[Christer]

Not sure what your talking about here.
DC volts to watts calculation formula
The power P in watts (W) is equal to the voltage V in volts (V), times the current I in amps (A):

P(W) = V(V) × I(A)



This statement is plain silly and I stand corrected if there was a new revelation about Hugo 2 output stage. Please tell me how the output stage of Hugo 2 is compromised?
What amp (headphone) would you call transparent? Over the Hugo 2?
You do know that the Qutest uses an Op-amp also for output? In fact, it's adjustable for Voltage.
Rival or beat DAVE/BLU, too funny.
Where are you clipping at? With what DAC?

I asked this question after reading Rob's response somewhere here that powerhungry planars might need the help of supercaps?
Maybe I misunderstood the connection between current and power?

Regarding the compromises needed with a portable unit like HUGO 2 and power delivery I only know that HUGO 2 doesn't come with a 50 lbs heavy dedicated power supply unit like my MF stereo system 900 watts per channel amp does.

Regarding clipping and audible distortions both Hugo 2 and DAVE/BLU exhibit both at climaxes with Susvara with really demanding large scale masterfiles where I know how the master can sound ideally from my collection if played directly without a powerful headphone amp.

With a powerful enough headphone amp connected there are various levels,but still fairly low levels, of coloration depending on which amp we are talking about. But more importantly maybe, enough power to handle mighty big fff-ffff climaxes with lots of deep bass without clipping and audible distortions.
Of course I don't expect Quetest to sound better overall than DAVE /BLU with Susvara. And definitely not with easier to drive headphones. But with a powerful enough headphone amp it hopefully won't clip or distort for lack of power the way DAVE/BLU on its own did with some of my testfiles and Susvara .
I think it has been mentioned that you lose about 3dB with both in action compared to DAVE on its own.
Maybe someone with more technical knowledge than me, could explain what is the reason both I and other listeners have experienced clipping with DAVE /BLU and difficult to drive headphones like Susvaras?
Quetest and a very good headphone amp would of course be less transparent than DAVE/BLU under ideal conditions and with loads it can cope with .But I guess many here won't play music complex enough to hear any differences anyway.
Some posters here consider HUGO 2 "sonically perfect". And it may very well be for their needs.
But I don't because I have direct references to large scale acoustic music both live and recorded.
And I have heard the quite big difference in SQ between HUGO 2 and DAVE and the even bigger difference with BLU 2 added to DAVE.
SOTA performance yes indeed. But imho with some headphones even DAVE/BLU it needs a bit of help from a friend at times.
Cheers Christer

 

[Whazzzup]

Jazz? Thoughts

 

[emrelights1973]

2go ? Hugo2 plus a gadget, isnt it a very big stack without a source...

İf you want to be mobile just get a wm1z ör sp1000

İ Really dont get this

 

[Rob Watts]

The benefits of super-caps does depend entirely upon the application - Dave would not benefit at all, as the PSU has ultra low impedance and can deliver more current than the OP stage can deliver. And then it's really with driving 8 ohm loads, such as speakers directly when super caps are useful - assuming that the OP stage is not limited by the PSU. this actually is an extraordinarily complex subject - the interaction between the PSU and the amplifier, and the resulting performance.

No doubt Christer you will try to twist my comments to suit whatever warped agenda you are playing at. To state that Hugo 2 has a compromised output stage is a complete travesty of the truth; Hugo 2, together with Dave, has the most advanced and sophisticated analogue topology available today at any price, and you can see that reflected in the measurements. So called high end headphone amps are characterised by extremely poor distortion and noise, with high output impedance. The addition of extra analogue stages will of course massively compromise transparency and that is completely inescapable, as every passive component, soldered joints, wire, and active components are audible.

Now I have stated this many times before and will re-state it - if a headphone is connected, and for Dave the volume is below +4 (+7 BluDave) it will not clip nor distort - ever. For Hugo 2, so long as volume is not white, it will not distort or clip - ever. Moreover, distortion will not increase significantly at any level so long as volume levels are kept to the levels discussed. This performance is several orders of magnitude better than any other headphone amplifier; indeed when I first started designing headphone amps, I was shocked at the appalling technical performance of high end headphone amps.

