Chord DACs

Here is a question would you rather be regarded as being not grammatically correct or a boring old fart?

It is both about splitting hairs.

But tonight the Mojo arrives. Lets see how it compares to the Dragonfly Black which I currently use.

An nDac is still on my wishlist, but first I need a decent preamp since that is my bottleneck currently.

100%   .......  its the way of the word these days,  it started with texting & has carried thru to twitface messaging.    However I would rather someone leave the apostrophe out & along with the speeling & incorrect there/ their & your/you're & get a well penned message. That said it's OK once in a while to get a reminder.

Ah! here I need to correct you. It is remainder, not reminder.

At home, I always get that after my kids got all nice things.

Bob the Builder posted:

what the f*** have apostrophes got to do with hifi or music and no smart arsed replies I think I may actually die of boredom. 

Assuming you're not dead yet, seems you got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

*cough*

Just incase anyone's wondering what this thread is about...

Ardbeg10y posted:

It is both about splitting hairs.

But tonight the Mojo arrives. Lets see how it compares to the Dragonfly Black which I currently use.

An nDac is still on my wishlist, but first I need a decent preamp since that is my bottleneck currently.

If you only have digital sources then you don't even need a preamp, it will only pollute the sound.

Only if you use a power amp designed to be used with either a passive preamp or no preamp. Naim power amps are designed to be paired with Naim preamps. 

Halloween Man posted:

Ardbeg10y posted:

It is both about splitting hairs.

But tonight the Mojo arrives. Lets see how it compares to the Dragonfly Black which I currently use.

An nDac is still on my wishlist, but first I need a decent preamp since that is my bottleneck currently.

If you only have digital sources then you don't even need a preamp, it will only pollute the sound.

Unless you like Naim sound. Am I still in the right Forum?! 

Unfortunately I found that my current interconnects would not fit in the sockets of the Hugo as there is so little room around them so I had to return it

I then found out there is a newer model of the original Hugo that addressed the problem so have ordered that instead which should be with me early next week

Nina, as you have unfortunately discovered, the early versions of the Hugo had very little space around the RCA phono sockets so only certain RCA phono jacks would fit without fouling the case.  Later versions had a case that gave a bit more room.  However, the RCA phono socket for the coaxial s/pdif still has very little space around it, so many jacks won't fit properly (Naim's own RCA DC1 is fine here).  But at least Chord recognised the issue and include an extension adaptor, so make sure you have it included with the new unit.

Nina posted:

Unfortunately I found that my current interconnects would not fit in the sockets of the Hugo as there is so little room around them so I had to return it

I then found out there is a newer model of the original Hugo that addressed the problem so have ordered that instead which should be with me early next week

Two Naits, a CD5XS and two Hugos “on demo”? What’s your credit card limit? 

Timo posted:

Nina posted:

Unfortunately I found that my current interconnects would not fit in the sockets of the Hugo as there is so little room around them so I had to return it

I then found out there is a newer model of the original Hugo that addressed the problem so have ordered that instead which should be with me early next week

Two Naits, a CD5XS and two Hugos “on demo”? What’s your credit card limit? 

Yes Timo it has taken a real beating recently 

Richard Dane posted:

Only if you use a power amp designed to be used with either a passive preamp or no preamp. Naim power amps are designed to be paired with Naim preamps. 

I should have mentioned you need a DAC with built in preamp/volume control, such as Hugo, or Naim V1.

There's no harm in going direct from a third party DAC/pre to a Naim power amp whilst you're saving for that Naim pre, many have reported excellent results. You could use Roon or JRiver eq to cut ultrasonics to make sure the amp was recieving the correct operating audio bandwidth.  I would like to see a Naim power amp or Naim powered active speakers that would be suitable for a third party DAC/pre.

Nina posted:

Unfortunately I found that my current interconnects would not fit in the sockets of the Hugo as there is so little room around them so I had to return it

I then found out there is a newer model of the original Hugo that addressed the problem so have ordered that instead which should be with me early next week

Hi Nina, the socket spacing was opened up and modified slightly very early on in the life of the Hugo... so unless you borrowed a very very early Hugo, the socket spacing will already have been optimal.

