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Chord Hugo
Apr 19, 2014 at 10:42 PM Post #2,131 of 15,694
Might be silly but I am looking forward to the future after market cases for hugo. It would be nice to have a leather case with a pouch (much like what analog square paper offer for their amp).
 
Apr 19, 2014 at 11:35 PM Post #2,134 of 15,694
Gentlemen, I've been looking for a suitable home and potable dac for my relatively new rig. Just getting into hp's again using some Grado RS1i's and a Woo Audio WA6 amplifier coming from a MacBook Pro. I'll be adding a high end hp like an Audeze LCD-X pretty soon. This might sound like a newbie question but how does one justify the initial cost of the Chord Hugo? I've tried some low and mid level dacs from the CEntrance DAC LX and Dragonfly to the Schiit Bifrost and Benchmark DAC 1. To be honest the sound wasn't much better than when I listen directly from my iPhone. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
Apr 19, 2014 at 11:52 PM Post #2,136 of 15,694
bpcans said:
Gentlemen, I've been looking for a suitable home and potable dac for my relatively new rig. Just getting into hp's again using some Grado RS1i's and a Woo Audio WA6 amplifier coming from a MacBook Pro. I'll be adding a high end hp like an Audeze LCD-X pretty soon. This might sound like a newbie question but how does one justify the initial cost of the Chord Hugo? I've tried some low and mid level dacs from the CEntrance DAC LX and Dragonfly to the Schiit Bifrost and Benchmark DAC 1. To be honest the sound wasn't much better than when I listen directly from my iPhone. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...


Even putting aside the fact the Hugo is portable and comes with built in headphone amp that beats a few of my $1,000-$2,000 stand alone headphone amps....The DAC section of the Hugo beats anything I have heard digitally even in the $5,000-$15,000 range. Only digital I have heard that rivals analogue. I own dragonfly etc. Marginal and appreciative improvement over listening straight from a PC or squeezebox dac, but not even close to being anywhere a galactic throw close to the Hugo. Even running my LCD-X straight from Hugo is audio nirvana that rivals six figure systems built with separates. Justified isn't the word I would use. Grateful beyond measure to Chord is what comes to my mind. Liquid, transparent, musical toe tapping goodness in the size of a small paperback. Yummy.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 12:02 AM Post #2,137 of 15,694
my first impression of Chord Hugo was that it is just another over-rated kit. I did not think of spending time to auditioning it since I have THE DAC that everyone is talking about, AK240. don't get me wrong, it isn't bad in anyway. till one day, reading about TAPs, I gave the Hugo a try, and the rest is history as they say. So I went from not-justify to JUSTIFY. Give it a listen and decide, that would be my advise.

just my 2 cents.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 12:07 AM Post #2,138 of 15,694
podeschi, thanks for the response. I could see spending untold $K's on gear that ultimately wouldn't satisfy me. The Hugo could solve a lot of audiophile solutions. Reference quality in a portable unit, who would've thunk it possible.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 12:24 AM Post #2,139 of 15,694

bpcans said:
Gentlemen, I've been looking for a suitable home and potable dac for my relatively new rig. Just getting into hp's again using some Grado RS1i's and a Woo Audio WA6 amplifier coming from a MacBook Pro. I'll be adding a high end hp like an Audeze LCD-X pretty soon. This might sound like a newbie question but how does one justify the initial cost of the Chord Hugo? I've tried some low and mid level dacs from the CEntrance DAC LX and Dragonfly to the Schiit Bifrost and Benchmark DAC 1. To be honest the sound wasn't much better than when I listen directly from my iPhone. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

 
podeschi said:
Even putting aside the fact the Hugo is portable and comes with built in headphone amp that beats a few of my $1,000-$2,000 stand alone headphone amps....The DAC section of the Hugo beats anything I have heard digitally even in the $5,000-$15,000 range. Only digital I have heard that rivals analogue. I own dragonfly etc. Marginal and appreciative improvement over listening straight from a PC or squeezebox dac, but not even close to being anywhere a galactic throw close to the Hugo. Even running my LCD-X straight from Hugo is audio nirvana that rivals six figure systems built with separates. Justified isn't the word I would use. Grateful beyond measure to Chord is what comes to my mind. Liquid, transparent, musical toe tapping goodness in the size of a small paperback. Yummy.
Click to expand...

 
Yep, totally this.  
 
Hugo presented to me different, disruptive sound quality.  At demo, I muttered so many times to myself "ah crap... am I really hearing this?"  I wasn't planning on, and really didn't want to spend Hugo $$ since I just bought my LCD-X.  But after hearing the pairing...  
 
