[bluenight]

Bought a chord and i cant connect my supra toslink cable that i want to use. It dident fit in the socket properly the supra cable is to round and thick at the edges. And the conection in the socket hole lies to deep in. Stupid design miss from chord? Or only a wrongly manufactured unit? Maybe the reasons the store sold it for extra price. The including toslink cable did fit the socket.

 

[miketlse]

Bought a chord and i cant connect my supra toslink cable that i want to use. It dident fit in the socket properly the supra cable is to round and thick at the edges. And the conection in the socket hole lies to deep in. Stupid design miss from chord? Or only a wrongly manufactured unit? Maybe the reasons the store sold it for extra price. The including toslink cable did fit the socket.

 
The first Hugo batch(s) had small sockets, but they caused issues, so Chord changed to larger sockets about 3 years ago.
I presume that you must have bought one of the early Hugos second hand.
If you bought it brand new, then the dealer has had the Hugo on its shelves for 3 years.

 

[bluenight]

The information from the store said new in box. So i think it was new. A black colured unit. What kind of other problems did it cause?

 

[miketlse]

The information from the store said new in box. So i think it was new. What kind of other problems did it cause?

I think the only problem was that some makes of cables, hap plugs that were difficult to insert into the sockets.
I never owned a Hugo, so all I can suggest is read the early posts on this thread, and hopefully someone will have posted the types of cables that worked well.
There are also many hugo owners who read this thread, so they may provide some suggestions as well.

 

[Hooster]

Stupid design miss from chord? 

 
That is what it seems like. Perhaps it had more to do with rushing a product out than with pure stupidity. 

 

[bluenight]

I could live with it if there is not any diffrences in sound quality when using diffrent toslink cables. The including one is very thin compared to the supra though.

 

[miketlse]

I could live with it if there is not any diffrences in sound quality when using diffrent toslink cables. The including one is very thin compared to the supra though.

I don't remember reading of any difference in sound quality - if there is, then plenty of owners will post replies and explain things for you.
 
Chord have posted that the sockets were a design miss, so they quickly redesigned the sockets.
Be careful when you start labelling things as stupid, because it is easy to cause offence, when none was intended.
 
The Hugo was Chords largest selling dac, until the Mojo was released, so the overall design cannot have been too bad.
The thing that I do find surprising, is that your dealer had a 3 year old Hugo in stock, when the Hugo used to sell like hot cakes. 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I have the Chord Hugo of the early version (smaller holes in the chassis for sockets).  I have gone to Moon Audio, who sells and knows the Hugo, for their cables for both coax and for USB, where they not only take care that the ends fit into the Hugo chassis, but use premium cabling ("Silver Dragon," "Black Dragon") in the connection.  Though they run about $150 each (depending on length, etc.), I consider them worth it and reserve them for exclusive use with my Hugo.

 

[elviscaprice]

The information from the store said new in box. So i think it was new. A black colured unit. What kind of other problems did it cause?

None of the older first models were black. If it's black, it's of the newer case design.

 

[elviscaprice]

I have a 6 inch black dragon. Hardly ever used (Will be for sale). Found that adapters were better sounding, especially once galvanic USB isolation is applied. Would recommend for portable applications.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

MY TALE OF A BROKEN HUGO AND ITS REPAIR
 
I purchased a used Chord Hugo on this forum and started using it on Christmas Day.  The volume control ball seemed particularly stiff to me and I inquired both of the seller and of head-fi-ers, all who said the stiff volume control was as designed, so that it would not change by mistake.  So I just Turned Harder.
 
After two months, the clear sphere that makes up the volume control split down the middle and could no longer turn.  The rest of the Hugo worked fine, just at a fixed volume.
 
These pictures show the broken sphere, with and without backlight.
 


 
I simultaneously wrote Chord Electronics, UK, and BlueBird Electronics, the stated authorized distributor of Chord Electronics in the United States, providing serial number of the unit and pictures of the problem.  Chord expressed amazement that that had happened, saying they had never seen it before.  Chord inquired as to whether the unit was under warranty (no, it was not), then provided me both the contact information for BlueBird, their U.S. distributor, and for George Meyer Electronics, an authorized repair facility for Chord in the U.S.
 
BlueBird, on the other hand, sent me a form letter thanking for my interest and indicating that all repairs had to be done by one of their retail outlets. 
 

