Hugo TT 2 by Chord Electronics - The Official Thread

[rumorconsumer]

Totem Bison Tower - 8 Ohm.
I listen at a level from minus 6 to plus 6 (+10 maximum). The sound is completely controlled. The output is not balanced (from XLR pin 2 & pin 1. Pin 2 & pin 3 - 18 Watt - for headphones with higher impedance than the speakers, from 16 Ohm) - it is 7+ Watt at 8 Ohm.
https://t.me/hifi_chat/1754/5263

Nice ok!

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Acquired Totem Bison Tower. From TT2 sounds delicious! Powerful, detailed. Great depth of scene. Precise positioning of musicians.


Then I plan to prepare the room.

I really enjoy the sound of Totem speakers, my favorite dealer carries them and I've listened to most of their models, great speakers, enjoy!

 

[Mbarbieri]

I really don’t understand people have such bad experiences with usb to mscaler or tt2? Maybe I have a very clean source? Because I actually hear near to no difference and have a very extreme revealing system with flag ship amps and sonus faber?

I did a few tests and when listening to hi-res on Apple Music on iPhone 16 Pro Max connected to the M-Scaller via a Audioquest Forest USB B - USB C, the problem went away. Not sure if the problem was the streamer or the cable - cannot test further as I have sold the 2Yu/2Go.

 

[Froller]

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to connect my Chord TT2 DAC (paired with HMS) via XLR to two Topping B200 monoblock amplifiers. These amps are fully balanced and only accept XLR input.

When the amps are in low-gain mode, everything works fine (both low and high gain modes on the TT2 work without issues in this case).

The problem occurs when I switch both monoblocks to high-gain – they trip into protection, and not always simultaneously, at very low volume. I was advised to check for DC offset on the TT2's XLR outputs.

What I've tried so far (no success):
- Disconnecting the HMS
- Using both the TT2's stock PSU and an iFi PowerX supply
- Grounding the monoblocks' chassis

Any ideas what could be causing this? How should I troubleshoot further?

P.S. For context, B200s:
low-gain - 11.6 dB, sensitiviry 12.5 Vrms
high-gain - 22 dB, sensitiviry 3.9 Vrms

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to connect my Chord TT2 DAC (paired with HMS) via XLR to two Topping B200 monoblock amplifiers. These amps are fully balanced and only accept XLR input.

When the amps are in low-gain mode, everything works fine (both low and high gain modes on the TT2 work without issues in this case).

The problem occurs when I switch both monoblocks to high-gain – they trip into protection, and not always simultaneously, at very low volume. I was advised to check for DC offset on the TT2's XLR outputs.

What I've tried so far (no success):
- Disconnecting the HMS
- Using both the TT2's stock PSU and an iFi PowerX supply
- Grounding the monoblocks' chassis

Any ideas what could be causing this? How should I troubleshoot further?

P.S. For context, B200s:
low-gain - 11.6 dB, sensitiviry 12.5 Vrms
high-gain - 22 dB, sensitiviry 3.9 Vrms

Yes checking DC offset seems to be very good idea.
Also the obvious one, try different XLR source preamp/dac.

 

[Beyond The Blackwall]

Hi everyone!

I'm trying to connect my Chord TT2 DAC (paired with HMS) via XLR to two Topping B200 monoblock amplifiers. These amps are fully balanced and only accept XLR input.

When the amps are in low-gain mode, everything works fine (both low and high gain modes on the TT2 work without issues in this case).

The problem occurs when I switch both monoblocks to high-gain – they trip into protection, and not always simultaneously, at very low volume. I was advised to check for DC offset on the TT2's XLR outputs.

What I've tried so far (no success):
- Disconnecting the HMS
- Using both the TT2's stock PSU and an iFi PowerX supply
- Grounding the monoblocks' chassis

Any ideas what could be causing this? How should I troubleshoot further?

P.S. For context, B200s:
low-gain - 11.6 dB, sensitiviry 12.5 Vrms
high-gain - 22 dB, sensitiviry 3.9 Vrms

Does it happen when the TT2 is set to low gain with the volume dialed down? No need to set the TT2 to high gain when used as a DAC / preamp.

 

[Daorom]

Hello.
Is it possible to connect speakers via Bi-wiring from XLR & RCA on TT2?
Another question: R.W. prohibited connecting speakers low resistance and low sensitivity using balanced XLR. My speakers 88 dB/8 Ohm. I listen at medium volume The position of the volume control on +6 (±6) in Hi Preamp via single XLR. The speakers will not take more current than necessary for a given volume, even if they are connected via balanced XLR. And the heating and total current should not be increased.Only the regulator will be at level -3 dB, and ball will turn blue).

