Chord Qutest demo

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

Was the Chord brand new?

analogmusic posted:

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

I knew someone would question my findings: ) The Qutest had a Chord din-rca aprox 400 pounds. The modded kit is all Naim, only with some boost/refinement, and we used the same with both days. I will have a newly recapped pots 8 82 coming in in a couple of days. I will be happy to do the test over again with this pre. If you finely read my post you will find many ifs and buts, but from your statement "But if it makes you happy LOL" I am guessing you do not appreciate my post, perhaps even find it threatening or offensive in some way? 

Fred11 posted:

analogmusic posted:

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

I knew someone would question my findings: ) The Qutest had a Chord din-rca aprox 400 pounds. The modded kit is all Naim, only with some boost/refinement, and we used the same with both days. I will have a newly recapped pots 8 82 coming in in a couple of days. I will be happy to do the test over again with this pre. If you finely read my post you will find many ifs and buts, but from your statement "But if it makes you happy LOL" I am guessing you do not appreciate my post, perhaps even find it threatening or offensive in some way? 

Nail, head, hit!

Willy.

SongStream posted:

Was the Chord brand new?

Hi SongStream.

Yes it was well played in, a demo model from the shop. 

Fred, the NDAC (/555PS) is very special. The only DAC I preferred in my setup over it is the original Hugo, and that includes the NDS, and more recent Chord Electronics offerings.

i know what you mean about the Naim thing... and the original Hugo did it.. I am beginning to think it was a bizarre accidental synergy... but the NDAC/555PS is certainly enjoyable for many music genres... it was atmospheric music and choral works along with hidefinition orchestral  pieces to my ears the NDAC started to run out of runway.

Fred11 posted:

SongStream posted:

Was the Chord brand new?

Hi SongStream.

Yes it was well played in, a demo model from the shop. 

Fair enough.  I was really impressed by the demo unit I borrowed from my dealer, but have to say, when I received a brand new unit a couple of days ago, well, that ain't what I signed up for.  Three days later, it's starting to remind me why I changed.  It sounds really flat and boring out of the box, not offensive sounding, just meh, so wondered if that could be the issue.

SongStream posted:

Fred11 posted:

SongStream posted:

Was the Chord brand new?

Hi SongStream.

Yes it was well played in, a demo model from the shop. 

Fair enough.  I was really impressed by the demo unit I borrowed from my dealer, but have to say, when I received a brand new unit a couple of days ago, well, that ain't what I signed up for.  Three days later, it's starting to remind me why I changed.  It sounds really flat and boring out of the box, not offensive sounding, just meh, so wondered if that could be the issue.

I did not say it was boring. It sounds impressive in its own right. It is more CDs3 and the NDAC is more cdx2. I happen to prefer the latters voicing. I also think it is more Naim. 

Fred11 posted:

SongStream posted:

Fred11 posted:

SongStream posted:

Was the Chord brand new?

Hi SongStream.

Yes it was well played in, a demo model from the shop. 

Fair enough.  I was really impressed by the demo unit I borrowed from my dealer, but have to say, when I received a brand new unit a couple of days ago, well, that ain't what I signed up for.  Three days later, it's starting to remind me why I changed.  It sounds really flat and boring out of the box, not offensive sounding, just meh, so wondered if that could be the issue.

I did not say it was boring. It sounds impressive in its own right. It is more CDs3 and the NDAC is more cdx2. I happen to prefer the latters voicing. I also think it is more Naim. 

I could have lived with both, but I were reminded by the bare ndac why I like Naim so much: )

Thanks Fred for this precious report. Is your nDAC updated to v4.11.8?  ????

Chag -

Fred11 posted:

analogmusic posted:

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

I knew someone would question my findings: ) The Qutest had a Chord din-rca aprox 400 pounds. The modded kit is all Naim, only with some boost/refinement, and we used the same with both days. I will have a newly recapped pots 8 82 coming in in a couple of days. I will be happy to do the test over again with this pre. If you finely read my post you will find many ifs and buts, but from your statement "But if it makes you happy LOL" I am guessing you do not appreciate my post, perhaps even find it threatening or offensive in some way? 

the interconnects should really be exactly the same. 

about using modded Naim kit, lets just say I've had my experience with that, and it really throws another element of variability into the mix.

I do appreciate your post, but kindly ask you to use Naim kit which is non-modified for this test if possible. 

I appreciate your honesty.

Chag... posted:

Thanks Fred for this precious report. Is your nDAC updated to v4.11.8?  ????

Chag -

Yes! Last update. Thank you!

analogmusic posted:

Fred11 posted:

analogmusic posted:

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

I knew someone would question my findings: ) The Qutest had a Chord din-rca aprox 400 pounds. The modded kit is all Naim, only with some boost/refinement, and we used the same with both days. I will have a newly recapped pots 8 82 coming in in a couple of days. I will be happy to do the test over again with this pre. If you finely read my post you will find many ifs and buts, but from your statement "But if it makes you happy LOL" I am guessing you do not appreciate my post, perhaps even find it threatening or offensive in some way? 

the interconnects should really be exactly the same. 

about using modded Naim kit, lets just say I've had my experience with that, and it really throws another element of variability into the mix.

I do appreciate your post, but kindly ask you to use Naim kit which is non-modified for this test if possible. 

I appreciate your honesty.

Thank you, Analogue. I am also ambivalent towards mods. I´ll try and reply tuesday. 
Regards

analogmusic posted:

- not so sure your results are valid.

“Valid”? Give people a break — it’s the weekend...

analogmusic posted:

Fred11 posted:

analogmusic posted:

were the interconnects the same for both?

also about using modded kit - not so sure your results are valid.

