[cooperpwc]

  Just for fun...everything except the Hugo and my AK240 before I sent Anakchan's DAPs back:
 

 
Headphones: LCD-XC, LCD-X, HD-800s.
 
IEMs (top): UERMs, Roxanne universals.
 
Upright in middle: JH-13 case, RWAK240, Roxanne case, HM-901, Calyx M.
 
Laying flat: Sound Potion Monolith, Tralucent DacAmp One, FiiO X5, Pico Power and Slim, mini-to-mini cables, Centrance M8 and VMODA VAMP, Dita mini-to-mini.
 
Below: Fitear Parterre, JH-13s, UERM case.

 
Love this!
 
Currawong, have you tried Wyrd with the Calxy M yet? I have one arriving in a couple of days. I look forward to seeing if it improved the USB sound quality.

 

[514077]

   
Love this!
 
Currawong, have you tried Wyrd with the Calxy M yet? I have one arriving in a couple of days. I look forward to seeing if it improved the USB sound quality.

Would the wyrd be overkill for the Hugo?

 

[scott hifi]

I have never heard the word Overkill and the Hugo in the same sentence

 

[kenz]

 
Would the wyrd be overkill for the Hugo?

 
This is head-fi.org. 
 
Stranger things have come along .... 

 

[scott hifi]

yeah they did just announce a Black Hugo =)

 

[audiofrk]

  Just for fun...everything except the Hugo and my AK240 before I sent Anakchan's DAPs back:
 

 
Headphones: LCD-XC, LCD-X, HD-800s.
 
IEMs (top): UERMs, Roxanne universals.
 
Upright in middle: JH-13 case, RWAK240, Roxanne case, HM-901, Calyx M.
 
Laying flat: Sound Potion Monolith, Tralucent DacAmp One, FiiO X5, Pico Power and Slim, mini-to-mini cables, Centrance M8 and VMODA VAMP, Dita mini-to-mini.
 
Below: Fitear Parterre, JH-13s, UERM case.

tantalizing so if you could choose one set up for on the go  (just on sonic quality)  which would it be?

 

[scott hifi]

big enough backpack take them all!

 

[Currawong]

@audiofrk I use the AK240 on public transport. For travelling I take the Hugo with a MacBook Air as well.

 

[scott hifi]

  @audiofrk I use the AK240 on public transport. For travelling I take the Hugo with a MacBook Air as well.

right on I have a few different programs I use on my MacBook Air Audivana Plus, Amarra 3, iTunes, and BitPerfect

 

[M Coupe]

The story about how I screwed up......
 
I bought the HUGO to do primary duty in my home Stereo until I decide what DAC I want to go with next that mates well with my preamp.
 
I travelled last week with my AK240 and HUGO and was awestruck.  It was a hot mess to try and carry even in my large hands.  So it sounded f'ing amazing but it was painful to carry around.   This is coming from somebody that has been carrying a DAP and RSA amp for a long time.
 
Fast Forward to this week...
 
I took my HUGO with me on my trip and tried to go back to only listening to my AK240 and made it all of 30 minutes into the flight.  The minute I brought the HUGO back into the setup, I felt complete.  Now I am not sure I can leave this bulky mess at home!  I am even trying to buy that super ugly HUGO case.  I absolutely hate the way it looks but it has to make carrying the thing easier so I guess I will buy it.
 
Lesson- Stick with the AK240 and enjoy not knowing.
 
A couple anticipated questions- IEM= Westone W60.  Yes I tried the Ak240 with my RSA amp and the HUGO sounds better due to the DAC.  I tried iPod 5th gen and the AK240 with the HUGO and the AK240 sounded significantly better.  The two together get the best mileage.  There may be better but keep that to yourself.  I don't want to know.  I will have to buy a Catchers Glove to carry anymore gear

 

[Ripvanlink]

   
Well, if possible, audition the DAP with your phones and music that you know very well, in a good environment.  
 
Most albums these days are badly mastered imho - there's no sane reason why any new album can't be available in either DSD or 24bit 192khz formats (or both).  Other than laziness on the record labels part.  People seem to have faith in the music business, I'm not sure why!

