Chord Electronics | Qutest - Digital to Analogue Converter [Ex-demo]
SKU:
£1,395.00
£1,125.00
£1,125.00
On Sale
per item
This Chord Electronics Qutest DAC is an ex-demonstration item. The DAC has had minimal running time and is in excellent condition showing little signs of use. Comes complete with its original manufacturers packaging and accessories. For additional info please contact us.
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Qutest is a standalone DAC whose performance belies its compact dimensions. With DAC architecture based on the award-winning Hugo 2, Qutest offers class-leading digital conversion.
Qutest is Chord Electronic's ‘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 their 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 twofascia-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.
Qutest is based on their 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 twofascia-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.
FEATUREs
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Materials: Precision machined aluminium casing with polycarbonate buttons and glass viewing portal. Available only in Jett Black.
Device power supply: 5v 2amp Micro USB Tap length filter: 49,152 – 10 element Pulse Array design Connectivity (input): USB Type B (White): 44.1kHz to 768kHz – 16bit to 32bit 2x BNC Coax (Red): 44.1kHz – 384kHz – 16bit to 32bit 1x Dual data mode input (using both BNC coax inputs together): 44.1kHz to 768kHz – 16bit to 32bit Optical (Green): 44.1kHz to 96kHz – 16bit to 24bit Connectivity (output): 1x stereo pair of RCA (Left and Right) PCM support: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz, 717.6kHz, and 768kHz. 16 – 32bit DSD support: Native playback supported. DSD64 (Single) to DSD512 (Octa-DSD) Variable output: Fixed, but selectable between 3v (blue), 2v (green), and 1v (red) via dual press of ‘Filter’ + ‘Input’ upon startup Driver support: Driverless with Mac OS X and Linux, driver required for Windows OS |
Digital designer: Rob Watts
Mechanical designer: John Franks Country of manufacture: England TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONs
Chipset: Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA
Tap-length: 49,152 Pulse array: 10 element pulse array design Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz +/- 0.2dB Output stage: Class A THD: <0.0001% 1kHz 3v RMS 300Ω THD and noise at 3v RMS: 117dB at 1kHz 300ohms ‘A’ weighted (reference 2.5v) Noise 2.6 uV ‘A’ weighted: No measurable noise floor modulation Channel separation: 138dB at 1kHz 300Ω Weight: 770g Dimensions: 4.5cm (H) 16cm (W) 8.8cm (D) Boxed Weight: 1.5kg |
