[KopaneDePooj]

Hello , im thinking to stack my Q5 with an audio player.Because im not happy using with a phone , because( text messaging , phone call). Budget 200-300 euros.Anny sugestions!?

I'd get a second phone just for music. Most DAPs in that budget are slower on user interface, with poor / buggy player software. Since Q5 with Bluetooth - no more DAPs for me.

 

[Floris888]

I'd get a second phone just for music. Most DAPs in that budget are slower on user interface, with poor / buggy player software. Since Q5 with Bluetooth - no more DAPs for me.

Yes i know, thei are buggy , have issues with player software and so on. I have read a lot , in last past 5-6 months , wen i decide to go on this journey. And i have a lot , a lot to learn.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Yes i know, thei are buggy , have issues with player software and so on. I have read a lot , in last past 5-6 months , wen i decide to go on this journey. And i have a lot , a lot to learn.

Yes, if you already have the Q5, it's not worth investing in a DAP IMO. A smartphone with SD card slot + good stable Bluetooth and aptX (NOT my HTC 10... ) + USB Audio Player Pro app and you're all set.
Plus you can use streaming apps like Tidal or Spotify over Wi-Fi or add a SIM card later for mobile internet. Or set a wi-fi hotspot on your current phone and connect the new phone to it for internet access. Makes much more sense that pairing with a DAP.

 

[Floris888]

Thanks for answear, yes bluetooth indeed is very good on Q5 , very good.Today i have , used 3 differents phones with differents specs , with optical /coaxial line versus the bluetooth , and i was blown away , how good this thing can be . On bluetooth .

 

[Dabbaranks]

Just wanted to report back after picking up a 2.5mm IEMatch adapter I’ve lost all hiss on my DM6’s when using it on my q5 in any configuration. IEMatch only needs to be in high mode for these, fully enjoying my q5 now.

 

[gazzington]

I've just bought a q5 for use at work. After much thought about what I can use at work this seems to be best fit. I can stream from an old phone plus an iPod touch. Also, much cheaper than fiio x7ii. I got this new for £185

 

[etoilebiscuit]

I've just bought a q5 for use at work. After much thought about what I can use at work this seems to be best fit. I can stream from an old phone plus an iPod touch. Also, much cheaper than fiio x7ii. I got this new for £185

good price, where did you get it from?

 

[gazzington]

good price, where did you get it from?

eBay, I just got lucky!

 

[gazzington]

It's arrived today and I'm charging it up to use in work tomorrow with my iPod touch

 

[gazzington]

No to look into what iems go well with it for a metal listener .....

 

[evolutiontheory]

So I got my LCD2Cs and tried driving them with the Fiio Q5 AM3. While it had enough volume, I could always sense the lack of oomph. No issues with volume at all.
Compared to my Macbook pro 2018 (which has a pretty good sound output), the Fiio produced a bit more wider sound stage and resolution. Daft Punk - Fresh: The waves at the start had more sound stage (wider and felt far) and the third wave splash had a lot more resolution with the Fiio, but the intimacy/energy was lacking and this could be due to the larger sound stage with not enough output.

This said, I could not care less for LCD2Cs - both ergonomicaly & sound wise; they must go back unfortunately. I am learning that I am more of the Beyerdynamic guy in the sound signature. I went to an audio store nearby and did some A/B testing with LCD2 closed, Focal Elear and clear using Fiio and a high end amp. I also tried Utopia and other LCD versions. With a desktop amp the bass on LCD2 is amazing and the difference between Fiio AM3 and the shop's high end amp was quite apparent.

In the end what I wanted was exactly found in Focal elears.. I wanted the slam of the bass, but then the bass to stay away (say from the guitar riffs) along with a lot of treble as well, I guess that is due to my 4 year ownership of the M50s. I ended up walking out with Focal elears and I dont even care about the Elear/Elex comparisons. I have put a decent amount of time into those over the past few days and I love the Elears. They are easier to drive than LCD2Cs, so Fiio AM3 is a pretty good pairing. I have a set of 2.5mm balanced LQi OCC cables coming in this week, so I can do some A/B testing and report back on the balanced out.

Update: I am being humbled on a regular basis by the mighty LCD2Cs. I had spoken too early on the LCD2s. I am in love with these. Nothing stands out, but the simplicity in which these pull the bass and other sounds is just awesome. You almost feel like the music is simple and there is not much happening which lead to my initial underwhelming impressions, but lately I have realized that at the same time you can feel more than other headphones I own.
Soundstage, imaging everything is just awesome; that is with the AM3 amp. Elears are tonaly very different. They do have that added treble energy which makes them better for certain genres.

Updated this! I stand corrected three weeks into owning the headphones.

 

[gazzington]

Bugger by putting it in a case the faux leather unit has curled up a bit on one of the corners. Anybody else had that problem?

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Great! I was just going to ask you about that modules comparison, because I remember you said somewhere that you are going to do that. I recently bought the HD 6XX and I'm ok with the volume level the AM3A provides on high-gain single ended. I am around 12 o'clock and it is loud enough for me. And I don't feel I'm missing anything in any frequency range. But when I compared the AM3A with iFi Micro iDSD BL, iFi had a very distinct warmer and punchier signature with rounder high-mids, which I also liked. So I'm interested on how the AM5 sounds compared to AM3A and iFi. I'm very curious about your FiiO modules comparison. I'd like a FiiO module that sounds more like the Micro iDSD BL.

I have AM3A and AM3B. AM3A balanced is warmer and punchier than single ended (more power?). AM3B is warmer than AM3A. AM3B balanced is my personal favorite. Tested mostly with HD660S and HD800S

Edit: AM2A corrected to AM3A

I finally received the balanced cable for HD 6XX, from aliexpress. Waited more than 2 months for it. Wow! what a change... I didn't expect this, and I was very skeptical of any sound quality increase and only expected more volume.
Now I can definitely say that my HD 6XX were underpowered with the single ended connection. And I agree with the FiiO specs for AM3A: SE drive ability = 150 Ohm. BAL drive ability = 300 Ohm.
It's really not about volume, I had enough volume single ended. But balanced... when you move that volume knob just a few millimeters above quiet/medium listening level, you can feel that the added voltage / power / authority of balanced benefits the HD 6XX.
Better dynamics, punchier bass, more alive, rounder and cleaner sounding. Closer to what I heard from iFi Micro iDSD Black Label. Single ended it didn't feel the same, although it had plenty of volume, it was a different kind of "loud". It struggled a bit. Not now.
It feels like a different amp, and it should be so, because most of the specs SE vs. BAL are different. See here at the bottom of the page: https://www.fiio.com/productinfo/8324.html
So I agree, and I thank you all that recommended balanced cable for 300Ohm Senns with Q5. It really is the way to go!

 

[nialloreilly]

Yes, if you already have the Q5, it's not worth investing in a DAP IMO. A smartphone with SD card slot + good stable Bluetooth and aptX (NOT my HTC 10... ) + USB Audio Player Pro app and you're all set.
Plus you can use streaming apps like Tidal or Spotify over Wi-Fi or add a SIM card later for mobile internet. Or set a wi-fi hotspot on your current phone and connect the new phone to it for internet access. Makes much more sense that pairing with a DAP.

Are you saying HTC M10 not great as a source? Will upgrade to Samsung S10 when it's available...

 

[gazzington]

It took me a while but I've managed to update the firmware and Bluetooth. Anybody know what these updates do?