But of course facts and reality have no bearing on your desire to throw grenades onto Chord threads.

 

[jarnopp]

Jazz? Thoughts

 

[JaZZ]

Yes, indeed.

 

[miketlse]

Can I also ask you guys if you found a good carrying case for this little precious?
I tried the Pelican cases but the only one that would fit the width (4 inches / 13 cm) is the 1060 model which is way too long!

I bought this case for my Hugo 2. It is just physically large enough for the Hugo 2, but at the moment I use it instead to carry my Mojo, Shanling M1, plus iems to/from work. The Mojo does get comfortably warm inside the case, but I do suspect that the Hugo 2 would get warmer.
I would need to order a larger case, for the Hugo 2/2Go combo (and prevent the risk of overheating).

 

[musickid]

is it expected that 2go ethernet will offer superior sq than optical/usb generally speaking? i would only use the set up at home?

 

[465176]

After spending several weeks mulling over the pros and cons between Qutest and Hugo 2, decided to order a Hugo 2 today, with the dealer offering me a very generous discount on my original Hugo. Needless to say I am very excited about receiving it. Due to a pesky long-term illness I have to spend a LOT of time resting. The one positive is that I get plenty of time to hear music, and it’s truly my sanity saver! I’m truly indebted to Rob, John and all at Chord the untold hours of musical joy I’ve got from the original Hugo (and the Mojo!).

Also really looking forward to the 2Go (though this will gave to be a 2019 purchase - already saving the pennies!). Wondering if there’s any silicon in there that could offer the possibility of a ‘mini upscaler’, a few thousand extra taps for the hell of it. Dreaming aloud here I know

 

[Triode User]

After spending several weeks mulling over the pros and cons between Qutest and Hugo 2, decided to order a Hugo 2 today, with the dealer offering me a very generous discount on my original Hugo. Needless to say I am very excited about receiving it. Due to a pesky long-term illness I have to spend a LOT of time resting. The one positive is that I get plenty of time to hear music, and it’s truly my sanity saver! I’m truly indebted to Rob, John and all at Chord the untold hours of musical joy I’ve got from the original Hugo (and the Mojo!).

Also really looking forward to the 2Go (though this will gave to be a 2019 purchase - already saving the pennies!). Wondering if there’s any silicon in there that could offer the possibility of a ‘mini upscaler’, a few thousand extra taps for the hell of it. Dreaming aloud here I know

Well that's interesting because I thought that Qutest was only announced earlier this week. Have you got spies in the Chord factory?

 

[465176]

Well that's interesting because I thought that Qutest was only announced earlier this week. Have you got spies in the Chord factory?

Haha I wish! Merely the rumours that there would be a ‘3Qute’ sometime in 2018

 

[musickid]

i have the option of a h2 now or a dave by august. currently using mojo/pm1 with roon and exceedingly nice. with ray's perspective on h2/blu2 it becomes more involved trying to figure out the next move. with thousands of tracks and artists to discover and fine tune to one's preference via roon this is a truly incredible time for home hifi. last night i was tired and had mentally settled on h2/pm1. today i am revitalised and dave has reappeared as my favourite option. end game options seem to fluctuate with mood/tiredness levels. i listened to a variety of music with oppo pm1/ dave at sonority design w.midlands for around 4 hours with breaks. the music kept on glowing in ways i never thought it could. classical disengaged me from space and time. dave is the best i've ever experienced till now. i could not even mentally process what blu2 did to dave with headphones as the suddenness of it all caught me unready. dave would be a 6 month project.

 

[ChisChas]

I resisted less than 6 months without a Hugo.

Must have been torture? Had you done something very bad and needed to punish yourself?

 

[ChisChas]

The problem seems to lie possibly more in lack of Volts than lack of Watts?

I asked Rob about this whole issue and he and others explained very slowly and using easy to understand words (for me as I'm a bit simple) and a link to a power/current/etc table was put on this thread only a short while ago. Did you not bother to read these posts?

 

[musickid]

also i'd rather not be quoted if the post accompanying it does not add anything useful or light hearted in a positive manner. i stated that i believed h2 is the way to go for headphones (based on everything i've learnt due to its unrivalled transparency at its price point).