Thank you and acknowledgements

Forum member OK-Guy for making this possible. All the people involved, who I hesitate to reveal their name as it is a public forum, but they know who they are, for placing their trust in me with all the loan equipment.

UK review tour equipment

Chord Hugo TT, Beyerdynamic T90, Grado GS1000e.

All loan equipment has already been shipped out at the time this article is published, so answers to any questions will be from memory only.

Personal equipment

Apple iMac, Apple iPad mini Retina, Cypher Labs Clas -dB, Sony PS3 Slim, Samsung Note 4, Cypher Labs C6iem, Shure SE846, Sennheiser HD600, Fostex TH900, Sony MDR-1R Mk 2, B&W P7

Music

Adele - Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor, Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alison Krauss + Union Station Live, Amy Winehouse - Back To Black, Clara C - The Art In My Heart, Daft Punk - Random Access Memories, Daft Punk - Tron Soundtrack, First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar, First Aid Kit - Stay Gold, FOE - Bad Dream Hotline, Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel Soundtrack, Hiromi - Alive (The Trio Project), Hiromi - Move (The Trio Project), Hiromi - Voice (The Trio Project), Iron Maiden - Rock in Rio, Jay-Z - The Black Album, Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys, La Roux - La Roux, Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, Linkin Park - Meteora, Melody Gardot - My One And Only Thrill, Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Live, Nirvana - Nevermind, Prince - Around The World In A Day, Pvris - White Noise, Rachael Yamagata - Happenstance, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Live in Hyde Park, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Fruit

Film

The Dark Knight (opening chapter only)



Testology

The original Hugo and Hugo TT exclusively as headphone sources for 2.5 weeks. USB and optical output from iMac. CCK kit or Clas -dB coax with iPad. Optical output from PS3. Samsung Note 4 and iPad for bluetooth streaming.

Design

The TT shares the same design language as the original Hugo. The milled aluminium casing of the loan TT unit is finished in a rather attractive black. Silver colour is also available should you wish to match existing home furnishings. Chord made minor discreet alterations to the original Hugo casing during the first year of release in response to consumer feedback, mainly to firm up the port openings and accessibility here and there. The result is that the latest version original Hugo casing is tight. That is very much carried over for the TT, but perhaps in a psychological trick-of-the-mind due to the bigger size, the TT somehow imparts greater satisfaction and craftsmanship.

The press photography, all boxes and angles, can be hard to judge. In person the TT is less "table-top" and more "coffee-table top". The footprint is smaller than the Sony PS3 Slim console. The TT would comfortably rest on one's forearm. It is easy then to find a space for the TT and particularly given the compact 'square' design. Combined DAC and headphone amplifier sources tend to be rectangular, in a nod to traditional HiFi design, or occasionally an awkward oblong design that is more deep than wide. The TT is manufacturer-approved to run constantly from AC wall power but the long battery life and physical dimensions greatly help should you wish to use the TT in another room, without having to be concerned with a wall power supply. This is especially convenient as Chord warn against using anything other than the supplied power adaptor, which does not appear to be readily available to purchase without contacting a Chord dealer or Chord directly.

With the intended home setting there has been a logical rearrangement of inputs and outputs. Headphone jacks are located on the front panel and all other inputs and outputs are located on the rear panel. The headphone jack options are now reversed: original Hugo carries 2x 3.5mm and 1x 6.35mm jacks. Hugo TT carries 1x 3.5 mm and 2x 6.35mm jacks. In a basic move towards convenience a rudimentary alphanumeric display and a remote control has also been introduced.




Heart

It is on the inside where the marketing directs the attentions of the potential buyer. Firstly the TT continues to rock the same Xilinx Spartan-6 Field Programmable Gate Array with 26,000 taps found in the original Hugo released in 2014. For the next evolution to the FPGA then one has to look to the forthcoming Chord DAVE. If not increasing the tap length, it is elsewhere that Chord have iterated upon the original design. USB ports are upgraded to high-quality asynchronous USB B type. The HD USB output is galvanically isolated. The battery capacity has been doubled to deliver clean power for longer. Chord's engineers have added "Supercap energy storage" to improve battery life, as well as "improving dynamics and demanding transients in recorded music". The output has been boosted to deliver greater headphone drivability. This is evidenced visually as the Hugo and Hugo TT do not quite follow the same rainbow colour-coded volume transition.

There are some small details not highlighted in the release notes, discovered through home testing, that I like sufficiently to write about. Due to a lack of spare programming space, on each startup the original Hugo defaults to USB input and the volume setting of the previous session. With the Hugo TT there are two-positive user experience improvements upon powering on: the TT will now default to a low volume every time and the TT will automatically detect the active input. This removes some of the mystery / frustration / fun in memorising the coloured-light user interface system.

