Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread

[dnnaudio]

I also have an N150 feeding Qutest DAC. I would suggest invest in good quality USB cable you can get outstanding result.

 

[JazzAudioDog]

It’s currently an AQ Carbon USB but I’m definitely open to an upgrade!

 

[The Jester]

I’m using an Aurender N150 streamer into my Qutest. It’s USB only. The Aurender USB output is galvanically isolated. So I have a galvanically isolated USB output into the Qutest‘s galvanically isolated USB input.

Any thoughts on using a DDC to allow use of either optical or coax input to the Qutest? I recall previous posts discussing that Rob thought the optimum input was either optical or coax on the Qutest. Or was that because the quality of USB outputs were such a crapshoot over the past few years?

Optical preferred as it guarantees electrical isolation, only drawback with optical is higher rates of Jitter to which Chord DAC’s are supposedly immune …

 

[dnnaudio]

I have systems using DDCs and reclockers but my top speaker rigs do not, just real good USB cable. Have to admit using these active devices can give good improvement at less money.

 

[Dave54321]

I’m using an Aurender N150 streamer into my Qutest. It’s USB only. The Aurender USB output is galvanically isolated. So I have a galvanically isolated USB output into the Qutest‘s galvanically isolated USB input.

Any thoughts on using a DDC to allow use of either optical or coax input to the Qutest? I recall previous posts discussing that Rob thought the optimum input was either optical or coax on the Qutest. Or was that because the quality of USB outputs were such a crapshoot over the past few years?

USB is asynchronous so you won't get any timing errors, and also USB opens up higher res formats. Not sure why optical or coax would be considered "optimum"—am I missing something? Even the "electrical isolation" of optical is redundant with the Qutest as (according to the company) its internal isolation is so good it doesn't benefit from a special power source or anything like that. Anyhoo, I would personally always use USB, given the option.

 

[dnnaudio]

In my experience an affordable reclocker like a W4S Recovery or ISO regen improved sonics between an Aurender and Qutest when using usb cable like Curious. So does when using DDC like entry level Singxer. But when I use reference level usb cable these active devices actually subtract from results.

 

[JazzAudioDog]

M-Scaler in house. First couple of days had obvious burn-in required but no problems. Needed to shutdown system and upon restart both the dx up and dx down lights are on (red) and will not shut off. Does anyone know what this means? @Reactcore, anyone?

 

[Reactcore]

M-Scaler in house. First couple of days had obvious burn-in required but no problems. Needed to shutdown system and upon restart both the dx up and dx down lights are on (red) and will not shut off. Does anyone know what this means? @Reactcore, anyone?

They are for sending volume setting metadata within the datastream to a future Chord digital amp. Qutest ignores that.

Press the 3rd button from the right (DX OP) to switch them off.

 

[JazzAudioDog]

Thank you! For future readers with the same question: I previously guessed and tried that once before but it succeeded with a new problem. On this attempt I discovered why it didn’t work because I did the exact same thing again. But armed with Reactcore’s response to my question I then slightly changed what I did.

After I pressed DX OP once all three buttons (DX OP, DX UP, DX DN) on the right went out. So I pressed it again because I wanted the input sample rate button (DX OP) to remain on and all three buttons came back on. Several attempts all had the same result. Apparently, the required action is to push the DX OP button a single time and wait. All three buttons go out and approximately a second later the DX OP button comes on to indicate the input sample rate by it’s color while the DX UP and DX DN buttons remain off.

 

[JazzAudioDog]

@Reactcore @dnnaudio Do Qutest and M-Scaler mis-read 48k sample rate input songs as 44k? That is, red illumination on the input sample rate button. I’ve often wondered about that with my Qutest and now the M-Scaler is doing the same thing? The Aurender is reporting the songs as 48k but is that just metadata?

Or is Qobuz mis-labeling songs as 24/48k when they are really 44k? If this is the case, I cannot find any true 48k songs on Qobuz to test the Qutest and M-Scaler.

Or are the red and orange button colors so similar on the M-Scaler that I can’t tell them apart?

In the past I could test songs SR accuracy using MIDI Audio on a Mac Mini. I could hear the “fatness” that results when a 48k song is played at 44k. I could go back and forth in SR selection to test.

 

[Reactcore]

Or are the red and orange button colors so similar on the M-Scaler that I can’t tell them apart

This seems the case for me too. Orange and red colour are really close and i have difficulties telling them apart. Specially when theyre dimmed (press DX up and Down simultaniously) but its all ok.

On my Dave's display its easy to see and check cause Mscaler outputs a multiple of its input rate: 44.1k in = 705,6k out and 48k gives 768k out for M setting.

 

[sicnesse]

So my understanding is that the Qutest has no on/off button, therefore it is always on when plugged? Do the LEDS always stay on?

 

[mchuckp]

So my understanding is that the Qutest has no on/off button, therefore it is always on when plugged? Do the LEDS always stay on?

Yep. I learned this when I got one a few months back. Bit annoying because it is my bedroom and lights up my room. I have it plugged into a surge protector and just turn the surge protector off.

 

[JazzAudioDog]

So my understanding is that the Qutest has no on/off button, therefore it is always on when plugged? Do the LEDS always stay on?

It likely sounds best if left powered on. Most solid state equipment does. Also, it uses very little power. You can dim the lights.

 

[sicnesse]

I assume that, given the lack of pre-amp function, the qutest doesn't get hot? And efficient in terms of electric consumption?