[miketlse]

Maybe, but the Blu2 is a CD player, I have a McIntosh MCD1100 downstairs so don't need another CD player, even a very superior one. Personally I wouldn't match a £8,000 Cd Player with a £1,800 dac/amp, I think the Blu2 deserves the Dave. My MCD1100 has got a Jeff Rowland Corus two box preamp to keep it happy........

Perhaps you should think of the Blu2 as a MScaler + free CD transport.

 

[ChisChas]

Perhaps you should think of the Blu2 as a MScaler + free CD transport.

Right now I feel very happy having bought my Utopias yesterday and they work extremely well with the Hugo 2. I am auditioning the Pathos InPol Class A headphone amp with onboard Sabre 9018 DAC next week and while I doubt the DAC will compare to the Chord DACS, this thing is massively powerful and not expensive (£4,000 inc Sabre 9018 DAC). The UK distributor says I can borrow it for a week or two, could be an interesting experience. There's a great review in HiFi+ in November 2017 issue and a French review with the Focal Utopias.

We'll see..................

 

[AndrewH13]

As an aside, I've also finally setup a basic 5.1 surround system (a first for me), basically to experience Morten's recordings in that way (movies are a bonus). The 2L recordings are wonderful in surround

As a further aside, have you had the chance to listen to 5.1/7.1 surround music (or Movie) with the Smyth Realiser A16 that has been at recent Head Fi shows?

Using just HD800s, you cannot tell the difference from the 7.1 system in the room it has just modelled for your head. And concert halls have been modelled to produce their acoustics and speakers. Before I tried the demo, I didn't believe the hype, afterwards I was in agreement with every other Head-Fi who had heard, surreal!

 

[miketlse]

Right now I feel very happy having bought my Utopias yesterday and they work extremely well with the Hugo 2. I am auditioning the Pathos InPol Class A headphone amp with onboard Sabre 9018 DAC next week and while I doubt the DAC will compare to the Chord DACS, this thing is massively powerful and not expensive (£4,000 inc Sabre 9018 DAC). The UK distributor says I can borrow it for a week or two, could be an interesting experience. There's a great review in HiFi+ in November 2017 issue and a French review with the Focal Utopias.

We'll see..................

Is this the french review that you are referring to?

 

[JaZZ]

... But perhaps my hi-fi dealer's view (based on lots and lots of headphone/DAC/amp experience) is correct re the Dave requiring more puff in which case a Dave 2 might well have a more powerful power output in order to provide maximum SQ for the more difficult headphones i.e HE1000 V2's and Audeze LCD-4's (I've deliberately not mentioned the Susvara's). I'm not convinced the Dave hasn't got puff enough for the Utopias but everyone is entitled to their own view.

TokenGesture said: ↑
«Can Hugo 2 power the LCD4? Not that I can afford one, but, y'know...»

As a fellow K812 owner who bought a pair of Focal Utopias yesterday (having run-in and then enjoyed a loaner pair for several weeks), my view is no...

I disagree. My DAVE and my modified and equalized HE1000 (with V2 pads) produce the best, most natural sound I've heard – any additional amp I've tried destroyed this degree of perfection in every possible sonic criterion.

Some time ago (before the Hugo₂ launch and before I owned a DAVE) I've auditioned the LCD-4 through my Hugo₁, and the resulting sound quality was on a level I'm used to from the HE1000 (then still unmodified and with original pads), with the exception of spatial depth. I've been told by LCD-4 owners that the latter «weakness» may have been the result of underpowering, but I still doubt it, since the LCD-4 has some design properties that make it acoustically less open than the HE1000. So I'm passably convinced that the Hugo₂ can drive it properly as well.

On a side note: The Susvara with its low sensitivity is considered a very hard to drive headphone. Imagine my surprise when I found the sound when it was driven directly by the DAVE (at –5 dB at max.) way superior to the combination with its proprietary HiFiMan amp – more precise, more controlled, better timing. Needless to say that I didn't miss anything, neither bass extension nor punch nor dynamics nor ultimate cleanness. So it seems the rating of sound (quality) is highly dependent on the personal sonic ideals. And not to be underestimated: The high volume-control settings necessary may look allarming to some users.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

The annual pre-CES hysteria, here on Head-Fi, is as predictable as it is amusing. Same thing going on in the EmpireEars thread, and doubtless many others.

Company: "Something is going to be announced in a few days"

Head-Fier: "What is it?"

Company: "We can't release that information until we announce it at the stated event (which cost us thousands of dollars to attend, in order to engage with customers, and the press, professionally)"

Head-Fier: "Is it a secret?"

Company: "Please see our previous response. We will announce our new product(s) at the stated venue, as part of a formal press-release"

Head-Fier: "So can you tell me now what product(s) will be released?"

Company staff members now self-harming in exasperated silence....

Head-Fier: "So, I'm trying to read between the lines...you're saying that the Hugo 2 "2go" poly like device is ready to go January 7th?"

 

[Mython]

Peter, far be it for me to tell you how to read between the lines, what with you being one of the foremost experts in the world at doing precisely that, for a living!

 

[musicday]

As a further aside, have you had the chance to listen to 5.1/7.1 surround music (or Movie) with the Smyth Realiser A16 that has been at recent Head Fi shows?

Using just HD800s, you cannot tell the difference from the 7.1 system in the room it has just modelled for your head. And concert halls have been modelled to produce their acoustics and speakers. Before I tried the demo, I didn't believe the hype, afterwards I was in agreement with every other Head-Fi who had heard, surreal!

There isn't a person who heard the A16 to say something negative about it, it is incredible, especially for watching movies and so is Hugo 2 and Dave for music reproduction.
We are highly blessed from above to live in these days and some of the very best sound comes from British companies. No offense to others worldwide. So much to choose from, but only very few are a real audio breakthrough IMHO.

