Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[paul2qute]

It's my dad's birthday today, he would of been 79 today, died 7th of Dec last year, I don't half miss him, a true man in a total different league from me,rest in peace dad, I'll always play the music you loved x

 

[JaZZ]

If you want to run the Susvara or HE6 with a slight bass boost, the extra power may indeed be necessary to reach higher SPL levels without distortion. The iFi Micro iDSD BL puts out 10V vs. the 9V from the HTT2 (SE output) and the BL clips with the bass boost on with the Susvara at higher volume levels. I'd definitely consider giving the HTT2 an audition though, as if it can run the Susvara well it would fit my needs well.

You must be crazy! And it's certainly more than a «slight» bass boost. During my Susvara audition it sounded fine driven by the DAVE (at –5 dB and below – with music normalized to –0.005 dB), and I didn't miss any bass – nor do I with my HE1000.

Nice avatar, BTW!

 

[Amberlamps]

It's my dad's birthday today, he would of been 79 today, died 7th of Dec last year, I don't half miss him, a true man in a total different league from me,rest in peace dad, I'll always play the music you loved x

Sorry to hear about your Dad Paul.

I have no words.

Put on some music that he liked and raise a glass to him.

You takecare.

 

[musickid]

I have a strange reservation about saving my dosh over the summer for a TT2. Everyone mentions endgame. Supposing a year from now you have some wealth would not the temptation to sell TT2 and add 4k for a dave not creep in. If an mscaler is released how could you settle once and for all on an mscaler plus TT2. So my point is that we say endgame now but doesn't that really mean endgame can only be dave plus mscaler as the not knowing of what or if of superior music reproduction will keep on biting. How is everyone rationalising this. For me at least TT2 is a massive investment and if i could add an mscaler later on that would be the icing on the cake but what about the rest? i.e. what about dave and an mscaler. I hope members can make me understand this. I want the end game so i can get on with enjoying the music but....mojo plus pm1 sounds stunning and i am enjoying the music like never before now so TT2 must transport you to somewhere else. Dave is out of my reach now but what about if i get that job next year. I'm certainly over qualified for it. Will any of this detract me from aiming for a TT2.....no. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Rob Watts]

my question for rob, I remember Dave xlr not having enough power (low enough output impedance) to drive headphones or speakers. has it changed with Hugo tt2 ? if XLRs of tt2 are capable to drive speakers , then how the balance topology of tt2 is different than dave ?

Dave just has a ultra low THD op-amp OP stage for the negative OP; TT2 enjoys the exactly the same amplifier as on the single ended outputs - the high power discrete OP stage plus the second order analogue noise shaper. The intent with Dave was to drive power amp inputs only; with TT2 it's for passive loudspeaker loads, or crazy headphones, or driving power-amps. And I still can't get over how linear the OP is with 20 Hz at 12W - no change in distortion at all with the load added or not. I actually had to create a new load, as my standard 8 ohm loads distorted too much - so my new loads use PTFE solid core wiring, no crimp/screw down terminals and only soldered joints. The balanced XLR drive is capable of 18W RMS into 8 ohms at 1% THD.

So, for a hard to drive headphone such as the HE6 or Susvara, is it possible (with an adapter) to run the headphones out of the rear XLR's of the HTT2? Or am I misunderstanding?

Yes use an adaptor. Or better still, get your HP cable re-terminated with XLR's.

 

[Triode User]

I have a strange reservation about saving my dosh over the summer for a TT2. Everyone mentions endgame. Supposing a year from now you have some wealth would not the temptation to sell TT2 and add 4k for a dave not creep in. If an mscaler is released how could you settle once and for all on an mscaler plus TT2. So my point is that we say endgame now but doesn't that really mean endgame can only be dave plus mscaler as the not knowing of what or if of superior music reproduction will keep on biting. How is everyone rationalising this. For me at least TT2 is a massive investment and if i could add an mscaler later on that would be the icing on the cake but what about the rest? i.e. what about dave and an mscaler. I hope members can make me understand this. I want the end game so i can get on with enjoying the music but....mojo plus pm1 sounds stunning and i am enjoying the music like never before now so TT2 must transport you to somewhere else. Dave is out of my reach now but what about if i get that job next year. I'm certainly over qualified for it. Will any of this detract me from aiming for a TT2.....no. Any thoughts appreciated.

People say end game but the reality is that the world moves on. End game now might sound the best ever but in a while after several months or a year or so then put it beside the latest offering and it will not sound as good. What to do? Either buy the best you can afford and that puts a smile on your face when you listen to it and then stop reading all hi fi magazines and forums. If it puts a smile on your face now then it will do the same in 5 years but only if you jump off the upgrade roundabout. Otherwise be prepared to keep on spending money because there will always be something newer and better.

For me, I tend to try to keep speakers and amplifiers for significant amounts of time. Until I changed recently I still used the same amps and speakers that I bought in the 1990’s. However I am resigned to changing digital gear every 18 months or so.

Can you be brave and buy your end game Chord product and then sign off from Head Fi?

