Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread
Feb 9, 2019 at 3:43 PM Post #5,506 of 18,294
@Rob Watts thanks for Hugo M Scaler, which I've been enjoying for the last six weeks. My favourite way to describe it is that music is more beautiful.

I had HMS on home trial for New Year's week, thanks to Audio Sanctuary (Unilet) and when I phoned them up to place my order, it turned out that they had a black one in stock! So I swapped the demo HMS for my own that week and winter has been flying by since! I hate winter, so evenings full of music are a great escape.

I'm using optical from my PC into HMS, with two 2m long Amphenol BNC cables (1m is a bit too short for me):

https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDet...ZYvsU/be2VgDW4LZ82zpzqRkEn8IUD0up%2bK9ME/aA==

with these ferrites on both BNC cables (some of my ferrites seem to have escaped, so only 31 per cable):

https://www.amazon.co.uk//dp/B01N4U91RS

Right, back to the "second disc" of the Tavener. This is wonderful music and the acoustic and vast depth of the sound stage are remarkable. I'm sure you'll enjoy this Rob if you don't already have it!

Now playing: Choir of the Temple Church, Stephen Layton etc. - Tavener - The Veil of the Temple
 
Feb 9, 2019 at 4:18 PM Post #5,507 of 18,294
Yup, that's exactly the kind of thinking (and experimenting) I'm going through. I'm using a NUC (highly integrated SoC design, quad core), with AudioLinux and the entire file system running in RAM. It is configured to give real-time priority to the audio playback software and teh interrupts to the USB interface. Everything else is stripped away or disabled.

This by itself has a huge impact on SQ

The wild thing is that increasing the buffers to the ALSA driver (linux sound driver) with everything else staying exactly the same has a huge lift in SQ. Increasing the buffers to the end point software (so everything preloads from Roon Server, and ethernet is only active for ~1 second for each song) has a lift in SQ.

There is huge leverage in attacking the RF and EMI side of your digital chain, so hygiene pays big dividends. This other stuff is HIGHLY speculative right now, and may be a dead end, but exciting about how much we don't yet know, and how much SQ there is hidden in all those wonderful music recordings.

Have fun trialing different optimisations. I spent weeks listening to both Roon and Jriver software running on the same PC playing the same Flac files networked to an Ultrarendu - before purchasing Roon Lifetime.... I was also surprised how using process optimisers (Process Lasso) changed the sound quality delivered to my ears. It seems to me that there are so many variables (RFI, latency, file format etc.) that achieving the best (personal) sound can sometimes feel more like an art rather than science). I've now switched to Chromecast (LPS powered) optically connected to my mscaler (also RFI managed through isolation and filtering) and am very happy.

However, my wife wants me to turn the old PC off as it is noisy and power hungry so I guess I'll be looking for an alternative source at some point. I had hoped I could use My old laptop with Linux Roon installed, connected to the same endpoint setup... I got it working but was horrified with the sound quality it gave me. I don't know where I'm going with this Lol - I suppose I'm looking forward to any conclusions you get on NUC optimisation.

Ade
 
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Feb 9, 2019 at 4:29 PM Post #5,508 of 18,294
Jawed, congrats on your M Scaler ownership!

So how is the sound with the ferrites – compared to without? You know, the saying goes that clip-on ferrites don't improve the sound, they may even make it worse.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 4:59 AM Post #5,509 of 18,294
So how is the sound with the ferrites – compared to without? You know, the saying goes that clip-on ferrites don't improve the sound, they may even make it worse.
The only comparison I've done is optical direct to DAVE with HMS unplugged from the mains and BNC cables unplugged from DAVE versus optical or USB (1m with no ferrites added, except it has two built in) into HMS with passthrough mode. I couldn't find any difference, so that was the end of my comparisons :)

Now playing: Lisa Knapp, Kathryn Williams - Hushabye
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 5:08 AM Post #5,510 of 18,294
The only comparison I've done is optical direct to DAVE with HMS unplugged from the mains and BNC cables unplugged from DAVE versus optical or USB (1m with no ferrites added, except it has two built in) into HMS with passthrough mode. I couldn't find any difference, so that was the end of my comparisons :)

Now playing: Lisa Knapp, Kathryn Williams - Hushabye

That is interesting. I found a noticeable difference between solo Dave and Dave plus HMS in pass through mode. I preferred solo Dave.

Lisa Knapp, Kathryn Williams - Hushabye is excellent and I have had the album since it came out.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 7:34 AM Post #5,511 of 18,294
i just realised i've been listened to pass though for the last 24 hours...... had reboot mscaler, can't quite remember the details,but it was displaying red OP SR at me (maybe i accidentally pressed something on the remote), i thought it was different light then normal, but never though. only now do i realise.

