Chord's Qutest is *the* DAC to beat at $2K 

The Qutest’s sounds staging, tone, the way it etches the outline of instruments is astounding. I’ve been trying various new and vintage components for 30 years. This is the first time in a very long time that I can say that I am done with my main system. The Qutest was the missing piece of the puzzle.

As an RME ADI-2 FS DAC owner, which I bought after seeing your review, I always remained curious after the sound of this Chord Qutest. So after seeing your review above, I decided to pull the trigger on a nice second hand model that came with an Sbooster power supply. Having hands-on experience with both now, I feel the Qutest is the nicer sounding one. As one of your colleagues in the audio review world stated: the RME has you on the edge of your seat listening for all the details in the music, the Qutest has you sitting back and relaxing to enjoy the music. One other thing I only realised after installing the Qutest: it keeps me from constantly wanting to tweak the sound. The RME is great in that it lets you tweak the sound, the Qutest is great in that it keeps you from wanting to tweak the sound. I love both, but I'm keeping the Qutest.

I don't know if this was an intended design feature. But the way the glass dome on the Qutest refracts the light from the LEDs, projects these vibrant, rainbow-coloured wings above it on my wall, when it's dark. Very cool.

I just discovered your channel. Really clear explanations, thank you. Now subscribed.

I don’t mind coloring and character in amps, preamps, and speakers.... however I absolutely need my DAC to be neutral and accurate.

New subscriber to channel loving your no bs explanations of audiophile gear and the way you present videos. Also musical taste, humanoid 👌 still have original 12". Keep up good work.

Thank you, very informative. I am going to get a Chord Qutest for Xmas. I am hoping that my CD's will now sound like what i hoped CD would sound like, when i purchased my first CD player back in 1983.

Congratulations, John, for beautiful apresentation.

As soon as I saw you had the same speakers I subscribed !

I totally agree to what you said. I compared Mojo with Qutest and found Qutest to have more air up top and it extends well across frequency. Since it extends better in HF hence we get more details out of it. Mojo I found to be warmer sounding of 2 and has thickness in lower midrange. Also the depth and width with headphone increases with Qutest and with a mojo it is more intimate since it doesn’t extend well in HF.

Like your reviews John. Keep up the good work.

I am happy with Hugo 2. But if i had a good lush sounding tube preamp then i would pair it with this DAC.

Ifi has a thing for the various colored lights also (Now if I can only remember were the little card that tells you which color indicates which resolution "migrated to" ~ as long as the color is Yellow, White or Darker Blue I normally don't get overly concerned about which rate I'm listening to )

Hi @John Darko, I'm looking for an upgrade of my DAC which I will use with Naim Supernait2. I currently have Rega DAC-R but sometimes I found it a bit too warm in the vocals and midrange and that it smears some of the details. I loose some of the sparkle and energy in the music. I feed it from Innuos Zen Mini Mk3. How do you think Chord Qutest will compare to it? Will it extract significantly more details and is the soundstage will be even bigger? Anyone who compared them can share their opinion. Thanks.

Question is what to connect with a Good DAC...e.g transport

Hi John, thank you very much for your review on this pricey DAC. Would you say that it sound alright with a laptop streamed Tidal music? I'm a noob in this area... Pls help, what cable would you recommend to connect a laptop USB to the Qutest? Thank you for making time.

​@John at some point in the video you mention an HDMI into Toslink audio splitter you use for your Chromecast TV watching. Could you please share what do you use, or even a link to the particular product - I’d need the same thing and am quite confused with all these converters out there. Thank you!

Another great review! Thanks a lot! I would like to ask you something because I have not the kind of knowledge you have; If I connect my denon network player with the qutest and then with my cambridge audio cxa 80, would I see a difference on sound? Would the qutest bypass the wolfson dac of the cambridge? Thanks a lot in advance! Cheers!

John Darko is a guy I can really trust. He spends a lot of time with the stuff he reviews and he makes a lot of comparisons in the process. Great work.

love mine in to a sugden a21, give the sugden some extra pep, great review very informative

I am using my Audiolab 8000a as a pre-amp along with the 8200p feeding the treble and the 8000sx to the bass of my Castle Harlech loudspeakers. How would the Qutest blend in to my set up do you think? I will also be partnering with the Roksan Kandy CD player and a laptop and television?👍🏼

Great videos John, have recently bought a Qutest and planning to add Bluesound or innuos Zen mini as front end source. now looking for best pairing of modestly priced speakers. Any recommendations ? I listen to modern pop/rock

I am using my qutest with a naim xs2 and it sounds warm, very detailed, fast with plenty of bottom end. It absolutely blew away the naim dac v1 I had before and has more detail and space than my hugo 1st gen. I was curious on how the qutest compared to the hugo 2, so is it really better?

