Hugo 2: everything he said

421 posts and passages, oldest first, as one-line summaries in our words. Each link opens the original.

• 2017-01-09Watts says he uses Hugo 2 on planes and Dave with the M scaler in hotels; Hugo 2 should ship late February or early March and appear at CanJam Singapore. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
• 2017-01-09Watts explains Dave's 16FS-to-256FS WTA stage replacing IIR filters, says any timing error is audible, notes Hugo 2 filter settings switch that stage, and contrasts 88 nS with 2.6 uS. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
• 2017-01-10Watts says Hugo 2's USB is not galvanically isolated because the USB chip would drain mobile source batteries, but RF filtering and isolation on USB power and ground are improved. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
• 2017-01-23Watts says Hugo 2's 256FS filter matches Dave's, and the HF filter is best off with the M scaler and Dave since stop-band rejection is already 130 to 150 dB. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
• 2017-01-23Watts says the 256FS filter improves starts and stops of notes, Hugo cascaded two WTA stages while Dave uses one, and Dave remains well above Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Jan 2017
• 2017-02-15Watts says few headphones need more power than Hugo gives, he added Hugo 2 filters for a softer option, and doubts digital EQ reaches the 350 dB needed for depth. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-19Watts says Hugo 2 has dual coax inputs for desktop-mode convenience and dual data mode with M scalers at 768 kHz, using small jacks because two BNCs would not fit. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-20Watts says DX is AES dual-data SPDIF with volume in user data; Mojo takes 768 only via USB, coax tops at 384 kHz, and Hugo 2 now accepts dual-data coax. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-20Watts says Chord will show full production Hugo 2 units with final code at CanJam Singapore in March, where he will present the design and detailed measurements. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-20Watts confirms dual data mode works and says he is adding a cyan source-switch color to indicate it. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-21Watts says eight weeks of listening-led tuning now use 100% of the FPGA's memory and DSP cores and 98% of logic; production code will be final, and three months of testing found no bugs. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-28Watts heard almost no optical versus USB difference on Hugo 2 with a mains laptop and headphones, crediting RF-filtered USB ground and VBUS, separate input supplies and 144 dB crosstalk. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-28Watts says USB needs VBUS 5V connected, but it is heavily RF filtered and only a flag to the FPGA, so feeding a clean 5V line is pointless. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-02-28Watts says USB galvanic isolation may help when driving a power amp depending on source noise, and charging makes no measured and no reliably audible difference. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
• 2017-03-03Watts says USB and optical sounded and measured the same on production Hugo 2 with headphones and an MSI laptop, so owners need not worry about it. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-04Watts explains that headphones keep source noise common mode, while a grounded power amp drives ground-loop currents through Hugo 2's ground plane, now limited by a USB RF ground filter. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-05Watts cautions one laptop test proves little: Hugo 1 improved enormously with isolation from a Dell PC, while galvanic isolation on production Blu 2 with DAVE gives a substantial improvement. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-14Watts describes Hugo 2's charging: 1 A half charge (cyan), 2 A full charge (white), and desktop mode (magenta) after 24 hours, matching current draw and holding 8.1 to 8.2 V. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts posts his CanJam Singapore Hugo 2 slides: WTA2 to 256FS, filter options and advice, DSD filtering, noise shapers and depth, crossfeed, and APx555 measurements showing no noise floor modulation. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts says white engages WTA2 at 256FS; the second-order HF filter (-3 dB at 40 kHz) removes ADC noise-shaper noise in 96/192 files, preventing noise floor modulation, sounding warmer. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts says further isolating USB would have no effect, since optical and USB sounded the same with a high-spec laptop and headphones, though other sources may differ. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts confirms production code, says the RCA holes are very big, and says he cannot accept worse than -0.8 dB at 20 kHz. needs context Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts says white to green sounds warmer, and DSD noise shapers delay small transients by tens of microseconds, giving DSD a soft, warm sound; he leaves the filter on green. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-15Watts says Hugo 2 noise is mostly resistor thermal noise, so units match within 0.2 dB; halving it would raise distortion 16 times, and he hears no warm-up or break-in. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-16Watts says his test used the short supplied USB cable and a 10-pound optical cable, and galvanic isolation would not help there, though results vary with source and power amps. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-16Watts explains that an earthed power amp lets source currents loop through Hugo 2's ground plane, while optical, galvanic isolation or battery sources prevent this. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-18Watts says the display brightness can be set as on Mojo, is fine in sunlight, and is not too bright at night on the low setting. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-19Watts says Hugo 2's 'Mojo filter' only selects a 16FS WTA with Mojo-like tonal balance, and the 256FS filter gives DAVE-like incisiveness without making Hugo 2 sound like DAVE. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-19Watts says quoted tap lengths cover only the WTA1 stage, so 49,152 taps apply to the 1FS to 16FS filter whether the 16FS or 256FS output is selected. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-20Watts says Hugo 2's battery should last a very long time: it works with the battery disconnected, and desktop mode holds 8.0 to 8.2 V without using charge cycles. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-20Watts says full charge is 8.4 V, desktop mode drops to 8.2 to 8.0 V where life is unaffected, and Mojo was run at 8.2 V for long life. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-21Watts says an external PSU will make Hugo 2 sound worse or no different, citing its stereo separation as proof of supply immunity and warning of RF noise. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-21Watts says it will work without batteries from a 2A USB charger, but he has not listened to this and does not recommend it. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-21Watts says the batteries supply large dynamic currents for low-impedance loads; desktop mode only changes charging voltage, and double over-voltage protection is built in. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-22Watts says unused inputs are powered down except the USB decoder, kept on when USB is connected because some apps crash otherwise. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-23Watts says the 49,152 WTA1 taps never change and exclude WTA2, refusing 'effective tap' marketing, and the HF filter matters more above 48 kHz in both filter modes. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-23Watts says any 2A USB supply should work, or 1A in half-charge mode, but some are noisy or have power-saving modes, which is why a quality supply is included. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-24Watts says white to green is a small change at 44.1 kHz, more useful at 96 or 192 kHz; dropping WTA2 for linear interpolation (orange or red) is large. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-26Watts confirms auto shut-off is disabled in desktop (magenta) mode, entered after the charger is connected for over 24 hours. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-26Watts says Hugo 2 needs no burn-in beyond its first full charge, brain break-in takes about a month, and it lacks the caps, RF and bias effects behind break-in. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-26Watts says this was largely already in Mojo, Hugo 2 has better PSU isolation, and he will re-run tests with Mojo, Hugo 2 and DAVE after a surprising result. needs context Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-03-30Watts says nothing is being changed since production code issued in late February; he guesses supply chain issues, but design problems were the main reason it is late. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
• 2017-04-04Watts says crossfeed EQ boosts LF by 1.5dB for head shadowing, explaining a warmer balance, and he finds crossfeed essential for depth when using Hugo 2 on flights. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-05Watts says the red spectrum predated late January changes, a -177 dB noise floor exposes distortion other DACs hide, and a 16-bit test shows only tiny second and third harmonics. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-05Watts describes his 16-bit distortion test: 0 dBFS at 2.65 V RMS into 300 ohms via optical, 5.3 V RMS reference, and no measured or audible charger effect. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-06Watts reports a USB ground-loop test slightly truncated depth and added brightness; isolation seems unnecessary for headphones, and Hugo 2 is 5 to 10 times less sensitive than Hugo 1. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-06Watts reports no consistent grounded versus ungrounded difference with a battery laptop, but turning crossfeed on (max blue) more than doubled perceived depth. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-07Watts says Hugo 2 with the white filter has a tonal balance like his DAVE and M scaler reference, avoids hardness, and the 16FS filter suits hard headphones. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-07Watts says his MSI laptop tests suggest no galvanic isolation is needed on battery power, and even on mains the change is not large. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-07Watts says Hugo 2 is more incisive, transparent and refined than Hugo 1, crediting lower noise floor modulation, better noise shaping and truncation, and the 256FS WTA. