Has anybody tried the 2go + 2yu transport? It seems like a very straightforward approach to provide Roon, Tidal, Qobuz, Airplay, etc. to NDS, nDAC, …
I’m meaning to add the 2go to my Hugo, not got round to it yet alas. However I have a Chord Mojo + Poly combo and use that a lot especially as a Roon endpoint, I use it with headphones and my phone or ipad later in the evening either Airplay or Roon, use it daily and more so the Mojo when on the move or to take to work, the Hugo is a bit more static hanging off the back of a Mac Mini and on to an amp.
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Brief thread diversion if I may — @Mr.M, have you tried your NDX2 plus Hugo 2 into your SN3?
Apologies @nbpf, but many thanks for your thread. I am curious to learn about 2go user impression — I have a Hugo 2 sitting here.
@Naim_The_Dragon No worry, diversions appreciated! I have just realized that this (2go + 2yu) is a very new server + transport combination, thus it is unlikely that many have tried it.
Still, it is one of the few server + transports around with SPDIF outputs and looks like a viable alternative to DigiOne Signature, Meridian 210, Primare NP5, Melcos etc.
It could be deployed to front end and Roonify legacy Naim streamers and DACs and, of course the Chord DACs.
It supports MPD (apparently Melcos and other popular server do not), can run a fully isolated network and, with 1TB micro SD cards at about 300$, might well be all one needs: no NASes, switches, cables, streamers … just a 2go + 2yu and a DAC.
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As an Mscaler/TT2 user this product interests me, possibly to replace my NDS/Xpsdr. I will probably wait to see if they come out with a table top version though, to match the TT2 or Dave. As you say, it is brand new, people are just receiving them now, I have been following the 2go/2yu headfi forum. The virus is not helping the release, I am sure too.
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Right, I am also interested in a stationary usage. For me, the main question is whether the 2go + 2yu combination has a better SPDIF output than my current RPi + DigiOne Signature combination. On the latter, I can run GenTooPlayer which seems more advanced than the Chord system at a first glance. But if the 2go + 2yu sounds significantly better, that could be a reson to go that route. Time (and demos) will tell.
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I doubt it — it got the impression that the 2yu was introduced to serve the whole range of Chord DACs, to broaden the 2go’s application beyond. A TT version would undermine that, and I doubt that enough Qutest’s users would be tempted by the new combo.
You might be right, but I would rather have a bigger one piece unit.
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Personally, I struggle that they haven’t managed to squeeze a small streamer module into the Mscaler — that would have been cracking and improved the appeal of the MScaler a lot, I think.
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Spoke to Chord about 2Go 2Yu replacing my Mac mini into Blu2. Advice was not worth it unless I went Roon/Internet streaming. Logic: SanDisk Extreme Pro 512GB SD is £180; I’d need 10 for my music library. Organising across & swapping cards could be annoying. Roon is £580 and I’d need to keep the Mac mini as a server. 2 Go is £995 and 2 You is £450. Total = £3,825.
Heard Tidal through 2Go 2Yu Hugo 2, but unimpressed, Qobuz was much better. However, still no interest in Internet subscription as a primary source, as I was saying to my mate Ned Ludd the other day.
Hopefully, they’ll bring out a Choral case version with a lot more onboard storage for less than £3,825. I had hoped Naim’s UnitiCore might be the answer, but I could never get on with its organisational restrictions.
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The problem with integrating a streaming module into the MScaler (or, for that, into DACs) is that streaming modules rely on a full fledged OS and on quite a lot of application level software.
For manufacturers, this means sizeable investments in software integration and support. For users, it means frequent system and software upgrades.
By contrast, DACs and devices like the MScaler rely on firmware that requires very little maintenance and support.
This is, in my view, a very good reason for supporting Airplay, Chromecast, Roon, MPD, UPnP, Tidal, Qobuz, etc. through front-ends that are separated from the actual DACs, Scalers, etc.
In short, I think that Chord’s approach of keeping the streaming platform separated from the DAC or scaling devices is a very clever one, especially now that DAC technologies are relatively mature and stable.
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Thanks for your assessment, it will be interesting to see if and how Naim reacts to the increasing number of manufacturers starting to offer no-nonsense server and server + transport solutions.
It would be nice to see a half size black box with a green logo and external power supply, user swappable drives, high quality cards for SPDIF, USB and Ethernet outputs, wireless and certification, e.g., for GenTooPlayer: something like a Pink Faun in a smaller form format. They could call it Core 2 and get a lot of praise for being unpretentious.
Naim should stay focussed on what they are good at and this is not software integration. There are outstanding software solutions to build upon, thus no need for them to reinvent the wheel from scratch.
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I auditioned the combination of MacBookAir (as roon core)/2go/2yu/TT2 into headphones at the Bristol Show.
That brief test was good enough for me to consider a proper comparative audition as a next (delayed) step to compare against other dedicated streamers into my own TT2 in a roon-oriented computer- based setup with good isolation and interconnects between components.
For my ‘use-case’ there are a number of options for a fixed setup, of which 2Go/2Yu is a strong contender :- I spilt my listening between FLAC radio streams, Qobuz, and locally stored CD-rips (1tB) and I use roon as much for its vendor-independent multiroom capability and for mild upscaling, as well as library management and playback control. The 2go would be a ‘no-brainer ’ with a Hugo2 , but with higher-end DACS (from any vendor) for which the 2yu is needed, I think more evaluation is needed.
The SD card source option on the 2go adds more flexibility on the storage for a small library - comments on the Head-fi forum suggest that the user has to switch from one SD card to the other one, I.e they aren’t grouped together in the GoFigure control app. Also note that 1tB SD cards are the currently available limit, although 2Go will support 2 x 2tB.
The 60+ Head-fi dedicated forum pages for the 2go/2yu have very few genuine listening impressions - it is mainly filled with folks chit-chatting about delivery (now resolved in the main) and describing unboxing and setting up. There is now a comprehensive manual for 2Go on the Chord Electronics website - within a month of release 
2Yu was due to ship this month, although Covid-19 may delay this.
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Just catching up on the day, not really had a lot of time to sit and play beyond the basic setup. It’s running direct over DIN IC to the SN3 currently and that’s likely how I’ll run it long term anyway.
As time allows I’ll wire up the Hugo on the Digital output and have a listen though, good suggestion.
I did run it like that for a bit on the ND5 XS2 and thought it did a good job, I’d expect it to be as good if not a little better but probably not a lot in it.
Unfortunately yes, really irritating when all you want to know is if it sounds better than other streamers. What they need is someone like (Ray dude) to test it, if you follow the Head-fi forums, you know his excellent reviews. He goes to extremes when it comes to testing various gear, isolation etc.
I’d be really interested how one sounds into a Hugo 2 compared to mac mini and audirvana
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Bump.
Any update from anyone on this?
A Hugo2 2Go is a very tempting option for me.
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