[rgs9200m]

Doesn't anyone think it would be unreasonable to expect an amp this small to be a breakthrough and one of the best amps available? I don't think Justin, Tyll,  Kevin Gilmore, Pete Millet, Ray Samuels or other respected designers would expect this sort of miracle.
I'm just happy that the dac section is remarkable and that the amp is darn good for a portable.  I find a traditional amp is needed to get a firm grip on my phones and take control in a good desktop system.
I like a strong bass foundation, palpable mids, and sweet but extended highs, and that's what a good amp provides.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Oh do not say that here !!

 

[OK-Guy]

  Not sure if anyone else saw the question I posed to OK-Guy a few pages back, but I would be thrilled if someone could give me details of the cabling etc I need to hook my Hugo up to my Sony ZX1. I tried an adapter with the stock WM-Port data transfer cable but it didnt work - the Sony just played music from its tiny onboard speaker. Thanks in anticipation. 

 
Sorry was away for the last day... this is the cable you need  to connect Sony ZX1-F886/7 to Hugo
 

 
Part no: Sony WMC-NWH10
 
Links: Price-Japan - http://www.pricejapan.com/front/e_good_info.php?code=1247&category=17
 
Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=WMC-NWH10&_sop=15

 

[Clemmaster]

  I am listening to Hugo Wolf on my Hugo using a Olimex USB-ISO USB. This is £33 in the UK, it will only work with the SD USB - so only good for 44.1 or 48 kHz - but it sounds very good, better depth, instrument focus and separation. All consistent with better RF noise rejection as my Dell is now better RF isolated from Hugo. Like CosmicHolyGhost, the immediate impression is one of much better sound stage depth.
 
Rob 

 
Wouldn't the use of Full Speed vs. High Speed USB be a factor in sound improvement? I was always wondering if the the less-stressful USB-1.x could improve things (at the expense of high-res audio).

 

[estreeter]

You need the Sony WMC-NWH10 conversion cable.

 
Thanks for this. @OK-Guy, appreciate the links - they also sell the cable on Amazon. Cant say that I'm thrilled to read that the SQ is no different to the considerably cheaper F887, at least in the opinion of those who have both DAPs - hopefully Hugo will ease some of that pain  
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

 

[NZtechfreak]

 
OK, I hear you NZ, but then take a look at the consensus about neutrality. The HUGO appears to work very well with a large selection of top head gear. That means it is neutral (more or less) and requires no matching, one to the other. If you take a rather hotter-sounding headphone and a softer sounding DAC, you may be matching colorations - one to suit the other's shortcomings. In my view that's not the best path possible for coherent detail retrieval and soundstaging as one may affect the other. So you may want to reconsider your choice of headgear and at least take a long listen - I mean days, weeks to the alternatives presented here - and then make up your mind with properly-matched gear that requires no matching.
 

 
I agree and disagree in more or less equal parts. 
 
The HE-6 is the most transparent headphone I have heard (not heard the Stax gear, which I understand would trump the 6 there), so it gives me a very good window to really hear the qualities of the upstream gear. Besides said Stax gear I have tried/owned most of the high end headphones, and nothing really comes close to the HE-6 for me personally. So, I'm looking for the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices. I recognise that my situation is fairly singular, as from what I can see at Head-Fi few have found a headphone that matches their needs as well as the 6 does mine.
 
While I agree in the general sense that neutrality is a good thing, I'm not after neutrality at all per se. To be perfectly frank I don't even think that should be the goal at all - my goal is as stated above 'the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices'. That may not equate to the most neutral DAC at all, since several variables in the chain here are not in the least bit neutral (the transducer, my hearing, my preference for sound presentation, the music I listen to). If that DAC by chance happens to be the most neutral also, then so be it.
 
Certainly I will want to spend some quality time with the Hugo as well as the Master 7, nothing beats hearing things for yourself (that's why I had until recently both the Perfectwave DAC II and the Auralic Vega, neither of which is quite right for my situation). If only there was somewhere locally where I could try them out! Alas we are not so well served here in NZ, so in time I will likely end up buying both in order to have my comparison.

