Qables iQube some impressions (with pics)

[Sasaki]

This is the continuation of the first impression of my posts on the ipastudio pre-order thread.
Click pictures to enlarge.



The packaging is really professional. The size of the iQube is almost equal to SR71 but thinner(SR71 in the pic has feet).
The plugs are located to opposite side of usual layout. This would be good for right angle plugs but not convenient for my use.



After one week of use, I found the rechargeable is better, more transparent and refined. In fact the transparency is the another key of iQube.

I found a good synergy with ATH-ESW9/iMod5.5G/GoldxSilver iMod Dock combo.
Sound is highly articulate and accurate. Very smooth sounding and localization of sound is 3D like. Bass is deep with great PRaT.
This is equally good for picking guitar of instrument music and fast pace rock drumming.



I really like the ESW9 and iQube combo, however the synergy may differ.
Seems like a bit hard with HD25 but some copper cabling would alleviate the hardness. With high sensitive UE11 IEM, slight hissing can be heard so here is some loss of blackness for the background. However more articulate compared to my usual UE11 setup with MOVE. (BTW, no hissing with ESW9 or the like)

I can't answer if this is a musical amp, it depends. This is a good foot tapping amp but not a warm amp. This is not an SR71 nor a Millet Hybrid. I think iQube is not sterile, but some may think so.
I'd say this is the HiFi amp rather. iQube recreate the music lively as it was.

[Skylab]

Thanks for your impressions, Sasaki-san. I am really looking forward to getting mine.

[FreeBlues]

Originally Posted by Sasaki

I can't answer if this is a musical amp, it depends. This is a good foot tapping amp but not a warm amp. This is not an SR71 nor a Millet Hybrid.

I've been hoping someone would review this amp, great stuff!

Can you expand on the SR71/Millett vs. the iQube, especially when using it with the UE11?

[Contrastique]

Nice! Looking forward to hear more about this amp itf!

[mrarroyo]

Beautiful looking unit! Hans you are killing me! No money and I want the amp, sh_t!

[milkpowder]

Nice. The OP's photograph style reminds me of Myo (RnB180)

[tomo3014]

sweet looking amp...
head-fi sure has gotten me addicted to amps and IEMS...

[fkclo]

I have just completed a 100 hours burn-in of the iQube. As it is not using super-huge caps I believe it has quite settled down by now. I have been using low-gain setting, and feeding the iQube from a iPod Nano playing Apple lossless files - mostly classical, jazz and some smooth pops. I did not use the mini-mini cable that comes with the amp. Instead, I was burning-in the iQube using one of the first Qables GoldCap mini-mini that Hans made for me.

The set of AAA batteries that comes with the iQube gave me 90 hours of continuous play time (using a Grado RS-1) before the LED starts to blink. For those who are traveling this should be more than enough for any long haul flights.

The iQube is one of the most professionally made, packaged, and presented headphone amps I have ever seen in the market, especially at its price. Looking at the iQube, one may find a light shadow of LaRocco Pocket Reference II, but having owned both, I would say the iQube is more advanced in casing design and choice of material. The PRII is definitely a piece of machining art, but the iQube displays a level of attention to details that very few amps, if any, can surpass. It is also a bit lower profile yet constantly elegant - a design that I am sure will withstand the test of time.

I am not an electronic guru so I am not qualify to tell the difference between a Class D headphone amp and other designs.

Soundwise, the iQube is totally different from the Pocket Reference II. The Pocket Reference II sounds coloured by comparison - although I have to admit it is a beautiful colour. The iQube does not exaggerate. It is not an agressive, all in you face type of amp. It is slightly laid back, highly resolving, but most importantly, maintain a very good balance and proportion across the whole spectrum of audio frequencies. May be I should say it is neutral (and this is extremely difficult to achieve for a battery powered portable amp). I can listen to it for hours and never feel stressed or fatigue, regardless of the genre I am listening to. The iQube is pretty truthful to the source - if the source gives you deep bass, you hear that. If the source contains sparkling highs, you hear that too.

For those who are looking for "wow" factor in sounds, the iQube may not be your first choice. It is elegant, honest and always wanted to stay out of the way. For quite a few times, listening to the iQube for some hours I feel that the amp is no longer there. It is a true "hi-fi" component.

Downsides ? Yes. The battery compartment is, as I said in the other forum, a brain challenge to open. The beautifully prepared printed manual helps, but it will still take a few attempts before I succeeded. But after a few times the process becomes much easier. On the other hand, I started to feel some very slight rattling on the casing (the batter compartment cover) after a few "open and close" excerise but this is not a big deal - everything is still intact.

All cable entries are on the rear of the amp. Some may like it, especially when you put it on a desktop, but when traveling there is always a worry that cables may be compressed when the amp is in a vertical position with the volume knob facing up. At least I won't try this with my GoldCap

Also, the iQube accommodates 3.5 mm cables only. For an amp with this quality, a RCA input pair will make it a very good candidate for desktop application, especially in office environment.

But overall, I am very impressed. The iQube has set new standards in many dimensions in this nitch market - product packaging, design, workmanship, customer service, and it is a class of its own when it comes to sound.
F. Lo

[fkclo]

More pics can be found here :

ipod & portable audio studio - My iQube is here !

Enjoy

[boomana]

Nice impressions. fkclo, which opamp version of the PRII are you using for comparison?

EDIT: although I admit, it a gorgeous amp, am I the only one who thinks it resembles a portable whiskey flask?

EDIT 2 (I'm forgetful): fkclo, what headphones were you using?

[fkclo]

Originally Posted by boomana

Nice impressions. fkclo, which opamp version of the PRII are you using for comparison?

EDIT: although I admit, it a gorgeous amp, am I the only one who thinks it resembles a portable whiskey flask?

EDIT 2 (I'm forgetful): fkclo, what headphones were you using?

Hi boomana,

My PRII comes with Black Gate caps and was upgraded with AD744 opamps.

If the iQube comes with some curves in the mid-section, then it will be a very nice whiskey flask for the hip pocket

During the burn-in I am using a Grado RS-1 most of the time. This is very good match in my opinion, as it set back a little of the upfront character of the RS-1. I also tried the iQube using a pair of well burn-in Edition 9 from Ultrasone, and it sounds great. However, for some reason, I hear some hiss on the right channel during quiet passages which I still am puzzling about. Plugging the Edition 9 to my Lavry 10 it sounds perfect. Not sure what happened but I will try it again in a couple of days.

F. Lo

[tyrion]

Originally Posted by boomana

Nice impressions. fkclo, which opamp version of the PRII are you using for comparison?

EDIT: although I admit, it a gorgeous amp, am I the only one who thinks it resembles a portable whiskey flask?

EDIT 2 (I'm forgetful): fkclo, what headphones were you using?

If it had a place to hold whiskey, I'd be all over it.

It looks like a nice amp. I hope some of these make it to the States so we have a chance to check it out.

Nice impressions!

[boomana]

Originally Posted by fkclo

Hi boomana,

My PRII comes with Black Gate caps and was upgraded with AD744 opamps.

F. Lo

Thanks. I have the 8620, so have somewhat lost the comparison.

Mike, I may be mistaken, but I think Skylab may have or be getting one.

[Skylab]

Yes, Hans told me mine shipped last week, so it could literally be any day now when mine will get here.

[Skylab]

Mine will be neither the first or last word on it, I'm sure. But I am really looking forward to getting it - the first really new development in portable amps in a while, since RSA gave us the crazy-long batter-life Tomahawk, and since the addition of USB DAC's to portable amps.