[gLer]

Sold out in China within 1 hour of release. Andrew’s units seem to be the only ones available in the market. I know some Chinese fellows are thinking about ordering it from Andrew and have him shipped it back to China…

Made for a very very very niche market.

 

[gto88]

Man, $6,600 dap! I see $10,000 price tag is at the horizon.

 

[gLer]

Man, $6,600 dap! I see $10,000 price tag is at the horizon.

It's very much an outlier. Nothing justifies that price (whereas you can make the argument for some IEMs).

On a separate note, 10+ pages of CanJam impressions and about 4 IEM posts. Us IEM fanatics really do live in a niche of a niche of a niche hobby.

 

[gLer]

​

So I finally got to scratch an itch I've probably had for the longest time in this hobby: I spent quality time with the Hugo2.

A few caveats. I only had about two hours, though it was in a quiet room, left to myself and my music, and got to volume match and switch between the H2 and my personal HiBy R8. I also only used the IE 900 (as pictured), and the LX (very briefly), though all.my notes were taken with the IE 900. Some may argue the H2 is designed for headphones, but I had zero noise floor issues or hiss with the IE 900, and it scales similarly well to what I heard with Dave, so again no issues there.

I don't think I need to go into great detail here (unlike the H2, which does go into great detail, ha ha), so I'll summarise my thoughts like so:

1. Tuning/tonality is bright/neutral to my ears. Upper mids and the entire treble region is emphasized, although overall it's fairly balanced. By comparison the R8 sounds warm and thick, which it's not. Stage is so expanded and deeper due to the atmospheric levels of air the H2 injects into everything.

2. Details everywhere. H2 is an absolute detail monster, though unlike Dave, details are more in your face, especially the grit and grain in the upper registers of female vocals. Must be an absolute treat with classical and string music, which I didn't really try because it's not my thing.

3. I have no doubt the DAC is insanely capable, but I did feel it was forcing detail on me with the treble lift. That said, treble isn't harsh, but on an IEM like the IE 900 where treble is already straddling the line, it's too much. The IE 900 does not like bright sources, and the H2 proves that point better than most (unless you're a treblehead, in which case, have at it).

4. The upper mid lift, while making everything seem crystal clear, also made some female vocals more shouty than they need to be with the IE 900. Loreena McKennitt on The Old Ways and Brandi Carlile on The Story were shouting at me far more than I like.

5. Background is ink black. The clarity and detail have so much room to shine probably as a result of the super dark background and non-existent noise floor.

6. This is not a warm and welcoming sound. It's actually quite cold and clinical, with thinner vocals and, while bass is very well controlled and super tight, it doesn't emphasize the natural, resonant decay the IE 900's bass is now famous for. The Dave pulls off this balance between midrange clarity and natural bass better to my ears (as does the R8 for that matter).

7. Listening to the R8 right after the H2 makes it sound flat and almost veiled, but a few minutes of brain burn in, and the lack of shouty vixens, makes it a more pleasant long session listen with the IE 900, for my preferences and with my main genres.

In closing, it's obvious why the H2 has such a strong reputation among audiophiles, especially those whose listening mainly involves high-end headphones with audiophile-grade classical, jazz and vocal recordings. It's actually not overly expensive in this context, and while it doesn't align with my penchant for a warmer, more organic, more natural sound signature, I completely respect what it's capable of and would easily recommend it if and where its strengths align.

 

[Deferenz]

​

So I finally got to scratch an itch I've probably had for the longest time in this hobby: I spent quality time with the Hugo2.

A few caveats. I only had about two hours, though it was in a quiet room, left to myself and my music, and got to volume match and switch between the H2 and my personal HiBy R8. I also only used the IE 900 (as pictured), and the LX (very briefly), though all.my notes were taken with the IE 900. Some may argue the H2 is designed for headphones, but I had zero noise floor issues or hiss with the IE 900, and it scales similarly well to what I heard with Dave, so again no issues there.

I don't think I need to go into great detail here (unlike the H2, which does go into great detail, ha ha), so I'll summarise my thoughts like so:

1. Tuning/tonality is bright/neutral to my ears. Upper mids and the entire treble region is emphasized, although overall it's fairly balanced. By comparison the R8 sounds warm and thick, which it's not. Stage is so expanded and deeper due to the atmospheric levels of air the H2 injects into everything.

2. Details everywhere. H2 is an absolute detail monster, though unlike Dave, details are more in your face, especially the grit and grain in the upper registers of female vocals. Must be an absolute treat with classical and string music, which I didn't really try because it's not my thing.

3. I have no doubt the DAC is insanely capable, but I did feel it was forcing detail on me with the treble lift. That said, treble isn't harsh, but on an IEM like the IE 900 where treble is already straddling the line, it's too much. The IE 900 does not like bright sources, and the H2 proves that point better than most (unless you're a treblehead, in which case, have at it).

4. The upper mid lift, while making everything seem crystal clear, also made some female vocals more shouty than they need to be with the IE 900. Loreena McKennitt on The Old Ways and Brandi Carlile on The Story were shouting at me far more than I like.

