[seeteeyou]

Perhaps the jury is still out whether the SMPS wall wart would be contaminating the local power pool or otherwise, even a relatively cheap LPS could help with avoiding such contamination?
 
Unlike 2Qute and future products from Chord, not all gears were designed with RF filtering and regulation in mind. Taking SMPS wall wart out of the entire food chain should be beneficial for those gears.

 

[Rob Watts]

  Perhaps the jury is still out whether the SMPS wall wart would be contaminating the local power pool or otherwise, even a relatively cheap LPS could help with avoiding such contamination?
 
Unlike 2Qute and future products from Chord, not all gears were designed with RF filtering and regulation in mind. Taking SMPS wall wart out of the entire food chain should be beneficial for those gears.

This takes me back to my early twenties, when I was designing linear electronics with vinyl - CD hadn't been invented then. Anyway, this is before my interest in RF noise - then my system sounded best at 2AM, with all the lights and electrical appliances off in the flat. The fact that my system sounded different every time I played it drove me nuts. With the discovery of RF noise being very important, all my electronics had RF filtering built in, and the system then sounded consistent with no change with time of day.
 
Now the purpose of the RF filtering is actually two fold - to stop noise getting in, and to stop noise getting out, then upsetting other audio electronics. This is crucial for a DAC, as the RF noise that most changes SQ is in the 30 MHz to 300 MHz region - where DAC's create most noise. The typical wall wart creates noise at 70 kHz, but not much above 30 MHz. Compared to all the nasty RF sources in a house, one 6W wall wart won't make much difference.
 
Rob 

 

[lovethatsound]

This takes me back to my early twenties, when I was designing linear electronics with vinyl - CD hadn't been invented then. Anyway, this is before my interest in RF noise - then my system sounded best at 2AM, with all the lights and electrical appliances off in the flat. The fact that my system sounded different every time I played it drove me nuts. With the discovery of RF noise being very important, all my electronics had RF filtering built in, and the system then sounded consistent with no change with time of day.

Now the purpose of the RF filtering is actually two fold - to stop noise getting in, and to stop noise getting out, then upsetting other audio electronics. This is crucial for a DAC, as the RF noise that most changes SQ is in the 30 MHz to 300 MHz region - where DAC's create most noise. The typical wall wart creates noise at 70 kHz, but not much above 30 MHz. Compared to all the nasty RF sources in a house, one 6W wall wart won't make much difference.

Rob 

hi Rob
IT'S great that you're sorted out the RF noise out, but why are you using batteries for the Hugo TT? This to me doesn't make sense,because it's not a portable dac and because you have sorted the RF noise problem out; so their is no need for the Hugo TT to have batteries.

 

[hugoboss]

jus want to make myself more clear Rob,
is using expensive highend  usb cable like audioquest diamond will make any different then the standard cable?
or it will sound no different at all? have you test it with expensive usb cable

 

[dallan]

Oh boy, one of those typical "can of worms" questions…….

 

[Rob Watts]

  jus want to make myself more clear Rob,
is using expensive highend  usb cable like audioquest diamond will make any different then the standard cable?
or it will sound no different at all? have you test it with expensive usb cable

I have not directly tried expensive USB cables, but I have tried different sources and cables and USB isolators/converters.
 
Before the galvanic isolation, I could hear massive differences in SQ - I could hear major differences between lap-tops for example - but after galvanic isolation, these differences disappeared.
 
Bear in mind I exactly understand why those things make a difference from a technical perspective, and putting effective galvanic isolation on an isochronous USB interface will eliminate all those problems. So as long as the cable delivers the correct data, then you are done as far as SQ is concerned.
 
I suppose there is a possibility of RF noise being transmitted by the USB cables to the DAC output cables, and influencing the sound that way. But if you use quality USB cables that are correctly terminated and screened (and use ferrite dongles), and keep the USB cable away from the OP cables, then this won't be an issue.
 
But:
 
There are more things on heaven and earth,Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
 
So if somebody sends me a USB cable that has a profound difference on 2 Qute then I will happily listen to it, with an open ears/mind.
 
Rob 

 

[lovethatsound]

Well it don't look like like we're gonna get a answer 2 a simple question about why the Hugo TT is using batteries instead of a proper power supply . something must be wrong some where along the chord chain.

 

[weisse muller]

Well it don't look like like we're gonna get a answer 2 a simple question about why the Hugo TT is using batteries instead of a proper power supply . something must be wrong some where along the chord chain.

I think Chord may have come out with a serious benefit to the Hugo TT having batteries it's simply that in home systems sometimes your headphone cable is just not long enough and being able to just pick up the TT and move it to the other end of the room or the balcony or by the pool is not such a disadvantage. It's not a mobile unit but it is power free movable.

 

[wisnon]

Actually
Rob did answer the question on another thread, either Hugo thread or TT thread. It seems they only worked out the PSU regulation and filtration AFTER the TT was already designed.

 

[JamieMcC]

 subbed the Chord 2cute and John Swenson Bottlehead dac which is due to launch soon are both looking very interesting. I am looking forward to hearing further reviews of both.

 

[RubyTiger]

Rob, can I expect the 2Qute to sound just like the Hugo? And I am asking about using the same setup for both. That may have sound a little rude but I'm ready to preorder one and get on with things. Luv ya Man!!

 

[dallan]

I am actually curious too. I just got the Hugo and have been jumping it back and forth between home and portable. Thinking maybe to have a 2cute if it is the same dac, just dedicated to my home set up so i don't have to keep juggling.

 

[Rob Watts]

Yes 2 Qute does indeed sound very much like Hugo - indeed, with using HD USB and a PC it actually sounds better due to the galvanic isolation where it sounds smoother and with better sound stage depth. I would be using it in my office set-up, except I am now using a certain prototype of a new DAC due to be shown in May at Munich....
 
The downside is not having a volume control, so you can only use it as a DAC. If you need to replace your pre-amp too then try out Hugo TT which is currently in production. I have been testing the production version over the WE, and TT is a substantial step up from Hugo - it measures better (its distortion and noise is 4dB lower than Hugo at 3V RMS), and sounds better, plus also has the galvanic isolation on the USB.
 
Rob

 

[RubyTiger]

  Yes 2 Qute does indeed sound very much like Hugo - indeed, with using HD USB and a PC it actually sounds better due to the galvanic isolation where it sounds smoother and with better sound stage depth. I would be using it in my office set-up, except I am now using a certain prototype of a new DAC due to be shown in May at Munich....
 
The downside is not having a volume control, so you can only use it as a DAC. If you need to replace your pre-amp too then try out Hugo TT which is currently in production. I have been testing the production version over the WE, and TT is a substantial step up from Hugo - it measures better (its distortion and noise is 4dB lower than Hugo at 3V RMS), and sounds better, plus also has the galvanic isolation on the USB.
 
Rob

Thanks Rob, that's certainly good news. Can someone explain what HD USB means?? I know the 2 Qute is really going to sound great. My only other question is what color I should go with. Black or Silver with this amp??  Everything's flat black. My audio quest diamond, power cords etc,,
 
 

 

[schneller]

Chord 2Qute vs. Hegel HD12. This is my question.