Available to demo at Elise Studio
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Available to demo at Elise Studio
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest
Chord Qutest

In stock and ready to ship

In Stock and Ready to Ship

Ships in 1 to 3 business days. Monday to Friday, except bank holidays. Subject to stock availability and security checks.

  • New

Chord Qutest

Chord's pure standalone DAC

  • Custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA chipset
  • Adjustable output voltage, 1-3V
  • USB galvanic isolation
  • Compatible with the Hugo M Scaler
  • USB, optical TosLink and BNC coaxial digital inputs
  • Analogue RCA output
  • 4 digital filters
  • Class A output stage
  • Precision machined Aluminium body
Regular price £1,195.00
Sale price £1,195.00 Regular price
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Chord Qutest

Chord Qutest

The pure standalone DAC

Qutest, which is a What Hi-Fi? Star of CES 2018,  is based on our award-winning proprietary FPGA technology developed for the class-leading Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp, giving it proven class-leading technical and sonic performance. Perfectly equipped to bring the benefits our digital technology to a wide range of connected devices, it features a galvanically isolated USB-B, optical and coaxial digital input, giving an instant performance upgrade, plus the ability to modernise ageing digital source components.

The Qutest chassis is all-new, too. It has significantly greater mass than its predecessor and has been precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet. The Qutest PCB nestles within a shallow cavity in the solid aluminium chassis, giving the circuit board greater protection within the casework and additional isolation from external vibration compared to previous designs.

Qutest offers Hugo 2’s proprietary user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection controls, available via two fascia-mounted spheres, introducing useful flexibility. It also features RCA analogue outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps and headphone amps, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for connection to future Chord Electronics products.

A further new feature is a user-selectable output voltage available in 1, 2 and 3V RMS outputs for flexible connectivity with a wide range of partnering devices.

Box Contents:

  • Qutest DAC
  • 5V 2A Switching Micro USB power supply
  • USB type A to B data cable
  • Drawstring bag
  • User manual & safety instructions


Technical specifications

Dimensions
H 4.5cm, W 16cm, D 8.8cm
DAC chipset
Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA
Tap length
49,152
PCM support
Up to 768kHz
DSD support
Up to DSD512
Digital inputs
USB type B, coaxial BNC, optical TosLink, dual BNC (for Hugo M Scaler)
Analogue output
RCA
THD
<0.0001% 1kHz 3V RMS 300Ω
Channel separation
138dB at 1kHz 300Ω
Weight
770g
Chassis material
Aircraft grade machined Aluminium

Shipping and Returns

Dispatch
1–3 business days In-stock items, Monday to Friday except bank holidays, subject to stock and security checks.
Delivery
Tracked or signed Delivery options and costs are shown at checkout. We don't profit from shipping charges.
Returns
14 days For electronics such as DACs, amps and players, in like-new condition with all original packaging and accessories.

Good to know

  • Return shipping is paid by the customer.
  • Open box, B-stock, refurbished and clearance items can't be returned.
  • Please add a valid phone number at checkout in case we need to verify your identity.

Warranty

New products
1-year manufacturer warranty Most products. The exact warranty is set by the manufacturer.
Pre-owned & open box
3 months B-grade, open box, refurbished, ex-demo and second-hand items.
Covered
Defects in materials, parts and workmanship
Not covered
Accidents, misuse and unauthorised repairs Including abnormal conditions, deliberate abuse and operator error.
Making a claim
Send it to us, we ship it back free You cover shipping to Elise Audio; we pay to send the repaired or replacement product back.

The pure standalone DAC

Qutest, which is a What Hi-Fi? Star of CES 2018,  is based on our award-winning proprietary FPGA technology developed for the class-leading Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp, giving it proven class-leading technical and sonic performance. Perfectly equipped to bring the benefits our digital technology to a wide range of connected devices, it features a galvanically isolated USB-B, optical and coaxial digital input, giving an instant performance upgrade, plus the ability to modernise ageing digital source components.

The Qutest chassis is all-new, too. It has significantly greater mass than its predecessor and has been precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet. The Qutest PCB nestles within a shallow cavity in the solid aluminium chassis, giving the circuit board greater protection within the casework and additional isolation from external vibration compared to previous designs.

Qutest offers Hugo 2’s proprietary user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection controls, available via two fascia-mounted spheres, introducing useful flexibility. It also features RCA analogue outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps and headphone amps, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for connection to future Chord Electronics products.

A further new feature is a user-selectable output voltage available in 1, 2 and 3V RMS outputs for flexible connectivity with a wide range of partnering devices.

Box Contents:

  • Qutest DAC
  • 5V 2A Switching Micro USB power supply
  • USB type A to B data cable
  • Drawstring bag
  • User manual & safety instructions


Dimensions
H 4.5cm, W 16cm, D 8.8cm
DAC chipset
Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA
Tap length
49,152
PCM support
Up to 768kHz
DSD support
Up to DSD512
Digital inputs
USB type B, coaxial BNC, optical TosLink, dual BNC (for Hugo M Scaler)
Analogue output
RCA
THD
<0.0001% 1kHz 3V RMS 300Ω
Channel separation
138dB at 1kHz 300Ω
Weight
770g
Chassis material
Aircraft grade machined Aluminium
Dispatch
1–3 business days In-stock items, Monday to Friday except bank holidays, subject to stock and security checks.
Delivery
Tracked or signed Delivery options and costs are shown at checkout. We don't profit from shipping charges.
Returns
14 days For electronics such as DACs, amps and players, in like-new condition with all original packaging and accessories.

Good to know

  • Return shipping is paid by the customer.
  • Open box, B-stock, refurbished and clearance items can't be returned.
  • Please add a valid phone number at checkout in case we need to verify your identity.
New products
1-year manufacturer warranty Most products. The exact warranty is set by the manufacturer.
Pre-owned & open box
3 months B-grade, open box, refurbished, ex-demo and second-hand items.
Covered
Defects in materials, parts and workmanship
Not covered
Accidents, misuse and unauthorised repairs Including abnormal conditions, deliberate abuse and operator error.
Making a claim
Send it to us, we ship it back free You cover shipping to Elise Audio; we pay to send the repaired or replacement product back.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
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J
Jaime All

Big upgrade over built in MacBook DAC

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