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-07Watts gives crossfeed settings (blue 700 Hz 4.5 dB, green Chu Moy 700 Hz 6 dB, red Jan Meier 650 Hz 9.5 dB), run as IIR at 705/768 kHz. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-07Watts says Hugo 2 truncates its 48-bit crossfeed to 24 bits with noise shaping at 705/768 kHz, which preserves depth better than PC dither, and EQ apps can compromise transparency. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-08Watts measures the RCA inset diameter at 13.0 mm and expects a WBT plug to fit. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-08Watts says his posting shows he is no longer in bug-solving or panic mode on Blu 2 or Hugo 2. needs context Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-12Watts says output voltage into 300 ohms and volume colors match Mojo, the wheel has no click steps and shows two colors, and the remote steps volume. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-12Watts says to press the filter and crossfeed buttons together during the start-up rainbow; pressing them together afterward changes display brightness. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-12Watts says it remembers all settings except the 3 V preset, which holds until the volume is adjusted. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-12Watts says Hugo 2's crossfeed code is identical to DAVE's PCM+ crossfeed. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-13Watts links 'strobing' impressions to hearing note starts and stops via the 256FS WTA, contrasting his son's live guitar with a soft CD playback, and wants both speed and warmth. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-15Watts says Hugo 2's FPGA 12-bit ADC monitors battery voltage and shuts down at 6.5 V, a level safe for full-current recharge, so the battery cannot be drained. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-15Watts says Hugo 2's residual noise is 2.6 uV, half of Hugo 1's, making hiss 6 dB quieter; whether it is silent depends on the IEM and listener. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-20Watts says a mono 3.5 mm plug should connect to the COAX1 input fine. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-20Watts says a mono 3.5 mm plug grounds coax 2, which is ideal, and confirms a poster's reading of the stereo plug wiring. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-04-24Watts says commercial ADCs are not transparent, hence Davina, which will also convert Red Book to M scaled files he plans to play on Hugo 2 during flights. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
• 2017-05-17Watts could not reliably hear optical versus USB on headphones with a mains laptop, but heard differences with a power-amp ground loop; brighter sound means more noise floor modulation. Head-Fi, May 2017
• 2017-05-19Watts says the substituted parts differed only in voltage rating, in the charger's PSU section, with the same dielectric, so sound quality will not change. needs context Head-Fi, May 2017
• 2017-05-25Watts explains why pulse array DACs are jitter immune, why femto clocks with PLLs degrade sound, and how a Hugo 2 prototype jitter and element-mismatch test exposed a layout fault. Head-Fi, May 2017
• 2017-05-31Watts says forum rules stop him commenting on other DACs' sound or measurements, and reports Hugo 2 winning further Japanese awards, including at the 2017 Headphone Festival. Head-Fi, May 2017
• 2017-06-01Watts gives the stereo 3.5 mm wiring for the coax inputs: tip is coax 1, first ring coax 2, second ring ground for both. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-02Watts says Chord tells him the online handbook has been corrected. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-03Watts says there are no different protocols: Hugo 2 uses the Hugo TT remote protocol. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-04Watts says Hugo TT's remote decoding was not his design, Hugo 2 decodes it in the FPGA, and DAVE uses the same FPGA implementation with different codes and never misfires. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-05Watts says Hugo 2 remembers its last settings and explains desktop mode: charger current matches draw, sustaining voltage drops, auto shutdown is disabled, and it runs with no battery. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-08Watts says Hugo 2 stays in desktop mode while charging, drawing 2W; switching it off charges to 100%, and it runs on the charger even at 0% battery. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-08Watts says galvanic isolation mattered greatly on Hugo 1, but Hugo 2's RF filtering and supply isolation (over 144 dB separation) cut its benefit tenfold; he suggests listening to USB versus optical to test sensitivity. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-13Watts says Hugo 2 re-clocks via its DPLL locked to the master clock, eliminating source jitter, shown by USB sounding the same as optical, so re-clockers are pointless. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-15Watts says Hugo 2's HF filter matters little at 44.1 kHz but more at 96 to 768 kHz, and the 256FS WTA stage audibly snaps note starts into focus. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-17Watts calls Hugo 2 a complete redesign of Hugo 1: better DSD filtering, 10 pulse array elements instead of 4, a second-order analog noise shaper output, digital DC servo. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-18Watts says Hugo 2's digital DC servo keeps bass flat with crossfeed off, and APx555 peak measurements show 20 Hz to 1 kHz flat within 0.001 dB; DAVE is identical. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-18Watts says with one source he could not reliably tell optical from USB on Hugo 2, though this may vary, and he usually uses optical for convenience with his PC. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-18Watts says he did not tweak Hugo 2's frequency response, and that DAVE is a very big step up in clarity and sounds brighter overall due to its transparency. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-25Watts says Hugo 2 sounding better over time is almost certainly brain break-in, since new and old units sounded identical, though the experience of improvement is real. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-06-26Watts recounts his DAC history since 1988 and how Hugo, from 2012, made poor recordings musically involving, which he attributes to the ear's sensitivity to reconstruction timing errors. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
• 2017-07-09Watts says he has a production pair of Aeons, finds them exceptionally good, and calls them a good match for Mojo, Hugo 2 and DAVE. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-10Watts says top-up charging is normal and Hugo 2 has three thermal trips; an FPGA trip forces 1A cyan charging, and charging at blue reduces heat. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-10Watts says open loop output impedance governs load response, now +/- 0.1 dB at 8 ohms and +/- 0.05 dB unloaded; measuring must allow for 34 mS WTA latency. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-17Watts says USB and optical sounded identical on Hugo 2 only with headphones and one MSI laptop; grounding the analog output made a difference, though the gap is greatly reduced. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-19Watts explains how coupling capacitors, reference decoupling and LF distortion add bloom, why Hugo 2 avoids them by tackling noise floor modulation, and why its warmer filter options exist. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-22Watts says the indication is caused by the charger voltage collapsing; reconnect the charger, and if the light is white all is well, but flashing means the PSU is faulty. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-23Watts explains Hugo 2 charging colors (cyan for 1A, blue when full and on, magenta for desktop mode) and says partial discharges give proportionally more cycles. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-25Watts says Hugo's WTA1 ran 1FS to 8FS at 26,368 taps; Hugo 2's goes 1FS to 16FS at 49,152 taps, then WTA2 to 256FS on white/green. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-25Watts adds that beyond the WTA FIR filtering there are still three filter stages up to 2048FS. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-25Watts says he runs the green filter setting 99.9% of the time, but would use red if his headphones were far too bright. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-26Watts confirms linear interpolation runs 256FS to 2048FS on white/green and 16FS to 2048FS on orange/red; the HF filter changes LPF time constants from 0.7 uS to 2.8 uS. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-31Watts says Hugo 2 below white volume is fine with speakers, too weak to damage tweeters, suits near-field efficient 8 ohm speakers, and can fill rooms with 100 dB horns. Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-07-31Watts agrees, saying the output stage current limiters are set below the batteries' own current limiters, which also have built-in current and thermal protection. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2017
• 2017-08-03Watts says an app starting a new file must tell Hugo 2 the sample rate, otherwise the DAC, which sets the timing, continues at the previous rate. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-09Watts says Chord's indicator colors follow the rainbow, black to violet with white as maximum; a display would cost money better spent on sound, though color-blind users lose out. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-10Watts notes Benchmark's website omits galvanic isolation, disputes that Hugo 1 sounds different, praises its musicality with archive recordings, and says 1960s Decca sounds real via Blu 2 and DAVE. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-11Watts says the million-tap M scaler exceeds 16-bit accuracy, Hugo 2 takes 768 kHz dual BNC, better analog parts put DAVE ahead, and he flies with DAVE and Blu 2. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-12Watts says he keeps the filter on green, that Hugo 1 let him enjoy poor archive recordings, and advises trusting posts that describe differences in detail over 'different league' claims. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-17Watts says chip DACs suffer noise floor modulation, jitter sensitivity, poor small-signal resolution and short filters versus Hugo 2's 49,152 taps, factors far outweighing passive part quality. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-21Watts says 32 kHz NICAM is obsolete; Hugo 2's SPDIF inputs still accept it, shown red (26 to 45.2 kHz), while USB supports only 44.1 to 768 kHz. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-21Watts dismisses a quoted claim that Hugo 2 is only slightly better than Hugo 1, answering 'you're having a laugh'. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-26Watts says audible timing errors are non-linear, not fixed delays; the M scaler's 1,015,808 taps match ideal sinc to 16 bits, Hugo 2 about 13; doubling taps adds a bit. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-31Watts says it auto shuts down after 10 minutes without SPDIF lock or valid USB 5V on the USB input, in case it is switched on in a bag. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-08-31Watts says Chord's production director puts Hugo 2 failure rates near 0.1%, describes its manufacture alongside Mojo, and argues no other or chip-based DACs match Chord's measured performance. Head-Fi, Aug 2017
