Chord Electronics - Hugo 2 - The Official Thread

[joshnor713]

To add, I love my HD 820 and IE 800 S straight outta the H2. Don't feel at all like anything's missing. I guess something about Senn's and Chord's strike the right...chord. Hehe

 

[WaveTheory]

To add, I love my HD 820 and IE 800 S straight outta the H2. Don't feel at all like anything's missing. I guess something about Senn's and Chord's strike the right...chord. Hehe

That pun was a bit 2Cute...but anyway...

Switched to my DT880 600 ohm. It's pretty good too. The DT880 will go sibilant real quick if the amp/material isn't well controlled up top. There is a bit more sibilance direct out of Hugo 2 than using Hugo 2 as a DAC through my Cayin tube or Vio amps. But, it's not terrible and it's surprising full and dynamic. It still takes everything the Hugo has to push it to about 70 db avg tho, lol. But, it might be more of a hi-Z dynamic thing working well with Hugo 2. Anyone plugged a ZMF into this guy?

 

[Progisus]

To add, I love my HD 820 and IE 800 S straight outta the H2. Don't feel at all like anything's missing. I guess something about Senn's and Chord's strike the right...chord. Hehe

IE 800 s and H2 play very well together. Even the HD800s although some may disagree.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

To those who use the Hugo 2's headphone out with the Focal Stellia are you finding the bass a bit lacking in the sub and upper bass? On most gear I use this headphone with, there's a solid bass emphasis and I can actually feel the impact (as there should be) because that's one of the characteristics of the Stellia, but I'm actually finding myself having to eq it up now (via Equalizer Apo) which is so weird. There are frequency measurements online showing the bass bump too, it's not as high in real world use as the graphs suggest, but it's there. Any explanation as to why I'm experiencing this?

Yep.

It's not as though the Hugo 2 as a DAC is bass lacking or missing by any means. I'm currently running Stellia balanced into the Erzetich Medousa and have slam, impact, and all the goodness. However, the presentation of bass through the Hugo 2 is a different. I feel the presentation of bass is more "reference" directly from the H2 but more fun out of the Erzetich. That's why we have EQ right?

 

[galileaux]

There are a few case manufacturers around - I don't think any one case is preferred stylistically/functionally by all owners.
Van Nuys are well known, but Valentinum is well liked and does offer customisation of his basic case design.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/782358894/chord-hugo2-2go-leather-case

Fantastic!! Thank you!! Those seem exactly what I'm looking for, and probably cheaper than the Vanuys case. Appreciate the help!

 

[joshnor713]

Yep.

It's not as though the Hugo 2 as a DAC is bass lacking or missing by any means. I'm currently running Stellia balanced into the Erzetich Medousa and have slam, impact, and all the goodness. However, the presentation of bass through the Hugo 2 is a different. I feel the presentation of bass is more "reference" directly from the H2 but more fun out of the Erzetich. That's why we have EQ right?

I've come to this conclusion as well, with my Utopia. When I first got the Utopia, thought it was "bass light" with the H2. But then I noticed that the bass was spot-on and full of body on many songs. To me, it's you're just hearing the amount of bass the artist put in there. If it's bass light, it's because they made it that way.

 

[WaveTheory]

So I know this product is 4 years old, but I did a deep-dive review on it here anyway:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/chord-hugo-2.22209/reviews

I hope it helps someone.

 

[HeavenlyD]

Hey guys, loving my Hugo2 with my Utopia.
I was wondering on some advice please.
I’m using the Hugo more than the Focal Arche I purchased to compliment the Focal Utopias.
Just something about the sound I’m loving that wasn’t there on the Abyss Phi’s with the Hugo2 which is why I never bought it originally, it just sounded lacklustre.
Am I wasting the Hugo2 by not using its DAC abilities and using the Amp in the Focal which means I can use my 4 pin balanced cable also.
I’m not technical at all with connections, so if you think this worth doing, can you advise how I connect the Hugo2 to the Focal Arche?
And once connected can I stream to the 2Go from Roon when it’s finally set up which will send to the Arche?

 

[mammal]

Just something about the sound I’m loving that wasn’t there on the Abyss Phi’s with the Hugo2 which is why I never bought it originally, it just sounded lacklustre.

Abyss requires much more power than Hugo 2 can provide, it sounded weak since it was underpowered, you would have to add an external amplifier to make it shine.

As far as Hugo 2 into Focal Arche goes, the only reasonable thing you could try would be to use RCA cable out of Hugo 2 into Arche input. That way you would get Hugo 2’s amazing DAC section (there is no way to bypass Hugo 2’s amp section) but with power of Arche. I have never heard Arche myself, but I am guessing based on reputation of Chord that it has a better DAC implementation than Arche, but I could be wrong.

 

[HeavenlyD]

Thanks.. Does anyone have any good recommendations of RCA Cables, that would suffice and also fit inside the Hugo2?
Im based in the UK...

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Thanks.. Does anyone have any good recommendations of RCA Cables, that would suffice and also fit inside the Hugo2?
Im based in the UK...

Try these.
You can also fit WBT locking RCA plugs into the Hugo as well.

 

[galileaux]

Hi all! Noticed some folks were discussing the Stellia and later the Diana Phi pairings with Hugo 2. I’ve been looking into a getting a new pair of cans around the price range of the Stellia (and that is a consideration), but does anyone have experience with the Diana V2 + Hugo 2 combo?

Does the Hugo 2 have enough power for the V2? Or would the Stellia be a better bet at that price-range?

Thanks, as always!

 

[Trunkmonkey44]

Hey guys, loving my Hugo2 with my Utopia.
I was wondering on some advice please.
I’m using the Hugo more than the Focal Arche I purchased to compliment the Focal Utopias.
Just something about the sound I’m loving that wasn’t there on the Abyss Phi’s with the Hugo2 which is why I never bought it originally, it just sounded lacklustre.
Am I wasting the Hugo2 by not using its DAC abilities and using the Amp in the Focal which means I can use my 4 pin balanced cable also.
I’m not technical at all with connections, so if you think this worth doing, can you advise how I connect the Hugo2 to the Focal Arche?
And once connected can I stream to the 2Go from Roon when it’s finally set up which will send to the Arche?

Hey, where did you get the official Hugo + 2go case from? I don't think they are available in the USA. I ordered one from Audio Concierge in February, but never got anything and they don't answer my emails.

 

[galileaux]

Hey, where did you get the official Hugo + 2go case from? I don't think they are available in the USA. I ordered one from Audio Concierge in February, but never got anything and they don't answer my emails.

Hey! I saw Moon Audio started stocking them recently! https://www.moon-audio.com/hugo-2-2...3.1713229945.1620648490-1526997523.1618319827

 

[mammal]

Hi all! Noticed some folks were discussing the Stellia and later the Diana Phi pairings with Hugo 2. I’ve been looking into a getting a new pair of cans around the price range of the Stellia (and that is a consideration), but does anyone have experience with the Diana V2 + Hugo 2 combo?

Does the Hugo 2 have enough power for the V2? Or would the Stellia be a better bet at that price-range?

I have owned Diana V2 and Hugo 2, and I must say, the pairing sounded very natural, but Hugo 2 did not have enough power to drive them (pretty noticable on dynamics and low end punch was missing). I recommend you to look into Romi Audio BX2-Plus portable (battery) powered amplifier, to pair with it - as it is very transparent sounding (so it does not alter Hugo's sonic characteristics) while adding the needed power to it.