[wisnon]

The answer 2 that is easy,yes I have.It seems 2 me that some of you guys who have paid alot more for your dacs, seem 2 be listening more 2 Hugo than your 3 to 5k dacs, says it all really lol

Interesting, which ones did you listen to at the same time, same setting? I would appreciate a detailed report on your findings (no joke). This would make for interesting reading.
 
I have only heard the Hugo once, but it was a long session with 3 other Dacs in critical listening mode.

 

[wisnon]

You post on it. Computoeraudiophile
Hahahaha

Ok, OK the Forum. I thought  you meant that Ted had a dedicated site.

 

[wisnon]

  John Franks has sent me a piece he has wrote on 'Distruptive Technology' which I will be posting later today.... John cares very much about the Hi-Fi Industry and realises that the launch of the Hugo has been met with a lot of controversy especially on high-end forums.
 
It is my intention to start a new thread in 'Sound Science' dealing with disruptive technology opening the debate with John's 'piece' so as not to disrupt this  thread... there's a irony in there somewhere.

Please post a link to it here when you do...

 

[ALRAINBOW]

My screen name should be the ridder

 

[estreeter]

  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.

 
Tell that to the usual suspects who lumped all SABRE-equipped DACs together earlier in this thread. I'm persevering with my BDP-105D even if it is undeniably brighter than the Hugo at around the 120 hour mark - the potential is definitely there for some seriously good times musically and it has already proved its worth as a Blu-Ray player par excellence. 

 

[lovethatsound]

HD Tracks has launched in the UK for anyone interested Their prices seem pretty high 2 me.

 

[frankrondaniel]

The answer 2 that is easy,yes I have.It seems 2 me that some of you guys who have paid alot more for your dacs, seem 2 be listening more 2 Hugo than your 3 to 5k dacs, says it all really lol

 
Well, I'm one of the guys that ends up spending more time with my other DAC in my desktop work environment - Exasound E28.  And it's not because I can say it's better but I end up preferring its sound compared to the Hugo.  In many ways the Hugo sounds better to me than the Exasound, especially with respect to sound stage and detail.  But I can't get by what I perceive as a fatiguing brightness that limits my playing time with the Hugo.  Admittedly I'm mostly listening with HD800's, which are prone to brightness but I hear the same thing with Momentums, which I've always regarded as somewhat muddy with recessed highs.  Returning to the Exasound, I experience a more relaxed presentation that I find easier to live with, maybe at the cost of a bit of detail and soundstage.  I'm not saying this to trash the Hugo, just relating my experience with it.  I can understand that others might have a totally different experience with it than I do.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

There is no doubt in the portible ring the Hugo is raining champ.
But weather all agree or not the CIEMS do not give the amount of details needed to show what us really going in.
With the hd800 or a separate amp the Hugo shows much more I detail.
Using my caps it is clearly worth the money and a worthy desk top rig
His ever DSD was improved but not as PCM is. But don't fret about my saying this as another DAC of twice the price showed the same signs. I think as a guess it just is the analog stage going us all it's got but
All there is. It presents itself to the limit it has.
Overall not bad again 2500 and it's portible.
Still great.

I am not considering selling my Hugo at all in this so no need to brow beat me and my choice or view
Al

 

[lovethatsound]

Well, I'm one of the guys that ends up spending more time with my other DAC in my desktop work environment - Exasound E28.  And it's not because I can say it's better but I end up preferring its sound compared to the Hugo.  In many ways the Hugo sounds better to me than the Exasound, especially with respect to sound stage and detail.  But I can't get by what I perceive as a fatiguing brightness that limits my playing time with the Hugo.  Admittedly I'm mostly listening with HD800's, which are prone to brightness but I hear the same thing with Momentums, which I've always regarded as somewhat muddy with recessed highs.  Returning to the Exasound, I experience a more relaxed presentation that I find easier to live with, maybe at the cost of a bit of detail and soundstage.  I'm not saying this to trash the Hugo, just relating my experience with it.  I can understand that others might have a totally different experience with it than I do.

