DAC contest: Border Patrol Sei or Chord Qutest?

Found the Border Patrol for $900, so it seemed like a good addition. A concern was the Beryllium tweeters paired with a highly detailed, extremely precise DAC. The BP is not nearly as 'precise' as some.

Again I will mention that this thread came about when the earlier one was taken over by a DAC conversation. I initially asked about CD transports that I should consider that might be a bit better than NuPrime's CDT-9.

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.  

I tried a Border Patrol DAC after seeing the Steve Guthenberg Audiofiliac video on it, but when I tried it I thought it was very smoothed over and kind of lifeless in its sound. I was using an Ayre Codex at the time, and since then I went to a Chord Twoqute then to their Qutest and definitely the Chords are much more detailed and energetic and realistic.

Some people do like the Boerder Patrol unit it seems but maybe they haven't compared it to other ones that can give a clearer view onto the musical performance.

@swvaaudiofan " a member who insisted that I had to ditch the Border Patrol before doing anything else in my system."

+1 soix - pay attention to what is being asked here by soix. I’ll add-in a few thoughts.

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Has this insistent member heard your system in your room with your speakers... How anyone could be insistent without hearing your setup is a novice shooting in the dark.

What about your BP SE-I dac is not sounding right to you, and what do you hope to change about the sound more to your liking by purchasing another dac?

imo, try to figure out this part out before getting on/off the dac treadmill, if you can help it. I agree with others, the Chord or Denefrips vs. the BP SE-I dac will sound different. Part of this has to do with the result and type of presentation you are looking for, and/or dealing with taming your Be tweeted speakers.

Oh: the first 24-48hrs of burn-in with the BP SE-I can be terrible (veiled over) sounding as the caps form and other components settle in. Can share notes from Gary on all of this. I now believe some people resale this dac not knowing this part. Patience :)

btw, recently acquired the BP SE-I with the updated Beez Wax caps and new choke design, and like it quite a bit with my all-tube system and speakers, all of which is revealing and transparent. Also owned/compared to other dacs that I enjoy for other reasons. The BP truly does something different, like it or not. Deciding really depends on your system and your preference at the end of the day, fwiw.

Before I received the advice to replace the DAC and not the CD transport, I had listed my entire system on a thread I called "What's Up?". So that info was there for the critic to analyze. You know and I know that didn't happen. A belief in the Chord and a dismissal of the BP came out in a complete demolition of the thread itself.

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.

I'll keep the NuPrime - or sell it. I'll keep the Border Patrol - or sell it. Seems to me asking a direct question on a forum was a dumb idea in the first place.