[Music Alchemist]

I perused their site, as well as the documentation that came with my Jotunheim, but didn't see any mention of input voltage restriction--thanks much for the info, sir! Also, so far can confirm it pairs very nicely with the 2Qute, both for my headphones, as well as a preamp for my KEF X300A's.

Many other amp manufacturers don't mention any maximum input voltage spec but may not be compatible with 3 volts. That's why I asked Schiit directly about it.

 

[bikutoru]

When I read "may not", one might say - it just may, If you amp specifies less then 2 volts, there might be a reason for concern. I learned all about 3 volts after the fact. When I got my 2Qute I just plugged it in my NAD and now, 10 month later, still cannot bring myself to turn it off. My NAD doesn't seem to mind.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Here's an interesting tweak to take your 2Qute system to the next level!

https://www.highend-audiopc.com/audiophile-optimizer

Be warned that this is only for advanced hardcore neurotically obsessed digital audiophiles. This rabbit hole is too treacherous for most. (If you don't know what you're doing, you could end up messing up your computer.)

It involves, at the most extreme settings I use, installing an $882 operating system and $137 optimization software (both have trial versions available), loading the OS in dual boot mode, and having only a handful of computer services and processes running, with the music player as the system shell and nothing else accessible aside from resorting to Control-Alt-Delete.

When I want to have a listening session via this method, I can't do anything else on the computer, so it's a major pain, to say the least.

Why go to all this trouble? For better sound, of course! But even I'll admit it's only maybe a five or ten percent improvement.

 

[theveterans]

^ Crazy setup there. Seems not worth it to compromise functionality. Might as well get a dedicated streamer than compromising your primary PC like that IMO.

 

[Music Alchemist]

^ Crazy setup there. Seems not worth it to compromise functionality. Might as well get a dedicated streamer than compromising your primary PC like that IMO.

What's cool is that it comes with five activation keys, so I can put it on whatever other stuff I want to in the future.

I'm definitely not going to stick with what I have now. I might just get a cheap laptop to use for audio, then do everything else on this one. (The network players and music servers I have my eye on are not very affordable and not something I would buy in the near future.)

 

[soundkist]

Speaking of cheaper routes, have you considered a dedicated Raspberry Pi setup for your music? Been reading about this as an option lately, and imagine I'll give it a go at some point. Apparently many people swear by it, from what I've read; might be better than the laptop route--just my .02!

 

[Music Alchemist]

Speaking of cheaper routes, have you considered a dedicated Raspberry Pi setup for your music? Been reading about this as an option lately, and imagine I'll give it a go at some point. Apparently many people swear by it, from what I've read; might be better than the laptop route--just my .02!

As listed on my profile, I used a Raspberry Pi 2 Model B at one point. It was (perceived to be) slightly better than my stock laptop, but I felt it wasn't better enough to bother with. It can't compare to the laptop with the software tweaks I mentioned. (The fact that said tweaks normally cost over a thousand dollars should tell you something.) Pi's a good budget solution, though.

(When I said cheap laptop, I meant one to put the tweaks on.)

By the way, some high-end music servers (etc.) use the same software I mentioned.

 

[soundkist]

Apologies--I hadn't taken a gander at your profile. Anyway, thanks for sharing those tweaks--very interesting stuff, indeed!

 

[Music Alchemist]

Dunno if anyone else ever had this issue with the 2Qute, but in Windows 7 (at least on my computer), its light flashes each time there is a Windows sound. (Even when simply clicking into folders.) Disabling Windows sounds (which I have no use for anyway) fixed it.

(This laptop originally came with Windows 7. I got a free upgrade to Windows 10 in 2015 and had used it ever since, but the other day when I was tweaking things, I made a bad move and ended up making the computer unbootable, so I had to revert to Windows 7 with the backup disc. Fortunately there was no loss of data.)

 

[elviscaprice]

Good news on the ISO Regen, a TT owner found that the ISO Regen galvanic isolation was an added benefit to SQ, along with the additional clocking and signal integrity. Same should apply for 2Qute and DAVE.
For the non GI Chord DAC's, a definite must component will be the ISO Regen for USB streaming.
I'll test out with 2Qute come beginning of June.

 

[organ_donor]

I just brought a brand new 2qute home and it plays crackling sound randomly..It's like soft artifacts but very audible and kind of annoying.

Tried changing cables, plugged to different power socket, different USB ports..the issue still remains. Different USB port reduced the noise frequency though. But it shouldn't happen since 2qute has USB GI, if I'm not wrong..

Anyone experienced the same as well?

 

[elviscaprice]

I just brought a brand new 2qute home and it plays crackling sound randomly..It's like soft artifacts but very audible and kind of annoying.

Tried changing cables, plugged to different power socket, different USB ports..the issue still remains. Different USB port reduced the noise frequency though. But it shouldn't happen since 2qute has USB GI, if I'm not wrong..

Anyone experienced the same as well?

Your going to have to tell us a whole lot more about your overall system. From server, media player, to files used, preamp, amp, speakers. A GI is not a cure all. No GI is perfect and each can vary in effectiveness on what it's intended to do.

The only time I experienced anything like your saying is when my settings were not optimally set in JRiver.

 

[organ_donor]

I play my music through the following chain:-

Windows 10 > Spotify/Tidal/Jriver > 2qute > KGST > SR-L700

Windows Driver: WASAPI installed itself when I plugged in my 2qute

Windows Driver setting: priority mode. 32 bits, 384khz (The highest)

All the interconnect/cable are stocks.

All the music players exhibit the same problem, even after I changed the driver setting - the bit rate quality things.

I have a mojo with me now which working fine without issue at all.

Hopefully it is just software error so I can adjust it back myself..

 

[soundkist]

Did you install the driver provided by Chord on their website? If not, might want to give that a shot?

http://chordelectronics.co.uk/product/2qute/ (downloads, right-hand side)

 

[Music Alchemist]

Yes, try using ASIO as the output mode in your player after installing the Chord drivers. For your convenience, here are some links.

http://chordelectronics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Windows-Driver.zip
http://www.foobar2000.org/download
http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio

You could also load tracks into memory via foobar2000's advanced playback options.

...Windows 7 took my computer hostage for half a day installing over 200 updates. (I disabled updates as of today.) Had to connect my 2Qute to an old laptop (from 2005) and play the few audio files I had on it. Did the same thing the other day, when I made the blunder that forced me to revert from Windows 10 to Windows 7. The sound certainly seemed to be inferior from the old laptop.