[NickedWicked]

Anyone tried the Qutest with a Violectric V281?

 

[JWahl]

I got mine in today. I'm waiting to pass any serious judgements, but so far it's positive. The Qutest feels very substantial and looks even better in person. Very classy. For today though, I'm stuck using it only with the iCan SE. I forgot that I don't have any spare RCA cables so I had to order some more and they should be here tomorrow. I've been using a Y-cable with the Mojo, which I can use with the 3.5mm input on the iCan for the time being. I'm more looking forward to trying the Qutest with the Massdrop CTH when the cables arrive tomorrow. I preferred the CTH of the iCan with the Mojo, so I suspect it may be the same with the Qutest.

I also made the mistake of using it first with the iUSB, then going back to the stock supply. I definitely prefer the iUSB with it. It seems to give a little more clarity and resolution that pushes it closer to what I remember the Dave sounding like.

Compared to the Mojo, it's a noticeable improvement. Better bass definition, separation, air, and dynamics. The more prominent treble on the Qutest will require some adjustment, but I've found the green filter to help tame that a bit. Again, very early impressions from about 3 or so hours of listening. More will come later.

 

[Rob Watts]

As a new Qutest owner, I wonder if I could please direct a couple of question to Rob Watts?

1. Burn In.
Many users have commented on a "burn in" process, and the sound improving over many hours of use. Do you have any thoughts about this - what is the physics of "burn in", or is it simply a psychological phenomenon whereby a customer simply becomes attuned to their new piece of hardware?

2. Improvements for High Bit-Rate Recordings
I understand how your FGPA algorithms can improve the sound from low data-rate recordings such as CD - I guess you're doing a better job of reconstructing the waveform from a paucity of data - but I'm not so clear why there is still an improvement for high data-rate recordings (such as my brilliantly-recorded and mastered 24-bit 192 kHz Linn classical recordings). I'm comparing against my Naim streamer which, I believe, uses Burr-Brown chips.

Many thanks - and thanks again for the great sound.

Yes hardware burn in is for sure a real phenomenon, and something I have fought against for several decades. In the past it was a major issue; DAC's used to measure differently on warm up and when broken in. This was because conventional DAC's - particularly in the 90's - were horribly sensitive to lots of imperfections. Indeed, this was the primary focus to develop pulse array; I wanted the musical benefits of PDM or DSD, but with more transparency, and with much lower levels of distortion and noise. In particular, I wanted every DAC to measure exactly the same, which meant removing lots of sensitivity to different aspects of a DAC design. Thus can only be done at the nuts and bolts level; that's why I had to invent a new DAC architecture, with pulse array.
What I get now is every DAC on production measures exactly the same, with noise within one dB, and THD almost identical; and this has been done by removing inconsistent behaviour; for example, electrolytic capacitors take 3 months for leakage current to reduce, and also takes that long for bass distortion to reduce; so the design has completely eliminated the use of these capacitors. That's just one example of many.
So for sure you will not get a change in measured performance at all, even when cold. But that does not affect the impression that sound quality improves; and this is a very real effect too. I suspect this is brain break in; getting used to a different presentation, and for the brain to unlearn the mechanisms we have adopted to work around sound quality issues. With Hugo 1 I felt 9 months in it was still sounding better; but a brand new unit sent to me from chord sounded identical!
So I would not be surprised if you hear a change with time; but I don't think it is a hardware issue. That said, the DAC does sound slightly warmer after being on for ten minutes...
As to your comments about HD recording yes the WTA filter will also improve those. This is because 192k as a format is still no where near accurate enough; just hear a 768 k recording! These sound very different to a 192k...

 

[dcp10]

Yes hardware burn in is for sure a real phenomenon ...
So I would not be surprised if you hear a change with time; but I don't think it is a hardware issue. That said, the DAC does sound slightly warmer after being on for ten minutes...
As to your comments about HD recording yes the WTA filter will also improve those. This is because 192k as a format is still no where near accurate enough; just hear a 768 k recording! These sound very different to a 192k...

Dear Rob, many thanks for your insightful (as always) comments - these are really helpful. Basically then, there may be a hardware "burn in" for other types of equipment, but for the Qutest we should allow a slight warm up period, and then some time to re-tune our brains

I'm not sure I can persuade the record companies to record at 768 k - but it would be nice if they upped their game (most classical recording companies seem to regard 24-bit/96 kHz as their ultimate!).

 

[Mrandrade]

Dear friends,
I think there is no doubt about the "burning" time of our brain ... But I also know that when it happens to listen to a system that I have never heard before, to feel immediately whether I like the sound or not, before having even "burned" the brain!
In the case of qutest, when I heard it on my system replacing Qute HD, I have to confess that I did not like it. The sound was aggressive, tiring and the sound stage disorganized. I could not hear records that I like very much and that I know well.
So, quite disappointed I decided to let it work 3 days in a row receiving music from the streamer and sending it to an amp of headphones ...
When I came back to listen on my system it was only for 1 hour and although better, I missed my Qute HD that I had already sold.
I returned to deoxa it to work more 4 days in a row before I heard it again, and the difference was remarkable ... Now I knew how to listen to music on my system.

All this to say that in my case did not happen practically "brain burning" ...

I can conclude that the burning that existed was indeed Qutest.

From here on, I feel like I'm getting better and better, so I think it's my brain to burn ...

