[Frank I]

what unique is Rob explanation that it is not a headphone amp and the dac and headphone amp are one in the same. Sound great to my ears. I been using it frequently with my hd800 latley to get a handle on what it really sounds like and all that comes to mind id very dynamic and super transparent.I can hear the recordings now with excellent detail if its on the recording and the Hugo is a dynamic war horse. Pulls me deeper into the music.

 

[belisk]

i'm part of the club, yay me!!!
will get it next week, hopefully.

 

[nOtEcH]

  Well there is really nothing there to bypass, the part that supposedly created a problem is not there to bypass. There has been mods for the PSU which "improved" the "thin" sound of HUGO. There is also another member who replaced the wiring for on the battery which he/she claims to improve the sound further but as far as improving the amp section I don't think it is possible to do so unless you by a dedicated amp that is able to use those amazing detail of HUGO RCA and amplify it without altering it. 
 
So far even the highly praised wagnus epsilon S did not convince me much compared to what HUGO is already capable of. I dont know if I am ready to spend another 3K on an amp in order to get a marginal improvement on what HUGO already offers.
 
Having sad that I am interested to see if RWA can improve upon an already perfect sounding device. 

+1
 
I have not listened to my desktop rig since I got my Hugo, as I feel that I don't need to.
 
But from what I read I may do that, to get an opinion of my own.. but again I don't feel that I have to.. as I miss nothing from my former setup:
 
Linn Akurate DS (with Dynamik powersupply upgrade) -> AURALiC Taurus -> HD800 / T5P with Moon Audio Black Dragon v2 in balanced and single ended mode, and I am using high end power cables (that actually makes a difference).
 
 
The Hugo with the iPad Mini makes my T5P's sing like they never have done before!
I have in a way got similar results with the desktop setup, but in balanced mode the Taurus is too loud, as it is an awful channel imbalance at lower volumes, and even with the HD800's in my desktop rig, I enjoy music more with the Hugo more.
 
So my T5P's has got a new life after I got the Hugo. I think that the HD800's are better in every way, but I can actually enjoy music with the T5P's also. Like really enjoy music. And that has never happened with the T5P's earlier.
 
 
What I think is happening is that different amps color the sound a bit and some people find that more attractive with certain headphones (and some headphones actually demands huge amount of power). And that might be a good thing for some. And it may be slightly better for me with the Hugo and iPad Mini connected to the Taurus and the HD800's but then again.. I have to be at one place.. not that practical.. and can I justify the price difference while doing so a few times in a year?
 
I guess that my AURALiC Taurus and Linn Akurate DS will be out for sale soon.. as I don't think I can justify having them around when all I do is to listening to the Hugo with my iPad Mini Retina. We'll see.. 

 

[nOtEcH]

i'm part of the club, yay me!!!
will get it next week, hopefully.

Congrats! You will not be sorry! 

 

[audionewbi]

  +1
 
I have not listened to my desktop rig since I got my Hugo, as I feel that I don't need to.
 
But from what I read I may do that, to get an opinion of my own.. but again I don't feel that I have to.. as I miss nothing from my former setup:
 
Linn Akurate DS (with Dynamik powersupply upgrade) -> AURALiC Taurus -> HD800 / T5P with Moon Audio Black Dragon v2 in balanced and single ended mode, and I am using high end power cables (that actually makes a difference).
 
 
The Hugo with the iPad Mini makes my T5P's sing like they never have done before!
I have in a way got similar results with the desktop setup, but in balanced mode the Taurus is too loud, as it is an awful channel imbalance at lower volumes, and even with the HD800's in my desktop rig, I enjoy music more with the Hugo more.
 
So my T5P's has got a new life after I got the Hugo. I think that the HD800's are better in every way, but I can actually enjoy music with the T5P's also. Like really enjoy music. And that has never happened with the T5P's earlier.
 
