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

[Dithyrambes]

  Similar to RPB65...I rarely miss anything I sell with the exception of the QP1R, wich I recently repurchased. I think if you give it some time and let the circuitry burn in, your opinion will change. I felt the same about the ZX2 until it burned in for 200 hrs. and then I was blown away with a TRRS cable and my favorite IEM's. If you still have it, hold on to it and let it bloom.

 
So after updating the firmware from goodvibes, and giving it another day of prolonged listening as I wanted to give it another chance....It does sound better. The hissing is still really bad, but I found putting the amplication setting to High helped me the most in getting rid of it. Mind you that I listen to the qp1r at around 7 on Low, 5 on Medium, and 4 on High.
 
Bass kick takes a notch up, soundstaging seems clearer(but still lack of depth), imaging placement is good. I can now see how everything is seperated and there is resolution everywhere. I guess its good to hearing a good pianist play. Instead of hearing a melody with blocked chords, you can hear the different lines very clearly delineated and voiced seperately. You can hear minute details like the squeaking of a chair at the beginning of "When We Were Young" by Adele after every note the bass guitarist plays a note. 

Even with these improvements, my thoughts still remain the same. Everything sounds energetic, but one note, thin, and sterile. Like when you hear Adele's voice and she's singing with such fervor, you can't imagine the sound being so distilled, clean and thin. Its like there isn't enough resonance, heft, or movement in her voice. Its the same when listening to orchestral recordings. The imaging is fabulous with hearing different instruments and placement, but the timbre and the dynamics of within every instrument is almost always the same. Every Cymbal hit decay doesn't have much variance. There is absolutely no microdynamics and shading. Being a musician(string player), that focuses efforts on what happens within a sustained note(like vibrato speed variance, bow speed variance, resonance variations, directional variance,....etc), I still after extended listening cannot like this player. I can see people who are obsessed with pinpoint placement and plankton to love this player. Its like resolution is everywhere and dots are flying from all directions. Its like pointilism in art, but doesn't make a full painting. At the end of the day, I want to see every dot and appreciate it, but still be able to see the whole picture and how each dot connects with the other in different ways(like strokes of a paint brush). Even in pointilism, no dot is completely equal and you can feel the artist's emotions and dynamic vision and how each point develops and comes together.
 
I wish I had read this post before, but it was on the QP1 thread, which I didn't read before. I asked people in this thread about microdynamics and shading here and I feel I was mislead, but I am glad I can give a better perspective to others interested in the QP1R. I should have done better research I'm glad that I am not alone in my opinion in this regard, especially when coming from a ZX2.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/751140/questyle-qp1/1125#post_11857671

 

[cho8]

It's a bit harsh saying you were mislead. I don't think anyone replying to your info requests would deliberately mislead you when asking an honest question.

As everyone says, your mileage may vary so each to their own. Personally I don't rely on one item in the chain to provide everything I want when listening. Just plugged some £20 earbuds into the qp1r and it's impossible to make them sound like a pair of hd800's.

I was also a bit confused at your listening volumes. Even with ciem's I find lvl 7 volume too low and I thought high gain normally emphasises hiss more if it's present. But then again my hearing is probably going in my old age

 

[fzman]

   
So after updating the firmware from goodvibes, and giving it another day of prolonged listening as I wanted to give it another chance....It does sound better. The hissing is still really bad, but I found putting the amplication setting to High helped me the most in getting rid of it. Mind you that I listen to the qp1r at around 7 on Low, 5 on Medium, and 4 on High.
 
Bass kick takes a notch up, soundstaging seems clearer(but still lack of depth), imaging placement is good. I can now see how everything is seperated and there is resolution everywhere. I guess its good to hearing a good pianist play. Instead of hearing a melody with blocked chords, you can hear the different lines very clearly delineated and voiced seperately. You can hear minute details like the squeaking of a chair at the beginning of "When We Were Young" by Adele after every note the bass guitarist plays a note. 

