Chord Hugo 2

Sure, the WM1Z is poor value compared to a dedicated desktop unit. So is every portable I know of. I don't think people realistically buy the WM1Z and then don't use it as a portable, however. That's very much not the case with the Hugo 2.

Either way, the price you (should) actually pay for a WM1Z and a Hugo 2 is the same*, which still makes the Hugo 2 rather poorer in value terms.

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*If you're paying $2,600 for the WM1Z then that's a different problem.

 

Glad to see more Hugo 2 impressions posted. Chord prices have been going down here ever since brexit. There was a local black Friday deal where if you bought a Hugo 2 you got a Mojo in for free. And even better deals can be found through trade in deals (= Chord seems to have pretty nice dealer margins). The Chord marketing/hype is probably so strong though that a lot of people buy at MSRP so they keep the inflated official pricing. Can't really blame them, it's good business sense...

I've been happy with mine especially after I got an Eitr to feed it. Before that I was still sometimes thinking about trying out the new RME ADI 2 DAC, but this is end game* for now with the Clears. Nothing to complain about, runs them really well. It feels kinda odd to be in the Focal camp after all these years with Sennheiser, but they really did drop the ball with not coming up with an actual HD 600 series successor. The Hugo 2 also turns my IE 800 S into quite an awesome "closed headphone".

* It never really lasts that long though, nor should it if you ask me. Progress goes on. Once Xilinx manages to get their FGPA stuff onto 10/16nm tech we should see some pretty neat stuff happen (not just from Chord).

 

Interesting (well, for me) observation with the Hugo 2 (and, as it happens, the DAVE ... will have to test to see if it's true of other products in Chord's line-up):

Back when I originally "reviewed" the Mojo, Hugo, Hugo TT and DAVE, they exhibited frequent drop-outs playing multi-rate DSD (anything higher than DSD64) via USB. This was principally a problem with OS X but was also something that would happen on Windows machines (even with Chord's native driver), albeit it was less frequent on Windows.

Now, at least with Hugo 2 and the DAVE I have (a recently built unit), this problem is not in evidence at all. DSD256 plays just fine and I've not experienced any drop-outs at all. I was curious as to whether this was just a change on the Apple/OSX/macOS side of things, since there's been major revisions to those operating systems since I first tested those DACs.

So, the interesting part?

Going back to an older MacBook Pro, that I've not used in ages, and that's still running the same version of OS X (El Capitan) that was current when I had those issues, I find that both the Hugo 2 and DAVE work just fine with DSD256 content. This eliminates changes to the operating system or hardware being solely responsible for the fix.

This makes me wonder if there's been a revision to the USB implementation here (handled via the FPGA as I understand it). And if there has (just speculation), I further wonder a) when it was put into production and b) whether it affects other units in Chord's DAC line.

 

I was able to listen to the Hugo 2 on a number of setups at CanJam NYC last week and quite liked it. It drove all the Audezes short of the LCD-4 quite nicely and extrapolating from that a bit I suspect it would pair well with my PMx2. Absurd price aside (and that may well be a deal breaker anyway), I do have one quality-control concern based on my prior experience with the Mojo.

About a year ago I got a really good deal on the Mojo when the dollar was particularly strong vis a vis GBP. I liked it a lot at the price I paid ($300 ish) and for my use. However, the micro-USB input failed after about 4 weeks. Given the difficulty of returning to Europe I just returned for a refund rather than try a new unit. @Torq and others said that the USB was soldered directly to the PCB so not surprising that would fail. Mine failed after light usage where I was using a non-stiff cable that would put minimal strain on the socket. In fact, I met or heard from numerous others who had the same failure.

I would hope given the larger form factor and ambitious pricing, that this would not be a concern on the Hugo 2. Does anybody know whether the sockets on the Hugo 2 are more robust or if there could be the same problem.

 

The problem is - the Hugos don't drive any full size Headphone properly. It's perhaps the limitations that the battery is imposing. Perhaps explains the need for SuperCapacitors in the Hugo TT. ...

 

I thought it drove the LCD-3 and LCD-Mx4 and Aeon closed just fine. Really liked it with the LCD-3.

 

Utopia is also driven pretty damn well by Hugo 2. And this is coming from someone who was extremely skeptical about that being the case.

 

The use of batteries in particular limits the voltage swing compared to desktop gear. With lower impedance phones like Focal/most of Audeze that's not really an issue as what they need is a decent amount of current instead. The Hugo 2 doesn't have trouble providing that. I've been listening to my new LCD 2 Classics all day today, nothing is really missing.