There is also a Hugo 2 now which is a different device and sound, and it may have different spacings. 

I use the Naim Hiline (phono to DIN) to connect my Hugo to my Naim NAC.... spacing etc is perfect.

Halloween Man posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Only if you use a power amp designed to be used with either a passive preamp or no preamp. Naim power amps are designed to be paired with Naim preamps. 

I should have mentioned you need a DAC with built in preamp/volume control, such as Hugo, or Naim V1.

There's no harm in going direct from a third party DAC/pre to a Naim power amp whilst you're saving for that Naim pre, many have reported excellent results. You could use Roon or JRiver eq to cut ultrasonics to make sure the amp was recieving the correct operating audio bandwidth.  I would like to see a Naim power amp or Naim powered active speakers that would be suitable for a third party DAC/pre.

My understanding is that filtering out of very high (ultrasonic) frequencies is indeed important for stability of their power amps, something that I gather is done in the Naim preamps, which at least in part is a reason for recommending the pairing of Nain power- and pre-amps. I don't actually know if the n-DAC does include such filtering, however I believe Hugo does, ditto the remainder of the present Chord DACs.

Other reasons for the pairing recommendation could include impedance and drive matching, though that doesn't necessarily mean other devices or other preamps are unsuited, and that the key characteristics of the 'Naim sound' are generated in the pre-amp.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

There is also a Hugo 2 now which is a different device and sound, and it may have different spacings. 

the Hugo 2 has enough room for my Chord Shawline RCA plugs, if that helps. (but yeah, it's a bit of a tight fit!)

Speaking of Hugo....I kind of miss Tellurium Q threads ..
Anybody who use their USB cables with Naim / Chord Electronics?

When I borrowed Nick From Suffolk's Hugo, my phono to DIN Chord Super Sarum interconnect fitted, just, but the silly liitle rings around the phono plugs rolled up.

I use a Naim DAC-V1 as a digital preamp in a second system, in combination with a pair of Neat Motive 2s & a DIY “NAP”-type amplifier. This combination, fed from a Macbook Pro, using Amarra Symphony with IRC Dirac room correction software, is quite excellent. I think the V1's capabilities are underestimated by many folk; it's a superb device.

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Hi Nina, the socket spacing was opened up and modified slightly very early on in the life of the Hugo... so unless you borrowed a very very early Hugo, the socket spacing will already have been optimal.

There is also a Hugo 2 now which is a different device and sound, and it may have different spacings. 

I use the Naim Hiline (phono to DIN) to connect my Hugo to my Naim NAC.... spacing etc is perfect.

Simon I think my Hugo must have been a very early one as the spacing around the sockets was nonexistent.   The new one I have coming is the later chassis with the improved spacing.  I just didn't realise there were two models until I had ordered the original Hugo

I will also be getting my BNC to RCA cable on Monday so hopefully I will then be able to try out the Hugo No. 2 !

I really don`t understand this discussion, when there`s a superb Naim NDAC out there and it`s even upgradeable, both software and external psu. Easy to cope with, no setting or cable issues and it`s, compared to the mentioned ones, beautiful looking.

They are so cheap now, second hand, I`m tempted to buy one myself, even if I don`t need one.

S 

Stover posted:

I really don`t understand this discussion, when there`s a superb Naim NDAC out there and it`s even upgradeable, both software and external psu. Easy to cope with, no setting or cable issues and it`s, compared to the mentioned ones, beautiful looking.

 

The answer is simple: sound.

After all, that's what (most people's?) hifi is for. 

One could argue that if it sounds fantastic, why does it need upgrading (it is, of course, the Hugo 2 costing less than some Naim PSs), and massed ranks of large black boxes attractive to everyone.

Sure IB, sound (read music) is most important, but sound and Hifi is very subjective ...... and that`s my clue here. To avoid further interruption of the topic, I`ll pass here so please continue 

S

The little Hugo is now in the system so I can report back a bit later once everything is warmed up nicely

You managed to receive two hugo's whilst I only received an useless Chord Mojo Cablepack (which I did not order).

Lucky you. Life is unfair.

I'm keen to read if the difference will be bigger between the XS and SN based on this most sophisticated source.