[forsakenedzero]

I think I get your idea and such an application would be nice but I'm afraid, that's not how these things work. The CMA18p is just an audio device with output plus recording/input channels to the USB-host device (normally your PC, Mac, Phone, DAP or tablet ...) - just like any other audio interface for studio recording etc.

It is not in itself a USB-host for other devices and not capable to stream USB-audio to an external DAC or to "negotiate" any power delivery with an attached dongle or self-powered DAC.

Thus plugging a DAC/Dongle into the USB-C-port of the CMA18p while in BAL/Line-In recording mode does not provide any useful USB-audio data for an external DAC to play. The CMA18p is a kind of passive device, controlled by the USB-host which provides or retrieves the USB-audio data to/from the CMA18p.

Despite knowing all this, I tested it anyway (I am a scientist so I experiment) to check how an external DAC and the CMA18p behave in this setting and interestingly, the REC- and XMOS-USB-Processing LEDs of the CMA18p lit up but the external DAC are not recognized and not powered ... as expected.

yea makes sense, Thanks alot for trying anyway really appreciated . I am trying to learn all I can as i am deciding between the cma and buying the q15 as an upgrade from my current dongles.

 

[Alexs75]

Hello together, I'm from Germany and new here. I'm listening with the Vision Ears EXT and my new Questyle CMA 18.
A very great combo!
I have a question about the Volume. In Bluetooth mode the volume is much higher than in Usb mode. I'm listening with Audirvana.
Can anyone tell me something about that?

 

[Hanesu]

Can anyone tell me the exact size of this thing (in centimeter)? Can`t find it anywhere? Thanks!

 

[Hanesu]

Can anyone tell me the exact size of this thing (in centimeter)? Can`t find it anywhere? Thanks!

Anyone?

 

[gLer]

Anyone?

I'll post specs today when I get mine. This thread seems to be a bit of an echo chamber.

 

[Hanesu]

I'll post specs today when I get mine. This thread seems to be a bit of an echo chamber.

Thanks! Oh, sorry, did others ask this question before?

 

[TheFritz]

Anyone?

11.0 x 7.0 x 1.5 cm is what I measure.

 

[Hanesu]

11.0 x 7.0 x 1.5 cm is what I measure.

Danke!

 

[gLer]

Hey guys, I've just published my review of the unexpectedly brilliant Questyle CMA18 Portable.
If you're interested in reading up on what I consider one of the frontrunners for portable product of the year, you'll find the full review here. Enjoy!


​

 

[Tsunzo]

I am really enjoying my cma18 pairing with fatfreq grand maestro. I could happily call this my end game portable setup.

 

[redmonddad]

I just received a Questyle CMA18, purchased through Amazon.

I fell in love with the Questyle M15i dongle-style DAC/amp and got the CMA18 hoping for an upgrade as well as the flexibility of Bluetooth. I really wanted to love it.

It worked marvelously with my Focal Utopia and Focal Stellia. However, I had a poor experience using it with more sensitive IEMs. I tried 3 different IEMs: the 64Audio U4s, 64Audio Volur, and Empire Ears Odin. All three were setup to use 4.4mm balanced. The noise floor was terrible, and they all exhibited a background hum and clicking sound during quieter musical passages as well as when nothing is playing.

Used with my conventional headphones, I had no problem driving both the Stellia and Utopia. There was no evidence of a noise floor problem with them; the sound was clean and to my ear neutral in nature and I was quite happy with that.

Another issue I didn't like is that I needed to set the iPhone at a very high volume before I could use CMA18 (both conventional and IEMs). With the M15i, the fixed output level matches the iPhone levels fairly closely, so it's very intuitive to use with the phone controls. With the CMA18, I have to crank the phone before the amp volume buttons can be used. As a consequence, I have to be cognizant of that volume setting and remember to set it back to a lower volume whenever I'm finished with the amp. Not a showstopper, but irritating.

Re: Bluetooth...it was very easy to pair, but the placement of the "function" button makes it far too easy to hit accidentally, which switches the input selection. So after an accidental press you have to cycle through all the selections to get back to BT. Reestablishing the Bluetooth connection is simple but it takes a moment, which is an irritation since it is so easy to change by accident (and happened frequently during my testing). Also, while the use of circuit board LEDs visible through the glass window is a Questyle signature, it does not serve the CMA18 well. It's quaint and inobtrusive on the M15i, but the CMA18 is far more complex and this interface is very awkward. At this price point and this level of complexity, they should have provided a more sophisticated display. I understand their commitment to their design language, but in this case it is way off base.

If I were using this only with conventional headphones, I might have been fine keeping this as a nice portable, but I started playing with portable amps mainly to support IEMs. For that application, the noise floor is a showstopper.

That said, I don't see anyone else complaining about a noise floor in this in the thread, so maybe I got a lemon?

 

[gLer]

I just received a Questyle CMA18, purchased through Amazon.

I fell in love with the Questyle M15i dongle-style DAC/amp and got the CMA18 hoping for an upgrade as well as the flexibility of Bluetooth. I really wanted to love it.

It worked marvelously with my Focal Utopia and Focal Stellia. However, I had a poor experience using it with more sensitive IEMs. I tried 3 different IEMs: the 64Audio U4s, 64Audio Volur, and Empire Ears Odin. All three were setup to use 4.4mm balanced. The noise floor was terrible, and they all exhibited a background hum and clicking sound during quieter musical passages as well as when nothing is playing.

Used with my conventional headphones, I had no problem driving both the Stellia and Utopia. There was no evidence of a noise floor problem with them; the sound was clean and to my ear neutral in nature and I was quite happy with that.

Another issue I didn't like is that I needed to set the iPhone at a very high volume before I could use CMA18 (both conventional and IEMs). With the M15i, the fixed output level matches the iPhone levels fairly closely, so it's very intuitive to use with the phone controls. With the CMA18, I have to crank the phone before the amp volume buttons can be used. As a consequence, I have to be cognizant of that volume setting and remember to set it back to a lower volume whenever I'm finished with the amp. Not a showstopper, but irritating.

Re: Bluetooth...it was very easy to pair, but the placement of the "function" button makes it far too easy to hit accidentally, which switches the input selection. So after an accidental press you have to cycle through all the selections to get back to BT. Reestablishing the Bluetooth connection is simple but it takes a moment, which is an irritation since it is so easy to change by accident (and happened frequently during my testing). Also, while the use of circuit board LEDs visible through the glass window is a Questyle signature, it does not serve the CMA18 well. It's quaint and inobtrusive on the M15i, but the CMA18 is far more complex and this interface is very awkward. At this price point and this level of complexity, they should have provided a more sophisticated display. I understand their commitment to their design language, but in this case it is way off base.

If I were using this only with conventional headphones, I might have been fine keeping this as a nice portable, but I started playing with portable amps mainly to support IEMs. For that application, the noise floor is a showstopper.

That said, I don't see anyone else complaining about a noise floor in this in the thread, so maybe I got a lemon?

Sorry to hear that, and yeah, very strange. I don't have the best hearing, but the way you describe the noise floor would surely make it obvious to me with IEMs like N8 and Trifecta. As it is, I hear none.

In fact the ink black background is the distinguishing feature of this device for me, and should be one of the standout attributes of current mode amplification in general.

I'm not sure why some people are reporting a high noise floor. You're not the only one so it can't be coincidence. All that said, using a 1W current mode amp with super sensitive IEMs shouldn't really be done, although that's not an excuse as the device should ideally be silent.

Hope to get more data points on this as it's one of the first things I tested for.

 

[noplsestar]

Nice review: