[tapereels]

It seems that you find the Qudelix 5K to be a standout device, surpassing the BTR3 and ES100 in your opinion.

It's great to hear about your experience with the FiiO BTR3, ES100, and Qudelix 5K.

I've got the FiiO BTR3, the ES100 and the Qudelix 5K. The 5K is head and shoulders above the BTR3 and the ES100, IMHO. The Qudelix App is excellent.

 

[dharmasteve]

It seems that you find the Qudelix 5K to be a standout device, surpassing the BTR3 and ES100 in your opinion.

It's great to hear about your experience with the FiiO BTR3, ES100, and Qudelix 5K.

I am aware that the price of the Qudelix 5k has gone up since I bought it. If I remember rightly it was about £100 when I bought it last year, but now it's almost £150.

 

[plakat]

I've got the FiiO BTR3, the ES100 and the Qudelix 5K. The 5K is head and shoulders above the BTR3 and the ES100, IMHO. The Qudelix App is excellent.

Always interesting how taste differs… while I never heard the BTR3, the Qudelix does nothing for me. And the app was even more confusing than the EarStudio app… which in itself is not that good either. Both offer too much functionality (many like that though) with an interface that doesn’t help grasping the options on offer.

 

[WolfLink]

Does anyone understand the "Output Level Estimation" feature in the app?

It seems to me that the estimated output level does not change when I change the input volume. Is it just estimating the maximum possible output for the current settings?

More details:
- I have it set to the "headphone amp" output level estimation setting, with parameters specific to my headphones
- I have input volume at the maximum (0dB) most of the time
- I have the analog volume just above mute (-59dB) most of the time
- changing the analog volume changes the estimated output level
- changing the input volume seems to have no effect on the estimated output level, nor does the audio playing

 

[Andrew_WOT]

It's just a visual aid on how much db you will get. Doesn't change anything else.

 

[WolfLink]

Yes but how to interpret the number it gives me?

Is it the maximum possible volume output? It isn't dependent on the input, so it seems like it can't be something like the average or current volume.

 

[Chupi383]

Yes but how to interpret the number it gives me?

Is it the maximum possible volume output? It isn't dependent on the input, so it seems like it can't be something like the average or current volume.

Yes, it's the volume it would be if you played a sound that almost clips but just not quite, with the input device's software volume control(s) set to 100%. The decibel estimate it gives is only based on the maximum mV it will output at the ES100's analog volume setting, and the values you put for your earphone's impedance and sensitivity. Note that even if you do play a saturated sound with your source device's volume maxxed out, it's still just an estimate -- headphone impedances and sensitivities are not flat across the frequency spectrum, and are typically measured at 1 kHz. Also, the numbers given by manufacturers are not always measured precisely.

Not to be confused with the ES100's volume level which is in negative dB, like -32.5 dB. This is just your analog volume setting, and is relative to 0 dB, the maximum setting.

 

[fofocho]

Alternative to Qudelix 5K?

Hello. I own a Focal Elegia headphones, which I find great if you add a bit of EQ. I have an iFi Hip Dac and a FiiO BTR5 (2019 version). I bought a Qudelix 5K last week and I have tried it exhaustively. I find the EQ amazing and I have applied the settings from Oratory1990 and some others, that I have tuned for my liking

However I find the 5K harsh and dry compared to the BTR5. I find the BTR5 more musical, it is difficult to explain but I find it has more weight on the treble and more “liquid” end, it flows better, if this makes sense. The 5K simply does not deliver an engaging sound, despite I can get the frecquency response that I aim to, thanks to the powerful EQ capabilities

The 5K has an ES9219c DAC, while the BTR5 has an ES9218p dac. I do not know if the latter is a warmer/sweeter dac

I would just keep the BTR5 but it does not EQ on LDAC or USB

Would the veteran Earstudio ES100 mk2 a good alternative to the Qudelix? It has AKM dac, that I have always preferred to Sabre dacs (I switch from Yamaha to Marantz for this reason in my home theater) as I find AKM more musical

The micro usb thing is disappointing and the ES100 are an old model, but if sound is better than Qudelix, I don’t mind

Thank you

 

[plakat]

Alternative to Qudelix 5K?

Hello. I own a Focal Elegia headphones, which I find great if you add a bit of EQ. I have an iFi Hip Dac and a FiiO BTR5 (2019 version). I bought a Qudelix 5K last week and I have tried it exhaustively. I find the EQ amazing and I have applied the settings from Oratory1990 and some others, that I have tuned for my liking

However I find the 5K harsh and dry compared to the BTR5. I find the BTR5 more musical, it is difficult to explain but I find it has more weight on the treble and more “liquid” end, it flows better, if this makes sense. The 5K simply does not deliver an engaging sound, despite I can get the frecquency response that I aim to, thanks to the powerful EQ capabilities

The 5K has an ES9219c DAC, while the BTR5 has an ES9218p dac. I do not know if the latter is a warmer/sweeter dac

I would just keep the BTR5 but it does not EQ on LDAC or USB

Would the veteran Earstudio ES100 mk2 a good alternative to the Qudelix? It has AKM dac, that I have always preferred to Sabre dacs (I switch from Yamaha to Marantz for this reason in my home theater) as I find AKM more musical

The micro usb thing is disappointing and the ES100 are an old model, but if sound is better than Qudelix, I don’t mind

Thank you

I have the same preference for AKM chips, and I do find the ES100 more musical than the Qudelix indeed. One other option worth checking out might be the ifi GO Blu, which I also like much more than the Qudelix. I also don’t Iike the very confusing interface and app of the 5K…

 

[fofocho]

Thanks. I looked into the Go Blu indeed, but not having EQ (other than XBass and XSpace) might be a deal breaker. How do you compare the iFi Go Blu vs the ES100?

