the 3.5mm unbalanced output.

For the 2.5mm balanced output, dual ES9218P, one for each channel, deliver the doubled output voltage through the full differential direct signal path.

Also, users can limit the maximum output voltage to reduce extra power consumption and extend the battery time.


3.5mm Unbalanced (single ES9218P)
1.0V RMS mode (21H)
2.0V RMS mode (16H)

2.5mm Unbalanced (dual ES9218P)
2.0V RMS mode (13H)
4.0V RMS mode (9H)

*Quoted playback time based on using the AAC codec, 3.5mm unbalanced output.

*8 x DAC Filters*
Every Oversampling D/A Converter needs a digital low pass filter before D/A conversion. And the filters make the difference in sound signature, not the sound quality.

ES9218P provides eight different types of digital filters, and Qudelix-5K supports the users to select one of them for the best fit to their receivers and sources.


Linear phase fast roll-off
Linear phase slow roll-off
Minimum phase fast roll-off
Minimum phase slow roll-off
Apodizing fast roll-off filter type 1
Apodizing fast roll-off filter type 2
Hybrid fast roll-off
Brick wall
*Dual Precision Audio Clock*
Qudelix 5K adapts dual MEMS oscillators, which deliver the best clock precision at lower power consumption than the conventional quartz oscillator.

*USB DAC 96KHz / 24bit*
Qudelix-5K supports 96KHZ/24-bit USB audio streaming. (No additional driver needed.)

You can have it charging and streaming at the same time with your PC or laptop while keeping the Bluetooth link with a smartphone and/or controlling every feature of Qudelix-5K through the companion mobile application.

Any incoming sound alert or call ringing from smartphone will be automatically routed to Qudelix-5K, even when you listen to music through Qudelix-5K USB DAC.

*Hybrid Volume Control with 0.5dB step*
ES9218p has the built-in Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA), which control the output level in the analog domain after D/A conversion. Qudelix-5K offers systemwide high precision 0.5dB step volume control capability through PGA and Digital Gain control, keeping the optimal sound quality even at the lower volume level.  Furthermore, with the companion mobile application, you can set other details on optimizing the listening environment to the best.


0.5dB step Master Volume -60dB to 0dB with PGA and Digital
L, R Volume trim & offset control
Max. Volume limit option
Smart Volume Optimization for the best Signal to Noise Ratio
*Clear Voice Call*
Qudelix-5K, integrated with built-in MEMS microphone, supports Qualcomm® cVc™ noise cancellation technology. The MEMS microphone delivers 4~6dB higher performance than a conventional condenser microphone.

Qualcomm® cVc™ noise cancellation technology brings advanced audio enhancements and noise suppression to the near and far end, and provides packet loss and bit error concealment.

*Flexible PCB Antenna*
Compared to small size chip antenna, Flexible PCB Antenna provides more space and length for better RF performance.

Qudelix-5K adopts FPCB antenna technology and offers enhanced RF performance.

*Inline Microphone & Remote Control*
Qudelix-5K support the inline microphone and remote control optionally.

*OTA(Over-The-Air) Firmware Update*
The companion mobile app can update the Qudelix 5K F/W over Bluetooth Link.

DAC/AMP is no longer just a simple receiver or adapter, but an independent system that operates with complicated embedded software. We value our software and want to upgrade it together with the users.

This looks fun as well


----------



## moisespr123

Podster said:


> Well you do have a point but let's compare, assuming you have this page for the BTR?
> 
> *Qudelix-5K Reference DAC/AMP*
> 
> ...



The BTR5 can go up to 32bit/384Khz and decode DSD as well. The Qudelix will appear to use the Qualcomm chip which if it is true it will be 24bit/96khz, then it would be good for Tidal and such, but not anything bigger like 24bit/192khz. That's assuming you'll use it as a USB DAC.

On Bluetooth, it will be all about the implementation. The BTR5 only use one DAC when using the 3.5mm. If the Qudelix will use both, then that would be a difference.


----------



## Podster

moisespr123 said:


> The BTR5 can go up to 32bit/384Khz and decode DSD as well. The Qudelix will appear to use the Qualcomm chip which if it is true it will be 24bit/96khz, then it would be good for Tidal and such, but not anything bigger like 24bit/192khz. That's assuming you'll use it as a USB DAC.
> 
> On Bluetooth, it will be all about the implementation. The BTR5 only use one DAC when using the 3.5mm. If the Qudelix will use both, then that would be a difference.



Well you also have an excellent point should you be using the device as just a Hi-Res file DAC however my use is just for my wife's "ball & Chain" in my case the iPhone 6 which seems to be my main portable/travel device on account of a missed call be likened to the event in the movie "San Andreas" while my 5,6,7 or maybe even 8 DAP's collect dust in favor of the communicator


----------



## Slater (Dec 11, 2019)

Podster said:


> Well you also have an excellent point should you be using the device as just a Hi-Res file DAC however my use is just for my wife's "ball & Chain" in my case the iPhone 6 which seems to be my main portable/travel device on account of a missed call be likened to the event in the movie "San Andreas" while my 5,6,7 or maybe even 8 DAP's collect dust in favor of the communicator



Haha, my wife was psycho like that. She’d send a very low priority non-emergency text (like “don’t forget to pick up milk on your way home after work”). Then 1 minute later she would follow up the text with a phone call asking me if I got the text.

And if I happened to have missed the text as well as the follow up call regarding the text (because I was say, in a business meeting), she’d phone the receptionist at my work and ask to have me paged over the ceiling intercom system. I’d excuse myself from the meeting and call her back, expecting to find out about some urgent emergency (such as the house is on fire, aliens just blew up the moon, or your dad just had a heart attack and is being rushed to the hospital). Instead, she’d ask if I had gotten the text message she sent earlier.

Geesh


----------



## Podster

Slater said:


> Haha, my wife was psycho like that. She’d send a very low priority non-emergency text (like “don’t forget to pick up milk on your way home after work”). Then 1 minute later she would follow up the text with a phone call asking me if I got the text.
> 
> And if I happened to have missed the text as well as the follow up call regarding the text (because I was say, in a business meeting), she’d phone the receptionist at my work and ask to have me paged over the ceiling intercom system. I’d excuse myself from the meeting and call her back, expecting to find out about some urgent emergency (such as the house is on fire, aliens just blew up the moon, or your dad just had a heart attack and is being rushed to the hospital). Instead, she’d ask if I had gotten the text message she sent earlier.
> 
> Geesh



Yes, I call that the world according to her My favorite is when you can't reach them for 5 or 6 calls/texts and once you do it's no big deal (insert lame excuse here)


----------



## moisespr123

It will still be interesting, as other Bluetooth receivers using the Qualcomm chip goes up to 48Khz and is a USB Audio 1 device. I'm assuming this will also be a USB Audio 1 device given the bitrate is just up to 96khz. Maybe Qualcomm upped the supported sample rates in these new QCC series chips.


----------



## courierdriver

Slater said:


> Haha, my wife was psycho like that. She’d send a very low priority non-emergency text (like “don’t forget to pick up milk on your way home after work”). Then 1 minute later she would follow up the text with a phone call asking me if I got the text.
> 
> And if I happened to have missed the text as well as the follow up call regarding the text (because I was say, in a business meeting), she’d phone the receptionist at my work and ask to have me paged over the ceiling intercom system. I’d excuse myself from the meeting and call her back, expecting to find out about some urgent emergency (such as the house is on fire, aliens just blew up the moon, or your dad just had a heart attack and is being rushed to the hospital). Instead, she’d ask if I had gotten the text message she sent earlier.
> 
> Geesh


In around 2000, when I was still married; she decided it would be a good idea for each of us to get a cellphone. This was before texting was a thing, so she bought 2 off The Shopping Channel. Said it was good to have, because I worked on the road all day, and good for emergency purposes. They were prepaid card phones, so I had to buy them and load them. Very expensive. And 20 minutes after I left home, my phone was ringing and I got..."Hey, whatcha doing? You'll never guess what the foster kids said to me today, before they left for school!" Not exactly what you'd call an emergency. Got that everyday, till I started "forgetting" to buy the cards.


----------



## Cevisi

psikey said:


> Apart from battery life what makes this better than BTR5?
> 
> Thanks


And its smaller. It has auto connect the btr 5 have to connect manually every single time


----------



## Cevisi

Slater said:


> Haha, my wife was psycho like that. She’d send a very low priority non-emergency text (like “don’t forget to pick up milk on your way home after work”). Then 1 minute later she would follow up the text with a phone call asking me if I got the text.
> 
> And if I happened to have missed the text as well as the follow up call regarding the text (because I was say, in a business meeting), she’d phone the receptionist at my work and ask to have me paged over the ceiling intercom system. I’d excuse myself from the meeting and call her back, expecting to find out about some urgent emergency (such as the house is on fire, aliens just blew up the moon, or your dad just had a heart attack and is being rushed to the hospital). Instead, she’d ask if I had gotten the text message she sent earlier.
> 
> Geesh





courierdriver said:


> In around 2000, when I was still married; she decided it would be a good idea for each of us to get a cellphone. This was before texting was a thing, so she bought 2 off The Shopping Channel. Said it was good to have, because I worked on the road all day, and good for emergency purposes. They were prepaid card phones, so I had to buy them and load them. Very expensive. And 20 minutes after I left home, my phone was ringing and I got..."Hey, whatcha doing? You'll never guess what the foster kids said to me today, before they left for school!" Not exactly what you'd call an emergency. Got that everyday, till I started "forgetting" to buy the cards.



I just watch out for the blue hooks on whatsapp to know if someone read it


----------



## moisespr123

Cevisi said:


> And its smaller. It has auto connect the btr 5 have to connect manually every single time



Mine connects automatically.


----------



## Cevisi

moisespr123 said:


> Mine connects automatically.


After pressing the pair button for 3 seconds and wait 5 seconds

On es 100 you just start the device and it conects instant whit the last paired device i think qudelix will be the same


----------



## moisespr123

Cevisi said:


> After pressing the pair button for 3 seconds and wait 5 seconds
> 
> On es 100 you just start the device and it conects instant whit the last paired device i think qudelix will be the same



I don't have to press any buttons on my BTR5. It just connects automatically after powering it on.


----------



## Cevisi

moisespr123 said:


> I don't have to press any buttons on my BTR5. It just connects automatically after powering it on.


Ok then sorry for the miss information just saw on a review that it connects the same way like my 5qs


----------



## ClieOS

Cevisi said:


> After pressing the pair button for 3 seconds and wait 5 seconds
> 
> On es 100 you just start the device and it conects instant whit the last paired device i think qudelix will be the same



My BTR5 connect automatically to the last paired device as well. I don't actually recall any of my BT adapter that will NOT automatically connect to its last paired device. If it doesn't, I assume something is faulty.

...in any case, having almost no update for over 3 weeks on the 5K isn't exactly reassuring.


----------



## kukkurovaca

Crowdfunded hardware is a slow process (unless they already have everything lined up and are just using the campaign as a preorder). And uncertain. It's best not to get too attached : )


----------



## psikey (Dec 12, 2019)

So DAC function limited to 24/96 while BTR5 does above 24/192 and native DSD for starters.
The BTR5 only use one DAC but gives bit more battery life if not wanting balanced (but much less than this).
My BTR5 connects automatically to the last paired device as well or whichever device its been connected to before that it sees if last to available.


----------



## moisespr123

psikey said:


> So DAC function limited to 24/96 while BTR5 does above 24/192 and native DSD for starters.
> The BTR5 only use one DAC but gives bit more battery life if not wanting balanced (but much less than this).
> My BTR5 connects automatically to the last paired device as well or whichever device its been connected to before that it sees if last to available.



The BTR5 can go up to 32/384Khz due to its use of the XMOS controller. The Qualcomm chips can't go that high.

I don't know how much adding that controller would cost, but it could be a nice addition to the Qudelix if they really want to be serious about having an all-in-one product.


----------



## Podster

psikey said:


> So DAC function limited to 24/96 while BTR5 does above 24/192 and native DSD for starters.
> The BTR5 only use one DAC but gives bit more battery life if not wanting balanced (but much less than this).
> My BTR5 connects automatically to the last paired device as well or whichever device its been connected to before that it sees if last to available.



So once again the main diff is the 24/192 and if one does need this device for DAC (for me I pretty much don't use a DAC for anything other than my Cambridge Transport and FX-10 Jolida Desktop) like myself it's wasted but also a bonus in at Bluetooth device. Now maybe it's also cause my ears are 63 years old I personally can't tell the difference in an awesome recording whether it's in any CODEC because for my ears a great recording is a great recording. With that said I'll even goes as far as to say I can't here a difference in Apple Lossless and native DSD on perfect recoding's/files, I applaud those who have bat hearing but for me if the recording is the shizzle and IMHO it's 99% of what you hear regardless of CODEC OK, let the darts fly as I know I've just gone at the heart of what this sites all about To me the digital frontier is still dependent on how well something is recorded in the first place, awesome is awesome, mediocre is mediocre and crap is crap no matter what it's played back on


----------



## superuser1




----------



## Podster (Dec 12, 2019)

superuser1 said:


>



I see, does BAT gear count






@moisespr123  The all-in-one is a good idea however that may drive up or double the unit price, smart money would be to make another product to include that controller and the bigger $$$ tag IMO


----------



## HungryPanda

I have actually given up bluetooth. TWS set after set, round the neck thingies, even es100. Just went back to wired iems, earbuds and headphones. Much better. The only ones that ever pleased me were Sony W1000x and AKG K845BT


----------



## Podster

HungryPanda said:


> I have actually given up bluetooth. TWS set after set, round the neck thingies, even es100. Just went back to wired iems, earbuds and headphones. Much better. The only ones that ever pleased me were Sony W1000x and AKG K845BT



Well I for sure have yet to find any BT iem's that I like or last very long and cut-out is like a knife through your song cut for me, even the ES100 has had loss just from my chest to my phone on my hip before and I've found myself putting it on my belt side by side with my phone so is it really better? Crazy that it has trouble passing signal through ones body I'm hoping the Qudelix is better because I really like my ES100 and the ability to just gab any pair of iem's (balanced cable or single ended) on my way out the door. My 16 year old seems to be having great luck the the Sabbat 5.0's I got him and said they were much improved over his original pair he lost one bud from but like you TWS is far from perfected IMO.


----------



## kukkurovaca

Podster said:


> Crazy that it has trouble passing signal through ones body



Human body is pretty dense, so it's not that surprising/unusual for low-power bluetooth devices to have trouble with it.

The big advantage for me with bluetooth is that I can have the thing in my pocket and not worry about straining the connectors on my phone. : )


----------



## Podster

kukkurovaca said:


> Human body is pretty dense, so it's not that surprising/unusual for low-power bluetooth devices to have trouble with it.
> 
> The big advantage for me with bluetooth is that I can have the thing in my pocket and not worry about straining the connectors on my phone. : )



Exactly and it's probably my mind playing tricks on me but my ears think my iem's sound better thru it Mine always works fine while clipped to the button runs of my shirts but when I wear T-shirts I like to clip it behind my head and that is when I sometimes loose signal Of course the cable option is sweet and Mic works way better than my iPhone Mic


----------



## peter123

Podster said:


> Well I for sure have yet to find any BT iem's that I like or last very long and cut-out is like a knife through your song cut for me, even the ES100 has had loss just from my chest to my phone on my hip before and I've found myself putting it on my belt side by side with my phone so is it really better? Crazy that it has trouble passing signal through ones body I'm hoping the Qudelix is better because I really like my ES100 and the ability to just gab any pair of iem's (balanced cable or single ended) on my way out the door. My 16 year old seems to be having great luck the the Sabbat 5.0's I got him and said they were much improved over his original pair he lost one bud from but like you TWS is far from perfected IMO.



The Lypertek Tevi is pretty darn good imo


----------



## Podster (Dec 12, 2019)

peter123 said:


> The Lypertek Tevi is pretty darn good imo



Good try bud, ping me again when those give up the ghost I'm going to give TWS a little bit more time and error before I jump back in the pool I will admit I checked them out and do love the charging case almost more than the buds


----------



## 511634

Podster said:


> Well I for sure have yet to find any BT iem's that I like or last very long and cut-out is like a knife through your song cut for me, even the ES100 has had loss just from my chest to my phone on my hip before and I've found myself putting it on my belt side by side with my phone so is it really better? Crazy that it has trouble passing signal through ones body I'm hoping the Qudelix is better because I really like my ES100 and the ability to just gab any pair of iem's (balanced cable or single ended) on my way out the door. My 16 year old seems to be having great luck the the Sabbat 5.0's I got him and said they were much improved over his original pair he lost one bud from but like you TWS is far from perfected IMO.


Give the BTR3 or BTR5 a try. Have been happy with the 3 myself. Probably find it cheaper now that the 5 is out.


----------



## Podster

Szarky said:


> Give the BTR3 or BTR5 a try. Have been happy with the 3 myself. Probably find it cheaper now that the 5 is out.



Well for $60 I guess I could give it a try, I do love my FiiO X3ii and M3 I'm sure it will not deter me from the 5K whenever it does make the streets Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto


----------



## 511634

Podster said:


> Well for $60 I guess I could give it a try, I do love my FiiO X3ii and M3 I'm sure it will not deter me from the 5K whenever it does make the streets Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto


If you're like me and like to recoup the costs of electronics, selling the Fiio will be a lot easier later on. It's known by many. The 5K is extremely niche outside of these types of forums. Any sort of Fiio device you'll sell easily if you live in an urban area through Craigslist for example. I tend to always get back 30% minimum for all of my electronics from eventually selling. Easier to justify buying more than one this way!


----------



## progdvd

Podster said:


> Well for $60 I guess I could give it a try, I do love my FiiO X3ii and M3 I'm sure it will not deter me from the 5K whenever it does make the streets Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto



BTR3 wasn't working out for me. I guess SQ was fine but BT range disaster. Had cutouts with phone and btr3 in my pocket.
ES100 is so much better in every way.  I will be happy with it until 5K comes out.


----------



## 511634

progdvd said:


> BTR3 wasn't working out for me. I guess SQ was fine but BT range disaster. Had cutouts with phone and btr3 in my pocket.
> ES100 is so much better in every way.  I will be happy with it until 5K comes out.


Did you do the firmware update for the BTR3?
ES100 battery seemed better at least from what I read. However, build quality the Fiio easily has it beat. ES100 looks like something off a Kickstarter. Fiio has been around for a long time. However, the 5K looks fantastic.


----------



## Marco Angel

Podster said:


> I see, does BAT gear count
> 
> 
> 
> @moisespr123  The all-in-one is a good idea however that may drive up or double the unit price, smart money would be to make another product to include that controller and the bigger $$$ tag IMO


Nice 804


----------



## Podster

Marco Angel said:


> Nice 804



THX, their getting old but still sound great.


----------



## peter123

Podster said:


> Well for $60 I guess I could give it a try, I do love my FiiO X3ii and M3 I'm sure it will not deter me from the 5K whenever it does make the streets Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto



Ha ha Tim, it was worth a try


----------



## peter123

Szarky said:


> If you're like me and like to recoup the costs of electronics, selling the Fiio will be a lot easier later on. It's known by many. The 5K is extremely niche outside of these types of forums. Any sort of Fiio device you'll sell easily if you live in an urban area through Craigslist for example. I tend to always get back 30% minimum for all of my electronics from eventually selling. Easier to justify buying more than one this way!



LOL! Let me know if you see him selling anything


----------



## Lurk650

Szarky said:


> Did you do the firmware update for the BTR3?
> ES100 battery seemed better at least from what I read. However, build quality the Fiio easily has it beat. ES100 looks like something off a Kickstarter. Fiio has been around for a long time. However, the 5K looks fantastic.


ES100 is from a KS and the MK2 has updated build


----------



## 511634

Lurk650 said:


> ES100 is from a KS and the MK2 has updated build


Updated build isn't saying much. Very, very minor updates. In my opinion it just doesn't come close to the look and feel from a major brand like FiiO for example. If it's clipped or inside a pants pocket then of course who cares especially when the specs are good. But it does have that KS first attempt look going for it. Personally I appreciate my gear to use nice materials and have good design. The minimalism of the 5K and even the exposed little screws I think looks awesome.


----------



## psikey (Dec 15, 2019)

progdvd said:


> BTR3 wasn't working out for me. I guess SQ was fine but BT range disaster. Had cutouts with phone and btr3 in my pocket.
> ES100 is so much better in every way.  I will be happy with it until 5K comes out.


Agree on the BTR3, dropping signal all time with body in way. The BTR5 I just got is so much better. Had no drops at all.


----------



## jsmiller58

psikey said:


> Agree on the BTR3, dropping signal all time with body in way. The BTR5 I just got is so much better. Had no drops at all.


Setting LDAC to 990 in Android developer settings the BTR5 for me has some cutouts if I have my phone and BTR5 on opposite sides of my body


----------



## zolom

jsmiller58 said:


> Setting LDAC to 990 in Android developer settings the BTR5 for me has some cutouts if I have my phone and BTR5 on opposite sides of my body


LDAC 990 on at least 3 latest Samsung phones suffers from cutouts. On my S10 I have to turn off location for stutter free streaming with the ES100. IMO, the reason is the phones inability to handle the required 990 bandwidth. Only my (previous) LGV30 could handle clear 990 streaming.


----------



## psikey

jsmiller58 said:


> Setting LDAC to 990 in Android developer settings the BTR5 for me has some cutouts if I have my phone and BTR5 on opposite sides of my body


Yes, its a Samsung issue. Its stable at 990 when screen off. Its rock solid on my Sony A105 and also on V30.

Had same experience with other LDAC at 990 with my S10+


----------



## jsmiller58

psikey said:


> Yes, its a Samsung issue. Its stable at 990 when screen off. Its rock solid on my Sony A105 and also on V30.
> 
> Had same experience with other LDAC at 990 with my S10+





zolom said:


> LDAC 990 on at least 3 latest Samsung phones suffers from cutouts. On my S10 I have to turn off location for stutter free streaming with the ES100. IMO, the reason is the phones inability to handle the required 990 bandwidth. Only my (previous) LGV30 could handle clear 990 streaming.


Actually my phone is the LG v30...  so not just a Samsung issue.  But if I keep the phone and BTR5 on the same sides of my body I don’t have any problems.


----------



## progdvd (Dec 16, 2019)

One of the reasons for poor BT reception is metal-glass build on both fiio and phone. ES100 is in another league due to the all plastic body.

Edit:
Just to note my Ifi xdsd is actually in another universe regarding BT reception. It never ever stuttered not a tiny bit never on any codec including LDAC, beyond perfect. But yeah price, size...


----------



## CactusPete23

I am hoping/expecting that the new flexible BT Antenna in the Qudelix 5K will give it improved BT Reception.  
+ Also hope they have some early models out for test/review before the kickstarter begins.


----------



## ClieOS (Dec 16, 2019)

progdvd said:


> One of the reasons for poor BT reception is metal-glass build on both fiio and phone. ES100 is in another league due to the all plastic body.



No doubt plastic is better than metal as far as causing less interference, but I can still get over 90% coverage from BTR5 when compared directly to ES100's coverage in a head-to-head test using the same smartphone, so neither has really poor reception (or both do, depends on POV).

On the other hand, glass used on electronics typically has very little RF attenuation, fairly close to most plastics used on electronics.


----------



## jasonb

When is this thing going to be available? I'm happy with my ES100, but I still plan on buying one of these.


----------



## peter123

jasonb said:


> When is this thing going to be available? I'm happy with my ES100, but I still plan on buying one of these.



According to WS they're on schedule for a March release.


----------



## Muhammad Sayeed

peter123 said:


> More information can be found here:
> https://www.qudelix.com/5k-dacamp
> 
> Highlights:



But right now their website showing they will use Dual ES9218P SABRE HiFi® DAC


----------



## peter123

Muhammad Sayeed said:


> But right now their website showing they will use Dual ES9218P SABRE HiFi® DAC



That's correct, it's been discussed here already. 

I'll change the original post, thanks for reminding me.


----------



## Cevisi

Ws was 19 days not active in his qudelix forum maybe he is un vacation


----------



## Barusu Lamperouge

This is probably not the right forum to ask this but, what will be a better value on a tight budget between ES100 and BTR5? Reading specs and reviews is confusing me more than I'd hope for. Aesthetics and all aren't my top priority. I'd prefer something that sounds great and is easy to use. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Darkestred

Dani157 said:


> This is probably not the right forum to ask this but, what will be a better value on a tight budget between ES100 and BTR5? Reading specs and reviews is confusing me more than I'd hope for. Aesthetics and all aren't my top priority. I'd prefer something that sounds great and is easy to use. Thanks in advance.



I think you already answered your question.  THE ES100 is about 40-50 dollars cheaper.  Both sound very good.  ES100 has better battery life.


----------



## peter123

Cevisi said:


> Ws was 19 days not active in his qudelix forum maybe he is un vacation



Hopefully he's busy working on the K5


----------



## ClieOS

Darkestred said:


> I think you already answered your question.  THE ES100 is about 40-50 dollars cheaper.  Both sound very good.  ES100 has better battery life.



Actually, if you know where to buy, BTR5 can be had for less than $120, making ES100 only about $20~30 cheaper and sometime even less than $10 apart.


----------



## superuser1

ClieOS said:


> Actually, if you know where to buy, BTR5 can be had for less than $120, making ES100 only about $20~30 cheaper and sometime even less than $10 apart.


Which according to you is better?


----------



## Cevisi

superuser1 said:


> Which according to you is better?


If you use equalizer get the es 100


----------



## niemamnazwy (Dec 19, 2019)

I tested out ES100 in an audiophile shop and was moderately satisfied with the quality of a built-in mic, especially when clipped to my jacket.

I wonder whether to wait till the release of Qudelix. Do you think Qudelix-5K is going to bring a big improvement with its MEMS microphone? I do not care with the noise cancellation as much as I do with the quality and clarity of my recorded voice. I wouldn’t like an adapter’s mic to be inferior to the mic built in my flagship phone, Huawei P30 Pro.


----------



## Cevisi

niemamnazwy said:


> I tested out ES100 in an audiophile shop and was moderately satisfied with the quality of a built-in mic, especially when clipped to my jacket.
> 
> I wonder whether to wait till the release of Qudelix. Do you think Qudelix-5K is going to bring a big improvement with its MEMS microphone? I do not care with the noise cancellation as much as I do with the quality and clarity of my recorded voice. I wouldn’t like an adapter’s mic to be inferior to the mic built in my flagship phone, Huawei P30 Pro.


You guys have audiophile shops in poland ?

I think q5 will be better in every aspect if you want to wait its up to you


----------



## niemamnazwy

Cevisi said:


> You guys have audiophile shops in poland ?



Does it sound strange? Of course we have.


----------



## superuser1

Cevisi said:


> You guys have audiophile shops in poland ?
> 
> I think q5 will be better in every aspect if you want to wait its up to you


I was surprised at the penetration of hifi and audiophile shops in Poland!


----------



## Cevisi

niemamnazwy said:


> Does it sound strange? Of course we have.


I never see in germany a shop that has stuff for demoing in the shelf once i asked if i can try these headphones they said no need they sound good


----------



## ClieOS

superuser1 said:


> Which according to you is better?


I like ES100's 3.5mm output over that of BTR5, but I prefer BTR5's 2.5mm output over that of ES100. Overall, I prefer BTR5 just a little more.


----------



## niemamnazwy

Cevisi said:


> I never see in germany a shop that has stuff for demoing in the shelf once i asked if i can try these headphones they said no need they sound good



I tested mine in one of these (MP3store). Not looking luxurious, although with friendly staff.


----------



## Cevisi

niemamnazwy said:


> I tested mine in one of these (MP3store). Not looking luxurious, although with friendly staff.


I think i have to open one in germany


----------



## zolom

Any news here?

Happy holydays all.


----------



## Slater

zolom said:


> Any news here?
> 
> Happy holydays all.



Latest blog update was Oct 25th:

https://www.qudelix.com/blog?t=1577344907867

The latest design info is always on their home page. For example at the very bottom are some photos of interest - their 2nd engineering working sample from Oct 19 and also a circuit board update in Nov 19.


----------



## headenvelopedinsound

Very excited about this product. I had asked for the es100 for Christmas but just got cash from them instead. Which gave me enough pause to find this amazing upcoming release. Can hold out a few months for this gem to be released. Big thumbs up.


----------



## zolom (Dec 29, 2019)

Just from sound quality/performance perspectives (via BT LDAC and USB DAC), how do you consider the coming 5K against the new FiiO BTR5 and the Radsone ES100?

I own an ES100, currently considering the BTR5. Mostly streaming Tidal HiFi, over Samsung S10 (android 10), using FiiO FH7 (balance) and Shure SE846 (single ended).

Thanks


----------



## ClieOS

zolom said:


> Just from sound quality/performance perspectives (via BT LDAC and USB DAC), how do you consider the coming 5K against the new FiiO BTR5 and the Radsone ES100?
> 
> I own an ES100, currently considering the BTR5. Mostly streaming Tidal HiFi, over Samsung S10 (android 10), using FiiO FH7 (balance) and Shure SE846 (single ended).
> 
> Thanks



5K is still in R&D phase, no one knows about its final SQ. Come back in 3~4 months then maybe you will have your answer.


----------



## zolom (Dec 29, 2019)

Thanks
I am aware about the 5k status. I did ask for your opinion/estimation based on the published/known specifications; before continuing with the BTR5.


----------



## ClieOS

zolom said:


> Thanks
> I am aware about the 5k status. I did ask for your opinion/estimation based on the published/known specifications; before continuing with the BTR5.



I have 4 other BT adapters that use the same DAC/amp chip as what 5K is planning to use and they neither sound nor measure the same, so it is kind of pointless trying to guess how 5K is going to sound like by reading the spec. Implementation is the key and we have no idea how well 5K is truly going to be.


----------



## headenvelopedinsound

As far as selling points for me the para eq and more bands on the normal eq would tell me this has great tone shaping ability. But yeah I mean to speculate on the sound of a device that doesn’t exist in reality yet, probably not going to be a good use of time. 

I was going to get one of the existing devices but will be purchasing the 5k on release.


----------



## Dipper Mouth

This looks really promising and I will definitely keep an eye on it! Hope it would not take 6 months for us to see on the market


----------



## TrueLight

I pm their fb no reply ? Still operating? Their blog also stop update


----------



## boodi

ClieOS said:


> I have 4 other BT adapters that use the same DAC/amp chip as what 5K is planning to use and they neither sound nor measure the same


interesting at least. 
you can't find any resemblance in all 4 of them ? curious .


----------



## bobbooo (Jan 13, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> I have 4 other BT adapters that use the same DAC/amp chip as what 5K is planning to use and they neither sound nor measure the same, so it is kind of pointless trying to guess how 5K is going to sound like by reading the spec. Implementation is the key and we have no idea how well 5K is truly going to be.



What are these 4 other BT adapters out of interest, and do you have links to measurements of them?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

bobbooo said:


> What are these 4 other BT adapters out of interest, and do you have links to measurements of them?


Hiby W5, Fiio BTR5, Shanling up2 and up4. As to measurements those are hard to come by but maybe @ClieOS has an ace up his sleeve.


----------



## ClieOS

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Hiby W5, Fiio BTR5, Shanling up2 and up4. As to measurements those are hard to come by but maybe @ClieOS has an ace up his sleeve.



Yep, those are the 4. I have a habit of doing basic measurements on my gears to check for obvious issue when writing up impression. Most of the data won't be published unless there is a very good reason to, namely because these are not done via industrial standard and thus doesn't have any value as public reference but only good for comparison with gears measured under the same condition. You can find RMAA measurement of UP4 (vs. BTR5) on my BT adapter thread using the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, I also have an QuantAsylum QA400 audio analyzer for double checking.


----------



## bobbooo (Jan 13, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> Yep, those are the 4. I have a habit of doing basic measurements on my gears to check for obvious issue when writing up impression. Most of the data won't be published unless there is a very good reason to, namely because these are not done via industrial standard and thus doesn't have any value as public reference but only good for comparison with gears measured under the same condition. You can find RMAA measurement of UP4 (vs. BTR5) on my BT adapter thread using the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, I also have an QuantAsylum QA400 audio analyzer for double checking.



Great thread! Those UP4 USB mode measurements in the RMAA result2 folder are shockingly bad considering it has the same DAC/amp as the BTR5 which performs well...Are any of the measurements in the RMAA result3 folder of the UP4 with firmware 1.1 of the USB mode? I mostly care about USB really.


----------



## ClieOS

bobbooo said:


> Great thread! Those UP4 USB mode measurements in the RMAA result2 folder are shockingly bad considering it has the same DAC/amp as the BTR5 which performs well...Are any of the measurements in the RMAA result3 folder of the UP4 with firmware 1.1 of the USB mode? I mostly care about USB really.



They are all measured as USB DAC unless otherwise stated. BT measurement is not easy and tend to be far worst due to BT transcoding.


----------



## bobbooo

ClieOS said:


> They are all measured as USB DAC unless otherwise stated. BT measurement is not easy and tend to be far worst due to BT transcoding.



I see, what do the 2 and 3 after Jan4 mean? And why are those results so different to the UP4 Jan4 results?


----------



## ClieOS

bobbooo said:


> I see, what do the 2 and 3 after Jan4 mean? And why are those results so different to the UP4 Jan4 results?



It was measured 3 times, thus 3 result. The first result was particularly good, which I can't repeat subsequently on the next 2 measurements. I think the last 2 result are probably closer to real world use, but all 3 measurements result are included for reader to make up their own mind. This is why I also include BTR5 result in, as a reference that the difference isn't caused by the measuring process as BTR5 is very consistent under the same condition.


----------



## bobbooo (Jan 14, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> It was measured 3 times, thus 3 result. The first result was particularly good, which I can't repeat subsequently on the next 2 measurements. I think the last 2 result are probably closer to real world use, but all 3 measurements result are included for reader to make up their own mind. This is why I also include BTR5 result in, as a reference that the difference isn't caused by the measuring process as BTR5 is very consistent under the same condition.



The results are so different it can't be down to random fluctuations. Must be something seriously wrong with the firmware. But even the 'good' result is poor compared to the BTR5. Hopefully the Qudelix 5K will have better implementation of the DAC/amp. That's if it ever comes out, the developer hasn't replied on his website's forum in nearly two months now...

Out of interest, could you take some measurements of the ES100 with the same system you measured the other BT adapters with? As that was made by the same developer of the Qudelix 5K, before he created his own company. That might give us an idea of how good his general implementation is.


----------



## ClieOS (Jan 14, 2020)

bobbooo said:


> The results are so different it can't be down to random fluctuations. Must be something seriously wrong with the firmware. But even the 'good' result is poor compared to the BTR5. Hopefully the Qudelix 5K will have better implementation of the DAC/amp. That's if it ever comes out, the developer hasn't replied on his website's forum in nearly two months now...
> 
> Out of interest, could you take some measurements of the ES100? As that was made by the same developer of the Qudelix 5K, before he created his own company. That might give us an idea of how good his general implementation is.



I have measured ES100 in the past, don't think I have saved the result since I didn't detect any problem. It isn't as good as BTR5 but it is still fairly good overall.

RMAA in itself isn't good at telling how good something is, but it does reveal problem easily.


----------



## bobbooo

ClieOS said:


> I have measured ES100 in the past, don't think I have saved the result since I didn't detect any problem. It isn't as good as BTR5 but it is still fairly good overall.
> 
> RMAA in itself isn't good at telling how good something is, but it does reveal problem easily.



That's a shame it didn't measure as well as the BTR5, but maybe that's just down to the limits of the DAC. Hopefully the Qudelix 5K will be better (again, if it even gets released, I have some serious doubts it will...)


----------



## peter123

bobbooo said:


> That's a shame it didn't measure as well as the BTR5, but maybe that's just down to the limits of the DAC. Hopefully the Qudelix 5K will be better (again, if it even gets released, I have some serious doubts it will...)



On what are you basing those doubts, did I miss anything?


----------



## bobbooo

peter123 said:


> On what are you basing those doubts, did I miss anything?



As I said in a previous post, the developer hasn't replied to questions on his own website's forum or Facebook page in nearly two months. Not a good sign...


----------



## peter123

bobbooo said:


> As I said in a previous post, the developer hasn't replied to questions on his own website's forum or Facebook page in nearly two months. Not a good sign...



Fwiw I last talked to him right before Christmas and at that time he confirmed that they're on schedule for a late March/early April release, hopefully that's still correct. 

I think it's fair to assume that a small and new company will put priority to getting their product on the market over answering questions on a forum but time will show.


----------



## Cevisi

peter123 said:


> Fwiw I last talked to him right before Christmas and at that time he confirmed that they're on schedule for a late March/early April release, hopefully that's still correct.
> 
> I think it's fair to assume that a small and new company will put priority to getting their product on the market over answering questions on a forum but time will show.


Good to hear but a new company also got to hype the crowd for there product and dont let everybody think its death


----------



## bobbooo

peter123 said:


> Fwiw I last talked to him right before Christmas and at that time he confirmed that they're on schedule for a late March/early April release, hopefully that's still correct.
> 
> I think it's fair to assume that a small and new company will put priority to getting their product on the market over answering questions on a forum but time will show.



I hope you're right. It just seems odd that he was answering all questions online then suddenly stopped without any public explanation or update on the project for that long.


----------



## peter123

Cevisi said:


> Good to hear but a new company also got to hype the crowd for there product and dont let everybody think its death



But it's only 24 hours in a day 

No jk, I agree with you but I've got no idea how many employees Quedelix have. If it's a one or two person operation I can understand it but it's not ideal.


----------



## Cevisi

peter123 said:


> But it's only 24 hours in a day
> 
> No jk, I agree with you but I've got no idea how many employees Quedelix have. If it's a one or two person operation I can understand it but it's not ideal.



Of course but the threads on the qudelix forum went from "when can we purchase when will kickstarter begin" to "is he dead maybe he had an acident i dont dont know if i should crowdfind it when he gives months no sign" you know. I think the problem is that he was to aktiv in his forum and now nothing


----------



## boodi (Jan 14, 2020)

just exchanged a word with Quedelix (now) : they  confirmed consumer production of 5k ( and soon after  sale )  will be in March .


----------



## boodi

looking after kickstarter campaign for it


----------



## boodi (Jan 14, 2020)

also a quote from author on FB page if someone didnt get it 





> The sound, as well as the measured performance, is much better than expected. Accurate and crystal clear. We would get what you couldn't hear before.


 , I bet he  knows about measurements too ..


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Maybe the doomsayers can chill now?...


----------



## boodi

lol


----------



## boodi




----------



## ClieOS

As my experience with most KS campaign, I think we should be looking at ETA on/around late April or even likely May realistically.


----------



## kukkurovaca

I mentally add 6-12 months to any crowdfunding date myself


----------



## zolom

The Qudelix forum seems to be alive again


----------



## monsieurfromag3

zolom said:


> The Qudelix forum seems to be alive again


Indeed! I was starting to doubt, but they are hard at it.


----------



## Infoseeker

So does it have an kickstarter page yet?


----------



## archy121

Infoseeker said:


> So does it have an kickstarter page yet?



Is it going through kick starter for fact ?


----------



## dw1narso

hopefully released on March as said in their forum...


----------



## Hamlap

Damn, it's hard to wait on this when the BTR5 is also available. Lucky that one's out of stock almost everywhere, so I can wait for this


----------



## boodi (Feb 12, 2020)

I got the btr5 on Amazon. I'd say a pretty good linear and balanced sound , features apart. Sound is good , or more then decent , linear and not completely flat in dynamic transients ( common  thing that I hear the most with dongles etc is lack of good dynamics, they might show good dynamic range and specs but they rarely can handle or offer precise dynamic resolution )


----------



## Xintaur

Hamlap said:


> Damn, it's hard to wait on this when the BTR5 is also available. Lucky that one's out of stock almost everywhere, so I can wait for this


I will definitely wait for this one, if only because it supports Aptx adaptive. Not sure if the 4377 or 9218 chip performs better, but i doubt it will make a difference really.


----------



## Hamlap

Xintaur said:


> I will definitely wait for this one, if only because it supports Aptx adaptive. Not sure if the 4377 or 9218 chip performs better, but i doubt it will make a difference really.


I'm not sure yet, but i'll probably wait for the Qudelix to get here


----------



## boodi

I have also a 9038s ( no bluetooth ) on my way so I will likely be able to do a btr5 / 9038s / 5k direct comparison , sound only as 9038s is a dac+amp in its most minimalist engineered configuration possible


----------



## Hamlap

boodi said:


> I have also a 9038s ( no bluetooth ) on my way so I will likely be able to do a btr5 / 9038s / 5k direct comparison , sound only as 9038s is a dac+amp in its most minimalist engineered configuration possible


Awesome! I would only need bluetooth since my S9 won't do USB audio out


----------



## ClieOS

With China is still in 'lock down' mode, my concern is whether Qudelix is getting their parts (or worst, OEMed entirely) from China or not. If it is, then the original March/April release will likely get pushed back for another month or two.


----------



## TK33

Hamlap said:


> Awesome! I would only need bluetooth since my S9 won't do USB audio out



Just curious, why wont your S9 do USB audio out? I have no problem using my Dragonfly Cobalt with my S9 via UAPP.


----------



## Hamlap

TK33 said:


> Just curious, why wont your S9 do USB audio out? I have no problem using my Dragonfly Cobalt with my S9 via UAPP.


No idea! Tried my E17, but can't get it to work... Maybe because I don't have UAPP?!


----------



## bobbooo

Hamlap said:


> No idea! Tried my E17, but can't get it to work... Maybe because I don't have UAPP?!



Try Neutron Player (free trial here), I much prefer it to UAPP. It comes with a high fidelity 30-band parametric equalizer, unlike UAPP which only offers 6-band and is a paid add-on.


----------



## Hamlap

bobbooo said:


> Try Neutron Player (free trial here), I much prefer it to UAPP. It comes with a high fidelity 30-band parametric equalizer, unlike UAPP which only offers 6-band and is a paid add-on.


UAPP did not work for me, sadly. I'll try Neutron. Can it do Tidal or Spotify?


----------



## Cevisi

Actually i dont think there is a player app that suports spotify


----------



## BobJS

Yes, but specifically, does Neutron support Tidal?  I'm currently using UAPP, but would be willing to try Neutron if it does.


----------



## Infoseeker (Feb 14, 2020)

BobJS said:


> Yes, but specifically, does Neutron support Tidal?  I'm currently using UAPP, but would be willing to try Neutron if it does.



Hiby Player app can connect to Tidal like Uapp and bypass software.

Nevermind that promised update never happened yet?


----------



## bobbooo

Hamlap said:


> UAPP did not work for me, sadly. I'll try Neutron. Can it do Tidal or Spotify?



Unfortunately not. No app can do Spotify though, which is why I'm looking forward to the hardware parametric equalizer on the Qudelix 5K so much, for system-wide PEQ


----------



## Cevisi

bobbooo said:


> Unfortunately not. No app can do Spotify though, which is why I'm looking forward to the hardware parametric equalizer on the Qudelix 5K so much, for system-wide PEQ


Yes me to waiting for that eq because the eq of my q5s dont work on ldac. But i think it will overall not sound as good as the fiio q5s butaybe i get suprised


----------



## bahamot

ClieOS said:


> With China is still in 'lock down' mode, my concern is whether Qudelix is getting their parts (or worst, OEMed entirely) from China or not. If it is, then the original March/April release will likely get pushed back for another month or two.


They said it's manufactured in Korea and shouldn't effected by Corona virus.

https://www.qudelix.com/forum/will-the-the-coronavirus-outbreak-affect-your-production-timeline


----------



## ClieOS

bahamot said:


> They said it's manufactured in Korea and shouldn't effected by Corona virus.
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/forum/will-the-the-coronavirus-outbreak-affect-your-production-timeline


 Good to know


----------



## Hamlap

Can't wait for this !


----------



## smorgar

bahamot said:


> They said it's manufactured in Korea and shouldn't effected by Corona virus.
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/forum/will-the-the-coronavirus-outbreak-affect-your-production-timeline


Now also in Korea...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/f7syvd/android_production_samsung_confirms_one/


----------



## Dogway

Is this exclusively to be used with a phone app or something?
My main use will be for TV and HTPC so some built-in functionality like codec type would be useful.
It might be soon to ask but I'd like to better be safe than sorry before the kickstarter campaign.


----------



## ClieOS

Dogway said:


> Is this exclusively to be used with a phone app or something?
> My main use will be for TV and HTPC so some built-in functionality like codec type would be useful.
> It might be soon to ask but I'd like to better be safe than sorry before the kickstarter campaign.



The app will allow you to customize different setting - but you like any BT adapter, you don't need to use the app to use the BT adapter itself (which will leave it with its default setting). Of course you can also change the setting once and leave it as it is. It will remember the changed setting after restart.

Your TV / HTPC will determine what codec it will use (most likely just SBC), the BT adapter itself usually doesn't determine what codec to use (unless you disable certain codec on the BT adapter, though you can't disable SBC).


----------



## Dogway

Yes, I will pair it with a BT Tx, hopefully with aptx adaptive if they sell this year.


----------



## ClieOS

Remeber your BT Tx needs to support aptX Adaptive as well.


----------



## forestitalia

Any news about its release?


----------



## smorgar

Latest news:
https://www.qudelix.com/forum/is-there-any-progress-in-5k


----------



## smorgar

https://www.qudelix.com/forum/purchase-notification


----------



## AlwaysForward

Can this work as a transmitter too? Like, I have APTX-HD & LDAC cans but no transmission sources. It would be sick if I could usb into my computer and do wireless hi(ish) res


----------



## smorgar

AlwaysForward said:


> Can this work as a transmitter too? Like, I have APTX-HD & LDAC cans but no transmission sources. It would be sick if I could usb into my computer and do wireless hi(ish) res


No


----------



## smorgar

Fiio BTR5 and Qudelix 5k:
https://www.qudelix.com/forum/what-is-difrrent-between-qudelix-5k-and-fiio-btr5


----------



## Darkestred

Damn, that thing is tiny! but i do understand it it thicker.


----------



## dh0licious

Darkestred said:


> Damn, that thing is tiny! but i do understand it it thicker.



I believe that is what she said


----------



## BobJS

dh0licious said:


> I believe that is what she said



No difficulty points, but I agree, it had to be done.


----------



## Cevisi

there is a new picture on the front page and it seems like the buttons are illuminated one is red one is blue


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Cevisi said:


> there is a new picture on the front page and it seems like the buttons are illuminated one is red one is blue


I’m feeling really good about the 5K at this point - one of a very few things I’m hopeful about right now. The app looks slick and informative, the PCB seems solid and clean (not that I know anything about engineering, it’s just obvious when the electronics is well spaced and organized).

I’m tempted by many competitors, be it the newer BT receivers from Fiio and Shanling or small DAPs that support LDAC sink function like the new Hidisz AP80 Pro, etc. But I keep forcing myself to close those tabs because I have a strong belief the 5K is the most interesting wireless thing on the horizon right now. That and the Nuraloop, which I should be getting within the next few weeks.

I also postpone switching phones because too few support aptX adaptive and that’s such a precious feature of the 5K.

Last but not least, because of how structured, competent and open Qudelix appear to me, I just find their product appealing because the brand appeals to me. Good job there, getting me to like a brand before it’s even released its first product!


----------



## alex5908 (Apr 20, 2020)

I am sick and tired of waiting for the subj to come out.
Do you think SHANLING UP4 is a worse option to buy?
If so what exactly is worse in UP4 as compared with the subj?


----------



## Cevisi

alex5908 said:


> I am sick and tired of waiting for the subj to come out.
> Do you think SHANLING UP4 is a worse option to buy?
> If so what exactly is worse in UP4 as compared with the subj?


What is the subj


----------



## alex5908

Cevisi said:


> What is the subj


It's the Qudelix-5K thread


----------



## Cevisi

alex5908 said:


> It's the Qudelix-5K thread


I dont know this word


----------



## ClieOS

UP4 has its issues and I won't call it better than ES100, so it won't likely going to best 5K.


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> UP4 has its issues


Thanks for the opinion.
Nobody knows if K5 is issues free as it it's not on the market yet, though.


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> Thanks for the opinion.
> Nobody knows if K5 is issues free as it it's not on the market yet, though.



Consider ES100 and 5K has the same designer, my bet is on the 5K.


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> my bet is on the 5K.


The main point is when it will be available.


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> The main point is when it will be available.



Actually the main point is whether you think you can live with UP4 or not. I don't mind waiting for 5K myself, but then again I aleady have many other BT adapters to use, besides UP4, so it is a no-issue for me.


----------



## Slater

ClieOS said:


> Actually the main point is whether you think you can live with UP4 or not. I don't mind waiting for 5K myself, but then again I aleady have many other BT adapters to use, besides UP4, so it is a no-issue for me.



Good things come to those who wait.


----------



## Luke Skywalker

Do what I do... Buy something else to satiate your audio hunger and then buy this too when it comes out


----------



## Lurk650

A global crisis is happening and you are mad that your BT adapter is delayed bc of it....wow lol


----------



## Cevisi

Luke Skywalker said:


> Do what I do... Buy something else to satiate your audio hunger and then buy this too when it comes out


Truly the wisdom of a Skywalker


----------



## Purr~Prawn

Cevisi said:


> What is the subj



I think it’s short for "subject".


----------



## alex5908

Purr~Prawn said:


> I think it’s short for "subject".


Yes, that's right. I thought it's a universal term.


----------



## Cevisi

alex5908 said:


> Yes, that's right. I thought it's a universal term.


Could be. But english its not my nativ language. So i didnt know what you mean. I thought subj is a new bluetooth dac i never heard off


----------



## peter123

alex5908 said:


> The main point is when it will be available.



Fwiw mass production will start in the end of may as of the latest information I've got from Quedelix.


----------



## sutosuto

peter123 said:


> Fwiw mass production will start in the end of may as of the latest information I've got from Quedelix.


Any info when they will start selling it and where to order?
Thanks


----------



## IEManiac

Is this finally out? Or does it continue to be vaporware?


----------



## Slater

IEManiac said:


> Is this finally out? Or does it continue to be vaporware?



Look up literally 2 posts.


----------



## IEManiac

Slater said:


> Look up literally 2 posts.


Ok, so 25 pages later _vaporware_ still. Cheers...


----------



## ClieOS

IEManiac said:


> Ok, so 25 pages later _vaporware_ still. Cheers...



It is called "coronaware", if you just happened to miss all the news since January.


----------



## IEManiac

Yeah, I've been hearing about this product since middle of last year, before the pandemic, and still nothing. In the meantime, Fiio's brought to the market the BTR5 and BTR3K...


----------



## Cevisi




----------



## ClieOS

IEManiac said:


> Yeah, I've been hearing about this product since middle of last year, before the pandemic, and still nothing. In the meantime, Fiio's brought to the market the BTR5 and BTR3K...



Read the early posts and announcements in this thread, then you'll know the original schedule is aimed on February / March to go into mass production / Kickstarter. 

Funny that you should mention BTR5 - we first heard wind of it on early 2019. By May 2019, we got an early ETA on July, but the first batch of 100 units or so didn't get released until November (which was when I got mine, as part of the first batch) and only in China due to various design changes. Full international release was almost a month later and not till January that most retailers get their hand on limited stock. Guess what people kept calling BTR5 from early~mid 2019 to early 2020? Yeah, "vapourwave".

I have seen it all.


----------



## IEManiac (May 3, 2020)

Yes. Except for the fact the Fiio has now been available for months and it does nearly everything in real practice what the Qudelix manages to do, so far, only on paper and on the 25 pages of this thread.


----------



## courierdriver

I don't know what to think anymore. I find this product appealing, but tbth, I'm totally loving my ES100. I gave my original one to my son to use with his Moondrop KXXS. I bought a second ES100 for myself which was lost by the post office and mysteriously showed up later, after I was refunded my money. A third is still sitting in it's original packaging, never even opened. All were purchased on Amazon in late November/ early December of 2019. The one I've been using has worked flawlessly for 5 months now, and I'm no longer even sure why I'm interested in the QDELIX. The ES100 just sounds so great (I'm listening right now to a $1000+ set of iems, but it sounds just as good with my $50 KZ ZS10 PRO). I get 3, 4 hour listening sessions from it, before I need to recharge it (so like 12 hours of listening). I'm happy with that. Sorry, I know I'm getting old...but can someone please remind me why this is better?!


----------



## ClieOS

IEManiac said:


> Yes. Except for the fact the Fiio has now been available for months and it does nearly everything in real practice what the Qudelix manages to do, so far, only on paper and on the 25 pages of this thread.



That's exactly what they used to say about BTR5. My answer will be the same as back then: move on if you can't wait, no big deal.


----------



## jsmiller58

IEManiac said:


> Yes. Except for the fact the Fiio has now been available for months and it does nearly everything in real practice what the Qudelix manages to do, so far, only on paper and on the 25 pages of this thread.



Sorry, but I have to ask you a point of clarification...  why do you keep stressing the number of pages in this thread?  Perhaps you are confusing the number of posts by members of the head-fi community with marketing material or press releases from the company?

Anyway, it sounds to me like you would be extremely happy with a BTR5 - I know I love mine - so why not get one?  Or possibly the es100 - again I also love that one and I think you might as well.

For the rest of us that are waiting for the Qudelix-5K we’ll continue to wait, and if we get impatient we will move on.  Given no one has pre-ordered, and no one has backed a crowdfunding campaign, we are out nothing and have little to complain about.  We wait, or we don’t wait.  Free will, and we are out nothing

I hope you find what you are looking for, but probably it just won’t be here.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Both the software and battery life will be wastly superior to the BTR5... That's why I wait patiently for the 5k.

But I'm glad we finally got an update again, looks like we'll get out hands on the 5K in late May/Early June unless more Covid-19 mishaps happens.


----------



## Cevisi

courierdriver said:


> I don't know what to think anymore. I find this product appealing, but tbth, I'm totally loving my ES100. I gave my original one to my son to use with his Moondrop KXXS. I bought a second ES100 for myself which was lost by the post office and mysteriously showed up later, after I was refunded my money. A third is still sitting in it's original packaging, never even opened. All were purchased on Amazon in late November/ early December of 2019. The one I've been using has worked flawlessly for 5 months now, and I'm no longer even sure why I'm interested in the QDELIX. The ES100 just sounds so great (I'm listening right now to a $1000+ set of iems, but it sounds just as good with my $50 KZ ZS10 PRO). I get 3, 4 hour listening sessions from it, before I need to recharge it (so like 12 hours of listening). I'm happy with that. Sorry, I know I'm getting old...but can someone please remind me why this is better?!


It has a better dac compared to the es 100 a cleaner amp and a parametic eq


----------



## Cevisi (May 3, 2020)

https://www.qudelix.com/forum

There are huge updates on the forum go 
Check it out


----------



## arbiter76

courierdriver said:


> I don't know what to think anymore. I find this product appealing, but tbth, I'm totally loving my ES100. I gave my original one to my son to use with his Moondrop KXXS. I bought a second ES100 for myself which was lost by the post office and mysteriously showed up later, after I was refunded my money. A third is still sitting in it's original packaging, never even opened. All were purchased on Amazon in late November/ early December of 2019. The one I've been using has worked flawlessly for 5 months now, and I'm no longer even sure why I'm interested in the QDELIX. The ES100 just sounds so great (I'm listening right now to a $1000+ set of iems, but it sounds just as good with my $50 KZ ZS10 PRO). I get 3, 4 hour listening sessions from it, before I need to recharge it (so like 12 hours of listening). I'm happy with that. Sorry, I know I'm getting old...but can someone please remind me why this is better?!



haven't tested yet so nobody can say better for sure yet.  supposedly, made by the same guy who designed es100 so a lot of the hype is there.  it looks like it should have better battery life.  probably sound signature will be different.  for me personally, i like the es100 so much that if i like the qudelix i will have 2 devices i can choose for battery or sound.  or one be the backup for the other.  i highly doubt for most people that the qudelix will be so game changing thye forget the es100.


----------



## IEManiac (May 3, 2020)

Cevisi said:


> It has a better dac compared to the es 100 a cleaner amp and a parametic eq


You don't know that. You will only know when an actual unit is tested. The proof is in the pudding, not in the recipe book.


----------



## Podster (May 3, 2020)

IEManiac said:


> You don't know that. You will only know when an actual unit is tested. The proof is in the pudding, not in the recipe book.



This May very well be true as we all hear it all differently but chances are the designer is not going to make a lesser unit. I’ve often thought the old company who is still selling the ES100 under the MkII header is just trying to keep selling those or closing them out. Even if the MkII is the same unit the ES100 is a great piece and I’m willing to bet the Q5 Is going to be a big upgrade all the way around. Matter a fact I bought a big bag of Nilla Wafers for when mine arrives!


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Better software, EQ over LDAC, better-performing antenna system, aptX adaptive, improved implementation of a better DAC/amp section as @Cevisi said...
Audio-wise the ES100 is ok but there is a vast margin of improvement.


----------



## ClieOS

IEManiac said:


> You don't know that. You will only know when an actual unit is tested. The proof is in the pudding, not in the recipe book.



...and you only get to taste the pudding if you are willing to wait in the line for the chef to cook it up. Complaint about how long the line is won't actually make the chef cooks any faster, especially since the delivery truck hasn't delivered all the ingredient yet. You have two options: (1) get in line and wait patiently as others or (2) get something else to eat. You are not obligated to ear here.


----------



## sutosuto

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Better software, EQ over LDAC, better-performing antenna system, aptX adaptive, improved implementation of a better DAC/amp section as @Cevisi said...
> Audio-wise the ES100 is ok but there is a vast margin of improvement.


IMO, I call these as our expectation and really hope they won't be "expectation illusion". Only can prove until we receive and test the unit.
I agree that we likely will see some bugs in the early production. Having seen how the company very open and update us, I have confidence it will turn to a good product.
Really hope I am right. I am keen to buy one as well.
Cheers.


----------



## Raketen

ClieOS said:


> ...and you only get to taste the pudding if you are willing to wait in the line for the chef to cook it up.



Or, you can whip yourself up into a merengue while you wait and eat that, and then get angry at the chef for already being full when the pudding finally arrives, and then you just sit there and sadly stare at the pudding after you realize you can't eat it because now you're a merengue, and whenever you try to pick up your spoon to eat it you remember you ate your hands while you were waiting, but that it doesn't really matter that you ate your hands since you're a merengue your hands probably aren't dense enough to support a spoon, and that if you did eat the pudding it would go straight to your feet and you wouldn't be able to enjoy it anyway.


----------



## IEManiac

ClieOS said:


> ...and you only get to taste the pudding if you are willing to wait in the line for the chef to cook it up. Complaint about how long the line is won't actually make the chef cooks any faster, especially since the delivery truck hasn't delivered all the ingredient yet. You have two options: (1) get in line and wait patiently as others or (2) get something else to eat. You are not obligated to ear here.


You are changing the subject.


ClieOS said:


> ...and you only get to taste the pudding if you are willing to wait in the line for the chef to cook it up. Complaint about how long the line is won't actually make the chef cooks any faster, especially since the delivery truck hasn't delivered all the ingredient yet. You have two options: (1) get in line and wait patiently as others or (2) get something else to eat. You are not obligated to ear here.


The other guy is proclaiming that a nonexistent product is superior, I call him to task for it, and you tell me I am not obligated to buy the product. Yeah, ok. Good logical progression there...


----------



## ClieOS (May 3, 2020)

IEManiac said:


> You are changing the subject.
> 
> The other guy is proclaiming that a nonexistent product is superior, I call him to task for it, and you tell me I am not obligated to buy the product. Yeah, ok. Good logical progression there...



I am just questioning your motive on being in this thread, giving your very obvious negative tone about both the waiting and then the possible quality of the product. Generally it is an indication of trolling, or do you have any other explanation that can enlighten us?


----------



## Podster

IEManiac said:


> You are changing the subject.
> 
> The other guy is proclaiming that a nonexistent product is superior, I call him to task for it, and you tell me I am not obligated to buy the product. Yeah, ok. Good logical progression there...



Come on, you know you already want one or you would not be in here and recognizing the subject was being changed. At first I thought you were applying logic but then I realized you can read and all everyone has been saying (and showing in specs/materials) is that the designer of an already great product is about to upgrade/improve everything about the original. Of course there are those who are going to say Red if everyone else is saying blue! LOL


----------



## Cevisi

IEManiac said:


> You don't know that. You will only know when an actual unit is tested. The proof is in the pudding, not in the recipe book.


Actually the proof is in the the cook and the ingredients. And the ingredients are better and the cook is the same


----------



## jsmiller58

In the end those who bash or praise a product before it shows up are at risk of being made to look foolish.  Let’s just say we’ll know when we know.  I for one will be looking forward to the 5K...  but won’t be the first to order it


----------



## peter123

IEManiac said:


> Yes. Except for the fact the Fiio has now been available for months and it does nearly everything in real practice what the Qudelix manages to do, so far, only on paper and on the 25 pages of this thread.



I'm sorry but I think you'll need to do a reality check. 

Estimated launch for the 5k has been end of first quarter/beginning of second quarter for quite some time now. When you personally heard about it is actually irrelevant. Given what has happened to the world the last couple of months (you've noticed it, right?) it's really not much to bitch about imo. 

If you've don't have patience to wait there's several alternatives that will get you the same functionality.


----------



## Toastybob

courierdriver said:


> I don't know what to think anymore. I find this product appealing, but tbth, I'm totally loving my ES100. I gave my original one to my son to use with his Moondrop KXXS. I bought a second ES100 for myself which was lost by the post office and mysteriously showed up later, after I was refunded my money. A third is still sitting in it's original packaging, never even opened. All were purchased on Amazon in late November/ early December of 2019. The one I've been using has worked flawlessly for 5 months now, and I'm no longer even sure why I'm interested in the QDELIX. The ES100 just sounds so great (I'm listening right now to a $1000+ set of iems, but it sounds just as good with my $50 KZ ZS10 PRO). I get 3, 4 hour listening sessions from it, before I need to recharge it (so like 12 hours of listening). I'm happy with that. Sorry, I know I'm getting old...but can someone please remind me why this is better?!


Parametric equalizer.


----------



## Toastybob

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Better software, EQ over LDAC, better-performing antenna system, aptX adaptive, improved implementation of a better DAC/amp section as @Cevisi said...
> Audio-wise the ES100 is ok but there is a vast margin of improvement.


ES100 already does EQ over LDAC. The EQ works with all it's codecs.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Toastybob said:


> ES100 already does EQ over LDAC. The EQ works with all it's codecs.


Absolutely! It’s the BTR5 that doesn’t do it. Nor the other Fiio units I believe.


----------



## ClieOS

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Absolutely! It’s the BTR5 that doesn’t do it. Nor the other Fiio units I believe.



Nor does any BT adapter in the market currently. Implementing EQ over LDAC is not trivial because how limited the processing power inside the SoC of any given BT chip has. It is probably one of the main reason why ES100 gets unstable over time. Nonetheless it is brilliant on its own right.


----------



## arbiter76

hear ye hear ye good folks of head fi.  i got my qudeliz and have to say i'm bullshitting.  but hey why is everybody getting their panties in a wad over product that has not released yet?  antsy much?


----------



## Slater

arbiter76 said:


> hear ye hear ye good folks of head fi.  i got my qudeliz and have to say i'm bullshitting.  but hey why is everybody getting their panties in a wad over product that has not released yet?  antsy much?



That's the world we live in nowadays. Everything is instantaneously acquired, from Google to text messaging to same day delivery from Amazon. Impatience, impulsivity, and instant gratification dominates today's society.

Like Veruca Salt - I want it NOW NOW NOW!


----------



## Podster

Slater said:


> That's the world we live in nowadays. Everything is instantaneously acquired, from Google to text messaging to same day delivery from Amazon. Impatience, impulsivity, and instant gratification dominates today's society.
> 
> Like Veruca Salt - I want it NOW NOW NOW!



LOL, you would think this community who wait forever on shipments from China and drawn out kick starters would have the Patience of Jobe and we won’t even talk about those lonely detached souls who just want to argue to have conversation!


----------



## d73b3e

courierdriver said:


> I don't know what to think anymore. I find this product appealing, but tbth, I'm totally loving my ES100. I gave my original one to my son to use with his Moondrop KXXS. I bought a second ES100 for myself which was lost by the post office and mysteriously showed up later, after I was refunded my money. *A third is still sitting in it's original packaging, never even opened*. All were purchased on Amazon in late November/ early December of 2019. The one I've been using has worked flawlessly for 5 months now, and I'm no longer even sure why I'm interested in the QDELIX. The ES100 just sounds so great (I'm listening right now to a $1000+ set of iems, but it sounds just as good with my $50 KZ ZS10 PRO). I get 3, 4 hour listening sessions from it, before I need to recharge it (so like 12 hours of listening). I'm happy with that. Sorry, I know I'm getting old...but can someone please remind me why this is better?!


Are you interested in selling that third one?


----------



## courierdriver

d73b3e said:


> Are you interested in selling that third one?


Sorry, but No. If something happens to the one I'm currently using, I want to have a back up. It's just that great sounding.


----------



## Podster

courierdriver said:


> Sorry, but No. If something happens to the one I'm currently using, I want to have a back up. It's just that great sounding.



Same here, I keep one in my cars console and the other is pretty much at hand at all times! However once I have my Qudelix we can talk @d73b3e


----------



## d73b3e

Podster said:


> Same here, I keep one in my cars console and the other is pretty much at hand at all times! However once I have my Qudelix we can talk @d73b3e


Yeah, let's talk about how good/worse qudelix sounds against its competitors at that time


----------



## Podster

d73b3e said:


> Yeah, let's talk about how good/worse qudelix sounds against its competitors at that time



Well I'm of the belief he will make the Qudelix even better than his ES100, you know it will run faster and jump higher! Leaping tall buildings in a single bound  It'll be the "Six Million Dollar DAC"


----------



## d73b3e

Podster said:


> Well I'm of the belief he will make the Qudelix even better than his ES100, you know it will run faster and jump higher! Leaping tall buildings in a single bound  It'll be the "Six Million Dollar DAC"


Qudelix only claims about their primary advantage of the 5K over BTR5 is the software (USB and LDAC EQ, in-house LDAC library). Yet, it does not support mic passthrough like the ES100.
I personally don't EQ so let's see how it performs with others on the flat playground


----------



## Podster

d73b3e said:


> Qudelix only claims about their primary advantage of the 5K over BTR5 is the software (USB and LDAC EQ, in-house LDAC library). Yet, it does not support mic passthrough like the ES100.
> I personally don't EQ so let's see how it performs with others on the flat playground


Well then keep me in mind and I may give you a deal on one of my ES100's once I get a 5K in hand. Mine are originals prior to his departure so I have no idea what the difference in these originals and the MkII is or if it's just the age old "New and Improved" jargon to keep selling ones goods


----------



## d73b3e

Podster said:


> Well then keep me in mind and I may give you a deal on one of my ES100's once I get a 5K in hand. Mine are originals prior to his departure so I have no idea what the difference in these originals and the MkII is or if it's just the age old "New and Improved" jargon to keep selling ones goods


They stated that MKII is just a shirt change, nothing is improved internally. Will come to you if I can't find any deal on the ES100


----------



## rkw (May 12, 2020)

d73b3e said:


> Yet, it does not support mic passthrough like the ES100.


The ES100 does not support mic passthrough either.


----------



## courierdriver

d73b3e said:


> They stated that MKII is just a shirt change, nothing is improved internally. Will come to you if I can't find any deal on the ES100


I might be convinced to sell my extra "New in box" ES100 Mk1, if this QDELIX thing finally comes out. But tbh, I don't know if the new thing is a substantial enough of an improvement. Atm, I'm luvin my ES100 with all my phones and music.


----------



## arbiter76

what many do not realize is this will be an audio upgrade for the ones who prefer the signature of the sound programmed into the DAC.  for others it will be sideways and a few a downgrade.  if the battery claims hold up definitely an improvement there also.  if i still have some monopoly bux when this thing releases i will probably scoop one up.  if the hardware interface is a lot better than es100 that could be a factor and it's looking like that could be the case this will definitely get some airtime along with the es100.  wherever i go.


----------



## d73b3e

courierdriver said:


> I might be convinced to sell my extra "New in box" ES100 Mk1, if this QDELIX thing finally comes out. But tbh, I don't know if the new thing is a substantial enough of an improvement. Atm, I'm luvin my ES100 with all my phones and music.


BTR5 is another option  I'm having one and its build quality and sound are amazing


----------



## waynes world

arbiter76 said:


> what many do not realize is this will be an audio upgrade for the ones who prefer the signature of the sound programmed into the DAC.  for others it will be sideways and a few a downgrade.  if the battery claims hold up definitely an improvement there also.  if i still have some *monopoly* bux when this thing releases i will probably scoop one up.  if the hardware interface is a lot better than es100 that could be a factor and it's looking like that could be the case this will definitely get some airtime along with the es100.  wherever i go.



You'll need more than monopoly money!   But what you say is absolutely true. My es100 died, and I couldn't wait for the 5K anymore, so I got the BTR3K. Wow - buttons that I can actually feel and use properly! Whether it's a sidegrade or an upgrade I can't be certain, but it certainly sounds awesome. But I have total faith that wslee will deliver another classic in the 5K, so I will be scraping up all of the monopoly I can to snag one when it comes out!


----------



## arbiter76

waynes world said:


> You'll need more than monopoly money!   But what you say is absolutely true. My es100 died, and I couldn't wait for the 5K anymore, so I got the BTR3K. Wow - buttons that I can actually feel and use properly! Whether it's a sidegrade or an upgrade I can't be certain, but it certainly sounds awesome. But I have total faith that wslee will deliver another classic in the 5K, so I will be scraping up all of the monopoly I can to snag one when it comes out!



I want to try a couple fiio things but every time i do the research i end up passing.  it seems overall they do pretty well with hardware but the software mostly seems half baked.  occasionally half baked enough it ruins the listening experience.  eager to see what the 5k does.


----------



## d73b3e

arbiter76 said:


> I want to try a couple fiio things but every time i do the research i end up passing.  it seems overall they do pretty well with hardware but the software mostly seems half baked.  occasionally half baked enough it ruins the listening experience.  eager to see what the 5k does.


FiiO has their problems and look at the portfolio I can understand why. However, look at the way they welcome requests, complains and suggestions I'm satisfied with my purchases 
I'd rather take good hardware/improvable software than poor hardware/solid software.


----------



## waynes world

arbiter76 said:


> I want to try a couple fiio things but every time i do the research i end up passing.  it seems overall they do pretty well with hardware but the software mostly seems half baked.  occasionally half baked enough it ruins the listening experience.  eager to see what the 5k does.



I can't speak for their daps, but my experience with their bluetooth devices has been great (btr1, ubtr and btr3k).


----------



## d73b3e

rkw said:


> The ES100 does not support mic passthrough either.


From their manual: 
Ambient Shortcut Key (F/W ver.1.1.4 or Over) 
• Ambient mode on/off: Press&hold for more than 2 seconds 
- Only available during playback. 
- To use it, you must set 'Ambient Shortcut Key' to 'on' in the EarStudio app. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cDTKP2wKZHIBdjl95DbhrtMxadmhCBha/view


----------



## Mouseman

d73b3e said:


> From their manual:
> Ambient Shortcut Key (F/W ver.1.1.4 or Over)
> • Ambient mode on/off: Press&hold for more than 2 seconds
> - Only available during playback.
> ...


That uses the internal mic. That's different than using a cable with a mic on it and having the mic work for calls, etc.


----------



## d73b3e

Mouseman said:


> That uses the internal mic. That's different than using a cable with a mic on it and having the mic work for calls, etc.


Oh, yeah I've got the wrong concept. I thought mic passthrough is the ambient sound passthroughs to our ears  If so, BTR5 does have this mic passthrough but I don't think the mic on your cable worths using. Also most cable with mic can't have a cinch slider.


----------



## Lurk650

Podster said:


> Well then keep me in mind and I may give you a deal on one of my ES100's once I get a 5K in hand. Mine are originals prior to his departure so I have no idea what the difference in these originals and the MkII is or if it's just the age old "New and Improved" jargon to keep selling ones goods


MkII buttons have been slightly improved I believe, feel wise


----------



## arbiter76

d73b3e said:


> FiiO has their problems and look at the portfolio I can understand why. However, look at the way they welcome requests, complains and suggestions I'm satisfied with my purchases
> I'd rather take good hardware/improvable software than poor hardware/solid software.



i wasn't pooping on fiio as hard as it may seemed.  just saying the software for me is a much higher priority and not so much in the options.  stability helps.  all bt devices so far have the occasional reception issues eve if designed well and maybe even buffer issues depending on what you're working with.  the es100 ticked all the boxes except for hw interface and you don't really find that out until you get it.  and it's not that bad, it's just small.  i wish i could turn iem or ear buds into wireless like i did my beyerdynamic COPS.


----------



## Slater

arbiter76 said:


> i wish i could turn iem or ear buds into wireless



TRN BT20S


----------



## alex5908

peter123 said:


> Fwiw mass production will start in the end of may as of the latest information I've got from Quedelix.


How much will it be? First it was announced as a $90 product. Now they say it will be $110. What will the final price be, I wonder?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Slater said:


> TRN BT20S


Or the infamous Fiio striking again with the UTWS1 actually! A re-branded BT20S with improved stability and more resistant body.


----------



## arbiter76

i could probably do what i want with custom shorter cables.  i wish i had the time to dig into making my own.  does somebody sell kits?  i know how to solder.  

with the economy the way it is I am spending my monopoly bux on much higher priority things.  when i do use my iems i am usually chilling anyways so the extra length aint driving me crazy.  considering what i am seeing with the economy, the money printing and other nonsense i aint getting my hopes up too high for the qudelix guys.  time might run out for the dollar before mass production.


----------



## smorgar

https://www.qudelix.com/forum/qudelix-team-status-update

https://www.qudelix.com/learn-more-1


----------



## hkpants

Excited to see how the Qudelix turns out!


----------



## peter123

The issue they're facing with qc in China is definitely real and one that many companies will face this year. I've worked four years in the furniture business and we bought a lot from China. Even though we have our own office and qc in Shanghai we still had to go there and check the master samples several times a year (it's expensive to send big items from China just for sample, especially now). We also had qc in China checking every shipment, due to Covid19 both these safety measures have been impossible to perform for several months now....


----------



## charlie0904

everything is getting a hit from COVID19. no choice.


----------



## smorgar

https://www.qudelix.com/forum/online-shop-preorder


----------



## monsieurfromag3

smorgar said:


> https://www.qudelix.com/forum/online-shop-preorder


I am constantly checking their website yet somehow you always know first


----------



## alex5908 (May 23, 2020)

smorgar said:


> https://www.qudelix.com/forum/online-shop-preorder


Good news. In a week we will be able to order it.

Can it be used as a DAC? I mean connecting a transport player (like a smart phone) to Qudelix K5 via USB type C and then K5 to IEMs.


----------



## NovaDev (May 24, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> Good news. In a week we will be able to order it.
> 
> Can it be used as a DAC? I mean connecting a transport player (like a smart phone) to Qudelix K5 via USB type C and then K5 to IEMs.



Yes it does. From the specs on https://www.qudelix.com/


> High-Resolution USB DAC 96KHz / 24-bit


It's better than ES100, Shanling UP4 - in terms of bit rate & sampling rate (not actual sound quality) but slightly worse than Fiio BTR5. But to be frank, 24/96 is enough for me.


----------



## arbiter76

NovaDev said:


> Yes it does. From the specs on https://www.qudelix.com/
> 
> It's better than ES100, Shanling UP4 but slightly worse than Fiio BTR5. But to be frank, 24/96 is enough for me.



there we go again.  people reviewing stuff they don't even have.  ruins your credibility before you even have any.


----------



## ClieOS

arbiter76 said:


> there we go again.  people reviewing stuff they don't even have.  ruins your credibility before you even have any.



I think he really just comparing sampling rate, not the actual SQ.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Did they remove APTX LL? I think it was listed on the main page (not in specifications), guess that chip doesn't support it. It wouldn't be a problem if there were any APTX Adaptive USB adapters around tho.... Damn Qualcomm.


----------



## NovaDev

arbiter76 said:


> there we go again.  people reviewing stuff they don't even have.  ruins your credibility before you even have any.


Yeah as ClieOS said, I'm just comparing the specs listed on the products' sites - not about the SQ. It took me a while for looking them up too, so I thought it may be easier to write them down here for the one who needs. And I'm sorry if it's misinterpreting to you, I'll edit the post .


----------



## arbiter76

3g shy of an ounce.


----------



## IEManiac

arbiter76 said:


> there we go again.  people reviewing stuff they don't even have.  ruins your credibility before you even have any.


Par for the (thread) course...


----------



## darmanastartes

Am I misremembering or had they ditched the 2.5 mm balanced jack at some point? It looks like it's back now?


----------



## ClieOS

darmanastartes said:


> Am I misremembering or had they ditched the 2.5 mm balanced jack at some point? It looks like it's back now?



They changed the DAC/amp chip mid way from AKM to ESS. However, 2.5mm socket is always there.


----------



## bobsi (May 30, 2020)

hi guys,
I am looking for good short balanced cable for the next qudelix. the best I found is this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32930997136.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.2f832e0edhjLlb

a little bit expensive for shipping and fiio-brand on the cable....
anyone  idea good cable with mmcx 2,5 and L-jacket?

thanks and and sorry for my terrible English


----------



## VICosPhi

@bobsi I think that is the best option for short MMCx cable, Fiio should also make a 2-pin version of it.


----------



## d73b3e

bobsi said:


> hi guys,
> I am looking for good short balanced cable for the next qudelix. the best I found is this:
> 
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32930997136.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.2f832e0edhjLlb
> ...


It's the best option right now (MMCX + 2.5 + short)


----------



## maniac2003

I noticed something off in the specs.
According to the 5K specs page aptX Adaptive is supported.

Qualcomm spec page lists:
*Qualcomm® aptX™ audio playback support: *Qualcomm® aptX™, Qualcomm® aptX™ HD 

So no Adaptive codec


----------



## ClieOS (May 31, 2020)

maniac2003 said:


> I noticed something off in the specs.
> According to the 5K specs page aptX Adaptive is supported.
> 
> Qualcomm spec page lists:
> ...



On the same Qualcomm page, look at the left side of listed spec, under 'features':


> aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive support



However, note that aptX Adaptive is less so to improve SQ but more to improve stability / latency from aptX HD. So if you already getting good / stable connection for aptX HD (or even LDAC) and mainly used it for music, then you might not notice much improvement from aptX Adaptive. What aptX Adaptive brings to the table is basically a more efficient coding / decoding process and lower latency (*by dynamic scaling, which by lowering quality temporary to improve stability) , which means movie / video watching with BT headphone / adapter will benefit the most. However, it is not aimed at improving SQ as it still samples at the same bit depth / bit rate as aptX HD, at 24/48.


----------



## maniac2003

ClieOS said:


> On the same Qualcomm page, look at the left side of listed spec, under 'features':


 thanks, missed that.


----------



## morndewey

Hi. Can anyone recommend a decent/affordable 2.5 cable that plugs into L&R inputs on receiver? Thanks


----------



## ClieOS (May 31, 2020)

morndewey said:


> Hi. Can anyone recommend a decent/affordable 2.5 cable that plugs into L&R inputs on receiver? Thanks



Yep, please don't connect any balanced output to the RCA left and right input of your receiver - unless you can be 100% certain that the RCA input is indeed balanced input (*which generally they are not). RCA input on most receiver are single-ended internally (meaning their share the same ground path). Connecting balanced output to single-ended input could potentially cause the balanced output internal circuit to overload and burn out.


----------



## morndewey

ClieOS said:


> Yep, please don't connect any balanced output to the RCA left and right input of your receiver - unless you can be 100% certain that the RCA input is deed balanced input (*which generally they are not). RCA input on most receiver are single-ended internally (meaning their share the same ground path). Connecting balanced output to single-ended input could potentially cause the balanced output internal circuit to overload and burn out.


A fine heads up! Thank you!


----------



## maxcat

Now on sale!


----------



## smorgar

Pre order is up: https://www.qudelix.com/products/qudelix-5k-dac-amp


----------



## ClieOS

Just paid


----------



## monsieurfromag3

It’s one of those times when you can’t part with your money fast enough


----------



## Infoseeker

Should I buy a second for car aux use...


----------



## bobsi

just paid and waiting....


----------



## CardigdanWalk

Aaah, goodbye money!

annoying that I know I’m going to get hit with import tax too


----------



## Nolbert0

monsieurfromag3 said:


> It’s one of those times when you can’t part with your money fast enough



Same here. Take my money already! Lol


----------



## DBaldock9

NovaDev said:


> Yes it does. From the specs on https://www.qudelix.com/
> 
> It's better than ES100, Shanling UP4 - in terms of bit rate & sampling rate (not actual sound quality) but slightly worse than Fiio BTR5. But to be frank, 24/96 is enough for me.



I'm using my BTR5 as a 192-KHz USB DAC with a Win10 PC, and it sounds good.


----------



## zolom

I am sure, it was money spent for a good cause.


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> Just paid


Me too.


----------



## superuser1

$20 to India... why oh why... express shipping only attracts more customs duty!!


----------



## alex5908

Why did they remove the page about a pre-order at https://www.qudelix.com/forum/online-shop-preorder?


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 1, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> Why did they remove the page about a pre-order at https://www.qudelix.com/forum/online-shop-preorder?



One possibility is they might have enough pre-order to fulfill the first batch so they decided to stop any more pre-order till they can get the first batch out.

EDIT: actually I see they have just re-arranged their website so the pre-order is still on. You can find it here: https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/qudelix-5k-dac-amp


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> One possibility is they might have enough pre-order to fulfill the first batch so they decided to stop any more pre-order till they can get the first batch out.


Then someone is out of luck for the moment.


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> Then someone is out of luck for the moment.



Actually I see they have just re-arranged their website so the pre-order is still on. You can find it here: https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/qudelix-5k-dac-amp


----------



## butch111

ES9218P SABRE ......i am out


----------



## meddio (Jun 1, 2020)

superuser1 said:


> $20 to India... why oh why... express shipping only attracts more customs duty!!


$30 to Ukraine. It is twice cheaper to ship it to US (zone 1) and then forward it to Ukraine (zone 4) than to use their express shipping. WHY indeed.
I'll probably wait for some reviews (in comparison to ES100) before buying a "cat in a bag" and dealing with this shipping method.

Qudelix Shipping Policy


----------



## C_Lindbergh

meddio said:


> $30 to Ukraine. It is twice cheaper to ship it to US (zone 1) and then forward it to Ukraine (zone 4) than to use their express shipping. WHY indeed.
> I'll probably wait for some reviews (in comparison to ES100) before buying a "cat in a bag" and dealing with this shipping method.
> 
> Qudelix Shipping Policy



If you're in no rush I'm sure they will launch it on Amazon in a few months.


----------



## The Madhouse

butch111 said:


> ES9218P SABRE ......i am out


Why?


----------



## Marco Angel

I jus preorder one to Mexico, lets se when it arrives how the hype holds against itself and a little comparison vs the ES100 (with SE846)


----------



## TK33

Just ordered one as well!


----------



## butch111

The Madhouse said:


> Why?



They promised an AK DAC....I had several Sabre and AK Dac/ -Amps....Very expensive ones (1k+)...No Sabre makes me happy....dont want one more...why did they change to Sabre (


----------



## C_Lindbergh

butch111 said:


> They promised an AK DAC....I had several Sabre and AK Dac/ -Amps....Very expensive ones (1k+)...No Sabre makes me happy....dont want one more...why did they change to Sabre (


I believe mostly cause of the increased battery life.


----------



## Marco Angel

butch111 said:


> They promised an AK DAC....I had several Sabre and AK Dac/ -Amps....Very expensive ones (1k+)...No Sabre makes me happy....dont want one more...why did they change to Sabre (


Which devices with sabre you had?
I have only Sabre reference series in my stereo preamp, and its a bliss in detail, microdinamics and holographic "sense" (hybrid with tubes). 

cant say by myself but i have heard that its all about the implementation.


----------



## butch111

Marco Angel said:


> Which devices with sabre you had?
> I have only Sabre reference series in my stereo preamp, and its a bliss in detail, microdinamics and holographic "sense" (hybrid with tubes).
> 
> cant say by myself but i have heard that its all about the implementation.



The balanced (XLR) ones: Oppo HA1, Audio Gd NFB28.38 , ....on the other side several others with AK...best was ADI2DAC....sabre had alway sharp&harsh highs


----------



## The Madhouse (Jun 1, 2020)

My only comparison in this level is going to be btr5(DAC: ES9218PC) so i'm curious. And like always in thé hype train market below 150€ i jumped on this again.... :-D 
*Edit* 
After looking around thé btr5 and 5K use the same dac chips? That's going to be verry interesting to hear both of them and comparing thé use of thé same dac on a different pcb


----------



## MisterMudd

DBaldock9 said:


> I'm using my BTR5 as a 192-KHz USB DAC with a Win10 PC, and it sounds good.


You are the MAN @DBaldock9! I have been seeing you here for several years in various threads and you always have that timely input. I just wanted you to know how much I really appreciate that. Truly. Always nice, stating just the facts or your sincere opinion,and no bickering whatsoever. My compliments and hat off to you brother. May you long contribute.


----------



## alex5908

butch111 said:


> ES9218P SABRE ......i am out


I've had ES9038Q2M in Vivo Xplay 6 music phone. It sounds better than most of my DAPs.


----------



## Marco Angel

does anybody knows if the app have been released? didnt find it in the play store =/


----------



## Slater

What’s wrong with the Sabre ES9218P?

Same DAC used in LG V30 and V40.

I don’t see what the big deal is here...maybe someone could explain the big crisis to me.


----------



## jasonb

Slater said:


> What’s wrong with the Sabre ES9218P?
> 
> Same DAC used in LG V30 and V40.
> 
> I don’t see what the big deal is here...maybe someone could explain the big crisis to me.



Some people don't like Sabre chips I guess. I've had good luck with them in at least 3 devices that I know of. Had no issues with other brands of DAC chips either though myself.


----------



## koven

Would like to see comparison to Lotoo S1.


----------



## jsmiller58

koven said:


> Would like to see comparison to Lotoo S1.


When my 5K arrives I will do a quick compare.


----------



## rkw (Jun 1, 2020)

Marco Angel said:


> does anybody knows if the app have been released? didnt find it in the play store =/


They probably won't release the app until they have a chance to test it with an actual production Qudelix 5K from the factory. There are often unexpected differences between production units and engineering prototypes.


----------



## alex5908

Slater said:


> What’s wrong with the Sabre ES9218P?


I think it the best choice as far the mobility and lacking decent highs in BT are concerned for K5.
Could anybody remind me about the prospects/terms? June 10th- starting the production and June 20th- sending K5 out, right?


----------



## alex5908

jsmiller58 said:


> Why not wait for reviews to come out, or better yet unit is available to purchase on a platform with a generous return policy?


I even didn't pay any attention to a return policy. What is that? No return?


----------



## jsmiller58

alex5908 said:


> I even didn't pay any attention to a return policy. What is that? No return?


Some online sellers give you several weeks to return an item for a full refund.  If the seller is located in your country that can make the process seamless.  Overall this would reduce the risk of a purchase you will be disappointed in. Just a thought in case you are intrigued by the 5K, but worry it will not suit your preferences.


----------



## alex5908

jsmiller58 said:


> Just a thought in case you are intrigued by the 5K


I am not just intrigued. I've already paid the money for it.


----------



## Cevisi

Infoseeker said:


> Should I buy a second for car aux use...


I think its worth i used my es 100 more for car aux then for headphones. These days i use the q5s for car aux


----------



## jsmiller58

alex5908 said:


> I am not just intrigued. I've already paid the money for it.


OK, sorry, I misunderstood your posts.  My mistake.

I am in as well.  Will be good to compare to the BTR5, es100, and HiBy W5 and W3.


----------



## darmanastartes

arbiter76 said:


> wow.  so many eager to pay already.  did anybody notice the intrusive software features on description.  it is obvious the guy left becuase he is a control freak and is passing it on to you.


It would help if you identified exactly what you have a problem with instead of making vague claims.


----------



## Marco Angel

alex5908 said:


> I am not just intrigued. I've already paid the money for it.


Me too, coming from the Es100, and looking how open they are in the specs (just look at their updated webpage), i just paid trusting for the better. no regrets yet


----------



## AxelCloris

We've removed a few posts that was going off-topic, getting personal, and/or getting political from the thread. Thank you to everyone who helped keep the thread on-track. We appreciate it.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

Has someone been able to measure it yet?


----------



## The Madhouse

As far as i know there aren't even working preview/review samples. So i guess no. 
And qudelix isn't a real fan of measuring if i read this thread Well. They are more of ''hearing is believing'' 
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/asr-measurements-10545281


----------



## monsieurfromag3

The Madhouse said:


> As far as i know there aren't even working preview/review samples. So i guess no.
> And qudelix isn't a real fan of measuring if i read this thread Well. They are more of ''hearing is believing''
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/asr-measurements-10545281


Very interesting, this exchange you linked to. “Responsive and dynamic”, like a “sports car”. Versus the ES100, a “silky Sedan”. As someone who grew to like the ES100 less and less because of its softness and veiled delivery, I like reading this. Maybe the 5K will turn out horrible, but with 2x the DAC inside my V30 that I already prefer to a Mojo, and twice the power on tap, this thing may well run rings around some well-received DAPs.


----------



## The Madhouse

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Very interesting, this exchange you linked to. “Responsive and dynamic”, like a “sports car”. Versus the ES100, a “silky Sedan”. As someone who grew to like the ES100 less and less because of its softness and veiled delivery, I like reading this. Maybe the 5K will turn out horrible, but with 2x the DAC inside my V30 that I already prefer to a Mojo, and twice the power on tap, this thing may well run rings around some well-received DAPs.


I'm also verry curious to hear this thing because i own a btr5 and it's frankly thé same device, but from another seller. So just to hear what is possible if somebody Else is behind thé dials is making me wishing we where already 3-4 weeks further. Time Will Tell if it's a real sportscar (let's say new Honda NSX) or a new supercar(let's say a new Lamborghini ) of just a freaky funny hot hatch( Ford focus RS? ) and to see where my beloved btr5 ends up .... Because now my btr5 is thé best portable device i own and use.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

The Madhouse said:


> As far as i know there aren't even working preview/review samples. So i guess no.
> And qudelix isn't a real fan of measuring if i read this thread Well. They are more of ''hearing is believing''
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/asr-measurements-10545281


Well, if the measurements is good, why not send it to ASR? It will prob give a nice sales boost if the product measures well( as it should). Sounds a little strange to me, so im not buying before i see a really good review with measurements!


----------



## jsmiller58

W1ll1eTheP1mp said:


> Well, if the measurements is good, why not send it to ASR? It will prob give a nice sales boost if the product measures well( as it should). Sounds a little strange to me, so im not buying before i see a really good review with measurements!


While probably true, my guess - unfounded - is that they have a pretty significant pent up demand simply from es100 fans and their word of mouth and like most small companies they may be limited on the supply / manufacturing side...  ASR measurement would be great, but not necessarily going to drive too much incremental revenue...  but maybe!


----------



## AlwaysForward

Meh, it’s good marketing to set aside 5+ units to generate PR. It’s basically an investment to drive future sales.


----------



## ClieOS

The Madhouse said:


> I'm also verry curious to hear this thing because i own a btr5 and it's frankly thé same device, but from another seller. So just to hear what is possible if somebody Else is behind thé dials is making me wishing we where already 3-4 weeks further. Time Will Tell if it's a real sportscar (let's say new Honda NSX) or a new supercar(let's say a new Lamborghini ) of just a freaky funny hot hatch( Ford focus RS? ) and to see where my beloved btr5 ends up .... Because now my btr5 is thé best portable device i own and use.



Having used one of the same chip (out of many other different chips used) is probably not going to result in a "same device" situation. There are much more to a BT adapter than just a DAC/amp chip. Otherwise Shanling UP4 will be the 'same device' as BTR5, which it is not as I have verified it by both my ears and my measurement gears,



W1ll1eTheP1mp said:


> Well, if the measurements is good, why not send it to ASR? It will prob give a nice sales boost if the product measures well( as it should). Sounds a little strange to me, so im not buying before i see a really good review with measurements!



Some companies do have policy that they will not send out sample, and it shouldn't be counted against them. It isn't costing an arm and a leg so Amirm (or any one from ASR) can certainly afford to get one if it is of interest of any of them. In fact, many here in the forum are capable of doing decent measurement as well - might not be as accurate as an AP, but good enough to tell a good BT adapter from a bad one. I know I/ll probably do some measurement myself, as I did will most of my gears.


----------



## IEManiac

ClieOS said:


> Having used one of the same chip (out of many other different chips used) is probably not going to result in a "same device" situation. There are much more to a BT adapter than just a DAC/amp chip. Otherwise Shanling UP4 will be the 'same device' as BTR5, which it is not as I have verified it by both my ears and my measurement gears,
> 
> 
> 
> Some companies do have policy that they will not send out sample, and it shouldn't be counted against them. It isn't costing an arm and a leg so Amirm (or any one from ASR) can certainly afford to get one if it is of interest of any of them. In fact, many here in the forum are capable of doing decent measurement as well - might not be as accurate as an AP, but good enough to tell a good BT adapter from a bad one. I know I/ll probably do some measurement myself, as I did will most of my gears.


Always the apologist. That is not what Qudelix said in the reply on their blog. They did not say it is policy. They said they wanted to build a following based on subjective (and we know how unreliable and probe to hype those can be) opinions. It should be standard for all companies to test and provide the test results. What's worse, you are suggesting now that the burden of showing test results in on ASR and buyers. Disgraceful showing there.


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 5, 2020)

IEManiac said:


> Always the apologist. That is not what Qudelix said in the reply on their blog. They did not say it is policy. They said they wanted to build a following based on subjective (and we know how unreliable and probe to hype those can be) opinions. It should be standard for all companies to test and provide the test results. What's worse, you are suggesting now that the burden of showing test results in on ASR and buyers. Disgraceful showing there.



I am not against companies that are willing to publish AP measurement result, but the truth is not many do - and do that ever stop anyone on Head-fi or elsewhere from publishing measurement, be it good or bad? Not really. Shanling never publish any measurement as well - and I called them out on UP4's bad measurement and they responded with a firmware fix. ASR did the same on Schiit, which seems to have an positive influence on their subsequent products. Companies that are not willing to publish their measurement run the risk of being call-out and humiliated by others that will damage their reputation. BUT companies that do publish measurement can also cheat - when Light Harmonic first published their Geek measurement (against a few of their competitors), they rigged the test so their number looked better than the others. It was later found out, but LH never did apologize for their action. So what do we learned? Companies publishing measurement is great and should be encouraged, but it shouldn't be treated as an absolute fact. The great thing about ASR and other who are willing to carry out independent measurement is that they keep companies honest, but it doesn't in anyway means companies that do not publish measurement must be dishonest. It will be truly disgraceful to think otherwise.


----------



## darmanastartes

Anyone want to speculate when it will appear on Amazon?


----------



## rkw

darmanastartes said:


> Anyone want to speculate when it will appear on Amazon?


This is what Qudelix said a few days ago:
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/will-there-be-an-amazon-store-10544702
It will depend on having enough in stock to offer on Amazon.


----------



## AlwaysForward

Crap. From the forum post this may not be the best performance. Oh well. If it’s a step up from the ES100 with true 10 band parametric eq in that form factor, it’s absolutely worth the price of admission.


----------



## The Madhouse (Jun 5, 2020)

From what i understand from it is it's going to measure not so good, but sound better then competition? We Will have to find out when we get it.... 

*Edit* and then i read this and start to think i jumped on this hype train way to soon? 
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/qudelix-support-team-10562428


----------



## mr.karmalicious

pretty funny that people with enough money to toss at this sight unseen/sound unmeasured are losing their shіt because they don't understand that language translation isn't 1:1 🥴


----------



## FRZFLX

Also pre-ordered. Can’t wait to play around with PEQ and the ghost ground mode. Any recommendations for good adaptors? 2.5 to 3.5?


----------



## The Madhouse

FRZFLX said:


> Also pre-ordered. Can’t wait to play around with PEQ and the ghost ground mode. Any recommendations for good adaptors? 2.5 to 3.5?


Why would you need and adapter? Isn't it possible to buy a ''good'' 2.5mm balanced cable?( I have them for qdc, 2pin-both versions-, hd650....)


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## hkpants (Jun 6, 2020)

FRZFLX said:


> Also pre-ordered. Can’t wait to play around with PEQ and the ghost ground mode. Any recommendations for good adaptors? 2.5 to 3.5?



You can't adapt 2.5 female to 3.5 male, that would damage your equipment.

Edited for Clarification.


----------



## Slater

hkpants said:


> You can't adapt 2.5 to 3.5, that would damage your equipment.



It’s the other way around


----------



## hkpants

Slater said:


> It’s the other way around


I'm re-reading the original comment and now I'm not sure if they are trying to put convert from 2.5 ->3.5 or 3.5->2.5. So just to clear it up:

2.5 male can go into 3.5 female with an adaptor, but 3.5 male can't go into a 2.5 female with an adaptor.


----------



## jsmiller58

hkpants said:


> I'm re-reading the original comment and now I'm not sure if they are trying to put convert from 2.5 ->3.5 or 3.5->2.5. So just to clear it up:
> 
> 2.5 male can go into 3.5 female with an adaptor, but 3.5 male can't go into a 2.5 female with an adaptor.


thats how I’ve always seen it done


----------



## FRZFLX

jsmiller58 said:


> thats how I’ve always seen it done


Correct meant 2.5 male to 3.5 female


----------



## FRZFLX (Jun 6, 2020)

The Madhouse said:


> Why would you need and adapter? Isn't it possible to buy a ''good'' 2.5mm balanced cable?( I have them for qdc, 2pin-both versions-, hd650....)


Dont have a lot of balanced cables. Especially not for my mmcx iems. I reckoned the adaptor would be cheap(er) and worth a try with the ghost ground mode.


----------



## The Madhouse (Jun 6, 2020)

FRZFLX said:


> Dont have a lot of balanced cables. Especially not for my mmcx iems. I reckoned the adaptor would be cheap(er) and worth a try with the ghost ground mode.


My experience with thé Btr5 is that you Will deffenitly want to hear thé 2.5mm balanced out, thé difference between 3.5single ended and 2.5mm balanced is a lot more than just more power ( from 2 to 4 volts?) On thé Btr5 it just sounds much more Fun, in my ears worth thé cost of a cable ( i bought mine on linsoul, not thé cheapest but worth every euro in my opinion) but it's up to you if you want to spend some more money on a cable. I come from pretty expensive desktop gear so thé prices for portable chi-fi is something i don't real think about. And again this is MY opinion, and on thé Btr5, i presume thé effect Will be thé same on 5K because it also use dual dac on balanced out. 

** Edit** just read thé piece about thé ''ghost'' ground on thé website, seems verry weird to me, i still want to hear it, only i'm not shure about thé 2.5male to 3.5female adapter, i was always thinking that you would damage your gear with this, because you are putting bal -R and bal -L toghetter.... But i have to look it up some more.


----------



## FRZFLX

The Madhouse said:


> My experience with thé Btr5 is that you Will deffenitly want to hear thé 2.5mm balanced out, thé difference between 3.5single ended and 2.5mm balanced is a lot more than just more power ( from 2 to 4 volts?) On thé Btr5 it just sounds much more Fun, in my ears worth thé cost of a cable ( i bought mine on linsoul, not thé cheapest but worth every euro in my opinion) but it's up to you if you want to spend some more money on a cable. I come from pretty expensive desktop gear so thé prices for portable chi-fi is something i don't real think about. And again this is MY opinion, and on thé Btr5, i presume thé effect Will be thé same on 5K because it also use dual dac on balanced out.
> 
> ** Edit** just read thé piece about thé ''ghost'' ground on thé website, seems verry weird to me, i still want to hear it, only i'm not shure about thé 2.5male to 3.5female adapter, i was always thinking that you would damage your gear with this, because you are putting bal -R and bal -L toghetter.... But i have to look it up some more.



If I understand that piece correctly you get the benefits of balanced on the 3.5 output without the added power. Have some sensitives iems so don’t really need the added power. Also not sure if the btr5 has a mode like this. Def worth a try if I understand it correctly.


----------



## DBaldock9

To connect a Single-Ended load to a Balanced output, you can add series resistors between the (R-) and (L-) outputs - to keep them from being shorted together.
You'd size them to limit the current, based on the maximum voltage swing and output current of the amplifier channels.


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 6, 2020)

There is already a working single-ended 3.5mm output on 5K, so it is kinda a moot point.

The whole "ghost ground" concept on turning 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm single-ended via adapter really doesn't make much sense to me - they talked about it removes common mode noise, but is it bad (*audible?) enough that it needs to be removed in the first place? The main benifit of balanced output on portable devices, to me, is more about faster slew rate and better channels separation (*and sometime higher output power, but not always), and none is provided by this ghost ground. Seems to me it is trying to fix a problem that isn't there.


----------



## FRZFLX

Just asked the support team if there are any benefits to the of ghost ground other than removal of common mode noise. They replied in a matter of minutes.

@FRZFLX:Thank you for your inquiry.In the first place, 5K automatically protects and shutdowns the DAC if any short-circuit or current rush detected. Please don't worry about the system breakdown.As you can see in the diagram, the Four-Channel DAC/AMP output goes to 3-pin L, R, and common GND. Two channels of the output are combined and tied to the audio jack common GND. They run in the same condition as usual, but just output zeros always.Since both channels output the identical signal, we can make them tied and short together without any electrical issue.They are safe, and even if an issue, they are protected preemptively.Many earphones, headphones, and receiver amp have no MMCX detachable cable or XLR Balanced Input. For those UNBALANCED receivers, Ghost Ground Mode could offer some advantage of Balanced Interface. Being free from Ground gives us many things.Also, Ghost Ground mode works with four amplifiers, which are all current-sources. We can quickly get more current from two more current-sources. They help the AMPs to deliver the best performance.For any preamp use case, when matching a preamp to a power amp, It can save you out of the Ground Loop problem.5K can map each channel by software. In terms of pin-map or pin-out, any 4-pin 2.5mm Male to 3.5mm Female adapter would work fine.Thank you!

https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/ghost-ground-mode-10565172?pid=1311764210&random=48327


----------



## ClieOS

FRZFLX said:


> Just asked the support team if there are any benefits to the of ghost ground other than removal of common mode noise. They replied in a matter of minutes.
> 
> @FRZFLX:Thank you for your inquiry.In the first place, 5K automatically protects and shutdowns the DAC if any short-circuit or current rush detected. Please don't worry about the system breakdown.As you can see in the diagram, the Four-Channel DAC/AMP output goes to 3-pin L, R, and common GND. Two channels of the output are combined and tied to the audio jack common GND. They run in the same condition as usual, but just output zeros always.Since both channels output the identical signal, we can make them tied and short together without any electrical issue.They are safe, and even if an issue, they are protected preemptively.Many earphones, headphones, and receiver amp have no MMCX detachable cable or XLR Balanced Input. For those UNBALANCED receivers, Ghost Ground Mode could offer some advantage of Balanced Interface. Being free from Ground gives us many things.Also, Ghost Ground mode works with four amplifiers, which are all current-sources. We can quickly get more current from two more current-sources. They help the AMPs to deliver the best performance.For any preamp use case, when matching a preamp to a power amp, It can save you out of the Ground Loop problem.5K can map each channel by software. In terms of pin-map or pin-out, any 4-pin 2.5mm Male to 3.5mm Female adapter would work fine.Thank you!
> 
> https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/ghost-ground-mode-10565172?pid=1311764210&random=48327



The explanation about ground loop is understandable, though group loop can also be avoided using other methods and it is more or less an issue for desktop-only situation.

The part about getting more current output confused me. The two channels in ghost ground will be in zero volt, and I am not sure how can they get any current out of zero volt.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Ah so this is not like some Shanling units which, if I got it correctly, activate both DAC chips in a hybrid balanced/s-e mode (probably useless). I have no understanding of the purpose on the 5K.


----------



## ClieOS

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Ah so this is not like some Shanling units which, if I got it correctly, activate both DAC chips in a hybrid balanced/s-e mode (probably useless). I have no understanding of the purpose on the 5K.



It will use single DAC/amp chip when using 3.5mm single-ended output, and dual DAC/amp chips when using 2.5mm balanced output (plus ghost ground mode for a hybrid-like single-ended output from the 2.5mm, if you really wanted to).

Shanling UP4 also use dual DAC/amp chips in balanced output, but you can select either one or two DAC/amp chip for single-ended output.

BTR5 on the other hand uses one DAC/amp chip for single-ended, and dual DAC/amp chips fr balanced.

In a way, 5K's design is knida taking the middle way between BTR5 and UP4.


----------



## The Madhouse

Is it even possible on devices like this( btr5, es100, K5,....) To use both outputs at thé same time? So plug in a 2.5 and 3.5 iem?


----------



## FRZFLX (Jun 7, 2020)

The Madhouse said:


> Is it even possible on devices like this( btr5, es100, K5,....) To use both outputs at thé same time? So plug in a 2.5 and 3.5 iem?


I have the ES100 and that one def cannot use both outputs simultaneously.


----------



## The Madhouse

Can i damage something when i try it on my btr5?


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 7, 2020)

The Madhouse said:


> Can i damage something when i try it on my btr5?



You won't damage BTR5 as one output will be disable automatically when another is plugged in. In this case, the 3.5mm socket will take priority over the 2.5mm socket.

On 5K, the two sockets are placed so closed that you can't physically plug two of them in at the same time, which is quite a smart  design


----------



## FRZFLX

ClieOS said:


> The part about getting more current output confused me. The two channels in ghost ground will be in zero volt, and I am not sure how can they get any current out of zero volt.



Some more explanation on the zero output from qudelix support:

To explain in another way.3.5mm (2ch DAC/AMP)L+, R+, Ground2.5mmm&nbsp;(4ch DAC/AMP)L+,L-,R+,R-Ghost Ground&nbsp;(4ch DAC/AMP)L+, Ghost Ground, R+, Ghost GroundIt's the same as the Balanced, but L-,R- output zeros always.Of course, the quality of the cable matters in term of sound quality.But it doesn't damage the DAC in all cases.Thank you!




https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/ghost-ground-mode-10565172?pid=1311769951&random=6767


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 7, 2020)

FRZFLX said:


> Some more explanation on the zero output from qudelix support:
> 
> To explain in another way.3.5mm (2ch DAC/AMP)L+, R+, Ground2.5mmm&nbsp;(4ch DAC/AMP)L+,L-,R+,R-Ghost Ground&nbsp;(4ch DAC/AMP)L+, Ghost Ground, R+, Ghost GroundIt's the same as the Balanced, but L-,R- output zeros always.Of course, the quality of the cable matters in term of sound quality.But it doesn't damage the DAC in all cases.Thank you!
> 
> https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/ghost-ground-mode-10565172?pid=1311769951&random=6767



The issue that confused me is not which channels are acting as which, but zero voltage = zero current, so ghost ground shouldn't provide any current at all. On top of that, the flow of current should have gone from Left+ and Right- to ghost ground (*from higher to lower voltage), so ghost ground is going to be the current sink. But if ghost ground can output current somehow, it will be the source - that means it is both a sink and a source at the same time, which seems impossible, at least to me. This is not the same as when they are used as balanced output, as when one side is pushing (sourcing) where the other side is pulling (sinking) while switching rapidly depends on the music signal.  With zero volt, ghost ground should only be sinking and not sourcing - I am not saying this won't work, just that it shouldn't be any extra current even if 4 channels are involved than it is 2 channels. Maybe somehow it can - I am not an electrical engineer so I could be wrong here.

Anyway, this won't really matter much to me besides as a technical discussion since I don't really have much use of ghost ground. I already have a decent desktop DAC/amp with bluetooth and LDAC, so I don't need to use 5K as desktop receiver nor face any possible common mode noise issue. Ghost ground will be like the bonus feature that I'll never use. As long as the normal single-ended and balanced output are as good as I hope they will be, I am all good.


----------



## LogicalPhallusy (Jun 10, 2020)

[deleted]


----------



## bobsi

they missed phonenumbers and send emails. they start to shipping soon...

https://qudelix.discussion.communit...ne-number-action-required-10568980?trail=15#1

Dear all customers,

We found the phone number missing in many orders.
An active phone number is required for shipping and customs.
The shipping can't be made unless otherwise.
Please provide your phone number to support@qudelix.com

Shipping is soon to be started. Please hurry up.

Best Regards,
Qudelix Team


----------



## Infoseeker

I got the same phone number email. 

Does that mean it was an accidental email?


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

IEManiac said:


> Always the apologist. That is not what Qudelix said in the reply on their blog. They did not say it is policy. They said they wanted to build a following based on subjective (and we know how unreliable and probe to hype those can be) opinions. It should be standard for all companies to test and provide the test results. What's worse, you are suggesting now that the burden of showing test results in on ASR and buyers. Disgraceful showing there.



Exactly what i meant to say with my post=)


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Infoseeker said:


> I got the same phone number email.
> 
> Does that mean it was an accidental email?


If you only got the general e-mail, and on your order page the phone number is filled in, you're good. Mine was not filled in and I received a direct e-mail from Qudelix support this morning requesting it.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

ClieOS said:


> Having used one of the same chip (out of many other different chips used) is probably not going to result in a "same device" situation. There are much more to a BT adapter than just a DAC/amp chip. Otherwise Shanling UP4 will be the 'same device' as BTR5, which it is not as I have verified it by both my ears and my measurement gears,
> 
> 
> 
> Some companies do have policy that they will not send out sample, and it shouldn't be counted against them. It isn't costing an arm and a leg so Amirm (or any one from ASR) can certainly afford to get one if it is of interest of any of them. In fact, many here in the forum are capable of doing decent measurement as well - might not be as accurate as an AP, but good enough to tell a good BT adapter from a bad one. I know I/ll probably do some measurement myself, as I did will most of my gears.



It is not the cost that was my point at all. My point was that the company should bring on with measurements before they release it, so us customer's know what we will get. It is just so weird and wrong when a company rather want to create a following based on hype than to stand proudly behind their own product and verify/ give us measurement/numbers. And that its very important to us audiogeeks also. 

To say it simple: If they have a good competetive product, why not publish the facts about it? If it is good, THEN the word to mouth( as they said they wanted) will spread fast . 

When they dont want to do that, i immediately think that they have something to hide and want to sell as much as possible before release.

We as customers should do what we can to push the companies to make BETTER audio equipment back by numbers/ measurements. There is alot of bogus in the audiomarket and very expensive stuff has been measured to be very bad.  Very bad! 

Personally i really hope the 5K Qudelix is very good and starts a competion with shanling and fiio about market shares. That would be awesome!


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 11, 2020)

W1ll1eTheP1mp said:


> It is not the cost that was my point at all. My point was that the company should bring on with measurements before they release it, so us customer's know what we will get. It is just so weird and wrong when a company rather want to create a following based on hype than to stand proudly behind their own product and verify/ give us measurement/numbers. And that its very important to us audiogeeks also.
> 
> To say it simple: If they have a good competetive product, why not publish the facts about it? If it is good, THEN the word to mouth( as they said they wanted) will spread fast .
> 
> ...



Again, remember the LH Geek hype-train a few years ago that purely based on how LH marketed / hyped up the Geek by publishing exceptional number that come from fake test. A lot of company published measurement in spec that are completely not up to real world measured result, because they are quoting chips spec as 'real spec' or simply not measuring under standard/fair condition. The question is not just whether companies should publish measurement (*which I think they should), but also to hold them accountable to their published result (*which unfortunately many customer don't care). More so, if a company is willing to lie to their customer about measurement result, do you think you will trust them to send a completely untampered sample to a third party for measurement? My point is, while publishing measurement is nice at all, I won't take it as it is, especially coming from the manufacturer. A&K, for an example, often publishes super-nice spec about their DAP, but "forget" to mention that most of the testes were done in unloaded condition and therefore the result doesn't reflect actual real life performance. That is more evil than not telling people any spec at all. That's the kind of hype-train that are more worrisome when manufacturer is bending number to suit their need. As far as I can tell, at least Qudelix hasn't tried to make any magical claim yet, and I am just not willing to find them guilty of poor quality until they are proven innocent.


----------



## The Madhouse

And why do they need phone numbers? Paid with paypall but they say they need it to send me thé item? I'm confused and afrai this is not legit anymore


----------



## ClieOS

The Madhouse said:


> And why do they need phone numbers? Paid with paypall but they say they need it to send me thé item? I'm confused and afrai this is not legit anymore


Probably for custom clearance. If the item gets stuck in custom and need to pay import tax, shipping company will need to contact you directly to arrange for payment. At least that's what DHL did last time my package was stuck at custom.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Jun 11, 2020)

MY OPINION on the last couple of topics trending...

Phone numbers - I have had many companies request this for shipping.  Your phone number is probably readily available online so if this were a nefarious actor they probably can easily find it.  I dont think you have much to worry about.

Test results - buy based on what you have seen or heard, don’t buy based on what you haven’t seen or heard.  Completely your choice, so choose based on your comfort level.  I tend to be a risk taker so I bought the 5K (and many other items) with minimal details.  In general I recommend that most people wait until numerous reviews (objective or subjective, whatever you trust most) are out so you have a better idea of what you are getting, and a product is already in stock so you are not frustrated by the inevitable launch delays.  It’s OK not to be first in line, and usually safer.


----------



## TK33

Infoseeker said:


> I got the same phone number email.
> 
> Does that mean it was an accidental email?


I saw the post last night and emailed them. I then received the same email posted above and emailed them again and they confirmed they have updated my phone number. I would email them just in case.


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Jun 11, 2020)

The Madhouse said:


> And why do they need phone numbers? Paid with paypall but they say they need it to send me thé item? I'm confused and afrai this is not legit anymore


Quoted from their e-mail to me received this morning:
“Active phone number is required for the shipping and customs, the shipping can't be made unless otherwise.” (_sic_)
If anything the very fact they ask proves this is legit, scammers don’t care if your imaginary parcel passes customs.

edit: I am healthily suspicious as a rule but there is nothing with Qudelix that even remotely qualifies as a red flag for me. There was the too long time when they stopped communicating altogether and I was afraid they!d shut down, but it now appears that was just a bit of naive community management while they were full-on trying to get the 5K out the door - and they afforded that lapse because they had taken no preorders at the time, so no one had to be reassured their money hadn't vanished. That last point, the fact that they only took pre-orders when they were a couple of weeks from shipping the 5K and didn’t look for funding on Indiegogo etc, is also a classy move on their part and proof of their good faith.

In addition there is the well-known pedigree of the company’s founder, the same guy behind the successful ES100 (the Paypal invoice when you buy the 5K bears wslee’s e-mail). From his past communications on this forum he is known for his openness to customer suggestions and straightforward demeanor. An attitude that I feel has carried over to Qudelix and this project.

All in all if this was a financial investment I’d say the risk factor is around 2 out of 7.


----------



## charlescc2

So glad this is finally happening and can't wait to start reading feedback on the device!


----------



## mr.karmalicious

Ghost Ground Go Bye-Bye


----------



## ClieOS

Just saw this: https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/ghost-ground-10569325?pid=1311800721



> Dear All Pre-Oder Campaign supporters,
> 
> Last weekend, five days ago, we announced the Ghost Ground in public in the middle of the pre-order campaign.
> We apologize that we decided to drop the Ghost Ground out of the 5K feature list.
> ...


----------



## B_Rich

ClieOS said:


> Just saw this: https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/ghost-ground-10569325?pid=1311800721



Forgive the lack of knowledge, but what was the Ghost Ground feature?


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 11, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> Forgive the lack of knowledge, but what was the Ghost Ground feature?



I kinda go through the it on last 2 pages of this thread so you can read it back if wanted, but basic idea is to force (via software) the 2.5mm balanced output onto outputting single-ended signal, which then you can use an adapter cable to get it out of the 5K. Supposedly it should have better performance than the normal 3.5mm single-ended on the 5K (especially in desktop-only application), but I guess they never quite get the bug ironed out and therefore decided to drop it.


----------



## B_Rich

ClieOS said:


> I kinda go through the it on last 2 pages of this thread so you can read it back if wanted, but basic idea is to force (via software) the 2.5mm balanced output onto outputting single-ended signal, which then you can use an adapter cable to get it out of the 5K. Supposedly it should have better performance than the normal 3.5mm single-ended on the 5K, but I guess they never quite get the bug ironed out and therefore decided to drop it.



Oh I see. I'll be using this with a regular 2.5mm balanced cable so this shouldn't affect me, correct?


----------



## ClieOS

B_Rich said:


> Oh I see. I'll be using this with a regular 2.5mm balanced cable so this shouldn't affect me, correct?



Yep, this shouldn't affect you.


----------



## jsmiller58

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Quoted from their e-mail to me received this morning:
> “Active phone number is required for the shipping and customs, the shipping can't be made unless otherwise.” (_sic_)
> If anything the very fact they ask proves this is legit, scammers don’t care if your imaginary parcel passes customs.
> 
> ...


Not challenging anyone’s concerns but I have to say on almost anything I have ever ordered I have had to put a phone number on the order.  Considering how easy it is to find most people’s phone numbers on line, it would not even cross my mind that it could be a problem.


----------



## bobsi (Jun 12, 2020)

i have answer from qudelix

„The shipping was originally planned 6/20.
We're slightly ahead of the schedule.
We'll ship the item 6/16.
It usually takes 2~4 days for the delivery, but there might be extra delay due to COVID-19.
We hope you can get the package around 6/22~6/26.“

i don‘t know the time at custom... hope easy


----------



## The Madhouse

jsmiller58 said:


> Not challenging anyone’s concerns but I have to say on almost anything I have ever ordered I have had to put a phone number on the order.  Considering how easy it is to find most people’s phone numbers on line, it would not even cross my mind that it could be a problem.


When i think about it, most online shops ask a phone number in there account, never had a phonecall but you are right. I really hope that K5 Will be a gem


----------



## boodi

risk factor ? lol . I comunicated 3 times with them via facebook , obiously politely.. always prompt answer :  reassuring , simple and confident . never thought about any kind of risk even remotely ( waiting apart )


----------



## monsieurfromag3

To avoid any tl;dr, I was too verbose before perhaps, but what I meant is that I very much trust Qudelix to deliver. At this point pretty much my only concern is the French post and their habit of leaving parcels out in bizarre places instead of a mailbox


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 14, 2020)

I'm really late to this, Anyone happen to know if there is a Desktop-Mode, when Connected via WIRED is draws power from the USB and not the Battery?

Any idea how much power(mW) it gives in balanced @ 22Ω ?


----------



## ClieOS

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> I'm really late to this, Anyone happen to know if there is a Desktop-Mode, when Connected via WIRED is draws power from the USB and not the Battery?
> 
> Any idea how much power(mW) it gives in balanced @ 22Ω ?



When it is USB powered, it will draw power from USB, not battery. It will charge the battery at the same time, but cut off charging once the battery is full.

It should be able to do 240mW into 32ohm, if I am reading the 5K spec right. So you can expect at around / at least 200mW into 22ohm, which is way more than enough for most cases.


----------



## rkw

For those still demanding measurements, Qudelix have posted this:
https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/asr-measurements-10545281?pid=1311816395&random=74791

Please check our internal measurement results.
The measurement performed at *45-ohm LOAD Impedance.*

Qudelix-5K USB DAC AP Measurement.pdf

The Bluetooth Receivers with ES9218p, UP4, BTR5, and 5K would show similar measurement results.
Again, as we mentioned in the first reply, we wouldn't say 5K provides the best or the worst figures among the above competitors.
Some are good, and some are not.
The results are close to each other, and they won't explain the absolute difference in the Sound Quality much.

We believe the users would experience some differences in the sound quality among those devices.
The market will prove it.

Thank you!​


----------



## ClieOS

Just got my tracking info.


----------



## jsmiller58

ClieOS said:


> Just got my tracking info.


Same here.


----------



## TK33

ClieOS said:


> Just got my tracking info.


Got my tracking info as well.


----------



## B_Rich

Got shipping notification this morning  I'll be doing an unboxing video and also a comparison to the ES100 & BTR5 eventuallly.


----------



## waynes world

ClieOS said:


> Just got my tracking info.



Looking forward to yours (and everyone's) impressions!


----------



## Yammy

Looking forward to hearing the reviews on wireless/bluetooth capability. I kinda regret buying the Plussound bluetooth cable when this DAC doesn't appear to be much larger than the Bluetooth module and has an added bonus of clipping to my shirt than just hanging off my ears. If someone could let me know if there is any whitenoise/hiss w/ IEMs (which is the biggest issue with the Plussound cable) and how the sound reproduction quality is via Bluetooth, I'd really appreciate it!


----------



## mr.karmalicious

No shipping info for me yet—I don't know if they're sequential, but can I ask what y'all's Order Numbers were? I think I wound up ordering about an hour after they went live, and had #1045.


----------



## B_Rich

mr.karmalicious said:


> No shipping info for me yet—I don't know if they're sequential, but can I ask what y'all's Order Numbers were? I think I wound up ordering about an hour after they went live, and had #1045.



My order number is higher than that, so you ordered before me. Looks like they aren't sequential, or maybe check your junk/spam folder?


----------



## TK33

My order # is higher as well. Perhaps it is based on region? I am in NY.


----------



## alex5908

I received a message from qudelix 5K last week reading they are going to start sending the orders out a little time before scheduled (i.e. June 20). Has anybody been sent one already?


----------



## rkw

alex5908 said:


> I received a message from qudelix 5K last week reading they are going to start sending the orders out a little time before scheduled (i.e. June 20). Has anybody been sent one already?


Read the last 25 posts.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

speaking of—mine came through . looks like they're just sending out the emails in ~real-time as they're printing labels.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 15, 2020)

oh wow, I placed my order Yesterday and its already shipped. I used Paypal express which seem to have label my name twice


----------



## Raketen (Jun 15, 2020)

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> oh wow, I placed my order Yesterday and its already shipped. I used Paypal express which seem to have label my name twice



Probably it wil lbe ok unless your name is something like 221B Bakerstreet


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 15, 2020)

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> oh wow, I placed my order Yesterday and its already shipped.


Lucky you! I was in the first hours of paying it out but no info for the moment. May be Canada is not in the priority.
P.S.
Got the number right now. It's 1118. So far no tracking info, though.


----------



## daijoubu86

Woke up to a tracking info, pleasantly surprised!

So far this company seems to be handling everything right. Self funded investment, pre-order to ship date that is extremely reasonable, overdelivered on that ship date, very engaging in the forums and email, and on top of it, proper knowledgeable replies to boot.

I sincerely root for them and hope the product kicks ass even if I'm just using the DAC to run my chifi IEMs that are priced 1/4 the Qudelix.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 15, 2020)

Does anybody know if the software is user friendly? I mean, can a user update it?
Is the problem with  the Ghost Ground  FW or SW related?


----------



## rkw

alex5908 said:


> Does anybody know if the software is user friendly?


I noticed the Qudelix app is now on the Apple App Store. Judge for yourself. Don't see it on Google Play Store yet.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/qudelix/id1515641059



alex5908 said:


> Is the problem with the Ghost Ground  FW or SW related?


If you don't use the weird cable adapter, it isn't a concern.


----------



## Slater

rkw said:


> I noticed the Qudelix app is now on the Apple App Store. Judge for yourself.



No custom EQ profiles? That could be a deal breaker for me


----------



## daijoubu86

Slater said:


> No custom EQ profiles? That could be a deal breaker for me


I recall it was mentioned in the forum that you have 10 profiles for GEQ, and PEQ will come late July.
They seem to mention that the app is still a work in progress and features will be added in stages.


----------



## DBaldock9

Slightly off-topic - but, when looking at this thread on my phone, and scrolling to the bottom of the screen - I see a nice colorful ad for the FiiO BTR5...


----------



## Infoseeker (Jun 15, 2020)

DBaldock9 said:


> Slightly off-topic - but, when looking at this thread on my phone, and scrolling to the bottom of the screen - I see a nice colorful ad for the FiiO BTR5...



If you need Aptx-LL the btr5 got you covered.

The newer Adaptive aptx is on the Qudelix; it is still a slow maturing tech.

Only important for gamers. (both are good enough for videos and music)


----------



## greyforest

seems like the oversampling feature from es100 is removed


----------



## rkw

daijoubu86 said:


> They seem to mention that the app is still a work in progress and features will be added in stages.


The app looks very unfinished to me. I think they have a long way to go.



greyforest said:


> seems like the oversampling feature from es100 is removed


How can they "remove" anything? This is a new startup company and they are starting from scratch. They cannot use anything that was proprietary to Radsone.


----------



## Infoseeker (Jun 15, 2020)

rkw said:


> The app looks very unfinished to me. I think they have a long way to go.
> 
> 
> How can they "remove" anything? This is a new startup company and they are starting from scratch. They cannot use anything that was proprietary to Radsone.



This Qudelix is made by the maker of the Radsone. Unless the old company has some patents holding back development.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

If anything, Qudelix need to be extra cautious, You don't want to deal w/ legal issue as a new startup company.  I don't think Radsone is doing so hot with their recent product.


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> Does anybody know if the software is user friendly? I mean, can a user update it?
> Is the problem with  the Ghost Ground  FW or SW related?



We still at a very early stage of 5K, so don't expect it too be completely smooth sailing at the first few month. Don't forget that even as good as ES100's app is for now, it took a while for Radsone to bug fix it as well.

As for ghost ground, I don't think it is a software issue. Likely it is just not delivering as good as performance as Qudelix initially thought and thus including it becomes not worthing the trouble.


----------



## greyforest

Os


rkw said:


> The app looks very unfinished to me. I think they have a long way to go.
> 
> 
> How can they "remove" anything? This is a new startup company and they are starting from scratch. They cannot use anything that was proprietary to Radsone.



The over sampling function comes with dac rather than software,may be 9218 don’t have that.


----------



## ClieOS

greyforest said:


> Os
> 
> The over sampling function comes with dac rather than software,may be 9218 don’t have that.



Actually it is software controlled and can be enabled later on. As long as the DAC chip itself can do anything beyond 16/48, it can oversample.


----------



## CharlesRievone

Joining in on the 5K-Club. 

Received my tracking number yesterday. Hopefully shipments don't get too delayed.
I still have my 2-year old ES100 in the meantime, at least. 

Qudelix seems to be really doing a great job so far. One of the few companies I feel like I could trust.


----------



## bobsi (Jun 16, 2020)

my 5k is comeing


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Same here, transit is so fast I had a text from Fedex announcing delivery tomorrow before I even saw the shipping notification e-mail from Qudelix.


----------



## Mouseman

Same here. Got the tracking number last night, it'll be here by FedEx tomorrow night. Fastest shipping I've seen in a long time.


----------



## zolom

On its way. Expected 21st.


----------



## waynes world

You all should try showing some excitement!


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 16, 2020)

Expected June 17. Anticipating with excitement.
No mails from qudelix about the delivery time, just from Fedex. Is anybody here from Canada, expecting the subj? I wonder how much Fedex will charge.


----------



## B_Rich

Do you guys have an actual FedEx tracking number? Mine starts with QSP and even 17track doesn't recognize it.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 16, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> Do you guys have an actual FedEx tracking number? Mine starts with QSP and even 17track doesn't recognize it.


That's just a Fedex tracking number, no?
Mine does not have letters, just numbers.

This one shows the tracking. Just try it. It tracks most of the couriers worldwide.
https://packageradar.com/


----------



## skaktuss

My number also has no letters. I should receive it on 06/19.

BTW android app has appeared.


----------



## B_Rich

alex5908 said:


> That's just a Fedex tracking number, no?
> Mine does not have letters, just numbers.
> 
> This one shows the tracking. Just try it. It tracks most of the couriers worldwide.
> https://packageradar.com/



Still no update but that's ok, should update by tomorrow hopefully.


----------



## greyforest

if lucky i will get' my hands on q5k within 10 hours from now, i will post a comparison between es100 q5k and oriolus 1795.


----------



## Xanasazi

I just bought a BTR3 less than a week ago and I was regretting not getting the BTR5. I didn't like the mic situation on the BTR3 or the software situation with Fiio in general so I'm thankful I randomly came across this Q5 dac yesterday and convinced myself to return the BTR3. I'm new to this type of stuff but I'm hoping I made the right decision ordering the Q5 over the BTR5. Hoping for some impressions from some of you guys today! ;D


----------



## waynes world

Xanasazi said:


> I just bought a BTR3 less than a week ago and I was regretting not getting the BTR5. I didn't like the mic situation on the BTR3 or the software situation with Fiio in general so I'm thankful I randomly came across this Q5 dac yesterday and convinced myself to return the BTR3. I'm new to this type of stuff but I'm hoping I made the right decision ordering the Q5 over the BTR5. Hoping for some impressions from some of you guys today! ;D



Did you really mean the BTR3? If so, why didn't you get the BTR3K instead?


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 16, 2020)

waynes world said:


> Did you really mean the BTR3? If so, why didn't you get the BTR3K instead?



Haha, because i'm ignorant about these things and I didn't know any better. I'm just learning about balanced and SE. I'm not even sure if my headphones(ath-ws1100is ) can support a balanced cable, they also seem very hard to find and or very expensive. I only found this forum/thread because I googled BTR5 vs Qudelix 5k ;D


----------



## smorgar

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qudelix.qudelix

Soon the wait is over. Supposed to get delivery of 3 units the day after tomorrow!!


----------



## waynes world

Xanasazi said:


> Haha, because i'm ignorant about these things and I didn't know any better. I'm just learning about balanced and SE. I'm not even sure if my headphones(ath-ws1100is ) can support a balanced cable, they also seem very hard to find and or very expensive. I only found this forum/thread because I googled BTR5 vs Qudelix 5k ;D



As soon as I step away from here for a while, I'm back to being ignorant and learning all over again myself lol. This thread of ClieOS's is quite handy. Apparently the BTR3K is an improvement over the BTR3 in most ways (including single ended SQ). My ES100 broke, and I couldn't wait any longer for the 5K so I got the BTR3K. I'm very happy with it, but that doesn't stop me from lusting for wslee's 5K!


----------



## B_Rich

Does anyone know if the 5K will support EQ'ing over FLAC? The BTR5 currently doesn't which is kind of a bummer for me.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

B_Rich said:


> Does anyone know if the 5K will support EQ'ing over FLAC? The BTR5 currently doesn't which is kind of a bummer for me.


It should support EQ over LDAC, yes. I’ve read no mention to the contrary, and Qudelix have been working closely with Sony on this one.


----------



## Xanasazi

waynes world said:


> As soon as I step away from here for a while, I'm back to being ignorant and learning all over again myself lol. This thread of ClieOS's is quite handy. Apparently the BTR3K is an improvement over the BTR3 in most ways (including single ended SQ). My ES100 broke, and I couldn't wait any longer for the 5K so I got the BTR3K. I'm very happy with it, but that doesn't stop me from lusting for wslee's 5K!


Seems I was really dumb for not getting the BTR3k. In my defense I only paid 50$ for it.

Could any of you tell me what type of balanced cable I need for my headphones?  ath-ws1100is, are there even any affordable cables that will do the job? should I even be worrying about it?


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 16, 2020)

Heck...
Had to pay CADs 31 for taxes and duties.


----------



## Aenlandril (Jun 16, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> Heck...
> Had to pay CADs 31 for taxes and duties.



Me too, also shipping to the GTA. I think the price is still worth it.
I highly doubt it'll get here tomorrow. Mine is still in Anchorage


----------



## TK33 (Jun 16, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> Do you guys have an actual FedEx tracking number? Mine starts with QSP and even 17track doesn't recognize it.



I have the same QSP number. No actual tracking into. Hopefully it shows up soon.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

TK33 said:


> I have the same. No tracking into. Hopefully it shows up soon.



I did, try Google Searching your Tracking #, Fedex Link should be there or paste the # on Fedex's site?


----------



## TK33

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> I did, try Google Searching your Tracking #, Fedex Link should be there or paste the # on Fedex's site?


I did try that a few times since I got it. It is not a FedEx tracking number (I did try it on the FedEx site and USPS just in case).  It is possible they are using different carriers so some may have gotten FedEx. My tracking number is definitely not a FedEx number since it starts with QSP. The link in the email goes to a company called QXPRESS, which I have never heard of. The page shows no actual information (just column headings).

I'll just have to be patient I guess.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 17, 2020)

TK33 said:


> I did try that a few times since I got it. It is not a FedEx tracking number (I did try it on the FedEx site and USPS just in case).  It is possible they are using different carriers so some may have gotten FedEx. My tracking number is definitely not a FedEx number since it starts with QSP. The link in the email goes to a company called QXPRESS, which I have never heard of. The page shows no actual information (just column headings).
> 
> I'll just have to be patient I guess.



My bad! I thought you had Express Shipping


----------



## daijoubu86

ClieOS said:


> Just got my tracking info.


Out of curiosity, did you opt for normal or express, and what shipping courier did they use?


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

daijoubu86 said:


> Out of curiosity, did you opt for normal or express, and what shipping courier did they use?.



I order on Sunday, June 14th & opt'd for Express Shipping ($20). Fedex expected to deliver today 6/17/2020.


----------



## ClieOS

daijoubu86 said:


> Out of curiosity, did you opt for normal or express, and what shipping courier did they use?


Normal, as my country is one on their list. Shipping company is Qxpress and like other who mentioned, I didn't see any tracking detail yet.


----------



## daijoubu86

ClieOS said:


> Normal, as my country is one on their list. Shipping company is Qxpress and like other who mentioned, I didn't see any tracking detail yet.



Ah okay, I'm based in KL, but I opted with a forwarding company instead, because I thought of consolidating with some other purchases, but I'm so excited to get this I don't think I'll wait and just ship the item out immediately . Let me know if you get taxed? I'm hoping it won't be.


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 17, 2020)

I ordered on Monday, express shipping to the US. Mine also says it's coming on the 17th from fedex. Seems like if you choose express you get fedex? I'm doubting it's going to actually get here today. When I check tracking it says fedex is still waiting for the item. Maybe they are just slow at updating..


----------



## bahamot

The Madhouse said:


> And why do they need phone numbers? Paid with paypall but they say they need it to send me thé item? I'm confused and afrai this is not legit anymore


DHL will sms you a link to pay the custom (if needed)


----------



## innocentpigeon

monsieurfromag3 said:


> All in all if this was a financial investment I’d say the risk factor is around 2 out of 7.


Thus, they didn't even let you order the product or pay any money, before they weren't ready to ship it. Big difference to Kickstarter or so.
A scam can only work, if you take money and then hide. Not the other way round.

But after they realized, they need to talk more, it became of the best customer services I ever experienced.
Even to the dumbust question, no matter how often or rudly it was asked they replied friendly and reasonable quick.
Now with the new forum you get an answer very quick and you can chat directly.

My parcel has arrived in cologne with Fedex flight 5030. Fedex has a great tracking site 
But tomorrow, when it is scheduled to arrive, I won't be home until 10:30 and maybe miss the Fedex/DHL-driver


----------



## monsieurfromag3

innocentpigeon said:


> Thus, they didn't even let you order the product or pay any money, before they weren't ready to ship it. Big difference to Kickstarter or so.
> A scam can only work, if you take money and then hide. Not the other way round.
> 
> But after they realized, they need to talk more, it became of the best customer services I ever experienced.
> ...


I’m sorry I brought the investment risk analogy into this 
I’d been talking to my financial advisor that same day and those rudimentary assessments stayed with me apparently.
Anyway my 5K is also in beautiful Koeln right now, probably huddled close to yours, and delivery is scheduled for tomorrow too - fingers crossed for you to catch your parcel!


----------



## TK33

TK33 said:


> I did try that a few times since I got it. It is not a FedEx tracking number (I did try it on the FedEx site and USPS just in case).  It is possible they are using different carriers so some may have gotten FedEx. My tracking number is definitely not a FedEx number since it starts with QSP. The link in the email goes to a company called QXPRESS, which I have never heard of. The page shows no actual information (just column headings).
> 
> I'll just have to be patient I guess.



I checked again this morning and it looks like mine finally shipped and the QXPRESS tracking link they sent me a few days ago now works. My 5K shipped from Korea today and clicking on my QSP tracking number leads me to another tracking number, which  is a USPS tracking number with "USPS Currently Awaiting Package" as the status. 

I used Standard shipping.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 17, 2020)

Mine left Memphis at 4.09am. Paid the dues yesterday and they (Fedex) said I'd get a parcel today before 12pm (if the customs are ok.)
Yesterday somebody wrote here he'd get it in 10 hours.  Any updates?

Updates from me.
*IN TRANSIT
At FedEx destination facility
DON MILLS, ON*

A bit confusing as Don Mills is not a city but a neighbourhood in the North York district of Toronto.


----------



## kismetsky

Waiting with bated breath for some impressions on the 5K before I pull the trigger (still within the return period for the BTR3K).  Sounds like a lot of people should be receiving theirs today. Subscribing to the thread..


----------



## mr.karmalicious

alex5908 said:


> Mine left Memphis at 4.09am. Paid the dues yesterday and they (Fedex) said I'd get a parcel today before 12pm (if the customs are ok.)
> Yesterday somebody wrote here he'd get it in 10 hours.  Any updates?
> 
> Updates from me.
> ...


FedEx gets very specific about this; I know they do the same thing with a neighborhood of Chicago when you order things from the Google Store.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 17, 2020)

Del.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

👀


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 17, 2020)

mr.karmalicious said:


> 👀


Already delivered?
What is the first quick impression?


----------



## BangNaraj

I got mine delivered a few hours ago.

Initial impressions are good. It feels substantially better built than the ES100. Still primarily made of plastic, but the plastic used is more rigid.No flex anywhere on the body.

The app is nice, but what I miss from the ES100 is to be able to save multiple EQ presets. I have a handful that I rotate around depending on the headphones I use and adjust it often and the lack of save-able presets is noticeable for me. I don't think it's complex though and cna be fixed with future releases of the app (hopefully).

I'm not going to say anything about its SQ other than it's good. If people liked the ES100, I find it difficult to imagine people not liking this.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 17, 2020)

BangNaraj said:


> I'm not going to say anything about its SQ other than it's good.


How is the amount of bass? I mean as compared with ES100.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

Extremely barebones first impressions: 

Hardware quality is nice; certainly a lot more professional feeling than the ES100. 

Sound is Good; can't really say anything more than that for now. (I feel like it sounds generally better, but I may be listening a bit louder... more on that shortly.)

Setup is easy, but zero real instructions are included aside from "this is the pair button". I admire not wasting resources on extra materials in-box, but as far as I can tell there's not a "manual" PDF on their website. If there is, it's not as easy to find as it should be.

Gonna go pester them about this now, but: the app needs some serious work to be up to par with the Radsone app. In particular, there's no indication on the volume page that the app is "seeing" the device, so when you go to check volume levels you have no idea whether what you're looking at is right or not. For IEMs and headphones, this is kind of unacceptable—there are _many_ bad/dangerous things that could happen here. There also doesn't seem to be the dB estimation given impedance/sensitivity that the Radsone app had, which let me get a better sense of listening levels and keep things fairly consistent between devices and listening sessions.


----------



## Mouseman

BangNaraj said:


> I got mine delivered a few hours ago.
> 
> Initial impressions are good. It feels substantially better built than the ES100. Still primarily made of plastic, but the plastic used is more rigid.No flex anywhere on the body.
> 
> ...



You can save multiple presets. There are 10. But it's not very clear how to do it in the app.  Click on the frequency graph and it'll flip the bottom to presets. Scroll to the bottom and click and hold on the one you want to set.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

Yeugh, don't want to have two totally separate discussions going, but I posted my current feelings about the app here:

https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/app-suggestions-10574949?pid=1311851124

Hopeful that they can push updates out for at least some of these things soon.


----------



## BangNaraj

alex5908 said:


> How is the amount of bass? I mean as compared with ES100.



Using the flat EQ. I can't hear a noticeable difference. 



Mouseman said:


> You can save multiple presets. There are 10. But it's not very clear how to do it in the app.  Click on the frequency graph and it'll flip the bottom to presets. Scroll to the bottom and click and hold on the one you want to set.



Found it! Thank you!


----------



## Xanasazi

Seems kind of obvious the app isn't going to magically have everything at launch. I bet in a few months it will be even better.


----------



## Mouseman

Got mine about an hour ago, I've tried cans and IEMs on it so far. 

Quick impressions: 
This thing is built like a tank. Not that I'm going to try, but it could probably pass the car test. The lights in the buttons are bright, but the app can turn them off. I'm not sure how much I like the "one piece" buttons,though. The edges of the unit could also stand to be rounded a bit. It's also a fingerprint magnet. I may end up putting some carbon fiber decal on it like my ES100. No instructions make things a little funny - it seems to have a 2 part phone pairing like the ES100.

Sound quality will have to wait, but it does sound good. It drove my AKGs to an acceptable level with some boost. They need a lot of power. My ZSXs sound great, but I have to dial in the EQ. I think it might have more power than the ES100, but I'm just guessing for now. 

I'll heartily second the comments on the app. It's a mess - I get it, it's a first version, but still it's got a ton of options and screens that are hard to navigate. There are no instructions, I have no idea what some of these options do, and I turned on the music with the buds out so I didn't blow my ears. Hopefully they'll add the hints like the EarStudio app. I don't want to blow something up because I clicked the wrong thing. The EQ sliders are also fiddly.


----------



## daijoubu86

Xanasazi said:


> Seems kind of obvious the app isn't going to magically have everything at launch. I bet in a few months it will be even better.


Yes it seems so, and from reading their responses in the Qudelix site forum, they have been trying to manage expectations on the readiness of the app. It seems that they are trying hard to prepare the hardware to be as well as possible, and only focus on the app and the software features in stages.

I guess we have to manage our own expectations too, considering we tend to want to compare it against the ES100 which is a culmination of years of development.


----------



## Slater

Mouseman said:


> You can save multiple presets. There are 10. But it's not very clear how to do it in the app.  Click on the frequency graph and it'll flip the bottom to presets. Scroll to the bottom and click and hold on the one you want to set.



Very cool to have 10 custom EQ profiles! The 3 you get with the ES100 is quite limiting.

Unfortunately, I can’t figure out how to rename the custom 5K profiles. So I guess I’ll have to maintain a spreadsheet with what profile is what. Unless that’s something that they’re going to update later.


----------



## Mouseman

mr.karmalicious said:


> Yeugh, don't want to have two totally separate discussions going, but I posted my current feelings about the app here:
> 
> https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/app-suggestions-10574949?pid=1311851124
> 
> Hopeful that they can push updates out for at least some of these things soon.


It looks like they already updated the app once yesterday, so that's a good sign. But there's a lot that needs work. Thanks for posting to their forum.


----------



## Mouseman

Slater said:


> Very cool to have 10 custom EQ profiles! The 3 you get with the ES100 is quite limiting.
> 
> Unfortunately, I can’t figure out how to rename the custom 5K profiles. So I guess I’ll have to maintain a spreadsheet with what profile is what. Unless that’s something that they’re going to update later.


Yeah - I'll have to play with that. The stock presets don't seem to be very good, but I'll have to try them some more. But I don't tend to use any but the L2P ones, anyway. I always tweak.


----------



## mr.karmalicious (Jun 17, 2020)

Xanasazi said:


> Seems kind of obvious the app isn't going to magically have everything at launch.


eh, yes and no. it's not exactly unexpected and it's certainly _understandable_, but a product should launch complete with features to be added, not incomplete and needing completion. I know things are a bit Strange in our new world of constant betas and updates and DLC, but it shouldn't be considered "magical" to release a software-dependent piece of hardware with an fully-completed piece of software. It didn't have to be full EarStudio level, but the disparity is certainly larger than I had hoped.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

Any Idea where I can find the Manual?


----------



## Slater

mr.karmalicious said:


> eh, yes and no. it's not exactly unexpected and it's certainly _understandable_, but a product should launch complete with features to be added, not incomplete and needing completion. I know things are a bit Strange in our new world of constant betas and updates and DLC, but it shouldn't be considered "magical" to release a software-dependent piece of hardware with an fully-completed piece of software. It didn't have to be full EarStudio level, but the disparity is certainly larger than I had hoped.



If you look at the change log for the ES100, it took then quite a while to add the complete set of functions and features that the app has currently.

I can see both sides of the argument. As a consumer and audiophile, I ‘want it all now’ so to speak. But as an IT professional, I also understand the reason why that’s not always possible.


----------



## BangNaraj

Mouseman said:


> Quick impressions:
> This thing is built like a tank. Not that I'm going to try, but it could probably pass the car test.



Exactly! Only time will tell but the build quality seems really solid compared to that of the ES100.


----------



## cadgers

Weird request but has anyone tried using it as a USB DAC on a Nintendo Switch?


----------



## mr.karmalicious (Jun 17, 2020)

cadgers said:


> Weird request but has anyone tried using it as a USB DAC on a Nintendo Switch?


The Switch's USB-C is pretty messed up. I'll go test this for you and update this reply with info about whether it works.

EDIT: yeah, no luck.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 22, 2020)




----------



## ticoss

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Any Idea where I can find the Manual?


https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/button-led


----------



## cadgers

mr.karmalicious said:


> The Switch's USB-C is pretty messed up. I'll go test this for you and update this reply with info about whether it works.
> 
> EDIT: yeah, no luck.



Appreciate you testing this so quickly. This is why I love Head-Fi.


----------



## Xanasazi

Talk about feeling unlucky. My package shipped at the same time as majority of you and yet fedex tracking STILL saying they are waiting to receive the package..... think I should have saved my 20$ and not gotten express lol.


----------



## The Madhouse

Xanasazi said:


> Talk about feeling unlucky. My package shipped at the same time as majority of you and yet fedex tracking STILL saying they are waiting to receive the package..... think I should have saved my 20$ and not gotten express lol.


Are you using thé tracking number in the email they send you to track thé package? Because when i click thé link in thé text message is also don't get Any useful tracking. But when i follow thé link from fedex mail it says it arived 45minutes ago to my country


----------



## Aenlandril

Hey guys, just got mine.

I'm impressed with it so far. I don't have any issues with the iOS app. Are the rest of you guys on Android?
I was a little confused at first because I still needed to pair it in the app even though I was paired in bluetooth.

I think the sound quality on it is really great - but I don't have my BTR5 to compare against yet. The volume control is very very granular which is awesome. 
The size and power of it are pretty crazy and I'm not even using the balanced output!


----------



## Xanasazi

The Madhouse said:


> Are you using thé tracking number in the email they send you to track thé package? Because when i click thé link in thé text message is also don't get Any useful tracking. But when i follow thé link from fedex mail it says it arived 45minutes ago to my country



I'm not sure what you mean by "fedex mail". I copy the tracking number from the original "your order has been shipped" email and paste it into fedex website.


----------



## rkw

mr.karmalicious said:


> eh, yes and no. it's not exactly unexpected and it's certainly _understandable_, but a product should launch complete with features to be added, not incomplete and needing completion. I know things are a bit Strange in our new world of constant betas and updates and DLC, but it shouldn't be considered "magical" to release a software-dependent piece of hardware with an fully-completed piece of software. It didn't have to be full EarStudio level, but the disparity is certainly larger than I had hoped.


You're effectively saying that they should have waited another month or two before starting to ship the 5K?
Doesn't the 5K work without even using the app?


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 17, 2020)

The Device feels very Solid 

Clip feels nice and sturdy, Buttons are well tactile, no issue in term of Hardware. Much better than ES100 for sure


----------



## Aenlandril

If you have it plugged into your PC it will automatically switch between USB DAC and Bluetooth when you pause and unpause music on your phone (Bluetooth from the phone was the priority and would interrupt PC output). Not sure if this is normal behaviour or a neat feature but my DAPs don't do this


----------



## Slater

Aenlandril said:


> I was a little confused at first because I still needed to pair it in the app even though I was paired in bluetooth.



ES100 is the same way.

Gotta pair it with the phone, AND also search for it in the app for full functionality.


----------



## The Madhouse

Xanasazi said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by "fedex mail". I copy the tracking number from the original "your order has been shipped" email and paste it into fedex website.


In thé Fedex mail you got, there is (in my mail for shure) a tracking number i can click on. And that gives me a verry accurate tracking. 
I tried ataching a screenshot here


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 17, 2020)

Aenlandril said:


> If you have it plugged into your PC it will automatically switch between USB DAC and Bluetooth when you pause and unpause music on your phone (Bluetooth from the phone was the priority and would interrupt PC output). Not sure if this is normal behaviour or a neat feature but my DAPs don't do this



Try this... Select the Audio Path to your Phone...


----------



## mr.karmalicious

rkw said:


> You're effectively saying that they should have waited another month or two before starting to ship the 5K?
> Doesn't the 5K work without even using the app?


I'm saying that they should have finished the app; you can take that how you like. and it _mostly_ works, but the whole point of devices like this is that the experience is largely centered on the app. that's where all of the settings, choices, and controls are, so...


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 17, 2020)

EQ works in WIRED USB DAC / AMP Mode fwiw.


----------



## B_Rich

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> EQ works in WIRED USB DAC/ AMP Mode fwiw.



Thank you for verifying this!


----------



## BangNaraj

Inline mic doesn't work in USB DAC mode. A bit of a bummer as I was hoping I can use this for gaming and ditch my onboard mic input.


----------



## Slater (Jun 17, 2020)

The fact that we get an app at all is absolute gravy. 99% of these Bluetooth receiver devices have NO app at all. NO settings, NO control. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.

I say something is better than nothing.

Apple is constantly updating iOS, macOS, and their software applications. Microsoft is constantly updating Windows, Office, and their countless other applications. Adobe is constantly updating Photoshop. Google is constantly updating Android and Chrome. Every app in the App Store gets updates.

Like every week. Or even every day in some cases. Fixing bugs. Adding features. Making improvements.

Software development is a continuous process. Just about every company on the planet does it. It’s never done. That’s life; that’s reality.

Nothing is 100% perfect, 100% bug free, and fully mature the second it’s released, except in the land of gumdrops and unicorn rainbows.

Qudelix is basically 1 guy. It’s not some mega corporation with thousands of engineers and programmers like Apple, Google, or Amazon. People were bellyaching that it wasn’t released fast enough. Then bellyaching that a global pandemic was causing delays. Bellyaching that the hardware specs and a couple of features like ghost ground changed slightly. Then shipping wasn’t fast enough. Now bellyaching that the software isn’t 100% perfect and fully matured? Seriously?

Let's show the guy some support, some thanks for all his hard work, some encouragement, and some patience. Because if he gives us all a big FU and walks away from the project, then we’re left high and dry with an orphaned device with half baked firmware and no vendor support. Like FiiO loves doing with their DAPs. And xduoo. And countless other audio companies.

If it takes Qudelix 6-12 months to make the software fully mature, iron out a few bugs, and add exciting and useful new features (just like it did with Radsone ES100), then so be it.

It seems like the last year a lot of people have been complaining about the 5K, and with all the other stuff going on in the world it’s depressing enough. I’m personally overjoyed that the 5K is finally here, even if it’s not squeaky clean perfection right out of the box. It’s a glimmer of positivity in an otherwise gloomy time. And as he adds more features to the software, fixes a few things, streamlines things here and there - it can only get better from here on out, right?


----------



## Xanasazi

The Madhouse said:


> In thé Fedex mail you got, there is (in my mail for shure) a tracking number i can click on. And that gives me a verry accurate tracking.
> I tried ataching a screenshot here


Interesting, I never got a mail from FedEx. Only a mail from the company telling me my order shipped.


----------



## Mouseman

Xanasazi said:


> Interesting, I never got a mail from FedEx. Only a mail from the company telling me my order shipped.


I had multiple entries in the FedEx app or on the website, so maybe check there. If there's more than one, look at all of them. I had 3, but only one showed progress.


----------



## rkw

mr.karmalicious said:


> I'm saying that they should have finished the app


So you're saying that they shouldn't have released the app at all?
Start shipping the hardware now but not the app until it is finished?


----------



## Xanasazi

BangNaraj said:


> Inline mic doesn't work in USB DAC mode. A bit of a bummer as I was hoping I can use this for gaming and ditch my onboard mic input.


Couldn't you just use a cheap mic and attach it to your headphone cable? I have my mic plugged into my on board sound and my headphones plugged into a sound card for example. My sound card mic input has no boost like my on board does.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> My Issues so far as a WIRED DAC / AMP
> 
> Wired USB DAC / AMP Issues
> 
> ...


Wow,  that doesnt sound good at all!:/


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 17, 2020)

I find the Red Light Blue Light Blinking to be funny, it reminds me of a Police car.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 22, 2020)




----------



## The Madhouse

I'm in thé same direction with Slater , i also knew i was buying something that was NEW, from a NEW Company, that wasn't released early'er. And my expectations on this are low. I'm just hoping it's going to perform in thé same way as my btr5, and for thé price i paid it's a toy, it's not something i need. I wanna play with it, have Fun with it, and if it turns out it's beating my btr5, Well that would be amazing, if it does'nt do that, i'll have a new toy i can play with and follow thé updates on thé software and firmware and use it as a toy.... 
And does it work without thé app? What's thé problem then? 

And why is everybody talking about thé bad software of fiio? I'm really happy with thé app(fiio controll) i put my settings in ( dac multiplier on 1, etc etc.... I'm no user of EQ settings) and i play music. A lot of music,.... And enjoy life, with music, and reading about thé K5 with music, good sounding music.....


----------



## mr.karmalicious

Slater said:


> The fact that we get an app at all is absolute gravy. 99% of these Bluetooth receiver devices have NO app at all. NO settings, NO control. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.
> 
> Something is better than nothing.
> 
> ...


i apologize in advance, but i'm not going to dignify this silly outburst with a serious response. "i'm MAD that this PRODUCT has been VILIFIED!" "MANY products have EVEN LESS, and are supported REALLY POORLY!" okay?

i ordered the product less than an hour after it went live. i was following the development since well before this thread started. i haven't said anything pejorative about them in any way, I like the team, and they've been responsive. i _work_ in software development; i know that it's always ongoing. (i can't believe that i'm having to mollify you in this fashion, but here we are.)

if your response to "it would be nice if the software were more complete at launch; here are some things that i think could be improved" is to have an emotional meltdown that you fear may come off as a personal attack, you should perhaps consider your priorities in life and why it is that your identity is so entangled with the perceived slander of a bluetooth dongle.


----------



## Slater

mr.karmalicious said:


> i apologize in advance, but i'm not going to dignify this silly outburst with a serious response. "i'm MAD that this PRODUCT has been VILIFIED!" "MANY products have EVEN LESS, and are supported REALLY POORLY!" okay?
> 
> i ordered the product less than an hour after it went live. i was following the development since well before this thread started. i haven't said anything pejorative about them in any way, I like the team, and they've been responsive. i _work_ in software development; i know that it's always ongoing. (i can't believe that i'm having to mollify you in this fashion, but here we are.)
> 
> if your response to "it would be nice if the software were more complete at launch; here are some things that i think could be improved" is to have an emotional meltdown that you fear may come off as a personal attack, you should perhaps consider your priorities in life and why it is that your identity is so entangled with the perceived slander of a bluetooth dongle.



My statement wasn't directed at you personally; I didn't even really mean to reply to your post specifically, and have removed your quote from my post. I was just throwing my statement out there into the ether. The complainers know who they are.

And no, my identity is not entangled with a bluetooth dongle lol. I could personally care less. It's first world problems, right?


----------



## Xanasazi

Mouseman said:


> I had multiple entries in the FedEx app or on the website, so maybe check there. If there's more than one, look at all of them. I had 3, but only one showed progress.


wow I don't even have that. I had zero entries on the app until I added this one. I guess i'm just going to have to cross my toes and hope it comes soon.


----------



## rkw (Jun 17, 2020)

BangNaraj said:


> Inline mic doesn't work in USB DAC mode. A bit of a bummer as I was hoping I can use this for gaming and ditch my onboard mic input.


Does even the 5K mic work through USB? I didn't think the 5K can operate as a USB mic device.


----------



## BangNaraj

Xanasazi said:


> Couldn't you just use a cheap mic and attach it to your headphone cable? I have my mic plugged into my on board sound and my headphones plugged into a sound card for example. My sound card mic input has no boost like my on board does.


That's the exact thing I'm doing right now. Just hoped I can trim down the cables on my desk. No biggie, though.



rkw said:


> Does even the 5K mic work through USB? I didn't think the 5K can operate as a USB mic device.


Yeah, it doesn't. Nor did Qudelix said that it would. Just foolish hopes on my part.


----------



## alex5908

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> What you need to do is Direct the Audio Path to your Phone


Which way/How?


----------



## alex5908

Aenlandril said:


> Are the rest of you guys on Android?


I've just paired the subj with Android and listened to music. Everything is fine. I have not explored the app yet. Just downloaded it from Play Store.


----------



## alex5908

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Try this... Select the Audio Path to your Phone...


Does it mean we have to do it every time changing to different modes? Not so good if it is true.


----------



## jsmiller58

mr.karmalicious said:


> eh, yes and no. it's not exactly unexpected and it's certainly _understandable_, but a product should launch complete with features to be added, not incomplete and needing completion. I know things are a bit Strange in our new world of constant betas and updates and DLC, but it shouldn't be considered "magical" to release a software-dependent piece of hardware with an fully-completed piece of software. It didn't have to be full EarStudio level, but the disparity is certainly larger than I had hoped.


Not disagreeing with how you feel - every right to your opinion...!

I will mention that I try to advise most people not to buy a product until at least two conditions are met:  1. It is actually in stock to order (avoids the irritation of product schedule delays) and 2. there are both professional and user reviews (so you have a better idea of what you are getting).

It is exciting to be an early adopter.  I like to be one of those (and am in this and many other cases).  But it is also much more likely to lead to disappointment than being a follower in product adoption.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

jsmiller58 said:


> Not disagreeing with how you feel - every right to your opinion...!
> 
> I will mention that I try to advise most people not to buy a product until at least two conditions are met:  1. It is actually in stock to order (avoids the irritation of product schedule delays) and 2. there are both professional and user reviews (so you have a better idea of what you are getting).
> 
> It is exciting to be an early adopter.  I like to be one of those (and am in this and many other cases).  But it is also much more likely to lead to disappointment than being a follower in product adoption.


oh, but i'm the kind of dumbаss who grabs developer preview software on day 1 for my phone. i like to get things that i trust will _eventually_ be great (and start off at least good), and provide feedback + enjoy new features along the way.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 22, 2020)




----------



## jsmiller58 (Jun 17, 2020)

mr.karmalicious said:


> oh, but i'm the kind of dumbаss who grabs developer preview software on day 1 for my phone. i like to get things that i trust will _eventually_ be great (and start off at least good), and provide feedback + enjoy new features along the way.


Well, that’s an exciting life philosophy, to be sure!  .

There are lots of folks who are more than willing to take a flyer on something new.  But forums are also full of people frustrated by product development delays, or products that don’t deliver to the promise or expectation...  I have drawers full of useless or disappointing Kickstarter products .  That’s why waiting is not such a bad philosophy - saves money and disappointment, if you have a limited capacity for either!

But I am right there with you...  at this very moment have the 5K, 3 dongles, 2 headphones, and 3 IEMs that I have incoming that I bought while still in development, with no professional or user reviews...  Please, oh please, don’t let my wife see that last sentence...


----------



## akarise (Jun 18, 2020)

mr.karmalicious said:


> The Switch's USB-C is pretty messed up. I'll go test this for you and update this reply with info about whether it works.
> 
> EDIT: yeah, no luck.


Have you tried it with one of the USB 2.0 ports while the Switch is docked? This was going to be one of my main uses for it so I'm going to have to pass on this if it still doesn't work.


----------



## NWISE

My order has been shipped and the tracking number starts with QSP. However when I follow the link in the email, it shows shipping history header but nothing else. Anyone else in the same situation?


----------



## jsmiller58

NWISE said:


> My order has been shipped and the tracking number starts with QSP. However when I follow the link in the email, it shows shipping history header but nothing else. Anyone else in the same situation?


Yup.  I think quite a few of us.  Probably everyone that did not opt for the express FedEx shipping option.


----------



## FRZFLX

jsmiller58 said:


> Yup.  I think quite a few of us.  Probably everyone that did not opt for the express FedEx shipping option.


Same here, email also says ready for shipping. Didn’t say it is actually shipped. Good to know I’m not the only one 😅


----------



## B_Rich

NWISE said:


> My order has been shipped and the tracking number starts with QSP. However when I follow the link in the email, it shows shipping history header but nothing else. Anyone else in the same situation?



Yup mine is the same way.


----------



## TK33 (Jun 18, 2020)

NWISE said:


> My order has been shipped and the tracking number starts with QSP. However when I follow the link in the email, it shows shipping history header but nothing else. Anyone else in the same situation?



A few of us mentioned this a few pages back. I have the same QSP number. I got that email on 6/15 and didn't get any actual tracking detail until 6/17. As of 6/18, the status now says "Starting Delivery to the Destination Country". As I mentioned before, they added a USPS tracking number once it actually shipped.  Once it actually ships, it should update.

Looking forward to getting mine so I can stop checking these tracking pages (have a few toys on their way, including the 5K...)


----------



## FRZFLX (Jun 18, 2020)

I finally got some activity for my QSP #:


*Arrived at the Processing Facility*Korea Seoul Hub


----------



## mr.karmalicious

https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/app-suggestions-10574949?pid=1311855275

already responsive


----------



## Xanasazi

Thread needs more impressions!


----------



## Nolbert0 (Jun 18, 2020)

waynes world said:


> You all should try showing some excitement!


I'm so excited I could hardly type!

edit: I'm less excited about paying import duties, tho...


----------



## MaxD

App aside,  I had some issues after pairing with Samsung s20 ultra and AK SR25,  had lots of LDAC stutter.  but a repair and reset sorted all that out.   Sounds better than the ES100 about the same as the BTR5.    Size and battery is better than the BTR5.    So so far it is a clear winner over the BTR5 and the ES100 for me.    Going to use it for my daily listening and see if it connects reliably and works nicely.   Suspect I wont use the app much after the initial play.


----------



## Pro-Jules

How is LDAC performance @ best quality?


----------



## Mouseman

Does anyone know what "Performance" mode is?


----------



## MaxD (Jun 18, 2020)

With the Samsung s20 Ultra it at 990Kbps it stutters but not often,   it is OK at 660Kbps though.  I should add Im in an RF noisy environment.

Their support told me:

Qudelix Support qudelix3 hours ago
Please note that Samsung smartphone usually has issue with 990kbps.
It works at 990kbps, only when the screen is off.
The 660kbps is the best tradeoff at the moment.
Samsung device sometimes doesn't work properly, when you change the bitrate or LDAC sample rate in the developer option.
In that case, you will need to stop music and then play again.
Thanks!

Which I think is a bit of Horse Sh1t btw.    I have an issue screen on or off.


----------



## daijoubu86

Mouseman said:


> Does anyone know what "Performance" mode is?



It is detailed here https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/es9218p


----------



## MaxD

Performance seems to be turned on when it needs to process more so like LDAC.....  Seems to switch on automatically on my Unit.


----------



## smorgar

Pro-Jules said:


> How is LDAC performance @ best quality?


Ridiculous to sum it up. I have never heard my Senn HD25 sing like this. I'ts fast, smooth, punchy and large (sound wise), much more so than ES100 according to my ears.
After 2-3 minutes of psytrance (out of all genres) i had goosebumps all over, had trouble breathing and tears ran down my face... You do the math


----------



## MaxD

For anyone comparing:


----------



## MaxD

smorgar said:


> Ridiculous to sum it up. I have never heard my Senn HD25 sing like this. I'ts fast, smooth, punchy and large (sound wise), much more so than ES100 according to my ears.
> After 2-3 minutes of psytrance (out of all genres) i had goosebumps all over, had trouble breathing and tears ran down my face... You do the math


Yup sounds quite good on my CFA Solaris too,  Im not quite that emotionally touched but nice to hear ,     It works quite well on two devices concurrently too.   I get music from my SR25 and it pauses when I get a phone call on my phone  nice...


----------



## alex5908

It's the best SQ for BT I've ever heard. I mean not so much of a difference with a cabled connection.
Mine works flawless with the PC and a couple of DAPs. No interruptions or anything whatsoever.


----------



## Slater

smorgar said:


> Ridiculous to sum it up. I have never heard my Senn HD25 sing like this. I'ts fast, smooth, punchy and large (sound wise), much more so than ES100 according to my ears.
> After 2-3 minutes of psytrance (out of all genres) i had goosebumps all over, had trouble breathing and tears ran down my face... You do the math



What is your setup? Are you connecting to a PC, music player, file format, etc.

Thanks


----------



## smorgar

Slater said:


> What is your setup? Are you connecting to a PC, music player, file format, etc.
> 
> Thanks


LDAC from my Google Plixel 2 in 990kbps/s. Playing flac files from my phone in AIMP app.

I got my unit about 60 minutes ago and I think I'm hooked. Was previously using the ES100 sice it was release on Kickstarter. The Qudelix 5K is nothing short of a beast, and it shines through all the way in all aspects.


----------



## Xanasazi

MaxD said:


> With the Samsung s20 Ultra it at 990Kbps it stutters but not often,   it is OK at 660Kbps though.  I should add Im in an RF noisy environment.
> 
> Their support told me:
> 
> ...


That Samsung thing is actually true. I don't know if it's something that's been fixed or not but if you Google it you will definitely see people talking about dealing with it.


----------



## MaxD

Damn,  really,   It looks OK on my phone,  but I will dig a bit more.   Thanks for the heads up.


----------



## MaxD (Jun 18, 2020)

I have been comparing,  I have to say my first impression is this is a winner.  Beets the two similar devices (Es100 & BTR5,  My BTR3 broke) I have hands down.  Added some updates from wslee,  thanks man. 


SpecFiio BTR5Fiio BTR3Earstudio ES100Qudelix-5KBT ChipCSR8675CSR8675CSR8675QCC512xBT VersionBT5.0BT4.2BT5.0BT5.0FormatSBC、AAC、aptX、aptX-LL、aptX-HD、LDACSBC、AAC、aptX、aptX-LL、aptX-HD、LDAC、LHDCSBC、AAC、aptX-HD、LDACaptX Adaptive, LDAC, AAC, aptX-HD, aptX, SBCUSB InterfaceXmos xuf208CSRCSRQCC512xPCM384k/32bit48k/16bit48k/16bit96k/24bitDSDDSD256 NativeNoNoNoFPGA (For digital audio)YesNoNoNoDual audio clock45.1584M/49.152MNoNoNO (Single MEMS High Precision CLOCK)Audio DACES9218P*2AK4376AAK4375A*2ES9218P*2Volume Level60​32​async0.5dB (-60 to +6dB)GainH/LNoNoNormal/High3.5mm HP out80mW@32Ω25mW@32Ω35mW@32Ω80mW@32Ω2.5mm Balanced220mW@32ΩNo100mW@32Ω220mW@32ΩSNR（A weight）121​120​110​121Indicator&DisplayMatrix OLED 64*32RGB LEDDual LEDRGB LEDLine-control (Line-control)YesNoNoYesUSB typeType CType CMicro BType CNFC LabelYesYesNoNoBattery550mAh300mAh350mAh500mAhWorking TimeSE: 9h11hSE: 14h20hMaterialAluminium alloy+GlassAluminium alloy+GlassPlasticPlasticAPP controlYesYesYesYesMy Opinion Out of fiveSound4.0​3.0​3.5​4.5​Ease of use5.0​4.0​4.0​4.5​Form Factor4.0​4.5​5.0​5.0​Battery4.0​3.0​4.0​5.0​


----------



## Mouseman

daijoubu86 said:


> It is detailed here https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/es9218p


Thanks!  I searched their site and couldn't find anything.


----------



## Infoseeker (Jun 18, 2020)

Using the device via LDAC performance mode.

Sony ier-z1r has well represented bass. Voices and Treble are harsh.... But interestingly filters do make a difference on this device, and they can reduce this treble harshness.

App in android is not beta feeling at all. Easy and responsive; not frustrating at all. 

Qudelix by CHANEL.


----------



## B_Rich

Infoseeker said:


> Using the device via LDAC performance mode.
> 
> Sony ier-z1r has well represented bass. Voices and Treble are harsh.... But interestingly filters do make a difference on this device, and they can reduce this treble harshness.
> 
> CHANEL Qudelix bottle.



What is that big T adapter sticking out of it?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Sorry to be that guy:

so, on iOS or better, mobile application, if connected, does it get the data through the cable or it remains on bt? I’m interested since I think this little fella is like the bt5 though with a bit more guts and powa. I’m  considering it


----------



## Infoseeker (Jun 18, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> What is that big T adapter sticking out of it?



My DD-HiFi 4.4mm to 2.5mm balance adapter.

Since my official Sony cable is 4.4mm. And this Sony iem is not sensitive enough to need to worry about adapter impedance.


----------



## MaxD

AlexCBSN said:


> so, on iOS or better, mobile application, if connected, does it get the data through the cable or it remains on bt? I’m interested since I think this little fella is like the bt5 though with a bit more guts and powa. I’m considering it


Same amp's so yes.  I don't know why but the SQ seems better than the BTr5 to me in the mids mainly.     Better battery and better SQ  no screen so a little less easy to used but once it is set up who cares.   The app is not as good as the ES100 but it is still in development.   Been listening to this and playing most of the day now and it is really growing on me.


----------



## MaxD

Infoseeker said:


> Sony ier-z1r has well represented bass. Voices and Treble are harsh.... But interestingly filters do make a difference on this device, and they can reduce this treble harshness.


z1r,  damn man talk about baptism of fire , The Mids and high detail due to that natty tweeter are going to be a bit harsh. Bit extreme for a BT dongle .     I have been trying to get a pair of Z1r's in the UK.  non in the country as far as I can tell,  wondering if Sony are going to update them soon as they dont seem to be making them anymore...   Opps sorry off topic.


----------



## Infoseeker

MaxD said:


> z1r,  damn man talk about baptism of fire , The Mids and high detail due to that natty tweeter are going to be a bit harsh. Bit extreme for a BT dongle .     I have been trying to get a pair of Z1r's in the UK.  non in the country as far as I can tell,  wondering if Sony are going to update them soon as they dont seem to be making them anymore...   Opps sorry off topic.



Yeah, off my other gear this harshness is not there.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Is the latency acceptable on pc when gaming?


----------



## BangNaraj

C_Lindbergh said:


> Is the latency acceptable on pc when gaming?



You'd have to resort to using it via USB if you would want to game. Even just with movies and video, delay is noticeable for me using Bluetooth and aptX.


----------



## Infoseeker

C_Lindbergh said:


> Is the latency acceptable on pc when gaming?



You would be better off with BTR5 and Aptx-LL.  And a usb Aptx-LL tranceiver.


----------



## TK33

MaxD said:


> With the Samsung s20 Ultra it at 990Kbps it stutters but not often,   it is OK at 660Kbps though.  I should add Im in an RF noisy environment.
> 
> Their support told me:
> 
> ...



I've always had issues forcing my Galaxy S9 to connect to my ES100 via LDAC 990kbps. Will see how it works on the 5K when I get it but I expect it to be the same.


----------



## zolom (Jun 18, 2020)

Just picked it up
SQ is good. Should examine it more. It seems to sound more dynamic than my ES100
Although, initially LDAC 990 was stuttering a lot (Samsung S10), a minute later it became smooth (have to check it more)

Sounds great  with my balanced FH7 and my single ended Beyerdynamics T5p


----------



## MaxD

zolom said:


> Although, initially LDAC 990 was stuttering a lot (Samsung S10), a minute later it became smooth (have to check it more)


I have been told the stuttering gets better when the screen saver kicks in.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Jun 18, 2020)

Infoseeker said:


> You would be better off with BTR5 and Aptx-LL.  And a usb Aptx-LL tranceiver.



God damn, if only Qualcomm actually cared about their customers and finally released the SDK for Aptx Adaptive TX mode...


----------



## MaxD

Damn,  just for fun I tried the DCA Aeon 2's on the k5,  it sounds good,  so IEM DD + BA tick,  Planar Tick,  also the sen 660s sound good.   Liking this little thing


----------



## Infoseeker

Ldac at high performance hasn't stuttered once for me with Qudelix on Performance mode and set highest performance LDAC on the phone's Developer Options.

Modern Bluetooth chip is worth it. Even if it doesn't have Aptx-LL.


----------



## MaxD

Infoseeker said:


> Ldac at high performance hasn't stuttered once for me with Qudelix on Performance mode and set highest performance LDAC on the phone's Developer Options.


Which phone or media player do you have ?   If I use the AK sr25 it works for me too,  but using the Samsung S20 Ultra has issues.


----------



## daijoubu86

The qcc chipset apparently has the processing power to decode MQA, but qudelix just couldn't command enough attention/interest  from MQA to get the necessary codes. Qudelix have expressed willingness to bring that feature in future, so crossing my fingers. We need more users to make it happen


----------



## Infoseeker

MaxD said:


> Which phone or media player do you have ?   If I use the AK sr25 it works for me too,  but using the Samsung S20 Ultra has issues.



Phone is Asus RoG Phone 2. Been using Tidal, HiBy player, and MXPlayer.


----------



## MaxD

Infoseeker said:


> Phone is Asus RoG Phone 2. Been using Tidal, HiBy player, and MXPlayer.


Nice Phone,  just tested with a Samsung s9 and it works fine,  must be something with the S20's.


----------



## hkpants

I also have LDAC 990 issues (don't own the Q5, but had issues with other Bluetooth devices) with my Samsung S10+. Turning off locations eliminates stutter for me.


----------



## Xanasazi

C_Lindbergh said:


> God damn, if only Qualcomm actually cared about their customers and finally released the SDK for Aptx Adaptive TX mode...


https://www.pcmag.com/news/qualcomm-launches-aptx-adaptive

If this article is right then not supporting adaptive LL doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Xanasazi said:


> https://www.pcmag.com/news/qualcomm-launches-aptx-adaptive
> 
> If this article is right then not supporting adaptive LL doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me.



Yes, but problem is that barely any devices supports aptx adaptive and there's not a single Bluetooth usb adapter with that codex. 

Qualcomm really dropped the ball.... 

I guess I'll just have to wait for LC3 plus codex, unlike Qualcomms crap it will be open source.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Jun 18, 2020)

,


----------



## ClieOS

C_Lindbergh said:


> Yes, but problem is that barely any devices supports aptx adaptive and there's not a single Bluetooth usb adapter with that codex.
> 
> Qualcomm really dropped the ball....
> 
> I guess I'll just have to wait for LC3 plus codex, unlike Qualcomms crap it will be open source.



If LC3 is a must for you, you can probably cross 5K off the list as even the QCC chip it used doesn't support BT5.2 (which is needed for LC3).


----------



## C_Lindbergh

ClieOS said:


> If LC3 is a must for you, you can probably cross 5K off the list as even the QCC chip it used doesn't support BT5.2 (which is needed for LC3).



It's not a must if APXT Adaptive was more widely adopted  And I'm fully aware that there's no product on the market that supports it atm. That's why I'm not sure if I should settle for this until there's more development. 

I'm not blaming Qudelix, it's all on Qualcomm.


----------



## Xanasazi

C_Lindbergh said:


> Yes, but problem is that barely any devices supports aptx adaptive and there's not a single Bluetooth usb adapter with that codex.
> 
> Qualcomm really dropped the ball....
> 
> I guess I'll just have to wait for LC3 plus codex, unlike Qualcomms crap it will be open source.


I don't think you read the article


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Xanasazi said:


> I don't think you read the article



I did, and what's your point? It's a 1.5 year old article.

2 years after APTX adaptive launch there's a total of 24 devices that supports it, 14 if you exclude the receivers (headphones, 5K BT dac etc) and not a single transmitter besides a few phones.


----------



## Infoseeker (Jun 18, 2020)

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-bluetooth-audio/

According to this article. Aptx-LL is 40ms or less latency.

And adaptive Aptx goes between 50ms-to-80ms.

For gamers Aptx-LL should be objectively better. Though I have no idea if those are a noticeable difference in convenience.

Either way, these are concerns for gamers and real-time sport watchers. Not for music and movie listeners.


----------



## Pro-Jules

is the Q5easier to put into ambient mode than the ES100?

I always found that difficult to do quickly.

I like reports that It’s pairs with phone and dap OK.


----------



## kismetsky

Pro-Jules said:


> is the Q5easier to put into ambient mode than the ES100?
> 
> I always found that difficult to do quickly.
> 
> I like reports that It’s pairs with phone and dap OK.



Unless I missed it, Qudelix 5K currently does not have an 'Ambient mode' feature similar to the ES100.  There were some forum posts on their website that asked the question (now deleted), and their reply was it could come in a future update.  Link to the cached deleted post: https://webcache.googleusercontent....ity-of-ambient-mode+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


----------



## peter123

MaxD said:


> Same amp's so yes.  I don't know why but the SQ seems better than the BTr5 to me in the mids mainly.     Better battery and better SQ  no screen so a little less easy to used but once it is set up who cares.   The app is not as good as the ES100 but it is still in development.   Been listening to this and playing most of the day now and it is really growing on me.



Fwiw WS once told me that one of the reasons to change to the Sabre chip was greater possibility to tweak the sound. Seems as if he might have been right about that.


----------



## Xanasazi

C_Lindbergh said:


> I did, and what's your point? It's a 1.5 year old article.
> 
> 2 years after APTX adaptive launch there's a total of 24 devices that supports it, 14 if you exclude the receivers (headphones, 5K BT dac etc) and not a single transmitter besides a few phones.




I was referring to this part :

" The good news is, it will remain backwards compatible with existing aptX-enabled devices, so while you'll need aptX Adaptive kit for the dynamic adjustments to work, you'll still be able to take advantage of aptX low latency and aptX HD compatible kit if your headphones are aptX Adaptive. "


Unless i'm understanding it wrong, wouldn't that mean if your device supports aptx adaptive and the other device doesn't then it would still be able to use low latency. Also there was this quote that I thought was interesting:

" Qualcomm is also planning to roll out a version of the aptX Adaptive encoder for Android P in December "

Wouldn't that imply it's built in? or am I misunderstanding something?


----------



## B_Rich

I read in the feature set that there is active noise canceling on the device? Has anyone tried out that feature? Does it work like a typical over the ear noise cancelation, or am I misunderstanding the feature entirely? lol


----------



## TK33

Xanasazi said:


> I was referring to this part :
> 
> " The good news is, it will remain backwards compatible with existing aptX-enabled devices, so while you'll need aptX Adaptive kit for the dynamic adjustments to work, you'll still be able to take advantage of aptX low latency and aptX HD compatible kit if your headphones are aptX Adaptive. "
> 
> ...



I read that to mean you can still use aptX-LL if your devices both support aptX-LL but I could be wrong since I have never had a device with aptX adaptive before.

I thought aptX-LL and aptX adaptive were different and that aptX-LL is not built in.  Otherwise, as noted above, I would not expect aptX-LL to have lower latency than aptX adaptive.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Xanasazi said:


> I was referring to this part :
> 
> " The good news is, it will remain backwards compatible with existing aptX-enabled devices, so while you'll need aptX Adaptive kit for the dynamic adjustments to work, you'll still be able to take advantage of aptX low latency and aptX HD compatible kit if your headphones are aptX Adaptive. "
> 
> ...



APTX Adaptive is just backwards compatible with APTX/APTX HD, but it just means it can use those two codecs if there´s no APTX adaptive codec enabled from your source. 

https://www.aptx.com/aptx-adaptive

It's just journalist being clueless once again....  

About the Android P part, it's still barely supported even now when were on Android 10.


----------



## kismetsky (Jun 18, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> I read in the feature set that there is active noise canceling on the device? Has anyone tried out that feature? Does it work like a typical over the ear noise cancelation, or am I misunderstanding the feature entirely? lol



The Qualcomm cVc noise cancellation is for voice calls and early reports are that it works very well.

Check his comments on the integrated mic:  https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/hauwx6/comment/fv6bn34


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jun 18, 2020)

Thanks for that.

is the clip function any better than the ES100?

Twice mine unclipped then bungee jumped off my shirt or jacket lapel and then detached to fall down once into a rainy gutter and once into a (filled - gross!!) toilet.


----------



## B_Rich

kismetsky said:


> The Qualcomm cVc noise cancellation is for voice calls and early reports are that it works very well.
> 
> Check his comments on the integrated mic:  https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/hauwx6/comment/fv6bn34



Ah ok. Thanks for that link. Totally misunderstood the feature, lol. I wouldn't have used the active noise canceling feature anyway, but it just would have been cool to have. I rarely use the mic on these Bluetooth dongles (ES100, BTR5, etc) so that feature won't really apply to me, but that's ok.


----------



## Xanasazi

TK33 said:


> I read that to mean you can still use aptX-LL if your devices both support aptX-LL but I could be wrong since I have never had a device with aptX adaptive before.
> 
> I thought aptX-LL and aptX adaptive were different and that aptX-LL is not built in.  Otherwise, as noted above, I would not expect aptX-LL to have lower latency than aptX adaptive.





C_Lindbergh said:


> APTX Adaptive is just backwards compatible with APTX/APTX HD, but it just means it can use those two codecs if there´s no APTX adaptive codec enabled from your source.
> 
> https://www.aptx.com/aptx-adaptive
> 
> ...




Well that blows ;(


Anyone else have any comparisons with the BTR5?


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

EQ Works over LDAC, fwiw


----------



## hlee227

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> EQ Works over LDAC, fwiw


And the graph for EQ is damnnnnn sleeeeeeeeekkkk  

Sure the app may not be perfect but damn can i say the eq section is delicious <3 yum yum yum yum


----------



## cttttt

kismetsky said:


> The Qualcomm cVc noise cancellation is for voice calls and early reports are that it works very well.
> 
> Check his comments on the integrated mic:  https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/hauwx6/comment/fv6bn34



It me!  If you want know anything about the the 5K from a non-audiophile point of view (usability, features, and comparisons to my old ES100, bugs, or annoyances), I should be able to quickly check and comment.  I'm not a pro, so can't really comment on audio quality though .  It's comparable to the ES100, if that's enough of a reference point.

As far as the mic, I just came back from a long walk, and it's pretty neat and very clearly picked up my voice and rejected background noise.  I did a few real and The Test Call calls and they worked out just fine and rejected most road/wind noise, especially while I was speaking.  When I first got the device yesterday, I did a few test calls in the house while a radio was playing in the background.  The radio was completely rejected and my voice was loud and clear.  At least compared to the ES100, this is a major difference and makes it practical for me to take calls directly on the 5K without taking out my phone.

Just note that although there is a sideband mode that mixes your voice with phone audio during a call, this only works during a call.  There is ambient mode (no way to mix outside sounds with device audio).  I have a feeling that the noise cancellation would make such a mode less useful as the audio from the mic is pretty clean...it's literally just voices speaking directly into the device.

That's the scoop on the mic.  Kinda wish this was out when I settled on the ES100, but just had to grab it, and then I just had to grab this when it was released .  I guess the spending stops now until the next random wireless DAC comes out.


----------



## TK33

cttttt said:


> It me!  If you want know anything about the the 5K from a non-audiophile point of view (usability, features, and comparisons to my old ES100, bugs, or annoyances), I should be able to quickly check and comment.  I'm not a pro, so can't really comment on audio quality though .  It's comparable to the ES100, if that's enough of a reference point.
> 
> As far as the mic, I just came back from a long walk, and it's pretty neat and very clearly picked up my voice and rejected background noise.  I did a few real and The Test Call calls and they worked out just fine and rejected most road/wind noise, especially while I was speaking.  When I first got the device yesterday, I did a few test calls in the house while a radio was playing in the background.  The radio was completely rejected and my voice was loud and clear.  At least compared to the ES100, this is a major difference and makes it practical for me to take calls directly on the 5K without taking out my phone.
> 
> ...



Great news on the mic! That was one of the things I do not like about the ES100 and some of my true wireless buds...call quality is terrible. Currently have to switch to my SE425s for calls bc it is the only IEM I have that has a cable with an Inline mic.


----------



## cttttt (Jun 18, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> Thanks for that.
> 
> is the clip function any better than the ES100?
> 
> Twice mine unclipped then bungee jumped off my shirt or jacket lapel and then detached to fall down once into a rainy gutter and once into a (filled - gross!!) toilet.



The 5K's clip is moderately strong and deep as it runs the entire length and width of the device.  It can't crush your finger by any means, but what it lacks in strength, it makes up in depth.  It should stay put when clipped to a collar, sleeve or pocket.  The clip has a nib at the end and does the gripping.  This presents a gap of about 2mm along the length of the clip between the nib and the top of the device.  This gap could securely grip your cables if they're thick enough.  I have a 16 core cable, and the gap strongly grips the full 16 core part of the cable (between the bridge, and the connector) and only moderately grips onto the 8 core parts of the cable (between the IEMs and the bridge in the cable).

As far as working the clip, whereas the ES100 clip opened when any part of the clip was depressed, only the outer edges of the top of the clip on the 5K can be depressed.  This may ensure that the clip isn't always being worked and could prevent the clip from falling apart spontaneously.

As for construction.  I'm not sure if it's metallic, but the clip feels about the same quality as the rest of the device and actually feels as square as the rest of the device.  It's solid.

When working the clip, there is no left-to-right play or mushiness in the clip.  The only motion is the opening and closing of the clip.

All this said, I don't really plan on using the clip because of trauma from the ES100 clip (which is *extremely* fragile and broke for no reason very soon after getting it).

*Update*: Also the clip has two holes (on the two sides of the top of the clip that can be depressed) that you can run a thin lanyard through. Again, no way I'm touching these, though, because I'm afraid of clips on devices.


----------



## VICosPhi

And looks like the first batch is already sold out!


----------



## zolom (Jun 19, 2020)

Well, listening is a pure bliss.

Tidal hifi,  via Usb audio player pro,  samsung s10, LDAC 990 and Beyerdynamics T5p headphones.

Regarding baterry:
1. It charges only up to 98%. Is it ok?
2. What should be the battery life? Under which settings (codec, volume level, output impedance)?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Damn, it’s already sold out


----------



## MaxD

zolom said:


> . What should be the battery life? Under which settings (codec, volume level, output impedance)?


https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/battery


----------



## adriansb

zolom said:


> Well, listening is a pure bliss.
> 
> Tidal hifi,  via Usb audio player pro,  samsung s10, LDAC 990 and Beyerdynamics T5p headphones.
> 
> ...




I did not know that 'Usb audio player pro' can output to Bluetooth, does this means I can get in theory 24-bit/96kHz from tidal MQA over LDAC? Would this work on any Android phone?


----------



## Incognito73

Blimey. It seems that their express shipping service is really express. Picked up on Thursday arriving after 2 working days (to UK).

Recently, I started to experiment with those little BT wonders. I also have Shanling UP4 so it would be interesting to experiment/compare things and decide which one to move on.


----------



## Marco Angel

Incognito73 said:


> Blimey. It seems that their express shipping service is really express. Picked up on Thursday arriving after 2 working days (to UK).
> 
> Recently, I started to experiment with those little BT wonders. I also have Shanling UP4 so it would be interesting to experiment/compare things and decide which one to move on.


Same here, today will be arriving my K5, can only compare with my ES100 and SE846 in balanced, but will try to give my best to compare them both.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Keep the reports coming!


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 19, 2020)

Yesterday my 5K battery level was 70%. Today it's 60%. I don't think I used 5K after this. I might be wrong, though. But it's not a good sign if I am not as it means K5 drains the "juice" from the battery even when it is OFF. And 10% for the idle time in the night is toooo much. Could anybody check on that too?


----------



## ClieOS

adriansb said:


> I did not know that 'Usb audio player pro' can output to Bluetooth, does this means I can get in theory 24-bit/96kHz from tidal MQA over LDAC? Would this work on any Android phone?



MQA doesn't work over LDAC (or any BT codec for that matter), so there won't be any 2nd or 3rd unfolding. Also, 5K doesn't support MQA.

However, UAPP (as well as Tidal) will still provide the 1st unfolding (*core decoding).


----------



## Pro-Jules

Does it work ok with Amazon Music HD?


----------



## cttttt

alex5908 said:


> But it's not a good sign if I am not as it means K5 drains the "juice" from the battery even when it is OFF. And 10% for the idle time in the night is toooo much.



Hmm.  I've observed the battery graph plateauing when the device is not in use or off:

See https://imgur.com/a/seNYSoC

The decline is while listening over LDAC to a mobile phone.  The plateau is overnight after I fell asleep and whatever I was listening to stopped.  The rise is when I plugged it in as a USB DAC in the morning.


----------



## alex5908

cttttt said:


> Hmm. I've observed the battery graph plateauing when the device is not in use or off:


I don't use the app in this phone. It's just the OS (Android) reading. I'll check it on another phone where I installed the app. I'll do it on both phones for the night before going to bed and then report it here.


----------



## Mouseman

alex5908 said:


> Yesterday my 5K battery level was 70%. Today it's 60%. I don't think I used 5K after this. I might be wrong, though. But it's not a good sign if I am not as it means K5 drains the "juice" from the battery even when it is OFF. And 10% for the idle time in the night is toooo much. Could anybody check that too?


I'm watching battery usage carefully, too. I had a cable that I've never had a problem with before that didn't charge it the whole time, but a 2nd cable was fine. I used it in performance mode last night and that seems to use battery pretty quickly (more than the website's estimates ). But I'll keep track of it, the battery graph is really nice. 

But I'm very happy with the SQ so far.


----------



## CactusPete23

Mouseman said:


> I'm watching battery usage carefully, too. I had a cable that I've never had a problem with before that didn't charge it the whole time, but a 2nd cable was fine. I used it in performance mode last night and that seems to use battery pretty quickly (more than the website's estimates ). But I'll keep track of it, the battery graph is really nice.
> 
> But I'm very happy with the SQ so far.


- Sometimes Lithium Batteries need a few full charge/discharge cycles to work closer to rated capacity.   Like breaking them in.   So results may change for the better after the first week of use.

- Also saw someone ask if 98% was Ok for charge.  Actually some folks stop the charge at 90% or even 80%, as doing this extends the serice life of the battery. (Giving up 10% in capacity per charge, to get 500 Charge Cycles; instead of 300 Cycles with full 100% charges.)  So, choose your posion!


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 19, 2020)

I was trying to connect 5K to the app and failed. The app finds 5K but can't pair with it. 5K just turns off after flashing blue\red for some time. Any additional actions required? The OS reads 5K is connected.

Now it was connected. Took awhile.


----------



## zolom

adriansb said:


> I did not know that 'Usb audio player pro' can output to Bluetooth, does this means I can get in theory 24-bit/96kHz from tidal MQA over LDAC? Would this work on any Android phone?


Tidal (hifi) audio over Bluetooth via UAPP sounds better than Tidal app over Bluetooth. 
I think that MQA is not delivered via BT LDAC.


----------



## cttttt

alex5908 said:


> I was trying to connect 5K to the app and failed. The app finds 5K but can't pair with it. 5K just turns off after flashing blue\red for some time. Any additional actions required? The OS reads K5 is connected.
> 
> Now it was connected. Took awhile.



This is a pattern with this device.  On the official forums, they describe this as a consequence of the BLE connection.  They're thinking of providing an option to switch to using the main Bluetooth connection for the control software.

What I've observed is that the software usually connects a few second after starting it.  Sometimes the app crashes on connection (after this same delay) and starting the app again usually works.  This is a departure from the ES100, which is always connected by the time I start the app.


----------



## The Madhouse

My first impression is that it had less real power then btr5, but it keeps a lot more control on higher loads and higher volumes. My btr5 drives my hd6XX Well, but only at a normal listening volume, above normal listening volume bass gets distorted. K5 keeps thé bass more in line with thé rest. But had less absolute volume. Btr5 drives headphones to volumes it Hurts. K5 only to An anoying level  . It's a really Nice toy, perfect replacement for btr5. I'm going to use them both. Probebly with different iem's in them so i can have a good set at home and one for when i'm not home.


----------



## adriansb

zolom said:


> Tidal (hifi) audio over Bluetooth via UAPP sounds better than Tidal app over Bluetooth.
> I think that MQA is not delivered via BT LDAC.


ok, this is what I wanted to know


----------



## p50kombi

People, people..PLEASE...it's called 5K   not K5


----------



## monsieurfromag3

zolom said:


> Tidal (hifi) audio over Bluetooth via UAPP sounds better than Tidal app over Bluetooth.
> I think that MQA is not delivered via BT LDAC.


This. You don’t get MQA, but still some volume headroom.

I believe the Android mixer bypass afforded by UAPP extends to the signal emitted via BT. Can anyone who understands these things confirm? I believe to take advantage of that you’d also need a receiver with a clock optimized for 44.1kHz and multiples.
It’s something technical I can’t wrap my head around, and I haven’t properly tested it empirically (the difference should be obvious though, going wired UAPP playback destroys that from Tidal’s native app which is butchered by Android’s sample rate conversion).


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 19, 2020)

p50kombi said:


> it's called 5K not K5


So I am not alone here. Something is there in it. Like M15 but not 15M


----------



## Xanasazi

Can't get my phone to connect to app and I can't get usb dac to work on android on my phone (mi max 3) or my galaxy tab s6.


----------



## cttttt

Xanasazi said:


> Can't get my phone to connect to app and I can't get usb dac to work on android on my phone (mi max 3) or my galaxy tab s6.



What exactly have you tried?  What did you expect?  What exactly happened?


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 19, 2020)

cttttt said:


> What exactly have you tried?  What did you expect?  What exactly happened?



Welp, I got usb dac to work on both devices. NO CLUE why it just started working tbh but i'm not going ot question it lol. I still can't get my phone to connect to the device in the app though. I've literally tried everything. I even downgraded the rom on my phone because I was using a beta rom and I thought that might be it. I tried disconnecting from the app on my tablet first and that didn't work either. I've only seen my device show up in the device list in the app ONCE and it was stuck on "connecting" that one time I got to actually click it. I don't even know why it showed up randomly that one time because I've never seen it pop up again and I've been trying it for hours.

It connects instantly to my tablet every time.



edit: I figured it out, apparently you really can't connect to two apps at once. I had to click "remove" under devices on my tablet for the app on my phone to connect. That's actually kind of crappy but I'm glad I finally figured it out.


Also, using it as a usb dac on android the volume output is considerably lower than bluetooth. I don't know if that is an android problem or what but its kind of disappointing.


----------



## TK33

Xanasazi said:


> Also, using it as a usb dac on android the volume output is considerably lower than bluetooth. I don't know if that is an android problem or what but its kind of disappointing.



Just curious, what app are you using on your phone to listen to music? I noticed when I use my Dragonfly Cobalt with UAPP, I never have volume issues but when I play the same music using the Qobuz app, it seems to only control software volume and I get low volume unless I max out my media volume. I dont think Android plays nice with external USB DACs in general unless you use UAPP (which I am not sure if you do). There is also the resampling issue...

Unfortunately, my 5K is still stuck in Korea somewhere so I cant test it yet.


----------



## Xanasazi

TK33 said:


> Just curious, what app are you using on your phone to listen to music? I noticed when I use my Dragonfly Cobalt with UAPP, I never have volume issues but when I play the same music using the Qobuz app, it seems to only control software volume and I get low volume unless I max out my media volume. I dont think Android plays nice with external USB DACs in general unless you use UAPP (which I am not sure if you do). There is also the resampling issue...
> 
> Unfortunately, my 5K is still stuck in Korea somewhere so I cant test it yet.




I was testing with youtube music. I don't use UAPP, in fact I actually just learned about it earlier today haha. I was disappointed to know that it doesn't work with youtube music. Google music is about to be rip so I was debating whether or not i should even buy the app. Also, it's definitely a software volume problem. In the 5k app the volume slider for usb doesn't even do anything.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Anyone using Amazon Music HD?


----------



## zolom

5K is a true audio gem.


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jun 20, 2020)

Seems you can’t pre order.


----------



## peter123

Mine did also arrived yesterday  








Setting it up was a very straight forward process and first impression of the sound is very favorable.


----------



## kismetsky

Pro-Jules said:


> Seems you can’t pre order.



Their next batch won’t be available until mid-July according to their forum post:
https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/will-be-restocked-midjuly-10577376


----------



## Pro-Jules

But you would think they might like to open up for pre orders! Some companies would. No worries. I will wait.


----------



## Mouseman

Pro-Jules said:


> Anyone using Amazon Music HD?


I am. It sounds great, but it also sounds great right out of my R5.


----------



## kismetsky

The Madhouse said:


> My first impression is that it had less real power then btr5, but it keeps a lot more control on higher loads and higher volumes. My btr5 drives my hd6XX Well, but only at a normal listening volume, above normal listening volume bass gets distorted. K5 keeps thé bass more in line with thé rest. But had less absolute volume. Btr5 drives headphones to volumes it Hurts. K5 only to An anoying level  . It's a really Nice toy, perfect replacement for btr5. I'm going to use them both. Probebly with different iem's in them so i can have a good set at home and one for when i'm not home.



Did you switch the output power to “High” in the app?  From Qudelix’s product page, it looks like the 5K should have similar if not equal output power : https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/power-budget

“_5K 3.5mm Single DAC can deliver the output power up to 80mWatt, while 2.5mm Dual DAC up to 240mWatt.”_


----------



## The Madhouse

kismetsky said:


> Did you switch the output power to “High” in the app?  From Qudelix’s product page, it looks like the 5K should have similar if not equal output power : https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/power-budget
> 
> “_5K 3.5mm Single DAC can deliver the output power up to 80mWatt, while 2.5mm Dual DAC up to 240mWatt.”_


Yes, it is in ''high'', i don't really hear a volume difference between ''normal'' and high'' , it sounds different, but not volume wise. Verry strange? 
And yes, it are thé same amp's, so should ben almost identical in output. But my feeling is different. 5K sounds really amazing. But btr5 does a verry goed job also. Still happy with this device


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 20, 2020)

The Madhouse said:


> Yes, it is in ''high'', i don't really hear a volume difference between ''normal'' and high'' , it sounds different, but not volume wise. Verry strange?
> And yes, it are thé same amp's, so should ben almost identical in output. But my feeling is different. 5K sounds really amazing. But btr5 does a verry goed job also. Still happy with this device


If you tried high then i'm going to assume you tried performance as well? Thats interesting, I noticed an increase when I swapped one of them but I can't remember which one.

I'm more salty about the lower usb dac volume on android. Seems like the only thing I can do is up the preamp slider a little on the EQ to make up for it. My tab s6 doesn't have a headphone jack so this was kind of an important feature to me as bluetooth is not capable of discord + media audio at the same time without having the audio quality get so bad its literally missing sounds and I use my tablet to talk on discord and watch netflix etc at the same time.


----------



## kismetsky

The Madhouse said:


> Yes, it is in ''high'', i don't really hear a volume difference between ''normal'' and high'' , it sounds different, but not volume wise. Verry strange?
> And yes, it are thé same amp's, so should ben almost identical in output. But my feeling is different. 5K sounds really amazing. But btr5 does a verry goed job also. Still happy with this device



Another possible thing to check for - if you have the EQ enabled it looks like it factors in -6 dB right off the bat for headroom.


----------



## The Madhouse

Thanks for the tip, but i'm no EQ user. And i just tried to couple thé 5K with thé suplied usbC-usbC cable with my phone (moto G7 plus) and OH my, that's silent... I think the pre out volume from thé USB chip is set to low. I used 2.5mm out. Don't know if it's thé same for 3.5


----------



## Xanasazi

The Madhouse said:


> Thanks for the tip, but i'm no EQ user. And i just tried to couple thé 5K with thé suplied usbC-usbC cable with my phone (moto G7 plus) and OH my, that's silent... I think the pre out volume from thé USB chip is set to low. I used 2.5mm out. Don't know if it's thé same for 3.5


Yesss!!1 the usb volume sucks!! Im pretty sure my BTR3 was even higher. Apparently it's mainly an android problem but some devices can work around it.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 20, 2020)

Guys, I am confused about balanced/unbalanced outputs for 5K. The creator writes that they just sound different but not any better from one another. If you try balanced/unbalanced outputs in L&P L3 then the sound quality will be like from beginner and intermediate level DAPs. I mean one class higher. Thus, I thought to myself "C'mon Qudelix" and checked the same IEMs on the subj balanced/unbalanced outputs. It's really hard to say which sound is better. Could anybody else share the opinion about that?


----------



## Xanasazi

After talking with support, seems like they have already fixed the usb volume problem and are planning to push out an update next week. (minor update).


I love these guys lol.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 20, 2020)

There was a link for the K5 Manual. The search in the thread does not find anything. Please share the links again.

That is what I was looking for
https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/button-led


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Man what other companies are answering questions (sometimes stupid ones^^) from their customers during the weekend? 

This company is awesome!


----------



## Xanasazi

I'm definitely enjoying this lil thing. If I could change one thing it would be the buttons though. Having identical buttons on both sides in the same location is kind of a pita. Not as bad if you're the type to clip it to your shirt or whatever but I attach mine to my headphones so feeling around for the buttons is a pain but I'll get used to them eventually. Glad I returned my BTR3 for this even though I think the BT looks a lot sexier. ;D


----------



## kismetsky

Xanasazi said:


> I'm definitely enjoying this lil thing. If I could change one thing it would be the buttons though. Having identical buttons on both sides in the same location is kind of a pita. Not as bad if you're the type to clip it to your shirt or whatever but I attach mine to my headphones so feeling around for the buttons is a pain but I'll get used to them eventually. Glad I returned my BTR3 for this even though I think the BT looks a lot sexier. ;D



They added the nub on the blue side after some feedback; is it not pronounced enough?


----------



## mr.karmalicious

yeah it was a little weird finding the right button  + pressing it without pressing both at first, but now i'm used to it and the nub makes it easy


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 21, 2020)

kismetsky said:


> They added the nub on the blue side after some feedback; is it not pronounced enough?


I'm dumb lol, I actually didn't notice it until you just pointed it out to me. That will definitely help.


Gotta love that BTR5 price drop to match the 5K haha.


----------



## zolom

I would appreciate smaller volume steps (up and down).
Thanks


----------



## smorgar

zolom said:


> I would appreciate smaller volume steps (up and down).
> Thanks


If you click the button one time very fast and short it jumps 0,5db. I guess what you mean is if you hold down the button it jumps to fast?


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 21, 2020)

What is the translated power from  4.0V RMS (5K balanced output) to mW for, say, 32ohms ?


----------



## Infoseeker

alex5908 said:


> What is the translated power from  4.0V RMS (5K balanced output) to mW?



That is the old stats with the older hardware that got changed out. 

The specs with the modern setup.


----------



## alex5908

Infoseeker said:


> The specs with the modern setup.


Thanks. Why don't they specify the impedance?


----------



## ClieOS

Xanasazi said:


> ...
> Gotta love that BTR5 price drop to match the 5K haha.



When/where did that happen?


----------



## daijoubu86

ClieOS said:


> When/where did that happen?


Amazon price dropped to 109. 
But you can buy locally, with 10% cashback coin voucher you can get the BTR5 delivered for about rm450.


----------



## Xanasazi

Yea I saw it at Amazon yesterday. I got a good chuckle from seeing it drop down to the same price lol.


----------



## ClieOS

daijoubu86 said:


> Amazon price dropped to 109.
> But you can buy locally, with 10% cashback coin voucher you can get the BTR5 delivered for about rm450.



You probably don't know that BTR5 is only about $100~115 if your ordered it from Taobao, and that's how much it was priced since it was first launched about a year ago. When I got mine (first batch), it was $100.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Jun 21, 2020)

Xanasazi said:


> I'm dumb lol, I actually didn't notice it until you just pointed it out to me. That will definitely help.
> 
> 
> Gotta love that BTR5 price drop to match the 5K haha.


Question...  why do you think the BTR5 price dropped “to match“ the 5K...?  Has the 5K availability on various commerce platforms / volume gotten to the point where it is seen as a competitor by FiiO?  Just asking...  lots of reasons for price drops, including reacting to market saturation (everyone willing to buy it at the higher price has purchased and now they look for increasing customer base from demand and price elasticity), cost improvements in manufacturing, clearing stock in advance of / creating pricing room for a new offering, and, yes, competition...

I should also mention that when I purchased my BTR5 in December it was the same price as I recently paid for the Qudelix 5K...  so not sure what you mean...


----------



## CardigdanWalk

Got mine in the U.K. (any annoyingly also got hit with a £30 charge from fedex for import taxes)

having fun listening to music again and playing with settings, does anyone have any recommendations with regard to “best sounding” settings?

looks like my ES100 might be getting sold or donated to family!


----------



## daijoubu86

ClieOS said:


> You probably don't know that BTR5 is only about $100~115 if your ordered it from Taobao, and that's how much it was priced since it was first launched about a year ago. When I got mine (first batch), it was $100.



Oh I didn't know that! So I'm guessing it's just the middle man mark up that is being brought down in Amazon.


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 21, 2020)

jsmiller58 said:


> Question...  why do you think the BTR5 price dropped “to match“ the 5K...?  Has the 5K availability on various commerce platforms / volume gotten to the point where it is seen as a competitor by FiiO?  Just asking...  lots of reasons for price drops, including reacting to market saturation (everyone willing to buy it at the higher price has purchased and now they look for increasing customer base from demand and price elasticity), cost improvements in manufacturing, clearing stock in advance of / creating pricing room for a new offering, and, yes, competition...
> 
> I should also mention that when I purchased my BTR5 in December it was the same price as I recently paid for the Qudelix 5K...  so not sure what you mean...



I'm only going off what I personally saw. When I first saw the device on amazon about 2 weeks ago it was around 115$ and then a few days later it jumped up to 130$. Less than 48 hours after 5k release the price is now the same 109$ as the 5k. I wont' say it's impossible that there was another reason but if it looks like a duck, talks like a duck...... seem like a pretty damn big coincidence to me. Not that there is anything wrong with a lower price lol. It's only interesting to me because  I almost bought the BTR5 for 130 like a day before the 5k started to ship.


----------



## bobbooo (Jun 21, 2020)

Since Qudelix are refusing to provide an output impedance value for the 5K, can I ask anyone who's received a unit to do a quick approximate measurement?

This is an important value when used with headphones with low, varying input impedance with frequency, like multi-driver balanced-armature IEMs, as it can adversely affect frequency response if too high. It's a relatively easy measurement to make.

You need: 60 Hz sine wave test signal, digital multimeter, dummy load (e.g. cheap 30 ohm resistor).

Measure the voltage unloaded and with dummy load.

Calculate: Zout = (Rload * (Vnoload - Vload)) / Vload

Example: We measure 1V unloaded, 0.9V loaded and our dummy load is 30 ohm ==> (30 * (1 - 0.9)) / 0.9 = 3.33 ohm output impedance at 60 Hz.


----------



## jsmiller58

Xanasazi said:


> I'm only going off what I personally saw. When I first saw the device on amazon about 2 weeks ago it was around 115$ and then a few days later it jumped up to 130$. Less than 48 hours after 5k release the price is now the same 109$ as the 5k. I wont' say it's impossible that there was another reason but if it looks like a duck, talks like a duck...... seem like a pretty damn big coincidence to me. Not that there is anything wrong with a lower price lol. It's only interesting to me because  I almost bought the BTR5 for 130 like a day before the 5k started to ship.


Yeah, if you go through the BTR5 thread you will see people commenting that the BTR5 went up in price for a while when they were both in high demand and in short supply.  Seems supply and demand have equalized to bring it back to its original price, more or less.


----------



## ClieOS

bobbooo said:


> Since Qudelix are refusing to provide an output impedance value for the 5K, can I ask anyone who's received a unit to do a quick approximate measurement?



Unless QudeliX purposely add resistors onto the output of ES9218P (which I don't think they have nor needed to), the typical output impedance of the chip is about 1 ohm or less (or about 2 ohm or less for balanced).


----------



## Tohex (Jun 22, 2020)

Fellow owners; have I have it plugged in via USB and it's sounding sweet. However, as soon as I plug in the 5K via USB or hold down the power-on button the 5K immediately goes into Bluetooth pair mode. The DAC will function fine, but eventually turns off after no new Bluetooth device is paired.

Is there a way to turn it on without it immediately jumping into bluetooth pairing mode?

UPDATE:
Okay, so I think I've worked it out.
I had to pair my iPhone through Bluetooth and that stopped the 5K entering pairing mode every time it turned on. My guess is that it needed to have at least 1 Bluetooth connection in memory? Or at least, something like that makes sense seeing as it is primarily a Bluetooth receiver.

Confusingly, there is now 3 different Bluetooth pairings for the device. I will try to explain them as I _think_ it works.

When the 5K is on and in range of the Qudelix app paired device (iPhone), it will appear in the Bluetooth paired menu, but *without* the ⓘ next to it. This appears even if you're not paired for iOS Bluetooth output.
_Another way of thinking about this is that it will also be there if you're just using it as a USB DAC. Essentially, once you've paired your 5K with your primary controlling device, this is always available._
The second case is once you've paired your device and now have 2x *Qudelix-5K* appearing in the Bluetooth pairing iOS pairing menu. _This is a good thing_. One is so you can control the software side of it_ (above)_. The other, is so iOS can stream it's output to the 5K.
_Another way to think about it; no ⓘ next to your *Qudelix-5K* means no iOS output. Time to pair that sucker._
I have no idea why *iPhone* appears under the Bluetooth pairing menu once you're in the iOS paired mode. I am guessing it is microphone related.
iOS Bluetooth pairing page.


----------



## Angertobi

Tohex said:


> Fellow owners; have I have it plugged in via USB and it's sounding sweet. However, as soon as I plug in the 5K via USB-C or hold down the power on button it immediately goes into Bluetooth pair mode. The DAC will function fine, but eventually turns off after no new bluetooth device is paired.
> 
> Is there a way to turn it on without it immediately jumping into bluetooth pairing mode?
> 
> ...


Absolutly the same here. Please make an update, to pair it with a usc-c to lightning cable.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi (Jun 24, 2020)




----------



## FRZFLX

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Shameless Plug, My Qudelix 5K is Up for Sale.



whats your main reason for selling?


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

FRZFLX said:


> whats your main reason for selling?



Mainly to fund my xCAN purchase, Been waiting for a used one to pop up.


----------



## bobbooo (Jun 22, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> Unless QudeliX purposely add resistors onto the output of ES9218P (which I don't think they have nor needed to), the typical output impedance of the chip is about 1 ohm or less (or about 2 ohm or less for balanced).



Other measurements of the 5K are worse than e.g. the LG G7's measurements which uses the same ES9218P, so I don't think anything can be guaranteed. It would be good to get confirmation of the output impedance from an actual 5K user (or for Qudelix to just publish their measured value themselves).


----------



## Angertobi

No shameless connector

it doesnt connected with ios


----------



## Xanasazi

Angertobi said:


> No shameless connector
> 
> it doesnt connected with ios


https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dac-with-ios-10578191?pid=1311879754

Dunno if thats the issue you're having but maybe it will be helpful to you.


----------



## ClieOS (Jun 23, 2020)

bobbooo said:


> Other measurements of the 5K are worse than e.g. the LG G7's measurements which uses the same ES9218P, so I don't think anything can be guaranteed. It would be good to get confirmation of the output impedance from an actual 5K user (or for Qudelix to just publish their measured value themselves).



5K's output impedance for both 3.5mm and 2.5mm output are measured and calculated to be 0.21 ohm.


----------



## bobbooo

ClieOS said:


> 5K's output impedance for both 3.5mm and 2.5mm output are measured and calculated to be 0.21 ohm.



Thanks, can you link to a source for this? Or is it your own measurement?


----------



## ClieOS

bobbooo said:


> Thanks, can you link to a source for this? Or is it your own measurement?



Made the measurement and calculated the result myself.


----------



## TK33

ClieOS said:


> 5K's output impedance for both 3.5mm and 2.5mm output are measured and calculated to be 0.21 ohm.



Thanks for measuribg and posting this. Looks like mine finally made it to NY and is out for delivery today so hopefully I will have it soon.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 23, 2020)

I posted the question on qudelix site but there's no response so far. Is there a way to see the battery percentage more clearly? Have to wear my eye glasses to see it. It's dark and deemed.

Received an answer now.
"We'll keep updating the app step by step.
We're planning to add a battery guage in the volume(home) tab. "


----------



## Hamlap

So we have a nice thread here, good! Am using the BTR5 for a while now and I'm wondering if I should get this instead. Let's read back some pages!


----------



## The Madhouse (Jun 23, 2020)

Hamlap said:


> So we have a nice thread here, good! Am using the BTR5 for a while now and I'm wondering if I should get this instead. Let's read back some pages!


Depends what you are looking for. It's not a day and night difference. It sounds different and thé app has potential. I don't regret my purchase, because i like gimmicks, and thé price isn't An arm and a leg. 
But if you are just looking at it because you think this is way better than btr5 look elsewhere  

I mostly use them with blon bl03's and i have urbanfun ybf014 on thé way. Also use both only balanced. And sometimes with hd650 and for that i like 5K better because it has more control on ''higher'' volume.


----------



## Pro-Jules

CardigdanWalk said:


> Got mine in the U.K. (any annoyingly also got hit with a £30 charge from fedex for import taxes)
> 
> having fun listening to music again and playing with settings, does anyone have any recommendations with regard to “best sounding” settings?
> 
> looks like my ES100 might be getting sold or donated to family!



what do you like better about Q5K?


----------



## alex5908

The Madhouse said:


> But if you are just looking at it because you think this is way better than btr5 look elsewhere


And which IS a way better? Does it exist?


----------



## TK33

Finally got my 5K today.  Has anyone been able to use this successfully as a USB DAC with Windows 10 or Android (using UAPP)?  I have no issues getting it to play music when in USB DAC mode in Windows but the app seems to report the incorrect sample rate half the time (the same track would show 24/96 one time and 24/44.1 or 24/48 when the same track is played again) when listening to Qobuz using exclusive mode.  The same thing happened while trying to use UAPP on my Galaxy S9 (via USB), which worked for a little bit but then caused the 5K to restart a bunch of times and now audio comes out of my phone speakers instead of the 5K.  Probably a driver issue given how new this thing is but thought I would ask.  I have no issues with my Dragonfly Cobalt on Windows 10 or Android 10/UAPP.  

First impressions - may be due to the "new toy" factor but I am really glad I bought this.  I agree with others that the 5K is an improvement over the ES100, which will go back to my living room to be reattached to my receiver as a (rarely used) bluetooth receiver for my living room system.  The ES100 always sounded a little dull and congested to me and I only used it for convenience when travelling (and over the last week in anticipation of the 5K arriving).  The 5K sounds more open, has better separation, and is just more enjoyable to listen to for me compared to the ES100.  I am using it with my SE846 (single ended) right now and it sounds great with no noticeable hiss (I was a little worried when Qudelix would not post output impedance measurements)..I was going to get the BTR5 if I was not happy with the 5K but I no longer see a need to get the BTR5. Note, I have never heard the BTR5 so I cannot compare them.

I still need to get used to the controls (I kind of wish the pairing and power buttons were reversed and the volume buttons weren't so easy to press) but the build quality feels solid and I prefer the placement of the jacks on top.  I have had no issues connecting/reconnecting via bluetooth to my Galaxy S9 (both the phone and the app).  Thanks to the discussion here, I remembered you have to pair the phone and app separately, unlike some of my TWS, which just pair to both bluetooth LE and regular bluetooth when you launch the app.  I have been working at home so I can't really test connection quality while commuting/walking in NYC but the connection seems rock solid and I can actually listen at the 990k "Optimized for Audio Quality" setting on my Galaxy S9, which did not really work for me without constant stuttering on my ES100.  I always blamed my phone for being unable to use LDAC 990 but it seems like it was not my phone after all.  This will definitely get more use when I am working and don't want to be physically tethered to my desk.

Back to enjoying my new Qudelix 5K....


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 24, 2020)

TK33 said:


> Finally got my 5K today.  Has anyone been able to use this successfully as a USB DAC with Windows 10 or Android (using UAPP)?  I have no issues getting it to play music when in USB DAC mode in Windows but the app seems to report the incorrect sample rate half the time (the same track would show 24/96 one time and 24/44.1 or 24/48 when the same track is played again) when listening to Qobuz using exclusive mode.  The same thing happened while trying to use UAPP on my Galaxy S9 (via USB), which worked for a little bit but then caused the 5K to restart a bunch of times and now audio comes out of my phone speakers instead of the 5K.  Probably a driver issue given how new this thing is but thought I would ask.  I have no issues with my Dragonfly Cobalt on Windows 10 or Android 10/UAPP.
> 
> First impressions - may be due to the "new toy" factor but I am really glad I bought this.  I agree with others that the 5K is an improvement over the ES100, which will go back to my living room to be reattached to my receiver as a (rarely used) bluetooth receiver for my living room system.  The ES100 always sounded a little dull and congested to me and I only used it for convenience when travelling (and over the last week in anticipation of the 5K arriving).  The 5K sounds more open, has better separation, and is just more enjoyable to listen to for me compared to the ES100.  I am using it with my SE846 (single ended) right now and it sounds great with no noticeable hiss (I was a little worried when Qudelix would not post output impedance measurements)..I was going to get the BTR5 if I was not happy with the 5K but I no longer see a need to get the BTR5. Note, I have never heard the BTR5 so I cannot compare them.
> 
> ...



Welcome to the club!

https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dac-10579761?pid=1311892195 This will interest you.


----------



## Tohex

Xanasazi said:


> Welcome to the club!
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dac-10579761?pid=1311892195 This will interest you.



Keen for the update so it won't turn off without a bluetooth connection!


----------



## TK33

Xanasazi said:


> Welcome to the club!
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dac-10579761?pid=1311892195 This will interest you.


Thanks! Good to see they are addressing it.


----------



## Nolbert0

Got mine in the UK on Moday. Sounds great with my K245 in unbalanced. The software works great. Can't wait for PEQ! The size and weight is great. 

As mentioned previously, the usb is a bit funky. It seems to only work while in bt standby mode and the bt signal takes priority so whenver i unlock the phone with usb connected, the signal switches over to bt and usb audio cuts out for the phone unlocking sound. Very annoying. I wonder how the fw update will be distributed... bt ota via app or usb via pc? Also, I wish there was a pdf users manual.

Other than that, loving it thus far. 'New toy syndrome' and recency bias in full effect!

P.s. i was lucky not to stung with tax! Yay

P.p.s. i'm tempted to try and mod the k245 just to try it balanced... prob overkill tho, eh?


----------



## Rustlica

I finally received Q5k today. I've been waiting.

but, no audio sound when LDAC enabled in Galaxy S8 plus.
no problem SBC and Apt X.

any solution I can take?


----------



## smorgar

Rustlica said:


> I finally received Q5k today. I've been waiting.
> 
> but, no audio sound when LDAC enabled in Galaxy S8 plus.
> no problem SBC and Apt X.
> ...


I don't know what setting to try but look at the BT settings in developer options in Android.


----------



## meringo

Using mine now. Works fine on my Pixel 4 XL, sounds great -- like the App, although I like the ES100 better (but more mature) My frustration is with physical design. It's incredibly easy to hit the wrong button, there's no place for leverage to PUSH the buttons (two hands required?) and the lack of markings/bumps on the buttons.

very much a gen 1 product, which is a shame considering the current market. I won't judge too hard yet though... It does sound good and the app will improve.


----------



## smorgar

meringo said:


> Using mine now. Works fine on my Pixel 4 XL, sounds great -- like the App, although I like the ES100 better (but more mature) My frustration is with physical design. It's incredibly easy to hit the wrong button, there's no place for leverage to PUSH the buttons (two hands required?) and the lack of markings/bumps on the buttons.
> 
> very much a gen 1 product, which is a shame considering the current market. I won't judge too hard yet though... It does sound good and the app will improve.


The power button on my 5K has a large bump.


----------



## meringo

oh, you're right! I guess I missed that while trying to find leverage :-/


----------



## Xanasazi

smorgar said:


> The power button on my 5K has a large bump.


Yep, I didn't notice it at first either but it's definitely there and definitely helps once you realize it.


----------



## Rustlica

smorgar said:


> I don't know what setting to try but look at the BT settings in developer options in Android.


all default BT settings.
when I check in developer options and Q5k app, it show connected LDAC.

since it plays normally on es100, I think so it's Q5k problem.
I contact support.
Thank you reply.


----------



## zolyniakm (Jun 24, 2020)

Thanks to the polish dealer AudioHeaven (link) I was able to grab Qudelix-5K for myself and it's nice step-up from EarStudio ES100. Sound signature is a bit different. Both sound quite natural, but Qudelix is more balanced (not as warm, more neutral-ish) and provides clerer and cleaner sound with a bit better resolution and separation. It seems to 5K has more power and better dynamic with similiar noise. I like ES100 with brighter IEMs, but 5K is more universal. Also build quality is better and i like that rectangular form factor. Only buttons aren't good - sometimes it's hard to use 5K with one hand.

I compared it also with Shanling UP4. Qudelix is more natural here with a bit better body in mids. UP4 has a touch better resolution and wider stage, but dynamic isn't as good. 5K will be a bit more musical, organic. Qudelix is noticable smaller, but UP4 has much more premium build. Wheel is also easier for volume control.




App for Android need some bugfixes and improvments, but I give them some time (especially after waiting few months for device itself). Despite that I like 5K a lot.


----------



## Nolbert0

Does anybody else squeeze the 2.5mm jack thinking it was the clip?


----------



## kafebiwa

zolyniakm said:


> Thanks to the polish dealer AudioHeaven (link) I was able to grab Qudelix-5K for myself and it's nice step-up from EarStudio ES100. Sound signature is a bit different. Both sound quite natural, but Qudelix is more balanced (not as warm, more neutral-ish) and provides clerer and cleaner sound with a bit better resolution and separation. It seems to 5K has more power and better dynamic with similiar noise. I like ES100 with brighter IEMs, but 5K is more universal. Also build quality is better and i like that rectangular form factor. Only buttons aren't good - sometimes it's hard to use 5K with one hand.
> 
> I compared it also with Shanling UP4. Qudelix is more natural here with a bit better body in mids. UP4 has a touch better resolution and wider stage, but dynamic isn't as good. 5K will be a bit more musical, organic. Qudelix is noticable smaller, but UP4 has much more premium build. Wheel is also easier for volume control.
> 
> ...



Yep, ordered also today. I'll give a chance q5k because my es100 is dying slowly after two years of extreme usage.


----------



## zolyniakm

kafebiwa said:


> Yep, ordered also today. I'll give a chance q5k because my es100 is dying slowly after two years of extreme usage.



For me 5K is nice update to ES100. I like Qudelix very much with many IEMs, even models like Lime Ears Aether R with Satin Audio Athena 8X cable or DUNU Luna. With "Performance" setting and high gain it also goes quite well with Empire Ears Legend X. Now I'm intensively testing a new "go out" set Qudelix+iBasso IT00 and it works so nice, especially for the price of that combo.


----------



## Xanasazi

Waiting on this first update is killing me lol. I need my usb volume fixed QQ


----------



## Pro-Jules

My Empire Ear Nemesis CIEMS go very deep to get around a bend in my ear - so they are a PITA to pull out to talk to someone. So ambient mode is important for me. May have to go for ES100 for that reason.


----------



## Vaiet (Jun 26, 2020)

Got mine two days ago (also from AudioHeaven) and had only a bit of time to try it out with my DX220 so far up to this morning. The Qudelix app doesn't want to work with my iBasso but I guess it might have something to do with Lurkers ROM. Anyway, it sounded pretty darn good with DX220 alone but I've paired it today with my OnePlus 7 Pro and... woah, that's some serious piece of hardware.  Small advice - pair it with your phone first before connecting it with an app. I've tried to do exactly opposite and while the 5K was connected with an app, it didn't want to pair with my phone.




Anyway, I'm giving it a serious spin and the app itself gives some serious capabilities. First of all, I've put it on high gain and performance mode as to my ears it sounds the best. I am truly, truly amazed how it sounds. I didn't expect to be THAT good. Very enjoyable, musical yet vivid with an amazing bass response, clear and natural midrange, quite smooth but nicely extended highs. I really like it's soundstage, which is very balanced between good width and unexpectedly good depth with some nice layering. It also surprised me with a nice amaount of details and separation. 5K sounds so efortlessly, enjoyable and well balanced  Compared to Shanling UP2... It's better in every aspect and I can consider it as a bargain for those 110$.

P.S. So far I've only checked it out with my Dunu Falcon C + Ares Audio Okami (amazing pair) and Craft Ears Four (CIEM) + CM Cable Penumbra 4wire (on pic). To describe that second pairing I'd quote a phrase from "Klergy & Valerie Broussard - Start a War" - "MY GOD..."  *,..,*


----------



## Jaison

Nolbert0 said:


> Got mine in the UK on Moday. Sounds great with my K245 in unbalanced. The software works great. Can't wait for PEQ! The size and weight is great.
> 
> As mentioned previously, the usb is a bit funky. It seems to only work while in bt standby mode and the bt signal takes priority so whenver i unlock the phone with usb connected, the signal switches over to bt and usb audio cuts out for the phone unlocking sound. Very annoying. I wonder how the fw update will be distributed... bt ota via app or usb via pc? Also, I wish there was a pdf users manual.
> 
> ...




Hi Nolbert,

I'm in the UK too.

Did you not get a text from FedEx on the same day followed by a letter with the Tax Payment?

Thanks,
Jaison


----------



## greyforest

FedEx did a terrible job shipping my q5k (The package went a big circle around Asia) and damn custom hold my q5k for a whole week, but finally here it is. 

I did say i will do a q5k comparison impression against btr5 and oriolus 1795. But I changed my mind about that, because sound wise those two are no match for q5k. 

Instead i will do a comparison between q5k and n6mk2 e02 (dual 9038) 

In this comparison i will use n6mk2 for bt host(ldac990) as well. Therefore the music player Software and digital signals will be exactly the same. Headphone used for this test is audioquest nightowl and final a8000. (Both connected with bal) 

Have to say sound wise q5k is quite a step from es100. The density of sound and the reconstruction of soundstage is definitely midfi dap level. 

In terms of driving power i find q5k is about the same with es100, both headphone requires 60%~70% of the volume(high gain&performance) to achieve ideal sound pressure level (for me). It drives a8000 at ease with no clipping and distortions. 

Soundstage width is about the same compared to n62e02 with lesser frontal depth.  And that’s the most significant  shortage compared to n62 e02. 

Transparency is about the same(very transparent) with similar dynamics and separation, n62e02 does gives a better and solid imaging. 

If i am being bold and honest I would say if i am home with both devices, I would rather use q5k instead of n62 e02 for the convenience. There are of course performances gap between n62e02 and q5k for sure, but in most casual listening occasions it is negligible. 

In my opinion q5k have a very good Bluetooth interface(digital signal processing) definitely better than most of other competitors within the same category. That’s why merely dual 9218p sounds that good.


----------



## kafebiwa

Today UPS courier delivered mine - three days after order, nice 
First impression very good. Build quality imho much better than es100, more solid. SQ I think also better, more details and better soundstage. The biggest advance in comparsion to es100 is signal stability. I think that this 3d antenna doing grate job.


----------



## AlexCBSN

any store beside audioheaven that has any in stock? shipping international. its a long wait til mid july ;(


----------



## CactusPete23

Quick Question.  Has anyone from the USA that selected "Standard Shipping" received their 5K yet?  Tracking seems to show mine still in S. Korea...


----------



## jsmiller58

CactusPete23 said:


> Quick Question.  Has anyone from the USA that selected "Standard Shipping" received their 5K yet?  Tracking seems to show mine still in S. Korea...


nope, though my tracking indicates it has made it to Los Angeles, but not yet handed off to the USPS for delivery out of state...

for those considering ordering, word of advice...  choose the express shipping option.  If you can afford it, for a few dollars more you will receive the unit probably 2 weeks earlier...


----------



## Aerdowaith

I can second that. Ordered the day it dropped and chose standard shipping. I haven't gotten a tracking update in a week. Last several updates seemed to indicate it had made it to America, but nothing since then. A bit disappointing but it was my choice to try to save a bit. 

Seems like the coof has doubled international shipping times gong by a few other items I've ordered from Asia and Europe.


----------



## Xanasazi

wow i'm so happy i picked express after reading these posts.


----------



## TK33 (Jun 27, 2020)

CactusPete23 said:


> Quick Question.  Has anyone from the USA that selected "Standard Shipping" received their 5K yet?  Tracking seems to show mine still in S. Korea...



Yes, I got mine. I preordrred and selected standard shipping and got a QSP tracking number on June 15. It was transferred to USPS (you should see a USPS tracking number eventually on the QXPRESS tracking site if it ends up with the post office) and I received it this past Tuesday, June 23. I am in NY. Mine did sit in Korea for a few days.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 27, 2020)

Does anybody (having 5K already) have any ideas about the following?
I have a charger which shows the current taken by a device being charged. Today I started to charge the subj and in about two hours the 5K red light was gone and the charger was showing 0 current taken. I disconnected 5K from the charger and BT it to the phone. The phone showed 93% charge of 5K. How come?


----------



## TK33

Aerdowaith said:


> I can second that. Ordered the day it dropped and chose standard shipping. I haven't gotten a tracking update in a week. Last several updates seemed to indicate it had made it to America, but nothing since then. A bit disappointing but it was my choice to try to save a bit.
> 
> Seems like the coof has doubled international shipping times gong by a few other items I've ordered from Asia and Europe.


Would not be surprised if it is stuck in customs. I've had stuff stuck in customs for over a month before (even from Europe). I also have a cable from China that seems to be stuck at JFK for most of the week now.


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Jun 28, 2020)

I did not have a choice when ordering, it was Express or nothing. $20 well spent it seems.

As to the 5K it is ridiculously good value - I am yet to try the USB-DAC function, but as a BT receiver it sounds so good I have stopped looking at DAPs. I am not surprised by @greyforest ’s account. The same DAC in my V30 already made it a DAP killer, so factor in an even more finely honed implementation and balanced circuitry and the result is crazy good. I can hardly believe this was made in Korea instead of China.


----------



## cttttt

Random comment: After a solid two weeks of use, I'm kinda hoping for an update to eliminate the pops when audio starts/stops.  At first, I could listen through it, but it's getting to me a little, now.  Also, it would be handy to be able to switch Bluetooth devices on the fly.  And I'm also missing the ES100's media controls while connected as a USB DAC.  I'm literally missing the ES100, though, as I just RMA'ed it 😂.

Seems like all the annoyances I have with the 5K are all fixable in software, though.  The hardware is solid and for that I'm pumped!


----------



## kismetsky

cttttt said:


> Random comment: After a solid two weeks of use, I'm kinda hoping for an update to eliminate the pops when audio starts/stops.  At first, I could listen through it, but it's getting to me a little, now.  Also, it would be handy to be able to switch Bluetooth devices on the fly.  And I'm also missing the ES100's media controls while connected as a USB DAC.  I'm literally missing the ES100, though, as I just RMA'ed it 😂.
> 
> Seems like all the annoyances I have with the 5K are all fixable in software, though.  The hardware is solid and for that I'm pumped!



Can you elaborate on the popping noise?  Does it occur when you play/pause or between tracks? Is it loud or subtle?  Is this on bluetooth or during USB DAC?  What source are you using?


----------



## TK33

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I did not have a choice when ordering, it was Express or nothing. $20 well spent it seems.
> 
> As to the 5K it is ridiculously good value - I am yet to try the USB-DAC function, but as a BT receiver it sounds so good I have stopped looking at DAPs. I am not surprised by @greyforest’s account. The same DAC in my V30 already made it a DAP killer, so factor in an even more finely honed implementation and balanced circuitry and the result is crazy good. I can hardly believe this was made in Korea instead of China.


USB DAC is still a work in progress it seems. Hopefully they address some of the issues soon with an update. I was using it in USB DAC mode last night and it kept shutting off by itself until I disconnected it from bluetooth on my phone (just left bluetooth off on my phone and it stopped turning off by itself). I know others have similar issues.  Sounds like they're working on it though so fingers crossed. 

I agree it is excellent as a bluetooth receiver though.


----------



## Xanasazi (Jun 27, 2020)

cttttt said:


> Random comment: After a solid two weeks of use, I'm kinda hoping for an update to eliminate the pops when audio starts/stops.  At first, I could listen through it, but it's getting to me a little, now.  Also, it would be handy to be able to switch Bluetooth devices on the fly.  And I'm also missing the ES100's media controls while connected as a USB DAC.  I'm literally missing the ES100, though, as I just RMA'ed it 😂.
> 
> Seems like all the annoyances I have with the 5K are all fixable in software, though.  The hardware is solid and for that I'm pumped!



Thats interesting, I don't hear pops from my unit when audio starts/stops



TK33 said:


> USB DAC is still a work in progress it seems. Hopefully they address some of the issues soon with an update. I was using it in USB DAC mode last night and it kept shutting off by itself until I disconnected it from bluetooth on my phone (just left bluetooth off on my phone and it stopped turning off by itself). I know others have similar issues.  Sounds like they're working on it though so fingers crossed.
> 
> I agree it is excellent as a bluetooth receiver though.



Apparently this is going to be fixed in the update coming this week. ;D


----------



## TK33

cttttt said:


> Random comment: After a solid two weeks of use, I'm kinda hoping for an update to eliminate the pops when audio starts/stops.  At first, I could listen through it, but it's getting to me a little, now.  Also, it would be handy to be able to switch Bluetooth devices on the fly.  And I'm also missing the ES100's media controls while connected as a USB DAC.  I'm literally missing the ES100, though, as I just RMA'ed it 😂.
> 
> Seems like all the annoyances I have with the 5K are all fixable in software, though.  The hardware is solid and for that I'm pumped!



I havent noticed any popping sounds, although when I first got it I thought the sound effects it makes when it turns on and off were popping sounds at first. Have you reached out to Qudelix about it? They are usually pretty responsive.


----------



## cttttt

I got a sound whenever the device starts and stops sending audio.  The sound happens just before audio starts, and shortly after audio stops.  It's the sorta sound you'd get when plugging headphones into an old school cassette Walkman while it was running.  Here're all the noises I hear from turning it on to turning it off:

- ((At this point, the 5K is off))
- ((Hold the power button for 3 seconds))
- Two pops (that Walkman noise)
- "Click" sound effect (power on)
- "Whip" sound effect (bluetooth connected)
- A momentary high pitched sound (maybe one or two ms in duration)
- ((Hit Play on my Bluetooth connected phone))
- Two pops (the Walkman noise)
- ((4 seconds later))
- A momentary high pitched sound (maybe one or two ms in duration)
- ((Hold the power button for 3 seconds))
- Two pops (that Walkman noise)
- "Click" sound effect
- A momentary high pitched sound
- ((The device is off now))

Hmm...now that I try this using some Earpods I had laying around, I don't hear any of the clicks or pops.

I grabbed all of the audio stuff I had within reach and the results are pretty revealing:

I get the noises above with the following:

5K
-> 3.5mm connection
-> This cable: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32954926911.html
-> TRN V80s

And I don't get the pops with any of the following:

5K
-> 3.5mm connection
-> Apple Earpods

5K
-> 3.5mm connection
-> Bose Quiet Comfort QC35

5K
-> 3.5mm connection
-> This cable: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33004681759.html
-> TRN V80s

Although I'm wondering what's make it transmit these sounds, I guess I'll make this 16 core cable my new backup and start using the TRN cable.  Any idea why a cable would cause these sounds?  I'm not an electrical engineer, but am now super interested in what this phenomenon is.


----------



## Nolbert0 (Jun 28, 2020)

Jaison said:


> Hi Nolbert,
> 
> I'm in the UK too.
> 
> ...


I did get a text. Not a letter tho... yet

edit: but I’ve already received the item


----------



## The Madhouse

App update is available!


----------



## alex5908

Hello everybody.
I know that there are specs which tell you how much time 5K will play files on one fully charged battery.
Let's have it here (in this thread) how much time *actually* the fully charged battery will last playing dsd/ flac/mp3 320 files on LDAC/ other codecs using balanced/unbalanced outputs at an average sound level/loudness.
I think it will be useful.
I started to measure it yesterday and today I will write how much time 5K lasted playing flac files at a balanced output on LDAC.
I had to stop the experiment yesterday night as it was 1.15 am. The battery showed 17% left. 5K was ON for exactly 8 hours. Today I am continuing. The good news is that for the night the battery charge percentage have not changed.

Could anybody else share the info with different codecs and formats?


----------



## alex5908

The Madhouse said:


> App update is available!


Where is it? I can't see it on qudelix website. Could you share the link here?


----------



## cttttt

alex5908 said:


> Where is it? I can't see it on qudelix website. Could you share the link here?



The actual control app has been updated on mobile app stores.  On Android there was an app update in the Play store.

There was also a firmware update (see screenshot).  Note that it at least took me 5 minutes to install.  Not bad.


----------



## alex5908

cttttt said:


> The actual control app has been updated on mobile app stores.


Thanks for sharing the info.


----------



## cttttt (Jun 28, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> Thanks for sharing the info.



Oh and btw, the updates in practical terms are:

- Help text added to most views in the app.  The text are paragraphs that sit at the bottom of each view and describe how everything works.  For example:





- There are USB power modes now.  So you can tell the device what to do when the device is connected or disconnected.  Instead of discrete controls for what happens when the device is connected, and disconnected, there are just different modes.





- It's now possible to choose the USB DAC sampling rate (?).  I haven't had a chance to confirm whether any of these settings break compatibility with Windows.  I recall that with the ES100, there were some compatibility issues with certain sampling rates.





- The volume controls now have a scale and display the sampling rate.





The changelog lists a runtime mic selection, but I'm not sure what it means.  If I figure it out, I'll post about it.

*Update:*

- The scales flanking the volume view are actually battery and RMS meters.  Pretty neat use of space in the volume panel.

- Another significant update is that the volume levels from USB and Bluetooth Devices sound identical now.  Before, with the ES100, I had source devices at max volume and switching back and forth was pretty smooth: all sources were at the same level.  With the 5K, the volume level from USB devices sounded at least 20db quieter than Bluetooth devices.  This resulted in my ears getting blasted when the 5K decided to switch to a Bluetooth device.  I compensated by reducing the volume of my Bluetooth devices while the 5K was connected.  Now, it seems like USB devices emit audio at source level and switching from Bluetooth to USB, the audio sounds exactly the same.

- Seems like connecting the 5K to a Windows PC works fine at 96KHz / 24bit.

*Update:*

- After a bit of experimenting, it seems like the runtime mic selection feature allows the user to transfer a call between the 5K and a connected phone.  Carefully double tapping the Play/Pause button (the button with the bump) will transfer the call back and forth.  Note that the Play/Pause button disconnects the call, so...not sure how useful this feature will turn out to be.  I wonder why they didn't bind it to a double tap on the On/Off button (beneath the button with the bump).


----------



## Xanasazi

cttttt said:


> Oh and btw, the updates in practical terms are:
> 
> - Help text added to most views in the app.  The text are paragraphs that sit at the bottom of each view and describe how everything works.  For example:
> 
> ...




I'm really loving the update so far though I don't really understand the usb options very well. Feel like something got lost in translation but I'll figure em out eventually lol. I agree with you on the play/pause button being a bad call though I will say I've had literally zero problems double tapping these buttons. I know someone made a post complaining about struggling with double tap and I couldn't understand it for the life of me. Seems very easy and forgiving with the double taps imo.


----------



## cttttt

Xanasazi said:


> I'm really loving the update so far though I don't really understand the usb options very well. Feel like something got lost in translation but I'll figure em out eventually lol. I agree with you on the play/pause button being a bad call though I will say I've had literally zero problems double tapping these buttons. I know someone made a post complaining about struggling with double tap and I couldn't understand it for the life of me. Seems very easy and forgiving with the double taps imo.



Yeah.  I just left it on None.  I'm assuming this means that if the DAC was on when I connected it, it'll remain on and same if it was off. 

As for the double clicks, my success rate has been around 95% while listening to music.  The 5% of times I single tap by mistake, the music stops, and I'm right back in the game by single tapping again.  Or if I really spaced the taps out, I stop, then start the music.

Seems like here, if I miss a double tap, the call disconnects 😂 and I may start music depending on how spaced out the taps were.  Mapping this double tap to the power button would remove this booby trap.  However, stepping back, I'm not really sure how useful this feature is at all...transferring the audio to the phone transfers it to the headset earpiece and speaker (not the speakerphone).  So, my next action would be to pick up my phone.  If I already need to pick up my phone, I can pretty easily switch where the phone audio goes from the phone.

It's a cool addition, but I'm not sure how much I'd ever use this feature.


----------



## Xanasazi

cttttt said:


> Yeah.  I just left it on None.  I'm assuming this means that if the DAC was on when I connected it, it'll remain on and same if it was off.
> 
> As for the double clicks, my success rate has been around 95% while listening to music.  The 5% of times I single tap by mistake, the music stops, and I'm right back in the game by single tapping again.  Or if I really spaced the taps out, I stop, then start the music.
> 
> ...



Personally I'd much rather have the ability to drain the 5k battery while connected to usb instead of draining the battery of my device. Though apparently the former would allow for the 5k battery to stay healthier longer.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Anyone know of a store that has this available and ships international?


----------



## TK33

Xanasazi said:


> I'm really loving the update so far though I don't really understand the usb options very well. Feel like something got lost in translation but I'll figure em out eventually lol. I agree with you on the play/pause button being a bad call though I will say I've had literally zero problems double tapping these buttons. I know someone made a post complaining about struggling with double tap and I couldn't understand it for the life of me. Seems very easy and forgiving with the double taps imo.


If you're referring to the On as USB DAC option, this looks like it may be one of the fixes I was waiting for.  My 5K would shut off while it was being used as a USB DAC with my PC. It seemed like auto off was being triggered when not sending any audio to the 5K over bluetooth. It was extremely annoying actually. Will have to do the update tonight and give it a try.


----------



## gurepa

AlexCBSN said:


> Anyone know of a store that has this available and ships international?



Official store will be restock at early july.


----------



## jsmiller58

AlexCBSN said:


> Anyone know of a store that has this available and ships international?


If you buy direct be sure to pay for the express shipping.


----------



## Xanasazi

Xanasazi said:


> Personally I'd much rather have the ability to drain the 5k battery while connected to usb instead of draining the battery of my device. Though apparently the former would allow for the 5k battery to stay healthier longer.



Apparently they're working on this as well. =)


----------



## daijoubu86

Finally received mine, updated the firmware and giving a run now. All seems good except that I had the dreaded Samsung S10+ LDAC stutter when using at 990kbps mode. It seems fine when the screen is off, but when screen on, it will stutter. For time being I'll use adaptive. 

The size really surprised me, very small and compact.


----------



## Nolbert0

daijoubu86 said:


> The size really surprised me, very small and compact.


Yh. Its half the weight of btr5 as well. Very impressed with the form factor myself.


----------



## zolom

daijoubu86 said:


> Finally received mine, updated the firmware and giving a run now. All seems good except that I had the dreaded Samsung S10+ LDAC stutter when using at 990kbps mode. It seems fine when the screen is off, but when screen on, it will stutter. For time being I'll use adaptive.
> 
> The size really surprised me, very small and compact.



LDAC 990 on my S10 (Exynos) does not stutter (much), when the screen is off.


----------



## daijoubu86

zolom said:


> LDAC 990 on my S10 (Exynos) does not stutter (much), when the screen is off.


Yes when screen is off I don't have the issue too, but as I use the phone alot of surf while listening to music, this isn't a solution for me


----------



## zolom

daijoubu86 said:


> Yes when screen is off I don't have the issue too, but as I use the phone alot of surf while listening to music, this isn't a solution for me



with the SE100 I could manage significantly less stuttering (LDAC 990) when LOCATION was turned off. With the 5K it does not.


----------



## Jaison

There is a workaround for me, I have the Galaxy S10 and if disable the "Location" (from the drop down menu) then I don't get the stuttering at all with LDAC 990


----------



## Jaison

Nolbert0 said:


> I did get a text. Not a letter tho... yet
> 
> edit: but I’ve already received the item



Yeah I my 5k on Thurs 18th at 9:30am, then got the text at 2pm from FexEx about the Tax.

I received the letter last Friday.


----------



## zolom

Jaison said:


> There is a workaround for me, I have the Galaxy S10 and if disable the "Location" (from the drop down menu) then I don't get the stuttering at all with LDAC 990


not working with exynos s10. only with screen off.


----------



## Jaison (Jun 29, 2020)

zolom said:


> not working with exynos s10. only with screen off.



Strange as I have the Exynos version too.

There was talk on the Qudelix forum about the 2.4Ghz (and I think 5 Ghz) WiFi at home causing problems.


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

I really hope this company succeed, They're nailing it with CSupport.


----------



## p50kombi

zolom said:


> LDAC 990 on my S10 (Exynos) does not stutter (much), when the screen is off.





zolom said:


> not working with exynos s10. only with screen off.




maybe have a look at this:

Using adaptive, wifi on a non 2.4 ghz or off, and screen off, no issues.
Even with screen on it hops to 990 most of the time now.
You can easily see what bitrate it is playing at from the blinking speed of the blue LED.

https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum...ing-truly-interesting-10577082?pid=1311872029


----------



## kafebiwa

AlexCBSN said:


> Anyone know of a store that has this available and ships international?



For Europe for sure I could recommend AH but I do not know how it looks outside EU. I received mine after three days via UPS. Try to ask, maybe they will help. 



daijoubu86 said:


> Yes when screen is off I don't have the issue too, but as I use the phone alot of surf while listening to music, this isn't a solution for me



Samsung smartphones have problem with LDAC 990 and also Huawei after upgread to Android 10. I think that this is mainly new android problem:
https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Note10/LDAC-stutter-after-Android-Q-upgrade/td-p/1057874


----------



## TK33

p50kombi said:


> maybe have a look at this:
> 
> Using adaptive, wifi on a non 2.4 ghz or off, and screen off, no issues.
> Even with screen on it hops to 990 most of the time now.
> ...


I noticed my Galaxy S9 goes up to 990 even when on best effort/adaptive which was a nice surprise. The updated app shows bitrate on the volume tab which is where I noticed it. My screen was obviously on since I was taking a screenshot. Like what they did with that screen in the new app.


----------



## mhoopes

cttttt said:


> ...Also, it would be handy to be able to switch Bluetooth devices on the fly.


+1 That’s a feature I appreciate on Logitech devices.


----------



## christophermx4

When am I going to get this amp? It shipped on the 15th and I haven't heard anything since. 12 business days (per the website) hits tomorrow. I have a trip coming up, and I was really hoping I'd have the amp by now.


----------



## Xanasazi

christophermx4 said:


> When am I going to get this amp? It shipped on the 15th and I haven't heard anything since. 12 business days (per the website) hits tomorrow. I have a trip coming up, and I was really hoping I'd have the amp by now.


You must be another person who didn't choose express shipping ;(


----------



## daijoubu86

So far I'm settling with permanently putting LDAC to 660kbps, at least until Android/Samsung fixes this issue. Does anyone here can audibly hear a difference between 660 vs 990 kbps?


----------



## zolom

daijoubu86 said:


> So far I'm settling with permanently putting LDAC to 660kbps, at least until Android/Samsung fixes this issue. Does anyone here can audibly hear a difference between 660 vs 990 kbps?


Cannot precieve any improvment from 660 to 990 (uapp,  tidal hifi,  s10, beyerdynamic t5p).
The only issue is the necessity to go into developers mode and set ldac bt to 660, each time I activate.  No method to set it by default.


----------



## mhoopes

christophermx4 said:


> When am I going to get this amp? It shipped on the 15th and I haven't heard anything since. 12 business days (per the website) hits tomorrow. I have a trip coming up, and I was really hoping I'd have the amp by now.


Where do you live? I’m in the SF Bay Area, and I just received mine yesterday. You can opt into USPS sms notification if you want to easily track its progress, once it’s handed over to them.


----------



## ClieOS




----------



## Nolbert0

Jaison said:


> Yeah I my 5k on Thurs 18th at 9:30am, then got the text at 2pm from FexEx about the Tax.
> 
> I received the letter last Friday.


My text said nothing about tax. Just that it was arriving on that day. Was i just really lucky?


----------



## sasashin

Rustlica said:


> but, no audio sound when LDAC enabled in Galaxy S8 plus.
> no problem SBC and Apt X.



I have the same problem as you.

My phone is Galaxy Feel (SC-04J) that is localized to Japan. 5K can connect to my phone by LDAC, but makes no sound. 

I posted the topic about this problem on qudelix forum, but it has  not been solved yet.
https://qudelix.discussion.community/post?10581447

How about your problem?


----------



## Xanasazi

sasashin said:


> I have the same problem as you.
> 
> My phone is Galaxy Feel (SC-04J) that is localized to Japan. 5K can connect to my phone by LDAC, but makes no sound.
> 
> ...



Thats so weird, I'm super curious as to why there is a problem only on Japanese phone.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

daijoubu86 said:


> So far I'm settling with permanently putting LDAC to 660kbps, at least until Android/Samsung fixes this issue. Does anyone here can audibly hear a difference between 660 vs 990 kbps?


I had it on LDAC Adaptive (best effort) and couldn’t hear a difference between 990 and 330; it was not analytical listening mind you. I always felt the technical differences between codecs were overrated and the tuning of each makes a bigger difference than the data transfer rate.


----------



## Darkestred

zolom said:


> Cannot precieve any improvment from 660 to 990 (uapp,  tidal hifi,  s10, beyerdynamic t5p).
> The only issue is the necessity to go into developers mode and set ldac bt to 660, each time I activate.  No method to set it by default.


Not ideal but might be able to automate it with something like tasker.


----------



## alex5908

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I always felt the technical differences between codecs were overrated and the tuning of each makes a bigger difference than the data transfer rate.


Do you mean to say you don't hear the difference between SBC and LDAC codecs? What kind of IEMs are you using?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

alex5908 said:


> Do you mean to say you don't hear the difference between SBC and LDAC codecs? What kind of IEMs are you using?


I meant between aptX, AAC, aptX HD and LDAC. SBC when the going gets rough sounds like 128 kbps MP3 vs 320, garbled.
On CD-quality files the difference _should_ be negligible given the small amount of data lost in the transfer anyway.


----------



## Rustlica

sasashin said:


> How about your problem?


ya, I'm watching thread.

I tried all the suggested solutions before the thread progresses, but I see no improvement.
display bitrate after firmware update, but displayed as N/A.

I think so Q5k issue, because only issue with Q5k on my device.
but if only Japanese version Galaxy issues, maybe difficult to determine the cause.

I also contacted Qudelix email, but I haven't received a reply yet.


----------



## alex5908

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I meant between aptX, AAC, aptX HD and LDAC.


To me there's heck of a difference between aac and ldac too.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

alex5908 said:


> To me there's heck of a difference between aac and ldac too.


I also hear large differences when switching on the fly between codecs on the ES100 for instance, but when paying attention I find the detail is actually there with the lower ones, it's just less immediately apparent. Sensibly, LDAC is tuned with more emphasis on the higher registers to appeal to detail-oriented listeners, while AAC is bassier and tuned for mainstream taste, the same way tuning works for headphones/iems. A competent AAC-only sink device like recent B&O headphones can do tight, holographic playback.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 30, 2020)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I also hear large differences when switching on the fly between codecs on the ES100 for instance, but when paying attention I find the detail is actually there with the lower ones, it's just less immediately apparent. Sensibly, LDAC is tuned with more emphasis on the higher registers to appeal to detail-oriented listeners, while AAC is bassier and tuned for mainstream taste, the same way tuning works for headphones/iems. A competent AAC-only sink device like recent B&O headphones can do tight, holographic playback.


Yes, you're right and I agree with you that the difference is noticeably evident with high frequencies.
One more thing which I noticed with the subj is that when I chose two codecs (aac and LDAC) I assume the bass is more prominent compred with the setting where all the codecs are enabled.
Another thing which I am not so sure of with the new FW is that pressing the volume button one time does not lead to the considerable change of sound volume is it was with the previous FW.  Am I right?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

alex5908 said:


> Yes, you're right and I agree with you that the difference is noticeably evident with high frequencies.
> One more thing which I noticed with the subj is that when I chose two codecs (aac and LDAC) I assume the bass is more prominent compred with the setting where all the codecs are enabled.
> Another thing which I am not so sure of with the new FW is that pressing the volume button one time does not lead to the considerable change of sound volume is it was with the previous FW.  Am I right?


Ha, intriguing! On my part I thought I noticed less of a volume difference than previously when activating EQ, but it was just the one time and I was outside so maybe I had a wrong impression - I’ll get back to you in a few hours. Have the steps been changed from 1dB to 0.5? I seem to remember they were already 0.5 before.


----------



## TK33 (Jun 30, 2020)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I also hear differences when switching on the fly between codecs on the ES100 for instance, but when paying attention I find the detail is actually there with the lower ones, it's just less immediately apparent. Sensibly, LDAC is tuned with more emphasis on the higher registers to appeal to detail-oriented listeners, while AAC is bassier and tuned for mainstream taste, the same way tuning works for headphones/iems. A competent AAC-only sink device like recent B&O headphones can do tight, holographic playback.



I always thought the differences were due to data being dropped due to lower bitrates which, depending on what gets dropped, may result in the change in "tuning" but I am sure there are many here who are more knowledgeable than me on this.  I also understand that implementation of each codec makes a big difference on both the source and receiving end and AAC is not great in many Android devices.  I do know I can hear a difference and for me (on my Android devices) SBC < aptX < LDAC and I never use AAC because it sounds the worst to me.  Most of the differences are more noticeable in width and depth of soundstage and the overall fullness of the sound when using the same devices. LDAC 990 definitely sounds much closer to wired to me. I agree implementation matters greatly and you can have bad aptX devices and great SBC devices. On my Senn MTWs and MW07 Go, I definitely prefer aptX to SBC.

While on the topic, my S9 only let's me change codecs by toggling on and off LDAC in bluetooth settings (without disabling on the 5K and restarting). If I try to change between aptX, AAC, or SBC, the 5K appears to prioritize codecs in that order so I have to actually disable the codecs with a higher priority and restart the 5K to change it. Changing in developer settings only initially looked like it changed because my phone listed the codec I had selected but, when I initially didnt hear a difference, I exited the developer settings menu and went back in only to find out my phone was using aptX again (Qudelix app was reporting the same thing). I had to actually disable aptX on my 5K to force my S9 to use AAC. To get SBC, I had to disable both AAC and aptX.  Once I did that, I could hear a difference with each codec.


----------



## mr.karmalicious

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Ha, intriguing! On my part I thought I noticed less of a volume difference than previously when activating EQ, but it was just the one time and I was outside so maybe I had a wrong impression - I’ll get back to you in a few hours. Have the steps been changed from 1dB to 0.5? I seem to remember they were already 0.5 before.


they were .5, but the "delay" before reading a single "press" as a "press and hold" was very small, so even a relatively short tap could move it up 2dB. i did ask on their forum that they change the delay time so that that didn't happen less, but i haven't been able to test whether it's actually different. i know that they saw the feedback, though!


----------



## Nolbert0

There's something a fraction of a second of silence when playing or changing songs on foobar via USB. It's like using the Mojo via USB but not quite as bad? I'm using windows 10, btw.


----------



## Dogway

I had to borrow a smartphone with >android 8 for the qudelix app because mine is 6.0. I might be dumb but how do you save a custom 10 band EQ? After set up I hold custom and it says "Saved Custom #1" then when I go back to Custom #1 it's flat (bluetooth paired and all that done obviously).

Also is it possible to adjust Q width for the bands? my FR is too bumpy.


----------



## mhoopes

Ok!  Impressions, 2 days in. I’m going to take it easy on the SW/FW at launch. My company just launched a new product, and the DVD we burned was almost immediately irrelevant the next day.

POV: ES100. I use that thing every day, or at least, I did. It worked great - so why would I pony up $109 USD + shipping for an incremental upgrade?

Microphone: I’m told by people on the other end that the quality is better than my Sennheiser MB1 Pro. That said, it’s not a boom mic, and the rigid enclosure construction tends to make noise if it is lightly touched by the headphone cable or your fingers. Also, I’m still picking up nearby noises, so it likely needs some more training in the ANC Dept. More to come.

LEDs. Damn, they’re bright. Luckily, you can disable them in the app. Done.

Wireless range: I haven’t done any back-to-back controlled tests, but it seems to be better than the ES100...that is, if my iPhone Xs isn’t in my pocket. I need more time on it, and with LDAC 990, combined with other nearby BT traffic, on my Sony Blu-Ray to know more.

Ergonomics: I miss the dedicated power button a little, but I don’t miss the right-angle cable interference with the volume buttons. That said, the top-mount cable is a compromise that allows the cable to rustle against the enclosure more when you’re on the mic. A minor issue for most, I imagine.

Sound quality: It’s very good, though I needed to do some extra EQ tweaking to compensate for the lack of a lower Q setting. The current fixed Q is more appropriate for 20 bands. I’ll reserve judgment on sound quality until more Q options are made available. Honestly, that makes more difference than a load of other filter options and DAC sound “signature”.


----------



## rkw

Nolbert0 said:


> There's something a fraction of a second of silence when playing or changing songs on foobar via USB. It's like using the Mojo via USB but not quite as bad? I'm using windows 10, btw.


Does foobar support gapless playback?


----------



## Xanasazi (Jul 1, 2020)

Dogway said:


> I had to borrow a smartphone with >android 8 for the qudelix app because mine is 6.0. I might be dumb but how do you save a custom 10 band EQ? After set up I hold custom and it says "Saved Custom #1" then when I go back to Custom #1 it's flat (bluetooth paired and all that done obviously).
> 
> Also is it possible to adjust Q width for the bands? my FR is too bumpy.



That works when I do it.




mhoopes said:


> Ok!  Impressions, 2 days in. I’m going to take it easy on the SW/FW at launch. My company just launched a new product, and the DVD we burned was almost immediately irrelevant the next day.
> 
> POV: ES100. I use that thing every day, or at least, I did. It worked great - so why would I pony up $109 USD + shipping for an incremental upgrade?
> 
> ...




It sounds like you need to make sure side tone is disabled under the mic options. The SW is a bit buggy so sometimes I have to turn it on and then back off for it to truly be off. Give it a shot and that whole hearing the cable thing shouldn't be a problem anymore


----------



## JackFlash

Did not upgrade to express shipping. Order has arrived in the USA. Hope the tracking shows similar progress for others!


----------



## Nolbert0

rkw said:


> Does foobar support gapless playback?



It's when I change or restart the tracks from the beginning, not when it finishes the previous song so gapless should't be the culprit, right? It behaves very much like the Chord Mojo with usb input. Doesn't happen with the Topping D10 which confirms it's not software (on the pc side, at least). I'm usually missing the first note of the song whenever i select one.

edit: this seems to happen when on wasapi and only on push, not event.


----------



## jsmiller58

JackFlash said:


> Did not upgrade to express shipping. Order has arrived in the USA. Hope the tracking shows similar progress for others!


My non-express package arrived in the US on June 19...  tracking says it will be delivered today...  Two weeks to be delivered once it arrived in the US.  I hope you don’t go through that kind of wait.


----------



## Aerdowaith

Package arrived in the US on the 19th. Left Illinois on the 20th. Next update the was the 30th with it arriving in Atlanta. No update since then - I'm in TN. 

Presumably it's relatively close at this point, but it does feel like it's being transported by a kid on a bike. 😅 That said every shipping company is way overloaded rn and even if they weren't the coof is an excuse to not push their timetables hard and save a bit of money, so between the two I'm not surprised at the delivery times. 

I just wish tracking would be updated a bit more often so I could still feel it's progress and manage my anticipation accordingly. 😅


----------



## kismetsky

Aerdowaith said:


> Package arrived in the US on the 19th. Left Illinois on the 20th. Next update the was the 30th with it arriving in Atlanta. No update since then - I'm in TN.
> 
> Presumably it's relatively close at this point, but it does feel like it's being transported by a kid on a bike. 😅 That said every shipping company is way overloaded rn and even if they weren't the coof is an excuse to not push their timetables hard and save a bit of money, so between the two I'm not surprised at the delivery times.
> 
> I just wish tracking would be updated a bit more often so I could still feel it's progress and manage my anticipation accordingly. 😅


I was able to get a delivery estimate by dropping the USPS tracking number in here:
http://tracking.smartlabel.com/default.aspx


----------



## Xanasazi

Nolbert0 said:


> There's something a fraction of a second of silence when playing or changing songs on foobar via USB. It's like using the Mojo via USB but not quite as bad? I'm using windows 10, btw.




I don't have this problem though I don't use foobar. I tried win10, usb + Amazon HD music/MusicBee/youtube music


----------



## daijoubu86

Has anyone found a more flexible and preferably shorter Type C to Type C cable to replace the stock cable?


----------



## Jaison

daijoubu86 said:


> Has anyone found a more flexible and preferably shorter Type C to Type C cable to replace the stock cable?



I am pretty sure Fiio makes one, and with that you should hopefully find a 3rd Party one.

Not sure how flexible it is but if I recall correctly both ends are L-shaped which could be useful.


----------



## Jaison

Xanasazi said:


> I don't have this problem though I don't use foobar. I tried win10, usb + Amazon HD music/MusicBee/youtube music



For Amazon HD are you using an Android phone? If so does the App use the DAC now? There was an issue of it only using the phone's DAC but at 24-Bit / 48Hz (I think).


----------



## Xanasazi (Jul 3, 2020)

Jaison said:


> For Amazon HD are you using an Android phone? If so does the App use the DAC now? There was an issue of it only using the phone's DAC but at 24-Bit / 48Hz (I think).



I've tried it on galaxy tab s6 android 10. Galaxy tab s6 doesn't have a headphone jack, it used the 5k just fine for me. I had the 5k set to 48khz in the app which is why it shows that for my device capability.


----------



## quimbo

daijoubu86 said:


> Has anyone found a more flexible and preferably shorter Type C to Type C cable to replace the stock cable?



I bought this Fiio cable for my BTR5.  Fairly flexible, only works in one direction, thought I got a flawed cable
fiio cable


----------



## daijoubu86

Jaison said:


> I am pretty sure Fiio makes one, and with that you should hopefully find a 3rd Party one.
> 
> Not sure how flexible it is but if I recall correctly both ends are L-shaped which could be useful.


Thanks, I've found the Fiio cable and if there are no better alternatives I'll go for that .



quimbo said:


> I bought this Fiio cable for my BTR5.  Fairly flexible, only works in one direction, thought I got a flawed cable
> fiio cable


I'm eyeing that cable too, thanks!


----------



## Xanasazi

daijoubu86 said:


> Thanks, I've found the Fiio cable and if there are no better alternatives I'll go for that .
> 
> 
> I'm eyeing that cable too, thanks!


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TPYSLBN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's what I use, 3 good cables for cheaper than the one in that link.


----------



## mhoopes

Xanasazi said:


> That works when I do it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don’t mind the side tone- I’m of the generation that grew up on land lines and side tone as a standard feature. I don’t want people on the other end to hear my cable rustling - I’m in group business meetings, and that’s bad form.


----------



## TK33

Jaison said:


> For Amazon HD are you using an Android phone? If so does the App use the DAC now? There was an issue of it only using the phone's DAC but at 24-Bit / 48Hz (I think).


Pretty sure that is a limitation of the Android OS and not the Amazon app.  Qobuz, on my Android phones, shows the same behaviour with a USB DAC. Luckily we have UAPP for Qobuz/Tidal.

I havent tried again since I posted but is anyone using the 5K with UAPP? Didnt really work for me when I first got it. Hopefully they figured it out. Will have to remember to try again this weekend, although the bluetooth connection with LDAC has been excellent for me.


----------



## TK33 (Jul 3, 2020)

mhoopes said:


> I don’t mind the side tone- I’m of the generation that grew up on land lines and side tone as a standard feature. I don’t want people on the other end to hear my cable rustling - I’m in group business meetings, and that’s bad form.


I was playing around with this the other day and it seemed like disabling side tone may help reduce background noise.  Not sure if I was imagining it. I turned it off just in case since I use IEMs and use only 1 ear when on calls.  Noone complained about not being able to hear me though which was a plus.


----------



## quimbo

If size matters, these are shorter and 7.99 for 2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071H86QB6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00

I can confirm that they work using a Galaxy S10 to a BTR5


----------



## Aerdowaith

Finally got my 5k today! Initial impressions are that I'm well, impressed. 😁

I'm by no means a skilled analyzer of audio, and I'm sure there could be some confirmation bias, but I think it sounds noticeably better than the FiiO BTR1K it's replacing, even to my casual ears. From a price and spec standpoint it's not really a fair device to compare the 5k to, but I'd say the 5k is noticeably clearer sounding, with better instrument separation and depth to the sound stage. 

More importantly to me, the build quality seems rock solid. I don't think I need to have any fear of breaking the clip, and even more important the connectivity is massively better. 

Presumably FiiO screwed the BT antenna or some other design element of the BTR1K because it would drop connection through my body. I tended to keep phone in left pocket and adapter in right, and just bending over to pick something up - especially if I squatted down, audio would cut. I'm definitely not thicc enough to justify that much signal loss between pockets, and since I'm a diyer who's constantly on the move and up and down working on projects, fixing things around the house, I was constantly experiencing audio cuts with the BTR. At first I just clipped it to my pocket above my phone, but  3 months in the clip broke so it had to live in the other pocket and it's been pretty miserable since. 

With the 5k, I can set my phone on my desk and walk to my kitchen and maintain connection. Signal is going through ~3/4 walls around a brick fire place and I'm about 70ft away. Of course solid connection between pockets. I am content. 😁


----------



## rkw

quimbo said:


> I bought this Fiio cable for my BTR5.  Fairly flexible, *only works in one direction*, thought I got a flawed cable
> fiio cable


That is bizarre. I wonder if the USB-C standard even allows it. They cut cost by leaving out some wires.


----------



## Xanasazi

quimbo said:


> If size matters, these are shorter and 7.99 for 2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071H86QB6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00
> 
> I can confirm that they work using a Galaxy S10 to a BTR5


I also have these same exact cables and they work with the 5k NP


----------



## john61ct

rkw said:


> That is bizarre. I wonder if the USB-C standard even allows it. They cut cost by leaving out some wires.


That can't be why!

Maybe cuts down on jitter etc interference, cleaner signal if you're only doing USB Audio out, no return mic signal?


----------



## Nolbert0

It sounds like it's a usb2 otg cable with type c connectors. Otg cables has always been one directional.


----------



## john61ct

Nolbert0 said:


> It sounds like it's a usb2 otg cable with type c connectors. Otg cables has always been one directional.


Really? What about USB DACs like Schiit HEL that support the two-way microphone comms required for phone headsets?


----------



## ClieOS (Jul 4, 2020)

john61ct said:


> Really? What about USB DACs like Schiit HEL that support the two-way microphone comms required for phone headsets?



Not the same thing.

OTG cable is the result of smartphone that doesn't quite have the full USB driver that a full OS will have. So an OTG cable is internally wired slightly different in order to trigger the host device into host mode. PC on the other hand just use software to detect whatever USB device it is connected to. Normally type-C implementation should have made OTG a thing of the past, but unfortunately smartphone OS haven't quite catch up yet.


----------



## john61ct

Sorry, I don't follow.

Are you saying that

Schiit HEL's microphone integration (USB DAC mode only) cannot be made to work with Android?

Or that it will work with some newer Android phones that do not require OTG but can work with normal USB cables?

Or that OTG can be two-way?



ClieOS said:


> OTG cable is the result of smartphone that doesn't quite have the full USB driver that a full OS will have. So an OTG cable is internally wired slightly different in order to trigger the host device into host mode.


----------



## ClieOS (Jul 4, 2020)

john61ct said:


> Sorry, I don't follow.
> 
> Are you saying that
> 
> ...



HEL's microphone does not rely on its USB DAC but on its ADC - whether it will work depends on whether your smartphone's OS has the relevant USB ADC (mic) driver built in or not. But IIRC, Android does include the generic driver for USB mic. As long as HEL ADC is compatible with generic driver, you should be OK.

OTG on the other hand is more about whether a specific device can be powered by the smartphone or not. If the slave device is fully self-powered, OTG cable might not be needed if the receiver chip is configured correctly.


----------



## john61ct (Jul 4, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> HEL's microphone does not rely on its USB DAC but on its ADC


What I meant was, between the two HEL input modes, analog line in, and USB DAC, the microphone input is only enabled with the latter. Schiit failed to include a pass-through function for say a TRRS plug, their mic preamp/ADC functionality get disabled completely when you switch to analog input.

HEL does use USB for power, but Schiit recommends using a separate hub or wall wart since it really needs a full 2.1A of current.

I cannot find any confirmation that the HEL 2-way USB comms will work with Android.

From Schiit's website:

*Digital: *You can connect our DACs to many Android devices using a USB On The Go cable. Devices that shipped with Android M or N stock probably won't need additional player software, but earlier devices may need USB Audio Player Pro to play music. Some Android devices will need to be connected through a USB powered hub, since they cannot supply enough power to run the DAC.

_______
So, I infer from what you say, that yes it is true OTG means one-way only. Please someone confirm this explicitly.

If true, then as you say, HEL working with an Android device, would depend on the latter's ability to do USB Audio via a regular USB cable, not requiring OTG.

I have never heard of such a phone myself, so am pessimistic about HEL's microphone support working with Android smartphones.

I've sent an email to Schiit support, but with the holiday weekend. . .


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 4, 2020)

Ordered one from a dealer on eBay in Poland. Should be here with me in the UK later this week.


----------



## john61ct

Marek Raczyński
AudioHeaven.eu
info@audioheaven.eu

Plenty of units currently in stock, seems very responsive

$125 to the US including UPS express shipping and full insurance

Besides Qudelix, also exclusive dealer in Poland for

iBasso, Dekoni, Spinfit, xDuoo, Oriolus, Moondrop, SatinAudio, VENTION, Dunu, TinHifi, HELM Audio, Fidue, VJJB, Miter, Earstudio, Anew, Sonicast, VE


----------



## rkw (Jul 4, 2020)

john61ct said:


> Or that OTG can be two-way?


Absolutely. Such as connecting on OTG to an external storage device.


----------



## john61ct (Jul 4, 2020)

Whew, thanks!


----------



## rkw

Nolbert0 said:


> Otg cables has always been one directional.


USB (whether OTG or not) requires a two-way protocol between master and slave. Of course while streaming audio, the data will be moving primarily in one direction, but on USB you cannot simply push data out like SPDIF.


----------



## john61ct

Thank you for clearing that up!


----------



## letlive

I'm planing to use the 5K in USB mode. Does EQ works in the USB mode? And does it have a self-powered mode like the ES100 (not charging in USB mode)?


----------



## ClieOS

I can confirm that EQ will work on USB DAC mode. You can use Qudelix app on your smartphone to change the EQ even in USB DAC mdoe.


----------



## Xanasazi

letlive said:


> I'm planing to use the 5K in USB mode. Does EQ works in the USB mode? And does it have a self-powered mode like the ES100 (not charging in USB mode)?


No self powered USB mode yet but they're working on it.


----------



## andersos

Has anyone tried Tin HiFi P1 on the 5K?


----------



## daijoubu86

andersos said:


> Has anyone tried Tin HiFi P1 on the 5K?


I have tried it before during an audition. With 2V it can power to sufficiently high volumes


----------



## andersos

daijoubu86 said:


> I have tried it before during an audition. With 2V it can power to sufficiently high volumes



Thanks! P1 need eq, so 5K is interesting. Any news about when peq will be added to the app?


----------



## daijoubu86

andersos said:


> Thanks! P1 need eq, so 5K is interesting. Any news about when peq will be added to the app?



Not sure yet when PEQ will be in but it should be soon hopefully.


----------



## Xanasazi

andersos said:


> Thanks! P1 need eq, so 5K is interesting. Any news about when peq will be added to the app?


They are working on adding it next update iirc. Peq is top priority


----------



## Nolbert0

Sorry i phrased it wrong. I meant that otg cables have a designated 'host' end so u can only connect the cable in one direction. I didn't mean one way like a fibre optic cable, that would be silly.


----------



## MaxwellDot (Jul 7, 2020)

john61ct said:


> Marek Raczyński
> AudioHeaven.eu
> info@audioheaven.eu
> 
> ...



Thanks for that. Couldn't wait till the official "Batch 2" Qudelix restock at their online store, so ordered from this seller. I am guessing I will get the same stock (first batch) as everyone else here did. Normally I would have waited for a second or third batch (just in case any glaring issues need to be fixed by the manufacturers), but it seems most issues/shortcomings discussed here are not so much hardware related, but firmware/SW related (and hence would be fixed with time with SW updates), so took the plunge, and I hope I don't regret buying so soon... 

Cant wait to receive in a few days time (currently using the ES100, for the past two years).

Its rather strange that the only dealer selling the 5K, is in Poland (of all the countries in the world). I know they are made in Korea, but does the company or its founders have links with Poland? Just curious, as Poland is not the first country that comes to mind when it comes to sourcing such devices...


----------



## john61ct

MaxwellDot said:


> Its rather strange that the only dealer selling the 5K, is in Poland (of all the countries in the world). I know they are made in Korea, but does the company or its founders have links with Poland? Just curious, as Poland is not the first country that comes to mind when it comes to sourcing such devices...


About a week UPS delivery time with customs delay.

My guess is they were just willing to risk buying bulk quantity at first opportunity.


----------



## kafebiwa

MaxwellDot said:


> Its rather strange that the only dealer selling the 5K, is in Poland (of all the countries in the world). I know they are made in Korea, but does the company or its founders have links with Poland? Just curious, as Poland is not the first country that comes to mind when it comes to sourcing such devices...



They are distributors of many audio brands in Poland and as far as I know a few from Korea. I suspect that soon other distributors in Europe will also be interested. Personally, I am very happy with q5k and the product is very good in my opinion. It does not matter to me where I buy, it is important that I received the package within three days without a problem, well packaged. If I had any questions, I got the answer right away, and I recommended them several pages earlier.


----------



## alex5908

greyforest said:


> I did say i will do a q5k comparison impression against btr5 and oriolus 1795. But I changed my mind about that, because sound wise those two are no match for q5k.


Could you specify what you meant by "sound wise those two are no match for q5k." Did you mean 5K is a step up as compared to btr5 and 1795?


----------



## supadupaninja

Thanks for the hint with AudioHeaven.eu. Ordered mine on Monday on eBay from the dealer and got it today by UPS (in Germany).


----------



## bobsi

andersos said:


> Has anyone tried Tin HiFi P1 on the 5K?





andersos said:


> Thanks! P1 need eq, so 5K is interesting. Any news about when peq will be added to the app?



works with 3,5 unbalanced, better 2,5 balanced


----------



## TK33 (Jul 8, 2020)

Anyone here try using the 5K via LDAC with a LG V60?  I just got the V60 yesterday and cannot get it to connect via LDAC (LDAC does work on my ES100 with the V60).  I have no issues using LDAC with the 5K and Galaxy S9.  There is no option on the V60 to force "Best sound quality" in the bluetooth connection settings when I connect the 5K but I do get this option when I connect the ES100.

on my V60, when I connect to the V60, it shows aptX Adaptive (which was a nice surprise).  Still would like to use LDAC for the higher bitrate.


----------



## all999

TK33 said:


> Anyone here try using the 5K via LDAC with a LG V60?  I just got the V60 yesterday and cannot get it to connect via LDAC (LDAC does work on my ES100 with the V60).  I have no issues using LDAC with the 5K and Galaxy S9.  There is no option on the V60 to force "Best sound quality" in the bluetooth connection settings when I connect the 5K but I do get this option when I connect the ES100.
> 
> on my V60, when I connect to the V60, it shows aptX Adaptive (which was a nice surprise).  Still would like to use LDAC for the higher bitrate.



Try to enable developer options and search for BT codec settings there.


----------



## TK33

all999 said:


> Try to enable developer options and search for BT codec settings there.


Tried that.  ES100 can use LDAC just fine.  With the 5K, nothing I do in developer options sticks.  It is almost as if the V60 doesn't recognize that the 5K is capable of LDAC.  Basically have been trying different combinations of rebooting V60 and 5K, reinstalling the Qudelix app, unpairing and pairing again in different order.  Will try again later tonight.


----------



## Pro-Jules

can you disable all other codecs on the Q5K?


----------



## TK33

Pro-Jules said:


> can you disable all other codecs on the Q5K?


Yup. It defaults to SBC.


----------



## VICosPhi

TK33 said:


> Yup. It defaults to SBC.



If you go to Bluetooth settings on your phone to see the listed devices and look for your Qudelix 5K, do you see enable high quality audio toggle switch? I have had to do that on my Galaxy phone to enable LDAC or else it defaults to SBC


----------



## john61ct

supadupaninja said:


> Thanks for the hint with AudioHeaven.eu. Ordered mine on Monday on eBay from the dealer and got it today by UPS (in Germany).


Wow fast!

7 days to USA, no import tax, not much delay from customs.


----------



## TK33

VICosPhi said:


> If you go to Bluetooth settings on your phone to see the listed devices and look for your Qudelix 5K, do you see enable high quality audio toggle switch? I have had to do that on my Galaxy phone to enable LDAC or else it defaults to SBC


No. I see that on my S9 but not the V60 with the 5K but I see it on both the V60 and S9 with the ES100, which leads me to believe there may be a compatibility issue (tried on two different V60 phones). Wondering if anyone else is using the 5K and V60.


----------



## Xanasazi

TK33 said:


> No. I see that on my S9 but not the V60 with the 5K but I see it on both the V60 and S9 with the ES100, which leads me to believe there may be a compatibility issue (tried on two different V60 phones). Wondering if anyone else is using the 5K and V60.



Tbh it sounds like the same problem the guys with the japanese phones were having. I suggest you post on official forums, if it's the same problem i'm sure they can fix it as they fixed it for the japanese phones.


----------



## VICosPhi

TK33 said:


> No. I see that on my S9 but not the V60 with the 5K but I see it on both the V60 and S9 with the ES100, which leads me to believe there may be a compatibility issue (tried on two different V60 phones). Wondering if anyone else is using the 5K and V60.


Hmm, what about the "best sound quality" setting like shown in this screenshot?
https://i.imgur.com/2V1A7NP.png

You probably already checked this but the developer settings have this LDAC option that needs to be enabled:
https://i.imgur.com/jh9j93d.png

Also, try disabling EQ and other advanced features on Qudelix and see if it connects with LDAC then.


----------



## chancelucky

I ordered from Qudelix in late June with regular delivery to the east coast of the U.S. and received it today.  I haven't been able to play with the various codecs, but I'm very impressed so far.  I've had the Radsone ES 100 for a little over a year and a half.  It still sounds good, but it's developed a lot of quirks that make it almost unuseable.  It shuts off spontaneously and not just when there are 2 bluetooth connections nearby.  The Qudelix sounds much better: more power and more refined dac chip.  Perhaps just as important, it appears to be built much better.  I'm happy now, but just as important, I don't think I'll be frustrated with  the Qudelix 18 months from now due to build issues.


----------



## TK33

Xanasazi said:


> Tbh it sounds like the same problem the guys with the japanese phones were having. I suggest you post on official forums, if it's the same problem i'm sure they can fix it as they fixed it for the japanese phones.



I agree.  I think there is a bug with the implementation that needs to get ironed out.  I did post in the official forum and the responded to me with the below link, which was not very helpful and indicated they did not really understand my issue so I posted some screenshots there.  Hopefully they can fix it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/LGV60/comments/hgio0x/force_ldac_or_aptx_hd_in_developer_options/




VICosPhi said:


> Hmm, what about the "best sound quality" setting like shown in this screenshot?
> https://i.imgur.com/2V1A7NP.png
> 
> You probably already checked this but the developer settings have this LDAC option that needs to be enabled:
> ...



The "best sound quality" option is what does not come up on the V60 when used with the Qudelix 5K.  It does work when I use the ES100 + V60.  I don't use EQ on the 5K or on my phone.  Hopefully it is something Qudelix can figure out but it looks like they are swamped (hence their post on the forum directing people to this thread).

https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/qudelix5k-headfi-org-forum-10574818?pid=1311850118


----------



## VICosPhi

TK33 said:


> The "best sound quality" option is what does not come up on the V60 when used with the Qudelix 5K.  It does work when I use the ES100 + V60.  I don't use EQ on the 5K or on my phone.  Hopefully it is something Qudelix can figure out but it looks like they are swamped (hence their post on the forum directing people to this thread).
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/qudelix5k-headfi-org-forum-10574818?pid=1311850118



Ah okay, sounds like a bug for sure. They seem quick to fix issues so hopefully get it fixed soon for ya.


----------



## greyforest

alex5908 said:


> Could you specify what you meant by "sound wise those two are no match for q5k." Did you mean 5K is a step up as compared to btr5 and 1795?



yea, that’s why i use a dap for comparison.


----------



## greyforest

I had some weird bugs as well


----------



## rkw

greyforest said:


> I had some weird bugs as well


Is there any problem if you don't use full screen mode on the iPad?


----------



## greyforest

rkw said:


> Is there any problem if you don't use full screen mode on the iPad?


yea, full screen or not the licensing stuff is on there, reboot the ipad and still got it.


----------



## alex5908

I thought there would be tons of comparisons with BTR5, ES100, etc. I mean that has been promised by some users. Still getting acquainted with the subj?


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 9, 2020)

Mine just arrived from Poland. I like the commando black and squared off design. The clip is better than the ES100 (first version)

Using iPhone app - I wish I could save multiple eq settings. 

Awaiting a 2pin to 2.5 mm balanced cable to arrive to really test it. But so far it’s good. Need to test more.


----------



## headenvelopedinsound (Jul 9, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> Mine just arrived from Poland. I like the commando black and squared off design. The clip is better than the ES100 (first version)
> 
> Using iPhone app - I wish I could save multiple eq settings.
> 
> Awaiting a 2pin to 2.5 mm balanced cable to arrive to really test it. But so far it’s good. Need to test more.


You can save multiple custom EQ settings, very easily. All you do is make yourself a nice EQ then scroll down to Custom preset #1-#10. You need to tap and hold for a few seconds for it to save, you'll see the confirmation when saved. To get to the EQ preset list you just tap the EQ graph. Great EQ overall.

I really would love to see an update that will allow you to just tap the db number and just manually type in what you want to do like 1.1 or -1.1 etc. The sliders are a bit scrunched on my iPhone XS and end up being a bit fiddly sculpting the EQ out.

Overall I really love the unit, sounds great, drives everything I through at it, even my 600ohm beryllium DIY earbuds. The filters are very useful. Some make it a little more warm and rounded while other settings make it a little brighter or sharper. Depending on the set you plug in these filters are amazingly useful, very subtle difference but apparent.

Only had mine a few days, took forever to ship it. Didn't pay the extra bucks to get it fast ship... oh well. Recommended unit overall.


----------



## john61ct (Jul 9, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> Awaiting a 2pin to 2.5 mm balanced cable to arrive to really test it.


I have a cheap pair of B&W P5s on the way, my first cans since I was a teen, long time ago.

Not sure how they are wired, but I assume single-ended unbalanced 3.5mm TRS? Any way to get an adapter to use them in the balanced jack?

Also I am confused about converting from Android micro USB to the USB-C port for testing DAC functions.

I cannot find a single OTG + Y splitter with male USB-C and male micro USB plus whatever female for power, charging input.

If I cobble the bits together, do both pieces with male plugs need to be labeled OTG? Or only one, e.g. just the micro?

Lots of Y splitters say "will only charge the accessory not the host / Android". Is that inherent in OTG functionality?

IOW will I be forced to concurrently use wireless charging for long-term use?

Obviously, anyone please answer. . .


----------



## Mouseman

john61ct said:


> I have a cheap pair of B&W P5s on the way, my first cans since I was a teen, long time ago.
> 
> Not sure how they are wired, but I assume single-ended unbalanced 3.5mm TRS? Any way to get an adapter to use them in the balanced jack?
> 
> ...


You can't go from unbalanced to balanced. Supposedly the 5k is protected so it won't fry like an es100, but I also don't think it will work. That shouldn't really be an issue, the single ended jack puts out a lot of power. 

You can use a USB C OTG cable with an adapter to go to USB micro on one end. I don't think a Y splitter will work. As mentioned before, I think OTG is one way only.  So yeah, wireless charging is your best bet for constant use.


----------



## darmanastartes (Jul 10, 2020)

After several weeks of refreshing my tracking link multiple times a day, the 5K arrived today!
EDIT: I may have spoken too soon on the charging. It definitely charges C-C but it may just be simple 5V charging.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Jul 9, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> I thought there would be tons of comparisons with BTR5, ES100, etc. I mean that has been promised by some users. Still getting acquainted with the subj?


A very, very limited comparison between 5K and BTR5...  I need more time than I‘ve had with the 5K before I can give any real impressions, but...

Physical - the 5K is clearly much smaller, but for me the BTR5 is also small enough.  The 5K feels... chunky, while the BTR5 seems sleek.  The 5K clip seems solid but not much play in it compared to the BTR5 clip on its plastic case, so I won’t be attaching the 5K to anything too thick.  There are fewer buttons on the 5K than the BTR5, but the BTR5 seems more obvious.  The BTR5 looks, well nicer with its glass surface and rounded corners.  The BTR5 small LED screen is a nice feature.

Sound - I really need much more experience with many more IEMs.  Just a short comparison running a few songs, LDAC Best Quality 990kbps, listening with BLON Cardinal, low gain.  Mids and Highs seem equivalent.  On the BTR5 the bass seems better controlled (impactful and clean), whereas my initial impression is the 5K bass is more bloated.

No attempt at doing much with the 5K app.

These are really very, very, very early impressions.  I will do more testing this weekend with more IEMs, as well as headphones to stress the power.


----------



## TK33

john61ct said:


> I have a cheap pair of B&W P5s on the way, my first cans since I was a teen, long time ago.
> 
> Not sure how they are wired, but I assume single-ended unbalanced 3.5mm TRS? Any way to get an adapter to use them in the balanced jack?
> 
> ...



Here are some  pictures of my P5.  While the cable is replaceable, it is 3.5mm single ended/unbalanced.  Don't think you can make this balanced.  My wife and I used to use these for traveling (still have v1 and series 2).  They are designed for mobile use and are pretty easy to drive straight out a phone.

I think a regular OTG connector should work.  I don't really use the 5K as a USB DAC out of my phones since LDAC 990 sounds great (I do at my desktop once in a while).  When I use the 5K at my desk. my phone sits in my wireless charger or is plugged in and I just use bluetooth.  It works great, sounds great, and is super convenient.  I used to use this adapter with my Dragonfly Cobalt when I had a phone that was micro USB and it worked fine.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GM0OZ4O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lR9bFbJ96N9Z6

I would try it out first rather than trying to find a Y connector and see how you like it.  I just tried my P5 briefly and the 5K can drive the P5 pretty loud and the EQ works great over LDAC.


----------



## boodi (Jul 11, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> I thought there would be tons of comparisons with BTR5, ES100, etc. I mean that has been promised by some users. Still getting acquainted with the subj?



5k new user

I have the 5k, btr5, E1DA 9038s, lg v30 and lg v40

still preliminary impressions here as 5k is very new

5k and btr5> they are not necessarly far as SQ one could be better then the other in one area where the other is better in another at moment I'm not sure I prefer the 5k to the btr5
there's some difference in bass handling for sure , rest seems more hit and miss but sure not in large qualities

I quote that 5k filters are very good thing .. subtle differences in sound treatment can make a relevant difference in listening pleasure; I always use eq (apart from ultimate critical gear listenings) it is a general need to fine tune the sound and gears , filters might be different then eq on processing sound data , and are of the same importance ; lgv30 and lgv40 have filters too and a very slightly different sound then 5k  , they are not noticeably behind or far behind the v40 is closer ( not particularly better then v30 with selected "slow" digital filter i.e. , filters do )

an advice on going with one or the other ?
it would depend more on general use and comfort imo then on sound
the 5k is little well built and almost forgettable, you can clip it on your full size cans listen music move around and forget it in fact  ; btr 5  it's a little harder to do but then it is designed somewhat better and feels more durable and solid  different circuit and a seem better quality clock inside

the 5k has been designed for size , funcionality and with an industrial look -> bt music mainly
the btr5 with elegant style quality and use -> bt music mainly
i.e. E1DA 9038s has been designed for minimal possible > to deliver great power -> wired music use only
lgv30 and v40 have been designed like nice phones with outrageously (yes) good dac+amp sound straight out of them , and good software implementations -> they are phones , daps and more , for wired and bt use; you cant clip them though and sure they're not minimal size or weight to transport and plug headphones to.

it depends on what you need
I needed to collect them all to understand it myself 
just my 2c
hope it helps


----------



## john61ct

TK33 said:


> Here are some  pictures of my P5.  While the cable is replaceable, it is 3.5mm single ended/unbalanced.  Don't think you can make this balanced.


Sorry but to clarify, does that mean, in order to use a balanced HP port, you need to buy special balanced can models?

That there is no adapter for normal single-ended HPs to plug into a balanced jack?


> I think a regular OTG connector should work.
> I would try it out first rather than trying to find a Y connector and see how you like it.

This is not just for any particular source, cans or unit in between, for testing and utility in general, over many use cases. When not needed then put away, but I want the functionality, ideally as clean & simply as possible.

I definitely need power input, cannot rely on built-in batteries.

And I definitely want to use USB DAC even if the other outputs are "good enough" on some phones.


----------



## john61ct (Jul 10, 2020)

darmanastartes said:


> 5K supports USB Power Delivery 3.0 18W fast charging!


Wow great!

If the battery is 500mA, that is a 3C rate. Excellent for fast recharging.

But not conducive to maximizing the cell longevity, I hope there's a way to slow it down when not in a hurry?

Also the 12V implies a buck converter in there, I doubt if the battery is 3S ?

@wslee please provide a link to replacement cells? TIA


----------



## TK33

You could find an adapter but if your wiring is unbalanced, it won't magically convert unbalanced to balanced. My understanding is that it would still be unbalanced.  I use IEMs with balanced cables (swapped for unbalanced ones but separate cables go to each side on IEMs - some cans are designed like this as well but B&Ws are not as far as I know since they are designed to be used with mobile devices). The P5 just has a single-ended jack for the cable so I don't think you can make it balanced with just an adapter.

Also, devices like the 5K are really great for the convenience of using wired IEMs / cans wirelessly.  It is nice to have the ability to use in USB mode and, in that case, you would draw power from your phone via the OTG cable. Battery life on this little thing is great (haven't heard anyone complain about it).  I personally prefer the Dragonfly Cobalt over he 5K when I want a USB DAC, and would recommend something similar if you want a portable USB DAC to complement the 5K (there are many USB dongles out there at different price points).

I will caveat the this post noting I have not had a chance to test the USB DAC since the last firmware update which was supposed to address some of the USB DAC issues. I am just enjoying using it wirelessly with my S5535 (balanced) and SE846 (unbalanxed).  Sounded great with the P5 as well with some EQ (to tone down the bass a bit).  I ran into several USB DAC related issues when I first got the 5K. Luckily Qudelix is very responsive and continues to make improvements to the 5K.


----------



## Slater

john61ct said:


> That there is no adapter for normal single-ended HPs to plug into a balanced jack?



If you want to burn up your amp, the  unbalanced to balanced adapter cables work great.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Jul 10, 2020)

TK33 said:


> You could find an adapter but if your wiring is unbalanced, it won't magically convert unbalanced to balanced. My understanding is that it would still be unbalanced.  I use IEMs with balanced cables (swapped for unbalanced ones but separate cables go to each side on IEMs - some cans are designed like this as well but B&Ws are not as far as I know since they are designed to be used with mobile devices). The P5 just has a single-ended jack for the cable so I don't think you can make it balanced with just an adapter.
> 
> Also, devices like the 5K are really great for the convenience of using wired IEMs / cans wirelessly.  It is nice to have the ability to use in USB mode and, in that case, you would draw power from your phone via the OTG cable. Battery life on this little thing is great (haven't heard anyone complain about it).  I personally prefer the Dragonfly Cobalt over he 5K when I want a USB DAC, and would recommend something similar if you want a portable USB DAC to complement the 5K (there are many USB dongles out there at different price points).
> 
> I will caveat the this post noting I have not had a chance to test the USB DAC since the last firmware update which was supposed to address some of the USB DAC issues. I am just enjoying using it wirelessly with my S5535 (balanced) and SE846 (unbalanxed).  Sounded great with the P5 as well with some EQ (to tone down the bass a bit).  I ran into several USB DAC related issues when I first got the 5K. Luckily Qudelix is very responsive and continues to make improvements to the 5K.



“You could find an adapter but if your wiring is unbalanced, it won't magically convert unbalanced to balanced. My understanding is that it would still be unbalanced.”

actually unbalanced cable/connector to balanced Output adapters are very dangerous and likely to damage your dac.  Going from balanced cable/connector to unbalanced output through an adapter is ok.


----------



## TK33

jsmiller58 said:


> “You could find an adapter but if your wiring is unbalanced, it won't magically convert unbalanced to balanced. My understanding is that it would still be unbalanced.”
> 
> actually unbalanced cable/connector to balanced Output adapters are very dangerous and likely to damage your dac.  Going from balanced cable/connector to unbalanced output through a connector is ok.


Thanks. Glad I never tried that. Pretty happy with the unbalanced output from the 5K since I pretty much just use IEMs these days.


----------



## Slater

TK33 said:


> Thanks. Glad I never tried that. Pretty happy with the unbalanced output from the 5K since I pretty much just use IEMs these days.



If you use IEMs with removable cables, it's cheap and easy to buy a balanced IEM cable.


----------



## TK33

Slater said:


> If you use IEMs with removable cables, it's cheap and easy to buy a balanced IEM cable.


Yes, I think I noted previously that I use my SE535s balanced (mostly use those at night when lying down because I like the low profile).  I don't see the point of balanced for the SE846 (mostly use with Dragonfly Cobalt and just got a V60) and prefer the flexibility and simplicity of a single-ended unbalanced 3.5mm cable for those (I use the Meze Audio Rai Silver plated unbalanced cable). Also, the SE846 has a super low impedance so it is probably better this way. I do have an extra balanced cable around but never felt the urge to try.

Both IEMs sound great with the 5K and I like the way they sound with the 5K better than I ever did with the ES100.


----------



## rkw

john61ct said:


> @Qudelix please provide a link to replacement cells?


Post questions to Qudelix on their own forum. I don't think they are even signed up on Head-Fi.


----------



## john61ct

rkw said:


> Post questions to Qudelix on their own forum. I don't think they are even signed up on Head-Fi.


Thanks, I might get around to that, but meanwhile maybe @wslee still comes around sometimes


----------



## darmanastartes

john61ct said:


> Wow great!
> 
> If the battery is 500mA, that is a 3C rate. Excellent for fast recharging.
> 
> ...



EDIT: I may have spoken too soon on the charging. It definitely charges C-C but it may just be simple 5V charging.


----------



## TK33

john61ct said:


> Thanks, I might get around to that, but meanwhile maybe @wslee still comes around sometimes



They have been very responsive on their official forum.

Hoping that by the time I need a new battery, there will be a 5K MKIII (or maybe even a 7K?) to buy instead...


----------



## john61ct

darmanastartes said:


> EDIT: I may have spoken too soon on the charging. It definitely charges C-C but it may just be simple 5V charging.


Well the V&A going into the port, does not equal what is fed to battery internally.

CC is just the stage before the CV setpoint is reached, which of course needs to set according to how many cells are in the string.

Then the voltages discharged, used by the various loads in the unit are another subject entirely.

Since buck conversion is usually more efficient than boost, 2S or even 3S is likely for the storage, 12V a good input source voltage for the charger chip, and likely most chip loads are 5V or 3.3.

All sheer speculation of course. . .


----------



## john61ct

TK33 said:


> Hoping that by the time I need a new battery, there will be a 5K MKIII (or maybe even a 7K?) to buy instead...


My use case is very different, off grid in primitive remote locations for long periods, carry spares of nearly everything.


----------



## TK33

john61ct said:


> My use case is very different, off grid in primitive remote locations for long periods, carry spares of nearly everything.



Sorry that was not meant to be directed at you and was meant as a joke...of course it would be great if it were replaceable.


----------



## john61ct

TK33 said:


> Sorry that was not meant to be directed at you and was meant as a joke...of course it would be great if it were replaceable.


No worries I can be too literal. For example, there is no question the battery can be replaced, just a question of do they make it easy or not. . .


----------



## gefellmics (Jul 11, 2020)

Today I got my Qudelix 5K device from AudioHeaven from Poland (about 5 days to Germany). Really fast and a very reliable seller.

At the moment I play with the EQ settings. Unfortunately I cannot rename and save the 10 custom settings in the App...it holds the settings only in the flash memory for a short time. Also after saving the settings in the flash memory the values changed in the EQ-Profile (for example I saved 16k = -6.7db and later the saved profile shows 0.0db, but the graph seems correct)
So this is pretty unusuable at the moment and a bit disappointing, because this was one of the main reasons for me to get the Qudelix. Here my old ES100 makes it much more easier to handle.
But maybe I'm just too stupid...any other experiences out here??


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 11, 2020)

Just got mine too. 

On iPhone app I don't think more than one eq can be saved. It would be good to have at least 4 user presets. Luckily for me my main iems don't need eq. But I would like eq for alternate uses like other headphones and in the car. 

I find these settings suit me. 










Above is a 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter. 

I am still getting used to the buttons - on off / what side to press. I find the symmetry confusing! 

The sound is v good. 

To be honest I struggle find much difference between highest quality LDAC and a balanced cable from my Sony 507 DAP! 

Amazingly, a long lost ES100 and some Etymotic iem's were just found under a guest bed where I stayed with relations a year ago. I get them back next week.  I can then do an a/b comparison between Q5K and ES100.


----------



## Mouseman

Pro-Jules said:


> Just got mine too.
> 
> On iPhone app I don't think more than one eq can be saved. It would be good to have at least 4 user presets. Luckily for me my main iems don't need eq. But I would like eq for alternate uses like other headphones and in the car.



You can save more than one preset on the iPhone app. Click and hold on any of the user presets and it will save/overwrite it.


----------



## Xanasazi

gefellmics said:


> Today I got my Qudelix 5K device from AudioHeaven from Poland (about 5 days to Germany). Really fast and a very reliable seller.
> 
> At the moment I play with the EQ settings. Unfortunately I cannot rename and save the 10 custom settings in the App...it holds the settings only in the flash memory for a short time. Also after saving the settings in the flash memory the values changed in the EQ-Profile (for example I saved 16k = -6.7db and later the saved profile shows 0.0db, but the graph seems correct)
> So this is pretty unusuable at the moment and a bit disappointing, because this was one of the main reasons for me to get the Qudelix. Here my old ES100 makes it much more easier to handle.
> But maybe I'm just too stupid...any other experiences out here??



Can't rename saved EQ profiles yet and there is a bug with the EQ where it shows 0 when you go back to it. It still works as it should and it still saves into the memory just fine.


----------



## Pro-Jules

can anyone screenshot the presets please? I didn't see any.


----------



## kismetsky

Pro-Jules said:


> can anyone screenshot the presets please? I didn't see any.



It's not obvious.  They're talking about the EQ presets.. goto the EQ page, tap the curve and scroll down to the bottom.


----------



## Mouseman

Yeah, hopefully that gets fixed in the next app version, although I've gotten used to it. I also think the EQ sliders are a bit glitchy at times. But overall, the sound is fabulous.


----------



## TK33

Pro-Jules said:


> can anyone screenshot the presets please? I didn't see any.


Tap the EQ curve area on the top half of the screen (I am using Android)  The bottom half will show the presets and 10 custom profiles after the presets where you can save your own.  I don't use EQ which is why you don't are the curve on my screenshots but clicking that area will get you to the presets.


----------



## Rustlica (Jul 11, 2020)

TK33 said:


> I agree.  I think there is a bug with the implementation that needs to get ironed out.  I did post in the official forum and the responded to me with the below link, which was not very helpful and indicated they did not really understand my issue so I posted some screenshots there.  Hopefully they can fix it.


If you're still having problems, try applying the beta version of firmware distributed for the Japanese Galaxians.
If the problem between your V60 and Q5k is just same as in Japanese Galaxy, it maybe fixed.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oNp_t0DIWUAwAeTNUBNnuDM30QQ49BTg/view?usp=sharing

This is hotfix for Japanese Galaxy, and those who have no problems don't need apply it.

Set INPUT-USB to 96Khz in Qudelix app, connect Q5k to PC, and run "run_dfu.bat"


----------



## TK33 (Jul 12, 2020)

Rustlica said:


> If you're still having problems, try applying the beta version of firmware distributed for the Japanese Galaxians.
> If the problem between your V60 and Q5k is just same as in Japanese Galaxy, it maybe fixed.
> 
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oNp_t0DIWUAwAeTNUBNnuDM30QQ49BTg/view?usp=sharing
> ...


If I recall correctly, he Japanese Galaxy connected via LDAC but did not have any sound. My issue is that LDAC does not even show up with the 5K and V60.  Here is the response from Qudelix on their official forum:

Appreciate your kind understanding.
As you may know, 5K DAC AMP is the world's first product that supports LDAC and aptX-Adaptive with QCC512x.
There might be a few interoperability issues.
We can't get V60 here since LG didn't release it officially in Korea.
Please give us some time.
Thanks!


I will give them some time.  Does anyone here have a LG V60 who is able to use it with the 5K via LDAC? Want to make sure it is not just my unit.  I still have my Galaxy S9 which works with the 5K via LDAC so my Galaxy S9 will be getting another lease on life for now.


----------



## Rustlica

TK33 said:


> My issue is that LDAC does not even show up with the 5K and V60.  Here is the response from Qudelix on their official forum:


I see. misunderstanding.
V60 has been released too in Japan, but it seems that there isn't report same issue.


----------



## Pro-Jules

TK33 said:


> Tap the EQ curve area on the top half of the screen (I am using Android)  The bottom half will show the presets and 10 custom profiles after the presets where you can save your own.  I don't use EQ which is why you don't are the curve on my screenshots but clicking that area will get you to the presets.


Thanks so much!


----------



## JackFlash (Jul 14, 2020)

Thought I would post here first before the Qudelix forum. I have a Pixel 2 running the latest Android and the app doesn't seem to communicating with the device. I can make various changes in the app (e.g., equalizer, volume) but no change actually takes place and settings don't stick after close. I can't see status indictors like the battery graph either.


----------



## kismetsky

JackFlash said:


> Thought I would post here first before the Qudelix forum. I have a Pixel 2 running the latest Android and the app doesn't seem to communicating with the device. I can make various changes in the app (e.g., equalizer, volume) but no change actually takes place and settings don't stick after close. I can't see status indictors like the battery graph either.


I've had this issue quite a bit; what seems to solve it is to quit the app and make sure the 5K isn't connected to any other devices except the phone and then start up the app again.


----------



## JackFlash (Jul 14, 2020)

kismetsky said:


> I've had this issue quite a bit; what seems to solve it is to quit the app and make sure the 5K isn't connected to any other devices except the phone and then start up the app again.



Thanks, I just uninstalled the app, erased the Bluetooth connection, and reset the device. Everything seems to be working again.

I wonder why the app doesn't automatically connect when the device connects to the phone via Bluetooth.


----------



## TK33

Connection to the phone and app appear to be separate which is why you need to pair them separately. I do wish it were more seamless but I dont really find myself going into the app these days.


----------



## ClieOS

Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design. Search Aliexpeess for "magnetic name tag holder" for similar product, but remember to keep the size in mind as you'll want something small enough to stick to the back of 5K.


----------



## DBaldock9

ClieOS said:


> Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design. Search Aliexpeess for "magnetic name tag holder" for similar product, but remember to keep the size in mind as you'll want something small enough to stick to the back of 5K.



Does that polarize all of the audio in one direction?


----------



## Toastybob

ClieOS said:


> Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design. Search Aliexpeess for "magnetic name tag holder" for similar product, but remember to keep the size in mind as you'll want something small enough to stick to the back of 5K.


That's an interesting idea. I was wondering what could be done for straight jacks, especially 2.5mm. I wonder if there are cheap, short right angle 2.5mm balanced extenders anywhere, like there are for 3.5mm. Is that even possible for balanced?


----------



## ClieOS

Toastybob said:


> That's an interesting idea. I was wondering what could be done for straight jacks, especially 2.5mm. I wonder if there are cheap, short right angle 2.5mm balanced extenders anywhere, like there are for 3.5mm. Is that even possible for balanced?


I have been searching for a small right angled 2.5mm plug to use on custom cable but so far fail to find a suitable solution, at least not a simple one.


----------



## Raketen (Jul 16, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> I have been searching for a small right angled 2.5mm plug to use on custom cable but so far fail to find a suitable solution, at least not a simple one.



Always those chunky cubic brass right angle ones. DIY part selection is abit frustrating. Even aftermarket cables- Lots of really tidy long lasting molded connectors with headphone pack-ins and cheap plasticsone generics but not from most of the specialist companies... buy a $400 cable they might give you a wood inlay y-splitter though.

Ever tried these ones from Lunashops? difficult to tell but they don't look too chunky in pics-  http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=6361 

these ones are 3.5mm but I wonder if a 2.5mm insert from another plug could be modified for it http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=4872

or like this part https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/tensility-international-corp/50-00401/839-1226-ND/4865080

though at that point might as well just grab some sugru and DIY it


----------



## rkw

Raketen said:


> Ever tried these ones from Lunashops? difficult to tell but they don't look too chunky in pics-  http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=6361


Based on the pic, the body is about 1.75× the length of the plug. A 2.5mm plug is about 11mm, so the body is around 19mm, unfortunately rather bulky.


----------



## ClieOS

Been there, done that.


----------



## Raketen (Jul 16, 2020)

haha, yeah,  seems like they are all built around the same internal parts and just fabricate their own shells
I think it could be modified but it would be a *********er to solder


----------



## Nolbert0

ClieOS said:


> Been there, done that.


It might not look amazing but a bit of sugru can be incredibly practical when miniaturising connector housing. I did exactly that for my PortaPros. Not gonna win any beauty contests but it works a charm.


----------



## ClieOS

Hacking up something small is not a problem for me. For example, I made a bare-bones balanced 3.5mm male to balanced 2.5mm female adapter awhile back, as inspired by the single-ended 3.5mm male to balanced 2.5mm female adapter made by DD (* I asked DD if they would make a balanced 3.5mm version or not, and they told me the market for that is too small and so I just made one for my own). Basically it is just a super small 4 pins 2.5mm socket soldered with the minimum amount of wires to a 4 pins 3.5mm plug, then epoxy together.

However, my interest on the right angled 2.5mm plug now is to find something more elegant.


----------



## TK33

There is also the option of a new cable.  The Fiio LC RE looks interesting and looks like it has a right angle plug. Wish that cable had straight and right angle options.   

Now that I have a LG V60, I definitely prefer having a straight plug (more streamlined since I have to use adapters anyway). Nothing fits in the headphone jack of this awfully designed dual screen case.


----------



## rkw

TK33 said:


> There is also the option of a new cable.  The Fiio LC RE looks interesting and looks like it has a right angle plug.


It is rather pricey. It would be good if FiiO sold the connectors separately for DIY.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fii...hone-mmcx-0-78mm-cable-for-fiio-shure.930572/
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000971898372.html


----------



## Pro-Jules

ClieOS said:


> Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design. Search Aliexpeess for "magnetic name tag holder" for similar product, but remember to keep the size in mind as you'll want something small enough to stick to the back of 5K.





ClieOS said:


> Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design. Search Aliexpeess for "magnetic name tag holder" for similar product, but remember to keep the size in mind as you'll want something small enough to stick to the back of 5K.



V Cool but how do the other magnets attach to your shirt?


----------



## john61ct

Pro-Jules said:


> V Cool but how do the other magnets attach to your shirt?


Through magnetism. 8-D

The two sets stick together, hold onto the cloth in between, inside bar next to your skin.


----------



## Toastybob (Jul 16, 2020)

rkw said:


> It is rather pricey. It would be good if FiiO sold the connectors separately for DIY.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fii...hone-mmcx-0-78mm-cable-for-fiio-shure.930572/
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000971898372.html


Another option is the new Fiio LS-2.5A or LS-2.5AS (45cm). Under 20$, right angle 2.5mm jack, cable looks the same as the Fiio FD1. I might get one, but I wouldn't want to have to replace all my cables if I got the Qudelix 5K, and it only has one type of 2 pin connector anyway.
There's a good image from an AliExpress review showing it in a BTR5, but I can't get it to upload here.

https://h5.aliexpress.com/item/4001018438290.html


----------



## Pro-Jules

john61ct said:


> Through magnetism. 8-D
> 
> The two sets stick together, hold onto the cloth in between, inside bar next to your skin.


So if you pull away the q5k will the magnets behind the shirt just fall downwards?


----------



## ClieOS

Pro-Jules said:


> So if you pull away the q5k will the magnets behind the shirt just fall downwards?



...there is also the option of grabbing the magnet while you remove the 5K


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 17, 2020)

Clipping to the  top of my tshirt seems to work for the moment. But the cable is annoying My neck!


----------



## smooth

How long did it take for you all to received your qudelix? I bought mine over a month ago but haven't seen it in the mail, yet.


----------



## john61ct

Depends who you order from.

This outfit is very fast, 6-7 days to the U.S., just a couple within Europe.



john61ct said:


> Marek Raczyński
> AudioHeaven.eu
> info@audioheaven.eu
> 
> ...


----------



## smooth

I ordered directly from their site, paid via PayPal, and I'm in the US.

If I was supposed to get it within a week, that's unfortunate. I'll email support.


----------



## jsmiller58

smooth said:


> I ordered directly from their site, paid via PayPal, and I'm in the US.
> 
> If I was supposed to get it within a week, that's unfortunate. I'll email support.


Did you pay for express or normal delivery?  Normal took about a month for mine to arrive.


----------



## smooth

I paid for normal delivery.


----------



## TK33

smooth said:


> I paid for normal delivery.


I did standard/normal delivery (QSP tracking number).  Got tracking 6/15, actually arrived at carrier 6/17, delivered by USPS 6/24.  I am in NY. Packages from Korea usually get here really quickly.


----------



## jsmiller58

TK33 said:


> I did standard/normal delivery (QSP tracking number).  Got tracking 6/15, actually arrived at carrier 6/17, delivered by USPS 6/24.  I am in NY. Packages from Korea usually get here really quickly.


Lucky you!  Took me a month.  They actually shipped relatively quickly, but then sat at some depot in S Korea, then sat in US Customs for a while...


----------



## TK33

jsmiller58 said:


> Lucky you!  Took me a month.  They actually shipped relatively quickly, but then sat at some depot in S Korea, then sat in US Customs for a while...



I think I was lucky in that it didnt get stuck at customs. That is what usually causes the delay.  I have a package from China stuck there right now...got to NY last week and has not moved.


----------



## john61ct

I would not be surprised if packages from Europe are usually much faster than from Asian countries


----------



## jsmiller58

TK33 said:


> I think I was lucky in that it didnt get stuck at customs. That is what usually causes the delay.  I have a package from China stuck there right now...got to NY last week and has not moved.


I have a package from Europe stuck in customs in Miami since July 4...


----------



## smooth

"Support" gave me a shipping link showing it arrived at a USPS facility the 26th of last month and told me to contact them...which is pointless since it's the shipper's package and USPS won't give a recipient any information or do a package trace for lost packages. That's the responsibility of the shipper. I'm just going to request a refund through PayPal.


----------



## ClieOS

From past experience, USPS can take almost 2 months to deliver a package even on good normal days, and it certainly has became even less reliable after Covid-19.


----------



## smooth

Yes, shipping snafu's occur but I wouldn't think members here would think it's acceptable for a shipper to simply wash their hands of the sale after the item is dropped in the mail, much less so from a business doing that. I don't post often but I have bought things from other members from time to time over the past 14 years here.

Anyway, I'm not trying to crap in the thread. I was curious if it had taken anyone else two months to receive theirs and now have become frustrated from the response support sent me via email.


----------



## TK33

smooth said:


> Yes, shipping snafu's occur but I wouldn't think members here would think it's acceptable for a shipper to simply wash their hands of the sale after the item is dropped in the mail, much less so from a business doing that. I don't post often but I have bought things from other members from time to time over the past 14 years here.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not trying to crap in the thread. I was curious if it had taken anyone else two months to receive theirs and now have become frustrated from the response support sent me via email.



I would give it some time although I am sure Qudelux will do what they can to help. I have a package from China that I ordered a month ago, got stuck in customs for over a week and is now on its way from NY to NJ for some reason (and I live in NY).  Not sure how that makes any sense but that seems to be normal with these low cost carriers.


----------



## smooth

Thanks for the responses, I'll give it some more time. I got more frustrated from the email response than anything else but could just be me misreading into the situation.


----------



## TK33

TK33 said:


> If I recall correctly, he Japanese Galaxy connected via LDAC but did not have any sound. My issue is that LDAC does not even show up with the 5K and V60.  Here is the response from Qudelix on their official forum:
> 
> Appreciate your kind understanding.
> As you may know, 5K DAC AMP is the world's first product that supports LDAC and aptX-Adaptive with QCC512x.
> ...



Just an update on this and a big THANK YOU to Qudelix support for their follow through and help! They were able to get a V60 and troubleshoot my issue.  Qudelix support has been amazingly responsive and so far I am very impressed with both the device and customer support.  I am including their response below in case anyone else runs into a similar issue. Turns out you have to disable aptX Adaptive, forget the 5K in bluetooth settings and pair it again with aptX Adaptive still off (in that order) or else it keeps connecting again with aptX Adaptive.  I am now enjoying LDAC 990 (and get the "Best sound quality" option for Connection Type in Bluetooth settings now).  The connection with the V60 is fantastic. From Qudelix (in response to my post on their official forum):

"We finally got the LG V60 in our hands.

As we checked, it seems LG V60 remembers the connected device supported codec list.

Please follow the steps below.

5K App --> Codec --> Remove/Uncheck aptX Adaptive
Reboot 5K.
Remove/Forget the 5K out of V60 paired device list.
Repair 5K to the V60.

Then, you will see the LDAC HD Audio option in Bluetooth paired device setting."


----------



## rkw

TK33 said:


> Just an update on this and a big THANK YOU to Qudelix support for their follow through and help! They were able to get a V60 and troubleshoot my issue.  Qudelix support has been amazingly responsive and so far I am very impressed with both the device and customer support.  I am including their response below in case anyone else runs into a similar issue. Turns out you have to disable aptX Adaptive, forget the 5K in bluetooth settings and pair it again with aptX Adaptive still off (in that order) or else it keeps connecting again with aptX Adaptive.  I am now enjoying LDAC 990 (and get the "Best sound quality" option for Connection Type in Bluetooth settings now).  The connection with the V60 is fantastic. From Qudelix (in response to my post on their official forum):
> 
> "We finally got the LG V60 in our hands.
> 
> ...


That's interesting — what did you think of aptX Adaptive sound quality?


----------



## TK33 (Jul 20, 2020)

rkw said:


> That's interesting — what did you think of aptX Adaptive sound quality?



LDAC sounds better to me.  AptX Adaptive worked well but it sounded off to me compared to LDAC or wired, which is why I was looking into it in the first place. The sample rate seems to get limited to 48 khz with aptX Adaptive, which is what I think I was hearing (I mostly listen to Qobuz).  If you need low latency, I can see where people would prefer aptX Adaptive but I mostly just listen to music so don't really care about latency. It just sounded like aptX to me in comparison (although I did not spend much time with it since I have just been using my S9, which did not have an issue with LDAC).  I have to admit, I did think it was pretty cool when aptX Adaptive popped up on my V60 though since the 5K and V60 are my first devices with the new codec.


----------



## ClieOS

Basically aptX Adaptive is just aptX HD with dynamic scaling, allows its resolution to drop to near aptX LL level in order to improve stability when it detects interference. It is not supposed to sound better than aptX HD.


----------



## Pro-Jules

I can’t  get my MacBook Pro to work @aptx 

It’s just AAC or SBS 

I tried the Terminal commands but it hasn’t worked. It can do it. 

Boring. 

May try again.


----------



## hyewiz

Will Amazon Canada carry Qudelix 5K


----------



## Pro-Jules (Jul 20, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> I can’t  get my MacBook Pro to work @aptx
> 
> It’s just AAC or SBS
> 
> ...



OK did it via Developer tools and this guide: https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/31/mac-how-to-force-aptx-aac-on-your-supported-bluetooth-headphones/

I am using my Sony 507 DAP less these day in lockdown. But I use my laptop for work and I like music while I work..
Here is the q5K @ AptX Macbook

I am a LDAC fan but am willing to finally concede that the effect of working 30 years in music studios on my hearing makes AptX 'acceptable' sometimes. 

I can use LDAC when walking around with my DAP.





I am also using @ClieOS's magnet trick! (I lose everything so bought a pack of them for £6 from amazon) THANKS for the shared tip!







And must again thank & compliment @ClieOS  on his custom cable making - this is a short 2.5mm balanced to 2 pin (arrived just yesterday)

I am using Empire Ear Nemesis CIEMS with the Q5K (no hiss issues)
(I have a pair of Etymotic ER4XR's with custom Snugs ear molds but I find with Etymotic's my footsteps sound like thunder in my ears and so does any tap on the cable)

I might use the Etymotic ER4XR's as an at the computer set... and the Empire ears as a 'move around' set..


----------



## Xanasazi

New update coming this week, Might include the PEQ.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Whats is PEQ? 

Parametric?


----------



## Pro-Jules

I am using my Q5k connected to my TV's bluetooth while exercising on my rowing machine.


----------



## Xenderos

How does it compare to Dragonfly Cobalt? I'm thinking about replacing my DFC with Quedelix-5K or Fiio BTR5 for convenience purposes and use it with Campfire Andromeda.
I will use it mostly as USB DAC with PC and as Bluetooth DAC with a mobile phone.


----------



## TK33

Xenderos said:


> How does it compare to Dragonfly Cobalt? I'm thinking about replacing my DFC with Quedelix-5K or Fiio BTR5 for convenience purposes and use it with Campfire Andromeda.
> I will use it mostly as USB DAC with PC and as Bluetooth DAC with a mobile phone.


If you dont care about EQ, I prefer my DFC by a large margin for SQ with my SE846.  I have an ES100 (now just a bluetooth LDAC receiver for my Denon) and 5K as well for the convenience of bluetooth. Have not heard the BTR5 but I think the 5K sounds better than the ES100. They have different features and use cases for me.  I use both the Cobalt and 5K almost everyday.


----------



## Xenderos

TK33 said:


> If you dont care about EQ, I prefer my DFC by a large margin for SQ with my SE846.  I have an ES100 (now just a bluetooth LDAC receiver for my Denon) and 5K as well for the convenience of bluetooth. Have not heard the BTR5 but I think the 5K sounds better than the ES100. They have different features and use cases for me.  I use both the Cobalt and 5K almost everyday.



What do you mean by "SQ"? I prefer to have one device that I can carry over with me, and have the same sound everywhere. I am also considering Fiio Q5s as an option and possible upgrade in comparison to DFC.


----------



## TK33 (Jul 21, 2020)

Xenderos said:


> What do you mean by "SQ"? I prefer to have one device that I can carry over with me, and have the same sound everywhere. I am also considering Fiio Q5s as an option and possible upgrade in comparison to DFC.


By SQ, I mean sound quality. They are just different devices so iif you want only one device, it sounds like you need to decide if you want bluetooth or not. As a USB DAC, I prefer the DFC over the 5K.   To me the DFC has better dynamics, separation and a bit of a wider soundstage. That said, I dont think it is an apples to apples comparison as the DFC is designed to be only a USB DAC and costs almost 3x more. It also pairs well with my IEMs. Also, you dont mention what your sources are but if you need MQA, I dont think the 5K does MQA (I dont use Tidal so dont really care about MQA but others might).


----------



## maniac2003

Pro-Jules said:


> Whats is PEQ?
> 
> Parametric?


Yes, Parametric EQ


----------



## Xenderos

Thank you for answering my questions. I am using Tidal mostly so MQA is nice addition.


----------



## ClieOS

TK33 said:


> ... as the DFC is designed to be only a USB DAC, *has.a newer DAC chip* and costs 3x more. ...



Not really. Both chips were announced on the same year, 2016.

On a side note, just look at E1DA  #9038SG3 on how to implement the same DAC chip as DFC to maximum performance without costing an arm and a leg.


----------



## TK33

ClieOS said:


> Not really. Both chips were announced on the same year, 2016.
> 
> On a side note, just look at E1DA  #9038SG3 on how to implement the same DAC chip as DFC to maximum performance without costing an arm and a leg.



Ok.  I believe you and stand corrected. 

Regardless, I love both devices and, to me, both were each worth their cost to me and don't think the DFC costs an arm and a leg when I use it everyday (but that is my personal opinion and I understand why others may balk at a $300 dongle.  It is not for everyone but I believe the OP already has a Cobalt). Between the DFC and 5K, I do like the Cobalt better for sound alone. That is my opinion and mine only and the year a chip was made doesnt really mean much to me, to be honest.  I will remove that part from my original post.


----------



## Xenderos

I would add to this discussion one thing. I prefer to use 2.5mm balanced cable for my Andromedas so switching between DFC and Qudelix will be inconvenient. TAre there any other bluetooth/usb dac with better chips than Quedelix/BTR5 that can be compared with DFC at least?


----------



## edoin

I'm guessing the new batch will be available soon. I messaged qudelix on fb mid month to ask about the availability, and they replied mid or late July. I gave them another pm earlier and they allowed me to order when I asked a specific date when it will be available again.


----------



## edoin

Xenderos said:


> I would add to this discussion one thing. I prefer to use 2.5mm balanced cable for my Andromedas so switching between DFC and Qudelix will be inconvenient. TAre there any other bluetooth/usb dac with better chips than Quedelix/BTR5 that can be compared with DFC at least?


Try Earmen Sparrow. It has a sabre pro dac.


----------



## Xenderos

edoin said:


> Try Earmen Sparrow. It has a sabre pro dac.



It lacks Bluetooth connectivity


----------



## Pro-Jules

I am honestly getting lost in the multiple ways to hear stuff with what I have 

MacBook - * Q5K *Bluetooth AptX *using Mac Audio Units plug in (Fab Filter) Equaliser.*
MacBook wired USB 96k 24 bit to AT DSR9BT *using Mac Audio Units plug in (Fab Filter) Equaliser.*
MacBook wired USB 96k 24 bit to* Q5K* (havent tried this yet) and Etymotic or Empire Ears IEMs *using Mac Audio Units plug in (Fab Filter) Equaliser.*

Sony 507 DAP - LDAC to *Q5K*  Etymotic or Empire Ears IEMs *using Amazon Music Android app Equalizer OR Q5K iOS Equaliser*
Sony 507 DAP - wired Etymotic or Empire Ears IEMs *using Sony DAP equalizer*

I also have:
An ES100 is just found after losing it for a year...
A Plussound PSV3 LDAC 2 pin IEM cable

Confusing hobby!  But often fun! But can be expensive...


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Jul 21, 2020)

Xenderos said:


> It lacks Bluetooth connectivity


Ifi xDSD or xCan do aptX.
Edit: Forget about the xDSD, the balanced out is 3.5mm. Only the xCan applies. It supports AAC too.


----------



## Xenderos

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Ifi xDSD or xCan do aptX.
> Edit: Forget about the xDSD, the balanced out is 3.5mm. Only the xCan applies. It supports AAC too.



To be honest, I might use 3.5mm balanced, I haven't bought a cable yet. Still, I think I buy this Qudelix and give it a try because it's price is quite affordable. Meantime I started another discussion about the best portable BT/USB DAC for Andro:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/por...etooth-for-ca-andromeda.937944/#post-15752566


----------



## bobbooo (Jul 21, 2020)

Would owners of the Qudelix 5K mind taking a few minutes of your time to download and play the below 30-second long BS EN 50332-1 'Program Simulation Noise' through the Qudelix 5K (USB-C wired connection to source) at maximum volume and record its output (e.g. using the free Audacity program) by connecting the line-out of the 5K via a 3.5mm cable to the highest quality ADC device you have (a PC soundcard line-in would do)?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ocxvs0bhneadcnh/EN50332_ProgSignal_44.16_-10dBFS.wav?dl=0

Then just upload the recorded wav file to a file sharing site. This would be highly appreciated.


----------



## iFi audio

Pro-Jules said:


> But can be expensive...



That's for sure 



monsieurfromag3 said:


> Only the xCan applies. It supports AAC too.



Yes, xCAN is a wireless DAC and balanced amp.


----------



## bobsi (Jul 23, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> I can’t  get my MacBook Pro to work @aptx
> 
> It’s just AAC or SBS
> 
> ...



isn´t works with terminal!

Activatet AptX: on Mac: Load and install xcode, after then load and install additional tools and go to bluetooth explorer and activate aptx. Voila---) aptx works on Mac.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Yep did this & got it working.


----------



## rkw

Pro-Jules said:


> Yep did this & got it working.


Do you like aptX better? Some people think AAC is a better sounding codec.


----------



## Partheev

I should get this DAC/AMP delivered soon.

Can anyone kindly comment on the 2.5mm vs 3.5mm performance?


----------



## Mouseman

Partheev said:


> I should get this DAC/AMP delivered soon.
> 
> Can anyone kindly comment on the 2.5mm vs 3.5mm performance?


It's not night and day like the ES100, but in think the 2.5 is still better.


----------



## Pro-Jules

rkw said:


> Do you like aptX better? Some people think AAC is a better sounding codec.



To be honest I just wanted to be able to get it working. I haven’t a-b tested it. 

But i have a jaded opinion of Apple and Bose for their lack of provision for hi res audio


----------



## kismetsky (Jul 25, 2020)

Noticed a new iOS app update this morning.  The firmware jumped two versions, now at 1.2.1. A few fixes/additions are listed:





The 'Power On/Off' key options are useless to me personally. If you set power on to both RL+BL, it can get turned on easily while in storage.  If you set power off to both RL+BL, you can inadvertently power off the device too easily since they're directly opposite of each other.  Hope these options are of use to some of you.




The ‘charger on/off’ feature works as intended and USB DAC mode through the CCK sounds noticeably better than bluetooth:


----------



## ClieOS

My firmware (*Android) seems to still stuck at 1.1.0 and it doesn't show any update. Is that normal?


----------



## bahamot (Jul 24, 2020)

​Mine updated to 1.1.0 and stated it's the latest one (on Android too).


----------



## ClieOS

bahamot said:


> Mine updated to 1.1.0 and stated it's the latest one.



It won't be nice where iOS got 2 extra update over Android, if that was the case.


----------



## TK33

ClieOS said:


> My firmware (*Android) seems to still stuck at 1.1.0 and it doesn't show any update. Is that normal?



Same.  I only have Android phones so I am also stuck at 1.1.0.  I would think the type of phone you are using should not matter when it comes to the firmware of the 5K itself. Must be an issue with the Google Play store or something. A delay in releasing an Android app update is something I can understand but to be two firmware updates behind is strange.


----------



## kismetsky (Jul 24, 2020)

TK33 said:


> Same.  I only have Android phones so I am also stuck at 1.1.0.  I would think the type of phone you are using should not matter when it comes to the firmware of the 5K itself. Must be an issue with the Google Play store or something. A delay in releasing an Android app update is something I can understand but to be two firmware updates behind is strange.



To be clear, v1.2.0 does not seem to have been available by itself in the US app store (maybe other countries had it?).  Most likely they intended to release it but found some bugs and fixed them in v1.2.1 before making the updated app and firmware available.


----------



## rkw

I suspect that the firmware is bundled with the app and the firmware doesn't get updated until the app does.
Android app is currently at version 1.2.2, last updated June 28.
iOS app was updated yesterday to 1.3.0, had been 1.2.0 for 3 weeks.


----------



## Mouseman

rkw said:


> I suspect that the firmware is bundled with the app and the firmware doesn't get updated until the app does.
> Android app is currently at version 1.2.2, last updated June 28.
> iOS app was updated yesterday to 1.3.0, had been 1.2.0 for 3 weeks.


At least on iOS it downloads the new firmware in the app, and I confirmed it was accessing the network during this process.


----------



## lgcubana

Just purchased mine directly from Qudelix: link


----------



## lycos

Partheev said:


> Can anyone kindly comment on the 2.5mm vs 3.5mm performance?



I found 2.5mm is better esp in high impedance headphone like my hd650. 
For iem, there is no difference i can notice

Has anyone tried to compared Qudelix USB DAC/amp performance to low end desktop dac/amp like Schiit Modi/Magni ?


----------



## cttttt

rkw said:


> I suspect that the firmware is bundled with the app and the firmware doesn't get updated until the app does.
> Android app is currently at version 1.2.2, last updated June 28.
> iOS app was updated yesterday to 1.3.0, had been 1.2.0 for 3 weeks.



For what it's worth, the Android app update rolled in. If it doesn't show up in your My Apps and Games panel, it may help to go to the app listing in Google Play and look for an Update button.

The changes are as described above.  The highlight is LED brightness control...because these buttons are bright.


----------



## TK33

cttttt said:


> For what it's worth, the Android app update rolled in. If it doesn't show up in your My Apps and Games panel, it may help to go to the app listing in Google Play and look for an Update button.
> 
> The changes are as described above.  The highlight is LED brightness control...because these buttons are bright.


Thanks for the tip. Showed up in My Apps and Games.  Updating now.  Really excited to hear they added brightness control.


----------



## edoin

Just updated the app on android as well.


----------



## zolom

After installing latest firmware,  the blue led stopped flahing while playing (normal led mode).  Is it ok? 

Thanks


----------



## TK33

zolom said:


> After installing latest firmware,  the blue led stopped flahing while playing (normal led mode).  Is it ok?
> 
> Thanks


I noticed that as well although I don't really mind. The lights were a bit too bright for me at night.


----------



## rlw6534

TK33 said:


> I noticed that as well although I don't really mind. The lights were a bit too bright for me at night.



The new firmware does have a LED brightness control.  I turned mine way down...


----------



## TK33 (Jul 28, 2020)

rlw6534 said:


> The new firmware does have a LED brightness control.  I turned mine way down...


Yes I did as well. What I said was in reference to the constant blinking when the unit was on, which I did not really care for as it was distracting. 

I am glad they are constantly improving the product and putting alot of thought into updates.


----------



## Xenderos

Is connecting to two devices (multi point pairing) affecting somehow quality, performance, or battery life?


----------



## Partheev

This might be a silly question. But is anyone able to use the app while the Qudelix 5k is conencted via USB-C to their phone?

I get sound output through my 3.5mm, but cannot use the app at all and only the red LED is on. In order for me to use the app i have to connet via BT, of course at this point, audio out changes to BT. Is this by design? Or am i doing somethign wrong?

Thanks


----------



## ClieOS

Partheev said:


> This might be a silly question. But is anyone able to use the app while the Qudelix 5k is conencted via USB-C to their phone?
> 
> I get sound output through my 3.5mm, but cannot use the app at all and only the red LED is on. In order for me to use the app i have to connet via BT, of course at this point, audio out changes to BT. Is this by design? Or am i doing somethign wrong?
> 
> Thanks



I have no problem connecting my Qudelix via USB to my Xperia 5 while controlling its function over app (via BT), all at the same time.


----------



## Partheev

Partheev said:


> This might be a silly question. But is anyone able to use the app while the Qudelix 5k is conencted via USB-C to their phone?
> 
> I get sound output through my 3.5mm, but cannot use the app at all and only the red LED is on. In order for me to use the app i have to connet via BT, of course at this point, audio out changes to BT. Is this by design? Or am i doing somethign wrong?
> 
> Thanks



Worth noting that UAPP states music is playing through the USB DAC so i know it is clearly working. Just puzzled about the lack of app usability via USB


----------



## Partheev (Jul 29, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> I have no problem connecting my Qudelix via USB to my Xperia 5 while controlling its function over app (via BT), all at the same time.



Would you mind sharing your dev settings on Android? USB specific ones, i wonder if i need to change this.

Also do you mean to say that you are using audio output via USB C, but are connected and using the app via BT? 

I woudl think we can just use USB connectivity and still control the app?


----------



## ClieOS

Partheev said:


> Worth noting that UAPP states music is playing through the USB DAC so i know it is clearly working. Just puzzled about the lack of app usability via USB



The app function is designed to work over BT, not USB. In order to control 5K via app while it is used as USB DAC, you need to connect it to BT at the same time.



Partheev said:


> Would you mind sharing your dev settings on Android? USB specific ones, i wonder if i need to change this.
> 
> Also do you mean to say that you are using audio output via USB C, but are connected and using the app via BT?
> 
> *I woudl think we can just use USB connectivity and still control the app?*



No, doesn't work that way. App only works over BT.

Also nothing to share in the developer setting on USB that will change anything. There is nothing in the developer setting on USB that is related to USB DAC function. I leave all of those setting in default.


----------



## Partheev

ClieOS said:


> The app function is designed to work over BT, not USB. In order to control 5K via app while it is used as USB DAC, you need to connect it to BT at the same time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ok thanks for that, let me give that a try. Is there anyway to switch between BT streaming and USB once connected via BT and on the app?


----------



## ClieOS

5K should automatically prioritize USB DAC function over BT. To be sure, just go into the app (*when playing music) and see the setting under 'input > state', it should show you the source as 'USB'.


----------



## Partheev

ClieOS said:


> 5K should automatically prioritize USB DAC function over BT. To be sure, just go into the app (*when playing music) and see the setting under 'input > state', it should show you the source as 'USB'.



Good info! I feel this only works properly if you connect to BT first, then plugin USB. 

If you flick BT off while USB is connected and then back on, BT takes over (as per the app, unplugging and plugging the usb dac back in doesnt solve this). Though on UAPP, interestingly it states playback is via USB DAC. Wonder if this is an app bug.


----------



## lgcubana

I don't mind paying for premium shipping, when I get premium shipping


----------



## lgcubana

OK, took a bit, but I got the 5K to play via BT on my iPad
But...
My Samsung Note 4 , Android 6.0.1 (yeah,yeah, I know), won't see the app in the playstore.  When I open the app via the provided link from the Qudelix forum, it states "No eligible devices".  What's the oldest Android O.S. that the app will work with ?
The 5K does playback via the phone, just no app.


----------



## rkw

lgcubana said:


> My Samsung Note 4 , Android 6.0.1 (yeah,yeah, I know), won't see the app in the playstore.  When I open the app via the provided link from the Qudelix forum, it states "No eligible devices".  What's the oldest Android O.S. that the app will work with ?


Google Play Store says requires Android 8.0 and up.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qudelix.qudelix


----------



## lgcubana

rkw said:


> Google Play Store says requires Android 8.0 and up.
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.qudelix.qudelix


Thanks,  I missed that


----------



## alex5908

Has anybody tried the update made 5 days ago?


----------



## zolom

I did.  
No issues.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

alex5908 said:


> Has anybody tried the update made 5 days ago?





zolom said:


> I did.
> No issues.


Same here. Safe update!


----------



## alex5908

zolom said:


> I did.


What are the benefits of the new update?


----------



## edoin

alex5908 said:


> What are the benefits of the new update?



Just QoL.No noticeable improvements except for one thing for me. Before the update I wasn't able to use the volume buttons on NW-A55 to adjust the volume of Q5K. After the update, I was able to use it.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Jul 30, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> What are the benefits of the new update?



https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/fw-v1-2-1-release-10619580?pid=1312364999

(Obviously this was written just before the update was available on the Google Play Store).  In case you haven’t seen it, the simple write up on the Qudelix forum says:

Qudelix Support qudelixJul 24
We released the FW v1.2.1 and the new iOS/Android update.

The iOS app is now available.

The Android app is still on Google review processing. (due to COVID-19)
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6334282

From the version v1.2.0, 5K supports Absolute Volume Control.
5K Absolute Volume Control offers 2-way associative control for optimal sound quality.
It always keeps and guarantees the full precision audio stream over Bluetooth or USB.
Either way, via smartphone source volume or 5K device volume, you can control the loudness level without any loss.

Thanks!


----------



## omlettes

How does sound compare to BTR5?  I see lots of posts comparing connectivity and features, but not sound.


----------



## bahamot

lgcubana said:


> I don't mind paying for premium shipping, when I get premium shipping


Yeah it was crazy fast, even faster than typical domestic shipment (in my country), lol.


----------



## TK33

alex5908 said:


> What are the benefits of the new update?



@kismetsky posted a screenshot of the changelog a page or two back.  

Being able to control the brightness of the lights was a much appreciated update for me.


----------



## smorgar

I can't wrap my head around absolute volume. Someone please explain it to me


----------



## rkw

alex5908 said:


> What are the benefits of the new update?


In this thread, people were most excited over the LED brightness control.


----------



## jsmiller58

rkw said:


> In this thread, people were most excited over the LED brightness control.


In these days of lockdowns anything is exciting...!


----------



## edoin

rkw said:


> In this thread, people were most excited over the LED brightness control.



Can't blame 'em. It's too bright during the night.


----------



## waynes world

omlettes said:


> How does sound compare to BTR5?  I see lots of posts comparing connectivity and features, but not sound.



The Hi-Fi + Hi-Res Audiophiles' Bluetooth Headphone Adapter Thread - [8.Jul.20] Qudelix 5K impression added


----------



## Mouseman

rkw said:


> In this thread, people were most excited over the LED brightness control.


It _was _the most significant change this time (and honestly, those things were damn bright). Just wait until we get PEQ....you're going to see the whole thread lose their minds.


----------



## alex5908

omlettes said:


> How does sound compare to BTR5? I see lots of posts comparing connectivity and features, but not sound.


I read a short review/comparison with E1DA 9038S 3 Gen in a Russian form at the namesake thread. It Included the SQ. That was to the advantage of the subj. And 9038S is a dedicated DAC, for a second. And the best one at the moment, IMO, of course.


----------



## maschoff

I ordered on a Sunday and they arrived Wednesday. I'm using Meze 2.5 balanced cable with beyerdynamics Xelentos and I'm impressed with the USB and BT implementation. I am now free to move about the cabin ... Fever. The SQ is very nice and battery life is excellent; 2.5 balanced is much nicer than 3.5 unbalanced, 4v vs 2v, and independent LDACs, one per channel.  In the line at ACME bread, everyone else suffered through accordion playing while I jammed out to the iTunes Metal radio station 🤘


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> Here is my solution to 5K less than practical shirt clip design.


Could you share the link where exactly you bought the shirt clip from?


----------



## Pro-Jules

alex5908 said:


> Could you share the link where exactly you bought the shirt clip from?


Look up "magnetic badge" on Amazon


----------



## alex5908

Pro-Jules said:


> Look up "magnetic badge" on Amazon


The idea of my question was to get a reputable and reliable seller but not just the item.


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> The idea of my question was to get a reputable and reliable seller but not just the item.



Got mine from Taobao, not sure that you help you much.


----------



## taostream

alex5908 said:


> Could you share the link where exactly you bought the shirt clip from?


The clips are not very comfortable. Q5K needs to be worn like a treasure around the neck))



Spoiler: something like this))


----------



## alex5908

taostream said:


> The clips are not very comfortable.


Do you mean they don't hold the way they are supposed to and the 5K will fall off?


----------



## taostream

alex5908 said:


> Do you mean they don't hold the way they are supposed to and the 5K will fall off?


No, I mean it doesn't solve the extra cable issue.


----------



## alex5908

taostream said:


> No, I mean it doesn't solve the extra cable issue.


Wow, look who is here.  Welcome aboard.


----------



## ClieOS

taostream said:


> No, I mean it doesn't solve the extra cable issue.



Get a shorter cable?


----------



## alex5908

ClieOS said:


> Got mine from Taobao


What are the merits of ordering at taobao?


----------



## ClieOS

alex5908 said:


> What are the merits of ordering at taobao?



Namely you kinda need to know how to read Chinese. Officially Taobao also only ships to just a handful of countries but there are third party forwarder that are cheap and fast - then again, you really need to know Chinese to navigate yourself around.


----------



## taostream

alex5908 said:


> Wow, look who is here.  Welcome aboard.


Thank! I've been watching here for a long time, but there was no reason to say


----------



## taostream (Aug 5, 2020)

ClieOS said:


> Get a shorter cable?


Yes. I watched the cable from ddHiFi for a long time, but in the end I ordered a handicraft analog.


----------



## skaktuss

Here's my solution.


----------



## Pro-Jules

skaktuss said:


> Here's my solution.




So where did you get that from?


----------



## Seazer

Check out what I got 😎
Qudelix is definitely a step up over the es100. As far as a comparison with the BTR5, I would say they are on about equal footing soundwise. It is more about preference and synergy. 

Out of the single ended output I would say the qudelix sounds better in general. However the BTR5 handles max volume high gain out of the single ended better than the qudelix. So if you are preamping something full volume (like the little bear b4x tube amp) the BTR5 pulls ahead a little bit. However if you are stuck with a set with a non detachable cable (like my final E500) the qudelix sounds better for the most part. 

Out of the balanced output I would say they are on par, and differences come down to synergy/preference like I said. The BTR5 seems to be a bit more V shaped, while the qudelix seems a bit more mids foward. The BTR5 has a bit more sparkle in the treble but the qudelix has better soundstage and mids.


----------



## pstickne (Aug 6, 2020)

Interface still looks deficient as is/was the ES100 (where is a dial or easy to find buttons?) — count me out.

Too much techno mumbo jumbo without a tactile physical design to suit. Dial for volume + two easy to find control buttons (one can be the dial). Decorate up the functionally each does accordingly.


----------



## Pro-Jules

So I found ANOTHER old ES100  So now I have two, one with my phone number scratched onto the surface.. bah. I need to offload some stuff I am not using...


----------



## pstickne (Aug 7, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> So I found ANOTHER old ES100  So now I have two, one with my phone number scratched onto the surface.. bah. I need to offload some stuff I am not using...


I just sold an old new-in-box ES100, ordered a .. - that’s one way to “unload”


----------



## jamington2004

Just bought one for my Tia Fourte - suits them really well and seems smoother and cleaner than the UP2. As well as the auto standby and volume memory and EQ that I bought it for really 

And so light - I dropped it the other day and it barely moved the IEM in my ears 

Very inpresssed - and great idea about hanging round the neck as the buttons are a bit poorly placed for clutching it in ones hands all the time, and I don’t like clipping it anywhere.


----------



## maschoff (Aug 7, 2020)

All I get are complaints about no one being able to hear me. Clipped to my shirt ...

Anyone else have issues with the mems mic? It seems to be very directional


----------



## TK33

maschoff said:


> All I get are complaints about no one being able to hear me. Clipped to my shirt ...
> 
> Anyone else have issues with the mems mic? It seems to be very directional



No but I have been told it picks up a lot of background noise (just left it on the desk in front of me, not clipped).  I have been sticking to wired for calls. Have a Galaxy Buds Live on the way which I hope will give me a better wireless calling solution but I haven't had great results with the 5K for calls.  Would be curious what everyone else has been experiencing.


----------



## john61ct

should be able to wire an external mic port from the headset TRRS?

would be great to just use a ModMic Uni with whatever HPs you currently favoured

I understand it doesn't work in DAC mode.

Funny, exactly the inverse problem with Schiit HEL!

Mayflower ARC Mk2 does both, others?


----------



## courierdriver

maschoff said:


> All I get are complaints about no one being able to hear me. Clipped to my shirt ...
> 
> Anyone else have issues with the mems mic? It seems to be very directional


Yeah, I get the same complaints when I try to use the mic. People tell me I'm not clear sounding and there's alot of background noise. When that's the case, I just disconnect and switch to my phone's mic. For me, it's no big deal. I never intended to use this device for phone calls. The mic was just a fringe benefit. The reason I bought this for, was for listening to music in hi rez via bluetooth. For that purpose, the ES100 works very well, and I'm very satisfied with the SQ.


----------



## jamington2004

not fussed about mic either but will try later.

I did try and use the EQ sliders on the iPhone app though and they are pretty useless - once your fat fingers are over the buttons it’s impossible to see what’s going on, and too easy to slide the wrong one, and then hard to set it back exactly.

Anyone have any tips - can you select a frequency and then use phone buttons for example?


----------



## mhoopes

TK33 said:


> No but I have been told it picks up a lot of background noise (just left it on the desk in front of me, not clipped).  I have been sticking to wired for calls. Have a Galaxy Buds Live on the way which I hope will give me a better wireless calling solution but I haven't had great results with the 5K for calls.  Would be curious what everyone else has been experiencing.


Yes. My voice is clearer than with the ES100, but so is the background. Unusable in urban settings. Noise cancellation is a thing. Hopefully this improves.


----------



## cttttt

maschoff said:


> All I get are complaints about no one being able to hear me. Clipped to my shirt ...
> 
> Anyone else have issues with the mems mic? It seems to be very directional



I've had success, but only when pointing it directly at my mouth and speaking directly into the mic (which is located on the edge with the headphone jacks).  While speaking, background noise is completely absent.  While not, background noise is present, but deeply attenuated.

The further away from the mic my actual voice is, the more it is interpreted as background noise and sorta dampened as much as the other background noise.  I could imagine it performing poorly when clipped to a shirt as ur voice won't be driven directly into the mic and the distance may be a little off as well.

I kinda wish they used one of the buttons for push-to-talk to help improve this situation.  And if it had a bit of a delay, it would even avoid transmitting the handling noise from clicking the button.

Btw, a great way to test real call quality is to call a the test call phone number.  Just Google *The Test Call*, pick a local number, and there will be a bunch of automated tests you can run, including a real time echo test...or you could just call someone 😃. 

If you just want the raw mic output, your phone's sound recorder should do though.  Or you can Bluetooth it to a computer and go to town.


----------



## Xanasazi (Aug 9, 2020)

maschoff said:


> All I get are complaints about no one being able to hear me. Clipped to my shirt ...
> 
> Anyone else have issues with the mems mic? It seems to be very directional



I actually got compliments on the mic from my gf. She thought it sounded a lot better than the BTR3 I had and my vmoda boom pro mic.


----------



## JM22681

Can you update firmware on Qudelix over iOS?


----------



## Mouseman

JM22681 said:


> Can you update firmware on Qudelix over iOS?


Yes, absolutely. It was easy and the software ensures you have a working file before it will let you update.


----------



## navydragon

Hi, am i the only one who is getting terrible standby time on this? It drains around 10~15% i think on standby which is really not that impressive..


----------



## MaxwellDot

taostream said:


> Yes. I watched the cable from ddHiFi for a long time, but in the end I ordered a handicraft analog.



This is also another good cable (short, 3.5mm terminated). US$20. I have been using it with the ES100, and ordered a second one recently to use with the Q5K.

https://store.hiby.com/products/3-5mm-short-cable


----------



## MaxwellDot (Aug 11, 2020)

navydragon said:


> Hi, am i the only one who is getting terrible standby time on this? It drains around 10~15% i think on standby which is really not that impressive..



In my own experience, the overall battery life of the Q5K is not much better than that of the ES100 (I expected it to be a lot better based on advertised specs). Still, I got used to the habit of charging both overnight .. the ES100 now I use when I am at the gym, and the Qudelix I use in the evenings (eg walks etc, or when I am doing chores around the house, browsing the net etc).


----------



## navydragon

MaxwellDot said:


> I my own experience, overall battery life of the Q5K is not so much more than ES100 (I expected it to be much better based on advertised specs). Still, I got use to the habit of charging both overnight .. ES100 now I use during the morning gym time, and Qudelix is use in the evenings (walks etc, chores around the house etc).


Yes same here, i don't really feel any difference of battery life from my ES100 if not even worse., was kind of expecting more from all the posted battery life specs and bigger battery as such..


----------



## fonkepala

navydragon said:


> Hi, am i the only one who is getting terrible standby time on this? It drains around 10~15% i think on standby which is really not that impressive..




Whoa.. Really? 10-15% drain on standby per hour?


----------



## MaxwellDot

fonkepala said:


> Whoa.. Really? 10-15% drain on standby per hour?



I don't think navydragon said per hour (its certainly not that bad in my own experience of my Q5K), perhaps the 10% drain is more like every 24 hours (or overnight) if left on standby.


----------



## navydragon

MaxwellDot said:


> I don't think navydragon said per hour (its certainly not that bad in my own experience of my Q5K), perhaps the 10% drain is more like every 24 hours (or overnight) if left on standby.


Actually i was, i remember that this morning around 9am it was around 70%, then come 1pm it dropped down to 20% with nothing playing, just my elegia attached to the 2.5mm balanced output.. anyways i will check again now, now at 90% will see how much it drops hours later, will also check the battery graph on the app.


----------



## navydragon

and here was my battery usage last time, performance mode, 2.5mm balanced output, at around -13db volume, ~80% drain in roughly ~5hrs. So a full charge will roughly last around 6-6.5hrs.


----------



## taostream

MaxwellDot said:


> This is also another good cable (short, 3.5mm terminated). US$20. I have been using it with the ES100, and ordered a second one recently to use with the Q5K.
> 
> https://store.hiby.com/products/3-5mm-short-cable


I also looked at this cable. Looks good. But he, unlike ddHIFI, does not have the ability to wear over his head like a necklace.


----------



## fonkepala

navydragon said:


> Actually i was, i remember that this morning around 9am it was around 70%, then come 1pm it dropped down to 20% with nothing playing, just my elegia attached to the 2.5mm balanced output.. anyways i will check again now, now at 90% will see how much it drops hours later, will also check the battery graph on the app.



That's pretty subpar imho. Is this a thing with the 5k? If it isn't, I'd suggest a return & replacement. I know i won't be happy with a device that drains its battery that much doing nothing.


----------



## taostream (Aug 11, 2020)

Does anyone know the option to turn off volume reset on incoming messages? I use Q5K at work in DAC mode via USB and when a message arrives in my phone Q5K resets the volume to the minimum level. It is very inconvenient to raise it after each message.


----------



## gurepa

taostream said:


> Does anyone know the option to turn off volume reset on incoming messages? I use Q5K at work in DAC mode via USB and when a message arrives in my phone Q5K resets the volume to the minimum level. It is very inconvenient to raise it after each message.



Turn off the absolute volume.


----------



## TK33

navydragon said:


> Actually i was, i remember that this morning around 9am it was around 70%, then come 1pm it dropped down to 20% with nothing playing, just my elegia attached to the 2.5mm balanced output.. anyways i will check again now, now at 90% will see how much it drops hours later, will also check the battery graph on the app.



That does not sound normal.  I turned mine on just now (haven't touched it since yesterday) and my battery is at 98% according to the Qudelix app and 100% according to my V60 (bluetooth menu).


----------



## pstickne (Aug 11, 2020)

How does the Q5K sound like the ES100?
How does it compare to UP4?

I don’t like the ES100 sound, so I got a Q5s which has the (‘thick mids’?) sound I really like. However, the Q5 is broken and now I have a UP4. Except the UP4 sounds how I remember the ES100 (‘thin’?), and UP4 configuration is mostly laughable. 

Should I expect the same ‘sound’ and ‘body’ from the Q5K as the UP4? How does it differ in comparison from the others?

The HW it looks like almost identical. Maybe I prefer the AK4493 ‘tuning’ over ES9218? Although ES100 is AK4375.. any 'tuning' affects appears to be from secondary component design decisions anyway.


----------



## john61ct

taostream said:


> when a message arrives in my phone Q5K resets the volume to the minimum level. It is very inconvenient to raise it after each message.


You mean old-school text messages, aka SMS? Or phone notifications, or?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

pstickne said:


> How does the Q5K sound like the ES100?
> How does it compare to UP4?
> 
> I don’t like the ES100 sound, so I got a Q5s which has the (‘thick mids’?) sound I really like. However, the Q5 is broken and now I have a UP4. Except the UP4 sounds how I remember the ES100 (‘thin’?), and UP4 configuration is mostly laughable.
> ...


The Q5K doesn’t have a thick-mids kind of sound, it’s more on the clear, transparent side. Less veiled than the ES100, less muddy than Shanling. EQ works great but won’t increase note body...


----------



## taostream

gurepa said:


> Turn off the absolute volume.


Thanks, it looks like it works. Only now the sound of the switch-on hits the ears.


----------



## taostream (Aug 12, 2020)

john61ct said:


> You mean old-school text messages, aka SMS? Or phone notifications, or?


Any sound notification.


----------



## MaxwellDot (Aug 12, 2020)

navydragon said:


> Actually i was, i remember that this morning around 9am it was around 70%, then come 1pm it dropped down to 20% with nothing playing, just my elegia attached to the 2.5mm balanced output.. anyways i will check again now, now at 90% will see how much it drops hours later, will also check the battery graph on the app.



Thats certainly not normal.. it could be doing something in the background thats eating up the battery even in standby (eg constantly searching for bluetooth connection), but then that would be a common problem. Most likely its a battery issue. Having said that, if there is a way you can re-install the firmware (and hence essentially fully reset the device/configs), and then re-measure the battery drop off after. If still happening, then indeed you should return for a replacement. From what I am reading here, their customer service is good.


----------



## AgathaVR (Aug 14, 2020)

Trying the PEQ. It's better than Wavelet app. Wavelet does a pretty good job. Also less latency LDAC option. I love 5K, with every update it keeps on giving.

Make sure to press and hold to save the Custom Eq, I had to redo it _ALL_ because I didn't know.


----------



## TK33

AgathaVR said:


> Trying the PEQ. It's better than Wavelet app. Wavelet does a pretty good job. Also less latency LDAC option. I love 5K, with every update it keeps on giving.
> 
> Make sure to press and hold to save the Custom Eq, I had to redo it _ALL_ because I didn't know.


Didn't realize there was a new update yesterday with PEQ.  Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## Motagaly

iOS update? I couldn’t find that


----------



## Gorktastick

Does anyone know if the Qudelix app has a crossfeed feature like the ES100 does, or if there are any plans to add one...?


----------



## smorgar

Can't find the PEQ update on play store yet. Hopefully within the weekend, let's cross our fingers


----------



## edoin

Update on playstore now available. PEQ included on new FW.


----------



## smorgar

Got the update late last night. Woke up bright and early and the first thing on my mind is PEQ. Let's go!


----------



## greyforest

any tutorial on how to peq？


----------



## navydragon

greyforest said:


> any tutorial on how to peq？



Go to this link, 
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/INDEX.md

Select your headphone, and desired eq settings (usually to harman target curve) then enter the corresponding parametric eq values. Tune to your liking if needed. Listen and enjoy. 😄


----------



## maschoff

Is Convolution Equalization a possibility or planned?  Anyone know?


----------



## fonkepala

Glad to see the much-awaited for PEQ functionality is finally here. So everyone happy with the update & PEQ feature so far? I'm still torn between the 5K and the BTR5. If this new firmware fulfills what everyone's been waiting & hoping for, it might just be the push I need to pull the trigger on the 5K. Thanks in advance!


----------



## AgathaVR (Aug 15, 2020)

fonkepala said:


> Glad to see the much-awaited for PEQ functionality is finally here. So everyone happy with the update & PEQ feature so far? I'm still torn between the 5K and the BTR5. If this new firmware fulfills what everyone's been waiting & hoping for, it might just be the push I need to pull the trigger on the 5K. Thanks in advance!


Works fine. Over the air update is like opening a present every update so just for that feeling I would go 5k. App is a must and Fiio sucks at it. There is absolutely a room for improvement appwise with 5k but if you EQ your headphones ever 5k is the one to go.

I have sonarworks, tone boosters morphit on pc, wavelet on android. I made a copy of morphit se846 blue (%50 morphed) profile with curveEQ by sending white noise :
Freq   DB
20.00,-1.83
43.09,-2.45
92.83,-1.84
200.00,-1.79
430.89,-3.01
928.32,-1.12
2000.00,1.52
4308.87,3.33
9283.18,3.59
20000.00,3.60

That means I can have reference grade eq profiles on the go easier. That was not possible within a $110 dac until yesterday. Wavelet and viper4android are awesome but when you eq within the dac pricelessly like this it does sound better, also less bulk on phone, more battery life, less compatibility issues, less hassle while switching devices.


----------



## smorgar

I love the PEQ. Having too much fun with ER4SR in balanced mode


----------



## The Madhouse

fonkepala said:


> Glad to see the much-awaited for PEQ functionality is finally here. So everyone happy with the update & PEQ feature so far? I'm still torn between the 5K and the BTR5. If this new firmware fulfills what everyone's been waiting & hoping for, it might just be the push I need to pull the trigger on the 5K. Thanks in advance!


I have both. 
I think of you are like me, not playing around with Any EQ, just putting on LDAC and some ''tweaks''( like putting thé DAC divider level on thé Btr5 to one but nothing fancy) and listen to verry good sounding music, then thé BTR5 Will win. If you like EQ, lots of updates and some querky but verry cool working features, thén thé 5K is thé way to go. 
If you are a car lover then i think you can compare them nu thé BTR5 is a Lamborghini, and thé 5K is a Donkervoort, they are both just amazing! But have other purpose, both drive you around, but they are different. 
I like both, but use the btr5 more because it's just solid performance without thinking it could get better with tweaking and EQ, with thé 5K you think you can gain something with Eq'ing etc.... And that takes away a part of just listening to music( for you it can ad something! Because you can do more than just listen to music.... It depends what you look for. )


----------



## Jayden16

I think I’ll going to pull the trigger and get a 5K now that PEQ is here. Being able to use that with my iSine 10’s is a game changer.


----------



## Toastybob

Does anyone know of a thin clip (preferably with adhesive) that could be attached to the front of the 5k in order to use it upside down? I'm considering the 5k, but almost all my cables are straight so I don't think they would be usable with the 5k clipped to my shirt. Also, is the default clip removable?


----------



## andyy101

Some people use magnet under shirt to west it as you please. The clip is not removable. Also I believe that microphone is located on the same side as 3.5 and 2.5 do it has to face up.


----------



## Motagaly

PEQ iOS update is available on AppStore as of yesterday; However, the Qudelix need another three days to actually arrive 🤣


----------



## SleeStack1

The Madhouse said:


> I have both.
> I think of you are like me, not playing around with Any EQ, just putting on LDAC and some ''tweaks''( like putting thé DAC divider level on thé Btr5 to one but nothing fancy) and listen to verry good sounding music, then thé BTR5 Will win. If you like EQ, lots of updates and some querky but verry cool working features, thén thé 5K is thé way to go.
> If you are a car lover then i think you can compare them nu thé BTR5 is a Lamborghini, and thé 5K is a Donkervoort, they are both just amazing! But have other purpose, both drive you around, but they are different.
> I like both, but use the btr5 more because it's just solid performance without thinking it could get better with tweaking and EQ, with thé 5K you think you can gain something with Eq'ing etc.... And that takes away a part of just listening to music( for you it can ad something! Because you can do more than just listen to music.... It depends what you look for. )


I was on the fence initially and bought the Q5.  The main reason for me was physical size.  I wanted to keep to the size of the BTR3 I already owned.  The Q5 is nearly identical.  The BTR5 is over 50% larger.


----------



## jsmiller58

SleeStack1 said:


> I was on the fence initially and bought the Q5.  The main reason for me was physical size.  I wanted to keep to the size of the BTR3 I already owned.  The Q5 is nearly identical.  The BTR5 is over 50% larger.


Both 5K and BTR5 are pretty small.  I like them both.  But to me the BTR5 build is superior, if larger.


----------



## Toastybob

andyy101 said:


> Some people use magnet under shirt to west it as you please. The clip is not removable. Also I believe that microphone is located on the same side as 3.5 and 2.5 do it has to face up.


Thanks. I've seen the magnet post but I can't use that because I have to wear an expensive device that is sensitive to magnets.

I hope the microphone would still work well enough upside down. Is the microphone volume still configurable like the ES100? Maybe I could find a way to attach a second taller clip over the built in clip to get the 5K far enough down to be usable. Or maybe I could attach a clip rotated by 90 degrees to get the 5K sideways and use it like the ES100.


----------



## andyy101

Mic volume is configurable. I also believe that mic is working better than on ES100 - at least that were opinions on our regional forums.


----------



## HootsGha (Aug 17, 2020)

AgathaVR said:


> Works fine. Over the air update is like opening a present every update so just for that feeling I would go 5k. App is a must and Fiio sucks at it. There is absolutely a room for improvement appwise with 5k but if you EQ your headphones ever 5k is the one to go.
> 
> I have sonarworks, tone boosters morphit on pc, wavelet on android. I made a copy of morphit se846 blue (%50 morphed) profile with curveEQ by sending white noise :
> Freq   DB
> ...


I have the se846s myself and will definitely try this EQ setting once I receive my Q5K 👍🏻

I was wondering whether you're using yours in balanced or single ended?

What I've come to understand so far is that in theory, when it comes to sensitive iems, it should be best to keep the output impedance of the DAC/amp to the minimum i.e go single ended, but some say that in practice the balanced output on Q5K is better/fuller sounding even on such a sensitive iem as se846.

Any subjective experience regarding this topic would be very much appreciated 🙏🏻🙏🏻


----------



## AgathaVR (Aug 17, 2020)

HootsGha said:


> I have the se846s myself and will definitely try this EQ setting once I receive my Q5K 👍🏻
> 
> I was wondering whether you're using yours in balanced or single ended?
> 
> ...


I shortened a balanced cable.   You should buy a balanced cable and try it yourself.

Main reason why it's better with 5k is because it uses both chips with balanced output. 5k's 3.5mm output only uses a single chip.

Personally I love customising stuff for my needs. I like small details like increase and decrease Db change, it is so smooth with Qudelix, you can also change the buttons config to turn it on/off much faster.

Microphone actually works really good, and they are going to add Ambient mode which I am now waiting for.

5k doesn't have the best noise floor around. That's what I would like it to be better next version. Also they don't really want you to change the battery, they should make the design more battery change friendly, buttons are not the best either. It's build quality is perfect but there is room for improvement with it's design. It's sound signature is the way I like it, much better than btr3. It's 3d antenna is ridiculously good compared to my btr3.

Even with se215, balanced cable makes a lot of difference. Sound becomes more clear. I have custom 9 more filters for my se846, custom red ones are the best but I use blue filters for Eq profiles.


----------



## HootsGha

AgathaVR said:


> I shortened a balanced cable.   You should buy a balanced cable and try it yourself.
> 
> Main reason why it's better with 5k is because it uses both chips with balanced output. 5k's 3.5mm output only uses a single chip.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your detailed answer! Then I guess it's best for me to try a balanced cable and see how it goes... 

Any suggestions for a cable for under 50 USD?

Also custom filters should be fun to try! Are you using Knowles dampers for the filters? I hope there’s not a lot of workaround, since I'm not very good ad DIYing stuff, specially when they are so tiny 😁


----------



## AgathaVR (Aug 17, 2020)

HootsGha said:


> Thanks for your detailed answer! Then I guess it's best for me to try a balanced cable and see how it goes...
> 
> Any suggestions for a cable for under 50 USD?
> 
> Also custom filters should be fun to try! Are you using Knowles dampers for the filters? I hope there’s not a lot of workaround, since I'm not very good ad DIYing stuff, specially when they are so tiny 😁


these ones are $10, I bought in bulk. Of course they are not the best but good quality for the price.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32999489289.html

Sorry not 9 but 7 filters. I bought all but red is the best one, other ones are pretty useless. You need to cut a q-tip and put the filter inside, thats it. You can also remove the foam inside the blue filter which many ppl do but I didn't want to destroy a perfectly fine original filter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32580267018.html


----------



## HootsGha

AgathaVR said:


> these ones are $10, I bought in bulk. Of course they are not the best but good quality for the price.
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32999489289.html
> 
> Sorry not 9 but 7 filters. I bought all but red is the best one, other ones are pretty useless. You need to cut a q-tip and put the filter inside, thats it. You can also remove the foam inside the blue filter which many ppl do but I didn't want to destroy a perfectly fine original filter.
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32580267018.html


Excellent! Can't wait to get my hands on my new 5K and play with different EQs and a few of these filters!

Also absolutely agree about modding the blue filter. Don't wanna alter/break an original filter that works fine 👍🏻


----------



## Marco Angel

HootsGha said:


> Excellent! Can't wait to get my hands on my new 5K and play with different EQs and a few of these filters!
> 
> Also absolutely agree about modding the blue filter. Don't wanna alter/break an original filter that works fine 👍🏻


I love the 5K+SE846 as it is without EQ, but since the Radsone ES100 i add some boost int the 32hz (+5dB) but now with the PEQ in the 5K i can customize a 20hz +6hz 1.141, it simply add rumble in songs with sub-bass and doesent afect any other frec. Its like having a race car and now beeing able to tweek only the details to maximize its performance

BTW, try balanced cables from this brand, they are quite cheap and very durable with cero microphonics
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/gr...g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_1000001819183.1_1_3

PD: How do you EQ your se846?


----------



## fonkepala

AgathaVR said:


> Works fine. Over the air update is like opening a present every update so just for that feeling I would go 5k. App is a must and Fiio sucks at it. There is absolutely a room for improvement appwise with 5k but if you EQ your headphones ever 5k is the one to go.





The Madhouse said:


> I have both.
> I think of you are like me, not playing around with Any EQ, just putting on LDAC and some ''tweaks''( like putting thé DAC divider level on thé Btr5 to one but nothing fancy) and listen to verry good sounding music, then thé BTR5 Will win. If you like EQ, lots of updates and some querky but verry cool working features, thén thé 5K is thé way to go.
> If you are a car lover then i think you can compare them nu thé BTR5 is a Lamborghini, and thé 5K is a Donkervoort, they are both just amazing! But have other purpose, both drive you around, but they are different.
> I like both, but use the btr5 more because it's just solid performance without thinking it could get better with tweaking and EQ, with thé 5K you think you can gain something with Eq'ing etc.... And that takes away a part of just listening to music( for you it can ad something! Because you can do more than just listen to music.... It depends what you look for. )



Thank you both for your very detailed replies. I don't ever use EQ for any of my headphones/earbuds/IEM's, partly because I'm not a deft hand at it but also because I prefer to let the headphone and/or DAC/amp that I'm using color the music with their own particular signature. That being said, the 5K still really intrigues me and I'm like *this* close to pulling the trigger...


----------



## HootsGha (Aug 17, 2020)

Marco Angel said:


> I love the 5K+SE846 as it is without EQ, but since the Radsone ES100 i add some boost int the 32hz (+5dB) but now with the PEQ in the 5K i can customize a 20hz +6hz 1.141, it simply add rumble in songs with sub-bass and doesent afect any other frec. Its like having a race car and now beeing able to tweek only the details to maximize its performance
> 
> BTW, try balanced cables from this brand, they are quite cheap and very durable with cero microphonics
> https://www.aliexpress.com/store/gr...g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_1000001819183.1_1_3
> ...


I’ll have to wait a few days till I get my 5K and then see...  I’m sure that se846 sounds just fine out of 5K, but like you said, some fine tuning is always enjoyable! 

Thanks for the cable suggestion. For some reason when I click on the link, the pop up Aliexpress tab says "no item found" 😕
I'll have to google the store name and find it that way.

I'm not quite sure whether your last question was directed at me, but assuming that it was, as an iPhone user I currently have a very difficult time EQing my se846, having to do it separately in each different app, and not being able to save custom EQs on many of those apps.
That's why EQ and PEQ capabilities of the 5K is such a huge selling point for me.


----------



## zolom (Aug 17, 2020)

My Q5K sounds superb with the FiiO FH7 (balanced). No EQ used.

With the Q5K, my impression is that the FH7 (balanced)  sounds better than with the SE846 (single ended).


----------



## Toastybob

AgathaVR said:


> 5k doesn't have the best noise floor around. That's what I would like it to be better next version.


Could you elaborate on this? Is the noise floor higher than ES100? I find the ES100 to have zero noise even with the most sensitive and low impedance earphones.


----------



## AgathaVR (Aug 17, 2020)

Toastybob said:


> Could you elaborate on this? Is the noise floor higher than ES100? I find the ES100 to have zero noise even with the most sensitive and low impedance earphones.


I'm not talking about a hiss or anything like that. Of course 5k doesn't have "noise". I basically want $2000 Chord Hugo 2 level of sound and I'm going to whine and complain until someone does it for $100.
5k measurements have less noise than ES100 but higher than some integrations of the same chip on other devices like LG phone (but that doesn't necessarily mean it sounds better or worse):
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/asr-measurements-10545281?pid=1311738741&highlight=noise+floor
Qudelix says that they are not competing with big expensive dacs with this little device. That's not the market they are in. I just want them to compete with them  because those expensive dacs sound quality wise clearly are better 

I want  DAC end game to happen with $100. Not $2000+. Qudelix 5K is not an end game DAC, I just want(ed) it to be.


----------



## Marco Angel

HootsGha said:


> I’ll have to wait a few days till I get my 5K and then see...  I’m sure that se846 sounds just fine out of 5K, but like you said, some fine tuning is always enjoyable!
> 
> Thanks for the cable suggestion. For some reason when I click on the link, the pop up Aliexpress tab says "no item found" 😕
> I'll have to google the store name and find it that way.
> ...


Try looking for the KBEAR cables (not sponsored) go for the 16core cheapest one, they are quite good
Guess you are fine on un-balanced, and the shures really dont need much power, but the balanced output gives a little better imaging


----------



## Mouseman

I'll second (or third) the suggestion for balanced Kbear cables. I have several and am currently waiting for one more on the slowest boat ever. They have great build quality and go great with my 5k.


----------



## maschoff

Mouseman said:


> I'll second (or third) the suggestion for balanced Kbear cables. I have several and am currently waiting for one more on the slowest boat ever. They have great build quality and go great with my 5k.


I went with the Meze audio, pricey but nice.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Pulled the trigger, quite excited, actually already downloaded the app 

which company is in charge of express shipping?


----------



## Toastybob

By the way, the 5K has shown up on Amazon US. The Qudelix website announced it recently, but I didn't see anyone mention it here.


