[doraymon]

A custom cable might give you more bass without adding an amp into the audio chain.

Agreed.
Try a good quality copper cable, you will be surprised how much difference it can make.

 

[Light - Man]

You mean like going wee-wee in your wetsuit when scuba-diving?

Indeed, a little embarrassing to hear you say it.

But one of the few pleasures in life!

P.S. don't knock it until you try it.

................................

 

[GU1DO]

The Hugo 2 has a high quality bass, For some this may be too much of a good thing. Most people are used to a more imprecise, flabbier if you like bass and believe that something is lacking once the bass has been cleaned up. What your amp has probably done is to inject a bit of flab/euphony, whatever you want to call it. If that is your preference, fine. (The Violectric probably does not work since it should have a precise, flab free bass.)

Hugo2 as amp is not the best amp and there are other amps that can lift the music quality to another level without sacrificing details you are seeking ,
thin sound doesn't mean its clean , its just there is not enough control over the driver to give the best of what the Hugo2 can produce as a DAC
bass is more than enough for me, but the contrast in imaging , extra details in the background is what missing Hugo2 as portable amp for desktop use
maybe its enough for some type of music/headphones but as a one solution for everything is impossible for one small device to do at its best ..

 

[514077]

I wouldn't call the added bass as flabby, far from it. It just makes the bass a lot more presence than it is without the amp. Everyone has their own preference in sound signature.
For me I wouldn't mind the HUGO to have more bass/body for my taste, so adding in the amp fixed it for my case. So for anyone thinking they want to add a bit more bass / weight to the music without sacrificing the details, the additional amp may help.
I know some people may prefer the "pure / direct" sound, but I personally like a more punchy / full sound, everybody has their preference in sonic presentation.

What about a little careful EQ'ing?

 

[514077]

Deleted.

 

[ChisChas]

Hugo2 as amp is not the best amp and there are other amps that can lift the music quality to another level without sacrificing details you are seeking ,

What are they please, and how much? One box or two solution?

 

[rkt31]

Chord mojo directly playing 5 inch single driver sealed box speakers.

 

[ChisChas]

The War On Drugs - Full Concert - Live At Amsterdam 2 November 2017 (low sound levels, I'm seeing violet blue on my Hugo 2!)



The last album is worth a listen to on Spotify Free

 

[Hooster]

but the contrast in imaging , extra details in the background is what missing Hugo2 as portable amp for desktop use
maybe its enough for some type of music/headphones but as a one solution for everything is impossible for one small device to do at its best ..

So an external amp will somehow add "extra details in the background"? How does that happen? Where are these details coming from? Are they not simply being added because you are playing louder? You would hear the same details if you turned the volume of the Hugo2 up to the same level, right?
To me an external amp can not add any detail that was not there to begin with. All an amp adds is distortion, and the ability to drive one of the few headphones that the Hugo2 can not. These headphones are very rare.
In my opinion there are two possible reasons why anyone would want to add an amp to a Hugo2.

1. They are using a pair of headphones that actually need more powerful amplification.

2. They like the kind of distortion that the amp introduces. (There is nothing wrong with that. We listen to music for fun.)

 

[paul2qute]

So an external amp will somehow add "extra details in the background"? How does that happen? Where are these details coming from? Are they not simply being added because you are playing louder? You would hear the same details if you turned the volume of the Hugo2 up to the same level, right?
To me an external amp can not add any detail that was not there to begin with. All an amp adds is distortion, and the ability to drive one of the few headphones that the Hugo2 can not. These headphones are very rare.
In my opinion there are two possible reasons why anyone would want to add an amp to a Hugo2.

1. They are using a pair of headphones that actually need more powerful amplification.

2. They like the kind of distortion that the amp introduces. (There is nothing wrong with that. We listen to music for fun.)

