An excellent dongle, luckily got one chance to audition this for a very short duration, and omg I loved it. Waiting for stocks to replenish in India.
@Questyle M15 is serving me well with the Campfire Audio Solaris OG. This little baby surprises me every day with its capabilities. I will soon post a complete review, but I think it's time I drop by for some short impressions.
short disclaimer:-
I received the M15 courtesy of Questyle, but all the impressions in this short write-up are completely my own based on my own experience with the device. I have spent a good 150+ hours with the M15 by my side powering different pairs including Senn IE600, CA Solaris OG, Fearless Audio S8F, ZMF Auteur, EE Legends Evo, 64Audio U12t, etc.
Sound Signature:-
It has a transparent sound signature with a hint of warmth. The bass feels tighter and punchier. Midrange sounds accurate and natural. Vocals don't sound colored or brittle. The entire frequency band shows good body, there's nothing that I will say is sharp or shouty. It's smooth, dynamic, lively, and authorized. By authorized I mean powerful, one can feel the punch in the bass, the emotions through vocals, and hear the instruments nicely separated. There's no noticeable background noise with any of the IEMs that I tested the M15 with.
After all the DAC/AMPs that I have tested so far, the M15 is the most dynamic and smooth at the same time. It doesn't feel offensive or overly aggressive at all.
Pairing:-
TBH, give anything to the M15 and it will complement it with its performance. It just feels right, both tonally and dynamically. Even though it's compact, the M15 holds a lot of power to drive most IEMs easily. It even drove my ZMF Auteur to about 80% of its capabilities(compared to a desktop-grade class A amp).
Short comparisons based on my previous experiences:-
Vs Lotoo Paw S1:-
>Paw S1 feels more neutral, M15 feels warmer.
>M15 has better output power, it is more capable to drive demanding pairs.
>Construction-wise, I would say the M15 looks more attractive with its transparent top.
Vs Moonriver 2:-
>Moonriver 2 I used to like a lot, it has the energy, the power that I love. But M15 changed that for me, it retains that lively performance in a smooth manner. M15 feels smoother yet livelier than Moonriver 2.
>M15 pairs well with more IEMs and HPs that I have tested it with. Moonriver 2 while sounding energetic might get a little snappier, a little sharper with some sets.
Vs L&P W2:-
>Another one of my favorites. W2 has the smoothest presentation out of all the DAC/AMPs that I have tested so far.
>M15 shows better emotion, W2 might feel dry in comparison(please highlight the in-comparison here).
>To me, I feel like M15 has better extensions at the lower end. The bass is punchier.
>M15 has more dynamic output.
These are just my short impressions. Yet to do a photoshoot and write a complete review, soon
Thank You!!
Introducing the Questyle M15 & the brand new Questyle Shop!
- Thread starter Questyle
- Start date
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- Tags
- questyle questyle m15
Good one ! Waiting for mine to arrive !
@Questyle M15 is serving me well with the Campfire Audio Solaris OG. This little baby surprises me every day with its capabilities. I will soon post a complete review, but I think it's time I drop by for some short impressions.
short disclaimer:-
I received the M15 courtesy of Questyle, but all the impressions in this short write-up are completely my own based on my own experience with the device. I have spent a good 150+ hours with the M15 by my side powering different pairs including Senn IE600, CA Solaris OG, Fearless Audio S8F, ZMF Auteur, EE Legends Evo, 64Audio U12t, etc.
Sound Signature:-
It has a transparent sound signature with a hint of warmth. The bass feels tighter and punchier. Midrange sounds accurate and natural. Vocals don't sound colored or brittle. The entire frequency band shows good body, there's nothing that I will say is sharp or shouty. It's smooth, dynamic, lively, and authorized. By authorized I mean powerful, one can feel the punch in the bass, the emotions through vocals, and hear the instruments nicely separated. There's no noticeable background noise with any of the IEMs that I tested the M15 with.
After all the DAC/AMPs that I have tested so far, the M15 is the most dynamic and smooth at the same time. It doesn't feel offensive or overly aggressive at all.
Pairing:-
TBH, give anything to the M15 and it will complement it with its performance. It just feels right, both tonally and dynamically. Even though it's compact, the M15 holds a lot of power to drive most IEMs easily. It even drove my ZMF Auteur to about 80% of its capabilities(compared to a desktop-grade class A amp).
Short comparisons based on my previous experiences:-
Vs Lotoo Paw S1:-
>Paw S1 feels more neutral, M15 feels warmer.
>M15 has better output power, it is more capable to drive demanding pairs.
>Construction-wise, I would say the M15 looks more attractive with its transparent top.
Vs Moonriver 2:-
>Moonriver 2 I used to like a lot, it has the energy, the power that I love. But M15 changed that for me, it retains that lively performance in a smooth manner. M15 feels smoother yet livelier than Moonriver 2.
