[JamieMcC]

The Hugo is not only extremely poor value for what you get, it is also just not a very refined product for the demanding HD800.

 

   
I'm definitely in line with this opinion. 

 
Interesting comments, while my own search for a new dac continues personally I am not a fan of the Hugo's aesthetics or connectivity options however there is undeniably a lot of info online about it perhaps more comparisons with other dacs than any other. Because of this it had crossed my mind to purchase a used one to try temporarily and get some kind of bench mark to work off for a significant purchase. Used Hugos in the UK are relatively easy to come by with one of two turning up each week on UK forum's for around £800 used or at the moment £990 for a one month old store demo one with case and (full warranty) moving on and reselling would be painless.
 
The Other dac which looks interesting and is reasonably easy to find is the NAD M51 for around £650-£750 for a mint one £900 new (if you haggle). Again lots of reviews on comparisons with others. I am kicking myself as a Auralic Vega was available a few days ago and I was to hesitant about pulling the trigger at £1300 it sold within a few hours.

 

[kapanak]

   
 
Interesting comments, while my own search for a new dac continues personally I am not a fan of the Hugo's aesthetics or connectivity options however there is undeniably a lot of info online about it perhaps more comparisons with other dacs than any other. Because of this it had crossed my mind to purchase a used one to try temporarily and get some kind of bench mark to work off for a significant purchase. Used Hugos in the UK are relatively easy to come by with one of two turning up each week on UK forum's for around £800 used or at the moment £990 for a one month old store demo one with case and (full warranty) moving on and reselling would be painless.
 
The Other dac which looks interesting and is reasonably easy to find is the NAD M51 for around £650-£750 for a mint one £900 new (if you haggle). Again lots of reviews on comparisons with others. I am kicking myself as a Auralic Vega was available a few days ago and I was to hesitant about pulling the trigger at £1300 it sold within a few hours.

The low used price combined with the overly positive hype that offer no real substance out in the wild should set off your alarm sirens.
 
Save yourself the trouble

 

[yates7592]

Pelican 1300 as well . 

You could be right, let me check.

 

[JaZZ]

  Interesting comments, while my own search for a new dac continues personally I am not a fan of the Hugo's aesthetics or connectivity options however there is undeniably a lot of info online about it perhaps more comparisons with other dacs than any other. Because of this it had crossed my mind to purchase a used one to try temporarily and get some kind of bench mark to work off for a significant purchase. Used Hugos in the UK are relatively easy to come by with one of two turning up each week on UK forum's for around £800 used or at the moment £990 for a one month old store demo one with case and (full warranty) moving on and reselling would be painless.
 
The Other dac which looks interesting and is reasonably easy to find is the NAD M51 for around £650-£750 for a mint one £900 new (if you haggle). Again lots of reviews on comparisons with others. I am kicking myself as a Auralic Vega was available a few days ago and I was to hesitant about pulling the trigger at £1300 it sold within a few hours.

 
Apart from the really great DAC sound the Hugo comes with a world-class headphone amp* for free – unlike most of its competitors. You should take that into consideration.
 

  The low used price combined with the overly positive hype that offer no real substance out in the wild should set off your alarm sirens.

 
So a device that gets huge praise worldwide should be avoided according to your strategy? Who defines what the «substance» in audio is? Mr. Kapanak? According to my understanding and my ears the Hugo is maybe the best value in its category for people with a certain sonic ideal (high accuracy, unvarnished presentation), such as me. It's bad discussion culture to disqualify others' decisions and preferences as caused by an unmerited hype.
 
*The world-class headphone amp is in fact none – the Hugo's DAC output drives headphones directly. This is a unique feature which can't be rated highly enough in my book. According to my (long) audio experience every amp, every electronics component colors the sound, sacrifices transparency by introducing distortion and signal rounding. So if you're intrested in an unvarnished, maybe (instead) somewhat unspectacular sound with great precision, the Hugo might be for you, even and especially with the HD 800. Of course unlike other amps the Hugo won't create the right synergy if the HD 800 sounds too bright and lean to you from the start. But in this case there are better methods without the adverse effects, the first being modification, the second equalizing.

 

[JamieMcC]

   
Apart from the really great DAC sound the Hugo comes with a world-class headphone amp* for free – unlike most of its competitors. You should take that into consideration.