 

[plakat]

Thanks. I looked into the Go Blu indeed, but not having EQ (other than XBass and XSpace) might be a deal breaker. How do you compare the iFi Go Blu vs the ES100?

I don’t use EQ, so I did not even check if the GO has one
Soundwise I’d say the ES100 is a bit more detailed while the ifi puts its focus on musicality — but writing that already sounds like an exaggeration.
Given the price of the ES100 it’s easy to recommend. I have two of them (gen1 and gen2, differing by color), still use them. The ifi feels less flimsy, has a better housing. The clip on the ES100 is a failure point unfortunately, the ifi doesn’t have it… I miss it there though.

Sold the 5K rather soon

 

[amanieux]

Alternative to Qudelix 5K?

Hello. I own a Focal Elegia headphones, which I find great if you add a bit of EQ. I have an iFi Hip Dac and a FiiO BTR5 (2019 version). I bought a Qudelix 5K last week and I have tried it exhaustively. I find the EQ amazing and I have applied the settings from Oratory1990 and some others, that I have tuned for my liking

However I find the 5K harsh and dry compared to the BTR5. I find the BTR5 more musical, it is difficult to explain but I find it has more weight on the treble and more “liquid” end, it flows better, if this makes sense. The 5K simply does not deliver an engaging sound, despite I can get the frecquency response that I aim to, thanks to the powerful EQ capabilities

The 5K has an ES9219c DAC, while the BTR5 has an ES9218p dac. I do not know if the latter is a warmer/sweeter dac

I would just keep the BTR5 but it does not EQ on LDAC or USB

Would the veteran Earstudio ES100 mk2 a good alternative to the Qudelix? It has AKM dac, that I have always preferred to Sabre dacs (I switch from Yamaha to Marantz for this reason in my home theater) as I find AKM more musical

The micro usb thing is disappointing and the ES100 are an old model, but if sound is better than Qudelix, I don’t mind

Thank you

I had btr5, sold it because you cannot use eq in wired dac mode or ldac so useless. I still have have es100 ( and use it for eq) , i also have hip2 and dawn 4.4 , es100 is the smoothest but dawn 4.4 is the most spectacular ( vivid, dynamic, detailed) , how do you rate btr5 against hip ?

 

[fofocho]

I had btr5, sold it because you cannot use eq in wired dac mode or ldac so useless. I still have have es100 ( and use it for eq) , i also have hip2 and dawn 4.4 , es100 is the smoothest but dawn 4.4 is the most spectacular ( vivid, dynamic, detailed) , how do you rate btr5 against hip ?

I like the hip dac more, it is warmer and punchier. But not for all songs, sometimes I miss a bit of detail, but overall I like the hip dac more than the BTR5. The Qudelix is great to get the frequency response that you want, but there is a dryness/harshness at the end that does not convice me

 

[LTDJ]

My 2018 ES100 v1 decided that it doesn't want to turn on anymore. That said, it's not dead, when I do the factory reset (4 buttons + insert USB) it comes on and the green led flashes quickly 2x, followed by single long red flash, then off and back to 2x green... this should mean that it's charging - if I'm not mistaken. When I unplug the USB I get a single blue flash and it switches off (according to manual it should remain on with green led flashing) and doesn't power on again unless I do the factory reset again. What's weird is that when I do the factory resey the start up and shut down chimes play at twice the speed and pitch. I tried connecting it to a computer (factory reset whilst plugging to computer USB power) but it's recognised as an unkown audio device with no audio playback.

Any ideas what might be going on here? I'd hate to lose my only AKM powered portable DAC.

 

[amanieux]

My 2018 ES100 v1 decided that it doesn't want to turn on anymore. That said, it's not dead, when I do the factory reset (4 buttons + insert USB) it comes on and the green led flashes quickly 2x, followed by single long red flash, then off and back to 2x green... this should mean that it's charging - if I'm not mistaken. When I unplug the USB I get a single blue flash and it switches off (according to manual it should remain on with green led flashing) and doesn't power on again unless I do the factory reset again. What's weird is that when I do the factory resey the start up and shut down chimes play at twice the speed and pitch. I tried connecting it to a computer (factory reset whilst plugging to computer USB power) but it's recognised as an unkown audio device with no audio playback.

Any ideas what might be going on here? I'd hate to lose my only AKM powered portable DAC.

If it works normally when plugged then it is your battery that is dead look on youtube at michael bruce channel he replaced the battery on the cheap wuth a higher capacity