In day-to-day usage the Hugo TT power switch and volume dial running right-to-left directionality seemed counterintuitive but this was a relatively easy mental adjustment. The 3.5mm headphone jack is surrounded by a "keyhole" shaped casing window, in a clever nod to right-angle plugs. Being ultra finicky though, smaller right-angle plugs require pinching in order to remove. This does not apply to bigger right-angle plugs or straight-plugs.



You must choose... but choose wisely

With the original Hugo it was my experience that either coax or optical inputs delivered a very slightly superior sound than USB input. Slight but nevertheless detectable if you know what to listen for. Happily the TT equalises the inputs. Whilst it is possible another listener with golden ears would pick out the upgraded USB ports, despite my best efforts all of the Hugo TT inputs were indistinguishable and seemed to perform with equal merit.
Bluetooth

This exercise taught me that not all bluetooth is created the same. Locating the Hugo TT and establishing a connection was quick and simple. The differences were in Android and iOS. With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 powered by Android Lollipop, the sound was always clean and free of grain. This was however at the expense of losing definition and dynamics compared to a wired connection. But at least the option is there should one wish to go wireless.




iOS in stark contrast introduced a defect that cannot be ignored. The iPad mini Retina with iOS7 exhibited a background grain and interference. The signal was not clear. Substituting in an iPad Air 2 with iOS8 was no better and the same problem remained present. It would be interesting to hear from other Apple iDevice owners and their findings. Based upon this limited testing it seems an Android device would fare better, as at least the signal is clean and clear, at the expense of lower sound fidelity than with a wired connection.

Cold as ice

Before leaving this section, I must further compliment Chord. The original Hugo casing will become slightly warm with prolonged use as one would reasonably expect. The TT casing in comparison never exhibited any heat during the entire period in my possession. That was despite continuous running on AC power, battery only and whilst charging. Indeed, but for the presence of lights, there are no apparent external signs of life. Quite incredible.

Sound

A space odyssey



Most people pay attention to the low frequencies first but the most interesting improvement is to the soundstage and imaging capabilities as it cuts through every spectrum. Where the Hugo presents a boundary line that adheres to the human head, the TT pushes outward. Cupping your ears without touching your ears would perhaps be the best description. Greater width, depth and height. Notes and vocals now reach further away and do not hit an imaginary wall.

The bigger canvas combines with superior imaging and separation to surpass the spatial abilities of the original Hugo. Take Nirvana, Polly. The introduction of the bass part-through the song is more easily distinguishable with the TT. With bass, midrange and treble all having added room to breathe on their own then, it is possible to admire more easily individual strands of songs, yet the TT cohesively combines all the different elements together into a resolving and engaging complete whole.

All about that bass



The original Hugo bass quality is excellent so the standard was set high. The Hugo TT bass is tighter and more impactful. The increase in slam is quite thrilling. Yet due to the brilliant imaging control it never spills over. In lesser equipment focus upon bass can smear details in the rest of the music. The sub-bass also extends further and is dark. The TT delivers all the necessary bass, but bigger and badder without losing definition. Reverting back to the Hugo does make the bass seem looser, but it is stressed this is a relative comparison.

Midrange is simply gorgeous. Sweeter and clearer than the original Hugo. Switch in the TT and vocals seem to float above the music. Particularly with live performances it really draws you in and enhances the illusion of a large arena. After the TT you cannot un-hear that vocals hit a closer imaginary wall with the original Hugo. The TT midrange is a touch more airy. Female vocals are especially beautiful. From the rawness of Lauryn Hill to the softness of Alison Krauss, the TT has an unerring ability to render individual vocal qualities more convincingly than the original Hugo. Very good tone and realism.

Treble, as with the original Hugo, is clear, smooth and extended, but the TT is more controlled and defined. If equipment matching counts for anything then there is no apparent glare and no brightness to be found with any of the headphones in this test. The treble is neither fatiguing or dull. You will hear every micro-vibration from instruments. There is just the right balance of "sparkle". Timbre on the original Hugo is excellent and the TT does not alter the formula. Instruments now though have a satisfying weight and authority that the original Hugo cannot quite replicate. Although subtle, it contributes to the overall presentation.

Individual headphone notes

Below are some non-exhaustive observations for each headphone. This section is simply to help illustrate further my findings of the transition from original Hugo to Hugo TT. If silent, the preceding section applies below. As this is not a headphone review, it is not a complete set of observations.

In-ear monitors



With very sensitive in-ear monitors, such as the Shure SE846, noise is detectable with the original Hugo when no music is playing or during quiet music passages. It is stressed this is only with the most sensitive in-ear monitors and many models will not reveal the original Hugo noise-floor. Amazingly then, despite being designed for home use, the TT with the Shure SE846 has a much reduced noise-floor. With no music playing noise is still faintly detectable but we are now referring to redundant levels. As a desktop device the TT is awarded a near perfect pass on this point.

