Judith Rhodes

“I listen to music a lot and I'm very picky. I've been eyeing a DAP for a long time but it's been difficult because of the cost of the goods ones the architecture, not being able to find reviews from people who actually own and use equipment-the list is endless. I know what kind of sound I like, what features I prefer and what I see as necessary vs. fluff features. All of that caused me to land on the Questyle QP2R Personal Audio Player. It is AKM4490 DAC chip, bit-perfect playback, class A bias control, balanced and unbalanced output jacks, USB-C, expandable memory and a machined aluminum case with gorilla glasss on the front and back. And did I mention that it is absolutely gorgeous! Yeah, blah, blah, but how does it sound? Well if you like your music neutral and uncolored and you use cans or IEM's that allow that (I'm assuming that's why you like AKM chips) then this is it. It has a very natural, live sound that doesn't introduce sonic helpers unless you add them in (something that is very easy with the interface). If music really has a vocals forward recording, that is what this will produce. So be prepared, some of your music will sound different if you're used to hearing it having been modified or enhanced to soften it up. This is about as neutral as it gets. The user interface is simple and intuitive. Some have critiqued it as old or in need of an update. Let me be clear here. This interface is designed for a piece of equipment designed to let you store and play music in a portable fashion, it is not an android phone, an IOS phone or a device for web surfing. Adding those features to interfaces cause problems for devices and they do not work as well. If you just have to have an android interface, buy an android based DAP and get on the android OS update merry-go-round. Good luck with that. This is a Linux based interface which is stable, secure and rock solid-it works as it should. The controls are tactile and as a result very easy to use with lots of real feedback. It's very pleasant to use. The use of real buttons and knobs is pure joy. The use of USB-C means that if you have a reasonably new android device you don't need a new cable-yay!! Now, I bought mine from Upscale obviously and I chose gold. I didn't know that it would be a Rose Gold color and that it would be the Focal Edition. It is even more beautiful than the regular Questyle QP2R. The regular one is still very much in production and costs between $1299 and $1599. Of course Kevin has your back and this is $599!! Yup, that's right boys and girls, $599! Should you buy it? Depends, do you like you music neutral, and you interface purpose built? Do you want it to be beautiful and substantial? Do you want a mind-blowing bargain? If you answer yes to those questions then buy one before Upscale runs out. This is why I shop Upscale for deals like this and equipment that is the best. Oh, yes, this is highly recommended.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Ease of use. QP2R is solid as a rock, and downloads are effortless. Sounds Fantadtic.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“I have been looking to buy a DAP for sometime. Neutral playback, great aesthetics and build quality are important to me. But I'm not willing to buy something just because it's pretty. So I've been looking at this dap for sometime. I believe that dac chip/architecture matter. I like AKM dac chips. This dap has the 4490 which is a very good choice on paper. But what matters is how does it sound. Well I am going to cut right to the chase-this is a great dap! Great, period. It is neutral with great clarity and resolution. It plays back music realistically with no added warmth or artifact. It has enough power for most headphones but isn't excessive. And it has an amazing array of options to adjust the playback and behavior of the dap. The menu is written in Linux and for those who think it's old style and dated reconsider. This software is not for people who want this to be all things. It's designed to maximize control of the device and nothing else. And it does that well. There is a brief learning curve to the interface but I had it in a few minutes. I would recommend that you create your playlists before you put music on the device. Doing it on the device is just a little slow. If you want an android interface this is not for you. That interface will increase the amount of heat the device produces, it's tendency to have software related errors and increase vulnerability. This is a dap, not an android phone or web surfing device. The build quality is excellent and the controls and haptic features are a pleasure to use. One word of caution. If you want your eardrums blown off this is not designed to do that but it will drive most headphones just fine. If you need that just add an external power pack and this will get plenty painful. Oh and one other thing. If you buy this anywhere other than Upscale this dap is $1399! I bought mine from Kevin and the gang and as usual they are legit! WHAT A BARGAIN!!!!! No joke this could be the last dap you buy. And at this price there are no excuses. Buy it, it's worth every penny. Did I mention that you can get a dock for this from Questyle and use it as a DAC? Oh, yeah you want this!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Farid Shafik

Verified Reviewer

“The sound is incredible, incredible, incredible!!!! The operating system leaves much to desire. Overall, if you have playlists set up, the operating system will not be a major issue. Repeat: sound is incredible, incredible, incredible!!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Nelson Cuellar

Unverified Reviewer

“Sound Quality: Excellent (FOR a portable product using a chip-based DAC). Five Stars. Build Quality: Very Good. The volume knob spins too loosely and is too sensitve - it feels cheap. Four Stars. Worthy of mention: The interface is pretty clunky and dated. If you have a large music selection, it is somewhat annoying to have to scroll through EVERYTHING to get to something (you cannot skip quickly through a long list). This may or may not be a problem for some. The owner's manual says that the maximum size of SD card it supports is 200GB. My music does not fit in 200GB. Has anyone tried formatting a larger SD card and checked if it works?”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Author didn't leave any comments.

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Dexter Peart

Verified Reviewer

“Great price . Unbelievable sound quality. One negative, unable to search for songs in alphabetical order . They are in numerical order as they appeared on an album.. ie. All #1 songs on all albums, then all #2's etc.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Sabine Konhaeuser

Unverified Reviewer

“I was not looking for a new DAP, just virtual window shopping. And there it was for a fantastic price. I wanted this player for quite some time and at this price point, I could not resist. Sound: It is simply amazing. My other player is the Astell&Kern SR15, and the QP2r sounds better to my ears, more refined across the board. The SR15 is no slouch and I enjoy its sound signature very much, but the QP2r brings the music to another level. Per some reviews, this player is at the same level as the Astell&Kern flagships. IEMs, SE, and BE: JH13v2, Billie Jean (both with Plussound GPC cables): they sound excellent, as expected, no matter if the cables are single-ended (SE) or balanced (BE). Full-sized, SE: HD600 (Blue Dragon cable): Excellent, it feels like they never sounded better. Aeon 2 Closed (Vivo cable): not the best fit, even with everything set to high. I know what these headphones can sound like and this setup is not it. Build Quality: It seems excellent. Time will tell if it holds up. UI: The UI is a bit dated with its scroll wheel (reminds me of the Fiio X5), but it works well and it is not a problem for me to switch between the two players. Some Potential Negatives: There is no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The scroll wheel will not work properly without the rubber sticker, it is too smooth.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Questyle QP2R Personal Audio Player Gold Reviews