Hi everyone, thanks for watching the video. Before commenting I would recommend reading the description too as this often answers lots of the questions I get asked. If you want to support me and independent and honest reviews please sign up to Patreon, or you can Paypal me too. Links in description. Also anyone who wants to lend gear for reviews to help other viewers, where it is often difficult to get products with such reviews, this is always appreciated.
Hi, do you use an upgraded power supply for the chord? I'm using the mojo 2 combined with a powerbank, it is sounding better, sounstaging and placement. Thank you.
I thought some might like that. I might do that in further videos, as it does give a bit more objectivity and rankability of the traits people want. Thanks very much for watching.
Very informative re-review and comparison with the Qutest. Thank you Simon. PS: I wish you had an Amazon US "purchase through" link, as I am seriously considering buying the S9c for my Aune S17 Headphone/Pre Amp, (even though I already own several $1000+/- DACs), as a direct result of your excellent professional reviewing style. I will be supporting you through your Patreon. You really do add value to the UA-cam "Audio Ecosystem". Cheers!
Thank you very much for all your support. I’ve yet to review the S17 but as I said in my FiiO R9 review I like it more than the amp in the R9, admittedly the R9 has all the features / interface etc, so compromises there. please do chat to me on patreon about the S17.
Reviewers don't seem to talk much about the musicality of the dac. After having lived with Chinese dacs for over three years ( Gustard x26 and R26 pro), I went back to my Chord Hugo2 and 2go. The Gustards at first wowed me with their precision and slam but on longer listening failed to grab me. The Chords have that human touch to them whereas the Gustards feel like perfect computers. I don't know about the Aune's but I suspect they fall into that perfect computer zone. Again, pure conjecture on my part as I haven't heard the Aune.
Simon, i currently use the Qutest to process the output of an Eversolo DMP-A8. Do you have any insight or recommendation on the output type (USB, SPDIF, or Optical) for the interface? I recently switched from the SPDIF to USB and not sure I get too much benefit. Also, perhaps the A8 DAC might be the preferred output? Thanks for your review!
Hmm, i liked the Chord Qutest quite a bit to be honest, and for another DAC to have caught up in only 6 years for half the money is impressive! As usual, lots of visual eye candy! Very nice.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 everything in audio is relative. Even with Hqplayer some filters have more depth than others. I have a hugo2 and a TT 1, but long ago before HQP, I used schiit dacs which had better depth.
@@YouSoundButtHurt I use it with hugo2, which is similar to Qutest. To use it properly you need SRC-DX with LP filter and DC blocks. That is about $700 USD. USB ( no matter what source) is very noisy with 384 and higher up. Roon works so well with Hqplayer.
Nice review Simon, to the point . Are we saying chords shelf life of 6 years and counting is starting to make it look vulnerable to the newest gen DACs?
I’ve been agonizing between Aune S9C and Mojo 2. Ive seen your reviews of both, how would you say they compare in soundstage or their general nature? Does the Mojo with DSP tweaks match the bass quality of the S9C?
No not much. It’s not value for money. Both people I know with hi end systems say the same and it’s been my experience with the systems I tried it in when I reviewed it per old video on my channel. It makes much better sense to swerve it and use the money on a better DAC. Remember it’s only an upscaler - it can’t improve the sound much beyond the quality of the dac and conversion already.
Great review and comparison...just wondering if you have heard or tested the holo cyan 2 dac.... which seems another interesting r2r dac that is reasonably priced but suppused to be good?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 yes, I agree, I do think that most manufacturers tend to do a boring black (or occasionally silver) box. So in general I welcome diversity, it's just that when done wrong it can look a bit silly and not do the product justice.
It doesn’t look serious. But its performance is like Nagra looks. I wish they would make them look deadly serious too. The other thing is the qutest has a feature set hidden behind the different coloured leds and while attractive is such a pain to have to remember. My Pontus just has over sampling button on front and the slow sharp filter which is easy enough to configure. The only thing tough about it is using i2s but I haven’t even configured that yet
Covered in the sc1 video then add it to this one!……I did visit an audiophile with one and he had atc scm40 with exposure monoblock electronics, twin rel subs, and a chord Dave plus auralic g1.1 and he said he could pick out the change with the sc1 using his ether Regen. I could pick out the change but it was small. I heard more differences with the Aune S17 headphone amp, partnered with S9C and SC1 and my HIFIMAN Arya Stealth planar headphones ie more differnece in a cheaper headphone system to my pricier Hegel/PMC system with the Eversolo DMP-A6 on streamer transport duties over USB. Hope this gives people an idea/reference. Cheers.
