Chord Electronics - Hugo 2 - The Official Thread

[Paul Bjernklo]

Deleted as misunderstood the manual...

 

[miketlse]

Hi Rob (or anyone else that knows). On my Hugo 2, Coax 1 works using a stereo adapter with 2 black rings, but the Coax 2 does not work if I use the same cable/adapter (and obviously I switch to Coax 2 input). Is my Hugo 2 faulty, or does Coax 2 require a different adapter (I get confused with the tip, ring, sleeve thing)? Please advise. Thank you. Paul

Edit: I am not using a Blu2, just input from CD player

Try searching post #3 on the Mojo thread. One of the sub-sections in that FAQ, contains photos and pictures of several plug configurations. Maybe this will help explain the configurations for you.

 

[gb21011971]

Can someone recommend an RCA cable? All the ones I have do not fit the H2 because the connectors are too large for the little amount of space around the jacks. Thanks!

 

[highfell]

For connecting to an M scaler you need a standard stereo 3.5mm (two black rings). My tests used cheap 3.5mm to RCA 1.5M cable - it was not 75 ohm, just a regular cheap wire - and it worked perfectly at 705 and 768 kHz. I used RCA to BNC adaptors too. In principle, a correct 75 ohm cable would be better technically - but - Hugo 2, in common with all my DAC's, employ a de-glitch digital circuitry - so the ringing that happens due to impedance mis-termination is ignored by my SPDIF receiver. Also, it has an adaptive feature where differing rise and fall times are automatically adjusted for too. This is why 768 kHz works with cheap cables.

Thanks Rob. I should have been clearer. I would love it if I had a M-Scaler but I don’t - perhaps when I retire or it’s successor.

It was in relation to the coaxial input into the Hugo2 from a DAP which in my case is an Ibasso DX90. I use an Ibasso cable which is a 3.5mm output from the DX90 (but only with only one black ring) to RCA and I bought a RCA to 3.5mm sleeve (with only one black ring). It seems to work OK and is quite thick (although I don’t know if it’s 75Ohm), but the sleeve is getting loose, so I am looking to replace the cable - hence my question.

I am intrigued by your comment that the quality of the cable doesn’t matter because for a time I used a cheap thin RCA to 3.5mm cable (very thin) and I thought that the Hugo2 sounded a bit thin and lacked the blackness that the Ibasso cable gives me (with a couple of Ferrites).

 

[Mython]

Hi Rob (or anyone else that knows). On my Hugo 2, Coax 1 works using a stereo adapter with 2 black rings, but the Coax 2 does not work if I use the same cable/adapter (and obviously I switch to Coax 2 input). Is my Hugo 2 faulty, or does Coax 2 require a different adapter (I get confused with the tip, ring, sleeve thing)? Please advise. Thank you. Paul

Edit: I am not using a Blu2, just input from CD player

I confess that I don't own a Hugo 2, but are you really sure there are two 3.5mm co-ax inputs? That sounds very unlikely to me! From the below image, one can see that there is:

• 1 x 3.5mm co-ax input
  
• 1 x 3.5mm stereo analogue output
• 1 x 6.5mm stereo analogue output
  
• 1x optical toslink connector
• stereo pair of analogue RCA outputs

On the other end of Hugo 2, we can see:

• microUSB charging socket
• microUSB digital input

 

[Paul Bjernklo]

I confess that I don't own a Hugo 2, but are you really sure there are two 3.5mm co-ax inputs? That sounds very unlikely to me! From the below image, one can see that there is 1 x 3.5mm co-ax input and 1 x 3.5mm stereo analogue output, next to 1 x 6.5mm stereo analogue output (and 1x optical toslink connector, and a stereo pair of analogue RCA outputs).



On the other end of Hugo 2, we can see the microUSB charging socket, and a microUSB digital input.

Apologies, I missed that as did not read manual properly so that obviously answers my question! Thank you. Paul

 

[Mython]

Apologies, I missed that as did not read manual properly so that obviously answers my question! Paul

It's an easy mistake to make - I have to concede that, much as I admire Rob, John, Matt & the team, and the stunning engineering of their DACs, the placement of the jacks on Hugo 2 does not seem to me to be the most ergonomically intuitive.

 

[tekkster]

Thanks for the clarification everyone

 

[Triode User]

It's an easy mistake to make - I have to concede that, much as I admire Rob, John, Matt & the team, and the stunning engineering of their DACs, the placement of the jacks on Hugo 2 does not seem to me to be the most ergonomically intuitive.

RTFM!

 

[Mython]

RTFM!

Generally good advice, but I stand by my above remarks.

