[JaZZ]

 

  BTW, I don't advocate speaker toe-in, which addresses the increasingly narrowing dispersion angle toward highest frequencies – and accentuates the imbalance between direct and reflected sound throughout the frequency range even further. (My tool of choice would be an upper-treble increase for a linear response at the listening place without toe-in. Alternatively a spherically radiating tweeter...)

 
I've been angling in my desktop speakers towards the listening position. Maybe I should try not?

 
Yes – but without a simultaneous upper-treble increase they probably won't sound satisfying.

 

[Mediahound]

   
Yes – but without a simultaneous upper-treble increase they probably won't sound satisfying.

Just tried it. It sounds better with a wider soundstage. Treble is fine to me as is. They're still angled inwards a bit, just not nearly as much. 

 

[Rob Watts]

 

 
I thought crossfeed was supposed to widen/open the sound stage. It sounds the opposite for you?

​I don't pretend to understand the theory behnd the crossfeed button - perhaps Rob Watts could explain. These are just my subjective impressions.

Jazz gave the perfect explanation a post earlier.
 
I would add - I find cross-feed very useful for early stereo recordings, where they panned hard right or left a lot of the time. 
 
The simplest way of thinking about it is from classical music - do you want the conductors perspective - a 180 degree sound-stage (no cross-feed) - or a sound-stage that is middle ten rows back (setting two or three)? So it is a question of taste. I prefer cross-feed on - note you do also get a little more bass too with it on.
 
Rob 

 

[DarktoreS]

  Jazz gave the perfect explanation a post earlier.
 
I would add - I find cross-feed very useful for early stereo recordings, where they panned hard right or left a lot of the time. 
 
The simplest way of thinking about it is from classical music - do you want the conductors perspective - a 180 degree sound-stage (no cross-feed) - or a sound-stage that is middle ten rows back (setting two or three)? So it is a question of taste. I prefer cross-feed on - note you do also get a little more bass too with it on.
 
Rob 

 
 
Thank you Mr. Watts, because of you and your fantastic work on Hugo TT I bought the Focal ELear ... At first I found the headphone interested but nothing more. But when I tested the TT Hugo oulala the utopia it was a shock ! Worse now I intend to take the Utopia, the synergy between Hugo TT and ELear is in my opinion a very high level. But with the Utopia it becomes a combo really stellar not only on the quality of manufacture but especially on the sound reproduction !
 

 

[zappazappazappa]

This question relates to a discussion on the Violectric V281 thread about the use of the TT as DAC with that amp. The TT apparently puts out 3v of signal this leads to reduced volume control range on the standard setting of the V281. Two options are proposed: reduce the gain to the headphone at the amp end ( it's possible to increase or decrease the gain by up to +/- 12db with this amp) or reduce the volume on the TT.
    I was under the impression that reducing that reducing the volume on the TT output would reduce the available dynamic range. I remember Noel Keywood in his review of the original Hugo in HiFi world making much of the extra dynamic range that was available when using the Hugo in DAC mode by increasing the volume control until it hit distortion and then backing off  till it sounded natural.
       So am I right in thinking that the best option is to adjust the headphone amp Pre Gain ,as it's called ,or is my thinking on the matter totally wrong?!

 

[Whazzzup]

Well I'm not trying to stir any pot here but merely provide additional perspective and options for folks out there. I'm certainly not first in this observation, but will add another voice. I can say that adding GSX mk2 to TT through DHC chaparone 3 xlr interconnects to prion 4 balanced DHC cable and hd800S created a series of wow moments that kept me up way too late rolling through hours of genres going, how about this album now how about that.
Now nothing was wrong with se direct to TT, I was confident with perception of end game dac, and until Robb's next TT upgrade, I really beleive it s for me. But by jeez, GSX adds muscle to the entire range from sub bass to 3D popping Mids and distinct high. It's a detail machine that seems to handle any genre and has plenty of power to boot. I mean on med gain ( there is debate on low, med, high gain, it seems lots of folks like high) I'm barely over a quarter volume just past deep blue on the digital wheel. The hd800S obviously needed the scale and we all know I'm not just talking loudness, the TT had plenty of that. Not to be trite but this wire and gain dual mono amp pairs really well with TT, it's true to the TT which is true to the conversion. I really can't pick up color here although I'm sure something is going on. However this has been the result, I'm almost certain for now my search for additional components are over, even head phones ( lcd4 is now relegated to back burner purchase utopia as well ) now I'm a newbie for balanced amps and for this hp game really, because of head fi I have largely lucked out with each component added, and have limited knowledge of comparisons, but I can honestly say, bravo chord TT, bravo head amp, bravo double helix, bravo senneheiser.

 

[AlanYWM]

Well I'm not trying to stir any pot here but merely provide additional perspective and options for folks out there. I'm certainly not first in this observation, but will add another voice. I can say that adding GSX mk2 to TT through DHC chaparone 3 xlr interconnects to prion 4 balanced DHC cable and hd800S created a series of wow moments that kept me up way too late rolling through hours of genres going, how about this album now how about that.
 

