Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[Somatic]

Does one need to use USB into Mscaler to get full 768khz? What if one uses optical from PC to Mscaler and then dual bncs to Dave? Reading the manual now, getting ready ... thanks.

 

[ra990]

Does one need to use USB into Mscaler to get full 768khz? What if one uses optical from PC to Mscaler and then dual bncs to Dave? Reading the manual now, getting ready ... thanks.

Nope, I would go with optical in. As longs as you use dual bnc out, you will get full upscaling. Input type does not matter.

 

[alekc]

Nope, I would go with optical in. As longs as you use dual bnc out, you will get full upscaling. Input type does not matter.

@ra990 that it the part I don't really get it: considering that M-Scaler does its job based on interpolation that will never bee as good as original source - assuming you have a high resolution recording - why downgrade it to lower sampling rate due to particular input limits and letting M-Scaler partially fill up the missing parts that are in the original recording in the first place? For lower resolutions like CD rips it is perfectly fine but how about higher ones?

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

@ra990 that it the part I don't really get it: considering that M-Scaler does its job based on interpolation that will never bee as good as original source - assuming you have a high resolution recording - why downgrade it to lower sampling rate due to particular input limits and letting M-Scaler partially fill up the missing parts that are in the original recording in the first place? For lower resolutions like CD rips it is perfectly fine but how about higher ones?

Many of the times these so called hi res files are just regular 44.1 but upsampled to higher values using some crude interpolation filters.
Sometimes you can even see 44.1 version of the file and it's 'hires' 96khz...
Which is strange as 96 is not a multiplier of 44.1 but 48. So it's going to have timing problems.

That's why many times feeding m scaler with native 44.1 is better than using 'fake' high res files.

 

[ra990]

@ra990 that it the part I don't really get it: considering that M-Scaler does its job based on interpolation that will never bee as good as original source - assuming you have a high resolution recording - why downgrade it to lower sampling rate due to particular input limits and letting M-Scaler partially fill up the missing parts that are in the original recording in the first place? For lower resolutions like CD rips it is perfectly fine but how about higher ones?

Which input will limit you? Even toslink takes 192k pcm. Do you have any music above that? Then you can use USB, it is also isolated, just not as perfectly as toslink.

 

[Ciggavelli]

@ra990 that it the part I don't really get it: considering that M-Scaler does its job based on interpolation that will never bee as good as original source - assuming you have a high resolution recording - why downgrade it to lower sampling rate due to particular input limits and letting M-Scaler partially fill up the missing parts that are in the original recording in the first place? For lower resolutions like CD rips it is perfectly fine but how about higher ones?

I try to get the highest resolution option available and then run it through my m-scaler. I've noticed that a 192kbps file still sounds better run through the m-scaler.

 

[SteveHulk]

Many of the times these so called hi res files are just regular 44.1 but upsampled to higher values using some crude interpolation filters.
Sometimes you can even see 44.1 version of the file and it's 'hires' 96khz...
Which is strange as 96 is not a multiplier of 44.1 but 48. So it's going to have timing problems.

That's why many times feeding m scaler with native 44.1 is better than using 'fake' high res files.

If what you say is true, then advertising this 96k version that has merely been interpolated from 44.1k as "hi-res" is an egregious misrepresentation

Prosecutions under the relevant trading standards legislation should be happening until this fakery is stamped out.

 

[Triode User]

If what you say is true, then advertising this 96k version that has merely been interpolated from 44.1k as "hi-res" is an egregious misrepresentation

Prosecutions under the relevant trading standards legislation should be happening until this fakery is stamped out.

There is at least one HiFi magazine which does technical reviews of ‘hi res‘ recordings and reveals which ones are genuine as opposed to just being upsampled.

 

[Progisus]

I find using usb to a src-dx and then dual bnc to mscaler covers all inputs to 768k and bypasses the troublesome usb input. ymmv

 

[Somatic]

I find using usb to a src-dx and then dual bnc to mscaler covers all inputs to 768k and bypasses the troublesome usb input. ymmv

What do you get from STC-DX? Less RF noise but isn’t optical already better in this aspect?

