Chord Hugo

[ALRAINBOW]

So are you saying the hugo is better as most are saying ?

For the money they are charging it's a shame if it's not at least near it .
Al

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Hugo is better in music playing aspects like SQ
Ak240 is better in non-music aspects like UI and stuff
Pick ur posison and trade off ,or pick both LoL or send the AK240 to red wine audio for upgrade

 

[sutjahjo]

Hugo is better in music playing aspects like SQ
Ak240 is better in non-music aspects like UI and stuff
Pick ur posison and trade off ,or pick both LoL or send the AK240 to red wine audio for upgrade

Hence AK240 should be used together with Hugo they complement each other well.

 

[estreeter]

There are moments that I wish the AK240 is really the ultimate as they claim to be for the asking price. Unfortunately, the thoughts of it not able to reach Hugo level made me lost interest in it all over again.

 
What the hell are we talking about here ? Two very different devices, one of which cant even function without the added cost of a second device, and you lose interest in one because a few people on a forum tell you it cant compete with the other ? I dont know where you can audition the AK240 but writing something off without even hearing it is classic Head-Fi and I'm over it - I need a coffee and a break from this board, Have a nice day. 

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Hm....i listened to AK240 many times...and we r talking about SQ, thanks. Take HM-901 for example, it didnt lose to AK240,too. Enjoy your coffee.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Sorry and do not get mad it's just peoples opinions here . My only issue is the price of the ak240 . It's way over the top and should be up there with audio quality. In every other way it's tops. I had the ak120. It's size , battery , GUI were all A+ only the sound was bland to me. I hate the GUI and the whole slow speed of my hdpr10. But the sound is really good in comparison. For me it's all about the sound . And I paid about 1200 for mine two years ago so I am willing to pay
If need be .
Al

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Hence AK240 should be used together with Hugo they complement each other well.

Agree! The world is not perfect, money makes it bearable. Haha

 

[sa92058]

   
Oh yes. Can drive any of the big guys with full aplomb, and the output impedance is so low that it is excellent for IEMs as well. Couple that with an extremely low THD and stellar S/N ratio, and you have a winner for everything you can imagine.

My Hugo is driving my AKG K1000 headphone with authority........amazing!...............The K1000 was always a little light in the bottom end and probably the most difficult to drive headphone ever sold;but with the Hugo EVEN THE K1000 PUNCHES WITH AUTHORITY. Hugo brings out the best in every headphone I've thrown at it. Interesting note: The 1985 k1000 easily blows away my jh16 freqphase in everyway sonically but the low end......but the K1000 has more control to 50 hz.I've owned the K1000 for 10 years and only now with the Hugo have I heard it's true potential for the first time!

 

[Frank I]

   
Of course its a source.. I know what you mean but what a lot of people (myself too) don't get, is to use an ak240 strictly as a source and bypassing its double-dac's, some prefer that. It's kind of overkill I think. I would rather buy the new macbook pro retina 13 and use it as a source. I am considering to buy a macbook air 11, to use it strictly with the Hugo... To me it just looks so "funny" if someone connects an ak240 to the hugo and then posts a picture of his rig. I am not jealous but I just don't get it...

the problem is the macbook and imac I use with the usb is not as transparent as the ak240 is with optical for a source with the hugo. So for me it work in the house better using the ak240 as myserver. i dont get why that so hard to understand. I got 1400 albums on the imac but prefer the optical sound with the Hugo. My preference. it works well for me.

 

[nOtEcH]

Received my Sherpa 100 and the universal inverter yesterday. While the built quality is good and work as advertised, they are much bigger than I thought and it would be really clumsy to be used as a portable charger for travellers.

I am sorry if I mislead you. I have read a lot about this product, and it can charge everything I would like it to:
Hugo
iPad Mini Retina (and 4G internet)
iPhone

And if I pull the trigger:
AP1 and PP


And it is powerful enough to charge my laptop too, so I could practically work anywhere in the world.. maybe living in a tent at the foot of a mountain wall in Yosimite.. listening to the Hugo playing music.. working.. knowing that in less than an hour I will clock out for today and go climbing, while the Sherpa gets charged again by solar while I'm out climbing..

I am not sure if it would be just like that, but you got endless possibilities and you can enjoy music every where you wan't to.. and for as long as you want..

With a solar panel or two it is the perfect charging device / battery for me.
If you're not too happy with the Sherpa 100 and can't return it for a refound, maybe I could buy it from you?

(I haven't ordered "mine to be" as the shipment from Goal Zero USA hasn't reached European dealers yet)

 

[nOtEcH]

AP1 and AP2 are technically identical. AP1 has more features implemented, but performance is the same. 


