Obsydian
Your dislike for the Hugo reminds me of the Band Tellison, I can not for the life of me understand what people like about it. Naim radio just played one of their songs, and instantly I reach for the remote to turn it down,I find their music repulsive, I just do not understand how anyone likes it, and why Naim continue playing that crap on their otherwise great radio station. Some things are just not for everyone.
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To stress I have no issue with the sound of the Hugo, my point from the start has been it is on par with my Ā£59 Cyrus Soundkey I bought for a punt to fully try USB Audio Pro and bag 3mths of free Qobuz.
Final sign off update.
Connected the Hugo between my Innuos server USB to Hugo Toslink to Nova, meant I could just swap digital inputs and only swap the USB Innuos end.
The result, sadly the same, nowhere near the Audiophilleo into Nova, less detail, air, bass, I would add though I did not get beyond a red 44.1K as through the Naim app.
So the Hugo mobile or desktop does not float my boat at all.
Over and out.
I understand you have put this to bed, but, I thought the Nova digitizes all inputs, so I do not understand where an external DAC would change the end result. Are you not just hearing the Novaās DAC in the end?
A bit like me and the Innuous server: tried one and was happy to return to my Mac mini. Did nothing to merit its high price tag that I could hear nor did it support any form of room correction or DSP. I canāt understand why anybody buys one when J River MC 25 is availableā¦ if you want a 100% plug n play box then the Roon Nucleus looks much better value and will do DSP. Still lots of people swear by Innuous and fair enough if itās what the people want. .
Thecfact that you can play doesnāt mean its not faulty: something could still be wrong with it affecting the sound.
If you were playing something at higher resolution and only getting that, something is wrong, whether with the player or Hugo.
As mentioned aside from the Nova, I got into the DSD modes.
Just looking at other DACs and typical Google news snooping throws up this Hugo review.
āI donāt like or enjoy the Chord Hugo 2 because of all the bad traits of audiophilia that it manifests. Neither its controls nor sound feel like they were designed for humans. Itās like Chordās engineers forgot what a headphone amplifier and DAC is supposed to be, namely a tool for pumping sweet tunes into peopleās craniums. So they built a soulless perfectionistās idea of an audio reproduction machine, neglecting to hear it for themselves. The Hugo 2 is technically impressive, and its crystalline sound gives glimpses into detail that other DACs canāt match, but in the end, itās just too cold and inhuman. With enthusiast products like this, precision means nothing without pleasure.ā
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People write all kinds of rubbish on the Internet. Which? has a great campaign to help stop such reviews. Having used Hugo for several years Iām delighted with it. A review is worthless as I can listen to it and think for myself.
Any of us could write a review on Google praising or deriding a product we had never seen or heard. There is whole industry of reviewers who get paid for this skullduggery.
Music reviews are even more pointless as it so easy to hear something and make up your own mind whether you like it or not.
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What he sums up in that review was how I felt about the Mojo. It was technically outstanding but I was left cold by it and did not engage me with the music I played via it.
The Hugo 1 sounds absolutely best with SPDIF and a quality transport sourceā¦ in my main system it really it was one of the best DACs I have tried with my 552.it has quite a warm, cuddly yet insightful presentation with that wonderful Mandelbrot effect. Yes there are better DACs out there ā¦ but for a price.
I do ensure the volume is set turquoise and the NAC is grounded.
I am afraid USB is not itās strong cardā¦ I never got it to sound anywhere near itās full potential with USB.
And yes musically I found the Hugo 2 pales by comparison to the Hugo 1ā¦ even though the former is technically supposed to be better. (I have written about this on the old forum)
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some of the comments here quite interesting.
I had the pleasure of watching one of the Marvel Avenger movies all over again, but this time got my Chord Mojo out, and was it an experience to see it on my 65 Inch OLED screen with a Chord Mojo doing the DAC dutiesā¦
The soundtrack, score, voices, all brought to lifeā¦ amazing really. With the OLED screen, it was like being in the cinema all over again. But especially the musicality coming out of the Mojo.
Yes Mscaler/Dave are much better, but it is never a disappointment to listen to Mojoā¦ every time I hear it I am amazed.
Because it just is portable enough to go everywhere, and especially in my carā¦
I didnāt find the Hugo 2 DAC to be any lesser musically than the Mojo, just has a better soundstage, more 3 dimensionalā¦
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How does one connect mojo to a car - currently I blue tooth tidal from I phone to in car audio system (2016 Audi TTS)?
Gary
Take the 3.5 out to 3.5 in. Only useful I guess on older car systems that still have an analogue in.
Correction: medium age cars. Older cars didnāt have 3.5mm (or any) inputs.
The only way is through 3.5m aux input
I connect my iPhone to the mojo through CCK and telegenic micro usb cable.
Yes a bit cumbersome but worth it for long commutes
I tried various methods with compact USB DAC, but i have no 3.5mm jack, i do have USB but use that for Android auto, i do find Tidal sounds allot better than Spotify in the car.
For Apple fanboys they can use Qobuz with Car Play.
Actually it is not disappointing if a Sound key is better than Hugo.
I wish a Discman is better than ND555 too
Seen these remarks before no difference between Hugo and Iphone ā¦
Perception is their realityā¦ not everyone hears the difference or thinks it is worth it.
For some the discman will sound the same as The best sources in the world
But thatās not reality just perception. Their perception is not a true reality just an opinion
It also needs a system and speakers to hear it.
On cheap earbuds bought for 10 gbp it may be indeed difficult to perceive the worth of an ND555
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Until recently I thought Chord made cables ā¦ I dont know anything about Hugo, Dave and the other guys.
But Apple (initiated by Steve Jobs) has been known to hire well-known names in the audio business to design the mic preamps and audio output. Of course within very tight limitations.
Plug in a pair of headphones in the latest mac mini ā¦ not bad at all. Or try the old big Beats Dr Dre headphones in an iPad Pro and watch movies, real amazing stuff.
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I agree itās not bad at all quite engagingā¦
But a difference there still is to my humble ears
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