Even with these improvements, my thoughts still remain the same. Everything sounds energetic, but one note, thin, and sterile. Like when you hear Adele's voice and she's singing with such fervor, you can't imagine the sound being so distilled, clean and thin. Its like there isn't enough resonance, heft, or movement in her voice. Its the same when listening to orchestral recordings. The imaging is fabulous with hearing different instruments and placement, but the timbre and the dynamics of within every instrument is almost always the same. Every Cymbal hit decay doesn't have much variance. There is absolutely no microdynamics and shading. Being a musician(string player), that focuses efforts on what happens within a sustained note(like vibrato speed variance, bow speed variance, resonance variations, directional variance,....etc), I still after extended listening cannot like this player. I can see people who are obsessed with pinpoint placement and plankton to love this player. Its like resolution is everywhere and dots are flying from all directions. Its like pointilism in art, but doesn't make a full painting. At the end of the day, I want to see every dot and appreciate it, but still be able to see the whole picture and how each dot connects with the other in different ways(like strokes of a paint brush). Even in pointilism, no dot is completely equal and you can feel the artist's emotions and dynamic vision and how each point develops and comes together.
 
I wish I had read this post before, but it was on the QP1 thread, which I didn't read before. I asked people in this thread about microdynamics and shading here and I feel I was mislead, but I am glad I can give a better perspective to others interested in the QP1R. I should have done better research I'm glad that I am not alone in my opinion in this regard, especially when coming from a ZX2.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/751140/questyle-qp1/1125#post_11857671

sounds like the description of a modern, multi-track pop digital recording.

 

[puffmtd]

   
So after updating the firmware from goodvibes, and giving it another day of prolonged listening as I wanted to give it another chance....It does sound better. The hissing is still really bad, but I found putting the amplication setting to High helped me the most in getting rid of it. Mind you that I listen to the qp1r at around 7 on Low, 5 on Medium, and 4 on High.
 
Bass kick takes a notch up, soundstaging seems clearer(but still lack of depth), imaging placement is good. I can now see how everything is seperated and there is resolution everywhere. I guess its good to hearing a good pianist play. Instead of hearing a melody with blocked chords, you can hear the different lines very clearly delineated and voiced seperately. You can hear minute details like the squeaking of a chair at the beginning of "When We Were Young" by Adele after every note the bass guitarist plays a note. 

Even with these improvements, my thoughts still remain the same. Everything sounds energetic, but one note, thin, and sterile. Like when you hear Adele's voice and she's singing with such fervor, you can't imagine the sound being so distilled, clean and thin. Its like there isn't enough resonance, heft, or movement in her voice. Its the same when listening to orchestral recordings. The imaging is fabulous with hearing different instruments and placement, but the timbre and the dynamics of within every instrument is almost always the same. Every Cymbal hit decay doesn't have much variance. There is absolutely no microdynamics and shading. Being a musician(string player), that focuses efforts on what happens within a sustained note(like vibrato speed variance, bow speed variance, resonance variations, directional variance,....etc), I still after extended listening cannot like this player. I can see people who are obsessed with pinpoint placement and plankton to love this player. Its like resolution is everywhere and dots are flying from all directions. Its like pointilism in art, but doesn't make a full painting. At the end of the day, I want to see every dot and appreciate it, but still be able to see the whole picture and how each dot connects with the other in different ways(like strokes of a paint brush). Even in pointilism, no dot is completely equal and you can feel the artist's emotions and dynamic vision and how each point develops and comes together.
 
I wish I had read this post before, but it was on the QP1 thread, which I didn't read before. I asked people in this thread about microdynamics and shading here and I feel I was mislead, but I am glad I can give a better perspective to others interested in the QP1R. I should have done better research I'm glad that I am not alone in my opinion in this regard, especially when coming from a ZX2.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/751140/questyle-qp1/1125#post_11857671

Unless your are using an amp, it sounds like to me that you are plugging your phones into the line out plug.  With volume settings at 7, 5 and 4 there is practically no sound coming out of my dap when plugged in the the headphone jack.  Am I missing something?