>M15 pairs well with more IEMs and HPs that I have tested it with. Moonriver 2 while sounding energetic might get a little snappier, a little sharper with some sets.
Vs L&P W2:-
>Another one of my favorites. W2 has the smoothest presentation out of all the DAC/AMPs that I have tested so far.
>M15 shows better emotion, W2 might feel dry in comparison(please highlight the in-comparison here).
>To me, I feel like M15 has better extensions at the lower end. The bass is punchier.
>M15 has more dynamic output.
These are just my short impressions. Yet to do a photoshoot and write a complete review, soon
Thank You!!
RemedyMusic
100+ Head-Fier
HI guys! M15 owner here. Anyone got issues on upgrading to the latest firmware? I can't get mine to upgrade. Pls check this video out. Maybe I'm missing something? Thanks in advance!!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lyyJX6Vq3KhcRjh758IT-zIJzgqGPB9f/view?usp=drivesdk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lyyJX6Vq3KhcRjh758IT-zIJzgqGPB9f/view?usp=drivesdk
ByrnesK
Head-Fier
I updated mine to latest firmware, what is happening?
Press up/down arrow in keyboard to select the target device (current tool have ui bug), and the target should be VID_0495 PID_1048.
RemedyMusic
100+ Head-Fier
As you can see here, the revision and build info are missing.
I'm a mac user, and I still need to pay a friend a visit just to update m15. I wish questyle would release a tool for mac users like me.
Both revision and build info should popup if you select the right target which is VID_0495 PID_1048.As you can see here, the revision and build info are missing.
I'm a mac user, and I still need to pay a friend a visit just to update m15. I wish questyle would release a tool for mac users like me.
And yeah It would be great if we can update via mac.
RemedyMusic
100+ Head-Fier
There is only one target when i clicked that option. What ui bug did you notice with the current firmware tool?
Same as your. It only shown one target in the drop-down list. So, I have to click and then navigate the list via arrow key instead.
RemedyMusic
100+ Head-Fier
Ok i will try this. Thanks for the tip! Appreciate it.
yuuki
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2017
- Posts
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- 74
I got the M15 a few days ago, and I like sound. I updated to the latest firmware, and use the single ended 3.5mm. Plugged to my ROG 5 phone, I get regular 4G noise interference on my usb-c (2.0) out at the bottom of the phone. Using Wifi or Airplane mode solves this mostly. Plugged to the usb-c (3.1) on the side of the phone, I get no interference. My side usb-c is either better isolated, or maybe the fact that it is 3.1 could have an effect? Either way, the M15 is not well isolated to prevent noise from a noisy output for the single ended 3.5mm I used. People that use online libraries should caution.
For sound of the M15 used on my android ROG5 phone, it sounds significantly narrower and a teeny bit thinner than the device's native 3.5mm jack (also an ESS sabre dac). Female vocals have a bit more energy and are a bit more shouty. Though I'm much more sensitive with shout and sibilance than the average person when it comes to over ear headphones. The HD600's upper mids for example sounds super shouty to my ears (the standard pinna gain in IEM's don't seem to bother me at all though for some reason). On my Nighthawks, the M15 works well as the headphones sound super thick in the lower frequencies and quite subdued in the upper mids. For my Penon Serial IEM's it is fine, but for the Penon PAC earbuds, it sounded unpleasantly shouty and thin compared to the native ROG5 jack.
The bass of the M15 is great, better controlled and more dynamic than the ROG5 jack. The M15's imaging is a bit sharper but narrower, and details are more clear and in your face. But it didn't sound sharp and sibilant at all.
Compared to my other dongles (lg g5 dac dongle, audioquest dragonfly 1.2), I actually think it sounds the narrowest when connected my android phone. I have a chord mojo, but the battery died out more than a year ago, so I cannot compare it. But I don't remember the Mojo sounding this narrow either. Either way, my nighthawks are super thick and big sounding so it doesn't really matter for this headphone. It gives it a bit more energy and control, which is very nice on this headphone. On my Penon Serial the left and right sound very close to the center image. Much more than I'm used to. Every instrument and detail is very noticable and in your face. Some people will like this, but most people would prefer a more wide and spacious sound I assume.
The M15 plugged into my iPad pro, it sounds much bigger and more spacious compared to my android phone. Just as spacious as my other dacs. Honestly on my ipad pro, all my dacs sound sound very similar. I don't think I can distinguish any of them from eachother in a blind test really. Maybe that's how all dongles are supposed to sound when competent enough? This is why I haven't spent too much money on dacs and amps for my 6 years time in this hobby. Either way, I use them on my android phone for convenience and mobility reasons, and the dongles sounding very noticably distinguishable from eachother there is definitely more charming to me.
This dac looks really visually pleasing, and there were a lot of great reviews for it, so I decided to try out something new. I'm satisfied with it, but not mind blown or anything. On my android phone it does sound very different from my other devices. Providing a more intimate, dynamic, and detailed sound compared to my other devices. Loving it on my Nighthawks especially.
