[ChrisGB]

Enjoy some subtle crossfeed with Mojo2 on the Quads, but beyond that what are the benefits of Hugo2?
Been curious about that product for a while.

Not sure if you read my comparison of the Mojo 2 to my Shanling M6 on the Mojo 2 thread? To summarize, the Mojo 2 injected more weight and drive into the Quads, but at the expense of quite a bit of thickening of the bass and lower mids and veiling of detail, nuance and tonal shading everywhere. Subtleties and nuances of the whole audio spectrum were reduced and much air and space around the sound was lost. It was a surprise to me, but the differences were not so subtle as to require careful listening. The M6 has impressed against other much more expensive kit too, it punches way above it's weight.

Against the M6, the Hugo 2 takes an obvious step up in weight and power of the sound, moreso than with the Mojo 2, but also an obvious step up in resolution across the whole spectrum. Texture, particularly in bass and lower mids, that had gone missing when listening to the M2, were now considerably better presented than with the Shanling M6. Low level detail and low level amplitude change resolution are considerably better than the M6. Again, not differences requiring careful listening. I had arranged to borrow the Hugo 2 for a week of careful a/b listening trials. It took about five minutes of test track hopping to make my mind up to order one! Careful a/b listening was still carried out though. A few other things became apparent. Going from 16 bit 44.1KHz to 24bit 192KHz, the Hugo 2 made much better use of the higher resolution format than the M2 or M6. Crossfeed works very well, as it does on Mojo 2. I've been discovering stuff in much loved music that I hadn't noticed before. The "sound" of venues is really apparent.

I really liked the EQ functionality of the Mojo 2. I found adding +2dB to the 20Hz end gave an excellent result with the Quad / felt pads. The Hugo 2 lacks the EQ functionality, but I don't find I'm missing that 2dB as the bass is so well driven.

On the downside, the Hugo 2 needs micro USB connection which I find fiddly and insecure. Added to this, the size and shape of the Hugo 2 and supporting DAP to feed it made for a cumbersome package, so I've gone with a 2go streamer. There seemed to be slight sonic benefits to this too, but I'll have time to figure that out later.

The Mojo 2 is an excellent piece of kit, the Shanling M6 a more sophisticated and detailed performer but too polite sometimes, but they are quite close. The Hugo 2 moves the game into a different league. Overall impression is a rounded performer, huge detail but it never sounds forced, it's very natural sounding, organic you might say.

I was also able to plug the ERA-1 into Dave for four of my test tracks. What I will say is that the gap from Mojo 2 to Hugo 2 is much bigger than from Hugo 2 to Dave. Dave is definitely what I'd buy if I had the pocket depth. Sonically, it heads away from Hugo 2 and back towards the Shanling M6 leanness, but with bucketfuls more drive, authority, solidity, detail, texture, nuance and resolution, all presented in the most natural way. It's pretty amazing.

What is really nice to know is that the Quad ERA-1 are capable to the level of resolution needed to easily differentiate the quality differences between a bunch of very high performing DACs.

To summarize, if your pockets are deep enough, try Hugo 2 out. It is a remarkable thing, but a high chunk of cash. Also, don't listen to Dave unless bankruptcy is something you are comfortable with

 

[WorksUnit]

Thanks for impression of Hugo-2 with the Quad,
Yep, read your comparison, and also waiting to see if the shanling AKM low pass filters make a difference
Never tried the Quad felt pads with *that* EQ, but will give it go.....

 

[ChrisGB]

Thanks for impression of Hugo-2 with the Quad,
Yep, read your comparison, and also waiting to see if the shanling AKM low pass filters make a difference
Never tried the Quad felt pads with *that* EQ, but will give it go.....

Thanks for reminding me about the filters, I'm busy today, but I'll have a listen tonight!

 

[ChrisGB]

Thanks for impression of Hugo-2 with the Quad,
Yep, read your comparison, and also waiting to see if the shanling AKM low pass filters make a difference
Never tried the Quad felt pads with *that* EQ, but will give it go.....

Had a cancelled job today, so had a bit of a listen to go over what the filters are doing. Most of them seem to not make any appreciable difference to the bottom end and mids, certainly nothing I can immediately point at and describe. First two filters are sharp roll off and slow roll off. Stepping between the two, there is a little loss of details in the highest frequencies that I can hear with the slow roll off. It's very subtle. I'll skip the next one for now and come back to it. Moving along, there is a short delay slow roll off and a super slow roll off. These two seem to reduce the upper treble detail, the super slow roll off being most noticable, bringing a similar detail quality to the treble to how I remember the Mojo 2.

The one I skipped was the short delay sharp rolloff. This one is more detailed than the others at higher frequencies and also seems to preserve more amplitude contrast in the upper and mid frequencies. The overall effect is more space and better separation, slightly wider stage. I remember why it's been my favorite now!

 

[ChrisGB]

Enjoy some subtle crossfeed with Mojo2 on the Quads, but beyond that what are the benefits of Hugo2?
Been curious about that product for a while.

Another thing I forgot to mention, on one of my review pieces, an orchestral work, Hugo 2 is the first time I've noticed the sound of traffic passing the auditorium! It's rendition of subtleties is remarkable.

 

[WorksUnit]

^Nice ^
Having a play with the felt pads and Mojo 2 today, just so versatile.

It is interesting that these were called "Polite" or "Nothing Headphones".

 

[Pendel]

I think Chris Kaoss puts it best (I am paraphrasing): these are "a fine single malt whiskey in the evening with your feet up" headphones.

 

[ChrisGB]

I think Chris Kaoss puts it best (I am paraphrasing): these are "a fine single malt whiskey in the evening with your feet up" headphones.

