[Johnfg465vd]

Ok, downloaded Audio player pro, cost £10.48 UK to buy and get MQA, started 3 month Tidal trial

Using Qudelix 5k and Sundara with Oratory PEQ, Sony Xperia 5 iV

So, compared the Sony LDAC ultra HD from Amazon to The usb Audio pro and Tidals MQA

Literally no difference

Some notes

1. Qudelix 5k will not drive the Sundara properly even from Balanced Output.
2. Does Qudelix 5k support MQA decoding?
3. I'm guessing PEQ on Qudelix will also require you to reduce your Pre-Amp like any other EQ, which will further effect the sound considering there's not a lot of power (for a Planar Headphone) to begin with.
4. With bluetooth (even LDAC set to Maximum Audio Quality) you loose extension on both ends of the frequency. This means there will be less deep bass or rumble in the lower frequencies and soundstage "air" will be reduced in higher frequencies among some other changes. With youtube audio this may not be noticeable but it's definitely there when comparing using flacs.
5. If you are new to the hobby, let you ears adjust a bit. Overtime your brain starts to adjust and pick up some of these little details better.

or if you like the current sound out of your gear, just save your money or invest it and enjoy your library .

 

[daveya]

Some notes

1. Qudelix 5k will not drive the Sundara properly even from Balanced Output.
2. Does Qudelix 5k support MQA decoding?
3. I'm guessing PEQ on Qudelix will also require you to reduce your Pre-Amp like any other EQ, which will further effect the sound considering there's not a lot of power (for a Planar Headphone) to begin with.
4. With bluetooth (even LDAC set to Maximum Audio Quality) you loose extension on both ends of the frequency. This means there will be less deep bass or rumble in the lower frequencies and soundstage "air" will be reduced in higher frequencies among some other changes. With youtube audio this may not be noticeable but it's definitely there when comparing using flacs.
5. If you are new to the hobby, let you ears adjust a bit. Overtime your brain starts to adjust and pick up some of these little details better.

or if you like the current sound out of your gear, just save your money or invest it and enjoy your library .

Hi, the Qudelix will happily power the Sundara , even with a -11.5 PEQ, i use balanced and there is plenty of headroom even with gain at normal.

I can't genuinely hear anything better using MQA Tidal via UAPP compared to Amazon Music using Bluetooth, even using Billie Eilish

 

[Johnfg465vd]

Hi, the Qudelix will happily power the Sundara , even with a -11.5 PEQ, i use balanced and there is plenty of headroom even with gain at normal.

I can't genuinely hear anything better using MQA Tidal via UAPP compared to Amazon Music using Bluetooth, even using Billie Eilish

Having enough volume and being driven well are two different things but I digress.

Enjoy your setup . Sundara is really good value for money. I've heard good things about Qudelix too.

 

[daveya]

Having enough volume and being driven well are two different things but I digress.

Enjoy your setup . Sundara is really good value for money. I've heard good things about Qudelix too.

Trust me, there is more than enough in a Qudelix to use the Sundaras. Not sure what 'driven well' really means tbf, afaik headphones draw power they don't get it fed , there either is or isn't enough power , I use balanced as it happens

 

[ezzony]

Guyz, I have been using the LG V20 for a number of years and recently upgraded to the V50.
I'm not happy with the audio presentation on the V50 no matter which headphones I'm using. V20 is way superior without getting into the details. V50 just sounds all wrong.
Someone on v50 telegram group told me that something changed in audio presentation from Android 9 upwards, I'm on A12 now.
Can anyone confirm this and was it 'better' on A9.
I'm tempted to downgrade but that's a lot of trouble so I thought I would seek out opinions first.
I'm an android dev and maybe I can 'fix' the issue although that's a slim changes but who knows.

Thought I should update on this because I don't want to give the V50 a bad rap unfairly. When I get a new phone first thing I do is root it and install root only audio mods, like Viper4android, JamesDSP etc. After uninstalling Audio Modification Library mod I found my headgears were sounding as they should again so I've ditched those mods and will now use the inbuilt equalizer instead. I'm a lot happier with it now whatever the issue was. The V50 is a fabulous phone and I wouldn't want to put anyone off buying it, it's prolly the best phone you can get for the price currently and I'd prefer it over the V60 as a phone.

 

[Johnfg465vd]

Thought I should update on this because I don't want to give the V50 a bad rap unfairly. When I get a new phone first thing I do is root it and install root only audio mods, like Viper4android, JamesDSP etc. After uninstalling Audio Modification Library mod I found my headgears were sounding as they should again so I've ditched those mods and will now use the inbuilt equalizer instead. I'm a lot happier with it now whatever the issue was. The V50 is a fabulous phone and I wouldn't want to put anyone off buying it, it's prolly the best phone you can get for the price currently and I'd prefer it over the V60 as a phone.

