[burbster]

Sorry to but in, but one quick question, are you running your router directly into the antipodes? If so, this maybe why its not performing to the level of the CD player. I know the antipodes quite well and its an incredible sounding streamer/server, but it, as any streaming device can sound flat, harshe, etc, if RFI is being allowed to piggy back the data stream and enter the streamer. One simple solution, is to add a dedicated switch between the router and the streamer, ideally with a quiet PSU. This will act as a buffer and prevent much of the noise coming from the router getting through. As with anything with mains connection in the streaming chain it will emit some of its own noise too, which can be mitigated to degree with the addition of a quiet power supply. A quick and inexpensive, but generally effective solution is to to try something like a D-link DGS105 with and ifi Ipower, which together shouldnt set you back more than £70, plus it can be purchased and returned if you dont hear a benefit. More expensive "audiophile" switches might improve on this, but this is a very good and inexpensive starting point. RFI is the main enemy of good sound via streaming, stop this and you anitpodes will work at its full potential and very few sources will sound as good... just my two penneth and apologies if you've tried this already

Hi thank you for your advice, I am running two Cisco 2960s with a fibre connection linking them. One plugs into router the other into the antipodes. I absolutely agree with you though regarding RFI from network, I quite frequently select an album then unplug the Ethernet connection completely from the cx, this yields a noticeable sonic improvement in the higher frequencies, even with my rather convoluted fibre setup. I have also home demoed two audiophile switches, both worked well but in the end I decided it was cheaper to just unplug cable! Obviously only works for files stored locally.

 

[mammal]

So my 24 hour impressions of M Scaler are here. I would like to preface this first by saying what is my end goal in audio - to find a cost effective system that I enjoy. I am in no way trying to find the best system possible, nor am I trying to discount other people's opinions and experiences. This is my journey in audio, which I set out to be with a 10k budget. Please keep that in mind.

I have been a long time fan of Chord, which started with Mojo, then Hugo 2 and currently Hugo TT 2. I have thought of buying Dave, but that would take me above my budget, not only for its price, but also for a need to purchase similar quality amplifier, to do Dave justice. That's why I stayed with Hugo TT 2, which is not only a good DAC, but also capable of driving my headphones (Abyss Diana V2, AB-1266 TC). I have found its XLR outs to sound fulfilling, and I do not feel like I need another amp. This is not to say better amps do not exist, just to put things into perspective of what 5k gets you, as I am trying to stay within a budget.

So I started thinking about what could we do in the digital domain, hence M Scaler. I have listened to it for a couple of hours, which many of you will say is not long enough and I agree. The reason why I am writing this post is not to say M Scaler does not add to the musical experience I am after, but to share with you, that with going 40% over my budget, I do not feel like M Scaler delivers 40% improvement for the music I listen to (electronic mainly). Some of you are building the best system possible (M Scaler into Dave) and that's awesome, more power to you! But for those who are on 10k budget, I felt that Hugo TT 2 is a no brainer, as well as AB-1266 TC, with which I have no regrets. Adding M Scaler feels to me like a decision I would regret. For me, 4k is not nothing, and it requires me to consult it with my wife to keep our family finances in check and my hobbies sane. It does not feel right asking for this much of our budget, for only hearing a subtle differences.

I have listened to M Scaler when rested, tired, as well as for a couple of hours straight. I have tried blind A/B testing, and I have managed to pick sessions that were upsampled, so clearly M Scaler adds to the system. Does it add as much as I hoped for? Maybe not. Will it add more over time, as I get used to it? I am sure of it. All comes back to the budget I am afraid. I know some of you will think my reasoning is silly and I should not be thinking this way, but for me, building a system which I feel right about is important to me, and that's why I have a budget to work with. Would M Scaler be the next purchase I would do, if say I increased the budget to 20k? Most probably yes. Buying Dave with an amp, would be much more expensive, so M Scaler is cost effective from that perspective.

