Chord Hugo Re-Examined

[wisnon]

Thanks Ted and Eloise...

[chrille]

I am now back home again after roughly 7 months in Asia listening to music via my electrostatic speakers at home again via both my Hugo and Benchmark DAC2 HGC.

Sometimes Hugo outperforms my DAC2 and sometimes it sounds thin and wiry and not good at all.

Its performance is very uneven when connected directly to my power amps.

In the rainforest via HD 800 headphones and no RF disturbances from other electric appliances I rate it as near SOTA quality with PCM and very good with DSD 64 and even slightly better with DSD 128.

I am sure this has been discussed before here but since it unfortunately lacks galvanic isolation sometimes all it takes is or the fridge in the kitchen to start and SQ deteriorates.

What can I do short of upgrading to the TT to isolate my Hugo to make it perform reliably and consistently via usb 2 and pcm up to DXD and DSD 64 and 128 not only batterypowered in the jungle but also in a home connected to the grid?

Would products like the new Audioquest jitterbug or Uptone Regen help?

I know what Hugo is really capable of but for the time being I sometimes prefer DAC2 especially with DSD 64 although it veers slightly towards the soft warm side of neutral and slightly less resolved compared to Hugo without RF disruptions. Suggestions welcome.

[trappy]

Sell them both and get an exaSound. That's what I did...

[Jimmypowder]

Sell them both and get an exaSound. That's what I did...

 

Have you compared listening to exasound and benchmark 2 hgc ?

 

Unfortunately , exasound Dacs won't work with most if not all renderers per George .

[trappy]

I've owned all three of those DACs. But truthfully I'm going on memory; I didn't test them side by side. I used to love the clarity of the Benchmark, but always felt like it was holding back; not enough boogie. To be fair I'm now using a super-fast amp, but it's not like the Quad909 I was using before was a laggard. I *may* have underestimated the Hugo, but like chrille, I found it inconsistent, and challenged on big orchestral pieces. There is another user in here who loves it for orchestral music, though, so YMMV. If I were looking to change anything in my system now, the DAC would be the last to go. It's the best I've heard -- although I've not listened to much in the $5000+ range.

[alubis]

What do you use as a transport? I find Hugo to be transport sensitive. With CD player connected via SPDIF to Hugo, the sound quality is fantastic. But a regular Mac mini via USB or Optical to Hugo, the sound quality is so so. A mac mini with some tweaks (linear power supply, optimize OS, etc) brings improvement to sound quality when connected to Hugo.

 

I am now back home again after roughly 7 months in Asia listening to music via my electrostatic speakers at home again via both my Hugo and Benchmark DAC2 HGC.

Sometimes Hugo outperforms my DAC2 and sometimes it sounds thin and wiry and not good at all.

Its performance is very uneven when connected directly to my power amps.

In the rainforest via HD 800 headphones and no RF disturbances from other electric appliances I rate it as near SOTA quality with PCM and very good with DSD 64 and even slightly better with DSD 128.

I am sure this has been discussed before here but since it unfortunately lacks galvanic isolation sometimes all it takes is or the fridge in the kitchen to start and SQ deteriorates.

What can I do short of upgrading to the TT to isolate my Hugo to make it perform reliably and consistently via usb 2 and pcm up to DXD and DSD 64 and 128 not only batterypowered in the jungle but also in a home connected to the grid?

Would products like the new Audioquest jitterbug or Uptone Regen help?

I know what Hugo is really capable of but for the time being I sometimes prefer DAC2 especially with DSD 64 although it veers slightly towards the soft warm side of neutral and slightly less resolved compared to Hugo without RF disruptions. Suggestions welcome.

[Jimmypowder]

What do you use as a transport? I find Hugo to be transport sensitive. With CD player connected via SPDIF to Hugo, the sound quality is fantastic. But a regular Mac mini via USB or Optical to Hugo, the sound quality is so so. A mac mini with some tweaks (linear power supply, optimize OS, etc) brings improvement to sound quality when connected to Hugo.

 

The fact that the Hugo is transport sensitive is precisely why I did not buy one. I like to use music renderers like Aurender and Auralic and switch them up a lot .

[ted_b]

The fact that the Hugo is transport sensitive is precisely why I did not buy one. I like to use music renderers like Aurender and Auralic and switch them up a lot .