You are certainly entitled to your opinion because only you know what you are hearing and enjoying. And I fully agree with you even though my setup is different from yours other than the TT. I now have a duo mono balanced amp attached to the TT and the music is just one level up. Alone, the TT is just not driving my Abyss to its full potential.

 

[bmichels]

   
 
Thank you Mr. Watts, because of you and your fantastic work on Hugo TT I bought the Focal ELear ... At first I found the headphone interested but nothing more. But when I tested the TT Hugo oulala the utopia it was a shock ! Worse now I intend to take the Utopia, the synergy between Hugo TT and ELear is in my opinion a very high level. But with the Utopia it becomes a combo really stellar not only on the quality of manufacture but especially on the sound reproduction !
 

 
Have you compared TT + Utopia with HUGO + Utopia ?    
 
Many people say that they hear a big SQ difference between HUGO and TT while (with my 55 years old ears) I can't really hear it !

 

[phonyx]

Super excited, I have a TT on it's way tomorrow! Looking to pair it with my HE1K's. It will replace my current small PC desktop system (USB > X-SABRE > Cavalli Liquid Carbon). I'll also pair it with my Pass Labs X250.5 and B&W 804's and see how it performs as a DAC into the Pass preamp and also direct to the power amp. Fun weekend coming up!!

 

[Whazzzup]

 

   
 
Thank you Mr. Watts, because of you and your fantastic work on Hugo TT I bought the Focal ELear ... At first I found the headphone interested but nothing more. But when I tested the TT Hugo oulala the utopia it was a shock ! Worse now I intend to take the Utopia, the synergy between Hugo TT and ELear is in my opinion a very high level. But with the Utopia it becomes a combo really stellar not only on the quality of manufacture but especially on the sound reproduction !
 

 
Have you compared TT + Utopia with HUGO + Utopia ?    
 
Many people say that they hear a big SQ difference between HUGO and TT while (with my 55 years old ears) I can't really hear it !

Im early 50 and a/b TT and Hugo, the difference was unmistakable. Nothing wrong with hugo just TT is better. Never mind xlr connectivity to GSX MK2, superb 

 

[bmichels]

 
Im early 50 and a/b TT and Hugo, the difference was unmistakable. Nothing wrong with hugo just TT is better. Never mind xlr connectivity to GSX MK2, superb 

 
Thanks, and how will you position DAVE in the HUGO and TT family ?  
 
I owe Mojo & HUGO and I am considering the DAVE or the TT as my next upgrade: assuming HUGO's SQ  was 100, how much will be the TT and the DAVE ? 

 

[Whazzzup]

 

 
Im early 50 and a/b TT and Hugo, the difference was unmistakable. Nothing wrong with hugo just TT is better. Never mind xlr connectivity to GSX MK2, superb 

 
and how will you position DAVE in the HUGO and TT family ?  (assuming TT's SQ  was 100, how much will be the HUGO and the DAVE ? )

I won't. First i don't use percentages or number scales. Second dave is out of my price range and will not test it as I may then buy it. 
 
Also i just added two audio quest jitterbugs to my 5k iMac to run TT and my hpa8 via audio quest diamond for TT and oyaide 5S continental for the A8. So far so good. The sq enhancement may be minimal but is positive, I have not gotten any jittering in the last hours of checking out TT and GSX MK2, so thats also positive. Ill have to A/B jitterbug to see whats going on SQ wise exactly..
Test done, the jitterbug added nicely to sq. Funny though noticed it more on my A8 but has benefited the TT some as well.

 

[Mediahound]

  Jazz gave the perfect explanation a post earlier.
 
I would add - I find cross-feed very useful for early stereo recordings, where they panned hard right or left a lot of the time. 
 
The simplest way of thinking about it is from classical music - do you want the conductors perspective - a 180 degree sound-stage (no cross-feed) - or a sound-stage that is middle ten rows back (setting two or three)? So it is a question of taste. I prefer cross-feed on - note you do also get a little more bass too with it on.
 
Rob 

Thanks for the information. Surprising that crossfeed can give more bass. I will definitely have to try it. 
 
Incidentally, I was recently listening to a Beatles stereo CD and it seems all they did was pan certain instruments nearly all the way to one side (since originally I believe they were recorded mono). It was distracting and sorta brought me away from the music. I will have to try it with crossfeed on. 

 

[Delayeed]

 
Thanks for the information. Surprising that crossfeed can give more bass. I will definitely have to try it. 
 
Incidentally, I was recently listening to a Beatles stereo CD and it seems all they did was pan certain instruments nearly all the way to one side (since originally I believe they were recorded mono). It was distracting and sorta brought me away from the music. I will have to try it with crossfeed on. 

Yeah they did that a lot in early stereo. There was no standards as to how to pan instruments so their stuff sounds really weird sometimes especially drums but I kinda like it
Will you be posting a video of the HugoTT?

 

[Mediahound]

  Will you be posting a video of the HugoTT?

Yep, quite likely