[Slim1970]

Fresh out the box with only a few hours on it, I’m definitely loving the detail I’m hearing with TT2. However, just like my Hugo 2 when it was brand new, IMO Chord dac analog output sections need some break-in time to sound their fullest and smoothest. To my ears, Hugo 2 was so thin and brittle sounding the first 50-100hrs it was borderline unlistenable, but recently at over 300hrs it was so much more fleshed out and smooth I almost didn’t wanna sell it to buy TT2. It was that good. TT2 isn’t nearly as problematic fresh from the box but I’m definitely hearing that new amp brittle sound that fades over time. Anyway, here’s a few pics I took on this rainy southern California morning..

Nice setup, do you think you've reach endgame with the WA33 and TT2?

 

[kyle1010]

Nice setup, do you think you've reach endgame with the WA33 and TT2?

Thanks. Getting there yeah. All that’s left is Abyss Phi or Phi TC and some WA33 upgrade tubes. I’m more about tonality than transparency so I have to be really careful with upgrades cuz they can be expensive fullness downgrades at this point. Like I’ve heard the HMS with TT2 but to my ears the added transparency takes away from the rich tonality of TT2 by itself ever so slightly just like Dave seemed to do which is why I sold the Dave. Even Abyss is headed in that direction so as much as I want to jump on their new TC, I seriously have to go hear it first at CanJam to make sure it’s not gonna sound all light and feathery.

 

[alota]

Thanks. Getting there yeah. All that’s left is Abyss Phi or Phi TC and some WA33 upgrade tubes. I’m more about tonality than transparency so I have to be really careful with upgrades cuz they can be expensive fullness downgrades at this point. Like I’ve heard the HMS with TT2 but to my ears the added transparency takes away from the rich tonality of TT2 by itself ever so slightly just like Dave seemed to do which is why I sold the Dave. Even Abyss is headed in that direction so as much as I want to jump on their new TC, I seriously have to go hear it first at CanJam to make sure it’s not gonna sound all light and feathery.

Really thank for this post. Appreciated your objectivity

 

[styler]

i'm having a curious problem with my HugoTT. i use it with Ayre AX-5 Twenty and every so often when i change the volume on the Ayre with its remote it causes the Hugo TT to switch inputs. when this first started happening i could simply go to the Hugo TT and change input back - no big deal. however, last time this happened changing input back didnt work... weird. it still works BUT although i am feeding sound to the Hugo TT via coax yet the digital display says its playing thru bluetooth. in short the stated input on the Hugo is incorrect. i contacted chord and they werent very helpful and also failed to offer to repair this. anyone have a similar experience with incorrect input displayed?

 

[wdh777]

So when I pull out my headphones and go from HP mode to DAC mode the unit cycles through and displays -5L. What is -5L?

 

[dawktah2]

Hugo TT2 IMPRESSIONS

Part 1

I've decided to break my impressions into parts to give others time to maybe confirm my findings.

Volume levels

Technique: Used Radio Shack SPL with CD against right ear cup, meter over hole.

High gain into ETHER FLOW open and Aeon closed.

-35 averages 78-80 dB gives safely 16+ hours of listening time

-30 my preferred listening level

-22 averages 85-86 dB or 8 hours of listening time before hearing loss

-18 averages 95 dB 1 hour or less before hearing loss.

Oddly, Aeon closed was very similar in level until -18 where it read 2dB lower than ETHER FLOW, anyone know why?

As stated earlier in thread I like XFD1 as well when listening to recordings pre-Dolby. On headphones Naima doesn't sound right unless it's on XFD1. Otherwise turned off.

What this experiment has shown me is I'll probably avoid any product from now on that doesn't give some type of numerical volume indication. Rare but it's easy to increase volume as your ears adapt to levels that can cause damage.

The filters I can hear changes in sound but my time is too short to give an impression.

So far VERY impressed overall with one MAJOR complaint. Between the two headphones I'm preferring closed back. The transparency and detail comes out more with closed to me. Aeon soundstage is much wider now and sounds like ETHER did before TT2. Why is it a complaint? Well, now I'm going to spend $$$ on a new pair of closed back, maybe new Utopia closed (Stellia?).... Grumble

 

[musickid]

can tt2 be put into standby after use and switched off at the mains then powered back up again with no problem? if i go for a tt2 to compliment my hms i don't like leaving gear on or in standby when not in use. cheers mk

 

[ZappaMan]

can tt2 be put into standby after use and switched off at the mains then powered back up again with no problem? if i go for a tt2 to compliment my hms i don't like leaving gear on or in standby when not in use. cheers mk

Yes. It has a standby button. Yes, you can switch it off, then as corrected last week, when you turn it on at the mains, it comes on ready for action (ie not In standby).

 

[musickid]

brilliant thanks.

 

[ZappaMan]

brilliant thanks.

By switch it off I mean, switch off at the mains (plug socket)

 

[musickid]

yes that's what i wanted to confirm. thanks

 

[jarnopp]

Thanks. Getting there yeah. All that’s left is Abyss Phi or Phi TC and some WA33 upgrade tubes. I’m more about tonality than transparency so I have to be really careful with upgrades cuz they can be expensive fullness downgrades at this point. Like I’ve heard the HMS with TT2 but to my ears the added transparency takes away from the rich tonality of TT2 by itself ever so slightly just like Dave seemed to do which is why I sold the Dave. Even Abyss is headed in that direction so as much as I want to jump on their new TC, I seriously have to go hear it first at CanJam to make sure it’s not gonna sound all light and feathery.

I haven’t heard an mScaled TT2, but after a week with TT2, I’m finding the best thing is that it doesn’t come off as “hi-if” or splashy at all. It is very natural, warm (in an analog, non digital sense), textured and layered. Unlike the move from non-Chord dac to Mojo, where new things I’d never heard in familiar tracks kept popping up and amazing me, there is much less of that with TT2. What it does have is that much more engagement, on top of all the detail. I want to do a more detailed comparison between the two, but really don’t want to stop listening to TT2 to do so.

 

[Deftone]

I haven’t heard an mScaled TT2, but after a week with TT2, I’m finding the best thing is that it doesn’t come off as “hi-if” or splashy at all. It is very natural, warm (in an analog, non digital sense), textured and layered. Unlike the move from non-Chord dac to Mojo, where new things I’d never heard in familiar tracks kept popping up and amazing me, there is much less of that with TT2. What it does have is that much more engagement, on top of all the detail. I want to do a more detailed comparison between the two, but really don’t want to stop listening to TT2 to do so.

I used to think DAC/amp that measures incredibly well would equal sterile and analytical sound, obviously not the case with Chord.

 

[zappazappazappa]

So when I pull out my headphones and go from HP mode to DAC mode the unit cycles through and displays -5L. What is -5L?

-5L is the fixed level volume in DAC mode.

 

[Amberlamps]

Thanks. Getting there yeah. All that’s left is Abyss Phi or Phi TC and some WA33 upgrade tubes. I’m more about tonality than transparency so I have to be really careful with upgrades cuz they can be expensive fullness downgrades at this point. Like I’ve heard the HMS with TT2 but to my ears the added transparency takes away from the rich tonality of TT2 by itself ever so slightly just like Dave seemed to do which is why I sold the Dave. Even Abyss is headed in that direction so as much as I want to jump on their new TC, I seriously have to go hear it first at CanJam to make sure it’s not gonna sound all light and feathery.

TT2 is big, but it looks tiny compared to your other gear.

The light bulbs look nice.