[514077]

http://www.schiit.com/products/eitr

Thanks. So, it's a much less expensive Offramp1 or 2, or something like that.

 

[rkt31]

has anybody tried shanling m0 transport to Hugo 2 ?

 

[Vitaly2017]

Yeah i am not fully satisfied with mojo either. Read hugo 2 got more attack, that might help.

Im deciding between this and sennheiers own hdv 820 to do the job or hdv 820 with qutest dac. Im auditioning an hdv 820 soon though. Its Hard to decide havent heard neither yet.

So what did you concluded after all testing completed is hugo2 doing a better job then hdv820?

 

[Ritchiepurple]

If you got the Hugo 2 and fed its unbalanced signal into an amp with balanced output do you full lose the benefit of going balanced from the headphones to the amp? i.e. if you don't feed an amp a balanced input is there a significantly reduced benefit? I think down the line i'd like to have the option to run headphones balanced, would getting a hugo make this option pointless?

 

[rkt31]

there is no advantage in case of running in balance mode except you get double output from balance out of your amp. in fact if you really don't need very high voltage due to medium to low impedance of headphones, balance out will cause more attenuation to the source ( dac ) in headphone amp. I also run Hugo 2 RCA out to balanced input of benchmark ahb2 as ahb2 only takes XLR input. Hugo 2 like almost all dacs is inherently a single ended design so balance out will need an additional electronic component to generate the opposite signal thus degrading the transparency.

 

[EagleWings]

If you got the Hugo 2 and fed its unbalanced signal into an amp with balanced output do you full lose the benefit of going balanced from the headphones to the amp? i.e. if you don't feed an amp a balanced input is there a significantly reduced benefit? I think down the line i'd like to have the option to run headphones balanced, would getting a hugo make this option pointless?

I am going to over-simplify a little bit. It depends on the amp's design itself. Amps that have a SE input and have a Balanced output port can be broken down into these 3 categories:

1. Amps that are Fully Balanced (Differential) in design, which can take in SE input and output a Balanced Output via a Balanced port
2. Some amps can be Balanced in design, but are Fully Balanced only if fed with a Balanced signal. But they can take a SE input and output a Balanced output. Its just that, they are not Fully Balanced, when being fed an SE signal. eg: Cayin HA6
3. Some amps are only SE in design and have a XLR port just for the convenience of plugging in a headphone with an XLR cable. Here the XLR socket is really SE. eg: Some Eddie Current Amps

Short answer, yes you can get a Balanced Output in the future with the Hugo 2 as a DAC, if you are using an amp that falls under category 1 or 2. But what you really need is 1. Prior purchase, do some due diligence to find out if the amp is fully balanced or not.

 

[111MilesToGo]

I am going to over-simplify a little bit. It depends on the amp's design itself. Amps that have a SE input and have a Balanced output port can be broken down into these 3 categories:

1. Amps that are Fully Balanced (Differential) in design, which can take in SE input and output a Balanced Output via a Balanced port
2. Some amps can be Balanced in design, but are Fully Balanced only if fed with a Balanced signal. But they can take a SE input and output a Balanced output. Its just that, they are not Fully Balanced, when being fed an SE signal. eg: Cayin HA6
3. Some amps are only SE in design and have a XLR port just for the convenience of plugging in a headphone with an XLR cable. Here the XLR socket is really a SE. eg: Some Eddie Current Amps

Short answer, yes you can get a Balanced Output in the future with the Hugo 2 as a DAC, if you are using an amp that falls under category 1 or 2. But what you really need is 1. Just do some due dilience in understanding if the amp is fully balanced or not.

Which of these categories would describe the Violectric HPA V281 best? Thanks for your explanation.

 

[EagleWings]

From what I understand, V281 is a fully balanced amp (Type 1). But you probably want to ask in the V281 thread to confirm.

 

[bluenight]

So what did you concluded after all testing completed is hugo2 doing a better job then hdv820?

No i think hdv820 is better for hd 800s. Hugo 2 amp is just a little to thin and analytical for hd800s imo. Its not bad though, i like the detailed and clean sound with hugo 2.

But i think hdv 820 as amp and feeding hugo 2 as dac to it. Sounds the best. I felt bass got stronger and more imapctful. But then its doubling the price so not a good value and not a night and day diffrenence in sound improvement.

But the hdv 820 internal dac, like many other conventional dac have sound drops with my lg oled tv which is my audio source. Almost only chord dacs can handle my tv without soundrops on hdmi sources. So no go for me using hdv 820 dac.

Are you happy with the sound yourself?