I feel I am content and happy with the level of audio quality I am getting from Hugo TT 2 driving Abyss AB-1266 TC, and M Scaler is not adding enough for me to warrant the price. I absolutely respect those, who can afford it and would recommend everyone considering it to give it a try. The difference of upsampling can be heard, even with electronic music, it makes the sound fuller, less "discrete", helps with imaging in the soundstage, makes the music more silky.

I hope you all respect my opinion for what it is and some of you will find this message useful. I will keep using M Scaler for one more week, until I need to return it and then will post if my opinion has changed. Once returned, I plan not to use it for a couple of days to see how much is my brain/ears missing it and if by that time I got used to it so much that I cannot live without it, then perhaps I will re-visit my budget and add a couple of thousands to it. For those with different budgets or decision making processes, do enjoy your M Scaler, in no way I am trying to say it is not a good product. Thank you

A follow up after a full week or listening to HMS + HTT2 + AB-1266, returning HMS and now listening to HTT2 + AB-1266 alone. I clearly hear the difference now - the music was much more full bodied and without HMS it is more aggressive/sharp. So does HMS do something to the music, yes, in my opinion. It was not as easy to A/B as with other things like Hugo 2 => HTT2; or Diana V2 => AB-1266; but HMS does change the characteristics. However, this being said, as a listener with self imposed budget, I don't think HMS is for me. I mainly listen to EDM, where the lack of HMS makes things a bit more sharp/aggressive. If I was listening to classical / jazz, it would be a different question, there I think HMS makes more sense. This is not to say that HMS does not change EDM presentation, but the way it changes may be less desirable. What I loved about HMS is its automatic input selection and those glowing buttons are just eye candy (I wish HTT2 was like that too). I am glad I was able to audition it for a week for free, rather than needing to buy & convince it is for me / sell for a loss. I think this way I was able to be more honest, even though I am definitely biased since I have a budget in mind. I hope my honesty and assessment helps someone down the line, who is considering HMS but is undecided and unsure what to expect for EDM.

 

[JohnA1]

I am glad I was able to audition it for a week for free, rather than needing to buy & convince it is for me / sell for a loss. I think this way I was able to be more honest, even though I am definitely biased since I have a budget in mind. I hope my honesty and assessment helps someone down the line, who is considering HMS but is undecided and unsure what to expect for EDM.

It is important to be honest with oneself.
You felt it wasn't adding enough, fair and simple.
I couldn't make a case for it either. Paying double the price and going for a Dave made more sense.

 

[griff500]

Hi thank you for your advice, I am running two Cisco 2960s with a fibre connection linking them. One plugs into router the other into the antipodes. I absolutely agree with you though regarding RFI from network, I quite frequently select an album then unplug the Ethernet connection completely from the cx, this yields a noticeable sonic improvement in the higher frequencies, even with my rather convoluted fibre setup. I have also home demoed two audiophile switches, both worked well but in the end I decided it was cheaper to just unplug cable! Obviously only works for files stored locally.

A Sablon Audio 2020 ethernet cable makes a surprising difference.

 

[Orlok]

A follow up after a full week or listening to HMS + HTT2 + AB-1266, returning HMS and now listening to HTT2 + AB-1266 alone. I clearly hear the difference now - the music was much more full bodied and without HMS it is more aggressive/sharp. So does HMS do something to the music, yes, in my opinion. It was not as easy to A/B as with other things like Hugo 2 => HTT2; or Diana V2 => AB-1266; but HMS does change the characteristics. However, this being said, as a listener with self imposed budget, I don't think HMS is for me. I mainly listen to EDM, where the lack of HMS makes things a bit more sharp/aggressive. If I was listening to classical / jazz, it would be a different question, there I think HMS makes more sense. This is not to say that HMS does not change EDM presentation, but the way it changes may be less desirable. What I loved about HMS is its automatic input selection and those glowing buttons are just eye candy (I wish HTT2 was like that too). I am glad I was able to audition it for a week for free, rather than needing to buy & convince it is for me / sell for a loss. I think this way I was able to be more honest, even though I am definitely biased since I have a budget in mind. I hope my honesty and assessment helps someone down the line, who is considering HMS but is undecided and unsure what to expect for EDM.