 

[OK-Guy]

   
Thanks for this. @OK-Guy, appreciate the links - they also sell the cable on Amazon. Cant say that I'm thrilled to read that the SQ is no different to the considerably cheaper F887, at least in the opinion of those who have both DAPs - hopefully Hugo will ease some of that pain  
 
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE

 
believe me when I say the ZX1 buries my F887 design wise... in fact I kinda regret pre-ordering the F887 as a couple of weeks later I did the same when the ZX1 was announced, one will be going soon.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I don't understand how this can impact the sound of the Hugo.  According to the description, 

Since the very beginning of PC based audio, the noise from the power lines has effected the data integrity creating problems with the timing of the digital signal, known as jitter. With the growing popularity of digital music via the humble PC, jitter has become the primary source of 'digititus', and the GreenKey will help reduce that interference substantially by isolating the power from the connection to the DAC

But since the Hugo is supposed to be immune to jitter, how can this help?

Hi 7ryder,
I asked my friend and got confirmed by Rob that usb isolator can reduce ground noise that affects some degree of clarity in sound presentation. I just used my ears to test by unplugging and plugging this dongle...being able to use with ipod touch makes it really easy to remember how each piece of music sounds... I further confirm using HD800 before bed and realize more detail can be squeezed out by using this thing.
This weekend i will try this ADuM4160 based usb isolator that can be used with a linear PSU...http://www.ab-system.hk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=63
I hope it can work with the HDUSB port.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

You might also get a demo for iUSBPower in Central

http://ifi-audio.com/sales/#hongkong

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-iusbpower

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/ifi-iusb-power-supply-neat-tweak-and-upgrade-universal-serial-bus-industry-standard-cables-connectors-and-communications-protocols-between-computers-and-electronic-devices-digital-analogue-converter-13832

Thanks, Frankie... I want to try iPurifier more but it is for using with normal audiophile USB B cables...and I hate those B to micro adapters...  Let me try the other usb isolator first

 

[AGB100]

   
I agree and disagree in more or less equal parts. 
 
The HE-6 is the most transparent headphone I have heard (not heard the Stax gear, which I understand would trump the 6 there), so it gives me a very good window to really hear the qualities of the upstream gear. Besides said Stax gear I have tried/owned most of the high end headphones, and nothing really comes close to the HE-6 for me personally. So, I'm looking for the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices. I recognise that my situation is fairly singular, as from what I can see at Head-Fi few have found a headphone that matches their needs as well as the 6 does mine.
 
While I agree in the general sense that neutrality is a good thing, I'm not after neutrality at all per se. To be perfectly frank I don't even think that should be the goal at all - my goal is as stated above 'the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices'. That may not equate to the most neutral DAC at all, since several variables in the chain here are not in the least bit neutral (the transducer, my hearing, my preference for sound presentation, the music I listen to). If that DAC by chance happens to be the most neutral also, then so be it.
 
Certainly I will want to spend some quality time with the Hugo as well as the Master 7, nothing beats hearing things for yourself (that's why I had until recently both the Perfectwave DAC II and the Auralic Vega, neither of which is quite right for my situation). If only there was somewhere locally where I could try them out! Alas we are not so well served here in NZ, so in time I will likely end up buying both in order to have my comparison.

I'm not sure you're willing to try an equalizer? Experimenting with EQ might be rewarding. I am speaking only of software EQ properly implemented. Otherwise, one can argue that certain amps and certain wires are ... equalizers. The difference between software-based EQs and hardware based amplifiers is that the latter costs far more, the former far less and has far less distortion.

 

[pigfatcat]

   
I agree and disagree in more or less equal parts. 
 
The HE-6 is the most transparent headphone I have heard (not heard the Stax gear, which I understand would trump the 6 there), so it gives me a very good window to really hear the qualities of the upstream gear. Besides said Stax gear I have tried/owned most of the high end headphones, and nothing really comes close to the HE-6 for me personally. So, I'm looking for the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices. I recognise that my situation is fairly singular, as from what I can see at Head-Fi few have found a headphone that matches their needs as well as the 6 does mine.
 