Your obviously a bit of a bass head, i find the bass notes on the chord one of its better traits, very detailed with good timbre and leading edges, maybe having dual subs in my system make them more apparent, present. Did you try using the 3v option on the rca outs it opened the sound stage up further and adding a different psu nothing special a typical phone charger type also made a difference, the chord power supply is trash IMHO
Not really - i'm more sensitive to how on/off the bass is, it's just way more precise than the chord. But it is deeper and more realistic and I don't tend to listen that loud most of the time anyway. Also the way the image is more focused onto the music and midrange with this DAC. The diffuse nature of the Qutest - whilst I find it presents as nice and spacey, that becomes too much of the music being distant and not there when you compare it against this DAC, especially where you need to focus music around a point source like midrange. Dare I say it - more musical and present. The fact too you save half the money and if you get the SC1 clock, which adds more performance (and equals the Chord price), it's a bit of a no brainer. Consider this - two boxes with all that aluminium and all the components for the same money to a small DAC with aluminium. You can't help but think about the way different prices and branding of these brands! (I bought the Qutest)
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I'm with you, I do think the chord is overpriced for its options but I also think the implementation of FPGA is a step up from off the shelf delta sigma chips plus you get full UK warranty, service which may be important if the dac fails. Never a good experience dealing with Chinese companies for warranty repairs. Keep up the good work
@@carlitosgomez71 Thanks very much...when you listen to products like the Hegel Mohican CD player that I reviewed (replaced by the Viking now) and other DAC topologies, you start to realise the implementation of the DAC is the most important thing - not it's own inherent technology. So the Holo May DAC KTE is up with the Hugo TT2 for instance, and quite different DAC technologies. Or how about the DCS Bartok vs Chord DAVE - again different. Things like the analogue output, power supply, even with bog standard ESS and AKM chipsets. The implementation isn't in the FPGA with the Chord anyway- it's just part of it. If you buy from Adam at Eden Audio you don't have to deal with Chinese companies as he will deal with support and you have the same statutory rights as buying from British companies - Consumer Rights Act (2015) etc. 🙂
I went from a Qutest to a Pontus II and imo it's a much more natural tone. I found myself listening to a lot more electronic and pop/rock when I had the Qutest, and now with the Pontus II I am back to mainly classical and jazz which I prefer. Hope that helps
@@padde1 Thank you, it helps. I listen to a lot of electronic but also acoustic so I'm a bit in the middle. I can always get a Pontus II and keep the Qutest. :)
I went from a Denafrips Ares II to a Qutest a couple of years ago. Then moved on to a Pontus II, but changed within a month back to the Qutest. It is more detailed, deeper soundstage, more refined. More ‘audiophile’ as u wish (vs the Pontus more laid back indeed). It’s what suits your system and music best.. Then I upgraded the Qutest with linear PS Farad Super 3 and later on with fuse swap to Purple fuse: waauw! If you like to stay with the Qutest, I realy do suggest these upgrades. Enjoy!
@@maxvdl1262 Thanks for the comments, definitely gave me something to think about. I'm using an iFi iPower 2 wall wart but I could try to update this to something like your PS Farad Super 3 and see how it reacts. Maybe a sbooster power supply.
![Canjam NYC 2024 [Seminars] Digital Isn't - Rob Watts](/img/n.gif)
Hi everyone, thanks for watching the video. Before commenting I would recommend reading the description too as this often answers lots of the questions I get asked.
If you want to support me and independent and honest reviews please sign up to Patreon, or you can Paypal me too. Links in description.
Also anyone who wants to lend gear for reviews to help other viewers, where it is often difficult to get products with such reviews, this is always appreciated.
Hi, do you use an upgraded power supply for the chord? I'm using the mojo 2 combined with a powerbank, it is sounding better, sounstaging and placement. Thank you.
Liked the on-screen comparison table showing various characteristics of each DAC with a star rating. Thanks Simon.
I thought some might like that. I might do that in further videos, as it does give a bit more objectivity and rankability of the traits people want. Thanks very much for watching.
suddenly every comparison that _doesn't_ include a bulleted list like that seems deficient now
I really like the graph with the star rows
Thanks Sean I’ll do it more I think
You need to listen to Rob Watts lecture from earlier this year where he covers the cons of linear power supplies.
I buy everything you review: Cambridge CXN V2. Monitor Audio Gold 100s. Adam Audio A7V……this is next….
Very informative re-review and comparison with the Qutest. Thank you Simon.