 

[jawicedman]

My TT2 is my device of choice when I use IEM’s at the desk. The amp section is a big reason why I never moved on to a Dave, it provides a reference for the highest range an IEM can sound; and it’s what I judge the portables.

 

[Reactcore]

My TT2 is my device of choice when I use IEM’s at the desk. The amp section is a big reason why I never moved on to a Dave, it provides a reference for the highest range an IEM can sound; and it’s what I judge the portables.

Its a fine driver for any load!
You should have a huge amount of power to spare for IEM's

 

[GuiltyRocker]

My TT2 is my device of choice when I use IEM’s at the desk. The amp section is a big reason why I never moved on to a Dave, it provides a reference for the highest range an IEM can sound; and it’s what I judge the portables.

I prefer the TT-2 to the DAVE even with speakers, it's more musical in my opinion, the DAVE is X-ray transparent, but that's not my focus.

 

[Meridian7]

I prefer the TT-2 to the DAVE even with speakers, it's more musical in my opinion, the DAVE is X-ray transparent, but that's not my focus.

Have you tried R2R or tube stuff, if so what was your idea of it? Thanks.

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Have you tried R2R or tube stuff, if so what was your idea of it? Thanks.

I really dislike R2R DACs, to me they sound overly boring and downright dead. The tube stuff sounds good to me, but I like the visceral nature of Rob's DACs and their tonality/timbre/stage. No judgment to those who like R2R and other stuff, I just don't.

 

[Christer]

I prefer the TT-2 to the DAVE even with speakers, it's more musical in my opinion, the DAVE is X-ray transparent, but that's not my focus.

Hmm, personally I would STRONGLY reserve the term musical for us humans and some animals, most notably songbirds,NOT for a dac which imho can only be more or less tranparent, and reveal more or less, of what's actually stored digitally on the recording you play. But certainly NOT musical.
And although like you,I have not bought a Dave or even TT2, I do know from careful comparisons with hi res masterfile from large scale classical music hi res recordings where I both know how the music sounded live in the hall and how well it was recorded.
And not surpisingly,Dave /Mscaler was the most transparent over QutestHMS and TT2/HMS. Sin duda.
My reason for still sticking with my Qutest is mainly economical.
The increase in transparency over the other two that Dave brought was not big enough for me to pay such an astronomical sum as it sells for. An increase in transparency "subjectively" somewhere between 10-15 % with the best of my masterfiles, is for me NOT worth the TENFOLD price of Dave compared to Qutest.
Diminishing returns ...
Luckily I bought both my Qutest and Mscaler when they were still at least a wee bit more reasonably priced than now,in SE-Asia before Covid hit.
Cheers CC

 

[GuiltyRocker]

Hmm, personally I would STRONGLY reserve the term musical for us humans and some animals, most notably songbirds,NOT for a dac which imho can only be more or less tranparent, and reveal more or less, of what's actually stored digitally on the recording you play. But certainly NOT musical.
And although like you,I have not bought a Dave or even TT2, I do know from careful comparisons with hi res masterfile from large scale classical music hi res recordings where I both know how the music sounded live in the hall and how well it was recorded.
And not surpisingly,Dave /Mscaler was the most transparent over QutestHMS and TT2/HMS. Sin duda.
My reason for still sticking with my Qutest is mainly economical.
The increase in transparency over the other two that Dave brought was not big enough for me to pay such an astronomical sum as it sells for. An increase in transparency "subjectively" somewhere between 10-15 % with the best of my masterfiles, is for me NOT worth the TENFOLD price of Dave compared to Qutest.
Diminishing returns ...
Luckily I bought both my Qutest and Mscaler when they were still at least a wee bit more reasonably priced than now,in SE-Asia before Covid hit.
Cheers CC

I agree with you on some respects, I still have my Qutest around as that was my first Chord DACs, but yes the law of diminishing returns is real. To me "musical" means the way live music makes me feel, I have been exposed to a lot of live music and that is what I go for. The TT-2 with M scaler gets me close to that, and I call that musical you don't have have to agree. I'll keep calling it that .

 

[Christer]

I agree with you on some respects, I still have my Qutest around as that was my first Chord DACs, but yes the law of diminishing returns is real. To me "musical" means the way live music makes me feel, I have been exposed to a lot of live music and that is what I go for. The TT-2 with M scaler gets me close to that, and I call that musical you don't have have to agree. I'll keep calling it that .

In your defence I think even Rob has used the term musical in reference to his dacs , but not in the same pecking order as you.
Enjoy your TT2 .Cheers CC