Comparison : Chord Qutest vs RME ADI-2 DAC : Temptation
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Every 10 Seconds switch DAC by input select.
Source is NODE2, connect DACs coax and optical.
Amp is Audionet SAM G2, Speakers are PMC Twenty 23
Recorded by Zoom H4n Pro
I have tried both RME & Qutest. I love Chord products, however out of the two I liked RME hands down, you can't beat that 5 band parametric equalizer tuning. RME is more crisp and lively, but of course who prefer it that way.
I’ve owned both the Chord Qutest & the RME ADI-2. They’re both good, and I watched this video before trying both. I was sure the Qutest was for me. Going by this video, it seemed more organic, natural and pleasing to my ears. The RME seemed clean but artificial. However, my experience in person was the reverse. The Qutest was a wall of sound, more exciting than the RME and more of an “in the room” feel but to my ears it was a also a bit sterile, resembling a CD played a high volume. The RME was clear & had wonderful dynamics. It sounded like a band was playing in front of me. It sounds sweet in the mids, resolves music with ease & wooden instruments sound incredible. Coupled with the various features the RME has & it’s no contest for me.
Interesting learning re UA-cam Video vs reality! Tx
The RME seems to be playing louder than the Chord. When I level them out, I prefer the Chord. And as you had stated in your Reply comments to another of your videos of these two DACs, you had the "Loudness" compensation turned on for the RME. That should have been stated in your description.
Went on ADI2 DAC because i already had Fireface 800 for several years on studio. I like them a lot because of overall performance, steady clock, excellent ASIO drivers and support. Chord i never heard before, but i read they are also very good (and expensive). In this comparison, some more aspects should be taken with caution. Wich filtering was used on both? Otherwise it's like comparing apples and oranges… i think.
RME sounds more open and clean, more analytical for studio work yet still natural and musical with lots of setup options and great headphone amps (and that would make sense regarding the company's approach in the audio world)
Chord sounds more narrower and intimate in its sound stage and transient response almost more compact/compressed in the mids, some might call it warmer and therefor, depending on preferred listening habits, might be, for some, better suited for relaxed music consumption (and that would make sense as well regarding the company's approach in the audio world)
Rme is a little cleaner, more upfront
Thank you for the effort. BUT HOW ON EARTH CAN WE DISCERN BETWEEN THE TWO DACS, USING OUR DAC FOR LISTENING TO THE DIFFERENCE?
The decay on the RME absolutely sucks. The Chord is razor sharp and sounds like a real instrument.
RME = Analytical
Qutest = Musical
The Chord has more body and better decay. It's also more transportative. The RME sounds more like a CD player. Both very good though.
Problem : first its à comparison coaxial with optical !!! Chord coaxial and rme optical ? For me : rme dry and flat(loudness sound for boum boum) , chord more relief more colors and more body, sensual. Sorry for my english
I agree with your comments about the sound of the RME and Chord bienvenue. I think the RME would be good for home theatre and I think the Chord is better and more natural for music. Please don’t apologise for your English, c’est très bien!
To those complaining about the qutest sounding sharp, you’ll want to set it up using the red filter as opposed to white which is the fastest roll of filter
The Qutest sound more open and relaxed. It is the more natural sounding of the two as you can hear a bit of that digital harshness with the RME. Most people might prefer it thinking it is more detailed when it actually is a more flawed reproduction of the original source. To each their own but for me the Qutest is superior by quite a bit.
Tried this blindly, for what it's worth overall i prefer the RME, sounds closer to something i could believe is playing in front of me. The Chord to me sounds a little warmer therefore possibly more pleasing to hear at first sight but less natural, if ever so slightly.
Yes, I agree. : ) There's just little difference, I think it would be chosen by personal preference.
