Review: Questyle Audio QP1R - With Multiple Headphone and IEM Pairings

[Gaghiel]

The line out Jack starting to get really dirty, I never use this one, only the headphone out. The QP1R is mostly in my trouser pocket, so dust is starting to find way in the LO opening. Wondering if this is something to worry about. I little cover would have been great. No problems at this time though. Maybe I'm little over worried

I am using typical 3.5mm plug designed for phone use, even when HO is in used. Though cannot push all the way on LO port, else it would engaged LO, then HO would not work.
 

 

[Bambule]

Where can I find something like this? Looks good.

 

[moedawg140]

Or plan a holiday to one of the Asian countries Japan preferentially, where one shop will probably give you more to try than most countries

Baby steps. Make it just a little bit easier first (not needing to purchase a passport and possibly the expense of a higher priced international plane ticket than a domestic ticket).

 

[JerryLeeds]

Where can I find something like this? Looks good.

EBAY ... some sellers sell both the 3.5mm rubber plug cover as well as the mini  USB rubber cover ... I got a 10 set of each for less than $2
 
Don't you just love China

 

[kino lau]

The line out Jack starting to get really dirty, I never use this one, only the headphone out. The QP1R is mostly in my trouser pocket, so dust is starting to find way in the LO opening. Wondering if this is something to worry about. I little cover would have been great. No problems at this time though. Maybe I'm little over worried

 
I've bought a couple of packs of these for both my players. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS3&_nkw=Anti+dust+Cap+line+out+coaxial+out+USB+port+cover&_sacat=0

 

[zappazappazappa]

I like the Qp1r a lot, it is one of my Favourite DAPs. Very very resolving, dynamic and transparent, and has lots of slam. However, I feel that this creates somewhat of a flaw in the sound too.

The questyle sound really really impresses you on first listen, it grabs your attention and makes you wana listen more. However, it is actually a somewhat a coloured and unnatural sound. The way it presents detail is somewhat lacking in sophistication. Think about it, when you listen to things in real life, the details don't jump out at you, they're all there, but if you want to hear things like the fine texturing, these are not things that jump out at you. The problem with the questyle is that the details are too obviously presented, so much so that it becomes hyper real.

It is the same with the way it hits and how dynamic and fast it is. Yes it sounds incredible, but again, referencing to what I hear in real life, it's just too fast, hits too hard, and has a tad too much energy.

Don't get me wrong, I love the questyle. I think it sounds wonderful and would love to
Have it as my daily carry. However, I don't think the questyle is quite on the level to compete with the desktop quality stuff like a lot of people feel. I wouldn't even say it's the best DAP. One of the best, one of my Favourite no doubt, but not the best. In fact, the unnaturalness of the sound on prolonged listen to me is what really weighs it down.

If you compare it to something like the Hugo or the mojo fed with a good transport (yes transport is significant), I don't think it's quite there yet. The music just doesn't flow with the same naturalness.

For the guys considering the questyle, if you're looking for something that sounds natural and real, look elsewhere. But if you want something exciting that will wow you each time you plug in,. The questyle is the right way to go. Make sure though that the excitement doesn't wear you down though, because to my ears, it gets rather fatiguing when comparing with really high end systems.

Just my two cents

Hi, I think that your criticism of the QP1R as not being true to real life is a little off the mark. It's certainly not perfect and it may not conform to your notional ideal of great sound quality but, too fast, too hard, too much energy - that s just how most amplified live music sounds in real life - and it doesn't stop it being enjoyable for all that! If you were thinking of unamplified orchestral music, I've been to many concerts sitting towards the front were the sound is incredibly fast, energetic and not always cosmetically 'nice'.  I think one of the strong points of the QP1R is its speed. I hate hifi which lacks so called PRAT - all real music has PRAT. So the QP1R may not be tonally  perfect but it does a pretty good job of conveying the timing of a piece of music, which not all DAPS can manage, I'm thinking of the more expensive (in the UK) ARM2, which  I used to own and which sounds nice and smooth but lacks the immediacy of the QP1R. Anyway different strokes for different folks!

 

[WCDchee]

Hi, I think that your criticism of the QP1R as not being true to real life is a little off the mark. It's certainly not perfect and it may not conform to your notional ideal of great sound quality but, too fast, too hard, too much energy - that s just how most amplified live music sounds in real life - and it doesn't stop it being enjoyable for all that! If you were thinking of unamplified orchestral music, I've been to many concerts sitting towards the front were the sound is incredibly fast, energetic and not always cosmetically 'nice'.  I think one of the strong points of the QP1R is its speed. I hate hifi which lacks so called PRAT - all real music has PRAT. So the QP1R may not be tonally  perfect but it does a pretty good job of conveying the timing of a piece of music, which not all DAPS can manage, I'm thinking of the more expensive (in the UK) ARM2, which  I used to own and which sounds nice and smooth but lacks the immediacy of the QP1R. Anyway different strokes for different folks!

