[harmonix]

Just got mine in today and will put it through it's paces in the next few days. 
Will give it some time to run in (right now 0 hours 0 minutes!!). One thing for sure - very very detailed.
 
I think there is a typo on the instructions though - DSD files are showing up as purple whereas instruction says DXD is purple. Tried all other formats 44.1/48/88/96/176/192/DSD64 - all good! Don't have DSD128 or DXD music so can't say on those. 

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[harmonix]

  Congrats and some pictures of your production version would be greatly appreciated. Did they manage to address those recessed sockets by any chance?
 
Thanks a lot and we could very well have another legend / game changer for 2014.

I'm assuming you mean the RCA ports - they are recessed no change.

 

[harmonix]

Correction to my first post - instructions are correct on format to color codes.
For some reason Audirvana's Native DSD capability cannot be set to automatic detect resulting in conversion to DXD. Fixed by forcing DOP 1.0... DSD64 now shows flashes white on the LED - solved!

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Congrats, harmonix! Good to see hugo thread back in the gear section.
Look fwd to some impressions.

 

[nOtEcH]

Congratulations harmonix!

Any first impressions you would like to share? Sound stage.. musicallity.. etc. etc. As in please.. please?

A month from now I will have it too.. using HD800 and T5P..

I am also wondering about using CIEM's with the Hugo and I am very curious about the psychoacoustic filers and how the different settings affects the sound in IEM's / CIEM's.. and also how they affect sound in regular headphones.. anything to say anout that? Please?!

Share your thougths with us please.. how has your journey with Hugo started?

 

[tonyl59]

Excellent; someone has one!
 
I too have one on order so would really appreciate any thoughts or impressions, however early.
 
Thanks!

 

[NZtechfreak]

Awesome, look forward to hearing more.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[harmonix]

Day #2
 
Thought people would like to know I can confirm the Hugo works with iphone 5 using the lightning USB camera cable (I'm guessing that iPads are not an issue as well).
Software player used is an Onkyo HF and have been able to output 24/192 and DSD64 into the Hugo (the Hugo lights up with the expected color for that format)!!
Have not tried this with an Android device but assume if I could get it to work with an iOS device the Android should be much easier...
 
Will get to SQ at some point but thought that this was significant enough --> Anyone with a smart phone now has an instant music server.
Now if we could load it up with 256GB or memory..

 

[nOtEcH]

  Day #2
 
Thought people would like to know I can confirm the Hugo works with iphone 5 using the lightning USB camera cable (I'm guessing that iPads are not an issue as well).
Software player used is an Onkyo HF and have been able to output 24/192 and DSD64 into the Hugo (the Hugo lights up with the expected color for that format)!!
Have not tried this with an Android device but assume if I could get it to work with an iOS device the Android should be much easier...
 
Will get to SQ at some point but thought that this was significant enough --> Anyone with a smart phone now has an instant music server.
Now if we could load it up with 256GB or memory..

 
Have you tried lossy music with the iPhone? Will it play on the Hugo? Upsampled to 16/48? YouTube? Netflix? The reason I ask is that the Hugo shows sample rates from 44.1 and upwards..
How does work with the Bluetooth connection?

 

[NZtechfreak]

There's a way to fit that Lexar 256GB SDXC card inside something like Galaxy Note 3 etc. but that ain't pretty IMHO

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2081712

I have a couple of those ribbon adapters coming, going to see if I can come up with something a bit more elegant.

Also interested to know more about bluetooth operation and the Hugo.

 

[harmonix]

   
Have you tried lossy music with the iPhone? Will it play on the Hugo? Upsampled to 16/48? YouTube? Netflix? The reason I ask is that the Hugo shows sample rates from 44.1 and upwards..
How does work with the Bluetooth connection?

I have not - my files are all at minimum redbook quality - mp3 annoys me and apple itunes sucks.
Will try bluetooth some other time but do not have any aptx capable devices to output from at this point.

 

[harmonix]

Well I'm not sure 36 hour burn in time is enough but things seem to start to settle in now (bass was a bit over the top initially) so here are the first impressions.
 
Coming from already high expectations here are things that to me fell a bit short:
 
1) Box package seems a bit cheap
2) The on/off switch is quite small and recessed not the easiest thing to flick especially when the mini usb slot is plugged in
3) The silicon feet should really be spaced wider apart. Not sure why they are so close. If you push on the left or right sides/edge the casing will "hit"
 
Not deal breakers for me but the product is not cheap and these things fall a little short (#1 & #3)
 
I was pleased that this played well with whatever I threw at it a) Win 7 PC with USB out b) Mac Air with Audirvana  USB out and c) iPhone 5s with adapter.
All formats from 16/44 to DSD worked (DXD as well as I mistakenly coverted DSD->DXD). This thing can take anything you dish at it. 
 
With regard to sound my first impressions out of the box was very very detailed high resolution.
 
At this point the resolution continues to impress me - incredibly detailed, silent background with very low distortion. Bass is very solid (using SE846 so your mileage will vary with other phones) but not the boomy resonating kind - again very detailed. High end is a little fireworks show - almost too "hifi". I'm hoping the whole frequency range will start to settle down past 100 hours especially the high end. I very much like the harmonics and overtones especially when say a chords are played on Piano recordings - the attack is not sloppy and just right (neither leading nor lagging) and the decay is excellent (read long).
 
This DAC may be the one to beat with anything under $3k - portable or stationary.
Every "low end/mid fi" DAC I have used in my PC room was left me wanting to go hear things on the big rig via the DAC2x because the gap was too huge - here the gap is no longer a canyon - I can now say okay good enough no need to move to the living room.
 
It crushes the Meridian explorer - from the limited time I have spent with the Prime - I think it beats the prime as well. AK120? Probablly good as a server for the Hugo I don't think it's in the same league. Haven't heard the AK240. If the AK240 can't beat the Hugo I don't think there is going to any DAC south of $5k that can beat it.

 

[tonyl59]

Thanks for your early impressions. Nothing there is putting me off, that's for sure! I spoke to my dealer yesterday (hoping they'll get mine in any day now) and he was telling me about the time he'd spent with Hugo. He, too, was very impressed. He believed the Hugo held up very well to comparison with much more expensive DACs and headphone amps. Mind you, he was hardly going to tell me I'm wasting my money...

I agree with your comments about the AK120. It's a super little device (and so it should be for the price) although I do find its sound signature to be somewhat leaner than the DX100 and HM-801. The AK120 is given more authority when partnered with the Meier Quickstep (a very nice little amp) and I'm hoping Hugo will improve upon that combination noticeably. AK120 + UM Miracle does make a brilliant on-the-move combination, however; very small!

Really excited about the Hugo. I just can't wait!