Future products and project status

Watts, Chord, community and miscellany

Answers on this topic

Everything he said on this topic (451)

One-line summaries in our words, oldest first. Each link opens the original.

2014-04-01Watts declines a suggested source project as a major effort with no sound-quality gain, noting some Hugo IP began 30 years ago and Hugo is designed from the gate level. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-04Watts says John Franks is finalizing a leather Hugo case embossed with Chord Hugo, with a pouch for a phone or source, coming soon. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-16Watts compares QBD76's 16-element pulse array with Hugo's 4, says a replacement is in work, and recounts how QBD76 development reshaped the WTA filter to 18k taps. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-16Watts leaves Hugo plugged in and on permanently, and says the QBD76 replacement will be ready when perfected; he has prototypes and is chasing FPGA timing closure on many taps. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-17Watts says content above 22.05 kHz is inaudible (he hears to 16 kHz) but 4uS transient timing matters, and describes a planned pulse array ADC with multiple sample-rate outputs. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-17Watts says Hugo has five filters: two WTA stages (first 26k taps) to 16FS, a linear interpolator to 2048FS, two IIR filters; the new QBD filter just meets timing. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-28Watts says Hugo drove horn loudspeakers loud and transparently; speakers must be 8 ohms or more and efficient given 1W, below ultraviolet volume; he is busy with the QBD upgrade. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-08-03Watts says the replacement for the QBD DAC is well under way, with an FPGA of nearly 10 times Hugo's capacity. article, Aug 2014
2014-08-03Watts sees speaker-driving DACs with single global feedback to the digital domain as next; Hugo is a 1W digital amp; he has worked on digital power amps for ten years. article, Aug 2014
2014-09-13Watts says USB isolation gives smoother sound and better depth by blocking correlated ground noise; two USB cables still join grounds; the new QBD has galvanic isolation. Head-Fi, Sep 2014
2014-09-13Watts confirms the new QBD has a remote and balanced outputs. Head-Fi, Sep 2014
2014-10-08Watts discusses Hugo's low fatigue and prototype surprise, says the source matters little via optical, hears no plastic vs glass difference, and mentions Chord projects nearly ready. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-09Watts says there are no plans for a portable Hugo Mk 2, but Hugo-type sound with power to drive loudspeakers directly is in development. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-10Watts says he designs for Chord because he wants the products; Chord was 10% of his income during Hugo; Hugo amp targets his office and lounge, with mono-block mode. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-10Watts says it is not Class D and to think of it as a Hugo with much more power. needs context Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-20Watts says Hugo's outputs share one 1W power amp, its only active stage, and that a more powerful 20W-into-8-ohm version of Hugo, from a ten-year project, is being prototyped. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-21Watts says the SPICE-modeled prototype contains risky new innovations, has no target date, and will not be released until it matches Hugo driving efficient horn loudspeakers. needs context Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-11-17Watts says the volume control is digital, the only way to make it completely transparent, and the release date is sometime in 2015; the product is not named. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2014
2015-02-14Watts says ADC anti-aliasing filters need about 2K taps for -144 dB, ADC chip aliasing near 21 kHz is audible, and his pulse array ADC project has run five years. Head-Fi, Feb 2015
2015-02-15Watts expects longer ADC filters to improve recordings by removing aliasing and noise floor modulation, says listening tests have not started, and recalls Chord's pro audio sales. Head-Fi, Feb 2015
2015-03-02Watts says the 164,000-tap filter runs on an LX75 FPGA after four redesigns for timing closure, using 160 DSP cores at half speed for the first WTA stage. Head-Fi, Mar 2015
2015-03-02Watts defers discussing the 164,000-tap filter's sound until launch, saying its LX75 FPGA draws 5W and could only go portable with 10nm FPGAs in five or more years. Head-Fi, Mar 2015
2015-03-03Watts says Project xxxx is a digital pre-amp with headphone drive, which he can discuss closer to its May launch. Head-Fi, Mar 2015
2015-03-13Watts says Project xxxx's headphone drive has slightly more voltage and the same current as Hugo, and it cannot be battery powered since its FPGA dissipates 5W. Head-Fi, Mar 2015
2015-03-14Watts defends Hugo's color volume display, gives its range from +18 dB (white) to -70 dB (dark brown), prefers digital volume to pots, and says Project xxxx keeps the colors. Head-Fi, Mar 2015
2015-04-10Watts declines to give details because Chord wants to maximize the surprise, adding that he is listening to it while typing. needs context Head-Fi, Apr 2015
2015-04-15Watts explains FPGAs, their DSP cores used for interpolation filters, says Hugo's FPGA has 16 DSP cores, 100 times a normal DAC's logic, and an upcoming product's is 1000 times. article, Apr 2015
2015-04-20Watts says Project xxxx launches at Munich and is unlikely to become a Hugo upgrade, since its improvements need far more FPGA capacity than Hugo has. Head-Fi, Apr 2015
2015-05-20Watts says DAVE stands for Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis, explains the name, and says its development built on understanding why Hugo sounded so musical. HIFICLUBE.NET JVH 4
2015-05-20Watts says next year's pro audio A to D converter needs decimation filters better than 140 dB, while some pro audio filters attenuate only 6 dB. HIFICLUBE.NET JVH 4:50
2015-06-06Watts says he will talk more about DAVE as full production approaches, because there is much more to it than 164k taps. Head-Fi, Jun 2015
2015-06-18Watts says DAVE has an asymmetric WTA filter setting with lower delay for video use, and that DAVE production is scheduled for October 2015. Head-Fi, Jun 2015
2015-09-14Watts says Hugo is FPGA limited, so lessons from Dave cannot be applied; Dave may be upgradable via Chord or the distributor, only for a clear subjective improvement. Head-Fi, Sep 2015
2015-09-25Watts says John Franks is showing a Dave close to production standard for PCM, but without the new non-decimating DSD filters he only just got running. Head-Fi, Sep 2015
2015-10-03Watts says Dave's UK retail price remains £7,995, production is on schedule for release later this month, and local pricing is set by distributors. Head-Fi, Oct 2015
2015-10-06Watts says Dave uses one FPGA with ten times Hugo's capacity, drawing 5A, is still a work in progress, and has PCM+ and DSD+ programs, DSD+ offering lower latency. Head-Fi, Oct 2015
2015-10-11Watts says Hugo driving efficient horn speakers directly beats feeding a linear power amp, which motivated the Hugo amp project: Hugo simplicity with a linear output stage giving enough power. Head-Fi, Oct 2015
2015-11-01Watts says Dave's 705/768 kHz DX outputs feed his non-switching digital power amps; the first, due next year, is 20W RMS with a 70W mono-block option. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-11-02Watts says Dave's shipping delay is his, as production code is not finished; four prototype batches mean hardware changes are not expected. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-11-13Watts says Dave gives 6.75 V RMS at 1% THD, suggests demoing it with Abyss headphones he has not tried, and says production code is close. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-11-21Watts says 6.75 V is into 300 ohms with a 0.5A RMS current limit, final code is being tweaked, and he will tour Asia with a production Dave. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-11-23Watts mentions upcoming Singapore events, says he has not tried the HE1000, and that the ADC project should start soon with filter R&D done. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-11-23Watts says sample recordings will likely be made available, production code was sent today with a minor change pending, and Chord should ship soon. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2016-01-09Watts says that ever since studying electronics he has wanted to go from microphone to loudspeaker. What Hi-Fi? 6:16
2016-01-09Watts says his technology and expertise can give much better sound and musicality, and that the next project is an A to D converter. What Hi-Fi? 6:26
2016-01-09Watts says the A to D converter will match DAVE as the first commercial product, followed by pro audio versions, using DAVE's technology for better musicality in recordings. What Hi-Fi? 6:39
2016-01-09Watts says studios are very excited about an A to D converter with the same level of transparency as Hugo and Mojo. What Hi-Fi? 8:07
2016-02-26Watts says he is presenting in Korea, then Tokyo, wants to visit Bristol, and is coding the Dave-standard upgrade for the Blu and Red Reference CD players. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-26Watts says Davina, his ADC project prototyped in 2001, tackles noise floor modulation, aliasing (half-band filters give only -6 dB; he hears it at -140 dB) and noise shaper resolution. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-26Watts says a new upsampler PCB will bring Blu and Red Reference to Dave standard; until then Dave beats their old upsampler, so play 44.1. Dave cannot be upgraded. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-27Watts says Davina will run 44.1 to 768 kHz with two simultaneous outputs at different rates without SRC, and user-selectable 16, 24 or 32-bit depth. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-27Watts says the upgrade will improve sound with the upsampler, is priced as multiples of parts cost after the prototype meets target, and should be available later this year. needs context Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-28Watts says his power amp prototype has waited a year for testing, the amp and Davina are this year's priorities, and Dave driving it digitally should eliminate power amp sound. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-29Watts says the power amp topology is new and scalable to any power; the first product is 20 W, or 70 W as a monoblock, with the range undecided. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-29Watts says Davina is an ADC for analog inputs, letting one hear vinyl at 768k while recording at 44.1, and is a first step toward a pro audio interface. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-02-29Watts says the first power amp suits near-field monitoring and is transportable, slightly bigger than Hugo, for office, hotel, TV and power-hungry headphones; larger models will follow. Head-Fi, Feb 2016
