Chord Hugo Re-Examined

[alubis]

Not sure if this on topic but I would like to share an experience. This week I tried the coaxial SPDIF input on my Hugo, fed by the Berkeley alpha USB converter and a Chord Anthem digital array digital cable. Somewhere I read that this input is preferred over the hi-speed USB because the latter has no galvanic isolation. My experience however is that I get much better results with USB. May be this is because I use a very good USB cable (Transparent Premium) or because of the shorter chain. For honest comparison I used 192khz as the maximum for upsampling because the BADA is only capable up to 192/24. Anyone else did a comparison like this?

 

In my experience, it depends on the transport I'm using. I got great result via SPDIF with my CD Player, but get okay result via USB with Mac Mini (tweaked). The best result I got so far is via USB with my android phone (LG G2 OS lollipop) running USB Audio Player Pro.

[ElviaCaprice]

Okay, was playing around with the Hugo settings in JRiver 20 and came to the conclusion that I get the best sound via ASIO device driver supplied by Hugo. But, that doesn't work for the outputting of PCM as native and capable of DSD. How can I keep ASIO device driver selected without having to switch settings for DSD and PCM, keep PCM at it's native rate and use the ASIO device driver?

[bmichels]

I owe a HUGO and I heard that QBD76 is a big step-up from HUGO. So DAVE should be even better (if DAVE do not loose QBD76' musicality by being too precise/perfect :-).

 

I also hope it's Amp will good enough ( like TotalDAC's headphone out) so that I can sell my Headphone Amp to partially fund DAVE.

 

I will therefore wait CanJam London to try it direct with LCD-X & HE1000 before I buy a TotalDAC.

[bmichels]

In London, I will also try to force CHORD to tell me secrets

Indeed, DAVE's press release also points out that the specifications include two ultra-high-speed digital coaxial outputs, for "future, unannounced Chord Electronics products". I really wonder what those could be? Digital OUTPUT !! what for ???

[ted_b]

Okay, was playing around with the Hugo settings in JRiver 20 and came to the conclusion that I get the best sound via ASIO device driver supplied by Hugo. But, that doesn't work for the outputting of PCM as native and capable of DSD. How can I keep ASIO device driver selected without having to switch settings for DSD and PCM, keep PCM at it's native rate and use the ASIO device driver?

 

The Chord ASIO driver does DoP, so simply set JRIver's bitstream for DSD and uncheck any DSP (like output encoding, etc) and you are good to go. All rates will be native, both PCM and DSD.

[ElviaCaprice]

The Chord ASIO driver does DoP, so simply set JRIver's bitstream for DSD and uncheck any DSP (like output encoding, etc) and you are good to go. All rates will be native, both PCM and DSD.

 

Thanks Ted, here I was never checking both the bitstream in ASIO device settings/Tools for DSD and the JRiver settings bitstreaming for DSD. Now it runs perfect, ASIO for both PCM (native) and DSD as DOP. Feel foolish, here all this time I was using WASAPI driver, when I knew the ASIO driver sounded better but could never figure out how to get both DSD and PCM to play natively on one setting in ASIO. Problem solved.

[JHG]

What Hifi 2Qute Review!

 

Chord 2Qute review | What Hi-Fi?

[Jimmypowder]

Nice review .

 

Has anyone heard this dac and compared it to the Schiit Yggdrasil?

[al210]

Was tring to decide between the Hugo and the Benchmark dac2. I was leaning toward the Hugo but these sound inconsistencies that some are mentioning here are concerning.

[alubis]

I've been using Hugo for more than a year and I don't hear any sound inconsistencies. IMO, Hugo is transport and input sensitive to get it's full potential.

[al210]

I see that the 2Qute is apparently a non - headphone version of the Hugo and has Galvanic isolation. I think I'm going to give this one a go since I don't need the portability or headphone connection.

[shp]

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.

 

Bold statement, knocking some people's favorite kind of music and gear investment in one post .

 

But really, don't mock a Fender guitar. I suspect most people on this board can tell the difference between a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul; between a single coil and a Humbucker pickup; and between songs played with the neck vs. bridge pickup. By contrast, not even professional violinists can always tell what violin they're playing: Is A Stradivarius Just A Violin? : Planet Money : NPR

 

These variations in tone and timber are revealed on better systems. So when I switch from my iPhone/headphones to my main system I can "feel" the "juice" between the guitar and the amp. Sometimes, things do go to 11 (thank you, Nigel Tufnel).

 

Give it a try (the whole experiment probably won't cost $5). Listen to Jack White/The White Stripes on "Ball and a Biscuit" on your iPhone and then on your Hugo/Benchmark. Do the same with The Black Keys' Ten Cent Pistol and Stevie Ray Vaughn's Lenny (which is a Strat). I know you can hear the difference even if you don't like the songs.

 

Want to go from "tube overdrive" to true distortion? Give Steve Vai's Whispering a Prayer a try. Tell me the distortion makes the song a less interesting composition than Ravel's Bolero.

