Where has the NDX into Hugo thread gone?

Hi Gary

It is not the turquoise level you get to when you do the bypass trick. From memory I believe it is a bit pinkish. In this mode it will set output level to 2.1V, which is the output level of a normal CD-player, but is still quite high for the sensitive Naim pre-amps which operate on a 75mV sensitivity level. Therefore I prefer to lower it to the turquoise colour level.

Cheer

Aleg

+1  Turquoise as well here.

If you do the 2V output setting on startup - then the colour is Cyan - turn it down further to get Turquoise.. The Naim NACs seem to have quite sensitive inputs.

Simon

It seems like such a useful indicator, maybe we should push for an international colour standard for volume? 

Gary

The current Nait XS2 is somewhat less sensitive at 130mV, which is also the sensitivity of 152XS and Supernait (Nait5is is on 170mV and 172 XS even on 200mV).

The separates from NAP-200 upwards are all on a sensitivity off 75mV.

So it may be that on the Nait the bandwidth for volume control is sufficient in Hugo bypass-level or may not need to go all the way to turquoise.

Gents, could you give me a steer please on connecting my Hugo to my SuperUniti to see what it does for headphone listening using SuperUniti as the source.

Many thanks

Justin

The SU has a digital out Justin. You just need a BNC to RCA cable to connect it to the Hugo.

Mark Grant cables do a decent one for about £20 

You're a gent as ever James. Many thanks and hope you are well.

I use the 'bypass' setting into the SN2 and find it well matched into the PMC Twenty.23.

G

+1 . Faultless 

i thought you were selling your Hugo Justin? 

It is for sale Steve, but not having any response to the advert, thought I would try it out for the outlay of a cable! If it sells then all well and good, if it adds greatly to headphone listening via SU then I would consider keeping it. Quite happy either way, but just trying to be sensible with the amount of boxes that are finding their way into my small house, as small as it is.

Regards

Justin

I'm surprised you're selling it Justin. It sits very well in my system and that's coming from a dyed in the wool vinyl dinosaur who used to hate everything digital. Used with a MacMini and HD Raid it forms a very tidy digital system both in terms of size, price and SQ. 

Good luck. I'm sure you'll have no problem selling it.

Steve

Thanks Steve, I agree it is a good piece, it's nice having something up for sale and being relaxed if it stays or goes. Truth is with being so pleased with the SuperUniti, it will only get headphone listening. For the sake of £25 i'm going to order a Mark Grant cable tomorrow and see what it does. I did originally look at getting a Nait and plugging Hugo/Mac into it, but truth is I couldn't live with all the boxes and associated cables. That's where the SU works for me. 

Fair enough. 

No to say impedance match is fine, it's the opposite of a mismatch.  If you want max power transfer then you need to make the output and input impedances much the same (amp/speakers) but between a preamp and power amp we need to make sure that power amp has a higher input impedance than the preamp's output impedance.  In this case that would be called 'matching' the impedance of the two devices.  So the word matching is fine.

But it seems to me, from what you many of you say, that NAIM somehow 'tailor' their power amps so that a NAIM preamp is really required.  This could be done, for example, by making the input impedance of the power amp have a large inductance or capacitance.  Rather like certain speakers have in the past - Quad Electrostatics have a large capacitance I seem to remember.  Another example would of course be moving coil cartridges, it is never a matter of making sure the input to your mc preamp has the right resistance, get the reactance wrong and it will sound 'orrible.  I know this from experience I am afraid.

In this case you would might get a large peak or an early dip in the frequency response, that would make you notice it.

As I have said before, even if you connect via a preamp you are still using the output stage of the Hugo.  So apart from some aberration in the frequency response it's difficult to fathom.  If the NAIM preamp is adding something then it some sort of artefact that you can hear and enjoy - by definition.

Hi all

Auditioned a Hugo at home last week and was very impressed - as many have said, bigger sound stage, more definition etc. Will almost certainly be ordering one very soon.

Just wondering about leads - I auditioned with Chord Prodac digital (RCA to RCA using bnc adaptor on ND5XS) and Chord Chorus phono leads. Would Mark Grant bnc to rca work as well on the digital side? Chord Chorus is a bit over budget at present but I have found a Flashback lead I had made up a few years back - RCA to din but with 6db attenuation and latch fitting. Would this work well for the time being into my NAC82?

Cheers
Hugh

High Hugh I use a Hiline RCA to DIN lead on the Hugo. it really does work well albeit a bit pricey.

Naim network streamer players only have a BNC out and so I use a  RCA to BNC Naim DC1.cable (no adapters)

Mark Grant BNC to Phono, great price, build quality and sound. I use one between my Qute and Hugo.

Just to add, I took my Hugo to Mark Grant as I live 2 miles away from him. He used my Hugo to match the correct phono plug so if you order one of his leads buy with confidence that the lead will fit The Hugo. 

To second what HiFiman has said, yesterday I ordered this exact lead to listen to headphones using the SU as a source. What an absolute gent he is, explained I had a Hugo, and he was aware of the limited clearance, and had a suitable phono connecter in stock. Got into work 20 minutes ago, and there was the package sitting on my desk. Truly great service, and an extremely well made product.

Fantastic.

Correct

As a result of this and the previous thread, I have purchased a Hugo - thanks to all commentators.

i am currently demoing a Chord Sarum as Hugo output cable to my 52 and would like to try a hiline, however, I would also like to try changeing the USB input cable (supplied) from the mac mini and am wondering to what extent it might effect my conclusions regarding the output cables - obviously trying to factor in, in's and outs at the same time is difficult without having all cables available at the same time.

Can anybody offer any insights or advice on which 'end' to focus on first?