[Wilderbeast]

Are there any further details about the Hugo 2 version of Poly?

 

[miksu8]

If you can afford a Hugo2, you can afford a power amplifier. You can use the Hugo2 to drive speakers directly, but why in the world would you? You would get better sound out of an entire system that costs half the price of a Hugo2, than you would doing that.

That's not the point. I don't know if there exists an amp that won't alter the transparent sound of Hugo 2, but certainly it would be out of my price range. Just, as with hp, I want to experiment how the speakers sound with as a direct signal path as possible.

I've got amp and speakers too for getting higher SPL.

 

[Christer]

Yes - take it as I have (and have heard) better, reacting to some "H2 is TOTL, end game, among the very best" feedback - which remains as valid as before of course, just not to my ears.
Compliments to the h2: with HD800 (and to some extent JH13 Pro) it is sufficiently enjoyable that I would not feel compelled to "fire up one of the big rigs" (incl. Metrum Adagio, Berkeley Alpha, Mark Levinson No. 585, McIntosh MDA 1000, NAD M2, ...).
For Utopia and especially Z1R I will not use the H2, ever (because I have other combinations with better synergies, and because in absolute terms it doesn't meet my subjective bar). What works better: With both I would actually prefer ZX2 or Plenue 1 - ZX2 often combined with Vorzuge Pure II.
YMMV ...

"Dear In Vino Veritas",Thanks for your very interesting "review" which to me at least seems to put H2 in some perspective both regarding music I ACTUALLY listen to and ultimate references as far as other DACs are concerned.
Thanks for taking a probably more realistic stand as to where it stands in relation to absolute digital SOTA than some of the real fanboy hypers around here.
Your review makes me have more realistic expectations on HUGO 2 than some of the hype initially made me expect.
If I understand your take correctly you still place H2 pretty high in the pecking order in spite of your criticism of certain things like weird little light orbs rattling and such.
How high exacty?
Since I listen almost exclusively to large scale acoustic music and the human voice, I would like to hear if you could state which of your other DACs sound better with violin than H2?
You said "very good".
For me that instrument which I had at "arm's length" yesterday is apart from some percussion like cymbals with harmonics stretching well above the 20khz limit of low res pcm like 16/44.1 and 24/44.1one of the instruments where I still feel that direct cut LP still has a tendency to come the closest to how they actually sound live.
I am familar with the DACs you mention except the new Metrum Adagio which I haven't heard yet.
But have you auditioned DAVE?
And if so, where does DAVE sit on your list of DACS?
Together with the pro ADCs actually used recording most of "the modern recordings at least" I listen to DAVE seems to be in the SOTA class with pcm ,though DSD sounded puzzling to say the least to me via DAVE. Maybe the slightly cheaper new Metrum Adagio can give even DAVE a run for its money?
Having both praised and moaned about HUGO 1 enough times already here, I am happy to hear that someone whose main preferences do not seem to be gaming and movies or EDM, still has got some good things to say about H2 even in comparison with some heavy-weight competition..
Please keep us posted and please don't forget to include also the most demanding material in your follow-ups on H2.
Really sorting the wheat from the chaff is much more difficult than many here assume.
As far as headphones are concerned, have you tried the HEKV2 with H2 or any others of your DACs?
I still own an HD800 with both a stock cable and an upmarket pure silver one, but I prefer HEKV2 with most of my masterfiles.
I must admit I was a bit surprised reading Rob recommending the closed back midlevel Aeon both with Mojo Hugo and DAVE.
The only time I have seen him mentioning a true SOTA level contender headphone, with any of his DACs was when he mentioned auditioning the UTOPIA via DAVE at a show somewhere.
I sometime wonder if HUGO 2 also been "tuned" via Nighthawks or not?
If so, maybe that could possibly be one of the reasons why some start talking about irritating treble via HUGO 2 and Utopia for example?
HUGO1 and Utopia was NOT an ideal combination imho.
Cheers Christer

 

[MacedonianHero]

Respectfully, I completely disagree with the Utopia - I haven't heard the Z1R or LCD-4 so I have no comment regarding those headphones. I have the Liquid Gold which is a 9W amp and besides the addition of the sweet Cavalli house sound that it adds I don't feel the Utopia is under powered in any way shape or form from the Hugo2 compared to the Liquid Gold at reasonable volume levels (read: won't make me deaf in 5 min). Unless you are listening at near max volume there is no way you are utilizing anywhere near the unused max power available. Tuning and synergy is far too often mistaken for power drive. Believe me, there is plenty of power for the Utopia from the Hugo2. I listened to the Utopia in the red volume zone which is at the lower end of the total volume range and it was more than satisfying to me with very much ample room to spare for power.







I'm not talking about the Hugo2 with the following comments...

The term 'max potential' drives me absolutely nuts, no matter what gear is being discussed. What would you define as max potential? Low distortion, Voltage delivery, Current delivery, SNR, THD, dynamic range, impedance, slew rate, tuning, synergy, 120dB SPL, etc? There is so much more to designing gear than just max power. Sorry if I sound confrontational here, but if the gear is designed well, with very good specs, and with enough room to spare beyond one's listening level then there is not much more to it for max potential, besides tonal preferences.

I definitely agree that the Hugo 2 has plenty of power for the Utopia, Z1R, K812, HD800S, and HE1000V2 and in the end, drives them to pretty much their full potential. The only headphone that truly needs a dedicated powerful amplifier to shine is the LCD-4.

FWIW, my main desktop rig is KTE SU-1 --> Holo Spring KTE Level 3 DAC --> HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 (about 5-6 W methinks) fully balanced.