 

[Dithyrambes]

It's a bit harsh saying you were mislead. I don't think anyone replying to your info requests would deliberately mislead you when asking an honest question.

As everyone says, your mileage may vary so each to their own. Personally I don't rely on one item in the chain to provide everything I want when listening. Just plugged some £20 earbuds into the qp1r and it's impossible to make them sound like a pair of hd800's.

I was also a bit confused at your listening volumes. Even with ciem's I find lvl 7 volume too low and I thought high gain normally emphasises hiss more if it's present. But then again my hearing is probably going in my old age

i dont blame anyone. As i said my fault for not anticipating the sound signature. Im just glad i can offer an opiniom on the microdynamic performance of the qp1r. Its a dap so i was hoping for good sound quality with my andromedas on the road...dont think they are 20 pound earbuds and many recommended the combo.

I cant multi quote on mobile but yes.....multi track pop recordings give the most wow with all the panning/phasing and synthetic sounds flying everywhere...its great.

I tried both the line out and amp..the line out sounds more sterile and flat.though there is less hiss...so i use the amp..i cant get past 9 on low...its too loud. I am a classical musician so i have very sensitive hearing. I dont listen to things loudly and i find ambulances very very loud..have to block my ears.

The hiss level stays the same on low, med, high at those low volumes. Just the gain fills it with more sound for equal amount of hiss.

You are talking to a person who listened to a euro zx2 around 5-8% volume.

 

[buke9]

Unless your are using an amp, it sounds like to me that you are plugging your phones into the line out plug.  With volume settings at 7, 5 and 4 there is practically no sound coming out of my dap when plugged in the the headphone jack.  Am I missing something?

The Andromeda's are like 12.8 ohm and 115 db sensitivity so they are pretty sensitive but at 7 and 4 they must listen at very low volume which is fine I don't have anything that sensitive.

 

[RPB65]

Dithy' it does seem you have very sensitive hearing with listening volumes like that. This would not be good (I guess) with hissing of any kind. For this you need my hearing, consisting of 30 years in noisy industry that even with religious wearing of personal moulded in-ear ear protection plugs has resulted in tinnitus, then you would be ok! LOL.
My tinnitus takes care of any hissing issues! The squealing cancels it all out 

 

[kino lau]

I'm running my Andro's on Low Gain and get no hiss what so ever at lower volumes. I've detected some background noise (hiss?) with the volume set around 30, but only during the dead space at the beginning of the next track. The space between one track to the next, is dead silent. 

 

[Dithyrambes]

I'm running my Andro's on Low Gain and get no hiss what so ever at lower volumes. I've detected some background noise (hiss?) with the volume set around 30, but only during the dead space at the beginning of the next track. The space between one track to the next, is dead silent. 

wish i had your qp1r then. I just plug the andros in and before i play a track it sounds like a mild waterfall regardless of volume

 

[buke9]

wish i had your qp1r then. I just plug the andros in and before i play a track it sounds like a mild waterfall regardless of volume

Your unit might be defective then. I get zero hiss or noise but I don't have anything that sensitive.

 

[mwhals]

I get zero hiss from my QP1R.

 

[DecentLevi]

WARNING: The below post is likely to offend some. But keep in mind my goal is only in pursuit of audio purism, rather than to offend. I am blunt and tell it like it is.
 
OK so here are the results after a several hour critical listening comparison of various setups with the Questyle QP1R against various amps and the Mimby DAC (Modi 2 entry-level multibit DAC); using a modded HD-650 for increased detail / neutrality and with well mastered FLAC files playing loops of the same song on my laptop in bit-perfect mode via Foobar as a source and with the Wyrd USB signal cleaner between the PC and DAC. Also just so I don't have to answer these questions: yes the same headphone was used, no I was not using EQ at any point, the volume of various setups were always fairly matched (audibly, at least), and the output of the QP1R was headphone-out except as noted in the last bullet-point.
 