I'm glad that you had the opportunity to audition the HMS for a week and analyze and understand its features and capabilities. The HMS sits in a very particular (or peculiar) product category that Chord seems to have defined for itself. It smoothens out the digital "edges" and it produces a very refined sonic result that the great majority of casual listeners will not be able to discern. A lot does depend on the type of music one is listening to. For high-energy genres like EDM and metal, I don't think the refinement that the HMS provides is critical and, in some cases, probably not desirable.

For me, about 60% of my listening time is spent on genres with purely acoustic/natural instruments and the voice - classical, classic jazz without electric instruments, singer-songwriter kinds of genres with just vocals and piano and/or acoustic guitar, etc. I'm an electric guitar player but my favorite instruments to listen to are actually the piano, violin, cello, woodwinds, and various types of saxophones and, of course, the human voice and especially the female voice. I'm kind of obsessed with the quality of the vocals right now and, hence, all the "optimization" kinds of things I've done to my setup with cables and batteries to eliminate RFI/EMI from the signal chain. For what I mainly listen to most of the time, the HMS does provide a tangible benefit.

And, yes, I believe we all have budgetary constraints. We all want "better" and more but we can't let that override the reality of our lives outside of this hobby. Believe me, I want the WA33, the Innuos PhoenixUSB and ZENith MK III, and the DAVE now! Haha. But it's just not going to happen. And people who have those components want a dCS Rossini and other components that can easily add up to $100K or way more. It just never ends and we've talked about this in that 'Audiophiles Anonymous' thread. The journey itself is what's fun and rewarding - not the end destination - and we all have our own individual pace that is determined by our own realities. I have to remind myself of this all the time as well: "Enjoy what you have now. This is stuff that would have been unimaginable only a few years ago and a type of sound quality that 99.9%+ of the people in this world will never get to hear or appreciate." Ultimately, it should be about enjoying the music, not the gear. Anyway, that's how I console myself. Haha.

 

[mammal]

I'm glad that you had the opportunity to audition the HMS for a week and analyze and understand its features and capabilities. The HMS sits in a very particular (or peculiar) product category that Chord seems to have defined for itself. It smoothens out the digital "edges" and it produces a very refined sonic result that the great majority of casual listeners will not be able to discern. A lot does depend on the type of music one is listening to. For high-energy genres like EDM and metal, I don't think the refinement that the HMS provides is critical and, in some cases, probably not desirable.

Oh yeah, I totally agree. With EDM, I find myself liking some songs to be without HMS, so even if I owned one, I think I would be sometimes bypassing its upscaling for certain songs, where I like the harshness/sharpness/aggressiveness.

And, yes, I believe we all have budgetary constraints. We all want "better" and more but we can't let that override the reality of our lives outside of this hobby. Believe me, I want the WA33, the Innuos PhoenixUSB and ZENith MK III, and the DAVE now! Haha. But it's just not going to happen. And people who have those components want a dCS Rossini and other components that can easily add up to $100K or way more. It just never ends and we've talked about this in that 'Audiophile Anonymous' thread. The journey itself is what's fun and rewarding - not the end destination - and we all have our own individual pace that is determined by our own realities. I have to remind myself of this all the time as well: "Enjoy what you have now. This is stuff that would have been unimaginable only a few years ago and a type of sound quality that 99.9%+ of the people in this world will never get to hear or appreciate." Ultimately, it should be about enjoying the music, not the gear. Anyway, that's how I console myself. Haha.

