Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

I know mscaler does 768pcm but what is the max dsd ?

You mean maximum incoming dsd rate ?
If so I believe it's dsd 256.
But as you know dsd inside chord dacs in converted to pcm.

 

[eee1111]

You mean maximum incoming dsd rate ?
If so I believe it's dsd 256.
But as you know dsd inside chord dacs in converted to pcm.

Ok thanks for the info

I might have another chance to try mscaler plus Dave soon.

 

[Olmanwood123]

Hmm, going by specs and dac chip used I would be very surprised if it beats your TT2/Mscaler judging from the fact that it seems to be based around an older ESS dac chipand possibly the same one or very similar one to the one I have in my old Benchmark DAC2HGC ie a ESSS 9018.
Not bad as chip based dacs go and in my speaker based system I preferred it to Hugo 1 which suffered from lots of RF there .But Qutest beats it on its own and although my HGC2 also sounds better with a the Mscaler at 192 khz it is to my ears still really not in the same territory as Qutest /Mscaler at 32/768.
"whathifi" is not a review source I would trust much anyway.
But until auditioned I should maybe " hold my horses" as far as DAC502 is concerned, their Minerva was one of the better dacs in its day, so who knows?
Cheers CC

One may not be better than the other. But I found it gave me more of what I like, which is resolution , a touch of warmth, special separation, and a bit more presence. Not sure that the age of the chip reflects the quality of the dac in all cases, in that implementation plays a big part.

I am not one to focus on specs as much as listening experience. Which will obviously be influenced greatly by my audio chain.

Give it a try. You might be surprised. I know I was.

 

[Christer]

I don’t know whether it is or not, what I do know is my system sounds better than it ever has. But I intend buying another glass shelf to separate M scaler from the Innuos as soon as it comes back in stock. Another thing I’ve just changed is powering the TT2 with a Poweroak power bank, and the difference to the stock power supply is simply revelatory! Definitely another power bank to be ordered for the m scaler asap!

With all the powercuts we have had here in Sweden this winter running both Mscaler and Qutest via powerbank is something that I am also loking into. At least for headphone listening.Running my Musical Fidelity KW550 with 900 watts per channel into 4 ohm elctrostatic speakers seems more difficult to do.
Which Poweroak powerbank model are you using?
And how would you describe the diffference it/they make over the stock pugged in supply other than revelatory?
Cheers CC

 

[mentalmal1]

With all the powercuts we have had here in Sweden this winter running both Mscaler and Qutest via powerbank is something that I am also loking into. At least for headphone listening.Running my Musical Fidelity KW550 with 900 watts per channel into 4 ohm elctrostatic speakers seems more difficult to do.
Which Poweroak powerbank model are you using?
And how would you describe the diffference it/they make over the stock pugged in supply other than revelatory?
Cheers CC

This unit

https://poweroak.eu/en/powerbanks/1...-50000mah-laptop-powerbank-8719324080002.html

I’m not one for technical explanations regarding what I hear, but it seems to me I can hear instruments more clearly than before, being able to follow each one more easily. Also hearing stuff on well known (to me) tracks buried deep into the mix I’d never heard before. Soundstage seems wider and bass is deeper. As I say, revelatory. And if my 66 year old ears can hear it, anyones’ can!
I thoroughly recommend getting them to replace the stock power supplies, especially if you’re susceptible to power cuts in your area.

 

[Christer]

@Christer, you never know how any piece of gear like a DAC will sound in a system until you try it. But that being said, I’ve got a friend in Italy who really likes his Weiss DAC. He says it has a nice warmth and fullness to its sound. How it would compare to mine I’m not sure. I purpose built my system around the TT2 specifically, so it’s probably unfair for me to speculate because my setup sounds exactly the way I want it to. I’m always interested though in how other folks build their systems and what kind of sound signatures that they are looking for.

True in a sense, but unlike many audiophiles I am NOT looking for any specific sound signature except the highest possible transparency and lowest distortion compared to the source within the budget I am willing to allow to get there.
So far possibly the closest to that I have heard is Dave/Mscaler via headphones.
But I am not willing to pay that VERY high price, therefore I compromised a bit and bought Qutest/Mscaler,which got me close enough without breaking the bank. TT2 /Mscaler is closer to Dave via headphones than Qutest but to my ears Qutest /Mscaler easily beat TT2 on its own, with acoustic instruments.
And in my case the source is almost always unamplified and mostly symphonic music. But I also listen to a LOT of World Music and unamplified Indian/Asian classical music where like with many of my western classical references I want to get as close as my systems allow to the real live sound recorded.

