Chord Electronics

Qutest - USB/System DAC

The Chord Qutest DAC architecture based on the award-winning Hugo 2

£1,395.00

Qutest Front 1 900x675

Qutest offers class-leading digital conversion and we think it's probably the best DAC below £1500

Qutest is ‘pure’ DAC  and is designed to improve sound quality in the home. It is the latest evolution from Chord electronics and is there most affordable standalone DAC,

Qutest, is based on Chord's 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.

Qutest Isometric Right 1 900x675 1

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.

Qutest Connectivity 1 900x675

Device Power Supply:
5v 2amp Micro USB
Connectivity (input):
USB Type B (White): 44.1kHz – 768kHz – 16bit – 32bit
2x BNC Coax (Red): 44.1kHz – 384kHz – 16bit – 32bit
1x Dual data mode input (using both BNC coax inputs together): 44.1kHz – 768kHz – 16bit – 32bit
Optical (Green): 44.1kHz – 192kHz – 16bit – 24bit
Connectivity (output):
1x stereo pair of RCA (Left and Right)
PCM support:
44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 358.8kHz, 384kHz, 717.6kHz, and 768kHz.
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
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:
41mm (H) x 160mm (W) x 72mm (D)
Boxed Weight:
1500g