John
Remember the QA100 digital amplifier from little know Chinese manufacturer QLS Hifi? Now comes the QA01, a DDC and an ADC rolled into one matchbox unit. In itself this is impressive enough but when you learn the price you’ll be scrambling for your PayPal account. US$62. No, that’s not a typo. Sixty-two bucks.
The QA01 is unlikely to be a best-in-class USB-S/PDIF convertor but it’s a solid purchase if only to enable connection between computer and non-USB DAC (hello Metrum Octave). Better still, it offers an I2S on top of coaxial and optical outputs. Output is limited to 24/96 until the user sets 24/192 capability via internal jumpers. Digital decoding is handled by a Wolfson WM8782.
Adjacent to the USB input (Tenor TE7022L) is a pair of RCA for analogue input. Convert those LPs/cassettes to digital if that’s your thang. Again, it’s unlikely to match the quality of more expensive fare like the Ayre Acoustics QA-09 but it’s still good for dipping your toe into ADC waters. QLS Hifi’s pricing ensures that expectations will probably be exceeded.
Want to improve the sound quality of the QA01? Add a 9VDC external power supply.
Further information: QLS Hifi
