Anybody here upgrade from Chord Qutest DAC"

@jjss49 @jazzman7  I pulled the trigger on a M-scaler. I’ve got a long time to evaluate it.  I read all reviews of it with the Qutest.  I hope it works for me. I need more meat in the lower mids because I mostly listen to jazz. 

@txp1 

I use the M-Scaler with the Hugo2 and the Dave.  You've probably figured it out by now, but the M-Scaler really isn't about frequency response, it's about coherence.  It brings the music and the acoustic ambience together something fierce.  I did NOT want to spend the $5k for the thing, but I find it really hard to listen to either the Dave or the Hugo2 without it now.  

So in evaluating it, I'd recommend not listening for specific detail-y things like bass or highs or whatever, but rather by just sitting back and seeing whether you enjoy the music listening experience more with or without it.  

I knew I had to keep the thing when I found myself still in my chair having to badly go to the bathroom after hours of listening, but not being able to leave the music.  I also know because all I have to do is hit the bypass and I immediately am less engaged with the music.  

Anyway, will be curious what your experience is.  Good luck!

@hayas Thanks but I Canceled the M-scaler purchase. I’m still considering a R2R DAC such as the Sonnet Morpheus or Pasithea or the Audio Mirror Troubadour IV.  

I had the Qutest a few years ago and changed it for the Denafrips Pontus II, a more natural sound dac. Although I didn’t do a side-by-side comparison, I remember to have a inconsistent enjoyment from the Chord: great with some recordings and so so much with others, making the sound too sharp to my liking.

But I would love to try one again :)

Qutest with M-Scaler gets close to the Hugo TT2 plus M-Scaler filter length  1,064,960 divided by 1,114,112 =95%.  If you don't need a headphone amp, bluetooth, and balanced outlets go with the Qutest and save a few thousand dollars.

You don't have to understand taps and filter length.  What is important is to know that the M-Scaler fills in the spaces between the samples making the music smoother, more dynamic, more like analog etc. The gap between music recorded at 44.1khz sample rate is greater than the space between 176.4khz and so on.  You can read about Rob Watts theory on a white paper available on the Chord M-Scaler website.  

My digital front end upsamples everything to 705.6 or 768khz.  Digital System components: Roon Nucleus via ethernet to Lumin U1 via USB to M-Scaler and Dual Silver Dragon BNC cables to the Qutest.  I use the Incisive neutral filter on the Qutest for ultra linear frequency response.  I'm very happy with the sound quality.