[bmichels]

I have paired Hugo with my Mac and ak240 and don't see any difference in sq. is this a gimmick. How will ak240 + Hugo or ak380 + Hugo will be different.

 
well, when you pair some source (Mac, AK240, AK380,...) to a HUGO, then you hear the HUGO's DAC+AMP sound. So, it is normal that you hear almost no difference between the different sources.  
 
I personally have AK100+HUGO and it is also very good and hear almost no difference with my ARIES+HUGO.
 
--> The question is instead to compare AK380 alone to AK380+HUGO 

 

[jwbrent]

In terms of SQ or hardware (weight, ui, etc.)?

SQ

 

[jwbrent]

wonder if locked down or there could be third party accessories

Good question. My guess is there will be third party add-ons.

 

[Audiowood]

This will be interesting.  

Apparently AK240+HUGO is better than AK240 alone.  Will the AK380 also get benefits from being connected to the HUGO or...is it good enough by himself ? 

I heard it's a no. Still need Hugo.

 

[Duncan]

I heard it's a no. Still need Hugo.

In which case, you might as well get one of the much cheaper transports (X5??) and save the rest of the cash for something else...

 

[threephi]

Why would it make any difference what device you are using to push data into the Hugo?  When it goes through the Hugo, you're listening to the Hugo amp & DAC.  It's all zeroes and ones on the input side, so unless the device that is serving the source file has a crippling buffering problem, it shouldn't matter what it is.

 

[bmichels]

  Why would it make any difference what device you are using to push data into the Hugo?  When it goes through the Hugo, you're listening to the Hugo amp & DAC.  It's all zeroes and ones on the input side, so unless the device that is serving the source file has a crippling buffering problem, it shouldn't matter what it is.

 
Well... then why are there music servers going from 500$ (ARIES mini), or 1500 $ ( ARIES LE, Aurender X100) up to.... 15.000 $ (Aurender W20, ....) for the SAME feature set ? 

 
The transport may be the gear that makes teh less difference (then the DAC, and then the AMP), but... it makes a difference.
 
For example, I can hear a (slight) improvement going from AK100+HUGO  to  ARIES + HUGO.   

 

[kerrys30]

Good to see some impressions coming through.....thanks all .  (but I am still on the fence for now!)

 

[threephi]

   
Well... then why are there music servers going from 500$ (ARIES mini), or 1500 $ ( ARIES LE, Aurender X100) up to.... 15.000 $ (Aurender W20, ....) for the SAME feature set ? 

 
The transport may be the gear that makes teh less difference (then the DAC, and then the AMP), but... it makes a difference.
 
For example, I can hear a (slight) improvement going from AK100+HUGO  to  ARIES + HUGO.   

I'm not familiar with all of those products, but I'd guess that what's different is additional bells and whistles such as storage space, wifi streaming, etc., and varying levels of over-engineering, with the usual audiophile markups.

 

[LouisArmstrong]

If you can accept the size of a Hugo + 380 combo, you should consider a decent and historically reputable brand's desktop DAC like the Antelope Zodiac Gold rather than, eh, an iRiver. At least they won't upgrade their stuff every two months and make your new purchase looks old right after you have bought it.  We are a niche community in terms of Head-fi, but the world out there is much larger than just the Head-fi brands when it comes to source gear (the price of AK380 can't even buy a decent USB cable in a system with high-end source), so I recommend anyone willing to pay the price of the AK380 please also look further than just Schitt and iRiver. Who knows, you may still like iRiver (or Schitt), but at least you have tried and come to that conclusion.

 

[Duncan]

I suppose my concern is, for the money you're laying out, you would've thought that the SP of the 380 (and 240SS) costing more than a Hugo, should be able to outperform it...

Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong angle, not sure...

 

[AndrewH13]

I suppose my concern is, for the money you're laying out, you would've thought that the SP of the 380 (and 240SS) costing more than a Hugo, should be able to outperform it...

Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong angle, not sure...

Hugo has certainly thrown a spanner in the works of perceived value for money in higher-priced DAPs!

 

[bmichels]

Hugo has certainly thrown a spanner in the works of perceived value for money in higher-priced DAPs!

+1. Certainly !

 

[Audiowood]

I think I agree with u all.. Will skip ak380 till sq is at Hugo league. No point laying out so much cash knowing Hugo outperformed it... And if I buy the amp module, the stack size would be iPhone and Hugo size. With iPhone I can have tidal.. Not sure of river advantages now.

 

[jlbrach]

i just bought a hugo and will be using it with my 120 titan....i have a 240 as well and am very eager to hear the difference in sound quality......i have been putting off buying a hugo for some time but finally decided to bite the bullet after reading all the incredible reviews.I think the hugo is the best reviewed piece of gear i have seen in years