Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2 DAC, Preamplifier and Headphone Amplifier at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada

The Hugo TT 2 is a table top DAC, digital preamplifier, and headphone amplifier from Chord Electronics (Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom), available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. Designed by Rob Watts and John Franks, the Hugo TT 2 is built around a Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA running a 98,304-tap Watts Transient Aligned (WTA) filter, achieving a dynamic range of 127 dB A-weighted and distortion of just 0.00008% at 2.5V into 300 ohms. Supporting 768kHz PCM and native DSD512 playback, the Hugo TT 2 sets the benchmark for table top digital audio, eclipsed within the Chord Electronics range only by the flagship DAVE.

FPGA Architecture: 98,304-Tap WTA Filter and 86-Core Parallel Processing

The Hugo TT 2's core is a Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA, custom-coded by Rob Watts, operating 86 parallel cores at 208MHz to construct an advanced 16FS Watts Transient Aligned (WTA 1) filter running at 98,304 taps. This represents double the tap count of the multi-award-winning Chord Hugo 2 at 49,152 taps, and is five times the processing power of the original Hugo TT. In comparison, conventional chip-based DACs typically run reconstruction filters at just 256 taps, a fraction of the Hugo TT 2's resolving depth. The Hugo TT 2 also advances from a 4-element noise shaper design to a 10-element configuration, working in harmony with the upgraded FPGA code to deliver a noise figure of just 4 microvolts A-weighted in high gain mode and 1.7 microvolts in low gain, with no measurable noise floor modulation. A second-order noise shaper is integrated directly between the DAC output and filter stage to further reduce distortion. The result is 127 dB of dynamic range, stereo separation of -138 dB at 9V RMS into 300 ohms, and a vanishingly low output impedance of 0.042 ohms.

Super-Capacitor Power Supply, Headphone Amplifier, and M Scaler Upgradability

The Hugo TT 2 abandons the lithium polymer battery of its predecessor in favour of six super-capacitors capable of delivering peak output of 5A at 9.3V RMS, providing large linear dynamic current reserves precisely when music demands them, without the sonic limitations associated with conventional regulated power supplies. The headphone amplifier stage delivers 288mW RMS into 300 ohms and 7.3W RMS into 8 ohms from the unbalanced output, scaling to 1.15W RMS into 300 ohms and 18W RMS into 8 ohms via the balanced output, making the Hugo TT 2 one of the most powerful headphone amplifiers available in a component of this size. Four user-selectable digital filter options, inherited from the Hugo 2, allow listeners to tailor the high-frequency presentation to taste, while three stages of user-selectable digital crossfeed replicate a more natural spatial presentation when listening through headphones. The Hugo TT 2 can be upgraded at any time with the addition of the Chord M Scaler, a 1,000,000-tap digital upscaling device that extends the system's resolving capability to 705.6kHz, sixteen times CD's native resolution, without requiring any change to the Hugo TT 2 itself.

Key Features

• 98,304-Tap WTA FPGA Filter: Rob Watts' proprietary Watts Transient Aligned reconstruction filter, running on 86 parallel Artix 7 FPGA cores at 208MHz, delivers double the filter depth of the Hugo 2 and 384 times the tap count of a typical chip-based DAC.
• 127dB Dynamic Range and 0.00008% Distortion: Industry-leading measured performance, with 127dB A-weighted dynamic range and distortion of 0.00008% at 2.5V into 300 ohms.
• 768kHz PCM and Native DSD512: Supports the full spectrum of high-resolution audio formats up to 768kHz PCM in 32-bit and native DSD512, plus DoP across compatible inputs.
• Six Super-Capacitor Power Supply: Replaces the original's lithium polymer battery with a super-capacitor bank delivering 5A peak current at 9.3V RMS for unrestricted dynamic headroom.
• High-Power Balanced Headphone Amplifier: Balanced output delivers 1.15W RMS into 300 ohms and 18W RMS into 8 ohms, with unbalanced output providing 288mW into 300 ohms and 7.3W into 8 ohms.
• Lossless Digital Volume Control and Preamplifier Output: The Hugo TT 2 outputs directly to a power amplifier via balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA, functioning as a complete lossless digital preamplifier without a separate analogue stage.
• Four User-Selectable Digital Filters: Filter voicing options allow listeners to adjust the high-frequency presentation from the most accurate reconstruction to a gentler roll-off depending on system and programme preference.
• Three-Stage Crossfeed Control: User-selectable crossfeed processing replicates a speaker-like soundstage depth for headphone listeners, reducing listening fatigue over extended sessions.
• Expandable with M Scaler: The Chord Hugo M Scaler connects via dual BNC inputs to upsample audio to 705.6kHz, extending the Hugo TT 2 system's performance without requiring a separate power amplifier upgrade.
• Balanced XLR and Unbalanced RCA Outputs: Fully balanced and single-ended analogue outputs with an output impedance of 0.042 ohms provide maximum compatibility with power amplifiers and active loudspeakers.
• Stereo Separation of -138dB: Exceptional channel isolation at 9V RMS into 300 ohms ensures a completely independent left and right channel signal for precise stereo imaging.
• 10-Element Noise Shaper Design: Upgraded from the 4-element configuration of its predecessor, working in harmony with the FPGA and filter code to minimise residual noise across the audible band.

