ted_b Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 My review will be out in a couple weeks. I own the Hugo and the Qute EX and have reviewed or commented heavily on both. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Well I did a brief comparison of the 2Qute's USB vs Coaxial input This was using the Auralic Aries . The USB is noticeably better . Of course I do also believe the Aries' best output is USB If I was gonna use the 2Qute 's coax only I would not buy this dac but USB is terrific USB much more musical , no treble harshness , notes have much more weight and yet Are more detailed . Yes, not a fair fight. 2Qute's USB is galvanically isolated, and Aries digital outs (all of them) are nothing more than converted from USB. However, for a coax input at least Chord offers DoP. Several still don't. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Interested if anyone can compare 2Qute and Hugo on USB input. Definitely prefer the coaxial input on my Hugo, for PCM and DSD64. Also interested to learn how the different implementation of power supplies in the 2 DACs translates into SQ. I prefer the 2Qute's USB, but the fight, once again, is not fair, in that I have to add a MicroUSB adapter for our friend Hugo. Combine that with galvanic isolation and the removal of any cable adapters (I had to use a headphone 1/4" to rca for Hugo). Hugo's only real continued advantage is being off the grid. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Interesting comment Ted: just to clarify / confirm are you saying that essentially the Aries has a built in USB to SPDIF / AES / TOSLink converter? Eloise Yes. a good one. USB should trump all (assuming equivalent level of cable quality, etc). But DAC inputs aren't created equal, either. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I have had this DAC for a few months and really love it. I am now taking a break from upgrades for a while.As for using HQ player of any other player to up-sample, I would expect it to be detrimental to the sound, or at least counter productive to the way the 2QUTE processes music. The DAC uses the WTA algorithm with 26,368 taps. If you send an up-sampled stream, a large number of this taps will be data calculated by the player and not original recording data. I cannot imagin that the WTA algorithm can have its intended results with a large percentage of the data not being real samples. Cheer Excellent point. I have tried to use either DSD128 or PCM 352k for HQPlayer's default upsampling but the 2Qute doesn't respond as well as just going native. Your explanation makes a lot of sense. Thx "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Thank you Ted for you insights. If I may ask further.Have you tried the Regen with the 2Qute? (on a Mobo?) Would you consider the power capabilities of the 2Qute an advantage over the Hugo? (In terms of a desktop unit only) Trying the Regen tonight or tmrw (2Qute was back on the back burner while I tested a couple other dacs). And you bring up a test I want to do very soon and chatted with Alex this week about: does the Regen make a stock mobo USB out the equivalent of an expensive 3rd party PCIe USB card (JCAT, SOtM, etc) sans Regen. I already know that a Regen can be cumulative to a 3rd party card's benefit, but not everyone has the money or real estate needed to install a separate USB card. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Two questions: 1) How does the 2Qute compare with the original Qute? I have that one and have been very happy with it. 2) Would an external linear power supply that works with the Qute also work with the 2Qute? I have a King Rex LPS, and that certainly improved the original Chord DAC. 1) The earlier Qute series (HD, EX) is based on a completely different FPGA generation (10k taps). The new 2Qute is a Hugo (26k taps) in a desktop box. It is quite a bit better, as it should be. 2) Yes, same power requirement and same barrel size. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Yeah, 300 hours is what I found with almost all the Qute and Hugo series. It's quite linear after about 200 hours. I will detail more in my review, but last night I installed the Amber Regen into the 2Qute. My source is the HQPlayer NAA (Caps dn2800MT) with JCAT card, and the card is powered by a Red Wine modded Acopian linear 5V. Card filter is off. The Regen is powered by an Uptone JS-2 at 7V (I think, maybe 9). The 2Quet is powered by a Hynes SR3-12. The improvement was substantial, both in terms of noise floor and soundstage solidity, a remarkable achievement given the level of optimization already on the table. (Note: The Regen requires an umbilical since there is no room for it at the USB port; on the back panel of the 2Qute the space between the USB and RCA outputs is too tight to fit interconnects and the Regen body/adapter. A 90 degree adapter would work, leaving the Regen on its side) HQplayer was not upsampling redbook, only 24 bit stuff to either 176 or 192. Poly sinc-short-mp. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Yes, that $.65 grey 6" cable. I need to get something else. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 How do I determine if the 2qutes 3V out will be problematicalwith my preamp? I have an Audio by Van Alstein Fet Valve CF Vacume tube preamplifier. Tomorow I will contact the manufacturer. What preamp stats are relevent? According to a previous ted_b post on another thread 3V out can be a problem to some preamps. thanks, pb- The preamp stat most relevant is input sensitivity or input voltage, measured usually as N V RMS (N being 2 volt in some preamps, like my Concert Fidelity). However, I have not experienced clipping even though the 2Qute is supposedly 3V out. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Rob dos not advise against using one, he advises that it is a waste of time. He believes the 2Qute power supply to be all you need, and tried to one-up it with a car-battery sized equivalent...to no avail. He has come around to the fact that our Qute HD reports of better sonics through Hynes-like linear power make some sense, and that its successor, the Qute EX was susceptible as well, to a slightly lesser extent. In both cases he sees their use as somewhat immaterial to the whole setup, but I have argued otherwise. In the 2Qute I find the use of the Hynes to also make an improvement, but even less that that of the Qute EX (i.e Rob is right that it's getting less important). But, for me...important enough that I use it. I'm not yet sure I would say it is worth the invetment of a Hynes ps, but since it was laying around for the test I used it. I will have a definite answer for my review. I'm leaning "yes it's worth it" (I stole my Hynes SR3-12 used for $190 4 years ago). "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Posted on headfi 20 hours ago Rob Watts Unlike the original Qute, 2 Qute does not benefit sonically from having a different power supply. I compared the supplied PSU with a 12v 300A car battery and could hear no difference in SQ. Some power supplies have damaged Qute as they do not output 12v but greater voltages - this will damage the protection circuitry. Use of a different power supply will void Chord's warranty. Rob Yep, and then I posted after that. "Wow, now that Chord has seemingly changed their policies on external power supplies (Chord was very aware of my use of different supplies on the Qute series and even published my reviews, without a word) I am less excited about my review summary for the 2Qute. Many here, including me, have found improvement with a better 12V (of course don't use anything but a 12V). Argh!" "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 When do you try the JS-2 in place of the Hynes? Jason, I have but probably failed to report on it. The Hynes and JS-2 are identical on the 2Qute (which Rob Watts says is immune to 3rd party linears; just use the wallwart). Both provide a step up in sq that is less than what the Hynes did on the other Qute series stuff. But either is clearly worthwhile. However, on the exaSound the JS-2 is a better, more fluid and heftier sounding ps than the Hynes. Weird stuff. Thanks for the reminder. I'm am so buried by all this. johndoe21ro 1 "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Are you still planning to release this review? Yes, I'm a bit behind (duh!). "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Jason, I have but probably failed to report on it. The Hynes and JS-2 are identical on the 2Qute (which Rob Watts says is immune to 3rd party linears; just use the wallwart). Both provide a step up in sq that is less than what the Hynes did on the other Qute series stuff. But either is clearly worthwhile. However, on the exaSound the JS-2 is a better, more fluid and heftier sounding ps than the Hynes. Weird stuff. Thanks for the reminder. I'm am so buried by all this. I should point out, in fairness to the Hynes, that the JS-2 is a much heftier power supply, so no surprise that I would find it beefier or more weight on DACs that are affected. This is really not a slam against the Hynes as much as its a comparison of two very good but very different power supplies. One I bought for $190 used, the other goes for $925 (but is dual rail, as well). I'd compare the JS-2 to my much beefier SR7EHD Hynes but it currently powers my 19V music server. Whether you are talking Paul Hynes or Uptone, you are comparing two extremely well built and well designed power supply options. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 If you really want to be fair about it though the SR3 goes for more than $190 new which is what you're comparing to with the $925 price tag of the JS-2. Further, one you can usually get within 45-60 days (JS-2) and the other (Hynes) people have waited literally a year or more. FWIW Yes, you are right about MSRP comparison, more like $500 (one rail) and $925 (two rail). But, in reality, the SR3-12 is available as a used unit and the JS-2 is hardly discounted (why would they). And you and I have already discussed here about availability; I brought it up on the JS-2 thread and you concurred. I think Paul is saying that he is getting his availability issues behind him, but we'll have to see. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Regen/2Qute? At best ted_b reports a step up; not as much as other Qute series. No, my "not as substantial as the other Qutes in the series" was about the replacement of the stock wallwart with a Hynes or other 3rd party quality linear power supply. I have never tried the Regen on another Qute (HD or EX). "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I use this for the 2Qute; it sounds way better than Alex's grey one Amazon.com: Belkin Components 6in USB Ab Device Daisy Chain for USB Hub: Electronics "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 FYI (but you already know this) Chord cables (Chord Company) and Chord Electronics are two different companies, not affiliated. johndoe21ro 1 "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Are the various power supplies mentioned here also applicable to the Hugo? Thanks. No, Hugo is internally battery powered, and the charger is not something to replace/upgrade. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
ted_b Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 All DACs should be left on 24/7 for best performance. The only time I turn mine off is if I go away from home for a few days. The clocks, especially, will not perform their best (lowest jitter) without significant warm-up, settling time. This is not audiophile nonsense, it is entirely measurable. +1 Been espousing this since day one, with occasional ridicule. "We're all bozos on this bus"....F.T. My JRIver tutorial videos Actual JRIver tutorial MP4 video links My eleven yr old SACD Ripping Guide for PS3 (needs updating but still works) US Technical Advisor, NativeDSD.com Link to comment
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