Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[Jon L]

The Phi TC with the TT2 made me flinch in a good way, It was just insane.

I have Phi TC but never got to try it with TT2, which did drive Audeze LCD 2 just fine IME. So TT2 does not seem to lack power or control driving Phi TC as headphone amp? (presumably you drove it from front 1/4" headphone jack, not the rear XLR preamp outputs?).

As far as TT2, it seems like owners eventually end up with M-Scaler or are saving up for one
After reading a lot about Chord Dave and TT2, I get the impression Chord paid extra attention to the BNC digital inputs, and even without M-Scaler feeding the BNC inputs, I have seen some reviews mention they felt BNC input sounded better than the USB input in their systems. So trying out a well-made usb-to-spdif converter and feeding the TT2 via BNC may be something to try.

 

[MachineGunz]

I have Phi TC but never got to try it with TT2, which did drive Audeze LCD 2 just fine IME. So TT2 does not seem to lack power or control driving Phi TC as headphone amp? (presumably you drove it from front 1/4" headphone jack, not the rear XLR preamp outputs?).

As far as TT2, it seems like owners eventually end up with M-Scaler or are saving up for one
After reading a lot about Chord Dave and TT2, I get the impression Chord paid extra attention to the BNC digital inputs, and even without M-Scaler feeding the BNC inputs, I have seen some reviews mention they felt BNC input sounded better than the USB input in their systems. So trying out a well-made usb-to-spdif converter and feeding the TT2 via BNC may be something to try.

Yes I used the front 1/4 to drive them.

It sounded incredible.

First, When comparing the Burson conductor 3 to the Chord Hugo TT2 :

The Burson conductor 3 was maxed out by the Phi TC, I was running it on 96 and sometimes 99 and you couldn't go higher. So for that reason alone the conductor 3 isn't an option.

They still sounded great, They still had amazing bass impact but it was less clean and less detailed than the TT2. And it was a noticeable difference.

When comparing the TT2 to the Dave, mscaler, formula s and the powerman:

The TT2 had less control, It sounded messier, harsher & brighter / sibilant, The TT2 also didn't sound as full.

HOWEVER

It wasn't the same difference as it was going from the Burson conductor 3 to the TT2. It was a much smaller difference. It's a difference that I can happily live with because I am not missing out on that much.

Yes if money wasn't a problem for me I might have gone for that system just to get that extra detail and fullness, But again it's not a huge difference at all.


And the TT2 sounded as good or better as the Abyss stack - The formula s, powerman and the sagta dac.

For the TT2 to bring so much for literally almost 1/ 5 of the cost of the Dave system is insane!

The TT2 had amazing control of the drivers and he made the Phi TC and the LCD4 sing, Honestly that was insane.

With the LCD - 4 it was a match in heaven it was perfect! If the LCD-4 had the bass impact of the Phi TC I would rate them 100%.

 

[musickid]

do you think tt2 has the same control over easy to drive cans when compared to dave?

 

[Whazzzup]

1/5th the cost? In Canada tt2 is close to 50% the cost of Dave. And tt compared to tt2 at launch was 55% of the cost. I’m finding the price curve challenging from how cheap tt was at the time ( never realized it then)

 

[MachineGunz]

1/5th the cost? In Canada tt2 is close to 50% the cost of Dave. And tt compared to tt2 at launch was 55% of the cost. I’m finding the price curve challenging from how cheap tt was at the time ( never realized it then)

I compared the TT2 alone on it's own to the Chord Dave + Mscaler + Formula s amplifier + powerman power supply.

You are right the TT2 is close to 50% the price of the Dave.

do you think tt2 has the same control over easy to drive cans when compared to dave?

I honestly didn't compare them with easy to drive headphones.

But I am not as impressed with the TT2 and my LCD-X as I though I would be and the LCD-X are easy to drive.

 

[Sound Eq]

I compared the TT2 alone on it's own to the Chord Dave + Mscaler + Formula s amplifier + powerman power supply.

You are right the TT2 is close to 50% the price of the Dave.



I honestly didn't compare them with easy to drive headphones.

But I am not as impressed with the TT2 and my LCD-X as I though I would be and the LCD-X are easy to drive.

to be honest lcd x is not that of a great headphone that i would consider it a flagship, so u have a 5k usd dac amp, why not try some other totl headphones, such as hifiman he1000se or hifiman arya. If you keep focused on lcd x then expect you will maybe keep unsatisfied. Even if you adore your lcd x, then simply you have to 2 choices either sell your hugo tt2 and be happy with your lcd x on other dac amps, or simply sell your lcd x and get something that has great synergy with hugo tt2

 

[Super Angulon]

Can I connect xlr to one amp and rca to the other amp at the same time if I only turn on one amp at a time? I am also wondering what would happen if I turn on both amp in this case. Do one connector have a priority?

 

[alekc]

...and get something that has great synergy with hugo tt2

I am sure this has been asked a million times already but I would like to learn your personal favorite matching for tt2 since I am considering it as my main headphone amp. Thanks in advance.

 

[JTbbb]

Can I connect xlr to one amp and rca to the other amp at the same time if I only turn on one amp at a time? I am also wondering what would happen if I turn on both amp in this case. Do one connector have a priority?

I have had both connected to separate amps and have used one at a time. I’m fairly confident if you turned both amps on, you would have both operating.

 

[Sound Eq]

I am sure this has been asked a million times already but I would like to learn your personal favorite matching for tt2 since I am considering it as my main headphone amp. Thanks in advance.

here are my fav pairings

1- Hifiman He1000se -- perfect
2- hifiman he1000 v1--- perfect
3- Denon 9200-- perfect
4- Oppo Pm2-- its mid level but sounds good, not perfect as its limited in its performance

Those are to name a few, and many like the empyrean with it as well and audeze lcd 4z or mx4.