Technical Specifications

Connections at a Glance

• 1 x USB Type-B input (up to 768kHz PCM / DSD512)
• 2 x BNC Coaxial inputs (S/PDIF; dual BNC accepts M Scaler at up to 768kHz)
• 2 x Optical inputs (TosLink)
• Bluetooth (aptX)
• 2 x DX expandable outputs (for M Scaler and future expansion)
• 1 x Balanced XLR analogue output
• 1 x Unbalanced RCA analogue output
• 3 x Headphone outputs (front panel)

Awards and Critical Recognition

• 5 Stars, What Hi-Fi? (UK) - "The Hugo TT2 is a brilliant DAC. Chord has produced yet another class leader"
• Featured in What Hi-Fi? Best DACs of 2021 - "There isn't another DAC around at anywhere near this sort of price able to communicate so well and so effortlessly"
• Editors' Choice Award, The Absolute Sound (USA) - "Everything the Hugo TT could do, the Hugo TT 2 can do better"
• Group Test Winner 2020, Hi-Fi Choice (UK)
• Recommended Award, Headfonia - "It has made its place at the very top of my DAC list clear"
• TAS Recommended Component, The Absolute Sound (USA)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2?

The Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2 is a table top DAC, digital preamplifier, and headphone amplifier from Chord Electronics, handbuilt in Great Britain. It is built around a Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA running Rob Watts' 98,304-tap Watts Transient Aligned filter across 86 parallel 208MHz cores, achieving 127dB A-weighted dynamic range and distortion of 0.00008% at 2.5V into 300 ohms. It supports 768kHz PCM and native DSD512 playback, outputs directly to power amplifiers via balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA, and delivers up to 18W RMS into 8 ohms via its balanced headphone output. It is the second-highest DAC in the Chord Electronics range, eclipsed only by the flagship DAVE.

How does the Chord Hugo TT 2 compare to the Chord DAVE or dCS Bartók?

The Chord Hugo TT 2 sits directly below the Chord DAVE in the Chord Electronics lineup. The DAVE uses a more powerful Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA running a 164,000-tap WTA filter, achieving a higher dynamic range of 127.5dB, a lower output impedance of 0.055 ohms, and balanced XLR outputs with a more powerful headphone stage; it also lacks the Hugo TT 2's Bluetooth input. What Hi-Fi? has noted that the Hugo TT 2 can be considered the best value DAC in Chord's range, with only a very transparent system and considerable outlay justifying the step to DAVE. Against the dCS Bartók, the Hugo TT 2 offers a fundamentally different conversion architecture using a proprietary FPGA filter rather than a ring DAC topology, at a lower price point, and with a comparable headphone amplifier capability in a more compact chassis.

Can the Chord Hugo TT 2 be used as a standalone preamplifier?

Yes, the Chord Hugo TT 2 functions as a fully lossless digital preamplifier. Its variable-level analogue output connects directly to any power amplifier via balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA, eliminating the need for a separate preamplifier stage. A fixed output mode is also available for use with an existing integrated amplifier or preamplifier. The Hugo TT 2 is the natural preamplifier partner for the Chord Electronics BerTTi stereo power amplifier within the Table Top system, and pairs equally well with ULTIMA-range Chord power amplifiers and third-party designs.

What headphones work best with the Chord Hugo TT 2?

The Chord Hugo TT 2's balanced headphone output delivers 1.15W RMS into 300 ohms and 18W RMS into 8 ohms, making it one of the most powerful headphone amplifiers in a component of this size. It drives high-impedance designs including the Sennheiser HD 800 S, Beyerdynamic T1, and ZMF Caldera with authority, as well as planar magnetic headphones such as the HiFiMan Arya and Audeze LCD-4. Three stages of user-selectable digital crossfeed further enhance the listening experience by replicating a more natural, speaker-like stereo presentation through headphones.

Can the Chord Hugo TT 2 be upgraded with the M Scaler?

Yes, the Chord Hugo TT 2 accepts the Chord M Scaler digital upscaler via its dual BNC coaxial inputs. The M Scaler applies a 1,000,000-tap Watts Transient Aligned filter to upsample audio to 705.6kHz, sixteen times CD's native 44.1kHz resolution, before passing the signal to the Hugo TT 2 for conversion. This combination is regarded as one of the most resolving compact digital systems available and forms the basis of the Chord BerTTi Table Top system when a power amplifier is added. The upgrade can be made at any time without replacing the Hugo TT 2.

Does the Chord Hugo TT 2 support DSD and Roon?

Yes, the Chord Hugo TT 2 supports native DSD512 (8x DSD) as well as PCM up to 768kHz in 32-bit via its USB input, and DoP across compatible inputs. It is compatible with Roon playback software and accepts all Roon audio formats up to its maximum supported sample rate. Bluetooth aptX connectivity is also included for wireless streaming from compatible mobile devices.

Where can I buy the Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2 in Toronto or Canada?

The Chord Electronics Hugo TT 2 DAC, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier is available at Vinyl Sound, an authorised Chord Electronics dealer located in Toronto, Canada. Vinyl Sound carries the full Chord Table Top range including the Hugo TT 2, M Scaler, and BerTTi stereo power amplifier, and can demonstrate the complete system in-store. Canadian customers across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond are welcome to contact or visit Vinyl Sound Toronto for expert advice and system demonstrations.