Product comparisons and upgrade paths

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Answers on this topic

Everything he said on this topic (102)

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2014-09-08Watts says 6 ohm 86dB speakers are too much for Hugo's 0.5A, recommends Hugo over Qute for line use, and describes its Class A discrete hybrid output stage. Head-Fi, Sep 2014
2015-04-15Watts says Hugo TT differs from Hugo in beefier batteries, better reference supply circuitry that reduces noise floor modulation, and galvanic isolation on USB. article, Apr 2015
2015-10-30Watts says Dave is in a different league to the QBD76, comparing it to an iPhone 6 against a phone from ten years ago. Head-Fi, Oct 2015
2015-11-13Watts says Dave gives 6.75 V RMS at 1% THD, suggests demoing it with Abyss headphones he has not tried, and says production code is close. Head-Fi, Nov 2015
2015-12-13Watts bets a new Dave against a bottle of Bollinger, and a Mojo against a beer, that they will beat the DACs a poster named for transparency and musicality. needs context Head-Fi, Dec 2015
2015-12-30Watts says Dave is better than Mojo/Hugo, but Hugo was the first digital device that let him enjoy music rather than sound, despite being technically close to Qute. Head-Fi, Dec 2015
2016-01-11Watts says TT beats Hugo via supercaps lowering PSU impedance, heavier metalwork, USB galvanic isolation and a better flip-flop reference supply that cuts distortion and noise some 4 dB. Head-Fi, Jan 2016
2016-01-24Watts compares 2 Qute and Hugo: similar on optical or coax, 2 Qute's galvanic isolation helps with a PC on USB, Hugo can feed power amps directly; output stages match. Head-Fi, Jan 2016
2016-03-04Watts says the intended price is nearer TT than Dave, and wishes Hugo were closer to Dave in sound so he need not carry Dave, now at 150,000 miles. needs context Head-Fi, Mar 2016
2017-01-23Watts says the 256FS filter improves starts and stops of notes, Hugo cascaded two WTA stages while Dave uses one, and Dave remains well above Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
2017-02-19Watts says Hugo TT beats Hugo mainly through better references, USB isolation and more Class A bias, the PSU being about 20%, and Hugo drives all headphones below white. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-03-19Watts says Hugo 2's 'Mojo filter' only selects a 16FS WTA with Mojo-like tonal balance, and the 256FS filter gives DAVE-like incisiveness without making Hugo 2 sound like DAVE. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-04-07Watts says Hugo 2 with the white filter has a tonal balance like his DAVE and M scaler reference, avoids hardness, and the 16FS filter suits hard headphones. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-07Watts says Hugo 2 is more incisive, transparent and refined than Hugo 1, crediting lower noise floor modulation, better noise shaping and truncation, and the 256FS WTA. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-06-10Watts flatly rejects the claim that the QBD76 is better than DAVE, saying DAVE hugely beats it in every regard. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
2017-06-17Watts calls Hugo 2 a complete redesign of Hugo 1: better DSD filtering, 10 pulse array elements instead of 4, a second-order analog noise shaper output, digital DC servo. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
2017-06-18Watts says he did not tweak Hugo 2's frequency response, and that DAVE is a very big step up in clarity and sounds brighter overall due to its transparency. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
2017-08-11Watts says the million-tap M scaler exceeds 16-bit accuracy, Hugo 2 takes 768 kHz dual BNC, better analog parts put DAVE ahead, and he flies with DAVE and Blu 2. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
2017-08-17Watts says chip DACs suffer noise floor modulation, jitter sensitivity, poor small-signal resolution and short filters versus Hugo 2's 49,152 taps, factors far outweighing passive part quality. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
2017-08-21Watts dismisses a quoted claim that Hugo 2 is only slightly better than Hugo 1, answering 'you're having a laugh'. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
2018-01-10Watts says Qutest was designed mainly for speaker systems; it suits those who like an external headphone amp's coloration, but for transparency with headphones he recommends Hugo 2 or Dave. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-02-07Watts says he cannot say whether someone will like a product, only that Hugo 2 and Qutest are technically, measurably and musically much more advanced than Hugo 1 and 2Qute. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-08Watts says DAVE is unbeatable for transparency and depth over Hugo 2, but Blu 2 plus Hugo 2 wins on timbre, rhythm, bass and instrument power. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-28Watts says Hugo 2 and Qutest share circuitry and FPGA code but Hugo 2's output stage is more advanced; for headphones it outperforms Qutest with a separate amp. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-03-06Watts says Qutest and 2Qute have identical discrete output stages and the same 3V output, suggesting Qutest's greater refinement may make a difference more apparent. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-03-13Watts says Dave's superior transparency comes from many factors beyond its noise shaper, which dominate given Hugo 2 and Qutest's noise shapers, and both benefit enormously from an M scaler. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-04-04Watts says 90% of Hugo 2's technology came from DAVE through reusable Verilog modules that are simulated, verified and listened to, giving Hugo 2 identical digital internal performance. article, Apr 2018
