Chord Hugo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[Ken Tajalli]

There is also expectation bias now from reading Rob's post.
ie don't just assume they will sound different just because Rob said so
Only correct way to eliminate expectation bias, is to do a double blind test.
Rob knows this but he wants to sell more DACs

Perhaps, but since I posted here, where there is (abundant!) negative expectation bias on anything he says, plus the fact that I hope by now, everybody in ASR knows about blind tests, we might get some REAL results.
The blind test is easy, just close your eyes, don't count clicks (i.e. cheat yourself) , listen and keep clicking the button, see if you can hear any changes to begin with, then , if you prefer any against the others.
Music and the volume remains the same.
You can video yourself, or ask a friend, to act as a double blind aid..

BTW, if he just wants to sell, why on earth put an A/B test button on his equipments?
Mscaler has it too.
Surely, his equipments pass objective tests with flying colours, so why even go there?

 

[BDWoody]

I hope by now, everybody in ASR knows about blind tests,

That's a bit optimistic, especially when the person you were talking to has 9 posts.

Surely, his equipments pass objective tests with flying colours, so why even go there?

Because this is ASR.

 

[Music1969]

BTW, if he just wants to sell, why on earth put an A/B test button on his equipments?

Hopefully you're not seriously asking if Rob does or doesn't want to sell more units?

Anyway you mention getting a friend to aid with blind test - and that is what I had in mind also

 

[Music1969]

So these are tone controls? If headphones are sounding too bright maybe get a different pair of headphones...

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Because this is ASR.

And that's why I am here.
But I meant, if one JUST wants to make a sale, and his equipment already passes objective tests (as here) with no issues, why even bother to put a defeat switch, to encourage A/B testing? and then get a megaphone and tell everyone about it? it could backfire! I wouldn't have, unless I was damn sure.
@Music1969
According to Rob, difference between white and green is just a supersonic noise filter. In case you play a hires piece with such noise. In passband, they are the same.

 

[Music1969]

@Music1969
According to Rob, difference between white and green is just a supersonic noise filter. In case you play a hires piece with such noise. In passband, they are the same.

I know but screenshot I shared above is about red... as a tone control for bright headphones ?

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I know but screenshot I shared above is about red... as a tone control for bright headphones ?

Naah!
the red is the softest sounding filter, OK, but hardly a tone control.
Seven years ago he said that, he probably would rephrase that now.

 

[Music1969]

but hardly a tone control.

If you read what Rob says in my screenshot above, he is describing red as a tone control - for bright headphones. Literally.

 

[Music1969]

Seven years ago he said that, he probably would rephrase that now.

Yes , something less silly. Because sites like here now exist to call out BS, that didn't exist 7 years ago

 

[thanrl]

Wait there are folks here that actually can't hear a difference between the Hugo 2 filters?? Oh my. My wallet is so jealous of yours.

 

[Jimster480]

Yes , something less silly. Because sites like here now exist to call out BS, that didn't exist 7 years ago

Exactly

Wait there are folks here that actually can't hear a difference between the Hugo 2 filters?? Oh my. My wallet is so jealous of yours.

I mean usually filters don't really make THAT much of a difference. Most of the time they sound pretty similar to each other.
I can't speak about the HUGO2 specifically as I haven't ever listened to one; but in all the DAC's I have had the ability to listen to.... I haven't ever noticed a large difference between filters.

 

[solderdude]

Bright headphones usually have a bump in the 2-5kHz range. I am sure there isn't any reconstruction filter that will 'do' anything there.
Brightness in headphones can also be caused by an upwards tilt in the frequency response or a gentle roll-off in the lows. Filters won't change anything there either.
Sharpness is in the 8-14kHz range but usually peaks there 5dB or more. Also something that any decent reconstruction filter won't attenuate. Some slow filters might shave off a dB or 2 (max.)
Placebo can do a lot for you. When you are told you should use a setting with bright headphones I am sure you can hear the suggested improvement.

