[skinnyone]

No need to hurry.
Enjoy spending some time discovering what the Hugo 2 can do first.
You can always think about the 2Go, after the next firmware update is released.

I thought I’d share how I got on and my first impressions. Cutting the the chase - I’m in love.

It took me a while to realise that when I unplugged and then replugged in the supplied charger I was stopping and restarting the intelligent desktop mode function but I was tickled ‘pink’ when I stopped fiddling and 24hrs later almost to the minute it finally kicked in. A proper read of the supplied blurb has now taken place. I rarely read the manufacturer guidelines in anything. Life’s too short for instructions.

I went all out and purchased new headphones to match the new H2 and the job to break them in has begun. So far the 800s are sublime so a few hundred hours from now and I’ll be in heaven. I’ll be navigating through tidal properly and looking forward to putting some longer hours in this weekend.

 

[Boldakov]

If SP2000 is new, it requires 200-300 hours of "warm-up" (operating time). At the end of this time, you can finally make a conclusion about the sound.

SP2000 was aftermarket in mint condition about 50 hours at previous owner.
I've sold it (so quickly) as I finally was absolutely unsatisfied of it's sound.
It may be one of the best 5-star players ever, but comparing to Hugo 2 it sucks (JIMHO).
the main disappointment was sawing highs in face of H2 (build in Tidal, "Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton" album).
But the difference was so obvious there was no place for hope for significant enough changes from warming it up

 

[Boldakov]

my question to you is What headphones are you using with the SP2000? I say that because when I do use my SP1000 I get my best performance from it with my 1. AK T8iE Mk 2 /// 2. My Jerry Harvey custom Laya and /// 3. Sony xba-z5 all of them sound very good coming out of the SP1000. I tried the over the ears and they just don't sound no where near as good as IEMs with this DAP.

I've listened it with Campfire Audio Solaris, Atlas and with Ether C Flow.
SP2000 with Ether C Flow can't get volume high enough as it starts to distort lows ugly
The best experience was with easy-to-drive Campfire Audio Solarises -- rich sound, not only detailed but fatty rich.

In final conclusion SP2000 was able to play Tidal offline without any up-sampling abilities
It was perfect sound which I was not happy to hear just comparing to H2 connected to SP2000 optical out with the same Tidal.

The difference was too obvious to my commonly used setup:
Tidal -> Roon -> HQPlayer DSD poly-sinc-long-lp ASDM7EC 44.1x128 -> Hugo 2 -> Violectric 281 -> Ether C Flow

Finally I've decided the best players on earth are just sitting on the halfway to a really good sound.
But having heard top notch SQ once, I can't justify for myself $3к for middle-level sound

 

[Dalmonegrig]

The best experience was with easy-to-drive Campfire Audio Solarises -- rich sound, not only detailed but fatty rich.

The principle of synergy in audio. Correctly selected audio elements of a sound system together improve the SQ of a single element.

Finally I've decided the best players on earth are just sitting in a middle of a good sound.
But having heard top notch SQ once, I can't justify for myself $3к for middle-level of sound

This is the payback for mobility and autonomy DAP.

 

[Boldakov]

This is the payback for mobility and autonomy DAP.

Payback is not a problem. Problem is the absence of good enough SQ
I disliked sound signature of SP2000 faced to ''near portable" Hugo 2
So $3-4k not a problem. The problem is what I'm getting for it.
And there is no reason to pay if "I can't get satisfaction".

 

[LCMusicLover]

Payback is not a problem. Problem is the absence of good enough SQ
I disliked sound signature of SP2000 faced to ''near portable" Hugo 2
So $3-4k not a problem. The problem is what I'm getting for it.
And there is no reason to pay if "I can't get satisfaction".

I think @Dalmonegrig meant ‘trade-off’ for portability. And the bigger form-factor is the trade-off we make for the upgraded SQ from Hugo 2.

