[scook94]

Output current is 3 times that of the original one. I'm sure that's fine, but I'd not risk it with my Hugo.
There were replacements available on ebay but the listing ended yesterday, the vendor may relist them though. For the record, I have no whining from mine. http://ebay.eu/1xsdh4M

 

[level3]

Quick one...

The original PSU is very annoying (whines when not under load), and - I have a spare PSU which comes from an external hard drive (KTec KSAD1200150W1UK), 12v, 1.5A switching mode, and am wondering if anyone would dissuade me from using this as a drop in replacement to the noisy PSU, and - if so, what I should use...

Thanks

I have used a KTEC KSAS0241200150D5 12V/1.5A to charge twice. No explosions or fireworks. That said, please note (BIG) YMMV.

May be better to get a suitable replacement for long-term use and peace of mind.

The stock PSU has a Power Pax UK label. Their website (go: power supplies/12V power supplies) does list a 12VDC 500mA PSU that looks remarkably similar to the stock unit. However, there are two plug sizes to choose from, hence you need a thingmagick to ensure you get the correct size.

hth.

 

[Duncan]

Thanks for the replies

I must add that technically I don't believe the Hugo PSU to be faulty, I bought two external hard drives at the weekend, and - one of the two PSUs for them whines / whistles as well - just means (from reading around) that there is something that isn't necessarily glued in fully (people have fixed the issue by covering the inner PSU with resin)...

So, sure all is fine, just annoying as hell that the whine is when NOT under load, would be absolutely no problem at all if it was the other way around!!

 

[Proxi]

Hello Team,
one of the functions of Hugo is to charge its built in batteries while turned off.
I'm interested to know if the adapter itself will draw power from the batteries if connected to Hugo but unplugged from the wall socket in these 2 conditions (when Hugo plays music and when it's turned off).
 
Best Regards and
Happy Holidays
===============
And the answer from Mr. Rob Watts:
No it can't - the first layer of protection is an input diode (to protect Hugo's internal charger circuit if somebody plugged a PSU that was negative). This diode means that current will only flow into Hugo, not out of it.
 
There is also a regulator too, that protects the Hugo's internal charger from over voltage. And another Zener diode that protects the regulator from voltage spikes that would damage the regulator! I was paranoid about over voltage damaging the batteries, hence the several layers of protection. 
 
Rob 

 

[rkt31]

Hugo is so transparent and clean that it is able to tell the difference between cables easily hence it benefits or rather demands best interconnects and cables. I replaced my cables with furutech top end custom cables and the wow the sound had still more insight and smoothness to the treble and decays became more audible. sound now have blacker background and appear to come from no where and more suddenly as when demanded. great !

 

[Whazzzup]

Anyone had problems with your micro connectors supplied being loose in either hd or the 44 kHz micro ports, resulting in sound cut off, crackle and distortion. I have contacted the retailer and distributer here in Canada and they are saying a replacement ra will be issued once chord is back at work jan 5. It would seem problematic for a portable dac to not provide snug micro port fits with cables to prevent problems. It's quite loose especially with side to side wiggle.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Hugo is so transparent and clean that it is able to tell the difference between cables easily hence it benefits or rather demands best interconnects and cables. I replaced my cables with furutech top end custom cables and the wow the sound had still more insight and smoothness to the treble and decays became more audible. sound now have blacker background and appear to come from no where and more suddenly as when demanded. great !

High end gear like (after all is a Chord bit of hi-fi) this will always need more than a mid range cable to get the best out of them in terms of analog or digital ic's, not so sure with usb cables as never had one to know but now I have a good enough dac device in the Hugo for listening with my laptop I may look at one.  
 
I'm happy with what I've heard just with the supplied stock usb cable alone, so if a upgrade on a usb cable can bring improvements to what an analog/ digital cable can then will look forward to getting one, but question is not sure what one to go for so if any Hugo owners can recommend a USB cable that pairs well with the Hugo that would be appreciated.   
 
Any one using Double Helix USB cable with their Hugo?  Love to hear what USB cable Hugo owners are using in their set up.  

