[Whazzzup]

It will always work, plugged in.

 

[OK-Guy]

What-HiFi Chord Hugo TT2 link: https://www.whathifi.com/news/chord-unveils-hugo-tt-2-dacheadphone-amp-high-end-2018

Say hello to a new member of the Choral range the Étude power-amplifier - What-Hi-Fi link: https://www.whathifi.com/news/chord-electronics-launches-new-choral-etude-power-amplifier

 

[514077]

For example, PS Audio's Redcloud update. And its worth mentioning the success of Schiit's upgrade strategy with the Yggdrasil Analog 2 and USB Gen 5 hardware and firmware updates. The market has demonstrated it will pay for upgrades and owners want modular platforms-- to some degree the anticipation of a standalone M-Scaler further demonstrates this.

I don't believe PS charges for FW upgrades for their DACs.

 

[Triode User]

I don't believe PS charges for FW upgrades for their DACs.

Correct, they don’t. On the other hand they had to have several goes to try to get the firmware right where Dave hit the nail straight on the head first time and doesn’t need an upgrade. As RW has said, it is the best and will still be the best for the foreseeable future. IMHO Dave is still better than the PS Audio dac even with its free upgrades.

You pay your money and take your choices.

 

[514077]

Correct, they don’t. On the other hand they had to have several goes to try to get the firmware right where Dave hit the nail straight on the head first time and doesn’t need an upgrade. As RW has said, it is the best and will still be the best for the foreseeable future. IMHO Dave is still better than the PS Audio dac even with its free upgrades.

You pay your money and take your choices.

And, PSAudio runs by DSD. Chord by PCM.

 

[T Bone]

Everyone has missed emphasizing the TT2's biggest feature: the frigging 7.3Watts into a nominal 8ohm output for driving any 96ohm or better efficient speakers!

For a headphone amp that's an insane amount of power!

 

[Jawed]

Correct, they don’t. On the other hand they had to have several goes to try to get the firmware right where Dave hit the nail straight on the head first time and doesn’t need an upgrade. As RW has said, it is the best and will still be the best for the foreseeable future. IMHO Dave is still better than the PS Audio dac even with its free upgrades.

You pay your money and take your choices.

There's a reason Rob abandoned the tech that PS Audio is using, back in the 1990s.

 

[meomap]

And, PSAudio runs by DSD. Chord by PCM.

Chord cannot do native DSD?

 

[Rob Watts]

What is the voltage output (in Vrms) for the xlr output on the back?

Just over 18V RMS at 1% THD - amp mode - DAC mode its 5V RMS.

Hi Rob,

And a big thank you for designing such amazing stuff! As a music lover and scientist I really like your approach. I have been using the 2Qute for almost three years now and I am still amazed about the details it is able to retrieve.

I use the 2Qute with an old Cyrus Two amplifier combined with its PSX power supply and Rogers LS3/5a speakers. I love the LS3/5a’s live-like reproduction of voices and can easily live with its drawbacks in the bass department.

When I read your comments on the Hugo TT2 I could not help to wonder if it would be possible to drive the LS3/5a’s (11 Ohm version) directly from the TT2? From what I understand they’re not the easiest load. I tried the 2Qute directly driving the speakers but while vocals sounded very good, the 2Qute on its own seemed to lack control over the speakers with more complex material.

Kind regards,
John

The LS35a are 82 dB with 1W, so you should get 98 dB out of them - which may be enough, depending upon how loud you need and your room size.

So, for my understanding Hugo TT 2 use improved six capacitors that charge when plug into the mains. Will the capacitors lose their capacity with time and need replacing or will always work as long as plugged in? So there is no internal battery at all, so Hugo TT 2 will not work away from the mains?
Other the above questions I really like the specifications and the new improved design. Well done once again Rob, John and the whole team from Chord Electronics.

Yes if you turn it off, it will shutdown in about 10 seconds, so it's not like a battery. But super-caps can supply huge currents for short bursts, which is what I want them for. Also, a large value cap plus a large value inductor (as in TT2) gives the lowest possible noise, so we get better than battery dynamic current performance, plus a batteries very low noise, without any fear of them needing to be replaced.

 

[514077]

Chord cannot do native DSD?