Now I have a question for people using the 4.4mm balanced jack. Does it sound any different from the single ended 3.5mm? At least I know it is more powerful than the 3.5mm. Using direct usb acces on Neutron to test max volume, I know I only use 4% of the max volume of the 3.5mm jack. So power should be a non issue. I'm thinking of buying some balanced cables for my headphones and iem's, but I don't know whether it would make a noticeable difference in sound or only inconvenience me by making my headphones only usable with a single device I own.
For sound of the M15 used on my android ROG5 phone, it sounds significantly narrower and a teeny bit thinner than the device's native 3.5mm jack (also an ESS sabre dac). Female vocals have a bit more energy and are a bit more shouty. Though I'm much more sensitive with shout and sibilance than the average person when it comes to over ear headphones. The HD600's upper mids for example sounds super shouty to my ears (the standard pinna gain in IEM's don't seem to bother me at all though for some reason). On my Nighthawks, the M15 works well as the headphones sound super thick in the lower frequencies and quite subdued in the upper mids. For my Penon Serial IEM's it is fine, but for the Penon PAC earbuds, it sounded unpleasantly shouty and thin compared to the native ROG5 jack.
The bass of the M15 is great, better controlled and more dynamic than the ROG5 jack. The M15's imaging is a bit sharper but narrower, and details are more clear and in your face. But it didn't sound sharp and sibilant at all.
Compared to my other dongles (lg g5 dac dongle, audioquest dragonfly 1.2), I actually think it sounds the narrowest when connected my android phone. I have a chord mojo, but the battery died out more than a year ago, so I cannot compare it. But I don't remember the Mojo sounding this narrow either. Either way, my nighthawks are super thick and big sounding so it doesn't really matter for this headphone. It gives it a bit more energy and control, which is very nice on this headphone. On my Penon Serial the left and right sound very close to the center image. Much more than I'm used to. Every instrument and detail is very noticable and in your face. Some people will like this, but most people would prefer a more wide and spacious sound I assume.
The M15 plugged into my iPad pro, it sounds much bigger and more spacious compared to my android phone. Just as spacious as my other dacs. Honestly on my ipad pro, all my dacs sound sound very similar. I don't think I can distinguish any of them from eachother in a blind test really. Maybe that's how all dongles are supposed to sound when competent enough? This is why I haven't spent too much money on dacs and amps for my 6 years time in this hobby. Either way, I use them on my android phone for convenience and mobility reasons, and the dongles sounding very noticably distinguishable from eachother there is definitely more charming to me.
This dac looks really visually pleasing, and there were a lot of great reviews for it, so I decided to try out something new. I'm satisfied with it, but not mind blown or anything. On my android phone it does sound very different from my other devices. Providing a more intimate, dynamic, and detailed sound compared to my other devices. Loving it on my Nighthawks especially.
Now I have a question for people using the 4.4mm balanced jack. Does it sound any different from the single ended 3.5mm? At least I know it is more powerful than the 3.5mm. Using direct usb acces on Neutron to test max volume, I know I only use 4% of the max volume of the 3.5mm jack. So power should be a non issue. I'm thinking of buying some balanced cables for my headphones and iem's, but I don't know whether it would make a noticeable difference in sound or only inconvenience me by making my headphones only usable with a single device I own.
Extended dynamics and a bit more space with critical listening
yuuki
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2017
- Posts
- 13
- Likes
- 74
So I just received my usb-c to usb-a otg so I could try add my old audioquest jitterbug to the chain. ...And it changes everything about this dongle. Connected to my phone, the sound has a lot more body and weight, and the treble has less digital flare. Soundstage expands in width and sounds wide enough now. An even bigger improvement to the soundstage is that it gained a lot of depth. It sounds amazing with every headphone and IEM I own. Absolutely night and day difference. But having an additional usb device and adapter in between does make it a bit bulky... With the hope the balanced output is better isolated from the noisy output of my phone, I've ordered a balanced cable to test out. Hopefully I can toss out the jitterbug from my chain then. Though I'm not very optimistic.
RemedyMusic
100+ Head-Fier
I totally agree. It is not just about having it louder, but about the quality of the output because of that extra power.
ByrnesK
Head-Fier
Got my 4.4mm balanced cable today for my UM MEST mk2, testing out the questyle m15 and still getting the static noises with Mobile data and now sometimes Wifi enabled and it seems to be louder and more frequent on 4.4mm connection. interestingly enough when I use my Questyle M15 with my laptop I get no static at all, so looks like its an issue related to mobile phones exclusively, I also tested all this with another set of IEMs (Fearless Audio S8Z) to make sure it wasnt just purely with my UM MEST mk2. Would be interesting to see if @Questyle engineers could comment on these issues? it definetly does take away from the high quality of the dongle which when it works it works really well!
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