[SweetCans928]

Not a single crash since firmware version 1.3. YES! Thank you

 

[Ferdinando1968]

They are strong and on point.

 

[thyman]

I’m the happy owner of a 5k, considering buying a T71. Could anyone help with a couple questions I have?

-Has anyone had success outputting 5.1/7.1 audio from a Mac to their T71?
-Does the increased power make a noticeable difference with hard to drive headphones? My daily drivers are a pair of HD800s.

 

[Merkurio]

L

I’m the happy owner of a 5k, considering buying a T71. Could anyone help with a couple questions I have?

-Has anyone had success outputting 5.1/7.1 audio from a Mac to their T71?
-Does the increased power make a noticeable difference with hard to drive headphones? My daily drivers are a pair of HD800s.

-I do, it works great with Dolby Atmos tracks in Apple Music (although I normally use it with a Windows PC, which also works great for games and movies/series).
-It definitely does especially if you use EQ with significant pre-gain value, it’s the double output power of the 5K both in single end (up to 4 VRMS) and balanced (up to 8 VRMS).

 

[Tano]

I think that separate EQs might be a good idea, but it isn't implemented to be helpful as it kinda defeats the point of the T71 being a multichannel DAC.
This way you don't have 20 bands for multichannel. Well, technically you got 20 bands for stereo and the front channels with sorround mode, but not 20 bands for all channels.I can't see the point of anyone using the SPK EQ, unless you want what I just said above.

In my opinion, the SPK mode should automatically switch to all channels whenever you play multichannel content, just like the USR EQ switches depending of the content that you are playing.

 

[zeluiz22]

L


-I do, it works great with Dolby Atmos tracks in Apple Music (although I normally use it with a Windows PC, which also works great for games and movies/series).
-It definitely does especially if you use EQ with significant pre-gain value, it’s the double output power of the 5K both in single end (up to 4 VRMS) and balanced (up to 8 VRMS).

Second this; HD660S2 and even easy to drive like Meze Elite. Both sound better vs 5K.

 

[DarginMahkum]

So, I haven't reported back much since I received it, though I was using the T71. I have to say, I am super happy with it, though on Linux still there are hiccups that prevent it from being detected sometimes - didn't have time to investigate why yet. Also the USB port of my mobile phone is partly broken and even if I touch the cable, the connection breaks. I was willing to buy a new mobile phone but OnePlus decided (or couldn't, as I understand due to a patent issue with Nokia) not to release the phone in Germany, so that will delay me from getting a new mobile (I will import from China). So things are moving...but slowly.

 

[Tano]

Guys please, can you run a test to check that Im not alone with this?

Before running all tests, please, be sure that the "lock" option is on. If you have it on auto, please switch to lock.

According to Qudelix, SPK EQ is equalizing the transducer, meaning that the EQ should affect all that we receive on our headphones, but for me, it's only affecting the front channels. So when I run a 5.1/7.1 using a SPK EQ with negative preamp, there's a significant difference in volumen between the channels.

Please set a SPK EQ with a negative preamp of -10, for example, and turn it on. Then run the different test on this web https://www2.iis.fraunhofer.de/AAC/multichannel.html
And tell me the results.
You can also use the windows speaker test to check every channel individually, just click on each speaker and they will play. (Check the photo below)

Thanks!

 

[Tano]

No need to do the test anymore. Qudelix just found that there's a bug with the preamp gain on the SPK EQ. This is causing the imbalance problems that we were pointing out.

*PLEASE don't pay attention to the older posts regarding the double EQ system.We were criticizing it cause it wasn't working properly because of the bug.
The EQ system is supposed to work as Qudelix explained.

Thanks to Merkurio & Ferdinando for the help.

 

[Merkurio]

The folks at Qudelix have already identified the issue; it's indeed a bug in the implementation of Speaker EQ when applying pre-gain to multichannel content. This bug causes it to only apply to the left and right front channels, resulting in a lack of uniformity/evenly in the final stereo down-mix.

The fix will be ready by next week.

Thus, it's confirmed that SPEAKER EQ is the appropriate way to equalize the transducer (headphones/IEMs/speakers) as it applies the EQ AFTER the stereo down-mix takes place, while USER EQ remains as a powerful extra feature for adjusting the channels of the multichannel content itself (if needed) BEFORE down-mixing to stereo. For example, to create specific presets for certain games, movies, shows, etc.

