Upgrading from a Chord Qutest

[JM1911]

After much thought about possibly adding a turntable, I have decided to just stay with my digital system. If I were to use some of the funds I was planning on using and upgrading something my system I believe it would be my Qutest. My system is simple and straight forward. Innuos Zenith mkIII feeding the Qutest via Shunyata Alpha USB. Qutest feeding my PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated via Purist Audio Venustas RCA. PL feeding my Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. I liked what the Qutest did for me when I added it, but I think I can get closer to that analog sound with an upgrade. I listen to a lot of female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Norah Jones, classic Jazz, modern bluegrass. I think sometimes the Qutest can have a slight edginess to it. I am using a iFi Elite power supply with it which made a nice improvement. I really didn't want to go over $4000 for the DAC. So I was thinking maybe Denafrips Pontus or Venus? Or a dealer has a Hugo TT2 demo. The TT2 normally would be out of my price range, but a demo discount puts it within reach if I stretch a bit, but I don't need all the headphone and preamp stuff, just a solid DAC. Any thoughts?
Thank you

 

[Addicted to hifi]

After much thought about possibly adding a turntable, I have decided to just stay with my digital system. If I were to use some of the funds I was planning on using and upgrading something my system I believe it would be my Qutest. My system is simple and straight forward. Innuos Zenith mkIII feeding the Qutest via Shunyata Alpha USB. Qutest feeding my PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated via Purist Audio Venustas RCA. PL feeding my Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. I liked what the Qutest did for me when I added it, but I think I can get closer to that analog sound with an upgrade. I listen to a lot of female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Norah Jones, classic Jazz, modern bluegrass. I think sometimes the Qutest can have a slight edginess to it. I am using a iFi Elite power supply with it which made a nice improvement. I really didn't want to go over $4000 for the DAC. So I was thinking maybe Denafrips Pontus or Venus? Or a dealer has a Hugo TT2 demo. The TT2 normally would be out of my price range, but a demo discount puts it within reach if I stretch a bit, but I don't need all the headphone and preamp stuff, just a solid DAC. Any thoughts?
Thank you

Why don’t you want a turntable? that’s what hifi is all about.

 

[JM1911]

Why don’t you want a turntable? that’s what hifi is all about.

Basically I don't have any vinyl, so not only would I be buying a TT, phono stage, cleaning supplies and all the other accessories, I would also be buying vinyl.

 

[DSkip]

Hey JM. You're really barking up the tree that I work within. Are you in the USA? I'd love to help but there are many questions I have and a conversation would be easier. If you want to reach out, my phone number is on my website (audiothesis.com).

My immediate thoughts are that the Qutest isn't the weak link in regards to your desires for your system.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Basically I don't have any vinyl, so not only would I be buying a TT, phono stage, cleaning supplies and all the other accessories, I would also be buying vinyl.

I actually just got back in to vinyl and went thru this whole process

 

[oldbigears]

After much thought about possibly adding a turntable, I have decided to just stay with my digital system. If I were to use some of the funds I was planning on using and upgrading something my system I believe it would be my Qutest. My system is simple and straight forward. Innuos Zenith mkIII feeding the Qutest via Shunyata Alpha USB. Qutest feeding my PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated via Purist Audio Venustas RCA. PL feeding my Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. I liked what the Qutest did for me when I added it, but I think I can get closer to that analog sound with an upgrade. I listen to a lot of female vocal like Sarah Jarosz, Norah Jones, classic Jazz, modern bluegrass. I think sometimes the Qutest can have a slight edginess to it. I am using a iFi Elite power supply with it which made a nice improvement. I really didn't want to go over $4000 for the DAC. So I was thinking maybe Denafrips Pontus or Venus? Or a dealer has a Hugo TT2 demo. The TT2 normally would be out of my price range, but a demo discount puts it within reach if I stretch a bit, but I don't need all the headphone and preamp stuff, just a solid DAC. Any thoughts?
Thank you

Before spending $$$$ on a new DAC, you might want too consider adding a DDC to your chain - with a the specific intent of using the optical input of your Qutest, rather than USB. No need to spend a fortune. The $56 U2 Pro converter from Douk Audio works just fine - amazing improvement to the sound quality compared to the (in hindsight) nasty USB input. Not a minor difference - you will be gobsmacked. And the difference is exactly in the direction you are aiming. Try this, before spending a load of money on a much more expensive DAC.

 

[ecwl]

I 100% agree with oldbigears here. The slight edginess you hear from the Qutest is probably a little bit of RF leakage ground current noise coming upstream into the Qutest which is why the change to the iFi power supply makes it a little bit better. But the best way to remove this noise is to just go optical. And unlike other DACs, Chord Pulse Array DACs are much more jitter immune so going Toslink would not increase the jitter to an audible level. So you should buy a cheap USB to Toslink converter to try on Amazon. You should use the Zenith to power the USB to Toslink converter (via the USB 5V power). And you can even just use the free Toslink cable that comes with your Qutest. Another way to test this theory is to simply hook up your battery powered laptop/tablet/smartphone via USB to your Quest and see if you still hear the edginess because when you're running on battery, there is no ground current from the source/upstream power supplies that can leak out through the Qutest/iFi power supply.