 

[bluenight]

I am going to over-simplify a little bit. It depends on the amp's design itself. Amps that have a SE input and have a Balanced output port can be broken down into these 3 categories:

1. Amps that are Fully Balanced (Differential) in design, which can take in SE input and output a Balanced Output via a Balanced port
2. Some amps can be Balanced in design, but are Fully Balanced only if fed with a Balanced signal. But they can take a SE input and output a Balanced output. Its just that, they are not Fully Balanced, when being fed an SE signal. eg: Cayin HA6
3. Some amps are only SE in design and have a XLR port just for the convenience of plugging in a headphone with an XLR cable. Here the XLR socket is really SE. eg: Some Eddie Current Amps

Short answer, yes you can get a Balanced Output in the future with the Hugo 2 as a DAC, if you are using an amp that falls under category 1 or 2. But what you really need is 1. Prior purchase, do some due diligence to find out if the amp is fully balanced or not.

Do you know what type hdv 820 is?

 

[EagleWings]

Do you what type hdv 820 is?

Not able to tell for sure. Seems like type 1. But please ask and confirm in the 820 thread.

 

[rkt31]

@bluenight, it is a misconception that high impedance headphones are difficult to drive. if that was so, a 4 ohm speaker would have been easier to drive than 8ohm. only thing with high impedance headphones is that they require higher voltage . source should be able to supply enough voltage before clipping and one gets enough usable volume. as we know Hugo 2 has plenty of output before clipping. I myself use hd650 and barely need to go beyond green color. Once rob watts said that with Hugo and mojo's ultra low impedance, your headphones have just been driven correctly, for which most of us are not used to.

 

[bluenight]

Hugo 2 amp is sure more fullbodied then mojo with hd 800s.

For music listening i prefer using hugo 2 as dac to my lake people rs 02 hpa. It brings some added warmth to the sound with added bass amount. But also adds some muddyness to the sound.

For movie and tv series watching i think i prefer hugo 2 amp directly, as i think the clean and more analytical sound suit it better then music listening.

 

[highfell]

New Hugo MScaler available. Should mean that with Hugo2 and MScaler we have “Dave plus some more” sound capabilty for less than the price of a Dave

 

[highfell]

2018

Chord Electronics’ Hugo M Scaler redefines digital sound quality with the world’s most advanced filter technology
Powerful custom-coded FPGA upscales 44.1kHz digital audio to 705.6kHz; 16x CD’s 44.1kHz native resolution!

21st July 2018, Kent, UK: Chord Electronics has unveiled the Hugo M Scaler, a highly advanced standalone upscaler capable of redefining sound quality from digital audio. Hugo M Scaler uses the world’s most advanced filter technology to upscale standard 44.1kHz digital audio up to 705.6kHz (16x CD’s 44.1kHz native resolution), ready to be passed to a suitable DAC; Hugo M Scaler extends its upscaling performance to 768kHz (from 96kHz input data) for dual-BNC-input Chord Electronics DACs: DAVE, Qutest and the new Hugo TT 2.

35 years in the making, the Hugo M Scaler brings the unrivalled advantages of Rob Watts’(Chord Electronics’ Digital Design Consultant) ground-breaking FPGA-based WTA (Watts Transient Alignment) filtering technology to digitally connected audio devices, dramatically improving sound quality. Benefitting equipment includes: streamers; smartphones and smart devices; laptops and computers; CD/DVD players/transports and much more.

Although optimised for use with selected Chord Electronics DACs (for the maximum 768kHz upscaling/decoding benefit), the new Hugo M Scaler can be used with other DACs with suitable inputs, subject to their decoding capability. Hugo M Scaler’s advanced upscaling technology can improve the sound quality of all (digital-source) set-ups, whether headphone or desktop-based or within conventional hi-fi systems.

Hugo M Scaler features five digital inputs (2x BNC, 2x optical, plus a galvanically isolated USB Type-B) offering wide-ranging digital connectivity; the USB-B input is compatible with DSD and PCM data (up to DSD 256), with DSD upsampled to PCM using proprietary filtering, which has much better attenuation of DSD noise and distortion.

Hugo M Scaler’s outputs include optical, S/PDIF and galvanically isolated dual BNC, the latter of which enable upscaling to the maximum resolution (768kHz from 96kHz data) for direct connection to the 768kHz-capable dual BNC digital inputs featured on the DAVEDAC/pre/headphone amp, the recently announced (High End 2018, Munich) Hugo TT 2 DAC/pre/head amp and the new Qutest standalone DAC.

The Hugo M Scaler’s compact form factor aligns with the TT (Table Top) series and has been designed to be stackable with other units in the range, including the TToby stereo power amp and the aforementioned Hugo TT 2, to form a highly advanced yet space-saving system.

