Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[GreenBow]

It’s true that a speaker’s impedance will vary quite widely depending on which frequencies it is producing. We can say the speaker has a “nominal” impedance of 4/6/8 ohms. What that mean is the speaker’s impedance will not be below the nominal stated ohms for the majority of the time.

It’s not accurate to say that the lower the frequency of sound, the lower the impedance of the speaker. The impedance will vary depending on which frequencies are played, but it doesn’t mean that the impedance at 50 Hz is lower than at 1 KHz for example.

That graph is interesting. I never saw it before, and only read about it explained in words. The explanation I read, overlooked the impeadance peak that graph shows at about 30Hz. Just a quick google and I found that's due to 'back-emf'. Have to thank you so much, for this.

You prompted me and I googled this. …. "speaker impedance and frequency response". I took the following link, and read about it. http://education.lenardaudio.com/en/05_speakers_3.html

While it might seem off topic to still be discussing this, it's actually seriously not. That's because some of us are driving our speakers directly with the TT2. (Plus the principle applies to headphones too.)

Understanding this has relieved me of some worry that I had driving my speakers from TT2. I was thinking the impedance continued to fall and fall, with frequency into the bass sub-bass region. It left me thinking if I was driving speakers with the TT2 volume at e.g. 0dB. Would I be straining the current delivery; super-capaitors aside? It certainly did not sound that way, as the TT2 gripped bass like a vice.

Whereas the reality is not so. (No need to explain that further, given we can see this in the graph.) Briefly though, the reality is impedance is more likely to rise about the nominal impedance, thus reducing current necessity.

It means it has resolved stress for me. It means will be happier leaving my speakers on my TT2 now, rather than wondering about an amplifier for current.

A powerful amp is mostly about the current capability.

Not sure that's entirely true. Powerful amps are generally regarded as ones which produce lots of volume. They give higher voltages than less powerful amplifiers. The relevance of current is what's been discussed above, but of course relevant to a powerful amp.

 

[jarnopp]

Good morning team!

Trying to fully evaluate the Chord Hugo tt2 I bought a few weeks ago, I would like to ask if you have found any differences in sound performance between xlr and rca connections.

How do you rate the two connections?

Regarding the filters, depending on your source (I.e., if you are using hi-res files) you may or may not hear a difference between filter 1 and 2. But generally, the difference between filters 1/2 and 3/4 is audible. Try playing some high quality music on filter 4 for a while and click once to go to filter 1. That should provide the maximum difference you will hear.

As to the outputs, you can wire the XLR connections to be SE or balanced. I assume you are asking about balanced. If you have an headphone (e.g., HE-6, Susvara, or maybe LCD4 or Heddphone) that requires more power/current, then they can sound better. However, the SE is generally more than adequate and sounds great. I do use the XLRs to drive efficient speakers (and the RCAs the sub), so it’s convenient to have them. But it means I’m generally too lazy to change the connections and end up driving HE-6 and Heddphone from the front headphone jack and it sounds great.

 

[Whazzzup]

I don't get what's taken over TT threads and susvara threads. You don't tap the XLR out or the RCA out for HP. They are for the appropriate balanced out or se out for pre amplifiers. Now the official interpretation of which is better or preferred out, its RCA because chord dacs are SE, and XLR creates another conversion analog point.
now that means squat to a true balanced out amplifier nor to the 4 pin balanced cable looking to power ones headphones and for that i have tested and couldn't tell the difference. Xlr is better for my amp and my sound and its fantastic,

 

[Triode User]

I don't get what's taken over TT threads and susvara threads. You don't tap the XLR out or the RCA out for HP. They are for the appropriate balanced out or se out for pre amplifiers. Now the official interpretation of which is better or preferred out, its RCA because chord dacs are SE, and XLR creates another conversion analog point.
now that means squat to a true balanced out amplifier nor to the 4 pin balanced cable looking to power ones headphones and for that i have tested and couldn't tell the difference. Xlr is better for my amp and my sound and its fantastic,

Likewise when I had a TT2 I always used XLR out because my power amp is a properly configured balanced design so XLR is better for it and RCA is the poorer sounding option. It’s a matter of horses for courses.

 

[varadero xl1000v]

Sorry for the post I wrote in my native language. The force of habit!!!

 

[varadero xl1000v]

Regarding the filters, depending on your source (I.e., if you are using hi-res files) you may or may not hear a difference between filter 1 and 2. But generally, the difference between filters 1/2 and 3/4 is audible. Try playing some high quality music on filter 4 for a while and click once to go to filter 1. That should provide the maximum difference you will hear.

