[hifuguy]

Hey Ray-Dude... This is a really exciting frontier that you are exploring. I can't afford a BluDave, but a BluHugo2 might be possible with a big stretch.

You wrote:

"I can say that I will not be replacing my BluDAVE with a BluHugo2, but that the BluHugo2 is a huge step above the DAVE."
​

Man, that was exactly what I wanted to know! To Dave or to BluHugo2; that is the question

Then you went on to say:

"More generally, I can also say that the Blu2 has highlighted the limits of almost all my content and equipment. Finding the right combination where any listening tests were not dominated by those limits was incredibly illuminating and humbling. Basically, everything degrades what the Blu2 can produce. You just try to minimize that degradation. When you have a true ground truth reference in your system, I'm finding that I end up measuring everything else against how much it degrades from that reference."​

That my friends is a profound and stunning paragraph... also very exciting.

I'm really looking forward to the unfolding cable saga.

Thanks for your hard work!

 

[ray-dude]

It was a profound upside the head when I realized it. All my old tricks and nearly all my intuition were out the window.

We often talk about reference, but that is in the context of what one is familiar with and that we compare everything else against. How are things better or worse? Same or different? Almost universally we speak of reference as a basis for comparison, to find common ground so we can understand something new in the context of what we know.

In a very first for me, the Blu2 is (for all practical purposes) a true reference: it establishes the ground truth from which everything else takes something away. That is, the Blu2 is a refererence for measurement, not just comparison. Understanding what something is taking away is key to understanding and optimizing your chain, but it is humbling with the stark unassailable clarity about the differences that you hear. At least at the beginning of this new journey, I am hearing 50% to 80% changes, not the usual 99.84 to 99.89% changes we endlessly debate about. It impacts everything from electronics to speakers to my room to my emotional mood to the actual music content)

To be 35+ years into the serious audiophile thing (and even longer into the life thing) and to rediscover Beginners Mind in a ground truth is a wondrous and wonderful thing. I'm very grateful for the privilege and good fortune to have a piece of that mountain top in my living room.

 

[GreenBow]

I think I read that there is going to be a Poly for the Hugo 2.

I wondered if it's worth mentioning something which I think the Hugo 2 Poly should have. A throughput for USB, optical, and Coaxial. That way you could leave the Poly plugged into the Hugo 2 always really. (Or even design a Hugo 3 eventually with an SD card built in.)


Basically it saves having to plug-uplug the Poly every time you go from portable to desktop. It's only that I was thinking about the Mojo Poly. Then how the Poly would be good with a USB pass-through, as I use USB.

It's probably not practical with the Mojo as the Mojo's Poly is quite small.

Anyway, just my two cents.

 

[514077]

I think I read that there is going to be a Poly for the Hugo 2.

I wondered if it's worth mentioning something which I think the Hugo 2 Poly should have. A throughput for USB, optical, and Coaxial. That way you could leave the Poly plugged into the Hugo 2 always really. (Or even design a Hugo 3 eventually with an SD card built in.)


Basically it saves having to plug-uplug the Poly every time you go from portable to desktop. It's only that I was thinking about the Mojo Poly. Then how the Poly would be good with a USB pass-through, as I use USB.

It's probably not practical with the Mojo as the Mojo's Poly is quite small.

Anyway, just my two cents.

It looks as though, with the two little holes on the back, it most-likely can be attached. Assuming they are threaded. So, it stands to reason there would be at least, a USB and power port for throughput. But, who knows?

 

[dmance]

Regarding Blu2+Hugo2. Yes, i think the dual-coax cable setup is untenable for mass market adoption ...but this combo is bleeding edge and the fortunate few who buy the kit are early adopters. Still, its disheartening to see the many posts about the challenges of extracting maximal/optimum sound quality. I mean, its almost 2018 but were adding ferrites to cables like its 1965 and i'm positioning the rabbit ears on my TV for best reception.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Hugo 2 and Utopia doesn't have me wishing for anything more. I am listening to it and loving it currently. Now, the Clear and Hugo 2 has me wanting more. It makes me wish I plugged the Utopia into it. (So then hook up the Utopia.)

Such great layering with the Hugo 2. I think thats what draws me in and makes it so stand out. Everything is clear and defined. Instrument separation and and also placement in the stage is easily perceived. Well done Chord.

 

[jscmd2000]

Sounds old but Effect Audio has several new iem cables with built in ferrite guard in their plugs that are also platinum-palladium coated, called PSquare plugs.
The change in sq with these cables is astounding.

 

[GreenBow]

It looks as though, with the two little holes on the back, it most-likely can be attached. Assuming they are threaded. So, it stands to reason there would be at least, a USB and power port for throughput. But, who knows?

Yeah, I thought about it after posting. I thought that any throughout of audio signal would practically make a Hugo 2 Poly, practically permanent.

