[musicasmedicine]

Also, I'm playing 24/192 albums on apple music but the LED is still red on the Qutest. What am I doing wrong? Apple Music settings are set to maximum (24/192)

EDIT: figured this out. AppleMusic and macOS are to blame - it's not bit perfect and there is no exclusive mode. Sigh.

 

[The Jester]

Didn’t notice an issue with mine although I’m not using the stock cable …

 

[musicasmedicine]

Yeah Im using the stock cable. I'm assuming this is normal.

 

[The Jester]

Checkout bit perfect app to set output mode …

 

[musicasmedicine]

Looks like they haven't updated in a while? No support for Big Sur?

 

[The Jester]

Don’t use it myself, I use a Windows based player, just seen others recommending it ?

 

[Nostoi]

What's the best way to connect the BNC inputs to a set of RCA plugs on an amp, if I wanted to run two amps concurrently from the Qutest? Anyone got cable/adaptor recommendations?

 

[Christer]

Set it all up today! Sounds great but I have a question. Is everyone's USB-B IN a bit loose? It doesn't lock into place when I connect the cable.

As I see it both the supplied power unit and the very annoying USB connection it has, are the TWO Achilles heels of Qutest.
Cheap choices imho.
But fed well recorded music with a better supply and via Mscaler or PGGB ,it can deliver VERY good SQ.
Cheers CC

 

[musicasmedicine]

Yeah, thanks. Glad to know it’s not just me!
I’m loving it so far. Increased depth is the main thing I’ve noticed. Whether it’s placebo or not, frankly I don’t care haha. It’s a well built product for the most part, made in the UK, and has a very unique design + measures extremely well. I’m very happy with it.

I’m using it with a JDS atom amp+ as I wanted a super clean, powerful amp that didn’t change the sound of the Qutest much. Will look into an Anni or something in a couple of years

Next purchase will likely be a Verite Open down the road

As I see it both the supplied power unit and the very annoying USB connection it has, are the TWO Achilles heels of Qutest.
Cheap choices imho.
But fed well recorded music with a better supply and via Mscaler or PGGB ,it can deliver VERY good SQ.
Cheers CC

 

[Cekootje]

I’ve been playing around with different power supplies. I don’t really notice any difference. Sooooo is my system not resolving enough? Are my ears broken? What is it?

 

[Nostoi]

I’ve been playing around with different power supplies. I don’t really notice any difference. Sooooo is my system not resolving enough? Are my ears broken? What is it?

Which ones, if I may ask?

 

[Cekootje]

Which ones, if I may ask?

Battery power vs the regular psu. I wanted the battery to sound better so at first I thought it did. But then I did some blind tests and guess what? No difference at all.

 

[Nostoi]

Battery power vs the regular psu. I wanted the battery to sound better so at first I thought it did. But then I did some blind tests and guess what? No difference at all.

Blind test is the only way. I have the Farad Super3 incoming next week, which I'll test in the same way.

TBH: I was driving the Qutest directly from an external Thinkpad USB-C dock, which outputs 5v through an always-on USB port and couldn't hear the difference when powering from the regular PSU. The Thinkpad USB-C dock set-up is likely considered the most non-audiophile route possible, but sounded perfectly good to me.

 

[Triode User]

Battery power vs the regular psu. I wanted the battery to sound better so at first I thought it did. But then I did some blind tests and guess what? No difference at all.

I found battery came out relatively poorly powering the Qutest compared to some other power supplies. To my ears the Qutest really does benefit from good power from the sublime (Sean Jacobs DC4) to the Farad Super3 which I thought a good balance of cost vs sound quality (and which was much better than battery to my ears). Of course all batteries are not equal and also it is worth mentioning that some people have good success with huge battery low impedance banks going into a regulator stage to power the Qutest (and indeed the Dave).

 

[Cekootje]

I found battery came out relatively poorly powering the Qutest compared to some other power supplies. To my ears the Qutest really does benefit from good power from the sublime (Sean Jacobs DC4) to the Farad Super3 which I thought a good balance of cost vs sound quality (and which was much better than battery to my ears). Of course all batteries are not equal and also it is worth mentioning that some people have good success with huge battery low impedance banks going into a regulator stage to power the Qutest (and indeed the Dave).

I’m not that technical, can you explain what different properties batteries can have? I was thinking 5V is 5V but apparently not?