Did someone read around the web any major review comparing Hugo2 with other Dac?
Im trying to figure out if hugo2 is a MAJOR upgrade from hugo1 or 2Qute.
Cheers
There haven't been any big magazine reviews of Hugo 2 just yet but Jay from AudioBacon compared it with Hugo 1 and his review basically speaks for itself and also happens to align with what I heard when I auditioned Hugo 2 on two separate occasions.
There haven't been any big magazine reviews of Hugo 2 just yet but Jay from AudioBacon compared it with Hugo 1 and his review basically speaks for itself and also happens to align with what I heard when I auditioned Hugo 2 on two separate occasions.
Looks like he uses the Shure electrostatics: Shure KSE1500 (~ £2,500). Fortunately I'm still totally pleased with my Shure SE846's otherwise I'd be on the hunt for a 2nd hand set.
Sold my SE846s for Campfire Vega and omg what a step up. Then, auditioned the Vegas on Hugo 2 at CanJam..mind..blown. I'm a hard guy to please with audio gear. If I smile while listening to something..it's really really good, but if I start quietly laughing a little..said gear combo is placed in the category I call stupid good. Hugo 2 and Vega combo is stupid good. Versus my Mojo that I later tried the Vegas on, I noticed a decent step down in soundstage width, detail, bass extension, treble clarity, and overall musicality and flow. Mojo sounded grainy and tonally off. I highly recommend the Vega if you ever upgrade from 846s..especially with Hugo 2. The only other IEMs close with that type of impactful sound signature are the JH Lola but they don't sound as coherent as Vega.
As far as I know there is a member who also prefer the Chord QBD76 over Dave in his top-flight Naim system. Since the Dave > Hugo 2, the QBD76 is supposedly the best sounding Chord (in one's system and preferences). I guess a lot will depend on the system and listening preference. Since there may not be a lot of comparison between the Hugo 2 and QBD76, I presume it is a good idea for me to stick with the latter especially when there are already two votes for the QBD 76, surprisingly not over the Hugo 2 but the Dave.
As far as I know there is a member who also prefer the Chord QBD76 over Dave in his top-flight Naim system. Since the Dave > Hugo 2, the QBD76 is supposedly the best sounding Chord (in one's system and preferences). I guess a lot will depend on the system and listening preference. Since there may not be a lot of comparison between the Hugo 2 and QBD76, I presume it is a good idea for me to stick with the latter especially when there are already two votes for the QBD 76, surprisingly not over the Hugo 2 but the Dave.
I have to completely and utterly disagree with the idea that the QBD76 is better than Dave. It's just plain non-sense - in every single regard Dave hugely beats the QBD, they are not even comparable.
This kind of absurdity is one reason why I disengaged from high end audio in the noughties.
I have to completely and utterly disagree with the idea that the QBD76 is better than Dave. It's just plain non-sense - in every single regard Dave hugely beats the QBD, they are not even comparable.
This kind of absurdity is one reason why I disengaged from high end audio in the noughties.
Sometimes people like to stick to a certain sound. It's a mine field wading through subjective impressions vs objective performance. For me, I find that my ears favour the objective performance sound.
I have to completely and utterly disagree with the idea that the QBD76 is better than Dave. It's just plain non-sense - in every single regard Dave hugely beats the QBD, they are not even comparable.
This kind of absurdity is one reason why I disengaged from high end audio in the noughties.
HD800s while playing Amber Rubarth album Sessions From The 17th Ward (Binaural) sound incredible crystal clear, detail, sound stage, bass you name it, highs seem to be tamed for my untrained ears
In my experience people who prefer "the wrong component" have a broken system setup. Sometimes introducing the new component tips it over some edge that overwhelms the system (too much bandwidth, too much information). Other times, the system has been tweaked to death to maximise "compatibility" amongst all its components, whilst working in an environment that is horribly compromised (read: nasty room). e.g. extra (more correct) bass power from the better component will sound like bass boom.
It's pretty common for a better component to reveal system setup problems. Sometimes those problems become so significant that they're all you hear. In that situation it's natural to reject the new component if you're unable or unwilling to completely revise the system setup. Moving speakers that are heavier than you gets tedious...
For the start it was a bit of disappointment as my QED RCA cable plugs don't fit as the Hugo cut outs are simply too small, so I'm about to visit my local dealer later today and buy an interconnect that actually can work with Hugo 2. My 2Qute I sold was perfect in that regard much more suitable for big system.