As to the outputs, you can wire the XLR connections to be SE or balanced. I assume you are asking about balanced. If you have an headphone (e.g., HE-6, Susvara, or maybe LCD4 or Heddphone) that requires more power/current, then they can sound better. However, the SE is generally more than adequate and sounds great. I do use the XLRs to drive efficient speakers (and the RCAs the sub), so it’s convenient to have them. But it means I’m generally too lazy to change the connections and end up driving HE-6 and Heddphone from the front headphone jack and it sounds great.

It's my fault that I didn't explain exactly what I wanted to say in my first post about the XLR connection. I apologize for that. My question about connecting xlr and rca EXCLUSIVELY concerns the connection of Dac Chord with the integrated amplifier for driving floor speakers. I'm not talking about headphones. I had to be clear from the beginning. Sorry. Is there a setting in the dac with which the user selects the exit for, xlr or rca?

 

[Whazzzup]

No there isn’t a selection for xlr or rca they are used as fix line out or not.

 

[jarnopp]

It's my fault that I didn't explain exactly what I wanted to say in my first post about the XLR connection. I apologize for that. My question about connecting xlr and rca EXCLUSIVELY concerns the connection of Dac Chord with the integrated amplifier for driving floor speakers. I'm not talking about headphones. I had to be clear from the beginning. Sorry. Is there a setting in the dac with which the user selects the exit for, xlr or rca?

All the rear outputs (XLR and RCA) are active whenever there is not a headphone plugged into any of the front HP outputs.

 

[ZappaMan]

All the rear outputs (XLR and RCA) are active whenever there is not a headphone plugged into any of the front HP outputs.

Deleted

 

[varadero xl1000v]

All the rear outputs (XLR and RCA) are active whenever there is not a headphone plugged into any of the front HP outputs.
[/QUOTE]
Ok. I saw that it does not exist. Thank you for your replies. Tomorrow I will do a critical hearing between rca & xlr expenses and I will write the (subjective) results.

 

[Hooster]

Not sure that's entirely true. Powerful amps are generally regarded as ones which produce lots of volume. They give higher voltages than less powerful amplifiers. The relevance of current is what's been discussed above, but of course relevant to a powerful amp.

The relationship between power, voltage and current has already been discussed and explained. A powerful amp at a given impedance is an amp that produces a large amount of watts into that impedance. For this reason good manufacturers of amplifiers publish test results showing how many watts their products can produce for a given impedance. This helps buyers to ascertain whether or not that amp is suitable for driving their speakers. Armed with the knowledge of how many decibels a speaker produces for an input of one watt (the efficiency), the impedance of a speaker and the amount of power an amplifier can produce into that impedance a consumer can know whether or nor said amplifier is suitable. Of course this can be viewed as a starting point and a more thorough buyer may wish to consider things like an amplifiers damping factor and ideally try an amplifier out with his speakers in his own listening room, before buying it.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/understanding-wattage-speaker-efficiency-amplifier-loudness

Example:

 

[alexl993]

Regarding the filters, depending on your source (I.e., if you are using hi-res files) you may or may not hear a difference between filter 1 and 2. But generally, the difference between filters 1/2 and 3/4 is audible. Try playing some high quality music on filter 4 for a while and click once to go to filter 1. That should provide the maximum difference you will hear.

As to the outputs, you can wire the XLR connections to be SE or balanced. I assume you are asking about balanced. If you have an headphone (e.g., HE-6, Susvara, or maybe LCD4 or Heddphone) that requires more power/current, then they can sound better. However, the SE is generally more than adequate and sounds great. I do use the XLRs to drive efficient speakers (and the RCAs the sub), so it’s convenient to have them. But it means I’m generally too lazy to change the connections and end up driving HE-6 and Heddphone from the front headphone jack and it sounds great.

Which XLR Y-cable are you using to run the HEDDphones of the rear XLR outputs? I read elsewhere it's critical that the adapter has the correct pin configuration.

 

[musickid]

in order for the usb galvanic isolation to "work" on tt2 or hms 5v is needed on the incoming usb cable.

 

[roskodan]

Wondering about balanced headphone output on the Hugo TT 2, I read the manual, and from what I could tell the balanced analog outputs on the back are also the headphone power outputs (as well as signal / preamp, to connect to an amp)? While front panel headphone outputs are single ended only? So basically it's just one and the same output buffer for signal and power output, like on the regular Hugo?

 

[Whazzzup]

yes