I have splinters on my backside over this subject,I would love to hear Rob watts take on this,I had some Linn kans mk 2 and I swapped my nap 180 to two nap 135 s and I swear I could hear more detail,was the naim nap 180 struggling to drive the speakers..no it wasn't but an amplifier is just that amplify the sound so how could that be? Why do ppl spend over 20 grand on amplifiers when the speakers in reviews I've read they use is an easy load????To me the source,dac and speakers are straight forward to understand but a pre amp and amplifiers confuse me totally,if I play Hugo first model as a dac and pre amp directly to my bryston sst 7 mono blocks it sounds better than the top of the range pre amp that naim make when I demo it in my home against the Chord Hugo,how can that be?

 

[paul2qute]

Hi all

I am looking to connect Naim streamer that have only Digital (S/PDIF) BNC output , to my Hugo 2
any cable from BNC to 3.5 (75Ω) recommendation .... is highly appreciated

Thanksss

I've ordered a Chord clearway digital for my naim nd5 xs to my Hugo 2 which is on order,I used a clearway digital from my naim to my Chord 2 qute,I had the latest Chord signature digital cable before that and I can't hear any difference considering how much more the Chord signature Is.It was bnc to bnc but now need bnc to 3.5, £108 bargain

 

[musickid]

i'm in the hugo2 owners camp that says the hugo2 amp/integrated dac line out is all you need and any 3rd party amp can only by the very laws of physics add distortion to the finely tuned hugo2 sound. 3rd party amps can be pleasing to the ear if distortion pleases the listener but it will never be the intended chord sound.

headphone SQ is essential as is comfort. i tried utopia and it sounds great but was very heavy and bulky for me. i cannot purchase an expensive headphone unless it is very comfortable and sounds euphonic. if either or both factors are missing a purchase becomes impossible.

as for all this nonsense concerning some chord dacs and their inability to cope with demanding orchestral pieces at high volume levels what a load of total nonsense. i just listened to alisa weilerstein playing dvorak with the czech philharmonic and mojo handled it with finesse and complete authority. sometimes i wonder.

 

[paul2qute]

i'm in the hugo2 owners camp that says the hugo2 amp/integrated dac line out is all you need and any 3rd party amp can only by the very laws of physics add distortion to the finely tuned hugo2 sound. 3rd party amps can be pleasing to the ear if distortion pleases the listener but it will never be the intended chord sound.

headphone SQ is essential as is comfort. i tried utopia and it sounds great but was very heavy and bulky for me. i cannot purchase an expensive headphone unless it is very comfortable and sounds euphonic. if either or both factors are missing a purchase becomes impossible.

as for all this nonsense concerning some chord dacs and their inability to cope with demanding orchestral pieces at high volume levels what a load of total nonsense. i just listened to alisa weilerstein playing dvorak with the czech philharmonic and mojo handled it with finesse and complete authority. sometimes i wonder.

I listened to the focal elear at hi-fi lounge while I had my utopia headphones on order,Paul said listen to these and I was so disappointed but I thought the utopia would blow me away,never been so disappointed in my life.I hate the Sennheiser hd800 with a passion but love the ie 800,morale of the story is maybe what everyone raves about ain't for me

 

[Currawong]

If you've seen measurements taken of an amp, both direct to a measuring device, then with headphones in the chain, it's easy to see the difference in the output when done with multiple amps.

That being said, I've only felt the output of the Hugo 2, for the most part, has been bested by TOTL amps which cost considerably more than the Hugo 2 itself, even if there is a slight compromise in noise level with some of them.

 

[paul2qute]

If you've seen measurements taken of an amp, both direct to a measuring device, then with headphones in the chain, it's easy to see the difference in the output when done with multiple amps.

That being said, I've only felt the output of the Hugo 2, for the most part, has been bested by TOTL amps which cost considerably more than the Hugo 2 itself, even if there is a slight compromise in noise level with some of them.

So a amp does let more information through then,not just power as the focal utopia doesn't need much to drive it?