As for the sound itself, not much I can tell so far except it seems to be 'good' via the headphone output (comparable to 2Qute and decent dedicated head amp - 1-1.5k$) on DT880/K812.
Once I get new interconnect, I will give Hugo a proper warm up in my speaker system.
ps. playing on iMac (via iTunes) I noticed it sounds noticeably better (less bright/aggressive - especially on poorer quality recordings) with Pure Music installed (extra 126$ unfortunately) the music is simply more analogue with additional weight/body (I guess it depends on the source/transport/headphones etc. but in my system the effect is as described).
Me too. I just thought it was my old ears! I think that if a track is 'bright' the filters make the track slightly easier to listen to but it is a very subtle difference.
I got my Hugo 2 Thursday and too early to comment as limited listening Through Optical in only through speakers. I can hear no difference between the filters and i can only see that the filter light switches when i change filter and they all sound the same and i hope i got a functioning unit... Would be interesting if anyone that can hear the difference give examples what to listen for as as an example the incisive sounds just as warm to me as mojo. Maybe going to Gorillaz live on Thursday shattered my eardrums as they played very loud and i need to give it a few days...
For the start it was a bit of disappointment as my QED RCA cable plugs don't fit as the Hugo cut outs are simply too small, so I'm about to visit my local dealer later today and buy an interconnect that actually can work with Hugo 2. My 2Qute I sold was perfect in that regard much more suitable for big system.
As for the sound itself, not much I can tell so far except it seems to be 'good' via the headphone output (comparable to 2Qute and decent dedicated head amp - 1-1.5k$) on DT880/K812.
Once I get new interconnect, I will give Hugo a proper warm up in my speaker system.
ps. playing on iMac (via iTunes) I noticed it sounds noticeably better (less bright/aggressive - especially on poorer quality recordings) with Pure Music installed (extra 126$ unfortunately) the music is simply more analogue with additional weight/body (I guess it depends on the source/transport/headphones etc. but in my system the effect is as described).
I have to completely and utterly disagree with the idea that the QBD76 is better than Dave. It's just plain non-sense - in every single regard Dave hugely beats the QBD, they are not even comparable.
This kind of absurdity is one reason why I disengaged from high end audio in the noughties.
It's more than 25 years that I'm in this hobby. Its goal in my opinion is to obtain emotion from your preferred music, as much as possibile. Unfortunately for them, some (many) loose this in the name of "this piece of gear is better than that, my system is better than yours"
Me too spent a lot of money building up my system during my audiophile travel...but always missed something...missed emotion.....till hugo came in. I suddenly found myself dancing my dance collction and sometime crying listening to Damien Rice....no piece of gear ever transformed my system as much as hugo
Now I patiently wait for my hugo2 simply because it has remote and lager bluetooth range....but I could have lived with my hugo forever
Thank you Chord for having allowed this
Cheers
Mauro
HD800s while playing Amber Rubarth album Sessions From The 17th Ward (Binaural) sound incredible crystal clear, detail, sound stage, bass you name it, highs seem to be tamed for my untrained ears
Mython suggested this album to me last year. Its recording is something special and is a great album for testing gear. Its on my H2 demo list.
I have another one. Steven Van Zandt recorded an album of his songs written in the late 70's and early 80's. He brought a freshness to them and really pushed the vocals (he does background vocals to Springsteen).
"I Don't Want To Go Home" (recorded by Southside Johnny) has horns meeting hammond b3 meeting nostalgia and its another demo song for H2.
Unfortunately, my demo list has grown exponentially with each shipment delay.
It's more than 25 years that I'm in this hobby. Its goal in my opinion is to obtain emotion from your preferred music, as much as possibile. Unfortunately for them, some (many) loose this in the name of "this piece of gear is better than that, my system is better than yours"
Me too spent a lot of money building up my system during my audiophile travel...but always missed something...missed emotion.....till hugo came in. I suddenly found myself dancing my dance collction and sometime crying listening to Damien Rice....no piece of gear ever transformed my system as much as hugo
Now I patiently wait for my hugo2 simply because it has remote and lager bluetooth range....but I could have lived eith my hugo forever
Thank you Chord for having allowed this
Cheers
Mauro
100% agree with you Mauro. When I first listened to the Hugo, it was a definite wow moment for me and I bought the Hugo 2 for the same reasons as you along with the hope of another wow moment. As I said in a previous post, I was not disappointed. If you loved the Hugo you will adore the Hugo 2.
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