[ImperialBlade]

Thanks all who have replied.
Looking at the suggested solutions, which is the better option for a space limited environment?
See pic below of my desk set up for visual explanation.

 

[tudedude]

Thanks all who have replied.
Looking at the suggested solutions, which is the better option for a space limited environment?
See pic below of my desk set up for visual explanation.

The Burson Playmate 2 will fit especially with optional side mounting brackets. The silver color will also match your existing color scheme too. I would go with that. Another option is a schiit stack, the Valhalla2 and Modius in silver will take up the space on your left but it will look really nice and the Valhalla2 pairs really nicely with the 9200.

 

[ImperialBlade]

@tudedude - thank you!

 

[SRKRAM]

If you take the pads off and compare the D7200 & D9200 driver they really do look indistinguishable. I took the drivers out of mine to compare and you can really notice a difference when you shine a light through them; The D7200 drive appears to have a crosshatch, woven structure to it, while the D9200's doesn't have this and appears thinner and finer - as Yoshi Fukushima said.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures - the only way I could take these was with my cheap usb endoscope - but I think you will see what I'm talking about.

This is the D7200 driver:


And this is the D9200:


You can also see a difference if you look at the back of the cone through the vents in the back of the driver.

This is the back of the D7200 cone. From here it actually looks like it has a woven substrate:


This is the back of the D9200 - No woven substrate. The surround also looks different:


-Mark.

A while ago I posted photos to compare D9200 and D7200 drivers. Recently I compared D9200 and D5200 drivers. Photos are below.
The drivers are superficially very similar. Looking closer, the D5200's diaphragm is darker than the D9200's. Looking closer still, the D5200 diaphragm has a woven appearance similar to the D7200's but even more pronounced. The D9200's diaphragm has a finer, non-woven structure.
Shining a light through them shows that the D5200's diaphragm is much thicker than the D9200's.
The D5200 driver has the foam damper attached, whereas the D9200's doesn't in case you wonder about that.

D5200 light transmission:


D9200 Light transmission:


D5200 rear of diaphragm and surround:


D9200 rear of diaphragm and surround:

 

[aravaioli]

I have the qudelix and to me it sounds thin and weak. My fiio btr5 is sounds fuller and wider to me. I think people are overrating the Qudelix because of its robust features.

This is also my experience and the iFi Go sounds even fuller. The Qudelix is also the least powerful. Awaiting for the release of the THX-powered BTR7....

 

[Sproketz]

This is also my experience and the iFi Go sounds even fuller. The Qudelix is also the least powerful. Awaiting for the release of the THX-powered BTR7....

Could you test and try your Qudelix with balanced? Two of us have found our Qudelix SE seems weak, but the balanced sounds full.

I'm wondering if there is a batch with a manufacturing defect. Because the SE is pretty bad.

 

[aravaioli]

Could you test and try your Qudelix with balanced? Two of us have found our Qudelix SE seems weak, but the balanced sounds full.

I'm wondering if there is a batch with a manufacturing defect. Because the SE is pretty bad.

My take applies trying both outputs.

 

[Sproketz]

My take applies trying both outputs.

Ifi go must have some coloration. I find the Q5k balanced extremely close to my RME ADI-2 and DX3Pro+ which are both considered transparent.

I doubt I'd pass a ABX test between them all

 

[aravaioli]

I will probably get my D9200 this weekend and will post my impressions on jow it gets along with my mobile devices shown below (DAP is an iBasso DX160 which is getting very little use since the BT devices joined the collection).

You may be right in thinking that the iGi Go Blu may be the most coloured one. It is the easiest to tell apart from the 3 in a blind test, which I did, with the kind collaboration of my wife, as I was hoping to return the much more expensive iFi: at the end I couldn't because it was my favourite.

Just as an example, the iFi in balanced output drives the Edition XS and Arya with far more authority than the Qudelix (and less than the DX160).

 

[Sproketz]

I will probably get my D9200 this weekend and will post my impressions on jow it gets along with my mobile devices shown below (DAP is an iBasso DX160 which is getting very little use since the BT devices joined the collection).

You may be right in thinking that the iGi Go Blu may be the most coloured one. It is the easiest to tell apart from the 3 in a blind test, which I did, with the kind collaboration of my wife, as I was hoping to return the much more expensive iFi: at the end I couldn't because it was my favourite.

Just as an example, the iFi in balanced output drives the Edition XS and Arya with far more authority than the Qudelix (and less than the DX160).

I do know people love the Go Blu. It has nice easy controls too. I'm tempted to get one since PowerAmp system wide PEQ became a thing on Android.

Using a balanced cable is necessary with the Q5k imo. I never run it SE. The SE is very low output. Should be about the same as Go Blu in balanced. If you are running both balanced, I'm not sure what other than coloration would cause the Go Blu to have more authority. Though I don't exactly know what you mean by authority.

There's headroom, and then there's tonality. Tonality can be adjusted by EQ of course. I doubt the DAC portions have significant differences.

Go Blu
Balanced 245mW @ 32Ω
SE 165mW @ 32Ω

Q5k & BTR5 (both have same power)
Balanced 240mW @ 32Ω
SE 80mW @ 32Ω

 

[aravaioli]

I do know people love the Go Blu. It has nice easy controls too. I'm tempted to get one since PowerAmp system wide PEQ became a thing on Android.

Using a balanced cable is necessary with the Q5k imo. I never run it SE. The SE is very low output. Should be about the same as Go Blu in balanced. My D9200 and every other headphone I own sounds awful on the Q5k SE (I don't know if it's broken or what), but fantastic on balanced. If you are running both balanced, I'm not sure what other than coloration would cause the Go Blu to have more authority. Though I don't exactly know what you mean by authority.

There's headroom, and then there's tonality. Tonality can be adjusted by EQ of course. I doubt the DAC portions have significant differences.

Go Blu
Balanced 245mW @ 32Ω
SE 165mW @ 32Ω

Q5k & BTR5 (both have same power)
Balanced 240mW @ 32Ω
SE 80mW @ 32Ω

I know what the official specifications say but my real life experience is different and the iFi in balanced has more power available. It is certainly not the first time this happened to me and I bet won't be the last.

 

[sebek]

Qudelix is thin and harsh, its only quality is the app with parametric EQ.

 

[caustic386]

Totally weird detour in this thread for a headphone with 105dB/mW sensitivity.

I use my Qudelix with my Stealth (w NX7) and standalone with Utopia (SE no less!); the only issue I have is it doesn't reliably auto detect SE vs balanced. So, if you use both for different headphones, you'll sometimes get a balanced signal on your Se connection or vice versa if setting is left at Auto.

However, this is not subtle. That is, it's not "thin" or "harsh" but completely chopped and screwed so you'll know pretty quickly if its happening. If you suspect it, either select the connection type manually or just hit the Auto option again - that always works for me.

The Qudelix will drive the 9200 into making you deaf if you let it, especially set to high power on a balanced connection. Any issue with it is imagined/sighted bias or a hardware defect. Because the 9200 is so sensitive I'd probably get a balanced cable to reduce noise but I also suspect most, if anyone, wouldnt be able to tell.

 

[Sproketz]

Qudelix is thin and harsh, its only quality is the app with parametric EQ.

Compared to what other dac/amp? Assuming you mean with the D9200.

 

[sebek]

Compared to what other dac/amp? Assuming you mean with the D9200.

Virtually every other device I've had, with the 9200 but also with other headphones.

To my ears even the simple Apple dongle has a fuller, more pleasant and less harsh sound in the highs than Qudelix.