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

[moedawg140]

  You sir, are a pro's pro.  Quite an amazing review that would pretty much help anyone who has any headphone to make a purchase.  The headphone collection is pretty incredible.  

 
Appreciate the kind words, thank you immensely.  Means a lot to me.
 

  mmm.......immensely impressive and info-dense  review. Love it!  This should be the template for all reviews. Lol! My conclusion: I want to add  QP1R to my collection. Where do I send the check?

 
Thanks!  Congratulations in advance once you are able to purchase and receive one as well.
 

It is a great review...would be really tempted off I weren't already waiting for the TOTL Geek Wave and enjoying the Pono in the meantime (you mentioned the Pono in passing...what I really was curious about was how it compares. If course, it costs about half, though that isn't always the determining factor, since you rate the QP1R higher than DAPS costing double or more by A&K. Great work!

 
I'll check out the Pono later today to perform some measurements and sound qualty tests if I have time.
 

Great review @moedawg140, thank you for going to such lengths. I just wished you used the Standard beoplay H6 rather than the Dj khaled edition (which is known to be less neutral).

I asked Questyle on Facebook about adding a Usb dac function to it, and they said no such plans exist for now. I hope more people here would ask for it.

 
Thanks Anwer, appreciate it.
 
With regards to the BeoPlay H6, if you would like to purchase one for me or send one my way, I would be more than happy to add it to the review thread. 

 

  Very detailed review indeed. Really appreciate the mention of Pandora Hope 6, as we had an earlier discussion about its SQ and you said you'll try to hear one. 
Just wanted to know whether you tried FLAC, DSD and Vinyl Rip of same songs to judge distinguishing characteristics for better or worse? 
 
Thanks 

 
Thanks!  The Pandora Hope 6 is a nice headphone, and the Sonorous X is a lovely sounding headphone as well.
 
Regarding sound formats, one of the most important factors to a great sound regardless of the file format, is how the actual track is mastered.  There are times when a better mastered 320 kbps track sounds better than a FLAC track that hasn't been mastered very well.  Most all file formats sound great with the QP1R.
 

Great review. Tons of information, an almost overwhelming amount. I have preorder in. I know there will be a learning curve but I'm hoping to do simplified Quickstart when the unit arrives. A question and a comment. I am confused about loading my tunes music folders /files. You had mentioned that files preloaded and brought to the QP1R via an Micro SD will require formating and instruction to tell it it didn't come via the sync cable, could you elaborate? One thing I would put on the software update wish list would be a complete random shuffle for the full music library.

 
Thanks!  Feel free to come back when you want, I'll be adding more content in the next several days.  
 
Regarding the formatting inquiry, I updated the Charge and sync section of the review, which explains the process more in detail.
 

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Update: I updated the Charge and sync section in the review and added a (Q11) A 39,000 foot comparison.  Hope you enjoy the read!

 

[AndrewH13]

Fantastic review Mo. My wife and I loved meeting you yesterday at Canjam, London and discussing further. And thank you so much for sharing your player for 20 minutes!

 

[KT66]

Thanks for spending time with me too yesterday, it's a great sounding DAP, very impressed but as discussed the 
text on the screen needs to be bigger

 

[Duncan]

Those that haven't met moedawg140 face to face do not know how much of a warm, and knowledgeable guy he is - a true asset to the head-fi community!!

Moe, thank you for taking the time out over the past couple of days to sit with me, no matter what happens in the future, I will always remember your sheer unadulterated enthusiasm and dedication to this what we call a hobby - heck, anyone reading the first post of this thread will see that, even with their eyes shut!

You Sir, are a legend in the making!

Thank You.

 

[reddog]

Those that haven't met moedawg140 face to face do not know how much of a warm, and knowledgeable guy he is - a true asset to the head-fi community!!

Moe, thank you for taking the time out over the past couple of days to sit with me, no matter what happens in the future, I will always remember your sheer unadulterated enthusiasm and dedication to this what we call a hobby - heck, anyone reading the first post of this thread will see that, even with their eyes shut!

You Sir, are a legend in the making!

Thank You.

+1 Well said. Moe is just a fantastic asset to the community. This man would give you the shirt off his back to help you and he ha s vast knowledge of all things head-fi.

 

[tranhieu]

Wao what a massive and in depth review you wrote there! I got interested in the Questyle after how you mentioned it was with my IEMs and came across this thread. Trying to read through the whole page 1 now but I gotta say the amount of information is immense! Great job!

 

[doctorjazz]

Definitely a MOST through, detailed, in depth review!

 

[Duncan]

I have a QP1R here with me, pre release, beta firmware, review sample (enough caveats there??) - am happy - alongside Moe to answer any questions that you may have...

I have noted some issues with the firmware that I'll be reporting back, so this will be more based on SQ (which is stellar!!)

 

[AndrewH13]

I have a QP1R here with me, pre release, beta firmware, review sample (enough caveats there??) - am happy - alongside Moe to answer any questions that you may have...

I have noted some issues with the firmware that I'll be reporting back, so this will be more based on SQ (which is stellar!!)

Haha Duncan, you didn't manage to snaffle Mo's did you?  Had a feeling that despite buying that amp, a QP1R was very much on your immediate wish-list. Didn't think you would get hold of one so soon though   Review, comparing un-amped against your AR and ZX2 be good!  I only heard the three for a few minutes, but the QP1R immediately made those sound dull. Obviously that's just down to personal taste on my behalf.     Queens Park Rangers 1 The Rest 0.