What it can't do is provide a huge amount of voltage swing that the usual >300 ohms dynamics tend to like. So the HD 600/800 series definitely won't be driven to their maximum potential*, but then again one could argue that the headphone industry is moving in the opposite direction these days anyways. It all depends on what cans you want to use.

Unfortunately it looks like they are still just soldered onto the PCB. Check the internals picture from this SoundStageAustralia review. Not a fan of the the micro USB port either. It's really fragile. I only use the included lightweight basic cord and intentionally leave something next to it so my cat won´t step/sit down on the chord. By the way it seems the Hugo 2 almost ended up with USB type C, but at the time when it went into production the lead times were too long due to all the larger companies buying up all the available stock (source: John Franks post on Head-Fi).

* But if you are really into microdetail/instrument separation over macrodynamics I can see some people really liking that combination. It's perfectly enjoyable on my HD 800 S, something I wouldn't say of the original Hugo (discarded within 5 minutes when I once auditioned them together and went for the Sennheiser DAC/amp instead).

 

Does anyone knows when the battery die, after maybe 3-5 years, if We can still use hugo2 in desktop mode?
Or the battery must be working due some engineered connection?

 

According to Rob Watts: "Yes it will function without the batteries and just a 2A USB charger connected. It's not something I have listened to as it is not a mode anybody should ever experience, nor is it recommended." (Source: Head-Fi Hugo 2 thread).

If I recall correctly I've read that exchanging the batteries should be much easier (= thus cheaper) with the Hugo 2 compared to the original one, but I can't find the post for that anymore. The battery replacement fees were pretty high for the original, no idea what they are for this one. I'll ask Rob on the other forum later today, he seems to be replying to a lot of questions lately.

Update: Good news... No word on the swap cost yet or if it can be done through dealers, but Rob confirmed the batteries now use plug in connectors instead of being soldered on like in the first Hugo.

 

A quick update on Bluetooth and the Hugo 2, specifically with sources that don't support aptX (e.g. iPhone/iPad currently).

It's NOT just the iPhone/iPad that sound like complete ass feeding the Hugo 2 via the Bluetooth SBC protocol. Using BT test boards and other devices forced into SBC mode, the results were similarly awful. Moving the unit so that the "antenna" (such as it is) is directly aligned with the plastic receiver window on the Hugo 2 helps quite a bit (quality remains poor, but the very audible distortion issues go away). However, that's not a realistic way to use the unit on the go.

 

Some random Hugo 2 thoughts, observations, and nonsense ...

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Whether it's down to Hugo 2, or the WM1Z, there are occasional loud clicks/pops between tracks with DSD content. By no means this is unique to the Hugo 2 ... it's a common DSD-playback issue, but thought I'd mention it.

Catalog aside, this remains the biggest pain in the arse with DSD playback. It's not one not any better than PCM, it doesn't even work as smoothly! Though, given the right masters, it can sound delightful.

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Fed native DSD at DSD128 (2x) from the Sony WM1Z, and using Filter 02 (Green), the Hugo 2 does a really impressive job with rendering native DSD content.

If you've never played with binaural content, "Dr. Chesky's Sensational, Fantastic, and Simply Amazing Binaural Sound Show" is both a fun musical experience and an interesting set of binaural "effects" examples. Spatiality and dimensionality is far more pronounced here than what you'll typically find with headphones. And even with the Utopia, which typically lack for staging, the effect is impressive.

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DSD content, Hugo 2 and Focal Utopia is stretching the drive capability of Hugo 2. I can run it on full volume (with the above album, as an example) and be perfectly comfortable. Some content, even DSD, is still way too loud to do that with, but it does speak to some of the limits of Hugo 2's output capability. The reproduction remains very high quality, it just wants for a bit more volume in some cases.

This is NOT an issue with PCM content and the Utopia ... that'll blow your ears out.

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I'm aware of the degree of nonsense that the combination of WM1Z/Hugo 2/Utopia and/or high-end IEMs represents for (trans)portable listening. With IEMs the Hugo 2 changes the presentation but doesn't necessarily improve it. And that's, at least at retail prices, a $COMPLETELY_SILLY portable rig which means, well, be sure you trust your insurance company.

And/or carry a really pointy stick.

