NDX and Chord Hugo

Analog

Maybe like Steve you should try it for yourself. Don't get me wrong your system is hardly as revealing is it, so fatigue may not be an issue for you. Mind you you have put yourself in a place now where you couldn't possibly praise it. But prove me wrong by all means.

Graeme

Steve did you manage to feed them with any wav files. Just wondering if there is any noticeable difference. 

The degree of fatigue with the Hugo is much less than with any previous CD player I've heard, let alone the PSA. It should be listened to before any decision is made on that account. My system is very revealing and I could easily live with the Hugo. I'll probably end up with one but I feel I need to listen to the NDAC and my dealer want's to lend me his NDS so I'll wait to make the decision.

Bill,

If and when I decide to buy the Hugo I'll invest in a better USB cable. I still have to decide the best permanent position for the MacMini which will determine the length of cable I need to buy. Oh, and Raid was a typo. 

Simon, 

Wilco Collins. Very witty. It never harms to add a little suspense now and again.  It's interesting that the Chord DAC has all the PRaT that we come to expect from Naim products. It's the first time I feel comfortable introducing a digital source back into my system. I didn't think I'd be saying that for a long time.

I would also thank Wat for his help and advise with regard to setting everything up and to Stu for persuading me to have another go, plus one or two other things.  

Steve

No difference but remember Audirvana converts WAV, ALAC etc to PCM.

I can see why you and our other Graeme like the Hugo so much. For me, for a total outlay of about £2500, I have a digital system I can enjoy. I can't see the need for fancy streamers, NAS drives and complicated software programmes. Plus I can play my music library to other players in the house via Airplay.

Steve

Good write up Steve with an interesting conclusion. Enjoy 

+1 . I am 3 weeks in now and very happy . Adding quality interconnects and digital cables has taken Hugo to new heights. Absolute bargain .

For this you can use 'metaflac'. Since metaflac does not have a "rename-tag" option you have to write a small script. For instance:

find . -name '*.flac' -exec bash -c
  'metaflac --export-tags-to="$1".tmp "$1";  \
   sed 's/GENRE/SUBGENRE/' "$1".tmp > "$1".tmp1; \
   metaflac --import-tags-from="$1".tmp1 "$1";  \
   rm "$1".tmp "$1".tmp1' -- {} \;

will add to all your .flac files which contain a GENRE tag a new tag named SUBGENRE with the fields of the original GENRE tag. You can write a small set of combinators, but a 'find_cp_tag' (as in the example above) and a 'find_rm_tag' should be enough for basic management.

I have a copy of metaflac and I am using it to check that I am getting the right answers during test runs.  I have to sheepishly admit that I have not looked at it as fully as you obviously have.  I think you are out to spoil my enjoyment.

ps I don't have a working Unix or Linux PC at the moment, so I must convert my old win200 box to Linux - I don't use it any more!

likesmusic I might very well download JRiver, I have noticed that quite a few of the contributors on this site speak very highly of it.  So that is enough to convince me I should look at it.  The reason I was waiting on it is because I don't use my computer for playing music - not on my main system so JRiver seemed not to be that useful currently.  But you have changed my mind and I can put it on a netbook I have with a Turtle External Soundcard and see what it sounds like.

Thanks guys.

nbpf

Experimenting with metaflac it seems not to recognise wildcards in files, do you know if that is true.  Because I think I can pretty much get your script working in Windows but not having wildcards makes it a bit more difficult.

Buy yes I can see what you are doing in that script and it should work.  But I would want it to start in my Music Root directory and work its way though the directory structure

Don't want much do I?

Ever get the feeling you've walked in to some kind of secret society?

If I hadn't yet left CD or Vinyl and read all this arcane discussion I'd be running for the hills...

Perhaps time for its own thread?

G

Can we get back on-topic please!!

Steve, ok again I'd be interested in your views of the Hugo against the NDAC/555PS and NDS/555PS when your dealer lends you them.

To me the Hugo mostly builds on the respective strengths of both, but then I do mostly listen to digital sources and stream from my NDX.

Simon

"...DAC A (Hugo it transpired) achieved approximately 90% of what the full spec LP12 can do."

My experience of the two dealer lends you are getting Steve is that they (at upwards of £10K) do not get you closer.  Your ears may hear a different story of course.

I'd buy 'DAC A' and enjoy the music for a while. Life is simply too short.

G

Err... where did I do that?  I don't think I mentioned valves, did I?  If so please let me know where.

But I agree I will start a new thread about tags 'an 'at.

I mentioned valve amps and very good they are too. 

But did Miss Char Wallah have a pop at you though?  I agree btw they are very good even NAIM make one now.

I think Char, was pulling the collective Hugo thread plonker and not yours.

Jason.

Its all very surreal. Do Naim make valve amps, really. I think i need another drink. 

MAIM MAKE VALVES!

Is it called Valery?

Jason.

Yes they recently made a 'signature amp' released at CES: http://www.whathifi.com/news/n...d-prepower-amplifier

It's a monster all right.

I want another system that can stream from my NAS.  I have spare amps and speakers but the only other streamer I have (apart from my UnitiLite) is a 20 year old MicroMega bitstream model, good at the time and beautifully made but 16 bit only.  Actually I am asking all this stuff a bit prematurely because we are having some serious work done in a couple of rooms downstairs and most all of my kit is boxed up somewhere or the other.  I do have the Uniti playing through a JPW speaker system - small boxes and a boom box, I can't remember the model number and it sounds surprisingly good and I also have a p[air of B&W P7s but I am missing my 'Big Boys'.

I will certainly give some consideration to a mac mini.  I assume it has HDMI for our tv and with a wireless keyboard it would be very uncomputerlike.

Cheers Wat

...or collectively known as the "Three Wise Monkeys" amongst the audiophilia press. 

Jason.

Just a small point Mr Analogue; your profile needs updating to reflect the fact that you've got an LP12. I mean, surely you wouldn't be commenting on the comparison if you didn't own one yourself?

No fatigue from the Hugo here, I am using ATC speakers and am very fussy about digital hash/fatigue and bass bloat and prefer transparent presentations.. Warts and all.

But I do find myself listening at louder volumes with the Hugo as it easier to get enveloped and after a couple of hours of relatively high sound pressure I do like a rest.. or at lest a change of tempo and style.

Right now listening to Chopin Nocturne Op. 27 and Op. 20 in 88.8/24 played by François Chaplin and its divine.

Simon

Yes its so bl#%dy confusing. Although keep discussing as its something i want to try, just waiting for the new mac mini to be released.

Graeme