[Articnoise]

I'm adding an AQ Diamond and Peter's Lush to my list of USB cables to try.

I also want to compare an AQ Niagra 1000 power conditioner to my Audience Adept Response aR1p/CablePro NANA.I know we are going a bit off topic but I know these items improved the performance of my Chord 2Qute. In this case of the Chord Hugo TT, think a good USB cable would have bigger gains over a power conditioner because of the Chord TT's battery technology. Garbage in, garbage out. I would much rather get clean power to the rest of my system. i.e. headphone amplifier/microrRendu PSU. It all matters.

A power conditioner, power regenerate or isolating transformer will probably not be needed for your Hugo TT, but most likely will for your server, source and amp if you use one.

 

[rgs9200m]

I've also wondered sometimes why all headphone amps are basically integrated amps.
In the speaker-world, it's mostly the preamp/power-amp scenario.

 

[zek4u]

Lets ask Violectric to create a power-amp only headphone amplifier and a new version of their V630 that includes balanced inputs. I will compare it to my V281 and also test the benefits of a power conditioner on each device. I guess one negative will be those folks that plug their dacs straight into the power-amp only headphone amplifier and blow up their headphones. Guess people that have DACs with line level volume controls could skip the separate preamp. My guess is you'll get get better sound plugging the power-amp only headphone amplifier straight into the wall.

 

[rgs9200m]

Not to open up a can o' worms here, but in the speaker world, analog pre-amps still seem overwhelmingly popular even with DAC or software volume controls available.

 

[Triode User]

Not to open up a can o' worms here, but in the speaker world, analog pre-amps still seem overwhelmingly popular even with DAC or software volume controls available.

Yep, can of worms although having tried several all I can say is I still use my pre amp.

 

[zek4u]

I agree with you. When I had a Benchmark DAC2 HGC and some wonderful Croft separates, I experimenting using the Benchmark plugged directly into the Croft Series 7R amplifier. Sounded very good. I would say hyper transparent, better resolution but with the Croft Acoustics Micro 25 RLS preamplifier in the mix, it was just had more focus and was more alive/organic. If I had to explain it, a good active preamp give the system its sonic character. Maybe some DACs with built in preamps are better then others and using a separate preamp wouldn't be as noticeable when using headphones. Trading off loss in tranparency, additional components, wires, etc.

 

[Articnoise]

I've also wondered sometimes why all headphone amps are basically integrated amps.
In the speaker-world, it's mostly the preamp/power-amp scenario.

I would say cost, space and sound.

A headphone amp is basically an active preamplifier with outputs for headphones. Sometimes a little beefed up with more power and gain. The main motive for separate the preamplifier stage from the power amp stages is to isolate the incoming low-level signals (first amplifying stage) from the power stage (second amplifying stage). The power amp stage radiate a lot of heat, EMI and other kind of noise that can infect the performance of the sensible low-level signals in the pre amplifying stage. Some speaker amps goes a step further and put the pre and power amp in separated boxes to prevent one amplifying stage to effect the other. Mono blocks is one step even further and used for separate one audio channel from the other on big power amps which discharge a lot of heat and other crap.

There are no free lunch, and less is more in audio. Simpler and shorter signal path is better (less cables, impedance matching, coloration etc), all other things equal. Chord has taken this to heart. To do the amplifying in more steps than necessary come with a cost of more circuits with more component for the signal to pass thru.

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks for that great perspective on this and all those considerations. I always thought though that if there were good headphone power-amps, you could get whatever preamp in the world you wanted giving you huge flexibility in tailoring your sound.
Also, with regular headphone amps, you are stuck with whatever gain control is in there, usually put in there based on price or size or both, regardless of the quality or type you may want to try (stepped or not, how many steps, etc., etc.).

Ha ha, DartZeel NHB-18NS or Shindo Vosne-Romanee?

 

[Lorealjanee]

Any news about 2nd generation of tt hugo?

 

[reeltime]

Any news about 2nd generation of tt hugo?

My best guess is CanJam in October. I'd think before the end of the year, for certain.

 

[doraymon]

My best guess is CanJam in October. I'd think before the end of the year, for certain.

Price?

 

[miketlse]

My best guess is CanJam in October. I'd think before the end of the year, for certain.

I would have expected Chord to follow the same marketing model as this year, ie press release major new products at CES 2018, then ship later on during the year.
Given the difficulties with component suppliers, maybe Chord will be cautious and not announce three new products, like at CES 2017.
What we do know from posts by Chord and Rob Watts is:

• Rob Watts recently mentioned the prototype circuit boards for Davina
• Chord are working on the 2Go for the Hugo 2
• Earlier this year there was a lot of talk about the development activities for the digital amplifiers

No mention of the Hugo TT2!
I think the 2Go must be a certainty for an announcement at CES, so for the Hugo TT2 to be announced would mean that it now has a higher priority than Davina and the digital amps.
But you never know - Chord pulled an unexpected rabbit out of the hat this year, with the Hugo 2, so maybe the Hugo TT2 will be the rabbit at CES.
JF must be quietly chuckling at some of what I have just speculated, so we must all wait until January to find out the reality.

 

[Whazzzup]

I'll bite, summer 2018 earliest, probably 2019.

 

[ken6217]

I was hoping I could get some direction.

I am looking to replace the DAC I just sold. I've had many of the usual suspects of DAC's in the $3k-$5k range, but never considered Chord.

I know that the TT is due for an update, but is still worth getting the TT now? Prices are down, but that is secondary to me to sound quality. I really enjoy something that is musical, full sounding, not overly clinical or sterile sounding, but still has lots of detail. Does this seem to fit the TT over the Hugo 2, or no?

Also do most of you use the TT's amp, or do you use analogue out to an external headphone amp? Is that universally a better sound?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[Mediahound]

The TT didn't come out until over a year after the Hugo. The Hugo 2 just came out, do the math.