I don’t remember what mine was set to when new out of the box.
The default, as such, it what it was last set to during a previous startup cycle be it at the factory or by the user.
Here is an excerpt from the manual:
I have used mine with several amps and the selected voltage has an impact on the sound quality depending on the characteristics of the amp and how it was designed… Headphones matter, and with a tube amp the tubes matter especially as they impact the power output. I roll tubes on my Woo amps and the tubes I like don’t play well with my Qutest. With all three tube amps I use 1 volt output isn’t very satisfying, 2 is decent for sound quality but volume issues are bad, 3 too much although some tracks are ok, with added volume issues. 3 into an active or passive pre amp can give some amazing results depending… I use Woo WA6, Woo WA22, and McIntosh MHA200. The bare Qutest is a challenge on all three but most so on the WA22 as the most powerful, and the MHA200 with a challenging volume/gain POT. I would not recommend a Qutest direct on any of the three as you have to use a lower input voltage which sacrifices sound quality. Using 2 or 3 volts leaves you dealing with a volume control POT turned almost off and a narrow range of use before the volume is too high. There is a real hearing safety issue as well if you fail to zero the volume on startup. Aside from that being a PITA sound quality again suffers. I find my Woo do their best with the volume at 1200-1300 but the source has to be right. A bare Qutest, in my experience, is a poor match. I now use two pre amps in my setups in part due to trying to fit my Qutest into the chain. I bought a Chord Anni specifically to get quality use from the Qutest. You might find satisfaction with a Qutest / WA6 pairing and the right tubes, headphones etc. I was unable to do so and wouldn’t recommend the pairing. Also, my Woo amps are both first generation in case that comes into play. A long convoluted answer, totally unscientific, but it is what it is. Hope it helps.
