Chord Hugo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[Triliza]

Really, the Chord bashing going on here lately is getting rather out of hand. The measurements are the measurements, but the amount of people regurgitating things or exaggerating other people’s experiences they’ve read is quite astonishing.

People do some bashing indeed when expensive products like this get reviewed, especially when they don't offer anything that can't be had for much less. Doing some psychological self-therapy, I have found that personally the reason sometimes I feel like doing some bashing myself is because not so long ago, these kind of expensive products were hold (by HI-FI related media) to be the only way to reach audio nirvana, and those that couldn't afford them were made (actually doing it to our self because we didn't know better) to feel that we are missing out and that we couldn't get that fidelity offered by these products.

Turn outs though that that's not the case for many of these products, sound-wise. Of course if you want the best there is you still have to pay, quality doesn't come cheap, but at least now we have some solid ground to make informed decision to get the best deal for our budget, whatever that may be.

 

[balletboy]

No. But that's not my point. Whether you, me or anyone else has heard it. The assertion was along the lines of everyone thinks it sounds superb.

I don't doubt it sounds good, the measurements suggest nothing wrong audibly. But I don't think it gets all that praise because of its sound. I think it gets all its praise because people really like to love Chord products.

I think you will find the paise is because of its sound. Chord first made very expensive DACs, designing your own FPGA-based processor software is expensive, and the Dave became a reference product over here. TT and Hugo were drip-down products, last time I looked (5 years ago) they used the same FPGA chip/software as Dave with skinny electronics, the Mojo use a smaller FPGA chip with even skinner electronics.

I've no great love for Chord or their design, even though I bought a Mojo. I recall their amps are popular with B&W, they may have an informal relationship. but I'm not into B&W either. Historically, they were all about power technology.

 

[Trell]

...I have a few expensive headphones that I am always paranoid about their sudden demise and while everything is fine so far I can't help but feel like once they stop working (by themselves) I have little options but to buy them again. Part of me understands that once the warranty is over they basically have no responsibility to take care of the thing I bought, and there's nothing illegal about that. I just wish they can offer some kind of support or opportunity for their old customers so they can have an easier time acquiring the replacement. ...

A major reason for me to use Beyerdynamics headphones is the, in EU at least, easy availability of inexpensive spare parts, especially the consumable ones like the ear pads. Focal? Forget it even though they are an EU brand. Most of the headphones measured and recommended here on ASR I would not buy due to support, service, spare parts and QC.

 

[balletboy]

I can relate to you quite well on this part. I don't know why but with audio products (at least headgear products, as I am not familiar with speakers) there is a concerning lack of supports/after-purchase customer service. I'm not talking about just warranty, things like parts replacement, answering questions from old customers and more can be quite underwhelming at times, although it also depends on the manufacturer as I've also seen my fair share of good testaments from other users.

I have a few expensive headphones that I am always paranoid about their sudden demise and while everything is fine so far I can't help but feel like once they stop working (by themselves) I have little options but to buy them again. Part of me understands that once the warranty is over they basically have no responsibility to take care of the thing I bought, and there's nothing illegal about that. I just wish they can offer some kind of support or opportunity for their old customers so they can have an easier time acquiring the replacement.

By the way, I like your style the thoughtful process you go through to decide what's good to buy or not. If I was able to be more logical like you I'd have saved myself some money lol.

I had an amplifier from a well known Scandinavian manufacturer. I bought it ex-demo and it failed after 8 years. They shipped and repaired for free. I asked them why they did so. They said "because it shouldn't have failed".

 

[Trell]

I had an amplifier from a well known Scandinavian manufacturer. I bought it ex-demo and it failed after 8 years. They shipped and repaired for free. I asked them why they did so. They said "because it shouldn't have failed".

A well known "Scandinavian manufacturer"? Please be more specific.

 

[AudioSceptic]

I got an advice for you all, listen audiobooks when moving around, plenty of books available and you will learn a thing or two. You know, get to read (listen to) all those books you never got around doing so. And you don't need any expensive gear to do it, a simple and tiny mp3 player (especially one that can be Rockbox-ed) will be just fine.

No, use the phone you already carry with you.

 

[sarumbear]

Exactly, but this programming is very expensive and far exceeding the cost of the FPGA, which was my point.

Possibly why this device is more expensive?

 

[Trell]

Possibly why this device is more expensive?

Yeah, that was what I wrote.

 

[balletboy]

No. But that's not my point. Whether you, me or anyone else has heard it. The assertion was along the lines of everyone thinks it sounds superb.

p.s. That is the point. You've not used one. I heard the previous Hugo and the sound is impressive. You compared it to Topping and stated WITH A GUARANTEE what people would think of it, but you've never even used it yourself.

 

[balletboy]

A well known "Scandinavian manufacturer"? Please be more specific.

I don't like singling out brands, or mentioning ones I use, but it's a very Scandinavian attitude. I would expect much the same from other brands in Denmark, Sweden or Finland (don't know any in Norway).