----------



## Motagaly

Yup it is, not yet on German Amazon, found it though on eBay Poland with shipping to all Europe


----------



## Motagaly (Aug 18, 2020)

Finally, my Qudelix 5K is here, and this thing is better than the 2 ES100 I have by far, mainly for four things:

Build quality
Better LDAC reception, my Es100 will start cutting after 6 meters away, Qudelix 5K start cutting after 9 meters, this 3D antenna is better (LDAC tested on Sony WM1A)
Better sound -to my ear and brain- on balanced SE846 comparing it directly to ES100 at almost a comparable EQ
Fantastic change of sound upon changing the EQ to the PEQ and start playing with it.
I will spend more time with it and report later, but this was an excellent purchase!


----------



## zolom

zolom said:


> My Q5K sounds superb with the FiiO FH7 (balanced). No EQ used.
> 
> With the Q5K, my impression is that the FH7 (balanced)  sounds better than with the SE846 (single ended).



FH7 connected via short balanced copper wire, made by Ted Allen


----------



## darmanastartes

One neat thing about the 5K is that because the EQ settings are stored in the 5K's internal flash memory you don't need to re-enter PEQ presets on different devices once you've first set them up.


----------



## Motagaly

Guys, is there is a PEQ import feature planned, I want to do this quickly on a text file and import/export to/from the app?


----------



## fonkepala

darmanastartes said:


> One neat thing about the 5K is that because the EQ settings are stored in the 5K's internal flash memory you don't need to re-enter PEQ presets on different devices once you've first set them up.



Can individual PEQ settings be stored for each headphone in one's arsenal?


----------



## edoin

AlexCBSN said:


> Pulled the trigger, quite excited, actually already downloaded the app
> 
> which company is in charge of express shipping?



Should be FedEx for Express Shipping as it's the only option available from where I'm from.


----------



## AlexCBSN

edoin said:


> Should be FedEx for Express Shipping as it's the only option available from where I'm from.


Got my tracking number today, it’s supposed to get here on Thursday, that would be the fastest I’ve ever got a package


----------



## darmanastartes

fonkepala said:


> Can individual PEQ settings be stored for each headphone in one's arsenal?


If you only have 10 headphones yes.


----------



## Toastybob

darmanastartes said:


> If you only have 10 headphones yes.


And if you only have one EQ profile for each.
It's disappointing that you can't at least overwrite the built in presets. I don't see why the number of profiles should be limited by the 5k's memory when the app can just transfer a new profile, which should not consist of much data, over Bluetooth. It's not like the 5K has a display that you can use to select a profile without using the app. At least it's better than 4 profiles on the ES100.


----------



## cttttt

Toastybob said:


> And if you only have one EQ profile for each.
> It's disappointing that you can't at least overwrite the built in presets. I don't see why the number of profiles should be limited by the 5k's memory when the app can just transfer a new profile, which should not consist of much data, over Bluetooth. It's not like the 5K has a display that you can use to select a profile without using the app. At least it's better than 4 profiles on the ES100.



When I read that my knee-jerk was "what're you complaining about," but taking a look at the PEQ, for each of the 10 bands, it's a byte for the filter, an unsigned short for the frequency, and a float for the gain and Q. All this plus a float for the pregain, plus a few pairs of bytes for the preset name.  Feels like each preset should consume 1k, tops.  And the type of memory the SoC requires is kinda cheap.  Hmm...wonder why there're only 10 presets indeed.

And you're spot on that the device technically doesn't need to store all of the presets and definitely doesn't need them all in memory (which is kinda limited at either 256kb or 448kb).  BUT, the device is competing with other standalone devices.  It's kinda neat that the device doesn't require any phone in particular for configuration...any phone will do and the data's all there on the device.  That's kinda neat.

Ur right that there's no way to export/import settings into the app, though.  Feels like a missed opportunity, especially with the PEQ.  Heh...they could even make a community around PEQ settings.


----------



## Toastybob

cttttt said:


> When I read that my knee-jerk was "what're you complaining about," but taking a look at the PEQ, for each of the 10 bands, it's a byte for the filter, an unsigned short for the frequency, and a float for the gain and Q. All this plus a float for the pregain, plus a few pairs of bytes for the preset name.  Feels like each preset should consume 1k, tops.  And the type of memory the SoC requires is kinda cheap.  Hmm...wonder why there're only 10 presets indeed.
> 
> And you're spot on that the device technically doesn't need to store all of the presets and definitely doesn't need them all in memory (which is kinda limited at either 256kb or 448kb).  BUT, the device is competing with other standalone devices.  It's kinda neat that the device doesn't require any phone in particular for configuration...any phone will do and the data's all there on the device.  That's kinda neat.
> 
> Ur right that there's no way to export/import settings into the app, though.  Feels like a missed opportunity, especially with the PEQ.  Heh...they could even make a community around PEQ settings.


I don't know why they need to store any presets other than the current preset in the onboard memory anyway. If you store the presets there, you can switch to them without transmitting them, for maximum speed. But if the size of the data for the preset is small enough like you estimated, it shouldn't take long at all to transmit over Bluetooth. I'd rather wait a second to transmit one of an arbitrary number of presets stored on the phone storage than be limited to what the onboard memory can fit, even if the presets are larger than we think.


----------



## fonkepala

darmanastartes said:


> If you only have 10 headphones yes.



Heh! Ok  Strange though, given how they've ticked all the other boxes, I would've thought that this feature is present and isn't limited to only 10 headphones. The ability to import/export PEQ settings too. Sounds like a missed opportunity on these two fronts. Hopefully the team could incorporate them in future.


----------



## jsmiller58

Toastybob said:


> I don't know why they need to store any presets other than the current preset in the onboard memory anyway. If you store the presets there, you can switch to them without transmitting them, for maximum speed. But if the size of the data for the preset is small enough like you estimated, it shouldn't take long at all to transmit over Bluetooth. I'd rather wait a second to transmit one of an arbitrary number of presets stored on the phone storage than be limited to what the onboard memory can fit, even if the presets are larger than we think.


Yep.  Exactly.  This limit seems arbitrary and my guess can be addressed by simple app changes.


----------



## rkw

A week ago, PEQ was not even available. Now it is, and people turn to complaining about only 10 presets. Seriously? You've run out of presets already? It's all doable but a matter of priorities. I'd prefer that Qudelix work on other new features.


----------



## Toastybob

rkw said:


> A week ago, PEQ was not even available. Now it is, and people turn to complaining about only 10 presets. Seriously? You've run out of presets already? It's all doable but a matter of priorities. I'd prefer that Qudelix work on other new features.


I don't even have the 5k. I actually probably wouldn't use more than 10 presets if I did. I'm just trying to explain how it seems like the system could be improved. It's exciting that a Bluetooth receiver with PEQ is finally available at all.


----------



## Xanasazi

You guys should post some of these suggestions on official forums. They are very open minded and open to ideas.


----------



## zolom

Any PEQ settings  idea for FH7 balanced?

Thanks.


----------



## fonkepala

Just placed an order for mine. Can't wait!


----------



## Motagaly

rkw said:


> A week ago, PEQ was not even available. Now it is, and people turn to complaining about only 10 presets. Seriously? You've run out of presets already? It's all doable but a matter of priorities. I'd prefer that Qudelix work on other new features.



I fully agree with you, for me, 10 preset is enough, yet to import PEQ Settings is important. or it is just me as a beginner playing with PEQ, the settings can get overwhelming, so I decided to test the IEMs I have on Mac with AUNLabs and PEQ installed to get an idea on a sweat spot for my ears, and to port these settings back to the Q5K, but then manually; hence my question if there will be an import export features, also if you have multiple Q5Ks, and I would love to make them all the same. I owned several ES100 for example, one for the car, and one at home.


----------



## jsmiller58

Motagaly said:


> I fully agree with you, for me, 10 preset is enough, yet to import PEQ Settings is important. or it is just me as a beginner playing with PEQ, the settings can get overwhelming, so I decided to test the IEMs I have on Mac with AUNLabs and PEQ installed to get an idea on a sweat spot for my ears, and to port these settings back to the Q5K, but then manually; hence my question if there will be an import export features, also if you have multiple Q5Ks, and I would love to make them all the same. I owned several ES100 for example, one for the car, and one at home.


It would seem that they could support with changes to the app the ability to import files with a very specific format that they define.  The limitation of 10 PEQ profiles is completely arbitrary and should be easily addressed - the app could hold a large number and you choose in the app which ones to load to the 5K (the 5K memory, table structure, or addressing scheme are probably the limiters). 

These are all great ideas...  let’s let the Qudelix team know of the ideas and give them time.  These are still early days


----------



## fonkepala

Delivery of my 5K is scheduled for tomorrow by 5pm. That's just shy of 36 hours from the time I made the order. Considering the global situation now and assuming it arrives on time, that's some super fast shipping! Kudos to Fedex and the Qudelix team for shipping so fast


----------



## zolom (Aug 20, 2020)

Found my recommended PEQ (as well as GEQ and other) settings
Have a go with *https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results* and select your headphones type


----------



## Cevisi

zolom said:


> Found my recommended PEQ (as well as GEQ and other) settings
> Have a go with *https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results* and select your headphones type


You should eq by your ear 
These auto eq people just trying to hit a target whitout ever listening to this headphone besides ever seeing this headphone they just draw lines on paper 

And why because someone said hey this is the ideal curve for everyone 

No its not it is just the curve where the iec711 recieves things flat and i bet you have ears and not a iec711 build in your head


----------



## zolom (Aug 20, 2020)

Cevisi said:


> You should eq by your ear
> These auto eq people just trying to hit a target whitout ever listening to this headphone besides ever seeing this headphone they just draw lines on paper
> 
> And why because someone said hey this is the ideal curve for everyone
> ...


Rest your mind. I know that.
Mostly I prefer to disable EQ (use bit-perfect where possible)

The reason for posting was for those addressing PEQ in the latest posts.

Anyway, thanks.


----------



## edoin

AlexCBSN said:


> Got my tracking number today, it’s supposed to get here on Thursday, that would be the fastest I’ve ever got a package



Yeah, I was surprised it only took 3 days to be delivered. Even more surprising is the package arrived in the country within 12 hours. The only time progress worked slow is when it was waiting for customs clearing. LOL


----------



## basshead88

Hey guys. Just ordered both the Btr5 and the Qk5. I already got the btr5 and get the qk5 tomorrow. I got them from amazon so I will return the one I like least. Question: how is the PEQ of the K5 going to be better than the one from the Fiio? I mean I get it that the K5 is parametric so you have more flexibility but what about the quality of sound? I have been using the Boom 3d app for my Mac without an external dAC and it's crazy how much better it is as an EQ app than the iTunes one. I mostly listen to bass heavy music on Spotify.


----------



## Pro-Jules (Aug 20, 2020)

Try them both and let us know!

Only your ears can tell you what they like.

On Mac I can recommend Audio Hijack as a container for FabFilter Pro Q 3 (audio units) plug in on playback of 96k 24 bit audio from Amazon Music HD. I love it.


----------



## Motagaly

Pro-Jules said:


> Try them both and let us know!
> 
> Only your ears can tell you what they like.
> 
> On Mac I can recommend Audio Hijack as a container for FabFilter Pro Q 3 (audio units) plug in on playback of 96k 24 bit audio from Amazon Music HD. I love it.



+1 for Audio Hijack, highly recommended for many applications.

I don't have any experience with FabFilter Pro Q 3, but I use Audio Hijack along with AUNBandEQ (Free), which gives me parametric EQ settings, plays nicely on Mac for any application I want.

I am playing with it (easier on Mac than on Q5k app) to tune my Shure SE846 to a meaningful sound -to my ears- which I can replicate and test on the Q5K; hence my earlier question about import/export features on Q5K


----------



## AlexCBSN (Aug 20, 2020)

Got mine today, first impressions:

superb sound tbh, used it both bt and connected

It got me a couple of tries to figure out how to turn it on and how to connect it.

hate the blinking light, already found how to disconnect it

Sound wise, this little fella is quite impressive, it actually calls my attention people not saying much more about it, it got enough power to drive many full headphones

will keep checking it out later on 

by the way!!! Only thing that sucked was that I asked the people of qudelix to declare for 48usd and well... I had to pay taxes


----------



## AlexCBSN

basshead88 said:


> Hey guys. Just ordered both the Btr5 and the Qk5. I already got the btr5 and get the qk5 tomorrow. I got them from amazon so I will return the one I like least. Question: how is the PEQ of the K5 going to be better than the one from the Fiio? I mean I get it that the K5 is parametric so you have more flexibility but what about the quality of sound? I have been using the Boom 3d app for my Mac without an external dAC and it's crazy how much better it is as an EQ app than the iTunes one. I mostly listen to bass heavy music on Spotify.


I’ve been using boom 3D myself as well for around 2 years. It’s quite impressive, and it adapts pretty well to any external sources and works as a good booster


----------



## basshead88

Pro-Jules said:


> Try them both and let us know!
> 
> Only your ears can tell you what they like.
> 
> On Mac I can recommend Audio Hijack as a container for FabFilter Pro Q 3 (audio units) plug in on playback of 96k 24 bit audio from Amazon Music HD. I love it.


I will do a comparison of the 2 this week but been listening to the btr5 a lot today with my Th-X00 and I'm not impressed. I cannot see an improvement over my MacBook DAC and the EQ app is almost useless. It doesn't do much at all. They have definitely used a conservative approach here and maybe because they were afraid of any sort of sound distortion that could have been attributed to the device. In comparison when using the Boom 3d app on my Mac the bass blows the btr5 out of the water. Of course the design of the apps has a lot to do with this but there are huge limitations in the Eq-ing that I've been able to do on the btr5 due to the fact that it's an external DAC. The Q5k arrives tomorrow and I look forward to it but I don't see any benefits in owning a btr5 if you already have a decent DAC or have some power efficient headphones.


----------



## basshead88

AlexCBSN said:


> I’ve been using boom 3D myself as well for around 2 years. It’s quite impressive, and it adapts pretty well to any external sources and works as a good booster


Seriously it's insane what an app can do. The only disadvantage is that it drains the battery of my MacBook real quick.


----------



## SleeStack1 (Aug 21, 2020)

basshead88 said:


> The Q5k arrives tomorrow and I look forward to it but I don't see any benefits in owning a btr5 if you already have a decent DAC or have some power efficient headphones.


Considering its marketing (its model name), I would presume the primary benefit of the BTR5 for most is as a high quality bluetooth _receiver _(LDAC,APTX-HD, range, etc). 

I recognize that we all want value (price and features), but to say there is no _use _for a BTR5 seems over the top.

I haven't even tried my Q5 as a wired DAC nor do I own the btr5.  For me, these products are all about bluetooth.


----------



## fonkepala

So my Q5K is being held up at customs. Damn, it was really on track to arriving on my doorstep by suppertime today. Pretty bummed. On top of that, I'm getting charged a tax AND some sort of fee for a 'Bluetooth device import permit'. The latter comes with a heap of paperwork that needs wading through. At this rate, I'll only have my grubby hands on it sometime in the middle or end of next week  

The Q5K better worth it


----------



## jsmiller58

fonkepala said:


> So my Q5K is being held up at customs. Damn, it was really on track to arriving on my doorstep by suppertime today. Pretty bummed. On top of that, I'm getting charged a tax AND some sort of fee for a 'Bluetooth device import permit'. The latter comes with a heap of paperwork that needs wading through. At this rate, I'll only have my grubby hands on it sometime in the middle or end of next week
> 
> The Q5K better worth it


"Bluetooth device import permit"

Wow.  Words fail me.


----------



## fonkepala

jsmiller58 said:


> "Bluetooth device import permit"
> 
> Wow.  Words fail me.



Same here my dude. Smh...


----------



## jsmiller58

fonkepala said:


> Same here my dude. Smh...


I mean, I thought you were serious...  Are you?


----------



## fonkepala

jsmiller58 said:


> I mean, I thought you were serious...  Are you?



I sure am.


----------



## pogodrummer

Heyo. I'm planning to mod my k712 with a second wire coming up from the earcup towards the headband, and a 3d printed bracket to add a BT amp at the top.

Now the big question is, does anyone have experience with the k7** series and the 5K? Would i be better off going with a BTR5?

And lastly, can you control the volume from the device you're connected to? (phone, laptop)


Thanks!


----------



## Motagaly

pogodrummer said:


> Heyo. I'm planning to mod my k712 with a second wire coming up from the earcup towards the headband, and a 3d printed bracket to add a BT amp at the top.
> 
> Now the big question is, does anyone have experience with the k7** series and the 5K? Would i be better off going with a BTR5?
> 
> ...



I can answer that part only, yes, on WM1A I can control the volume of my Qudelix 5K, even over LDAC -where this can’t be made with ES100- however, to a certain extent, It is controlling from the source volume


----------



## fonkepala

Is it just me or is the official forum on the Qudelix website eerily quiet recently? Some questions/threads there have no replies, either from other members or from Qudelix themselves. I emailed the Qudelix support team several days ago (and then again yesterday) asking for some official documentation to assist me in getting customs clearance for my unit but so far I've yet to receive a reply. I expected them to be more responsive.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Perhaps @ClieOS might have a document that you could use..


----------



## ClieOS

Pro-Jules said:


> Perhaps @ClieOS might have a document that you could use..



I don't. I was lucky enough to avoid custom harassment with my 5K package.

Basically anyone who want to import any electronics device into my country needs approval from one particular government owned company (*which has been given special authority to act as an official standard defining agency for all electronics). If your package of electronics get caught by custom, not only that you will need to pay import tax, you will also need a permit that proves that particular electronics is safe and legal to be operated in the country - the process usually involves going to that company, fill in a form and submit with official spec of the electronics (a copy of listed spec in the manual will do, so is print-out from a website), pay a reviewing fee and wait a few days for the permit to come out, then go back to custom to show them the permit as well as paying the import fee. As far as I know, that company never rejects any permit for normal electronics that is made for personal use (or another way of saying this: it is quick money for the government).


----------



## fonkepala

Pro-Jules said:


> Perhaps @ClieOS might have a document that you could use..



That's alright, Qudelix support just got back to me with the manual etc a couple of hours ago. Apparently their support team doesn't work on weekends  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 



ClieOS said:


> I don't. I was lucky enough to avoid custom harassment with my 5K package.
> 
> Basically anyone who want to import any electronics device into my country needs approval from one particular government owned company (*which has been given special authority to act as an official standard defining agency for all electronics). If your package of electronics get caught by custom, not only that you will need to pay import tax, you will also need a permit that proves that particular electronics is safe and legal to be operated in the country - the process usually involves going to that company, fill in a form and submit with official spec of the electronics (a copy of listed spec in the manual will do, so is print-out from a website), pay a reviewing fee and wait a few days for the permit to come out, then go back to custom to show them the permit as well as paying the import fee. As far as I know, that company never rejects any permit for normal electronics that is made for personal use (or another way of saying this: it is quick money for the government).



That's exactly right. I just hope I can get this sorted soon with minimal fuss and charges.


----------



## rkw

ClieOS said:


> As far as I know, that company never rejects any permit for normal electronics that is made for personal use (or another way of saying this: it is quick money for the government).


I'm sure it is quick money for the company as well .


----------



## darmanastartes

Does anyone know if there's a setting to make the 5K pause music playback when the headphone jack is removed?


----------



## Motagaly

darmanastartes said:


> Does anyone know if there's a setting to make the 5K pause music playback when the headphone jack is removed?


I think removing balanced plug while music is being output can damage the DAC, always stop music before unplugging, I guess this is only a precaution for Balanced plug, I do it on both anyway.


----------



## fonkepala

Motagaly said:


> I think removing balanced plug while music is being output can damage the DAC, always stop music before unplugging, I guess this is only a precaution for Balanced plug, I do it on both anyway.



Can doing that also damage single ended as well?


----------



## Motagaly

fonkepala said:


> Can doing that also damage single ended as well?


Not to my knowledge


----------



## Nolbert0

darmanastartes said:


> Does anyone know if there's a setting to make the 5K pause music playback when the headphone jack is removed?


I too want this. It was a 'feature' I had to ask Shanling to implement on the M0. Maybe the same here? But I don't have a forum account on Qudelix...


----------



## basshead88

After testing both the 5k and the btr5 I can say that overall I like the k5 more. The sound is slightly warmer but it really comes down to their app. I can add some bass by bumping the lower frequencies and the distortion is minimal. That being said I think it's not very powerful and this is a limitation of both these amp/dacs. They are too small to deliver some real power. I ended up getting the Ifi Hip Dac and it's simply on another league. I know it's not bluetooth but I thought I'd share the info for whoever might be interested in something without a bluetooth. The xbass feature is out of this world and the dac is on the warmer side. I own the Th-x00 MH.


----------



## PsiCore

I couldn't find this answet here - what are the differences in sound when applying filters in the app?


----------



## ClieOS

PsiCore said:


> I couldn't find this answet here - what are the differences in sound when applying filters in the app?



The short answer is just pick one that sounds best to you.

The long answer is too long, enough to be an article on its own so let just say each filter has (or sometime lack of) different pre- and post- ringing, different roll-off speed in upper treble, and different phase delay. If you really need an detail answer, you can google article about 'PCM filters'


----------



## Marco Angel

basshead88 said:


> After testing both the 5k and the btr5 I can say that overall I like the k5 more. The sound is slightly warmer but it really comes down to their app. I can add some bass by bumping the lower frequencies and the distortion is minimal. That being said I think it's not very powerful and this is a limitation of both these amp/dacs. They are too small to deliver some real power. I ended up getting the Ifi Hip Dac and it's simply on another league. I know it's not bluetooth but I thought I'd share the info for whoever might be interested in something without a bluetooth. The xbass feature is out of this world and the dac is on the warmer side. I own the Th-x00 MH.


Which headphones you are using to test them?


----------



## fonkepala

I'm loving my Qudelix 5K so much, especially the SQ and the EQ/PEQ. Having fun exploring all the EQ potential. I have to say it's well implemented. Now some of the earbuds/headphones that I didn't quite like before are singing with some EQ adjustments  Good times.


----------



## Prognathous (Aug 30, 2020)

When comparing the K5 with the BTR5 - which one has longer battery life? which one has better BT range?

As for EQ over LDAC, isn't this something that can be controlled on the phone (without an app)? At least on most Samsung phones there's a "Sound quality and effects" settings screen that includes a 9 band EQ and other options.


----------



## SleeStack1 (Aug 30, 2020)

Prognathous said:


> When comparing the K5 with the BTR5 - which one has longer battery life? which one has better BT range?
> 
> As for EQ over LDAC, isn't this something that cab be controlled on the phone (without an app)? At least on most Samsung phones there's a "Sound quality and effects" settings screen that includes a 9 band EQ and other options.


If you plan on your phone being the only source than the LDAC EQ may not add much value to you.  The Samsung isn't a parametric EQ but that might not matter either.  You indeed could install another app that does PEQ if you want.

I use my bt receiver with multiple transmitters (phone, DAP, PC) so its kind of nice for the EQ setting to reside in the receiver.


----------



## Cevisi

Somehow samsung eq mess around with my sound quality i never touch it. I just have the es 100 but the eq is much better then the samsung one


----------



## lgcubana

Just used the app on IOS and the firmware was updated to 1.4.2

Has anyone seen a change log for this update ?


----------



## fonkepala

lgcubana said:


> Just used the app on IOS and the firmware was updated to 1.4.2
> 
> Has anyone seen a change log for this update ?



You mean for the app? AFAIK the Qudelix firmware is still v1.3.1


----------



## jsmiller58

fonkepala said:


> You mean for the app? AFAIK the Qudelix firmware is still v1.3.1


If you have the latest updates:
- App is 1.4.3 (you can see this in the “About” tab on the app
- FW is 1.3.1 (you can see this in the “Device” tab on the app

Firmware update seems both important and a bit disruptive if you have used the EQ capability.  From the Qudelix digest:

“Dear All,

There was a critical bug in the Equalizer sampling frequency setting with custom presets.
(Default presets are ok, but custom preset are not.)

Consequently, you were experiencing unexpected frequency offset in cut-off or center frequency, when setting user EQ.

Please check the FW v1.3.1 (with the App v1.4.3) for the fix.
You may need to redo your EQ works with the new FW.

We just submitted the app to play store (Android) and app store(iOS).
You may be able to download the app in a couple of days.

For your information,
5K, QCC5124 integrated with 32-bit DSP, provides 64-bit double-precision equalizer for the most accurate frequency response. *CSR8675 is integrated with 24-bit DSP.

Thank you!“


----------



## fonkepala

Prognathous said:


> As for EQ over LDAC, isn't this something that can be controlled on the phone (without an app)? At least on most Samsung phones there's a "Sound quality and effects" settings screen that includes a 9 band EQ and other options.



Even if EQ over LDAC is put aside, no Samsung phone has a Sabre DAC chip, right?  So I'll take the Qudelix 5K over the built-in audio enhancements on Samsung phones.



jsmiller58 said:


> If you have the latest updates:
> - App is 1.4.3 (you can see this in the “About” tab on the app
> - FW is 1.3.1 (you can see this in the “Device” tab on the app
> 
> ...



Yup, that's the app & firmware versions that I have. The Qudelix support team was very proactive in emailing me directly about the critical 1.3.1 FW update when it came out.


----------



## SleeStack1 (Aug 31, 2020)

fonkepala said:


> Even if EQ over LDAC is put aside, no Samsung phone has a Sabre DAC chip, right?  So I'll take the Qudelix 5K over the built-in audio enhancements on Samsung phones.


That's irrelevant.  There is no Digital-Analog Conversion occurring in any  BT transmitter because....its digital....up until the BT _receiver _(ie the Q5...or BTR5) converts it to analog.

In other words, the Samsung's DAC isn't in the chain so it doesn't matter.

You might argue the built-in Samsung EQ does a poorer job (since its a GEQ), but even if true, one could use a third party PEQ app on the Samsung that could be equivalent (or better).

LDAC EQ just might have very little value for users with single sources.

To be fair, even with multiple sources, one could set up EQ on each to ensure similar sound.  Admittedly, that'd be a minor hassle, so I do like the EQ settings at the receiver.


----------



## smorgar

SleeStack1 said:


> That's irrelevant.  There is no Digital-Analog Conversion occurring in any  BT transmitter because....its digital....up until the BT _receiver _(ie the Q5...or BTR5) converts it to analog.
> 
> In other words, the Samsung's DAC isn't in the chain so it doesn't matter.
> 
> ...



I don't think anything you install on a Samsung phone can compete with a real hardware EQ.
It's a 64-bit double precision Kalimba DSP.


----------



## ClieOS

smorgar said:


> I don't think anything you install on a Samsung phone can compete with a real hardware EQ.
> It's a 64-bit double precision Kalimba DSP.



It depends. You can easily get good quality software based 64 bits EQ on PC, and any decent CPU will do the job admirably. Any decent smartphone these days should have enough processing power for 64bit EQ as well, for example - Neutron music player has 64bit audio engine built into its core and EQ.


----------



## fonkepala

SleeStack1 said:


> That's irrelevant.  There is no Digital-Analog Conversion occurring in any  BT transmitter because....its digital....up until the BT _receiver _(ie the Q5...or BTR5) converts it to analog.
> 
> In other words, the Samsung's DAC isn't in the chain so it doesn't matter.
> 
> ...



Good point. I stand corrected. Still, I'll opt for the phone>5K>headphone chain over phone>headphone anyday, regardless of EQ functionality.


----------



## lgcubana

For U.S. customers, that have Amazon Prime
$109.99, "free" next day shipping, link


----------



## alex5908

jsmiller58 said:


> On the BTR5 the bass seems better controlled (impactful and clean), whereas my initial impression is the 5K bass is more bloated.


Did you try balanced output for 5K? They (balanced/unbalanced) are very different. I'd say balanced output is a class higher than unbalanced as far as the SQ is concerned. The bass is being the most different. Punchy, controlled very well and massaging the ear drums like heck.


----------



## fonkepala

Just a head's up. Going by this post on the official forum, a new app & firmware version for the 5K is incoming soon. There's a warranty extension program as well.


----------



## RH64

I just received mine from Amazon and wanted to give my quick impressions.  I also have ES100, BTR3K, and multiple BTR5.

I think this is the best one yet.  My main problem with the Fiio units was the very poor bluetooth reception.  I've walked all over in the areas where those cut out and this doesn't miss at all.  I then went other areas where my QC35's would start to cut out.  These were fine as well.  I then went farther where the QC35's would disconnect.  These stayed connected as well.  So my quick testing shows this to have great bluetooth reception.

Next, The Fiio and Earstudio apps would not work on a chromebook.  THis one works fine on the chromebook.

So after 20 mins with this, I'm very happy with it.  Looking forward to playing with the EQ.  Nice work guys.

Thanks,
Robert


----------



## fonkepala

RH64 said:


> I just received mine from Amazon and wanted to give my quick impressions.  I also have ES100, BTR3K, and multiple BTR5.
> 
> I think this is the best one yet.  My main problem with the Fiio units was the very poor bluetooth reception.  I've walked all over in the areas where those cut out and this doesn't miss at all.  I then went other areas where my QC35's would start to cut out.  These were fine as well.  I then went farther where the QC35's would disconnect.  These stayed connected as well.  So my quick testing shows this to have great bluetooth reception.
> 
> ...



Yup, I keep receiving a clear & solid BT signal from the 5K even when I was 2 rooms away. Multiple computers, devices and a wifi extender in between. No mean feat. Very happy with my purchase of the 5K and glad I didn't go the BTR5 route.


----------



## RH64

Does anyone know how to adjust the PEQ settings?  I go into Equalizer and switch to PEQ.  I then see fields where I can enter frequecy values, but I don't see how to change the gain or anything else.  I also don't see how to save into one of the 10 custom banks.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Robert


----------



## zolom

RH64 said:


> Does anyone know how to adjust the PEQ settings?  I go into Equalizer and switch to PEQ.  I then see fields where I can enter frequecy values, but I don't see how to change the gain or anything else.  I also don't see how to save into one of the 10 custom banks.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> ...



Select your headphones here
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results


----------



## TK33

RH64 said:


> Does anyone know how to adjust the PEQ settings?  I go into Equalizer and switch to PEQ.  I then see fields where I can enter frequecy values, but I don't see how to change the gain or anything else.  I also don't see how to save into one of the 10 custom banks.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> ...



When you enable EQ in the app under the options section, you choose -6db or -12db.

To save presets, follow the instructions on that options page.  You just hold one of the 10 cuatom presets to save over it (all the way at the bottom of the preset list).  Screemshot attached for your reference.


----------



## RH64

Thank you!  I used the github repository and set the eq per my headphones!  It looks like you can store 10 different sets of parameters so I can setup different profiles for different headphones and then just select between them!  This is great to be able to have just one device.

Does anyone know if it;s possible to rename the eq profiles?  So instead of custom 1 I would like to change to Monolith 570.

Thanks,'
Robert


----------



## Mouseman

RH64 said:


> Thank you!  I used the github repository and set the eq per my headphones!  It looks like you can store 10 different sets of parameters so I can setup different profiles for different headphones and then just select between them!  This is great to be able to have just one device.
> 
> Does anyone know if it;s possible to rename the eq profiles?  So instead of custom 1 I would like to change to Monolith 570.
> 
> ...


Per the forum, they're working on that and increasing the number of presets.


----------



## wwyjoe

Just got 5k, and paired with Note 20 Ultra. Sound is excellent, in fact, even better than LG V60! I'm a happy camper! 

Question, i've enabled "Optimised for audio quality (990kbps/ 909
kbps) under" Developer Options" in my N20 Ultra. However, the setting eventually reverts to "Best Effort (Adaptive Bit Rate"). How to keep the former as a permanent setting?


----------



## jamington2004

[QUOTE="zolom, post: 15844493, member: 71
Select your headphones here
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results
[/QUOTE]

What are these headphone specific EQ settings meant to do - attempt to find adjust to a flat response? Or just someone’s interpretation of what sounds best?


----------



## MatusSVK

jamington2004 said:


> [QUOTE="zolom, post: 15844493, member: 71
> Select your headphones here
> https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results



What are these headphone specific EQ settings meant to do - attempt to find adjust to a flat response? Or just someone’s interpretation of what sounds best?
[/QUOTE]
It's suppose to tune your headphone to the Harman neutral curve.


----------



## hmscott (Sep 5, 2020)

wwyjoe said:


> Just got 5k, and paired with Note 20 Ultra. Sound is excellent, in fact, even better than LG V60! I'm a happy camper!
> 
> Question, i've enabled "Optimised for audio quality (990kbps/ 909
> kbps) under" Developer Options" in my N20 Ultra. However, the setting eventually reverts to "Best Effort (Adaptive Bit Rate"). How to keep the former as a permanent setting?


Many... Most phones / sources can't keep stable connection with full range 990kbps, so it's best to drop down one level in the range and that will remain stable, or pick Best Effort.

I don't have / haven't tried Qudelix-5k, I'm speaking about other devices and Samsung S20 Ultra / Samsung Note 10+ setting Dev options.


----------



## fonkepala

RH64 said:


> Does anyone know how to adjust the PEQ settings?  I go into Equalizer and switch to PEQ.  I then see fields where I can enter frequecy values, but I don't see how to change the gain or anything else.  I also don't see how to save into one of the 10 custom banks.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> ...



Just enter the gain values directly into the white boxes/fields using your phone's keyboard. To apply the changes you've made, you have to click/select another field before it takes effect (this needs improvement by the dev team). To save the values you've entered, click on the PEQ graph then a list of EQs will appear. Scroll down to one of the custom EQs (1-10) then long press/hold on the one that you wish to save the PEQ settings to (this whole process needs improvement as well, it's not intuitive and is convoluted). If successful, a popup will appear saying that it has been saved etc. Hope this helps.


----------



## jamington2004

Little tip for easy AB comparison - click on an empty preset which will be left flat - and just set the preamp gain at the top to the same as the preset you want to compare with.

Then when switching back and forth the volume will be matched 

Have to say it’s very weird exercise, as I just eq’d my Tia Fourte using the values on that website -  and they lose all of their magic treble sparkle and personality. It seems with IEMs the tuning chosen by the manufacturer is all part of the plan.

It’s like when I switch the treble just disappears.

Adding a touch of bass / reducing treble a touch is one thing - but this has completely changed the sound of my IEMs 

Anyway maybe I’ll spend some time comparing a bit more but initial impressions  are just confusing and think I’ll go back to just adding a touch of bass!


----------



## Motagaly

hmscott said:


> Many... Most phones / sources can't keep stable connection with full range 990kbps, so it's best to drop down one level in the range and that will remain stable, or pick Best Effort.
> 
> I don't have / haven't tried Qudelix-5k, I'm speaking about other devices and Samsung S20 Ultra / Samsung Note 10+ setting Dev options.



i don’t own any phone that is LDAC capable, but with Sony WM1A Paired with Qudelix5K I have stable LDAC connection at 990kbps all the time, even at over 9 meters away


----------



## jsmiller58 (Sep 5, 2020)

wwyjoe said:


> Just got 5k, and paired with Note 20 Ultra. Sound is excellent, in fact, even better than LG V60! I'm a happy camper!
> 
> Question, i've enabled "Optimised for audio quality (990kbps/ 909
> kbps) under" Developer Options" in my N20 Ultra. However, the setting eventually reverts to "Best Effort (Adaptive Bit Rate"). How to keep the former as a permanent setting?


On my LG v30 I have to go back to Developer Options every time I connect any an LDAC capable receiver to reset to 990/909.  This seems to be a common problem.

The funny thing is that I realize that when I have forgotten to, I really can’t tell a difference...
I will have to check in the Qudelix app what the actual bit rate is when I have it set to Best Effort.


----------



## RH64

So I was able to set up the PEQ by installing the app on my phone rather than a chromebook.  The chromebook only shows the fields for the freq setting and has other bugs that make it disconnect.  It would be nice to be able to use the app on the chrombook as typing is much easier.

So now that I've had more time with this, I'm pretty impressed.  I have 3 Frro BTR5 and I mentioned in that thread how bad the bluetooth connection is.  Cutting in and out from 10 feet away with clear line of sight.  People thought that maybe that was ok.

This is rock solid on connection.  I also like how light weight it is as I clip it to the band of my headphones.  I like the ability to use the PEQ, but I am thinking I may use the different settings for type of music.  I adjusted it using the settings on Github, and I'm not sure that I like that.  It's maybe undoing what makes each headphone unique.  I could see if you had a specific problem with a headphone that you wanted to correct, it would be great.

Anyway, with a little more time on this, I'm very happy with it.  The BTR5 is very nice in look and feel, but just doesn't work for me as a bluetooth receiver.

Thanks,
Robert


----------



## maschoff

The BT connection is rock solid, by far the best I've experienced; great range, through multiple walls and the switch from USB to BT is practically seemless. It was flawless on my phone until I connected it the BT on my work computer as well. Now, I have conflicts with the mic on the 5k with my Yeti Pro. I'll try turning off the 5ks mic and report back but I was really hoping to use it as a backup.
As for EQ, I turned it off, and honestly, it sounds better; less digital treatment of the audio stream.


----------



## zolom

Default setting of "best effort" on my S10, mostly results in 660 kbs with Q5K. From experince with S10,  990 kbs usually stutters, so anyway I have to reduce it to 660.

I did try PEQ settings for several headphones (SE846, FiiO FH7, Beyerdynamic T5p). Eventually  I prefer to leave EQ off.  I listen to Tidal HiFi via UAPP,  set to Bit Perfect.


----------



## fonkepala

zolom said:


> Default setting of "best effort" on my S10, mostly results in 660 kbs with Q5K. From experince with S10,  990 kbs usually stutters, so anyway I have to reduce it to 660.



Same here. Lately I prefer to leave it on the default setting of 'best effort' on my Samsung phone. Still sounds good coming through the Qudelix 5K.


----------



## TK33

zolom said:


> Default setting of "best effort" on my S10, mostly results in 660 kbs with Q5K. From experince with S10,  990 kbs usually stutters, so anyway I have to reduce it to 660.
> 
> I did try PEQ settings for several headphones (SE846, FiiO FH7, Beyerdynamic T5p). Eventually  I prefer to leave EQ off.  I listen to Tidal HiFi via UAPP,  set to Bit Perfect.



I had that issue on my S9 with the ES100 where 990 just stuttered constantly so I left it on the default setting.  With my V60, I still leave it on Best Effort (Adaptive Bit Rate) and the Qudelix app will show 990 moat of the time (sometimes 660 but then go back up to 990).  At least with the V60, you dont need to force 990 in Developer Options to get 990.  Works and sounds great. I found the BT connection/LDAC to work much better on the 5K vs. ES100 as well (even on my S9).


----------



## rkw

Is there an audible difference between 660 and 990 LDAC?


----------



## Lokiiami

I'm using a BTR5 and battery life is so so at only 7 odd hours. Any idea if Qudelix can double it.?


----------



## alex5908 (Sep 8, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> I'm using a BTR5 and battery life is so so at only 7 odd hours. Any idea if Qudelix can double it.?


8 hours for balanced output and 25 for unbalanced. Measured for purpose at medium sound volume on QOA Pink Lady.


----------



## jsmiller58

.


fonkepala said:


> Just enter the gain values directly into the white boxes/fields using your phone's keyboard. To apply the changes you've made, you have to click/select another field before it takes effect (this needs improvement by the dev team). To save the values you've entered, click on the PEQ graph then a list of EQs will appear. Scroll down to one of the custom EQs (1-10) then long press/hold on the one that you wish to save the PEQ settings to (this whole process needs improvement as well, it's not intuitive and is convoluted). If successful, a popup will appear saying that it has been saved etc. Hope this helps.


question (and sorry if already posed and answered)...  is it possible to change the names of Custom 1 - 10?  It will be hard to remember which EQ setting is for what just by a numerical name...


----------



## RH64

Supposedly the ability to name the presets is coming.


----------



## fonkepala

jsmiller58 said:


> question (and sorry if already posed and answered)...  is it possible to change the names of Custom 1 - 10?  It will be hard to remember which EQ setting is for what just by a numerical name...





RH64 said:


> Supposedly the ability to name the presets is coming.



Yes. What he said.


----------



## TK33

Mouseman said:


> Per the forum, they're working on that and increasing the number of presets.





jsmiller58 said:


> .
> 
> question (and sorry if already posed and answered)...  is it possible to change the names of Custom 1 - 10?  It will be hard to remember which EQ setting is for what just by a numerical name...



See the post by @Mouseman from two days ago (quoted above for.your reference).


----------



## MaxwellDot

alex5908 said:


> 8 hours for balanced output and 25 for unbalanced. Measured for purpose at medium sound volume.



Nice stats.. thanks for that.

Did you notice a sufficient sound benefit in the balanced vs the unbalanced that would justify the trade off of battery life?

I know from a "technical perspective" balanced output should sound better than unbalanced, but just wondering whether the benefit is audible in reality in the Qudelix..


----------



## ClieOS (Sep 8, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> I'm using a BTR5 and battery life is so so at only 7 odd hours. Any idea if Qudelix can double it.?



Recently measured the 5K (high performance, normal output) under the same condition (same load, codec and voltage) as BTR5 - get just a bit over 13hrs on 5K and 7.5hrs on BTR5.


----------



## Lokiiami

ClieOS said:


> Recently measured the 5K (high performance, normal output) under the same condition (same load, codec and voltage) as BTR5 - get just a bit over 13hrs on 5K and 7.5hrs on BTR5.


Wow this is really good. Thanks for the review, can I ask if you are using the 2.5mm balanced ?


----------



## Lokiiami

MaxwellDot said:


> Nice stats.. thanks for that.
> 
> Did you notice a sufficient sound benefit in the balanced vs the unbalanced that would justify the trade off of battery life?
> 
> I know from a "technical perspective" balanced output should sound better than unbalanced, but just wondering whether the benefit is audible in reality in the Qudelix..


On the BTR5 there's alot of difference actually  on the 2.5 it's alot louder and also sounded different. The 2.5 has more mids and body to it.


----------



## ClieOS

Lokiiami said:


> Wow this is really good. Thanks for the review, can I ask if you are using the 2.5mm balanced ?



Both on 3.5mm single-ended output.


----------



## alex5908 (Sep 8, 2020)

MaxwellDot said:


> Did you notice a sufficient sound benefit in the balanced vs the unbalanced that would justify the trade off of battery life?


Yes, I did. You know, the first time I compared them (balanced/unbalanced), the difference was there but not so much. Some time passed and it got drastic. To the balanced side. The bass became tighter/more controlled and more punchy. The highs got more brilliance (so to say). The sound stage widened. Don't know, but may be the subj needed some burn too. Or could be the first pair of IEMS I tried did not make a synergy with 5K. It's interesting to note that at one of the Russian audiophile forums somebody wrote that using an unbalanced output is a kinda "humiliation" for Qudelix 5K. Funny, huh? Another post inquired why everybody wouldn't use the 5K potential in full if it is available.


----------



## TK33 (Sep 8, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> I'm using a BTR5 and battery life is so so at only 7 odd hours. Any idea if Qudelix can double it.?



Is that 7 hours balanced? I usually get around 6-7 hours on my 5K since I usually fall asleep while listening to music using the 5K and it is dead by the time I wake up in the morning.  

Your post made me curious so I checked this morning.  Attached is my battery graph from this morning (from the Qudelix app) which shows I turned it on around the 450 min mark last night and it stopped around the 820 min mark.  The 820-840 min mark is where my phone probably stopped transmitting because it was low on battery (I was out all day so my V60 was not fully charged) and the 840-860 min mark is where I turned it back on this morning to check the battery level and it was at 1% battery.  

I use it with SE535s balanced at pretty low volume (-50db as you can see in the screenshot).  I use Performance mode, which drains the battery faster.  I also use LDAC (usually at 990).  Others seem to be getting much better battery life than me which makes me a bit jealous but, to be honest, 6-7 hours is plenty for me. When traveling, I would probably take my SE846 which are unbalanced which would give me much more battery life.


----------



## alex5908

TK33 said:


> I would probably take my SE846 which are unbalanced which would give me much more battery life.


More than 25 hours?


----------



## TK33 (Sep 8, 2020)

alex5908 said:


> More than 25 hours?


Haven't tried...if I get 25 hours I would obviously be happy.  I meant more than the 6-7 hours that I currently get balanced, which would not be enough whenever travel does resume for me.


----------



## fonkepala

alex5908 said:


> 8 hours for balanced output and 25 for unbalanced. Measured for purpose at medium sound volume on QOA Pink Lady.



Did you manage to get 25 hours unbalanced? If yes, what were your test parameters?



alex5908 said:


> It's interesting to note that at one of the Russian audiophile forums somebody wrote that using an unbalanced output is a kinda "humiliation" for Qudelix 5K. Funny, huh? Another post inquired why everybody wouldn't use the 5K potential in full if it is available.



Well, for one, not everyone has balanced gear.


----------



## Lokiiami

TK33 said:


> Is that 7 hours balanced? I usually get around 6-7 hours on my 5K since I usually fall asleep while listening to music using the 5K and it is dead by the time I wake up in the morning.
> 
> Your post made me curious so I checked this morning.  Attached is my battery graph from this morning (from the Qudelix app) which shows I turned it on around the 450 min mark last night and it stopped around the 820 min mark.  The 820-840 min mark is where my phone probably stopped transmitting because it was low on battery (I was out all day so my V60 was not fully charged) and the 840-860 min mark is where I turned it back on this morning to check the battery level and it was at 1% battery.
> 
> I use it with SE535s balanced at pretty low volume (-50db as you can see in the screenshot).  I use Performance mode, which drains the battery faster.  I also use LDAC (usually at 990).  Others seem to be getting much better battery life than me which makes me a bit jealous but, to be honest, 6-7 hours is plenty for me. When traveling, I would probably take my SE846 which are unbalanced which would give me much more battery life.


Then it's the same as BTR5 for balanced. The battery gets shorter if I turn it on and off more often. Yes for normal usage is fine as we can charge it and use it as the same time. Also we can charge it with powerbank as well


----------



## alex5908

fonkepala said:


> Did you manage to get 25 hours unbalanced? If yes, what were your test parameters?


Yes, I did.
I guess I've  already mentioned about the conditions of the test.
Anyway,
Unbalanced, medium sound volume, QoA Pink Lady IEMs, flac, looped.


----------



## TK33

Lokiiami said:


> Then it's the same as BTR5 for balanced. The battery gets shorter if I turn it on and off more often. Yes for normal usage is fine as we can charge it and use it as the same time. Also we can charge it with powerbank as well


It is a pretty small device though so there is probably only so much battery and tech you can fit in it.  I think it does its job very well and definitely much happier with this than my ES100 (never got the BTR5). 

Btw, no idea if EQ affects battery life but I should mention I have been playing around with that recently (because why not?) and had it on.


----------



## B_Rich

I made a video comparing the 5K, ES100 and BTR5 if anyone is interested.


----------



## Lokiiami

B_Rich said:


> I made a video comparing the 5K, ES100 and BTR5 if anyone is interested.



Very nice review! I would like to ask can we charge the 5k and BTR5 while using the usb dac mode? I notice on my btr5 it shows its charging but it gets very hot and it's not actually charging the battery.


----------



## B_Rich

Lokiiami said:


> Very nice review! I would like to ask can we charge the 5k and BTR5 while using the usb dac mode? I notice on my btr5 it shows its charging but it gets very hot and it's not actually charging the battery.



Thanks!

Yes, however I leave it in "Car Mode" which does not charge the battery, and will turn it on/off with the PC. Like you mentioned, I don't want to charge the battery all the time while its sitting there 24/7.


----------



## alex5908 (Sep 11, 2020)

B_Rich said:


> made a video comparing the 5K, ES100 and BTR5 if anyone is interested.


You should be awarded a trophy for this creative work. Just in case, I am not trying to make a joke. Thanks a lot. Been waiting for it for a long time. I hope you don't mind me sharing the video at the thread which I created on Qudelix 5K at one of Russian audiophile websites. If you do just PM me.


----------



## B_Rich

alex5908 said:


> You should be awarded a trophy for this creative work. Just in case, I am not trying to make a joke. Thanks a lot. Been waiting for it for a long time. I hope you don't mind me sharing the video at the thread which I created on Qudelix 5K at one of Russian audiophile websites. If you do just PM me.



I appreciate the kind words! Not at all, share away.


----------



## lgcubana

In transitioning to my new phone, I came across another benefit to the 5K, over the ES100: the 10 user configurable presets are apparently saved in the unit, unlike the ES100; which only remembers the current settings in the unit itself.

So when I paired the 5K with my new phone, my presets were already loaded in the app.  
With the ES100, I had to:
1. Re-pair the device with my old phone
2. Take snapshots of my saved presets
3. Manually configure the 3 out of 4 presets, that weren't saved in the unit


----------



## alex5908

B_Rich said:


> Not at all, share away.


Thank you very much.


----------



## Pro-Jules

Using the PEQ do you have to input numbers (that’s a PITA) Is there a way to do it onscreen in the app with touch?

(or via an iOS laptop?)

On my Mac I use FabFilter ProQ3 it has an amazing interface (no number typing needed)


----------



## DBaldock9

Lokiiami said:


> Very nice review! I would like to ask can we charge the 5k and BTR5 while using the usb dac mode? I notice on my btr5 it shows its charging but it gets very hot and it's not actually charging the battery.



Looking at the Manual for the BTR5, there's a Settings option to turn Charging On or Off - http://user-guide.fiio.net/new/BTR5_Quick_Start_Guide_EN.pdf


----------



## fonkepala

Lokiiami said:


> Very nice review! I would like to ask can we charge the 5k and BTR5 while using the usb dac mode? I notice on my btr5 it shows its charging but it gets very hot and it's not actually charging the battery.



Yes. Charging on 5K can be turned on and off in USB DAC mode as well.


----------



## Nolbert0

Does anybody know if Pixel 4a supports LDAC at 990?


----------



## zolom

Nolbert0 said:


> Does anybody know if Pixel 4a supports LDAC at 990?


It should.  Android supports it.


----------



## fonkepala

Just updated my 5K to firmware v1.3.2 and app to v1.5. Running perfect with no issues.


----------



## lgcubana (Sep 13, 2020)

Pro-Jules said:


> Using the PEQ do you have to input numbers (that’s a PITA) Is there a way to do it onscreen in the app with touch?
> 
> (or via an iOS laptop?)
> 
> On my Mac I use FabFilter ProQ3 it has an amazing interface (no number typing needed)


Yes,

On the Equalizer screen, tap on the “Options” tab and choose GEQ
or
A hybrid: GEQ for broad strokes, then switch to PEQ, to fine tune and change the Q factor, of a specific setting.


----------



## zolom

With Leds set to Normal (any brightness value),  niether led blinks. 
Please advice (FW 1.32]


----------



## fonkepala

lgcubana said:


> Yes,
> 
> On the Equalizer screen, tap on the “Options” tab and choose GEQ
> or
> A hybrid: GEQ for broad strokes, then switch to PEQ, to fine tune and change the Q factor, of a specific setting.



Brilliant. I haven't thought of doing it this way i.e. broad strokes with GEQ and then fine tuning with PEQ.



zolom said:


> With Leds set to Normal (any brightness value),  niether led blinks.
> Please advice (FW 1.32]



Mine doesn't blink either. It only blink rapidly when I turn them on. Once the 5K is connected to my phone's BT, the LEDs go off. I think it's supposed to be that way...maybe?


----------



## jsmiller58

fonkepala said:


> Brilliant. I haven't thought of doing it this way i.e. broad strokes with GEQ and then fine tuning with PEQ.
> 
> 
> 
> Mine doesn't blink either. It only blink rapidly when I turn them on. Once the 5K is connected to my phone's BT, the LEDs go off. I think it's supposed to be that way...maybe?


That’s the way my LEDs behave as well.


----------



## Nolbert0

zolom said:


> It should.  Android supports it.



Oh good cos I think I read somewhere (no idea where or when, so maybe I imagined it) that different Android phones support LDAC at different maximum bit rates. I pray (to no particular deity) that I'm wrong.


----------



## zolom

Nolbert0 said:


> Oh good cos I think I read somewhere (no idea where or when, so maybe I imagined it) that different Android phones support LDAC at different maximum bit rates. I pray (to no particular deity) that I'm wrong.


Have a look here,  it states that 4a supports ldac,  does not specift bit rate. 
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...el-3a-whats-new-in-googles-2020-budget-phone/


----------



## Nolbert0

The bit rate was what I was specifically asking about but never mind. Thanks anyways


----------



## jsmiller58

Nolbert0 said:


> Oh good cos I think I read somewhere (no idea where or when, so maybe I imagined it) that different Android phones support LDAC at different maximum bit rates. I pray (to no particular deity) that I'm wrong.


If you already have an Android phone/DAP i think all you have to do is go to the developer settings, select LDAC under Audio codec, and select play back Quality and you should be able to see what your phone supports.  I don’t think that you need to be connected to any LDAC capable devices to check this - at least I don’t need to on my LG v30.


----------



## RH64

I've got about 20 hours on this and wanted to give more impressions.  I really like this unit.  Every device has pluses and minuses, but comparing to the ES100 and the BTR5, I like this the best.  I have been experimenting with the PEQ  and that really has an impact...very cool.

I have noticed an issue that I can replicate all the time.  If I have the device paired with my phone and computer and am listening from my computer, the music will stop for a second and then come back at very low volume if I pick up my phone and begin texting.  What I think is happening is turning on the screen on the second paired device (the phone) is causing the device to hiccup.  

Lastly, if i was doing a wish list, I would love to have just two controls...a sliding POWER SWITCH like on the QC35 and a volume rocker.  I really hate holding down buttons when I switch would be so easy and definitive. 

For just over $100, I think this is a great deal.  This and some headphones is all you need to enjoy great audio.


----------



## B_Rich

RH64 said:


> I've got about 20 hours on this and wanted to give more impressions.  I really like this unit.  Every device has pluses and minuses, but comparing to the ES100 and the BTR5, I like this the best.  I have been experimenting with the PEQ  and that really has an impact...very cool.
> 
> I have noticed an issue that I can replicate all the time.  If I have the device paired with my phone and computer and am listening from my computer, the music will stop for a second and then come back at very low volume if I pick up my phone and begin texting.  What I think is happening is turning on the screen on the second paired device (the phone) is causing the device to hiccup.
> 
> ...



I think if your phone is set to "loud" and you unlock it, it will make the sound across the 5K, and thus turning down the volume on the computer to "focus" the sound on the phone. I typically disconnect my phone from my 5K when using it in DAC mode, or you could also silence your phone or uncheck "media volume" in the bluetooth settings of the device.


----------



## Jayden16

Has anyone tried the 5K with Andromeda’s? If so, was there any audible hiss?


----------



## ClieOS

Nolbert0 said:


> Oh good cos I think I read somewhere (no idea where or when, so maybe I imagined it) that different Android phones support LDAC at different maximum bit rates. I pray (to no particular deity) that I'm wrong.



You are not entirely wrong. Some default it to 660 kbps most of time and won't go up unless you force it to,  some default it to 606 kbps, and some don't support LDAC at all. Basically the smartphone maker has the final say on how LDAC is implemented (or not) on individual model, and it is better to check the spec / white paper of that particular model and don't assume it must have supported LDAC because it has Android. For example, Asus used to support LDAC a few years ago on their Zenfone series but they decided to drop it for no apparent reason. So all the Zenfone in recent years have no LDAC support even though they have all the latest hardware and Android.


----------



## felix3650

ClieOS said:


> You are not entirely wrong. Some default it to 660 kbps most of time and won't go up unless you force it to,  some default it to 606 kbps, and some don't support LDAC at all. Basically the smartphone maker has the final say on how LDAC is implemented (or not) on individual model, and it is better to check the spec / white paper of that particular model and don't assume it must have supported LDAC because it has Android. For example, Asus used to support LDAC a few years ago on their Zenfone series but they decided to drop it for no apparent reason. *So all the Zenfone in recent years have no LDAC support even though they have all the latest hardware and Android.*


Small correction: Zenfone 6 owner here with latest firmware 


It has LDAC and it works nicely on 990kbps/909kbps with the WH-1000XM3.


----------



## ClieOS

felix3650 said:


> Small correction: Zenfone 6 owner here with latest firmware
> ..
> It has LDAC and it works nicely on 990kbps/909kbps with the WH-1000XM3.



Interesting. I recalled when I was shopping for a new smartphone last year, Zenfone 6 was under my radar and I can at least confirm it didn't support LDAC at launch (*it was one of the small flaw I was willing to accept, though I ultimately didn't opt for Zenfone 6). LDAC support must have came as a later update (p/s: it seems they also added aptX Adaptive, which was also not included at launch).


----------



## monsieurfromag3

ClieOS said:


> For example, Asus used to support LDAC a few years ago on their Zenfone series but they decided to drop it for no apparent reason. So all the Zenfone in recent years have no LDAC support even though they have all the latest hardware and Android.





felix3650 said:


> Small correction: Zenfone 6 owner here with latest firmware
> It has LDAC and it works nicely on 990kbps/909kbps with the WH-1000XM3.


Phew, bit of a cold sweat you gave me there @ClieOS 
I received a shiny Zenfone 7 Pro on Friday, I just checked by pairing with the Qudelix-5K which displays bit rate in the app, and LDAC 24/96 is indeed supported and transmission works perfectly at 990 kbps.

The phone is wonderful and I would have hated to stumble upon a dealbreaker - one of my audio use cases is supposed to be pairing with Cayin N3Pro, over LDAC since it’s the only HD codec the N3Pro supports.

By the way aptX Adaptive support was always one of my main draws to both the 5K and Asus phones. It seems to be the best wireless codec around unless you are a man-bat and hate any frequency under 24 kHz. Asus must have chummed up nicely with Qualcomm, as LDAC can only be activated from the dev options menu. In the vanilla settings for BT receivers the only option for quality is a toggle called “HD Audio: aptX Adaptive”.


----------



## ClieOS

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Phew, bit of a cold sweat you gave me there @ClieOS



It is a good thing Asus finally decided to includ all the latest BT codec into their smartphones. Certainly took awhile.


----------



## Lokiiami

Just received it. Surprised how small and light it is. Just one thing the volume seems to be lowered when I turn on the equaliser. Is this normal? And will using the equaliser shorten the battery life?


----------



## jsmiller58

Lokiiami said:


> Just received it. Surprised how small and light it is. Just one thing the volume seems to be lowered when I turn on the equaliser. Is this normal? And will using the equaliser shorten the battery life?


Yes.  Some devices will do this since equalizers are used to both lower and raise the volume of certain frequencies.  The will lower overall volume so that you are not going beyond max volume on the frequencies you have adjusted upwards.


----------



## peter123

I'll just leave this here, a match made in audiophile heaven


----------



## fonkepala (Sep 14, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> Just received it. Surprised how small and light it is. Just one thing the volume seems to be lowered when I turn on the equaliser. Is this normal? And will using the equaliser shorten the battery life?



Yes, that's called headroom. Settings for it (either -6dB or -12dB of headroom) are available in the EQ section of the app.


----------



## Lokiiami (Sep 14, 2020)

This possibly the smallest and the lightest Bluetooth dac and one of the most affordable as well. The sound quality is also top notch. Now I can bring my iems out for brisk walk in the park. I've had the BTR5 there's a slight tonal difference and I prefer the Qudelix as it sounded more crisp also it's just half the weight and importantly now I can EQ on LDAC codec as well.  The customer service is also fantastic, quick in response too. In short this is fantastic and quite under-rated. Hope soon they allow one click switch between devices so I can use it on both my laptop and mobile phone.


----------



## jasonb

Nolbert0 said:


> Does anybody know if Pixel 4a supports LDAC at 990?



It does, I have one. I'm not sure if it does 990 when left at the default "best effort". It can be "forced" in the developer settings. 

With my ES100 I prefer aptxHD over LDAC though, so I've just been using that. 

I'm thinking about trying the Qudelix 5K though. Is the PEQ fully working now?


----------



## alex5908 (Sep 14, 2020)

jasonb said:


> Is the PEQ fully working now?


That depends on what you mean by "fully".
You can use PEQ with LDAC. You can change the presets in LDAC.
Could you specify what you expect from the subj about PEQ?


----------



## jasonb

alex5908 said:


> That depends on what you mean by "fully".
> You can use PEQ with LDAC. You can change the presets in LDAC.
> Could you specify what you expect from the subj about PEQ?



I'd want to do this:


----------



## TK33

The EQ on the Qudelix 5K is really great.  I have been using my trusty old SE535s balanced with the 5K at night (usually sleep with them on since I find them much more comfortable than my SE846s) using the EQ and they sound fantastic. i took some of the previously posted PEQ settings then toned down the treble a bit using the GEQ sliders and it works really well.

@jasonb - this is what the PEQ screen looks like...


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> The EQ on the Qudelix 5K is really great.  I have been using my trusty old SE535s balanced with the 5K at night (usually sleep with them on since I find them much more comfortable than my SE846s) using the EQ and they sound fantastic. i took some of the previously posted PEQ settings then toned down the treble a bit using the GEQ sliders and it works really well.
> 
> @jasonb - this is what the PEQ screen looks like...



That looks good. Thanks


----------



## jsmiller58

jasonb said:


> I'd want to do this:


Yes.  On the 5K you have 10 bands to set the gain and Q.  Setting the pre-amp level is just a tad more complicated as tou can choose -6 and -12dB, but then there is a more fine grain control as well to adjust.


----------



## jasonb

jsmiller58 said:


> Yes.  On the 5K you have 10 bands to set the gain and Q.  Setting the pre-amp level is just a tad more complicated as tou can choose -6 and -12dB, but then there is a more fine grain control as well to adjust.



-6dB would be fine. Thanks.


----------



## povidlo

Pardon an ignorant question: this doesn't have EQ presets like Paw S1 does for example, correct?

Didn't see presets referenced here: https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/equalizer


----------



## TK33

Not familiar with the Paw S1 but there are pre-loaded EQ presets + 10 custom profiles you can set on the 5K.


----------



## fonkepala

Lokiiami said:


> Hope soon they allow one click switch between devices so I can use it on both my laptop and mobile phone.



I can already do this (have the 5K paired to both my cellphone & my DAP/PC concurrently). There's no 'switch' for it, though.



jasonb said:


> I'd want to do this:



Doing this will not be a problem with the 5K's PEQ.


----------



## jsmiller58

povidlo said:


> Pardon an ignorant question: this doesn't have EQ presets like Paw S1 does for example, correct?
> 
> Didn't see presets referenced here: https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/equalizer


The 5K has quite a few presets (Many more than S1).  Go to the Equalizer in the app and touch the graph and you will see the presets.


----------



## Crandall

I have a few questions.

Since my phone (Pixel 3a) seems to only support 330kbps LDAC with my Earstudio ES100: Does anyone else with a Pixel 3a get the full 990kbps or even 660kbps with the 5K? Also, can you disable LDAC support in the app and have the 5K prefer APTxHD or APTx Adaptive over it?(This wasn't possible with the ES100.)

Does APTx Adaptive sound or measure significantly different than APTxHD when you're sitting next to the source device?

For those that have had both devices and use them with average sensitivity IEMs(in my case Moondrop Starfields), is the battery life with the 5k significantly better than the ES100 with comparable settings? Standard output power(single amp) 3.5mm Unbalanced, no oversampling, all other features off except for EQ. The ES100 usually makes it through an 8 hour day with about 20% battery left.


----------



## jasonb

Crandall said:


> I have a few questions.
> 
> Since my phone (Pixel 3a) seems to only support 330kbps LDAC with my Earstudio ES100: Does anyone else with a Pixel 3a get the full 990kbps or even 660kbps with the 5K? Also, can you disable LDAC support in the app and have the 5K prefer APTxHD or APTx Adaptive over it?(This wasn't possible with the ES100.)
> 
> ...



You can force 990kbps in the developer settings on the 3a.


----------



## fonkepala

Crandall said:


> Since my phone (Pixel 3a) seems to only support 330kbps LDAC with my Earstudio ES100: Does anyone else with a Pixel 3a get the full 990kbps or even 660kbps with the 5K? Also, can you disable LDAC support in the app and have the 5K prefer APTxHD or APTx Adaptive over it?(This wasn't possible with the ES100.)



You can disable/enable codecs according to your preference via the Qudelix app.


----------



## jasonb

I just ordered a 5k. Should arrive Tuesday the 22nd supposedly. I have an ES100 as well that I will be comparing this to. Will be used mainly velcrod to an AKG K371, but may also get used balanced with a Focal Elear.


----------



## jasonb

fonkepala said:


> You can disable/enable codecs according to your preference via the Qudelix app.



Can you disable LDAC within the app and have it default to aptxHD? With the ES100 you can't disable LDAC within the app.


----------



## TK33 (Sep 16, 2020)

Crandall said:


> Also, can you disable LDAC support in the app and have the 5K prefer APTxHD or APTx Adaptive over it?(This wasn't possible with the ES100.)





jasonb said:


> Can you disable LDAC within the app and have it default to aptxHD? With the ES100 you can't disable LDAC within the app.


Yes you can disable LDAC on the 5K. I actually have to disable aptX Adaptive to use LDAC on my V60.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> Yes you can disable LDAC on the 5K. I actually have to disable aptX Adaptive to use LDAC on my V60.



On my setup using the ES100, aptxHD just sounds better to me than LDAC. I may have different results with the 5k with my setup. At least I know it's all selectable thru the app on the 5k. It's kind of annoying to have to go into developer settings and change it to aptxHD every time with the ES100. 

Thanks.


----------



## Lurk650

jasonb said:


> I just ordered a 5k. Should arrive Tuesday the 22nd supposedly. I have an ES100 as well that I will be comparing this to. Will be used mainly velcrod to an AKG K371, but may also get used balanced with a Focal Elear.


tuned in for impressions as I want the shiny new 5K but from reading its not worth the upgrade SQ wise if you have a working ES100


----------



## jasonb

Lurk650 said:


> tuned in for impressions as I want the shiny new 5K but from reading its not worth the upgrade SQ wise if you have a working ES100



Part of why I want it is for the PEQ and better battery life. I don't think the headphones I'm going to use it with need any additional power over the ES100.


----------



## Mouseman

I'd have to say there is a discernible SQ difference with the ES100. Is it night and day? No. But I've compared the two with the same IEMs and headphones, and the 5K drives them better and I think has an edge in SQ and some features (especially the onboard settings storage) and it's actively being developed. It has some things that I am not a fan of, namely the buttons (which are worse than the ES100 and I didn't think that was possible) and the clip, but overall I'm a big fan.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Lurk650 said:


> tuned in for impressions as I want the shiny new 5K but from reading its not worth the upgrade SQ wise if you have a working ES100


Depends what you‘re looking for, the ES100 is fine and a pleasant listen but I’d say the 5K is a marked improvement on clarity and dynamics. EQ capabilities are also a big step forward.


----------



## jasonb

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Depends what you‘re looking for, the ES100 is fine and a pleasant listen but I’d say the 5K is a marked improvement on clarity and dynamics. EQ capabilities are also a big step forward.



More clarity and dynamics are always good.


----------



## TK33

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Depends what you‘re looking for, the ES100 is fine and a pleasant listen but I’d say the 5K is a marked improvement on clarity and dynamics. EQ capabilities are also a big step forward.



I agree with this.  I wasn't a big fan of the ES100 SQ wise and used it for convenience only.  I have a working ES100 that is now rarely used (no issues with the clip like others have had) but I much prefer the SQ and clarity of the 5K (and the EQ is great). For me, there is a noticeable difference. Very happy with my 5K.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> I agree with this.  I wasn't a big fan of the ES100 SQ wise and used it for convenience only.  I have a working ES100 that is now rarely used (no issues with the clip like others have had) but I much prefer the SQ and clarity of the 5K (and the EQ is great). For me, there is a noticeable difference. Very happy with my 5K.



Now I'm excited!


----------



## TK33

Mouseman said:


> It has some things that I am not a fan of, namely the buttons (which are worse than the ES100 and I didn't think that was possible) and the clip, but overall I'm a big fan.



The buttons are pretty terrible and annoying...way too easy to press.  I liked the idea and the streamlined look but not the execution.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Sep 16, 2020)

TK33 said:


> Yes you can disable LDAC on the 5K. I actually have to disable aptX Adaptive to use LDAC on my V60.


Really?  That’s not the case on the older V30.

Have you tried in the usual settings (not developer settings) to tell it to employ “best sound quality” as opposed to “most stable“?  For me that always gets me a LDAC on my V30, and “most stable” setting gives me aptX.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Sep 16, 2020)

I have the ES100, BTR5, and Qudelix 5K...  as to sound quality, well, I won’t enter that debate because unless we do these tests as blind A/B there are just too many things that can influence the outcome.  I would say pick the device that meets your usage the best.  The real difference that I can tell between these three is the PEQ on the 5K.  Beyond that there may be output power considerations if you are driving something more than a pair of IEMs.  There are also “lifestyle” considerations such build quality (BTR5) versus size (ES100, 5K) for example.  Also maybe the 5K has the best BT range, but if the device is always going to be on your person that may not matter as much as if you intend to have the source stationary while you walk about with your BT receiver...

OK, flame on, I can take it!


----------



## TK33 (Sep 16, 2020)

jsmiller58 said:


> Re
> 
> Really?  That’s not the case on the older V30.
> 
> Have you tried in the usual settings (not developer settings) to tell it to employ “best sound quality” as opposed to “most stable“?  For me that always gets me a LDAC on my V30, and “most stable” setting gives me aptX.



Yes, i posted it here and on the official forums a while back. Qudelix support got a V60 to test it and sent me the following instructions, which I am posting again below since it has been awhile and someone might have the same issue I did.  It has to do with the V60 having both aptX Adaptive and LDAC. Their support team is really great btw.

From Qudelix:

"We finally got the LG V60 in our hands.
As we checked, it seems LG V60 remembers the connected device supported codec list.
Please follow the steps below.


5K App --> Codec --> Remove/Uncheck aptX Adaptive
Reboot 5K.
Remove/Forget the 5K out of V60 paired device list.
Repair 5K to the V60.

Then, you will see the LDAC HD Audio option in Bluetooth paired device setting.

Hope this helps you."


----------



## jsmiller58

TK33 said:


> Yes, i posted it here and on the official forums a while back. Qudelix support got a V60 to test it and sent me the following instructions, which I am posting below since it has been awhile.  It has to do with the V60 having both aptX Adaptive and LDAC. They're support team is really great btw.
> 
> From Qudelix:
> 
> ...


OK thanks!


----------



## monsieurfromag3

jsmiller58 said:


> Really?  That’s not the case on the older V30.
> 
> Have you tried in the usual settings (not developer settings) to tell it to employ “best sound quality” as opposed to “most stable“?  For me that always gets me a LDAC on my V30, and “most stable” setting gives me aptX.


The V30 doesn’t support Adaptive so best quality defaults to LDAC.


----------



## Lokiiami

Battery is amazing. Manage to squeeze 10hrs on 2.5mm balance port whereas the BTR5 6.5hrs


----------



## jsmiller58

monsieurfromag3 said:


> The V30 doesn’t support Adaptive so best quality defaults to LDAC.


That makes sense!  So aptx Adaptive is considered (at least by the V60) as higher quality than LDAC?  If you have had the chance to listen to the two codecs, what is your opinion of the differences?


----------



## fonkepala

Lurk650 said:


> tuned in for impressions as I want the shiny new 5K but from reading its not worth the upgrade SQ wise if you have a working ES100



Master ClieOS says that the SQ on the 5K is better than the ES100.


----------



## fonkepala

TK33 said:


> The buttons are pretty terrible and annoying...way too easy to press.  I liked the idea and the streamlined look but not the execution.



Agreed. The buttons is the one glaring drawback of the 5K, IMO. However, it's not a dealbreaker for me. Lovin' my 5K.



TK33 said:


> Their support team is really great btw.



Yes, can confirm! The Qudelix support people are awesome!


----------



## Lurk650

jasonb said:


> Part of why I want it is for the PEQ and better battery life. I don't think the headphones I'm going to use it with need any additional power over the ES100.


I'm talking Sound Quality, not power wise lol. Both are AK DACs so makes sense that nobody has posted anything about sound differences


----------



## Lurk650 (Sep 17, 2020)

Lurk650 said:


> tuned in for impressions as I want the shiny new 5K but from reading its not worth the upgrade SQ wise if you have a working ES100


I've read that. Only a hair better so not worth it with a working ES100, in my case. I'm gathering more impressions from people. My ES100 is still working solid after 2 years.

Missed PG 94 withe positive clarity impressions, that's good to hear....I don't use EQ ever so that doesn't apply to me. Funny as it is, I rarely actually use the buttons on my ES100, I rather just control everything from my phone.


----------



## fonkepala

Lurk650 said:


> I'm talking Sound Quality, not power wise lol. Both are AK DACs so makes sense that nobody has posted anything about sound differences



The 5K has an ESS chip.



Lurk650 said:


> I've read that. Only a hair better so not worth it with a working ES100, in my case. I'm gathering more impressions from people. My ES100 is still working solid after 2 years.



You do realize you're quoting yourself here? I'm assuming you meant to quote my earlier post. Anyway, yes, the SQ is purportedly only a hair better than the ES100. I have no way of knowing for sure as I don't have the ES100 to compare. It's good to know that your ES100 is still working fine after 2 years of use. There are lots of impressions from other people here in this thread, most if not all, are positive and they should be able to help you along nicely towards making a decision whether to buy the 5K or not. Purchase it or don't purchase it, it's ultimately your call. Neither I nor anyone else here is trying to give you the hard sell. Still, I do think the 5K is the spiritual successor to the ES100 and is in my opinion, the BT dac/amp to get in 2020. Just my 2 coppers' worth.


----------



## jasonb (Sep 17, 2020)

fonkepala said:


> The 5K has an ESS chip.



I tend to like the ESS type of sound.

My 5K is supposed to come tomorrow night. UPS says tomorrow by 9pm, and they usually get to my house very late in the evening.


----------



## jasonb

Has anyone used the 5K with a Focal Elear or Elex either balanced or not? I don't think I'd use it over Bluetooth, but maybe as a USB DAC/amp. It will have more power when used balanced vs my Meizu Pro USB-C dongle for sure and I'd imagine would sound better overall. I wasn't impressed with the ES100 and Elear combination, but maybe the 5K will do better with it.


----------



## Lurk650

fonkepala said:


> The 5K has an ESS chip.
> 
> 
> 
> You do realize you're quoting yourself here? I'm assuming you meant to quote my earlier post. Anyway, yes, the SQ is purportedly only a hair better than the ES100. I have no way of knowing for sure as I don't have the ES100 to compare. It's good to know that your ES100 is still working fine after 2 years of use. There are lots of impressions from other people here in this thread, most if not all, are positive and they should be able to help you along nicely towards making a decision whether to buy the 5K or not. Purchase it or don't purchase it, it's ultimately your call. Neither I nor anyone else here is trying to give you the hard sell. Still, I do think the 5K is the spiritual successor to the ES100 and is in my opinion, the BT dac/amp to get in 2020. Just my 2 coppers' worth.


yep, browser was giving me issues, don't know how it quoted myself 

Yeah I thought it was an ESS DAC and the BTR3K is AK, read too fast again when re-looking it up. Definitely up to me, just trying to stay in tune with group opinions


----------



## monsieurfromag3

jsmiller58 said:


> That makes sense!  So aptx Adaptive is considered (at least by the V60) as higher quality than LDAC?  If you have had the chance to listen to the two codecs, what is your opinion of the differences?


I don’t think it’s the preferred codec on account of improved SQ, it’s just better optimized. You get technicalities comparable to LDAC (unless one really needs all of that good music they hear between 24 and 48 kHz ahem ahem) but with a data transfer rate comparable to plain aptX. And it will prioritize stability, which is a wise choice since audio cutting because a bit rate target could not be met is way worse than a short, mostly imperceptible dip.

The good people at Qudelix mentioned while they were with Radsone how the different codecs do not sound differently _per se_, but since there’s a lot of processing involved good engineers will _implement_ each codec in a specific way. In my experience, since engineers know very well what kind of people are turned on by LDAC (and I myself do like that it’s there!), they tune that for clarity and audiophile detail, with a focus on upper mids and treble.
The various aptX flavors are bassier, more mainstream in a sense. In fact aptX Adaptive, like aptX HD, sounds like high-end mainstream - bassy, punchy, fun, but with more texture and detail than unrefined crap designed to appeal to people who only know Beats-like boom bass.

I personally like aptX Adaptive a bit better, it matches IMR iems very well, where LDAC is great for balanced armature analytical gear.
I turn the volume up a notch on aptX Adaptive vs LDAC, not sure if it’s a gain thing or the warmer tuning.


----------



## LostInDaSauce (Sep 18, 2020)

Hello, anyone have issue of bluetooth play button not on qudelix not working? I can pause music playing in the background but cannot play/resume again. I feel like it's a software bug. I'm on Android 10 samsung Note 10 +.


Seems like when music is paused, all functions volume and play button is disabled to prevent accidental volume change. 

App says volume is disabled when music is not playing to prevent accidental change. But play pause button is also disabled, so I can't press play on 5k, I have to go back to phone to play music to re enable controls on 5k....


----------



## jkpenrose

Lurk650 said:


> yep, browser was giving me issues, don't know how it quoted myself
> 
> Yeah I thought it was an ESS DAC and the BTR3K is AK, read too fast again when re-looking it up. Definitely up to me, just trying to stay in tune with group opinions


 I think the early design specs indicated an AK, but they went with: Dual ES9218P SABRE HiFi® DAC for the actual implementation.

My 5K arrived this week and I anticipate doing some comparisons with the es100 in the next week or so... With me Meze 99 and soon to arrive ZMF VO 😁


----------



## jasonb

I got mine and velcrod it to my K371 and plugged in the AutoEQ numbers into the PEQ. It sounds good so far. With my Pixel 4a it scales LDAC up to 990 without me forcing it in the developer settings. It starts at 492, then after a couple seconds goes to 660, then in another few seconds goes up to 990 and seems to stay there so far. 




I kind of want to do something about this green cable with the gold end, but it works and I never leave my house with this anyway, so who really cares. Function over form, and this functions very well. I could easily cut up one of the cables supplied with my K371 and solder and heatsink it to look nicer and be the exact length I want it though. I'd just need to get a soldering iron.


----------



## Lokiiami

jasonb said:


> I got mine and velcrod it to my K371 and plugged in the AutoEQ numbers into the PEQ. It sounds good so far. With my Pixel 4a it scales LDAC up to 990 without me forcing it in the developer settings. It starts at 492, then after a couple seconds goes to 660, then in another few seconds goes up to 990 and seems to stay there so far.
> 
> 
> 
> I kind of want to do something about this green cable with the gold end, but it works and I never leave my house with this anyway, so who really cares. Function over form, and this functions very well. I could easily cut up one of the cables supplied with my K371 and solder and heatsink it to look nicer and be the exact length I want it though. I'd just need to get a soldering iron.


This is so brilliant. Can I also ask how do you set AutoEQ is PEQ?


----------



## jasonb

Lokiiami said:


> This is so brilliant. Can I also ask how do you set AutoEQ is PEQ?



This is the AutoEQ for the K371 to make it even closer to the Harman target and to reduce little dips and peaks. I do a few tweaks, like not doing the sub-bass cut because I enjoy the extra sub-bass that the K371 has.


Here is the link to info and EQ profiles for tons of other headphones. https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq


----------



## TK33

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I don’t think it’s the preferred codec on account of improved SQ, it’s just better optimized. You get technicalities comparable to LDAC (unless one really needs all of that good music they hear between 24 and 48 kHz ahem ahem) but with a data transfer rate comparable to plain aptX. And it will prioritize stability, which is a wise choice since audio cutting because a bit rate target could not be met is way worse than a short, mostly imperceptible dip.
> 
> The good people at Qudelix mentioned while they were with Radsone how the different codecs do not sound differently _per se_, but since there’s a lot of processing involved good engineers will _implement_ each codec in a specific way. In my experience, since engineers know very well what kind of people are turned on by LDAC (and I myself do like that it’s there!), they tune that for clarity and audiophile detail, with a focus on upper mids and treble.
> The various aptX flavors are bassier, more mainstream in a sense. In fact aptX Adaptive, like aptX HD, sounds like high-end mainstream - bassy, punchy, fun, but with more texture and detail than unrefined crap designed to appeal to people who only know Beats-like boom bass.
> ...



I agree with the description, although I am the opposite and prefer the LDAC sound over aptX.  I only realized my phone was using aptX Adaptive instead of LDAC because I thought it sounded like a normal aptX (not HD) connection and something just seemed off so I started investigating.  I didnt even realize the V60 had aptX Adaptive until I started having this issue and was pleasantly surprised to discover the new codec.  As noted previously, I found that I prefer LDAC and disabled aptX Adaptive on the 5K.  I do listen mostly to Qobuz with hires (24/96) tracks so the 990k bitrate is nice to have and gets pretty close to wired.  I dont even use the headphone jack on the V60 anymore and just use my 5K over LDAC when I listen to music at night.  I dont really feel like I am missing anything and my phone's battery is nice and full when I wake up the next morning.


----------



## jasonb

LDAC so far seems to sound better on the 5K, meanwhile I was preferring aptxHD on the ES100.


----------



## fonkepala

jasonb said:


> I got mine and velcrod it to my K371 and plugged in the AutoEQ numbers into the PEQ. It sounds good so far. With my Pixel 4a it scales LDAC up to 990 without me forcing it in the developer settings. It starts at 492, then after a couple seconds goes to 660, then in another few seconds goes up to 990 and seems to stay there so far.
> 
> 
> 
> I kind of want to do something about this green cable with the gold end, but it works and I never leave my house with this anyway, so who really cares. Function over form, and this functions very well. I could easily cut up one of the cables supplied with my K371 and solder and heatsink it to look nicer and be the exact length I want it though. I'd just need to get a soldering iron.



That looks brill! A bit OOT, but are you happy with your K371 so far? Any glaring shortcoming?


----------



## jasonb

fonkepala said:


> That looks brill! A bit OOT, but are you happy with your K371 so far? Any glaring shortcoming?



I like the K371 a lot. It's been my most used headphone since I got it in November. It's a little bit dark for my taste, but a little EQ fixes that easily. They are comfortable, light, and sound great.


----------



## fonkepala

jasonb said:


> I like the K371 a lot. It's been my most used headphone since I got it in November. It's a little bit dark for my taste, but a little EQ fixes that easily. They are comfortable, light, and sound great.



Thanks for the input. It's a perfect pairing for the 5K then  Enjoy!


----------



## jasonb

fonkepala said:


> Thanks for the input. It's a perfect pairing for the 5K then  Enjoy!



This is the minor EQ I'm doing. It all looks like small adjustments, but it does wonders for making these more detailed and lively.


----------



## jasonb

Nolbert0 said:


> Does anybody know if Pixel 4a supports LDAC at 990?



I can confirm that with the 5K, the 4a scales all the way up to 990 without forcing it in the developer settings. Upon connection it starts at 492, then a couple seconds later goes up to 660, then a few seconds later gets to 990 and stays there. So it works and there is no screwing around with going into the developer settings.

Also LDAC seems to sound better on the 5K than on the es100.


----------



## Lokiiami

Does anyone know how to read this chart? Does it show how long more I can use the before next charge?😅


----------



## TK33

My understanding is that it is just historical usage.  Shows battery level over time and how much battery you have left (percentage not time remaining).


----------



## LostInDaSauce (Sep 20, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> Does anyone know how to read this chart? Does it show how long more I can use the before next charge?😅


Based on your settings, if they didnt change, and don't change your usage works as follows: 
92-74 = 18%/100mins
64%= 355 mins
Full charge 555 mins or 9.25 hours..

These are all approximate values obviously.

How much power you're using is based on normal/performance setting normal/high output power.

Hope this helps


----------



## Nolbert0

jasonb said:


> I can confirm that with the 5K, the 4a scales all the way up to 990 without forcing it in the developer settings. Upon connection it starts at 492, then a couple seconds later goes up to 660, then a few seconds later gets to 990 and stays there. So it works and there is no screwing around with going into the developer settings.
> 
> Also LDAC seems to sound better on the 5K than on the es100.



Thanks for the confirmation.This is the best news at the worst time. lol. That's one more to add to the shopping list.


----------



## Lokiiami

LostInDaSauce said:


> Based on your settings, if they didnt change, and don't change your usage works as follows:
> 92-74 = 18%/100mins
> 64%= 355 mins
> Full charge 555 mins or 9.25 hours..
> ...


Sorry how did you get 555mins from the chart?


----------



## jsmiller58

Lokiiami said:


> Does anyone know how to read this chart? Does it show how long more I can use the before next charge?😅


Looks like two different usage profiles (perhaps different IEMs, volume leves?).  Your first two draw downs would indicate ~460 minutes (simply apply straight edge to the lines on the chart).  The last draw down was much more gradual - 1/3 drain in 300 minutes, so ~900 minutes for full draw down.


----------



## James_LX

Is there a way to disable hearing the microphone feeding into the output? I keep hearing myself as well as ambient noises when I'm on zoom calls or phone calls.


----------



## TK33

James_LX said:


> Is there a way to disable hearing the microphone feeding into the output? I keep hearing myself as well as ambient noises when I'm on zoom calls or phone calls.



Sounds like you are referring to Side Tone.  You can disable it in the app under Input --> Mic.


----------



## James_LX

TK33 said:


> Sounds like you are referring to Side Tone.  You can disable it in the app under Input --> Mic.



Thank you! That's exactly it. For some reason I just discarded that option because "Side Tone" doesn't sound like it would be it.

Also, other times I would just see the big "ENABLE" option label and just assumed this was a switch to enable/disable the mic. The titles above the options use a rather faint grey colour so they're easily missed by the eye when rapidly going through the menus.


----------



## TK33

James_LX said:


> Thank you! That's exactly it. For some reason I just discarded that option because "Side Tone" doesn't sound like it would be it.
> 
> Also, other times I would just see the big "ENABLE" option label and just assumed this was a switch to enable/disable the mic. The titles above the options use a rather faint grey colour so they're easily missed by the eye when rapidly going through the menus.



Glad it worked. I believe all landlines used sidetone. Guess it ia not as relevant anymore with the use of video conferencing (not sure if cell phones do this either).


----------



## Lokiiami

James_LX said:


> Is there a way to disable hearing the microphone feeding into the output? I keep hearing myself as well as ambient noises when I'm on zoom calls or phone calls.


If it 5k has a side tone feature I wonder if it can add in ANC soon.


----------



## jasonb (Sep 21, 2020)

jsmiller58 said:


> Looks like two different usage profiles (perhaps different IEMs, volume leves?).  Your first two draw downs would indicate ~460 minutes (simply apply straight edge to the lines on the chart).  The last draw down was much more gradual - 1/3 drain in 300 minutes, so ~900 minutes for full draw down.



Mine isn't draining at a linear rate.





This is performance at 1v, volume is between -30 to -40, using LDAC at 24/96 990kbps, and using the PEQ. I'm assuming the PEQ must consume some battery since it doesn't look like I'm going to the the 13.85 hours they claim with my current settings. I'm thinking I'm going to get 11, maybe 11 and a half hours at this rate.

I'm also curious why it didn't charge to 100%.

2 hours later:


----------



## jsmiller58 (Sep 21, 2020)

jasonb said:


> Mine isn't draining at a linear rate.
> 
> 
> This is performance at 1v, volume is between -30 to -40, using LDAC at 24/96 990kbps, and using the PEQ. I'm assuming the PEQ must consume some battery since it doesn't look like I'm going to the the 13.85 hours they claim with my current settings. I'm thinking I'm going to get 11, maybe 11 and a half hours at this rate.
> ...


The not charging to 100% on your graph was what got my attention...

As to the lack of linear power draw, you had this going for almost 10 hours...  During that time you didn’t switch IEMs or volume, or codecs?  Those would change the discharge profile...

By the way, 10 hours (~440 minutes to ~1020 minutes) is nothing to sneeze at given you neither were charged to 100% nor discharged to 0%, so from 100% to 0% ought to give you pretty decent playing time... 

Now if we could figure out why you are not charging to 100%...  try draining to 0% and then charging all the way up (just leave it charging overnight)...  maybe will help.


----------



## jasonb

jsmiller58 said:


> The not charging to 100% on your graph was what got my attention...
> 
> As to the lack of linear power draw, you had this going for almost 10 hours (~440 minutes to ~1020 minutes) and you neither were charged to 100% nor discharged to 0%, so from 100% to 0% ought to give you pretty decent playing time...
> 
> now if we could figure out why you are not charging to 100%...  try draining to 0% and then charging all the way up (just leave it charging overnight)...  maybe will help.



I'm at about 11.5 hours right now. I plan to kill it then recharge it overnight and hopefully it goes to 100%. If not I guess I may have to contact Qudelix and see what's up. 

12 hours of battery life is fine by me, but I was expecting closer to 14 but I can imagine using the PEQ means it's using more processing power. But it's not like I can't charge it for 2 hours every few days. 

I'm at 1% now....


----------



## Q Mass

jsmiller58 said:


> The not charging to 100% on your graph was what got my attention...
> 
> As to the lack of linear power draw, you had this going for almost 10 hours...  During that time you didn’t switch IEMs or volume, or codecs?  Those would change the discharge profile...
> 
> ...


Re' 100% charge, I nearly always find that several full battery cycles are required for new devices to calibrate the battery charge reading accurately. With cell phones at least. I bet it stabilises and starts reading better soon.
Several devices that I own fail to report a full 100% every time I fully charge them, but they do usually get to 98-99%. I don't  think we're actually missing any capacity here, just not getting a totally accurate read of the charge state.


----------



## jasonb (Sep 21, 2020)

Q Mass said:


> Re' 100% charge, I nearly always find that several full battery cycles are required for new devices to calibrate the battery charge reading accurately. With cell phones at least. I bet it stabilises and starts reading better soon.
> Several devices that I own fail to report a full 100% every time I fully charge them, but they do usually get to 98-99%. I don't  think we're actually missing any capacity here, just not getting a totally accurate read of the charge state.



That's what I'm thinking as well. Just not calibrated correctly(yet). I'm still at 1%, 3.516 volts.

Edit: finally died, charging now.


----------



## jsmiller58

Q Mass said:


> Re' 100% charge, I nearly always find that several full battery cycles are required for new devices to calibrate the battery charge reading accurately. With cell phones at least. I bet it stabilises and starts reading better soon.
> Several devices that I own fail to report a full 100% every time I fully charge them, but they do usually get to 98-99%. I don't  think we're actually missing any capacity here, just not getting a totally accurate read of the charge state.


Very likely, though I haven’t myself experienced that...


----------



## Lokiiami

jasonb said:


> That's what I'm thinking as well. Just not calibrated correctly(yet). I'm still at 1%, 3.516 volts.
> 
> Edit: finally died, charging now.


Are you using the 2.5mm balanced connector?


----------



## jasonb

Lokiiami said:


> Are you using the 2.5mm balanced connector?



No. The headphone I'm using it with isn't balanced. Just the performance setting on 1 volt. 990 LDAC


----------



## Lokiiami

Yes that's strange should get at least 15-16hrs. I've just swap to 3.5mm and see how it goes. On 2.5mm I could get 10hrs


----------



## jasonb (Sep 21, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> Yes that's strange should get at least 15-16hrs. I've just swap to 3.5mm and see how it goes. On 2.5mm I could get 10hrs



Should be 13.85.




I'd imagine this depends on what IEM's or headphone you're using and how loud you listen, and I use the PEQ as well which has got to use some extra processing power as well. 12 hours is understandable to me. I'm using a full size headphone, but an efficient one, at about -35 on the volume control.

Let's just guess that the PEQ uses an hour of battery, that puts it at 12.85 hours, and I just got 12.


----------



## rkw

Lokiiami said:


> If it 5k has a side tone feature I wonder if it can add in ANC soon.


ANC requires microphones at each ear, so it isn't possible.


----------



## jasonb

It got a little closer to 100. Still only about 96%.


----------



## jasonb (Sep 22, 2020)

Qudelix is telling me it may be faulty and to get it replaced. I emailed them and they're extremely quick to answer back and forth. They are telling me that my graphs don't look normal.

Does everyone else's charge all the way to 100% every time? 

I'm not so worried about the final 4% affecting my overall battery life, I'm more worried that the battery itself is just not a good battery and that I'll always have worse results than I'm supposed to. I filed the exchange through Amazon like Qudelix suggested. I really didn't expect them to tell me so quickly to exchange it, but they said my graphs don't look normal and suggested to replace it. So I did what they asked as they should know the product better than me.


----------



## TK33

jasonb said:


> Qudelix is telling me it may be faulty and to get it replaced. I emailed them and they're extremely quick to answer back and forth. They are telling me that my graphs don't look normal.
> 
> Does everyone else's charge all the way to 100% every time?
> 
> I'm not so worried about the final 4% affecting my overall battery life, I'm more worried that the battery itself is just not a good battery and that I'll always have worse results than I'm supposed to. I filed the exchange through Amazon like Qudelix suggested. I really didn't expect them to tell me so quickly to exchange it, but they said my graphs don't look normal and suggested to replace it. So I did what they asked as they should know the product better than me.



Mine usually says 100% when I connect it after charging.  I usually test this as soon as I get it because I have had TWS before that had the same issue and it was usually defective.

All this talk about battery life got me curious so I started playing music on mine using the unbalanced output at 12:10am and am currently at 7% 11 hours later (usually get 6-7 hours balanced). Will update once it finally runs out of juice.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> Mine usually says 100% when I connect it after charging.  I usually test this as soon as I get it because I have had TWS before that had the same issue and it was usually defective.
> 
> All this talk about battery life got me curious so I started playing music on mine using the unbalanced output at 12:10am and am currently at 7% 11 hours later (usually get 6-7 hours balanced). Will update once it finally runs out of juice.



Post your graph and settings and codec and all please.


----------



## TK33 (Sep 22, 2020)

jasonb said:


> Post your graph and settings and codec and all please.


I will once it runs out.

Edit low battery beep/warning @ 11:32 am @ 1% and seems to keep beeping constantly.  Wonder if that can be disabled.

Edit 2: just shut off at 11:44 am so got a little over 11.5 hours. Will post screenshots once fully charged.

I was using SE535s unbalanced (same IEMs I usually use balanced with 6-7 hours battery life) at -47.5db volume, 1 vrms, Performance Mode, EQ on, LDAC 990.

Edit 3: Updated to include screenshots.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> I will once it runs out.
> 
> Edit low battery beep/warning @ 11:32 am @ 1% and seems to keep beeping constantly.  Wonder if that can be disabled.
> 
> ...



Ok, so comparing yours to mine, my battery life was great. Basically the same settings, but higher volume for me, and mine lasted a half hour more. So I guess my battery isn't bad, it just isn't showing 100% when it charges.


----------



## TK33

jasonb said:


> Ok, so comparing yours to mine, my battery life was great. Basically the same settings, but higher volume for me, and mine lasted a half hour more. So I guess my battery isn't bad, it just isn't showing 100% when it charges.



Yes, my unit seems to have below average battery life on balanced and unbalanced.  The SE535s are pretty easy to drive.  I updated my previous post with screenshots.

Note, I added the last screenshot to show I was able to charge back up to 100%.


----------



## Cevisi

Can someone compare the soundquality of the 5k with the fiio q5s with am3d module?


----------



## motor2110

Tell me - can you now launch Google Assistant with the buttons on the device?
Thanks.


----------



## Jayden16

Just got an update to firmware version 1.4 but can't find any info on what's included - does anyone know?


----------



## TK33

Jayden16 said:


> Just got an update to firmware version 1.4 but can't find any info on what's included - does anyone know?


No clue. No update for me yet (on Android).  They usually have release notes in the app.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> No clue. No update for me yet (on Android).  They usually have release notes in the app.



Nothing for me yet either. Also on Android if that matters.


----------



## greyforest

got a new Samsung note20u, tried it with q5k. Weird thing is however i tweak the settings in develop option, the only working bit rate is 330ldac


----------



## jasonb

greyforest said:


> got a new Samsung note20u, tried it with q5k. Weird thing is however i tweak the settings in develop option, the only working bit rate is 330ldac



Damn Samsung... My cheap $349 Pixel 4a does 990 and holds it there. Crazy that a phone that costs over 3 times as much can't do the same. 

Anyway, will it do aptxHD? That should sound pretty close to higher bitrate LDAC.


----------



## cqtek

Hello, everybody.

I would like to share my humble opinion, about this great product.

I hope you like it.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/qudelix-5k.24672/reviews#item-review-24404


----------



## doushi (Sep 26, 2020)

Has been eyeing this for some time. Does anyone know if this product will go on sale? Maybe on 11.11? The ES100 is on sale for $75, so thats $35 less for a previous gen product.


----------



## fonkepala

doushi said:


> Has been eyeing this for some time. Does anyone know if this product will go on sale? Maybe on 11.11? The ES100 is on sale for $75, so thats $35 less for a previous gen product.



The 5K is still quite new. Not sure if it'll go on sale anytime (too) soon.


----------



## rkw

doushi said:


> Does anyone know if this product will go on sale? Maybe on 11.11?


11.11 is an Alibaba/AliExpress sales promotion (like Prime Day for Amazon). The Qudelix isn't even sold on AliExpress.


----------



## doushi

fonkepala said:


> The 5K is still quite new. Not sure if it'll go on sale anytime (too) soon.





rkw said:


> 11.11 is an Alibaba/AliExpress sales promotion (like Prime Day for Amazon). The Qudelix isn't even sold on AliExpress.


Good point! No point in waiting and hoping for 11.11 sale then


----------



## lgcubana

Jayden16 said:


> Just got an update to firmware version 1.4 but can't find any info on what's included - does anyone know?


Jus did the update: 10 more EQ presets, now 20; but I still don't see a way to rename them.


----------



## kismetsky

They’ve added Ambient Sound Mode!  A much requested feature for when I travel (although I haven’t been doing much traveling lately).


----------



## greyforest

jasonb said:


> Damn Samsung... My cheap $349 Pixel 4a does 990 and holds it there. Crazy that a phone that costs over 3 times as much can't do the same.
> 
> Anyway, will it do aptxHD? That should sound pretty close to higher bitrate LDAC.



it does not have aptxhd, and probably will never add this codec. But good thing is i fix the problem by turning off WiFi, now it stay 990ldac with no problems.


----------



## zolom

Cannot find either versions 1.6 (market)  nor 1.4 (firmware) 

Please advice


----------



## rkw

zolom said:


> Cannot find either versions 1.6 (market)  nor 1.4 (firmware)
> 
> Please advice


Which country? App version 1.6 is released in the US Google Play Store. Each country may be on a different release schedule.


----------



## zolom

After uninstalling the, Qudelix app and reinstall,  new, firmware, was available.
This time it took me 4 times to properly install the firmware (error in install).


----------



## behemothkat

Jayden16 said:


> Just got an update to firmware version 1.4 but can't find any info on what's included - does anyone know?


Check directly in application (click on firmware version number).
Actually new FW added possibility to turn on/off ambient mode.


----------



## TK33

Doing the firmware update now on Android. Looks like my Qudelix app was updated last night according to the Play Store app (didn't have to do anything in particular to get the update on my V60). Glad they finally added ambient mode.


----------



## Katholm

TK33 said:


> Doing the firmware update now on Android. Looks like my Qudelix app was updated last night according to the Play Store app (didn't have to do anything in particular to get the update on my V60). Glad they finally added ambient mode.


Whats ambient mode?


----------



## TK33

Katholm said:


> Whats ambient mode?


It pulls outside noise in so you can hear your surroundings.  I find it useful when travelling or commuting so I can hear my surroundings or the announcements without having to take my earbuds out. Many true wireless have it.  The ES100 has it as well.


----------



## RH64

The more I use this thing, the more i like it.  One thing I'd like in a future version, would be a slider with three options where you could select between your three favorite EQ settings.  I have profiles for different headphones and being able to switch between your top 3 on the device would be great rather than the app.

This thing is quickly becoming my favorite piece of audio gear!


----------



## Sam L

lgcubana said:


> Jus did the update: 10 more EQ presets, now 20; but I still don't see a way to rename them.


argh. was hoping to be able to rename the customer presets with this release.


----------



## jasonb

Sam L said:


> argh. was hoping to be able to rename the customer presets with this release.



I only use mine with 1 headphone so far, but it would be a nice simple thing to be able to rename them.


----------



## RH64

Someone above said it's coming!  I agree as I have 4 headphones I'm going between!


----------



## Xanasazi

greyforest said:


> got a new Samsung note20u, tried it with q5k. Weird thing is however i tweak the settings in develop option, the only working bit rate is 330ldac


Try messing with wifi. If I remember correctly it's the 5ghz wifi messing it up.


----------



## greyforest

Xanasazi said:


> Try messing with wifi. If I remember correctly it's the 5ghz wifi messing it up.



you are right, turning off WiFi does solve the problem


----------



## p50kombi

Xanasazi said:


> Try messing with wifi. If I remember correctly it's the 5ghz wifi messing it up.


It's actually 2.4 ghz wifi that messes with it.
Switch to a 5ghz wifi signal and it will work better and scale up as it should.


----------



## fonkepala

p50kombi said:


> It's actually 2.4 ghz wifi that messes with it.
> Switch to a 5ghz wifi signal and it will work better and scale up as it should.



So if my phone is connected to a 2.4GHz wifi network while using the 5K then LDAC could be stuck on 330 and not scale up to max?

BTW, anyone having trouble updating their 5K's firmware to 1.4.0? I've tried many many times but mine just refuses to update. Each time the progress bar goes to 100% and then an error saying 'update failed due to error' (or something to that effect) pops up. I'd try again but same thing. Sometimes when that error message pops up my 5K would disconnect from my phone. Weird. Previous firmware updates have gone fine without a glitch.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

Can you buy this from a European Warehouse/store yet?


----------



## raisedbywolves

hey guys, just got mine in the mail today. just wondering if there's any consensus on which filter sounds best and also if unbalanced is significantly worse than balanced. i also just got the nf audio nm2+ and trying to decide if i need to grab a 2.5mm balanced cable or some azla xelastec tips first to improve the sound or just get both.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 3, 2020)

C_Lindbergh said:


> Can you buy this from a European Warehouse/store yet?


Bought it from Amazon.com (US).
Arrived at Germany in 7 days.


----------



## supadupaninja

Bought mine at audioheavenstore on eBay. Delivery from Poland to Germany took 3 days.


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Sep 30, 2020)

fonkepala said:


> So if my phone is connected to a 2.4GHz wifi network while using the 5K then LDAC could be stuck on 330 and not scale up to max?
> 
> BTW, anyone having trouble updating their 5K's firmware to 1.4.0? I've tried many many times but mine just refuses to update. Each time the progress bar goes to 100% and then an error saying 'update failed due to error' (or something to that effect) pops up. I'd try again but same thing. Sometimes when that error message pops up my 5K would disconnect from my phone. Weird. Previous firmware updates have gone fine without a glitch.


I had to launch it at least three times for it to go through. Maybe make sure your phone’s screen stays on?


C_Lindbergh said:


> Can you buy this from a European Warehouse/store yet?


The 5K is on Audio-heaven - Polish store. Since their eBay store doesn’t accept returns you’re not much worse off ordering direct from Qudelix though. On the other hand you’re bypassing import tax and the Fedex racket through A-H.


raisedbywolves said:


> hey guys, just got mine in the mail today. just wondering if there's any consensus on which filter sounds best and also if unbalanced is significantly worse than balanced. i also just got the nf audio nm2+ and trying to decide if i need to grab a 2.5mm balanced cable or some azla xelastec tips first to improve the sound or just get both.


Unbalanced is pretty damn good already. On other BT receivers or dongles people report a difference in nature, like the balanced and unbalanced ports output from separate devices, for me it isn’t so here, just a touch more control, precision, separation on the 2.5 out.
Good tips and balanced cables can’t hurt, that’s for sure.
As to filters, the consensus is that there is no possible consensus  there are graphs now in the app that are supposed to show what each one does - suffice to say they don’t help, and the default one, which is a great all-rounder and performs well technically, has one of the wonkiest curves of all. You’ll have to pick by ear - even the so-called “Brick wall” sounds good to me.


----------



## fonkepala

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I had to launch it at least three times for it to go through. Maybe make sure your phone’s screen stays on?
> 
> As to filters, the consensus is that there is no possible consensus  there are graphs now in the app that are supposed to show what each one does - suffice to say they don’t help, and the default one, which is a great all-rounder and performs well technically, has one of the wonkiest curves of all.



Nvm, finally got it go through after a few more tries. Not sure what's going on but all's good now.

Re: the default filter, IIRC the default when I got my 5K was one of the apodizing filter. Is this the one you're referring to?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

fonkepala said:


> Nvm, finally got it go through after a few more tries. Not sure what's going on but all's good now.
> 
> Re: the default filter, IIRC the default when I got my 5K was one of the apodizing filter. Is this the one you're referring to?


Great! That update was a weirdie bird.
And yes, I meant that apodizing filter.


----------



## fonkepala

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Great! That update was a weirdie bird.
> And yes, I meant that apodizing filter.



Yup, that filter was alright! But I've since switched over to linear fast roll-off.


----------



## jasonb

So my replacement from Amazon is supposed to come tonight. I wonder if this new one will charge all the way to 100%.


----------



## behemothkat

jasonb said:


> So my replacement from Amazon is supposed to come tonight. I wonder if this new one will charge all the way to 100%.


I’m not sure if that is not “bug” you have:
https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/battery-care-10668500?pid=1312768512

I did monitor my Q5k, it is reaching 100% then stops to charge, discharge to 96-98% during some time, then repeat a cycle. The period of that cycle is around 30 minutes.


----------



## jasonb

behemothkat said:


> I’m not sure if that is not “bug” you have:
> https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/battery-care-10668500?pid=1312768512
> 
> I did monitor my Q5k, it is reaching 100% then stops to charge, discharge to 96-98% during some time, then repeat a cycle. The period of that cycle is around 30 minutes.



Qudelix themselves told me to get my unit replaced. If they hadn't have said to do so, then I wouldn't have. Mine would never show that it was charging above 96%, and I sent them the graphs and they said it didn't look normal.


----------



## jasonb

fonkepala said:


> Yup, that filter was alright! But I've since switched over to linear fast roll-off.



What difference do you notice between the different filters?


----------



## jasonb

So I charged the replacement overnight last night. Woke up to it only being at 94%.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

jasonb said:


> So I charged the replacement overnight last night. Woke up to it only being at 94%.


It’s a curse, a curse I tell you!
Hopefully it’s the case someone mentioned where the battery reader needs a few charges to interpret the level correctly.


----------



## jasonb

monsieurfromag3 said:


> It’s a curse, a curse I tell you!
> Hopefully it’s the case someone mentioned where the battery reader needs a few charges to interpret the level correctly.



I'll see I guess. Whatever. I wouldn't have replaced it if Qudelix hadn't have been telling me to replace it. So now it's either a whole batch of them is bad, or this is just part of their battery anti-degradation strategy and the guy that I was emailing with at Qudelix didn't know any better.


----------



## supadupaninja

Hello guys, 
When applying the PEQ do I need to set the full +/- provided preamp value if any in addition or only the difference to the -6db / -12db? Just asking as one of the two is always on when EQ is active.


----------



## jsmiller58

Just an out of the box suggestion...  try deleting the app and then reinstall the app...  I cannot see how, but maybe the app is the problem and it is reporting the wrong level.  If you have a different device you could also try installing the app on that, pairing to it, and see what the app on that device reports...


----------



## jasonb

jsmiller58 said:


> Just an out of the box suggestion...  try deleting the app and then reinstall the app...  I cannot see how, but maybe the app is the problem and it is reporting the wrong level.  If you have a different device you could also try installing the app on that, pairing to it, and see what the app on that device reports...



I'm sure the battery % is based off of the voltage at the battery. The 5K tells the app what the battery voltage is and I'd imagine determines a % from that voltage.

I guess now I get to decide which of the two I have has the better battery and said whichever one back.


----------



## behemothkat

jasonb said:


> I'm sure the battery % is based off of the voltage at the battery. The 5K tells the app what the battery voltage is and I'd imagine determines a % from that voltage.
> 
> I guess now I get to decide which of the two I have has the better battery and said whichever one back.


Can you post here your battery graph?


----------



## jasonb

behemothkat said:


> Can you post here your battery graph?


----------



## behemothkat

jasonb said:


>


Okay, your Q5k really does not have peaks up to 100% like mine..


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 2, 2020)

jasonb said:


> I'm sure the battery % is based off of the voltage at the battery. The 5K tells the app what the battery voltage is and I'd imagine determines a % from that voltage.
> 
> I guess now I get to decide which of the two I have has the better battery and said whichever one back.


I don’t doubt you are correct, but given the scarce reports of this specific issue, the odds of you getting two defective units are so infinitesimally remote that even the nearly impossible might be worth exploring...  as I said, just an out of the box idea.

another off the wall suggestion is to try a different cable and charging adapter...  again, low probability, but easy experiment...


----------



## Gorktastick

jsmiller58 said:


> I don’t doubt you are correct, but given the scarce reports of this specific issue, the odds of you getting two defective units are so infinitesimally remote that even the nearly impossible might be worth exploring...  as I said, just an out of the box idea.
> 
> another off the wall suggestion is to try a different cable and charging adapter...  again, low probability, but easy experiment...




I just received a 5K, and I'm having the same exact "96% issue"...


----------



## Katholm

Gorktastick said:


> I just received a 5K, and I'm having the same exact "96% issue"...


Same here, but 94%, doesnt reach 100.


----------



## jasonb

Katholm said:


> Same here, but 94%, doesnt reach 100.



So I'm not the only one....


----------



## TK33 (Oct 2, 2020)

Could be a bad batch then...this happened to me with the MW07 Go last year when it first came out. Ended up returning and waiting a few months and bought it again (no issues on the later batch).  Also happened with battery pack for my HEOS 1 speakers which couldn't hold a charge at all and after two returns, I gave up and didn't purchase a new one. Hopefully Qudelix can figure out what is going on.  I hace no issues with my unit charging to 100% (previously posted a screenshot here showing 100%).

As @jsmiller58 suggested, I would try another phone to make sure the app/device combination is not the issue.  Seems likely it is the unit though...


----------



## jsmiller58

I stand corrected!


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

Any good link to comparison review between Quedelix and btr5?


----------



## jasonb

Does anyone who works for Qudelix frequent these forums? I might have to email them back and reference this thread.


----------



## TK33

jasonb said:


> Does anyone who works for Qudelix frequent these forums? I might have to email them back and reference this thread.



Not sure if they actually comment here but they certainly know this thread exists.  This is pinned in their own forums (General section).

https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/qudelix5k-headfi-org-forum-10574818


----------



## jasonb

I just emailed them back and referenced page 101 of this thread so they can see I'm not the only one. Maybe they changed battery suppliers at some point or were forced to change the battery slightly. This whole issue might not even be a real issue, but if some peoples are charging to 100 and others aren't I'm kind of curious as to why.


----------



## TK33

jasonb said:


> I just emailed them back and referenced page 101 of this thread so they can see I'm not the only one. Maybe they changed battery suppliers at some point or were forced to change the battery slightly. This whole issue might not even be a real issue, but if some peoples are charging to 100 and others aren't I'm kind of curious as to why.



Fingers crossed...although, if I recall correctly, your battery that didn't charge to 100% seems to have better battery life than my battery, which does charge to 100%.


----------



## jasonb

TK33 said:


> Fingers crossed...although, if I recall correctly, your battery that didn't charge to 100% seems to have better battery life than my battery, which does charge to 100%.



My first unit, yes. I don't know about the second one yet.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

jasonb said:


> My first unit, yes. I don't know about the second one yet.


I saw you using your Elear with the utopia pad. I am currently using the Elear with the Dekoni Elite fenestrated sheepskin pad. Have you ever try the dekoni, if so is the utopia more comfortable and does it sound better?


----------



## jasonb

Green Golden Retriver said:


> I saw you using your Elear with the utopia pad. I am currently using the Elear with the Dekoni Elite fenestrated sheepskin pad. Have you ever try the dekoni, if so is the utopia more comfortable and does it sound better?



I have not tried any other pads on my Elear than the Utopia pads.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

jasonb said:


> I have not tried any other pads on my Elear than the Utopia pads.


Are their anyway to get the utopia pad cheaper? The retail price of these is very high.


----------



## jasonb (Oct 2, 2020)

Green Golden Retriver said:


> Are their anyway to get the utopia pad cheaper? The retail price of these is very high.



Not that I know of. Focal wants crazy money for all their pads. I got my Elear bundled with the pads when headphone.com was doing a promo.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

jasonb said:


> Not that I know of. Focal wants crazy money for all their pads. I got my Elear bundled with the pads when headphone.com was doing a promo.


Just check the prices in Thailand. It costs half of what the focal retail now. 400 usd for the pad only. lol but 2 pad and I can get another Elear.


----------



## jasonb

So, I got some emails back from Qudelix and they are now saying the battery not getting to 100% is a software issue and they will be releasing a firmware update soon.


----------



## slex

Any idea has third party casing is available for 5K ?


----------



## fonkepala

jasonb said:


> So, I got some emails back from Qudelix and they are now saying the battery not getting to 100% is a software issue and they will be releasing a firmware update soon.



Good to know!


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

What the difference between quedelix and btr5?


----------



## supadupaninja

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uL_Tngf8oth33dVazgE570utfCUryuvZ/view


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

supadupaninja said:


> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uL_Tngf8oth33dVazgE570utfCUryuvZ/view


Thank you nice read.

has anyone heard both before tell me which one sounds better?


----------



## KaiSc

jasonb said:


>


I've got 4.24V and 98% as maximum charge.

Looks like the app reports the charge % based on the voltage measured.
This method is not precise as every battery has a slightly different peak voltage when fully charged, finally containing the same amount of energy.

People shouldn't worry here about the figures, unless they get unusual low playtime out of a full charge.


----------



## greyforest

Green Golden Retriver said:


> Thank you nice read.
> 
> has anyone heard both before tell me which one sounds better?



Btr5 is pretty much inferior in every way compared to q5k, to my ears q5k have better separation and transparency than btr5.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

greyforest said:


> Btr5 is pretty much inferior in every way compared to q5k, to my ears q5k have better separation and transparency than btr5.


Ahhhhh I should have gotten the q5k lol


----------



## rkw

Green Golden Retriver said:


> What the difference between quedelix and btr5?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-8-jul-20-qudelix-5k-impression-added.906655/


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

rkw said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-8-jul-20-qudelix-5k-impression-added.906655/


Thanks , will check it out


----------



## jeejack

Both are very good so don't think too much about it


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

jeejack said:


> Both are very good so don't think too much about it


Ok I see


----------



## Lokiiami

I sold my btr5 for the below.

5k allows EQ on LDAC. 
It's half the weight of BTR5
5k sounded slightly better. 
20-30% better battery life 
Amazing customer service.
PEQ on 5k


----------



## rlw6534

I have a question on using PEQ and headroom.  I am applying a correction PEQ for my Ety ER4XR that has a maximum peak gain of 6.9 dB (and a recommended preamp gain of -6.9 dB as well).  With the qudelix headroom set at -6 dB, I assume I need to apply a pre gain of -0.9 dB to be at the correct gain?    Does that make sense?


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

Lokiiami said:


> I sold my btr5 for the below.
> 
> 5k allows EQ on LDAC.
> It's half the weight of BTR5
> ...


What is PEQ?


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 3, 2020)

rlw6534 said:


> I have a question on using PEQ and headroom.  I am applying a correction PEQ for my Ety ER4XR that has a maximum peak gain of 6.9 dB (and a recommended preamp gain of -6.9 dB as well).  With the qudelix headroom set at -6 dB, I assume I need to apply a pre gain of -0.9 dB to be at the correct gain?    Does that make sense?


You're kind of correct, overall gain should not exceed 0 dB at any given frequency.

"Kind of correct" because there are two things that can be considered additionally:

• Every filter has a frequency dependent phase (= time) shift. This can shift momentary signal peaks from different frequencies on top of each other, raising the amplitude by up to 6dB, worst case.
Practically and common is a 3 dB of additional headroom.
3 dB is sufficient, as the worst case needs very special signals to happen.

• If the maximum EQ boost happens at very low frequencies, which music doesn't contain much of, less headroom is needed.


In my experience it's better to leave a little bit of headroom to be on the safe side.
Unfortunately a lot of music is mastered too hot and already contains audible distortions.
If I hear distortion I want to be sure it's not my settings causing them.


The only reason to squeeze out the last dB of loudness from the Qudelix 5K is, if one uses very insensitive, quiet headphones.
With up to 4 Volts of balanced output it happens very few times that headphones require maxing out 5K's power capabilities.
For sure not with any In-Ears.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 3, 2020)

Green Golden Retriver said:


> What is PEQ?


PEQ = *P*arametric *EQ*ualizer, an equalizer where every band can be individually tuned by Gain, Frequency and Bandwidth "Q-factor".
Way superior to the usual fixed band equalizer, where every setting is only a compromise and never achieves perfect results.


----------



## Lokiiami

KaiSc said:


> PEQ = *P*arametric *EQ*ualizer, an equalizer where every band can be individually tuned by Gain, Frequency and Bandwidth "Q-factor".
> Way superior to the usual fixed band equalizer, where every setting is only a compromise and never achieves perfect results.


And you can enter the specific frequencies to adjust. 👍


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

KaiSc said:


> PEQ = *P*arametric *EQ*ualizer, an equalizer where every band can be individually tuned by Gain, Frequency and Bandwidth "Q-factor".
> Way superior to the usual fixed band equalizer, where every setting is only a compromise and never achieves perfect results.


Thank you . Very clear and good explanation


----------



## DBaldock9

I seem to remember seeing it mentioned (somewhere in this thread) that the specific hardware being used in the Qudelix-5K was changed from what's described in the first few posts on Page 1.
.
If that's true - could the opening posts be updated to show what's actually being shipped - so that the info is available, without having to read the whole thread?
.
Thanks!


----------



## peter123

DBaldock9 said:


> I seem to remember seeing it mentioned (somewhere in this thread) that the specific hardware being used in the Qudelix-5K was changed from what's described in the first few posts on Page 1.
> .
> If that's true - could the opening posts be updated to show what's actually being shipped - so that the info is available, without having to read the whole thread?
> .
> Thanks!



You're correct! I thought I've done it already, will fix it first thing tomorrow (I'm not at home tonight).


----------



## LostInDaSauce

Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.

I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s? 

Also does anyone know a good online source to understand all the variables that needs to be known to calculate sufficient power for future use? 

TIA


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

LostInDaSauce said:


> Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.
> 
> I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?
> 
> ...


I don’t have the q5k but I have tried using the hd6xx with btr5 which is similiar to the q5k in some ways. I felt they were ok much better than running off the iPhone with the dongle. Jds labs amp would be better. But I feel that desktop amp still is the best.


LostInDaSauce said:


> Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.
> 
> I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?
> 
> ...


From my experience, the more powerful amp the better for full size especially the hd6xx.


----------



## peter123

LostInDaSauce said:


> Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.
> 
> I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?
> 
> ...



Audibot9000.com used to be a good source for calculations on what amps that have enough power for which headphones. Haven't used it in some quite a while but might be worth checking out. 

In my experience the HE400i needs more power than the HD650 but the HD650 is more picky on the matching.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 5, 2020)

LostInDaSauce said:


> Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?


Here's a comparison between Sennheiser HD-800S, HD-6XX, HIFIMAN HE-4XX @ the same voltage level of 0.5V Pink Noise.

The difference is small, balanced Qudelix 5K can drive both Sennheisers to full 4V.
The HE4XX to 3.6 V, 1dB lower, due to it's lower impedance of 43.5 Ohms (values corrected after measurement on real specimen) it needs more current, see here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1q_jWA9v-NKCsPc9Rm08au_TlqEsEgUeckeSoaVGfSRM/htmlview

*All three can be sufficiently driven with full dynamics to earkilling sound levels.

If you need more level you need to see your audiologist now, or soon*



With all three my personal listening level is set way below maximum, even with softer recordings.

Watch out for the fine scale of 1 dB/line, which makes the (small) differences very obvious:


----------



## LostInDaSauce

KaiSc said:


> Here's a comparison between Sennheiser HD-800S, HD-6XX, HIFIMAN HE-4XX @ the same voltage level of 0.5V Pink Noise.
> 
> The difference is small, balanced Qudelix 5K can drive both Sennheisers to full 4V.
> The HE4XX to 2.9 V, 3 dB lower, due to it's lower impedance of 50 Ohms it needs more current, see here:
> ...



Thank you for your response,

Im getting bits of your explanation like the 2/4V, but confused on what your graph is showing and what formula you used to calculate db spl levels for the he4xx so I can try calculating maximum db levels for the sennheisers. Also isn't the he4xx rated at 35ohms?


----------



## IEMusic

Just got my 5K, and am loving how it sounds!  The UM MEST sounds amazing on it, both balanced and unbalanced.  It is a lot smaller than I though it would be.


----------



## peter123

KaiSc said:


> Here's a comparison between Sennheiser HD-800S, HD-6XX, HIFIMAN HE-4XX @ the same voltage level of 0.5V Pink Noise.
> 
> The difference is small, balanced Qudelix 5K can drive both Sennheisers to full 4V.
> The HE4XX to 2.9 V, 3 dB lower, due to it's lower impedance of 50 Ohms it needs more current, see here:
> ...



Interesting, what settings are you using on the 5K when listening to the HD800S? 

For me I have to push the volume close to 90% even with music recorded with nornal gain. Although the volume is fine for me (and I'm not a loud listener) there's a noticeable lack of bass impact compared to all three desktop amps I've got easily available next to me. The separation is also considerably worse than with more easy to drive headphones and IEM's on the 5K. There's no doubt to my ears that the 5K (in all its greatness) are struggling with this load. People who listen to classical music where the recording is often low in volume and has a lot of dynamics would definitely not be happy with this pairing...


----------



## rlw6534

LostInDaSauce said:


> Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.
> 
> I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?
> 
> ...



High impedance cans require more voltage to push the current (amps) through the transducers.   Voltage * current (amps) = power (watts).
Think of the amps as volume as the current is what actually causes the transducer motion to generate sound.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 5, 2020)

LostInDaSauce said:


> Thank you for your response,
> 
> Im getting bits of your explanation like the 2/4V, but confused on what your graph is showing and what formula you used to calculate db spl levels for the he4xx so I can try calculating maximum db levels for the sennheisers. Also isn't the he4xx rated at 35ohms?


I just measured my HE-4xx, it's 43.5 Ohms in fact.
This means Qudelix 5K can drive the HIFIMAN HE-4xx to 3.6 volts, only 1 dB lower then the 300 Ohms Sennheiser HD-800S and HD-6XX.


The graph shows the frequency responses of the three mentioned headphones, with an absolute same input voltage.
The Frequency Response is the sensitivity at various frequencies.

Out of this you can estimate the loudness that can be expected.
The higher the curve, the louder, as you can see they are quite close.


Factory specs relate to a sine wave of 1 kHz, which doesn't say much, as sensitivity is different over the frequency range.
So there is not much senseful to calculate out of factory specs.

To answer your primary question:
If you take the Sennheiser HD-800S as reference:
the HD-6xx (HD-650) will give you 1dB less,
the HIFIMAN HE-4XX 2dB less loudness,
so to say: *more or less the same!*


*This means, you can make your decision out of the sound quality, loudness difference is not something you should consider.
I can assure you, Qudelix 5K can drive them louder than is healthy. *


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 5, 2020)

peter123 said:


> Interesting, what settings are you using on the 5K when listening to the HD800S?
> 
> For me I have to push the volume close to 90% even with music recorded with nornal gain. Although the volume is fine for me (and I'm not a loud listener) there's a noticeable lack of bass impact compared to all three desktop amps I've got easily available next to me. The separation is also considerably worse than with more easy to drive headphones and IEM's on the 5K. There's no doubt to my ears that the 5K (in all its greatness) are struggling with this load. People who listen to classical music where the recording is often low in volume and has a lot of dynamics would definitely not be happy with this pairing...


For your perspective:
I am a professional audio engineer for several decades now, are used to listen *a bit* above what an average person would find comfortable during my all day work.
My audiologist says I have ears like an owl 

I am currently listening to the Sennheiser HD-800S, connected balanced to the Qudelix 5K.

My settings:
iPhone6Plus iOS12.4.8 Tidal Master, Standard Loudness: Off
-> USB
-> Qudelix 5K, Firmware 1.3.2
-> 2.5mm balanced connection
-> Sennheiser HD-800S

Qudelix 5K:
EQ Options:
EQ TYPE: PEQ
HEADROOM:* -12dB*

EQUALIZER:
LSHELV, 115Hz, +4dB, Q: 0.700
PEAK, 220Hz, -1.0dB, Q: 0.350
(insert damping is *-0.3dB* @ 1kHz)

VOLUME OPTIONS:
Absolute Volume: On
Volume Protection: Off

VOLUME MAIN:
0.00dB / *-17.5dB *(max. = *+6dB*!)
PERFORMANCE 4V

*This setting of 35.8dB total attenuation, on my calibrated Bruel&Kjaer Artificial Ear 4153 measurement system, results in:
79.0dB SPL @1 kHz
90,8 dB SPL @ 6.6kHz.

With PEQ off, Volume to +6dB 
(= maximum, 35.8dB above my listening level),
I get a clean, undistorted:
114.8dB SPL @ 1kHz, 
126.5 dB SPL @ 6.6kHz*


I'm listening to some softer chamber music Jazz from Tidal Master right now, and the resulting loudness equals about the loudness of a normal talking voice.

Hard to believe someone can stand 35.8dB more level without hearing damage.
Headphones can be dangerous to your ears, people tend to miss the tactile "feel of sound" and listen way too loud to compensate.

*126dB SPL PERMANENTLY damages your ears within minutes!*
This is no joke:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearingconservation/loud.html
"_At 100 dBA, NIOSH recommends less than 15 minutes of exposure per day."_

They don't even give a recommended exposure time above 100dB SPL level, probably because there is non.


----------



## peter123

KaiSc said:


> I am currently listening to the Sennheiser HD-800S, connected balanced to the Qudelix 5K.
> 
> My settings:
> iPhone6Plus iOS12.4.8 Tidal Master, Standard Loudness: Off
> ...



OK, I'll set my settings when I'm at home. Only differences I notice from memory is that I've got an Android and Spotify plus my FW is 1.4. I also don't use eq.

And please spare me all the red and bold writing, like I said I do not listen to particularly high volume. This is why I'm asking about other people's settings.


----------



## slex

Arrived today, nice work done by Quedelix. Please ask Samsung to include Aptx adaptive since your are Korean 😄😄😄😄.

For now, Ldac will do. Awaiting your next MKll or higher series if there any to come.

I hope there a comparison between non bluetooth like Fiio Q3 for sound quality.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 5, 2020)

peter123 said:


> OK, I'll set my settings when I'm at home. Only differences I notice from memory is that I've got an Android and Spotify plus my FW is 1.4. I also don't use eq.
> 
> And please spare me all the red and bold writing, like I said I do not listen to particularly high volume. This is why I'm asking about other people's settings.


The bolds and reds are not specially pointing on you, sorry.

But the two related topics that just came up made me investigate this more, and the results are serious and can be alarming for some:
The so called "hard to drive" Sennheiser HD-800S, on the 5K, is capable to cause hearing disorder if not used with some caution.


Your special case might be something else:
- Spotify uses fixed "loudness normalization" that reduces the level some.
- Qudelix explicit mentioned that level handling is different in Android, "ABSOLUTE VOLUME" is said not to work.



BTW: The sound quality of the combination Qudelix 5K / Sennheiser HD-800S leaves nothing to wish for, even compared to my RME ADI-2 Pro.

I'm using the "Hybrid fast roll-off" - DAC-filter.
The various filters do make a difference.


----------



## max1236

KaiSc said:


> The bolds and reds are not specially pointing on you, sorry.
> 
> But the two related topics that just came up made me investigate this more, and the results are serious and can be alarming for some:
> The so called "hard to drive" Sennheiser HD-800S, on the 5K, is capable to cause hearing disorder if not used with some caution.
> ...


Where do they say absolute volume doesn't work on android


----------



## KaiSc

max1236 said:


> Where do they say absolute volume doesn't work on android


In the App settings, when you scroll down:


----------



## max1236

KaiSc said:


> In the App settings, when you scroll down:


That's only when running it as a usb dac. It should work on blue tooth.


----------



## LostInDaSauce (Oct 5, 2020)

Anyone who's using the 5k to drive full cans through BT mode find a way to clip them on the cans? Images or links to short cables would be appreciated.

Open cans are at home use only for me so I don't mind the Qudelix sticking out on my head as long as it's secured without any wires in the way. 

I think there was 1 image posted by a user here who showed his workaround. 

Currently having a hard time with iems finding a place to put this tiny thing as it just in my pocket next to my phone


----------



## rkw

KaiSc said:


> Spotify uses fixed "loudness normalization" that reduces the level some.


Is this something separate from the one in Spotify settings (that can be turned off)?


----------



## KaiSc

rkw said:


> Is this something separate from the one in Spotify settings (that can be turned off)?
> 
> ​


I don't use the paid version of Spotify, but that looks like it.
Just switch and listen, to test.

If "off", tracks should sound different loud, if "on" loudness should be about the same for all tracks.


----------



## fonkepala

LostInDaSauce said:


> Anyone who's using the 5k to drive full cans through BT mode find a way to clip them on the cans? Images or links to short cables would be appreciated.
> 
> Open cans are at home use only for me so I don't mind the Qudelix sticking out on my head as long as it's secured without any wires in the way.
> 
> ...



Maybe something like this? https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-15871900

On FB, I saw a photo of a guy clipping the 5K to the cable of his Audeze cans at about upper chest level. Might work if a super short cable isn't handy.


----------



## rkw

KaiSc said:


> I don't use the paid version of Spotify, but that looks like it.
> Just switch and listen, to test.
> 
> If "off", tracks should sound different loud, if "on" loudness should be about the same for all tracks.


I have no reason to doubt that the setting works, but that wasn't my question. You said that Spotify has a fixed loudness normalization, and I was wondering if you were referring to some other normalization that is applied across everything on Spotify.

In any case, I don't want normalization because I listen mostly to classical music and loudness should not adjust between quiet and loud movements


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 6, 2020)

rkw said:


> I have no reason to doubt that the setting works, but that wasn't my question. You said that Spotify has a fixed loudness normalization, and I was wondering if you were referring to some other normalization that is applied across everything on Spotify.
> 
> In any case, I don't want normalization because I listen mostly to classical music and loudness should not adjust between quiet and loud movements


Seems Spotify made Loudness Normalization switchable now.
This sites shine some light on the topic:
https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=529977

https://siggidori.wixsite.com/skonr...8/06/04/spotify-is-now-more-dynamic-than-ever

Don't worry too much.
Loudness Normalization works:
•  as playback function, 
• not encoded in the tracks, 
• on a per track base, 
• not within a track, except:
as Spotify has a relatively high target level of -14dB it might happen that high peaks are running into their dynamic limiter.
Premium seems to have a selection of different target levels.

Switch L.N. off, guess that's it.

If you're sick of it, switch to Tidal 

All above is hearsay on my side, just trying to help.


----------



## jasonb

So Qudelix sent me a new unreleased firmware update that fixes the not charging to 100% bug me and others are having. It now charges to 100.


----------



## megabigeye (Oct 5, 2020)

LostInDaSauce said:


> Thank you for your response,
> 
> Im getting bits of your explanation like the 2/4V, but confused on what your graph is showing and what formula you used to calculate db spl levels for the he4xx so I can try calculating maximum db levels for the sennheisers. Also isn't the he4xx rated at 35ohms?


I don't have the 5K, I just happened to be reading this thread as saw your post...

To calculate power requirements for any headphone you need to know:
1. the headphone's sensitivity,
2. your desired _loudest_ listening level (my rule of thumb is 110dB if you're listening to pop/rock, 115dB if you listen to jazz, and 120dB for classical... These are probably all overkill for most listening, though), and
3. 2x power gets +3dB; 2x voltage gets +6dB.

To figure out power:
Subtract the headphone's sensitivity (given as dB @1mW) from your desired loudness, and then divide the resulting number by three. This will tell you how many times the power has to be doubled to reach your desired loudness.
As an equation it looks something like this:
[Necessary power] = 2(([max volume] - [sensitivity])/3)

If I want to listen at 120dB on a headphone with 95dB @1mW it would look like:
Power = 2((120 - 95)/3)
= 2(25/3)
= 28.333...
P = 322.5mW

You can also do a rough calculation by counting how many times you add +3dB between the sensitivity and desired loudness, and then multiplying 2 by itself that many times to get the power. I often do this by counting on my fingers.


----------



## skaktuss

~4.2V (+/-~0.1V) is the max voltage for most kind of lithium batteries. Why should we worry about %??? What if Qudelix software developers wrote a code that says 4.2V= 200%? Would the battery capacity increase 2 times?


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 6, 2020)

jasonb said:


> So Qudelix sent me a new unreleased firmware update that fixes the not charging to 100% bug me and others are having. It now charges to 100.





skaktuss said:


> ~4.2V (+/-~0.1V) is the max voltage for most kind of lithium batteries. Why should we worry about %??? What if Qudelix software developers wrote a code that says 4.2V= 200%? Would the battery capacity increase 2 times?


My guess is, they put in a "Learn" function to determin the individual batterie's full charge voltage.
Or the change is purely cosmetic.

That's OK either way, people do feel bad if they don't see 100% if they have paid for.
Probably the charging was 100% before, but didn't look like.

The funny thing is, if they are true with their battery life optimization, 100% doesn't mean full charge anyway.
I'd prefer it this way,  pay with some minutes less running time to enhance the longevity of the 5K.


----------



## peter123

Finally updated the first couple of post with the correct information and pictures, sorry for the delay.


----------



## fonkepala

jasonb said:


> So Qudelix sent me a new unreleased firmware update that fixes the not charging to 100% bug me and others are having. It now charges to 100.



Nice! Did they say that this fix will be implemented in a soon-to-be-released public FW update?


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 6, 2020)

KaiSc said:


> My guess is, they put in a "Learn" function to determin the individual batterie's full charge voltage.
> Or the change is purely cosmetic.
> 
> That's OK either way, people do feel bad if they don't see 100% if they have paid for.
> ...


Neo, some people prefer the blue pill, others the red one...


----------



## jasonb

LostInDaSauce said:


> Anyone who's using the 5k to drive full cans through BT mode find a way to clip them on the cans? Images or links to short cables would be appreciated.
> 
> Open cans are at home use only for me so I don't mind the Qudelix sticking out on my head as long as it's secured without any wires in the way.
> 
> ...



I've posted this several times, but here is my version of what you describe. I just used a piece of velcro, and cut up a cable and determinated it with a new 3.5mm jack.


----------



## jasonb

fonkepala said:


> Nice! Did they say that this fix will be implemented in a soon-to-be-released public FW update?



Yes. Soon to be released.


----------



## jasonb

KaiSc said:


> My guess is, they put in a "Learn" function to determin the individual batterie's full charge voltage.
> Or the change is purely cosmetic.
> 
> That's OK either way, people do feel bad if they don't see 100% if they have paid for.
> ...



This is their explanation:

Hi Jason,

FYI, we'd like to explain about the fix.

The built-in charger cut the source power off when the battery voltage is higher than the threshold level, for example, 4.3V.
The 5K built-in charger checks and senses the voltage level.
But, some error/offset is caused by the electrical noise from the source USB charger or PC USB.
If the error is 0.1V, the 5K built-in charger would assume the battery voltage as 4.2+0.1(error)=4.3V, and eventually cut the charger off.
When the charger gets off, and the circuit becomes isolated from the external power source, the 5K built-in charger would sense the voltage level without error, 4.2V, which is somewhere around 90~94%.

In other words, some source power seems to make a little more electrical noise, and it makes the 5K built-in charger get the battery voltage higher than the real level. 
Thus, the built-in charger cut the power source off earlier before getting the battery charged fully.

Yes, in your case, with FW v1.4.0, you didn't get the battery charged fully due to a little higher noise from the power source.

The fix is to correct and compensate error and deliver the exact battery voltage level to the built-in charger.

Now, we're sure that you would get it charged fully with FW v1.4.1.

We'll release the official update shortly.

Again, thanks for letting us know the issue and supporting us in resolving it. 

Best Regards,
Qudelix


----------



## Katholm

I can confirm that ive updated to 1.4.1 and i get to 99%. i used to get 92-96.


----------



## jasonb

Katholm said:


> I can confirm that ive updated to 1.4.1 and i get to 99%. i used to get 92-96.



Did you give it a chance to get from 99 to 100? It took mine a few minutes to finish going from 99 to 100. This is acting more in line with how it should now. Most cell phones that I've had for example can also take a bit longer to get the final few % charged. I've also gone an hour of listening to music with only a 10% drop from 100%. Before it was dropping at a very non linear rate in the beginning. I'll be letting this charge get down until it shuts off on its own to see what kind of run time I get on a full charge so I'll report back with that and a graph in a day or two.


----------



## Katholm

jasonb said:


> Did you give it a chance to get from 99 to 100? It took mine a few minutes to finish going from 99 to 100. This is acting more in line with how it should now. Most cell phones that I've had for example can also take a bit longer to get the final few % charged. I've also gone an hour of listening to music with only a 10% drop from 100%. Before it was dropping at a very non linear rate in the beginning. I'll be letting this charge get down until it shuts off on its own to see what kind of run time I get on a full charge so I'll report back with that and a graph in a day or two.


Yep! took like 10 mins to get 100% but we are there now.


----------



## jasonb

The battery not getting to 100%, or not showing as 100%, or whatever might not seem like a big deal to some, but now that it's fixed the device feels like it's 100% now. If that makes any sense. 

I loved everything else about this device, but it had been bothering me that something was wrong. Now I feel like I can truly enjoy it and just jam out to my tunes like I should. 

This thing sounds great and is basically perfect in every way. Great sound, tons of power, battery life should be plenty for me, the PEQ is awesome even for a headphone that needs very minimal tweaks like my K371. LDAC at 990kbps gives me the confidence that I'm getting a great source signal for the device to decode. Using Spotify which is 320kbps, should mean that technically Spotify should be the weaker link, and not the Bluetooth, but that's a topic for another debate. 

LDAC on the 5K sounds better to me than LDAC did on the ES100. The 5K on LDAC keeps the bass slam that the ES100 had when using aptxHD. It seemed like LDAC on the ES100 was reducing the bass a small amount or compressing transients or something and maybe making things seem to sound more top heavy and detailed. On the ES100 aptxHD sounded just as good up top and just as detailed but had more bass slam. I would have said it's just a codec thing, but it must be the way these devices are programmed to decode when using each codec.


----------



## RH64 (Oct 6, 2020)

jasonb said:


> I've posted this several times, but here is my version of what you describe. I just used a piece of velcro, and cut up a cable and determinated it with a new 3.5mm jack.





LostInDaSauce said:


> Anyone who's using the 5k to drive full cans through BT mode find a way to clip them on the cans? Images or links to short cables would be appreciated.
> 
> Open cans are at home use only for me so I don't mind the Qudelix sticking out on my head as long as it's secured without any wires in the way.
> 
> ...



This is my exact use case!  I've done this with the Sennheiser hd700, hd600, and now focal.  The cable is 18 inches and balanced.  For the focal, I wrapped a little teflon tape around the arm to avoid scratches.  These sound much better than bose or sony!


----------



## raisedbywolves

got a cheap balanced cable for my nf audio nm2+ and some azla sednafit tips and i'll say that balanced is noticeably better than unbalanced for me. loving this device so far. this plus uapp plus tidal hifi is a great setup for me.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 6, 2020)

megabigeye said:


> To calculate power requirements for any headphone you need to know:
> 1. the headphone's sensitivity,
> 2. your desired _loudest_ listening level (my rule of thumb is 110dB if you're listening to pop/rock, 115dB if you listen to jazz, and 120dB for classical... These are probably all overkill for most listening, though), and
> 3. 2x power gets +3dB; 2x voltage gets +6dB.
> ...


The simple formula to calculate the needed power *P* in mW is:
*T*arget Level in dB SPL = *T*
Headphone *S*ensitivity in dB SPL / mW = *S


P = 10x  ((T-S)/10)*

Remember: first calculate the value inside the bracket!
_10x_ is the inverse of the _LOG10 - function_, a key on you calculator.

Example: If you want to kill your ears at 120 dB on a headphone with 95 dB @ 1 mW type into you calculator:

120 - 95 = 25
25 / 10 = 2.5
2.5  _10x_ = *316,2 (mW)*

Now you have to look if the headphone amp delivers the needed power *into your headphones impedance.*


Sidemark:
I've been recording engineer for several decades.
I recorded a lot of classical music and never had the level at a microphone even come close to 120 dB, although the microphones are positioned much closer than the audience seats.
100 dB is the absolute peak with the loudest pieces were no firearms (Overture 1812) are used.

Go to a concert hall, take your portable headphone system with you.
Then immediately after having heard the piece in reality,  listen to a recording and set the level.
You will find it's much lower than you expect.
Side effect: suddenly your headphones will no longer sound overly bright.


----------



## megabigeye

KaiSc said:


> The simple formula to calculate the needed power *P* in mW is:
> *T*arget Level in dB SPL = *T*
> Headphone *S*ensitivity in dB SPL / mW = *S
> 
> ...


Interesting. I don't think it ever seen the 10x power for +10dB before; I'd only ever seen 2x power for +3dB. I'm not a recording engineer or anything like it, so I'll take your word for it.

And, yeah, I know that 120dB is completely overkill, even for classical. The one reason I use that rule of thumb is so that the volume pot doesn't have to be wide open in order for the peaks to be as loud as you want-- more wiggle room with the knob... That, and what audiophile doesn't want _moar ppoowwaarr!_?


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 6, 2020)

megabigeye said:


> Interesting. I don't think it ever seen the 10x power for +10dB before; I'd only ever seen 2x power for +3dB. I'm not a recording engineer or anything like it, so I'll take your word for it.
> 
> And, yeah, I know that 120dB is completely overkill, even for classical. The one reason I use that rule of thumb is so that the volume pot doesn't have to be wide open in order for the peaks to be as loud as you want-- more wiggle room with the knob... That, and what audiophile doesn't want _moar ppoowwaarr!_?


_*10x*_ is the inverse of the _*LOG10 *_-function
A  key on you calculator, NOT 10-fold something!


More power than needed is a bad concept.
Transistors that deliver higher power are slower in general.
This leads to more distortion at low levels and at higher frequencies.

It's challenging to built an amp with good spec's for sensitive IEMs e.g.

Big amps made for stage, where they run at almost full power, do sound really bad in home application.


----------



## megabigeye (Oct 6, 2020)

KaiSc said:


> _*10x*_ is the inverse of the _*LOG10 *_-function
> A  key on you calculator, NOT 10-fold something!


Well, it's been a long time since I had to do logarithms, etc, but 10x indicates that you multiply 10 by itself x times. Right? 102 = 10x10, 103 = 10x10x10, etc.
And (T-S)/10 indicates that you want to find how many times 10dB is added between sensitivity and target loudness. So, 10x power every +10dB (e.g., 10db = 10mW, 20dB =100mW, 30dB = 1,000mW), unless I'm really misunderstanding something.
It's the same basic math as what I showed above, but with 10 and 10 instead of 2 and 3.


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 7, 2020)

megabigeye said:


> Well, it's been a long time since I had to do logarithms, etc, but 10x indicates that you multiply 10 by itself x times. Right? 102 = 10x10, 103 = 10x10x10, etc.
> And (T-S)/10 indicates that you want to find how many times 10dB is added between sensitivity and target loudness. So, 10x power every +10dB (e.g., 10db = 10mW, 20dB =100mW, 30dB = 1,000mW), unless I'm really misunderstanding something.
> It's the same basic math as what I showed above, but with 10 and 10 instead of 2 and 3.


Correct:
*+10dB* is 10-fold if you calculate with *Power*, because *P*ower is a squared measure: P=*U2*/R
*+20dB* is 10-fold if you calculate with *Voltage*, because Voltage *U* is a linear measure, a basic physical quantity.

That's how dB (dezi-Bell) is defined.

This way you get the same dB value if you turn a volume dial, no matter if you calculate with Power or Voltage.


----------



## megabigeye (Oct 6, 2020)

jsmiller58 said:


> Neo, some people prefer the blue pill, others the red one...


I should be embarrassed to admit that it took me 5+ hours to understand this reference. I was doing something else and all of a sudden, _oh, *that's* what he meant..._

EDIT: ...Or maybe I don't... Your post no longer quotes my post...


----------



## courierdriver

megabigeye said:


> I should be embarrassed to admit that it took me 5+ hours to understand this reference. I was doing something else and all of a sudden, _oh, *that's* what he meant..._


Lmao! Better late than never.


----------



## slex

New Firmware is out. 👍


----------



## lgcubana

Now the 20 custom EQs can be renamed


----------



## jsmiller58

lgcubana said:


> Now the 20 custom EQs can be renamed


Now we’re talkin’!


----------



## jasonb

So is there a firmware update or just an update for the app?


----------



## slex

jasonb said:


> So is there a firmware update or just an update for the app?


----------



## jasonb

slex said:


>


Ok, so both firmware and app updates.


----------



## edoin

oh wow, haven't bothered to update fw for a  while and now they have ambient sound mode? nice!


----------



## IEMusic

lgcubana said:


> Now the 20 custom EQs can be renamed


So simple, yet such a HUGE deal.


----------



## TK33

IEMusic said:


> So simple, yet such a HUGE deal.


And the custom EQ presets are now on top (can be switched back too it seems).  Much more user friendly.


----------



## Mouseman

Renaming the presets is a wonderful change. Thank you quidelex for continuing to improve the app. Makes you wish other companies would do the same. 

Does anyone see a toggle in the app for ambient? I see where you can assign the button press, but that was it.


----------



## wasihrwollt

Recabled beyerdynamic dt250 balanced for qudelix. Early reaction: love everything about it. Nice straight industrial design. Buttons work really nice. Solid bluetooth connection. Sound=perfect. Everything better than shanling up2. Pic for how i wear it around the neck


----------



## KaiSc (Oct 9, 2020)

LostInDaSauce said:


> Hello fellow Qudelix peeps. Currently loving my 5k with iems but I have a couple questions.
> 
> I plan on expanding my hifi game by grabbing a couple over ear cans.. but I want to be price conscious about it. Probably end up grabbing hd6xx and hifiman 400i. I believe the hd 6xx needs more amps to drive since it's higher impedence? Wondering if anyone knows if the Qudelix 5k should be able to drive both of these cans or should I go with something like jds labs amp? Would I be able to use the 5k as a standalone dac and hook it up to an external amp if I needed more power for like a hd800s?
> 
> ...


  Here you find what you are looking for, a very comprehensive table of headphones and their power requirements and capabilities:

https://diyaudioheaven.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/headphone-power-table-2.pdf


----------



## slex

wasihrwollt said:


> Recabled beyerdynamic dt250 balanced for qudelix. Early reaction: love everything about it. Nice straight industrial design. Buttons work really nice. Solid bluetooth connection. Sound=perfect. Everything better than shanling up2. Pic for how i wear it around the neck






My bluetooth headphones using a bluetooth adapter.😄👍


----------



## zolom

My FH7 (balanced), sounds more spacious,  after setting their related PEQ values. 
This was not the case with my Beyerdynamics T5p 2nd. The GitHub PEQ configuration page addresses the T5p, but it might be for the 1st edition. 
I'll be glad to recieve precise settings for the 2nd.  
Meanwhile I am playing with GEQ settings,  with some improvments for certain gerns.


----------



## maschoff

So I bought two of these bad bays as things this small tend to get misplaced. I use one for the go with my balanced IEMs and one for lounging at my computer with unbalanced cans.  They are excellent and work very well together. Once my phone is in range of the cans one, my phone picks it up and my the audio switches to that unit.  If I want it back, all I have to do is press the pause button on the IEM one and then audio switches once you press play. So pause then play will switch to the unit you are currently using.


----------



## IEMusic

maschoff said:


> So I bought two of these bad bays as things this small tend to get misplaced. I use one for the go with my balanced IEMs and one for lounging at my computer with unbalanced cans.  They are excellent and work very well together. Once my phone is in range of the cans one, my phone picks it up and my the audio switches to that unit.  If I want it back, all I have to do is press the pause button on the IEM one and then audio switches once you press play. So pause then play will switch to the unit you are currently using.


I’m enjoying it so much, I might just have to buy a second one as well, for a different device.

It’s easily one of the best purchases I’ve made in personal audio.


----------



## TK33

IEMusic said:


> I’m enjoying it so much, I might just have to buy a second one as well, for a different device.
> 
> It’s easily one of the best purchases I’ve made in personal audio.



I was thinking of getting a second one yesterday too.  I recently paired mine up to the Node 2i that I use on my desktop setup and it worked great.  Thinking of getting one to use exclusively with my Node 2i since the digital outputs from the Node 2i have been acting up after the last firmware update.


----------



## RH64

You guys are about to like it even more!  I just got a new firmware today and guess what?  You can rename EQ settings!

Way to go!


----------



## JehanCoetzee

Hi Team

Would I be able to use the Qudelix-5K Bluetooth transmitter when in USB DAC mode connected to PC.
I want to connect the 5K to my PC via USB as a DAC and then transmit the audio via Bluetooth to my Sony 1000xm2 headphones using the LDAC codec.

Is this possible with this device?


----------



## jsmiller58

JehanCoetzee said:


> Hi Team
> 
> Would I be able to use the Qudelix-5K Bluetooth transmitter when in USB DAC mode connected to PC.
> I want to connect the 5K to my PC via USB as a DAC and then transmit the audio via Bluetooth to my Sony 1000xm2 headphones using the LDAC codec.
> ...


5K is a receiver, not a transmitter.  So, no.


----------



## rkw

JehanCoetzee said:


> I want to connect the 5K to my PC via USB as a DAC and then transmit the audio via Bluetooth to my Sony 1000xm2 headphones using the LDAC codec.


See this thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/usb...tooth-w-ldac-transmitter.889575/post-15905504


----------



## KaiSc

JehanCoetzee said:


> Hi Team
> 
> Would I be able to use the Qudelix-5K Bluetooth transmitter when in USB DAC mode connected to PC.
> I want to connect the 5K to my PC via USB as a DAC and then transmit the audio via Bluetooth to my Sony 1000xm2 headphones using the LDAC codec.
> ...


No


----------



## RedJohn456

I went ahead and ordered my very own 5K thanks to high praise from @peter123 

I won't lie, I have heard of various BT receivers and amp/dac units in the past but I have always written them off as a gimmick and felt they didn't have the potential to be my daily listening gear. My trusty and precious FiiO E17K has finally reached end of life and so I am on the hunt for something else to use with my laptop and phone on a daily basis. Though I have much better gears, portability and convenience is high on my list of priorities these days and it is with those factors in mind that I look forward to adding the 5K to my arsenal! Thanks again for the heads up Peter


----------



## Katholm

RedJohn456 said:


> I went ahead and ordered my very own 5K thanks to high praise from @peter123
> 
> I won't lie, I have heard of various BT receivers and amp/dac units in the past but I have always written them off as a gimmick and felt they didn't have the potential to be my daily listening gear. My trusty and precious FiiO E17K has finally reached end of life and so I am on the hunt for something else to use with my laptop and phone on a daily basis. Though I have much better gears, portability and convenience is high on my list of priorities these days and it is with those factors in mind that I look forward to adding the 5K to my arsenal! Thanks again for the heads up Peter


Great decision.


----------



## slex

I wonder the new Sony smartphone Xperia 1ll will be a better match up for use in with 5K against my Notes. Look at the specs.



It even has a 3.5mm jack. ☺️


----------



## jasonb

slex said:


> I wonder the new Sony smartphone Xperia 1ll will be a better match up for use in with 5K against my Notes. Look at the specs.
> 
> It even has a 3.5mm jack. ☺



Any phone that supports LDAC and actually streams it at up to 990kbps should sound the same with the 5K. My $349 Pixel 4a should do just as well with the 5K as any phone. 

This is what's good about Bluetooth. Unless a phone is missing a codec altogether there should be no difference. Oneplus brand phones seem to somehow screw up Bluetooth AAC sound quality though, so I guess there are some exceptions.


----------



## jsmiller58

jasonb said:


> Any phone that supports LDAC and actually streams it at up to 990kbps should sound the same with the 5K. My $349 Pixel 4a should do just as well with the 5K as any phone.
> 
> This is what's good about Bluetooth. Unless a phone is missing a codec altogether there should be no difference. Oneplus brand phones seem to somehow screw up Bluetooth AAC sound quality though, so I guess there are some exceptions.


I read somewhere on Head-fi this weekend that there is some flexibility in Android implementation of AAC by the phone manufacturer.  Not so much with other codecs (especially those controlled by QCOM).  Or at least that is my understanding.


----------



## vs3x

jsmiller58 said:


> I read somewhere on Head-fi this weekend that there is some flexibility in Android implementation of AAC by the phone manufacturer.  Not so much with other codecs (especially those controlled by QCOM).  Or at least that is my understanding.








full source here (online translation required)


----------



## jasonb

jsmiller58 said:


> I read somewhere on Head-fi this weekend that there is some flexibility in Android implementation of AAC by the phone manufacturer.  Not so much with other codecs (especially those controlled by QCOM).  Or at least that is my understanding.



Exactly. Luckily AAC is good on Pixel phones. I've had two different OnePlus phones that I used with the 1st gen Samsung Galaxy Buds and they sounded really bad with both OnePlus phones. Bass response didn't sound very clean, and treble got really grainy and digital sounding. Those same 1st gen Galaxy Buds sounded just fine with a Pixel 3a. Right now I have the WF1000xm3 and the Galaxy Buds Live which both use AAC and both sound good with my current Pixel 4a. LDAC and aptx seem to sound the same on every device I've tried. I've used LDAC on like 6 different (transmitting) sources and it always sounds the same. 

Pixel phones always miss a few of the less common aptx codecs though like true wireless stereo plus, Low Latency, and adaptive.


----------



## jasonb

vs3x said:


> full source here (online translation required)



I'd like to see OnePlus phones get measured like this. I bet they fair as badly as the Huawei. I'd also love to see a Pixel phone measured like this because I feel like I'm not missing anything using AAC on Pixel phones.


----------



## maschoff

RedJohn456 said:


> I went ahead and ordered my very own 5K thanks to high praise from @peter123
> 
> I won't lie, I have heard of various BT receivers and amp/dac units in the past but I have always written them off as a gimmick and felt they didn't have the potential to be my daily listening gear. My trusty and precious FiiO E17K has finally reached end of life and so I am on the hunt for something else to use with my laptop and phone on a daily basis. Though I have much better gears, portability and convenience is high on my list of priorities these days and it is with those factors in mind that I look forward to adding the 5K to my arsenal! Thanks again for the heads up Peter


I use it instead of my UAD Apollo X4 which is restricted over 48 KHz. Lossless USB DAC and 990 kbps on the go makes this a great little device.


----------



## slex

When I use 2Ghz wifi it will always stuck at 330kbps( Ldac codex),5Ghz wifi will max out at 990kbps Ldac not constantly. Is that source's bitrate dependant?

Anyone have a better constant transmitting using WiFi 6 router and wifi 6 smartphones like Samsung?


----------



## jasonb

slex said:


> When I use 2Ghz wifi it will always stuck at 330kbps( Ldac codex),5Ghz wifi will max out at 990kbps Ldac not constantly. Is that source's bitrate dependant?
> 
> Anyone have a better constant transmitting using WiFi 6 router and wifi 6 smartphones like Samsung?



I connect my phone to the 5gh band on my router so I have no issues.


----------



## slex (Oct 12, 2020)

jasonb said:


> I connect my phone to the 5gh band on my router so I have no issues.


Yes definitely 5Ghz band will yield a better bitrate for 5K. Just wondering if using WiFi 6 router and capable wifi 6 smartphones will yield a better result.

Anyone using cellular 5G network, do you max out 990kbps constantly?


----------



## DBaldock9

When looking at current DAPs, I see that there are now some models other than from HiBy, that include the UAT BT codec (created by HiBy). It has a 192-KHz sample rate, and a 1.2-Mb transmission rate. I haven't seen any comparisons of transmission distance vs rate, for UAT, LDAC, & aptX. 
. 
I wonder whether the 5K might have the UAT codec added in a future Firmware update?


----------



## Ynot1

Aptx: Qualcomm: RF expertese
LDAC: Sony: Electronics expertese
UAT: Hiby: Headfi expertese
AAC: Apple: iPhone expertese

You decide. Most people say Aptx and AAC perform pretty close.


----------



## nangJuice

Hi friends! New user here!
Don't know if anyone has seen this already, but the 5k (on Amazon) is now 20% off!
Click the checkbox to see the coupon applied at checkout. I'm finally gonna pull the trigger, unless there's any predictions for a cheaper price in November.


----------



## jasonb

nangJuice said:


> Hi friends! New user here!
> Don't know if anyone has seen this already, but the 5k (on Amazon) is now 20% off!
> Click the checkbox to see the coupon applied at checkout. I'm finally gonna pull the trigger, unless there's any predictions for a cheaper price in November.



That's a nice price reduction.


----------



## IEMusic (Oct 13, 2020)

Got it, thanks for the heads up!

My mistake. The coupon went away after I ordered it.


----------



## povidlo

nangJuice said:


> Hi friends! New user here!
> Don't know if anyone has seen this already, but the 5k (on Amazon) is now 20% off!
> Click the checkbox to see the coupon applied at checkout. I'm finally gonna pull the trigger, unless there's any predictions for a cheaper price in November.


Ordered! Thank you!


----------



## povidlo

IEMusic said:


> It seems the coupon may already be gone, though Prime Day is about to start.


Just worked for me.

Coupon might not show if you have already bought one. If doesn't show for me anymore when I'm logged in but I did use the coupon.


----------



## rkw

IEMusic said:


> It seems the coupon may already be gone, though Prime Day is about to start.


You don't see this?


----------



## Nick24JJ

nangJuice said:


> Hi friends! New user here!
> Don't know if anyone has seen this already, but the 5k (on Amazon) is now 20% off!
> Click the checkbox to see the coupon applied at checkout. I'm finally gonna pull the trigger, unless there's any predictions for a cheaper price in November.



Thank you, I've just ordered it, as well!


----------



## slex

Bug Fix update but did not mention wat bug?


----------



## pfloyd

nangJuice said:


> Hi friends! New user here!
> Don't know if anyone has seen this already, but the 5k (on Amazon) is now 20% off!
> Click the checkbox to see the coupon applied at checkout. I'm finally gonna pull the trigger, unless there's any predictions for a cheaper price in November.


Too bad I ordered mine last week 🙁


----------



## IEMusic

pfloyd said:


> Too bad I ordered mine last week 🙁


I know how you feel.  I recently got mine too.  So, I just ordered a second one.


----------



## jasonb

IEMusic said:


> I know how you feel.  I recently got mine too.  So, I just ordered a second one.



Can you pair two of these to the same cell phone and switch between them?


----------



## rkw

jasonb said:


> Can you pair two of these to the same cell phone and switch between them?


You can certainly pair multiple bluetooth devices to the same phone but how they get switched is controlled from the phone side. What do you want to happen?


----------



## maschoff (Oct 13, 2020)

jasonb said:


> Can you pair two of these to the same cell phone and switch between them?


Yes, I have two and they work well together.  I use one with balanced iems and the other with cans. When I'm out and come back home, it reconnects with the can one.  All I have to do is hit pause then play and the iem one picks back up. LMK if you have any other specific questions.


----------



## jasonb

rkw said:


> You can certainly pair multiple bluetooth devices to the same phone but how they get switched is controlled from the phone side. What do you want to happen?



When I got my replacement 5K it seemed like it didn't want to connect until I "forgot" the first one.


----------



## nangJuice

IEMusic said:


> I know how you feel.  I recently got mine too.  So, I just ordered a second one.



Haha that's the spirit! @pfloyd I think we can count ourselves lucky that the "early adopter" tax in this hobby is nowhere near as high as in the other hobbies I'm into - electronics, computing, cinema, gaming, etc. I really must thank the members of this forum, and this thread in particular. I've been following the news and reviews on this product since around June this year and debating whether it was right for me.


----------



## bassct

Love that little thing. The app is awesome. EQ and balanced output is what i wanted. Using it as a usb dac with a phone or a small DAP works great.


----------



## James_LX

Anyone have issues with Zoom calls on MacOS? The balance is shifted to the left (right channel is lower than the left). When I'm finished with Zoom, I can see in the Sound settings that the Balance is shifted and I have to put it in the center again.


----------



## C4PPY

greyforest said:


> if lucky i will get' my hands on q5k within 10 hours from now, i will post a comparison between es100 q5k and oriolus 1795.


Hallo Sir, 
How did they stack up? 
Looking at the 1795 for the 4.4mm


----------



## jasonb

First full discharge on the replacement after its first full charge got me just over 12 hours. Not too bad.


----------



## doushi

Thank you for posting the amazon prime deal. Patience did pay off! Cant wait to get it tomorrow


----------



## greyforest

C4PPY said:


> Hallo Sir,
> How did they stack up?
> Looking at the 1795 for the 4.4mm



1795 sucks, sound quality is worse than es100 or q5k, smaller soundstage and lesser transparency. Mine got some bugs keeps breaking up connection and restart itself. Not to mention the crappy user interfaces. Don’t get 1795


----------



## Kalli

fonkepala said:


> So if my phone is connected to a 2.4GHz wifi network while using the 5K then LDAC could be stuck on 330 and not scale up to max?


Does that go for any WiFi/BT combo?


----------



## slex

Kalli said:


> Does that go for any WiFi/BT combo?


Yes. When it was at 330kbps constantly ,I thought something when wrong as I was always on 5Ghz bandwidth instead it was 2.4Ghz. Now I have ' forget' the 2.4ghz bandwidth  and got MAX kbps.


----------



## rlw6534 (Oct 15, 2020)

slex said:


> Yes. When it was at 330kbps constantly ,I thought something when wrong as I was always on 5Ghz bandwidth instead it was 2.4Ghz. Now I have ' forget' the 2.4ghz bandwidth  and got MAX kbps.




2.4 GHz wifi and bluetooth absolutely use the same frequency band but bluetooth is designed to coexist by something called frequency hopping.   Wifi has 14 overlapping 20MHz wide bands and bluetooth has 79 non overlapping 1MHz wide bands over the same 80-100MHz wide spectrum.   Wifi typically selects (or you can manually assign) a 20 or 40 MHz wide channel and it stays there.  Bluetooth changes channels constantly (1600 times per second) and effectively uses all remaining channels that are available.  If your location has lots of strong congestion on multiple 2.4MHz wifi channels, then bluetooth bandwidth can suffer.

I can run 2.4GHz wifi and still get 990kbps LDAC in my location.  I generally prefer 2.4GHz wifi for music streaming because I get stronger, longer distance wifi as opposed to the shorter range 5GHz signal.

TLDR...  It depends...  and YMMV...


----------



## Nick24JJ

Hey guys,

Sorry for the off-topic but I've ordered the 5K from Amazon US on October 13 and it still says: 
Preparing for Shipment
We will email you when we have an estimated delivery date.

The device was showing In Stock when I ordered it and it still does. I have paid for faster delivery and the Payment Grand Total: GBP 91.36 is pending on my card.

I have contacted Amazon.com (US) twice. On their last email they said: "It is in stock and we are preparing it"

I do not understand what kind of preparation is Amazon doing for almost 3 days now!

First time I encounter something like this!


----------



## IEMusic

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Sorry for the off-topic but I've ordered the 5K from Amazon US on October 13 and it still says:
> Preparing for Shipment
> ...


Possibly backed up b/c of Prime Day.


----------



## TK33

IEMusic said:


> Possibly backed up b/c of Prime Day.


Agree...I made sure to order my son's birthday presents last weekend to beat the Prime Day shipping issues (birthday is next week).


----------



## tmb821

So I have one of these showing up today to replace my dying es100. My question is this, I currently use a btr3 in conjunction with a nx1s to drive my t2’s, t3’s and zs10p’s. The t3 and zs10p have balanced cables. Will the 5k negate the need for the nx1s?I am hearing impaired, so I listen at levels higher than most people.
And, will the 5k drive the he-4xx by itself in se? I usually use the es100 with a nx3s for those.


----------



## Mouseman

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Sorry for the off-topic but I've ordered the 5K from Amazon US on October 13 and it still says:
> Preparing for Shipment
> ...


That's the dirty little secret of Amazon. The shipping starts _when they ship it_.  I've had things not ship for a week. Luckily they opened a new distribution site nearby and it's gotten better. But it's also because they get swamped on Prime Day.


----------



## zolom (Oct 15, 2020)

jasonb said:


> First full discharge on the replacement after its first full charge got me just over 12 hours. Not too bad.


How did you conduct the test?
1. Which earphones? 
2. Which codec?
3. Volume level? 

Thanks


----------



## jasonb

zolom said:


> How did you conduct the test?
> 1. Which earphones?
> 2. Which codec?
> 3. Volume level?
> ...



Headphone is an AKG K371, so pretty easy to drive for a full size headphone. 24bit, 990kbps LDAC is the codec. Volume was -35 on average listening to mostly progressive rock and metal. This is at the "performance" "1 volt" settings. This was over the course of 9 days, so I didn't use it all that much each day I guess.


----------



## hakunamakaka

I've read through most of the thread, but can someone update me if Qudelix-5k PEQ is available with iphone via AAC codec ? 

Is it possible to dissemble this tiny dac/amp in case I have a need for battery replacement ? Just lost my UP4 and looking for a replacement


----------



## jasonb

hakunamakaka said:


> I've read through most of the thread, but can someone update me if Qudelix-5k PEQ is available with iphone via AAC codec ?
> 
> Is it possible to dissemble this tiny dac/amp in case I have a need for battery replacement ? Just lost my UP4 and looking for a replacement



You can use the PEQ with any codec.


----------



## rkw

Kalli said:


> Does that go for any WiFi/BT combo?


Yes, because Bluetooth operates between 2.4 and 2.483.5 GHz wavelength, and there is radio interference with Wifi also at 2.4 GHz.


----------



## DBaldock9

You'll find that consumer electronics all use the same unlicensed radio bands - for things like walkie-talkies, remote controls, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. - since the manufacturers don't want to pay for using licensed band radio transceivers.


----------



## VICosPhi

I am getting this error on my Android phone:
"The Qudelix-5K  is getting connected to another smartphone. Disconnecting the current app connection."

Tried factory reset, tried uninstall/reinstall of the app, tried removing/repairing Qudelix with my phone but no luck.


----------



## Lokiiami (Oct 16, 2020)

VICosPhi said:


> I am getting this error on my Android phone:
> "The Qudelix-5K  is getting connected to another smartphone. Disconnecting the current app connection."
> 
> Tried factory reset, tried uninstall/reinstall of the app, tried removing/repairing Qudelix with my phone but no luck.


Have you tried repairing it to another phone? Hold both the upper red and blue for 5 secs. If you have + factory reset then maybe need to send back.


----------



## VICosPhi

Lokiiami said:


> Have you tried repairing it to another phone? Hold both the upper red and blue for 5 secs. If you have + factory reset then maybe need to send back.


Yeah tried re-pairing it to a different phone + factory reset but no luck...thanks


----------



## CactusPete23

VICosPhi said:


> Yeah tried re-pairing it to a different phone + factory reset but no luck...thanks


Wonder if some other device with bluetooth might be connecting before your phone?  Like a computer, or even a DAP with bluetooth ??? The 5K might just be calling it a phone? (NOT that this has happened to me, but just an idea...)


----------



## VICosPhi

CactusPete23 said:


> Wonder if some other device with bluetooth might be connecting before your phone?  Like a computer, or even a DAP with bluetooth ??? The 5K might just be calling it a phone? (NOT that this has happened to me, but just an idea...)



THANK YOU! That was it, great catch! 

I had paired my computer previously, and apparently factory reset and disable multi-point does not stop your computer from connecting to the device! I thought of it but I was sure disabling multi-point and factory reset would stop my computer from connecting to Qudelix, specially when I am listening to music from my phone...


----------



## fsi22

Does the 5k support aptx ll?


----------



## rkw

fsi22 said:


> Does the 5k support aptx ll?


No, it doesn't.
https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/bluetooth-audio-codecs ("_Please note that aptX Low Latency is not supported_" at bottom)


----------



## fsi22

rkw said:


> No, it doesn't.
> https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/bluetooth-audio-codecs ("_Please note that aptX Low Latency is not supported_" at bottom)


Thank you


----------



## monsieurfromag3

fsi22 said:


> Does the 5k support aptx ll?





rkw said:


> No, it doesn't.
> https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/5k-dac-amp/bluetooth-audio-codecs ("_Please note that aptX Low Latency is not supported_" at bottom)


*true, but it supports aptX Adaptive which suppresses latency too. Though your emitter needs to support it obviously.


----------



## slex

I bet and hope Quedelix is working on ES9068Q in future.

http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en...ds-first-codec-hardware-mqa-hi-res-rendering/


----------



## CactusPete23

slex said:


> I bet and hope Quedelix is working on ES9068Q in future.
> 
> http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en...ds-first-codec-hardware-mqa-hi-res-rendering/


Have not seen the actual power and performance specs for the ES9068Q.. But, I'm pretty sure that the ES9068Q will need a lot bigger battery; and so would make a much larger/heavier Bluetooth Receiver.


----------



## fsi22

monsieurfromag3 said:


> *true, but it supports aptX Adaptive which suppresses latency too. Though your emitter needs to support it obviously.



Transmitter I use with my tv, doesn't support aptx adaptive, and I haven't seen any that do.


----------



## IEMusic

I’m curious how most of you perceive the sound of the Qudelix?  Would you say it is generally neutral, warm, cool sounding?

The more I listen to it, the more I think it is a little warm sounding.


----------



## VICosPhi

I find the Qudelix sound neutral sounding


----------



## LostInDaSauce

Anyone else driving their hd6xx with qudelix 5k? All volume maxed is barely enough to drive to desired max volume and I feel like some more power would help drive them to their full potential. Would a 2.5mm balanced cable with max 4vrms help? The calculations dont seem to be helping me that much

Also would i  be able to use the qudelix 5k as a stand alone DAC plugged into something like a JDS Atom Amp? Based on volume Im getting from the hd6xx unbalanced 3.5, i dont believe its powerful enough to drive a planar.


----------



## tmb821

LostInDaSauce said:


> Anyone else driving their hd6xx with qudelix 5k? All volume maxed is barely enough to drive to desired max volume and I feel like some more power would help drive them to their full potential. Would a 2.5mm balanced cable with max 4vrms help? The calculations dont seem to be helping me that much
> 
> Also would i  be able to use the qudelix 5k as a stand alone DAC plugged into something like a JDS Atom Amp? Based on volume Im getting from the hd6xx unbalanced 3.5, i dont believe its powerful enough to drive a planar.



I tried mine with my 4xx. I had to max out the volume to get it to sorta listenable levels. I also used it in conjunction with my topping nx3s, that powers the 4xx wonderfully!


----------



## jsmiller58

LostInDaSauce said:


> Anyone else driving their hd6xx with qudelix 5k? All volume maxed is barely enough to drive to desired max volume and I feel like some more power would help drive them to their full potential. Would a 2.5mm balanced cable with max 4vrms help? The calculations dont seem to be helping me that much
> 
> Also would i  be able to use the qudelix 5k as a stand alone DAC plugged into something like a JDS Atom Amp? Based on volume Im getting from the hd6xx unbalanced 3.5, i dont believe its powerful enough to drive a planar.


How would you use the Qudelix as just a standalone DAC?  How would you connect it to an amp?  I suppose you could go 3.5mm out to an external aKP but that would probably create quite a bit of distortion, wouldn’t it?  Just wondering...


----------



## rkw

LostInDaSauce said:


> Would a 2.5mm balanced cable with max 4vrms help?


Yes, that allows it to play louder than 3.5mm. Whether it will be enough to satisfy you is another question. You'll just have to try it.


----------



## oncdoc

Is it possible to connect it to Nvidia shield pro? And then listen to the movie playing with the qudelix in ldac?


----------



## LostInDaSauce

tmb821 said:


> I tried mine with my 4xx. I had to max out the volume to get it to sorta listenable levels. I also used it in conjunction with my topping nx3s, that powers the 4xx wonderfully!



What does your audio chain look like?


----------



## doushi

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Sorry for the off-topic but I've ordered the 5K from Amazon US on October 13 and it still says:
> Preparing for Shipment
> ...


I hope you get yours. I got mine next day


----------



## tmb821

LostInDaSauce said:


> What does your audio chain look like?



iPhone to 5k, 5k 3.5 out to 3.5 in to nx3s. To 4xx. That what you mean?


----------



## Lokiiami

Amazing !


----------



## cttttt

Lokiiami said:


> Amazing !


I hope they have an option to keep the current behavior.  I'm digging being able to just answer a call on my phone while in USB DAC mode.


----------



## felix3650

cttttt said:


> I hope they have an option to keep the current behavior.  I'm digging being able to just answer a call on my phone while in USB DAC mode.


I think the connected bluetooth device will still get priority over the USB.


----------



## newworld666

felix3650 said:


> I think the connected bluetooth device will still get priority over the USB.


 
I don't know, but when I disconnect USB-C power on the Qudelix .. all BT connections are closed too ... I have to reconnect my phones ..


----------



## AlexCBSN

1) we really need a case for this thing, seriously

2) 


there's so much other companies have to learn about this one, they are bringing top game into a device that was perfectly executed, its incredible that they even listen to our tantrums (rename custom EQ settings, pairing modes, disable side buttons, PEQ) if bigger companies or even mid sized ones were this dedicated to their customers, they would stop cycling so many revisions of many products, YES Sony, a35. a45 and a55 are THE SAME GOD DAMN THING!


----------



## maschoff

jsmiller58 said:


> How would you use the Qudelix as just a standalone DAC?  How would you connect it to an amp?  I suppose you could go 3.5mm out to an external aKP but that would probably create quite a bit of distortion, wouldn’t it?  Just wondering...


Yes, I tried this into a Carver amp and the sound quality suffered tremendously.


----------



## IEMusic (Oct 22, 2020)

AlexCBSN said:


> if bigger companies or even mid sized ones were this dedicated to their customers, they would stop cycling so many revisions of many products


Unfortunately, therein lies the problem.   There is too much money to be made by coming out with “new” updated products that are minimally different.  The firmware update model is extremely popular with consumers, and builds loyalty, but not so much with profits.

There are certain digital camera companies that follow the firmware model, but the consumer loyalty pays off in the end, b/c the customers end up investing in an entire camera system, and purchase a lot of lenses.


----------



## felix3650

Hmm, this could be interesting for the 5K. Maybe in a future firmware update 

https://www.xda-developers.com/qual...aring-enhancement-tech-true-wireless-earbuds/


----------



## VICosPhi

It would be nice if Qudelix adds microphone mute feature by assigning one of the BLBU or RLRU buttons to it while on a call.


----------



## talponne

Lokiiami said:


> Amazing !



Man! This is amazing!
This is what I was looking for,

I use a BTR1K as an USB dac now on my PS4 but I can't use the mic,
The PS4 sees the device as a USB mic but doesn't seem to have access to it.

Is there an option to get the Qudelix in EU?

Thanks!


----------



## galgofa

May i ask here noob question, considering other thing does it matter quality of sound produced by bluetooth device (phone) via BT connection ? Is there critical to have one of those codecs supported by phone to get maximum in the matter of quality of sound for Quedelix ? Or literally phone sending the data only and all sound processing done by Quedelix dac ?


----------



## TK33

galgofa said:


> May i ask here noob question, considering other thing does it matter quality of sound produced by bluetooth device (phone) via BT connection ? Is there critical to have one of those codecs supported by phone to get maximum in the matter of quality of sound for Quedelix ? Or literally phone sending the data only and all sound processing done by Quedelix dac ?



The phone needs to support the codec.  For example, if you want to use LDAC on the Qudelix 5K, your phone (which is the transmitter in this case) also needs to support LDAC.


----------



## maschoff

Anyone else have issues during Webex calls? The unit gets a lot of static and I have to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in to reset it.  It's happened to both my units and happens daily.


----------



## doushi

Bought this, and it is excellent! Easy to swap connection to phone/laptop. So many features on the app. Range is also very far. Only wish that the button is placed better.


----------



## VICosPhi

maschoff said:


> Anyone else have issues during Webex calls? The unit gets a lot of static and I have to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in to reset it.  It's happened to both my units and happens daily.


Disabling Mic pass thru fixed it for me since it picks any cable rubbing sounds on your shirt/the unit itself


----------



## maschoff

VICosPhi said:


> Disabling Mic pass thru fixed it for me since it picks any cable rubbing sounds on your shirt/the unit itself


This worked, thank you 👍


----------



## cleg

My video about the 5K



For those who like options and tweaks, it's a unique choice


----------



## jsmiller58

cleg said:


> My video about the 5K
> 
> 
> 
> For those who like options and tweaks, it's a unique choice



Love your reviews.  Keep them coming!


----------



## zolom

New firmware 1.50, successfully installed


----------



## James_LX

There seems to be a channel imbalance whenever a call is made (I tried on Zoom calls and Google Duo).
The sound balance seems to be shifted to the left side, so you hear higher volume on the left channel!

Is anyone else experiencing this?


----------



## Snly84 (Nov 5, 2020)

IEMusic said:


> I’m curious how most of you perceive the sound of the Qudelix? Would you say it is generally neutral, warm, cool sounding?
> 
> The more I listen to it, the more I think it is a little warm sounding.


Yes, i think so too...a little bit warm, especially on Lows, which are a little weak and soft.

have qudelix for 3-4 days now...Before the qudelix i had fiio btr5.

what can i say. Btr5 sounds a little better overall (2.5 balance vs 2.5 balance), but has different sound signature: more Lean (maybe lack of body..) with a bit better clarity, resolution, stage is a little deeper and wider.. Lows dig deeper, His goes further with more air. 
But qudelix is smaller, has much more software options and better connection quality. Has normal body of the sound especially on Mids.
So if your are looking for best SQ - btr5 is for you (especially over usb), if the size and geek sofrware options matter - qudelix.

as for me, i like qudelix and its sound signature more, but the cons are:
1. weak bass (i mean quality..too soft)
2. hardware controls. Damn  it's too uncomfortable and complicated compared to fiio


----------



## Tysun (Nov 6, 2020)

KaiSc said:


> Here's a comparison between Sennheiser HD-800S, HD-6XX, HIFIMAN HE-4XX @ the same voltage level of 0.5V Pink Noise.
> 
> The difference is small, balanced Qudelix 5K can drive both Sennheisers to full 4V.
> The HE4XX to 3.6 V, 1dB lower, due to it's lower impedance of 43.5 Ohms (values corrected after measurement on real specimen) it needs more current, see here:
> ...



Can you describe what are you "missing" when pairing HD6XX / 800S / HE-4XX with Q5k compared to your desktop setup? I am particularly curious with HD6XX as I have a pair.

P/S: I have misplaced my BTR5 (=®¿￥‰⁈π€ü℃κ) and I just ordered Q5k to replace it.


----------



## Infoseeker (Nov 10, 2020)

Anyone try a Sony Ier-z1r on the Qudilex? Is it better on it or a Btr5?

Can it drive it?


----------



## mhoopes

audiosciencereview test is up. Link omitted for Head-Fi “bubble” moderation avoidance.


----------



## jasonb

mhoopes said:


> audiosciencereview test is up. Link omitted for Head-Fi “bubble” moderation avoidance.



Good results overall


----------



## bagofolives

Anyone have some examples of what they weren't quite able to drive with the 5K?


----------



## newworld666 (Nov 11, 2020)

bagofolives said:


> Anyone have some examples of what they weren't quite able to drive with the 5K?



Though it's loud enough, low frequencies impacts with the IER Z1R are not as deep, clear and powerful without a balanced amp like the Oriolus BA300s in between the Qudelix 5K and the IER Z1R.
With the closed Z7M2, i get same issue, the Qudelix alone can't reach at all a satisfying sound level on some DSD (amp is not powerful enough and missing providing some high peak voltage or just good capacitors ?).
But, with the Beyerdynamics Xelento in balance mode, there is no issue at all, I love to use these earbuds with the Qudelix using a short 2.5mm balanced cable (50cm), and, for sure, it's a nice feature the multipoint BT5.0 (I use with it with my smartphone and Office BT Phone for working with music and switching with phones automatically)


----------



## povidlo

newworld666 said:


> Though it's loud enough, low frequencies impacts with the IER Z1R are not as deep, clear and powerful without a balanced amp like the Oriolus BA300s in between the Qudelix 5K and the IER Z1R.
> With the closed Z7M2, i get same issue, the Qudelix alone can't reach at all a satisfying sound level on some DSD (amp is not powerful enough and missing providing some high peak voltage or just good capacitors ?).
> But, with the Beyerdynamics Xelento in balance mode, there is no issue at all, I love to use these earbuds with the Qudelix using a short 2.5mm balanced cable (50cm), and, for sure, it's a nice feature the multipoint BT5.0 (I use with it with my smartphone and Office BT Phone for working with music and switching with phones automatically)


What short cable are you using? Ddhifi maybe?


----------



## newworld666

povidlo said:


> What short cable are you using? Ddhifi maybe?



A short cable chinese made 8 Core OCC silver plated I bought on aliexpress, 
But I ordered a few weeks ago the DDHifi bc50b too (it arrived in my country, so probably within this week the cable should be in my home).


----------



## bagofolives

newworld666 said:


> Though it's loud enough, low frequencies impacts with the IER Z1R are not as deep, clear and powerful without a balanced amp like the Oriolus BA300s in between the Qudelix 5K and the IER Z1R.
> With the closed Z7M2, i get same issue, the Qudelix alone can't reach at all a satisfying sound level on some DSD (amp is not powerful enough and missing providing some high peak voltage or just good capacitors ?).
> But, with the Beyerdynamics Xelento in balance mode, there is no issue at all, I love to use these earbuds with the Qudelix using a short 2.5mm balanced cable (50cm), and, for sure, it's a nice feature the multipoint BT5.0 (I use with it with my smartphone and Office BT Phone for working with music and switching with phones automatically)


Makes sense, appreciate the input.


----------



## Tysun (Nov 11, 2020)

Got my Q5K yesterday.

I'm not very good in describing sound but I will try: I find Q5k retains that older ESS's (9018 and 9028) "sabre shrills". That was the reason why I sold Oppo HA2 (9018) for Fiio Q5 (AK4490) when it was released.

"Sabre shrills" affect female vocals and treble the most: it makes them sounds a little metallic and unnatural (in relative, compared to AK counterparts) but you may be getting more information out from the music hence some.may call this signature "analytical".

I sold my Fiio Q5 thinking to upgrade to Q5s (LDAC! THX AAA!) but Fiio Q5s' poor measurements on audiosciencereview made me reconsider and ended up buying Q5k. In comparison, I would describe Fiio Q5's sound as "musical".

Now I am thinking whether I have made a right decision.... Not sure how pEQ can save that, I will try to play around with it.

Hamster


----------



## Tysun (Nov 11, 2020)

I also owned BTR5 but I misplaced it hence I won't be able to make comparison between them. They use the same 9018 chip but I as far as I can remember, I did not have the term "sabre shrill" keep rotating in my head when I was playing with them. Fiio did a great job tuning that brilliant little thing.

IEM: Audiosense T800 8BA

Hamster


----------



## TK33 (Nov 11, 2020)

Tysun said:


> I also owned BTR5 but I misplaced it hence I won't be able to make comparison between them. They use the same 9018 chip but I as far as I can remember, I did not have the term "sabre shrill" keep rotating in my head when I was playing with them. Fiio did a great job tuning that brilliant little thing.
> 
> IEM: Audiosense T800 8BA
> 
> Hamster



I would suggest giving the PEQ a shot.  I am not familiar with your IEMs but some of the reviews on Amazon (just looked it up out of curiosity) have words like "sibilance" and "shrill" in them so the EQ may help.  The PEQ makes my Shure SE535s sound fantastic.  

Also, you mention Q5s but, in my mind, the Q5s is a different type of product and in a different price range so not really a fair comparison vs the Q5K in my opinion (you may think differently and that is ok).  Whenever i get the itch, I always seem to look at the Q5s because it seems like a great package but I do want to point out that the output impedance of the Q5s might not be ideal for your IEMs as it is listed at <2 ohms (min. 16ohn headphone impedance recommended per the specs).  This is what has kept me from buying it since my main IEMs are SE846s (super low impedance like yours).


----------



## Tysun

TK33 said:


> I would suggest giving the PEQ a shot.  I am not familiar with your IEMs but some of the reviews on Amazon (just looked it up out of curiosity) have words like "sibilance" and "shrill" in them so the EQ may help.  The PEQ makes my Shure SE535s sound fantastic.
> 
> Also, you mention Q5s but, in my mind, the Q5s is a different type of product and in a different price range so not really a fair comparison vs the Q5K in my opinion (you may think differently and that is ok).  Whenever i get the itch, I always seem to look at the Q5s because it seems like a great package but I do want to point out that the output impedance of the Q5s might not be ideal for your IEMs as it is listed at <2 ohms (min. 16ohn headphone impedance recommended per the specs).  This is what has kept me from buying it since my main IEMs are SE846s (super low impedance like yours).



