Portable Bluetooth Receiver Dac/Amps Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by shotgunshane, Sep 22, 2019.

  1. Metro

    Metro Friend

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    Yes, wslee left Radsone to start up Qudelix. He is one of the company founders.
     
  2. Metro

    Metro Friend

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    The renderings of the Qudelix show identical button strips on opposite sides, which I thought is bad ergonomics for selecting the desired button by feel without looking.
    qudelix5K.jpg
    I commented on Qudelix's Facebook page that they should make the two strips feel different such as adding bumps or ridges. They thought it's a good idea and will look into it. If it happens, you'll have me to thank. :D
     
  3. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    For whatever reason the UP2 has started having this loud beeping noise upon turn on and continues for a few seconds after the voice says your headset is connected. With Andromeda it’s super loud. If I wait a few seconds (10 maybe?) before plugging iems in, it can be avoided.

    @Bina, any ideas what’s going on? Also seems to only be connecting via SBC (light is staying blue).
     
  4. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Ignore the SBC comment. The loud start up beeping caused a little paranoia. When putting it into pairing mode and connecting to iOS, I can see it switch from blue to cyan.
     
  5. Bina

    Bina MOT - Shanling

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    This was problem on older firmware, plese update to latest V1.5 firmware and it should get fixed http://en.shanling.com/download/64
     
  6. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Hmm, PC only. I suppose I'm out of luck then.
     
  7. Bina

    Bina MOT - Shanling

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    Unfortunately this Qualcomm app seems to be Windows only. :(
     
  8. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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  9. randytsuch

    randytsuch Friend

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    Some ES100 advice

    I put a couple little drops of clear nail polish (teenage daughters) on the play button, fast forward (or rew, you can pick lol) and vol up. Since play is also power on, having a bump there makes it a lot easier to turn on. I can just push the button with fingertip instead of finger nail.

    I put masking tape around the buttons when I did this, to keep to polish out of the cracks, but might not need to do this but I can be anal for things like this.

    Makes it much easier to use blind, feeling for the polish bumps. You just need to remember where you put the polish.
    I also made the play bump bigger than the ff bump.

    Well worth the time to do if you're using regularly.

    As an aside, was looking at the W3 last night. Would probably order if I didn't already have a es100. And I've been using my trn bt20 more because I don't have to mess with any wires with them.
     
  10. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    I've been meaning to write a little about the new UP4 for a while but well, life has been pretty distracting lately.

    Shanling UP4 - $99
    • Bluetooth 5.0: Qualcomm CSR8675
    • Codecs: LDAC, HWA LHDC, apt-X HD, apt-X Low Latency, apt-X, AAC and SBC
    • Chipset: Dual ESS ES9218P Sabre DAC/AMP
    • Casing: Aluminium frame with glass panels on front and back
    • Clip: Removable/slip-on
    • Buttons: Single multifunctional wheel
    • USB DAC: Yes
    • 'Dual Dac' boost mode in single or balanced connection
    • Volume: 64 steps
    • Battery: Up to 15 hours single ended, 10 hours balanced, 300 hours standby
    • Smartphone App: coming soon

    For me, this is the best tiny bluetooth receiver I've tried, by far, with some minor caveats.
    • In comparison to it's smaller sibling, the UP4 sheds the warmish tilt for a more neutral tone.
    • It's about double the size of the UP2 but still small in the grand scheme of things.
    • Significantly more powerful than the UP2
    • Still the somewhat lame clip as the UP2
    • Low gain and high gain are just ok and I could see someone easily preferring any of the others over it, if just based on regular low or high gain. The reason to buy this thing is for the Dual Dac (Boost) mode. I'm not sure if it is delivering more current in this mode but my modded Periodic Audo Be and the JVC FDX1 sound fantastic on this setting. Superb driver control and dynamics.
    • While I cannot recommend this thing enough for most iems, particularly dynamic driver iems, Andromeda is just meh from it; this isn't unique to the UP4, Andromeda is often meh from lots of sources/amps.
    • Since I'm mainly listening to dynamics these days, the UP4 has become my go to for portability with those iems. In dual dac mode, it's in a tier above the others I've tried/owned.
     
  11. brencho

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    Nice thanks @shotgunshane do you think balanced is important for jvc in addition to the dual dac mode?
     
  12. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    I’m using the $79 Dunu cable with the quick change adapters on my FDX1, so I can switch fairly quickly between single ended and balanced. Even so, it’s hard to tell much difference since balanced is immediately louder (and therefore better). Overall I’d say balanced sounds a little more open than single ended in dual dac mode. At the end of the day it’s really the dual dac mode that makes the difference.
     
  13. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Totally agree on the need to tweak for feeling the controls and making them easier to press. I am going to do this.

    One More: I am also going to add a bump on the clip...to the end you press on to open it. For orientation's sake. :D
     
  14. Bina

    Bina MOT - Shanling

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    Glad you like our UP4!

    We released our companion app last Friday, so far only for Android http://en.shanling.com/article-CompanionApp.html

    And for UP4 we now sell this leather case, which has small strap on the back instead of that plastic clip.
    UP4 case 2_resized.jpg
     
  15. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    @Bina I see the iOS app is released, however I can’t connect it to my UP devices. Any advice? I’m hoping this doesn’t require firmware update from a PC...
     
  16. Bina

    Bina MOT - Shanling

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    Exactly, it requires firmware update first. And that one still demands Windows.
     
  17. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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    @shotgunshane I've got a windows box. Send me your UP4 and I'll flash the firmware for you (and get to hear it for myself mwoohahaha).

    Just kidding :) the shipping would be half the price of the unit.
     
  18. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Alright, I braved the outdoor world and marched into a neighbor’s house and updated the firmware on these guys. The iOS app now sees both the UP2 and UP4. Mission accomplished.
     
  19. JayC

    JayC Resident Crash Test Dummy

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  20. bengo

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