[alubis]

   
 
FYI - another fellow owner of Hugo tried WW Supernova 7 and that turned out to be superior to both coax via AP2+PurePower as well as USB
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/702787/chord-hugo/8730#post_11028347
 

 
Yes, I read this post as well and bought WW Supernova 7 back in December last year. Still with CD player as transport, I prefer coax rather than optical. Optical to my ears sounds less dynamic (bass rather mushy) and treble less extended. I have been using Hugo since June last year and I find Hugo to be transport sensitive and input sensitive. Having said that, Hugo sound quality is still superb to these ears.

 

[seeteeyou]

That's my preferred choice for a quality transport like SDTrans384 as well, I connected its BNC coax and Vertere Acoustics Pulse HB COAX to Hugo as my favorite setup so far.
 

---

 
Speaking of CD transport, this is such a mighty interesting implementation
 
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=45330049442
 

 

 

[highfell]

I am thinking about replacing Algorythm Solo -dB + RSA S71B with Chord Hugo. I am however confused with Hugo's ability to pull high resolution sound from iPhone. I read on the forum that Hugo can pull 24/192 sound from iDevices, while Solo can only pull 24/48 sound. Given that a solo is Apple certified it doesn't make sense it is inferior to a not certified device. Am I missing something? Please help.

Can't comment on the Solo, but for the Hugo you need an official Apple cable which fits into the Iohone at one end and at the other end into which you can fit a USB cable. You then need to buy one of the Apps that can play HI Res music files.

 

[rafal123]

Can't comment on the Solo, but for the Hugo you need an official Apple cable which fits into the Iohone at one end and at the other end into which you can fit a USB cable. You then need to buy one of the Apps that can play HI Res music files.

Thank you.

 

[rafal123]

Thanks a lot. This is very helpful. Do you know if there is a way to pull above 24/48 resolution from Solo -dB using the Apple camera kit or is it inferior by design?

 

[fiascogarcia]

I am thinking about replacing Algorythm Solo -dB + RSA S71B with Chord Hugo. I am however confused with Hugo's ability to pull high resolution sound from iPhone. I read on the forum that Hugo can pull 24/192 sound from iDevices, while Solo can only pull 24/48 sound. Given that a solo is Apple certified it doesn't make sense it is inferior to a not certified device. Am I missing something? Please help.

 
 

---

We went through quite a few stages before so here we go:
 

1. Pre-CCK Era was pretty much like the "Dark Age" when everyone must pay Apple for their MFi Program. We only had just a few portable products (e.g. from Cypher Labs and Fostex etc.) back then, and they're always limited to 16/48.
2. Post-CCK Era kicked in when Apple released their Camera Connection Kit. That's really designed for USB Mass Storage in mind for transferring pictures from a digital camera. However, that happened to work for UAC2 (USB Audio Class 2.0) as well and we could connect something like USB DAC or USB microphone to an iPad via CCK. Basically we could go all the way up to 384KHz as well as the multiples of DSD without any issues.
3. Post-iOS 7.X Era turned out to be even better since both iPod Touch and iPhone running iOS 7.0 or above could benefit from CCK.

 
This is an older one for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S running iOS 7.0 or above
 
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC531ZM/A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit
 
This is the latest one for iPod Touch 5G (or later) and iPhone 5 (or later) running iOS 7.0 or above

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD821ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter
 
This is an unofficial product from China and it's more convenient as a single-piece solution, of course it might not work anymore once we've updated iOS in the future
 
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=43233663546
 
 

30 pin cck


lightning

 

[Jeff Y]

  That's my preferred choice for a quality transport like SDTrans384 as well, I connected its BNC coax and Vertere Acoustics Pulse HB COAX to Hugo as my favorite setup so far.
 

---

 
Speaking of CD transport, this is such a mighty interesting implementation
 
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=45330049442
 
 

 
@seeteeyou it would be a lot more interesting if I could read Chinese
I'm guessing the data goes to something by a USB 3.0 cable? maybe to a SATA?
 
Okay, I give up.

 

[seeteeyou]

 
@seeteeyou it would be a lot more interesting if I could read Chinese
I'm guessing the data goes to something by a USB 3.0 cable? maybe to a SATA?
 
Okay, I give up.

 
Yes, it's designed by our sponsor Soundaware and they made that for connecting to their network players via USB. It's more or less like a bridge for converting SATA drive into an external one.
 

---

 
I've been thinking about something like this recently
 

http://musicaltech.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Sata-Diagram.pdf
http://musicaltech.com
 
It's got a fairly similar FPGA inside Hugo and basically we could convert SATA into coax, then we should be able to hook it up with this $250 drive from Pioneer
 
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/dtc/item/4988028298950
http://pioneer.jp/av_pc/pcperipherals/bdd/products/bdr_s09j_x
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-writing-compatible-writer-BDR-S09J-X/dp/B00SUPQWO0
 
More info below
 
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=42582
http://www.cdrlabs.com/News/pioneer-announces-new-16x-blu-ray-disc-writer-optimized-for-audio-cd-playback.html
 
Unboxing
 
http://www.hkepc.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=2178689
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rob Watts]

  Should know this, but what is the 'other' white LED in the clear porthole on Hugo? The one that isn't the one that indicates the charger is plugged in? To the upper right of the three coloured lights?