John, great video as always. I'm between the Qutest and the Hugo 2. It's for my desk so I don't need it to be easily transportable like the Hugo 2 is. But I really don't know what Headphone amplifier use. I have the Beyerdynamic T5p headphones and Audioengine A5 power speakers. I'm thinking to pair the Qutest with the Beyerdynamic A20 or Schiit Valhalla. Any suggestions? Or definitely forget the amp and buy the Hugo 2? I really need some advice. Thanks.

Thank you for the confirmation. I got also the Qutest from the beginning of its launch. Listening with this Qutest, it is just...amazing. Can't get enough of listening to music. You explain very well my experience. I'm from Amsterdam, so from the Netherlands. And in Holland we do have some very high level of Hifi-manufacrurers. Yes, we also have a typical dutch sound. The dutch sound is colorless and very spatial. My set is from the dutch JK-Acoustics (Google). A one-man developer Johan Ketelaar (JK) for about 40 years with a different angle of incidence of approaching technic. Just like Chord does, just like Harbeth does. Stubborn, so to say. But just so impressive right. The Qutest on my JK-Acoustic set....just perfect. Perfect!

how would you compare it to Schiit DACs range? I auditioned TT2 with ATC SCM100 active and I wasn't amazed (could be due to cheap xlrs) - not enough clarity in the highs.

I'm thinking (or better saying dreaming) pair my Manley Jumbo Shrimp, Klout Linn amp & LS50 up with Qutest. I think It will be great value compared to with Topping d50s with p50 linear power supply that is my currently setup, do we?

Do I need a dac? I have a Yamaha RX-V683BL for my home receiver and svs ultra bookshelf speakers with some svs pb12+ and an svs pb13 ultra but I'm thinking the imaging could be a lot better and brighter... Or do I need an amp dsp?

Which BNC to RCA adaptor you recommend for using a Coaxial cable with this dac? Thanks.

9:28 “30303 EP” thanks for this tip - you’re the 1st reviewer to point me to a track that within seconds can show me the limitations of my Mojo compared to my ADI-2...wow what a difference. The ADI-2 is engaging while the Mojo is lifeless. I’ve never heard decent electronic music either so thx for that...subscribed!!

Hello John Darko, first of all thank you very much for all your great tips and reviews ! Would you mind to tell us why you use the SPDIF output of the Allo Signature Player instead of the USB output of the Allo USBridge Signature ? (Do you prefer SPDIF over USB ?) Last question, could you tell us the brands of your RCA and SPDIF cables ? Thanks again for your help :)

Thank you. I’m new to digital, listening to Pass Labs pre/power, B&W, Technics turntable for a long time. Wanted to add a MacBook/DAC to the mix. Qutest seems to be a good option.

I have one coupled to a Roksan Oxygene, playing through PL300 ii speakers and fed from an Azure 851N. This is the best setup I’ve had thus far, I would say the Amp is my weak point now and seek a little more power, I’ve always liked the idea of a Mcintosh but would like to audition first as I suspect they can be a little brutal and wouldn’t like to lose delicacy. I can’t speak highly enough of the Qutest, it does really pull out the layers of electronic music, it puts space between each instrument like I’ve never heard before, worth every penny.

I like the sound of the Qutest with my Naim separates. I get bit more slam when powered by a 5V powerbank. I cannot hear any sound difference with any of the filters though.

Can this be our end game dac for desktop ? Also, what amp is the best to compatible with Chord Qutest ?

Would this be a balanced combination with an Quad 34/405 II warmer system?

Great review again. A comparision between Qutest and RME ADI 2DAC would be great and very appreciated. What do you think?

I am considering upgrading my Hugo to Hugo 2, can someone give some advice? Thanks

Thanks for the review! What is better Qutest or PS Audio NuWave DAC 3?

First comment here. Just subscribed because your taste of music seems pretty close to mine. I think it's better to keep some close standards when we talk about audio and sound. Nice review!

I bought one of these ifi plugs for my qutest following your video. Seems to make a good difference to my ears 👍 thanks for the tip.

What's that streaming device you are using with your tablet? That Qutest looks tempting but my Mojo is good enough for now. And I also like the Hegel amplifier. Nice gear John.