2018-04-04Watts expects desktop models to stay ahead; on taps alone, Hugo 2 and Qutest have 49,152 versus Blu MKII's 1,015,808, which he calls 'a 20 times capacity advantage.' article, Apr 2018
2018-04-04Watts says all headphones improve further up the chain to Blu Dave, but each headphone's strengths and weaknesses become more exposed, so favorites may change. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
2018-05-11Watts says TT2 measures like Hugo 2 in DAC mode, gives 18W balanced and 7W SE without degradation, describes its supercap PSU, and denies working on a Dave 2. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-05-14Watts says TT2 has an FPGA 5 times as capable as the original TT's and twice Hugo 2's, a 98,000-tap WTA filter, a more advanced noise shaper, and 30 farads of supercaps. HIFICLUBE.NET JVH 7
2018-05-24Watts says volume-matched TT2 beats Hugo 2 in depth, detail and separation, he uses only SE outputs on his 88dB speakers, and 20 Hz distortion ignores load. Head-Fi, May 2018
2018-07-21Watts says the M Scaler's code and performance are exactly the same as Blu 2's, and he has eliminated the need for ferrites. c w 30:23
2018-07-24Watts says with Aeon headphones he would choose the M Scaler over TT2 as an upgrade from Hugo 2, calling it transformational, unless driving difficult headphones or speakers. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-08-04Watts says TT2 is warmer with better depth than Hugo 2 with the M Scaler too, and integer decimation from 192 to 96 loses little with a decent filter. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-04Watts clarifies that the M Scaler was used in both cases when he found TT2 better than Hugo 2 in depth and resolution. needs context Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-04Watts explains TT2's 98,304-tap 16FS WTA1, says WTA2 matches Hugo 2 and Dave, TT2 sounds warmer than Hugo 2, and describes fixing 192kHz crackles in Windows. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-04Watts says Mojo's 768 kHz works on USB only; going from 0.5M to 1M taps is a big change, so audition the M scaler with Mojo against a Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-05Watts says Mojo gains from 0.5M taps but upgrading Mojo may be better, and Mojo lacks an extra SPDIF decoder because power mattered and no M scaler existed then. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-06Watts says it is more complicated: instrument separation, timbre variation and sense of flow come only with the scaled option, while DAVE gives transparency, detail, resolution and depth. Pursuit Perfect System 4:43
2018-08-06Watts says users must choose: for timbre, pitch, separation and focus, the option garbled in the transcript as 'OTAL'; for pure transparency and detail resolution, DAVE. needs context Pursuit Perfect System 5:13
2018-08-13Watts advises 75 ohm BNC cables matching the M scaler's output; scaled DACs still differ: Dave beats Qutest, with a 20-element pulse array and 30 times lower distortion. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-14Watts says the first DX amp will have headphone outputs, Dave easily drives LCD-4 to 120 dB SPL with the best transparency, and suggests a TT2/Dave dealer demo. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-17Watts says Dave will be more transparent than the first DX amp on headphones, and explains naming it 'power pulse array DAC' because 'digital amp' implies Class D. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-20Watts speculates why the test filter is poor, and says the 16FS, WTA2 256FS and 2048FS path is identical from Qutest to Dave; noise shaper, pulse array and analog differ. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-09-14Watts says linear PSUs lack RF filtering and sound brighter, Qutest benefits hugely from the M scaler but an M-scaled Dave easily beats an M-scaled Qutest. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-10-13Watts says Qutest sounds very different from the Yggdrasil, preference is the buyer's choice, and they measure very differently, with measurements mattering profoundly. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-27Watts says TT2 drives his 802 D3 from the SE output, lists upcoming events, and says Dave remains well ahead of TT2 in depth and detail resolution. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-27Watts says the Hugo M Scaler is not sensitive to RFI, and that Dave is more transparent while M Scaler with TT2 is better for timbre, flow and separation. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-12-06Watts says TT2 is more transparent and refined than Hugo 2, the refinement being more apparent, so pass-through differences may be more noticeable with TT2. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2018-12-12Watts says TT2 has 10 elements and a 12th-order noise shaper beyond 300 dB, better than Hugo 2 but short of DAVE, with one 7 watt amplifier, giving better depth. Pursuit Perfect System 35:36