See below too. But you can have the AP2 work with an iDevice, you just need to run it through a USB hub for power first. This reduces portability some, but the whole AP2/PP package does as well. 


I find this very true, not only in this instance, but with lots of audiophile gear. Sure, better can be had, but "inferior" is still immensely enjoyable when you're not A'Bing it. The difference is small, it shouldn't be something you are consciously distracted by.

So, I leave the AP2 at home, listen without at work, and like I said, you don't need AP2 to get stellar performance from the Hugo. But I do look forward to getting home and getting the AP2 on it. It's just more engaging, fun, and more realistic sounding. This insight is perhaps only gained in retrospect of listening experiences without A/B.

I understand.
Regarding USB hub for power.. it is a "trick" that can be made to make the AP1/AP2 with PP work with iPad Mini's lightning / USB output.
Come to think of it.. I think I want the AP1 with PP and I would like to use them while on the go to..

 

[estreeter]

Hm....i listened to AK240 many times...and we r talking about SQ, thanks. Take HM-901 for example, it didnt lose to AK240,too. Enjoy your coffee.

 
The point I tried to make is that your opinion of the Hugo's SQ is based purely on what you've heard from the headphone out - have you tried using it as a dedicated DAC ? It's subjective but I'm convinced that I'm getting more from the RCA out into my Taurus than I was from the Hugo's own headphone stage. To use a very cliched song selection, I can hear aspects of Adele's voice on Someone Like You in this configuration that I'm simply not getting via the Hugo's headphone out and metal is on another plane - more slam, tighter bass and a sense of being much closer to the band. On the downside, the HD800s may be a little bit harsher through the Taurus, but I'm only at the 100-hour mark and the recommendation is that I need 500 hours to really hear what the amp is capable of - to be fair, I'm in much the same boat with the Hugo. If nothing else, I far prefer the volume control on the Taurus to that provided with the Hugo and I don't run the risk of accidentally dislodging the coax cable when using it purely as a DAC on my desktop. 
 
If I was ever in any doubt as to the VFM equation in buying a dedicated desktop headphone amplifier, the Taurus has completely crushed those doubts. This 12lb lump of metal is a monster and I'm finding it very hard to drag myself away from it to attend to the mundanities of life  

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

   
The point I tried to make is that your opinion of the Hugo's SQ is based purely on what you've heard from the headphone out - have you tried using it as a dedicated DAC ? It's subjective but I'm convinced that I'm getting more from the RCA out into my Taurus than I was from the Hugo's own headphone stage. To use a very cliched song selection, I can hear aspects of Adele's voice on Someone Like You in this configuration that I'm simply not getting via the Hugo's headphone out and metal is on another plane - more slam, tighter bass and a sense of being much closer to the band. On the downside, the HD800s may be a little bit harsher through the Taurus, but I'm only at the 100-hour mark and the recommendation is that I need 500 hours to really hear what the amp is capable of - to be fair, I'm in much the same boat with the Hugo. If nothing else, I far prefer the volume control on the Taurus to that provided with the Hugo and I don't run the risk of accidentally dislodging the coax cable when using it purely as a DAC on my desktop. 
 
If I was ever in any doubt as to the VFM equation in buying a dedicated desktop headphone amplifier, the Taurus has completely crushed those doubts. This 12lb lump of metal is a monster and I'm finding it very hard to drag myself away from it to attend to the mundanities of life  

 
I agree you that the Hugo sound scales up significantly when paring with an external desktop amp. We did one meet at Jaben using AK240  "LO" and Hugo LO to the Mass Kobo 394 driving Abyss, TH900 and HE-6, it was clear to my ears that Hugo wins in every aspects.
 
By the way, I commute using Hugo this morning with Ref 1 listening to Agitation Free (I am going through my Krautrock collection with the Ref 1 before I lend them out). Life is wonderful.

 

[SoundFreaq]

   
...  Hugo's SQ is based purely on what you've heard from the headphone out - have you tried using it as a dedicated DAC ?
 
... I'm simply not getting via the Hugo's headphone out and metal is on another plane ...

 
To be clear, what technical differences are you delineating in your mind, if any, of the Hugo used as dedicated DAC, and Hugo used with headphone out?
 
Or are "headphone out," and "using it as a dedicated DAC" synonymous in your mind? Aside from the obvious fact that the latter is used in conjunction with another amp. 

 

[SoundFreaq]

Come to think of it.. I think I want the AP1 with PP and I would like to use them while on the go to..

 
You nuts! If you're going to carry that much, might as well get a battery powered USB hub then, and go nuts.