Chord Electronics - CES Launch Extravaganza

[toears]

Let's say I have to justify my investment and my aim is at the current Hugo. Due to the issue of $ : product ratio. Then I hope the new Hugo will be introduced at a price out of my range... The current Hugo won't be a lesser miracle after the January 5th. 
 
-IF there will be a new Hugo that is.

 

[Layman1]

   

Spoiler: Nay, nay, & thrice nay!

 

 

 
I was wondering if I bought the new Onkyo DP-X1A as well as the Mojo, what should be my plan regarding the fact that the DP-X1(A) is said to sound much better with balanced than SE?
I thought I might use the DP-X1A by itself sometimes as a more portable solution, which complicated matters.
 
Now, if/when Chord announce this sd-card-reader-DAP-type-product at CES and assuming it ticks all the boxes, I think I can just choose that plus Mojo and blissfully forget about all cable retermination/purchasing issues!

 
Oh, how happy I am to be proved wrong (or at least, misguided). Cheers Mython!

 

[Mython]

 

   

Spoiler: Nay, nay, & thrice nay!

 

 

 
I was wondering if I bought the new Onkyo DP-X1A as well as the Mojo, what should be my plan regarding the fact that the DP-X1(A) is said to sound much better with balanced than SE?
I thought I might use the DP-X1A by itself sometimes as a more portable solution, which complicated matters.
 
Now, if/when Chord announce this sd-card-reader-DAP-type-product at CES and assuming it ticks all the boxes, I think I can just choose that plus Mojo and blissfully forget about all cable retermination/purchasing issues!

 
Oh, how happy I am to be proved wrong (or at least, misguided). Cheers Mython!

 
 
 
 
I don't don't doubt that the DP-X1A sounds nice in balanced mode, but, as you can see from the aformentioned quotes, that is not the Chord way
 
 
LOL - life is never simple (well, not in the world of audiophiles, anyway)

 

 

[niron]

Hey Chord Electronics,
 
Is it possible to come over to your showroom/booth and listen to the new announcements or products?
I'm gonna be there throughout the week. 

 

[miketlse]

  Hugo 2 is almost a certainty. Kinda curious what kind of design they will come up this time.

 
Over a year ago, it was announced that there would be no Hugo V2.
I cannot see why Chord would change their mind yet.

 

[miketlse]

Ever been to a live Rick concert? Say Led Zepplin, Stealy Dan , or Rush? No, but I wish I had. The walls shake, when the drummer drums the bass drum has impact. This has been going on before computers. The music of that era still broadly conformed to the structure of quieter sections, followed by louder sections, repeated as many times as necessary. So much more modern music seems to start loud, and then continue loud to the end of the track (especially Rap style music). Ever been to a Night Club the music moves the foundation. OK if you basically listen to vocals, females on a piano well then thats a different story.

 
I think you are failing to think in global terms - and focussing on small silos instead.
 
Out of all the music listened to globally each day, what percentage is listened to at rock concerts - I would guess maybe 0.1% or less
The vast majority of music (maybe 90%) is listened to either from:

1. phones using cheap earbuds for 16 hours a day (how many of the younger generations do you see ever remove their earbuds?)
2. in car sound systems, with the music being reflected off multiple surfaces. The fact that you can often hear the music from the cars 100m away (even with the windows closed), is ample evidence of the fact that the windows and body panels are resonating away a lot of bass energy. One reason the music is so loud is that the driver is trying to overcome the effects of road noise, engine noise, wind noise, air conditioning fans etc. 

 
These people either buy CDs or download/stream music, so they represent the 'customers', and music production companies know that music with boosted bass levels, and a general 'loudness' will be easier for customers to hear, when listening in otherwise noisy environments.
 
Eventually many people start to think that music with enhanced bass, played loud from their phone, through cheap earbuds, represents the 'baseline' and any music reproduction equipment that fails to match this, lacks power.   

 

[jmills8]

I think you are failing to think in global terms - and focussing on small silos instead.

Out of all the music listened to globally each day, what percentage is listened to at rock concerts - I would guess maybe 0.1% or less
The vast majority of music (maybe 90%) is listened to either from:

• phones using cheap earbuds for 16 hours a day (how many of the younger generations do you see ever remove their earbuds?)
• in car sound systems, with the music being reflected off multiple surfaces. The fact that you can often hear the music from the cars 100m away (even with the windows closed), is ample evidence of the fact that the windows and body panels are resonating away a lot of bass energy. One reason the music is so loud is that the driver is trying to overcome the effects of road noise, engine noise, wind noise, air conditioning fans etc. 