2018-12-15Watts says TT2's 98,304 taps switch off with an M Scaler, and TT2 was not engineered to sound warm but expected warmer than DAVE and more refined than Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2019-03-12Watts explains how a mains-powered USB reclocker creates intersecting ground loops that defeat Qutest's isolation, and weighs an M Scaler against removing an external amp, advising a dealer trial. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-03-13Watts lists TT2's advantages over Qutest: better noise shapers, DAVE reference circuitry, a second-order analog noise shaper, and a far simpler path than Qutest plus headphone amp. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-03-27Watts says M scaled DAVE beats M scaled TT2 in every regard, a larger gap than he expected; the earlier comment compared M scaler plus TT2 with DAVE alone. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-03-28Watts says he is not unhappy with TT2, drives his B&W 802s from it, and was surprised DAVE's lead was so large, from factors other than noise shaping. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-03-28Watts says electronic design is his alone, cost limited TT2 with a higher than expected BOM, he hit the price-performance sweet spot, and demand exceeds Chord's expectations. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
2019-10-22Watts says, traveling with Hugo 2 and M scaler instead of TT2, he can live without TT2 but not without the M scaler, which he calls essential. Head-Fi, Oct 2019
2019-11-18Watts says Hugo 2 gives 1050 mW into 8 ohms against about 750mW for the original, and stays more linear into 33 ohms, sounding smoother and warmer. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2020-01-02Watts says more is going on, since Qutest always needs an amplifier for headphones or loudspeakers. Passion for Sound 23:05
2020-01-02Watts says if TT2 would only serve as a DAC into an integrated amplifier, you would be better off with the M Scaler, though transparency would be the same. Passion for Sound 23:23
2020-01-02Watts says TT2 is more transparent than Qutest (better noise shapers, components, supply, output stage), but the M Scaler uniquely brings timbre, pitch, separation and musicality. Passion for Sound 23:33
2020-01-02Watts says at similar prices he would choose TT2 plus M Scaler over a bare DAVE for musicality, though many will prefer DAVE for its extraordinary transparency. Passion for Sound 24:16
2020-01-02Watts says DAVE is much more transparent than even an M Scaler-fed TT2, the choice is personal, Qutest with another amplifier loses transparency, and many Qutest owners add M Scalers. Passion for Sound 24:58
2020-04-15Watts has not heard the M Scaler with the original Hugo TT, which would need one BNC as it is 384k max, and suggests trying TT2 with the M Scaler. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
2020-07-26Watts says price is irrelevant: Mojo drives 8 ohm speakers, reconstructs transients better than Bartok's minimum phase filters and lacks Bartok's noise floor modulation. Head-Fi, Jul 2020
2020-12-27Watts says adding the M Scaler would be a bigger jump in separation, speed, warmth and flow, while TT2 is more refined than Hugo 2, and suggests trying both. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
2021-03-29Watts compares dCS Bartok's quoted noise and headphone output (1.4W into 33 ohms) with TT2's 10W, and says fixed noise at -127dB is inaudible while signal-dependent noise matters. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-07-18Watts says TT2 is warmer in tonal balance than Hugo 2, so he takes TT2 to hotels, but Hugo 2 remains his choice on aircraft. Head-Fi, Jul 2021
2021-11-08Watts disputes that DAPs have closed the gap on Mojo, citing its zero measurable noise floor modulation, transient timing and small-signal accuracy, which DAC chips have not improved. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
2022-01-31Watts says the change is evolutionary: original Mojo was 38 thousand taps, he improved the filter and updated its internal architecture, and the improvements are subtle. Darko.Audio 12:58
2022-01-31Watts says Mojo 2 auto-offs after 10 minutes without inputs, stays in desktop mode while powered, trails Hugo 2, uses a digital DC servo, and improved 16FS-to-2048FS filtering. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
