[HootsGha]

Works fine. Over the air update is like opening a present every update so just for that feeling I would go 5k. App is a must and Fiio sucks at it. There is absolutely a room for improvement appwise with 5k but if you EQ your headphones ever 5k is the one to go.

I have sonarworks, tone boosters morphit on pc, wavelet on android. I made a copy of morphit se846 blue (%50 morphed) profile with curveEQ by sending white noise :
Freq DB
20.00,-1.83
43.09,-2.45
92.83,-1.84
200.00,-1.79
430.89,-3.01
928.32,-1.12
2000.00,1.52
4308.87,3.33
9283.18,3.59
20000.00,3.60

That means I can have reference grade eq profiles on the go easier. That was not possible within a $110 dac until yesterday. Wavelet and viper4android are awesome but when you eq within the dac pricelessly like this it does sound better, also less bulk on phone, more battery life, less compatibility issues, less hassle while switching devices.

I have the se846s myself and will definitely try this EQ setting once I receive my Q5K

I was wondering whether you're using yours in balanced or single ended?

What I've come to understand so far is that in theory, when it comes to sensitive iems, it should be best to keep the output impedance of the DAC/amp to the minimum i.e go single ended, but some say that in practice the balanced output on Q5K is better/fuller sounding even on such a sensitive iem as se846.

Any subjective experience regarding this topic would be very much appreciated

 

[AgathaVR]

I have the se846s myself and will definitely try this EQ setting once I receive my Q5K

I was wondering whether you're using yours in balanced or single ended?

Based on what I've understood so far, in theory it should be best to keep the impedance to the minimum i.e go single ended, but some say that in practice the balanced output on Q5K is better/fuller sounding even on such a sensitive iem as se846.

Any subjective experience regarding this topic is very much appreciated

I shortened a balanced cable. You should buy a balanced cable and try it yourself.

Main reason why it's better with 5k is because it uses both chips with balanced output. 5k's 3.5mm output only uses a single chip.

Personally I love customising stuff for my needs. I like small details like increase and decrease Db change, it is so smooth with Qudelix, you can also change the buttons config to turn it on/off much faster.

Microphone actually works really good, and they are going to add Ambient mode which I am now waiting for.

5k doesn't have the best noise floor around. That's what I would like it to be better next version. Also they don't really want you to change the battery, they should make the design more battery change friendly, buttons are not the best either. It's build quality is perfect but there is room for improvement with it's design. It's sound signature is the way I like it, much better than btr3. It's 3d antenna is ridiculously good compared to my btr3.

Even with se215, balanced cable makes a lot of difference. Sound becomes more clear. I have custom 9 more filters for my se846, custom red ones are the best but I use blue filters for Eq profiles.

 

[HootsGha]

I shortened a balanced cable. You should buy a balanced cable and try it yourself.

Main reason why it's better with 5k is because it uses both chips with balanced output. 5k's 3.5mm output only uses a single chip.

Personally I love customising stuff for my needs. I like small details like increase and decrease Db change, it is so smooth with Qudelix, you can also change the buttons config to turn it on/off much faster.

Microphone actually works really good, and they are going to add Ambient mode which I am now waiting for.

5k doesn't have the best noise floor around. That's what I would like it to be better next version. Also they don't really want you to change the battery, they should make the design more battery change friendly, buttons are not the best either. It's build quality is perfect but there is room for improvement with it's design. It's sound signature is the way I like it, much better than btr3. It's 3d antenna is ridiculously good compared to my btr3.

Even with se215, balanced cable makes a lot of difference. Sound becomes more clear. I have custom 9 more filters for my se846, custom red ones are the best but I use blue filters for Eq profiles.

Thanks for your detailed answer! Then I guess it's best for me to try a balanced cable and see how it goes...

Any suggestions for a cable for under 50 USD?

Also custom filters should be fun to try! Are you using Knowles dampers for the filters? I hope there’s not a lot of workaround, since I'm not very good ad DIYing stuff, specially when they are so tiny

 

[AgathaVR]

Thanks for your detailed answer! Then I guess it's best for me to try a balanced cable and see how it goes...

Any suggestions for a cable for under 50 USD?

Also custom filters should be fun to try! Are you using Knowles dampers for the filters? I hope there’s not a lot of workaround, since I'm not very good ad DIYing stuff, specially when they are so tiny

these ones are $10, I bought in bulk. Of course they are not the best but good quality for the price.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32999489289.html

Sorry not 9 but 7 filters. I bought all but red is the best one, other ones are pretty useless. You need to cut a q-tip and put the filter inside, thats it. You can also remove the foam inside the blue filter which many ppl do but I didn't want to destroy a perfectly fine original filter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32580267018.html

 

[HootsGha]

these ones are $10, I bought in bulk. Of course they are not the best but good quality for the price.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32999489289.html

Sorry not 9 but 7 filters. I bought all but red is the best one, other ones are pretty useless. You need to cut a q-tip and put the filter inside, thats it. You can also remove the foam inside the blue filter which many ppl do but I didn't want to destroy a perfectly fine original filter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32580267018.html

Excellent! Can't wait to get my hands on my new 5K and play with different EQs and a few of these filters!

Also absolutely agree about modding the blue filter. Don't wanna alter/break an original filter that works fine

 

[Marco Angel]

Excellent! Can't wait to get my hands on my new 5K and play with different EQs and a few of these filters!

