Qudelix 5K

amazon Qudelix 5K reviews

Qudelix 5K – the emerging Bluetooth DAC/AMP model from the land of kimchi. It is considered a capable competitor to bring down the legendary EarStudio ES100 due to its well-balanced equipment in both hardware and software. Whether EarStudio’s best-selling Bluetooth DAC/AMP throne in the world will be shaken, We will find out together through this detailed review.

About the brand Qudelix

Qudelix is ​​introduced as an audio system engineering development company based in Seoul, Korea. They are also technical partners with Sony in the development of LDAC.

They have developed the LDAC solution for the Qualcomm QCC512X platform – one of the best chips currently available for Bluetooth audio solutions. With this platform, besides providing the highest resolution sound quality, it also consumes very little power. In addition, it also has a very powerful DSP signal processor, which has good control over large bitrates when transmitting, making the signal more stable and longer. And finally, Qudelix provides and sells LDAC high-end Bluetooth codec solutions to other headphone and Bluetooth DAC/AMP manufacturers on the market.

Thanks to self-developing a technology core similar to Radsone, Qudelix will optimize both hardware and software on its products. That will be a huge advantage on Qudelix 5K when compared to rival products.

BOXES AND ACCESSORIES OF QUDELIX 5K

Qudelix 5K is packaged in a modestly sized cardboard box. The outside is printed with illustrations and some information about the certificate and product origin. It is a good thing that Qudelix 5K has a “Made in Korea” origin.

Inside the box, Qudelix 5K is packed in a shockproof bubble bag. The bottom compartment holds two fairly short USB cables: 1 Type-C to Type-C cable for use with phones and 1 Type-C to USB A cable for use with computers.

DESIGN AND FINISHING OF QUDELIX 5K

Qudelix 5K has a square box-shaped design, masculine black color with a minimalist style. Although the body is made from plastic, it still exudes a premium look thanks to the scratch-resistant UV coating and fingerprints.

Qudelix 5K has a built-in clothespin design that is always very similar to the style of the ES100. This coat clip is made from metal to create a more solid and bunker feeling.

The front of the Qudelix 5K has nothing but the embossed Qudelix logo. On the top of the machine are two 3.5mm Single End and 2.5mm Balanced audio output ports. There is also a small hole where the microphone is located.

The Type-C connector is placed at the bottom of the machine very well, next to 2 screws to form a funny smiley face.

The main highlight of the design of the Qudelix 5K lies in the two control buttons on the two sides of the device. Every time you operate, the button will light up, one side is green, and the other is red. Similar to Matrix-style (Red Pill – Blue Pill) is very impressive. Each button has up to 2 hidden buttons with dozens of functions that you will need to take some time to get used.

In terms of finishing, I dare say that Qudelix 5K has better machining quality than EarStudio ES100. The case is plastic but feels very sturdy and has a durable scratch-resistant coating.

The detail of 2 large screws on the side of the USB Type-C port helps the joints become tight, different from the normal prong or glue assembly mechanism. The coat clip is made very large, sturdy, and well surface treated. The clamping force is very firm, not as loose as the previous ES100.

If compared with other Bluetooth DAC/AMP products of the same range from FiiO, Shanling, Hiby, Qudelix 5K is still a product with very good finishing.

HARDWARE CONFIGURATION IN 5K QUDELIX

If you only look at the surface, you and I will not feel that Qudelix 5K has many differences from Bluetooth DAC / AMP models of the same range. So we will go deeper into this device.

Qudelix 5K is introduced as the world’s first Bluetooth DAC/AMP model using the new high-end Bluetooth 5.0 chipset QCC 5124. In addition to the ability to receive high-quality codecs such as LDAC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, it will save money. Up to 65% more power when compared to the previous CSR8675. In addition, QCC 5124 is also the most powerful Bluetooth chipset in the world today, with up to 2 DSP cores to help process high bitrate signals like LDAC more smoothly.

The audio decoding stage of Qudelix 5K is taken care of by 2 DAC/AMP ES9218P chips from ESS Tech. This DAC / AMP chip duo makes Qudelix 5K capable of outputting a full-balanced signal through a 2.5mm port with a maximum capacity of up to 4 Vrms. It can respectably pull even full-size headphones.

The transceiver antenna on Qudelix 5K uses 3D LDS antennas to increase the stability and distance of Bluetooth signal transceivers. Helps the audio experience in high-bitrate codecs such as LDAC remain stable, not jerky.

In addition to a Bluetooth DAC / AMP ability, Qudelix 5K can also turn into a USB DAC / AMP with the ability to decode up to 24bit / 96kHz without installing any driver.

Nurturing the system of Qudelix 5K is a battery with a capacity of 500mAh. This battery gives up to 20 hours of continuous use on a full charge. Qudelix has also been very public when publishing the battery life test table in different codecs for users to visualize easily.

