Chord Electronics - Hugo 2 - The Official Thread
Apr 18, 2019 at 5:04 PM Post #16,111 of 22,433
If you can swing it there is no greater sonic upgrade for hugo2 then the mscaler. Forget all the tinkering. The atmospherics on certain live recordings are truly incredible. 3K on a dap or an mscaler? The choice is all yours. Just use a £30 chromecast as optical source or usb out from a laptop as usb input is galvanically isolated on the mscaler. In my case imac optical out. If it's bit perfect who cares.:thinking:Click on the photo. The correct lights not showing in this picture. White on mscaler=1 million taps. Purple on hugo 2=705.6kHz.


I get it 100% bar the optical connection, seems a bit like buying the mansion with the pool and then sleeping in your car :wink:
 
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Apr 18, 2019 at 5:17 PM Post #16,112 of 22,433
I believe a bit perfect optical signal is just that. Nothing more nothing less. Then why are folk using multi K systems with a £30 google chromecast as optical source? My budget would most certainly have been allocated differently otherwise. My imac has a high quality SPDIF optical out. I think from cirrus logic. Why waste any more time?:thinking:
 
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Apr 18, 2019 at 5:22 PM Post #16,113 of 22,433
Just for reference I timed my Hugo 2 today on battery. It still takes nearly two hours to drop from blue to green. I think it changed at about 1 hour 45 mins, but missed the exact time. Plus it was a while ago, and can't remember the full time on blue. I was left totally assured though.

I have had it for one year and almost four months. It has spent quite a bit of that time plugged in, and in desktop mode. I do run it off battery regularly-ish though, to keep the battery healthy.
 
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Apr 18, 2019 at 5:40 PM Post #16,114 of 22,433
If you can swing it there is no greater sonic upgrade for hugo2 then the mscaler. Forget all the tinkering. The atmospherics on certain live recordings are truly incredible. 3K on a dap or an mscaler? The choice is all yours. Just use a £30 chromecast as optical source or usb out from a laptop as usb input is galvanically isolated on the mscaler. In my case imac optical out. If it's bit perfect who cares.:thinking:(Click on the photo for a better view). The correct lights are not showing in this picture. White on mscaler=1 million taps as in picture. Purple on hugo2=705.6kHz. Not showing here.
NIce looking Coax adapter - very neat
 
Apr 18, 2019 at 5:50 PM Post #16,115 of 22,433
I believe a bit perfect optical signal is just that. Nothing more nothing less. Then why are folk using multi K systems with a £30 google chromecast as optical source? My budget would most certainly have been allocated differently otherwise. My imac has a high quality SPDIF optical out. I think from cirrus logic. Why waste any more time?:thinking:

Sorry i was being flippant and if it sounds great fair enough, but have you compared good usb cable. Id love to have an m-scaler in my rig and I’m very jealous. Ps I’ve no idea why anyone would use a 30 quid streamer in a multi k set up.
 
Apr 18, 2019 at 6:03 PM Post #16,116 of 22,433
I'm lucky to have a good quality optical stream out of my imac which is also my roon core. Usb=optical for sound quality with mscaler.:relaxed:For usb i would either need a laptop usb roon bridge, a usb roon endpoint like an ipad or usb from my mains powered imac. None of these options better optical out from my computer. The decision was made for me in a way. My priorities at present are trying to save enough for a sony mdr z1r headphone which i really liked on demo at richer sounds. The sony further reinforces my h2/hms system as it is sensitive and the h2 suffices here as it does with my current PM1 headphone which is also sensitive. I'm not feeling the rush to go down the TT2 route as most heavier planar headphones are just not comfortable for me. It seems the headphones are dictating my digital source choices. I have also been told that a solo TT2 does not perform at the same level as a hugo2 with mscaler. Of course adding an mscaler to the TT2 changes that.
 
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Apr 19, 2019 at 1:08 AM Post #16,117 of 22,433
I believe a bit perfect optical signal is just that. Nothing more nothing less. Then why are folk using multi K systems with a £30 google chromecast as optical source? My budget would most certainly have been allocated differently otherwise. My imac has a high quality SPDIF optical out. I think from cirrus logic. Why waste any more time?:thinking:

Well one reason to use the chromecast is that it also delivers the same perfect digital signal as your laptop and it also outputs optical (the digital signal will be exactly the same, not altered in any way). What can can be better than a perfect digital signal via optical whatever the cost? I use a chromecast as an endpoint in a Roon system.
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 1:11 AM Post #16,118 of 22,433
Well one reason to use the chromecast is that it also delivers the same perfect digital signal as your laptop and it also outputs optical (the digital signal will be exactly the same, not altered in any way). What can can be better than a perfect digital signal via optical whatever the cost? I use a chromecast as an endpoint in a Roon system.

Exactly - and not everyone wants a laptop or PC/Mac in their listening room..
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 2:32 AM Post #16,119 of 22,433
Humming Hugo 2 -- what to do?