Thanks TK33. Q5s THX module is <1.5Ω but still yes, it is less than ideal. I will keep playing with pEQ.


----------



## newworld666

newworld666 said:


> A short cable chinese made 8 Core OCC silver plated I bought on aliexpress,
> But I ordered a few weeks ago the DDHifi bc50b too (it arrived in my country, so probably within this week the cable should be in my home).



I answer to myself .. As expected, I just received the DDHifi BC50B (Balanced 2.5mm MMCX).. and its an impressive short thin cable and connectors (more compact than my former short balanced cable) !!! Though it could be more flexible, it's comfortable and sound still as good.




I have maybe found my endgame walk around / "sleeping" combo.. Qudelix 5K + DDhifi BC50B + Beyerdynamic Xelento + Sony Silicon Z1R L tips .. can be used with my smartphone (ZFold25G) or my DAP (NW-WM1A).


----------



## roddin

the qudelix 5k is pretty awesome. small form factor. even my cables weigh more than this. lol


----------



## monsieurfromag3

roddin said:


> the qudelix 5k is pretty awesome. small form factor. even my cables weigh more than this. lol


This! I was wondering where to clip it for the gym, but found out when working out sitting or standing I could just wear it as a pendant. Just the pressure of the T-shirt on it is enough to make it feel weightless.


----------



## Q Mass

I don't suppose anyone's tried plugging the 5K-usb-c into a Google Stadia controller?
I've tried it bluetooth, but the latency is horrendous, and I don't have a Stadia controller yet to try out wired.
Anyone out there got one?


----------



## TheRealDz

The DD short cable is one of the few mass produced options for short cables.  I like it waaaay better than the Fiio short cables.  I especially appreciate its thinness. 

However, I have had some custom cables built that sound a lot better for about the same price.  And after about a year of ownership, my DD cable has tarnished almost to the point of being gold 😳



newworld666 said:


> I answer to myself .. As expected, I just received the DDHifi BC50B (Balanced 2.5mm MMCX).. and its an impressive short thin cable and connectors (more compact than my former short balanced cable) !!! Though it could be more flexible, it's comfortable and sound still as good.
> 
> I have maybe found my endgame walk around / "sleeping" combo.. Qudelix 5K + DDhifi BC50B + Beyerdynamic Xelento + Sony Silicon Z1R L tips .. can be used with my smartphone (ZFold25G) or my DAP (NW-WM1A).


----------



## newworld666

TheRealDz said:


> The DD short cable is one of the few mass produced options for short cables.  I like it waaaay better than the Fiio short cables.  I especially appreciate its thinness.
> 
> However, I have had some custom cables built that sound a lot better for about the same price.  And after about a year of ownership, my DD cable has tarnished almost to the point of being gold 😳



Actually, I feel that though the cable is really thin, it's quite not flexible enough compared to my other short cable (which is 3 or 4 times thicker) to be totally comfortable. 
But concerning the sound, after a few dozen hours using them this week, I feel it's good enough to my ears with the Xelento. Then, maybe the plastic protection around the cable is a rather cheap/bad quality and is becoming old fairly quick ?


----------



## peter123

TheRealDz said:


> The DD short cable is one of the few mass produced options for short cables.  I like it waaaay better than the Fiio short cables.  I especially appreciate its thinness.
> 
> However, I have had some custom cables built that sound a lot better for about the same price.  And after about a year of ownership, my DD cable has tarnished almost to the point of being gold 😳


Ouch, now I regret buying one


----------



## IEMusic

Is anyone using their 5K with an iPad?  Has anyone had any problems with the software on the iPad?  It keeps giving me problems, and now doesn’t even sync with my device.


----------



## TheRealDz

Noooooo - it is actually a good deal, if you need to snag something quickly (vs waiting for a custom built cable or tracking down a cable from a small shop). 

To say that it was outclassed by other cables is not meant to be a dig.  Almost every cable could be outclassed by something that better fits your preferences.  

I actually appreciate every single design decision they made, other than picking a permeable insulator... 

I feel it is worth keeping for ~$40, regardless of the other cables I own. 




peter123 said:


> Ouch, now I regret buying one


----------



## SBranson

Got my 5K the other day and just from a functional point of view alone this is worth it.  The raised tab on the pause/play is so easy to use.  With my ES100 I was forever fumbling trying to get under the 2.5mm plug (right angle Campfire Audio cable) to get at the pause button.
I do have a small complaint about the volume seeming to start very low which I’m sure is a safety thing but kind of annoying sometimes.  The ES100 had a better memory that way.  Maybe this is adjustable in the app but I’ve barely scratched the surface in exploring it.
Sound wise I haven’t done a direct a/b comparison but I feel like the soundstage depth is greater and perhaps the resolution is cleaner in vocals.  I’ll get used to this then try the ES100 again and compare.
I’ve been using an iPhone for a source so the difference might be tougher to discern than with a better codec.

Even if it sounded the same it is so much better to use that I am very pleased.


----------



## Infoseeker

SBranson said:


> Got my 5K the other day and just from a functional point of view alone this is worth it.  The raised tab on the pause/play is so easy to use.  With my ES100 I was forever fumbling trying to get under the 2.5mm plug (right angle Campfire Audio cable) to get at the pause button.
> I do have a small complaint about the volume seeming to start very low which I’m sure is a safety thing but kind of annoying sometimes.  The ES100 had a better memory that way.  Maybe this is adjustable in the app but I’ve barely scratched the surface in exploring it.
> Sound wise I haven’t done a direct a/b comparison but I feel like the soundstage depth is greater and perhaps the resolution is cleaner in vocals.  I’ll get used to this then try the ES100 again and compare.
> I’ve been using an iPhone for a source so the difference might be tougher to discern than with a better codec.
> ...



From the Qudilex app, there are two volume bars. The phone and the device. You probably need to raise the other volume bar to max from the app.


----------



## SBranson (Nov 21, 2020)

Infoseeker said:


> From the Qudilex app, there are two volume bars. The phone and the device. You probably need to raise the other volume bar to max from the app.




I have the phone bar raised.  Thats not the issue.  It seems that when I switch from music to the podcast app, the volume goes very low.  Then when I go back to the music the same thing.  I also have Bluetooth earmuffs at work for when my ears get sore from iems and when I switch back to the 5k the volume is super low again.  It’s as if it resets to a very low volume every time.  I saw there was a “volume protection” slider which I assume might be responsible for all this but I just found that today and changing it said a reboot was necessary so I didn’t experiment with that yet. Plus there’s a warning not to...


----------



## jamington2004 (Nov 21, 2020)

Hi - I’m picking up a pair of RAAL SR1a later, with a Jottenheim R Amp.

I want to use a Qudelix 5k DAC as the source into the amp - can someone please tell me which output and which setting to use?

I read headphone outputs need to match the voltage?? of line inputs?

And with the Qudelix I can use balanced 2.5mm output with a balanced cable I have, or use an adaptor for the 3.5mm output

I can only use the balanced inputs on the Amp as I don’t have a cable ending in phono plugs at the mo

Thanks for anyone who can spoon feed me the best option   

kind regards
Jamie


----------



## rkw

jamington2004 said:


> Thanks for anyone who can spoon feed me the best option


Perhaps a Bifrost 2 . Seriously, RAAL SR1a with Jotunheim R deserves a proper desktop DAC.


----------



## jamington2004 (Nov 21, 2020)

Qudelix 5k sounds pretty immmense with my KSE1200. Plus built in PEQ 

So I’m starting on the basis that it will sound great with the RAAL - even I don’t squeeze every last drop out of them.

Any input on the question at hand? I reworded it on re-reading to make it clearer 


EDIT -
Google beat you to it. The chord mojo manual says their adjustable output option to use with a line level input changes it to 3v. So I guess 3v is what I need


----------



## SBranson

Just tried my 5k at work with my FiiO FH3, Sony ZX507 with LDAC...  what amazing sound quality.  Much better than the iPhone.


----------



## slex

SBranson said:


> Just tried my 5k at work with my FiiO FH3, Sony ZX507 with LDAC...  what amazing sound quality.  Much better than the iPhone.


Did you like the output of sound in 5K better then your output from SONY ZX507?


----------



## SBranson

I'll have to get back to you on that.  With the FH3 I have a 2.5mm cable so I haven't really bothered to try a 4.4mm cable with them to go direct from the ZX507.
This is my work set up and I've destroyed cables getting them caught on things while walking around which is why I've gotten into Bluetooth.
I did try my Anandas with 3.5 from the 5K with the ZX507 and I actually preferred the sound over direct from the Sony but that could be as simple as a power issue.

I waited a couple months before finally buying the 5K because my ES100 still works fine but I am very glad I finally did make the switch.


----------



## jamington2004

Wrong thread


----------



## IEMusic

IEMusic said:


> Is anyone using their 5K with an iPad?  Has anyone had any problems with the software on the iPad?  It keeps giving me problems, and now doesn’t even sync with my device.


Anyone?

I purchased one to use with my iPad, and one for my phone.


----------



## newworld666

IEMusic said:


> Anyone?
> 
> I purchased one to use with my iPad, and one for my phone.


 
I don't use my Ipad Pro 12.9" and my Iphone XsMax anymore, but I don't remember any issue with both of them.. I only used Qudelix in BTmode with them.
What is exactly your issue, I can maybe try as those are still somewhere on a shelf ?.


----------



## IEMusic

newworld666 said:


> I don't use my Ipad Pro 12.9" and my Iphone XsMax anymore, but I don't remember any issue with both of them.. I only used Qudelix in BTmode with them.
> What is exactly your issue, I can maybe try as those are still somewhere on a shelf ?.


The app just keeps glitching and getting worse.  Now, I can still easily pair the iPad to the 5K, and play music, but the app doesn’t recognize it.  It just keep searching.


----------



## newworld666

IEMusic said:


> The app just keeps glitching and getting worse.  Now, I can still easily pair the iPad to the 5K, and play music, but the app doesn’t recognize it.  It just keep searching.


I will try to have a look this evening with my Ipad and update to the last IOS version, but for sure a few months ago I didn't have such issue with it.


----------



## newworld666 (Nov 25, 2020)

Ok, I just tried Qudelix 5K with my Ipad pro 12.9 and everything is working fine with apple limitations like AAC 16bits 44.1khz  instead LDAC 24 bits 96 Khz.
The Qudelix app itself is just limited to portrait mode and need to zoom (as it's a smartphone design). but no issue opening it and using all functions like PEQ or power management.
Qobuz is working fine too ... all buttons too to play music and manage the sound level.

So maybe you just need to delete the app and the BT connection and restart to connect the Qudelix than upload the app again ?

I didn't try the iphone xsmax, but it should be working too.


----------



## IEMusic

newworld666 said:


> Ok, I just tried Qudelix 5K with my Ipad pro 12.9 and everything is working fine with apple limitations like AAC 16bits 44.1khz  instead LDAC 24 bits 96 Khz.
> The Qudelix app itself is just limited to portrait mode and need to zoom (as it's a smartphone design). but no issue opening it and using all functions like PEQ or power management.
> Qobuz is working fine too ... all buttons too to play music and manage the sound level.
> 
> ...


Thanks for checking!


----------



## tmb821

Can I pair two 5k’s to the same phone? Not at the same time. I’d like to have one mounted to my xd05 pro and one to use with my iems without having to move it and fiddle with the volume control each time I switch. Will the settings in the app apply to both units?


----------



## newworld666

tmb821 said:


> Can I pair two 5k’s to the same phone? Not at the same time. I’d like to have one mounted to my xd05 pro and one to use with my iems without having to move it and fiddle with the volume control each time I switch. Will the settings in the app apply to both units?



I use it as a multipoint BT with a smartphone and a DECT BT office phone and luckily the volume is dependant of each phone ..one part of the volume is dependant of the 5k itself (right part of this screenshot) and the other part of the volume depends on BT level of each item (left part of the screenshot).



 
As a multipoint BT device the Qudelix 5K is very convenient !!


----------



## IEMusic

newworld666 said:


> I use it as a multipoint BT with a smartphone and a DECT BT office phone and luckily the volume is dependant of each phone ..one part of the volume is dependant of the 5k itself (right part of this screenshot) and the other part of the volume depends on BT level of each item (left part of the screenshot).
> 
> As a multipoint BT device the Qudelix 5K is very convenient !!


Thanks for the advice!  I uninstalled the app, updated the iOS, than reinstalled the app, and now it works.


----------



## bobbooo (Nov 27, 2020)

From the Qudelix forum, apparently there's a bug, in which PEQ filter gain values over +/- 12.8 dB won't work correctly. Could any 5K owners confirm this by trying for example -14 dB for one of the filters and see if it sticks after saving the whole PEQ profile?


----------



## purplesun

Amazon's 20% coupon discount is back for the Qudelix.
I just ordered.


----------



## TK33

purplesun said:


> Amazon's 20% coupon discount is back for the Qudelix.
> I just ordered.


Thanks for the heads up.  I was looking for this the other day since I didn't pull the trigger during Prime Day.  Just picked up a second one so I don't have to mess around with EQ and volume when I switch between headphones/IEMs.


----------



## TK33

tmb821 said:


> Can I pair two 5k’s to the same phone? Not at the same time. I’d like to have one mounted to my xd05 pro and one to use with my iems without having to move it and fiddle with the volume control each time I switch. Will the settings in the app apply to both units?


I think the settings are stored on the units themselves and not on the app. 
Not 100% sure but guess I will find out since I ordered a second one for the same reason.


----------



## IEMusic

TK33 said:


> I think the settings are stored on the units themselves and not on the app.
> Not 100% sure but guess I will find out since I ordered a second one for the same reason.


I’m pretty sure settings are stored in the units also.


----------



## DBaldock9

purplesun said:


> Amazon's 20% coupon discount is back for the Qudelix.
> I just ordered.



It appears that the Coupon says, "Save 20% on 2".
So, does that mean they're offering 10% on 1, or can the coupon only be used when buying 2 of the $110 Qudelix 5K units?


----------



## purplesun (Nov 27, 2020)

DBaldock9 said:


> It appears that the Coupon says, "Save 20% on 2".
> So, does that mean they're offering 10% on 1, or can the coupon only be used when buying 2 of the $110 Qudelix 5K units?


I ordered 1 unit retailing at $109.99 with $22 discount. So that's 20% off for just 1 unit.


----------



## TK33

DBaldock9 said:


> It appears that the Coupon says, "Save 20% on 2".
> So, does that mean they're offering 10% on 1, or can the coupon only be used when buying 2 of the $110 Qudelix 5K units?


I think it means you can use the coupon up to 2 times.  You can order one and get 20% off. Like @purplesun I only ordered one today and got $22 off of the $110.  I just went back to the 5K product page on Amazon after seeing your post and Amazon still shows the coupon for me even though I used it once already today. When I try to order a second one using the same coupon, I still get the $22 discount on the checkout page on the second 5K.


----------



## tmb821

bobbooo said:


> From the Qudelix forum, apparently there's a bug, in which PEQ filter gain values over +/- 12.8 dB won't work correctly. Could any 5K owners confirm this by trying for example -14 dB for one of the filters and see if it sticks after saving the whole PEQ profile?


 It is a bug. If you try to put it over -12.8 it goes to positive. Tried many times.


----------



## Lurk650 (Dec 2, 2020)

Just got mine. Starting updating FW, froze at 3:30 left, hit cancel and now it just continually says connecting in the app and won't update...

EDIT: Uninstall app then clear from device BT list then try again, I was doing one or the other and that won't work for w/e reason


----------



## bassct

Havent had issues with mine when updating. It is a small device with very little processing power, some hiccups can occur when streaming music, connecting to 2 devices and using the app. Try force closing the app, turning off BT turning off Q5k, then start it back up, connect, update the app.


----------



## Lurk650 (Dec 2, 2020)

Sorry, the edit was my fix to it. In case others have the issue. You have unpair from the phone then uninstall app. Repair to phone then install app, then the FW update will work again.

On that note, the ES100 has served me well the past couple years but the Q5K definitely is an upgrade in SQ. 990 automatically is great.


----------



## Dolphran (Dec 3, 2020)

Can someone comment on what the microphone of the 5k is like making phone calls? Is the built-in mic usable (vs. a headset mic on the 4-pin connector)? Does it offer any noise canceling? Is it resistant to wind noise? How does the 5K compare to the BTR5 in this regard? I'm about to buy one or the other, and how I sound to others on the phone could be the deciding factor. The owners manual for the 5k mentions that it has a MEMS microphone, then never mentions it again.


----------



## bobbooo

tmb821 said:


> It is a bug. If you try to put it over -12.8 it goes to positive. Tried many times.



Firmware 1.5.1 has just been released which increases the max PEQ gain to +/-50(!) dB - could you try this to see if it's fixed that bug?


----------



## tmb821

bobbooo said:


> Firmware 1.5.1 has just been released which increases the max PEQ gain to +/-50(!) dB - could you try this to see if it's fixed that bug?


Just tried it and I can confirm it definitely works now.


----------



## doctorstrobe

I have a question for iPhone users:
Has anyone else noticed that AAC does not sound right on the 5k?

I have been doing a lot of critical listening with the 5k and I am positive that AAC sounds lifeless and flat compared to SBC. There’s a noticeable lack of detail.

I've been using DT990 and various IEMs, and also compared it to my ES100 mk2 which sounds much better.

I asked Qudelix CS but they really didn’t have an answer. Tried a full reset of all settings, re-paired.

once you hear it you can’t un-hear it...


----------



## Labbed

Weird question, but has anyone ever tried plugging hd800 into these?


----------



## tmb821

doctorstrobe said:


> I have a question for iPhone users:
> Has anyone else noticed that AAC does not sound right on the 5k?
> 
> I have been doing a lot of critical listening with the 5k and I am positive that AAC sounds lifeless and flat compared to SBC. There’s a noticeable lack of detail.
> ...



And here I feel the exact opposite. The es100 sounds flat and dull to me compared to the 5k. iPhone 12, he4xx, Kz as10, and amazon hd. Turned the eq off on both to compare.


----------



## tmb821

To qudelix. Can you please make the 5k output with the type c port. I want to use the peq, and the Bluetooth capabilities, but I want to use the dac in my xDuoo xd05 plus...😬


----------



## jasonb

tmb821 said:


> And here I feel the exact opposite. The es100 sounds flat and dull to me compared to the 5k. iPhone 12, he4xx, Kz as10, and amazon hd. Turned the eq off on both to compare.



Im on an android, but I felt that LDAC on the ES100 felt kind of dull compared to aptxHD on the ES100. The 5K sounds better to me with LDAC than the ES100.


----------



## Lurk650

I assume others have stated this already but the on/off sounds are not good. Sound like cheap Windows sound effects. The ES100 music effects are much better


----------



## TK33

Lurk650 said:


> I assume others have stated this already but the on/off sounds are not good. Sound like cheap Windows sound effects. The ES100 music effects are much better


I am the exact opposite...I hate the music when my ES100 turns on and off and find it annoying and way too long.  I prefer the 5K's "cheap Windows sound effects."  The more muted spund effects when you turn on/off are one of the things I liked about the 5K.  To be honest, I wish I could turn it off on both the ES100 and 5K.  Just goes to show we all have different preferences and how difficult, if not impossible, it is to make everyone happy.


----------



## Sluggist

Is there a case for this ?


----------



## mhoopes

TK33 said:


> I am the exact opposite...I hate the music when my ES100 turns on and off and find it annoying and way too long.  I prefer the 5K's "cheap Windows sound effects."  The more muted spund effects when you turn on/off are one of the things I liked about the 5K.  To be honest, I wish I could turn it off on both the ES100 and 5K.  Just goes to show we all have different preferences and how difficult, if not impossible, it is to make everyone happy.


Longer, more complex, or higher-fidelity sounds consume valuable flash memory on the device. I’d rather spend the flash budget on other functions.


----------



## RuFrost

1) any owners of 5k wish to sale it?) want to have one)

2) anybody listened it with earbuds? I.e. Monk, yuin pk1,2,3, Bs1 oficial, DQSM Turandot etc...?

3) what are opponnents of 5k among daps? How does it sound from 2.5?


----------



## tmb821

RuFrost said:


> 1) any owners of 5k wish to sale it?) want to have one)
> 
> 2) anybody listened it with earbuds? I.e. Monk, yuin pk1,2,3, Bs1 oficial, DQSM Turandot etc...?
> 
> 3) what are opponnents of 5k among daps? How does it sound from 2.5?


I love my 5k, so I’m not selling, sorry. I can’t hear a difference in sq from 3.5 vs 2.5, only more available power. I use zs10 pro’s, as10’s, tin t2, t3.


----------



## CommanderCute

Hey,

I'm listening music with my FiiO FH3 and ISN H40 60% of the time over my MacBook into the 3,5mm headphone jack, 20% over my Denon X1600H AVR (just movies) into the 6,3mm headphone jack and 20% over my iPhone (with lightning to 3,5mm adapter).

The source is (MacBook and iPhone) Apple Music, so I think 256 Kbit/s AAC.

So do I get better sound with a headphone amp like the Qudelix 5K (my favorite after comparison) in this combination?
Is ist better to use it over bluetooth with the MacBook and the iPhone or connect it over USB-C respectively Lightning?
Do I profit when I connect to my Denon or is the AVR "enough"?


Thanks a lot for your help.


----------



## Dogway (Dec 22, 2020)

What do you recommend me to pair the Qudelix with, DT 770 Pro 32 or 80 Ohm?
With the 32 Ohm, there's an issue though, I used the Qudelix power chart and it clips a lot over 1.60 Volts, does that mean I can only use performance (1V RMS) mode in the app? I guess since the 770 Pro is unbalanced I gain nothing using the 2.5 mm port right? (I kind want to avoid having to deal with the 3m cable 80 Ohm version)


----------



## dw1narso

Dogway said:


> What do you recommend me to pair the Qudelix with, DT 770 Pro 32 or 80 Ohm?
> With the 32 Ohm, there's an issue though, I used the Qudelix power chart and it clips a lot over 1.60 Volts, does that mean I can only use performance (1V RMS) mode in the app? I guess since the 770 Pro is unbalanced I gain nothing using the 2.5 mm port right? (I kind want to avoid having to deal with the 3m cable 80 Ohm version)



Did you look at what SPL it is saturated? That is over 114dB... and that is pretty loud!
Most of music sound quite loud already at 85dB-90dB at ear level... 
If you listen at that level for a long term... it would be dangerous for hearing...

Just google for SPL, sound pressure, etc.


----------



## dw1narso (Dec 22, 2020)

CommanderCute said:


> Hey,
> 
> I'm listening music with my FiiO FH3 and ISN H40 60% of the time over my MacBook into the 3,5mm headphone jack, 20% over my Denon X1600H AVR (just movies) into the 6,3mm headphone jack and 20% over my iPhone (with lightning to 3,5mm adapter).
> 
> ...



I have Fiio FH1... and the improvement of the sound coming from Qudelix 5K with just AAC actually is quite improvement over my LGV20 (even on hi-fi and high-impedance mode), the phone that is famous for its sound.

However, I also have to say that somehow... when I try other Codecs (be it SBC and aptX) the sound is actually better than AAC. Obviously with aptX-HD and LDAC, there's further improvement (such as more relaxed but detailed)

Not sure if this is the issue with LG AAC implementation or Qudelix AAC implementation is not optimum...
I read somewhere a guy also mention that he noticed that AAC also sounded 'lesser' compared to other codecs with his Qudelix..

EDIT: I noticed that some people use Qudelix with iPhone... so maybe the AAC issue is with LG implementation.


----------



## max1236

Dogway said:


> What do you recommend me to pair the Qudelix with, DT 770 Pro 32 or 80 Ohm?
> With the 32 Ohm, there's an issue though, I used the Qudelix power chart and it clips a lot over 1.60 Volts, does that mean I can only use performance (1V RMS) mode in the app? I guess since the 770 Pro is unbalanced I gain nothing using the 2.5 mm port right? (I kind want to avoid having to deal with the 3m cable 80 Ohm version)


The red isn't clipping I think it just means dangerous volume. Unbalanced will be plenty. It will probably run the 80ohm fine as well but not the very high ohm. You won't need the cable unless you're a big balanced believer or you want to use one of the high impedance versions which would benefit from the more power via balanced.


----------



## CommanderCute

dw1narso said:


> I have Fiio FH1... and the improvement of the sound coming from Qudelix 5K with just AAC actually is quite improvement over my LGV20 (even on hi-fi and high-impedance mode), the phone that is famous for its sound.
> 
> However, I also have to say that somehow... when I try other Codecs (be it SBC and aptX) the sound is actually better than AAC. Obviously with aptX-HD and LDAC, there's further improvement (such as more relaxed but detailed)
> 
> ...


Thanks for your answer.

Using Apple products and Apple Music I'm quite tied to AAC most of the time I listen to music.

Would be awesome if there is somebody who is using the Qudelix 5K with an apple device or has the experience with other amps.


----------



## Dogway

It's saturated at 80mW when unbalanced and 240mw balanced.
114dB might seem much but the problem though is that when you start equalizing, as I equalize to Harman 2018 with AutoEQ, you'll need to lower gain to compensate. For DT 770 Pro 32 Ohm that's -8.6dB for Parametric EQ.

That makes it 106.1dB which might not be much depending the case.

As reference I currently use an old Sony MDR-D333 (24 Ohm, 102 db) and sometimes I max out the volume on unbalanced and that's still not enough. I had to raise preamp on the app at expense of distortion.


----------



## Lurk650

Dogway said:


> It's saturated at 80mW when unbalanced and 240mw balanced.
> 114dB might seem much but the problem though is that when you start equalizing, as I equalize to Harman 2018 with AutoEQ, you'll need to lower gain to compensate. For DT 770 Pro 32 Ohm that's -8.6dB for Parametric EQ.
> 
> That makes it 106.1dB which might not be much depending the case.
> ...


Looking at the 770 Pro picture, its a single fixed ear cup cable design, so going balanced won't be possible unless you do the labor intensive mod. You can't just add a 2.5 adapter to a single ended cable, you will gain nothing and can damage the 5K


----------



## Dogway

Lurk650 said:


> Looking at the 770 Pro picture, its a single fixed ear cup cable design, so going balanced won't be possible unless you do the labor intensive mod. You can't just add a 2.5 adapter to a single ended cable, you will gain nothing and can damage the 5K


Yes, that was my intention in case audio volume wasn't enough. But I'm seeing cable prices higher than the headphone so I think I will pass. Probably getting the 80 Ohm and chopping the cable will be the most likely mod (unbalanced).


----------



## tmb821

CommanderCute said:


> Thanks for your answer.
> 
> Using Apple products and Apple Music I'm quite tied to AAC most of the time I listen to music.
> 
> Would be awesome if there is somebody who is using the Qudelix 5K with an apple device or has the experience with other amps.


I use the 5k strictly with iPhone 12. I notice better sound with aac than sbc. To be honest I can’t tell the difference between aac and ldac (Samsung tablet).


----------



## TheRealDz

Some quick thoughts:

1) I love my er100, but the Q5 sounds a bit better - it has higher resolution, but without any etch

2) As much as the es100 button setup annoyed me (not enough tactile difference between the buttons), I HATE the Q5 setup.  My kingdom for a dedicated ff/rw rocker button.  Did I mention that I hate its button configuration??? 

3) USB C is soooo much more convenient than micro B

4)  The Q5 is really slow to pair.  I toggle between multiple phones daily, and the Q5 is so slow, I never know if it has crashed.  The es100 is much faster (ie, not annoying) under the same circumstances

5) The latest update fixed a big pet peave;  with the es100, you could change the volume incrementally with key presses, but long pressing the volume key accomplished this much faster. Now the Q5 has the same functionality - which is much appreciated.

6) I set up and sold a pair of Magnepan speakers in a socially distant manner, from my garage.  I used a Parasound pre, Emotiva amp, and the Q5 and was shocked at the sound quality.  The Q5 sounded fantastic, with spectacular Soundstaging  and imaging when I expected a lot less.

All and all a no brainer at its price.


----------



## dw1narso

Dogway said:


> It's saturated at 80mW when unbalanced and 240mw balanced.
> 114dB might seem much but the problem though is that when you start equalizing, as I equalize to Harman 2018 with AutoEQ, you'll need to lower gain to compensate. For DT 770 Pro 32 Ohm that's -8.6dB for Parametric EQ.
> 
> That makes it 106.1dB which might not be much depending the case.
> ...



yes... you are right... I notice that using equalizer the gain is compensated... (which is the correct way of processing... not to increase the gain but lower the 'unwanted' frequency)


----------



## abitdeef (Dec 23, 2020)

I just got one, very nice and I'm impressed by the power and sound stage on balanced. Does the red led go off after charge is full? And do you guys turn yours off of just disconnect from the source.

And do you have to pair it eveytime? Or just turn it on. I read the manual but I'm really not clear on those things. Great PEQ also. So far I prefer the sound to the btr5, it sounds "bigger' more open to me. Good stuff, it's amazing what's available for 100 dollars nowadays.


----------



## TK33

abitdeef said:


> I just got one, very nice and I'm impressed by the power and sound stage on balanced. Does the red led go off after charge is full? And do you guys turn yours off of just disconnect from the source.
> 
> And do you have to pair it eveytime? Or just turn it on. I read the manual but I'm really not clear on those things. Great PEQ also. So far I prefer the sound to the btr5, it sounds "bigger' more open to me. Good stuff, it's amazing what's available for 100 dollars nowadays.



I just turn mine off when I am done using it and it reconnects automatically to my V60 when I turn it back on.


----------



## abitdeef

TK33 said:


> I just turn mine off when I am done using it and it reconnects automatically to my V60 when I turn it back on.



Thanks, yes I see you can shut it off in the app and it reconnected instantly to my phone once I turned it on. In fact everything is smooth and the app seems damn good. Also the digital filters actually make an audible difference, I mean readily apparent there's a difference  

The build is quite nice too and the buttons actually work good for me. This thing Is better than I expected.


----------



## courierdriver

abitdeef said:


> Thanks, yes I see you can shut it off in the app and it reconnected instantly to my phone once I turned it on. In fact everything is smooth and the app seems damn good. Also the digital filters actually make an audible difference, I mean readily apparent there's a difference
> 
> The build is quite nice too and the buttons actually work good for me. This thing Is better than I expected.


I gotta say: before I buy anymore iems in 2021, I'm gonna spring for this first. I've got 2 ES100's (one not even unboxed) and a Fiio Q1MK2 dac/amp. The ES100 gets the most ear time. Need to get myself this Qudelix k5 as another good source.


----------



## abitdeef (Dec 25, 2020)

I really like it, it's the best implementation of this particular dual dac set ups I've heard and the range on this thing is crazy. These people obviously know what they're doing.


----------



## charlescc2 (Dec 25, 2020)

Just got this this thing and only listened to a couple songs on low volume with the default aptX codec with CCA C12 but I can already tell this is going to be better than my ES100.

So a couple issues I'm hoping someone can help with:

1) Whenever the 5K reboots (after for instance deselecting a codec option) my phone doesn't automatically reconnect.  5K goes into pairing mode and I have to go into phone settings and reconnect there (Galaxy S10+).  I was hoping it would automatically reconnect or work via the app (Device -> Connection -> Connect) but that just hangs and goes nowhere.  This is honestly a very minor gripe that will not be something I have to do often, so no huge deal either way.

2) Whoops, just figured this one out moments after posting but I'll just leave my message up to let everyone know how silly I am for not going into the option menu under Bluetooth -> Paired devices first (where you see LDAC disabled by default and have to enable it).  The following was the original problem I posted:



> I can't force switch to LDAC in Android developer options!  It starts on aptX and when I change to anything else it will show it changed but not truly be changed; if I leave settings and return it will show on aptX again.  So I disabled aptX from the Qudelix app and now it defaults to AAC and cannot be changed from this.  I then disabled AAC and it goes to SBC and cannot be changed.  SBC cannot be disabled meaning I literally cannot use LDAC pending me figuring out whatever it is I'm missing.



Any help is appreciated, and happy holidays!


----------



## Marco Angel

charlescc2 said:


> Just got this this thing and only listened to a couple songs on low volume with the default aptX codec with CCA C12 but I can already tell this is going to be better than my ES100.
> 
> So a couple issues I'm hoping someone can help with:
> 
> ...


No need for developer options, just go to your BT settings while your ES100 or K5 is connected, and choose the little "mesh" for more options, and there you can activate the LDAC codec


----------



## charlescc2

Marco Angel said:


> No need for developer options, just go to your BT settings while your ES100 or K5 is connected, and choose the little "mesh" for more options, and there you can activate the LDAC codec


Yup, thanks for the response, though that's exactly what I was saying I found right after I posted that I couldn't get LDAC working (via edit).

I'll edit the post again to make it more clear, but thanks again for the response.


----------



## abitdeef

With my older ears and my middling range cans and iems this sounds as good as 99% daps I've tried and some were over 1000 dollars. And that's even going wireless. 
The only dap in recent memory (they all sound good to me btw) that stood out was the Cayin N3 pro in tube mode. Everything else is quite similar, just with different colouring or lack of and power output differences. Nothing sounded bad or even close to bad. So I don't personally subscribe to A sounds automatically better than B because it's more expensive or in a higher tier. 

Things have gotten so good even a 100 dollar piece of gear can sound amazing. 

I listened to my third gen ipod nano yesterday- one of the better sounding ones. And it still sounds pretty good, but.... Oh my the hiss is quite noticible and the range and dynamics aren't as good as newer stuff- probable because of the lower power out.

Also brought out the clip plus, still sounds good but once again I noticed how small and boxed in the sound stage is compared to say the 5k on balanced. Which is very expansive. So sound tech has definitely improved over the last 20 years quite a bit. 

Sorry for the rambling but I was simple trying to say- before I got off tangent that I think dongles and especially BT receivers will become more popular for audio enthusiasts as codes and tech improve. Because using your phone as a control device is a better experience than most (all?) daps. 
And very cost effective since most have a smartphone. 

Anyways, Happy Christmas 🎄 everyone.


----------



## Lokiiami

abitdeef said:


> With my older ears and my middling range cans and iems this sounds as good as 99% daps I've tried and some were over 1000 dollars. And that's even going wireless.
> The only dap in recent memory (they all sound good to me btw) that stood out was the Cayin N3 pro in tube mode. Everything else is quite similar, just with different colouring or lack of and power output differences. Nothing sounded bad or even close to bad. So I don't personally subscribe to A sounds automatically better than B because it's more expensive or in a higher tier.
> 
> Things have gotten so good even a 100 dollar piece of gear can sound amazing.
> ...


Gotten the 5k few months back and this is the only dac I've so far mostly use the phone to and PC to play. I'm very curious between this and the cayin N3pro. In your opinion will there a big step up in audio experience or quality?.thanks


----------



## abitdeef

Lokiiami said:


> Gotten the 5k few months back and this is the only dac I've so far mostly use the phone to and PC to play. I'm very curious between this and the cayin N3pro. In your opinion will there a big step up in audio experience or quality?.thanks



In tube mode it's different for sure, SS wise I actually prefer the 5k. But the tube modes give you rich warmth and a lot of depth to the music, it's hard to describe but it's intoxicating. Especially the linear mode which is a hybrid mode. Good stuff. 

You do lose some technical prowess of straight SS such as speed and dynamics, but if you just want to enjoy the music it's awesome. I only got rid of mine because my album art would hang, that's probably been remedied by now. 

Out of all the mid range daps I tried, that one actually brought something unique to the table. I miss mine 😢 

Think rich organic sound with a holographic sound stage. That's linear mode.


----------



## Lokiiami

abitdeef said:


> In tube mode it's different for sure, SS wise I actually prefer the 5k. But the tube modes give you rich warmth and a lot of depth to the music, it's hard to describe but it's intoxicating. Especially the linear mode which is a hybrid mode. Good stuff.
> 
> You do lose some technical prowess of straight SS such as speed and dynamics, but if you just want to enjoy the music it's awesome. I only got rid of mine because my album art would hang, that's probably been remedied by now.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much and sorry for asking this.. whats "SS" ?😅


----------



## abitdeef (Dec 25, 2020)

Lokiiami said:


> Thanks so much and sorry for asking this.. whats "SS" ?😅



Lol oh sorry, I mean the Solid State outputs. The normal 3.5 and balanced on the n3 pro. The non tube outputs.


----------



## dinoking

Does the 5k not support AptX-LL? Was planning on buying it to use as a receiver to pair with Fiio BTA30 when watching movies on my PC. Only BTR5 is suitable for the job right? Also, is there any noticeable lag when using the 5k while watching videos/movies?


----------



## IEMusic

abitdeef said:


> With my older ears and my middling range cans and iems this sounds as good as 99% daps I've tried and some were over 1000 dollars. And that's even going wireless.
> The only dap in recent memory (they all sound good to me btw) that stood out was the Cayin N3 pro in tube mode. Everything else is quite similar, just with different colouring or lack of and power output differences. Nothing sounded bad or even close to bad. So I don't personally subscribe to A sounds automatically better than B because it's more expensive or in a higher tier.


I personally haven‘t entered the world of DAPs (well, not in the past several years), and have only used BT or dongle devices, as I’m just way too lazy to set up and transfer music to a DAP.  The N3 pro is very intriguing to me though, and is the only one that caught any of my attention.


----------



## abitdeef

IEMusic said:


> I personally haven‘t entered the world of DAPs (well, not in the past several years), and have only used BT or dongle devices, as I’m just way too lazy to set up and transfer music to a DAP.  The N3 pro is very intriguing to me though, and is the only one that caught any of my attention.



Well with the speed of a phone UI and the nice price of dongles it doesn't make sense really. And I guess you could always get a little bear tube amp for a hundred bucks if you wanted a taste of tubes.

But that doesn't have a hybrid mode AFAIK. If I could take the UI and PEQ of a lotoo and slap it on the n3 pro and then shrink it to say AK sr15 size that would be my perfect dap


----------



## bassct

dinoking said:


> Does the 5k not support AptX-LL? Was planning on buying it to use as a receiver to pair with Fiio BTA30 when watching movies on my PC. Only BTR5 is suitable for the job right? Also, is there any noticeable lag when using the 5k while watching videos/movies?


I used it with video on PC. Connected over SBC, no perception of lag. Cannot compare to anything with AptX LL. 5k has Aptx and Aptx HD only, i think.


----------



## akatsuki

dinoking said:


> Does the 5k not support AptX-LL? Was planning on buying it to use as a receiver to pair with Fiio BTA30 when watching movies on my PC. Only BTR5 is suitable for the job right? Also, is there any noticeable lag when using the 5k while watching videos/movies?



No AptX-LL, so you are stuck with the BTR5 if you want/need that. Which is annoying.

I wish E1DA would enter the BT market.


----------



## charlescc2

Anybody messed around with standard vs performance mode using IEMs?  Wondering if there's any significant benefit for others and how much battery trade-off there is.  Been using performance and feel like I'm getting far worse battery from my little bit of usage so far compared to what others seem to be getting.


----------



## abitdeef

charlescc2 said:


> Anybody messed around with standard vs performance mode using IEMs?  Wondering if there's any significant benefit for others and how much battery trade-off there is.  Been using performance and feel like I'm getting far worse battery from my little bit of usage so far compared to what others seem to be getting.



You using hi gain? And sometimes it takes a couple of battery cycles to get more accurate readings from the indicator. I'm using performance and low gain with 660 ldac and battery seems pretty good. 

Better than btr5.


----------



## charlescc2

abitdeef said:


> You using hi gain? And sometimes it takes a couple of battery cycles to get more accurate readings from the indicator. I'm using performance and low gain with 660 ldac and battery seems pretty good.
> 
> Better than btr5.


Yeah using performance and normal.  I manually set to 990 kbps LDAC in dev options but it doesn't seem to make much difference from best effort (looking at bitrate in the app it fluctuates between 420ish and 990, typically floating around 660).

Yeah I'll give it a few cycles before making any assumptions I guess.  I've just seen several people talk about going from 100% to 90% in an hour and it feels like I got there in maybe half that time.  But yeah you're right, probably too early to make any conclusions about my device's battery life.


----------



## abitdeef (Dec 25, 2020)

charlescc2 said:


> Yeah using performance and normal.  I manually set to 990 kbps LDAC in dev options but it doesn't seem to make much difference from best effort (looking at bitrate in the app it fluctuates between 420ish and 990, typically floating around 660).
> 
> Yeah I'll give it a few cycles before making any assumptions I guess.  I've just seen several people talk about going from 100% to 90% in an hour and it feels like I got there in maybe half that time.  But yeah you're right, probably too early to make any conclusions about my device's battery life.



Well using balanced on performance and high gain is supposed to be about 6 hours battery life, which seems to be about on the mark. Mine fell to 94% very quickly today after charging. But then it leveled off and the drain slowed way down. So I'm assuming it's still calibrating usage.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Lokiiami said:


> Gotten the 5k few months back and this is the only dac I've so far mostly use the phone to and PC to play. I'm very curious between this and the cayin N3pro. In your opinion will there a big step up in audio experience or quality?.thanks





abitdeef said:


> In tube mode it's different for sure, SS wise I actually prefer the 5k. But the tube modes give you rich warmth and a lot of depth to the music, it's hard to describe but it's intoxicating. Especially the linear mode which is a hybrid mode. Good stuff.
> 
> You do lose some technical prowess of straight SS such as speed and dynamics, but if you just want to enjoy the music it's awesome. I only got rid of mine because my album art would hang, that's probably been remedied by now.
> 
> ...


I’m with @abitdeef on how the N3Pro sounds.

@Lokiiami I am using the N3Pro like a 5K - but with tubes! Mostly as an LDAC receiver, and also as a USB DAC; I know you saw my posting on the N3Pro thread earlier today about the issue it has with uninterrupted charging, unlike the 5K which lets you turn charging off. Getting the N3Pro I hoped for a sidegrade with a very different signature, and maybe even an upgrade - after all the Cayin is 4x more expensive in spite of its antiquated screen and software. Well I got both. I find playback on the N3Pro richer, fuller, more involving and emotional, more organic.

The 5K is still wonderful, and so clean! It’s a damn clinic. Software-wise it’s also much better than the N3Pro, more controllable and reliable. And BT is cleaner, everything feels more stable.


abitdeef said:


> If I could take the UI and PEQ of a lotoo and slap it on the n3 pro and then shrink it to say AK sr15 size that would be my perfect dap


As to size, while I hate thick DAPs at least the N3Pro has a good justification for it: those tubes do take up some space! It’s satisfying physically and still really small.


dinoking said:


> Does the 5k not support AptX-LL? Was planning on buying it to use as a receiver to pair with Fiio BTA30 when watching movies on my PC. Only BTR5 is suitable for the job right? Also, is there any noticeable lag when using the 5k while watching videos/movies?


The 5K ditched aptX-LL, which is a trade-off where low-quality, 160kbps streams allow reduced lag, and replaced it with aptX Adaptive, which ensures lag-free transmission with better quality. The problem is that almost no emitters support Adaptive for now.


----------



## abitdeef

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I’m with @abitdeef on how the N3Pro sounds.
> 
> @Lokiiami I am using the N3Pro like a 5K - but with tubes! Mostly as an LDAC receiver, and also as a USB DAC; I know you saw my posting on the N3Pro thread earlier today about the issue it has with uninterrupted charging, unlike the 5K which lets you turn charging off. Getting the N3Pro I hoped for a sidegrade with a very different signature, and maybe even an upgrade - after all the Cayin is 4x more expensive in spite of its antiquated screen and software. Well I got both. I find playback on the N3Pro richer, fuller, more involving and emotional, more organic.
> 
> ...



Good point on the tubes, probably be a struggle to fit them into AK sr15 or hiby R5 size  

Yeah and I'm really impressed with the quality of the 5k. I've tried 4 things that have the same dual dac setup - btr5, hidiz ap80 pro, hiby r3 pro saber and another one that escapes me atm lol.

But the 5k has the biggest stage to my ears and is a little more neutral than the more v shaped btr5. The hiby is second and is really good too, and the ap80 pro and the other one didn't impress me much. They were still good but had a more compressed sound stage which I don't like. And with that eq suite it's very nice. 

I might have to see if my peeves about the n3 pro were addressed.


----------



## charlescc2

Why does the 5K resume music playback when disconnecting a headphone?  I intentionally pause music when taking one out and when I plug another one in music is already playing.  So watching Spotify sure enough, if playback is paused and I disconnect the headphone (balanced) the playback is resumed.  If I disconnect when music is playing it will quickly pause playback and resume it again.  Really strange behavior.


----------



## zolom

The upper volume key (volume rocker)  seems to be stuck.  When I press it briefly, it stayed pressed,  thus increasing the volume.
Any idea?


----------



## dw1narso

So I did something that I think not many people will do.. 😅. I used 5K to drive Hifiman HE5LE.. See how I was sceptic.. I didn't bother to use proper 2.5mm balance plug to the XLR (all 4 poles).. And instead just bought the cheapest ready made 2.5mm 4 poles short cable (bought 20 cents USD or so) and just used eletrical terminal strip to connect to the XLR cable (already have one).

And surprisingly, the balanced output could drive well my planar phone.. I did not even use high-gain. Just normal, 2VRMS balanced output. With LDAC 660Kbps and foobar from my LGV20 android.. 

Planned just to test it, I instead spent 3 hours of throwing all my music genre library.. Rocks/Metal (Boston, Mr. Big, Metallica, A7X, Bon Jovi, GNR, Radiohead), classical (Vivaldi, Purcell, Mendelshon, Carl Orf, Astor Piazolla, Renee Fleming, Lorraine Hunt), Jazz (Brad Mehldau, James Carter, Bob James, Sarah Vaughn, Holly Cole), Vocals (Adele, Jennifer Warnes, Livingstone Taylor), electronics (Daft Punk, Yello, Alphavile).. All played with dignity.. 

And oh.. Battery drained very fast.. 😉 50% in 3 hours.. But considering the load and codec choice, it wss very respectable indeed...


----------



## CommanderCute

I got the Qudelix 5K and paired it with my MacBook via Bluetooth and every few minutes I notice some stutter a few seconds.

Does anybody have the same issue or know what I could do about it?

Thanks.


----------



## behemothkat

CommanderCute said:


> I got the Qudelix 5K and paired it with my MacBook via Bluetooth and every few minutes I notice some stutter a few seconds.
> 
> Does anybody have the same issue or know what I could do about it?
> 
> Thanks.


I have Q5k used with my MBP (still on Catalina) - nothing like your described. Codec used to connect is APTX.

Did you try to use different codecs?


----------



## rkw

charlescc2 said:


> Why does the 5K resume music playback when disconnecting a headphone?  I intentionally pause music when taking one out and when I plug another one in music is already playing.  So watching Spotify sure enough, if playback is paused and I disconnect the headphone (balanced) the playback is resumed.  If I disconnect when music is playing it will quickly pause playback and resume it again.  Really strange behavior.


I suggest that you ask on the forum at the Qudelix website. The company seems very responsive.
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum


----------



## abitdeef

Or just disconnect the headphones without pausing them


----------



## charlescc2

abitdeef said:


> Or just disconnect the headphones without pausing them


Eh, I mentioned at the end of my post that if I do this it pauses the music then resumes again.  Not a huge deal ultimately as I'm not switching often and if I do I'd drop the volume like crazy first, especially if going from cans to IEMs.  But yeah I'll probably post about it on their forum sometime.


----------



## abitdeef (Dec 30, 2020)

charlescc2 said:


> Eh, I mentioned at the end of my post that if I do this it pauses the music then resumes again.  Not a huge deal ultimately as I'm not switching often and if I do I'd drop the volume like crazy first, especially if going from cans to IEMs.  But yeah I'll probably post about it on their forum sometime.




Ok mine only resumes if I pause the source first. If I just pull the headphones out while playing my phone pauses and doesn't resume. I guess I didn't care enough to read to the end lol. Or assumed you were pausing the song first, as you first described the problem.

Reading that back I came off a bit condescending, I didn't mean too, and it can be irritating. I would contact quedelix, they're might even be an option to change the behavior. I rip my iems jack out so fast it doesn't do it on mine- but it's just a bad habit of mine


----------



## zolom

Just wanted to praise Qudelix Customers Service.
Few days ago my unit's volume rocker broke. I did contact Support with the issue. Now a replacement unit is on its way.

Thanks Qudelix for a prompt service


----------



## courierdriver

zolom said:


> Just wanted to praise Qudelix Customers Service.
> Few days ago my unit's volume rocker broke. I did contact Support with the issue. Now a replacement unit is on its way.
> 
> Thanks Qudelix for a prompt service


Nice to hear that they providing good customer service. They have been on my radar for quite sometime now. I think that before I buy anymore iems, I'm gonna buy this first.


----------



## doushi

not sure if this is the right place to ask. 
I got qudelix 5k connected to iem (not headphone), playing spotify from phone. 
Saw people say upgrading source is more important than cable, etc. For iem, what is the next source upgrade? or is qudelix is the best portable source period?


----------



## dw1narso

doushi said:


> not sure if this is the right place to ask.
> I got qudelix 5k connected to iem (not headphone), playing spotify from phone.
> Saw people say upgrading source is more important than cable, etc. For iem, what is the next source upgrade? or is qudelix is the best portable source period?



I think the better question would be "what would be my next IEM?" 😉

Seriously.. I never thought Qudelix 5K is this good..


----------



## doushi

dw1narso said:


> I think the better question would be "what would be my next IEM?" 😉
> 
> Seriously.. I never thought Qudelix 5K is this good..


there are a lot of iem threads. follow the price ladder . but for source, I am quite lost


----------



## dw1narso

doushi said:


> there are a lot of iem threads. follow the price ladder . but for source, I am quite lost



Ha, ha.. When I checked your profile.. I got it.. You already have mid and high tier IEM.. You've quite lucky could afford them all.. I am cheap 😉.. I'm happy with some old stufs, with the latests only, Fiio FH1, Sony MH755 and Blon BL03  (Not that I could not buy better IEMs, but different life priority nowadays..)


----------



## svmusa (Dec 30, 2020)

Looking for feedback on using Q5 as a source to headphone amp both balanced and unbalanced connections, as I gather some of you have probably done this already in your setup.

My guess I need to be connecting the 2.5mm or the 3.5mm headphone out to the headphone amp input and Is there a fixed line out option in the app by chance? and if not how is the volume adjustments work between the Q5 and the headphone amp to sort of mimic a fixed lineout scenario typical to a standalone DAC as a source with no volume control.

The PEQ is my attraction as it allows me to tune my sound signature via headphone amp.


----------



## abitdeef

doushi said:


> not sure if this is the right place to ask.
> I got qudelix 5k connected to iem (not headphone), playing spotify from phone.
> Saw people say upgrading source is more important than cable, etc. For iem, what is the next source upgrade? or is qudelix is the best portable source period?



For IEMs this is a great clean source, it competes with many daps in many price ranges. You can get more power out of some daps but with most iems you don't need it and the balanced out is pretty dam powerful.


----------



## doushi

dw1narso said:


> Ha, ha.. When I checked your profile.. I got it.. You already have mid and high tier IEM.. You've quite lucky could afford them all.. I am cheap 😉.. I'm happy with some old stufs, with the latests only, Fiio FH1, Sony MH755 and Blon BL03  (Not that I could not buy better IEMs, but different life priority nowadays..)



you can prioritize better than me! and I am buying used and selling almost all but 3. 



abitdeef said:


> For IEMs this is a great clean source, it competes with many daps in many price ranges. You can get more power out of some daps but with most iems you don't need it and the balanced out is pretty dam powerful.



thanks! i feel like qudelix is good enough for all my iem, but want to confirm


----------



## IEMusic

Just FYI,
Voting/nominating is now open for the Head-Fi Members' Poll for In Ear Monitors 2020!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...r-monitors-2020-please-read-the-rules.950854/
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...20-please-read-the-rules.950854/post-16073195


----------



## Podster

Love my 5K, more than ES100 and BTR3K This combo balanced is sublime


----------



## slex (Dec 31, 2020)

doushi said:


> not sure if this is the right place to ask.
> I got qudelix 5k connected to iem (not headphone), playing spotify from phone.
> Saw people say upgrading source is more important than cable, etc. For iem, what is the next source upgrade? or is qudelix is the best portable source period?


Spotify provide more selection of music choice and picks then others alike. Upgrading hardware source from quedelix is likely a DAP taken portability into consideration. 😊


----------



## dw1narso

doushi said:


> you can prioritize better than me! and I am buying used and selling almost all but 3.



Mind to share what are those 3 IEM?

After I got the good result from using HE5LE in 5K balance port. I'm itchi to get balance cable to try my Blon 03 in balance.. I'm curious whether there is 'sound' differences in SE vs balance..


----------



## Podster (Dec 31, 2020)

doushi said:


> you can prioritize better than me! and I am buying used and selling almost all but 3.
> 
> 
> 
> thanks! i feel like qudelix is good enough for all my iem, but want to confirm



Well you saw my post with Senn 6XX and the K5 drives my AKG553's, Grado SR80's and Easily my SuperLux 668B's so I can assure you the K5 can handle any iem you throw at it  As much as I like the glass and build of my BTR3K the K5 takes it hands down and a nice improvement over my old ES100's.


----------



## doushi

dw1narso said:


> Mind to share what are those 3 IEM?
> 
> After I got the good result from using HE5LE in 5K balance port. I'm itchi to get balance cable to try my Blon 03 in balance.. I'm curious whether there is 'sound' differences in SE vs balance..



Right now keeping U12, Tia trio, and Lz A7. Well I have bqeyz kb1 sitting in office for conference call etc, but I dont count that  
The 3 lineup will change, just the idea is to keep not too many iem. 

Let me know if you can hear difference between SE and balanced!



Podster said:


> Well you saw my post with Senn 6XX and the K5 drives my AKG553's, Grado SR80's and Easily my SuperLux 668B's so I can assure you the K5 can handle any iem you throw at it  As much as I like the glass and build of my BTR3K the K5 takes it hands down and a nice improvement over my old ES100's.



Nice! I tried HD 650 and it worked fine too. Was just wondering since I saw dap or amp for thousands $$, and for me this little guy works just fine. I thought it (improvement to higher source) was something that my ear not trained to distinguish.


----------



## fytize

I have an AKG N5005 connecting to the 5k and it sounds amazing!


----------



## Podster

fytize said:


> I have an AKG N5005 connecting to the 5k and it sounds amazing!



Don't doubt it for a minute as I know the younger sibling sounds excellent with the K5 as well  Plus I was compelled to reply to a fellow Austin-nite


----------



## fytize

Podster said:


> Don't doubt it for a minute as I know the younger sibling sounds excellent with the K5 as well  Plus I was compelled to reply to a fellow Austin-nite


Nice set up you have there.  I'm also using the final e-series tips.  When the seal is good, the low bass from the N5005 is amazing!  Austin is great but not in the winter with the cedar fever;- (


----------



## fytize

It would be awesome if the next iteration of the 5k support LC3 codec!


----------



## Podster

fytize said:


> Nice set up you have there.  I'm also using the final e-series tips.  When the seal is good, the low bass from the N5005 is amazing!  Austin is great but not in the winter with the cedar fever;- (



I hear ya, fortunately I've never had allergies as a matter a fact back when I was still living there I was a lineman for SWB and used to put phones in for houses out in the Hill Country and would toss my string lines thru the trees to hang new service lines and during allergy season I'd come home after being dusted all day long and look like a yellow man! I feel for ya as both my younger sons suffer from allergies (I put this one on mom)  LOL


----------



## fytize (Jan 5, 2021)

deleted


----------



## fytize

fytize said:


> It would be awesome if the next iteration of the 5k support LC3 codec!


Lucky you! But because of the pandemic, I've been inside so it's not so bad this year. But definitely visit Austin after the pandemic if you haven't in a while. The BBQ could be to die for lol.


----------



## Podster

fytize said:


> Lucky you!  But because of the pandemic, I've been inside so it's not so bad this year.  But definitely visit Austin after the pandemic if you haven't in a while.  The BBQ could be to die for lol.



Yeah, I've been moved away since 1993 and places like Franklin and so many other food places in general have popped up but the old stand-bys like Magnolia and Kirby lane will be there forever  
I come back several times a year as my oldest son and Grandson still live there


----------



## manito (Jan 6, 2021)

someone explained here how to load irs files directly into the 5k with a hidden option but i can't find the post anymore. Can you tell me how to do it please guys?


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Jan 8, 2021)

Hmm can't seem to add the Qudelix 5k to my cart from Audioheaven... Despite there being units available.

https://allegro.pl/oferta/qudelix-5k-dac-amp-2x-es9218p-ldac-aptx-adaptive-9418697083

And I think there's no other reseller located in Europe?

edit: Audioheaven told me they should be back in stock within 2 weeks.


----------



## pogodrummer

Don't know where to post this, so I'll try here:
Here's my modded balanced K712 running from a Q5K.
Took me a while to find a cable that had the exact same colorway as the OG headphones, as well as a thread to affix the cable to the headband.

The cans are balanced when connected to the 5K, and unbalanced when connected to the mXLR input, thanks to a microswitch that bridges the grounds when the cable is inserted.


----------



## doctorstrobe

I updated my 5K to the new firmware. They added a bitrate counter to the AAC codec display on the Input screen of the App. 

On my iPhone XR it shows around 230kbps.
According to Apple’s Bluetooth design doc 320kbps is “possible” but since there’s usually no way to see what the bitrate is, who knows...

Are any iPhone users seeing higher bitrate than around 230?

Thanks


----------



## behemothkat

doctorstrobe said:


> I updated my 5K to the new firmware. They added a bitrate counter to the AAC codec display on the Input screen of the App.
> 
> On my iPhone XR it shows around 230kbps.
> According to Apple’s Bluetooth design doc 320kbps is “possible” but since there’s usually no way to see what the bitrate is, who knows...
> ...


236 )))) However, from my Macbook Pro i made adjustments to AAC with Bluetooth Explorer help and i reached 320 maximum.


----------



## AlexCBSN

It varies from 235 to 245 on my iPhone X.
Man, there’s a couple of new features like inverse l/r channels and the hit rate.

this is the king of Bluetooth dongles


----------



## povidlo

Good to see consoles are now supported. Lotoo Paw S1 takes Switch gaming experience to another level. Will be trying 5K to see how they compare. Would be nice to get a Gaming EQ preset like on LPS1, too.


----------



## Winni

I'm very interested in upgrading to the 5k, but I'm not sure if it's "worth" it. 

For Bluetooth connection im using the TRN BT20S Pro Bluetooth adapter. I like the sound, don't have any IEMs at the moment which would really need a powerful amp.

So, is there maybe someone, who used an adapter like the BT20S Pro and upgraded to the 5k, maybe even to balanced cable with the 5k?

Can't decide, if invest the money in the 5K plus a balanced cable, or an other IEM 😜


----------



## cttttt

Winni said:


> I'm very interested in upgrading to the 5k, but I'm not sure if it's "worth" it.
> 
> For Bluetooth connection im using the TRN BT20S Pro Bluetooth adapter. I like the sound, don't have any IEMs at the moment which would really need a powerful amp.
> 
> ...



I think if you're 100% satisfied with the SQ of what you have, don't change anything; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If you find yourself reaching for the EQ on your source devices for any reason, the 5K may simplify things as you can make pretty much any adjustment on the DAC.  As far as other Bluetooth features, the only thing you'll be missing is a hardware voice assistant button.  Although the 5K can act as a mic (through Bluetooth or USB!), its controls only allow you to end or accept calls, and adjust volume.  This should only be a problem if you take a lot of calls though.  Sounds like you're more focused on music.

Hope this helps somewhat.  Maybe someone else can comment on the balanced output specifically.


----------



## Winni (Jan 16, 2021)

@cttttt Thank you for your opinion!
I'm not unhappy with the sound quality, but strive to optimize what I could optimize in the sound chain, so it sounds even better 😉

You're right, I'm focused only on the music, don't take calls while listening on the go.

The EQ option on the 5k is a nice touch, as its hard to find a really good sounding EQ as an Android app.


----------



## jsmiller58

Winni said:


> @cttttt Thank you for your opinion!
> I'm not unhappy with the sound quality, but strive to optimize what I could optimize in the sound chain, so it sounds even better 😉
> 
> You're right, I'm focused only on the music, don't take calls while listening.
> ...


The 5K is very versatile and most seem very happy with it.  I am happy with mine.

If you are looking for an Android EQ app, try Wavelet.  Pretty good, with a large library of automatic EQ settings as well (I believe targeted at turning FR more Harmon-like).


----------



## cttttt

Winni said:


> @cttttt Thank you for your opinion!
> I'm not unhappy with the sound quality, but strive to optimize what I could optimize in the sound chain, so it sounds even better 😉
> 
> You're right, I'm focused only on the music, don't take calls while listening.
> ...



Yah.  Before getting into wireless DACs, I used to make heavy use of an Android EQ, and actually found that whichever app I used, it would always get killed and start blasting sound in my ears.  This got me to consider the ES100 (which was an awesome upgrade); and then I was hotly anticipating the 5K.  It's an even better upgrade.

I think what I'm saying here is wait until there's a problem you wanna fix before you enter this wild ride.  'cause once you get one wireless DAC, you'll buy every one that comes out until the end of time.  Start the spending only when you need to.


----------



## Mouseman

Winni said:


> I'm very interested in upgrading to the 5k, but I'm not sure if it's "worth" it.
> 
> For Bluetooth connection im using the TRN BT20S Pro Bluetooth adapter. I like the sound, don't have any IEMs at the moment which would really need a powerful amp.
> 
> ...


If you have IEMs that would benefit from the extra power that balanced would give you and you have the cables, then I'd say go for it. You'd be surprised, even my KZ stuff sounds better balanced. As many have said, the EQ and app also adds a lot of versatility. I don't have the BT20 Pro yet, but I just ordered it with the sale. But I've used the "regular" version that was on loan, the 5K sounds better by far.


----------



## Hanesu (Jan 16, 2021)

How is the ambient mode with the 5k? Does it sound natural? Usable? Any experiences?


----------



## cttttt

Hanesu said:


> Hiw is the ambient mode with the 5k? Does it sound natural? Usable? Any experiences?



It's present, but the mic isn't sensitive enough for it to be really useful.  I found the ambient mode on the ES100 to be way better, but that mic is extremely sensitive, making it useless for taking calls.  Feels like a tradeoff since neither has a dedicated mic just for ambient.


----------



## Hanesu

cttttt said:


> It's present, but the mic isn't sensitive enough for it to be really useful.  I found the ambient mode on the ES100 to be way better, but that mic is extremely sensitive, making it useless for taking calls.  Feels like a tradeoff since neither has a dedicated mic just for ambient.



Thank you! I see! I used to own the ES100, too, some years ago - but I always thought the ambient mode does not sound very natural. Might be better now, as you say, due to software updates! Good to know the Qudelix does not top it. Maybe the only way to make a really good ambient mode is using many microphones, like Apple did with Airpod Max...

May I ask a second question? When using the EQ, does the volume and sound quality stay untouched? I am currently thinking of exchanging my BTR5 with a 5k, because I find the Fiio software (the EQ for example) really bad! I love it’s build though!


----------



## tmb821

Hanesu said:


> Thank you! I see! I used to own the ES100, too, some years ago - but I always thought the ambient mode does not sound very natural. Might be better now, as you say, due to software updates! Good to know the Qudelix does not top it. Maybe the only way to make a really good ambient mode is using many microphones, like Apple did with Airpod Max...
> 
> May I ask a second question? When using the EQ, does the volume and sound quality stay untouched? I am currently thinking of exchanging my BTR5 with a 5k, because I find the Fiio software (the EQ for example) really bad! I love it’s build though!



I find the sq stays the same. But the volume does decrease a bit, but nothing major, one or two clicks of volume up fixes it. I find the gains with the peq well worth it.


----------



## Mouseman

Hanesu said:


> Thank you! I see! I used to own the ES100, too, some years ago - but I always thought the ambient mode does not sound very natural. Might be better now, as you say, due to software updates! Good to know the Qudelix does not top it. Maybe the only way to make a really good ambient mode is using many microphones, like Apple did with Airpod Max...
> 
> May I ask a second question? When using the EQ, does the volume and sound quality stay untouched? I am currently thinking of exchanging my BTR5 with a 5k, because I find the Fiio software (the EQ for example) really bad! I love it’s build though!


They haven't made any software updates to the ES100 in ages. While the ambient is "better" than the 5k, they both pretty much suck compared to TWS versions. I think you're 100% right about multiple mics, plus they have chips with ANC, which is sort of related. 

The sound stays the same quality with EQ. If you notice a decrease (usually if you drop too many frequencies), you can touch it up with gain or in PEQ. The software is really great, and has been under constant development since it was released. That's one of the best things about the Quidelex - the software and active user forum. .


----------



## cttttt

Mouseman said:


> They haven't made any software updates to the ES100 in ages. While the ambient is "better" than the 5k, they both pretty much suck compared to TWS versions. I think you're 100% right about multiple mics, plus they have chips with ANC, which is sort of related.
> 
> The sound stays the same quality with EQ. If you notice a decrease (usually if you drop too many frequencies), you can touch it up with gain or in PEQ. The software is really great, and has been under constant development since it was released. That's one of the best things about the Quidelex - the software and active user forum. .



Yah.  I think it all comes down to the mics.  Way before they released, even Qudelix was reluctant to add ambient mode right off the hop, and then warned that because the mic was lower sensitivity and processed it may be a little weird.  

Hanesu, I guess as a frame of reference, imagine you're walking down the sidewalk.  The ES100's ambient mode will pick up conversations from almost across the street, but anything that touches or brushes against the device will be extremely loud.  The 5K's ambient mode will let you know someone beside you is talking, and you may hear a car driving just adjacent to you, but it won't pick up too much wind and only a bit of handling noise.  Also, the 5K can use your cable's inline mic as well.  If you have one, it could be better positioned to pick up the types of noise you wanna be aware of.


----------



## CasioPSX

im between this and the fiio btr5, focusing on SQ only, as I'll have this in one pocket and my phone on the other so I don't think bluetooth would be too affected at that range on any device, which would be better?


----------



## Jayden16

CasioPSX said:


> im between this and the fiio btr5, focusing on SQ only, as I'll have this in one pocket and my phone on the other so I don't think bluetooth would be too affected at that range on any device, which would be better?


I have both the BTR5 and the Q5K, and for your use case, I'd recommend the Q5K. My BTR5 cuts out occasionally with it in my other pocket (I've tried it naked, with the official case, and the clip) and across two different phones with the same result. No such issue with the Q5K.


----------



## AlexCBSN

Winni said:


> I'm very interested in upgrading to the 5k, but I'm not sure if it's "worth" it.
> 
> For Bluetooth connection im using the TRN BT20S Pro Bluetooth adapter. I like the sound, don't have any IEMs at the moment which would really need a powerful amp.
> 
> ...


I have the non s version of the trn, the 5k is 10,000 times better


----------



## CasioPSX

Jayden16 said:


> I have both the BTR5 and the Q5K, and for your use case, I'd recommend the Q5K. My BTR5 cuts out occasionally with it in my other pocket (I've tried it naked, with the official case, and the clip) and across two different phones with the same result. No such issue with the Q5K.


wait really? it cuts off even on the other pocket? well so much for being a bluetooth receiver. i was leaning towards the btr5 because when not using BT, I could plug it into my laptop and play my DSDs but since I'm mainly going to use it with bluetooth i guess I'll go with the 5k.


----------



## elNan

AlexCBSN said:


> I have the non s version of the trn, the 5k is 10,000 times better



I’m not sure if 10,000, but at least 5K times better 

Saludos gordo querido!


----------



## lgcubana

Jayden16 said:


> I have both the BTR5 and the Q5K, and for your use case, I'd recommend the Q5K. My BTR5 cuts out occasionally with it in my other pocket (*I've tried it naked*, with the official case, and the clip) and across two different phones with the same result. No such issue with the Q5K.


 Sooo, if you're nekked, where/what do you clip the BTR5 to ?


----------



## courierdriver

Mouseman said:


> If you have IEMs that would benefit from the extra power that balanced would give you and you have the cables, then I'd say go for it. You'd be surprised, even my KZ stuff sounds better balanced. As many have said, the EQ and app also adds a lot of versatility. I don't have the BT20 Pro yet, but I just ordered it with the sale. But I've used the "regular" version that was on loan, the 5K sounds better by far.


Yup, I agree. My KZ ZS10 PRO sounds significantly better from the balanced output of both my ES100 and Fiio Q1MK2. Balanced (done correctly) always has a better SQ.


----------



## CasioPSX

Jayden16 said:


> I have both the BTR5 and the Q5K, and for your use case, I'd recommend the Q5K. My BTR5 cuts out occasionally with it in my other pocket (I've tried it naked, with the official case, and the clip) and across two different phones with the same result. No such issue with the Q5K.


i forgot to ask is this using ldac or aptx? i heard that aptx might cut out but LDAC has no issues


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Winni said:


> I'm very interested in upgrading to the 5k, but I'm not sure if it's "worth" it.
> 
> For Bluetooth connection im using the TRN BT20S Pro Bluetooth adapter. I like the sound, don't have any IEMs at the moment which would really need a powerful amp.
> 
> ...


I have the Fiio UTWS1 for the gym, and the 5K, even if the UTWS1 is good and gives a nice, flat response I now use the 5K for the gym too since it’s a league above and useful for so many other scenarios you may not even have thought about yet...


----------



## Winni (Jan 17, 2021)

Thank you all for the impressions on the upgrade to the 5K, helped me a lot! Will order it a soon as it's availible in 2 weeks in the EU 😊


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Winni said:


> Thank you all for the impressions on the upgrade to the 5K, helped me a lot! Will order it a soon as it's availible in 2 weeks in the EU 😊


Also the TRN or UTWS are much trickier as far as compatibility is concerned. Sockets, angle, everything can become an issue. No such problem with the 5K if you get new iems (Fiio’s new UTWS3 seem a bit more adaptable but you still have to choose MMCX or 2-pin, or use adapters etc...).


----------



## doushi

lgcubana said:


> Sooo, if you're nekked, where/what do you clip the BTR5 to ?


The question is, where is the pocket?


----------



## Apex Eight

Enjoying my Q5 but I'm having an intermittent issue where my music breaks up. Factory settings, Bluetooth, Pixel 4a 5G, Spotify Premium on WiFi, Fiio FH3, Tripowin Zowie 2.5mm MMCX. Firmware is up to date. Any ideas?


----------



## Jayden16

CasioPSX said:


> i forgot to ask is this using ldac or aptx? i heard that aptx might cut out but LDAC has no issues


I was using LDAC on my OnePlus 6 (before I sold it), and AAC on my iPhone 11 Pro (even after having it replaced due to a battery issue, so 3 phones in total). All had the same issue with the BTR5 unfortunately.


----------



## TK33

Apex Eight said:


> Enjoying my Q5 but I'm having an intermittent issue where my music breaks up. Factory settings, Bluetooth, Pixel 4a 5G, Spotify Premium on WiFi, Fiio FH3, Tripowin Zowie 2.5mm MMCX. Firmware is up to date. Any ideas?



Have you tried using a different source with the 5K or another bluetooth device besides the 5K with the Qudelix 5K?

I have found bluetooth requires both ends to work well; especially if you are using higher nitrate codecs like LDAC or aptX HD (I currently listen to Qobuz and Amazon HD).  I usually use my 5K with my V60 (LDAC) and sometimes with my desktop PC (to walk around while watching a webcast) or with my Node 2i (aptX HD). The only one I usually have connection issues with is the Node 2i for some reason. Connection via LDAC to my V60 has been rock solid and I have not changed any special settings aside from enabling LDAC on my phone. To listen to Spotify premium at full quality you probably don't even need LDAC so you may want to try testing other codecs too (unless something has changed, I believe Spotify maxes out at 320kbps).

Just curious if you have isolated the issue to the Qudelix 5K. If you have; I would try reaching out directly to Qudelix support.  I have found them to be super helpful in the past.


----------



## Apex Eight

I think I figured out the issue being my phone was low on battery/in battery saver mode lol. Silly me didn't think of that first. It was working just fine the night before and is all good after a charge. Whoops. Thanks man.


----------



## jshaevitz

Just bought the Qudelix-5K and it really is amazing. Plenty of power and multiple saved parametric EQ profiles. Great stuff.


----------



## cttttt

Hmm...

Just started the Qudelix app and there's an update with Nintendo Switch/PS4/5 USB audio support!


----------



## jshaevitz

Loving my 5k. Does anyone know if there are plans to add crossfeed on the digital side? I am a fan of small amounts of crossfeed for nearly all music and use the different settings on my RME ADI-2 DAC regularly.


----------



## cadgers

cttttt said:


> Hmm...
> 
> Just started the Qudelix app and there's an update with Nintendo Switch/PS4/5 USB audio support!



Just picked one up because of this. Do you have to do anything special for the consoles to recognize it?


----------



## Mouseman

jshaevitz said:


> Loving my 5k. Does anyone know if there are plans to add crossfeed on the digital side? I am a fan of small amounts of crossfeed for nearly all music and use the different settings on my RME ADI-2 DAC regularly.


The question has been asked in their forums, and they acknowledged it, but said it wasn't in their plan.


----------



## max1236

is there any way to use the 5k as a dac for my amp (topping a50s rca). Would this work? this is just a temporary setup.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0


----------



## povidlo

max1236 said:


> is there any way to use the 5k as a dac for my amp (topping a50s rca). Would this work? this is just a temporary setup.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0


It would work but you would be double-amping since 5K doesn't have line-out mode.


----------



## peter123 (Jan 20, 2021)

max1236 said:


> is there any way to use the 5k as a dac for my amp (topping a50s rca). Would this work? this is just a temporary setup.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0



Yes, that'll work.

Edit: Personally I wouldn't worry one second about the double amping in that setting.


----------



## max1236

peter123 said:


> Yes, that'll work.
> 
> Edit: Personally I wouldn't worry one second about the double amping in that setting.


Ok thanks, is there any reason why?


----------



## peter123

max1236 said:


> Ok thanks, is there any reason why?



Double amping is very rarely an issue (as in not auditable) with most modern equipment in my experience.


----------



## TK33

max1236 said:


> is there any way to use the 5k as a dac for my amp (topping a50s rca). Would this work? this is just a temporary setup.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0


That is how I was using my ES100 for a while after I got my 5K.  Works great as a bluetooth LDAC receiver for my Denon receiver.  Don't see why it wouldnt also work with the 5K.


----------



## max1236

Ok I got an arya coming and the dac coming later so I really want to use it with my amp so I ordered one. I wonder if the 5k will be able to get it going at all in unbalanced


----------



## cttttt

cadgers said:


> Just picked one up because of this. Do you have to do anything special for the consoles to recognize it?



Apparently, the Switch and PS4/5 controllers require special settings to be enabled on the DAC.  For the Switch, I needed to jump into the Qudelix app and change the 5K from 24bit bit depth to 16bit bit depth for USB audio.  I was already using 48khz, but it also requires a sampling rate for USB audio that is at or lower than 48khz.  After adjusting these settings, I'm able to just plug the DAC into the Switch, and get perfectly equalized sound.  There's another setting you need to change to make the 5K compatible with the PS4/5 controller.

Before changing these settings, plugging the 5K into a Switch just does nothing.

After setting the setting, it seems to work just like any other USB audio source: Starts working when plugged in, very low latency, and if the 5K is simultaneously connected to a Bluetooth source, the BT source will temporarily take priority and replace the USB source's audio.  When the BT device stops sending audio, the USB source's audio will resume.

This means that I can finally use the Switch while expecting a call: If someone calls, I just answer and the 5K will take care of switching devices and grabbing audio from my IEM cables' inline mic.  Or if I'm playing the Switch and want to listen to a podcast, I just start it on my phone and the 5K will switch to my phone.


----------



## TheRealDz (Jan 20, 2021)

I recently needed to set up a covid-approved temporary garage system in order to sell a pair of Magnepan speakers. 

I plugged the 5K into a parasound pre and emotiva amp, and I have got to say - it sounded outstanding.  (I used a Sony Xperia 1 as a source, connected via LDAC Bluetooth). 

The Magnepans are model 2.5R, 6 ft tall, and are ruthless with subpar sources.  But they put up a crazy good soundstage - in a garage no less. 

I think you will be more than fine... 



max1236 said:


> is there any way to use the 5k as a dac for my amp (topping a50s rca). Would this work? this is just a temporary setup.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8JW0


----------



## Winni

Thank you all for your input to my question, bought now the Qudelix 5K from a forum member. Can't wait to test it


----------



## ozarkcdn

New owner here - is there a difference in sq between wired (usb c-c) vs bt connection?  I'm getting 990kbps connection streaming LDAC and seems fantastic to me - but there was a shift to louder vol when I plugged the 5k into the usb c on my android, so hard to exactly vol match it to compare for sure.


----------



## jsmiller58

ozarkcdn said:


> New owner here - is there a difference in sq between wired (usb c-c) vs bt connection?  I'm getting 990kbps connection streaming LDAC and seems fantastic to me - but there was a shift to louder vol when I plugged the 5k into the usb c on my android, so hard to exactly vol match it to compare for sure.


Well even LDAC at 990kbps is going to be lossy compared to wired...  but, I seriously doubt most humans would be able to detect the difference in blind testing...   . I did say most humans.  So some humans might be able to.  And dogs.  And bats.


----------



## boodi (Jan 28, 2021)

It depends on hears but also on the headphones you use 
if you use revealing  hiend headphones it is easier to hear that difference


----------



## PeterMac (Jan 31, 2021)

Question, for what are on bottom two screws ? To easy open it ?

Does it easy to open it for future battery replacement ?

---
Does it have native DSD support like BTR5 ?


----------



## ByrnesK

Hi everyone, 

I just picked up a fearless audio S8Z set and I'm thinking of picking one of these bad boys up, Will it produce any hiss (this is my main concern as I currently get hiss with my ifi Micro Black Label while not using ieMatch as it changes the sound signature), anyone here with experience?

Thanks


----------



## Jayden16

ByrnesK said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I just picked up a fearless audio S8Z set and I'm thinking of picking one of these bad boys up, Will it produce any hiss (this is my main concern as I currently get hiss with my ifi Micro Black Label while not using ieMatch as it changes the sound signature), anyone here with experience?
> 
> Thanks


I use mine with the very sensitive Andromeda's and there's absolutely no hiss


----------



## ByrnesK

Jayden16 said:


> I use mine with the very sensitive Andromeda's and there's absolutely no hiss


thats good to hear, I think its pull trigger time on these then.


----------



## dinoking

Hey everyone, the buttons on my Qudelix stop working for some reason. Unable to pause, increase vol or turn it off. Am I missing something?


----------



## AlexCBSN

dinoking said:


> Hey everyone, the buttons on my Qudelix stop working for some reason. Unable to pause, increase vol or turn it off. Am I missing something?


Did you block then from the app? When you push them, does the light blinks a bit?


----------



## AlexCBSN

Lately I’ve been having funny pauses when playing, I think it’s a bug, I blocked the buttons, lately they been way more sensitive than before and it annoys me quite a bit.


----------



## arrowheads

Hi everyone

How is the noise floor on Qudelix 5K? How does it compare to an Apple lightning dongle in this regard?

Use case: very sensitive iems (Andromeda) at low volume at night in a quiet room


----------



## PeterMac (Feb 4, 2021)

How do you think any chance to implement via firmware support for native DSD ? BTR5 support it and use same or very similar components. Why 5K can't ?


----------



## Mouseman

arrowheads said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> How is the noise floor on Qudelix 5K? How does it compare to an Apple lightning dongle in this regard?
> 
> Use case: very sensitive iems (Andromeda) at low volume at night in a quiet room


The noise floor on the 5K is very silent. If you're not using the extra power, it's only really gaining you the app features, or the ability to go balanced, and the BT. The SQ is better, but again I'm not sure how much you can tell at low volume.



PeterMac said:


> How do you think any chance to implement via firmware support for native DSD ? BTR5 support it and use same or very similar components. Why 5K can't ?


Not enough memory, I'm guessing. That's very processor intensive, as well. The SOC in the 5k probably can't handle that. They've said several times for easier changes that there's not enough "space" in the memory onboard.


----------



## arrowheads (Feb 4, 2021)

Mouseman said:


> The noise floor on the 5K is very silent.



Thank you, but how silent is 'very silent'? Do you have any first-hand experience with very sensitive iems and Qudelix 5K?
I am asking precisely because I find noise floor of lightning dongle _good enough_ but not perfect. Happy to settle for same, but not for worse.



Mouseman said:


> If you're not using the extra power, it's only really gaining you the app features, or the ability to go balanced, and the BT. The SQ is better, but again I'm not sure how much you can tell at low volume.



I'm shopping for a small bluetooth thingy with parametric EQ to use with an iPhone and this seems like the only option


----------



## Mouseman

arrowheads said:


> Thank you, but how silent is 'very silent'? Do you have any first-hand experience with very sensitive iems and Qudelix 5K?
> I am asking precisely because I find noise floor of lightning dongle _good enough_ but not perfect. Happy to settle for same, but not for worse.
> 
> 
> ...


I have some fairly sensitive IEMs - but not like Campfire stuff. The 5k is much better than the dongle, if you consider that good enough. Definitely not worse. I do use it balanced on performance mode, just to note. 

If that's your use case, then it's great. I love my 5k and use it almost daily. It has fantastic SQ with my iPhone, and has replaced my ES100 and pretty much everything other than my TWS units.


----------



## arrowheads

Mouseman said:


> I have some fairly sensitive IEMs - but not like Campfire stuff. The 5k is much better than the dongle, if you consider that good enough. Definitely not worse.



If I understood it correctly and this is a statement on noise floor, then I'm sold. Thanks a lot


----------



## tudedude

I have a question before buying this. Are the EQ settings saved on the device? Do I have to be connected to the app for user eq settings to be in effect?


----------



## TK33

tudedude said:


> I have a question before buying this. Are the EQ settings saved on the device? Do I have to be connected to the app for user eq settings to be in effect?


The EQ settings are stored on the device so once you set the EQ it will carry over to your other devices.


----------



## PeterMac (Feb 7, 2021)

Mouseman said:


> Not enough memory, I'm guessing. That's very processor intensive, as well. The SOC in the 5k probably can't handle that. They've said several times for easier changes that there's not enough "space" in the memory onboard.


Thank you for info.

Just received it from AudioHeaven.eu in Poland, for fast test now connected to VE Monks+, finally I will pair it with HD579 or HD600.
Very small, even smaller that BTR3 on high I quess. Firmware upgraded super fast via OTA, EQ work in LDAC which is great.
Would be great to Qudelix add option to store few EQ User settings if posibble.


----------



## newworld666 (Feb 7, 2021)

PeterMac said:


> Would be great to Qudelix add option to store few EQ User settings if posibble.



You can store easily 20 customs PEQ for various IEM and headphones and name them as you want.


----------



## tudedude

Weird. this is no longer available on Amazon in the US. Sign of a new model coming out?


----------



## Gulatikirat0

Hi everyone! I am new to the community so please forgive my lack of knowledge.

I have Dm6, Blon 03 and recently purchased Thieaudio Clairvoyance. I was advice by someone to get AMP/DAC to get the most out of my CLAIR.
I dont own any headphones so will I be good with Qudelix-5k/BTR5 or does HIP DAC will actually make my gear sound better?
I have a XIAOMU MI9t phone and windows laptop. I am willing to invest in TIDAL if the differences are actually distinguishable. Currently I use Apple Music.

Any help would be appreciated!


----------



## MisterMudd (Feb 7, 2021)

tudedude said:


> Weird. this is no longer available on Amazon in the US. Sign of a new model coming out?


Most likely something else like production issues. Been keeping my eye on the 5k, and a lot of other items in my Amazon wish list roll in and out of availability. Should they come out with a new model, it’s likely they would keep selling the older model on Amazon while peddling the new model. That’s what happens with many manufacturers.


----------



## tudedude

MisterMudd said:


> Most likely something else like production issues. Been keeping my eye on the 5k, and a lot of other items in my Amazon wish list roll in and out of availability. Should they come out with a new model, it’s likely they would keep selling the older model on Amazon while peddling the new model. That’s what happens with many manufacturers.


Yeah probably a production or supply issue. Not so perfect timing as my fiio BTR5 just crapped out on me.


----------



## PeterMac

newworld666 said:


> You can store easily 20 customs PEQ for various IEM and headphones and name them as you want.


Ohh nice, I do not know that, thank you for info.


----------



## PeterMac

I think 5K its too new to release new model


----------



## mart1272

Does anyone know if the qudelix 5K would improve sound quality versus an IEM plugged directly into the headphone jack of a phone? As far as I know, the LG V phones have similar dac/amps (the quads) as in the qudelix, so I don't expect a difference there, but what about other phones?

In particular, would anyone know it for the Pixel 4A, which was recently released with a headphone jack but as far as I can judge doesn't have the LG V quality dac/amp (https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...oogle-pixel-4a-smartphone-audio-review.16251/), as well as the iPhone SE first gen (2016)? I suspect that the qudelix has a better dac/amp than what's in the phones, but would bluetooth cancel out the possible sound benefits from that?


----------



## jshaevitz (Feb 8, 2021)

mart1272 said:


> Does anyone know if the qudelix 5K would improve sound quality versus an IEM plugged directly into the headphone jack of a phone? As far as I know, the LG V phones have similar dac/amps (the quads) as in the qudelix, so I don't expect a difference there, but what about other phones?
> 
> In particular, would anyone know it for the Pixel 4A, which was recently released with a headphone jack but as far as I can judge doesn't have the LG V quality dac/amp (https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...oogle-pixel-4a-smartphone-audio-review.16251/), as well as the iPhone SE first gen (2016)? I suspect that the qudelix has a better dac/amp than what's in the phones, but would bluetooth cancel out the possible sound benefits from that?


Re. raw sound quality, probably not. But, you get 10-band parametric EQ which can definitely improve sound quality unless you love your IEMs un-eq'd. Additional things are balanced input (more power, but unlikely to matter unless you have uncommonly inefficient IEMs), and being untethered from your phone (which I like as I often take my phone in/out of my pocket and don't like having the cabling to deal with).


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Bluetooth will _not_ cancel the benefits of the 5K’s superior, dedicated audio section.


----------



## Lurk650

tudedude said:


> Weird. this is no longer available on Amazon in the US. Sign of a new model coming out?


In stock Feb 16...def no new model coming out so soon


----------



## fsi22

CasioPSX said:


> i forgot to ask is this using ldac or aptx? i heard that aptx might cut out but LDAC has no issues




I use aptx and ldac. no issues in my pocket.


----------



## Nolbert0

So... does LDAC transmit lossless when playing redbook on 990?


----------



## rkw

Nolbert0 said:


> So... does LDAC transmit lossless when playing redbook on 990?


It is lossy. Lossless redbook transmission is not possible using the current Bluetooth specs. The bandwidth is not high enough.


----------



## PeterMac (Feb 10, 2021)

I do not think lossless is necessary to anything. I can't even tell difference between AAC VBR 320kbps and FLAC. Where LDAC can go up to 990kbps  so. Lossy compresion is 100% fine not noticeable for anyone , problem is loudness war this thing ruin songs quality.


----------



## Nolbert0

rkw said:


> It is lossy. Lossless redbook transmission is not possible using the current Bluetooth specs. The bandwidth is not high enough.


Thought so. Thanks for the confirmation. I though the bandwidth was enough at 990 for FLAC but oh well. Lossless redbook over bluetooth will be first nail in the coffin for wired headphones, methinks.



PeterMac said:


> I do not think lossless is necessary to anything. I can't even tell difference between AAC VBR 320kbps and FLAC. Where LDAC can go up to 990kbps  so. Lossy compresion is 100% fine not noticeable for anyone , problem is loudness war this thing ruin songs quality.


Agreed. Especially for mobile use. My entire collection of music on my phone is all AAC at 160mbps after I did a rudimentary listening test of different AAC bitrates to lossless. On most tracks, I couldn't tell the difference between 128 and 160 but the crowd noises on live recordings were super obvious (and to a lesser extent very splashy cymbals) so I erred on the side of caution and encoded a decent chunk of my lossless library to 160. Since AAC can be re-encoded to itself without loss of quality, my 5K is set to AAC. It is the the most 'efficient' codec IMO. It took using an iPhone for a year to get over my unfounded snobbery over AAC. Everything else about the Apple experience, I hated.


----------



## Dobrescu George

I made a video review about the 5K Bluetooth Receiver from Quedelix


----------



## Mossey (Feb 13, 2021)

This is _super_ unscientific but I have a number of fairly recent phones and haven't been able to find any 'phone A vs phone B' comparisons on connectivity with the Qudelix so thought I'd super briefly post my impressions:

Pixel 4 XL - seems to have excellent LDAC performance and will maintain a hard 990kbps up to around 3-4 metres when in LoS, when left on best effort with the 'aggressive' latency setting though the qudelix app, still seems to result in a 990kbps setting the vast majority of the time when within typical cable lengths. Seems to scale well at distance and even though walls, basically never falls below 492kbps.

Also really surprised by how little latency seems to appear in sound transmission with LDAC.

I generally dislike this phone but I can't seem to fault its LDAC performance.

LG V50 - pretty much poops itself on forced  990kbps, even within typical cable lengths and pretty much always defaults to 330kbps when left at best effort - really really bad

Pixel 3 XL - seems to be the middle of the bunch, doesn't like fixed 990kbps but is still decent, generally tends to default to 660kbps when left at best effort

iPhone 6S, obviously always AAC but seems to maintain pretty good transmission at range, obviously not the newest iPhone here but it's the latest model I still have that works.

Sounds just OK, this is kind of annoying because I really want to go back to iOS but yeah, AAC while not bad, still does sound inferior to LDAC here, which whilst that shouldn't be a massive surprise given the signficant technical superiority of LDAC over, even Apple's very good implementation of AAC through Bluetooth does seem to manifest itself in at least a reasonably noticeable way. Hopefuly better on newer iPhones, but not especially sure why it would be.

Cheers.


----------



## mart1272

Mossey said:


> This is _super_ unscientific but I have a number of fairly recent phones and haven't been able to find any 'phone A vs phone B' comparisons on connectivity with the Qudelix so thought I'd super briefly post my impressions:
> 
> Pixel 4 XL - seems to have excellent LDAC performance and will maintain a hard 990kbps up to around 3-4 metres when in LoS, when left on best effort with the 'aggressive' latency setting though the qudelix app, still seems to result in a 990kbps setting the vast majority of the time when within typical cable lengths. Seems to scale well at distance and even though walls, basically never falls below 492kbps.
> 
> ...



Thank you, this is very interesting. How is the sound compared to directly plugging an IEM into the headphone jack of that iPhone 6 and LG with the quad dac? (Pixel doesn't have a jack right?). Do you notice a difference? Currently using an iPhone SE 2016 so would be very interested in that. Thanks so much!


----------



## Mossey

Mossey said:


> This is _super_ unscientific but I have a number of fairly recent phones and haven't been able to find any 'phone A vs phone B' comparisons on connectivity with the Qudelix so thought I'd super briefly post my impressions:
> 
> Pixel 4 XL - seems to have excellent LDAC performance and will maintain a hard 990kbps up to around 3-4 metres when in LoS, when left on best effort with the 'aggressive' latency setting though the qudelix app, still seems to result in a 990kbps setting the vast majority of the time when within typical cable lengths. Seems to scale well at distance and even though walls, basically never falls below 492kbps.
> 
> ...


Should add that this was mainly tested with regular 16/44 FLACs or MQA stuff (which can also range from stuff that is originally 16/44 or up to 24/96 before unfolding) - I personally can't perceive any difference between regular flacs and MQA anything.


----------



## Mossey (Feb 13, 2021)

mart1272 said:


> Thank you, this is very interesting. How is the sound compared to directly plugging an IEM into the headphone jack of that iPhone 6 and LG with the quad dac? (Pixel doesn't have a jack right?). Do you notice a difference? Currently using an iPhone SE 2016 so would be very interested in that. Thanks so much!



The Qudelix on LDAC is superior to the wired quad DAC.

2 reasons:

1. The quad is inherently noisy, the qudelix isn't.

2. My biggest gripe with the LG quad DAC is that there is a really weak low gain setting for_ anything_ with an impedance below 50omhs that cannot be reliably changed, which, for most iems is fine but as soon as you introduce something that's still low impedance but is also power hungry basically results in really poor performance and often volume and drive levels far below optimal.

Planar's are an excellent example of this.

The Qudelix doesn't have this problem.

With stuff that's above 50omhs it is generally quite good and beats any other phone I've listened to although there is a particular 'house sound' of ESS Sabre stuff that I like less than Cirrus Logic DAC's which generally led me to listen to wired, low impedance things through my regular lightning DAC on iPhone. The lightning dac legitimately drives them better and louder.

Obviously the qudelix is using ESS but the additional drive and excellent peq/geq functionality kind of makes that a moot point.

I need to do more listening to compare 6S wired vs Bluetooth performance.


----------



## PeterMac

I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.


----------



## jsmiller58

PeterMac said:


> I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.



Wow, that is a pretty clear choice for microphone quality!


----------



## TK33

Mossey said:


> This is _super_ unscientific but I have a number of fairly recent phones and haven't been able to find any 'phone A vs phone B' comparisons on connectivity with the Qudelix so thought I'd super briefly post my impressions:
> 
> Pixel 4 XL - seems to have excellent LDAC performance and will maintain a hard 990kbps up to around 3-4 metres when in LoS, when left on best effort with the 'aggressive' latency setting though the qudelix app, still seems to result in a 990kbps setting the vast majority of the time when within typical cable lengths. Seems to scale well at distance and even though walls, basically never falls below 492kbps.
> 
> ...



Your experience with the V50 is interesting. I mostly use my 5K with a V60 (sometimes with my PC) and have never had an issue playing LDAC 900 (aside from my issues at the beginning where the LG V60 kept defaulting to aptX adaptive and I had to eventually disable aptX adaptive on the 5K).  Aside from toggling the Best Sound Quality in connection type in bluetooth settings, I didnt have to force 990 in Developer Options. 
 Obviously a different model but maybe the newer chips have a better bluetooth antenna?

I agree with your other comment regarding 5K vs quad DAC.  Quad DAC is super annoying with planars (have to force aux mode using another cable and even then you dont get High Impedance Mode) and you don't really get much of a benefit with IEMs.  I wish LG would have made ot a little more flexible...but then again you can't even automatically alphabetize apps in the stock launcher.

Qudelix 5K parametric EQ is also excellent.  The convenience of bluetooth with great SQ and user flexibility is what this device is really about.


----------



## Dobrescu George

PeterMac said:


> I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.




Aweomse work, sould help everyone a lot!!


----------



## Mossey

TK33 said:


> Your experience with the V50 is interesting. I mostly use my 5K with a V60 (sometimes with my PC) and have never had an issue playing LDAC 900 (aside from my issues at the beginning where the LG V60 kept defaulting to aptX adaptive and I had to eventually disable aptX adaptive on the 5K).  Aside from toggling the Best Sound Quality in connection type in bluetooth settings, I didnt have to force 990 in Developer Options.
> Obviously a different model but maybe the newer chips have a better bluetooth antenna?
> 
> I agree with your other comment regarding 5K vs quad DAC.  Quad DAC is super annoying with planars (have to force aux mode using another cable and even then you dont get High Impedance Mode) and you don't really get much of a benefit with IEMs.  I wish LG would have made ot a little more flexible...but then again you can't even automatically alphabetize apps in the stock launcher.
> ...


Yeah, I was pretty disappointed with the V50 in general. 

Despite having pretty powerful hardware it always feels slow and I swear the accelerator is off, it pans from portrait to landscape in a really weird, janky kind of way. 

Spent quite a lot of money for it when it was first released as well and after a few months went back to an iPhone X as my daily driver and basically just used it as an extremely overpriced DAP. 

The fact that it took something like 8 months to get its first software update in Australia also didn't exactly help with the perception. 

Dual screen functionality was just straight up bad as well. 

I've heard with the V30 you can root it and force high impedance mode, but obviously not possible with the V50 or V60 AFAIK.


----------



## Palfim

I'm using the q5 as main amp, it can drive all my headphones and sounds absolutely flawless, even on ldac... Can't hear a difference between 44.1khz usb Bit perfect mode and ldac 909kb on 44.1khz!
I got some sort of defect on my unit: one of the plastic hinges which holds the metal lever on both sides of the clip broke off, even though I rarly use the clip function (using it 90% of the time at home, or as a pendant . The Koreans even sell leather cases for it with necklaces).

So the clip/lever is still holding, just on one plastic hinge alone. So it looks a bit wonky, the clip drifted to one side and it's not planar anymore. Posting a pic when I'm at home again .

Anyone else have this sort of breakage after normal usage? Is it covered under warranty? It happend after about 7 weeks after purchase and kinda worried the other one breaks off, too. I got it from the official European distributor in Poland (that auidioheaven  store is great btw, easiest way to get it is through them at ebay, 110€, just have to wait a bit because the 10 or so units are often sold out after a couple days ...or use the polish store with auto translate) . In fact I bought a second pair as a spare and for less switching around with all my headphones. 

Is that breakage just some bad luck or does it fall under warranty? I never heard or felt mine break off, so I don't know where the missing part with the hole in it lies around , would have superglued it already back on haha


----------



## newworld666

PeterMac said:


> I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.




WOW .. that's a clear answer to prove Qudelix 5K mic quality.
Thank you


----------



## tudedude

What's the best way to use this as a Dac bluetooth receiver into a separate full size amp? Do I set the volume to 100 percent? Is there a menu option for this?


----------



## Mossey

PeterMac said:


> I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.




Yeah, I was really surprised by how excellent the mic is on the Qudelix, really didn't expect that. I no longer use TWS on calls due to the improved mic quality into the Qudelix and the excellent mic pass through. 

It's probably hard to demonstrate the mic pass through in a video but basically think of the 'ambient mode' most BT headphone or TWS go through when you make a call that also pipes through your voice into the headphone so you can kind of determine if you're screaming or not and how typically weird, laggy and just unnatural that sounds - the Qudelix has almost no lag and sounds FAR more natural.


----------



## Mossey

Mossey said:


> Yeah, I was really surprised by how excellent the mic is on the Qudelix, really didn't expect that. I no longer use TWS on calls due to the improved mic quality into the Qudelix and the excellent mic pass through.
> 
> It's probably hard to demonstrate the mic pass through in a video but basically think of the 'ambient mode' most BT headphone or TWS go through when you make a call that also pipes through your voice into the headphone so you can kind of determine if you're screaming or not and how typically weird, laggy and just unnatural that sounds - the Qudelix has almost no lag and sounds FAR more natural.




This is with it clipped to the neckband of a t-shirt.


----------



## Mossey

tudedude said:


> What's the best way to use this as a Dac bluetooth receiver into a separate full size amp? Do I set the volume to 100 percent? Is there a menu option for this?


I haven't come across a specific 'line-out' mode.


----------



## tudedude

Mossey said:


> I haven't come across a specific 'line-out' mode.


thanks, maybe I'll just get a standalone bt receiver then.


----------



## Chupi383

I'm a long-time ES100 user and I just got a 5K yesterday. The ES100 is excellent but 5K is a straight upgrade from it in almost every way in terms of features, and beats it in sound quality too for the most part. I use them with IEMs, right now Mangird Tea on 3.5mm single-ended. Doing some short A/B testing (Bluetooth, LDAC 909 kbps, EQ off, Galaxy S7 Edge), I very quickly noticed that cymbals sound cleaner on the 5K, an upgrade I didn't know I needed. I'm not sure exactly why but the ES100 sounds livelier on some tracks though. I'd still call the 5K the clear winner though.



tudedude said:


> thanks, maybe I'll just get a standalone bt receiver then.


If I recall, the ES100 has a mode for this, but all it does is show different estimated volume info and recommend you turn the volume to 0 dB. Since the Qudelix app doesn't have the volume estimater feature, I'd just turn volume to 0 dB and use it like that. Presumably performance mode because that changes SQ, and normal gain because your hifi doesn't need more milliwatts to drive it.


----------



## happybuns (Feb 19, 2021)

Ordered the qudelix 5k on the 11th Feb on Amazon US. Was expecting delivery today,19th, but DHL just told me the item was picked up and returned on the 11th. Amazon still says I will receive it, DHL no longer has it, there's no new tracking number, and each of the DHL rep told me a different story. Help from  the CS rep here?


----------



## TK33

happybuns said:


> Ordered the qudelix 5k on the 11th Feb on Amazon US. Was expecting delivery today,19th, but DHL just told me the item was picked up and returned on the 11th. Amazon still says I will receive it, DHL no longer has it, there's no new tracking number, and each of the DHL rep told me a different story. Help from  the CS rep here?


If you're trying to reach someone from Qudelix, you should do so by contacting them directly via the support email on their website or on their official forum. I doubt you will get a response here.

support@qudelix.com


----------



## rkw

happybuns said:


> Ordered the qudelix 5k on the 11th Feb on Amazon US. Was expecting delivery today,19th, but DHL just told me the item was picked up and returned on the 11th. Amazon still says I will receive it, DHL no longer has it, there's no new tracking number, and each of the DHL rep told me a different story. Help from  the CS rep here?


This is an Amazon/DHL shipping issue and I don't think Qudelix can do anything to resolve it. What is the status of the original tracking number (I didn't follow what you meant by "returned on the 11th"). I would pursue this with Amazon customer service. Try a text chat session, which begins with a bot and transfers to a person if not resolved: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/contact-us/


----------



## Chupi383

happybuns said:


> Ordered the qudelix 5k on the 11th Feb on Amazon US. Was expecting delivery today,19th, but DHL just told me the item was picked up and returned on the 11th. Amazon still says I will receive it, DHL no longer has it, there's no new tracking number, and each of the DHL rep told me a different story. Help from  the CS rep here?


This sounds like an Amazon & DHL issue. From personal experience, Amazon is incredibly difficult to talk to a human at, and DHL support will likely just read you what the tracking says. If it's actually saying it was refused or returned to sender, their support line may be able to do something about it, though they might just say to let it go back to Amazon and get refunded and order it again.


----------



## DeJaVu

Heres some samples for the mic lovers, Hiby W3 and Shanling UP2. Looks like shanling is also doing a great job in that regard. Done in quiet environment.


----------



## jsmiller58

DeJaVu said:


> Heres some samples for the mic lovers, Hiby W3 and Shanling UP2. Looks like shanling is also doing a great job in that regard. Done in quiet environment.



Excellent, and again the best choice seems pretty clear!


----------



## DeJaVu (Feb 20, 2021)

jsmiller58 said:


> Excellent, and again the best choice seems pretty clear!


Different loudness of the recorded samples between UP2 and 5K can be because of position or where the mic is pointed, and i also have a beard thats in the way, a dampening material so to say  . Also there might be some attenuation or boost in the audio file to video conversion for it to be able to be uploaded to youtube.
If we go by noise introduced by the mic, UP2 sounds cleaner in that regard. But the noise in the 5K might be because of higher mic boost(5k can control that right?), so if brought down, noise could come down to UP2 level. Even if in same conditions UP2 is actually quieter, lots of software for pc that you would use the mic with will boost the mic to requiered level, but then it might turn to have the same increased background noise as the 5k.
So not quite clear, but good starting point. Comparison of UP2 and 5K needs to be made by the same person in same conditions to minimize variables.

Edit:
One thing that is certain is that Hiby W3 mic is absolute disaster .

Edit2:
Heres a BTR3 mic test that sounds absolutely different from sample here, my point about variables.


----------



## DeJaVu

It turned out that the built in windows recorder attenuates the mic quite a bit. Rerecorded the UP2 samples with OBS Studio, and its totally different picture. Made 3 samples, no boost, 6db and 12db boost. At 12db theres some clipping, you can hear the breaks in the 5k test too), so i suppose up to 9db or so it could take no problem. @PeterMac how far have you boosted the mic?
Hearing them at same loudness id have to agree that 5K sounds bit better, but UP2 also holds its own, especially in its price range compared to W3 and the couple BTR3 samples available.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

Anyone tried Qudelix with Roon?


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

PeterMac said:


> I made built-in microphone test in Qudelix 5K, compare also to FiiO BTR3.



Does the Microphone work when using it as a WIRED USB DAC for your Computer / Laptop?


----------



## rkw (Feb 21, 2021)

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Does the Microphone work when using it as a WIRED USB DAC for your Computer / Laptop?


No. It is not a USB microphone device.
edit: USB microphone is now supported. See following posts.


----------



## DeJaVu

rkw said:


> No. It is not a USB microphone device.


@TooPoorForHiFi  Qudelix actually enabled the mic in USB DAC mode in one of the later firmwares. Didnt work initially.


----------



## digitalazer

I've had the Qudelix 5K since it was on sale last November and I love this thing! Coming from the big bulkier Fiio E18 Kunlun DAC/AMP, the smaller, much more portable Qudelix is a game changer.

I have it paired with my Nvidia Shield and using NF Audio NM2+. The Qudelix has changed not just how I listen music entertainment, but also visual media as well. The Bluetooth capability allows to me watch movies and shows from my couch with expansive sound that beats even my surround system. Voices come in clear and accurate and not overpowered by the rest of the sounds in the scene. It is very immersive! So far I can not perceive a difference in BT audio quality with LDAC using the Qudelix 5K nor cannot perceive audio sync issues when watching movies with the Shield, unlike other BT adapters I've used in the past.

The app is awesome and allows me to tweak any setting that matters to me, including being able to use the IEM's built in mic vs the Qudelix's onboard mic.

I love this little thing so much, I even created a 3D printed soft TPU case for it.


----------



## rkw

DeJaVu said:


> @TooPoorForHiFi  Qudelix actually enabled the mic in USB DAC mode in one of the later firmwares. Didnt work initially.


I missed the announcement. Thanks!
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-mic-support-11121115


----------



## Luhar

digitalazer said:


> I've had the Qudelix 5K since it was on sale last November and I love this thing! Coming from the big bulkier Fiio E18 Kunlun DAC/AMP, the smaller, much more portable Qudelix is a game changer.
> 
> I have it paired with my Nvidia Shield and using NF Audio NM2+. The Qudelix has changed not just how I listen music entertainment, but also visual media as well. The Bluetooth capability allows to me watch movies and shows from my couch with expansive sound that beats even my surround system. Voices come in clear and accurate and not overpowered by the rest of the sounds in the scene. It is very immersive! So far I can not perceive a difference in BT audio quality with LDAC using the Qudelix 5K nor cannot perceive audio sync issues when watching movies with the Shield, unlike other BT adapters I've used in the past.
> 
> ...


Neat! Would totally buy this if it was mass produced.


----------



## DeJaVu

rkw said:


> I missed the announcement. Thanks!
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-mic-support-11121115


No trouble. Btw theres sort of a workaround with which some of such devices can have the mic working while in USB DAC mode even if manufacturer isnt advertising it as feature. You need to have the device paired to the pc and connected to bluetooth at same time while being connected with cord, and the mic will work over bluetooth, while audio being outputed via the cord.
I know Hiby W3 works this way, been told that BTR5 does(and i assume BTR3K also, but could be wrong), Shanling UP2 Doesnt.


----------



## rkw (Feb 21, 2021)

W1ll1eTheP1mp said:


> Anyone tried Qudelix with Roon?


Qudelix cannot operate as a Roon endpoint by itself, so you need to make one of your Roon endpoints send its audio output to Qudelix (on USB or Bluetooth).

As an example, I run Roon Core on my Mac laptop, and if I select the laptop ("System Output") as Roon output, it will play on the laptop speakers. Now if I connect Qudelix to my laptop (USB or Bluetooth) and select it as the system audio output, then I will be playing Roon to Qudelix. The requirement is that the Roon endpoint must be able to send audio to the Qudelix through USB audio output or Bluetooth transmitter.


----------



## HiFlight

PeterMac said:


> Question, for what are on bottom two screws ? To easy open it ?
> 
> Does it easy to open it for future battery replacement ?
> 
> ...


The shells are bonded together and cannot be opened despite removing the screws, this according to the user manual.


----------



## W1ll1eTheP1mp

rkw said:


> Qudelix cannot operate as a Roon endpoint by itself, so you need to make one of your Roon endpoints send its audio output to Qudelix (on USB or Bluetooth).
> 
> As an example, I run Roon Core on my Mac laptop, and if I select the laptop ("System Output") as Roon output, it will play on the laptop speakers. Now if I connect Qudelix to my laptop (USB or Bluetooth) and select it as the system audio output, then I will be playing Roon to Qudelix. The requirement is that the Roon endpoint must be able to send audio to the Qudelix through USB audio output or Bluetooth transmitter.


But you can attach the Qudelix to Rpi + Ropiee? Thought of Qudelix,but that was before i saw the Khadas tone 2 pro! God damn!


----------



## rkw

W1ll1eTheP1mp said:


> But you can attach the Qudelix to Rpi + Ropiee?


Rpi + Ropiee has USB audio output. Qudelix can be used as a USB DAC + headphone amp. So the answer is yes.

However, I'd like to ask what is your goal. Qudelix has excellent performance for a thumbsize, battery powered portable DAC/amp supporting Bluetooth. Emphasis on the portable capability. If you want a desktop setup with wired connection to an Rpi, then you have a vast number of options that are not compromised by miniaturization for portability.


----------



## Chupi383

Personally I like having a single device that works for both portable and desktop use, and carries all my settings, any EQ, etc. with it. I haven't found it to be very compromised by miniaturization at all, apart from not supporting DSD or as wide a variety of USB sample rates as some devices, and of course not having a big round volume knob.

Mic does work on USB, though the mic modes only support 44.1 or 48 kHz output rates. I'm not sure why. I'd guess something about USB bandwidth, but I have an ancient USB SoundBlaster MP3+ (note, the "MP3" in the name is just an early 00's buzzword, the device does not encode or decode MP3) that does microphone, line in, and output all up to 192 kHz, over USB 2.0. So perhaps processing limitations of the QCC5124 while still handling up to 2 Bluetooth connections and PEQ?


----------



## Nolbert0

Humans can't produce supersonics with their vocal chords anyway so going above 44.1 from the mic is a waste of bandwidth, processing power etc? Besides, most mics (even high end ones in studios) don't record such high frequencies anyways. Certainly not tiny cheap ones like the ones found in the 5K. After all that, you factor in the low audio quality of a phone call, surrounding noise, connection reliability... 

Was my understanding, anyways.


----------



## Chupi383

Maybe I wanted to record a bat. /s

But really, my gripe isn't with the mic sample rate, but that the modes where it even has a mic on USB only support *playback* at 44.1 or 48 kHz.

Personally I don't see a point to going above 44.1 (or 48) since by Nyquist's theorem a competent DAC can perfectly reconstruct an audio signal up to 22 (24) kHz from that, which covers all of human hearing. Now I've heard that higher rates improve clock jitter. I can't test this since I haven't trained my ears to hear jitter (and I'd rather not go down that headache of a rabbit hole), but wouldn't "Performance" mode's DAC oversampling already help with this?


----------



## happybuns

TK33 said:


> If you're trying to reach someone from Qudelix, you should do so by contacting them directly via the support email on their website or on their official forum. I doubt you will get a response here.
> 
> support@qudelix.com


Just did. Hope they are responsive. Amazon cs was giving me the run-around, even giving me email addresses that point to nowhere.


----------



## TK33

happybuns said:


> Just did. Hope they are responsive. Amazon cs was giving me the run-around, even giving me email addresses that point to nowhere.



Good luck.  They were very responsive to me when I first got it...even procured a LG V60 (not sold in Korea) to help me figure out why my V60 would not connect via LDAC and helped me fix it.


----------



## mart1272 (Feb 24, 2021)

Got the device today and I am very impressed at this marvelous little piece of engineering. I've tested it on earbuds (Monk Plus, Kbear Stellar) and IEMS (Blon BL 03 mainly) and I'd say:

- Qudelix 5k sound quality (LDAC bluetooth) is definitely better than SQ from the headphones directly plugged into the headphone jack of the Pixel 4A phone released last year. Knowing this, in hindsight, perhaps I would've also considered buying a new phone without a headphone jack (or an LG V phone with the internal quad dac/amp, but they're way too big phones to my liking).

- It also feels like that Qudelix 5k SQ  bluetooth > SQ wired usb-c to 3.5mm dongle (Apple) Pixel 4A > SQ wired headphone jack Pixel 4A.

I tested this on Youtube Music / Spotify (have yet to try Tidal HiFi, if that matters).

Feels great that the cable is no longer tied to my phone, need to unlearn some muscle memory here. Especially now that small phones are disappearing it becomes more and more cumbersome to pull phones with cables attached to it out of your pocket.

The EQ is also fantastic, no longer need to go through the cumbersome process of jailbreaking my iPhone SE 2016 to install system-wide EQ software.


----------



## mart1272 (Feb 25, 2021)

This device is also really handy in the gym. Without the cable attached to my phone, my headphones stay put almost all the time, whereas before I was constantly losing seal and fiddling around with the cable and refitting my headphones, particularly when I pulled the phone out of my pocket. And pulling it out with the cable attached (and the headphone jack on the top of the phone, so upside down in the pocket - unless you use rotate-screen software) and putting it back in the pocket involved quite some acrobatics as well to not lose seal, even with over-the-ear headphones, and despite having one of the smallest mainstream phones with a headphone jack on the market nowadays (Pixel 4A, wish they'd introduce a cheap 4.x inch phone again like the iPhone SE 2016).

And now I can also leave the phone anywhere in the gym, the Bluetooth range of the Qudelix seems to extend quite far (on LDAC even). Amazing device.


----------



## visor

Hi,

I just received the device and while it works via bluetooth and via pc usb, I can't figure out how to make it work via usb c to usb c on my phone, only bluetooth. Is there a setting I'm overlooking?


----------



## DBaldock9

visor said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just received the device and while it works via bluetooth and via pc usb, I can't figure out how to make it work via usb c to usb c on my phone, only bluetooth. Is there a setting I'm overlooking?



Are you using a cable that's known to work for OTG USB DAC connections?


----------



## visor

DBaldock9 said:


> Are you using a cable that's known to work for OTG USB DAC connections?



Actually decided to try the cable meant to be used with pc (c to usb) and plug that into otg and Neutron popped up asking for direct usb access. But it kept cutting out for whatever reason. I then also tried the standard c to c that came with it and it also worked then (Even said USB DAC or something like that in the app) but also kept cutting out. And I don't understand as the phones port isn't dirty or even dusty from what I can tell and it works fine on pc.


----------



## TK33

visor said:


> Actually decided to try the cable meant to be used with pc (c to usb) and plug that into otg and Neutron popped up asking for direct usb access. But it kept cutting out for whatever reason. I then also tried the standard c to c that came with it and it also worked then (Even said USB DAC or something like that in the app) but also kept cutting out. And I don't understand as the phones port isn't dirty or even dusty from what I can tell and it works fine on pc.


My old Galaxy S9 had that issue...the port was just loose and kept losing connection to my Dragonfly Cobalt (I don't really use my 5K as a USB DAC). My new phones (V60 and OnePlus 8T) have no such issues.  Are you able to try another phone?


----------



## Chupi383 (Feb 25, 2021)

Or just use it on Bluetooth. All Android 8.0 and up devices support LDAC, and at 6xx or 9xx kbps the sound is pretty much indistinguishable from a wired connection.

Edit: You can see what codec is in use, and for some of them the bandwidth, in the Qudelix app. If you're stuck in aptX, head to Developer Options at the bottom of the phone's Settings app, scroll down a few screens and hopefully you'll find some options for what Bluetooth codec to use and the LDAC bandwidth. If you don't have Developer Options, head to About This Phone, software info, and tap on the kernel build version about a dozen times until things start popping up like tap 2 more times to become a developer and you are now a developer. 

Sadly, on my S7 Edge every time I connect the 5K it defaults to aptX and I have to head to Settings to get to LDAC. Not sure why this is. My old Earstudio ES100 always defaulted to LDAC.


----------



## rkw

Chupi383 said:


> Sadly, on my S7 Edge every time I connect the 5K it defaults to aptX and I have to head to Settings to get to LDAC.


Which settings are you taking about? Make sure you are looking at the 5K's Bluetooth settings (not Developer options).


----------



## TK33

Chupi383 said:


> Or just use it on Bluetooth. All Android 8.0 and up devices support LDAC, and at 6xx or 9xx kbps the sound is pretty much indistinguishable from a wired connection.
> 
> Edit: You can see what codec is in use, and for some of them the bandwidth, in the Qudelix app. If you're stuck in aptX, head to Developer Options at the bottom of the phone's Settings app, scroll down a few screens and hopefully you'll find some options for what Bluetooth codec to use and the LDAC bandwidth. If you don't have Developer Options, head to About This Phone, software info, and tap on the kernel build version about a dozen times until things start popping up like tap 2 more times to become a developer and you are now a developer.
> 
> Sadly, on my S7 Edge every time I connect the 5K it defaults to aptX and I have to head to Settings to get to LDAC. Not sure why this is. My old Earstudio ES100 always defaulted to LDAC.



I had an issue with my V60 and 5K combo defaulting to aptX adaptive instead of LDAC.  I posted the steps Qudelix support sent me in post #1,065.  May be a long shot but perhaps it might work for you. I disabled aptX adaptive in my codec list on the 5K to prevent it from happening again. 

Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-15750138


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## Chupi383

My bad. I forgot about the "high quality audio" switch in connections -> bluetooth -> qudelix 5k. I forget whether it defaulted to on or off for the ES100 when I got it, but it certainly defaulted to off for the 5K. After turning it on, it defaults to LDAC.

I thought about disabling aptX from the 5K's app, but wanted to leave it enabled for when I use it wirelessly with Windows since at least my PC bluetooth adapters all only do aptX or SBC. It's a bummer, I'd really like to be able to use LDAC/aptX-HD or aptX-adaptive for lower latency on PC.


----------



## DeJaVu (Feb 26, 2021)

Chupi383 said:


> I'd really like to be able to use LDAC/aptX-HD on PC


You actually can, but you need to work for it  

You install Oracle Virtualbox, then install Archlinux on it and set so it automatically captures your bt dongle when it starts. When done with the archlinux installation it will support only SBC by default, so you need to modify the bluetooth stack so it will support AAC/aptx/aptxHD/LDAC. So now we can connect the receiver with all of the above codecs, or even use it as sink with up to aptx HD(send audio from phone to PC). If you want the easy way out, you can consider the deed done and just copy your music to the virtual machine and listen to it from there.
If you want to take it further, you install Voicemeeter on your pc(we need the VBAN component) and instal VBAN receptor on the Linux VM. When setup and running, all audio from the Windows host is routed to the Linux guest. If you have NVME it takes around 15 seconds for all the setup to start when needed, and usses less than 100mb ram, so it can be left running in the background no problem. The whole process of starting the apps and switching to correct audio interfaces i have automated with bat file, so its a 1 click thing after you initially set it up.

Another option, simpler setup wise but might not be as convenient as you need a phone. Voicemeeter on pc and VBAN Receptor app on phone.Free version of receptor can stream up to 48/16 , paid up to 96/24. And then you stream audio from your pc to your phone, where you have your receiver connected through LDAC. Wont work over 2.4Ghz WiFi, either 5Ghz or phone usb tethered to pc. If you have an android box that has aptx HD or LDAC, that would also be good option by using ethernet connection.


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## Chupi383

I'd seen that Linux can work as an audio sink or take calls over Bluetooth, but I didn't know it did high quality codecs. Thanks.


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## DeJaVu

Chupi383 said:


> I'd seen that Linux can work as an audio sink or take calls over Bluetooth, but I didn't know it did high quality codecs. Thanks.


Sure can, just not out of the box.
You can refer to this link - https://github.com/EHfive/pulseaudio-modules-bt


----------



## visor

visor said:


> Actually decided to try the cable meant to be used with pc (c to usb) and plug that into otg and Neutron popped up asking for direct usb access. But it kept cutting out for whatever reason. I then also tried the standard c to c that came with it and it also worked then (Even said USB DAC or something like that in the app) but also kept cutting out. And I don't understand as the phones port isn't dirty or even dusty from what I can tell and it works fine on pc.


I'd like to report I fixed the issue. 

Phone has an option to enable or disable otg connection and I only now realized I had to enable it. I don't know how I didn't see this sooner.


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## DBaldock9

Chupi383 said:


> My bad. I forgot about the "high quality audio" switch in connections -> bluetooth -> qudelix 5k. I forget whether it defaulted to on or off for the ES100 when I got it, but it certainly defaulted to off for the 5K. After turning it on, it defaults to LDAC.
> 
> I thought about disabling aptX from the 5K's app, but wanted to leave it enabled for when I use it wirelessly with Windows since at least my PC bluetooth adapters all only do aptX or SBC. It's a bummer, I'd really like to be able to use LDAC/aptX-HD or aptX-adaptive for lower latency on PC.



If your PC has an SPDIF output, take a look at the FiiO BTA30. 
. 
https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Wireless-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Headphone/dp/B08LM68KN8


----------



## digitalazer

Yay! I've made an updated version of the soft TPU case I designed to include covered buttons with tactile feel on both sides so you can quickly and easily press the correct button without having to look at it. Perfect if you like to carry the device in your pocket or bag.

I have 3 versions of the case. Color choices in Black, Translucent Green, and Translucent Orange:

*NEW*: - Covered, Tactile buttons



 




*Nibbed on side with the nibbed device button*





*No nib *




Always to love to hear feedback. Please reach out if you have any questions!


----------



## Chupi383

DBaldock9 said:


> If your PC has an SPDIF output, take a look at the FiiO BTA30.
> .
> https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Wireless-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Headphone/dp/B08LM68KN8


"The world's first Bluetooth transceiver that supports LDAC"
Thank you, I think I'm going to buy this. If I was using Linux full time, I'd just grab the Pulseaudio modules, but using an audio forwarder app and a VM just seems too roundabout. Now if only there was an option on this transmitter for aptX-Adaptive so I can watch videos in my browser instead of always using VLC and messing with audio delay settings. It's like as soon as devices start showing up that support aptX-LL, the 5K appears with aptX-Adaptive instead. I'm hoping I can get it to be stable and close enough to synced using LDAC and the 100ms option on the 5K.


----------



## DBaldock9

Chupi383 said:


> "The world's first Bluetooth transceiver that supports LDAC"
> Thank you, I think I'm going to buy this. If I was using Linux full time, I'd just grab the Pulseaudio modules, but using an audio forwarder app and a VM just seems too roundabout. Now if only there was an option on this transmitter for aptX-Adaptive so I can watch videos in my browser instead of always using VLC and messing with audio delay settings. It's like as soon as devices start showing up that support aptX-LL, the 5K appears with aptX-Adaptive instead. I'm hoping I can get it to be stable and close enough to synced using LDAC and the 100ms option on the 5K.



Back around Christmas of 2018, I managed to get an old Asus Netbook, running Mint Linux, to transmit BT LDAC to my Shanling M0 DAP - 
. 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sha...ess-sabre-es9218p-fw-3-5.874859/post-14681439


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## DeJaVu

Chupi383 said:


> "The world's first Bluetooth transceiver that supports LDAC"
> Thank you, I think I'm going to buy this. If I was using Linux full time, I'd just grab the Pulseaudio modules, but using an audio forwarder app and a VM just seems too roundabout. Now if only there was an option on this transmitter for aptX-Adaptive so I can watch videos in my browser instead of always using VLC and messing with audio delay settings. It's like as soon as devices start showing up that support aptX-LL, the 5K appears with aptX-Adaptive instead. I'm hoping I can get it to be stable and close enough to synced using LDAC and the 100ms option on the 5K.


Just note that LDAC doesnt work if you connect BTA30 via USB to the PC, transmits LDAC only when coax/optical inputs are used.

Your phone should support aptx adaptive, so if youre curious you can try the chain - Voicemeeter(VBAN) on pc and VBAN Receptor on android. VBAN itself doesnt add too much latency by the look of it when set up with minimal buffer.By using some sync sample videos it seems its around 30ms.


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## Chupi383

DeJaVu said:


> Just note that LDAC doesnt work if you connect BTA30 via USB to the PC, transmits LDAC only when coax/optical inputs are used.


I saw this in the specs. I don't have coaxial SPDIF on my PC which would give the widest range of supported sample rates, but I do have optical which looks like it's more than good enough.



DeJaVu said:


> Your phone should support aptx adaptive, so if youre curious you can try the chain - Voicemeeter(VBAN) on pc and VBAN Receptor on android. VBAN itself doesnt add too much latency by the look of it when set up with minimal buffer.By using some sync sample videos it seems its around 30ms.


My Galaxy S7 Edge doesn't have adaptive.


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## DeJaVu

Chupi383 said:


> I saw this in the specs. I don't have coaxial SPDIF on my PC which would give the widest range of supported sample rates, but I do have optical which looks like it's more than good enough.


Youre set then. 
While win10 sort of made it easier to choose the needed output by the volume icon, it still lists all available outputs physical and virtual(most of which you dont need). So im using this little app for output switching as it can hide unneeded interfaces, might prove handy for your use scenario.


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## Chupi383

Nice, that will probably be very useful. My audio device list is already clogged up with a few Bluetooth devices and I have to scroll to find what I want.


----------



## MayaTlab

Little question here from a prospective owner : I'd like to pair them with the HD560S and connect the latter single ended to the Qudelix 5K using this cable with an inline mic and a 3.5mm TRRS plug : https://en-us.sennheiser.com/accessories-cable-ptt-12-m-dia-3-mm

Apparently at some point Qudelix mentioned that the single ended 3.5mm output would be compatible with TRRS plugs. I'm not interested in the inline mic at all (if it works it's a bonus but if it doesn't I don't care), but I'd like to know if the TRRS plug effectively works or not with the single ended 3.5mm output or if it could cause any problem / incompatibility. In fewer words : do you get sound out of the single ended 3.5mm output when using a cable with a TRRS plug ? Has anyone tried it ? 

Thanks for your help.


----------



## rlw6534

MayaTlab said:


> Little question here from a prospective owner : I'd like to pair them with the HD560S and connect the latter single ended to the Qudelix 5K using this cable with an inline mic and a 3.5mm TRRS plug : https://en-us.sennheiser.com/accessories-cable-ptt-12-m-dia-3-mm
> 
> Apparently at some point Qudelix mentioned that the single ended 3.5mm output would be compatible with TRRS plugs. I'm not interested in the inline mic at all (if it works it's a bonus but if it doesn't I don't care), but I'd like to know if the TRRS plug effectively works or not with the single ended 3.5mm output or if it could cause any problem / incompatibility. In fewer words : do you get sound out of the single ended 3.5mm output when using a cable with a TRRS plug ? Has anyone tried it ?
> 
> Thanks for your help.



Yes, it works with 3.5 TRRS.  You can select between the in-line mic and the 5K built-in mic in the settings.


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## MayaTlab

rlw6534 said:


> Yes, it works with 3.5 TRRS.  You can select between the in-line mic and the 5K built-in mic in the settings.



Thanks a lot for the quick reply .


----------



## DBaldock9

Finally decided to order a Qudelix-5K.
.
I've already got a Radsone EarStudio ES100, a Shanling M0, and a FiiO BTR5 - all of which can receive BT LDAC, and act as USB DACs.
.
Looking forward to comparing the Q5K to these other devices.


----------



## jsmiller58

DBaldock9 said:


> Finally decided to order a Qudelix-5K.
> .
> I've already got a Radsone EarStudio ES100, a Shanling M0, and a FiiO BTR5 - all of which can receive BT LDAC, and act as USB DACs.
> .
> Looking forward to comparing the Q5K to these other devices.


There are lots of opinions, but to me the differences boil down to BTR5 has better build and look & feel, while the 5K has better BT range and a much more useful equalizer that includes an EQ and PEQ and it works over LDAC.  I only use IEMs with these receivers so cannot comment on the power differences.  And, really, after a year of largely sheltering in place during the pandemic I am not getting much use out of these tiny things...  It will be great to see how you stack them after getting to compare them.


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## rlw6534

jsmiller58 said:


> There are lots of opinions, but to me the differences boil down to BTR5 has better build and look & feel, while the 5K has better BT range and a much more useful equalizer that includes an EQ and PEQ and it works over LDAC.  I only use IEMs with these receivers so cannot comment on the power differences.  And, really, after a year of largely sheltering in place during the pandemic I am not getting much use out of these tiny things...  It will be great to see how you stack them after getting to compare them.


I have all three (ES100, BTR5 and 5K).   I would use the 5K exclusively except for the lack of aptx ll.   For home audio/video sync, I use the BTR5.   If we ever get BT transmitters that support aptx adaptive (or even LDAC), that may change for me.


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## DBaldock9

rlw6534 said:


> I have all three (ES100, BTR5 and 5K).   I would use the 5K exclusively except for the lack of aptx ll.   For home audio/video sync, I use the BTR5.   If we ever get BT transmitters that support aptx adaptive (or even LDAC), that may change for me.



Check out the FiiO BTA30, for a home BT LDAC transmitter. I bought mine from Amazon.


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## rlw6534

DBaldock9 said:


> Check out the FiiO BTA30, for a home BT LDAC transmitter. I bought mine from Amazon.



Thank you!   I'll take a look.  Got to do some research on LDAC latency...


----------



## DBaldock9

Has anyone else's Qudelix-5K order been "hosed" by Amazon?
.
After receiving this email yesterday - "Hi David, your package will arrive: Wednesday, March 10"
.
Another email came this morning - "Unfortunately, a problem occurred during shipping and we had to cancel your delivery. The package is being returned, and we will issue a refund within 3 - 5 business days after the return is processed. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience."
.
The product page on Amazon says they still have 11 in stock, so I just ordered another one - hope they can deliver it...


----------



## Palfim

That is unfortunate...we lately got a fresh wave of q5s here in Europe, where it was notourisly hard to get but now you can just order it on eBay from their official distr. , I got mine in 2 days that way, they use ups.

My q5 is doing great, both on high and low impendance full scale headphones ( hifiman Ananda with under 30  ohm with a alot of bass eq, usually need a desktop amp), and Sennheiser hd600 (300 ohm) with ALOT of eq , again the q5 produces a wonderful full sound , like amiir said in their partly not so favourable review , it drives even his difficult headphones nicely without any hint of distortion.
IMO the double ess setup is brilliant since it produces good voltage _and_ current. The mediocre sinad ASR forums found isn't audible at all , testing it against a desktop setup. And I can't spot any difference whatsoever on bt mode Vs usb fully cabled.

I'm using ldac 44.1khz and 24 bit, sounds just as good as a cable compared to my much more expensive topping. With these settings about 10 meters and a wall  in between is possible, it drops from 909kb to 660 for a while there which isn't audible to me. I was even using a 470 ohm ath-R70x with it, which worked in balanced mode, but the battery is drained fast that way. But that this is possible in itself is crazy.
I wonder how they put a sufficient antenna in that small device, but I would have never thought to get cd quality over bt on such distances with a tiny clip device. 
Positive side effect : I even terminated some of my older headphones like k701 to 2.5mm balanced myself, it does sound better thanks to less noise during charging (ground loops) , better stereo crosstalk values and much more power or headroom for EQ.
The app is awesome, I can even use it to properly peq her sennheisers, since it is stored in hardware and plug and playable for my older folks haha.


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## mart1272 (Mar 7, 2021)

Anyone using 'High' Output Power (under DAC/AMP in the Qudelix app) for IEMs? Or 'Normal' as recommended in the 5K app? I am driving my FH3 IEMs from the 5K with a balanced cable, wonder if High Output Power would give me even better sound quality (in theory?).


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## rkw

mart1272 said:


> Anyone using 'High' Output Power (under DAC/AMP) for IEMs? Or 'Normal' as recommended in the 5K app? I am driving my FH3 from them with a balanced cable, wonder if High Output Power would give me even better sound quality (in theory?).


Plausible arguments can be made that it will sound better, worse, or the same. The ultimate answer is, just try it and decide for yourself whether it sounds better to you.


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## tkddans

I just bought the Qudelix 5K. Love it. Best portable bluetooth DAC/amp in my opinion, from those I've tried.

I had the BTR5 on me to compare directly, and the BTR5 simply sounded less clear - almost flabby or fuzzy by comparison, bloomy with bass you could say.

I actually had the BTR5 after considering it better, for one reason or another, than...
- EarStudio ES100
- Shanling UP4

The sound quality overall was very similar, though slightly different in their own ways tuning-wise, between the BTR5, ES100, and UP4. Amongst those, the BTR5 won for me by a margin of build quality, button interface, and that bass bloom actually flavored it nicely in some way that the others seemed sterile by comparison.

But NOW...with the Qudelix 5K, it was just immediately better to my ear over the BTR5. The Qudelix is not only cleaner/clearer sounding, but I felt like the notes were somehow hitting me with more interest. I don't want to try to explain it too much because I'm not sure if I can, but that's how it _felt_ to me. The 5K gave me a smile when notes struck where the BTR5 now felt flat. I dare say the Qudelix sounds "musical" (I know that doesn't help you all, but that's how it felt).

Not only all that, but the Qudelix was the only DAC/amp that would fit inside my Thieaudio Clairvoyanace carrying case alongside the IEM's. It's the tiniest portable with no wasted space in the build. And as cheap as the plastic buttons can feel compared to the metal and glass of the BTR5, the Qudelix somehow still feels nice with its flat faces, sharp edges, and compact weight/size overall. Buttons are intuitive after briefly looking at the button diagram printed on the shipping box. The sound effects it plays in the ear when shutting off and on are satisfying, and the colors on the buttons when turned off and on are different, so you know if it's on or off easily enough (the volume button turns red when on and pressed, with no light when off and pressed). It can also clip on to more areas of the body without feeling ridiculous or too big/heavy/cumbersome, because of its extremely small footprint wherever it clips on to. I could imagine clipping this on a collar during a call or presentation, for example, so the mic can be closer to the face as well. If you wanted to, you could even clip it on a watch band when running (not that you should run and sweat with expensive IEM's lol, but an interesting point nonetheless I suppose).

*Highly recommend*. Get the Qudilex and you should be happy with it for a portable solution.


----------



## dw1narso

I've submitted my review below on my Amazon account (since there was where I bought my unit) and currently waiting for moderation. It was really difficult to allocate time during this pandemic time.. (I'm might be belong to the group of people that working time much increased during this time around.)

I'd like to share my views here as well...

==================================================

Hi.. I'd like give my view on Qudelix 5K after using it for almost 3 months. Hopefully what I share below could help others to understand better about this device.

Qudelix 5K is a very sophisticated audio device. I notice it captures firstly/mostly the 'serious' audio lovers/enthusiasts. I myself like it so much and really amazed by its sound quality that I feel it necessary to introduce it to greater audience than just the audio enthusiasts. For this reason, I'm going to try explain it in a more simple than technical approach.

In simplest term, device like Qudelix 5K can do two things:

1. As Bluetooth receiver (receive BT audio and send out analog audio)
2. As USB to analog audio dongle (USB-C to analog audio out)

The USB-C port on 5K is dual function port. We could use it to charge the battery on 5K, or use it as interface for USB-to-analog audio dongle, or both.

Qudelix 5K send out analog audio via the 3.5mm or 2.5mm jack on top of the unit. On either of this port we could connect earphones/headphones or send the output across to the external audio amplifier (i.e. home audio or car audio).

(Note: the 2.5mm port is intended to operate in 'balanced' audio mode. If you have no idea what it is all about, please avoid to use it. Don't try to put in just any 2.5mm plug/cable, without proper 'balanced' wiring. 5K could be damaged by the wrong 2.5mm connector/cable.)

Depend on how we like to use 5K, how deep we want to dig 5K capabilities and tinker with their accompanying mobile app, we could turn this device from sounding great to amazing.

We could use Qudelix 5K just as simple BT receiver/audio dongle. The device have been pre-set up by manufacturer with optimum default settings. IMHO, the default settings on 5K is more than enough to make average/most listener to be happy with it. Enough to open them up to the world of improved audio reproduction and that while having the freedom of detached (i.e. wireless) earphone/headphone from their mobile phones.

Please don't feel degraded/depreciate when I mention 'average'. By 'average' is I mean for people enjoying music more than concerning with how their audio equipment perform (that's why there's the term 'audiophile for this kind of love  ). I myself is more of a music lover (80% of time) than audiophile, though I really love to hear my music sounding their best. 

Qudelix provide 5K with an accompanying mobile app (available for iOS on AppStore and Android on PlayStore). The app is intended to do many things such as:
- to regularly upgrade the 'software' inside Qudelix 5K; to improve its performance and stability
- to formally start the warranty of the 5K with the manufacturer
- to adjust behavior when it is connected as USB dongle
- to enable/disable certain Bluetooth audio codecs (note: by default all codecs are enabled)
- to adjust the buttons behavior/actions
- to adjust the power/battery management
- to adjust it to get the maximum sound quality (remember: this one is not mandatory to get good sound out of 5K, as I mentioned above)
- to set the built-in equalizer in 5K to adjust it to sound more to our flavor (note: human hearing and ear profiles are never the same person to person), or to 'correct' the imperfect characters of earphone/headphone, or compensate the room response of home/car audio system.
- and few more

The interesting part with the app is, the Qudelix app is actually just a user interface to set these settings on 5K. All the settings we do on the app are not saved on the app but directly on 5K and the app is no longer needed for 5K to perform. Settings on 5K will follow it everywhere regardless of the mobile phone or computer using 5K as BT receiver or USB audio dongle. So if in one occasion I used 5K with my friend's mobile phone or I used to test a mobile phone in the store, all the settings (including the sound profile) will just follow with 5K. 

With such capabilities of Qudelix 5K, the app then is a little bit complex to use. You'll need time to really understand and to use all the features. I myself confused on my first time using it. But don't feel too overwhelmed but the app, if you found it is too complex to understand it, just leave it. Qudelix 5K sounded already good with its all default settings.

I don't want to cover all the settings and Qudelix capabilities here. Those could  be found on their user guide. I'm going to list the things that I found amazing on Qudelix 5K.

1. Amazing Sound.
   I've repeated this many times above. It simply sound amazing. Be it used with just basic AAC/Apt-X codec, or very advanced codec like LDAC, or using as USB-audio dongle. It sounded many, many times better then my other BT receiver Maceton WM4U. It sounded two or three levels above my LG V20 phone; a phone that is highly respected for the sound quality: better resolution, better music layers, better power, more finesse.

2. Long battery life.
   This depend whether we want to maximize it for longer battery life or set it for best audio performance, we can get between 10 hours to 20 hours of play.

3. Powerful Driving Power
   Device like Qudelix 5K is technically referred to as DAC (Digital Analog Converter). DAC will receive audio in digital format and convert it into analog audio. Analog audio is then converted by the interaction of amplifier and transducer (i.e. speaker, headphones, earphones, etc.) to become audio wave so that we human can listen to it. Normally analog audio output from DAC alone is quite low and need external amplifier to sound louder. In Qudelix 5K case, it has built-in little amplifier that is powerful enough to drive various headphones/earphones load. The 3.5mm port is powerful enough to drive many headphones. But the 2.5mm balanced port would deliver double of power. In balanced, it's quite powerful to drive my very demanding Hifiman HE5LE planar magnetic headphone to sound quite loud.

4. Amazing Bluetooth range.
   Qudelix hype about the 5K unique BT antenna design, and they are not just hyping it up. I could get 5K play 8 meters away from my LG V20 phones, accross 3 layers of brickwall (of about 6 inch each) at my home and that while I use LDAC as codec, and that streaming from my LG V20 that can only do BT4.2. 

5. Amazing Equalizer
   Qudelix 5K come with two flavors of 10 bands equalizer; Graphic Equalizer (GEQ) and Parametric Equalizer (PEQ). Equalizer is done on digital domain with 64 bits precision calculation, which mean the EQ could adjust the level of frequency and amplitude of the sound without degrading the quality of the modified sound. GEQ is something that most people familiar with. But PEQ is a beast of equalization tool. It provides a much more flexibility for us to shape the frequency of the sound to affect the response of our earphone/headphone or room response of external audio system. Note that PEQ is usually considered as professional tool. But not necessarily professional audio equipment would have PEQ in it. Some lower/mid end even only have 3 to 5 bands PEQ. Amazingly 5K come with 10 bands very high precision PEQ in such a small package.

By now, you should be able to see why I mentioned that Qudelix 5K is such a sophisticated audio device. Inside its understated appearance, Qudelix 5K is really an amazing, highly customizable and state of the art audio device.

Below is the list of audio device I used with 5K this far.
Earphone: Sony MH755, Blon BL-03, Fiio FH1
Headphone: Drop E-MU Purpleheart, Audeze Sine (in balanced), Hifiman HE-5LE (in balanced)
Source (BT transmitter): LG V20
Music/songs: I don't limit myself with certain genre of music. I listen everything: classical/romantic/baroque/renaissance, rock (progressive, rock'n'roll, hard rock etc.), jazz (all derivatives), metal, pop, folk/country, vocal, etc. 

PS. Qudelix 5K has built-in microphone, which is very sensitive, but don't have noise cancellation. The voice coming out from the microphone is actually very good, but if we clipped Q5K to clothes it could easily pickup the noise of 5K rubbing the clothes and send across the sound to the other end. If we don't like this, and our earphone has built-in microphone, we can turn the 5K microphone off and instead using the external microphone on our earphone/headphone. In the other way around of usage, if our headphone/earphone don't have microphone (or we send audio output to amplifier for example) we could use the built-in microphone on Q5K for making a call.

PPS. In GEQ, frequency range of human hearing (20Hz to 20KHz) are divided into about factor of two frequency scale (31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K, 16K) with fixed width of frequency range 'impact' for boost or cut as peak/valley. PEQ is a much more sophisticated equalizer in that this frequency scale can be adjusted freely by us, for how wide the impact would be, and whether the impact is affecting as peak/valley or as shelfing filter. Don't be confused and overwhelmed by this PEQ. It seems complicated at first but is really not that difficult to use. What makes it complicated is to effectively use PEQ to shape a headphone for example, we would need to have the frequency response measurement of the headphone. With that we will know on which part of response the phones are the lacking or having too much of volume. Then we rectify these with the PEQ. Luckily some sites readily share their measurements such on this list: https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets
The PEQ sample I attach as one of picture, show my way to correct the response of my Fiio FH1 IEM. Without the EQ, it sound smooth but flat and unexciting. PEQ turn it into a lively sounding IEM I never imagine it could.

==============================

One thing that I do not share on my Amazon review above is a fact that when I received my Qudelix 5K, I was little bit disappointed. Received with all seals of the box still intact, but I found the 5K unit inside was not in pristine shape. There were some dirt around both the buttons. There's a mark on the front surface of the unit. I cleaned it with a soft cloth and manage to get it clean, almost all part except the mark on the front part cannot be removed. It seems a paint failure during production. I hope in the future the quality control of the unit is really taken care seriously before it was shipped out. Qudelix 5K is not about appearance but what is inside is more important. Still, for the total price I paid for shipping plus custom+tax make it almost $150 the price I paid, thus I hope to receive a clean and pristine brand new unit.


----------



## DBaldock9

The second Q5K that I ordered, arrived today (Amazon did provide a refund for the first one, that they said couldn't be shipped to me).
It's paired and working well using BT LDAC (990) with my LG V30 phone.
However, I'm not having any luck with getting it to show up as a USB DAC on my Kubuntu 20.04 Linux PC.
The cable, connected to a USB 3.0 port, does work with my FiiO BTR5, and other USB-C devices.


----------



## deviltrombone

My understanding is that the 5K supports multipoint. My intent is to use it with my Avantree Leaf (PC USB transmitter) and Apple TV.


Is it possible to manually switch between Bluetooth devices? Experience with other receivers is that the Leaf is always outputting something to keep the connection to it alive, so automatic switching doesn't work.
I know the 5K can be connected to two devices at once, but can it remember more than two, so you can connect without having to re-pair?
Can the iPhone app still connect with Bluetooth-LE if the 5K is connected to two other devices?


----------



## morah

deviltrombone said:


> My understanding is that the 5K supports multipoint. My intent is to use it with my Avantree Leaf (PC USB transmitter) and Apple TV.
> 
> 
> Is it possible to manually switch between Bluetooth devices? Experience with other receivers is that the Leaf is always outputting something to keep the connection to it alive, so automatic switching doesn't work.



To your first question, yes. Inside the app, under _Input_ >> Priority, you can choose which one of the connected sources the 5K is gonna play, whether Bluetooth A2DP #1 or Bluetooth A2DP #2.


----------



## deviltrombone

morah said:


> To your first question, yes. Inside the app, under _Input_ >> Priority, you can choose which one of the connected sources the 5K is gonna play, whether Bluetooth A2DP #1 or Bluetooth A2DP #2.


Looking forward to trying it out. Without it, I'd have to unplug the Leaf to use the ATV.


----------



## CZ Eddie

Which would power my 60 ohm 3.5mm speakers with more power?
The 5K or my current Elecom LBT-PAR500AV?

The Elecom is "rated" at 200mW on its 3.5mm output.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/bl...mplifier-class1-nfc-black-japan-import.20851/







Speakers:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B..._title_dp_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A134ZS3X4AEHCU


----------



## DBaldock9

DBaldock9 said:


> The second Q5K that I ordered, arrived today (Amazon did provide a refund for the first one, that they said couldn't be shipped to me).
> It's paired and working well using BT LDAC (990) with my LG V30 phone.
> However, I'm not having any luck with getting it to show up as a USB DAC on my Kubuntu 20.04 Linux PC.
> The cable, connected to a USB 3.0 port, does work with my FiiO BTR5, and other USB-C devices.



I tried connecting the Q5K, as a USB DAC, to the Win10 PC at work on Wednesday - and it worked fine while listening to YouTube. 
. 
Still need to figure out whether there's a setting to change, so that it will work as a USB DAC for my Linux PC at home.


----------



## rkw

DBaldock9 said:


> Still need to figure out whether there's a setting to change, so that it will work as a USB DAC for my Linux PC at home.


Which DACs have worked on your Linux PC? Try to identify what is different.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Mar 11, 2021)

I've been using the 5K for about 1 week now together with a pair of Fidelio X3, for the price it's a really incredible little device, I highly recommend it.

The company also seems really passionate and down to earth, you can't say that about every company out there.

Some quick pro's and a few cons

Pros +

Price:
It just costed me around 109 EUR from their polish distributor 

Sound quality:
Not much to say here, other then that my headphones sounds absoluty incredible whilst using this device, both via USB and LDAC.

Build quality:
The clip feels really sturdy, the rest of device is also top notch

Bluetooth connection:
Because of the plastic build, the Bluetooth connection is really solid.

The app:
there's so many options for various settings, many of them are beyond my knowledge, but great if you're really into the audiophile hobby

Multipoint:
The multipoint function is also great, you can choose which device to prioritise

USB-dac function
I love the fact that the device can power itself from the usb connection when it's plugged into a PC as a USB-dac, means that the battery will last longer

Amp power:
It's quite incredible that I can drive a pair of open back headphones from this tiny device, and I'm not even using it at max volume nor the most powerful amp setting

Battery Life:
The battery life is quite phenomenal, even when paring it with a pair of open-back headphones using the 2.5mm outlet I'm getting a pretty decent battery life.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Cons -

Buttons:
I'm not a huge fan of the buttons and their placement, the actual buttons are very tactile, but both the buttons are placed in a symmetrical fashion. So it's really hard to learn which button is which unless you're actually looking at them (for the LED-light).  I'd prefer a different button layout, were you can feel what you're doing with your finger.

App navigation:
Sometimes you just feel that it's a bit too complicated to navigate through the app, there's just so many options and different tabs. I'd suggest an option for a "normal mode" and a "advanced mode". The normal mode would make the app a bit more simple and more easy to navigate, whilst the advanced mode would give you all the options and settings.

Bascially I just want more information and "essential" settings to fit into the first start screen.

Another idea is being able to navigate the different tabs with swipes, top part of the screen could navigate you thorough the top tabs and the bottom part the bottom tabs.
------------------------------------

In total it's a clear 5/5

I'll definitely buy more products from this company in the future.

For 5k V2 I hope we'll get:

Scroll wheel for precise volume control
Wireless charging
A slightly bigger battery


----------



## digitaldufferme

I am a complete noob when it comes to headphones/IEMs as I listen mainly on speakers. I need to use a portable setup soon and found my pair of SHURE SE846 iems in my drawer. Never really used them and my current phone Note 10+ doesn't have any headphone jack. May I ask if this Qudelix 5K device would be suitable for my SE846? I understand that the impedance of these IEMs is very low but was wondering if anyone is using this combo and would be kind enough to share their experience and relevant settings before I place an order. Thanks very much for your help.


----------



## DeJaVu

digitaldufferme said:


> I am a complete noob when it comes to headphones/IEMs as I listen mainly on speakers. I need to use a portable setup soon and found my pair of SHURE SE846 iems in my drawer. Never really used them and my current phone Note 10+ doesn't have any headphone jack. May I ask if this Qudelix 5K device would be suitable for my SE846? I understand that the impedance of these IEMs is very low but was wondering if anyone is using this combo and would be kind enough to share their experience and relevant settings before I place an order. Thanks very much for your help.


I see no reason why it wouldnt be suitable fore them. As a bonus, with higher sensitivity iems you get better battery life


----------



## mrmorpheuz (Mar 12, 2021)

Got the 5k recently. First impressions are excellent. So far I don't notice any difference in sound quality between the 5k and my laptop or any other output. I don't own any other dedicated DAC/amp, though. The parametric EQ  (the reasons I bought it) works as advertised and completely transforms all my headphones (e.g. using Oratory1990's presets + own adjustments to taste). For me, it has enough power to drive the HD600 in the 1v mode, but I do not listen very loudly. I think the 2v mode should be plenty loud for most, but who knows... The firmware and app still have a few quirks, but nothing major.

Connection is stable so far, also with two devices simultaneously, but I noticed that the AAC bitrate sometimes fluctuates significantly and never exceeds 237kbps when connected to an iOS device. This seems low... is that normal for iOS bluetooth connections? I expected to see stable 256kbps.


----------



## TK33

digitaldufferme said:


> I am a complete noob when it comes to headphones/IEMs as I listen mainly on speakers. I need to use a portable setup soon and found my pair of SHURE SE846 iems in my drawer. Never really used them and my current phone Note 10+ doesn't have any headphone jack. May I ask if this Qudelix 5K device would be suitable for my SE846? I understand that the impedance of these IEMs is very low but was wondering if anyone is using this combo and would be kind enough to share their experience and relevant settings before I place an order. Thanks very much for your help.


I don't know what phone you used previously buf you were content with using them out of your phone before, I think you will be fine with the 5K. Your phone probably had the same output impedance issue that you mentioned and you will probably be happy if you were happy before.  SE846 + 5K will be my travel set up whenever I start flying again and want bluetooth.

I love my 5K but use them mostly with my SE535 since I EQ those.  For my SE846, I prefer my Dragonfly Cobalt for a portable setup.  I found the SE846 sounds better if you can keep the OI below 1ohm.  This was and will probably continue to be my commuting/portable setup for everyday use. I just find the DFC better with staging, instrument separation and bass impact.  The SE846 is very picky and the sound does seem to change depending out source.  That being said, I will reiterate, if you were happy with the phone, I think you will be fine with the 5K.  Benefits as I see it of 5k vs. DFC:

1. MUCH cheaper than a DFC
2. Bluetooth (if that is what you are looking for).  I prefer this when I am flying so I am not tethered to my phone.
3. The PEQ is fantastic on the 5K.  I dont EQ my SE846 because I like how they are tuned but I do EQ lther headphones.
4. I get betfer volume control on the 5K vs. DFC.  For the DFC, I find I have to use it on the lowest volume on my PC and LG V60 (never had this problem on my Galaxy S9 since the Samsung seemed to have more steps).
5. The 5K will allow you to add a mic for calls/ambient mode to your SE846 if your cable does not have an inline mic already.  If you already do have one, the 5K can utilize it if you want.


----------



## digitaldufferme

DeJaVu said:


> I see no reason why it wouldnt be suitable fore them. As a bonus, with higher sensitivity iems you get better battery life


I was concerned eg about hiss/sibilance as that's what I'm sensitive to.


----------



## digitaldufferme

TK33 said:


> I don't know what phone you used previously buf you were content with using them out of your phone before, I think you will be fine with the 5K. Your phone probably had the same output impedance issue that you mentioned and you will probably be happy if you were happy before.  SE846 + 5K will be my travel set up whenever I start flying again and want bluetooth.
> 
> I love my 5K but use them mostly with my SE535 since I EQ those.  For my SE846, I prefer my Dragonfly Cobalt for a portable setup.  I found the SE846 sounds better if you can keep the OI below 1ohm.  This was and will probably continue to be my commuting/portable setup for everyday use. I just find the DFC better with staging, instrument separation and bass impact.  The SE846 is very picky and the sound does seem to change depending out source.  That being said, I will reiterate, if you were happy with the phone, I think you will be fine with the 5K.  Benefits as I see it of 5k vs. DFC:
> 
> ...


I had considered the DFC (or Red since I use Qobuz not Tidal) but decided against using it since friends who used this when travel was normal found that in time it damaged the USC socket of their phone. I thought bluetooth would be "safer" if there wasn't hiss. I honestly can't remember how the SE846 sounded with my phone years ago as I didn't use it often at all since my listening tends to be with the hifi at home. Was mainly concerned with sibilance. Have you had any experience with this with the combo? Crazy question but are they used balanced (aftermarket cable) or unbalanced (with the stock cable)? I don't know much about headphones/iems so have no idea whether balanced is possible/desirable. Thank you for having spent the time for such a detailed response, really appreciate your experience sharing.


----------



## TK33

digitaldufferme said:


> I had considered the DFC (or Red since I use Qobuz not Tidal) but decided against using it since friends who used this when travel was normal found that in time it damaged the USC socket of their phone. I thought bluetooth would be "safer" if there wasn't hiss. I honestly can't remember how the SE846 sounded with my phone years ago as I didn't use it often at all since my listening tends to be with the hifi at home. Was mainly concerned with sibilance. Have you had any experience with this with the combo? Crazy question but are they used balanced (aftermarket cable) or unbalanced (with the stock cable)? I don't know much about headphones/iems so have no idea whether balanced is possible/desirable. Thank you for having spent the time for such a detailed response, really appreciate your experience sharing.



I didn't notice any hiss with the 5K + SE846.  The higher impedance seems to change the frequency response of the SE846 but I don't think hiss will be an issue.  I am very sensitive to treble as well but the SE846 is not known for its treble extension so it sounds great to me.  The benefit of the 5K is that you can EQ it to your taste and the PEQ works really well.

I have stayed away from balanced cables for the SE846 because they are really easy to drive (I do have balanced cables for other IEMs/headphones).  Also, I understand that balanced doubles output impedance, which could actually be detrimental to SQ depending on your amp. If you are looking at cables because you think you need balanced for the SE846, I would save your money.

For my SE846, I got the Meze Audio Rai Silver Plated cable (3.5mm single ended version).  Don't really believe or know if cable material makes a difference but fit and comfort definitely do and these work really well for me (way more comfortable than stock).  Probably overpriced but I also just liked the way they looked.

https://mezeaudio.com/products/rai-...-plated-upgrade-cables?variant=31471860449337

Some people had recommended it on the SE846 thread and I've been pretty happy with it.


----------



## digitaldufferme

TK33 said:


> I didn't notice any hiss with the 5K + SE846.  The higher impedance seems to change the frequency response of the SE846 but I don't think hiss will be an issue.  I am very sensitive to treble as well but the SE846 is not known for its treble extension so it sounds great to me.  The benefit of the 5K is that you can EQ it to your taste and the PEQ works really well.
> 
> I have stayed away from balanced cables for the SE846 because they are really easy to drive (I do have balanced cables for other IEMs/headphones).  Also, I understand that balanced doubles output impedance, which could actually be detrimental to SQ depending on your amp. If you are looking at cables because you think you need balanced for the SE846, I would save your money.
> 
> ...


That's wonderfully helpful, thank you so much for your rapid and detailed reply. Really appreciate it mate, have a great day (evening?) ahead.


----------



## metcomar

Qudelix 5k is my absolute favourite Bluetooth portable device. It's universal, I can connect to any my iem and headphones  before I used Utws3 to make my iem Wireless. However, it's not useful if you have different  connection like 2 pin or mmcx. So, after some time I decided to get Qudelix, and it is a brilliant . I still have some hard time with it for example it can connect to 2 devices in one time but how to swipe between two of them?


----------



## peter123

ClieOS said:


> 5K's output impedance for both 3.5mm and 2.5mm output are measured and calculated to be 0.21 ohm.



Post #826 in this thread


----------



## MayaTlab

mrmorpheuz said:


> Connection is stable so far, also with two devices simultaneously, but I noticed that the AAC bitrate sometimes fluctuates significantly and never exceeds 237kbps when connected to an iOS device. This seems low... is that normal for iOS bluetooth connections? I expected to see stable 256kbps.



I've always seen AAC's bitrate fluctuate a little bit with Bluetooth Explorer when connecting AAC enabled headphones to my Mac, whether they're AirPods, Bose 700, etc... including the Qudelix. Someone with better knowledge of how audio over bluetooth works would probably be able to tell you why but I have a feeling that it's entirely normal. 

One question that I would have though is that when using SBC or aptX (I currently have no way of testing other codecs) the "bitrate" field on the Qudelix 5K stays at "N/A". Is there a reason for that ?


----------



## mrmorpheuz (Mar 14, 2021)

MayaTlab said:


> I've always seen AAC's bitrate fluctuate a little bit with Bluetooth Explorer when connecting AAC enabled headphones to my Mac, whether they're AirPods, Bose 700, etc... including the Qudelix. Someone with better knowledge of how audio over bluetooth works would probably be able to tell you why but I have a feeling that it's entirely normal.
> 
> One question that I would have though is that when using SBC or aptX (I currently have no way of testing other codecs) the "bitrate" field on the Qudelix 5K stays at "N/A". Is there a reason for that ?


I also just had a look at the Bluetooth Explorer. The Explorer reports around 240kbps with the 5k over AAC (so pretty much the same as the 5K). I had no success with increasing the AAC bitrate though, but that might be a Mac problem. None of the guides on increasing the bitrate worked. Does anyone have an idea how to do it on Catalina?

But I was able to force APTX on the Mac. The 5K reads N/A (no idea why), bluetooth explorer says it's around 380kbps.


----------



## rkw

MayaTlab said:


> One question that I would have though is that when using SBC or aptX (I currently have no way of testing other codecs) the "bitrate" field on the Qudelix 5K stays at "N/A". Is there a reason for that ?


Ask Qudelix on their forum: https://qudelix.discussion.community/


----------



## MayaTlab (Mar 15, 2021)

mrmorpheuz said:


> I also just had a look at the Bluetooth Explorer. The Explorer reports around 240kbps with the 5k over AAC (so pretty much the same as the 5K). I had no success with increasing the AAC bitrate though, but that might be a Mac problem. None of the guides on increasing the bitrate worked. Does anyone have an idea how to do it on Catalina?
> 
> But I was able to force APTX on the Mac. The 5K reads N/A (no idea why), bluetooth explorer says it's around 380kbps.



Bluetooth Explorer was dropped from Xcode 12 and may become unsupported at some time. As far as I'm concerned when I tried to fiddle with _some _of the settings in the audio option panel, it would crash, whether on Catalina or Big Sur.

So far I'm really loving the 5K, it's really changing my untethered life because of the PEQ. The simple addition of the latter means that it's the best wireless audio I've ever used on a variety of HPs and by a long, long shot. It's a little annoying to have to go back to wired headphones for wireless use, at least at home (I still prefer to use dedicated BT headphones outside), but if that's the price to pay to be able to get as close as is humanly possible to _nail_ the FR curve for my own tastes and anatomical features regardless of source then it's a price I'm ready to pay.

What I'm quite impressed with for a "boutique" product is how electronically competent it is. I've yet to hear pops, electronics whines, noise floor, etc. with it, which is something that I nearly always manage to induce with most BT headphones on way or another (but I haven't used it with super-sensitive IEMs).


----------



## mrmorpheuz

MayaTlab said:


> Bluetooth Explorer was dropped from Xcode 12 and may become unsupported at some time. As far as I'm concerned when I tried to fiddle with _some _of the settings in the audio option panel, it would crash, whether on Catalina or Big Sur.


That explains a lot. I hope there still remains some way to increase the bitrate and also switch to 44.1khz instead of the 48. Not that I’d really hear the difference... it just bugs me.

I agree on all points about the 5K though. So far it has been the most reliable Bluetooth connection with any of my devices, even compared to big brands.


----------



## behemothkat

MayaTlab said:


> Bluetooth Explorer was dropped from Xcode 12 and may become unsupported at some time. As far as I'm concerned when I tried to fiddle with _some _of the settings in the audio option panel, it would crash, whether on Catalina or Big Sur.


You may use BT explorer from Xcode 10.2. It works without crash according to multiple reports.


----------



## MayaTlab

behemothkat said:


> You may use BT explorer from Xcode 10.2. It works without crash according to multiple reports.



Oh I do (mostly to check the codec in use as Big Sur removed that information in the drop down menus), but it does crash on my computer when I try to adjust a number of settings in the "audio option" panel.


----------



## behemothkat

MayaTlab said:


> Oh I do (mostly to check the codec in use as Big Sur removed that information in the drop down menus), but it does crash on my computer when I try to adjust a number of settings in the "audio option" panel.


Yes, the latest available everywhere reported crashing.
But versions from Xcode 9 and 10.2 reported working without crashing.


----------



## MayaTlab

behemothkat said:


> Yes, the latest available everywhere reported crashing.
> But versions from Xcode 9 and 10.2 reported working without crashing.


Ah I got you. Understood. I'll check that.


----------



## maserluv

Hi any owner can advise if it drive a B&O H6 effortlessly?
Regards Wayne


----------



## mrmorpheuz

maserluv said:


> Hi any owner can advise if it drive a B&O H6 effortlessly?
> Regards Wayne


I’m having absolutely no issue with the gen 2, plenty of headroom.


----------



## maserluv

I’m using a B&O H6 Gen 1 though and hope the Gen 2 and Gen 1 are of similar spec. Kinda worried since I’m buying blind.
Regards Wayne


----------



## mrmorpheuz (Mar 16, 2021)

maserluv said:


> I’m using a B&O H6 Gen 1 though and hope the Gen 2 and Gen 1 are of similar spec. Kinda worried since I’m buying blind.
> Regards Wayne


IIRC gen 2 is a bit more sensitive. But I’d suggest you look up the output voltage of one of your mobile devices you use to listen to music (it’s probably around 1v). If that goes loud enough, you are good to go.

edit: Apparently gen 1 and gen 2  are quite similar regarding sensitivity and there should be no issue with any portable amp, see the discussion here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bang-olufsen-beoplay-h6-discussion-thread.702524/post-13934754


----------



## MayaTlab (Mar 16, 2021)

New app and firmware versions :
https://qudelix.discussion.communit...11477879?pid=1323127696&highlight=button+lock
Crossfeed incoming.

I haven't installed them yet - the newer app version still isn't on Apple's Store.


----------



## maserluv

ThankQ! That’s a relief. I Pushed the “BUY Button” and the Qudelix 5K is scheduled to arrive Apr. Can’t Wait!




mrmorpheuz said:


> I’m having absolutely no issue with the gen 2, plenty of headroom.





mrmorpheuz said:


> IIRC gen 2 is a bit more sensitive. But I’d suggest you look up the output voltage of one of your mobile devices you use to listen to music (it’s probably around 1v). If that goes loud enough, you are good to go.
> 
> edit: Apparently gen 1 and gen 2  are quite similar regarding sensitivity and there should be no issue with any portable amp, see the discussion here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bang-olufsen-beoplay-h6-discussion-thread.702524/post-13934754


----------



## HiFlight

MayaTlab said:


> New app and firmware versions :
> https://qudelix.discussion.communit...11477879?pid=1323127696&highlight=button+lock
> Crossfeed incoming.
> 
> I haven't installed them yet - the newer app version still isn't on Apple's Store.


I have updated the app and firmware and the Crossfeed works beautifully.  It can be enable or disabled and the amount of crossfeed is adjustable by a slider.


----------



## jshaevitz (Mar 17, 2021)

HiFlight said:


> I have updated the app and firmware and the Crossfeed works beautifully.  It can be enable or disabled and the amount of crossfeed is adjustable by a slider.


Fantastic! A small amount of crossfeed goes a long way and this has now made an amazing device even better.


----------



## CommanderCute

Can someone explain to me what the crossfeed is doing?

Sorry for the question, I'm a total noob.


----------



## jshaevitz (Mar 17, 2021)

CommanderCute said:


> Can someone explain to me what the crossfeed is doing?
> 
> Sorry for the question, I'm a total noob.


This is a nice article (although an advertisement for their crossfeed circuit somewhat...). Oops, forgot the link: https://www.headphones.com/pages/fixing-headphones-using-electronics


----------



## mrmorpheuz

CommanderCute said:


> Can someone explain to me what the crossfeed is doing?
> 
> Sorry for the question, I'm a total noob.


It literally cross-feeds audio from one stereo channel to the other, i.e., some audio of the left channel is mixed in with the right channel and vice versa. The point is to make listening less fatiguing and more speaker-like.

There are different approaches, reaching from pure crossfeed (just a little bit of the other channel mixed in) to sophisticated ones which also simulate delay and altered frequency response (so called head-related transfer function / HRTF) as if you were listening to a pair of speakers. Surround simulations etc. are based on similar principles.


----------



## HiFlight

CommanderCute said:


> Can someone explain to me what the crossfeed is doing?
> 
> Sorry for the question, I'm a total noob.


It attempts to simulate speaker soundstaging by blending some L&R signal and adjusting time differences making headphone listening more natural.


----------



## deviltrombone

A great track for experimenting with crossfeed is Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon". I never realized how weird listening to it with headphones is without crossfeed.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Mar 17, 2021)

How are you enabling crossfeed?


----------



## jsmiller58

jsmiller58 said:


> How are you enabling crossfeed?


Well, now I get it!  Download latest app update, install new firmware, go to DSP in the app, set the slider to taste at the top of the page!

Makes an already great device even better!


----------



## CommanderCute

Thanks for your answers (can't like your posts somehow, the feature is not displayed).

Going to test it this evening. Are you guys using it?


----------



## rlw6534

CommanderCute said:


> Thanks for your answers (can't like your posts somehow, the feature is not displayed).
> 
> Going to test it this evening. Are you guys using it?



Some ad blockers are blocking the "Like" and "Share" links.  For me, it was the "Social Media filter" in AdGuard.


----------



## pk4425

Head's up: The Qudelix 5K is out of stock now at Amazon. I inquired about restock at the Qudelix customer service forum and received a reply that they should be back in stock within two weeks or so.


----------



## alpha421

I ordered direct yesterday and was shipped out today.  Currently in transit via FedEx.  So far an "A" in my book.


----------



## slex

Anyone using as USB dac exclusively with 5K connected using UAPP? Any improvement over LDAC's Sq?


----------



## alpha421

Wow. I'm expected to take delivery this Monday.  That's fast from SKorea.


----------



## DBaldock9

DBaldock9 said:


> I tried connecting the Q5K, as a USB DAC, to the Win10 PC at work on Wednesday - and it worked fine while listening to YouTube.
> .
> Still need to figure out whether there's a setting to change, so that it will work as a USB DAC for my Linux PC at home.





rkw said:


> Which DACs have worked on your Linux PC? Try to identify what is different.



I've tested these USB DAC devices on my Linux PC --- Radsone ES100, FiiO BTR5, TempoTec Sonata BHD, VE Odyssey HD, Walnut F2, Shanling M0, Zishan DSD.
.
Just to see if it might work, I connected my Q5K tonight, and the PC immediately detected "Qudelix-5K USB DAC 96KHz" - and it's working!  
.
I'm watching a fun musical show from last year, by some performers of the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua.
It features Warren Nelson, the founder of the Big Top Chautauqua, performing some of the music from his 2003 show, "Riverpants" -
.


----------



## slex

DBaldock9 said:


> I've tested these USB DAC devices on my Linux PC --- Radsone ES100, FiiO BTR5, TempoTec Sonata BHD, VE Odyssey HD, Walnut F2, Shanling M0, Zishan DSD.
> .
> Just to see if it might work, I connected my Q5K tonight, and the PC immediately detected "Qudelix-5K USB DAC 96KHz" - and it's working!
> .
> ...



Can you still use PEQ from the app while using as USB dac?


----------



## DBaldock9

slex said:


> Can you still use PEQ from the app while using as USB dac?



I haven't even tried turning on the EQ, until now - and the PEQ is definitely working (I'm just stepping through the preset curves).


----------



## slex

DBaldock9 said:


> I haven't even tried turning on the EQ, until now - and the PEQ is definitely working (I'm just stepping through the preset curves).


Great!Last step I wanna find out whether there's a line out or unity gain output on 5K so I can use it as an dedicated equalizer☺️


----------



## DBaldock9

slex said:


> Great!Last step I wanna find out whether there's a line out or unity gain output on 5K so I can use it as an dedicated equalizer☺️



Well, the app has two Output Power selections for the Unbalanced jack:
Normal = 1 VRMS
High = 2 VRMS

So, you shouldn't have any issues driving the Line Input on an separate amp.


----------



## MayaTlab (Mar 21, 2021)

I’m really enjoying the 5K so far, it has rekindled my love of headphones at home since I can combine both untethered listening and the use of a PEQ, something I couldn’t do before across all of my sources.

I’ve noticed a number of phenomena and before contacting Qudelix about them I’d like to know if you’ve experienced them as well.

*I - Artefacts when playing lower frequencies with SBC :*

When playing lower frequencies (for example, a tonality at 25hz or so, or Hans Zimmer’s “Why So Serious” bass “break” at 3:30 or so), I can hear a faint but sharp spurious high-ish frequency tonality when using the SBC codec with both a pair of K371 and HD560S. This artefact is not present with AAC or aptX, and is not present when using other wireless headphones in SBC, and not present when using these headphones with other equipment. It occurs on two different sources, MacBook Pro (Big Sur) and iPhone. So I suspect that it’s either the 5K’s implementation of SBC or my own copy of the 5K that has a problem. This phenomenon is 100% repeatable and not random.

If you play single tones in SBC at around 25hz or so, do you have the same artefacts (it might help to switch between SBC and AAC or aptX to notice the difference) ?
Tone generator website here for example : https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

BTW I noticed that some people in this thread found the AAC's implementation a little... lacklustre ? And even though I'm using iDevices I also feel so for some reason. I'm wondering if the decoder might have something to do with it (with non-Apple receiving devices, ie headphones - and not just emitting devices, I quite often prefer SBC over AAC).

*II - Both buttons LED lit up when charging : *

If I set the buttons’ LEDs in their “normal” setting, only the red button lights up when the 5K is off, but charging.
If I set them in their “always on” setting, both LEDs light up when the 5K is off, but charging, meaning that it becomes difficult to know whether it's just charging or powered on.
Is it the same on your side ?

*III - When switching between PEQ presets, the PEQ bands get switched one band at a time over a couple of seconds, resulting in several audible pops for a few seconds : *

I’m fiddling with various PEQ presets and I’ve noticed that with some PEQ settings switching between them results in loud pops as if the 5K was adjusting the PEQ bands one after the other. While I am not sure of it, I have a feeling that it occurs more frequently when switching between presets with fairly high Q and sharp filters.

In Qudelix’s forums Qudelix team wrote :




https://qudelix.discussion.communit...-possibilities-001-db-11320480?pid=1321994114

It seems that their implementation of a smooth transition between presets may not be completely foolproof.
Have you experienced something similar ?

*IV - It gets a little warm : *

I’m using them to drive a pair of K371 and HD560S (and soon HD650). The 5K seems to get a little warm, particularly when using aptX (I'm not able to use LDAC or aptx HD with it ATM) and in multi connection pairing. It’s never ever burning hot, just not quite as cold as how it seemed to behave when only connected to my iPhone in SBC or AAC. Have you noticed the same ?

*V - Battery life reading : *

I’ve noticed that the battery’s charge level graph seems a little non-linear, with the discharge rate tapering off over time. This is a listening session where the device was connected to two devices and nearly constantly fed an aptX feed at a similar volume. Ex :




Same on your end ?

Thanks for your input !


----------



## maserluv

Does the Qudelix has lip sync capability while watching YouTube/Netflix/Disney+?

Regards Wayne


----------



## rkw

maserluv said:


> Does the Qudelix has lip sync capability while watching YouTube/Netflix/Disney+?


No, that cannot be fixed by the audio receiver. Some televisions and video players have settings that you can adjust.
https://www.google.com/search?q=television+audio+sync


----------



## metcomar

Some one has experience for opening device?   I need to know how to do this


----------



## Victory112

Wow the crossfeed update really makes this device even more amazing.


----------



## maserluv

Alert! App Update


----------



## C_Lindbergh

he app v1.13.1 with FW v1.7.0 is now available.

- Fixed a bug on Ambient mode
- Added A2DP Audio Latency option (for all codec)
- Added LDAC FS option

Wow, latency option for all codecs! I haven't revived the update on my android phone yet tho, neither the app or firmware.


----------



## CommanderCute

Very cool feature. But I leave it for now on "Stable (Default)" because I have no issues with latency (for example watching movies over the Apple TV, I've noticed no latency at all regarding lip sync).

One question about the filters in DAC/AMP. There is "Apodizing fast roll-off type 1" enabled. Is this the right filter or what do you recommend or use?


----------



## MayaTlab

CommanderCute said:


> One question about the filters in DAC/AMP. There is "Apodizing fast roll-off type 1" enabled. Is this the right filter or what do you recommend or use?



Current knowledge of the audibility of filters would suggest that we're better off setting them to be fast and linear. 
https://archimago.blogspot.com/2016/07/musings-digital-interpolation-filters.html
It's a bit of a moot point anyway as the impact of the 5K's filters on sound quality is way, way, WAY less important than what you can get out of fiddling with its parametric EQ (which is the real USP of the 5K for SQ compared to nearly all other DAC/amp available as only very few others have the possibility to save it on the device). 
So, set it to "fast linear", forget about it, and go have fun with the PEQ instead .


----------



## deviltrombone

CommanderCute said:


> Very cool feature. But I leave it for now on "Stable (Default)" because I have no issues with latency (for example watching movies over the Apple TV, I've noticed no latency at all regarding lip sync).


That's because the Apple TV compensates for the audio latency by delaying the video. Try watching video on a PC if you want to experience latency. Programs like Kodi and VLC allow you to delay the video, but you're out of luck with web browsers and such.


----------



## Ronion

They are finally (almost) back in stock on Amazon and can be ordered at this time.


----------



## pk4425

Sorry if this already has been addressed in here, but does anyone know of a USB C-to-Lightning cable that's MiFi (Apple) certified that will work with the Qudelix 5K when attached to an iPhone? 

I want to avoid the Apple Camera Connector if possible. Have done that with other dongles, and it's pretty damn unwieldy, especially for portable use. My TempoTec Sonata HD Pro came with an excellent USB C-to-Lightning cable, but I may return that unit -- which is damn good -- if the Qudelix works even better for me. I expect it to, with more power, balanced input, Bluetooth and built-in parametric EQ.

Thanks.


----------



## rlw6534

pk4425 said:


> Sorry if this already has been addressed in here, but does anyone know of a USB C-to-Lightning cable that's MiFi (Apple) certified that will work with the Qudelix 5K when attached to an iPhone?
> 
> I want to avoid the Apple Camera Connector if possible. Have done that with other dongles, and it's pretty damn unwieldy, especially for portable use. My TempoTec Sonata HD Pro came with an excellent USB C-to-Lightning cable, but I may return that unit -- which is damn good -- if the Qudelix works even better for me. I expect it to, with more power, balanced input, Bluetooth and built-in parametric EQ.
> 
> Thanks.



This one is reported to work on the Qudelix forums:

https://shop.musicteck.com/products/lotoo-paw-s1-type-c-to-lightning-cable?variant=31940316168254


----------



## Angular Mo

Side tone questions for telephony (not VOIP)

1. is there a perceptible latency?

2. is the sidetone volume adjustable separately from the volume setting? I want to be able to adjust the sideetone volume independently of the volume for the other person in a call.

3. what is the cable noise folks are referring to? I would think the remedy would be a cloth-lines cable.


----------



## Angular Mo

Mossey said:


> Yeah, I was really surprised by how excellent the mic is on the Qudelix, really didn't expect that. I no longer use TWS on calls due to the improved mic quality into the Qudelix and the excellent mic pass through.
> 
> It's probably hard to demonstrate the mic pass through in a video but basically think of the 'ambient mode' most BT headphone or TWS go through when you make a call that also pipes through your voice into the headphone so you can kind of determine if you're screaming or not and how typically weird, laggy and just unnatural that sounds - the Qudelix has almost no lag and sounds FAR more natural.


Is the sidetone volume independently adjustable from the sound of the other person or audio source not from the microphone?

any latency?


----------



## TK33

Angular Mo said:


> Is the sidetone volume independently adjustable from the sound of the other person or audio source not from the microphone?
> 
> any latency?


I havent tried sidetone but found the mic to be too sensitive and noisy.  The mic picks up everything. If you are planning to use this for important calls, I would suggest considering a dedicated set of TWS (APP or Galaxy Buds Live/Pro for example) or just a wired inline mic for that.  I found it picked up too much background noise for calls and some people did mention they could not hear me clearly.  No such issues/complaints with my Galaxy Buds Live.  I use my 5K for music but, for calls, I switch to my Galaxy Buds Live (they are used almost exclusively for calls).


----------



## Angular Mo

TK33 said:


> I havent tried sidetone but found the mic to be too sensitive and noisy.  The mic picks up everything. If you are planning to use this for important calls, I would suggest considering a dedicated set of TWS (APP or Galaxy Buds Live/Pro for example) or just a wired inline mic for that.  I found it picked up too much background noise for calls and some people did mention they could not hear me clearly.  No such issues/complaints with my Galaxy Buds Live.  I use my 5K for music but, for calls, I switch to my Galaxy Buds Live (they are used almost exclusively for calls).


Oh well....

my search for wireless sidetone telephony with a wired headphone input continues.....


----------



## Ronion

You’ve looked into the Fiio BTR5?


----------



## TimeZlicer

Bought it in Jan and this has been my daily driver
LDAC support is good and Qudelix provide regular firmware update


----------



## BenKatz

God a question regarding it's BT LDAC connection stability. I've got a BTR5 now and I'm experiencing many hiccups/cutouts in certain conditions - particularly sports. for example, if I keep my smartphone in one pocket, and the BTR5 in the other, and I'm going for a run/biking, probably due to the constant movement betweent the 2 devices, I get a lot of cutouts.

Is the Qudelix 5K more stable than the BTR5? Has anyone had both and can say which one holds a more stable LDAC bt connection?

Thank you!


----------



## jsmiller58

BenKatz said:


> God a question regarding it's BT LDAC connection stability. I've got a BTR5 now and I'm experiencing many hiccups/cutouts in certain conditions - particularly sports. for example, if I keep my smartphone in one pocket, and the BTR5 in the other, and I'm going for a run/biking, probably due to the constant movement betweent the 2 devices, I get a lot of cutouts.
> 
> Is the Qudelix 5K more stable than the BTR5? Has anyone had both and can say which one holds a more stable LDAC bt connection?
> 
> Thank you!


Yes, the 5K seems more stable to me, with fewer signal dropouts.  I find the BTR5 to behave better if both the BTR5 and phone are on the same side of my body - phone in back pocket and btr5 in the front pocket on same side, whereas the 5K can be worn on on opposite sides of my body.


----------



## CactusPete23

jsmiller58 said:


> Yes, the 5K seems more stable to me, with fewer signal dropouts.  I find the BTR5 to behave better if both the BTR5 and phone are on the same side of my body - phone in back pocket and btr5 in the front pocket on same side, whereas the 5K can be worn on on opposite sides of my body.


One of the things that reduce bluetooth signal strength is water... Since body is a high percentage of water, bluetooth signals get reduced going through your body. (Or a group of people in a room...if sending across that room.)   That's one reason why having both devices on same side of body helps.    Also, the 5K has better antenna than most BT Receivers; which gives better reception.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

BenKatz said:


> God a question regarding it's BT LDAC connection stability. I've got a BTR5 now and I'm experiencing many hiccups/cutouts in certain conditions - particularly sports. for example, if I keep my smartphone in one pocket, and the BTR5 in the other, and I'm going for a run/biking, probably due to the constant movement betweent the 2 devices, I get a lot of cutouts.
> 
> Is the Qudelix 5K more stable than the BTR5? Has anyone had both and can say which one holds a more stable LDAC bt connection?
> 
> Thank you!


I cannot compare with the BTR5 that I don’t have, but I have used the 5K extensively in the gym and can report LDAC connection is extremely solid, up to several meters away from the phone, whichever side of my body faces it and the amount of (sometimes sweaty) obstacles in the way. It may be better to select Best Effort to ensure consistent signal, but when I check the app (the 5K app reports the transmission rate in real time), it rarely ever drops below 660 and even then just for short bouts.


----------



## Q Mass

BenKatz said:


> God a question regarding it's BT LDAC connection stability. I've got a BTR5 now and I'm experiencing many hiccups/cutouts in certain conditions - particularly sports. for example, if I keep my smartphone in one pocket, and the BTR5 in the other, and I'm going for a run/biking, probably due to the constant movement betweent the 2 devices, I get a lot of cutouts.
> 
> Is the Qudelix 5K more stable than the BTR5? Has anyone had both and can say which one holds a more stable LDAC bt connection?
> 
> Thank you!


I had to return my BTR5 due to the BT connection instability (weirdly, the ONLY place I could get a reliable connection was in the car, where it was solid, even when surrounded my many other cars, some of whom presumably have BT devices).
The Qudelix has proven to have much better BT stability for me, and is  rarely problematic. The SQ may be even better than the Fiio too, and I also find the controls of the Qudelix to be easier to locate and operate without looking, or with gloves on/through clothing.
I did find the Fiio to be the better looking device, but that position reverses as soon as you put the BTR5 in the included clip, or handle it without gloves, when it instantly looks as though a sticky fingered child has got his paws on it (arguably accurate in my case).
Even without the PEQ, and Qudelix's attention to updates I consider the 5K to be the clearly superior product, and that's no small feat, given how good the BTR5 is.


----------



## maserluv

Do you EQ your B&O H6 Gen 1? Do you mind sharing your setting? My Qudelix 5K just arrived, tones of setting to fiddle and I’m “LOST”!


----------



## maserluv

Hi KaiSc,

Thank you, your setting on the PEQ work very well for me, I was wondering the “(insert damping is -0.3dB @ 1KHz)” mean? How do I go about setting it at the PEQ Page?

Regards Wayne


KaiSc said:


> For your perspective:
> I am a professional audio engineer for several decades now, are used to listen *a bit* above what an average person would find comfortable during my all day work.
> My audiologist says I have ears like an owl
> 
> ...


----------



## BangNaraj

Has anybody here get the 5K to work on their PS5 controllers?
Mine doesn't work. I have the firmware update, set the DAC to 48khz and host volume disregard enabled but no dice.
It works well enough over USB when connected to my PC and Samsung S20, just the PS5 being a PITA.


----------



## Nolbert0

Is it possible to connect the 5k to the PS4 via BT?

Also, just put of curiosity, anybody know what codec PS4 BT uses in their controller for it's audio?


----------



## Ronion

Has anyone found a way to keep the mic from being noisy while clipped to your shirt or pants other than turning it off?  I enjoy hearing the outside world when I’m outside so I don’t get hit by a car or bike....


----------



## BangNaraj

Nolbert0 said:


> Is it possible to connect the 5k to the PS4 via BT?
> 
> Also, just put of curiosity, anybody know what codec PS4 BT uses in their controller for it's audio?


Not sure about the PS4, but the PS5 rejects audio Bluetooth devices. Thus, hard to determine the codec.


----------



## TK33 (Apr 4, 2021)

Nolbert0 said:


> Is it possible to connect the 5k to the PS4 via BT?
> 
> Also, just put of curiosity, anybody know what codec PS4 BT uses in their controller for it's audio?





BangNaraj said:


> Not sure about the PS4, but the PS5 rejects audio Bluetooth devices. Thus, hard to determine the codec.



Wouldn't the lag over Bluetooth be an issue for gaming anyway?


----------



## Nolbert0

TK33 said:


> Wouldn't the lag over Bluetooth be an issue for gaming anyway?


it doesn't seem to be an issue of latency from the controller (control input and audio output) but you do have a point. It might be a proprietary codec or something to overcome the latency, who knows. I guess it's just Sony being all Sony-y


----------



## Nolbert0

Ronion said:


> Has anyone found a way to keep the mic from being noisy while clipped to your shirt or pants other than turning it off?  I enjoy hearing the outside world when I’m outside so I don’t get hit by a car or bike....


If u got full sized cans, u can clip it to the headband (I do that with my HD380). Eliminates the rustling and bouncing, therefore minimises to wind noise. You'll probably need a furry sock for the wind tho. lol


----------



## fsi22 (Apr 4, 2021)

TK33 said:


> Wouldn't the lag over Bluetooth be an issue for gaming anyway?



