QLS QA360: Another DSD-capable DAP

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Any impressions on the QA360LE?

 

[dip registered]

Any impressions on the QA360LE?

+1, really wanna hear what people think

 

[AlexRoma]

After 2 month usage, about 100 hours playback, here are my impression regards QLS360LE vs QLS360.
 
1. LE is faster, and I mean FASTER. The impulse is much more focused, faster attack , faster decay, better control.
2. LE is less treble happy, but also, less musical, not so "analog" and "airy" like original, especially on FLAC latest firmware.
3. LE on WAV only firmware is almost same liquid-fluid as the original QLS360 on FLAC firmware, with better controlled overall.
4. LE bass is the most notorious difference - it's improved on most areas, deeper, punchier, more controlled. 
5. QLS360 is a little more musical and euphonic overall, like a tube-amp, with no addition of distortion and color. The original model just sound more life-like to my ears on my dark Fostex TH-X00. 
 
UI and Ergonomics are same. 
 
Disclaimer : I do not have both DAPs on hand to compare them, I made the comparison based on my memory. You can count the wow effect the original QLS360 had i first time tried it, so the part with euphony might be exaggerate or even non-existed for others. 

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Excellent detailed impressions.

 

[AlexRoma]

I would like to add that Q360 original technically is a little behind the LE version, but it's all about synergy in the end..
The original QLE360 was a killer wow-effect device combined with dark and warmer sounding headphones, like my fostex TH-X00
 
The LE version, with the addition of bass quantity, speed and control, isn't that euphonic on fostex, but the results are even better with different headphones. The killer wow-effect is now achieved on AKG K7XX/K712 headphones, known for their brighter side of nature. Fostex sound great too, very controlled and punchy, but the tonality is too dark, i need more treble. So, on a brighter sounding headphone like AKG , QLS360LE can blow you away..
 
Did I tell you this little DAP can drive a power-hungry monster like AKG K712 to it's best on 110 volume lvl out of 150 ? 

 

[griff2]

  Having listened to "Claire Martin We've Got A World That Swings" ripped from CD I completely recant my criticism of the DAP, it's not clinical, it's accurate.  I haven't heard a piano reproduced so accurately from any recording until listening via the above setup; the last time I heard a piano sound this good I was in front of it (not playing it though).
 
Personally I'm not interested in the DAP as a DAP, I'm using it as a digital source and to that end it's phenomenal.  
 
Interestingly the Mojo/Ray Samuel combo really blows away my Naim DAC VI; time to get the Chord 2qute I think.
 
BTW I've listened to all the firmware, both WAV only and full, I prefer the as supplied with my unit firmware (as of May 2016) full version 1.306.

Further to this, I believe this DAP to be nearly, if not, as good as it gets as a source.  Via WAV, recordings are just laid bare good or bad.  Average to good recordings are conveyed with tons of musical detail and involvement.  If you've got a half decent DAC, whatever your system, this is a bloody good source.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Can't wait for my QA360LE to turn up. ^ Yeah it really is a fantastic source, best I've heard at any rate, really makes my NAD M51 turn out the most analytic effortlessly detailed sound, but in no way strident or edgy, its just pure smoothly rendered detail that instantly gives you the impression of 'this is the meaning of colourless sound', it maybe a touch sterile, but not in a negative way, it really can't be helped when your outputting this much much smooth detail. My more engaging sources like P90SD have a particular toe tapping factor to them, but don't quite impress like the QA360 when it comes to detail effortlessly laid bare. You can't both have your cake and eat it.

 

[sonickarma]

  Can't wait for my QA360LE to turn up. ^ Yeah it really is a fantastic source, best I've heard at any rate, really makes my NAD M51 turn out the most analytic effortlessly detailed sound, but in no way strident or edgy, its just pure smoothly rendered detail that instantly gives you the impression of 'this is the meaning of colourless sound', it maybe a touch sterile, but not in a negative way, it really can't be helped when your outputting this much much smooth detail. My more engaging sources like P90SD have a particular toe tapping factor to them, but don't quite impress like the QA360 when it comes to detail effortlessly laid bare. You can't both have your cake and eat it.

Optical out to MoJo is also very good

 

[dip registered]

  Optical out to MoJo is also very good

So, you can actually hear a difference between using the Mojo, vs just coming straight out of the 360? Any details you could share on the topic? Thanks!

