Is my Chord DAC powerful enough for my headphones?
Short answer
Yes for Hugo, Hugo 2, Dave and TT2, on his account. Qutest is the exception: it is not meant for headphones, and he told its owners to use Hugo 2 Head-Fi, Sep 2021. From 2014 to 2025 Watts said the headphone outputs on Hugo, Hugo 2, Dave and TT2 drive nearly every headphone, and that an external amp makes sense only when the DAC truly lacks power; otherwise it degrades transparency Head-Fi, Aug 2014Head-Fi, Feb 2017Head-Fi, Jan 2020Head-Fi, Jun 2023Head-Fi, Jan 2025. His test is the volume control: below the clipping point, there is enough power Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Apr 2019. His named hard case is the Susvara, which Dave drives to 92dB SPL Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2023; on Mojo 2 he said virtually nobody will use one Head-Fi, Jun 2023.
The practical answer
From 2014 to 2025 Watts said his headphone outputs have enough power for nearly every headphone, and that an external amp is worth adding only when the DAC runs out of drive Head-Fi, Aug 2014Head-Fi, Jan 2020Head-Fi, Jan 2025. In 2020 he wrote: "The reality is that Dave and Hugo 2 have more than enough power to drive any headphone - except perhaps one or two very exotic models" Head-Fi, Jan 2020. In 2023, writing about Dave, he said that with normal headphones "you won't need to use another headphone amp - unless you want to purposely colour the sound" Head-Fi, Jun 2023. His latest statement in this archive (January 2025) is that he "would only use an amp if their wasn't enough drive from Dave" Head-Fi, Jan 2025. In 2014, on Hugo: "Now if you need more power, then add another amp, no argument from me here" Head-Fi, Aug 2014.
How he says to check your own unit
His test is the volume control, meaning the setting where output can clip with a full-scale (0dBFS) source Head-Fi, Mar 2016Head-Fi, Jan 2022.
- Hugo (original), 2014: at 22 ohms or more "you are good until you just hit white"; at 8 ohms distortion starts to rise one color earlier Head-Fi, Apr 2014.
- Dave, 2016 to 2022: more power is indicated by volume "exceeding +4dB", the point where it may clip Head-Fi, Mar 2016. In 2022 he gave +4 for Dave alone and +7 with an M Scaler Head-Fi, Jan 2022.
- TT2, 2018 to 2019: with a 0dBFS input it clips at +7H in high gain, or about -2L in low gain Head-Fi, Oct 2018Head-Fi, Apr 2019.
- Mojo 2 thread, 2023: "Just hitting the white level is fine - it can't clip"; clipping with a 0dBFS input comes deeper into white. The post does not name the product Head-Fi, May 2023.
By product
Hugo (2014). He gave 5V RMS and 0.5A and said it "will drive difficult headphones too" Head-Fi, Sep 2014. He put the HD800 at 115dB SPL before Hugo clips Head-Fi, Aug 2014.
Hugo 2 (2018 to 2024). He said it is limited to its 8.2V battery voltage Head-Fi, Jan 2018 and gives 1050 mW into 8 ohms Head-Fi, Nov 2019. His figures: HE6 110dB SPL Head-Fi, Oct 2019, Abyss 1266 115dB SPL Head-Fi, Nov 2020, LCD-4z 130dB SPL Head-Fi, Aug 2021. He uses it with the DCA Stealth, with enough volume even when flying Head-Fi, Nov 2024. For more power he pointed to TT2 Head-Fi, Jan 2021.
Dave (2015 to 2023). 6.8V RMS (6.75V in other posts) into 300 ohms and 1.4W into 33 ohms at 1% THD Head-Fi, Nov 2015Head-Fi, Nov 2015Head-Fi, Jul 2022. He said it drives the HE1000 with ease Head-Fi, Dec 2015. In a 2023 Q&A he said 99% of headphones are fine with Dave, leaving 1% it would not drive, which is why TT2 is more powerful Soundnews 12:37Soundnews 13:05Soundnews 13:10. The Susvara is his named hard case: Dave reaches 92dB SPL, (just) fine for him but not enough for many listeners, so "it really depends upon the listener" Head-Fi, Jan 2022. In 2023 he called it the "only situation" where an amp may make sense with Dave Head-Fi, Jun 2023.
TT2 (2018 to 2022). He said he built it so that "nobody could possibly say that TT2 couldn't drive any (non electrostatic) headphone directly" Head-Fi, Jan 2020. He gave 9V RMS or 7W into 8 ohms Head-Fi, May 2018. His figures on the single-ended output: Abyss 121dB SPL Head-Fi, Aug 2018, HD800 121dB SPL Head-Fi, Aug 2018, Susvara 95dB SPL (101dB balanced) Head-Fi, Mar 2022. He warned that the balanced output could thermally trip on low loads: 8 ohms or less (January 2021, when he called 16 ohms and above fine), at or below 10 ohms (March 2021), under 16 ohms run loud (February 2022) and 8 ohms or less (April 2022) Head-Fi, Jan 2021Head-Fi, Mar 2021Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Apr 2022.
Mojo and Mojo 2. For Mojo 2 he gave 99.5dB SPL on the HD800 Head-Fi, Feb 2022 and in 2024 output power "almost identical" to Hugo 2 Head-Fi, Nov 2024; in 2023 he noted that "virtually nobody will use a Susvara on Mojo 2" Head-Fi, Jun 2023. In 2023 he gave the original Mojo the same Stealth figure as Mojo 2 Head-Fi, Mar 2023.