Yeah, unless you use Aptx LL, which the 5k doesn't support. You will have a sync issue. You will also need a transmitter that supports aptx ll. There are many,Avantree Oasis is hugely popular, I use the Audikast. They connect through Toslink or rca on your tv, console or any other device.


----------



## Ronion

Nolbert0 said:


> If u got full sized cans, u can clip it to the headband (I do that with my HD380). Eliminates the rustling and bouncing, therefore minimises to wind noise. You'll probably need a furry sock for the wind tho. lol


Finally someone in this world understands me!  LOL.  In all seriousness, you have me thinking in the right direction now.


----------



## Ronion

Maybe put some ‘troll hair’ on it....


----------



## Infoseeker (Apr 5, 2021)

how do we activate ambient mode?

Nevermind found ambient mode.

Qudelix App --> Input--> Mic -->  Mic Pass Through

Man the microphone is calibrated for an ASMR video. lol. Feels like touching the diaphragm of a doctor's stethoscope.


----------



## Ronion

It would have been great if they had shock mounted that mic.  I’ve been doing some mock-ups in my head on how to make such a case for the whole thing.


----------



## Nolbert0 (Apr 6, 2021)

You can cut some double sided tape in the shape of... a... a... "ring-binder-paper-punched-hole-reinforcement-sticker-thingy" and attach something furry on it? Granted, it'll win no beauty contests. Just an idea. Not tried it myself, obvs. lol


----------



## Ronion

I bet that would work perfectly!  It will look silly, but I’ve never been particularly fashionable lol.


----------



## Bluecactus123 (Apr 6, 2021)

Hey guys, I have quite a big dilemma here. I've just bought Sony Xperia 5 mk II (I've heard it works well with Qudelix, they collaborated with Sony on LDAC technology or something like that), however I have just read that the new Asus ROG 5 has a quad dac in it. What do you think I should go for, stick with Xperia 5 mk II and buy Qudelix, or return Xperia and buy the ROG and plug the iems directly to the quad dac? Which option gives better audio quality? By the way, I'm using iem's (Empire Ears Legend X) and I'm coming from LG V30.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Bluecactus123 said:


> Hey guys, I have quite a big dilemma here. I've just bought Sony Xperia 5 mk II (I've heard it works well with Qudelix, they collaborated with Sony on LDAC technology or something like that), however I have just read that the new Asus ROG 5 has a quad dac in it. What do you think I should go for, stick with Xperia 5 mk II and buy Qudelix, or return Xperia and buy the ROG and plug the iems directly to the quad dac? Which option gives better audio quality? By the way, I'm using iem's (Empire Ears Legend X) and I'm coming from LG V30.


Replying to you here too with a couple of pointers:
- recent Sony phones seem to rely mostly on software to improve SQ, with the same kind of suites you find on their DAPs but presumably no dedicated chip. It’s the same approach that works wonders with smartphone photography but I don’t know how good their audio processing is.
- the V30 is a beast that gives most sub-$1000 DAPs a run for their money out of single-ended. What the Qudelix has over it and the ROG is the balanced circuitry and 2x the output power. I still like the V30 a bit better than the Qudelix, but the Qudelix has incredible software.
- for pure sound quality, if you don’t mind plugging into a huge phone instead of a small BT receiver, I would bet the ROG is the best option for phone DAPs going forward. I have a Zenfone 7 Pro by Asus and can vouch for a great user experience.


----------



## Nolbert0

Ronion said:


> I bet that would work perfectly!  It will look silly, but I’ve never been particularly fashionable lol.


If u ever get round to trying it, let us know of your results.

I do like the idea of a Qudelix troll. Sounds fun


----------



## newworld666 (Apr 7, 2021)

Message error.


----------



## NYanakiev

Just got another Qudelix-5K now that I also have an Android phone (Samsung S21 Ultra);
Sounds great with my Obravo Ra 21 C-Cu- I was wondering why the LDAC bitrate seems to top out at 492kbps given that I have selected optimised for audio quality in Developer Options (990kbps);

Any ideas?


----------



## newworld666

NYanakiev said:


> Just got another Qudelix-5K now that I also have an Android phone (Samsung S21 Ultra);
> Sounds great with my Obravo Ra 21 C-Cu- I was wondering why the LDAC bitrate seems to top out at 492kbps given that I have selected optimised for audio quality in Developer Options (990kbps);
> 
> Any ideas?



It is variable bitrate and depending on a lot of the distance, other active items and wifi access point .. 
With my Samsung Z Fold 2, I can see through the Qudelix app that it switches between 330kbps to 990kbps automatically while listening... Quite often, it starts at 330kbps and climbs in a rather short time to 990Kps and keep there almost of the time.
In my sleeping room it's working 90% of the time at 990kbps, and in my office it's mostly at 330Kbps.


----------



## NYanakiev

That's strange as I have a gigabit connection at home. 

Will also try using my phone's 5G data connection to see if that is any different.


----------



## povidlo

The only consistent 990kbps I get is when connected to Sony NW-A105 dap. It's always at 990kbps, even without having to toggle that in Developer Mode.

Samsung phones I use, S10e and Note8, only get to 990kbps sometimes- almost never when using the phone. When screen is off and then turned on, it drops within few seconds to below 990.


----------



## TK33

NYanakiev said:


> That's strange as I have a gigabit connection at home.
> 
> Will also try using my phone's 5G data connection to see if that is any different.


It doesn't have to do with the speed of your internet connection.  The reference to "other active items and wifi access point" was probably a reference to interference that could occur as a result of such devices operating at the same frequency as your bluetooth connection.

My Qudelix 5K consistently stays at LDAC 990 (sometimes starts at 660 but goes to 990 right away) when used with my LG V60.


----------



## newworld666 (Apr 7, 2021)

TK33 said:


> It doesn't have to do with the speed of your internet connection.  The reference to "other active items and wifi access point" *was probably a reference to interference that could occur as a result of such devices operating at the same frequency as your bluetooth connection*.
> 
> My Qudelix 5K consistently stays at LDAC 990 (sometimes starts at 660 but goes to 990 right away) when used with my LG V60.



Exactly ... that's what I was thinking. I am using a WM1A, Fiio M11 and a galaxy z fold2 .. just with the Fiio m11 I could never reach 990kbps


----------



## NYanakiev

Will give it a go outside to verify. I am rather surprised by how good the Qudelix-5k sounds given its size and price point.


----------



## NYanakiev (Apr 7, 2021)

I get 660kbps outside on 5g with no one around and very, very rarely 990kbps on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Strange, I wonder if this is some weird software issue.

EDIT: 1.7.2 wasn't installed. Getting it updated fixed the issue and the Qudelix-5k sits at 990kbps at all times


----------



## TK33

NYanakiev said:


> I get 660kbps outside on 5g with no one around and very, very rarely 990kbps on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
> 
> Strange, I wonder if this is some weird software issue.


Is there another non-Samsung phone you can try (maybe borrow from someone). I used to have that issue with my ES100 and S9 but I recall the Qudelix 5K being able to get to LDAC on my S9 as well.  Maybe it depends on the Samsung phone? I had almost all of the Samsung phones from the S3 to the S9 but their pushing their proprietary Scalable codec and refusal to adopt aptX HD or adaptive didn't sit well with me so I now have a V60 and OnePlus 8T (traded in my S9 so unfortunately cannot test it for you)


----------



## NYanakiev

TK33 said:


> Is there another non-Samsung phone you can try (maybe borrow from someone). I used to have that issue with my ES100 and S9 but I recall the Qudelix 5K being able to get to LDAC on my S9 as well.  Maybe it depends on the Samsung phone? I had almost all of the Samsung phones from the S3 to the S9 but their pushing their proprietary Scalable codec and refusal to adopt aptX HD or adaptive didn't sit well with me so I now have a V60 and OnePlus 8T (traded in my S9 so unfortunately cannot test it for you)


Haha yeah. My iPhone 12 Pro


----------



## TK33

NYanakiev said:


> Haha yeah. My iPhone 12 Pro


Saw your edit.  Glad it worked out.


----------



## Ronion

Nolbert0 said:


> If u ever get round to trying it, let us know of your results.
> 
> I do like the idea of a Qudelix troll. Sounds fun


Now to scalp a troll (maniacal laughter)!


----------



## NYanakiev

TK33 said:


> Saw your edit.  Glad it worked out.


Yeah.. Not ideal. I am totally unable to get 990kbps inside and it only went to 990 towards the end of my walk yesterday.


----------



## zachgraz

Hi folks, is there a way to turn down or turn off system sounds? The sounds it puts out through the headphones when turning on/off, pairing, low battery are rather loud in my case.
Next question - the firmware update does not work through the app on my phone. Is there a Windows version for the firmware update 1.7.2?
Many thanks!


----------



## MayaTlab

zachgraz said:


> Hi folks, is there a way to turn down or turn off system sounds? The sounds it puts out through the headphones when turning on/off, pairing, low battery are rather loud in my case.



In the options on the volume tab, it's the "tone volume" slider.


----------



## PsiCore

Are you listening to downloaded music on Spotify?

Although I chose very high option, the Q5 shows the files are AAC 168 Kbps (instead of supposedly 320 Kbps). Do you have the same?


----------



## MayaTlab

PsiCore said:


> Are you listening to downloaded music on Spotify?
> 
> Although I chose very high option, the Q5 shows the files are AAC 168 Kbps (instead of supposedly 320 Kbps). Do you have the same?



Files compression schemes and audio over bluetooth codecs are two completely different things, even though in the case of AAC the compression algorithm can be used for both applications. 
What you select in Spotify's options is the file compression scheme, just like what would happen when you rip a CD. 
What the Qudelix 5K's input panel shows is the codec and bitrate used for audio over bluetooth. 
When you receive content from Spotify, you receive what you'd get when playing a file that you would have ripped (Ogg Vorbis, MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc.). That file is decompressed, mixed with the system's audio, and then re-compressed for audio over bluetooth transmission (SBC, aptX, etc. and also AAC - the AAC's algorithm can be used for both applications). 
What that means is that after mixing Spotify's audio with the rest of the system, the compression used to transmit audio over bluetooth is AAC 168kbps for some reason. That's coming from your source device. From which device are you transmitting audio ? Smartphone ? Android ? iOS ? Laptop ? Mac ? PC ?


----------



## PsiCore

MayaTlab said:


> From which device are you transmitting audio ? Smartphone ? Android ? iOS ? Laptop ? Mac ? PC ?


LG G8X. 
I've found an option under Bluetooth for highest sound quality and now Q5 shows offline LDAC 990Kbps. Guess that fixed it.


----------



## ya1950

First post from a long term lurker. I bought the Qudelix-5K soon after it was released based on the recommendations of this forum. I'm enjoying it very much with my ER2XR and a balanced cable - both also bought on recommendations from Head-Fi.

Recently my unit developed a problem that is apparently present in some of the early units. I emailed Qudelix asking how to get it repaired. Within 12 hours I got a reply asking for my shipping address so that they could send me a new unit. No 'send it back at your expense', no 'we'll have our engineers examine it and get back to you', simply 'send us your address so that we can replace the unit'. 

I'm making my first post on Head-Fi to let people know that not only is the Qudelix-5K a stellar product but  Qudelix's customer service is stellar as well.


----------



## motor2110

ya1950 said:


> I'm making my first post on Head-Fi to let people know that not only is the Qudelix-5K a stellar product but Qudelix's customer service is stellar as well.


They are great.


----------



## courierdriver

This is great news, as I've been eying it for quite some time. I'm going to buy one within the next month or two, as soon as I get my tax refund.


----------



## Ronion

I can’t imagine you’d regret it.  I listen to my 5K around the house even.  Even powers my HD650 well and I’m still waiting on a balanced cable for it which should make it even better.  I hope they develop a larger version and a desktop version.


----------



## TheRealDz

The 5k is excellent for the price, and just downright excellent.  While my Chord Hugo is objectively better, I honestly enjoyed the sound I was getting out of the 5k so much, that I was not particularly motivated to listen to the Hugo over the 5k.

That said, I snagged a Denafrips Ares 2, and that (finally) is a big step up from the 5k.   But that says a lot, considering we are talking $125 vs $800...


----------



## courierdriver

Ronion said:


> I can’t imagine you’d regret it.  I listen to my 5K around the house even.  Even powers my HD650 well and I’m still waiting on a balanced cable for it which should make it even better.  I hope they develop a larger version and a desktop version.


I've got a Radsone ES100 and also use it around the house. I'm constantly moving around, so a desktop setup doesn't work for me. Hate having to remove iems or headphones whenever I need to go outside or move anywhere around the house because it means I have to stop listening to music. I like that I can used wired earphones or headphones when moving about. I'm keen to try the Qudelix 5K. It seems like a natural upgrade to the ES100. Bottom line is: I want a device like this, so I can use my wired iems and headphones without having to remain seated at one spot all the time.


----------



## Mouseman

courierdriver said:


> I've got a Radsone ES100 and also use it around the house. I'm constantly moving around, so a desktop setup doesn't work for me. Hate having to remove iems or headphones whenever I need to go outside or move anywhere around the house because it means I have to stop listening to music. I like that I can used wired earphones or headphones when moving about. I'm keen to try the Qudelix 5K. It seems like a natural upgrade to the ES100. Bottom line is: I want a device like this, so I can use my wired iems and headphones without having to remain seated at one spot all the time.


I have both, and frankly, the 5k kicks butt. My ES100 is in a drawer somewhere, and that's where it will stay. Not only does the 5k sound better and have more power, the software is miles ahead and is under very active development. Quidelex listens to the customers and has been adding features and fixing bugs. Radsone has been in hibernation for quite some time now. I think you'll be quite happy with a 5k.


----------



## arbiter76

I broke down and got the qudelix 5k.  I had high expectations from most saying they like it better than the es100.  I'm torn.  I like the es100 sound better.  I like the Q5k form factor, buttons, app is better, more power, type c USB and the weighty feel.  I just got it today but iirc, 3.5mm should get a little bit better battery and 2.5mm less than the es100.  this is early impressions though.  When I get less tired I am going to see if I can eq it and come up with something better.  es100 with AKM is much smoother and less bright.  the Q5k is a little fatiguing for my ears but I do like the vocals are somehow a lot more forward.  

it's all good though.  i think i'm going to carry both.  got a topping nx4 on the way too.  but depending on how it sounds depends on if it stays home or sees some portability.  after the nx4 gets some play time i want to buy some iems and a pair of cans.


----------



## newworld666

I own both too .. and I only use every day the Quedlix 5G. Sound and features are all very nice
Of course ES100 is not bad, but just a little behind for everything other than size,  so I keep it just "in case" and I don't intend to use it anymore.


----------



## courierdriver

I appreciate all the comments, guys. Thank you to all who have posted their opinions on the differences...especially on the sound signature of both the 5K and ES100. Personally, I like the AKM Velvet Sound dac chips in the ES100 (as well as the AKM 4490 in my Fiio Q1MK2). When I read from others that the 5K can sound fatiguing, that makes me rethink that purchase. I love my ES100 because it's NOT fatiguing and I can listen to it for 2 to 4 hours on end. Based on what others have been saying about the 5K, I'm not sure that I would like that type of bright and forward sound with the majority of the iems I currently enjoy.


----------



## peter123

Got some nice 50 cm cables from XINHS today to use with the Quedelix:


----------



## slex (Apr 15, 2021)

Just bought this bag for 5K, its also works as signal blocker😄.


----------



## Mouseman

courierdriver said:


> I appreciate all the comments, guys. Thank you to all who have posted their opinions on the differences...especially on the sound signature of both the 5K and ES100. Personally, I like the AKM Velvet Sound dac chips in the ES100 (as well as the AKM 4490 in my Fiio Q1MK2). When I read from others that the 5K can sound fatiguing, that makes me rethink that purchase. I love my ES100 because it's NOT fatiguing and I can listen to it for 2 to 4 hours on end. Based on what others have been saying about the 5K, I'm not sure that I would like that type of bright and forward sound with the majority of the iems I currently enjoy.


Hmm....I'm not sure I've seen the 5k described as fatiguing, and as an owner of both, I wouldn't agree with that characterization. IMHO, The 5k has better detail retrieval, and if there's some aspect of the stock sound that someone doesn't like, the PEQ is more than capable of tweaking it. I listen all day long and I've never had issues, although I will admit I have EQ profiles for most of my IEMs (but mostly because I'm a hopeless bass head and love some boost there). Of course YMMV.


----------



## arbiter76

Mouseman said:


> Hmm....I'm not sure I've seen the 5k described as fatiguing, and as an owner of both, I wouldn't agree with that characterization. IMHO, The 5k has better detail retrieval, and if there's some aspect of the stock sound that someone doesn't like, the PEQ is more than capable of tweaking it. I listen all day long and I've never had issues, although I will admit I have EQ profiles for most of my IEMs (but mostly because I'm a hopeless bass head and love some boost there). Of course YMMV.



I agree.  A little bright but not fatiguing.  The mids are the most in your face.  I do think the Q5K has better detail retrieval.  I am still putting my 5k through it's paces and it's growing on me, but I think mostly because better reception, easier to control and form factor.  I will probably EQ a little later.  I already know I like the smoother sound of the AKM in the es100.  I also like the ESS smoother sound "signature" from my LG V20 better but the 5k is pulls a lot more detail retrieval and is more powerful.  If I grabbed the 5k mistakenly for some reason rather than the es100 I wouldn't be mad.  The better bluetooth reception is very noticeable.  I've rarely had a stutter.  The static when changing volume is also very noticeable.  Honestly, if somebody asked me if they could only purchase one the es100 velvet sound is one of the very few things that trumps the 5k (imo).  The 5k has a lot going for it and the usual $20 premium is worth it still.  I don't regret the purchase at all.


----------



## szore

My new Q5K is out for delivery!


----------



## szore

I'm coming from the BTR5....


----------



## DBaldock9

szore said:


> I'm coming from the BTR5....



I actually prefer the button layout on the BTR5. 
And, I like the sound of the Bass from the ES100.


----------



## MisterMudd

szore said:


> My new Q5K is out for delivery!


Huzzah!


----------



## szore

I read the Q5K has better LDAC connection than BTR5 so I'm curious... reviewer also liked the DAC tuning better on the Q...


----------



## OspreyAndy

I am not sure if this has been asked before, sorry if this is a repeat.

Does 5K offer an option for Line Out to feed to another amp? because I am looking for highly compact LDAC capable companion for my Shure KSE1200. The pairing of KSE1200 + Cayin N6ii DAP as you would imagine is quite hefty and thick. So having some option for very compact LDAC receiver that will then feed analogue lineout to my KSE1200 energizer would be nice


----------



## TK33

DBaldock9 said:


> I actually prefer the button layout on the BTR5.
> And, I like the sound of the Bass from the ES100.


Buttons on the 5K are definitely a weak point and probably my only complaint. Otherwise, the 5K was probably one of the best purchases I have made and worth every penny to me.

As for 5K vs. ES100 sound signature, it definitely sounds like personal preferences at play here, assuming the person (not necessarily you personally) does not  care about PEQ functionality.  

I personally find the ES100 to sound a bit congested and used it for convenience when traveling more than enjoyment of the sound it produced.  Don't get me wrong, it was not bad by any means but I found I didn't really enjoy the sound/presentation and found the 5K to be more open and detailed but that seems to be my personal preference.  I feel the same way about my other AK4490 based DAC/amps that I have (NAD D3045 --> KEF Q100 speakers for desktop setup and Grace Design m900).  Also depends on the headphones/IEMs you are using...definitely with my Shure IEMs (the SE846 which is known for rolled off treble) but not so with my Aeon 2 Closed Noire --> m900.  Obviously highly subjective and my own opinion and don't really expect others to agree.


----------



## TK33

szore said:


> I read the Q5K has better LDAC connection than BTR5 so I'm curious... reviewer also liked the DAC tuning better on the Q...


5K can also EQ over LDAC.  Not sure if that was ever fixed on the BTR5 since I stopped following that device once the 5K came out.


----------



## szore

TK33 said:


> 5K can also EQ over LDAC.  Not sure if that was ever fixed on the BTR5 since I stopped following that device once the 5K came out.


I'm not an EQ guy.... I'm not a BT guy either, I'm just curious about the technology....


----------



## jsmiller58

szore said:


> I'm not an EQ guy.... I'm not a BT guy either, I'm just curious about the technology....


5K Bluetooth connection is much stronger/reliable than that on the BTR5.  As a result you will be able to maintain a higher bandwidth LDAC connection with the 5K under many conditions, particularly where the 5K or the BTR5 are not physically next to the transmitter.


----------



## szore

jsmiller58 said:


> 5K Bluetooth connection is much stronger/reliable than that on the BTR5.  As a result you will be able to maintain a higher bandwidth LDAC connection with the 5K under many conditions, particularly where the 5K or the BTR5 are not physically next to the transmitter.


Yes, the LDAC on the BTR5 sounds good, it just drops too easily and is unusable. The signal strength on the Q is what made me buy it....And I heard it sounds better, too.


----------



## Rattle

This little person is legit. Arrived today, using a S20 5g, Surprised how good LDAC sounds. This is powering a pair of ZMF Aeolus 300ohm headphones out of the 3.5 on low 1v. Sounds surprisingly damn good. I've only heard these headphones out of a bifrost 2 dac and $400 + amps and I dont find the 5k bright. In fact I can't believe it even sounds this good. UM 3DT coming Monday.

Should I spring for UAPP ? I am having good luck with BT and LDAC so far but no matter what it says 24bit.. I only need/want 16/44 for BT. Will I be able to control that with UAPP ? I'm getting 909 with screen off and 606 with screen on.


----------



## szore

Just got my Q5K delivered as well 30 min ago... definitely sounds MUCH better than the BTR5...Right now listening with my custom Valkyries and a silver/copper hybrid cable...sounds fantastic...bass bleeds a little, but they sound satisfying... Using with my Shanling M8 LDAC mode.


----------



## jsmiller58

Rattle said:


> This little person is legit. Arrived today, using a S20 5g, Surprised how good LDAC sounds. This is powering a pair of ZMF Aeolus 300ohm headphones out of the 3.5 on low 1v. Sounds surprisingly damn good. I've only heard these headphones out of a bifrost 2 dac and $400 + amps and I dont find the 5k bright. In fact I can't believe it even sounds this good. UM 3DT coming Monday.
> 
> Should I spring for UAPP ? I am having good luck with BT and LDAC so far but no matter what it says 24bit.. I only need/want 16/44 for BT. Will I be able to control that with UAPP ? I'm getting 909 with screen off and 606 with screen on.


Only get UAPP if you will be using the 5K in USB mode, not as a BT device.


----------



## dw13

ya1950 said:


> First post from a long term lurker. I bought the Qudelix-5K soon after it was released based on the recommendations of this forum. I'm enjoying it very much with my ER2XR and a balanced cable - both also bought on recommendations from Head-Fi.
> 
> Recently my unit developed a problem that is apparently present in some of the early units. I emailed Qudelix asking how to get it repaired. Within 12 hours I got a reply asking for my shipping address so that they could send me a new unit. No 'send it back at your expense', no 'we'll have our engineers examine it and get back to you', simply 'send us your address so that we can replace the unit'.
> 
> I'm making my first post on Head-Fi to let people know that not only is the Qudelix-5K a stellar product but  Qudelix's customer service is stellar as well.


Tremendous customer service.  Great product.  Great app. Looking forward to their next endeavor.


----------



## Rattle

jsmiller58 said:


> Only get UAPP if you will be using the 5K in USB mode, not as a BT device.


There's no settings to force 16bit even for BT ? I have it set to 16/44 in developer options but it always reports 24bit


----------



## szore (Apr 17, 2021)

Listening to DAC/AMP mode; sounds great! More dynamic than BTR5

I just connected Q5 on my M8 in LDAC connection priority mode, with my M8 on my desk and the Q5K clipped to my pants by my stomach (which means body was blocking signal), I left the room, crossed the livingroom and went to kitchen, then bathroom to brush my teeth (with several walls and my body blocking signal) and the Q5K never dropped a signal once! THATS impressive....


----------



## jsmiller58

Rattle said:


> There's no settings to force 16bit even for BT ? I have it set to 16/44 in developer options but it always reports 24bit


Sorry, my comment was about the lack of benefit of using UAPP with Bluetooth.


----------



## TK33 (Apr 17, 2021)

Rattle said:


> There's no settings to force 16bit even for BT ? I have it set to 16/44 in developer options but it always reports 24bit


The attached screenshot from the Qudelix app (I am on Android) may help.  This was a new feature that they added recently.  I have never bothered trying it myself but please let us know your thoughts if you try it out.  Qudelix has also been great about listening to feedback from users if you post on their official forum (not here) so if this does not help, you could try reaching out to them.

I also agree with the above that UAPP probably wont help you with BT.

EDIT: I just realized you were asking about bit depth and not sample rate so maybe this does not address your concern.  However, I am not sure that 16-bit vs. 24 bit really makes a difference if playing 16 bit content (may just be extra 0s) and my understanding is that sample rate is really what matters.  Someone more knowledgeable about this could probably chime in and explain this better than me.


----------



## Rattle

I guess this happens automatically using LDAC to take the android audio stack out of the mix ? No biggie ! I'll probably use it wired mostly anyway.


----------



## JasonCA (Apr 20, 2021)




----------



## HiFlight

OspreyAndy said:


> I am not sure if this has been asked before, sorry if this is a repeat.
> 
> Does 5K offer an option for Line Out to feed to another amp? because I am looking for highly compact LDAC capable companion for my Shure KSE1200. The pairing of KSE1200 + Cayin N6ii DAP as you would imagine is quite hefty and thick. So having some option for very compact LDAC receiver that will then feed analogue lineout to my KSE1200 energizer would be nice


You can use a 3.5mm male to dual RCA male jacks adapter cable.  It works just fine for me.  No need for a dedicated line-out function on the 5K.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Rattle said:


> I guess this happens automatically using LDAC to take the android audio stack out of the mix ? No biggie ! I'll probably use it wired mostly anyway.


UAPP does have an option to optimize for BT connection where I think it attempts to bypass the Android mixer (“audio may arrive cleaner before it is sent to the BT receiver”, so it says). The disclaimer is that it doesn’t work on all phones. Better get the trial version.

Many thanks to @TK33 for bringing this new freq limiter functionality to my attention - I keep breaking BT playback by selecting 44.1kHz LDAC output in my phone’s Developer Options, so it’s great to know I’ve now got one Rx at least where it should work without forcing it on the Tx side.
I’ll check if I can get bit-perfect BT playback this way, with UAPP transmitting of course.

I don’t know for sure why your phone keeps reverting to 24-bit for LDAC; it seems Android not only upsamples all LDAC playback to 96kHz by default but also pads bits to 24. Thankfully those empty bits should be harmless audio-wise and shouldn’t degrade connection stability since they are empty. Upsampling 44.1 to 96 is where the problem lies, wrong multiple means approximation. I don’t know whether Android itself is doing the upsampling, using the same terrible algorithm that ruins regular FLAC by guessing how 44.1kHz content would sound if it had been produced as 48kHz, or if LDAC is involved in the upsampling, in which case it’s at least optimized for audio.


----------



## OspreyAndy

HiFlight said:


> You can use a 3.5mm male to dual RCA male jacks adapter cable.  It works just fine for me.  No need for a dedicated line-out function on the 5K.


Thanks, and what volume you set on the 5K? Max? at high gain?


----------



## Rattle

monsieurfromag3 said:


> UAPP does have an option to optimize for BT connection where I think it attempts to bypass the Android mixer (“audio may arrive cleaner before it is sent to the BT receiver”, so it says). The disclaimer is that it doesn’t work on all phones. Better get the trial version.
> 
> Many thanks to @TK33 for bringing this new freq limiter functionality to my attention - I keep breaking BT playback by selecting 44.1kHz LDAC output in my phone’s Developer Options, so it’s great to know I’ve now got one Rx at least where it should work without forcing it on the Tx side.
> I’ll check if I can get bit-perfect BT playback this way, with UAPP transmitting of course.
> ...



The hilarious part is I can set it to 44.1k and it sticks but it has to be 24bit ! It's cool though, with BT I'd rather have it set to 44.1 than the android auto of 48 which makes no sense. 

I'd like to try UAPP but the trial is 20 minutes ...


----------



## CactusPete23

Rattle said:


> The hilarious part is I can set it to 44.1k and it sticks but it has to be 24bit ! It's cool though, with BT I'd rather have it set to 44.1 than the android auto of 48 which makes no sense.
> 
> I'd like to try UAPP but the trial is 20 minutes ...


You used to be able to just keep re-starting UAPP Trail version, and get another 20 minutes each start...   That was a few years ago; but may still be the same?


----------



## TK33

Rattle said:


> The hilarious part is I can set it to 44.1k and it sticks but it has to be 24bit ! It's cool though, with BT I'd rather have it set to 44.1 than the android auto of 48 which makes no sense.
> 
> I'd like to try UAPP but the trial is 20 minutes ...


If you have Qobuz or Tidal, UAPP is great.  I bought it and it worked much better than the Qobuz app and was bitperfect.  Was totally worth its cost for me.


----------



## HiFlight

OspreyAndy said:


> Thanks, and what volume you set on the 5K? Max? at high gain?


Just under max on my source and enough enough volume on the Q5K to run whichever amp I am using at about the 10 o' Clock position at my normal listening level.  The 5K with it's crossfeed capability makes an ideal pre-amp.


----------



## szore

Just curious what is UAPP and why is it good?


----------



## OspreyAndy

szore said:


> Just curious what is UAPP and why is it good?


Full details on UAPP here: 
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/usb...s-usb-audio-support-for-android.704065/unread


----------



## Camph

Is there any word on any options to remap the buttons? I really like this device but I hate the double click to skip track. I would greatly prefer 1 click to skip and have play/pause on another button.


----------



## davehutch (Apr 25, 2021)

Deleted


----------



## davehutch

Camph said:


> Is there any word on any options to remap the buttons? I really like this device but I hate the double click to skip track. I would greatly prefer 1 click to skip and have play/pause on another button.


This was the last mention of it I saw:
https://qudelix.discussion.community/post/adding-a-new-button-profile-11115035

I guess it's being worked on still


----------



## pk4425 (Apr 26, 2021)

Got my Qudelix 5K today to compare it to my iFi hip-dac. I intend to use the Qudelix 5K mainly with USB, an Apple Camera Connector and an iPhone 12, just like I do with so all of my early comparisons are wired, not Bluetooth. It's the only fair way to compare both.

-- First, you can't beat the size of the Qudelix. This thing is tiny. It's not as small as the TempoTec Sonata HD Pro I recently sold, but it's much smaller than my hip-dac.

-- Solid construction. Buttons are solid. Decent cables. Can't match the metal housing, metal buttons and brass volume dial of the hip-dac, though.

-- I HATE the button layout on the Qudelix. Unintuitive as hell. Crap design. Tough to increase and decrease volume from the unit. I end up using the app more than anything. I know people say you get used to it, but a proper design wouldn't require acclimation time. The simple buttons and brass volume knob on the hip-dac are MILES more intuitive and tactile.

-- Is there some way to turn off the flashing lights on the buttons from within the app? God, I hope so. The thing looks like a cross between an ambulance and a volunteer fire vehicle when you use it. Annoying as hell.

-- The Qudelix app is excellent. A tinkerer's delight. So many options and measurements. The built-in parametric EQ is such a magical feature, making it easy to apply EQ measurements from Oratory or Crinacle.

-- The Qudelix has less power than I expected. It has about the same output as the TempoTec Sonata HD Pro in low and high gain. I need to run my iPhone 12 at full volume and my HiFiMan HE-400se International at about 80 percent volume on the Qudelix to get sufficient volume. I have my Sennheiser HD 560s at about 70 percent on the Qudelix. I can run the HE-400se at 50 percent and the HD 560s at 40 percent on the hip-dac. The hip-dac clearly has more juice, which is good for the future if I get more power-hungry cans.

-- Now for the big one: Sound. First I must divulge that I'm very treble-sensitive. I have pretty severe tinnitus, so I notice grainy and hot treble almost instantly. I'm far from a basshead, but I prefer a slightly warm sound signature with a bit of rolled-off treble because of my tinnitus. The treble of the Qudelix is just too piercing and hot for me without EQ. It's just too fatiguing for my ears. With Oratory's EQ for my HD 560s, it's better, but it almost feels somewhat veiled and flat. The hip-dac definitely is warmer and a bit rolled off in the highs, but that's perfect for me. There's just a richness to the hip-dac sound that I prefer, too. It's not bloated, as I don't use the bass boost on it. But it's more rich, more musical. The hip-dac pulls me more into my music. I think the imaging and soundstage on both units is very similar; I give a slight edge in detail to the Qudelix.

Very early days. I need to do more testing. I can see why so many people like the Qudelix. I think it blows away the Sonata HD Pro despite being twice the price because of the balanced and unbalanced connections, better build quality, Bluetooth and the great app. It's a killer portable USB and Bluetooth DAC-amp for a lot of people.

But the hip-dac sounds better for me right now. It's like the difference between Nike and Adidas. Both make damn good athletic shoes. But Nikes just fit some people's feet better than Adidas, yet some people's feet feel like they were made for Adidas. That's how the hip-dac sounds for me right now -- it's made for me and my cans.

Again, early days. I still need to test the Qudelix with my Meze 99 Classics and Moondrop Starfield.

Maybe my ears will adjust to the hotter treble of the Qudelix. Maybe not. More impressions if my opinion or sonic analysis changes.

Holler with any questions! Thanks.


----------



## pk4425 (Apr 27, 2021)

OK, more testing complete. My ears are adjusting to the sound of the Qudelix 5K. It’s growing on me.

Plus I’m surprised how good the Bluetooth sounds on this, even with AAC through an iPhone. My old ears can’t tell a huge difference from wired. Yeah, the quality isn't as good as wired. But it's not a massive step backward.

Add this plus to all of the mega cool features in the app, such as DAC filters, and the decision between the Qudelix and the hip-dac is getting harder and harder by the song.

Nice problem to have!


----------



## arbiter76

pk4425 said:


> Got my Qudelix 5K today to compare it to my iFi hip-dac. I intend to use the Qudelix 5K mainly with USB, an Apple Camera Connector and an iPhone 12, just like I do with so all of my early comparisons are wired, not Bluetooth. It's the only fair way to compare both.
> 
> -- First, you can't beat the size of the Qudelix. This thing is tiny. It's not as small as the TempoTec Sonata HD Pro I recently sold, but it's much smaller than my hip-dac.
> 
> ...



I have the opposite problem of you.  I love the button setup on the qudelix and it's bluetooth is noticeably more consistent with less stutter or dropouts compared to the es100.  My problem is do I want absolute convenience and slightly lesser sound or good ole warm AKM in my ears.  <--  that sounded funny.  oh well.  

It was odd reading your mini review.  Comparing a very portable convenient wireless solution you can hide on your body disconnecting your wires from your phone to a portable d/amp.  I settled for micro usb connectionon a Topping NX4 with ESS 9038, instead wanting the 2.5x more expensive Fiio Q5s-Type C with AKM dac.  The Qudelix is slightly bright to my ears with more detail than the warm es100 but the Topping while not warm or bright is very very smooth and pulls much more detail than both the previously mentioned.  The NX4 is so good I have foregone convenience lately and honestly it isn't the honeymoon thing either.  I seriously thought about getting the hip dac but that battery drain yo.  The NX4 is so overwhelmingly good I haven't tried the parametric EQ to tune the brightness down and I don't think it will get rid of the granular sound.  But to each their own.  Glad you're happy with both.


----------



## Rattle (Apr 28, 2021)

Qudelix 5k is an amazing device. I have no complaints. I've had tons of amps/dacs much more expensive. This little person sounds nice. I don't have issue with the button layout and the app is great. Only thing I'd change is a better graph for the battery monitor that's easier to read. My eyes are way worse than my ears ! With the 3DT and 5k I'm happy.


----------



## nangJuice

TK33 said:


> The attached screenshot from the Qudelix app (I am on Android) may help.  This was a new feature that they added recently.  I have never bothered trying it myself but please let us know your thoughts if you try it out.


I’ve been using this feature and it’s legit insofar as it locks the LDAC transmit to 44.1kHz at 909 Kbps. I’m using a Pixel 4 and trusting what the Qudelix app tells me - no playing around in Developer Settings. I also have 5K Absolute Volume Control toggled on in the app which “always keeps and guarantees the full precision audio stream over Bluetooth or USB”. I play files at max volume on my phone and control the output levels on the Q5k itself. Sounds fantastic and comparable to wired audio, for sure. I cannot verify their claims of improved battery life as I was getting 7 hours before and it’s still 7 hours after toggling on this feature (balanced output, standard profile, low gain).


monsieurfromag3 said:


> I don’t know for sure why your phone keeps reverting to 24-bit for LDAC; it seems Android not only upsamples all LDAC playback to 96kHz by default but also pads bits to 24. Thankfully those empty bits should be harmless audio-wise and shouldn’t degrade connection stability since they are empty. Upsampling 44.1 to 96 is where the problem lies, wrong multiple means approximation. I don’t know whether Android itself is doing the upsampling, using the same terrible algorithm that ruins regular FLAC by guessing how 44.1kHz content would sound if it had been produced as 48kHz, or if LDAC is involved in the upsampling, in which case it’s at least optimized for audio.


I agree with this, 24 bit streaming from your phone to your Q5k should not affect your listening experience at all when playing back 16 bit source files, which most are. I also have some 24 bit source files which I’ve been playing via the Q5k and there’s no magical difference in audio quality at all because they’re still 44.1kHz files. I do tend to agree that upsampling should be avoided where possible, which is why I used the toggle in the Qudelix app to keep it locked to 44.1, and this might be as close to bit perfect as you can get over bluetooth


Rattle said:


> The hilarious part is I can set it to 44.1k and it sticks but it has to be 24bit ! It's cool though, with BT I'd rather have it set to 44.1 than the android auto of 48 which makes no sense.
> 
> I'd like to try UAPP but the trial is 20 minutes ...


For those chasing bit perfect mobile audio, you can try out the HiByMusic app. It has an option called Exclusive HQ USB audio access which it claims does the same thing as UAPP - bypass the Android internal mixer and output bit perfect to your connected DAC. I have this toggled on for when I connect my USB-C headphone dongle to my phone. It’s an excellent free audio player in any case and I use it on all my devices. That said, I’ve never tried UAPP, so I wouldn’t know what I’m missing!

Several months on, I’m still excited to use my Q5k! It truly feels like a budget step into HiFi territory!


----------



## Rattle

Spot on @nangJuice you've said it all in that post. I listen to mostly 16/44.1 files and just let ldac set it to 24bit and lock it at 44.1 I have a few 24/96 files and others I just set it accordingly for those. 

I will try hibymusic app eventually but I've been straight up happy and impressed with the ldac performance.


----------



## xophere

So I am a Linux and Android user and would like to consider this as a side grade to my ES100.  I am wonder with the USB connection does it present the mic input to the host?  Or does that only work on bluetooth?  Anyone using it for a mini dac with another amp?


----------



## xophere

xophere said:


> So I am a Linux and Android user and would like to consider this as a side grade to my ES100.  I am wonder with the USB connection does it present the mic input to the host?  Or does that only work on bluetooth?  Anyone using it for a mini dac with another amp?


Never mind I found it on a Qudelix forum.  Psychic'd to get this...  If anyone has exp with Linux of note that would be good to hear about still.


----------



## Hanesu

Hi! I have three questions concerning the 5K:

1. Does it have multi device pairing? 
2. Are the red and blue lights always on while using the device or only when pressing the buttons?
3. How good is the ambient mode? 

Thanks!


----------



## TK33

Hanesu said:


> Hi! I have three questions concerning the 5K:
> 
> 1. Does it have multi device pairing?
> 2. Are the red and blue lights always on while using the device or only when pressing the buttons?
> ...


1. Yes you can choose which one has priority
2. lights are adjustable (i lowered to about 5).  This was in one of their early firmware updates.  Before then they were way too bright.
3. I personally dont use the mic at all as I feel it doesnt cancel any noise and picks up everything, including when you touch or move the 5K.


----------



## Hanesu

TK33 said:


> 1. Yes you can choose which one has priority
> 2. lights are adjustable (i lowered to about 5).  This was in one of their early firmware updates.  Before then they were way too bright.
> 3. I personally dont use the mic at all as I feel it doesnt cancel any noise and picks up everything, including when you touch or move the 5K.


Thank you for your reply!  

1. But it can be connected to two devices at the same time, right? 
2. But are the lights always on? Or only when you press the buttons? 
3. By ambient mode I meant not noice cancelling but transparency mode, meaning the surrounding sounds (cars etc.) can be heard. Does it sound any natural with the 5k?

Thanks again!


----------



## TK33

Hanesu said:


> Thank you for your reply!
> 
> 1. But it can be connected to two devices at the same time, right?
> 2. But are the lights always on? Or only when you press the buttons?
> ...


1. Yes it has multipoint. You can select which device you want to have priority in the app.
2. There is an option to turn off LED.
3.  I understand what ambient is but it will also pick up the sound of the 5K bumping against something else or if your clothing rubs against it.  You will also hear noises when you touch it, button clicks, etc..  I found it annoying but maybe it will work for you.  Ambient works much better in TWS dont come into contact with anything else.  I may be spoiled by TWS but just trying to set expectations.  

Attached are screenshots that might be helpful.  If I recall correctly, you can download the app and explore it as well even if you dont have a 5K.


----------



## Hanesu

TK33 said:


> 1. Yes it has multipoint. You can select which device you want to have priority in the app.
> 2. There is an option to turn off LED.
> 3.  I understand what ambient is but it will also pick up the sound of the 5K bumping against something else or if your clothing rubs against it.  You will also hear noises when you touch it, button clicks, etc..  I found it annoying but maybe it will work for you.  Ambient works much better in TWS dont come into contact with anything else.  I may be spoiled by TWS but just trying to set expectations.
> 
> Attached are screenshots that might be helpful.  If I recall correctly, you can download the app and explore it as well even if you dont have a 5K.


Thanks a lot for this really helpful post!!! 😆


----------



## deviltrombone

Hanesu said:


> Thanks a lot for this really helpful post!!! 😆


About the multipoint, I use my 5K with an Avantree DG80 USB transmitter and Apple TV. While the DG80 is always somehow hogging the connection and defeats other receivers like the FiiO BTR5, the 5K allows me to give priority to the Apple TV, such that when the ATV is outputting audio, the 5K automatically switches to it. Not possible with the BTR5, which remains stuck on the DG80. IOW, the 5K works great for this. It could however be improved by showing the device names in the app, but once you set it up, it just works.


----------



## pk4425

Hanesu said:


> Thank you for your reply!
> 
> 1. But it can be connected to two devices at the same time, right?
> 2. But are the lights always on? Or only when you press the buttons?
> ...


2. No, the lights are not always on. I thought they were in my initial impressions, but they do turn off after a bit if buttons aren't pressed.

Unsolicited opinion that mirrors other comments in this thread: The Qudelix app is FANTASTIC.


----------



## Hanesu (Apr 30, 2021)

pk4425 said:


> 2. No, the lights are not always on. I thought they were in my initial impressions, but they do turn off after a bit if buttons aren't pressed.
> 
> Unsolicited opinion that mirrors other comments in this thread: The Qudelix app is FANTASTIC.


Already made my order! 😆👍Think it will replace my BTR5. Because I HATE the Fiio App. Loved BTR5`s build quality though...


----------



## pk4425

Quick update in my testing of the Qudelix 5K compared to my iFi hip-dac for sound only, not features.

I just don't think the bright, slightly thin sound of the Sabre DAC in the Qudelix is for me. I'm far from a basshead, but I do like a richer, slightly warmer sound than what the Qudelix is providing me. The Burr-Brown DAC chip in my hip-dac just seems to be a perfect sonic match for my daily drivers, the HiFiMan HE-400se International.

The Qudelix is such a cool device. I would recommend it in a SECOND to anyone looking for a Bluetooth DAC/amp and who likes a brighter sound signature. The bright Sabre DAC in the Qudelix does balance the bassy, warm sound of my Meze 99 Classics better than the warmer Burr-Brown DAC in the hip-dac. 

But since I'm probably selling my 99 Classics and sticking with the HE-400se as my daily drivers, the hip-dac sounds like a better match to my cans and ears. 

A bit more testing to come today and this weekend ...


----------



## jasonb

So I have a Sony sound bar that can act as a Bluetooth transmitter. I can pair and connect the Qudelix 5k to it but no sound gets transmitted from the sound bar to the 5k. Any idea what's up? What am I doing wrong?

I can connect my Galaxy buds to the sound bar and everything works there...


----------



## waynes world

pk4425 said:


> I just don't think the bright, slightly thin sound of the Sabre DAC in the Qudelix is for me. I'm far from a basshead, but I do like a richer, slightly warmer sound than what the Qudelix is providing me. The Burr-Brown DAC chip in my hip-dac just seems to be a perfect sonic match for my daily drivers, the HiFiMan HE-400se International.
> 
> The Qudelix is such a cool device. I would recommend it in a SECOND to anyone looking for a Bluetooth DAC/amp and who likes a brighter sound signature. The bright Sabre DAC in the Qudelix does balance the bassy, warm sound of my Meze 99 Classics better than the warmer Burr-Brown DAC in the hip-dac.



I'd appreciate comments from others in this regard. I had the ES100 for quite a while until it broke, but I really loved it's sound. Since then I've been using the Fiio BTR3K and have been surprisingly satisfied with it. However, I've always assumed that I'd end up with the 5K (does the damn thing ever go on sale?), but I'm not really looking for a "brighter sound". What do others feel about the SQ versus the ES100?

Fwiw, the ES100 and BTR3K, as well as my desktop Grace SDAC, all have AK DACS, so I'm not that familiar with the Sabre DAC.

Thanks!


----------



## tudedude

I got tired of my Btr-5 crashing so I bought the Qudelix. I agree with people saying the Qudelix is brighter sounding. This worked out perfect for me because it pairs nicely with my LCD-X (2021 version) which needed just a tiny bit more bump in the upper mids and treble. I was going to use the EQ but found I don't need to now.


----------



## nangJuice

waynes world said:


> However, I've always assumed that I'd end up with the 5K (does the damn thing ever go on sale?)


It was 20% off at Amazon in October last year.


----------



## TK33

nangJuice said:


> It was 20% off at Amazon in October last year.


And on Prime Day last year in the US if i recall correctly


----------



## szore

Ive been using the 5k with my M8 and its great. But connected to my PC by optical is an Avantree BT transmitter/receiver. When I first tried to pair them, it worked fine, but I wanted to check the connection settings, so I unpaired, swithced to a different codec...wheatever it was, like normal LDAC to connection priority, and it would not pair again. The Avantree just doesnt recognize it. I did a hard reset and still nothing. The 5K has the latest f/w. Does any one have any idea why the Avantree will not pair with the 5k?


----------



## peter123

waynes world said:


> I'd appreciate comments from others in this regard. I had the ES100 for quite a while until it broke, but I really loved it's sound. Since then I've been using the Fiio BTR3K and have been surprisingly satisfied with it. However, I've always assumed that I'd end up with the 5K (does the damn thing ever go on sale?), but I'm not really looking for a "brighter sound". What do others feel about the SQ versus the ES100?
> 
> Fwiw, the ES100 and BTR3K, as well as my desktop Grace SDAC, all have AK DACS, so I'm not that familiar with the Sabre DAC.
> 
> Thanks!



Fwiw I also own the ES100 and BTR3K and I'd take the Qudelix over them both any time. I've never thought of it as bright sounding either. Better resolution and clarity compared to the others yes, bright no. Just my 2c


----------



## pk4425 (May 1, 2021)

peter123 said:


> Fwiw I also own the ES100 and BTR3K and I'd take the Qudelix over them both any time. I've never thought of it as bright sounding either. Better resolution and clarity compared to the others yes, bright no. Just my 2c


Yep. It's just a matter of personal preference. My ears are VERY sensitive to treble due to pretty severe tinnitus, so my interpretation of bright probably is different than most. For example, nearly all Beyerdynamics are no-fly zones for me. Just too bright.

That said, the Qudelix is a marvelous Bluetooth DAC-amp. I think it's a tremendous piece of kit for most people. And it's still a steal at full price with all of its features and build quality.


----------



## Nolbert0

It's a good thing this thing has PEQ, *if *it's a little bright. The PEQ is the jewel in the 5K's crown, no?


----------



## waynes world

Nolbert0 said:


> It's a good thing this thing has PEQ, *if *it's a little bright. The PEQ is the jewel in the 5K's crown, no?



Excellent point.


----------



## pk4425

Nolbert0 said:


> It's a good thing this thing has PEQ, *if *it's a little bright. The PEQ is the jewel in the 5K's crown, no?


Definitely a very nice feature that elevates it even further above the competition. The Bluetooth range also is excellent, another differentiating feature.


----------



## Saaq (May 1, 2021)

Whenever i use my Qudelix and the battery gets under 80% the sound quality goes to absolute crap. It's super noticeable and almost unusable. It doesn't matter what Codec i'm using this happens EVERY time it gets under 80%. any idea what might be happening? There is no way thats how its supposed to be right? 

edit: It only happens with my KBear Belive


----------



## max1236 (May 2, 2021)

Whenever I try and change ldac quality to best audio in developer options it changes back when I restart the 5k. Anyone had this problem? Using galaxy s9 on Android 10


Also does anyone find the clicks when you start the device unreasonably loud? Especially if you were listening to classical music


----------



## jsmiller58

max1236 said:


> Whenever I try and change ldac quality to best audio in developer options it changes back when I restart the 5k. Anyone had this problem? Using galaxy s9 on Android 10
> 
> 
> Also does anyone find the clicks when you start the device unreasonably loud? Especially if you were listening to classical music


Unfortunately, this is normal behavior in Android, at least many others report the same thing, and it happens on my LG v30.


----------



## rlw6534

jsmiller58 said:


> Unfortunately, this is normal behavior in Android, at least many others report the same thing, and it happens on my LG v30.



Yeah, some DAPs have settings for LDAC priority (not in developer options) that stick but, most phones apparently don't.


----------



## Tamirci

Well portable amp. Making me sell my BTR5 in its favor.


----------



## BenKatz

Hanesu said:


> Already made my order! 😆👍Think it will replace my BTR5. Because I HATE the Fiio App. Loved BTR5`s build quality though...



Wondering why you are planning to use the Qudelix 5K for. I see you have an xDSD also. I also have both - xDSD and Qudelix 5k. The Qudelix 5K is MUCH better than the Fiio BTR5, that's absolutely 100% certain.

However I've had a long time in which I compared it to the xDSD and here are my findings:

1) If you have sensitive IEMs (I have the Campfire Audio Dorado 2020, quite sensitive), there is NO HISS on the Qudelix, but a tiny amount on the xDSD (I've bought an iFi IEMatch+ to solve this issue, but most of the times I prefer the very low hiss than the extra dongle)

2) Sound quality 

Features: The Qudelix 5K has a PEQ Equalizer. This is a great option, but you must remember this alters the sound signal when using (a tiny bit) because it's all in the digital domain. You may not hear a big difference. However, compared to the xDSD's more rudimental (but analog domain) "XBass", on some bass-light IEMs i tested, the "XBass" does a more convincing job than playing with the bass frequencies on the 5K PEQ. Same thing applies for 5K's "crossfeed" vs the "3d+" on the iFi. The only time you need it is with some older 60s (and older) songs, where there is no central image. The difference is much bigger here - you need to bump the "crossfeed" quite a lot to get an enjoyable listen with the 5K, but a LOT of detail is lost. With the "3d+" the sound is "repaired" with almost no compromises.

USB: The xDSD is indeed -AT LEAST- a class above the Qudelix 5k, maybe more. The sound is wider and has more "muscle", especially in the low registries. It's simply better, more real, warmer. There is no competition here. The qudelix is AMAZING for a 110$ dongle, but it just can't compete with the 400$ (now discounted to 300$ in most places) iFi xDSD (plus the xDSD has MQA, if you care about that).

Bluetooth: Yes, the Qudelix does have LDAC, the xDSD is only AptX, but because the big difference in sound quality, the xDSD still sounds noticeably better on bluetooth (even if it theoretically "downgrades" the sound. Qudelix however has an advantage as it can take calls (xDSD has no call handling functionality) and you can control next track/previous/pause/play (xDSD only has it's own independent sound control), but unless you are using a cable with built-in mic, the microphone on the Qudelix is CRAP (i'd say it's worse than the BTR5 also), unfortunately, so this function is almost useless in most cases.

Another thing to note is that the Qudelix 5K has digital volume control, and the xDSD has analogue. Analogue (as long as it's well implemented with no cheap components that add noise, and in the xDSD it's well implemented) is better because it doesn't take out bits from the digital signal to lower the volume. The Qudelix I see has a 32 bit volume control (higher is better - degrading the sound quality less when lowering volume) but it's still average - many digital amp/dacs have around 60bits to counter the digital-volume issue (like the AudioQuest cobalt, etc). 

For those reasons, on the go and at the office (basically anywhere besides the gym/biking) I'm using the xDSD. The Qudelix 5K is used in my car stereo right now. 

So basically unless you are interested in call functionality (and for this it is highly recommended to use a cable with mic, as the in-built mic is pretty bad) and are attracted to a smaller device (even though the xDSD isn't huge), the xDSD is better sounding, and is better suited, especially for more power hungry headphones.


----------



## Hanesu (May 5, 2021)

BenKatz said:


> Wondering why you are planning to use the Qudelix 5K for. I see you have an xDSD also. I also have both - xDSD and Qudelix 5k. The Qudelix 5K is MUCH better than the Fiio BTR5, that's absolutely 100% certain.
> 
> However I've had a long time in which I compared it to the xDSD and here are my findings:
> 
> ...



Hi! I 100% agree with everything you write about the XDSD! To my ears, too, it is still one of the best, if not THE best bluetooth device I have ever heard (unfortunately my unit is defect and I will send it in to repair soon). This gets very evident if one compares it directly to other devices! Even in BT mode it gets VERY close to a good DAP!

So what am I planning to use the 5k for?
Well, generally, after years of DAP usage, I am a now convinced "DAC with BT and USB functionality" user that I can use across my different digital devices (phone, computer, TV....). On the go I like to use BT, since I find it so convenient and think that BT quality has improved a lot over the years (using the right equipment). If I want to do critical listening, I simply connect the device to my Computer or tablet via USB. I like to have a high quality DAC for that purpose (XDSD and R2R2000) and another one that is really small and easy to carry (now Qudelix, former BTR 5).

My first impressions of Qudelix vs BTR 5 are actually almost exactly how I expected them to be. Sound wise, I find them slightly different ( BTR5 sounds a bit sharper, while  5k a bit softer but more dynamic and musical) but could not tell which is "better" or "worse". I think it is a question of taste. Me, personally, I think I slightly lean towards musical and prefer the 5k by a small margin. Build quality and feel for sure is much nicer with the BTR5, just as ist buttons, but 5k actually feels more solid than I though (for sure better than ES100) and I find the smaller size and integrated clip much more practical.

And software wise it is a HUGE win for the 5k.

Software was actually the main reason why I wanted to get rid of the BTR5!
As a iOS and Mac user, I found the Fiio software horrible! Not only aren`t firmware updates possible with a Mac, also the Music and Control app keep on crashing on my iPhone. I had the same problem that other BTR5 users keep on reporting, too, actually since the launch of the device (and Fiio never fixed it): It says the phone is not connected to the device and one has to cancel the connecting process again and again, then it suddenly gets connected for some reasons. But recently, I have to keep on doing this for about ten times until I can finally use the app. In addition, EQ, which is quite important to me, for sure reduces SQ on the Fiio and also there is no way to safe EQ different settings...

With the 5K, software works amazingly smooth and EQ works perfectly without any reduction of SQ.

So far, I am very happy with the 5k and do not regret buying it. Only button usage takes a while to get used to, but not a huge problem to me, since I often use my Apple watch to control my music on the go....


----------



## BenKatz

Hanesu said:


> Hi! I 100% agree with everything you write about the XDSD! To my ears, too, it is still one of the best, if not THE best bluetooth device I have ever heard (unfortunately my unit is defect and I will send it in to repair soon). This gets very evident if one compares it directly to other devices! Even in BT mode it gets VERY close to a good DAP!
> 
> So what am I planning to use the 5k for?
> Well, generally, after years of DAP usage, I am a now convinced "DAC with BT and USB functionality" user that I can use across my different digital devices (phone, computer, TV....). On the go I like to use BT, since I find it so convenient and think that BT quality has improved a lot over the years (using the right equipment). If I want to do critical listening, I simply connect the device to my Computer or tablet via USB. I like to have a high quality DAC for that purpose (XDSD and R2R2000) and another one that is really small and easy to carry (now Qudelix, former BTR 5).
> ...



Nice! yeah, indeed, that's my feeling with the 5K as well (also vs BTR5). BTR was built nicely, but the software was kinda trash, and my main issues was VERY poor LDAC bt stability (vs 5K) and "harsh" unrefined (to my ears) sound. 5K has a very similar tuning to what I like - warm and full, just like my Xperia 1 II smartphone 3.5mm output or the xDSD. It actually sounds very close to the Xperia, except the Xperia has way less power, but sounds more open up-top. 

As far as on the go, yeah, 5K is definitely smaller than xDSD, and therefore better, but I got so used to the xDSD sound and easy volume operation, I'm using it always on the go, even if it doesn't have call functionality (juste use the phone normally when talking).

But it has it's limitations when going to the gym/biking. For that, I got a pair of Campfire Polaris V2 and planning to get a Fiio UTWS3 (when they will be back in stock). Nothing beats the practicality of true wireless when doing intensive movement. Of course, the Dorado 2020 sound much better than the Polaris v2 and would like to use them on the UTWS3 when doing sports as well - but that would mean almost daily MMCX connector abuse, and that's a BIG NO.


----------



## Hanesu (May 5, 2021)

BenKatz said:


> Nice! yeah, indeed, that's my feeling with the 5K as well (also vs BTR5). BTR was built nicely, but the software was kinda trash, and my main issues was VERY poor LDAC bt stability (vs 5K) and "harsh" unrefined (to my ears) sound. 5K has a very similar tuning to what I like - warm and full, just like my Xperia 1 II smartphone 3.5mm output or the xDSD. It actually sounds very close to the Xperia, except the Xperia has way less power, but sounds more open up-top.
> 
> As far as on the go, yeah, 5K is definitely smaller than xDSD, and therefore better, but I got so used to the xDSD sound and easy volume operation, I'm using it always on the go, even if it doesn't have call functionality (juste use the phone normally when talking).
> 
> But it has it's limitations when going to the gym/biking. For that, I got a pair of Campfire Polaris V2 and planning to get a Fiio UTWS3 (when they will be back in stock). Nothing beats the practicality of true wireless when doing intensive movement. Of course, the Dorado 2020 sound much better than the Polaris v2 and would like to use them on the UTWS3 when doing sports as well - but that would mean almost daily MMCX connector abuse, and that's a BIG NO.


I am also very interested in something like the UTWS3, but still feel that those modules are still not where real TWS are in terms of functionality. What I admire most about some TWS is a proper ambient and NC mode between that I can switch back and forth. Because especially when I am doing sports I want to hear my surrounding.
This is why I ended up in buying Huawei Freebuds for sports that are open design and let me hear my surrounding very well while listening to music.

I also tried the ambient mode of the 5K but was disappointed to be honest. It is exactly like someone has written in this thread, that just if the 5K rubs a little bit on ones clothes you will have terrible background noise. Generally there is so much hiss during ambient mode. And if one lowers the mic sensitivity one cannot hear sounds anymore that are a little distant. The ambient mode of the 5k sounds very unnatural unfortunately and is far away from something like the Airpos Max, which is simply stunning. But I guess to achieve that, it need several mics for sure and very good software. So I kind of gave up on this for now. But I am sure we will get something like this for high end IEMs somewhen in the future....


----------



## iFi audio

Hanesu said:


> Even in BT mode it gets VERY close to a good DAP!



Suffice to say, we did our homework on BT in our devices 

But it's great to read that community members appreciate it, so thanks a lot!


----------



## maserluv

Update of Software to 1.14.0 and a New firmware 1.80!

Strange but true, there is another level of improvemnet over the sound. And it seems like the default fliter is now "APodizing Fast Roll-Off Type 1"


----------



## CommanderCute

maserluv said:


> Update of Software to 1.14.0 and a New firmware 1.80!
> 
> Strange but true, there is another level of improvemnet over the sound. And it seems like the default fliter is now "APodizing Fast Roll-Off Type 1"


The filter hasn't changed in my settings.

Speaking of filters, which one do you use and is the "best"?


----------



## Benaudio (May 7, 2021)

Just updated to firmware 1.8, and unless I lower pregain a lot, there is a lot of distortion that was not here yesterday...
Using balanced output with Audeze Sine.
Very big degradation of sound quality, I saw already another post on that elsewhere.
Hope they fix it soon, or allow to roll back firmware?
No"another level of improvement over the sound" for me


----------



## Rattle

Benaudio said:


> Just updated to firmware 1.8, and unless I lower pregain a lot, there is a lot of distortion that was not here yesterday...
> Using balanced output with Audeze Sine.
> Very big degradation of sound quality, I saw already another post on that elsewhere.
> Hope they fix it soon, or allow to roll back firmware?
> No"another level of improvement over the sound" for me



I don't like new firmware either... I reset the device and it seemed to help but still sounds off.
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum...pdate-windows-pc-only-11107807?pid=1319554594

I can't figure out how to find 1.7.2 again. Which is where I started. Is it ok to roll back with windows ?


----------



## Benaudio

Rattle said:


> I don't like new firmware either... I reset the device and it seemed to help but still sounds off.
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dfu-firmware-update-windows-pc-only-11107807?pid=1319554594
> 
> I can't figure out how to find 1.7.2 again. Which is where I started. Is it ok to roll back with windows ?


Thanks for the info but I'm on MacOS, so no dice...


----------



## Piratarzt

Hi all

I already have the BTR3 and use it as a USB DAC and BT receiver. It's used on either Windows 10 or Android. I drive either a Grado SR80e or an Audiosense T800. My biggest gripe with the BTR3 is the Fiio app and the microphone quality.

Would the Qudelix-5K be much of an improvement over the BTR3?

Cheers


----------



## Benaudio

Rattle said:


> I don't like new firmware either... I reset the device and it seemed to help but still sounds off.
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/usb-dfu-firmware-update-windows-pc-only-11107807?pid=1319554594
> 
> I can't figure out how to find 1.7.2 again. Which is where I started. Is it ok to roll back with windows ?


I posted on their support forum, they’re working on a hot fix already


----------



## Rattle

Benaudio said:


> I posted on their support forum, they’re working on a hot fix already



I'd like to just roll back to 1.7.2 it sounded great.


----------



## Benaudio

Can’t do if you don’t have a windows machine, and only 1.7 is available


----------



## Benaudio

Benaudio said:


> Can’t do if you don’t have a windows machine, and only 1.7 is available


They found a bug in firmware 1.8.0 on the balanced output. They are releasing a fix tomorrow
The unbalanced output is unchanged, sound should be no different than before


----------



## jsmiller58

Benaudio said:


> They found a bug in firmware 1.8.0 on the balanced output. They are releasing a fix tomorrow
> The unbalanced output is unchanged, sound should be no different than before


Cool.  Thanks.  Will hold off on any FW upgrades!

On another thought, does anyone know if the folks at Qudelix are going to be coming out with a new model this year?


----------



## Rattle

Hopefully it's sorted. I noticed when I turn down my phone volume even though it's locked in the amp now, it sounded much better. Just moving down one click or 2. Not sure why .. no update yet ?


----------



## Benaudio

They said tomorrow, that’s pretty fast already IMO


----------



## Rattle

That was yesterday lol. If you post again on their forum can you ask the guy to post 1.7.2 firmware so we can roll back with windows ? Please !


----------



## Benaudio

Rattle said:


> That was yesterday lol. If you post again on their forum can you ask the guy to post 1.7.2 firmware so we can roll back with windows ? Please !


This was literally 10 hours ago, so yeah maybe yesterday depending on your time zone. 
I mean, if you can’t wait 14 hours more, you’re welcome to register there and ask them. I’m not their representative and don’t work for them in customer support.


----------



## Rattle (May 8, 2021)

I actually reverted back to last app version. (had manually installed the new APK when new firmware hit). I uninstalled that then installed from play store last official app. Then flashed back to 1.7.0 FW through windows, finally updated back to 1.7.2 (through app, since no download for manual 1.7.2 is on their site. Found no other easy ready way to revert.

Next time I'll wait for feedback lmao. I know you are not a rep or cs for them but since you already posted and are joined up I'd figure i'd ask you. No worries lol


----------



## mico1964

Just updated the app on my iPhone and flashed the firmware 1.8.1
The bug has been fixed.


----------



## Benaudio

Yes, that was fast!


----------



## davehutch

Can anyone tell me if the 5K would be an upgrade for my Tin HiFi P1s please?
For on-the-go use. I’ve tried the BTR5 and didn’t like it at all. Looking for an overall improvement and a bit more power sometimes as on my ES100 I end up maxing it out


----------



## speedfiend

davehutch said:


> Can anyone tell me if the 5K would be an upgrade for my Tin HiFi P1s please?
> For on-the-go use. I’ve tried the BTR5 and didn’t like it at all. Looking for an overall improvement and a bit more power sometimes as on my ES100 I end up maxing it out


Compared to the ES100, definite improvement. The PEQ alone is worth the upgrade.
I have both the 5K and the Mojo, and find myself reaching for the 5K over my Mojo 9 times out of 10, even if I'm just listening to my iems sitting at my desk.


----------



## davehutch

speedfiend said:


> Compared to the ES100, definite improvement. The PEQ alone is worth the upgrade.
> I have both the 5K and the Mojo, and find myself reaching for the 5K over my Mojo 9 times out of 10, even if I'm just listening to my iems sitting at my desk.


Thanks. Much appreciated


----------



## Earl of Bouillon

Does anyone know if something like this would work with the 5k’s 2.5mm output? I’d be using it to feed a balanced amp.


----------



## rkw

Earl of Bouillon said:


> Does anyone know if something like this would work with the 5k’s 2.5mm output? I’d be using it to feed a balanced amp.


Some of the Amazon reviews say that it works well with the Radsone ES100. That doesn't guarantee it will also work for the 5K, but it's promising because Qudelix engineers came from Radsone.


----------



## anli (May 10, 2021)

Hi! Somewhere in "Q5K vs BTR5" I have met an opinion Q5K is better as BT receiver, and BTR5 is better as USB DAC.
As for the second part (as USB DAC) - what is your experience here? 

And well, I don't mean BTR5 has got more sampling rates and more bit depth.  I just mean subjective experience on the same modes (say, 44.1/24).


----------



## dw1narso

Earl of Bouillon said:


> Does anyone know if something like this would work with the 5k’s 2.5mm output? I’d be using it to feed a balanced amp.


The cable looks OK.. Just be aware that there's no ground reference on the XLR output cable (because GND is not available on 2.5mm TRRS, only L-, L+, R- and R+)

Implication: depend on the amp, could potentially produce 'hum'. I don't have balanced system thus I cannot attest it.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

speedfiend said:


> Compared to the ES100, definite improvement. The PEQ alone is worth the upgrade.
> I have both the 5K and the Mojo, and find myself reaching for the 5K over my Mojo 9 times out of 10, even if I'm just listening to my iems sitting at my desk.


My iFi xDSD just shyt the bed, so the 5k has my attention. This makes a BIG recommendation.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

SomeGuyDude said:


> My iFi xDSD just shyt the bed, so the 5k has my attention. This makes a BIG recommendation.


The 5K resembles the xDSD more than the Mojo I think. It’s on the colder, harder, more metallic side. Very reference. Also lean and fast, whereas the Mojo has the edge in bass depth and quiet-to-loud dynamics I’d say.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

monsieurfromag3 said:


> The 5K resembles the xDSD more than the Mojo I think. It’s on the colder, harder, more metallic side. Very reference. Also lean and fast, whereas the Mojo has the edge in bass depth and quiet-to-loud dynamics I’d say.


I'll admit that cold, hard, and metallic are not adjectives I'm looking for. Think I might have been barking up the wrong tree. I do like how the market for these little devices is big enough that it's possible to hunt around.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

SomeGuyDude said:


> I'll admit that cold, hard, and metallic are not adjectives I'm looking for. Think I might have been barking up the wrong tree. I do like how the market for these little devices is big enough that it's possible to hunt around.


I’m really under-selling it though  
But it’s a $100 device, while it punches above its price point as a BT receiver it is still a step behind an amp 4 times as large and expensive on pure SQ.


----------



## Benaudio

SomeGuyDude said:


> I'll admit that cold, hard, and metallic are not adjectives I'm looking for. Think I might have been barking up the wrong tree. I do like how the market for these little devices is big enough that it's possible to hunt around.


I would say transparent myself. I like to tweak my sound with headphones and EQ, not DAC


----------



## SomeGuyDude

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I’m really under-selling it though
> But it’s a $100 device, while it punches above its price point as a BT receiver it is still a step behind an amp 4 times as large and expensive on pure SQ.


Oh I'm sure it's high quality, it's more a question of character. Like if one were to compare it to the BTR5 or something like the xDuoo XP-2 Pro I think I'd prefer the one that's more dynamic and impactful over the one that's clinical and precise.


----------



## Mouseman

I'm not sure where the reviews are that view the 5k as metallic, cold or clinical are coming from. To each their own opinion, but I find the 5k to have great sound, and I don't have to do a lot of EQ tweaking to most of my IEMs - they're all fairly flat with a bump at the bottom and a bit up top.  Is it a tube amp? No, but between the PEQ and the crosfeed you can adjust the heck out of if. I have the regular XP-2 as well, and other than it seeming to have more unbalanced power, I prefer the 5k.


----------



## TK33

Mouseman said:


> I'm not sure where the reviews are that view the 5k as metallic, cold or clinical are coming from. To each their own opinion, but I find the 5k to have great sound, and I don't have to do a lot of EQ tweaking to most of my IEMs - they're all fairly flat with a bump at the bottom and a bit up top.  Is it a tube amp? No, but between the PEQ and the crosfeed you can adjust the heck out of if. I have the regular XP-2 as well, and other than it seeming to have more unbalanced power, I prefer the 5k.


I agree.  I dont find them metallic, cold or clinical and if it doesnt match your tastes, the PEQ is fantastic.


----------



## Rattle

I don't even EQ with UM 3DT, 5k is a banging little gadget. I don't enjoy steel metallic or cold sounding things. Also really picky with highs and cymbals. 5k does an amazing job even with full size cans.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

My other sources have tubes in the preamp stage. While not sirupy, they exhibit a distinct flavor and tonal character. This is probably why I seem to consider the 5K colder than most in this thread. Transparent is indeed a good word to describe the 5K’s output. EQ doesn’t change that.

It also engages me a bit less than my V30 did for instance, which is why I don’t know whether @SomeGuyDude would enjoy it, but what do I know? Such a great device for $100 is a win-win gamble anyway.


----------



## Nolbert0 (May 14, 2021)

So... Terms like 'cold' or 'warm' to describe sound are to do with frequency response, right? Which is exactly how things like MSEB from HiByOS work, if I'm not mistaken. This thing has PEQ...


----------



## SomeGuyDude

monsieurfromag3 said:


> My other sources have tubes in the preamp stage. While not sirupy, they exhibit a distinct flavor and tonal character. This is probably why I seem to consider the 5K colder than most in this thread. Transparent is indeed a good word to describe the 5K’s output. EQ doesn’t change that.
> 
> It also engages me a bit less than my V30 did for instance, which is why I don’t know whether @SomeGuyDude would enjoy it, but what do I know? Such a great device for $100 is a win-win gamble anyway.


Transparent I'd call a good thing. I might prefer a touch of "flavor" but transparent is better than leaning towards the "cold" side.

I might give it a go just for the hell of it though. Return policies and all that.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nolbert0 said:


> So... Terms like 'cold' or 'warm' to describe sound are to do with frequency response, right? Which is exactly how things like MSEB from HiByOS work, if I'm not mistaken. This thing has PEQ...


I’d include other things beside frequency response. Decay, fullness/leanness of the notes, also various complicated ringing properties that I don’t understand. Hiby’s EQ system manipulates weird audio variables, I believe it goes beyond shelving particular points of the curve.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I think the hardest part of this hobby is how wishy washy a lot of our terms can be, and how they're mostly in relation to our preferences in some ways lol. Like what sounds really warm to someone who's a treblehead would sound cold to a basshead.


----------



## Apex Eight

All of this sounds a bit overthought to me. If you don't need BT, use an Apple dongle. If you need BT but not 2.5mm balanced power, get a BTR3K. If you need it all, get a Q5K. Drives my IEMs well and is convenient for what I use it for. My IEMs and even some headphones still sound great on it. Nice to give them more power in the small form factor.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

It's about having enough oomph for whatever you throw at them, and amps do have their own characteristics. Synergy is a thing, after all. Is it a huge factor? No, but I think when we're talking in the ~$100 area it's not a big issue to be a little picky about.


----------



## Rattle

All my other amps are full tube, hybrid or class A SS and I think in comparison 5k is great sounding for the money.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Rattle said:


> All my other amps are full tube, hybrid or class A SS and I think in comparison 5k is great sounding for the money.


Sold!


----------



## Luhar

I’ve got an issue when using my 5K with my laptop + playing PC games. There is sound up until the menu, then no sound at all - anyone experienced something like this? It’s as if it loses connection or something, but it’s not the case because if I alt+tab out and into another application that plays sound, it works fine. It’s just games.

Playing Doom Eternal, if that helps. 2.5mm out.


----------



## morah

Luhar said:


> I’ve got an issue when using my 5K with my laptop + playing PC games. There is sound up until the menu, then no sound at all - anyone experienced something like this? It’s as if it loses connection or something, but it’s not the case because if I alt+tab out and into another application that plays sound, it works fine. It’s just games.
> 
> Playing Doom Eternal, if that helps. 2.5mm out.


If you are on Windows, maybe the sound of the game is being directed to another device/sound card. You can check this in the sound settings of Windows.


----------



## Luhar

I thought the same and checked but to no avail, it was connected to my 5K the entire time. The sound drops after the game enters the main menu, meaning the logo/opening cut scene have sound.

I wonder if the 5K team can test this scenario, amazing little device and has a plethora of use cases beyond music from what I've found. I've enjoyed gaming with this paired with my A18s for when it does work (no hiccups), truly holographic experience with modern day games.


----------



## rlw6534

Luhar said:


> I thought the same and checked but to no avail, it was connected to my 5K the entire time. The sound drops after the game enters the main menu, meaning the logo/opening cut scene have sound.
> 
> I wonder if the 5K team can test this scenario, amazing little device and has a plethora of use cases beyond music from what I've found. I've enjoyed gaming with this paired with my A18s for when it does work (no hiccups), truly holographic experience with modern day games.



Maybe this will help:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Doom/comments/florjo/dooom_eternal_no_audio_fix/


----------



## dw1narso

Guys,

have any of you use Qudelix 5K with non-Android DAP over Bluetooth (not as USB DAC). (for example Sony NW series non Android, Hiby/Hidisz/Fiio/Shanling players non Android)?
Does it work fine?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Being bluetooth, it should work with literally anything that's capable of making a connection to it. However you'll be limited thanks to not having the app so you won't be able to do any of the tweaking.


----------



## newworld666 (May 17, 2021)

dw1narso said:


> Guys,
> 
> have any of you use Qudelix 5K with non-Android DAP over Bluetooth (not as USB DAC). (for example Sony NW series non Android, Hiby/Hidisz/Fiio/Shanling players non Android)?
> Does it work fine?



It's working fine with the WM1A (sound and remote for playing features)... though I am not sure to find any real life use for such feature.   as the MW1A can be in itself a Bluetooth receiver like the Qudelix 5K is (though there is no real PEQ but a more common GEQ in the WM1A)


----------



## dw1narso

Thanks SomeGuyDude and newworld666.. Yeah I know the point is not so strong.. I'm just thinking about portability and battery life.. If only android phones could have smaller size options.. (Nowadays, phones start at 6inch as the smallest)

I'll think further then.. Thanks..


----------



## SomeGuyDude (May 18, 2021)

Few impressions on the 5k

One, oh boy this thing feels cheap compared to the BTR5. No screen, the materials feel chintzy, even the sounds it makes seem oddly low-rent. That "swoosh" when it connects feels like it came right out of the royalty-free selection.

That said, the sound is what matters, and it certainly sounds excellent right out of the box. I'm a bit iffy on the fact that, according to the app, LDAC is always sitting on 330kbps even when set specifically on 990 in the developer options. For the moment I'm just leaving it in aptX as a result. If anyone has any advice, let me know. Phone reboot fixed that.

So far I think it sounds mostly the same as the BTR5. A few back and forths told me this is a bit less bassy, but not something I'd notice off hand. Pairs well with the Fiio FD5, I think. Overall I'm pleased.


----------



## deviltrombone

SomeGuyDude said:


> Few impressions on the 5k
> 
> One, oh boy this thing feels cheap compared to the BTR5. No screen, the materials feel chintzy, even the sounds it makes seem oddly low-rent. That "swoosh" when it connects feels like it came right out of the royalty-free selection.


That's at least the second time I've seen some remark on the "cheap" connect sound, and I for one appreciate its simplicity, brevity, and unobtrusiveness. The 5K is hands down better than the BTR5 in not being slippery and having the multipoint "priority" feature, which is essential to me. Its absence was reason enough to return the BTR5. Then there's the far superior Bluetooth range and infinitely superior app. Having owned and sold or returned the BTR3 and BTR5, I can't imagine every buying another FiiO product.


----------



## Nolbert0

I'd quite fancy a way of setting the 5K's PEQ from a PC. Preferably with an option to manipulate it from the graph... Just me?


----------



## dw1narso

Nolbert0 said:


> I'd quite fancy a way of setting the 5K's PEQ from a PC. Preferably with an option to manipulate it from the graph... Just me?


this has been asked to Qudelix before and their reply was that they are focusing on mobile platform (i.e. IOS and Android)...


----------



## Nolbert0

ah. shame


----------



## SomeGuyDude

deviltrombone said:


> That's at least the second time I've seen some remark on the "cheap" connect sound, and I for one appreciate its simplicity, brevity, and unobtrusiveness. The 5K is hands down better than the BTR5 in not being slippery and having the multipoint "priority" feature, which is essential to me. Its absence was reason enough to return the BTR5. Then there's the far superior Bluetooth range and infinitely superior app. Having owned and sold or returned the BTR3 and BTR5, I can't imagine every buying another FiiO product.


I will never understand how people get so personally invested in little electronic doodads to the point of feeling the need to get creepily defensive about them whenever anyone levels ANY criticism at them. Yes. It sounds excellent. Yes. The BT range is awesome. No, I don't like the app at all. Yes, the housing is cheap feeling and the connect sound seems very low-rent. I'm not returning it, I like it a lot, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have things I'm less a fan of.

Like holy hell it's just a little BT receiver, no one gives a shyt about your vendetta against Fiio. I'm wearing the FD5 right now and they're my favorite IEMs ever, I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings.


----------



## deviltrombone (May 19, 2021)

SomeGuyDude said:


> I will never understand how people get so personally invested in little electronic doodads to the point of feeling the need to get creepily defensive about them whenever anyone levels ANY criticism at them. Yes. It sounds excellent. Yes. The BT range is awesome. No, I don't like the app at all. Yes, the housing is cheap feeling and the connect sound seems very low-rent. I'm not returning it, I like it a lot, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have things I'm less a fan of.
> 
> Like holy hell it's just a little BT receiver, no one gives a shyt about your vendetta against Fiio. I'm wearing the FD5 right now and they're my favorite IEMs ever, I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings.


The absence of self-awareness is stunning. I can't think of a more ridiculous, petty complaint than "low-rent connect sound" and then to feel it necessary to post about it? To basically lead with it? Jeez. Your reaction to people having opinions of their own sucks, and you're one post away from me seeing if this forum has a "block" feature. ETA: It does, and done. What a head case.


----------



## SomeGuyDude (May 19, 2021)

deviltrombone said:


> The absence of self-awareness is stunning. I can't think of a more ridiculous, petty complaint than "low-rent connect sound" and then to feel it necessary to post about it? To basically lead with it? Jeez. Your reaction to people having opinions of their own sucks, and you're one post away from me seeing if this forum has a "block" feature.


Good god you're a baby.

I dunno how to break it to you, but the hand feel and connect sound happens first. I pick it up and I feel the materials. Then I connect it and hear sounds. I wasn't writing a professional review, just some brief impressions on what stood out.

This forum does have a block feature, and don't worry you're already on it now. I don't have time for people who throw absolute temper tantrums over nonsense.

Final note: I didn't react to your opinion. You started it by crying and whining because of an extremely innocuous comment I made. You went and had a hissy fit because I said the _connection sound is weird_. That was enough for you to lose your damn mind. Something that minor. Grow up. Go outside. Goodbye.


----------



## Rattle

You know you can shut off the on and off sounds lol...


----------



## anli

Agree, surface feeling and connection sound are not the best  Also, clip is far from to be handy. Also case corners are expected to be more rounded.

Nevertheless SQ, PEQ and BT stability force me to prefer 5K over the others (have also got BTR3K and BTR5).


----------



## waynes world

anli said:


> Agree, surface feeling and connection sound are not the best  Also, clip is far from to be handy. Also case corners are expected to be more rounded.
> 
> Nevertheless SQ, PEQ and BT stability force me to prefer 5K over the others (have also got BTR3K and BTR5).



I have the BTR3K and one thing that I really like about it is the clear clip case. It means that I can get a new case if the clip breaks, and also that I can orient the BTR3K in it however I like.

Therefore and thusly, the 5K sucks and I will never buy one! Lol just kidding - it's only a matter of time


----------



## Rattle

I use this thing at work clipped to my inside front pocket clip out. Works awesome for me. Sure the buttons are a little clacky and loose but they work. I guess I'm easy to please.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

anli said:


> Agree, surface feeling and connection sound are not the best  Also, clip is far from to be handy. Also case corners are expected to be more rounded.
> 
> Nevertheless SQ, PEQ and BT stability force me to prefer 5K over the others (have also got BTR3K and BTR5).


I mean like I said, the sound is what's important, it just threw me how the external package felt a bit... slapdash? I mean heck the thing comes in a little box with no manual, just some instructions on the outside.

Though I admit I really, _really_ like the clip. I've had way too many instances of the BTR5 falling out of a pocket so some extra security is nice lol. As for SQ I can't REALLY tell a difference, but I consider that a good thing because the BTR5 sounds excellent so having equally kickass sound with a clip and better BT range is a winner.


----------



## waynes world

SomeGuyDude said:


> I mean like I said, the sound is what's important, it just threw me how the external package felt a bit... slapdash? I mean heck the thing comes in a little box with no manual, just some instructions on the outside.
> 
> Though I admit I really, _really_ like the clip. I've had way too many instances of the BTR5 falling out of a pocket so some extra security is nice lol. As for SQ I can't REALLY tell a difference, but I consider that a good thing because the BTR5 sounds excellent so having equally kickass sound with a clip and better BT range is a winner.



Don't you use this case?


Spoiler: btr5 case,..


----------



## SomeGuyDude

waynes world said:


> Don't you use this case?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: btr5 case,..


I have it but I found it really bulky and awkward, at least for me. And if we're talking cheap, that plastic is no bueno. It's one thing I liked about the ES100 as well. Just a nice metal little clip on it that doesn't add any significant size.


----------



## waynes world

SomeGuyDude said:


> I have it but I found it really bulky and awkward, at least for me. And if we're talking cheap, that plastic is no bueno. It's one thing I liked about the ES100 as well. Just a nice metal little clip on it that doesn't add any significant size.



I appreciate your pov. For me, I found the ES100 clip to be okay, but it didn't have much clipping power, and it broke on me pretty easily (off of my belt). The btr3k "clip case" though has has stood up to some pretty good abuse without breaking (and I don't find it bulky). 

Anyway, I'll be happily sporting a built in clip again once I get the 5K.


----------



## TK33

SomeGuyDude said:


> I have it but I found it really bulky and awkward, at least for me. And if we're talking cheap, that plastic is no bueno. It's one thing I liked about the ES100 as well. Just a nice metal little clip on it that doesn't add any significant size.


I actually like the 5K clip alot. It is simple, streamlined and it works.  Actually really like the overall design and even the sound effects better than the ES100 (never liked the musical tones on that one and cringed everytime I heard).  It is not as flashy looking as a BTR5 but I actually prefer the simpler design and, more importantly, it just works and has great functionality. I found the ES100 clip to be too weak and slipped out too easily. I know a lot of people had issues with their EE100 clips breaking off


----------



## SomeGuyDude

TK33 said:


> I actually like the 5K clip alot. It is simple, streamlined and it works.  Actually really like the overall design and even the sound effects better than the ES100 (never liked the musical tones on that one and cringed everytime I heard).  It is not as flashy looking as a BTR5 but I actually prefer the simpler design and, more importantly, it just works and has great functionality. I found the ES100 clip to be too weak and slipped out too easily. I know a lot of people had issues with their EE100 clips breaking off


The simplicity is winning me over a bit, but the lack of a screen is a bit of a stumbling block. In the scheme of things that's a super minor complaint. There's an equal argument to be made that by keeping the physical design as simple as possible they were able to cram better hardware inside.


----------



## Rattle

Not to mention the great app and support!


----------



## anli

SomeGuyDude said:


> The simplicity is winning me over a bit, but the lack of a screen is a bit of a stumbling block. In the scheme of things that's a super minor complaint. There's an equal argument to be made that by keeping the physical design as simple as possible they were able to cram better hardware inside.


I guess a screen will almost double device weight and will greatly increase battery consuming.


----------



## rkw

SomeGuyDude said:


> The simplicity is winning me over a bit, but the lack of a screen is a bit of a stumbling block.


A screen is rare for this type of device. BTR5 is the only one with a screen in the group review:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...elix-5k-impression-added.906655/post-14951331


----------



## courierdriver

waynes world said:


> I appreciate your pov. For me, I found the ES100 clip to be okay, but it didn't have much clipping power, and it broke on me pretty easily (off of my belt). The btr3k "clip case" though has has stood up to some pretty good abuse without breaking (and I don't find it bulky).
> 
> Anyway, I'll be happily sporting a built in clip again once I get the 5K.


I already have an ES100 and have been enjoying it for over 1.5 years now. Looking to get the 5K soon as well. I've had zero problems with the clip on the ES100 because I wear it like a pendant. I wear it around my neck, and clipped to the cable. Like this:


----------



## SomeGuyDude

courierdriver said:


> I already have an ES100 and have been enjoying it for over 1.5 years now. Looking to get the 5K soon as well. I've had zero problems with the clip on the ES100 because I wear it like a pendant. I wear it around my neck, and clipped to the cable. Like this:


Clever! Also works really well for the microphone (I always found it weird to have a li'l pocket device that has a microphone on it).


----------



## gurepa

https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=31556211&memberNo=49910556&navigationType=push

Qudelix is preparing a special 2-way active crossover earphone.

dual 8mm dynamic driver
Active crossover with 4ch DAC
Ultra high precision digital crossover filter


----------



## SomeGuyDude

That's uh... a pretty bold choice to make it so it ONLY works with the 5k.


----------



## dw1narso

SomeGuyDude said:


> That's uh... a pretty bold choice to make it so it ONLY works with the 5k.


Don't worry.. If this really work, there would be connector like that available on the market.. Look at how we could find Sennheiser HD600/650 earcups prorietary connectors on Aliexpress or ebay


----------



## SomeGuyDude

dw1narso said:


> Don't worry.. If this really work, there would be connector like that available on the market.. Look at how we could find Sennheiser HD600/650 earcups prorietary connectors on Aliexpress or ebay


I mean, would it be possible to make a connector to convert that to a regular 3.5mm?


----------



## DeJaVu

SomeGuyDude said:


> I mean, would it be possible to make a connector to convert that to a regular 3.5mm?


Should be trivial, similar as Balanced to SE adapter. Just connect all the grounds to one common, dual L/R to a single L/R. 
But it would beat the purpose of getting those earphone in the first place


----------



## dw1narso (May 22, 2021)

In this Qudelix case is more complicated than balanced connection.. The cabling should be similar to using bi-wire cabling from amplifier to speaker.. But instead of using passive crosover inside the speaker box, with active X-over, each driver would have their own amplifier.
For example for 2 ways with active XO one channel only... (So for stereo, there will be another like this)
LPF : Low Pass Filter
HPF: High Pass Filter

source
   |
 actXover
  |    |
LPF    HPF
  |     |
 Amp    Amp
  |      |
Low     High
Driver  Driver

Imagine the complexity on wiring IEM like this.. This could not be simplified to 3.5mm TRS nor 2.5mm TRRS.. It would need at least 4.4mm TRRRS.. If and only if the circuit could have common ground. But even so, the wiring would be totally different with balanced 4.4mm as we normally use..

Theoretically, with active XO, we have so much freedom to decide XO order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc..) and scheme (Butterworth, Linkwitz-Riley, etc.) which could result as better driver integration/seamless or we coud use it to push driver to the limit (i.e. using 6th order 48db/octave) which is very difficult to do (if not impossible) with such a small space on IEM housing..

I'd like to see how Qudelix could achieve this and whether it would worth the effort.. Time will tell.. But I really, really hope they are succesful and the result worth the hassle


----------



## dw1narso

oh my, head-fi editor do not support 'text drawing'


----------



## dw1narso (May 22, 2021)

Edit: wrong drawing

Should be like this


----------



## Piratarzt

Referring to the attached screenshot, could someone explain the volume section of the app, specifically:
1. Red column on the right side (blue rectangle)
2. Different volumes (green rectangles). Why are there two values? Which one is actually relevant to hearing pressure at my ears? If for example, put the source volume at 30%, does that mean that 5K at 100% volume can get no louder than 30% equivalent of the source?


----------



## SonicFade

Does anyone know of a device of higher quality, that allows you to tether an app to it like the 5K allows you to do?

I’m looking for a portable solution amp/dac but perhaps with a bit more quality and heft


----------



## DBaldock9

SonicFade said:


> Does anyone know of a device of higher quality, that allows you to tether an app to it like the 5K allows you to do?
> 
> I’m looking for a portable solution amp/dac but perhaps with a bit more quality and heft



When you say tether, do you mean both a Bluetooth and USB connection?


----------



## SonicFade

DBaldock9 said:


> When you say tether, do you mean both a Bluetooth and USB connection?


I’m after being able to use the EQ and filters, gain staging, and whatever other features while streaming music and not having to download files


----------



## rkw

SonicFade said:


> I’m looking for a portable solution amp/dac but perhaps with a bit more quality and heft


Look at other choices here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-8-jul-20-qudelix-5k-impression-added.906655/



SonicFade said:


> while streaming music and not having to download files


What do you mean by that? Why do you have to download files?


----------



## TK33 (May 23, 2021)

SonicFade said:


> I’m after being able to use the EQ and filters, gain staging, and whatever other features while streaming music and not having to download files


What exactly is it about the 5K that you don't like? I think it is quite a useful device that works really well for it's size and price point.  Have been using it every day and have to say it has been one of the best purchases I made in the last year.  It can even drive my Aeon 2 Closed Noire to decent volume via the balanced output and also works great with my SE846 and SE535 (the latter is what I usually use it with since I like how it sounds with the PEQ). Leave my phone plugged in on my nightstand and usually fall asleep listening to it.  I have no issues with the quality of the device and it has held up really well.  Prefer it to glass and glossy builds on phones these days that gets easily scratched up.  I have no issues tossing this thing around.  Are you looking for a DAP instead?

Sorry if I am misunderstanding your post/question. The Qudelix 5K seems to do all those things you mentioned.  If you are asking about alternatives, I would look at the post @rkw linked to.


----------



## SonicFade

rkw said:


> Look at other choices here:
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-8-jul-20-qudelix-5k-impression-added.906655/
> 
> 
> What do you mean by that? Why do you have to download files?



it seems like ParaEQ and filters are very difficult to with streaming, even with a DAP. Like you have to run a downloaded file through the OS instead of being able to just stream or YouTube videos


----------



## SonicFade

TK33 said:


> What exactly is it about the 5K that you don't like? I think it is quite a useful device that works really well for it's size and price point.  Have been using it every day and have to say it has been one of the best purchases I made in the last year.  It can even drive my Aeon 2 Closed Noire to decent volume via the balanced output and also works great with my SE846 and SE535 (the latter is what I usually use it with since I like how it sounds with the PEQ). Leave my phone plugged in on my nightstand and usually fall asleep listening to it.  I have no issues with the quality of the device and it has held up really well.  Prefer it to glass and glossy builds on phones these days that gets easily scratched up.  I have no issues tossing this thing around.  Are you looking for a DAP instead?
> 
> Sorry if I am misunderstanding your post/question. The Qudelix 5K seems to do all those things you mentioned.  If you are asking about alternatives, I would look at the post @rkw linked to.


This is kind of a double edged sword for me. On one hand, I’ll just buy it because it’s so affordable, may as well just not miss out on what seems to be a no brainer

on the other hand, expectations vs reality mixed with being superficial kicks in. “How could something that only cost x be any good”


----------



## TK33

SonicFade said:


> This is kind of a double edged sword for me. On one hand, I’ll just buy it because it’s so affordable, may as well just not miss out on what seems to be a no brainer
> 
> on the other hand, expectations vs reality mixed with being superficial kicks in. “How could something that only cost x be any good”


Looks like you are in the US and they sell it on Amazon now so if you have Prime you get free returns...really no risk to you if you want to try it out.  If you arent happy with it just send it back.


----------



## SonicFade

TK33 said:


> Looks like you are in the US and they sell it on Amazon now so if you have Prime you get free returns...really no risk to you if you want to try it out.  If you arent happy with it just send it back.


Absolutely. I’m sure I’ll dig it. But I also found another solution. The monoprice monolith portable. More cumbersome, but I can use it, have the 5k, and still be under the price of a DAP that wouldn’t let me PEQ streamed music anyways


----------



## dw1narso

SonicFade said:


> Absolutely. I’m sure I’ll dig it. But I also found another solution. The monoprice monolith portable. More cumbersome, but I can use it, have the 5k, and still be under the price of a DAP that wouldn’t let me PEQ streamed music anyways


You can use PEQ on Qudelix with any app because Qudelix app is actually just user interface that allow you to set any parameters (including PEQ) on the dongle. Once the setting saved on the dongle, say you created a PEQ profile for a certaian IEM, then it will stay on that dongle. Even when you use the dongle with other source (BT or USB, does not matter).

For example you set Qudelix via app on Samsung android phone. Then you use it on your other sources (other android, apple iphone, windows PC, etc.) the setting will still be applicable.


----------



## SonicFade

dw1narso said:


> You can use PEQ on Qudelix with any app because Qudelix app is actually just user interface that allow you to set any parameters (including PEQ) on the dongle. Once the setting saved on the dongle, say you created a PEQ profile for a certaian IEM, then it will stay on that dongle. Even when you use the dongle with other source (BT or USB, does not matter).
> 
> For example you set Qudelix via app on Samsung android phone. Then you use it on your other sources (other android, apple iphone, windows PC, etc.) the setting will still be applicable.


That’s awesome. I wish you could use the app through any dac/amp. Example: Stream Tidal> through Qudelix app > through IFI hip dac> into headphones.

will it work that way?


----------



## TK33 (May 24, 2021)

SonicFade said:


> That’s awesome. I wish you could use the app through any dac/amp. Example: Stream Tidal> through Qudelix app > through IFI hip dac> into headphones.
> 
> will it work that way?


I think you misunderstood...the Qudelix app is more of a controller for the Qudelix 5K device.  All settings are stored and changed on the actual device.  If you use a different phone, all the settings move with the Qudelix 5K device.  When you play music from Tidal, your source device is streaming it directly to the Qudelix 5K via bluetooth or USB, regardless of whether the Qudelix app is installed on your source device or not (the music is not going through the Qudelix app on your phone).  Your headphones would need to be connected to the 5K unless you are using it as a preamp to another amp.  The 5K does not have USB audio out so I do not think you could send the audio signal to another DAC.  

If you are looking for an app with PEQ to stream Tidal, you are probably looking for something like UAPP.  I dont use Tidal but I believe MQA doesnt work with the PEQ in UAPP though.


----------



## SonicFade (May 24, 2021)

TK33 said:


> I think you misunderstood...the Qudelix app is more of a controller for the Qudelix 5K device.  All settings are stored and changed on the actual device.  If you use a different phone, all the settings move with the Qudelix 5K device.  When you play music from Tidal, your source device is streaming it directly to the Qudelix 5K via bluetooth or USB, regardless of whether the Qudelix app is installed on your source device or not (the music is not going through the Qudelix app on your phone).  Your headphones would need to be connected to the 5K unless you are using it as a preamp to another amp.  The 5K does not have USB audio out so I do not think you could send the audio signal to another DAC.
> 
> If you are looking for an app with PEQ to stream Tidal, you are probably looking for something like UAPP.  I dont use Tidal but I believe MQA doesnt work with the PEQ in UAPP though.


I get it, I’m being a difficult newbie here. So far  I’ve purchased the monoprice monolith portable app to get me closest to my needs as it has PEQ built in with high and low shelf’s. I’m pretty excited about it.

I couldn’t find UAPP though, does it go by another name? Edit: iPhone user here. Need to do some more research as I think I’m opening another portal of information.

thanks!


----------



## TK33

SonicFade said:


> I get it, I’m being a difficult newbie here. So far  I’ve purchased the monoprice monolith portable app to get me closest to my needs as it has PEQ built in with high and low shelf’s. I’m pretty excited about it.
> 
> I couldn’t find UAPP though, does it go by another name? Edit: iPhone user here. Need to do some more research as I think I’m opening another portal of information.
> 
> thanks!


Got it.  Sorry I think UAPP is just for Android.  I am sure there is something else out there that is similar for IOS. Unfortinately I wont be of much help there.


----------



## iFi audio

SonicFade said:


> Need to do some more research as I think I’m opening another portal of information.
> 
> thanks!



Some folks use Neutron, you might try this one.


----------



## awhinyheadphone

Has anyone else been having trouble with adjusting the 5K's settings on iOS? I never have issues connecting but most of the time the app doesn't recognize it as connected so I can't adjust EQ, volume limit etc.


----------



## mico1964

It happens sometimes: closing the app from the app switcher and reopening it always solves the problem.


----------



## mikesz555

Maybe stupid question but cant seem to find answer. How this liitle boi compares to some desktop class stacks like schiit magni/modi or equivalent jds lab / topping? Assuming i dont need that much power and Quedlix would provide enough power. Do i miss out on much(sound quality wise) going portability way with Qudelix?


----------



## Apex Eight

I have a Q5K and a Magni 3+/Modi 3+ stack. All of my gear sounds good on both. I prefer how they sound on my desktop stack, but each obviously have their pros and cons but one isn't really meant to replace the other, instead, they're complimentary. Deciding on which to get just depends on your situation and use case.


----------



## Mouseman

mikesz555 said:


> Maybe stupid question but cant seem to find answer. How this liitle boi compares to some desktop class stacks like schiit magni/modi or equivalent jds lab / topping? Assuming i dont need that much power and Quedlix would provide enough power. Do i miss out on much(sound quality wise) going portability way with Qudelix?


I have the 5k and a pretty serious desktop unit, and really the biggest difference is power. Obviously the 5k can't push the amount of watts that my Burson can, but you're generally not going to notice unless you are using really difficult cans. The SQ and features of the Quidelex are top notch, and the PEQ can really get you to any sound signature you want. Add the convenience, and it's a winner in my book.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Mouseman said:


> I have the 5k and a pretty serious desktop unit, and really the biggest difference is power. Obviously the 5k can't push the amount of watts that my Burson can, but you're generally not going to notice unless you are using really difficult cans. The SQ and features of the Quidelex are top notch, and the PEQ can really get you to any sound signature you want. Add the convenience, and it's a winner in my book.


Yep. If you're using a fairly easy to drive set and what you're looking to do is get them to "full potential," the 5k is gonna do just as well as much more expensive units. Obviously if you've got some TOTL planars or particularly stubborn dynamics then the 5k just will not drive them, but like I'm using some Grado and some Fiio IEMs and it's absolutely aces for that.


----------



## davehutch

Hi all, can I just clarify something please? On the PEQ page, are all values entered manually or can you use the touch screen to create and adjust the bands? I'm hoping it's the first but imagine it's actually the second version.
Also, once a value is finished or entered, does the Q5K reflect the change immediately or does it need saving and activating in some way?
Thanks in advance.


----------



## CommanderCute

Hey,

does anybody know, why the level on the right side is lower than on the left side?
I've watched this now for a couple of minutes and most of the time, both levels are around -0.50.

But every few seconds the right side gets lower and the left side stays.

The picture is just an example, sometimes the difference is way higher.


----------



## fonkepala

CommanderCute said:


> Hey,
> 
> does anybody know, why the level on the right side is lower than on the left side?
> I've watched this now for a couple of minutes and most of the time, both levels are around -0.50.
> ...



This happens to me too.


----------



## dkpaul

Apple just turned switch on to lossless. Their news release said that Bluetooth doesn’t support lossless. But I think I hear improvement. Am I hearing a non existent improvement caused by bias?


----------



## CommanderCute

Very sad that it doesn't support Bluetooth.

But I have two questions and maybe someone can help.

1. The Qudelix is a 24 Bit/96 Khz USB DAC and I can choose in Apple Music between Lossless (up to 24 Bit/48 kHz) and High Resolution Lossless (up to 24 Bit/196 kHz).
Which should I choose for the Qudelix?

I read that it always upsamples to 196 kHz and that's bad or worse than the lower setting. Is this true?


2. No matter what I choose in Apple Music (256 AAC, Lossless or High Resolution Lossless), in the Qudelix app under "input -> state" there's always (!) Codec: Lossless, Sample Rate 96 kHz and Bits Per Sample 24 Bit.

Why isn't this different when I choose different formats in Apple Music?


Thanks for your help.


----------



## rkw

CommanderCute said:


> Very sad that it doesn't support Bluetooth.


It's the other way around. Bluetooth doesn't have enough bandwidth for lossless transmission.


----------



## dkpaul

I posted in Qudelix forum as well 

will playing a lossless file improve the sound quality of Bluetooth-transmitted sound?
I am not sure about the exact signal/data path. But if the file to be converted/compressed to BT signal is higher quality (lossless), won’t the sound be better? 

Or will the details of the larger lossless file be lost at the BT compression?


----------



## CommanderCute

rkw said:


> It's the other way around. Bluetooth doesn't have enough bandwidth for lossless transmission.


You're absolutely right, my mistake.


Still curious about the other two points.


----------



## rkw

CommanderCute said:


> 2. No matter what I choose in Apple Music (256 AAC, Lossless or High Resolution Lossless), in the Qudelix app under "input -> state" there's always (!) Codec: Lossless, Sample Rate 96 kHz and Bits Per Sample 24 Bit.
> 
> Why isn't this different when I choose different formats in Apple Music?


What device are you playing Apple Music on? There is a lot of discussion happening on the web about Apple Music and lossless playback. It seems that if you are playing from USB on an iOS device, the data rate will switch to match the track resolution. However, if you are playing on a Mac, the USB audio resolution is set by the Audio MIDI Setup app and the audio will be up or down sampled to match it. Tidal and Qobuz apps use an exclusive mode that bypasses the MIDI Setup settings, but currently the Apple Music app (on a Mac) does not use exclusive mode.


----------



## CommanderCute

rkw said:


> What device are you playing Apple Music on? There is a lot of discussion happening on the web about Apple Music and lossless playback. It seems that if you are playing from USB on an iOS device, the data rate will switch to match the track resolution. However, if you are playing on a Mac, the USB audio resolution is set by the Audio MIDI Setup app and the audio will be up or down sampled to match it. Tidal and Qobuz apps use an exclusive mode that bypasses the MIDI Setup settings, but currently the Apple Music app (on a Mac) does not use exclusive mode.


I'm using the new M1 MacBook.

I've read that with the Audio-MIDI-Setup, but when the Qudelix is connected to the MacBook, I can't change the setting, it's locked in on 24 Bit/96 kHz.

Also in the audio system information of the MacBook there's always sample rate 96 kHz, no matter which setting I've enabled in Apple Music.


----------



## davehutch (Jun 9, 2021)

CommanderCute said:


> I'm using the new M1 MacBook.
> 
> I've read that with the Audio-MIDI-Setup, but when the Qudelix is connected to the MacBook, I can't change the setting, it's locked in on 24 Bit/96 kHz.
> 
> Also in the audio system information of the MacBook there's always sample rate 96 kHz, no matter which setting I've enabled in Apple Music.


The Q5K supports a maximum of 24bit/96Khz when used as a USB DAC, so your Mac will always use that rate, either upsampling or downsampling music as necessary. If you choose to listen the what Apple are calling Hi-res Lossless, the music will be downsampled from 192Khz so if you want to listen to that music at the highest possible quality, you’ll need a DAC that supports 192Khz sample rate. If you choose ‘Lossless’ which is 24bit/48KHz then the Mac will upsample to 96KHz to match the Q5K. 
how good the Mac is at upsample I’m not sure but basically if you can hear the difference, pick the one that you enjoy the most 😉


----------



## CommanderCute

davehutch said:


> The Q5K supports a maximum of 24bit/96Khz when used as a USB DAC, so your Mac will always use that rate, either upsampling or downsampling music as necessary. If you choose to listen the what Apple are calling Hi-res Lossless, the music will be downsampled from 192Khz so if you want to listen to that music at the highest possible quality, you’ll need a DAC that supports 192Khz sample rate. If you choose ‘Lossless’ which is 24bit/48KHz then the Mac will upsample to 96KHz to match the Q5K.
> how good the Mac is at upsample I’m not sure but basically if you can hear the difference, pick the one that you enjoy the most 😉


Perfect, thanks.

Honestly, I don't hear any differences between Lossless and High Resolution Lossless.

I just were irritated because some member of MacRumors wrote, that if your DAC doesn't support 192 kHz you shouldn't use the High Resolution Lossless because the result is worse than using the 48 kHz setting.

So I also can't change the settings in the Audio-MIDI-Setup because the Qudelix is locked at 96 kHz, right?


----------



## Mazak23

I’ve had my Qudelix 5k for almost a week now and really love it.  Everyday, I’m finding new ways to get even better sound out of it.  I do have one irritating problem, though.  I use the Onkyo HF Player app when playing music and for whatever reason, it takes several reboots, reloads and plugging and unplugged to get the app to work with the Qudelix when using USB.  I don’t have this problem with any other app.  Is there any solution for this?


----------



## davehutch (Jun 9, 2021)

CommanderCute said:


> Perfect, thanks.
> 
> Honestly, I don't hear any differences between Lossless and High Resolution Lossless.
> 
> ...


Yes, that’s right. My ES100 is locked at 24/48
After a quick read of this, it does sound like upsampling would be the way to go and therefore to use 48KHz Apple Music


----------



## alex5908

Another beauty from Peter
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum...rphones-for-qudelix5k-11768626?pid=1326685283
Sounds not just interesting but fascinating. Can't wait to get them.


----------



## fonkepala

alex5908 said:


> Another beauty from Peter
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum...rphones-for-qudelix5k-11768626?pid=1326685283
> Sounds not just interesting but fascinating. Can't wait to get them.



For an asking price of ~USD30, I'd give it a shot.


----------



## alex5908

fonkepala said:


> For an asking price of ~USD30, I'd give it a shot.


I would even if it were 10 times more expensive. You just don't realize the benefits. It's like having active filters in $600 earphones. Tansio Mirai, for ex.
Here everything is the same except for the fact is done by an app with 100 times more possibilities. Of course it's not a revolution but something close to it.


----------



## fonkepala

alex5908 said:


> I would even if it were 10 times more expensive. You just don't realize the benefits. It's like having active filters in $600 earphones. Tansio Mirai, for ex.
> Here everything is the same except for the fact is done by an app with 100 times more possibilities. Of course it's not a revolution but something close to it.


Needless to say, I await the release of this one eagerly.


----------



## davehutch

Hi all, I was about to pull the trigger on the 5K but then re-read the AudioScienceReview page and noticed he stated that it would not be a good choice as a USB DAC?
I was hoping to use it to replace my ES100 as a Bluetooth device and also my E1DA as a USB DAC, because the E1DA is too noisy with my IEMs.
Can anyone help clarify why using it as a USB is 'not a good choice' as ASR says?
Thanks.


----------



## fonkepala

davehutch said:


> Hi all, I was about to pull the trigger on the 5K but then re-read the AudioScienceReview page and noticed he stated that it would not be a good choice as a USB DAC?
> I was hoping to use it to replace my ES100 as a Bluetooth device and also my E1DA as a USB DAC, because the E1DA is too noisy with my IEMs.
> Can anyone help clarify why using it as a USB is 'not a good choice' as ASR says?
> Thanks.


Well, for one I wouldn't put too much stock into whatever Amir or the folks on ASR says. But that's just me. If you're into that sort thing, then by all means...

The Qudelix 5K is 'limited' to 96KHz and 24bit when used as a USB DAC. Whether one can really hear the difference in SQ when the 5K is used in USB DAC mode vs via BT is another thing entirely. I can't, so this is a non-issue for me.

YMMV.


----------



## Ocelitgol

davehutch said:


> Hi all, I was about to pull the trigger on the 5K but then re-read the AudioScienceReview page and noticed he stated that it would not be a good choice as a USB DAC?
> I was hoping to use it to replace my ES100 as a Bluetooth device and also my E1DA as a USB DAC, because the E1DA is too noisy with my IEMs.
> Can anyone help clarify why using it as a USB is 'not a good choice' as ASR says?
> Thanks.


Truth is mostly in the middle. Don't take extremes for truth. Personally, I'd say just the quality and USB-C make the 5k better than ES100 for me. The app is equally extensive, stronger connection, more power (maybe? it's been a long time), and godly EQ.

I assume whoever uses these type of module would stick to BT 90% of the time. While 5k USB DAC mode might be better, and even if it's worse (doubt it), I don't see much justification for its usage. It's nice to use it with PC when you sit down or something, but isn't the whole point BT?

I personally do use USB DAC mode whenever I use my PC or sit down for a long time, and that charges it as well. So most of the time, my 5k has more than enough battery.

Also, can you really hear the difference or is your brain/belief telling you that there's difference? I have to ask myself this question quite often when buying new gear. But it's the hobby and kinda fun that way


----------



## TK33

Ocelitgol said:


> Truth is mostly in the middle. Don't take extremes for truth. Personally, I'd say just the quality and USB-C make the 5k better than ES100 for me. The app is equally extensive, stronger connection, more power (maybe? it's been a long time), and godly EQ.
> 
> I assume whoever uses these type of module would stick to BT 90% of the time. While 5k USB DAC mode might be better, and even if it's worse (doubt it), I don't see much justification for its usage. It's nice to use it with PC when you sit down or something, but isn't the whole point BT?
> 
> ...


I agree.  I definitely prefer the 5K to the ES100 but dont think I have used either in USB mode.  Think ES100 is actually limited to 16/48 in USB mode but I may be remembering incorrectly (someone please correct me if I am wrong).

For me, if I want a USB DAC, I use my other DAC/amps.  For a portable USB DAC, I prefer my Dragonfly Cobalt but the convenience of bluetooth and EQ on the 5K is where the value is in my opinion.


----------



## Ocelitgol

TK33 said:


> I agree.  I definitely prefer the 5K to the ES100 but dont think I have used either in USB mode.  Think ES100 is actually limited to 16/48 in USB mode but I may be remembering incorrectly (someone please correct me if I am wrong).
> 
> For me, if I want a USB DAC, I use my other DAC/amps.  For a portable USB DAC, I prefer my Dragonfly Cobalt but the convenience of bluetooth and EQ on the 5K is where the value is in my opinion.


Yeah...I'm still coming back and forth between using a DAP (my trusty WM1A) for everything vs UTWS3 (slight SQ drop) vs Qudelix w/ short cable on balanced (best of both?). One of these days, I might stay with one lol.
Honestly, if SQ isn't my 1st priority, using a DAP or even Qudelix isn't worth it. But music-lovers' greed you know


----------



## TK33

Ocelitgol said:


> Yeah...I'm still coming back and forth between using a DAP (my trusty WM1A) for everything vs UTWS3 (slight SQ drop) vs Qudelix w/ short cable on balanced (best of both?). One of these days, I might stay with one lol.
> Honestly, if SQ isn't my 1st priority, using a DAP or even Qudelix isn't worth it. But music-lovers' greed you know


Even if SQ isnt priority, i think the convenience of the 5K is great (after all, isnt bluetooth all about convenience?)  I prefer using my 5K + IEMs at night over TWS because it is way more comfortable and it allows me to skip tracks and control volume remotely while my phone is sitting on its charger so the battery isnt dead the next morning. Also super convenient for flights.


----------



## davehutch (Jun 10, 2021)

fonkepala said:


> Well, for one I wouldn't put too much stock into whatever Amir or the folks on ASR says. But that's just me. If you're into that sort thing, then by all means...
> 
> The Qudelix 5K is 'limited' to 96KHz and 24bit when used as a USB DAC. Whether one can really hear the difference in SQ when the 5K is used in USB DAC mode vs via BT is another thing entirely. I can't, so this is a non-issue for me.
> 
> YMMV.


Yes, it was a comment I hadn't heard before, so I've posted on the ASR forum as well. I might contact him directly. It performed best at 0.4V apparently. I'm quite happy with 24/96. No need for anything higher as far as I'm concerned.
_EDIT_ Re-reading the review, I think that the comment was made when testing it as a DAC only, into a high load such as an amplifier, which would not be my use case, so looks like a complete non-issue. Thanks for your reply.


----------



## davehutch (Jun 10, 2021)

Ocelitgol said:


> Truth is mostly in the middle. Don't take extremes for truth. Personally, I'd say just the quality and USB-C make the 5k better than ES100 for me. The app is equally extensive, stronger connection, more power (maybe? it's been a long time), and godly EQ.
> 
> I assume whoever uses these type of module would stick to BT 90% of the time. While 5k USB DAC mode might be better, and even if it's worse (doubt it), I don't see much justification for its usage. It's nice to use it with PC when you sit down or something, but isn't the whole point BT?
> 
> ...


As I'm sitting with my laptop a lot these days I want a DAC that swaps easily between USB and BT. Mostly using USB as I watch a lot of YouTube and can't stand the delay from Bluetooth (Mac so AAC only). The ES100 is great but I'd love to have the PEQ and better BT connection. I'll ask directly on ASR to see why that comment was made.
_EDIT_ Re-reading the review, I think that the comment was made when testing it as a DAC only, into a high load such as an amplifier, which would not be my use case, so looks like a complete non-issue. Thanks for your reply.


----------



## rkw

davehutch said:


> Can anyone help clarify why using it as a USB is 'not a good choice' as ASR says?


What he specifically said is that SINAD is highest at 0.4V output, and the graph shows it dropping slightly with increasing voltage. He didn't say explicitly, but implied that some desktop DACs measure better. I think dismissing it as 'not a good choice' is ridiculous because it is still performing at inaudible levels of distortion.


----------



## uhaa008

R


rkw said:


> What he specifically said is that SINAD is highest at 0.4V output, and the graph shows it dropping slightly with increasing voltage. He didn't say explicitly, but implied that some desktop DACs measure better. I think dismissing it as 'not a good choice' is ridiculous because it is still performing at inaudible levels of distortion.


The review ends with ‘So overall, I am happy to recommend the Qudelix 5K. Your search is over for a rich functionality and powerful portable headphone adapater.’


----------



## mikesz555

davehutch said:


> Hi all, I was about to pull the trigger on the 5K but then re-read the AudioScienceReview page and noticed he stated that it would not be a good choice as a USB DAC?
> I was hoping to use it to replace my ES100 as a Bluetooth device and also my E1DA as a USB DAC, because the E1DA is too noisy with my IEMs.
> Can anyone help clarify why using it as a USB is 'not a good choice' as ASR says?
> Thanks.


I found quite a few people saying they can't really tell apart Q5K from desktop DAC/AMP stack except power so it tells You if its good USB DAC imo.


----------



## k3v11n

I just ordered the Qudelix 5k when I noticed Apple started their lossless. I’m waiting for it to come in. I have the Apple camera kit. Anyone have a review of a wired connection using an iPhone and Apple lossless?


----------



## DagsJT

Finally got to try this out yesterday and experienced all kinds of issues.

I’m on an iPhone 11 and I’ve tried using a generic lightning to USB C cable that Amazon reviews said worked well, and a FiiO LT-LT1 cable but the playback of music is incredibly intermittent.

Sometimes it’ll play fine, but then if I change from displaying the Music app to any other app, it stops the music. I’ll go back to the Music app and it’ll constantly show the Qudelix connecting and disconnecting.

I’m guessing it doesn’t like the cables so I’ve sucked it up and bought the Camera Kit 3, which I didn’t want to do really as I didn’t want that extra bulk. But if that’s the only way to make this work then I guess it’ll have to be.


----------



## kismetsky

DagsJT said:


> Finally got to try this out yesterday and experienced all kinds of issues.
> 
> I’m on an iPhone 11 and I’ve tried using a generic lightning to USB C cable that Amazon reviews said worked well, and a FiiO LT-LT1 cable but the playback of music is incredibly intermittent.
> 
> ...


I have the Meenova lightning to usb c OTG cable: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08VH58HS9/
Works just as well as my CCK3.





Apple Lossless is working quite well with it.



Upsamples to 96KHz to match.


----------



## DagsJT

kismetsky said:


> I have the Meenova lightning to usb c OTG cable: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08VH58HS9/
> Works just as well as my CCK3.
> 
> 
> ...



I’m in the UK and we don’t have a lot of choice for cables unfortunately. I’ve seen the Lotoo cable works too but that’s also not available here.


----------



## uhaa008

*I’m using the HIDIZS LT01 and it works fine.  Now superseded by the LT02 which I haven’t tried yet but no reason to suspect it won’t work.  Easily accessible in the UK from Hifigo at https://hifigo.com/search?type=article,page,product&q=Lt02* *


----------



## k3v11n

Just got my Apple Camera connection kit. Works great! Adds a little more bulk than I’d like. I have the xduoo cable on order. Heard it works flawlessly. Also I need to order a shorter custom balanced 2.5 cable for my HD58X. This should help too.


----------



## DagsJT

Anyone have issues where the sound drops off when changing apps on iOS when using USB? I think it occurs when the Qudelix app is running in the background and it definitely seems to fade away music when I switch to the app. Seems fine on Bluetooth but USB cuts the sound off a lot.

Someone raised the issue on the Qudelix support page and a reinstall of the app fixed it for them. I tried that and it worked for a few minutes but it seems to be happening again.


----------



## ndhaliwal

I am looking for a Bluetooth for my old car. Considering Qudelix 5K or BTR5, any help would be appreciated.


----------



## kismetsky

ndhaliwal said:


> I am looking for a Bluetooth for my old car. Considering Qudelix 5K or BTR5, any help would be appreciated.


If it’s just for your car, I’ve had great luck with the BTR3K. Single ended output to the aux-in and car mode in the app works and sounds great.


----------



## ndhaliwal

kismetsky said:


> If it’s just for your car, I’ve had great luck with the BTR3K. Single ended output to the aux-in and car mode in the app works and sounds great.


Thanks for your reply!
It is just for car but I may end up using to travel or even if I sell my car I could use it in my new car, it may be better than the Bluetooth that comes with the cars?
Or I may not hear the difference? I may not need the DAC as I already have a processor(current setup below)?
Current setup: AUX input --> OEM HU --> Processor --> Amplifiers --> Active Speakers


----------



## kismetsky

ndhaliwal said:


> Thanks for your reply!
> It is just for car but I may end up using to travel or even if I sell my car I could use it in my new car, it may be better than the Bluetooth that comes with the cars?
> Or I may not hear the difference? I may not need the DAC as I already have a processor(current setup below)?
> Current setup: AUX input --> OEM HU --> Processor --> Amplifiers --> Active Speakers


A lot of new cars will have bluetooth audio built in which is more convenient than the older 'Aux in' 3.5mm input. 
Most also have Apple Carplay or Android Auto which offer a lot more features and built in audio decoding.

I'm not sure what the 'processor' your current setup refers to.  If it's a 3.5mm aux-in jack, then that would be analog in to your head unit->to your amp-> to speakers (no digital processing needed except maybe to alter/enhance the analog sound in the head unit).


----------



## ndhaliwal (Jun 18, 2021)

kismetsky said:


> A lot of new cars will have bluetooth audio built in which is more convenient than the older 'Aux in' 3.5mm input.
> Most also have Apple Carplay or Android Auto which offer a lot more features and built in audio decoding.
> 
> I'm not sure what the 'processor' your current setup refers to.  If it's a 3.5mm aux-in jack, then that would be analog in to your head unit->to your amp-> to speakers (no digital processing needed except maybe to alter/enhance the analog sound in the head unit).


Thanks for your reply, appreciate it.

I have AUX in factory HU and also in car processor(ArcAudio PS8 which is connected to factory harness and then output goes to aftermarket amplifiers). I agree I may not use it, if I buy a new car. What about in regular travel use ?

Edit: Do I need the DAC for regular travel listening instead of AUX or Lightning port?


----------



## kismetsky

ndhaliwal said:


> Thanks for your reply, appreciate it.
> 
> I have AUX in factory HU and also in car processor(ArcAudio PS8 which is connected to factory harness and then output goes to aftermarket amplifiers). I agree I may not use it, if I buy a new car. What about in regular travel use ?
> 
> Edit: Do I need the DAC for regular travel listening instead of AUX or Lightning port?


The ArcAudio PS8 looks like a nice bit of kit; their site advertises a bluetooth module for it too!  But yeah it sounds like your HU is sending an analog signal to the PS8 (it has a TOSLINK jack for digital input).

For regular travel use, Q5K and BTR5 are great choices.  I went with the Q5K for a variety of reasons - size, built in clip, battery life, and audio passthrough.  BTR5 has the advantage of higher sampling/bit rates when used as a USB DAC.


----------



## ndhaliwal

kismetsky said:


> The ArcAudio PS8 looks like a nice bit of kit; their site advertises a bluetooth module for it too!  But yeah it sounds like your HU is sending an analog signal to the PS8 (it has a TOSLINK jack for digital input).
> 
> For regular travel use, Q5K and BTR5 are great choices.  I went with the Q5K for a variety of reasons - size, built in clip, battery life, and audio passthrough.  BTR5 has the advantage of higher sampling/bit rates when used as a USB DAC.


Yeah, but it cost way too much for what it does. These DAC's are much more versatile and better value for long run. Sounds like there is no bad choice between BTR5 and Q5K.

Thanks!


----------



## TK33

ndhaliwal said:


> Yeah, but it cost way too much for what it does. These DAC's are much more versatile and better value for long run. Sounds like there is no bad choice between BTR5 and Q5K.
> 
> Thanks!


Are you planning on using as USB DAC or bluetooth for regular travel.  I have the ES100 and 5K and found them perfect for travel with IEMs and used them exclusively as bluetooth receivers.  If you use an LDAC capable device and plan on using EQ, the 5K can EQ when using LDAC.  The PEQ on the 5K is fantastic.  Don't know if Fiio ever enabled EQ over LDAC on the BTR5 since I don't have one.

If you are in the US, keep an eye out for Prime Day deals. 5k was discounted last year for Prime Day.


----------



## waynes world (Jun 18, 2021)

TK33 said:


> If you are in the US, keep an eye out for Prime Day deals. 5k was discounted last year for Prime Day.



Hoping. Praying. Got the wife all lined up to buy the 5K as a gift for me (as a father's day/birthday gift combo) if it goes on sale on Monday. Don't let me down Qudelix! It's not very often I can get my wife to buy me anything related to audio gear!

p.s. The regular price is good (and well worth it I'm sure), especially if you live in the U.S. But if in Canada, it ends up at $165 CAD after shipping and exchange. So a discounted price would be greatly appreciated by this canuck!


----------



## thebearded1 (Jun 18, 2021)

cttttt said:


> I got a sound whenever the device starts and stops sending audio.  The sound happens just before audio starts, and shortly after audio stops.  It's the sorta sound you'd get when plugging headphones into an old school cassette Walkman while it was running.  Here're all the noises I hear from turning it on to turning it off:
> 
> - ((At this point, the 5K is off))
> - ((Hold the power button for 3 seconds))
> ...


Ha.  Almost a year later and I'm going to respond.  I just got a Q5K yesterday and hear the same audible clicks and pops when starting/stopping music.  Happens regardless of source, regardless of iem, and on both 2.5 and 3.5 outputs.  This is the only post I can find regarding this issue.  Did you ever rectify it?  Just wondering if I should ask Amazon for a replacement unit, or if this happens to everyone.


----------



## redrol

nm


----------



## Rattle

I've had the 5k a couple months and never heard a pop or click out of it when starting/stopping music


----------



## thebearded1

Rattle said:


> I've had the 5k a couple months and never heard a pop or click out of it when starting/stopping music


Do you use it with iems, or headphones?


----------



## Rattle

Mostly IEM but both


----------



## thebearded1

Rattle said:


> Mostly IEM but both


That doesn't bode well.  I'll wait to see if anyone else can add to this, before I make a decision to return/replace it.


----------



## kismetsky

thebearded1 said:


> That doesn't bode well.  I'll wait to see if anyone else can add to this, before I make a decision to return/replace it.


I use IEMs and headphones. No issues with pops or clicks and I connect to two sources, constantly switching between the two.


----------



## TK33

kismetsky said:


> I use IEMs and headphones. No issues with pops or clicks and I connect to two sources, constantly switching between the two.


Same. No clicks or pops for me.  Mostly use with SE535s (balanced) and sometimes with SE846 (single ended) and Aeon 2 Closed Noire (balanced).  Only time I hear clicks is when I have ambient mode toggled on and I can hear the buttons (mics pick up everything).


----------



## thebearded1

Thanks for replying.  Being that I could only find the one post regarding this type of issue from a year ago, and the fact the three of you responding said you heard no clicks/pops, I'm just going to go ahead and replace it.


----------



## kismetsky

thebearded1 said:


> Thanks for replying.  Being that I could only find the one post regarding this type of issue from a year ago, and the fact the three of you responding said you heard no clicks/pops, I'm just going to go ahead and replace it.


Just to make sure, did you update the firmware with the app?


----------



## thebearded1

kismetsky said:


> Just to make sure, did you update the firmware with the app?


It looked like it was up to date.  According to the app, it's on F/W version 1.8.1  Is that the most recent version?


----------



## kismetsky

Yeah that’s what I have as well. Hope your next one doesn’t exhibit the same issue.


----------



## courierdriver

waynes world said:


> Hoping. Praying. Got the wife all lined up to buy the 5K as a gift for me (as a father's day/birthday gift combo) if it goes on sale on Monday. Don't let me down Qudelix! It's not very often I can get my wife to buy me anything related to audio gear!
> 
> p.s. The regular price is good (and well worth it I'm sure), especially if you live in the U.S. But if in Canada, it ends up at $165 CAD after shipping and exchange. So a discounted price would be greatly appreciated by this canuck!


Thanks for the info. As a fellow Canadian, I've been looking at this device for months, but was never sure about how much it would cost in CDN $'s. If my July tax credits come through, I'll definitely buy the K5 at $165. Like you, I wish it was more like $129 CDN, which is what I paid for 3 ES100'S each. Still, for an extra $36 CDN, you get a bluetooth device that gets you LDAC and a PEQ and supposedly better range. Not too unreasonable, imho. Really looking forward to getting this thing.


----------



## thebearded1

DagsJT said:


> Anyone have issues where the sound drops off when changing apps on iOS when using USB? I think it occurs when the Qudelix app is running in the background and it definitely seems to fade away music when I switch to the app. Seems fine on Bluetooth but USB cuts the sound off a lot.
> 
> Someone raised the issue on the Qudelix support page and a reinstall of the app fixed it for them. I tried that and it worked for a few minutes but it seems to be happening again.


Have you tried setting the USB as the priority input?


----------



## fonkepala

waynes world said:


> Hoping. Praying. Got the wife all lined up to buy the 5K as a gift for me (as a father's day/birthday gift combo) if it goes on sale on Monday. Don't let me down Qudelix! It's not very often I can get my wife to buy me anything related to audio gear!
> 
> p.s. The regular price is good (and well worth it I'm sure), especially if you live in the U.S. But if in Canada, it ends up at $165 CAD after shipping and exchange. So a discounted price would be greatly appreciated by this canuck!


LOL...all the best and happy father's day to you! May the Q5K be in your immediate future.



thebearded1 said:


> Ha.  Almost a year later and I'm going to respond.  I just got a Q5K yesterday and hear the same audible clicks and pops when starting/stopping music.  Happens regardless of source, regardless of iem, and on both 2.5 and 3.5 outputs.  This is the only post I can find regarding this issue.  Did you ever rectify it?  Just wondering if I should ask Amazon for a replacement unit, or if this happens to everyone.


I haven't heard any clicks and pops with my 5K. However, it does happen with my iFi Zen DAC, a bit OOT but that's what comes to mind when you mentioned clicks and pops.


----------



## Nolbert0

I know it's not out yet but... Anybody else praying to the gods of audio for an over ear full sized version of their upcoming IEMs?

Or is there a good reason why there aren't any multi driver full sized cans?


----------



## Mouseman

Nolbert0 said:


> I know it's not out yet but... Anybody else praying to the gods of audio for an over ear full sized version of their upcoming IEMs?
> 
> Or is there a good reason why there aren't any multi driver full sized cans?


There are a number of multi driver cans, but I don't think they're as popular as single drivers, probably for technical reasons. One huge driver is likely easier to design than the space that multiple smaller ones and the crossovers would take, not to mention trying to make all those drivers coherent. I have a pair of Bluedio ones with maybe a dozen drivers, but I'm not going to use those for comparison to anything since most of their gear is total garbage (these certainly are).


----------



## rkw (Jun 19, 2021)

Nolbert0 said:


> is there a good reason why there aren't any multi driver full sized cans?


There are multi driver full size headphones, but they use the standard cabling with two wires per channel and have passive crossovers internally to split the frequencies between drivers (the same configuration used by multi driver IEMs and loudspeakers).

What Qudelix is doing is very unique, using external active crossovers and powering each driver separately (4 drivers, so requires 4 separate amp channels, and 2 pairs of wires going to each earpiece). They accomplish this by using all channels of the 2.5mm and 3.5mm outputs simultaneously with a special connector.





The reason nobody else is doing it, is that the configuration is very inflexible. The headphone can only be used with a matching amp that has the correct connections and crossover settings, and conversely you can't use the amp in this mode with any other headphone.


----------



## anli

rkw said:


> The reason nobody else is doing it, is that the configuration is very inflexible. The headphone can only be used with its matching amp, and conversely you can't use the amp in this mode with any other headphone.


Completely agree. Only outstanding listening experience as the efforts result would justify the approach, I guess.


----------



## Mouseman

I'm going to be very interested to see what drivers they use, and ultimately what the sound signature is. I've seen that body before, but it's the special sauce inside that matters. On a side note, think of how much raw power they're going to be able to feed it through both outputs. Wow! I wonder if they'll have a new FW setting for these, to moderate the battery life.


----------



## Nolbert0

Thanks for the replies. I have cauliflower ears but most importantly in the right ear canal so IEMs are really painful at best, if they fit at all. Having said that, I'll probably still buy them just because. I just hope they make a cauliflower friendly form factor further down the line.

Qudelix seems incredibly reluctant to show any FR - which is a little suss but hey, it's $30 so the 'entrance fee' isn't too extortionate.


----------



## jsmiller58

When do the Qudelix earphones go on sale?


----------



## Mazak23

jsmiller58 said:


> When do the Qudelix earphones go on sale?


On June 14th, Qudelix posted on their forum that the ETA would be less than two weeks from that date.  They’ll be offered for sale first on their website only.  I’m guessing on Amazon a few weeks later.


----------



## Mazak23

I’ll have to buy some foam tips to use with these IEM’s.  Not really a fan of the silicone tips.


----------



## waynes world

TK33 said:


> If you are in the US, keep an eye out for Prime Day deals. 5k was discounted last year for Prime Day.



I'm not seeing it on sale at amazon.com. But possibly that is because I am not in the US (I'm not seeing any prime day sales at amazon.com).


----------



## TK33

waynes world said:


> I'm not seeing it on sale at amazon.com. But possibly that is because I am not in the US (I'm not seeing any prime day sales at amazon.com).


Don't see it on sale this year either unfortunately. May be the first Prime Day where I save money by not buying anything.


----------



## thebearded1

kismetsky said:


> Yeah that’s what I have as well. Hope your next one doesn’t exhibit the same issue.


My replacement 5K arrives today.  I'll report back what I find.

In the interim, a few different items to note as I've played around with my Fiio BTR5 and EarStudio ES100:

BTR5 - it too produces pops and clicks when starting/pausing music, though at a much lower volume.  I never noticed this before and only came across it during testing.

ES100 - completely silent.


----------



## thebearded1

thebearded1 said:


> My replacement 5K arrives today.  I'll report back what I find.
> 
> In the interim, a few different items to note as I've played around with my Fiio BTR5 and EarStudio ES100:
> 
> ...


Well, I got the replacement 5K and it's exactly the same thing....  Pops/clicks when sound starts and stops.  It's not terribly loud, but quite annoying.  I'm surprised no one else is hearing this, as I doubt I just happened to get two different units with the same "issue".  My guess is, it's the internal amp turning on/off as needed to conserve power.

The sound is great, and the app is very feature rich, but the pops/clicks are annoying AF.  I guess I'll have to use it a while to see if it's worth keeping and using in lieu of the ES100.


----------



## thebearded1

Can anyone confirm if iOS has the ability to use the Absolute Volume control with the 5K?  Perhaps it's because I'm still using an iPhone 8, even though I'm on v14.6?  According to Qudelix I should have an option to set this in the app, but I don't see it:


----------



## Rattle (Jun 21, 2021)

It's has to be a source/software issue maybe an Apple thing ? Could also be software related to the player software you're using. The chance that 2 units have the same defeat is slim I would think. I'm feeding it with a samsung s20 5g using foobar2k LDAC or USB lossless I get no clicks or pops ever. All my files are flac no mp3 with a few hi res here and there. Could also be something related to streaming app if you're Streaming. Never tested it because I don't stream.


----------



## thebearded1

Rattle said:


> It's has to be a source/software issue maybe an Apple thing ? Could also be software related to the player software you're using. The chance that 2 units have the same defeat is slim I would think. I'm feeding it with a samsung s20 5g using foobar2k LDAC or USB lossless I get no clicks or pops ever. All my files are flac no mp3 with a few hi res here and there. Could also be something related to streaming app if you're Streaming. Never tested it because I don't stream.


It's definitely the 5K.  I've tested with both my phone and a Windows 10 PC, and it occurs every time, regardless of app/program.  However, I've found I barely hear it when using it with Final Audio 4000, Thieaudio L3 and Thieaudio L5.  It's most noticable when using the 5K with LZ A7.  If it wasn't for the A7, I might not have even noticed with the other iems.


----------



## Apex Eight

Weird I've never had such issues with my Q5K. Had it for a few months now.


----------



## kismetsky

thebearded1 said:


> It's definitely the 5K.  I've tested with both my phone and a Windows 10 PC, and it occurs every time, regardless of app/program.  However, I've found I barely hear it when using it with Final Audio 4000, Thieaudio L3 and Thieaudio L5.  It's most noticable when using the 5K with LZ A7.  If it wasn't for the A7, I might not have even noticed with the other iems.


Do you still get the noise when using the Q5K as a USB DAC and unpair all bluetooth devices?


----------



## thebearded1

kismetsky said:


> Do you still get the noise when using the Q5K as a USB DAC and unpair all bluetooth devices?


Yes


----------



## Rattle

thebearded1 said:


> It's definitely the 5K.  I've tested with both my phone and a Windows 10 PC, and it occurs every time, regardless of app/program.  However, I've found I barely hear it when using it with Final Audio 4000, Thieaudio L3 and Thieaudio L5.  It's most noticable when using the 5K with LZ A7.  If it wasn't for the A7, I might not have even noticed with the other iems.



3DT is all I've used on my 5k. I think they are 25ohm.


----------



## thebearded1

Rattle said:


> 3DT is all I've used on my 5k. I think they are 25ohm.


Looking at the specs of each of my iems, the A7 are the most sensitive and easiest to drive. Maybe that combined with the piezo drivers in the A7 are why it’s so noticeable. I don’t know.


----------



## Apex Eight

Emailed Qudelix and they confirmed the earphones are dropping this month for $30, but shipping to the US would be $20, but would arrive in less than a week, and Amazon won't have them for a couple months or more. $50 shipped is more than I want to spend but I'll probably get them anyway to try. Selling them might be difficult given that only those with 5Ks can use them lol, so hopefully I like them.


----------



## waynes world

Apex Eight said:


> Emailed Qudelix and they confirmed the earphones are dropping this month for $30, but shipping to the US would be $20, but would arrive in less than a week, and Amazon won't have them for a couple months or more. $50 shipped is more than I want to spend but I'll probably get them anyway to try. Selling them might be difficult given that only those with 5Ks can use them lol, so hopefully I like them.



I wonder if they will ever do earbuds. That would pique my attention (assuming I ever get the 5K lol)


----------



## Nolbert0

It's all understandable but spending a further 60% for shipping is a bit... apprehensive. Might wait for Amazon to stock it. Especially when considering the above mentioned resale value. Hope it's still $30 when it reaches the big A.


----------



## kismetsky (Jun 22, 2021)

Damn, just checked the site and shipping is $20... it was $10 when I ordered the Q5K.


----------



## speedfiend

kismetsky said:


> Damn, just checked the site and shipping is $20... it was $10 when I ordered the Q5K.


International shipping is getting very crazy these days, and not just the cost but delivery schedule is often a toss up.


----------



## Bimbleton

I'm thinking about grabbing one of these. Had a few quick questions, if anyone could give their thoughts:

-- Will the Lotoo Lightning-to-UsbC cable work off with an iPhone here?
--  _Does it sound good? _Barring the parametric EQ, in general is there plenty of detail? Is it too digital sound/smooth? May start by pairing with a HD650, and later an Aeolus.
-- Has anyone run the Qudelix LDAC from an LDAC transmitter (such as the FiiO BTA30)? Does it work?


----------



## kismetsky

Bimbleton said:


> I'm thinking about grabbing one of these. Had a few quick questions, if anyone could give their thoughts:
> 
> -- Will the Lotoo Lightning-to-UsbC cable work off with an iPhone here?
> --  _Does it sound good? _Barring the parametric EQ, in general is there plenty of detail? Is it too digital sound/smooth? May start by pairing with a HD650, and later an Aeolus.
> -- Has anyone run the Qudelix LDAC from an LDAC transmitter (such as the FiiO BTA30)? Does it work?


I don't have the Lotoo but it works with my Meenova Lightning to USB-C OTG cable.  When the cable alone is plugged in, under Settings->General->About, it shows up as a GA292-V1 OTG adapter so you can check to see what chip the Lotoo is using.

Bluetooth (AAC for me) to 3.5mm SE out is good with 2.5mm Balanced sounding more pronounced on the mid to lower end.  Bluetooth is a bit more forward while USB DAC mode is more laid back (more studio like).  This is all with IEMs and on-ears; I sold my HD6XX awhile ago unfortunately.

LDAC from my Sony A45 works fine, no clue about a transceiver like the Fiio.


----------



## alex5908 (Jun 29, 2021)

QX-Over is on.
https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/dual-dynamic-earphones-for-5k
$29 plus $20 for fast delivery to Canada.


----------



## kismetsky

alex5908 said:


> QX-Over is on.
> https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/dual-dynamic-earphones-for-5k


Thanks for the heads up.  I was tempted but will wait for impressions and a cheaper shipping option or reseller.


----------



## Apex Eight

alex5908 said:


> QX-Over is on.
> https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/dual-dynamic-earphones-for-5k
> $29 plus $20 for fast delivery to Canada.


Thank you for letting us know. I've just placed my order. Funny how shipping is nearly the cost of the earphone itself. They're so cheap, but honestly, I've got high hopes for them because Qudelix knows that they're doing and I really like my Q5K. Excited.


----------



## Lurk650

Considering selling mine. If anybody in the U.S. is looking for one. Like new and will have the latest FW.

My Shozy 1.4 is also for sale, would do a package deal.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Ordered the QX-over too. I don’t even use either EQ or Crossover on my 5K  I just believe in the power of Qudelix


----------



## alex5908

Already ordered QX-Over. When it comes I'll review it here.


----------



## Mouseman

Put my order in, too. We'll have a lot of impressions, hopefully soon.


----------



## alex5908

I've received the tracking number today. Delivery by Fedex.


----------



## speedfiend

I'm starting to think Qudelix's shipping cost is $20 because they are now using Fedex for shipments. I've got no problems with this as I've been getting daily updates from Fedex on the status of the shipment since they picked up my QX-Over on Tuesday.


----------



## ClieOS

Just placed an order on the QX-over.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

speedfiend said:


> I'm starting to think Qudelix's shipping cost is $20 because they are now using Fedex for shipments. I've got no problems with this as I've been getting daily updates from Fedex on the status of the shipment since they picked up my QX-Over on Tuesday.


Yes; it was so too when they launched the 5K. It gets anywhere within three to four days and tracking is super accurate.


----------



## emilsoft

Is there a usb dac lag of few milliseconds? I want to use it for gaming or music production so wondering if this is possible.. I assume the eq works even when on usb dac with latest firmware?


----------



## fonkepala

Looking forward to all of y'all's impressions/review on the Qx-over!


----------



## DagsJT

I don’t understand the 5K at times. Plugged into my iPhone as a USB DAC, there’ll be times when it’ll just cut off as soon as I move away from the Music app. Other times I’ll be able to switch around screens and apps just fine.

I have charging turned off so that’s not the issue. And the issue doesn’t happen over Bluetooth, only when it’s plugged in.

It’s really frustrating and as good as Qudelix support are, they’ve not really given me anything apart from turning off charging which I’ve already done.

Anyone else experienced this on iPhone?


----------



## Apex Eight

Their processing time and FedEx shipping has been impressive so far. Order placed Tuesday morning. Left Korea Wednesday afternoon. Arrived in Alaska Thursday afternoon, and now it's in Tennessee as of early this morning. I live in Georgia so it's almost here! Will be out on vacation starting Monday but it'd be incredible if I got the QX-over first.


----------



## fonkepala

thebearded1 said:


> Ha.  Almost a year later and I'm going to respond.  I just got a Q5K yesterday and hear the same audible clicks and pops when starting/stopping music.  Happens regardless of source, regardless of iem, and on both 2.5 and 3.5 outputs.  This is the only post I can find regarding this issue.  Did you ever rectify it?  Just wondering if I should ask Amazon for a replacement unit, or if this happens to everyone.


Funny but I think I just heard some clicks & pops with my unit when connected as USB DAC to my desktop PC. Was your issue resolved? And did it occur when connected over BT or as USB DAC?


----------



## thebearded1

fonkepala said:


> Funny but I think I just heard some clicks & pops with my unit when connected as USB DAC to my desktop PC. Was your issue resolved? And did it occur when connected over BT or as USB DAC?


Both BT and DAC.  The sounds are iem dependent and more noticeable using 3.5 vs 2.5 output. I still hear them, but decided to let it go, because it was the same for both units I tried.

It’s not that bad to be honest. Mostly just annoying.


----------



## thebearded1

DagsJT said:


> I don’t understand the 5K at times. Plugged into my iPhone as a USB DAC, there’ll be times when it’ll just cut off as soon as I move away from the Music app. Other times I’ll be able to switch around screens and apps just fine.
> 
> I have charging turned off so that’s not the issue. And the issue doesn’t happen over Bluetooth, only when it’s plugged in.
> 
> ...


It’s happened to me a few times both as a DAC on Windows and in BT with iPhone. I’ve had it happen with other similar products, so I don’t believe it to be a concern. 🤷‍♂️


----------



## speedfiend

I received my QX-Over Today, and after listening to it for a couple of hours, I need to know if this IEM needs to be burned in for a few hundred hours before listening? Because I do not hear any treble or bass extension at all, it's all mids. Wondering if there's some setting we need to adjust in the app to get a full range of sound.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

speedfiend said:


> I received my QX-Over Today, and after listening to it for a couple of hours, I need to know if this IEM needs to be burned in for a few hundred hours before listening? Because I do not hear any treble or bass extension at all, it's all mids. Wondering if there's some setting we need to adjust in the app to get a full range of sound.


Dynamic drivers need more burn-in generally. IMR ship iems with 15mm drivers that shed 2 whole mm after 200 hours, that’s as measurable as it gets! Mine will be with me tomorrow, I like the idea of mid-centric iems but not a mids soup…
EQ doesn’t really help I imagine?


----------



## speedfiend

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Dynamic drivers need more burn-in generally. IMR ship iems with 15mm drivers that shed 2 whole mm after 200 hours, that’s as measurable as it gets! Mine will be with me tomorrow, I like the idea of mid-centric iems but not a mids soup…
> EQ doesn’t really help I imagine?


I prefer not to play with the EQ with new iems so i can get a good picture of it's reference sound first. Qudelix contacted me immediately after my post above, I was surprised and very touched by them reaching out to me, and think they just made me a customer for life with that email. 
Back to the QX-Over, I noticed the bass starting to develop after i cranked the volume up. I think the new drivers are very stiff and definitely need burn in for them to loosen up. My IMR EDP+ actually weren't this stiff, and I was getting good dynamic range pretty much right out of the box.


----------



## kismetsky

speedfiend said:


> I prefer not to play with the EQ with new iems so i can get a good picture of it's reference sound first. Qudelix contacted me immediately after my post above, I was surprised and very touched by them reaching out to me, and think they just made me a customer for life with that email.
> Back to the QX-Over, I noticed the bass starting to develop after i cranked the volume up. I think the new drivers are very stiff and definitely need burn in for them to loosen up. My IMR EDP+ actually weren't this stiff, and I was getting good dynamic range pretty much right out of the box.



I've always noticed bass and treble extension to be directly related to fit in general.  How is the fit with the QX-Over?  Do you wear them directly down or over ear?  Can you wear them both ways?


----------



## Mouseman

I wish mine would get here, but they've been sitting in a local FedEx location because they decided that "delivery not due yet" even though they were stuck in customs for several days. Seems like Wednesday will be the magic day, unless they manage to lose them like several other packages lately. This express shipping hasn't been very express-y, but that's not Qudelix's fault.


----------



## alex5908

speedfiend said:


> I received my QX-Over Today,


Did you pay any fee for the delivery? Sometimes they (Fedex) charge for handling or something.
Mine was rescheduled two times during the day. First time from 12 pm to by the end of day. And the second time to tomorrow 12pm.


----------



## alex5908

monsieurfromag3 said:


> IMR ship iems with 15mm drivers that shed 2 whole mm after 200 hours,


My Opuses started to sound stable and good after about 160 hours of non-stop playback.


----------



## Bimbleton

Hey folks,
Got this Qudelix, and the Lotoo UsbC-Lightning cable, connected to my iPhone. I can’t seem to get any audio to come out, even when connected via the cable. It’ll automatically connect via Bluetooth (shows up as two devices) and I can adjust settings through the app.

No audio, however. Any thoughts?


----------



## kismetsky

Bimbleton said:


> Hey folks,
> Got this Qudelix, and the Lotoo UsbC-Lightning cable, connected to my iPhone. I can’t seem to get any audio to come out, even when connected via the cable. It’ll automatically connect via Bluetooth (shows up as two devices) and I can adjust settings through the app.
> 
> No audio, however. Any thoughts?


Did you enable/disable the battery charging mode in the app?  It's under Device --> Power --> Charger Control.   Depending on your cable, this might make a difference.


----------



## Bimbleton

kismetsky said:


> Did you enable/disable the battery charging mode in the app?  It's under Device --> Power --> Charger Control.   Depending on your cable, this might make a difference.


No audio whatsoever, connected to IPhone or PC. I’m suspecting it’s defective. Will replace from Amazon.


----------



## speedfiend

alex5908 said:


> Did you pay any fee for the delivery? Sometimes they (Fedex) charge for handling or something.
> Mine was rescheduled two times during the day. First time from 12 pm to by the end of day. And the second time to tomorrow 12pm.


No, I just live in Taiwan. Being a lot closer to Korea, where the QX-Over shipped from, has it's advantages...


----------



## Apex Eight

Definitely interested to hear more QX-over impressions. On vacation now but they should be delivered Wednesday. Are there any specific setting for the QX-over in the Qudelix app?


----------



## speedfiend

Apex Eight said:


> Definitely interested to hear more QX-over impressions. On vacation now but they should be delivered Wednesday. Are there any specific setting for the QX-over in the Qudelix app?





kismetsky said:


> I've always noticed bass and treble extension to be directly related to fit in general.  How is the fit with the QX-Over?  Do you wear them directly down or over ear?  Can you wear them both ways?


I don't think the QX-Over can be worn over ear really. I need to wear them down and at an angle in order to get best seal. I tried over ear, and at that angle it's quite a weird fit.


----------



## speedfiend

Apex Eight said:


> Definitely interested to hear more QX-over impressions. On vacation now but they should be delivered Wednesday. Are there any specific setting for the QX-over in the Qudelix app?


i've set the Qudelix 5K at the following:
Profile: Performance
Output RMS: 2VRMS (can only do 1 or 2, as I guess power is being drawn from the 3.5 single ended)
QX-Over Output Mode: Lowend & Highend Gain at 0, Low and High L/R Trim at 0
DSP not enabled.


----------



## Apex Eight

speedfiend said:


> i've set the Qudelix 5K at the following:
> Profile: Performance
> Output RMS: 2VRMS (can only do 1 or 2, as I guess power is being drawn from the 3.5 single ended)
> QX-Over Output Mode: Lowend & Highend Gain at 0, Low and High L/R Trim at 0
> DSP not enabled.


Did the earphones come with any sort of settings guide? Are you still not really enjoying them? Additional impressions are much appreciated.


----------



## speedfiend

Apex Eight said:


> Did the earphones come with any sort of settings guide? Are you still not really enjoying them? Additional impressions are much appreciated.


As typical Qudelix style, there is no setting guide. The sound is getting better as I burn in the iem, and I expect things to improve significantly once we get over 100 hours.


----------



## Infoseeker (Jul 6, 2021)

Received the new Qudelix iem crossover proof-of-concept. Reminds me of the Sony mh750. Good vocals with a satisfying punchy slow/wet bass.

With the ability to turn it into a mh755 depending in the settings.

There is a small amount of driver flex until you figure out how to put them on.


Low Gain option seems to be tied to vocals. And bass loudness.

High Gain seems to add air/Cymbal presence. Sibilance when maxed out on some bad tracks. And oddly adds some satisfying character to the bass.

Can't decide how to set this up. I thought we would be able shift where the bass driver starts and where the treble dd begins. But it seems more about powering things louder/quieter

Would be interesting if you could use this to drive EST drivers louder than the rest of the drivers in a hybrid setup. Since Sonion electrets are so quiet


----------



## monsieurfromag3

The QX-Over’s packaging is as minimal as the 5K’s - maybe even more so, just a brown cardboard box, with the iems in a plastic bag and two pairs of tips (the large ones were mounted by default on mine instead of the medium-sized - good, as it happens I wear a Small but my ears wear a Large). The provided tips are introduced by Qudelix as an integral part of the intended experience, and should only be replaced by tips with a wide inner gauge so they don’t obstruct the nozzle.

The settings guide is inside the app as usual, with recommended settings for the QX-Over boosting the High band gain by 6dB and leaving the Low band at 0. The Low band gain you can only reduce, on a range from -6 to 0, the High band gain you can only increase, on a range from 0 to +6.
There are also -3 to +3 sliders for Left/Right Trim, one for the Low gain and one for the High, I don’t understand what they do, I think shifting the Low or High frequencies’ sound pressure  in either ear more than the other. The effect is subtle.

I concur with @Infoseeker that the QX-Over give slow, wet bass. It’s ample but I don’t like it reduced too much, perhaps as much -3dB on some tracks to let detail through but otherwise the default 0 is fine. I fully expect the drivers to mature on this one and get a bit faster, more precise, and more dynamic. Voices are indeed a highlight, female voices in particular, I immediately wanted to turn on Notorious by Noémie Wolfs, Barbed Wire by Micatone, Sleep in the Day by Emika, Night Time, My Time by Sky Ferreira, Goodnight by Mirel Wagner, The Moon by Morcheeba, some Agnes Obel too… Slow, thoughtful, soulful, heavy, with big presence (there is a deceptive amount of air).

I think Qudelix have brilliantly achieved what they set out to do, which was to give more with less. Big over-achievers here for 40€, express shipping included!

Also, while I mostly thought of the 5K as a fast, lean, clean source, the Qx-Over prove how versatile this tiny box actually is. This is a big, full, meaty sound, almost dirty, with all the weight of those DDs behind it. Lowering the High band gain does mess up the bass, which tells you a lot about how perception works, you really need that balance with high freqs to offset the suffocation of too much bass.

I used LDAC for initial impressions, and to my surprise the Qx-Over can just as easily be worn down as around the ear.
Ergonomics are good, the cable gives little to no microphonics, there’s just no chin slider.


----------



## Mouseman

I received mine early this morning and am currently running through my test playlist. It sounds good so far. Fit is quite comfortable, the cable is your usual cheap rubber deal. Looking forward to burning in my brain and the drivers.


----------



## Ocelitgol

Infoseeker said:


> Received the new Qudelix iem crossover proof-of-concept. Reminds me of the Sony mh750. Good vocals with a satisfying punchy slow/wet bass.
> 
> With the ability to turn it into a mh755 depending in the settings.
> 
> ...


For real? like MH750? I'm sold. Gonna wait until it hits Amazon


----------



## maschoff (Jul 6, 2021)

Mouseman said:


> I received mine early this morning and am currently running through my test playlist. It sounds good so far. Fit is quite comfortable, the cable is your usual cheap rubber deal. Looking forward to burning in my brain and the drivers.


Just got mine 15 minutes ago. They sound good out of the box.  I replaced the tips with Comply 500 Isolation+ I usually use Beyerdynamics Xelentos and these are more forward mid ranged.  Slightly sibilant as mentioned with good bass extension.  I will explore the crossover more but am happy for the price.  I can use these while out and about.


----------



## Apex Eight

monsieurfromag3 said:


> The QX-Over’s packaging is as minimal as the 5K’s - maybe even more so, just a brown cardboard box, with the iems in a plastic bag and two pairs of tips (the large ones were mounted by default on mine instead of the medium-sized - good, as it happens I wear a Small but my ears wear a Large). The provided tips are introduced by Qudelix as an integral part of the intended experience, and should only be replaced by tips with a wide inner gauge so they don’t obstruct the nozzle.
> 
> The settings guide is inside the app as usual, with recommended settings for the QX-Over boosting the High band gain by 6dB and leaving the Low band at 0. The Low band gain you can only reduce, on a range from -6 to 0, the High band gain you can only increase, on a range from 0 to +6.
> There are also -3 to +3 sliders for Left/Right Trim, one for the Low gain and one for the High, I don’t understand what they do, I think shifting the Low or High frequencies’ sound pressure  in either ear more than the other. The effect is subtle.
> ...


Thank you for the detailed write-up! Can't wait to get back home to try mine!


----------



## Infoseeker (Jul 6, 2021)

maschoff said:


> Just got mine 15 minutes ago. They sound good our of the box.  I replaced the tips with Comply 500 Isolation+ I usually use Beyerdynamics Xelentos and these are more forward mid ranged.  Slightly sibilant as mentioned with good bass extension.  I will explore the crossover more but am happy for the price.  I can use these while out and about.



You are probably getting more sibilance than others due to changing to eartips with a step smaller nozzle (5mm versus the given 5.4mm tips). Though it's only slightly it seems. Or it may not matter since 5mm is bigger than the 4.8mm nozzle.


----------



## maschoff

Infoseeker said:


> You are probably getting more sibilance than others due to changing to eartips with a step smaller nozzle (5mm versus the given 5.4mm tips). Though it's only slightly it seems. Or it may not matter since 5mm is bigger than the 4.8mm nozzle.


You were correct


----------



## Mouseman

Hmm....so very wide bore tips. Spiral dots are only 4mm. I see there are some SpinFits for wide nozzles, but I've never tried any of theirs that I like. Any ideas or suggestions before I try out everything in my tip box?


----------



## Victory112

Hello, going to drop my first impressions of the QX-Over here.

*QX-Over* first impressions, default settings. tl;dr: Basically a Tanchjim Tanya on steroids? 

Okay there's definitely some out-of-head feel with these, even after some EQ, though I mostly listened with the suggested stock tuning. Using crossover doesn't seem to be necessary but a setting of 25 might add more to the center image. The bass response is really strong on this, almost overwhelmingly so. I keep thinking of what a friend of mine said about the Tanya as a fun 2.1 system.* And I think the stock tuning basically takes that idea further in terms of technical performance. I think the stacking of the drivers gives some verticality to the soundstage and helps a lot with  instrument separation. This also lets the bass response of cellos and kick drums be more powerful while leaving the trumpets and violins alone. 

Listening to this at first really confused me, and imaging seemed to go in all directions, so there is something interesting going on with how it's tuned that's different from other earphones, I think. I was using the Tanchjim Oxygen before, and after some time listening to the QX-Over, I think it has similar soundstage size, at least as good separation, if not better, as picking up on details in the track is rather effortless. Something about the tonality makes it hard for me to assess the imaging ability of the lower frequencies, but it seems kind of imprecise. You can point out the location of signal sources but woofiness in the recording becomes really obvious at the eardrum, which makes it harder to be precise on some tracks. At the same time, it's also easy for me to really feel the bass response, which I do like. Upper mids and treble seem to have more precise imaging to my ear. Resolution is pretty good but I think there is some bass bloat that needs to be tamed. Setting the Low Pass gain to -3 dB seems to help a bit and perhaps brings out the subbass more.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about the recommended tonality but am impressed by the technicalities, plus once we have reliable measurements of the recommended tonality, it should be easy to EQ the bloat out. I do think the combination of the driver implementation and Active Crossover is doing _something good_ for the sonic presentation. Will update on the matter, especially as to whether or not the bass emphasis is as important as having the separate drivers handle different sections of the frequency range for soundstage depth.

btw, the eartips are quite nice. They seem like ePro Horn types. Kinda gummy and I get no issues of seal with the medium-sized tips. 
Testing playlist.  16 is the new 10, btw.

*For those unfamiliar with the Tanchjim Tanya, it is a warm, V-shaped IEM that uses Tanchjim's impressive ability to put soundstage depth and instrument separation into each of the IEMs they've so far released. Even the Tanya, a 20 USD IEM, is impressive on these fronts.


----------



## mhoopes

kismetsky said:


> I've always noticed bass and treble extension to be directly related to fit in general.  How is the fit with the QX-Over?  Do you wear them directly down or over ear?  Can you wear them both ways?


According to L/R balance on my iPhone, default is over-the-ear. L/R swap is disabled in the Qudelix app for these earphones. The cord exits could be angled a little more forward, but it’s ok. A chin slider would have helped a lot.
Sounds good for the money paid, even with the $20 shipping. I don’t really have a good comparison, as I’m usually using my FiiO FA7. Haven’t wandered off of default EQ yet - it’d be interesting to see measurements with their default settings.


----------



## Bimbleton

Hey all,

Out of curiosity, what is the most high end/power hungry headphones you were able to successfully drive using the Q5K? Unbalanced or balanced?


----------



## Apex Eight

Bimbleton said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Out of curiosity, what is the most high end/power hungry headphones you were able to successfully drive using the Q5K? Unbalanced or balanced?


I've driven Sundara, HD580/600/6XX all unbalanced with no issue. Plenty of volume headroom.


----------



## Victory112 (Jul 7, 2021)

Bimbleton said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Out of curiosity, what is the most high end/power hungry headphones you were able to successfully drive using the Q5K? Unbalanced or balanced?



One of the hardest cans I've had to drive out of SE might be the DT770 250 Ohms while listening to one of my favorite songs, which happens to be rather quiet. Here is the song, and here was the setting, paired with a Pixel 4a:


----------



## Bimbleton

Victory112 said:


> One of the hardest cans I've had to drive out of SE might be the DT770 250 Ohms while listening to one of my favorite songs, which happens to be rather quiet. Here is the song, and here was the setting, paired with a Pixel 4a:


And how did it sound?


----------



## maschoff

Bimbleton said:


> Hey all,
> 
> Out of curiosity, what is the most high end/power hungry headphones you were able to successfully drive using the Q5K? Unbalanced or balanced?


I've used it with a Beyerdynamics DT1990 Pro unbalanced. Sounds great and plenty of headroom.


----------



## Infoseeker

Am I doing things right? 
/s


----------



## alex5908 (Jul 7, 2021)

Received my QX-over yesterday. The first thought was "Hope they will improve". Eventually they did. That's the story.
As somebody wrote already that "out of the box" they sounded muddy. You can imagine how muddy as said by a bass-head. Thus, take it with a grain of salt. Another thing worth mentioning is that I prefer using the EQ (which I believe is the best in the devices of this type). I am not talking a parametric (PEQ) but just GEO. To me listening to music without the equalizer is like eating food without salt, sugar, spices etc, i.e. tasteless. I had the earphones burnt in for about 9 hours. When I started to listen to music with them I could not stop. It was so immersing and dragging in that my wife told me she would use a stick to make me go to bed. I was so exited and could not fall asleep. When she did I sneaked out of the conjugal bed to continue listening to QX-Over.
These are my impressions just in "two" words. QX is worth every penny. Russians say "Ogon'" (fire as a literal translation but meaning hot hot stuff). I don't know how it is achieved but the equalizer with QX-Over is more effective than with any other earphones I used with 5K. I could be in a state of euphoria now and the status quo can change but I am enjoying them at the moment.
It looks like the QX "eats out" the 5K battery as balanced earphones. For 9 hours of playback the battery discharged from 97% to 11%. The sound stage is wider and deeper than with any dynamic driver I've ever heard.
To be continued.


----------



## Victory112

Bimbleton said:


> And how did it sound?


It sounded like normal.


----------



## newworld666 (Jul 7, 2021)

I have got the QX-over yesterday, and I played with it a couple of hours.
The fit is Okay, though, the cable can't be set around the ear. It seals very well (much easier and better than IE900).
I think it's maybe too sealed, as pressure inside the ear canal is a bit too high and uncomfortable. I imagine the IE900, IER-Z1R and Xelento I am using usually are not totally closed and even when it's perfectly sealed in the ear, I never feel uncomfortable because of the pressure with those IEM like it is with the QX-Over.

Globally, I only use pure dynamic drivers IEM, and, unexpectedly, the QX-over is rather enjoyable to listen music with them.. I would think, for 40€ it's even rather impressive SQ... but compared to my 3 usual High End IEM ..
-> There is almost no sub frequencies (below 60hz) like IER-Z1R can produce,
-> The bass frequencies are not really speedy and quite too muddy. For sure, speed and clarity of impacts are not in the same league as my other three IEMs
-> Midrange frequencies are in a good stage level
-> High frequencies seem to be cut rather quick (cymbals, etc) I would think around 10khz or less ... my three IEM have much more information in the 8 to 12khz range than QX-over

I tried to play with Qudelix 5G PEQ to try to improve a bit both ends of frequency range ... but, there is no way to really improve speed and clarity.
I haven't found any interest with the L/R High and Low Trim, I wonder what the use of this feature can be in real life ?.

I am not sure, I will often use the QX-over, but, for sure, it's worth the 40€.. and a nice proof of concept and enjoyable to play with them a little.


----------



## ClieOS

Should have gotten my QX-over today, but the deliver guy lost his way to my house and decided to turn back and come back tomorrow


----------



## Q Mass

newworld666 said:


> I haven't found any interest with the L/R High and Low Trim, I wonder what the use of this feature can be in real life ?.


Perhaps it is to allow the listener to compensate for hearing loss/damage that might be different in each ear?


----------



## DagsJT

Should the QX-Over stuff be in its own thread given this is about the 5K?


----------



## newworld666

DagsJT said:


> Should the QX-Over stuff be in its own thread given this is about the 5K?


But this is a 100% Qudelix 5K accessory and it can't be used with anything else.. It has no meaning by itself.


----------



## Bimbleton

Infoseeker said:


> Am I doing things right?
> /s


Someone hook up a Susvara next, please and thank you.


----------



## fonkepala

ClieOS said:


> Should have gotten my QX-over today, but the deliver guy lost his way to my house and decided to turn back and come back tomorrow


How hard could it be, huh?  Anyway, looking forward to your impression of the QX-Over.


----------



## smorgar

I am the guy that wrote that they sound muddy but on the qudelix forum.

After some tinkering with the GEQ i was quite disappointed because i was unable to get rid of the massive muddy sub bass. Turns out GEQ is not powerful enough and when i switched over to PEQ the page turned and now its a different story. I have never come across a pair of headphones or IEMs that respond this well to EQ. I have been playing around with it for about two days now and i can tailor the sound character however i like as it seems.
The transient response is very impressive for "a" DD and they have a very big sound, like standing in front of a massive speaker on a festival that just washes your whole body in sound.

I cant really decide if this a fun toy or a real hit. Its a fun toy but they do still surprise me with their performance over and over again.
The fit for me is perfect. They just slide in and sit very secure. No pressure, no hotspots with medium included tips. They do stick out a little bit and i think in the winter time with a hat/beanie it would put some pressure on the IEM toward the ear.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

smorgar said:


> I am the guy that wrote that they sound muddy but on the qudelix forum.
> 
> After some tinkering with the GEQ i was quite disappointed because i was unable to get rid of the massive muddy sub bass. Turns out GEQ is not powerful enough and when i switched over to PEQ the page turned and now its a different story. I have never come across a pair of headphones or IEMs that respond this well to EQ. I have been playing around with it for about two days now and i can tailor the sound character however i like as it seems.
> The transient response is very impressive for "a" DD and they have a very big sound, like standing in front of a massive speaker on a festival that just washes your whole body in sound.
> ...


Yep to pretty much all of that. The first impression and how it evolves, also the fit which is an impressive achievement as it is as secure as anything I've ever tried out, both over ear _and_ worn down, with no chin slider cheat!

Also I told myself the exact same thing, this is as portable a set-up as they come, tiny iems plugged into a tiny box, and what springs to mind is how it sounds and feels like a massive floor-standing system.


----------



## Bimbleton

Hey all, got a working 5K this time. Connected to iPhone via the Lotoo USBC/Lightning cable. It functions fine as a cable-connected DAC-amp, but:
-- I've noticed the audio suddenly switches to bluetooth if I'm switching apps in the iPhone. It's jarring. Any way to keep it on Lightning/USB audio only?
-- Should I have the iPhone's volume maxed out, and adjust the volume on the Qudelix through the app?
-- Sound is a little sharp compared to my Modi/IEmagni stack. Is this normal?


----------



## TK33

Bimbleton said:


> Hey all, got a working 5K this time. Connected to iPhone via the Lotoo USBC/Lightning cable. It functions fine as a cable-connected DAC-amp, but:
> -- I've noticed the audio suddenly switches to bluetooth if I'm switching apps in the iPhone. It's jarring. Any way to keep it on Lightning/USB audio only?
> -- Should I have the iPhone's volume maxed out, and adjust the volume on the Qudelix through the app?
> -- Sound is a little sharp compared to my Modi/IEmagni stack. Is this normal?


Cant help you with the last two questions but have you looked at the settings in the Qudelix 5K app (I know there are a lot)? Under the priority menu, there should be an option to select USB DAC as priority. Is that checked?

I dont have IOS but here is what it looks like in the Android app.


----------



## AlexCBSN

TK33 said:


> Cant help you with the last two questions but have you looked at the settings in the Qudelix 5K app (I know there are a lot)? Under the priority menu, there should be an option to select USB DAC as priority. Is that checked?
> 
> I dont have IOS but here is what it looks like in the Android app.


@Bimbleton  that


----------



## maschoff

smorgar said:


> I am the guy that wrote that they sound muddy but on the qudelix forum.
> 
> After some tinkering with the GEQ i was quite disappointed because i was unable to get rid of the massive muddy sub bass. Turns out GEQ is not powerful enough and when i switched over to PEQ the page turned and now its a different story. I have never come across a pair of headphones or IEMs that respond this well to EQ. I have been playing around with it for about two days now and i can tailor the sound character however i like as it seems.
> The transient response is very impressive for "a" DD and they have a very big sound, like standing in front of a massive speaker on a festival that just washes your whole body in sound.
> ...


Just wondering your line 10 PEQ setting?


----------



## Musicoflife

Qudelix has linked a post giving the QX-over's FR, together with PEQ filters for Harman 2019 and Oratory 1990 targets. 
https://www.0db.co.kr/FREE/1960645

As it stands, the QX-over is very V shaped and EQ is almost mandatory. The question is how does it sound once EQ is properly done? If you have it, please try and report back.


----------



## maschoff

Musicoflife said:


> Qudelix has linked a post giving the QX-over's FR, together with PEQ filters for Harman 2019 and Oratory 1990 targets.
> https://www.0db.co.kr/FREE/1960645
> 
> As it stands, the QX-over is very V shaped and EQ is almost mandatory. The question is how does it sound once EQ is properly done? If you have it, please try and report back.


I'm trying these settings with QX-over now set at 25% and they sound good but I'm listening to music that I've never listened to before. Sounds rich and has good depth and instrument separation.

 1. Harman in ear 2019 target





 Preamp: -3.4 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 29 Hz Gain -7.0 dB Q 0.11
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 654 Hz Gain 3.3 dB Q 0.94
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1089 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 1.76
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 2424 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 3.96
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2425 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 1.60
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2729 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 5.83 

I'll try the others but LMK which settings are preferred?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Musicoflife said:


> Qudelix has linked a post giving the QX-over's FR, together with PEQ filters for Harman 2019 and Oratory 1990 targets.
> https://www.0db.co.kr/FREE/1960645
> 
> As it stands, the QX-over is very V shaped and EQ is almost mandatory. The question is how does it sound once EQ is properly done? If you have it, please try and report back.


You can’t listen to a graph. Qudelix were reluctant to share FR, with good reason. The QX-Over sound excellent without EQ, the bass is big but the treble isn’t boosted and the mids are extremely present, so not a V shape.


----------



## ClieOS (Jul 8, 2021)

Received and listened to QX-over yesterday. For my taste, the bass is a bit boomy and the treble extension could have been better. But for the $30 price tag, it is a pretty decent IEM on its own but by not meant able to compete with mid to upper tier IEM. *Tested with no EQ applied.


----------



## Musicoflife

monsieurfromag3 said:


> You can’t listen to a graph. Qudelix were reluctant to share FR, with good reason. The QX-Over sound excellent without EQ, the bass is big but the treble isn’t boosted and the mids are extremely present, so not a V shape.


Measured FR graphs are an indication, they are a starting point to EQ. I'd use the suggested filters, listen and proceed from there to fine tune EQ to my ears. If you're happy with the tonality as is, good for you. 

QUDELIX itself shared those graphs. Check out the Qudelix.com


----------



## Mouseman

I tried ask 3 of them, and only the Harman is remotely listenable for me. Crin's is so off to my ears that I'm not even going to try tweaking. But I am going to play with the first one a bit and see if I like it. I have a couple of EQ settings already that were a good start. I'm liking these a lot. Are they TOTL? Heck, no. But they are really enjoyable to listen to, and hopefully Q comes up with some evolutions.


----------



## Apex Eight

Does anyone know what the third EQ setting says after "crinacle"? My Google translate isn't working on it. Right before that, it says it's oratory's target, so I'm not sure why it mentions crin after that. I'll be trying all 3 tomorrow night, looking forward to it.


----------



## maschoff

Just a comment, I used the QX-overs while playing Forza today and I've never raced so well 😆


----------



## Infoseeker

maschoff said:


> I'm trying these settings with QX-over now set at 25% and they sound good but I'm listening to music that I've never listened to before. Sounds rich and has good depth and instrument separation.
> 
> 1. Harman in ear 2019 target
> 
> ...



So I was pretty good calling it out as reminding me of the Sony Mh750.


----------



## Musicoflife (Jul 9, 2021)

Mouseman said:


> I tried ask 3 of them, and only the Harman is remotely listenable for me. Crin's is so off to my ears that I'm not even going to try tweaking. But I am going to play with the first one a bit and see if I like it. I have a couple of EQ settings already that were a good start. I'm liking these a lot. Are they TOTL? Heck, no. But they are really enjoyable to listen to, and hopefully Q comes up with some evolutions.


Crinacle's tonality goal is the IEF Target which boosts trebles, but less than Harman, and has a flat region from 1khz down. What you see in the chart is perhaps similar to Oratory 1990? You could follow that, and use Harman 2019 for the bass side from 100hz down if more bass is preferred.


----------



## Musicoflife (Jul 9, 2021)

Apex Eight said:


> Does anyone know what the third EQ setting says after "crinacle"? My Google translate isn't working on it. Right before that, it says it's oratory's target, so I'm not sure why it mentions crin after that. I'll be trying all 3 tomorrow night, looking forward to it.


Google translate says "is this same as Crin's IEF?"

BTW, Qudelix has sent a sample QX-over to Oratory1990 for review. Look forward to his measurements.


----------



## smorgar (Jul 9, 2021)

maschoff said:


> Just wondering your line 10 PEQ setting?


The what now? 
[Edit] Oh now i get it. The settings 9 and 10 i don't use at all. [/Edit]


----------



## smorgar

Infoseeker said:


> Received the new Qudelix iem crossover proof-of-concept. Reminds me of the Sony mh750. Good vocals with a satisfying punchy slow/wet bass.
> 
> With the ability to turn it into a mh755 depending in the settings.
> 
> ...


You probably know this/figured it out but you are wearing them the wrong way. I'm not talking about the over ear picture but the other one cable down is in the wrong ear. The little notch is supposed to latch inside your ear and its pointing outwards in the picture


----------



## Infoseeker

smorgar said:


> You probably know this/figured it out but you are wearing them the wrong way. I'm not talking about the over ear picture but the other one cable down is in the wrong ear. The little notch is supposed to latch inside your ear and its pointing outwards in the picture



yeah, I wish they had a marking at the beginning.  Took a good moment to figure out which was left/right.


----------



## alex5908

I've been listening to Qx -Over for a couple of days and today got my IMR Aten (the first edition) back on. Guess what? These bass canons lost the bass as compared with the Qx-Over. I would never believe that.


----------



## Apex Eight

Quick listening notes on the QX-over:
- It seals really well and easily, sometimes to a level of discomfort
- Good fit, nice and lightweight
- With factory settings and no EQ, they are very, very bassy. It sounds like it is focused in the sub-bass region, but the mid-bass is in no way lacking
- The massive sub-bass doesn't muddy up the mids too much like the BL-03 did to me. According to the graph in that Korean forum, there is a notch at 200hz, which I believe helps separate the bass and mids
- The bass just dominates the sound signature. It's a little loose/slow, but maintains a level of control that keeps it pleasurable, although its brain-rattling nature on some tracks can undoubtedly be fatiguing
- Male and female vocals sound good, although they are a bit pushed back. Tracks with intimate vocals still show some detail and texture, but overall, the vocals and mids in general feel more thick, weighty, and smooth
- The bass creates a bit of a veil and affects overall resolution, but I don't think it's bad for a $30 set
- Treble seems to have good air and detail, I haven't been bothered by any sibilance
- Technical ability (layering, imaging, soundstage, etc) seem average. Not bad, but definitely not a standout
- Natural DD timbre is enjoyable
- Overall seems like a fun, warm, V-shaped dynamic. Unbalanced in nature with some "spikes" in the listening experience that make them a little jarring. Too much bass for this listener. They really sometimes sound like they have a great deal of potential with their double dynamic setup and fit, but the bass tuning just needs a little work
- Side-note: I briefly tried the Harman in-ear and oratory EQs in the Korean forum and found their complete lack of bass unenjoyable


----------



## xb0nk3rsx

Hi 5k users! Thinking of getting this one or the xduuo xp2 pro, but 5k seems cheaper with an added benefit of EQ. Only downside I'm seeing is the battery life is shorter than the former. Speaking of the battery life, will the 5k restart whenever I unplug it from the charger? It's a killer "feature" of ES100 that's ripping my hair off


----------



## HiFlight

My


xb0nk3rsx said:


> Hi 5k users! Thinking of getting this one or the xduuo xp2 pro, but 5k seems cheaper with an added benefit of EQ. Only downside I'm seeing is the battery life is shorter than the former. Speaking of the battery life, will the 5k restart whenever I unplug it from the charger? It's a killer "feature" of ES100 that's ripping my hair off


My 5k doesn't restart when plugging or unplugging from a charger.  No audio artifacts at all while listening to music when charging or terminating charging.  A number of user menu settings are available to select charging options.


----------



## TK33

xb0nk3rsx said:


> Hi 5k users! Thinking of getting this one or the xduuo xp2 pro, but 5k seems cheaper with an added benefit of EQ. Only downside I'm seeing is the battery life is shorter than the former. Speaking of the battery life, will the 5k restart whenever I unplug it from the charger? It's a killer "feature" of ES100 that's ripping my hair off


That "feature" on the ES100 used to drive me crazy when it would hijack audio or phone calls from my phone.  See attached for the power options on the 5K.

You dont need a 5K to download the Qudelix app in case you want to explore. Similar to the ES100, there is no real user manual but they do have descriptions in the app.


----------



## newworld666

HiFlight said:


> My
> 
> My 5k doesn't *restart when plugging or unplugging from a charger*.  No audio artifacts at all while listening to music when charging or terminating charging.  A number of user menu settings are available to select charging options.


It's an option of the Qudelix. I am nearly sure it's set by default, but very easy to avoid those stops.


----------



## xb0nk3rsx

TK33 said:


> That "feature" on the ES100 used to drive me crazy when it would hijack audio or phone calls from my phone.  See attached for the power options on the 5K.
> 
> You dont need a 5K to download the Qudelix app in case you want to explore. Similar to the ES100, there is no real user manual but they do have descriptions in the app.


I know, right?! I'm using it for my work calls online, and if my battery is low or wanted to walk while it's charging, I can't plug/unplug without it turning off! 5k is really godsent then! 😁


----------



## alex5908

TK33 said:


> That "feature" on the ES100 used to drive me crazy


Is it feasible to connect QX-Over to ES100?


----------



## Mouseman

alex5908 said:


> Is it feasible to connect QX-Over to ES100?


Even if you could rewire the plug and split it into two wires for the separate sides of the ES100, I'm positive that there is some secret sauce in the firmware of the 5k to allow it to operate as the crossover for the QX-over. The ES100 doesn't have that functionality in their software. I'm not sure if you can even use both jacks at once (I don't think you can).


----------



## alex5908

Thanks for the fast response. I just thought if ES100 has bal/unbal outputs this could be used for Qx-Over too. Actually I don't own ES100. Just 5K and Qx-Over.


----------



## hgpardo

I am deciding between a Qudelix 5K and a FiiO BTR5. Can the Qudelix be used (connected USB C port) as an external DAC with UAPP in an LG V50 mobile?  I have read there are compatibility issues with UAPP, but no issues with the BTR5. I use also TIDAL HiFi and Qobuz apps (HiFi suscription) but only the UAPP bypasses sound quality limitations of Android and also uses the LG quadDAC if required. Will I get better sound quality using the Qudelix (two Sabre ESS chips) by balanced input as compared to the LG quadDAC?


----------



## Apex Eight

Thinning out the heard so I'm putting my QX-over up for sale. Taking a loss due to the $20 shipping, they're still like-new. https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/fs-qudelix-qx-over.7965/


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Time to see what all this fuss is about. Figured this would make a good companion piece for my earbuds. Surprisingly tiny, especially when compared to the box it comes in!


----------



## DBaldock9

hgpardo said:


> I am deciding between a Qudelix 5K and a FiiO BTR5. Can the Qudelix be used (connected USB C port) as an external DAC with UAPP in an LG V50 mobile?  I have read there are compatibility issues with UAPP, but no issues with the BTR5. I use also TIDAL HiFi and Qobuz apps (HiFi suscription) but only the UAPP bypasses sound quality limitations of Android and also uses the LG quadDAC if required. Will I get better sound quality using the Qudelix (two Sabre ESS chips) by balanced input as compared to the LG quadDAC?



I've got three of the portable BT/USB DAC/Amps, and their specs are:
.
1.) FiiO BTR5 - BT/USB DAC/Amp (2x ES9218P, BT(LDAC)=24-Bit/96-KHz, USB=32-Bit/384-KHz) - Input (BT & USB-C-F); Output (3.5mm TRS & 2.5mm TRRS)
.
2.) Qudelix-5K - BT/USB DAC/Amp (2x ES9218P, BT(LDAC)=24-Bit/96-KHz, USB=24-Bit/96-KHz) - Input (BT & USB-C-F); Output (3.5mm TRS & 2.5mm TRRS)
.
3.) Radsone EarStudio ES100 - BT/USB DAC/Amp (2x AK4375A, BT(LDAC)=24-Bit/96-KHz, USB=16-Bit/48-KHz) - Input (BT & USB-µ-F); Output (3.5mm TRS & 2.5mm TRRS)
.
Technically - I can also use my Shanling M0 as a small DAP, or compact BT/USB DAC/Amp, with 3.5mm TRS output.  For BT, it works as a LDAC (24-Bit/96-KHz) Receiver.  With the Shanling USB driver installed, my Win10 Sound Settings say it's sending 32-Bit/192-KHz to the M0, but the screen on the M0 says it's operating at 24-Bit/44.1-KHz.


----------



## hgpardo

DBaldock9 said:


> I've got three of the portable BT/USB DAC/Amps, and their specs are:
> .
> 1.) FiiO BTR5 - BT/USB DAC/Amp (2x ES9218P, BT(LDAC)=24-Bit/96-KHz, USB=32-Bit/384-KHz) - Input (BT & USB-C-F); Output (3.5mm TRS & 2.5mm TRRS)
> .
> ...


A good collection. I also ordered an Earstudio ES100, but finally due to comments about battery problems, and lower resolution 16 bit/48 Khz, I cancelled my order. In your opinion which has better sound quality between the FIIO and Qudelix? I know that the Qudelix can equalize LDAC and the BTR5 not, but other than that I don't know if it significantly affects sound quality.


----------



## DBaldock9

Of the three, the ES100 has a slightly warmer sound, and I don't hear any big differences between the BTR5 and Q5K.
Overall, I prefer the control layout on the BTR5.
I don't use EQ, so that feature isn't part of my consideration.


----------



## hgpardo

And wired using USB connection? Any SQ differences between BTR5 and Q5K? Thanks


----------



## thebearded1

Hey Qudelix 5K fans...  I do not see the ability to toggle Absolute Volume Control in the Qudelix app.  I do have the most recent app versions and 5K software versions.  I'm wondering if this has to do with the phone I'm using (it's an iPhone 8 with iOS 14.6).  Have any of you run into this issue?


----------



## timl

thebearded1 said:


> Hey Qudelix 5K fans...  I do not see the ability to toggle Absolute Volume Control in the Qudelix app.  I do have the most recent app versions and 5K software versions.  I'm wondering if this has to do with the phone I'm using (it's an iPhone 8 with iOS 14.6).  Have any of you run into this issue?


My understanding is this feature has been made permanent. There is no longer a toggle.


----------



## DBaldock9

hgpardo said:


> And wired using USB connection? Any SQ differences between BTR5 and Q5K? Thanks



I've used all of these devices, connected as a USB DAC/Amp on my Work Win10 PC.
Other than the ES100 having a slightly warmer sound, they all seem fairly similar to me.


----------



## Nick-firestorm

speedfiend said:


> Compared to the ES100, definite improvement. The PEQ alone is worth the upgrade.
> I have both the 5K and the Mojo, and find myself reaching for the 5K over my Mojo 9 times out of 10, even if I'm just listening to my iems sitting at my desk.


this one liner here is all one needs instead of pages of detailed reviews


----------



## Nick-firestorm

where to find QUDELIX 5K in europe??????


----------



## Nick-firestorm

I found QUDELIX 5K in europe good price but now I read it's analytical and not musical...... I want musical.... FIIO is the only one I found musical.... but Q5S so expensive.............

what is cheaper alternative to Q5S??? i was very happy with E17K was very cheap back then.... 7 years ago


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Nick-firestorm said:


> I found QUDELIX 5K in europe good price but now I read it's analytical and not musical...... I want musical.... FIIO is the only one I found musical.... but Q5S so expensive.............
> 
> what is cheaper alternative to Q5S??? i was very happy with E17K was very cheap back then.... 7 years ago


The 5k is analytical? That's news to me. My immediate listening notes were a punchy, dynamic, and detailed sound signature. It can make my SR25 sound tame in comparison on some tracks.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Nick-firestorm said:


> I found QUDELIX 5K in europe good price but now I read it's analytical and not musical...... I want musical.... FIIO is the only one I found musical.... but Q5S so expensive.............
> 
> what is cheaper alternative to Q5S??? i was very happy with E17K was very cheap back then.... 7 years ago


I think your IEM pairings will also matter on this one. This past week with the Campfire Honeydew has really taught me that; I thought that IEM was going to just end up as a boomy, bass monster on every single source. On the 5k, it's not boomy and the Honeydew finally gets a chance to do what it does best: smack you silly with that punchy LCP bass.