I note that before having Qutest I used the Qute HD that I bought used and I also tried a used Hugo. In these two cases I liked them as soon as I heard them

 

[Eddie O]

Dear friends,
I think there is no doubt about the "burning" time of our brain ... But I also know that when it happens to listen to a system that I have never heard before, to feel immediately whether I like the sound or not, before having even "burned" the brain!
In the case of qutest, when I heard it on my system replacing Qute HD, I have to confess that I did not like it. The sound was aggressive, tiring and the sound stage disorganized. I could not hear records that I like very much and that I know well.
So, quite disappointed I decided to let it work 3 days in a row receiving music from the streamer and sending it to an amp of headphones ...
When I came back to listen on my system it was only for 1 hour and although better, I missed my Qute HD that I had already sold.
I returned to deoxa it to work more 4 days in a row before I heard it again, and the difference was remarkable ... Now I knew how to listen to music on my system.

All this to say that in my case did not happen practically "brain burning" ...

I can conclude that the burning that existed was indeed Qutest.

From here on, I feel like I'm getting better and better, so I think it's my brain to burn ...

I note that before having Qutest I used the Qute HD that I bought used and I also tried a used Hugo. In these two cases I liked them as soon as I heard them

@Rob Watts cum suis,

It’s great to have the possibility to get information strait from the developer. I absolutely lack the technical education to discuss the qualities of the Qutest, but mine really sounded harsh and bright when I first heard it. High notes on close recorded piano and violin really hurt my ears. Some of my favorite tracks where very unpleasant to listen to. I can not imagine that this can be fully adjusted by psychological adaption.

greetings,

Eddie

 

[Triode User]

Dear friends,
I think there is no doubt about the "burning" time of our brain ... But I also know that when it happens to listen to a system that I have never heard before, to feel immediately whether I like the sound or not, before having even "burned" the brain!
In the case of qutest, when I heard it on my system replacing Qute HD, I have to confess that I did not like it. The sound was aggressive, tiring and the sound stage disorganized. I could not hear records that I like very much and that I know well.
So, quite disappointed I decided to let it work 3 days in a row receiving music from the streamer and sending it to an amp of headphones ...
When I came back to listen on my system it was only for 1 hour and although better, I missed my Qute HD that I had already sold.
I returned to deoxa it to work more 4 days in a row before I heard it again, and the difference was remarkable ... Now I knew how to listen to music on my system.

All this to say that in my case did not happen practically "brain burning" ...

I can conclude that the burning that existed was indeed Qutest.

From here on, I feel like I'm getting better and better, so I think it's my brain to burn ...

I note that before having Qutest I used the Qute HD that I bought used and I also tried a used Hugo. In these two cases I liked them as soon as I heard them

I’m glad that you are getting to like your Qurest.

However I’m not sure that it is essential to actually listen to the Qutest all the time for brain burn in to happen. Like with all things, the brain is working and learning in between sessions. I expect that the brain remembers the listening to Qutest and is thinking about that sound until the next lessening session in which it then begins to pick out bits of music it likes as opposed to bits that are different to the previous dac you had.

Obviously this is prime ymmv territory but RW does seem clear that his DACs do not alter with burn it.

Anyway, none of this matters as long as you are happy with your dac.

 

[Hummer25]

I will now get the chance to listen to the Qutest in my system with an InnuOS Zen so it's going to be an interesting weekend!

 

[soares]

Most of my equpment required burning time, including my Dac's with the exception of the iFi nano BL. Lookind forward to receiving my new Qutest.

 

[stickboy85]

I will now get the chance to listen to the Qutest in my system with an InnuOS Zen so it's going to be an interesting weekend!

Would very much like to hear your thoughts on this. I'm planning on getting a Zen/Zenith and Qutest to go with my wireless KEF LS50.

 

[flacre]

Would very much like to hear your thoughts on this. I'm planning on getting a Zen/Zenith and Qutest to go with my wireless KEF LS50.

Maybe I’m out to lunch, but since the wireless LS50s have built in DACs which as far as I know cannot be bypassed, won’t you just be listening to the DACs in the speakers instead of the Qutest?

 

[stickboy85]

Maybe I’m out to lunch, but since the wireless LS50s have built in DACs which as far as I know cannot be bypassed, won’t you just be listening to the DACs in the speakers instead of the Qutest?

You can bypass the KEF DAC.

 

[flacre]

You can bypass the KEF DAC.

Are you sure? Here's what Darko said in his review of the LS50 wireless:

“Purists should be made aware that all incoming analogue signals are instantly digitised to 24bit/192kHz PCM; how else would the signal be split and the left channel handed over to the other loudspeaker via Ethernet?”

 

[stickboy85]

Are you sure? Here's what Darko said in his review of the LS50 wireless:

“Purists should be made aware that all incoming analogue signals are instantly digitised to 24bit/192kHz PCM; how else would the signal be split and the left channel handed over to the other loudspeaker via Ethernet?”

Yes. Theres a follow up article on DARKO that mentions how the AD/DA conversion is very transparent and there's also threads on other websites about external dacs being used.
I personally have used the MOJO, bluesound node 2 and meridian explorer 2 dacs with the KEFs and they all sound different as you would expect.
Sorry for off topic.

 

[flacre]

Yes. Theres a follow up article on DARKO that mentions how the AD/DA conversion is very transparent and there's also threads on other websites about external dacs being used.
I personally have used the MOJO, bluesound node 2 and meridian explorer 2 dacs with the KEFs and they all sound different as you would expect.
Sorry for off topic.

Thanks and my apologies for going off topic as well.