Also absolutely agree about modding the blue filter. Don't wanna alter/break an original filter that works fine

I love the 5K+SE846 as it is without EQ, but since the Radsone ES100 i add some boost int the 32hz (+5dB) but now with the PEQ in the 5K i can customize a 20hz +6hz 1.141, it simply add rumble in songs with sub-bass and doesent afect any other frec. Its like having a race car and now beeing able to tweek only the details to maximize its performance

BTW, try balanced cables from this brand, they are quite cheap and very durable with cero microphonics
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/gr...g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_1000001819183.1_1_3

PD: How do you EQ your se846?

 

[fonkepala]

Works fine. Over the air update is like opening a present every update so just for that feeling I would go 5k. App is a must and Fiio sucks at it. There is absolutely a room for improvement appwise with 5k but if you EQ your headphones ever 5k is the one to go.

I have both.
I think of you are like me, not playing around with Any EQ, just putting on LDAC and some ''tweaks''( like putting thé DAC divider level on thé Btr5 to one but nothing fancy) and listen to verry good sounding music, then thé BTR5 Will win. If you like EQ, lots of updates and some querky but verry cool working features, thén thé 5K is thé way to go.
If you are a car lover then i think you can compare them nu thé BTR5 is a Lamborghini, and thé 5K is a Donkervoort, they are both just amazing! But have other purpose, both drive you around, but they are different.
I like both, but use the btr5 more because it's just solid performance without thinking it could get better with tweaking and EQ, with thé 5K you think you can gain something with Eq'ing etc.... And that takes away a part of just listening to music( for you it can ad something! Because you can do more than just listen to music.... It depends what you look for. )

Thank you both for your very detailed replies. I don't ever use EQ for any of my headphones/earbuds/IEM's, partly because I'm not a deft hand at it but also because I prefer to let the headphone and/or DAC/amp that I'm using color the music with their own particular signature. That being said, the 5K still really intrigues me and I'm like *this* close to pulling the trigger...

 

[HootsGha]

I love the 5K+SE846 as it is without EQ, but since the Radsone ES100 i add some boost int the 32hz (+5dB) but now with the PEQ in the 5K i can customize a 20hz +6hz 1.141, it simply add rumble in songs with sub-bass and doesent afect any other frec. Its like having a race car and now beeing able to tweek only the details to maximize its performance

BTW, try balanced cables from this brand, they are quite cheap and very durable with cero microphonics
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/gr...g0o.store_home.pcShopHead_1000001819183.1_1_3

PD: How do you EQ your se846?

I’ll have to wait a few days till I get my 5K and then see... I’m sure that se846 sounds just fine out of 5K, but like you said, some fine tuning is always enjoyable!

Thanks for the cable suggestion. For some reason when I click on the link, the pop up Aliexpress tab says "no item found"
I'll have to google the store name and find it that way.

I'm not quite sure whether your last question was directed at me, but assuming that it was, as an iPhone user I currently have a very difficult time EQing my se846, having to do it separately in each different app, and not being able to save custom EQs on many of those apps.
That's why EQ and PEQ capabilities of the 5K is such a huge selling point for me.

 

[zolom]

My Q5K sounds superb with the FiiO FH7 (balanced). No EQ used.

With the Q5K, my impression is that the FH7 (balanced) sounds better than with the SE846 (single ended).

 

[Toastybob]

5k doesn't have the best noise floor around. That's what I would like it to be better next version.

Could you elaborate on this? Is the noise floor higher than ES100? I find the ES100 to have zero noise even with the most sensitive and low impedance earphones.

 

[AgathaVR]

Could you elaborate on this? Is the noise floor higher than ES100? I find the ES100 to have zero noise even with the most sensitive and low impedance earphones.

I'm not talking about a hiss or anything like that. Of course 5k doesn't have "noise". I basically want $2000 Chord Hugo 2 level of sound and I'm going to whine and complain until someone does it for $100.
5k measurements have less noise than ES100 but higher than some integrations of the same chip on other devices like LG phone (but that doesn't necessarily mean it sounds better or worse):
https://www.qudelix.com/pages/forum?p=post/asr-measurements-10545281?pid=1311738741&highlight=noise+floor
Qudelix says that they are not competing with big expensive dacs with this little device. That's not the market they are in. I just want them to compete with them because those expensive dacs sound quality wise clearly are better

I want DAC end game to happen with $100. Not $2000+. Qudelix 5K is not an end game DAC, I just want(ed) it to be.

 

[Marco Angel]

I’ll have to wait a few days till I get my 5K and then see... I’m sure that se846 sounds just fine out of 5K, but like you said, some fine tuning is always enjoyable!

Thanks for the cable suggestion. For some reason when I click on the link, the pop up Aliexpress tab says "no item found"
I'll have to google the store name and find it that way.

I'm not quite sure whether your last question was directed at me, but assuming that it was, as an iPhone user I currently have a very difficult time EQing my se846, having to do it separately in each different app, and not being able to save custom EQs on many of those apps.
That's why EQ and PEQ capabilities of the 5K is such a huge selling point for me.

Try looking for the KBEAR cables (not sponsored) go for the 16core cheapest one, they are quite good
Guess you are fine on un-balanced, and the shures really dont need much power, but the balanced output gives a little better imaging

 

[Mouseman]

I'll second (or third) the suggestion for balanced Kbear cables. I have several and am currently waiting for one more on the slowest boat ever. They have great build quality and go great with my 5k.

 

[maschoff]

I'll second (or third) the suggestion for balanced Kbear cables. I have several and am currently waiting for one more on the slowest boat ever. They have great build quality and go great with my 5k.

I went with the Meze audio, pricey but nice.

 

[AlexCBSN]

Pulled the trigger, quite excited, actually already downloaded the app

which company is in charge of express shipping?