In line with other models in the Hugo and Hugo TT series, the device features a number of illuminable fascia-mounted spherical controls, governing input selection, output sample rate and video mode for lower latency. As with previous Chord Electronics digital devices, thecontrol spheres display data visually including input source and the incoming sample rate, using a polychromatic scale. The Hugo M Scaler also features front-panel ‘DX’ controls which have been included for use with future products.

The upscaler benefits from an adjustable sample rate output (with pass-thru mode) enablinguser-defined control, subject to the technical limitations of the output type: 192kHz optical; 384kHz BNC and 768kHz dual BNC), plus a video mode for lower latency, bringing useful flexibility with a wide range of partnering components. Further extending its functionality is auto video and source selection.

Featuring technology previously exclusive to the BLU MKII upscaling digital/CD transport (£7,995), the extraordinary upscaling ability of the Hugo M Scaler brings the benefits of Rob Watts’ proprietary FPGA-based tech to a much wider audience, given its £3,495 price point.

When partnered with either of Chord Electronics’ 768kHz-capable dual-BNC-input DACs, the Hugo M Scaler sets an astonishing technical benchmark for digital audio performance at it price point, redefining sound quality from digital audio.

Chord Electronics Hugo M Scaler notes for Editors

• Redefines sound quality from digital audio
• The most advanced digital filtering technology in the world
• Upscales digital audio up to 705.6kHz (16x CD’s 44.1kHz native resolution)
• Upscaling to 768kHz (from 96kHz files) with selected Chord Electronics DACs
• Rob Watts’ 35-year goal of >1M taps achieved: M Scaler has 1,015,808 WTA taps
• Improves all digital: streamers; smart devices/computers; CD/DVD players and more
• Transient accuracy is taken to a completely unprecedented level
• Use with a DAC in headphone, desktop and conventional hi-fi systems
• Compact TT chassis stackable with Hugo TT 2 DAC/pre and TToby power amp
• Multiple inputs for a range of devices: galvanically isolated USB-B; 2x BNC; 2xoptical
• Galvanically isolated dual BNC outputs (to 768kHz) for use with DAVE, Qutest, Hugo TT 2 and future products; single BNC to 384kHz output, optical to 192kHz
• Adjustable sample rate output with pass-thru mode, plus low latency video mode
• Automatic modes for video and source selection plus remote control
• ‘DX’ mode for connection to future Chord Electronics products
• Designed, engineered and entirely made in the United Kingdom
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 235 x 40.5 x 236mm; Weight 2.55kg
• Three-year warranty

Hugo M Scaler technology

The world’s most advanced filter: WTA — a lifetime goal of >1,000,000 taps reached!

The Hugo M Scaler is based around the powerful new Xilinx XC7A200T FPGA, which benefits from 740 DSP cores. The enormous processing power of the device has enabled a key breakthrough in tap-length (the technical indicator of how complex the interpolation filter is). Rob Watts has eclipsed a lifetime goal of >1M taps (Hugo M Scaler has 1,015,808 WTA taps or coefficients) in the latest version of the WTA (Watts Transient Alignment) filter.

The ground-breaking figure of over 1M taps, first conceived by Watts back in 1981 to be, “essential for digital to sound good, as this allows 16-bit interpolation accuracy“, has enabled the development of sophisticated WTA filtering and upscaling algorithms allowing digital data to be output at up to 768kHz.

Perfect construction of the analogue waveform: an infinite tap-length filter

To perfectly reconstruct an analogue signal, an infinite tap-length filter is required. The original Chord Electronics DAC 64 (1999) had 1,024 taps; Hugo (2013) 26,000 and DAVE (2015) 164,000. Each successive increase in tap-length, together with continuous improvements to the WTA algorithm, has given significantly better sound quality. This ground-breaking tap-length capability enables CD-quality audio to be reproduced where the interpolated output is guaranteed to be better than 16 bits; conventional filters are no better than 2- or 3-bit-accurate in recovering transient timing information.

This technical milestone takes transient accuracy to a completely unprecedented level: it becomes simpler to perceive the leading edge of transient notes, creating a life-like sound-field. Bass definition is massively improved, with greater ability to follow the tune. Sound-staging, instrument separation and focus are also noticeably better, along with vastly improved variation in instrument

Like all Chord Electronics’ products, the Hugo M Scaler is designed, engineered and entirelymade in the UK. It features a precision-milled chassis, crafted from aircraft-grade aluminium and comes with a three-year warranty.

Price and availability

Hugo M Scaler will be available in the autumn, priced at £3,495