The New Chord Quartet M Scaler Discussion Thread

[GuiltyRocker]

Yes - but like all things it's a bit more complicated.

So when we got the new unlimited precision FFT running, I could see that the old coefficients were incorrect and not giving anything like the anticipated measured performance. So around the time of London CanJam panic set in, as the listening tests to design the old coefficients gave improved sound quality, which should have given a measured improvement. So either the original listening tests were wrong, or my understanding of what was technically causing the SQ changes was wrong. Not a good place to be in.

Once the new coefficients were calculated with the new tool set, I had to repeat all the original listening tests to confirm everything - and with coefficients that measured perfectly, the preferred settings were the same as before much to my relief. And it turned out that with more thorough mathematical analysis of the old coefficients did reveal that in part it was tracking the expected performance - so my understanding of what was going on was also correct. But having the correct values did give a leap in overall SQ. Also, I identified another new issue, which led to another SQ improvement. So today I am in a very good place, but it has delayed everything by 3 months.

Rob, do you also design the overall look of the unit, or does that fall to Chord to handle? When you're testing these prototypes, are you just putting them into a metal box to stop EMI and RFI and the overall look of the product is designed later? Just curious on the process.

 

[Icenine2]

Do we know ballpark the cost for this?

 

[jjazzy]

Yes - but like all things it's a bit more complicated.

So when we got the new unlimited precision FFT running, I could see that the old coefficients were incorrect and not giving anything like the anticipated measured performance. So around the time of London CanJam panic set in, as the listening tests to design the old coefficients gave improved sound quality, which should have given a measured improvement. So either the original listening tests were wrong, or my understanding of what was technically causing the SQ changes was wrong. Not a good place to be in.

Once the new coefficients were calculated with the new tool set, I had to repeat all the original listening tests to confirm everything - and with coefficients that measured perfectly, the preferred settings were the same as before much to my relief. And it turned out that with more thorough mathematical analysis of the old coefficients did reveal that in part it was tracking the expected performance - so my understanding of what was going on was also correct. But having the correct values did give a leap in overall SQ. Also, I identified another new issue, which led to another SQ improvement. So today I am in a very good place, but it has delayed everything by 3 months.

Does that mean the current mscaler was measured wrong too by design? It sounds amazing, so can’t be that wrong?

Just curiousity question, or did I understand your explanation wrong?

And another question which I try to understand. From the tt2, it has single ended and xlr, to me it seems the singled ended to my amp/speakers as dac sounds better, smoother than the xlr. Innitially I thought xlr was, beeing more bright, but in the end single ended was the best.

But always thought xlr was better in general? Because of the different way it transport music.

Thanks in advance for answering.

 

[liam boyle]

Does that also mean there's a possibility of a Hugo MS mk2 offering the improved coefficient design plus some other easier to implement improvements but at a much lower price point than the new Quartet to broaden the appeal to a wider audience?

 

[Rob Watts]

Rob, do you also design the overall look of the unit, or does that fall to Chord to handle? When you're testing these prototypes, are you just putting them into a metal box to stop EMI and RFI and the overall look of the product is designed later? Just curious on the process.

The metalwork is down to Chord. As to initial prototypes, it worked fine without the chassis, as EMC is screened via multiple ground layers on the PCB.

Do we know ballpark the cost for this?

Not yet.

Does that mean the current mscaler was measured wrong too by design? It sounds amazing, so can’t be that wrong?

Just curiousity question, or did I understand your explanation wrong?

And another question which I try to understand. From the tt2, it has single ended and xlr, to me it seems the singled ended to my amp/speakers as dac sounds better, smoother than the xlr. Innitially I thought xlr was, beeing more bright, but in the end single ended was the best.

But always thought xlr was better in general? Because of the different way it transport music.

Thanks in advance for answering.

No - the work on the coefficients I talked about does not apply to the Hugo M scaler at all. This is something else I am doing, but it consumes a huge amount of resources - a whole 200T FPGA just for this aspect, and requires almost unlimited accuracy. You will have to wait till launch for more details....

Single ended will always have the transparency edge on balanced as it's simpler. But it depends on the amp, the length of interconnect cables, and sometimes balanced will be better.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Q3 2025? What's the point? How old will the DAVE be by that time?

 

[CUBIX]

Q3 2025? What's the point? How old will the DAVE be by that time?

10 years and probably another 10 years for DAVE 2 (?)

 

[AnyDave]

Q3 2025? What's the point? How old will the DAVE be by that time?

Dave probably won't properly appreciate it until he is a bit more mature.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Dave probably won't properly appreciate it until he is a bit more mature.

. It needs another 10 years to age correctly

 

[jjazzy]

10 years and probably another 10 years for DAVE 2 (?)

Well at least they don’t come up with a new product ‘every’ 1/2 years, those brands pisses me off big time, you buy something and the next year, you can throw it in the bin, worth nothing anymore, and like me, some do appreciate some resell value.

Besides that, good still sounds good, I still hear dacs three times the price that are marginally better than a dave or tt2+ mscaler.

That is the same when I sold my 17 years old Martin Logan Summit’s, they are still better sounding than a lot of expensive new brands now (even for their age!)

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Well at least they don’t come up with a new product ‘every’ 1/2 years, those brands pisses me off big time, you buy something and the next year, you can throw it in the bin, worth nothing anymore, and like me, some do appreciate some resell value.

Besides that, good still sounds good, I still hear dacs three times the price that are marginally better than a dave or tt2+ mscaler.

That is the same when I sold my 17 years old Martin Logan Summit’s, they are still better sounding than a lot of expensive new brands now (even for their age!)

My Persona speakers are now 7 years old I think, they trash everything I hear out there, they just fit my taste so well, I couldn't care less about what's out there. I personally think that companies that release products every year or two are crooks, either releasing unfinished products, or scamming the audiophile with the same nonsense packaged in a new color or something. I appreciate what Chord and Rob do, they take their time and release a true product with no stupid firmware updates, or any other nonsense. That's the way things used to be. I'll stick with Rob's DACs, I'm currently extremely happy with my TT-2 plus M Scaler.

 

[BrandonHiFi]

I'm surprised there's no AES input on the Quartet; DAVE has one, I wish they had the same inputs.

 

[Icenine2]

We should somehow get a pool going who will be the first three to buy this when it's released. At first their will be much discussion how expensive it is, etc. Then all of a sudden at least two here will have one!

 

[Red Rd Wolf]

We should somehow get a pool going who will be the first three to buy this when it's released. At first their will be much discussion how expensive it is, etc. Then all of a sudden at least two here will have one!

I will be on the line with my dealer as soon as the Quartet and power supply are released.

 

[ecwl]

I will be on the line with my dealer as soon as the Quartet and power supply are released.

I’m planning the same thing. I wouldn’t mind being the first one in Canada to have the Quartet M-Scaler. As I might have been with the Dave and Blu2.