Source: Official website, Last Accessed: 2018/02/01

Qutest is a standalone DAC with conversion architecture based on Rob Watts' award-winning proprietary FPGA technology developed for the class-leading Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp and is perfectly equipped to bring the benefits of the company's digital technology to a wide range of connected devices, giving an instant performance upgrade, plus the ability to modernize aging digital source components.
The new device is a “pure” DAC (it does not contain headphone amplification or rechargeable batteries like some of its range stablemates), featuring a galvanically isolated USB-B, optical and coaxial digital inputs and is designed to improve sound quality in the home. It is the latest evolution of Chord's most affordable standalone DAC, the multi-award-winning 2Qute, which it directly replaces.
Qutest offers Hugo 2’s proprietary user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection controls, available via two fascia-mounted spheres, introducing useful flexibility. It also features RCA analogue outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps and headphone amps, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for connection to future Chord Electronics products. A further new feature is a user-selectable output voltage available in 1, 2 and 3V RMS outputs for flexible connectivity with a wide range of partnering devices.
The new DAC supports sample rates up to 32-bit/768kHz and up to DSD512 (Octa-DSD), for PCM and DSD streams respectively, through the USB port, up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM through its two BNC-equiped coaxial S/PDIF inputs and up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM through its optical input.
The newly-designed Qutest chassis, signed by John Franks, has significantly greater mass than its predecessor and has been precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminum billet. The Qutest PCB nestles within a shallow cavity in the solid aluminum chassis, giving the circuit board greater protection within the casework and additional isolation from external vibration compared to previous designs, the company states.

For more information: https://chordelectronics.co.uk/

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