I had the mx4 and empyrean and sold both. Mx4 is miles ahead of lcd x, when i heard the lcd x which a friend of mine owns now, as I sold mine but it was not great with hugo tt2 and it is really not up there at all compared to the ones I mentioned. Just sell it and get something that is worth the hugo tt2 performance.

Also Arya sounds amazing on it as well.

I did not like hd800 with hugo tt2 at all but was good on other dac amp especially tube amps.

I tried Empyrean on many amps and dacs, but somehow I never liked it neither on hugo tt2 or other dac amps, and that is why I sold it

MX4 is a great headphone, somehow I regret selling it, but it does not come close to hifiman he1000se or v1

Its all bout synergy in the end, but lcd x i owned it 2 times, and it is not really that of a great headphone compared to all the ones mentioned in my post here, it was good few years back when most of the ones mentioned here were not available

 

[jarnopp]

Can I connect xlr to one amp and rca to the other amp at the same time if I only turn on one amp at a time? I am also wondering what would happen if I turn on both amp in this case. Do one connector have a priority?

It would work. Essentially, that is what I am doing with XLR driving speakers and the RCA going to a powered sub. Not using a second external amp for the main speakers, but you could. That should be easier on TT2 than driving speakers directly, since the amp would need lower voltage.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I am sure this has been asked a million times already but I would like to learn your personal favorite matching for tt2 since I am considering it as my main headphone amp. Thanks in advance.

Meze Empyrean, for dark and full-body sound which would be forgiving for bad recordings. Focal Utopia for slightly bright, but incredibly dynamic and detailed presentation, which could be harsh sometimes.

 

[Jon L]

The TT2 had less control, It sounded messier, harsher & brighter / sibilant, The TT2 also didn't sound as full.

With the LCD - 4 it was a match in heaven it was perfect! If the LCD-4 had the bass impact of the Phi TC I would rate them 100%.

I really wish to try the Abyss TC via TT2's rear XLR outputs, which I suspect will yield meaningful improvement over 1/4" jacks.

When I tried LCD-2 ($1K) and LCD-4Z ($4K) on TT2, I actually kind of preferred the LCD-2 presentation a bit more despite LCD-4Z having more upper-midrange/treble detail. There is just more earthy, liquid solidity to TT2/LCD2 combo. I wonder if Audeze's "easy-to-drive" versions have to make certain sonic compromises for sensitivity.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

I really wish to try the Abyss TC via TT2's rear XLR outputs, which I suspect will yield meaningful improvement over 1/4" jacks.

With 50 Ohm load TT2 provides 1,5W from SE and 6W from balanced outputs. 4x times more power should make a difference. I've tried HE6se with my TT2 and balanced output was much better.

 

[MachineGunz]

to be honest lcd x is not that of a great headphone that i would consider it a flagship, so u have a 5k usd dac amp, why not try some other totl headphones, such as hifiman he1000se or hifiman arya. If you keep focused on lcd x then expect you will maybe keep unsatisfied. Even if you adore your lcd x, then simply you have to 2 choices either sell your hugo tt2 and be happy with your lcd x on other dac amps, or simply sell your lcd x and get something that has great synergy with hugo tt2

Well I did try all of them, I have a thread about it.

I went to Amsterdam to see if TOTL is actually considerably better than my LCD-X.

The only headphones that took it to the next level were the LCD-4 and the Abyss Phi TC.

The TT2 sounded so good with them that I decided I can get it to use with my LCD-X and as a dac to my speakers, And save up for the Phi TC.

But the TT2 doesn't really impress me with the LCD-X.

The HEDDphone also sounded really good (out of the Burson Conductor 3, I didn't try them with the TT2) - They were like an upgraded pair of LCD-X - with better detail and impact. But the LCD-4 and the PHI TC were a level above that.

I am sure this has been asked a million times already but I would like to learn your personal favorite matching for tt2 since I am considering it as my main headphone amp. Thanks in advance.

For me the LCD-4 sounded perfect! The tonality was insanely balanced, detailed and full.

The Phi TC also sounded incredible on the TT2.

here are my fav pairings

1- Hifiman He1000se -- perfect
2- hifiman he1000 v1--- perfect
3- Denon 9200-- perfect
4- Oppo Pm2-- its mid level but sounds good, not perfect as its limited in its performance

Those are to name a few, and many like the empyrean with it as well and audeze lcd 4z or mx4.

I had the mx4 and empyrean and sold both. Mx4 is miles ahead of lcd x, when i heard the lcd x which a friend of mine owns now, as I sold mine but it was not great with hugo tt2 and it is really not up there at all compared to the ones I mentioned. Just sell it and get something that is worth the hugo tt2 performance.

Also Arya sounds amazing on it as well.

I did not like hd800 with hugo tt2 at all but was good on other dac amp especially tube amps.

I tried Empyrean on many amps and dacs, but somehow I never liked it neither on hugo tt2 or other dac amps, and that is why I sold it

MX4 is a great headphone, somehow I regret selling it, but it does not come close to hifiman he1000se or v1

Its all bout synergy in the end, but lcd x i owned it 2 times, and it is not really that of a great headphone compared to all the ones mentioned in my post here, it was good few years back when most of the ones mentioned here were not available

Yeah It's going to take me a few good months to save up for the Phi TC, But in terms of sound quality it was better than everything else. The only headphones that came close was the LCD-4 - But the LCD-4 was the pinnacle of "normal bass presentation". The Phi TC had this amazing insane bass presentation that doesn't exist on any other headphone.