Chord Hugo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[andrewwnbanks]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the CHORD HUGO 2 portable (battery operated) DAC and headphone amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $2,950.
View attachment 218891
As expected, Chord carries its "design language" into this product which in my opinion, puts looks ahead of usability. If you use it a lot, you may get used to to the meaning of the lights but as a reviewer, it is a pain. The right globe is a rotary encoder for the volume. Meaning of the rest is such:
View attachment 218892

I am not a fan of two separate USB inputs one for data and the other for charging. Why not charge using the data connection? I also found the sockets finnicky. Two of my USB cables were too lose in there to make stable connection. A third fit nice. A migration to USB-C is badly needed.

Connectivity is excellent for a portable product:
View attachment 218893

You have RCA analog out, coax (through odd 3.5mm socket) and Toslink. Headphone out is provided through two connections to fit the flavor of your unbalanced headphone.

Chord Hugo 2 DAC Measurements
I adjusted the volume to 2 volts out while connecting the unit over USB:
View attachment 218894
I could see from the dancing and varying spikes in the FFT that it was picking up noise over that link. Any attempt at grounding the unit would make the situation far worse.

Edit: I tested the Hugo 2 at a later time and the USB noise did not manifest itself:

Rest of the tests use Toslink so not impacted by the USB noise issue above.

I disconnected USB and used isolated Toslink input which remedied that:
View attachment 218895
Much cleaner. Ranking as a result land in two tiers:

View attachment 218896

For a portable device, these are excellent rankings. To give the benefit of doubt, from here on the test is using Toslink unless otherwise stated.

Output can go above 6 volts but it clips badly half way there:
View attachment 218897

Dynamic range is excellent if you let it to go max output:
View attachment 218898

IMD distortion is also best at full output and competitive at nominal 2 volt:
View attachment 218899

Linearity is a bit noisy and unstable:
View attachment 218900

Jitter is excellent over toslink and as expected, not so good with USB:
View attachment 218901

Fortunately even with USB jitter is inaudible at -120 dBSPL.

Filter response is super sharp as we expect from CHord designs:
View attachment 218902

I can't figure out what the cryptic explanation means for each filter. They certainly not reflected in the measured performance.

Good attenuation results in excellent THD+N vs frequency (wideband):
View attachment 218905

I had to run multitone over USB since Toslink won't go up to 192 kHz sampling:

View attachment 218906

Chord Hugo 2 Headphone Amplifier Measurement
Let's start with dynamic range 50 mv:
View attachment 218907

So just about average performance:
View attachment 218908

Careful with extra sensitive IEMs/headphones as you may experience hiss/noise.

Power is very respectable for a portable product (but no competition for desktop amps):
View attachment 218909
View attachment 218910

Output drive gracefully degrades:
View attachment 218911

Sorry, have not had time to listen to the unit but I expect it to sound excellent.

Conclusions
As a portable DAC+headphone amplifier, the Hugo 2 has superb performance. As a Desktop product, its USB noise sensitivity is disappointing but otherwise performance is very good. Mind you, desktop products at far, far lower costs run circles around it. So if that is your application, I highly suggest you look elsewhere.

As a portable product, I can highly recommend the Chord Hugo 2. For desktop, it is a pass for me especially at the astronomically high retail cost.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

 

[G|force]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Do you care to share why you believe D is inherently disappointing?

 

[AndreaT]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Let’s start from the basics: there is a difference between cost and value, isn’t there? And then there is, throughout Human History, the mystique of symbols. Could you try to articulate why the dislike of “cheap and nasty Topping”? And, BTW, we do recycling here in the New England colonies too, the bin is sky blue, alas, not silver.

 

[JustJones]

Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site?

This overpriced dross was highly recommended.

As a portable product, I can highly recommend the Chord Hugo 2.

 

[ahofer]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Yet another butt-hurt audiophool rationalizing his hobby by trolling here in bad faith.

 

[oleg87]

6 posts, all trolling, banhammer feels overdue

 

[Billy Budapest]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

I don’t think this site is opposed to high cost products. Rather, it is opposed to low value products.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Let’s start from the basics: there is a difference between cost and value, isn’t there?

What he said!

 

[JSmith]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch.

Unsure what you're on about here... Amir highly recommended this product for portable use. The astronomically high retail cost was also noted.

Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site?

Yes;

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Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?

That's just being silly, of course not. Products are measured here and ranked based on those performance metrics only. Amir can only test what is sent to him.

And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones).

Casual listening won't tell you anything specific about the devices... one needs to conduct a level matched comparison without peeking or tells to even begin to isolate an audible difference. A difference isn't necessarily a preference either.

Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Dross is a rather strong term... did the devices not have the functions or connectivity you needed or did they fail prematurely?


JSmith

 

[Audiofire]

Confirmation bias is so real that people are used to it - even sincere people are often fooled by listening tests

 

[Purité Audio]

No fool like an old fool, this is the result of forty years of indoctrination.
Keith

 

[Jimster480]

Glad to see the responses here. Sad that people @andrewwnbanks don't even bother to read the content of the site before getting upset.

​

 

[AndyBell]

Glad to see the responses here. Sad that people @andrewwnbanks don't even bother to read the content of the site before getting upset.

​

It's a HUGE jolt to be told you spent $$$ in the thousands and got absolutely nothing extra to show for it. Especially if your significant other is also reading this material

 

[Audiofire]

Many of us have been dabblers or part of the cult of snake oil - better late than never to learn from mistakes

 

[A Surfer]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Mate, I think for you, better to stay silent and be thought a fool than to speak and confirm it.

