Page 52 - Hi-Fi World (January 2020)

REVIEW

in total. Chord Electronics exclusively provided hi-res and DSD replay, again Safri Duo’s 'Samb Allegro' – tremen-
use switch-mode supplies and are connected by the supplied USB cable. dously fast but punchy bass. It
happy with them, even though I started off with high dynamic seemed perfectly timed and I heard
they are shunned by many others. range (uncompressed) rock from CD texture where I had not before, here
To compensate for any possible and with Nils Lofgren singing 'Keith in the synth kick-drum beat that
limitations in supply transient Don’t Go' got quite a shock. It was underpins the track so dramatically.
behaviour ’super capacitors’ are fitted obvious straight away that this DAC Modern hi-res recordings such as
to store charge within the unit. has the company’s trademark sound Marta Gomez singing 'Maria' (24/96)
And finally to the power – but supercharged. In basic character bettered CD in obvious fashion by
amplifier potential of Hugo TT2. think crystal clear and vividly fleshing out a performance with
Hugo TT2 produces 20 Watts from insightful, with no hint of warmth. more intense inner detail – making
its XLR outputs. However, it doesn’t There was an airy spaciousness to CD sound a tad barren by way of
have the heat sinking or devices to the sound, made more apparent contrast. With this superb recording,

At left, twin BNC output sockets (for future products). Next along, two large XLR socket outputs
flanked by phono-socket outputs. Then come twin BNC digital inputs that together form a DBNC
input. At right are TOSLINK optical inputs and a USB B computer connection.

produce such power on a continuous by a very broad soundstage where images were hewn from stone with
basis. It works fine and goes loud, the audience yelped and shouted clear space between them – and a
but very loud will overheat (there from hard left to hard right in lively vivid dynamic all but defining what
are protection circuits). Small fashion, yet they were clear of the high-fidelity must be.
loudspeakers are insensitive so vocals with well-identified distance. Fleetwood Mac’s 'Dreams'
expect lower volume – but they will This sense of dimensional resolution (24/96) – a hi-res transcription from
work well enough on a desk where with hard images on a wide yet firm an old analogue master tape (1977)
speakers are close to your ears.
"breathtaking clarity, giving a
SOUND QUALITY
I used Martin Logan ESL-X hybrid starkly clear and concise sound
electrostatic loudspeakers driven by
a Creek Evolution 100A amplifier unmatched elsewhere.
via its direct XLR inputs (no volume
control) through Chord Company
Epic XLR cables. Loudspeaker cables canvas remained throughout my – hit me with a dramatic start from
were Chord Company (not Chord listening. Lofgren’s rapid finger-picking Mick Fleetwood’s drum kit that
Electronics; they are different and was super clear, with better timing had surgical punch – but some of
unrelated companies) Signature UL between fine details from the strings the cymbal crashes were too well
cables. The unit was run in Amp than I have ever heard, giving a sense revealed. I know the top end of
mode, mostly Filter 1 and with of intense insight. It was breath- this track is a bit raspy and here
volume set at light blue where full taking – and not just because of the Hugo TT2 made the fact obvious. In
dynamic range is available. qualities mentioned but because of a effect it revealed limitations in the
Digital was delivered from an sense of great dynamic contrast too. transcription or original recording.
Oppo BDP-205D Universal player An astonishing level of revelation was Comparisons got interesting with
acting as a CD transport, coupled obvious from this track alone, as well Diana Krall singing 'Narrow Daylight'
optically to the Hugo with the cable as ability to lay out the acoustic being on hi-res PCM (24/96) and DSD64.
supplied that was a tighter fit into the picked up by Lofgren’s mic. To my surprise there was not much
TOSLINK socket than our cables. A Another almost-peculiar difference. Both were relentlessly
MacBook Pro running Audirvana Plus property made itself very clear with sharp in timing, clean and clear, DSD
52 HI-FI WORLD JANUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk