[Dobrescu George]

After reading joeexp's post more carefully, I'm realizing that «taps» aren't really the equivalent of passive filter components in the speaker world. In fact they represents the number of samples used for creating the filtered signal.

Nevertheless, I suppose the tap length is indeed used to create a sharper and steeper filter in the Hugo.

then, technically, everyone is right in some way.
 
imagine a sine. it is aliased, because this is how it was recorded and stored. Hugo applies an ati aliasing of sorts. adding more samples mean adding more "in between"
 
Exactly what rob was saying, hugo creates a much more realist begging and end of musical note. Also much better definition of each note.
 
very very interesting technology behind it!
 
I am curious in how much time do the capacitors dry out on it "sidejoking about lifetime"

 

[JaZZ]

Careful! The Hugo certainly doesn't upsample by a factor of 26,368, if that's what you mean. Maybe 16 or 32 times. Is this mentioned anywhere? And I don't get what you mean by a sine wave being aliased. It may be aliased after being sampled with an inadequate sampling frequency – nothing that can be corrected by an anti-aliasing filter subsequently. The latter is there to prevent aliasing beforehand.
 
As I understand it now, the filtered signal is calculated on the basis of 26,368 samples (from a stored music file!).

 

[paulchiu]

  Yesterday I hooked my Chord Hugo straight into my Constellation Centaur amp driving Magico S5 speakers (with Chord Sarum Tuned Aray rca cables to amp, and Jena Labs usb from Iphone 6+/Onkyo HF app).  Compared it to my Spiral Groove + Goldfinger Statement turntable + Audio Note SUT + Air Tight Reference tube preamp into Constellation.  So a $2000 dac versus a $50,000 analogue front end.  Also compared to Modwright Sony sacd player into Air Tight preamp, and versus other turntables (e.g., AMG v12 plus Benz LP-S cartridge).  Source on Hugo was Beck Sea Change DSD.  On Modwright gold CD version of Beck Sea Change, and on turntables Beck Sea Change vinyl.  All were Mobile Fidelity editions.
 
The Hugo was the winner out of all sources on extracting every last bit of detail ...every note articulated and put in place within soundstage (without being analytical).  The Goldfinger/Spiral Groove analogue set up was #2 in detail retrieval.  The Hugo was the direct ticket to the recording studio.  The bass was completely articulate and defined.  
 
The most musically enjoyable was a more colored (tonally) source -- the AMG v12 turntable with LP-S cartridge (fed into an ARC Ref 2se phono preamp fed into Air Tight Ref 2001 preamp...all fed with NOS tubes like Telefunken and Russian supertubes).
 
I go into detail on comparative sources, because I am amazed at the absolute clarity to the source that the Hugo provides.  And it is portable for goodness sake -- I just took it on a business trip last week with my Beyerdynamic T1 phones.  And it beats most of my headphone amps that cost in the same ballpark.  My hat continues to be taken off in honor of Chord Electronics and Mr. Watts.  Well done in setting the bar for other manufacturers in footprint, cutting edge performance and value.

 
Thank you for this post on the Jena Labs USB cables!
It is absolutely stunning with the Nagra HD DAC into Blue Hawaii and my Stax SR-009.  Vocals are so 3D, instruments know where they belong and I even felt some speakers like bass sensation with organs.
With the Hugo, I have an issue with the Audioquest B-micro adaptor.  Just does not stay tight.  On the plane, it came loose as well as cut in and out.  I asked Jena Labs for their treated adaptors once they have them in stock.  The adaptor fit was even worse with the AQ diamond USB.
 
Thanks again!

 

[JaZZ]

I'm still trying to find out how many times the Hugo's DAC upsamples. In this article I found three numbers: «up to 32 times», «2048 times» and from there to «104 MHz» (≈ 2358 times relative to 44.1 kHz) in the context of noise shaping. Rob Watts himself mentions «16 times» – due to digital volume control and crossfeed – in one of his previous posts in this thread.

 

[Jalo]

  I'm still trying to find out how many times the Hugo's DAC upsamples. In this article I found three numbers: «up to 32 times», «2048 times» and from there to «104 MHz» (≈ 2358 times relative to 44.1 kHz) in the context of noise shaping. Rob Watts himself mentions «16 times» – due to digital volume control and crossfeed – in one of his previous posts in this thread.

I hope Rob can chime in to clarify on this oversampling issue.  Is the tap length the same as oversampling.  What is the difference?

 

[Whazzzup]

started to read "Reduced Complexity Pseudo-fractional Adaptive Algorithm with Variable Tap-Length Selection", then stopped, quite a cough, cough read.

 

[paulchiu]

After running the Hugo 18 hours straight with the LCD3, I switched to the Fostex TH900 and damn, who turned on the lights?
 
Also, the Audioquest micro adaptor does not have a tight enough hold on the B end.  On the Hugo end, it locks with no play.
So, I had to add support to the Jena cables.  Called Audioquest for a replacement.
 

 

[Sam Edwards]

Hey Billy,
What do you mean "Who turned on the lights?" Is that a compliment to the TH900?
I absolutely love mine with the Hugo.
 
 
 
Quote:

  After running the Hugo 18 hours straight with the LCD3, I switched to the Fostex TH900 and damn, who turned on the lights?
 
Also, the Audioquest micro adaptor does not have a tight enough hold on the B end.  On the Hugo end, it locks with no play.
So, I had to add support to the Jena cables.  Called Audioquest for a replacement.
 

 

[Sam Edwards]

BTW If you're looking for a nice demo recording, Diana Krall's new Wallflower is pretty sweet. And it's available in 24bit 48khz from HDTracks. 

 

[paulchiu]

 

 
Yes!  If LCD3 with the Hugo was an A, then the TH900 was AAA.
I have not been this excited since listening to my first 300B output tubes.

 

[Sam Edwards]

   
Yes!  If LCD3 with the Hugo was an A, then the TH900 was AAA.
I have not been this excited since listening to my first 300B output tubes.

I had the Cary SEI and regret selling it. Although I doubt it would have helped the Hugo's awesome clarity, it had beautiful tone.

 

[Rob Watts]

  I'm still trying to find out how many times the Hugo's DAC upsamples. In this article I found three numbers: «up to 32 times», «2048 times» and from there to «104 MHz» (≈ 2358 times relative to 44.1 kHz) in the context of noise shaping. Rob Watts himself mentions «16 times» – due to digital volume control and crossfeed – in one of his previous posts in this thread.

All the numbers are correct (except Hugo does not use 32 times), at different points within Hugo. So the first up-sampling is 8 times, so its 1FS to 8FS, and uses the 26,368 tap WTA filter - the OP now from all signals is 8FS. Next you have 8FS to 16FS WTA stage two which also does volume. Then its 16FS to 2048FS and this is done initially via a linear interpolator, then followed by two low pass filters. Now well spotted that the noise shaper runs at a fixed 2364 times (and 2172 times for 48K) (104.25MHz) as I don't talk about it. This is something I don't explain as its too complex, and its an issue that took 6 years to perfect, and relates to the operation of the DPLL - but its why Hugo does not need to worry about source jitter.
 
Now taps are the indicator of how complex the FIR filter is, it has nothing to do with oversampling as such - an FIR filter can up-sample, down-sample (decimate) or keep to the same sample rate, and can have any number of taps.
 
Rob

 

[warrior1975]

Side note, I read that 18 page thread... Hugo wasn't mentioned much at all. 2 or 3 times... I don't own a Hugo, never heard one either. Just pointing out what I read in case anyone else wanted to read that thread in interest of Hugo. Don't waste your time.

 

[bmichels]

Testing right now HUGO against AK500n with my EC445 tube.

The 4 time more expensive AK500 is NOT a clear winner ! I almost prefer the HUGO !



So, since it seems that my HUGO is hard to beat, now.... I WANT A "SUPER" HUGO V2 .

I want a HUGO with the 160.000 taps of the new XXXX "may" Project (but still running on "BIG" batteries)

 

[JaZZ]

  All the numbers are correct (except Hugo does not use 32 times), at different points within Hugo. So the first up-sampling is 8 times, so its 1FS to 8FS, and uses the 26,368 tap WTA filter - the OP now from all signals is 8FS. Next you have 8FS to 16FS WTA stage two which also does volume. Then its 16FS to 2048FS and this is done initially via a linear interpolator, then followed by two low pass filters. Now well spotted that the noise shaper runs at a fixed 2364 times (and 2172 times for 48K) (104.25MHz) as I don't talk about it. This is something I don't explain as its too complex, and its an issue that took 6 years to perfect, and relates to the operation of the DPLL - but its why Hugo does not need to worry about source jitter.
 
Now taps are the indicator of how complex the FIR filter is, it has nothing to do with oversampling as such - an FIR filter can up-sample, down-sample (decimate) or keep to the same sample rate, and can have any number of taps.
 
Rob

 
Thanks, Rob! – Now everything is clear.