Hello,
Thank you for your continuing interest in our products.
All sales and service is done by our authorized dealers. Please contact your dealer for service.
Regards, 

 
There was no indication on the identity of such retail facilities, and their website gave none (only gave you a form to inquire as to who a retailer was for any of the products that they handle), along with multiple cautions that they do not work directly with consumers.
 
I wrote directly to the authorized repair business, which is:
 
George Meyer A/V
4844 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016
(310) 820-1113 or 310-820-3480
www.georgemeyer-av.com
 
They immediately got back with me and told me to send it, indicating that there would be a diagnostic fee of $75 which would be applied to the cost of the repair.
 
I sent my unit on March 7 and they received it March 10, when they called seeking a credit card number for authorizing the diagnostic fee, which I provided.
 
From that point on until their final call to tell me the total charge, they did not call me with information.  I called approximately every 5 days to find (first call) that they had diagnosed the problem to be the volume control and had sent to Chord Electronics, U.K. for an estimate of the parts cost.  Five or so days later, I called to find that they had gotten the part estimate and were preparing the repair estimate. My next call, about 5 days later, elicited that they were repairing it and that it was being tested.  I also asked that they check the integrity of all of the connectors, as the unusual stresses from the overly-small holes in the aluminum case and other cable stresses could have loosened some connectors (had not... all were OK).
 
Then they called me on March 31 to give me the final repair cost and indicated that if authorized, they could complete the repair within 24 hours and ship it.
 
Repair charges were:
 
Volume control           $  46.27
Shop Material            $  27.50
TOTAL PARTS                               $73.77
Labor @ $125/hr       $ 218.75
Shipping & handling  $   28.44
 
TOTAL:                                        $320.96
Tax                                              $    6.45
Less Diagnostic Charge                 $-75.00
 
TOTAL DUE                               $252.41
 
I received the unit today, April 5, four weeks after sending it out.  It works beautifully in all modes, and the volume control is easy to turn and smooth in motion.
 
Conclusion:  George Meyer is a great place to get your Chord Hugo repaired, but expect to wait a bit for parts from the U.K. and that any status update will have to be gotten by you calling them.  I would be entirely confident in their ability to replace a battery as well.

 

[Hooster]

 
I purchased a used Chord Hugo on this forum and started using it on Christmas Day.  The volume control ball seemed particularly stiff to me and I inquired both of the seller and of head-fi-ers, all who said the stiff volume control was as designed, so that it would not change by mistake.  So I just Turned Harder.
 

 
I think the previous owner should come to the party and pay at least half of the repair bill. It does not sound like the Hugo was working correctly when you received it. If you paid for a unit that was supposed to be in 100% condition you did not get what you paid for.. 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I think the previous owner should come to the party and pay at least half of the repair bill. It does not sound like the Hugo was working correctly when you received it. If you paid for a unit that was supposed to be in 100% condition you did not get what you paid for.. 

Problem was, to me it just seemed like a stiffly-turning volume control. Never having triied any Hugo before, I just figured they were all that way. I posted mainly to let it be known that repairs are possible and smooth, though not cheap, not to impugn the seller. Thanks!

 

[Hooster]

Problem was, to me it just seemed like a stiffly-turning volume control. Never having triied any Hugo before, I just figured they were all that way. I posted mainly to let it be known that repairs are possible and smooth, though not cheap, not to impugne the seller. Thanks!

 
You are welcome. I would just let the seller know about this. If you think he should help pay for the repair, tell him. What he does then is up to him. I don't think he can be made to do anything. It just depends on his morals.

 

[Triode User]

I think the previous owner should come to the party and pay at least half of the repair bill. It does not sound like the Hugo was working correctly when you received it. If you paid for a unit that was supposed to be in 100% condition you did not get what you paid for.. 

Am I the only one to find your repetitive indignant attitude rather unhelpful? Mostly private sales go ok but there is a risk that there may be a problem. If one wishes to have a warranty then buy second hand from a dealer and pay a higher price.

To the ruthieandjohn, I am glad your Hugo is working fine now and it seems like you had a good repair experience and thank you for sharing it. Like you, the seller probably just thought the stiff control was normal and I doubt that they thought anything was amiss when they sold it.