 

[Progisus]

What do you get from STC-DX? Less RF noise but isn’t optical already better in this aspect?

My server/player (Antipodes K30) only has a usb or ethernet output so therefore my need for usb into the mscaler. I also have many files above 192 and up to 768. The rate switching on the mscaler usb input can cause blasts of white noise (known problem). The src-dx converts usb to dual bnc specifically for Chord dacs and was developed to provide an alternative to the mscaler by using hqplayer. Only one bnc out is required for inputs up to 384k but as I converted my library to PGGB the files are up to 768k. Therefore I use 2 bnc. When I feed the pggb files to the mscaler it goes into bypass and reduces the volume by 3db and applies noise shaping which is never a bad thing.

 

[zen87192]

My Farad Super 3 Dave Upgrade is due for delivery by FedEx on Wednesday. No sign of any invoice payable but I will expect one just before delivery which will delay it even longer

 

[SteveHulk]

My Farad Super 3 Dave Upgrade is due for delivery by FedEx on Wednesday. No sign of any invoice payable but I will expect one just before delivery which will delay it even longer

And you know that Brexit is mostly responsible for this rubbish.

The other day I ordered a pair of 6SN7 tubes from Italy. They were sent by TNT - yes they still exist in Italy. However what used to be TNT in the UK has been taken over by FedEx. So in mid transit they had to be switched over to FedEx from TNT. They went from Italy to Germany to France where they got stuck because of an address error. It took me ages to get that straightened out because the shipper had to authorise the change.

FedEx took over TNT deliveries in this country years ago and they STILL haven't integrated their systems.

Despite it being FedEx that was delivering the package it did not appear on FedEx tracking.

Because it had left TNT's system it dropped off their tracking. So it took me days to realise that this package was stuck in France.

The valves eventually got to me, after more than a week because, you guessed it, Easter intervened.

Some time later the tax invoice arrived in the post.

Nine pages (yes NINE) of bumf that this poor guy in Italy had had to fill out for two little valves because of Brexit.

The delays meant that the valves just fell foul of a lowering in the tax threshold which was part of the Brexit alignment process. Otherwise they would have escaped. So I copped another £200 in tax just because of that.

Curse Brexit. Just Curse Brexit.

To add insult to injury one of the valves was hopelessly microphonic. So microphonic that even a very very light tap on the valve when operating led to a hum buildup which was on the verge of never stopping. The valve was on the very cusp of a runaway electro-mechanical resonance instability.

So I had to send them back

I promise that my next post will be OT

 

[zen87192]

Gosh.... sorry to hear of that 'kerfuffle'.
If you ever need any original CV4003/12AU7/ECC82 let me know.. I have a few of these new (back-up) from my last Tube Amplifier..... at least you'll avoid the import issues.

 

[Triode User]

My Farad Super 3 Dave Upgrade is due for delivery by FedEx on Wednesday. No sign of any invoice payable but I will expect one just before delivery which will delay it even longer

I wonder whether Farad realise that FedEx are useless with packages that require duty to be paid on them? Better would be DHL who have a seamless duty payment system and normally I get an email with the clearance info whilst the package is in the air.

Nine pages (yes NINE) of bumf that this poor guy in Italy had had to fill out for two little valves because of Brexit.

The common factor in these tales is FedEx. Sorry to mention DHL again but whenever I send stuff to Europe or elsewhere abroad it is all done with the paperless system (PLT). No more pouches stuck to the outside of the package with multiple copies of invoices etc. In the early days after brexit the over the top policing of imports to and from the UK by the EU was a pain but they more or less seem to have realised that they were cutting their noses off to spite their face and now things flow pretty smoothly (unless one uses FedEx).

Ps. Sorry about your valves. If you ever need any valves testing I have a calibrated AVO VCM 163 and am happy to test valves for you. No charge, just post to me and I will post back.

Pps. My favourite 6sn7 are Psvane by quite a margin.