In addition to the music features, Qudelix 5K is also equipped with a MEMS microphone to use when you need to talk.

It can be said that Qudelix 5K’s hardware is among the most powerful and advanced in the world, currently in the Bluetooth DAC/AMP category. However, the power of Qudelix 5K doesn’t just stop at hardware. It also lies a lot in Qudelix’s special software and algorithms, which we will learn about later.

CONTROL SOFTWARE ON QUDELIX 5K

If you’ve ever been impressed by the investment and depth of the EarStudio ES100, you’ll feel even more excited when you touch the software of Qudelix 5K. Undoubtedly a company that develops core technology, Qudelix offers software with a lot of customization and tweaking for users to dabble.

The software is called Qudelix, which you can find on both Android and iOS.

Qudelix was born for technology lovers, so it has a complex color and interface compared to normal software.

In particular, when connecting Qudelix 5K with the app, the electronic warranty timer system will automatically activate and let you know the warranty period of the product.

In each tab, you have a dozen sub-sections to refine, brood. You can tweak from the supported codecs, filter DAC, USB DAC, Equalizer… Below each item, there is an accompanying caption to explain the meaning. You will have to be patient with a lot of features and have a little basic knowledge to understand them all.

where can you get a Qudelix 5K online

Qudelix-5K Bluetooth USB DAC AMP with LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, AAC (Dual ES9218p 3.5mm Unbalanced & 2.5mm Balanced Output): Buy it now

REALITY EXPERIENCE AND SOUND

It’s great that you can both listen to calls from your phone and listen to music from your computer, thanks to the simultaneous connection of multiple sources (Bluetooth and USB DAC). When there is an incoming call, the music on the computer’s USB DAC will automatically disconnect to switch to the phone’s call or notification, which is extremely convenient. In addition, Qudelix 5K also allows you to connect up to 2 phone devices or Bluetooth transmitters simultaneously, thanks to the technology on the QCC 5124 chip.

Also, thanks to this feature, we can easily compare the quality of wired and wireless playback on Qudelix 5K. With cheap headset models, it is really difficult for you to recognize the difference between 2 wired and wireless sources (LDAC) on Qudelix 5K. When the experience in mid-range headphones becomes with lossless music files, you will feel the resolution of the sound, the dynamics when plugged in will be slightly better. Listening via Bluetooth on Qudelix 5K has kept up to 95% of the quality from details to stage space. That is a very encouraging result because wireless audio is getting very close to the wired limit already.

Qudelix 5K’s background sound is quite clean compared to Bluetooth DAC / AMP models of the same range. There is still slight noise when you use headphones with low impedance and high sensitivity when the High-Performance mode is on. In Normal mode, the background sound will be significantly cleaner. This phenomenon will be suppressed when you use headphones with an impedance of 64 Ohm or more.

The overall sound quality of Qudelix 5K is neutral, not too bright or too dark. All bands are very well balanced, a characteristic of DACs/AMPs using Saber’s decoding chip. The detail and resolution of the sound are very well reproduced. However, the sound of the Qudelix 5K is not entirely technical. It still has a little emphasis on the mid-range area, making the sound slightly forward; the sound is also soft and flexible.

Listening via Bluetooth on Qudelix 5K has kept up to 95% of the quality from details to stage space. Bass: This range is reproduced in a clean, neat, round, and well-detailed manner. It holds the depth and layer of this tonal range quite well. Bass is balanced, not stressed compared to other bands.

Mid: This tonal range is probably the most favored on Qudelix 5K. It’s clear, detailed, and has pretty good dynamics. Vocals are very natural, without coloration and smoothness to make the music more fluent. Instruments and vocals are very well separated.

Treble: The treble is crisp and airy. The color is neutral, neither cold nor too warm. It’s very easy to listen to and easy.

Stage space: Qudelix 5K reproduces 3D stage quite well when listening with Bluetooth and better when listening via USB DAC. The width is respectable, the depth is good, and the height is just right. The position of the instrument and the singer reproduce accurately, airy and separate.

Qudelix 5K has an advantage over Bluetooth DAC / AMP models of the same range when it can tweak the Equalizer directly on the accompanying software. The hardware power from the QCC 5124 chipset allows precise frequency tuning up to 10 bands with a 64-bit EQ signal processor that lets you tune in to your liking.

EPILOGUE

Qudelix 5K is the new standard Bluetooth DAC / AMP model on the current market when it is first equipped with the powerful QCC 5124 chipset. All elements of hardware, software, and user experience are perfectly optimized on this device. Deep in EarStudio ES100, I believe that Qudelix 5K will continue to be a new wave in the Audiophile world.