NDX and Chord Hugo

Posted by: Foxman50 on 18 April 2014

I have been contemplating adding a DAC to my NDX/XPS2 to see (or should that be hear) what it can bring to the party. And so thought it about time i made inroads into Having a few home demos. After looking around at products that are within my budget i came across the Chord Hugo DAC.

 

Although it is meant to be a portable headphone unit, it can be used as a full line level fixed DAC.

 

The dealer lent me a TQ black digital coax lead, which have twist grip plugs. This was required as the present batch of Hugo's have a case design fault that wont allow any decent cable to fit, soon to be rectified. Thankfully the TQ just manages to hang on to the coax port.

 

Once all connected and gone through the minimal setup procedure of the Hugo, what does the red LED mean again, i left it to warm up for half an hour.

 

Poured a beer and sat down for an evenings listening.

 

What was that, where did that come from, that's what that instrument is. OMG, as my little'n would say, Where is it getting all this detail from.

 

After spending last night and today with it, all i can say is that it has totally transformed my system from top to bottom. I never considered my NDX to be veiled or shut in, not even sure that's the correct terms. All i can say is its opened up the sound stage and space around instruments. Everything I've put through it has had my toes, feet and legs tapping away to the music.

 

Even putting the toe tapping, the resolution the clarity to one side, what its greatest achievement for me has been in making albums that I've had trouble listening too enjoyable now.

 

One added bonus is that it has made the XPS redundant. I cannot hear any difference with it in or out of the system.

 

While i thought a DAC may make a change in the degree of the jump from ND5 to NDX, i was not prepared for this. Anyone looking at adding a PSU to there NDX may want to check this unit out first.

 

For me this has to be the bargain of the year.

 

Posted on: 18 May 2014 by Foxman50

My pesky varmits have been playing music through the Hugo from iphones via bluetooth. It has no right to sound as good as it does. 

Has anyone else tried it

 

Graeme

Posted on: 19 May 2014 by oscarskeeper

I've tried the blue tooth - it's fun and useful when people come over, but sounds nowhere near as good as the fixed inputs to me. Still more than decent though.

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by Foxman50

Wat

 

there is a review of Hugo in HiFi World this month that praises the sound of DSD through it. It seems you may well be right. really must try this out. Its worth a read.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

I am auditioning the Hugo at the moment. Feeding it with my NDX via a DC1 with a phono adapter.. And using a phone Hiline into the 282.

i'll save my comments for later, but right now very impressed... Very impressed indeed. RedBook sounds awesome, even very compressed.

Simon

 

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by Foxman50

Simon

 

Be very interested in your comments, when you've had time to demo, as i know your very exacting about your audio.

 

Hope you have a well run in unit as it does take a while to burn in. I don't really notice the burn in changes on equipment, at least i haven't in the past, but Hugo changed quite dramatically.

 

I found my XPS on the NDX became redundant, which has now been passed on, and which has paid for Hugo.

 

Graeme

 

 

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Graeme, will do. Yes it is well run in, and I have found it improves yet further after a short while of being powered as well.

i can't quite believe how enjoyably good it sounds, more to come.

Simon

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by Foxman50

I leave mine powered 24/7 but have to say i cant hear any difference between powered and battery which i thought i would. 

 

Just remember this is a £1400 DAC. It has transformed my system. I see you have an nDac and 555ps So would doubt it would be comparable.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 23 May 2014 by cvrle

I am experimenting with some native DSD files by JRiver, so Hugo shows it's best playing those. Even conversion of 16/44 or 24/96 and 24/192 to DSD on fly sounds fantastic. I am extremely happy owing one so far. It is a big step up from V1, I used to owe.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by pete T15
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

The Bluetooth functionality is really nice.. And I have never heard  Bluetooth sound so good. Playing Qobuz lossless streaming on the iPad, and send Bluetooth to the Naim via Hugo... who needs Airplay.. This sounds so much better, in fact almost like locally streaming..

Simon

 

Hi Simon, when you use Bluetooth via the Hugo to Naim , do you mean Hugo to amp or NDX?

 

Thanks .

 

Peter.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

The Bluetooth functionality is really nice.. And I have never heard  Bluetooth sound so good. Playing Qobuz lossless streaming on the iPad, and send Bluetooth to the Naim via Hugo... who needs Airplay.. This sounds so much better, albeit a little thinner and critically less absolute clarity and musicality than the incredible SPDIF performance... But that might be more down to the sender...

Simon

 

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Foxman50
Originally Posted by pete T15:
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

The Bluetooth functionality is really nice.. And I have never heard  Bluetooth sound so good. Playing Qobuz lossless streaming on the iPad, and send Bluetooth to the Naim via Hugo... who needs Airplay.. This sounds so much better, in fact almost like locally streaming..

Simon

 

Hi Simon, when you use Bluetooth via the Hugo to Naim , do you mean Hugo to amp or NDX?

 

Thanks .

 

Peter.

Pete

 

That would be Hugo into amp. Don't think it can output into the NDX.

 

Simon

 

My girls use the Bluetooth from their iphones. It really shouldn't sound as good as it does. Ive not done any comparisons but its more than acceptable SQ.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by pete T15

Thanks . All very interesting . I'm sort of waiting for the next NDX but this little box could negate that.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Foxman50

Give one a try, think you'll be surprised by it. 