I 2 use the hd800s, but I use the hdvd800 amp with their balance headphone cable,and it sounds fantastic when done like this.i have listed 2 the hd800s just from the Hugo and I do understand what your saying with the brightness sometimes. By that I mean for example someone sings the word sings, but it sounds like singssss.in other words the s go on a bit.

 

[LFC_SL]

HD Tracks has launched in the UK for anyone interested Their prices seem pretty high 2 me.

Thanks! Last I read they were aiming for spring then with the heatwave forgot to monitor.

Will be honest - had difficulty telling the difference between 24bit flac files vs EAC WAV rips of prince and Adele (maybe PhilW can chime up). Nevertheless might be tempted to dip just to see. Don't exactly need this, just spent ££ last night on my Briggs & Riley fetish...

 

[elviscaprice]

I 2 use the hd800s, but I use the hdvd800 amp with their balance headphone cable,and it sounds fantastic when done like this.i have listed 2 the hd800s just from the Hugo and I do understand what your saying with the brightness sometimes. By that I mean for example someone sings the word sings, but it sounds like singssss.in other words the s go on a bit.

I think when this happens it's not a fault of the Hugo but the fact that it is just too resolving and accurate in timing.  Without any coloration your going to find more faults in certain masterings or remasterings,  especially those recordings transferred thru an ADC.

 

[514077]

HD Tracks has launched in the UK for anyone interested Their prices seem pretty high 2 me.

Well, they seem to go out of their way to piss off their Canadian neighbours.  I get the "not available due to regional restrictions,"  especially for Canadian content.  I don't care what the restrictions are: they should bloody well fix them.

 

[estreeter]

I 2 use the hd800s, but I use the hdvd800 amp with their balance headphone cable,and it sounds fantastic when done like this.i have listed 2 the hd800s just from the Hugo and I do understand what your saying with the brightness sometimes. By that I mean for example someone sings the word sings, but it sounds like singssss.in other words the s go on a bit.

 
I believe what you are describing is sibilance and - like susceptibility to bright gear/recordings - some of us seem to be more sensitive to it than others. I also believe it's more prevalent in some recordings than others but I agree that it's annoying when it is pronounced. 

 

[archeryc]

I just done my simple setup for my belove HD800~
 
I have to say, when Hugo driving HD800 with the stock cable, the sound tend to be a bit THIN sounding signiture. But after I change it to the Cardas Clear, the sound out of Hugo just right for me. Seems that the cardas clear can provide thicker and warmer sounding and I think this complement the Hugo very well. If you got the chance, give it a try and prove I am right.
 

 

 
Sorry for the photo quality as they were taken by my iphone5... 

 

[ALRAINBOW]

I 2 use the hd800s, but I use the hdvd800 amp with their balance headphone cable,and it sounds fantastic when done like this.i have listed 2 the hd800s just from the Hugo and I do understand what your saying with the brightness sometimes. By that I mean for example someone sings the word sings, but it sounds like singssss.in other words the s go on a bit.

As I cannot comment on this persons occurrence
I can say it's Hugo with me. But with my caps this mostly goes away
So it's a CPU thing for me. I also can say it's not always and recording related blaming the headphones that are revealing the sound is the claim.
Regarding the hd800 I always read how Brite they are
And my answer is get a better DAC or amp combo.
As it happens with me only with the hd800 but thus makes perfect sense
With the caps This is gone completely and even with my iphone it's not as bad
So jitter or RFI take your pick. We all read many reviews about dacs and then buy them
And for me I tottaly disagree with the review but given what I have come to realize with my caps
There is no need for am offramp or AP1/PP. AS The sound is much better all around
So
Maybe the reviewer just has a better CPU setup.

Think about that for Moment ted B does reviews
And if he is using a caps like his
He is hearing a much better sound then we are.
I am not claiming the Hugo is like my msb with the cAps but clearly it's a diffent aniMal
The improvement is far more then any USB cable or offramp has given me.

So I may have to apologize for some of my arguments
As the Hugo is much better than I previously thought
But also most of my other dacs too.

Ted B thanks for putting up with me at times.
Al