Chord Hugo 2 desktop DAC - QUTEST

Posted by: analogmusic on 09 January 2018

WOW, Chord are sure on a roll, and looking to cater to Naim owners too.

The Qutest now has adjustable volume output 1V, 2V or 3V, and the same FPGA as Hugo 2.

What it doesn't say is that one can use the Blu2 upsampler with the latest DAC, and get state of the art digital conversion.

Chord are on a roll - and I wonder if they will take all the market share in digital sources.

They sure are making some really desirable products.

Posted on: 17 January 2018 by analogmusic

Glad you like it a bit more Simon 

 

Posted on: 17 January 2018 by No quarter

That is a good sign that You are hearing improvements Simon,when I had the H2 on demo,it also got better after a few weeks of use.I still urge you to try it as a preamp directly into an amp,even any old amp you might have laying around...knowing full well that the 552 is going nowhere.

Posted on: 18 January 2018 by Mayor West
Simon-in-Suffolk posted:
Well I might need to eat humble pie.. that little Hugo 2 has been running in from new for the home demo... and it has come on song... it now has wonderfully expansive, engaging , natural feel, and indeed a slightly more weightier sound than the Hugo.. if this keeps up it could be a keeper...

Interesting thoughts Simon. Any reason why you didn't try the Qutest which does have BNC inputs presumably allowing the use of a DC1? 

Posted on: 18 January 2018 by Fueller

The Qutest isn't available yet, think I saw Feb mentioned

Posted on: 18 January 2018 by Mayor West
Fueller posted:

The Qutest isn't available yet, think I saw Feb mentioned

Ah right. I thought I'd seen it available for demo on a dealer websit but that must be to arrange before the stock comes in. 

Posted on: 19 January 2018 by Bob the Builder

I was offered £500 trade in against my 2Qute and told shipping was from February. 

Posted on: 21 January 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Well I am still enjoying the Hugo2... it is indeed a step on from the Hugo... I did swap back to the Hugo.. and now the Hugo2 is back .. it is more insightful and a fuller more organic sound which is addictive, the old cliché of rediscovering one’s recordings does indeed apply here... that coupled with my new 552 seemingly coming fully on song I am in audio heaven... but yes the Hugo2 definitely needs a run in to sound anywhere near it’s best. One criticism, the hiss level is ever so slightly higher than the Hugo1... but not noticeable unless your ear is close to tweeters in the dead of night.

Posted on: 21 January 2018 by Halloween Man

Congratulations Simon, seems you have taken another step up the ladder to audio nirvana, enjoy 

Posted on: 21 January 2018 by Timo
Halloween Man posted:

Congratulations Simon, seems you have taken another step up the ladder to audio nirvana, enjoy 

And compared to the 552, 555, 300 or in fact some ethernet cables used around here (“only £2800” from a recent ethernet cable thread), the Hugo 2 costs peanuts... 

Posted on: 28 January 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Ok my audition is complete.. and finally the Hugo (original) wins out. It is by a fair degree the more musical and enjoyable to listen to in my system with my ears, and my initial view of being sweeter holds true. Yes it doesn’t quite do the frequency extremes and wow factor  of the Hugo2, but I have concluded that is not important to really enjoy my music compared to the musical insight and natural flow the Hugo brings....

 

Posted on: 28 January 2018 by Chag...

Very interesting Simon as you seemed to lean towards Hugo 2 over a week ago. I now have the original Hugo on the NDS dig-out, DC1 BNC>RCA and Hi-line RCA>DIN to 252 (NDS as transport only). I alternate NDS onboard DAC with Hugo depending on music and mood at the time of listening. Close call indeed even if I still prefer the NDS for its resolution, cohesion and tightness. The Hugo indeed sounds often, not always, more fluid and natural. Its slightly warm lightening of the medium and the openness of its soundstage are ravishing.  Note: Always disable the unused NDS outputs and inputs for that matter. 

Chag -

Posted on: 28 January 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

 Chag,I was leaning to the Hugo2 based on some of the things I could hear the Hugo2 doing and I was hearing my recordings in a slightly new way... but after a few days I felt the music was simply not as enjoyable and I was less inclined to listen... perhaps kind of like an amp in needing of a recap, but the sound felt harder even if perhaps more detailed.... any way in the end I put my Hugo back in..and the music and the enjoyment was back with that lovely bubbly flow... it’s hard to describe..but so very real... it might be a Naim/Hugo1 synergy thing... I have no idea.

Posted on: 28 January 2018 by marcusman

Thanks Simon-In-Suffolk for your input.  I'm one of those in the Qutest target demographic(I assume), looking for a new semi-affordable DAC to go with my Naim Integrated amp.  With any luck Naim will introduce some updated offerings but in the meantime I'm targeting this DAC.  Clearly the Hugo1 is fantastic but I'm hoping the Qutest being new will be an ever so slightly improvement of the Hugo2 since it's targeted for Standalone systems and I love the fact that you can change the variable output voltage.  I'm looking forward to reading the reviews and more importantly hearing for myself.