Newly bought Qute: Moderate sound quality (mid/high range) - any hints?
Posted by: M_B on 20 January 2011
Greetings. I'm seeking opinion and advise:
Bought the Qute 2wks ago, replacing my old multi-box-system.
OLD Setup (all wired, using good digi./anal. cables): NAS -> External DAC -> Nait 5i -> Virgo II
NEW Setup (wireless via router): NAS -> Qute -> Virgo II
Blind-testing comparison results (vs OLD):
NEW bass-range: Surprisingly, significantly more precise, more to the point / "analytical"
NEW: midh/high-range: Quite "dull" and "washed-out". Sounds really not good, in particular at low noise, and when song part w/o bass
Of course, I'm aware the Qute and the powerful big Audio Physic Virgo II are not a perfect fit. I never hear at superloud party levels so thought it's ok. Before purchase, I did same blind-testing at home with a couple of folks using a demonstration model Qute borrowed from the dealer (this device had run for a couple of months at the dealers place). Results were similar in direction, but differences hardly distinguishable - no real preference for one or the other setup among testers. So I was fine and bought the Qute (a brandnew model out of the box, not the demonstration model).
I did not changed loudspeaker position. Always using same songs, FLAC only. Qute settings always: Large Speakers, no loudness, ground switch to chassis (any settings change here only downgraded sound).
Re the wireless discussion I can't believe this would impact sound quality in this way (more about data transmission - either music would really stop playing or interrupt for a sec more or less abruptly - nothing of this is happening).
-> Any idea why the mid/high-range sound is bad?
Don't think the device is broken; maybe it's due to the mysterious burn-in? In the manual Naim even states this could take up to a month (so far I think my Qute played music for 8-10h in total).
-> Is my current "sound pattern" a typical sign of the burn-in or how does the lack of burn-in sounds typically? Or burn-in - if any - is just not existing or no to that extent? Any other ideas?
Thanks. Curious on your thoughts!
Bought the Qute 2wks ago, replacing my old multi-box-system.
OLD Setup (all wired, using good digi./anal. cables): NAS -> External DAC -> Nait 5i -> Virgo II
NEW Setup (wireless via router): NAS -> Qute -> Virgo II
Blind-testing comparison results (vs OLD):
NEW bass-range: Surprisingly, significantly more precise, more to the point / "analytical"
NEW: midh/high-range: Quite "dull" and "washed-out". Sounds really not good, in particular at low noise, and when song part w/o bass
Of course, I'm aware the Qute and the powerful big Audio Physic Virgo II are not a perfect fit. I never hear at superloud party levels so thought it's ok. Before purchase, I did same blind-testing at home with a couple of folks using a demonstration model Qute borrowed from the dealer (this device had run for a couple of months at the dealers place). Results were similar in direction, but differences hardly distinguishable - no real preference for one or the other setup among testers. So I was fine and bought the Qute (a brandnew model out of the box, not the demonstration model).
I did not changed loudspeaker position. Always using same songs, FLAC only. Qute settings always: Large Speakers, no loudness, ground switch to chassis (any settings change here only downgraded sound).
Re the wireless discussion I can't believe this would impact sound quality in this way (more about data transmission - either music would really stop playing or interrupt for a sec more or less abruptly - nothing of this is happening).
-> Any idea why the mid/high-range sound is bad?
Don't think the device is broken; maybe it's due to the mysterious burn-in? In the manual Naim even states this could take up to a month (so far I think my Qute played music for 8-10h in total).
-> Is my current "sound pattern" a typical sign of the burn-in or how does the lack of burn-in sounds typically? Or burn-in - if any - is just not existing or no to that extent? Any other ideas?
Thanks. Curious on your thoughts!