Some of what you have read here on Audiogon may have been from me. I am
listening to the Chord Hugo on my main rig as I type this. It is really an
amazing dac and while I have listened to the headphone outputs, Im not really
a headphone listener so I can't compare its performance as a headphone amp.
As a dac, I am very impressed by the performance. All the detail, layering and
fluidity one could hope for in an audio component.
The fact that it was designed to be portable and thus runs on battery power
creates a few pros and cons. Pros: The thing is dead quiet. I mean silent! Its
footprint is obviously tiny which provides numerous placement choices. It also
doesnt care about a power cable which will save you a few bucks if you are
into audiophile cables. While on the subject of cables, its usb input is of the
micro variety which means, even though it is supplied with all of the cables
you need to hook up to almost any transport, few of us have audiophile grade
usb cables with the tiny micro termination. The cable they supply is ok and
will get you up and running. Also on the cable front, the Hugo is so light
weight that heavier audio file rca interconnects will require you to secure the
Hugo with a weight of some kind if your interconnects apply any weight.
I leave mine on and it is really a revolutionary product BUT....and this may be
a big BUT, it is so small that the on off switch is tough to use if you have large
fingers because it is placed between the charger cable input and the usb
input. Other than those small nits, this dac is terrific! I surmise when Chord
releases their dedicated rack mount dac based on this technology that it will
make waves. Best of luck.
listening to the Chord Hugo on my main rig as I type this. It is really an
amazing dac and while I have listened to the headphone outputs, Im not really
a headphone listener so I can't compare its performance as a headphone amp.
As a dac, I am very impressed by the performance. All the detail, layering and
fluidity one could hope for in an audio component.
The fact that it was designed to be portable and thus runs on battery power
creates a few pros and cons. Pros: The thing is dead quiet. I mean silent! Its
footprint is obviously tiny which provides numerous placement choices. It also
doesnt care about a power cable which will save you a few bucks if you are
into audiophile cables. While on the subject of cables, its usb input is of the
micro variety which means, even though it is supplied with all of the cables
you need to hook up to almost any transport, few of us have audiophile grade
usb cables with the tiny micro termination. The cable they supply is ok and
will get you up and running. Also on the cable front, the Hugo is so light
weight that heavier audio file rca interconnects will require you to secure the
Hugo with a weight of some kind if your interconnects apply any weight.
I leave mine on and it is really a revolutionary product BUT....and this may be
a big BUT, it is so small that the on off switch is tough to use if you have large
fingers because it is placed between the charger cable input and the usb
input. Other than those small nits, this dac is terrific! I surmise when Chord
releases their dedicated rack mount dac based on this technology that it will
make waves. Best of luck.