Review Of Chord Electronics M Scaler & Hugo TT 2
Review Of Chord Electronics M Scaler & Hugo TT 2
My detailed review of the Chord Electronics M Scaler digital audio upscaler & Hugo TT2 DAC Headphone Amp & Preamp. Two winning audiophile products in my opinion.
► Pricing & availability (referral links)- Chord M Scaler on eBay: http://ebay.us/TV3qBD
Chord TT2: http://ebay.us/DDgQjt
IsoBlock Silicon Isolation Feet: https://amzn.to/2BmMaBt
Perch headphone stand: https://amzn.to/2GfbjC7
Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 RCA Interconnects: https://amzn.to/2WJLD5u
Also see:
Robt Watts talk on the M Scaler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfscfTkHgM4
The theory behind the M Scaler: https://www.bluebirdmusic.com/edit/files/pdf_documents/chord_electronics/m_scaler_white_paper.pdf
If you like my content, please consider:
►Make a donation: https://www.paypal.me/phototristan/
►Join My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/phototristan
►Shop Amazon here (costs you nothing!): http://amzn.to/1qENnra
►Buy me something? My Wishlist: http://amzn.com/w/TSA0X1B7BI3
Social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phototristan/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tristantom
#hugott2 #mscaler #chord #review
Do you think Chord will update the Dave soon? Dave 2 omg can’t wait for it to come out!
Would the M Scaler upscale the sound quality of a YouTube video? Genuinely curious.
The Chord Hugo TT 2 uses super-capacitors for exemplary power performance with transients (bass) & the M Scaler has 1 million digital taps. Also, Chord is working on new digital amplifier technology with Rob Watts called Pulse Array, which is implemented in the Hugo TT 2’s amplification section.
You change your products views & options like women change their cloths
Dude can those M Scalers even upscale the MQA quality sources? Even if it can, do human ears feel the higher quality in sound? as opposed to hearing slight difference in music we hear when we listen to the same song in just a little higher volume?
The "ne plus ultra", review of this combo, to date, is by @austinpop over at Computer Audiophile. I can’t recall a product(s) that has had a more stellar critical response. I tried to order an HMS today to go with my tt2, and was quoted June delivery, in the UK. Patience will probably be required therefore.
Have you sold your tt1 already? It will be nice to know how you would compare tt2 alone against tt1 as I own a TT1 as well
How do you turn off the M Scler?
How do u turn off the M Scaler?
I love how the Z1R’s sound through this combo. It retains all the positives and takes away the treble peak. My first impressions with the TT2+Mscaler was every instrument was well defined and you could pick it out of the music along with subtle nuances. No harshness whatsoever. More holographic and 3d. Sounds like your in the recording studio.
Hi, are you still do the amazon test ? We have electronic product need to test, I wonder if you are interested or not. Thanks.
Very cool review. You’re the first person from whom I was able to understand the main thing the M Scaler does. So, are you saying that no matter where the source is streaming from, whether Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and even YouTube, the M Scaler will upsample it to 768Hz? Can it truly do so? Wouldn’t that be something like an unattractive female using plastic surgery or makeup to look good compared to an attractive female using makeup to look good? Would you say owning an M Scaler makes it unnecessary to own a Tidal subscription as long as a person for example, purchases the full album from Amazon downloaded? Also, isn’t 768Hz an unreal, unproduced sound? I’m no expert but for example, would a master recording from a Jackson 5 album be at 768hz to which the M Scaler gets to that amount of Hz to hear everything on the master recording? These are all my dire questions with the M Scaler.
Hi. What it the best headphone match for TT2? Thank you
Awesome video review and couldn’t agree with your assessment!
Sony dmp z1 vs TT2? Almost the same price…
Does the M Scaler improve the sound significantly or it’s just a very subtle luxury? I mean, the Hugo sounds amazing by itself… thinking in something better is very hard to imagine.
Do you think the M-Scaler added to the Qutest would make a substantial difference?
I see you’re NOT a big fan of Woo’s amp
Just wanted to offer another perspective. Many would take the view that hi-res DSD / 192kHz 24bit is a marketing scam. Additionally, a well- implemented dac/amp does not need to cost this much, and can meet audible levels of transparency. The mind can play a ton of tricks, but these products and formats don’t hold up to … yes wait for it… scientific tests and blind test studies. Please look into this more before buying these types of products. And keep in mind how bias can make you perceive that a shinier, pricier product might produce better sound.
If you want to spend a boat load of money on a headphone setup, spend it on the transducer, get a Focal Utopia (or similar) and you will get the most out of it out even off a basic setup.
Want to save some money, still enjoy music and pay off your mortgage? Get a $200 set of Sennheiser HD58X and check out.
Enjoy your reviews Tristan. Cheers!
Do you still have the violectric amp? How is Hugo TT 2’s amp section compared to the violectric you have?
Something doesn’t add (to me) in terms of the ‘M Scaler’.
It’s something a DAC essentially does anyway: interpolates to create an analogue signal.
I have a Chord Qutest+Violectric v281 headphone amp (which you have reviewed already). I’m wondering what would be the next upgrade path for me: keep the Qutest and V281 and add an Mscaler (I can get one for $3500usd) or sell the Qutest and v281 and get a TT2 for around $4k usd. Unfortunately I can get both at the moment. I only stream ROON/Tidal via Mac mini so I don’t have an expensive renderer / network streamer but it seems the Chord products don’t need them?
What do you do for a living? Just curious since your spending habits are quite insane.
CHORD UFO… lol
I want to purchase this combo and a pair of Hifiman HE-1000se.
Hope this happens soon.
Good job on the review, right on point! And congrats on your new TT 2 and the M Scaler.
You can make it a little louder by enging the Mascaler or you can make it louder by nudging the volume up a little. Using the volume control is better since it is cheaper, you don’t need any fancy cables and you have less stupid colored balls to look at.
I really enjoyed this review. I already own a TT2, which is fantastic, especially when used with my Focal Utopia headphones. I am steeling myself to try to persuade my long suffering Wife I simply cannot live without the addition of the M-Scaler.
What speakers are you using.
My only issue with it is the cheap remote. The original TT remote was beautiful.
Still trying to decide between the HUGO2 and the Qutest, I was extremely impressed with the MOJO
Have you had any chances to compare the Hugo TT 2 and Sennheiser HDV820? Thanks
Hi, I have Mojo, but find it bright for my taste, too little bass. Is the TT2 warmer than the Mojo? And adding the Mscaler to the TT2 makes it warmer or brigher than without Mscaler?
The Hugo TT2 is amazing! One of the best DACs, period!
Great review 👍🏻
I have a question for you: I only do streaming, Tidal Master res, and Spotify, do you really think the M scaler would be worth the extra investment? Thanks. By the way I am not touching that volume knob lol….
Great review! Thank you. Ive been looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this duo and you have confirmed a lot of what I suspected. What DAC/Amp in your system will these two be replacing?
Too expensive for what they offer. You can get better sound for 1/5th. Of their price.
Doesn’t LED lights emit EMI? Why would they do that to contaminate electric signals?