Chord Electronics

Hugo M Scaler

The M Scaler is not a DAC and does not replace one — it sits in front of yours and hands it a better signal. The million-tap filter comes straight down from the BLU MKII transport: 1,015,808 taps against the 98,304 of a Hugo TT 2, and against the 256 a chip DAC typically runs. Feed it a CD-rate stream and it leaves at 705.6 kHz; over the dual BNC output into a Qutest, Hugo 2, Hugo TT 2 or DAVE it goes to 768 kHz, and that pairing is the whole point. Other DACs with a suitable input still gain, within what they can decode. Same footprint as the rest of the Table Top range, so it stacks. Convection cooled, 2.55 kg, remote included.

Specifications

Chipset	Xilinx XC7A200T
Tap length	1,015,808 WTA taps (16FS filter)
PCM support	44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz, 717.6kHz, and 768kHz. 16 – 32bit
Upsampling	44.1kHz upscaled to 705.6kHz; up to 768kHz from 96kHz input data over the dual BNC output
Digital filters	The most advanced digital filter in the world
Inputs	1x Galvanically isolated Type-B USB, 2x Coax BNC and 2x Optical
Outputs	1x Galvanically isolated dual BNC (enables upscaling to the maximum 768kHz), 1x BNC S/PDIF and 1x Optical
Driver support	Driverless with Mac OS X and Linux, driver required for Windows OS
Control options	Adjustable sample rate output (with pass-thru mode); video mode (for lower latency); auto video and source selection; 'DX' controls for a future product design; IR remote control included
Compatibility	Maximum 768kHz upscaling with Chord's dual-BNC-input DACs: Qutest, Hugo 2, Hugo TT 2 and DAVE. Usable with other DACs with suitable inputs, subject to their decoding capability.
Power consumption	Full power – 30 W; Standby – 10 W
Materials	Solid aluminium chassis, convection cooled
Dimensions	4cm (H) 23.5cm (W) 23.8cm (D)
Weight	2.55kg
In the box	M-Scaler Quickstart guide; Safety instructions; 15V 4A Switching barrel type power supply; IR remote control; Type-A USB to Type-B USB cable; 2x BNC to BNC cables; Optical cable; 2x AAA batteries