I'm talking predominantly about unamplified, but what I mean is not so much that I like things glosses over or soft, quite the contrary actually. I love how hard and fast the questyle hits. My issue when it when it hits hard even when it's not supposed to, how textures are portrayed so obviously that they're in your face. For example when I listen to orchestras, the string textures aren't always so clearly heard, especially in a large concert hall. With the questyle however, textures are so clearly heard, it's unnatural.

Don't get me wrong, as I said, I enjoy and love it, but it's not natural to my ears

 

[zappazappazappa]

I'm talking predominantly about unamplified, but what I mean is not so much that I like things glosses over or soft, quite the contrary actually. I love how hard and fast the questyle hits. My issue when it when it hits hard even when it's not supposed to, how textures are portrayed so obviously that they're in your face. For example when I listen to orchestras, the string textures aren't always so clearly heard, especially in a large concert hall. With the questyle however, textures are so clearly heard, it's unnatural.

Don't get me wrong, as I said, I enjoy and love it, but it's not natural to my ears

Sorry, I don't get it - you enjoy and love it but it's not natural to your ears?  Maybe a rich sounding IEM/Headphone would help improve the tonal balance for you? When I was referring to live music I understand that it doesn't always sound  as 'nice' as we audiophiles would like it to, but to me the basis of a 'hifi' sound is temporal accuracy - which the QP1R has - it isn't too fast IMO.

 

[WCDchee]

Sorry, I don't get it - you enjoy and love it but it's not natural to your ears?  Maybe a rich sounding IEM/Headphone would help improve the tonal balance for you? When I was referring to live music I understand that it doesn't always sound  as 'nice' as we audiophiles would like it to, but to me the basis of a 'hifi' sound is temporal accuracy - which the QP1R has - it isn't too fast IMO.

I think the dynamics and the textural resolution make it very very fun to listen to. However, I don't think that it's the most accurate. That's what I meant

We all enjoy a little Colour once in a while, and while I want a natural, uncoloured, accurate production of sound, a little more excitement sometimes makes things fun too.

 

[unityplanet]

Hi guys, im new to digital players stuff and thinking about to buy right device in right time. I bought meze headphones and waiting for its delivery but still didn't decide about the player. I read many nice words about this device QP1R. If you try to compare with Onkyo,Fiio or iBasso. Which one is best for characteristics and value for money invested?

 

[xEcuToR]

Hi guys, im new to digital players stuff and thinking about to buy right device in right time. I bought meze headphones and waiting for its delivery but still didn't decide about the player. I read many nice words about this device QP1R. If you try to compare with Onkyo,Fiio or iBasso. Which one is best for characteristics and value for money invested?

Am assuming your budget is around a $1000 since you are opting for the Reference version of QP1, the players comparable at that price range are the Onkyo DP-X1, FiiO X7, iBasso DX100, Luxury & Precision L5 Pro, AR-M2 & Astell & Kern AK 300. Majority of those DAPs have been compared with the QP1R in the 1st page of this thread, kindly go through that, it will be helpful to you. 

 

[kino lau]

I'm using the Toslink output to my home system for the first time today. I'm not detecting any static, crackling or popping when switching from song to song. I've got it running in Shuffle across the entire library, ie: Internal, card slot 1 and card slot 2. All Hi-Rez files are stored internally and on card 1, and different quality recordings spread across 3 storage locations are playing seamlessly. I checked the Line Out setting, and it's set to Maximum. I'm very pleased because using the QP1R as the transport for my house system was a very important factor for me.
 
QP1R Delivers Again! 

 

[husafreak]

That is great news, glad it is getting the job done.
In the interest of full disclosure I finally had an issue with mine. I ripped the Casualties Of Cool CD to AIFF on my Mac and put that on my QP1R but It would always stop playing and give me a format not supported message on track 12. So I deleted that rip from iTunes and did another. I swapped the files in my QP1R. Now it plays through just fine. I guess sometimes you just get or create a funky file.

 

[kino lau]

I found using the player as the transport to be very revealing of the differences in source files. After listening to some 20-30 songs in a row shuffled through the entire library, I often found myself thinking that my rig (QP1R/Therium 8 Wire/846's) isn't missing anything.

 

[Bambule]

What is the difference between the headphone out, and the line out (when used non optical)? I thought line out is something like "un-amplified", but recognised, the eq settings sill have influence on the sound when used via line out (to an home system).