Chord Hugo 2 + 2go vs Naim ND5 XS2?

Streaming Audio
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the Hugos method of recreating analogue sound isn’t accurate to the recording/source. (vs other ‘cheaper’/lesser DACs)

When comparing against some other products, the method that Chord uses obviously was shifting absolute locational accuracy in favour of ‘more natural sound decay properties’…

whilst musically speaking I find it very easy to fall in Love with the Chord ‘house sound’, the subtle shifting of locational cues that I am dependant on when gaming isn’t my preference, and so I found an iFi Diablo an improvement over the Hugo (1)…
(a Topping D90 being ‘trash’ for the same reasons/when compared vs these parts etc)…

Chord Hugo output sloghtly homogenising the location of some ‘point sources’, again, “I’m a gamer”, isn’t a detriment to 95%plus of DAC buyers and hence Chord DAC are easy musical DACs to choose.

any on the fence-this is super subtle stuff and not even noticeable to many (it would seem)…

subjectivity aside, we provably all have differing experiences given we may all seek different traits in a presentation.

I think Chord DACs are musical, but for gaming there is an obvious positional accuracy improvement from different DAC topologies…
(iFi and the ‘GTO’ filter, for bargain basement pricepoint is an incredible buy and can sound per poundwise ‘touch’ the value found from Chord DAC products.

That being said I am happy to mix my hifi separates and, that being the case, a Chord DAC and a Naim amplifier will always be on my shopping shortlists…

22

That’s an interesting perspective I hadn’t considered. In my case though music is definitely what I would be using the DACs for in either setup as my Arcam AVR850 handles all the processing for films & gaming.

23

Now that the NAC N-272 has been mentioned, I’m seriously considering swapping out the Bluesound Node 2 for something like the iFi Audio ZEN Stream WIFI Transport to retain an up-to-date streaming interface then picking up an NAC N-272 and a NAP 250 DR. Obviously the ND5 XS 2 or Hugo 2 + 2go into an XS 3 or SN3 would be a simpler option but there is a certain appeal to picking up the older generation stuff and just adding a current streamer/transport to try out the Naim ‘house sound’ in my system.

Thanks everyone, that has given me some good insights into three options to mull over.

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24

I have had both and I would go with the ND5 XS2 over the Hugo2/2Go all day. To my ears the Naim streamer sounds better and the Naim app is vastly superior to MConnect.

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25

I did have to go look up the Zen Stream; I’d caution a minor warning regesing iFi and advertising sheets-

~they will always look impressive and sound like the best stuff around~

but-

they are “by pricepoint” (just like nearly everything else)…

so, whilst I’d agree their intention to control all aspects of the digital stream (down to the PC ecosystem and jitter induced at a software level) is awesome (and better than most options out there at ANY pricepoint);
the actual parts themselves compete against equivalent price point parts exceptionally well.

to my awareness- iFi audio DO NOT MAKE streaming kit at a Naim pricepoint at all…

a lot of stuff that isn’t spoken about on the Naim advertising pages about the kit… (perhaps anything from power regulation to board layout and component selection etc) will all be consistent with equipment from higher price tiers.

irrelevant of patents that may be found on cheaper products (and ‘yes’: I know iFi lift tech from AMR!); by pricepoint Naim kit will excel simple due to bot having to cut certain corners (due to pricepoint).

I love iFi literature - but it requires knowing the audio market equipment intimately inside and out in order to know what stuff is special and not just a way around issues that higher price point kit might not even suffer from.

eg a lesser clock chip (by spec) may perform better on a higher level of power supply grade and larger PCB (/better layout?!) etc…

that being said- that Zen Stream *DOES * look like an easy solution for many to install, and I’d certainly have recommended this to a mate over a Wiim, for example.

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26

I was talking about the post above, « Hugo better vs a Naim dac « .
For my ears, the Ndac sounds more natural and involving vs Hugo or Dave.
But on pure hifi criterias ( = soundstage, details, separation….), the Chords dacs are better.

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27

You say you were talking about “a Naim DAC” you say, but which one? There are many different ones, the thread, and I assume Dayjay’s observation, being about the implementation in ND5XS2, vs Hugo 2.