Qutest. He said it will safely drive 25 ohm loads (2022) Head-Fi, Nov 2022, but that "if you are driving headphones then you should be using Hugo 2" (2021) Head-Fi, Sep 2021.
Why he opposes an external amp
He ties amp requests to sound, not power. In 2017 he said he believes the idea that Hugo cannot drive certain headphones is "generally a fallacy" if you are not in white Head-Fi, Feb 2017. In 2018: "Pretty much all of the posts I have seen where amps are used are not because of power delivery" Head-Fi, Jan 2018.
What he has not said
This archive has no list of headphones that fail on each product, and nothing on the Susvara with Hugo 2. In 2016 he said testing found "only one headphone" needing more power from Dave, unnamed Head-Fi, Mar 2016. He called many of his figures ear damaging Head-Fi, Dec 2015Head-Fi, Aug 2021. Where he says how, they are calculated from rated sensitivity Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2020Head-Fi, Mar 2023.
Quotes
“The reality is that Dave and Hugo 2 have more than enough power to drive any headphone - except perhaps one or two very exotic models.”2020-01-06 Head-Fi, Jan 2020
“if volume levels on loud tracks are less than this then Dave can drive it perfectly”2022-01-04 Head-Fi, Jan 2022
“If you are using normal headphones you won't need to use another headphone amp - unless you want to purposely colour the sound.”2023-06-18 Head-Fi, Jun 2023
“Now if you need more power, then add another amp, no argument from me here”2014-08-24 Head-Fi, Aug 2014
“I would only use an amp if their wasn't enough drive from Dave; and Dave drives Stealth to ear damaging levels.”2025-01-09 Head-Fi, Jan 2025
Dated positions
| When | Products | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-04 to 2014-09 | Hugo (original) | Hugo gives 5V RMS and 0.5A; with 22 ohms or more it is fine until white on the volume, and an external amp is needed only if you need more power. Head-Fi, Apr 2014Head-Fi, Sep 2014Head-Fi, Aug 2014Head-Fi, Aug 2014 |
| 2015-11 to 2016-12 | DAVE | Dave gives 6.8V RMS (6.75V in another post) at 1% THD into 300 ohms and 1.4W into 33 ohms, clips above about +4dB, and drives the HE1000 and Abyss easily; testing found only one headphone needing more power. Head-Fi, Nov 2015Head-Fi, Dec 2015Head-Fi, Mar 2016Head-Fi, Dec 2016Head-Fi, Nov 2015 |
| 2017-02 to 2018-04 | Hugo (original), Hugo 2 | The idea that Hugo cannot drive certain headphones is generally a fallacy if not in white, and pretty much all amp use he has seen is not about power delivery; Hugo 2 is limited to the 8.2V battery voltage. Head-Fi, Feb 2017Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Apr 2018 |
| 2018-05 to 2020-08 | Hugo TT2 | TT2 was built so nobody could say it can't drive any non-electrostatic headphone directly, with 9V RMS or 7W into 8 ohms single-ended; he saw no benefit in balanced drive for headphones. Head-Fi, May 2018Head-Fi, Aug 2018Head-Fi, Aug 2018Head-Fi, Jan 2020Head-Fi, Aug 2020 |
| 2018-11 to 2021-08 | Hugo 2 | Hugo 2 gives 1050 mW into 8 ohms and, by his figures, drives HE6, Abyss 1266, LCD-4z and the closed Aeon; for more power he points to TT2. Head-Fi, Nov 2019Head-Fi, Oct 2019Head-Fi, Nov 2020Head-Fi, Aug 2021Head-Fi, Jan 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2018 |
| 2022-01 to 2023-06 | DAVE, Hugo TT2 | The Susvara is the hard case: Dave reaches 92dB SPL and TT2 95dB single-ended, enough for him but not necessarily for other listeners; in 2023 it was the only case where he said an amp may make sense with Dave. Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Mar 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2023 |
| 2022-02 to 2024-11 | Mojo 2 | Mojo 2 delivers 5.2V RMS, output power almost identical to Hugo 2, and by his figures drives the HD800 and Stealth to ear-damaging levels; he said virtually nobody will use a Susvara on it. Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2023Head-Fi, Nov 2024 |
| 2018-01 to 2022-11 | Qutest | Qutest was designed for easy loads and amp inputs and uses the Mojo output stage, safe into 25 ohms; for headphones he says to use Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Sep 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2022 |
| 2018-05 to 2025-01 | DAVE, Hugo TT2 | Dave covers about 99% of headphones and TT2 was made more powerful for the rest; he would add an amp only if Dave lacked drive. Darko Audio 50Soundnews 13:05Soundnews 13:10Head-Fi, Jan 2025 |
Caveats and open points
- The SPL figures are Watts's own figures from rated headphone sensitivity, not listening tests or measurements he describes.
- Several posts have estimated dates, and the TT2 volume markings (H and L for gain) are his shorthand.
- His stated impedance limit for TT2's balanced output varies by post (8 or 10 ohms in 2021; 16 or 8 ohms in 2022).
- This archive has nothing that lists headphones that do not work, and nothing on the Susvara with Hugo 2.
Topics: Driving headphones and IEMs, Headphone, IEM and speaker pairing