The 5K gave those Honeydew so much slam, it ended up giving me a headache after about an hour of synthwave. Sounds pretty musical to me.


----------



## alex5908 (Jul 20, 2021)

miserybeforethemusic said:


> The 5K gave those Honeydew so much slam,


Сan't wait till I get the Honeydew. Was supposed to be delivered  today but nah. Did you get it delivered by Fedex? Any extra payment to Fedex? Like duties or something?


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

alex5908 said:


> Сan't wait till I get the Honeydew. Was supposed to be delivered  today but nah. Did you get it delivered by Fedex? Any extra payment to Fedex? Like duties or something?


The 5K? Pretty sure it was FedEx. Didn't owe any duties.

The Honeydew was provided by Audio46 and is a review sample. That one was shipped UPS. Don't think that's gonna help you, though.


----------



## alex5908

miserybeforethemusic said:


> The 5K?


Nope, CA Honeydew.


----------



## maschoff

I have 3 5Ks for various applications and it used to be as easy as hitting the pause button to switch to the one I am using.

Recent updates broke this.  Can anyone tell me how to get back to that ease of switching?


----------



## miserybeforethemusic (Jul 21, 2021)

What a fantastic pairing. I may have gotten the 5K to be an ideal earbud companion, but that doesn't mean it won't fit the bill with some IEMs, too.



Headroom for days, too. I'm thoroughly impressed


----------



## alex5908

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Didn't owe any duties.


Aha, 52 bucks from me.


----------



## ej8989

I think Aptx Adaptive sounds better than LDAC. Is this normal or something's wrong with my device?


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

alex5908 said:


> Aha, 52 bucks from me.


52 bucks?! Yeesh I'm so sorry.


ej8989 said:


> I think Aptx Adaptive sounds better than LDAC. Is this normal or something's wrong with my device?


Codec matters far less than implementation. What's the device?


----------



## Nick-firestorm

how does QUDELIX 5K compare with CHORD MOJO?


----------



## zolom

No more audiable click when activated and audiable note (wooosh)  when BT paired.
Can these sounds be audible again?

Thanks


----------



## TK33

zolom said:


> No more audiable click when activated and audiable note (wooosh)  when BT paired.
> Can these sounds be audible again?
> 
> Thanks


Have you already checked the tone volume setting in the app?


----------



## Musicoflife

zolom said:


> No more audiable click when activated and audiable note (wooosh)  when BT paired.
> Can these sounds be audible again?
> 
> Thanks


Sounds are still present, even in v19.4 fw. 

Check your setting in Volume, Options, Tone Volume


----------



## alex5908

Looks like I've finally found my endgame for 5K with CA Honeydew. Complete synergy. No more and no less.


----------



## alex5908

zolom said:


> No more audiable click when activated and audiable note (wooosh) when BT paired.


Same with me after updating to the latest FW today. To me it's not a big deal. If it bothers me then I will ask Peter and he will surely fix it. On the hand I guess he did it on purpose. I think it's connected with one of latest FWs crashing. Might be mistaken,  though.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

alex5908 said:


> Looks like I've finally found my endgame for 5K with CA Honeydew. Complete synergy. No more and no less.


No kidding. I almost completely wrote off the Honeydew until I heard the two of these together. Best part is you don't even need to go balanced, though the 5K will certainly take advantage of it.

So what's the celebratory album?


----------



## alex5908

miserybeforethemusic said:


> So what's the celebratory album?


Did not quite get it. 
I was struggling with myself to stop listening to music for more than 3 hours. Listened to Blues Rock and AOR.


----------



## vsg28

Just got the Qudelix 5k and the Qx-Over for review, good timing too since I just got done with the FiiO BTR5!


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

vsg28 said:


> Just got the Qudelix 5k and the Qx-Over for review, good timing too since I just got done with the FiiO BTR5!


Congrats! Looking forward to your writeup on your experience with the QX-Over. Would love to order a pair myself right now, but I'm not really willing to shell out another 20 in shipping.


----------



## vsg28

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Congrats! Looking forward to your writeup on your experience with the QX-Over. Would love to order a pair myself right now, but I'm not really willing to shell out another 20 in shipping.


It's joined the portable DAC/Amp collection now, and also now I realized that EarMen Sparrow slid slightly upward during photography


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

vsg28 said:


> It's joined the portable DAC/Amp collection now, and also now I realized that EarMen Sparrow slide slightly upward during photography


Hahahahaha oh man I have messed up so many shots from one thing making its way a little off alignment. Can definitely relate. It'll be interesting to see how the Sparrow and 9038 stack up to the 5K as far as DAC/amps go. Seems to me a lot of people consider Bluetooth to be the 5K's main selling point and I think that's a travesty.


----------



## vsg28

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Hahahahaha oh man I have messed up so many shots from one thing making its way a little off alignment. Can definitely relate. It'll be interesting to see how the Sparrow and 9038 stack up to the 5K as far as DAC/amps go. Seems to me a lot of people consider Bluetooth to be the 5K's main selling point and I think that's a travesty.


I'll test both wired and wireless with the 5K, but note that the 9038 is wired only and insanely overpowered for most portable use cases so it's a clear outlier here.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

vsg28 said:


> I'll test both wired and wireless with the 5K, but note that the 9038 is wired only and insanely overpowered for most portable use cases so it's a clear outlier here.


Do you have the 9038D or S? Ended up with the 3.5mm version and...yeah...that's a lot of power.

The PowerDAC is on a whole other level, for what it's worth. Best pairing for the Tin P1 I've found to date. Wish the 5K had juuuuust a little bit more for them, for example the sub-bass weight that's tremendously present with the PowerDAC just isn't there on the 9038 or 5k. That PD's FPGA is definitely doing some work.

I imagine you're aware, but ASR did test the 5K a while back, so you should have some AP trends and traces to take advantage of, if needed. Should save you some analysis time.


----------



## vsg28

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Do you have the 9038D or S? Ended up with the 3.5mm version and...yeah...that's a lot of power.
> 
> The PowerDAC is on a whole other level, for what it's worth. Best pairing for the Tin P1 I've found to date. Wish the 5K had juuuuust a little bit more for them, for example the sub-bass weight that's tremendously present with the PowerDAC just isn't there on the 9038 or 5k. That PD's FPGA is definitely doing some work.
> 
> I imagine you're aware, but ASR did test the 5K a while back, so you should have some AP trends and traces to take advantage of, if needed. Should save you some analysis time.


I have the 9038D here at the moment, balanced out with portable gear only recently got a winner with 4.4 mm besting 2.5 mm so I wanted to wait it out. Good to know about the ASR tests, I'll only use it if I run into any issues though


----------



## Nick-firestorm

Mouseman said:


> I have the 5k and a pretty serious desktop unit, and really the biggest difference is power. Obviously the 5k can't push the amount of watts that my Burson can, but you're generally not going to notice unless you are using really difficult cans. The SQ and features of the Quidelex are top notch, and the PEQ can really get you to any sound signature you want. Add the convenience, and it's a winner in my book.



so with PEQ you can get a nice musical warm sound out of it just like other nice musical warm DACs?

my experience with equalizers hasnt been the best and im surprised the 5K's one is so lauded, is it really that flexible and different than other choices? you sure can use software on the computer anyway? what's special about the PEQ for desktop?


----------



## Mouseman

Nick-firestorm said:


> so with PEQ you can get a nice musical warm sound out of it just like other nice musical warm DACs?
> 
> my experience with equalizers hasnt been the best and im surprised the 5K's one is so lauded, is it really that flexible and different than other choices? you sure can use software on the computer anyway? what's special about the PEQ for desktop?


Well, for starters I don't agree with the idea that some seem to have about the 5k being "clinical" or cold. There are some DAC chips I'm not a fan of, but the one in the 5k isn't one of them. 

And yes, I think you can alter most IEMs or headphones quite a bit, but obviously you're not going to turn a pair of TRNs into the same sound signature as a set of high end planars. IMO you need either a lot of experience or a good starting point for PEQ. I stick to regular EQ most of the time, and I've had good luck. Some gear takes to EQ well, there are a few things that don't seem to. The benefit on the 5k is that you can have a lot of presets, and now they apparently switch based on outputs (haven't updated to the new FW yet). It's also portable - that's the killer feature for me. Powerful EQ and other functions in the palm of your hand. Can you do the same thing on your desktop? Sure. But you can't connect a set of Hifiman Devas to it and walk around the house. Oh, yeah - the price point is also pretty good.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

I am one of the people who often described the 5K as cold or clinical.

I sincerely used to view it as such. But my views have changed since pairing the 5K with the QX-Over and the Final A3000. Both, esp. the QX-Over, are the exact opposite. Warm and full, with more decay and thickness than I’d experienced up to now. If anything the QX-Over could do with a bit _more_ chilly precision and speed to improve dynamics.

I come from the V30, which is not a warm source at all but lusher than the 5K, and now use the 5K alternately with the Cayin N3Pro, which is warm, full-bodied and colored. Also my regular fare is IMR, which is not cold but renowned for its divisive piezo treble, quite quick and aggressive.

My new official view of the 5K is that it’s a chameleon, much better on all accounts than its price point suggests, with a _tendency_ towards neutralish, revealing coldness perhaps, that is easily offset by the headphones plugged into it. The ES100 is more veiled and a good match for cold, fast BA sets.


----------



## maschoff

maschoff said:


> I have 3 5Ks for various applications and it used to be as easy as hitting the pause button to switch to the one I am using.
> 
> Recent updates broke this.  Can anyone tell me how to get back to that ease of switching?


1.9.4 fixed it, it was Bluetooth related.  I had to forget each device and add them again.

It would be nice if they numbered them or allowed you to name them so you could keep track of them.

They are aggressive as well. If I leave my gaming 5K on, which I use Beyerdynamics GT1990 PROs, and go get coffee, when I come back, the gaming 5K will pick up my phone.  Mow I can click the upper blue knobbed switch and it returns to my balanced set using Beyerdynamics Xelentos, which I still prefer over the QX-overs.


----------



## DopiusX

Hi there, I'm new to this forum so I'd like to briefly introduce myself. I am 46 years of age, german native speaker so please excuse me if sometimes it might be a bit difficult to understand my writing. This whole world of audio-enthusiasts is quite new to me, though I'm familiar with some of the topics in this forum. 

Well produced music is my passion and so is decent audio equipment. My objective is to get the most of my existing hardware and that's how I came to scroll through some of your threads with greatest of interest.

I used to listen to music for a long time by my Fiio X1, using Shure SE215/ Xiaomi Piston Pro HD 2/ Sennheiser Momentum. Then I got my Xiaomi smartphone and I was a little disappointed about it's audio capacities. Maybe it's not the worst, but there seems to be a lot room for improvement. Connecting a Fiio BTR1 Bluetooth DAC to it got things a little better, but dealing with huge connection issues via bluetooth made me search for better gear. 

By chance I found the 5k from Qudelix and I ordered the X-over earphones at the same time. Having both connected to my smartphone works now very well for me, but still it isn't perfect. I applied the PEQ settings from Oratory1990 (his preferred ones) which made these earphones sound a lot better than stock, but I'm struggling with the high frequencies. In my ears, they sound a bit too dull with a small, but noticeable amount of sibilance, so I added a peak +1,5db at 16 kHz. With some songs, it now sounds more clear, but especially Hard Rock music suffers from too much harshness now.

Now my question to those still following my text: Is there a way to get the heights of these earphones fixed in a way that might correspond harmonically even with Hard Rock or metal music?


----------



## themglean (Jul 26, 2021)

Does anyone use this as a desktop dac along with an amplifier to drive bigger cans?  I buying this to serve as my main desktop dac to attach to my amp and also a bluetooth receiver for travel. Hopefully It works well, specially when I use it as a desktop dac.


----------



## Mouseman

DopiusX said:


> Hi there, I'm new to this forum so I'd like to briefly introduce myself. I am 46 years of age, german native speaker so please excuse me if sometimes it might be a bit difficult to understand my writing. This whole world of audio-enthusiasts is quite new to me, though I'm familiar with some of the topics in this forum.
> 
> Well produced music is my passion and so is decent audio equipment. My objective is to get the most of my existing hardware and that's how I came to scroll through some of your threads with greatest of interest.
> 
> ...


Have you burned then in for a while? That makes a difference and loosens up the drivers. Also make sure you're getting a good seal. The Xs are very position sensitive, if they're not "aimed" the right way, the sound is odd. 

If you're listening to Hard Rock, the Oratory PEQ settings are, in my opinion and personal experience with the Xs, not great settings. I listen to a lot of rock and metal, and I find that those settings cut the bass and boost some of the treble too much for my personal taste. I found the filter 5 boost (with a 2.0 gain) to be the one that seemed to be a real issue, with too much boost when it shouldn't be. The Harmon 2019 was a much better starting point for me, and I made adjustments from that.


----------



## timl

DopiusX said:


> I applied the PEQ settings from Oratory1990


Where did you find these? AFAIK he hasn’t published these.


----------



## KaiSc

Nick-firestorm said:


> so with PEQ you can get a nice musical warm sound out of it just like other nice musical warm DACs?
> 
> my experience with equalizers hasnt been the best and im surprised the 5K's one is so lauded, is it really that flexible and different than other choices? you sure can use software on the computer anyway? what's special about the PEQ for desktop?


You can, e.g., enter EQ settings from ORATORY1990 to get a Harman response on your ’phones:
https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets

I don’t know any other portable amp that offers such a flexible EQ to use that option.
IMO the EQ makes worlds more of a difference than the tiny sound variations you find between (non-EQ’d) DACs/Amps.

After doing a lot of level matched blind A/B-ing of different DACs and amps personally, I‘m very skeptical about the opinions you read all over the internet.
The sound differences usually are so minor, often hard to hear at all, opposed the the idea you can get by reading the “reviews”, that makes you think those are worlds apart.

BTW: without exact level matching every comparison is pointless, it’s always the louder unit that seems to sound better.


----------



## DopiusX

timl said:


> Where did you find these? AFAIK he hasn’t published these.


I found these at the Qudelix web page. It's the latest entry right at the bottom of the QX-Over site... there are five different settings to download.


----------



## Nolbert0

I wonder if they'll make a 3.5mm adapter for the QX-over? Maybe not worth the cost? Just an idea...


----------



## rkw

Nolbert0 said:


> I wonder if they'll make a 3.5mm adapter for the QX-over?


That wouldn't make sense. The entire point of the QX-over is that each driver is driven separately with an active crossover in the Q5. A 3.5mm adapter would remove everything that is unique about the QX-over, and it might not even sound good. If you need 3.5mm, there is an endless variety of other 3.5mm earphones to choose from.


----------



## courierdriver

Got this thing 2 days ago. Set it up this afternoon and it's crazy good! It was much easier to set up than the ES100. Firmware updates are all accessible from the Qudelix app on my phone. Listening to it right now with my Blon BL03. Sounds awesome with almost no EQ. I jacked up the pre-amp a bit. Other than that, I left everything else alone. With the ES100, I had to add a bunch of EQ to make different iems sound to their potential. I'm gonna explore this device more over the coming weeks; but so far, it's a winner! ES100 is still great but the Qudelix K5 is giving me the SQ I've been looking for without too much EQ.


----------



## pfloyd

courierdriver said:


> Got this thing 2 days ago. Set it up this afternoon and it's crazy good! It was much easier to set up than the ES100. Firmware updates are all accessible from the Qudelix app on my phone. Listening to it right now with my Blon BL03. Sounds awesome with almost no EQ. I jacked up the pre-amp a bit. Other than that, I left everything else alone. With the ES100, I had to add a bunch of EQ to make different iems sound to their potential. I'm gonna explore this device more over the coming weeks; but so far, it's a winner! ES100 is still great but the Qudelix K5 is giving me the SQ I've been looking for without too much EQ.


I have had the very same experience. I first bought and enjoyed immensely the ES100 but did use eq a lot on it. Then I purchased the Q5K and pretty much run it flat on everything, including the bl03, it just sounds right straight out the box, no twiddling necessary.


----------



## vsg28

Anyone else tried out the beta app yet (Android only)? 

https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/fw-v1-10-0-release-candidate-beta-11813105?pid=1327057374


----------



## povidlo

vsg28 said:


> Anyone else tried out the beta app yet (Android only)?
> 
> https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/fw-v1-10-0-release-candidate-beta-11813105?pid=1327057374


Nice! Gonna save some time with presets populated ala Wavelet, entering values manually on small phone screen can get tedious.


----------



## vsg28

povidlo said:


> Nice! Gonna save some time with presets populated ala Wavelet, entering values manually on small phone screen can get tedious.


Yup, I was just getting ready to write my review about the 5K and QX-Over and they let me know about it and asked if I can re-test lol. But it's a big update so I don't mind the extra time since it adds a nice feature on top of what is already a very impressive product.


----------



## SpeedyClaxton4

Is anyone having a problem with the Qudelix turning on while charging? I know there's a setting in the app, but it doesn't appear to be working right.

On the official forums I see this was a bug back in like April/March. Mine only started doing this since the most recent firmware.


----------



## courierdriver

Ok, guys. I've got a problem that I hope someone can help me with. I've had this thing for several days now, but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to give me more than 330 kbps out of LDAC via Bluetooth. I've got my Samsung galaxy s20 set in LDAC mode, but it never gets higher than that; even when I'm playing CD Redbook 44.1 16 bit files that I ripped from my CD'S at 1411 kbps. I always thought that these types of music files would play at the maximum 990 kbps via Bluetooth. I've got my phone set to LDAC...so has anyone got any suggestions on how I can get the 5K to play at a higher kbps level? I've delved into the Samsung developer options, but can't seem to find how I can get my phone to play st a higher kbps.


----------



## Bimbleton

Has anyone found the Qudelix to be a bit bright? It sounds a bit bright and sometimes harsh running balanced to my LCD-X.

Interestingly, I think it actually sounded less bright running single ended, though with much less volume headroom.


----------



## jsmiller58

courierdriver said:


> Ok, guys. I've got a problem that I hope someone can help me with. I've had this thing for several days now, but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to give me more than 330 kbps out of LDAC via Bluetooth. I've got my Samsung galaxy s20 set in LDAC mode, but it never gets higher than that; even when I'm playing CD Redbook 44.1 16 bit files that I ripped from my CD'S at 1411 kbps. I always thought that these types of music files would play at the maximum 990 kbps via Bluetooth. I've got my phone set to LDAC...so has anyone got any suggestions on how I can get the 5K to play at a higher kbps level? I've delved into the Samsung developer options, but can't seem to find how I can get my phone to play st a higher kbps.


LDAC connection is not based on the file. Instead it is adaptive and negotiated between the phone and the receiver.  In general the transmission will be faster the more stable the link.  I think what you have going on is the connection is Adaptive bitrate, and is being negotiated to the slowest LDAC speed.

No guarantees, but this is what I do...  On your phone go to Bluetooth settings, find the Q5K and select optimize for audio quality.  Next go to Developer options on your phone and find Bluetooth LDAC Audio Codec: Playback Quality.  Yours is almost certainly set to Adaptive.  Change it to 990K/909K.

Keep in mind that you will probably have more dropped connections / lost packets when forcing to a higher bitrate.  For best quality connection keep the phone and Q5K close to each other, and especially do not put one in a front pocket and the other in a back pocket.  Human body is quite efficient at blocking Bluetooth signals.

Unfortunately, to force the highest bitrate, you will need to do this each time you connect to the Q5K, otherwise it will always go back to adaptive.  Meaning you will need to keep going back to Developer options.  

If I keep my phone and Q5K near each other even in adaptive I often measure 660 or 990K...


----------



## courierdriver

jsmiller58 said:


> LDAC connection is not based on the file. Instead it is adaptive and negotiated between the phone and the receiver.  In general the transmission will be faster the more stable the link.  I think what you have going on is the connection is Adaptive bitrate, and is being negotiated to the slowest LDAC speed.
> 
> No guarantees, but this is what I do...  On your phone go to Bluetooth settings, find the Q5K and select optimize for audio quality.  Next go to Developer options on your phone and find Bluetooth LDAC Audio Codec: Playback Quality.  Yours is almost certainly set to Adaptive.  Change it to 990K/909K.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for the detailed response. I will try your suggestions and see how they play out. Not sure if it's worth the trouble to have to keep going back to Developer options every time I connect to the 5K as I find the sound quality excellent over the standard Adaptive LDAC connection. I'm just curious to see if I can hear any difference between 330 kbps LDAC and 660/990 kbps. As for the range, I'm not currently having any issues with dropouts but then again, I usually wear my 5K like a pendant clipped to my cable looped around my neck. Phone is usually in my pocket. I must say though, on the couple of occasions where I left my phone outside and went into the house to do something, I found the 5K *had superior range with zero dropouts compared to my ES100.*


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

courierdriver said:


> Thank you very much for the detailed response. I will try your suggestions and see how they play out. Not sure if it's worth the trouble to have to keep going back to Developer options every time I connect to the 5K as I find the sound quality excellent over the standard Adaptive LDAC connection. I'm just curious to see if I can hear any difference between 330 kbps LDAC and 660/990 kbps. As for the range, I'm not currently having any issues with dropouts but then again, I usually wear my 5K like a pendant clipped to my cable looped around my neck. Phone is usually in my pocket. I must say though, on the couple of occasions where I left my phone outside and went into the house to do something, I found the 5K *had superior range with zero dropouts compared to my ES100.*


Nice! I, too, have found it doesn't matter where in the house my phone is; the 5K keeps signal anyway (across 3 floors) in LDAC adaptive mode.

My advice on the Developer Options thing is to play it case by case. I got a phone update (OnePlus 8T) that seems to handle adaptive up to 990 without issue, so I don't mess with it anymore, but did for the longest time. I think the differences are audible when it comes to technicalities. Things feel a lot more open and cohesive to me on 660/990; 330 starts to sound a bit compressed and closed in. Fingers crossed LG updates that phone for better LDAC handling, but it can be a pretty CPU-intensive task.


----------



## TK33

courierdriver said:


> Thank you very much for the detailed response. I will try your suggestions and see how they play out. Not sure if it's worth the trouble to have to keep going back to Developer options every time I connect to the 5K as I find the sound quality excellent over the standard Adaptive LDAC connection. I'm just curious to see if I can hear any difference between 330 kbps LDAC and 660/990 kbps. As for the range, I'm not currently having any issues with dropouts but then again, I usually wear my 5K like a pendant clipped to my cable looped around my neck. Phone is usually in my pocket. I must say though, on the couple of occasions where I left my phone outside and went into the house to do something, I found the 5K *had superior range with zero dropouts compared to my ES100.*


I think the phone may have a lot to do with it.  I have no issues with LDAC 990 on my V60 and dont have to mess with Developer Options.  

When I had my Samsung GS9, I do recall I had to force 990 sometimes but it at least worked with the 5K.  When I tried to force LDAC 990 with my ES100 and GS9 all I got was a stuttering mess even from a distance of 2-3 feet.  Never really have worried about connection quality with my 5K.  It has been very reliable.


----------



## jsmiller58

I should note that even when my phone (v30) is set to LDAC Adaptive I will usually get 660 or 990k, but in those cases I have the Q5K close to the phone with no other obstacles in the way.  These days I do not bother forcing 990k, and just let the phone and Q5K sort it out...


----------



## Nick24JJ

On my phone, the Xiaomi POCO F2 Pro, I am observing the same. LDAC Adaptive gets 660 - 909 Kbps, but I have to force LDAC in the Developer settings every time, because it defaults to Qualcomm aptX Adaptive. Regarding the sample rate, it defaults to 48 kHz and I am forcing it to 44.1 kHz. I leave the sample rate to 24 bit. Are these the best settings for sound quality when listening to Amazon Music HD?


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Nick24JJ said:


> On my phone, the Xiaomi POCO F2 Pro, I am observing the same. LDAC Adaptive gets 660 - 909 Kbps, but I have to force LDAC in the Developer settings every time, because it defaults to Qualcomm aptX Adaptive. Regarding the sample rate, it defaults to 48 kHz and I am forcing it to 44.1 kHz. I leave the sample rate to 24 bit. Are these the best settings for sound quality when listening to Amazon Music HD?


Depends on whether you need a true bit-perfect transfer which, with LDAC, I would assume isn't a thing anyway (lossy compression). If it's too much hassle to force 16-bit, you should be able to keep it in 24 and not hear much of an impact.

Fwiw, I just leave the settings alone with Amazon Music. They really need to get a better dev team on that app.


----------



## TK33

Nick24JJ said:


> On my phone, the Xiaomi POCO F2 Pro, I am observing the same. LDAC Adaptive gets 660 - 909 Kbps, but I have to force LDAC in the Developer settings every time, because it defaults to Qualcomm aptX Adaptive. Regarding the sample rate, it defaults to 48 kHz and I am forcing it to 44.1 kHz. I leave the sample rate to 24 bit. Are these the best settings for sound quality when listening to Amazon Music HD?


Have you tried disabling aptX adaptive altogether on the 5K? 

My V60 had a similar issue and I ended up having to pair my devices again and disable aptX adaptive on my 5K.  Qudelix was kind enough to get a V60 and confirm this behavior for me.  I posted the steps they had me follow in this thread.  Hopefully it will help you so you dont have to go into Developer Options everytime. 

Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-15750138


----------



## Nick24JJ (Aug 1, 2021)

TK33 said:


> Have you tried disabling aptX adaptive altogether on the 5K?
> 
> My V60 had a similar issue and I ended up having to pair my devices again and disable aptX adaptive on my 5K.  Qudelix was kind enough to get a V60 and confirm this behavior for me.  I posted the steps they had me follow in this thread.  Hopefully it will help you so you dont have to go into Developer Options everytime.
> 
> Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-15750138


Thank you so much! It works! Now it defaults to LDAC and 44.1 kHz! I am getting 909 Kbps max, with my phone next to the device. When it comes to the bits, should I leave it at 24 or set it higher, for best sound quality from Amazon HD? Thanks again! 

PS: I cannot find how to give a Like to a post


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Nick24JJ said:


> Thank you so much! It works! Now it defaults to LDAC and 44.1 kHz! I am getting 909 Kbps max, with my phone next to the device. When it comes to the bits, should I leave it at 24 or set it higher, for best sound quality from Amazon HD? Thanks again!
> 
> PS: I cannot find how to give a Like to a post





It's right here on mobile 

Glad you're getting 990 now! That's definitely a step in the right direction. As to whether you should bother with manually setting bit depth, I'd suggest doing so if you're only ever going to listen to Redbook (16/44) material anyway. Qudelix wrote up a blog article explaining why that matters with LDAC (supposedly makes it more efficient), but I can't find a link at the moment.


----------



## Nick24JJ

miserybeforethemusic said:


> It's right here on mobile
> 
> Glad you're getting 990 now! That's definitely a step in the right direction. As to whether you should bother with manually setting bit depth, I'd suggest doing so if you're only ever going to listen to Redbook (16/44) material anyway. Qudelix wrote up a blog article explaining why that matters with LDAC (supposedly makes it more efficient), but I can't find a link at the moment.


Thanks for your reply! I will leave it at 24 bit for now. The Like and Share buttons do not appear on desktop.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nick24JJ said:


> On my phone, the Xiaomi POCO F2 Pro, I am observing the same. LDAC Adaptive gets 660 - 909 Kbps, but I have to force LDAC in the Developer settings every time, because it defaults to Qualcomm aptX Adaptive. Regarding the sample rate, it defaults to 48 kHz and I am forcing it to 44.1 kHz. I leave the sample rate to 24 bit. Are these the best settings for sound quality when listening to Amazon Music HD?


Did you force it to 44.1 through your phone’s developer options? Doing that seems to throw my Zenfone 7 in a fit, basically breaks Bluetooth until I restart the phone.

I now leave it on Adaptive, at 24bit/48kHz default. This way I use the Tidal app itself instead of UAPP, which is an OK trade-off as it’s a much better user experience, I get to listen to my downloaded content, and I don’t hear the same degradation I used to hear on my V30 playing wired bit-perfect via UAPP vs via the Tidal app with Android SRC which was a substantial downgrade.


----------



## Infoseeker

Infoseeker said:


> Received the new Qudelix iem crossover proof-of-concept. Reminds me of the Sony mh750. Good vocals with a satisfying punchy slow/wet bass.
> 
> With the ability to turn it into a mh755 depending in the settings.
> 
> ...



Oh yeah, I got close and done by ear.


----------



## Nolbert0

IEF Neutral Target? Never heard of it. What's that? Looks very different to the Harman curve.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Nolbert0 said:


> IEF Neutral Target? Never heard of it. What's that? Looks very different to the Harman curve.


Harman Target is just one of many target EQ curves. The IEF target is Crinacle's target EQ curve. Just slightly different in response based on their preferences.


----------



## Musicoflife

Infoseeker said:


> Oh yeah, I got close and done by ear.


You could try Oratory 1990's eq filters and report back. It's in Qudelix.com


----------



## RyuzakiL26

Late to the party. Such an awesome device and it has everything I need to use it as an mobile and desktop dac. Just want to share that I was able to successfully make the LDAC mode to work on my Redmi K30 Pro Zoom and so far I'm hearing a nice audio via wireless (when I was able to set it at 44 to 48khz instead of the stock 96khz).

I've been using Viper4Android and DTS mods on my phone in tandem with this awesome DAC via USB connection and I was wonder why the Qudelix app needs the DAC connected via bluetooth for it to detect the device. Is there a way for the app to detect it via USB? I mean do I need to toggle something on the App itself for it get detected or it is mandatory to connect to Bluetooth for the app to work? 

Any help will be appreciated. Tnx


----------



## Bimbleton

Is there an LDAC transmitter that pairs well with the 5K? Was looking into the BTA30, but apparently doesn’t do LDAC through USB.


----------



## DBaldock9

Bimbleton said:


> Is there an LDAC transmitter that pairs well with the 5K? Was looking into the BTA30, but apparently doesn’t do LDAC through USB.



It would probably add some additional latency, but you should be able to use a USB->TOSLINK adapter (like the Douk Audio U2) between your PC and the BTA30  - https://www.amazon.com/Douk-Audio-Converter-Interface-PCM192Khz/dp/B085XPRSGM/
.
I use the TOSLINK input on my BTA30, with the signal from a 4x4 Optical Matrix Switch.
Other outputs from the switch go to different DACs.
I've purchased an 8x8 Matrix Switch, but haven't deployed it yet.


----------



## povidlo

Bimbleton said:


> Is there an LDAC transmitter that pairs well with the 5K? Was looking into the BTA30, but apparently doesn’t do LDAC through USB.


Fiio M7 can transmit LDAC in USB DAC mode. Haven't tried it with 5K in practice, but in theory it should work well. (Used M7 to connect to Amiron Wireless through APTX-hd while in USB DAC mode, no problem.)


----------



## charlescc2

KaiSc said:


> You can, e.g., enter EQ settings from ORATORY1990 to get a Harman response on your ’phones:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets
> 
> I don’t know any other portable amp that offers such a flexible EQ to use that option.
> ...


Had to come back and thank you for this. I was already happy with my HD58Xs on the Q5K and found it to be an improvement over the ES100, but the Harman response EQ has taken the sound to a whole new level.

I've done a bit of comparing using flat EQ with the same preamp to get a good volume match, and it's a world of difference.  I'm getting more detail and much more depth on the low end.  I'm genuinely shocked at how good everything sounds now.

I've always liked my HD58Xs but also felt like others might be getting a slightly better experience than me, and now I feel like I'm much closer to getting the most out of these headphones.


----------



## vsg28

Here's the QX-Over as-is vs. with the Oratory1990 EQ preset. I would say try both, and there are a couple of other presets in the app too, since just going to the Harman curve doesn't mean it is automatically better with these, even if you prefer the Harman target to begin with:


----------



## arar (Aug 9, 2021)

Ordered this just now because screw it, why not, it looks like I'm getting into IEMs so something a bit better than the Apple lightning-to-3.5mm dongle and a bit smaller than the iFi BL would be nice.

I wonder if it would be worth it to get a cheap Android phone just for the LDAC support. Probably not right now, since I'm just streaming Spotify currently? Has anyone gone from iPhone's AAC to Android's LDAC recently (specifically with Qudelix 5k or another similar BT DAC-amp)?


----------



## mhoopes

By the way, I haven't seen any comment on the addition of the huge "AUTO EQ PRESET" PEQ database in the app. I think this is a very helpful bonus that at least gives us a good starting point for tweaking EQ, and/or evaluating the differences, while avoiding manual entry. It also gives some of the more questionably-tuned IEMs a fighting chance to not be lazily converted into B-stock, while EQ-hesitant Goldilocks is blithely shopping off-the-rack in search of that magical "synergy."


----------



## mhoopes (Aug 9, 2021)

To follow up, I tried out a number of old earphones gathering dust in a drawer. All of them were *significantly* improved by their bespoke PEQ presets.
Koss Porta Pro, FiiO F9, FiiO FH1, JAYS d-JAYS.
My current FiiO FA7, and the old FH1, were notable for their egregiously poor factory tuning (bass, in particular), and showed the most improvement.

5K users will have little excuse not to at least try them out before proclaiming EQ immunity.

As far as I'm concerned, this feature is a game-changer, for those that are willing to try it; far more useful than "Rock" or "Jazz" presets.


----------



## mhoopes (Aug 9, 2021)

arar said:


> Ordered this just now because screw it, why not, it looks like I'm getting into IEMs so something a bit better than the Apple lightning-to-3.5mm dongle and a bit smaller than the iFi BL would be nice.
> 
> I wonder if it would be worth it to get a cheap Android phone just for the LDAC support. Probably not right now, since I'm just streaming Spotify currently? Has anyone gone from iPhone's AAC to Android's LDAC recently (specifically with Qudelix 5k or another similar BT DAC-amp)?


I haven’t done that (Android LDAC), but I can say that I defy anyone to tell the difference between AAC 256 and lossless on a portable setup, much less AAC/LDAC over Bluetooth. Tuning/volume are likely large factors in any back-to-back listening test; other fidelity parameters will take a back seat.

I was able to tell the difference between LDAC 990 and SBC for movie watching on my Sony Blu-Ray player, but it was still pretty subtle to my ears, to be honest. Music listening is probably more critically approached.

AAC has the potential downside of being more processor-intensive than LDAC, but I haven’t had a problem with AAC/Bluetooth latency on my Apple devices, with regards to sync with video.

So I’d say no. Get a nice bottle of wine instead, and enjoy it with your current audio chain, along with the requisite EQ, as mentioned above.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

mhoopes said:


> I haven’t done that (Android LDAC), but I can say that I defy anyone to tell the difference between AAC 256 and lossless on a portable setup, much less AAC/LDAC over Bluetooth. Tuning/volume are likely large factors in any back-to-back listening test; other fidelity parameters will take a back seat.
> 
> I was able to tell the difference between LDAC 990 and SBC for movie watching on my Sony Blu-Ray player, but it was still pretty subtle to my ears, to be honest. Music listening is probably more critically approached.
> 
> ...


Implementation, implementation, implementation. I have dealt with some really sub-par AAC setups on Android phones and phenomenal ones on Apple devices. Conversely, I've heard aptX done well and done with heaping gobs of compression artifacting. Seeing the supported codec only tells you a fraction of the story. Birate debates between wired and wireless don't make for a very apples-to-apples comparison. There's more to it than that:

https://www.soundguys.com/understanding-bluetooth-codecs-15352

Sparing a trip through the weeds, I'll say I don't bother with AAC on Android if I can help it. Not optimized.


----------



## mhoopes (Aug 9, 2021)

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Implementation, implementation, implementation. I have dealt with some really sub-par AAC setups on Android phones and phenomenal ones on Apple devices. Conversely, I've heard aptX done well and done with heaping gobs of compression artifacting. Seeing the supported codec only tells you a fraction of the story. Birate debates between wired and wireless don't make for a very apples-to-apples comparison. There's more to it than that:
> 
> https://www.soundguys.com/understanding-bluetooth-codecs-15352
> 
> Sparing a trip through the weeds, I'll say I don't bother with AAC on Android if I can help it. Not optimized.


Agreed - I posited the lossless example as a testable non-compressed USB comparison point., if one was concerned with compression artifacts. I'd go aptX or LDAC if my DAP was on Android. Pretty safe to assume arar is on Apple hardware - and I'd recommend taking the path of least resistance there (AAC) and stay with his device, except for the low-end Apple earphones. There are a lot of good starter IEMs from other vendors hovering around ~$100+ that would respond nicely to Q5 PEQ presets. The QX-over is intriguing, and good value, but I'd recommend something with quicker bass, such as the FiiO FA1 (out of those I actually own). Hopefully the shipping to 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 isn't too expensive.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

mhoopes said:


> Agreed - I posited the lossless example as a non-compressed USB comparison point., if one was concerned with compression artifacts. I'd go aptX or LDAC if my DAP was on Android. Pretty safe to assume arar is on Apple hardware - and I'd recommend taking the path of least resistance there (AAC) and stay with his device, except for the low-end Apple earphones. There are a lot of good starter IEMs from other vendors hovering around ~$100+ that would respond nicely to Q5 PEQ presets. The QX-over is intriguing, and good value, but I'd recommend something with quicker bass, such as the FiiO FA1 (out of those I actually own). Hopefully the shipping to 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 isn't too expensive.


Moreover, all of these codecs can turn out to sound like hot garbage if not implemented properly. I've heard compression artifacting on $200+ aptX HD adapters and $300+ TWS using the latest and greatest chipsets. I somewhat tapped into AAC usage on Android devices (sub-optimal). I was hoping it was a stack issue, but switching to Gabeldorsche doesn't provide much of a relief. Folks are just going to keep having to code efficiencies into their hardware for the time being.

Qudelix seems to have a significant leg up over the competition as is, though, and it's a little funny to watch market disruptors like Qudelix and E1DA showing the big guys that one or two-man outfits can develop better-performing gear with bargain-bin silicon.

I had my eye on the QX-Over as well and, as a proof of concept, I may still order. Just have so many earbuds and IEMs here that haven't gotten enough love lately, I couldn't bear to add another one to the stable at the moment. The FA1's a good suggestion, though.


----------



## Musicoflife

mhoopes said:


> To follow up, I tried out a number of old earphones gathering dust in a drawer. All of them were *significantly* improved by their bespoke PEQ presets.
> Koss Porta Pro, FiiO F9, FiiO FH1, JAYS d-JAYS.
> My current FiiO FA7, and the old FH1, were notable for their egregiously poor factory tuning (bass, in particular), and showed the most improvement.
> 
> ...


I agree that EQ has the potential to improve just about every IEM's tonality, if done judiciously. 
The AutoEq feature is indeed a good starting point for further tweaking the filters to sound best, at least to my ears.


----------



## Bimbleton

Two questions:

1) Do you think Qudelix could implement a harmonic distortion filter such as the ones in SMSL DACs? (perhaps to simulate a ‘tubey’ sound, etc)

2) Genuine question - those with a higher end headphones and a desktop setup, how much better is your desktop setup (sound wise)?


----------



## arar

mhoopes said:


> I haven’t done that (Android LDAC), but I can say that I defy anyone to tell the difference between AAC 256 and lossless on a portable setup, much less AAC/LDAC over Bluetooth. Tuning/volume are likely large factors in any back-to-back listening test; other fidelity parameters will take a back seat.
> 
> I was able to tell the difference between LDAC 990 and SBC for movie watching on my Sony Blu-Ray player, but it was still pretty subtle to my ears, to be honest. Music listening is probably more critically approached.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the response (and all the conversation that followed, interesting stuff)!

Honestly, I'm just not gonna stress about it right now, then. I could absolutely see myself belonging in the "can't tell a difference" group, I'm not an analytical listener in any way and I've always had difficulties with those tests where you have to discern between a FLAC and a low-bitrate MP3 file, for example.

I mean, now that the thought has popped to my mind, I'll have to give it a try _some day_, just maybe not right now. I'll focus on the more important stuff for now and return to this train of thought at a later date if I feel like something is missing.



mhoopes said:


> Hopefully the shipping to 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 isn't too expensive.


Usually it's fine but sometimes it can definitely be a bit too much!


----------



## charlescc2

Tried the Harman EQ for the FiiO FH3 and felt it was doing way too much with the highs.

Just noticed an auto EQ preset tab (how long has this been there?) and found a preset for the FH3 (crinacle) and have to say it's greatly improving the sound for me.  Creates better vocal separation without going overboard like the Harman EQ.  I've been sticking with flat EQ over the Harman and felt things sound sightly muddied, but this crinacle EQ completely opens things up.  Absolutely loving the FH3 now.

Still blown away every day by how much value the Q5K is for the price.


----------



## dw1narso

arar said:


> Ordered this just now because screw it, why not, it looks like I'm getting into IEMs so something a bit better than the Apple lightning-to-3.5mm dongle and a bit smaller than the iFi BL would be nice.
> 
> I wonder if it would be worth it to get a cheap Android phone just for the LDAC support. Probably not right now, since I'm just streaming Spotify currently? Has anyone gone from iPhone's AAC to Android's LDAC recently (specifically with Qudelix 5k or another similar BT DAC-amp)?


You need to make sure that that cheap android phone support LDAC.

Yes, LDAC is built in on Android since 11. But cheap phones probably don't want to pay the license and disable it.

My own example: Xiaomi Redmi 9T, which is a very solid cheap phone. It does not support LDAC.

Try it on mobile phone store first if possible.


----------



## Musicoflife

charlescc2 said:


> Tried the Harman EQ for the FiiO FH3 and felt it was doing way too much with the highs.
> 
> Just noticed an auto EQ preset tab (how long has this been there?) and found a preset for the FH3 (crinacle) and have to say it's greatly improving the sound for me.  Creates better vocal separation without going overboard like the Harman EQ.  I've been sticking with flat EQ over the Harman and felt things sound sightly muddied, but this crinacle EQ completely opens things up.  Absolutely loving the FH3 now.
> 
> Still blown away every day by how much value the Q5K is for the price.



Crinacle's EQ is based on his IEF Neutral Target curve which has less treble emphasis than Harman 2019. And do note: it EQs everything flat from 1khz down. 
I prefer this target over Harman 2019, but since I like more bass, I use the Harman target for frequencies from 20hz to 150hz to get the best of both.


----------



## charlescc2

Musicoflife said:


> Crinacle's EQ is based on his IEF Neutral Target curve which has less treble emphasis than Harman 2019. And do note: it EQs everything flat from 1khz down.
> I prefer this target over Harman 2019, but since I like more bass, I use the Harman target for frequencies from 20hz to 150hz to get the best of both.


Gotcha, thanks for the explanation.

Yeah wow, going Harman target for that range with Crinacle for the rest definitely kicks up the bass a notch.  Will have to go back and forth for awhile comparing it with Crinacle's standard EQ, but I'll at least be using this EQ situationally.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

Here's a totally impractical way to use a 5k:




Bootstrapped to a Little Bear B4-X, it's effectively the first portable bluetooth tube-fed amplifier I've had the pleasure of listening to. Surprisingly usable while moving around the house, too.

I am a little confused, though, about the optimal volume settings for using the 5K as effectively just a DAC and having it send a Line Out signal to the B4-X. Am I introducing distortion if both the Bluetooth and 5K volume sliders are maxed out? Even if they're both at -1.0 dB? Seems like I lose a lot of usable volume with this combo compared to some of my more powerful sources.


----------



## Musicoflife

charlescc2 said:


> Gotcha, thanks for the explanation.
> 
> Yeah wow, going Harman target for that range with Crinacle for the rest definitely kicks up the bass a notch.  Will have to go back and forth for awhile comparing it with Crinacle's standard EQ, but I'll at least be using this EQ situationally.


From what I've read , Crinacle just loves sub bass, so I'm sure he boosts the bass for his own listening pleasure. 

His IEF Target is just his take on what is absolute Neutral in-ear tonality. To some people, neutral tone is boring. Feel free to tweak any setting to suit your taste, use his target as a good starting point. Our Q5K makes it fun and easy to experiment.


----------



## newworld666 (Aug 12, 2021)

Musicoflife said:


> From what I've read , Crinacle just loves sub bass, so I'm sure* he boosts the bass for his own listening pleasure.*


I am almost sure not .. as you probably just get muddy boring bass with doing this.

With good headphones or IEM => you get fastest, clearest and deepest kicks almost without EQ or little EQ in Bass and Sub bass (IER-Z1R, HEDDphone Z7M2) and many other IEM you really need to lower sub bass and bass by a big margin to get detailed music and not just muddy rumble (Xelento).
Harman target is often like a disaster for bass and sub bass details and impacts speed.


----------



## Musicoflife

newworld666 said:


> With good headphones or IEM => you get fastest, clearest and deepest kicks almost without EQ or little EQ in Bass and Sub bass (IER-Z1R, HEDDphone Z7M2) and many other IEM you really need to lower sub bass and bass by a big margin to get detailed music and not just muddy rumble (Xelento).


Almost all IEMs come stock tuned with some bass (and treble) emphasis and yeah the really well tuned ones need little or no EQ. 
But we're discussing here about applying the AutoEq filters for the IEF Neutral Target in the Q5K. It would entirely flatten their careful bass tuning. I don't think many people would find such ruler flat bass sufficient. My advice is to realise this and not apply the IEF Neutral Target wholesale, especially at the bass end.


----------



## jsmiller58

Musicoflife said:


> the really well tuned ones need little or no EQ.


Hmmm.  Not everyone has the hearing they had when they were 21…


----------



## Musicoflife

jsmiller58 said:


> Hmmm.  Not everyone has the hearing they had when they were 21…


Haha... how do we determine if they are well tuned? When they fit our hearing young or old. In the end beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Aug 12, 2021)

Musicoflife said:


> Haha... how do we determine if they are well tuned? When they fit our hearing young or old. In the end beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


The nice thing about EQ is that it can open up many more choices in IEMs and headphones for any individual.  Rather than hunting for the perfect one it is possible to turn many into good enough ones…. While still hunting for your perfect one!

I used to have a deep aversion to EQ.  Seemed almost… impure.  Now I realize that was a bias with little merit, and probably served vendors and manufacturers better than it served me since it kept me buying stuff.  No, EQ, cannot fix technicalities, but for most of my day to day listening, tonality / timbre is what is important, along with ergonomics.


----------



## Apex Eight

Thinned out my IEM collection to where all I had left was Buds+ while waiting for Dunu SA6 to come in. Been working from home pretty much exclusively and I've started using the CAL SE more. Great combo with the convenience of the Q5K, and the lightweight, comfortable CAL SE and warm sound signature.


----------



## povidlo

miserybeforethemusic said:


> Here's a totally impractical way to use a 5k:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've tried the same combo, instead strapping 5K to the side whereas it fits well width-wise. I get a bit too much noise for this combo to be usable on daily basis due to BT interference from 5K being too close to B4-X that becomes inaudible only at fairly high volume levels.

In terms of volume adjustments, when there's an option to adjust input level to amp through pre-amp or dac, I adjust it to a level so that end head amplifier is operated somewhere in 11-12 oclock volume knob range. Wiseman once told me that head amplifiers generally best operate when their volume level is in that 40-50% range.

You should also watch out for clipping, which is somewhat alleviated due to not being able to turn off 5K's amp, aka "double-amping". If there's not enough headroom on B4X's knob and things clip too early, that's a sign to reduce output level from 5K.


----------



## miserybeforethemusic

povidlo said:


> I've tried the same combo, instead strapping 5K to the side whereas it fits well width-wise. I get a bit too much noise for this combo to be usable on daily basis due to BT interference from 5K being too close to B4-X that becomes inaudible only at fairly high volume levels.
> 
> In terms of volume adjustments, when there's an option to adjust input level to amp through pre-amp or dac, I adjust it to a level so that end head amplifier is operated somewhere in 11-12 oclock volume knob range. Wiseman once told me that head amplifiers generally best operate when their volume level is in that 40-50% range.
> 
> You should also watch out for clipping, which is somewhat alleviated due to not being able to turn off 5K's amp, aka "double-amping". If there's not enough headroom on B4X's knob and things clip too early, that's a sign to reduce output level from 5K.


Sounds like gain-staging, which I was hoping to not need, but I can live with it. Thanks!


----------



## zolom

The new Auto EQ Preset option is just GREAT!


----------



## Musicoflife (Aug 13, 2021)

jsmiller58 said:


> No, EQ, cannot fix technicalities, but for most of my day to day listening, tonality / timbre is what is important, along with ergonomics.


Well put!

Sad that many would keep searching for another earpiece to buy when a little EQ will fix their issue with the one on hand. I even had someone tell me EQ is wrong as it changes the studio engineer's intent! This was in response to the suggestion to EQ his hifi for room resonance (boom). So he spent $$$ on room treatments instead. A Behringer DEQ2496 would have saved him thousands, and produce a better result.

 I've nothing against acoustic wall tiles to reduce surface reflections as there are some things EQ alone cannot do in the room.


----------



## Nolbert0

arar said:


> Ordered this just now because screw it, why not, it looks like I'm getting into IEMs so something a bit better than the Apple lightning-to-3.5mm dongle and a bit smaller than the iFi BL would be nice.
> 
> I wonder if it would be worth it to get a cheap Android phone just for the LDAC support. Probably not right now, since I'm just streaming Spotify currently? Has anyone gone from iPhone's AAC to Android's LDAC recently (specifically with Qudelix 5k or another similar BT DAC-amp)?


There are DAPs that also transmit LDAC that are probably cheaper and defo smaller than a cheap smartphone e.g. Hidzs AP80, Shanling M0, HiBy R2 and TempoTec V1-A (this one has a 2nd mSD slot, btw). All of these DAPs can be controlled by an app on your phone so you can still have a big screen experience, but without actually adding another big screen.


----------



## Musicoflife

One month on, it appears the response to the innovative, game changing Qx-over earphones has been rather underwhelming. Are the expected benefits of active crossover such as lower IMD distortion - realized? 

 Please chime in, owners.


----------



## maschoff

What Auto EQ preset is everyone using with the QX-OVERS?


----------



## waynes world

alex5908 said:


> Aha, 52 bucks from me.



Was that shipped with DHL? I'm also in Canada, and DHL seems to always nail me. It would be nice if Qudelix sold the 5K on amazon.ca.


----------



## rlw6534

I would have bought the QX-over just to see what it was like, but the $20 shipping tipped the scales...


----------



## Musicoflife

rlw6534 said:


> I would have bought the QX-over just to see what it was like, but the $20 shipping tipped the scales...


Me too. I don't see it sold on Amazon to date. Is Qudelix team rethinking it? Instead of 2 DDs of same size, maybe a hybrid setup would be better proof of concept?


----------



## mhoopes

Musicoflife said:


> One month on, it appears the response to the innovative, game changing Qx-over earphones has been rather underwhelming. Are the expected benefits of active crossover such as lower IMD distortion - realized?
> 
> Please chime in, owners.


I don’t know. I don’t have a good recent comparative data point in this price range. I also haven’t seen measurements on IMD or phase response, and any comparison with the same drivers and passive crossover networks. Anyone have cheaper earphones than the QX-over that sound better on the 5K?


----------



## arar (Aug 17, 2021)

Got my Q5k last night and just wanted to say this is one dang superb little device. Really only positive things to say so far.

edit: Actually, one question: the manual talks about Absolute Volume and Volume Protection settings, but I'm not seeing those on my iPhone app. Is it an Android only thing? I just downloaded the app yesterday and it prompted me to update the Q5k FW too, so I would imagine everything is up to date.


----------



## Musicoflife

arar said:


> Got my Q5k last night and just wanted to say this is one dang superb little device. Really only positive things to say so far.
> 
> edit: Actually, one question: the manual talks about Absolute Volume and Volume Protection settings, but I'm not seeing those on my iPhone app. Is it an Android only thing? I just downloaded the app yesterday and it prompted me to update the Q5k FW too, so I would imagine everything is up to date.


The manual needs updating. Recent FW revisions have removed this as a feature.


----------



## arar (Aug 17, 2021)

Okay, another question: why is this dang thing not charging from a PC USB port? Connecting it to my PC only turns the thing on, "Power USB VBUS" still says disconnected and "charging" says OFF.

The auto-power settings don't seem to stick, either, the Q5k always turns on when I connect it to a PC via USB no matter what I choose from the device -> power settings.

edit: okay, there was something broken with the Q5k-app connection even though listening via BT worked just fine. Removed it and reconnected it and now it seems to work again.


----------



## CZ Eddie

Can someone confirm this is the pinout used for 2.5mm balanced output?


----------



## mhoopes

CZ Eddie said:


> Can someone confirm this is the pinout used for 2.5mm balanced output?


Yes, that is correct (matches the pinout in the user manual).


----------



## CZ Eddie

THANK YOU!
I did not think to download the manual.  sheesh


----------



## PopZeus

Been digging the 5k. The only things I don’t love about it are the buttons and the quiet on/off chime. Otherwise, it’s a nice replacement for the ES100.


----------



## mhoopes (Aug 19, 2021)

PopZeus said:


> Been digging the 5k. The only things I don’t love about it are the buttons and the quiet on/off chime. Otherwise, it’s a nice replacement for the ES100.


The default “tone volume” became very low in one of the firmware updates. You can configure it in VOLUME…OPTION:


----------



## Tinysota

PopZeus said:


> Been digging the 5k. The only things I don’t love about it are the buttons and the quiet on/off chime. Otherwise, it’s a nice replacement for the ES100.


I actually prefer the quieter on/off chime. It was startling to have a very loud “on” chime before the firmware update- I often forget how loud I am listening to music the previous session


----------



## CZ Eddie

I searched this thread for keyword "persistent" but didn't find anything here or in the user manual.

How can I configure this device so that volume is always set to maximum when connecting?
Right now, every time I turn this on the volume is waaaay too low.  And it takes a lot of clicks to get it where I want it.


----------



## jasonb

Just got a cheap and short 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable from Amazon to use my 5K with an M50x. Using LDAC and a modified "oratory" EQ these sound quite good. I'd still prefer the K371 and the 5K, but the K371 doesn't get along with glasses as well as the M50x. I've recently gotten glasses again, switching from contacts.


----------



## Lurk650

arar said:


> Thanks for the response (and all the conversation that followed, interesting stuff)!
> 
> Honestly, I'm just not gonna stress about it right now, then. I could absolutely see myself belonging in the "can't tell a difference" group, I'm not an analytical listener in any way and I've always had difficulties with those tests where you have to discern between a FLAC and a low-bitrate MP3 file, for example.
> 
> ...


I just translated your location and that was actually pretty damn funny


----------



## Nolbert0

jasonb said:


> Just got a cheap and short 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable from Amazon to use my 5K with an M50x. Using LDAC and a modified "oratory" EQ these sound quite good. I'd still prefer the K371 and the 5K, but the K371 doesn't get along with glasses as well as the M50x. I've recently gotten glasses again, switching from contacts.


What sorcery are you using to attach the 5K to the ear cup? Love the cable management. I do that to the tag end of my guitar strings in stead of cutting them off so I have little circles on my headstock.


----------



## jasonb

Nolbert0 said:


> What sorcery are you using to attach the 5K to the ear cup? Love the cable management. I do that to the tag end of my guitar strings in stead of cutting them off so I have little circles on my headstock.


Just Velcro.


----------



## fonkepala

jasonb said:


> Just got a cheap and short 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable from Amazon to use my 5K with an M50x. Using LDAC and a modified "oratory" EQ these sound quite good. I'd still prefer the K371 and the 5K, but the K371 doesn't get along with glasses as well as the M50x. I've recently gotten glasses again, switching from contacts.


Link to the cable please?


----------



## 9fF3pZAQMj

Hi everyone! Long time, first time.

Is anyone able to advise whether the Qudelix 5k works on the PS5 via USB and does it have mic input via 3.5mm?

Loving the look of this product, just want to make sure that it will work via USB to my Playstation 5, and if possible mic input using the vmoda boom pro ( https://www.v-moda.com/us/en/products/boompro-microphone )

Connection chain would be:

PS5 --- USB C Cable --- Qudelix 5K --- 3.5mm TRRS connector - VModa Boom Pro cable with Microphone - 3.5mm TRS connector --- AKG K702 headphones

Now from what I have read, the Q5K is compatible with the PS5 USB, due to its UAC1 compatibility. But, can I use the boom pro mic for voice and the single connection via 3.5mm TRRS into the Q5K. Does the Q5K accept the microphone input of the boom pro, or will I have to use a splitter on the TRRS and put the TRS headphone output to the Q5K and the other TRS mic input to a separate mic connection on the PS5 in order for voice to work?  The Q5K will be sitting on my desk, so I can't use the Q5K inbuilt microphone on the device.

Thanks!


----------



## vsg28

My Qudelix-5K and QX-Over review is now published, for those interested: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/qudelix-5k-portable-dac-amp-qx-over-earphones/


----------



## TK33

vsg28 said:


> My Qudelix-5K and QX-Over review is now published, for those interested: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/qudelix-5k-portable-dac-amp-qx-over-earphones/


Thanks for the review.  Just an FYI, Sony is Japanese, not Korean as your article implies.  I suggest removing this sentence:

"Know what else is based in South Korea? The company behind my favorite Bluetooth audio codec—Sony. "


----------



## vsg28

TK33 said:


> Thanks for the review.  Just an FYI, Sony is Japanese, not Korean as your article implies.  I suggest removing this sentence:
> 
> "Know what else is based in South Korea? The company behind my favorite Bluetooth audio codec—Sony. "


Oh boy, I need to have a word with our editing team for taking some dumb liberties there. Thanks, I've put that paragraph back where it was when I wrote and submitted it almost a month ago.


----------



## elNan

Did you guys knew there is a Dignis case for the Qudelix 5K? Almost half the price of the device but quite nice nonetheless…


----------



## maschoff

elNan said:


> Did you guys knew there is a Dignis case for the Qudelix 5K? Almost half the price of the device but quite nice nonetheless…
> 
> 
> I think these would make throwing the 5K across the room less pleasurable because someone made the QX-over cord 3 inches too long. I swear, it catches on everything. And throwing it out of the way is the only solution to a possible tripping hazzard.


----------



## superuser1

Finally ordered one of these as my new phone doesn't have a headphone jack. I hope it's something i won't regret.


----------



## courierdriver

superuser1 said:


> Finally ordered one of these as my new phone doesn't have a headphone jack. I hope it's something i won't regret.


I'm guessing that you will end up liking it. Headphone jacks are going the way of the Dodo bird on most higher $ smartphones and even when phones did have them in the past, they usually weren't very good. Usually had low output and not very good audio dacs in them. Only one I have ever seen that had good reviews was the LG G series ( 20-40) but I can't comment since I have never owned or heard the quad dacs that were present in those phones at the time. My Samsung S8 had a phone jack and it didn't sound very good and didn't have enough power to drive anything I owned (iems or headphones) to a satisfying listening level. Only when I bought a dedicated USB dac/amp (Fiio Q1MK2) did I begin to understand how much better music could sound from a phone. I also ended up buying 3 Radsone Earsonics ES100 dac/amps and most recently, the Qudelix. I now use these devices with my Samsung S20 (which also has no phone jack) but the SQ on all is good enough for me to not want to bother with desktop dacs and amps (or even home audio speaker based setups). If you can, try to take advantage of the balanced output of the Qudelix. This provides even better separation and imaging, as well as more power. In any case, I'm certain that you would be happier with the sound of your gear, than by just using the phone's built-in dac and the headphone jack. Just my 2-cents...ymmv.


----------



## animalelder

elNan said:


> Did you guys knew there is a Dignis case for the Qudelix 5K? Almost half the price of the device but quite nice nonetheless…


I love how it looks, but the price gives me pause. The Q5 doesn’t feel fragile anyway. The ES100 feels like it would be more prone to damage.


----------



## superuser1

courierdriver said:


> I'm guessing that you will end up liking it. Headphone jacks are going the way of the Dodo bird on most higher $ smartphones and even when phones did have them in the past, they usually weren't very good. Usually had low output and not very good audio dacs in them. Only one I have ever seen that had good reviews was the LG G series ( 20-40) but I can't comment since I have never owned or heard the quad dacs that were present in those phones at the time. My Samsung S8 had a phone jack and it didn't sound very good and didn't have enough power to drive anything I owned (iems or headphones) to a satisfying listening level. Only when I bought a dedicated USB dac/amp (Fiio Q1MK2) did I begin to understand how much better music could sound from a phone. I also ended up buying 3 Radsone Earsonics ES100 dac/amps and most recently, the Qudelix. I now use these devices with my Samsung S20 (which also has no phone jack) but the SQ on all is good enough for me to not want to bother with desktop dacs and amps (or even home audio speaker based setups). If you can, try to take advantage of the balanced output of the Qudelix. This provides even better separation and imaging, as well as more power. In any case, I'm certain that you would be happier with the sound of your gear, than by just using the phone's built-in dac and the headphone jack. Just my 2-cents...ymmv.


thanks for the reply.. i know exactly what you mean and thankfully i have many 2.5mm terminated cables that i can use for the balanced port. When i am not carrying the DX160 i hope this can suffice as a standby. I am sure i'll have many more questions once i get it in my hands. I wonder what changes we can expect now that QUALCOMM has announced its aptX lossless codec


----------



## greyforest

It would be very interesting if q5k could output digital signals through it’s usb port. Consider many portable dac&amp is self powered, if q5k could work as an Bluetooth receiver ....is it possible to have uac on q5k?


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 5, 2021)

greyforest said:


> It would be very interesting if q5k could output digital signals through it’s usb port. Consider many portable dac&amp is self powered, if q5k could work as an Bluetooth receiver ....is it possible to have uac on q5k?


No, the Qudelix 5K can't use an external USB DAC/Amp like the Centrance M8V2..  I just tried, but nothing coming, like I get with a little Shanling M0 in same situation..
Shanling can be used as LDAC BT receiver and push digital music to an external DAC, the Qudelix 5K can't. It's a pity, as the PEQ of the Qudelix 5K is really convenient.


----------



## greyforest

newworld666 said:


> No, the Qudelix 5K can't use an external USB DAC/Amp like the Centrance M8V2..  I just tried, but nothing coming, like I get with a little Shanling M0 in same situation..
> Shanling can be used as LDAC BT receiver and push digital music to an external DAC, the Qudelix 5K can't. It's a pity, as the PEQ of the Qudelix 5K is really convenient.


which shanling product?

i know q5k currently cant do that, and i am suggesting such feature.


----------



## ElectricKaibutu

I am having a heck of a time telling when this thing is on or off. I'd rather not set it to have the lights on all the time. Anyone have any tricks to be able to tell?


----------



## TK33

ElectricKaibutu said:


> I am having a heck of a time telling when this thing is on or off. I'd rather not set it to have the lights on all the time. Anyone have any tricks to be able to tell?


Did you check the tone volume?  Recent firmware set the default very low on mine so I had to increase it. You should hear some sound effects when it turns on and off (and connects).  I keep the lights on but have dimmed them in the app so it no longer bothers me.  They were super bright when this thing first came out before Qudelix added this option.  See link to post by @mhoopes below:

Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-16514991


----------



## ElectricKaibutu

TK33 said:


> Did you check the tone volume?  Recent firmware set the default very low on mine so I had to increase it. You should hear some sound effects when it turns on and off (and connects).  I keep the lights on but have dimmed them in the app so it no longer bothers me.  They were super bright when this thing first came out before Qudelix added this option.  See link to post by @mhoopes below:
> 
> Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-16514991


Thank you! The tone volume was pretty low so I cranked it all the way up. I turned the lights on too and am keeping them at their dimmest.


----------



## fonkepala

ElectricKaibutu said:


> Thank you! The tone volume was pretty low so I cranked it all the way up. I turned the lights on too and am keeping them at their dimmest.


That's what I did too. Granted it's not very intuitive sometimes but so far, it works quite well.


----------



## Musicoflife

ElectricKaibutu said:


> I am having a heck of a time telling when this thing is on or off. I'd rather not set it to have the lights on all the time. Anyone have any tricks to be able to tell?


The volume control. If the Q5K is powered off, you won't see it light up red on pressing up or down. That's how I can tell.


----------



## Toastybob

Musicoflife said:


> The manual needs updating. Recent FW revisions have removed this as a feature.


Huh, do you know why they were removed?


----------



## mico1964

Toastybob said:


> Huh, do you know why they were removed?


It has not been removed. From version 1.8 onwards it is no longer optional, but always on.


----------



## Infoseeker

What position are you guys using the QX-feed at? For headphones?  For iems?


----------



## BassInYourSpace (Sep 15, 2021)

I got the Q5K today and it's fair to say I'm impressed. The BTR5 was always fine, but the Q5K absolutely sounds better with my Campfire Cascade (main portable set). Aside from the sound I've really liked the app, and while I'm sure the novelty will fade I like tinkering with stuff and the EQ is a bona-fide hoot to play with. The app is also much (much much) better than Fiio's, which is... not the best feature of that device. I may keep the Fiio for my IEMs but more than likely it will be up for sale soon enough.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Even as I'm writing this I'm impressed with how good it sounds attached to the Cascade. I can't quite put my finger on the exact difference(s?) over the BTR5 but it just sounds more _enjoyable_. I never found myself 3hr deep in a music hole with the Fiio and the Cascade, and yet here I am with the Q5K head-banging at 10:30pm with no end in site.


----------



## keesue (Sep 16, 2021)

I ordered one from the company direct to get the IEMs as well.  I ate the $20USD shipping fee as Amazon did not have the dedicated IEMs.  They arrived from Korea to SF in 5 days.  They took a circuitous route in FEDEXs' system but they showed up early in the morning of the 5th day.  I immediately connected the 5K via USB to my Macbook Air with no issues and connected to my iPad Air via BT with no issues.  I downloaded the IOS app onto the iPad and an update popped up and installed with no issues.  I'm in the process of replacing my iPhone and expect it will work with it with no issues.

Sound-wise, the IEMs with the Q5X-over EQ setting, sound pretty fine.  Their planar nature shines through and given they were designed to go with the unit, with the dual driver cross over configuration, I feel I made the right decision.  They are articulate, free from hash and glare, are silent and pleasing to the ear - meaning so far I have not experienced fatigue.  (I've been around the block with ear fatigue via early IEMs and these are a pleasure).  Bass is wholly dependent on the tip size.  I switched to middle of the three provided and bass 'synergized' right into the mix.  They sound very well indeed on acoustic jazz which is my benchmark and the raison d'arte for my purchase.  I am going to try some of my other IEMs for the heck of it but these IEMs appear to be a winner.  Oh, and the DAC/AMP itself is spot on.  It just gets out of the way, to my ears anyway.

On the buttons:  The red light comes on to let you know its awake and then turns itself off.  The blue light remains off until you press it.  There is a slight indentation on the red button which is the volume adjust.  Also, you can orient by the clip.  I actually prefer the buttons versus a rotary so I'm fine with them.  Other than adjusting for the 5K X-over IEMs and a few other minor bits, it is part of the audio team.  Small little rascal for sure.

Thanks to all who posted their impressions.  I based my decision on your collective input.


----------



## Musicoflife

Glad you're happy with the Qudelix 5K and Xover IEM. Nowadays I wouldn't listen to my collection of 20+ IEMs without using the 5K with each one individually EQ'D using published FR graphs and fine tuned with my ears 😏 I've been sitting on the fence on getting the Xover due to its rather lukewarm reception and shipping cost. How would you compare its SQ to other IEMs? 
BTW the Xover uses 2 DDs, not planar drivers.


----------



## keesue

Thanks for the correction.  I had planars on the brain.  I had been looking at the new 7 Hz Timeless and I got stuck in gear.  Intriguing...

I haven't spent time comparing them to my other IEMs.  I'll report back once I do so. I like the EQ presets.  I tried a few until I scrolled down and found the Xover.  Has worked nicely thus far.  I just wanted a small portable DAC/Amp to drive my headphones whilst I work out of the office.  The IEMs at the price were a bonus as far as I was concerned.  

I am not a professional reviewer such as you guys are here.  I have been listening through headphones since boyhood with portable cassette tapes though cheap headphones that assualted your hearing.  When I got my Koss Pro 4AAs I was in the big leagues.    Now, here I am with headphones hanging everywhere driven by tubes.  

That said, reading up on the comments with the insigthful and in-depth analysis, I was able to get a solid sense for how good this product really is so I pulled the trigger.    I am confident they will fill the bill.  Qudelix did a good job in my opinion.

I'll let you know what I hear...


----------



## greyforest

Musicoflife said:


> Glad you're happy with the Qudelix 5K and Xover IEM. Nowadays I wouldn't listen to my collection of 20+ IEMs without using the 5K with each one individually EQ'D using published FR graphs and fine tuned with my ears 😏 I've been sitting on the fence on getting the Xover due to its rather lukewarm reception and shipping cost. How would you compare its SQ to other IEMs?
> BTW the Xover uses 2 DDs, not planar drivers.


qxover might be the most cost-value efficient hifi iem you ever gonna find on the market once you had q5k.


----------



## Musicoflife

greyforest said:


> qxover might be the most cost-value efficient hifi iem you ever gonna find on the market once you had q5k.


Do you use Qxover with or without the AutoEQ to Harman 2019? Some just love the V shape sound.


----------



## keesue (Sep 17, 2021)

I see three EQ models named Harmon.  I tried the middle one and it made the IEMs sound much better.  I didn't see the 2019 version.  This is all new to me so any suggestions you have are welcomed indeed.  Thanks.  I gotta say, the more I listen to them the more I am impressed with their clarity and transparency.  The EQ curves really let you dial them in without sounding fatiguing.  What a bargain...


----------



## Musicoflife

keesue said:


> I see three EQ models named Harmon.  I tried the middle one and it made the IEMs sound much better.  I didn't see the 2019 version.  This is all new to me so any suggestions you have are welcomed indeed.  Thanks.  I gotta say, the more I listen to them the more I am impressed with their clarity and transparency.  The EQ curves really let you dial them in without sounding fatiguing.  What a bargain...


 Back in the day we'd read about PEQ (as opposed to GEQ) and thought how wonderful just to have one or two PEQ filters to target specific annoying frequencies. You'd pay big bucks to have such a thing. Now the Q5K offers 10 such filters in a portable device for so little cost. 

It's a powerful audio tool and like all powerful tools can give very good or very bad results. It boils down to proper understanding and use of PEQs. 

 Try an IEM you didn't like and adjust the frequency response one filter at a time. It's hugely educational... learn how individual frequency bands affect the sound and how even high frequencies can affect the perceived quality of the bass. Even a dB change may make for a subtle difference and be worthwhile. 

All settings are reversible so go ahead, experiment, learn... and enjoy!


----------



## keesue

Rgr that...thanks again.


----------



## greyforest

Musicoflife said:


> Do you use Qxover with or without the AutoEQ to Harman 2019? Some just love the V shape sound.


i dont use eq i prefer qxover for what it is


----------



## Musicoflife

keesue said:


> Thanks for the correction.  I had planars on the brain.  I had been looking at the new 7 Hz Timeless


Me too... I just ordered one 😊

Like you, I have a pair of planar speakers.


----------



## keesue (Sep 20, 2021)

Planars driven by Class A tube amps are pure heaven.  I built my entire system for those Maggies.  They made their entrance into my system in 1997 and I have never looked back.  Voice and acoustic jazz are their forte.

Please let us know how those 7’s sound.  I want to pair them with the 5K.  The 5K X-overs are no slouch though, but I’d like those 7‘s in the stable.  Again, nothing does the human voice and acoustic jazz like planars.  (My Stax earspeakers lost the bass response and a part of me died when they did).  The amp is fine so I’m saving up the ole pennies to upgrade.  Only 9999999 pennies to go!  😂

My only concern is the 7Hz are closed back and planars like to be open?  But maybe not for IEMs...dunno


----------



## superuser1 (Sep 20, 2021)

i think the app is one of the best i have come across ... they have almost thought of everything including limiting the charge of the unit till 80%


----------



## keesue

I’m just getting the hang of it.  It is mature I agree!


----------



## Musicoflife

keesue said:


> Planars driven by Class A tube amps are pure heaven.  I built my entire system for those Maggies.  They made their entrance into my system in 1997 and I have never looked back.  Voice and acoustic jazz are their forte.
> 
> Please let us know how those 7’s sound.  I want to pair them with the 5K.  The 5K X-overs are no slouch though, but I’d like those 7‘s in the stable.  Again, nothing does the human voice and acoustic jazz like planars.  (My Stax earspeakers lost the bass response and a part of me died when they did).  The amp is fine so I’m saving up the ole pennies to upgrade.  Only 9999999 pennies to go!  😂
> 
> My only concern is the 7Hz are closed back and planars like to be open?  But maybe not for IEMs...dunno


Sure will post some OOTB impressions of the Timeless when it arrives. Seller says he'll get new stocks this week and ship it, which means a 2 week wait. 

Yeah I stayed with my nephew who had Maggie 3 with Krell amp. Couldn't stop replaying Evita! I used to run Apogee Caliper pure ribbon speakers and in my lounge, man it was boomy. Wish I had the Q5K then to control the room nodes lol.


----------



## Musicoflife

superuser1 said:


> i think the app is one of the best i have come across ... they have almost thought of everything including limiting the charge the unit till 80%


This is what happens when they really listen to buyer feedback and request. Using a different handle. I happen to be one of three guys in the Qudelix site who badgered for the option to limit the battery charge. Within days, it was done! I actually asked for the limit to be user programmable, but hey I'll live with 80%.


----------



## plakat

Interesting… to me the app is rather convoluted and functionally overloaded. I was digging through all the options (impressive list for sure) since one of my ES100 units Ia giving me troubles recently…
I really appreciate the simple firmware updates with the Qudelix but other than that I just can’t connect with it on a personal level. I‘ve put it back on the shelf.


----------



## Musicoflife

plakat said:


> Interesting… to me the app is rather convoluted and functionally overloaded. I was digging through all the options (impressive list for sure) since one of my ES100 units Ia giving me troubles recently…
> I really appreciate the simple firmware updates with the Qudelix but other than that I just can’t connect with it on a personal level. I‘ve put it back on the shelf.


When I first used the app it was a bit confusing for me too. Sometimes I couldn't find my way back to a particular option. The menu structure made sense when I realized the bottom row of icons are the main menu, and the top row the submenu. 

Hope this helps.


----------



## keesue

Ok, I spent some time with the 5K.  I was letting the IEMs burn-in for a few days.  I found the Harmon 2019 in-ear setting after spending some serious time with the app.  Uh, wow!  That's all I gotta say.  I'm listening through my iPhone12 Mini streaming Spotify premium.  

I'm listening to Connie Han, a jazz pianist from L.A.  That child has hands!  She surrounds herself with superb musicians and she is simply incredible. These IEMs are spot-on with this setting.  It validates the shipping cost to get them for sure.  Stand up double bass sounds woody and correct, cymbals sound correct - not tizzy - and the mids where the sax and piano live are well balanced and clear.  I also listened to John Mayer who is also a superb musician and song writer.  He sounds excellent.  The 5K is clear and articulate, navigates through complex passages well and just gives it to you without drawing undo attention.  After all my years of listening to audio, I am confident I made the right decision with the 5K for its intended purpose

I can sit at my desk, travel or just lay-up with a minimal audio footprint and have top flight audio.  Just what I wanted.  That is all for now...


----------



## arar

Can I download more auto EQ presets somewhere? Tried the crinacle one for my CA Honeydews out of curiosity and it sounded _awful_. Interested in trying something that'd bring them closer to the harman curve.


----------



## Musicoflife

arar said:


> Can I download more auto EQ presets somewhere? Tried the crinacle one for my CA Honeydews out of curiosity and it sounded _awful_. Interested in trying something that'd bring them closer to the harman curve.


If it's from the site below, the FR measurements were done by Crinacle, then Jaak applied AutoEQ with it against the Harman 2019 target curve. It wasn't even using Crinacle's Target Neutral curve. 

The result is poor from the final graph shown, deviations of 5dB or more from the Harman target from 2khz on up. Idk if the resultant FR is measured or calculated, but I'd assume it's calculated. If so it seems AutoEQ has failed to do its task with 10 PEQ filters, perhaps more filters is needed here. 

You might try to manually approximate the EQ needed by yourself, which is what I usually do. 

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/Au.../harman_in-ear_2019v2/Campfire Audio Honeydew


----------



## dw1narso

I usually prefer Oratory measurement but use them as reference only and adjust manually based on my preference.. 
https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/


----------



## darmanastartes

This is a bit complicated, but you can use a tool like webplotdigitizer to generate raw data from graph images, load that data into Room EQ Wizard as a frequency response curve, and then use REW to generate an EQ setting using the target of your choice using REW's house curve function. You'll then have to manually input it into the Qudelix app.


----------



## 9fF3pZAQMj

darmanastartes said:


> This is a bit complicated, but you can use a tool like webplotdigitizer to generate raw data from graph images, load that data into Room EQ Wizard as a frequency response curve, and then use REW to generate an EQ setting using the target of your choice using REW's house curve function. You'll then have to manually input it into the Qudelix app.


Great advice, thanks!


----------



## CZ Eddie

Is there a trick to using USB-C mic?  
I connected one but it doesn't seem to be working.
Didn't see any obviously related settings in the Qudelix app for it?


----------



## CZ Eddie

Also, how do you remove the pocket clip on this thing?


----------



## TK33

CZ Eddie said:


> Is there a trick to using USB-C mic?
> I connected one but it doesn't seem to be working.
> Didn't see any obviously related settings in the Qudelix app for it?


Never tried but see post from @rkw (did a quick search for "usb mic" in this thread).

Post in thread 'The Qudelix-5K thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-qudelix-5k-thread.914628/post-16193633

Check if the sample rate is 44.1 or 48khz. If that doesn't work I would check on Qudelix's official forum.


----------



## SoundJedi

Wondering if the 5k be used as a pure Bluetooth receiver (no DAC or amplification). It "should" be able to but not sure the option is there in the firmware. 

Has anyone tried this?


----------



## jsmiller58

SoundJedi said:


> Wondering if the 5k be used as a pure Bluetooth receiver (no DAC or amplification). It "should" be able to but not sure the option is there in the firmware.
> 
> Has anyone tried this?


Hmmm.  If it is purely a receiver, what would you be outputting from on the 5K?  The usbc cannot be used as an output as it is only an input.  And the 2.5 / 3.5 outputs are from the DAC/amp…


----------



## SoundJedi

jsmiller58 said:


> Hmmm.  If it is purely a receiver, what would you be outputting from on the 5K?  The usbc cannot be used as an output as it is only an input.  And the 2.5 / 3.5 outputs are from the DAC/amp…



Gotcha. Yeah that's probably not going to work...

I want to plug a bluetooth receiver into a USB DAC, I also the Q5s but not sure that will work either...


----------



## Nolbert0

SoundJedi said:


> Gotcha. Yeah that's probably not going to work...
> 
> I want to plug a bluetooth receiver into a USB DAC, I also the Q5s but not sure that will work either...


I think the Shanling M0 does Bluetooth Receiving to USB output...


----------



## SoundJedi

Nolbert0 said:


> I think the Shanling M0 does Bluetooth Receiving to USB output...



Thank you. Xduoo Xq-50 Pro seems to also do the trick. I was hoping I wouldn't have to add another gadget to the already long list...oh well.


----------



## newworld666 (Sep 27, 2021)

Nolbert0 said:


> I think the Shanling M0 does Bluetooth Receiving to USB output...


It does .. but battery life is just anorexic in this situation (Connected to a Centrance M8V2 (USB-C) and connected to my smartphone Samsung Z Fold 2 (BT LDAC), as I was hoping some higher SQ with LDAC transfer than the simple APTX of my M8V2).
I can't remember exactly, but was less than 2 or 3 hours in my test. So I actually use it opposite as a DAC connected to my Windows 10 workstation, and send music via LDAC BT to my Sony WM1A + IE900 (it gives me freedom to move a bit in my office room).


----------



## rkw

newworld666 said:


> It does .. but battery life is just anorexic in this situation (Connected to a Centrance M8V2 (USB-C) and connected to my smartphone Samsung Z Fold 2 (BT LDAC), as I was hoping some higher SQ with LDAC transfer than the simple APTX of my M8V2).
> I can't remember exactly, but was less than 2 or 3 hours in my test. So I actually use it opposite as a DAC connected to my Windows 10 workstation, and send music via LDAC BT to my Sony WM1A + IE900 (it gives me freedom to move a bit in my office room).


The M0 is tiny and has a small battery. If a larger size is acceptable, the larger models (M1, M2, M3, etc) will have longer battery life.


----------



## 9fF3pZAQMj (Sep 29, 2021)

9fF3pZAQMj said:


> Hi everyone! Long time, first time.
> 
> Is anyone able to advise whether the Qudelix 5k works on the PS5 via USB and does it have mic input via 3.5mm?
> 
> ...



CAN CONFIRM - Qudelix 5K works great on Playstation 5/PS5, set to USB 48KHz (in my case, with Mic), and works great with the vModa Boom Pro microphone for party/voice chat, connected to the AKG K702.

You can bypass the PS5 volume drop for USB DAC's as well, so they are more than loud enough on the PS5, with the K702's (which are considered a littler harder to drive than most headphones).

I have to say, it was impossible finding anyone who could confirm all this online, pain in the ass.  So yeah, works great on PS5 with an inline microphone, VERY impressed, it's awesome.


----------



## superuser1

I am using UAPP on my phone and playing to the 5K over BT, once in a while when a notification comes on the phone the volume goes down and doesn't get restored back to normal. Anyone have any thoughts on this. I cant remember if this happens on any other music app.


----------



## DeJaVu

superuser1 said:


> I am using UAPP on my phone and playing to the 5K over BT, once in a while when a notification comes on the phone the volume goes down and doesn't get restored back to normal. Anyone have any thoughts on this. I cant remember if this happens on any other music app.


I suspect its the safety feature phones are required to have(at least in europe) thats kicking in. On my Samsung phone the setting is in Sounds and Vibration>Volume>press three dots in right top corner>Media volume limiter . It can be disabed there. Not really made easy to find.
So if youre using some different brand try looking inside your sound settings, check if theres advanced options or additional menus like the three dots on samsung.


----------



## Daiyama

Hi there,
I have a Samsung Galaxy M11 connected to the Q5k and I am not able to get higher bit Rates of 330 kbps. 
I set in the developer settings of the M11 HD Audio to on, as codec LDAC, 96 kHz, 24 Bits and Audio quality optimised for audio (up to 990 kbps).
The q5k Status App shows 24/96 with LDAC but only 330 kbps.
330 kbps is hardly above mp3 quality, which is not what I was trying to achieve with the Q5k.
Can anybody help here?
Thanks in advance!


----------



## TK33

Daiyama said:


> Hi there,
> I have a Samsung Galaxy M11 connected to the Q5k and I am not able to get higher bit Rates of 330 kbps.
> I set in the developer settings of the M11 HD Audio to on, as codec LDAC, 96 kHz, 24 Bits and Audio quality optimised for audio (up to 990 kbps).
> The q5k Status App shows 24/96 with LDAC but only 330 kbps.
> ...


My older Samsung phones generally struggled with LDAC (e.g. my S9 wasn't great over LDAC). Not sure if they have gotten better. 

Both my LG V60 and OnePlus 8t stream at 990 automatically without me having to change anything in Developer Options.  Do you have another non-Samsung phone you can try (even if it is a friend's)? Just a suggestion to make sure it isn't an issue with the phone.


----------



## Daiyama

Unfortunately no Android phone in my area, only iPhones (which is also my main phone).
I switched to SBC and back and tataaa 990 Kbps again. Again because I had it very briefly before.
So LDAC looks still a bit wonky on Samsung. 

Thanks, maybe I will try a different  phone (The M11 also struggles a bit with Roon ).


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Daiyama said:


> 330 kbps is hardly above mp3 quality, which is not what I was trying to achieve with the Q5k.


Like you I would want full-on 990kbps, but bear in mind LDAC is a compression-decompression tool that manages to fit more data in those 330 kbps than is preserved in a 320 kbps mp3. Which is why Qualcomm claimed near CD-quality with plain aptX, and full CD quality with aptX HD which caps at 576 kbps, way below the bitrate of CD-quality FLAC.


----------



## InvisibleInk

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Like you I would want full-on 990kbps, but bear in mind LDAC is a compression-decompression tool that manages to fit more data in those 330 kbps than is preserved in a 320 kbps mp3. Which is why Qualcomm claimed near CD-quality with plain aptX, and full CD quality with aptX HD which caps at 576 kbps, way below the bitrate of CD-quality FLAC.


@monsieurfromag3 , that was a quality reply! If this were reddit, I'd drop you some gold for this! Thanks


----------



## pirkko

Daiyama said:


> Unfortunately no Android phone in my area, only iPhones (which is also my main phone).
> I switched to SBC and back and tataaa 990 Kbps again. Again because I had it very briefly before.
> So LDAC looks still a bit wonky on Samsung.
> 
> Thanks, maybe I will try a different  phone (The M11 also struggles a bit with Roon ).


I got 990Kbps working on my S9+ after I changed my wifi from 2.4GHz to 5GHz. Have you tried this?


----------



## Rattle

Samsung phones will turn down ldac quality when there's a crap wifi connection. Turn off wifi and boom 909/990


----------



## Sonic Atrocity (Oct 4, 2021)

Hey everyone,

I just got this device a couple days ago, running my Beyer DT770 250 ohm with it. I _love _this device, and the parametric EQ goes a _long way_ for me; it has fundamentally changed my engagement with (portable) music.

But I am a little confused about the codecs. I don't use Bluetooth on this thing, and I don't want to - I make the priority the USB DAC.

Two questions:

I want to play lossless (preferably FLAC) files, without losing any quality. What program should I be using to _actually play_ the files? Secondly, what codec do I choose in the Qudilex app? It seems that no matter what codec I choose, it still chooses SBC for me? I'm still figuring this thing out.

Edit: Are there options within my Samsung S9+ that are affecting the sound? Anything I need to fix or get rid of? Further, am I supposed to be listening at 16 or 24 bits? Yesterday the Qulidex app stated it was operating at 24 bits, but later it said 16. 

I'm pretty confused.


----------



## InvisibleInk

Sonic Atrocity said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just got this device a couple days ago, running my Beyer DT770 250 ohm with it. I _love _this device, and the parametric EQ goes a _long way_ for me; it has fundamentally changed my engagement with (portable) music.
> 
> ...


If you are just using Bluetooth to access the app, I'd don't think the codec matters that much.


----------



## TK33

Sonic Atrocity said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I just got this device a couple days ago, running my Beyer DT770 250 ohm with it. I _love _this device, and the parametric EQ goes a _long way_ for me; it has fundamentally changed my engagement with (portable) music.
> 
> ...


If you are not using bluetooth then there is no codec needed (and it should not be using SBC).  Codecs like SBC are for bluetooth playback (i.e. put simply, phone or other bluetooth transmitting device compressed data and sends to Qudelix 5K over bluetooth, which decompresses it and converts to analog signal using its DAC).  If you use as USB DAC, the compression/decompression part over bluetooth does not occur and data is sent directly from source to 5K over USB.  Just make sure your phone (or other device) is playing over USB and not over bluetooth.  Not sure if it can be connected to both at the same time since I don't use the 5K as a USB dac/amp.

As for player, depends on what you are using as your source.  If Android, something like UAPP should work to bypass Android resampling.


----------



## Nolbert0

Yh, the codecs on the app are only for bluetooth transmission so it will not affect USB performance at all.

But... If you're playing FLAC over BT, it won't make a huge difference between one or the other, either. Since all BT transmission is lossy (yes, even LDAC), the biggest common loss in audio quality comes from transmitting from a lossy source (I'm mostly looking at you, Spotify and YouTube Music). So it's literally taking an mp3 file and converting it to aac (as an example). An audiophile faux pas, if ever there was one! But lossless to lossy is a far more forgivable sin. I am still waiting for the day when FLAC is an option for BT transmission. Hopefully BT6.0 or 7.0 will have enough bandwidth for reliable FLAC transmission. We're almost there now, tbf.

The day lossless bluetooth audio is a thing, is the day the headphone cable officially dies... Granted it'll die a MUCH slower death in this here forum but still...


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 5, 2021)

Nolbert0 said:


> The day lossless bluetooth audio is a thing, is the day the headphone cable officially dies... Granted it'll die a MUCH slower death in this here forum but still...


I think you have a good point, but I think it will still be a bit more complex…. The built in BT hardware and battery will add cost and bulk, so for any given price point and form factor, wired will still be better cost and quality.  Then there is longevity…. Batteries fail over time which will reduce the longevity of wireless earphones.

But there is no denying that as soon as TWS becomes good enough, the marginal benefit of better wired IEMs is much less appealing…. For some that day is already here.  For others it will come soon.  For yet others it may be a long way off.


----------



## Nolbert0

jsmiller58 said:


> For some that day is already here. For others it will come soon. For yet others it may be a long way off.


You're 100% right. Maybe my phrasing was just a bit too cynical and tounge n cheek?

All in good faith, I mean no harm. Hand on heart


----------



## Hanesu (Oct 6, 2021)

jsmiller58 said:


> I think you have a good point, but I think it will still be a bit more complex…. The built in BT hardware and battery will add cost and bulk, so for any given price point and form factor, wired will still be better cost and quality.  Then there is longevity…. Batteries fail over time which will reduce the longevity of wireless earphones.


True, but the same arguments can be applied to other technology, too, and still in many cases the more complex and expensive stuff prevails. And through mass production prices get cheaper and cheaper. That is just how things in the technology field progress. A good example in the audio world are color screens on digital audio players. I still remember people arguing (in this forum!) that no one needs them and they just make players more expensive, eat battery life etc. Today, no one even thinks about it anymore....

By the way, if we talk about portable (and not stationary) audio, then the source has to be charged, too, and will be a "limiting factor" just as an earphone with battery, right? I feel that is something that is also often forgotten. 
So imo it does not make a huge difference whether you charge one more device, maybe even by connecting them to eachother, like how some smart device makers are already aiming for...
Actually I think one day, what we call "source", will be integrated in an earphone anyway...and also there will be charging over the air!

Generally functionality is a huge factor. Many people say that they don`t mind a cable dangling around, but that applies only for the traditional way to use earphones to listen to music through a DAP or something.
But if you really think about it, wireless technology adds a whole lot of functionality. A good example is to use an earphone to watch a movie! For obvious reasons the TWS is a lot more flexible to do so, right? Think about TWS that automatically detect and connect to the digital source you are currently using and you get so many more usage scenarios. Because those scenarios are (or will become) more and more part of our daily life, there will be a lot more reasons to go wireless. And when such technology is so much integrated in our daily life, the audio industry will _have _to adjust to this, even though still some people might argue that wired earphones are "enough" to listen to music....the point is, the usage scenarios have changed over time.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 5, 2021)

Hanesu said:


> True, but the same arguments can be applied to other technology, too, and still in many cases the more complex and expensive stuff prevails. And though mass production prices get cheaper and cheaper. That is just how things in the technology field progress. A good example in the audio world are color screens on digital audio players. I still remember people arguing (in this forum!) that no one needs them and they just make players more expensive, eat battery life etc. Today, no one even thinks about it anymore....
> 
> By the way, if we talk about portable (and not stationary) audio, then the source has to be charged, too, and will be a "limiting factor" just as an earphone with battery, right? I feel that is something that is also often forgotten.
> So imo it does not make a huge difference whether you charge one more device, maybe even by connecting them to eachother, like how some smart device makers are already aiming for...
> ...


Please don’t misunderstand.  I am not arguing against wireless audio.  Along with numerous wired IEMs and headphones I also own 2 BT headphones and 7 TWS sets, as well as the BTR5 and 5K for use with my wired sets, so I definitely value wireless audio solutions.  But, I do think that the additional functionality that comes from wireless adds cost and bulk and for now detracts from sound quality, so there are some benefits to wired solutions.  Also at this time given the rapid pace of change in Bluetooth, wired solutions are likely to have longer “shelf life” - I would buy an IEM or headphone based on 2-3 year old technology, but I probably would not buy a wireless solution based on 2-3 year old technology.  I suspect many would agree with that! 

I believe that wired solutions will continue to have some benefits over wireless solutions but in time those benefits will go from important, to interesting, to irrelevant, especially as the gap closes and wireless has benefits that wired does not (convenience and even improved sound quality from ever improving DSP).  Having been in computer engineering for more than 30 years I am well aware of the march of technology and cost, and how often yesterday’s inferior solution becomes the leader.


----------



## InvisibleInk

jsmiller58 said:


> Having been in computer engineering for more than 30 years I am well aware of the march of technology and cost, and how often yesterday’s inferior solution becomes the leader.



VHS sighs once again in the attic or the garage. "But... I won, didn't I?" she manages yet again to respond in the same way.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 5, 2021)

InvisibleInk said:


> VHS sighs once again in the attic or the garage. "But... I won, didn't I?" she manages yet again to respond in the same way.


Nothing can rest on its laurels.  Technology moves on.


----------



## CommanderCute (Oct 7, 2021)

Hey guys,

I have the 5K and I'm quite happy with it but never cared about the settings.

I have a few questions since I'm using the 5K just with Apple Music (via USB and Bluetooth) and I want to get the best sound out of it.
The setting in Apple Music is losless (ALAC up to 24 Bit / 48 kHz).

On the pictures you can see the settings of the 5K. Should I change anything to always get the best sound?

Also under DSP the QX-feed is off at 0. Would you activate this?

And I can probably neglect QX-over, right?

Thanks a lot four your help


----------



## TK33

CommanderCute said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I have the 5K and I'm quite happy with it but never cared about the settings.
> 
> ...


Are you using an iPhone?  Assuming yes since you are streaming Apple Music.  If so, over Bluetooth, your Apple device is going to be limited to AAC.  Apple doesn't support aptX, aptX HD, aptX adaptive or LDAC as far as I know.  If not an Apple device, what codec your source device is capable of will determine what is streamed to the 5K. Both the transmitting device (e.g. phone) and receiving device (i.e. 5K) need to support the codec. Most newer mid- to high-end Android phones should support LDAC.  

If using USB, the codec in the first two screenshots don't matter since those codecs are not being used and data is being sent directly over USB instead   I would keep the USB sample rate at 44.1/44/88.2/96 just like you have it unless you are having issues or need USB mic.  

Choice of filter is just personal preference.  Use whatever sounds most enjoyable to you.


----------



## CommanderCute

TK33 said:


> Are you using an iPhone?  Assuming yes since you are streaming Apple Music.  If so, over Bluetooth, your Apple device is going to be limited to AAC.  Apple doesn't support aptX, aptX HD, aptX adaptive or LDAC as far as I know.  If not an Apple device, what codec your source device is capable of will determine what is streamed to the 5K. Both the transmitting device (e.g. phone) and receiving device (i.e. 5K) need to support the codec. Most newer mid- to high-end Android phones should support LDAC.
> 
> If using USB, the codec in the first two screenshots don't matter since those codecs are not being used and data is being sent directly over USB instead   I would keep the USB sample rate at 44.1/44/88.2/96 just like you have it unless you are having issues or need USB mic.
> 
> Choice of filter is just personal preference.  Use whatever sounds most enjoyable to you.


Yes, I'm using an iPhone respectively a MacBook most of the time for listening to music.

So when I understand you right I can leave the settings as they are?


----------



## TK33

Yes I think you should be fine. Just try some of the filters and see what you like.


----------



## keesue (Oct 7, 2021)

I just concluded a 6 hour drive yesterday wearing the 5K on my shirt with the X-overs in my ears.  (The wife was watching her Korean dramas on her iPad which is partially why I bought the 5K being the ever-considerate spouse 😎. 

I continue to use the Harmon 2019 setting.  No listener fatigue whatsoever and surprisingly no ear fatigue either.  The only quibble I had was I couldn’t stop my monkey bone from jumpin’ while listening to some R&B/Hip-Hop but cruise control came to the rescue.  Damn, this 5K system is top notch!

The only setting I’ve changed is the ‘charge to 80%’ as recommended.  I also bought the leather case.  Fits like a glove.   Hope youse guys are enjoying yours as much as I.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

TK33 said:


> If you are not using bluetooth then there is no codec needed (and it should not be using SBC).  Codecs like SBC are for bluetooth playback (i.e. put simply, phone or other bluetooth transmitting device compressed data and sends to Qudelix 5K over bluetooth, which decompresses it and converts to analog signal using its DAC).  If you use as USB DAC, the compression/decompression part over bluetooth does not occur and data is sent directly from source to 5K over USB.  Just make sure your phone (or other device) is playing over USB and not over bluetooth.  Not sure if it can be connected to both at the same time since I don't use the 5K as a USB dac/amp.
> 
> As for player, depends on what you are using as your source.  If Android, something like UAPP should work to bypass Android resampling.


Thanks for your reply.  

Okay, duly noted on the codecs not mattering since I'm using the USB DAC. Is there a certain place I look on my phone to make sure it isn't resampling or whatever? I have a Samsung S9+ (android). I will Google it... 

And yeah, I'm unsure of what app to use to play my files. Gonna poke around. I've got several hundred GBs of flac on my PC.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

CommanderCute said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I have the 5K and I'm quite happy with it but never cared about the settings.
> 
> ...


I can't help but feel like there is an objectively better or more accurate filter. My OCD is getting to me here.


----------



## TK33

Sonic Atrocity said:


> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> Okay, duly noted on the codecs not mattering since I'm using the USB DAC. Is there a certain place I look on my phone to make sure it isn't resampling or whatever? I have a Samsung S9+ (android). I will Google it...
> 
> And yeah, I'm unsure of what app to use to play my files. Gonna poke around. I've got several hundred GBs of flac on my PC.


I recommend uapp.  Works for your local files as well as Qobuz and Tidal.  Android resamples to 48khz for USB DACs but UAPP allows you to by. pass it.  I would imagine the 5K app would tell you sample rate.  I dont use it as a USB DAC so cant really answer your question but for bluetooth, the codec and bitrate are displayed on the volume tab so maybe check there?


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

TK33 said:


> I recommend uapp.  Works for your local files as well as Qobuz and Tidal.  Android resamples to 48khz for USB DACs but UAPP allows you to by. pass it.  I would imagine the 5K app would tell you sample rate.  I dont use it as a USB DAC so cant really answer your question but for bluetooth, the codec and bitrate are displayed on the volume tab so maybe check there?


Ah! Yes! Thank you. Uh, 24 bit/44.1khz? That sound correct? Should I be changing this?


----------



## rkw

Sonic Atrocity said:


> Uh, 24 bit/44.1khz? That sound correct?


What exactly is your question? Some albums on Qobuz are 24 bit/44.1khz. To verify, see what it says in the Qobuz app or web player.


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Oct 10, 2021)

Sonic Atrocity said:


> Ah! Yes! Thank you. Uh, 24 bit/44.1khz? That sound correct? Should I be changing this?


That reading is fine, padding from 16 to 24 bits is a transparent operation, and it’s what allows UAPP to bypass the Android mixer’s destructive 44.1>48kHz resampling.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

monsieurfromag3 said:


> That reading is fine, padding from 16 to 24 bits is a transparent operation, and it’s what allows UAPP to bypass the Android mixer’s destructive 44.1>48kHz resampling.


Ahhh! Thank you! I appreciate all your help. 

I am just _so excited _about the qudelix.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

rkw said:


> What exactly is your question? Some albums on Qobuz are 24 bit/44.1khz. To verify, see what it says in the Qobuz app or web player.


Just wanted to make sure this is okay for listening to 16bit/44.1khz audio is all


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

This may seem like an odd question...

But is there any issue with having little headroom left on an amplifier once you've reached your desired volume? Does this do anything like reduce dynamic range? Further, does it matter if my precut is applied in the DSP options or in the parametric equalizer itself? 

I ask because I'm driving my HD600 out of the qudelix, unbalanced. Applying Oratory's EQ (harman target) (see here if you don't know about Oratory's work: https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/), I don't apply any precut in the standard options (where is is 0db, -6db, and -12db options), but instead apply the -5.5db of precut in the actual parametric equalizer (you can see Oratory's EQ values for the HD600 here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dm0m6u3s3b4zqzl/Sennheiser HD600.pdf?dl=0).


----------



## Tamirci

It's been some time after q5k. 

Any need about the q5kS or anything?


----------



## newworld666

Tamirci said:


> It's been some time after q5k.
> 
> Any need about the q5kS or anything?



I use it for more than one year .. as if every day.. a few days ago I was wondering what could be improved with this Q5K ..... I couldn't find anything .. I was wondering with these : a bit more power ? thx amp ? 4.4mm plug ? a new dac ? improve battery life ? less charging time ? But is there any one of these points a SQ improvement in real life or really more practical ?


----------



## BigZ12

Qudelix 5k newbie here. Tried searching before posting, but couldn't find anything about my issue.

I use a usb-c to lightning cable, using the 5k as a USB DAC (24bit/96khz - Apple Music Lossless) with my iPhone 12. 
When pressing the play/pause button (blue upper) on the 5K, it automatically change the source to Bluetooth (A2DP#1). 
Next/previous track works without changing source.
Do you know any way to use the play/pause button with the USB DAC and not just with BT/A2DP #1?


----------



## jsmiller58

newworld666 said:


> I use it for more than one year .. as if every day.. a few days ago I was wondering what could be improved with this Q5K ..... I couldn't find anything .. I was wondering with these : a bit more power ? thx amp ? 4.4mm plug ? a new dac ? improve battery life ? less charging time ? But is there any one of these points a SQ improvement in real life or really more practical ?


The Q5K - in my opinion - could use a complete physical makeover.  Don‘t get me wrong.  I am a fan of the functionality, features, and performance.  But the unit feels cheap, the button layout is an exercise in light frustration, and the attached clip just adds bulk if you aren’t using the clip.  Would I replace my Q5K with a new model that just upgrades the form factor?  Probably not.  But it is the one aspect of the Q5K that I think is sub optimal.


----------



## Sonic Atrocity

jsmiller58 said:


> The Q5K - in my opinion - could use a complete physical makeover.  Don‘t get me wrong.  I am a fan of the functionality, features, and performance.  But the unit feels cheap, the button layout is an exercise in light frustration, and the attached clip just adds bulk if you aren’t using the clip.  Would I replace my Q5K with a new model that just upgrades the form factor?  Probably not.  But it is the one aspect of the Q5K that I think is sub optimal.


The form factor sucks. The buttons click too easily. Is there even a lock option? I foresee accidental presses...


----------



## newworld666

Strange ..
I feel the opposite as, for me, it is the only USB BT DAC on the market to be usable with a simple T-shirt and a short balanced cable ( ddHiFi BC50B) because of the convenient integrated clip and I can keep the smartphone android 10 in a pocket and be still in BT LDAC mode at 990kps. I got used to the buttons too ..


----------



## jsmiller58

newworld666 said:


> Strange ..
> I feel the opposite as, for me, it is the only USB BT DAC on the market to be usable with a simple T-shirt and a short balanced cable ( ddHiFi BC50B) because of the convenient integrated clip and I can keep the smartphone android 10 in a pocket and be still in BT LDAC mode at 990kps. I got used to the buttons too ..


Absolutely makes sense!  This is going to be one of those things that comes down to personal tastes and use cases.


----------



## TK33

newworld666 said:


> Strange ..
> I feel the opposite as, for me, it is the only USB BT DAC on the market to be usable with a simple T-shirt and a short balanced cable ( ddHiFi BC50B) because of the convenient integrated clip and I can keep the smartphone android 10 in a pocket and be still in BT LDAC mode at 990kps. I got used to the buttons too ..


Agree, I like the built in clip.  I also seem to be of the minority but I really like the simple black plastic body.  It is sturdy and I don't care if it gets thrown around. Glass and metal are more likely to break or show scratches but my Qudelix 5k is now over a year old and I can just throw it in a bag or clip it in a pocket and.not worry about a case or anything (mine is still in great shape).  My only complaint is that, while I have gotten used to the button layout (there is a notch on one of the buttons so I don't even need to look), I do wish the buttons had more resistance to prevent accidental touches.  Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing about the design itself.

@jsmiller58 - also agree the clip is just personal preference.  Look at how many people were complaining about the lack of a built-in clip on the IFI GO Blu thread. Think a built in clip vs no clip is just something where manufacturers will not be able to make everyone happy.  I don't think I would buy if they didn't have an integrated clip.


----------



## jsmiller58

TK33 said:


> Agree, I like the built in clip.  I also seem to be of the minority but I really like the simple black plastic body.  It is sturdy and I don't care if it gets thrown around. Glass and metal are more likely to break or show scratches but my Qudelix 5k is now over a year old and I can just throw it in a bag or clip it in a pocket and.not worry about a case or anything (mine is still in great shape).  My only complaint is that, while I have gotten used to the button layout (there is a notch on one of the buttons so I don't even need to look), I do wish the buttons had more resistance to prevent accidental touches.  Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing about the design itself.
> 
> @jsmiller58 - also agree the clip is just personal preference.  Look at how many people were complaining about the lack of a built-in clip on the IFI GO Blu thread. Think a built in clip vs no clip is just something where manufacturers will not be able to make everyone happy.  I don't think I would buy if they didn't have an integrated clip.


Yup, the form factor (plastic body, built in clip, buttons) are all up to personal taste, hence why I stressed what I wrote was “in my opinion” .  I am super happy that the existing form factor thrills some, and certainly for me the functionality and performance more than make up for what are to me the physical shortcomings.


----------



## Musicoflife (Oct 14, 2021)

I can think of one new feature that will improve on 5K's already formidable features: independent EQ for each channel.

Earphones don't come with perfectly matched channels. Graphs usually show this. The mismatch is obvious when you play a Sinewave sweep across the frequency range and hear the signal shift laterally when it should stay constant at the center. For instance, on my new Timeless, the signal shifts a quarter width to the right from 3khz to 3.7khz. 

Independent channel EQ will help us to tweak out the difference between the drivers, improving stereo stability and soundstage.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 14, 2021)

Musicoflife said:


> I can think of one new feature that will improve on 5K's already formidable features: independent EQ for each channel.
> 
> Earphones don't come with perfectly matched channels. Graphs usually show this. The mismatch is obvious when you play a Sinewave sweep across the frequency range and hear the signal shift laterally when it should stay constant at the center. For instance, on my new Timeless, the signal shifts a quarter width to the right from 3khz to 3.7khz.
> 
> Independent channel EQ will help us to tweak out the difference between the drivers, improving stereo stability and soundstage.


Awesome idea.  Actually it is not just channel imbalance.  There is also different hearing health between ears, so that would also help in that case.


----------



## Musicoflife

jsmiller58 said:


> Awesome idea.  Actually it is not just channel imbalance I. The earphones.  There is also different hearing health between ears, so that would also help in that case.


Absolutely!


----------



## DeJaVu

Musicoflife said:


> Independent channel EQ will help us to tweak out the difference between the drivers, improving stereo stability and soundstage.





jsmiller58 said:


> Actually it is not just channel imbalance. There is also different hearing health between ears, so that would also help in that case.



Maybe it would be better to suggest this on their forum, or do they frequent here often? Either way you got my support, and deem it an excellent addition to the 5K arsenal.


----------



## Musicoflife

DeJaVu said:


> Maybe it would be better to suggest this on their forum, or do they frequent here often? Either way you got my support, and deem it an excellent addition to the 5K arsenal.


Done, under a different nick. Guys, do add your support there.


----------



## MisterMudd (Oct 15, 2021)

Musicoflife said:


> I can think of one new feature that will improve on 5K's already formidable features: independent EQ for each channel.
> 
> Earphones don't come with perfectly matched channels. Graphs usually show this. The mismatch is obvious when you play a Sinewave sweep across the frequency range and hear the signal shift laterally when it should stay constant at the center. For instance, on my new Timeless, the signal shifts a quarter width to the right from 3khz to 3.7khz.
> 
> Independent channel EQ will help us to tweak out the difference between the drivers, improving stereo stability and soundstage.


Heck, just a balance function in anything. That’s the reason I still have my Fiio E07K portable headphone amp after all these years. It has been very helpful for my hearing imbalance as I get older, as well as my collection of headphones that probably have driver imbalances. This is a sorely missing function in most electronics that is likely easy to implement, and would improve people’s lives and listening pleasure. Not to mention perhaps improving their product sales immensely.


----------



## Musicoflife

MisterMudd said:


> Heck, just a balance function in anything. That’s the reason I still have my Fiio E07K portable headphone amp after all these years. It has been very helpful for my hearing imbalance as I get older, as well as my collection of headphones that probably have driver imbalances. This is a sorely missing function in most electronics that is likely easy to implement, and would improve people’s lives and listening pleasure. Not to mention perhaps improving their product sales immensely.


If you mean a balance control it's already there in the 5K. Volume - Option - Trim L/R.


----------



## BigZ12

BigZ12 said:


> Qudelix 5k newbie here. Tried searching before posting, but couldn't find anything about my issue.
> 
> I use a usb-c to lightning cable, using the 5k as a USB DAC (24bit/96khz - Apple Music Lossless) with my iPhone 12.
> When pressing the play/pause button (blue upper) on the 5K, it automatically change the source to Bluetooth (A2DP#1).
> ...


Sorry to bump this, but I am sure one of you guys know about this, and if it's a bug (or just supposed to work like this?)
I'm thankful for answers. Find this a little annoying.


----------



## h1a8 (Oct 15, 2021)

How does the auto eq preset work?
Do i select the headphones I'm currently listening with and they make the sound match Harmon curve? 
Or do I select the headphones that I want my headphones to sound like?
Or something else?


----------



## newworld666 (Oct 15, 2021)

h1a8 said:


> How does the auto eq preset work?
> *Do i select the headphones I'm currently listening with and they make the sound match Harmon curve?*
> Or do I select the headphones that I want my headphones to sound like?
> Or something else?



AutoEQ is only concerning the headphone you are currently using .. and is "trying" to match more or less to a Harman Target (2019 I think), and then you are still free to adjust a bit to your own ears/taste.


----------



## MisterMudd

Musicoflife said:


> If you mean a balance control it's already there in the 5K. Volume - Option - Trim L/R.


Thanks, I  did not know. Ordering now to replace my aging ES100.


----------



## h1a8

I use an iphone 12 pro max connected to the apple camera connection kit connected to a usb A to usb c adapter connected to the Qudelix-5K. So now I need to pair the airpods pro to the Qudelix-5K via bluetooth. How do I do this?
I want to take advantage of the auto eq preset in the app (for the airpod pro in the list).


----------



## rkw

h1a8 said:


> I use an iphone 12 pro max connected to the apple camera connection kit connected to a usb A to usb c adapter connected to the Qudelix-5K. So now I need to pair the airpods pro to the Qudelix-5K via bluetooth. How do I do this?


You can't. Qudelix-5K is not a bluetooth transmitter.


----------



## h1a8

rkw said:


> You can't. Qudelix-5K is not a bluetooth transmitter.


Ok. Then why does the app have truly wireless headphones in the auto eq preset list if you can't pair them to the qudelix in order to eq them?


----------



## Bootup22

h1a8 said:


> Ok. Then why does the app have truly wireless headphones in the auto eq preset list if you can't pair them to the qudelix in order to eq them?


Qudelix doesn't make that list; that comes from Auto EQ.


----------



## h1a8

Bootup22 said:


> Qudelix doesn't make that list; that comes from Auto EQ.


Which is a separate entity? Oh ok. Was wondering why wireless headphones was on the list when we have no way of pairing them to the qudelix


----------



## Bootup22

h1a8 said:


> Which is a separate entity? Oh ok. Was wondering why wireless headphones was on the list when we have no way of pairing them to the qudelix


Yes it is.
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results

Over 2500 headphone presets, including several wireless.


----------



## h1a8

Bootup22 said:


> Yes it is.
> https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results
> 
> Over 2500 headphone presets, including several wireless.


Thanks. Well I don't like that they try to shape the frequency to match 2019v2 (v1 is better). 
Imo, the best frequency is the one from ikko oh10. That should be the new standard. Those sound better than anything I tried (including the clairvoyance, se846, etc).


----------



## Musicoflife

h1a8 said:


> Thanks. Well I don't like that they try to shape the frequency to match 2019v2 (v1 is better).
> Imo, the best frequency is the one from ikko oh10. That should be the new standard. Those sound better than anything I tried (including the clairvoyance, se846, etc).


You could further manually tweak the filters from H2019 to your liking.


----------



## Tamirci

newworld666 said:


> I use it for more than one year .. as if every day.. a few days ago I was wondering what could be improved with this Q5K ..... I couldn't find anything .. I was wondering with these : a bit more power ? thx amp ? 4.4mm plug ? a new dac ? improve battery life ? less charging time ? But is there any one of these points a SQ improvement in real life or really more practical ?


4.4 is beginning to be seen especially at admiral ship at iems. But how can you be matchbox sized with 4.4 plug?


----------



## Q Mass

Tamirci said:


> 4.4 is beginning to be seen especially at admiral ship at iems. But how can you be matchbox sized with 4.4 plug?


See: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-go-blu-super-small-super-light-super-sound.959616/


----------



## Tamirci

Q Mass said:


> See: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-go-blu-super-small-super-light-super-sound.959616/


Feeling ashamed, tech had passed my expectations.


----------



## Musicoflife

Tamirci said:


> Feeling ashamed, tech had passed my expectations.


Where would that leave the legions of us who bought 2.5mm cables because of Q5K though...? Does 4.4mm really sound better?


----------



## Mouseman

Musicoflife said:


> Where would that leave the legions of us who bought 2.5mm cables because of Q5K though...? Does 4.4mm really sound better?


Kind of the same place those of us with a lot of 4.4mm gear - adapters. 

It doesn't sound any different - it's just much more durable. I've broken one 2.5mm plug, but it was a cheap-ish cable. Instead of debate, we can all just agree that balanced is better.


----------



## rkw (Oct 20, 2021)

jsmiller58 said:


> The Q5K - in my opinion - could use a complete physical makeover.


I agree – it is a poor ergonomic design. They made it too symmetrical with buttons on opposite sides that look and feel the same. It makes it hard to remember and find which button you want. And when pressing a button, you naturally need to apply opposing force from the opposite side – exactly where you don't want the other button to be! Ideally the shell would have an asymmetric shape and the buttons positioned and shaped to make it easy to operate by feel without looking.


----------



## Tamirci

Musicoflife said:


> Where would that leave the legions of us who bought 2.5mm cables because of Q5K though...? Does 4.4mm really sound better?


I have no idea about better or not but 4.4 is for balanced. Balanced means more power. More power is better in general.


----------



## Musicoflife (Oct 20, 2021)

jsmiller58 said:


> Awesome idea.  Actually it is not just channel imbalance.  There is also different hearing health between ears, so that would also help in that case.


Actually, doing a Sinewave frequency sweep while wearing the earphones, we can correct *both* hardware and our ear frequency imbalances at one go if we can do independent channel EQ


----------



## Q Mass

Musicoflife said:


> Where would that leave the legions of us who bought 2.5mm cables because of Q5K though...? Does 4.4mm really sound better?


2.5 and 4.4 are both balanced and must surely *sound* the same.
Personally I really dislike 2.5mm on larger devices due to its inherent physical weakness, but on a really tiny device like the 5K it's less of a disadvantage.
4.4 is still better though (IMO).


----------



## h1a8 (Oct 20, 2021)

I need the liberty 3 pro, status between pro, and edifier neobuds pro (in that order) to be tuned exactly like the ikko oh10. I'll *pay* someone to find the correct eq parameters (both parametric and 10-band eq or just parametric) of those headphones so that they are tuned to match the ikko oh10's frequency graph. Pm me if someone is interested and is capable (have the proper measuring equipment and software, one of the above headphones along with the ikko oh10 headphone, and a little time on their hands). I'll be using paid version of poweramp pro (it has a 10 band eq and a parametic eq) for android.


----------



## Tamirci

Q Mass said:


> 2.5 and 4.4 are both balanced and must surely *sound* the same.
> Personally I really dislike 2.5mm on larger devices due to its inherent physical weakness, but on a really tiny device like the 5K it's less of a disadvantage.
> 4.4 is still better though (IMO).


Psychological advantage


----------



## courierdriver

TK33 said:


> Agree, I like the built in clip.  I also seem to be of the minority but I really like the simple black plastic body.  It is sturdy and I don't care if it gets thrown around. Glass and metal are more likely to break or show scratches but my Qudelix 5k is now over a year old and I can just throw it in a bag or clip it in a pocket and.not worry about a case or anything (mine is still in great shape).  My only complaint is that, while I have gotten used to the button layout (there is a notch on one of the buttons so I don't even need to look), I do wish the buttons had more resistance to prevent accidental touches.  Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing about the design itself.
> 
> @jsmiller58 - also agree the clip is just personal preference.  Look at how many people were complaining about the lack of a built-in clip on the IFI GO Blu thread. Think a built in clip vs no clip is just something where manufacturers will not be able to make everyone happy.  I don't think I would buy if they didn't have an integrated clip.


I agree. I also wouldn't buy without an integrated clip, since I wear it around my neck like a pendant and it's clipped to the cable of whatever iem I'm listening to at the time.


----------



## jsmiller58

courierdriver said:


> I agree. I also wouldn't buy without an integrated clip, since I wear it around my neck like a pendant and it's clipped to the cable of whatever iem I'm listening to at the time.


Given your use model, the built in clip makes perfect sense!  For me, I usually have BT dongles tucked in a pocket hence why the clip is less valuable, but I can see why you’d want it!


----------



## Lurk650

Just wanted to put it out there that I'm selling mine. Doesn't get much use since I bought the Sony XM4. Link in sig


----------



## BangNaraj

9fF3pZAQMj said:


> CAN CONFIRM - Qudelix 5K works great on Playstation 5/PS5, set to USB 48KHz (in my case, with Mic), and works great with the vModa Boom Pro microphone for party/voice chat, connected to the AKG K702.
> 
> You can bypass the PS5 volume drop for USB DAC's as well, so they are more than loud enough on the PS5, with the K702's (which are considered a littler harder to drive than most headphones).
> 
> I have to say, it was impossible finding anyone who could confirm all this online, pain in the ass.  So yeah, works great on PS5 with an inline microphone, VERY impressed, it's awesome.


I connected mine via the controller and and never got it to work. Did you connect the 5k to the console itself via USBC?


----------



## kgs51

I am setting up the Qudelix 5k for the first time. I have it connected to the iphone 12 using a c to lightning cable and when pairing it works. My question is How to pair with bluetooth headphones. Do I just pair the 5K and the headphones together.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Oct 22, 2021)

kgs51 said:


> I am setting up the Qudelix 5k for the first time. I have it connected to the iphone 12 using a c to lightning cable and when pairing it works. My question is How to pair with bluetooth headphones. Do I just pair the 5K and the headphones together.


The Q5K is a BT receiver, not a transmitter.  You cannot pair it with Bluetooth headphones.  The use model is you connect the Q5K to your source via Bluetooth, and your IEMs or headphones to the Q5K with wires…


----------



## kgs51

jsmiller58 said:


> The Q5K is a BT receiver, not a transmitter.  You cannot pair it with Bluetooth headphones.  The use model is you connect the Q5K to your source vi Bluetooth, and your IEMs or headphones to the Q5K with wires…


Thanks for the information


----------



## keesue

Did anyone score the 7Hertz Timeless?


----------



## IcarusIX

pogodrummer said:


> Heyo. I'm planning to mod my k712 with a second wire coming up from the earcup towards the headband, and a 3d printed bracket to add a BT amp at the top.
> 
> Now the big question is, does anyone have experience with the k7** series and the 5K? Would i be better off going with a BTR5?
> 
> ...


Hi, I'm wondering how this endeavour of yours went? I have a qudelix and a k712 pro and I've been wondering if it's worth converting the k712 pro to balanced for more power to be usable on the qudelix


----------



## Musicoflife

keesue said:


> Did anyone score the 7Hertz Timeless?


I did. Playing it from 5K at max performance and power settings, the 3 attributes that keep coming to mind are Clean, Clear and Coherent! 


Tonality is good but can be improved with 5K's PEQ.


----------



## keesue (Oct 31, 2021)

Thanks!  I think I’m going to pull the trigger.  Planars and the 5K appear a marriage made in heaven. This 5K continues to impress with the dedicated IEMs.  I suspect the Timeless would take it over the top.


----------



## Musicoflife (Oct 31, 2021)

keesue said:


> Thanks!  I think I’m going to pull the trigger.  Planars and the 5K appear a marriage made in heaven. This 5K continues to impress with the dedicated IEMs.  I suspect the Timeless would take it over the top.


Look for a shop that sells it with stock 7Hz 2.5mm cable termination as shown in my picture. Not all do.

Since you love planar speakers, I'm sure you'll really like Timeless. To my ears, the characteristic differences and tradeoffs between planar and dynamic cone speakers carry over into IEMs, at least with this planar IEM.


----------



## keesue (Oct 31, 2021)

Ok, thanks.  I’ll get what you recommend.  As to planars v. cones, I don’t miss the slam of cones because I get so wrapped in music as only planars do,  I don’t tend to listen to acoustic music (Jazz and vocalists) loud anyway and prefer tonality, timbre and an overall smooth detailed presentation. Think Norah Jones or John Mayer and planars just get them right.  That’s why I an intrigued by the Timeless.  The dedicated 5Ks are no slouch and they will be on tap for hard core slammin’ for sure.  Nothing substitutes for cones on hard driving electronic music.  I have cone speakers for just that purpose.

Thanks for all your recommendations.  Much appreciated!

Post Script: Linsoul sells them with 2.5mm.  What is the advantage to this configuration versus 4.4mm?


----------



## Musicoflife (Nov 1, 2021)

keesue said:


> Post Script: Linsoul sells them with 2.5mm.  What is the advantage to this configuration versus 4.4mm?


Q5K uses 2.5mm, not 4.4mm for balanced output.


----------



## keesue

Ahhhhh...thanks.


----------



## leonardohdiniz

I'm curious about this one. Someone selling for a nice price? call me in private


----------



## Musicoflife

On the latest fw update of Q5K, 7hz Timelesss is in AutoEQ!

But if you're using the AutoEQ built-in presets for your Timeless, do note that while Crinacle's name indicates, it uses his measurements against the Harman 2019v2 target curve and not Crin's preferred  IEF Neutral target curve. 

Personally, I find Harman too bright and IEF just about right from 200hz up.


----------



## keesue (Nov 5, 2021)

AliExpress is having a 11.11 sale.  I have the Timeless in queue with 2.5mm Ready to pull the trigger.  Hopefully they are part of that sale.  Either way, on the 11th I’m ordering.   Downloaded the latest f/w update and ready!

Post Script:  It appears the Timeless are not on the discount list for the sale.  No worries.  I'm scoring them.  My intent is to use the 5K Xovers for slam and the Timeless for Jazz, Vocals and such.  Best of both worlds.  It astonishes me the number of EQ presets.  I'm only using the Harmon.  It sounds the best to my ears.  I will use the Timeless preset when they arrive.  Damn, I sound like a shill for the 5K but it just continues to impress.


----------



## Joshiwo

Can someone who has the Qudelix-5K and an iPhone tell me how the latency is? Is there any noticeable delay when watching movies or playing games through Bluetooth 5.0? Pondering whether I should get an OTG cable right away or not.


----------



## AlexFL (Nov 10, 2021)

Just received QX-over, impressive 2 days from SK to USA. Out of the box the drivers are very stiff, don't even put them in...After 4-5 hours they started to open up and move faster. I will update on how much burn in they need to settle finally.
I absolutely love what I hear with Low Gain at -6dB and High at default +6dB. Warm IEM with Wonderful bass, reminds me of my IKKO OH10 slam but it gets you a stronger kick, tasty lower mids, and non fatiguing and perfectly tuned upper mids and highs.
You feel the two drivers are working, they are not as fast as my Fiio FD5 yet..., but there are two of them and I see them handling the complex passages easier.

I like the digital crossover implementation very much. You can control the gain of each driver separately which is really cool. These are like no other IEM I've heard, absolutely MUST buy if you have 5K. And for 30$ it is a steal.

They are very enjoyable, I always wanted that sound signature IEM in my collection so I can finally relax and enjoy my music.

I wish Qudelix keep on working on QX-over versions


----------



## Toastybob

Yesterday the Qudelix 5K I bought in New condition from the seller "Qudelix" on Amazon US arrived, but it was clearly used. The warranty section of the app lists 283 days remaining, but I only bought it 6 days ago. It seems like someone may have originally bought it 82 days ago and returned it. The battery graph also shows previous usage and charging, and the tape holding the box closed was already cut.


----------



## superuser1

Toastybob said:


> Yesterday the Qudelix 5K I bought in New condition from the seller "Qudelix" on Amazon US arrived, but it was clearly used. The warranty section of the app lists 283 days remaining, but I only bought it 6 days ago. It seems like someone may have originally bought it 82 days ago and returned it. The battery graph also shows previous usage and charging, and the tape holding the box closed was already cut.


IMO it would be in order to return it and get a new one.


----------



## keesue

In the interim, I bought a pair of the ZX KEXs for 25USD just for kicks.  These things are simply amazing for the price.  Clarity for days and bass to die for - extended and controlled - and super efficient to boot.  Broke out the iPod Classic.  A match made for each other.  No EQ required either.  Gives me yet another option.  Close on the heels of the 5K/X-overs but that combo’s clarity is in a class of its own.

Back on topic.  Waiting for the Timeless!


----------



## superuser1

keesue said:


> ZX KEXs


Or ZEX?


----------



## keesue

superuser1 said:


> Or ZEX?


Duh…yeah, thanks.  Fat fingers…


----------



## ririt

can anyone help me to chose the right Apple Lightning to usb camera kit to connect my iphone to my qudelix 5K? There is 2 models, a small one and a larger one named lightning to sub 3 kit. Are they both suitable for my purpose?
of note please do not suggest me to use a cable like the meenova, I already tried it. Works fine for few weeks then suddenly it did not carry any signal


----------



## rlw6534

ririt said:


> can anyone help me to chose the right Apple Lightning to usb camera kit to connect my iphone to my qudelix 5K? There is 2 models, a small one and a larger one named lightning to sub 3 kit. Are they both suitable for my purpose?
> of note please do not suggest me to use a cable like the meenova, I already tried it. Works fine for few weeks then suddenly it did not carry any signal



Both of the CCKs will work with the 5K.  The only difference is the charging port which allows you to charge your iPhone/iPad at the same time. I have both.


----------



## ririt

rlw6534 said:


> Both of the CCKs will work with the 5K.  The only difference is the charging port which allows you to charge your iPhone/iPad at the same time. I have both.


Thanks good to know!


----------



## progdvd

Hey guys, can anyone tell me is there perhaps new version announced? 
I wanted to buy 5k for so long but never did it because I have BTR5 and ES100. It's not that I need it desperately I would just like to test and compare it with my gear. 
Its been long time since 5k release, so I'd rather hold off for a newer version.


----------



## Musicoflife

progdvd said:


> Hey guys, can anyone tell me is there perhaps new version announced?
> I wanted to buy 5k for so long but never did it because I have BTR5 and ES100. It's not that I need it desperately I would just like to test and compare it with my gear.
> Its been long time since 5k release, so I'd rather hold off for a newer version.


No newer version of 5K planned beyond present one being sold. There's a 7.1 channel model for gaming that should be released soon for $500 if I recall.


----------



## themglean

Does anyone know where to buy a short cable for this? mmcx/2pin/2.5mm that terminates in a balance 2.5mm jack? This would've perfect if only there was an option for balanced 2.5mm https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KVZWW73/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A19NVE4G6SOT2C&psc=1


----------



## rkw

themglean said:


> Does anyone know where to buy a short cable for this? mmcx/2pin/2.5mm that terminates in a balance 2.5mm jack? This would've perfect if only there was an option for balanced 2.5mm https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KVZWW73/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A19NVE4G6SOT2C&psc=1


The FiiO website says it comes in both 2.5mm and 3.5mm versions:
https://www.fiio.com/productinfo/102911.html
Here is a vendor:
https://hifigo.com/products/fiio-45...per-plated-silver-mmcx?variant=15953808228401


----------



## themglean (Nov 28, 2021)

rkw said:


> The FiiO website says it comes in both 2.5mm and 3.5mm versions:
> https://www.fiio.com/productinfo/102911.html
> Here is a vendor:
> https://hifigo.com/products/fiio-45...per-plated-silver-mmcx?variant=15953808228401


Is it possible to convert the mmcx to 2.5mm? I would like to use this with my 4XX. Believe me, 5K drives that beast just fine.
edit: nvm found one. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001928076417.html


----------



## emeline

themglean said:


> Is it possible to convert the mmcx to 2.5mm? I would like to use this with my 4XX. Believe me, 5K drives that beast just fine.
> edit: nvm found one. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001928076417.html


If it's helpful, I just received this cable for my NightOwls (also 2.5 mm). I took the 0.5m length and it's perfect to use with my ES100: 
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKKp8sS


----------



## smorgar

Today I got bored in a meeting and happened to realize that the Smarties mini box is the exact same size as the 5K....


----------



## rlw6534

smorgar said:


> Today I got bored in a meeting and happened to realize that the Smarties mini box is the exact same size as the 5K....



Who says meetings aren't productive.....


----------



## sspkt

I'm looking to upgrade 5k. I love features, but sound quality is not that satisfying. Anyone here get through this already? I'm looking for something portable as well but with cleaner, more crispy and natural sound. Maybe new BTR5 2021 would be an upgrade?


----------



## rlw6534 (Dec 3, 2021)

sspkt said:


> I'm looking to upgrade 5k. I love features, but sound quality is not that satisfying. Anyone here get through this already? I'm looking for something portable as well but with cleaner, more crispy and natural sound. Maybe new BTR5 2021 would be an upgrade?



They all have similar DAC chips from ESS (BTR5, UP5, etc.) so I wouldn't expect major differences in sound.  I can't tell the difference between my 5k and my UP5 anyways...  maybe better ears can.  Maybe the iFi Go blu (Cirrus Logic DAC) would be worth a look and research.


----------



## Apex Eight

Anyone else get intermittent, small, crackling noises from their Q5K? I only get them in USB DAC mode, hooked up to my computer.


----------



## fattycheesebeef

Am still figuring if I should get this since it's out for a while


----------



## drugones (Dec 4, 2021)

I just got the UP5 and is a big jump if you use unbalanced cable on the 5K; UP5 allows dual dac for both balanced and unbalanced noticeably improving sound quality for me.

I’m waiting balanced cables to arrive so I can test 5K dual dac balanced.

Only heads up…. the 5K app/software is miles ahead, I’m hoping UP5 will improve it over time.


----------



## superuser1

drugones said:


> miles ahead


You got that right


----------



## monsieurfromag3

rlw6534 said:


> They all have similar DAC chips from ESS (BTR5, UP5, etc.) so I wouldn't expect major differences in sound.  I can't tell the difference between my 5k and my UP5 anyways...  maybe better ears can.  Maybe the iFi Go blu (Cirrus Logic DAC) would be worth a look and research.


The Go Blu sounds big and analog but not very controlled or nuanced. The 5K is more impressive, it’s so tight.


----------



## PopZeus

This device does a surprisingly authoritative job driving the HD58X balanced, which is certainly easier to drive than the 650 but not THAT easy. Also makes it easy to level off the sub-bass via EQ.


----------



## elNan

sspkt said:


> I'm looking to upgrade 5k. I love features, but sound quality is not that satisfying. Anyone here get through this already? I'm looking for something portable as well but with cleaner, more crispy and natural sound. Maybe new BTR5 2021 would be an upgrade?


Just play around with the EQ until the sound out of that little (and amazing) box gets satisfying enough. That’s the key of life (and actually of audiophilia in general )


----------



## BenF

sspkt said:


> I'm looking to upgrade 5k. I love features, but sound quality is not that satisfying. Anyone here get through this already? I'm looking for something portable as well but with cleaner, more crispy and natural sound. Maybe new BTR5 2021 would be an upgrade?


I prefer BTR3K to BTR5(2020)/BTR3/Q5K/UP2/UP4.
It has the most crispy and natural sound.


----------



## elNan

PopZeus said:


> This device does a surprisingly authoritative job driving the HD58X balanced, which is certainly easier to drive than the 650 but not THAT easy. Also makes it easy to level off the sub-bass via EQ.





BenF said:


> I prefer BTR3K to BTR5(2020)/BTR3/Q5K/UP2/UP4.
> It has the most crispy and natural sound.


…nah, seriously, just play around with the EQ, no need to go looking for silly sinergies


----------



## BenF

elNan said:


> …nah, seriously, just play around with the EQ, no need to go looking for silly sinergies



EQ can't solve all the problems - it only affects FR.
Plus it can introduce a phase shift : https://ethanwiner.com/EQPhase.html


----------



## mugbot

Apex Eight said:


> Anyone else get intermittent, small, crackling noises from their Q5K? I only get them in USB DAC mode, hooked up to my computer.


I did - but cleaning the USB C port fixed the issue.


----------



## LongBeforeShort (Dec 9, 2021)

sspkt said:


> I'm looking to upgrade 5k. I love features, but sound quality is not that satisfying. Anyone here get through this already? I'm looking for something portable as well but with cleaner, more crispy and natural sound. Maybe new BTR5 2021 would be an upgrade?



Got unpleasent news for you 🙂

Tested more than 20 Amps until now and they all sound exactly the same (aside from noise floor, or if impedance dont match, or nonlinear hybrid/tube amp), everything level matched with a switchbox and different headphones (ZMF, Hifiman, Audeze, Sennheiser HD800S detail cannon).

The Qudelix is as good as for example the Questyle Twelve Master, RME ADI-2 DAC FS or GS-X Mini. And if you want the ifi audio xBass Bassboost, you can use oratory's mentioned Low Shelf Q 0.5 Gain 10 54 Hz. Its exactly the same, tested that one as well against signature, go blu and hipdac v2.

So, if you are not satisfied with the sound its not the amp, but your headphone. You need to help yourself with EQ first (try oratory eq, not autoeq, its not the same), try something on your own, or buy a different headphone.

The HD800S with eq applied is for example one of the best i have ever heard regardless of price tag, even though i like it with less treble. Audeze got a bit more Bass and Slam with same Harman Target and Hifiman is still annyoing with treble, but delivers soundstage with height.

Good luck 😊


----------



## BenF

LongBeforeShort said:


> I have bad news for you then.
> 
> Tested more than 20 Amps until now and they all sound exactly the same (aside from noise floor, or if impedance dont match, or nonlinear hybrid/tube amp), everything level matched with a switchbox and different headphones (ZMF, Hifiman, Audeze, Sennheiser HD800S detail cannon).
> 
> ...


Just because devices measure identically, doesn't mean they sound identically. All amp/dacs measure sufficiently flat, yet they do have their own sound signatures.
Q5K sounds somewhat analytical - EQ can't fix that. For a more crispy and natural sound, people need to look elsewhere.
Of course, differentiating between them would require a sufficiently transparent headphone too.


----------



## Cevisi

Who knows where to get the 5k in germany ?


----------



## haavardnk (Dec 8, 2021)

Just got a Lotoo OTG lightning cable for my Qudelix and I am having a hard time with usb dac mode. It works, but it jumps between usb and bluetooth mode constantly even with usb priority selected. So the usb dac output comes and goes every other second…

Edit: It also looks like every time i change app from apple music or spotify the sound is paused and usb output disapears.. Works correctly in usb dac mode on Macbook.


----------



## LongBeforeShort (Dec 8, 2021)

BenF said:


> Just because devices measure identically, doesn't mean they sound identically. All amp/dacs measure sufficiently flat, yet they do have their own sound signatures.
> Q5K sounds somewhat analytical - EQ can't fix that. For a more crispy and natural sound, people need to look elsewhere.
> Of course, differentiating between them would require a sufficiently transparent headphone too.


Did you read my post? I have to ask, sorry, since i was writing about a switch box and level matched comparisons with very expensive cans. I was not writing about measurements.

Pretty much all ss amps i have tested, deliver the same sound, you can even recreate xBass from ifi, its all math and science, amps are not products from a fantasy world.

If someone dont like the sound with the Qudelix, its the headphone or daily performance because of stress, not the amp.

So i have actually tested this stuff myself and some people as well in an objective manner and personally i dont know more detailed cans than HD800s, Hifimans or Focal Clear 🙂

@Cevisi

bought it from amazon, came from usa. I believe you could buy from poland or so as well? Not sure if its stored or still coming from usa in that case.


----------



## drugones (Dec 14, 2021)

I may have a good deal on a ATH R70X ... do you think the 5K can drive it ?


***Edit
For future reference finally got an Hifiman HE400SE... it can be driven by the 5K at 80% volume unbalanced.


----------



## LongBeforeShort

Uh, it got 480ohm, that is a bit tough, but 98 sensitivity is pretty good. Should be okay without eq, with eq it depends on the pre gain factor with quiet songs. 

Would give it a try 🙂✌️


----------



## sspkt

LongBeforeShort said:


> Did you read my post? I have to ask, sorry, since i was writing about a switch box and level matched comparisons with very expensive cans. I was not writing about measurements.
> 
> Pretty much all ss amps i have tested, deliver the same sound, you can even recreate xBass from ifi, its all math and science, amps are not products from a fantasy world.
> 
> ...


I was trying to play around with EQ a bit but it is not that easy. I understand it overall but nothing I'm doing, brings me to satisfying level.
I base this on Beyerdynamic T1 3rd gen. Mainly I power them with IEMagni and Modi 3+ and they sounds heavenly. All the details, crispness connects perfectly with this overwhelming tuning of this cans. There is detail and there is powerful background. My problem with 5k is i don't feel that satisfying separation. Everything sounds bit thinner.
Maybe you are right about cans. I know it is 'only' 32ohm HP but you can tell that they scale greatly when you apply higher volume. And everyone, even on this forum wrote that the better power/source supply, the better they sound. So here is why i consider upgrading Qudelix.


----------



## Sluggist

smorgar said:


> Today I got bored in a meeting and happened to realize that the Smarties mini box is the exact same size as the 5K....


Nice case. My only worry would be mistakenly throwing it away, thinking it was just the box.


----------



## LongBeforeShort

@sspkt 

good morning. I know, this is what most people think, but it's not based on objective testing, or how tech works since everything is build on science 

I can tell you with 100% confidence, that its wrong, unless there is something wrong with the device or match. Biggest problem is the brain. For example, you could eat a cheap or expensive cheese product. In some cases, the content is the same, but the package is completely different, which leads to a more satisfying experience, because your brain is telling you, that it's more delicious. This is why probably almost every marketing team is using that against us everywhere, not only in audio.

But, the point is, even if you know and you have tested this and you are sure there is no difference, this feeling may not go away depending on your personality and past experience. Which ultimate leads to the question, why not just buying something, that gives a more satisfying experience, regardless if it's more useful or not, technically, but for the experience itself.

I know that this might be an important thing for many users and i am okay with that. In the end its important to use something that works for you, even if you don't need that


----------



## BenF

LongBeforeShort said:


> Pretty much all ss amps i have tested, deliver the same sound, you can even recreate xBass from ifi, its all math and science, amps are not products from a fantasy world.


Seriously, all solid state amps sounds the same? People pay hundreds and thousands of dollars for ss amps for no reason - since they all sound the same? 
Granted, more expensive ones aren't necessarily better - my point is that people pay to get the sound they want.



LongBeforeShort said:


> If someone dont like the sound with the Qudelix, its the headphone or daily performance because of stress, not the amp.


I've tested Q5K vs other BT adapters on more than one day, and I only used the headphones I like - what would be the point to use the headphones I don't like?



LongBeforeShort said:


> ...Biggest problem is the brain. For example, you could eat a cheap or expensive cheese product. In some cases, the content is the same, but the package is completely different, which leads to a more satisfying experience, because your brain is telling you, that it's more delicious. This is why probably almost every marketing team is using that against us everywhere, not only in audio.


In *some cases*, the same product may be simply repackaged - but we usually know that (store brand vs brand name), and the difference between "cheap" and "expensive" product won't be too big.
Ask somebody to help you do a blind test - they should buy your favorite type of cheese. Once at 3$/lb, and once at 15$/lb, then place both on a plate (no packaging in sight).
See if they'll taste the same to you   
Anyway, it' s pretty clear that the discussed amps aren't the same amp, simply repackaged.


----------



## PsiCore

Is anyone using their 5k in car audio? Is it even possible to connect smartphone -> q5 -> car audio?


----------



## BenF

PsiCore said:


> Is anyone using their 5k in car audio? Is it even possible to connect smartphone -> q5 -> car audio?


I don't use it in car, but you can. Q5K can automatically turn on when USB power is activated, and you can connect it to the AUX input of your car audio system.


----------



## Cevisi

I use the es 100 in my car and its great a massive sound quality upgrade nice eq und bluetooth capable. I leave it always plugged. I think the 5k will do great aswell

After hearing what the es100 does to my car audio all of my friends and my wife did get one aswell


----------



## LongBeforeShort (Dec 13, 2021)

@BenF

no, not everything sounds the same, but almost. A few things needs to reach a certain level to be compatible with almost all headphones, than it's the same for everything as long as the power requirements are met and the usual filter used, that, for example, cut's off everything above 20k or with slight roll off. Even linear tubes with low impedance output sounds the same, as long as you are not able to differiante the amount of distortion. I don't know, at which amount you can clearly hear a difference compared to a more clean output.

Technically, it's not the question, if there are difference, but if a human can hear a difference and what capability's needs to be set in order to do so. For example, i can hear up to 16kHz and have very good hearing for my age and in general as well and iam very picky when it comes to annoying buzzing noise from electrical things like smartphone, scooter, car charging, AVR or TVs sizzling sounds turned on, or PC stuff etc.

I got the switch, handmade cables only for this switch box, which can't be bought anywhere to compare level matched different amps with high end headphones that reveals the most details possible, even though they don't sound correct, because it's overemphasized and i still was not able to hear difference, like everyone else i have tested failed at this.

So, in terms of DAC/AMP's you don't pay for other sound quality, you pay for build quality, features, reputation, prestige, look and feel and so on and more power, if you need that. That's all.

A friend of mine have bought an expensive amp lately and told me (after i have tested him already and he failed), that his new amp sounds different, he feels better listening to it. So i went there and tested it, with his high ohm headphone from ZMF, we were not able to hear any difference at all compared to another amp. He was surprised, again.

He told me, that he is going to keep that amp anyway, not because it sounds better, but it feels better to him listening to that device, which gives a better experience, even though it's the same. But it is really the same than, if it enhances your experience, even though it produces exactly the same sonic, that we can hear? I would say yes and no. At the end, it's important that you "feel right" about the device. It dosen't matter, if the sound is the same, if it leaves you unhappy for whatever reason. Im okay with that, it depends on the personality.

If you experience different sound, it's only your brain telling you. I tell you a couple of reasons why.

1. expectations, its more expensive, it has to sound better
2. you like certain brands for whatever reasons, sympathy
3. look & feel, the way you review something changes with that, it can enhance the experience
4. testing at different volumes with different songs and with different headphones absolutely destroys any way of comparing. The only possible way is only the switch box + level matching, either done right with SPL meter, or better with multimeter and all the time with the same 10-20 songs ONLY, nothing else and every time with exactly the same volume tested, because our perception of sound changes with volume as well, this level of consistency in testing is crucial 
5. burn in, not the headphone, but your brain. The longer you listen to a specific headphone, the more your brain is trying to change the perception of sound to make it sound more correct, your brain EQ, if you will, only in comparison you will be able to tell something better apart

For example, if you listen to 5 headphones only and someone is asking you, to tell from 1-5, which has the biggest to narrow soundstage, iam pretty sure, you won't be able to tell that. The only way is to compare 2 headphones several time, until you are sure one sounds bigger than another. And than compare the bigger sounding one with a new one and choosing which one sounds bigger, until you have done enough comparisons to make a 1-5 list, unless the difference is so vast, that there is no room for error.

So, the produced amps obviously are not the same of course, but they are all build to deliver the same sound to the human ear (would be terrible if not, if there is no standard at all, headphone makes would not want that as well, as they don't know how it could sound at the end at which amp). The only thing that is different is the build quality, look&feel, power, features, price and technical performance to make a better appearance in a review, if its tested in some way (AudioScienceReview for example). But these values are worthless and not important, because our hearing can't hear a difference after a certain level of value is reached in all important areas.

That is for example a reasons, why iam not a fan of amir's recommendations. He is nitpicking on devices that reached the values needed anyway, but still gives a thumbs down, even though we cant hear the difference anyway. That is just not helpful at all.

By the way, i actually buy cheap/expensive stuff and compare them blindfolded by my girlfriend, iam doing the same to her, so we are not buying for example food, that just pleases our eyes but are not tasting any better. Why? Because i try to be objective and see everything in that light, not only audio and i don't want my judgement being fooled around with. Sometimes we found out, that the more expensive product was a whole lot better, but very often there was little to no difference aside from appealing.


----------



## progdvd

I need help, and I apologize if this has been discussed before. 

I just got 5k, I updated the firmware to 1.12.1
It automatically connect to SBC codec (mandatory) I have no way of changing it to LDAC. Even if I change it it still says SBC. In the devaloper settings in Android also says SBC. 

How do I change it to LDAC and make it preferred connection codec?


----------



## haavardnk

Anyone who has compared the Q5K to the Cayin RU6? I really like the Qudelix as a usb dac to my iPhone, but I don't like the charging part since it can not be done from the phone.


----------



## superuser1

progdvd said:


> I need help, and I apologize if this has been discussed before.
> 
> I just got 5k, I updated the firmware to 1.12.1
> It automatically connect to SBC codec (mandatory) I have no way of changing it to LDAC. Even if I change it it still says SBC. In the devaloper settings in Android also says SBC.
> ...


After connecting have you tried looking inside Android BT settings, enable HD audio or ldac there?


----------



## rlw6534

superuser1 said:


> After connecting have you tried looking inside Android BT settings, enable HD audio or ldac there?



Agreed, the phone should determine the codec to use, not the 5k (unless you have specifically disabled in the 5k settings).


----------



## rkw

haavardnk said:


> Anyone who has compared the Q5K to the Cayin RU6? I really like the Qudelix as a usb dac to my iPhone, but I don't like the charging part since it can not be done from the phone.


What exactly do you want? The Cayin RU6 is a very different type of device with no internal battery and powered only through its USB connection.


----------



## PopZeus

I like this device. A lot. But the button layout is... terrible.


----------



## progdvd

rlw6534 said:


> Agreed, the phone should determine the codec to use, not the 5k (unless you have specifically disabled in the 5k settings).



Yes you are right I totally forgot to check my other Android device. 

Apparently it was some kind of issue with my phones Bluetooth settings. Namely only SBC codec could be used with any BT device, later i tried other 2 ES100 and BTR5, they had the same issue. I didn't use BT in a long time so I wasn't aware of this. I fixed it by reseting app preferences... OK at least LDAC is working now.


----------



## rlw6534

progdvd said:


> Yes you are right I totally forgot to check my other Android device.
> 
> Apparently it was some kind of issue with my phones Bluetooth settings. Namely only SBC codec could be used with any BT device, later i tried other 2 ES100 and BTR5, they had the same issue. I didn't use BT in a long time so I wasn't aware of this. I fixed it by reseting app preferences... OK at least LDAC is working now.



Glad it's sorted...


----------



## tmb821

So, when I hook my 5k up to be used as a dac with my phone, it automatically overrides to bt, ldac, but still. I have priority set to wired dac, but it always goes to bt. If I turn bt off on phone, then it works, but I can’t fiddle with the app that way…


----------



## leonardohdiniz

A strange question: does anyone use qudelix 5k with ipod 5.5? If yes, do you like the result? Which cable do you use to adapt?


----------



## Musicoflife

tmb821 said:


> So, when I hook my 5k up to be used as a dac with my phone, it automatically overrides to bt, ldac, but still. I have priority set to wired dac, but it always goes to bt. If I turn bt off on phone, then it works, but I can’t fiddle with the app that way…


Speaking from experience I suspect your USB cable or adaptor is not making good contact. Replug or change it. You'll know Q5k is in USB mode from the Volume page. 

If this doesn't work, you might want to check your phone setup.


----------



## mugbot

Musicoflife said:


> Speaking from experience I suspect your USB cable or adaptor is not making good contact. Replug or change it. You'll know Q5k is in USB mode from the Volume page.
> 
> If this doesn't work, you might want to check your phone setup.


I'll back this opinion up, cleaning out the USB-C port on my phone completely resolved the issue for me.


----------



## tmb821

Musicoflife said:


> Speaking from experience I suspect your USB cable or adaptor is not making good contact. Replug or change it. You'll know Q5k is in USB mode from the Volume page.
> 
> If this doesn't work, you might want to check your phone setup.


Funny thing is it did the same thing when using iPhone 12 with otg kit. I never use the 5k that way anyway, but I was just curious.


----------



## yaerb

tmb821 said:


> Funny thing is it did the same thing when using iPhone 12 with otg kit. I never use the 5k that way anyway, but I was just curious.


generally I only use the 5k with a fire tablet and I had to go to Bluetooth device setting for the 5k and disable media audio over Bluetooth to avoid it switching back and forth. 
at some point earlier on in my use of the 5k, setting USB priority worked fine so I think its a bug when the priority setting doesn't work


----------



## Poimandres

Toastybob said:


> Yesterday the Qudelix 5K I bought in New condition from the seller "Qudelix" on Amazon US arrived, but it was clearly used. The warranty section of the app lists 283 days remaining, but I only bought it 6 days ago. It seems like someone may have originally bought it 82 days ago and returned it. The battery graph also shows previous usage and charging, and the tape holding the box closed was already cut.


I recently bought a 5K from Amazon as well.  The warranty start date shows as the day that I received it and connected it with the app however the end date shows 2 days before the day that I bought it but next year.  Example it started today 12/21/2021 but ends 12/19/2022.  Curious where the other 2 days went?


----------



## Luhar

Pardon if this has been asked before, I couldn't find an answer via searching but is Qudelix making a follow up to the 5K? or no new products announced?

5K still going strong


----------



## rkw

Luhar said:


> Pardon if this has been asked before, I couldn't find an answer via searching but is Qudelix making a follow up to the 5K? or no new products announced?


Their next product is the T71 for surround sound (gaming and movies): https://www.qudelix.com/blogs/t71/qudelix-t71

I wish Qudelix would simply repackage the 5K into a more ergonomic design, but it isn't easy for a small company to redo their production.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

The only quirk of the 5K to me is that the way it's put together makes it hard to push the power button without tapping another one and preventing it from turning on. Other than that I love it. Still superior to the BTR5 and ES100.


----------



## trillian42

Great thread!

I've ordered a 5K to use with my Meze Empyreans (to get proper EQ with iOS), and I also need to pick up a cable for it.

Will the 3.5 unbalanced output provide enough power for the Empys or should I go down the 2.5 balanced route (Empys are planar magnetic)?

Is there a different sound signature between these outputs as well (more noise @ 2.5?)

Cheers
Trill


----------



## AlexCBSN

trillian42 said:


> Great thread!
> 
> I've ordered a 5K to use with my Meze Empyreans (to get proper EQ with iOS), and I also need to pick up a cable for it.
> 
> ...


Go 2.5, planars always benefit from extra juice. Specially from a little dongle like this


----------



## Musicoflife

SomeGuyDude said:


> The only quirk of the 5K to me is that the way it's put together makes it hard to push the power button without tapping another one and preventing it from turning on. Other than that I love it. Still superior to the BTR5 and ES100.


You can program which buttons to press for power on/off. I press  both buttons together to do this, quite foolproof.


----------



## LongBeforeShort

trillian42 said:


> Great thread!
> 
> I've ordered a 5K to use with my Meze Empyreans (to get proper EQ with iOS), and I also need to pick up a cable for it.
> 
> ...



No difference and there is enough power without eq, efficient can. With eq though, it really depends on the values (correction) and pre gain.

If the corrections are minor and pre gain not >-6db, it may be fine on 3.5 even with some eq. Very quite sound Material might be trouble though.

Try it out, otherwise get yourself balanced cable/adapter


----------



## trillian42

Thanks for the replies guys!  

Pre-gain is -5.5, and the rest of the eq bands are between -2,5 and +5,5, so I guess the 3.5mm will provide enough power then.

I think I would prefer 2.5 "just to be sure", but the best option would be to go for 3.5mm because then the cable will work with my Chord Mojo too.... Decisions decisions!


----------



## ScottAudio

Hello All,

I am hoping someone here may be able to help with an issue I have on my new 5K.
When my phone (Samsung A70) is connected over BT the bass is heavily distorted and the audio sounds compressed overall.
Does not occur if I connect via USBC.
Does not occur with other Bluetooth devices via my phone.
Does not occur if I connect the 5K to another BT source.
The issue appears to be unique to the combination.

Qudelix support are of the opinion the fault is with my source device not the 5K as the hardware seems to function perfectly over USB.

So far to remedy the issue I have tried: 

Verified 990kbps connection on the 5K app via LDAC
Updating 5K firmware
Up to date OS (phone)
Factory reset the 5K
Restarting both devices
Forgetting and re-pairing
Forced multiple other Bluetooth codecs (present on all)
Turned off adaptive sound and any device EQ
Turned off A2DP hardware offload
Cleared phone cache
Unpaired my Galaxy watch
Any help/ideas in the right direction would be appreciated! 

Side note is the volume button loose/rattle by design or did mine come faulty.


----------



## mugbot

ScottAudio said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I am hoping someone here may be able to help with an issue I have on my new 5K.
> When my phone (Samsung A70) is connected over BT the bass is heavily distorted and the audio sounds compressed overall.
> ...


Are you running any EQ on your phone that might be triggered by connection to the Q5K? For example Wavelet will recognise which device is connected, and activate EQ used previously for that device.


----------



## ScottAudio

mugbot said:


> Are you running any EQ on your phone that might be triggered by connection to the Q5K? For example Wavelet will recognise which device is connected, and activate EQ used previously for that device.


I do have Wavelet but it is not active or enabled in this instance. No other triggered EQ.
EQ (done in the Qudelix app) makes it more auditable/worse but it is there regardless of EQ or not.
I should add that this issue occurs at very low volumes and on multiple headphones.

Apparently this issue is also intermittent.. There have been a few instances now where I connect it over Bluetooth and its completely fine (Without changing a single thing). Getting pretty frustrated!


----------



## mugbot

ScottAudio said:


> I do have Wavelet but it is not active or enabled in this instance. No other triggered EQ.
> EQ (done in the Qudelix app) makes it more auditable/worse but it is there regardless of EQ or not.
> I should add that this issue occurs at very low volumes and on multiple headphones.
> 
> Apparently this issue is also intermittent.. There have been a few instances now where I connect it over Bluetooth and its completely fine (Without changing a single thing). Getting pretty frustrated!


Do you know what BT codec is being used to connect? LDAC would be best, but if it's falling back to a lossier (eg. SBC) codec then you'll notice a difference in the sound.


----------



## ScottAudio

mugbot said:


> Do you know what BT codec is being used to connect? LDAC would be best, but if it's falling back to a lossier (eg. SBC) codec then you'll notice a difference in the sound.


It does it on all LDAC 990/660/330 kbps (Verified in 5K app) as well as a few other codecs I tried.


----------



## DBaldock9

ScottAudio said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I am hoping someone here may be able to help with an issue I have on my new 5K.
> When my phone (Samsung A70) is connected over BT the bass is heavily distorted and the audio sounds compressed overall.
> ...



Which source app on the A70 is being used?
Does the app, or the A70 settings, allow you to set the BT volume to a different level than the other volume settings?


----------



## ScottAudio

DBaldock9 said:


> Which source app on the A70 is being used?
> Does the app, or the A70 settings, allow you to set the BT volume to a different level than the other volume settings?


Tidal, Spotify and Soundcloud all exactly the same. Well Spotify sounds less distorted and more muted but similar.

Nope, no specific adjustment for bluetooth or volume in general, it overall system controlled.

As mentioned it is present on very low volumes (also on different combos of gain/volume on the 5K and volume on the phone)


----------



## DBaldock9

ScottAudio said:


> Tidal, Spotify and Soundcloud all exactly the same. Well Spotify sounds less distorted and more muted but similar.
> 
> Nope, no specific adjustment for bluetooth or volume in general, it overall system controlled.
> 
> As mentioned it is present on very low volumes (also on different combos of gain/volume on the 5K and volume on the phone)



It sounds like a case of your phone being within the BT specs, right at one edge of the spec ; and the Q5K being within the spec, also right at an edge - with the result that the combined system goes beyond an audio modulation tolerance.


----------



## Musicoflife

To those who own 2 or more of the Q5k:

Can a smartphone operate 2 or more at the same time with their individual EQ settings?


----------



## maschoff (Jan 5, 2022)

Musicoflife said:


> To those who own 2 or more of the Q5k:
> 
> Can a smartphone operate 2 or more at the same time with their individual EQ settings?


No, your phone will only connect to one at a time.  Recent updates have made it difficult to switch between units.  It used to be as easy as clicking the blue button and your phone would connect to it but it is not that simple now and not as easy as it was at the beginning.  I feel it is getting worse and worse with each update.

Oh, and the app does not discern between units, they all have the same name, so you have to guess which one is the unit you are trying to connect to.


----------



## Musicoflife

maschoff said:


> No, your phone will only connect to one at a time.  Recent updates have made it difficult to switch between units.  It used to be as easy as clicking the blue button and your phone would connect to it but it is not that simple now and not as easy as it was at the beginning.  I feel it is getting worse and worse with each update.
> 
> Oh, and the app does not discern between units, they all have the same name, so you have to guess which one is the unit you are trying to connect to.


Thanks. Sounds like Qudelix has some work to do here. At least provide a way to identify each 5k.


----------



## Maximiliano Campo

Hi all, question about Qudelix and power. I purchased the Avantone Planar headphone and was wondering if the Qudelix 5k will be able to power these headphones in single ended mode.

If anyone can help answer, it would be greatly appreciated. The Avantone Planar power requirements are: 


*Maximum power handling:* 5W RMS
*Frequency response:* 30Hz - 30kHz
*THD:* <0.1% @ 100dB
*Impedance:* 32 Ω
*Sensitivity:* 104 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point)
*Minimum power:* >100mW
*Recommended power:* >250mW
Will the Qudelix drive this headohine well?


----------



## rlw6534

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Hi all, question about Qudelix and power. I purchased the Avantone Planar headphone and was wondering if the Qudelix 5k will be able to power these headphones in single ended mode.
> 
> If anyone can help answer, it would be greatly appreciated. The Avantone Planar power requirements are:
> 
> ...



The Q5K goes to 80 mW in single ended (and 240 mW balanced).  It doesn't appear to meet the >100 mW specs for your headphone.


----------



## ririt

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Hi all, question about Qudelix and power. I purchased the Avantone Planar headphone and was wondering if the Qudelix 5k will be able to power these headphones in single ended mode.
> 
> If anyone can help answer, it would be greatly appreciated. The Avantone Planar power requirements are:
> 
> ...


With a balanced connection it should work reasonably well


----------



## Maximiliano Campo

rlw6534 said:


> The Q5K goes to 80 mW in single ended (and 240 mW balanced).  It doesn't appear to meet the >100 mW specs for your headphone.



Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it. I've just purchased the Qudelix 5K now, and I've tried it with the Sennheiser HD600 as well as the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro, which are both said to demand high power. The Qudelix 5K, I find, in single ended 3.5mm mode drives both headphones very well. 

If this is the case, then perhaps there should be no problem driving the Avantone Planar as that planar is said to be low impedance. I'm a bit confused. 

Regarding the balanced cable, sadly the Avantone Planar doesn't work with a balanced cable (unless it's been modded). The only option I have is SE mode.


----------



## Maximiliano Campo

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it. I've just purchased the Qudelix 5K now, and I've tried it with the Sennheiser HD600 as well as the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro, which are both said to demand high power. The Qudelix 5K, I find, in single ended 3.5mm mode drives both headphones very well. Well, at least to my ears, anyway.
> 
> If this is the case, then perhaps there should be no problem driving the Avantone Planar as that planar is said to be low impedance. I'm a bit confused.
> 
> Regarding the balanced cable, sadly the Avantone Planar doesn't work with a balanced cable (unless it's been modded). The only option I have is SE mode.


----------



## ririt

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it. I've just purchased the Qudelix 5K now, and I've tried it with the Sennheiser HD600 as well as the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro, which are both said to demand high power. The Qudelix 5K, I find, in single ended 3.5mm mode drives both headphones very well.
> 
> If this is the case, then perhaps there should be no problem driving the Avantone Planar as that planar is said to be low impedance. I'm a bit confused.
> 
> Regarding the balanced cable, sadly the Avantone Planar doesn't work with a balanced cable (unless it's been modded). The only option I have is SE mode.


I am using the Quedelix 5K with a DCA Aeon RT, a low impedance (13ohms) & low sensitivity  (78dB/1mW). SE mode was not really able to properly drive it while the balanced mode is nicely drive it


----------



## TooPoorForHiFi

Does Q5K have a Car Mode feature?


----------



## minister of etc

TooPoorForHiFi said:


> Does Q5K have a Car Mode feature?


Yes.


----------



## Tano

Hi guys. I just updated my Qudelix to the  newest version and it just stopped working with UAPP when I use it via USB. It plays music but high pitched and constantly cutting. Anyone having the same issue?

Thanks.


----------



## RyuzakiL26

Tano said:


> Hi guys. I just updated my Qudelix to the  newest version and it just stopped working with UAPP when I use it via USB. It plays music but high pitched and constantly cutting. Anyone having the same issue?
> 
> Thanks.


I experience the same issue, I think this all started when I updated to the latest firmware. Using Poweramp doesn't produce the same issue


----------



## Tano (Jan 9, 2022)

RyuzakiL26 said:


> I experience the same issue, I think this all started when I updated to the latest firmware. Using Poweramp doesn't produce the same issue


Thank you. This is really unfortunate because UAPP is my main player.
I hope they can fix It soon.


----------



## tudedude

I've been using the Qudelix and BTR-5 as bluetooth dacs into my amps, am I missing out in sound quality by not going with a standalone dac, like the schiit modi?


----------



## rlw6534

tudedude said:


> I've been using the Qudelix and BTR-5 as bluetooth dacs into my amps, am I missing out in sound quality by not going with a standalone dac, like the schiit modi?



Well, bluetooth is a lossy codec so yes you are losing quality if you are using it with lossless or high resolution music.  Depending on the actual codec you are using (AAC, AptX, LDAC) the results can vary.  Of course, people hear differently, so it's difficult to say how much it might matter to your ears...


----------



## tudedude

rlw6534 said:


> Well, bluetooth is a lossy codec so yes you are losing quality if you are using it with lossless or high resolution music.  Depending on the actual codec you are using (AAC, AptX, LDAC) the results can vary.  Of course, people hear differently, so it's difficult to say how much it might matter to your ears...


I'm using mostly LDAC, but irregardless of codec, is the output stage itself from the Qudelix much worse than that of a budget dac like the Modi?


----------



## BenF

tudedude said:


> I'm using mostly LDAC, but irregardless of codec, is the output stage itself from the Qudelix much worse than that of a budget dac like the Modi?


Not necessarily. Plus you can use 5K and BTR5 over USB, getting rid of Bluetooth artifacts.


----------



## Actungz (Jan 11, 2022)

EDIT: What I said doesn’t even make sense. Ignore it completely pls


Is there any way to get dual output (both 2.5mm and 3.5mm)? I plan to add a subwoofer to my speakers, and use the Qudelix like a pseudo MiniDSP with the PEQ’s acting as room correction and a high pass filter.

I ask because the Qudelix is so far the only dac I know of that can switch playback between Bluetooth devices, and usb to PC automatically, not to mention also offers 10 band PEQ.

I know why I’m asking is not really what the 5K is designed for, but I really want the automatic Bluetooth/USB switching and a sub output.

Any ideas or options you guys recommend? I thought about maybe getting a 2.5mm balanced splitter (if that even exists), but would that reduce the RMS voltage output by half?


----------



## Actungz (Jan 10, 2022)

Speaking about output, what’s the actual RMS voltage for the 2.5mm balanced output?

The manual says max 4v RMS in balanced mode, but it also says there are two modes: Normal 1V RMS mode and High 2V RMS mode.

No mention of 4V mode anywhere, are we to assume 2V RMS is the highest output, for 2.5mm balanced too?

I assume the spec sheets says 4v,  because balanced outputs carry both  negative and positive, just weird since they don’t explicitly mention it.

Here’s a topping E30 spec sheet for reference.


----------



## tudedude

Actungz said:


> Speaking about output, what’s the actual RMS voltage for the 2.5mm balanced output?
> 
> The manual says max 4v RMS in balanced mode, but it also says there are two modes: Normal 1V RMS mode and High 2V RMS mode.
> 
> ...


In the app you can switch between High and Normal. With single ended it is 1v and 2v. With balanced it's 2v and 4v.


----------



## Tano (Jan 11, 2022)

Just discovered what's the problem that Im getting since the last update. UAPP wasn't working properly with the Qudelix via USB and I was experiencing constant cuts and the device was even restarting itself.

It turns out that the 41,1 , 88,2 , 96 khz mode isn't working anymore and the device won't switch automatically. It works normally if I switch to a single frequency. That's quite annoying and It will always upsample to 24 bit unless I use the 16 bit mode, but I guess that's better than nothing ...

Did anyone get the same problem? Im wondering if it's only happening with UAPP...
Thanks.


----------



## superuser1

Tano said:


> Just discovered what's the problem that Im getting since the last update. UAPP wasn't working properly with the Qudelix via USB and I was experiencing constant cuts and the device was even restarting itself.
> 
> It turns out that the 41,1 , 88,2 , 96 khz mode isn't working anymore and the device won't switch automatically. It works normally if I switch to a single frequency. That's quite annoying and It will always upsample to 24 bit unless I use the 16 bit mode, but
> 
> ...


Interesting. i hope someone pointed it out to the company so it can be rectified.


----------



## Actungz

tudedude said:


> In the app you can switch between High and Normal. With single ended it is 1v and 2v. With balanced it's 2v and 4v.


Thanks that makes sense. Is the 3.5mm/2.5mm output a toggle in the app? Either or?


----------



## ririt

Actungz said:


> Thanks that makes sense. Is the 3.5mm/2.5mm output a toggle in the app? Either or?


It is only 3.5 mm or 2.5mm. The 2 outputs cannot work simultaneously


----------



## tudedude

Actungz said:


> Thanks that makes sense. Is the 3.5mm/2.5mm output a toggle in the app? Either or?


No toggle, the device auto detects what's plugged in.


----------



## CommanderCute

Does anybody use QX-feed (Crossfeed)?

I see the point what it should do but in the end the sound just gets more narrow (for my hearing).


----------



## mugbot

CommanderCute said:


> Does anybody use QX-feed (Crossfeed)?
> 
> I see the point what it should do but in the end the sound just gets more narrow (for my hearing).


Crossfeed is known for reducing soundstage, but can make some music sound more natural. For example the Beatles stereo recordings are often panned all the way to one direction, and some crossfeed (IMO) makes it sound nicer. Certainly less like Paul McCartney is singing directly in your ear lol.


----------



## theElk

Does anybody know when there will be a new batch of 5k's to buy? atm they are out of Stock and I would like to buy a second one.


----------



## imacaverage

Headphones with dedicated vocal range sound better on btr5


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jan 15, 2022)

On the latest firmware, 1.12.5, when I connect my Qudelix 5K with my laptop via USB, so using it as a DAC, when I am listening to Amazon Music Unlimited, the music stops/pauses for like 1-2 seconds, each time I put my phone to sleep or wake it up. Is this normal? I do not remember this ever happening before, but the truth is that I very-very rarely use it as a DAC.

EDIT: Nevermind, I've resolved it by setting the Priority to USB DAC


----------



## Tano

Great news. My Qudelix just updated and the problem with UAPP got fixed. Now it works flawlessly.


----------



## leonardohdiniz

imacaverage said:


> Fones de ouvido com alcance vocal dedicado soam melhor no btr5


Roughly speaking, isn't it right to say that headphones work through some kind of electrical current? How can two electric current amplifiers sound different? I'm a layman on the subject, but I wanted to understand better hehe

If there is a difference, with EQ adjustments is it not possible to emulate anything?


----------



## leonardohdiniz

Nick24JJ said:


> On the latest firmware, 1.12.5, when I connect my Qudelix 5K with my laptop via USB, so using it as a DAC, when I am listening to Amazon Music Unlimited, the music stops/pauses for like 1-2 seconds, each time I put my phone to sleep or wake it up. Is this normal? I do not remember this ever happening before, but the truth is that I very-very rarely use it as a DAC.
> 
> EDIT: Nevermind, I've resolved it by setting the Priority to USB DAC


Was it fixed in the last update?


----------



## Nick24JJ

leonardohdiniz said:


> Was it fixed in the last update?


Hi, I don't think it was ever broken, it was just me forgetting to set up the Priority to USB DAC prior to connecting it to my laptop. I almost never use it as a DAC, so I got confused.


----------



## Haxion

theElk said:


> Does anybody know when there will be a new batch of 5k's to buy? atm they are out of Stock and I would like to buy a second one.


Seconded- I don’t own one but given the feature set it looks like this blows most of its competition out of the water. Any idea when they’ll come up for sale again?


----------



## aryaah

Comments on the comparison between the Qudelix-5K and the iFi Audio Go Blu. I am primarily interested in pairing, via Bluetooth, to an iPhone. Both devices appear to be capable in this regard.
Thank you.


----------



## _mouse_

Some settings to use it best under uapp?


----------



## imacaverage

5k accentuates the upper mids (at least if you do not use an equalizer), so it is better to use it with headphones that are in this range without a rise

5k + pp8 = already better


----------



## gelade4000

so if I am really only to use it as desktop dac/amp(95% of time) while always connected through usb(like typical desktop setups) do I ever need to stop using it to charge it? or the power provided through usb is always enough? I remember btr5 has a mode that stop charging when in usb mode to help with battery health, does 5k has it too?


----------



## kismetsky

aryaah said:


> Comments on the comparison between the Qudelix-5K and the iFi Audio Go Blu. I am primarily interested in pairing, via Bluetooth, to an iPhone. Both devices appear to be capable in this regard.
> Thank you.


Reviews on the Go Blu’s bluetooth range have been bad to mediocre at best.  My 5K works several rooms away with no problems. (iPhone 13)


----------



## DBaldock9

gelade4000 said:


> so if I am really only to use it as desktop dac/amp(95% of time) while always connected through usb(like typical desktop setups) do I ever need to stop using it to charge it? or the power provided through usb is always enough? I remember btr5 has a mode that stop charging when in usb mode to help with battery health, does 5k has it too?



When using the Q5K as a USB DAC/Amp, you can still connect to it via BT, with the Qudelix app - and in the *Power* tab, turn charging On or Off.  When charging is On, you can go to the *Batt* tab, and change the maximum charge limit down to 80%, to help protect the battery.


----------



## yaerb

gelade4000 said:


> so if I am really only to use it as desktop dac/amp(95% of time) while always connected through usb(like typical desktop setups) do I ever need to stop using it to charge it? or the power provided through usb is always enough? I remember btr5 has a mode that stop charging when in usb mode to help with battery health, does 5k has it too?


it bypasses battery entirely when on USB if charging is disabled (one of the main deciding factors for me vs btr5). 

fyi, the recommendation I've seen around the internet is to keep a 40% charge on a device if its not actively being used so I tend to check on the battery once in a while if I haven't used it wirelessly lately


----------



## jasonb

yaerb said:


> it bypasses battery entirely when on USB if charging is disabled (one of the main deciding factors for me vs btr5).
> 
> fyi, the recommendation I've seen around the internet is to keep a 40% charge on a device if its not actively being used so I tend to check on the battery once in a while if I haven't used it wirelessly lately


This explains why the battery has been stuck at 75% when using mine with my iPhone 13Pro. 

I guess my phone is technically powering it then.


----------



## Donald Russell (Jan 25, 2022)

Victory112 said:


> Wow the crossfeed update really makes this device even more amazing.


----------



## Haxion

Haxion said:


> Seconded- I don’t own one but given the feature set it looks like this blows most of its competition out of the water. Any idea when they’ll come up for sale again?


FYI for anyone looking for one of these- they’re in stock at Qudelix’s website. Just ordered this morning.


----------



## theElk

Haxion said:


> FYI for anyone looking for one of these- they’re in stock at Qudelix’s website. Just ordered this morning.


Qudelix hast only a small amount of Stock. They will restock Amazon.com at the end of February. (Information from a mail-inquiry 2 weeks ago)


----------



## fattycheesebeef

I thought I saw early Feb for Amazon!


----------



## theElk

fattycheesebeef said:


> I thought I saw early Feb for Amazon!


That was their first op but the batch they produced was smaller than expected so the Amazon-stock was pushed back (that’s what they told me via email)


----------



## jasonb (Jan 26, 2022)

So I can report that the Cayin lightning to USBC cable does work between iPhones and the Qudelix 5K. https://shop.musicteck.com/products/cayin-lightning-cable-for-ru6?variant=39638772056126


----------



## fattycheesebeef

jasonb said:


> So I can report that the Cayin lightning to USBC cable does work between iPhones and the Qudelix 5K. https://shop.musicteck.com/products/cayin-lightning-cable-for-ru6?variant=39638772056126



Any sonic difference between cable and Bluetooth from phone?


----------



## jasonb

fattycheesebeef said:


> Any sonic difference between cable and Bluetooth from phone?


Being that the iPhone only does AAC there definitely should be. It’s probably only like a 5% difference.


----------



## newworld666

jasonb said:


> Being that the iPhone only does AAC there definitely should be. It’s probably only like a 5% difference.



I suppose it's quite different with modern or remastered tracks made for hires format, as I can get much more than just 5% difference between Aptx and LDAC with Sennheiser IE900 or Vision Ears EXT (we can get instant A/B sound quality difference with activating or not the LDAC Bluetooth Option on android 10/11 devices). 
I agree for older CD (Flac) recordings it's almost impossible to catch a difference between 320Kps and 990Kps.


----------



## jasonb

newworld666 said:


> I suppose it's quite different with modern or remastered tracks made for hires format, as I can get much more than just 5% difference between Aptx and LDAC with Sennheiser IE900 or Vision Ears EXT (we can get instant A/B sound quality difference with activating or not the LDAC Bluetooth Option on android 10/11 devices).
> I agree for older CD (Flac) recordings it's almost impossible to catch a difference between 320Kps and 990Kps.


My ears or brain probably isn’t able to detect the possibly bigger difference. I listen to mostly progressive rock and metal, but sometimes jazz too. I also think that my AirPods Pro sound pretty damn good too. I’m often willing to take the few percent sacrifice in audio quality for the convenience of them.


----------



## sgtbilko

It's such a pain we cannot get the 5K in the UK...


----------



## uhaa008

sgtbilko said:


> It's such a pain we cannot get the 5K in the UK...


I got mine from Amazon.com who covered all the taxes and stuff.  worth looking at when it comes into stock.  David


----------



## ttorbic

sgtbilko said:


> It's such a pain we cannot get the 5K in the UK...


I got mine in the UK off of eBay. Set up an alert and keep your fingers crossed


----------



## dangusyra

uhaa008 said:


> I got mine from Amazon.com who covered all the taxes and stuff.  worth looking at when it comes into stock.  David


No import taxes? Strange...


----------



## uhaa008

dangusyra said:


> No import taxes? Strange...


Amazon deal with the taxes.  I paid £110 or $147, $23 of which was tax.  I think amazon are not allowed to ship to the UK without covering the taxes


----------



## sgtbilko

That's my understanding too. Shame it's not available right now otherwise I'd have ordered it.


----------



## dangusyra

uhaa008 said:


> Amazon deal with the taxes.  I paid £110 or $147, $23 of which was tax.  I think amazon are not allowed to ship to the UK without covering the taxes


Noted, thank you.


----------



## fattycheesebeef

Is shipment cheaper and better on Amazon than Qudelix's


----------



## Brandfuchs (Jan 30, 2022)

Used to have one, interesting stuff, it is said that 'circuit' or sort of 'structure' is designed by former engineer of Earstudio's, indeed up to some point they are similar.
Best part is that they added a circuit protect the mechanism which es100 doesn't have, for es100, I was told it is needed to pause the playback and switch the Audio Output Lock on, so that you can unplug your iem, otherwise it may 'burn' the circuit, quite weird...
afaic there's a slight improvement in comparison with es100, but not very huge. Clarity is slightly better and background noise is more quiet.
Bought it for $100 as a pre-owned one, I think definitely worth the price lolz


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Brandfuchs said:


> I was told it is needed to pause the playback and lock on the output switch so that you can unplug your iem, otherwise it may 'burn' the circuit, quite weird...


Never heard of it, is it in manual somewhere?


----------



## Brandfuchs (Jan 30, 2022)

Andrew_WOT said:


> Never heard of it, is it in manual somewhere?


From the software of Earstudio there's a warning that says: "Please do NOT plug or unplug audio jack while music playing, as both Earstudio and Earphone maybe damaged. Please pause audio before you plug or unplug audio jack."
es100 doesn't support hot-swap, although if done it not very often it may work just fine, there's a possibility to burn the circuit


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Brandfuchs said:


> From the software of Earstudio there's a warning that says: "Please do NOT plug or unplug audio jack while music playing, as both Earstudio and Earphone maybe damaged. Please pause audio before you plug or unplug audio jack."
> es100 doesn't support hot-swap, although if done it not very often it may work just fine, there's a possibility to burn the circuit


Oh, that makes sense as with anything else feeding live signal. 
What is "lock on the output switch"?


----------



## Brandfuchs

Andrew_WOT said:


> Oh, that makes sense as with anything else feeding live signal.
> What is "lock on the output switch"?


Oooops, sorry for the misrepresentation here, I mean it is needed to switch the Audio Output Lock to on when unplugging earphone.


----------



## leonardohdiniz

I just updated Qudelix and my custom EQ just disappeared...


----------



## leonardohdiniz

I just found out that the custom EQs are still there, just all the names have been deleted.


----------



## ttorbic

leonardohdiniz said:


> I just found out that the custom EQs are still there, just all the names have been deleted.


That's odd - if you email their tech support, they should address it in the next update


----------



## Sam L

Anyone know when there will be inventory avail on amazon again?


----------



## Dynamo5561

Hey guys, anyone considered a DIY Qudelix 5K project to include a bigger battery? I am currently trying to 3D print a new enclosure in order to place a bigger battery (2600mah). Found a 20cm usb-c extension cable, but probably too big. Any ideas are welcome.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Sam L said:


> Anyone know when there will be inventory avail on amazon again?


Official word is beginning of February, they are available on manufacturer site right now with $20 shipping to US.


----------



## Haxion

Andrew_WOT said:


> Official word is beginning of February, they are available on manufacturer site right now with $20 shipping to US.


Just got mine a bit less than a week after ordering. Can't express how great this little $100 box the size of a 9v battery sounds!


----------



## Sam L

Haxion said:


> Just got mine a bit less than a week after ordering. Can't express how great this little $100 box the size of a 9v battery sounds!


completely agree, which is why I want a second one!


----------



## Haxion

Quick follow-up question: is there a way to ensure it defaults to a given EQ preset (and other DSP settings I guess) every time it's turned on? And likewise is there a way to save those settings when it's then connected to another device? I mostly listen to music from my iPhone but I'd like to be able to connect it to my Mac and have those EQ settings transfer over (as there's no OS X app to change settings for it). Or is what I'm asking for already its default behavior?


----------



## leonardohdiniz

Dynamo5561 said:


> Hey guys, anyone considered a DIY Qudelix 5K project to include a bigger battery? I am currently trying to 3D print a new enclosure in order to place a bigger battery (2600mah). Found a 20cm usb-c extension cable, but probably too big. Any ideas are welcome.


The idea is sensational! Keep us up to date on DIY please


----------



## CommanderCute

Hey,

I'm using the 5K with my IEMs as a bluetooth amp and I'm really happy with it.

In 2022 I want to dive into the headphone world and the first thing that came to my mind was if the 5K is "strong" enough as a standalone USB DAC or if I should invest in a bigger, non-mobile amp?


----------



## Zaiden

Anyone that has experience with both products - completely ignoring price to value ratio and functionalities, how does the Qudelix 5K compare to the Chord Mojo in terms of sound quality?


----------



## fonkepala

Zaiden said:


> Anyone that has experience with both products - completely ignoring price to value ratio and functionalities, how does the Qudelix 5K compare to the Chord Mojo in terms of sound quality?


I have both. They're different in terms of SQ, almost like apples to oranges. If you can afford it and if absolute best SQ if what you're after, go for the Mojo. Otherwise, the 5K is still super good.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Any reason not to look at xDSD Gryphon, if you want:
- step up in SQ from Qudelix
- more powerful
- just slightly bigger
- still supporting BT
- not crazy overpriced as everything from Chord which is more like a famous fashion brand, when they charge for name mostly, not the product itself.

xDuoo XD05 BAL is another similar, even cheaper than Gryphon option.


----------



## Adriano1402

Using it with HD800 balanced and can not find good settings.
Does someone using same setup and have some advice?
Used oratory1990 and crinacle settings from qudelix app and also tried to manually add these settings from oratory1990 website, but i am not happy with the hd800 sound...


----------



## Haxion

Andrew_WOT said:


> Any reason not to look at xDSD Gryphon, if you want:
> - step up in SQ from Qudelix
> - more powerful
> - just slightly bigger
> ...


I have an ifi xcan (predecessor to the gryphon) and a 5k, and I think the big question is, do the headphones you have need EQ to get the sound you want for the music you like? If no, the ifi devices are larger, more powerful, and undoubtedly “better” (though I think the 5k is a bit better for noise reduction with Bluetooth audio then my xcan at least). They are more expensive though, at 300 for the xcan and 600 for the gryphon (give or take).

 On the other hand, if you do need EQ the 5k is the better choice due to the 10 band PEQ that can be applied to any source. In my mind you will notice EQ settings a lot more than relative DAC/amp quality for most music. So I think that’s really the deciding factor, and if you don’t need EQ or exclusively use an app with it built in, then there are better choices than the 5k. That said I love mine and I don’t think anything else really compares at it’s price point.


----------



## rlw6534

Haxion said:


> I have an ifi xcan (predecessor to the gryphon) and a 5k, and I think the big question is, do the headphones you have need EQ to get the sound you want for the music you like? If no, the ifi devices are larger, more powerful, and undoubtedly “better” (though I think the 5k is a bit better for noise reduction with Bluetooth audio then my xcan at least). They are more expensive though, at 300 for the xcan and 600 for the gryphon (give or take).
> 
> On the other hand, if you do need EQ the 5k is the better choice due to the 10 band PEQ that can be applied to any source. In my mind you will notice EQ settings a lot more than relative DAC/amp quality for most music. So I think that’s really the deciding factor, and if you don’t need EQ or exclusively use an app with it built in, then there are better choices than the 5k. That said I love mine and I don’t think anything else really compares at it’s price point.



Slightly off topic, but I find it surprising/frustrating that you can't find a DAP with system-wide PEQ.  It seems like such a fundamental feature for a music player but yet no one offers it as far as I know.   Yes, there are some apps, but nothing system-wide.  I want to be able to enjoy high-resolution, MQA, etc and have PEQ at the same time.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

rlw6534 said:


> Slightly off topic, but I find it surprising/frustrating that you can't find a DAP with system-wide PEQ.  It seems like such a fundamental feature for a music player but yet no one offers it as far as I know.   Yes, there are some apps, but nothing system-wide.  I want to be able to enjoy high-resolution, MQA, etc and have PEQ at the same time.


I haven't looked into but I'll take your word for it. I guess this is the cost of using el-cheapo Android for most music players rather than a custom OS. I avoided Android-based DAPs so far but if I have to start flying again I'll have to upgrade and I'm sure there is already no choice.


----------



## jsmiller58

rlw6534 said:


> Slightly off topic, but I find it surprising/frustrating that you can't find a DAP with system-wide PEQ.  It seems like such a fundamental feature for a music player but yet no one offers it as far as I know.   Yes, there are some apps, but nothing system-wide.  I want to be able to enjoy high-resolution, MQA, etc and have PEQ at the same time.


I agree - phone and DAP system wide PEQ would be great.  

Coming close, while not PEQ, the MSEB is system-wide on HiBy DAPs (though i think it does not touch bit perfect stream).


----------



## gimmeheadroom

jsmiller58 said:


> I agree - phone and DAP system wide PEQ would be great.
> 
> Coming close, while not PEQ, the MSEB is system-wide on HiBy DAPs (though i think it does not touch bit perfect stream).


That's the issue. For any EQ to work system wide, it has to happen in the analog section. I don't know if Android has any control over that part.


----------



## Haxion

jsmiller58 said:


> I agree - phone and DAP system wide PEQ would be great.
> 
> Coming close, while not PEQ, the MSEB is system-wide on HiBy DAPs (though i think it does not touch bit perfect stream).


