Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread
Oct 16, 2019 at 11:32 AM Post #7,381 of 18,851
The TT1 didn't have 48K taps. It had 26K, same as Hugo 1.

TT2 is more than a bit better than TT1

Oops sorry, mea culpa, that's correct in both cases imho.

But in spite of its superiority powerwise over Hugo,TT never really interested me much.
All it did for me at auditions was showing how lacking in power and not so well isolated as I think it should have been in the first place, imho,my HUGO actually was.

But paying an additional 3k or so for more power and superior isolation against nasties,but basically the same dac in a bigger box?
No,not for me anyway.

TT2 is slightly different toy though. I am actually a bit tempted by it.

If I can get one second hand at a good enough price I'd probably buy one just for the added power. And no need for a separate headphone amp.

But currently I am quite happy with my compromise Qutest/HMS.
To me that combo does some of the most important things in "filling in the digital gaps" with my music better than even DAVE on its own does for me.

TT2 is a clear improvement over Qutest both on its own 48k against 98k taps? Correct me if I'm wrong again. I am just going from memory here.

And even better with an HMS. But not big enough an improvement to have me even consider buying a TT2 over an HMS first.
But that's just me and my preferences...
As the saying goes, YMMV.
Cheers CC
 
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Oct 16, 2019 at 11:39 AM Post #7,382 of 18,851
TT was and still is the sweet spot in the chord line. don't get swayed by taps and other crap. Listen to it, put a fantastic server on it and you are end game. 4 reels and 4 cheap. TT is not just a bigger box with better isolation. I can't take the dish anymore on TT. it stands up to the whole chord line, sans dave as i won't test it.
The chord line is big enough for lots of price entry points and self justification of spending is up to each of us. TT is a value beast monster. Just feed it right and proper slap a HP amp on if you got something to scale, just saying.
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 12:00 PM Post #7,383 of 18,851
TT was and still is the sweet spot in the chord line. don't get swayed by taps and other crap. Listen to it, put a fantastic server on it and you are end game. 4 reels and 4 cheap. TT is not just a bigger box with better isolation. I can't take the dish anymore on TT. it stands up to the whole chord line, sans dave as i won't test it.
The chord line is big enough for lots of price entry points and self justification of spending is up to each of us. TT is a value beast monster. Just feed it right and proper slap a HP amp on if you got something to scale, just saying.
I couldn’t agree more.
The TT1 is so much more than a Hugo in a ‘posh frock’.
Although I have TT2 now, I do still miss TT1 sometimes, more than I thought I would.
OK, TT1 is a bit of an ergonomic ‘nightmare’. The DAC mode on TT2 stops me having to fiddle around with the volume control on startup, and it’s volume up/down buttons on the remote changed the input selections too on my Linn Klimax Kontrol preamp (my own problem, I know), but overall it’s the best ‘bang for the buck’ in the Chord line. Especially now used prices are around £1.4k.
‘Long live the TT1!’, I say.
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 12:35 PM Post #7,384 of 18,851
TT+HMS combo when feeding directly to a good power amp makes even the most expensive vinyl gear redundant. I can say that because i listened to a very high end Kronos turn table. The beauty of tt2+HMS combo is that you don't have to depend on vinyl of native analog recordings to get that live feel, it converts pure digital recording into a live performance, it is so good. Many a times my known have commented that how realistically live is the music is through this combo.
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 1:32 PM Post #7,385 of 18,851
TT+HMS combo when feeding directly to a good power amp makes even the most expensive vinyl gear redundant. I can say that because i listened to a very high end Kronos turn table. The beauty of tt2+HMS combo is that you don't have to depend on vinyl of native analog recordings to get that live feel, it converts pure digital recording into a live performance, it is so good. Many a times my known have commented that how realistically live is the music is through this combo.
I’ve tried everything I can to resist the HMS. It looks like I might have to succumb...
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 2:44 PM Post #7,386 of 18,851
I’ve just caught up on the last few pages and my summary would be:

All the Chord DACs sound great.

People have different preferences and tastes, as with most things in life.

And remember, there’s a whole forum out there that focuses on Audio and Science and Reviews who think we’re all mad anyway for spending more than £200 on a DAC. Everything is relative!
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 5:02 PM Post #7,387 of 18,851
Hmm, imho like ALL Chord Dacs the TT2 also needs an MScaler to sound convincing to me.

Yes of course TT2 has got clearly more power than ANY other Chord DAC.

