Hi. Just wanted to make a QUICK REPORT based on my experience. My amps: PrimaLuna Dialogue HP Power Amplifier and NAD M22 V2. My speakers: ATC SCM7 V3 - Wharfedale Denton 80th - Wharfedale Linton 85th - B&W 706 S2. My DACS: The DAC from the Node 2i, the DAC from my NAD M10, the Chord MOJO and the Chord Qutest. My streamers: Node 2i and NAD M10.
Like most here, I always tend to go to the greener grass and while I enjoy very much my listening hobby, I'm always looking for ways to improve it. As you can see from my list of equipment, I've tried several combinations and everytime I've change a component I have noticed the impact on the sound quality. A conceivable difference is heard with my ATC vs my Wharfedales or my tube amp vs my digital amp, BUT, and here is what I want to report: It may sound cliché, but I SWEAR I've never seen a bigger improvement for good in my system than when I installed the CHORD QUTEST.
By far, really by far, the single best component I've had, and it changed my whole audio knowledge to the point that now, the quality of the DAC one is using would be ON PAR with the speakers whenever someone asked me for advice. I never thought that even the simplest recordings (e.g. one hit wonder recordings from the 80s) could have such amount of information. Another cliché: I am now really hearing the heart and soul of my favorite songs. My happiness is overwhelming!
The QUTEST does wonders with everything but so far, the best combination in my case amongst all my equipment has been: NODE 2i as streamer + NAD M22 V2 as amplifier + CHORD QUTEST as DAC and ATC SCM7 V3 for speakers.
Best regards,