[JaZZ]

Crossfeed can of course be switched off – it is by default.

 

[514077]

Agreed, provided they aren't too deep into development as to preclude any positive changes.  There's always the danger of stress and bad feeling that I remember from following the FiiO X7 thread.  But, if properly managed, it might work; assuming Chord would even be interested in some honest input from the community.
@musicday was supposed to be quoted in this post.

 

[Christer]

Hi, i noticed that the hugo2 will come with 3 crossfeed levels but not the ability to disable crossfeed
As the remote suggests the hugo2 is intended for use in home setups where crossfeed may not be desired for a pair of full sized speakers in addition to its use as a portable unit.

Is an option to disable crossfeed an option we could see in the production unit?

I really  hope you are absolutely  wrong about this.
 
Once again I may be "the odd man out here", but I NEVER use any crossfeed even with headphones with my current HUGO.
If crossfeed can't be disabled I will certainly look elsehere for my DAC upgrade. I have no use whatsoever for "artficial enhancer things" like that.
I listen to lots of simply mic'd classical music and don't want  bass instruments  moved around on stage in some artificial haze.
Of course I have tried crossfeed. But especially with  some  of my  reference recordings where I know exactly where instruments actually were on stage and how they were mic'd, crossfeed creates an artificial hazy mono effect I dislike and messes up the soundstage.Moreover binaural recordings  are absolutely ruined by crossfeed and I can't imagine anyone ever needing or  using the feature with speakers.
I doubt Chord  would force crossfeed upon us.
But if they do, I for one will be looking elsewhere for my needs.

 

[Christer]

  Crossfeed can of course be switched off – it is by default.

Thanks JaZZ.
Very comforting to hear.

 

[JaZZ]

 

  Crossfeed can of course be switched off – it is by default.

Thanks JaZZ.
Very comforting to hear.

 
Hi Christer
 
Actually I'm just extrapolating from my original Hugo with its likewise official three crossfeed stages. It's simply unthinkable that Chord would change their scheme and would'nt make sense. The DAVE even disables crossfeed as soon as no headphone is plugged in.
 

Once again I may be "the odd man out here", but I NEVER use any crossfeed even with headphones with my current HUGO. If crossfeed can't be disabled I will certainly look elsehere for my DAC upgrade. I have no use whatsoever for "artficial enhancer things" like that.
I listen to lots of simply mic'd classical music and don't want  bass instruments  moved around on stage in some artificial haze.
Of course I have tried crossfeed. But especially with  some  of my  reference recordings where I know exactly where instruments actually were on stage and how they were mic'd, crossfeed creates an artificial hazy mono effect I dislike and messes up the soundstage.Moreover binaural recordings  are absolutely ruined by crossfeed and I can't imagine anyone ever needing or  using the feature with speakers.
I doubt Chord  would force crossfeed upon us.
But if they do, I for one will be looking elsewhere for my needs.

 
Given your strong own convictions it will be an undertaking with doubtful outcome, but I'll try to put your crossfeed approach into perspective nonetheless.
 
You may be shocked to hear that I crossfeed all my music since years. This because I wasn't entirely satisfied with the original Meier crossfeed in the then Corda amps (meanwhile it's considerably improved). It also allows me to have crossfeed on the go, via DAP. Now, the «need» for crossfeed is the result of an incompatibility between recordings made for speaker repproduction and headphone listening. Of course crossfeed is an «artificial» effect in a wider sense, as actually everything in music reproduction via electroacoustics. But it is necessary because in fact headphone listening represents an artificial way of hearing in the first place. And one of the side-effects of it is the strict channel separation, which is an unnatural thing: In our everyday experience it's impossible to hear a bass tone in just one ear – whereas with headphones it's a common scenario. We have just learned to tolerate it and live with it because we have no choice: Binaural recordings are a rare species, and to find your favored music among them is hopeless. So crossfeed just removes an unnatural, illogical behavior of headphones: stereophony at low frequencies – by gradually monophonizing low frequencies. A good crossfeed can effectively enhance threedimensionality and the impression of a natural soundstage, although in fact it is narrowed specifically at low frequencies where it was unnaturally spread originally. So although crossfeed is an electronic effect (again: like everything in audio electronics), it is very simple and unobtrusive when it comes to signal integrity. Rob Watts itself is a strong crossfeed proponent. Maybe it helps to know this background to accept it better and to take the time for the necessary acclimatization. You have to give up an artificial (maybe even spectacular) panorama effect, but in exchange you gain naturalness.
 
While I'm at it: While equalizing may appear as an additional effect (although it doesn't necessarily come with any signal degradation), in an audiophile sense it just serves for fixing another severe artificial effect: the notoriously uneven amplitude (and consequentially phase) responses of sound transducers. It's downright absurd to accept the latter as god-given or intended by the manufacturer (as if they were a piece of art that has to remain untouched). If you're after ultimate transparency and musicality, equalizing is a must.
 
