Is anyone not impressed by the Hugo

Well I was myself really against the Hugo, but somehow the pain of saving up each month for NDS/555 against the alleged superior sound quality of the hugo and it's lower cost won out in the end.

Music matters, but money counts too.

before I click the buy button though, does hugo play music as well as a Naim source component?

You know the pace, timing, sheer musicality and energy of usual Naim sources?

I can only compare it to my qute2, Hugo is hugely better

I have one, and my view sits in a slightly different place from those who seem to be either for or against it. 

I think at its price point it represents excellent value for money. What it offers is excellent resolution, but without any hardness. Normally, at this price point, you get either one or the other. 

I use mine as it was intended, as a portable DAC/headphone amp. But I have put it in 2 of my (non-Naim) systems which use more expensive DACs, a Berkeley Alpha DAC 2 and an MSB IV Signature. Against these more expensive DACs, the Hugo sounds a little thin - not harsh, just lacking some harmonic density and weight.

So I would certainly try and hear it in your system first before buying it, just to ensure you are happy with the fit.

And it would depend on what you are trying to achieve, e.g. 

My only Naim system is a small office style setup - US/V1/NAP100/Focal Aria 907. I have no desire to take out the V1 and run it from the Hugo. That system is to enjoy casual listening on a well balanced system, so I am not going to chase increased resolution. And the lighter weight in terms of sound is not a desirable direction, in any case.

I am not familiar with Naim's higher quality DACs, maybe they need to be updated?

Although I thought that Naim's top DACs were using the no-longer-produced BB1704K DAC chips, which were the last of the R2R (ladder) chips that have now succumbed to the onslaught of Delta-Sigma chips. Which is a little ironic, as some of the most sought after DACs use 1704K. Of course, implementation of the DAC is at least as important as the chip, or in the case of the Hugo, gate array.

With the NDX I find it's mining every ounce of what the streamer can do and amplifying it - even more 'naim-like' sound, if you will.

G

Pace, timing, musicality yes - though interconnects seem to matter - I use Naim Hi-Line. I feel bass energy is less than the NDAC/555PS but on a par with the NDS/555PSDR

Simon

Stupid question perhaps. Can the Hugo be connected to my existing NDS?

Yes it can - using the SPDIF out. Best switch the NDS to digital out only mode for the optimum transport stream. You will need a BNC to phono 75ohm coax lead for the SPDIF.

Sorry, I'm not a particular technical wizard, but as I understand it, the Hugo bypasses the NDS DAC? Can someone post a picture on how the two are connected?

I was wondering whether to invest in NDS/555 but with this avalanche of praise for the Hugo I've got to have a listen to it, especially with the thousands of pounds that can be saved by buying eg. ND5XS + Hugo instead of NDS/555.

Hoping here that compromising on the transport won't trash the SQ too much. I would be very happy if ND5XS/Hugo gave me say 85 to 90% of the SQ of NDS/555 (subjectively speaking) at about 35% of the cost. That's a cost/benefit ratio that would be hard to ignore

In fact I might go for Uniti 2 + Hugo and cover my cd replay as well ....

Sorry I am not sure I know how to post a simple diagram here. I really would look at the NDS manual which is a simple well laid out doc. The NDS manual shows the digital out socket to use and describes the user commands to set for digital only mode. You will have most probably done the similar command for your DAC only mode on the NDS up until know. .

Not sure any basic technical know how is required here as its plug and play. If your dealer set up your NDS initially - buy the Hugo from them and ask them to plug it in for you.

Simon

(BNC to Phono) 75ohm digital cable from NDS into Hugo then an interconnect (phono to DIN) out of Hugo into DIN - in on a Naim amplifier.

I used the naim DC1 75ohm and a Chord Anthem 2 interconnect which I'm very happy with.

G

Hi Simon, I've heard S/PDIF cables from Atlas into a Naim system which are rated at 65ohm, Naim recommends 75ohm when using S/PDIF.  

What difference in sound will there be by using a 65ohm vs 75ohm? And what is the reason why they recommend a 75ohm cable?

75 ohms is the specified impedance for the S/PDIF standard. The "impedance" of the load represents the opposition to current flow which the load presents. Changing the impedance will cause problems.

The extract below, from the Blue Jeans Cable website, explains it quite well.

Because the effects of impedance mismatch are dependent upon frequency, the issue has particular relevance for digital signals. Where analog audio or video signals consist of electrical waves which rise or fall continuously through a range, digital signals are very different--they switch rapidly between two states representing bits, 1 and 0. This switching creates something close to what we call a "square wave," a waveform which, instead of being sloped like a sine wave, has sharp, sudden transitions (in practice, the "square waves" in digital signals aren't really quite square). Although a digital signal can be said to have a "frequency" at the rate at which it switches, electrically, a square wave of a given frequency is equivalent to a sine wave at that frequency accompanied by an infinite series of harmonics--that is, multiples of the frequency. If all of these harmonics aren't faithfully carried through the cable--and, in fact, it's physically impossible to carry all of them faithfully--then the "shoulders" of the digital square wave begin to round off. The more the wave becomes rounded, the higher the possibility of bit errors becomes. The device at the load end will, of course, reconstitute the digital information from this somewhat rounded wave, but as the rounding becomes worse and worse, eventually there comes a point where the errors are too severe to be corrected, and the signal can no longer be reconstituted. The best defense against the problem is, of course, a cable of the right impedance.

I have a digital cable in which the designer fudged a bit on the 75 ohms requirement. I've never got on with the sound of the system using this cable, as there is an artificial etching that at first adds excitement, but eventually becomes tiring. Apparently some people like the effect though.

Jan

Did you find that the Hugo gave the same kind of improvement to the sound akin to adding a 555PS to a streamer?

I recently was able to listen to the new Linn Exakt System.... and it sounded amazing. No more boxes and a better sound. I'm considering to step across.

You'd have lots of MUNNIE, then?

I wish! A Dutch dealer offered me a great deal with exchange of my current Naim set. 

BTW, Naim is not cheap either. 

The correct response to this question is quite simple. Do not buy anything without auditioning it both in terms of your personal taste and your system.

End!

I removed the 555PS from the NDX and then plugged in the Hugo expecting the sound stage to shrink  in scale.

Much to my surprise It didn't and, along with the retained scale, came greater resolution and more natural timbres. The NDX sounded more 'open & analogue' and still very much like naim.

naim+ 

G

I could have gone down the NDS/555 route but chose not to after I heard the Hugo on it's tod with just the MM and Audirvana. See my review in the other thread and others from the forum have commented favourably when they heard it in my system. A number on here had existing streamers but if starting from scratch you can save a fortune by not using one IMO. It's the most analogue sounding digital replay I have heard In my system.

Steve, you really have to hear the Mirus...

Hi - I suspect there will be a subtle difference in sound - but whether that's due to being 65ohms as opposed to 75ohms - its hard to say but I doubt it or at least it will be minimal.

The 75 ohm is part of the SPDIF standard and is quite a common impedance used for coax leads and  connectors. (50 ohms is the common standard with RF cables).

By varying the impedance with respect to the source and sink terminations you can create reflections - which is bounced AC energy at the point of the impedance change (such as a plug or socket) - this means the power transfer is reduced. However in our applications the impact of this unless extreme should be minimal.

Simon