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: 25 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Graeme, I have gone back to the phono to DIN Hiline. It is superior, and sounding spot on now.. Not sure why it wasn't before... Listening to the Black Dyke Brass Band right now, I find brass with its harmonics presumably a challenge for some audio components and is sounding fab on the Hugo into the Naim.

Simon

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

Simon, what are your thoughts at the moment on the Hugo vs the nDAC+555PS ?

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Jan, it's looking a bit embarrassing right now... So I'll keep my powder dry a little longer. 

Simon

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen

Understood.

 

Any issues when listening at low volume ?

 

(I don't want to side track the thread, but you mentioned a mid-bass hump with the HiLine. I've never noticed this. System dependant ?)

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Erik, that has gone now. Perhaps I hadn't inserted the DIN and partially removed correctly into the 282. Anyway I re did the connections this morning and is sounding good, my Home-brews are back in their box. No problems at low or at reasonably loud volumes currently.

Simon

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by GraemeH
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Graeme, I have gone back to the phono to DIN Hiline. It is superior, and sounding spot on now.. Not sure why it wasn't before... Listening to the Black Dyke Brass Band right now, I find brass with its harmonics presumably a challenge for some audio components and is sounding fab on the Hugo into the Naim.

Simon

It's my 50th next week so I've decided to give Hugo a go.

 

Will report.

 

G

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by GraemeH

Hope the Chord Anthem 2 Phono's fit OK having secured a phono to Din ebay bargain for the experiment...

 

Now to find a digital BNC to RCA bargain....that fits!

 

Fun this is!

 

G

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Foxman50
Originally Posted by GraemeH:

Hope the Chord Anthem 2 Phono's fit OK having secured a phono to Din ebay bargain for the experiment...

 

Now to find a digital BNC to RCA bargain....that fits!

 

Fun this is!

 

G

Graeme

 

Im using a tellurium q cable. It works well as the headshell is a screw clamp type. To be honest ive removed the headshell so that it slots in fully. Makes a better connection this way. Chord are now supplying cables specifically for use with Hugo.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by GraemeH

Thanks...might try a Mark Grant digital for peanuts...can't quite get my head around spending a fortune on a digital cable.  Especially after the signal has come 25m on cat6!

 

G

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Foxman50
Originally Posted by GraemeH:

Thanks...might try a Mark Grant digital for peanuts...can't quite get my head around spending a fortune on a digital cable.  Especially after the signal has come 25m on cat6!

 

G

Ah lets not get into the "can the cable make a difference" debate. I tried 4 digital coax cables before settling on this one. 

 

Ive loaded jriver onto a little win8 netbook and listening to this through the Hugo via the free usb cable that came with it. Lot more listening to do yet to decide if its worth keeping the NDX.

 

If i swap then ill have gone from £6ks worth of large black boxes down to £2ks of tiny silver ones if i go the mac mini route.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by james n

Wow - sounds like the Hugo is a bit of a game changer. Perhaps they could do a black Hugo with a green porthole for those that fear of straying too far from the flock 

 

 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by cvrle
Originally Posted by Foxman50:
Originally Posted by GraemeH:

Thanks...might try a Mark Grant digital for peanuts...can't quite get my head around spending a fortune on a digital cable.  Especially after the signal has come 25m on cat6!

 

G

Ah lets not get into the "can the cable make a difference" debate. I tried 4 digital coax cables before settling on this one. 

 

Ive loaded jriver onto a little win8 netbook and listening to this through the Hugo via the free usb cable that came with it. Lot more listening to do yet to decide if its worth keeping the NDX.

 

If i swap then ill have gone from £6ks worth of large black boxes down to £2ks of tiny silver ones if i go the mac mini route.

 

Graeme

As you'r using JRiver...try Kernel Streaming in device set up rather than Asio or Wasapi, as well as DSD conversion on fly, especially 24/96 or 24/192 files, if you had some. Or, you can convert them first and play them as DSD. The best of best, is to get some native DSD files, you can find some fee downloads at Blue Coast Records.

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Foxman50
Originally Posted by cvrle:

As you'r using JRiver...try Kernel Streaming in device set up rather than Asio or Wasapi, as well as DSD conversion on fly, especially 24/96 or 24/192 files, if you had some. Or, you can convert them first and play them as DSD. The best of best, is to get some native DSD files, you can find some fee downloads at Blue Coast Records.

