[Hiker816]

My guess is it'll cost between 15-20k USD.

When i was on the Dutch HiFi show in october i think it was Colin of Chord said €10k to me when i asked about price area

I recall hearing about a year ago to expect a price similar to the Dave. That's close but a bit above 10k Euros (maybe about that street price), but 15-20k USD is definitely more than Dave. I wonder if last year's estimate is out the window. I really hope Reactcore is on the right track. 15k USD is, in my mind, what separates gear from "will have to stretch but possible if it's really good" from "I have more money than I know what to do with" or "this is so revolutionary that it actually is worth selling an organ." If the Quartet is really that revolutionary, great, it deserves to command that sort of price. If it's a great improvement but not a product that changes the entire audio industry forever, sneaking under 15k would make a lot more sense.

Or maybe I am just rationalizing this since I would have trouble affording one at that price.

 

[nwavesailor]

Is the official chord name the Quartet?

 

[dac64]

Long story short, I'll trade in my excesses, if things go well, to replace the HMS/Qutest with the Quartet and Ultimate Dac because of the Yamaha NS5000.

 

[makan]

ignore…deleted post as I figured it out.

 

[stemiki]

I think Chord is one of the most correct Hi End companies in setting the right price for the products it creates.

Unlike others who make products (let's call them artisanal) that have ridiculous prices and make no sense.

They are products made in small quantities and which continue to rise in price, otherwise the business won't continue.

Companies that in my opinion have no future...

 

[T Bone]

After reading the positive feedback users have given the optical input on the M-Scaler, I thought I'd give it a try myself.
My current streamer is a Magna HiFi Mano which has SPIDF output - but no Toslink.
I picked up a HiFiBerry DigiPro 2 audio HAT for $50 and burned a RoPieee image onto the Pi.

Next I tried streaming different formats of music through it. Everything was fine till I hit 24/192. That wouldn't stream.

• DSD64 (1x)
• DSD128 (2x)
• 24/88.2 kHZ
• 24/96 kHZ
• 24/176.4 kHZ
• 24/192 kHZ

I searched this thread and found other people had success with a different Toslink cable. ...so I ordered a short KableDirect optical cable from Amazon. Hoping that solves the issue. I must admit it feels weird to feed $11k worth of DAC/Scaler with < $100 of DIY gear.

 

[alxw0w]

After reading the positive feedback users have given the optical input on the M-Scaler, I thought I'd give it a try myself.
My current streamer is a Magna HiFi Mano which has SPIDF output - but no Toslink.
I picked up a HiFiBerry DigiPro 2 audio HAT for $50 and burned a RoPieee image onto the Pi.

Next I tried streaming different formats of music through it. Everything was fine till I hit 24/192. That wouldn't stream.

• DSD64 (1x)
• DSD128 (2x)
• 24/88.2 kHZ
• 24/96 kHZ
• 24/176.4 kHZ
• 24/192 kHZ

I searched this thread and found other people had success with a different Toslink cable. ...so I ordered a short KableDirect optical cable from Amazon. Hoping that solves the issue. I must admit it feels weird to feed $11k worth of DAC/Scaler with < $100 of DIY gear.

No its not weird.
Read here.

We could not hear a difference between hifiberry toslink vs optical rendu + farad3 (connected via usb cable. I believe it was Audioquest carbon, yes the cable alone costs more than hifiberry + rpi4), not a chance.
Don't waste your money on a "better" streamer.

 

[T Bone]

No its not weird.
Read here.

We could not hear a difference between hifiberry toslink vs optical rendu + farad3 (connected vis usb cable. I believe it was Audioquest carbon, yes the cable alone costs more than hifiberry + rpi4), not a chance.
Don't waste your money on "better" streamer.

Now that is interesting! I guess without a clock signal to jitter or possibility of electrical interface it doesn't really matter how the photons get created.
Prior to this "low-dollar" TOSLINK experiment, I was considering a Holo Red streamer as a good option for getting an optical input into my M-Scaler.
Based on your experiences it sounds like that would be overkill.

 

[Meridian7]

I think it's not prudent to think in general terms. Each setup is in it's very particular 'environment' factors.
But testimonies are what they are and sure valuable, yet not necessarily overly general imho.

 

[alxw0w]

Now that is interesting! I guess without a clock signal to jitter or possibility of electrical interface it doesn't really matter how the photons get created.
Prior to this "low-dollar" TOSLINK experiment, I was considering a Holo Red streamer as a good option for getting an optical input into my M-Scaler.
Based on your experiences it sounds like that would be overkill.

When toslink is used noise is eliminated or any ground loop.
And Chord jitter rejection is very good, so with any decent source you have nothing to worry about.

Each setup is in it's very particular 'environment' factors.

What other factors are there when you eliminate noise and jitter issue in a DIGITAL STREAMER? Please tell.

 

[Meridian7]

Power supply conditions, all cables (not just the toslink), exposure to electromagnetic radiation sources, AC grid influences, your ability to discern is not a static thing,... what you ate, who you're married to, the pressure of car tires and religion executed

 

[alxw0w]

Power supply conditions, all cables

Again, how power supply from streamer influence the sound when you use toslink?

 

[Meridian7]

Again, how power supply from streamer influence the sound when you use toslink?

Usually other components need a ps too, right? I was widening to the whole shebang not just the streamer.
If that toslink sender has a PS that feeds pollution into the mains, that travels to your toslink receiver over mains, bypassing the optical cable.
Why is the Puritan mains conditioner well designed? Because it takes special care of several components to not pollute each other over the common mains.
Btw I work with toslink from streamer to Mscaler for the reasons you give, so I'm with you.

 

[alxw0w]

Usually other components need a ps too, right? I was widening to the whole shebang not just the streamer.
If that toslink sender has a PS that feeds pollution into the mains, that travels to your toslink receiver over mains, bypassing the optical cable.
Why is the Puritan mains conditioner well designed? Because it takes special care of several components to not pollute each other over the common mains.

Ah yes pollution over mains...

Why is the Puritan mains conditioner well designed?

To take your money.

ps. what if I use powerbank with raspberry pi?
ps.2 enough side talk from my side, hope that helps someone to keep their money

 

[miketlse]

I searched this thread and found other people had success with a different Toslink cable. ...so I ordered a short KableDirect optical cable from Amazon. Hoping that solves the issue. I must admit it feels weird to feed $11k worth of DAC/Scaler with < $100 of DIY gear.

I understand that it can feel strange using a cheaper optical cable.
I have five Kabeldirect cables for various use cases, and all work ok as expected.
I worked 10 years as a cost engineering specialist, and I can understand salesmen trying to encourage you to buy expensive cables, but they are b**lsh*tting you to spend money that you could invest elsewhere.