[Edric Li]

Can you then control the R2 from your phone with HibyLink etc ?
So the phone is untethered from those 2...

I looked into this a while ago. The best solution I found was to use an AK player, e.g. a used AK300. AK connect has the best UI for me. Over time I find that adding phones into the loop was unnecessary. Now I use coax out from a Fiio M5 stickered onto my Hugo 2

 

[WaveTheory]

Can you then control the R2 from your phone with HibyLink etc ?
So the phone is untethered from those 2...

I use my Cayin N6ii dap as a source for H2 and use Cayin's usb-c-coax cable and an rca to 3.5mm ts adapter to the coax in on H2.

There are apps like USB Audio Player Pro that you can control remotely via upnp. I haven't done it much but it is a thing you can do.

 

[technobear]

Can you then control the R2 from your phone with HibyLink etc ?
So the phone is untethered from those 2...

No, the Cowon doesn't have that feature. It is one of only a very small number that still have optical out. That is why I chose it.

Some of the Shanling DAPs can be controlled from a phone but I fear we are drifting off topic here.

 

[Boldakov]

Can you then control the R2 from your phone with HibyLink etc ?
So the phone is untethered from those 2...

I run H2 with xDuoo X10T II — just great!
And HiBy link is still here with lots of connectivity options, and coax works better than USB in Hugo 2

 

[Lohb]

I run H2 with xDuoo X10T II — just great!
And HiBy link is still here with lots of connectivity options, and coax works better than USB in Hugo 2

Nice, another way to control H2 untethered from the unit OTG. Thanks.

 

[548184]

Taking a one month break, but I'll leave with this unpopular but modern opinion. I look at the Hugo2 now as just a transparent conduit, not the centerpiece. If the music server is done right, that's 80% of the SQ. The Hugo2 the other 20%. You can easily throw in good mastering in the mix but just want to keep the example simple. This can only be achieved though if your running real-time audio on a properly battery-powered Music Server.

This has helped me architect my system as I no longer crave for a more premium battery-powered Chord DAC. Never interested in any Mains Chord DAC, has to be battery-powered. I also plan to just stick with IEMs, so it helps formulate a plan going forward since I realised if I upgrade the DAC, it's only 20% of the overall SQ so so not worth it. Especially if you want to maintain trans-portability.

I've tried this too by feeding a proper real-time audio battery-powered Music Server into a iPhone dongle. I treat the dongle as just an audibly transparent conduit. It sounds pretty great, but of course no Hugo2. But with the Music Server in the mix, I can just live with the dongle if needed. The point is the Music Server is what drives the SQ, the DAC is just a conduit of what the Music Server is serving. And if the Music Server is serving amazing you get amazing results with the Hugo2. GIGO. I never thought I could experience this level of SQ as transportable has only a high floor, but with a real-time audio Music Server it now has a high ceiling.

All I can say is the Music is now elastic. No other transportable will even come close to this elasticity, resolution and transparency for the next five years minus the Hugo3 + real-time audio. So if your looking to upgrade to a higher Chord DAC, but only running IEMs, explore a low latency real-time Music Server into your calculations.

It's like if you experience real-time video @240FPS, the experience is going to be more elastic. When you go back to just @30FPS, things are laggy and slow motion. You desperately crave to go back to 240FPS.

So I have joined the following cult now:

 

[Boldakov]

properly battery-powered Music Server

Sorry, but could you describe somehow what this magical Music Server means?

 

[Lohb]

Basically, don't upsample using SoX in Audirvana, just keep the file native getting sent out and let H2 do its magic ?

 

[theveterans]

Basically, don't upsample using SoX in Audirvana, just keep the file native getting sent out and let H2 do its magic ?

If you really like upsampling, might as well get a proper one like the MScaler

 

[Lohb]

If you really like upsampling, might as well get a proper one like the MScaler

Something at MScaler price not even on the radar.
Just want to get clear on best procedure with Audirvana and H2 to not wonk the ability of H2's sound quality output.

Seemed to be smoother or rather 'glass-like' and more spacious with SoX doing 16x integer upsampling on redbook 16/44 was my observation A/B'ing on-and-off with Audirvana.

 

[WaveTheory]

Something at MScaler price not even on the radar.
Just want to get clear on best procedure with Audirvana and H2 to not wonk the ability of H2's sound quality output.

Seemed to be smoother and more spacious with SoX doing 16x integer upsampling on redbook 16/44 was my observation A/B'ing on and off with Audirvana.

I would let the H2 do the upscaling. In general, I'm finding the H2 to sound better from it spdif inputs than USB. If you can find a dap with a spdif output I think that's the way to go.

 

[flyte3333]

Hi @Rob Watts

A few queries:

1. For desktop use, I know the leaving Hugo2 powered on 24/7 is best for battery life health (no cycles). Plus you still have battery power available for dynamic currents driving headphones right, when needed?

2. But regarding 24/7 powered on - will this affect capacitor life?

3. How many years of life (for all components not just battery) do you calculate/expect with Hugo2 powered on 24/7 continuously for desktop headphones use?

4. A few posts above someone mentioned they have disconnected Hugo2's battery and run it off 5Vdc 3A SMPS. It works, but what is maximum current output reduced to, for driving headphones, when the battery is disconnected internally? i.e. what do you actually lose in terms of performance, by disconnecting battery?

Cheers

 

[surfgeorge]

Hi @Rob Watts

A few queries:

1. For desktop use, I know the leaving Hugo2 powered on 24/7 is best for battery life health (no cycles). Plus you still have battery power available for dynamic currents driving headphones right, when needed?

2. But regarding 24/7 powered on - will this affect capacitor life?

3. How many years of life (for all components not just battery) do you calculate/expect with Hugo2 powered on 24/7 continuously for desktop headphones use?

4. A few posts above someone mentioned they have disconnected Hugo2's battery and run it off 5Vdc 3A SMPS. It works, but what is maximum current output reduced to, for driving headphones, when the battery is disconnected internally? i.e. what do you actually lose in terms of performance, by disconnecting battery?

Cheers

Hugo 2 switches off after 15min without input signal
Desktop mode just keeps the batteries at 80% charge instead of fully charging them.
That way the H2 has plenty of juice when needed and the battery lifetime is greatly extended compared to keeping them fully charged.

See attached manual

 

[flyte3333]

Hugo 2 switches off after 15min without input signal
Desktop mode just keeps the batteries at 80% charge instead of fully charging them.
That way the H2 has plenty of juice when needed and the battery lifetime is greatly extended compared to keeping them fully charged.

See attached manual

Thanks but my questions to Rob aren't related to any of that.

In my question to Rob I already noted that desktop mode does not cycle internal batteries.

And Hugo2 doesn't switch off once in desktop mode - mine has been on for a couple years

 

[Boldakov]

they have disconnected Hugo2's battery and run it off 5Vdc 3A SMPS

It looks like absolutely usupported scenario with loosing any varranty
It's really strange asking Rob about penetrating H2 till the very internals mentioned...