That brings back some memories, I used to do that too back when I had the HTC One X, Moto X Force.... Most of the time, I ended up with treble boosted mess of a sound and go back to stock android then I'd get the itch again in a few months and start over. After getting the LG G7, I never felt the need to add any of those DSPs.

If you need good EQ, try USB Audio Player Pro or Neutron. No system Wide effect but they are much better than LG's Stock EQ. There's also Wavelet, it's got AutoEQ preset for many IEMs & Headphones.

 

[352178]

As for LDAC, the truth hurts...literally. While aptx HD rolls off at 19 kHz, I never thought LDAC would be even worse...No, thanks, gimme a wired headphone and LG V10 any day!

https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

 

[daveya]

Neither is MQA, I've listened to MQA via Tidal and UAPP and LDAC and there isn't any difference at all, just got to ride above the spin. They both sound great to my ears

 

[andrewski]

As for LDAC, the truth hurts...literally. While aptx HD rolls off at 19 kHz, I never thought LDAC would be even worse...No, thanks, gimme a wired headphone and LG V10 any day!

https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

Lol. Doesn't hurt. Did you think LDAC was Hi-Res?

Try one of those new Walkmans on balanced. The truth will really hurt.

 

[Brain Damage]

Neither is MQA, I've listened to MQA via Tidal and UAPP and LDAC and there isn't any difference at all, just got to ride above the spin. They both sound great to my ears

Agreed. LDAC with Sony WH-1000MX3/4/5 = best audio fidelity you will get over a Bluetooth connection. It's pointless comparing to a wired connection. That's like comparing squash to tennis: just because both need a ball doesn't make them the same.

 

[daveya]

Well I compared them all the same and the wired connection was no better, or worse, just equally very good

 

[Results45]

After reading the Tanchjim Tanya review page I do find it a better experience to have it plugged into an amp like my Hidizs S9 Pro. Clears up that slight muddy haze on the lower end which makes it just a bit more enjoyable to listen to the longer you use them.

P.S. another Xperia 10 IV popped up on eBay today for $270/€270 (free shipping included) and the guy is accepting offers too! I'd trying to snag it for $250 if you're interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364044265814

 

[jagwap]

As for LDAC, the truth hurts...literally. While aptx HD rolls off at 19 kHz, I never thought LDAC would be even worse...No, thanks, gimme a wired headphone and LG V10 any day!

https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

Interesting. Good to actually see some measurements. The 660kb/s upwards is enough to sound better than SBC, which is not great. Also AAC on android is mostly badly implemented. However when I set the data rate in developer options to highest (990kb/s) I get dropouts when I walk outside. BT is stressed in a moving environment, particularly when metal objects move around (cars etc.) reflecting and absorbing the signal, the receiver has to work harder to keep a link seamless. The higher the data rate the harder to have an uninterrupted signal. ABTX Adaptive seems better at this, but only anecdotally to me. But then it is always a variable data rate system.

Wired will (almost) always be better. I only went BT because my kids kept getting tangled in the cable and breaking them. Now they are older, there are very few phones with 3.5mm sockets on them. My old LG V8 is nearly dead after years of heavy use, so I got an Xperia Pro I. It has a socket, but not the same ability to drive great headphones.

 

[thamasha69]

Does anyone have impressions of the Redmi Note 10 Pro and what exactly the Hifi setting does? Most reviews online don't really reference it.

 

[352178]

Lol again, andrewski underestimated me. As an electronics / networking engineer, I may very well know more about signals than he ever will. That cocky tonw od his is amusing. Like a puppy barking up a pitbull. Jagwap found my informative post useful.
Somebody mentioned LG G7. The USA unlocked version can be found refurbished on Aliexpress for about $ 125. I bought one from 99100 store and it was jaw-droppingly like new. One of the brightest ever tested high resolution mLcd, chambered speaker, high ppi, bittom-placed 3.5mm jack...I quite like the battery saving tech. It always pulls between 11-12W, no matter the charger. With other LG and HTC phones...15w gets them quite hot. My brother has Samsung A52 and it is the same story. I am still rocking my LG v10 H961N with Android 7, as the display is very wide. I cannot stand 20:9 displays. If anyone is interested, I will share extensive knowledge abour V10 batteries. I bought a dozen and tested them for months. Different chargers and cables and power banks. Over 100 tests.