Questyle makes its debut at Son-Vidéo.com: performance and innovation in portable format

Portable hi-fi is undergoing a real revolution. At a time when lossless streaming is making high resolution accessible to all, smartphones are no longer enough to fully enjoy the finesse of recordings. Some brands are therefore pushing the limits of portable equipment, drawing inspiration from professional technologies and home electronics. Among visionary players such as iFi Audio, FiiO and Chord, Questyle stands apart. Today, Son-Vidéo.com is delighted to announce the arrival of this exceptional brand in its catalog.

What’s so special about Questyle?

Founded in 2012, Chinese-American brand Questyle immediately stood out for its radically different approach to the portable DAC market. Rather than using traditional voltage amplification circuits, Questyle relies on a patented technology inherited from the field of professional audio: current-mode amplification, or CMA.

This method consists of working not on voltage but on current, resulting in superior responsiveness, extremely wide bandwidth and virtually imperceptible distortion. As a result, Questyle amplifiers deliver extremely fast transients without ever saturating, even when the headphones require a strong impulse or extreme dynamics. The measurements published by the brand are regularly impressive: distortions below 0.0003%, background noise in excess of -130 dB, power peaks reaching several watts in some models.

Questyle M15C: affordable CMA amplification

The Questyle M15C is the first in a range of portable USB DACs from the manufacturer listed on Son-Vidéo.com. Compact and elegant, with a transparent front window revealing its circuitry, it’s an evolution of the famous M15, but this time powered by a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC. This chip, heir to the highly acclaimed CS4398, is renowned for its smooth, organic, slightly warm rendering, while offering remarkable precision in the micro-details. Combined with proprietary current mode amplification, it delivers a natural sound reproduction that’s suitable for all musical genres.

The Questyle M15C DAC supports PCM formats up to 384kHz and DSD256, and offers both a 3.5mm output and a balanced 4.4mm port. With two levels of gain adjustment, it can power a wide variety of earbuds and hi-fi headphones. Its ultra-lightweight design and full compatibility with the majority of smartphones, tablets and computers (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS) make it an ideal companion for the traveling music lover.

Questyle M15i: a 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512 DAC

Even more ambitious, the Questyle M15i adopts a higher-performance ESS ES9281AC chip for playback of Hi-Res music at up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512. Again, current-mode amplification delivers a level of precision and responsiveness that enhances the listening experience. Bass is firm and fast, the midrange rich and detailed, the highs airy and totally controlled. With a noise floor of less than -130 dB, the M15i boasts absolute silence, which is particularly beneficial to the most sensitive in-ear monitors.

Like the M15C, the Questyle M15i DAC is compatible with Apple, Android, Windows and HarmonyOS USB-C and USB-A devices. However, it offers more robust amplification, with a few extra decibels of headroom and optimized power management, ensuring more stable behavior with demanding headphones and slightly higher dynamics.

Questyle M18i: a hybrid USB + Bluetooth portable DAC

With the M18i, Questyle takes things to a new level. For the first time, this model combines a top-quality USB DAC with a Bluetooth 5.4 receiver supporting aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC and LE Audio codecs. This means it can be used as a USB DAC with a smartphone, tablet or computer, as well as receiving music wirelessly from a compatible source. Conversion is performed by an ESS ES9219Q dual DAC in dual-mono configuration for optimum playback of music up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256.

The Questyle M18i DAC also boasts improved ergonomics, with a front-panel OLED display for quick access to essential information such as volume, resolution and operating mode. It lets you make phone calls with great clarity thanks to its integrated noise-canceling microphone, and has its own battery so as not to impact smartphone autonomy during outdoor use. Finally, its headphone amplifier offers a balanced 4.4mm jack and unbalanced 3.5mm mini-jack output.

Questyle SIGMA: the pinnacle of Questyle expertise

The brand’s flagship Questyle Sigma portable USB DAC uses the famous current-mode amplification in a fully balanced configuration to deliver, with incredible precision, up to 1200mW into 32 ohms. Coupled with a balanced 4.4mm jack and unbalanced 3.5mm mini-jack output, it can efficiently power any pair of headphones or earbuds, with a two-level gain for easy pairing.

For conversion, Questyle has chosen an AKM AK4493 DAC integrated in a TTA (Three-Tier Architecture), a three-level structure that successively optimizes digital processing, analog conversion and integration with current-mode amplification. This approach reduces noise and ensures optimal processing of music up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512.

Like the Questyle M18i, this integrated DAC features a Bluetooth 5.4 receiver with support for HD codecs from a smartphone, tablet or computer. For the wired mode, it comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-A adapter to extend compatibility. Its built-in 4300 mAh battery provides up to 12 hours of playback, while two USB-C ports neatly separate power and audio transfer to preserve signal purity.

Questyle QCC Dongle & QCC Dongle Pro: high-resolution Bluetooth for iPhone, Android and PC

The latest product – or rather, the latest two products – we’ve added to our catalog perfectly embody Questyle’s approach. The QCC Dongle and QCC Dongle Pro are high-resolution Bluetooth transmitters designed to give any USB-C or USB-A device access to HD Bluetooth codecs. For iPhone and iPad users, this represents a minor revolution. These devices are traditionally limited to AAC and SBC codecs, prohibiting the use of more advanced technologies such as aptX Adaptive or LDAC.

Questyle dongles bypass this limitation thanks to their Apple MFi certification, enabling them to be connected directly to an iPhone without any risk of incompatibility. Once plugged in, the iPhone can transmit an audio stream via LDAC (Pro) or aptX Adaptive to compatible Bluetooth headphones or speakers. This is a real step forward for those wishing to enjoy high-resolution wireless sound directly from an Apple device. The dongles are also compatible with Android smartphones and tablets, Windows computers and portable consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, as well as the PS5, which can’t normally transmit sound via Bluetooth.

These two products are aimed at anyone wishing to modernize their wireless audio transmission without changing their source, be it a smartphone, an old PC or a console. Easy to use, very compact and affordable, the Questyle QCC Dongle and QCC Dongle Pro are an excellent introduction to the Questyle world.

By welcoming Questyle to its catalog, Son-Vidéo.com confirms its commitment to showcasing brands capable of pushing the boundaries of modern hi-fi. With its proprietary technologies, expertise in current-mode amplification and acute sense of design, Questyle brings a singular vision of portable audio where precision, power and elegance are one. Whether it’s to enhance daily listening sessions on a smartphone, to enjoy an exceptional portable DAC or to have a real professional monitoring tool, each of the brand’s products embodies impressive and coherent expertise.