Should I upgrade to Chord Qutest?

[nitinmi9]

Cool. Thats a worthy upgrade, Right? Is it still musical compared to D300?
And, what is the rest of your chain?

So far it does seem that it’s a good upgrade

At some point will do A/B. after few days maybe

Musical - definitely yes

Chain - WiiM pro +, mojo, O&B power amp, lintons

 

[ajuvignesh]

So far it does seem that it’s a good upgrade

At some point will do A/B. after few days maybe

Musical - definitely yes

Chain - WiiM pro +, mojo, O&B power amp, lintons

Super. Your chain is very good. Enjoy music

 

[nitinmi9]

Super. Your chain is very good. Enjoy music

Thank u.

 

[ajuvignesh]

Thank u.

Welcome. When you get time and if possible please post an AB comparison review.

 

[nitinmi9]

Welcome. When you get time and if possible please post an AB comparison review.

will do

 

[Mayasandra_l]

Enjoy the new toy. Give the mojo about 80 -100 hours, the soundstage depth would improve further.

 

[nitinmi9]

Enjoy the new toy. Give the mojo about 80 -100 hours, the soundstage depth would improve further.

Great to know that it would improve further. never knew that DACs also need time to open up.

But yes, I can clearly notice some improvements in the last few days.

As my chain is also connected to the TV, the target hours should reach quicker

 

[Amarendra]

Great to know that it would improve further. never knew that DACs also need time to open up.

But yes, I can clearly notice some improvements in the last few days.

As my chain is also connected to the TV, the target hours should reach quicker

Do you notice improvements or is it a change of flavor ? What I am trying to understand is if there was something missing in the earlier DAC. Secondly if you are not doing a quick A/B comparison do you notice any improvement ?
Many times when switching between the default Wiim Pro DAC (Burr Brown/TI) vs Audioquest vs Modi+, I only notice a change in focus - one may focus on mids, some other may bring the ambience to the fore etc. But what I feel is that unless I switched rapidly between the 3 DACs, I may not miss one over the other. There is a preference for the Modi+ then the Audioquest, etc but when listening to music I dont find anything missing using either of the 3 DACs.

 

[nitinmi9]

Do you notice improvements or is it a change of flavor ? What I am trying to understand is if there was something missing in the earlier DAC. Secondly if you are not doing a quick A/B comparison do you notice any improvement ?
Many times when switching between the default Wiim Pro DAC (Burr Brown/TI) vs Audioquest vs Modi+, I only notice a change in focus - one may focus on mids, some other may bring the ambience to the fore etc. But what I feel is that unless I switched rapidly between the 3 DACs, I may not miss one over the other. There is a preference for the Modi+ then the Audioquest, etc but when listening to music I dont find anything missing using either of the 3 DACs.

One thing that I noticed immediately -

Sound stage. Previously with D300 it was much narrower. Now, I as well as my better half can immediately notice a much wider soundstage. I said it before - speakers seems to have disappeared. Something that didn't happen with D300, Arylic and Wiim Pro+ dacs

We are more flexible in our sitting now. As my system is in my bedroom, this becomes very important for us.

As regards other points mentioned by you - I agree. Every dac has it's strengths and weaknesses. The ideal way would be to do a A/B that I haven't done so far.

One more thing in favor of mojo - tons of customisation that it offers. Haven't played much with that. But whatever little I have tried creates a significant impact. I therefore believe, one can change the sound as per the requirement. I look forward to do it more in future (as my ears crave for something different).

On a side note - was watching Manjummel boys the other day and the sound coming out was brilliant. Have watched multiple other movies on previous dacs and they never wowed me to this extent.

Again - it's been only a few days. Hope that the observations are for real and the dac continues to wow !

 

[shibashis]

Chord adds another one to their list of disciples then? Is that a fair assumption?
I do not think of DACs anymore ever since I got my Qutest, it is clear to me that the money I will have to spend to better the Qutest in tangible terms, will be irrational and beyond reason. I am not going to spend that kind of money and so I am content with 2 of my Chords.
Unfortunately my Qutest is not getting much use these days..., lets hope I can change that.