Most DACs perform slightly differently via USB than their other digital inputs (despite mfgers claims of being agnostic). That's no reason not to look at a DAC, IMO. The Aurender and Aries (I have both) are great sources for the Hugo (and the 2Qute). So, when you say "precisely why" then that means you tested both sources with the Hugo and were turned off by the sound?

 

The Aurender and the Aries are not exactly portable, so that might be a better reason to justify not getting the Hugo...but the 2Qute is available and less money (same DAC basically, and includes galvanic isolation on USB).

[chrille]

Most DACs perform slightly differently via USB than their other digital inputs (despite mfgers claims of being agnostic). That's no reason not to look at a DAC, IMO. The Aurender and Aries (I have both) are great sources for the Hugo (and the 2Qute). So, when you say "precisely why" then that means you tested both sources with the Hugo and were turned off by the sound?

 

The Aurender and the Aries are not exactly portable, so that might be a better reason to justify not getting the Hugo...but the 2Qute is available and less money (same DAC basically, and includes galvanic isolation on USB).

 

I only use my Hugo connected to my macbook pro with an ssd hardrive,my music files on a separate firewire connected portable Lacie rugged drive and USB 2.

I have not even tried the other USB port since I only listen to hi res 24/96 and up to DXD pcm and DSD 64 and with a few albums DSD 128 and always acoustic mainly orchestral classical/art music.

I do really like my HUGO especially as a travel DAC where I think it has little competition.

But I would like it to be more consistent and isolated against RF also via USB.

I don't want to have to disconnect the fridge/freezer every time I want to listen to music ,which is for at least a few hours every day.

Before I got my HUGO I used to travel with my DAC2. But apart from being big heavy and bulky compared to HUGO I had problems with it in the tropics where it got too hot and wouldn't work at all sometimes or the little buttons got stuck in the faceplate. I don't have any of those problems with it at home and it too sounds good,even very good on DSD 64 material.

But ever so slightly soft with DSD compared to live and mic feed and how I know some masterfiles can sound via HUGO

But unlike HUGO it is galvanically isolated and sounds very consistent.

When I talked to Rob Watts in Singapore and mentioned theses problems with HUGO he pointed to the TT.

But what I would want is proper isolation on my HUGO! The TT is even bigger and heavier than my DAC2.

Therefore I ask again would products like Audioquest's jitterbug or the Uptone Regen or some other products, do the job?

I want my HUGO to perform at its very best and consistently so, at home too.

[Priaptor]

I only use my Hugo connected to my macbook pro with an ssd hardrive,my music files on a separate firewire connected portable Lacie drive and USB 2.

I have not even tried the other USB port since I only listen to hi res 24/96 and up to DXD pcm and DSD 64 and with a few albums DSD 128 and always acoustic mainly classical art music.

I do really like my HUGO especially as a travel DAC where I think it has little competition.

But I would like it to be more consistent and isolated against RF also via USB.

i don't want to have to disconnect the fridge/freezer everytime I want to listen to music ,which is for at least a few hours everyday.

Before I got my HUGO I used to travel with my DAC2. But apart from being big heavy and bulky compared to HUGO I had problems with it in the tropics where it got too hot and wouldn't work at all sometimes or the little buttons got stuck in the faceplate. I don't have any of those problems with it at home and it too sounds good, even very good on DSD 64 material.

But ever so slightly soft with DSD compared to live and mic feed and how I know some masterfiles can sound via HUGO

And it is galvanically isolated and sounds very consistent.

When I talked to Rob Watts in Singapore and mentioned theses pronblems with HUGO he nodded and pointed to the TT.

But what I would want is proper isolation on my HUGO. The TT is even bigger and heavier than my DAC2.

Therefore I ask again would products like Audioquest's jitterbug or the Regen do the job?

I want my HUGO to perform at its very best and consistently so, at home too.

 

After Ted's recommendation, I purchased a HUGO for my second home. I had a Vega which was not my cup of tea. Ted and I have similar tastes and to say I was blown away by the HUGO would be an understatement. Since my second home is currently used only a small portion of the year, I figured, how cool to have a portable device of high quality that I could use all year with headphones. Well my search for cans (after many trials) finally had me settle on LCD-X. You know there are just times where I love to sit in an incredibly comfortable lounge chair, with my HUGO tethered to my notebook and listen to superb music. Not to the level of my main rig but it is amazing still. For me the HUGO has been not just musical bliss but has expanded the locations and manner in which I listen to music. Whatever shortfalls there may be with the unit, the net sum gain is overwhelmingly positive.

