Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[silversurfer616]

Nice, I always say let your ears lead the way. I want to hear the Pro iCan Signature. It’s a really great unit.

I had the Pro before but the Signature is better, I would say. Most of all the Susvara sounds really good with it, especially with the tube option.

 

[Slim1970]

I had the Pro before but the Signature is better, I would say. Most of all the Susvara sounds really good with it, especially with the tube option.

I owned the OG Pro iCan too. From what I’ve read about the Signature version it does indeed seems like an upgrade in sonics.

 

[ra990]

Here we go...ASR review is in https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/chord-hugo-tt2-review-dac-hp-amp.36745/

Pretty respectable this time around...

 

[OCC7N]

Here we go...ASR review is in https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/chord-hugo-tt2-review-dac-hp-amp.36745/

Pretty respectable this time around...

Channel imbalance. No need for equipment to hear that.

This must be the same “Dave” person who sent him a broken TT2.

Edit: 5dB difference. You have to be deaf on both ears not to hear the difference. Even 1-2 dB is obvious

My RME DAC FS measures way better. But my TT2 sounds way better. How do I measure that, because I am not saying it to justify my purchase….my iFi Diablo on the other hand has its own magic/life. Its alive….its like it has sucked all the either out of the music everything is 3D, how do you measure that?

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Channel imbalance. No need for equipment to hear that.

This must be the same “Dave” person who sent him a broken TT2.

Edit: 5dB difference. You have to be deaf on both ears not to hear the difference. Even 1-2 dB is obvious

My RME DAC FS measures way better. But my TT2 sounds way better. How do I measure that, because I am not saying it to justify my purchase….my iFi Diablo on the other hand has its own magic/life. Its alive….its like it has sucked all the either out of the music everything is 3D, how do you measure that?

Hi, can you elaborate on the TT-2 sounding way better than the RME? How exactly does it sound better? Just trying to understand as I also love the Chord sound and these "measurements" seem to be contradictory to what i hear.

 

[OCC7N]

Hi, can you elaborate on the TT-2 sounding way better than the RME? How exactly does it sound better? Just trying to understand as I also love the Chord sound and these "measurements" seem to be contradictory to what i hear.

Rme for me is “powdery” the highs are harsh, even after earth/ground cable upgrade(which does makes a positive difference)…not needed for TT2 even on the same placement as rme(bad shielding imo)

It has a thin signature and trying “too” hard to stay neutral. There is no meat to it.

TT2 on the other hand has the house sound imo and tells me straight away. “This is how I sound on all tracks” it highs already defined(few hours burnin)…not perfect on every track though, but the track that suits the signature is heaven.

I have heard people call TT2 abit dry on the high. I call it crispy, alien-sound, like from a movie scene, where you hear the creature

No matter what I throwed into the rme it was pretty boring. Even my active speakers(builtin powerful poweramps) was like waiting for something more. Adi2 doesnt have a body, like TT2, which also lacks bass but it is soo well balanced I dont need to turn the volume up to hear the whole “image” like I do on rme.

On RME I found myself tweaking the feature all the time, but as soon as I switch to TT2. I get the feeling these people/chord have spent hours of listening to tune this sound. This device has the measurment it need to deliver the engineers message.

I can hear the signature on every track. It is not trying to stay neutral. Its like a dsp thing going on. Mids are perfectly recessed. The upper lows have a sweet “compressor” it kicks at low volume levels, something I tried with rme/loudness, no success.

My only con is the TT2 does needs some venting holes. It gets abit warm imo. Its sealed like a apple laptop.

I mostly judge my equipment on drums as vocals are really hard. If a snare/kick/hihats sounds more open rather than narrow/harsh it gets my points. But its preference in the end in this pricerange.

Diablo is a freak compared to adi2. Sometime on certain tracks it feels like it has sucked all the air out of the “room” and elements feels visible/physical. It is not as balanced but this amp is fun and unpredictive where as the TT2 I might be able to pick it in a blindtest

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Rme for me is “powdery” the highs are harsh, even after earth/ground cable upgrade(which does makes a positive difference)…not needed for TT2 even on the same placement as rme(bad shielding imo)

It has a thin signature and trying “too” hard to stay neutral. There is no meat to it.

TT2 on the other hand has the house sound imo and tells me straight away. “This is how I sound on all tracks” it highs already defined(few hours burnin)…not perfect on every track though, but the track that suits the signature is heaven.

I have heard people call TT2 abit dry on the high. I call it crispy, alien-sound, like from a movie scene, where you hear the creature

No matter what I throwed into the rme it was pretty boring. Even my active speakers(builtin powerful poweramps) was like waiting for something more. Adi2 doesnt have a body, like TT2, which also lacks bass but it is soo well balanced I dont need to turn the volume up to hear the whole “image” like I do on rme.