 

[DonR]

Any differences in filters that you notice (or think you notice) disappear as you age.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

This has been covered before.
Hugo2 has two sets of filters.
The first two, are 256x oversampling and:
- default brickwall
- default + ultrasonic
The second set, are 16x oversampling and:
- default brickwall
- default + ultrasonic
Now the ultrasonic add-on, is put there because some Hires files can have a lot of ultrasonics, which may affect the amps that Hugo2 maybe connected to. It may even affect some headphones, but it is rare.
Subjectively speaking, I can attest that the last filter (red) sounds a little softer. But it's neither here nor there.
In pass band, there is no difference, so tone controls? they are not.

 

[IAtaman]

Subjectively speaking, I can attest that the last filter (red) sounds a little softer. But it's neither here nor there.

Hello!

You hear the difference between these filters?

In pass band, there is no difference, so tone controls? they are not.

Right. So you hear differences outside of pass band?

 

[Robbo99999]

Hello!

You hear the difference between these filters?

View attachment 327734


Right. So you hear differences outside of pass band?

Note the scale on the y-axis though, and the red one looks to be lower than some of the others above 18kHz by something like 1dB. I'm surprised he can hear a difference, but maybe gifted young young people could hear a difference. I guess I'm surprised like you though, but just be aware of that y-axis, it's so zoomed out it makes all the filters look exactly the same unless you look closely.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

You guys have nothing better to do?
Sounding soft is not just FR.
an MP3 file sounds softer than redbook, with same FR.
Something to do with softer dynamics, something I am not sure . . .
Not on all materials and in all circumstances.
Rare.
BTW
That graph is incomplete. it should have been tested on a 192kHz file, then the ultrasonic filter would have been visible.

 

[IAtaman]

You guys have nothing better to do?

Apparently, no.

Sounding soft is not just FR.
an MP3 file sounds softer than redbook, with same FR.
Something to do with softer dynamics, something I am not sure . . .
Not on all materials and in all circumstances.
Rare.

I don't know if an MP3 file sounds softer but an MP3 file and an uncompressed file do not have the same spectrum. MP3s big trick is throwing away frequencies that will be "masked" by a louder, close by frequency.

Isn't this "sounds softer" phenomena much easier to explain by expectation instead of inventing things beyond FR? It says HF roll-of on the tin, you expect it sound softer, and it sounds softer. In reality, there is no impact. It is just marketing.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Isn't this "sounds softer" phenomena much easier to explain by expectation instead of inventing things beyond FR? It says HF roll-of on the tin, you expect it sound softer, and it sounds softer. In reality, there is no impact. It is just marketing.

Not in my case.
I already know in passband there is no attenuation.
I can only guess, that with certain Hires tracks with lots of ultrasonics, it could affect my headphones/output , causing inband distortion and hardness.
That's just a guess.
As I have already said, it is rare.
My major points were:
- Hugo2 has one brickwall filter.
- Hugo2 has one add-on ultrasonic filter.
- you get 16x and 256x oversampling selections, to use the above two filters.
- to see the ultrasonic filter in action, you need 96kHz signal or above.
Now ignore all that and bitch about my personal subjective views .

 

[IAtaman]

Not in my case.
I already know in passband there is no attenuation.
I can only guess, that with certain Hires tracks with lots of ultrasonics, it could affect my headphones/output , causing inband distortion and hardness.
That's just a guess.
As I have already said, it is rare.
My major points were:
- Hugo2 has one brickwall filter.
- Hugo2 has one add-on ultrasonic filter.
- you get 16x and 256x oversampling selections, to use the above two filters.
- to see the ultrasonic filter in action, you need 96kHz signal or above.
Now ignore all that and bitch about my personal subjective views .

I will leave you alone in peace, allow me to point out this one last thing however before I do so. That story about ultrasonics creating in-band distortion in hi-res audio, that is not your guess, that’s Watts’ bullshit that audiophiles tell each other in forums for years.