GuiltyRocker
1000+ Head-Fier
Makes sense, i used a voltage sniffer on the M Scaler and the metal casing does hold a charge.
Hugo M Scaler by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread
- Thread starter ChordElectronics
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Even though I stack my TT2 and M Scaler, I recently put more space (than stock) between them and swear I hear minor improvement in doing so. It's cheap enough to get some feet and give it a try!
GuiltyRocker
1000+ Head-Fier
I put rubber feet under the Quest while it sits on the M Scaler.
The Jester
1000+ Head-Fier
I use Vibrapods under my chord gear, 4 under the MScaler and 2 under the Qutest and to stabilise it a little homemade cable guide with a Vibrapod base, supposedly anything with a clock chip is sensitive to vibration and I had spare Vibrapods so I thought “why not” ..
Also the MScaler and Qutest are over a metre apart on different shelves in my audio unit with dual 1.5 metre BNC cables.
Also the MScaler and Qutest are over a metre apart on different shelves in my audio unit with dual 1.5 metre BNC cables.
AussieMick
500+ Head-Fier
The Jester
1000+ Head-Fier
My attitude is “it can’t hurt” and the Vibrapods are fairly cheap …
I'm using Vibrapods under my M-Scaler and Dave. I think they work great.
AussieMick
500+ Head-Fier
I’ve not owned an M Scaler for long, but I think long enough to start experimenting to see ex’s toy what it brings to the party. I know what it’s added to the TT2, but I really wanted another DAC on it to try and triangulate its impact.
I started off with Mojo2/Poly with two tracks I have on micro SD. These two tracks from Poly, then from an Innuos Zen MK3 via USB, then from the Innuos & M Scaler.
The Innuos is clearly more resolving and spacious than Poly. I think a price appropriate gap in performance. But the gap between those two is smaller than the gap between Innuos alone and adding the M Scaler. I’m quite shocked the gap is so big in terms of a “performance” instead of the usual rendering. Then I went to TT2/HMS…
You know…I’ll have to double check a bit…but I reckon the change adding the M Scaler to Mojo2 is a bigger difference than moving to TT2. TT2 is obviously heaps better, but using M Scaler on two different DACs sort of lets you see what it’s bringing to the party. It’s a brilliant device that seems to bring resolution, ease and realism to what it’s attached to. If you value those three things, as I do, I think the M Scaler makes MUSICAL sense on the Mojo2.
Two Hugo2 owning friends will be around at some point to check it out, too. If M Scaler brings the same musical benefits it really is a no brainer.
I used Focal Stellia for all of the listening so that the Mojo2 would have a fair fight against TT2 in what it was driving.
I tried HQ Player before I decided on the M Scaler. I really liked it, but it’s disadvantages (no support via the Innuos, cumbersome in comparison) meant M Scaler all the way.
I started off with Mojo2/Poly with two tracks I have on micro SD. These two tracks from Poly, then from an Innuos Zen MK3 via USB, then from the Innuos & M Scaler.
The Innuos is clearly more resolving and spacious than Poly. I think a price appropriate gap in performance. But the gap between those two is smaller than the gap between Innuos alone and adding the M Scaler. I’m quite shocked the gap is so big in terms of a “performance” instead of the usual rendering. Then I went to TT2/HMS…
You know…I’ll have to double check a bit…but I reckon the change adding the M Scaler to Mojo2 is a bigger difference than moving to TT2. TT2 is obviously heaps better, but using M Scaler on two different DACs sort of lets you see what it’s bringing to the party. It’s a brilliant device that seems to bring resolution, ease and realism to what it’s attached to. If you value those three things, as I do, I think the M Scaler makes MUSICAL sense on the Mojo2.
Two Hugo2 owning friends will be around at some point to check it out, too. If M Scaler brings the same musical benefits it really is a no brainer.
I used Focal Stellia for all of the listening so that the Mojo2 would have a fair fight against TT2 in what it was driving.
I tried HQ Player before I decided on the M Scaler. I really liked it, but it’s disadvantages (no support via the Innuos, cumbersome in comparison) meant M Scaler all the way.
