No it means that it's doing it's job of breaking electrical connection between source and HMS.
There is no magic here.
Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread
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There is no magic here.
Reactcore
1000+ Head-Fier
Can be even simpler with only one standard optical port:
https://www.amazon.nl/Cubilux-optische-audioadapter-converter-compatibel/dp/B09QFYNB7Y/ref=asc_df_B09QFYNB7Y/?tag=nlshogostdsp-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=624492318365&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17238286222327809483&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9065038&hvtargid=pla-1661071678233&psc=1&mcid=86a9e7772c0a3e5790246d3e6c3013f3
Or this one as adapterplug:
https://nl.aliexpress.com/i/1005002417796813.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2nld
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LeeJB1970
100+ Head-Fier
I use that Cubilux for my Fiio M11s to Hugo 2 portable setup. Works a charm!
Reactcore
1000+ Head-Fier
My reasoning is to make it simplest as possible.. with the least electronics.
Like i did with my optic link too.
powermod
New Head-Fier
Thanks for all the inputs!
So that means, digital to digital conversion is not affected by noise or other issues? I mean, how is it guaranteed that the optical puts out what came in via the noisy usb? Is this process so simple that any cheap USB->Optical adapter can do this well?
So that means, digital to digital conversion is not affected by noise or other issues? I mean, how is it guaranteed that the optical puts out what came in via the noisy usb? Is this process so simple that any cheap USB->Optical adapter can do this well?
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Reactcore
1000+ Head-Fier
Assuming the DDC wont have any USB driver issues yeap.
Imo bits are still bits preferably preserved from the recording unaltered by the upstream gear.. but also RF is RF and that we can stop reaching the DAC via Mscaler input using optical.
jarnopp
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The digital 1s and 0s are transmitted faithfully through the USB to optical conversion. The noisy RFI that travels along the conductive connection is broken by converting to optical but the bits are all there (up to 192kHz).
Jawed
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The old school approach is to cover the USB cable in ferrites, for what its worth.
But these little devices that convert USB into optical are generally very compelling.
Surely, someone has compared the sound quality of these little things. Surely...
FunkyBassMan
500+ Head-Fier
Hey if it helps anyone I just had a very hairy situation with the M-Scaler.
One of my engineers was doing dialog editing and because some of it was super tricky, wanted to check it on my M-Dave system to see how it sounded. Director, producer in the room under serious deadline from Disney.
We put it up and the weirdest thing was happening. It was clipping off the beginnings of words, almost like a noise gate with a high threshold but long attack time. With the Dave alone it was fine. The M-Scaler sample rate didn't matter, nor did bypass. Checked all the wires, etc. Gulp...What the...F?
Finally I figured out (and you all may already know this, but I certainly didn't) that if you set the M-Scaler to automatically detect the input, if it doesn't get signal for even a very small amount of time (like a pause in dialog), the automatic input selection apparently kicks in meaning it won't start processing again until a moment or two after it receives data and selects that input. Weirdness. Almost like it can forget the input in only a second or two. Needless to say, totally useless for any editing situation.
Maybe this a box problem or a RTFM situation (in which case, my apologies to @Rob Watts).
In any case, I'd recommend that unless you need automatic input detection (which I suspect is reasonably rare?), don't use it.
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Later addition: Chord support was terrible on this. They couldn't figure it out, told me to remove the M-Scaler, then ignored me.
One of my engineers was doing dialog editing and because some of it was super tricky, wanted to check it on my M-Dave system to see how it sounded. Director, producer in the room under serious deadline from Disney.
We put it up and the weirdest thing was happening. It was clipping off the beginnings of words, almost like a noise gate with a high threshold but long attack time. With the Dave alone it was fine. The M-Scaler sample rate didn't matter, nor did bypass. Checked all the wires, etc. Gulp...What the...F?
Finally I figured out (and you all may already know this, but I certainly didn't) that if you set the M-Scaler to automatically detect the input, if it doesn't get signal for even a very small amount of time (like a pause in dialog), the automatic input selection apparently kicks in meaning it won't start processing again until a moment or two after it receives data and selects that input. Weirdness. Almost like it can forget the input in only a second or two. Needless to say, totally useless for any editing situation.
Maybe this a box problem or a RTFM situation (in which case, my apologies to @Rob Watts).
In any case, I'd recommend that unless you need automatic input detection (which I suspect is reasonably rare?), don't use it.
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Later addition: Chord support was terrible on this. They couldn't figure it out, told me to remove the M-Scaler, then ignored me.
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I just liked the purple light but I have intermittent strange issues as well. Thanks for the tip! I'll change it to the input in use.
Jawed
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It's occurred to me that this might also explain why some people report clicks or other loud noises when music changes sample rate.
I think @Rob Watts reported an inability to reproduce this problem, so perhaps it's worth trying again with automatic input selection (and, obviously, with no added inter-track silence inserted by the music player).
I replaced the stock PS of the HMS with Mean Well MSP-600-12 (https://www.meanwell-web.com/en-gb/ac-dc-single-output-medical-enclosed-power-supply-msp--600--12).
The effects are Captain America before and after, powerful and open, energetic, controlled and lively!
I replaced the stock PS of Qutest years ago with Mean Well MSP-600-05, much lesser improvements.
In short, upgrade the PS of HMS first.
The effects are Captain America before and after, powerful and open, energetic, controlled and lively!
I replaced the stock PS of Qutest years ago with Mean Well MSP-600-05, much lesser improvements.
In short, upgrade the PS of HMS first.
Did I read that right? Output 53 amps! There should no problem with crescendo’s. Glad it helped. I was using a Bixpower but went back to Rob’s smps.
The automatic input selection is bad, but the mscalar works great if you just manually select the input.
The pop etc when selecting new sampling rate I am pretty sure related to that the ”tail” of the old music will be played at the new sampling rate so if you just pause/stop the old music before playing new music at different sampling rate the ”tail” will be zeros and thus not make any pop or other strange sounds.
The pop etc when selecting new sampling rate I am pretty sure related to that the ”tail” of the old music will be played at the new sampling rate so if you just pause/stop the old music before playing new music at different sampling rate the ”tail” will be zeros and thus not make any pop or other strange sounds.
rwelles
1000+ Head-Fier
Isn't the M Scaler an 15vdc device? The one you listed seems to 12vdc.
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