Guys,
I was going to get a very nice dap and be done but I think I'm going to go hugo + moderate/cheap dap(since the dap doesn't really matter because i'll be using a hugo). All I really need in a dap is something that can play 24bit flac files.
My Question:
Currently I play FLAC **not ALAC** on my iphone 5 via tuneshell. Can anyone confirm that the hugo will play FLAC files from tuneshell on the iphone 5?
Thank you!
What I say is probably going to cause some debate, but the transport that you use (in this case the dap to pair with the hugo) does actually make a difference in the sound quality, and there is a good reason for this. Coaxial and optical inputs are NOT asynchronus inputs, and as such, do not rely on the internal clock of the outboard dac. In this case, the clock that is used would be that of the transport, and in this case the dap. As such, different teansports would sound different. I'm not going to get into which one sounds better and whether or not its worth paying, but it does make a difference. Worth it or not that's up to you
It's the very reason why people use the audiophileo, the high quality clock in the audophileo is supposedly better than the internal clock of the hugo, thus improving the sound quality over USB.
Similarly, since the iphone connects to the Hugo via thr SD USB port, I believe that it is probably going to funtion as a standard asynchronus USB DAC, and would use the internal clock of the Hugo. Thus, I don't think that using the coaxial or optical inputs would result in an proved sound quality over the USB input unless the transport that you are using has a superior clock over that of the Hugo's.