Chord Hugo TT2 dac and Hugo M Scaler

[CKKeung]

Agree!
Don't limit yourself to the few dac available at the Innuos dealers.
Pls bring your Zenith3 with you to visit dealers of other dac brands and your audiophile friends in UK.

 

[Hieukm]

Hieukm, the price on Hugo TT2 plus MScaler plus Zenith takes me into s/h SGM2015 and £1k dac territory
Part of the potential attraction of Chord is ability to upgrade at later date w MScaler
I don't see any reviews saying TT2 on it's own is a poor option, just that MScaler add on takes TT2 to beyond Dave territory
Indeed Tao here is a big fan of TT2 on it's own, loves it more w MScaler
For me I'll make sure I hear Zenith w TT2 on its own, plus M Scaler
But its too much a push to go all 3 units at the same time, s/h SGM would appeal more at that price
Holo Springs is the decidedly less expensive option to compare, and likely a total contrast to Chord

The thing your dealer is not telling you is how signigficant worse SGM2015 + 1k DAC compare to HugoTT2 + Mscaler + Zenith.

Choose your poison. In my opinion a server should not be first priority.

A 2017 zenith still sounds good of course. But compare to what?? The non- existed 2016 Zenith? The Zenith statement probably sound as good as the Zenith mk5. Thats just how the server technology is changing.

Look what happen to the Aurender W20 or SGM2015.

 

[moby2004]

I am jumping in as I currently have a M-Scaler, a Dave and a TT2. And I used to have the dCS Vivaldi stack ( but the transport unfortunately which is sensational).
Don't get me wrong, I did not switch from dCS to Chord because the sound quality was better but because 1) in my far from perfect room,I could not get the best out of it 2) too much space and too many expensive cables involved 3) wanted to have extra budget for other hifi gears...
Now I am very pleased with the Chord choice. The only other brand which is tempting me is Totaldac (Direct model. Twelve MK2 is probably fantastic but back to the multiple big box story...)
As a pure DAC, Dave is better than TT2, no contest. Now with the Mscaler in the loop I found the improvement brought to the TT2 quite significant and more significant than to the Dave. Adding to the facts that the headphone amp section of TT2(if you are in headphones as well) is more powerful and versatile, and that the combo is "transportable" I am actually more and more inclined to keep the TT2 instead of the Dave (again with the Mscaler in the loop).

PS : and the SGM extreme is on the top of my buying list but same interrogation : 1) life expectancy. At the same time it's so much better than any other servers I ve heard...2) won't be fully exploited in my room and with the "modest " Chord stack...

Alex

 

[Hieukm]

I am jumping in as I currently have a M-Scaler, a Dave and a TT2. And I used to have the dCS Vivaldi stack ( but the transport unfortunately which is sensational).
Don't get me wrong, I did not switch from dCS to Chord because the sound quality was better but because 1) in my far from perfect room,I could not get the best out of it 2) too much space and too many expensive cables involved 3) wanted to have extra budget for other hifi gears...
Now I am very pleased with the Chord choice. The only other brand which is tempting me is Totaldac (Direct model. Twelve MK2 is probably fantastic but back to the multiple big box story...)
As a pure DAC, Dave is better than TT2, no contest. Now with the Mscaler in the loop I found the improvement brought to the TT2 quite significant and more significant than to the Dave. Adding to the facts that the headphone amp section of TT2(if you are in headphones as well) is more powerful and versatile, and that the combo is "transportable" I am actually more and more inclined to keep the TT2 instead of the Dave (again with the Mscaler in the loop).

PS : and the SGM extreme is on the top of my buying list but same interrogation : 1) life expectancy. At the same time it's so much better than any other servers I ve heard...2) won't be fully exploited in my room and with the "modest " Chord stack...

Alex

How is the sound from Chord different from your DCS?

 

[moby2004]

How is the sound from Chord different from your DCS?