But inspite of the 90k+ taps over 48k with TT, H2 and Qutest, the TT2 alone still sounds a bit "digital" to me.

Without an MScaler I honestly wasn't THAT impressed by it comparing it in depth both with H2/Qutest and DAVE.
I'd still say that for me to be happy with the dac on its own, the only Chord dac that would come into question for me, would be DAVE.
But even DAVE without an M Scaler sometimes reveals audible limitations to me with densely scored large scale acoustic music.
Strings and percussion as always the most easily detectible areas when things go astray.
Hardening of tone and lacking correct tone colours, and instrumental timbre not quite right are areas where even DAVE can fall a bit short at times.

But even with my humble Qutest/HMS combo I can listen to rbcds for hours and hours on a daily basis, without fatique something not even DAVE on its own is capable of delivering for me.
And certainly not TT2 or any of the others that can use an HMS on their own.

To my ears DAVE can sound absolutely superb and very transparent and realistic with 24/96 pcm and higher rates but not as convincing with DSD or 16/44.1
But adding an MScaler to DAVE basically equals PCM SOTA.
To me and the way I hear things, there is no doubt whatsoever that the MOST important ingredient in the current Chord menu,is the MScaler.
It very notably improves both H2/Qutest, TT2 AND DAVE imho.

Cheers CC
Also take care of draning away the rfi/emi is crucial for digital audio imo. It litterly sounds like distortion when you ever unhear it and know how it sounds and it masks sound information. The atlas mavros grun rca cables did it for me with power adapter leading it to ground outlet, from the source streamer that is feeding my hugo2. It very notably improved H2. I dont think TT2 is more resistant or Dave against this rfi/emi.

Maybe something for Rob Watts to consider to try to build there products with more rfi/emi rejection built in.
 
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Oct 16, 2019 at 8:04 PM Post #7,388 of 18,851
I guarantee you aint heard anything like the sotm neo(I have a special double clocked version) + Roon nuc... you are unfortunately still in the muddy swap of a generalist PC... there is now zero doubt ZERO about the power of this separate dedicated audio computer chain.
So are you saying this near revelation you are hearing is because of the Sotm neo, or the Roon Nuc, or the combination? It appears that a lot of TT2 owners are, or were using computers as their source, which I moved away from years ago. I have a Naim Core holding all my music (over 2000 albums), it is hard wired (Ethernet) to a Cisco 2960 switch, which is hard wired (Ethernet) to my router. I also have a Naim NDS streamer connected to the 2960 switch (Ethernet) for internet radio and Tidal if I want to subscribe. The BNC out of the NDS goes directly into my TT2, and I feed my speakers directly off the TT2. Am I missing something here in my setup? I think it is isolated quite well, and sounds fantastic, but I keep reading about all these Nuc’s and Sotm devices being a revalation, so how do I know if I am already there, so to speak, without diving into this rabbit hole, buying all these gizmo’s, and trying them out?
I have no desire to use Roon, the Naim App works fine for my needs., maybe I should just stop reading this forum, and enjoy what I have.
 
Oct 16, 2019 at 8:15 PM Post #7,389 of 18,851
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Oct 17, 2019 at 2:00 AM Post #7,393 of 18,851
Yes, millions of albums and the latest music. A streaming service such as Tidal will fix that. I have lots of music on a hard drive, but do I ever listen to it any more? No.
I have internet radio for discovering new music, there are thousands of stations available in all genres, I tend to listen to about 15 regularly, mostly in Naim’s Choices. I am not into renting music, or renting software to look through it, but that’s just me, I had Tidal for a year, got rid of it.
 
Oct 17, 2019 at 2:45 AM Post #7,394 of 18,851
Also take care of draning away the rfi/emi is crucial for digital audio imo. It litterly sounds like distortion when you ever unhear it and know how it sounds and it masks sound information. The atlas mavros grun rca cables did it for me with power adapter leading it to ground outlet, from the source streamer that is feeding my hugo2. It very notably improved H2. I dont think TT2 is more resistant or Dave against this rfi/emi.

Maybe something for Rob Watts to consider to try to build there products with more rfi/emi rejection built in.
Unlike your H2, TT2 features a fully galvanically isolated Type 2 USB input, and uses the 5V USB power rail to fully isolate the TT2 against EMI/RFI nasties.
There really are no other measures that are needed, apart to ensure the 5V USB power supply is in play.
 
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