The Qudelix-5K thread

[kukkurovaca]

my kingdom for a volume knob tbh

 

[veraideishal]

my kingdom for a volume knob tbh

The Bluewave Get has an analog volume knob. I found the noise floor to be unacceptably high for use with my IEMs, though.

Edit: The knob is just a knob, not a knob-button combo thingy. They’ve since made an impedance adapter that apparently removes the hiss (didn’t buy it, jumped ship to an ES100 instead). It doesn’t have EQ functionality, if that is also a consideration.

 

[kukkurovaca]

The Bluewave Get has an analog volume knob. I found the noise floor to be unacceptably high for use with my IEMs, though.

Shanling UP2 has a (digitial) volume wheel, but it looks like it's a button/wheel combo like they had on the M3S, which was a bit of a nightmare, so

 

[Nolbert0]

I would have wished that the Quadelix had gone the 2.5D glass route instead of plastic

I disagree. Plastic keeps the costs, but more importantly, the weight down. I've had experiences with the weightier clip on devices (I'm looking at you M0!) and I'm totally convinced that lighter is better. BTR5 is also heavier than I would like...

On a side note, I've also been converted to loving the removable clip. I'm sure the ES100 owners with broken clips would agree. I think @Shanling deserves some credit for that with M0 and UP2, upon which the BTR5 clip design was 'inspired' from, IMO. I really hope 5K gets a removable clip. Obviously not the end of the world if it doesn't.

I'm totally atheist but... “Ye have not, because ye ask not”

 

[ClieOS]

I think @Shanling deserves some credit for that with M0 and UP2, upon which the BTR5 clip design was 'inspired' from, IMO. I really hope 5K gets a removable clip.

Not inspired from, but improved upon. The way Shanling implemented the shirtclip makes it mostly useless unless there is already a seam or openning on the clothing that you can slip it in. As it doesn't actual have any real clipping force behind it, so it will always want to undo itself and fall off.

Keep the hingers strong, then we don't need to worry whether it is removeable or not.

 

[Nolbert0]

Agreed, the implementation of a sprung clip on the BTR5 looks WAY better than the soft moulded plastic found on the Shanlings'. But the bigger innovation (by an order of magnitude, IMO) here is the removable aspect, (not the sprung clip, as the sprung clip has been done a gazzillion times before by everybody and their copyright infringers!) which was what I was trying to say.

Anyways, credit where credit's due. Fiio might have done it better but Shanling did it first.

Clips have always been the Achilles' heel in these kind of things - being one of the only load bearing and/or moving parts. Since way back in the cassette walkman days, this has been true. I think it will always be the case, unfortunately. Making it replaceable seems the best compormise I've seen yet.

 

[andersos]

After looking at how the software is designed for the 5K PEQ I knew right away the guy behind it is talented. I highly doubt the other manufactures will understand or even implement these kind of pro tools and they would be right. Its fascinating that they are in $100 devices.

You should try the E1DA PowerDAC V2. For under $60 you get superbly designed hardware and it's dedicated app, hptoy, which has very well implemented PEQ functionality.

US $55.00 | PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC and Cables
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/rdiQN8tw

 

[ClieOS]

Anyways, credit where credit's due. Fiio might have done it better but Shanling did it first.

In recent time on BT adapter, probably. But removeable backclip on its own isn't a new concept. Some of the old Sony and Phillips USB driver style mp3 players have it. One of my very old Sony Ericsson dumphone back in the 90s has it too.

 

[Nolbert0]

@ClieOS Touché

 

[Devh]

You should try the E1DA PowerDAC V2. For under $60 you get superbly designed hardware and it's dedicated app, hptoy, which has very well implemented PEQ functionality.

US $55.00 | PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC and Cables
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/rdiQN8tw

Thanks. I have been following that thread and it looks great, does fill many roles but it unfortunately comes up short without bluetooth implementation particularly LDAC. Im using the ES100 for my home system that is controlled by my DAP which makes it a handheld jukebox. Im also going to be setting up my Brother in laws outdoor pool system the same way once the 5k is available.