 

[Christer]

I use them for EDM, rock and gaming where bass has to be paramount for my needs and yes they are awesome with a great sound stage.

I'm not really sure of the audiophile terminology to use apart from saying you will really enjoy them for edm music, I bought these blind without even trying them before hand and was really wowed by them.

You won't be dissapointed

Sorry for my ignorance.But what does EDM stand for?

 

[Galm]

Sorry for my ignorance.But what does EDM stand for?

Electronic dance music

 

[514077]

Are there any further details about the Hugo 2 version of Poly?

I'd like to know, as well. I'm thinking that if the 2Go meets the blind-guy usability standard, I might be inclined to use it as a somewhat portable DAP setup. Without getting into hyperboly I just happen to really like the sound, and could see taking it with me. It would be enlightening to get a little taste of what's in mind for the 2go, at some point in the near future.

 

[Hooster]

I definitely agree that the Hugo 2 has plenty of power for the Utopia, Z1R, K812, HD800S, and HE1000V2 and in the end, drives them to pretty much their full potential. The only headphone that truly needs a dedicated powerful amplifier to shine is the LCD-4.

FWIW, my main desktop rig is KTE SU-1 --> Holo Spring KTE Level 3 DAC --> HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 (about 5-6 W methinks) fully balanced.

Full potential in the sense of maximum volume is one thing. Full potential in terns of sound quality is something else entirely. The Hugo may very well benefit from amping for the likes of the Z1R. There is no debate that the Hugo can drive the cans loud. The question is, will the sound quality improve with an amp. The only way to truly answer that is to try it yourself.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

That's not the point. I don't know if there exists an amp that won't alter the transparent sound of Hugo 2, but certainly it would be out of my price range. Just, as with hp, I want to experiment how the speakers sound with as a direct signal path as possible.

I've got amp and speakers too for getting higher SPL.

Well said.

Anyway, what about those who saved up greatly to get the hugo 2. Saying that if they can afford A they can afford B is not logic.

 

[JaZZ]

Full potential in the sense of maximum volume is one thing. Full potential in terns of sound quality is something else entirely. The Hugo may very well benefit from amping for the likes of the Z1R. There is no debate that the Hugo can drive the cans loud. The question is, will the sound quality improve with an amp. The only way to truly answer that is to try it yourself.

No! The Z1R is about as uncritical a load as it gets. If you'd have been talking of a hard to drive headphone I probably wouldn't have felt the need to post and contradict, although even the «hard to drive» is widely overrated. So from your point of view it's possible that the Hugo₂ would benefit from an additional amplification stage between its line out and the input of an amp – since it isn't able to drive it to its maximum.

Apart from the technical aspect – which is passably clear-cut – it's of course possible that somebody likes the sound with an additional amp in the signal path better (although objectively it introduces a signal corruption).

Anyway, what about those who saved up greatly to get the hugo 2. Saying that if they can afford A they can afford B is not logic.

Just to be clear: That's referring to Hooster, right?

 

[buzzlulu]

Comments about the Hugo2 and Utopia are interesting. I, as well as others, use the Utopia with a Sony WM1Z. Many have said that this is just about the best portable combination currently available today - absolutely breathtaking imho.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

No! The Z1R is about as uncritical a load as it gets. If you'd have been talking of a hard to drive headphone I probably wouldn't have felt the need to post and contradict, although even the «hard to drive» is widely overrated. So from your point of view it's possible that the Hugo₂ would benefit from an additional amplification stage between its line out and the input of an amp – since it isn't able to drive it to its maximum.

Apart from the technical aspect – which is passably clear-cut – it's of course possible that somebody likes the sound with an additional amp in the signal path better (although objectively it introduces a signal corruption).


Just to be clear: That's referring to Hooster, right?

yes. You see a few posters write about saving up just to get the hugo 2 and others hoping to put together enough $ to land one. saying if you can afford hugo 2 you can afford an exp. amp is insulting to them.

 

[Sound Eq]

i hope this will not turn into a thread where two opposite impression poles will collide, especially for people who do not have the luxury to audition it

and here we go again, if impressions were controlled, things would be much more easy to be agreed on but that is for another topic and already has been discussed in other threads, but I am just saying it knowing it will never happen

 

[Hooster]

yes. You see a few posters write about saving up just to get the hugo 2 and others hoping to put together enough $ to land one. saying if you can afford hugo 2 you can afford an exp. amp is insulting to them.

Honestly... The Hugo2 is an expensive luxury item. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that those who can afford to buy one have plenty of money left over. Even assuming they do not, then a power amp that is good enough to make a huge improvement on the Hugo2 driving speakers directly need not cost more than about half of what headphones that are worthy of the Hugo2 cost. Decent power amps are quite cheap these days.

It is worth taking the time to create a balanced system that achieves the best possible sound for a given budget. If you sink so much money into an item like the Hugo2 that you have to make unacceptable compromises elsewhere, then chances are that you could do better with a cheaper DAC.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Honestly... The Hugo2 is an expensive luxury item. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that those who can afford to buy one have plenty of money left over..

It is not reasonable nor even a perfectly reasonable assumption.

I don't think you intended to insult people.

take some time to read some posts. Not everyone has the money and people with good headphones or IEM have saved for the Hugo 2 because they want Hugo 2. I think you know what your stuff about amps, just come across kinda condescendingly. They want hugo, not a lesser dac. This is why they save and even sell stuff to get it. They want what Rob built. it is special and a lesser dac is not the answer.