But if it makes you happy... LOL

I knew someone would question my findings: ) The Qutest had a Chord din-rca aprox 400 pounds. The modded kit is all Naim, only with some boost/refinement, and we used the same with both days. I will have a newly recapped pots 8 82 coming in in a couple of days. I will be happy to do the test over again with this pre. If you finely read my post you will find many ifs and buts, but from your statement "But if it makes you happy LOL" I am guessing you do not appreciate my post, perhaps even find it threatening or offensive in some way? 

the interconnects should really be exactly the same. 

about using modded Naim kit, lets just say I've had my experience with that, and it really throws another element of variability into the mix.

I do appreciate your post, but kindly ask you to use Naim kit which is non-modified for this test if possible. 

I appreciate your honesty.

Given that the same (modded) amp was used to audition both DACs it doesn't introduce any variability in the context of the comparison undertaken. No less valid a comparison than if it had been undertaken with a Rega amp, or a Linn amp or a (insert amp brand here)....

Unless you're now asserting that a Chord Dac is only of any merit when used in a fully stock Naim system.

Willy.   

Timo posted:

analogmusic posted:

- not so sure your results are valid.

“Valid”? Give people a break — it’s the weekend...

Of course there is so much subjective in this hobby. Often also unconscious biases. But subjectivity is king! Finding your own way and preferences and so on... And it was interesting me and my friend and I agreed so much. 
Now a nice bottle of Pinot!

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Fred, the NDAC (/555PS) is very special. The only DAC I preferred in my setup over it is the original Hugo, and that includes the NDS, and more recent Chord Electronics offerings.

i know what you mean about the Naim thing... and the original Hugo did it.. I am beginning to think it was a bizarre accidental synergy... but the NDAC/555PS is certainly enjoyable for many music genres... it was atmospheric music and choral works along with hidefinition orchestral  pieces to my ears the NDAC started to run out of runway.

 

Hi Simon. I really respect your views on this and you are probably right about the style of music being played. I think Naim is often better at portraying dynamics in rock and trio jazz etc, but miss out on big classical recordings. Remember I experienced this also when I testet NDX-xps against Linn Klimax. On Creedence the Klimax sounded dull and weak. But with classical orchestra there was so many textures it portrayed which the Naim missed. Naim seem to highlight som leading edges in a great way but it does not work on every kind of music. 

Is the NDAC a Pinot noir? Quick, distinct and swift and the Chord a Amarone? Full, warm, bodied? 
Going back to the misses and whine. Have a great evening!
Fred

Fred11 posted:

The overall winner is...... The NDAC! To our ears it was rawer, gutsier and also offered more insight into the midband, attacks was more pronounced and much more fun to listen to. And this is without the PSU! Ok. The Hugo had a nice bass, an easiness and perhaps a analogue feel. But the midband felt really recessed, compared to the Ndac. Our foot stopped tapping and our blood stopped rushing with the Chord. 

 

 So, a key question is, does the nDAC have an emphasised midrange, or does the Qutest have a recessed midrange?

(An emplasised midband is sometimes hinted at as a Naim Sound trait?  don’t know the Qutest, but other Hugo range DACs seem generally regarded as neutral.)

“The Hugo had a nice bass..”

What happened to the Qutest?

Thanks for taking the time to post your findings it just goes to show that to some of us improvements in technology do not always mean an improvement in sound,  I think this just proves that we all prefer different things which is great.

If DACs are more like a preference thing rather than fast paced technology maybe we need a just streamer rather than dac/streamer, which I think they add few things vs old ones, like stability, new streaming services, Roon etc

maybe we can connect them to two DACs and enjoy them... old and new ones

I agree  -  though I prefer the term ‘renderer’ as ‘streamer’ is often used to describe the renderer/DAC as with the Naim ND products) . This indeed is my preferred approach that I have long advocated, but combining the renderer with the store, feeding a separate DAC, as the vagaries of a network are taken out of the equation apart from when inevitable if streaming from the internet.

I.e. the likes of Uniti Core, Melco, Innuos Zenith as ready-made units, and a variety others that offer quality and flexibility at a lower price point but at the expense of being a bit DIY and requiring research and maybe fiddling about to set up (from Roon on a NUC to Audirvana on a Mac to Raspberry Pi and micro/ultra Rendu). 

However, I don’t understand the final reference to two DACS - why two? Just buy the best sounding DAC you can afford.

Bob the Builder posted:

Thanks for taking the time to post your findings it just goes to show that to some of us improvements in technology do not always mean an improvement in sound,  I think this just proves that we all prefer different things which is great.

I am a firm believer that it is the synergy between the various components that is the critical ‘extra’ that elevates a good sounding system to one that is excellent.  And, let’s not forget, that we all have different views on what excellent is.  Given the progress over the years with digital reproduction, we are normally talking about different rather than clearly better, which leaves it to the listener to decide what they prefer. 

Innocent Bystander posted:

Fred11 posted:

The overall winner is...... The NDAC! To our ears it was rawer, gutsier and also offered more insight into the midband, attacks was more pronounced and much more fun to listen to. And this is without the PSU! Ok. The Hugo had a nice bass, an easiness and perhaps a analogue feel. But the midband felt really recessed, compared to the Ndac. Our foot stopped tapping and our blood stopped rushing with the Chord. 

 

 So, a key question is, does the nDAC have an emphasised midrange, or does the Qutest have a recessed midrange?

(An emplasised midband is sometimes hinted at as a Naim Sound trait?  don’t know the Qutest, but other Hugo range DACs seem generally regarded as neutral.)

Dear I B. 

I think Naim has a emphasis in the midrange, at lest instruments stand more out. For example we listened to Vivaldi and some lead violins stood out in a really energetic and nice way which sucked us into the music. Not on the Qutest, but as you say, what is "correct" is difficult to say. If Naim is wrong I dont wanna be right!