[Triode User]

Good to know. How has the LPS improved the sound of the Node? I’ve got a Cullen power cable that I’ve had for a while and been happy with it always looking at ways to improve things

I used the interface board made in Poland. That with the LPS made the Nide sound smoother. Everyone who has gone that route has been pleased.

 

[George Hincapie]

Or to put it another way...

The Qutest is still the best DAC you can buy at that price point and there isn't a new model in the works anytime soon.

Is that a joke? Several DACs I have auditioned are better at that price point. The Qutest is a good DAC, but crazy claims are not helpful.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Is that a joke? Several DACs I have auditioned are better at that price point. The Qutest is a good DAC, but crazy claims are not helpful.

Oh, which DACs are those? And please don't tell me the Topping D90SE, don't make me laugh. Do tell me which DACs are those.

 

[Jetblack08]

I was considering getting a Dave but since I started playing 24bit 192kHz music through the Qutest I am no longer in a hurry. Perhaps an M scaler and call it a day.

 

[Womaz]

In December last year I got a new Niimbus US5 Pro amp and I could not decide on a DAC.
I was considering the Qutest, the Sonnet Morpheus and the Denafrips Pontus2.
I decided to go for the cheapest option at first and then maybe upgrade, so that was the Qutest.#The biggest compliment I can pay it is that I do not have that urge to change it. The set up sounds excellent.

 

[DJW50]

I was considering getting a Dave but since I started playing 24bit 192kHz music through the Qutest I am no longer in a hurry. Perhaps an M scaler and call it a day.

Me too, since buying a decent LPS for my Qutest I'm in no hurry to buy a DAVE although I will in about 12 months time.
My Auralic Aries G1 upscales to 384kHz 32 bit and it sounds wonderful
I've also decided to give the M Scaler a miss too because of the need to buy very expensive interconnects to do it justice.
As the Qutest is just a DAC I guess all the money has gone into it's one purpose so when I connect it to my Pathos Inpol Ear and then into my Focal Utopia's it sounds wonderful, so I'm looking forward to trying the DAVE to see how much better it sounds in my system as I'm very happy at the moment.

For the record I have tried quite a few other DAC's and have kept the Qutest. I have tried DAC's that are 6 times the cost of the Qutest including the PS Audio DAC etc. I have been able to call the HiFi dealer and arrange to try each DAC, it does mean I have to pay full retail for it but it enables me to try it for a few days. As I have said everyone has gone back.

 

[Nostoi]

In December last year I got a new Niimbus US5 Pro amp and I could not decide on a DAC.
I was considering the Qutest, the Sonnet Morpheus and the Denafrips Pontus2.
I decided to go for the cheapest option at first and then maybe upgrade, so that was the Qutest.#The biggest compliment I can pay it is that I do not have that urge to change it. The set up sounds excellent.

I've had the Morpheus before, and I will say the Qutest is far more resolving and engaging. The Morpheus is a very laid back (boring) DAC.

 

[Nostoi]

Is that a joke? Several DACs I have auditioned are better at that price point. The Qutest is a good DAC, but crazy claims are not helpful.

Give examples, otherwise this is just hyperbolic clickbait.

 

[miketlse]

Is that a joke? Several DACs I have auditioned are better at that price point. The Qutest is a good DAC, but crazy claims are not helpful.

The original question was 'Is it a good decision to buy Chord Qutest now as it's already in market since last 5 years ?'.

Why not try and help the guy understand what you mean by 'crazy claims', by providing more context?
For instance a radar graph for each of the DACs you auditioned, and how they compared against various criteria.
Note - I put dummy data in this table, so the graph is illustrative and not definitive. (6 is intended to represent 'very good' and 1 to represent 'very bad'.

 

[George Hincapie]

The original question was 'Is it a good decision to buy Chord Qutest now as it's already in market since last 5 years ?'.

Why not try and help the guy understand what you mean by 'crazy claims', by providing more context?
For instance a radar graph for each of the DACs you auditioned, and how they compared against various criteria.
Note - I put dummy data in this table, so the graph is illustrative and not definitive. (6 is intended to represent 'very good' and 1 to represent 'very bad'.

I like that approach. That isn't how I form a view, but I can see the value in it.

I would have thought my 'crazy claims' meaning was obvious, but perhaps I could equally have said "I disagree with you. The World has moved on and there are more compelling choices at that price point".

I like the Qutest. I was very close to buying one after a home audition, but ultimately chose to go in a different direction.

 

[johnnym]

I like the Qutest. I was very close to buying one after a home audition, but ultimately chose to go in a different direction.

Which direction?

 

[Chop-Top]

Several DACs I have auditioned are better at that price point.

I would also like to this this list of several DACs

 

[Womaz]

I like that approach. That isn't how I form a view, but I can see the value in it.

I would have thought my 'crazy claims' meaning was obvious, but perhaps I could equally have said "I disagree with you. The World has moved on and there are more compelling choices at that price point".

I like the Qutest. I was very close to buying one after a home audition, but ultimately chose to go in a different direction.

I am interested to hear what DACs at the same price point you would say are better?
Genuinelly interested ....not just looking for a fight

 

[George Hincapie]

Which direction?

Metrum Acoustics.

 

[George Hincapie]

I am interested to hear what DACs at the same price point you would say are better?
Genuinelly interested ....not just looking for a fight

In that spirit then, I prefer the presentation of the RME ADI2 with AKM, or the Denafrips Ares II with Iris DDC (heard this recently - excellent).

I am currently using a Metrum Acoustics Musette with DAC2 modules in my headphone system. No longer available, but essentially it's an Onyx with one NOS module per channel rather than two.

In the middle of a significant upgrade to my headphone system at the moment. Replacing my current amp with an LTA MZ3 and replacing the DAC with either a Schiit Yggdrassil LiM, or a Denfrips Pontus with Hermes DDC. Go back and forth with that choice (mostly because no returns for Denafrips, so if it isn't for me I am stuck), but I'll settle on one purchase soon. Leaning toward the Yggy currently; owner feedback of thd LiM variant is superb.

I would like to audition the Hugo TT2 with the MZ3 when it arrives. The detail of the TT2 may work well with tube HPA and there could be a good synergy there, but it's £2K more than the £2500 budget I've set myself for the DAC.

Hope this helps.