Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[hypnos1]

For anyone who may be interested, I'm still in awe of my TT2/HMS combo, which I have tried to push as far as I can with upgrades throughout my system this past year and more.

Having been convinced that TT2's direct out was pretty well as good as it gets, apart from perhaps tweaking the sound to personal preference via an expensive external amp - tube or good SS, I was reluctant to gamble on something better than my £2000 tube amp (with very expensive tubes!) that I felt didn't actually match direct out. And so, when a youtube reviewer of budget SS amps stated that one available for less than $200 performed better than direct out from his own Chord combo alone, I simply had to check it out lol!...ie the Drop THX AAA Linear ONE.

Long story short, I was surprised just how good it was, and more than a match...apart from soundstage (less 'holographic'). However, everything changed way beyond expectations when I ditched the cheap 30V Walwart PS for a spare 120W 15V LPS, adding a cheap Buck DC-DC step up/down converter to get 30V. This minimalistic but uninspiring looking unit is putting (my) TT2's direct out to shame...and I still can't get over the shock.

For anyone interested further, here's a link to the thread I started going into much more depth...so be warned! https://www.head-fi.org/threads/drop-thx-aaa-linear-one-transformation-david-v-goliath.961629/

Edit...ps. To be clear, this refers to using TT2/HMS as pre-amp to the Drop of course!!

 

[kenjamin0523]

Hi guys, I’m new and late here. I have some questions pls help me to answer.
1/ Can I use my ipad/iphone instead of PC as source to connect with TT2 like Hugo 2?
2/ Can TT2 itself drive Susvana well without extra amp? And how they sound?
3/ Anyone use Ifi power elite for tt2, is it worth to replace Power Conditioner? I’m just planning to use TT2 no amp or other stuffs.

Thanks

 

[rkt31]

Hi guys, I’m new and late here. I have some questions pls help me to answer.
1/ Can I use my ipad/iphone instead of PC as source to connect with TT2 like Hugo 2?
2/ Can TT2 itself drive Susvana well without extra amp? And how they sound?
3/ Anyone use Ifi power elite for tt2, is it worth to replace Power Conditioner? I’m just planning to use TT2 no amp or other stuffs.

Thanks

You can use ifi dc power to clean your smps output further or use battery bank with 15v output. I use lead acid ups battery with 12v out. It beats anything on earth as far as power supply is concerned because a lead acid battery can supply almost unlimited source of current as compared to expensive linear supplies. 12v battery has zero ac ripple noise unlike linear supplies which can't fully eliminate ac ripple. In fact ifi dc power supply is better than many linear supplies due to it's active noise cancellation, tested somewhere in group test. But yes 12v battery is a bit cumbersome to use. Tt2 can drive almost any headphones except electrostats. But people will claim that susvara or some audeze or abyss can't be driven of tt2 which is not true. My suggestion is to go for r70x with tt2. It is a ebe game set up specially if you like long term musicality.

 

[Icenine2]

Which of the two headphone jacks does everyone use? I've always gone to the outside but switched to more inboard so the jack isn't as in the way on desk with possible "bump"

 

[silversurfer616]

Which of the two headphone jacks does everyone use? I've always gone to the outside but switched to more inboard so the jack isn't as in the way on desk with possible "bump"

Both…always have two headphones plugged in.

 

[Nisachar]

Hi Guys, I’m having an “issue” my Mac Mini/TT2 that I don’t have with my Mac Mini/Hugo2. When I turn on the TT2 and the midi format in the Mac Mini is above 44.100, the TT2 doesn’t play music. It plays something. Someone suggested that the way around it is to turn the TT2 on before turning the Mac Mini on. Is there another solution? Is this a know issue with the Mac/TT2?

Is your Mac mini an m1 based model? I too have been having issues with the TT2 on the m1 max MBP.

Edit: It seems TT2 is going outputting to DSD at the start with garbage sounding audio.
Unclear why. Is there a way to reset the TT2 to factory settings ? or turn off DSD?

This link might help https://gist.github.com/felipecsl/5177790.
Resetting Mac core audio helps it seems. I will minitor over a few days.

 

[No KNOTsense]

I'm having problems with a clicking noise randomly emitting from the TT2's chassis, both when turned on and when in standby. About four months ago, I contacted my dealer about the issue. They first sent me a new stock PSU. It did not fix the problem. Next I sent the TT2 itself in for repair. Six or so weeks later, I received the unit back with an invoice saying that the board had been replaced. I optimistically plugged it in but found the clicking still occurring.

Back to the dealer it went. This time the tech support guy at the dealer had it sit on his desk for a week to see if the clicking happened for him. He told me he heard nothing and returned the unit back to me saying that there must be something else in my circuit causing issues.

I had previously had the TT2 plugged into an APC UPS and changed it for a Panamax PM8-AV surge protector to help with any power related problems. I didn't hear any clicking for almost week and thought the problem was resolved, then I heard the dreaded noise again, three times in a few hours. Next, I unplugged the two APC UPS's I had plugged into my PC and digital piano, in case they are somehow causing dirty power in my circuit. The clicking happened again. What should I do next?

