$2000 DAC/AMP battle
Nov 18, 2017 at 1:42 PM Post #31 of 60
I think your right in that even with flat response curve amps, the preference is subtle but appreciative regardless of the chord dac input for me. Either TT or even Hugo1 or 2 is sufficient to se power hd800S. I just prefer the full end to end balanced amp pairing now, even if it’s a bit overkill. I listen between 2-3 in med gain.
 
Nov 18, 2017 at 2:21 PM Post #32 of 60
Whazzzup said:
I think your right in that even with flat response curve amps, the preference is subtle but appreciative regardless of the chord dac input for me. Either TT or even Hugo1 or 2 is sufficient to se power hd800S. I just prefer the full end to end balanced amp pairing now, even if it’s a bit overkill. I listen between 2-3 in med gain.
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I was surprised how little difference there was between the ~$500 Mojo (single-ended) and ~$4,300 Simaudio MOON Neo 430HAD (balanced) when driving the HD 800.

Anyway, good luck to the OP with the comparisons!
 
Nov 18, 2017 at 4:24 PM Post #33 of 60
Music Alchemist said:
I was surprised how little difference there was between the ~$500 Mojo (single-ended) and ~$4,300 Simaudio MOON Neo 430HAD (balanced) when driving the HD 800.

Anyway, good luck to the OP with the comparisons!
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I have not heard the moon but the mk2 confounds this somewhat by putting a microscope on your dac, it actually steps out of the way...this is a compliment for me.
 
Nov 18, 2017 at 5:33 PM Post #36 of 60
Music Alchemist said:
Most of the time, when people talk about how so-and-so amp does a better job with a headphone, they are referring to the sound signature of the amp, not its ability to drive headphones. (Which is a separate issue, despite the fact that some don't understand the basics and refuse to acknowledge that.) Even the little Mojo sounds roughly as good as neutral solid state amps that cost thousands, even with headphones that aren't so easy to drive, and it can drive all but the least sensitive headphones as loud as you want without any noticeable distortion.

I just wanted to clear all that up.
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Thanks for the advice! My choice is also partially because of reports of quite some people that state that the Utopia’s don’t quite come to their right on the Hugo 2, I'm also planning an grabbing a Hifiman HE-1000 after the Utopia's so that might be a better combo perhaps. Also could the pre-amp in the Hugo properly handle active speakers like Sceptre S8’s?
 
Nov 18, 2017 at 5:50 PM Post #37 of 60
NickedWicked said:
Thanks for the advice! My choice is also partially because of reports of quite some people that state that the Utopia’s don’t quite come to their right on the Hugo 2, I'm also planning an grabbing a Hifiman HE-1000 after the Utopia's so that might be a better combo perhaps.
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Are you going for the HE1000 V2? I heard the original and thought it sort of made music sound like it was wrapped in caramel. Preferred the HE6 even though the HE1000 is better in some ways. But the V2 is reportedly less lush, more dynamic, etc. Haven't heard the Utopia, but owned and loved the Elear.

@x RELIC x owns the Utopia, DAVE, Cavalli Liquid Gold, etc. and generally prefers driving headphones (including the Utopia) directly from Chord DAC/amps. Check out his Hugo 2 review here:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/18998/

NickedWicked said:
Also could the pre-amp in the Hugo properly handle active speakers like Sceptre S8’s?
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Of course. Chord DAC/amps also function as digital preamps. Basically, the volume is adjusted digitally and there's no added coloration, unlike some conventional amps/preamps. (The amplification is actually cleaner than the output of conventional DACs as well.) Think of it as altering the line level output voltage. They can even drive passive speakers directly with the right cable, though only more sensitive ones for obvious reasons.
 
Nov 18, 2017 at 6:19 PM Post #38 of 60
Music Alchemist said:
Are you going for the HE1000 V2? I heard the original and thought it sort of made music sound like it was wrapped in caramel. Preferred the HE6 even though the HE1000 is better in some ways. But the V2 is reportedly less lush, more dynamic, etc. Haven't heard the Utopia, but owned and loved the Elear.

@x RELIC x owns the Utopia, DAVE, Cavalli Liquid Gold, etc. and generally prefers driving headphones (including the Utopia) directly from Chord DAC/amps. Check out his Hugo 2 review here:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/18998/



Of course. Chord DAC/amps also function as digital preamps. Basically, the volume is adjusted digitally and there's no added coloration, unlike some conventional amps/preamps. (The amplification is actually cleaner than the output of conventional DACs as well.) Think of it as altering the line level output voltage. They can even drive passive speakers directly with the right cable, though only more sensitive ones for obvious reasons.
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Yeah, it’ll be a V2 version of the HE-1000, I’ve had the chance to listen to it and it was a very fun and soft on the ears headphone but still extremely detailed.

Sigh, I may just have to spend 6K on 3 different Amp/DAC units just to temporarily A/B them lol.
 
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Nov 19, 2017 at 8:57 AM Post #39 of 60
Apparently Thomann has almost all of them to test, including the Brooklyn+, I'll probably start out with DAC3 HGC vs the ADI-2 Pro, the winner will stay until either the Brooklyn+ or the Hugo 2 arrive, and I'll compare them again. Wish I could compare all 4 of them at the same time but I don't have the budget to stretch that far atm.
 
Nov 23, 2017 at 6:22 AM Post #40 of 60
Anyone have experience with a Audio GD Master 11? Somebody told me to look at it and my god it is a beast in all ways imaginable, no compromises, highly tested and just a tiny bit more expensive than a Hugo 2 or a DAC3, but I can't seem to find a lot of impressions on it.
 
Nov 23, 2017 at 11:25 AM Post #41 of 60
NickedWicked said:
Anyone have experience with a Audio GD Master 11? Somebody told me to look at it and my god it is a beast in all ways imaginable, no compromises, highly tested and just a tiny bit more expensive than a Hugo 2 or a DAC3, but I can't seem to find a lot of impressions on it.
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The Master 11 is cheaper...?

For what it's worth, Currawong compared the Hugo 2 to Audio-gd's flagship DAC, the R2R 7, and indicated in various posts that the Hugo 2 is slightly better.

Reference links:
http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-11/M11EN.htm
http://www.audio-gd.com/R2R/R2R7/R2R7EN.htm

Also, you're going to get more accurate sound driving headphones from the Hugo 2. But some people don't want accuracy, so again, bear that in mind when reading impressions of headphone amps.
 
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Nov 23, 2017 at 12:18 PM Post #42 of 60
Music Alchemist said:
The Master 11 is cheaper...?

For what it's worth, Currawong compared the Hugo 2 to Audio-gd's flagship DAC, the R2R 7, and indicated in various posts that the Hugo 2 is slightly better.

Reference links:
http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-11/M11EN.htm
http://www.audio-gd.com/R2R/R2R7/R2R7EN.htm

Also, you're going to get more accurate sound driving headphones from the Hugo 2. But some people don't want accuracy, so again, bear that in mind when reading impressions of headphone amps.
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Hmm interesting, I prefer a all-in-one solution so I have to pass on that bad boy, but the Master 11 is 2300, so 650 euro more expensive as I can get my hands on a new Hugo 2 for 1650.

I may try the Master 11 since there is actually a reseller that sell some reasonably priced exotic DAC's and amp's here in the Netherlands including the Master 11. :)
 
Apr 17, 2018 at 10:26 AM Post #45 of 60
May i ask you if anyone have problem to connect RME ADI 2DAC to squeezebox touch via usb ?
The squeezebox don t recognize thw RME via usb anf of course don t play .When i connect it via coaxial all are O.k
 
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