[rgs9200m]

The Hugo DAC is, lets say, competitive with an EMM XDS1 to these ears. TH900 should do fine, HD800 is what it is and needs compatible amplification. I use some Jriver EQ for mine with my Hugo setup.
HD800 was problematic with my Meridian Director and the Hugo deals with it better.

 

[elviscaprice]

Perhaps, but not everyone is going to love Hugo. People can think something else sounds better. There doesn't have to be an underlying reason, ulterior motive... it could just be they prefer a different device.

 

Agree.  But the case in point of what brought this conversation about was that the author of the "questionable post", stated that they did not own the Hugo, nor did they qualify in their postings as to even hearing the Hugo.  Not till after I posted my indirect post did they qualify the fact that they did indeed listen to the Hugo.  End of inquiry.
Feel free to post away about their experience or lack of.  I am not offended and now maybe I will take more notice of what they say.
Note:  I could have been a bit more direct in my posting and questioning so as not to add any misinterpretations of what I was really wanting to know.

 

[Trappy]

Does someone has heard Hugo as a DAC against the Wadia 121 ? Or similar ( price ) as Benchmark, Wired4sound or Mytek ?

My system is a laptop with JRiver, Wadia 121 being feed either by usb from laptop or coax trough Squeezebox touch, BAT VK42, Gamut D200i, Magneplan 3.7, Woo Audio WA6, X5.o

I am sure that if the Hugo really brings an relevant improvement at home, its sound as portable will be of fantastic. By the way, today my headphones are TH 900, HD 800, JH 113 pro and JH Roxanne.

Thanks

I lived with a Benchmark Dac2 for just over a year. The Benchmark is a great DAC, no question, but the Hugo is another league entirely. Better timing, more air around the instruments, better timbre and better treble extension. Occasionally I've thought the Benchmark had more muscle, but its muscle is quite monochromatic compared to the Hugo. The Benchmark has its own sound which is hard to notice at first until you notice how much the Hugo just sounds like instruments and voices actually sound. I haven't heard super expensive DACs so I don't know from DCS or PSA, but this is good stuff. My system is JRiver to Hugo to Quad909 to Ellis1801b or beyerdynamic DT880.

 

[SilverEars]

Benchmark is resolving and accurate.  Hugo is resolving.

 

[Trappy]

Benchmark is resolving and accurate.  Hugo is resolving.

I would say the other way around.

 

[warrior1975]

@elviscaprice-I understand your point of view...Maybe I worded things wrong... My only point was, to that poster, not to feel the need to apologize for sharing his point of view. Regardless, I'm happy both of you love your devices and I hope you continue to enjoy them!! Cheers

 

[SilverEars]

I would say the other way around.

That's great you feel that way. I don't

 

[SilverEars]

I think Hugo should be in a league of it's own.  The Hugo sound league. LOL.  I personally think it's just got it's own unique sound.  Doesn't sound very natural or accurate to my ears.  It doesn't sound like a reference DAC to me.  

 

[TimSchirmer]

I simply trust my ears. That Apogee was the best implementation of the Sabre chip I've ever heard before.

 

[elviscaprice]

Funny, I find the Chord Hugo just the opposite.  It's strength is in it's natural sound and accuracy in timing.  As though the music was live.  I guess if I didn't find live music, natural, but instead recordings over engineered.  Then yeah I would think the Hugo not natural.  But it isn't.  The Hugo is as natural sounding of a DAC as I've ever heard.
 

 

 

[SilverEars]

I simply trust my ears. That Apogee was the best implementation of the Sabre chip I've ever heard before.

I have heard several Sabres, and I realize that not all are the same or have the stereotypical characteristic.  If implemented right, they do sound very accurate.

 

[lovethatsound]

I think Hugo should be in a league of it's own.  The Hugo sound league. LOL.  I personally think it's just got it's own unique sound.  Doesn't sound very natural or accurate to my ears.  It doesn't sound like a reference DAC to me.  

maybe you should get rid of it, if that's the way you feel m8.i think alot of people try 2 rubbish the Hugo because they've spent alot of money on so called higher dacs and they don't like the fact that the Hugo sounds just as good, maybe even better in some cases for a lot less money.

 

[kkcc]

Funny, I find the Chord Hugo just the opposite.  It's strength is in it's natural sound and accuracy in timing.  As though the music was live.  I guess if I didn't find live music, natural, but instead recordings over engineered.  Then yeah I would think the Hugo not natural.  But it isn't.  The Hugo is as natural sounding of a DAC as I've ever heard.

 

I agree with this - the instrument timbre rendered by the Hugo is the closest to how actual live instrument sounded from DACs I have heard. I reckon the recording/mastering would have a bigger effect on how things sounded, but with the same track from same source with different DACs the Hugo does sound most lifelike to me. This is most apparent with live classical recordings.

Some of my favorite albums rediscovered via Hugo would include What about this Mr. Paganini (Tacet), The Artistry of Teresa Perez, or Chico Freemen's The Emissary. Listening to these on my Hugo>HD800 really give me a sense that I'm there with the recording engineered.

 

[LFC_SL]

Whoever said pwd mk2 sounds better than hugo is either a shill from psa or in serious ear hearing condition. I have the pwd mk2 side by side with hugo and hugo is in a different league..

Keep telling ppl benchmark,wadia,nad, ps mk2 etc are in one league..

Hugo is in league of PS Audio DS, Exosound e28, Auralic vegas etc..

Its pretty ridicoulous when guiternuts say psa mk2 is better than hugo when i have both in front of me and when i hear that i just facepalm..

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

In fairness the poster did give the large caveat it was not side-by-side. Even if it was, in my experience you require sit down at home time to really know the sound of audio kit. That is what is great dealing with good dealers, drop down your card details and demo kit at home at your own pace.

Big meets are better than nothing but booking private audition at a dealer minus the din is better still.

 

[obsidyen]

  I think Hugo should be in a league of it's own.  The Hugo sound league. LOL.  I personally think it's just got it's own unique sound.  Doesn't sound very natural or accurate to my ears.  It doesn't sound like a reference DAC to me.  

Hugo is tuned to sound like live music. So you think music recorded in studio (which goes through tons of processing, different mixing styles, various mastering engineers which all do their jobs in a different way) is more realistic than live music?