I just bought a Chord Qutest. Its in a system with an Aurender N100H, PrimaLuna integrated tube amp and Focal Diablo Utopias. I was worried it may sound clinical/harsh, but it did not. Its a very musical and detailed DAC. I plan to try the iFi PS to see it hat helps. I know that Rob Watts doesn't believe in using a linear power supply with the Chord and there has been much debate about that in various forums.

What is the difference between Chord Qutest and Geshelli Enog2 Pro ? And by the way, Toping D90 cost half the price and better measurement, fully balance !

I tried the iFi iPower.... it made my qutest more muddy.... I thought it sounded better through wallwart and even better yet with a high end phone battery charger. Hope this helps!

Hi there. Don’t know if you will see this but I had a question as a newish audiophile Would you go with this chord or if you had the option the schitt YGGDRASIL. Being going back and forth. Any advice would be appreciated

John - u rushed quickly through the inputs and mentioned about chromecast. Can you explain the streaming input again? Are you using chromecast audio with an optical into the qutest and playing at 24/96? or can i use a regular hdmi chromecast? i have both. many thanks Adam

Would a Qutest benefit my system? Monitor Audio RX6. Advance Paris XP-500 preamp. Marantz Power amp 7025. Pioneer PD9 CD player. Xbox One X Sony UHP H1 blu ray player. Virgin V6 box.

I Use a Chord Qute HD and it sounds great, but may think about getting a Qutest in the future.

Today I use Chord Hugo 2 with lightning cable for micro usb but after hearing music for a few minutes it says it does not support my iPhone X, what can it be?

Ive heard good reports about using a linear power supply. What do you think? I know this kills the warranty, but apart from that.

Great review John. I have the Chord Mojo and Poly and think it sounds fabulous especially when using Quickplay on Gofigure in airplane mode. Have you tried that? I had to use Cantata to create my playlists, otherwise I couldn’t use airplane mode. It’s a lot of work to get there, but it’s the best sound I’ve been able to achieve so far. Thanks.

Excellent videos but how about some short or longer sound bites of music to illustrate your observations on sound and system matching?

So what headphone amp would you need to compare with the Hugo2

Maybe exactly what I'm chasing. Thank you so much for your efforts and valid opinion.

Loving the review John I purchased the Qutest based on the review and love the sound, purchased the Aries G1 at the same time, you are costing me a fortune :) just one question regarding power supply - is it worth investing in a Linear Power supply? Cheers Barry from Australia.

I have the Mojo...there is the point of deminishing returns!..how good is your hearing ?

Am brand new to DACs. Am setting up a hifi system. My amp is a mark Levinson no27 speakers are la scalas AL5s pre amp Iso420 playing just Spotify at the minute through RCA to 3.5 jack from a iPhone. My question is how would I fit this into my system. Excuse my lack of knowledge

John - appreciate the advice about the ifi power supply but chord (in the past) has stated the warranty is void with non-chord power supplies - have they finally changed that policy for the qutest?

Hi Darko, Can I have some information about the streamer you used behind the Chord Quest ? Thanks in advance Hervé

Hi John, you did a postive written review of the IFI Pro iDSD which is in the same price range and has more features (probably compares more to the Hugo 2)... How do you compare the IFI with them?

Appreciate the review although it is outside my experience at this point. Still waiting for my Node 2i to arrive and then test WiFi vs Ethernet connection. At that point some listening can happen and evaluations begin. Your info is giving ground on which to build. Thank you. My system is evolving in a very good manner.

How does the qutest sound comapred to the hugo2?

Without blutetooth capability, how does the Qutest receive music signal from say my Macbook or Galaxy phone wirelessly?

Hello, John. As usual, it was a very straighforward review full of good insights. Well, I would like to know if you had the opportunity to listen to B.M.C PureDAC MK2. If you haven't heard it, I guess that you should give it a try because below 2000 Eur is one of the bests at the moment. I would appreciate a review from you. Merry Christmas!

Is it that good you that you are able to tell he difference vs the modest modius?

I cannot tell the difference between qutest and toping d90. Please help me

So ok, I am looking for a new DAC. If you had to choose between the Chord Qutest and the Schiit Yggdrasil...which one would you choose ?? I am looking at both of those.

