[tradyblix]

All X-PHD seems to do for me is collapse the soundstage but to each their own.

 

[DaddyWhale]

All X-PHD seems to do for me is collapse the soundstage but to each their own.

I agree completely. It's not something I find pleasing.

 

[Vyyy]

Has anybody tried Hugo2 straight to ATC active SCM 40A speakers? Please share experience. I wonder about volume control is it comfortable to use? Has atc active speakers gain control? Tha ks.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

Has anybody tried Hugo2 straight to ATC active SCM 40A speakers? Please share experience. I wonder about volume control is it comfortable to use? Has atc active speakers gain control? Tha ks.

When I get back to my French house, I can temporarily replace my Benchmark Media DAC3L with my Hugo 2. I have passive SCM40-2 Speakers but the power amp I use is a Krell Evolution 2250e 250 wpc class A power amp, plus I have a Monitor Audio Gold powered 650w-rms sub-woofer, where the damaged in transit, original 15” Monitor driver has been replaced with a 15” ATC one. The Krell power amp has a similar very precise character and superbly accurate timing, as the ATC amps in the active SCM40-2A speakers, although it would be considered by most folks, as being more high-end than the ATC amps (the Krell was around £11,000 new).

Wilson

 

[miketlse]

Has anybody tried Hugo2 straight to ATC active SCM 40A speakers? Please share experience. I wonder about volume control is it comfortable to use? Has atc active speakers gain control? Tha ks.

Please check the other Chord threads as well, because I think several posters are quite enthusiastic about Chord dacs driving ATC active speakers.
This hopefully will provide you additional contextual information, to support your decision.

 

[Triode User]

Has anybody tried Hugo2 straight to ATC active SCM 40A speakers? Please share experience. I wonder about volume control is it comfortable to use? Has atc active speakers gain control? Tha ks.

I have not used the Hugo2 direct to ATC active SCM40A but I did own those speakers and used other Chord DACs direct to them and the combination worked VERT well indeed. I personally think that the ATC active SCM40A speakers represent exceptional value for money. A friend had the passive version and we had to use an amplifier costing £8,000 with them before we got anywhere near the sound quality of the actives. You will see from my signature that I am a very lucky boy and now have the ATC 150 actives but I still consider the 40 actives to be something of a sweet spot on the ATC range.

 

[highfell]

A slight aside.

I am a fan of Chord Electronics having had both a Hugo and a currently a Hugo2. I felt both delivered game changing elements of sonic performance when I upgraded to the Hugo and then to the Hugo2. And I continue to love my Hugo2.

I happened to be browsing YouTube and came across a review for one of the Denafrips DACS and then did some research into RtoR DAC chips, which then led me onto the well respected retro Philips TDA1541 DAC chip famous for its analogue sound.

And I fancied trying one out. I did lots of research and came across a Marantz PM75 amplifier which has a DAC as well and one of those TDA1541A chips, well actually a Silver crown version , (which is one off the best double crown version). I found one to by and now have had it a couple of weeks.

Wow it does sound good, well very good actually . Very musical and non fatiguing into my stereo speakers.

I have been doing a comparison with my Hugo2 feeding the CD input of the Marantz versus the DAC input of the Marantz itself.

The Hugo2 may just have it a regards separation, detail and smoothness but to my ears there isn’t much in it and certainly with the Marantz being six to seven times cheaper , I know which one is better value.

It is my first introduction to old fashioned multibit DAC technology. It may not have the specs of modern DACs but I am very really very impressed by the liquid musicality (and truly analogue-like sound ) listening for example to Vivaldi concertos ( those soaring violins ........) or Led Zep’s Dazed and Confused from How the West was One.

I am now thinking about upgrading some of the capacitors on the Marantz to improve the sound, but that is for another thread.

For those who are interested , you can pick up CD players with TDA1541 chips in for £30 onwards .......well worth a punt.

 

[Hooster]

Great post, highfell, thanks for sharing.

 

[highfell]

Great post, highfell, thanks for sharing.

Thanks. Here is a link to a website that explains a lot about the TDA1541A chip , which I meant to share in my earlier post

https://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/Philips-TDA1541/#tda1541-DEM

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

Do others find that the Hugo 2 takes a few minutes to settle down after being switched on? I find mine sounds a little harsh for the first couple of minutes or so and then normal service is resumed. I don't know if this might be because my Hugo 2 still has very few hours on it. I suppose it could be my Beyerdynamic T5P-2 phones that need a couple of minutes to "warm up" but I have not noticed this when using the Beyerdynamic Impacto DAP. I know some folks say that even solid state devices should be left on all the time. For example the Naim Nait 5i-2 I use in my UK bedroom system, does not have a power button on the remote or a power switch on the front panel and if they are not left on all the time, devices should be switched on half an hour before use. I was never sure if this fell under the same class of bulls**t as £10,000 power cables made out of unobtainium.