I don't think it's really a surprise that PEQ is rare in most devices-- it's pretty confusing and unintuitive unless you've played with it for a while, and none of the apps I've used are decently documented at all. I have a PhD, work in a technical field and understand all the principles of signal processing, but it still took me ~15 minutes or so to intuitively get how to set it up when I first installed Neutron player last month. The average person who doesn't have any experience with log scales, quality factors, Fourier transformations, analog electronics... it's probably not going to go great.

But that said I agree its absence in DAPs is bizarre! Any modern smartphone is a perfectly fine USB/bluetooth music player, and there are a huge array of reasonably priced DAC/amps (such a the 5k this thread discusses) to give them great sound with wired headphones. So the market for spending hundreds of dollars+ on a dedicated DAP is pretty damn niche and I imagine the kind of folks who do are vastly more likely to understand and appreciate advanced features like PEQ. Pretty strange nobody has taken the approach of products like the 5k and neutron player and gone all in pages and pages of fine tuning options.


----------



## gimmeheadroom

Haxion said:


> I don't think it's really a surprise that PEQ is rare in most devices-- it's pretty confusing and unintuitive unless you've played with it for a while, and none of the apps I've used are decently documented at all. I have a PhD, work in a technical field and understand all the principles of signal processing, but it still took me ~15 minutes or so to intuitively get how to set it up when I first installed Neutron player last month. The average person who doesn't have any experience with log scales, quality factors, Fourier transformations, analog electronics... it's probably not going to go great.
> 
> But that said I agree its absence in DAPs is bizarre! Any modern smartphone is a perfectly fine USB/bluetooth music player, and there are a huge array of reasonably priced DAC/amps (such a the 5k this thread discusses) to give them great sound with wired headphones. So the market for spending hundreds of dollars+ on a dedicated DAP is pretty damn niche and I imagine the kind of folks who do are vastly more likely to understand and appreciate advanced features like PEQ. Pretty strange nobody has taken the approach of products like the 5k and neutron player and gone all in pages and pages of fine tuning options.


Given 99% or more of DAPs run Android, it doesn't have to do with niche. It's all the same pretty much, regardless of phone or DAP.


----------



## TK33

Haxion said:


> I don't think it's really a surprise that PEQ is rare in most devices-- it's pretty confusing and unintuitive unless you've played with it for a while, and none of the apps I've used are decently documented at all. I have a PhD, work in a technical field and understand all the principles of signal processing, but it still took me ~15 minutes or so to intuitively get how to set it up when I first installed Neutron player last month. The average person who doesn't have any experience with log scales, quality factors, Fourier transformations, analog electronics... it's probably not going to go great.
> 
> But that said I agree its absence in DAPs is bizarre! Any modern smartphone is a perfectly fine USB/bluetooth music player, and there are a huge array of reasonably priced DAC/amps (such a the 5k this thread discusses) to give them great sound with wired headphones. So the market for spending hundreds of dollars+ on a dedicated DAP is pretty damn niche and I imagine the kind of folks who do are vastly more likely to understand and appreciate advanced features like PEQ. Pretty strange nobody has taken the approach of products like the 5k and neutron player and gone all in pages and pages of fine tuning options.


I agree.  I think most consumers would pick up a Qudelix 5K, take one look at the app, and say it is too complicated.  They would probably be better off with something like the IFI GoBlu.  For the rest of us who are actually looking for the features that the Qudelix 5K offers, I think it is am amazing device (I am also one of the few that actually prefer the plain black case vs. my old ES100).  I have had mine for over a year now and never really knew what PEQ was before getting one.  I won't pretend to know half of what you mentioned but, thanks to some internet research, I was able to figure out how to use the 5K and it works great. It really isn't that hard to use if you invest some time, even if you don't understand the science. I think, probably outside of these forums, most people want a preset plug and play sound with nice build quality and an app that looks like it was designed by Apple, Google, etc.

I see the same thing on the RME ADI-2 (which I also really enjoy), where many people are intimidated by the features and complexity of the menus.  In reality, if you don't touch any of those features, it is really just plug and play.

I think for more mainstream devices, it probably doesn't make sense as I am sure it will also lead to more headaches (imagine those customer service reps trying to explain PEQ).  While I don't own, and have never been in the market for, a DAP (my DAP is my LG V60), I do find it odd that DAP manufacturers haven't figured out a way to implement PEQ in DAPs.  With Bluetooth and devices like the Qudelix 5K getting better and better, I can see DAPs going the way of walkmans, discmans, minidisc players, etc. unless they figure out a way to differentiate the product with things like PEQ.  With working from home, investing in a true desktop setup, and playing with a bunch of TWS, I rarely use my V60 anymore.


----------



## TK33

gimmeheadroom said:


> Given 99% or more of DAPs run Android, it doesn't have to do with niche. It's all the same pretty much, regardless of phone or DAP.


You're probably right, although I won't even pretend to know anything about why that is.  Also, I think many are content to use Neutron or UAPP.


----------



## gimmeheadroom (Feb 3, 2022)

TK33 said:


> You're probably right, although I won't even pretend to know anything about why that is.  Also, I think many are content to use Neutron or UAPP.


Android is free. Imagine the cost of maintaining your own OS for your own devices.



TK33 said:


> With Bluetooth and devices like the Qudelix 5K getting better and better, I can see DAPs going the way of walkmans, discmans, minidisc players, etc.



The only time I use mine is on airplanes. I don't want to run my phone battery down and I use a dual SIM phone so I have no slots for memory cards.

But full disclaimer, I also have portable CD players, portable minidisc recorder/players, and some "pro" minidisc decks. So I'm not the target audience


----------



## rlw6534

TK33 said:


> I agree.  I think most consumers would pick up a Qudelix 5K, take one look at the app, and say it is too complicated.  They would probably be better off with something like the IFI GoBlu.  For the rest of us who are actually looking for the features that the Qudelix 5K offers, I think it is am amazing device (I am also one of the few that actually prefer the plain black case vs. my old ES100).  I have had mine for over a year now and never really knew what PEQ was before getting one.  I won't pretend to know half of what you mentioned but, thanks to some internet research, I was able to figure out how to use the 5K and it works great. It really isn't that hard to use if you invest some time, even if you don't understand the science. I think, probably outside of these forums, most people want a preset plug and play sound with nice build quality and an app that looks like it was designed by Apple, Google, etc.
> 
> I see the same thing on the RME ADI-2 (which I also really enjoy), where many people are intimidated by the features and complexity of the menus.  In reality, if you don't touch any of those features, it is really just plug and play.
> 
> I think for more mainstream devices, it probably doesn't make sense as I am sure it will also lead to more headaches (imagine those customer service reps trying to explain PEQ).  While I don't own, and have never been in the market for, a DAP (my DAP is my LG V60), I do find it odd that DAP manufacturers haven't figured out a way to implement PEQ in DAPs.  With Bluetooth and devices like the Qudelix 5K getting better and better, *I can see DAPs going the way of walkmans, discmans, minidisc players, etc. unless they figure out a way to differentiate the product with things like PEQ.*  With working from home, investing in a true desktop setup, and playing with a bunch of TWS, I rarely use my V60 anymore.



Totally agree.  DAPs are quite expensive IMO and many of them are no better than a decent smartphone in audio quality.   There has to be some justification for the extra expense.  I love the hobby, but other than increases in output power, DAPs are pretty hard to justify in real terms.


----------



## Hanesu

Andrew_WOT said:


> Any reason not to look at xDSD Gryphon, if you want:
> - step up in SQ from Qudelix
> - more powerful
> - just slightly bigger
> ...


Agree with everything except of „just slightly bigger“ 😅


----------



## Haxion

TK33 said:


> I agree.  I think most consumers would pick up a Qudelix 5K, take one look at the app, and say it is too complicated.  They would probably be better off with something like the IFI GoBlu.  For the rest of us who are actually looking for the features that the Qudelix 5K offers, I think it is am amazing device (I am also one of the few that actually prefer the plain black case vs. my old ES100).  I have had mine for over a year now and never really knew what PEQ was before getting one.  I won't pretend to know half of what you mentioned but, thanks to some internet research, I was able to figure out how to use the 5K and it works great. It really isn't that hard to use if you invest some time, even if you don't understand the science. I think, probably outside of these forums, most people want a preset plug and play sound with nice build quality and an app that looks like it was designed by Apple, Google, etc.
> 
> I see the same thing on the RME ADI-2 (which I also really enjoy), where many people are intimidated by the features and complexity of the menus.  In reality, if you don't touch any of those features, it is really just plug and play.
> 
> I think for more mainstream devices, it probably doesn't make sense as I am sure it will also lead to more headaches (imagine those customer service reps trying to explain PEQ).  While I don't own, and have never been in the market for, a DAP (my DAP is my LG V60), I do find it odd that DAP manufacturers haven't figured out a way to implement PEQ in DAPs.  With Bluetooth and devices like the Qudelix 5K getting better and better, I can see DAPs going the way of walkmans, discmans, minidisc players, etc. unless they figure out a way to differentiate the product with things like PEQ.  With working from home, investing in a true desktop setup, and playing with a bunch of TWS, I rarely use my V60 anymore.


Thinking about it a bit more, there’s another reason we’ll probably never see PEQ in mainstream apps and devices: ease of real time tuning. With a standard 10 band EQ you can just put on one or two of your favorite songs and drag the sliders around until you’re happy with the sound. You also immediately know what is supposed to happen if you increase or decrease the level for each step. 

But with PEQ since each filter is controlled by three numbers (Q, frequency and dB), you really have to think about the spectrum and plan ahead, and the immediate response to adjusting any of those numbers is harder to interpret. It’s asking way too much of the average user; it’s a truly analytical way to adjust sound. Which at the end of the day makes me doubly grateful that there are _any_ affordable (read: not studio or production equipment) consumer products that include it! I think before the advent of hobby forums like this one or others, those type of tuning options must have been nonexistent.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Feb 6, 2022)

Haxion said:


> Thinking about it a bit more, there’s another reason we’ll probably never see PEQ in mainstream apps and devices: ease of real time tuning. With a standard 10 band EQ you can just put on one or two of your favorite songs and drag the sliders around until you’re happy with the sound. You also immediately know what is supposed to happen if you increase or decrease the level for each step.
> 
> But with PEQ since each filter is controlled by three numbers (Q, frequency and dB), you really have to think about the spectrum and plan ahead, and the immediate response to adjusting any of those numbers is harder to interpret. It’s asking way too much of the average user; it’s a truly analytical way to adjust sound. Which at the end of the day makes me doubly grateful that there are _any_ affordable (read: not studio or production equipment) consumer products that include it! I think before the advent of hobby forums like this one or others, those type of tuning options must have been nonexistent.


I don’t think that the availability of EQ and PEQ needs to be thought of as being mutually exclusive.  The 5K offers both features, after all.  Ultimately an app having lots of features really doesn’t need to present a daunting user experience - they can have a “normal” option / menu that gives easy access to the most used/critical features, and an “advanced” option / menu that gives access to scads of features for the adventurous.  This is a rather common approach already used.


----------



## newworld666

Am I the only one to have an issue with the update to the firmware 1.25 ? 
Usually it's going fine (though I don't understand why there are so many updates), this time it's not passing the restart though I tried many times after restarting my smartphone and the Qudelix 5K.


----------



## kadinh (Feb 7, 2022)

Everyone happy with their 5K? I've had the BRT5 (old version) and UTWS5 (faulty) and wondering if I should go for the 5K over the Go Blu (which my coworker has).

Any thoughts appreciated.

EDIT: I'm also considering using the $130 I have from the return of the UTWS5 (since I can't currently buy it) and put it towards the purchase of the Cayin RU6.


----------



## amonmeiz

kadinh said:


> Everyone happy with their 5K? I've had the BRT5 (old version) and UTWS5 (faulty) and wondering if I should go for the 5K over the Go Blu (which my coworker has).
> 
> Any thoughts appreciated.
> 
> EDIT: I'm also considering using the $130 I have from the return of the UTWS5 (since I can't currently buy it) and put it towards the purchase of the Cayin RU6.


I watch/read few reviews on 5k vs GoBlu, and the consensus seems like GoBlu is a better device, no wonder given the higher price.

But, the flexibility and freedom provided by 5k's eq is undeniably impressive, and for some people, essential.

I been using 5k for close to a month now, and i cannot imagine living without it (the peq). I might be getting a better dac/amp (mojo2 seems nice) in the future, but 5k will always be my daily driver, hopefully for a very long time.


----------



## TK33 (Feb 7, 2022)

amonmeiz said:


> I watch/read few reviews on 5k vs GoBlu, and the consensus seems like GoBlu is a better device, no wonder given the higher price.
> 
> But, the flexibility and freedom provided by 5k's eq is undeniably impressive, and for some people, essential.
> 
> I been using 5k for close to a month now, and i cannot imagine living without it (the peq). I might be getting a better dac/amp (mojo2 seems nice) in the future, but 5k will always be my daily driver, hopefully for a very long time.


I think it really depends on what you value and personal preference.  Also, as for price, IFI does have a more well-known brand and longer history (with a loyal following) so that should be factored in. Qudelix, on the other hand, is a new company started by the person who is known to many as just the guy who designed the ES100 and left Radsone.

They are also very different devices when it comes to features.  If you don't need PEQ, find the app too intimidating or value the volume knob or more "premium" look the most, the IFI GoBlu is probably the one for you.  I like the simple physical design of the 5K and don't worry about a case for it or abusing it and it still looks and works perfectly well (I bought mine at launch).

Sound wise, I find the Qudelix 5K to be very neutral and transparent but I have seen others describe it as "bright" (which I disagree with but maybe my opinion or perception of what sounds neutral is just different).  I also imagine some people like the XBass or other "X" features of IFI devices, especially if they are used to the IFI sound and don't want to mess with PEQ.

Whether it is comparing Qudelix 5K vs IFI GoBlu or any other device, I would take those reviews with a grain of salt since we are human and have our own priorities, preferences and, yes, biases. What matters is what is important to you and what will allow you to enjoy your music. 

@kadinh I am very happy with the Qudelix 5K.


----------



## amonmeiz

TK33 said:


> I think it really depends on what you value and personal preference.  Also, as for price, IFI does have a more well-known brand and longer history (with a loyal following) so that should be factored in. Qudelix, on the other hand, is a new company started by the person who is known to many as just the guy who designed the ES100 and left Radsone.
> 
> They are also very different devices when it comes to features.  If you don't need PEQ, find the app too intimidating or value the volume knob or more "premium" look the most, the IFI GoBlu is probably the one for you.  I like the simple physical design of the 5K and don't worry about a case for it or abusing it and it still looks and works perfectly well (I bought mine at launch).
> 
> ...


I agree. Ifi x bass & x space toggle/button are easy, simple and intuitive, especially when compare to more complicated qudelix app. I can see the appeal there. 

Imo, i too think 5k sound signature is more neutral than bright. It does make my Ikko Oh10 slightly less bassy, which is not exactly a bad thing.


----------



## yabba235

I'm used Qudelix almost from prepaid - on begining very dissapointing me - no PEQ !! But over a few update add PEQ and  is the firt one in portables ampli/dac in world !


----------



## Andrew_WOT

With little to no interest in EQ what would be a better BT dongle for SQ alone?


----------



## kadinh

Andrew_WOT said:


> With little to no interest in EQ what would be a better BT dongle for SQ alone?


I'm inclined to say the ifi Go Blu is the most talked about BT dongle right now.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Doesn't it have horrible BT reception and only source volume control instead of separate for source and amp gain as everyone else. No screen, no app, how to tell what codec and bitrate is playing?


----------



## kadinh

Andrew_WOT said:


> With little to no interest in EQ what would be a better BT dongle for *SQ alone*?


This is what I went off of.....


----------



## rlw6534

Andrew_WOT said:


> Doesn't it have horrible BT reception and only source volume control instead of separate for source and amp gain as everyone else. No screen, no app, how to tell what codec and bitrate is playing?



You did say SQ alone...


----------



## kadinh (Feb 8, 2022)

Andrew_WOT said:


> how to tell what codec and bitrate is playing?


push double tap the power button and the voice tells you what codec it is.


----------



## fonkepala

kadinh said:


> Everyone happy with their 5K? I've had the BRT5 (old version) and UTWS5 (faulty) and wondering if I should go for the 5K over the Go Blu (which my coworker has).
> 
> Any thoughts appreciated.
> 
> EDIT: I'm also considering using the $130 I have from the return of the UTWS5 (since I can't currently buy it) and put it towards the purchase of the Cayin RU6.


I'm very happy with my 5K and have been since I bought it at launch. I almost went for the BTR5 over the 5K but now I'm very glad I chose the latter. No idea about the UTWS5 tho. For the money, why not give the 5K a go?


----------



## kadinh

fonkepala said:


> I'm very happy with my 5K and have been since I bought it at launch. I almost went for the BTR5 over the 5K but now I'm very glad I chose the latter. No idea about the UTWS5 tho. For the money, why not give the 5K a go?


if i could find anything for sale i would!


----------



## Andrew_WOT

rlw6534 said:


> You did say SQ alone...


BT reception and source only control have direct impact on SQ, no?


----------



## kadinh

Andrew_WOT said:


> BT reception and source only control have direct impact on SQ, no?


no


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Andrew_WOT said:


> With little to no interest in EQ what would be a better BT dongle for SQ alone?


I like the 5K better than the Go Blu. It’s more precise, better controlled. The Blu is warmer, a bit looser. You could look into the Shanling UP5. There’s a real possibility nothing out there is better in the realm of BT dongles. When I want better quality than the Qudelix, I bust out my Cayin N3Pro in BT mode…


----------



## waynes world

TK33 said:


> Qudelix, on the other hand, is a new company started by the person who is known to many as just the *the very impressive* guy who designed the ES100 and left Radsone.



Fixed that for ya!


----------



## slsmaster

I also had an UTWS5 (2 Pin Version) before, which was faulty. It had intermediate cutouts in the right channel. Returned it and got myself the Qudelix 5K for using my Monarch MK2 on the go. I find it to be very good sounding, very close in terms of SQ to my iFi iDSD Signature. BT stability is rock solid with my iPhone 11. Also it has 0 Noise floor.

When comparing the Qudelix 5K to the iFi Sig (both wired) I find the iFi to have slightly weightier base impact and a little bit more emphasis in the base region in general, although the difference is shockingly small considering the Sig costs about 6 times as much.

Therefore I can strongly recommend the Qudelix 5K, even for home use. 

The 5K is the BEST device I have used so far from an BT standpoint, the AAC implementation is top notch. No artifacts and  the difference in detail to being wired even when using the high resolution Monarch MK2 is very, very hard to notice.


----------



## jsmiller58

Andrew_WOT said:


> With little to no interest in EQ what would be a better BT dongle for SQ alone?


The 5K has very good sound quality (vanishingly small difference to other BT dongles), excellent range, consistent and continuing developer support… The app, while being a bit complex, is quite useful.  And, while right now you don’t care about / want EQ, you could  think about it as “future proofing” in case you change your mind.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

kadinh said:


> no


Right. LOL


----------



## Andrew_WOT

monsieurfromag3 said:


> I like the 5K better than the Go Blu. It’s more precise, better controlled. The Blu is warmer, a bit looser. You could look into the Shanling UP5. There’s a real possibility nothing out there is better in the realm of BT dongles. When I want better quality than the Qudelix, I bust out my Cayin N3Pro in BT mode…


Was looking long and hard at UP5, even took time to read through the whole thread here. So many issues, it's crazy.


----------



## kadinh

Andrew_WOT said:


> Right. LOL


thanks for taking my response as a joke


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Andrew_WOT said:


> Was looking long and hard at UP5, even took time to read through the whole thread here. So many issues, it's crazy.


I didn’t know that, sorry for pointing you in such a crappy direction. I’m not too surprised though, Shanling are not leaders in the software department, and that is something you can’t afford to botch in a BT dongle. I really love my 5K and I don’t even care about EQ.


----------



## TK33

waynes world said:


> Fixed that for ya!


Ha thanks.  Yes, I agree with you. I was being a little sarcastic.


----------



## magullo

Hi all, I’m a long time lurker but never said that much. 
Just bought DAC and QX-over bundle, shipping was super fast. My knowledge is too poor to be of any help, but just wanted to share I am very happy so far.


----------



## MisterMudd

magullo said:


> Hi all, I’m a long time lurker but never said that much.
> Just bought DAC and QX-over bundle, shipping was super fast. My knowledge is too poor to be of any help, but just wanted to share I am very happy so far.


Very happy is all that matters. Enjoy.


----------



## Grimson

Just received my 5K and initial impressions are great.

Quick questions re the Volume options on iOS, I don't see toggles for Absolute Volume or Volume Protection. Tried connection with Bluetooth and USB.

Firmware is 1.12.6 (2022.01.14) App Version 1.17.5
iOS 15.3.1 on iPhone 13 Pro Max

Anyone know why?

Thank you!


----------



## yabba235

Absolute Volume/Volume Protection  is gone over IOS 14, is replaced with Reduce Loud Sounds options under Sounds & Haptic 
Welcome in Apple World


----------



## Grimson

yabba235 said:


> Absolute Volume/Volume Protection  is gone over IOS 14, is replaced with Reduce Loud Sounds options under Sounds & Haptic
> Welcome in Apple World


Ah ok, thank you!
I couldn’t see anything about that in the documentation or user guide.

I’ll set iPhone to 100% and adjust volume on the 5K as you normally would then. 
At least you can set a volume limit in the app.


----------



## magullo

iOS user here. Silly question: why two volume gauges? From a quality point of view, does it matter? 
Thanks.


----------



## Jmm722

I have a Qudelix 5k and iDSD Black Label.  The Black Label has a 3.5mm analog input.  Can I use the Qudelix as a Bluetooth input 3.5mm to the Black Label 3.5mm?  If so, do I need to set the Black Label to preamp or direct?


----------



## DBaldock9

Jmm722 said:


> I have a Qudelix 5k and iDSD Black Label.  The Black Label has a 3.5mm analog input.  Can I use the Qudelix as a Bluetooth input 3.5mm to the Black Label 3.5mm?  If so, do I need to set the Black Label to preamp or direct?



The Preamp / Direct switch on the iDSD only affects the RCA Outputs (either controlled by the Volume Knob, or Fixed Level).
The Headphone output is always controlled by the knob.
When a 3.5mm TRS plug is connected to the front of the iDSD, it over-rides all of the other inputs, and that signal is amplified.

So, your plan to plug the 3.5mm TRS output of the Q5K into the 3.5mm TRS input of the iDSD should work just fine.


----------



## Mouseman

magullo said:


> iOS user here. Silly question: why two volume gauges? From a quality point of view, does it matter?
> Thanks.


One is the phone volume, the other is the 5k volume. As long as you don't have a major imbalance (one really low, the other high) which could cause clipping, you will be OK. If you're going to adjust from the app or 5k, then set the phone up pretty high.


----------



## Andrew_WOT (Feb 15, 2022)

Mouseman said:


> One is the phone volume, the other is the 5k volume. As long as you don't have a major imbalance (one really low, the other high) which could cause clipping, you will be OK. If you're going to adjust from the app or 5k, then set the phone up pretty high.


Shouldn't source be maxed out and volume controlled via 5K amp gain?
That was a big ass letters recommendation on ES100.


----------



## rlw6534

Andrew_WOT said:


> Shouldn't source be maxed out and volume controlled via 5K amp gain?
> That was a big ass letters recommendation on ES100.



In general that is the best approach.  Remember that DVC often works by reducing the bit depth of the signal.  It better to to send the full bits to the playback device and let it adjust gain at the amp.


----------



## yabba235

„..Remember that DVC often works by reducing the bit depth of the signal..”
- can you explain this more ?


----------



## rlw6534 (Feb 15, 2022)

yabba235 said:


> „..Remember that DVC often works by reducing the bit depth of the signal..”
> - can you explain this more ?


I can try.  Full volume for a 16 bit recording uses all 16 bits.  For each 6 dB of volume reduction from 100% you digitally remove 1 bit of depth (if done in software).  Like many things in the audio world, it can be more complicated depending on specific hardware and implementation, so you may want to research for yourself.


----------



## yabba235

rlw6534 said:


> I can try.  Full volume for a 16 bit recording uses all 16 bits.  For each 6 dB of volume reduction from 100% you digitally remove 1 bit of depth.  Like many things in the audio world, it can be more complicated depending on specific hardware and implementation, so you may want to research for yourself.


Thank's, I'll check what's going on when I know what to look for


----------



## Echoic (Feb 21, 2022)

This might be a dumb question, but could I feed the 5K into something like the Schiit Sys or JDS Labs OL Switcher? I want to replace my desktop system and only use the 5k, but I would still like to have a volume knob.

Or would I be better off feeding the 5k into my element ii? But then I couldn’t sell my desktop system and get that money back.


----------



## kadinh (Feb 22, 2022)

4 available on Amazon as of right now: https://www.amazon.com/Qudelix-5K-Bluetooth-Adaptive-Unbalanced-Balanced/dp/B088F7C976/ref=sr_1_2?crid=37RKGISLV8AJV&keywords=qudelix&qid=1645551019&sprefix=qudeli,aps,112&sr=8-2

Also on their website: https://www.qudelix.com/collections/frontpage/products/qudelix-5k-dac-amp


----------



## Nick24JJ

Hey guys, I just want to clarify something, so I will ask.

I am using my Qudelix-5K with the TRI I3 and rarely with my 7Hz Timeless. What is the best practice/optimum streaming settings for Qobuz? Currently, I have it set on 24 bit Hi-Res/up to 192 kHz, for both Mobile Network and Wi-Fi, in the Qobuz App. In Qudelix, I have all the sample rates, selected. So, 44.1 kHz, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. Is this the best practice?


----------



## rkw

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys, I just want to clarify something, so I will ask.
> 
> I am using my Qudelix-5K with the TRI I3 and rarely with my 7Hz Timeless. What is the best practice/optimum streaming settings for Qobuz? Currently, I have it set on 24 bit Hi-Res/up to 192 kHz, for both Mobile Network and Wi-Fi, in the Qobuz App. In Qudelix, I have all the sample rates, selected. So, 44.1 kHz, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. Is this the best practice?


Remember that Bluetooth doesn't even have enough bandwidth for lossless CD quality, and everything is recoded and compressed for transmission. I see no point in using a source higher than 44.1/48 for Bluetooth because much of the information will be lost.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

rkw said:


> Remember that Bluetooth doesn't even have enough bandwidth for lossless CD quality, and everything is recoded and compressed for transmission. I see no point in using a source higher than 44.1/48 for Bluetooth because much of the information will be lost.


LDAC 990kbps can do up to 47khz lossless, anything above that (it can support up to 24/96) gets lossy compression.
https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/


----------



## newworld666

Does anyone have an experience with the last build of the Qudelix 5K (updated proc), if there is some improvement with battery life ? I have one which is almost 2 years old and battery life is something like 4 to 6 hours with my moderately sensitive IEM (Sennheiser IE900) depending on what is activated as DSP/Power.
As I really enjoyed the battery lifetime of the iFi Go Blu (10 hours or even more), but some permanent little background hiss noticeable between tracks when I listen at a very low level volume, I couldn't keep it. 
Basically the Sound Quality of my Qudelix 5K is a bit behind, but still rather enjoyable, I would say that just battery lifetime is annoying for my use .. I would like 10 hours or more at a decent power lever.
So what about the last Quedlix 5K Build ?


----------



## rkw

newworld666 said:


> Does anyone have an experience with the last build of the Qudelix 5K (updated proc), if there is some improvement with battery life ? I have one which is almost 2 years old and battery life is something like 4 to 6 hours with my moderately sensitive IEM (Sennheiser IE900) depending on what is activated as DSP/Power.


That's unusually short battery life. Did it use to be longer and degraded over time? Did you use the setting to restrict charging to 80% to preserve the battery?


----------



## newworld666 (Feb 23, 2022)

rkw said:


> That's unusually short battery life. Did it use to be longer and degraded over time? Did you use the setting to restrict charging to 80% to preserve the battery?


No .. not really, as from beginning 80% was already a rather too short time for my daily use.


----------



## kadinh

newworld666 said:


> some permanent little background hiss noticeable between tracks when I listen at a very low level volume, I couldn't keep it


I listened with 3.5mm and got rid of the hiss. IIRC, most ifi products have some hiss listening through the 4.4mm output. 

I ordered the 5K yesterday, should be here Friday. I’ll be able to comment on the quality then.


----------



## amonmeiz

kadinh said:


> I listened with 3.5mm and got rid of the hiss. IIRC, most ifi products have some hiss listening through the 4.4mm output.
> 
> I ordered the 5K yesterday, should be here Friday. I’ll be able to comment on the quality then.


Looking forward to your thoughts 👍


----------



## sgtbilko

I finally pulled the trigger on the 5K - arriving March 1st.

Couple of questions for the experts out there...

Question 1: If you use an AutoEQ setting, are you able to use the Graphic equaliser to fine tune it or does the PEQ allow you to do something similar?
Question 2: Has anybody tried the Sennheiser HD700 (150ohm, 105db) with it? If so, do they perform ok on 3.5mm or do I have to go 2.5mm?


----------



## newworld666

sgtbilko said:


> Question 1: If you use an AutoEQ setting, are you able to use the Graphic equaliser to fine tune it or does the PEQ allow you to do something similar?



You can adjust any of the autoEQ profile to your own taste ... with all PEQ parameters available.. I wouldn't use a Graphic EQ parameter.


----------



## sgtbilko

newworld666 said:


> You can adjust any of the autoEQ profile to your own taste ... with all PEQ parameters available.. I wouldn't use a Graphic EQ parameter.


It may be a matter of 'try fiddling with it and see' - As i've never had to adjust PEQ, I'm not that familiar with it. I've been using Neutron player elsewhere, where i've set up the autoeq then adjusted that with a graphic equaliser. Time to learn it properly I guess


----------



## lewisl

amonmeiz said:


> I watch/read few reviews on 5k vs GoBlu, and the consensus seems like GoBlu is a better device, no wonder given the higher price.
> 
> But, the flexibility and freedom provided by 5k's eq is undeniably impressive, and for some people, essential.
> 
> I been using 5k for close to a month now, and i cannot imagine living without it (the peq). I might be getting a better dac/amp (mojo2 seems nice) in the future, but 5k will always be my daily driver, hopefully for a very long time.


Love mine.  Took a while to dial in all settings.  Can be very challenging to disconnect bluetooth on one device and then pair with another device. That is a fundamental bluetooth flaw (among many) but given the intelligence of the Qudelix they could perhaps do more to improve pairing. 

Other than that it's amazing.  PEQ is great. Balanced is great. Other than bluetooth bandaids, I could use a bit more power for one of my headphones but it would be hard to maintain all the other good features with more power:  light weight, small size, long-ish battery life.  I'd accept more grams of battery for a bit more power but that depends on the chips used as Qudelix sources the amplifier chips. Probably enough room in the existing case...

The app is challenging because of all the settings, but they do a good job with both the manual and the in-app explanations. The EQ implementation is simply excellent. The Chrome app is just great and easy to connect via usb C.


----------



## amonmeiz

lewisl said:


> Love mine.  Took a while to dial in all settings.  Can be very challenging to disconnect bluetooth on one device and then pair with another device. That is a fundamental bluetooth flaw (among many) but given the intelligence of the Qudelix they could perhaps do more to improve pairing.
> 
> Other than that it's amazing.  PEQ is great. Balanced is great. Other than bluetooth bandaids, I could use a bit more power for one of my headphones but it would be hard to maintain all the other good features with more power:  light weight, small size, long-ish battery life.  I'd accept more grams of battery for a bit more power but that depends on the chips used as Qudelix sources the amplifier chips. Probably enough room in the existing case...
> 
> The app is challenging because of all the settings, but they do a good job with both the manual and the in-app explanations. The EQ implementation is simply excellent. The Chrome app is just great and easy to connect via usb C.


Totally agree with what u said. For iem, the power is sufficient, but it still struggle to power the hungry Final Audio E3000. Could be better. 

Same goes with battery, i charge it in the end of the day, with my phone, so i don't mind. But it could be better. 

And that's it. Other than that 2 minor issues, couldn't be happier with 5k.it serve all my needs & does it well.


----------



## jsmiller58 (Feb 23, 2022)

amonmeiz said:


> I watch/read few reviews on 5k vs GoBlu, and the consensus seems like GoBlu is a better device, no wonder given the higher price.
> 
> But, the flexibility and freedom provided by 5k's eq is undeniably impressive, and for some people, essential.
> 
> I been using 5k for close to a month now, and i cannot imagine living without it (the peq). I might be getting a better dac/amp (mojo2 seems nice) in the future, but 5k will always be my daily driver, hopefully for a very long time.


Interesting, I would like to know how folks conclude the GoBlu is a ”better” device than the 5K… I don’t own the GoBlu, so I am not asking in order to debate, but to understand.  I own the BTR5 and the 5K, and I conclude that while I far and away prefer the BTR5 from a physical build and day to day usage perspective, the 5K wins with superior Bluetooth range and capabilities of the app, and availability of EQ/PEQ over LDAC.  I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from a sound perspective.  Overall, if I could have only 1 of these 2, I would pick the 5K.

Is there a simple synopsis like that which can explain why the “consensus” is that the GoBlu is superior to the 5K?


----------



## lewisl

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, I would like to know how folks conclude the GoBlu is a ”better” device than the 5K… I don’t own the GoBlu, so I am not asking in order to debate, but to understand.  I own the BTR5 and the 5K, and I conclude that while I far and away prefer the BTR5 from a physical build and day to day usage perspective, the 5K wins with superior Bluetooth range and capabilities of the app.  I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from a sound perspective.  Overall, if I could have only 1 of these 2, I would pick the 5K.
> 
> Is there a simple synopsis like that which can explain why the “consensus” is that the GoBlu is superior to the 5K?


I have this question, too:
- is it the precision volume knob?


----------



## amonmeiz

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, I would like to know how folks conclude the GoBlu is a ”better” device than the 5K… I don’t own the GoBlu, so I am not asking in order to debate, but to understand.  I own the BTR5 and the 5K, and I conclude that while I far and away prefer the BTR5 from a physical build and day to day usage perspective, the 5K wins with superior Bluetooth range and capabilities of the app, and availability of EQ/PEQ over LDAC.  I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from a sound perspective.  Overall, if I could have only 1 of these 2, I would pick the 5K.
> 
> Is there a simple synopsis like that which can explain why the “consensus” is that the GoBlu is superior to the 5K?


Some people can hear the difference between dac. I personally can't. 

People praise ifi blu (or ifi products in general) for having warmer, fuller sound. Maybe that's what makes it "better" than 5k.


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## jsmiller58 (Feb 23, 2022)

amonmeiz said:


> Some people can hear the difference between dac. I personally can't.
> 
> People praise ifi blu (or ifi products in general) for having warmer, fuller sound. Maybe that's what makes it "better" than 5k.


Interesting, warmer fuller sound on the GoBlu vs the 5K implies a tuning / filter difference, which I can completely understand.  On the Lotoo S1 and S2 threads there were comparisons to the L&P W2 dongle with much the same characterization, and it came out that Lotoo had reduced frequencies above 12KHz, resulting in that warmer sound compared to the W2 which didn‘t attenuate the higher frequencies and thus sounded “brighter”.  I can understand people wanting that warmer sound, if they like it, but for me I would prefer to have the sound unaltered and then apply EQ to my taste.

Anyway, I am not speculating that this is what iFi has done on the GoBlu, just pointing out that having EQ / PEQ available to make the sound suit your taste is - in my opinion - better than having the manufacturer force that sound on you.  As such I would guess - and I do stress guess - that you could EQ the sound on the 5K to match what you get on the GoBlu but since I don’t own a GoBlu I can’t be 100% confident of that.

Anyway, it’s all good, and it‘s all interesting!


----------



## amonmeiz

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, warmer fuller sound on the GoBlu vs the 5K implies a tuning / filter difference, which I can completely understand.  On the Lotoo S1 and S2 threads there were comparisons to the L&P W2 dongle with much the same characterization, and it came out that Lotoo had reduced frequencies above 12KHz, resulting in that warmer sound compared to the W2 which didn‘t attenuate the higher frequencies and thus sounded “brighter”.  I can understand people wanting that warmer sound, if they like it, but for me I would prefer to have the sound unaltered and then apply EQ to my taste.
> 
> Anyway, I am not speculating that this is what iFi has done on the GoBlu, just pointing out that having EQ / PEQ available to make the sound suit your taste is - in my opinion - better than having the manufacturer force that sound on you.  As such I would guess - and I do stress guess - that you could EQ the sound on the 5K to match what you get on the GoBlu but since I don’t own a GoBlu I can’t be 100% confident of that.
> 
> Anyway, it’s all good, and it‘s all interesting!


I in the same belief to, that a peq is more versatile, effective & interesting features to have, than a specific tuning done by company. 

It's more personal, and personally suit me better.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, warmer fuller sound on the GoBlu vs the 5K implies a tuning / filter difference, which I can completely understand.  On the Lotoo S1 and S2 threads there were comparisons to the L&P W2 dongle with much the same characterization, and it came out that Lotoo had reduced frequencies above 12KHz, resulting in that warmer sound compared to the W2 which didn‘t attenuate the higher frequencies and thus sounded “brighter”.  I can understand people wanting that warmer sound, if they like it, but for me I would prefer to have the sound unaltered and then apply EQ to my taste.
> 
> Anyway, I am not speculating that this is what iFi has done on the GoBlu, just pointing out that having EQ / PEQ available to make the sound suit your taste is - in my opinion - better than having the manufacturer force that sound on you.  As such I would guess - and I do stress guess - that you could EQ the sound on the 5K to match what you get on the GoBlu but since I don’t own a GoBlu I can’t be 100% confident of that.
> 
> Anyway, it’s all good, and it‘s all interesting!


Slow DSD filters cut off some high frequencies as well.


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## newworld666 (Feb 24, 2022)

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, I would like to know how folks conclude the GoBlu is a ”better” device than the 5K… I don’t own the GoBlu, so I am not asking in order to debate, but to understand.  I own the BTR5 and the 5K, and I conclude that while I far and away prefer the BTR5 from a physical build and day to day usage perspective, the 5K wins with superior Bluetooth range and capabilities of the app, and availability of EQ/PEQ over LDAC.  I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from a sound perspective.  Overall, if I could have only 1 of these 2, I would pick the 5K.
> 
> Is there a simple synopsis like that which can explain why the “consensus” is that the GoBlu is superior to the 5K?



As my Quedlix 5K is around 7 hours lifetime, which is insufficient, I am now in trouble to use a light 12 hours BT solution 7 hours isn't a full day at all).
I enjoyed the power (deeper lower impacts with Sennheiser IE900) and the sound quality of the iFi Go Blu, but I just returned it to Amazon as there was some permanent amp hiss which was really annoying in the night at low level volume between tracks. In daytime, it was hard to catch it, but in the ambience of a bedroom, much easier to catch and really too disturbing.


----------



## kadinh

jsmiller58 said:


> Interesting, I would like to know how folks conclude the GoBlu is a ”better” device than the 5K… I don’t own the GoBlu, so I am not asking in order to debate, but to understand.  I own the BTR5 and the 5K, and I conclude that while I far and away prefer the BTR5 from a physical build and day to day usage perspective, the 5K wins with superior Bluetooth range and capabilities of the app, and availability of EQ/PEQ over LDAC.  I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from a sound perspective.  Overall, if I could have only 1 of these 2, I would pick the 5K.
> 
> Is there a simple synopsis like that which can explain why the “consensus” is that the GoBlu is superior to the 5K?


I have been using my old gen 1 BTR5 for the past 2 weeks until my UTWS5 came in; my coworker has the GoBlu and I ordered the 5k this week, should be here tomorrow.

my 2¢, the goblu has a lot of power and sounds very warm, almost to the point of too warm for me. i listen with all sound filters off. the small size and button functions are a big draw, but no clip or case with clip.


----------



## kadinh

newworld666 said:


> here was some permanent amp hiss which was really annoying in the night at low level volume between tracks


were you by chance using the 4.4mm output? ifi is know for some hiss on the balanced output, but there is pretty much none on the SE output.


----------



## newworld666

kadinh said:


> were you by chance using the 4.4mm output? ifi is know for some hiss on the balanced output, but there is pretty much none on the SE output.


Yes all my cables (short or long) are balanced .. for 4 or 5 years now, I don't use any single ended cables or output.


----------



## Haxion

kadinh said:


> were you by chance using the 4.4mm output? ifi is know for some hiss on the balanced output, but there is pretty much none on the SE output.


Haven't tried a GoBlu, but I have an iFi xCan and there's definitely some level of hiss or high frequency electronic whine through the 3.5 output. You can reduce it by turning the volume up to 100% on the digital source and adjusting the volume with the knob, but it's still there and you can hear it at very quiet moments in songs. I can't hear anything like that on the 5K, in contrast.


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## newworld666 (Feb 24, 2022)

Haxion said:


> Haven't tried a GoBlu, but I have an iFi xCan and there's definitely some level of hiss or high frequency electronic whine through the 3.5 output. You can reduce it by turning the volume up to 100% on the digital source and adjusting the volume with the knob, but it's still there and you can hear it at very quiet moments in songs.* I can't hear anything like that on the 5K, in contrast.*


At least on my sample, with my Sennheiser IE900 and Beyer Dynamics Xelento at a low level volume in a quite slepping room, there is clearly some amp hiss when music becomes active with LDAC (between tracks) and permanently in DAC mode via USB-C. So it was really annoying for reading books or trying to have some rest on my bed.
From iFi team member, they know that there can be such issue from the amp part, so I have sent back my iFI Go Blo before one month.


----------



## gael

Hey guys, so this is the only option that has both BT and ParaEQ? Overall I understand it is highly recommended, but what is the weakest side of 5K?


----------



## fattycheesebeef

I thought of getting this but have no knowledge on Parametric EQ or even using them. Is it still worthwhile?


----------



## magullo

gael said:


> Hey guys, so this is the only option that has both BT and ParaEQ? Overall I understand it is highly recommended, but what is the weakest side of 5K?


Hi, I think battery life is a bit disappointing. Compared to my previous BT gear (AirPods and Ananda BT) it lasts less.


----------



## jsmiller58

magullo said:


> Hi, I think battery life is a bit disappointing. Compared to my previous BT gear (AirPods and Ananda BT) it lasts less.


I am sure you are right, but whether this matters depends on your own use model.  Battery could be a significant determinant for some, but I suspect that most who look for the flexibility of a BT dongle that can connect to any earphones or headphones (up to drive power limitations) aren’t going to fault the battery on the 5K vs a dedicated BT device like AirPods or Ananda BT.


----------



## amonmeiz

gael said:


> Hey guys, so this is the only option that has both BT and ParaEQ? Overall I understand it is highly recommended, but what is the weakest side of 5K?


For weakness I'll say short battery life & mediocre power, good enough for most iem, but won't be sufficient for some. headphones


----------



## amonmeiz

fattycheesebeef said:


> I thought of getting this but have no knowledge on Parametric EQ or even using them. Is it still worthwhile?


Yes. I do think it's worthwhile to get

U can learn peq while using. I have 0 knowledge about them, and after owning 5k with some trial & error, I'm comfortable with the peq features


----------



## TK33

gael said:


> Hey guys, so this is the only option that has both BT and ParaEQ? Overall I understand it is highly recommended, but what is the weakest side of 5K?


For me, my only complaint was the buttons.  They are easy to press accidentally and take some getting used to.  There is a small bump on one of them which controls playback/power and the side without the bump controls volume. To turn on and off, I press the BL and BR buttons together (think this was an optional setting they added due to user feedback).  Took me a while to get used to and stop accidentally pressing the wrong button. Everything else is great for me.

I have no issues with battery on mine.  It depends on what you are driving with the 5K.  I generally sure mine with IEMs (single ended and balanced, Performance Mode, Normal Output Power) which are easy to drive so I have never run out of battery.  I sometimes forget to turn it off or fall asleep while listening and wonder why I can't hear my phone call the next day, only to find the 5K still connected.  My volume with the SE846 is currently set to -49db.  I have also tried using it with my Aeon 2 Noire for fun (High Power and balanced mode) and it can drive them to reasonable volume but will use much more battery as well in the process (I usually use a RME ADI-2 instead for the Aeons).  Really depends on what you are trying to use it for.

It is really an excellent device for the price and size.  I definitely prefer the convenience of it vs. my V60, which I rarely use anymore.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

fattycheesebeef said:


> I thought of getting this but have no knowledge on Parametric EQ or even using them. Is it still worthwhile?


I never even touched the PEQ. This tiny thing has DAP-level power and SQ, and its own battery. It’s made in South Korea. Honestly it’s a steal.


----------



## lewisl

fattycheesebeef said:


> I thought of getting this but have no knowledge on Parametric EQ or even using them. Is it still worthwhile?


I think the device is worthwhile whether you use Parametric EQ or not.  Many comments describe how the positives outweigh the negatives.

I'll point out that if you use the 5K with one output device and one set of headphones, once you set it up it is the best personalized dongle. With that you get the versatility to adapt to many headphones. And you can use it as both a USB dongle for the maximum sound quality or as a bluetooth receiver (with built-in microphone) that will provide excellent sound quality on IOS devices and Android devices with LDAP.

Parametric EQ is the most versatile way to improve the frequency response of any headphone. To get started, you can use the Auto EQ presets. You just scroll to your headphone manufacturer and headphone. The EQ will be downloaded into the 5K itself. There are hundreds of headphones and IEMs provided. You can look at the settings and tweak them and that enables you to understand how it works--based on actual sound quality changes rather than theory.


----------



## lewisl

amonmeiz said:


> For weakness I'll say short battery life & mediocre power, good enough for most iem, but won't be sufficient for some. headphones


Are you aware of any other battery operated dongle with higher power?  The 5K provides 240 mW in balanced mode.  The iFi Blu provides 245 mW balanced.  Unlikely to be a detectable difference.  There are a couple of dongles that get up to around 160 to 180 mW with a single-ended connection, which is more than the 5k when used as single-ended. But, with balanced connection I am not aware of a more powerful DAC/Amp dongle. They all use one of the  same 2-3 popular chipsets. 

There are analog battery operated amplifiers--no DAC--that have power in excess of 1 W (1000 mW) from Topping and Fiio.  These surely work though you'd still need a DAC (although you could get away with the $9 Apple dongle), but the amplifier is roughly the size/weight of a smartphone. That's fine sitting at home or work but gets to be a big package on the go.

More power would be nice but you can't have all three of high output, long battery life and light/small.


----------



## fonkepala

gael said:


> Hey guys, so this is the only option that has both BT and ParaEQ? Overall I understand it is highly recommended, but what is the weakest side of 5K?


I've been trying to think about this for the past minute or so, and to be honest I can't really think of a particular weakness of the Qudelix 5K that's worthwhile enough to be mentioned here, a fleeting post on an internet forum. That says a lot about the Qudelix 5K, I think.


----------



## Mouseman

I'll second many of the comments above. This thing hits way above its price tag. While I think the buttons kind of suck, I have it set to turn on with a double press, then I don't use them again (and it's in a case). I use the app or my phone for control. Otherwise, it's amazing. I don't really use PEQ that much unless I find settings from someone I share a signature preference with, but I'd like to eventually understand it. It's great to have so many save slots, you can have one or more for all your gear.


----------



## amonmeiz

lewisl said:


> Are you aware of any other battery operated dongle with higher power?  The 5K provides 240 mW in balanced mode.  The iFi Blu provides 245 mW balanced.  Unlikely to be a detectable difference.  There are a couple of dongles that get up to around 160 to 180 mW with a single-ended connection, which is more than the 5k when used as single-ended. But, with balanced connection I am not aware of a more powerful DAC/Amp dongle. They all use one of the  same 2-3 popular chipsets.
> 
> There are analog battery operated amplifiers--no DAC--that have power in excess of 1 W (1000 mW) from Topping and Fiio.  These surely work though you'd still need a DAC (although you could get away with the $9 Apple dongle), but the amplifier is roughly the size/weight of a smartphone. That's fine sitting at home or work but gets to be a big package on the go.
> 
> More power would be nice but you can't have all three of high output, long battery life and light/small.


I agree 

Merely listing off what i think 5k weaknesses would be , as per the question.

Not that I'm unhappy with my 5k or anything.


----------



## sgtbilko

So, my Qudelix arrived today in the UK (1 day early!) and I've got it up and running. So far so good. Now at last I can listen to Amazon HD with some degree of quality on an iPhone.

I've been using the autoeq settings for my iems (ER4P, Tin Hifi P1 Plus, and T2 Plus) all sound very nice. However, I do feel that I could do with a slightly more elevated bass - does this mean I'm stuck with experimenting with the PEQ settings or can I do something simpler with the GEC?

Your advice would be appreciated.


----------



## Tano

sgtbilko said:


> So, my Qudelix arrived today in the UK (1 day early!) and I've got it up and running. So far so good. Now at last I can listen to Amazon HD with some degree of quality on an iPhone.
> 
> I've been using the autoeq settings for my iems (ER4P, Tin Hifi P1 Plus, and T2 Plus) all sound very nice. However, I do feel that I could do with a slightly more elevated bass - does this mean I'm stuck with experimenting with the PEQ settings or can I do something simpler with the GEC?
> 
> Your advice would be appreciated.


Autoeq presets are a good start but you need some tweaks to adjust it to your likings.
Just play with it until you find the right balance.


----------



## amonmeiz

sgtbilko said:


> So, my Qudelix arrived today in the UK (1 day early!) and I've got it up and running. So far so good. Now at last I can listen to Amazon HD with some degree of quality on an iPhone.
> 
> I've been using the autoeq settings for my iems (ER4P, Tin Hifi P1 Plus, and T2 Plus) all sound very nice. However, I do feel that I could do with a slightly more elevated bass - does this mean I'm stuck with experimenting with the PEQ settings or can I do something simpler with the GEC?
> 
> Your advice would be appreciated.


The way i usually do, is compare the frequency range between the iem i have and the iem that i believe do better in certain aspects /ie fix the flaw. 

For example, this is my setting for fh3, cuz i want it to be more bassy & trebley, more V shaped. So i compare fh3 frequency graph with Ikko OH10,and see where the dips in lower range & upper range, and increase so that they match. 

The 2nd picture is my settings for OH10, where i want the vocal to be more forward, like fh3. So i compare their frequency graphs, and increase the mids so it match.

That's how i experiment with peq. 

So far, happy with the results


----------



## haavardnk (Mar 1, 2022)

Found a nice way of mounting the 5k to my phone, thought i would share. Would work with any dongle. Just some 25mm wide elastic band from a DIY shop sewn in a loop and around the phone case.


----------



## superpowter77

ClieOS said:


> I can confirm that EQ will work on USB DAC mode. You can use Qudelix app on your smartphone to change the EQ even in USB DAC mdoe.


Is there any other portable DAC AMP working in USB DAC mode that allows to do this? knowing asking for any other manufacturer to have a chrome extension application would be too much to ask for. Recently heartbroken for outrageous T71 price of $500 MSRP, it's time for me to start looking for other options, I will get another Qudelix-5K, but will need a third device too for my current setup, preferably from another manufacturer under $300 or even a USB/DAC desktop with these particular feature.


----------



## kadinh

I have been using the Monarch MKII for the past couple of weeks. I finally used the IER-Z1R with the 5K 2.5mm input.....WOW these sound great! No EQ needed!


----------



## ejswa51

Trying to find one in Europe these days. Quite hard! Don't want to order from them and getting it shipped from the US and get a nice added import tax fee. Anyone got tips? (Or a secondhand would be fine too)


----------



## sgtbilko

ejswa51 said:


> Trying to find one in Europe these days. Quite hard! Don't want to order from them and getting it shipped from the US and get a nice added import tax fee. Anyone got tips? (Or a secondhand would be fine too)


I feel your pain. I'm in the UK and ended up ordering direct from Qudelix. Arrived in 7 days and didn't have any tax/import duties 
TBH, I had assumed I'd get a 20% charge, but accepted that the extra £20 would be acceptable for the £98 I paid. So was very surprised to get it under £100.


----------



## Rackhour

Please correct me if my newbie logic is wrong.

The 5K is a DAC (and amp combo?). As DAC stands for “digital to analog converter”, it takes the digital bits and bytes of a music file and converts it into analog audio signals that can be picked up by the audio output device connected to it via 2.5mm or 3.5mm. The output device converts the signals into sound waves that we hear.

According to the 5K spec sheet, this is a USB Audio Class 1.0 device, which means it's capable of up to 24 bits/96 kHz max. A lot of the documentations I've come across about Audio Class 1.0 were beyond my comprehension, but the one thing I could take away is that it's based on USB standards from 1999, way before USB 2.0 was a thing, and that pretty much all USB-equipped devices capable of USB Audio made in the last 5-10 years will support it. 

Let's assume that I have a laptop, a tablet and a phone all capable of USB audio. They were all manufactured in the last 5 years and their USB ports are all in good, working condition. They all have identical music libraries. Does that mean that for practical purposes, when I listen to music via the 5K and the same pair of headphones, it's going to sound virtually identical regardless of source?

And as for wireless, if my logic is correct, does that mean that if I stick to the same codec across all three sources, the wireless music will sound virtually identical?


----------



## BenF

Rackhour said:


> ..Let's assume that I have a laptop, a tablet and a phone all capable of USB audio. They were all manufactured in the last 5 years and their USB ports are all in good, working condition. They all have identical music libraries. Does that mean that for practical purposes, when I listen to music via the 5K and the same pair of headphones, it's going to sound virtually identical regardless of source?


Yes, they should sound the same, with the exception of some noise (AC/Wi-Fi/LTE) introduced by the host.



Rackhour said:


> And as for wireless, if my logic is correct, does that mean that if I stick to the same codec across all three sources, the wireless music will sound virtually identical?


Same answer as above.


----------



## lewisl

Check to see if Oratory 1990 has EQ settings for your IEMs. He actually listens to what the EQ does and tweaks a bit based on his judgment. He also designs the EQ to have simple to apply broad adjustments to suit your own tastes--for example, for overall bass, for sub-bass, for overall treble, for airiness. He actually documents which setting to tweak for each effect.  You can do whichever ones produce a nice result for you.   AutoEQ generates the EQ algorithmically based on measurements from several sources, but preferring Oratory 1990. Generally, I've found the AutoEQ settings _usually_ sound very close to Oratory 1990.  But, they tend to be weird and harder to tweak.  

In general, I'd say PEQ is easier to tweak than GEQ. To make it easier, connect your 5K to a laptop running Chrome browser (or any derivative like Brave or Edge). Install the Qudelix 5K plugin. It enables you to use the big screen of your laptop to adjust the settings.  You can see the effect as you change the settings. In general you'll probably want to change the strength (dB) of an adjustment, rather than changing the frequency or width (q).


----------



## lewisl

haavardnk said:


> Found a nice way of mounting the 5k to my phone, thought i would share. Would work with any dongle. Just some 25mm wide elastic band from a DIY shop sewn in a loop and around the phone case.


Clever to put it around the case so you can use the screen. Doh!  Nicely done.


----------



## rkw

Rackhour said:


> And as for wireless, if my logic is correct, does that mean that if I stick to the same codec across all three sources, the wireless music will sound virtually identical?


For the most part yes, except that people have said that Apple's Bluetooth AAC codec has better encoding than on Android devices.


----------



## kadinh

i have been really enjoying the 5K; the customizations are AMAZING! and sound is really good too.


----------



## Nick24JJ

kadinh said:


> i have been really enjoying the 5K; the customizations are AMAZING! and sound is really good too.


Me, too! Can you tell me how does it sound with the Monarch MKII? I will be ordering them this Friday, hopefully!


----------



## kadinh

Nick24JJ said:


> Me, too! Can you tell me how does it sound with the Monarch MKII? I will be ordering them this Friday, hopefully!


The MKII sounds great with everything I pair it with. A very enjoyable IEM that doesn't color the music, it reproduces it very neutrally (which some find boring, but I enjoy them a lot).


----------



## superpowter77

kadinh said:


> i have been really enjoying the 5K; the customizations are AMAZING! and sound is really good too.


Similar experience here, will be buying a 2nd one next week. Sadly, it has made fancy paperweights to all my other newer portable DAC/AMP's that were much more expensive than Qudelix-5K. Will keep my other portable DAC/Amp's since they're still relatively new hoping they can catch up with Qudelik. I wish, would've bought the 5K first but it was sold out everywhere.


----------



## kadinh

superpowter77 said:


> Similar experience here, will be buying a 2nd one next week. Sadly, it has made fancy paperweights to all my other newer portable DAC/AMP's that were much more expensive than Qudelix-5K. Will keep my other portable DAC/Amp's since they're still relatively new hoping they can catch up with Qudelik. I wish, would've bought the 5K first but it was sold out everywhere.


same here. i was so excited to finally get the Cayin RU6 and i have barely used it. the 5k makes the IER Z1R shine. love the playback controls and how you can customize different functions with button pushes. i do have a PEQ set for the Z1R that i like, but i have really enjoyed it lately with no PEQ. 

the 5k also has eclipsed the FiiO UTWS5 in terms of audio and mic quality. i will say that the transparency/mic passthrough on the 5k is not at the same level as the UTWS5 tho. i was super surprised that i have been using my AirPod Pros more than anything; they seem to offer the best compromise of portability, transparency functionality (which is something i require), sound, and mic quality

i guess its just different tools for different listening situations, but i find myself reaching for the 5k before the UTWS5.


----------



## jasonb

What’s the latest firmware version? Mine hasn’t updated since January and before that it seemed like it was updating quite often.


----------



## Nick24JJ

kadinh said:


> The MKII sounds great with everything I pair it with. A very enjoyable IEM that doesn't color the music, it reproduces it very neutrally (which some find boring, but I enjoy them a lot).


Do they need burn-in time, and if so, how much? Have you changed tips and cable or are the default ones the best choice?


----------



## kadinh

Nick24JJ said:


> Do they need burn-in time, and if so, how much? Have you changed tips and cable or are the default ones the best choice?


I am the 3rd owner of my personal MKII, so I'm not sure about burn in. I am using the default cable (which is great) and Final E tips.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Anyone who upgraded from ES100 MKII, is there really significant sound quality jump, considering I don't care about EQ part?


----------



## newworld666

Andrew_WOT said:


> Anyone who upgraded from ES100 MKII, is there really significant sound quality jump, considering I don't care about EQ part?


I still own both ... SQ jump is not really significant without PEQ, I prefer to use the Qudelix 5K over ES100MKII or iFi Go Blu, mainly because there is no background hiss at low volume level (ES100 MKII has no Hiss too) and there is a PEQ to improve a bit my Xelento or IE900. 
But as now we can get system level EQ with most of new DAPs (PowerampEQ or Wavelet), it's better not to use the PEQ of the Quedlix to improve battery life over 5 hours to reach 7 hours.


----------



## Nick24JJ

deleted


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Andrew_WOT said:


> Anyone who upgraded from ES100 MKII, is there really significant sound quality jump, considering I don't care about EQ part?


I find the Qudelix noticeably cleaner, more resolving. It’s probably the DAC that’s more advanced. They are rated the same for power output, which is enormous, almost absurd relative to the size and weight of these dongles. You may like the slight veil of the ES100 better, it pairs well with bright gear, but the 5K seems superior to me and it is perfectly capable of sounding full and heavy with the right pair-up.


----------



## sgtbilko

I got my 5k about a month ago, and while I'm enjoying it enormously (particularly the PEQ on my P1+ via 2.5mm cable) are there any tips you can recommend for me to get even more out of the unit?

I feel I might still be missing out on its true potential.


----------



## superpowter77 (Mar 17, 2022)

I have no issues with Qudelix-5K battery since I use it as a dedicated USB/DAC from my tiny Radxa Zero2 ARM SBC which has a similar size as Raspberry Pi Zero2W but 5 times more powerful and only consumes 10W(5V2A).
Only when I need to go into quiet mode, I use my fav TWS earbuds, Sony WF-1000XM4 and Sennheiser Momentum2 from the great Fiio BTA30 Pro also connected to my Zero2 ARM SBC.

My Qudelix-5K drives my overkill EV ZLX-12BT active powered speakers like a champ via 2.5mm to Dual XLR with a cleaner audio output and no hiss, audio quality is superior to all my other portable DAC/Amp's, I own 5 in total.

I also tested Qudelix-5K 2.5mm and 3.5mm outputs with KRK RP5 Rokit 5 G4 powered studio monitors, Roland CM-30 Cube monitors and Soundcore Motion+ speaker.

I'm not implying my setup around 5K is preferably over a quality desktop USB/DAC but it's what I currently have and I need a PEQ/DSP that runs on Linux since I use TwisterOS(Ubuntu 20.04 based) from my tiny (65 x 30 mm) Radxa Zero2.

Will probably venture in the next few months to get upcoming T71 which has some impressive features with some outrighteous retail price, I don't know what they were thinking. Qudelix is well known for its high quality and affordable audio devices, T71 totally changes that.


----------



## BenF

Andrew_WOT said:


> Anyone who upgraded from ES100 MKII, is there really significant sound quality jump, considering I don't care about EQ part?


I own both, and I wouldn't say that there is a sound quality jump, it more of a different presentation.
5K sounds more clinical, ES100 is more musical (although not as musical as BTR3K).


----------



## BenF

jasonb said:


> What’s the latest firmware version? Mine hasn’t updated since January and before that it seemed like it was updating quite often.


The latest version is 1.12.5 from January 10th 2022.


----------



## lewisl

BenF said:


> The latest version is 1.12.5 from January 10th 2022.


I have 1.12.7 as of 2/25/2022


----------



## BenF

lewisl said:


> I have 1.12.7 as of 2/25/2022


That's weird. What version is your app, and is it Android or iOS?
I'm using Android.


----------



## michusxx

BenF said:


> That's weird. What version is your app, and is it Android or iOS?
> I'm using Android.


Hi. 
Use Qudelix Chrome browser extension app to upgrade to newer 1.12.9 version as previous one had problems and is now replaced....
Chrome app is now a prefered way to do 5K upgrades.


----------



## superuser1

michusxx said:


> Hi.
> Use Qudelix Chrome browser extension app to upgrade to newer 1.12.9 version as previous one had problems and is now replaced....
> Chrome app is now a prefered way to do 5K upgrades.


Chrome app... im lost now!


----------



## jsmiller58

superuser1 said:


> Chrome app... im lost now!


Thank you… I was thinking the same thing… Every time I have updated the FW it has been through the app…


----------



## superuser1

jsmiller58 said:


> Thank you… I was thinking the same thing… Every time I have updated the FW it has been through the app…


I'm waiting for someone to explain this new method


----------



## michusxx

superuser1 said:


> I'm waiting for someone to explain this new method


There is Google Chrome webbrowser extension from Qudelix - it basically looks the same to Android app - that allows you to access 5K configuration from PC through USB connection. As Qudelix says it is more reliable method of upgrading device (OTA by Android app may cause some problems with new firmwares). 
So, install Qudelix browser, extension, connect Q5K to PC with USB cable, open browser extension and click Connect. Then navigate to software section (like in Android app) and you should have option to upgrade to 1.12.9 or revert to 1.12.5.


----------



## InvisibleInk

michusxx said:


> There is Google Chrome webbrowser extension from Qudelix - it basically looks the same to Android app - that allows you to access 5K configuration from PC through USB connection. As Qudelix says it is more reliable method of upgrading device (OTA by Android app may cause some problems with new firmwares).
> So, install Qudelix browser, extension, connect Q5K to PC with USB cable, open browser extension and click Connect. Then navigate to software section (like in Android app) and you should have option to upgrade to 1.12.9 or revert to 1.12.5.


https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/qudelix/phaodiidhofhdmfkjiacigibgikhfafn?hl=en-US


----------



## Nick24JJ

Is there anyone here who owns a Mojo 2 or an iFi Gryphon? How do they compare with the Qudelix-5K when it comes to sound quality, without EQ?


----------



## superuser1

michusxx said:


> There is Google Chrome webbrowser extension from Qudelix - it basically looks the same to Android app - that allows you to access 5K configuration from PC through USB connection. As Qudelix says it is more reliable method of upgrading device (OTA by Android app may cause some problems with new firmwares).
> So, install Qudelix browser, extension, connect Q5K to PC with USB cable, open browser extension and click Connect. Then navigate to software section (like in Android app) and you should have option to upgrade to 1.12.9 or revert to 1.12.5.





InvisibleInk said:


> https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/qudelix/phaodiidhofhdmfkjiacigibgikhfafn?hl=en-US


Thanks for that I updated the fw.


----------



## jasonb

So will it not update on the iOS app?


----------



## michusxx

jasonb said:


> So will it not update on the iOS app?


Qudelix didn't say that it stopped OTA updates. Chrome app is the remedy for after-OTA-update problems - it allows to re-update firmware and also (starting with 0.5.9) revert to previous firmware version.
Check if your iOS app offers you new (1.12.9) firmware.


----------



## jasonb

michusxx said:


> Qudelix didn't say that it stopped OTA updates. Chrome app is the remedy for after-OTA-update problems - it allows to re-update firmware and also (starting with 0.5.9) revert to previous firmware version.
> Check if your iOS app offers you new (1.12.9) firmware.


It doesn’t. I use my 5K almost daily on my iPhone and it’s on the January update.


----------



## michusxx

jasonb said:


> It doesn’t. I use my 5K almost daily on my iPhone and it’s on the January update.


In that case what you can do is to try Chrome extension method... 😉😀
BTW - what is your current FW version? If it's 1.12.5 then you probably don't need to bother because 1.12.7 had minor changes and cause problems and now we have 1.12.9 that is simply correcting that 😉


----------



## jasonb

michusxx said:


> In that case what you can do is to try Chrome extension method... 😉😀
> BTW - what is your current FW version? If it's 1.12.5 then you probably don't need to bother because 1.12.7 had minor changes and cause problems and now we have 1.12.9 that is simply correcting that 😉


1.12.5 is what I’m on


----------



## michusxx

jasonb said:


> 1.12.5 is what I’m on


It's no need to hurry with update then...


----------



## jsmiller58

superuser1 said:


> I'm waiting for someone to explain this new method





michusxx said:


> There is Google Chrome webbrowser extension from Qudelix - it basically looks the same to Android app - that allows you to access 5K configuration from PC through USB connection. As Qudelix says it is more reliable method of upgrading device (OTA by Android app may cause some problems with new firmwares).
> So, install Qudelix browser, extension, connect Q5K to PC with USB cable, open browser extension and click Connect. Then navigate to software section (like in Android app) and you should have option to upgrade to 1.12.9 or revert to 1.12.5.


I just looked at the Qudelix official Forum.  I didn’t realize they have had this extension and mechanism to update the FW since October ‘21.  Thanks for alerting those of us who were unaware.

https://forum.qudelix.com/post/qudelix5k-news-11995997 

I am still confused as to whether all updates will also be available OTA, or only via Chrome extension.  Maybe reading through the full Forum thread will clear that up.


----------



## superuser1

The strange things is that the android app still shows the fw to be 1.12.5 even after i updated it to 1.12.9 on the chrome browser extension.


----------



## michusxx

superuser1 said:


> The strange things is that the android app still shows the fw to be 1.12.5 even after i updated it to 1.12.9 on the chrome browser extension.


I have the same... 
Maybe it's because of "emergency" nature of version 1.12.9. It appeared as a hotfix to problematic 1.12.7 so it might not be improvement to 1.12.5... We need to wait for next one to see if it still going to be transfered with OTA. Or Qudelix statement regarding that matter...


----------



## boodado

Just have to say - love the Chrome extension - works off my Chromebook without having to boot up my laptop.  I wish more companies developed for Chromebooks and Chrome OS. Nice job - thanks.


----------



## superpowter77

boodado said:


> Just have to say - love the Chrome extension - works off my Chromebook without having to boot up my laptop.  I wish more companies developed for Chromebooks and Chrome OS. Nice job - thanks.


Qudelix-5k also works great with my Radxa Zero and Radxa Zero2 ARM SBC's which both consume 10watts only(5V2A) each and are connected 24/7 running Linux(TwisterOS). Qudelix Chrome extension app is the best thing could happen to us as die hard Linux users.


----------



## happyblack

I have just posted my *shortish* review about it, if anyone wants to take look at it.

Not so much about audio quality, but still.






https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/qudelix-5k-reference-dac-amp.24672/review/28203/


----------



## waynes world

happyblack said:


> I have just posted my *shortish* review about it, if anyone wants to take look at it.
> 
> Not so much about audio quality, but still.
> 
> ...



Nice writeup! But I can't believe that you stopped using your Sansa Clip+ lol! I still have my rockboxed sansa zip clip, but sadly it only turns on when plugged in.

Anyway, as far as the 5K buttons are concerned, I don't really have a problem distinguishing between them due to the protrusion that I can feel on the blue lit button.

Where I sometimes run into problems is trying to press one button without accidentally also pressing the button on the other side.

And where I often run into problems is when trying to clip or unclip the device - I can't seem to do it without pressing a button accidentally.

Oh yeah, one other niggle: the headphone jacks are on the hinge side of the 5K. This means that when I have it clipped to my belt, or to my shirt, the audio jacks are sticking up. Maybe I'm using it in a strange way, but I would prefer for the audio jacks to be pointing down in both cases. Or have it on the side like the ES100. Or better yet, have a separate case with clip (like on the fiio btr3k) which allows you to choose the orientation (or go without a clip altogether).

Apart from those minor niggles, it's an awesome device!


----------



## happyblack

waynes world said:


> Nice writeup! But I can't believe that you stopped using your Sansa Clip+ lol! I still have my rockboxed sansa zip clip, but sadly it only turns on when plugged in.


I haven't stopped using Clip+, no! Never!
It still pairs great with many earbuds (especially Toneking TP16!) and, as a stand-alone device, it's irreplaceable when I want to leave my phone home.

Sorry to hear that your copy doesn't work as good as it used to..
Did you look into replacing the battery? It's possible!




waynes world said:


> Anyway, as far as the 5K buttons are concerned, I don't really have a problem distinguishing between them due to the protrusion that I can feel on the blue lit button.


WOW, I haven't really noticed the protrusion before! It's really a gamechanger for me and I don't use that term easily.
Thank YOU!


----------



## yabba235

InvisibleInk said:


> https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/qudelix/phaodiidhofhdmfkjiacigibgikhfafn?hl=en-US


This extension also works on the edge browser in windows 11 - I checked it myself - now it's much easier to enter new PEQ settings


----------



## amonmeiz

Just got Kotori audio cable called Tungsten, found a used unit that comes with 2.5mm jack. 

Using it with 5k really impressive. Volume increases alot due to more power, and the sound of my OH10 kinda change too. 

It's now stil V-shaped, but more on treble. Very bright. The bass that usually "rumble" now becomes "hits"

Very happy with my purchase. 5k really one of the best thing i invest in.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Mar 23, 2022)

Hey guys, anyone here using the FiiO BTA30 Pro? I've paired it with my Qudelix-5K but next/previous track does not work for me, from the Qudelix. Only Play/Pause.


----------



## z1kq

Can anyone tell me why the sound gets really crunchy when I plug in via Lightning-to-USBC on my iPhone? On Bluetooth the quality is much better bizarrely. I tried playing with all the settings but no luck.


----------



## michusxx

z1kq said:


> Can anyone tell me why the sound gets really crunchy when I plug in via Lightning-to-USBC on my iPhone? On Bluetooth the quality is much better bizarrely. I tried playing with all the settings but no luck.


What firmware version do you have in 5k?


----------



## z1kq

michusxx said:


> What firmware version do you have in 5k?


1.12.6 (2022.01.14) - it's quite bizarre, sounds like it's clipping or something.

On the input page it says "PCM Lossless, 44.1KHz, 24 BIT"


----------



## michusxx

z1kq said:


> 1.12.6 (2022.01.14) - it's quite bizarre, sounds like it's clipping or something.
> 
> On the input page it says "PCM Lossless, 44.1KHz, 24 BIT"


Then I recomend upgrade to 1.12.9 or downgrade to 1.12.5 using Chrome browser extension app. It may help.


----------



## z1kq (Mar 24, 2022)

michusxx said:


> Then I recomend upgrade to 1.12.9 or downgrade to 1.12.5 using Chrome browser extension app. It may help.


Thanks for the suggestion, although no luck unfortunately

I just checked and it seems like the issue is only on the Spotify app - Soundcloud doesn't have the issue for example. Bizarre!


----------



## michusxx

z1kq said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, although no luck unfortunately
> 
> I just checked and it seems like the issue is only on the Spotify app - Soundcloud doesn't have the issue for example. Bizarre!


By saying "clipping" you mean something like distortions because of too high signal level?


----------



## z1kq (Mar 24, 2022)

michusxx said:


> By saying "clipping" you mean something like distortions because of too high signal level?


Yeah - the low and highs are 'crunchy' and a lot of the detail seems to be cut off. The actual output of the Qudelix is like -30db though.

I used to have the same issue with the Spotify app on my TV - I think it must be a limitation of the software, not the DAC/AMP.

*EDIT - Apple Music also seems fine


----------



## michusxx

z1kq said:


> Yeah - the low and highs are 'crunchy' and a lot of the detail seems to be cut off. The actual output of the Qudelix is like -30db though.
> 
> I used to have the same issue with the Spotify app on my TV - I think it must be a limitation of the software, not the DAC/AMP.
> 
> *EDIT - Apple Music also seems fine


Is this Spotify behavior limited to Apple software environment or you experience it also on PC or Android?


----------



## z1kq (Mar 24, 2022)

michusxx said:


> Is this Spotify behavior limited to Apple software environment or you experience it also on PC or Android?


Works fine on my PC

*EDIT - Re-installing Spotify app actually worked


----------



## Mouseman

z1kq said:


> Can anyone tell me why the sound gets really crunchy when I plug in via Lightning-to-USBC on my iPhone? On Bluetooth the quality is much better bizarrely. I tried playing with all the settings but no luck.


You might want to try another cable. I got a Meenova from Amazon, and don't have any issues.


----------



## Noobzilla

Very happy with the performance and easy of use so far! At first I was dreading my new phone not having an audio jack but after using the Qudelix for several weeks now this is actually a much better overall solution. I don't have to worry about the cables getting caught to something whenever I take out and use my phone. Around the house it has good enough range so I can go around without having to take the phone with me. It is also very small and can fit in any pocket, unlike my 6" phone where there's risk of it falling off my smaller pockets.


----------



## waynes world

Noobzilla said:


> Very happy with the performance and easy of use so far! At first I was dreading my new phone not having an audio jack but after using the Qudelix for several weeks now this is actually a much better overall solution. I don't have to worry about the cables getting caught to something whenever I take out and use my phone. Around the house it has good enough range so I can go around without having to take the phone with me. It is also very small and can fit in any pocket, unlike my 6" phone where there's risk of it falling off my smaller pockets.



Agree with everything you're saying. But I still like to also have a phone jack available for those odd times when it is useful, so it bugs me that they are removing them.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Mar 25, 2022)

In the screenshot below, you can see my Qudelix-5K connected to my phone, the POCO F2 Pro, via Bluetooth.

Why does it show it like this, on the Source? Why does it not show my phone's name? Is there a way to rename this? I mean, to show POCO F2 Pro, in the Source.


----------



## Mouseman

Nick24JJ said:


> In the screenshot below, you can see my Qudelix-5K connected to my phone, the POCO F2 Pro, via Bluetooth.
> 
> Why does it show it like this, on the Source? Why does it not show my phone's name? Is there a way to rename this? I mean, to show POCO F2 Pro, in the Source.


That's your phone's BT address, most likely. I'm not sure that you can change it in the 5k software, you might be able to do it in the phone (but I'd doubt it). That's probably how your phone reports to connected devices.


----------



## xkoo

Hello to all! Is it possible to buy 
Qudelix 5K somewhere in Europe?​thank you


----------



## Nick24JJ

Mouseman said:


> That's your phone's BT address, most likely. I'm not sure that you can change it in the 5k software, you might be able to do it in the phone (but I'd doubt it). That's probably how your phone reports to connected devices.


Thanks for your reply. Yes, it is my phone's Bluetooth address. I don't think I can change it from my phone. I also got a FiiO BTA30 Pro. It appears in the same manner in the Qudelix, it does not show its name.


----------



## Dynamo5561

xkoo said:


> Hello to all! Is it possible to buy
> Qudelix 5K somewhere in Europe?​thank you


https://www.amazon.de/Qudelix-Bluetooth-Adaptive-unsymmetrisch-symmetrischer/dp/B088F7C976

I'd buy directly from Qudelix. They ship very fast.


----------



## 04gto

xkoo said:


> Hello to all! Is it possible to buy
> Qudelix 5K somewhere in Europe?​thank you





Dynamo5561 said:


> https://www.amazon.de/Qudelix-Bluetooth-Adaptive-unsymmetrisch-symmetrischer/dp/B088F7C976
> 
> I'd buy directly from Qudelix. They ship very fast.


Case in point- Placed my order Tuesday at 10 am. It was shipped the same day from Korea via Fedex. Delivered today before noon!. Amazing service.


----------



## xkoo

I ordered today let's hope it comes next week. Guys what cable i need to use it with iphone as a DAC?


----------



## 04gto

xkoo said:


> I ordered today let's hope it comes next week. Guys what cable i need to use it with iphone as a DAC?


I have this one by Meenova from Amazon. Works great.


----------



## ririt

04gto said:


> I have this one by Meenova from Amazon. Works great.


Unfortunately my experience using a meenova cable is not so great. after few weeks during which it worked flawlessly, the cable started to show issues  due to a faulty contact…I now have to rely to bluetooth to use the 5K with my iphone. The pairing is rock solid and the sound enjoyable


----------



## 04gto

ririt said:


> Unfortunately my experience using a meenova cable is not so great. after few weeks during which it worked flawlessly, the cable started to show issues  due to a faulty contact…I now have to rely to bluetooth to use the 5K with my iphone. The pairing is rock solid and the sound enjoyable


Others here have had consistent success with this one.


----------



## ririt

04gto said:


> Others here have had consistent success with this one.


I know. I just shared my own experience no less no more…


----------



## surja

Hi all,

I just got the new Samsung S22 Ultra. Going to developer options and selecting 990kbps, it still shows 660kbps in the Qudelix app. Any ideas on what could be the cause?


----------



## xkoo

surja said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just got the new Samsung S22 Ultra. Going to developer options and selecting 990kbps, it still shows 660kbps in the Qudelix app. Any ideas on what could be the cause?


Dont scare my I am waiting for my qudelix have same phone


----------



## CactusPete23

surja said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just got the new Samsung S22 Ultra. Going to developer options and selecting 990kbps, it still shows 660kbps in the Qudelix app. Any ideas on what could be the cause?


Check to see if you have any settings to select on the S22 as you make the bluetooth connection there. (Something like "best quality" , on the Qudelix 5K "tab" somewhere...)  Can you get 990 when the phone and the Q5K are next to each other?   When the bluetooth signal gets weaker, due to distance or obstacles, etc, the bit rate of LDAC will/may reduce to 660, and then as low as 330, before totally breaking connection.  FYI, water absorbs bluetooth signals, so if phone is in back pocket, it's signal strength make be reduced, especially if the Q5K is clipped your shirt color, or shirt pocket.   (As your body is 90% water and so, can block bluetooth signals,)


----------



## surja

CactusPete23 said:


> Check to see if you have any settings to select on the S22 as you make the bluetooth connection there. (Something like "best quality" , on the Qudelix 5K "tab" somewhere...)  Can you get 990 when the phone and the Q5K are next to each other?   When the bluetooth signal gets weaker, due to distance or obstacles, etc, the bit rate of LDAC will/may reduce to 660, and then as low as 330, before totally breaking connection.  FYI, water absorbs bluetooth signals, so if phone is in back pocket, it's signal strength make be reduced, especially if the Q5K is clipped your shirt color, or shirt pocket.   (As your body is 90% water and so, can block bluetooth signals,)


I selected the highest quality in developer mode on my phone (see the screenshot). and placed the phone and Qudelix 5K side-by-side. It really stays mostly at 330kbps in Qudelix app whereas in the phone option it's selected as 990kpbs (optimized for audio quality). I've done the same with other phones without any issues.


----------



## superpowter77

surja said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just got the new Samsung S22 Ultra. Going to developer options and selecting 990kbps, it still shows 660kbps in the Qudelix app. Any ideas on what could be the cause?


All you need to make sure is your S22 Ultra is using a 5G WIFI connection and not a 2.4Ghz. When I switched from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz Wifi, I can get steady 990kbps on my S21 and A52 G5 galaxy phones using LDAC.


----------



## surja (Mar 29, 2022)

superpowter77 said:


> All you need to make sure is your S22 Ultra is using a 5G WIFI connection and not a 2.4Ghz. When I switched from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz Wifi, I can get steady 990kbps on my S21 and A52 G5 galaxy phones using LDAC.


I turned off wifi, and got 660kbps.... this is really weird.... I can't manually change the to 5G from 2.4G as my router (Netgear R7800) intelligently manages both under a single SSID. As soon as I turned on wifi, it immediately switched back to 330kbps! Thanks for the help!


----------



## Nick24JJ

For what it's worth, my phone does not remember the settings, either. I have a POCO F2 Pro and my Wi-Fi is 5G from Virgin Media. I am on Android 11. In the past, like a year ago, I remember going into Developer once, forcing LDAC 909/990kbps there, and it was remembering it, even after shutting down my 5K. Now, not only it defaults back to Best effect (adaptive bit rate) after shutting down the 5K, but even during playback, if I will get away from the phone, it switches to adaptive before starting dropping the connection.


----------



## jasonb

All this LDAC bitrate nonsense has me just using my Qudelix wired instead of Bluetooth. I actually switched from the POS Pixel 6Pro to an iPhone 13Pro. I use a lightning to USBC cable with the Qudelix, and now the only thing I use Bluetooth is just the AirPods Pro. I had really high hopes and expectations for the Pixel 6Pro, but that did not work out, especially when it came to LDAC.


----------



## arielext

How big is the difference between LDAC and APT-X adaptive; from a human perspective?


----------



## BenF

arielext said:


> How big is the difference between LDAC and APT-X adaptive; from a human perspective?





https://www.aptx.com/aptx-adaptive

At 420Kbps it's pretty much APTX HD, which is very hard to tell apart from LDAC.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

arielext said:


> How big is the difference between LDAC and APT-X adaptive; from a human perspective?


It is as big as it was _tuned_ to be. Several people involved in the development of BT gear told me that each codec’s output is, or should be, tuned by an audio professional.
This is, I suspect, the main reason why people perceive LDAC as more detailed or higher-fidelity, it’s the audiophile codec by default and the devs tune it as such but you can actually do a good impersonation of it with vanilla aptX.


----------



## kadinh

jasonb said:


> All this LDAC bitrate nonsense has me just using my Qudelix wired instead of Bluetooth. I actually switched from the POS Pixel 6Pro to an iPhone 13Pro. I use a lightning to USBC cable with the Qudelix, and now the only thing I use Bluetooth is just the AirPods Pro. I had really high hopes and expectations for the Pixel 6Pro, but that did not work out, especially when it came to LDAC.


do you have to adjust anything on the 5K or just use the cable and plug it in?


----------



## arielext

monsieurfromag3 said:


> It is as big as it was _tuned_ to be. Several people involved in the development of BT gear told me that each codec’s output is, or should be, tuned by an audio professional.
> This is, I suspect, the main reason why people perceive LDAC as more detailed or higher-fidelity, it’s the audiophile codec by default and the devs tune it as such but you can actually do a good impersonation of it with vanilla aptX.


So the codec is tuned to be not as close as it can be to the original in order to sound more detailed? Codecs are the new snake oil cables...


----------



## Merkurio

monsieurfromag3 said:


> It is as big as it was _tuned_ to be. *Several people involved in the development of BT gear told me that each codec’s output is, or should be, tuned by an audio professional.*
> This is, I suspect, the main reason why people perceive LDAC as more detailed or higher-fidelity, it’s the audiophile codec by default and the devs tune it as such but you can actually do a good impersonation of it with vanilla aptX.



That people don't exist or lied to you pretty badly.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

arielext said:


> So the codec is tuned to be not as close as it can be to the original in order to sound more detailed? Codecs are the new snake oil cables...


The codecs encode and decode, they entirely recreate a digital stream to feed to the DAC, like a really involved transport. I am guessing there is a lot you can do with that in terms of tuning. It doesn’t involve making other codecs’ final output less detailed, just pushing the upper mids and treble ever so slightly will have listeners focus on detail more.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Merkurio said:


> That people don't exist or lied to you pretty badly.


I’m sorry it annoys you that much.


----------



## Merkurio (Apr 1, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> The codecs encode and decode, they entirely recreate a digital stream to feed to the DAC, *like a really involved transport*. I am guessing there is a lot *you can do with that in terms of tuning*. It doesn’t involve making other codecs’ final output less detailed, *just pushing the upper mids and treble ever so slightly will have listeners focus on detail more*.



You absolutely can do a LOT in terms of signal processing, but that occurs BEFORE you encode it, decode it or transport it.

The codecs just serve those purposes, not altering the signal in a way you didn't request.



monsieurfromag3 said:


> I’m sorry it annoys you that much.



Don't worry, I'm fully accustomed to technical illiterates, it’s just this was a completely new pearl to me.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Merkurio said:


> You absolutely can do a LOT in terms of signal processing, but that occurs BEFORE you encode it, decode it or transport it.
> 
> The codecs just serve those purposes, not altering the signal in a way you didn't request.
> 
> ...


As each codec uses its own protocol the outcome is different. When you can switch codec on the fly that difference is substantial. As I’m sure you’re aware. In an integrated unit like the 5K or ES100, it is possible to account for this difference in the subsequent stages.

If you think I am wrong I’ll be glad to hear about it and I am okay with being corrected, I am very much a technical illiterate. I do, however, try not to come across as an abrasive horror of a person on a hobbyists’ website, which is something you may want to consider unless you are okay with being considered a social illiterate.


----------



## Merkurio (Apr 2, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> As each codec uses its own protocol the outcome is different. When you can switch codec on the fly that difference is substantial. As I’m sure you’re aware. In an integrated unit like the 5K or ES100, it is possible to account for this difference in the subsequent stages.
> 
> If you think I am wrong I’ll be glad to hear about it and I am okay with being corrected, I am very much a technical illiterate. I do, however, try not to come across as an abrasive horror of a person on a hobbyists’ website, which is something you may want to consider unless you are okay with being considered a social illiterate.



If you make bold statements and you appeal to other people supposedly involved with the topic to support them, then you clearly are going to receive bold answers as a result, it's the natural course of things in a public forum.

Of course every codec has its own technical characteristics that may (or may not) be noticed within our hearing threshold, name it a high frequency cut, lower or higher dynamic range, noise or distortion... But they are that, technical limitations of the technology itself and its implementation, not a "tuning" nor any other form of digital processing, because that's no the job of the codec and neither of the DAC, amplification, cables, etc.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

To put the thread back on a cheerier track, now that Asus have fixed the bug that broke BT output on my phone whenever I selected 44.1kHz for LDAC sampling rate, and my mobile carrier has freshly upgraded my contract to a 5G, 30Go data plan for a measly 8€ a month, I get this wonderful audio path of:

Tidal via UAPP as a 44.1kHz bit-perfect stream « optimized for Bluetooth »
>> LDAC 44.1kHz locked at 909kbps with a rock-solid connection
>> Qudelix-5K with its incredible power and fidelity
>> balanced cable to the mighty IMR Ozar (or whatever else).

As close as BT gets to a bit-perfect wired audio path, which is pretty damn close. The whole of Tidal accessible any time, no need for offline downloads or a Wifi network. All of this through 5G which basically feels like ubiquitous Wifi.
And I can do the same with my N3Pro.
The urge for an Android DAP has grown considerably more distant all of a sudden.


----------



## BinaryWhisper

New User/long time lurker -  I'm a mid 60's male that listens to IEMs 30 to 40+ hours a week, every week. I have above average audio experience by the standards of the general pubic but likely less than the average head-fi poster and I have zero interest flowery poems describing audio. 

My phone is Motorola 9plus and lately I've been using the BLON 03's and I have a set of Phillips SHP9500 open backs that I use on my relatively antique HP Pavilion. I've owned maybe a dozen pairs of entry level IEM's all purchased based on reviews from this site and pretty much all lived up to those reviews. I have a very strong preference for foam tips. 

I received the Qudelix-5K and IEM's early this week and have been playing with them for approx 4 days.  In that time I've put perhaps 35 to 40 hours on the set plus maybe 4 hours on the BLON's and 9500's.  I've barely looked at the software although I saw nothing I didn't understand and I do prefer +3db on the upper. I've barely listened to the bluetooth but what I have heard was to my ears sonically very close to wired, but I'm in my 60's. 

I will say this, unless you are stoned sitting in a dark room listening to a favored performance you will likely not IMO be able to detect any significant diff.  I work with mine on all day and am certain that the bluetooth is up to that task effortlessly. If I discover I'm wrong I'll comeback and edit. 

I'm currently listening to a lot of binaural recordings as that is my current rabbit hole so I played a lot of Chesky Records recordings but also Billie Eilish's latest album (which is phenomenal) , Miley Cyrus latest BBC,  Radiohead, Jamie Cullum, Nora J, D Krall, Casey Abrams, Supertramp, Rush, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa and a few others.  All in FLAC. 

So first the Phillips 9500's on the Qudelix-5K.  
I've owned the 9500's for .... I wanna say 10+ years. I've put 1000's of hours on them, mostly plugged in my laptop as my phones have never had the juice to run them well. They are exceptional headphones stock and mine are slightly better than stock. The 9500's are considered one of the best bang for the buck headphones by great many  people and I agree. 

Well what can one say. It was as if I had upgraded to substantially better headphones. Not going to spin a lot of fancy wordsmith wannabee terms, its better.   More importantly, its better enough to effortlessly justify the purchase even if it sucks with everything else I plug into it. 

It's more dynamic, detailed and just generally more engaging. I only listened for perhaps an hour but I sensed 0 fatigue issues at all. It is a tad warm in nature which to my ear gives a sense of smoothness, something I called the Sony sound back in the late 80's.  The David Chesky, Brandie Sutton, & J'Nai Bridges recording of The Excommunication Mass was insane. Really seriously, go now and dload from Chesky, its in their free sampler.

The BLON 03's
They improved the least.  Little punchier, better dynamics, more detailed and a sharper occasionally wider soundstage. Still made the Qudilex 5 well worth its money though. 

The included IEM's
The most troublesome IEM's I've owned in the sense figuring out the fit.  I tried the included tips, they work but I've never found a rubber tip sealed to my ear properly or that was comfortable for 8 to 10 hour days of listening. 

These IEM's sound wrong a lot and a lot of what sounds wrong is often cured in other brands by switching to foam.  With foam these sounded better in most ways but they are far to edgy up top and although EQ'ing fixes it, its still not correct to the ear. I will say that at this stage of exploration I was astounded by the sense of true depth and timbre to the bottom end or these IEM's.  

In the end found a way to get the mid size rubbers (that were included) to work acceptably well in my ear. But there is no way I can wear these for 10 hours a day most days of the week. I do not want to belabor this point but I've never experienced a set of IEM's that are as sensitive to extremely minute variations in insertion and/or placement in the ear.

They appear to have spent some energy engineering how the rubbers interact with the IEM and it is something I have not encountered to this degree before.  If your ears are not within the norms, size or shape wise, these IEM's may NOT be for you as the company offers 0 alternatives. I could find no commercial brands of tips other than comply that even mentioned  Qudilex.   I will not pay the Comply price just to experiment, just a matter of principle. 

So from an audio perspective I found the middle tips carefully positioned in my ear showed my what these could do.  

In my limited experience these are the best IEM's I've listened to.  A 3db gain on the upper driver and these things are frankly phenomenal for the money.  I have yet to listen to any metal or hard rock on them as I am not really in that head space at the moment but the amount of detail and focus these cheap IEM's are capable of, just friggn crazy good. 

All in all if I ignore how multifaceted this gizmo is (which I guess I did), and just judge it as a simple amp/dac with cheap IEM's, well it seems hard to imagine there is a better deal out there ( even it did nickle and dime me on imports, taxes and shipping)

Would I buy the Qudelix-5K AND IEM's if tomorrow this set was vaporized by hoard of space zombies, yeah, with out so much as a single thought to the contrary.

Nice job Qudelix, now how about you expand your product eco system with some foam tips designed to work with your products?


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Hi here,

I just discovered there was a specific thread on this device...
I'm considering the 5K as my main source while commuting, bike riding, mountaineering...
It ticks almost all the boxes for my use; easier track navigation than other "high end" BT adapter/receivers, good battery life, fully customizable...

Until now I've been reluctant to give my 130$ to this company knowing this is more or less the legacy of Radsone and the ES100, because I got two ES100's that became bricks after more or less 1.5 year. 
I've just received the UP4; good SQ, stable connection, but the "one knob" navigation is very frustrating, especially track skipping backwards that is a "hit or miss" with multiple-triple clicks plus the App that is completely unusable... I think of returning it...
It seems the 5K came out 2 years ago, so I would like to know if anyone had issues with this device; instabilities, stutter, hiccups while using it, or other problems...
(you can also PM me if you're really happy with it...)

Thanks in advance for your feedback


----------



## BenF (Apr 13, 2022)

Safeinthemountains said:


> ...because I got two ES100's that became bricks after more or less 1.5 year.


Same here...



Safeinthemountains said:


> I've just received the UP4; good SQ, stable connection, but the "one knob" navigation is very frustrating, especially track skipping backwards that is a "hit or miss" with multiple-triple clicks plus the App that is completely unusable... I think of returning it...


I have both UP2 and UP4, and find UP2 better sounding.
Can't use it anymore, because Shanling bricked it with the latest firmware update, and is refusing to do anything about
UP4 suffered from the latest firmware too, but at least I was able to roll it back.
If you can return UP4 - do it ASAP.



Safeinthemountains said:


> It seems the 5K came out 2 years ago, so I would like to know if anyone had issues with this device; instabilities, stutter, hiccups while using it, or other problems...


My main issue with 5K is the usability - it's not much better than ES100, if it all.

I highly recommend FIIO BTR3K, which I use instead of the more expensive 5K, BTR5, ES100 and UP2/UP4 (all of which I own): https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...lity-bluetooth-amp.24317/reviews#review-24719

There is a 4$ discount code for BTR3K in the first post of the Takstar Pro 82 thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tak...iew-impressions-and-discussion-thread.849965/


----------



## Safeinthemountains

BenF said:


> My main issue with 5K is the usability - it's not much better than ES100, if it all.


Hi BenF, thanks for your input, what do you mean about the usability ? Is it that worse ? Why ?


----------



## BenF (Apr 13, 2022)

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi BenF, thanks for your input, what do you mean about the usability ? Is it that worse ? Why ?


The buttons on 5K are poorly located and can be hard to operate without looking.
Didn't think it was possible to have worse buttons than on ES100, but I guess I was wrong...


----------



## rlw6534

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi here,
> 
> I just discovered there was a specific thread on this device...
> I'm considering the 5K as my main source while commuting, bike riding, mountaineering...
> ...



The 5K is a great product with the best update and app support of any portable BT device.  However, the buttons are confusing and it lacks support for LHDC and AptX LL, both of which I use.   So, for me, the UP5 or BTR5 are better choices.  Gotta love the PEQ though.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

OK, so all of my hopes are vanishing now... 
It is true that only while looking at the button placement & design, you can easily predict that there could be "hit and miss"
what are they thinking when they design the casing ??? They try to make something unique ? Then it is the form over the function, and the result is... nervous breakdown ! 
How can it be so frustrating tu use play, pause, next, previous, vol up, vol down ? Why does it need to be so complicated ? Is a button, a microswitch plus a logical input on a chip so expensive ??? I still don't understand... 
SQ is one thing, OK, but usability... come on ! Even the cheap low-cost SBC dongles are easier to use ! And maybe more reliable 
See those ones:


----------



## Safeinthemountains

rlw6534 said:


> The 5K is a great product with the best update and app support of any portable BT device. However, the buttons are confusing and it lacks support for LHDC and AptX LL, both of which I use. So, for me, the UP5 or BTR5 are better choices. Gotta love the PEQ though.


Hi, so you would say that the button layout of Fiio or Shanling are less confusing ? I didn't try Fiio's, but Shanling's clickwheel is nice for quick & precise volume change, but terrible when you need to go a few tracks backwards... you have to click 3x at the speed of light in order to go one step back, this is exhausting... and somtimes you do exactly the opposite, or you end up with a prompt from the assistant on the phone (4 clicks) 

Only two more buttons on one of these units and I would be happy. Too bad that the real battery life of these is under 10 hours. When I was using an iRiver IHP-120 back in 2004, the internal battery was lasting 20 hours when new, then 16 hours, not less... and it was running a hard drive !
My Sansa Clip+ from 2009 were lasting about 12-15hours, they were really tiny, and a full DAP with display, sdcard, FM and so on...


----------



## BenF

Safeinthemountains said:


> OK, so all of my hopes are vanishing now...
> It is true that only while looking at the button placement & design, you can easily predict that there could be "hit and miss"
> what are they thinking when they design the casing ??? They try to make something unique ? Then it is the form over the function, and the result is... nervous breakdown !
> How can it be so frustrating tu use play, pause, next, previous, vol up, vol down ? Why does it need to be so complicated ? Is a button, a microswitch plus a logical input on a chip so expensive ??? I still don't understand...
> ...


Here is my favorite BT adapter for use in car or at home (XQ-23):




Can't clip on the shirt though, so can't use it one the go.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

I've already seen this one on a French website, it is on the "cheap" side of the range, and strangely it has the same button layout than the cheap ones...
The design is not fantastic, but It would probably do the job for me if the battery life was not announced at 5 hours...
So there really seems to be a correlation in between "high end" and "not practical to use"


----------



## BenF

Safeinthemountains said:


> I've already seen this one on a French website, it is on the "cheap" side of the range, and strangely it has the same button layout than the cheap ones...
> The design is not fantastic, but It would probably do the job for me if the battery life was not announced at 5 hours...
> So there really seems to be a correlation in between "high end" and "not practical to use"


It' can't be used on the go, and in car/at home it can be charged while being used.
For commuting/bike riding/mountaineering you need a "high end" device - but they can't have this button layout due to size limitation.
BTR3K provides very good usability (no problem using it without looking) and great SQ.
Battery life is quoted at 11 hours.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Please remind me; on all BTR3/5 devices you can use short press to change volume and long press to change tracks ? 
(vol- equals next, and vol+ equals previous if I remember well...)
You never end up changing tracks when you want to change volume with a big gap ? 
In a way, having only one "rocker" helps not to have to guess if it is volume or track skipping, while out of sight...


----------



## rlw6534

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, so you would say that the button layout of Fiio or Shanling are less confusing ? I didn't try Fiio's, but Shanling's clickwheel is nice for quick & precise volume change, but terrible when you need to go a few tracks backwards... you have to click 3x at the speed of light in order to go one step back, this is exhausting... and somtimes you do exactly the opposite, or you end up with a prompt from the assistant on the phone (4 clicks)
> 
> Only two more buttons on one of these units and I would be happy. Too bad that the real battery life of these is under 10 hours. When I was using an iRiver IHP-120 back in 2004, the internal battery was lasting 20 hours when new, then 16 hours, not less... and it was running a hard drive !
> My Sansa Clip+ from 2009 were lasting about 12-15hours, they were really tiny, and a full DAP with display, sdcard, FM and so on...



You are of course, correct.  None of these are particularly easy to navigate with the buttons, although the BTR5 is the most intuitive (to me).


----------



## BenF (Apr 13, 2022)

Safeinthemountains said:


> Please remind me; on all BTR3/5 devices you can use short press to change volume and long press to change tracks ?
> (vol- equals next, and vol+ equals previous if I remember well...)


You can choose between long press/ double press of the volume buttons, or use the play button instead:






Safeinthemountains said:


> You never end up changing tracks when you want to change volume with a big gap ?


Never


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Okay, thanks, and when you use the middle option (double-click) can you long press the vol buttons for continuous volume adjustments ?


----------



## BenF

Safeinthemountains said:


> Okay, thanks, and when you use the middle option (double-click) can you long press the vol buttons for continuous volume adjustments ?


Yes


----------



## BenF

@Safeinthemountains - I see that you have Hiby R2 and R3 - have you considered to use them as a BT receiver?


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Oh yes ! I bought the R2 used, in a trial to replace the ES100. I tried R3 as well. They work quite well ONCE CONNECTED... that is the flaw... 
Pairing, connecting, disconnecting is not as smooth as the single press of a button on the ES100 or another BT dongl. You need to dig into the menus, try several times to establish a connection, restart BT on both R2 and Phone, try again... and at some point it works ! Stopping the BT interface via the tactile screen is a hit and miss, you have to be really precise. The R2 is almost the size of a BT dongle, I could stick a clip on the back of the case... But for now it was in a pocket; difficult to reach while biking. The R2 interface lags, the R3 is a bit better, but quite big to be clipped at your belt... 
Plus the fact that once you stop BT function, you completely lose track position !!!


----------



## rkw

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, so you would say that the button layout of Fiio or Shanling are less confusing ?


The fundamental issue about the 5K is that the case and buttons are too symmetrical. I suppose that they thought symmetrical makes it look cleaner but it's terrible for ergonomics. You reach into your pocket and feel a rectangular block with buttons on opposite sides that have the same shape, size and location, and you can't tell which button is which. Even worse, with buttons on opposite sides, while you try to press a button you naturally hold it on the other side where exactly the other button is, which you can accidentally press instead. For best ergonomics by feel, it should be as asymmetric as possible. Buttons positioned on top and side with different sizes and shapes, and even an asymmetric shape for the outer case.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

Honestly ergonomically ES100 was a much better design.


----------



## waynes world

Safeinthemountains said:


> It is true that only while looking at the button placement & design, you can easily predict that there could be "hit and miss"



There is a bump on the blue button, and I can tell the buttons apart by feel.



rkw said:


> Even worse, with buttons on opposite sides, while you try to press a button you naturally hold it on the other side where exactly the other button is, which you can accidentally press instead.



I share that frustration.


----------



## rkw (Apr 13, 2022)

waynes world said:


> There is a bump on the blue button, and I can tell the buttons apart by feel.


That was actually my idea that I suggested to Qudelix! During development when they began to release renders of the 5K, it only showed smooth buttons (see post #1).




I posted on Qudelix's forum (the original version that no longer exists) that they need to make the buttons feel different by making them different size, shape or even just adding a bump to one of the buttons. They thought it was a good idea. I was hoping that they would put round buttons on one side and the bar on the other, but in the end they only added a bump. If I hadn't made the suggestion, it might have ended up with only smooth buttons!


----------



## waynes world

rkw said:


> That was actually my idea that I suggested to Qudelix! During development when they began to release renders of the 5K, it only showed smooth buttons (see post #1).
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Glad you did that! I'd be lost without that little bump lol


----------



## ScottAudio

Does anyone know when Amazon is likely to restock the 5K?


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Andrew_WOT said:


> Honestly ergonomically ES100 was a much better design.



I agree, even if the ES100 side buttons were not the most practical ones... it was !


rkw said:


> That was actually my idea that I suggested to Qudelix! During development when they began to release renders of the 5K, it only showed smooth buttons (see post #1).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for having proposed that ! They didn't follow 100% of your advice, perhaps because they didn't want to modify the design of the whole case, but at least the mold of one of the buttons 
The other "pro" I see on the Qdelix are the two screws at the bottom. In the era of aluminum CNC cases with sealed glass-like front and back panels, that are a pain to open, this is a good move towards reparability. The ES100 was easy to open, so that on the MK1 I machined the case to have more transparence for the LED, and it was still nice (bright spot in the middle of the dimmed ring).
An no, having apparent screws does not mean "ugly" design; it can still look nice, or "high end" like that.


----------



## BinaryWhisper

Well I have to agree with the vast majority that the button design is a pretty big issue.  

Only owned it for 2 weeks and it has repeatedly been an issue. To be honest, the only time the buttons are not an issue is when I'm sitting in chair doing nothing but listening.  It is not just the placement of the buttons, it is the sensitivity.  Just brush it while walking, bending, moving and it single clicks and kills the song.  The device is too heavy to clip to a shirt collar or any other location that is out of the way so it ends up clipped to my belt. 

Really truly a shame that a such a remarkable well designed little bundle of joy is so seriously marred by such a simple flaw.


----------



## anli

Hi! Do I understand correctly, there are still not any competitors with unique 5K features? 
I mean:

- parametric EQ
- opportunity to fix sampling rate to, say, 44.1KHz to use LDAC bandwidth proper way


----------



## iircole

This might sound a dumb question but can someone help me on manually inputing PEQ figures into the 5k if you don’t want to use all 10 bands. Some of Oratory’s figures use 5 or 7 bands - not all 10. Do I just use the “bypass” filter for the unused ones?


----------



## michusxx

iircole said:


> This might sound a dumb question but can someone help me on manually inputing PEQ figures into the 5k if you don’t want to use all 10 bands. Some of Oratory’s figures use 5 or 7 bands - not all 10. Do I just use the “bypass” filter for the unused ones?


Yes, use "bypass" for them.


----------



## Safeinthemountains (Apr 21, 2022)

Hi all,
As previousely said WaynesWorld on the other thread, I'm a "sucker for punishment" 

I sent a mail with some questions to Qdelix; the answer was that all of the answers are in the head-fi forums  and that they believe I'll get used to the buttons 
(I was basically asking if they were planning another upgrade with more options to customize the use of the buttons to personal taste)

So after having two defective ES100 units, I just put an order for a 5K, despite the rather high shipping fee...

I'm almost sure I'll appreciate a lot the SQ and the Customization level of the 5K, And I hope I'll be able to live with the downsides of it...

I'm gonna send back the UP4 now; it is even a pain in the a$$ to upgrade the firmware; the program needs an old .NET microsoft Framework that won't load on recent computers running Win10, very frustrating once again...
Also, the SQ is really nice to me, the BT range as well, but the battery drains really fast for ~10-15hrs promised battery life.

Then, wait and see...


----------



## waynes world

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi all,
> As previousely said WaynesWorld on the other thread, I'm a "sucker for punishment"
> 
> I sent a mail with some questions to Qdelix; the answer was that all of the answers are in the head-fi forums  and that they believe I'll get used to the buttons
> ...



Good luck! Even with the "less than optimal" button placements, it's hard not to appreciate how great the 5K is.


----------



## Mouseman

waynes world said:


> Good luck! Even with the "less than optimal" button placements, it's hard not to appreciate how great the 5K is.


Yeah! I love mine to death, even with the crummy buttons. Honestly, once it's turned on, I use the app or my phone for everything. I don't touch the buttons.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Mouseman said:


> Yeah! I love mine to death, even with the crummy buttons. Honestly, once it's turned on, I use the app or my phone for everything. I don't touch the buttons.


I understand your point, Mouseman. But in my opinion, for this use case I prefer a DAP.

If you are at home, sitting in the train or a bus, this is fine. If, like me, you're riding a bike, it is uncomfortable to pull out the phone out of a pocket, wake up the screen and change tracks. It could also be dangerous at times... 
When mountaineering, as long as I stay on the same folder/album, I can switch tracks blindly, and this is really convenient. 
When I was using the Sansa Clip+ I had all of this in a really tiny format; if there was today the same DAP with a seamless BT receiver function, and same battery life it would be even better 😁
Too bad Sansa ditched the Clip+, because without Rockbox, the last iterations were not as user friendly... 
But your posts make me more confident for the 5K 😉


----------



## iircole

On the Qudelix eq presets for different styles of music (classical, jazz, pop etc) there aren’t any pre-amp gains. It was my understanding that there would always need to be a (negative) gain to prevent clipping, or am I missing something?


----------



## michusxx (Apr 23, 2022)

iircole said:


> On the Qudelix eq presets for different styles of music (classical, jazz, pop etc) there aren’t any pre-amp gains. It was my understanding that there would always need to be a (negative) gain to prevent clipping, or am I missing something?


Yes, applying positive gain for specific frequency band in digital domain should be compensated by negative gain to prevent that calculated signal level crosses 0dBFS. There is a nice feature in Qudelix app that show you in right corner of graph the maximum calculated level for PEQ. If it is over 0 then it should be compensated by negative value of main gain setting...


----------



## iircole

michusxx said:


> Yes, applying positive gain for specific frequency band in digital domain should be compensated by negative gain to prevent that calculated signal level crosses 0dBFS. There is a nice feature in Qudelix app that show you in right corner of graph the maximum calculated level for GEQ. If it is over 0 then it should be compensated by negative value of main gain setting...


Thank you michusxx - that is useful


----------



## C_Lindbergh (Apr 22, 2022)

Yeah the buttons are a major downside to this outer wise incredible BT dac/amp...I just dont know what Qudelix were thinking with those buttons, especially given how incredible the device is besides that. Even something simple as the Fiio BTR3/5 is much more preferred.

Give me a 4.4 output and something similar to the Ifi Go Blus navigation and it will be the perfect BT device. But looks like the company is focusing on a desktop amp next tho... :/

I currently use the Ifi go Blu, even tho it has its own problems  Just wish I could take the best from each device!


----------



## Mouseman

Safeinthemountains said:


> I understand your point, Mouseman. But in my opinion, for this use case I prefer a DAP.
> 
> If you are at home, sitting in the train or a bus, this is fine. If, like me, you're riding a bike, it is uncomfortable to pull out the phone out of a pocket, wake up the screen and change tracks. It could also be dangerous at times...
> When mountaineering, as long as I stay on the same folder/album, I can switch tracks blindly, and this is really convenient.
> ...


I should have mentioned that my Apple Watch is my first stop for control. Skipping tracks, etc. 

But yes, I have a HiBy R5 that I also use a lot, but to be honest, my 5K connected via cable or BT gets a lot more use.


----------



## waynes world (Apr 22, 2022)

Mouseman said:


> Yeah! I love mine to death, even with the crummy buttons. Honestly, once it's turned on, I use the app or my phone for everything. I don't touch the buttons.





Safeinthemountains said:


> I understand your point, Mouseman. But in my opinion, for this use case I prefer a DAP.
> 
> If you are at home, sitting in the train or a bus, this is fine. If, like me, you're riding a bike, it is uncomfortable to pull out the phone out of a pocket, wake up the screen and change tracks. It could also be dangerous at times...
> When mountaineering, as long as I stay on the same folder/album, I can switch tracks blindly, and this is really convenient.
> ...



Actually, I mainly use my garmin watch for audio control, which alleviates the issue quite a lot. Even if the 5k buttons were perfect, I'd still find it more convenient to use my watch.

Edit: I didn't see your last post mouseman! Great minds lol!


----------



## tezla7

Hi all,

I want something so I can listen to audio from Macbook Pro 14.  Have been using Hiby R3 on wifi airplay for ages.  Works ok, but does drop out in the flat in weird places.  Also, it boots off connection when I'm moving between audio on youtube videos, and boots off with certain players, like VLC.  I think airplay uses it and re-syncs with a pretty hefty delay so, it boots off when quick switching as it can't figure out multiple delays- maybe.
Did look at ANC headphones, but, don't really want transmitters next to my brain and they're pretty expensive.  I'm only using Soundmagic E10 most of the time for this as they're practical and comfy, have Shure 846 for more serious listening with a Dragonfly Cobalt.
Think a Qudelix will provide a more stable connection via Bluetooth 5?  Bit more range?  Plays nice with Mac OS?  Hiby R3 cuts out about 9M through a wall or 2.  But cuts out sometimes in strange ways like in the kitchen only about 4M away.
Cheers me dears,

Will


----------



## syazwaned

Anyone has experience using 5k as a phone dongle? I seem cannot make it work


----------



## Mouseman

syazwaned said:


> Anyone has experience using 5k as a phone dongle? I seem cannot make it work


What phone? I use one with my iPhone all the time.


----------



## syazwaned

Vivo 21e...hurm weird..I need to test with other phone


Mouseman said:


> What phone? I use one with my iPhone all the time.


----------



## Mouseman

syazwaned said:


> Vivo 21e...hurm weird..I need to test with other phone


Did you plug it in, *then *turn it on? It won't work if it's already on, at least for me.


----------



## Enigma87 (Apr 25, 2022)

Just received my Qudelix 5K SABRE 9219C version today. This thing promises.

Just plugged my 64 audio V8s to it unbalanced, love how it drives them even without touching the PEQ. I'm waiting for the balanced cable arrive, but this little thing surprised me for it's power/SQ/form factor. Previous "portable" rig, theorem 720 hahahahahahaha xD.

I had problems using the usb-c port too, but it looks more related to the phone (OP 6) than the 5K, the only way to make it work was opening uapp and then using any other audio source like spotify, amazon or directly from uapp. Now, disabling the "disable usb audio enrouting" option under developer options and activating otg storage makes it work too, but with both options the Qudelix app doesn't show any information under input section, sample rate, code, source... etc, is this normal for usb audio?


----------



## Enigma87

syazwaned said:


> Vivo 21e...hurm weird..I need to test with other phone


Did you tried the option that just mentioned? If you don't see the developer options section, just tap continuously on compilation number (under device info) until developer options are enabled.


----------



## arar

Owned this thing for a few months now and I feel like it's pretty easily the best audio-related purchase I've made in years. Perfect marriage of fantastic sound quality and features (EQ in particular) and convenience as far as I'm concerned--it's obviously not quite as convenient as a pair of TWS IEMs, but it more than makes up for it with the rest. Finding myself constantly grabbing this and my CA Honeydews when I want to enjoy music instead of my desktop setup, not being tied to my PC or even phone is such a boon. Very excited to dive deeper into the world of IEMs and get some more pairs in the following months thanks to this little device.

If they ever release a follow-up with better buttons and battery life, I'm getting it day one. I just hope they never ditch the retro dadcore clip and look. Almost feels like having a pager clipped on which is just the best.


----------



## C_Lindbergh (May 5, 2022)

arar said:


> Owned this thing for a few months now and I feel like it's pretty easily the best audio-related purchase I've made in years. Perfect marriage of fantastic sound quality and features (EQ in particular) and convenience as far as I'm concerned--it's obviously not quite as convenient as a pair of TWS IEMs, but it more than makes up for it with the rest. Finding myself constantly grabbing this and my CA Honeydews when I want to enjoy music instead of my desktop setup, not being tied to my PC or even phone is such a boon. Very excited to dive deeper into the world of IEMs and get some more pairs in the following months thanks to this little device.
> 
> If they ever release a follow-up with better buttons and battery life, I'm getting it day one. I just hope they never ditch the retro dadcore clip and look. Almost feels like having a pager clipped on which is just the best.



Yes I agree!

Next release needs a bit bigger battery, scroll wheel like the Ifi Go Blu, 4.4mm and the latest BT SoC/Dac (LC3/Snapdragon Sound).

But doesn't seem to be happening any time soon, they're still working on that USB dac/amp...

Would also really like a TWS-adapter ala UTWS5 from Qudelix!


----------



## Nick24JJ

C_Lindbergh said:


> Yes I agree!
> 
> Next release needs a bit bigger battery, scroll wheel like the Ifi Go Blu, 4.4mm and the latest BT SoC/Dac (LC3/Snapdragon Sound).
> 
> ...


I completely agree, 1000% agreed!! I also wish Qudelix would manufacture something like the UTWS5!


----------



## C_Lindbergh (May 5, 2022)

Nick24JJ said:


> I completely agree, 1000% agreed!! I also wish Qudelix would manufacture something like the UTWS5!



Yea, instead they focused time on the OX-Over earphones (I doubt they sold well) and that new 7.1 USB dac/amp/IEM...The latter might be more successful tho, but it still seems like a niche product unlike the 5k and potential TWS-adapter. Sure the T71 is really interesting, but personally I don't see myself using it since I'm not a hardcore gamer and I would never watch a movie on my PC/laptop instead of my huge OLED screen.
​


----------



## lewisl

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi here,
> 
> I just discovered there was a specific thread on this device...
> I'm considering the 5K as my main source while commuting, bike riding, mountaineering...
> ...


I have had mine for about 1.5 years. No hardware issues.  I have done 4 firmware updates. The first took 2 tries.  Maybe that one contained the "improve firmware update" feature. Three others were smooth, fast and worked first time. I would say the hardest thing is switching between sound sources, but that is mostly a blue tooth problem.  I mostly use mine with USB connection to sound source, but bluetooth is still desirable to change settings.  If you have only 1 headphone and you are happy with the settings then switching is not a problem.


----------



## Lightspeed12

I just ordered one of these off Amazon Australia & I have been searching for information on what cable I would need to connect my astell&kern sp1000m to the Qudelix 5k but can't seem to find anything.
Can anyone confirm what cable I would need & weather or not one will be supplied with the kit. Thanks in advance for any help.


----------



## BenF

Lightspeed12 said:


> I just ordered one of these off Amazon Australia & I have been searching for information on what cable I would need to connect my astell&kern sp1000m to the Qudelix 5k but can't seem to find anything.
> Can anyone confirm what cable I would need & weather or not one will be supplied with the kit. Thanks in advance for any help.


I assume you want to use SP1000M as an external DAC for Q5K? Don't think Q5K supports external DACs, but if it dodx, you probably would need a Type C OTG cable.
Maybe you should ask Quedelix support.


----------



## TK33

Lightspeed12 said:


> I just ordered one of these off Amazon Australia & I have been searching for information on what cable I would need to connect my astell&kern sp1000m to the Qudelix 5k but can't seem to find anything.
> Can anyone confirm what cable I would need & weather or not one will be supplied with the kit. Thanks in advance for any help.





BenF said:


> I assume you want to use SP1000M as an external DAC for Q5K? *Don't think Q5K supports external DACs*, but if it dodx, you probably would need a Type C OTG cable.
> Maybe you should ask Quedelix support.


The Qudelix 5K is usually used as the external DAC.  I agree with @BenF - I don't think the Qudelix 5K supports USB audio output.  The main use case for me is using my wired headphones or IEMs wirelessly via Bluetooth (music streamed from my phone), although it can double as an external USB DAC when needed.  You could also connect the analog audio outputs to an external amp (e.g. if you want to stream music to speakers or add Bluetooth to another HP amp).


----------



## newworld666 (May 11, 2022)

Lightspeed12 said:


> I just ordered one of these off Amazon Australia & I have been searching for information on what cable I would need to connect my astell&kern sp1000m to the Qudelix 5k but can't seem to find anything.
> Can anyone confirm what cable I would need & weather or not one will be supplied with the kit. Thanks in advance for any help.



I imagine that you would like a  LDAC Bluetooth input for your SP1000 like we have with the Sony WM1A&Z for a long time now ?
As A&K just made a new firmware for my Kann Alpha with a brand new LDAC BT receiver too, I imagine it shouldn't be long before SP1000 will get it too ? The Qudelix 5K, won't help you at all for such function, as it can't use any external DAC.


----------



## Lightspeed12

BenF said:


> I assume you want to use SP1000M as an external DAC for Q5K? Don't think Q5K supports external DACs, but if it dodx, you probably would need a Type C OTG cable.
> Maybe you should ask Quedelix support.


The astell&kern sp1000m is a Dap & yes I wish to use the Qudelix 5k with dap & bluetooth at different stages. Thanks.


----------



## BenF

Lightspeed12 said:


> The astell&kern sp1000m is a Dap & yes I wish to use the Qudelix 5k with dap & bluetooth at different stages. Thanks.


If you wish to play music from SP1000M to a wired headphone connected to Q5K, you can do that over APTX-HD.


----------



## jsmiller58

Lightspeed12 said:


> I just ordered one of these off Amazon Australia & I have been searching for information on what cable I would need to connect my astell&kern sp1000m to the Qudelix 5k but can't seem to find anything.
> Can anyone confirm what cable I would need & weather or not one will be supplied with the kit. Thanks in advance for any help.


I am a little confused.  Why would you want to use the Q5K with the A&K SP1KM in a wired configuration?  It seems odd to use a multi-thousand dollar DAP purely as a transport, and output from the Q5K…. I love my Q5K, but that seems a bit over the top…. What am I misunderstanding?


----------



## Lightspeed12

jsmiller58 said:


> I am a little confused.  Why would you want to use the Q5K with the A&K SP1KM in a wired configuration?  It seems odd to use a multi-thousand dollar DAP purely as a transport, and output from the Q5K…. I love my Q5K, but that seems a bit over the top…. What am I misunderstanding?


I'm new in the audio game & from what I understand the Qudelix 5k can be used as a wired dac/amp with a dap in line.
I will be mostly using it as a bluetooth device with both my galaxy note9 & my astell&kern but I thought when I get the sony ier-z1r which I have heard takes a fair bit to drive that the Qudelix 5k wired to the astell&kern would be better than the astell&kern alone. I could be completely wrong but no harm in asking.
When someone is completely new to a hobby even the common knowledge has to be learned. Lol


----------



## rlw6534

jsmiller58 said:


> I am a little confused.  Why would you want to use the Q5K with the A&K SP1KM in a wired configuration?  It seems odd to use a multi-thousand dollar DAP purely as a transport, and output from the Q5K…. I love my Q5K, but that seems a bit over the top…. What am I misunderstanding?



Maybe he wants PEQ from Q5K???


----------



## jsmiller58

rlw6534 said:


> Maybe he wants PEQ from Q5K???


Yes, that was definitely one feature that came to mind!


----------



## jsmiller58

Lightspeed12 said:


> I'm new in the audio game & from what I understand the Qudelix 5k can be used as a wired dac/amp with a dap in line.
> I will be mostly using it as a bluetooth device with both my galaxy note9 & my astell&kern but I thought when I get the sony ier-z1r which I have heard takes a fair bit to drive that the Qudelix 5k wired to the astell&kern would be better than the astell&kern alone. I could be completely wrong but no harm in asking.
> When someone is completely new to a hobby even the common knowledge has to be learned. Lol


I haven’t found the specs for the A&K SP1000M so I cannot compare the output power, but I would be surprised if the Q5K has more power, and very surprised if the SP1000M could not handily drive any IEM.

Having said that, as @rlw6534 mentions you might like to use the Q5K connected to your A&K for the rich GEQ and and PEQ functionality!  

No matter what, it sounds like you have some fantastic gear and I hope you get years of enjoyment from it!!


----------



## Lightspeed12

jsmiller58 said:


> I haven’t found the specs for the A&K SP1000M so I cannot compare the output power, but I would be surprised if the Q5K has more power, and very surprised if the SP1000M could not handily drive any IEM.
> 
> Having said that, as @rlw6534 mentions you might like to use the Q5K connected to your A&K for the rich GEQ and and PEQ functionality!
> 
> No matter what, it sounds like you have some fantastic gear and I hope you get years of enjoyment from it!!


Thanks for the reply 🙂


----------



## omarelmeaday

Hello,
I really couldn't find an answer to my question and need someone to help me, is the SQ of qudelix 5k noticably lower than a good dongle like sonata e44, s9 pro .. etc. 
Thanks.


----------



## syazwaned

omarelmeaday said:


> Hello,
> I really couldn't find an answer to my question and need someone to help me, is the SQ of qudelix 5k noticably lower than a good dongle like sonata e44, s9 pro .. etc.
> Thanks.


Way better than s9 Pro. In fact I better the Sound Quality is at match with Questyle M12. Qudelix 5k is noticeably more neutral, leaving more for EQ, while M12 is smoother and musical.


----------



## BenF

omarelmeaday said:


> Hello,
> I really couldn't find an answer to my question and need someone to help me, is the SQ of qudelix 5k noticably lower than a good dongle like sonata e44, s9 pro .. etc.
> Thanks.


It all depends on your sound preference - some may prefer Q5K, some may prefer some dongle.
If you like clean, very technical sound - you will be happy with Q5K.
If you prefer a more natural approach with fuller notes - FIIO BTR3K would be better.


----------



## omarelmeaday

syazwaned said:


> Way better than s9 Pro. In fact I better the Sound Quality is at match with Questyle M12. Qudelix 5k is noticeably more neutral, leaving more for EQ, while M12 is smoother and musical.


Thanks.
What about technicalities, staging, detail retrieval and so ?


----------



## omarelmeaday

BenF said:


> It all depends on your sound preference - some may prefer Q5K, some may prefer some dongle.
> If you like clean, very technical sound - you will be happy with Q5K.
> If you prefer a more natural approach with fuller notes - FIIO BTR3K would be better.


Thanks.


----------



## omarelmeaday

And also about the analog natural sound without digital-ish feel to it ... Is there no diffrence ? ... Even when it used wirelessly?


----------



## syazwaned

omarelmeaday said:


> Thanks.
> What about technicalities, staging, detail retrieval and so ?


Yes better technical than dongle you mentioned. With m12 having a slight better timbre than 5k, Other than that, all is on par in my opinion.


----------



## omarelmeaday

syazwaned said:


> Yes better technical than dongle you mentioned. With m12 having a slight better timbre than 5k, Other than that, all is on par in my opinion.


Thanks.


----------



## BenF

omarelmeaday said:


> And also about the analog natural sound without digital-ish feel to it ... Is there no diffrence ? ... Even when it used wirelessly?


Yes, BTR3K sounds very natural over both USB and Bluetooth.


----------



## jsmiller58 (May 15, 2022)

BenF said:


> It all depends on your sound preference - some may prefer Q5K, some may prefer some dongle.
> If you like clean, very technical sound - you will be happy with Q5K.
> If you prefer a more natural approach with fuller notes - FIIO BTR3K would be better.


This is probably a good opportunity for me to ask… what do people mean when they say “natural sound” and what do they mean when they say “technical sound”? 

From the context of many posts where I have read these terms I infer that “natural” typically implies more weight to (boosted) mids, slightly recessed treble, and slightly elevated bass.  I infer that “technical” typically refers to elevated treble, slightly recessed (or at least not boosted) mids, and more likely flat (not elevated / boosted) bass.  As I indicated I infer these from context, but I don’t think I have seen these clearly defined when used.

Thank you in advance!


----------



## BenF

jsmiller58 said:


> This is probably a good opportunity for me to ask… what do people mean when they say “natural sound” and what do they mean when they say “technical sound”?
> 
> From the context of many posts where I have read these terms I infer that “natural” typically implies more weight to (boosted) mids, slightly recessed treble, and slightly elevated bass.  I infer that “technical” typically refers to elevated treble, slightly recessed (or at least not boosted) mids, and more likely flat (not elevated / boosted) bass.  As I indicated I infer these from context, but I don’t think I have seen these clearly defined when used.
> 
> Thank you in advance!


My personal definitions are: 
*Technical sound *- makes you feel like you are listening to a reproduction of music, e.g. listening to really good speakers.  This is perfect for monitoring/critical listening.
*Natural sound *- makes you feel present at the time of performance, total immersion. This is perfect for enjoying music.

It's not about Frequency Response or detail retrival, it's about how you feel.


----------



## jsmiller58

BenF said:


> My personal definitions are:
> *Technical sound *- makes you feel like you are listening to a reproduction of music, e.g. listening to really good speakers.  This is perfect for monitoring/critical listening.
> *Natural sound *- makes you feel present at the time of performance, total immersion. This is perfect for enjoying music.
> 
> It's not about Frequency Response or detail retrival, it's about how you feel.


Thank you, I appreciate your perspective!


----------



## mugbot (May 15, 2022)

jsmiller58 said:


> Thank you, I appreciate your perspective



Neither of these things have been demonstrated to exist in controlled testing, I'd be very surprised if anyone could tell the difference between the two in blind testing. People are really inconsistent too, often describing the device they don't like, or seems more advanced as 'technical' or cold. Here that's being pointed at the Q5K in comparison to the BTR3K however I'm sure if you look through the BTR3K thread people will use those same terms to describe its sound  in comparison to other devices.

For the record I've listed to both side by side and they sounded the same to me. Both measure with a flat frequency response so there's no volume difference at different frequencies.


----------



## schoolpizza (May 15, 2022)

I ordered a 5k on a whim the other night, having the crazy idea to latch it on to my new LCD2's to make them wireless for walks along the trails around my house 

Now after researching more I'm wondering if I will need a balanced cable to pull this off. The LCD2's are the newer variety with 101 dB/mW sensitivity and 70ohm resistance, so not the hardest to drive, but a lot more than the IEMs I'm seeing are mainly used here. I've read everything from LCD2's needing just 25mW to sound flawless to needing at least 1W to perform at their best. So far I've only used them direct into my phone, which sounds good, but who knows what I'm missing from proper amplification!? 

The balanced mini-XLR to 2.5mm cable I will need to mod is $80, so before I take the plunge on that I thought I'd seek input here on whether the 5k's balanced out makes a huge difference and/or is going to be essential for me.

Thanks!


----------



## logiatype

Has anyone noticed dropouts on bluetooth calls? I use this for zoom calls and have moments where audio cuts out.


----------



## mugbot

schoolpizza said:


> I ordered a 5k on a whim the other night, having the crazy idea to latch it on to my new LCD2's to make them wireless for walks along the trails around my house
> 
> Now after researching more I'm wondering if I will need a balanced cable to pull this off. The LCD2's are the newer variety with 101 dB/mW sensitivity and 70ohm resistance, so not the hardest to drive, but a lot more than the IEMs I'm seeing are mainly used here. I've read everything from LCD2's needing just 25mW to sound flawless to needing at least 1W to perform at their best. So far I've only used them direct into my phone, which sounds good, but who knows what I'm missing from proper amplification!?
> 
> ...


I use this for calculating the headphone power requirements:
https://www.headphonesty.com/headphone-power-calculator/

Noting here that I usually kick up the listening volume to 120dB to take care of any spikes etc.

Based on that your LCD2 needs 159mW which the Q5K can deliver but only over balanced.


----------



## schoolpizza

mugbot said:


> I use this for calculating the headphone power requirements:
> https://www.headphonesty.com/headphone-power-calculator/
> 
> Noting here that I usually kick up the listening volume to 120dB to take care of any spikes etc.
> ...


Thank you for the precise answer, that is extremely helpful. I'm not looking forward to hacking up $80 cables but it must be done!

That leads me to a much harder question. I've noticed there are two types of people on these forums. One type say ok, I am outputting 159mW, I have succeeded in amping my phones. The other type will not stop there and claim that extra power headroom, tubes, or other design qualities can make vast improvements to the sound you hear. Without spending a ton of money, I am trying to determine which group I fall into... or, gasp, what the TRUTH of the matter is!


----------



## BenF

mugbot said:


> Neither of these things have been demonstrated to exist in controlled testing, I'd be very surprised if anyone could tell the difference between the two in blind testing. People are really inconsistent too, often describing the device they don't like, or seems more advanced as 'technical' or cold. Here that's being pointed at the Q5K in comparison to the BTR3K however I'm sure if you look through the BTR3K thread people will use those same terms to describe its sound  in comparison to other devices.
> 
> For the record I've listed to both side by side and they sounded the same to me. Both measure with a flat frequency response so there's no volume difference at different frequencies.


All DACs and amps will measure practically flat through the audible range - within 0.1-0.2dB, not anything we can hear.
That's true for 100$ devices, and for 2000$ devices. 
Frequency response is not what differentiates them, you simply can't measure note weight (at least not by looking at FR).

ES100 and Q5K aren't more advanced than BTR3K, they just sound different.
BTR3K is much more advanced than BTR3 - but I definitely could confuse them in a blind test, even when using balanced output from BTR3K.

Of course, if your headphones are coloring the sound, that may diminish the differences between devices.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

What is "note weight"?


----------



## BenF

Andrew_WOT said:


> What is "note weight"?


https://crinacle.com/2020/04/19/the...-list-update/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-4


----------



## Andrew_WOT (May 16, 2022)

BenF said:


> https://crinacle.com/2020/04/19/the...-list-update/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-4


And it cannot be measured and doesn't show on FQ response why? It clearly states that it's just a balance between lower and higher frequencies.



> The main thing that affects note weight is the balance between lower harmonics (which includes the fundamental) and upper harmonics. A focus on lower harmonics makes the sound rich and deep, while a focus on higher harmonics makes the sound clear and airy. For instance, a heavy note weight would make an instrument  like a piano sound more “grand”, while a lighter note weight would make it sound more like an upright.



Exactly as @jsmiller58 pointed out here.

And what standard definition of "weighty" sound states
https://www.head-fi.org/articles/describing-sound-a-glossary.12328/


> *Weighty *- Good low frequency response below about 50 Hz. A sense of substance and underpinning produced by deep, controlled bass. Suggesting an object of great weight or power, like a diesel locomotive.


----------



## BenF (May 16, 2022)

Andrew_WOT said:


> And it cannot be measured and doesn't show on FQ response why? It clearly states that it's just a balance between lower and higher frequencies.


Please read carefully:
"_The main thing that affects note weight is the balance between lower *harmonics* (which includes the fundamental) and upper *harmonics*_."
Harmonics != frequencies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic



Andrew_WOT said:


> And what standard definition of "weighty" sound states
> https://www.head-fi.org/articles/describing-sound-a-glossary.12328/


That has nothing to do with note weight.


----------



## Andrew_WOT

They are still frequencies, aren't they, why you say they won't show on the frequency graph?



> A *harmonic* is a wave with a frequency that is a positive integer multiple of the _fundamental frequency_


----------



## BenF

Andrew_WOT said:


> They are still frequencies, aren't they, why you say they won't show on the frequency graph?


Seriously, read the article.


----------



## mugbot

BenF said:


> Seriously, read the article.


That would absolutely be visible on a FR plot.


----------



## BenF

mugbot said:


> That would absolutely be visible on a FR plot.


Take a look at FR of 5 different amps, and try telling me which one will have thicker notes at 80, 300 and 2000 Hz (or any other value).


----------



## Andrew_WOT

You are probably talking about Harmonic Distortions as these are the only harmonics electronic device produces, it is not a musical instrument like trombone. And the lower they are, the better. Not sure if tonal character of DAC/AMP can be defined by a balance between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. degree of distortion, it should be well below  0.001% anyway or it will sound super bad, harsh and gritty. 
Headphones though can have up to few percent, which can affect tonality as stated in your original link, but with super low TDH in DACs, this is likely not the case. 

And yes, this stuff is easily measured.


----------



## mugbot

BenF said:


> Take a look at FR of 5 different amps, and try telling me which one will have thicker notes at 80, 300 and 2000 Hz (or any other value).


Define 'thicker notes' in some way that's not just audiophilese or the whole exercise is meaningless. Like checking which amp is more sour.


----------



## Safeinthemountains (May 17, 2022)

This looks really complicated... 
I consider myself as far from an "audiophile", but what i learned over the years is that all of this is mainly subjective. For example the Meze 99 Classics are considered by a majority of people as "really good" headphones (for the price...). I was about to buy a pair of these eyes closed, but I gave a trial in a local shop and I was disappointed; the bass is invasive to me, it feels not balanced at all in terms of FR, and to me these are not good at all (and I listen mainly to electronic/ambient music).

So trying to use the same words to describe things that are personnal and subjective is almost impossible in my opinion.
At least one can compare different kinds of headphones/earphones and put them it different categories.
But to say "this is better than this" is nonsense... unless the FR is extreme to the point only meds can be heard, or the V shape is really too pronounced.

Also remember that human ear is adaptative; if at first you find the music "to bassy" or "too weak" (lack of bass), after some time your brain will get used to it, and your perception will change. This is the same for volume, if you listen let's say at volume 40 for some time and go down to 20, you will feel it is too low, if you stay in the silence for some time, then you start listening to the same track at 20, you'll fell the level is OK, if not a bit too high.

As for note weight...
Harmonics refers to the different basic singles tones (sines) that compose a complex sound; there is the fundamental (the frequency of the sound itself) plus various amounts of 2x,3x,4x... etc tones that make the "timbre" of an instrument, or a voice, or any sound...

I do not fully understand this "note weight" concept, especially because the variation in the amound of each harmonic, changes the harmonic content of the sound, and the timbre.
When you filter it out, typically with a low-pass filter, you also change the harmonic content. Depending on the slope of the filter and the cutting frequency, the modification can be light or really important; in the second case you can completely modify the timbre, and make it sound completely diffferent.

The only thing I can think of, are slight modifications of the amplitude of the harmonics, that lead to slight modification of how the instruments/voices and the whole music sounds. But then it is directly related to the FR, or the EQ that will have an impact on this, and this impact will be quite different along the whole frequencey range.

All in all this is really complex, because the FR can impact the fundamental of certain notes, and the harmonics of other ones, and the effect is quite different.

To me, the best is to have the most flatter/neutral response (source+amp+headphones/speakers) and then if doesn't feel right to you (bassy, weak, or not balanced) add an EQ.
It is quite easy to have flat response for the source, a bit less for the amp, but still feasible, but the speakers/headphones are almost never neutral, they always add "color" the sound, and more than any other part of the chain.

In my experience, I could sometimes feel that one DAP/Amp feels subjectively warm or dry, but it is really subjective. For the headphones it is obvious; some will sound warm, some dry, and some washed out or too bassy, not balanced at all, something is missing...

And remember as well that in the end the way the music has been recorded, mixed, equalized... counts A LOT, and this you have to live with it !

For me the sound of the Qdelix (ES9219P) is perfecly fine; well balanced, not too analytic, not too warm, but I had the same opinion on the ES100 (Asahi Kasei AK4375a) , and the UP4 (ES9218P) I had for some time.
I "feel" I prefer the sound of my Hiby R3 (ESS ES9028Q2M +OPAMP)   to my R5 (Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC); but is it not just biased by knowing the brand and model of DAC inside ???

All in all, since I started listening to music in the 80's, I've passed from Vinyl/cassette (noise, crap FR, flutter and so on) to CD, then MP3 CD players, then HDD players (with OGG Vorbis), and flash/memory based players( OGG and Flac) and I feel at this stage, even the entry-level players sound more than good enough, I don't need to run after even newer standards, codecs, players, DAC's that will empty my wallet, fill my SD-cards faster, for very little gain...

Signal-to-noise above 80-90 dB cannot be heard except for classical music where the dynamics is bigger, the same for bit depht; 16-20 bits are enough, and sampling frequencies above 20-22Khz is a waste of storage space; there is a lot more to hear in between 20 and  let's say 10000 Hz (pretty high already), the 10000-22000 Hz are just here for the shape/timbre of the sound 


Sorry for the disruption...


----------



## arar

mugbot said:


> Define 'thicker notes' in some way that's not just audiophilese or the whole exercise is meaningless. Like checking which amp is more sour.



The latter is easy, though. Just lick it.


----------



## InvisibleInk

I'm outta here


----------



## BenF (May 17, 2022)

Andrew_WOT said:


> You are probably talking about Harmonic Distortions as these are the only harmonics electronic device produces, it is not a musical instrument like trombone. And the lower they are, the better. Not sure if tonal character of DAC/AMP can be defined by a balance between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. degree of distortion, it should be well below  0.001% anyway or it will sound super bad, harsh and gritty.
> Headphones though can have up to few percent, which can affect tonality as stated in your original link, but with super low TDH in DACs, this is likely not the case.
> 
> And yes, this stuff is easily measured.


Not with the Frequency Response measurement.




Safeinthemountains said:


> ...
> I do not fully understand this "note weight" concept, especially because the variation in the amound of each harmonic, changes the harmonic content of the sound, and the timbre.
> When you filter it out, typically with a low-pass filter, you also change the harmonic content.


You can only filter the harmonics/overtones with a low pass filter when you have a single frequency signal.
If you have have a 300Hz signal, and want to get rid of 600Hz, 900Hz, 1200Hz etc harmonics, you can put a 600Hz low-pass filter.
Can't do that with a complex signal like music - you'll lose all the music above 600Hz...



Safeinthemountains said:


> ...In my experience, I could sometimes feel that one DAP/Amp feels subjectively warm or dry, but it is really subjective.


And if you would look at the Frequency Response of all these DAP/Amps, they would all be perfectly neutral (within 0.1dB), despite not sounding the same.
You can't tell a warm sounding amp from a cold sounding one based on FR.


On that note (pun intended), I announce my retirement from the discussion about harmonics.
Please use the Sound Science forum https://www.head-fi.org/forums/sound-science.133/  or Google https://www.google.com/ for further research.


----------



## DBaldock9

On Head-Fi, it seems like when threads go too far off topic, for too long, the Admins tend to come in and clean up the thread.


----------



## logiatype

logiatype said:


> Has anyone noticed dropouts on bluetooth calls? I use this for zoom calls and have moments where audio cuts out.


Had to return my unit today. Not useable on the latest firmware for calls. Dropping out during calls is not acceptable. No issue with any TWS or ES100. Total shame.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

logiatype said:


> Had to return my unit today. Not useable on the latest firmware for calls. Dropping out during calls is not acceptable. No issue with any TWS or ES100. Total shame.


Hi, why don't you wait for the next FW update if it was working before ? You returned it after discussing with Qdelix support ?
I have had it for a few weeks now, so no FW upgrade yet; is it imposed by the app ? Is there a way to downgrade to an older version ?


----------



## michusxx

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, why don't you wait for the next FW update if it was working before ? You returned it after discussing with Qdelix support ?
> I have had it for a few weeks now, so no FW upgrade yet; is it imposed by the app ? Is there a way to downgrade to an older version ?


You can downgrade FW using Chrome browser version of Qudelix application.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Thanks michusxx, good to know, this is a nice feature !


----------



## MCYL

So, I need another Q5K. Qudelix site shows they are out of stock. Amazon has stock but don’t have QX-Overs listed.

Are they worth buying separately or wait for Qudelix to restock the 5K?
They seem uniquely created for the dongle and probably a good bass cannon.

Thx


----------



## lowrider007

Just received my first Qudelix 5K, what an amazing little device! kicking myself for not buying this sooner, anyone that wants to grab one in the UK from a trusted source I got my mine from here,

https://eliseaudio.com/products/qudelix-5k?_pos=1&_sid=37ce53309&_ss=r

Couple of questions,

1)I'm only using IEM's with this device, currently Moondrop Aria's, is there really any benefits from using the balanced output?

2)In the volume section of the app, what do you guys recommend setting the right volume to, I'm assuming this sets the voltage/gain? At the moment I have it set to 0.0dB/1v?

3)Battery saving, being that I'm currently using single ended connection and Spotify as a source do I really need LDAC running @ 96KHz?, can I trim some settings to provide better battery life?


----------



## michusxx

lowrider007 said:


> Just received my first Qudelix 5K, what an amazing little device! kicking myself for not buying this sooner, anyone that wants to grab one in the UK from a trusted source I got my mine from here,
> 
> https://eliseaudio.com/products/qudelix-5k?_pos=1&_sid=37ce53309&_ss=r
> 
> ...


Ad1. 
I'm also using Q5K with Aria IEMs. Since it is necessary to limit 5K output to 1V because of Aria sensitivity I don't see any benefit from balanced output (as the main reason for that functionality is to increase power/voltage). Balanced output shall not offer any better quality in this setup. 
Ad.2
Limit the main volume in app to get comfortable loudness during listening (the volume in source - i. e. smartphone - should be maximum). In my case with Aria it is about -10..-12dB depending on source application. If you apply any EQ (with necessary negative gain compensation) then those values will probably be more like -10..-9dB...
Ad.3
Definitely it is recomended to reduce rate of LDAC to 44/48kHz. The badwidth of BT connection is limited to 990kbps so it is enough rather for 44/48 kHz data stream. Using 96kHz will need two times more data rate, so it will end up with more compression to fit it into 990kbps... 😀


----------



## lowrider007 (May 21, 2022)

michusxx said:


> Ad1.
> I'm also using Q5K with Aria IEMs. Since it is necessary to limit 5K output to 1V because of Aria sensitivity I don't see any benefit from balanced output (as the main reason for that functionality is to increase power/voltage). Balanced output shall not offer any better quality in this setup.
> Ad.2
> Limit the main volume in app to get comfortable loudness during listening (the volume in source - i. e. smartphone - should be maximum). In my case with Aria it is about -10..-12dB depending on source application. If you apply any EQ (with necessary negative gain compensation) then those values will probably be more like -10..-9dB...
> ...



Thanks,

Just some clarification regarding the 'recommended' volume settings as I've found this bit a little confusing, your saying max out the volume on the left (the phone) and then control the volume using the Qudelix rather rather than maxing out the RMS volume on the right to 1v and controlling the volume with the phone?

edit -

Output power I've set to normal?


----------



## michusxx (May 21, 2022)

lowrider007 said:


> Thanks,
> 
> Just some clarification regarding the 'recommended' volume settings as I've found this bit a little confusing, your saying max out the volume on the left (the phone) and then control the volume using the Qudelix rather rather than maxing out the RMS volume on the right to 1v and controlling the volume with the phone?
> 
> ...


Yes. You should control volume on Q5k side since it is done in analog domain so it not affect the quality (
SNR in particular). If you control volume on phone then it is done in digital domain because further transmission to Q5k is digital. Reducing signal level in digital behave like reducing number of bits - so instead of 16-bits recordings you will have for example 13..14 bit equivalent depending how much you reduce level...
That's theory. Of course the question is how much that difference is in reality audible... and it may be more convenient to use phone control (especially when walkin outside)... But if you looking for high quality then just set volume in Q5k... 😀

And setting power to normal means setting output to 1V...


----------



## etisoppo (May 21, 2022)

..


----------



## lowrider007

michusxx said:


> Yes. You should control volume on Q5k side since it is done in analog domain so it not affect the quality (
> SNR in particular). If you control volume on phone then it is done in digital domain because further transmission to Q5k is digital. Reducing signal level in digital behave like reducing number of bits - so instead of 16-bits recordings you will have for example 13..14 bit equivalent depending how much you reduce level...
> That's theory. Of course the question is how much that difference is in reality audible... and it may be more convenient to use phone control (especially when walkin outside)... But if you looking for high quality then just set volume in Q5k... 😀
> 
> And setting power to normal means setting output to 1V...



Thanks you've been a great help.


----------



## michusxx (May 21, 2022)

lowrider007 said:


> Thanks you've been a great help.


Nice to be able to help. 😀
BTW. How do you like Aria IEM? Do you use any equalization for it?


----------



## lowrider007

michusxx said:


> Nice to be able to help. 😀
> BTW. How do you like Aria IEM? Do you use any equalization for it?



Love them, sold my Blessing 2 as I found them too fatiguing, technically B2 was amazing but really not a fan of the tuning, the Aria's are much more my cup of tea, no EQ for me.


----------



## LunarLight

lowrider007 said:


> Love them, sold my Blessing 2 as I found them too fatiguing, technically B2 was amazing but really not a fan of the tuning, the Aria's are much more my cup of tea, no EQ for me.


Same for me back then, until now i still keep my Aria and never look at B2 anymore (got the Variations though), but actually you can eq B2 reducing the mids-high while bumping the lows to make it less fatiguing and more fun, but yeah having many iems pretty much a hassle to turn off and on the eq


----------



## etisoppo (May 22, 2022)

Anyone else with these combinations? Qudelix 5k with 7Hz Timeless and QX-Over. Curious to hear your thoughts.

The 5k is pretty nifty and small. Love the AutoDSP, and the other various little settings (batt, auto off, etc.) I run it off my Galaxy S10 with LDAC settings. Extremely happy with this very portable setup. My only complaint, a dedicated on-off button would be helpful. Been using the app to make sure that it shuts down to save battery.

To me, the 5k with Timeless combination (with Comply T400 foam tips) has pretty good detail and is fairly neutral with the foam tips alleviating the slightly elevated mid-bass. Been using the Auto DSP. Havent really tried manual EQing. Chose the foam tips cos the silicon ones hurt the inner ear after awhile.

The default EQ for the QX-Over makes it sound a quite airy but light out of the box. No complaints considering the price point though. Haven't really tried fiddling with the other settings yet though.

Has anyone found a decent case for the 5k? The Dignis one is a little pricey and constantly sold out...


----------



## MCYL

etisoppo said:


> Anyone else with these combinations? Qudelix 5k with 7Hz Timeless and QX-Over. Curious to hear your thoughts.
> 
> The 5k is pretty nifty and small. Love the AutoDSP, and the other various little settings (batt, auto off, etc.) I run it off my Galaxy S10 with LDAC settings. Extremely happy with this very portable setup. My only complaint, a dedicated on-off button would be helpful. Been using the app to make sure that it shuts down to save battery.
> 
> ...


The SO used the Timeoess with the Q5K until it got lost. She rated it but found the S12 easier to manipulate the bass the way she likes.

Is the QX-over worth it? Qudelix is out of 5Ks and I found Amazon has stock but no QX-overs. Is it worth ordering just the IEMs separately or waiting for 5Ks to restock with Qudelix?


----------



## michusxx

lowrider007 said:


> Love them, sold my Blessing 2 as I found them too fatiguing, technically B2 was amazing but really not a fan of the tuning, the Aria's are much more my cup of tea, no EQ for me.


I like them very much but even more with very simple PEQ towards Harman curve. In my case its 3-band correction:
- 54Hz +2dB LowShelf
- 200Hz -3dB Q=0.7 Peak
- 3000Hz +3dB HighShelf
It mainly gives some boost in upper area (but still far from being fatiguing) and exchanges midbass to lowbass. 
I use free "Equalizer" feature of "Graph Comparison Tool" at Crinacle webpage. You can apply AutoEq for selected phones/iem to Harman or IEF Neutral curve and choose number of bands for PEQ. You don't need to wait for preparation of specific phones profile - as soon as its measurement apear at Crinacle you can do it yourself. 😀


----------



## etisoppo (May 22, 2022)

MCYL said:


> The SO used the Timeoess with the Q5K until it got lost. She rated it but found the S12 easier to manipulate the bass the way she likes.
> 
> Is the QX-over worth it? Qudelix is out of 5Ks and I found Amazon has stock but no QX-overs. Is it worth ordering just the IEMs separately or waiting for 5Ks to restock with Qudelix?



The QX-Over sounds great considering the price. With the selection of tips provided, isolation isn't too bad. I purchased mine together with the 5k from the Qudelix website. The only gotcha is the double-pin configuration so it can only be used with the 5k, and not any other amp (is there?)...

I'd wait though, the price of the QX-over is almost the shipping amount.


----------



## MisterMudd

etisoppo said:


> Anyone else with these combinations? Qudelix 5k with 7Hz Timeless and QX-Over. Curious to hear your thoughts.
> 
> The 5k is pretty nifty and small. Love the AutoDSP, and the other various little settings (batt, auto off, etc.) I run it off my Galaxy S10 with LDAC settings. Extremely happy with this very portable setup. My only complaint, a dedicated on-off button would be helpful. Been using the app to make sure that it shuts down to save battery.
> 
> ...


Turns on/off by pressing the lower portions of both buttons simultaneously for about a second. I used to be like you in using the software, but find the buttons more convenient actually.


----------



## Tom Brown

Does anyone else keep their phone in their back pocket?

I've gotten used to this and usually keep the ES100mk2 clipped to my shirt, up near my throat.  I am subjected to frequent dropouts, in these locations.

I understand the 5K has better bluetooth.  Can someone confirm it works well in this configuration?  BTW, I love the ES100mk2.  This is not a complaint about the unit itself or the SQ.


----------



## Lightspeed12

Tom Brown said:


> Does anyone else keep their phone in their back pocket?
> 
> I've gotten used to this and usually keep the ES100mk2 clipped to my shirt, up near my throat.  I am subjected to frequent dropouts, in these locations.
> 
> I understand the 5K has better bluetooth.  Can someone confirm it works well in this configuration?  BTW, I love the ES100mk2.  This is not a complaint about the unit itself or the SQ.


I get the same with the shure tw2 bluetooth on my Shure846s iems while my note9 is in my pocket. I usually have my phone in a beetle supercase holster & don't have this problem when its clipped to my pants. Also being a touch screen i don't really like it in my pocket while playing music.
I am waiting for my qudelix 5k to arrive any day now.


----------



## jasonb

Still loving my Qudelix 5K. I’ve used it with android phones using LDAC, an iPhone, and MacBook with AAC, and wired to an iPhone. This thing has always been an impressive little device. 

This is my favorite way to use it. This headphone already sounds good, but with a little EQ it’s even better. And AAC with an iPhone or MacBook is just fine.


----------



## Tom Brown

jasonb said:


> Still loving my Qudelix 5K.



I love this.

Did you make the cable yourself?


----------



## jasonb (May 22, 2022)

Tom Brown said:


> I love this.
> 
> Did you make the cable yourself?


Yea, It’s a chopped up Q701 cable. Looks a little ghetto with the loop and it being green, but it works.

I actually originally did this to a Q701 with an ES100, then moved to the K371 which uses the same mini-xlr, then moved from the es100 to the 5K. So this little modded cable has been working like this for like 4 years on 2 different headphones.


----------



## MCYL (May 22, 2022)

etisoppo said:


> The QX-Over sounds great considering the price. With the selection of tips provided, isolation isn't too bad. I purchased mine together with the 5k from the Qudelix website. The only gotcha is the double-pin configuration so it can only be used with the 5k, and not any other amp (is there?)...
> 
> I'd wait though, the price of the QX-over is almost the shipping amount.


I tried asking them when the next restock was, didn’t get an answer. Didn’t really want to wait too long either so Amazon it was.
Guess the QX-over is for another time. Cool idea however using an active cross over.


----------



## etisoppo

MisterMudd said:


> Turns on/off by pressing the lower portions of both buttons simultaneously for about a second. I used to be like you in using the software, but find the buttons more convenient actually.


Thanks for the tip! I've enabled the toggle for both the dual-press on and off options. It is definitely much more efficient. But I still had to keep an eye on the app to ensure that it is actually turned off/on.


----------



## etisoppo

MCYL said:


> I tried asking them when the next restock was, didn’t get an answer. Didn’t really want to wait too long either so Amazon it was.
> Guess the QX-over is for another time. Cool idea however using an active cross over.


Yeah, theoretically the active cross-over is interesting but it didnt change things too much for me. Perhaps I'd need to explore the options in detail.

Anyone had a significant change in their experience with the QX-overs?


----------



## Safeinthemountains

etisoppo said:


> Thanks for the tip! I've enabled the toggle for both the dual-press on and off options. It is definitely much more efficient. But I still had to keep an eye on the app to ensure that it is actually turned off/on.


Hi, yeah, this is annoying; unless you put the leds "always on", if you do not have headphones on, you're never sure you actually put it off...
And I experienced obviousely faster battery drain when the leds are on all the time :-/

Here again, the ES100 led blink was a better option; you don't hide it when you activate the buttons, the only drawback is that the flashing should have been "normal" and not fading in/out, and with higher frequency, let's say 100ms on 400ms off, so on 20% of the time but more easy to see the actual status !

With the 5K I at times I ended up realizing it was still on after several hours not using it; hopefully when no audio is streaming the battery drain seems quite low...


----------



## Lightspeed12

Maybe a stupid question but I will ask it anyway. I know the Qudelix 5k is a bluetooth receiver or can be used as an amp by using the usb cable but can it be used as a bluetooth transmitter as well ?


----------



## mico1964

Lightspeed12 said:


> Maybe a stupid question but I will ask it anyway. I know the Qudelix 5k is a bluetooth receiver or can be used as an amp by using the usb cable but can it be used as a bluetooth transmitter as well ?


No, it can be used only as a receiver.


----------



## DBaldock9

Lightspeed12 said:


> Maybe a stupid question but I will ask it anyway. I know the Qudelix 5k is a bluetooth receiver or can be used as an amp by using the usb cable but can it be used as a bluetooth transmitter as well ?





mico1964 said:


> No, it can be used only as a receiver.



The only device I've got that can do all three (unless my new HiBy RS6 will also), is my Shanling M0.
It's about twice the size of the Q5K, and uses the same Saber ES9218P DAC.
If you want to use the M0 as a DAP, it can be controlled by an app on your phone/tablet.


----------



## superuser1

DBaldock9 said:


> The only device I've got that can do all three (unless my new HiBy RS6 will also), is my Shanling M0.
> It's about twice the size of the Q5K, and uses the same Saber ES9218P DAC.
> If you want to use the M0 as a DAP, it can be controlled by an app on your phone/tablet.


Fiio m6 does 3 way too iirc


----------



## rlw6534

superuser1 said:


> Fiio m6 does 3 way too iirc



And Hiby R3/R3 Pro.


----------



## BenF

Hiby R2 works that way as well.
Shanling Q1 too, but I would stay away from Shanling - they are bad at software and customer support.


----------



## Safeinthemountains (May 23, 2022)

DBaldock9 said:


> The only device I've got that can do all three (unless my new HiBy RS6 will also), is my Shanling M0.
> It's about twice the size of the Q5K, and uses the same Saber ES9218P DAC.
> If you want to use the M0 as a DAP, it can be controlled by an app on your phone/tablet.


I agree... the Hiby R2 that can do exactly the same; Bluetooth in/out and USB in/out, for the same price, but not so convenient as a BT receiver, because the BT reconnection is not consistent; same for the R3, but bulkier... 
The 5K is a lot more convenient to use on a daily basis; just power on and go... it takes few seconds to reconnect, no hiccups, no problems, no hassle, no crisis... Like the ES100 was before it became unusable. The R2 was making me really nervous, as a BT receiver.

I know the Hidisz AP80 series should be able to do the same, and for sure the entry level Shanling Q1 can do that as well... But havent tested those ones in the real world.


----------



## Lightspeed12

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. 
Should have my qudelix 5k any day now 🤞


----------



## Nick24JJ

Lightspeed12 said:


> Thanks for all the replies, very helpful.
> Should have my qudelix 5k any day now 🤞


It is an amazing device, I wish you to enjoy it!


----------



## Lightspeed12

Nick24JJ said:


> It is an amazing device, I wish you to enjoy it!


Thank you its just arrived & its at 53% charge so I put it on charge.
The red light is on does it go off when fully charged  ?


----------



## superuser1

Lightspeed12 said:


> Thank you its just arrived & its at 53% charge so I put it on charge.
> The red light is on does it go off when fully charged  ?


Yes it does indicating that the battery has reached the desired level. Additionally there is a batt protection setting if you care about that.


----------



## logiatype

I cannot seem to get inline wired mic to work. Any tips? Have selected in-line in the app.
Using a Senheisser TRRS cable that works fine with phones (Apple and Pixel).


----------



## MCYL

Was daydreaming a bit today. What if Qudelix does what the Audeze iSine did and embraced lightning/USB-C to make something like this:
- a QX-over but with a sub bass tuned DD driver, a Planar for everything else.
- Like Audeze a EQ cable like the cipher as the active crossover with interchangeable plugs for USB-C or lightning. Just one button for switching presets
- A cut down app with EQ presets following well known targets such as Harmann, Diffuse field, Oratory etc plus a few slots for custom presets.

I realize the last bit might be difficult as the Qualcomm chipset provides BT along with EQ, they’d need something like EDN’s Quickfilter. 

Given the QX-over is $30 and the 5K is $109. A single product without the BT radios, battery and free of Qualcomm could provide a pretty big profit margin for a true giant killer.


----------



## jasonb

Just an FYI cause I’ve never seen this on here, but you can install the Qudelix app on M1 MacBooks and use it just like on a phone. And of course the 5K actually works well with MacBooks as well.


----------



## MCYL

jasonb said:


> Just an FYI cause I’ve never seen this on here, but you can install the Qudelix app on M1 MacBooks and use it just like on a phone. And of course the 5K actually works well with MacBooks as well.





jasonb said:


> Just an FYI cause I’ve never seen this on here, but you can install the Qudelix app on M1 MacBooks and use it just like on a phone. And of course the 5K actually works well with MacBooks as well.



Neat, now all we need is Apple to make MacOS version of Music as good as the iOS app.


----------



## jasonb

MCYL said:


> Neat, now all we need is Apple to make MacOS version of Music as good as the iOS app.


What’s wrong with the MacOS app?


----------



## MCYL

jasonb said:


> What’s wrong with the MacOS app?


It just lacks the overall fluidity of iTunes of old and seems to take a long time to “sync” with the rest of the playlists, history etc of every other device in the ecosystem.


----------



## ssantan2

Toastybob said:


> Thanks. I've seen the magnet post but I can't use that because I have to wear an expensive device that is sensitive to magnets.
> 
> I hope the microphone would still work well enough upside down. Is the microphone volume still configurable like the ES100? Maybe I could find a way to attach a second taller clip over the built in clip to get the 5K far enough down to be usable. Or maybe I could attach a clip rotated by 90 degrees to get the 5K sideways and use it like the ES100.


Sorry for rezing an old comment but I was wondering if you found any solution to this? This is the only thing that is making me miss my BTR3K


----------



## HySone

Any news on whether single channel EQ will ever be implemented on the 5k?


----------



## Toastybob

ssantan2 said:


> Sorry for rezing an old comment but I was wondering if you found any solution to this? This is the only thing that is making me miss my BTR3K


Not really, but it's not as big as issue as I feared. I just wear it right side up with 90° cables, or rotated 90° and to the left or right side of the shirt collar with straight cables.


----------



## AlexCBSN

i left my qudelix a side for a while, not updating it and using mainly usb c dac's, today i found about the new FW and stumbled upon the chrome extension

Qudelix literally left many bigger companies speechless with their extension, DUDE you can update the fw through chrome... while many companies cannot provide FW update to mac or have to rely on bin files and (obsolete) download processes. truly the people on qudelix are innovating. i wish other companies follow their way


----------



## logiatype

AlexCBSN said:


> i left my qudelix a side for a while, not updating it and using mainly usb c dac's, today i found about the new FW and stumbled upon the chrome extension
> 
> Qudelix literally left many bigger companies speechless with their extension, DUDE you can update the fw through chrome... while many companies cannot provide FW update to mac or have to rely on bin files and (obsolete) download processes. truly the people on qudelix are innovating. i wish other companies follow their way


It’s incredible. This device is worth every red cent and I use it every single day.


----------



## ssantan2

Toastybob said:


> Not really, but it's not as big as issue as I feared. I just wear it right side up with 90° cables, or rotated 90° and to the left or right side of the shirt collar with straight cables.


I ended up buying some badge magnets to try. Tomorrow will be the first test day but so far seems like it will be better then using the clip for me


----------



## ssantan2 (Jun 9, 2022)

AlexCBSN said:


> i left my qudelix a side for a while, not updating it and using mainly usb c dac's, today i found about the new FW and stumbled upon the chrome extension
> 
> Qudelix literally left many bigger companies speechless with their extension, DUDE you can update the fw through chrome... while many companies cannot provide FW update to mac or have to rely on bin files and (obsolete) download processes. truly the people on qudelix are innovating. i wish other companies follow their way


I just started using the PEQ setting and that mixed with squig autoEQ is really fun!


----------



## Rattle

Has updating firmware through the app been abandoned? I haven't got an update in forever


----------



## arar

Rattle said:


> Has updating firmware through the app been abandoned? I haven't got an update in forever



I just got a fw update popup in the app, for a firmware from a bit over week back apparently (2022.05.27)


----------



## michusxx

arar said:


> I just got a fw update popup in the app, for a firmware from a bit over week back apparently (2022.05.27)


Yes, I also have this popup. Application version is now 1.18 (Android) and proposed FW is 1.13.


----------



## DBaldock9 (Jun 8, 2022)

*EDIT:  Never mind - I just used the app on my phone, connected via BT, to update the firmware on the Q5K.  Now, the Qudelix Chrome Extension is at least displaying info about the Q5K - even if it wouldn't update the firmware.*

How long is it taking the Qudelix Chrome Extension to update the firmware on your Q5K?

On a Windows 10 Enterprise PC -
1.) Installed the Qudelix Chrome Extension
2.) Launched the extension
3.) Connected my Q5K to the PC, via USB 3.0
4.) Clicked on "Connect Device" in the extension
5.) Saw pop-up window, informing me that a firmware update is available
6.) Clicked OK do the update
7.) Sitting here for 3 or 4 minutes now, looking at the Firmware Update box, that says:
_Initiating the new firmware transfer. Please wait for a while until getting ready to transfer. This may take 10~20 sec.
Initiating...  0%_

EDIT: At some time during the last 5 minutes, the red light on the side of the Q5K went from ON to OFF - but the device is still detected by the PC, and the extension is still displaying the same as above.  The Q5K will not connect to my phone (LG V35), even though it is paired, and connected previously.


----------



## superuser1

DBaldock9 said:


> *EDIT:  Never mind - I just used the app on my phone, connected via BT, to update the firmware on the Q5K.  Now, the Qudelix Chrome Extension is at least displaying info about the Q5K - even if it wouldn't update the firmware.*
> 
> How long is it taking the Qudelix Chrome Extension to update the firmware on your Q5K?
> 
> ...


It usually takes less than a  minute. you should try disconnecting and reconnecting and trying the update again.


----------



## skumrat

Any way to get LDAC 660kbps working always by default on a Galaxy Note9? Only once I go into developer options and manually change the quality to 660kbps then bits per sample to 16 or 24-bit (has to be done in that order; bits per sample seems to reload the BT audio service, which allows the new bitrate to take effect) can I get 660 or 990kbps working, and this has to be done every single time I connect the Q5K. Otherwise it just defaults to 330kbps. I guess this is almost certainly more of a phone issue than an issue with the Q5K, but I figure it's worth asking here. I really hope this isn't something you have to do on every phone...


----------



## TK33

skumrat said:


> Any way to get LDAC 660kbps working always by default on a Galaxy Note9? Only once I go into developer options and manually change the quality to 660kbps then bits per sample to 16 or 24-bit (has to be done in that order; bits per sample seems to reload the BT audio service, which allows the new bitrate to take effect) can I get 660 or 990kbps working, and this has to be done every single time I connect the Q5K. Otherwise it just defaults to 330kbps. I guess this is almost certainly more of a phone issue than an issue with the Q5K, but I figure it's worth asking here. I really hope this isn't something you have to do on every phone...


Its an issue with Samsung phones.  My LG V60 and OnePlus 8T automatically go up to 990 without having to go to Developer Options or forcing anything.  Works great too.  My Pixel 6 does struggle with 990 but I don't have to go into Developer Options to force it above 330.  When I had the Galaxy S9, I recall it struggled with LDAC as well.


----------



## Rattle

I have a S20 5g from 2020 with 865 chipset, no issues with LDAC and 990, in fact I don't have to even touch developer options. The device just sets it. Low crappy wifi signals can affect the modem on any phone and cut down the transfer.


----------



## michusxx

Rattle said:


> I have a S20 5g from 2020 with 865 chipset, no issues with LDAC and 990, in fact I don't have to even touch developer options. The device just sets it. Low crappy wifi signals can affect the modem on any phone and cut down the transfer.


No issues with LDAC on Samsung A71 and old Oneplus 3T. Usually switching to WiFi on 5GHz helps in that scenario because 2.4GHz version tends to interfere with BT...


----------



## skumrat

michusxx said:


> No issues with LDAC on Samsung A71 and old Oneplus 3T. Usually switching to WiFi on 5GHz helps in that scenario because 2.4GHz version tends to interfere with BT...


I changed to 5GHz and it worked! Now adaptive bitrate actually scales up and down according to Qudelix app, usually fluctuating from 492kbps to 660kbps, and occasionally hitting 990kbps. Went back to 2.4GHz and it stays pegged at 330kbps at all times. Didn't know WiFi could interfere so heavily with Bluetooth like that.


----------



## davidgao007

this little thing is really amazing, I brought it for my ie900 when I'm too lazy to turn on my dap, but then I find it can change my Echobox in-ear from unbearable to good listening if applied the preset auto eq, and so is Focal Listen, even if at most time I'm listening mahler and shostakovich.


----------



## Nick24JJ

Hey guys, how do you have the sample rate set up, on your Android phones?

If I will leave the sample in _User system preference (default)_ and all the rates in _Codec_ selected, it sets it to 96.0 kHz. So, it upsamples the stream.

If I would like to listen bit-perfect, I have to disable everything besides 44.1 kHz, in _Codec LDAC FS_. So, I disable (untick) 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz.

But when I am listening to some Ultra HD quality songs from Amazon Music, in Qudelix it says: 44.1 kHz, 24 bit, 909 kbps. In the Amazon App, it says track quality: 24 bit/192 kHz, Device POCO F2 Pro: 24 bit/48 kHz, Output: Bluetooth device: 24 bit/48 kHz.

So, does it downsample it to 44.1 kHz in this case?


----------



## michusxx

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys, how do you have the sample rate set up, on your Android phones?
> 
> If I will leave the sample in _User system preference (default)_ and all the rates in _Codec_ selected, it sets it to 96.0 kHz. So, it upsamples the stream.
> 
> ...


Question is if we may have two resampling proceses here:
 first - if Amazon app really plays 192kHz then it is resampled to 48kHz by Android
 second - because of 44.1kHz settings in Q5k stream have to be resampled from 48kHz to be send over LDAC... 
It may turn out that we should set 48kHz in Q5k just to prevent the second resampling.
???


----------



## Nick24JJ

michusxx said:


> Question is if we may have two resampling proceses here:
> first - if Amazon app really plays 192kHz then it is resampled to 48kHz by Android
> second - because of 44.1kHz settings in Q5k stream have to be resampled from 48kHz to be send over LDAC...
> It may turn out that we should set 48kHz in Q5k just to prevent the second resampling.
> ???


Well, I don't know how the Amazon App works but on my POCO F2 Pro phone, running Android 12, in the Developer settings, I have the following options:

Bluetooth audio sample rate: Use system preference (default), 44.1 kHz, 48,0 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96.0 kHz

If I leave it at the default, it will play at 96 kHz. That's what's showing in the Qudelix App.
Taking in consideration that the majority of the music on Amazon and YouTube is 44.1, I think it's better to set it at 44.1, on Qudelix. That way the higher bitrate is downsampled to 44.1 but you're still listening to the majority of the music, bit-perfect. 

I'm also trying Qobuz with UAPP. Qobuz is OK, if you're willing to search every song you would like to listen, literally, and add it in a playlist.


----------



## Sphere 57

Nick24JJ said:


> Well, I don't know how the Amazon App works but on my POCO F2 Pro phone, running Android 12, in the Developer settings, I have the following options:
> 
> Bluetooth audio sample rate: Use system preference (default), 44.1 kHz, 48,0 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96.0 kHz
> 
> ...


Is it bit perfect though? How do you know that it isn't being converted up and then back down again?


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 13, 2022)

Sphere 57 said:


> Is it bit perfect though? How do you know that it isn't being converted up and then back down again?


I do not know, that's why I am asking, here.

My common sense says that, if I will set it to 44.1 kHz on my phone and, even though unnecessary, will also disable all other sample rates on Qudelix, and the song is 44.1 kHz, then there is no need for any further sampling.

PS: In the App, Qudelix also suggests 44.1 kHz


----------



## Sphere 57

My concern is that setting LDAC to 44.1 is maybe just adjusting the Bluetooth output and has nothing to do with what's going though the Android processor beforehand. Even if you are using UAPP, as far as I remember UAPP makes no promises about how it works through Bluetooth.

I don't understand why, but I know that some record labels and studios consider converting 48/96/192kHz to 44.1kHz to be a bad idea, that is why they mix in 174.4. Presumably doing it twice is worse.


----------



## michusxx

Nick24JJ said:


> I do not know, that's why I am asking, here.
> 
> My common sense says that, if I will set it to 44.1 kHz on my phone and, even though unnecessary, will also disable all other sample rates on Qudelix, and the song is 44.1 kHz, then there is no need for any further sampling.
> 
> PS: In the App, Qudelix also suggests 44.1 kHz


The problem lies in Android that resamples audio output to 48kHz unless streaming app uses dedicated control (for example though UAPP, Hiby app or similar). 
I've just done few tests and checked Info about audio params in Poweramp Equalizer that works with different streaming applications:
- in default settings DSP processing (representing Android audio path rate) shows 48kHz while output is Qudelix with LDAC set at 44.1kHz 
- if I force BT LDAC settings though Android Developer Settings then Poweramp shows forced sampling rate as DSP rate while output is still the same Qudelix at 44.1kHz 
- after BT reconnect Android Developer Settings of course resets to defaults and DSP rate again is 48kHz
So, I'm not shure but resampling from 48kHz (Android) to 44.1kHz (Q5k setting) may occur while playing regular apps (Spotify for sure, Amazon - I don't know, maybe unless it uses special access). 
And Qudelix suggestion is very good but it is more general in context of optimizing LDAC performance.


----------



## Nick24JJ

Sphere 57 said:


> My concern is that setting LDAC to 44.1 is maybe just adjusting the Bluetooth output and has nothing to do with what's going though the Android processor beforehand. Even if you are using UAPP, as far as I remember UAPP makes no promises about how it works through Bluetooth.
> 
> I don't understand why, but I know that some record labels and studios consider converting 48/96/192kHz to 44.1kHz to be a bad idea, that is why they mix in 174.4. Presumably doing it twice is worse.


Okay, I don't know how Android audio works but since my phone is giving me these various sample rates, that I can set in the Developer settings, and at the same time I can set 44.1 kHz fixed, in the Qudelix app, then why should Android alter anything? I mean, if the song is 44.1 and everything is set at 44.1, nothing else is required, right?


----------



## Nick24JJ

michusxx said:


> The problem lies in Android that resamples audio output to 48kHz unless streaming app uses dedicated control (for example though UAPP, Hiby app or similar).
> I've just done few tests and checked Info about audio params in Poweramp Equalizer that works with different streaming applications:
> - in default settings DSP processing (representing Android audio path rate) shows 48kHz while output is Qudelix with LDAC set at 44.1kHz
> - if I force BT LDAC settings though Android Developer Settings then Poweramp shows forced sampling rate as DSP rate while output is still the same Qudelix at 44.1kHz
> ...


Okay, I see! Can I ask you something? If Android resamples audio output to 48 kHz, why then do I have the option to select 96 kHz on my smartphone? Additionally, everything plays at 96 kHz, if I will leave it at default settings. So, does my phone upsamples everything to 96 kHz?

Furthermore, do you mean that I should not trust my phone or the Qudelix app, when it comes to the actual sample rate used? Which App can show me that, then?


----------



## Sphere 57

Nick24JJ said:


> Okay, I don't know how Android audio works but since my phone is giving me these various sample rates, that I can set in the Developer settings, and at the same time I can set 44.1 kHz fixed, in the Qudelix app, then why should Android alter anything? I mean, if the song is 44.1 and everything is set at 44.1, nothing else is required, right?


If you use a USB DAC that indicates incoming sample rate you will find that android devices never give 44.1 from the USB port, unless you use UAPP or a similar app. It is widely reported that Android OS resamples everything to 48kHz. All of my Android devices output either 96 or 192kHz as standard, both multiples of 48.


----------



## michusxx

Nick24JJ said:


> Okay, I see! Can I ask you something? If Android resamples audio output to 48 kHz, why then do I have the option to select 96 kHz on my smartphone? Additionally, everything plays at 96 kHz, if I will leave it at default settings. So, does my phone upsamples everything to 96 kHz?
> 
> Furthermore, do you mean that I should not trust my phone or the Qudelix app, when it comes to the actual sample rate used? Which App can show me that, then?


You have the option to set different sampling rate because some applications use direct audio access (and bypass Android default one) - for example UAPP. 
Yes, if you have 96 kHz then everything is upsampled to 96 kHz. Like with this unfortunate 48kHz value. Unless application have possibility to switch sampling rate according to source media rate then audio output will be resampled to set value.
I do not say that you should not trust you phone or app but I want to say that they might not show whole picture. And at the end there might be adaptation step between, depending on used access method.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

*The main thing you want to avoid is Android resampling a multiple of 44.1 to 48kHz.* Down or upsampling are fine as long as you stay within the same multiple. Android does a quick, dirty, horrendous job converting 44.1 to 48kHz.

*Bluetooth codecs are fine*, they encode then decode with very little degradation. *Android is the enemy.*

So for Tidal streaming for instance, or anything CD quality, you want to use UAPP on your source with the “Optimized for Bluetooth” setting On, and select 44.1kHz in the Developer Options. Then the Qudelix app will confirm the input is at 909kbps - that’s the gold standard. 606 is okay too. Even 303 is better than 990 if that’s from a 44.1 file upsampled to 2x48=96kHz.

If you are using Spotify, who don’t work with UAPP, or Amazon HD which works at 48kHz anyway, then there is nothing you can do, and you can also use aptX Adaptive or HD without a care. Unless you stream Spotify from a bit-perfect DAP, in which case, since I believe Spotify works at 44.1 natively, you should also select 44.1 in the Developer Options.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 13, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> *The main thing you want to avoid is Android resampling a multiple of 44.1 to 48kHz.* Down or upsampling are fine as long as you stay within the same multiple. Android does a quick, dirty, horrendous job converting 44.1 to 48kHz.
> 
> *Bluetooth codecs are fine*, they encode then decode with very little degradation. *Android is the enemy.*
> 
> ...


Thank you for your clear explanation!

From what you say, I cannot do anything. Better leave everything at default for my use, then? I am listening to Amazon Music all day long using my 2 sets of FiiO UTWS5. Anything I can do there or leave everything at default?

Sometimes, I am using my Qudelix 5K to listen to Amazon again. Nothing I can do there, either, correct? So, even though I can set the Bluetooth audio sample rate at 44.1 kHz both on phone and in Qudelix app, Android bypasses that and upsamples everything to 48 kHz and then? Downsampled again to 44.1 in Qudelix? Or? Because that's what's showing in the Qudelix app, 44.1 is showing...

I am referring to Bluetooth only.

Right now I'm  listening to Qobuz via UAPP with my Mojo 2 and everything is bit-perfect. No problem there but I will never use my Mojo 2 with my phone.

PS: I really really wish Qobuz wouldn't be so tragic when it comes to interface, music discovery and suggestions!


----------



## skumrat

I convert my 16/44.1 FLAC collection to Opus for mobile use which is natively 48kHz. I assume this is good enough to avoid any unnecessary resampling if both Android and the Bluetooth audio system detect 48kHz (Q5K seems to default to 48kHz as well), even without using UAPP? I know apps without that bit-perfect USB mode (and of course direct 3.5mm output on the phone itself) are subject to some sort of Android DSP effect that colours the sound, but is this still true of a Bluetooth pipeline where sampling rates are all 48kHz?


----------



## monsieurfromag3 (Jun 13, 2022)

Nick24JJ said:


> Thank you for your clear explanation!
> 
> From what you say, I cannot do anything. Better leave everything at default for my use, then? I am listening to Amazon Music all day long using my 2 sets of FiiO UTWS5. Anything I can do there or leave everything at default?
> 
> ...


The data that rules everything is the original file’s sample rate. That’s what you’re trying to preserve. Amazon samples their catalog at 48kHz, which means Android won’t try and mess it up. So as you say, there’s nothing to do on your part.
On the contrary, you’d want to make sure _neither_ your phone _nor_ the 5K are resampling to 44.1. Same for the UTWS5, you can check the Dev Options on your phone to make sure the sample rate stays at 48 or 96.

Are you saying the Qudelix states a 44.1 sample rate without you selecting it? That would be weird. It would mean either the phone’s BT emitter chip spontaneously does 44.1 and you would need to manually select 48 in the Dev Options, or you have disabled 48 in the Qudelix menu and need to re-enable it.

Yeah Qobuz is fine but, as a Frenchman myself, their Frenchness annoys me   
Plus their catalog has swathes of content missing for my taste, but they truly are the best for jazz and classical.



skumrat said:


> I convert my 16/44.1 FLAC collection to Opus for mobile use which is natively 48kHz. I assume this is good enough to avoid any unnecessary resampling if both Android and the Bluetooth audio system detect 48kHz (Q5K seems to default to 48kHz as well), even without using UAPP? I know apps without that bit-perfect USB mode (and of course direct 3.5mm output on the phone itself) are subject to some sort of Android DSP effect that colours the sound, but is this still true of a Bluetooth pipeline where sampling rates are all 48kHz?


You’re fine with Opus’ native 48kHz files then, Android won’t attempt its approximation of an upsampling. You’re basically preempting it, which is smart and what Amazon HD seem to be doing. Since LDAC defaults to 96, a multiple of 48, and aptX variants are stuck on 48, you are avoiding resampling along the chain.

The exception being AAC transmission which is locked at 44.1, so on Android you risk getting your files upsampled by Android then downsampled by the codec.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 13, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> The data that rules everything is the original file’s sample rate. That’s what you’re trying to preserve. Amazon samples their catalog at 48kHz, which means Android won’t try and mess it up. So as you say, there’s nothing to do on your part.
> On the contrary, you’d want to make sure _neither_ your phone _nor_ the 5K are resampling to 44.1. Same for the UTWS5, you can check the Dev Options on your phone to make sure the sample rate stays at 48 or 96.
> 
> Are you saying the Qudelix states a 44.1 sample rate without you selecting it? That would be weird. It would mean either the phone’s BT emitter chip spontaneously does 44.1 and you would need to manually select 48 in the Dev Options, or you have disabled 48 in the Qudelix menu and need to re-enable it.
> ...


Thanks again for your response!

If Amazon samples their catalog at 48kHz why then does it say 44.1kHz in the app? Right now I'm listening to HD and it says Track quality 16 bit / 44.1 kHz. Next song, Ultra HD song, it says: Track quality 24 bit / 44.1 kHz. One more song Ultra HD, it says: track quality 24 bit / 192 kHz

Also, from here:
Amazon Music offers lossless audio in two quality ranges: HD and Ultra HD.
HD tracks have a bit depth of 16-bits, a minimum sample rate of 44.1 kHz (also referred to as CD-quality), and an average bitrate of 850 kbps. Ultra HD tracks have a bit depth of 24 bits, sample rates ranging from 44.1 kHz up to 192 kHz, and an average bitrate of 3730 kbps.


Re: Qudelix, no it stays to 44.1 only if I will select it exclusively in the App. Otherwise, when everything left at default, it plays at 96 kHz all the time, on my phone.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks again for your response!
> 
> If Amazon samples their catalog at 48kHz why then does it say 44.1kHz in the app? Right now I'm listening to HD and it says Track quality 16 bit / 44.1 kHz. Next song, Ultra HD song, it says: Track quality 24 bit / 44.1 kHz. One more song Ultra HD, it says: track quality 24 bit / 192 kHz
> 
> ...


Damn they’re devious  I didn’t know that about Amazon Music, I thought the entire catalog was based on a 48kHz multiplier. Anyway since Amazon doesn’t let UAPP access their stream all you can do on an Android phone is eat the resampling to 48 on those 44.1 files. And from there let the codecs do their thing at 48 or 96kHz. So that 96 Qudelix reading is fine!


----------



## rlw6534

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Damn they’re devious  I didn’t know that about Amazon Music, I thought the entire catalog was based on a 48kHz multiplier. Anyway since Amazon doesn’t let UAPP access their stream all you can do on an Android phone is eat the resampling to 48 on those 44.1 files. And from there let the codecs do their thing at 48 or 96kHz. So that 96 Qudelix reading is fine!



On my DAPs and DACs, Amazon music always plays at 192 kHz, regardless of source quality.  I assume that the app is resampling internally.


----------



## Nick24JJ

I just had a quick chat with Amazon Customer service. The Amazon Music app does not do any upsampling or downsampling of anything. The Amazon Music app plays the song at the exact sample rate and bit rate that it is transcoded in their music catalogue. If the device used is capable of playing in that sample rate, the song will play. Otherwise, the respective OS and its audio engine takes charge.


----------



## Nick24JJ

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Damn they’re devious  I didn’t know that about Amazon Music, I thought the entire catalog was based on a 48kHz multiplier. Anyway since Amazon doesn’t let UAPP access their stream all you can do on an Android phone is *eat* the resampling to 48 on those 44.1 files. And from there let the codecs do their thing at 48 or 96kHz. So that 96 Qudelix reading is fine!


LOL, hahah, eat it, how? Like a pancake? Nah, no need. Right now I'm listening to YouTube , because all the DJ mixes are there, and my Qudelix is fixed at 44.1 kHz, as per the suggestion in the app, and it sounds fantastic with LDAC fixed at 909 kbps! For the rest, I have UAPP. As for Amazon Music, we will see...


----------



## rlw6534

Nick24JJ said:


> I just had a quick chat with Amazon Customer service. The Amazon Music app does not do any upsampling or downsampling of anything. The Amazon Music app plays the song at the exact sample rate and bit rate that it is transcoded in their music catalogue. If the device used is capable of playing in that sample rate, the song will play. Otherwise, the respective OS and its audio engine takes charge.



As I said above, the Amazon Music app (on Android) always plays at 192kHz on capable hardware, even for lower bitrate tracks.  This is easily confirmed by bitrate displays and by looking at logcat.  For bluetooth, it is resampled as needed depending on the codec in use.  I doubt that Amazon customer service really knows what's happening at the hardware level.  iOS may be a different story with the internal 48 kHz limitation, so YMMV.


----------



## Nick24JJ

rlw6534 said:


> A I said above, the Amazon Music app (on Android) always plays at 192kHz on capable hardware, even for lower bitrate tracks.  This is easily confirmed by bitrate displays and by looking at logcat.  For bluetooth, it is resampled as needed depending on the codec in use.  I doubt that Amazon customer service really knows what's happening at the hardware level.  iOS may be a different story with the internal 48 kHz limitation, so YMMV.


