sutjahjo said:

I absolutely love my Hugo and I think it's the best portable available today. I don't understand why it's constantly being compared to AK240 and Oppo though.

Personally I think Hugo should be compared to other DAC and beat the hell out of everything else!

The fact is Hugo doesn't play files nor any optical disc and can't possibly sound better than even the cheapest bluray player.

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I understand your point of view, and you are correct. They are totally different products.
 
But to me that comparison is important.
If the AK240 would give me a better music experience that an iDevice + Hugo, I would have considered to go for the AK240 for a music playing device. But of course there are a lot of other things to consider as well.
 
 
(As for the Oppo, I would just guess that some people has it as an reference sound.)

notech said:

I understand your point of view, and you are correct. They are totally different products.

But to me that comparison is important.
If the AK240 would give me a better music experience that an iDevice + Hugo, I would have considered to go for the AK240 for a music playing device. But of course there are a lot of other things to consider as well.


(As for the Oppo, I would just guess that some people has it as an reference sound.)

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Perhaps it's better to compare Oppo + Hugo and other players + Hugo?

rgs9200m said:

  It would be nice to hear from the Stax Mafia how the Hugo sounds as a DAC with a high end Stax system.

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very, very good (007 + modded 727)...though Empirical Audio Overdrive is still slightly better (and should be for triple the price).
 
That said, as my Fostex TH900's break in; they just might give the Stax a run for the money with far better bass. Nothing touches Stax's midrange though.
Would like to hear Blue Hawaii + 009 + Hugo

sutjahjo said:

Perhaps it's better to compare Oppo + Hugo and other players + Hugo?

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I'm not sure of what the "Oppo guys" have been doing.. but if the Oppo player has an headphone out it is ok to do a comparison with an iDevice + Hugo to find out the difference (IMO). But as I said earlier I do understand your point of view. Comparing "apples to apples" is more relevant, and will give you a better understanding of what you have actually heard.
 
 
I said that the AK240 and an iDevice + Hugo is in my opinion a relevant comparison sound wise.
But cost wise it is not fair to compare just the Hugo to the AK240, as you need to have a source in addition to the Hugo.
 
(But then again a lot of us have a tablet, computer, phone or similar anyway so it isn't sure that it will cost you more.. but then again things tend to break and you would need to replace them in due time.)

Ok I am done reading about it. I am going to buy a ak240 today , I will make sure I get a 30 return on it . I am tired of reading the endless comparisons with me hearing it.
As I am sure the Hugo shroud be better I want to hear it for myself. So far I am very happy with the Hugo and I device , I can reccomend the combo for sure
Today is day 3 on the trains and no recharge as of yet. My combo is a jh16 FP for now. Just a little EQ and I am very happy. One thing we need to remeber is iem,s or CIEMS
Are not headphones so they do not give us all,the details as a good headphone can do more. Regarding the stax . They are really good but seriously thin compared to a hd800 and he6. Can or any other planar headphone . The hugo is already a little thin and on the bright side . So I do not like the combo. This is a portible rig and about the best out there for now. As there is talk of a desktop rig improving the note thickness is tops on my list and next would be low level deatils. As I am sure the replys will be many
But I would like to,read them anyway. But I would like those who reply to own or atleast has a friend that has them to give a good comparison from.
One want wpuld be a battery indicater as the unit turns on . Is there one ?
Al

alrainbow said:

Here is something I while back someone put a link to google doc that we would all benifit from. I think we should all give the gent some input .

Also hiw any dac sounds should be split into two categories.
One should be PCM the other should be dsd.
The short answer why is most dacs sound good with dsd but very few have this marvel of great sound worked out with PCM.
The mytek is pretty good with dsd but a headache with PCM.
The audio gd m7 is a really good dac , it has a thick note but the bass is string but needs more details. And it's a bit warm as well. Now playing dsd to,it
In a down conversion sounds better than PCM flac files. All,of this could be put on the google doc .
Also how or what players work with what other devices. Such as the android or apple , or who ever else .
Just some thoughts . Also if the mods here have made a change I am sure it's leveling the playing field for all and something that mods should do. As long ad the links to new locations is posted I am happy.
Al

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Hi Al I think it might be a good idea for you to wade through all the earlier posts that Robert Watts has put up, they came in a few weeks before you joined, I think they really explain what fundamentally you are grasping at. It's all a little high level engineering but the explanations about the differences between DSD and PCM are good if you read them through a few times.