I shreek and shrink inside whenever I see a picture of those giant control panels with the gazillion switches when I know that simplicity is one of the major answers to good sound. Sometimes what these engineers (engine-ears? If they did have ears they wouldn't commit these crimes to the soundspace) do to the imaging and soundstaging makes me feel unpleasant pressures  in my head.

 

[Kiats]

The story about how I screwed up......

I bought the HUGO to do primary duty in my home Stereo until I decide what DAC I want to go with next that mates well with my preamp.

I travelled last week with my AK240 and HUGO and was awestruck.  It was a hot mess to try and carry even in my large hands.  So it sounded f'ing amazing but it was painful to carry around.   This is coming from somebody that has been carrying a DAP and RSA amp for a long time.

Fast Forward to this week...

I took my HUGO with me on my trip and tried to go back to only listening to my AK240 and made it all of 30 minutes into the flight.  The minute I brought the HUGO back into the setup, I felt complete.  Now I am not sure I can leave this bulky mess at home!  I am even trying to buy that super ugly HUGO case.  I absolutely hate the way it looks but it has to make carrying the thing easier so I guess I will buy it.

Lesson- Stick with the AK240 and enjoy not knowing.

A couple anticipated questions- IEM= Westone W60.  Yes I tried the Ak240 with my RSA amp and the HUGO sounds better due to the DAC.  I tried iPod 5th gen and the AK240 with the HUGO and the AK240 sounded significantly better.  The two together get the best mileage.  There may be better but keep that to yourself.  I don't want to know.  I will have to buy a Catchers Glove to carry anymore gear

Haha! Thanks for the public service warning. Though I suspect it may have sent half the room out the door to try the very combo...

 

[dpastern]

  I shreek and shrink inside whenever I see a picture of those giant control panels with the gazillion switches when I know that simplicity is one of the major answers to good sound. Sometimes what these engineers (engine-ears? If they did have ears they wouldn't commit these crimes to the soundspace) do to the imaging and soundstaging makes me feel unpleasant pressures  in my head.

 
I know!  It's the old K.I.S.S principle imho!!!
 
edit: imho, recorded music has suffered badly since the advent of computer usage in the industry...hark back to analogue master tapes etc and valve kit and things are much better.  Just my honest 2c worth...

 

[Makiah S]

  I shreek and shrink inside whenever I see a picture of those giant control panels with the gazillion switches when I know that simplicity is one of the major answers to good sound. Sometimes what these engineers (engine-ears? If they did have ears they wouldn't commit these crimes to the soundspace) do to the imaging and soundstaging makes me feel unpleasant pressures  in my head.

This is some what on and off topic, you ever see the Videos of the ole 70's Reggae Sound Egineers, I'll have to dig it up. But those guys where brilliant at what they did, and there's wasn't a slew of stuff they where using back then either
 
Anyways, back on topic
 
Curra, what would you reommend as a "dark" DAP, something with the same sound of my HM801 but maybe a touch tighter bass and a bit more speed
 
is the HM 901 a worth while improvement? As of today, I've started going through the Music on my SD cards, to find the stuff that's not mastered well [looking at you 1983 (though knowing when I got the album it could be a horrible Rip quality)] 
 
but, that aside. How do you guys feel that the HM 901 compares to the HM 801, Keep in mind though I'll be using the Line Out. Would the HM 802 maybe be a some what sufficent upgrade [ish] to the hm801? Or is the Hm 801 just too distinct in it's sound signiture and I might be out of luck when she dies 
 

   
I know!  It's the old K.I.S.S principle imho!!!
 
edit: imho, recorded music has suffered badly since the advent of computer usage in the industry...hark back to analogue master tapes etc and valve kit and things are much better.  Just my honest 2c worth...

Oh dude, your 100% right there.
 
I almost religiously get Vinyl Rips from music  X>1990 I will say there are some nice 1980 CD Masters, but if there is Vinyl I usually find those old Orignals are better
 
I've got some Wes Montgomery Vinyl rips that are gorgeous, they have that ole school crackle and hiss, which is imo kinda nice. But that aside, the sound quality and layering of the Album is pretty impressive. It's a good listen

 

[Currawong]

We're off-topic (at least until I can get around to having a serious listen with the iPhone 6) but I have to say about recordings that for a long while I couldn't stand Jazz at the Pawnshop until I heard a good vinyl rip of it. The CD just sounds awful whereas the rip a friend did is stunning.