Hi all
Has anybody used a chord Hugo TT with their naim set up and how dose it compare with the DAC in the NDX 2 or the NDS. I could fit one in and replace my current headline Hi-cap set up. I guess somebody may even have tried it as a pre-amp. Or just as a DAC
Interested to hear how one might fit in the preowned price looks tempting.
Many use Chord tt here, as @mikehughescq .
However, most running it as a pre also went for a Chord amp after. It seems to be not ideal to run chord as volume control with Naim amps.
But it works however.
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I have used one (TT2) with innuos streamers and compared to ndx2. (also briefly demoed with NDX2). It is a very different presentation. More detailed but also quite warm compared to other Chord DACs. For mi it would certainly be prefarable to a bare NDX2 but different people will feel differently. i have run it directly into my ATC Actives but was not impressed.
I’m using the mobile version, it’s an excellent DAC (I paid £450 second hand!!), I preferred it to the ND5 XS2, but have not compared it to the NDX2 or NDS.
The mobile and TT versions are apparently different sounding too.
@Simon-in-Suffolk might have some comments (sorry to ping you!) as I think they ran a Hugo MK1 for a while too, and now run a NDX2 into Chord DAC (possibly a DAVE?)?
Note that the TT and TT2 are somewhat different, so bear in mind that some comments may not be entirely relevant to you, depending on which version you choose.
FWIW I ran a Hugo 1 with ND5XS, and found the Hugo to give distinctly better sound quality than the ND5XS, and was a much bigger upgra
I tried it first through my preamp (not Naim), The sound of Hugo my ears is much more natural and lifelike. I then tried direct into my power amp, Hugo having a volume control, and that improved the sound further better still (hardly surprising as less electronics in the signal path).
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YMMV but as a TT2 owner this mirrors exactly my thoughts.
I did run a Hugo mk1 with my 252DR setup. It was very enjoyable, and gave that Mandelbrot affect.
The Hugo mk1 is quite laid back, so I found Hiline provided a bit of extra higher mid focus.
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I really liked my HugoTT with my NDX2 and Innuos set up.
However, I think the battery life is finite even with it plugged in. Not sure if this is something that can be checked when buying a used one.
Mine has been acting up the last few days and had to be turned off to charge up again. Now it won’t turn on at all.
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Hmmm I was thinking that the batterie supply could be an issue at some point and may well reflect the lowish price £1’199 for a Hugo TT
I guess chord could or would service and replace the batteries. My be a fairly easy job to replace them without sending the back to chord. Maybe there’s somebody here that even know how much that would actually cost. 
I would be interested to hear people views on the Hugo TT as a direct replacement for the headline and hi-cap that I’m currently using.
Quick google for compatible batteries suggests £12/$16. There are websites with links to ones people have used successfully.
Chord would likely do it for a cost.
Google shows there are other UK based audio companies who will replace these batteries too. So a dead battery definitely doesn’t spell EOL.
Whatever you do, audition before buying.
Post here piqued my curiosity and I demoed a Dave both with and without mScaler, experimenting extensively with settings. I much prefer my ND555.
That is very interesting because our next streaming upgrade plan was to compare exactly both those combinations, and perhaps other transports.
We’ve heard the ND555, and whilst it was better than our current source it wasn’t so much of an instant uplift that we pulled out the credit card. We are very much at the point of diminishing returns now.
Just to complicate matters, the ND555 benefits from a second 555PS and the Dave benefits form the Sean Jacobs power supply
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Ha ha yes it’s a slippery slope isn’t it.
ND555 + second PSU just doesn’t justify cost at the moment.
Hugo TT2 / MScaler into Naim amplification here. Thoroughly enjoying
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