[abitdeef]

If hardware did not “color the sound”, then all DACs would be the same. Clearly this is not something ‘audiophiles’ hold true, per the variety in reviews: everyone is searching for their own flavor. Whether it be DAC, transducers, AMP (eg. tube rolling), tip rolling, cable rolling, etc.

An EQ is simply another (controllable) component, which can be disabled and/or adjusted. What difference does it make if it’s applied in HW “near” the DAC instead of before it’s sent over some transmission mechanism “to” the DAC?

Saying that EQ is not useful is, well, against many use cases. And saying that it has to be done in one place and not another is sort of silly.

Anyway, Q5 is hardly “high end” and just because something isn’t common doesn’t make it a worthwhile / useful / good thing. Enough have to challenge the status quo for it to change and .. it ALWAYS changes, only thing to determine is over what time and who are going to be the pioneers.

(Most “high end” stuff is disproportionately related to pretentiousness and marketing, and I digress.. it’s a good bit jewelry.)

Maybe I just have a brain that is critical of limitations, because instead of holding to the mentality of “that’s the way it’s been done” I like to think of many ways to improve devices (although I cannot come up with NEW devices). I am not the X and so I do not need to ‘defend’ X.

Dacs

True, but aren't we already at the point with DACs such as the Q5s has that we can't really improve anything audible? We can improve on super sensitive measurement performance, but that doesn't mean we can hear these things.

Yes we've been at that point for a while, amp stage, power circuit implementation, and low pass filters affect the sound more than 3 more db of snr. Thd + n specs are already below the hunan hearing threshold.

When you buy a new dap or amp/dac and it sounds different than other gear, it's the implementation of the output stage and LPF that sounds different, not the dac. A dac doesn't color the sound at all, it just crunches numbers. Low pass filters that the manufacturers use give the sound a 'flavor'

 

[pstickne]

Dacs


Yes we've been at that point for a while, amp stage, power circuit implementation, and low pass filters affect the sound more than 3 more db of snr. Thd + n specs are already below the hunan hearing threshold.

When you buy a new dap or amp/dac and it sounds different than other gear, it's the implementation of the output stage and LPF that sounds different, not the dac. A dac doesn't color the sound at all, it just crunches numbers. Low pass filters that the manufacturers use give the sound a 'flavor'

Whatever is done “in or around” the DAC definitely does something - there is very much a difference in implementation. Thanks for clarification as to a specific artifact.

 

[abitdeef]

So my thoughts are always in many different places looking for the best answer, solutuon or idea.
That being said I fully understand the importance of a portable DAC/AMP combo. At $350 Fiio is basically saying, "Ok, here's where we are at now. We can charge higher prices too". Not so many budget friendly bang for buck devices are around anymore. All of these companies are from China. At $350 for just a DAC/AMP and yes Bluetooth output too. Seems like more and more Fiio is jumping on the price increase bandwagon rolling around mainly in our very own prosperous country, USA.
Here is the dilemma: I pay a grand or so for my Note 9. I pay another $350 to bypass the DAC and AMP bluetooth too. Same for iOs users. That's a lot of scratch (cash).
I love the quality and craftsmanship of the Q5s, but I took a different route and I'm very happy indeed! I purchased a Hiby R3 DAP that does it all and sounds utterly amazing doing it, seriously that great. Now I dont have to connect, stack, charge 2 devices. With my lovely little Hiby R3 it's all in one. All in.one, that's a great place to be IF it works for you, like me. I am listening to my playlist on Tidal as I write this comment.
This is bang for buck value! $200 all in (plus up to 2 tb micro sd card). I'm using a Samsung EVO Red 256gb currently. You see I understand completely that Fiio produces some really great devices, some not so great lately with compatibility issues (Android 9). The value is just not there! Fact is we as humans can only hear within a certain range I believe it's up to 20Khz. The rest is all sweet candy that we cannot eat if we tried, facts.
I'm not bashing the Q5s at all. I own some Fiio DAC's and Amps too. For instance I absolutely love my K3 DAC/AMP at $110. Or my A3 amp at $60. But to lay down what I consider a lot of money for a device to piggyback on another device has truly lost its value.
I believe, and this is totally subjective, that Fiio sees we in USA have some very deep pockets (compared to China) and they are now capitalizing on that. Thats fine and all good, but now we are losing the the VALUE in a Chinese owned and operated from China company.in regard to FIIO. It's great to have options, and some have more than others..my situation again is purely subjective, or rather. In my opinion.
But this amazing $200 Hiby DAP, wow is there value in that! Lots.
It's just my opinion and that may change too. After all I own the EarStudio ES100-24bit Portable High-Resolution Bluetooth Receiver and love it! I can use that with my Note 9 or Hiby R3 perfectly LDAC out to any IEM,s or Headphones I choose. There's a lot of value there to at $79..
So please dont jump all over me for this long winded semi rant. Just trying to be practical and yes, value conscious too.

