Chord Electronics Hugo 2 Transportable DAC

The Chord Electronics Hugo 2 is a high-performance transportable DAC and headphone amplifier designed for both home and mobile listening. Built around Chord's proprietary FPGA-based DAC technology, Hugo 2 combines reference-level digital conversion, powerful headphone amplification, flexible digital connectivity, and user-adjustable sound controls in a compact precision-machined aluminum chassis. With support for PCM up to 768 kHz and native DSD512, Hugo 2 can serve as a premium headphone DAC/amp or integrate directly into a full-size audio system using its stereo RCA and line-level outputs. Chord FPGA DAC Technology At the heart of Hugo 2 is Chord's custom-coded Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA, implementing a 49,152-tap WTA digital filter and 10-element Pulse Array design. Rather than relying on a conventional off-the-shelf DAC chipset, Chord's proprietary digital architecture handles digital filtering and conversion using algorithms developed specifically for its DAC platform. Hugo 2 also provides four selectable digital filters, allowing listeners to choose between neutral, high-frequency roll-off, warm, and warmer presentations to better suit different recordings and listening preferences. Powerful Headphone & Home Audio Performance Hugo 2 is designed to drive a wide range of headphones, including models with impedances up to 800Ω. It delivers up to 740 mW into 32Ω and includes both 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm headphone outputs. For headphone listening, Chord's digital crossfeed system provides three selectable levels—Light, Medium, and Heavy—designed to create a more speaker-like presentation when listening through headphones. Hugo 2 can also function as a high-performance DAC within a home audio system. Stereo RCA outputs and a dedicated 3 V line-level mode allow straightforward connection to compatible amplifiers and other audio components. Flexible Digital Connectivity Hugo 2 provides USB, coaxial, optical, and aptX Bluetooth digital connectivity, making it suitable for computers, smartphones, tablets, digital transports, and other compatible sources. Its HD USB input supports PCM playback up to 768 kHz and native DSD512, while dual-data coaxial operation also supports PCM rates up to 768 kHz. For network streaming, Hugo 2 can be paired directly with the optional Chord Electronics 2go, transforming the combination into a high-resolution network streaming system. Key Features Transportable FPGA DAC & headphone amplifier 49,152-tap WTA digital filter PCM playback up to 768 kHz / 32-bit Native DSD support up to DSD512 Four selectable digital filters Three-stage headphone crossfeed 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm headphone outputs Bluetooth with aptX Compatible with 2go and Hugo M Scaler