The FPGA coding method is probably the most accurate way of processing a digital signal into analogue so that your system can play it back to your ears. Both dCS and PS Audio use FPGAs in their DACs and those two companies also make some of the best DACs in the world. Because Chord DACs are very accurate they often highlight flaws in the rest of an audio system. A lot of reviews do mention that they often need careful pairing with other equipment. If I had an unlimited budget my fantasy system would be dCS Vivaldi stack, D’Agostino Momentum pre-amp, Relentless power amps and WAMM Chronosonic speakers.

Hey JD, does this DAC still hold the $2K spot for you ? I wonder if Audiobyte Black Dragon beats it for $1500 ? Ill try and scare up a Qutest. Let me know if you'd like a Dragon to check out..

Recommendation's for dac/amp $1500 budget for the HD800s !!!!!

BNC is proper connection for digital cable not coax (chinch). I use silver bnc cable (unfortunately with coax adapter) why audio gear use chinch not BNC?

What is your player / source from your iPad?

Thank you for the good work! I'm currently having Chord 2qute with a STAX SR-507 (which I adore) and SRM-323S. I'm thinking about upgrading my setup with SR-009 and a new DAC. Can you compare the Denafrips Terminator and Chord Qutest tonality? And a comment about Aurender A10 which is also on my radar

What is suitable amp for this?

If you would compare the Mojo and the Qutest in terms of the DAC, and how they sound different (because i guess you have tried both if them). whats the big difference between them in terms of sound quality, imaging and balance? if we only talk about the DAC itself and not the amplification is it also worth getting a qutest over the mojo, in that case why? because the mojo is pretty transportable. you can use it as a DAC with your main setup and also bring it with you as a headphone amplifier on the run im sitting on a Meridian Prime DAC/Amp atm, where the DAC isnt the device´s strongest part. so im thinking about getting a new DAC. Mojo is cheap enough for my wallet but the Qutest...is it actually worth? Respond when you see this

Here I am with just a Massdrop LCX SDAC + Darkvoice for my headphones..... Really wish the Cutest had balanced out though. Looking forward to getting another DAC and amp. Chord is doing a good job at making me want to save up for a year or so to get the Hugo 2 or possibly Hugo 2 TT.

I am fall in love with my Qutest and LS50

beautifully made film. Either going to get this DAC or the Yggy once schiit's new usb generation comes out

Thinking of buying the cutest to hook up to my roksan caspian m2 balanced cd and amp,great vid ,thanks mate

It’s amazing the range of opinions that exist for reviews of a given component. Another RU-vidr rates the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ above the 2 lower end Chord DACs (Hugo & Qutest) and has it in his very pricey reference system. Another one claims he can get Chord Dave levels of performance out of his Qutest through a few simple mods. Just goes to show there is a lot of subjectivity as to sound and he importance of component matching.

Thanks for the review! Love it!

What is that thing sitting on your Allo?

I like your presentation style and room decor! How much difference could it be from the Hugo 2? Do you think you could easily pick the difference in a blind A/B test? I thought the only difference that could affect sound was essentially with the Hugo 2 lacking galvanic isolation and that can be made inconsequential in certain setups

thank you John!!! from norway.so god sound no!!!!

How do you stream your music from your laptop or tablet?

Its been a year since darko posted this.. whats better than Qutest for under 2k today. ?

You'd think for what this costs, Chord would include a suitable power supply that would at least match the ifi. I hate penny pinching.

Really loving your long analysis videos

What@portable?

Proud Hugo 2 owner here... When I saw you directly compare the MOJO to the Qutest in a specific way, I just knew you'd do the same for the Hugo 2. Sadly for me, that is not where your imagination took you--I absolutely respect that (as if you need my respect!). Brass tax: How much better would you say Qutest is than Hugo 2? What's better about it? Awesome review by the way.

Great review as always! What no tube final stages in any of your test amps? Low is a great, albeit somewhat underrated, album.

I was under the impression (from your previous reviews) the Hegel internal DAC was the one to beat.

Better than an Audio Note DAC 0.1x ?

Cannot wait till you possibly do a review on Chord’s M-Scaler. I just bought one, you need to get your hands on one mate, in case you haven’t already.

Great review. based on your review of the Yggdrasil, the schiit's strong points were tonality, dynamics and layer separation and the chord seems to top the schiit (in electronic music at least) in all of those categories while being half (a third?) of the size and using a "dirty" switch mode power supply. very very impressive.

If I wanted to enable network streaming to the chord qutest, what product (dac-less) would complement the chord perfectly?

New to the channel but i am absolutely loving these vids bro greetz from Amsterdam

this or RME ADI-2 DAC?

has anyone tried the Qutest with classical music?