There are now two dedicated source components in the market that can do LDAC (Topping 50S and Blue Zen) because this is the future but unfortunately none of them have a DSP EQ that can do room correction and have excellent sound quality. I have tested the ES100 against some stand alone DSPs including one that has bluetooth connectivity in Apx but it was no where near as energetic, just dull. Having a DSP can improve the sound but only if it doesn't degrade it for the worse once its switched on.

The ES100 stands alone in this regard for just being ahead of its time. Maybe next year we will see more PEQs but im not holding my breath as most manufactures don't really care and although they may give you EQ fictionality as a selling point they might not implement it well enough to sound good. I have seen this kind of thing in car audio where there is a disconnect and only a few engineers get it. At least in the 5k literature they mention a higher resolving EQ because they know that EQ can be a killer of sound for those that can hear it.

 

[C_Lindbergh]

Battery life chart from the 5k forum, even tho its not the final results yet:

"It's a simulation result, but there wouldn't be much difference with the real world battery time.
We'll update the full specification of battery time for each codec and use cases, once we fix and confirm the final HW design."

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UFNZj07Z-sOSHCwurqOd4KETnK4JUhDcsQrh6Pb3zwg/edit#gid=0

Looks really promising, almst 19 hours with a pair of low Ohm IEMs using LDAC!

 

[CactusPete23]

Battery life chart from the 5k forum, even tho its not the final results yet:

"It's a simulation result, but there wouldn't be much difference with the real world battery time.
We'll update the full specification of battery time for each codec and use cases, once we fix and confirm the final HW design."

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UFNZj07Z-sOSHCwurqOd4KETnK4JUhDcsQrh6Pb3zwg/edit#gid=0

Looks really promising, almst 19 hours with a pair of low Ohm IEMs using LDAC!

Sounds Great ! Any idea if that's LDAC 330, 660 or 990 ? If LDAC @ 990 it's very good news.

-Would love to see some distances that the 5K can receive Bluetooth without drop-outs for the different formats too. (And maybe with some different Bluetooth Sources; Like a top shelf Phone vs a DAP . Most phones have much stronger bluetooth signal than any DAP I've had, so I'd expect a shorter useable distance with a DAP.

 

[Marco Angel]

Ok ok, my es100 still going strong but having the btr5 with no eq in ldac, and also knowing that fiio will beta test on the early buyers, that's a go for the qudelix.
I'm totally in

 

[arbiter76]

i hate whoever spilled the beans that a radsone dude is designing this awfully named thing. here i thought i had the one ring to rule them all and he's blacksmithing another. i was disappointed to read the ak4377 was ditched but not really. if it's the same blacksmith with the same ears it is probably good to go. wishful thinking but is the hardware guy the software guy too?

btw, the mk2 es100 is a great consolation prize. pure function over form and mk2 added more function with the raised buttons. have not tried the clip but the new teeth design is better. no broken clip for me yet. am eager to see this iteration. new battery life rating with the sabre dac? am hoping for at least 15h. es100 was a solid day and small change, not a solid two days.

 

[Cevisi]

i hate whoever spilled the beans that a radsone dude is designing this awfully named thing. here i thought i had the one ring to rule them all and he's blacksmithing another. i was disappointed to read the ak4377 was ditched but not really. if it's the same blacksmith with the same ears it is probably good to go. wishful thinking but is the hardware guy the software guy too?

btw, the mk2 es100 is a great consolation prize. pure function over form and mk2 added more function with the raised buttons. have not tried the clip but the new teeth design is better. no broken clip for me yet. am eager to see this iteration. new battery life rating with the sabre dac? am hoping for at least 15h. es100 was a solid day and small change, not a solid two days.

I mean the guy said the sabre is better more efficient better filters better battery life time better sound if you have the know how to implement it

https://www.qudelix.com/blog/akm-and-ess

If this is really the guy who invented the es100 software and hardware. I think he know 100% what he is doing