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Chord 2Qute


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I've have a 2Qute being fed Roon (iMac) via a SONORE microRendu. Both now fully run-in.

 

Currently I'm using the provided switching PSU's and the sound is without doubt the best I've ever experienced in my home set up. However, it would appear from what is a very interesting thread, that the addition of LPS's would have a significant positive impact on an already wonderful sound.

 

The 2 options I'm looking at for both 2Qute and microRendu, are the Teddy Pardo 12v & 7v (2A) and the equivalent versions from MCRU/LDA.

 

Does anyone have any experience of both or opinions?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Yes, the Teddy Pardo doesn't sound good with the 2qute. Sounds very thin. I have now relegated it to powering the router, even the MCRU power supply which is cheaper, sounds better with the 2qute.

 

However the Uptone Audio JS-2 sounds perfect with the 2qute.

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Yes, the Teddy Pardo doesn't sound good with the 2qute. Sounds very thin. I have now relegated it to powering the router, even the MCRU power supply which is cheaper, sounds better with the 2qute.

 

However the Uptone Audio JS-2 sounds perfect with the 2qute.

 

Thanks for that.

 

I was trying to avoid the expense of the Upton PSU but that looks like the way to go.

 Innuos Zenith SE (Roon Core) > Curious USB/Upton ISO REGEN +LPS-1/USPCB> Chord Hugo TT > ATC SCM 40A

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Rob Watts, the designer recently commented on whether power supply quality and USB source would affect sound quality on the Chord DAVE. You can read it on Head-Fi: CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE - Page 230

 

The bottomline it sounds like is that you can get radio frequency (RF) noise affecting Chord DACs either through the power supply/source or USB source. The USB is galvanic isolated with a coupling capacitance of 2pF. However, if you power both the 2Qute and say the microRendu with the same power supply, you've essentially bypassed the galvanic isolation.

 

The way Rob Watts tested whether noise is coming from power supply to DAVE (or 2Qute) or whether it's from USB ground coupling is that he ran DAVE with a laptop off battery without plugging in the power and then inserted a Audioquest Jitterbug and heard no difference so he thinks the galvanic isolation is good enough. However, the moment he plugged the laptop into the wall, he can hear a difference with the Jitterbug, suggesting that there is ground coupling through the USB, injecting RF noise. His interpretation was that for the Chord DAVE, the RF filtering for the power supply is sufficiently good. The main source of RF noise would be from ground coupling between computer devices and the DAC, even with galvanic isolation.

 

I'm reading that a lot of people find upgrading the power supply to 2Qute improves the sound but that does not mean the problem is definitely with the 2Qute power supply. It is equally possible that the upgraded 2Qute power supply is simply reducing ground coupling between 2Qute and your computer/USB source. The way to really test this out is to add an Audioquest Jitterbug to your system and then see if you hear a difference and then switch back to the original switch-mode power supply for comparison. My strong suspicion is that most people are correct, that improving the 2Qute power supply does improve the sound but I'm guessing 25% of the improvement is due to power supply and 75% of the improvement is due to reduced USB ground coupling.

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  • 2 months later...

quote_icon.png Originally Posted by miguelito viewpost-right.png There's a problem with Aries and the EmmLabs XDS1v2 (and very likely Dac2x, MA-1, MA-2):

 

When playing a DSF files (using USB & DoP) I occasionally the DAC drops out and back in. Very odd. I thought it might happen using wifi but with a wired Aries it also happens. I don't get these dropouts in PCM. Aries to DAC is USB using a Lightspeed USB split config. I have never gotten dropouts using the mini.

 

Library is on mini over minimserver (latest version, but I did experience the same on earier versions of minimserver).

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Hi, I'm having a similar problem with my new 2Qute on DoP DSF files. My Aries is wired. I wonder how you solved it.

I posted this on the Aries thread. Any idea as to the cause of this (Aries, 2Qute, network)?

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I should add that the problem is not consistent. Sometimes the dropout happens at the beginning of a track for one second and the rest of the album plays fine, sometimes it plays the whole album fine or it can happen several times during playback. When it happens the white light on the dac turns blue.

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I believe DSD DoP playback tend to require more CPU processing power or something as I seem to recall having read about this problem with the Aries and it may or may not have been fixed with a firmware update.

