Qudelix 5K Reference DAC AMP

Product Information

Wish people would Please stop defending the fallacy that something has to look ugly or use cheap feeling materials to perform well.

I will go as far as to say that pairing the Qudelix 5K with naturally warm-sounding headphones can be too much. With the Moondrop Aria, I approached that line. The Monarch Mk1 are a better match and let me appreciate the detail retrieval of both devices. EDIT- I stand corrected- @unplugged is correct. Priority only matters when there is music playing on the BT device and USB devices. Regardless of priority settings if the USB connection is the only one live with music into the 5k- that is what will play unless you start playing on the BT connected device too. After 10 days of using the Qudelix through a full work week and weekend, I feel like I've spent enough time with this unit to give some basic first impressions for those who might be considering the 5K:The embedded pro-grade equalizer is a vital benefit of 5K DAC/AMP over other similar products. It processes every incoming source audio from everywhere: Youtube, Apple Music, Spotify, iOS, Android, PC, Bluetooth(all Codecs), and USB. For high-sensitivity IEMs, the amplifier noise figure is the most important. The high-sensitivity IEM is so sensitive that it translates every electrical noise or thermal drift into audible acoustic sound, usually white noise. The general sound signature is decently detailed and somewhat warm. Not a hint of the olden ES9018’s icy tinge. As a USB DAC, the Qudelix 5K may leave some wanting as it only supports PCM datastreams up to 24bit/96kHz. The battery holds okay for my on-the-go needs, but don’t expect it to last an entire day without charging.

This is the lowest battery life portable DAC i have ever had. I do use it in single DAC mode, not Dual which eat more power. Qudelix released a pair of wired IEMs called the QX-over. By having two ES9219C audio chips on board the 5K, Qudelix used the four separate audio outputs to create a digitally filtered active IEM system. Judging by the published impressions, while technically interesting, the QX-over didn’t really deliver sound-wise. Technical SpecificationsA few weeks ago I made the leap off of the True Wireless train by grabbing my first pair of wired IEM's (Fiio FH3's) and a Bluetooth DAC, the Qudelix 5K. In everyday use, the first hurdle is memorizing the button press commands and which button does what. What sets Qudelix apart is that the company is an official Sony LDAC technical partner. Reportedly Qudelix was responsible for developing the LDAC solution for the Qualcomm QCC5000 platform. The QCC5124 receiver, as seen in just about every higher-end Bluetooth DAC/amp, relies on the work done by Qudelix to operate using the LDAC codec.

While the 5K will not replace much costlier desktop DAC/amp combos, it is a delight to use on the go and with my office desktop. Users of powered monitor speakers will also find the 5K useful, as the DSP works wonders for room correction. Where to Buy However, since i use it exclusively in one location at home for headphone use, i can use it while plugged into a charger. Of course, driving 4V into a dead short won’t mean infinite power as the specified max power is 80mW for the 3.5mm and 240mW for the balanced 2.5mm. App - Full disclosure: I'm a noob when it comes to EQ'ing so I've mostly left this portion of the app alone, although I have played around with it to test to capabilities - I could see how having both graphical and parametric EQ would be extremely useful, more so than say the basic adjustments offered on the Fiio BTR5 (from what I can tell). There are a wealth of EQ presets from Crinacle, Oratory1990, and rtings, although I'm unlikely to use them. Aside from the EQ functionality, there is a ton of detail for pretty much every option. The Battery life graph is perhaps the most useful portion of the app for me so far.Mentioning a person that on purpose instills excessive and extreme force to purposely damage electronics, just for views and money....not at all a realistic or real world scenario. No one bends their phones like that, and certainly not a small form factor device like this DAC can even bend as such. The Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth chip is also nothing exotic at this price tier; however, Qudelix has put its little spin here. Instead of relying on squiggly PCB traces, the receiver uses a separate 3D antenna. It makes the 5K more immune to failing signal strength due to direction changes and increases connection reliability at a distance. In terms of hardware, the Qudelix 5K can be considered boring. Like many other Bluetooth dongles, it uses a pair of ES9219 chips without any extra analog stages. For the price of the device, this solution is more than acceptable. I have no issue whatsoever with the construction, for me it is far better than the BTR5. The things I would say the BTR5 is better for is the buttons, they are bad on the Qudelix, and the screen on the BTR5 is handy, to be able to see volume and what it is connected to. I've seem from people that own both the qudelix and competition (BTR5), that que 5K presents way better range.