[Christer]

I own a Qutest, so I’m pretty sure.

I also own a Qutest and there is NO on /off button or switch.
Plugging it in and out is the only option to turn it on or off.
Nor did it come with any remote which the portable HUGO 2 obviously is delivered with.

 

[Skampmeister]

I think we have all established by now that there’s no on/off switch.

 

[Christer]

I think we have all established by now that there’s no on/off switch.

Agreed and before I might be accused of "throwing grenades" again with my input, I would like to add that I quite like Qutest with most of my hi res tracks playing via my Benchmark headphone amp . And even on a low res Yoga Nidra mp3 track the absence of sibilance that was very annoying on HUGO is now gone.
I just had to play that track via my Benchmark DAC2 before.
Could it be the addition of galvanic isolation delivering its magic or are the added taps fully responsible?
Anyway I am quite happy with my Qutest even with a cheapish ,different company, "Chord Clearway" cable, for the time being,I might add, into my Benchmark headphone amp. An M'scaler at a reasonable price might be what would catapult Qutest into even higher territory if my initial auditions under slightly less than ideal conditions prove right.
It is a VERY CLEAR advance over HUGO. Much more resolving and especially with some old 1970s analogue classical stuff like the classic DECCA Turandot 24/96 now very enjoyable compared to HUGO which sounded hard and harsh and flat in comparison.
Still no DAVE or DAVE BLU2 or Dcs for that matter, but much better than HUGO imho.
PS. I might see some of you guys tomorrow at Singapore Can Jam. I'm in town again,and have just attended a great live SSO Concert at the Esplanade tonight. Highlights imho, were a contempory work by a local composer from Singapore Kelly Tang 's Three Symphomic Dances and Mozart's glorious symphony Nr 38 played by a large orchestra for a change.
Absolutely brillant stuff live. I half expected to see Rob there but I did no spot him there.Nor at the Adelphi.
Cheers Christer

 

[Light - Man]

Re: "throwing grenades" again

Christer, you better not leave any of your bags unattended at the Adelphi or anywhere else, especially if Rob is in the vicinity as you may very likely be carted off by security and we might never hear from you again!

 

[eric1974]

I am waiting on Qutest availability in the US and need advice on what PC or Mac configuration will enable the Qutest to accurately receive bit-perfect music files with minimal USB noise (is noise truly a risk with the Qutest?). First, I'm confused about the noise issue in general. If computers send the original music file accurately (and that should be the case with any external usb drive, hard drive, etc.), does the Qutest design prevent/clean up any noise interference once it's in the Qutest before the dac starts processing the source music file? If so, then does it matter what computer you choose as your digital file source, provided your settings in iTunes, Audirvana, etc. do not upsample or make any other changes to the original flac, aiff or other source file? And secondly, does anyone see an additional problem in using my MacBook as the digital source, where the single USB-c output connects to a USB-c hub with regular USB ports where one is for an external hard drive where music files reside and another USB port for the Qutest connection?

Thanks in advance for helping me get started!

 

[bmfmarius]

Buy the sotm 200 or 200 ultra streamer! Connect the Qutest to the streamer (USB) and you are set!!!
If you really want to use a computer, buy the Mac..! But they don't compare with the sotm!

 

[soares]

If you’re using USB, in order to have the optimal sound from the Dac you absolutely need to buy a Mrendu or a Ultrarendu (http://www.sonore.us/ultraRendu.html, or also look elsewhere, for instance an SOTM sMS-200 or a sMS-200ultra (http://www.sotm-audio.com/sotmwp/english/portfolio-item/sms-200ultra/). Here again there’s a huge increase in sound quality if you use a a LPS. Please note that in my system , the Sboosters were much better than the Ultracap LPS-1, at least with the Mrendu and the UltraRendu. I have the two. Can’t advice on the SOMT’s , because I never tried them. This results were obtained using the2qute, a nano black edition and an Oppo205 as Dacs. Can't comment on the Qutest, but I guess you will have the same results. As a source, there was not big differences between my Macbook and a sonic transporter i5. I am using roon as sodtware. Regards, Jorge

 

[koven]

When you get it can you do a comparison versus your H2? There seems to be a consensus that Qutest as a DAC is better than Hugo 2 but we could use some more impressions to get a better picture.

I thought Hugo 2 and Qutest DAC specs are the same?

 

[eric1974]

Thanks for the advice on going a different direction with the sms-200 or rendu. I'm reading about them now, so a new learning curve on yet another hardware device! I assume under these designs that I still use my external hard drive connected to the Mac where my music files are located, but that instead of a direct USB connection to the MAC, I use my local wifi network to communicate with the sms-200 or rendu via Roon to play music of my choice. Or, is a wired ethernet connection to the sms-200 required? Anyway, just starting to learn about this!

 

[bmfmarius]

Wired is the best way

 

[soares]

Thanks for the advice on going a different direction with the sms-200 or rendu. I'm reading about them now, so a new learning curve on yet another hardware device! I assume under these designs that I still use my external hard drive connected to the Mac where my music files are located, but that instead of a direct USB connection to the MAC, I use my local wifi network to communicate with the sms-200 or rendu via Roon to play music of my choice. Or, is a wired ethernet connection to the sms-200 required? Anyway, just starting to learn about this!

Wired is the best way... By the way I am also using 2 TPlink 200 for the ethernet input.

 

[dolphy007]

Why use a PC or MAC? I'm using an Auralic Aires and I couldn't be happier. I'd be using a Bluesound Node if I didn't have the Aires.

They are one box solutions with minimal optimisation required.

 

[eric1974]

Thanks everyone for your insights on alternatives to PC or MAC. Since I already have an external USB-C drive with music files attached to my MacBook, I will invest the money in an additional component such as the SMS-200 Ultra only if the Chord Qutest benefits from the USB connection between the SMS, for example, vs the MAC USB connection. Perhaps an insight from Mr. Watts: Do you need a cleaner USB signal to accurately transfer digital files to the internal dac (and therefore would benefit from a SMS-200) or does your proprietary design "clean up" any noisy transfers and do equally well with a computer USB port output? Has anyone done an A/B comparison between these two alternatives to a Chord dac? Perhaps other dacs need an SMS-200 but less needed by Qutest?

 

[soares]

Can't help with it. I am still waiting for my Qutest, but The rendus provide for much more than a simple clean signal. If it's just that you need you might consider an ISO Regen. Good luck Erick

 

[GSP_]

I am waiting on Qutest availability in the US and need advice on what PC or Mac configuration will enable the Qutest to accurately receive bit-perfect music files with minimal USB noise (is noise truly a risk with the Qutest?). First, I'm confused about the noise issue in general. If computers send the original music file accurately (and that should be the case with any external usb drive, hard drive, etc.), does the Qutest design prevent/clean up any noise interference once it's in the Qutest before the dac starts processing the source music file? If so, then does it matter what computer you choose as your digital file source, provided your settings in iTunes, Audirvana, etc. do not upsample or make any other changes to the original flac, aiff or other source file? And secondly, does anyone see an additional problem in using my MacBook as the digital source, where the single USB-c output connects to a USB-c hub with regular USB ports where one is for an external hard drive where music files reside and another USB port for the Qutest connection?

Thanks in advance for helping me get started!

If I were you, I’d get the Qutest in hand & hooked up to your system before adding additional components. Folks on this forum have good hearts, but sometimes they’ll try to convince you that you must have certain additions when said additions may not add much to your personal listening experience.

For reference: I run an outboard DAC fed lossless via MacBook Pro USB, to quality home audio equipment - and it’s quite well done. When I get a qutest, it’ll simply be plug-n-play & enjoy.