SearchOfSub
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2013
- Posts
- 1,571
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- 218
I think you are taking it too personally and not making any sense.
First of all, you say that comparing the Hugo to big desktop systems is "inappropriate". But then in the next few sentences, you say that the Hugo is being appreciated by people outside of headphonedom with "fullsize hi-fi systems costing substantially more than the most glamorous desktop headphone-centric gear".
Make up your mind. No one I personally know in their right mind would ever use a Hugo in their an two channel setup. In "big boy" audio, I prefer significantly less expensive desktop DACs such as the Schiit Uberfrost Gen USB2, Lavry DA11, etc. over the Hugo.
I'm mostly a SET tube amp two-channel speaker guy. Headphones are an enjoyable secondary pleasure or me. I currently use Altec horn, Fostex BLH, and OB speaker designs that I've built. I'm hardly being myopic here.
In terms of apples to apples - we are talking about comparison of performance regardless of any other factors. Some people have pm'd me asking how I felt about using the Hugo as a desktop DAC. Even you implied that people are considering its use beyond headphones. This is why the Hugo is being compared against desktop DACs. Regardless, I much prefer the AK120 over the Hugo for portable use if you want an apples to apple comparison. I also prefer the Cypher Labs Algo Rhythm stuff for portable use. For small footprint desktop, I far prefer the Wyrd/Modi boxes at $198 to the Hugo - so I'm not comparing to big ticket items either.
In terms of people being mislead because the Hugo is being compared to desktop DACs, I doubt people really are that stupid, especially when the I've already spelled out the advantages of the Hugo as a small portable DAC - it's not like I was hiding it. I know someone with a $30K+ DAC who uses the Hugo for travel. I understand his sonic preferences and where he is coming from. People on HF know exactly what the Hugo is. Bottom line is that I was asked how the Hugo stacked up. I never volunteered my impressions from the get-go.
I really don't give a crap that "many hundreds of people around the world are thoroughly appreciating the extraordinary performance the Hugo has brought to the market, in such a compact and portable form." Do you personally know these hundreds of people? What authority are you appealing to to cite such a point? Many thousands of people around the world are also enjoying the Mytek DAC which I think is horrible. All I can say is that 9 out of 10 people I personally know do not think the Hugo is competitive against desktop DACs priced less than a third of its price; and 5 of 10 people think the Hugo is decent, albeit expensive as a portable DAC.
Fisher Price toys are not made out of magnesium. But did Chord have to mold the magnesium to look like a Fisher Price toy? I mean really, did the industrial designer they employed work for Sesame Street?
Finally, everything is relative. What other DACs have you heard which you think are better than the Hugo and worse?
And why would anyone in their right mind wouldn't use Hugo as a dac in 2 channel.. please explain?