[VocaloidDude]

Color me perplexed. The Qutest is just as big as the Modi, but it costs more than the gumby. Why is the Gungnir so big, and why is the Qutest so small?

 

[theveterans]

Color me perplexed. The Qutest is just as big as the Modi, but it costs more than the gumby. Why is the Gungnir so big, and why is the Qutest so small?

Qutest has FPGA chip that does almost everything in one module. Very simple analog stage. Non-modular design, external power supply, etc.

 

[Spareribs]

It probably has some elements of their $11,000 DAC which is considered to be outstanding.

Chord's external casing is unique and probably more expensive to manufacture where as the Schiit products use standard but good quality metal boxes and probably cheaper to produce.

I don't know if Chord makes their stuff in England but if they do, my guess is that it may be more expensive to manufacture products in England compared to the USA but I am not an expert in that particular field so my speculation may be wrong.

 

[Baten]

Some are made to impress.

Some are made to perform.

 

[Thenewguy007]

All Chord digital products are powered by cheap switching power supplies. Normally multiple large transformers based linear power supplies are powering the higher ends DACs & that drives up their prices & size.

The digital board inside the Qutest costs probably the same as the Schiit Modi does to make. What you are essentially paying for is the R&D they spent to give it the sound it gives, nothing more.

 

[Baten]

All Chord digital products are powered by cheap switching power supplies. Normally multiple large transformers based linear power supplies are powering the higher ends DACs & that drives up their prices & size.

The digital board inside the Qutest costs probably the same as the Schiit Modi does to make. What you are essentially paying for is the R&D they spent to give it the sound it gives, nothing more.

You realise the "cheap" power can be filtered internally to clean power? The power adapter does not need to be an external LPS.

 

[Ludique]

Chord's case is made of aluminium and glass, Schiit uses magnetic materials which are not exactly good for hifi.

 

[FangJoker]

Chord's case is made of aluminium and glass, Schiit uses magnetic materials which are not exactly good for hifi.

You hit it on the nose. Schiit products are overrated and I believe that many people but it because its cheap and they want to support a USA company. The same goes for Campfire Audio. I dislike many of their IEMs because they are too sensitive.

 

[eugenius]

The digital board inside the Qutest costs probably the same as the Schiit Modi does to make.

Wrong. Just the FPGA chip in the Qutest costs over twice as much as the whole Modi.