[Whazzzup]

I would personally go for details in a DAC and devolve power and openness to a desktop amp.

of course there is a TT 2 in the making. the question is next year or year after. I just hope they take the time to make a substantive improvement in TT which will shake the incorrect assertion that its a lateral on hugo2 like the tt and ch1 was incorrectly painted.
The TT has more bass impact, mid definition and slightly dark sig. Ch2 is better detail and refinement. If you are planning on a long career of HP use then id consider TT but thats a personnel call or wait a few years till the TT upgrade.

 

[Bart Goyens]

I will just use it for headphones as i’ not really panning on getting a speaker system anytime soon. I will not use it on-the-go. But I do like to roam around the house; office, bedroom, patio, couch... Hence, not planning on using it as a preamp, my question here is, off the weight and the extra cost, what went to the improvement of the line outs and what to HP outs! Alike the H2, the TT also has a battery, so roaming around the house is no issue.
I know that in the end, I just have to choose one and be happy with it. After all, only when you a/b intensively, you notice the difference...

 

[Whazzzup]

Well the TT is portable I mean Robb travels with his Dave, but really the Hugo is the only true portable, that’s vying for your desktop.

 

[halloweenman]

I actually prefer Hugo TT over Hugo 2 through my speakers (ATC SCM40A) as it sounds more forgiving. It could be just a synergy thing, both attempt to be neutral and accurate.

 

[Pastwa]

Anyone have comments on USB vs Toslink input?

To me USB connection sounds more 'mechanical' than via Toslink, the later is more musical in the result and has a bit better bass definition and timing.

 

[maxh22]

To me USB connection sounds more 'mechanical' than via Toslink, the later is more musical in the result and has a bit better bass definition and timing.

Agreed, the sound with optical is more liquid and free-flowing compared with some USB sources I have. Can't wait to test the Coax input from my x5 III.

 

[Jawed]

I would say TOSLink should be used if available and if your music doesn't have sampling rates of more than 192KHz.

I have, literally in the last hour, after lots of messing around with USB, changed to optical for my DAVE. Practically all of my music is 44.1KHz, so it's not inconvenient. I found some 88.2KHz music, which isn't supported by my computer. Apparently, I need to uninstall the motherboard's Realtek driver and let Windows install its own driver:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/realtek-alc892-does-not-play-88-2khz-files.550087/page-2

I'm not sure if I can even be bothered!

Now playing: Kasia Lins - Liar

 

[SearchOfSub]

Hi guys, today I listened to the Hugo2 and Hugo TT with the utopia and a silver wireworld cable.
I wanted to get one today but couldn’t decide...
The TT sounds more powerful and open while the H2 has more detail. Bother can easily drive the utopia. Any suggestions? What would you pull the plug on? Is there a TT2 in the making?
Thanks

I'd get more detail one because more accurate. Staging and openness dont really matter as it can also sound artificial. In time its not gonna matter much compmared to better detail.

 

[koven]

Thanks for the USB vs Toslink comments. I'm a new Hugo2 owner and loving it. Did a local demo on impulse and ended up blown away, bought one immediately from the first dealer I found w/ black in stock. I'm currently comparing and debating if I should get rid of my Modi+WA2 desktop setup. I got the Hugo for portable use w/ my Andromeda but it actually sounds incredible with the Elear and HD800S as well. My initial reaction is that I wouldn't miss the Modi+WA2 if I got rid of them.

 

[halloweenman]

For those experiencing less than optimal usb you could try using intona usb isolator with usb-if certified usb cables. Alternatively if your source device does not have optical out you could try Behringer UCA222 usb audio interface that includes optical out, use with sysconcept 1300 strand 24/192 (guaranteed to work at this rate) cable. Perhaps even the stock optical cable would work at 24/192, I've never tried it but I do know the sysconcept works perfectly at 24/192.

 

[halloweenman]

Also for just headphone or portable use don't dismiss mojo...

 

[flyte3333]

Hi @Rob Watts

I'm lovin maximum cross-feed (blue) and what it does with depth etc, except I don't like the bass boost, compared with cross-feed OFF. With cross-feed OFF bass is perfectly balanced to my tastes with my HD800-S cans.

Is this perceived bass boost expected/normal with cross-feed on maximum?

Cheers!

 

[EagleWings]

In real world, when you listen to speakers placed to the right and left of you, apart from the time delay between the waves reaching your 2 ears, there are other things that take place. And one of that is that low frequencies from the left speaker can reach your right ear with minimal loss in energy, but the high frequencies are blocked by your head. As a result, the low end frequencies gain a tiny boost and the high frequencies hardly receive any boost.

 

[Rob Watts]

Hi @Rob Watts

I'm lovin maximum cross-feed (blue) and what it does with depth etc, except I don't like the bass boost, compared with cross-feed OFF. With cross-feed OFF bass is perfectly balanced to my tastes with my HD800-S cans.

Is this perceived bass boost expected/normal with cross-feed on maximum?

Cheers!

Yes, but it's not much - 1.8dB on full. It is there because with speakers, there is a time delay from one ear to the other - moreover the time delay for bass is different for high frequencies; also the crossfeed has to account for the frequency response of the head attenuating HF from the other side. So if we want to simulate the sound of loudspeakers with headphones, then we need to add the bass boost, as this also provides the required delay. The lower settings have less bass boost, only 1dB for red.

 

[JaZZ]

Rob, I must confess that the bass boost is annoying also to my ears. As explained in a post in the DAVE thread, the bass boost must be there in a perceivedly neutral sounding headphone (for compensating speaker-based tonal balances in corresponding recordings) no matter if the crossfeed function is activated or not, so crossfeed shouldn't add even more bass. Moreover I think that the time delay in the bass is of no use, since the ears don't rely on low frequencies when it comes to source localization (also due to their lack of clear leading edges).