[magicguy]

@aaf evo : could you please give them a test track ?
In order to test the same quiet passage ?

 

[KZCloud89]

I owned the CMA18 for few months now never noticed any hiss until some mentioned in this thread so decided to test it out. Unfortunately can't the same with my tube amps. Btw I used mine with the leather case on and away (not attached) from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.

 

[KZCloud89]

If you are pausing it you are likely disabling the amp entirely so you shouldn’t hear any hiss. I’d suggest a test where you play music with quieter passages and listen that way.

Alright will try later on tonight and report back. I guess they're different from desktop tube amps where you can pause music with high volume and definitely hear the tubes hiss/hum.

 

[aaf evo]

Alright will try later on tonight and report back. I guess they're different from desktop tube amps where you can pause music with high volume and definitely hear the tubes hiss/hum.

It might be! Some sources do this and some shut off the amp when you aren’t playing anything. I just find it’s more practical to check for noise with quiet passages as music is playing as it’s more representative of normal use case.

 

[Gowry]

The hiss that I hear is not loud or overbearing in anyway.
I just tested by doing the following:
Plugging everything together and putting iems into my ears
Turn the unit on. The hiss starts immediately.
I open Roon ARC on my phone. There's some (radio?) noise as the app loads then the hiss is present.
I start a song. The radio noise happens again briefly and then music plays.
The hiss isn't audible over any music at a normal volume.
This hiss is immediately there if I hit pause while playing music. It's there, and then it'll go away for a second or two, then come back again.
The radio noises that I heard when I started ARC and when I started that first song never repeat. I can pause music for minutes and restart with no repeating noise. I can load other apps. No noise. The radio noises only happen the first time I open the app and the first time I start a song.
The hiss seems to be present anytime the unit is paused.

Listening to John Cage, 4:33 does reveal the hiss during playback.

Aside from this, I really like this amp. It is very non-fatiguing with the Viking Ragnar.

 

[KZCloud89]

I inherited the habit of warming things up over years of using tube amps and applied that to DAPs as well especially the RS8. I usually let the DAP plays a few songs before inserting the IEM. Anyway just tried few steps as @Gowry...

Plugging everything together and putting iems into my ears
Turn the unit on. NO HISS
Played song John Cage 4'33" NO HISS (Btw didn't know such a song existed LOL)
And as previously stated NO HISS while music is on pause.

Maybe you guys got bat ears .

 

[Gowry]

Played song John Cage 4'33" NO HISS (Btw didn't know such a song existed LOL)

It's wild isn't it!? Listen at around 1:35 to at least 1:42

I see you have both the CMA18 and iBasso DC Elite as well. How do you feel about the 2? For me the CMA18 wins. The DC Elite has it's strong suits. It's rarin to go, punchy and clean, but the CMA18 feels more relaxed and textured. I haven't had either for very long, so my opinion might change, but for now the less fatiguing CMA 18 wins out over the DC Elite.

I tried a few more phones through the CMA18:
LCD5 (balanced), KSE1200 (single ended)- no hiss
U12T (single ended), Monarch Mk2 (balanced) - slight hiss
LCD i4 - not really detectible. I can very slightly hear it, but only because I'm really looking for it, and I'm in a really silent room.

I'm really wondering if it's load-based or a unit problem. I'm more curious than anything. I wasn't complaining about the hiss, just verifying what others were hearing.

 

[KZCloud89]

It's wild isn't it!? Listen at around 1:35 to at least 1:42

I see you have both the CMA18 and iBasso DC Elite as well. How do you feel about the 2? For me the CMA18 wins. The DC Elite has it's strong suits. It's rarin to go, punchy and clean, but the CMA18 feels more relaxed and textured. I haven't had either for very long, so my opinion might change, but for now the less fatiguing CMA 18 wins out over the DC Elite.

I tried a few more phones through the CMA18:
LCD5 (balanced), KSE1200 (single ended)- no hiss
U12T (single ended), Monarch Mk2 (balanced) - slight hiss
LCD i4 - not really detectible. I can very slightly hear it, but only because I'm really looking for it, and I'm in a really silent room.

I'm really wondering if it's load-based or a unit problem. I'm more curious than anything. I wasn't complaining about the hiss, just verifying what others were hearing.

I use the DC Elite exclusively at the office with the portable battery. Unlimited battery with minimal draw on the phone. The CMA18 is home use pair up with the Odin sounds amazing. For my ears and music I listen to, I prefer V shape sound and its all about matching IEMs and DAPs. For example the RS8 sounds great with Kublai Khan, DTE900 and Monarch MK 3. To answer your question yes I prefer the CMA18 over the DC Elite it has a more sophisticated sound with larger soundstage and better imaging.

 

[gLer]

I use the DC Elite exclusively at the office with the portable battery. Unlimited battery with minimal draw on the phone. The CMA18 is home use pair up with the Odin sounds amazing. For my ears and music I listen to, I prefer V shape sound and its all about matching IEMs and DAPs. For example the RS8 sounds great with Kublai Khan, DTE900 and Monarch MK 3. To answer your question yes I prefer the CMA18 over the DC Elite it has a more sophisticated sound with larger soundstage and better imaging.

How would you rate CMA18P vs RS8 head-to-head?

 

[Ichos]

Dear friends here is my Questyle CMA18 Portable Review.

 

[KZCloud89]

How would you rate CMA18P vs RS8 head-to-head?

When I first got the RS8 I thought it lacked resolution (for 3k DAC) and sometimes sound congested mid/mid-bass. I actually prefer the R6P2 over it with low ohm IEMs. However after 300 hours everything opens up from top to bottom and everything clicked. The highs are smooth well extended and detailed, mids now has transparency and wet at the same time. Bass is powerful and textured no doubt. It actually reminded me of the Envy with WE300b/Meltz 1578 sound signature. The CMA18 has airy transparent mids and extended high but not as romantic and smooth as the RS8. As for the down low bass/sub-bass RS8 definitely surpass CMA18 which lacks a little bit of weight and punchiness.

All that being said, I could live with the CMA18/Odin combo especially for the price of just $700.

 

[Ichos]

Questyle CMA18 Portable review is also available at Headfi.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/questyle-cma18-portable-cma18p.27062/review/33895/

 

[noplsestar]

As I tested the Lavricables Reference USB-C cable with the Questyle CM18P, I thought it would also be interesting for you guys (also part of the review: comparisons with other upgrade USB-C cables -> ddHifi TC09S, L&P WP2)

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/lavricables-reference-silver-usb-c-cable.27232/reviews#review-33907

 

[latte06]

Worth upgrading from Gryphon?

 

[skeeb23]

Curious for any owners of the CMA18: Do any of you utilize the mic input option of this? I see it can be used as a mixer in between, or into keyboards and things like that.

I just felt the BT, DAC mode and portable dac/amp seemed like the obvious uses just not so sure how many utilize the other Mic input feature. I'd love to know if you use it, how often or how satisfying it is?