2016-03-04Watts says the intended price is nearer TT than Dave, and wishes Hugo were closer to Dave in sound so he need not carry Dave, now at 150,000 miles. needs context Head-Fi, Mar 2016
2016-03-05Watts says the Blu upsampler upgrade adds a second powerful FPGA for WTA processing, but only listening tests will show the benefit, and it ships only if worthwhile. Head-Fi, Mar 2016
2016-03-23Watts introduces his blog: a first article on listening tests is coming, then technical topics and projects under development, chiefly the digital power amp and the Davina ADC. Head-Fi, Mar 2016
2016-03-31Watts says he is independent of Chord and owns his WTA, noise-shaping and pulse array IP, so he can discuss projects like Davina and the power amp, not future products. Head-Fi, Mar 2016
2016-04-01Watts lists what Davina should answer (aliasing limits, lifelike depth with 350 dB noise shapers, transparent WTA round trips, 16-bit dither) and says the power amp will initially matter most. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-10Watts says something is not as easy as it sounds, and that he will publish test recordings with differing options from the Davina project. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-20Watts says the power amp is second priority behind Davina, which he is working on now; its project code word is Hugo amp, unlikely to be its name. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-22Watts says Chord were not keen on a suggestion he had already made, and he wants to drop the term digital power amp, which is synonymous with Class D. needs context Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-24Watts says the best ADC chips manage -122 dB SNR while Davina targets 135 dB, naming depth (350 dB noise shaping), noise floor modulation and audible aliasing as main problems. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-24Watts says Davina is the code word for the ADC project notionally intended for DAVE and will be the first product to use his pulse array ADC. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-05-21Watts says brain break-in matters far more than hardware break-in, DAVE's FPGA must be soldered rather than socketed, a replacement is years away, and code updates need significant gains. Head-Fi, May 2016
2016-06-04Watts says WTA1 uses 90% of DAVE's FPGA DSP, so a power amp fed 16FS data could use a bigger WTA2; the DAVE power amp will outpower the Hugo amp. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-06-06Watts says his ADC plus DAVE at 768 kHz could beat an analog pre-amp, and describes a WTA FIR decimation filter from 104 MHz to 768 kHz for two prototypes. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-06-08Watts says a DAVE sound-quality code update may never be needed, is being considered only for 768 kHz use with Davina, and would come no earlier than 2017. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-06-10Watts says Davina ADC schematics are almost finished and layout about 75% done, shows the layout, and notes DIP switches to switch all 11 analog integrators. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-06-10Watts says he is always late on projects: PCB done this month, prototypes around September, and test recordings published at the end of the year at the earliest. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-06-12Watts calls Davina a proof of concept, possibly followed by an 8-channel pro interface, aimed at reproducing recorded depth accurately, with Chord staff advising on recording. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2016-07-28Watts says Davina will initially take mic or line level only, and digital-domain RIAA is a possible later project once Davina is complete. Head-Fi, Jul 2016
2016-09-17Watts recalls Doug Sax's Mastering Lab, and says a Moscow recording engineer's request will add vari-speed to the pro Davina, noting engineers' complaints about pitch effects and DC filters. Head-Fi, Sep 2016
2016-09-17Watts says the amplifier project was delayed by other projects, that DAVE's output stage came from it, and that its prototype must be redone but is planned for 2017. Head-Fi, Sep 2016
2016-10-18Watts says he paused Davina to finish the new Blu for a show, hopes to finish the Davina PCB by end of October, and will publish test recordings. Head-Fi, Oct 2016
2016-10-18Watts says the 20 W stereo (70 W mono-block) amp is only the first in a series of different powers, since the technology scales to high power. Head-Fi, Oct 2016
2016-10-27Watts says two power amps can be used, hence four DX outputs, and plans a volume trim on the amps in DX mode since master volume is sent digitally. Head-Fi, Oct 2016
2016-11-01Watts says his reward is enjoying music with Mojo and DAVE, and blames himself for Blu Mk2's delay: the August prototype worked, but an improvement cost two or three months. Head-Fi, Nov 2016
2016-11-01Watts says he uses JRiver on his laptops, and that Blu Mk2 is CD only, using the same mechanism as the original Blu. Head-Fi, Nov 2016
2016-11-10Watts answers no to two questions and says DAVE 2 has not even been dreamed about and is many years away unless essential parts become unavailable. Head-Fi, Nov 2016
2016-12-23Watts reflects on a busy year, says Davina progress lagged but he is back on it, thanks the Chord team, and describes buying a 5TB drive and classical box sets. Head-Fi, Dec 2016
2016-12-29Watts says Davina is performance driven, Chord will set its price from the bill of materials (vaguely around Dave retail), and he is finishing its first PCB layout. Head-Fi, Dec 2016
2016-12-29Watts says Davina has a recording mode (analog in, digital out) and a post-processing mode that decimates, upsamples or converts rates, aiming at 768 kHz 24-bit recordings. Head-Fi, Dec 2016
2017-01-08Watts says dropping the ADC to make a scaler-only product would save little, since metalwork, FPGA, PCB and supply dominate cost, and two products would cost more. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-08Watts says Blu got the M scaler first because Chord still sells Blu and Dave out-tapped Blu 1; the work feeds Davina, and he travels with Blu and Dave. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-09Watts says he uses Hugo 2 on planes and Dave with the M scaler in hotels; Hugo 2 should ship late February or early March and appear at CanJam Singapore. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-09Watts says Davina's cost is unknown with no BOM costing done, Chord sets prices, and he will try to make M scaler technology widely available. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-09Watts says 384/24 is distinguishable from 48/24 but recording method matters more, praises 1960s Decca recordings, calls the M scaler 'a great equalizer', and says Davina will measure losses. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-23Watts says Hugo 2's 256FS filter matches Dave's, and the HF filter is best off with the M scaler and Dave since stop-band rejection is already 130 to 150 dB. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-24Watts says Blu Mk2's design came from Davina, which started first, the code is shared with Davina's M scaler mode, and proper SRC needed a powerful FPGA. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-01-29Watts says Dave's DX outputs will feed his digital-input power amps, with one global feedback loop, 4 passive parts, a third-order noise-shaper structure and non-switching output; first model 20W. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-02-20Watts says Chord will show full production Hugo 2 units with final code at CanJam Singapore in March, where he will present the design and detailed measurements. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-02-21Watts says eight weeks of listening-led tuning now use 100% of the FPGA's memory and DSP cores and 98% of logic; production code will be final, and three months of testing found no bugs. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-02-28Watts says there will be amps of different powers, and the Hugo amp will drive 2 ohms and above and can be configured as a 70W mono-block. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-02-28Watts says he cannot give a firm date because aspects have never been done before, but the prototype design is nearly done. needs context Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-02-28Watts says Hugo is the initial code word for the first, smallest amp, more will follow, and he will say more once he has something tangible. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-03-07Watts says the M scaler's benefit was unpredictable, and the two big remaining problems are power amps and recording ADCs, which he aims to bring up to Dave standards. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-03-19Watts says Blu Mk2 took its M scaler design from Davina, so 1M taps is Davina's limit, and Davina will show how much quality the M scaler loses. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-03-30Watts says nothing is being changed since production code issued in late February; he guesses supply chain issues, but design problems were the main reason it is late. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-04-08Watts says his posting shows he is no longer in bug-solving or panic mode on Blu 2 or Hugo 2. needs context Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-24Watts says commercial ADCs are not transparent, hence Davina, which will also convert Red Book to M scaled files he plans to play on Hugo 2 during flights. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-05-02Watts says Dave took over 2 man years and he will not repeat that now, as Davina and the amps, to be called Power Pulse Array, will occupy years. Head-Fi, May 2017
2017-05-02Watts says the amp is mostly for driving speakers from Dave's DX outputs, though a few headphones would appreciate the power. Head-Fi, May 2017
2017-05-08Watts says he hears the M scaler in phone clips via bass, warmth and soundstage, and Davina will let him post better clips once its USB works. Head-Fi, May 2017