• 2017-09-03Watts says power is the limit: the larger battery lets him use 100% of the FPGA (45 DSP cores at 208 MHz), more pulse array elements and a boost PSU. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-06Watts says crossfeed on Hugo 1 suited only older recordings, but on Hugo 2 it gives better soundstage depth on all recordings. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-06Watts says a summing Y connector made of a resistor pair mixing stereo to mono would be fine, because Hugo 2 and DAVE have very low output impedance. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-06Watts says the AudioQuest site gives little detail; he fears the adaptor shorts left and right together, giving mono at best and damaging Hugo 2 or DAVE at worst. needs context Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-06Watts says all Hugo 2 inputs are treated the same, but the source must not up-sample, since PC-based up-samplers lack Hugo 2's processing capability. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-09Watts says Hugo 2's crossfeed code is unchanged from Hugo, but better depth makes crossfeed have a big impact on perceived depth, as also happens with Dave. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-19Watts says crossfeed tames hard-panned early stereo; on Hugo 1 it gave normal recordings no depth benefit, but on Hugo 2 depth is deeper and sounds seem outside the head. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-19Watts explains headphone depth perception, why Hugo 2 crossfeed gives out-of-head sound, and why small-signal accuracy to -301 dB lets the brain use depth cues. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-23Watts says it shuts down so the battery does not go flat in standby waiting for the remote, but the remote can restart it when the charger is connected. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-09-24Watts says DSD256 DoP is sent as 705 kHz, drop-outs mean the source cannot pack DoP in real time, native DSD is easier, and Davina 768k recordings may follow. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
• 2017-10-13Watts says a Xilinx FPGA family launched about 3 years ago went into Mojo and Hugo 2; he used it for Davina, then ported that work into Blu 2. miceblue425 23:55
• 2017-10-20Watts rates a typical high-performance DAC at 6 or 7 bits accurate, Hugo 12, DAVE 13.5, Blu beyond 16, and says ringing is irrelevant because it comes from non-bandlimited impulses. Hifistatement 1:12
• 2017-10-20Watts says not to bother, since Hugo 2's USB inputs have built-in RF filtering on both ground and VBUS. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
• 2017-10-21Watts says Hugo 2's USB has full RF filtering, he heard no change with many USB cables, doubts cable ferrites matter, and heard no optical vs USB difference from a laptop. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
• 2017-10-22Watts says Hugo 2 auto shut-off triggers on digital silence on SPDIF but not on USB while 5V is present, because some OSes crash when the USB DAC disappears. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
• 2017-10-23Watts says he finds Hugo 2's filter options huge, and the difference between Chord and other DACs enormous, more so once the brain has broken into the sound. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
• 2017-10-23Watts says Hugo 2's battery is not bypassed; a regulated boost PSU replaced Hugo's super caps, cutting PSU distortion 10,000 times, and a linear PSU is inaudible with headphones. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
• 2017-11-05Watts says how bad MQA is should be easy to hear on Mojo, and more apparent on Hugo 2 because of its transparency and better WTA filters. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
• 2017-11-30Watts says using Dave and Hugo 2 changed his headphone preferences: bright ones sound brighter, warm ones warmer, and some reputed high-end headphones distort with bass. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
• 2017-12-02Watts says he heard no optical vs USB difference on Hugo 2 from his laptop with headphones, a small one with grounded outputs, and credits improved USB RF filtering. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
• 2017-12-05Watts says Hugo 2 goes from 126 to 126.5 dB and DAVE from 128.5 to 129 dB; Chord uses femto clocks without fuss, and better clocks are not worth it. RMAF 43:11
• 2017-12-05Watts says pulse array's lower noise avoids input stage overload and NFM, Hugo 2 and DAVE use an analog noise shaper amplifier, and audiophile design swung from measurement to listening. RMAF 46:31
• 2017-12-05Watts says skeptics bought Chord and upgraded Mojo to Hugo 2 to DAVE, every DAVE buyer buys a Blu 2, and this first show presentation aims to explain his technology. RMAF 55:28
• 2017-12-16Watts says desktop mode holds Hugo 2's battery at a reduced voltage to maximize battery life; turning it off lets it fully charge for portable use. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
• 2017-12-23Watts says Hugo 2 auto-shuts down only with no USB 5V present and digital silence on SPDIF, to avoid app crashes and flattening the battery in a bag. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
• 2017-12-31Watts says rates up to 768 kHz run in dual data mode, detected either by the AES3 standard or by two exactly synchronized data streams on both coax inputs. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
• 2018-01-03Watts says Hugo 2 filters DSD to 705.6 kHz PCM with an improved filter needing over 200 dB attenuation, so performance is limited only by the DSD itself. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-04Watts says USB data is differential, so ground and VBUS can be isolated from common-mode RF with chip ferrites, which is why Hugo 2's USB closed the gap with optical. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-08Watts says he heard no USB vs optical difference on Hugo 2 with a laptop and headphones, so his DPLL is sonically perfect, and the warmer source is better. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts lists noise and distortion pass criteria, says Hugo 2 and Qutest are within 0.5 dB of theoretical noise, and explains setting pulse array resistors at a distortion tipping point. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts says connecting the charger sets the desktop-mode timer, and turning Hugo 2 off fully charges the battery then stops, since constant full voltage wears it. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts posts his Hugo 2 presentation updated to include Qutest, with the Qutest-only slides to follow. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts explains the boost-voltage and linear-regulator supply that isolates the amplifier gain section from the output stage in Hugo 2 and Qutest, and the digital DC servo replacing coupling capacitors. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts says get Hugo 2 for headphones as any external amp degrades transparency; with headphones USB sounded like optical, so isolation matters only with mains-powered amps. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts says 2Qute's discrete stage was never meant for low impedances; Qutest uses the Mojo output stage with more drive but is a DAC only, its impedance unmeasured. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-10Watts says Qutest was designed mainly for speaker systems; it suits those who like an external headphone amp's coloration, but for transparency with headphones he recommends Hugo 2 or Dave. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-11Watts says Hugo 2 and Dave limit at 0.5A RMS, so Dave gives 2.1W and Hugo 2 1.05W into 8 ohms; the 50 mA limit is the balanced output only. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-11Watts explains Qutest feeds linear power amps, Hugo 2 suits 1W/8 ohms and Dave 2W, while planned DX amps are pulse array DACs delivering 20W to hundreds of Watts. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-11Watts says a supply meeting USB specifications will not void the warranty, expects no gain from other supplies as the design is supply immune, and calls a USB battery ultimate. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-11Watts now attributes USB's slight brightness on DAVE to RF through ground loops and the isolators' 2 pF, not timing, since Hugo 2 USB sounds like optical. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-11Watts says supercaps lower PSU impedance and distortion crosstalk, but Hugo 2 and Qutest avoid that by regulating from a boost voltage, and a DAC needs no supercap current. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-13Watts says super caps would not help Dave, defends Hugo 2's output stage, and says Dave below +4 and Hugo 2 below white never clip with headphones. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-13Watts says it is done digitally with Hugo 2's volume control, whose aggressively noise-shaped truncation gives -400 dB accuracy, and 0dBFS is below the noise shaper's maximum modulation. needs context Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-14Watts says volume is implemented in Hugo 2 exactly as in Dave. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-17Watts says turning it off with the charger connected fully charges the battery then disconnects the charger; the intent is to leave it on in desktop mode. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-19Watts says doubling pulse array elements halves correlated jitter error, cuts noise 3dB and improves THD and small-signal resolution; Davina uses 40 elements to reach 135dB dynamic range. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-23Watts says the Hugo 2 and Mojo battery gauges need no recalibration cycles, as the FPGA's ADC and the charger reference are very accurate. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-25Watts explains AES dual data mode, says Hugo 2 and Qutest auto-assign channels while DAVE needs manual connection, and says a Mojo with Nighthawks or Aeons beats far costlier systems. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-25Watts says Hugo 2 draws 1.9A worst case when fast charging from flashing red, falling as the battery charges, with 2.1A specified to cover tolerances. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-30Watts lists ways amps add bass bloom (2nd harmonic, low damping, coupling-cap dielectric absorption), says Hugo 2 avoids all three, and advises EQ or better headphones instead. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-01-31Watts says Hugo 2 is limited by its 8.2V battery voltage while DAVE is not, and that external amps are mostly not used for lack of power. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