5. Background is ink black. The clarity and detail have so much room to shine probably as a result of the super dark background and non-existent noise floor.

6. This is not a warm and welcoming sound. It's actually quite cold and clinical, with thinner vocals and, while bass is very well controlled and super tight, it doesn't emphasize the natural, resonant decay the IE 900's bass is now famous for. The Dave pulls off this balance between midrange clarity and natural bass better to my ears (as does the R8 for that matter).

7. Listening to the R8 right after the H2 makes it sound flat and almost veiled, but a few minutes of brain burn in, and the lack of shouty vixens, makes it a more pleasant long session listen with the IE 900, for my preferences and with my main genres.

In closing, it's obvious why the H2 has such a strong reputation among audiophiles, especially those whose listening mainly involves high-end headphones with audiophile-grade classical, jazz and vocal recordings. It's actually not overly expensive in this context, and while it doesn't align with my penchant for a warmer, more organic, more natural sound signature, I completely respect what it's capable of and would easily recommend it if and where its strengths align.

Good write up. I listened to the H2 with the Focal Stellia at the Chord stand during Canjam London 2019. I thought it was stunning. At that point I was still into HP’s and I gave some serious thought to buying the H2 right there and then. However, at that same Canjam I also discovered TOTL IEMs and Daps, and I’ve never really looked back.

 

[proedros]

there's a Trailli FS at 3.1K US$ (minus the cable)

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/oriolus-traillii-iem-without-cable.6655/

 

[jwbrent]

It's very much an outlier. Nothing justifies that price (whereas you can make the argument for some IEMs).

On a separate note, 10+ pages of CanJam impressions and about 4 IEM posts. Us IEM fanatics really do live in a niche of a niche of a niche hobby.

Yeah, I noticed the same thing in reading the impressions from the show.

My first experience in which I realized an IEM could be a totally satisfying experience, even revelatory at times was when I reviewed the A8000 back in early 2020. At the time my headphone stable included the Utopia and D8000, and soon after I decided to sell them both to fund the A8000 purchase as well as other IEM flagships. I haven’t looked back, I’m totally addicted. Glad to be here with you guys on this thread and I can’t wait to read impressions on the two new VE flagships.

 

[Rockwell75]

Us IEM fanatics really do live in a niche of a niche of a niche hobby.

It doesn't help that, due to Covid restrictions, this particular CJ is mostly American companies & enthusiasts, who tend to be skewed towards full size gear. If this was Canjam SG I imagine it might be skewed more towards IEMs.

 

[MatW]

​

So I finally got to scratch an itch I've probably had for the longest time in this hobby: I spent quality time with the Hugo2.

A few caveats. I only had about two hours, though it was in a quiet room, left to myself and my music, and got to volume match and switch between the H2 and my personal HiBy R8. I also only used the IE 900 (as pictured), and the LX (very briefly), though all.my notes were taken with the IE 900. Some may argue the H2 is designed for headphones, but I had zero noise floor issues or hiss with the IE 900, and it scales similarly well to what I heard with Dave, so again no issues there.

I don't think I need to go into great detail here (unlike the H2, which does go into great detail, ha ha), so I'll summarise my thoughts like so:

1. Tuning/tonality is bright/neutral to my ears. Upper mids and the entire treble region is emphasized, although overall it's fairly balanced. By comparison the R8 sounds warm and thick, which it's not. Stage is so expanded and deeper due to the atmospheric levels of air the H2 injects into everything.

2. Details everywhere. H2 is an absolute detail monster, though unlike Dave, details are more in your face, especially the grit and grain in the upper registers of female vocals. Must be an absolute treat with classical and string music, which I didn't really try because it's not my thing.

3. I have no doubt the DAC is insanely capable, but I did feel it was forcing detail on me with the treble lift. That said, treble isn't harsh, but on an IEM like the IE 900 where treble is already straddling the line, it's too much. The IE 900 does not like bright sources, and the H2 proves that point better than most (unless you're a treblehead, in which case, have at it).

4. The upper mid lift, while making everything seem crystal clear, also made some female vocals more shouty than they need to be with the IE 900. Loreena McKennitt on The Old Ways and Brandi Carlile on The Story were shouting at me far more than I like.

5. Background is ink black. The clarity and detail have so much room to shine probably as a result of the super dark background and non-existent noise floor.

6. This is not a warm and welcoming sound. It's actually quite cold and clinical, with thinner vocals and, while bass is very well controlled and super tight, it doesn't emphasize the natural, resonant decay the IE 900's bass is now famous for. The Dave pulls off this balance between midrange clarity and natural bass better to my ears (as does the R8 for that matter).

7. Listening to the R8 right after the H2 makes it sound flat and almost veiled, but a few minutes of brain burn in, and the lack of shouty vixens, makes it a more pleasant long session listen with the IE 900, for my preferences and with my main genres.

In closing, it's obvious why the H2 has such a strong reputation among audiophiles, especially those whose listening mainly involves high-end headphones with audiophile-grade classical, jazz and vocal recordings. It's actually not overly expensive in this context, and while it doesn't align with my penchant for a warmer, more organic, more natural sound signature, I completely respect what it's capable of and would easily recommend it if and where its strengths align.