Shure SE846

Owners of this monitor will be familiar with the amazingly detailed, textured and impactful sub-bass and bass. Plugged into the Hugo TT the SE846 bass hits harder, tighter, seems to move more "air" and even extends just a touch lower. Killing it. Absolutely killing it. The SE846 has an overall smooth signature. The TT is able to lift vocals and the treble for a more dynamic sound. Reverting back to the Hugo can seem a touch flat.

Cypher Labs C6iem

This earphone scales big time. Bassy but otherwise flat-sounding in the rest of the spectrum when connected to a lower end source. This is unfortunate given most owners are entitled to reasonably expect to pair their in-ear monitor with a smartphone or budget player. Introduce the Hugo and a veil is seemingly lifted. The midrange and treble come out of hiding. Dynamics come alive. Things continue to scale with the TT but we are perhaps encountering diminishing returns.

Fostex TH900



You can already guess the bass is enhanced to the next plane but I actually want to talk about the piano. Listening to the piano on the Hiromi Trio Project albums is really quite special. Original Hugo has a sharper attack. TT is more controlled and sweeter sounding. The midrange does not at all sound recessed on either Hugo, though TH900 midrange and vocals are more prominent on the TT. It is often alleged the TH900 has a "V-Shaped" signature, which remains somewhat accurate, though this is exaggerated by sub-standard sources. Not at all the case with either Hugo.

Sony MDR-1R Mk2

This could be too much of a good thing as the inherent traits of this headphone means that it does not sound full enough at this level. It is intended to be used with a budget device or smartphone and that is no bad thing in itself.

B&W P7

The scaling factor is greater than the MDR-1R Mk2 and the P7 copes better with the superior sources. The two Hugos do though tame some annoyances in the treble.

Beyerdynamic T90

The tuning of the punchy bass and treble lift makes for a lively sounding headphone. For example cymbals are noticeably present and splashy compared to the smoother Sennheiser HD600. This headphone does seem to benefit in stepping up to the Hugo TT as the signature "Beyerdynamic treble" becomes sweeter and more controlled. The TT is in charge. With the distractions - for my tastes - removed by the TT, you are able to melt into the headphone.

Grado GS1000e

Despite being an open headphone that is already spacious when paired with the Hugo, the TT kicks this up a notch. More space and air. Jimi Hendrix has that extra heft with the TT. The Hugo sounds excellent but the TT enhances guitar chords in a seductive manner. Clearer and just more tangible. The Grado is an excellent, excellent pairing with both Hugos and is the expected top tier match. As a big believer in system synergy, if you have found the Grado GS1000e to sound "bright" or having a "treble emphasis" then try the GS1000e with Hugo TT.

Sennheiser HD600



My set, born 2008. Natural and effortless. Whilst the TT does pull out extra in the bass and midrange, the HD600 truly sound excellent with the original Hugo. It is the TT's superior imaging capabilities that enhances the HD600. Through the original Hugo the vocalist is more central and closer to the listener. The TT opens up the stage. You are now a few rows further from the vocal and the overall soundstage boundary is less closed, less 'in your head'.

Closing

By design the headphone output of the original Hugo is the same signal as the line output. No artificial additives, substitutions or flavourings. Just a clean, dynamic and neutral sound. Some original Hugo owners have reported positive results when introducing an external headphone amplifier. Whilst strictly speaking this is introducing colouration, to push beyond set boundaries is an intrinsically human trait. The relevance? The sum of all the changes is that Chord has taken the original Hugo sound and refined it in every manner. Iterative rather than evolutionary, but a clear improvement nevertheless.

Going from a stock baseline to the Hugo remains a bigger jump in quality than upgrading headphone source from the Hugo to the Hugo TT. The original Hugo therefore remains worthy of high praise . What the Chord Hugo TT achieves is an all-in-one desktop headphone source that is versatile enough to pair with any type of headphone, enhances the same Chord Hugo sound and removes any nagging desire to supplement with further equipment purchasing. And that is the final thought. It is all very well for a manufacturer to advertise a product represents the end game, in practice it is the user experience that has the final word. It is not that one may not encounter better sound out there, rather that listening to the Chord Hugo TT is such an enjoyable experience, there is no desire to seek out anything further.

This is a reduced and word-count edited version of a full-review that originally appeared on the Custom-Cable blog. All words and photographs are my own. No payments received!
 
For testing purposes: Nexus 5, iPad mini Retina and Sansa Clip Zip (with rockbox firmware) utilised. My personal B&W P7 and Sony MDR-1R MK2. Music selection: 2NE1 – The First Album, 2NE1 –Mini Album Vol. 2, Prince – 1999, Prince – Around The World In A Day, Prince - Purple Rain, The Prodigy – The Fat of the Land, Clara C – The Art In My Heart, Daft Punk – Random Access Memories, Nicholas Payton – Bam! Live at Bohemian Caverns.
 