• 2018-02-07Watts lays out the Hugo 2/Qutest signal path from 16FS WTA1 (49,152 taps) to 104 MHz pulse array, and explains noise-shaped truncation and the -301 dB test for depth. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-07Watts says he cannot say whether someone will like a product, only that Hugo 2 and Qutest are technically, measurably and musically much more advanced than Hugo 1 and 2Qute. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-08Watts says DAVE is unbeatable for transparency and depth over Hugo 2, but Blu 2 plus Hugo 2 wins on timbre, rhythm, bass and instrument power. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-09Watts says in Blu 2 truncator tests TPDF dither sounded worst, losing depth, and Gaussian came halfway to noise shaping; he suspects software volume beats analog volume. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-10Watts says the 3.5mm headphone output is stereo only and the 3.5mm SPDIF digital inputs are two-channel only. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-11Watts says a standard stereo 3.5mm cable connects Hugo 2 to an M scaler; cheap non-75-ohm cables worked at 705/768 kHz because of de-glitching and rise/fall adjustment. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-11Watts says Hugo 2's volume uses aggressive noise shaping at 705/768 kHz to stay below -350dB, preserving depth; software volume degrades depth less than an analog volume control. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-17Watts shares Hugo 2 measurement slides from his CanJam NYC talk, explaining low output impedance, load-independent distortion, no measurable noise floor modulation or jitter, and APx555 methods. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-17Watts says Hugo 2's output impedance is 0.025 ohms, and load-induced distortion depends on load impedance change against amp output impedance, zero for a zero-ohm amp. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-18Watts says USB is always live when Hugo 2 is powered and source selection only switches decoded data, so the PC sees no difference; he suspects coincidence. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-19Watts says on Windows you must use safely remove hardware before turning off Hugo 2, as pulling USB can crash the OS. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-21Watts says Hugo 2 is about 99.76% of an ideal sinc while conventional filters bear no similarity, yet adding an M scaler to Hugo 2 is a huge change. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-22Watts says Chord announced at the Blu 2 launch that other M scaler units would come, but says no more; Qutest uses a 4-layer PCB of Hugo 2's spec. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-02-28Watts says Hugo 2 and Qutest share circuitry and FPGA code but Hugo 2's output stage is more advanced; for headphones it outperforms Qutest with a separate amp. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
• 2018-03-06Watts says Hugo 2/Qutest use 67.5mS of data versus 1mS for conventional filters, minimum phase sounds soft, the M scaler uses 1.37 seconds, and more M scalers will follow. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-08Watts gives sinc-equivalent accuracy as 12.2 bits for Hugo 2, 13.9 bits for Dave and 16.6 bits for the M scaler, below which WTA coefficients diverge from the ideal sinc. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-13Watts says Dave's superior transparency comes from many factors beyond its noise shaper, which dominate given Hugo 2 and Qutest's noise shapers, and both benefit enormously from an M scaler. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-15Watts says the turn-off charging behavior assumes next use is mobile, and battery temperature in desktop mode is barely above ambient, with batteries rated for high temperature. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-17Watts says Davina will use Choral metalwork and all new DACs will accept M scaler dual data, which is why Qutest and Hugo 2 have that input. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-20Watts says complex USB gear adds RF brightness, optical is the benchmark, and gives WTA overload margin, M scaler latency (630 ms, video mode 104 mS) and 16.6-bit accuracy. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-22Watts explains the 2.75dB WTA overload margin, delays audio in JRiver to keep 1M taps with video, describes visible noise floor modulation, and gives DAVE and Hugo 2 level limits. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-26Watts advises keeping it on, as desktop mode holds the battery at a safe voltage for longevity and supplies most current from the charger. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-26Watts says channel separation figures matter less than crosstalk distortion, which he tested on Hugo 2 as a check of PSU-induced distortion; DAVE's low PSU impedance avoids it. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-03-29Watts says active electronics add RF noise so sources should be simple and battery powered, Hugo 2 cuts out at 60 deg C, and thermal cycling, not warmth, harms reliability. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
• 2018-04-02Watts says the T5P is easy to drive: 90dB SPL needs only 0.045V RMS while Hugo 2 delivers 5.3V RMS, so external amps degrade transparency with no benefit. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-02Watts says adding a pre-amp always degrades sound through capacitor softness and 2nd harmonic bloom, and Hugo 2 can drive an EAR 534 power amp perfectly. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-04Watts says 90% of Hugo 2's technology came from DAVE through reusable Verilog modules that are simulated, verified and listened to, giving Hugo 2 identical digital internal performance. article, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-04Watts expects desktop models to stay ahead; on taps alone, Hugo 2 and Qutest have 49,152 versus Blu MKII's 1,015,808, which he calls 'a 20 times capacity advantage.' article, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-08Watts says the DPLL minimizes buffer delay while eliminating source jitter, so Hugo 2 and Qutest fed from one SPDIF source show no noticeable delay difference. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-08Watts says USB ferrites changed nothing for him; Hugo 2's 300 MHz chip ferrites made USB sound like optical on headphones, so try 300 MHz types. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-12Watts says DAVE and Hugo 2 run identical optical receiver code and chip, and 192k optical is marginal but works on DAVE with a quality transmitter and cable. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-27Watts responds to a review calling Hugo 2 merciless, contrasts live drums with reproduction, states Davina's goals of depth and speed, and says all design is his. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-04-28Watts says removing his Aeon's integrated 3.5mm-to-1/4" adaptor and plugging straight into Hugo 2 gave much better depth and detail, so any metal-to-metal interface may be audible. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
• 2018-05-01Watts says a cable limiting charge current to 1A has too much resistance, and describes Hugo 2's reinforced USB connector construction, with no failures he knows of. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-04Watts says with his MSI laptop and headphones Hugo 2 sounded the same on optical and USB, a power amp reveals differences, and optical is the source benchmark. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-04Watts says his DSD filters reconstruct the analog signal, but DSD's lost timing information cannot be repaired; Hugo 2's improved DSD filter softened his stance though he prefers Redbook. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-07Watts says Hugo 2's DSD filter exceeds 200 dB at 88.2 kHz, used on Blu 2; he heard only brain break-in; the M scaler outputs 705.6 kHz PCM from DSD. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-11Watts says TT2 measures like Hugo 2 in DAC mode, gives 18W balanced and 7W SE without degradation, describes its supercap PSU, and denies working on a Dave 2. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-13Watts says to use standby via button or remote, and that TT2 filters native DSD with Hugo 2's over-200dB filter, so it needs no dedicated DSD mode like Dave's. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-13Watts posts his Munich TT2 presentation: larger FPGA, a noise shaper 100 times better than Hugo 2's, supercap PSU, output stage from the power pulse array project, measurements. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-14Watts says TT2 has an FPGA 5 times as capable as the original TT's and twice Hugo 2's, a 98,000-tap WTA filter, a more advanced noise shaper, and 30 farads of supercaps. HIFICLUBE.NET JVH 7
• 2018-05-15Watts says his DPLL creates a new word clock frequency locked to the source on the 104.25 MHz master clock, took 6 years, and made Hugo 2 USB match optical. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-16Watts says TT2's balanced negative output uses the same amplifier as its single-ended output, so the balanced output is low distortion and simple, unlike Dave's. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-18Watts says the DPLL's buffered regenerated clock eliminates source jitter (Hugo 2 USB/optical tests showed no change), and explains why signal-related noise sounds brighter, audible even at -200 dB. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-24Watts says volume-matched TT2 beats Hugo 2 in depth, detail and separation, he uses only SE outputs on his 88dB speakers, and 20 Hz distortion ignores load. Head-Fi, May 2018
• 2018-05-25Watts says TT2 addresses headphone power (external amps mostly add coloration) and DAVE driving efficient speakers directly; its 18 watts drives any headphones, and he drives speakers from headphone sockets. Darko Audio 50
