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.
Anyone audition the Hugo with an ND5 with or without an XP5? I'd be interested as it would save a fortune compared to upgrading to an NDX or NDS and PS555.
Anyone audition the Hugo with an ND5 with or without an XP5? I'd be interested as it would save a fortune compared to upgrading to an NDX or NDS and PS555.
Sj this is kind of a guess but i doubt there would be any difference between an ND5 on the Hugo and the NDX i have with it. As i say this is a guess, but get a home demo of one and try it out
Graeme
You may well want to try it without the XPS on your HDX as well. I could not tell any difference when disconnecting it on my NDX.
Graeme
Sounds like a good idea. it could be a very versatile upgrade to my ND5/XP5 combo and a great headphone amp which I could run from the digi output of my upstairs UQ2.
Great to hear that the transport or server does not affect the SQ, in your experience
So... now with the Hugo nothing matters? Before Hugo everything matters. Now nothing.
Sounds like a good idea. it could be a very versatile upgrade to my ND5/XP5 combo and a great headphone amp which I could run from the digi output of my upstairs UQ2.
See my above post about the power supply. It could go towards the cost. Mine will be on flee bay very soon.
Great to hear that the transport or server does not affect the SQ, in your experience
So... now with the Hugo nothing matters? Before Hugo everything matters. Now nothing.
Not my experience here. I'm finding substantial differences between the U/S into the Hugo via optical S/PDIF, the MacBookPro via USB, and a Panasonic Bluray player via optical. The U/S is the clear winner in involvement with the music, and that's with basic optical cable. I had previously dismissed optical as a less than optimal solution, but my experience here is encouraging to the point that I've ordered a Wireworld Supernova 7.
How goes your quest for sonic perfection ?
Great to hear that the transport or server does not affect the SQ, in your experience
So... now with the Hugo nothing matters? Before Hugo everything matters. Now nothing.
Not my experience here. I'm finding substantial differences between the U/S into the Hugo via optical S/PDIF, the MacBookPro via USB, and a Panasonic Bluray player via optical. The U/S is the clear winner in involvement with the music, and that's with basic optical cable. I had previously dismissed optical as a less than optimal solution, but my experience here is encouraging to the point that I've ordered a Wireworld Supernova 7.
How goes your quest for sonic perfection ?
Jan-Erik
Are you able to test the same source into various inputs on the Hugo, not sure what outputs your U/S has. Certainly my Blu ray player does not sound as good as the NDX into the Hugo using the same coax input.
Graeme
The Bluray player and the U/S were tested into the same S/PDIF input using the same optical cable.
The U/S' output is via coaxial or optical S/PDIF, but no USB, so I can't compare this input on the Hugo. The U/S also outputs via ethernet ; now if only the Hugo had a streamer section...
Sounds like a good idea. it could be a very versatile upgrade to my ND5/XP5 combo and a great headphone amp which I could run from the digi output of my upstairs UQ2.
See my above post about the power supply. It could go towards the cost. Mine will be on flee bay very soon.
I'm not sure I'd want to get rid of the XP5 if indeed I did decide to go for the Hugo. The suggestion seems to be that the Hugo is not entirely source agnostic. If the XP5 powers both the digital and analogue sections of the ND5 would it still not have a beneficial effect on SQ?
Graeme
Interesting thread.... I tried out a chord Qute and dac v1 with my cd5xs and preferred the Qute which was better balanced and seemed to be even more detailed. Timing was excellent on Qute. I am waiting for Hugo to come into stock at dealer and can't wait to hear it!!!
What should my expectations be after hearing the Qute?
Thanks
Ben
I said I’d make a few more comments when I had time, so here it is for anyone who’s interested…
In short, I think the Hugo is fantastic. Having earlier commented that I wasn't sure whether I preferred it to an Ndac/555, I'm pretty sure now that I do. I have to say that I'm rather surprised and frankly somewhat confused by this, not least because I like the Naim sound so much and have done for so long. The idea that such good sound could come from such a tiny little thing is rather difficult to get your head round when you're used most reasonably high-end kit, never mind Naim with its power supplies and chunky cables.
Being analytical about the sound, the only area in which I think the Ndac shades it is in terms of ultimate bass extension. The Hugo produces plenty, but the naim combo ultimately it has just shade more heft and weight.
Overall however, my impression has not been that there is anything particularly striking about particular aspects of the Hugo sound, but that I have simply found myself thinking "just one more track" in a way that I have not really done with digital since moving my CDS3 on. As other people have commented, there is something about the sound that is very non-digital in the way that it sounds unforced, natural and fluid. The best way I could describe it would be as being akin to a KDS with some added, more Naim-like drive and solidity. It really is that good.
The other very pleasing aspect for me is that it means everything I need for digital listening (i.e. my HDX and the Hugo) fits on one fraim shelf rather than on three. As far as I can tell, the Hugo is completely support agnostic and does not to my ears sound any different whether sat on various bits of Naim, on its own shelf, on the floor or held in my hand. This being so, I can't really see the point of having it sat on a separate shelf. That said, if you are going to use it as more of a digital preamp and therefore would need to use and access the controls, the situation might then be different.
It appears similarly indifferent to the input used and source. I've tried it with various combinations of spdif, optical and usb from a Macbook and Mac Mini, NDX and HDX. Although i won't pretend my "testing" was in any way scientific, I could not hear any difference between the various options. No idea whether it would be different with hi res music, as I've not got any!
