[Vyyy]

In Case you dont follow John Franks )
https://audiofi.net/2021/03/the-right-chord-at-the-right-time/
Rob Watts probably might have already silently done some wonderful things to all of us

John Franks:
"
The Hugo and Mojo were, without doubt, game-changers in their respective fields. Do you have something lined up soon that’s set to make a similar impact in the world of audio?

Yes we do but I can’t tell you about it/them. However, just before we announce them, we will make sure you have all the information you will require.

What products do you have lined up for release this year?

I’m sure you don’t really expect me to pre-announce what we have coming through. What I will say is we have been very busy, we expect to launch new mobile and new desktop items, and have been working hard on software updates for 2Go and Poly, and hardware issues that delayed the 2Yu coming to the market.

And we expect to launch possibly four new products in the coming months.:

 

[Ragnar-BY]

And we expect to launch possibly four new products in the coming months.

@Rob Watts

Rob, I know you will not tell what is this. But maybe you can tell if any of this four “coming soon” products were designed by you?

 

[JohnA1]

@Rob Watts
Hi Rob,

I want to play a 176/24 flac via my windows laptop connected to M-Scaler via USB.
For bit-perfect output, what setting should I use on the chord driver? 176/24 is not an option in the drop-down list

 

[thePhones]

Like I said, I found that the actual cable makes a big difference to how the ferrites work so it is difficult for me to advise in absolute terms. For instance two of my cable types have identical ferrites (and numbers of them) but sound very different.

What I would suggest is putting on more ferrites until you cease hearing any benefit, then that is the optimum number. With your ferrites and cables it might be 15 or it might be 25 or whatever. Have a go. There is nothing to lose.

Thanks for giving me the last push .
I still had 10 ferrites which I ordered with them just in case. They are bigger in diameter, so they do not fit the cable that snuggly but anyway...
Now there are 20 ferrites in total, 15 smaller and 5 bigger ones on the 2m cable. I‘m now at 98% battery performance where I can no longer tell with certainty the difference anymore.

 

[thePhones]

I’m finding that when I use the remote for the TT2 (volume control), occasionally it changes the bitrate of the HMS to red (from white). Any idea what could cause that?

Had the same happening with the Hugo 2 remote. I think it‘s that only some of the infrared code also goes to the receiver of the mscaler and half of the „volume up“ code probably means „change sample rate“ for the mscaler.

 

[hmartin]

@Rob Watts
Hi Rob,

I want to play a 176/24 flac via my windows laptop connected to M-Scaler via USB.
For bit-perfect output, what setting should I use on the chord driver? 176/24 is not an option in the drop-down list

If you want bit-perfect you need to avoid windows mixer which those settings are about. Use exclusive mode eg asio or wasapi and a player that support it

 

[ra990]

@Rob Watts
Hi Rob,

I want to play a 176/24 flac via my windows laptop connected to M-Scaler via USB.
For bit-perfect output, what setting should I use on the chord driver? 176/24 is not an option in the drop-down list

You don't need to mess with any of those settings. As @hmartin pointed out, those are for the windows mixer. Keep that at 16bit/48k.

You should use a music player that supports ASIO or WASAPI, which would bypass those settings and send bitperfect audio to the MScaler. That way the MScaler will change sample rate depending on what you're sending it and switch automatically depending on the source. Look at music players like MusicBee or Foobar, both free and will support this kind of playback.

 

[JohnA1]

You don't need to mess with any of those settings. As @hmartin pointed out, those are for the windows mixer. Keep that at 16bit/48k.

You should use a music player that supports ASIO or WASAPI, which would bypass those settings and send bitperfect audio to the MScaler. That way the MScaler will change sample rate depending on what you're sending it and switch automatically depending on the source. Look at music players like MusicBee or Foobar, both free and will support this kind of playback.

I'm using VLC player and the ASIO driver from the Chord website.
Could it not be bit-perfect?

 

[ra990]

I'm using VLC player and the ASIO driver from the Chord website.
Could it not be bit-perfect?

I don't know if you can get VLC to play bitperfect - I only use VLC as a backup when no other player works and not for music. I would highly recommend you use a player made for playing back hi-res instead of VLC. This post seems to suggest VLC doesn't support ASIO playback yet...

Try MusicBee, it's fantastic.

 

[feddar]

Had the same happening with the Hugo 2 remote. I think it‘s that only some of the infrared code also goes to the receiver of the mscaler and half of the „volume up“ code probably means „change sample rate“ for the mscaler.

Makes sense. Any idea how to fix the issue? Seems like something that needs a fix from Chord.

 

[Kentajalli]

Makes sense. Any idea how to fix the issue? Seems like something that needs a fix from Chord.

Use jRiver.

 

[technobear]

I don't know if you can get VLC to play bitperfect - I only use VLC as a backup when no other player works and not for music. I would highly recommend you use a player made for playing back hi-res instead of VLC. This post seems to suggest VLC doesn't support ASIO playback yet...

Try MusicBee, it's fantastic.

I just tried this with the RME. Although VLC let's you pick the output device independently of the Windows default, it will still play at the sample rate selected in the Windows control panel so is not bit perfect.