 

[Garrincha]

People do some bashing indeed when expensive products like this get reviewed, especially when they don't offer anything that can't be had for much less. Doing some psychological self-therapy, I have found that personally the reason sometimes I feel like doing some bashing myself is because not so long ago, these kind of expensive products were hold (by HI-FI related media) to be the only way to reach audio nirvana, and those that couldn't afford them were made (actually doing it to our self because we didn't know better) to feel that we are missing out and that we couldn't get that fidelity offered by these products.

Turn outs though that that's not the case for many of these products, sound-wise. Of course if you want the best there is you still have to pay, quality doesn't come cheap, but at least now we have some solid ground to make informed decision to get the best deal for our budget, whatever that may be.

For me this is one of the greatest feats of ASR. All this 'reference-class' lists in the magazines, online or print, are now revealed of being mostly bogus. This is a great achievement. This coincided with technological development and the quality rise of the chinese products. So nowadays the only sector where real money still needs to be spent to reach utmost fidelity is speakers and, to a certain extent, headphones.

 

[majingotan]

p.s. That is the point. You've not used one. I heard the previous Hugo and the sound is impressive. You compared it to Topping and stated WITH A GUARANTEE what people would think of it, but you've never even used it yourself.

I heard the Mojo, Hugo 2, Hugo 2 TT with M-Scaler and DAVE with Blu MK2. All of them sounded impressive yet NO DIFFERENT from my other DACs with different DAC chip manufacturers. I still have the Mojo being used solely for car audio and that gives my driving experience a whole lot better as well

 

[Helicopter]

Thanks Amir. I wouldn't pay $200 for this with the fragile micro USB. That really defeats the purpose of being portable to me, since it is probably going to break.

 

[balletboy]

For me this is one of the greatest feats of ASR. All this 'reference-class' lists in the magazines, online or print, are now revealed of being mostly bogus. This is a great achievement. This coincided with technological development and the quality rise of the chinese products. So nowadays the only sector where real money still needs to be spent to reach utmost fidelity is speakers and, to a certain extent, headphones.

My impression is more what units manufacturers use to demonstrate their products (i.e. what DAC a speaker manufacturer will use). For example Harbeth use Hegel, because they are powerful, measure well, are reliable and reasonably priced. Harbeth bought the products from Hegel, they weren't given to them. Another brand donated an expensive DAC, but Harbeth returned it as it measured poorly. dCS use Wilson, etc.

So look at photos from trade shows and certain products pop up being used much more frequently than others. It obviously depends on location. The Dave DAC was one of them. I can thin k of others.

 

[testp]

For me this is one of the greatest feats of ASR. All this 'reference-class' lists in the magazines, online or print, are now revealed of being mostly bogus. This is a great achievement.

hit the nail.. it's like science revelation long time ago. science can still be interpret wrong sometimes, but it's hard to ignore the truth

 

[Trell]

I don't like singling out brands, or mentioning ones I use, but it's a very Scandinavian attitude. I would expect much the same from other brands in Denmark, Sweden or Finland (don't know any in Norway).

I'm Scandinavian, that by definition is Norway and Sweden, which you didn't know. Please enlighten me as I obviously missed that "very Scandinavian attitude" when I grew up, except being an honest person.

I wonder if any of your others claims as to occupation, experience and what you own is actually true.

 

[Jimbob54]

p.s. That is the point. You've not used one. I heard the previous Hugo and the sound is impressive. You compared it to Topping and stated WITH A GUARANTEE what people would think of it, but you've never even used it yourself.

I didn't compare it to a Topping. I said if someone put a Topping device that measures similarly well as the Chord in the same case, people would go gaga for it.

Because that's Chord's real genius far more than any tech or sonic wizardry.

But this is clearly not something you and I will agree on so I'll leave it there.

 

[balletboy]

I'm Scandinavian, that by definition is Norway and Sweden, which you didn't know. Please enlighten me as I obviously missed that "very Scandinavian attitude" when I grew up.

I wonder if any of your others claims as to occupation, experience and what you own is actually true.

It was a compliment. Always found Scandinavians very honest and straightforward. (That's Danes, Norweigans, Swedes and Icelanders, never been to Finland, and my trip to Greenland was cancelled due to Covid). I hope to go to the Faroe Islands soon. There are a few islands in the Artic also considered part of Scandinavia.

If you really are that interested, it was Primare from Sweden, who now use the tagline "The Sound and Vision of Scandinavia". There are different economic, historic, ethnographic and political views, for example my perspective is socio-economic, as in the Nordic Model, which I much admire. Maybe the Nordic Model is reflective of a natural sense of fairness and equality.

 

[balletboy]

I didn't compare it to a Topping. I said if someone put a Topping device that measures similarly well as the Chord in the same case, people would go gaga for it.

Because that's Chord's real genius far more than any tech or sonic wizardry.

But this is clearly not something you and I will agree on so I'll leave it there.

No, we agree, you compared it sonically to Topping, in that people would not be able to tell them apart.

 

[Jimbob54]

No, we agree, you compared it sonically to Topping, in that people would not be able to tell them apart.

If they measured similarly and they didn't know which was playing. Correct.

What's the point of the measurements otherwise?