Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[Kentajalli]

After reading more above, I am not sure anymore... :
1 - is XLR really the most powerful output I can get from TT2 ?

Yep, but waaay too much for headphones, good for speakers though! use headphone out.

- or is it the same with RCA ?

RCA is not as powerful, can still be too much for headphones. sound quality is on a par.

2 - then why should I choose XLR over RCA, or the opposite ?

If you have a balanced amp, use XLR. otherwise don't.

3 - or is the 6,35 SE output that I use (with a HQ adaptor to my 4.4 headphone cable) the cleanest and best output of TT2 ?

The 6.35 output is the cleanest headphone out, so is the 3.5 mm.

So only if answer to first question is Yes and tot third No, I will need recommendations for an adapter as described above
Thank you in advance

You are welcome.
Just use it as it comes, no need to modify the outputs.

 

[XP_98]

Yep, but waaay too much for headphones, good for speakers though! use headphone out.

RCA is not as powerful, can still be too much for headphones. sound quality is on a par.

If you have a balanced amp, use XLR. otherwise don't.

The 6.35 output is the cleanest headphone out, so is the 3.5 mm.

You are welcome.
Just use it as it comes, no need to modify the outputs.

Thank you for your answers.
I red that Mysphere can benefit from powerful amplification, and wanted to try by myself (at the cost of finding an adapter from dual XLR to 4.4 Pentaconn to plug my headphones cable...)...

 

[Kentajalli]

Hey guys Im very curious about blindtest but also to see the difference/benefits, if there are some with external amp for TT2

After about 300-500hours of burnin on the audio-gd he9 le(when I receive it) I want to make some test on TT2 regarding the outputs.

Burn in does nothing! it is just a myth. Audio-gd would be exactly the same before and after, assuming they made it well, which I am sure they did.
If it should change after burn-in it is faulty, send it back.

TT2/RCA -> headamp -> recording device
TT2/XLR -> headamp -> recording device
TT2/SE -> Recording device

If I get the time these two dacs will have the same tests:
RME DAC ADi-2 FS and iFi Audio iDSD Diablo

So the question is, the posibilites I have is to record into a soundcard Solid State Logic SSL2+, but it has a AD/DA/AKM as well so its not the best practice right?
-It has balanced TRS/XLR inputs.

 

[miketlse]

Thank you for your answers.
I red that Mysphere can benefit from powerful amplification, and wanted to try by myself (at the cost of finding an adapter from dual XLR to 4.4 Pentaconn to plug my headphones cable...)...

Don't rush things, and repent at leisure.
Most iems will produce 100dB for typically 100mW
Most headphones will produce 100dB for 1 or 2W
Some difficult to drive headphones require more power.

My point is don't rush and spend money to generate over 100dB for long periods, because you will be damaging your hearing.

 

[OCC7N]

Burn in does nothing! it is just a myth. Audio-gd would be exactly the same before and after, assuming they made it well, which I am sure they did.
If it should change after burn-in it is faulty, send it back.

I am sending all my dac/amps back...Sorry Arya you are going too

 

[GuiltyRocker]

I used to do that! it was calming.
I didn't do it violently, though.

Re Floyd:
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall

Hahahahahahahahaja

 

[BassicScience]

Perhaps this is because his class D amp measured well and he enjoyed that. Now, the review of his Mola Mola Tambaqui while positive was not really completely recommended, because of the price tag. What did Bruno have to say about that?

Read it for yourself from the horse's mouth, as it were.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Repost from Susvara thread, just want to add my finding:

Been tried Susvara many times, and own Chord TT2, but somehow I never tried Susvara direct from TT2. Until today.

Got loaned Susvara, with standard cable, pair it to TT2, both 6.3mm and (with effect audio converter) to XLR out on the back. I always curious what if I push more power to Susvara, with (almost) exact same quality of board audio component (can not do this if add external amplifier).

With my reference test song, and 6.3mm output, actually still enough volume, as I run it at -3H. For extended normal listening session my usual volume at -11H.

Result:
As expected, they much more similar than different, although not identical. XLR out push wider and deeper soundstage, with slight fuller body on Midrange and Bass. I can't really find any weakness of XLR Out compared to 6.3mm in this case. Use 6.3mm is still fine, but better depth staging and slight fuller vocal of XLR out win my heart (ok, only by slight margin though).

Susvara become the very first headphone I ever tried, that made me prefer XLR out of TT2 rather than its 6.3mm headphone out. For other headphones like Meze Elite, Diana TC, LCD-5, ZMF Verite, etc (many more), the 6.3mm always superior to me.

If my primary headphone is Susvara, I think I'll still want to add one good tube amp. Not about power, but more to synergise the sound character. (In fact tube amps that I like with Susvara produce smaller power than TT2).

