[tunes]

Confused. I thought I saw a post where unlike the Mojo and DAVE, with the new HUGO2 USB and TOSLINK optical are identical in SQ.

 

[Rob Watts]

Short answer - no burn in time needed - except for the first full charge.
 
I went through 4 prototypes batches, where I had lots of boards to play with, and each unit from the same prototype and code sounded and measured identically.
 
Brain break-in is a different matter, (this is where you get the impression that it is sounding better) and that will take typically about a month.
 
Break-in in traditional products is down to a number of mechanisms. One being electrolytic caps taking time to form, so impedance and leakage current improves with age; but Hugo 2 has zero ac coupling caps in the signal path, and does not rely on electrolytic caps in the PSU section. Another problem is RF noise, and this creates audible problems with noise floor modulation, making it sound harder; but Hugo 2 is extremely well RF filtered, so it sounds consistent all the time (even with the charger connected). A third problem is thermal, with bias currents changing the Class A output and hence the distortion; but with Hugo 2 this has been eliminated via the 2nd order analogue noise shaper approach - so crossover distortion has been removed, even with 8 ohm loads.
 
Rob

 

[Rob Watts]

Confused. I thought I saw a post where unlike the Mojo and DAVE, with the new HUGO2 USB and TOSLINK optical are identical in SQ.

You did - and it may be my new lap-top that has optical and USB outputs, so the source variability is removed. Its something I will be looking into again, as it was a surprise.

 

[canali]

Quote:

Confused. I thought I saw a post where unlike the Mojo and DAVE, with the new HUGO2 USB and TOSLINK optical are identical in SQ.

 
Quote:

  You did - and it may be my new lap-top that has optical and USB outputs, so the source variability is removed. Its something I will be looking into again, as it was a surprise.

Rob, is this SQ related to the usb decoding chip being buffered from the DAC in the hugo2, so it takes care of some of the 'galvanic isolation' issues, making the imput used not as important (usb vs optical etc)?..i might be totally in left field, however... please excuse me if i am...

 

[Rob Watts]

Maybe - but this had already been largely put into Mojo. But Hugo 2 has overall much better isolation from the PSU. So I plan to re-run the listening tests under the same conditions when I get back home with Mojo/Hugo 2/Dave. It could be the source being identical, or it could be listening via headphones (I used to test with active loudspeakers). When you get a surprising result, I always re-test, and worry about why it is unexpected.

 

[tunes]

Maybe - but this had already been largely put into Mojo. But Hugo 2 has overall much better isolation from the PSU. So I plan to re-run the listening tests under the same conditions when I get back home with Mojo/Hugo 2/Dave. It could be the source being identical, or it could be listening via headphones (I used to test with active loudspeakers). When you get a surprising result, I always re-test, and worry about why it is unexpected.

Rob--

That would be great so we all know if we can use TOSLINK instead of USB with HUGO2 to eliminate all the fuss over adding devices to clean up USB noise. That is my hope.

 

[flyte3333]

Rob--

That would be great so we all know if we can use TOSLINK instead of USB with HUGO2 to eliminate all the fuss over adding devices to clean up USB noise. That is my hope.

 
Hi think Hugo 1 and Mojo TOSLINK already wins over USB, in terms of virtually no RFI/EMI and completely isolation from the upstream noise sources. The same will hold for Hugo 2.
 
I think Rob mean's USB performance with Hugo 2 is now hard to tell the difference from TOSLINK.
 
The only real downside with TOSLINK is the 24/192 limitation, so it won't handle native DSD - jitter is eliminated with all of Rob's FPGA Dacs.
 
TOSLINK with my Mojo does sound too soft - I prefer my microRendu and Uptone LPS-1 combination. I have complete galvanic isolation with my setup, so there must be something else responsbile for TOSLINK sounding softer (more rolled off) than USB for my setup. Possibly RFI/EMI being picked up by my USB cable and microRendu? @Rob Watts

 

[rgs9200m]

I'm not sure if I have missed it here but has anyone compared the Hugo2 and the Hugo TT (from a sonic perspective only)?
And I guess it's important to compare the two units also as DACs alone in case an external amp is used.
Thanks.

 

[wasupdog]

not yet.  it's just been speculation to this point on how the hugo 2 will stack up to the TT. 

 

[Triode User]

not yet.  it's just been speculation to this point on how the hugo 2 will stack up to the TT. 

I thought I had seen something from one of the Cord guys on here saying that the sonic hierarchy was still mojo,Hugo2,Hugo tt,Dave

 

[SearchOfSub]

I don't remember that criticism, but maybe it did feature.

Having said that , i did mention on the Mojo thread (i think) that i was not keen on the inputs being labelled in grey anodised font, on a silver metallic body. Music Alcamist could not understand what my problem was.

I do remember that one talking point on the WHF forum, was how small minded WHF were - to avoid giving the DAVE full marks, they knocked a mark off because there was a microscopic misalignment between the top and bottom sections of the case.

The inference was that the sound quality was less important than the build quality.

That is not really being "small minded". It is being detailed and descriptive IMO. That is what I expect from a professional reviewers POV as a reader.

 

[Triode User]

I have heard several of the high end DACs that WHF have given 5 stars and their review summed up with something like 'this is just about the last word in DAC performance and if you can afford it you will not be disappointed'. To my ears the Dave sound was a clear step ahead of the others and if I had bought one of the others I would have been very disappointed indeed but that's why we have to use our own ears and not just read WHF.

 

[jmills8]

I have heard several of the high end DACs that WHF have given 5 stars and their review summed up with something like 'this is just about the last word in DAC performance and if you can afford it you will not be disappointed'. To my ears the Dave sound was a clear step ahead of the others and if I had bought one of the others I would have been very disappointed indeed but that's why we have to use our own ears and not just read WHF.

But did thise reviewers use the same styles of music you used to come up with your judgement?

 

[Triode User]

But did thise reviewers use the same styles of music you used to come up with your judgement?

The differences are there with all styles of music it's just that some music masks the shortfalls to an extent. My listening music encompasses classical (small and large scale), rock, jazz, blues, acoustic style singer and guitar etc, etc, etc. Friends generally drop round when they hear I have a DAC etc to try and they bring music (that isn't music to my ears) but so far has the same conclusion.
 
For instance, one particularly well reviewed DAC costing quite a bit more than the Dave had a very noticeable lack of detail / definition of individual instruments in the mid and upper mids (and bass come to think of it) giving quite a muddled sound even though initially it sounded quite musical.

 

[flyte3333]

Chord's website is still showing the Hugo 2 as available late March: http://www.chordelectronics.co.uk/product/hugo-2/

I know John has mentioned April in this thread.

John, is it planned to hit UK stores next week? @Mojo ideas

And when is it due to hit stores here in Australia? Same time as the UK or a few weeks later?

Cheers !