[6RS]

I'm very lucky as I live in the UK, I just drive down and knock on Chords headquarters and invite myself in, make a major nuisance of myself and they give me a Chord dac on the way out just to get rid of me, no distributors needed

You seem a very charming fellow.
Prices are not higher here in Switzerland because of distributors. They did their homework in that respect.

 

[elviscaprice]

  Chord wants buyers to use local distributors if there is one in the country. I have preordered my Hugo2 from the Swiss distributor. Maybe there is none in Costa Rica. Just make sure the warranty is valid and Chord will repair it in case there are issues. I bet they are not happy with this seller...

 
I don't think Chord really cares where you buy your Chord DAC from.  As long as it's there's.  They control it all, manufacture and distribute from UK.  They mostly need the distributors for marketing and local distribution.  There are distribution agreements in place.  It's the distributors who care about where you make your purchase.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Ughhhhh, let me know if you're not going for that Hugo please!
As bad as I want the Hugo2 finances are tight.

 

[6RS]

   
I don't think Chord really cares where you buy your Chord DAC from.  

They do. I know because I first wanted to buy from Analogue Seduction, like my Hugo 1. Not because it is cheaper, but because I liked their customer service better. But they would not sell to me.

 

[elviscaprice]

  They do. I know because I first wanted to buy from Analogue Seduction, like my Hugo 1. Not because it is cheaper, but because I liked their customer service better. But they would not sell to me

Not Chord, the distributor wouldn't sell to you.  Because of a distributor agreement.  Chord wants distributors to somewhat earn their profit by marketing/handling of their components locally.
 
I suspect Taobao is basically a dumping off of extra inventory to make way for the new line up, Chord is rolling out.

 

[bmichels]

I own HUGO1, Mojo, and I really hope that not too far away we will get a "poly for the HUGO2" (with 1 tb storage ? 

 )

 

[6RS]

  Not Chord, the distributor wouldn't sell to you.  Because of a distributor agreement.  Chord wants distributors to somewhat earn their profit by marketing/handling of their components locally.

Whatever. In any case, good luck with buying from that Chinese seller. I would not be surprised if he would not have the items in stock...

 

[elviscaprice]

 
Whatever. In any case, good luck with buying from that Chinese seller. I would not be surprised if he would not have the items in stock...

​I doubt that, they have made numerous sales with happy customers in the past three months.  Yes, good luck and happy times with the Chord sound signature.

 

[paul2qute]

Whatever. In any case, good luck with buying from that Chinese seller. I would not be surprised if he would not have the items in stock...

Chord dacs are made in China anyway aren't they?

 

[paul2qute]

Here's a question,whenever I buy a what hi-fi magazine they seem to rave about Naim gear but with the Chord they have to complain about little things even though they know the sound is in a different class, why?Another question, does john Franks pick the design of the casing and Rob watts has to design and squeeze everything into that shape,would a rectangle box give Rob more room to improve things,I love the look of the chords BTW

 

[6RS]

Here's a question,whenever I buy a what hi-fi magazine they seem to rave about Naim gear but with the Chord they have to complain about little things even though they know the sound is in a different class, why?Another question, does john Franks pick the design of the casing and Rob watts has to design and squeeze everything into that shape,would a rectangle box give Rob more room to improve things,I love the look of the chords BTW

No idea In the Naim forums they love the Chord dacs...
I hypothesize all Rob needs is a board of certain size, I doubt he faces constraints imposed by the casing, except for overall size (portability) and target price.

 

[canali]

Chord dacs are made in China anyway aren't they?

isn't that under the new Chorde logo?

 

[miketlse]

Here's a question,whenever I buy a what hi-fi magazine they seem to rave about Naim gear but with the Chord they have to complain about little things even though they know the sound is in a different class, why?Another question, does john Franks pick the design of the casing and Rob watts has to design and squeeze everything into that shape,would a rectangle box give Rob more room to improve things,I love the look of the chords BTW

 
Visit the Naim forum, and you will discover that Naim owners prefer the Hugo and 2Qute, to Naims own dacs.
Visit the WHF forum, and you will discover that plenty of readers cannot understand how the WHF reviewers come to the conclusions that they do.
 
Regarding design philosophies, try reading some of the books about Apple and Jony Ive.
Steve Jobs regularly complained that for traditional PCs, the innards were designed first, and only then were the case designers allowed to start work. The result was that PC cases were usually rectangular boxes.
Jobs insisted that Apple reverse the design process, by designing the case first, and only then allowing the other designers to know the inner shape and dimensions, into which the components must fit. There was also the requirement that the insides of Apple products looked well laid out and professionally designed - ie no mish-mash of randomly located components).
This design philosophy has been applied to all Apple products, since Jobs returned to lead Apple for his second spell.
 
From that perspective, Chord are following the Apple style of design philosophy.

 

[paul2qute]

Visit the Naim forum, and you will discover that Naim owners prefer the Hugo and 2Qute, to Naims own dacs.
Visit the WHF forum, and you will discover that plenty of readers cannot understand how the WHF reviewers come to the conclusions that they do.

Regarding design philosophies, try reading some of the books about Apple and Jony Ive.
Steve Jobs regularly complained that for traditional PCs, the innards were designed first, and only then were the case designers allowed to start work. The result was that PC cases were usually rectangular boxes.
Jobs insisted that Apple reverse the design process, by designing the case first, and only then allowing the other designers to know the inner shape and dimensions, into which the components must fit. There was also the requirement that the insides of Apple products looked well laid out and professionally designed - ie no mish-mash of randomly located components).
This design philosophy has been applied to all Apple products, since Jobs returned to lead Apple for his second spell.

From that perspective, Chord are following the Apple style of design philosophy.

So a compromise on Rob Watts side then

 

[buzzlulu]

Naim user since 2003 - TOTL - and active Naim forum member
 
It is very true - many Naim users have moved from Naim DAC & Digital players to Chord Hugo.
 
My 2 channel digital player is Linn Klimax DS.  I only have the Mojo - extremely impressed with it!