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.
I find it ironic that a thread about one of the most exciting products released recently has also IMHO been one of the most tedious ever in this Forum... Yes, there have been a few really interesting posts but we're at 28 pages now...
Summary: the Hugo sounds great, (almost everyone loves it), it appears to surpass all Naim products which include DACs in terms of sound quality and it doesn't buzz 
.
There, it took only one sentence to summarise 28 pages
Hi-fi critic was waiting on the door mat when I got home and the Hugo gets a glowing review - 'Game Changer'
It must represent a true paradigm shift to be greeted with such a fresh and original cliché.
PhilP wrote
"I find it ironic that a thread about one of the most exciting products released recently has also IMHO been one of the most tedious ever in this forum."
Fair comment, and I'm as guilty as anyone with my own posts.
Oops - Just spotted your second paragraph.
"... it (the Hugo) appears to surpass all Naim products which include DACs in terms of sound quality..."
Now you've gone and done it!
I don't think you've been a leading offender and I wouldn't single out anyone in particular, it's just been spectacularly dull...
I thought the very first post was spectacularly good. 
And just because i like these 
Hi Foxy,
just re-read your first post and agree it was one of the highlights, if not the highlight of the 28 pages 
I read/ contribute to several fora and find this to be place with the most informed/intelligent/amusing content. That's why I was a bit disappointed with the Hugo thread? Maybe a bit of reticence to express extremely positive reviews of a competitor's product on a Naim forum which, I guess is fair enough.
I hope you continue to enjoy your Hugo with or without beer!
Philip
David v Goliath.
Over the last few days I have had the new PS Audio DirectStream DAC on home demo. Today the humble Hugo arrived. Over the next few days I will evaluate and compare the two DACs.
The system is a basic MacMini, WD 8Tb dual Raid, iTunes, Audinirvana setup with a basic micro USB on the Hugo and a Chord Silver USB on the PS. The connection to the 552 is via a phono-DIN Hiline for both.
I'll not give anything away until I've finished comparing both of them. I have ALAC, hires FLAC and a couple of pure DSD files to play.
Watch this space!
Here's a pic of them together. As you can see the difference in size is enormous. In fact the PS Audio DAC is quite a bit bigger than the 552.
Steve
Thanks Graeme.
I'll be in touch soon.
Three hours since my original post and no-one has disagreed so I guess everything I said must have been correct - well that's reassuring/a first
Roll on page 29.... 39.. . ... Err how do I enter an infinity symbol... B***** iPads...
Some say that the Auralic DAC is better than the Hugo so when Steve has finished can someone do that next? Please.
Thanks
Three hours since my original post and no-one has disagreed so I guess everything I said must have been correct - well that's reassuring/a first
Roll on page 29.... 39.. . ... Err how do I enter an infinity symbol... B***** iPads...
Some say that the Auralic DAC is better than the Hugo so when Steve has finished can someone do that next? Please.
Thanks
Phil
how about you, come on you know you want too
Graeme
Get behind me Satan!
I am now (at least for the forseeable future) not open to systems with separate DACs, power supplies etc and am now happy, like James N, with a one box solution