[Ta6ypeTka]

Those Gemini USB cables are very tempting, but at over $200; just pulling hair out. And you need at least two I believe.

Why would you need two of the Gemini cables? You connect that double side to IUSB3.0 and the other one to dac. Why would you need two cables?

 

[474194]

Why would you need two of the Gemini cables? You connect that double side to IUSB3.0 and the other one to dac. Why would you need two cables?

I don't remember. I gave up. Something like source to iUSB to filter then iUSB to DAC? Some USB cable or USPCB from iUSB to DAC?

 

[Ta6ypeTka]

I don't remember. I gave up. Something like source to iUSB to filter then iUSB to DAC? Some USB cable or USPCB from iUSB to DAC?

Ifi IUSB3.0 is a galvanic isolation, it gets put between a transport and a dac as a part of a complicated usb cable, basically. And Gemini is a double-ended on the one and one-ended on another side cable, specifically designed for IUSB3.0. It has separated supply and info inputs from the IUSB3.0.

 

[474194]

Ifi IUSB3.0 is a galvanic isolation, it gets put between a transport and a dac as a part of a complicated usb cable, basically. And Gemini is a double-ended on the one and one-ended on another side cable, specifically designed for IUSB3.0. It has separated supply and info inputs from the IUSB3.0.

okay, i sort of remember now.

i may have been thinking gemini + mercury combo.

 

[Ta6ypeTka]

You don't need Mercury if you use Gemini.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

Chord themselves warned me against using high current chargers with the Hugo 2. Because most of them use a stepped up initiating voltage well above the 5V USB standard, often up to 12V, for example the Oppo Super-VOOC 4 amp USB charger I have. The connected appliance needs to have been designed to accommodate high current/high voltage charging systems, like my stolen Oppo HA2-SE was and my Luxman powerbank is. According to the person I spoke to at Chord technical, the Hugo 2 is NOT designed to use these fast chargers and is likely to be damaged by them.

Wilson

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I was reading there maybe these used players for around $40 if you can find:

This is a European model and I believe they can at least play SACD.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/res/manuals/4410/44101403M.pdf



But some have been able to make SACD backups (ISOs) over their local network with this player. The software is on your PC and you just connect to the player over the network.

Don't have time for SACD stuff till summer, but if you look around there's possibilities.

There's also a 500 series, the confirmation is w/ the S490.

Many thanks for the suggestion. The problem is that it is expensive to get these players to sound good, as many of the internal components they use are of very moderate quality. Colin Twogood (CPT Acoustics) would do it for me but it is at a cost of around £300+. Even then it cannot do what I really want which is to rip a DSD file off my SACD discs, to sit in my SSD media storage. The digital output from the Coax plug is I believe a 96/24 PCM stream at best, not DSD.

Wilson

 

[474194]

Chord themselves warned me against using high current chargers with the Hugo 2. Because most of them use a stepped up initiating voltage well above the 5V USB standard, often up to 12V, for example the Oppo Super-VOOC 4 amp USB charger I have. The connected appliance needs to have been designed to accommodate high current/high voltage charging systems, like my stolen Oppo HA2-SE was and my Luxman powerbank is. According to the person I spoke to at Chord technical, the Hugo 2 is NOT designed to use these fast chargers and is likely to be damaged by them.

Wilson

It was about powering the RPi source @ 5V3A. Nothing to do with charging the Hugo2.

 

[474194]

Many thanks for the suggestion. The problem is that it is expensive to get these players to sound good, as many of the internal components they use are of very moderate quality. Colin Twogood (CPT Acoustics) would do it for me but it is at a cost of around £300+. Even then it cannot do what I really want which is to rip a DSD file off my SACD discs, to sit in my SSD media storage. The digital output from the Coax plug is I believe a 96/24 PCM stream at best, not DSD.

Wilson

I wasn't suggesting this to use for SQ, but for ripping your SACDs to ISO. From ISO, you can create DSDs. From there, you can use for your SQ rigs. I was a bit vague.

