Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[AndrewOld]

Gave this a try last night via Qobuz. Loving it! Thanks for the recommendation. I think it's pretty much on the edge of my taste (much further into 'actual jazz', and it'd stop being my cup of tea), but really enjoying it. Listening to it whilst I type this!

That’s a great album.

 

[Triode User]

Out of interest are you playing direct from Zenith into HMS or via Aries as some seem to do ? I have read claims that SQ is improved Zenith - Aries - HMS. I am considering Zenith III or Aries G1 less for Roon which i am, nor signed up to but for playing local files presently. stored on a USB HDD.

I have a Zenith with Roon and the squeezebox option enabled. I prefer outputting direct to HMS from the Zenith (using Supra USB 2.0 cable). I also have an Aries in another room and use this as an endpoint to the system in there but I do prefer the direct connection from Zenith to HMS.

 

[PJDubyaM]

Great! Did you share my visualisation?

Absolutely see where you're coming from, aye. Actual visualisations aren't my strong point (was reading last night, and now I'm poking spreadsheets – neither are ideal for transporting my mind to an imaginary yurt!). Maybe once I've finally man-mathsed my way to a full-on TT2/MS setup, it'll happen automatically...

I can really recommend - The astounding eyes of Rita, listening to it now In work. Se846 + mojo poly - just unreal - the timbre of all those Near Eastern instruments and soft humming type singing - not sure things get much more immersive then this (whilst getting paid).

On the list, thanks. And one that really is my bag: Lund Quartet's eponymous debut LP. Turntablist jazz. I really like it. Can't vouch for whether it's an audiophile recording or not, but in terms of mood, I love it.

 

[Lgn3]

I have a Zenith with Roon and the squeezebox option enabled. I prefer outputting direct to HMS from the Zenith (using Supra USB 2.0 cable). I also have an Aries in another room and use this as an endpoint to the system in there but I do prefer the direct connection from Zenith to HMS.

Thanks for the insight. I am somewhat undecided between the Zenith III and Aries G1 as my CD collection is now ripped. At any rate good to know I probably do not need both.

 

[Triode User]

Thanks for the insight. I am somewhat undecided between the Zenith III and Aries G1 as my CD collection is now ripped. At any rate good to know I probably do not need both.

I still find that buying CDs and ripping them can be a cheap way to add to my music collection and also sometimes albums are only available on CD. You could simply copy your already ripped files onto the Xenith III internal drive. Indeed that is what I do for Hi Res files that I purchase from Qobuz (I do prefer the Hi Res versions for the HMS when they are genuine and not just upsampled). John Darko has reviewed the Zenith III here.

 

[Lgn3]

I still find that buying CDs and ripping them can be a cheap way to add to my music collection and also sometimes albums are only available on CD. You could simply copy your already ripped files onto the Xenith III internal drive. Indeed that is what I do for Hi Res files that I purchase from Qobuz (I do prefer the Hi Res versions for the HMS when they are genuine and not just upsampled). John Darko has reviewed the Zenith III here.

Like you I still buy a few CDs and rip them with EAC on my PC but your point is well made. Thanks for the link to Darko's review.

 

[AndrewOld]

I have a Zenith with Roon and the squeezebox option enabled. I prefer outputting direct to HMS from the Zenith (using Supra USB 2.0 cable). I also have an Aries in another room and use this as an endpoint to the system in there but I do prefer the direct connection from Zenith to HMS.

I have an old, but still excellent, Squeezebox Touch which is easy to make work as a roon endpoint. You can pick them up for about £100, sometimes more. Absolutely excellent. Very low power, and small footprint. Toslink or spdif output. I use it in a second room from my main laptop/hms/Dave. Roon is good. If roon endpoint can run on such a small, simple device it shouldnt be difficult for a Chord to come up with an even neater solution.

 

[SCOTTY1]

Uptone, Sonore and SOtM believe their upcoming switches will make the quality of everything upstream of the switch, unimportant. May be bad news for Innuos, Roon Nucleus etc. then again, maybe not.

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/audiophile-5/audiophile-5-sonore-opticalrendu-in-5-minutes-r771/

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...neral-details-we-are-late-but-getting-closer/

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/sotm-snh-10g-network-switch-review-r777/

 

[211276]

As a Qutest owner I had to hear the Mscaler. I was not all that impressed at the dealers, but put it down to the system and the room. When I took it home on loan it was a different matter, the improvement was substantial and in line with many of the reports in this thread. The sound stage was wider and deeper with better defined bass. There was more space between instruments and vocals and backing vocals. Altogether a greater sense of ease. My system is NVA with semi omnidirectional speakers. Having experienced the Mscaler I cant be without it and have one on order. My only issue concerns video. I was not able to successfully connect it to my Sky+ box.

 

[musickid]

That sense of ease or "tension extraction" with hms is otherworldly and it's hard to believe any amount of technical explanation can convey it apart from to say that the realism in timing and composure of vocals must be to do with the greater than 16 bit reconstruction that is taking place. It's normally the first thing to strike me in pass thru testing. Plucked strings also loose all tension and become relaxed as evidenced on the oud in "blue maqams" by A.Brahem. The "tension extraction" with hms never neutralises suspense if that is a quality the artist wishes to communicate.

 

[ZappaMan]

As a Qutest owner I had to hear the Mscaler. I was not all that impressed at the dealers, but put it down to the system and the room. When I took it home on loan it was a different matter, the improvement was substantial and in line with many of the reports in this thread. The sound stage was wider and deeper with better defined bass. There was more space between instruments and vocals and backing vocals. Altogether a greater sense of ease. My system is NVA with semi omnidirectional speakers. Having experienced the Mscaler I cant be without it and have one on order. My only issue concerns video. I was not able to successfully connect it to my Sky+ box.

You can connect it up via optical ?

 

[Progisus]

Has anyone reviewed or commented on the sound improvement with DAC's other than Chord?

 

[Siz.]

...I had to hear the Mscaler. I was not all that impressed at the dealers, but ... When I took it home on loan it was a different matter...

Interesting to hear. But perhaps not unexpected.

It is difficult to be as relaxed when listening at a dealer as you would be are in your own home listening at your own time. And relaxed listening is key: It is not just that any amount of stress will impair your critical listening ability; more importantly relaxed home listening gives you time to get passed the 'listening to the equipment' stage and get into the all important 'am I enjoying the music?' phase.

This is especially critical with something like an M-scaler, as it is intended to be faithful to the music rather than something designed to immediately sound 'impressive' (and get the sale).

 

[HumanMedia]

I have an old, but still excellent, Squeezebox Touch which is easy to make work as a roon endpoint. You can pick them up for about £100, sometimes more. Absolutely excellent. Very low power, and small footprint. Toslink or spdif output. I use it in a second room from my main laptop/hms/Dave. Roon is good. If roon endpoint can run on such a small, simple device it shouldnt be difficult for a Chord to come up with an even neater solution.

Speaking of endpoints, and the Squeezebox, are people aware of the Sonore ultraRendu?
It was built from the ground up to be a high quality low noise endpoint, with LMS, Roon and other player apps, and a replacement (in spirit) to the Squeezebox. I have one and love it and it sounded immediately better than the Squeezebox it replaced. It is Ethernet only not wireless, but it does sound like a great option for people here discussing end points.

https://darko.audio/2017/07/classier-sonores-ultrarendu-takes-digital-audio-higher-still/

 

[Birdboy01]

https://www.soundstageaustralia.com...rd-electronics-hugo-m-scaler-digital-upscaler

If already posted -- apologies. Here's a Feb 15 Mscaler review