Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread
Jul 6, 2021 at 8:32 PM Post #5,552 of 6,736
Jul 12, 2021 at 10:07 PM Post #5,554 of 6,736
Does anybody listen to the qutest with the topping A90 and could share their opinion.
I really like the A90 switch in front and preamp, but i hate the gustard X16 that i have currently. And i was thinking upgrading to the qutest, mainly for soundstage and musicality.
 
Jul 14, 2021 at 5:18 AM Post #5,555 of 6,736
I'm thinking of replacing my Zen Dac with the Chord Qutest (I'll use my Zen Can as the amp). As I mainly listen to Tidal/MQA am I correct in thinking that there will still be a big lift in detail and clarity over the Zen Dac?
 
Jul 19, 2021 at 5:32 AM Post #5,556 of 6,736
Has anyone had to replace their rubber feet on their Qutest. I bought mine used and its missing 3 feet. Wondering if anyone has found any replacements online
 
Jul 19, 2021 at 6:00 AM Post #5,557 of 6,736
Don’t look like anything too special, some self adhesive polyurethane or sorbathane furniture protectors from the local hardware would do the job …
Online from say Amazon there would be a range of equipment feet from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars ….. each … 😳
 
Jul 19, 2021 at 6:33 AM Post #5,559 of 6,736
Jul 19, 2021 at 3:57 PM Post #5,560 of 6,736
There’s also the genuine Chord Qutest stand system for a “mere” $395 ?? … 😳
You probably need the stock feet to locate the unit in the stand. They have to be audiophile grade...
Wonder how hot the unit got to get the feet to come off or how much solvent etc was used to clean it? Its not like a portable device and the feet even stay on MOJOs.
Any local hardware store, pharmacy etc probably has some stickies that will work for a buck.
 
Jul 20, 2021 at 1:11 AM Post #5,561 of 6,736
I removed them from mine to fit taller and larger feet (I needed to clear the railings of the top-loading cd player in which the test was sitting). The original feet were very firmly stuck, took some pulling to remove them.
 
Jul 23, 2021 at 6:43 AM Post #5,562 of 6,736
Jul 26, 2021 at 6:22 AM Post #5,563 of 6,736
Hello everybody.
I had promised myself not to write anything until I had read the whole discussion, but - with all my best will - I got stuck on page. 120.
I am a new owner of this dac, purchased second hand, used for 6 months.
I'm not much of a dac expert having only had one many years ago (90s), so I don't have great terms of comparison.
The current headphone system is composed as follows: mini-pc with Daphile -> Qutest -> Microtzotl MZ2 -> Sennheiser HD800 (without S).
As soon as it was installed, I immediately noticed an aggressive and ringing sound. Going on with the listening the feeling did not change and I soon came to a listening fatigue that forced me to lower the volume to unsatisfactory levels.
At the time I thought that the dac had not been used enough and that it was still running in, or that the power supply (infamous :D) was not up to par, etc ....
I then tried to use the filters: I immediately started with the red one, but the sound was too dark and the HD800 was as if they had transformed into the Audioquest Nighthawk (lol). With the orange filter I got the best result, but in the long run I still noticed a sound that tended to distort in the peaks.
At a certain point the light bulb came on: let me check the output voltage.
... and in fact the previous owner had left it set to 3 volts.
Lowered the level to 2V everything is linearized. Now I use the white filter (which would sound "nature" like mom did, if I don't get it wrong) and the sound has lost any aggression.
It remains a detailed (highly detailed) dac, but also smooth and refined. I wouldn't call it "analog", at least not as I remember it (but many years have passed since the last turntable).
I avoid saying the usual platitudes, that is, now I notice details that I did not notice before (but it is the truth).

The advice I can give (but will have already been given in abundance after almost 400 pages of discussion) is to choose the output voltage well, and to do it by ear.

P.S .: I tried to write as simply as possible to simplify the task for Google translate. I hope you understand something.
 
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Jul 27, 2021 at 8:38 AM Post #5,564 of 6,736
Black Panther (the effect of the Qutest lights on the wall. Will it be wanted?)

Qutest.jpg
 
Jul 31, 2021 at 4:29 AM Post #5,565 of 6,736
I have just received my Chord Qutest, it is replacing the RME ADI-2 DAC FS. It's my first external DAC, and I will be pairing it with the Diana Phi + Formula S & Powerman. Looking forward to enjoying my music over the weekend with the Qutest doing its thing :)

Ooh, I've also got one question. My XI Audio Formula S input sensitivity is rated at 1000mV, does this mean I should set the output of the Qutest to 1v instead of 2/3v?
 

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