Yes, both DSD and PCM. but PS does its processing all in the DSD format. Search for Rob's posts on DSD vs PCM.

 

[GreenBow]

Just over 18V RMS at 1% THD - amp mode - DAC mode its 5V RMS.

Please, is there a way to lower output lower? Like we can alter the output of the Hugo 2. Or like we reduced Mojo output to 2V with your recommended four-clicks-down. (As I did when I had a 2V input on active speakers.)

I run my Hugo 2 at line level out pretty much, which I think is set to 3V. I would worry that if I ran at 5V, that I would lose some sensitivity on the volume wheel of my amplifier. My amp and speakers sit on my desk 'near field' so to speak. It means that I very often only use low volume and slight turns of the amplifier volume wheel.

I would prefer to have that option, because a higher input of 5V, would mean less turn on the amplifier volume. The situation being that my amplifier is engaging enough at low volume. However maybe I wouldn't want to lower the gain on it. Meaning because the DAC input went up, from Hugo 2 3V, to Hugo TT2 5V.

I like to have a bit of movement on my amplifier volume wheel. Like when I want to fine tune volume. Plus if I upgrade my amplifier, it will likely be more powerful, because they generally are. Meaning I will lose some of that volume wheel turning range. ............. I don't know, maybe you are suggesting don't use the amplifier. Just plug speakers into the Hugo TT2.


Here's hoping. Fingers crossed.


Really though I have long thought, Rob and John should get a knighthood or something. What they have done for digital music, is not matched by anyone else. It saves the absolute clutter of buying vinyl, and the hassle of using vinyl. I know they earn their money and get paid for it. However what Rob and John have achieved together is pioneering.

 

[dmance]

Yes, both DSD and PCM. but PS does its processing all in the DSD format. Search for Rob's posts on DSD vs PCM.

Pls check the finer details. Both chord and PSAudio process internally at multi-bit high frequency rates. They differ on their input handling of DSD/PCM perhaps and certainly at the final conversion of bits to volts. I don't dismiss differences in SQ based on the approach but what Rob goes on about mostly is the encoding of music in 1-bit DSD vs 16-bit PCM ...and the improved ability of PCM to capture details. Rob Watts final conversion to analog uses his noise shaped pulse array approach whereas Ted Smith uses filtering of a noise shaped 1-bit stream.
Anyhow, I know both market their DACs with buzzwords but it's important to not over-simplify the approach used.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

So I can buy one Hugo TT2 or 2-3 Yggdrasils.

K.

 

[musicday]

So I can buy one Hugo TT2 or 2-3 Yggdrasils.

K.

I will go with the first. The technology they use is very advanced. Better investment in my opinion.

 

[Triode User]

Please, is there a way to lower output lower? Like we can alter the output of the Hugo 2. Or like we reduced Mojo output to 2V with your recommended four-clicks-down. (As I did when I had a 2V input on active speakers.)

I run my Hugo 2 at line level out pretty much, which I think is set to 3V. I would worry that if I ran at 5V, that I would lose some sensitivity on the volume wheel of my amplifier. My amp and speakers sit on my desk 'near field' so to speak. It means that I very often only use low volume and slight turns of the amplifier volume wheel.

I would prefer to have that option, because a higher input of 5V, would mean less turn on the amplifier volume. The situation being that my amplifier is engaging enough at low volume. However maybe I wouldn't want to lower the gain on it. Meaning because the DAC input went up, from Hugo 2 3V, to Hugo TT2 5V.

I like to have a bit of movement on my amplifier volume wheel. Like when I want to fine tune volume. Plus if I upgrade my amplifier, it will likely be more powerful, because they generally are. Meaning I will lose some of that volume wheel turning range. ............. I don't know, maybe you are suggesting don't use the amplifier. Just plug speakers into the Hugo TT2.


Here's hoping. Fingers crossed.


Really though I have long thought, Rob and John should get a knighthood or something. What they have done for digital music, is not matched by anyone else. It saves the absolute clutter of buying vinyl, and the hassle of using vinyl. I know they earn their money and get paid for it. However what Rob and John have achieved together is pioneering.

Simple. Just turn the volume down on TT2 so the output voltage suits your amp and gives you a useful volume range on your amp volume control.