[Pheromon]

Good afternoon, dear all,

Just bought my first Chord Hugo 2, and registred here to ask couple of questions.

I keep it in Desktop Mode, so it lights Pink. And seems battery is not charging. But when I switch it off, Power button becomes white, shown charging mode. Also its becoming hot as when charging.

So I wondering, why, if its not used during Desktop mode?

Another point, would it be better to keep it ON all the time in Desktop Mode?

 

[User9876]

Good afternoon, dear all,

Just bought my first Chord Hugo 2, and registred here to ask couple of questions.

I keep it in Desktop Mode, so it lights Pink. And seems battery is not charging. But when I switch it off, Power button becomes white, shown charging mode. Also its becoming hot as when charging.

So I wondering, why, if its not used during Desktop mode?

Another point, would it be better to keep it ON all the time in Desktop Mode?

Yes mine does the white light after being used in desktop mode when switched off. If it bothers you then just leave it switched on all the time, desktop mode isn't great with Hugo 2 to be honest. I just leave mine fully charged and then use it unplugged, IMO the best way to use it if worried about PSU noise as some folk are.

 

[Paul Bjernklo]

Good afternoon, dear all,

Just bought my first Chord Hugo 2, and registred here to ask couple of questions.

I keep it in Desktop Mode, so it lights Pink. And seems battery is not charging. But when I switch it off, Power button becomes white, shown charging mode. Also its becoming hot as when charging.

So I wondering, why, if its not used during Desktop mode?

Another point, would it be better to keep it ON all the time in Desktop Mode?

Mine does the same unless I turn it off/down using the remote so would recommend you use the remote to put it in stand by (this is what I do).

The off button on the DAC I think was intended for people who wanted to charge it up to 100% for outside use after the charge cycle (it still remains in desktop mode unless you physically disconnect the charger, but battery is charged higher).

I may not be correct but that is how mine works methinks…

Edit: Correction, just turned off using the remote and the charge/white button is showing, so my answer is not correct. I think sometimes is does not do that but possibly the charge was lower than the 80% this time so it needs to change up…

 

[Pheromon]

Thank you very much indeed for your comments. Now waiting Wiim Mini from Amazon to use as streamer via Toslink with Hugo2.

 

[Paul Bjernklo]

Thank you very much indeed for your comments. Now waiting Wiim Mini from Amazon to use as streamer via Toslink with Hugo2.

Thank you for posting, seems like a nifty device, will read a bit more. Please let us know if if you like it!

 

[Kentajalli]

Thank you for posting, seems like a nifty device, will read a bit more. Please let us know if if you like it!

I bought one when it first came out, but ultimately sold it off.
When it works, ot is good, but I had issues!
It turned out it was fiddly to stream live to it from streaming services.
Sure its own simple app could do some, but not enough to keep me happy.
Finally I replaced the Wiim with a cheap Android phone, running Neutron media player or UAPP , acting as endpoint .
It was much easier to stream to the Android using a laptop running jRiver or another Android running Neutron or UAPP .

 

[Boldakov]

seems like a nifty device

I wouldn't be much excited about such hundred-dollar device and didn't expect it will drive Hugo 2 on a level of Hugo 2 at all
My stable setup is Astell&Kern SP2000 with UAPP and great Synergistic Research Gallileo SX usb cable driving my Hugo 2
and I clearly can compare it to driving Hugo 2 via Hiby RS6 and the gap is "earth and heaven"
so driving such DAC as Hugo 2 from android phone or hundred-dollar streamer wouldn't be a great idea at all...

 

[Tanalasta]

Be interested to see how it works out.

I use the 2Go/Hugo2 option. But make no secret I find the backward nature of Chord's technology as well as ergonomics of their implementation frustrating. The 2Go app is laggy, buggy and I had to hop through all sorts of technical hurdles (including changing the channels on my router) to get it to work.

But work it does. I use Roon and stream to the 2GO. And used to have the SP2k via optical as the ROON point for the TT2 before I sold it off.

 

[Boldakov]

I use the 2Go/Hugo2 option

I have compared 2go+Hugo2 vs SP2k + Hougo 2
But to be honest it strongly depends on USB cable quality
With ordinaly labkable 8occ jumper SP2k sounded a little bit better then 2go
but with custom 10cm cable (cutted from Synergistic Research Gallileo SX) SP2k outperforms 2go truly-madly-deeply
I wanna try an ordinary Silver Dragon toslink jumper hoping it would be "good enough"
And one of the luckiest goodies was UAPP setted up on SP2k -- it has really improved performance in terms of "analog like sound signature"

 

[MarkParity]

Be interested to see how it works out.