alrainbow said:

Ok I am done reading about it. I am going to buy a ak240 today , I will make sure I get a 30 return on it . I am tired of reading the endless comparisons with me hearing it.
As I am sure the Hugo shroud be better I want to hear it for myself. So far I am very happy with the Hugo and I device , I can reccomend the combo for sure
Today is day 3 on the trains and no recharge as of yet. My combo is a jh16 FP for now. Just a little EQ and I am very happy. One thing we need to remeber is iem,s or CIEMS
Are not headphones so they do not give us all,the details as a good headphone can do more. Regarding the stax . They are really good but seriously thin compared to a hd800 and he6. Can or any other planar headphone . The hugo is already a little thin and on the bright side . So I do not like the combo. This is a portible rig and about the best out there for now. As there is talk of a desktop rig improving the note thickness is tops on my list and next would be low level deatils. As I am sure the replys will be many
But I would like to,read them anyway. But I would like those who reply to own or atleast has a friend that has them to give a good comparison from.
One want wpuld be a battery indicater as the unit turns on . Is there one ?
Al

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Battery indicator is led next to the AUTH led (a little more behind the three). The most left led of three in a row if you look in to the big looking glass from Hugo back side (power and USB input side). If the lead is blue it is fully charged, next is green.. and then it is.. don't remember.. but if it is blinking red you should recharge (look in the manual - its all there).

lornecherry said:

very, very good (007 + modded 727)...though Empirical Audio Overdrive is still slightly better (and should be for triple the price).
 
That said, as my Fostex TH900's break in; they just might give the Stax a run for the money with far better bass. Nothing touches Stax's midrange though.
Would like to hear Blue Hawaii + 009 + Hugo

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I have the Hugo with my BHSE/SR-009 setup and it is spectacular. I previously had an Antelope Zodiac Gold DAC with the Voltikus power supply. Im am selling the Zodiac Gold.

I can do a comparison with this DAC later this week
Al

alrainbow said:

Ok I am done reading about it. I am going to buy a ak240 today , I will make sure I get a 30 return on it . I am tired of reading the endless comparisons with me hearing it.
As I am sure the Hugo shroud be better I want to hear it for myself. So far I am very happy with the Hugo and I device , I can reccomend the combo for sure
Today is day 3 on the trains and no recharge as of yet. My combo is a jh16 FP for now. Just a little EQ and I am very happy. One thing we need to remeber is iem,s or CIEMS
Are not headphones so they do not give us all,the details as a good headphone can do more. Regarding the stax . They are really good but seriously thin compared to a hd800 and he6. Can or any other planar headphone . The hugo is already a little thin and on the bright side . So I do not like the combo. This is a portible rig and about the best out there for now. As there is talk of a desktop rig improving the note thickness is tops on my list and next would be low level deatils. As I am sure the replys will be many
But I would like to,read them anyway. But I would like those who reply to own or atleast has a friend that has them to give a good comparison from.
One want wpuld be a battery indicater as the unit turns on . Is there one ?
Al

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Al,
 
I'm glad your trying the AK240. Yes your are right you have lots of real world audio expertise and you should let your ears guild you not all the talk.  That said, it might be the ultimate front-end (user interface) for the Cord Hugo.  I'm really wondering if you compare the iPhone 5 playing the exact same source and A/B compairson using the AK240 if you will honestly hear a difference in sound quality between the two?  Using  your IEM's  and then stepping up the game to the HD 800 and finally to a great pair of home audio speakers.  Your comments will clearly help shape my ultimate buying decisions prior to heading down to NC and Moon audio next week. Your on the audio edge!
 
Sincerely Speedracer1 aka Tom 

Thanks
I feel that it is something I need to do.
Not sure how to get the DSD out of the ak240
I have hi end coax and optical spidif

I also have balance cables for the headphones regarding the ak240
Is there any adaptor I need to do balance out from the ak240
??

estreeter said:

   
Nor is Charles Hansen from Ayre or the guys at Schiit - the threads are all there at CA and on Head-Fi to see their respective opinions - and the reasons for those opinions - laid out in black and white. Hansen basically had a gun held to his head by a rather large tail which would seem to be wagging the dog at the moment, and some of the very same people on CA who put the guy through hell were the first to post that the QB9-DSD was so much better with Redbook-quality files than it's predecessor. Schiit will sell you a DSD-only DAC, but Jason's product announcement made it very clear how they feel about DSD at this point in time. I would far prefer to get some of my favorite artists back into the recording studio to re-record tracks which the record companies foisted on us at the height of the loudness wars but I guess that's just me. 