 
What I think is happening is that different amps color the sound a bit and some people find that more attractive with certain headphones (and some headphones actually demands huge amount of power). And that might be a good thing for some. And it may be slightly better for me with the Hugo and iPad Mini connected to the Taurus and the HD800's but then again.. I have to be at one place.. not that practical.. and can I justify the price difference while doing so a few times in a year?
 
I guess that my AURALiC Taurus and Linn Akurate DS will be out for sale soon.. as I don't think I can justify having them around when all I do is to listening to the Hugo with my iPad Mini Retina. We'll see.. 

 

  +1
 
I have not listened to my desktop rig since I got my Hugo, as I feel that I don't need to.
 
But from what I read I may do that, to get an opinion of my own.. but again I don't feel that I have to.. as I miss nothing from my former setup:
 
Linn Akurate DS (with Dynamik powersupply upgrade) -> AURALiC Taurus -> HD800 / T5P with Moon Audio Black Dragon v2 in balanced and single ended mode, and I am using high end power cables (that actually makes a difference).
 
 
The Hugo with the iPad Mini makes my T5P's sing like they never have done before!
I have in a way got similar results with the desktop setup, but in balanced mode the Taurus is too loud, as it is an awful channel imbalance at lower volumes, and even with the HD800's in my desktop rig, I enjoy music more with the Hugo more.
 
So my T5P's has got a new life after I got the Hugo. I think that the HD800's are better in every way, but I can actually enjoy music with the T5P's also. Like really enjoy music. And that has never happened with the T5P's earlier.
 
 
What I think is happening is that different amps color the sound a bit and some people find that more attractive with certain headphones (and some headphones actually demands huge amount of power). And that might be a good thing for some. And it may be slightly better for me with the Hugo and iPad Mini connected to the Taurus and the HD800's but then again.. I have to be at one place.. not that practical.. and can I justify the price difference while doing so a few times in a year?
 
I guess that my AURALiC Taurus and Linn Akurate DS will be out for sale soon.. as I don't think I can justify having them around when all I do is to listening to the Hugo with my iPad Mini Retina. We'll see.. 

Someone told me that their Taurus is a perfect match to HUGO, why are you thinking of selling it?

 

[nOtEcH]

   
Someone told me that their Taurus is a perfect match to HUGO, why are you thinking of selling it?

As I'm not convinced that I actually need it. But I might give it a go.. but my problem is also that my high end signal cables are too big for the Hugo, and I feel that I have to buy new cables like the Chord Sarum Tuned ARAY to make me happy. And that costs a lot.. and I might want to enjoy other things in life instead. And as I said.. with Hugo I don't feel that I need anything better.. but as I also said.. we'll see. 

 

[ALRAINBOW]

If it is all one chip then a mod would be pointless unless there is a pin out that bypasses the amp,output stage and allows for a output before the final stage for the headphone.
But the amp does sound very good as is. Like I said some headphones will benifit for the tuning . Case in point my lcd3 ,s. Sound better and need little to know eq with the Hugo.
Al

 

[PhilW]

My new toy!

 

[bpcans]

My new toy!

Very nice! What kind of hp's are those and what are you using as a source?

 

[nOtEcH]

 

My new toy!

Congrats! How are the Oppo's with Hugo?

 

[AGB100]

You might like to check with Chord as to why they went to the trouble of including RCA outputs - variable and fixed - in an already crowded case design. They realised that this was more - much more - than your everyday 'DAC/headamp' and acted accordingly. I'm just as happy to leave mine hooked up to my Taurus as the magazine editors who have connected the Hugo to considerably more expensive speaker amps and raved about the results."
 
------------------------------
 
I can't speak for your system, or for the editor's, or for your level of hapiness. Likely I don't have the same system and definitely not the same ears. However, I am happy that you are happy!

 
We each have sonic preferences that have little to do with signal integrity.
 
The ears of editors are not infallible. I know because I'm an editor too.
 
But my ears are infallible.

