Chord Announce Chordette Qute EX DAC

Forming part of the bijou Chordette range, the new Qute EX adds a new chipset and circuit board which enables decoding at up to 384kHz PCM and DSD 128 over USB (against the QuteHD’s 192kHz PCM and DSD 64). Existing QuteHD DACs can be upgraded with the new chipset and board at the factory for just £200 (plus shipping); the price differential between the two which seems very reasonable.

The Qute EX offers a range of bespoke DAC technologies taken from the flagship QBD76 HDSD (£4,995), which forms part of Chord Electronics’ Choral range.

Ready to take advantage of today’s advanced studio-master-quality (DXD – Digital eXtreme Definition) music files, the Qute EX can handle sample rates from 44.1kHz to 384kHz (PCM).

The Qute EX benefits from an asynchronous USB input (up to 384kHz) and has to two additional digital inputs: coaxial and optical.

In addition to 384kHz PCM files, the QuteEX can also process DSD 128 data using the latest DSD-over-PCM standard (DoP). Whether using Mac OS or Windows OS, Chord Electronics’ own proprietary driver software is provided, removing the restrictions of current operating system audio playback.

Price: Qute EX £1,195