2017-07-02Watts says Power Pulse Array prototypes are being built with no realistic timeline, release waits until he is satisfied, and DAVE driving small speakers directly gives stunning depth. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
2017-07-20Watts says he plans to investigate EQ after the digital power amps, if it gives a subjective benefit, and has designed bi-quad DSPs before. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
2017-08-11Watts says Davina will match DAVE in size and be comparable in price, and that he awaits its prototype; he also says native DSD's timing errors and poor small-signal resolution make it soft and flat. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
2017-08-11Watts says Davina prototypes are being built, calls it his most complex project ever, and declines to give a date since a fundamental flaw could force a redesign. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
2017-09-24Watts says DSD256 DoP is sent as 705 kHz, drop-outs mean the source cannot pack DoP in real time, native DSD is easier, and Davina 768k recordings may follow. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
2017-10-13Watts turns to the future: the Davina A-to-D converter project, familiar to readers of his blogs. miceblue425 35:35
2017-10-13Watts says he is an FPGA designer, wants portable products, and aims within 10 years for a pocket M scaler, possible only with an FPGA; GPUs would need dedicated users. miceblue425 43:39
2017-10-21Watts says Moore's law is slowing, mask sets cost $150M, 28 nm is the economic node, and a portable M scaler needs economic 7 nm FPGAs and tenfold lower power. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
2017-11-10Watts says it is way too early, other projects are taking his time, and he should be back on Davina later in the month. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-11-16Watts says only controlled listening tests settle whether CD is good enough, and that Davina will let him publish original versus decimated and M scaled tracks to gauge the loss. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-12-09Watts answers 'Better FPGAs', adding that the next Xilinx generation is probably several years away. needs context article, Dec 2017
2017-12-09Watts says after perfecting the pro audio ADC technology he would explore digital crossovers and loudspeakers. article, Dec 2017
2017-12-23Watts says he has a ten-year roadmap for improving sound quality, while competitors depend on devices that cannot improve. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
2017-12-24Watts says he plans long term: he foresaw a million-tap M scaler ten years ago, designed 1M-tap filters five years ago, and built in features like Dave's DX outputs. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
2018-01-09Watts says Qutest is now in production, with delivery to dealers in February. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-10Watts says John did a great job on the Qutest chassis, which feels substantial; he expects it may help sound quality but has not yet listened to it. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-10Watts says his power pulse array work aims to give single DAC-amplifier benefits at hundreds of Watts, instead of Dave's 2W, with no loss of transparency. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-11Watts explains Qutest feeds linear power amps, Hugo 2 suits 1W/8 ohms and Dave 2W, while planned DX amps are pulse array DACs delivering 20W to hundreds of Watts. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-12Watts says none of his current projects include a DAVE 2, and with DAVE's Xilinx FPGA family still current, a replacement is not on his horizon. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-12Watts says he has designed an ADC, the Davina project, and its prototype is waiting for him to test it. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-16Watts says the finish is a Chord (John Franks) decision, but he understands Qutest will only be black. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-02-11Watts says a standard stereo 3.5mm cable connects Hugo 2 to an M scaler; cheap non-75-ohm cables worked at 705/768 kHz because of de-glitching and rise/fall adjustment. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-17Watts calculates that, at 10 seconds per entry on a Casio, a human would take 33,769 years to compute one second of music for the M scaler. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-21Watts says he cannot discuss products or timescales, as launch follows perfecting the technology, but all DX amps will offer mono-block mode for bridging and bi-amping. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-22Watts says Chord announced at the Blu 2 launch that other M scaler units would come, but says no more; Qutest uses a 4-layer PCB of Hugo 2's spec. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-23Watts says a separate, galvanically isolated M Scaler keeps that noise out of Dave, isolation took two prototypes, another M Scaler is in progress, and timing recovery reaches 16-bit accuracy. MajorHiFi 20:49
2018-03-06Watts says Hugo 2/Qutest use 67.5mS of data versus 1mS for conventional filters, minimum phase sounds soft, the M scaler uses 1.37 seconds, and more M scalers will follow. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-03-13Watts says Blu 2 already has a video latency mode, hints at new DAC developments in years, and aims to remove digital and mains cable sensitivity; analog cables only partly. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-03-17Watts says Davina will use Choral metalwork and all new DACs will accept M scaler dual data, which is why Qutest and Hugo 2 have that input. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-03-31Watts describes a microphone-to-speaker analog-to-digital project and work on power amps, with pulse array DACs scaled to large power for a simple direct path to loudspeakers. article, Mar 2018
2018-03-31Watts says succeeding with a single DAC-and-amplifier approach would transform the two-channel amplification market through unmatched transparency and simplicity from digital to analog. article, Mar 2018
2018-03-31Watts says he has rejected projects simpler than Mojo because they could not reach the performance, but would do a cheaper product if it sounded better. article, Mar 2018
2018-04-01Watts says he has been busy, is in Cusco for the Machu Picchu trail on a family holiday, and will code Davina on return, with recordings some time off. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
2018-05-07Watts says Hugo 2's DSD filter exceeds 200 dB at 88.2 kHz, used on Blu 2; he heard only brain break-in; the M scaler outputs 705.6 kHz PCM from DSD. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-05-11Watts says TT2 measures like Hugo 2 in DAC mode, gives 18W balanced and 7W SE without degradation, describes its supercap PSU, and denies working on a Dave 2. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-05-12Watts lists TT2 output options (DAC mode 2.5V RCA/5V XLR, low gain 3V, volume at -3dB) and recounts how the DX amp's output stage was adopted in TT2. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-05-17Watts says he finished TT2's output stage optimization for production, measuring 0.000195% THD at 20Hz unchanged with an 8 ohm load at 12W. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-05-25Watts describes his power pulse array amplifiers in development (200 watts to a kilowatt, single global feedback) and says TT2 uses their output stage, delivering five amps into headphones. Darko Audio 2:10
2018-06-04Watts says Chord will launch a new product of his design at London CanJam, which he will show and discuss in a seminar. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
2018-06-10Watts says he cannot discuss future Chord product release dates before official launches. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
2018-06-27Watts says aliasing ruins music: Hugo's -130dB DSD decimation was audible, Hugo 2, TT2 and M scaler reach -220dB, MQA manages -40dB, and 768 kHz needs 24 bits. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
2018-06-27Watts says MQA's degradations become obvious with WTA and M scaler; converting the 56-bit WTA output to 24 bits, triangular dither sounded worse than his truncation noise shapers. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
2018-07-04Watts says Davina's 705/768 to 44.1/48 decimation filters tested perfectly with no aliasing; 104 MHz to 705/768 decimation design comes next, then hardware testing. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-07-09Watts says he will give two seminars: Saturday launching something new and its technology, Sunday on Hugo TT2. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-07-21Watts describes auto video mode on 48 kHz input, automatic source switching when USB is silent, remote control, and a DX mode for DX power amplifiers still under development. c w 24:49
2018-07-21Watts says the DX amps are pulse-array-topology DACs of 400 or 500 watts, with volume set by the M Scaler, which he runs from a battery bank on flights. c w 25:32
2018-07-21Watts says Dave owners have the Blu 2, or could use Davina, the AD converter, which will have an M scaler built in. c w 31:16
2018-07-21Watts says it is not job done: the gain from half a million to a million taps suggests going further, which Davina's native, bandlimited and decimated files will test. c w 31:47
2018-07-21Watts says three files will be published; if the difference is huge he will do 10 or 16 million taps, though part of him would like the project closed. c w 32:33