 

[edwardsean]

  High end gear like (after all is a Chord bit of hi-fi) this will always need more than a mid range cable to get the best out of them in terms of analog or digital ic's, not so sure with usb cables as never had one to know but now I have a good enough dac device in the Hugo for listening with my laptop I may look at one.  
 
I'm happy with what I've heard just with the supplied stock usb cable alone, so if a upgrade on a usb cable can bring improvements to what an analog/ digital cable can then will look forward to getting one, but question is not sure what one to go for so if any Hugo owners can recommend a USB cable that pairs well with the Hugo that would be appreciated.   
 
Any one using Double Helix USB cable with their Hugo?  Love to hear what USB cable Hugo owners are using in their set up.  

Hi, Happy New Year! I went through a round of comparing a lot of the TOTL USB cables including the $1K Lightspeed. (There are a few comparison threads on Computer Audiophile as well.) So much depends on your taste and overall system synergy. For me, it came down to three cables 1) AudioQuest Diamond--really pleasing fullness, 2) Audio Sensibility Statement--wonderfully clear top end, and 3) Synergistic Research Active USB--had the best of both.
 
The SR cable sounds great going straight into the micro USB via an AQ adapter (Currently, only the AQ Diamond has a high end USB terminated into a micro USB). However, the adding an Audiophilleo convertor into the Hugo coax is sublime.
 
Also, for what it's worth, to wring out the last bit of performance, try finding the USB port that has the least amount of other bus assignments (bluetooth, keyboard, mouse, etc.), and/or the one farthest away from the power (cf. article by Ayre Acoustics https://www.ayre.com/usb-dac-apple.htm). I know many consider all of this nonsense to which I could happily care less (except that I mentioned it, so I care a little). 

 

[seeteeyou]

FYI - Mimouille ordered the flagship Double Helix Cables Metagenome3 micro USB for Hugo
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
 

---

 
Unfortunately Audioquest Diamond should be available in this version with micro USB 3.0 while we need USB 2.0 for Hugo, they might accept custom orders for micro USB 2.0 but not exactly sure about how much that would actually cost
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Duncan]

Sorry if this has been discussed ad-nauseam, want to check though if the two (we'll ignore 1/4inch) 1/8 jacks have separate grounds (one per jack), so could be used in a crude balanced setup?

 

[uzi2]

Sorry if this has been discussed ad-nauseam, want to check though if the two (we'll ignore 1/4inch) 1/8 jacks have separate grounds (one per jack), so could be used in a crude balanced setup?

All 3 HO and RCA out share a common connection.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

 
Hi, Happy New Year! I went through a round of comparing a lot of the TOTL USB cables including the $1K Lightspeed. (There are a few comparison threads on Computer Audiophile as well.) So much depends on your taste and overall system synergy. For me, it came down to three cables 1) AudioQuest Diamond--really pleasing fullness, 2) Audio Sensibility Statement--wonderfully clear top end, and 3) Synergistic Research Active USB--had the best of both.
 
The SR cable sounds great going straight into the micro USB via an AQ adapter (Currently, only the AQ Diamond has a high end USB terminated into a micro USB). However, the adding an Audiophilleo convertor into the Hugo coax is sublime.
 
Also, for what it's worth, to wring out the last bit of performance, try finding the USB port that has the least amount of other bus assignments (bluetooth, keyboard, mouse, etc.), and/or the one farthest away from the power (cf. article by Ayre Acoustics https://www.ayre.com/usb-dac-apple.htm). I know many consider all of this nonsense to which I could happily care less (except that I mentioned it, so I care a little). 

 
Many Happy New Year returns also Sir! Another year flown past!!  
 
Have to admit I might have to go for a £200 range cable to do me for next 6-12 months due to other priority's but if the differences are there to be heard I will look at the $1K end if the rewards are there to the ear!
$1K end does bring me near to the  Chord Indigo cable which is what ic's I have running through my Hi-Fi speaker set up.  I will certainly look into the other three cables mentioned there as the I have one eye of interest on the Metagenome3 knowing how well made it is (seems to have plenty of shielding!), just need to know how it sounds! 
 
