Chord Hugo 2 DAC Hugo 2 is a powerful DAC and headphone amp that builds on the ground-breaking original. Designed for both home and mobile use, Hugo 2 transforms headphones and audio systems’ sound quality with its cutting-edge proprietary DAC technology. Manufacturers Details: In 2014, we introduced Hugo, a revolutionary portable DAC and headphone amp that became a landmark product in the audio landscape. Advances in digital technology, including the latest FPGAs and WTA (Watts Transient Aligned) filters, have enabled us to introduce a next-generation version, Hugo 2, featuring flexible new features, plus next-generation technical and sonic performance. Hugo 2 can be used both at home and on-the-go, either with headphones or within a conventional audio system. Its line-level output and full-function remote control adds real flexibility in full-size and desktop systems. The device offers four digital inputs (optical, coaxial and HD USB) plus extended-range Bluetooth, with high-resolution file playback up to 768kHz and up to DSD512 (Octa DSD), via its HD USB input. Analogue outputs include 2x RCA, plus 3.5mm and 6.35mm headphone outputs. Engineered With Care: A four-function switch filter offers a useful degree of user-selectable frequency-shaping, bringing warm and soft or transparent and incisive presentations, giving additional flexibility and user control. For headphone-listening, Hugo 2 retains the popular digital crossfeed function of the original and offers three operation modes. The system duplicates the effect of listening to speakers and is based on advanced binaural audio research. Hugo 2 features four spherical control buttons, which illuminate with colour-coding information and control power, input, filtering, plus the unit’s crossfeed functions. Battery playing time is around seven hours and two modes of automatic charging are included using the dedicated Micro USB charging port; an indicator shows charging and battery-charge status. Pair This With: The new Chord Hugo 2 Leather Case for the Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp introduces greater affordability, plus a choice of two colours, rich black and Oxblood. Made from high-quality genuine leather with precision cutaways for the control spheres, top-mounted volume sphere and viewing window, plus the connectivity suite at either end of the device, the new case offers custom-made protection for the transportable DAC/amp. Meanwhile, the Chord 2go is a high-performance streamer/server that transforms the Hugo 2 DAC into a fully featured Wi-Fi- and Ethernet-enabled device with up to 4 TB of solid-state library playback, bringing the proven sound quality benefits of our award-winning Hugo 2 DAC technology to network audio.
