[Zojokkeli]

I've started thinking about simplifying my current rig, and selling off my Bifrost Uber and HDA-5210mk3 in favour of Hugo. I've got a couple of questions though; can I use Hugo's volume control to control the volume of powered speakers connected to the RCA-out, and does anyone know if the Audioquest King Cobra RCA's will fit the revised chassis? Also, does Hugo come with all the necessary cables, ie. USB- and power cables?

 

[rkt31]

Hugo volume control can be used with powered speakers. You will have to experiment which sounds better, volume control of your powered speaker or of Hugo. Hugo box contains all types of cables now. Don't know about the cable you mentioned but my furutech custom RCA interconnect  has fp160 plugs at Hugo end which fit easily into Hugo.

 

[Zojokkeli]

  Hugo volume control can be used with powered speakers. You will have to experiment which sounds better, volume control of your powered speaker or of Hugo. Hugo box contains all types of cables now. Don't know about the cable you mentioned but my furutech custom RCA interconnect  has fp160 plugs at Hugo end which fit easily into Hugo.

 
Good to know, thanks!

 

[highfell]

I have listened to it in a very long session, and i decided to take into account the price and follow the thread for a time, then buy it. the only reason to buy it versus anything else is the sound quality. it is above anything else ever created. do not understand me wrong, there is a difference, of about 5-10% between it an my fiio x5,

so your dx90 should be somewhere 3-7% different to chord hugo, but this is the hobby.

if you want the ultimate sound, and you want it portable, chord hugo is the best option alavaible. Ifi micro idsd something is pretty good, but there is a difference between it and hugo, so yes, hugo is the best portable.

this is just my honest opinion now, but hd800 or something more flagship as a headphone/iem would justify chord hugo more. this is why i am yet to buy something ultrasone edition 5 unlimited, ultrasone signature dj, and some iem, before, to test it with my to be ultimate headphone and iem. with hd800 it sounded great, but i cannot use open back, so i did not test that extensive.

What an interesting response. Thanks.

It helped on the one hand with the comment that is "above anything else ever created" and then I was brought down to earth by your comment only 3% to 7 % different to the Dx90. This may well be true and that is of course is the dilemma for all of us. If the latter really is the case there seems little logic in spending £1,400 on the Hugo. But it isn't as simple as that.

To digress a little, in my home set up with my Fatman 202 Valve Amp I seem to have reached a point of stability, whereby I am happy with the combination of a modern Class A amp but with the best old stock GEC & Tung sol Valves. I am not quite sure of my logic but I have probably convinced myself that having the best NOS valves is just as important as the Amp and finding 8 matched GEC valves to put into a MacIntosh is tricky these days, so by only getting a MacIntosh, say, would be achieving half an upgrade with a corresponding downgrade with new Valves.

But I am not quite there yet with the DAC. The Hugo might well provide a better portable option as well as improving my home non-portable Rega DAC, which in itself is very enjoyable.

The thought of buying near to the best keeps you hungry for more and I am beginning to get that ache that potentially the Hugo will give this to me, especially when I read the other comments made about the Hugo that makes me want to buy it - "velvety sound, mind blown by Hugo, the dac in this hugo is amazing, people are saying it's better than some £7000 dacs, Audio bliss wise absolutely, Hugo has a way of making you forget about equipment and just enjoy the EMOTION of the music again."

We normally listen to music without total concentration. When we get a new piece of kit , and we want to review the sound quality we really focus and we hear such things like greater separation in instruments and depth etc. - is that down to a better quality source or amp or is it just because we happen to be more focused when we listen. So just now when I focus on the music, I am really enjoying the Dx90 through the Leckerton and have a smile on my face because it does sound good.

Having said that when I see those comments about the Hugo being game changing etc., that doesn't to me represent a 3% to 7% only improvement.

The thing that I think I get about the Chord is its design. I am beginning to believe that its proprietary design *does* make a difference. Most other DACs use the Sabre or Wolfsen chips, for example, and these chips they use make up a high percentage of final sound, which is then further tweaked and improved by a relative small percentage, by the components & design build. So the premium high-end DACs once you get to a certain level are all fairly similar in sound quality.

The key question for me then is whether the Hugo is that Game Changer or not?

I think I need to hear a Hugo for sure, and maybe to compare it versus the Rega DAC & the Dx90.

I would like to see more feedback & rationale from those folks who have sold their Hugo - so far it seems to be a need for cash rather than dissatisfaction with the sound quality of the Hugo, which in itself is positive.

 

[uzi2]

The key question for me then is whether the Hugo is that Game Changer or not?

I think I need to hear a Hugo for sure, and maybe to compare it versus the Rega DAC & the Dx90.