 

[Christer]

You can use ifi dc power to clean your smps output further or use battery bank with 15v output. I use lead acid ups battery with 12v out. It beats anything on earth as far as power supply is concerned because a lead acid battery can supply almost unlimited source of current as compared to expensive linear supplies. 12v battery has zero ac ripple noise unlike linear supplies which can't fully eliminate ac ripple. In fact ifi dc power supply is better than many linear supplies due to it's active noise cancellation, tested somewhere in group test. But yes 12v battery is a bit cumbersome to use. Tt2 can drive almost any headphones except electrostats. But people will claim that susvara or some audeze or abyss can't be driven of tt2 which is not true. My suggestion is to go for r70x with tt2. It is a ebe game set up specially if you like long term musicality.

Hello rkt31,
and thanks again for alerting me to Agnes Obel, I just listened to her 2017 live in Paris Concert on YT via my electrostatic speakers and liked it too.
'Very atmospheric and "dreamy" with lots of good singing and interesting chords ,patterns and rythms .I wonder if she is classically schooled in music,her musical language hints at it to me?
I really like her voice and her skills on the keyboard "Celesta"? and those cello slides and the percussion playing too.
Still got some reservations about how she mics and mixes things, but musically she is very interesting imho.

Anyway on topic of this thread again, and the 12v acid battery solution you mentioned. Do you have any particular battery brand or type to recommend to use with Qutest in my case and possibly Mscaler as well.And how do you connect it?
Cheers CC

 

[kenjamin0523]

You can use ifi dc power to clean your smps output further or use battery bank with 15v output. I use lead acid ups battery with 12v out. It beats anything on earth as far as power supply is concerned because a lead acid battery can supply almost unlimited source of current as compared to expensive linear supplies. 12v battery has zero ac ripple noise unlike linear supplies which can't fully eliminate ac ripple. In fact ifi dc power supply is better than many linear supplies due to it's active noise cancellation, tested somewhere in group test. But yes 12v battery is a bit cumbersome to use. Tt2 can drive almost any headphones except electrostats. But people will claim that susvara or some audeze or abyss can't be driven of tt2 which is not true. My suggestion is to go for r70x with tt2. It is a ebe game set up specially if you like long term musicality.

Thank you very much. It’s helpful. I still have a long way to go.

 

[rkt31]

Hello rkt31,
and thanks again for alerting me to Agnes Obel, I just listened to her 2017 live in Paris Concert on YT via my electrostatic speakers and liked it too.
'Very atmospheric and "dreamy" with lots of good singing and interesting chords ,patterns and rythms .I wonder if she is classically schooled in music,her musical language hints at it to me?
I really like her voice and her skills on the keyboard "Celesta"? and those cello slides and the percussion playing too.
Still got some reservations about how she mics and mixes things, but musically she is very interesting imho.

Anyway on topic of this thread again, and the 12v acid battery solution you mentioned. Do you have any particular battery brand or type to recommend to use with Qutest in my case and possibly Mscaler as well.And how do you connect it?
Cheers CC

For qutest you can use 4 NIMH rechargeable cell in a usb out battery pack. Search for 4xAA battery pack with usb out. For tt2 and m scaler you can use a car or ups battery of 15ah to 30ah capacity. For connection a bit of diy will be required. You would need dc pin same as in stock ps. Solder wires and use crocodile clips on battery terminal. Fix one wide permanently to terminal to avoid accidental reversal of polarity.

 

[zen87192]

Okie Dokie… so… I’ve pressed the button on the TT2 with an MScaler. Gosh I was sweating after doing that! Arriving tomorrow afternoon. Exciting none the less One question for all the owners and those who have experience with these beasts. Am I best just listening direct from the TT2 via 6.3mm Jack to my Headphones or route it through a Headphone Amplifier to have all options of 6.3mm, 4.4mm and XLR 4-Pin? I also know about the upgrades to the BNC connections from TT2 to MS but…. at the moment… enough is enough… I’ll work on that after much more experience with the included cables. Anybody’s input about any aspect of this pairing will be most appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Icenine2]

Direct out of TT2. Headphone section is excellent. You won’t need a separate headphone amp

 

[godmax]

Okie Dokie… so… I’ve pressed the button on the TT2 with an MScaler. Gosh I was sweating after doing that! Arriving tomorrow afternoon. Exciting none the less One question for all the owners and those who have experience with these beasts. Am I best just listening direct from the TT2 via 6.3mm Jack to my Headphones or route it through a Headphone Amplifier to have all options of 6.3mm, 4.4mm and XLR 4-Pin? I also know about the upgrades to the BNC connections from TT2 to MS but…. at the moment… enough is enough… I’ll work on that after much more experience with the included cables. Anybody’s input about any aspect of this pairing will be most appreciated. Cheers!

Using the TT2 only as a DAC would be wasted potential in my opinion, since especially the headphone amp section is the value proposition. If you would really need 4-pin XLR for more power output, you could get a custom cable for the TT2.

 

[zen87192]

Direct out of TT2. Headphone section is excellent. You won’t need a separate headphone amp

Thanks Icenine2. Even with all this talk about ‘balanced XLR’ for headphones? I see you have Wave Streams Dual BNC’s…. Really make a difference?

 

[zen87192]

Using the TT2 only as a DAC would be wasted potential in my opinion, since especially the headphone amp section is the value proposition. If you would really need 4-pin XLR for more power output, you could get a custom cable for the TT2.

Hi, I’m indeed using the combo as my High End Headphone Amplifier. Am just curious as to the 6.3mm performance against a XLR 4-PIN Balanced Headphone out (which Chord doesn’t have).