Quloos MUB1 - Sleek and Portable yet powerful BT dac amp

Pros: Excellent Sound Quality
Sleek and pocketable design
Protective case included in package.

Cons: Small display.
Controls need some getting used to.
No Aptx-Adaptive or LHDC / HWA.

I'd like to thank Conceptkart and gadgetgod for including me in this tour. All impressions shared in this review are based on my usage of the device. There was no influence, monetary or otherwise to write anything positive (or negative) about the device.

The Quloos MUB1 is a handy little pocketable Bluetooth dacamp from Chinese manufacturer Quloos featuring 4x CS43131 DAC chips. This is my first experience with a Quloos device and I must say that I'm very impressed with the kind of SQ they've managef to deliver with such a compact device.

Quloos has managed to get some impressive measurements like 132dB SNR with a THD+N of 0.0001%. Thankfully these measurements translate to a dead silent and dark background wherein the MUB1 beautifully projects the details of the quad Cirrus Logic DAC. The DAC is capable of handling upto 32 bit / 384 KHz PCM and Native DSD256 streams. The tiny unit manages to put out upto 1100mW per channel in balanced output and upto 410 mW @32ohms in single ended output.

The MUB1 comes with seperate power and data USB-C ports which in my opinion is a huge plus point for a portable dacamp. In terms of unput, we're limited to USB or Bluetooth. While it supports LDAC, it doesn't support Aptx Adaptive or LHDC / HWA. The unit has 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL ports capable of both PO and LO. There's one more 3.5mm port for SPDIF output, allowing one to use it as a DDC and benefit from its femtosecond clock.

The device has a metal body with all the buttons nearly aligned at one side and all the ports aligned to the bottom. The unit is surprisingly lightweight at just 142g. In terms of size, the device is somewhat close to the CMA18 portable and is definitely smaller than the likes of FiiO Q15 and iFi xDSD Gryphon. The unit comes with a silicon protective case, which is good. I'm tired of brands nickel and diming us for cases over and above what they charge for the product itself. The MUB1 has a minimalistic monochrome display that seems better suited for smaller BT dacamps (think FiiO BTR5/ BTR15). While it is adequate, a better display would certainly make the device look and feel more premium. Anyway, the display is functional and that's what matters at the end of the day.

In terms of sound, as I mentioned earlier, it has a pitch dark background and the dac is capable of some really good detail retrieval. The MUB1 has this feature called "Fine" which kind of refines the audio as the value is increased. This in particular is an interesting feature, although it does definitely make the music sound more processed / digital. There are a bunch of filters that one can explore and change based on their preferences or genre of music. For purists, the NOS mode will probably be the most preferred option. In terms of gain, it was able to drive most of the IEMs quite well in low gain. Even with sensitive IEMs like A&K Pathfinder, there was no hiss or bg noise audible. It was able to drive my SRH550DJ headphones in high gain (SE output) very well.

All in all, this is an excellent portable dacamp that provides premium sound in a sleek package. It has some versatility in terms of I/O thanks to the Bluetooth input and SPDIF output. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a Bluetooth dacamp with lots of power and asleek pocketable form factor.

QLS Hifi MUB1 - Reviews | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org