2018-07-26Watts says Qutest, Hugo 2, TT2 and Dave share the post-scaler process (WTA2 to 256FS, third-order filter to 104 MHz), notes diminishing returns, and previews DX amps' transparency. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-07-30Watts says he did not delay the project by six months to a year for a marginal feature, since the USB transmit code and device were untested. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-08-07Watts says he carries a TT2 and programming tool while Chord is still testing it, and will return to traveling with a Dave and Hugo M scaler. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-10Watts says Davina is on the back burner; 768 to 48 kHz decimation is done, a non-integer 104 MHz decimation filter exceeds 250 dB, and recordings are targeted next year. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-13Watts says Blu Mk2 has the same DSD filter, and the Hugo M Scaler began as a copy of the Blu 2 project with only control code changed. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-14Watts says the first DX amp will have headphone outputs, Dave easily drives LCD-4 to 120 dB SPL with the best transparency, and suggests a TT2/Dave dealer demo. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-17Watts says Dave will be more transparent than the first DX amp on headphones, and explains naming it 'power pulse array DAC' because 'digital amp' implies Class D. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-09-09Watts says the HF filter and WTA2 settings are unaffected by the M scaler, which works from 1FS to 16FS, and explains the vague autumn delivery as distribution time. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-09-21Watts says something needs the Davina project, which he is working on, and pass-through mode has the same 2.75 dB loss, making AB testing easy. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-09-22Watts says it is an ADC with mic inputs for making recordings, which can also M scale and convert digital formats. needs context Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-10-12Watts answers green; red and orange let people hear WTA2 versus IIR filtering, and green suits HD recordings by removing ADC noise above 30 kHz. A new prototype arrived. needs context Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-22Watts says studios now use Dave but need Davina, which is still a long way off, joking about his delays. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-11-05Watts says red OP SR is volume-equalized pass-through, headphones won't need a DX amp, units may stay on (M Scaler auto-shutdown, TT2 standby), and announces a Hong Kong event. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-12-08Watts says DAVE took two and a half full-time years, he did everything he wanted, and he has not worked out how to fundamentally beat it. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2019-01-08Watts says bringing M scaling to lower prices needs cheaper, more capable FPGAs, but cost per gate is rising, Artix 7 has no successor, and Moore's law has broken. Head-Fi, Jan 2019
2019-02-05Watts says the prototype's 104MHz to 768kHz decimation filter failed in simulation, so he must redesign it from scratch, with little time due to other projects. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
2019-02-06Watts says QBD76 used 112.896 MHz, but Davina's M scaler mode could not meet timing closure at that rate, and a future pro design needs word clock and asynchronous operation. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
2019-02-20Watts says Qutest is surge protected, element count does not set resolution, Davina has no date, DSD sounds unnaturally soft, and explains FIR for reconstruction versus IIR for EQ. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
2019-02-26Watts gives DAVE's BNC channel mapping for the M scaler, says the DX output is for future products, and warns 705 to 768 kHz conversion adds distortion and noise. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
2019-03-26Watts says that will have to wait for M scaler capable FPGAs to come down in price, with no sign of that yet. needs context Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-06-14Watts says Davina hit hardware and decimation-filter problems, argues audible timing errors are non-linear ones, and cites WTA 2 tests as evidence of sensitivity below the 7-4 uS interaural limit. Head-Fi, Jun 2019
2019-07-23Watts says progress, apparently on the ADC project, was held up by other projects, discontinued devices and decimation issues from 104 MHz, and expects more progress soon. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2019
2019-07-24Watts says Davina has a USB output and full digital inputs, so it can work as analog to digital, digital upscaling (M scaling) or digital decimation, at illustrative rates. Head-Fi, Jul 2019
2019-09-09Watts says M scaler accuracy depends on input, far beyond 24 bits on sine waves, at least 16.7 bits on transients; DAVE 2 is unplanned and DAVE took 2.5 years. Head-Fi, Sep 2019
2019-09-23Watts says he is always thinking about improving sound quality, but a high-end DAC is not on his current development plan because of other projects. Head-Fi, Sep 2019
2019-11-06Watts says the M scaler outputs 2.5v pp terminated, and that a Hugo 2 with integrated M scaler on one FPGA is many years, possibly decades, away. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-11-17Watts remarks it took him 30 years to create the M scaler and says more positive news on the pulse array ADC should come next year. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-11-28Watts says a longer-tap scaler will not replace the Hugo M Scaler until much better FPGAs exist, with no sign from Xilinx, and expects pulse array ADC progress next year. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-12-30Watts uses the stock Aeon 2 cable, cannot discuss future products, and says TT2 sounds and measures the same on stock PSU, a power bank, or with PSU disconnected. Head-Fi, Dec 2019
2020-01-04Watts says he cannot talk about future Chord products but that DAVE 2 is not on his horizon. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
2020-01-24Watts says M scaler/Dave can run at +9dB without clipping into loads above 16 ohms, and there is no news on the amps as he has been busy. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
2020-05-29Watts explains choosing an AEA R88mk2 stereo ribbon mic for Blumlein recording over Earthworks QTC50 capsules, and says another ADC prototype should allow recording late this year or next. Head-Fi, May 2020
2020-06-04Watts says modern ADCs suffer aliasing from half-band decimation filters, noise floor modulation and poor small-signal accuracy, which his pulse array ADC will solve; the next prototype PCB is underway. Head-Fi, Jun 2020
2020-06-25Watts says Class D can reach audiophile but not state-of-the-art quality, and describes a long-running project with Class D efficiency but a linear, non-switching output stage. Part-Time Audiophile 26:10
2020-06-25Watts says he is testing the project, hopes for products in about a year: simple DACs delivering hundreds of watts, Class A with low dissipation, using a Class H supply. Part-Time Audiophile 26:53
2020-06-25Watts says the M Scaler runs about 525 DSP cores; a Hugo-sized M Scaler needs much better FPGAs, perhaps 10 years away; portable power efficiency is a major issue. Part-Time Audiophile 28:53
2020-07-08Watts says the next ADC prototype PCB will be built in early autumn and muses that brain correlation may explain why depth depends on impossibly small signal accuracy. Head-Fi, Jul 2020
2020-07-09Watts says the initial ADC will be a two-channel stereo test-bench for the technology, with a multi-channel pro device to follow once the technology is proven. Head-Fi, Jul 2020
2020-07-10Watts says he solved the DX amp's signal-dependent switching issue, a Dave DX amp is one to five years away, and explains frequency response and phase as depth cues. Head-Fi, Jul 2020
2020-07-17Watts says using a subwoofer with the DX amps is something to think about, perhaps via an attenuated phono output from the main output. Head-Fi, Jul 2020
2020-08-03Watts says his projects will keep him busy for at least 18 months, Dave 2 is not among them, and it is not on his horizon. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-04Watts says long term yes, if the bi-quad DSP engine can be made transparent, as digital loudspeaker crossovers need one, and says Dave has withstood his own newer designs. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-22Watts confirms DAVE 2 is not on his horizon, says projects take at least 18 months and DAVE over 3 years, stresses honesty, and calls dCS's philosophy very different. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-11-12Watts, now 60, says WTA on a PC would degrade sound, a custom chip lacks a business case, and FPGAs are far short of a Hugo with built-in M scaler. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
2021-01-03Watts favors old-school active speakers over multiple resampling, says phase that shifts with amplitude matters while amplitude-linear phase shift shows no evidence of mattering, and is researching direct driver drive. Head-Fi, Jan 2021
2021-01-25Watts says the ADC prototype had adjustable mic inputs with phantom power and digital outputs to a DAC, and the pro model is not yet specified. Head-Fi, Jan 2021
2021-01-30Watts says pro interfaces have 8 ADCs and must sync via external word clocks, so his pro ADC model must support that. Head-Fi, Jan 2021
2021-02-01Watts says recording engineers press him for Davina, contrasts N-bit 104 MHz modulation with 1-bit DSD64, won't disclose plans, and names depth and attack as audio's key challenges. needs context Head-Fi, Feb 2021
2021-03-06Watts says the brain evolved to handle room acoustics but not noise floor modulation, aliasing and small-signal errors, and no commercial plans exist yet for speakers. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-03-19Watts says the amp prototypes had problems with the 2nd order analog noise shaper at high power and signal correlated ground plane noise; he wants parity with the DACs first. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-03-29Watts declines to discuss future products, describes a -350dB artifact his son identified blind, and says pulse array residual noise is resistor thermal noise traded against distortion. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-03-31Watts says CD player differences may be RF pickup via power amps, 2GHz ferrites or cutting loops fix M scaler to TT2 noise, notes a migraine; ADC work continues. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-05-12Watts says DX power amps must match Dave's performance, he was unhappy with the first attempt, a new prototype is being designed, and production is a few years away. Head-Fi, May 2021
2021-05-12Watts says the unit is a DAC with the same basic architecture as his other DACs, but with lots of power and DX inputs only. needs context Head-Fi, May 2021
2021-05-12Watts says his plan is DACs with headphone outputs plus DX amps for loudspeakers, fed from M scalers or DX output DACs, like pre-amps and power amps. Head-Fi, May 2021
2021-06-13Watts says the pro version will have at least 8 channels and a word clock input, preferred Aeon over Ether 1 closed, and needs closed headphones for travel and tests. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2021
2021-07-20Watts says he cannot comment on Chord's launch plans, Covid strains complex supply chains and events, and Chord keeps large stocks for current production. Head-Fi, Jul 2021
