[wynand32]

While looked down on by many AAC is actually very good. Apple aren’t idiots and they know what is needed for bluetooth to sound good. If you were told what to listen for in the right parts of the right music you might pick up subtle differences between AAC and LDAC but even that isn’t a certainty. At a normal ‘enjoying the music’ listen especially when out and about when bluetooth is likely to be used I bet you couldn’t tell the difference if actually tested properly, that is blind ABX and volume matched accurately.

I was interested (vaguely) in connecting via LDAC as opposed to AAC from my iPhone as an experiment. I don't believe I'd be able to tell the difference. I'm glad to hear at least one opinion that AAC is pretty good. That's good to know.

I'm not at all convinced either way (yet) about lossless vs hi res vs whatever. I bought the Q15 because it provides enough power to comfortably drive my headphones and it adds an EQ where my iPhone has none. I like seeing it tell me it's playing an Apple Music 24-bit/192kHz track at 192kHz and a 16-bit/44kHz track at 44kHz (as opposed, to say, Amazon Music upsampling everything to 192kHz before sending it over), but I don't believe it makes a difference that I would notice. Maybe unless really critically listening, maybe not even then. And I wouldn't be able to do A/B testing because I don't have the same masters at different bitrates.

So, yeah. For whatever all that's worth.

 

[Erick Muller]

From what I know, you can use the app to update the Bluetooth firmware only. For the USB firmware you have to use a windows computer.

I'm having trouble installing the USB driver for my Q15 and my pc it's giving me this error.

I downloaded the latest driver for this device from Fiio's webpage.

 

[Erick Muller]

Can somebody explain to me how do I activate and what's the setup to get desktop mode working on this amp plox?

 

[skates15]

That wont work anyway, as if you are using a bt headphone, it will receive a digital data stream and convert it to analogue with its own build in dac. The sound of the akm happens when it converts a digital data stream into an analogue signal and passing this thru an analogue output stage. You would need to grab this analogue signal from the line out (dont know if the q15 has an analogue line out tho) and than reconvert it to digital in order to send it to your bt headphone. Even if the akm adds a slight warmth to the sound it would be ever so slightly that i doubt a simple bt headphone (which one?) would be able to pick it up. And even if so you would need your phone the q15 ( or any other avalable dac amp combo and an analoque to digital converter and another Bluetooth transmitter. Dont think its worth it. Better get a competent cabled headphone or just use your phone and bt headphone and use some eq. Honestly thats the most "special" idea i read in almost 20yrs into headphones.
Probably it would be useful to read what happens to a digital stream and which stages it passes before you are able to hear it.

Thanks for the explanation, makes sense as the line out is either balanced or SE and not BT. Yes to understanding the stages of the stream output. Thanks.

 

[skates15]

Regarding DAC sounds signatures. Again perception is going to dictate that more than reality. I wonder how many people would think a certain DAC sounds a certain way if they weren’t told beforehand ?

That is a very good point.

 

[Noveyro]

Hello everyone, i just got q15. I have some initial questions
1- Is there any way to make the side buttons work in usb mode? Even ka5 had that feature with its limited buttons.
2- It draws around 3-4watts from my pd powerbank (9.1V/0.4A) in desktop mode which is normal. When music stops it fluctuates between 0.9W and 1.8W as idle mode. It is not that much, but in order to eliminate power completely, is unplugging must?
3- In phone mode it uses own battery instead of draining from the phone. When i stop using, do i need to unplug the phone to save battery of q15? Because battery is depleted around %3-4 per hour even when it is not in use. I am wondering if there is any way to shut this thing down like a desktop device without unplugging my equipments.

 

[Ichos]

Can somebody explain to me how do I activate and what's the setup to get desktop mode working on this amp plox?

You have to plug a USB charger>2A and enable the desktop mode from the switch at the right.

 

[Erick Muller]

You have to plug a USB charger>2A and enable the desktop mode from the switch at the right.