 

[Sir Sanders Zingmore]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch. Has anything more expensive than a cheap class d (d for disappointed) amp been recommended on this site? Or is there a gentleman’s agreement to trash anything that costs more than a cheap and nasty Topping?
And, yes I have listened to a couple of Topping and Fosi amps, and I do own a Hugo 2 (used with Focal Utopia phones). Fortunately I was able to return the Topping / Fosi dross, otherwise it would have found its way into the silver recycling bin we use in the UK.

Come to bed darling, it’s late.

 

[testp]

i would also suggest to study the opposite, why am "i" disgusted by seeing other's liking good cheap gear and not expensive ~mediocre gear,

...maybe there's something to reflect inwards

 

[pablolie]

It's kind of sad to see how some Hifi enthusiasts react to uncomfortable facts. :-D

I am the first to admit that I like to look at audio jewelry (but don't think Chord designs fall into that category, it's a personal think after all), a main reason I remain a Stereophile subscriber. But my own history has taught me that higher prices and more expensive cases and an esoteric narrative don't really bring better audible performance these days. I think competently designed equipment these days is well beyond our ability to hear big differences (speakers excepted, although things have narrowed there a lot too).

I never heard an audible difference I really cared about between my CD players; the Denon DCD1290 and the Accuphase DP65v that replaced it. I never heard a remarkable difference between the Accuphase E306v and the NAD M22 or the Benchmark AHB2 or for that matter the NAD D7050 amp.

On the other hand, I may also offend some when I say it's unlikely I'll ever buy a Topping or SMSL product, for a variety of reasons I won't get into. (For one I don't like amps with large external power supplies. But there are also others.)

But when pople embrace the utterly idiotic notion of "The Law of Accelerating Returns" blindly (it was the dumbest audio article and one that made me cancel my subscription), I feel pity for the poor fools. The evidence that higher price tags do not automatically result in superior sonic performance is overwhelming and undeniable. And it has absolutely zero to do with envy, inability to sign the check, and hatred for expensive things and oligrarchs and what not. I actually love pretty things, I love great design and craftsmanship, I loved the tactile experience of a quality product. But that in no way means I expect those things to perform in a superior way. It just means I have the d*mn right to do irrational things, and every hobby in the end is an irrational activity.

I think it far more credible to say "I enjoy nice things, and it makes me enjoy my listening environment more and thus makes me happy while I listen to music" instead of saying ignorant sh*t like "You haven't really experienced a great sounding system until you hear my million dollar rig."

There's no hatred for expensive equipment in ASR. But the fact is that -with informed, intelligent decisions- awesome audio quality has become very attainable is clearly established these days. And burying one's head in the sand doesn't change that.

Paradoxically, I am completely happy these days with a system that consists of devices NOT recommended in here. Some people take it personally when their equipment is not recommended by Amir. Get over it, he has the same right to have certain preferences as we all do...

 

[Axo1989]

It's kind of sad to see how some Hifi enthusiasts react to uncomfortable facts. :-D

I am the first to admit that I like to look at audio jewelry (but don't think Chord designs fall into that category, it's a personal think after all), a main reason I remain a Stereophile subscriber. But my own history has taught me that higher prices and more expensive cases and an esoteric narrative don't really bring better audible performance these days. I think competently designed equipment these days is well beyond our ability to hear big differences (speakers excepted, although things have narrowed there a lot too).

I never heard an audible difference I really cared about between my CD players; the Denon DCD1290 and the Accuphase DP65v that replaced it. I never heard a remarkable difference between the Accuphase E306v and the NAD M22 or the Benchmark AHB2 or for that matter the NAD D7050 amp.

On the other hand, I may also offend some when I say it's unlikely I'll ever buy a Topping or SMSL product, for a variety of reasons I won't get into. (For one I don't like amps with large external power supplies. But there are also others.)

But when pople embrace the utterly idiotic notion of "The Law of Accelerating Returns" blindly (it was the dumbest audio article and one that made me cancel my subscription), I feel pity for the poor fools. The evidence that higher price tags do not automatically result in superior sonic performance is overwhelming and undeniable. And it has absolutely zero to do with envy, inability to sign the check, and hatred for expensive things and oligrarchs and what not. I actually love pretty things, I love great design and craftsmanship, I loved the tactile experience of a quality product. But that in no way means I expect those things to perform in a superior way. It just means I have the d*mn right to do irrational things, and every hobby in the end is an irrational activity.

I think it far more credible to say "I enjoy nice things, and it makes me enjoy my listening environment more and thus makes me happy while I listen to function" instead of saying ignorant sh*t like "You haven't really experienced a great sounding system until you hear my million dollar rig."

There's no hatred for expensive equipment in ASR. But the fact is that -with informed, intelligent decisions- awesome audio quality has become very attainable is clearly established these days. And burying one's head in the sand doesn't change that.

Paradoxically, I am completely happy these days with a system that consists of devices NOT recommended in here. Some people take it personally when their equipment is not recommended by Amir. Get over it, he has the same right to have certain preferences as we all do...

My thoughts ... almost exactly.

When the industrial design and haptics are right, certain products are much more fun. I do in fact like the idiosyncratic Chord stuff, but by no means exclusively. I (only) have the Mojo where the tactile buttons worked rather well in my pocket in the days before AirPods Pro/Max rendered same superfluous. It now lives attached to my work-desk Mac. Oh and I also loathe external power bricks.

I'd agree there's no general ASR policy against expensive things (check Genelec) but some posters are batshit-crazy Lazarians. That 'law of accelerating returns' on the other hand may be the most dimly perverse rhetorical flourish I can think of (outside politics).

 

[Somafunk]

Yet another series of articles and comments written by people who seem to have an intense hatred of anything that costs much more than a cheap office lunch.

Love your work and fanciful storytelling - you certainly have a creative imagination, Can we expect a 2nd chapter?