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Yes ... I'm definitely procrastinating on some final updates to the Yggdrasil Analog 2 review (it was written, some things changed since then and need updating, still want to post it today) ...

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Size comparisons of the Hugo 2 vs. the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital:



Hugo 2 is about 2/3 the volume of the Pro-Ject box. I'd taken to using the Pre Box S2 as something to throw in my laptop case for longer trips. But since the Hugo 2 sounds better, is smaller, and can be used on the go without needing a battery pack, it'll take over that role now. I expect the Pro-Ject box is now not long for my world.

 

Paging @Torq

I understood you've demoed the RME ADI-2 Pro ( or was it the DAC model ? )

If you had to choose between Hugo 2 and RME, which one would you pick for desktop use?

P.S. Others with similar experience are also free to share their opinions!

 

So, to start with, let's make the assumption that the RME ADI-2 DAC sounds the same as the the RME ADI-2 Pro AE (the black one with the transparent top) that I own and have a good feel for. I'm also going to assume that we're looking at these two options as DAC/amp solutions, not just DACs.

In which case, on value, flexibility and ergonomics for desktop-use then I'd take the RME unit. Its a little over a third the price of Hugo 2, fits ergonomically better as a permanent desktop unit and gives you EQ/DSP options right on the unit.

For raw musical enjoyment, however, I'd take the Hugo 2.

It's a bit of a pain on the desktop (though much better than, say, Mojo was), as either you have cables on BOTH sides of the units, or all on the same side, neither of which is ideal given the placement of the controls. But I do prefer the sound out of the Hugo 2 by a significant margin.

If you're going to pair either of these with an amp for any reason, then I'd actually be comparing the Qutest to the RME unit, as that'd fix the ergonomic issues, and even when adding an amp would wind up the same price (or less) than the Hugo 2 ... though it's still about twice the price of the RME ADI-2 DAC.

Well worth considering the Soekris dac1541 in this group as well, if it's a DAC/amp you want.

 

As a previous owner of the original Hugo, I am more worried about the build quality than usability as a desktop device. The person who bought it from me soon reported a malfunction with the rca outputs - they were either poorly soldered or poorly designed to begin with. I've heard multiple similar stories...It would probably last longer as just a desktop device, but then would it make any sense to buy one to begin with.

Now, the Qutest might just be the solution for me. I currently have a Schiit Jotunheim, but still unsure if I end up keeping it. The question is how does Jotunheim + Qutest compare against a Hugo 2.

 

No question that the RME is better built. The casework on Hugo 2 may be thicker, but the RME is more robust ... it’s connectors are secured to the chassis not just the board. Well, the XLR connections anyway.

Good question. Don’t have a Qutest or Jotunheim to test with, though. If Qutest sounds identical to Hugo 2 (let’s assume it does), and your Jotunheim sounds the same as the one I had (many months ago now), then I’d suspect that Hugo 2 would sound better ... that Jotunheim wouldn’t be a good match for the upper registers with The newer Chord DACs.

 

FWIW: Feedbacks on the Qutest say it sounds less shouty than the Hugo 2 (and "moar better").

 

The way things are going with the RME ADI-2 DAC (availability) and iFi Pro iDSD (delayed again*) there's a high probability that I'll wind up with a Qutest** for that rig instead. And at that point it'll be interesting to see if there's any audible difference at all, since I'll be able to compare it to both the Hugo 2 and DAVE.

As it stands, I'm not hearing any "shoutiness" with the Hugo 2 compared to DAVE.

The Qutest differs from Hugo 2 in that gains an isolated USB input and loses the batteries and controls for volume (the "volume control" implementation is still there, just with only three level options) and power. So while there's certainly potential for changes in the sound, I'm going to bet that they're at such a low level as to be below the threshold of audibility.

Time will tell I guess.

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*The last delay was to add a 2.5mm TRRS socket for balanced output. Now they're saying something about adding a 4.4mm TRRRS socket too. Though the comments suggest "different needs for different markets" - hopefully that doesn't result in two different units. Still, if they make this new estimate, I think it'll have been 4.5 years between announcement and shipping.

**It's pretty bad when I expect a Chord US availability date coming from Moon Audio to wind up being closer to reality than, well, anyone else's.

 

And you will report what time tells you, pretty please?

 

Call me old-fashioned, but that sounds like a net improvement - and being cheaper is a useful bonus. By Chord's standards, that's a refreshingly sane move.

(The less UI the better- they're pretty awful at it.)