I totally agree. I think part of what I like about gear like this is the "I would like to listen to it myself" to see how much I can appreciate it, while not upsetting my wallet too much. Some things like AB-1266 and HTT2 were a no brainer for me, others I do hear a difference, the question is how much and is it worth the money for me. It is the journey of trying that is actually more interesting for me, figuring out what I like, trying to find "good value" (if that even makes sense in audio). Rather than obsessing about having the best (on paper and based of ears of others) I like to try things around and see for myself. Some things I see less benefit in (Superconductor cable, HMS), while other things I am seeing a big jump (H2 to HTT2; Diana V2 to AB-1266). I genuinely wish everyone could try all the things (for free or for a fee) so that they can figure out for themselves. Many times I read romanticised posts on Head-Fi, hoping I will get the same experience as others and then I am just disappointed with myself when I do not hear the improvement (not to discount other people's experiences). That's why I would like to hear Riviera, WA33, Bakoon, as well as dCS or Dave, so that I learn how much off I am of that level of gear, and if I ever miss it. Maybe in a couple of years my financial situation will improve and I will be able to budget for it. But trying HMS actually made me happier what I currently own. I do not call it end game (as we all know I will keep trying new things), but at least it is a local maximum, with which I am very happy.

 

[Orlok]

Oh yeah, I totally agree. With EDM, I find myself liking some songs to be without HMS, so even if I owned one, I think I would be sometimes bypassing its upscaling for certain songs, where I like the harshness/sharpness/aggressiveness.


I totally agree. I think part of what I like about gear like this is the "I would like to listen to it myself" to see how much I can appreciate it, while not upsetting my wallet too much. Some things like AB-1266 and HTT2 were a no brainer for me, others I do hear a difference, the question is how much and is it worth the money for me. It is the journey of trying that is actually more interesting for me, figuring out what I like, trying to find "good value" (if that even makes sense in audio). Rather than obsessing about having the best (on paper and based of ears of others) I like to try things around and see for myself. Some things I see less benefit in (Superconductor cable, HMS), while other things I am seeing a big jump (H2 to HTT2; Diana V2 to AB-1266). I genuinely wish everyone could try all the things (for free or for a fee) so that they can figure out for themselves. Many times I read romanticised posts on Head-Fi, hoping I will get the same experience as others and then I am just disappointed with myself when I do not hear the improvement (not to discount other people's experiences). That's why I would like to hear Riviera, WA33, Bakoon, as well as dCS or Dave, so that I learn how much off I am of that level of gear, and if I ever miss it. Maybe in a couple of years my financial situation will improve and I will be able to budget for it. But trying HMS actually made me happier what I currently own. I do not call it end game (as we all know I will keep trying new things), but at least it is a local maximum, with which I am very happy.

Yes, that's what makes this hobby so interesting and tricky at the same time. We all hear things differently and have vastly different tastes. Each one of us are like a thumbprint or - gasp - a snowflake! Haha. Totally individual and totally unique. One has to read/watch the reviews or posts/opinions here and elsewhere with the understanding that they may hear things quite differently from you or have totally different musical tastes - even within the same genre. When I read/watch reviews, etc., I'm always trying to find out: "Does this person listen to or like the same things I listen to?" If not, well, then that person's opinion really won't have much weight to me.

I think that once you settle on the HP and amp, then other components become more important. For me, the JPS SC cables were a major improvement because they addressed exactly what I found to be a little lacking in the TC - the midrange which affected the quality and realism of the vocals. It was the same with the batteries. Yes, these are subtle improvements in the big scheme of things but, once you've settled on the major components like the HP and DAC & amp, they become much more noticeable and important. What I've found is that it's important to set priorities between the "major" and the "minor" first and then subdivide those categories even further to get the desired sonic results to suit your particular tastes.

My "problem" is that I like so many different genres and styles that I feel like I really need a good deal of variety of HPs and amps that complement each other and do not overlap. But I feel that four distinct HPs and 3~4 amps should do it. Haha. Obviously, that's a lot and will take years to get but, hey, that's the fun of it all and why we are here!