More subtlety and nuance with dCS. Also percussion instruments and cymbals were more incisive . In terms of transparency and soundstage on par maybe even a bit better for Chord. ( not a strict apple to apple comparison as I could not use the same digital output of my different sources and so cables ) Now,if you like a rich,smooth and sound I wouldn't choose neither Chord nor dCS...I am sure there are other brands better on those aspects .

Alex

 

[the sound of Tao]

Hi Alex,
Great listening options you have there and thanks for your insights.

With regards to the setup with the Chords am just wondering what digital cables you are using with them, how they are all powered and if you’d explored either different power cables or had also tried isolation footers on them.

Cheers
Tao

 

[Hieukm]

More subtlety and nuance with dCS. Also percussion instruments and cymbals were more incisive . In terms of transparency and soundstage on par maybe even a bit better for Chord. ( not a strict apple to apple comparison as I could not use the same digital output of my different sources and so cables ) Now,if you like a rich,smooth and sound I wouldn't choose neither Chord nor dCS...I am sure there are other brands better on those aspects .

Alex

Thank you for your insight.

 

[Hieukm]

Hi Alex,
Great listening options you have there and thanks for your insights.

With regards to the setup with the Chords am just wondering what digital cables you are using with them, how they are all powered and if you’d explored either different power cables or had also tried isolation footers on them.

Cheers
Tao

I am using SS Ultra 5 under Dave + Blu. Probably not the appropriate footer for them but big improvement for me when playing CD.
I felt they do response to power cord but not too drastically.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I find sensitivity to footers also with all the digital gear.

I’m also using ultra 5s Hieukm under the Chords and the Sotm renderer plus all the power supplies. I do find ultra 5s work best when they are equally employed throughout the setup along with appropriate resonance damping otherwise they can lead to a highlighting of the qualities of the gear they are under.

A big difference for me came through getting rid of the stock bnc cables for the hms.

I used Wireworld Platinum Starlight reterminated with furutech bncs and all of a sudden the balance was clearly significantly better and very much more right.

Also it revealed just how good the hms actually is considering it sounds good with the supplied cables but all of a sudden the timbre was just even more sensational and the tonal beauty, bass reach and tautness dramatically appeared and it all magnitudes of more musical again.

Big reminder for me in the importance of good cabling throughout the entire loom otherwise RFI can get in anywhere and be the downfall and defining characteristic of a potentially great digital system I figure.

 

[Hieukm]

I find sensitivity to footers also with all the digital gear. Am also using ultra 5s Hieukm under the Chords and the Sotm renderer plus all the power supplies. I find ultra 5s work best when they are equally employed throughout the setup along with appropriate resonance damping otherwise they can lead to a highlighting of the qualities of the gear they are under.

A big difference for me came through getting rid of the stock bnc cables for the hms.

I used Platinum Starlight with furutech bncs and all of a sudden the balance was significantly better and right. Also it revealed how good the hms is considering it sounds good with them but all of a sudden the timbre was even more sensational and tonal beauty, bass reach and tautness and even more musical again. Big reminder in the importance of good cabling throughout the entire loom otherwise RFI can be the downfall and defining characteristic of a potentially great digital system I figure.

I am using the Habst BNC cable. Strangely i dont find it to be much of an upgrade. Like Alex(Moby2004) comments, i would like to have more nuances in my system. After my amps + pre amps upgrade dont solve this, i will have to reassess my source + DAC.

 

[moby2004]

I am using the Habst BNC cable. Strangely i dont find it to be much of an upgrade. Like Alex(Moby2004) comments, i would like to have more nuances in my system. After my amps + pre amps upgrade dont solve this, i will have to reassess my source + DAC.

On my side I am also using Habst BNC cables. I admit I did not make any comparison with other cables on the Chord combo. ( I did comparison on dCS and was satisfied with them vs oyaide, nordost, acrolink, vovox).
Footers- wise,sorry I did not invest at all (yet) on that part. I have cheapo Oehlbach Air XL ....

