[endre83]

Are you considering a tube power amp or a tube integrated amp? I ask because I have tried Hugo1, Hugo2, HugoTT and Dave connected direct to several tube power amps and the sound quality was always compromised unless the Chord DAC was set to line level output and a preamp used (I preferred a Music First TVC preamp).

An OTL amp to be precise

 

[Triode User]

An OTL amp to be precise

It had slipped my mind what an OTL amp was and google both reminded me and brought a smile from this online comment . . . . .
"My past encounters with OTL tube amps are among the most negative: Wonderful (but never great) sound during the brief period that they work. Otherwise, major fire hazard. Overheating, red hot plates, sparks, consistently toasted fuses, burning smell, you name it. My past OTL amps are like crying babies on an changing table - don't you ever walk away from an arm's distance."

You have been warned!

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Just note, going through an adapter you will get some impedance variance, ie. no longer adhering to 75 ohms.

I have the Moon Audio dual BNC coax from my Chord Blu MK1 to single 3.5mm jack into my Hugo 2 giving me 175kHz sampling rate playing CD's and it sounds great.

 

[Rob Watts]

Just note, going through an adapter you will get some impedance variance, ie. no longer adhering to 75 ohms.

True - but an impedance mismatch due to the connector is not important. Why is this? When the signal goes from the 75 ohm cable to the connector, that is say at 50 ohms, we get a reflection and a small glitch; but when it resumes back to 75 ohms inside we then get an anti reflection or anti glitch. This is delayed by about 100pS worst case. The 100pS glitch/anti glitch is much smaller than the rise time of the signal pulse from Hugo M scaler so there will be no significant nett glitch; moroever, the interface chip can't respond to that small a change in signal; moreover, the M scaler is seriously overdriven (it sounded better that way) making it immune to glitches and noise; moreover, in the unlikely event that a glitch does get through the interface device, then the FPGA has anti-glitch treatment on the SPDIF receiver as well - the signal has to be noise free for 15 nS before it is used, eliminating all glitches of this type.

The only thing you need to be sure of is that the cable itself is 75 ohms as otherwise we won't get cancellations of impedance mismatch glitches in short time periods - they will be longer than 15 nS if the cable is wrong, and that is enough to potentially cause problems. Having said that, I used crappy 3.5mm headphone to phono cable and adaptors on a Hugo 2 and it worked perfectly fine.

 

[endre83]

What are the best cables if I want to connect a Hugo 2 to use as a DAC with my Burson Audio Conductor 3XR to use as an AMP with its opamps?

outs of Hugo 2: 1x stereo (L & R) RCA output
ins of Burson C3XR: 2 x XLR line-level input, Optical Toslink


do you have recommendations below 100/200 € or USD?

 

[kkrazik2008]

What are the best cables if I want to connect a Hugo 2 to use as a DAC with my Burson Audio Conductor 3XR to use as an AMP with its opamps?

outs of Hugo 2: 1x stereo (L & R) RCA output
ins of Burson C3XR: 2 x XLR line-level input, Optical Toslink


do you have recommendations below 100/200 € or USD?

Lots of options for you;

Blue Jeans Cables
Ghent Audio

good prices and fast shipping.

 

[endre83]

Lots of options for you;

Blue Jeans Cables
Ghent Audio

good prices and fast shipping.

Thanks, but do I need adapters, or does a cable with that termination exist?

 

[DaddyWhale]

Thanks, but do I need adapters, or does a cable with that termination exist?

These from Moon Audio might work: Cardas Crosslink Custom Interconnects. You can specify different terminations at each end

 

[kkrazik2008]

Thanks, but do I need adapters, or does a cable with that termination exist?

You are welcome, they can create any cable termination you like, here are the webs;

http://www.ghentaudio.com

http://www.bluejeanscable.com

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Was unable to replicate the problem by switching back to the original RCA cable... trying different charging cables/ports and usb data cables, etc now.
Hugo2 is not overheating anymore... still trying to figure out why, but for the past year it was overheating.

UPDATE : The Hugo 2 is still overheating and shutting down even in desktop mode. I can't figure out a pattern. It seems like it overheats at random times. Any suggestions?

 

[jonnyt]

Question for IEM owners, I have no issues listening to HD800s or Fostex headphones directly out of my Hugo2 but when I try my IEMs (Campfire Solaris and Andromeda), the hiss and underlying noise is pretty bad, making them almost unusable, especially for music with plenty of quiet passages like classical or ambient.

I know the Campfire are considered sensitive but is it expected behaviour that regardless of the volume or whether the Hugo2 is attached to a source or the power outlet, it cannot keep a quiet background with IEMs or have I got a faulty unit?

I've read here that adding an amp could help but I'm loath to add another box to my small, neat set-up unless it's going to dramatically improve my listening in all circumstances.


Thanks

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Question for IEM owners, I have no issues listening to HD800s or Fostex headphones directly out of my Hugo2 but when I try my IEMs (Campfire Solaris and Andromeda), the hiss and underlying noise is pretty bad, making them almost unusable, especially for music with plenty of quiet passages like classical or ambient.

I know the Campfire are considered sensitive but is it expected behaviour that regardless of the volume or whether the Hugo2 is attached to a source or the power outlet, it cannot keep a quiet background with IEMs or have I got a faulty unit?

I've read here that adding an amp could help but I'm loath to add another box to my small, neat set-up unless it's going to dramatically improve my listening in all circumstances.


Thanks

Hi,
I just fixed the same issue last week
Just plugged in an iFi iGalvanic3.0 and the noise was reduce pretty drastically.
I tired 2 other iFi products but this is the only one that actually reduced background noise, the other products didn’t do anything as far as I can tell .
It is a bit pricey but IMO well worth it for the Hugo2.

 

[jonnyt]

Hi,
I just fixed the same issue last week
Just plugged in an iFi iGalvanic3.0 and the noise was reduce pretty drastically.
I tired 2 other iFi products but this is the only one that actually reduced background noise, the other products didn’t do anything as far as I can tell .
It is a bit pricey but IMO well worth it for the Hugo2.

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I like the look of this, especially as it is small.
But, I am hearing the hiss whether or not the Hugo is plugged into the source (PC, iPad, iPhone). Am I understanding the iFi correctly that it will improve hiss on the Hugo2 that is present because of noise from my source only? Or will it also improve noise that is present in the Hugo2 even when no source is connected?

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I like the look of this, especially as it is small.
But, I am hearing the hiss whether or not the Hugo is plugged into the source (PC, iPad, iPhone). Am I understanding the iFi correctly that it will improve hiss on the Hugo2 that is present because of noise from my source only? Or will it also improve noise that is present in the Hugo2 even when no source is connected?

Sorry, I misunderstood.
The iGalvanic reduces noise from the source.
My Hugo2 is silent with no source attached.
Have you tried using a different cable for your IEMs? And physically moving around to a different area?

 

[GreenBow]

Sorry, I misunderstood.
The iGalvanic reduces noise from the source.
My Hugo2 is silent with no source attached.
Have you tried using a different cable for your IEMs? And physically moving around to a different area?

@jonnyt

Yeah I am lost at your problem. My IEMs might not be specced the same as yours so maybe mine do not cause issue. I have the AKG N40 and N5005. Neither set causes hiss or any noise with Hugo 2.

I do vaguely recall the slight possibility I read some ultra-sensitive IEMs might have got some hiss with Mojo. Obviously don't quote me on that.

However you should get some help with it from someone. Or Rob Watts might post the definitive answer, (probably again). In the mean time, do a search in this thread and the Mojo thread for your problem.