Chord Qutest

[jos]

I was waiting for a brand new 2qute DAC to replace my Arcam iRDAC, but recently I bought an 12v Sbooster LPS device for my iRDAC, assuming the new Chord wil have this input voltage too, so I am a little bit disappointed with 5v. I guess more people upgrading their 12v Chord DAC's will have this problem, but perhaps there is a solution?

[jos]

17 minutes ago, Norton said:

Just noticed the power input is on micro USB, I wonder if this has any significance?  

No, if you have clean power over USB, but now I realise that I have to sell my recently bought Sbooster 12v. I guess, most people have to buy an adapter. 

[jos]

1 hour ago, Norton said:

Going by the name, presumably this is intended as the ultimate Qute?

I guess their will be a Qutest2 over a few years.

[jos]

Some extra information...

 

https://www.whathifi.com/news/chord-launches-qutest-dac-in-hugo-2-mould

[jos]

2 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

This is good news.  From Rob,

 

"A 2A supply is shipped with qutest, but it will work fine with a 1A 5V supply."
 

This means that my Supra USB cable wth an adapter/connector to micro USB is good enough?

[jos]

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2018/01/chord-electronics-announce-1195-qutest-dac/

[jos]

14 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

@seeteeyou, what's the best source for those micro adapters for power?  

Okay, reading more specs on Qutest, I think it's a winner.  The power requirements won me over.  

I find this one...(looks solid)

 

https://www.dhgate.com/product/10pcs-lot-5pin-micro-b-male-to-usb-b-female/229805873.html

[jos]

6 minutes ago, barrows said:

Qutest uses the same design as Hugo2, so there is no need to hear it, it has already been heard.  My statement was clear, that it is all that for those who do not need other "features".  

Totally agree!

[jos]

21 minutes ago, barrows said:

Not an assumption, the sound quality of the H2 is well documented and the Qutest uses the same architecture.  The only difference pertaining to sound quality will be power supply, and with the Qutest one is able to use the power supply of their choice, which actually means better than H2 sound quality will be possible if a really good LPS is used...

I am going to build a really trick PS for my brother's unit...

Hi Barrows, I have been reading this as a part of an article on AVForum about the new Chord Qutest:

 

'Chord has made some interesting revisions to the hardware design too. The USB input is galvanically isolated which is something that the mobile models do without and unlike its predecessor, the Qutest can be run from a USB power supply – meaning depending on the other hardware you have at your disposal, you might not need a mains socket to run it at all.'

 

I guess it means that, for instance, if you have an USB Regen in your system with an LPS on it, you don't need a separate power LPS. I did not read this els-where, so it can be untrue.

[jos]

1 minute ago, barrows said:

I am not sue what they mean there, there is a separate micro USB jack for the power supply: do they mean to say it can also be powered from the USB jack used for the audio input?  I would suspect not, but do not pretend to know.

In any case, I will build a sweet "perfect" linear power supply to gift to my brother with a USB jack on it so it is super easy for him to incorporate with his unit (no stupid adapters or anything, all he will need is a standard USB-microUSB cable for power).

I agree, the text is confusing and english is not my native language. Your brother is lucky with you!

[jos]

I got it...?..., the new Chord Qutest DAC. Last week, directly from England, and it is up and running after a burn-in period for about 100 hour. And the sound is really fantastic in every way, but we all know that already. No reason whatsoever in my opinion to buy a more expensive DAC. Especially not when you have a good integrated amplifier. I'm feeding the Qutest trough my iMac/Audirvana Plus, Jitterbug, Supra USB 2.0 to my USB Regen (with an Sbooster upgrade for the Regen SMPS). From the Qutest to my Yamaha A-S2100 amp and from there to my Revel F208 speakers. I also played the Qutest without the Regen, but I thought it was just a little bit better with the Regen in the chain, but it could be wish-full thinking too, so I am not sure. I also use an Sbooster 5-6V to feed the Qutest. I did not play it without this Sbooster. 

 

I was looking for a new pure DAC and this one fits all my needs. My old DAC, the Arcam iRdac was a very nice sounding DAC too, in every aspect, but this one is simply better in every way, but more expensive too, so it should be better.

[jos]

I am thinking about buying the UltraRendu to improve the sound even further, but wlll that be the case with this outstanding DAC, is the question? Any thoughts, because it’s a big investment too and I doubt it is worth the money?

[jos]

1 minute ago, ElviaCaprice said:

Without a doubt it will.  Just read in this forum what clean power and clocking, of the source streamer, did for the DAVE.  Same will apply to Qutest.  Although I'm more impartial to SOtM s-CLK EX.

ElviaCaprice, Thanks! I think the SOtM is even a little beter, but I heard it can’t work with Audirvana Plus.

