Appreciate it. Good to know that the line between Hugo and Mojo is still well defined.
Nice. I thought you had it once and didn't like the Chord house sound.
Yep, this was at the start of my headfi journey. Several years later, I'm giving it another try. If I don't like it, I'll sell it. Hugo 2 has been at the back of my mind for a while, it's an itch I need to scratch
Mine arrived a week ago and it has blown my mind, completely unparalleled to anything I’ve heard before
I just heard the LP6 Ti and that blew me away. I liked it so much that when LP7 comes out supporting Android, I am going to blind buy it. I got to A/B/C test it against the DMP-Z1 and NW-WM1ZM2 and it was decisively better to my ear. I haven't gotten out my Hugo 2 to compare it to them. It would be an interesting comparison. The DAP use case if far more useful to me, so given the quality improvements in DAPs for sound quality and power, this is very encouraging. The price points are eye popping though.
Yep, this was at the start of my headfi journey. Several years later, I'm giving it another try. If I don't like it, I'll sell it. Hugo 2 has been at the back of my mind for a while, it's an itch I need to scratch
edit: I think the N8ii reawakened my desire for a colder/technical sound. Among my warmer sources, the Hugo 2 should complement them nicely.
Using Hugo2/2Go with the very revealing Quad ERA-1 and I'm not getting any harshness at all.
Pc as transport is the reason for this. USB is the other. I've tried many Galvanic isolators and they all sound different and doesn't isolate as one would expect. USB on chord products is part of the issue. Due to your room resonance (despite eq), the Topping matches your room and is not a testament to the superiority of the Topping.I posted a little subjective review of Topping DX7 pro and comparison to a Hugo2 on Audio Science Review (ASR) on Mojo2 thread.
I am sure I shall get chewed at very soon (over there)
If anyone is interested, here is a copy:
OK, I took almost 2 weeks to make sure what I am about to say, I am certain of.
Before I get jumped at, the following is a totally sighted, not level matched impression of my two weeks with Topping DX7 pro compared to a Chord Hugo2 - so if it offends the scientists out there, you can stop reading now!
I apologize to moderators if this seems to be off-topic, but Hugo2 is similar to Mojo2, both from the same stable, I have heard both, they are similar sounding, Hugo2 being the much more expensive brother, retailing at £1800 (UK) compared to Mojo2 at £450, so exactly four times!
- First, my impression of the DX7 pro.
I picked this one up in almost NEW condition at under £300 (New about £550-600) a bargain! To see what the hype (according to ASR and others) is all about. This device has been tested and measured here, just do a search. Needless to say, it has achieved some of the best results, noise and distortion figures (any and all) were all in super inaudible region, no jitter, no nothing (incidentally same goes for Hugo2).
All my auditioning was done through speakers, not the headphone outputs (direct to a Meridian 556 power amp, modified Sonus Faber speakers sitting on massive granite platforms), I also used a Topping HS01 USB galvanic isolator to make sure, if there are any noise from my PC, it wouldn't get into the DACs (I hope!).
DX7 pro sounded WOW from the word go! Its main character (if any) is an effortless, organic sound, very easy listening, totally inoffensive and smooth. It plays everything well, from not-so-well recorded classical stuff from 50s to best recorded Hi-Res material from pop, rock and jazz. I even listened to some heavy synth material, even though that is not my cup of tea. I can not praise it enough. It looks good, is well-made and looks the part.
I may have a few minor gripes with it, such as the remote! You need to aim it at the device, or it won't function. My TV remote works, if I aim it at any wall, even the ceiling!
It has seven filters, that are extremely difficult to tell apart, so I don't see the point of them. If I really stress myself, I think I preferred filter 4, but I am sure in a blind test, I couldn't tell.
When you have such a high end DAC, switching to BT is a major climb down, even with the highest setting on LDAC. All life gets sucked out of music, and at best you get, is a car radio sound! Not Topping's fault, but BT on a hi-end DAC is a gimmick.
- Comparison to Hugo2
I am pretty certain I could tell them apart in a blind test 90% of the time, they sound different.
First impression after switching to Hugo2 (never did A/B quick switching) was the impression that there was more of everything, as though it was louder! For the lack of a better explanation. I deliberately turned the volume down to a lower level I usually listen at, and still there was more of everything.
Bandwidth seemed more extended. I know it shouldn't 't be, but on some "Buddha Bar" tracks with subsonic synth bass, the room was shaking, I had an ear pop (like being on a plane) but I couldn't really hear much bass, just felt the effects. The same track, on DX7 pro, seemed to have a little more audible bass but hardly any room shake.
My room has a bass boom at about 75Hz, so I have a sharp notch filter (75Hz Q6 -8dB) to null it out. On DX7 pro it was -8dB, on Hugo2 I had to push it down to -12dB and more. Hugo2 sound seem to emanate not directly from the speakers, but from around it, it has an out-of-box effect. Musicians in a complex passage are more solidly fixed to their locations, not wandering about.
Also, on Hugo2 even a 1 or 2dB EQ is discernable, with DX7 pro, it was neither here nor there, specially on anything past 9kHz. Hugo2 pretty much didn't need any EQ on any recording, but with DX7 pro sometimes I felt the need to add a little more crispness, so I had programmed in a high shelf filter at 11500 Hz 3dB to switch in and out depending on recording.
DX7 pro cons:
Hardly any! Remote control had issues, I think all the filters and even BT are just a gimmick.
Smooth to a fault, a little glossed over.
Hugo2 cons:
Demands of you to sit up and pay attention! Not as smooth as DX7 pro. Depending on recording, can sound a little harsh.
I would like to say it sounds Raw, but that could be a plus point.
With DX7 pro you could listen to background music for hours, no fatigue - Hugo2 is not for background music listening! Even at low volumes, it demands attention, which can be disturbing.
As per DX7 pro, the low bitrate BT and the filters are useless, though on Headphones the filters have a miniscule effect, perhaps so does DX7 pro?
You could say Hugo2 was a more mature DX7 pro, but it costs about three times! But it is transportable!
For desktop use, DX7 pro is better value for sure.
If you need to take it on the road (no, not jogging!) or need ultimate sound quality, and you got the dosh! Then go for it - I warn you, it is addictive as hell.
Ifi zen stream + ifi elite 15v + tidal connect is really good then use mqa albums to stream. Coax out is decent but you can scale it more with a spdif purifier to optical in of the dac using Lifatec optical cable.