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PONO has a lot of political pull - or push and shove - with Ayre. Ergo you have opinions that fit the fact that PONO is FLAC only. Then Pono releases the statement in The Absolute Sound that you will hear the music in the format it was recorded. According to the PONO people it was recorded in FLAC. Can I sell you another bridge spanning the East River? This business is full of hype and myth and foul smelling whatever. Buyer beware. This is off topic, and anyway, no one serious will consider PONO or recordings recorded in FLAC )))

estreeter said:

   
Dunno - I simply saw his comments as reflecting his own personal preference and it comes back to what I've been banging on about re using an external headphone amp to give the Hugo a richer sound. Clearly, Lavorgna didnt have the time or energy to mess around with options like Fidelia but my jury is still out on that one - a lot more listening to do before I'm prepared to accept that any amount of EQ and software wizardry can give me what the Taurus gives me with the HD800. Anyway, back to the Lavorgna comparison:
 
Overall, I'd describe Hugo's sound as delicate and detailed with a very nice sense of fine-grained resolution and clarity that doesn't strip music of its timbral richness. You feel as if you're hearing everything the recording has to offer. That said, compared to the review Ayre QB-9 DSD, Hugo does sound more light weight, with less apparent body to the presentation. The Ayre DAC sounds bigger and beefier compared to Hugo's more nimble and quick sound. In terms of personal preference, I lean toward the Ayre which comes across as richer and more engaging but I can see how other listeners would prefer the Hugo's more sprightly sound. Of course you cannot take the Ayre on the road and it does not have a headphone amp or Bluetooth input capability.
 
The earlier post seems to have decided that the above means the Ayre is 'better' - I completely reject that conclusion. Let's agree to let our own ears be the judge, shall we chaps ?  The only DAC I've heard which sounded 'better' was the Weiss DAC202 and the sticker on that is Goliath to Hugo's David.
 
http://www.kosmic.us/weiss-dac-202.html
 
When that DAC was released, I recall several on the CA forums ridiculing it for the aesthetics - particularly the 'smiley face' - clearly, they've never actually heard it. These guys know how to build a DAC - albeit at an eye-watering price point. 

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I have no issues with Ayre. It has a darker, heavier sound. Fine. EQ will not help it not being able to resolve as much musical info as the Hugo. EQ will help make the Hugo into a darker and heavier sound to mimic the Ayre's. If you go in for that sort of thing, go ahead, no one will tell you how to eat and which hand to use to lift your fork to your mouth.
 
The EQ I had specified was for the Audeze LCD-X, and NOT for the HD800, which is a lighter and brighter sounding headphone. Ergo, your opinion is based on the 800, not the LCD-X, and Lavorgna's was not based on the better LCD-X. The EQ I had specified was not intended to EQ the Hugo, but the LCD-X...and that, is quite a distinction.
 
I believe that the Hugo is capable of resolving more musical and spatial information more accurately than any common chip-based DAC regardless of price. I provided the info why that is so. That is, no matter what quality power supply, regulation, weight, size, displays, preamp/amps that follow the chip dac, they cannot, individually or in combination, make up for the loss of information that occurred AFTER the dac stage. The fancy priced DACs you see all around you use the same chips you'll find in $150 USB dongle DACs sold to newbies, repackaged with a whole lotta hype.

7ryder said:

  It does have a SABRE chip in it but, as I understand it, Ayre is also using FPGA to get the sound they want out of the chip.  Linn does the same thing in their DS players - uses FPGA in addition to a chip.

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The FPGA does not have any role in the conversion processing. The SABRE that you'll find in cheap dacs does all the conversion. Same as in the PONO.

sleepyone said:

  From my 2-3 hrs demoing of the Ayre I still notice some of that Sabre characteristics though.

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Anyone with good ears will. Compare an earlier Wyred4Sound DAC-2 to the Ayre and you'll hear all those similarities. If W4S were sold in stores, rather than the Internet, it would cost almost as much as the Ayre.