It would be interesting to know if "Olmanwood 123" sold his TT2 before getting an Mscaler ?
Or if his comparisons between his Weiss DAC 502 and TTT2 are based on both using an Mscaler?
If he is basing them on TT2 on its own I can understand where he stands. But to me the Mscaler is THE defining advantage Chord has over a lot of the competition.Like all three Mscaler capable Chord dacs TT2 definitely needs an Mscaler to sound its best imho.Without one it too can sound a bit "digital and laboured" to me.
Although I will probably be as hesitant to buy one as I have been with Dave so far, I still want to hear what Rob has "got up his sleeve" with the new "much more advanced Mscaler X" to be released hopefully later this year.
Cheers CC

 

[Olmanwood123]

True in a sense, but unlike many audiophiles I am NOT looking for any specific sound signature except the highest possible transparency and lowest distortion compared to the source within the budget I am willing to allow to get there.
So far possibly the closest to that I have heard is Dave/Mscaler via headphones.
But I am not willing to pay that VERY high price, therefore I compromised a bit and bought Qutest/Mscaler,which got me close enough without breaking the bank. TT2 /Mscaler is closer to Dave via headphones than Qutest but to my ears Qutest /Mscaler easily beat TT2 on its own, with acoustic instruments.
And in my case the source is almost always unamplified and mostly symphonic music. But I also listen to a LOT of World Music and unamplified Indian/Asian classical music where like with many of my western classical references I want to get as close as my systems allow to the real live sound recorded.

It would be interesting to know if "olmanwood 123" sold his TT2 before getting an Mscaler ?
Or if his comparisons between his Weiss DAC 502 and TTT2 are based on both using an Mscaler?
If he is basing them on TT2 on its own I can understand where he stands. But to me the Mscaler is THE defining advantage Chord has over a lot of the competition.Like all three Mscaler capable Chord dacs TT2 definitely needs an Mscaler to sound its best imho.Without one it too can sound a bit "digital and laboured" to me.
Although I will probably be as hesitant to buy one as I have been with Dave so far, I still want to hear what Rob has "got up his sleeve" with the new "much more advanced Mscaler X" to be released hopefully later this year.
Cheers CC

I was using a TT2 with Mscaler, and had been for a little over 2 years. To my ears the Weiss DAC was atleast on the same level as that combination. I haven’t heard the Dave, but what I imagine, the Weiss is closer to it. Add the Mscaler to the Weiss DAC and we move well past the TT2/Mscaler combo . Such a natural, resolving and life-like presentation. Forgive me if I am starting to sound like a Weiss DACx fanboy. But like I said I was totally caught off guard and without expectation prior.

 

[Christer]

I was using a TT2 with Mscaler, and had been for a little over 2 years. To my ears the Weiss DAC was atleast on the same level as that combination. I haven’t heard the Dave, but what I imagine, the Weiss is closer to it. Add the Mscaler to the Weiss DAC and we move well past the TT2/Mscaler combo . Such a natural, resolving and life-like presentation. Forgive me if I am starting to sound like a Weiss DACx fanboy. But like I said I was totally caught off guard and without expectation prior.

That certainly sounds interesting .The first time I was caught completely off guard with digital SQ was hearing rbcd via Dave /BLU2. I had never before head cds sound that good.
That experience was what got me really interested in what Rob Watts 1M taps upscaling could deliver in realism with acoustic music .
I was not overwhelmed by HUGO 1 which I had owned for a couple of years and used mainly as a travel dac. It had disappointed me via my electrostatic speakers and I was beginning to look elsewhere for the transparency and effortlessness I want to hear.
I will try to audition the Weiss DAC 2 with my Mscaler.
I liked their Minerva in the early days of hi res digital via Firewire from my mbp.
But like with Dave now I was not willing to the price asked and in those early days I was also into DSD which Weiss did not play so I went for Benchmarks DAC 2 HGC.
What I find a bit puzzling is that this new Weiss seems to using a very similar old 9018 dac chip as my Benchmark does.
I was under the impression or illusion? that -Benchmark had squeezed all that could be squeezed out of it already especially since they are now using a newer better? ESS chip in their latest DAC3 model.
Cheers CC

 

[Musikfan]

Hi, I'm using a Chord Dave and Mscaler with an OpticalRendu. The RoonReady Settings for DSD Support on the OpticalRendu device configuration page states "If your DAC supports DSD select DoP. Otherwise select none and Roon Server will transcode DSD to PCM". Can someone tell me what settings they set for the OpticalRendu paired with the Dave/Mscaler? Thanks in advance.