As I have clearly stated from my first post, on this matter, I own an Android phone and I am using my Qudelix via Bluetooth, exclusively, using LDAC. I have never referred to using the Qudelix connected with a cable, I have never referred to iPhones, either.  My question was: on my Android phone, I have the option to select a sample rate of 44.1 kHz. When using the Amazon Music app, playing a song that it is 44.1, is this bit-perfect? And, what is happening when the song is 96 kHz? Those were my questions. The answers that I got, so far, tell me that Android resamples everything, unless using UAPP or a similar app. So, from what I understand so far, it is OS that resamples the audio signal, not the Amazon Music app.


----------



## rlw6534

Nick24JJ said:


> As I have clearly stated from my first post, on this matter, I own an Android phone and I am using my Qudelix via Bluetooth, exclusively, using LDAC. I have never referred to using the Qudelix connected with a cable, I have never referred to iPhones, either.  My question was: on my Android phone, I have the option to select a sample rate of 44.1 kHz. When using the Amazon Music app, playing a song that it is 44.1, is this bit-perfect? And, what is happening when the song is 96 kHz? Those were my questions. The answers that I got, so far, tell me that Android resamples everything, unless using UAPP or a similar app. So, from what I understand so far, it is OS that resamples the audio signal, not the Amazon Music app.



I probably didn't explain well, so I'll try again 

It's not true that Android resamples everything to 48 kHz with recent phones and versions of android.  It depends on the phone (or DAP).  192 kHz support is fairly widespread, especially since Android 9.  Your device claims support for 24/192 (POCO F2 Pro).

The Amazon music app detects the maximum supported sample rate of your device (up to 192 kHz) and plays everything at that sample rate, even if the source rate is lower.  So upsampling is taking place, either at Amazon's servers or in the Amazon app itself (I don't know which).   When using BT, it's likely the same stream is sent to the BT driver/hardware where it is processed according to the codec.  

So to summarize, if you are playing a 44.1 kHz track, it is upsampled to 24/192 and then sent to BT where it is resampled to your LDAC settings (44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96).

It is not bitperfect on Amazon even if you configure LDAC to 44.1.

To be clear, this issue is specific to the Amazon Music app.  Most other apps (Apple, Qobuz, etc) play at the actual bitrate (if supported by the device).

You can get very near bitperfect if the track is 44.1 and LDAC is set to 44.1 (just not with Amazon's resampling).

This is what I believe is happening, but I've been wrong before...


----------



## Nick24JJ

rlw6534 said:


> I probably didn't explain well, so I'll try again
> 
> It's not true that Android resamples everything to 48 kHz with recent phones and versions of android.  It depends on the phone (or DAP).  192 kHz support is fairly widespread, especially since Android 9.  Your device claims support for 24/192 (POCO F2 Pro).
> 
> ...


Thanks for your effort, explaining.

On my phone, things do not happen exactly like that. I would like to clarify for one more time that I am referring to the Bluetooth connection. I am connecting my Qudelix via Bluetooth with my phone. I never use a cable to connect it.

So, after disabling the Developer options and resetting all setting in the App, so after bringing everything back to the defaults, the Qudelix App is reporting:

Sample rate 96 kHz, Bits per sample 24 bit, bit rate 990 kbps, no matter what I play!

I've tested with the Amazon Music app, the Qobuz app, UAPP + Qobuz, even with the Music system app of my phone. Independently from the sample rate, mostly 44.1 kHz and the rest, in the Qudelix app it always shows the above. 

This is shown under Input/State and also in the Volume menus

Which brings me to the most important question! What are these settings showing?! Are they showing what is set or are they showing the actual sample rate and bit depth of the song currently playing?

PS: of course, I've shut down the device and powered it on again and closed and reopened the app, as well


----------



## DBaldock9

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks for your effort, explaining.
> 
> On my phone, things do not happen exactly like that. I would like to clarify for one more time that I am referring to the Bluetooth connection. I am connecting my Qudelix via Bluetooth with my phone. I never use a cable to connect it.
> 
> ...



Sounds like it's just reporting the LDAC codec properties - and not the properties of the original audio source (file or stream).


----------



## Nick24JJ

DBaldock9 said:


> Sounds like it's just reporting the LDAC codec properties - and not the properties of the original audio source (file or stream).


Right, that's what I'm tending to conclude, as well. Is this what is really happening, though? Is this what you are observing, as well, with your phone and the app?
I would understand to show the set properties of the LDAC under Input/State but I would expect to show the actual properties of the currently playing stream and/or file in the Volume menu.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nick24JJ said:


> Right, that's what I'm tending to conclude, as well. Is this what is really happening, though? Is this what you are observing, as well, with your phone and the app?
> I would understand to show the set properties of the LDAC under Input/State but I would expect to show the actual properties of the currently playing stream and/or file in the Volume menu.


Well the Qudelix can only show what it’s receiving, which is a 96kHz LDAC stream from your phone. It’s got no access to anything beyond that. Only plugged in via USB can it show the properties of the stream it is reading - which, again, will only be what the phone is sending it, so with UAPP it will vary according to the original file but otherwise it will stay stuck at 48kHz.


----------



## rlw6534 (Jun 15, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Well the Qudelix can only show what it’s receiving, which is a 96kHz LDAC stream from your phone. It’s got no access to anything beyond that. Only plugged in via USB can it show the properties of the stream it is reading - which, again, will only be what the phone is sending it, so with UAPP it will vary according to the original file but otherwise it will stay stuck at 48kHz.



Totally agree except for the 48 kHz limitation, which is true for some devices (especially older ones) but not all, not anymore.  Recent versions of android have support for 24/192 built-in, if the hardware is there.

Reference:

https://source.android.com/devices/audio/highres-effects


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 15, 2022)

Thank you, all, so very much! Now it starts to become clearer, all what's happening to that poor audio signal over Bluetooth...

Can someone please explain what is the purpose of those Bluetooth sample rates and bit rates, on my Android 12 phone, Developer settings?
I have the option to set the sample rate to 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. I can also set the Bluetooth bits per sample to 16, 24, 32 bits/sample. Besides that, both of these settings have a preferred/default option.

What do these do? By setting the Bluetooth sample rate to 44.1 kHz, are you forcing Android audio to that? Same for the bits/sample? This is what I understand, that you can force it, otherwise why do they have it there?

If I will connect the DAC with a cable to my phone, I do not have these options.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

rlw6534 said:


> Totally agree except for the 48 kHz limitation, which is true for some devices (especially older ones) but not all, not anymore.  Recent versions of android have support for 24/192 built-in, if the hardware is there.
> 
> Reference:
> 
> https://source.android.com/devices/audio/highres-effects


Good to know! But it’s always a multiple of 48 right?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nick24JJ said:


> Thank you, all, so very much! Now it starts to become clearer, all what's happening to that poor audio signal over Bluetooth...
> 
> Can someone please explain what is the purpose of those Bluetooth sample rates and bit rates, on my Android 12 phone, Developer settings?
> I have the option to set the sample rate to 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. I can also set the Bluetooth bits per sample to 16, 24, 32 bits/sample. Besides that, both of these settings have a preferred/default option.
> ...


Someone explained convincingly that it’s better to keep the bit rate at 32, for a reason I can’t remember  
As to sample rate, sadly it won’t force Android to resample to that setting - that would be the dream, alas it’s locked, which is why these options disappear when a USB DAC is plugged. It only controls the sample rate for the BT stream itself, which is useful only when you can predict it for whatever is playing.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 15, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Someone explained convincingly that it’s better to keep the bit rate at 32, for a reason I can’t remember
> As to sample rate, sadly it won’t force Android to resample to that setting - that would be the dream, alas it’s locked, which is why these options disappear when a USB DAC is plugged.* It only controls the sample rate for the BT stream itself, which is useful only when you can predict it for whatever is playing.*


What do you mean with this? Explain, please! 

Say, I'm playing a song in the Qobuz app. Or, even in the Amazon app. The song is 44.1 kHz. If I will lock the Bluetooth sample rate to 44.1 and in the Qudelix app disable all other sample rates besides 44.1, why won't the song play at 44.1? With all those options there, in the Developer settings, in the Qudelix app, it should. Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why are these settings there, then? What is their purpose?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Nick24JJ said:


> What do you mean with this? Explain, please!
> 
> Say, I'm playing a song in the Qobuz app. Or, even in the Amazon app. The song is 44.1 kHz. If I will lock the Bluetooth sample rate to 44.1 and in the Qudelix app disable all other sample rates besides 44.1, why won't the song play at 44.1? With all those options there, in the Developer settings, in the Qudelix app, it should. Otherwise, it does not make sense. Why are these settings there, then? What is their purpose?


You’re right, it should! And I think it shall. By predicting the sample rate for whatever is playing, I didn’t mean predict the _Bluetooth_ sample rate, I meant predict the actual sample rate of the file itself. Like if it’s Tidal Hi-Fi, no MQA, you can be sure the file will be 44.1, so you can lock that in. If it’s variable I guess it’s better not to bother and, to quote myself, eat whatever resampling occurs!

If you lock the BT sample rate on your phone, and go as far as disabling any other sample rate in the Qudelix app, you are making double sure that’s the sample rate you’re getting. I don’t think the Qudelix will resample on its own anyway, so if you’ve disabled any sample rate beside 44.1, I don’t think it will even play a stream it receives in another sample rate.


----------



## CactusPete23

monsieurfromag3 said:


> You’re right, it should! And I think it shall. By predicting the sample rate for whatever is playing, I didn’t mean predict the _Bluetooth_ sample rate, I meant predict the actual sample rate of the file itself. Like if it’s Tidal Hi-Fi, no MQA, you can be sure the file will be 44.1, so you can lock that in. If it’s variable I guess it’s better not to bother and, to quote myself, eat whatever resampling occurs!
> 
> If you lock the BT sample rate on your phone, and go as far as disabling any other sample rate in the Qudelix app, you are making double sure that’s the sample rate you’re getting. I don’t think the Qudelix will resample on its own anyway, so if you’ve disabled any sample rate beside 44.1, I don’t think it will even play a stream it receives in another sample rate.


Any chance that you guys can take this bluetooth discussion to PM (Private Messages) ?   A lot of your discussion is related to your specific phone and general bluetooth.  And it looks like the same question and answers keep repeating.  Thanks!


----------



## rlw6534

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Good to know! But it’s always a multiple of 48 right?



It depends on the hardware/DAC but the Android OS itself now supports 44.1/48/88.2/96/176.4 and 192 kHz.  My Huawei M5 only supports multiples of 48 though so it can vary.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Nick24JJ said:


> Thank you, all, so very much! Now it starts to become clearer, all what's happening to that poor audio signal over Bluetooth...
> 
> Can someone please explain what is the purpose of those Bluetooth sample rates and bit rates, on my Android 12 phone, Developer settings?
> I have the option to set the sample rate to 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. I can also set the Bluetooth bits per sample to 16, 24, 32 bits/sample. Besides that, both of these settings have a preferred/default option.
> ...


Hi, I understand that you want to know what's happening under the hood... in this particular case (playing back from Amazon App, through Android OS, then through a BT Codec) I'm afraid it will be almost impossible to know, you can just guess... 

It is true that resampling 44.1 to any 48Khz multiple could degrade the initial signal, and also passing trough a lossy codec (in this case LDAC) will always degrade the initial signal.
After all, I know you would like to obtain the best possible quality out of your device, but in this case I would simply ask myself; does the reproduction of the music sounds good to my ears ? Does it REALLY need to get any better ?
It is true that sometimes, when you switch from one device/system to another, you realize what you were missing later on. But apart from the technical considerations, is it really worth all this questionning ?

30 years ago there was really a compromise to be made between quality/convenience/recording media, and there were obvious differences between a high end HiFi system, and a portable player. Nowadays, at a certain price point (few 100's €/$) the quality is already great, and the differences become marginal.
Of course when you use wireless transmission there is a tradeoff with the codecs; technically you lose a bit of integrity of the original signal. 
In the end, if your source file/stream is 16/44 and you play it trough LDAC 16/48 or anything above, because of the max bitrate of 990, there will be losses, but can you really hear it ?

Also the thing that seems a bit "stupid" to me is using a high sampling resolution/frequency (i.e 24/96) and then compress it in order to achieve a bitrate of 990Khz that is below the 1411Kb/s native bitrate of a 16/44 file; is it really worth it ? I guess the goal is to optimize the use of the bandwith in order to put more weight on the most relevant frequencies...

In the end I'm almost sure that what Qdelix app is displaying is the resolution/frequency of the Codec, nothing more. It is totally independant from the source file. Maybe the main point is how the stream is processed by your OS in between the app and the BT output.

On various Android devices I have used, sometimes the dev options let me freely choose the codec/bitrate/bit depht/frequency, but my ES100 was either stuck with Aptx-HD at 24/44  or LDAC adaptative depending on the particular device, and it seems to be the same for the Qdelix. 
Personally, on a daily basis, even Std Aptx is OK for me for casual listening. When at home I use wired headphones on a proper DAP, which is a completely different experience


----------



## monsieurfromag3

CactusPete23 said:


> Any chance that you guys can take this bluetooth discussion to PM (Private Messages) ?   A lot of your discussion is related to your specific phone and general bluetooth.  And it looks like the same question and answers keep repeating.  Thanks!


No way my friend! This is the thread for a Bluetooth receiver and USB DAC, the interplay between source file and codec is one of the most legitimate concerns there are. Sorry if you feel inconvenienced, if you think we’re not making progress maybe you can shed some light, otherwise just press Ignore and you’ll be spared all of my messages. I’m trying to offer some insight into these convoluted processes that it’s taken me some time to consolidate in my head, and I wish someone had helped me clarify things earlier.



Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, I understand that you want to know what's happening under the hood... in this particular case (playing back from Amazon App, through Android OS, then through a BT Codec) I'm afraid it will be almost impossible to know, you can just guess...
> 
> It is true that resampling 44.1 to any 48Khz multiple could degrade the initial signal, and also passing trough a lossy codec (in this case LDAC) will always degrade the initial signal.
> After all, I know you would like to obtain the best possible quality out of your device, but in this case I would simply ask myself; does the reproduction of the music sounds good to my ears ? Does it REALLY need to get any better ?
> ...


I agree it’s largely guesswork as to what processes the streaming companies are using behind the scenes to construct their libraries. What files do they have access to for starters, and what do they do to those files?

On my part I see a clear difference between processes that are properly designed for audio by audio professionals, and generic software. In this sense the losses I experience using well-coded Bluetooth codecs, or heavily iterated and improved mp3 compression, bother me little. And mostly on an intellectual level. At the end of the day a great DAC/amp will give you 99.9% of your music and engagement from 320kbps mp3 transmitted via vanilla aptX. A crappy source will botch even the most pristine local DSD playback…
But Android is documented to employ the quickest and dirtiest algorithm it can find to resample music and not tax the CPU for the benefit of a couple of fussy audiophiles. Those guys are really taking a hatchet to your music and my ears can definitely tell the difference.


----------



## skumrat

When I enable 'oratory1990' autoEQ preset for my earphones, what target is it EQing them to? Harman In-ear target? It doesn't seem to specify. Also, how come I lose a fair bit of loudness when applying EQ?


----------



## Safeinthemountains (Jun 16, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> But Android is documented to employ the quickest and dirtiest algorithm it can find to resample music and not tax the CPU for the benefit of a couple of fussy audiophiles. Those guys are really taking a hatchet to your music and my ears can definitely tell the difference.


Yes, I've read it here and there, and I think that's the main issue ! Android original audio algorithm is not optimized for SQ. So even if you put one of the best USB DACs available, it is highly probable that you'll end up with degraded SQ...
Then, why do most of the manufacturers choose Android OS for their DAPs ? Maybe because there is no other "standard" linux-based open-source offering ? Also the mainstream apps run either on Apple devices or Android...  Or maybe (I hope) they all have a way to bypass Android's stock software for outputting sound ? (i.e Hiby's Direct Transport Architecture)
Android is also well known in the world of musical computing, for being the OS that has lots of latency, this is why everyone uses IPads or iPhones for music recording, vitual instruments and live performance


----------



## rlw6534

skumrat said:


> When I enable 'oratory1990' autoEQ preset for my earphones, what target is it EQing them to? Harman In-ear target? It doesn't seem to specify. Also, how come I lose a fair bit of loudness when applying EQ?



Yes, the AutoEQ presets are for Harman in-ear or over-ear depending on what type of headphone.  The gain is reduced to prevent clipping on the frequencies that are boosted by the EQ curve.  You absolutely need that to be done for best quality.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

Safeinthemountains said:


> Yes, I've read it here and there, and I think that's the main issue ! Android original audio algorithm is not optimized for SQ. So even if you put one of the best USB DACs available, it is highly probable that you'll end up with degraded SQ...
> Then, why do most of the manufacturers choose Android OS for their DAPs ? Maybe because there is no other "standard" linux-based open-source offering ? Also the mainstream apps run either on Apple devices or Android...  Or maybe (I hope) they all have a way to bypass Android's stock software for outputting sound ? (i.e Hiby's Direct Transport Architecture)
> Android is also well known in the world of musical computing, for being the OS that has lots of latency, this is why everyone uses IPads or iPhones for music recording, vitual instruments and live performance


All of the major Android DAP manufacturers have a variation on resample bypass - all except Sony, which puts them off the list as far as I’m concerned. Which is sad as I’d rather go for them than the Chinese guys, but it is what it is. I just hope Cowon release a proper Android DAP at some point - or Qudelix!


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jun 18, 2022)

monsieurfromag3 said:


> ... This is the thread for a Bluetooth receiver and USB DAC, the interplay between source file and codec is one of the most legitimate concerns there are. ...
> ,,, I’m trying to offer some insight into these convoluted processes that it’s taken me some time to consolidate in my head, and I wish someone had helped me clarify things earlier.


Hello again,

Here is the response I've got from Qudelix customer support. My question was:

- If I will select 44.1 kHz in my phone's Developer settings and also set 44.1 kHz in the Qudelix App, is there any resampling happening?

They replied:


_Hi,

Sink devices (Receivers) send the supported sample rate information to the Source devices (smartphones) at the beginning, when making Bluetooth A2DP connection.
A source device (smartphone OS) selects one of them when playing audio to a connected sink device.

USB DACs also work in a very similar way.
USB DAC sends the supported sample rate information to a PC when making the connection.
You can select a sample rate to use in the Windows Sound control panel.

But sometimes, it's not possible or it is tricky to select the sample rate at the source device.

Qudelix-5K allows you to fix the same rate. (it's a unique feature, 5K exclusive.)

For example, if you want to use 44.1KHz only, just check 44.1 and uncheck the other options in the Qudelix app.
Then, 5K would let the source device know that the 5K supports 44.1, exclusively.
Eventually, the source device would always stream audio at 44.1kHz.

Most music tracks are 44.1 KHz
If you want to stream music with no SRC (sample rate converter), then you just check the 5K supported FS 44.1 only.
Then, the source always stream audio at 44.1 automatically.
Streaming audio at 44.1KHz is also good for LDAC performance.
Compressing 44.1 audio at 909kbps would perform slightly better than compressing 96kHz audio at 990 kbps.
Furthermore, 5K DAC running at 44.1 would give you longer battery time than 96khz.

Thank you~!_

Source
PS: Minor editing for clarity


----------



## superuser1

Nick24JJ said:


> Hello again,
> 
> Here is the response I've got from Qudelix customer support. My question was:
> 
> ...


This should be pinned to the first page, relevant info for some people who would want more clarity.


----------



## Echoic

That's some really good info!


----------



## superuser1




----------



## DBaldock9

superuser1 said:


>



Spent some time yesterday - checking & updating the firmware on my Q5K, ES100, and BTR5.
The other device I sometimes use as a BT Receiver/Amp, a Shanling M0, was already at the latest firmware.


----------



## Haxion

Quick question- is the 5k powerful enough to drive LCD-2C headphones with balanced output? Or would I want a portable amp as well?


----------



## 04gto

Haxion said:


> Quick question- is the 5k powerful enough to drive LCD-2C headphones with balanced output? Or would I want a portable amp as well?


I use mine with my LCD/XC currently and I also used it with my LCD/2F. 5k will run yours easy.


----------



## sawdin

I am in the market for a small (e.g., shirt pocket size) dac/amp combination under $200. BT capabilities are a plus. I will use the unit with either the Audiosense DT 200 or Etymotic ER3SE. I would like something that could power HD Senn 650’s while I move about the house as well.


Based upon limited research, I think the best option is the Qudelix 5K, especially given my penchant to adjust the sound using equalization options. The iFi Go Blu has more power but has limited EQ options (and it costs about $90 more).

I’ve read claims that the 5K can power the 650’s, especially if using the 2.5mm balanced option (in addition, I use iems/phones at low to moderate volume).

Most comparisons between the 5K and FiiO BTR5 give the nod to the 5K, especially in terms of software.

Are there other options out there that make more sense than the 5K?

The main source will be streaming services using a Samsung Galaxy S22 that offers aptx HD and LDAC if using Bluetooth.

TIA!


----------



## rlw6534

sawdin said:


> I am in the market for a small (e.g., shirt pocket size) dac/amp combination under $200. BT capabilities are a plus. I will use the unit with either the Audiosense DT 200 or Etymotic ER3SE. I would like something that could power HD Senn 650’s while I move about the house as well.
> 
> 
> Based upon limited research, I think the best option is the Qudelix 5K, especially given my penchant to adjust the sound using equalization options. The iFi Go Blu has more power but has limited EQ options (and it costs about $90 more).
> ...



The Hiby R3 pro might be worth a look...


----------



## BenF

rlw6534 said:


> The Hiby R3 pro might be worth a look...


It doesn't sound as clean from the 3.5mm as Q5K


----------



## 3fifty

sawdin said:


> I am in the market for a small (e.g., shirt pocket size) dac/amp combination under $200. BT capabilities are a plus. I will use the unit with either the Audiosense DT 200 or Etymotic ER3SE. I would like something that could power HD Senn 650’s while I move about the house as well.
> 
> 
> Based upon limited research, I think the best option is the Qudelix 5K, especially given my penchant to adjust the sound using equalization options. The iFi Go Blu has more power but has limited EQ options (and it costs about $90 more).
> ...


It can definitely run the HD650s.  Using a crude spreadsheet I mostly copied from someone else to calculate loudness at various voltage inputs - the 5k will run the HD650s flat at ~109dB unbalanced (2V output), or a little over 115dB using the balanced out @ 4V.   That's under 2 mins until hearing damage unbalanced, or less than 30s until hearing damage balanced.  Unless you want to be deaf faster than that, I suppose...?

The Qudelix software is excellent.  A lot of options, but most of it is set and forget.  The PEQ is a godsend.


----------



## sawdin

Appreciate the replies.  

Problem I have when at work streaming YouTube Music using Samsung Galaxy S22 and Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 is that even at the lowest volume setting it's often too loud.  I believe the 5K will override Samsung volume and allow me to have greater control over "low" volume level.  Is that correct?


----------



## 3fifty

sawdin said:


> Appreciate the replies.
> 
> Problem I have when at work streaming YouTube Music using Samsung Galaxy S22 and Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 is that even at the lowest volume setting it's often too loud.  I believe the 5K will override Samsung volume and allow me to have greater control over "low" volume level.  Is that correct?


You can use either volume control.  Qudelix control is extremely fine -0.5dB steps.  Just checked, it goes down to -66.5dB/447uV.   My dt1990s first became barely audible at approx 25 steps up from that.


----------



## lowrider007 (Jul 8, 2022)

Using single ended output what does selecting 2v do? It doesn't seem to increase the volume, just trying it out now and I notice with the TinHiFi P1 Max it seems to improve the bass quantity and give a bit more body to the sound.


----------



## 04gto

lowrider007 said:


> Using single ended output what does selecting 2v? It doesn't seem to increase the volume, just trying it out now and I notice with the TinHiFi P1 Max it seems to improve the bass quantity and give a bit more body to the sound.


When switching between one volt and two volt settings~ 'normal' & 'high' under 'output power', you add 6 db of additional gain on the volume tab.


----------



## lowrider007

04gto said:


> When switching between one volt and two volt settings~ 'normal' & 'high' under 'output power', you add 6 db of additional gain on the volume tab.


Thanks.

That being the case when reading the following in a review,,

"P1 MAX is not that easy to drive and needs a powerful source with plenty of current delivery.."

What does that mean exactly and how do you achieve that? I'm guessing upping the voltage on the Qualex doesn't attain that as playing at the same volume it's still @ 150mv, what if you maxed out the volume @ 2v on the Qudelix and then controlled the volume on the phone instead, would that provide more 'current'?


----------



## CactusPete23

lowrider007 said:


> Using single ended output what does selecting 2v do? It doesn't seem to increase the volume, just trying it out now and I notice with the TinHiFi P1 Max it seems to improve the bass quantity and give a bit more body to the sound.


In case you do not know:  
- It takes a 10dB increase in volume to sound twice as loud.  
- It requires about 10 times the power to sound twice as loud.   
             So don't expect huge volume increases going from 1V to 2V output.


----------



## lowrider007 (Jul 8, 2022)

CactusPete23 said:


> In case you do not know:
> - It takes a 10dB increase in volume to sound twice as loud.
> - It requires about 10 times the power to sound twice as loud.
> So don't expect huge volume increases going from 1V to 2V output.



But what do people mean they say "needs more juice" or "likes current", I'm just trying to understand these phrases, how do you attain that? I thought higher powered amps just meant more headroom before distortion, for example if you have two headphone amps both volume matched, one amp is 1w, the other is 6w, is the 6w amp giving the headphone/IEM "more juice/current" than the 1w amp at the same volume?

Sorry if this is a confusing question.


----------



## 04gto

lowrider007 said:


> Thanks.
> 
> That being the case when reading the following in a review,,
> 
> ...


This phrase really means nothing: 
"P1 MAX is not that easy to drive and needs a powerful source with plenty of current delivery..". Power and current are relative. How much power and current? So based on this statement alone, there is nothing to "attain". Somewhere on the Qudelix website (maybe the user guide), I read that the output in MA goes up like 50% (+/-) when switching from 1v to 2v. However if you want real current, use the 2.5 balanced connection. The 4v balanced basically doubles the current output. Again these are not exact numbers, just rounded numbers that I recall from Qudelix literature. Feel free to look it up on their page. 

Also to match the quoted specs for the Qudelix you would indeed need to max out the phone volume and control volume from the Q5K.


----------



## lowrider007

04gto said:


> This phrase really means nothing:
> "P1 MAX is not that easy to drive and needs a powerful source with plenty of current delivery..". Power and current are relative. How much power and current? So based on this statement alone, there is nothing to "attain". Somewhere on the Qudelix website (maybe the user guide), I read that the output in MA goes up like 50% (+/-) when switching from 1v to 2v. However if you want real current, use the 2.5 balanced connection. The 4v balanced basically doubles the current output. Again these are not exact numbers, just rounded numbers that I recall from Qudelix literature. Feel free to look it up on their page.
> 
> Also to match the quoted specs for the Qudelix you would indeed need to max out the phone volume and control volume from the Q5K.



Interesting thanks, Balanced it is then, just trying to understand as these (P1 Max) are the first IEM's I've got that don't sound great on the single ended output of the Qudelix but sound amazing on my MOJO 2 and Deckard desktop amp.


----------



## 04gto (Jul 8, 2022)

lowrider007 said:


> Interesting thanks, Balanced it is then, just trying to understand as these (P1 Max) are the first IEM's I've got that don't sound great on the single ended output of the Qudelix but sound amazing on my MOJO 2 and Deckard desktop amp.


Keep in mind that _sometimes _it is just certain amp/earphone pairings just sound better, regardless of power outputs or requirements.


----------



## 3fifty

> Interesting thanks, Balanced it is then, just trying to understand as these (P1 Max) are the first IEM's I've got that don't sound great on the single ended output of the Qudelix but sound amazing on my MOJO 2 and Deckard desktop amp.



I think there may be some confusion here;



04gto said:


> However if you want real current, use the 2.5 balanced connection. The 4v balanced basically doubles the current output



If the current goes up, the volume goes up.  Doubling the 'possible' output current won't change anything if you aren't turning the volume up.  This is one of those audiophile myths that just doesn't make sense if you think in terms of how the amplifier works.  

Qudelix has a blog post that might help.


----------



## lowrider007

3fifty said:


> I think there may be some confusion here;
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Right, this is what I thought, so when people say "X headphone needs juice/current" to sound good this is a fallacy because you can't have extra current without turning the volume?


----------



## 3fifty

lowrider007 said:


> Right, this is what I thought, so when people say "X headphone needs juice/current" to sound good this is a fallacy because you can't have extra current without turning the volume?


Exactly.  If it’s loud enough, you have enough power.  The 5k will drive the HE6v2 (50ohm/83.5dBpmW) at 108.6dB at 4V.   You could run -8dB for EQ headroom, and still be looking at hearing damage after 15 mins. 

As for why it sounds different to your other amps…are you sure you have the volume matched exactly?  

If so, apply a bit of EQ and see if you can match the others.  I’d be interested to see what the difference is.


----------



## killermax

Hi!
I just joined the club. Is there any way to adjust the EQ with a slider rather than inputting numbers?
Do you have any recommended settings for a custom JH16 v1? I tried the v2 preset and it was horrible.


----------



## 3fifty

killermax said:


> Hi!
> I just joined the club. Is there any way to adjust the EQ with a slider rather than inputting numbers?
> Do you have any recommended settings for a custom JH16 v1? I tried the v2 preset and it was horrible.


DSP page -> DSP tab -> G.E.Q.


----------



## killermax

3fifty said:


> DSP page -> DSP tab -> G.E.Q.



Thanks so much. You are a life saver.


----------



## mikeyhd

Does anyone with 2 (QTY 2) Qudelix? every time I change devices, have to connect and disconnect, it has become a pain in the as*


----------



## michusxx

3fifty said:


> Exactly.  If it’s loud enough, you have enough power.  The 5k will drive the HE6v2 (50ohm/83.5dBpmW) at 108.6dB at 4V.   You could run -8dB for EQ headroom, and still be looking at hearing damage after 15 mins.
> 
> As for why it sounds different to your other amps…are you sure you have the volume matched exactly?
> 
> If so, apply a bit of EQ and see if you can match the others.  I’d be interested to see what the difference is.


Hi.
I have small correction to HE6v2 example. 
To apply 25dB of amplification (required to reach 108.6dB level) you would need 320mW of output power. Q5k is limited to 240mW so in fact what you can get is 23.8dB. It is still extremely loud volume level (107.3dB) but more important it shows specific limitation - output current limit.  And it is something that might appear as problem with driving some low impedance and extremely low sensitivity headphones. You can face it also doing EQ of headphones by boosting low bass as this might require extra dB comparing to reference 1kHz area. So these 25dB of amplification will not be used for reaching 108dB of general volume but for providing power to correct shortcomings in bass area.
Looking at specs of TINHIFI P1 MAX that were the starting point for this discussion - they are 16 Ohm and 98dB/1mW. Even with SE output of Q5k we can get 19dB (80mW) of amplification. And looking at P1 frequency characteristics that shouldn't be problem even with the lowest bass (EQ). But I can imagine that driving them directly from 3.5mm output from smartphone (or other small portable device) might be more "challenging" due to its low impedance.
Concluding. Q5k is quite powerful for both - high impedance (4V at balanced output) and low impedance (80/240mW SE/BAL) phones. But we can find some "special" cases where we might face one of its limit - voltage or current...


----------



## Guipnox

michusxx said:


> Hi.
> I have small correction to HE6v2 example.
> To apply 25dB of amplification (required to reach 108.6dB level) you would need 320mW of output power. Q5k is limited to 240mW so in fact what you can get is 23.8dB. It is still extremely loud volume level (107.3dB) but more important it shows specific limitation - output current limit.  And it is something that might appear as problem with driving some low impedance and extremely low sensitivity headphones. You can face it also doing EQ of headphones by boosting low bass as this might require extra dB comparing to reference 1kHz area. So these 25dB of amplification will not be used for reaching 108dB of general volume but for providing power to correct shortcomings in bass area.
> Looking at specs of TINHIFI P1 MAX that were the starting point for this discussion - they are 16 Ohm and 98dB/1mW. Even with SE output of Q5k we can get 19dB (80mW) of amplification. And looking at P1 frequency characteristics that shouldn't be problem even with the lowest bass (EQ). But I can imagine that driving them directly from 3.5mm output from smartphone (or other small portable device) might be more "challenging" due to its low impedance.
> Concluding. Q5k is quite powerful for both - high impedance (4V at balanced output) and low impedance (80/240mW SE/BAL) phones. But we can find some "special" cases where we might face one of its limit - voltage or current...


Yeah. 
I've tried HE6seV2 using Qudelix. 
Sound is compressed. 
No headroom. 
Barely enough volume for streaming tracks. 
Actually it seems the headphones are defective compared to my speaker amp (one would hope so, but still). 
So don't say volume is enough. 
That's misinformation.


----------



## 3fifty

Guipnox said:


> Yeah.
> I've tried HE6seV2 using Qudelix.
> Sound is compressed.
> No headroom.
> ...



Can you please explain what you mean by lack of headroom? 

Audible compression would be easily measurable, right?


----------



## Guipnox

3fifty said:


> Can you please explain what you mean by lack of headroom?
> 
> Audible compression would be easily measurable, right?


Not enough volume for quiet tracks or not-overly-compressed tracks. 

I don't know. 
All I know is what I heard. 
And it was the sound all compressed at the level of my eyes. No height. 
Using my speaker amp opened the stage and made the sound insanely dynamic. 
You never know till you hear it. 
Even a Drop THX can't properly power a HE6seV2. Imagine Qudelix LOL


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 9, 2022)

Hey guys, I have a question.

I am using my  KLH Ultimate One (zebrawood) with a XINHS 8-Cores Graphene custom 2.5mm cable. It sounds fantastic but I observe that my Qudelix gets warm pretty fast and also it stops playing completely after a little while. So, I power it on, it is fully charged, and after 10 minutes it will stop playing, no sound at all. I did not have this issue with the stock cable, which I admit I have not used much. Also, I have never faced this issue with my Mojo 2. Why is this happening, you think? Isn't the Qudelix powerful enough to drive my KLH? As a source, I am using my smartphone, BT LDAC connection.

KLH specs:

• 50mm Pure Beryllium Driver.
• Headband & Earpads use premium lambskin and top-grade cowhide leathers with dual-layer memory foam for ultimate comfort and maximum durability.
• Solid, Real Zebrawood earcups for eye-catching beauty and acoustic integrity.
• Extremely comfortable and lightweight at only 12 ounces/340grams.
• 32 Ohm impedance
• 97 dB sensitivity
• Frequency response: 18 Hz to 22kHz +/- 3db
• 108 db SPL
• 2 meter detachable, 3.5mm pure silver-litz braided cable (¼” adapter included)
• KLH Branded, hard-sided black leather travel case plus a luxuriously soft velour carry bag.
• 2-year Warranty


----------



## 3fifty

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey guys, I have a question.
> 
> I am using my  KLH Ultimate One (zebrawood) with a XINHS 8-Cores Graphene custom 2.5mm



I have a feeling your phones aren't balanced, as theres only one 3.5mm TRS input on the headphone end (someone please correct me if I'm wrong)

If that's the case, stop using that cable immediately.  You are shorting something out by using the 2.5mm balanced out with a single-ended cable.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 9, 2022)

3fifty said:


> I have a feeling your phones aren't balanced, as theres only one 3.5mm TRS input on the headphone end (someone please correct me if I'm wrong)
> 
> If that's the case, stop using that cable immediately.  You are shorting something out by using the 2.5mm balanced out with a single-ended cable.


OMG, what?! :O
Are you sure?!

When I've ordered this cable I had a discussion with the guy from XINHS and I gave him all the specifications of the KLH and the Qudelix. I asked him specifically IF he can make a custom 3.5mm to 2.5mm cable, to connect it! He said, yes it can be done! That is what he said! What!? Are you sure, man?

I've messaged XINHS and I am awaiting for their reply.


----------



## 3fifty

Screenshot from this Qudelix info document.  

If your headphones are not wired up to accept a balanced input, it will damage the amplifier.


----------



## Nick24JJ

3fifty said:


> Screenshot from this Qudelix info document.
> 
> If your headphones are not wired up to accept a balanced input, it will damage the amplifier.


Wow...................

Please, tell me, will a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable be OK? Will this be appropriate>? To connect these headphone with my Qudelix?


----------



## 3fifty

Nick24JJ said:


> Wow...................
> 
> Please, tell me, will a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable be OK? Will this be appropriate>? To connect these headphone with my Qudelix?


Any 3.5mm cable will be fine.   The only problem is using the 2.5mm balanced output with single ended cables/gear.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 9, 2022)

3fifty said:


> Any 3.5mm cable will be fine.   The only problem is using the 2.5mm balanced output with single ended cables/gear.


Thank you.

I have asked for a replacement, free of charge, and he agreed to send me the same cable, 3.5mm to 3.5mm connectors. I paid just $5 because it could not happen otherwise. The guy apologized and told me that he doesn't have much experience from players. He just follows customer's orders. On the other hand, myself does not have any experience with cables and connectors, so I asked the manufacturer. All good now, matter resolved. Whoever would wish to order a XINHS cable, as they are amazing, make sure you know exactly what you want/what's appropriate. Do not expect to resolve queries.

I'm happy my Qudelix protected me and still works perfectly! Listening right now with another 4-core-graphene 2.5mm cable and my 7Hz Timeless 

PS: to be absolutely fair, here's their reply on this matter:
_I'm not sure about such a thing, as there are a lot of comments about it, some people say it will cause a short circuit in the cable, causing the cable to be unbalanced, but some people say it doesn't affect the use of the amplifier. _

PPS: Next time I'll do my research better.


----------



## rlw6534

3fifty said:


> I have a feeling your phones aren't balanced, as theres only one 3.5mm TRS input on the headphone end (someone please correct me if I'm wrong)
> 
> If that's the case, stop using that cable immediately.  You are shorting something out by using the 2.5mm balanced out with a single-ended cable.



I agree.  It looks like the cable is only 3 pole (TRS) at the headphone end.


----------



## 3fifty

Nick24JJ said:


> PS: to be absolutely fair, here's their reply on this matter:
> _I'm not sure about such a thing, as there are a lot of comments about it, some people say it will cause a short circuit in the cable, causing the cable to be unbalanced, but some people say it doesn't affect the use of the amplifier. _



I’m no expert, so ‘short circuit’ might be the wrong way to describe it, but Qudelix staff, when this came up over on their forum, said “You can't use the (2.5mm to 3.5mm) adapter. It will damage the 5K Amplifier.”


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 9, 2022)

3fifty said:


> I’m no expert, so ‘short circuit’ might be the wrong way to describe it, but Qudelix staff, when this came up over on their forum, said “You can't use the (2.5mm to 3.5mm) adapter. It will damage the 5K Amplifier.”


Yeah... Phew, I hope I haven't done any harm to my 5K! I mean, it plays fine and it functions well, I haven't checked all the features but it plays fine. I got really lucky!! 

The difference between this graphene cable and the stock is very big, I can hear it. The treble becomes alive and crystal clear. The base is immense throughout the low frequency spectrum. The soundstage is unbelievable. When it comes to the base and the soundstage, they were very present with the stock cable but with the graphene they are on a different level. My only [slightly] negative comment for the KLH has to do with its V frequency shape but this depends from the genre and the source. I do not use any kind of EQ. With some slight PEQ settings this can be corrected.


----------



## caustic386

Wondering if anyone has seen a 16 ohm output measurement?  Just wondering if power increases or decreases below 32.


----------



## waynes world

Nick24JJ said:


> Wow...................
> 
> Please, tell me, will a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable be OK? Will this be appropriate>? To connect these headphone with my Qudelix?





3fifty said:


> Any 3.5mm cable will be fine.   The only problem is using the 2.5mm balanced output with single ended cables/gear.



This was a good cautionary tale!


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 15, 2022)

waynes world said:


> This was a good cautionary tale!


I am grateful to my Good Luck I got away with it! Looking forward now to my new XINHS graphene cable, 3.5mm on both sides, to listen to my KLH again.

One question for whoever would like to help. Can you suggest a couple of PEQ setting to reshape the deep V shape of the KLH Ultimate One, please? To bring forward the mids a tiny bit.

I have never used PEQ, didn't need to.

Thanks!


----------



## 3fifty

Oratory1990 has made a PEQ profile to bring it closer to the Harmon Target.

That’s usually a good place to start.


----------



## Nick24JJ

3fifty said:


> Oratory1990 has made a PEQ profile to bring it closer to the Harmon Target.
> 
> That’s usually a good place to start.


Thanks a lot! I will have a look but how do I input those values in the Qudelix PEQ? I have never used it.


----------



## 3fifty (Jul 16, 2022)

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks a lot! I will have a look but how do I input those values in the Qudelix PEQ? I have never used it.








Make sure EQ is enabled in the DSP tab, and PEQ is selected.  Then back in the Equaliser tab, select filters and enter the numbers in there.  Ignore the BW column on the PDF, that’s just a different ‘format’ of Q factor.


----------



## michusxx

3fifty said:


> Make sure EQ is enabled in the DSP tab, and PEQ is selected.  Then back in the Equaliser tab, select filters and enter the numbers in there.  Ignore the BW column on the PDF, that’s just a different ‘format’ of Q factor.


And don't forget to enter "PRE GAIN[dB]" in equalizer tab.
In case of that Oratory proposal it should be set to -7.2dB ("Preamp Gain" value in document) and if not applied you may face clipping because there is substantial EQ boost of rather sensitive area of 1.2kHz...


----------



## davehutch

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks a lot! I will have a look but how do I input those values in the Qudelix PEQ? I have never used it.


You should be able to click on the ‘Auto EQ preset’ and scroll down to KLH Ultimate One. The EQ will install itself and then you can tweak if you fancy it


----------



## Nick24JJ

Thanks, guys 

I've added the Auto EQ and then keyed in the values from the PDF. For some reason, the Auto EQ does not sound good. After typing the values and saving the custom profile, it sounds OK. I need to raise the volume a lot, Is this supposed to bring the sound as close to neutral as possible?


----------



## michusxx

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks, guys
> 
> I've added the Auto EQ and then keyed in the values from the PDF. For some reason, the Auto EQ does not sound good. After typing the values and saving the custom profile, it sounds OK. I need to raise the volume a lot, Is this supposed to bring the sound as close to neutral as possible?


You need to raise volume because EQ have -7.2dB of pre-gain for compensation (hopefully you set this in EQ tab?)... So, these -7dB makes the sound to be substantialy quieter and requires extra volume corection.
After EQ the frequency profile of phones should be closer to Harman Target that statistically sounds better for most people and is closer to "speakers in the room" experience (of course in sense of frequency profile only) ...


----------



## sawdin

Some questions I have before ordering the 5K:

Any suggestions for reviews/sites/manuals that provide tips/tricks for the 5K? I have already downloaded the July 21 46-page User Manual.
Should I only use a non-quick charger for charging 5K? Are there any known issues with using “trickle” chargers?
Any known issues with Samsung Galaxy S22?
Is the USBC – USBC cable long enough and flexible enough so you can just strap or Velcro the 5K to the back of a phone's protective case?
TIA for any suggestions!


----------



## Cybex

sawdin said:


> Some questions I have before ordering the 5K:
> 
> Any suggestions for reviews/sites/manuals that provide tips/tricks for the 5K? I have already downloaded the July 21 46-page User Manual.
> Should I only use a non-quick charger for charging 5K? Are there any known issues with using “trickle” chargers?
> ...


For that last one, the usb-c to usb-c cable is pretty small, I believe that it should reach with no issue however. I would recommend only using a normal (non fast charging) charger, that's the only thing I've used with great success.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Jul 17, 2022)

michusxx said:


> You need to raise volume because EQ have -7.2dB of pre-gain for compensation (hopefully you set this in EQ tab?)... So, these -7dB makes the sound to be substantialy quieter and requires extra volume corection.
> After EQ the frequency profile of phones should be closer to Harman Target that statistically sounds better for most people and is closer to "speakers in the room" experience (of course in sense of frequency profile only) ...


Thanks 

Do you know the difference between PEAK and SHELF(s)?


----------



## michusxx (Jul 17, 2022)

Nick24JJ said:


> Thanks
> 
> Do you know the difference between PEAK and SHELF(s)?


SHELF type affects (boost or attenuate depending if + or -) all frequencies below (for Low-SHELF) or above for (High-SHELF) of defined frequency. PEAK just boost or attenuate around defined frequency with width depending on Q factor - the higher Q the more selective (narrow) is the filter.
SHELF is usefull for elevating (or lowering) whole bass (LSHELF) or treble (HSHELF) area. PEAK is for correcting specific frequencies. So for example in case of Oratory’s correction from previous posts LSHELF for 105Hz boost 5.5dB all frequencies below 105Hz.


----------



## sawdin

Cybex said:


> For that last one, the usb-c to usb-c cable is pretty small, I believe that it should reach with no issue however. I would recommend only using a normal (non fast charging) charger, that's the only thing I've used with great success.


Thanks.  FWIW, I sent the following directly to Qudelix:
The manual for the 5K states:
_“Use a standard 5V charger or PC USB only. (Do NOT use a high-speed charger)”_
Pretty much every charger being sold is either “fast charging” , “quick charging”, or “USB PD”. Can you recommend a charger from a reliable manufacturer that is safe to use with the 5K?"

They responded with:
"You can use any chargers or pc usb port.
No worries."


----------



## 3fifty

sawdin said:


> They responded with:
> "You can use any chargers or pc usb port.
> No worries."



Ah, nice one.  I had been wondering about that warning - I’m no engineer, but I always thought charging speed was dictated by the device, not the power brick.  

That said, it’s given my old basic apple phone charger a new lease of life!


----------



## Nick24JJ

michusxx said:


> SHELF type affects (boost or attenuate depending if + or -) all frequencies below (for Low-SHELF) or above for (High-SHELF) of defined frequency. PEAK just boost or attenuate around defined frequency with width depending on Q factor - the higher Q the more selective (narrow) is the filter.
> SHELF is usefull for elevating (or lowering) whole bass (LSHELF) or treble (HSHELF) area. PEAK is for correcting specific frequencies. So for example in case of Oratory’s correction from previous posts LSHELF for 105Hz boost 5.5dB all frequencies below 105Hz.


Hey, thanks a lot for your beautifully simple answer, I appreciate it! Soon I will have my 8-core graphene XINHS 3.5mm cable, so I will be able to play with PEQ, a bit


----------



## 3fifty

Nick24JJ said:


> Hey, thanks a lot for your beautifully simple answer, I appreciate it! Soon I will have my 8-core graphene XINHS 3.5mm cable, so I will be able to play with PEQ, a bit



Just FYI,  that PDF I linked has a handy graph showing the individual EQ filters, which helps visualise what each line of the PEQ is doing.  I.E. f1 visualises what the low shelf is doing, and note the differences between f5, f7 and f8.  The higher the Q number, the more concentrated on a particular frequency the boost/cut will be.


----------



## sawdin

3fifty said:


> I’m no expert, so ‘short circuit’ might be the wrong way to describe it, but Qudelix staff, when this came up over on their forum, said “You can't use the (2.5mm to 3.5mm) adapter. It will damage the 5K Amplifier.”


From Moon Audio:
*"you cannot convert a single-ended connection to a balanced connection as there is no way to untie these grounds."
https://www.moon-audio.com/balanced-adapters-caution*


More detail here:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/05/balanced-vs-unbalanced-audio-connections/
https://www.headphonesty.com/2019/04/headphone-jacks-plugs-explained/


----------



## 3fifty

sawdin said:


> From Moon Audio:
> *"you cannot convert a single-ended connection to a balanced connection as there is no way to untie these grounds."
> https://www.moon-audio.com/balanced-adapters-caution*
> 
> ...


 
Good knowledge.  You can, however, convert a balanced cable to be able to take a single ended amp output.  


> Moon Audio:
> 
> If it’s a true-balanced signal path, then yes, it will always sound better than a single-ended design



I got a balanced cable and a 2.5 > 3.5mm adapter to test this.  Literally zero audible difference.  

Not surprising they'd say this, mind.  The first tab on their site is 'Audio Cables', and the first item on that page is a $185 0.5ft USB cable...that just represents a catastrophic misunderstanding in how _anything_ works.


----------



## Mouseman

3fifty said:


> Good knowledge.  You can, however, convert a balanced cable to be able to take a single ended amp output.
> 
> 
> I got a balanced cable and a 2.5 > 3.5mm adapter to test this.  Literally zero audible difference.
> ...


If you're using a converter to turn the balanced cable into single ended, then it shouldn't sound any different than a 3.5 cable - you're "losing" some of the differences that impact the sound on a balanced connection. I use one for one of my amps that only has a 1/4" plug. Then again, that amp pushes so much power that it makes up the difference. I think that's at least 70% of the perceived SQ difference on balanced outputs - more power, and that's why I choose to use them. 

But yeah, anyone who buys a high priced USB cable is silly, IMHO. Really cheap ones suck and have poor data flow that needs to be resent due to data loss, but paying $150 extra isn't magically going to add sparkle to your high range or extend your bass.


----------



## 3fifty

Mouseman said:


> If you're using a converter to turn the balanced cable into single ended, then it shouldn't sound any different than a 3.5 cable - you're "losing" some of the differences that impact the sound on a balanced connection. I use one for one of my amps that only has a 1/4" plug. Then again, that amp pushes so much power that it makes up the difference. I think that's at least 70% of the perceived SQ difference on balanced outputs - more power, and that's why I choose to use them.
> 
> But yeah, anyone who buys a high priced USB cable is silly, IMHO. Really cheap ones suck and have poor data flow that needs to be resent due to data loss, but paying $150 extra isn't magically going to add sparkle to your high range or extend your bass.


No I mean I have a balanced cable that I can use with the 2.5mm balanced out of the 5k, and an adapter so I can use the same cable with the 3.5mm single ended output.  They are identical.  I get more than enough volume out of the single ended output, and don’t get anywhere near power saturation, so am going to stick to that going forward, because it’s easier on the battery.


----------



## michusxx

Mouseman said:


> Really cheap ones suck and have poor data flow that needs to be resent due to data loss


If we do not think about any broken USB cable then I don't believe that above it's true in sense that it may influence sound quality.
If the cable works correctly i.e. allows proper communication of two USB devices (smartphone/computer and DAC) then sound will be unaffected. Such connection doesn’t require USB 3.0 speed or high current support (like for PD or QC power delivery) so it won't work better or worse - it will just work. The cable may be inconvenient to be used (inflexible, flimsy or prone to tangling etc.) but that is the other, utilitarian thing.
So - save your money and don't buy expensive USB cables. Eventually spend them for better phones  😀


----------



## sawdin

3fifty said:


> Good knowledge.  You can, however, convert a balanced cable to be able to take a single ended amp output.


Yes...don't want people to damage their equipment!


3fifty said:


> I got a balanced cable and a 2.5 > 3.5mm adapter to test this.  Literally zero audible difference.
> 
> Not surprising they'd say this, mind.  The first tab on their site is 'Audio Cables', and the first item on that page is a $185 0.5ft USB cable...that just represents a catastrophic misunderstanding in how _anything_ works.


 I don't purchase "audiophile" equipment from outlets that charge $185 0.5ft USB cables...just remembered that Moon Audio had some info on potential issues related to damaging equipment due to misuse of adapters.  

I believe that for the most part, cable is cable, especially for speakers.  For phones/iem, there are obviously important differences unrelated to "sound" (e.g., tangle/memory, snag, and durability) and it is best to allocate $$ to speakers/phones/iem, and an amp that has clean power if needed for hard to drive speakers.  Also, I like music to sound the way I want it to sound given my ears and preference, so EQ'ing is for me!

Decent intro thread for skeptics (Ducks head):
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/testing-audiophile-claims-and-myths-the-original-compilation.769887/


----------



## Mouseman

michusxx said:


> If we do not think about any broken USB cable then I don't believe that above it's true in sense that it may influence sound quality.
> If the cable works correctly i.e. allows proper communication of two USB devices (smartphone/computer and DAC) then sound will be unaffected. Such connection doesn’t require USB 3.0 speed or high current support (like for PD or QC power delivery) so it won't work better or worse - it will just work. The cable may be inconvenient to be used (inflexible, flimsy or prone to tangling etc.) but that is the other, utilitarian thing.
> So - save your money and don't buy expensive USB cables. Eventually spend them for better phones  😀


I was not implying that the sound quality of a cheap USB cable was any different than that of an expensive one, and I'm not suggesting anyone buy one. And by "cheap" I meant ones you'd buy for a nickle at the flea market and that only work 10% of the time depending on whether you walk around the table three times anticlockwise. All reasonable ones "just work" as you said. 



3fifty said:


> No I mean I have a balanced cable that I can use with the 2.5mm balanced out of the 5k, and an adapter so I can use the same cable with the 3.5mm single ended output.  They are identical.  I get more than enough volume out of the single ended output, and don’t get anywhere near power saturation, so am going to stick to that going forward, because it’s easier on the battery.



I understood what you were saying about the adapter for your balanced cable - that's exactly what I do (just not on the 5k since I use the balanced output). As far as balanced vs single-ended, we could collectively debate it until the end of time. I think it sounds different/better and choose to use it when possible. I also leave the 5k on performance mode and usually high gain. I probably charge it more often than if I didn't, but that's OK with me. YMMV.


----------



## manukmanohar (Jul 23, 2022)

Hi All, just got the Qudelix 5k to pair with my i4. Unfortunately, what I have observed is that after power off, every time, all the EQ settings get reset? Anyway how to fix this? I was under the impression that the PEQ profile you apply is applied on the device and not dependent on the app to be set everytime after restart ?


EDIT: Another question, have any of you been able to make the single point pairing work (instead of multi-point connection, because it becomes quite annoying that songs stop playing because of notification on my phone, and i use the BT on my phone, for my smartwatch).


----------



## TK33 (Jul 23, 2022)

manukmanohar said:


> Hi All, just got the Qudelix 5k to pair with my i4. Unfortunately, what I have observed is that after power off, every time, all the EQ settings get reset? Anyway how to fix this? I was under the impression that the PEQ profile you apply is applied on the device and not dependent on the app to be set everytime after restart ?
> 
> 
> EDIT: Another question, have any of you been able to make the single point pairing work (instead of multi-point connection, because it becomes quite annoying that songs stop playing because of notification on my phone, and i use the BT on my phone, for my smartwatch).


All of my PEQ settings are stored on the device itself and don't disappear when I connect using another phone.  I have had mine since launch and never experienced this issue.

I also have mine set to automatically connect to only a single device when powered on (not multi point). If I want multi-point, I can always connect another device to the 5K without having to change this setting.  See screenshot attached.

EDIT: the auto reconnect setting  can be found in the Device --> Misc menu.


----------



## manukmanohar

TK33 said:


> All of my PEQ settings are stored on the device itself and don't disappear when I connect using another phone.  I have had mine since launch and never experienced this issue.
> 
> I also have mine set to automatically connect to only a single device when powered on (not multi point). If I want multi-point, I can always connect another device to the 5K without having to change this setting.  See screenshot attached.
> 
> EDIT: the auto reconnect setting  can be found in the Device --> Misc menu.



Strange! That is exactly the setting I was using, for some reason it is still doing multi-point for me even though the setting in Qudelix misc option shows as single device.


----------



## TK33

manukmanohar said:


> Strange! That is exactly the setting I was using, for some reason it is still doing multi-point for me even though the setting in Qudelix misc option shows as single device.


Have you tried resetting the device? If that does not work, try reaching out to Qudelix.  I have found them to be pretty responsive in the past.  Never had the issues you are describing.  I even tried installing the app on my new Galaxy S22+ (I havent really had to use the app in a while), and I can see my PEQ presets in the app (took the names a little bit to load but they were all stored on the device).


----------



## CactusPete23

TK33 said:


> Have you tried resetting the device? If that does not work, try reaching out to Qudelix.  I have found them to be pretty responsive in the past.  Never had the issues you are describing.  I even tried installing the app on my new Galaxy S22+ (I havent really had to use the app in a while), and I can see my PEQ presets in the app (took the names a little bit to load but they were all stored on the device).


If you don't save a PEQ as a Preset; will it be lost when you turn it off?  (Have not used the PEQ yet myself...  Just trying to help @manukmanohar !  )


----------



## ChildOfDust

CactusPete23 said:


> If you don't save a PEQ as a Preset; will it be lost when you turn it off?  (Have not used the PEQ yet myself...  Just trying to help @manukmanohar !  )


No, shouldn't be lost. I currently have a peq set for the last several days which isn't saved and each time I've turned the unit on and off it remains


----------



## 04gto (Oct 8, 2022)

FYI: Since owning 'this' Q5K for about 4 months I have used three different USB-C to Lightning cables. The best one so far is the one I received today. Very nice quality rubber covered cable, tight fitting connectors, very nice build quality overall. Also the 'Meenova' lightning connector used to get very hot and the cable was stiff (relatively), it would also cut out occasionally. The Fiio cable, by comparison, is very soft & pliable, no connection issues so far.
FiiO LT-LT3 USB Type C to Lightning Cable​
Edited for grammar.


----------



## Vikk

Bimbleton said:


> Hey all, got a working 5K this time. Connected to iPhone via the Lotoo USBC/Lightning cable. It functions fine as a cable-connected DAC-amp, but:
> -- I've noticed the audio suddenly switches to bluetooth if I'm switching apps in the iPhone. It's jarring. Any way to keep it on Lightning/USB audio only?


I'm new to Qudelix, and have seen this issue described a few times now. Is this still an issue?


----------



## redryder

Hi guys, I'm looking at buying the Qudelix because of the parametric EQ functionality but I have zero experience with using parametric EQ. My source is an iphone.

Is it as simple as selecting my headphone from a drop-down list and the Qudelix will load the optimal EQ profile? Or do I need to do a lot of manual tweaking?


----------



## emilsoft

redryder said:


> Hi guys, I'm looking at buying the Qudelix because of the parametric EQ functionality but I have zero experience with using parametric EQ. My source is an iphone.
> 
> Is it as simple as selecting my headphone from a drop-down list and the Qudelix will load the optimal EQ profile? Or do I need to do a lot of manual tweaking?


Both options are available to you with Qudelix it’s great.


----------



## ChildOfDust

redryder said:


> Hi guys, I'm looking at buying the Qudelix because of the parametric EQ functionality but I have zero experience with using parametric EQ. My source is an iphone.
> 
> Is it as simple as selecting my headphone from a drop-down list and the Qudelix will load the optimal EQ profile? Or do I need to do a lot of manual tweaking?


It won't automatically load an optimal eq, there really is no such thing thing as it's subjective.  There is a bunch of presets to choose from as well as a list of auto eq presets.


----------



## 3fifty

redryder said:


> Hi guys, I'm looking at buying the Qudelix because of the parametric EQ functionality but I have zero experience with using parametric EQ. My source is an iphone.
> 
> Is it as simple as selecting my headphone from a drop-down list and the Qudelix will load the optimal EQ profile? Or do I need to do a lot of manual tweaking?



As others have said, you can do both.   

I'd recommend checking Oratory1990's list on Reddit for your headphones. The PDFs are different to the AutoEQ options (every one I've seen uses a low shelf, for example), and often recommend 2 or 3 bands to help adjust to taste. 

Only trouble with those is that you have to manually input, although I've found it pretty easy to do on the Chrome desktop app.  If you do them by column - all the frequencies, then all the gains, then all the Qs - type the number, press enter and you can start typing the next number with no awkward clicking.   I find it much better than doing it on a phone, but I hate any sort of data input on a mobile device.


----------



## sawdin (Jul 30, 2022)

Just starting to use Qudelix 5K streaming YT Music over home wifi and noticed when I switch from BT to USB DAC (connecting directly to Samsung S22 via USB cable) 5K app often quickly shows connection as USB but then defaults to BT.  Even worse, sometimes when I disconnect, restart phone and attach USB cable to S22, it will show input as BT on 5K app!  I have USB DAC set as “Priority” in “Input Source Priority” in 5K app which should prevent this but it obviously is not working most of the time.  I turned on "Disable USB Routing" in "Developer Options" to see if that would fix issue but that did not work.  I swapped out the supplied USB cable with another OTG cable I had but that did not help either.

When connection is active for BT:





When connected via cable to Samsung S22 and recognized as connected:





Any ideas why 5K will not always recognize that it is directly connected to S22 via USB??  Very frustrating 😡
I could always manually turn off BT on my phone but I shouldn't have to.
TIA!

Phone Settings:

Settings in S22 Developer Options are 96 Khz sample rate, 24 bits/sample, Codec is set for "Optimized for Audio (990kbps/909kbps)".  However, when I restart phone, settings switch from 24 bit to 32 and codec setting has changed from "Optimized for Audio" to "Best Effort" (Adaptive Bit Rate).  Not sure why the settings I choose get changed when restarting. Also, sometimes when restarting phone, bit rate on 5K app is listed at 330 even though phone and 5K app are still set at 990.


----------



## michusxx

sawdin said:


> Just starting to use Qudelix 5K streaming YT Music over home wifi and noticed when I switch from BT to USB DAC (connecting directly to Samsung S22 via USB cable) 5K app often quickly shows connection as USB but then defaults to BT.  Even worse, sometimes when I disconnect, restart phone and attach USB cable to S22, it will show input as BT on 5K app!  I have USB DAC set as “Priority” in “Input Source Priority” in 5K app which should prevent this but it obviously is not working most of the time.  I turned on "Disable USB Routing" in "Developer Options" to see if that would fix issue but that did not work.  I swapped out the supplied USB cable with another OTG cable I had but that did not help either.
> 
> When connection is active for BT:
> 
> ...


Hi.
The phone controls the output not Q5k. Source priority works in case of different devices connected to Q5k. 
As you asked that question also on Qudelix forum then check the answer there - I linked you Qudelix support answer in one of previous similar posts...


----------



## sawdin (Jul 31, 2022)

michusxx said:


> Hi.
> The phone controls the output not Q5k. Source priority works in case of different devices connected to Q5k.
> As you asked that question also on Qudelix forum then check the answer there - I linked you Qudelix support answer in one of previous similar posts...


Thanks; link was very helpful.  Unfortunately, I have not found a setting in Samsung S22 settings that reliably works.


----------



## michusxx

sawdin said:


> Thanks; link was very helpful.  Unfortunately, I have not found a setting in Samsung S22 settings that reliably works.


There is a new functionality in Android 12 - "Separate app sound" (in Sound and Vibration settings) that should allow to set preference to selected audio output in phone for different music applications. 
I found it in my Galaxy A52s (so your S22 should also have it) but didn't test it yet. Maybe that feature might help...?


----------



## redryder

3fifty said:


> As others have said, you can do both.
> 
> I'd recommend checking Oratory1990's list on Reddit for your headphones. The PDFs are different to the AutoEQ options (every one I've seen uses a low shelf, for example), and often recommend 2 or 3 bands to help adjust to taste.
> 
> Only trouble with those is that you have to manually input, although I've found it pretty easy to do on the Chrome desktop app.  If you do them by column - all the frequencies, then all the gains, then all the Qs - type the number, press enter and you can start typing the next number with no awkward clicking.   I find it much better than doing it on a phone, but I hate any sort of data input on a mobile device.



I've never EQ'ed before. Is there a simple online guide on how to start? What do I listen for when adjusting the bands? What does it mean when people say they are trying to reduce a frequency peak?


----------



## 3fifty

redryder said:


> I've never EQ'ed before. Is there a simple online guide on how to start? What do I listen for when adjusting the bands? What does it mean when people say they are trying to reduce a frequency peak?



I don't know about simple, but there's a thread on here that will help. It's quite involved though, I've not bothered with all that.  Luckilly all the headphones I own are on Oratory's list so I just copy those, then add a little bass because it's fun, and a little treble because age is a bitch.


----------



## Erik1

Is there anyone else who has a problem with a OnePlus phone on Oxygen OS12 choosing aptX Adaptive as the default codec instead of LDAC? I tried the work around that @TK33 shared for his LG on this thread, but this doesn't help on my Nord.
I unchecked aptX Adaptive, turned the Q5K off/on, unpaired/re-paired and I still get the whole list in the app and have to go to developer settings to get LDAC. Not the end of the world and I still love the Q5K, but it would be nice if there were a workaround for my phone too.


----------



## phatspirit

Erik1 said:


> Is there anyone else who has a problem with a OnePlus phone on Oxygen OS12 choosing aptX Adaptive as the default codec instead of LDAC? I tried the work around that @TK33 shared for his LG on this thread, but this doesn't help on my Nord.
> I unchecked aptX Adaptive, turned the Q5K off/on, unpaired/re-paired and I still get the whole list in the app and have to go to developer settings to get LDAC. Not the end of the world and I still love the Q5K, but it would be nice if there were a workaround for my phone too.


I have the one plus 10 pro.  I left the Bluetooth codec to default on mine but under the qudelix, I uncheck all except LDAC.  When my qudelix connect , it's on LDAC everytime.  I have not try adaptive as I feel LDAC sound better or more of a lossless codec.  I could be wrong.


----------



## Erik1 (Aug 3, 2022)

Ok,  but how do you get the app to keep aptX Adaptive unchecked? Mine just keeps re-checking it. Qudelix says I should reboot, but what needs to be rebooted?

I know it's most likely me doing something wrong in the process, but what?

Edit: Ok, clicking 'apply' in the app did the trick. Feeling extremely stupid and noob right now... 😳😉


----------



## bluegale

Has anyone tried to connect 5K to the app on Android 13?  I had been using it on PC (USB) and Android 12 (Bluetooth LDAC) on Pixel 6, and recently switched to Android 13 as Google officially released it couple of days ago.  Since then, my 5K cannot connect via the Android app.  I can connect it to the phone itself via Bluetooth and audio playback is functional (albeit with occasional stuttering, which was not present on Android 12), but the app itself just cannot establish the connection between my 5K.  I have tried to forget the device and reconnect via Bluetooth, uninstall / reinstall the app, but nothing seems to be solving the issue.

It still works fine on my Windows PC (Chrome app) tho.

I have raised this issue on the Qudelix forum as well, but I suspect this may be Android issue?  Or it could be app compatibility, I have no clue.

Has anyone experienced this issue before?


----------



## Maximiliano Campo (Aug 20, 2022)

Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed.

How can i connect on a wired connection  my Qudelix to the iPhone 13 pro running IOS 15

When I plug it in, my phone doesn’t play music from Qudelix. Is there some thing in the settings I need to change? I also had this issue when I had Samsung s21. Bluetooth connection is fine and works flawless but cable connection is never recognised.

Can anyone help me out please? Is there a special type of cable I need to use which I’m not using? I just connect it via the charging cable that came with the phone lightning to USBC cable.

Thanks


----------



## 3fifty

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed.
> 
> How can i connect on a wired connection  my Qudelix to the iPhone 13 pro running IOS 15
> 
> ...


You need a 'camera adapter'.  Search this thread for recommendations.  The Apple one is bulky, and there are cheaper/smaller alternatives.


----------



## Mouseman

Maximiliano Campo said:


> Apologies in advance if this has already been discussed.
> 
> How can i connect on a wired connection  my Qudelix to the iPhone 13 pro running IOS 15
> 
> ...


You need an OTG cable. The standard one won't work. Here's the one that works great for me: 
ESR USB-C to Lightning Cable, (20 cm, MFi-Certified), PD Fast Charging Cable for iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max/12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max/SE 2022/11/XR/XS Max/XS/X/8, Braided Nylon, Black https://a.co/d/19rhjgT

With this, you don't need to use the camera adapter.


----------



## Maximiliano Campo

Mouseman said:


> You need an OTG cable. The standard one won't work. Here's the one that works great for me:
> ESR USB-C to Lightning Cable, (20 cm, MFi-Certified), PD Fast Charging Cable for iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max/12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max/SE 2022/11/XR/XS Max/XS/X/8, Braided Nylon, Black https://a.co/d/19rhjgT
> 
> With this, you don't need to use the camera adapter.


Thank you so much


----------



## GM23

Hi, 
Is it possible to use the android app for eq etc while in usb mode? Every time I open it asks me to connect bluetooth. When I cancel the bluetooth search everything is greyed out.


----------



## bassct

Once you connect to it and modify settings they are saved on the Qudelix. Turning off the APP does not reset settings back to stock. So just set everything the way you want and forget it.


----------



## divineatma

Hi, does anyone here use the Qudelix to power a 64 Audio U12t. If yes can you share at what volume levels you use the combo and what could be considered safe to prevent damage to hearing?


----------



## 3fifty

divineatma said:


> Hi, does anyone here use the Qudelix to power a 64 Audio U12t. If yes can you share at what volume levels you use the combo and what could be considered safe to prevent damage to hearing?


I quickly googled your model, and found a sensitivity of 108dB/mW, and impedance of ~12Ω.   If that's right, according to my crude headphone volume spreadsheet:






Those 'permissable exposure times' are from the (stricter than OSHA) NIOSH occupational exposure to noise guidelines.  OSHA permits 95dB for 8 hours IIRC, but I already have tinnitus, so I play it safe with the more conservative recommendation.   

I have no idea how those numbers relate to transient spikes, mind.  I have a feeling those dB figures are only accurate when playing a 1kHz sine wave.   I also don't know how it is affected by EQ ie.  If I allow a -8dB for EQ headroom, but then boost everything below 105Hz by 8dB....am I back to those numbers?  

I spent a while trying to figure this out, to protect my ears while also getting the most out of my Aryas, but it got a bit complicated and I kinda gave up.


----------



## divineatma

3fifty said:


> I quickly googled your model, and found a sensitivity of 108dB/mW, and impedance of ~12Ω.   If that's right, according to my crude headphone volume spreadsheet:
> 
> Those 'permissable exposure times' are from the (stricter than OSHA) NIOSH occupational exposure to noise guidelines.  OSHA permits 95dB for 8 hours IIRC, but I already have tinnitus, so I play it safe with the more conservative recommendation.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for the info. I was comparing those numbers to what I see in the google chrome extension that I use to control the Qudelix when using it as a USB DAC. With source volume maxed out it says 63mV on the balanced output. That means I can only listen for around 8 mins at a time  
Am I interpreting it right?


----------



## 3fifty (Aug 22, 2022)

divineatma said:


> Thanks a lot for the info. I was comparing those numbers to what I see in the google chrome extension that I use to control the Qudelix when using it as a USB DAC. With source volume maxed out it says 63mV on the balanced output. That means I can only listen for around 8 mins at a time
> Am I interpreting it right?



Yes, albeit with all the caveats I mentioned about me not really knowing what I'm talking about  . I don't know if the calculated output is an absolute maximum and normal music won't quite hit that. I don't know if that output is calculated exactly at the diaphragm, meaning at the ear drum it's less... I tried to contact my local hearing expert about it all, and getting my headphone volume measured with proper equipment, but she didn't have anything that covers the frequency range. She only really deals with measuring hearing aids.

The main takeaway I got from running all the numbers is that 'safe' listening levels are _much_ quieter than I'd thought, unfortunately.  And that damage occurs regardless of frequency, so be careful with heavy bass, because it's easier to put up with vs higher pitches, and since ears are less sensitive to it - volume is harder to judge, but it's just as damaging, even if the perceived bass level is lower than mids/highs.


----------



## divineatma

3fifty said:


> Yes, albeit with all the caveats I mentioned about me not really knowing what I'm talking about  . I don't know if the calculated output is an absolute maximum and normal music won't quite hit that. I don't know if that output is calculated exactly at the diaphragm, meaning at the ear drum it's less... I tried to contact my local hearing expert about it all, and getting my headphone volume measured with proper equipment, but she didn't have anything that covers the frequency range. She only really deals with measuring hearing aids.
> 
> The main takeaway I got from running all the numbers is that 'safe' listening levels are _much_ quieter than I'd thought, unfortunately.  And that damage occurs regardless of frequency, so be careful with heavy bass, because it's easier to put up with vs higher pitches, and since ears are less sensitive to it - volume is harder to judge, but it's just as damaging, even if the perceived bass level is lower than mids/highs.


Ah ok...thx for the info. Was not aware that bass has more of an impact on damage at high levels.


----------



## michusxx

divineatma said:


> Ah ok...thx for the info. Was not aware that bass has more of an impact on damage at high levels.


Hi. 
I'd recomend to view very interesting presentation from Amirm @audiosciencereview regarding this "loudness vs. actually required power" topic. I hope it will make things more clear 😀


----------



## 3fifty

michusxx said:


> Hi.
> I'd recomend to view very interesting presentation from Amirm @audiosciencereview regarding this "loudness vs. actually required power" topic. I hope it will make things more clear 😀



Hmmm.   I was hoping I'd find some answers there, but I've ended up wanting to be one of those commenters that questions him  

He seems to draw the conclusion that because OSHA isn't interested in low frequencies, therefore they probably don't damage hearing.   This is counter to what a career audiologist and hearing rehabilitation specialist told me: hearing damage happens as a function of volume, regardless of frequency - and that 120dB of 20Hz is as damaging as 120dB of 2kHz or 12kHz...  It seems more likely that OSHA is the absolute bare minimum/almost not enough to protect from a later life full of tinnitus and difficulty hearing speech in busy areas.  

And he then goes on to show that there is far more energy in the bass  - and somehow draws the conclusion that 'since the government doesn't worry about bass, you're allowed to have 40dB more in bass" (around the 19min mark).  How is he drawing that conclusion?  

He gives a handful of examples of how loud certain live music events and somehow that means you shouldn't worry about over-exposure from headphones.  I'm thinking 'Dude, I wear -25dB earplugs to live shows...'   Also, it's not about 'going deaf', but causing permanent damage through over-exposure, and leaving myself with shot ears in 20 years time, or exacerbating my already irritating tinnitus.

I don't have an account to leave youtube comments, so I'll spare him the questions


----------



## monsieurfromag3

3fifty said:


> Hmmm.   I was hoping I'd find some answers there, but I've ended up wanting to be one of those commenters that questions him
> 
> He seems to draw the conclusion that because OSHA isn't interested in low frequencies, therefore they probably don't damage hearing.   This is counter to what a career audiologist and hearing rehabilitation specialist told me: hearing damage happens as a function of volume, regardless of frequency - and that 120dB of 20Hz is as damaging as 120dB of 2kHz or 12kHz...  It seems more likely that OSHA is the absolute bare minimum/almost not enough to protect from a later life full of tinnitus and difficulty hearing speech in busy areas.
> 
> ...


I’m glad you didn’t spare us though, it’s refreshing to see a mind functioning well. In my experience, when someone publishes a brain fart that includes so many fundamental reasoning flaws, on a self-described scientific platform no less, it’s useless to even request a reply. Your questions are already more advanced than any answer that person may provide…


----------



## redryder

Hi, new owner here, hope you guys can help me. 

Why is it that every time I turn the Qudelix on, the default is that the EQ/DSP is turned off? How do I make it turned on by default?


----------



## rlw6534

redryder said:


> Hi, new owner here, hope you guys can help me.
> 
> Why is it that every time I turn the Qudelix on, the default is that the EQ/DSP is turned off? How do I make it turned on by default?



Or maybe have a way to turn PEQ on and off using the buttons rather than the app.


----------



## manukmanohar

redryder said:


> Hi, new owner here, hope you guys can help me.
> 
> Why is it that every time I turn the Qudelix on, the default is that the EQ/DSP is turned off? How do I make it turned on by default?


I'm facing the same problem. Everytime I turn the qudelix on, the PEQ is off, due to which the frequency targets I have set don't apply.
I tried factory resetting as well as resetting settings in the app, but no luck.

Do let me know if anyone has figured out how to solve the problem.


----------



## divineatma

Could be an issue with your units. The two times that I just tried power cycling with a PEQ ON the device did turn on with the PEQ applied. Have you guys saved the custom preset with a name on your device?


----------



## 3fifty

divineatma said:


> Could be an issue with your units. The two times that I just tried power cycling with a PEQ ON the device did turn on with the PEQ applied. Have you guys saved the custom preset with a name on your device?



Yeah, the device should remember EQ settings when it's powered off, even if it's not saved.  Might be worth raising a thread on the Qudelix forum.


----------



## redryder

Ok this seems to be an intermittent issue. Now it’s remembering the EQ settings when I turn it on. Not sure what changed.


----------



## manukmanohar

divineatma said:


> Could be an issue with your units. The two times that I just tried power cycling with a PEQ ON the device did turn on with the PEQ applied. Have you guys saved the custom preset with a name on your device?


Yes, I have saved it with a name. Funny thing is, since posting this, for the last one day, my PEQ is being retained, even after I tried manually powering on/off. Not sure, what changed, since this issue I have been facing for quite some time.


----------



## Guy Fawkes

Hi, I recently bought the 5K but I have a problem in USB mode with my smartphone (I have not tried from PC):

The blue button that allows you to paly, pause, skip to the previous or next track (doing double click) does not work properly in USB mode, let me explain.
it only works to go to the next or previous track with a double click but with a single click it does not allow you to pause or play.

However, this does not happen in Bluetooth mode where the single click of the blue Play / Pause button works correctly.

The device is updated to the latest firmware version, as well as the app.

Do you also encounter the same problem?


----------



## divineatma

Guy Fawkes said:


> Hi, I recently bought the 5K but I have a problem in USB mode with my smartphone (I have not tried from PC):
> 
> The blue button that allows you to paly, pause, skip to the previous or next track (doing double click) does not work properly in USB mode, let me explain.
> it only works to go to the next or previous track with a double click but with a single click it does not allow you to pause or play.


From what I have read in the forums, it seems controls are primarily meant to be used with Bluetooth.

Qudelix Forum


----------



## HiFlight

Anyone know if the Qudelix is compatible with a headphone using a remote control cable,
in other words, using the remote controls for play, pause, next etc.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

HiFlight said:


> Anyone know if the Qudelix is compatible with a headphone using a remote control cable,
> in other words, using the remote controls for play, pause, next etc.


Hi, as far as I know, it is possible to use the inline mic on a headphone/headset, but not the buttons, which is a pity...
As the 4th ring on the internal jack is already used for the mic, I guess the "remote buttons" could be implemented in a future firmware, but it is not the case for now.


----------



## HiFlight

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, as far as I know, it is possible to use the inline mic on a headphone/headset, but not the buttons, which is a pity...
> As the 4th ring on the internal jack is already used for the mic, I guess the "remote buttons" could be implemented in a future firmware, but it is not the case for now.


Many thanks for your reply!


----------



## DBaldock9

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hi, as far as I know, it is possible to use the inline mic on a headphone/headset, but not the buttons, which is a pity...
> As the 4th ring on the internal jack is already used for the mic, I guess the "remote buttons" could be implemented in a future firmware, but it is not the case for now.



It might take more than firmware - since the button presses are registering the values of resistors / voltage drops.
The spec for Android controls is here - https://source.android.com/docs/core/accessories/headset/plug-headset-spec

I'm not positive, but I think iPhone headphones use an Apple specific integrated circuit that communicates with the phone, and not just simple resistance values.


----------



## Rackhour

So I'd like some help here, as Qudelix hasn't replied to my support email.

For whatever reason, my 5K is completely unresponsive, and will not play any sound whatsoever.

The weirdness continues. When I plug it into my PC, Windows recognizes it; when I click the speaker icon, I have the choice between the motherboard sound card and the 5K, but there is no sound whatsoever. 

When I open the Qudelix app on Edge, the webapp picks it up. It shows the battery charge state. The 5K responds to system resets. However, anything else is a no go. I cannot change the LED brightness, or turn the LED off altogether. 

Any insight?


----------



## mugbot

Check to make sure it's not set to only the balanced/single ended port (depending on which one you're using)


----------



## Safeinthemountains

DBaldock9 said:


> It might take more than firmware - since the button presses are registering the values of resistors / voltage drops.
> The spec for Android controls is here - https://source.android.com/docs/core/accessories/headset/plug-headset-spec
> 
> I'm not positive, but I think iPhone headphones use an Apple specific integrated circuit that communicates with the phone, and not just simple resistance values.


Yep, I know how it works 
I just thought that, if they included the possibility to use the inline mic (audio ADC), they probably also have a way to read the DC voltage on the same input...
But that's just my guess, and there has not been any sign of new features coming out so far...

This would be a great improvement. OK most of the people use True wireless earbuds nowadays, but for the ones like us which are using the 5K with "real" headphones or earbuds, it would be sometimes more easy/convenient to use the buttons closer to the headphones.
My Hiby players are able to take into account the CTIA "single button" (play/pause/next/previous), but not the volume buttons...


----------



## MCYL

I wish Qudelix has a way to bring up Siri or Voice assistant.


----------



## Rackhour

mugbot said:


> Check to make sure it's not set to only the balanced/single ended port (depending on which one you're using)


No dice. I plugged in an unbalanced 3.5mm jack, and from the webapp, tried both 3.5mm and auto select. No sound still.

This is a weird level of a lack of response. I can't even turn the thing off no matter what button I press for a long time.


----------



## HiFlight

Rackhour said:


> No dice. I plugged in an unbalanced 3.5mm jack, and from the webapp, tried both 3.5mm and auto select. No sound still.
> 
> This is a weird level of a lack of response. I can't even turn the thing off no matter what button I press for a long time.


Have you tried a reset from the app!?


----------



## Rackhour

HiFlight said:


> Have you tried a reset from the app!?


Yep. Reset from the webapp, and still no changes. 

I think I need to send this in, but the shipping costs are potentially such that I might as well buy a new DAC. And Qudelix hasn't replied to my email yet.


----------



## wanderingsounds

Here's probably a dumb question: can a DAC/AMP combo with EQ like the Qudelix 5K negate the benefits of regular expensive DACs (with similar specs, i.e. 24/96) and amps given that there's built-in EQ to tweak the output?


----------



## Safeinthemountains

wanderingsounds said:


> Here's probably a dumb question: can a DAC/AMP combo with EQ like the Qudelix 5K negate the benefits of regular expensive DACs (with similar specs, i.e. 24/96) and amps given that there's built-in EQ to tweak the output?


For what kind of use ? At home or on-the-go ?

To me, the ES9219 dual DAC/AMP is more than enough for a mobile use with earbuds or easy to drive headphones.
At home I use a medium range Android DAP, for simplicity. 
But a (smart-)phone connected to the 5K via USB as a wired DAC, plus optionnally a balanced cable in order to use the balanced output for your headphones, if the impedance/sensitivity is not too extreme, should deliver great output and SQ.

NB: i noticed I listen my music at no more than 40 to 60 dB, but the Qdelix can deliver a lot more...


----------



## wanderingsounds

Safeinthemountains said:


> For what kind of use ? At home or on-the-go ?
> 
> To me, the ES9219 dual DAC/AMP is more than enough for a mobile use with earbuds or easy to drive headphones.
> At home I use a medium range Android DAP, for simplicity.
> ...


As a computer output and for on-the-go use at home


----------



## 3fifty

wanderingsounds said:


> Here's probably a dumb question: can a DAC/AMP combo with EQ like the Qudelix 5K negate the benefits of regular expensive DACs (with similar specs, i.e. 24/96) and amps given that there's built-in EQ to tweak the output?



Absolutely.  The 'benefits' of expensive DACs are hugely overstated by the audiophile community.  As are the benefits of sample rates above 44kHz (unless you happen to be manipulating the audio - editing or time-stretching etc)

A couple years ago I yolo'd on an RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black, because, well, look up any review.  It's touted as the gold standard.  I use an old RME Fireface as an interface (and headphone amp, before I got the Qudelix), which apparently isn't much good.  I spent hours comparing the two.  All sorts of genres, FLACs, volumes, familiar and unfamiliar music.  There was literally no difference.  Any time I thought I heard something, I'd swap and I'd hear it on the other.  I was gutted, tbh,  I wanted it to be as mindblowing as the reviews sugested. I wanted to spot a diffrence, _anything_ to justify keeping it. But there was nothing.   Luckilly I has a 30 day no-questions return from Scan, so it went back.

The qudelix and its EQ is more than enough.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

3fifty said:


> Absolutely.  The 'benefits' of expensive DACs are hugely overstated by the audiophile community.  As are the benefits of sample rates above 44kHz (unless you happen to be manipulating the audio - editing or time-stretching etc)
> 
> A couple years ago I yolo'd on an RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black, because, well, look up any review.  It's touted as the gold standard.  I use an old RME Fireface as an interface (and headphone amp, before I got the Qudelix), which apparently isn't much good.  I spent hours comparing the two.  All sorts of genres, FLACs, volumes, familiar and unfamiliar music.  There was literally no difference.  Any time I thought I heard something, I'd swap and I'd hear it on the other.  I was gutted, tbh,  I wanted it to be as mindblowing as the reviews sugested. I wanted to spot a diffrence, _anything_ to justify keeping it. But there was nothing.   Luckilly I has a 30 day no-questions return from Scan, so it went back.
> 
> The qudelix and its EQ is more than enough.


Most of the time, and for most of the enthusiasts (except maybe for the ones with exceptionnal hearing), the hype about one equipment or another is mostly about renewing things and having the impression that the last one is far better than anything else before... 
I honnestly cannot hear differences in between most of the DAP's I have, the same for the DACs, but sometimes I still feel like I could change something in my setup and "improve" the quality 
It is just because human beings are easily bored after some time, they cannot just keep things "as is" even if its the best among the best, there shoud always be something to change or improve...

The only domain in which there can be sensible change/improvement is the last element; Speakers or headphones; it is obviousely quite different from one to another, and while sometimes you would like something neutral, another time you will perhaps appreciate more emphasis on the lower or on the higher side of the range.

In the 70's, 80's the quality of most of the so-called Hi-Fi equipment, especially the source, wasn't that good; low SNR, distortion, etc...
Nowadays, even the most basic DAP's at around 100-150$ are good enough, but for the headphones there are still big differences depending on the price.

So, my advice would be to focus on ease of use, durability, and versatilty of a product, and save money to eventually buy other headphones later on...
The 5K sound quality and versatility is great to me, but the ease of use (that would be the easier to get right) is not that good, but I didn't find better options at the moment, even  at a higher price


----------



## corgan77

Hello, I've got an Grado Sr 325 is and i'd like to know if anyone would have test those Headphones with the Qdelix 5k ?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

corgan77 said:


> Hello, I've got an Grado Sr 325 is and i'd like to know if anyone would have test those Headphones with the Qdelix 5k ?


Excellent combo. All the openness and high level of detail of the Grado, driven to fullness by the 5K, with great precision. I love it.

If you have the X with the 8-core cable the physical interplay of the tiny Qudelix unit with the humongous cable is a bit surreal, and also since the cable is much heavier and so inflexible it can easily send the 5K flying around.


----------



## corgan77

monsieurfromag3 said:


> Excellent combo. All the openness and high level of detail of the Grado, driven to fullness by the 5K, with great precision. I love it.
> 
> If you have the X with the 8-core cable the physical interplay of the tiny Qudelix unit with the humongous cable is a bit surreal, and also since the cable is much heavier and so inflexible it can easily send the 5K flying around.


Thanks for your reply! In fact I'd like to soften a little the trebles which ones can be agressives and tiring...
I've got an older version of the 325, the "is"  one.
Someone also spoke to me about the Ifi go Blu which one have a cirrus Logic chip which are know for their warmer sound so it could match my purpose...but it is nearly 200 euros.
Do you think i will aim my purpose whith the Qdelix also ?


----------



## LordZero

Is 139euros a good price for qudelix 5k?


----------



## monsieurfromag3

corgan77 said:


> Thanks for your reply! In fact I'd like to soften a little the trebles which ones can be agressives and tiring...
> I've got an older version of the 325, the "is"  one.
> Someone also spoke to me about the Ifi go Blu which one have a cirrus Logic chip which are know for their warmer sound so it could match my purpose...but it is nearly 200 euros.
> Do you think i will aim my purpose whith the Qdelix also ?


From memory the iFi sounds a bit warmer and fuzzier, yes. The 5K’s EQ can help keep the highs under control though.

Another option for a nice out-of-the-box match with agressive headphones is the Qudelix’s predecessor, the ES100. I loved its softer, slightly veiled signature to tame the hotness of the early wave of balanced armatures.


----------



## Zeypha

So it's been working great with my laptop via USB C cable that came with it. I recently bought the following:

FiiO LT-LT1 OTG Lightning to Type C Cable

Now, when I plug it into my Iphone via the Qudelix, it just continues to disconnect and reconnect. It pauses the music constantly, everything is plugged in securely. The lightning port on my iphone 12 pro max is clean.

When I look at the Qudelix app it shows no connection then reconnects when I hit play. Bluetooth works fine but it doesn't sound as good.

The firmware is v1.13.3 which I am certain is the latest.

Is there something I am missing here or any tricks I am not privy too?

Could it be a faulty cable?


----------



## Sphere 57

Zeypha said:


> So it's been working great with my laptop via USB C cable that came with it. I recently bought the following:
> 
> FiiO LT-LT1 OTG Lightning to Type C Cable
> 
> ...


Do you have 'Charger Control" set to disable in the Qudelix app?


----------



## Zeypha (Sep 12, 2022)

Oh wow found it, must be blind


----------



## marekm

corgan77 said:


> ..... but it is nearly 940zł.



...and has crappy BT range


----------



## CactusPete23

Does anyone know if the 5K might get AptX Lossless (True 16/44.1 lossless) added with a new firmware.   I remember when LDAC as added via a new firmware, so just wondering if this will be possible.   AptX Lossless should sound a bit cleaner than LDAC with zero compression artifacts...  not that LDAC is bad!

The new Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Soc is supposed to have this new AptX Lossless.  We'll have to see what new phones actually turn it on/allow it.

​


----------



## SCYJ

Hi all, having a bit of an issue with my Qudelix 5K.

Basically, I want to use Qudelix as USB dac/amp, but I want Qudelix to draw power from its own battery, not my phone. So that I can preserve phone battery.

But I can't. Idk how to. I already turned off the charging option in the app. But Qudelix still draws power from my phone via USB, while it's own battery is still maintained.

Also, am I right that the play/pause button cannot work if I'm *only* connected via USB?


----------



## CactusPete23

CactusPete23 said:


> Does anyone know if the 5K might get AptX Lossless (True 16/44.1 lossless) added with a new firmware.   I remember when LDAC as added via a new firmware, so just wondering if this will be possible.   AptX Lossless should sound a bit cleaner than LDAC with zero compression artifacts...  not that LDAC is bad!
> 
> The new Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Soc is supposed to have this new AptX Lossless.  We'll have to see what new phones actually turn it on/allow it.
> 
> ​


FYI...  I got a reply from Qudelix on my email saying that they would not be able to add "AptX Lossless" to that 5K; And that they thought that the 5K would sound better with LDAC and 24bit files (even though lossy).    Even so, for the next gen of TWS and wireless devices, I'll be looking for true lossless audio.  And 16Bit "CD-Quality" is enough for my portable listening.


----------



## HiFlight

SCYJ said:


> Hi all, having a bit of an issue with my Qudelix 5K.
> 
> Basically, I want to use Qudelix as USB dac/amp, but I want Qudelix to draw power from its own battery, not my phone. So that I can preserve phone battery.
> 
> ...


Did you try changing the USB option on your phone to data rather than charging?


----------



## SCYJ

HiFlight said:


> Did you try changing the USB option on your phone to data rather than charging?


Okay so there's two sections in my phone that has USB options.

1) Default USB configuration (This I can set simply to file transfer but there isn't any "charging" option to opt out from)

2) USB Preferences (this one has the charging option but its kinda locked in, and I can't change it. Don't know why. Its greyed out when no USB connected, but when Qudelix is USB-connected it shows the charging option is on, but I can't turn it off because it keeps saying "switching failed". And this is even when I've disabled charging in the Qudelix app).


----------



## Paulo099

I  got some questions regarding the Qudelix 5K with the Nintendo Switch.

- Are the profiles saved on the 5K? I want to adjust the L/R balance since I have hearing loss on my right ear. And the switch doesn't really offer any audio channel balance at all that's why the 5K is my only choice for this.
- Does it work on the switch on both handhled and docked mode? I've only seen a post where it works on handheld but I'm not sure if it works on docked mode.


----------



## tharding247365

Will the Qudelix be enough to power my AKG K7XX?


----------



## jasonb

tharding247365 said:


> Will the Qudelix be enough to power my AKG K7XX?


Yes


----------



## waynes world

I just wanted to say that Qudelix went out of their way to help me out of a bit of a pickle. They are truly a wondeful company, and I am a huge fan. Kudos to Qudelix


----------



## Safeinthemountains

waynes world said:


> I just wanted to say that Qudelix went out of their way to help me out of a bit of a pickle. They are truly a wondeful company, and I am a huge fan. Kudos to Qudelix


So, what did they do for you ?


----------



## Dynamo5561

Is it possible to get the audio signal out of the 5K via USB? 

I want to use the 5K PEQ and then feed another device via USB.


----------



## Mouseman

Dynamo5561 said:


> Is it possible to get the audio signal out of the 5K via USB?
> 
> I want to use the 5K PEQ and then feed another device via USB.


I'm pretty sure you can't. It's only USB in, and one of the audio jacks out.


----------



## polandro (Oct 7, 2022)

If anyone in the UK is looking for a Qudelix 5k at a good price.  I just got my second one at Elise Audio for 119.99 + 4.99 carriage. It shot up to 175 on Amazon.

My second one you say? I abused the first one and stupidly used the clip. It doesn't help structural integrity and cracks developed. These were kept at bay with sugru, heartstrings (actually  heatshrink) and a metal clip. It's out of warranty now.

The new one is in a silicone sheath with a metal strip stuck to it. This is held to what I am wearing with a magnetic strip from a convention badge kit and works very well. I wasn't able to find a decent case so I made my own.


----------



## Rackhour

Heads up to Qudelix users residing in Korea.

Their customer service is really something else, and I say that in a good way. 

I finally got around to emailing them the diagnostics info for my busted unit, and they told me to ship it in. I told them I am currently abroad and won't visit Korea for some time, and they told me to keep the email around until I visit because they would use that to extend my warranty that many days. 

Might not be of much help to those who live far from Korea, but I thought it was worth sharing.


----------



## 04gto

04gto said:


> FYI: Since owning 'this' Q5K for about 4 months I have used three different USB-C to Lightning cables. The best one so far is the one I received today. Very nice quality rubber covered cable, tight fitting connectors, very nice build quality overall. Also the 'Meenova' lightning connector used to get very hot and the cable was stiff (relatively), it would also cut out occasionally. The Fiio cable, by comparison, is very soft & pliable, no connection issues so far.
> FiiO LT-LT3 USB Type C to Lightning Cable​


So this Fiio cable worked great and then just stopped after 3 weeks, so I returned it. Now I have found this 'GUCraftsman OTG Cable iOS to Type C/USB C Headphone Amplifier Cable'. Had it for about a week. It does everything it should. The whole reason I started looking for a new cable, is because the otherwise excellent Meenova cable is so stiff. Which leads me to the best thing about this cable- the construction quality. It is a very nice looking and feeling cable and it is super flexible with zero memory, like a good headphone cable!


----------



## fattycheesebeef

How's the sound quality Bluetooth vs via cable?


----------



## 3fifty (Oct 8, 2022)

fattycheesebeef said:


> How's the sound quality Bluetooth vs via cable?


I have never been able to hear a difference - 320kbps MP3 bluetooth’d from my iPhone, vs the 24/96 FLAC source of those playing via USB from my laptop, either with my dt1990s, or more recently with my Aryas. 

I’m not convinced the difference is audible.


----------



## Guy Fawkes

fattycheesebeef said:


> How's the sound quality Bluetooth vs via cable?


the bluetooth of the Qudelix is well implemented, the difference with the wired mode is barely noticeable.


----------



## fattycheesebeef

Perfect, that makes it even more convenient


----------



## dknight12115

Hello i just have the qudelix 5k and connect it with my Moondrop Aria and using my S22 Ultra as the source, then i find the volume is somehow not as expected. I have to get the volume as high as attached picture to get enough volume while i onky need like 50-60% while using the ~7$ Faaeal 3.5mm-usbc dac dongle (DAC ACL5686), is it normal or im doing something wrong here


----------



## michusxx

dknight12115 said:


> Hello i just have the qudelix 5k and connect it with my Moondrop Aria and using my S22 Ultra as the source, then i find the volume is somehow not as expected. I have to get the volume as high as attached picture to get enough volume while i onky need like 50-60% while using the ~7$ Faaeal 3.5mm-usbc dac dongle (DAC ACL5686), is it normal or im doing something wrong here


Hi. 
First of all - set the volume of phone to maximum (left volume bar should show 0dB) and reduce only Q5k volume (right bar). You won't unnecessary reduce noise ratio in that way... 
As we see on screenshoot the total reduction currently is - 17.75dB. I have the same pair (Q5k and Aria) and comfort volume level for me is at about similar reduction at "Normal" Output Power (1Vpp) when not using any EQ. So from my perspective you have correct observations...


----------



## dknight12115

michusxx said:


> Hi.
> First of all - set the volume of phone to maximum (left volume bar should show 0dB) and reduce only Q5k volume (right bar). You won't unnecessary reduce noise ratio in that way...
> As we see on screenshoot the total reduction currently is - 17.75dB. I have the same pair (Q5k and Aria) and comfort volume level for me is at about similar reduction at "Normal" Output Power (1Vpp) when not using any EQ. So from my perspective you have correct observations...


Thx. Anyway do you have any good EQ for the Aria? For the autoeq in qudelix 5k, i see it the sound is significant lower when i choose any autoeq -> it not function well or it mean like that? ^^"


----------



## michusxx

dknight12115 said:


> Thx. Anyway do you have any good EQ for the Aria? For the autoeq in qudelix 5k, i see it the sound is significant lower when i choose any autoeq -> it not function well or it mean like that? ^^"


It is normal behaviour with proper EQ because there is negative gain compensation for every boost for specific band. So if for example there is +3dB for some bass frequency there is at least - 3dB for overall volume. That is why you hear it as lower volume...
Personally I use simple correction like:
54Hz +2dB LowShelf 
200Hz -3dB Q=0.7 Peak 
3000Hz +3dB HighShelf
and - 3dB for gain


----------



## daveya

TK33 said:


> Here are some  pictures of my P5.  While the cable is replaceable, it is 3.5mm single ended/unbalanced.  Don't think you can make this balanced.  My wife and I used to use these for traveling (still have v1 and series 2).  They are designed for mobile use and are pretty easy to drive straight out a phone.
> 
> I think a regular OTG connector should work.  I don't really use the 5K as a USB DAC out of my phones since LDAC 990 sounds great (I do at my desktop once in a while).  When I use the 5K at my desk. my phone sits in my wireless charger or is plugged in and I just use bluetooth.  It works great, sounds great, and is super convenient.  I used to use this adapter with my Dragonfly Cobalt when I had a phone that was micro USB and it worked fine.
> 
> ...


I'm using the Bowers P5 series 2 with the Qudelix, before that a BTR5. I really didn't like the Series 2 and almost got rid then tried some EQ in the Qudelix app and it's transformed them


----------



## SomeGuyDude

No joke the 5k is pretty much the best headphone investment unless you absolutely need more power for like bigass planars or whatever. I don't use any of my "real amps" anymore. I had the earsonics ES1000, the BTR5, a Chord Mojo, and an iFi xDSD. The 5k is the best out there.


----------



## WilcoRoger (Oct 23, 2022)

SomeGuyDude said:


> No joke the 5k is pretty much the best headphone investment unless you absolutely need more power for like bigass planars or whatever. I don't use any of my "real amps" anymore. I had the earsonics ES1000, the BTR5, a Chord Mojo, and an iFi xDSD. The 5k is the best out there.



Happy to hear this, I got mine coming Tuesday - the main usage scenario is using my "good cans" also at work/home office (making use of its built-in mic) without havingthe hassle to take of the music cans, answer the phone/Teams/Zoom...

Making some cans and IEMs semi-wireless is a bonus


----------



## fattycheesebeef

Is it good because it's versatile with EQ or just pure sound out of it?


----------



## 3fifty

fattycheesebeef said:


> Is it good because it's versatile with EQ or just pure sound out of it?


Any audio equipment that is remotely competently designed will sound identical. 

The 5k sounds as good as anything else, but the 10 band parametric EQ, battery life, size, Bluetooth reception strength etc make it more than worth the price.


----------



## DeJaVu

3fifty said:


> 10 band parametric EQ


About to become 20 band or independent 10 band each for R/L channels, around the end of November.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

fattycheesebeef said:


> Is it good because it's versatile with EQ or just pure sound out of it?


It beats everything in its price range because of the pure sound, and it beats everything more expensive because it's tiny and portable. Like the above poster said, anything built well will sound roughly the same, but there are minute differences and the 5k shines in all of those. 

It's not perfect, I really dislike the button layout for example (I just turned of all button presses), but quite honestly the only "upgrade" you'll ever need from this is if you have something that's really power hungry and needs more juice.


----------



## WilcoRoger

It came yesterday and boy, is it tiny!! 

First impressions so far - sounds very good, though I had some distortions using LDAC with the Hiby R3 Saber. Changing to AptX solved that. No issues with the Pioneer XDP-30R (aptX-HD)

Have been listening both on 3,5mm (Denon 5200) and 2,5mm (Senn HD6xx) - both sound very, very good, actually I cannot hear a difference between being directly plugged to the DAPs or via the 5k.

I have played around in the app and came to my usual conclusion - I leave all the DSP, Eq, etc fancy stuff alone, for me it sounds best straight out of the box.


----------



## MisterMudd

WilcoRoger said:


> It came yesterday and boy, is it tiny!!
> 
> First impressions so far - sounds very good, though I had some distortions using LDAC with the Hiby R3 Saber. Changing to AptX solved that. No issues with the Pioneer XDP-30R (aptX-HD)
> 
> ...


Enjoy. It is a small but dutiful beast!


----------



## SomeGuyDude

WilcoRoger said:


> It came yesterday and boy, is it tiny!!
> 
> First impressions so far - sounds very good, though I had some distortions using LDAC with the Hiby R3 Saber. Changing to AptX solved that. No issues with the Pioneer XDP-30R (aptX-HD)
> 
> ...


LDAC is a little iffy depending on your device, just FYI. It can either be amazing or worse than SBC.


----------



## WilcoRoger

SomeGuyDude said:


> LDAC is a little iffy depending on your device, just FYI. It can either be amazing or worse than SBC.



I still have to check it with my Sony A35 & A55, they are after all the native-LDAC people


----------



## daveya

Well, just hooked up some new Sundara , pressed the Oratory PEQ and although I'm almost maxed out at +3DB with phone on max , wow, sound superb


----------



## 3fifty

daveya said:


> Well, just hooked up some new Sundara , pressed the Oratory PEQ and although I'm almost maxed out at +3DB with phone on max , wow, sound superb



I'd recommend finding your cans on Oratory's list (below).  The few I've tried are a little different on the pdf; includes a low shelf for example, and suggests freauencies to adjust to taste.

https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets


----------



## daveya

3fifty said:


> I'd recommend finding your cans on Oratory's list (below).  The few I've tried are a little different on the pdf; includes a low shelf for example, and suggests freauencies to adjust to taste.
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets


Ok thanks 

I've a balanced cable on the way so will take a look


----------



## daveya

3fifty said:


> I'd recommend finding your cans on Oratory's list (below).  The few I've tried are a little different on the pdf; includes a low shelf for example, and suggests freauencies to adjust to taste.
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets


Thanks certainly a lot more sub base on the one listed and yes  different to the one in the Qudelix albeit same name


----------



## daveya

In fact 3 test tracks in and the numbers in Reddit are better thanks , base is right 

Red Right Hand is and Shape Of My Heart being tested


----------



## 3fifty

daveya said:


> In fact 3 test tracks in and the numbers in Reddit are better thanks , base is right
> 
> Red Right Hand is and Shape Of My Heart being tested


Glad you’re enjoying it.  It’s a shame the auto EQs are so different, bit of a pain manually entering the pdf settings, but well worth it nonetheless.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I would also recommend looking around on AudioScienceReviews. They have an EQ setting for my Fiio FD5 that's LEAGUES better than anything in the presets.


----------



## daveya

SomeGuyDude said:


> I would also recommend looking around on AudioScienceReviews. They have an EQ setting for my Fiio FD5 that's LEAGUES better than anything in the presets.


Thanks, I'm currently using Soundguys studio PEQ and i really like it


----------



## LordZero

Hi! 

The qudelix 5k works with the ps4? I tried the Bluetooth, but without luck


----------



## daveya

Will review again when the balanced cable comes but at the moment I'm only using the Soundguys House Peq


----------



## 3fifty

daveya said:


> Will review again when the balanced cable comes but at the moment I'm only using the Soundguys House Peq


Balanced vs unbalanced is inaudible in consumer headphone applications.  It’s useful for long runs of cables at live events.  For a 3m low power headphone cable, it’s pointless. 

Hope it didn’t cost you too much!


----------



## DeJaVu

3fifty said:


> Balanced vs unbalanced is inaudible in consumer headphone applications.


Dont know the exact 5K number, but Crosstalk with SE is usually at around 70-80db which is in the audible range. With balanced connection  its at 100-110+db. One effect of crosstalk im aware of is narrowing the soundstage, so balanced connection will have some small effect on soundstage depending on the volume you listen at.


----------



## daveya

3fifty said:


> Balanced vs unbalanced is inaudible in consumer headphone applications.  It’s useful for long runs of cables at live events.  For a 3m low power headphone cable, it’s pointless.
> 
> Hope it didn’t cost you too much!


It's not inaubile when you can't go loud enough with unbalanced due to PEQ with Sundaras


----------



## Mouseman

Balanced vs unbalanced? Let me get my popcorn out...  
Should we talk about cables next?


----------



## daveya

Well it's a big difference being able to use the Oratory PEQ with the Sundara , thanks to the balanced cable. I've got loads of presets in and the one I'm coming back to is the stock Oratory , i couldn't get the unbalanced loud enough for it


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Mouseman said:


> Balanced vs unbalanced? Let me get my popcorn out...
> Should we talk about cables next?


Remember to play your FLACs a few times before listening to them so you can smooth the bits out!


----------



## 3fifty

daveya said:


> It's not inaubile when you can't go loud enough with unbalanced due to PEQ with Sundaras



I can get my Aryas plenty loud enough with 12dB of EQ headroom.  Maybe you just really want to ruin your hearing later in life…you do you I guess.  

I also have a balanced cable, and a 2.5mm - 3.5mm single ended adapter.  There is no difference.


----------



## daveya

I can't get the Oratory settings and others loud enough with balanced , there is a huge difference for me balanced ,


----------



## xSDMx

Does anyone sell a case for the Qudelix?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Why would you need one? There's a clip right on the damn thing and it's sturdy as hell.


----------



## Mouseman

xSDMx said:


> Does anyone sell a case for the Qudelix?


Yes. Miter sells a really nice leather one, although I can't find a listing right now. It wasn't cheap, but I like it.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> Why would you need one? There's a clip right on the damn thing and it's sturdy as hell.


Surface finish is matte and shows scratches and makes me sad.


----------



## xSDMx

Does anyone use their Qudelix with their TV/set top box (e.g., Nvidia Shield)? How is the latency without AptX LL. I think that's the one advantage (other than physical button UI) the FiiO BTR5 offers.


----------



## bgillis

xSDMx said:


> Does anyone sell a case for the Qudelix?


I can highly recommend the Dignis case. This one is already the third iteration from Dignis. 

It is a bit expensive; in particular, if you have to add VAT and import duty fees in Europe.

But definitively the best case for the 5K... top notch quality leather.


----------



## DeJaVu

xSDMx said:


> Does anyone sell a case for the Qudelix?


Case will add bulk/weight, when i want to protect my receivers i use vinyl stickers. Stick a bigger piece and just cut around the corners with an exacto knife or razor blade.
As example you can search for "vinyl carbon fiber 3D" for a mate version. 4d,5d,6d are shinier. Also available in different colors(also transparent), and pretty cheap for a large sheet that will come in handy for other devices.


----------



## Leonarfd

Has anyone upgraded to Fiio BTR7?


----------



## daveya

Leonarfd said:


> Has anyone upgraded to Fiio BTR7?


Does it PEQ LDAC? I don't think it does and only one custom preset so it's not for me


----------



## xSDMx

Debatable if the BTR7 is an upgrade over the Qudelix.


----------



## Leonarfd

Yeah, what I also feel.


xSDMx said:


> Debatable if the BTR7 is an upgrade over the Qudelix.


----------



## Leonarfd

Also the Qudelix is so small making it really portable.


----------



## 3fifty

Leonarfd said:


> Has anyone upgraded to Fiio BTR7?


 
Half the battery life, more than twice the weight, no EQ preset storage…

Up…grade?


----------



## Leonarfd

Lets say side-grade then  Still anyone who has gone that route or tested it up against the 5K?


----------



## xSDMx

FiiO is still struggling with figuring out how to reliably transmit Bluetooth. BTR5 vs. Qudelix is night and day re: BT performance.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Oct 30, 2022)

Leonarfd said:


> Has anyone upgraded to Fiio BTR7?


I bought the BTR7 like a week ago, I can still return it and get a full refund until November, 21. I am using it with my Android phone. I am listening to Amazon Music Unlimited, UAPP local files and YouTube.

Compared to my Qudelix, it is not an upgrade. It is just an alternative. It might be a bit more powerful. When it comes to sound quality, both sound great. My Qudelix has stronger BT signal, in the sense that I can listen anywhere inside my house, whereas with the BTR7 I am getting disconnections as soon as I will leave the room.. I am always using LDAC. Between the 2 Apps, there can be no comparison. If I'd give a 10 to the Qudelix App, I'd give a 3 to the FiiO App. And I am not referring to PEQ or EQ because I never use it. I am referring to other settings. Finally, if I would give a 10 to Qudelix customer service, I'd give a 2 to FiiO customer service and support.

I might keep it, though, as an alternative. It sounds good.


----------



## xSDMx

It would be cool if Qudelix made the 5K part of a modular system. You can dock it into a charging desktop unit with a nice volume knob and 1/4", 4.4mm, etc. jacks or snap into a larger housing (like the BTR7) with a screen, 4.4mm jacks, and more discrete control buttons.


----------



## Leonarfd

Nick24JJ said:


> I bought the BTR7 like a week ago, I can still return it and get a full refund until November, 21. I am using it with my Android phone. I am listening to Amazon Music Unlimited, UAPP local files and YouTube.
> 
> Compared to my Qudelix, it is not an upgrade. It is just an alternative. It might be a bit more powerful. When it comes to sound quality, both sound great. My Qudelix has stronger BT signal, in the sense that I can listen anywhere inside my house, whereas with the BTR7 I am getting disconnections as soon as I will leave the room.. I am always using LDAC. Between the 2 Apps, there can be no comparison. If I'd give a 10 to the Qudelix App, I'd give a 3 to the FiiO App. And I am not referring to PEQ or EQ because I never use it. I am referring to other settings. Finally, if I would give a 10 to Qudelix customer service, I'd give a 2 to FiiO customer service and support.
> 
> I might keep it, though, as an alternative. It sounds good.


Thanks, I have been looking for something to use with my IEM's at work. Fiio is easy to get in Norway without import. But BT range is a big one, going to skip Fiio for now. The price on 5K is insane for what you get.


----------



## Nick24JJ (Oct 30, 2022)

Leonarfd said:


> Thanks, I have been looking for something to use with my IEM's at work. Fiio is easy to get in Norway without import. But BT range is a big one, going to skip Fiio for now. The price on 5K is insane for what you get.


It's not that I have huge experience from FiiO products or I am an expert, but I think that from FiiO one should purchase what they cannot find from another company. Like the UTWS5 or the BTA30 Pro receiver/transmitter, for example. I own both, have not used the BTA30 Pro much, yet, due to not owning a desktop computer, yet. But the UTWS5 is my savior! I own 2 pairs, I am wearing them all day long, after work. Indoors and outdoors. They sound great with my IEMs, and they are the definition of versatility and comfortability! I am also using a pair with my laptop to watch Netflix, sounds awesome there, as well. FiiO has some very nice ideas but they suffer (a lot) in the implementation and the support.


----------



## xSDMx

Nick24JJ said:


> It's not that I have huge experience from FiiO products or I am an expert, but I think that from FiiO one should purchase what they cannot find from another company. Like the UTWS5 or the BTA30 Pro receiver/transmitter, for example. I own both, have not used the BTA30 Pro much, yet, due to not owning a desktop computer, yet. But the UTWS5 is my savior! I own 2 pairs, I am wearing them all day long, after work. Indoors and outdoors. They sound great with my IEMs, and they are the definition of versatility and comfortability! I am also using a pair with my laptop to watch Netflix, sounds awesome there, as well. FiiO has some very nice ideas but they suffer (a lot) in the implementation and the support.


Check out the Shure TW2


----------



## Nick24JJ

xSDMx said:


> Check out the Shure TW2


Supported Codecs Qualcomm aptX , SBC, AAC
No aptX Adaptive, no LDAC, no LHDC.

Pardon my off-topic, but I'd sincerely appreciate it if anyone could answer me this question: how come and no other company has tried to create an equivalent to the UTWS5 but with a much better App and support (like firmware updates)? Is it really so difficult?


----------



## davehutch

3fifty said:


> Balanced vs unbalanced is inaudible in consumer headphone applications.  It’s useful for long runs of cables at live events.  For a 3m low power headphone cable, it’s pointless.
> 
> Hope it didn’t cost you too much!


The long run 'balanced' cable is a different type of 'balance' altogether. Long runs of low level signals, for example microphones are balanced via 3 wires, by using reversal circuitry to cancel out any noise on the 'earth' wire. The signal is sent 180 degrees out of phase down each signal wire and then at the far, the signal is put back in phase. This increases the signal and at the same time, the noise is cancelled out by its own phase-inversed copy.
That's a very different thing to the type of balanced circuit in IEMs and headphones which use two separate amplifiers, one for each channel. each with its own earth. This increases output from the amp and also prevents crosstalk between channels.
I'd agree that the signal quality itself is not audible to most, but the additional voltage the amp can provide is definitely a benefit to some IEMs and headphones.


----------



## felix3650

Nick24JJ said:


> Supported Codecs Qualcomm aptX , SBC, AAC
> No aptX Adaptive, no LDAC, no LHDC.
> 
> Pardon my off-topic, but I'd sincerely appreciate it if anyone could answer me this question: how come and no other company has tried to create an equivalent to the UTWS5 but with a much better App and support (like firmware updates)? Is it really so difficult?


Exactly! If Qudelix came up with a TWS version of the 5K right now, with its hardware and, especially software expertise, it would be killer. Hardware wise, Fiio is very good but on the software front, not very competitive with Qudelix. I've had both the UTWS5 and the 5K. The UTWS5 has an advantage on convenience but the 5K is better in all the rest.
Make it AptX Lossless compatible (1.2Mbit) along with a compatible USB-C trasmitter and who needs LDAC/LHDC anymore


----------



## C_Lindbergh

felix3650 said:


> Exactly! If Qudelix came up with a TWS version of the 5K right now, with its hardware and, especially software expertise, it would be killer. Hardware wise, Fiio is very good but on the software front, not very competitive with Qudelix. I've had both the UTWS5 and the 5K. The UTWS5 has an advantage on convenience but the 5K is better in all the rest.
> Make it AptX Lossless compatible (1.2Mbit) along with a compatible USB-C trasmitter and who needs LDAC/LHDC anymore



Yeah... I really want a proper tws adapter! 

But sadly Qudelix seems like a dead company, even their new dac/amp that was supposed to land in early 2022 is nowhere near to be seen. 

I'm guessing the inflation and supply chain issue caused major damage.


----------



## xSDMx

Mouseman said:


> Yes. Miter sells a really nice leather one, although I can't find a listing right now. It wasn't cheap, but I like it.


Full leather is long-gone. They have a synthetic leather version now. Including international shipping fees, it's $58 total from South Korea to the US. That's about half the cost of a new Qudelix 5K.  Rain check on that one!


----------



## xSDMx

C_Lindbergh said:


> Yeah... I really want a proper tws adapter!
> 
> But sadly Qudelix seems like a dead company, even their new dac/amp that was supposed to land in early 2022 is nowhere near to be seen.
> 
> I'm guessing the inflation and supply chain issue caused major damage.


It's a bummer Qudelix has been quiet. It seems like sales volume is good and they don't have issues with inventory/supply, so I'd assume their logistics are solid and cash flow is positive. But you can never totally know looking in from the outside. I was bummed re: the AptX-LL discussion over on their official forums. Basically, tl;dr "we can technically do it, but Qudelix 5K users are audiophiles and don't want AptX-LL". IMO they could easily expose it as an optional codec (the hardware supports it), but it's another indicator they aren't doing much active development.


----------



## DeJaVu (Oct 30, 2022)

xSDMx said:


> It's a bummer Qudelix has been quiet. It seems like sales volume is good and they don't have issues with inventory/supply, so I'd assume their logistics are solid and cash flow is positive. But you can never totally know looking in from the outside. I was bummed re: the AptX-LL discussion over on their official forums. Basically, tl;dr "we can technically do it, but Qudelix 5K users are audiophiles and don't want AptX-LL". IMO they could easily expose it as an optional codec (the hardware supports it), but it's another indicator they aren't doing much active development.


If i recall correctly, the issue was space constraints. They would need to remove some other codec to be able to add aptx LL. Or maybe im imagining and that was a discussion about some other receiver.
Either way, the engineer that started the Qudelix company is coming from the ES100 project, and the ES100 has a buffer length setting. 5K has A2DP latency option which i think is very safe to assume is the same thing, as lower latency is achieved by lowering the buffer, same trick manufacturers that have sets with "gaming mode" use but dont support aptx LL.
Since aptx LL codec is a variation of aptx with just lower buffer, why not use aptx codec + Agressive(or Moderate if agressive gives you issues) for the A2DP Latency setting?
Also not that noticeable difference between aptx and aptx LL, on a blind test you would have very hard time telling which is which, at least with movies. Did the comparison on Linux which supports practically all codecs and you can switch them on the fly.


----------



## xSDMx

DeJaVu said:


> If i recall correctly, the issue was space constraints. They would need to remove some other codec to be able to add aptx LL. Or maybe im imagining and that was a discussion about some other receiver.
> Either way, the engineer that started the Qudelix company is coming from the ES100 project, and the ES100 has a buffer length setting. 5K has A2DP latency option which i think is very safe to assume is the same thing, as lower latency is achieved by lowering the buffer, same trick manufacturers that have sets with "gaming mode" use but dont support aptx LL.
> Since aptx LL codec is a variation of aptx with just lower buffer, why not use aptx codec + Agressive(or Moderate if agressive gives you issues) for the A2DP Latency setting?
> Also not that noticeable difference between aptx and aptx LL, on a blind test you would have very hard time telling which is which, at least with movies. Did the comparison on Linux which supports practically all codecs and you can switch them on the fly.


IIRC the space constraint conversation was re: the "startup sound". I think the same person originally asking about AptX-LL was also asking about custom startup sounds and the conversation got mixed up. FWIW the BTR5 has pretty much the same hardware and supports all the same codecs as the Qudelix 5K and AptX-LL. Was unaware of AptX being a modification of the base AptX codec. Will definitely have to play around with the A2DP Latency settings and see if AptX is passable for a/v sync. Thanks!


----------



## xSDMx (Oct 30, 2022)

wslee said:


> @subtec:
> 
> ES100 doesn't support AptX-LL(Low Latency).
> Instead, we're considering providing a buffer length option for trading-off the latency vs. the stability.
> ...



Found the original Head-Fi post from the ES100 engineer. There seems to be some extra secret sauce beyond just the buffer length inherent to Aptx-LL working well.

Also, it looks like AptX-LL requires a separate antenna? So, maybe that's the actual limitation with the Qudelix 5K? Interesting.


----------



## MisterMudd

Nope. Sticking with the K5. So good that I haven't caught upgradeitis. But I understand the quest. Size and price keeps rising on these "portable dacs" and I want small.


----------



## DeJaVu (Oct 30, 2022)

xSDMx said:


> BTR5 has pretty much the same hardware and supports all the same codecs


BTR5 has aptx LL, but doesnt have aptx Adaptive which the 5K has.



xSDMx said:


> Also, it looks like AptX-LL requires a separate antenna?


Doesnt make sense, and since its wikipedia ill take the option of doubt. Maybe for signal stability? because it would be more sensitive to interference and drop out easier because of the lower buffer. Transport is same for all codecs, A2DP, and codecs are not really hardware bound(you just need enough bandwidth) but encoder/decoder software with different parameters. You get aptx LL(and everything else up to LDAC) on Linux with practically any BT dongle(BT2.1+ EDR and up) thats supported by the distro. Im using some cheapo BT4.0 one (CSR8510 chipset based) and i can promise you i didnt need to add any antennas to get aptx LL support. The dongle has just the one printed on the pcb 2.4GHz antenna.


----------



## DeJaVu

xSDMx said:


> *The latency can't be shorter than AptX-LL, but at least you may be able to shorten it than the current.*


This statement from the engineer says that latency cant be lower than LL and that it can be lower than the default config. But this could be interpreted that it might be the same as LL? As it doesnt say it is higher, not really 100% clear. Since theyre already very close, feel free to think it brings it to the same level , and be happy .


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I can honestly say even if Qudelix never makes another product I'll probably keep my 5k for a few years until it either breaks or the iFi Go Blu drops to $100.


----------



## CactusPete23

Are some folks using Aptx-LL to mean LOW LATENCY, and Others to Mean LOSSLESS?   It seems like things are a bit confused.

Pretty sure that everyone knows that Low Latency is different from the New Aptx Lossless that sends 16/44.1 without any compression.

Might be best if we say "lossless" if that's what we mean; And as "LL" is Low Latency?


----------



## silentraindrop

CactusPete23 said:


> Are some folks using Aptx-LL to mean LOW LATENCY, and Others to Mean LOSSLESS?   It seems like things are a bit confused.
> 
> Pretty sure that everyone knows that Low Latency is different from the New Aptx Lossless that sends 16/44.1 without any compression.
> 
> Might be best if we say "lossless" if that's what we mean; And as "LL" is Low Latency?


I hope no one is really confusing LL as lossless.  LL has been always low latency.  Not arguing with you but since there is no "lossless" on Aptx, why not call it by it's official name?  AptX HD, and AptX Adaptive should be used.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

I got ten bucks that if I sat someone down with this thing and let them listen to their favorite album, and I randomly switched from LDAC to AptX to AptX HD, no one would ever, ever notice.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> I got ten bucks that if I sat someone down with this thing and let them listen to their favorite album, and I randomly switched from LDAC to AptX to AptX HD, no one would ever, ever notice.


I can definitely notice AptX vs. AptX HD and LDAC. AptX sounds a bit "thin". But AptX HD and LDAC sound pretty much the same to me.


----------



## jkc1

SomeGuyDude said:


> I got ten bucks that if I sat someone down with this thing and let them listen to their favorite album, and I randomly switched from LDAC to AptX to AptX HD, no one would ever, ever notice.


I probably wouldnt notice, its my favorite album after all, would probably be jammin out too hard


----------



## CactusPete23

silentraindrop said:


> I hope no one is really confusing LL as lossless.  LL has been always low latency.  Not arguing with you but since there is no "lossless" on Aptx, why not call it by it's official name?  AptX HD, and AptX Adaptive should be used.


There IS now a Lossless APTx...  And Qualcomm is including it on their Flagship Snapdragon SOC's...  From the comments, I believe that some folks are talking about that new 16/44.1 lossless bluetooth.  You can read a bit about it here.  https://www.republicworld.com/techn...ed-online-might-launch-soon-articleshow.htmlv


----------



## silentraindrop

My bad.  I should have said lossless is not yet widely available.  At any rate, I agree that people should not confuse LL with lossless.  LL always stood for low latency.


----------



## xSDMx

silentraindrop said:


> My bad.  I should have said lossless is not yet widely available.  At any rate, I agree that people should not confuse LL with lossless.  LL always stood for low latency.


Who is confusing LL with lossless?


----------



## silentraindrop

xSDMx said:


> Who is confusing LL with lossless?





CactusPete23 said:


> Are some folks using Aptx-LL to mean LOW LATENCY, and Others to Mean LOSSLESS?   It seems like things are a bit confused.
> 
> Pretty sure that everyone knows that Low Latency is different from the New Aptx Lossless that sends 16/44.1 without any compression.
> 
> Might be best if we say "lossless" if that's what we mean; And as "LL" is Low Latency?


----------



## xSDMx

Just FYI for anyone curious in the difference between autoeq presets and manually entering oratory1990 peq.


----------



## xSDMx (Oct 31, 2022)

xSDMx said:


> Just FYI for anyone curious in the difference between autoeq presets and manually entering oratory1990 peq.


Surprised nobody called me out on what I did wrong here.  Immediately got clipping with bass impact with the manual eq settings. Forgot to set headroom/negative pre gain.


----------



## tharding247365

Can't wait to use this Qudelix device, currently modifying my AKG K7XX to a balanced output.


----------



## Safeinthemountains (Nov 3, 2022)

tharding247365 said:


> Can't wait to use this Qudelix device, currently modifying my AKG K7XX to a balanced output.


Hehe... Did that already, with a 3-in-one connecteur from OEAudio, soooo easy as there is already 4 wires in the original cable  But you can upgrade it of course...

https://www.oeaudio.net/multiplug

Veeeery nice !


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Y'all do realize balanced doesn't inherently sound better, its only utility here is to provide extra juice to headphones that might need it? Like there's literally nothing mechanically in a balanced connection that would make it sound better.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

I think you're totally right...   And in my case, there is no need at all for extra juice because I have low impedance HP (12 to 32 Ohms) and I listen at levels that are way below 1mW; it would completely destroy my hearing !
There might just be a marginal crosstalk difference, but the chances to notice it are non-existent; there will never be a case where you have a 50-70 dB difference in between L & R channels, and if so, you'll be never able to hear anything on one side if there is such levels on the other 

Honestly I think the power abundance of the high end players/amps and the balanced outputs are just marketing bull, but I just wanted to try; I cannot state if there's any difference, so it is probably useless, and balanced outputs will drain the battery faster.


----------



## rlw6534

SomeGuyDude said:


> Y'all do realize balanced doesn't inherently sound better, its only utility here is to provide extra juice to headphones that might need it? Like there's literally nothing mechanically in a balanced connection that would make it sound better.



I totally agree with you for most devices, including the Q5K.  I did recently learn that there are apparently exceptions, such as the Sony S-Master designs which don't follow the normal DAC/amp arrangement.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> Y'all do realize balanced doesn't inherently sound better, its only utility here is to provide extra juice to headphones that might need it? Like there's literally nothing mechanically in a balanced connection that would make it sound better.


This debate! Yes, it's not the cable or connector that matters. It's the circuit in the amp/dac. Balanced WILL provide higher output power, better linearity, and lower noise (for the same power level). All of these characteristics arguably improve sound quality at a given volume level for harder to drive equipment.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

xSDMx said:


> This debate! Yes, it's not the cable or connector that matters. It's the circuit in the amp/dac. Balanced WILL provide higher output power, better linearity, and lower noise (for the same power level). All of these characteristics arguably improve sound quality at a given volume level for harder to drive equipment.


Higher power only matters if the headphones need it, linearity is bogus, and the lower noise floor only matters at extremely long cable lengths (the tech was literally invented for running cables >25ft).

I agree that if your headphones need more power than the 5k can output single-ended that going balanced is the way to go, but for anything else it's completely unnecessary. If your headphones can get enough power in the 3.5mm jack, there is 100% emphatically zero benefit to going balanced.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> Higher power only matters if the headphones need it, linearity is bogus, and the lower noise floor only matters at extremely long cable lengths (the tech was literally invented for running cables >25ft).
> 
> I agree that if your headphones need more power than the 5k can output single-ended that going balanced is the way to go, but for anything else it's completely unnecessary. If your headphones can get enough power in the 3.5mm jack, there is 100% emphatically zero benefit to going balanced.


You can hear background noise and hiss even with shorter cables using sensitive gear and balanced will cut down on that. I tested this with my SE846 on an ES100 balanced vs. unbalanced.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

xSDMx said:


> You can hear background noise and hiss even with shorter cables using sensitive gear and balanced will cut down on that. I tested this with my SE846 on an ES100 balanced vs. unbalanced.


I mean if your cable was 30 feet long, absolutely. Otherwise no. And yes I know the SE846 is especially low impedance (which could theoretically be a factor) but I heavily, heavily doubt it. Balanced is something that has an incredibly narrow use case but has been marketed to audiophiles with the same honesty as all those ridiculous dragon cables and whatnot leading to people insisting they can hear something that literally does not show up in measurements. 

The only reason I have a balanced cable myself was because I needed a new one and they were the same price so I thought hey why the hell not.


----------



## daveya

Tbh that's my whole hifi philosophy 'why the hell not', just in case etc etc

Etc etc doing the heavy lifting


----------



## daveya (Nov 3, 2022)

Deleted due to idiocy


----------



## ExTubeGamer

SomeGuyDude said:


> Y'all do realize balanced doesn't inherently sound better, its only utility here is to provide extra juice to headphones that might need it? Like there's literally nothing mechanically in a balanced connection that would make it sound better.


The balanced output option on most sources sounds better then the unbalanced output. It might be the circuit or it might be the manufacturer who put extra effort into the balanced port.


----------



## daveya

I love the extra effort bonus when I buy stuff


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> I mean if your cable was 30 feet long, absolutely. Otherwise no. And yes I know the SE846 is especially low impedance (which could theoretically be a factor) but I heavily, heavily doubt it. Balanced is something that has an incredibly narrow use case but has been marketed to audiophiles with the same honesty as all those ridiculous dragon cables and whatnot leading to people insisting they can hear something that literally does not show up in measurements.
> 
> The only reason I have a balanced cable myself was because I needed a new one and they were the same price so I thought hey why the hell not.



Your anecdote vs. my anecdote, go! I can hear a difference with my SE846, so I'll leave it at that. Others can make their own decision re: if spending $15 on an extra cable is worthwhile.


----------



## Guy Fawkes

SomeGuyDude said:


> I mean if your cable was 30 feet long, absolutely. Otherwise no. And yes I know the SE846 is especially low impedance (which could theoretically be a factor) but I heavily, heavily doubt it. Balanced is something that has an incredibly narrow use case but has been marketed to audiophiles with the same honesty as all those ridiculous dragon cables and whatnot leading to people insisting they can hear something that literally does not show up in measurements.
> 
> The only reason I have a balanced cable myself was because I needed a new one and they were the same price so I thought hey why the hell not.



Believe it or not, a balanced connection and an unbalanced one sounds different, whether it can be better or worse that's another story but they sound different. Plus the human hearing nerve is superior to any measurement system out there. Measurements are a good approach to making a rough assessment but in no way can they replace critical listening.

It's like believing you know the flavor of a food, measuring its weight, shape, texture, density, color, etc.


----------



## mugbot

Guy Fawkes said:


> Believe it or not, a balanced connection and an unbalanced one sounds different, whether it can be better or worse that's another story but they sound different. Plus the human hearing nerve is superior to any measurement system out there. Measurements are a good approach to making a rough assessment but in no way can they replace critical listening.
> 
> It's like believing you know the flavor of a food, measuring its weight, shape, texture, density, color, etc.


Modern measuring devices are orders of magnitude better than the 'human hearing nerve'. 
Citation needed on where an unbalanced connection sounds different to balanced. There's no science based reason for this to be the case (except of course where chip amps can produce more power, and thus play louder).


----------



## 3fifty

Guy Fawkes said:


> Plus the human hearing nerve is superior to any measurement system out there.


This is so wrong I don't even know where to start..


----------



## daveya

Qudelix themselves say this in the manual.    

2.5mm Balanced (Full Differential)
2VRMS Mode

The full differential direct audio path delivers the best linearity and separation, still with enough battery time.

I mean who doesn't want 'the best' .

Just in case etc etc


----------



## yabba235

The eternal problem - measurements or hearing - I wonder why people with the so-called absolute hearing are still alive and their opinions are binding, not the results from the laboratory. Measurements can tell us if a brick is made to the standards, but they won't tell us anything about its sound quality. This is the domain of subjective listening. And that's about it. As for the differences between unbalanced and balanced, I personally always prefer balanced connections. Even when I used to have an analog turntable as a source in the audio path a long time ago. After all, it is a clean, balanced source


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Got a big problem going.

The 5k won't turn on. Pressing the blue button makes the red light turn on and stay on, but no amount of holding turns the device on. PC no longer recognizes it. I left it on a charger for an hour or so, no change.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

yabba235 said:


> The eternal problem - measurements or hearing - I wonder why people with the so-called absolute hearing are still alive and their opinions are binding, not the results from the laboratory. Measurements can tell us if a brick is made to the standards, but they won't tell us anything about its sound quality. This is the domain of subjective listening. And that's about it. As for the differences between unbalanced and balanced, I personally always prefer balanced connections. Even when I used to have an analog turntable as a source in the audio path a long time ago. After all, it is a clean, balanced source


Because hearing is wildly affected by your feelings and opinions. No one has "objective hearing".

Never forget that a whole bunch of people claimed that the Synergistic Research HOT made all these wonderful changes to the sound until someone popped one open and it was literally just a 3.5mm jack with some sand and a couple wires that didn't do anything. People raved about certain models of KZ early on for their separation thanks to all the drivers and then someone looked and several of the BAs weren't even connected. 

Think of the analogy of the wine tasting experiment in 2004. A bunch of wine experts were given a white wine to sample and give their opinions, then a red to do the same. The white was described as sweet, flowery, citrus notes, etc. The red was described as dry, tart, etc. Except the red _was _the white. It had been dyed red to see if people's opinions will change. And it caused exactly what we knew would happen.

I guarantee you the same could be done with audiophiles. If I swapped cables around and told you this one is balanced, that one is copper, this one is 16 core braided pure silver, that one has extra insulation, if I told you this file was 16/44.1 and that one was 32/192, you'd start giving me all kinds of explanations for the sonic differences you hear... even when nothing was actually changed.

Human beings are incredibly easy to mislead, the placebo effect is real, and it doesn't take much effort to trick people into experiencing what they want to experience. If it makes you happy to give you that psychological security of knowing that you have something-or-other, that's great. Honestly. The problem arises when you begin to take that and insist it's an objective and real difference that makes your chosen arrangement superior beyond your own brain.


----------



## xSDMx

Is there anyway to disable Bluetooth? I use the 5K in USB mode and it keeps automatically connecting to my phone and stealing audio output.


----------



## daveya

Unplug and plug it back in, that's what I have to do, the phone software tries to force BT I think, in between the volume columns you can pick who one you want to use and make sure USB is selected as priority in the app


----------



## Guy Fawkes

xSDMx said:


> Is there anyway to disable Bluetooth? I use the 5K in USB mode and it keeps automatically connecting to my phone and stealing audio output.


it does this because the app needs bluetooth to interface with the device. You can safely use the 5k via USB but the bluetooth must remain active otherwise you lose the functionality of the app


----------



## xSDMx

Guy Fawkes said:


> it does this because the app needs bluetooth to interface with the device. You can safely use the 5k via USB but the bluetooth must remain active otherwise you lose the functionality of the app


Why does it need the functionality of the mobile app if you're using the device only as a desktop amp+dac and can configure it via the Chrome browser plugin?


----------



## daveya

Re the Oratory settings for Sundara , pre gain is 5.5 , one low shelf is +5.5db,  the notes on the side say you can set the other low shelf to 6db for linear extension, does this now mean the pre gain should change to -11.5?


----------



## Guy Fawkes

xSDMx said:


> Why does it need the functionality of the mobile app if you're using the device only as a desktop amp+dac and can configure it via the Chrome browser plugin?


are you connecting your 5k to your pc or smartphone?


----------



## xSDMx

Guy Fawkes said:


> are you connecting your 5k to your pc or smartphone?


I am primarily using my PC with the Qudelix as a USB dac+amp. I can forget the 5K on my phone, but then I have to re-pair on the occasion I want to use it with my phone. The 5K also seems to aggressively try to pair and/or connect with nearby devices and always allows other to pair with it. I'm surprised there isn't a simple toggle switch to disable Bluetooth.


----------



## michusxx

daveya said:


> Re the Oratory settings for Sundara , pre gain is 5.5 , one low shelf is +5.5db,  the notes on the side say you can set the other low shelf to 6db for linear extension, does this now mean the pre gain should change to -11.5?


Yes.
BTW. Qudelix app has nice functionality of PEQ equalizer graph - it shows minimum and maximum gain of all cascaded filters you activate. When you apply several correction filters with frequency close to each other (or with low Q factor) then they all add or substract (depending on sign) their specific gain for corresponding frequencies.
So, as a rule of thumb - you should apply negative PRE-GAIN with value not less then the value [db] in right corner of PEQ graph of Q5k equalizer tab...


----------



## CactusPete23

xSDMx said:


> I am primarily using my PC with the Qudelix as a USB dac+amp. I can forget the 5K on my phone, but then I have to re-pair on the occasion I want to use it with my phone. The 5K also seems to aggressively try to pair and/or connect with nearby devices and always allows other to pair with it. I'm surprised there isn't a simple toggle switch to disable Bluetooth.


I hardly ever use the USB DAC function...  However, I's wonderin if doing either of the following will help:

1) *Set device to Power ON at USB DAC connection:* Go to the Qudelix App on your smartphone. You should be on the DEVICE screen. If not, press the ‘gear’ ⛭ in the lower left hand corner that says DEVICE. Select the POWER tab. In the POWER tab select ON at USB DAC.  _Maybe starting without pushing the "ON Button" will *not* put it into the "Seeking Bluetooth Connection" mode?_

2) *Set the connection Priority:* Select the PRIORITY tab at the top of the INPUT screen. Select the USB DAC FS you want. If you plan to use this as a USB DAC (which I do, for reasons of sound quality), you will probably want to select the USB DAC setting.  _Maybe this will prevent it from seeking a bluetooth Connection when USB is connected (and the priority) ?

*Hope you find a solution!*_


----------



## xSDMx

CactusPete23 said:


> I hardly ever use the USB DAC function...  However, I's wonderin if doing either of the following will help:
> 
> 1) *Set device to Power ON at USB DAC connection:* Go to the Qudelix App on your smartphone. You should be on the DEVICE screen. If not, press the ‘gear’ ⛭ in the lower left hand corner that says DEVICE. Select the POWER tab. In the POWER tab select ON at USB DAC.  _Maybe starting without pushing the "ON Button" will *not* put it into the "Seeking Bluetooth Connection" mode?_
> 
> ...


Appreciate the reply. Unfortunately, neither of those options resolve the eager Bluetooth of the Qudelix and really there would be a third option to "disable Bluetooth transmitter".


----------



## Mouseman

xSDMx said:


> Why does it need the functionality of the mobile app if you're using the device only as a desktop amp+dac and can configure it via the Chrome browser plugin?


If you're plugging it in via USB, then the only BT connection initiated will be for the app. I use mine attached to my iPhone with an OTG cable and I only get one connection for the app (using it wireless I think there are two).

The Chrome plugin was added much later. You could always put in a request on the Quidelex forums, but since the unit was designed as a mobile unit, it seems like your request might be a fairly unique use case. But the developer has been very responsive to at least consider things in the past, that's probably your best option.


----------



## Orfik

Can I use the Qudelix or Topping G5 as a Bluetooth receiver for a Cayin Ru6?


----------



## Chezpi

Any news about a new version?
I enjoy so much my qudelix 5k..


----------



## Chezpi

xSDMx said:


> FiiO todavía está luchando por descubrir cómo transmitir Bluetooth de manera confiable. BTR5 vs. Qudelix es la noche y el día en relación con el rendimiento de BT.


Esto es cierto, tengo mi qudelix desde hace 6 meses, y 0 problemas con el BT, increible.


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## xSDMx (Nov 7, 2022)

michusxx said:


> Yes.
> BTW. Qudelix app has nice functionality of PEQ equalizer graph - it shows minimum and maximum gain of all cascaded filters you activate. When you apply several correction filters with frequency close to each other (or with low Q factor) then they all add or substract (depending on sign) their specific gain for corresponding frequencies.
> So, as a rule of thumb - you should apply negative PRE-GAIN with value not less then the value [db] in right corner of PEQ graph of Q5k equalizer tab...



I think this rule of thumb is not entirely correct. In the example attached, the value on the right side is too little pre-gain and would cause clipping. In this case oratory recommends -8.4db, which isn't something clearly shown anywhere in the UI unless you guesstimate using the graph.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Chezpi said:


> Any news about a new version?
> I enjoy so much my qudelix 5k..


I don't believe so. There hasn't been much word and it seems like Qudelix themselves aren't terribly engaged.


----------



## daveya

SomeGuyDude said:


> I don't believe so. There hasn't been much word and it seems like Qudelix themselves aren't terribly engaged.


Maybe it's because they are so busy working on it to engage in the forum


----------



## SomeGuyDude

daveya said:


> Maybe it's because they are so busy working on it to engage in the forum


If your company is such that your engineers are also working PR that's a bad sign. Doubly true if you don't have the resources to have someone able to communicate with customers.


----------



## michusxx

xSDMx said:


> I think this rule of thumb is not entirely correct. In the example attached, the value on the right side is too little pre-gain and would cause clipping. In this case oratory recommends -8.4db, which isn't something clearly shown anywhere in the UI unless you guesstimate using the graph.


Maybe I didn't make myself precisely... 
The right side value shows value of negative gain correction to be applied if you just input only filters. If there is also PRE-GAIN entered then it influences values on right. In you case the PRE-GAIN is set to -8.4dB and it is then subtracted from cascaded filters envelope. That is why shown value is -0.08dB...

Look at Oratory values for Sundara with +6dB subbass extension *@daveya* was asking about:





Value on right shows ~11,5dB because PRE-GAIN is not applied (0,0dB).


----------



## xSDMx

michusxx said:


> Maybe I didn't make myself precisely...
> The right side value shows value of negative gain correction to be applied if you just input only filters. If there is also PRE-GAIN entered then it influences values on right. In you case the PRE-GAIN is set to -8.4dB and it is then subtracted from cascaded filters envelope. That is why shown value is -0.08dB...
> 
> Look at Oratory values for Sundara with +6dB subbass extension *@daveya* was asking about:
> ...


Ah, you're right. Thanks for clarifying. For some reason the UI wasn't updating for me when I zeroed out the pre-gain, but it's clearly showing the expected maximum value in my mobile app.


----------



## Chezpi

SomeGuyDude said:


> I don't believe so. There hasn't been much word and it seems like Qudelix themselves aren't terribly engaged.


a pity, one of the few audio things that I recommend and would buy again..


----------



## 43sZmJ2NjvoyaR

Chezpi said:


> a pity, one of the few audio things that I recommend and would buy again..



If Qudelix 5k is doing great, why do you want a new version?


----------



## C_Lindbergh

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> If Qudelix 5k is doing great, why do you want a new version?



Better buttons
Volume wheel
4.4mm jack
Latest  qualcomm SoC
Larger battery
Wireless Charging
AKM Dac


----------



## daveya

Thing is I want all those but ndo t need them and don't want to pay 200 quid, I think they got the balance right . I dont have a problem with the buttons, turn it on on the right and volume up and down on the left, it's not an issue at all for me, and love the fact it's hard plastic and indestructible.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

daveya said:


> Thing is I want all those but ndo t need them and don't want to pay 200 quid, I think they got the balance right . I dont have a problem with the buttons, turn it on on the right and volume up and down on the left, it's not an issue at all for me, and love the fact it's hard plastic and indestructible.


It is FAR from indestructible. Honestly if I had one qualm with the 5K it's that the buttons are chintzy and prone to get loose and stop working as well. That's what mine started doing.


----------



## Safeinthemountains

daveya said:


> Thing is I want all those but ndo t need them and don't want to pay 200 quid, I think they got the balance right . I dont have a problem with the buttons, turn it on on the right and volume up and down on the left, it's not an issue at all for me, and love the fact it's hard plastic and indestructible.


The only improvement I would personnaly need is dedicated buttons with a better location on the device. The ES100 was better on this, why did they messed up with the functions ? And why the hell they decided they will put buttons in the CORNERS ??? The 5K IS great in terms of SQ, functionnalities and so on,  but every now and then you go wrong with the buttons (play vs next track) or the music is paused because the play button was accidentaly pushed by your clothes or a move...

One of the advantages of a small dongle is that you shouldn't need to pull out your phone in order to simply skip tracks, or radio channels... You should be able to use it blindly.
At least for me, and even after months of use, I never managed to use it seamlessely...
When you're commuting by bike, this is even a safety issue... you need to keep eyes on the road and traffic, not on your damn phone screen !

To me this is the best BT dongle (SQ, battery life, form factor, BT stability and range) after the ES100 that was plagued by hardware issues after ~1 year...
Someting like the fiio BTR7 has the size of a small DAP, bulky, too short battery life, useless screen, and the same crappy app... not to mention the price !


----------



## newworld666 (Nov 14, 2022)

I stopped to use the Qudelix 5K, though I still own it, due to a too short battery life and a bit too low output power for some of my IEM compare to iFi Go Blu and BTR7.

None of these BT dongle check 100% of the needed features :
-> iFi Go Blu is small, light, powerful with the longest battery playing time (LDAC/Balanced/Hi gain) but there is some annoying little permanent background hiss at very low volume level with some sensitive IEM and this dongle needs a little bill clip to be sticked on it to be used with a Shirt Pocket

-> BTR7 is powerful with no background hiss but too anorexic battery playing time in LDAC mode /  balanced / hi-gain (less than 6 hours), but luckily more than 10 hours in AAC+Low gain.. just a bit too bulky and heavy compared to the competitors and this dongle needs a little bill clip to be sticked on it to be used with a Shirt Pocket.

-> Quedelix 5K is full of good features, compact, and light with a build in clip, hiss free, but it's the less powerful dongle which is an issue with some IEM and has a too short battery playing time (LDAC/High Gain/Balanced) with less than 5 hours.

So there are some room for improvement with all BT Dongle (including the little ES100MK2 which I don't use since I bought the Qudelix)


----------



## daveya (Nov 14, 2022)

I don't have issue with the battery, I keep it on 80% battery health setting and just keep a short cord on it to top it from phone


----------



## daveya

I seem to be the only one that hasn't got an issue with the buttons for the price, if it was twice the price I'd raise an eyebrow though


----------



## SomeGuyDude (Nov 14, 2022)

Since we're complaining about buttons... the fact that they're on opposite sides is so stupid. If you're holding it in your hand and going to press a button, there's a pretty good chance that the pressure from holding it is gonna make the button on the opposite side press. I've gone into BT pairing mode or accidentally cranked the volume up thanks to that. Not to mention how many times a button got pressed from just being in my pocket. I actually have to have the button lock feature on all the time because otherwise way too many accidental presses happen.


----------



## michusxx (Nov 14, 2022)

newworld666 said:


> I stopped to use the Qudelix 5K, though I still own it, due to a too short battery life and a bit too low output power for some of my IEM compare to iFi Go Blu and BTR7.
> 
> None of these BT dongle check 100% of the needed features :
> -> iFi Go Blu is small, light, powerful with the longest battery playing time (LDAC/Balanced/Hi gain) but there is some annoying little permanent background hiss at very low volume level with some sensitive IEM and this dongle needs a little bill clip to be sticked on it to be used with a Shirt Pocket
> ...


Just out of curiosity - which of your IEM are not driven sufficiently from Q5k?


----------



## daveya

I seem to be the only one that hasn't got an issue with the buttons for the price, if it was twice the price I'd raise an eyebrow though


----------



## Chezpi

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> If Qudelix 5k is doing great, why do you want a new version?


lol, so many things that can be improved, I would appreciate a better microphone, bigger battery, 4.4 input and new chips.


----------



## MisterMudd

daveya said:


> I seem to be the only one that hasn't got an issue with the buttons for the price, if it was twice the price I'd raise an eyebrow though


You are not alone as I too have no button problems. Just learned to use it as is, without complaining. I'm old enough to not waste time with small things. For others.......


----------



## SomeGuyDude

MisterMudd said:


> You are not alone as I too have no button problems. Just learned to use it as is, without complaining. I'm old enough to not waste time with small things. For others.......


Old enough? Bruh don't even try and act like the older generation ain't the ones getting caught on camera hassling restaurant employees and retail workers over "small things". Spoiler, it ain't Zoomers yelling at grocery store cashiers about how their expired coupon for 50 cents off a box of Raisin Nut Bran should be accepted.


----------



## daveya

SomeGuyDude said:


> Old enough? Bruh don't even try and act like the older generation ain't the ones getting caught on camera hassling restaurant employees and retail workers over "small things". Spoiler, it ain't Zoomers yelling at grocery store cashiers about how their expired coupon for 50 cents off a box of Raisin Nut Bran should be accepted.


Well that escalated quickly


----------



## Mouseman

I only buy cereal that has a PEQ.


----------



## MisterMudd

SomeGuyDude said:


> Old enough? Bruh don't even try and act like the older generation ain't the ones getting caught on camera hassling restaurant employees and retail workers over "small things". Spoiler, it ain't Zoomers yelling at grocery store cashiers about how their expired coupon for 50 cents off a box of Raisin Nut Bran should be accepted.


Sorry to disappoint. I'm just not THAT old guy. Just saying....


----------



## SomeGuyDude

daveya said:


> Well that escalated quickly


I am not a fan of people who make comments like "well I'm from the good generation, these young people today suck." Especially when it's on a topic this dumb. It's not like any of us here are lying in a corner weeping in misery about the buttons on a bluetooth adapter. We're discussing flaws it might have that could ideally be improved upon in later iterations or what makes a competing product worth a look. 

Bringing in this whole "well I'M old enough to not COMPLAIN so much, unlike..." garbage is arrogant, ignorant, and pointless. Just keep the topic on the gear, knock it off with the boomer energy.


----------



## 43sZmJ2NjvoyaR

C_Lindbergh said:


> Better buttons
> Volume wheel
> 4.4mm jack
> Latest  qualcomm SoC
> ...



So you want a bulkier more expensive device and that's an improvement.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> So you want a bulkier more expensive device and that's an improvement.



Oh yes, I'd love a slightly bigger device if it meant more battery life/powerful amp! 

Just as long as it doesn't reach the size of the BTR7.


----------



## 43sZmJ2NjvoyaR

C_Lindbergh said:


> Oh yes, I'd love a slightly bigger device if it meant more battery life/powerful amp!
> 
> Just as long as it doesn't reach the size of the BTR7.



But you won't get slightly bigger. You'll get a bigger, heavier and more expensive device.
So when you talk about improvements, you are just talking about the compromises you care about.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> But you won't get slightly bigger. You'll get a bigger, heavier and more expensive device.
> So when you talk about improvements, you are just talking about the compromises you care about.



Well, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to have a larger battery. 

The BTR7 seem to be quite popular as well for example.


----------



## 43sZmJ2NjvoyaR

C_Lindbergh said:


> Well, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to have a larger battery.
> 
> The BTR7 seem to be quite popular as well for example.



Ok but the developer of the qudelix-5k went for lighter, smaller, feature rich, relatively powerful and good sound. 
Something closer to the BTR7 would be the opposite of improvement


----------



## C_Lindbergh

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> Ok but the developer of the qudelix-5k went for lighter, smaller, feature rich, relatively powerful and good sound.
> Something closer to the BTR7 would be the opposite of improvement



All right...

Yes I'm absoluty aware of the 5k and it's size.

My suggestions was for a MK II...


----------



## Chezpi

43sZmJ2NjvoyaR said:


> Ok but the developer of the qudelix-5k went for lighter, smaller, feature rich, relatively powerful and good sound.
> Something closer to the BTR7 would be the opposite of improvement


The downside is that its design is already several years old and technology is advancing a lot, and I don't see any improvement projects, not on the bt** side of fiio, but on the side of the qudelix developer himself.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Really all the next iteration would be are two things: a more solid construction and updated codec capability. That's all. Everything else is just about perfect. Sure the BTR5/7 are super sleek and iPhone-inspired but whatever, I'd rather some upgraded internals and aptX-HD/LL


----------



## xSDMx

I still think this debate shows they should make a modular dockable. The "core" is a super simple 5K like what we have now. You can dock into a battery case with a volume knob and 4.4mm balanced out or a desktop unit with a big chunky knob, screen, and quarter-inch jack, etc. Everyone wins.


----------



## 43sZmJ2NjvoyaR

C_Lindbergh said:


> All right...
> 
> Yes I'm absoluty aware of the 5k and it's size.
> 
> My suggestions was for a MK II...




Improvements such as better button implementation and more energy efficient chips should not compromise the whole point of the qudelix 5k. I agree.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

xSDMx said:


> I still think this debate shows they should make a modular dockable. The "core" is a super simple 5K like what we have now. You can dock into a battery case with a volume knob and 4.4mm balanced out or a desktop unit with a big chunky knob, screen, and quarter-inch jack, etc. Everyone wins.


That's starting to make things expensive though. Selling the dock separately would be pointless and implementing all that functionality would just jack the price. I admit I've never even seen a "dockable" dac/amp unless you count the Chord Mojo/Poly combo.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> That's starting to make things expensive though. Selling the dock separately would be pointless and implementing all that functionality would just jack the price. I admit I've never even seen a "dockable" dac/amp unless you count the Chord Mojo/Poly combo.


They pass the data you'd need for this over USB already. I don't know that the 5K core unit itself has to meaningfully change except for a generic audio out to passthrough the dock. The docking units would be almost all physical hardware (knobs, jacks, battery) with a small microcontroller.


----------



## daveya

Which I suppose would be only of use to a small number of buyers. 

I love the fact all their time and money has been spent on function, not form


----------



## xSDMx

daveya said:


> Which I suppose would be only of use to a small number of buyers.
> 
> I love the fact all their time and money has been spent on function, not form


Is that true? What have they been spending their time on since launch? No major updates and they never released their desktop DAC/amp they had planned. Their forum is mostly unresponsive to feature requests.


----------



## daveya

I've no idea, they answered a question of mine so they ate still about, maybe they are busy working on these things. I'd love a desktop Dac amp off them, I use a Fiio K3


----------



## SomeGuyDude

xSDMx said:


> They pass the data you'd need for this over USB already. I don't know that the 5K core unit itself has to meaningfully change except for a generic audio out to passthrough the dock. The docking units would be almost all physical hardware (knobs, jacks, battery) with a small microcontroller.


I feel like you don't really understand how production works if you think this is some easy peasy little change and that all the extra hardware/controller wouldn't add significantly to the cost.


----------



## xSDMx (Nov 16, 2022)

SomeGuyDude said:


> I feel like you don't really understand how production works if you think this is some easy peasy little change and that all the extra hardware/controller wouldn't add significantly to the cost.


And I feel like you're needlessly shooting down ideas to further improve an already great product. I'm not suggesting it would be free or effortless. I'm suggesting the 5K itself wouldn't need to fundamentally change given how thoughtfully it's designed already and that the cost could be passed on to the accessories themselves. I'm a software engineer who has worked with hardware teams with nearly two decades of experience. It's not unreasonable given Qudelix was already planning a desktop amp and this could better justify that work while giving them a very unique product offering and value proposition that keeps them relevant as this market evolves.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

xSDMx said:


> And I feel like you're needlessly shooting down ideas to further improve an already great product. I'm not suggesting it would be free or effortless. I'm suggesting the 5K itself wouldn't need to fundamentally change given how thoughtfully it's designed already and that the cost could be passed on to the accessories themselves. I'm a software engineer who has worked with hardware teams with nearly two decades of experience. It's not unreasonable given Qudelix was already planning a desktop amp and this could better justify that work while giving them a very unique product offering and value proposition that keeps them relevant as this market evolves.


You said it yourself. You're a software engineer. That means nothing right now, "worked with hardware teams" is like saying you know how to fly a plane because you "worked with planes" by doing engine maintenance. You don't have any extra expertise here.

Adding a bunch of stuff that would jack up the price would kill the 5k because its entire appeal right now is that it's sitting around the $100 mark where it can comfortably beat the ES100 and BTR5, and even if it were somehow possible to make the dock accessory without making any fundamental changes to the 5k itself (spoiler: it's not) Qudelix is such a small company that they literally only have one product available and frankly I'd rather see them put their limited resources into upgrades within the 5k that keep its price point low.

Sure we could rattle off a dozen "it'd be nice" features but compromises have to be made for something to keep a low price and I'd vastly prefer keeping it cost effective over kitchen sinking the damn thing and finding myself shrugging and opting for something like the iFi Go Blu.


----------



## xSDMx

SomeGuyDude said:


> You said it yourself. You're a software engineer. That means nothing right now, "worked with hardware teams" is like saying you know how to fly a plane because you "worked with planes" by doing engine maintenance. You don't have any extra expertise here.
> 
> Adding a bunch of stuff that would jack up the price would kill the 5k because its entire appeal right now is that it's sitting around the $100 mark where it can comfortably beat the ES100 and BTR5, and even if it were somehow possible to make the dock accessory without making any fundamental changes to the 5k itself (spoiler: it's not) Qudelix is such a small company that they literally only have one product available and frankly I'd rather see them put their limited resources into upgrades within the 5k that keep its price point low.
> 
> Sure we could rattle off a dozen "it'd be nice" features but compromises have to be made for something to keep a low price and I'd vastly prefer keeping it cost effective over kitchen sinking the damn thing and finding myself shrugging and opting for something like the iFi Go Blu.



Haha. Okay, dude. We will all try to not discuss any cool ideas in this thread around you. Some people just like looking for fights, I guess.


----------



## lewisl

As someone above pointed out, Qudelix is a tiny company. Small upgrades within the current form factor (possibly allowing for button relocation) might be possible.

I think their Chrome plugin is close to brilliant though could benefit from some usability improvements around entering custom PEX settings (especially import and export).

Improved bluetooth recognition and usb connection for accessing the app with a mobile device (bypassing bluetooth completely) would be welcome. I'd say they already do a better job than many bluetooth devices, but given how crumbly bluetooth is--improvement remains an opportunity.

A companion "desktop" or more powerful product (higher output) that is otherwise essentially the same might be possible.  Using usb C power in, of course, is already there so this might be quite easy.  Would anyone want it?

The buttons are awkward.  But, over time I've gotten handier. Hold the device between your thumb and middle finger and you can use your index finger to push one button. Of course, you need to flip it over so your index finger can access the other button. The more my setup has settled down and I tend to use the device with one specific headphone I find I have less frequent need for the buttons: advance song, change volume.


----------



## xSDMx

The Chrome plugin is so fantastic. I hope other companies consider the same type of functionality in the future.


----------



## Guy Fawkes

does your 5k also have the red key slightly loose compared to the blue one? the blue key is stable and quite firm while the red one tends to play a bit and rattle if I shake it


----------



## xSDMx

Has anyone ever had their 5K randomly not keep settings after power-off? I turned off PEQ and lowered volume. The next day, PEQ was back up and volume was boosted. Super strange.


----------



## xSDMx

Guy Fawkes said:


> does your 5k also have the red key slightly loose compared to the blue one? the blue key is stable and quite firm while the red one tends to play a bit and rattle if I shake it


My buttons are both the same amount of wobbly.


----------



## Carrow

Anyone got this working with an Android 12 device? it's a full-size amp kinda setup and not a dongle so I think I'll have more luck than with the Ovidius B1 or Periodic Audio Nickel.


----------



## bithalver

Carrow said:


> Anyone got this working with an Android 12 device? it's a full-size amp kinda setup and not a dongle so I think I'll have more luck than with the Ovidius B1 or Periodic Audio Nickel.


Poco F2 Pro user here with android 12; Qudelix 5k works well over bluetooth and usb, too.


----------



## Carrow

bithalver said:


> Poco F2 Pro user here with android 12; Qudelix 5k works well over bluetooth and usb, too.


Thank you! universal dongle capability broke with Android 12 so this is great to hear.


----------



## xSDMx

Big shout out to our very own artisan, @digitalazer ! I had been trying to find a nice case, available in the US, to protect my beloved Qudelix 5K. @digitalazer took my commission to 3D print a TPU case that completely covers the Qudelix 5K (I don't use the clip) and the results are fantastic! Shipping was quick and @digitalazer was easy to work with. Super happy and now I can rest assured my gear is safe and sound.


----------



## Carrow

xSDMx said:


> Big shout out to our very own artisan, @digitalazer ! I had been trying to find a nice case, available in the US, to protect my beloved Qudelix 5K. @digitalazer took my commission to 3D print a TPU case that completely covers the Qudelix 5K (I don't use the clip) and the results are fantastic! Shipping was quick and @digitalazer was easy to work with. Super happy and now I can rest assured my gear is safe and sound.


interesting - I don't have mine yet but this is probably an essential add-on. @digitalazer would you consider taking another commission?


----------



## Leonarfd

Anyone here that have used the 5k with DT770 80ohm or HD650/6xx?


----------



## jsk ksj

Leonarfd said:


> Anyone here that have used the 5k with  or HD650/6xx?


Worked great with DT770 250ohm I used to have & with my hd660s', if that helps.


----------



## Leonarfd

jsk ksj said:


> Worked great with DT770 250ohm I used to have & with my hd660s', if that helps.


Thanks, getting a little present for the wife


----------



## Carrow

bithalver said:


> Poco F2 Pro user here with android 12; Qudelix 5k works well over bluetooth and usb, too.


arrived this morning and worked immediately once powered on with an OTG connection engaged!


----------



## JTon

I've recently noticed when I open Spotify app on Android music begins playing automatically. I thought it was a characteristic of the Spotify app, but I've realized it only happens when I'm paired with the 5k . It does not happen when paired with my car or Samsung Galaxy buds. 

Is there an autoplay toggle I'm missing in the Qudelix app settings somewhere? It's a minor irritation, but I don't like this.


----------



## MisterMudd

JTon said:


> I've recently noticed when I open Spotify app on Android music begins playing automatically. I thought it was a characteristic of the Spotify app, but I've realized it only happens when I'm paired with the 5k . It does not happen when paired with my car or Samsung Galaxy buds.
> 
> Is there an autoplay toggle I'm missing in the Qudelix app settings somewhere? It's a minor irritation, but I don't like this.


There is no autoplay in the 5k. Keep digging in the Spotify app.


----------



## Tekniqs

thinking about picking up a 5k soon. Will be pairing it with my iphone on the go and desktop/mac via usb when at home. Seeing as the iphone bluetooth codecs are still stuck in the cavemen era (afaik), will it still work well via bluetooth or should I use it wired with the iphone?


----------



## 3fifty

Tekniqs said:


> Seeing as the iphone bluetooth codecs are still stuck in the cavemen era (afaik), will it still work well via bluetooth or should I use it wired with the iphone?


FWIW I cannot hear a difference between MP3 320 over iphone bluetooth and 96/24 flac from macbook over USB on my Arya's or DT1990s... I A/B'd for quite a while..bluetooth is fine imo.


----------



## Merkurio

3fifty said:


> FWIW I cannot hear a difference between MP3 320 over iphone bluetooth and 96/24 flac from macbook over USB on my Arya's or DT1990s... I A/B'd for quite a while..bluetooth is fine imo.



Same experience here between wired and AAC.


----------



## thugnificent

Anyone else with on Android 13 getting the app to connect? I have to constantly unpair from my bluetooth and repair to get the app to connect correctly. Works fine over USB on my PC or wired


----------



## xSDMx

thugnificent said:


> Anyone else with on Android 13 getting the app to connect? I have to constantly unpair from my bluetooth and repair to get the app to connect correctly. Works fine over USB on my PC or wired


No issues on my A13 phone.


----------



## cttttt

thugnificent said:


> Anyone else with on Android 13 getting the app to connect? I have to constantly unpair from my bluetooth and repair to get the app to connect correctly. Works fine over USB on my PC or wired


See https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/google-pixel-android-13-app-connection-issue-12506176

Seems like the devs are on it.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

Looks like a Pixel specific issue. Galaxy S22 Ultra running 13 and no issues.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

And sadly, my 5K has officially died. After a year and a half, it refuses to charge or turn on.

I'm unsure if I'll buy a replacement or see what's been made in the meanwhile.


----------



## C_Lindbergh

SomeGuyDude said:


> And sadly, my 5K has officially died. After a year and a half, it refuses to charge or turn on.
> 
> I'm unsure if I'll buy a replacement or see what's been made in the meanwhile.



Sadly nothing really new either from any company in this product field, except the BTR7, but it's way too big for my taste. 

I really hope Qudelix or IFi releases a gen 2 product with the latest bt tech next year.


----------



## monsieurfromag3

SomeGuyDude said:


> And sadly, my 5K has officially died. After a year and a half, it refuses to charge or turn on.
> 
> I'm unsure if I'll buy a replacement or see what's been made in the meanwhile.


At this point I’d rather wait for aptX Lossless BT dongles. But I’d reconsider if my 5K died… I’m not fond of the Go Blu and try to avoid chi-fi as much as possible unless the brands somehow manage to convey they don’t walk in line with the regime. Not leaving much choice apart from the 5K.


----------



## SomeGuyDude

monsieurfromag3 said:


> At this point I’d rather wait for aptX Lossless BT dongles. But I’d reconsider if my 5K died… I’m not fond of the Go Blu and try to avoid chi-fi as much as possible unless the brands somehow manage to convey they don’t walk in line with the regime. Not leaving much choice apart from the 5K.


Avoiding Chinese companies because they're forced to accept the regime's totalitarianism is... certainly a choice. As for AptX Lossless, as neat as that is, I'm not sure what devices actually use it so for the moment it's a bit of a non-factor.

TBH the main thing keeping me aiming for the 5K is the parametric EQ because I've gotten spoiled by it lmao


----------



## Tekniqs

Anyone here use this with a mest mk2? just curious what eq (if any) you guys are using. I've never EQ'd in the past, figured I'd have some fun with it.


----------



## pbxl (Dec 14, 2022)

Problem qudelix USB - Bluetooth
For Iphone user be aware of the problem bellow a certain Iphone battery percentage..
I search  and discuss with client service (really responsive),  order a new one (with same problem).. to understand
So bellow approx 60-70% on your iphone.. you won't be able to connect the 5K by USB as the power provided by the Iphone is no more sufficient for the 5K.
Symptome:
Your iphone will constantly switch between bluetooth and USB.
Music stop when  :
- you force the screen to turn off and back to on,
- receive notification
- switch the app (e.g from spotify to Q5 app)
-... shiet..

=> You have to disable the charger controller in the app to cure it.
*If you don't have the app *..* you're screwed* and found it not user friendly .. turn off the charger controller to listen, turn on to power..

It was already written on an article from Qudelix but missed it 
Hope it will help some.


----------



## pbxl

Update even if you disable the charge controller it does not work.   
Qudelix fix this Shiet.


----------



## 3fifty

pbxl said:


> Update even if you disable the charge controller it does not work.
> Qudelix fix this Shiet.


Probably not particularly helpful to your situation/complaint, but might ease your concerns;

I don't think there is a noticible difference in audio quality USB vs Bluetooth.  I A/B tested using USB from macbook (playing FLAC 24/96), and bluetooth from iphone (same songs but 320 MP3).  Honestly, the difference is imperceptible.  Just stick to bluetooth.


----------



## pbxl (Dec 14, 2022)

I don’t have golden ear but for me the difference is noticeable more open more detailed and bass more controlled.
I’m playing it now with iPhone on 37% battery and impossible to connect by usb.
They have a flaw and need to solve it for the long term. Even if they do not acknowledged


----------



## Tekniqs

there is a very TINY difference between wired and bluetooth (iphone) IMO. Nothing that would lessen my enjoyment of using the 5k but it is there. I became really aware of it while listening to Permission by Ro James. In the beginning there's a part of the song I can't hear when it's bluetooth but clearly comes through when wired. Interestingly, listening to it on my 5k allowed me to hear that part for the first time. I was totally ignorant of it lol


----------



## confined9991

I am trying to find the perfect EQ settings for my Sennheiser 58x but the qudelix 5k is only 10 band eq and most i've seen online besides oratorys are more than that. does anyone have a good eq where the vocals don't sound super muddy ?


----------



## MayaTlab

Firmware 2.0 : 
https://forum.qudelix.com/post/all-new-qudelix5k-v2-0-software-12519138?pid=1334083623


----------



## Safeinthemountains

Great ! But I didn't manage to do the USB upgrade, the .bin files are there but the program that should perform the upgrade (run_dfu.bat) is not there...
So wait for the OTA upgrade via Chrome or mobile app...


----------



## rlw6534

Safeinthemountains said:


> Great ! But I didn't manage to do the USB upgrade, the .bin files are there but the program that should perform the upgrade (run_dfu.bat) is not there...
> So wait for the OTA upgrade via Chrome or mobile app...



You have to add the new extension to Chrome manually.  Unzip, manage extensions, developer mode, load unpacked, select unzipped folder....


----------



## xSDMx

"Bluetooth Audio Auto Disconnection for USB DAC" OMG my prayers were answered! This is EXACTLY what I have been asking for. Thanks so much, Qudelix team!


----------



## PittViper

Hey all.  I hope somebody sees trhis aas the thread is pretty old.

I've had my Quedellix 5K for quite some time, and had entered custom PEQ settings for my headphones/iems.  I just used it last night, to be honest.

Now, today, the interface of the android app looks different to me.  I am not sure what happened overnight.  And, all of the presets that I entered into custom settings are gone.  I think I may perhaps be doing something wrong.  I've not experimented much with the software.

The sliders look lik a regular eq, not a peq.  Could I have hit something in my sleep wrong?

Hopefully, somebody can tell me how to get back to peq settings.  I even tried the autoeq, and supposedly, you are supposed to click on you model, and the eq settings should populate and show the curve.  This is not happening, as when I tap any of my headphones, nothing happens.

I was using this while asleep, so I may have inadvertently awoke and touched something I shouldn't have.  But, the interface is definitely not peq.  No entry for freq, gain, or q.

Please let somebody see this who has an answer.

Thanks!


----------



## MisterMudd

DSP @ bottom > DSP @ Top > EQ Type > PEQ


----------



## PittViper

Sorry, answered my own question.  Just by coincidence, I was looking at the app without the 5K on.  I just now turned it on, then looked at the app, and all is normal again.  I can't believe I've never tried that before.  

[Standing in corner with dunce cap on head]

Thanks.


----------



## Nick24JJ

@FiiO , @FiiO Willson , do you see? Do you see that? Firmware 2.0!...
Can you read the release notes a bit, please?


----------



## kion

Nick24JJ said:


> @FiiO , @FiiO Willson , do you see? Do you see that? Firmware 2.0!...
> Can you read the release notes a bit, please?


I totally agree with you but you might have better luck commenting on https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fii...are-is-available-in-2022-11-28.963808/page-87


----------



## Nick24JJ

kion said:


> I totally agree with you but you might have better luck commenting on https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fiio-btr7-portable-bluetooth-amplifier-color-ips-display-high-performance-dac-es9219c-2-thx-aaa-28-2-amps-3-5-4-4mm-outputs-one-click-“dongle”-mode-fw1-88-firmware-is-available-in-2022-11-28.963808/page-87


Thank you but I am not fooling myself anymore. I know that @FiiO will never read any of these, or they know already but they do not care, or they are not capable of Developing anything further or to that length and extent.

Because Qudelix is one unique player of its kind!


----------



## dknight12115

Nick24JJ said:


> Thank you but I am not fooling myself anymore. I know that @FiiO will never read any of these, or they know already but they do not care, or they are not capable of Developing anything further or to that length and extent.
> 
> Because Qudelix is one unique player of its kind!


I only wish qudelix could do something like the utws from Fiio, I really love the feel of tws though


----------



## Nick24JJ

dknight12115 said:


> I only wish qudelix could do something like the utws from Fiio, I really love the feel of tws though


Oh yes, yes!!

I, as weel, wish and pray that Qudelix would consider creating a UTWS5 of their own! It would be amazing! I own 2 pairs of the UTWS5 and, basically, they are my main/primary devices for listening to music when I am out. But also inside my property I am wearing them most of the time because I can freely move around and do various things.

I WISH Qudelix would consider it!!!


----------



## Safeinthemountains

rlw6534 said:


> You have to add the new extension to Chrome manually.  Unzip, manage extensions, developer mode, load unpacked, select unzipped folder....


Hello, thanks a lot for the tip... Because I didn't realize this was the Chrome app install... I thought it was for DFU upgrade, and nowhere was it mentionned one has to install the app manually this way... I thought the app was up-to-date and automatically updated online... I'm now upgrading the device


----------



## daveya

Nick24JJ said:


> Oh yes, yes!!
> 
> I, as weel, wish and pray that Qudelix would consider creating a UTWS5 of their own! It would be amazing! I own 2 pairs of the UTWS5 and, basically, they are my main/primary devices for listening to music when I am out. But also inside my property I am wearing them most of the time because I can freely move around and do various things.
> 
> I WISH Qudelix would consider it!!!


Well me to, only because the Fiio doesn't come with LDAC


----------



## dknight12115 (Dec 21, 2022)

daveya said:


> Well me to, only because the Fiio doesn't come with LDAC


Me too, im using s22 ultra so no aptx hd/adaptive... -> no LDAC mean only aptx which i feel not good with that price tag 

Currently using the qudelix for my akg k371, and with iem i go with the Hiby WU1 + shuoer s12 pro. Would love to have something like the utws for the iem though.


----------



## bgillis

Safeinthemountains said:


> Hello, thanks a lot for the tip... Because I didn't realize this was the Chrome app install... I thought it was for DFU upgrade, and nowhere was it mentionned one has to install the app manually this way... I thought the app was up-to-date and automatically updated online... I'm now upgrading the device



The 2.0 app is now available on Chrome web store as well... no need to install it manually from now on.


----------



## Nick24JJ

I've installed the new Firmware after updating the App on my Android phone. Also did a factory reset. Works flawlessly, no issues at all, I appreciate sincerely all the new features, well done Qudelix, you are the Best!!


----------



## daveya

My app on Android phone isn't finding the update yet


----------



## bgillis

daveya said:


> My app on Android phone isn't finding the update yet


Updating right now on my Samsung S22...


----------



## daveya

Lol yeah it's found it now


----------



## bgillis

daveya said:


> Lol yeah it's found it now








Done!


----------



## daveya

bgillis said:


> Done!


Snap!


----------



## MisterMudd

If I just use it this morning will my app update itself? Looking thru the version history it seems so.


----------



## daveya

MisterMudd said:


> If I just use it this morning will my app update itself? Looking thru the version history it seems so.


There is a new version in Google play


----------



## JTon (Dec 22, 2022)

Got the new update 

General question about sensitivity units of measure. I'm using Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, I've found the sensitivity spec @ 117dB / Vrms @ 1kHz. Qudelix is asking for sensitivity to be inputed as dBSPL/mW. Different units. Is there an easy way to convert between these units? or should I fire off an email to Moondrop support. Thanks

EDIT: 

Ok, answered my own question with enough googling. For the next person:

Conversion Tool:
https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/dbv-dbmw.php
Note: It's not labled, but the 2nd box is impedance

Supporting Maths:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headphones#Sensitivity

B2 Dusk power Sensitivity: 100.42 dB/mW SPL


----------



## daveya

JTon said:


> Got the new update
> 
> General question about sensitivity units of measure. I'm using Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, I've found the sensitivity spec @ 117dB / Vrms @ 1kHz. Qudelix is asking for sensitivity to be inputed as dBSPL/mW. Different units. Is there an easy way to convert between these units? or should I fire off an email to Moondrop support. Thanks


I've left that blank when saving some PEQ. Is it important to enter figs or can these boxes be left empty?


----------



## SomeGuyDude

LMAO figures there's a big update right after my 5K completely poops the bed.

This is definitely got me wanting to pick up another one though. Might see if any show up used after the Holidays.


----------



## JTon

daveya said:


> I've left that blank when saving some PEQ. Is it important to enter figs or can these boxes be left empty?


Not important. I'm most interested in inputting those figures to get an estimate for how loud I'm listening (SPL). The Qudelix knows how much power is being drawn, and if you input the other parameters, it'll do the math to guesstimate the loudness. Good to know for long listening sessions to protect hearing.


----------



## confined9991

any idea when the update is coming to ios?


----------



## WilcoRoger

The good thing is that the Chrome extension is NOT PC-only, works well on the Mac as well (haven't tried on Linux)


----------



## lgcubana

I opened the app two days ago  and it wanted to use location services . I chose to not allow and then the app reported an error/bug and wouldn’t open.  I had to go into the app settings, in my Samsung 20 and enable location services, for the app, for it to work again.

Yesterday there was an update.  Now there are 20 settings in the PEQ. But the new 10 are greyed out.


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## superuser1

lgcubana said:


> wanted to use location services


I'm guessing its for BT nearby devices


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## Tano (Dec 25, 2022)

Hi guys. I got the update and there's an option that I swear I never seen before, it's called "distortion compensation". Unfortunately there isn't any info about what this makes. Anyone knows anything about it?
Thanks in advance.

PD. I was able to find it on the Qudelix forum.
The Qudelix staff said:
 "It's a built-in feature in ESS DAC. With some ESS DAC parameter optimization, we can enhance the linearity by a little margin"

So I let it turned on


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## rohit5148

xSDMx said:


> My buttons are both the same amount of wobbly.


mine are equally wobbly and sometimes don't register a button press


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## lmfboy01

confined9991 said:


> I am trying to find the perfect EQ settings for my Sennheiser 58x but the qudelix 5k is only 10 band eq and most i've seen online besides oratorys are more than that. does anyone have a good eq where the vocals don't sound super muddy ?


need some trremble?


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## rohit5148

confined9991 said:


> I am trying to find the perfect EQ settings for my Sennheiser 58x but the qudelix 5k is only 10 band eq and most i've seen online besides oratorys are more than that. does anyone have a good eq where the vocals don't sound super muddy ?


have you tried the sennheiser amperior EQ settings?


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## Nick24JJ (Dec 28, 2022)

Hey guys, after updating to the latest firmware, my Qudelix powers on by itself and is trying to connect via Bluetooth, so the blue button is flashing.
What I do is, after powering off the Qudelix from the App on my Android phone, I plug it in to my laptop to charge. After a few minutes, it powers on by itself and connects to the phone. I power it off again via the App and disable Bluetooth on my phone. After a few minutes the blue button starts flashing again. Like it is attempting to connect.

Why is this happening? I am powering it off from the App on my phone. I have never encountered this behavior. Anyone else having this?

PS: If I shut it down by pressing the blue button on the device, this does not happen. It stays off. Is this how it is supposed to work now? Before the update, I could completely shut it down from the App.


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## DeJaVu (Dec 28, 2022)

Im not sure if any of you guys have seen this, so ill leave it here just in case 
This is the 5K connected to a windows 10 machine with alternative a2dp driver that allows SBC bitpool increase.
For the time being if the bitpool is set at 250(1414kbps), a2dp wont connect, you need to set it back to default(53) before trying to connect the 5K, and increase afterwards. Should be addressed in the next 5K firmware.


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## mt877

I've been enjoying the 5K for some time now and decided to get the QX-Over IEMs to see what the QX-Over feature was about. Wow, for the low price of admission (plus shipping) I'm really liking the QX-Over IEMs with Oratory1990 Auto-EQ Preset.


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## az060693

mt877 said:


> I've been enjoying the 5K for some time now and decided to get the QX-Over IEMs to see what the QX-Over feature was about. Wow, for the low price of admission (plus shipping) I'm really liking the QX-Over IEMs with Oratory1990 Auto-EQ Preset.


Why not just use oratory1990's actual EQ profile? https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets

Unless you're aiming for another target curve that is.


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## mt877

az060693 said:


> Why not just use oratory1990's actual EQ profile? https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets
> 
> Unless you're aiming for another target curve that is.


Thanks for the link. I compared the EQ profiles of both reddit and 5k built in, and they're both the same. So all 👍.


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## jasonb (Jan 2, 2023)

So the update for the app and device itself are up on the iOS App Store now. I updated my 5K and half my EQ presets are gone, which would have been nice to know about first, so I could have at least took a screenshot of them and then re-input them again. So that’s kind of inconvenient.

I put in the sensitivity of my K371 and it’s telling me that I’m listening much louder than I am. Probably by at least a good 10-15dB. So it seems that this isn’t accurate.


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## pbxl

Yes update done with iPhone. Lots of great things this make this small box a jewels. But sadely the problem with iPhone battery lower than 50% unable to connect as dac, continually Switching dac/Bluetooth even with disable  Bluetooth when connected as d’accord via usb


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## ngs428

jasonb said:


> So the update for the app and device itself are up on the iOS App Store now. I updated my 5K and half my EQ presets are gone, which would have been nice to know about first, so I could have at least took a screenshot of them and then re-input them again. So that’s kind of inconvenient.
> 
> I put in the sensitivity of my K371 and it’s telling me that I’m listening much louder than I am. Probably by at least a good 10-15dB. So it seems that this isn’t accurate.


Same issue with the loudness.  It seems to be quite a bit odd in any of the headphones I have tried.  Although I didn’t lose my presets so that is nice.


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## Nick24JJ

New firmware for the 5K, fixes minor bugs/issues


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## daveya

Another one or the new one already posted recently?


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## DeJaVu (Jan 4, 2023)

Nick24JJ said:


> New firmware for the 5K, fixes minor bugs/issues


Also max initial bitpool limitation of 53(328kbps) for SBC has been removed, so now if youre using "alternative a2dp driver" on windows, on reconnect the 5K will have no trouble connecting a2dp even if your bitpool is set at 250(1414kbps).


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## Nick24JJ

daveya said:


> Another one or the new one already posted recently?


Another one


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## Nick24JJ (Jan 4, 2023)

DeJaVu said:


> Also max initial bitpool limitation of 53(328kbps) for SBC has been removed, so now if youre using "alternative a2dp driver" on windows, on reconnect the 5K will have no trouble connecting a2dp even if your bitpool is set at 250(1414kbps).


Thanks, just testing this now


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## Mouseman

Nick24JJ said:


> Another one


Does it delete any more EQ presets? I'm still chuffed about that, but I'll get over it eventually.


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## Nick24JJ

Mouseman said:


> Does it delete any more EQ presets? I'm still chuffed about that, but I'll get over it eventually.


Sorry, I do not use EQ


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## jasonb

Mouseman said:


> Does it delete any more EQ presets? I'm still chuffed about that, but I'll get over it eventually.


I was not happy about that either. Would have been nice to know ahead of time so I could have at least took screenshots of my settings so I could put them back.


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## MisterMudd

Nick24JJ said:


> Another one


Version?


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## Nick24JJ

MisterMudd said:


> Version?


2.0.1


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## Mouseman

OK. So another wait for the app to be updated.


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## rollomat (Jan 5, 2023)

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in the Qudelix 5K. I currently own an ifi Go Blu and am looking for an upgrade.

Is it possible to stream via Bluetooth from an iPhone to the Qudelix and to use the Qudelix' USB-C port in order to hook up an external DAC like the Questyle M12 or M15? What I want is to use the Qudelix' Bluetooth connectivity and to let the external DAC (like M12 or M15) do all the soundwork. Is that possible?

Thank you very much in advance.

Kind regards,
Chris


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## WilcoRoger

Mouseman said:


> OK. So another wait for the app to be updated.


IOS app is updated


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## daveya

rollomat said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm interested in the Qudelix 5K. I currently own an ifi Go Blu and am looking for an upgrade.
> 
> ...


No you can't do that, as soon as you plug in a USB cable it becomes a USB Dac


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## rollomat

Ok, thank you. What a pity.


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## daveya

Latest update saved my presets


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## Mouseman

daveya said:


> Latest update saved my presets


That must be the "minor bugs" it fixes.


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## Obizzz

jasonb said:


> I was not happy about that either. Would have been nice to know ahead of time so I could have at least took screenshots of my settings so I could put them back.


All my EQ presets were preserved when I updated to 2.0


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## Nick24JJ

New firmware update: 2.0.2 - fixing minor bugs


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## daveya

Another one?


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## Nick24JJ

daveya said:


> Another one?


Yes


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## Koren

Hello. Can the Qudelix ios app update a Qudelix 5K device to the latest firmware? which is the latest one at the moment? Is it worth turning something on/off in the app? it would be connected to headphones.


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## Sappy

Koren said:


> Hello. Can the Qudelix ios app update a Qudelix 5K device to the latest firmware? which is the latest one at the moment? Is it worth turning something on/off in the app? it would be connected to headphones.


it does flawlessly. just did the 2.0.2 update this morning on my way to work. Just open the app, it will do the rest when connected. takes maybe 3 minutes.


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## WilcoRoger

Sappy said:


> it does flawlessly. just did the 2.0.2 update this morning on my way to work. Just open the app, it will do the rest when connected. takes maybe 3 minutes.


I had to update the app itself first, then it updated the 5k in a jiffy.


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## tharding247365

Sorry if this has been asked

I'm looking to use my Qudelix 5K as a USB DAC with my PC38X Headset. It has both a headphone and microphone cable.

Will the Qudelix support a 3.5mm TRRS cable? I want to plug both the headphone and microphone cable of my headphones into the Qudelix 5K, with an adapter, to essentially have a single cable 

Is this possible or will I have to use a separate mic connection for my headset?


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## kadinh

tharding247365 said:


> Sorry if this has been asked
> 
> I'm looking to use my Qudelix 5K as a USB DAC with my PC38X Headset. It has both a headphone and microphone cable.
> 
> ...


I want to say that it will only support TRS since the 5K has a built in mic....I could be wrong tho, I would need to look at the specs/manual to see if it is TRRS or just TRS.


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