I would like to see more feedback & rationale from those folks who have sold their Hugo - so far it seems to be a need for cash rather than dissatisfaction with the sound quality of the Hugo, which in itself is positive.

You need to hear it - or more specifically some of your favourite music played through it.
Wasn't it Frank Zappa who said "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"?

 

[Dobrescu George]

  You need to hear it - or more specifically some of your favourite music played through it.
Wasn't it Frank Zappa who said "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"?

this is so true. one cannot understand how or how much before listening to it.

What an interesting response. Thanks.

It helped on the one hand with the comment that is "above anything else ever created" and then I was brought down to earth by your comment only 3% to 7 % different to the Dx90. This may well be true and that is of course is the dilemma for all of us. If the latter really is the case there seems little logic in spending £1,400 on the Hugo. But it isn't as simple as that.

To digress a little, in my home set up with my Fatman 202 Valve Amp I seem to have reached a point of stability, whereby I am happy with the combination of a modern Class A amp but with the best old stock GEC & Tung sol Valves. I am not quite sure of my logic but I have probably convinced myself that having the best NOS valves is just as important as the Amp and finding 8 matched GEC valves to put into a MacIntosh is tricky these days, so by only getting a MacIntosh, say, would be achieving half an upgrade with a corresponding downgrade with new Valves.

But I am not quite there yet with the DAC. The Hugo might well provide a better portable option as well as improving my home non-portable Rega DAC, which in itself is very enjoyable.

The thought of buying near to the best keeps you hungry for more and I am beginning to get that ache that potentially the Hugo will give this to me, especially when I read the other comments made about the Hugo that makes me want to buy it - "velvety sound, mind blown by Hugo, the dac in this hugo is amazing, people are saying it's better than some £7000 dacs, Audio bliss wise absolutely, Hugo has a way of making you forget about equipment and just enjoy the EMOTION of the music again."

We normally listen to music without total concentration. When we get a new piece of kit , and we want to review the sound quality we really focus and we hear such things like greater separation in instruments and depth etc. - is that down to a better quality source or amp or is it just because we happen to be more focused when we listen. So just now when I focus on the music, I am really enjoying the Dx90 through the Leckerton and have a smile on my face because it does sound good.

Having said that when I see those comments about the Hugo being game changing etc., that doesn't to me represent a 3% to 7% only improvement.

The thing that I think I get about the Chord is its design. I am beginning to believe that its proprietary design *does* make a difference. Most other DACs use the Sabre or Wolfsen chips, for example, and these chips they use make up a high percentage of final sound, which is then further tweaked and improved by a relative small percentage, by the components & design build. So the premium high-end DACs once you get to a certain level are all fairly similar in sound quality.

The key question for me then is whether the Hugo is that Game Changer or not?

I think I need to hear a Hugo for sure, and maybe to compare it versus the Rega DAC & the Dx90.

I would like to see more feedback & rationale from those folks who have sold their Hugo - so far it seems to be a need for cash rather than dissatisfaction with the sound quality of the Hugo, which in itself is positive.

You really need to hear it. say, you think that between a dx90 and a fiio x5 is more than 1% difference?
 
this is where the true question begins. in how realistical we appreciate the numbers.. my fiio x5, for example has an extraordinary everything. while this is true hugo was   even better, so much better, but to be realistical, your dx90 already reproduces soundstage, dynaic range, the entire frequency and everything. what hugo does is taking off a veil off the sound, bring it closer to you, make sound much more alive, while keeping a soundstage, details, and everything. 
 
to put it in words is pretty hard. listen to an smartphone then to your dx90. then think about how the sq changed. something similar happens when you pass from your dx90 to chord hugo, the sound improoves. 
 
i am not saying that there can be more than 5% difference because, most devices can reproduce the entire frequency, most details, most soundstange and etc. but there are those that reproduce it so much better, which is what makes this hobby enjoyable.
 
what equipment you already have reproduces everything already good, but there is just a better which is found in chord hugo. 

 

[Somphon]

How do you guys measure percentage of sounds difference?

 

[Whazzzup]

How do you guys measure percentage of sounds difference?

To me percentages are quite meaningless in refrence to sound signatures. Really it also depends on the cans/ iem chain that's plugged into the chord. There is something magical with the chord sound for example it's aquity can allow one to hear the bass within the sub bass. It does give one the perceptions that instruments are distinct. It is a warm sounding amp to my ears. It does blow my vamp verza away but at the same time is it worth 4 times the price and is it "what percentage better"
What I do know is I'm extremely pleased with it as a portable dac. It does bring the wow to my th900, but I still also love the hpa8 paired with my th900 as the 9 are a little v shaped and the 8 pops out those mids and high end a tad that I appreciate. The chord has better blacks and that 3 d magic. Warmer kicking bass, the a8 has a deeper sub bass sound though. So my rambling point is you got to try it with your gear. If one can't I can honestly say the chord will not dissapoint, although it will dent your wallet, your ears will thank you for it.

