Qutest, Hugo TT2, Mscaler

Odd one – it’s £2,750 on the website (until yesterday), on the phone offered for £2,900 (a few days ago), and today raised the price to 3K on the website… Not sure whether this would become my favourite dealer…

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I agree… seemed a good deal but seemed odd that the price fluctuated so much. I asked them why and they weren’t very forth coming. I haven’t bought from them in the past so have nothing to go off.

It’s the fact that all these prices seem to be ex-display on silver and black.

I admit to not knowing much about these products. I assume a Dave and M-Scaler would replace my NAS if I want to go this route? Would these be balanced enough for my SU?

Me too.

I am ACTIVELY trying to NOT upgrade.

My system sounds fantastic. I have done a series of changes in the last couple of years, with the Meridian 210 only a few months ago.

…but, if I fail I’ll let you know :wink:

M

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Yeah… when I get an upgrade itch I go into my office, set my favourite playlist away, sit back and listen. This is followed by a nah, no need, it sounds fantastic!

The next time I upgrade will DAC / MScaler related (TT2 probably) but I honestly don’t need to yet. The Aries G1, Qutest and cables have improved things so much I just want to sit back and enjoy.

Sometimes it’s good to recognise when it’s right to say No More!

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No, they’d replace the DAC in your SU, if the SU has a digital out and an analogue in to the preamp usable simultaneously (or Dave can feed the power amp section directly IF there is a separate power amp input, which there might not be).

Ok, thanks, I misunderstood some comments I read. I don’t think I’ll go this route at this time.

The Comparison continues…

I have been giving time for both my new cable and TT2 PreAmp section to break in. Have about 4+ hours on them now.

As much as I want the TT2 to at least match my current 282 / HC2 set up it just isn’t there. The soundstage is much more constrained, doesn’t sound as organic and lively. It may be nothing about performance, but I am having a hard time getting into it.

At this point I don’t feel that I am going to move on from my beloved 282. I will continue to play with the TT2 and see if it can convince me, but I honestly don’t see that happening.

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Any chance you can try it with a non Naim amp? That is how I had used mine,but in the end I use my Mscaler and TT2 in DAC mode, into my Nagra Integrated.

Many thanks for your further insights! It’s really a comparison that intrigues me.

When you write “more constraint” and less “organic and lively” , do you mean it sounds somewhat recessed and veiled even though all the detail is there?

Apologies for following up on your expressions. I am not really good in this hifi lingu business — and to make things worse, it’s obviously not my native language here…

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No worries. That is exactly what I meant mean.

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Not likely.

The experience however has reminded me of how happy I am with my system. It was a fun experiment that cost nothing and helped me appreciate what I have.

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really interesting that

still waiting on my demo set to ship so can try it out, must say will demo DAVE but having done quite bit of background reading i am convinced a DAVE2 will be in the pipeline give how close the TT2/MScaler has brought itself to dave performance wise for less money (and DAVE is getting on a bit for chords usual release rate)

have no doubt dave + mscaler will sound amazing mind will post once have got the gear and tried it out … :slight_smile:

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Thanks a lot @InTune — having experience with the Hugo 2 into a 250DR I think I understand now what you are hearing.

You have the right cable — one could always try the Dave into your poweramp too. :grinning:

Edit: if my recollection is correct, @ChrisSU uses a Dave straight into the 250DR, and reported favourably results.

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Yes the Dave has been around a while, so I agree a Dave 2 must be coming soon. That’s why I bought TT2 + MScaler a few months ago.

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I don’t think you will see a Dave 2 for a while, Mr Watts is still working on digital amps, an Analog to digital recorder, and hopefully a desktop 2go/2 yu to match the Mscaler/TT2. Nowhere has he even hinted at a Dave 2, that I have seen on the various Headfi forums he posts on.

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that is right

Dave is the peak of his work to make the ultimate DAC, and the good news is that it will always be upgradeable by adding an M Scaler.

whether going beyond a million taps is needed or not, that remains to be heard.

be nice to know whether he plans to anytime soon, maybe worth a cheeky message on head-fi as be pretty gutted to spend that amount of money on a dave to find a new one comes out next year…

No manufacturer, or their people, will tell you in advance, as that would kill sales of the existing one. The best hope you have for finding out is if someone like its designer accidentalky lets something slip out in talking around the subject.

It is therefore simple : if you want Dave, buy it. If you want Dave2, wait - but accept that whilst it might be 6 months, it might equally be 6 years, or they might never be able to improve on Dave other than possibly build in the MSCaler to make a single product costing less than the sum of its parts.

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very true
the demo will make my mind up ultimately one way or another and which DAC sound i prefer (believe TT2 supposed to be a bit softer but less detailed than DAVE, but will see when they finally arrive to test)

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