The Jester
1000+ Head-Fier
Gradually built my personal “end game” system as limited funds allowed and early on went with a Thor brand power protection and filter board mainly for protection from summer storms, move on a couple of years and went with their PS10 power regulation unit that came with another identical power board, so plugged the original board into the “protection only” socket, as the whole Hifi + home theatre setup needed plenty of outlets, move on another couple of years and started with a Qutest DAC as I’d already slowly added a good headamp etc .. and then finally added the MScaler,, to start with just setup with supplied leads next to each other on a shelf, then came the simple addition of the Vibrapods, then upgraded the stock dual BNC cables and went with 1.5 metre long for more flexibility in positioning, ended up with them on different shelves as far away as the cables would allow, and at the same time the stock power supplies were plugged into the two different power filter boards,
I can’t really say what made the biggest improvement, if pushed maybe physically separating the units and their power supplies at the same time, but together they all make a significant improvement to the original setup.
I can’t really say what made the biggest improvement, if pushed maybe physically separating the units and their power supplies at the same time, but together they all make a significant improvement to the original setup.
I'm a new owner of an M Scaler and I'm wondering what adding a Phoenix USB to my chain would do? I would only listen through headphones.
Unfortunately, I cannot borrow the unit, it would be a blind purchase.
My chain: PC/Roon/Tidal-Niagara 1200-Zen Mk3-Tt2-M Scaler-Utopia/Empyrean.
Unfortunately, I cannot borrow the unit, it would be a blind purchase.
My chain: PC/Roon/Tidal-Niagara 1200-Zen Mk3-Tt2-M Scaler-Utopia/Empyrean.
piguetpolo
100+ Head-Fier
Find a retailer that will allow a weekend home demo listen, or provide a satisfaction guaranteed return policy without a ridiculous restocking percentage.
While the "sausage-making" is different, the PhoenixUSB is in the category of a Digital to Digital Convertor (DDC) device.
In your chain, it would go steps further in focusing the sound for more clarity, tightening the bass and dropping the noise floor due to its excellent power supply design. If you have a listen, you'll most likely want to keep it. That said, I've not heard it, but I do have several DDCs along my chain.
My personal hangup is that it is limited to USB input/output (which for me means, 2 hot expensive USB cables required) and it's $$$. Simplicity can be a great thing since the PhoenixUSB is a one box solution, but if you're wanting to scale the timing concept down the road to other devices it loses a bit of its luster.
This is where the 10mhz master clocking concept will enter the equation. Before someone says it won't matter because the Chord DACs don't accept 10mhz master clock signals and it only matters at the end, you might do well to ask if they speak from experience.
From my experience, the timing improvements upstream makes a very nice qualitative difference to accuracy and clarity of music.
Thank you for the quick reply. What you write makes sense.
ecwl
500+ Head-Fier
For the price of Phoenix USB, you definitely need a demo.
Ultimately, you're asking how much noise is Zen Mk 3 injecting into M-Scaler and TT2 that would affect what you hear. That's always hard to know. Probably not a lot, maybe none but we really don't know.
I would say, unless you really need higher sample rates than 24/96kHz (or 24/192kHz), and you can't get a Phoenix USB demo, you're better of testing the Toslink input using one of these USB to Toslink gadgets:
https://www.amazon.de/-/cs/dp/B08GY...9&sprefix=usb+to+toslink+adapt,aps,198&sr=8-5
https://www.amazon.de/-/cs/dp/B07V3...9&sprefix=usb+to+toslink+adapt,aps,198&sr=8-6
The latter uses USB-C so you'll have to get a USB-A to USB-C capable/adaptor. But they're much cheaper if you're buying to test, compared to Phoenix USB. M-Scaler and TT2 are pretty jitter resistant and the Toslink interface means you're removing electrical noise between the Zen Mk 3 and the M-Scaler/TT2.
ecwl: You're right, that's a lot of money for a blind buy. I will try to ask my dealer for a demo. Thanks for the Amazon tip.
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