[chrille]

After Ted's recommendation, I purchased a HUGO for my second home. I had a Vega which was not my cup of tea. Ted and I have similar tastes and to say I was blown away by the HUGO would be an understatement. Since my second home is currently used only a small portion of the year, I figured, how cool to have a portable device of high quality that I could use all year with headphones. Well my search for cans (after many trials) finally had me settle on LCD-X. You know there are just times where I love to sit in an incredibly comfortable lounge chair, with my HUGO tethered to my notebook and listen to superb music. Not to the level of my main rig but it is amazing still. For me the HUGO has been not just musical bliss but has expanded the locations and manner in which I listen to music. Whatever shortfalls there may be with the unit, the net sum gain is overwhelmingly positive.

I am happy to hear that you too like your HUGO.

As far as taste is concerned ,for me there is only one thing that really matters, and that is transparency and realism with acoustic music.

I couldn't care less how DACs or any other HI FI product delivers electrically amplified instruments like electric guitars . That musical genre although sometimes entertaining, has little connection to HI FI for me.

But I saw on a Youtube video that Merging was demoing their new super expensive NADAC with Eric Clapton in Munich!!!!!

Obviously trying to attract the attention of ROCK/POP crowd by doing so.

Highend HI FI may be a "harmless religion" ,but again IMO the pop rock genre has little connection with HI FI.

I would say basically any DAC on the market would be good enough for most POP music and electrically amplified instruments like Eric Claptons guitar.

[trappy]

I am happy to hear that you too like your HUGO.

As far as taste is concerned ,for me there is only one thing that really matters, and that is transparency and realism with acoustic music.

I couldn't care less how DACs or any other HI FI product delivers electrically amplified instruments like electric guitars . That musical genre although sometimes entertaining, has little connection to HI FI for me.

But I saw on a Youtube video that Merging was demoing their new super expensive NADAC with Eric Clapton in Munich!!!!!

Obviously trying to attract the attention of ROCK/POP crowd by doing so.

Highend HI FI may be a "harmless religion" ,but again IMO the pop rock genre has little connection with HI FI.

I would say basically any DAC on the market would be good enough for most POP music and electrically amplified instruments like Eric Claptons guitar.

 

My, what an odd opinion. I assume it's based on not actually listening to much of said music? Electric guitars benefit hugely from good DACs. So many overtones, tone colours and different kinds of attack. Synthesizers maybe not so much; most of the DACs I've owned did a pretty good job with EDM. Listening to the Stones' Let it Bleed and being blown away by how well it distinguished among the instruments, players and ambient is what sold me on the Hugo.

[kennyb123]

My, what an odd opinion. I assume it's based on not actually listening to much of said music? Electric guitars benefit hugely from good DACs. So many overtones, tone colours and different kinds of attack.

 

Agreed. Had the gratuitous attack been omitted the opinion would have carried some weight.

[chrille]

Agreed. Had the gratuitous attack been omitted the opinion would have carried some weight.

 

It was not my intention to insult anybody's musical taste only to,once again, state some often ignored but very important facts.

There can only be one true and real reference point in HI FI whether we are talking computer audio or analogue or any other digital disc players speakers,amps or whatever.And that is and will always remain how close to the sound of real acoustic instruments performing in a real space ,does a DAC or any other chain in a HI FI system come.

That is the one and only true reference!

All else is a matter only of personal of taste and is a major problem in HIGHEND audio because different manufacturers try to please different tastes with their products instead of trying to deliver the most accurate most transparent sound possible.

And since most people listen to POP music most products are "tuned" to impress certain categories of listeners instead of being accurate and transparent.

And of course everything with a golden faceplate and a super high price must be better than something looking less impressive to the eye. HUGO is really an exception here.

It looks basically like a slightly oversized mobile phone but sounds better and more accurate than MANY conventional HIGH END products.

A DAC should have no sound of its own,absolutely no sound character of its own. Like all other parts of a reproduction chain it should ideally add nothing.

Unfortunately that is not how many DACs or HI FI products are made.

 

Rob Watts ,obviously tries to achieve the highest transparency possible with his designs and often deals with things not even remotely related to most POP and Rock music ie soundstage, depth of image, reverb tails and aspects of sound that are basically only present with acoustic instruments playing in a real acoustic venue.