 

[amit11]

Chord adds another one to their list of disciples then? Is that a fair assumption?
I do not think of DACs anymore ever since I got my Qutest, it is clear to me that the money I will have to spend to better the Qutest in tangible terms, will be irrational and beyond reason. I am not going to spend that kind of money and so I am content with 2 of my Chords.
Unfortunately my Qutest is not getting much use these days..., lets hope I can change that.

Same for me also after getting qutest.

I also do not think of DACs anymore. In the sense that, suppose i find on net that there is some new DAC be it r2r or chip based, whether it will better than qutest or not?

Ofcourse those DACs are expensive than qutest and outside my budget, but still that sense of uncertainty lies that even if i manage to purchase it, will it be really better than qutest? Even if it is better will it have something missing which is there in qutest?


This kind of uncertainty started only after qutest.
Before that it was never that way. Rather it was other way round, that if i upgrade with a different and expensive dac then surely it will improve something.

 

[nitinmi9]

Chord adds another one to their list of disciples then? Is that a fair assumption?
I do not think of DACs anymore ever since I got my Qutest, it is clear to me that the money I will have to spend to better the Qutest in tangible terms, will be irrational and beyond reason. I am not going to spend that kind of money and so I am content with 2 of my Chords.
Unfortunately my Qutest is not getting much use these days..., lets hope I can change that.

Yeah, seems like and I really hope so

Don't know about the long term but in the foreseeable future I don't plan to touch the DAC part of my chain. If at all anything would be done, it would be something else.

 

[nitinmi9]

Same for me also after getting qutest.

I also do not think of DACs anymore. In the sense that, suppose i find on net that there is some new DAC be it r2r or chip based, whether it will better than qutest or not?

Ofcourse those DACs are expensive than qutest and outside my budget, but still that sense of uncertainty lies that even if i manage to purchase it, will it be really better than qutest? Even if it is better will it have something missing which is there in qutest?


This kind of uncertainty started only after qutest.
Before that it was never that way. Rather it was other way round, that if i upgrade with a different and expensive dac then surely it will improve something.

Super

 

[shibashis]

Yeah, seems like and I really hope so

Don't know about the long term but in the foreseeable future I don't plan to touch the DAC part of my chain. If at all anything would be done, it would be something else.

Honestly that upgrade itch has subsided down a great extent with my Qutest, of course there are better DACs out there and I would love to own them but that is beyond my capability. I hope to hold on to the Qutest till they release a Qutest 2 like that have done with the Mojo, and then we will see.

 

[shibashis]

Same for me also after getting qutest.

I also do not think of DACs anymore. In the sense that, suppose i find on net that there is some new DAC be it r2r or chip based, whether it will better than qutest or not?

Ofcourse those DACs are expensive than qutest and outside my budget, but still that sense of uncertainty lies that even if i manage to purchase it, will it be really better than qutest? Even if it is better will it have something missing which is there in qutest?


This kind of uncertainty started only after qutest.
Before that it was never that way. Rather it was other way round, that if i upgrade with a different and expensive dac then surely it will improve something.

Hit the nail on the head my friend. I am apprehensive to try something else, a DCS or a Metrum perhaps, sure but then again that money has its name for other priorities of life.

 

[nitinmi9]

Hit the nail on the head my friend. I am apprehensive to try something else, a DCS or a Metrum perhaps, sure but then again that money has its name for other priorities of life.

Mojo 2 is a super value for money. I can confidently bet, nothing else comes even close.

The clarity, the punch, the separation, the soundstage !

Overall musicality is excellent

I can imagine why there are Qutest fans !

 

[whiskymusic]

How does qutest compare against likes of Denafrips, gustard etc? You have owned any r2r dacs before?

I've tried hugo 2 not sure how far it's off from qutest in terms of sound signature but found myself leaning towards gustard r26 as the former sounded bit sterile with planars

 

[ajuvignesh]

I've tried hugo 2 not sure how far it's off from qutest in terms of sound signature but found myself leaning towards gustard r26 as the former sounded bit sterile with planars

Thank you so much. Hugo 2 and Qutest must be similar.

 

[corElement]

Your chain is not sufficient enough to do qutest justice

 

[ajuvignesh]

Your chain is not sufficient enough to do qutest justice

Mine?