The descriptions and impressions of the Hugo in this thread are pretty ridiculous, and I added to them above.  
 
There are no words to counter / justify Hugo's pricepoint, you're just going to remain   

 
You just have to hear it.  Get the LCD-X and go hear it.  Given heavy hype build up, it might not impress you at first blush.  But just listen to it for a while then go back to your other equipment.  Please report back either way.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 12:52 AM Post #2,140 of 15,694
deadie, thanks man. I think I understand where your coming from. It's a you just don't know until you know kinda thing. Like when I really listened to Miles Davis thru my friends LCD-X's the other day. It's was kinda mind blowing.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 3:08 AM Post #2,141 of 15,694
deadie said:
My Hugo arrived yesterday, and I can only contribute to the multitude of positive reviews before me.

I first heard the Hugo at the SoCal meet, and was taken aback at how different and _right_ the Hugo sounded.  This was straight TRS out to my LCD-X.  My memory of that sound, weeks ago, synced with present day impressions.  phew.  and yessss.....  

I liken Hugo's sound to the[COLOR=222222] strum of a live acoustic guitar.  When it's played on a quality instrument, there's an attack, hyper clarity, a richness, an unmistakable distinctive realness to the music.  The note lingers in the air for just as long as it needs to, with the reverb you've become accustomed to, and then it's gone.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]To extend this metaphor, my previous equipment makes the guitar strum sounds as if it's taking place deeper in the instrument.  In comparison to the Hugo, the sound is head-tiltingly, distractingly, off.  Slightly more cloudy, the notes aren't as distinct or rich, the reverb sounds weird and then gets long as it trails off.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]I'm coming from the Transporter, PS Audio DLIII, and many other mid-fi DACs.  I've spent considerably more on headphone amps throughout the past 8 years.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]Other details...[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]The sound from the Hugo straight to the LCD-X is pure pleasure.  I recently just heard the Auralic Taurus MkII, Headamp GSX-MkII, and Questyle CMA800R -- all top flight, very powerful, full sounding amps.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]I currently have the Questyle here at home, and note how this amp slightly alters the Hugo's sound.  It projects more power, yes, but changes Hugo's core liquid sound.  I greatly prefer the LCD-X straight from the Hugo.  [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]So, for right now, I'm very happy.  I've yet to spend significant time with the HD800, which I've heard is powered very well by the Questyle.  But again, I can't have it or any amp tweak Hugo's core sound, so this is an interesting, first time quandary.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]Bluetooth to Hugo is currently rubbish using my LG G2, iTouch 7G, iPad 3, and Dell Venue Pro 8.  Static, buzzing -- I need to find an AptX source.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]Otherwise, my primary usage models are:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]- iTouch / iPad camera connector USB to Hugo[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]- Dell Win8 Tablet JRiver18 OTG to Hugo HD input[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]- Desktop Toslink JRiver to Hugo[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]All sound stellar.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]Lastly, I own the Centrance M8, and have been very happy with it, playing from iTouch 7G > Lightning USB > M8 > dual 3-pin XLR balanced UERM.  Hugo is considerably better, there's just more realism and less congestion / cloud to the music.  [/COLOR]
Click to expand...
I don't understand why some of you are having Bluetooth problems could it be that you are placing Hugo on top of another piece of equipment that has a metal case which is blocking the tiny arial chip mounted under the bottom plastic rf window. Chord say the Bluetooth was designed for mobile use, range 3 metres so put Hugo on a wooden table where the rf signal isn't blocked by a metal plate.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 3:45 AM Post #2,142 of 15,694
kh600rr said:
So I imagine there are a few folks, running the Hugo& AK-240, are you guys finding much success, pairing the two? I've really got the itch to snatch a Hugo up. Just not sure how much it would add to the AK-240. Thanks.
Click to expand...



I was using the DX50 as source for the Hugo through Coaxial input before trying my AK240 with Sysconnect optical cable

Using the AK240 sounded a lot better than the DX50. I'm going to be getting a used AK100 soon so I'm going to try that as well

AK240 is an expensive device just to source the Hugo.
 
Apr 20, 2014 at 3:54 AM Post #2,143 of 15,694
The only two reason why different digital signal can sound different is that it is either leaving its source while loosing some bits of information or the coaxial and optical connection on HUGO is implemented differently (meaning the path that delivers the signal to the processing unit does something to the digital signal).
 
My guess is that the digital sources are not truly as bitperfect as they claim to be. I have noticed that my Ak120 does not like to output 24/192 while other units can. I've already tested the and they all can output 24/192 just fine.
 
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