[Currawong]

  with Stax SR-009, I found difference between Hugo and Mojo is bigger than I used to thought. difference is not so small. Hugo sounds more livelier and wider than Mojo. maybe TT and Dave are better too. oh my wallet!

 

 
I'm not convinced my Hugo sounds better than the Mojo except to sound brighter. I'll try comparing again, but the problem I had was that the inputs of the Hugo seem to be more sensitive than those of the Mojo. For example, the difference between the Soundaware server I have here, versus an Audiophilleo 1 versus USB with a Schiit Wyrd versus USB from my computer were all pretty obvious. If I fed both from the Soundaware, I felt differences disappeared, other than in the slightly different tone between the two products.

 

[joshuachew]

1. With charger connected, the batteries are given correct current to match Hugo's current draw - so the batteries are not being charged/discharged. They will last for a very long time in this mode.

I do this with my unit, but the white charge light comes on and off in my unit. So is my unit charging and discharging?

 

[StryGR]

In my hugo, charging light never goes off in this case.

 

[joshuachew]

Sysconcept cables are proven to be of high quality and can transmit high data rate that supports 24/192 sampling rate. Here are 3 different cables I have to stack/mix and match hugo, mojo AK100MK2 and AK120 titan

What's the difference between the cable in the middle and the one on the right?

 

[Pokemonn]

   
I'm not convinced my Hugo sounds better than the Mojo except to sound brighter. I'll try comparing again, but the problem I had was that the inputs of the Hugo seem to be more sensitive than those of the Mojo. For example, the difference between the Soundaware server I have here, versus an Audiophilleo 1 versus USB with a Schiit Wyrd versus USB from my computer were all pretty obvious. If I fed both from the Soundaware, I felt differences disappeared, other than in the slightly different tone between the two products.

 
I'm also not convincing. I agree with you. Hugos USB input tend to sounds brighter and harder for me. I don't know why...
so I always use optical in only. Optical in sounds darker and smoother IMO. Optical in is Rob Watts's favorite way too.

 

[Rearwing]

What's the difference between the cable in the middle and the one on the right?

Diameter and price. I find that the 5mm interconnect is the one to have, it feels more robust.

 

[uzi2]

What's the difference between the cable in the middle and the one on the right?

See post above for the answer, but I'm wondering why optical cables are gold plated... perceived value I guess.

 

[joshuachew]

Diameter and price. I find that the 5mm interconnect is the one to have, it feels more robust.

See post above for the answer, but I'm wondering why optical cables are gold plated... perceived value I guess.

But does it have a difference sonically?

 

[uzi2]

But does it have a difference sonically?

When you flick it with your finger - possibly.

 

[Shini44]

my Hugo TT arrived, will compare it with my Chord Hugo after i give it sometime and testing
 
mainly went for the TT cause i wanted a fuller sound, more bass weight and slam, and more musicality. The reviews on head-fi helped me to know the differences.
 

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks for the Hugo Rob. I've had it for 18 months now and it's still going strong and I'm very happy with it.

 

[514077]

 
Dear Rob,


 


I would like to say again how much I love my Hugo which I have been enjoying in my car on the way to work.

So, there will be no battery drain if I leave it on, perminantly? I heard some people experienced a slow drain for about 36hrs. I'd like to leave it on and just need your assurence. Sorry to bother you, Rob.
 


I can clearly hear what the Hugo does in terms of what you have mentioned "Most notable was rapid rhythms being reproduced with breathtaking clarity - before piano music sounded like a jumble of notes, now I could hear each key being played distinctly. The next major change was timbre variations - suddenly each instrument had their own distinct timbre qualities, and the loudest instrument dominance effect was gone. "


 


This is clearly audible and it is making my commute much more enjoyable ! For me each instrument sounds distinct and clear, and there is no dominance effect. I have never heard digital replay this good. 


 


I have some small questions : I am thinking of using the headphone out into a Din cable for my Naim preamp at home, is there any advantage to this instead of RCA? Do RCA plugs become loose over time (apparently, they do) since I am unplugging the Hugo daily from my main hi-fi to use in the car. And so the cable I am thinking of buying has a 9mm plug casing diameter for the 3.5mm headphone jack will this fit the Hugo?


 


How many on-off cycles will the switch last (hopefully enough), is it worth switching the Hugo off at night to preserve the battery? I know you said you don't yourself and have answered the question above already, but just asking about the on-off switch.


 


Thanks

All connectors will get loose with time. The 9mm is fine.