On RME I found myself tweaking the feature all the time, but as soon as I switch to TT2. I get the feeling these people/chord have spent hours of listening to tune this sound. This device has the measurment it need to deliver the engineers message.

I can hear the signature on every track. It is not trying to stay neutral. Its like a dsp thing going on. Mids are perfectly recessed. The upper lows have a sweet “compressor” it kicks at low volume levels, something I tried with rme/loudness, no success.

My only con is the TT2 does needs some venting holes. It gets abit warm imo. Its sealed like a apple laptop.

I mostly judge my equipment on drums as vocals are really hard. If a snare/kick/hihats sounds more open rather than narrow/harsh it gets my points. But its preference in the end in this pricerange.

Diablo is a freak compared to adi2. Sometime on certain tracks it feels like it has sucked all the air out of the “room” and elements feels visible/physical. It is not as balanced but this amp is fun and unpredictive where as the TT2 I might be able to pick it in a blindtest

Thanks for the explanation, it seems a lot of these measurements-chasing DACs sound thin and have no meat to them, on Chord I hear body to the music and it doesn't fatigue my ears like other DACs do.

 

[OCC7N]

Thanks for the explanation, it seems a lot of these measurements-chasing DACs sound thin and have no meat to them, on Chord I hear body to the music and it doesn't fatigue my ears like other DACs do.

That was my biggest suprise after many hours with TT2. It was a pleasure, no fatigue at all!!!

 

[Kentajalli]

My only con is the TT2 does needs some venting holes. It gets abit warm imo. Its sealed like a apple laptop.

Since the casing is metal, whether it has holes or not, it looses heat. It would need vents if it required air-flow, otherwise, holes invite dust and moisture in!
BTW, MacBooks, do have vents built into them, and a fan or two to circulate air. they do get clogged up after a year or so, so if you have one, get it serviced.

 

[OCC7N]

Since the casing is metal, whether it has holes or not, it looses heat. It would need vents if it required air-flow, otherwise, holes invite dust and moisture in!
BTW, MacBooks, do have vents built into them, and a fan or two to circulate air. they do get clogged up after a year or so, so if you have one, get it serviced.

Talking about heat I just ordered the Audio-gd Master 9. It should get really hot I have read

My first pair with TT2. Im still abit hesitant of using the XLR outs of the TT2(Susvara) so I just bought(hp amp) what I think is the best purchase(output power) for the money I got left

 

[Somatic]

Talking about heat I just ordered the Audio-gd Master 9. It should get really hot I have read

My first pair with TT2. Im still abit hesitant of using the XLR outs of the TT2(Susvara) so I just bought(hp amp) what I think is the best purchase(output power) for the money I got left

Which one did you end up going with?

 

[Arnold Schwartz]

Video is up on YT

 

[Somatic]

These Chord reviews don't make me extremely happy. Sure he might not be measuring all the attributes that make these DACs sing but I would have liked better measurements in his tests as well. I had a TT2 and now a Dave + Farad3. Sounds amazing but I will admit I fell for that Chord Koolaid a bit as well. The name/recognition and Rob's methodology all sold me. Just not sure if I was duped or not. My ears say I wasn't but some measurements say I have. Never heard a Mola Mola, Bartok, Lina DAC/Clock, May but curious on how they sound ... especially the Mola Mola due to the excellent measurements.

 

[OCC7N]

Which one did you end up going with?

To my own surprise. I am actually scared of how often I changed my mind on this matter...audio-gd master 9. Last three month it had never, a single thought passed my mind. But today suddenly I fell into the reviews of it. Seeing all the analog/components, gives me the hope it will tele transport me into a analog room of sound

 

[OCC7N]

These Chord reviews don't make me extremely happy. Sure he might not be measuring all the attributes that make these DACs sing but I would have liked better measurements in his tests as well. I had a TT2 and now a Dave + Farad3. Sounds amazing but I will admit I fell for that Chord Koolaid a bit as well. The name/recognition and Rob's methodology all sold me. Just not sure if I was duped or not. My ears say I wasn't but some measurements say I have. Never heard a Mola Mola, Bartok, Lina DAC/Clock, May but curious on how they sound ... especially the Mola Mola due to the excellent measurements.

But then again measurements is BS the 5dB difference is faulty device.

I think the magic happens in the FPGA, on how it is implemented. Ofcourse the measurements do matter, but to a certain extent, a human one, not a robot.

I can confirm my own conclusion. TT2 sounds better than my ADi2. How much better, atleast twice.

There is something alot of these measurement hunters dont take into consideration(im suspicious)

Take the best measures device and see if you can listen to it for hours.

I think TT2 sound has been preserved and fine tuned for long listening hours.

This experience I have not met on ifi zen dac/can, adi2 or diablo.

TT2 is a massive upgrade for me.