[noaid]

@rsung
Really. I have just tried. I had no problem with Q1mkII.
Q5s really drains phone. I measured it just now. Q5s is almost fully charged (maybe 95%) and when switched off it gets 25 mA, when switched on even 250 mA. Of course, sw charging switch is off.

It seems we have to check everything what is declared - we never know if it is really true or not. I hope it can be corrected by firmware update and it is not a pure hw design.

 

[abitdeef]

There is a difference, of course, LDAC is most power hungry. But I think the difference is not big. Not enough for having to think about switching codec all the time. I have always LDAC best quality.

I see more problem with power consumption of the rest of Q5s. Sometimes body is so hot! Why when powering only small IEMs? This is very strange, I cannot understand it. Compare with your phone which delivers the same power - it is cool when playing audio only. Today I will get leather case. I am not sure it is safe to use it, what happens when overheating. Silicon chips will have no problem but is it good for battery to heat it to 60 C? I don't think so.

That's strange, mine doesn't get warm at all with normal use. Only if I have it in my pocket for a while, and then it's not as warm as say ibasso dx220, or colorfly u8, or even ak70.

They all get warmer than q5s. It is normal for daps and amps to dissipate heat through the metal chassis. Unless it's really hot, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[rsung]

For those who are having backcharging issues when using the Q5s with an Android phone, have you tried going into the 'System->Developer options' settings page and changing the 'Default USB configuration' option to 'No data transfer'? I've just tried this and the backcharging problems looks to have gone away, but will wait a bit to see if it's permanent. Sorry if this possible fix has already been mentioned somewhere in this thread.

 

[sinquito]

Thanks again for your suggestion, appreciate this.

My requirement are
1. Combine DAC/AMP in compact size like power bank or cell phone
2. Not require power supply cable. Just one usb cable to connect to computer. (don't like desktop size and lot of wires)
3. Must have DSD native.
4. Headphones balance output only. (don't need all other outputs)
It very hard to find equipment that meet my requirements. Until now I only find FiiO K3. But its SQ is not good at all.

Search for the E1DA 9038S. It seems is everything you need and even better as is smaller. Estimated price is around $ 70 USD.

 

[sinquito]

My Q5s on bluetooth driving my SE535 gets really warm, more so than say my phone watching videos on youtube.

 

[Mad Max]

Here is a way to assemble an OTG cable with the power pin disconnected.
It may or may not solve the power drain issue without having to mess with settings. The settings mentioned so far would affect playback/functionality, no?

 

[abitdeef]

My Q5s on bluetooth driving my SE535 gets really warm, more so than say my phone watching videos on youtube.

That's normal, your phone doesn't do 550mw a channel. But my phone gets warm at various times. Do you have it in a case or in your pocket. I use bluetooth all the time and I have my q5s on high gain and it only gets warm if it's in my pocket.

It's like this on every thread I'm on lol. I kid you not- my m11 gets warm, my ibasso dx220 gets really warm, my mojo gets really warm, my sr15 gets really warm.

Folks, things with hefty amps and balanced configuration get warm. Especially if the frame is used as a heat sink by design. Sonys don't because they use class d amps. Most other stuff does.

 

[DSpezzia]

For those who are having backcharging issues when using the Q5s with an Android phone, have you tried going into the 'System->Developer options' settings page and changing the 'Default USB configuration' option to 'No data transfer'? I've just tried this and the backcharging problems looks to have gone away, but will wait a bit to see if it's permanent. Sorry if this possible fix has already been mentioned somewhere in this thread.

Tried it. Didn't work though.......

 

[bgtip]

That's so satisfying:

 

[tolis626]

OK, so, impressions time!

I haven't had as much time as I'd like to listen to the Q5s properly at home, but I've been on the road all day today and I've listened enough for me to form an opinion.

If I could summarize it in one word, it would be "versatile". You want to use with sensitive IEMs? Clean and quiet. You want to use it with full sized close backs? Done, it sounds tight and detailed. You want to use it with open backs? Boom, open and airy and powerful. Speakers, you say? Hook them up to the line out and check if anyone can notice that it's not a full sized DAC. Wanna watch a movie on your TV? Connect the Q5s to it with SPDIF and enjoy proper sound coming out of the damn thing. I think you're getting my point. You want anything to do with outputting sound, unless it's multi-channel, the Q5s can do it and do it well.

Now, sound quality. I went all balanced, except for my MSR7 which don't have the option, so keep that in mind. What can I say? It's impressive. I never expected such an improvement over my Q1. The quality of the bass, highs etc has been discussed to death already, and I agree with most of it, so I'm gonna focus on what impressed me most, the amount of spatial information I get. I mean, I'm using the same headphones, listening to the same songs from the same sources. I have never before felt a snare drum hit precisely 10cm away from my right ear at 5 o'clock. I could hear it somewhere on the same region before, but now if I close my eyes, I can swear it's right beside me. Soundstage is also wider, but I'm not as impressed as I am by the imaging improvements. Holy hell, it sounds good...

