[GuiltyRocker]

TT2 is not your usual DAC + Amplifier combo. There is no separate amplification board on TT2. What you heard from headphone out and rca out practically are the same. So to answer your question, TT2 is a great dac, not a great amp. For 1266 TC there is a room for improvement if you can find an amplifier that synergise well with the rest of your system.

Personally, a good external amp is more important factor to pair with TT2 rather than m-scaller. Other people may have different opinion ofc.

I do both, I added an M Scaler and I use a Parasound JC-5 stereo amplifier, I listen using speakers.

 

[Meridian7]

Adding an external amp to the TT2 ....audio resolution will always suffer doing that....there is no reason to add an external amp.

The 'suffering' can be deliberately wanted like coloration on purpose, then that is a valid reason, some put a tube amp after Dave.
You're right that it won't make it more precise.

 

[AussieMick]

Resolution is not everything.

 

[Whazzzup]

Antipodes-TT-wa33 EE- sonic biblical bliss. if I followed the chord script I’d have never known. Use these companies as you see fit. Don’t buy the dogma of intra company superiority. Course unless you like that

 

[Meridian7]

I'm pretty sure that coloring of a near perfect base is something different than color because of lack of a good base.

Artists often deviate from their academic perfected base, so they have a grounded scaffold from where to execute artistic freedom, this cannot be mimicked by someone skipping the base drill. Not in writing, painting, music making, ..... and music reproducing electronics, imho.
That said, my Burson 3XP soloist ain't coloring Chord well to my taste, the Rebelamp does a nicer stroke of coloring, listening a lot un-colored pure Chord output though.

 

[gnomen]

Adding an external amp to the TT2 means you're further away from the source signal so audio resolution will always suffer doing that.

I've seen this stated many times and particularly by Rob Watts, as the designer. It makes complete sense. But ...

Many years back I bought a Mark Levinson No. 94 CD and DAC. It had more than enough output to drive a power amp directly. ML had designed it with a volume control so it could be used for that purpose. Nevertheless, adding the Mark Levinson No. 380 pre-amp improved the sound noticeably. It defied logic. It doubled the price. But I had to believe what my ears told me. BTW it wasn't about "colouring" the sound. It was just better sound.

So I have learned that the listening experience trumps engineering logic. Another approach Rob Watts champions. My advice is, listen first, then decide!

 

[jarnopp]

I'm pretty sure that coloring of a near perfect base is something different than color because of lack of a good base.

Artists often deviate from their academic perfected base, so they have a grounded scaffold from where to execute artistic freedom, this cannot be mimicked by someone skipping the base drill. Not in writing, painting, music making, ..... and music reproducing electronics, imho.
That said, my Burson 3XP soloist ain't coloring Chord well to my taste, the Rebelamp does a nicer stroke of coloring, listening a lot un-colored pure Chord output though.

To make another tortured art/photography analogy… The artist can do what they like with color and shape, which is what makes it art (or music). The photographer in trying to accurately capture that art should try to be as accurate as possible in getting the color and other aspects correct. That’s music reproduction. You may prefer slightly different/brighter or whatever colors in your photographic reproduction, but it will be further from the original. Not necessarily not as good, but certainly more different.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

I've seen this stated many times and particularly by Rob Watts, as the designer. It makes complete sense. But ...

Many years back I bought a Mark Levinson No. 94 CD and DAC. It had more than enough output to drive a power amp directly. ML had designed it with a volume control so it could be used for that purpose. Nevertheless, adding the Mark Levinson No. 380 pre-amp improved the sound noticeably. It defied logic. It doubled the price. But I had to believe what my ears told me. BTW it wasn't about "colouring" the sound. It was just better sound.

So I have learned that the listening experience trumps engineering logic. Another approach Rob Watts champions. My advice is, listen first, then decide!

I use a Preamp between my TT-2 and amp, and I prefer it that way as well.

 

[T Bone]

I recently picked up a "preloved" Hugo TT 2 and an M-Scaler and have been thoroughly impressed!

My fascination with Chord started a years ago with a dealer demo that had a Qutest paired with an M-Scaler. I was impressed just how good their "entry level" DAC sounded and how good it could perform when fed an upsampled signal. (I bought a Qutest that week) Eventually my primary listening moved from my headphone rig, to my 2-channel system. My Qutest sounded very good in that system. ...but I wanted more and found a deal on an M-Scaler. Being thoroughly impressed with that, I wanted to see what "more taps" would sound like and replaced the Qutest with a Hugo TT2.

Moving up to the TT2 I noticed more resolution, more space. For the first time, I noticed "height" in some recordings. I am thoroughly impressed my TT 2

 

[GuiltyRocker]

I recently picked up a "preloved" Hugo TT 2 and an M-Scaler and have been thoroughly impressed!

My fascination with Chord started a years ago with a dealer demo that had a Qutest paired with an M-Scaler. I was impressed just how good their "entry level" DAC sounded and how good it could perform when fed an upsampled signal. (I bought a Qutest that week) Eventually my primary listening moved from my headphone rig, to my 2-channel system. My Qutest sounded very good in that system. ...but I wanted more and found a deal on an M-Scaler. Being thoroughly impressed with that, I wanted to see what "more taps" would sound like and replaced the Qutest with a Hugo TT2.

Moving up to the TT2 I noticed more resolution, more space. For the first time, I noticed "height" in some recordings. I am thoroughly impressed my TT 2

I also started with the Qutest, in fact I still have it even though I moved on to the TT-2. Love that little DAC, to me it trashes very expensive DACs out there.

 

[jjazzy]

which sbooster is recommended for the tt2 and mscaler? I read mixed signals? just the 15V version? or different voltage? I can get a nice second hand deal with a 15v version, but now worried that can cause problems? something with overvoltage risk with the mscaler and 15v?

 

[GuiltyRocker]

which sbooster is recommended for the tt2 and mscaler? I read mixed signals? just the 15V version? or different voltage? I can get a nice second hand deal with a 15v version, but now worried that can cause problems? something with overvoltage risk with the mscaler and 15v?

According to Rob Watts none of that stuff is recommended, just use the stock power supply. The TT-2 also filters due to its Super Caps.

 

[Meridian7]

I agree for TT2 the supercaps are top. But for MS there are people (like me) preferring a battery or good LPS.

 

[tomjacob]

which sbooster is recommended for the tt2 and mscaler? I read mixed signals? just the 15V version? or different voltage? I can get a nice second hand deal with a 15v version, but now worried that can cause problems? something with overvoltage risk with the mscaler and 15v?

15 volt and I've gone s booster ultra with both m scaler and tt2 and it sounds so much better, ignore Rob Watts. The bloke goes off on one like he designed it. If you do go Ultra, s booster recommends switching it to 16 volts but the Tt2 lights up like Blackpool illuminations so stick to the 15 volt setting. If you do decide getting the S booster and it blows up, don't tell chord as it will affect your warranty

 

[jjazzy]

15 volt and I've gone s booster ultra with both m scaler and tt2 and it sounds so much better, ignore Rob Watts. The bloke goes off on one like he designed it. If you do go Ultra, s booster recommends switching it to 16 volts but the Tt2 lights up like Blackpool illuminations so stick to the 15 volt setting. If you do decide getting the S booster and it blows up, don't tell chord as it will affect your warranty

So the 15v sbooster is fine for mscaler and tt2 thanks