Thanks for these impressions! This is interesting. I am considering a Qutest for my setup 2. In part because some reviews suggest that the Qutest sounds smoother and more refined than the D90 I am thinking of upgrading. This makes sense to me given my previous experience with the Dave and TT2. However, I understand that the Hugo 2 is basically the same DAC as the Qutest, with a battery and amp thrown in, so I would expect the Qutest and the Hugo 2 to sound quite similar. But if the Hugo 2 is so bright/clinical, I wonder what that means for the Qutest...

 

[bigbeans]

I posted some EVO impressions here (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/emp...ssions-formerly-earwerkz.786335/post-16583202).

However the dark horse for me was the Jerry Harvey Jolene! Darker, richer and warm engaging sound with exquisite dynamic driver texture. The show special was soooo tempting (15% off list price with FREE CIEM impressions). For anyone going to another CanJam, give these a try!

 

[Wildcatsare1]

It doesn't help that, due to Covid restrictions, this particular CJ is mostly American companies & enthusiasts, who tend to be skewed towards full size gear. If this was Canjam SG I imagine it might be skewed more towards IEMs.

Now your talking, I'd love to go to a CJ in Singapore.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Thanks for these impressions! This is interesting. I am considering a Qutest for my setup 2. In part because some reviews suggest that the Qutest sounds smoother and more refined than the D90 I am thinking of upgrading. This makes sense to me given my previous experience with the Dave and TT2. However, I understand that the Hugo 2 is basically the same DAC as the Qutest, with a battery and amp thrown in, so I would expect the Qutest and the Hugo 2 to sound quite similar. But if the Hugo 2 is so bright/clinical, I wonder what that means for the Qutest...

Yeah, try to listen before you buy, I sold my H2 because I found it a bit clinical and cold.

 

[jwbrent]

Yeah, try to listen before you buy, I sold my H2 because I found it a bit clinical and cold.

I felt the same way about the original Hugo when I had it several years ago.

 

[toaster]

​

So I finally got to scratch an itch I've probably had for the longest time in this hobby: I spent quality time with the Hugo2.

A few caveats. I only had about two hours, though it was in a quiet room, left to myself and my music, and got to volume match and switch between the H2 and my personal HiBy R8. I also only used the IE 900 (as pictured), and the LX (very briefly), though all.my notes were taken with the IE 900. Some may argue the H2 is designed for headphones, but I had zero noise floor issues or hiss with the IE 900, and it scales similarly well to what I heard with Dave, so again no issues there.

I don't think I need to go into great detail here (unlike the H2, which does go into great detail, ha ha), so I'll summarise my thoughts like so:

1. Tuning/tonality is bright/neutral to my ears. Upper mids and the entire treble region is emphasized, although overall it's fairly balanced. By comparison the R8 sounds warm and thick, which it's not. Stage is so expanded and deeper due to the atmospheric levels of air the H2 injects into everything.

2. Details everywhere. H2 is an absolute detail monster, though unlike Dave, details are more in your face, especially the grit and grain in the upper registers of female vocals. Must be an absolute treat with classical and string music, which I didn't really try because it's not my thing.

3. I have no doubt the DAC is insanely capable, but I did feel it was forcing detail on me with the treble lift. That said, treble isn't harsh, but on an IEM like the IE 900 where treble is already straddling the line, it's too much. The IE 900 does not like bright sources, and the H2 proves that point better than most (unless you're a treblehead, in which case, have at it).

4. The upper mid lift, while making everything seem crystal clear, also made some female vocals more shouty than they need to be with the IE 900. Loreena McKennitt on The Old Ways and Brandi Carlile on The Story were shouting at me far more than I like.

5. Background is ink black. The clarity and detail have so much room to shine probably as a result of the super dark background and non-existent noise floor.

6. This is not a warm and welcoming sound. It's actually quite cold and clinical, with thinner vocals and, while bass is very well controlled and super tight, it doesn't emphasize the natural, resonant decay the IE 900's bass is now famous for. The Dave pulls off this balance between midrange clarity and natural bass better to my ears (as does the R8 for that matter).

7. Listening to the R8 right after the H2 makes it sound flat and almost veiled, but a few minutes of brain burn in, and the lack of shouty vixens, makes it a more pleasant long session listen with the IE 900, for my preferences and with my main genres.

In closing, it's obvious why the H2 has such a strong reputation among audiophiles, especially those whose listening mainly involves high-end headphones with audiophile-grade classical, jazz and vocal recordings. It's actually not overly expensive in this context, and while it doesn't align with my penchant for a warmer, more organic, more natural sound signature, I completely respect what it's capable of and would easily recommend it if and where its strengths align.

I agree with nearly all of your views here.

Thats why my mojo is still kicking and my h2 is long gone…

 

[Rockwell75]

Now your talking, I'd love to go to a CJ in Singapore.

I came within a hairbreadth of buying a ticket to Canjam SG in January of 2020 but held off...fortunately too as I'd have been out of luck given how things unfolded.