 

[betula]

I always knew there are measurement freaks but was unaware of this ASR site until the recent posts in this thread.
It almost seems there is a deliberate attack against Chord gear (and higher priced DACs in general).

I have always been one of those folks who didn't care about measurements just picked what sounded good for their ears...
The best measuring gears to me (Chi-Fi) sound sterile and lifeless. Perhaps a lifelike sound includes some distortion? Perhaps true to life sound is a bit distorted versus a perfectly neutral and sterile reality?
I do not know the answers but I see the best measuring gears are not necessarily the most enjoyable ones. And then there is the method of measurements. Who is exactly measuring what and how?
Why can't we just enjoy what we hear and keep things simple instead of these literally bloody arguments?

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I always knew there are measurement freaks but was unaware of this ASR site until the recent posts in this thread.
It almost seems there is a deliberate attack against Chord gear (and higher priced DACs in general).

I have always been one of those folks who didn't care about measurements just picked what sounded good for their ears...
The best measuring gears to me (Chi-Fi) sound sterile and lifeless. Perhaps a lifelike sound includes some distortion? Perhaps true to life sound is a bit distorted versus a perfectly neutral and sterile reality?
I do not know the answers but I see the best measuring gears are not necessarily the most enjoyable ones. And then there is the method of measurements. Who is exactly measuring what and how?
Why can't we just enjoy what we hear and keep things simple instead of these literally bloody arguments?

Correct, Sinad and distortion things of measurement tell nothing about sound. Include the fact lower distortion also has no correlation to make sound become clinical.

Mola Mola Tambaqui beat most of Topping and SMSL DAC in term of measurement, and at the same time, Mola is one of the most organic and full body sounding DAC I ever heard (yes, even more than TT2 in this case).

 

[OCC7N]

What adapter(effect audio converter) did you use?

- I also had my Susvara on -3H on TT2 and -13H for Arya

I wonder if the soundstage still opens up when ext. headamp is connected.

 

[betula]

Correct, Sinad and distortion things of measurement tell nothing about sound. Include the fact lower distortion also has no correlation to make sound become clinical.

Mola Mola Tambaqui beat most of Topping and SMSL DAC in term of measurement, and at the same time, Mola is one of the most organic and full body sounding DAC I ever heard (yes, even more than TT2 in this case).

I am not in the position of testing $10K gear casually so can't comment on the Mola Mola. (Which should be a sunfish, right?)
I was fortunate enough to spend plenty of time with the Dave, but the DAC/amps I tried are from the sub $4K region in general.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

What adapter(effect audio converter) did you use?

- I also had my Susvara on -3H on TT2 and -13H for Arya

I wonder if the soundstage still opens up when ext. headamp is connected.

Just contact Effect Audio, they may build you customize converter

Yes, soundstage open up even bigger when I tried to pair with Formula S/Powerman, Cayin HA300-II, and Ultrasonic Oblivion). Soundstage become smaller when paired with Topping A30 Pro. So I think the answer is depend on which amp you use.

I am not in the position of testing $10K gear casually so can't comment on the Mola Mola. (Which should be a sunfish, right?)
I was fortunate enough to spend plenty of time with the Dave, but the DAC/amps I tried are from the sub $4K region in general.

Haha yeah, the funny looking sunfish Well for other example, something like Singxer SA-1 sounds warmer and more organic than Topping A90, while Singxer has a little better measurement).

 

[OCC7N]

Just contact Effect Audio, they may build you customize converter

Yes, soundstage open up even bigger when I tried to pair with Formula S/Powerman, Cayin HA300-II, and Ultrasonic Oblivion). Soundstage become smaller when paired with Topping A30 Pro. So I think the answer is depend on which amp you use.



Haha yeah, the funny looking sunfish Well for other example, something like Singxer SA-1 sounds warmer and more organic than Topping A90, while Singxer has a little better measurement).

Ooh wow! Im excited now. Thanks for the info

…I always hear soundstage opens with audio-gd amps. So I am double excited

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

I always knew there are measurement freaks but was unaware of this ASR site until the recent posts in this thread.
It almost seems there is a deliberate attack against Chord gear (and higher priced DACs in general).

I have always been one of those folks who didn't care about measurements just picked what sounded good for their ears...
The best measuring gears to me (Chi-Fi) sound sterile and lifeless. Perhaps a lifelike sound includes some distortion? Perhaps true to life sound is a bit distorted versus a perfectly neutral and sterile reality?
I do not know the answers but I see the best measuring gears are not necessarily the most enjoyable ones. And then there is the method of measurements. Who is exactly measuring what and how?
Why can't we just enjoy what we hear and keep things simple instead of these literally bloody arguments?

Its a misconception that ultra low distortion always equals harsh and clinical sound, the same as speakers and headphones "need" tons of power to perform best but it still gets pushed anyway...