Thanks. Changing the setting to LPCM seems to have solved the problem!
Regarding the cable, I just realised that I've actually been using the optical cable supplied with the Hugo with my Oppo. The cheap cable I referred to is the one I'm using with my AK120 (sorry, my fault). Does anyone know whether the cable that comes with the Hugo is limited to 24/96? I've just tried to play a blu-ray disc from Neil Young's Archives set (which is supposed to be 24/192) and while it outputs sound, it's only showing the Orange/Yellow colour on the Hugo.
All Chord Electronics optical links work up to 192k Rob Watts said that the optical receive circuitry in Hugo will most likely work to well above this but there are no transmitters above 192kHZ So he couldn't test it, but if any one out there wants to investigate I'm sure he'd be interested. All the USB's supplied work well to 384kHZ too.
yea, mine did not came with the 3.5 to toslink I had to get the plug in for it which didnt work. I am waiting the VDH cable to arrive by end of next week.
When we set the Chord to line out mode. Are I my the RCAs providing a line out signal or the two 3.5 and 1/4inch jacks all providing a line out signal too?
If I understood you correctly yes all the output will have the same lineout volume. Technically they all should have the sound output level but some like to use RCA as they believe it provides them better separation.
If I understood you correctly yes all the output will have the same lineout volume. Technically they all should have the sound output level but some like to use RCA as they believe it provides them better separation.
But if I connect the RCA outs on a line level setting. Do I bypass the internal amplifier of the Chord? And if I connect it to another portable amp, would it be double amping?
You don't bypass anything. That setting is just volume control set to the same level as in Chord Qute output. Also there is no headphone amp section per se, it is just output* from the DAC itself (I think).
You don't bypass anything. That setting is just volume control set to the same level as in Chord Cute output. Also there is no headphone amp section per se, it is just output* from the DAC itself (I think).
Check out Rob Watts's postings, very interesting read! ( http://www.head-fi.org/forums/posts/by_user/id/394072/page/ )
Anyway here are couple of links of interest:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/702787/chord-hugo/1830#post_10459450
http://www.head-fi.org/t/702787/chord-hugo/3285#post_10566734
I left my Hugo on during the night, forgetting to leave it plugged in and this morning it was off. Now it will not turn on. Plugged in with the charge light on, and after one hour, it will still not turn on. Is there a way to reset the Hugo?
Well, after a little over an hour now, it has finally come to life. Must be that one of the batteries takes a while to come up to snuff, so to say.
That's not what he is saying. He is saying that the amplifier in the Hugo is not bypassed, whether you set the line level preset (holding crosfeed while powering on), letting it power on normally, or adjusting volume to any volume level (whether preset or not). The amplifier (yes, there is a headphone/all output amplifier in the Hugo) and volume control are always in the signal path. Adding an amp to that is not what you'd like to do, if at all possible. Given the amp and volume control in the signal path, the use of adapters and extenders, etc......it's a wonder the Hugo sounds decent at all, right? Well, it sounds amazing, not decent. And yes, it makes many of us home DAC users drool at the thought of a truly bypassed, adapter-less signal path in the upcoming (supposedly even higher resolving, more taps) QBD replacement.
While this is true, understand that even standalone DACs have a gain stage to get the signal to line level. For example, the CypherLabs -dB has three OP amps to achieve its line-level output. Then a standalone portable amp will have something like 4-8 OPs for further gain to drive your headphones.
The DAC is considered top-game as it is now. So whatever is "in the way" doesn't seem to be much of a problem. Though I do understand wanting to bypass for purity reasons - but then you would still have to have some sort of gain.
And I just read Rob's explanation on the single active gain stage. This follow up deserves it's own post.
All DACs have a gain stage, Hugo's is simpler and better implemented. That same gain stage can also power your headphones. So no, it doesn't have a separate amp stage on it, you're listening to a DAC with a revolutionary gain stage on it.
That means the technically best sound you can get out of the Hugo is to not attach anything and listen straight from Hugo. Some headphones might require more power from an external amp, but it's still adding a boat-load to the signal path. But sometimes that suits preferences better. For me, Cavalli's designs are also very simple, pure, and elegantly implemented, and the added power out of the Liquid Gold makes the Abyss sing.
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And yes, it makes many of us home DAC users drool at the thought of a truly bypassed, adapter-less signal path in the upcoming (supposedly even higher resolving, more taps) QBD replacement.
