True but source comes first
I would post some links but that would upset Richard. Without going into detail I would say that improving power in digital audio lowers noise, improves the bass and removes sharpness from the treble.
In a week or so I am heading North to listen to a friend’s system where he has removed the SMPS from his Dave and is using an external Sean Jacobs DC4. He linked this into the Huei as well and liked what he heard - but at an insane price differential. Obviously this removes these DACs from the shelter of the Chord guarantee.
I use the Qutest fronted by a dCS NB and an M-Scaler. I had a TT2 for an extended period and fully respect what it brings to the table, there is an awful lot to like and appreciate. BUT, ultimately I think the Qutest with the SBooster and Ultra II is a tad more transparent and resolving.
I disagree, having heard both combinations and many reviewers seem to agree. Each to his own.
In any case the OP was asking about an amp not sources.
Thanks for all the comments, interesting and useful as always. I’m going to look into upgrading the rack before anything else. Cable dressing concerns me, and I have always liked the look of the Isoblue. Whether that will make cable dressing any easier I’m not so sure, but replacing the Q4 Evo feels the right next step to me.
I’m also constrained by space. Currently I have my system in a corner of the living room behind the room entrance door, which is where we’re all happy to have it. It’s quite well hidden from the normal goins on. In future there is an option to put it in a tv room where I could split the rack, but that isn’t going to happen until our youngest moves out.
I have 7 shelf rack with a 52/300/nds/tt psu/555ps/sc/300ps. Cable management is tricky, but with a bit of planning, patience and readjustment over the first few days after a rebuild, I’ve found I can get them into a stable position where they are not touching one another. Very close in some cases, but not touching. It is important that you have a reasonable level of access to the rear of the fraim to inspect and adjust.
I know this isn’t ideal and visually 7 shelves does look on the industrial side. I think visually 6 looks much better. However, it’s working for me right now and the system is sounding the best it ever has.
Ours is in a corner of the living room. The bottom half is hidden from view by a sofa so height isn’t a problem visually. It’s not intrusive that way, just does it’s stuff, which I like. But it’s a pain to get to.
That’s a good plan, which I would say of course, as I suggested it! My Isoblue has a base and four shelves and is under two feet high. You’d need a couple more of course but it’s still going to be reasonably low. A nice thing is that you can slide shelves forwards to get access to those pesky wires. People often underestimate how much difference a good rack can make, and the Isoblue is well up there.
Oh that’s good that its partially hidden. Anyway from what I’ve seen, albeit in pictures, I think the isoblue is easy on the eye.
Hope so, getting the basics in place first sounds good. Being able to slide shelves forward is very appealing !
After a room rearrangement at the weekend I could now have two rather than one racks ! The right one (brawn) would however be in front of a radiator. I reckon I could position it so that the cables wouldn’t touch the radiator, but is this a bad idea to be considering ?
Nice single rack right there 
Yes, absolutely no space for anything else. None at all ;-).
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Nice setup 
That looks very nice, though I’d have both stacks the same height. I’d also arrange things so that the preamp was the top box and didn’t have a transformer beneath. Isoblue seemed to go off the radar for a while; maybe it’s having a little comeback. It’s certainly dead easy to set up.
Tried both the same height, and actually prefer how it looks this way. The box below the preamp is the streamer. Sounds significantly better than the previous arrangement to be sure
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I played around a bit with my 300DR and ended up with PS on right (under the Radikal) and head unit bottom left. Seems to be fine.
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All set ups don’t need to be symmetrical some owners prefer an odd combination
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As the OP clearly demonstrates.