• 2018-06-09Watts explains desktop mode keeps Hugo 2's battery near 80% for about 10 years of use, a charger fault means under 1A, and thermal shutdown when charging at red. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-15Watts reports a Hugo 2 battery under 0.25A load measured 670nV whether connected or not, versus about 60uV for a quality linear regulator. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-15Watts says his Poweradd Pilot Pro2 has noisy internal regulators, but what matters is no mains RF; it made no difference on Hugo 2 and prevents ground loops and leakage. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-22Watts says playing while charging from flat is the worst case for battery temperature, though thermal trips protect it; on long flights he recharges Hugo 2 at blue. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-25Watts says lock detection needs only a valid SPDIF signal, turning Hugo 2 off tops the battery to 100% for mobile use, and batteries last 500 to 1000 cycles. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-25Watts says auto shutdown is disabled in desktop mode; in normal mode Hugo 2 stays on with SPDIF lock or USB connected in the past 10 minutes. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-27Watts says aliasing ruins music: Hugo's -130dB DSD decimation was audible, Hugo 2, TT2 and M scaler reach -220dB, MQA manages -40dB, and 768 kHz needs 24 bits. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-06-30Watts explains decimation needs low-pass filtering to avoid aliasing; decimating DSD to 705/768 kHz saves FPGA space, and Hugo 2's filter beats non-decimating DSD+ through better RF removal. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
• 2018-07-01Watts says AAC, short filters, MQA, minimum phase, NOS and DSD sound soft and warm from transient timing uncertainty; turning off the incisive filter similarly sounds warmer. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-21Watts says he uses mains in business class and carries the M Scaler because Hugo 2 and Dave are hard to hear without it; customs has not objected yet. c w 26:18
• 2018-07-21Watts says he uses the M Scaler with Hugo 2 on planes, Hugo 2 and Qutest work fine, and he regrets not giving Mojo 768 capability. c w 29:47
• 2018-07-22Watts says Hugo 2 accepts the M Scaler's full 768kHz dual data via 3.5mm to RCA cables and BNC adaptors, and mentions 50 flight hours with the pair. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-22Watts gives typical 12W draw, manual and auto video modes (1M taps 0.63 S delay, 2/3M taps 0.1S), and says Hugo 2 gets full 1M taps at 768k. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-23Watts explains Hugo 2's dual data link (two 384k cables), says FPGA RF noise keeps the scaler separate, shows his homemade flight cable, and rates USB and optical equal. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-24Watts says with Aeon headphones he would choose the M Scaler over TT2 as an upgrade from Hugo 2, calling it transformational, unless driving difficult headphones or speakers. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-26Watts says he has heard the change from 384 to 768 kHz on Hugo 2 and it is surprising. needs context Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-26Watts says Qutest, Hugo 2, TT2 and Dave share the post-scaler process (WTA2 to 256FS, third-order filter to 104 MHz), notes diminishing returns, and previews DX amps' transparency. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-27Watts explains dual-data and DX modes, M scaler DSD-to-PCM conversion with Hugo 2's 220 dB filter, says algorithm beats tap length, and compares R2R and delta-sigma timing errors. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-07-29Watts says optical and USB sound the same on Hugo 2 with headphones but differ once grounded; coax lacks galvanic isolation, so RF raises noise floor modulation and sounds brighter. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
• 2018-08-04Watts says TT2 is warmer with better depth than Hugo 2 with the M Scaler too, and integer decimation from 192 to 96 loses little with a decent filter. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-04Watts clarifies that the M Scaler was used in both cases when he found TT2 better than Hugo 2 in depth and resolution. needs context Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-04Watts explains TT2's 98,304-tap 16FS WTA1, says WTA2 matches Hugo 2 and Dave, TT2 sounds warmer than Hugo 2, and describes fixing 192kHz crackles in Windows. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-04Watts says Mojo's 768 kHz works on USB only; going from 0.5M to 1M taps is a big change, so audition the M scaler with Mojo against a Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-04Watts says the issue is non-linear transient timing, the master clock and source jitter are unimportant thanks to the DPLL, and Hugo 2 gets full 1M taps via 3.5mm-to-BNC adaptors. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-06Watts found BNC cable differences for Hugo 2 vanished once the headphone cable did not touch them; length and exact 75 ohm do not matter thanks to de-glitch circuitry. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-13Watts says the M scaler's Hugo 2 DSD filter beats Dave's DSD+, but DSD's amplitude-related timing errors and small-signal losses cannot be recovered; Davina should surpass PCM and DSD. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-26Watts says power banks beat mains on RF noise (10 MHz to 10 GHz), linear supplies lack RF filtering, RF causes audible noise floor modulation, and batteries avoid ground loops. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-08-28Watts explains he uses no coupling caps but a digital DC servo trimming the noise shaper, which takes 16 seconds to stabilize, hence the rainbow start-up and Dave's turn-on delay. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
• 2018-09-04Watts says desktop mode engages when the charger port has uninterrupted power for longer than 24 hours. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-09-09Watts says the HF filter and WTA2 settings are unaffected by the M scaler, which works from 1FS to 16FS, and explains the vague autumn delivery as distribution time. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-09-14Watts says linear PSUs lack RF filtering and sound brighter, Qutest benefits hugely from the M scaler but an M-scaled Dave easily beats an M-scaled Qutest. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-09-18Watts says the M scaler PSU came from TT2 testing, grounded C13 PSUs caused ground loops, quality SMPS beat linears, the Chord driver works, and auto low-power mode exists. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-09-21Watts says cable placement once upset his AB tests, brain break-in is real, Hugo 2 warms up in 10 minutes, and he has seen no evidence of hardware break-in. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-09-24Watts says a fully charged Hugo 2 left on goes into trickle charge, drawing only 0.5 A, so 1A or 2.1A chargers make no difference. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
• 2018-10-14Watts says Hugo 2 has USB RF filtering and measured no effect from 2uS input jitter, heard no USB vs optical difference, and advises avoiding source gadgets that add RF. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
• 2018-10-18Watts has had no issues with cheap 1.5m or bodged screened cables on Hugo 2, suggests adaptors with supplied BNC cables, and says the M scaler auto enters low-power mode. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
• 2018-11-01Watts says yes, he often uses it that way on very long flights, powering or charging Hugo 2 and the M scaler together. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-02Watts says a bit-perfect optical source always sounds and measures the same, in his experience, on Hugo 2 or any other Chord DAC. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-05Watts says Hugo 2 drives the Aeon Closed easily. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-07Watts says Hugo 2's DSD filter is his best, better than DAVE's DSD+ mode and any DSD-to-PCM utility, running at 705.6 kHz with more than 220dB filtering. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-07Duplicate post: Watts says Hugo 2's DSD filter is his best, better than DAVE's DSD+ mode, running at 705.6 kHz with more than 220dB filtering. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-11Watts says shorting unused amplifier inputs is insane, risking damage and ground currents; Hugo 2 survives a short via thermal trips but must not run into one constantly. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-11Watts says Hugo 2 is designed for negligible distortion change into low impedances, while Qutest driving amp inputs stays in Class A and needs no second-order analog noise shaper. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-13Watts says the SPDIF input is a straight wire into the FPGA, where his receiver design decodes it before it is processed identically to the other inputs. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-13Watts says USB is decoded and buffered by an Atmel ARM device with custom code, clocked from the FPGA's 104MHz master clock; the FPGA handles everything else. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-14Watts says he has never used Krell, and that M Scaler pass-through follows the input rate, so 44.1 kHz playback turns Hugo 2's indicator red. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-11-16Watts says he uses only the Hugo M Scaler and Hugo 2 on planes, and packs a TT2 to use with the M scaler in hotel rooms. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
• 2018-12-06Watts says toggling pass-through on a flight with Hugo 2 and Aeons was a huge difference, smaller only with non-transparent transducers, and stress kills AB test sensitivity. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
• 2018-12-06Watts says TT2 is more transparent and refined than Hugo 2, the refinement being more apparent, so pass-through differences may be more noticeable with TT2. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
• 2018-12-09Watts says he rarely has airport security problems with DAVE, the M scaler or Mojo, carried on or checked, recounting questions in Indonesia and over Hugo 2 in Hanoi. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
• 2018-12-12Watts says TT2 has 10 elements and a 12th-order noise shaper beyond 300 dB, better than Hugo 2 but short of DAVE, with one 7 watt amplifier, giving better depth. Pursuit Perfect System 35:36
• 2018-12-13Watts says listening tests with Hugo, Hugo 2 and DAVE found no difference between USB cables, and the M scaler should be even less sensitive. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
• 2018-12-15Watts says TT2's 98,304 taps switch off with an M Scaler, and TT2 was not engineered to sound warm but expected warmer than DAVE and more refined than Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
• 2019-01-09Watts confirms 768 kHz is reaching Hugo 2, since dual data is lit, the M scaler shows 48k, and Hugo 2 shows the right color. Head-Fi, Jan 2019