28

It was, but I compared my original Hugo, back in the day against an ndac and I kept the Hugo. Each to their own but there are a lot of people using Chord dacs with Naim streamers. Dave is a whole different level to an ndac in every way imho

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29

IB, i just prefer the sound signature of the Naim dacs, be it Ndac or inside the streamers. For my ears they sound more natural and involving.
It’s not about better or not. Of course the Dave is better, but on some criterias, specially being much more resolving. But the preference and taste is another thing.
I once heard the Soulution integrated at 20k. It’s the same. Much more resolving, spacious , transparent vs a Supernait 2 or 3. But I find the later more natural and involving.

2 Likes
30

Interesting - I have a Hugo Mk1 and a Naim DAC, but it’s the latter that gets most use in the main system. Don’t get me wrong, the Hugo is in many ways superb, but it’s more cerebral than the Naim. It does though really excel on classical music, and if that were all I ever listened to then I would likely use it more than I do.

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31

The Hugo 1 was a game changer for me, I was an early adopter and really couldn’t believe the difference for what it cost. To be honest I wish I’d kept it for a second system or for when I’m away from home.

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32

Let’s not forget also that virtually any streamer needs some network optimization. So much depends on how you will actually use those. If it’s like nd5xs2 with good power supply + network vs hugo + pc via usb, there’s no big chance for Chord. And it can be vice versa if you use batteries on Hugo2/2go with sophisticated network vs random router and compromised sockets/cables with Naim.

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33

Interesting how we perceive things differently, as I felt Hugo 1 to be more natural dounding than ND5XS’s DAC. But noting Richard’s observation about classical, perhaps it depends on the type of music one listens to

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34

Thank you for the question, it made me mess again with cables, etc. in order to compare my SuperUniti against my Hugo 2 + 2go. I cannot remember how many times I did this, and still I cannot make a choice.

Then a SU is not a 272 I know, and much less an ND5 XS 2, so all this may be irrelevant to the OP. Regarding network optimization, all this is using internet for both SU and 2go, from the same switch and power supply.

We have listened many, many times to all variations and combinations, searching for the truth in an obsessive and painful way. I can offer the following:

Everything that goes through the SU’s DAC has the same signature (coaxial, UPnP, optical). My preference is coaxial, I also prefer to avoid the Naim app for UPnP and Tidal because sometimes is not very stable (it is the old platform). This is one reason I use Roon.

The Hugo 2 presentation is very different, the stage is higher and forward, it’s like getting closer to the music. There is more and sharper detail.

It all may depend on where you like to seat in a concert hall. Chord if you like the first row, Naim if you like some distance. I also think Hugo makes easier to follow classical and complex works.

My daughter prefers the SU, I prefer the Hugo. But the Chord is very asymmetric and its cables difficult to set. I mostly listen to the SU, but keep the Hugo because it is the best thing I found when listening on the road.

I always remain surprised that in my modest system I can listen to these differences, it makes life more interesting. Finally, a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

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35

Thanks for looking into it. My reasoning was if it was just a audio transport like the Zen Stream it didn’t effect quality too much as long as it sent out the right information to the DAC in the Nac N-272. I assumed the DAC & preamplifier stage is where the real difference is between Naim and a cheaper setup. Spending any more on a network transport to use the 272 wouldn’t make sense as the overall cost would be back into Hugo 2 + 2go or ND5 XS 2 territory.

36

Very insightful into the perceived presentation into the Chord, thanks.

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37

I think what you have most elegantly said is what many experience. I myself regularly change between NDX2 - Violectric hpa - Meze Empyreans and NDX2 - Hugo 2 - Violectric hpa - Meze Empyreans. Neither is better, they just sound different and are swapped to suit my mood :slightly_smiling_face:. (IE. two very different DACs with an assortment of different cables).

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38

Ahhh come on, Hugo doesn’t have to look like that……

I love mine, I compared to an Atom HE at home over a long weekend before going for the Chord.

Among other things I love the simplicity, my entire digital system only has 1 mains cable to worry about. Yes the Chord app is clunky but I use Roon. Heck, when I really want to get nerdy i switch the wifi off in the 2go and listen locally to the SD cards inside the unit.

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39

I thought it was normally suggested that Naim is like being in the front row…

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40

Well, then the Hugo is like being on stage. The aural effect is very clear and recognizable.

How is it with your Dave?