[ALRAINBOW]

Yes I agree , I have one of the few portible amps that can drive the HE6. It is ok but really not like a speaker amp or the woo audio WA5. I also agree that with any DAP an amp add on is an improvement. But given price point and size and battery it simple to understand why. About the only exception I see is the therum from cypher labs. But even in that you still need a transport . As your iPhone or what ever so not a one box solution. . And there are other amps that can drive the he6 too that are portible.
Al

 

[jamato8]

Well I look forward to seeing what the Hugo can do driving a more normal to drive set of phones. I read another brief review and while it didn't scale their mega system, it did so well they were extremely impressed and amazed (to paraphrase). 

 

[drmind]

Can anyone of the owners please comment on the battery life? Can't seem to find any info on that.

 

[barbes]

  Can anyone of the owners please comment on the battery life? Can't seem to find any info on that.

Factory says about 12 hours.  Can't confirm that yet but I've used it for more than six and the battery tell-tale is still showing more than 50% charge.

 

[drmind]

Thanks!

 

[stewboss]

  For the record.. I really appreciated this! 

 
From the review:
[Editor's note. Chord responded to this issue with the following: "Chord Electronics prides itself on the use of a high-quality local company for its casework. Our casework is ordered in very small batches and having the metalwork supplier within five miles of the Chord factory, gives us extraordinary control over production and quality, and gives us the ability to make immediate changes. Therefore, we will be making some minor modifications to Hugo to allow for the larger RCA cables associated with high-quality home-use applications."]
 
And that is good news for us.. at least for me! 

Depends on how long it takes the new batches to reach dealers and what happens to the early adopters with the original casing?

 

[pjw241142]

What a nightmare!

:mad:

The white disc which shows the bit rate has worked itself loose. I'm going to have to return it to the excellent guys at Custom Cable to get it repaired. Having to use my Meridian Explorer again but it's not the same listening experience ........

 

[pjw241142]

Here's the picture …….
 

 

[NZtechfreak]

The last few pages make me rather glad I didn't jump on this early. As soon as I saw the stuff about problems with the connection ports I figured a revision would be coming. To see a build quality issue like the above on a device of this expense also a little disheartening, but no manufacturing process can avoid all failures, so hopefully that is sporadic and not representative on the whole.

 

[pjw241142]

NZtechfreak, one swallow doesn't make a spring! I think I was just a bit unlucky with the problem above.

Either way, the quality of the sound is unsurpassed for a portable device. I've never heard Dark Side of the Moon sound so good. The Hugo gets my vote despite everything!

 

[jamato8]

I don't care about the clearance, I don't like or use the big chunky RCAs with all that metal in the way of the signal. And something coming out, like the window, well stuff happens. If there are failures from hardware, that is another issue as it is a long flight back to where they come from but it seems Chord has a very good reputation. 

 

[OK-Guy]

Announcement from Noble Audio:-
 
Chord Hugo – European Release Bristol Hi-Fi Show (UK) – 21st-23rd February
 
Noble Audio is proud to announce that the 8C and K10 CIEMs, as well as select products from Audeze and KEF, will be demonstrated with the sensational new Chord Hugo portable DAC/AMP at the ‘official’ European launch. Chord will unveil the Hugo at The Bristol Show, UK’s premier & largest hi-fi event.
 
The Bristol Show link: http://www.bristolshow.co.uk/
 
The launch of the Hugo marks Chord’s first foray into portable high fidelity audio. As industry leaders of DAC & Amplifier technology, the Hugo makes true reference quality audio portable for the first time.
 
Noble would like to wish Chord Electronics great success with the official Hugo launch at Bristol and are looking forward to collaborating further in the future.

 

[evolutionx]

  Here's the picture …….
 

 
The build quality on mine is immaculate and solid.   Sorry to see that.  

 

[pjw241142]

So am I - I'm missing my Hugo!

 

[Stormfriend]

Mine just sits on the equipment rack looking like a Christmas tree with all its coloured lights.
 
So far, ergonomics apart, I've been extremely happy with the Hugo.  I can't compare it directly with what I had before as I've removed most of my mains filtration and switched my USB card PSU back onto my UPS.  The UPS affects the sound quality, so until the SoTM battery pack arrives (if it ever does) I know midrange air and detail are going to be lacking.  The Hugo is just stage one in going off the grid.
 
Over the weekend I hooked up a tube-rolled Earmax Pro and even though the interconnects were still burning in I felt the combo was a little more engaging, if not as detailed.  There was no obvious difference in presentation (it was subsequent evenings not back to back so this is based on memory), but I enjoyed the EMP a little more.  There's nothing missing in the Hugo's headphone output, it just didn't swing quite as well.  That said it might be more revealing of the USB card PSU issue I mentioned above, whilst the Mullards in the EMP masked some of the flaws, so take that with a pinch of salt.