• 2019-01-12Watts says TT2's XLR output in low gain is slightly higher than Hugo 2's, 6.6 against 5.4 V RMS. Head-Fi, Jan 2019
• 2019-01-24Watts maps TT2 filters to colors: filter 1 white (as Hugo 2), filter 2 green, filter 3 orange, filter 4 red. Head-Fi, Jan 2019
• 2019-01-31Watts says TT2 supercaps last over 11 years, it can stay on, warm-up takes about 10 minutes, pre-amps cost transparency, and linear PSUs at best sound the same. Head-Fi, Jan 2019
• 2019-02-09Watts prefers the M scaler's DSD filter, which decimates to 16FS with better than -220 dB above 88.2 kHz, to DAVE's DSD+, concluding aliasing causes decimation's sound problems. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
• 2019-02-15Watts says the HF filter is unaffected since it runs at 2048FS, and the M scaler passes ADC HF noise from 96k and 192k recordings like Hugo 2's WTA1. Head-Fi, Feb 2019
• 2019-03-20Watts clarifies that Hugo 2 accepts 768 kHz via USB and via the dual SPDIF coax inputs. Head-Fi, Mar 2019
• 2019-04-12Watts says using both coax inputs at once can confuse auto DDATA mode if their sample rates are close; if so, turn off the inactive channel. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
• 2019-04-25Watts says PSU leakage current of tens of uA can flow through the listener and headphones causing hum and tingling, and earthing Hugo 2 stops it. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
• 2019-04-30Watts says he has never seen packet noise contamination, measuring Hugo 2 down to -180dB, and it would not show zero measured jitter if it were sensitive to it. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
• 2019-05-06Watts says it cannot overheat and lists reset, battery-check and overnight-charge steps, with service if it will not recharge. Head-Fi, May 2019
• 2019-05-16Watts says the coax and analog output grounds connect directly to the ground plane, so either can be used, while USB ground goes via a ferrite bead. Head-Fi, May 2019
• 2019-05-19Watts says DSD-to-PCM is not lossless; his Hugo 2, TT2 and M scaler filters exceed 200dB rejection with -301 dB truncation, against about 60 dB in chips. Head-Fi, May 2019
• 2019-05-25Watts explains decimation and aliasing, says tiny aliasing is audible, and preferred Hugo 2's -220 dB DSD filter to Hugo 1's -130 dB and DAVE's DSD+. Head-Fi, May 2019
• 2019-06-01Watts says crossfeed improves depth on Dave, Hugo 2 and TT2, not Hugo, due to 350dB noise shaping; Dave took 2 to 3 years and later DACs reuse its code. Head-Fi, Jun 2019
• 2019-07-01Watts says desktop mode is for 24-hour charging and use; turning the unit off is fine, as it recharges then disconnects the battery from the charger. Head-Fi, Jul 2019
• 2019-07-03Watts suggests that for an out-of-warranty unit, loosening the top-plate screws, freeing the power switch and lightly retightening may fix it. Head-Fi, Jul 2019
• 2019-08-04Watts says the HF filter uses the 256FS to 2048FS filter with adjusted time constants, so the original input format makes no difference. Head-Fi, Aug 2019
• 2019-08-05Watts says crossfeed is done at 16FS (705/768k), after WTA1, since all sources end up at that point. Head-Fi, Aug 2019
• 2019-09-20Watts says Qutest uses Mojo's Class A stage for easy loads, while Hugo 2's noise shaper output is crossover-distortion free into 33 ohms, with 120 dB feedback at 20 kHz. Head-Fi, Sep 2019
• 2019-09-23Watts says shutdowns can happen near battery depletion or in trickle charge mode; turn it off and charge, overnight if needed, or the charger may lack current. needs context Head-Fi, Sep 2019
• 2019-09-23Watts says a blue power button without charger suggests a battery fault needing service, while cyan means half charge mode; charge overnight or try another 2A 5V charger. Head-Fi, Sep 2019
• 2019-09-24Watts says auto shutdown powers down after 10 minutes of no input or digital silence to protect the battery, and shutdown during music needs service. Head-Fi, Sep 2019
• 2019-10-16Watts says ground-plane currents cause noise floor modulation, battery Hugo 2 into headphones showed no optical-USB difference, and his M scaler's dual galvanic isolation makes source noise a non-issue. Head-Fi, Oct 2019
• 2019-10-17Watts guesses 1W for Hugo 2 and 0.75W for Mojo into 6 ohms, noting Hugo 2 measured 1.05W RMS into 8 ohms at 1% THD. Head-Fi, Oct 2019
• 2019-10-21Watts says the HE6 has low sensitivity, but Hugo 2 would drive it to 110dB SPL, way above safe limits. Head-Fi, Oct 2019
• 2019-10-22Watts says, traveling with Hugo 2 and M scaler instead of TT2, he can live without TT2 but not without the M scaler, which he calls essential. Head-Fi, Oct 2019
• 2019-11-06Watts says the M scaler outputs 2.5v pp terminated, and that a Hugo 2 with integrated M scaler on one FPGA is many years, possibly decades, away. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
• 2019-11-10Watts says a source sometimes fails to pair properly with Hugo 2 at start-up, and changing tracks issues a reset that flushes the interface. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
• 2019-11-18Watts says Hugo 2 gives 1050 mW into 8 ohms against about 750mW for the original, and stays more linear into 33 ohms, sounding smoother and warmer. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
• 2019-11-27Watts says he uses solid-core ferrite cables at home but not when traveling with Hugo 2, TT2 or DAVE, and notes a battery-powered Hugo 2 avoids ground loops. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
• 2019-12-24In a Christmas fun review, Watts says music sounds better on some aircraft, blaming cabin noise, pressure and humidity, ranks the A380, A350 and 787 best, and gives seating tips. Head-Fi, Dec 2019
• 2020-01-01Watts says the DACs use a third overtone crystal by the flip-flops and no PLLs, so measurements need no warm-up, though Hugo 2 seemed slightly different after ten minutes. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-01-02Watts says RF causes noise floor modulation; adding RF filters to Hugo 2's USB made it sound like optical, unlike Hugo, with no measurable change, so unmeasurable modulation matters. Passion for Sound 12:11
• 2020-01-02Watts says 12v works with TT2, a 100W/h power bank gives over 7 hours driving headphones, warns about power-bank limits on flights, and suggests Hugo 2 for portability. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-01-06Watts says TT2 got huge headphone power after complaints about Hugo 2, helping drive speakers, that DAVE and Hugo 2 drive almost any headphone, and no DSP is fully transparent. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-01-10Watts says SPDIF is always 24 bits and USB 32 bits, with shorter words zero-padded, so Hugo 2 handles any bit depth automatically. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-01-18Watts says Hugo 2 is Class A into 300 ohms at 5v RMS, AB into lower loads, and explains DSD volume needs another noise shaper because DSD is 1-bit PCM. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-01-30Watts agrees DSD may beat PCM on a modest DSD-optimized chip DAC, but says PCM is much better on Hugo 2, DSD being format limited and PCM conversion limited. Head-Fi, Jan 2020
• 2020-02-21Watts says a buzz in IEMs came from a non-earthed charger's leakage current, and earthing Hugo 2 via coax, RCA or spare headphone ground fixes it on optical. Head-Fi, Feb 2020
• 2020-02-26Watts says a battery backup for blackouts is fine, but if Hugo 2 is turned off when unused, desktop mode is unnecessary since the charger disconnects. Head-Fi, Feb 2020
• 2020-03-12Watts says Hugo 2 batteries are robust, advises using its own volume rather than a passive, and says certified USB cables suffice; heard differences are placebo or RF noise. Head-Fi, Mar 2020
• 2020-03-13Watts revises his desktop mode advice by daily use, calls it splitting hairs, and estimates battery capacity of about 70% after 13 years if turned off daily versus 65% if left on. Head-Fi, Mar 2020
• 2020-03-16Watts says with a charger connected Hugo 2's power switch shows white, cyan or magenta; yellow means below 50%; a switcher working at 192k is fine. Head-Fi, Mar 2020
• 2020-03-25Watts says a cable with a left-right short would explain it; Hugo 2 drives a short for about 15 minutes before the thermal trip, heard as mono. Head-Fi, Mar 2020
• 2020-04-06Watts says TT2 hum with sensitive IEMs comes from 100uA PSU leakage and is fixed by grounding via XLR pin 1, phono, BNC or DX grounds, not isolated USB. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
• 2020-04-09Watts says mains conditioners neglect RF, a single-blind test tied a new HF filter's warmth to noise floor modulation, and DAVE is about 13-bit accurate, M scaler over 16. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
• 2020-04-11Watts says Hugo 2 is class A into 300 ohms, TT2 is biased an order higher with 30nS transistors, and TT2 shows no crossover or HF distortion at 12W. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
• 2020-04-26Watts says connector impedance mismatch does not matter thanks to reflection cancellation and the FPGA's 15 nS anti-glitch, but the cable itself must be 75 ohms. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
• 2020-05-04Watts says the JitterBug helped Hugo 1, suspects USB treatments add brightening RF, heard no USB-optical difference on M scaler or ungrounded Hugo 2, and enjoys Tangerine Dream box sets. Head-Fi, May 2020
• 2020-05-06Watts says USB bit errors are rare and obvious, Hugo 2 and Mojo need at least 6.5v and 8v for best output, and non-original battery swaps risk fire. Head-Fi, May 2020
• 2020-05-11Watts says 16FS and 256FS filters measure identically; Hugo 2's HF filter is about -1dB at 20kHz, but its warmer sound comes from less out-of-band noise and noise floor modulation. Head-Fi, May 2020
• 2020-06-25Watts says Class B crossover distortion yields very audible high-order harmonics, but a Class AB stage can eliminate it, as his second-order amplification does on Hugo 2, TT2 and DAVE. Part-Time Audiophile 19:19
• 2020-06-25Watts says portable designs have a power budget, 2.5 watts for Hugo and 1.7 watts for Mojo, and he shaved milliwatts on Hugo 2 to spend on performance. Part-Time Audiophile 29:37
• 2020-08-17Watts says Hugo 2 has no signal-path capacitors to upgrade thanks to the DC servo, and its noise shaper output and separate rails give 214 dB PSU rejection in SPICE. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
• 2020-08-17Watts says it should run warm to the touch at 20 deg C, warmer when charging while playing, and shut down after 15 minutes into a short. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
• 2020-09-09Watts says John Franks designs the amps; Hugo 2 sounds slightly warmer after ten minutes, and he lists RF, capacitors, bias and jitter as variability causes, mostly eliminated. Head-Fi, Sep 2020
• 2020-09-28Watts says Hugo 2's feedback reference is near the headphone outputs, so the RCA output has 3 milliohms extra, unlikely audible with headphones; connectors are a likelier cause. Head-Fi, Sep 2020