[jos]

7 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

Without a doubt it will.  Just read in this forum what clean power and clocking, of the source streamer, did for the DAVE.  Same will apply to Qutest.  Although I'm more impartial to SOtM s-CLK EX.

In addition: I have clean power and Jitterbugs already.

[jos]

9 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

Jitterbugs is like a darkage voodoo fixer.  In this thread, many great approaches to Chord DAC source streaming.  

 

Thanks again, I will look into it this evening.

[jos]

18 hours ago, barrows said:

@jos, Glad you are liking the Qutest!  I recommended it to my brother and he is patiently waiting for his to arrive.  I designed a kick ass power supply for his, so he will have perfect power.

I use A+ here streaming with the Sonore Signature Rendu SE, and love it.  I suspect you would have a nice improvement with the ultraRendu and the Qutest.  It is really nice to get the commercial computer gear well away from the audio system.  We recommend the sBooster as a nice, cost effective power supply for the ultraRendu, and you are familiar with those, so all good there.  With the ultraRendu running on decent (sBooster) power you may find no need for any of your USB gadgets, I prefer not to use any in my system, just the best USB cable you can find.

Thanks too, Barrows, but first I will try to sell some stuff; my USB Regen and a few Jitterbugs. By the way: I can connect the UtraRendu in two ways, close to my audio-system with Ethernet and an Uptone USB-connector directly into the Qutest, or about 6 meters away connecting it to the DAC with my Supra USB Cable. In both situations with an Sbooster. Any thoughts about this? Further away will save the cost of an good. Ethernet cable. As a standard I use Supra Cat8 in my house.

[jos]

3 hours ago, barrows said:

Keep the USB short.  At Sonore we use recommend Blue Jeans cable CAT 6A, which is not expensive.  But we are so busy testing things we do not get around to testing high end Ethernet cables.  Most tests I have seen have not usually tested the fancy Ethernet cables vs. a good commercial cable like BJC CAT 6A, but someday I will get around to it!

Okay, clear. Just a good Ethernet cable will do the job, I agree. BJC is a fine cable, but the Supra also and not expensive too. How about MQA? That will be a killer app with the UltraRendu! I have been reading it is coming soon, true?

[jos]

12 minutes ago, barrows said:

Personally I am no fan of MQA, but it may be added to the Rendu firmware, that would be a question for Jesus.

I use Audirvana, so I could already decode MQA if I ever wanted to.  If you are using Audirvana+, you can already decode MQA with it as well.

I am not a fan too, but for people with Tidal it will be nice to have and a reason not to buy an MQA DAC, but the UltraRendu instead. A+ is doing the first unfolding, but after that there have to be a second one to make the unfolding complete.

[jos]

6 minutes ago, pl_svn said:

btw... this is how I'm rolling my Qutest 

(details are in my signature)

Impressive, can you explain the chain?

[jos]

4 minutes ago, pl_svn said:

Roon Server running on a Mac mini (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2) > Auralic Aries (powered by a Vinnie Rossi Mini Pure-DC-4EVR) > UpTone Audio ISO Regen (powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1) > Audiophilleo SE (powered by its PurePower Battery) > Chord Qutest (powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1.2) > Don Garber Fi "Y" (6922 tube pre) > Don Garber Fi "X" (2A3 power amplifier) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

Thanks, very impressive. I guess it could not be done better! But my wife...(you known)

[jos]

1 hour ago, barrows said:

Actually, we probably could do it, physically, in the Rendu, as we likely have enough processing power to make it happen, but MQA would not allow it, only in DACs.  Just another point against MQA's approach, not allowing the "full unfold" to be done in software players.  This how they sell MQA to DAC makers, saying look at how many new DACs you will sell!

There is an announcement on the Sonore website on the page of the UltraRenu, that MQA will come soon for every DAC. That was tricking me.

[jos]

8 minutes ago, jos said:

There is an announcement on the Sonore website on the page of the UltraRenu, that MQA will come soon for every DAC. That was tricking me.

In addition: it was on the small green computer site, sorry.

[jos]

10 hours ago, De said:

I think ifi iPower should be a good upgrade.

Of course, to start with. I think I will start with the Uptone USB Regen standard power supply, together with the Sbooster Ultra upgrade for this device. This if I can't sell my Regen right now. Later on I can buy the Sbooster, or something similar.

[jos]

4 hours ago, barrows said:

IfI is a capable entry level supply, the Rendus do better with it than many other products that serve up USB audio, but like anything, they can be improved upon.

The reason the Signature Rendu SE is quite a bit more expensive is due to the no compromise power supply, so there is more performance to be eeked out there.

Yes, I known, but far to expensive for me.

[jos]

10 hours ago, Dr Tone said:

 

The latest comment from Jesus.

 

 

 

Thanks, and it make sense.