 
Yes that was not lost on me. It would also give me that bench mark to be able to relate to many other reviews at the moment I am just flapping around in the dark reading up on different options.
 
I have a nice selection of head amps already so its really my digital front end which now that requires some serious thought. 

 

[JaZZ]

 

  Apart from the really great DAC sound the Hugo comes with a world-class headphone amp* for free – unlike most of its competitors. You should take that into consideration.

 
Yes that was not lost on me. It would also give me that bench mark to be able to relate to many other reviews at the moment I am just flapping around in the dark reading up on different options.
 
I have a nice selection of head amps already so its really my digital front end which now that requires some serious thought. 

 
You could of course wait for DAVE.

Should be released by the end of the year.

 

[JamieMcC]

   
You could of course wait for DAVE.

Should be released by the end of the year.

The grief I would get from her indoors on such a purchase is unimaginable.

 

[FlySweep]

I had a chance to extensively use the Chord Hugo with the (Anax-modded and un-modded) HD800 (among other phones like the HD650, HE-560, etc.) recently.. I used it as purely as a DAC to feed a few well regarded dedicated amps, as well.  Used as a DAC/amp as well as a pure DAC, it was extremely underwhelming.  I saw the price tag and laughed.
 
I'd take a Geek Out 450 (DAC) + Leckerton UHA-6S MKII amp (w/ ADA4627-BRZ opamps) over that overpriced trash ANY day of the week.  The GO/Leck stack took the Hugo to the woodshed when it came to clarity, control, transparency, and resolution... I found the GoLeck stack a FAR more impressive when it came to value, as well (the GOLeck stack can be had for under $500).
 
Holy smokes.. $2500 for that thing?  FOH.
 
IMOYMMVOMGWTFBBQLOLWATYGG.

 

[Mach3]

  I had a chance to extensively use the Chord Hugo with the (Anax-modded and un-modded) HD800 (among other phones like the HD650, HE-560, etc.) recently.. I used it as purely as a DAC to feed a few well regarded dedicated amps, as well.  Used as a DAC/amp as well as a pure DAC, it was extremely underwhelming.  I saw the price tag and laughed.
 
I'd take a Geek Out 450 (DAC) + Leckerton UHA-6S MKII amp (w/ ADA4627-BRZ opamps) over that overpriced trash ANY day of the week.  The GO/Leck stack took the Hugo to the woodshed when it came to clarity, control, transparency, and resolution... I found the GoLeck stack a FAR more impressive when it came to value, as well (the GOLeck stack can be had for under $500).
 
Holy smokes.. $2500 for that thing?  FOH.
 
IMOYMMVOMGWTFBBQLOLWATYGG.

Bhahah You've just hurted a lot of Hugo owner with that assertion.

 

[minjam11]

 
I just had to share this picture with you guys. This is my first time hearing the HD800 through HDVA 600 a few months back in a music store in Rotterdam. I haven't had a chance to try them out until then and you can clearly see that I'm blown away. If I just had the chance to listen to them again... They are not available for try-outs in any store where I live (Serbia) and I'm not financially capable of buying them.

 

[whirlwind]

Glad you had the chance to listen to them  

 

[BirdManOfCT]

 
 
I just had to share this picture with you guys. This is my first time hearing the HD800 through HDVA 600 a few months back in a music store in Rotterdam. I haven't had a chance to try them out until then and you can clearly see that I'm blown away. If I just had the chance to listen to them again... They are not available for try-outs in any store where I live (Serbia) and I'm not financially capable of buying them.

Wow! I would love to visit a store like that!

 

[wink]

Quote:Flyswat

 IMOYMMVOMGWTFBBQLOLWATYGG.

Trans: In a pig's eye........  

 

[Mach3]

If money isn't an issue, one may choose from this list, maybe between no 11-15.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/12600#post_10774632

To be fair, considering he is an associate of eddie current. I would take his statement for best amp for hd800 period with a grain of salt.
no offence but bias much?

 

[kapanak]

To be fair, considering he is an associate of eddie current. I would take his statement for best amp for hd800 period with a grain of salt.
no offence but bias much?

This list was written years before he started working for Eddie Current. It is not biased.