1. QP1R vs. Liquid Carbon amp with Mimby DAC (SE output connection)
      The sound I got from the LC setup was a good bit more organic, with somewhat better dynamics and imaging than the QP1R
2. QP1R vs. Liquid Carbon amp with Mimby DAC (balanced output connection)
      The sound I got from the LC stup was far more organic with moderately improved dynamics and imaging than the QP1R. Going back to the QP1R at this point reveals a very artificial, grainy sound with the Delta Sigma hallmark 'digital glare'
3. QP1R vs. the Elise tube amp with upgraded expensive rare tubes and Mimby DAC (unfair comparison I'll admit)
      The sound of the Elise setup was in a whole other dimension - like stepping into a real alien world in the buff, vs. watching it on a small screen wearing a space-suit. Soundstage at least 6x bigger, dynamics vastly improved, lifelike vs. extremely artificial on the QP1R, and both imaging and instrument separation improved by at least the order of 4x. On the Elise system I heard layers / details that were not noticeable on the QP1R - yet going back to the former I noticed those details were 'there', but highly subdued and lost in the mix by contrast.

 
At this point I will pause to say that this is where somebody (to me at least) would notice that the character of the QP1R's internal DAC is very grainy, barely resolving, with next-to-no soundstage and with a fairly huge 'digital glare'.
 

1. QP1R as a DAC vs. the Mimby DAC (connected to the Elise amp via line-out with thick audiophile-grade cable)
         The difference was almost as large as the above comparison. Lifelike, fluidic sound from the Mimby DAC, with harsh / grainy sound from the DAC of the QP1R, and soundstage noticeably smaller.

 
@buke9 mentioned earlier that his QP1R alone blew his LC + UD-301 DAC out of the water. Well either your sonic preferences are much different than mine, you were comparing lossy vs. lossless, or the UD-301 DAC is total crap. Because for every note, every time and every configuration of my comparisons, the LC amp (especially the Elise), and the Mimby DAC sounded clearly superior in every way to me. At least the Mimby + LC setup is fairly small / transportable for vacations.
 
On a positive note, the QP1R did have the FiiO x5 v2 DAP beat on all fronts - namely improved realism / dynamics and imaging. Also the QP1R sounded absolutely breathtaking with IEM's compared to with the x5 DAP, and sounds quite good in its' own right. Also this DAP wasn't burned in at all yet, however I did just update the firmware to the latest v. 1.07 before the comparison.
 
In the above comparisons I had used both the QP1R directly and the QP1R + external FiiO E6 amp, to which the latter seemed to make maybe a 15% improvement in overall refinement, but never even close to my mid-fi home rigs. 
 
In summary, the QP1R is a great choice for on-the-go and especially with IEM's, but I can't recommend it for many full-size 'cans and it can't compare to hi-fi home audio rigs lower mid-fi and up. Questyle's choice of DAC is terrible, which I would give a "D" rating. 
 
Also I should mention this was not a complete comparison, as I have yet to try the QP1R as a DAC-slave with a computer source (anyone have instructions how to configure that?), and I have yet to compare the DSD capability of the QP1R vs. with my Gustard X12 DAC playing native DSD with the Mimby as well.
 
Just in case the gear mentioned spikes any interest, most of these are very cheap:
- RHA S-500 earphones: $40
- 'Mimby' DAC: $249
- Elise OTL tube amp: $699

 

[Dithyrambes]

Your unit might be defective then. I get zero hiss or noise but I don't have anything that sensitive.

Don't think so. Tried 3 different headphones and earbuds.....its just the andros are EFFing sensitive >< not a good pairing i guess

 

[DecentLevi]

BTW folks, interestingly a listen to the QP1R doesn't seem to reveal any digital-glare until you actually compare it with a multibit DAC. So it still sounds good in it's own right. And thus far, I haven't noticed any of these DAC issues on its' performance with DSD 

 

[inthere]

Apologies, but what is a Mimby DAC?