Network Audio Players/Servers

And, while the USB-C cable allows you charge the player when it's plugged into a computer, Questyle doesn't provide a mains adapter for charging the device – which is particularly annoying given the £1199 price tag. And while few audiophiles will lament the lack of Bluetooth streaming, some people who travel a lot might have appreciated the inclusion of the latest AptX HD version of Bluetooth, as used in some of the latest noise-cancelling headphones.

Grace And Precision
The QP2R is, of course, primarily intended as a portable device, so I transferred my collection of lossless ALAC files onto its internal storage and initially focused on listening with my tried-and-trusted Sennheiser Momentum headphones. The unexpected post-Christmas snowfall immediately brought to mind 'Snowflake' by Kate Bush [50 Words For Snow; Fish People 5099972986622]. This track is as delicate as its title suggests, but the QP2R handled its gently falling notes with grace and precision. The opening notes on the piano start like a soft flurry of snow, hesitant at first, but then becoming more insistent as Bush finds that wonderfully evocative repeating phrase on the piano. There was precision too, as the QP2R kept the deep rumble of the drums firm and taut, adding an undercurrent of urgency to the track while still providing room to pick out the gently shimmering cymbal in the background. The mood may be snowy but the QP2R lived up to the 'Velvet Sound' nickname of its DAC, delivering Bush's voice with comforting warmth as she repeated the refrain: 'Keep falling, I'll find you…'.

Lush And Evocative
That richness of tone was also evident on Max Richter's 'On The Nature Of Daylight' – often used on film and television soundtracks, but actually taken from his 2004 album, The Blue Notebooks [DG 479 4443]. This track has a sparse, simple string arrangement, and the QP2R focused intently on each individual instrument, delivering a richly textured sound on the slow, deep opening notes that set the sombre mood. Richter's approach to strings is that 'less is more', and the QP2R reflected this, giving tremendous clarity and emotional depth to the violin and viola as they joined in, while also emphasising the contrast with the deeper strings.

And even though this is essentially a string quartet, the richness of those contrasting tones created an effect as lush and evocative as the most overblown Hollywood orchestra. On the same album, the QP2R proved just as adept with electronic sounds when Richter shifts into ambient mode for 'Shadow Journal'. The QP2R delivered the almost subterranean electronic bass with a firm, ominous rumble that simply escaped the more modest audio output from my iPhone. Yet the bass didn't overwhelm the lighter keyboards that floated above, and the ambient sound unfolded across an imposing soundstage even within my closed-back headphones.

Queen's 'The Millionaire Waltz' [A Day At The Races – 2011 Remaster; Universal 276-441-6] takes the opposite approach, throwing the musical kitchen sink into this heavy-metal-Mozart production number. The QP2R took the dense arrangement and tempo changes in its stride, with a light touch on the lilting piano waltz opener, as it captured every breathy whisper in Mercury's solo vocal. But then the QP2R turned on a sixpence and rolled up its sleeves as the waltz exploded into heavy-metal bombast.

This raucous interlude can degenerate into mere noise on many smartphones and portable players, but the QP2R kept a sharp eye on Brian May's thunderous power chords and landed them like a series of carefully aimed punches. The final guitar fanfare was an extravagant delight, exploding like New Year's Eve fireworks as the QP2R picked out every detail in May's multi-layered guitar orchestra, cymbals crashing, and the inevitable Queen harmonies swirling all around. Even if you don't like Queen, the clarity and precision of the QP2R as it unravels their extravagant wall of sound is pretty impressive.

Ominous Rumbles
And, of course, the HB2 dock also allowed the QP2R to work in tandem with my Pro-Ject/Opera Prima system at home, with equally pleasing results. The rumbling bass on 'Shadow Journal' actually dug deeper and sounded even more ominous and, escaping from the confines of my headphones, the QP2R proved fully capable of filling the room with the track's ambient soundscape. Listening to 'The Millionaire Waltz' through these substantial standmounts unearthed even greater detail – amidst the multi-layered harmonies I detected some deeper vocals that my Sennheiser headphones had missed, along with a few light piano touches that had previously been swamped by the avalanche of guitar and drums.

So there are other portable players around that can give the QP2R a run for its money, but the addition of the HB2 dock adds another dimension to the device, making it an attractive addition to your home hi-fi system.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
This combo is expensive, and it's a shame that Questyle cuts corners with limited software support and accessories such as a mains adapter. But the rugged design of the QP2R is well suited to life on the road, while its rich, detailed sound quality far outstrips the more modest output of a conventional smartphone. The HB2 dock earns its keep too, extending QP2R's remit as a hi-res hi-fi source for your home system.