Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread
Oct 20, 2019 at 8:20 PM Post #7,486 of 18,855
I agree measurements are not everything but they are important at the prices we’re talking. On a slightly related note, did anyone else see the measurements they just took over on that site for the PS Audio Perfect Wave Direct Stream DAC? Ouch for PS Audio! If it measures even half as bad as they found, I feel very sorry for all those owners who dropped $6000+ on one.

Chord may not be popular over on that site, but at least they reluctantly acknowledge that Rob Watts is a capable designer.

I feel sorry for the PS Audio designer as he seems like a nice enough guy, but if it really measures that bad, then charging what they are for it is really awful.

as an owner of chord products and the ps audio DAC I say nonsense...complete nonsense...the PS Audio is an outstanding DAC and one of the very best out there for the money
 
Oct 20, 2019 at 10:28 PM Post #7,487 of 18,855
I really wish everybody actually tried different cables out and found out if there was a difference or not, as opposed to just reading something (BTW, the Cat 8 do sound better).

you can’t measure everything. How do you measure the length of a soundstage other than hearing it in your mind? How do you measure the image the sound makes without using your mind?
 
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Oct 21, 2019 at 1:07 AM Post #7,488 of 18,855
I thought the issue was only the remote. That additional issue of usb playback stopping working after some time seems a little related to the issue of remote stopping working after some time...
If you can't go to your dealer to test it there, I think you should return your TT2.
But don't think bad of TT2, it works great, you just had bad luck it seems.


I don’t think tt2 is anywhere near bad, very happy with the sound. Just bit doubtful with the QC of chord

For a device that charge at this price I wasn’t expecting any trivial problems like this to occur.

I am trying to get a replacement because i do suspect my unit was used (there was no plastic sealer on the screen with some scratches on the screen too)

Thank you for your advice and wish your tt2 best of it’s ‘health’
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 2:25 AM Post #7,489 of 18,855
hi all

Anybody using the xlr port to connect headphone ?

Does it sound differently? I am driving ether 2 with +3~+7H so wondering what if I try balenced output of tt2

I know it’s been discussed a lot after the p2q incident

So how to connect those pin safely?

Do i leave the pin 1 disconnect and wire pin 2, pin 3 to r+r- l+l-

Or else ? Is there an official way to convert the 3pin xlr to a 4pin xlr?

Thanks
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 2:33 AM Post #7,490 of 18,855
Interestingly the article says there is a difference in sq between network cables, which I wasn’t expecting it to say, but good to learn a bit about the nature of the signal transfer.
Healthy scepticism helps everyone.
If you read the article conclusion, the author says it was almost impossible to hear differences in testing scenarios, when RJ-45 cable was used as network cable. Opposite to scenario, when it was used as I2S connection. It shows the importance of the transfer protocol, where the TCP/IP is self correcting, thus even the cheapest cable works well. That very small difference may (just my idea - not scientifically proved) be accounted to the fact that higher ethernet standards (CAT7, CAT8) are shielded, which in fact may give worse results, because it allows to transfer some RFI noise from the source or router to the end point, while CAT5 UTP is unshielded and provides so much wanted galvanic isolation almost for free. You can find more posts from Miska at Audiophile style on this topic. He, author of HQ Player, recommends UTP (unshielded twisted pair) ethernet cables.
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 4:15 AM Post #7,491 of 18,855
If you read the article conclusion, the author says it was almost impossible to hear differences in testing scenarios, when RJ-45 cable was used as network cable. Opposite to scenario, when it was used as I2S connection. It shows the importance of the transfer protocol, where the TCP/IP is self correcting, thus even the cheapest cable works well. That very small difference may (just my idea - not scientifically proved) be accounted to the fact that higher ethernet standards (CAT7, CAT8) are shielded, which in fact may give worse results, because it allows to transfer some RFI noise from the source or router to the end point, while CAT5 UTP is unshielded and provides so much wanted galvanic isolation almost for free. You can find more posts from Miska at Audiophile style on this topic. He, author of HQ Player, recommends UTP (unshielded twisted pair) ethernet cables.
This is EXACTLY what dCS say on the matter!

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/wireworld-starlight-cat8-connector-problem/54689/16?u=martin_kelly

The crux is, AVOID anything but ‘bog standard’ UTP!
 
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Oct 21, 2019 at 7:49 AM Post #7,493 of 18,855
With TT2 I was always trying to decide, should I run speakers direct or use an amplifier. For ages I used an amp, and now am running speakers direct.

The perfect solution is however both, in a sense. We can't run the TT2 and the amplifier straight into the back of speakers. I wanted to run an amplifier though for using another DAC sometimes. Like for YouTube, or even watching DVDs and BR etc. I know TT2 is better for films, but to be fair the Qutest is easily good enough.

Anyway the logical solution is:
  • run an amplifier, using the RCA from the TT2
  • also though, have some XLR to speaker plugs or female speaker plugs

When using XLR adapters with TT2, then it would mean moving speaker cables from amplifier to the adapters. Or an alternative of XLR with speaker plugs on means swapping over cables at the speakers.

I think I will run with this idea. It seems like the best solution.


On reflection, before I started driving speakers direct, I was totally happy with my amp and speakers. Driving speakers directly is another level though. Using this dual system, means I can have both. Although, I would be happy with an amplifier forever. Even with an amplifier in the system, the TT2 is still stunning, and more than I ever hoped for.
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 8:08 AM Post #7,494 of 18,855
hi all

Anybody using the xlr port to connect headphone ?

Does it sound differently? I am driving ether 2 with +3~+7H so wondering what if I try balenced output of tt2

I know it’s been discussed a lot after the p2q incident

So how to connect those pin safely?

Do i leave the pin 1 disconnect and wire pin 2, pin 3 to r+r- l+l-

Or else ? Is there an official way to convert the 3pin xlr to a 4pin xlr?

Thanks


How loud are you listening? I rarely turn my TT2 up that high and I am driving the ABYSS AB-1266 PHI TC which is a much harder to drive headphone. I would think that at +7H the ether would be deafening.
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 8:36 AM Post #7,495 of 18,855
How loud are you listening? I rarely turn my TT2 up that high and I am driving the ABYSS AB-1266 PHI TC which is a much harder to drive headphone. I would think that at +7H the ether would be deafening.

Yeah I agree, I have Ether Flow and listen -30 to -27, that seems REALLY loud!
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 12:10 PM Post #7,499 of 18,855
How loud are you listening? I rarely turn my TT2 up that high and I am driving the ABYSS AB-1266 PHI TC which is a much harder to drive headphone. I would think that at +7H the ether would be deafening.

I do prefer a bit of sound pressure to enjoy music, i like experiments rock and stuff like that which does not go very loud on its own. If i need a bigger sound stage and better detail i have to tune up the volume a little bit. Ether 2 is not particularly easy to drive
 
Oct 21, 2019 at 12:48 PM Post #7,500 of 18,855
What are you using for your speaker system. The TT2 paired with my Ab1266 tc bests my speaker system in terms of resolution. This is not by a huge amount but enough to be heard. My speakers a re really resolving to begin with as well.
Kef r300 fed by ahb2 power amp in low gain mode which in turn fed by tt2+HMS ( tt2 also in low gain mode ) offcourse headphones can't emulate the imaging of speakers but hd650 did not seem to have any dip which was felt slightly in speaker response may be due to crossover network. But speakers projected the image like a open window. I felt ahb2 to be ultra transparent gain multiplier which simply increase the output to what you feed it, without adding it's own color. It sounds warm if the source is warm, cold if the source is cold. With tt2+HMS it sounds naturally warm with enormous resolution.
 
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