Unboxing and Packaging
 

 
This is Sennheiser: what you get is reassuring consistency and this begins as early as the product packaging. The light blue band - check, stencilled font - check, smart device compatibility label – check and rounding it off, the standard Sennheiser 2-years manufacturer warranty.
 
What is a surprise is seeing the URBANITE XL in person. The marketing photography is not quite flattering in my humble opinion (although the video adverts have to be seen for their sheer silliness). The ear cups were made to appear like plasticky early concept art for Cyclops of the X-Men.
 
In person the design does not completely convince but the headphone looks so much nicer in the flesh, particular in this shade of dark blue, which Sennheiser designates as “denim” (full colour choices being black, denim, olive, sand and nation). Please refer to your preferred search engine to translate that naming scheme into practical meaning!
 
A carry pouch and 1x removable smartphone cable is included. That is it. Some competitors bundle a spare second cable so perhaps Sennheiser really put all the money into the headphone and the margins did not justify any further accessories. Not a deal-breaker but it does mean Sennheiser starts off on the back foot and has points to make up for before you have even got going exploring.
 
Design
 

 
 
Again the XL does look more attractive and prettier when seen with your own eyes. The matching fabric / canvas headband is fetching. The stainless steel hinges and aluminium sliders give this real reassurance, although watch you do not catch your fingertips on the folding hinge! The headphone is overwhelmingly plastic build but it is done solidly well. No creaking or weakness evident and it feels like it will take some rough handling (of course I could not stress-test the unit so cannot comment on the actual rigours of long-term ownership).
 
The cable is a flat-ribbon type that was perfect during use. No microphonics. No tangling. Did not misbehave. Feels nice too and built to a decent standard. The cable is single-sided and the locking mechanism on the left ear cup is proprietary, or probably more effort than it would be worth employing a cable manufacturer versus buying a spare official Sennheiser cable.
 

 
The ear pads are velour, which for me personally means it heats up faster than leather and retains more warmth too. My ears fitted perfectly inside the ear pad. Ear pad comfort was absolutely supreme. Light pressure and yet sealing. Environmental noise was reduced to an acceptable background level that you are ‘aware’ of without being distracted by. During album sessions the headphone never got fatiguing or ‘heavy’ to wear.
 
The headband has a touch of cushioning built-in, although 45-to-60 minutes into a session you may seek to adjust the headband position. Not quite on the same keel as my comfort-reference Sony MDR-1R mk2. The usual disclaimer applies: personal demonstration to verify comfort is key (as well as sound). We are all different and rock different hat sizes. Finally, the XL do appear rather large during wear but whether that matters is for the individual.
 
Sound Impressions
 

 
The marketing strap-line is “Massive bass without compromising clarity”.
 
That probably requires clarification. There is no introductory slap to the face. Neither are you shaken inside.  But persevere, get to know one another and yes there are big thick bass notes.
 
Descriptive terms are only relative to context. Against the B&W P5 Series 2 that was also in the house the XL bass was more impactful, had more quantity, texture and detail. Compared to my bigger and badder B&W P7, the XL bass is tighter and leaner. The P7 bass has a touch more quantity. That is not to say the XL is bass-light. It is worth reiterating: the XL has plenty of bass but merely adopts a more precise approach. Also the XL does not quite have the deepest sub-bass extension or quantity although for my personal preference it was not bothersome. In truth, the P7 can even be made to appear a bit boomy by the XL.
 

 
Clarity: Sennheiser nailed it; that is to say the midrange shines here. Vocals sound great, with fullness and natural tonality that is better than on either B&W. Treble is also more assured than on either B&W. A little flat though, even though it sounds nice. Sennheiser chose the safer route as the treble does not ‘pop’ as on say some Ultrasone or Beyerdynamic models. It is unlikely even those with extra sensitivity would find the XL ‘bright’. This cautious treble presumably is deliberate to factor in the demographic Sennheiser are chasing will be using lower bitrate files or streaming YouTube.
 
Details are accurate without being over-done. Soundstage seems medium and acceptable in a portable headphone. The extra degree of clarity and sealing nature of the headphone does assist in pulling you into the music. Something to share about the XL: time and again I would be nodding along to the two B&W’s or my Sony MDR-1R mk2 and would reach back for the XL. There is a hypnotic rhythm to the coherency of the XL. This is especially so in the bass – midrange transition. This headphone sounds awesome.
 

 
Closing
 
Good sound for £200 makes this an enticing proposition. Bassy but also thoughtfulness towards the midrange and treble. The build quality seems to be very high for this price-point. If this model had come out earlier in the year I would have had a very difficulty buying decision!