These people either buy CDs or download/stream music, so they represent the 'customers', and music production companies know that music with boosted bass levels, and a general 'loudness' will be easier for customers to hear, when listening in otherwise noisy environments.

Eventually many people start to think that music with enhanced bass, played loud from their phone, through cheap earbuds, represents the 'baseline' and any music reproduction equipment that fails to match this, lacks power.   

where did you pull this from? You think iems is the true way of listening to music ? No, Headphones? No. Boosted bass is placed in the music by the engineer on certain styles of music period.True music is live and I rather be there live than in a room by myself. Im speaking on my aim not the so called "those people". Ive been going to live shows since 1976 and that live energy is what I want to capture. At home I have floor standing speakers and no matter the style of music the bass is very present. Same tracks using headphones or iems the bass in most cases is heard but not felt from many balanced headphones through certain dac/amp. Maybe for you its perfect for your aims. That doesnt mean I am wrong or beneath you.

 

[miketlse]

where did you pull this from? You think iems is the true way of listening to music ? No, Headphones? No. Boosted bass is placed in the music by the engineer on certain styles of music period.True music is live and I rather be there live than in a room by myself. Im speaking on my aim not the so called "those people". Ive been going to live shows since 1976 and that live energy is what I want to capture. At home I have floor standing speakers and no matter the style of music the bass is very present. Same tracks using headphones or iems the bass in most cases is heard but not felt from many balanced headphones through certain dac/amp. Maybe for you its perfect for your aims. That doesnt mean I am wrong or beneath you.

I have never said that you are beneath me.
If that is how you feel, then there is no point us derailing this CES thread.
Chacun à son goût.

 

[jmills8]

I have never said that you are beneath me.
If that is how you feel, then there is no point us derailing this CES thread.
Chacun à son goût.

move on

 

[onecolorist]

I know this is anecdotal but I recently had a substantial conversation with a long time producer with Arista Records. Alot of the dearth of high quality recordings and backing of new artists has to do with the fact that the majority of people who claim to love music do not pay for it. He shared that the majority of people who listen to Spotify and Pandora listen to the free version. As a result, the companies that produce our music have little incentive to do anything different. We are a small minority who want access to the high quality, uncompressed master. Or take time to discover the wonderful music that is being created all over the world. I've heard many people comment on the lack of non-classical/jazz/blues recordings available on hdtracks but until the masses start paying for the music they claim to love, i'm afraid little will change.

 

[jmills8]

I know this is anecdotal but I recently had a substantial conversation with a long time producer with Arista Records. Alot of the dearth of high quality recordings and backing of new artists has to do with the fact that the majority of people who claim to love music do not pay for it. He shared that the majority of people who listen to Spotify and Pandora listen to the free version. As a result, the companies that produce our music have little incentive to do anything different. We are a small minority who want access to the high quality, uncompressed master. Or take time to discover the wonderful music that is being created all over the world. I've heard many people comment on the lack of non-classical/jazz/blues recordings available on hdtracks but until the masses start paying for the music they claim to love, i'm afraid little will change.

Ive bought over 4,000 lps and over 2,700 CDS cause they stopped making LPS. I remembered when the shops physically removed the lps sating that CDS are better and will be cheaper than LPs. LPs usually went for $6 to $9 USD.

 

[island]

1 - ideally a standalone DAP that works with or without the Mojo.
If it was the same size as the Mojo then it could stack (bit bricky...) or if smaller then it could attach to the coax/power/opt end ... but then you have two objects with a potentially weak join.
I have no idea what magic they are conjuring up but look forward to the Mojo DAP or SD reader implementation. I'll probably buy one & stashed a couple of hundred before Christmas in anticipation.
 
as for #2 and #3??? No idea - iem's ... active speakers ? 

 

[sonickarma]

Chord Mofo release! 

 

[NaiveSound]

I don't think there will be a standalone dap, the dap will be the SD module+Mojo, it makes money sense

 

[Layman1]

  Chord Mofo release! 

It's kind of juvenile, but I did find that rather amusing

 
Seriously, it's genius. Somebody at Chord, please make this happen