 
If our transducers, speakers or headphones, have some colorations or deviate from flat under dynamic conditions as opposed to static testing - and they all do, a converse application (another amp or wire) will "correct" the signal to seem better to someone's ears. "Someone" may not, however, have the best ears on the planet.
 
No problem there, except for one:
 
No matter what one inserts into the signal path, it is so that the signal will be altered from what came before.
 
One will add some kind of distortion or noise and likely a combination of the two. It is unavoidable.
 
The choice to do it is one's own.
 
But, if it sounds better to one's ears, so be it. Many of us like to salt our food or add sugar to the cake.
 
Or see the world through rose-tinted glasses.
 
I would rather one consider a Mac running Fidelia software with the FHX module, do the proper EQ for whatever headphones one is using, eliminate any external amps and extra wires, and enjoy a much higher level of sonic purity.
 
It's just my opinion, but if you don't do what I suggest, you have no way to know if my opinion has any value, will you?
 
Cheers.

 

[Lornecherry]

I'm about to find out as well.
I cannot wait for a potential revised Chordette (to Hugo specs) any longer. I got the OR5 and a TeddyPSU 2x 12V that I planned on using with both, but since the Hugo doesn't benefit from the PSU and - from your comments - the OR5 is just a side grade, I might as well sell both and stick with the Ciunas converter for a full battery-powered source (if needed). Richard @ aumacoustics recommends the AP2 + LPSU as a synergistic combo. Could you try the AP1+PP?

We shall see.

Thanks again Al and Ted, keep feeding us with your great info and comparisons!
I'm still wondering everyday why I sold the quteHD + TeddyPSU to fund some other purchase...

...very interested in all this. Still wondering what's best to feed the hungry Hugo after USB computer out. Curious how the AP1/2 and PP work, now that the OR has been "side-graded". Still, that doesn't sound quite right...as my Overdrive DAC still outperforms the Hugo and it has a built-in OR5; so, I'm wondering if some cable swaps (USB) might make the OR5 and Hugo sound better; on paper, the OR5 brings almost everything up a notch in other high end systems, I can't wonder if we are missing something.
 
Would like to to try the Hugo with Empirical's other offerings; short block filter and a pair of final drives vs. that setup with the Overdrive SE (that combo has been a perennial best of show).
 
Keep up the experimentation! I have a pair of Fostex TH900 coming today, and I want to see how they do with the Hugo and just how different/close they are to my reference Stax O07/Empirical Overdrive. Ain't benchmarking fun!

 

[Lornecherry]

   
Many of the amplifiers I have heard won't be an improvement.The right desktop amp would improve sound quality, but would not be cheap.  Headamp GS-X mk2 was an improvement over strait from the Hugo.  I didn't try other amps between the Hugo and the HD800, but based on on past experience I believe the EC Super7, EC Balancing Act, and Auralic Taurus MkII would also provide a step up in SQ.   I expect any of the amps from ECP would also be a step up.
 
--Mark

 
I can agree with the Taurus MkII, heard that in Chicago and A/B'd it with my Hugo and Audeze LC-X...Taurus was a definite upgrade, likely due to the sheer power that thing puts out. Everything seemed fuller. Hugo and Vega DAC were close though! ...and the Vega is no slouch, it's a very, very good DAC.

 

[Lornecherry]

that said, I still want to know what other portable amps would upgrade the Hugo, other than the TU-5. 

 

[Lornecherry]

Not sure who asked about the ap1/pp. It does not help it looses some detail. It's luster so to speak. As it helps with the tone a bit it looses it's clarity a bit . The same thing happens with the dorect stream . Sorry but for me it's just straight USB . At my office witha better CPU an I7 and the PPA stuff it did help but not dramatic but it was there .
Al

Thanks Al...you've made my direction clear...I'll put my efforts into building a good server using Microsoft Server 2012, proper linear power supplies and the PPA USB card. Off to Computer Audiophile I go!