 

[Jawed]

DoP should work. M Scaler has an ultra high quality convertor for DSD to PCM which should be better than what Roon can do.

 

[Musikfan]

DoP should work. M Scaler has an ultra high quality convertor for DSD to PCM which should be better than what Roon can do.

Thanks for confirming! Much appreciated. These things can get so complicated...

 

[Reactcore]

Via spdif (bnc to rca). I did use toslink but you are then limited to 192 output.

Thats running HMS at 1/4 of its filter..
I tried that too with my QS CMA400i
Although it improved its sound.. it wasnt near the step up on my Qutest

 

[Cortazar]

I have received my m scaler today. I hear it with Dave, at the moment direct via jack output with my AT maestros. I am waiting for riviera aic to hear it with my abyss 1266.
Maybe I was expecting to much after reading all the reviews of m scaler, maybe my Dave needs more time to burn in ( it has about 50 hours) or maybe this are the cables that I use (orig. BNC cables from chord that were attached to m scaler) or the HP? but I am very dissapionted with what I am hearing. What I hear is sound degradation. The sound lacks energy and microdynamics that I loved via chord without m scaler. It seems to be less engaging. I use it in DBnc Mode. The source is Auralic Aries via USB cable from TotalDac.
I would be greatfull for any suggestions.
Pawel

 

[zen87192]

I have received my m scaler today. I hear it with Dave, at the moment direct via jack output with my AT maestros. I am waiting for riviera aic to hear it with my abyss 1266.
Maybe I was expecting to much after reading all the reviews of m scaler, maybe my Dave needs more time to burn in ( it has about 50 hours) or maybe this are the cables that I use (orig. BNC cables from chord that were attached to m scaler) or the HP? but I am very dissapionted with what I am hearing. What I hear is sound degradation. The sound lacks energy and microdynamics that I loved via chord without m scaler. It seems to be less engaging. I use it in DBnc Mode. The source is Auralic Aries via USB cable from TotalDac.
I would be greatfull for any suggestions.
Pawel

I found the same issue and queried this via my Dealer who then passed the question on to Chord. There was no real resolve to my question/ issue in the end. I suppose it boils down to quality of music it's fed and from what grade of equipment. In addition, those standard BNC Cables are only supplied to 'get you going'. You must invest in some High Grade BNC Cables. I do not believe that DAVE or MScaler need 'burn in'. They are fully operational from the start. But.... there will be a few who may disagree on this aspect. Try to place the Mscaler away from the DAVE as much as possible and see if this alters anything initially.

 

[Reactcore]

I have received my m scaler today. I hear it with Dave, at the moment direct via jack output with my AT maestros. I am waiting for riviera aic to hear it with my abyss 1266.
Maybe I was expecting to much after reading all the reviews of m scaler, maybe my Dave needs more time to burn in ( it has about 50 hours) or maybe this are the cables that I use (orig. BNC cables from chord that were attached to m scaler) or the HP? but I am very dissapionted with what I am hearing. What I hear is sound degradation. The sound lacks energy and microdynamics that I loved via chord without m scaler. It seems to be less engaging. I use it in DBnc Mode. The source is Auralic Aries via USB cable from TotalDac.
I would be greatfull for any suggestions.
Pawel

Maybe a silly question.. but did you check if the bnc's snap locked good.. i (and many others) had a bad connector.. so i exchanged them directly. Anyway Dave should state 705.6/786khz on white SR. If not one coax cable has no contact or they might be swapped.

Further try to have nothing else connected to HMS and Dave other than 1 source.
Optical from source to HMS is RF free for sure.
Is Dave on PCM+ not DSD+ ?
Use no upsampling in your source player and play native bit perfect output. No EQ or other effects.

Try listen to live and mic recorded tracks if you have any.. its real room acoustics that shine most with HMS imo