BEWARE red middle light ! always expect to see that WHITE OP SR light.

Maybe this might save someone else a senior moment.

ps - i was listening late and night whilst working or i'm sure my golden ears would have sniffed this out sooner :)
 
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Feb 10, 2019 at 8:05 AM Post #5,512 of 18,294
.

I think either mojo 2 or a revamped Dave will be released this year since it’s chords 30th birthday bash. Some schiit is going to go down, maybe Tupac pays a personal private visit ?

I’d like a roon endpoint. A little box running roon bridge with wireless and ethernet connectivity and whichever of USB or optical output gives the best result. Don’t try and do everything like the Poly did, with all the consequent headaches, just roon bridge. Would work with all sorts of DACs so potentially a big market.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 8:25 AM Post #5,513 of 18,294
I’d like a roon endpoint. A little box running roon bridge with wireless and ethernet connectivity and whichever of USB or optical output gives the best result. Don’t try and do everything like the Poly did, with all the consequent headaches, just roon bridge. Would work with all sorts of DACs so potentially a big market.
Im using Chromecast audio at the minute, only £30 cost of entry. I feed the chromecast audio optical to mscaler.

had a really fantastic listening session two nights ago, and I'm trying to keep myself aware of whether i have more or less of these, to see if theres an association with the chromecast audio device.

its a cool device tho, you can also just plug it into any little speaker with aux in.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 8:30 AM Post #5,514 of 18,294
Im using Chromecast audio at the minute, only £30 cost of entry. I feed the chromecast audio optical to mscaler.

had a really fantastic listening session two nights ago, and I'm trying to keep myself aware of whether i have more or less of these, to see if theres an association with the chromecast audio device.

its a cool device tho, you can also just plug it into any little speaker with aux in.

Agreed about using the chromecast audio as a Roon endpoint with its optical out option. I have found its audio out using the inbuilt dac to be dire though.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 8:32 AM Post #5,515 of 18,294
Agreed about using the chromecast audio as a Roon endpoint with its optical out option. I have found its audio out using the inbuilt dac to be dire though.

its just for some background music in the living room, usually the wife patrols to ensure there is no enjoyable volume present.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 12:57 PM Post #5,516 of 18,294
I’d like a roon endpoint. A little box running roon bridge with wireless and ethernet connectivity and whichever of USB or optical output gives the best result. Don’t try and do everything like the Poly did, with all the consequent headaches, just roon bridge. Would work with all sorts of DACs so potentially a big market.

I’ve just ordered a chromecast audio, folk are saying it’s a great little thing and when I think about it, if i can plug it into my mscaler, then I can keep my pc off, and just stream from my ipad or phone to chromecast thats plugged into the scaler.

They are flying off the shelves since google has abandoned it, I will see how good it is tomorrow.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 2:45 PM Post #5,517 of 18,294
I’ve just ordered a chromecast audio, folk are saying it’s a great little thing and when I think about it, if i can plug it into my mscaler, then I can keep my pc off, and just stream from my ipad or phone to chromecast thats plugged into the scaler.

They are flying off the shelves since google has abandoned it, I will see how good it is tomorrow.
I have one on order as well, but I have had two delays to shipping, whilst the dealer waits for the new stock to arrive.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 3:17 PM Post #5,518 of 18,294
I have one on order as well, but I have had two delays to shipping, whilst the dealer waits for the new stock to arrive.

I was in the middle of ordering from google and once I put my details in and pushed next, a box popped up saying.

“We have removed chrome cast audio from your basket as it’s now out of stock” What, if it was in my basket andI was on the payment page, you’d think they would hold my basket for a limited time so that I could buy it.

I’ve got one on order from Currys, it’s arriving tomorrow so they say.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 3:22 PM Post #5,519 of 18,294
I was in the middle of ordering from google and once I put my details in and pushed next, a box popped up saying.

“We have removed chrome cast audio from your basket as it’s now out of stock” What, if it was in my basket andI was on the payment page, you’d think they would hold my basket for a limited time so that I could buy it.

I’ve got one on order from Currys, it’s arriving tomorrow so they say.
Good luck, I think they are in very short supply now.
 
Feb 10, 2019 at 3:44 PM Post #5,520 of 18,294
Good luck, I think they are in very short supply now.

Yeah, nearly everywhere that I looked at, they never had any stock left.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the one I’m meant to be getting tomorrow somehow becomes unavailable when it comes to buying/picking up.

I only want it so that I can use my phone or ipad to control it wirelessly and have a direct feed into my mscaler without my computer needing to be turned on. All I want is some quiet mscaler action at night time.
 

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