[x RELIC x]

Are you saying that 4.5 section only applies to non chord dacs and older chord dacs not current dual bnc in //dual coax in dacs ie quetest, hugo2, tt2, dave?????

did i go straight to section 4.5 without reading the whole manual and automatically but wrongly assume that that table applied to current chord dacs???

I worded that funny. For the outputs that are not dual BNC the chart will show how the HMS will upscale the different sampling rates for different outputs. What I see as confusing is the way the dual BNC/USB input is listed. It would imply that the other inputs can’t utilize the full 705.6/768 Mscaler upsampling. That’s what seems confusing, but I don’t think it would matter what input is used - just as long as dual BNC output is sent to currently compatible Chord DACs with dual input (Hugo2, Qutest, Hugo TT2, DAVE). Again, I’d wait for confirmation as I don’t have an HMS to say for sure.

 

[musickid]

I'm more convinced now that table 4.5 is only concerned with non-chord dacs as directly preceding that table is section 4.4 to do with non chord dacs? can you confirm that relic? in that case optical out and spdif out on the mscaler are only for non chord non dual bnc in dacs or older chord dacs as stated before. then again??

According to the mscaler table only usb or dual bnc inputs can result in the full 705/768kHz sample rate needed for current chord dacs to utilise 1M taps. Optical input just does not upsample to more than 192kHz so optical sources are no good for 1M tap utilisation. Therefore you need a usb source for 1M taps. Unless the table is misprinted or i've misintrepted it. I'll stay quiet till others get a chance to look at it. thanks.

 

[OK-Guy]

Please go ahead! Once in the life times?

'once' only applies until the next upgrade.

 

[x RELIC x]

I'm more convinced now that table 4.5 is only concerned with non-chord dacs as directly preceding that table is section 4.4 to do with non chord dacs? can you confirm that relic? in that case optical out and spdif out on the mscaler are only for non chord non dual bnc in dacs or older chord dacs as stated before. then again??

I can only confirm what I’ve read in the manual, but that’s how I read it. Section 4.2 deals with inputs which mentions no limit for upscaling from the optical input on the M scaler. Again, 4.5 refers to outputs (including dual BNC for 1million TAPs) and, to me, reads as optical output is capped at upsampling to 176.4 / 192, which makes perfect sense for an optical output.

According to the mscaler table only usb or dual bnc inputs can result in the full 705/768kHz sample rate needed for current chord dacs to utilise 1M taps. Optical input just does not upsample to more than 192kHz so optical sources are no good for 1M tap utilisation. Therefore you need a usb source for 1M taps. Unless the table is misprinted or i've misintrepted it. I'll stay quiet till others get a chance to look at it. thanks.

Again, the only table I see is for the outputs in section 4.5, but I find it weird that they list Dual BNC (output) / USB INPUT in the output table. Unless the table refers to the USB input on the external DAC as being able to handle 705.6 / 768.

 

[musickid]

That would make sense. Just the question of the printed "usb input" and it's relevance. The only way to check all is in order is to check the SR indicator on your dac.

 

[TheAttorney]

The Hugo MScaler has always been described as not needing ferrites and listening to it compared to the Blu Mk2 it is clear that the internal ferrites and isolation are doing their job.

So, is there any further benefit in adding your WAVE cables before (USB) or after (BNC) this m-scaler?

 

[AndrewOld]

I noticed a few interesting admonitions from the manual about RF:

1. Consider placing the Hugo M Scaler away from wireless routers.

2. Separate the Hugo M Scaler from amplifiers using toroidal transformers.

3. Operate mobile phones at a distance to avoid interference.

Although the Hugo M Scaler is largely shielded, it can generate radio frequency interference that may have an effect on radio and television reception. If this occurs, please reconsider your placement.

Rob has said that the M Scaler is a prodigious source of RF, it seems it might also be susceptible to it.

 

[Rob Watts]

Don't read too much into that, it's just general advice, just in case. Hugo TT2 has the same advice...

 

[Triode User]

My HUGO MSCALER has arrived - 5.

And now the difficult bit for me because I do not want it to seem like a big deal. I have got used to the sound of my Blu Mk2 MScaler with my cables and for me that is my reference sound. I know the sound inside out. As a long term user of the Blu Mk2 and with that as a comparison I can categorically confirm that the new MScaler works perfectly straight out of the box and with the supplied BNC cables. It is perfectly happy being used like that and the sound is excellent. Full stop. No quibbles. No ferrites.

But I had already said that I was going to try my cables on the HMS and part of the delay in posting is that I wanted to have time to reflect on that experiment and I wanted to be sure. My surprise was to find that the Blu2 with WAVE cables sounds slightly darker and with less glare than HMS with stock cables. When the WAVE cables are added to Hugo MScaler it then sounds the same as Blu2 + WAVE, ie just as dark. In other words it is possible to further improve HMS.

This is in the subtle range of things but it is obvious if one is used to the dark sound of a sorted Blu2. I know that it was mentioned in a post earlier this year (after the RW, Romaz, Jay meet) that extra ferrites made the MScaler sound worse and I cannot explain that unless it was due to the use of split core ferrites (my cables use solid core ferrites). My experiment was done using the cables I had to hand which have 20 ferrites on each and which are the WAVE cables used for Blu2. The 20 extra ferrites definitely do not make HMS sound worse and that is actually as one would expect ie more ferrites cannot make the sound worse. The next task is to see just how few are needed. It might be 2 or 5 or who knows but I will find out.

I did not want to post this in the main body of my assessment because for me it is a small but interesting side issue and is not really relevant to the headline performance of HMS. I emphasise again that the core RF noise issue has been dealt with in HMS by the internal ferrites and isolation and what I am describing is a subtle but clear improvement.

 

[Triode User]

So, is there any further benefit in adding your WAVE cables before (USB) or after (BNC) this m-scaler?

See my update post number 5 just posted. That was with WAVE cables only used for the dual BNC outputs. For my experiment I was using a Supra 2.0 USB cable from a Zenith SE to the Blu2 and HMS (stock as supplied by Supra, no ferrites) ie just a quality well made cable which is also cheap.

 

[Triode User]

With the HMS psu does it say how many amps @ 15volts it is providing?

This is the supplied power supply. Does that help?

 

[flyte3333]

Hi @Rob Watts

I see the Chord branded SMPS there with the M Scaler.

Have they made the DC plug -ve continuous with the AC inlet earth, for Chord?

i.e. the SMPS is internally grounded?

 

[AndrewOld]

Don't read too much into that, it's just general advice, just in case. Hugo TT2 has the same advice...

OK, thanks, hi-fi paranoia has no bounds! My M Scaler should be here on Thursday, can’t wait. I am so so pleased that it has ended up in a sensible box at a sensible price and sooner than predicted. Thank you very much.

 

[Triode User]

Hi @Rob Watts
I see the Chord branded SMPS there with the M Scaler.
Have they made the DC plug -ve continuous with the AC inlet earth, for Chord?
i.e. the SMPS is internally grounded?

The AC input to the SMPS does not have an earth connection or earth wire in the AC cable. The AC input to the SMPS is the usual positive/negative twin 'figure of 8' connector ie reversible polarity.

 

[flyte3333]

The AC input to the SMPS does not have an earth connection or earth wire in the AC cable. The AC input to the SMPS is the usual positive/negative twin 'figure of 8' connector ie reversible polarity.

Ah ok, thanks. Just 2-pins on the AC side.

All good.