 

[ZappaMan]

I have a strange reservation about saving my dosh over the summer for a TT2. Everyone mentions endgame. Supposing a year from now you have some wealth would not the temptation to sell TT2 and add 4k for a dave not creep in. If an mscaler is released how could you settle once and for all on an mscaler plus TT2. So my point is that we say endgame now but doesn't that really mean endgame can only be dave plus mscaler as the not knowing of what or if of superior music reproduction will keep on biting. How is everyone rationalising this. For me at least TT2 is a massive investment and if i could add an mscaler later on that would be the icing on the cake but what about the rest? i.e. what about dave and an mscaler. I hope members can make me understand this. I want the end game so i can get on with enjoying the music but....mojo plus pm1 sounds stunning and i am enjoying the music like never before now so TT2 must transport you to somewhere else. Dave is out of my reach now but what about if i get that job next year. I'm certainly over qualified for it. Will any of this detract me from aiming for a TT2.....no. Any thoughts appreciated.

Say you got 3k for it - in two years on a trade in, having had it in your possession would only have cost £41 per month, or £1.30 per day(1000 / 24 months / 30 days).

So that affordable in that sense and even sounds like good value.

Imagine it more as a lease, you wont have this device for more than 3 years. I know people who lease fairly expensive cars, would cost a lot more then this indulgence.

Although flip side, next time audition the device and you may actually find you’ve reached end game and don’t need it.

 

[Triode User]

Say you got 3k for it - in two years on a trade in, having had it in your possession would only have cost £41 per month, or £1.30 per day(1000 / 24 months / 30 days).

So that affordable in that sense and even sounds like good value.

Imagine it more as a lease, you wont have this device for more than 3 years. I know people who lease fairly expensive cars, would cost a lot more then this indulgence.

Although flip side, next time audition the device and you may actually find you’ve reached end game and don’t need it.

Your logic is good and puts into a weeky/monthly cost perspective. You are right that many people do not blink at leasing a car for £1,000 per month.

For the calculations though, the TT2 price is £4,000 so a realistic hit after 2 years is 50% ie £2,000 over 730 days = £2.74. Still not bad.

 

[musickid]

Many thanks Triode User//ZappaMan.

For Rob, I've covered this ground before but i still need some clarification here. I find it very difficult to find headphones that provide comfortable listening for many hours at a time with exceptional sound quality. I settled on the oppo pm1 at 1100 pounds. Before you stated the TT2 isn't all about power as high sensitivity headphones would benefit from the 2nd order noise shaper and the 90k plus taps. However above is a reference to TT2 and its capability for "driving crazy headphones". If my 32 ohm high sensitivity easy to drive oppo headphones were my primary headphone to use with TT2 would TT2 be overkill for me in this regard? (Of course in the future i may purchase cans which come under the hard to drive category but that time hasn't come yet). Many thanks mk.

 

[tonyl59]

MK, like you, I’m a PM-1 owner. I’ve tried, and sometimes owned, a few high-end headphones recently (Utopia, SR-009, LCD-4, HD800) and just keep coming back to the Oppos. For me, they just have the right balance. Others may excel at certain areas, but ultimately I’ve had to conclude that I prefer the PM-1 for comfortable listening. I’m about to order the TT 2, but also wonder whether I’m doing the right thing. I’ll be retiring in the next couple of years and won’t be able to justify continuing outlay on head-fi gear so I’m looking at the TT 2 as my “end game”. Decisions, decisions....!

 

[Whazzzup]

TT1 for me has been end game for three years for me, could still be end game, if I never clicked another head fi article on a product update I’d be fine, really. Sure it’s not Dave and it’s not tt2 but seriously, tt checks all the boxes, tt2 just gives you a thicker marker for all the boxes...

 

[tonyl59]

Well, my period of indecision was rather short; I’ve just pre-ordered the TT2 in silver. Luckily I have a shed-load of stuff to part-exchange which will cover 80% of it. I’m hoping it will be a great match for my LCD-4s (and Oppo PM-1s, of course!).

 

[GreenBow]

People say end game but the reality is that the world moves on. End game now might sound the best ever but in a while after several months or a year or so then put it beside the latest offering and it will not sound as good. What to do? Either buy the best you can afford and that puts a smile on your face when you listen to it and then stop reading all hi fi magazines and forums. If it puts a smile on your face now then it will do the same in 5 years but only if you jump off the upgrade roundabout. Otherwise be prepared to keep on spending money because there will always be something newer and better.

For me, I tend to try to keep speakers and amplifiers for significant amounts of time. Until I changed recently I still used the same amps and speakers that I bought in the 1990’s. However I am resigned to changing digital gear every 18 months or so.

Can you be brave and buy your end game Chord product and then sign off from Head Fi?

TT1 for me has been end game for three years for me, could still be end game, if I never clicked another head fi article on a product update I’d be fine, really. Sure it’s not Dave and it’s not tt2 but seriously, tt checks all the boxes, tt2 just gives you a thicker marker for all the boxes...

In reply to end-game chat:

When I bought the Hugo 2 I had thoughts that it is end-game.