That is the other anomaly of course as you mentioned with taste & synergy of system which is always the conundrum when for me anyway it is not easy to get to audition these sorts of cables easily so will have a read up in the computer audiophile section and listen to wise ears that have heard these cables already like yourself.  
 
Which of those three cables you pointed out are near to having a good mid range presence with forward vocals without the top end been harsh or bright? 
I take it any of those cables will sound transparent with a good energy regardless in this price range..?
 
Was not aware of the Audiophilleo convertor as not had a need to be into worrying about serious listening from the laptop until now with the acquisition of the Hugo but has opened my eyes once more -  thankyou!
Must be a performer for that price, this is why I hate reading Head-fi as it eventually leads to more £££'s leaking out the wallet!  From what I read it cuts down on the jitter and errors before it reaches the Hugo which I thought the Hugo would of dealt with quite well itself but then I'm no dac tech expert here! Was that with the Pure power incorporated in the mix as well?  
 
Sounds like choosing a USB cable is going to be fun anyway's...
 

  FYI - Mimouille ordered the flagship Double Helix Cables Metagenome3 micro USB for Hugo
 

 

---

 
Unfortunately Audioquest Diamond should be available in this version with micro USB 3.0 while we need USB 2.0 for Hugo, they might accept custom orders for micro USB 2.0 but not exactly sure about how much that would actually cost
 

 

Thanks for informing us, will watch Mimouille's words on the Metagenome3 closely for impressions as well as the mentioned  usb2 issue for the Audioquest Diamond.  

 

[zeissiez]

Finally I had the chance to use the Hugo as a DAC to compare to two desktop DACs: Audio-gd reference 5.32 and Denafrips DAC-8pro, feeding a Denafrips HA-8pro amp and a SPL Phonitor amp. Sorry to say that, but I heard what I heard, the two desktop DACs won, the Hugo's suffered too much of compression in soundstage. The two desktop DACs simply sounded much more grand. It's good as a desktop DAC, but not comparable to good desktop DACs.

 

[edwardsean]

   
Which of those three cables you pointed out are near to having a good mid range presence with forward vocals without the top end been harsh or bright? 
I take it any of those cables will sound transparent with a good energy regardless in this price range..?

Audiostream also did a small USB cable shootout: http://www.audiostream.com/content/usb-cable-shootout. Interestingly enough they chose the Synergistic Cable as having the best synergy with the MSB Analog DAC which some have compared to the Hugo. If it makes sense at all, I also actually think the SR has a similar "analog" sound signature.
 
I'm also interested in hearing about the Metagenome cable as I really like DHC and I thought their USB cable had amazing aesthetics. But, as you said, it's got to be heard. 
 
In your price range, I would easily go for the AudioSensibility Statement cable--easily. It is fluid and transparent (definitely, all the high end cables were). It was the best bargain of the group as it was of the same quality as the others for a fraction of of the price. In the same price range, personally, I find the Wireworld offerings are "harsh and bright." Again, personally, I didn't like the Lightspeed at all for the Hugo, esp. for $1K.
 
Also, FYI Steven at AudioSensibility offers a 30day money back guarantee, so you can hear it for yourself. Just a word of caution, after the Hugo, which is a something of a "bargain," these pricey enhancements are not going to yield the same ratio of cost to SQ. You are paying quite a bit to gain and fine tune the last 5-20%. I say that because I've found a sort or "audiophile linearity phenomenon," i.e., once you hear it you can only go forward, you can't go back! Apologies for starting off 2015 leaking £££'s, from one who leaked his own $$$'s in 2014.  

 

[thinblueline]

I am torn between Chord Hugo, HDVD 600, and HDVD 800.  I am hoping for a decent setup with my incoming HD800.  I read on the thread that Hugo does very well with HD800, but it sounds like HDVD 600 and 800 also work very well.  I don't think I would have as much of a hard time deciding if I don't also have an incoming AK120II which I could potentially use as a DAC with the HDVD 600 and 800 (if the AK DAC sounds better).  Would it be smarter to start with a Hugo only or a HDVD 600/800 and use my AK120II as an DAC?  Once I make the purchase, I don't foresee myself having the cash to upgrade for a while...  Decisions.....