93%
Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2
Hugo TT 2 has been radically redesigned from the ground up, not only with beautiful new casework by Chief Designer, John Franks, but with 5x the processing power of the original Hugo TT and double that of the multi-award-winning Hugo 2. Hugo TT 2 distils over 20 years of digital development by Rob Watts and takes advantage of the very latest technology.
As expected, it delivers radically improved technical specifications and measurements across the board and exhibits drastic sonic benefits over its predecessor with 768kHz PCM and DSD 512 playback. Hugo TT 2 sets a new benchmark in table top audio, only being eclipsed by DAVE.
Delving deeper, in comparison to the 256-tap filters that traditional chip DACs may run at, Hugo TT 2’s beating heart is a powerful Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA, custom-coded by Chord Electronics’ Rob Watts, with 86x 208MHz cores running in parallel to create an advanced 16FS WTA 1 filter with 98,304-taps. Double that of its multi-award winning transportable brother, Hugo 2 (49,152). Hugo TT 2 also benefits from an upgrade from a 4-element design to a 10-element design, which works in harmony with the radically upgraded FPGA and code to deliver unrivalled audio.
A brand new high-power discreet output stage coupled with second-order noise-shaping integrated between the DAC output and filter is also employed to massively reduce distortion. Further improvements have also been made to the power delivery. Hugo TT 2 eschews the Li-Po battery power supply of the original and ushers in six super capacitors capable of delivering huge, linear dynamic currents when the music demands it with peak output of 5A, 9.3V RMS.
Hugo TT 2 also brings home the much loved four-stage user-selectable filter controls introduced with Hugo 2 and retains the three-stage user-selectable digital crossfeed function for headphone users who want to improve the perception of depth, similar to that of speakers.
Hugo TT 2 can be upgraded at any time with the addition of M Scaler, our 1M-tap digital upscaling device.
‘Plays with Audirvāna’ hardware products are certified to play music from Audirvāna software over USB or network with the best level of integration and audio performance.
HUGO TT 2 – SPECIFICATIONS:
Materials: Precision machined aluminium casing with steel ball bearing buttons, gloss black acrylic signal window, glass viewing portal, and dot matrix display. Available in a choice of two colours – silver, and satin black
Tap length filter: 98,304-tap 16FS WTA 1 – 10 element design
Connectivity (input): 1x USB Type-B, 2x Coax BNC & 2x Optical
Connectivity (output): Stereo XLR, Stereo RCA, 2x 6.5mm Headphone jack & 1x 3.5mm Headphone jack
Connectivity (digital output): 2x DX BNC (expansion outputs)
Weight: 2.53kg
PCM support: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz, 717.6kHz, and 768kHz. 16 – 32bit
DSD support: DoP DSD 64 to DSD 512 – native via Windows
Volume control: Digital
Line-level mode: Activated within the menu
Driver support: Driverless with Mac OS X and Linux, driver required for Windows OS
Key Features
Roon tested
Included Accessories
Hugo TT 2 Quickstart guide
Safety instructions
15V 4A Switching barrel type power supply
IR remote control
Type-A USB to Type-B USB cable
Optical cable
2x AAA batteries
WATT RECOMMENDS
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Professional Reviews 93/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
93/100
Features Usability
93/100
Value for Money
89/100
Speed, clarity and prodigious drive define this reference-grade DAC/headphone amp, with The Ear Editor praising its balanced, articulate presentation and What Hi-Fi? calling it a class leader. Its versatile inputs, crossfeed and huge power output make it a compelling desktop centerpiece that stays refined, musical and impressively controlled.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptional clarity, detail retrieval and speed with a balanced, articulate sound.
Massive headphone and preamp drive, including enough power for demanding planar and high-impedance loads.
Excellent build quality and a premium, well-finished chassis.
Flexible feature set with USB, optical, BNC coax, Bluetooth aptX, crossfeed and multiple operating modes.
&
Cons
Menu-based ergonomics can be frustrating, especially when switching inputs or adjusting settings.
Bluetooth sounds good for convenience, but trails the performance of the wired inputs.
Some listeners may prefer a dedicated headphone amp, and the output-jack layout is not ideal for everyone.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviewers consistently describe the Hugo TT 2 as exceptionally clear, detailed, and fast, with strong organization and a smooth, poised presentation. It also gets repeated praise for a balanced, articulate character that stays engaging rather than turning sterile, with crossfeed adding a more speaker-like headphone image.
Transparency Resolution
96/100
Multiple reviewers highlight fantastic clarity, detail retrieval, and a highly detailed presentation. What Hi-Fi calls it wonderfully detailed and expressive, while The Ear praises its breathtaking speed and clarity with no hint of sterility.
Tonal Balance Musicality
93/100
The Hugo TT 2 is repeatedly described as smooth, balanced, and slightly warm of neutral, with enough warmth and palpability to stay musical. Reviewers like its forgiving nature and say it avoids sounding clinical even when it is very revealing.
Dynamics
96/100
Dynamics are a clear strength, with reviewers calling out impressive voltage swing, plenty of poke, and strong rhythmic confidence. It is described as punchy, fluid, and capable of handling big dynamic shifts with ease.
Noise Floor
92/100
The published specs emphasize very low noise and no measurable noise floor modulation, and the reviews present it as clean and refined rather than noisy. None of the reviewers report hiss or background noise problems.
Headphone Compatibility
92/100
Reviewers cite very high output power and note that it can drive demanding loads like HE6, Abyss Diana Phi, Susvara, and even headphones up to 800 ohms and beyond. One reviewer prefers dedicated amps for some headphone listening, so it is clearly capable, but not universally the final word for every pairing.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
93/100
Build quality is repeatedly praised as excellent, luxurious, and superbly finished, with the unit feeling solid and carefully made. Reviewers also like the revised casework and display treatment, though there is not much discussion of long-term durability.
Features Usability
93/100
This is a very well-equipped unit, with USB, optical, coaxial BNC, Bluetooth aptX, balanced and single-ended analog outputs, multiple headphone jacks, and separate DAC/amp/headphone modes. Reviewers also call out the crossfeed system and the distinctive volume control as useful and enjoyable in daily use.
Value for Money
89/100
Despite the very high asking price, reviewers generally feel the performance and feature set justify it. Phrases like best value DAC in Chord’s range and strong praise for what it achieves at its price point suggest a premium product that many reviewers still see as worth the money.
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Authorized dealers for Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2
- Absoulute Audio plus Video — in-store — Aiken, South Carolina, United States (website)
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- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Accent On Music — in-store — Mount Kisco, New York, United States (website)
- Acoustic Designs Inc. — in-store — Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acoustic Streams — in-store — Lower Drift, England, United Kingdom (website)
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- Ajasom — in-store — Amadora, Lisboa, Portugal (website)
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