Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread

[Brandy]

Hi all, on the Chord Qutest Dac which BNC input matters the most; 1 or 2? I have one excellent cable and one slightly inferior and want to ensure if applicable that I at least set everything up in the correct way for the most optimized sound. Later on I will buy a second high quality cable. Appreciate your opinions.

 

[Charente]

Hi all, on the Chord Qutest Dac which BNC input matters the most; 1 or 2? I have one excellent cable and one slightly inferior and want to ensure if applicable that I at least set everything up in the correct way for the most optimized sound. Later on I will buy a second high quality cable. Appreciate your opinions.

Given that both BNC's can be used together with the MScaler, I would imagine that both are equally as good as each other.

 

[LegionofDoom]

Given that both BNC's can be used together with the MScaler, I would imagine that both are equally as good as each other.

I have tried both using a coax digital cable and a BNC adapter "tip" from my CD transport's digital out. Could not hear a difference.

Granted could not A/B super fast, so going off auditory memory. Still, volume would have been ideally matched. I concluded no difference.

 

[Brandy]

Well, it is a matter over oversampling I suppose, one BNC oversamples with a limitation to 384 khz and with the 2nd you are able to reach the 768 khz. So that is why I asked myself whether there is a primary oversampler and a secondary but maybe I am overthinking assuming there is a first and last bit and which is most decisive for sound.

 

[Gritty]

Hi Everyone. I'm new to headfi. I've come here looking for a bit of help with a curious issue I'm having with my Qutest. I don't understand whats going on or what the cause might be. I'd really appreciate your input if you have any suggestions for me.

So my Qutest appears to have a fault that causes the right channel to go completely dead when it is being used with some, but not all, rca interconnects.

Here is the troubleshooting i've done:

> When I use my Chord Clearway and Wireworld Eclipse 7 there is no output signal through the right channel. However if I swap these out with some other no-name interconnects the right channel works fine.

> If i swap chord/wireworld interconnects to the opposite channel (so that the right interconnect is now on the left channel and vice versa) the fault does not swap sides. Again the left channel works fine and the right channel is dead.

> If i try a borrowed Qutest with these chord/wireworld interconnects then both channels work perfectly fine.

> Wiggling or moving in/out the rca plug at the Qutest end makes zero difference. If the interconnect works then wiggling the plug it will not trigger the channel to cut out. And if the interconnect does not work then wiggling the rca will not cause the channel to momentarily reconnect. Both states are stable.

So the fault appears to have something to do with the Qutest rather than the interconnects. Do you have any idea what might be going on here? Why would the Qutest pass a signal through one interconnect but not another? Do you have any other troubleshooting I could try?

Thanks in advance it you are able to take the time to help me understand this

 

[Reactcore]

So my Qutest appears to have a fault that causes the right channel to go completely dead when it is being used with some, but not all, rca interconnects.

The only thing i can think of that in your Qutest RCA socket the middle clamp spring contact is a bit forced apart ..maybe caused by side force of a (heavy) plug.. like in example picture under

Some RCA plugs have a thinner middle pin which just wont touch then.. even with wiggling.

You could try with a needle to carefully bow those a bit closer together

 

[zeitlos]

I am currently using a SPL Director Mk2 as my DAC. I‘m only using its DAC function, not its preamplifier etc.
Now I was recommended to try the Chord Qutest as a better DAC (soundwise). Is the Qutest still a step up in 2023 (coming from an SPL Director mk2)?
What‘s your take on it? Thanks for any advice!

 

[dac64]

High-end 5V power supply (I didn't buy) : https://jcat.eu/product/optimo-nano/

However, I bought the below, medical graded 5/12/15V for my Computer Audio, e.g. Qutest, optical power supplies, HMS, mini PCs, maybe for my laptops too:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...&LH_TitleDesc=0&_odkw=mean+well+msp&_osacat=0

Have to be Mean Well MSP-600 (600W) model and look exact from the ebay photo, a Taiwanese company, if you can afford 1000w better still.