 

Watch Eddie Van Halen's Smithsonian interview about his tone.

 

Whether or not you like its sound, a (appropriately) distorted guitar (in the right hands), is a real instrument. Are you still ready to wave it all away as low fidelity nonsense, applesauce, and jiggery-pokery? (I'm paraphrasing).

 

And if you're willing to challenge your sense of when an acoustic guitar becomes electric (at the point of amplification, distortion, etc.) and the audiophile value of the recording, give Nirvana Unplugged a listen, especially the second half.

 

Is rock too often too poorly recorded and engineered? Absolutely. But for many of us with nice hi-fi's, medium fidelity, electronic Radiohead is still more satisfying than "acoustic instruments in a real venue" Peruvian pan flute in DSD.

 

Ted, you've got connections. Maybe you can help steer Foo Fighters' next Sonic Highways tour through Native DSD's studios.

[al210]

All this talk of the Hugo lacking in DSD performance has me wondering if it would be better to output from like HQ player converting the DSD to pcm before sending to the Hugo. Has anyone tried this? I just ordered the 2qute but thinking about canceling and getting something else since dsd playback is important to me. I have about 40 SACD rips.

[Jimmypowder]

All this talk of the Hugo lacking in DSD performance has me wondering if it would be better to output from like HQ player converting the DSD to pcm before sending to the Hugo. Has anyone tried this? I just ordered the 2qute but thinking about canceling and getting something else since dsd playback is important to me. I have about 40 SACD rips.

 

I can't imagine dsd performance will be that bad . I have a Benchmark 2 hgc and dsd performance is not that good but I have only a few dsd recordings so I don't care that much .

I have a 2Qute coming in on Tuesday

and a Yggy the end of July .

 

Which Dac do you think I'm gonna like better ?

[trappy]

I can't imagine dsd performance will be that bad . I have a Benchmark 2 hgc and dsd performance is not that good but I have only a few dsd recordings so I don't care that much .

I have a 2Qute coming in on Tuesday

and a Yggy the end of July .

 

Which Dac do you think I'm gonna like better ?

 

I thought the Benchmark's DSD sounded way better than the Hugo's but de gustibus. Pretty funny considering how much of a DSD-skeptic is John Siau.

[nick77]

All this talk of the Hugo lacking in DSD performance has me wondering if it would be better to output from like HQ player converting the DSD to pcm before sending to the Hugo. Has anyone tried this? I just ordered the 2qute but thinking about canceling and getting something else since dsd playback is important to me. I have about 40 SACD rips.

 

Good question, I have a 2Qute coming also and entertained cancel because DSD isnt SOTA. I was looking to future proof a little.

[al210]

Nick, did you receive your 2qute yet? Mine is scheduled for delivery tomorrow

[nick77]

Nick, did you receive your 2qute yet? Mine is scheduled for delivery tomorrow

 

Yes I am finally listening. More solid presentation right off the bat over my AudioGD product. I hear it will improve over the next 3 days. Have a nice non-fatiguing tone.

[ted_b]

I hear it will improve over the next 3 days.

 

Yes, but only if you define a day as 100 hours.

 

Enjoy, regardless. Don;t be shy about playing good ole' redbook; the dac loves redbook.

[nick77]

Yes, but only if you define a day as 100 hours.

 

Okay got it!! Looks more like a solid week or two.

[ted_b]

Okay got it!! Looks more like a solid week or two.

 

Yes, the clocks will reach equilibrium at 48 hours (as they do anytime it's powered back on) but the DAC will improve for several weeks beyond just that.

[Jimmypowder]

Yes I am finally listening. More solid presentation right off the bat over my AudioGD product. I hear it will improve over the next 3 days. Have a nice non-fatiguing tone.

 

I agree better then Benchmark dac2,Audiolab mdac right off the bat.

[JHG]

Okay got it!! Looks more like a solid week or two.

 

100 hrs is about 4 days if you let it play. I run a VERY long playlist with the amp off most of the time.

[al210]

ted_t, you have had the 2Qute for awhile now correct? When can we expect your valued opinion/ review? Any initial thoughts you can share?

[ElviaCaprice]

Thanks Ted, here I was never checking both the bitstream in ASIO device settings/Tools for DSD and the JRiver settings bitstreaming for DSD. Now it runs perfect, ASIO for both PCM (native) and DSD as DOP. Feel foolish, here all this time I was using WASAPI driver, when I knew the ASIO driver sounded better but could never figure out how to get both DSD and PCM to play natively on one setting in ASIO. Problem solved.

 

I thought the problem was solved but now I'm noticing drop outs with DSD playback using the 1.03 ASIO Chord driver in JRiver 20. I can't seem to win with the ASIO driver. Runs fine for all Hi Res PCM playback but on DSD I get occasional drop outs, mostly towards the beginning but sometimes further along in the track. I though it might be a latency problem, but after changing settings for longer buffering and prebuffering, same exact problem. With WASAPI Chord driver I do not have this issue at all, no latency changes, plays perfect all DSD and PCM.