 

[Duncan]

Haha Duncan, you didn't manage to snaffle Mo's did you?  Had a feeling that despite buying that amp, a QP1R was very much on your immediate wish-list. Didn't think you would get hold of one so soon though   Review, comparing un-amped against your AR and ZX2 be good!  I only heard the three for a few minutes, but the QP1R immediately made those sound dull. Obviously that's just down to personal taste on my behalf.     Queens Park Rangers 1 The Rest 0.

Agreed, the amp section of this player is rather special - right up Layla's street

I have already assessed all three side by side, but am reticent to post (other than sound, but even that, as Moe has posted, is going to be improved - with an EQ) due to infantile firmware...

 

[vilhelm44]

Agreed, the amp section of this player is rather special - right up Layla's street

I have already assessed all three side by side, but am reticent to post (other than sound, but even that, as Moe has posted, is going to be improved - with an EQ) due to infantile firmware...

 
I would love to hear your comparisons just on sound alone please even in PM if you have time and don't mind? I rarely use EQ and like to use players without that. I was too late getting to the show yesterday and didn't get the chance to compare to my ZX2.

 

[Duncan]

I will never attempt to, or pretend to be anywhere near as able as moedawg at reviews (I used to be, but just cannot find the time these days, which annoys me - more time sitting on trains than anything else!)

Anyhow, I can break this down very quickly

ZX2 = midcentric
M2 = basscentric
QP1R = treblecentric

That doesn't necessarily mean that that is all they have in their arsenal, but what I mean is that if that is the portion of the audio spectrum that you prefer (or if you want to offset deficiencies in your 'phones), then that is the player to make a bee-line for...

This is where matching players to 'phones comes into play, I love the linearity of Layla and QP1R, and the instrument separation on this combination has to be heard to be believed - who would've thought that a 16/44 FLAC could sound so damned good!? - general separation / airiness is definitely where the QP1R steps head and shoulders above the other two players (albeit the line out of the M2 does run a very close second!!

I will, of course - be more thorough in the days / weeks / months to come - this is just a very quick, to the point generalisation - by example, listening yesterday to the HE1000 playing out of the QP1R, you could actually feel the bass - that player has a helluva lot of drive behind it, and the micro detail on offer with that combination - wow!!

 

[AndrewH13]

I will never attempt to, or pretend to be anywhere near as able as moedawg at reviews (I used to be, but just cannot find the time these days, which annoys me - more time sitting on trains than anything else!)

Anyhow, I can break this down very quickly

ZX2 = midcentric
M2 = basscentric
QP1R = treblecentric

That doesn't necessarily mean that that is all they have in their arsenal, but what I mean is that if that is the portion of the audio spectrum that you prefer (or if you want to offset deficiencies in your 'phones), then that is the player to make a bee-line for...

This is where matching players to 'phones comes into play, I love the linearity of Layla and QP1R, and the instrument separation on this combination has to be heard to be believed - who would've thought that a 16/44 FLAC could sound so damned good!? - general separation / airiness is definitely where the QP1R steps head and shoulders above the other two players (albeit the line out of the M2 does run a very close second!!

I will, of course - be more thorough in the days / weeks / months to come - this is just a very quick, to the point generalisation - by example, listening yesterday to the HE1000 playing out of the QP1R, you could actually feel the bass - that player has a helluva lot of drive behind it, and the micro detail on offer with that combination - wow!!

 
From my listening over the weekend, I would exactly agree with you. Spent some time with the M2 and QP1R. Only a little time with your ZX2 but had previous listens to the Sony. In line with those findings, I find M2 is more relaxing, ZX2 detailed, and QP1R exciting.

 

[vilhelm44]

I will never attempt to, or pretend to be anywhere near as able as moedawg at reviews (I used to be, but just cannot find the time these days, which annoys me - more time sitting on trains than anything else!)

Anyhow, I can break this down very quickly

ZX2 = midcentric
M2 = basscentric
QP1R = treblecentric

That doesn't necessarily mean that that is all they have in their arsenal, but what I mean is that if that is the portion of the audio spectrum that you prefer (or if you want to offset deficiencies in your 'phones), then that is the player to make a bee-line for...

This is where matching players to 'phones comes into play, I love the linearity of Layla and QP1R, and the instrument separation on this combination has to be heard to be believed - who would've thought that a 16/44 FLAC could sound so damned good!? - general separation / airiness is definitely where the QP1R steps head and shoulders above the other two players (albeit the line out of the M2 does run a very close second!!

I will, of course - be more thorough in the days / weeks / months to come - this is just a very quick, to the point generalisation - by example, listening yesterday to the HE1000 playing out of the QP1R, you could actually feel the bass - that player has a helluva lot of drive behind it, and the micro detail on offer with that combination - wow!!

 
Thank you Duncan, that's much appreciated and very helpful. I would be using it with my Cosmic Ears CE6Ps which are very balanced, so that should be a good pairing. I've also seen quite a few people mention that the seperation and resolution is better on the QPR1, which makes me want to give it a whirl.

 

[Jeff Y]

I have a QP1R here with me, pre release, beta firmware, review sample (enough caveats there??) - am happy - alongside Moe to answer any questions that you may have...

I have noted some issues with the firmware that I'll be reporting back, so this will be more based on SQ (which is stellar!!)

@Duncan ,
How is it when it feeds digital data through optical output to the Hugo?
I am considering this setup though something like an A&K player might be easier to use in terms of UI because there's been a lot of comments about the great SQ.
If there's not much of a difference I'll just go for a DAP with a good UI and a big touchscreen.
 
Thank you!