• 2020-11-09Watts says Hugo 2 can be turned on or off by the remote as long as the charger is connected. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-09Watts says remote power control needs only the charger connected; desktop mode just lowers battery voltage for longer life and stops auto shutdown. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-12Watts says no cheaper, better FPGAs exist to replace Hugo 2's 7 series part, and desktop mode charges the battery to only 80%. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-12Watts, now 60, says WTA on a PC would degrade sound, a custom chip lacks a business case, and FPGAs are far short of a Hugo with built-in M scaler. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-22Watts says his 0dBFS white noise test shows no out-of-band images from Hugo 2, whose digital filtering extends to 104MHz; noise up to 250kHz comes from the AP's ADC. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-22Watts confirms that Mojo's 4e pulse array is noisier than Hugo 2's 10e. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-23Watts compares Hugo 2's out-of-band noise with the APx555's 192kHz DAC, explains the 104MHz noise shaper hump, and why gentle analog filtering needs only 4 passive components. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-24Watts says DSD256 modulator noise is around -30dB at 500kHz against -130dB for Hugo 2, and that his plots differ because he uses 0dBFS white noise, not swept sine. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-11-27Watts suggests trying Hugo 2 driving the Abyss 1266 directly, saying it should give 115dB SPL on paper, an ear-damaging level. Head-Fi, Nov 2020
• 2020-12-02Watts says he carries his M Scaler and uses it on flights with Hugo 2, finding it essential, though others may hear a smaller improvement. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2020-12-03Watts shares his flight setups in business and economy class, with Hugo 2, M Scaler and a battery in his bag, good for 3 hours thermally. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2020-12-04Watts used crossfeed on Hugo only for hard-panned 60s recordings but runs it at max on Hugo 2 for depth; shrinking dimensions by a third would more than double temperature. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2020-12-19Watts says the source is the likely cause and suggests trying a phone or DAP; if symptoms persist it is Hugo 2, though he has never seen such a failure. needs context Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2020-12-27Watts says adding the M Scaler would be a bigger jump in separation, speed, warmth and flow, while TT2 is more refined than Hugo 2, and suggests trying both. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2020-12-30Watts says Mojo lacked crossfeed because of button count, power dissipation and his lesser enthusiasm then; Hugo 2's transparency and depth made crossfeed essential for him. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
• 2021-01-31Watts says an extra stage degrades transparency, so he won't design a headphone amp; for more power choose TT2, as more Hugo 2 power needs batteries or a charge pump. Head-Fi, Jan 2021
• 2021-04-06Watts says volume colors mean the same voltage across DAVE, TT2, Hugo 2 and Mojo (blue is 1.0V RMS), and all desktop DACs have galvanically isolated USB. Head-Fi, Apr 2021
• 2021-04-26Watts says 2 ohms at 20k is fine but 0.5 ohms needs care; his travel headphones, closed Aeon 2, suit Dave, Hugo 2 or TT2 and beat Utopia. Head-Fi, Apr 2021
• 2021-05-31Watts says Hugo 2's USB sensitivity depends on mains loops, advises optical and avoiding DDCs in mains systems, and explains RF-induced noise floor modulation as brightness. Head-Fi, May 2021
• 2021-07-18Watts says TT2 is warmer in tonal balance than Hugo 2, so he takes TT2 to hotels, but Hugo 2 remains his choice on aircraft. Head-Fi, Jul 2021
• 2021-08-11Watts says the LCD-4z is an easy load for Hugo 2, calculating 130dB SPL at clipping, so it needs no more power. Head-Fi, Aug 2021
• 2021-08-19Watts corrects the manual: the HF filter is mostly for sources above 48k PCM and DSD; he recommends filter 2 for DSD and all PCM, with smaller benefits at 44.1k. Head-Fi, Aug 2021
• 2021-09-28Watts says Qutest shares Mojo's discrete output stage, pure Class A into 300 ohms or more; on Hugo 2, TT2 and DAVE a second-order analog noise shaper eliminates crossover distortion. Head-Fi, Sep 2021
• 2021-09-28Watts says loads below 300 ohms give Qutest some small measurable crossover distortion; Qutest was designed to drive amplifiers, so use Hugo 2 for headphones. Head-Fi, Sep 2021
• 2021-10-03Watts says WTA tuning balanced image attenuation against sinc-like transient reconstruction through thousands of listening tests, and that out-of-band images also cause transient timing errors. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
• 2021-10-15Watts explains desktop mode's battery voltage and charge current, dismisses capacitor life concerns, guesses about 20 years excluding the battery, and advises against running without the battery. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
• 2021-10-20Watts uses Dolby off on Shield, says 2go is not his project, recommends a power bank for Hugo 2 desktop use, and describes his DIY solid-core PTFE interconnects. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
• 2021-11-04Watts advises not charging and playing at once; listening then charging overnight with Hugo 2 off gives slightly longer battery life, and the batteries are very reliable. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
• 2021-11-30Watts lists his flight and hotel kit, says measurements catch gross flaws, and that the brain compensates for transducer distortion but not digital errors like NFM and timing errors. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
• 2021-12-24Watts says solid-core cable both brightens tonal balance through transparency and warms it by reducing grain; with the more revealing Hugo 2 the warmth likely wins over Mojo. Head-Fi, Dec 2021
• 2022-01-31Watts says some users pair it with an M Scaler, he flies with Hugo 2, an M Scaler and a power bank, and better FPGAs might enable a Mojo-type scaler. Darko.Audio 4:29
• 2022-01-31Watts says Mojo 2 replaces the coupling capacitor with Hugo 2's DC servo, losing Mojo's slightly soft, warm sound but becoming fundamentally more transparent. Darko.Audio 34:59
• 2022-01-31Watts says formula, coefficients and four settings match DAVE, Hugo 2 and Hugo one; only implementation differs, using biquads instead of Hugo 2's dedicated serial DSP core. Darko.Audio 48:10
• 2022-01-31Watts says Mojo 2 auto-offs after 10 minutes without inputs, stays in desktop mode while powered, trails Hugo 2, uses a digital DC servo, and improved 16FS-to-2048FS filtering. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
• 2022-01-31Watts says fully charged Mojo 2 enters desktop mode with the battery disconnected, unlike Hugo 2, so he improved PSU rejection and made the charger a low-impedance source. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
• 2022-01-31Watts says DSP core speed is irrelevant and taps count; Mojo 2 has four fifths of Hugo 2's tap length, no WTA2, and taps are only part of sound quality. Head-Fi, Jan 2022
• 2022-02-01Watts answers Mojo 2 questions: 2G buzz mitigation, dual-data ring contact, 0.35S latency, DSP cores, 9 hours 11 minutes battery on USB, and 99.5dB SPL into HD800. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-01Watts says Mojo 2's DSP core passes bit-perfect data when EQ and crossfeed are off, it still uses the 15T FPGA, and lists Hugo 2's advantages over it. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-05Watts explains Mojo 2's USB-ground ferrites, when external filters might help (optical is best), how crossfeed mimics loudspeaker listening, and reduced 2G buzz. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-09Watts declines to name consulting clients for confidentiality, repeats he has not started a DAVE replacement, and says likewise for Hugo 2, Qutest and TT2: no Hugo 3 next. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-11Watts says audiophile linear supplies lack RF filters while SMPS need them for EMC approval, batteries off the mains avoid the issue, and active charging might explain the poster's report. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-12Watts says SMPS tones do not cause NFM unlike random RF, recalls switching regulators beating linear in Hugo, and prefers power banks for isolation from RF ground currents. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-02-26Watts reports 6.5 hours powering his M Scaler from a new power bank, warns against its DC out for Hugo 2, and explains annealing his DIY PTFE-insulated cable. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
• 2022-03-08Watts describes his first orchestra recording with a ribbon mic into a Focusrite Scarlett, matching live volume on Hugo 2 and Stealth at blue, and TT2 driving his 803 D3s. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-10Watts says no Mojo 2 EQ setting replicates Mojo, whose warmth and bass coloration came from one coupling capacitor, not frequency response; a 125Hz boost adds warmth only. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-16Watts describes recording an amateur orchestra with a Blumlein ribbon mic into a Focusrite ADC, compares playback with live, and blames lost depth, transients and timbre on the ADC. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-19Watts says Chord wanted Mojo's coupling capacitor replaced by a DC servo as on Hugo 2, but the capacitor gave Mojo its warm, soft sound, so warmth needed restoring. MFG Audio Reviews 26:14
• 2022-03-19Watts says the broad tone controls can fix headphone bass but not a 6 kHz resonance, and that crossfeed was added; with Hugo 2 he cannot listen without crossfeed. MFG Audio Reviews 40:53
• 2022-03-19Watts says crossfeed on Hugo 1 gave no out-of-head sense, but on Hugo 2 it improved depth, and Mojo 2 is similar thanks to better small signal accuracy. MFG Audio Reviews 41:42
• 2022-03-19Watts says Mojo and Hugo 2 lack galvanic isolation and that galvanic isolation in general is about 99% effective; optical helps with noisy servers, and his MSI desktop sounds much better on optical. MFG Audio Reviews 56:58
• 2022-03-21Watts warns about placebo in listening tests and explains the HF filter reduces noise floor modulation while WTA2 (16FS to 256FS) improves transient timing, neither changing in-band response. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-21Watts says he is using a Hugo 2 and lists the four filter colors: white HF off WTA2 on, green both on, orange both off, red HF on WTA2 off. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-21Watts says green (filter 2) is technically best on Hugo 2, other settings add NFM or poorer timing, and WTA2 surprisingly changes only the starting and stopping of notes. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-03-30Watts says the better output bit depth depends on how the source dithers EQ, suggests trying 24 and 32 bit, and needs no EQ with Stealth on Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Mar 2022