 

[teknorob23]

Hi thank you for your advice, I am running two Cisco 2960s with a fibre connection linking them. One plugs into router the other into the antipodes. I absolutely agree with you though regarding RFI from network, I quite frequently select an album then unplug the Ethernet connection completely from the cx, this yields a noticeable sonic improvement in the higher frequencies, even with my rather convoluted fibre setup. I have also home demoed two audiophile switches, both worked well but in the end I decided it was cheaper to just unplug cable! Obviously only works for files stored locally.

Sorry I only just saw your post. Lovely looking set up. Do go optical straight into the back of the antipodes?

 

[jarnopp]

Oh yeah, I totally agree. With EDM, I find myself liking some songs to be without HMS, so even if I owned one, I think I would be sometimes bypassing its upscaling for certain songs, where I like the harshness/sharpness/aggressiveness.


I totally agree. I think part of what I like about gear like this is the "I would like to listen to it myself" to see how much I can appreciate it, while not upsetting my wallet too much. Some things like AB-1266 and HTT2 were a no brainer for me, others I do hear a difference, the question is how much and is it worth the money for me. It is the journey of trying that is actually more interesting for me, figuring out what I like, trying to find "good value" (if that even makes sense in audio). Rather than obsessing about having the best (on paper and based of ears of others) I like to try things around and see for myself. Some things I see less benefit in (Superconductor cable, HMS), while other things I am seeing a big jump (H2 to HTT2; Diana V2 to AB-1266). I genuinely wish everyone could try all the things (for free or for a fee) so that they can figure out for themselves. Many times I read romanticised posts on Head-Fi, hoping I will get the same experience as others and then I am just disappointed with myself when I do not hear the improvement (not to discount other people's experiences). That's why I would like to hear Riviera, WA33, Bakoon, as well as dCS or Dave, so that I learn how much off I am of that level of gear, and if I ever miss it. Maybe in a couple of years my financial situation will improve and I will be able to budget for it. But trying HMS actually made me happier what I currently own. I do not call it end game (as we all know I will keep trying new things), but at least it is a local maximum, with which I am very happy.

Thanks for all your thought on mScaler. Another result I am pretty sure I’m finding is that the better gear has a bleed-over effect. I feel like since getting mScaler, even when listening to Mojo I am hearing better timing and detail (and not just on the same tracks played on both). I felt this after TT2, also. I think your brain gets better trained to listen for the kinds of things Chord dacs do better and that makes even lower tap dacs like Mojo more enjoyable.

 

[mammal]

Thanks for all your thought on mScaler. Another result I am pretty sure I’m finding is that the better gear has a bleed-over effect. I feel like since getting mScaler, even when listening to Mojo I am hearing better timing and detail (and not just on the same tracks played on both). I felt this after TT2, also. I think your brain gets better trained to listen for the kinds of things Chord dacs do better and that makes even lower tap dacs like Mojo more enjoyable.

100%, imagine what Rob who made these DACs actually can hear.

 

[OrenT]

Hello all
After spending 3 months with my new setup (PC -> Shunyata Alpha USB cable -> M Scaler -> TT2 -> Focal Utopia) I'm a bit saddened to say that i'm not really "hearing" it. I've tried dozens of Redbook CDs from the PC's CD ROM, dozens of FLAC files and even 320 MP3s.
As recommended, I first spent about 2 months solely with maximum upscaling in order to get used to the sound. After that, I started A/B testing back and forth from bypass (red) to maximum upscaling (white). The only thing- I simply cannot notice any difference. I listen mostly to hard rock & metal, which i have already read aren't the most suitable genres to benefit from all that the M Scaler can do.

My question is- has anyone here experienced a sudden "divine revelation" only after months of use and after already thinking that the M Scaler is not for him/her? Or is the difference that most of you are hearing (with headphones) something that i should have already noticed?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and maybe some tips n' tricks you believe may better my experience. Or maybe i just need a visit to the ear doctor?
Thanks!