A manual (and obligation, on the part of customers, to read it) does not negate an obligation, on the part of designers/manufacturers, to strive for as much intuitiveness as possible, in the ergonomic aspects of the products they are selling to those customers. To be fair, JF and the team do do a pretty decent job in this regard, but the 3.5mm jacks on Hugo 2 are, by any reckoning, rather easy to casually confuse, due to their highly-similar positioning, in spite of the markings on the casework.

I'm saying this as someone who has no need to prove to anyone that I respect Chord DACs, as that it very well-established, here on Head-Fi.

 

[AndrewOld]

Generally good advice, but I stand by my above remarks.

A manual (and obligation, on the part of customers, to read it) does not negate an obligation, on the part of designers/manufacturers, to strive for as much intuitiveness as possible, in the ergonomic aspects of the products they are selling to those customers. To be fair, JF and the team do do a pretty decent job in this regard, but the 3.5mm jacks on Hugo 2 are, by any reckoning, rather easy to casually confuse, due to their highly-similar positioning, in spite of the markings on the casework.

I'm saying this as someone who has no need to prove to anyone that I respect Chord DACs, as that it very well-established, here on Head-Fi.

At least the Hugo2 has some labels - the DAVE is completely devoid of anything which indicates what controls what or what the inputs and outputs are. As a result my mrs never touches it, because she hasn't a clue what does what. And most of the buttons on the remote control that came with it do nothing. There isn't a way of directly selecting an input, either on it or on the remote. And if you set the crosstalk mode on the headphone output that setting persists without any visible indication when you revert to non-headphone listening. Very poor ergonomics. Sounds very good though. At least, unlike the Hugo which cannot be wired neatly, the input and output cables are nicely at the back. (Until you buy the stand and they stick out the top). And the XLRs are easier to remove than they were from the Hugo TT, which had casework that partly covered the XLR latch. These little things are sent to try us. I just count my blessings and thank my lucky stars I don't have to poke anything with a paper clip to get it to work for 5 minutes.

 

[GU1DO]

Can someone recommend an RCA cable? All the ones I have do not fit the H2 because the connectors are too large for the little amount of space around the jacks. Thanks!

Chord Signature Tuned ARAY RCA cable
i am using the old ver. it fit nicely and it sound amazing with Hugo 2
(the new ver. you have to remove the rubber rings to fit it .)

 

[514077]

Generally good advice, but I stand by my above remarks.

A manual (and obligation, on the part of customers, to read it) does not negate an obligation, on the part of designers/manufacturers, to strive for as much intuitiveness as possible, in the ergonomic aspects of the products they are selling to those customers. To be fair, JF and the team do do a pretty decent job in this regard, but the 3.5mm jacks on Hugo 2 are, by any reckoning, rather easy to casually confuse, due to their highly-similar positioning, in spite of the markings on the casework.

I'm saying this as someone who has no need to prove to anyone that I respect Chord DACs, as that it very well-established, here on Head-Fi.

Generally good advice, but I stand by my above remarks.

A manual (and obligation, on the part of customers, to read it) does not negate an obligation, on the part of designers/manufacturers, to strive for as much intuitiveness as possible, in the ergonomic aspects of the products they are selling to those customers. To be fair, JF and the team do do a pretty decent job in this regard, but the 3.5mm jacks on Hugo 2 are, by any reckoning, rather easy to casually confuse, due to their highly-similar positioning, in spite of the markings on the casework.

I'm saying this as someone who has no need to prove to anyone that I respect Chord DACs, as that it very well-established, here on Head-Fi.

I see your point, however I find the front layout quite intuitive. I.E. The RCA outputs are prominently in the upper middle of the front panel. The 3.5mm headphone jack is beside the 6.3mm (1/4") jack. And the 3.5mm dual coax is beside the other S/PDIF (optical) input. I don't mean to argue, but for me, I find the layout quite reasonable. On the other hand, the DAVE sounds confusing without labels, if that's the case. I got to examine (not hear) one, and I recall lots of buttons to push and strange connectors on the back. Guess you can't live without a manual for that one.

 

[tekkster]

The coax port on the H2 is for digital information. There are two ports, one from the tip of the plug, and the other from the ring, grounding with the sleeve. Although that kind of plug can be used in analog or digital duties, it's a digital S/PDIF connector. You cannot use it for an amp from that plug. He was just saying he could use a Y-splitter to use diferent RCA connectors for a blu2 or some other S/PDIF device. Some use the port to plug in a DAP to feed digital signal to the H2. The two RCA connections are to plug it into an external amp. Hope this clears up your confusion.

This was a very clear explanation. Thank you.

 

[Satir]

For those concerned with misconnecting phone jacks to devices with similar looking inputs (especially those with vision issues or connecting in low light conditions) - purchase silicon/plastic plugs from eBay, amazon to block input(s) you are not using. I use one for my QP1R.