I thought that this fantastic little box of tricks deserved an updated review. I f anyone is interested over the next couple of weeks I will be using the Qute as a streaming transport via digital out connected to a separate dac, as a streaming source using it's own onboard dac connected via pre out to a Nac 82/SC pre amp, as a streaming preamp connected via pre out to a power amp and finall as a standalone player connected to my speakers.
First off I connected it via a QED performance BNC -RCA cable with an RCA - BNC adapter at the Qute end to my Chord 2Qute and from there via Chord Crimson RCA - DIN to my Nac 82/Supercap.
Integration into the system was seamless wether this is because I've used Naim streaming products and the Naim app before on my network I don't know but less than a minute after connecting it to my router the Qute showed up in the Naim app on my iPhone. Opening up the app I see several new buttons one for iMac and one for Apple TV which I'll look into later but the usual Tidal, iRadio and UPNP, fm and DAB are all there no Bluetooth though.
So straight away the Naim app is so much easier to use compared to the long winded Volumio app with the RPi and also the Logitech Media Server that I used with the SOtM 100 and the Liv Zen so very happy with that, integration with iRadio, DAB and FM also excellent. Sonically there is not much in it between the UQ2, Raspberry Pi, SOtM and the Liv Zen but that isn't surprising as I used all of them with the same Chord 2Qute dac.
Next I will connect the UQ2 direct to my 82/SC using it's on board dac as just a streaming source.
Posted on: 22 December 2018 by NickSeattle
I used my Qute2 into nDAC/555DR + 552DR while my NDX was out for repair. It was quite satisfactory except for the lack of system automation. In fact, I was surprised how close it sounded to the NDX.
Normally, I play the NDX in zone 1 into the Qute2 in zone 2 via long analog wires out of the 552 to the Qute2, which sounds obviously better than the streamer in the Qute2 itself.
All said, while the NDX was away, I missed the Qute2 in my office more than I missed the NDX in the living room. My old Denon AVR-4800 came out of mothballs for the office — a decent AVR of old; it showed what a wonderful amp the Qute2 is!
Nick
Posted on: 22 December 2018 by Bob the Builder
Listening to Keith Jarret - La Scala via Tidal on the UQ2 connected via pre out to the 82/SC and not entirely sure which pre is in control here it sounds far to good to be the UQ2.
Compared to UQ2/2Qute it sounds different not sure wether better is the right word it's less precise than the Chord dac but I've just listened to La Scala pt 1 which is a 45 minute long track and it's gone by in what seems like 5 minutes and it sounds very, very nice indeed.
Posted on: 22 December 2018 by Bob the Builder
I listened to a few iRadio stations last night using the Qute connected to the 82/SC and if that was the pre amp section of the Qute controlling things and dictating SQ then it really is a giant killing little machine. Listening to 320kpbs radio stations like Linn Jazz was extremely enjoyable I know we probably all listen to music differently which is why we all prefer very different presentations, speakers and hifi brands but I listen to the emotion of a song as a whole thing and unless I actually try to single out how the notes on a piano track are rendered then I don't hear it in that way.
This is probably why I found some jazz difficult because unless I can pick out the individual instruments and concentrate on each one on it's own it can sound messy to me, Miles Davis's In a Silent Way sounded like that to me until I concentrated on each instrument and now it is amongst my favourite instrumental songs.
The UQ 2 connected to the 82/SC just fits seemlessly into the Olive range sound and just plays music in a way that I enjoy, there probably isn't the right amount of air around the instruments for some, the clinical detail or the transparency that many prefer but it does a fine job of just playing music.
I'm looking forward to connecting it directly to my power amp and then connecting my LP12/Trichord Dino to see how it handles that.