Anyway I collected my Hugo 2 today, and just got home. I saw the shop's demo unit of the Hugo2 and heard it, because I was having a listen to two amplifiers. The Hugo 2 photos that you see online, really do not do it justice. It's smaller than I expected, and pleasantly so too. It's also far more gorgeous than I expected. ... I hope when I open the box to my Hugo 2, all is good in the universe, haha.

Hugo 2 and Utopia doesn't have me wishing for anything more. I am listening to it and loving it currently. Now, the Clear and Hugo 2 has me wanting more. It makes me wish I plugged the Utopia into it. (So then hook up the Utopia.)

Such great layering with the Hugo 2. I think thats what draws me in and makes it so stand out. Everything is clear and defined. Instrument separation and and also placement in the stage is easily perceived. Well done Chord.

Ha, Utopias and Hugo 2.

I think my amp and speakers would be sad if I bought some Utopias.

 

[miketlse]

Yeah, I thought about it after posting. I thought that any throughout of audio signal would practically make a Hugo 2 Poly, practically permanent.

Anyway I collected my Hugo 2 today, and just got home. I saw the shop's demo unit of the Hugo2 and heard it, because I was having a listen to two amplifiers. The Hugo 2 photos that you see online, really do not do it justice. It's smaller than I expected, and pleasantly so too. It's also far more gorgeous than I expected. ... I hope when I open the box to my Hugo 2, all is good in the universe, haha.



Ha, Utopias and Hugo 2.

I think my amp and speakers would be sad if I bought some Utopias.

Looks like you will be charging your Hugo 2 this evening, and listening tomorrow.
Unless you can't sleep for all the excitement, so end up playing music all night.

 

[GreenBow]

Looks like you will be charging your Hugo 2 this evening, and listening tomorrow.
Unless you can't sleep for all the excitement, so end up playing music all night.

Yeah, I was planning on waiting until the Hugo 2 did a full charge. (I found that was really what the Mojo really wanted.)

However I decided to at least try to get sound from it before setting it on charge. I initially thought it wasn't working, after about five minutes of thinking it wasn't going to make a noise. Followed by downloading drivers, that I think might be the same as the Mojo's, and more panicking - still no sound. More manual reading, then setting the right INPUT -- sound * working.

How do I honestly turn it off now?


Thank you Mike for posting. Have to admit, excited out of my mind. Yes I love what its doing with my Rega Brio (2017) and Dynaudio Emit M10. With the right equipment, the Hugo 2 is definitely not dry or bright; not even vaguely. It's a lovely slightly warm sound which I think comes from this amplifier. (Or it's just perfect and I think it's slightly warm.) This Brio is literally alive with the Hugo 2.

I actually managed to listen to the more expensive Rega Elex-R 'vs' the Rega Brio together today. It was in the store where I bough the Hugo 2. However true to What Hi-Fi's review, the Elex-R was edging towards leanness sounding, while admittedly detailed and sure footed. This Rega Brio however sounds bang on. It's bountiful with sound.

 

[jayz]

Regarding Blu2+Hugo2. Yes, i think the dual-coax cable setup is untenable for mass market adoption ...but this combo is bleeding edge and the fortunate few who buy the kit are early adopters. Still, its disheartening to see the many posts about the challenges of extracting maximal/optimum sound quality. I mean, its almost 2018 but were adding ferrites to cables like its 1965 and i'm positioning the rabbit ears on my TV for best reception.

I have agree with this view. Nowadays my digital transport runs direct to active speakers via a short optical cable. Piles of boxes and cables can create many problems then solve some giving a false sense of improvement - not always but it is most often the case. First principles matter so always use the shortest possible cable irrespective of how expensive it is. If a simple ferrite seemingly affects gear of this calibre, to me that says something fundamental is missing , just cannot be. These things usually go through very rigorous interference testing and are designed using tools and help from experts in high frequency design.

 

[Triode User]

I have agree with this view. Nowadays my digital transport runs direct to active speakers via a short optical cable. Piles of boxes and cables can create many problems then solve some giving a false sense of improvement - not always but it is most often the case. First principles matter so always use the shortest possible cable irrespective of how expensive it is. If a simple ferrite seemingly affects gear of this calibre, to me that says something fundamental is missing , just cannot be. These things usually go through very rigorous interference testing and are designed using tools and help from experts in high frequency design.

Pop over to the Blu2 thread to read Rob Watts’ eloquent explanation for why what you are saying is balderdash (that’s a technical term).

 

[Whazzzup]

Ill pass on ferrits, but thx

 

[514077]

Pop over to the Blu2 thread to read Rob Watts’ eloquent explanation for why what you are saying is balderdash (that’s a technical term).

Could you provide a link to the post?

 

[GreenBow]

I thought Rob Watts advocated using ferrites.