[SilverEars]

No, but judging from reviews it seems to be a good dac but priced around the same as a DAVE /Mscaler And the Dave/mscaler can play the highest current pro level pcm rate available 32/768 and from what I can hear it seems to matter.
The difference between 384 and 768 upscaling is audible to me with really well recorded material via Mscaler.
I suspect that Rob Watts designing his mscaler with 1M taps and 32/768 capability is on to something that so far seems better than the competition I've heard.
Most conventional chip dac products sound a bit hazy and undefined in comparison.
But I haven't heard everything out there.
Have you compared the Rockna to a DAVE/HMS?
It seems HEDD thinks the HUGO 2 is a good match with their new product if they use it at their headquarters for demos.
I just wonder if they have an Mscaler there too?
The Mscaler is what to me makes the Chord dacs so special.
I am not sure I would even own a Chord dac if it hadn't been for the MScaler.
I look forward to auditioning the HEDD via my Mscaler

Cheers CC

Higher sampling than the file's original isn't more accurate or higher resolution. Matter a fact, I was underwhelmed by the Mscalar and found it odd sounding and found the original sampling rate to be more accurate.

 

[Christer]

Higher sampling than the file's original isn't more accurate or higher resolution. Matter a fact, I was underwhelmed by the Mscalar and found it odd sounding and found the original sampling rate to be more accurate.

Well, we all hear differently don't we?
I remember your quite early posts as a rather lone voice when so many others, me included were hearing Mscaling and were very impressed by it.
Out of curiosity what is your recommendation as far as dacs are concerned when auditioning possible top of the line headphones like the HEDD and generally enjoying digitally recorded music without digititis?
Cheers CC

 

[Pale Rider]

Well, we all hear differently don't we?
<SNIP>
Cheers CC

Yes, we do.

 

[518141]

I was under the impression the SPL Phonitor E was also used heavily during their development.

If you had to choose between the amp section of the Chord TT2 or the SPL Phonitor xe for headphone use only what would be your choice?
Keep in mind though, we are not talking about DAC's. What would be your personal decision and why?

Generally the dynamic range is often confused with high volume. Is the dynamic range in a song of 15db high or not? What do you think?
I would use classical music to judge that. In classical pieces there are often quiet and suddenly very loud parts. Heavy metal is completely useless to judge the dynamic abilities because it is hopelessly overdriven and compressed.

Edit: @Darthpool Luckily you didn't start talking about dynamism because that would have ended in disaster.

 

[JaZZ]

Higher sampling than the file's original isn't more accurate or higher resolution. Matter a fact, I was underwhelmed by the Mscalar and found it odd sounding and found the original sampling rate to be more accurate.

The first part of your statement, isolatedly considered, is correct. But upsampling serves a purpose: low-pass filtering. Every DAC with the exception of exotic designs («NOS») nowadays uses a digital filter, also called up-/oversampling, also called reconstruction filter. And here's the benefit from high (up)sampling rates: With a sophisticated algorithm based on one million taps (= insanely complex multi-coefficient low-path filtering) the reconstruction of the original signal curve – after bandwidth limitation according to the target sampling rate – is a few magnitudes more accurate in the time domain than conventional reconstruction filters, also in that it comes closer to the theoretical ideal of an infinite number of taps and an infinite steepness required according to the Shannon-Nyquist theorem. Therefore the M Scaler's sensational achievement that even lowly 44.1-kHz recordings sound like hi-res. To my ears at least. But we all hear differently.

One word to the reported lack of bass impact: In my view it's the result of a slightly underrepresented low-frequency content (see the posted FR graph!). Which on its part is a bit masked by the good low-frequency extension. A lack of bass impact often has nothing to do with dynamics, just with a lack of resonance peaks combined with a smooth drop-off or downward step. It shouldn't be a problem, as it can easily be equalized (successfully practiced with my – modified – HD 800). Apart from that, I hope that the hopes placed in the Heddphone will become reality.

 

[jarnopp]

If you had to choose between the amp section of the Chord TT2 or the SPL Phonitor xe for headphone use only what would be your choice?
Keep in mind though, we are not talking about DAC's. What would be your personal decision and why?

Generally the dynamic range is often confused with high volume. Is the dynamic range in a song of 15db high or not? What do you think?
I would use classical music to judge that. In classical pieces there are often quiet and suddenly very loud parts. Heavy metal is completely useless to judge the dynamic abilities because it is hopelessly overdriven and compressed.

Edit: @Darthpool Luckily you didn't start talking about dynamism because that would have ended in disaster.