 

[JaZZ]

It's just a shame that it can't mimic concert halls and open-air stadiums instead of existing loudspeakers.

 

[AndrewH13]

There isn't a person who heard the A16 to say something negative about it, it is incredible, especially for watching movies and so is Hugo 2 and Dave for music reproduction.
We are highly blessed from above to live in these days and some of the very best sound comes from British companies. No offense to others worldwide. So much to choose from, but only very few are a real audio breakthrough IMHO.

Only two numbers away in raffle from winning one at Canjam London 2016. Mind you still not been released yet has it? Not followed thread, but it's the most astounding 'listen' in 45 years of being into hifi. Or certainly since first listen of a Sondek and Kanns!

 

[AndrewH13]

It's just a shame that it can't mimic concert halls and open-air stadiums instead of existing loudspeakers.

But it can, while listening, try opening your living room windows on a windy day, imagine a chap behind coughing or sneezing over you, then simulate queuing for the loo when you badly want a pee!

 

[jlbrach]

Shame, the Dave could do with a bit more puff to future proof it (having listened to a Dave yesterday for a couple of hours) and my hi-fi dealer's personal professional view is that the Dave is a superb DAC but needs an additional top-notch amplifier to go with it. Please step this way, sir, Dave at £8,500 + amp at £6,000 and Utopias at £3,500 (I bought my Utopias yesterday having had loaners for several weeks). I was using my well run-in loaner Utopias with the Dave and my personal, non-professional view was it seemed to have enough puff and was a wonderful DAC. There is a BUT coming, but when paired with Utopias there were quite a few albums on my laptop (mainly WAV 16/44.1, some 24/96) where the combo of the very revealing etc Utopias combined poorly with the additional resolution, detail and transparency of the Dave. Not the fault of either bit of kit imho.

Now I'm willing to blame the music (poorer recordings having two spotlights on them when these poorer recordings can only just cope with one spotlight) but the reality is that many of my albums suffer from less than perfect recording or mastering and there's nothing I can do about it. An example? David Gilmour's 'Live at Pompeii' double CD, not available at 24/96 at Qobuz or H D Tracks. For me the problem was his over-piercing lead guitar work in some places (you buy a DG album for his guitar playing). I heard a clear improvement in SQ with some albums with the Dave but preferred my Hugo 2 with the poorer recordings. Not a criticism of Dave, but of the reality of the very varied quality of recordings. Is the Chord Dave worth nearly 5 x the Hugo 2, well everyone has to make up their own mind up about that. I will have another audition (would much prefer to borrow a Dave for 2 weeks, Rob, any chance?).

But perhaps my hi-fi dealer's view (based on lots and lots of headphone/DAC/amp experience) is correct re the Dave requiring more puff in which case a Dave 2 might well have a more powerful power output in order to provide maximum SQ for the more difficult headphones i.e HE1000 V2's and Audeze LCD-4's (I've deliberately not mentioned the Susvara's). I'm not convinced the Dave hasn't got puff enough for the Utopias but everyone is entitled to their own view.

Dave drives the Utopia with ease,no amp needed at all...would be a waste....the HE-1000v2 is not quite as efficient but also is driven quite easily by the Dave....both the LCD-4 and Abyss Phi do quite well with the Dave but some prefer an additional external amp...it is simply subjective a good argument could be made in either direction regarding amp or no amp with these 2 tough to drives HP's...I know Rob Watts hates an external amp with the Dave but in some cases it may be warranted...in the case of the Susvara if my limited listening at canjam was an accurate indication then yes they would definitely require the external amp

 

[Currawong]

Strange that nobody speaks about the Grado GS2000e or RS2e.

They generally aren't taken seriously as high-end cans. They are extremely colored and lacking in many areas, including low bass and resolution. They can be highly enjoyable with the right music though.

But perhaps my hi-fi dealer's view (based on lots and lots of headphone/DAC/amp experience) is correct re the Dave requiring more puff in which case a Dave 2 might well have a more powerful power output in order to provide maximum SQ for the more difficult headphones i.e HE1000 V2's and Audeze LCD-4's (I've deliberately not mentioned the Susvara's). I'm not convinced the Dave hasn't got puff enough for the Utopias but everyone is entitled to their own view.

The digital amp is supposed to take care of that.

 

[Sound Trooper]

After a bit of a delay due to the holidays, I finally posted my Blu2 review (includingng experiences with the BluHugo2):

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/chord-blu-mk-ii-digital-cd-transport.22848/reviews

Thanks to everyone that shared their experiences and gave guidance as I was coming up to speed on this piece of kit!

Hi ray-dude, thank you for posting your impressions. I'm particularly stoked to hear that a Blu/Hugo2 out-performs a Dave alone. After reading your review, I'll be jumping into the deep end and ordering a Blu from my dealer.

Your thoughts on the Blu/Hugo2 powering the Omega speakers is also very interesting to me. I'll definitely be looking towards that direction in the near future!

 

[musicday]

Only two numbers away in raffle from winning one at Canjam London 2016. Mind you still not been released yet has it? Not followed thread, but it's the most astounding 'listen' in 45 years of being into hifi. Or certainly since first listen of a Sondek and Kanns!

No not released yet AndrewH13,i heard the A16 and the experience was out of this world, now if they can improve it further, even better ,but hopefully soon will be and they don't accept pre-orders anymore so you will have to email them yourself for extra information. It will be great to use it together with Hugo 2 or Dave. Now on a different note if Smyth Research would work on similar products with Chord Electronics in the future, we have 2 very capable British companies coming up with a revolutionary product. One can dream