[Sonic Defender]

Give it sometime, you would definitely find the differences. I could not find any difference between stock AM3A (X7II) and AM5 initially but after I spent a couple of days with each module I found there are small differences but not night and day.

See, for me that is the problem in not so many words as I know small differences may be just my imagination. Ideally I need a second identical Q5 on hand which would allow me to swap more quickly and compare before my audio memory deteriorates. Sadly that isn't likely to happen. Really enjoying what I am hearing and I have no regrets with the purchase.

 

[zeroselect]

See, for me that is the problem in not so many words as I know small differences may be just my imagination. Ideally I need a second identical Q5 on hand which would allow me to swap more quickly and compare before my audio memory deteriorates. Sadly that isn't likely to happen. Really enjoying what I am hearing and I have no regrets with the purchase.

Got the same thing as well. It isn't a mindblown difference, its subtle changes. All good. The hiss (floor noise) is down from the AM3A but can still be heard. Low enough to be now usable with the ifi iEMatch but still using mine. Also the power out of the 4.4mm was enough to run the Sendy Aiva to listening level but not enough to properly run them. No problems for me I only use IEM with them but if someone is looking for more power then I would look elsewhere (Monolith THX portable amp?).

 

[Sonic Defender]

Got the same thing as well. It isn't a mindblown difference, its subtle changes. All good. The hiss (floor noise) is down from the AM3A but can still be heard. Low enough to be now usable with the ifi iEMatch but still using mine. Also the power out of the 4.4mm was enough to run the Sendy Aiva to listening level but not enough to properly run them. No problems for me I only use IEM with them but if someone is looking for more power then I would look elsewhere (Monolith THX portable amp?).

Yes, I did think I noticed a reduction in hiss, but because it was never problematic before I did find it very subtle in the first place, but good point.

 

[davescleveland]

I completely wasted my money on this. No real difference and the q5 still is meh.

 

[No Deal]

Subtle but noticeable differences here. I listen to jazz at reasonable/less than loud volume levels. I heard hiss between tracks with one of my IEMs before (S8F), still do. I guess I do not know if that means that there is an adverse affect on the quality when music is playing. Still sounds very good to me. Was the improvement in sound quality worth the money? Maybe, maybe not. Glad not to have to use an adapter.

 

[Sonic Defender]

All points of view are relevant and valid, but for me the Q5 is anything but meh, it sounds fantastic. If you are going to compare it with full-sized, or mega-buck rigs you will hear a difference, but that can be due to expectation bias. I have been around here a long time, lurking even before joining in 2011, and I have been into audio gear since the 1980s. When it comes to reading impressions of entry versus high-end gear I have NEVER, EVER, read somebody not find the more expensive, or full-sized gear that costs more and looks better as sounding better. Never, people always hear the differences. Sure, in theory it could be because the differences are there, but it could also be that we are conditioned to expect bigger, more costly gear to sound better.

Anyway, my point is that I don't hear the Q5 as meh, and I know that for some they will never believe that small footprint devices can sound as good as their full-sized counterparts. I also freely acknowledge that there can be small differences that are audible and different people will respond differently so the poster who said the Q5 is meh, absolutely valid for him or her, not questioning that, but I am so glad that has not been my experience. To this day I consider the Q5 one of the very best purchases I have made in this hobby. No regrets here.

 

[davescleveland]

Yeah so I have a ton fear as well. And I’m all about using my phone. Dragonfly red and black much more resolving. The waster of money I’m referring to is the am3d. Almost $200 and no real difference in sound than the am3. Not appreciable anyway. I think the treble coming out of the q5 is a bit shouty and the soundstage congested. I like the bt1, Or audio technica bt choices a lot. Also the rbh epsb or sennheiser true wireless sound way better. And the q5 is as big as my phone. Get a dragonfly instead.

 

[davescleveland]

Not to discount anyone else’s option ion. Just my own. Hundreds of dollars later.

 

[No Deal]

All points of view are relevant and valid, but for me the Q5 is anything but meh, it sounds fantastic. If you are going to compare it with full-sized, or mega-buck rigs you will hear a difference, but that can be due to expectation bias. I have been around here a long time, lurking even before joining in 2011, and I have been into audio gear since the 1980s. When it comes to reading impressions of entry versus high-end gear I have NEVER, EVER, read somebody not find the more expensive, or full-sized gear that costs more and looks better as sounding better. Never, people always hear the differences. Sure, in theory it could be because the differences are there, but it could also be that we are conditioned to expect bigger, more costly gear to sound better.

Anyway, my point is that I don't hear the Q5 as meh, and I know that for some they will never believe that small footprint devices can sound as good as their full-sized counterparts. I also freely acknowledge that there can be small differences that are audible and different people will respond differently so the poster who said the Q5 is meh, absolutely valid for him or her, not questioning that, but I am so glad that has not been my experience. To this day I consider the Q5 one of the very best purchases I have made in this hobby. No regrets here.

Ditto

 

[K1030]

People asli have really bad hearing lol. And using compressed files like Spotify and apple music really hamstrings the experiencd. Flac or nothing.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I always use lossless files simply because storage on devices is so inexpensive that worrying about file size is for me anyway a thing of the past, but when I have conducted multiple trial, multiple participant controlled blind listening experiments nobody could hear the difference between a 320mp3 and the lossless master it was made from. Nobody (5 young subjects at a head-fi meet I hosted) and this result is the norm not the exception. Anyway, won't continue along these lines as this is becoming a sound science thing.

 

[K1030]

I always use lossless files simply because storage on devices is so inexpensive that worrying about file size is for me anyway a thing of the past, but when I have conducted multiple trial, multiple participant controlled blind listening experiments nobody could hear the difference between a 320mp3 and the lossless master it was made from. Nobody (5 young subjects at a head-fi meet I hosted) and this result is the norm not the exception. Anyway, won't continue along these lines as this is becoming a sound science thing.

That saddens me. if I wasn't able to hear all these audible nuances I be able to save a lot of money lol. Bow wow not being able to tell the difference between a CD quality track and a compressed file is bonkers. I remembered in high school not allowing kids to bring their burnt CDs into my car because of the Fidelity difference between my collection. But I no longer drive because I'm a visually impaired hardcore a listener now and I'm always astounded at what people aren't hearing.

 

[Sonic Defender]

That saddens me. if I wasn't able to hear all these audible nuances I be able to save a lot of money lol. Bow wow not being able to tell the difference between a CD quality track and a compressed file is bonkers. I remembered in high school not allowing kids to bring their burnt CDs into my car because of the Fidelity difference between my collection. But I no longer drive because I'm a visually impaired hardcore a listener now and I'm always astounded at what people aren't hearing.

Is it possible you simple expect to hear a difference and that is why you do? My multiple trial, multiple participant blind listening test used 5 young head-fi members attending, including a young woman, each had 5 trials where they heard the mp3 and the lossless master it was made from and not one person did better than 50% identification. This is common when you actually hear about people bothering to do a properly controlled test. Sighted listening tests are always invalid, always. Anyway, we can take this to PM if need be, but l know how this ends, we both fail to move off of our positions so we can agree to disagree.

 

[PopZeus]

I’m just spitballing here because the device hasn’t been released yet, but I feel like you’re really going to need to upgrade to the Q5s in order to really hear the benefits from this new amp module. The AKM4493 DAC chip is no joke. Assuming all else being equal, it’s a big improvement over the 4490 in the Q5.

 

[Redhell08]

am3d is basically a re branding for the world market of an amp that was sold for the japanese market for the Q5. THX AAA receives good reviews in a bigger format desktop amp, and desktop dac/amp. maybe size maters after all