I only wish he had included galvanic isolation for HUGO.

Electric guitars,especially electric guitars! are so full of inherent distortions that they are imo more or less completely irrelevant in any real HI FI context.

If people like them is another matter. But they are irrelevant to HIFI.

[kennyb123]

Electric guitars,especially electric guitars! are so full of inherent distortions that they are imo more or less completely irrelevant in any real HI FI context.

If people like them is another matter. But they are irrelevant to HIFI.

 

Yes and those inherent distortions are a challenge for lesser DACs to pass faithfully.

 

Your definition of HIFI is self-serving and not in alignment with my (or I think most folks) view of what audio is all about. I want my system to fool me into thinking I'm hearing the real thing - regardless of whether it's solo violin or an electric guitar. The better the DAC the better the reproduction - usually no matter what the instrument or type of music. If fact it may it's just as difficult of a challenge for a system to unravel the tonal qualities of a violin as is to unravel all the colors of an electric guitar.

 

Now where I may tend to agree with you is when it comes to much today's "pop" music. Sure this stuff can benefit from a better DAC, but certainly not as much as recordings that feature real instruments in real space. It's unfair to paint with a broad of a brush here though. There are stunning "pop" and "rock" recording that benefit greatly from better gear. There's also a lot of crap out there.

[alubis]

Have you try any DAP with Hugo? I tried ibasso DX90 (connected via SPDIF) and it is much a better transport for Hugo compare to Macbook pro and it was tested both in my home rig and also via headphone. With DAP from fiio, ibasso or Astell&Kern you will connect them either via SPDIF or Optical hence no problem with the usb galvanic isolation and plus they are portable too.

 

IMO, this is why Chord Hugo is more popular in Head Fi compare to other forum sites. I suspect most user there use Hugo with DAP rather than computer. Computer is noisy hence a less better transport until you have done some tweaks to reduce the noisy parts.

 

 

I only use my Hugo connected to my macbook pro with an ssd hardrive,my music files on a separate firewire connected portable Lacie rugged drive and USB 2.

I have not even tried the other USB port since I only listen to hi res 24/96 and up to DXD pcm and DSD 64 and with a few albums DSD 128 and always acoustic mainly orchestral classical/art music.

I do really like my HUGO especially as a travel DAC where I think it has little competition.

But I would like it to be more consistent and isolated against RF also via USB.

I don't want to have to disconnect the fridge/freezer every time I want to listen to music ,which is for at least a few hours every day.

Before I got my HUGO I used to travel with my DAC2. But apart from being big heavy and bulky compared to HUGO I had problems with it in the tropics where it got too hot and wouldn't work at all sometimes or the little buttons got stuck in the faceplate. I don't have any of those problems with it at home and it too sounds good,even very good on DSD 64 material.

But ever so slightly soft with DSD compared to live and mic feed and how I know some masterfiles can sound via HUGO

But unlike HUGO it is galvanically isolated and sounds very consistent.

When I talked to Rob Watts in Singapore and mentioned theses problems with HUGO he pointed to the TT.

But what I would want is proper isolation on my HUGO! The TT is even bigger and heavier than my DAC2.

Therefore I ask again would products like Audioquest's jitterbug or the Uptone Regen or some other products, do the job?

I want my HUGO to perform at its very best and consistently so, at home too.

[seeteeyou]

Clemmaster added optical USB cable to Hugo and the isolation seemed to be good for noisy USB

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/650256/jkenny-audio-ci-nas-dac-and-ci-nas-spdif/585#post_10706641

 

Computers must have USB 3.0 ports since USB 2.0 won't work with that optical USB cable at all.

 

---

Adnaco is actually a reseller of Everpro products

 

http://www.amazon.cn/dp/B00R17ICNW

 

We could send Everpro an e-mail and ask them to ship internationally

 

http://www.everprotech.com/Network/4.aspx

 

---

In addition, we could power UpTone Audio USB ReGen with the 7.5V output of KingRex U Power

 

http://www.kingrex.com/products.php?c=6&s=14

 

We're completely off-the-grid thanks to the batteries inside U Power.