2021-07-20Watts says unofficially an unnamed product has not started development, Covid allowed fundamental research, and the next ADC prototype PCB design is complete. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2021
2021-07-21Watts says there is no timeline for the DX amps, which he expects after the ADC. Head-Fi, Jul 2021
2021-08-09Watts declines a poster's attempt to get information, saying he would not want to spoil the speculation on the thread. needs context Head-Fi, Aug 2021
2021-08-24Watts says the item asked about is not one of his projects, and repeats that he is working on much more complex M scalers among other projects. needs context Head-Fi, Aug 2021
2021-08-25Watts says research is progressing and results come later next year, revealing it will be another M scaler intended to match Dave. Head-Fi, Aug 2021
2021-08-29Watts recommends a 768kHz ADC, plans pulse array ADC tests, favors digital volume over analog, and says grounding via Dave shorts its isolation; ground elsewhere, battery-power, or use a resistor. Head-Fi, Aug 2021
2021-09-09Watts says WTA benefits shrink at higher frequencies because transient error area falls fourfold per sample-rate doubling; DAC and pre-amp modes perform identically; studio ADCs will have phantom power. Head-Fi, Sep 2021
2021-09-14Watts says Davina stalled when a key part became unavailable and other projects intervened; he has a better method without that part to test toward year end. Head-Fi, Sep 2021
2021-09-20Watts says he finished a prototype PCB testing a new power pulse array concept, so progress is being made, if slowly. Head-Fi, Sep 2021
2021-10-18Watts says idle Qutest draws 2 W and was meant to stay on, as cool electronics are more reliable; no affordable FPGA for 0.5M taps exists or is coming. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-11-08Watts says he will not design streamers, since a perfect DAC should sound the same with any bit-perfect source, though Chord might someday combine a streamer with a scaler. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
2021-12-24Watts says vinyl sounds soft and distorted next to his system, describes his family's guitars and new piano, and says new pulse array ADC prototypes arrived Christmas Eve. Head-Fi, Dec 2021
2022-01-05Watts says benefits of longer taps diminish markedly at higher sample rates, 768 kHz seems the sweet spot, so future more costly M scalers will stay at 705/768. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
2022-01-07Watts says 768k test recordings sounded reminiscent of an M scaler but imperfect, and his ADC will be pulse array based, with stability and decimation aliasing the tricky parts. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
2022-01-31Watts says FPGAs let him build a custom 104-bit core, and an undisclosed current project runs at 140 bits with coefficients at forty decimal places of accuracy. Darko.Audio 28:41
2022-01-31Watts says pro users often find the products themselves; many mastering engineers use DAVE, and at shows they press him on when the A to D converter will be finished. Darko.Audio 49:19
2022-01-31Watts says it is a background, long-term project, commercially less important than Mojo 2, that keeps being set aside, but he is working on it today. needs context Darko.Audio 49:47
2022-02-06Watts says he considered an M Scaler mode for DAVE/TT2, TT2's 7W beats DAVE plus power amp, NFM-free treble sounds natural, and he has not started a DAVE replacement. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-09Watts declines to name consulting clients for confidentiality, repeats he has not started a DAVE replacement, and says likewise for Hugo 2, Qutest and TT2: no Hugo 3 next. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-11Watts says his high-end M Scaler uses a Choral (DAVE) chassis and is not 4M taps, algorithm outweighs taps, and gives SINAD of 125dB (Mojo 2) and 127dB (TT2). Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-15Watts attributes HF errors to ADC noise shapers and decimation, keeps HF filter off on DAVE via M Scaler, prices the Choral M Scaler at DAVE level, and rejects XMOS. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-03-03Watts says he bought a Stealth unheard with positive first impressions, now sees M Scalers feeding DACs for headphones and DX amps for speakers, and TT2 suffices for his speakers. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
2022-03-04Watts says the DX amp project stalled on two issues; stabilizing the second-order analog noise shaper at high voltage is solved, another is being prototyped, likely aiming at DAVE level. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
2022-03-19Watts says an ADC is mathematically the same as a DAC with analog integrators, he is respinning his ADC, and the fourth iteration failed due to power supply issues. MFG Audio Reviews 51:01
2022-03-22Watts says he does not think things have plateaued and he still keeps getting improvements in unexpected areas. article, Mar 2022
2022-03-25Watts agrees removing passive crossovers could bring huge sound-quality gains; it is on his to-do list, with a loudspeaker company, once the ADC and DX amps are done. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
2022-03-25Watts says he had also thought of a universal programmable three-way active amplifier but suspects its commercial potential would be very limited. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
2022-04-10Watts describes twisting eight PTFE solid cores per conductor, hopes to finish the xM scaler and ADC later this year, and says the next ADC prototype will take ribbon mics. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-04-26Watts says Mojo 2's dual port is only for use with an M Scaler, that a portable M Scaler needs 3 nm FPGAs probably 10 years away, and that he tested Mojo with one. Audio Force 16:02
2022-04-26Watts says he does not expect people to pair Mojo with an M Scaler, though they might; cheaper or simpler scalers will come, in 2 years or 10, and the input cost little power. Audio Force 16:50
2022-05-14Watts cannot discuss future products but designed the UHD DSP with future uses in mind; he needs no EQ on his DCA Stealth or B&W 803 D3. Head-Fi, May 2022
2022-05-23Watts says the DX protocol's volume data is for future DAC power amps without volume controls, and DAVE between an M scaler and TT2 would just pass data through. Head-Fi, May 2022
2022-07-11Watts says Chord units need stereo PCM downmixes, surround is not on his radar, the Shield's 0.63 sec delay allows full 1M taps, and a Choral prototype supports 1 sec. Head-Fi, Jul 2022
2022-07-19Watts says the amp is in the background, old recordings involve via M Scaler and DAVE, and his Blumlein test recordings showed ADC losses: less depth, softer transients, warmer balance. Head-Fi, Jul 2022
2022-08-19Watts says a disclosed scaler to match DAVE, three or four years in work and priced like DAVE, won't replace the Hugo M Scaler; more taps help, but algorithm matters. AVstore 7:51
2022-08-19Watts says he has made his own recordings with Blumlein stereo ribbon mics because he is developing a pulse array ADC for pro audio and must assess its transparency. AVstore 10:41
2022-08-19Watts says COVID parts shortages slow things; a possible pre-production prototype is due within weeks, and if it works, release is looking like early next year. needs context AVstore 49:57
2022-08-19Watts says if the prototype works badly there could be a six- or nine-month delay, possibly to the end of next year, so no dates can be given. needs context AVstore 50:42
2022-08-29Watts says filters make transient timing errors program dependent, which is why 100k and 1M taps sound different, that audibility does not fade with age, and that prototypes are delayed. Head-Fi, Aug 2022
2022-09-18Watts says an NVIDIA device's negative video delay lets him run the M Scaler at 1 million taps, a bigger M Scaler has one-second delay working, and he dislikes surround. The Source AV 4:38
2022-09-18Watts says it was announced a year or so ago and he is working on what they call the Ultima DAC, to match the Ultima amplifier line, a large device. The Source AV 14:41
2022-09-18Watts says he was reluctant to do a very expensive DAC because he needed to understand many things, and does not want to milk the market as many companies do. The Source AV 15:00
2022-09-18Watts says companies update products after 3 years; he needed mature technology, and work over COVID on a bigger M Scaler has bottomed out interpolation, after 40 years. The Source AV 15:25
2022-09-18Watts says new DAC-side work is going into the Ultima, prototype design files were issued in June and are being built, and it may be shown next year or after. The Source AV 16:15
2022-09-18Watts says with DAVE and a prototype of the new scaler, left-right accuracy of his recordings is identical to perfect, but depth is not. The Source AV 18:19
2022-10-18Watts says Krisdonia noise is the likely problem, power-bank tests wait until after his Asia trip, and a 100 Wh Bixpower would run an M Scaler 8 hours. Head-Fi, Oct 2022
2022-10-25Watts says the Ultima DAC and Choral scaler take much of his time, notes he hears to 15kHz at 62, and says HF hearing loss does not affect transient-timing perception. Head-Fi, Oct 2022
2022-10-25Watts says a video mode supporting the Nvidia Shield's 1 s delay will be available on the Choral M Scaler, and it makes a tremendous difference. Head-Fi, Oct 2022
2022-11-03Watts says a car battery is the best PSU and his target for an upcoming product's PSU is to sound the same as one, noting his negativity about linear PSUs. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2022
2022-11-05Watts says an unnamed upcoming product will drive headphones, cites expectation bias, and says only one design path recreates unamplified music, adding it will come when done. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2022
2023-01-02Watts says he is not working on it now, as he must finish the Choral M scaler and the Ultima DAC first. needs context Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-01-08Watts says only an optical source plus battery on the M Scaler guarantees noise-free operation, as mains units leak noise even via optical; the Choral M Scaler addresses this. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-01-22Watts confirms the Scarlett 8i6 was used and hopes the May recording session will use his prototype pulse array ADC. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-01-23Watts explains his recording program to test his pulse array ADC and compare live with reproduced sound, says pro ADCs limit performance, and notes listeners differ in sensitivity. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-02-04Watts says he will test his ADC within weeks, and makes his own recordings with ribbon microphones and one pro ADC, unedited, to compare against the live sound. Dusty Audio 46:13