PS: I wish you had an Amazon US "purchase through" link, as I am seriously considering buying the S9c for my Aune S17 Headphone/Pre Amp, (even though I already own several $1000+/- DACs), as a direct result of your excellent professional reviewing style. I will be supporting you through your Patreon. You really do add value to the UA-cam "Audio Ecosystem". Cheers!
Thank you very much for all your support. I’ve yet to review the S17 but as I said in my FiiO R9 review I like it more than the amp in the R9, admittedly the R9 has all the features / interface etc, so compromises there. please do chat to me on patreon about the S17.
Reviewers don't seem to talk much about the musicality of the dac. After having lived with Chinese dacs for over three years ( Gustard x26 and R26 pro), I went back to my Chord Hugo2 and 2go. The Gustards at first wowed me with their precision and slam but on longer listening failed to grab me. The Chords have that human touch to them whereas the Gustards feel like perfect computers. I don't know about the Aune's but I suspect they fall into that perfect computer zone. Again, pure conjecture on my part as I haven't heard the Aune.
I did that because I put up a table showing the different elements of their sound character, in the sense of their ‘musical’ traits.
Simon, i currently use the Qutest to process the output of an Eversolo DMP-A8. Do you have any insight or recommendation on the output type (USB, SPDIF, or Optical) for the interface? I recently switched from the SPDIF to USB and not sure I get too much benefit. Also, perhaps the A8 DAC might be the preferred output? Thanks for your review!
unexpected comparison. i was thinking about getting a Qutest having the Aune as the cheaper option
Nice review. Again you have outdone yourself. In reply, could you comment on the system you used to do the review was it the Hagel. Thanks.
Thanks Louis. Yes that’s right , as I think I subtly gave away by a shot of the iPad on the Hegel and shot of my speakers too 😀
Nice comparison video.
Do you still have an ADI-2? Would be an interesting one.
Cheers
Hmm, i liked the Chord Qutest quite a bit to be honest, and for another DAC to have caught up in only 6 years for half the money is impressive!
As usual, lots of visual eye candy! Very nice.
Thanks Erwin
If you use Hqplayer, chord soundstage is not shallow and wide, it is much deeper.
Ok but I’m talking relatively and not absolutely. What are you talking relatively too?
Did you find HQplayer to work well with the qutest? I was thinking of trying it with Roon. (I already have Roon)
@@13thnotehifireviews7 everything in audio is relative. Even with Hqplayer some filters have more depth than others. I have a hugo2 and a TT 1, but long ago before HQP, I used schiit dacs which had better depth.
@@YouSoundButtHurt I use it with hugo2, which is similar to Qutest. To use it properly you need SRC-DX with LP filter and DC blocks. That is about $700 USD. USB ( no matter what source) is very noisy with 384 and higher up. Roon works so well with Hqplayer.
Nice review Simon, to the point . Are we saying chords shelf life of 6 years and counting is starting to make it look vulnerable to the newest gen DACs?
Thanks very much, I think it’s just the price and relative sound really.
Wonder how using a separate clock on the Aune has on it's performance?
As I said - covered in the other video. Also see my other comment on another commenter from this video....
When do we expect to see bloopers in the end of the video like in Darko’s…
I’ve been agonizing between Aune S9C and Mojo 2. Ive seen your reviews of both, how would you say they compare in soundstage or their general nature? Does the Mojo with DSP tweaks match the bass quality of the S9C?
They have different use cases and purposes so that would really be a discussion for patreon
I’ve seen on the Chord FB page members really recommend the BNC outputs from the Qutest. Have you tried those?
I’ve seen on the Chord FB page many people say there’s an improvement using the BNCs.
Has anyone on here tried those?
Interesting review , following up on your comment re the M scaler, do you not feel it adds to a system ? From a Dave to any other dac?
Thanks.
No not much. It’s not value for money. Both people I know with hi end systems say the same and it’s been my experience with the systems I tried it in when I reviewed it per old video on my channel. It makes much better sense to swerve it and use the money on a better DAC. Remember it’s only an upscaler - it can’t improve the sound much beyond the quality of the dac and conversion already.
Great review and comparison...just wondering if you have heard or tested the holo cyan 2 dac.... which seems another interesting r2r dac that is reasonably priced but suppused to be good?
Thank you , I haven’t tried that one no.
Thanks for the review!
Nice video.
Why do Chord products look like toys for toddlers?
I agree with you they do look that way. But I like the quirky looks and it’s distinct. So many hifi boxes look boring.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 yes, I agree, I do think that most manufacturers tend to do a boring black (or occasionally silver) box. So in general I welcome diversity, it's just that when done wrong it can look a bit silly and not do the product justice.