 

[Boldakov]

I think @Dalmonegrig meant ‘trade-off’ for portability. And the bigger form-factor is the trade-off we make for the upgraded SQ from Hugo 2.

I have to agree
And when trade off already is about 40% so no interest to pay kilo$es for 5% increase of SQ that already below 60%.
As commonly known every percent of improvement costs higher and higher while reaching the top-end.
So it's normally quite ordinary to buy smth 90% from top performance at a half of a price
(just have a look on "Hugo2+HQPlayer vs Dave" price/performance)

In case with portable sound it looks like paying twice for 60% instead of 55%.
because of this "trade-off" for portability.
I didn't know that fact before, and immediately sold SP2000 when I found that out

 

[denisdunaj]

So I just got my Chord Hugo 2 yesterday and it would be little to say that I am in love with the sound considering I am coming from Fiio M11 pro.
Currently I’m using the original Campfire Dorado and Hugo just gave the Dorado a huge boost on all imaginable levels!

Could those of you with more experience help me with following:

• Should I get Holo Audio Titanis?
  I know that Hugo has some RFI filtering but Titanis does more than that...
• Which IEM would be the best pairing for Hugo 2?
• Which full sized open back headphones would be best pairing with Hugo 2?
• What would be the best Roon streamer without a DAC to pair with Hugo 2?

Take care,
Denis

 

[Dalmonegrig]

What would be the best Roon streamer without a DAC to pair with Hugo 2?

Chord Electronics 2Go.
Some users are having problems. I never had them.
See the topic
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...er-and-s-pdif-adaptor-official-thread.925464/
Maybe this will help you.

 

[denisdunaj]

Chord Electronics 2Go.
Some users are having problems. I never had them.
See the topic
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...er-and-s-pdif-adaptor-official-thread.925464/
Maybe this will help you.

I had no idea that 2Go can work with Roon
Thank you for the heads up

 

[Dalmonegrig]

I had no idea that 2Go can work with Roon
Thank you for the heads up

You will need another device to install the Roon kernel, I have a Mac.
Maybe this will help you.

 

[denisdunaj]

You will need another device to install the Roon kernel, I have a Mac.
Maybe this will help you.

Im on a mac as well, I’ll do my research now

 

[okplayer]

Hi,

I am using a toslink cable from my oppo into my hugo 2 is there a preference for the digital coaxial by some and if so what digital coaxial cable are you using

Thanks

Michael

 

[technobear]

I am using a toslink cable from my oppo into my hugo 2 is there a preference for the digital coaxial ...

No.

 

[LCMusicLover]

So I just got my Chord Hugo 2 yesterday ...

• Which IEM would be the best pairing for Hugo 2?

...

I’ve used my Hugo2go w/ IBasso IT03, IT04 & IT07, Campfire Audio Vega & Atlas, Andro & Solaris SE (fanboy much?)

None have seemed like bad pairings. In particular, no noisy background from any of them, including Andro.

I will say that Hugo is quite revealing. Just got my IT07 and spent time comparing them w/ my other IBasso IEMs.Very easy to hear the differences, and the ‘07s’ quality is readily apparent.

So, I guess my answer is, the best ones you have/can afford.

...

• Which full sized open back headphones would be best pairing with Hugo 2?

...

I’ve listened to all my cans from H2go: HEKse, Utopia, Auteur, Hedd, Ether 2, RAD-0 ( before I sold them). All good pairings, although w/ Hedd I get the sense that I’m near the edge of ‘need a bit more juice’.

Utopia sounds great from H2go — the whole ‘scales well’ thing suggests one might be disappointed when hearing it from a ‘lesser’ source, but I don’t get that from H2go ==> Utopia pairing and, in particular, the headstage is outstanding. Same is true for H2 ==> HEKse pairing.

I wouldn’t try driving something very demanding (e.g., HE-6, Susvara, 1266) from it, but the cans I’ve listed do quite well.

Note that the 2Go addition doesn’t affect these impressions— just how I get music to the DAC.