[elviscaprice]

  I suppose if they didn't build in any checks if any signal is being received, then it wouldn't switch off by itself, yes. It seems like a rather trivial thing to build in such a check, though, and surely it should be something that such an expensive DAC+amp should have, in my opinion. My stereo amplifier with DAC module is cheaper than the Hugo and can drive some pretty hard to drive speakers, and even it has an auto powerdown option when digital input is used and no signal is received for a certain amount of time.
 
I wouldn't call it good news that it is recommended to keep a portable device plugged in at all times. Why not just get a desktop DAC and amp, then? Why even bother with the battery?

 
I fail to see your logic.  If the Hugo could power up or down completely on signal received, then why have a switch, which it does?  If you followed Rob's posts here on this thread, he already stated that he didn't have the space to allow for any further features without effecting SQ (yet maintain it's small form factor for mobility).  Which in my opinion is the most important feature of the Hugo, along with mobility and broad format handling. 
As far as it's portable capabilities, the Hugo works fine for ample time off it's batteries, no charge.
The recommendation of maintaining a charge to the Hugo when NOT being used portable is to address those folks who are using the Hugo in a desktop fashion so as to not having to turn off the Hugo and maintain ones settings.  It does not harm the batteries to keep the Hugo plugged in.  It disengages when fully charged.

 

[rkt31]

@rq1111, I have used Hugo with exposure 2010s2. this amp has passive preamp, means it has just resistive attenuation for volume control. such preamp are supposed to be more transparent than active preamp which have some active components for tone control or buffering. passive preamps demand low source ouput impedance for which Hugo is a champ. exposure amp does not bypass its preamp. exposure amp has pre out for connecting to other power amp or a sub. I have found that exposure performs best when you set Hugo at 3v output by pressing cross feed button when powering on. at full volume ( beyond white light of Hugo at 5v ) the volume in Hugo clips. since exposure has passive preamp so it won't cause clipping itself. Hugo and exposure combo is IMHO one of the most transparent for money. in fact exposure holds pretty well against Hugo benchmark ahb2 combo using Hugo as digital preamp feeding directly to ahb2.

 

[Duncan]

I fail to see your logic.  If the Hugo could power up or down completely on signal received, then why have a switch, which it does?  If you followed Rob's posts here on this thread, he already stated that he didn't have the space to allow for any further features without effecting SQ (yet maintain it's small form factor for mobility).  Which in my opinion is the most important feature of the Hugo, along with mobility and broad format handling. 
As far as it's portable capabilities, the Hugo works fine for ample time off it's batteries, no charge.
The recommendation of maintaining a charge to the Hugo when NOT being used portable is to address those folks who are using the Hugo in a desktop fashion so as to not having to turn off the Hugo and maintain ones settings.  It does not harm the batteries to keep the Hugo plugged in.  It disengages when fully charged.

Agreed, with a hardware "switch" the onus is on the user to disengage, a button would be a different matter.

What would be the purpose of leaving it on anyway, if to keep it warm and ready to rock, then a low power switching mode would be as equally useless as having an auto off with a hardware switch.

 

[henkie196]

  I fail to see your logic.  If the Hugo could power up or down completely on signal received, then why have a switch, which it does?  If you followed Rob's posts here on this thread, he already stated that he didn't have the space to allow for any further features without effecting SQ (yet maintain it's small form factor for mobility).  Which in my opinion is the most important feature of the Hugo, along with mobility and broad format handling. 
As far as it's portable capabilities, the Hugo works fine for ample time off it's batteries, no charge.
The recommendation of maintaining a charge to the Hugo when NOT being used portable is to address those folks who are using the Hugo in a desktop fashion so as to not having to turn off the Hugo and maintain ones settings.  It does not harm the batteries to keep the Hugo plugged in.  It disengages when fully charged.

Fair enough, a design choice that assumes the user will shut it down when necessary. One wonders at the design choice to add coloured leds that switch colour based on different conditions if space (on the PCB, I assume) was at such a premium, though.
 
But I don't want to knock on the Hugo. The most important thing, the sound, is by all accounts very well done, and the rest are just nice to have features. It's also good that it's portable and that the battery lasts quite a while, which are definitely selling points for me.