 

[mammal]

My question is- has anyone here experienced a sudden "divine revelation" only after months of use and after already thinking that the M Scaler is not for him/her? Or is the difference that most of you are hearing (with headphones) something that i should have already noticed?

You will find folks from both groups. I for one, have had M Scaler for one week, listened to it exclusively and now that I have returned it, I do not miss it. I mainly listen to EDM, but I have tried other genres (that are supposed to demonstrate upsampling better) and I have only noticed very subtle differences. For me, EDM sounds a bit sharper/leaner without the M Scaler, where as with it it felt slower / more liquid. I am not sure if these words translate well into your experience, but I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe this product isn't for us and we can save 4k for something else. Does not in any way subtract from those who like their M Scaler and hear a difference. Well, unless the product did not sell enough and would be discontuniued. Which I don't think is the case, just this forum has 900+ pages already and plenty of people who love it. I hope my post puts your mind at ease, that you are not alone.

 

[OrenT]

You will find folks from both groups. I for one, have had M Scaler for one week, listened to it exclusively and now that I have returned it, I do not miss it. I mainly listen to EDM, but I have tried other genres (that are supposed to demonstrate upsampling better) and I have only noticed very subtle differences. For me, EDM sounds a bit sharper/leaner without the M Scaler, where as with it it felt slower / more liquid. I am not sure if these words translate well into your experience, but I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe this product isn't for us and we can save 4k for something else. Does not in any way subtract from those who like their M Scaler and hear a difference. Well, unless the product did not sell enough and would be discontuniued. Which I don't think is the case, just this forum has 900+ pages already and plenty of people who love it. I hope my post puts your mind at ease, that you are not alone.

Thank you for your input. I have only respect for Chord. Listening to music while working on the computer with their products (bypassed or not) is still a phenomenal experience. So much that I am getting a Qutest in the next few days to pair with my transport on my main system. I intend to move the M Scaler over there, as i have heard that many have gotten more oomph with speakers.
I can't wait to try it out!

 

[mammal]

Thank you for your input. I have only respect for Chord. Listening to music while working on the computer with their products (bypassed or not) is still a phenomenal experience. So much that I am getting a Qutest in the next few days to pair with my transport on my main system. I intend to move the M Scaler over there, as i have heard that many have gotten more oomph with speakers.
I can't wait to try it out!

Please report on your experience, if you found it work better with your 2 channel system. But yeah, utmost respect to Rob and Chord, loved my Mojo, Hugo 2 and now TT2, enjoying it daily. I wish Dave had better output power and was able to drive headphones, then I would buy it.

 

[Christer]

Hello all
After spending 3 months with my new setup (PC -> Shunyata Alpha USB cable -> M Scaler -> TT2 -> Focal Utopia) I'm a bit saddened to say that i'm not really "hearing" it. I've tried dozens of Redbook CDs from the PC's CD ROM, dozens of FLAC files and even 320 MP3s.
As recommended, I first spent about 2 months solely with maximum upscaling in order to get used to the sound. After that, I started A/B testing back and forth from bypass (red) to maximum upscaling (white). The only thing- I simply cannot notice any difference. I listen mostly to hard rock & metal, which i have already read aren't the most suitable genres to benefit from all that the M Scaler can do.

My question is- has anyone here experienced a sudden "divine revelation" only after months of use and after already thinking that the M Scaler is not for him/her? Or is the difference that most of you are hearing (with headphones) something that i should have already noticed?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and maybe some tips n' tricks you believe may better my experience. Or maybe i just need a visit to the ear doctor?
Thanks!

No offence intended , and probably no need to visit an ear doctor,but quite frankly the music you report you are mainly listening listen to is imho THE problem once again, NOT Mscaler!
You are not the first one here recently who reports this.
Neither Chord not Rob I guess, will like me saying this again but to hear the VERY clear benefits an Mscaler brings it helps A LOT if you listen to acoustic music.
Provided you play music which can really benefit from an Mscaler it does its job as intended.
And it is easily audible imho.
Cheers CC