 


The switch is gold plated and rated at 10,000 operations, and yes I kept mine on - until it got replaced by Dave...


 


Happy listening, Rob 

 

 

[audionewbi]

So here is my journey into how I fall involve with Hugo. And yes the female readers have the right to quote ‘mens and their toys!’, I know love might be a strong word but honestly that is how I feel as I am typing this.
The journey to me falling in-love with Hugo is a long one, well as long as Hugo has came out. I purchase Hugo weeks after it was released. Been a portable head that likes to be able to have the liberty to enjoy great sound anywhere my feet can take me, I had to have it. I placed an order and waited and truth be told rather anxiously as at the time I placed the order I used all my holiday saving , the holiday that to this day I didn’t go and still saving for. (all thanks to head-fi, thanks Jude!)
 
Before Hugo I had various experience with various audio gears, the so called high end daps, amps from all around the world, you name it chances are I either had it or tried it. I do not regret those purchases as to me this hobby is about the journey of trying all that my ear can bear to listen. 
Before I knew it my dealer issued me my tracking ID, I naturally took a day off so I don’t miss the courier (Don’t laugh at me I am the only brave one who admits doing this)
Upon first listen to Hugo to my surprise I had a hard time adjusting to its sound. Why was that? Well it was not that I hated the sound, no, from the first listen I knew Hugo has enormous potential but also a decade of being exposed to various objective and subjective views of sound-science, (whether right or wrong it is matter of interpretation ) didn’t help me. The fact is I was exposed to sounds that promote what I now consider to be a wrong standard of neutral sound(the so called reference sound, what is reference to begin with?) did not help me liking Hugo straight away.
So I ended up listening less and less to Hugo, slowly making other purchases after Hugo. I eventually tried Hugo TT and purchase Mojo. So in short Hugo was almost forgotten from my sonic memory but back of my mind I knew I had somewhere in my room.
After a prolong period of not using Hugo thanks to my christmas break I managed to find some time to give myself the liberty to listen to all the gears that I have compiled in the decade of collecting gears and I realised how engaging Hugo truly is when I properly A/B it with other gears. 
 
So what changed my mind? Well I have a hard time now to truly pin-pointing all of it but the one that is truly obvious is how open it sounds compared to other dac/amps. Other things that come to my mind is I find most of my gears too bright, congest or just too smooth and warm when I compared them directly with hugo, side by side. I can go on and on using various hifi lingo but you get the point right?
 
For a device which is essentially an ‘in-between your head’ Hugo has the ability to find a way to allow me to hear various cues in the chamber music which are recorded with mic placement at various distances. There were times that I felt that the sound was coming from the back of my head. And there were times that I just stopped focusing on the gear, moments that I lost myself in music and found myself tapping my feet to the rhythm and sometimes lay my head on the sofa to ease the burden of those dark composition that makes you feel the pain the composer felt when he wrote that piece. To me this is the most important part of a good synergy when the device disappear and sound take over, and with Hugo,Kaede II and dita truth I can do this.
 
The idea of Chord Dave been better than Hugo is frankly scaring me, but than again fear is a good element for us human, I am sure the the evolutionary biologist agree with me, than again maybe not.
 
To me the only worthy replacement to Hugo will remain Hugo. Mojo isn’t quiet there for me tune wise, it sounds thick, and well Hugo TT is just not portable (and sounds identical to me). Currently as a portable dap I use Lotoo PAW Gold which to me has its own merit and I highly respect its sound but I know i am not the only one who wish to see a DAP from Chord, something that has a screen. We can all be hopeful, why not right?
 
 

 
 

 

[Wilderbeast]

That's a nice write up audionewbi. You mirror my thoughts exactly, especially in your comparison with other devices. I also find Mojo a little thick-sounding. Hugo just nails it for me.

 

[TomGi]

The same for me.
 
After one year of using the hugo as standalone and fixed DAC, I always appreciate the Hugo as the best DAC that I listen among the different DACs that I owned (Benchmark, Mytek, Dangerous Music, TOTAL DAC, Bel Canto).

In comparison with the Mojo, the Hugo provides a touch of fidelity and a transparency (ability not to superimpose a signature sound) in particular in the treble that the Mojo does not reach.
 
To say this in a few word, if I would monitor a recording of an acoustic guitar or an instrument that I made without knowing the sonic signature of the Mojo and of the microphone used, it is likely that I would try another microphones to capture the richness of timbre of the instrument that I would like to record.