DAC contest: Border Patrol Sei or Chord Qutest?

I just think when a person relatively new to the hobby asks a question and a member inevitably comes on as all knowing, at least he should post pictures of his system so the noobie has an idea of his frame of reference.

@jetter First, I never said I was “all knowing” so you can just save that utter crap. All I try to do is get as good of an idea as possible about what an OP is really looking for and then share whatever experience I have through what I’ve heard and/or read if I think it might be helpful in some way. That’s it. I don’t profess to be “right” when making recommendations because that’s just arrogant and stupid. Many people have messaged me over the years that they really appreciated my thoughts and found them very helpful, which is all that matters to me while your and @lordrootman opinions mean virtually nothing.

But, you make a good point about my system not being listed listed here so I took care of that oversight just now — pictures to follow whenever I get around to it.

I think Most of the time people who ask questions here are actually looking for hands on experience from actual owners if not there’s a lot of positive reviews about anything out there we can simply takes their words for it

@lordrootman Yes, hands on experience from others is rightly valued here, but that experience has to be focused on what the OP is looking to achieve, and that requires specific information. If “there’s a lot of positive reviews about anything out there we can simply takes their words for it.”  Seriously?  Are you kidding me??? What about knowing what the OP’s sound preferences and goals are? Just because some talking head likes something means next to nothing if his tastes and system are different from the OP here. It’s all relative to personal tastes, system, and room among other things, which is precisely why I ask the questions I do. Just taking someone’s word for it is anathema to the whole spirit of this site. I truly feel sorry for you if you can’t comprehend this.

At what point you are going to stop asking the same questions to almost every post in Audiogon?

@lordrootman What exactly is your issue with me asking these critical questions? I ask them over and over again because posters here frequently don’t share near enough information to make an informed and truly useful recommendation, and I don’t like wasting my time throwing darts at a dartboard while blindfolded — got better things to do with my time. I’m here because I really like trying to help people if at all possible and if I have something to offer, but that requires some key info otherwise it’s like a patient going to the doctor and not sharing his symptoms leaving the doctor to just guess. Get it? If you don’t like my posts you’re perfectly free to just skip them, but a lot of people here have been pretty appreciative of my help over the years largely because I ask these critical questions. If you like throwing useless darts while blindfolded and just get off on telling people what YOU like regardless of whether it’s appropriate for what the OP is actually  looking for, well, you do you and I’ll do me and the audio world keeps spinning. Jeez. Really???

I will ad here that I installed a wall in an open floor plan to create a dedicated listening area. Then I lined that wall with acoustic foam. Hearing an improvement, I hung acoustic foam on the other side using the stout curtain rod installed there. It's dark and dead in there now - just like it should be.

Uh, so, “dark and dead” is your idea of a good-sounding room?  To each his own I guess.  Still no info on what improvements or sound characteristics are being sought so I got nuthin’. Peace out. 

As mentioned above, these are two very different-sounding DACs with very different designs.  It would be most helpful if you could share what improvements you’re looking for, what sound characteristics are most important to you, and what other equipment is in your system.  You’ll get much better and more useful recommendations sharing this critical info, and as it stands I’ve no way to make a meaningful recommendation despite wanting to try to help if possible.