Chord Electronics Qutest DAC - Official Thread

[lexx21]

It isnt a non issue. Using the usb input there is a short blast of white noise on each track that I played. The src-dx eliminates that.

 

[CH23]

It isnt a non issue. Using the usb input there is a short blast of white noise on each track that I played. The src-dx eliminates that.

that sounds like a driver issue. mine doesn't do that via USB

 

[blueninjasix]

The white noise issue has been observed frequently when upsampling to 768kHz. SRC-DX allows users to bypass the Amenaro usb chip in favour of the dual bnc input. This is especially useful for HQPlayer users and in any case, dual bnc just sounds better than usb.

 

[CH23]

in that case I have an amazingly simple solution. it will blow people's minds: try not upsampling the audio. with the way Rob Watts made these DACs, there's no need to do so at all. (personally I don't believe there ever is a need for it)

 

[lexx21]

in that case I have an amazingly simple solution. it will blow people's minds: try not upsampling the audio. with the way Rob Watts made these DACs, there's no need to do so at all.

I happen to be an avid hqplayer user. If you don't want to upsample, that's your perogative.

 

[CH23]

I happen to be an avid hqplayer user. If you don't want to upsample, that's your perogative.

of course it is. but when given the choice between "spending $170 to solve a self-created problem" or "not upsampling", I feel like the better option is the one where you don't need to spend $170.

 

[lexx21]

of course it is. but when given the choice between "spending $170 to solve a self-created problem" or "not upsampling", I feel like the better option is the one where you don't need to spend $170.

Up to you.

 

[ChristoT]

Up to you.

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

 

[CH23]

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

that's the whole point of the taps, yeah.

EDIT: Here's Rob Watts talking about it:

 

[knownothing2]

For what it’s worth, I remember Rob Watts himself recommending somewhere way back in this thread that it’s best to feed Qutest only with pure unaltered source signal and, with the exception of M-Scaler, avoid upscaling. Apparently Qutest does its own upscaling math better this way.

This was my using either an iFi reclocker or upsampling in JRiver ahead of a QuteHD, Qutest or a Mojo2. Sound was best with unmodified digital feed directly into the Chord DAC. I think the Qutest sounds terrific with MP3/4 and redbook files - best sound for lower res digital in my system that I have experienced to date.

I have not tried HQPlayer, so maybe that functions differently/better to up sample ahead of a Chord DAC. Dunno.

kn