One of our absolute favorite portable DAC/amps just got an update. The Questyle M15i brings the same great sound with improved specs, higher resolution audio, and Apple MFi certification for compatibility with Mac and iOS devices. It’s a refresh rather than a whole new release but that doesn’t stop it from offering superior sound for its $249 cost of entry.
Specifications
Current Price: $249 (Amazon)
Questyle M15i - Design and Highlights
By outside appearances, the Questyle M15i looks nearly identical to its predecessor. That’s fitting since the M15i is really an incremental upgrade rather than a full-fledged successor. The design language is part of what defined the M15 and seeing it carry through here is welcome. Measuring only 2.4 x 1.1 x 0.5 inches, it features the same easily pocketable design with an aluminum chassis and glass side window revealing its internals.
This “inside peek” is genuinely neat and demonstrates that there’s actually quite a bit going on inside this device. You get a top down view of everything and Questyle even provides a detailed breakdown of exactly what each component is (see the Specifications image above). There are also two pairs of LEDs to indicate your current gain mode, low or high, and the quality of the audio you’re currently listening to. One LED on this set indicates that you’re listening below 48kHz and both for anything above.
The chassis is made of frosted aluminum and feels sturdy in the hand. There’s a gain mode switch on the right but no dedicated volume control, which is a bit of a shame but not unusual for a dongle-style device like this. The top features two outputs, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced. On the opposite end is a single USB Type-C port to connect to your source device.
The M15i also comes with a short USB Type-C to Type-C cable to connect to your phone as well as a Type-C to Type-A adapter for use with a computer. Interesting, there’s no USB-to-Lightning adapter included in the box, which really should have been given its price and how heavily Apple compatibility is being leveraged in its marketing. If you do need that connector, it will run you an extra $30. When connected to a PC, Windows should automatically recognize the device and begin routing audio through it.
This, in fact, is one of its best use cases, especially if you play games or listen to music on a laptop. When connected, it acts as an external sound card, removing all of the audio processing from your PC and handling it all with its higher-end components and sound-quality-first design. You don’t need to be an audiophile to hear the difference it offers either: just like the original M15, the M15i offers one of clearest upgrades of any dongle DAC we’ve tested with an utterly black background (less background noise) for improved clarity and detail no matter what you’re listening to.
Like the original M15, it’s capable of putting out a lot of power from each of its outputs but offers a definite advantage if you’re listening over its balanced connection. Single-ended, you can count on up to 1.895 Vrms. Respectable, but the 4.4mm output increases that nearly 40% to 2.624 vRMS. That’s enough for nearly any IEM and most over-ear headphones. Very insensitive planar magnetic over-ears may come up slightly short but even my power-hungry HIFIMAN HE-1000s were just fine and sounded great.
These specs are identical to the standard M15 thanks to what appears to be the same Current Mode Amplification (CMA) system being carried through to the updated design. This system is patented and exclusive to Questyle, allowing it to deliver its high output with low heat and exceptional power efficiency. It’s also rated for as little as 0.0003% distortion, which accounts for its exceptional clarity and silent background.
The DAC side of things has received an upgrade. Though the name of the chip remains the same, the ESS ES9281AC, its specs have been upgraded in the time since its initial release. The original M15 was able to output PCM (standard) audio up to 384kHz and DSD up to DSD256. The M15i, with its improvements, bumps that to PCM768 and DSD512 and does so with less measurable distortion.
Questyle M15i - Listening Impressions
Between power output, resolution, and its expanded compatibility with Apple products, as well as its native ability to take over all sound processing for laptops and PCs, the M15i is one of the most competitive and appealing dongle DACs in its class — and one of my all time favorites, replacing the original M15.
When it comes to DACs and amps, audiophiles love to talk about the improvements they offer, but what often goes unremarked is how these upgrades compare to, say, upgrading your headphones or IEMs. Though there are certainly noticeable differences depending on what you’re upgrading from and listening with, these changes are, more often than not, subtle. They’re present but you usually need to listen for them and develop an ear for the kind of upgrades they actually present to your listening experience.
Sometimes those upgrades are bigger. We talk about this as “synergy” between your headphones and the particular DAC/amp you’re listening through. It’s the experience of having multiple elements in the chain just “click,” like they were designed for one another. It’s pretty hard to count on unless you’re able to audition your equipment before buying it.
Which is exactly what makes the M15i so special. Its Current Mode Amplification system does something magic to the sound. You can find synergy, and it’s fantastic when you do, but it’s one of the very few portable DAC/amps we’ve tested that seems to enhance just about anything you plug into it. No, it won’t make a bad pair of headphones sound good. But you can bet that it will make them sound the best they’re able to.
The mix of its utterly silent background, exceptional dynamic range, and high resolution playback lend it an exceptional sense of clarity and detail. There’s a slight warmth to the sound without making it sound overly colored. It presents an enhanced sense of space, so its dynamics have room to play. It’s rich and airy, though doesn’t blunt the highs on sharper or sibilant headphones, so don’t expect correction from it.
All of this is true of the original M15. Sonically, I find the two to be just about identical. I believe that’s by design as this model is replacing its non-MFi counterpart completely and it wouldn’t do to have two drastically different M15s floating around. But it also means that a new audience can experience and appreciate the M15i and see just what made it so popular in the first place.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a music enthusiast or even a gamer looking for an easy way to improve the sound coming from your laptop, PC, or Mac, the M15i is a great way to do it. Its CMA system sidesteps the usual criticism about DACs all sounding the same and offers a genuine improvement that you won’t need golden ears to appreciate. If you already have an M15, it won’t offer much improvement to the sound, but if you’re a new buyer, it’s a safe gateway to great sound.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Some articles may contain affiliate links and purchases made through this will result in a small commission for the site. Commissions are not directed to the author or related to compensation in any way.
