Chord 2Qute’s replacement is finally here. Basically a Hugo 2 without the headphone amp. Looks like it’ll also be capable of pairing with the Chord Blu Mk. 2 M-Scaler.
Price: $1,620 USD
Qutest is our ‘pure’ DAC (it does not contain headphone amplification or rechargeable batteries like some of its range stablemates) and is designed to improve sound quality in the home. It is the latest evolution of our most affordable standalone DAC, the multi-award-winning 2Qute, which it directly replaces.
Qutest is based on our award-winning proprietary FPGA technology developed for the class-leading Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp, giving it proven class-leading technical and sonic performance. Perfectly equipped to bring the benefits our digital technology to a wide range of connected devices, it features a galvanically isolated USB-B, optical and coaxial digital input, giving an instant performance upgrade, plus the ability to modernise ageing digital source components.
The Qutest chassis is all-new, too. It has significantly greater mass than its predecessor and has been precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet. The Qutest PCB nestles within a shallow cavity in the solid aluminium chassis, giving the circuit board greater protection within the casework and additional isolation from external vibration compared to previous designs.
Qutest offers Hugo 2’s proprietary user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection controls, available via two fascia-mounted spheres, introducing useful flexibility. It also features RCA analogue outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps and headphone amps, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for connection to future Chord Electronics products.
A further new feature is a user-selectable output voltage available in 1, 2 and 3V RMS outputs for flexible connectivity with a wide range of partnering devices.
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At this price with USB galvanization , it is impossible to beat
Schiit have great multibit dacs that have USB with galvanic isolation now, at better prices than Chord. And they sound bloody fantastic.
But they use off shelf DAC ( 2$ ) which not even close to this
Actually, their multibit dacs are not off the shelf! But what you are really paying for in Qutest is the updated WTA filter and dealers margins
The mutlibit military/medical grade DACs in the mutlibit line are much more expense. The chips for Yggdrasil costs about $107 each time 4 pieces.
The Gungnir MB chips cost about $47 each times 4 pieces.