The Chord Hugo TT is announced.

[AndrewOld]

John Franks of Chord Electronics has released some details of a  new desktop  version of the Chord Hugo DAC. Known as the HUGO TT it will feature XLRs, big input output sockets for all those fancy cables, bigger battery, remote control, less cryptic display. 
 
Anyone know anything about it? Is galvanic isolation on both USB ports too much to hope for?
 
See http://audiofi.net/2014/12/a-bigger-hugo-from-chord/

 

[Cakensaur]

Twice as much?
 
Also I feel this is a really stupid question but if its a desktop amp why have they bothered to put batteries in it at all?

 

[Currawong]

  Twice as much?
 
Also I feel this is a really stupid question but if its a desktop amp why have they bothered to put batteries in it at all?

 
To avoid AC line noise.

 

[bmichels]

Twice the size, twice the price and... exactly the same SQ !  Even the AMP is not upgraded !  

 

[Super Pang]

I use Hugo in my home setup so this is tempting purely for the remote control as I've resisted connecting it straight to my power amps for that reason. I suppose the new QBD is what I really need though and that can't be too far off now.

 

[PhilW]

I think we should just wait and see rather than guess. I'm sure information will be clearer after CES.

 

[jtwrace]

Sounds like twice as many reasons to not buy one. 

 

[Sonic77]

  Twice the size, twice the price and... exactly the same SQ !  Even the AMP is not upgraded !  

That's how I feel, talk about disappointing, but I'm sure one of our resident reviewers will be raving about it, after they get theirs free.

 

[CanDude]

Didn't Rob say that the amp would be upgraded to be able to drive speakers better? Maybe I remember wrong, or it never got implemented...

 

[level3]

  Twice the size, twice the price and... exactly the same SQ !  

We don't really know that. Yet.
 

  I use Hugo in my home setup so this is tempting purely for the remote control as I've resisted connecting it straight to my power amps for that reason. I suppose the new QBD is what I really need though and that can't be too far off now.

I use it/feel the same way. And yes, also noted that there is no mention (yet) of this being the successor to the QBD76.
 

I think we should just wait and see rather than guess. I'm sure information will be clearer after CES.

Wise man. But, speculation is always 'fun'... if not, why did JF not wait until tomorrow?
 
Cheers.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

My understanding is that QBD will still remain their flagship dac and mostly costs twice (or more) as much as the TT.hopefully, it will be released soon this year.
If i read it correctly, TT is the same hugo technology (battery operated DAC/headphone amp) on a new chassis and PCB which allows higher end connectivity...
Its never twice the money twice the sonics....
Also in the market for a new DAC

 

[hugoboss]

there is a big gap beetween hugo and qbd.
i was waiting for cute series refreshment in 2015 with hugo technology with cute price below $2000. hope this cute series will also get a new refresment in 2015
but now there is hugo desktop but the price double is not bang of the buck anymore
this hugo desktop with double the price from hugo. i think i will skip this if it just the bigger size with same sq
 

 

[level3]

from 
 
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2014/11/chord-hugo-dac-headphone-amplifier-review/
 
Manufacturer’s response: “Thank you for your concise and excellent review John. The only point I’d like to make is that although all current units have been for some time mechanically slightly different from very the first production batch shipped during the first quater of this year, ie enlargement of the RCAs etc. these were only running production changes and we have only produced one version of Hugo; there have been no Hugo 2’s produced to date. However I’m pleased to tell you that we have been busy in development and Hugo will be joined by several new products. Two of which we will be launching at the CES LasVegas in January 2015.” – John E. Franks (5/11/14)
 
*last sentence*
 
cheers.

 

[snejk]

  There doesn't seem to be much difference here, I hope there isn't much of a price difference between this and the standard Hugo.

You mean like a 2x difference?

 

[snejk]

I've been eyeing the hugo, but being more interested in a desktop dac I was looking forward to something new from Chord. I guess time will tell how good the new dac will be, but after fast reading the audiofi-link my one day old recollection is: same dac, bigger enclosusre, remote, display. 2x the price. I don't get it. The CEO can't be happy with the outcome from that interview/article.