 

[Somphon]

To me percentages are quite meaningless in refrence to sound signatures.

 
my point

 

[estreeter]

To me percentages are quite meaningless in refrence to sound signatures. Really it also depends on the cans/ iem chain that's plugged into the chord. There is something magical with the chord sound for example it's aquity can allow one to hear the bass within the sub bass. It does give one the perceptions that instruments are distinct. It is a warm sounding amp to my ears. It does blow my vamp verza away but at the same time is it worth 4 times the price and is it "what percentage better"
What I do know is I'm extremely pleased with it as a portable dac. It does bring the wow to my th900, but I still also love the hpa8 paired with my th900 as the 9 are a little v shaped and the 8 pops out those mids and high end a tad that I appreciate. The chord has better blacks and that 3 d magic. Warmer kicking bass, the a8 has a deeper sub bass sound though. So my rambling point is you got to try it with your gear. If one can't I can honestly say the chord will not dissapoint, although it will dent your wallet, your ears will thank you for it.

 
Acuity ?  I'm not usually a grammar nazi, but the word would seem to be central to the point you are trying to make. 

 

[Whazzzup]

Thanks that's what I ment, acuity. You are more of a spelling nazi. and excuse me for repeating the n word if anyone finds offensive.

 

[Dobrescu George]

i think that that phrase is quite known already, and nobody would ever fiind offensive... 
 
sorry for using something like percentajes... well, for simple, chord hugo is an amazing piece of equipment, that sounds like what it is, the best portable device ever made!

 

[Sam Edwards]

Since studios are starting to use the Hugo for monitoring, I'm wondering if Rob could make a similar contribution to the Analog to Digital end of the chain. Do ADC chips have a tap length? 
Quote:

  Yes, the sound of real acoustic instruments playing in real space is the only absolute reference. In my twenties I was a keen reader of TAS, and I was influenced by HP's thinking. I listen to real instruments as often as I can.
 
But, in reality, we use recordings to judge - for which we have no real idea of the real qualities as one was not present at the recording - so this is how the idea of trying to examine how transparent a device is by how variable the sound is. So in short, if a device has greater range of variation, in terms of timbre, space, instrument inner detail, instrument separation, etc., then it is more transparent. In short, the more expressive the music, the better the device.
 
Hugo is gaining acceptance in recording studios because the recording engineer can easily hear each instrument - how its placed in the sound-stage, pitch and timing, timbre qualities etc. Being able to easily hear everything in the mix clearly makes their job easier. So the goal is to be as accurate as possible. The problem with using the term accurate often implies in your face detail, which is not actually accurate. Accurate will mean rich and smooth if that is how the instrument sounds.  
 
Now the ultimate non reference is electronic music, which of course has no absolute reference - but if you use variability as your yard stick, then it is a valid source to evaluate change, and indeed I use electronic music as part of evaluation, its great for assessing timing and rhythms.
 
Rob    

 

[Rob Watts]

Yes the ADC anti aliasing filters have a tap length requirement, and the requirements are "fairly" simple - linear phase, aliasing set to a level that is no longer audible. But if you set that to say -144 dB (24 bit accuracy), you need about 2K taps or more - which is much greater than normally employed. ADC chips do have significant aliasing, and normally the chip designer says its OK as the errors are at say 21 kHz. What they fail to realize is that that is audible, as it will change the time domain linearity, which is audible.
 
Now the mathematics is pretty clear - a DAC interpolation filter needs an infinite tap length, infinite oversampling FIR filter to perfectly reconstruct the original bandwidth limited signal. So I will keep pushing the tap length, and oversampling rate until one can no longer hear the difference. For the ADC filter, the maths simply states that at >= FS/2 the level is zero, i.e. there is no signal at 22.05 kHz and greater for 44.1 kHz. The fun will start when I actually listen to these filters, and find out what stop band attenuation is really needed. But even if 200 dB was good enough, then that would not need enormous tap lengths.
 
The pulse array ADC project has been running for 5 years so far, so its quite well advanced.
 
Rob   

 

[Duncan]

Haven't posted in this thread for a while, however - have to tip my hat to Rob for developing a device that makes the Sony SA5K listenable - had them for several years, and barely put any hours on them - what I thought was my first (of sadly, many) Sony mistakes, but - the Hugo weaves its magic very well with them...

Happy days for me, having a great new little home rig