When connected to the mains (I am based in the UK), I have a humming/buzzing through the headphones. When I touch the Hugo, the humming disappears. Also, I have no humming when the Hugo running on batteries. To add to my confusion, I have no humming when I have the Hugo connected to mains in South Korea. Does anybody have a clue what might be going on here? Any idea how to fix the problem? Apart from the headphones, I have only connected my Android phone. Actually, when I disconnect the phone, it doesn't make any difference -- the humming stays, and disappears when touching the Hugo...

In an earlier posting, @ecapsretliab reported a ground loop hum with his Hugo when connected to the mains. Is this what I am having too? In response to @ecapsretliab 's posting @Currawong wrote that one needed to identify the source of humming. How can I do this? My technical knowledge is very limited -- advice would be most appreciated? How do I stop my Hugo humming??

Many thanks!!
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 10:16 AM Post #16,120 of 22,433
Humming Hugo 2 -- what to do?

When connected to the mains (I am based in the UK), I have a humming/buzzing through the headphones. When I touch the Hugo, the humming disappears. Also, I have no humming when the Hugo running on batteries. To add to my confusion, I have no humming when I have the Hugo connected to mains in South Korea. Does anybody have a clue what might be going on here? Any idea how to fix the problem? Apart from the headphones, I have only connected my Android phone. Actually, when I disconnect the phone, it doesn't make any difference -- the humming stays, and disappears when touching the Hugo...

In an earlier posting, @ecapsretliab reported a ground loop hum with his Hugo when connected to the mains. Is this what I am having too? In response to @ecapsretliab 's posting @Currawong wrote that one needed to identify the source of humming. How can I do this? My technical knowledge is very limited -- advice would be most appreciated? How do I stop my Hugo humming??

Many thanks!!

Does it do it via every outlet in your house?
 
Apr 19, 2019 at 10:49 AM Post #16,121 of 22,433
Humming Hugo 2 -- what to do?

When connected to the mains (I am based in the UK), I have a humming/buzzing through the headphones. When I touch the Hugo, the humming disappears. Also, I have no humming when the Hugo running on batteries. To add to my confusion, I have no humming when I have the Hugo connected to mains in South Korea. Does anybody have a clue what might be going on here? Any idea how to fix the problem? Apart from the headphones, I have only connected my Android phone. Actually, when I disconnect the phone, it doesn't make any difference -- the humming stays, and disappears when touching the Hugo...

In an earlier posting, @ecapsretliab reported a ground loop hum with his Hugo when connected to the mains. Is this what I am having too? In response to @ecapsretliab 's posting @Currawong wrote that one needed to identify the source of humming. How can I do this? My technical knowledge is very limited -- advice would be most appreciated? How do I stop my Hugo humming??

Many thanks!!

A search of this thread for ‘humming’ throws up the following results. It might be that there are some helpful suggestions there for you to look at.

https://www.head-fi.org/search/28634325/?q=Humming&t=post&o=date&c[thread]=831345
 
Apr 21, 2019 at 8:27 AM Post #16,123 of 22,433
Humming Hugo 2 -- what to do?

When connected to the mains (I am based in the UK), I have a humming/buzzing through the headphones. When I touch the Hugo, the humming disappears. Also, I have no humming when the Hugo running on batteries. To add to my confusion, I have no humming when I have the Hugo connected to mains in South Korea. Does anybody have a clue what might be going on here? Any idea how to fix the problem? Apart from the headphones, I have only connected my Android phone. Actually, when I disconnect the phone, it doesn't make any difference -- the humming stays, and disappears when touching the Hugo...

In an earlier posting, @ecapsretliab reported a ground loop hum with his Hugo when connected to the mains. Is this what I am having too? In response to @ecapsretliab 's posting @Currawong wrote that one needed to identify the source of humming. How can I do this? My technical knowledge is very limited -- advice would be most appreciated? How do I stop my Hugo humming??

Many thanks!!
Do you get any tingling, similar to that described in this post.
 
Apr 21, 2019 at 8:48 AM Post #16,124 of 22,433
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Apr 21, 2019 at 11:32 AM Post #16,125 of 22,433
Just for reference I timed my Hugo 2 today on battery. It still takes nearly two hours to drop from blue to green. I think it changed at about 1 hour 45 mins, but missed the exact time. Plus it was a while ago, and can't remember the full time on blue. I was left totally assured though.

I have had it for one year and almost four months. It has spent quite a bit of that time plugged in, and in desktop mode. I do run it off battery regularly-ish though, to keep the battery healthy.

Spoke too soon. I have lost a bit of battery life from Hugo 2. Not sure it's because of battery cycles, as it's not run too many full charge and discharge cycles. Might be due to being plugged in desktop mode, where top end of the battery discharges and charges. Am going to use it more on battery now anyway.
 

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