The designer of the Hugo, Rob Watts, has said that the Hugo is very close in sound quality to the much more expensive Chord QBD 76 and that the flagship DAC is being redesigned as a result, to quote:
"The QBD 76 has 16 elements on the pulse array, not 4 on Hugo, and has balanced outputs. But of course it is seriously rivalled by Hugo, so I am currently working on its replacement, which will feature all of the improvements made over the last 7 years that have gone into Hugo."
We gave the Hugo a second in depth test this weekend into the 82/Hicap/250. Absolutely stunning on Fred Pellerin's disc "Silence", but it lost the plot on Leonard Cohen's "Old Ideas". Through the Hugo, it was as though Leonard was singing from his head - there was no heart or soul in it. Switching to a bare CDX, Leonard was back in all his glory, and we were transfixed. Same pattern on many other albums tested ; the Hugo excels on certain recordings, showing a depth that is very, very alluring. I heard my speakers doing things in the bass that they have never done before. But the Hugo is inconsistent, and that for me, is a fatal flaw. The CDX on the other hand is consistently involving, the sound may not be as pretty, but it trumps the Hugo in emotional connection with the music.
The Hugo's focus is on the sound, whereas Naim focusses on the structure of the music. I know which approach I prefer.
We gave the Hugo a second in depth test this weekend into the 82/Hicap/250. Absolutely stunning on Fred Pellerin's disc "Silence", but it lost the plot on Leonard Cohen's "Old Ideas". Through the Hugo, it was as though Leonard was singing from his head - there was no heart or soul in it. Switching to a bare CDX, Leonard was back in all his glory, and we were transfixed. Same pattern on many other albums tested ; the Hugo excels on certain recordings, showing a depth that is very, very alluring. I heard my speakers doing things in the bass that they have never done before. But the Hugo is inconsistent, and that for me, is a fatal flaw. The CDX on the other hand is consistently involving, the sound may not be as pretty, but it trumps the Hugo in emotional connection with the music.
The Hugo's focus is on the sound, whereas Naim focusses on the structure of the music. I know which approach I prefer.
I find one to be more ephemeral, the other ethereal. One focuses on the music, the other on the sound. One is transparent, the other is music agnostic. While the former shines with open recordings, the later plays to the strength of music.
My God man, cannot people ever say "I like this one better"
No The answer is no
I find one to be more ephemeral, the other ethereal. One focuses on the music, the other on the sound. One is transparent, the other is music agnostic. While the former shines with open recordings, the later plays to the strength of music.
My God man, cannot people ever say "I like this one better"
No The answer is no
I like the Hugo better than my NDX/XPS . While not perfect as i mentioned above, its 90% in favour of Hugo for me at least.
Graeme
We gave the Hugo a second in depth test this weekend into the 82/Hicap/250. Absolutely stunning on Fred Pellerin's disc "Silence", but it lost the plot on Leonard Cohen's "Old Ideas". Through the Hugo, it was as though Leonard was singing from his head - there was no heart or soul in it. Switching to a bare CDX, Leonard was back in all his glory, and we were transfixed. Same pattern on many other albums tested ; the Hugo excels on certain recordings, showing a depth that is very, very alluring. I heard my speakers doing things in the bass that they have never done before. But the Hugo is inconsistent, and that for me, is a fatal flaw. The CDX on the other hand is consistently involving, the sound may not be as pretty, but it trumps the Hugo in emotional connection with the music.
The Hugo's focus is on the sound, whereas Naim focusses on the structure of the music. I know which approach I prefer.
Jan-Erik
Thanks for your update, and i think in part i agree with your comments about Leonard's vocals. I did find something similar myself, but not sure is its just a presentational difference. But i have to say i don't agree with lacking emotion, but that's why we are all different.
For me i can have the best of both worlds, running through the Hugo for the majority of albums, but if i find the odd album i prefer through the NDX i can just switch the amp over, as ill be leaving both analogue and coax connected.
Graeme
I am not a Naim only devotee. But they do get the basics of music which are important to me correctly.
The issue is where I live, it's too much of an effort to be able to audition the Hugo.
If Chord were to have a 30 days trial period, maybe worth it to listen to it.
But I enjoy reading all these giant killer reviews in which a battery operated DAC is able to better NDX/XPS
I am not a Naim only devotee. But they do get the basics of music which are important to me correctly.
- I'm not sure any company gets the basics right, i think they all put there own spin on it. We buy equipment to make music sound the way we like it. Its a very individual thing. I have heard many a system i cant stand yet others will say its the dogs. Who can say what the correct presentation is
The issue is where I live, it's too much of an effort to be able to audition the Hugo.
- This is the biggest issue i think we all have. If only all dealers could stock everything.
If Chord were to have a 30 days trial period, maybe worth it to listen to it.
- I would have thought a week would suffice, but this would be down to your dealer i guess.
But I enjoy reading all these giant killer reviews in which a battery operated DAC is able to better NDX/XPS
- the technology in my NDX is some years old now. Not only that but it is more than just a DAC, so i cant see what is so unbelievable about this. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hugo and DAC in the NDX are of similar value.
I will say again, best way to make a judgement is to have a demo. Don't put stuff down without hearing it first. Who knows you may hate the sound of it. I wouldn't be surprised.
Graeme
The problem is that maybe I won't hate the sound of it, but maybe I will not be impressed either
many me too average digital sources out there.
So what?