The m11 wipes the floor with the R3, and since the q5 is basically an m11 without a screen, well there you go.

But as long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters.

 

[abitdeef]

Whatever is done “in or around” the DAC definitely does something - there is very much a difference in implementation. Thanks for clarification as to a specific artifact.

Well of course it does, otherwise all daps would sound exactly the same. Just clarifying that all DACS do the exact same thing, and the output specs (without load) can't be audibly improved upon. That extra 3 or 4 decibels of snr in the new dac model, won't be audibly realised, because it would deafen you

If you take brand x dac and brand y dac and put them in the exact same circuit configuration with the same LPF you're not going to hear any difference.

 

[Mad Max]

The HD600 is not an easy to drive headphone, but my creative E5 which is also portable and bluetooth drives them better and so my NX4 on unbalanced outputs, so I don't see why the Fiio could not. I guess that this amp/dac is just not for me.

The E5 has ouput buffers that work best with high impedance headphones, it will have the edge against most other amps when it comes to making HD6x0 and 250-ohm/600-ohm Beyers sing as well as they can out of portable gear.
A quick search of the thread brings up no results for the particular buffer, so I assume Q5(s) uses a different buffer if any, likely best suited to low impedance cans like most people use with portable setups.
Indeed, this amp probably isn't for you.
You're stuck with the E5 as far as I know.

I detest the sound of that buffer used in the E5. There a number of cheaper amps and some desktop amps that use it. Yuck.

 

[FiiO]

I got my Q5s last week, haven't really had time to listen as much as I would like. On some briefly listening I can say that:

It get warm regardless of bluetooth connection or USB.
At least on my Phone appears as a Q5 on the bluetooth list of discovery devices, which I think is a pretty cheap, but at least it supports LDAC (which I don't find really all that useful).
The amp section does not have a lot of juice and cannot drive very well a pair of Sennheiser HD600 or Hifiman HE400i, on low gain is pretty much the same as the jack of my Galaxy S10 which is not the best sounding phone out there.
Finally and the worst thing of all, when I bought it on Aliexpress I selected the bundle with the AM1 module, but isntaed I got an AM0 module which is worhtless for a DAC/AMP, it is only useful for a DAP. I have already open a dispute on Aliexpress regarding this.

Overall I am not very satisfied with this purchase and if I had bought it on Amazon I would return it. My NX4 DSD has more power, and the only two drawbacks I can think off are that it has no bluetooth/optical inputs and that the Fiio as a digital controlled volume pot which is more precised than the analog pot on the Topping. Plus the Bass boost switch sounds better on the Topping.

Dear friend,

1. Although Q5s is the update version for Q5, it is sharing the same device authorization including RF authorization and USB DAC driver. So when working as Bluetooth receiver or USB DAC, the list shows Q5 still. However, Q5 and Q5s are using different MAC address . So in FiiO Music app, they could still be distinguished to Q5 and Q5s.
2. We are sorry that we sent the wrong module to you. But what you order is with am1 promotion bundle.You just add one usd to get the module no matter am1/am0/am3. We will send a new one am1 via post but it doesn't means we need refund you 100usd. Thanks for your understanding!

best regards

 

[maxngck]

Hi Fiio,

Will there be any casing for Q5S to be released anytime soon?