Its the authorization light - it proves the FPGA has the correct 512 bit encrypted key from the flash OTP that matches the FPGA unique DNA number. This is the security that prevents other manufacturers copying Hugo's FPGA.
 
Rob  

 

[Rob Watts]

  Very important Question To John and Rob : can you upgrade Hugo with same 164K taps you do with Dave , I'm sure you can do it . Hugo II with 164 k taps .

I would love to be able to do it but its impossible - the FPGA in Dave is enormous and expensive. It dissipates 5W against Hugo's 0.8W - Chord have machined a heat-sink that holds the display and dissipates the FPGA power. To get all those taps I use all of the available capacity within this FPGA - it has 166 DSP cores running in parallel just to do the WTA filtering - in fact its amazing in that it only dissipates 5W.
 
Rob  

 

[Feedbacker]

Ah, thanks, Rob - that makes sense, especially given it has AUTH printed below it...!

 

[Whazzzup]

 
Very important Question To John and Rob : can you upgrade Hugo with same 164K taps you do with Dave , I'm sure you can do it . Hugo II with 164 k taps .

I would love to be able to do it but its impossible - the FPGA in Dave is enormous and expensive. It dissipates 5W against Hugo's 0.8W - Chord have machined a heat-sink that holds the display and dissipates the FPGA power. To get all those taps I use all of the available capacity within this FPGA - it has 166 DSP cores running in parallel just to do the WTA filtering - in fact its amazing in that it only dissipates 5W.

Rob  

I want it. Fortunately I have a house for sale. It may take a bit to be offered in Canada anyways.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

   
 
a couple more photo's of Dave...
 

 
Here is a twenty year progression of Chord DAC's - Dac 64 = 1024 tap filter (top) - QBD 76 = 18,000 taps (middle) & Dave =164,000 taps (foreground).
 

 
I think real world photos like the ones above rather than these mocked up photo-shopped looking stock photos Chord show on release give a more realistic visual feel to how you would see it in the flesh as even in low light shots like above it looks a lot better than the stock pictures portrayed it to be. Like the line up with it's predecessors.

 
sorry I'm late but yes . I'm thinking it's very good idea to use hugo for gaming and watching movies . since I can't use in my work so I think it's good idea to use with my Tv so I bought a new Definitive Technology W Studio Multi Room  sound bar with Wireless Subwoofer , still couldn't find way to pair it with hugo .

Not sure how many do use their Hugo for films/tv programs which would be interesting to know but can vouch it add's another dimension to the Hugo with just not music but films/tv series can be good to listen to with Hugo and again use the Hugo with headphones for films/tv with the laptop can be quite addictive also.  Not familiar with soundbar's though unfortunately, sorry! 
 

  It isn't a very impressive looking machine so how does it sound? And more importantly can it justify the price?
I'll wait for a review.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess, after all it primarily even at this price still has to be the sound first, if this sounded the best thing ever and looked like dusty bin, sputnik or even Sloth (from Goonies)  which has been from previous experience of Head-fi & Hi-Fi products looking like they missed the design stage it is still the SQ that is paramount but I think it is just in keeping with the evolution with Chord's natural design philosophy and they are never going to be a normal 44 x 33cm bland box Hi-Fi manufacturer. I must admit if I was been picky I maybe would not quite had so many drill holes along the top wavy part of the design although from photos not sure if they act as a actual vent system or maybe so many bolt holes to the display window personally (makes it maybe a bit to submarine look) but if it was not like this it would not be Chord and can only sit and admire the look of this on the whole.  Maybe the docking rack it sits in is not quite matching in terms of finish but again the stock issued pictures probably don't do it as much justice as a real life photo which I'm sure will be plenty coming soon enough. 
 
Like all things we should all wait of the reviews but if i'm still loving the sound of my Hugo I hate to think how this could potentially sound looking at the incremental tap rates on paper. 
 
Does anything justify the price?, I know Jaffa cakes do at the monent, 2 for 1 offer at a well known supermarket in every town ; )
 

  Very important Question To John and Rob : can you upgrade Hugo with same 164K taps you do with Dave , I'm sure you can do it . Hugo II with 164 k taps .

All in good time, have to remember this is a British Hi-Fi company and not a Korean or Japanese tech company that knocks out a new model every six months to a year like clock work although I hope and wish they (Chord) will/would!  
 
Yes, a Hugo on the move country to country with 164K taps to hand...
 
 Next stop realistically would be a double the current Hugo tap rate or should I say the tap rate will be drip feed up with each model revision... I still be in for a Hugo with double the tap rate if and when it would be available : ) 
 
Doesn't hurt to dream the dream though! 

 

[Kakki]

Rob, I guess that the digital section in Dave is much more powerful than Hugo... is the analogue section also much more powerful?
Am very pleased to see the Dave launch and also very curious about it

 

[OK-Guy]

 
All in good time, have to remember this is a British Hi-Fi company and not a Korean or Japanese tech company that knocks out a new model every six months to a year like clock work

 
 
Transferred your post to the other Chord Dave thread... hope Head-Fi'ers will comment & ask questions on Chord's new flagship DAC there, link:-
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/15#post_11607916