• 2022-04-10Watts says the desktop DAC headphone relay protects on plug-in via a delay, but unplugging can short before relays act; Mojo 2 and Hugo 2 outputs are always active. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
• 2022-04-26Watts says he designed an FPGA-driven charging circuit for Mojo 2 so it can be charged while listening without getting hot, bringing Hugo 2 technology into it. Audio Force 4:58
• 2022-04-26Watts says the original Mojo was voiced warm for bright headphones, so neutral Mojo 2 needed EQ; his test: raise a PC EQ 1 dB, lower volume 1 dB. Audio Force 6:09
• 2022-04-27Watts says he designed his own for the ADCs, video leaves headroom to go above white without clipping, and Hugo 2 and Mojo 2 give the Stealth ample volume. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
• 2022-06-12Watts recounts crossfeed giving an out-of-head experience with a Hugo 2 prototype on a flight, never with the original Hugo, linking better small-signal accuracy to more effective crossfeed. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-06-13Watts says Hugo 2 handles pre-emphasis automatically via the SPDIF emphasis flag, and that very few 1980s CDs used emphasis. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-06-21Watts says recording a small orchestra with ribbon mics, Focusrite ADC, Hugo 2 and Stealth confirmed for him that headphones are more accurate than loudspeakers in frequency response; he cautions that 'neutral' is relative. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-06-22Watts says Hugo 2's charger is a simple generic unit, while for Hugo TT2 he spent much time on PSU selection so supercap listening sounds unchanged. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-06-27Watts says pure DSD and R2R DACs are fundamentally limited, DAVE's noise shaper is not capped at 17th order, the HF filter sits after WTA2, and car batteries are ideal. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-06-28Watts says every Chord desktop DAC since DAVE has galvanic isolation with the USB decoder source-side, and battery-powered Mojo 2 or Hugo 2 with headphones won't need it. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
• 2022-07-11Watts says M Scaler DSD handling matches Hugo 2 and TT2, converting DSD64 through DSD512 to 705 kHz 24-bit; he also praises forum civility and calls audiophile patents marketing. Head-Fi, Jul 2022
• 2022-08-19Watts says the DAC's resolving power limits transient reconstruction, and DAVE, Hugo 2 and TT2 add WTA2 filtering to 256FS and another filter from 256FS to 2048FS. AVstore 28:30
• 2022-09-16Watts says vinyl's clicks and lack of transparency rule it out, his M scaled Hugo 2 and DAVE are far more involving, and his recording played back warmer than live. Head-Fi, Sep 2022
• 2022-09-18Watts says the cello sounded about 2.5 meters away on DAVE, about 2 on Hugo 2, about two with M Scaler (as transcribed), half a foot on conventional DACs. The Source AV 19:00
• 2022-09-18Watts says the closed-back Stealth shuts out noise on about 300 flying hours a year, and Stealth, Hugo 2 and M Scaler performance would have seemed unbelievable in the 1980s. The Source AV 31:18
• 2022-09-18Watts says TT2, DAVE and Hugo 2 have a WTA filter from 16FS to 256FS, unlike the 1FS to 16FS WTA, improving speed and the starting and stopping of notes. The Source AV 39:35
• 2022-10-26Watts advises turning Hugo 2 off when unused, especially for 12 hours or more, notes its batteries are reliable, and says 10-year-old Hugo 1 batteries worked fine. Head-Fi, Oct 2022
• 2022-11-05Watts expects two Hugo 2 charges from a 25,600mA power bank, citing charger and power bank losses, unknown 2Go draw, and possibly an incompletely charged bank. Head-Fi, Nov 2022
• 2023-01-03Watts says TT2's XLR outputs trip thermally into 8 ohm speakers, leaving the 7W single-ended outputs, and Hugo 2's second-order noise-shaper amp eliminates crossover distortion. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-01-04Watts reports the Bixpower BP90-12v ran an M Scaler nearly 10 hours and clearly beat the Krisdonia on depth and separation, the Poweradd less clearly. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-01-12Watts says star earthing's 2uH is 25,000 ohms at 2 GHz; adaptors are fine but long cables should be 75 ohm, and his short 50 ohm cables never drop out. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-01-21Watts says he drives small efficient speakers directly from Hugo 2's headphone output when traveling, getting plenty of volume in hotel rooms at a low blue volume setting. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-01-21Watts says his Blumlein recordings show lateral imaging is already perfect with crossfeed on Mojo 2 and Stealth; depth, attack and timbre need improving, digital sounding too soft. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-01-26Watts says matching the microphone's image width needs maximum crossfeed (blue on Hugo 2/Mojo 2), which he generally uses because older recordings were hard-panned. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
• 2023-02-05Watts says his phone feeds USB straight into the M Scaler, then into Hugo, driving Dan Clark Audio Stealths, which he calls really good sounding closed-back headphones. Soundnews 1:40
• 2023-02-05Watts says playback through M Scaler and Hugo 2 was surprisingly close to the original sound; the recording used a Blumlein pair of ribbon microphones. Soundnews 3:08
• 2023-02-05Watts says the unprocessed recording went straight into the ADC; playback matched in frequency response but sounded warmer and softer than live, though he considered the Stealths slightly bright. Soundnews 3:27
• 2023-02-26Watts says a cold-start test found no significant change, so Hugo 2's 10-minute warm-up on planes is more about his ears and headphones adjusting to cabin pressure. Head-Fi, Feb 2023
• 2023-02-26Watts says more voltage comes from amp gain, more elements raise I/V current if the PSU and output stage allow, and Stealth gets ample volume from DAVE or Hugo 2. Head-Fi, Feb 2023
• 2023-03-01Watts says the M Scaler needs no warm-up, Hugo 2's in-flight change was ear pressure, describes flying with his battery rig and thermal trip, and says battery plus optical isolates. Head-Fi, Mar 2023
• 2023-03-19Watts says phase shift with amplitude, found after the M scaler work, affects depth; tuning Mojo's noise shaper for minimal -301dB phase error led to Mojo 2's UHD DSP. Head-Fi, Mar 2023
• 2023-03-30Watts gives Stealth SPL at 0dBFS (98.3 dB Hugo/Mojo, 100.0 Dave, 103.4 TT2 headphone, 109.1 balanced), warns against long listening above 80dB, and suggests volume settings. Head-Fi, Mar 2023
• 2023-04-03Watts says improving Mojo meant adding crossfeed, essential for headphones, and moving toward Hugo 2's sound by going DC coupled, dropping the coupling capacitor that gave Mojo its warmth. Amplify Audio 10:23
• 2023-06-19Watts says an unnamed project started in 2018 with a first PCB in Feb 2019, his longest; he flies with a Bixpower, Hugo 2, Hugo M Scaler and DCA Stealth. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2023
• 2023-07-15Watts says all M scalers will work with all current DACs, including Mojo 2 and Hugo 2 via dual data, that scaler benefits need long-term listening, and urges forum civility. Head-Fi, Jul 2023
• 2023-09-20Watts describes tuning WTA variables to about 100ppm with dedicated test tracks, notes Hugo 2's warm settings remove WTA2, and says Mojo 2's UHD DSP adds warmth without timing loss. Head-Fi, Sep 2023
• 2023-10-01Watts says that as he improved products such as Hugo, Mojo 2, Hugo 2 and DAVE, headphones started to sound different. The Source AV 21:37
• 2024-01-07Watts says the 10-minute warm-up he heard on flights was most likely his ears adjusting to cabin pressure or the headphones, not the DACs, and that Mojo 2 exposes headphones with poor LF distortion. Head-Fi, Jan 2024
• 2024-01-08Watts says some headphones are said to sound better with external amps although Mojo 2 and Hugo 2 drive them easily to ear-splitting levels. Head-Fi, Jan 2024
• 2024-02-19Watts says Mojo 2's desktop mode is new; Hugo 2 relies on its batteries for dynamic currents, and waiting for magenta rather than blue gives longer battery life. Head-Fi, Feb 2024
• 2024-03-30Watts says the 24-hour charge applies to Hugo 2, not Mojo 2, whose charge time depends on initial state, with the final 95% to 100% trickle taking hours. Head-Fi, Mar 2024
• 2024-07-15Watts weighs lower battery voltage when on against higher temperature, advises turning Hugo 2 off if unused two days or more, and says its batteries are over-specified. Head-Fi, Jul 2024
• 2024-09-25Watts says a cold Hugo 2 showed no warm-up change, so in-flight brightness was headphones or ears, and Mojo 2 saves settings to FLASH only after menu mode times out. Head-Fi, Sep 2024
• 2024-10-02Watts says he uses a scaler with TT2 on his main loudspeaker system and travels with Quartet paired with Hugo 2 in hotels, and that all are elevated in performance. Head-Fi, Oct 2024
• 2024-11-11Watts advises sending bit-perfect data in its mastered format, calls DSD technically flawed, and says he uses Hugo 2 with Stealth, so Mojo 2 will drive Stealth fine. Head-Fi, Nov 2024
• 2024-11-13Watts says Hugo 2's charger chip may or may not work without a battery, unlike Mojo 2, and that Hugo 2 battery failures are extremely rare. Head-Fi, Nov 2024
• 2026-03-17Watts says many designers just tweak, but for Mojo 2 he knew beforehand what he wanted: the best within budget, closer to Hugo 2, with set benefits over Mojo. ecoustics 1:19:59
• 2026-03-17Watts says he guessed Mojo 2 would have around two-thirds the performance of a Hugo 2 compared to Mojo, and listening tests matched, with no surprises. ecoustics 1:20:45
• 2026-10-02Watts says M Scaler impressions vary with systems; Class D amps or poor speakers hide it, while DAVE, Hugo 2, TT or Mojo 2 with headphones give full control. HiFi Buys 2:24:19
• 2026-10-02Watts says his Mojo 2 target was two-thirds of the way from Mojo (0%) to Hugo 2 (100%) in sound quality, which he can predict on paper. HiFi Buys 2:29:40
• 2026-10-02Watts says Mojo 2 needed many board iterations, and the first prototype hit his two-thirds target, a gap clear enough to protect Hugo 2 sales. HiFi Buys 2:31:58
• 2026-10-11Watts says Hugo 2's desktop mode lowers battery voltage for safe constant charging; Mojo 2 isolates the charged battery, so RF filtering on its power input was improved. Distorsiuni Interioare 40:27

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