I think they are what I'd call neutral headphones. Given the right driving (Mojo 2 for example), they can do pipe and slippers chamber music, or covey the savagery of something like Nick Cave's Stagger Lee, or have the speed for the full on onslaught of Cardiacs on land and in the sea album, or manage the weight and complexity of the orb's or future sound of London electronic creations and then slip seamlessly into officium by the Hilliyard ensemble. Sure there are headphones that are "better" suited to certain genres, but I find the Quads the ideal do it all headphone.

I know a lot of people on here have a list of gear longer than their arm, but for me, if the gear is right, it works with all music.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

I know a lot of people on here have a list of gear longer than their arm, but for me, if the gear is right, it works with all music.

This is so d*** right.

For me, the Era-1 fits that hole perfectly.
Looking for a backup unit all the time. ^^

 

[Pendel]

I think they are what I'd call neutral headphones. Sure there are headphones that are "better" suited to certain genres, but I find the Quads the ideal do it all headphone.

I know a lot of people on here have a list of gear longer than their arm, but for me, if the gear is right, it works with all music.

I find that in the neutrality and resolution game the Quads are not quite in the SE-Monitor5 league, and I still switch to the latter for classical and jazz when I want to hear all of the nuances and details. The SEM5's offer me more even in well-recorded rock/pop, but neutral detailed presentation can be tiring after a while, and this is where the Quads shine: at a small cost in detail and with slightly more recessed upper mids I can listen to them for hours even when I am tired. ... and so just like Chris I am always on a lookout for a back-up pair

 

[mnp75]

What is really nice to know is that the Quad ERA-1 are capable to the level of resolution needed to easily differentiate the quality differences between a bunch of very high performing DACs.

To summarize, if your pockets are deep enough, try Hugo 2 out. It is a remarkable thing, but a high chunk of cash. Also, don't listen to Dave unless bankruptcy is something you are comfortable with

Nice to hear that Era-1 scales up well even to the level of Dave!

Also mentioned myself earlier in the thread that I can quite clearly hear the differences of the gear in my own setup now with Era-1 in ways that just wasn't obvious with Hifiman HE-400s earlier. Which in turn has ended up meaning upgrades were inevitable – "thanks" Quad!

SMSL Sanskrit 6th + Schiit Magni 3 on the desktop had to go, same with the Audirect Atom 2 for iOS devices on the go. Both setups had been perfectly adequate with HE-400s & Sennheiser HD-25sp, but with Era-1 I could really feel them lagging behind in very obvious ways compared to the main setup of SMSL VMV D1se + JDS Labs Element amp. So Chord Mojo 2 to the rescue, will serve the purpose of both desktop & mobile usage nicely. And that indeed did bring up the game to a level that feels worthy of the Era-1, don't feel such a blatant difference to the main setup anymore – even when the difference IS still there and still quite noticable (more on the differences on the D1SE thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/smsl-vmv-d1se-impressions-thread.961321/post-16817005 )

Interestingly enough, while I love the EQ functionality of the Mojo 2 as it e.g. turns those HD-25sp from treble-veiled device into a more balanced one easily, the sound signature of Era-1 seems to be so good out of the box that I don't feel the need to do any tweaks to the EQ. Might boost the lowest two ranges by 1…2dB if the song calls for even more voluptuous bass, but that's about it. Crossfeed works great opening up the soundstage in some songs though, compensates for the slightly narrower stage of Era-1.

 

[Thfoolonthhill]

It's very strange. I've recently upgraded the stylus on my turntable. The sound through my quad speakers is impressive, I'm extremely happy there. The sound through the era-1 isn't so.

I'm not great at writing about how it sounds but I'll try. It's like it's too clean, for example the cymbals sound too sharp. The music lacks any warmth, and doesn't draw me in. The bass is near non existant. There is great separation of instruments and vocals are great. But I'm just not enjoying listening through the head phones just now.

Does this make sense? Why is it like this whereas it's a lot better through the speakers?

 

[WorksUnit]

It's very strange. I've recently upgraded the stylus on my turntable. The sound through my quad speakers is impressive, I'm extremely happy there. The sound through the era-1 isn't so.

I'm not great at writing about how it sounds but I'll try. It's like it's too clean, for example the cymbals sound too sharp. The music lacks any warmth, and doesn't draw me in. The bass is near non existant. There is great separation of instruments and vocals are great. But I'm just not enjoying listening through the head phones just now.

Does this make sense? Why is it like this whereas it's a lot better through the speakers?

Lots of variables here, but I am curious what you are plugging Era-1 into?

 

[Thfoolonthhill]

I'm plugging them into my quad Vena 2, same with my turntable and speakers.

 

[ChrisGB]

It's very strange. I've recently upgraded the stylus on my turntable. The sound through my quad speakers is impressive, I'm extremely happy there. The sound through the era-1 isn't so.

I'm not great at writing about how it sounds but I'll try. It's like it's too clean, for example the cymbals sound too sharp. The music lacks any warmth, and doesn't draw me in. The bass is near non existant. There is great separation of instruments and vocals are great. But I'm just not enjoying listening through the head phones just now.

Does this make sense? Why is it like this whereas it's a lot better through the speakers?

What turntable and cartridge are you using and what Quad speakers?

My thinking is that if you have a highly resolving set of Quad speakers, ie electrostatics, the differences you will hear between cartridges should be close to the changes you hear through the headphones. If, on the other hand, you have a set of Quad's normal cone type speakers, these will be much less resolving than the headphones, so differences heard through the headphones would not be apparent through the speakers.

What could be happening is that the new cartridge is producing a greater level of bass mid and top end detail. In listening terms, this can reduce the perception of bass weight / thickness, even though the bass is present and correct. These headphones are very very revealing.