 

[KopaneDePooj]

The HD600 is not an easy to drive headphone, but my creative E5 which is also portable and bluetooth drives them better and so my NX4 on unbalanced outputs, so I don't see why the Fiio could not. I guess that this amp/dac is just not for me.

Maybe there is something wrong with your unit? My Q5 drives the HD 6XX very good on balanced (never go past 12 o'clock) and on the SE the volume moves one hour more in terms of power... So what is 11 o'clock on balanced is about 12 o'clock single ended.
But these are loud volumes, I generally listen on 11 o'clock balanced with my HD6XX.
It is also true that "loud" is a very relative term when not properly measured. I found that many people listen at what I would call "scary" volumes. I'd go deaf after one song...

 

[FiiO]

Hi Fiio,

Will there be any casing for Q5S to be released anytime soon?

Dear friend,

We do not have the plan about this. But you may get this one instead: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33005699649.html

Best regards

 

[smuldge]

I have been using the Q5s for the past 2 days and I am very happy with the sound quality paired with a BD Xelento.

Only let down so far, is the lack of the additional USB port for charging which was present in the Q5 making simultaneous charging from an external power source and USB data in from a phone posible using the Fiio CL06 cable.

I guess we can switch to bluetooth while charging up again the Q5s, which to digress, the power level indicator is useful for this context to determine when to start recharging if we want to use the Q5s as a portable for the commute home.

 

[Ghawke]

With the Fiio Music App on the M6 I do not seem to be able to control the Q5s like I can with the Fiio Music app on my phone. Am I missing something?

 

[Leetransform25]

The m11 wipes the floor with the R3, and since the q5 is basically an m11 without a screen, well there you go.

But as long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters.

I agree, rather seems like a loss to me, but hey just like you said if they prefer using a DAP rather than stacking with a DAC/Amp and they're happy with their R3 then that's all that really matters

 

[fieryoOo]

Not sure if I missed it but any comparison between Q5s and the original Q5 yet? Is it worth upgrading?

 

[OneL0ve]

The m11 wipes the floor with the R3, and since the q5 is basically an m11 without a screen, well there you go.

But as long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters.

Wait, the M11 has all the features of the Q5s?

Is there a comparison table?

I already have the M11.

 

[Senna]

Hi,

Care to share your review on this Q5S?

Thank you.

Can’t really call this a review, but having listened to it for a couple of days now I am starting to become a bit more familiar with the Q5S.

I have been streaming Spotify over bluetooth and listening to my B&W P7s, a headset I like so much I bought a second pair when it was removed from their lineup. For those who are not too familiar with this one it isn’t the most neutral one out there, but somewhat warm sounding if that serves as a description, which suits my preferences perfectly. So what did I learn about the Q5S - simply put I’m in love. It sounds as though a veil has been lifted from the music, and the P7s are truly shining. Gone is the slightly lush and indesticint bass, replaced by a crisp tight slam that I never thought my headset capable of. Vocals are natural without ever becoming sharp, it feels as though the singer has taken a step closer, slightly more emphasized, but without ever becoming exaggerated or tiring. For someone who has a thing for vocals, and female singers in particular, this is heaven.

I was worried this would make it less versatile and not handle a wider range of genres, but not so. No matter what I throw at it I end up smiling and simply enjoying the music. I have hardly touched the bass boost other than to test it out, it simply isn’t needed.

I do not have an extremely wide range of references to compare the Q5S to, but this is by far the best I have heard. I may even have vanquished the urge to constantly upgrade, because I am not sure I need anything but this one. Like I said - I am in love, and probably a bit blinded by it, but my portable music has never been closer to my main system than this, which is good enough for me

Need more pictures in this thread