Hi cvrle

 

I will try that. Just out of interest do you know what the difference between the drivers is. I hadn't even noticed the kernel mode.

 

I tried the conversion to DSD on the fly but this netbook just isnt powerful enough unfortunately. Not sure if dbpoweramp can convert them, but may give it a try.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by cvrle
Originally Posted by Foxman50:
Originally Posted by cvrle:

As you'r using JRiver...try Kernel Streaming in device set up rather than Asio or Wasapi, as well as DSD conversion on fly, especially 24/96 or 24/192 files, if you had some. Or, you can convert them first and play them as DSD. The best of best, is to get some native DSD files, you can find some fee downloads at Blue Coast Records.

Hi cvrle

 

I will try that. Just out of interest do you know what the difference between the drivers is. I hadn't even noticed the kernel mode.

 

I tried the conversion to DSD on the fly but this netbook just isnt powerful enough unfortunately. Not sure if dbpoweramp can convert them, but may give it a try.

 

Graeme

Hi Graeme,

Tools-Options-Audio-Audio Device-Last line "more", open it-you should see Hugo Kernel, or so.

Sorry to heat that your processor is slow to do conversion on fly, but you can use either JRiver or DbPower to convert it first. I like it, so you may want to give try, it'll help you in making of your decision. 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Foxman50

Thanks will give this a try. To be honest im preferring the NDX feeding Hugo, but am wondering if this is down to the netbook and usb cable combo. Ultimately if i change id get a mac mini, but not sure if the hardware is relevant.

 

Graeme

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by oscarskeeper

Graeme, can you try the netbook via optical. IIRC from what I read elsewhere, this is considered by the the designer to be the optimal input for it. Certainly seems to be the most source agnostic connection for me, although differences in what I've tried remain pretty small and were not at first really apparent at all.

 

ben 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jude2012

Folks who have tried or who are using the Hugo - how do you control the volume?

 

Is it via the Hugo (is there a remote control?) or is it via the pre-amp or Integrated Amp?

 

Looking like a paradigm change to me.....

 

Jude

 

 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by GraemeH
Originally Posted by Jude2012:

Folks who have tried or who are using the Hugo - how do you control the volume?

 

Is it via the Hugo (is there a remote control?) or is it via the pre-amp or Integrated Amp?

 

Looking like a paradigm change to me.....

 

Jude

 

 

I'll line out to the SN2.

 

G

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen
Same here. The Hugo does not have remote control, but can exert an effect at distance
Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Sloop John B
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Jan, it's looking a bit embarrassing right now... So I'll keep my powder dry a little longer. 

Simon

Ah come on Simon, the world awaits!

 

 

SJB

 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jude2012

Thanks Jan and Graeme,

 

Thanks.  Just found the Hugo manual on-line which mentions the 'volume -bypass'  feature for line level out.  An audition beckons for me.

 

J 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jude2012
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Jan, it's looking a bit embarrassing right now... So I'll keep my powder dry a little longer. 

Simon

Ah come on Simon, the world awaits!

 

 

SJB

 

I would be interested in Simon's conclusions too.

 

 

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Jan-Erik Nordoen
Originally Posted by Jude2012:

       
Thanks Jan and Graeme,

Thanks.  Just found the Hugo manual on-line which mentions the 'volume -bypass'  feature for line level out.  An audition beckons for me.

J

       
It's not actually a volume bypass, what it does is set the volume output to line level. The digital volume control remains in the circuit, but according to Rob Watts, there is no loss of information and no drop in performance. I concur.
Posted on: 25 May 2014 by PhilP
Originally Posted by Jude2012:
Originally Posted by Sloop John B:
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Jan, it's looking a bit embarrassing right now... So I'll keep my powder dry a little longer. 

Simon

Ah come on Simon, the world awaits!

 

 

SJB

 

I would be interested in Simon's conclusions too.

 

 

Oh I do hope it won't be the usual teaser ( not that Simon has previous form) long term devout Naimee doubts that Naim are the greatest but then miraculously sees the light ... Yes there is a true god and His name is Naim....

Posted on: 25 May 2014 by Kevin Richardson
What's left to figure out?  The nDac + 555  at 14,000$ might be slightly better than the 2,325$ Hugo?