I use foobar2000 for bit perfect output. Plus foobar2000 gives you hours of fun customising the interface.

 

[JohnA1]

Thanks everyone

I just tried this with the RME. Although VLC let's you pick the output device independently of the Windows default, it will still play at the sample rate selected in the Windows control panel so is not bit perfect.

I use foobar2000 for bit perfect output. Plus foobar2000 gives you hours of fun customising the interface.

Thanks, I've been using foobar for DSD files, mainly turning ISOs into FLACs

Never thought it would have an edge over VLC for PCM playback, we learn something new every day eh

Downloaded musicbee, couldn't even find how to navigate to a particular folder with the files, so that's not for me

 

[Rob Watts]

Maybe the way I wrote was a bit confusing. I am listening with Mscaler->Dave. The BNC cables have ferrites (which should go up to 2Ghz).
My source is a phone (with NO ground connection). All listening tests are made with headphones (Utopia)
But it still sounds darker with the battery, even when the charger is connected. Meaning the bass sounds deeper and softer, the highs softer/quieter, timbre changes are more easy to follow, and most importantly my feet go up and down much more.
Maybe it‘s because the batterie just runs at 12V and the standard psu runs at 15V??
The Dave is also connected to the mono blocks. Can it get a groundloop there, even when Dave is in headphone mode?

I don‘t have the TT2 so I can not test that configuration.

Interesting observation about the battery - I will look into it.

So you will get ground loops with Dave and the mono blocks, but the problem one of source>M scaler >Dave won't be an issue if the charger on M scaler is disconnected from the mains.

I’m finding that when I use the remote for the TT2 (volume control), occasionally it changes the bitrate of the HMS to red (from white). Any idea what could cause that?

Sounds like the transmitter is a bit noisy and its getting decoding incorrectly. It's happened to me once. You could try changing the battery on the remote.

@Rob Watts any benefits to using these WAVE cables if I'm already powering both MScaler and TT2 off isolated batteries?

Also, can you please put together that power vs impedance chart for the TT2 that you mentioned? I think people would ask if they need to add an amp a lot less once they see those figures.

OK I have put something together. These are calculated numbers, not measured, and represent max OP at 1% THD:

Thanks again for your response to questions asked.
I´ll begin OT and:

First of all,I really hope you are feeling a lot better now.

Luckily for me no migraines, but having trekked at very high elevations for long periods in the Himalayas I do know what high elevation headache feels like.

I personally limit my intake to one each of both coffe and tea daily, and I take both with herbs and spices: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, turmeric,black pepper and honey.
Eco Green Tea and Eco Coffe.
Cutting down to five Teas daily seems still WAY too much imho!
Have you seen the pics of what a spider-web looks like after having fed the spider caffeine?

Regarding Covid vaccines, among many other sources ,Straights Times Singapore had an interesting ,Singapore National University, comparison between the main 5 contenders in yesterday´s online edition, and AZ did not exactly come out on top.

But so far, we have no choice here in Sweden,you get what´s available when its your time to get the shots.
Its not proceeding according to plans here.
But I think I would prefer Pfizer which seems to have the highest score against both last year´s Covid and current strands according to most statistics published.

Unfortunately I am not 15 any longer but according to today´s news for those or are 15 or younger Pfizer scores 100% efficiency.

I want both to stay as safe as possible and be able to travel again next winter, OMG not another winter in Sweden,so I´ll definitely be there when the call comes for my age group.

Now briefly back on topic:
I am not sure I understand what you mean by "dac" in your answer regarding the to me sometimes very obvious SQ differences when using a normal cd player as transport with my Mscaler/Qutest.
Isn´t the dac in the cdplayer by-passed with optical?
And isn´t optical immune to RFI?
Would it be a good idea to buy a dacless cd transport?
And with the "shot in the arm" question I meant the "powershot injection" Nick and others have given their Daves. I was curious to know your take on the subject of that PSU.
Cheers ,all the best but do cut down on your caffeine, CC

Just after I posted about the jab and caffeine I was chatting to a friend and she had gone cold turkey on caffeine for a blood test. She had an enormous headache, so I think mine was most likely going cold turkey rather than the vaccine. Symptoms stopped when I had two cans of coke, so for now I am on two cups of regular tea a day, or 60mg total caffeine per day. I plan to reduce this further.

I meant the DAC you were using, Qutest. Don't worry about the DAC in the CD player if you are using optical. Optical is immune to RF - but - the CD player will create RF noise and inject that into the mains, which will then get picked up by the DAC or amps. My DACs have complex RF filters built in, but other electronics tend to have none or very simple RF filters.

As to Dave - I don't recommend changing the PSU, you will invalidate the warranty. I have made it clear before my thoughts on how poor linear PSUs are!

@Rob Watts

Rob, I know you will not tell what is this. But maybe you can tell if any of this four “coming soon” products were designed by you?

I don't know what specific products John was thinking of, but one of mine has been signed off for production, and production has started.

 

[Triode User]

I don't know what specific products John was thinking of, but one of mine has been signed off for production, and production has started.

Woop woop!! You know how to make our wallets quiver!!