2023-02-04Watts says with bit-perfect data any source should sound identical, but with his current DACs they do not, and he is improving the DAC to be source-independent. Dusty Audio 48:52
2023-02-04Watts says making the DAC insensitive to streamer noise is a better use of his time than streamers, and Chord will likely hire others to develop streamers for his DACs. Dusty Audio 49:41
2023-02-04Watts says TT2 gives 7 watts into 8 ohms; DX outputs are for future 100 to 400 watt DACs driving speakers directly, a program that has stalled. Dusty Audio 1:01:31
2023-02-05Watts says whether Chord makes a streamer is up to Chord, but it is not something he is interested in doing. Soundnews 11:43
2023-02-05Watts says DAVE, in its seventh or eighth year, is still the best DAC available, and he is working on a much more expensive reference DAC of unknown price. Soundnews 54:15
2023-02-05Watts says the Ultima DAC is also performance-driven; its price, perhaps 20,000, 30,000 or 40,000 pounds, will follow production cost and margins, and is not yet known. Soundnews 55:24
2023-02-18Watts says he never said USD 100k for the Ultima DAC and that any price talk, including his, is speculation. Head-Fi, Feb 2023
2023-03-26Watts says the limit is reached when doubling taps is inaudible; during Covid he investigated it while working on a scaler to match DAVE, stressing reconstruction accuracy over taps. Eric's Hi-Fi 3:09
2023-03-26Watts says that tap count means a WTA function spanning two billion years past and future, which is impossible; he found an improvement to reveal with the new scaler. Eric's Hi-Fi 5:21
2023-03-26Watts says the coming product costs about as much as DAVE; he designs to performance, Chord prices from materials cost, and it has many FPGAs and a new technique. needs context Eric's Hi-Fi 7:47
2023-03-26Watts says he has not started work on the DAVE replacement yet. Eric's Hi-Fi 8:36
2023-03-26Watts says his focus is the new scaler and the Ultima DAC; other projects wait until the Ultima DAC is finished, and DAVE replacement work has not started. Eric's Hi-Fi 8:40
2023-03-26Watts says capacitors must be about half a millimeter to filter gigahertz noise; 100 MHz to 10 GHz was hardest, and this work is for the Ultima DAC's separate supply. Eric's Hi-Fi 22:44
2023-03-26Watts says the Ultima DAC's power supply, the best in RF noise terms, still uses switch mode supplies and is working really well. Eric's Hi-Fi 23:29
2023-03-26Watts says he is doing his own recording sessions while developing a pulse array A to D converter, aiming to control the whole chain from microphone to headphones or loudspeakers. Eric's Hi-Fi 41:36
2023-03-28Watts says he wishes studios would not record in DSD; he is testing his own pulse array ADC and making recordings to compare reproduction with the live sound. The Headphone Show 53:51
2023-04-03Watts says what is coming up is a new scaler to match DAVE. Amplify Audio 41
2023-04-03Watts says it has exactly DAVE's form factor, causing heat dissipation headaches; he has heard the prototype for about two years and hopes to launch by year end. needs context Amplify Audio 1:02
2023-04-03Watts says it will certainly have more taps, and that the one benefit of COVID was two years of not running around, which let him spend time on fundamental research. needs context Amplify Audio 1:41
2023-04-03Watts says the research meant thinking things through, listening, measuring and trying things out, and that the program has been running since 2018. needs context Amplify Audio 1:58
2023-04-03Watts declines to give a tap count because thermal considerations may change it, but says it is substantially more than the M Scaler's. needs context Amplify Audio 2:29
2023-04-03Watts names the coming product as the Ultima DAC. Amplify Audio 11:34
2023-04-03Watts confirms the Ultima DAC and says Chord has a range of Ultima power amplifiers. Amplify Audio 11:38
2023-04-03Watts says this is the top end and it will be quite a substantial unit. needs context Amplify Audio 11:45
2023-04-03Watts says it is a project he has been working on for a long time. needs context Amplify Audio 11:53
2023-04-03Watts says it is slated for next year; COVID gave him time to investigate things, but getting hold of prototypes was a nightmare. needs context Amplify Audio 12:01
2023-04-03Watts says the prototype took two years to build. needs context Amplify Audio 12:24
2023-04-03Watts says parts were unavailable, but he now has the prototype; meanwhile he has coded the DAC, improving many modules, and it is quite a big improvement. needs context Amplify Audio 12:29
2023-04-03Watts says it is a big improvement over what he has done in the past. needs context Amplify Audio 12:58
2023-04-03Watts says it will not be a small change, as one would hope given the price of the unit. needs context Amplify Audio 13:03
2023-04-03Watts says it is more resolving, with timbre variation and sharp fast attacks as big gains; live unamplified sound can be explosively sharp, while digital and analog reproduction soften everything. needs context Amplify Audio 13:19
2023-04-03Watts says his recent improvements make things sharper and faster with more weight and density, warmer and sharper at once, and that Ultima will be really interesting. Amplify Audio 14:13
2023-06-19Watts says an unnamed product launches only when its pre-production prototype satisfies him and Chord; it is his most complex design, which his son calls his most important. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2023
2023-06-19Watts says an unnamed project started in 2018 with a first PCB in Feb 2019, his longest; he flies with a Bixpower, Hugo 2, Hugo M Scaler and DCA Stealth. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2023
2023-06-22Watts says after the Ultima DAC and other projects he will prototype with more FPGAs, and if that works there will be an Ultima scaler. Head-Fi, Jun 2023
2023-07-13Watts says he is busy on the Ultima DAC and a Choral-range M scaler for Dave, expects a pre-production unit soon, and has agreed a new name. Head-Fi, Jul 2023
2023-07-23Watts says the pulse array ADC project has not been suspended and he will test the next version next month. Head-Fi, Jul 2023
2023-07-23Watts says a more complex EQ is technically possible for the new M scaler given its FPGA capacity. Head-Fi, Jul 2023
2023-07-24Watts says the Choral range M scaler uses multiple Xilinx 200T FPGAs, since bigger FPGAs cost four times as much for a given performance. Head-Fi, Jul 2023
2023-08-28Watts says he still lacks metalwork and PCBs for an unnamed project, though coding is nearly done with one of the last modules passing simulation. needs context Head-Fi, Aug 2023
2023-09-23Watts describes his cycle of FPGA design, simulation, digital measurement and AB listening tests, and says he has more things to try on the new scaler. Head-Fi, Sep 2023
2023-09-24Watts hopes to have positive news about the ADC soon. Head-Fi, Sep 2023
2023-09-29Watts says 7W from TT2 should not damage speakers unless clipping, and a stereo ADC in design will offer SRC-based external word clock sync and possibly Dante. Head-Fi, Sep 2023
2023-10-01Watts says he is a big Stealth fan and makes his own recordings partly to test the pulse array ADC he is developing for pro audio and domestic markets. The Source AV 24:59
2023-10-01Watts says left-right placement was accurate but depth was not, and he hopes his ADC will solve that and give proper depth. The Source AV 27:41
2023-10-01Watts says he would not have spent the three or four months developing and evaluating the DSP core unless he knew it could be used in other products. The Source AV 37:34
2023-10-01Watts says products normally take about 18 months to come through. The Source AV 38:07
2023-10-01Watts says Pentaconn connectors are lovely but not cheap and will go on the Ultima DAC, where money is no object. The Source AV 39:10
2023-10-01Watts says a surface bright at infrared dissipates more, and that the new scaler he is working on had heat sinking and power dissipation problems from his own mistakes. The Source AV 46:59
2023-10-05Watts says unanodized Hugo M Scaler prototypes showed anodizing doubles heat-sink performance, and Choral scaler heat issues led to a redesign of metalwork, PCB and FPGA code. Head-Fi, Oct 2023
2023-10-30Watts says the ADC is a simple 2-channel unit for Blumlein ribbon recording, separate clocking is solved, and non-delay asymmetric FIR filters give poor transient reconstruction. Head-Fi, Oct 2023
2023-11-08Watts says Ultima DAC PCBs test well, but he is finishing the Choral range M Scaler first and expects to be full time on the Ultima DAC by January 2024. Head-Fi, Nov 2023
2023-11-09Watts says he cannot give a definitive date for an unnamed design with novel elements, though hardware works and he feels on the home straight; production is a separate step. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2023
2023-12-17Watts says streamer-controlled DAC volume needs a Chord request and a USB decoder command stream, raises master-volume issues, and is not planned for Ultima. Head-Fi, Dec 2023
2023-12-24Watts names his upcoming projects as the M scaler to match DAVE and the Ultima DAC, and says certainly not TT3. Head-Fi, Dec 2023
2023-12-25Watts says he has been working with pre-production units of the Choral M scaler this month, everything works, and it exceeds his sound-quality expectations from earlier prototypes. needs context Head-Fi, Dec 2023
2023-12-28Watts says the Ultima DAC is a reference full-sized high-end DAC priced several times above DAVE, which he has worked on for four years. Head-Fi, Dec 2023
2024-02-29Watts says two new products took over 5 man-years, he had no involvement in Suzi, and his new PSUs isolate RF both ways and remove modulated mains ripple. Head-Fi, Feb 2024
2024-03-02Watts confirms the base PSU design has variants for future products, notably the Ultima DAC. Head-Fi, Mar 2024
2024-03-17Watts says Quartet will have 176.4/192 kHz toslink and coax outputs plus dual BNC at 705.6/768 kHz. Head-Fi, Mar 2024
2024-03-18Watts says Quartet's single BNC and optical outputs are fixed at 176.4/192k, decimated from 705.6/768 kHz with new filters and separately noise shaped for 4FS. Head-Fi, Mar 2024
2024-03-28Watts says Quartet will have more complex lossless EQ built in, which he is finishing now. Head-Fi, Mar 2024
