[asiano]

   
Getting back to design of the DAC. Now I run my DAC's with a very simple single stage active analogue section, with only 2 caps and 2 resistors in the direct signal path - and I do this for transparency. But this means the digital RF noise in the 100k to 1M band must be very low, so the digital source must be filtered - and DSD is at -20dBFS at 100kHz. So I can't put raw DSD into the DAC, or it will sound very hard. So the DSD is filtered, which converts it to regular PCM.
 
If I were doing a DAC for only DSD would I do it this way? Yes, I think I would, as simple analogue is always the best.
 
Incidentally, the DSD filters on Hugo has been improved - they are much smoother than with Qute.

 
I was looking to get a DAC that handles DSD natively (no conversion to PCM) and when I was researching the Chord DACs, I read that the QuteHD did not convert DSD to PCM.  I assume that the QuteEX is the same.  Then I read that the Hugo is even better and I decided to go for the Hugo, however, I am concerned about the statement above where it seems that DSD is converted to PCM in the Hugo.  Is DSD converted to PCM in the Hugo?  If so, why would it sound better than native DSD?
 
Thanks

 

[jamato8]

The Hugo does do DoP, which turns out to be the same as native DSD. Great sounding by the way. I love the effortlessness of the Hugo, the music just flows, like it should.

 

[bmichels]

The Hugo does do DoP, which turns out to be the same as native DSD. Great sounding by the way. I love the effortlessness of the Hugo, the music just flows, like it should.

I can see that you are à happy man
Tell us what headphone do you enjoy the most With thé HUGO ?

 

[AlanYWM]

   
Then I read that the Hugo is even better and I decided to go for the Hugo, however, I am concerned about the statement above where it seems that DSD is converted to PCM in the Hugo.  Is DSD converted to PCM in the Hugo?  If so, why would it sound better than native DSD?
 
Thanks

 
Are you sure you can tell a difference between DSD and high res PCM? Many people here assumed that DSD is much better than high res PCM files. But do a blind test and you will be surprised by the result 

  IMO, a good recording in PCM can be just as good.
 
I am not sure if the Hugo is indeed converting DSD to PCM but whatever the case, the sound quality coming out of the Hugo is really good. So even if there was conversion, it really doesn't matter. You should not worry at all.

 

[beemarman]

   
Are you sure you can tell a difference between DSD and high res PCM? Many people here assumed that DSD is much better than high res PCM files. But do a blind test and you will be surprised by the result 

  IMO, a good recording in PCM can be just as good.
 
I am not sure if the Hugo is indeed converting DSD to PCM but whatever the case, the sound quality coming out of the Hugo is really good. So even if there was conversion, it really doesn't matter. You should not worry at all.

 
 
Agree with the above comment. A good recorded PCM file can sound better than a badly encoded DSD file.
 
Some of my DSD files sound worse than a lot of my 96khz or even some 44khz files that I have. I think the "in word now" is DSD and we all think we're missing out until we hear one.

 

[bmichels]

Ak100>HUGO>TU-05 tube Amp.

Do you believe that I have any chance to pass airport security with this set-up ?






In few months my TU-05 will replaced by it's small brother, the TUR-06 (also tube based) that has exactly the sale size than the HUGO ( just thicker), and then, the shape of my set-up will be a perfect brick.

 

[SoundFreaq]

   
Are you sure you can tell a difference between DSD and high res PCM? Many people here assumed that DSD is much better than high res PCM files. But do a blind test and you will be surprised by the result 

  IMO, a good recording in PCM can be just as good.
 
I am not sure if the Hugo is indeed converting DSD to PCM but whatever the case, the sound quality coming out of the Hugo is really good. So even if there was conversion, it really doesn't matter. You should not worry at all.

 
I agree here. I do believe Rob said it was converted to PCM, but I will have to go back and check. 
 
I have been testing a certain few tracks with varying bit rates: MP3: 128 and 320, FLAC: 16/24, 16/32, DSD: 68, 124. And upsampled versions of the MP3's and FLAC's to every bit rate in-between. 
 
My take is that when you start upsampling, dealing with very high bit rates, conversion of DSD to PCM, you're throwing a lot of software, someone else's code, what they believe to be best, behind it. This is true for all digital music, ultimately. But the extra bits and conversions are adding even more to it. When I upsample a crappy recording, I can hear the difference, but it's still upsampled crap. It doesn't magically get better or fix itself. 
 
I wonder how much high bit rate music is actually truly high bit rate from the master, and not just some fancy upsampling job with some unknown software to do the job? I would think high bit rate material recorded from the source would have it's benefit, but you can't make a DVD from a VHS tape. At the end of the day, you have a fancy VHS tape. 

 

[SoundFreaq]

Ak100>HUGO>TU-05 tube Amp.

 

 
Wow dude. That's awesome. That has to be a unique synergy right there. 

 

[SilverEars]

Ak100>HUGO>TU-05 tube Amp.

Do you believe that I have any chance to pass airport security with this set-up

?
 

No, the Hugo looks like some sort of chemical bomb.  If I was airport security, I would take your gear, and tell you to move on.  

 

 

[AlanYWM]

Ak100>HUGO>TU-05 tube Amp.
 

 
That is one solid sound system you have there 

 

[Surfski]

Native DSD playback on Hugo
 
I have been trying to get DSF files to play on Hugo using Audirvana. 
Without iTunes iteration running, I can play a DSF file over the HD USB interface.
However, the sample rate light shows PURPLE - this indicates DXD playback 
How do I get the file to playback in native DSD - WHITE sample rate indicator?
 
Files: Santana Abraxas - downloaded from Acoustic Sounds

 

[holeout]

Just go into Audirvana preferences > Audio System Tab > Native DSD Capability > Select DSD over PCM Standard 1.0. That should do it.

 

[Surfski]

Yep. That did the trick. So much for "Auto detection"...
Many thanks!

 

[asiano]

   
Are you sure you can tell a difference between DSD and high res PCM? Many people here assumed that DSD is much better than high res PCM files. But do a blind test and you will be surprised by the result 

  IMO, a good recording in PCM can be just as good.
 
I am not sure if the Hugo is indeed converting DSD to PCM but whatever the case, the sound quality coming out of the Hugo is really good. So even if there was conversion, it really doesn't matter. You should not worry at all.

I don't think that DSD necessarily sounds better than PCM.  I just think it is always best to process files in their native format.  I would prefer to avoid the conversion from DSD to PCM and vice versa.

 

[jamato8]

Part of the problem is that to get the most out of good DSD, requires a bit of money. I am not sure that many are willing to lay out this cash. I also think more can be heard on a good home speaker system but do to limitations in ones environment, a full speaker system is not feasible and in my case, not even a small speaker system so I compromise, for me, with doing the best I can with a mobile system. IMO.