 

[OK-Guy]

Chord are not renowned for a box design with a knob on top, portholes yes, knobs no... personally I like the design but can understand why some may find it quirky, at the end of the day it's all about the sound quality, the most important component according to my ears...

 
moving-on to 'galvanic isolation'... had a meeting with JF yesterday where I had the chance to talk about the recurring question of why there is no 'galvanic-isolation on the Hugo but there is on the Hugo-TT & 2Qute basically his reply was this... the problem with a front end galvanic isolator is they don't work at high frequencies so that's why for the TT we put the isolation after the USB chip and that's why we can't do the same for Hugo because it would stop mobile-phones from working with Hugo, as the USB chips in the TT and 2Qute have to take some power from the host product. Mobile devices don't need galvanic isolation because they don't generate much noise whereas some laptops and big old PCs generate loads of Ground and RF noise... think I got that right.
 
in other news... Chord have a new Marketing guy called 'Edd' who will be overseeing 'official' post from the 'House of Chord' and with that bit of perky news, could I please ask you all to keep an eye on Chord-Electronics 'sponsor page' for some 'BIG NEWS' in the coming week (Head-Fi will love this)... I would divulge a tad more but I kinda like my manhood...

 

 

[fiascogarcia]

 Mobile devices don't need galvanic isolation because they don't generate much noise whereas some laptops and big old PCs generate loads of Ground and RF noise... think I got that right.  

This concurs with my understanding, as I was never concerned about the galvanic isolation due to the minimal noise generated by a portable, battery powered source.  Seems that AC powered equipment generates the higher noise and becomes more of a problem.

 

[lurk]

May I get some suggestions for any entry level tube amps to pair with the Hugo for some coloration variety? I hv dt880 600ohm n alpha dogs

 

[rq1111]

Thanks! elviscaprice.

It also happen to me yesterday that I forget to switch off the hugo for the whole night and therefore there is no battery in the morning.

There should be auto off after few minutes function just like my ak100ii.

Now, I begin to hear the clarity and detail from hugo but still not satisfied with it as a dac for my hifi. I just bought a coaxial cable to try if it is better than using optic cable for my cd player.

 

[Drewligarchy]

Hi All -
 
Having a small issue with my approximately year old Chord Hugo.
 
I have been feeding it direct to a headphone amp, so I have been using volume bypass, where the Hugo starts on violet.
 
I've noticed that without any adjustment from me, the volume seems to drift higher into the white. Has anybody had this problem? Is this something the Hugo would need to be returned to the factory for? Is there anyway to do a factory reset of the Hugo and or reload the firmware if this is a software issue?
 
Thanks for any and all suggestions!
 
Thanks,
Andrew

 

[dnnaudio]

Funny you mention as this happened to me recently w/ Hugo feeding 846.

 

[Duncan]

Funny you mention as this happened to me recently w/ Hugo feeding 846.

Hopefully not into the White!!!!!!!!!!!

You'll probably find some dust has gotten into the wheel mechanism, probably just needs a little clean

 

[highfell]

Now, I begin to hear the clarity and detail from hugo but still not satisfied with it as a dac for my hifi. I just bought a coaxial cable to try if it is better than using optic cable for my cd player.

Funny because I am very satisfied with the Hugo as a Dac - I find it absolutely scintillating being fed into my tube amp via coax from a dx90. Each to their own

 

[WCDchee]

Funny because I am very satisfied with the Hugo as a Dac - I find it absolutely scintillating being fed into my tube amp via coax from a dx90. Each to their own

I agree, the hugo's DAC is pretty amazingg, matching and surpassing full sized desktop dacs at the same price, seeing it that way, the headphone amp and the transportsbility are bonus features!

I've had the pulse x infinity for a while previously, and while I did enjoy it (it was great value at the backed price), the hugo is really another thing altogether its in a very different league. There is a forum member who found the pulse x infinity to outperform the hugo tt, but having heard all three devices. I cannot personally agree with that opinion.

 

[edwardsean]

Hi, 
 
I just started using the Hugo as a DAC using the "bypass" mode and the RCA line outs. I read through the thread and understand the the amp is not actually being bypassed but the level is merely set to a standard level.
 
The manual warns not to use the headphone out in bypass mode. However, my issue is that I have an audiophilleo box plugged directly into the Hugo's coax input which blocks the RCA line outs. From what I've read it seems like the headphone output is getting the same the signal as the RCA jacks.
 
Does anyone know if it Is possible to use the headphone ouputt in bypass mode to feed an amp, and will it be the same as the RCA outs?
 
Thanks!

 

[joeexp]

  Hi, 
 
I just started using the Hugo as a DAC using the "bypass" mode and the RCA line outs. I read through the thread and understand the the amp is not actually being bypassed but the level is merely set to a standard level.
 
The manual warns not to use the headphone out in bypass mode. However, my issue is that I have an audiophilleo box plugged directly into the Hugo's coax input which blocks the RCA line outs. From what I've read it seems like the headphone output is getting the same the signal as the RCA jacks.
 
Does anyone know if it Is possible to use the headphone ouputt in bypass mode to feed an amp, and will it be the same as the RCA outs?
 
Thanks!

Of course it's possible because the Headphone out and RCA are connected internally. Also try rotating the Audiophileo 180 degrees to get access to the RCAs  - Just a thought ...