For the Dave, you can buy three units, DIY or ask some technical staff to modify it.

Do at your own risk: SQ even better after removing the internal fan connection. I've disconnected the fans for few months, and the temperature was very stable (my room temperature is between 26c to 31c).

data sheet: https://www.meanwell.com/productPdf.aspx?i=581

 

[Dave54321]

It may be that it just needs more break-in time. Even What HiFi noted: "It takes quite a few hours of operation for the Qutest to lose its out-of-the-box midrange hardness." whathifi.com/chord/qutest/review#PsIImsl8rWhZF9cd.99.

Mine sounded great out of the box but then turned quite rude for a while. I've got about 150 hours on it now and it sounds great again.
If you want to speed the running process you could consider running a "break -in" disc like this one: https://telluriumq.com/system-disc/.

Don't give up on the Qutest. It's a fantastic DAC.

Have to agree with the comment about how bright the Qutest is. I recently got a secondhand one off eBay and was shocked how nasty and fatiguing it sounded—sounds like a spike around 8k, give or take. Did more research and found many other comments echoing this opinion. Just shows how subjective audio is, given how many love it. Happily I managed to resell it with little loss but won't be touching any Chord DAC again.

 

[okplayer]

Chord dac is transparent not really bright ....if your system can handle it sound quite good....a lot of people don't treat their room acoustically when listening on speakers ...on headphones would not recommend chord qutest with focal necessarily but excellent with ZMV verite...if you want a warm dac there is always the baltic 3

 

[Dave54321]

Chord dac is transparent not really bright ....if your system can handle it sound quite good....a lot of people don't treat their room acoustically

Like I said, it's subjective as to whether you like it. But the Qutest is not neutral by any means. My room is acoustically treated. I use very neutral speakers (Harbeth) and my regular DAC (Geek Pulse fi) is also very neutral. I always strive to get to as acoustically flat and neutral components as possible. The Qutest has an unquestionable spike/peak in the upper-mids (or lower highs) as others have commented. I'm relaxing to my regular DAC now, and it's night and day compared to using the Qutest, which I only bought because my regular DAC is not compatible with my Raspberry Pi. Had to get rid of it, though. Just too harsh.

 

[juannycash]

I too am waiting for the inevitable Qutest 2. Only recently got myself another Hugo 2 (at the risk of garnering derision, I’ve found myself preferring it’s sound signature overall to TT2), so am in no rush to upgrade. But I suspect a Qutest 2 would represent a sensibly priced end-game for me.

Interesting that you preferred the Hugo 2 to the TT2. Curious on the differences, I’m in my exchange window and ponder the 3k more for the TT2 but the H2 is so good I can’t imagine it can be that much better lol

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Have to agree with the comment about how bright the Qutest is. I recently got a secondhand one off eBay and was shocked how nasty and fatiguing it sounded—sounds like a spike around 8k, give or take. Did more research and found many other comments echoing this opinion. Just shows how subjective audio is, given how many love it. Happily I managed to resell it with little loss but won't be touching any Chord DAC again.

I have a Qutest and it's very musical, highs are beautiful and not bright at all, however, on my equipment using the Qutest on 3 volts output makes music sound bright, but that is not the Qutest at all, it is my analog preamp that is very sensitive to voltage input, the Qutest gives you 1, 2, and 3 volts, on my system 2 volts sound warm and detailed, completely amazing.

 

[Dave54321]

This review calls the Qutest's sound "lean" and says he improved it by using a certain amp to "thicken" the sound. I understand what he means.

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

There’s always been a strange misconception around precise and clear sound that it is too “digital” but when you listen to a high quality turntable playing records it’s not soft and smooth it’s fast (transients?) and vivid. So In my opinion the more “analog” sounding would be something like people describe the Chord sound to be. If you’re struggling with the sound of the Qutest being too thin and bright then in my opinion it’s a problem with your headphones or speakers. A lot of DACs I tried before the chord sound flat, soft and smooth, nothing like my records.