Your test would necessarily be the TT2 driving the headphone alone vs the TT2/Phonitor combination, since the TT2 doesn’t have an “amp section” but is a variable analog output from the DAC DtoA and cannot be separated from the DAC itself, unless you just want digital out.

 

[518141]

Your test would necessarily be the TT2 driving the headphone alone vs the TT2/Phonitor combination, since the TT2 doesn’t have an “amp section” but is a variable analog output from the DAC DtoA and cannot be separated from the DAC itself, unless you just want digital out.

Exactly. I am only interested in the qualitative comparison of both analog amplifier parts.

 

[JaZZ]

Exactly. I am only interested in the qualitative comparison of both analog amplifier parts.

As explained by Jarnopp, you can't compare the «amplifier parts», you can just add another amplifier to the TT₂'s output stage or to the signal path, respectively. Given the high TT₂'s high power reserves, this seems kind of pointless, unless you accept amplifier colorations (= harmonic distortion) in the function of an equalizer.

 

[518141]

As explained by Jarnopp, you can't compare the «amplifier parts», you can just add another amplifier to the TT₂'s output stage or to the signal path, respectively. Given the high TT₂'s high power reserves, this seems kind of pointless, unless you accept amplifier colorations (= harmonic distortion) in the function of an equalizer.

Then we need a dac that sounds just like that of the TT2.

 

[JaZZ]

And what for? Apart from the impossibility to find such a thing. Closest would be the Qutest – but not close enough.

 

[518141]

And what for? Apart from the impossibility to find such a thing. Closest would be the Qutest – but not close enough.

To compare both analog amplifier parts. I assume there will be differences.

 

[Torq]

If you had to choose between the amp section of the Chord TT2 or the SPL Phonitor xe for headphone use only what would be your choice?

As @jarnopp and @JaZZ have said, you can't make that distinction since you cannot isolate the analog stage of the Hugo TT 2.

And if you want a DAC that sounds just like the Hugo TT 2 then you have to use the Hugo TT 2.

At which point your comparison is necessarily Hugo TT 2 vs. Hugo TT 2 -> Phonitor X.

That's not a configuration I would run, personally, despite owning both components. DAVE -> Phonitor X makes more sense ... where DAVE runs out of grunt well before Hugo TT 2 or the Phonitor X (which does have more drive capability than either with higher impedance cans - even if there aren't such cans that actually need that much power).

Put another way, unless I needed to use other sources as well, I wouldn't bother adding an external amplifier to a Hugo TT 2 to drive headphones unless it was for some tube flavor or I was running something like the Susvara or SR1a. I do have one output from my DAVE feeding the Phonitor X for the really hard to drive stuff, with the other output feeding my big tube amplifier. But the Hugo TT 2 I run in the office just drives headphones directly (with a Jotunheim R in place for the SR1a).

 

[518141]

The power output of the SPL xe is higher compared to the TT2. The HEDDphone probably sounds better on a SPL xe + DAC than on a TT2 which would also save some money for many people.

 

[Torq]

The power output of the SPL xe is higher compared to the TT2. The HEDDphone probably sounds better on a SPL xe + DAC than on a TT2 which would also save some money for many people.

We'll see, I guess.

I finally got to spend a little time with the HEDDphone this afternoon (thanks to @Darthpool), which was using my Phonitor X. When my set arrives, which should be Monday, I'll also be able to try them on my Hugo TT 2. And do so side-by-side/back-to-back. As to which setup ultimately sounds better, well, that'll also depend on what DAC is being used to drive the Phonitor X.

 

[jmills8]

As @jarnopp and @JaZZ have said, you can't make that distinction since you cannot isolate the analog stage of the Hugo TT 2.

And if you want a DAC that sounds just like the Hugo TT 2 then you have to use the Hugo TT 2.

At which point your comparison is necessarily Hugo TT 2 vs. Hugo TT 2 -> Phonitor X.

That's not a configuration I would run, personally, despite owning both components. DAVE -> Phonitor X makes more sense ... where DAVE runs out of grunt well before Hugo TT 2 or the Phonitor X (which does have more drive capability than either with higher impedance cans - even if there aren't such cans that actually need that much power).

Put another way, unless I needed to use other sources as well, I wouldn't bother adding an external amplifier to a Hugo TT 2 to drive headphones unless it was for some tube flavor or I was running something like the Susvara or SR1a. I do have one output from my DAVE feeding the Phonitor X for the really hard to drive stuff, with the other output feeding my big tube amplifier. But the Hugo TT 2 I run in the office just drives headphones directly (with a Jotunheim R in place for the SR1a).

Which were the last five albums you put on your various set ups ? Please dont say Eagles or Celine Dion.