Back to the Hugo: I think its crossfeed is very good.

 

[JWahl]

If anything, with the crossfeed, I'd like to see an option to apply the crossfeed effects to the RCA outputs for use with an external amp.  This is probably unlikely to happen, though.  I do realize, I could just use the headphone output with a Y-cable (like I do with the Mojo) to achieve the same effect.  

 

[uzi2]

  If anything, with the crossfeed, I'd like to see an option to apply the crossfeed effects to the RCA outputs for use with an external amp.  This is probably unlikely to happen, though.  I do realize, I could just use the headphone output with a Y-cable (like I do with the Mojo) to achieve the same effect.  

The crossfeed is applied to the RCA outputs on the original Hugo as all the outputs are internally connected.

 

[ChrisIsAwesome]

"Hugo 2 retains the popular digital crossfeed function of the original and offers three operation modes"

I suppose 'off' isnt considered an operation mode. Still unusual that it doesnt specify on the website.

 

[514077]

"Hugo 2 retains the popular digital crossfeed function of the original and offers three operation modes"

I suppose 'off' isnt considered an operation mode. Still unusual that it doesnt specify on the website.

I would consider off to be a non-operational mode, since it's not operating.  I also refuse to believe that it would be turned on without an off choice.  As a rule, I don't use it except when listening to the hard-panned occasional 60's music.  I don't say it's natural; I just like it without for the most part  I guess I just like that 'in your head' wide sound.

 

[JWahl]

 
The crossfeed is applied to the RCA outputs on the original Hugo as all the outputs are internally connected.

I never realized that, thank you.  Haven't owned one, though.  Just the Mojo.

 

[Aeromarine]

just want to ask: without battery will hugo2 run by itself with usb power? 

 

[Christer]

  just want to ask: without battery will hugo2 run by itself with usb power? 

Very important question imho!
My biggest  music related worry right now, is whether HUGO will die on me before I get home from Asia this spring.
I am as addicted to a daily dose of Mozart as I am to my Yoga and daily swimming tours in the ocean.
I once managed to roll into a  used car dealer's yard with a dying car and could  just move my stuff from the dying car into the one I bought.
I might add that to me  cars are just things that take me from a to b when needed.
But it seems I will miss Rob in Singapore this time around by a few days so the chances of doing something similar with HUGO to HUGO 2 seems unlikely.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

 
Very important question imho!
My biggest  music related worry right now, is whether HUGO will die on me before I get home from Asia this spring.
I am as addicted to a daily dose of Mozart as I am to my Yoga and daily swimming tours in the ocean.
I once managed to roll into a  used car dealer's yard with a dying car and could  just move my stuff from the dying car into the one I bought.
I might add that to me  cars are just things that take me from a to b when needed.
But it seems I will miss Rob in Singapore this time around by a few days so the chances of doing something similar with HUGO to HUGO 2 seems unlikely.

This reminds me of a friend from long ago...he was broke, no education, living in a beat up old car, but had more talent than anyone I'd ever met and...
 
he wore a rolex watch.   
 
He knew what he was doing and no one could talk him out of it and convince him to sell the watch and get an apartment with a bed.  
 
30 years later, he is a wealthy, successful high end car wholesaler, father and husband; humble, kind and generous.  He is a special person.  His priority was different than most, but he knew what he was doing.  His appearance got him in the door of the wealthy and from there, talent and drive took over.  
 
I know it is easier to put in iPhone i buds and not spend the money we do, nor even carry the gear we do but we know what we're doing. 
 
Our priority is different than others.  Perhaps we might sacrifice a vacation or something else that most people have in order to land Hugo 2, but we know what we're doing, even if we stumble along the way.  Dave may appear insane to some, but to Dave owners, what others embrace instead of Dave appears just as strange. 

 

[musickid]

hi to all,
 
i have posted here a copy of a question i submitted on the 2qute thread. the reason being i understand the hugo2 is also used as a standalone dac and has a 3v output. thanks to all.
 
 
HELP NEEDED.
 
Im using an earmaxpro tube amp. like most amps as i understand it it is designed to accept a 2V line in from a cd player, dac etc. I would love to upgrade my dac from modimultibit to 2qute however i do not have the luxury of auditioning equipment. would i have any issues using 2qute with my earmaxpro which as far as i can tell was designed for a 2V line input or am i making a big deal from nothing here. i am in a state of limbo here not wanting to spend 1k then finding my tube amp can't cope with a 3V in. thanks to all.


 

 

[JaZZ]

You're really desperate in search of an answer, aren't you? Three times the same question! I've already posted a reply here. (RELIC was also kind to respond in the other thread.)