[elviscaprice]

I am asking about feeding music from Spotify into the Chord via Bluetooth. Not sending it to a Bluetooth atx standard headphone.

I wonder if lossy AAC gets carried over and played as is (with no further conversion loss).

We're having a hard enough time trying to get the best SQ stream to the Hugo via hard wire let alone wireless.  What do you think?
I think if your satisfied with lossy streaming SQ, it's not going to be so critical the SQ via wireless stream (technically the Hugo will play as is upsampled within the Hugo, PCM, there is no loss on the Hugo's end).  Your main issue will be a solid connection without any dropouts and or interference via what software.
 
NOTE:  I've never used the Bluetooth feature.  I also consider it more of a gimmick. 

 

[uzi2]

  Quick quote from just above: " would have been happier if the Hugo was either cheaper, smaller or some other refinement instead of bluetooth support."
 
You want the Hugo to be even smaller? I think that's the 1st time in all these volumes of posts that has been requested...  

I'm sure it has been suggested many times in the portable thread

 

[phonomat]

I'm sure it has been suggested many times in the portable thread

Absolutely. There are actually quite a few users who would sacrifice connectivity (multiple headphone outs, etc.) in favor of portability (instead of transportability).
I think one even asked (don't remember if it was here or over there) why there is so much empty space inside.

Edit: typos. Damn "smart"phone.

 

[uzi2]

Absolutely. There are actually quite a few users who would sacrifice connectivity (multiple headphone outs, etc.) in favor of portability (instead of transportability).
I think one even asked (don't remember if it was here or over there) why there is so much empty space inside.

Edit: typos. Damn "smart"phone.

The multiple headphone outs are actually all connected together along with the RCAs, so that could save quite a bit of space.
As for the empty space inside - have you noticed how warm the Hugo can get in a confined space - like a pocket?
I doubt it could be made  that much smaller in view of the power requirement and subsequent heat. Everything is in the one chip, so it cannot be scaled down to be IEM only.

 

[phonomat]

I know. Mind you, it's not my opinion. I'm just reporting.

 

[OK-Guy]

I am asking about feeding music from Spotify into the Chord via Bluetooth. Not sending it to a Bluetooth atx standard headphone.

I wonder if lossy AAC gets carried over and played as is (with no further conversion loss).

 
I fed my ZX2 to the Hugo via Bluetooth using lossless files, there is a loss of quality but for otg it's more than adequate, I've never bothered streaming via an app.
 

I think one even asked (don't remember if it was here or over there) why there is so much empty space inside.

 
lots of empty space in my head, perhaps I should ask why... similes huh...  

 

 

[Duncan]

heat dissipation is a great reason for extra space...

Why are the majority of amps made with space inside, exactly the same...

 

[phonomat]

lots of empty space in my head, perhaps I should ask why... similes huh...  

 

So is that you in @ALRAINBOW's avatar?

 

[phonomat]

  I find the same with my ZX1 which pairs really well with the Hugo as well as been a good dedicated portable dap which despite it's shorter battery life and lack of sd card slot as well as the ZX2 sporting improved sonic's but a price hike to reflect this, I am happy to stay with my ZX1 for the medium to long term, see if the ZX3 can keep the elegance of the ZX1 ergonomics with the ZX2 performance and newly added gunf.  If not I may be tempted to the dark side with an AK or something! 
 
 
How are you finding optical out of your laptop to the Hugo? I am still enjoying just usb with the bog standard stock data usb cable with my Windows laptop! 

The ZX1's ergonomics are unequaled! I don't know what got into them to go from that exquisite, refined brushed metal look to the plasticky buttons with the ginormous symbols on ZX2. What?
I like the look of my ZX1 so much more, and that alone is a reason not to switch to the "car crash survivor" look of the AK's. But even I have to confess that I get a little jelly thinking about direct optical output to Hugo and battery life as well as EQ functionality when connected to extern DAC/Amp. Argh, my life would be so much better if at least the Sony's ClearBass worked with Hugo!
 