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by cat345

Playing compressed audio files can sound good with Hugo. I really enjoy listening to internet radio like Naim radio, Radio Paradise and others. Timing seem spot-on.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

I often listen horizontally in the evenings on headphones, drifting in and out of a half-conscious state. Last night I cued up Stefano Montanari and the Arion Baroque Ensemble's sublime new release Hidden Treasures of Italy. At one point, drifting back into awareness, I found myself in my listening room surrounded by Stefano's glorious playing and thinking "I'd better turn this down, it's late". It took several seconds to realize that I had headphones on. That's a first, and that's the Hugo.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Foxman50
Originally Posted by Jan-Erik Nordoen:

I often listen horizontally in the evenings on headphones, drifting in and out of a half-conscious state. Last night I cued up Stefano Montanari and the Arion Baroque Ensemble's sublime new release Hidden Treasures of Italy. At one point, drifting back into awareness, I found myself in my listening room surrounded by Stefano's glorious playing and thinking "I'd better turn this down, it's late". It took several seconds to realize that I had headphones on. That's a first, and that's the Hugo.

Jan

 

What phones were you wearing. I have had this a couple of times now. You hear or read about getting lost in the music, but before Hugo i'd never transported like you can with Hugo.

 

I'm sure it sounds ridiculous to others, but its true. I am listening to Santana Abraxas and it is spell binding, truly spell binding

 

Graeme 

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by cat345
Originally Posted by Jan-Erik Nordoen:

I often listen horizontally in the evenings on headphones, drifting in and out of a half-conscious state. Last night I cued up Stefano Montanari and the Arion Baroque Ensemble's sublime new release Hidden Treasures of Italy. At one point, drifting back into awareness, I found myself in my listening room surrounded by Stefano's glorious playing and thinking "I'd better turn this down, it's late". It took several seconds to realize that I had headphones on. That's a first, and that's the Hugo.

 

What headphones do you have Jan? I'm looking for good sounding but comfortable headphones at the moment.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Peter, when using Bluetooth, it was iPad via Bluetooth to Hugo then to NAC 282.

When streaming, I take the digi out from the NDX and send to Hugo and then to NAC282 with the Hugo in line out mode. The latter is    very good indeed and am listening to my music right now, and I am hearing things and musical nuances I have not noticed before with the NDS or NDAC.

Simon

 

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

I'm using the AKG 501. I was considering upgrading to the 701, but the Hugo has done the upgrade for me .

 

I find the AKGs very comfortable, and I like the distance between my ears and the drivers. A good friend has switched from his Stax to the AKG 701s. 

 

I've not tried the Sennheiser HD800 or the Audeze LCD-X. These are getting very good reviews on the Head-Fi forum, with some referring to the Hugo - Audeze combination as a "match made in heaven". There seem to be some comfort issues with the Audeze though, with the Senns pulling ahead on that aspect.

 

Jan

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by cat345
Originally Posted by Jan-Erik Nordoen:

I'm using the AKG 501. I was considering upgrading to the 701, but the Hugo has done the upgrade for me .

 

I find the AKGs very comfortable, and I like the distance between my ears and the drivers. A good friend has switched from his Stax to the AKG 701s. 

 

I've not tried the Sennheiser HD800 or the Audeze LCD-X. These are getting very good reviews on the Head-Fi forum, with some referring to the Hugo - Audeze combination as a "match made in heaven". There seem to be some comfort issues with the Audeze though, with the Senns pulling ahead on that aspect.

 

Jan

 

Merci Jan-Erick. I will also try AKGs along with Beyer Dynamic and Sennheiser.

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by GraemeH
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Peter, when using Bluetooth, it was iPad via Bluetooth to Hugo then to NAC 282.

When streaming, I take the digi out from the NDX and send to Hugo and then to NAC282 with the Hugo in line out mode. The latter is    very good indeed and am listening to my music right now, and I am hearing things and musical nuances I have not noticed before with the NDS or NDAC.

Simon

 

Simon - What cable are you using from the line-out on Hugo to the 282 (I presume RCA out to DIN in?).

 

Thanks,

 

G

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Hi Graeme, I started my auditioning of the Hugo using a Hline (phono to DIN), however I am now using some Homebrew twisted pair silver plated copper phono to phono and I much prefer that.. The top end is more open and the slight lower mid / upper bass accentuation of the Hiline is removed. There may be some interaction between the Hugo line out and the Hiline that is sub optimal.

Simon

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by GraemeH
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Hi Graeme, I started my auditioning of the Hugo using a Hline (phono to DIN), however I am now using some Homebrew twisted pair silver plated copper phono to phono and I much prefer that.. The top end is more open and the slight lower mid / upper bass accentuation of the Hiline is removed. There may be some interaction between the Hugo line out and the Hiline that is sub optimal.

Simon

Thanks Simon.

 

G

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by pete T15
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Peter, when using Bluetooth, it was iPad via Bluetooth to Hugo then to NAC 282.

When streaming, I take the digi out from the NDX and send to Hugo and then to NAC282 with the Hugo in line out mode. The latter is    very good indeed and am listening to my music right now, and I am hearing things and musical nuances I have not noticed before with the NDS or NDAC.

Simon

 

Thanks Simon . 

Posted on: 24 May 2014 by Kevin Richardson
Originally Posted by cat345:
Originally Posted by Jan-Erik Nordoen:

I often listen horizontally in the evenings on headphones, drifting in and out of a half-conscious state. Last night I cued up Stefano Montanari and the Arion Baroque Ensemble's sublime new release Hidden Treasures of Italy. At one point, drifting back into awareness, I found myself in my listening room surrounded by Stefano's glorious playing and thinking "I'd better turn this down, it's late". It took several seconds to realize that I had headphones on. That's a first, and that's the Hugo.

 

What headphones do you have Jan? I'm looking for good sounding but comfortable headphones at the moment.

 

The HD800's are the most comfortable headphone I've ever used.  I use mine about 8 hours each day.