I listen with studio monitor headphones the video and then the original track, then the video another times. There are a big difference between the original and the video. In the video you have less bass and more high plus something like a surround effect, the sound is not warm. Between Chord and RME there are small difference: more natural the chord but more clear and detail in the RME. Normally I prefer the natural and warm sound, but in this case the RME can win for a small puff.
The RME sounds much more better to me-more details in the mids and deeper in the bass (listening via Dynaudio BM5 MK 3)
I was interested in the Chord Qutest but after comparing it to the Wavelength Cosecant it was no contest. The Wavelength had the same level of detail but a much more engaging and warmer sound. I've really come around to the idea of tubes in dacs now. Unfortunately the Wavelength is $3000 :-(
Thank you
The Chord is the master piece. Refined, Handles withthe limits. I can ear it going lower in the bass, clean way. RME is a beginner not accurate at all, no separation. Does not dive as low as the Chord. One is High end the second is not.
The Qutest sounds a bit more romantic to me.
Which chip for rme ? AKM, sabre ?
Sounds like you are using wrong filter... did you leave RME on SD Sharp filter? If you use it for music listening you need to set it to Slow which has a lot less of digital harshness to it and sounds smoother/more musical. Sharp filters are very analytical on the RME. Qutest sounds very "rounded" and while this makes music sounds good, it's not the actual sound of the recording... it works well for "soft" music though, not so much when it's suppose to sound harsh/aggressive where the Qutest will filter that all away
The sound from chord is more sensual.....(but the price is double)
The chord is warm and the RME Is more neutral uncolored that's my take
Michael Silva YUS
Mids on RME is just amazing.
So basically the amp doesn't matter anymore. Having a good DAC and a good music source (eg. Tidal, FLAC) can make your music sing. Am I correct?
Straight answer Actually not : speakers room acoustic + type of speakers with alignment + power cables +speakers cable +interconnect cable + music source files + amplifier + dac. According to highest priority alignment.
I want to buy one of those dacs, which you think is more fun, lived and powerful to listen to for rock music where drums and bass should sound present?
I prefer the sounds of the RME. It's a close call.
for me and being honest Chord Qutest
I don't hear the differences. Not with my hifi system and not with my headphone connected to my smartphone.
I guess they are both great dacs.
RME is much cleaner, blacker, detailed, sharper. RME sounds neutral... and sterile. I take the Chord any day over the RME. Sounds so much more natural, less analytical. RME is way better to the point is not even convincing. With DACs, to me... sometimes they are "better than reality." and sounding like music no more.
Totally agree with you Bastian.
They need to give us AES, I2S and XLR inputs.
which do you think is better?
Both qutest and rme measure excellent in audioscience review. Qutest is by far the best measured dac by amirm. Here also qutest has more inner details and better decays.
from what I am hearing...the RME is a CHORD killer for $900 cheaper.....
I totally agree!!
RME doesn't sound "natural" at all. It seems they are adding a sort of "reverb effect" while the Chord is a much more natural sounding Dac.
Imho, of course.
or maybe is a more opened sound and is showing better the original reverb
Maybe there is something wrong with my ear but I don't notice any difference...
Poor ear
Could be many things: Poor audio setup, untrained ear or inferior hearing or any combination of the three!
@@behemothinferno Maybe you are right but I think you missed out one possibility: there is no difference at all.
@@1984robert There absolutely is, and to me it is clear as day!
Rme adi-2 win
I like RME, more mid details.
Respectfully disagree .. the RME sounds rather compressed (+loud) and harsh compared to the Chord
Respectfully think you’re talking out of your ass
@@s7robe297 Respectfully you are a arrogant idiot
Thanks for the video, I want to buy and use RME dac in a floor speaker system, please help me, do you hear the sound quality of RME as thin, soft and relaxing, bored to listen?
or else it's fun, emotional, strong and hit hard at low frequencies? from zero to ten as you rate the authority strength and stuck at low frequencies mainly on the kick drum?
RME has a richer sound.
RME crushed the Chord Qutest....and costs 800 dollars less.