While I agree in the general sense that neutrality is a good thing, I'm not after neutrality at all per se. To be perfectly frank I don't even think that should be the goal at all - my goal is as stated above 'the best pairing with the 6 for my hearing and preferences and music choices'. That may not equate to the most neutral DAC at all, since several variables in the chain here are not in the least bit neutral (the transducer, my hearing, my preference for sound presentation, the music I listen to). If that DAC by chance happens to be the most neutral also, then so be it.
 
Certainly I will want to spend some quality time with the Hugo as well as the Master 7, nothing beats hearing things for yourself (that's why I had until recently both the Perfectwave DAC II and the Auralic Vega, neither of which is quite right for my situation). If only there was somewhere locally where I could try them out! Alas we are not so well served here in NZ, so in time I will likely end up buying both in order to have my comparison.

I agree with you , being myself an every day user of HE-6 .It has been repeatedly suggested here that the amp section of Hugo is already excellent , and that adding any amp only adds coloration , at the expense of clarity , detail, focus ... etc. I believe this view , though perhaps true ,is only academic .
 
In any high end system, the biggest distortion comes from the end of the chain- speakers and headphones. No speaker or headphone is neutral or perfect. In fact they are far from neutral or perfect. You will not have flat frequency response from any speaker or headphone, and will not have in any foreseeable future . You may go to the headphone review sites and download the comparison charts of FR of different headphones. None of them are perfect . Among them, HD 800 is definitely one of the brightest, and HE-6 is on the bright side. The tonal balance of HE-6 in particular , will improve with a better and more powerful amp. Matching between amp and headphone or speaker is definitely desirable for achieving the desired tone, even at the expense of other distortions or degradation of sonic character . When you have such grave distortions coming from the headphones or speakers, what's the whole point of emphasizing about the near perfect performance of Hugo or any other high head dacs or amps?

 

[AGB100]

  I agree with you , being myself an every day user of HE-6 .It has been repeatedly suggested here that the amp section of Hugo is already excellent , and that adding any amp only adds coloration , at the expense of clarity , detail, focus ... etc. I believe this view , though perhaps true ,is only academic .
 
In any high end system, the biggest distortion comes from the end of the chain- speakers and headphones. No speaker or headphone is neutral or perfect. In fact they are far from neutral or perfect. You will not have flat frequency response from any speaker or headphone, and will not have in any foreseeable future . You may go to the headphone review sites and download the comparison charts of FR of different headphones. None of them are perfect . Among them, HD 800 is definitely one of the brightest, and HE-6 is on the bright side. The tonal balance of HE-6 in particular , will improve with a better and more powerful amp. Matching between amp and headphone or speaker is definitely desirable for achieving the desired tone, even at the expense of other distortions or degradation of sonic character . When you have such grave distortions coming from the headphones or speakers, what's the whole point of emphasizing about the near perfect performance of Hugo or any other high head dacs or amps?

In perfectionist audio the point is perfection. Nothing is perfect. We are aiming to make things perfectible. For the best sonic potential it is paramount that we adhere to make every component in the chain transparent. In a series of window panes, one in front of the others, only one has to be less than transparent for us not to see as well. Might as well pull the shades.

 

[Rob Watts]

Originally Posted by Rob Watts 
 
I am listening to Hugo Wolf on my Hugo using a Olimex USB-ISO USB. This is £33 in the UK, it will only work with the SD USB - so only good for 44.1 or 48 kHz - but it sounds very good, better depth, instrument focus and separation. All consistent with better RF noise rejection as my Dell is now better RF isolated from Hugo. Like CosmicHolyGhost, the immediate impression is one of much better sound stage depth.
 
Rob 
 
Quote:

  Nice impressions.
I am curious about how it will work with a source like an iPad Mini or other iDevices.. do you have any at hand? 

 
No I am afraid not, but I would imagine it would be similar.
 
It occurs to me that there is another explanation to isolating  the USB - and that's signal dependent ground noise from the computer. Normally RF noise does not change sound stage depth too much, you just get the impression of better focus and refinement. But signal dependent noise and distortion can change the perception of depth, and by isolating the grounds you remove this problem as well as reducing RF noise too.
 
Rob