It doesn’t look serious. But its performance is like Nagra looks. I wish they would make them look deadly serious too. The other thing is the qutest has a feature set hidden behind the different coloured leds and while attractive is such a pain to have to remember. My Pontus just has over sampling button on front and the slow sharp filter which is easy enough to configure. The only thing tough about it is using i2s but I haven’t even configured that yet
OMG. You did a full written review on Patreon. Blimey!!
How about aune dac+clock vs qutest?
Covered in the sc1 video then add it to this one!……I did visit an audiophile with one and he had atc scm40 with exposure monoblock electronics, twin rel subs, and a chord Dave plus auralic g1.1 and he said he could pick out the change with the sc1 using his ether Regen. I could pick out the change but it was small. I heard more differences with the Aune S17 headphone amp, partnered with S9C and SC1 and my HIFIMAN Arya Stealth planar headphones ie more differnece in a cheaper headphone system to my pricier Hegel/PMC system with the Eversolo DMP-A6 on streamer transport duties over USB. Hope this gives people an idea/reference. Cheers.
Great comparison review Simon. 😊
Thanks Stu.
Code doesn’t work
Adam told me he put it in, but you can contact him on his website. I put his phone number in the description too.
Your obviously a bit of a bass head, i find the bass notes on the chord one of its better traits, very detailed with good timbre and leading edges, maybe having dual subs in my system make them more apparent, present. Did you try using the 3v option on the rca outs it opened the sound stage up further and adding a different psu nothing special a typical phone charger type also made a difference, the chord power supply is trash IMHO
Not really - i'm more sensitive to how on/off the bass is, it's just way more precise than the chord. But it is deeper and more realistic and I don't tend to listen that loud most of the time anyway. Also the way the image is more focused onto the music and midrange with this DAC. The diffuse nature of the Qutest - whilst I find it presents as nice and spacey, that becomes too much of the music being distant and not there when you compare it against this DAC, especially where you need to focus music around a point source like midrange. Dare I say it - more musical and present. The fact too you save half the money and if you get the SC1 clock, which adds more performance (and equals the Chord price), it's a bit of a no brainer. Consider this - two boxes with all that aluminium and all the components for the same money to a small DAC with aluminium. You can't help but think about the way different prices and branding of these brands! (I bought the Qutest)
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I'm with you, I do think the chord is overpriced for its options but I also think the implementation of FPGA is a step up from off the shelf delta sigma chips plus you get full UK warranty, service which may be important if the dac fails. Never a good experience dealing with Chinese companies for warranty repairs. Keep up the good work
@@carlitosgomez71 Thanks very much...when you listen to products like the Hegel Mohican CD player that I reviewed (replaced by the Viking now) and other DAC topologies, you start to realise the implementation of the DAC is the most important thing - not it's own inherent technology. So the Holo May DAC KTE is up with the Hugo TT2 for instance, and quite different DAC technologies. Or how about the DCS Bartok vs Chord DAVE - again different. Things like the analogue output, power supply, even with bog standard ESS and AKM chipsets. The implementation isn't in the FPGA with the Chord anyway- it's just part of it. If you buy from Adam at Eden Audio you don't have to deal with Chinese companies as he will deal with support and you have the same statutory rights as buying from British companies - Consumer Rights Act (2015) etc. 🙂
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Very help and timely advice... Thank you.
Only holo audio can match chord
Not sure the only ones, but the ones I tried - spring and May are bloody good.
My first (and only DAC) is a Chord Qutest and I haven't heard anything I like better yet. May try a R2R to see what those are all about.
I went from a Qutest to a Pontus II and imo it's a much more natural tone. I found myself listening to a lot more electronic and pop/rock when I had the Qutest, and now with the Pontus II I am back to mainly classical and jazz which I prefer. Hope that helps
@@padde1 Thank you, it helps. I listen to a lot of electronic but also acoustic so I'm a bit in the middle. I can always get a Pontus II and keep the Qutest. :)
I went from a Denafrips Ares II to a Qutest a couple of years ago. Then moved on to a Pontus II, but changed within a month back to the Qutest. It is more detailed, deeper soundstage, more refined. More ‘audiophile’ as u wish (vs the Pontus more laid back indeed). It’s what suits your system and music best.. Then I upgraded the Qutest with linear PS Farad Super 3 and later on with fuse swap to Purple fuse: waauw! If you like to stay with the Qutest, I realy do suggest these upgrades. Enjoy!
@@maxvdl1262 Thanks for the comments, definitely gave me something to think about. I'm using an iFi iPower 2 wall wart but I could try to update this to something like your PS Farad Super 3 and see how it reacts. Maybe a sbooster power supply.
AUNA S9C PRO DAC FOR ME THX.