2024-04-05Watts says well over 90% of DAC sound quality depends on interpolation filter and DAC implementation, criticizes listeners and reviewers, and says Quartet holds five 200T FPGAs. Head-Fi, Apr 2024
2024-04-08Watts rebuts a claim that more taps make transients collide, saying longer sinc filters make transients independent, and each tap doubling improved sound. Head-Fi, Apr 2024
2024-04-17Watts says pre-production Quartet into Dave beat an M scaled Dave, it works with all current DACs, and a dedicated bit clock would only add RF. Head-Fi, Apr 2024
2024-05-04Watts says the Quartet M Scaler will not launch at Munich, but a prototype can be heard on trade days, and the production version will differ slightly. Head-Fi, May 2024
2024-05-05Watts says launch is most likely in the fourth quarter, with testing, features and possible improvements still to do, plus Chord's production lead time. needs context Head-Fi, May 2024
2024-05-10Watts says no competition has pressured him to replace Dave; others make rich warm or bright analytical DACs, while he wants a transparent DAC that recovers the original mic feed. Reactcore 10
2024-05-16Watts says Quartet M Scaler took 6 years, his most complex project, with five FPGAs (the same as Hugo M Scaler), two million lines of code and 2,500 discrete components. ConvinceMeAudio 42
2024-05-16Watts calls it a good question but says he will answer it at launch, since technical details are not being discussed today. needs context ConvinceMeAudio 9:35
2024-05-16Watts agrees; the price is not set because the design is not quite finished, but it will cost more than DAVE. ConvinceMeAudio 12:03
2024-05-16Watts corrects the interviewer: the product is called the Quartet M Scaler. The Speaker Shack 16
2024-05-16Watts calls it a big project, says he started work when the Hugo M Scaler was finished, and says it has taken 6 years (opening words unclear in transcript). needs context The Speaker Shack 29
2024-05-16Watts says development took long because of engineering complexity and because it was a research exercise into interpolation filters: how many taps are needed to perfectly reconstruct. needs context The Speaker Shack 45
2024-05-16Watts says it is going to be priced but the price is not yet known. needs context The Speaker Shack 3:51
2024-05-17Watts says he has been very busy with the Quartet M Scaler. AVstore 16
2024-05-17Watts says he spent six years on Quartet, his most complex project, which uses five FPGAs of the M Scaler's type instead of one and two million lines of code. AVstore 21
2024-05-17Watts says the four million taps are why it is being called Quartet. needs context AVstore 4:34
2024-05-28Watts reports strong press and user reactions to Quartet with DAVE in Munich, says rivals have not closed DAVE's technical lead, and that Quartet lifts DAVE further. Head-Fi, May 2024
2024-05-29Watts shows a pre-production Quartet M Scaler prototype designed to match DAVE: 6 years of development, two million lines of code, 75 amp supply, five 200T FPGAs. HIFICLUBE.NET JVH 8
2024-06-18Watts says most of six years went into developing the Quartet M Scaler, partly a research study of interpolation filters and transients, through five board versions and many FPGA program changes. article, Jun 2024
2024-06-18Watts says the M Scaler is guaranteed better than a 16-bit reconstruction and Quartet better still, and explains how the brain uses transient timing for separation, location, timbre, note edges and bass pitch. article, Jun 2024
2024-06-18Watts explains how interpolation modulates transient timing, harming separation, timbre, bass and fatigue, says any timing error is perceptible, and lists Quartet's five FPGAs, 2,500 components, 75-ampere supply and two million code lines. article, Jun 2024
2024-06-18Watts says the first Quartet installation outside the family, in Singapore, gave a night and day difference on a 1957 Coltrane track, with instruments instantly placed in space. article, Jun 2024
2024-06-24Watts defers Quartet's 4M-tap details to launch, says 5.2 uS at 192kHz is still too big, calls DSD a mess for timing, and describes his reference tracks. Head-Fi, Jun 2024
2024-07-12Watts gives the product's full name: the Quartet M Scaler. HIFICLUB 55
2024-07-12Watts calls Quartet a bigger, more exotic, more expensive Hugo M Scaler, six years in the making with three to four man-years of work, his most complex project. HIFICLUB 57
2024-07-12Watts says COVID gave him two years free of events to do research on the project, which he calls its only benefit. needs context HIFICLUB 1:43
2024-07-12Watts says the M Scaler's 1 million taps improved pitch, timbre and staging; Quartet uses more FPGA power for 4 million taps and an improved filter. HIFICLUB 14:45
2024-07-12Watts says reducing remaining unmeasurable noise floor modulation has been a struggle on the Ultima DAC, to launch maybe next year or the year after. HIFICLUB 35:12
2024-07-12Watts says he has not started a DAVE replacement; a DAVE owner who sold his unit heard Quartet with DAVE at Munich and decided to buy DAVE again. HIFICLUB 50:50
2024-07-12Watts greets Korean fans and invites them to listen to Quartet when it arrives in Korea, saying it is all about enjoying music. HIFICLUB 54:34
2024-07-24Watts says to wait for launch; he has only stacked the units, expects no difference given his screening and filtering design, but must prove it with PSU listening tests. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2024
2024-07-25Watts says he has worked on Quartet at least 6 years, since the Hugo M Scaler was finished, made discoveries over COVID; it matches DAVE, price undecided. Hifi Pig TV 34
2024-07-25Watts says it is two boxes, with a separate supply, because its five large FPGAs need 75 amps; it has 4 million taps, 4 times the Hugo M Scaler. Hifi Pig TV 1:28
2024-07-25Watts says the PCBs are on their fifth version, with two million lines of code and about 2,500 components, and calls it the most complex project he has worked on. needs context Hifi Pig TV 2:19
2024-07-25Watts says he travels with the prototype Quartet because he still has coding to do at shows, and because he loves its sound, which makes good recordings sound more real. Hifi Pig TV 4:39
2024-07-25Watts says the goal is the illusion of real musicians in a real space, calls Quartet a big step toward it and the hardest product he has worked on. Hifi Pig TV 5:13
2024-09-29Watts says it is called the Quartet M Scaler, was shown possibly too early at Munich, and has taken more of his time since 2018 than anything in his life. The Source AV 3:16
2024-09-29Watts says the M Scaler made a huge difference, so he wanted to know how much further the envelope could be pushed, and the project led him to unexpected findings. The Source AV 4:09
2024-09-29Watts says this is 4 million taps. needs context The Source AV 4:56
2024-09-29Watts says it has five 200T FPGAs. needs context The Source AV 4:59
2024-09-29Watts says it works to a different level of precision than the existing M Scaler, will not replace the Hugo M Scaler, and is a lot more expensive. needs context The Source AV 5:05
2024-09-29Watts says the design is unfinished; he hopes to sign it off in a couple of months, then production takes about six months, so next year. needs context The Source AV 5:24
2024-09-29Watts says some design work remains, but most of his work now is testing and evaluation, and that testing turned up interesting findings that delayed going into production. The Source AV 5:51
2024-09-29Watts says the result is better sound, not a huge difference; he works until fully happy, then presses the button, Chord goes into production, and he leaves. The Source AV 10:30
2024-09-29Watts says that with hardware and metalwork done, he has taken Quartet to a few select audiophiles, including a Singapore friend who owns many Chord products. The Source AV 13:01
2024-09-29Watts says pre-production metalwork exists with a few tweaks left, and that it has a separate power supply. needs context The Source AV 16:54
2024-09-29Watts says photographs of it have been published so people can see it. needs context The Source AV 17:08
2024-09-29Watts says it is a Choral range product with a separate power supply. needs context The Source AV 17:15
2024-09-29Watts says it will be more expensive than DAVE, hopefully not by too much, which he knows from his rough idea of the bill of materials cost. needs context The Source AV 18:58
2024-09-29Watts says Chord will not disclose the bill of materials cost to him because he is separate, but prices fairly as a standard multiple of it. The Source AV 19:11
2024-09-29Watts says he would be severely upset if they are not showing it at this show next year. needs context The Source AV 19:40
2024-09-29Watts says that would be a disaster and he hopes it will be much earlier. needs context The Source AV 19:57
2024-09-29Watts says Chord has asked why he is late; new maths and measurement tools revealed something new and gave better sound, probably an incremental rather than night-and-day change. The Source AV 20:03
2024-09-29Watts says that with Quartet he has definitely broken through the ceiling. The Source AV 21:04
2024-09-29Watts says reaction was very positive; one unnamed reviewer went completely silent for half a minute to a minute after listening. needs context The Source AV 21:25
2024-09-29Watts says that when they launch Quartet there will be lots of trips. The Source AV 31:32
2024-10-02Watts says a new unlimited-precision FFT showed his old coefficients were wrong; corrected ones kept the same preferred settings, improved sound, and delayed everything 3 months. Head-Fi, Oct 2024
2024-10-03Watts says PCB ground layers screen EMC, the new coefficient work needs a whole 200T FPGA and won't reach the Hugo M Scaler, and single-ended has the transparency edge. Head-Fi, Oct 2024
2024-10-06Watts says the best pre-amp or power amp is none, cites TT2 sounding the same into an 8 ohm load, and says the large-power DX DAC concept is not dead. Head-Fi, Oct 2024
2024-12-15Watts says Chord occupies Maidstone's original water pump-house, criticizes reviewers praising recycled old DAC tech as innovation, and says he has been busy finishing Quartet. Head-Fi, Dec 2024
2025-01-13Watts says Quartet's price is unknown but it will ship with its own PSU, the only one meeting its demands after extreme RF filtering work. Head-Fi, Jan 2025
2025-01-28Watts reports final PCB revisions for a product in development, a filter-accuracy improvement, and crossfeed at 768kHz whose benefits will show less on other DACs. needs context Head-Fi, Jan 2025
