(...) But the greatest surprise of the show for me, was the Chord Hugo 2. The original Hugo was widely praised, although some people felt its signature was slightly too neutral, and somewhat void of warmth. For some people it could feel a bit sterile, for instance when compared to the warmer Mojo. While Chord kept the excellent technical performance in terms of its three-dimensional stage, resolution, and transparency, they added just a touch of warmth to its signature. Mind you, the Hugo 2 isn’t warm enough to be predominantly classified as such; but the tuning adds an essential smoothness and musicality to the sound. Based on the brief session its signature seemed comparable to Kuos RealAmp, although they differed in stage and performance. But again, what I would describe as ‘beautifully neutral’: a relatively neutral tone and clean sound, yet with an overall smooth and musical signature. The quality ran throughout its presentation, from its resolved mid-bass, to the coherent midrange, and up to its refined treble presentation – a worthy alternative to my warmer Sony and AK. I went to the show dreading I would spend my savings on the new AK, but left thinking they might be redirected to the Hugo 2. (...)