 

---

Some owners of Hugo in Asia have the skills as well as the balls to go nuts with adding supercapacitors for better SQ

 

http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=180&t=3814233&p=123#55911246

 

As shown in a picture on the following page, we just happened to find a pair of $5 supercapacitors inside Hugo TT

 

http://www.phileweb.com/news/audio/201505/01/15794_2.html

 

That's why they're adding an external box with a dozen supercapactors instead of a wimpy pair, LOL

 

They even managed to add an OLED module for displaying active input / volume / crossfeed status of Hugo

 

http://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=180&t=3814233&p=126#55999926

[chrille]

Have you try any DAP with Hugo? I tried ibasso DX90 (connected via SPDIF) and it is much a better transport for Hugo compare to Macbook pro and it was tested both in my home rig and also via headphone. With DAP from fiio, ibasso or Astell&Kern you will connect them either via SPDIF or Optical hence no problem with the usb galvanic isolation and plus they are portable too.

 

IMO, this is why Chord Hugo is more popular in Head Fi compare to other forum sites. I suspect most user there use Hugo with DAP rather than computer. Computer is noisy hence a less better transport until you have done some tweaks to reduce the noisy parts.

 

Thanks for your input. But what I am looking for a way to isolate the computer and other RF sources while still using my macbook pro.

And if I understand things correctly the units you are mentioning won't let me listen to anything above 24/96 pcm?

I see and under ideal conditions also hear HUGO as a near STATE OF THE ART DAC with acoustic recordings and I want to keep it that way also when connected directly ie line out, to my powerful amp.

Only via USB2 will it work with pcm 24/176.4 and 24/192 and DXD and DSD 64 and 128 right?.

[alubis]

I think there are 2 different issues with isolation. The first, computer as transport is noisy hence many good threads here trying to solve that problem with linear PSU, externally powering HD, etc. The second is the noise from the USB output of the computer which many here trying to solve using products from iFi, uptone audio, and various USB/SPDIF converter.

 

So in my opinion, even if you manage to tackle the second problem with Regen or Jitterbug, you are still faced with the first problem. To my ears, the difference is quite significant with Hugo. I started using Hugo with Macbook then the journey of tweaking mac mini began when I realized how great Hugo is with SPDIF connection to CD player. Basically, I'm faced with similar issues with someone who wrote this excellent thread: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/my-macmini-adventure-24247/

 

The SPDIF (coax) is capable up to 24bit/384khz, but DSD only available via USB HD input. However, to my ears, SQ of 24/192 recording via standard macbook < compare to SQ of 16/44.1 same recording via CDP with Hugo, signifying how great importance a transport is for this dac.

 

 

Thanks for your input. But what I am looking for a way to isolate the computer and other RF sources while still using my macbook pro.

And if I understand things correctly the units you are mentioning won't let me listen to anything above 24/96 pcm?

I see and under ideal conditions also hear HUGO as a near STATE OF THE ART DAC with acoustic recordings and I want to keep it that way also when connected directly ie line out, to my powerful amp.

Only via USB2 will it work with pcm 24/176.4 and 24/192 and DXD and DSD 64 and 128 right?.

[ted_b]

 

The SPDIF (coax) is capable up to 24bit/384khz, but DSD only available via USB HD input.

 

Not true at all. All Chord DACs of recent vintage (Qute HD, Qute EX, Hugo, 2Qute) do DSD via digital inputs. In the case of Hugo, EX and 2Qute they do DSD128 via coax too. This has been discussed many times. I listened to DSD128 via SPDIF coax and the 2Qute last night.

[alubis]

Thanks for the clarification Ted. I haven't tried DSD via SPDIF but the manual mentioned DSD on the USB HD input section only, but good to know if SPDIF can do DSD.

 

Not true at all. All Chord DACs of recent vintage (Qute HD, Qute EX, Hugo, 2Qute) do DSD via digital inputs. In the case of Hugo, EX and 2Qute they do DSD128 via coax too. This has been discussed many times. I listened to DSD128 via SPDIF coax and the 2Qute last night.

[ted_b]

It is especially helpful when using an SPDIF rendere like the Rendu. Sonore's Signature Rendu->coax->Hugo is a wonderful sounding combination that does DSD (of course, the source coax box needs to support 352.8k to do DSD128 as all of this is via DoP).

[chrille]

I think there are 2 different issues with isolation. The first, computer as transport is noisy hence many good threads here trying to solve that problem with linear PSU, externally powering HD, etc. The second is the noise from the USB output of the computer which many here trying to solve using products from iFi, uptone audio, and various USB/SPDIF converter.