Thx Ichos, I supposed that you plug the 2A USB Charger through the red/charge in usb port at the back of the unit while also engaging the phone/desktop switch at back right? Also is there an indication that desktop mode has been engage at all? and lastly, has anyone try to feed this unit with a linear power supply and if so, is it advisable and are their any sonic benefits for doing so?

 

[Ichos]

Thx Ichos, I supposed that you plug the 2A USB Charger through the red/charge in usb port at the back of the unit while also engaging the phone/desktop switch at back right? Also is there an indication that desktop mode has been engage at all? and lastly, has anyone try to feed this unit with a linear power supply and if so, is it advisable and are their any sonic benefits for doing so?

Right. I don't remember if there is a desktop indication at the screen. I think that there is a lighting sign at the right.
Also be careful, there is an option at the menu to choose whether the Ultra high gain will be automatically enabled or not when you go into desktop mode. Better leave it to off to avoid destroying your sensitive earphones.

 

[FiiO]

I'm having trouble installing the USB driver for my Q15 and my pc it's giving me this error.



I downloaded the latest driver for this device from Fiio's webpage.

Dear friend,

Did you download the firmware instead of the DAC driver?
The DAC driver and the instuction could be downloaded from this link: https://forum.fiio.com/note/showNoteContent.do?id=202105191527366657910&tid=17

Best regards

 

[wynand32]

Dear friend,

Did you download the firmware instead of the DAC driver?
The DAC driver and the instuction could be downloaded from this link: https://forum.fiio.com/note/showNoteContent.do?id=202105191527366657910&tid=17

Best regards

While you're here, could you provide an overview of how the various physical switches work in combination? As I remember, the user guide is a little confusing.

My one issue with the Q15 is that it seems to run down the source's battery (iPhone or iPad, in my case) even when switched to desktop mode. Is that impacted by what the phone mode switch is put in? As in, does turning off phone mode when in desktop mode use the source's battery while switching to phone mode does not?

 

[Erick Muller]

Right. I don't remember if there is a desktop indication at the screen. I think that there is a lighting sign at the right.
Also be careful, there is an option at the menu to choose whether the Ultra high gain will be automatically enabled or not when you go into desktop mode. Better leave it to off to avoid destroying your sensitive earphones.

Thank you once again Ichos, yes I choose to enable the ultra high gain manually, tho I only have seen super high gain on the gain settings.

 

[Erick Muller]

Dear friend,

Did you download the firmware instead of the DAC driver?
The DAC driver and the instuction could be downloaded from this link: https://forum.fiio.com/note/showNoteContent.do?id=202105191527366657910&tid=17

Best regards

Yes, I think it was the firmware, I hadn't had install the DAC driver tho, thank you my friend.

Now after I install the DAC driver would I be able to install the firmware update for the Q15?

 

[trashkpi]

While you're here, could you provide an overview of how the various physical switches work in combination? As I remember, the user guide is a little confusing.

My one issue with the Q15 is that it seems to run down the source's battery (iPhone or iPad, in my case) even when switched to desktop mode. Is that impacted by what the phone mode switch is put in? As in, does turning off phone mode when in desktop mode use the source's battery while switching to phone mode does not?

It was written in this thread earlier:

Charging USB port is connected:

• Desktop mode ON (Phone Mode state doesn't matter) - battery is neither being charged nor used, Ultra High Gain is available
• Desktop mode OFF (Phone Mode state doesn't matter) - battery is being charged, Ultra High Gain is NOT available

Charging USB port is NOT connected (Ultra High Gain is NOT available at all):

• Desktop mode ON (Phone Mode state doesn't matter) - battery is neither being charged nor used
• Desktop mode OFF/Phone Mode ON - battery is being used
• Desktop mode OFF/Phone Mode OFF - battery is being charged via USB data port

 

[wynand32]

It was written in this thread earlier:

Okay, thanks, that's what I thought but my iPad in particular seems to burn a lot of battery when I'm playing with both switches on. I'll have to pay more attention and see what's happening.