CHORD M-Scaler Review (Upsampler)

[Music1969]

I am not sure if I have time but will try....

Thanks, it should be better than Mojo2 but your original Hugo2 measurements doesn't show that.

Maybe testing back then was not as good as now. Or maybe it was.

 

[wwenze]

It's always fun when the expensive product measures worse than a $0 one. Like USB cables.

 

[amirm]

It's always fun when the expensive product measures worse than a $0 one. Like USB cables.

When people ask me why I bother measuring, this is the type of thing I point to. That often I find problems with these products that are clear in measurements.

 

[Doodski]

JSmith

Gross yuck blah!

 

[Katji]

In my context, it is approximately 47% of the price of new Hyundai i10 Grand.

 

[pkane]

CHORD M-scaler and Hugo 2 Listening Tests
Conveniently, the switch between bypass and 2X upsampling was seamless. So I used that to perform listening tests. I say some because the button cycles to higher rates and there, it causes a glitch/pause which completely throws off your mind. Going by forward mode of bypass to 2X, I detected no difference at all. Nothing changes as far as tonality, soundstage, etc. I captured a couple of samples for you to listen as well:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

You can listen right in the dropbox or download them. If you are sure there is a difference, go ahead and say which one is M-scaler bypass and which is 2X.

FYI I could not run a null test with DeltaWave as there is too much clock drift and clips are not lined up. The difference shown was the same as two consecutive captures without changing anything.

Clock drift is measured and can be removed in DeltaWave. On these samples the drift is computed as 27.85ppm -- fairly large, but this is probably only in the ballpark. To compute this more accurately, you'll need to use longer captures, such as 60 seconds or even 2 minutes.

There also appears to be some sort of a glitch repeating every 0.2 seconds or so, affecting mostly above 1kHz:

 

[TuteTibiImperes]

The one complain in the review I wouldn’t agree with is the external power brick vs built-in PSU. I prefer external power bricks, makes it easier to route power cables around. Maybe I’m weird though.

 

[audiotron]

JSmith

Simple 2 layer board with non audio grade caps .....

 

[Doodski]

the external power brick vs built-in PSU.

This is more cost scrimping on the expense of manufacturing the unit. Between the lack of a proper display and adjustable controls and the lack of onboard power supply it looks unfavorable for CHORD.

 

[Doodski]

Simple 2 layer board with non audio grade caps .....

It's just, Ewwwwwww!

 

[tritopia]

For these devices, must use an external linear adapter that costs at least $3,000 or more for a BNC cable (x2) and a similar price.

 

[Doodski]

For these devices, must use an external linear adapter that costs at least $3,000 or more for a BNC cable (x2) and a similar price.

Like Naim does. sigh*

 

[Garrincha]

Chord and Naim, you put british Hifi to shame,
Quad in the old days is full of hoorays.

 

[AndreaT]

JSmith

$ 35 of parts? OMG!

 

[TuteTibiImperes]

This is more cost scrimping on the expense of manufacturing the unit. Between the lack of a proper display and adjustable controls and the lack of onboard power supply it looks unfavorable for CHORD.

Gotcha. Theoretically wouldn’t it be easier to eliminate potential PS related noise by havi an external power brick supply? Since the power supply would be physically distant from the audio circuits?

 

[AndreaT]

Now do DCS Lina

$ 29,150 for the Lina system…why?

 

[Doodski]

Gotcha. Theoretically wouldn’t it be easier to eliminate potential PS related noise by havi an external power brick supply? Since the power supply would be physically distant from the audio circuits?

Yes, the isolation of the power supply does improve stuff although it can be put into the main case with a little thought put into the effort.

 

[Garrincha]

$ 29,150 for the Lina system…why?

Why do I have the feeling that the $200 Topping Dx3pro+ measures better? I just looked it up, the headphone amp for $10k has a meagre 2 W at 30 Ohm balanced output, now do the efficiancy ratio W/$.

 

[Cars-N-Cans]

Gotcha. Theoretically wouldn’t it be easier to eliminate potential PS related noise by havi an external power brick supply? Since the power supply would be physically distant from the audio circuits?

Potentially, but with modern switching supplies its not as severe. The old linear supplies, even with toroidal transformers, have fairly powerful magnetic fields in their vicinity. This makes them harder to shield in the cabinet, and the e core transformers are even worse. It was one reason old stereos had such big cabinets: To keep the amplifier section and electronics well away from the 50/60 Hz fields. In modern off-line supplies, its mainly an issue of radiated RF and switching noise, which can be easier to deal with. I know I for one stopped using mains transformers and went to switching supplies just because its so much easier to package them together in small cabinets without the large iron transformer. Also having the supply externally can cause its own issues since the lead from the brick can act as an antenna and pick up noise. I ran into this with my Schiit headphone amp picking up noise from my PC, and had to add some additional RF decoupling to the underside of the board inside. But, most include ferrite beads on the cords and additional decoupling inside the device. To me its a matter of whether you are bothered by them or not. I prefer not to have them so I don't have dusty barnacles behind all my furniture and entertainment racks.

 

[Cars-N-Cans]

Gotcha. Theoretically wouldn’t it be easier to eliminate potential PS related noise by havi an external power brick supply? Since the power supply would be physically distant from the audio circuits?

Its also worth mentioning that this is a device that's all digital, so here it doesn't really matter so much. Its mainly with analog stuff that you really care because its more susceptible to interference and mains noise pickup.