Yes, I read a comment by Rob Watts in the Dave thread on head-fi. If that is the case, then the Aries may not be ideal for DoP playback. Thanks

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just pulled the trigger on a 2Qute. should be here Friday :)

 

if you can wait I'll try it with my Aries, even though I plan using the 2Qute via USB from the Mac mini

 

I recall Auralic aknowledged an issue, months back, with playing DSD to a Chord Mojo but it was (and I could confirm with mine) only static noise coming out when trying to play DSD256 files

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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Chord *Mojo* does DSD256 DoP ;)

and got it working (just a quick test: nothing I care about is available at that resolution) from Roon on a Mac mini, direct USB to Mojo, bypassing the Aries

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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who doesn't? ;)

 

btw... I'll soon find out but... does 2Qute's USB need 5v bus?

asking because from the Aries to a Metrum Hex I'm using a *no* 5v bus USB cable and find it makes a difference

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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:(

 

 

thank you, though :)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

Link to comment
I've have a 2Qute being fed Roon (iMac) via a SONORE microRendu. Both now fully run-in.

 

Currently I'm using the provided switching PSU's and the sound is without doubt the best I've ever experienced in my home set up. However, it would appear from what is a very interesting thread, that the addition of LPS's would have a significant positive impact on an already wonderful sound.

 

The 2 options I'm looking at for both 2Qute and microRendu, are the Teddy Pardo 12v & 7v (2A) and the equivalent versions from MCRU/LDA.

 

Does anyone have any experience of both or opinions?

 

Thanks in advance

Hi, can't really comment on Teddy Pardo, but the sound really improved with my 2 Sboosters. The one with the 2qute also include the ultra.

 

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SFP>Buffalo2016>SFP>opticalModule >Rj45>

IZen Mk3>Rj45> Delock62619>Rj45>
etherRegen (Master Clock+ Mini-Circuits BLP)>SFP>opticalRendu>USB>IsoRegen>

USB>Phoenix>USB>OPPO 205 (Modded)>HMS “the Perfect Match”>Proac Tablette Reference 8 Signature.
 

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just pulled the trigger on a 2Qute. should be here Friday :)

 

if you can wait I'll try it with my Aries, even though I plan using the 2Qute via USB from the Mac mini

 

I recall Auralic aknowledged an issue, months back, with playing DSD to a Chord Mojo but it was (and I could confirm with mine) only static noise coming out when trying to play DSD256 files

My issue is playing sacs rips (dsd64). It's only a small issue. I don't think there is anything wrong with the DAC. BTW, the Chord replaced a Metrum Octave Mk2. I think you'll like it

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an Octave (previous version than yours: the one "splitted" in two boxes) has been my first DAC and I loved it

the Hex is a big step up from the Octave and I'm going to keep it beside the 2Qute

 

can't stand any "traditional" DAC chip and I've been truly impressed, a few months back, when I bought a Mojo for portable use

(even tried it in my home setup and when I did my jaw dropped to the floor. 'till I switched back to the Hex ;) )

Mojo sounds pretty close to a NOS DAC (not really but it's closer to those than to Delta-Sigmas). Still has, though, a very tiny little bit of "digital glare"

 

I'm sure I'll love the 2Qute! ... I will, right? :-/

 

:D

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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ok, first few minutes with a brand new 2Qute and... I like its sound signature :)

 

though I'm playing a DSD-64 album and I'm not *that* impressed :|

but I'm doing it no favour at all (for the moment): stock wallwart PS and plain USB from Mac mini running Roon

later on I'll try adding a USB Regen, first, then powering it from an HD-Plex LPS and maybe connecting it to the Aries instead ;)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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a few hours later, USB Regen added, playing an album which was also recorded in DSD (Kuijken's Matthaus Passion) and it's getting better :)

graininess is gone. still "quite" some digititis :|

 

then tried some plain redbook and hi-res files and... WOW it really shines there! :)

Metrum Hex is in a whole different league, but this thing... :)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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a few days of burn-in and... now I really start being impressed :)

(even quite upset 'cause... risk is it will, in the end, best my beloved Metrum Hex :mad: )

 

question on "sample light" behaviour: when playback *ends* (nothing else in play queue), should it remain ON or...?

asking 'cause using Audirvana it turns off, but using Roon or the Aries it doesn't :-|

using Roon the light remains on even once the computer shuts down :-/

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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yes, and I thought this was 2Qute's normal behaviour

even though it looks a little strange that is stays ON even after shutting down the computer :|

 

then I found it turns OFF, instead, using Audirvana :-/

 

 

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Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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