Now, on to the (admittedly very few) negatives. Biggest one is that it's a bit prone to scratches. Mine already has some scuff marks in the corners. Also, it's almost dead neutral compared to the noticeably warm Q1, to the point that at first it sounded thin (although that's my fault, being used to a heavily colored sound), but now that I'm used to it, the Q1 sounds wrong. Last is the battery. I don't know if it drains quicker than on the Q1 or if it's just the fact that I can actually check how much I have left, but I feel that the battery runs out way quicker on the Q5s.

More will follow, but that's my initial impressions. So far, I'm very very satisfied.

 

[abitdeef]

That's so satisfying:

Awesome, I love neutron.

 

[abitdeef]

OK, so, impressions time!

I haven't had as much time as I'd like to listen to the Q5s properly at home, but I've been on the road all day today and I've listened enough for me to form an opinion.

If I could summarize it in one word, it would be "versatile". You want to use with sensitive IEMs? Clean and quiet. You want to use it with full sized close backs? Done, it sounds tight and detailed. You want to use it with open backs? Boom, open and airy and powerful. Speakers, you say? Hook them up to the line out and check if anyone can notice that it's not a full sized DAC. Wanna watch a movie on your TV? Connect the Q5s to it with SPDIF and enjoy proper sound coming out of the damn thing. I think you're getting my point. You want anything to do with outputting sound, unless it's multi-channel, the Q5s can do it and do it well.

Now, sound quality. I went all balanced, except for my MSR7 which don't have the option, so keep that in mind. What can I say? It's impressive. I never expected such an improvement over my Q1. The quality of the bass, highs etc has been discussed to death already, and I agree with most of it, so I'm gonna focus on what impressed me most, the amount of spatial information I get. I mean, I'm using the same headphones, listening to the same songs from the same sources. I have never before felt a snare drum hit precisely 10cm away from my right ear at 5 o'clock. I could hear it somewhere on the same region before, but now if I close my eyes, I can swear it's right beside me. Soundstage is also wider, but I'm not as impressed as I am by the imaging improvements. Holy hell, it sounds good...

Now, on to the (admittedly very few) negatives. Biggest one is that it's a bit prone to scratches. Mine already has some scuff marks in the corners. Also, it's almost dead neutral compared to the noticeably warm Q1, to the point that at first it sounded thin (although that's my fault, being used to a heavily colored sound), but now that I'm used to it, the Q1 sounds wrong. Last is the battery. I don't know if it drains quicker than on the Q1 or if it's just the fact that I can actually check how much I have left, but I feel that the battery runs out way quicker on the Q5s.

More will follow, but that's my initial impressions. So far, I'm very very satisfied.

What module are you using? Because the thx aaa has even better imaging to my ears. Not that the stock one doesn't, it's got really good imaging too, especially on balanced where it sounds to more depth.

Glad you enjoy it.

 

[tolis626]

What module are you using? Because the thx aaa has even better imaging to my ears. Not that the stock one doesn't, it's got really good imaging too, especially on balanced where it sounds to more depth.

Glad you enjoy it.

Oh I'm using the AM3E. It will be a while before I get the AM3D, I'm totally satisfied by the Q5s already. Also, the D won't be quite the jump in performance, like the jump from the Q1 to the Q5s. It will, however, be a nice little step up, I guess.

Cheers!

 

[kaushama]

Hopefully getting my new AM3D today!

 

[noaid]

That's normal, your phone doesn't do 550mw a channel. But my phone gets warm at various times. Do you have it in a case or in your pocket. I use bluetooth all the time and I have my q5s on high gain and it only gets warm if it's in my pocket.

It's like this on every thread I'm on lol. I kid you not- my m11 gets warm, my ibasso dx220 gets really warm, my mojo gets really warm, my sr15 gets really warm.

Folks, things with hefty amps and balanced configuration get warm. Especially if the frame is used as a heat sink by design. Sonys don't because they use class d amps. Most other stuff does.

But it is in some pocket or bag or case 90% of time and output power on SE is not bigger than any phone. In fact it is maybe even smaller than Line-out. And it is still warm. There are at least 3 amps inside 1xSE+2xbal . There should be some power management inside, if you use SE then balanced should be switched off, when line out then all power amp off. Maybe it is implemented, who knows. But in this case SE would have much longer use time then balanced. I don't think it is, maybe all amps are on together.

My phone Samsung S7 really does not have 550mW. It has 360mW on its SE output comparing 280mW Q5s on 16ohm. Only audio declared playtime is phone 62 hours, Fiio 9.5 hours, battery capacity almost the same. Maybe phone has also class D amp. It would be logical for power saving.

Ok Sony has Class D, but other look like using Class A amp.

But this is not the biggest problem. Bigger is charging - no possibility to disable it. My current measurements were with fully charged amp. I am afraid when discharged it can gets up to 1A from the phone. Last time I saw after some hours of playing that my phone battery is dropping almost 1% per minute. I thought phone battery is dead. But it looks like Q5s was the reason. I will do some measurements later after discharging amp.
I have a feeling it takes power from phone instead of its own battery. Now when amp is off 25 mA, when on 110mA. It does not look like charging, it looks like running on phone battery. I will see later.