 

So in my opinion, even if you manage to tackle the second problem with Regen or Jitterbug, you are still faced with the first problem. To my ears, the difference is quite significant with Hugo. I started using Hugo with Macbook then the journey of tweaking mac mini began when I realized how great Hugo is with SPDIF connection to CD player. Basically, I'm faced with similar issues with someone who wrote this excellent thread: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/my-macmini-adventure-24247/

 

The SPDIF (coax) is capable up to 24bit/384khz, but DSD only available via USB HD input. However, to my ears, SQ of 24/192 recording via standard macbook < compare to SQ of 16/44.1 same recording via CDP with Hugo, signifying how great importance a transport is for this dac.

 

Thanks for your additional information too.

It seems I have missed the coax route.

But then again the macmini link you provide partly raises my warning signals on high alert again.

All the aspects of realistic sound I am looking for a are more or less completely absent from Techno Hip Hop and other such excuse my saying so out loud,kids CRAP music imo.

How anybody can hear such improvements as described in that link via such source material defies any logic in my experience.

The depth,width and height of sound stage,pinpoint location ,super low distortion realistic timbre and tonality,pitch, realistic reverb tails resolution and other acoustic cues are basically absent from those genres of music.

But with symphonic music or Operatic they are what sorts the wheat from the chaff.

There is a heck of a difference for a DAC to resolve what ,say a 100 players, strong symphonic orchestra is playing in a real venue and one already from the source heavily distorted electric guitar.

I would say poor DAC or any other part of a HI FI system to have to put up with all that distortion already from the start.

What is the point of designing a DAC with 0000.15 % or similar, distortion and play recordings of electric guitars?

The guitar already has inherent distortions MUCH higher than any DAC or amp on the market I suspect.

One of the reasons why rbcd sucks at complex large scale acoustic music is that 16/44.1 doesn't capture enough timing information to retrieve such delicate often very low level information.

And with a lot of music in the techno/rap /hip hop genre there isn't any such information to resolve at all, so rbcd or mp3 are more than good enough imo.

I am very grateful for the information some of you are providing.

But I remain very firm in my opinion that there can only be one true reference when it comes to HI FI and that is acoustic music in a real venue.

I think Rob Watts and other serious designers are with me on that point? If not, please chime in and educate me.

cheers Chris

[ted_b]

I am becoming somewhat friends with Rob and he does NOT say that; in fact he loves listening (and even evaluating during build) to the Hugo (and DAVE, etc) doing redbook and even streamed MP3 BBC content. Yes, well-recorded live minimalist acoustic music (like what we record and sell on NativeDSD...plug, plug) is the easiest to evaluate, as it includes delicate venue spatial cue information...easiest but not only-ist. Evaluating noise floor modulation, or the lack of it, of redbook on, say, a decent recording of Bill Frisell, is a journey through tonality, timing and textures. Making timing (and overall PRAT) sense of a pop-produced recording is often a worthwhile but difficult endeavor. I call it similar to when a pro athlete says "the game slows down"; that's how I feel great DACs present difficult multi-tracked music; Radiohead makes wayyyy more sense with a DAC like Hugo than dozens of other DACs IMO.

[trappy]

I am becoming somewhat friends with Rob and he does NOT say that; in fact he loves listening (and even evaluating during build) to the Hugo (and DAVE, etc) doing redbook and even streamed MP3 BBC content. Yes, well-recorded live minimalist acoustic music (like what we record and sell on NativeDSD...plug, plug) is the easiest to evaluate, as it includes delicate venue spatial cue information...easiest but not only-ist. Evaluating noise floor modulation, or the lack of it, of redbook on, say, a decent recording of Bill Frisell, is a journey through tonality, timing and textures. Making timing (and overall PRAT) sense of a pop-produced recording is often a worthwhile but difficult endeavor. I call it similar to when a pro athlete says "the game slows down"; that's how I feel great DACs present difficult multi-tracked music; Radiohead makes wayyyy more sense with a DAC like Hugo than dozens of other DACs IMO.

 

I can't +1 this enough. Although my quest for a good DAC has been driven largely by wanting one that unpacked big complex acoustic pieces, finding one that can do that AND make rock music rock (or classical music rock, for that matter!) is even harder still. And of course I still maintain that any electric guitar has at least as complex a sound as any acoustic guitar, if not more so.