Basically, I was pointing out that this player can at least read SACDs as verified in the manual screenshots. Once this player is attached to your network, there is software you run on your PC to connect to this player over the network. From there you can create an ISO from your SACD collection.

There were a few reports that this player works, but none of this is guaranteed. But if you can get a good deal under 100, it maybe worth trying. It's not for playback, but to create ISOs to store on your HDD.

 

[111MilesToGo]

@wilsonlaidlaw and @AC-12: I‘m absolutely no expert regarding SACDs, but I was and am looking into HDCD matters. In the course of that I was looking at those defunct Oppo BlueRay players (BDP 93, 95, 103, 105). They can be acquired used, and their manuals are still available on the Oppo Digital website (https://www.oppodigital.com/Support.aspx). The four manuals state that (a) DSD from SACD is not sent out via coax/optical for copyright reasons, but that (b) DSD over HDMI is sent out as DSD bitstream. I presume the latter still is encrypted. The https://www.stevehoffman.tv forum somewhere points to a hardware card solution for Oppo‘s.

Again, I‘m not at all into SACDs... Just figured the Oppo manuals might help.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I have only got three SACD's that are not dual layer. If I decide I want their tracks, I will just download the studio grade stream from HD Tracks. A lot easier than fiddling around with obsolescent machinery. I have a Samsung 4K player that outputs at 96/24 from DVD-A or BR-A discs but there are not many of those for classical music, especially the more obscure stuff I tend to buy nowadays. Thanks for the suggestions anyway guys.

Wilson

 

[rkt31]

Almost 99% sacds are sourced from pcm master. So if someone can find that pcm master on hd tracks then it will better the sacd on any dac. But even if you find the original cd release, there are very high chances that the original cd release will better the sacd version on chord tt2+HMS( sacd played on any dac or sacd player). Best example is the 'brother in arms' . The original cd release sounds better than sacd version.

 

[ZappaMan]

I considered that route, but learned Anker uses these same type of HQ LG batteries in their battery packs. When Darko's batteries caught on fire during his Allo video, that deterred me as well. No way I want batteries catching on fire while wearing them in a belt. It just wasn't worth it since Anker would implement better and safer than a DIY with same batteries. I'm still open to any battery solutions, but for now will take the conservative route.



The HiFiBerry already has an onboard LPS:

https://support.hifiberry.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/211820549-3-3v-power-to-Digi-Pro



You can also power directly off the HiFiBerry board using your own LPS, but newer boards report there's not much difference. It powers the RPi at the same time, so no power to RPi needed if you go this route. I'm determined to stay battery only and I don't want to deal with AC. If there is a battery-powered LPS, pls let know and maybe I might experiment with this option in the future.



Just need to connect power to the P3 header to power board directly versus powering via RPi.

can i ask, what this container box is, and whats inside it ?

 

[betula]

I am looking for a more affordable secondary listening station beside my TT2. I am wondering if I should stick with Chord and get a secondhand H2 or try something new like the RME ADI2? I don't need portability and don't need battery. The RME is also like £500 cheaper even compared to the secondhand Hugo2 (£700 vs. £1200). I don't necessarily need all the functions and EQ of the RME, and I am a Chord fan since Mojo's release. On pure sound quality would I be disappointed with the ADI2 compared to H2?

 

[Triode User]

I am looking for a more affordable secondary listening station beside my TT2. I am wondering if I should stick with Chord and get a secondhand H2 or try something new like the RME ADI2? I don't need portability and don't need battery. The RME is also like £500 cheaper even compared to the secondhand Hugo2 (£700 vs. £1200). I don't necessarily need all the functions and EQ of the RME, and I am a Chord fan since Mojo's release. On pure sound quality would I be disappointed with the ADI2 compared to H2?

On another uk forum I take part in the classic way to solve your conundrum would be to post with your location and organise for members with both of those DACs (and others in the same price range) to bring them to your house for a ‘bake off’ in return for you providing coffee and cake! I have hosted bake offs on a whole host of subjects from small footprint floor standing speakers to xlr interconnect cables and it has always been fun and informative.