Alex

 

[Hieukm]

I also waiting to see if anyone reports performance increase by replacing the Wall Wart that comes with HMS with an higher performance LPS.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hiekm, an external LPS will invalidate the Chord warranty.

 

[Hieukm]

Hiekm, an external LPS will invalidate the Chord warranty.

One of their not so grateful move. :-D

 

[the sound of Tao]

Yes, very unsporting. There is a control thing going on that is very unaudiophile!

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Yes, very unsporting. There is a control thing going on that is very unaudiophile!

Out of morbid curiosity, how will Chord know if it is an external power supply that has been used?

 

[the sound of Tao]

Bill, from memory there is a diode (or similar) that shows evidence of any over-voltage in the power regulation.

In the big picture I believe that Rob Watts fervently believes that the smps he has specified shapes the sound in the ‘quick’ way rather than linear supplies which are not considered by him as so much up to the task.

I just never agree with this generally. That said I have tried the supplied mscaler SMPS and also then modded the cables and the worst horrible greyness that seems to accompany many smps doesn’t seem as present in this device, which is perhaps why Rob Watts has chosen it I suppose. One reviewer felt that a 12volt linear supply wasn’t appreciably better than the15 volt switch mode but running at higher voltage in some digital devices has shown improved sound quality ie with Sotm gear the 12 volt is often considered to sound better than the equivalent 9volt versions.

But I do have a marvellously well built and robust 15 volt 4 amp linear supply from the guys at Kinki Audio (bless them) in Singapore and am however sorely tempted to fly in the face of the manufacturer’s tyranny. Will consider the outcome before trying.

That said I do find the m scaler the most significant improvement to the sense of the naturalness in my front end and would choose this over running with immediately more expensive but still affordable dacs in general. It’s excellent.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Graham, going to a bespoke LPS on my Straingauge cart has been night and day, although the 100 hour burn in from Hell was very hard to endure.

If I went the Chord route, I'd certainly heed their advice esp re warranty. I believe the issue is that so many specialist LPSs are not strict on voltages leading to (potential) malfunction. Whether this is BS or true, the one or two reviews I've read state there are only marginal gains to be had going LPS.

Can you Chord fans try and describe what is appealing to you and where there is a step up over competing dacs?

In the end, I'm gonna have a shortlist of not more than 3-5 dacs, Chord may end up more the outlier compared to Kitsune Edition Holo Springs, Lab12 Dac1 SE and Aqua La Voce S3, these latter three being Ladder R2R tech.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I think if you audition all your chosen dacs you will know best what is best for you. Sometimes there is a lot of discussion over nuances that don’t really amount to a hill of beans.

You are auditioning what you feel is good and you will choose. That is the best outcome. I don’t think it will change how I feel about the sound I have no matter what you find and hope that what I believe doesn’t at all influence you. I’m a complete believer in the impact of expectation bias. You should go in with an open mind, not filled with preconception.

The things I value aren’t the same, the system I’m putting it into isn’t the same, the way I characterise sound isn’t even the same. I could spend half an hour writing my heart out about the sound I prefer and it really would do little other than give you some personally skewed data which won’t help you because you actually have very strong and very different and individual convictions on what you like which is think is fab.

Hiekum doesn’t hear any difference much in digital cables on the mscaler and I hear very clear and critical changes. Neither of us are wrong. We just have different systems. In the end none of this really matters. If you are going to audition all those dacs you will in the end have the best educated understanding of what you want and prefer. I wouldn’t listen to any of them because they won’t work on the mscaler that well and I’ve already discovered that is my endgame solution.

 

[adyc]

Out of morbid curiosity, how will Chord know if it is an external power supply that has been used?

Some of the power supplies do not have regulators. The voltage will shot up momentarily when it turns on. The spike in the voltage will kill TT2 or HMS.