Is a Chord Qutest Dac my best option

I like it too. It’s good lookin’. It’s good soundin’. And it’s just always on. Exactly what I wanted in a DAC. I can’t think of anything I don’t like about it.

Really depends on your individual system and tastes.  What type of improvements are you looking for and what aspects of sound reproduction are most important to you?

I agree with siox statement which type of sound reproduction your looking for. I tried the Qutest and liked it very much but the RME adi-2 version 2 worked better in my system. I found the Qutest had a slightly better soundstage but the RME had better bass and was more natural, very transparent without being bright and more enjoyable. I did buy a Teddy Pardo outboard power supply which improved the soundstage. There are so many features you can do a lot with the RME. I did buy a Orchid but mostly listen to the RME. 

I am also a relative newcomer to the streaming world. About a year ago I dipped my toe in with a Bluesound Vault which was simple and relatively inexpensive. A couple of months ago I was able to demo a Qutest from a dealer I’ve done business with. I spent the weekend listening to it in the system and wrote the check. The Qutest was a big improvement to the Vault’s presentation. I’ve been very satisfied. 

The Qutest is a super value and delivers amazing sound.  I think people would zero in on the Qutest because it offers only single ended outputs and is superb for its price.

there are better DACs from Chord and from other brands.  The Qutest is phenomenal at its price point.  If less than $2K is your budget, that is what I would go with.  If less than $6K was your budget I would look at a TT2.