Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread

[jbarrentine]

Put my unit in Classifieds

 

[OCC7N]

@DecentLevi did you ever solve your bnc/di20 to qutest/spdif issue?

Im having ”similar” issues with di20he to TT2. Though I am using BNC/coax to BNC/Coax

Sorry for spam but did not bother reading 100posts!

I guess its because your qutest is also transformer coupled?

 

[DecentLevi]

@DecentLevi did you ever solve your bnc/di20 to qutest/spdif issue?

Im having ”similar” issues with di20he to TT2. Though I am using BNC/coax to BNC/Coax

Sorry for spam but did not bother reading 100posts!

I guess its because your qutest is also transformer coupled?

Yes. Ever since a few changes in my system, I've never had the same occasional white noise on startup (which was before playing any audio) and squealing within navigation of DSD. The main changes being a somewhat thicker RCA coax cable (Odin 2 Silver cable knockoff), and the addition of iFi iPurifier 3 on a certain part of my chain. It was either those, or the fact that I switched to the Mojo 2 from the Qutest as DAC duties. Admittedly a minor downgrade, however I do recall mentioning something like DAC pairings is what causes the noise quirks from the DI20, and that may have been even before I upgraded cable. It seems the DI20 is picky with DACs; either that or it requires thicker RCA coax cables for the widest possible data transmission. I may never know which one.

 

[OCC7N]

I think Qutest is transformer coupled and Mojo is not.

Im trying to understand if TT2 is also transformee coupled.

If it is it wont work

 

[HalloweenJack23]

I too am waiting for the inevitable Qutest 2. Only recently got myself another Hugo 2, so am in no rush to upgrade. But I suspect a Qutest 2 would represent a sensibly priced end-game for me.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Hi All,

I am looking at buying the Chord Qutest and replacing it with my current DAC (Topping D90). I am somewhat of a noob but my question is: The RCA Analogue out connecters on the Qutest are the RCA cables that will connect from the DAC to my Amp (Topping A90D)? I only use XLR to connect my DAC and amp so I want to make sure that that connecter is fine to connect to my A90D.

thanks!

 

[Reactcore]

Hi All,

I am looking at buying the Chord Qutest and replacing it with my current DAC (Topping D90). I am somewhat of a noob but my question is: The RCA Analogue out connecters on the Qutest are the RCA cables that will connect from the DAC to my Amp (Topping A90D)? I only use XLR to connect my DAC and amp so I want to make sure that that connecter is fine to connect to my A90D.

thanks!

You can just use RCA to RCA cables between Qutest > A90D. No problemo

 

[blueninjasix]

Hi All,

I am looking at buying the Chord Qutest and replacing it with my current DAC (Topping D90). I am somewhat of a noob but my question is: The RCA Analogue out connecters on the Qutest are the RCA cables that will connect from the DAC to my Amp (Topping A90D)? I only use XLR to connect my DAC and amp so I want to make sure that that connecter is fine to connect to my A90D.

thanks!

I use these pseudo balanced rca to xlr connectors from Designacable in the UK https://www.designacable.com/musician-leads.html/unbalanced-leads/pseudo-balanced.html

 

[Paul Bjernklo]

deleted

 

[GuiltyRocker]

 

[Reactcore]

See post under for a boxed optic dualdata link usable for Qutest and Mscaler

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/my-choral-housed-chord-mscaler.964931/post-17337052

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

Put my unit in Classifieds

upgrading?

 

[JazzAudioDog]

deleted

 

[hakunamakaka]

I bought a new Qutest DAC and loving the natural sound it produces.

Been using it with my gaming desktop pc though USB and have just switched to optical and the sound seems slightly less harsh with improved soundstage.

Would it make more sense to stick to Optical at 192 KHz/24 bit for spotify premium music or 192KHz/32 bit via USB?

Kind of prefer the sound from the optical input but was wondering if it would be a downgrade performance wise compared to USB.

if you want real uplift in sound quality and still plan to use gaming pc, get the DDC(gustard u18 or denafrips iris). You would be surprised what a clean source does to this DAC. While optical is a bit better than USB run from pc, there is no comparison when I use zen stream'er instead of my laptop.

Maybe there is a way to test qutest in audio shop while it's connected to the streamer. For me laptop--> qutest is very average sounding dac, clean source removes any harshness/improves imaging while fleshing out even more details

 

[naynay]

I put this on the Chord Dave thread but thought as cables can be used on the Qutest might be useful.

After a number of people asking about my DIY BNC ferrite core cables, referring to the latest and final ones using HFB159079-100 with Oyaide Cable and Oyaide BNC plugs, and if I had compared them to the Wave Storm Reference BNC cables.

Well I have finally got around to completing the test.

I would like to thank my friend who was kind enough to loan me his Wave Storm Reference cables.

Cylindrical Ferrite Cores used in my cables as said previously are HFB159079-100

I used two of the Audiowise SRC-DX so I can quickly switch from BNC 4 input to BNC 3 input on the Dave Dac when testing.

How I set things up.

Identical USB going out of Antipodes Server to USB input of the first Audiowise SRC-DX then my DIY BNC cable goes out of Audiowise SRC-DX BNC output into Dave BNC 4 input.

Identical USB going out of Antipodes Server to USB input of the second Audiowise SRC-DX then Wave Storm Reference BNC cable goes out of Audiowise SRC-DX BNC output into Dave BNC 3 input.

My findings when playing back music is that there was no change in sound when switching from Dave BNC 4 input having my DIY BNC cable to Dave BNC 3 input having Wave Storm Reference BNC cable.

YMMV

Hopefully this has answered all those that messaged me asking. Anyone wanting to have a go at DIY BNC that is unsure with anything such as say the soldering or materials I am happy to help just drop me a PM.

Thanks

These are my DIY cables used in the test.