2025-02-14Watts says an unnamed design running at 104 MHz must filter RF to cut noise floor modulation and aliasing above 52 MHz, using a simple first-order filter; it partially works. needs context Head-Fi, Feb 2025
2025-02-17Watts says the Quartet M Scaler shown at the show was started six years ago, combining research into interpolation filters with multi-FPGA development; the problem is transient timing. audio-2G 4:00
2025-03-15Watts says the pulse array ADC earlier unit worked to -20dB, new boards should fix that, and a pro-audio product spec is underway, 18 months to two years minimum. Head-Fi, Mar 2025
2025-03-25Watts argues comparing DAC output with original sampled data is pointless since an ideal DAC reconstructs the original signal, and says his son Daniel is building the pro ADC project. Head-Fi, Mar 2025
2025-03-27Watts says Mojo 3 is news to him and a mobile M scaler awaits FPGAs: no low-cost successor to the 28nm 200T exists, and 16nm parts would dissipate about 8W. Head-Fi, Mar 2025
2025-05-12Watts says his Xilinx 200T FPGA has 720 DSP cores; the Quartet M Scaler he is developing to match DAVE has five 200T, two and a half thousand DSP cores. Audiophile Junkie 16:33
2025-05-12Watts says there is still a delay: 0.7 of a second with the M Scaler and three seconds with the Quartet M Scaler. Audiophile Junkie 17:12
2025-09-14Watts says his pulse array A to D converter, a six or 7 year project, was recently tested and is progressing well; his son is a Tonmeister student. The Source AV 1:34
2025-09-14Watts says his son has been working with him on the pro audio interface since March. The Source AV 2:09
2025-09-14Watts describes a high-end pulse array A to D converter with two DACs in one chassis, a studio parametric EQ, post-processing, targeting 192 kHz and 768 kHz recordings. The Source AV 2:20
2025-09-14Watts says many studios use DAVEs, Mojo 2s and Hugos, recording engineers keep asking when the A to D converter will come out, and his son understands their needs. The Source AV 3:15
2025-09-14Watts says the big project he has been working on since 2018 is the Quartet M Scaler. The Source AV 7:30
2025-09-14Watts says it is not a replacement for DAVE but an advanced version of the Hugo M Scaler, packed with new technology from six or 7 years of work. The Source AV 8:42
2025-09-14Watts says he will show Quartet to a group of audiophiles in Asia following its progress, and will attend Singapore Formula One, where Elton John is playing. The Source AV 19:08
2025-09-14Watts says they are showing Quartet at the Tokyo show. The Source AV 21:54
2026-03-17Watts says much of his work is now pro audio: he is developing a pro ADC and will compare its recordings, played on his DACs, with the live event. ecoustics 18:59
2026-03-17Watts says the biggest DAC problem is reconstructing transient timing, which the brain uses for separation, timbre, bass pitch and depth; Quartet, six or seven years' work, launches next year. ecoustics 21:04
2026-03-17Watts says it is an M Scaler for DAVE: the upsampler feeds DAVE. needs context ecoustics 22:11
2026-03-17Watts says it is the new scaler. needs context ecoustics 1:10:09
2026-03-17Watts says the expensive scaler for DAVE has 'five two hundred T' FPGAs and a 75 amp supply that can create a lot of noise, which he had to keep from corrupting the DAC. ecoustics 1:10:13
2026-03-17Watts says Quartet is passing to production with a couple of months of code and testing left; its boards have 2,500 components needing two cascaded pick-and-place machines. ecoustics 1:24:36
2026-03-17Watts says contact him by Head-Fi PM; next year begins an active-loudspeaker project, and since Mojo 2's EQ is transparent, replacing passive crossovers should greatly improve speakers. ecoustics 1:28:33
2026-03-17Watts says he and his son will work with loudspeaker companies directly. needs context ecoustics 1:29:27
2026-03-17Watts says it will take a couple of years; speaker companies are enthusiastic, and digital-domain direct drive, one DAC and amplifier per drive unit, does what passive crossovers cannot. ecoustics 1:29:55
2026-03-24Watts says not imminently: there will be a future model at some stage, but not in the next year or so. needs context Audio Force 20:14
2026-05-03Watts says major studios use Chord DAVE (transcribed 'CordDave'; possibly 'Chord DACs') for its transparency, and recording engineers ask when he will make a pulse array A to D converter. Audio Force 15:17
2026-05-03Watts says the pulse array's small-signal accuracy and lack of noise floor modulation matter for ADCs too; Quartet is the first product using his pulse array ADC, and a Pro Audio ADC is in development. Audio Force 16:00
2026-05-03Watts says the Pro ADC will offer lossless EQ and 768 kHz and 192 kHz recording; he wants studios to adopt 768 kHz, which needs FPGA post-processing. Audio Force 16:46
2026-05-03Watts says Chord aims to create future hi-res standards; recordings with the new pulse array ADC sound much better than high-end pro ADCs, audibly even on phone loudspeakers. Audio Force 17:34
2026-05-03Watts says he is not working on a streamer; his aim is for DACs to sound the same with poor and good streamers, so long as the data is bit perfect. Audio Force 18:19
2026-05-03Watts says he would love to make a portable M Scaler, which needs better FPGAs. Audio Force 19:00
2026-05-03Watts says FPGAs have barely improved in 10 years; a portable M Scaler needs the processing power at very low dissipation, perhaps 10 or 20 years away. Audio Force 19:14
2026-08-30Watts says the biggest project is a pro audio interface using Quartet's pulse array ADC; Quartet took him 8 years and is his most complicated product. The Source AV 2:17
2026-08-30Watts says recording like this has been his aim since the 1980s; the concept is proven and must now become a product pro audio people can use. needs context The Source AV 3:46
2026-08-30Watts says latency is an issue for pro audio, and low-latency modes for the DAC sections of the interface project will be a massive problem to solve. The Source AV 10:20
2026-08-30Watts says it is not his future, and they are working on lots of other interesting projects. needs context The Source AV 11:25
2026-08-30Watts tells viewers to watch this space, with lots of interesting things happening in the next couple of years. The Source AV 24:00
2026-10-02Watts says his lifetime ambition is to cover everything from microphone to loudspeaker. HiFi Buys 1:40:59
2026-10-02Watts says with limited time he wants to finish pro audio work: loudspeakers, digital EQ and active drive for loudspeakers, ADCs and pro mixing, since music creation involves large losses. HiFi Buys 2:10:18
2026-10-02Watts says getting the EQ's measurements right was hard; the EQ was really built for his IP library for future pro audio, where subjectively lossless EQ will be profoundly important. HiFi Buys 2:31:10
2026-10-11Watts says the next step is a Pro ADC enabling digital mixing and EQ, up to sixteen channels, with units cascadable and synced for more channels. Distorsiuni Interioare 14:33
2026-10-11Watts says having proven the principle, sound quality and technology, they can now move on to the Pro ADC. Distorsiuni Interioare 16:18
2026-10-11Watts says he cannot discuss future development, but Quartet puts DAVE in a different league musically, as shown when a prototype was shown at Munich just over 2 years ago. Distorsiuni Interioare 1:17:34
2026-10-11Watts says his biggest challenge now is the Pro ADC, mostly being done by his son Daniel, and its test recordings excite him about the technology. Distorsiuni Interioare 1:18:54
2026-10-11Watts says the pro ADC will change engineers' work: current ADCs are too bright and tamed with EQ, while accurate timbre from the start changes post-processing. Distorsiuni Interioare 1:31:20
2026-10-11Watts says the pro unit will also have full mixdown capability independent of the DAW, running at 108 bits, 768 kHz internally. Distorsiuni Interioare 1:32:10
2026-10-14Watts says the pulse array ADC now yields 768 kHz recordings with immediate, fast transients and live-like power, with more test recordings planned over the coming months. Part-Time Audiophile 15:18
2026-10-14Watts says tests are recorded at 768 kHz; the pro ADC in development has 16 inputs and outputs, FPGA mixing and subjectively lossless EQ; compression and reverb are being considered. Part-Time Audiophile 49:46
2026-10-14Watts says the ADC has been a background project since 2016; hearing the pulse array ADC built into Quartet's analog input made him wish he had done it years earlier. Part-Time Audiophile 50:30
2026-10-14Watts says recording engineers have nagged him for years to make an ADC that matches the performance of the DACs. Part-Time Audiophile 51:14
2026-10-14Watts says Blackbird WTA with 4 million taps consumed most of his time; the next big project is the pro audio ADC, with others including the very high-end Ultima DAC. Part-Time Audiophile 53:34
2026-10-14Watts says Ultima is Chord's very expensive high-end name; the Ultima DAC started long ago but paused for Quartet, and the pro ADC will get most effort, benefiting everyone. Part-Time Audiophile 53:58
2026-10-17Watts says it is a completely different, much more expensive product than DAVE, shelved because Quartet's lessons were more valuable, and the pro audio project is very exciting. needs context article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says the current test ADC is Mojo standard through a 1970s Neve desk, while the pro ADC will be DAVE standard, with digital mixing, EQ and a single op amp. article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says yes, still, because the limit is now tens of seconds, and an Ultima scaler will be a future project. needs context article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says the Pro ADC will have mic inputs, one op amp into the ADC and 108-bit digital mixing, changing how recording is done. article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says he has proven the ADC technology, his recording-engineer son works on it full-time, and it will combine mixing functions, more a mixing desk than a processor. article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says panning, EQ and possibly compression and reverb will give engineers tools beyond existing DAWs, and a Pulse Array ADC reduces the need to compensate for ADC losses. article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says pro audio people who heard the ADCs are excited, including Warner Music Group, which holds a lot of 1950s tape. article, Oct 2026
2026-10-17Watts says he still has the Ultima DAC to finish. article, Oct 2026