I use the 2Go/Hugo2 option. But make no secret I find the backward nature of Chord's technology as well as ergonomics of their implementation frustrating. The 2Go app is laggy, buggy and I had to hop through all sorts of technical hurdles (including changing the channels on my router) to get it to work.

But work it does. I use Roon and stream to the 2GO. And used to have the SP2k via optical as the ROON point for the TT2 before I sold it off.

Just wondering why you sold the TT2? The 2Go could also be used with a TT2 with the 2yu, thats what I intend to do anyway.

 

[Tanalasta]

Although I do miss it a little, the tt2 was somewhat redundant. My cable connections were single XLR or 4.4 and it was easier to use an all in one. So whilst the chord is technically superior I gravitated to the Naim headphone edition.

 

[User9876]

Although I do miss it a little, the tt2 was somewhat redundant. My cable connections were single XLR or 4.4 and it was easier to use an all in one. So whilst the chord is technically superior I gravitated to the Naim headphone edition.

I've never tried that Naim all-in-one but it does look like a nice device, I suppose convenience and aesthetics win over sound quality sometimes.

 

[User9876]

Hi All,

Its time to let my Hugo 2 go as I'm upgrading to a TT 2 the Hugo 2 will be part exchanged.

I have put the new batteries back into my unit so the new owner will get original albeit brand new genuine Chord batteries, this means the "refurbished" batteries I did myself are now no longer required, they have been powering my Hugo 2 for a few months now, last at least as long as Chord batteries and I've had no issues using and charging the unit whilst these were installed.

First person to message me gets them for the price of the P&P, UK only please.

Small Print:

Please don't message me if you don't know one end of a screwdriver from the other and can't work with electronics. No warranty is implied in anyway whatsoever, also I can't be held responsible for any damage you do to your Hugo 2, blah, blah, blah.

 

[Pheromon]

Thank you for posting, seems like a nifty device, will read a bit more. Please let us know if if you like it!

Sooo, my WiiM mini has arrived.

Very fast set up. It plays directly all my flac files from my phone and Xiaomi Box S storage to the it self, so not only online streaming, which is important for me.

I connected Hugo 2 with Toslink cable whic was in Hugo2 box. The cable comes with WiiM is crappy, its flimsy and does not hold the place in WiiM mini socket. So throw away.
Chord cable is fixed very good instead, not flimsy at all.

So seems Toslink gives better connection than USB. Which is confirmed by measurements here.

Tidal connect and Tidal from the Wiim App works also amazingly fast.

Audio quality become remarkably better then via USB cable with Android phone (bit-perfect witt UAPP) via Chord USB out-of-the-box cable. I would say, its become ideal to myself. Very clear and transparent. Also bass is better.

Especially its very noticeable with messy rock, like Metallica, etc. Way better instrument separation and layers.

So now setup is Wiim mini+Hugo 2+Audeze LCD-2c.

Wiim Mini plays bit perfect (volume fix/ DSP off/same rate/bits like source) via Toslink.

Also I succeed to install WiiM Home app to Xiaomi Mi Box S (see screenshot below), and its works with streamer right out of the box. So no need for phone now. Just do all with TV screen. I put all my library on USB drive inserted in Mi Box S and can play it to Wiim Mini. And also Tidal works very good.

So amazing product for 80-100 USD.

PS: also nice that you can change Volume buttons on the WiiM mini to Next/Previous track. So, no even need to open app to skip a song I don't like. Very good!

 

[Pheromon]

hundred-dollar streamer wouldn't be a great idea at all...

Well, if this 100usd streamer can read stream and bit-perfectly send it to Toslink output with no jitter, why not? Which is designed to do only this?

Take a look on Toslink measuremetns of Wiim mini here.

There is however good news if you use the App and output over Toslink:
...
This is the best you can do with 24-bit dithered signal. At 141 dB, your limit then will be what your DAC can do as even state of the are units have a SINAD of 123 dB.
...
Conclusions
If you use the App and Toslink output, you basically have a transparent wireless link to your stereo. Connect it to your favorite DAC and your performance will only be limited by the rest of your system.