 

[dip registered]

  Can't wait for my QA360LE to turn up. ^ Yeah it really is a fantastic source, best I've heard at any rate, really makes my NAD M51 turn out the most analytic effortlessly detailed sound, but in no way strident or edgy, its just pure smoothly rendered detail that instantly gives you the impression of 'this is the meaning of colourless sound', it maybe a touch sterile, but not in a negative way, it really can't be helped when your outputting this much much smooth detail. My more engaging sources like P90SD have a particular toe tapping factor to them, but don't quite impress like the QA360 when it comes to detail effortlessly laid bare. You can't both have your cake and eat it.

What pushed you to go the LE? Can't wait to hear your impressions vs the original! Thanks to AlexRoma for his thoughts too.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

I wanted an LE since I first heard of it, just took a while to sort it out, I did sell my original QA360 to fund LE, so no direct comparisons from me. I'm a big fan of QLS and their MO of prioritising sound first which is always evident in their products, they have a new digital speaker amp coming out called QA160, should knock the socks of pretty much any speaker amp under 1.5K while costing a third as much. I might have to get one and upgrade my speakers while I'm at it heh.

 

[griff2]

  So, you can actually hear a difference between using the Mojo, vs just coming straight out of the 360? Any details you could share on the topic? Thanks!

I use the 360>Mojo>Ray Samuels>Senheiser HD25 1-II (since I don't like the Mojo headphone amplifier) or 360>Mojo> Schiit Lyre 2>Beyerdynamic DT770.  The Mojo/Ray Samuels combo is effortless, dynamic and transparent through the Senns.  The Mojo/Lyre 2 combo into the DT770s also has a really dynamic sound with tons of authority. 
 
The on-board DAC is good, but the on-board amp isn't good enough to bring cans which are capable of good dynamic behaviour to life; plus the Mojo is better than the on-board DAC. I'd also say both the aforementioned combos are also a good step-up in transparency compared to just the DAP.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Listing to QA360LE, I really love it from first listen, but probably should burn it in before giving impressions.

 

[dip registered]

I use the 360>Mojo>Ray Samuels>Senheiser HD25 1-II (since I don't like the Mojo headphone amplifier) or 360>Mojo> Schiit Lyre 2>Beyerdynamic DT770.  The Mojo/Ray Samuels combo is effortless, dynamic and transparent through the Senns.  The Mojo/Lyre 2 combo into the DT770s also has a really dynamic sound with tons of authority. 

The on-board DAC is good, but the on-board amp isn't good enough to bring cans which are capable of good dynamic behaviour to life; plus the Mojo is better than the on-board DAC. I'd also say both the aforementioned combos are also a good step-up in transparency compared to just the DAP.

Cool. Thanks! It's almost impossible to get a buy-one-to-rule-them-all... Im perfectly happy with my qa360 driving my LCD-XCs straight, compared to MacBook Pro->Hifi m8 I can't tell a huge difference between the two, and I really like the m8. So I'm happy with qa-360 on its own for now.

Listing to QA360LE, I really love it from first listen, but probably should burn it in before giving impressions.

Sounds good!

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Man the Sony XBA-3 iem's pair ridiculously good with the QA360LE, I've never been very fond of the XBA-3, they sound tinny, thin, analytical and unnatural in tone with my other dap's, but when hooked up to the QA360LE (WAV 1.4.02) suddenly it has body and everything comes together for a very detailed yet full sound, I'm going to buy the newest model XBA-300 to see how they fair.
 
It's looking like QA360LE can get the best out of gear that is overly resolving or analytical, (note it doesn't add bass or reduce treble) it tames them into submission, not neuters them, you hear all their detail, but the QA360LE has this vice like "control" over the headphones you plug into it, the original QA360 didn't have this, it was more free flowing in sound, QA360LE is more rigid, less liquid, more controlled, every note is distinctly measured in force, yet full of body, and separated from next note, while original QA360 kind of had the beginning of each note glued to the last note, not congested at all, just liquid in flow, which has it's own sonic advantages the LE can't have, but QA360LE's control and presentation lead to a more powerful contrasty sound, better defined spatial imaging and a slightly larger feeling sound stage, anyway so far QA360LE is an awesome bit of kit.
 
But I'm still burning it in so these impressions are subject to change, I like listening to a dap for the whole burn in, and if my impressions change later (which usually happens) then it's interesting to compare to my original impressions.