Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread

[CH23]

in that case I have an amazingly simple solution. it will blow people's minds: try not upsampling the audio. with the way Rob Watts made these DACs, there's no need to do so at all. (personally I don't believe there ever is a need for it)

 

[lexx21]

in that case I have an amazingly simple solution. it will blow people's minds: try not upsampling the audio. with the way Rob Watts made these DACs, there's no need to do so at all.

I happen to be an avid hqplayer user. If you don't want to upsample, that's your perogative.

 

[CH23]

I happen to be an avid hqplayer user. If you don't want to upsample, that's your perogative.

of course it is. but when given the choice between "spending $170 to solve a self-created problem" or "not upsampling", I feel like the better option is the one where you don't need to spend $170.

 

[lexx21]

of course it is. but when given the choice between "spending $170 to solve a self-created problem" or "not upsampling", I feel like the better option is the one where you don't need to spend $170.

Up to you.

 

[ChristoT]

Up to you.

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

 

[CH23]

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

that's the whole point of the taps, yeah.

EDIT: Here's Rob Watts talking about it:

 

[knownothing2]

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

This was my experience using either an iFi reclocker or upsampling in JRiver ahead of a QuteHD, Qutest or a Mojo2. Sound was best with unmodified digital feed directly into the Chord DAC. I think the Qutest sounds terrific with MP3/4 and redbook files - best sound for lower res digital in my system that I have experienced to date.

I have not tried HQPlayer, so maybe that functions differently/better to up sample ahead of a Chord DAC. Dunno.

kn

 

[cheznous]

got mine about a month ago, Q06263, Netherlands

Latest deliveries are Q07100 +

 

[lexx21]

Of course Rob Watts would suggest only using the scaler for upsampling....he wants to sell more 5000 dollar scalers. I would treat that suggestion as highly suspect since he is in business to sell HIS products.

 

[CH23]

Of course Rob Watts would suggest only using the scaler for upsampling....he wants to sell more 5000 dollar scalers. I would treat that suggestion as highly suspect since he is in business to sell HIS products.

that wasn't the point though.

by upsampling the way you do, you're already changing the signal, then transferring it to the DAC, which then upsamples the already changed signal. and as you have noticed, there's an issue whereby you get white noise. so not upsampling in software, letting the DAC you already have, that already upsamples let it do its' thing, would probably be an improvement.

You're creating a needless problem by upsampling the signal, i'm trying to help you solve it without the need to spend any money at al.

 

[lexx21]

that wasn't the point though.

by upsampling the way you do, you're already changing the signal, then transferring it to the DAC, which then upsamples the already changed signal. and as you have noticed, there's an issue whereby you get white noise. so not upsampling in software, letting the DAC you already have, that already upsamples let it do its' thing, would probably be an improvement.

You're creating a needless problem by upsampling the signal, i'm trying to help you solve it without the need to spend any money at al.

You are against oversampling. I get it. I'm going to do with my signal, hqplayer, and my dac as I wish. What exactly do you think that an mscaler does?

I won't be using the usb input on my qutest for any reason. Period. Finito.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

You are against oversampling. I get it. I'm going to do with my signal, hqplayer, and my dac as I wish. What exactly do you think that an mscaler does?

I won't be using the usb input on my qutest for any reason. Period. Finito.

Use the DAC the way you see fit, if you use HQ Player to upscale to 768khz, or 705khz and use the white filter, or the green filter the pre upscaling you are doing will only bypass the WTA 1 interpolation filter, there is WTA 2 and the rest that carry it up to 11mhz if I remember correctly, so it's cool.