I based that on the fact that the Hugo 2 is just brilliant. However on reflection, the Mojo was brilliant too, and for a long time I felt no need for more. Owning the Hugo 2 now shows me what more there was possible. The Hugo 2 was better in ways I had not even thought. (As well as being overall/all-round much better.)

However I can also improve my Hugo 2, through buying better kit to play on. Like my amp and speakers were albeit class leaders, but still budget kit. My headphones are kind of blah. Like for now I could invest in some serious speaker cable and get a step up from my kit. Making the Hugo 2 sound better.

I find upgrading the rest of my audio kit, a very slow process though. Like for example, speaker cable. On What HiFi list of best buy speaker cable, there one cable at £5, the next £10, the next £15, then the next £750. (I already own the £10/m one.) ... The point being however, is what to choose next. Going from £10/m to £750/m - really! .... There's no help in choosing. HiFi Choice are bit all over the place whe trying to find advice on ranges of speaker cable etc.

Upgrading the amplifier and speakers is also equally as tricky, for other reasons. I need speakers which are small. An amplifier needs to be bang on neutral. Plus I'd like one that doubles output power at half impedance load.

Yet when I went from Mojo to Hugo 2, the upgrade over amp and speakers was clear, evident, and huge. I think the Hugo 2 could be end-game for me, if I could get the right partnering kit. (Funnily enough I am very happy as it is now, with Rega Brio 2017, and Emit M10.) ... It's likely the Hugo 2 is the best source I ever owned as well. Previously the best source I had was a Rega Planar 3.

Yet an upgrade to a TT 2 would most likely be another substantial upgrade. Taking it closer to end-game via a different route to upgrading amp and speakers. Basically taking source closer to the real thing. Closer to the original analogue signal. Closer to it being like the artists were plugged into your amp and speakers.

Sorry everyone, I know I am waffling. Just that I have spent a lot of time thinking about this. Is it end-game or not. I am convinced the Hugo 2 is potentially end-game of me. However, it's almost impossible to imagine what the TT 2 or DAVE could bring.

 

[vincent1]

Speakers - guys my speakers are gallo strada and brochure says 90db efficiency if I remember correctly. No large woofer in these, quite the opposite.

Not sure if this falls in Rob’s version of efficient?

Any suggestions on how well TR2 would drive these in a mid-sized lounge room?

Thanks

 

[alota]

When I bought the Hugo 2 I had thoughts that it is end-game.

I based that on the fact that the Hugo 2 is just brilliant. However on reflection, the Mojo was brilliant too, and for a long time I felt no need for more. Owning the Hugo 2 now shows me what more there was possible. The Hugo 2 was better in ways I had not even thought. (As well as being overall/all-round much better.)

However I can also improve my Hugo 2, through buying better kit to play on. Like my amp and speakers were albeit class leaders, but still budget kit. My headphones are kind of blah. Like for now I could invest in some serious speaker cable and get a step up from my kit. Making the Hugo 2 sound better.

I find upgrading the rest of my audio kit, a very slow process though. Like for example, speaker cable. On What HiFi list of best buy speaker cable, there one cable at £5, the next £10, the next £15, then the next £750. (I already own the £10/m one.) ... The point being however, is what to choose next. Going from £10/m to £750/m - really! .... There's no help in choosing. HiFi Choice are bit all ver the place whe trying to find advice on ranges of speaker cable etc.

Upgrading the amplifier and speakers is also equally as tricky, for other reasons. I need speakers which are small. An amplifier needs to be bang on neutral. Plus I'd like one that doubles output power at half impedance load.

Yet when I went from Mojo to Hugo 2, the upgrade over amp and speakers was clear, evident, and huge. I think the Hugo 2 could be end-game for me, if I could get the right partnering kit. (Funnily enough I am very happy as it is now, with Rega Brio 2017, and Emit M10.) ... It's likely the Hugo 2 is the best source I ever owned as well. Previously the best source I had was a Rega Planar 3.

Yet an upgrade to a TT 2 would most likely be another substantial upgrade. Taking it closer to end-game via a different route to upgrading amp and speakers. Basically takign source closer to the real thing. Closer to the original analogue signal. Closer to it being like the artists were plugged into your amp and speakers.

Sorry everyone, I know I am waffling. Just that i have spent a lot of time thinking about this. Is it end-game or not. I am convinced the Hugo 2 is potentially end-game of me. However, it's almost impossible to imagine what the TT 2 or DAVE could bring.

interesting point of view. personally, i´m not rich so a purchase of hugo tt2 is hard for me. but i consider some points: a good system needs one dac and one amplifer plus interconnect cable and power cable. with the due caution to inferface weel the various elements of the system. i had hugo and mojo(plus several stuffs in the past) and now i prefere only one device.if i´ll buy an headphone easy to drive, hugo 2 would be enough. but hugo tt2 drives(in theory)all kind ofheaphones. so, from my point of view, hugo tt2 is an end game because it´s a dac, digital preamplifier, amplifier for speakers and for pratically all headphones. just in one little case