Chord Qutest
Qutest is a What Hi-Fi? Award-winning DAC with a performance that belies its compact dimensions. With DAC architecture based on Chords class-leading FPGA tech, Qutest offers unrivaled sound quality gains.
- ✓ Authorized Dealer · Original Warranty
- ✓ 30-Day Returns · Free Shipping
- ✓ Installment Payment Available
Secure Payment
VISA
MC
PayPal
GPay
Chord Electronics Qutest
Standalone FPGA DAC with galvanically isolated USB and selectable output voltage
The Qutest DAC was designed to instantly upgrade a system’s sound quality. It is the latest evolution of Chord’s most affordable “standalone” DAC, meaning it does not include a built-in headphone amplifier like the Mojo 2 and Hugo 2.
Qutest is What Hi-Fi?’s “Best DAC” 2023 £1,000+ and a What Hi-Fi? “Best DAC” winner every year since its introduction (2018–2022). A proven class leader, it is built around Chord’s award-winning proprietary FPGA technology, delivering unrivalled technical and sonic performance.
It is perfectly equipped to bring the benefits of Chord’s digital technology to a wide variety of connected devices. With galvanically isolated USB-B, optical, and coaxial digital inputs, it delivers an immediate performance upgrade and provides a way to modernise ageing digital source components.
The Qutest chassis is completely new, too. It has significantly more mass than its predecessor and is precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium. The Qutest PCB sits in a shallow recess within the solid aluminium case, offering better protection than earlier designs and additional isolation from external vibration.
Qutest also offers Hugo 2-derived, user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection via two fascia-mounted spheres, adding useful flexibility. It features analogue RCA outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps, and headphone amplifiers, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for use with the M-Scaler or future Chord Electronics products.
Another new feature is a user-selectable output voltage, available in 1, 2, and 3 V RMS, enabling flexible partnering with a wide range of equipment.
Qutest is the definitive compact audiophile DAC.
Features
- Materials: Precision-machined aluminium case with polycarbonate buttons and a glass viewing window. Available only in Jet Black.
- Power supply: 5 V / 2 A Micro USB
- Tap length / filter: 49,152 – 10-element Pulse Array design
- Digital designer: Rob Watts
- Mechanical designer: John Franks
- Country of manufacture: England
Specifications
| Chipset | Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA |
| Tap length | 49,152 |
| Pulse array | 10-element Pulse Array design |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz ± 0.2 dB |
| Output stage | Class A |
| THD | <0.0001% (1 kHz, 3 V RMS, 300 Ω) |
| THD + noise at 3 V RMS | 117 dB at 1 kHz, 300 Ω, A-weighted (reference 2.5 V) |
| Noise 2.6 µV (A-weighted) | No measurable noise floor modulation |
| Channel separation | 138 dB at 1 kHz, 300 Ω |
| Selectable output voltage | Fixed, but selectable: 3 V (blue), 2 V (green), 1 V (red) by double-pressing “Filter” + “Input” at startup |
| Driver support | Driverless with macOS and Linux; Windows driver required |
| Connectivity (inputs) | USB Type B (white): 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz – 16 to 32 bit 2× BNC coax (red): 44.1 kHz to 384 kHz – 16 to 32 bit Dual-data mode (both BNC used together): 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz – 16 to 32 bit Optical (green): 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz – 16 to 24 bit |
| Connectivity (outputs) | 1× stereo pair RCA (left/right) |
| PCM support | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, 384, 717.6, 768 kHz; 16–32 bit |
| DSD support | Native playback supported: DSD64 (Single) up to DSD512 (Octa-DSD) |
| Power supply | 5 V / 2 A Micro USB |
| Weight | 770 g |
| Dimensions | 4.5 cm (H) × 16 cm (W) × 8.8 cm (D) |
| Boxed weight | 1500 g |