2022-02-01Watts says Mojo 2's DSP core passes bit-perfect data when EQ and crossfeed are off, it still uses the 15T FPGA, and lists Hugo 2's advantages over it. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-12Watts says Mojo and Mojo 2 measure identically, but Mojo's warmth came from coupling-capacitor distortion removed by the DC servo; a bass shelf boost restores it. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-03-10Watts says no Mojo 2 EQ setting replicates Mojo, whose warmth and bass coloration came from one coupling capacitor, not frequency response; a 125Hz boost adds warmth only. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
2022-03-19Watts says Mojo 2 has 40,960 taps, an updated WTA architecture and an improved noise shaper, and an improved 4 element pulse array; he was worried about a distortion bump near 70 to 200 kHz. MFG Audio Reviews 28:30
2022-03-19Watts says the ringing is expected, the 16-bit result is state of the art with only TT2 and DAVE slightly better, and Mojo sold in large numbers after 2015. MFG Audio Reviews 45:45
2022-04-04Watts says high current and low output impedance let two headphones share the output, Mojo 2 uses 98% of the FPGA versus 33%, and he avoids trivial updates. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-08-31Watts says TT2 had no cost-saving compromises, DAVE proved more transparent than he expected, Chord is engineer-run, and noise floors are about -400 dB (digital) and -350 dB (best noise shapers). Head-Fi, Aug 2022
2022-09-18Watts says the cello sounded about 2.5 meters away on DAVE, about 2 on Hugo 2, about two with M Scaler (as transcribed), half a foot on conventional DACs. The Source AV 19:00
2022-09-18Watts says Mojo 2 is a big step up from the original Mojo. The Source AV 28:39
2023-03-01Watts says direct-cut discs are rare and vinyl reproduces tape or digital, and DAVE's greater resolution over TT2 is not due to its 3dB gain difference. Head-Fi, Mar 2023
2023-10-01Watts says, seriously, that a Mojo put in a huge fancy copper box with the same performance and its contents hidden would sell at $100,000. The Source AV 7:24
2024-05-04Watts says Quartet replacing a Hugo M Scaler on another listener's Dave made instruments sound real, and describes ADC decimation filter work and the 104MHz pulse array ADC. Head-Fi, May 2024
2024-05-10Watts says the changes in this unit are quite a lot compared to the M Scaler. Reactcore 9
2024-06-24Watts says he does not recall calling the Hugo M Scaler a mess, says it remains essential on his flights, and calls Quartet a major advance on it. Head-Fi, Jun 2024
2024-07-12Watts calls Quartet a bigger, more exotic, more expensive Hugo M Scaler, six years in the making with three to four man-years of work, his most complex project. HIFICLUB 57
2024-07-12Watts says years of small improvements made progress hard to judge; plugging Quartet into his friend's system with M Scaler and DAVE made a huge difference, like forgetting the hi-fi. HIFICLUB 52:22
2024-07-12Watts says it was one of five such experiences in his life; the friend, who owns DAVE, TT2 and two M Scalers, expected better but not this much better. HIFICLUB 53:11
2024-09-29Watts says it works to a different level of precision than the existing M Scaler, will not replace the Hugo M Scaler, and is a lot more expensive. needs context The Source AV 5:05
2025-09-14Watts says since having Quartet it has been disappointing to fly with just an M Scaler, because you get used to Quartet's sound quality. The Source AV 15:46
2026-03-17Watts says many DAVE sales, and Quartet sales once people have heard it, came from people who started with a $650 Mojo and heard something new. ecoustics 1:18:21
2026-03-17Watts says many start with Mojo 2 and end with DAVE, and understanding why things change the sound lets him spend resources on what improves it as budgets rise. ecoustics 1:19:05
2026-03-17Watts says he guessed Mojo 2 would have around two-thirds the performance of a Hugo 2 compared to Mojo, and listening tests matched, with no surprises. ecoustics 1:20:45
2026-03-17Watts says quantifying mechanisms lets him spend resources correctly, so each step up in Chord price brings a commensurate change in sound quality, though worth varies by person. ecoustics 1:21:22
2026-03-17Watts says sensitivity and budgets differ, some hearing night and day and others a small step, so listen for yourself; each step improves transparency and refinement. ecoustics 1:22:15
2026-03-17Watts says he is not recommending buying a Quartet and a Mojo 2. ecoustics 1:26:03
2026-03-24Watts says at New York CanJam, owners of DAVE and the M Scaler all said it was a much bigger change than they expected. needs context Audio Force 21:35
2026-03-24Watts says the older Mojo 2 needed adapters, and every metal-to-metal interface damages sound, so the dedicated connector improves detail and soundstage; USB-C charging is the other major benefit. Audio Force 32:33
2026-08-30Watts says Quartet is an expensive scaler that adds sound quality at the next level; once used to it you cannot listen without it. The Source AV 4:30
2026-10-02Watts says his Mojo 2 target was two-thirds of the way from Mojo (0%) to Hugo 2 (100%) in sound quality, which he can predict on paper. HiFi Buys 2:29:40
2026-10-02Watts says Mojo 2 needed many board iterations, and the first prototype hit his two-thirds target, a gap clear enough to protect Hugo 2 sales. HiFi Buys 2:31:58