So, when playing multichannel content, the process is as follows, according to Qudelix on their own official forums:

7.1/5.1 Surround content --> Applies USER EQ (Front, Side, Back, Center, Bass) if enabled --> Down-mix to stereo (2.0 ch) --> Applies SPK EQ (L/R Independent) for the transducer if enabled --> 2.5/3.5/4.4 output

We also need to thank @Tano for discovering the issue, as well as his effort in explaining it both here and in the official forums. Many of us might not have noticed and Qudelix wouldn't have been able to identify the problem so quickly without his contribution.

 

[bahamot]

Guys please, can you run a test to check that Im not alone with this?

Before running all tests, please, be sure that the "lock" option is on. If you have it on auto, please switch to lock.

According to Qudelix, SPK EQ is equalizing the transducer, meaning that the EQ should affect all that we receive on our headphones, but for me, it's only affecting the front channels. So when I run a 5.1/7.1 using a SPK EQ with negative preamp, there's a significant difference in volumen between the channels.

Please set a SPK EQ with a negative preamp of -10, for example, and turn it on. Then run the different test on this web https://www2.iis.fraunhofer.de/AAC/multichannel.html
And tell me the results.
You can also use the windows speaker test to check every channel individually, just click on each speaker and they will play. (Check the photo below)


Thanks!

On my windows 10, the speaker setup never shows any speakers on T71. Are you using windows 11?

 

[Tano]

On my windows 10, the speaker setup never shows any speakers on T71. Are you using windows 11?

It doesn't show any speakers, but if you have your Qudelix on 7.1 mode, with the "Lock" option on, Windows 10 will detect the device as a 7.1 speaker system. You should be able to click on each channel and get sound.
Im using Windows 10 as well.
Check this picture, it should be something like this.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

No need to do the test anymore. Qudelix just found that there's a bug with the preamp gain on the SPK EQ. This is causing the imbalance problems that we were pointing out.

*PLEASE don't pay attention to the older posts regarding the double EQ system.We were criticizing it cause it wasn't working properly because of the bug.
The EQ system is supposed to work as Qudelix explained.

Thanks to Merkurio & Ferdinando for the help.

Thank you for your commitment.

Frankly, I didn't understand that your criticisms of the dual EQ were related to the way it worked; I thought it was more related to the idea.

Basically you were thinking of a possible different approach to the EQ based on how it worked...
But since there was a bug, things didn't add up, and we couldn't understand.

It's better that way.

It must be said, however, that the gentlemen of QUDELIX are rather reactive, which is not so common and not at all obvious.

 

[Tano]

Thank you for your commitment.

Frankly, I didn't understand that your criticisms of the dual EQ were related to the way it worked; I thought it was more related to the idea.

Basically you were thinking of a possible different approach to the EQ based on how it worked...
But since there was a bug, things didn't add up, and we couldn't understand.

It's better that way.

It must be said, however, that the gentlemen of QUDELIX are rather reactive, which is not so common and not at all obvious.

Yeah. I understood the dual EQ system, but I since wasn't getting the expected results because of the bug, I got very confused. This is what caused all the misunderstandings.

I totally agree. It's so hard to find a company as responsive as Qudelix. They are great at handling all the feedback and that clearly shows on their products. Kudos to them.

 

[bahamot]

The folks at Qudelix have already identified the issue; it's indeed a bug in the implementation of Speaker EQ when applying pre-gain to multichannel content. This bug causes it to only apply to the left and right front channels, resulting in a lack of uniformity/evenly in the final stereo down-mix.

The fix will be ready by next week.

Thus, it's confirmed that SPEAKER EQ is the appropriate way to equalize the transducer (headphones/IEMs/speakers) as it applies the EQ AFTER the stereo down-mix takes place, while USER EQ remains as a powerful extra feature for adjusting the channels of the multichannel content itself (if needed) BEFORE down-mixing to stereo. For example, to create specific presets for certain games, movies, shows, etc.

So, when playing multichannel content, the process is as follows, according to Qudelix on their own official forums:

7.1/5.1 Surround content --> Applies USER EQ (Front, Side, Back, Center, Bass) if enabled --> Down-mix to stereo (2.0 ch) --> Applies SPK EQ (L/R Independent) for the transducer if enabled --> 2.5/3.5/4.4 output

We also need to thank @Tano for discovering the issue, as well as his effort in explaining it both here and in the official forums. Many of us might not have noticed and Qudelix wouldn't have been able to identify the problem so quickly without his contribution.

New firmware to fix the issue is available now