On the other hand, it looks like I would only need the optical out to get rid of the Walkman-->micro USB two cable solution, because, frankly, I don't really hear that much of a difference compared to USB. At least when I tried the laptop via optical vs. ZX1 via USB, there was not a lot of audible difference to me. I THOUGHT I could here a little difference here and there, but I'm quite sure that I would totally fail in a blind test. I think it's quite safe to say that my ears are not golden, hell, not even silver. Jury's still out on Bronze, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
One thing is curious, though: I'm listening to Michael Jackson, Thriller in 24 bits, 176,4 kHz out of my laptop via the stock Chord optical cable, and Hugo indicates a sample rate of 48 kHz (orange light). With the ZX1, it goes up to blue, as it should. Does anyone know why this is? Is it the cable or the laptop or the connection of both? If I could listen to hir-res via optical in all its glory, maybe THEN I would hear a difference.

 

[mathi8vadhanan]

 
One thing is curious, though: I'm listening to Michael Jackson, Thriller in 24 bits, 176,4 kHz out of my laptop via the stock Chord optical cable, and Hugo indicates a sample rate of 48 kHz (orange light). With the ZX1, it goes up to blue, as it should. Does anyone know why this is? Is it the cable or the laptop or the connection of both? If I could listen to hir-res via optical in all its glory, maybe THEN I would hear a difference.

I guess you're on Windows. You might want to enable the higher sample rates in 'Digital Output' properties of your sound card.
 

 

[phonomat]

Thanks a lot! Unfortunately, the highest possible setting for me seems to be 96.00, which was already checked. When I test it, Hugo's light turns green and I get sound. But as soon as I start playing the album, it goes back to orange again. Hm, very curious indeed. I downloaded the album from Qobuz, so it's legit, and as I said before, the Sony plays it correctly. Shouldn't my laptop at least play it at 96.00?

 

[mathi8vadhanan]

  Thanks a lot! Unfortunately, the highest possible setting for me seems to be 96.00, which was already checked. When I test it, Hugo's light turns green and I get sound. But as soon as I start playing the album, it goes back to orange again. Hm, very curious indeed. I downloaded the album from Qobuz, so it's legit, and as I said before, the Sony plays it correctly. Shouldn't my laptop at least play it at 96.00?

What player are you using? Maybe the player is down sampling.

 

[phonomat]

Hm, actually, when I connect the optical cable, the Hugo goes to orange right away, if there's music playing or not, so it can't really be the music player software.
It's bedtime now for me. I'll try again tomorrow with (hopefully) some fresh ideas. Good night, and thank you for helping, really appreciate it!

 

[RivalDealer]

I am asking about feeding music from Spotify into the Chord via Bluetooth. Not sending it to a Bluetooth atx standard headphone.

I wonder if lossy AAC gets carried over and played as is (with no further conversion loss).

OK I decided I would give this a try (not spotify) but iPhone 6 playing 256VBR AAC over bluetooth to the hugo (Grado PS500e and Beyerdynamic T51i)
Both sets of headphones sound better coming straight out of the iPhone than with bluetooth. Could be due to a number of things like having a good few bluetooth devices in range but I wouldn't use it like this personally.
 
 

  Quick quote from just above: " would have been happier if the Hugo was either cheaper, smaller or some other refinement instead of bluetooth support."
 
You want the Hugo to be even smaller? I think that's the 1st time in all these volumes of posts that has been requested...  

Smaller or better (somehow) would be equally appreciated, next up would be cheaper, I would find better cables more useful than the bluetooth tbh.

 

[phonomat]

  I guess you're on Windows. You might want to enable the higher sample rates in 'Digital Output' properties of your sound card.
 

It's getting crazier by the minute. Powered up the computer today and it went directly to green. Now, it stays green EVEN WHEN I PLAY CD's on the laptop.

Still trying to figure this out.
 
On a semi-related note: See the three options in the top half of the picture? Well, I decided to play around with them a little for fun to see what they do. Let me just say I don't recommend this. At least not when you have your 'phones on your head and the Hugo's output volume set to green. I tried the lower Test button first, and it gave two very polite, very gentle consecutive "pings" on each side. Then I checked >DTS Audio< above and hit test and basically ANNIHILATED my ears. Words fail me to describe the atrocious sound of death that attacked my eardrums (okay, one try: It sounded like a ca. 1983 modem making love to a fax machine and both climaxing at the same time). It really physically hurt, so do not EVER try this at home.
Oh well, monkey see, monkey do ... Anyway, this is probably clear to all of you, but I just wanted to issue a warning. This scared the living daylights outta me. At least it doesn't seem to have affected the Hugo nor the headphones in any way. And who knows, maybe I'm less treble-sensitive now ...