Wilson

 

[IAMTHEEGGMAN]

I saw in a review that 10 minutes it's enough to warm it up.

I haven't had any related issue.

 

[Widell]

Do others find that the Hugo 2 takes a few minutes to settle down after being switched on? I find mine sounds a little harsh for the first couple of minutes or so and then normal service is resumed. I don't know if this might be because my Hugo 2 still has very few hours on it. I suppose it could be my Beyerdynamic T5P-2 phones that need a couple of minutes to "warm up" but I have not noticed this when using the Beyerdynamic Impacto DAP. I know some folks say that even solid state devices should be left on all the time. For example the Naim Nait 5i-2 I use in my UK bedroom system, does not have a power button on the remote or a power switch on the front panel and if they are not left on all the time, devices should be switched on half an hour before use. I was never sure if this fell under the same class of bulls**t as £10,000 power cables made out of unobtainium.

Wilson[/QU


Wilson, do not find same with my CH2 either used with my HD800 and Node 2i with AQ coax, or my hd6xx, kz 10pro nor my Noble K10U that said I felt the Node 2i need a week before the sound came together, normally not for snake oil nor lengthy burn in periods but on occasion noticed sound improving if certain kind of electronics but not cable burn in n for sure, probably awakens some emotions with mentioned statement,

Could it be something else in the chain, your source streaming or via cd, sacd or HDD could be something else that need change. switch off the XPD an the filters.

Think Rob watts recommend the opt-in for least possible disturbance from other equipment.....if I use usb I changed to a curious cable with and AQ jitterbug when streaming from my 2013 Macbook Pro which was the first time a had a wow experience changing a cable......AQ jitterbug good but depending on which recording though as it gives a slightly smaller sound stage, but fuller sound and nominally less bright , but as said hit and miss depending on the recording....
Would try and experiment with cables and sources and if you have more than 1 pair of speaker or Headphone the you will have some fun doing so in the meantime , or it or it needs a week of playing before its best


Not sure above helps but let me know your findings and if any tweaks...

 

[435279]

Do others find that the Hugo 2 takes a few minutes to settle down after being switched on? I find mine sounds a little harsh for the first couple of minutes or so and then normal service is resumed. I don't know if this might be because my Hugo 2 still has very few hours on it. I suppose it could be my Beyerdynamic T5P-2 phones that need a couple of minutes to "warm up" but I have not noticed this when using the Beyerdynamic Impacto DAP. I know some folks say that even solid state devices should be left on all the time. For example the Naim Nait 5i-2 I use in my UK bedroom system, does not have a power button on the remote or a power switch on the front panel and if they are not left on all the time, devices should be switched on half an hour before use. I was never sure if this fell under the same class of bulls**t as £10,000 power cables made out of unobtainium.

Wilson

Not sure about the Hugo 2 but it can't hurt to switch it on half an hour before listening.

T5P-2 has memory foam in the pads and the pads definitely mould themselves to my head over the first 30 minutes of a listening session, it has a noticeable effect on the sound to me, especially in the bass.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

Widell, Many thanks your very helpful suggestions. I already own a USB anti-jitter device, an M2Tech HiFace2 USB-A to Coax dongle, which is in use right at this moment on my notoriously jittery ancient (2006) iMac, which has been demoted to my bedroom as a TV and Radio, feeding my bedroom audio system. My bedroom system uses an Audiolabs M-DAC, which does not have brilliant re-clocking and/or jitter locking and the HiFace2 improved the sound on that quite a lot, when listening to digital radio streaming from the iMac. I foresee a couple of things. The Jitterbug, like the HiFace2 is USB-A, whereas my 2016 MacBook Pro is solely USB-C. This would mean introducing another dongle into the system, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, with the risk of introducing additional noise and/or signal degradation. I will give it all a try with my my USB-A M2Tech HiFace anti-jitter dongle, to see if there is any improvement. Meantime I have asked AudioQuest if they are intending to bring out a USB-C version of the Jitterbug in the near future. Given that the Hugo 2 is a DAC of considerably higher quality and more modern than the M-DAC, I would be surprised if it did not already include a satisfactory circuit for re-clocking and jitter-locking a USB PCM stream, which would render an external device such as either the Jititerbug or Hiface2, redundant. What do you think?

Wilson

 

[piercer]

So 2019 has been and gone and there is still no sign of the 2Go. Is there any indication if it will ever be released?