Top 4 Reasons I bought the Chord Hugo at CES 2014
I go to the Consumer Electronics Show each year in Las Vegas, Nevada during the first week in January, scouting for the BEST in portable and desktop high-end audio, hifi gear, and more. I also attend to make sure Moon Audio is offering the latest gear to our customers and keeping up with our custom audio cable research and development. This year at CES I was a bit disappointed at the offerings. I saw more iPhone covers and iPhone gadgets than anything else, and that just does not excite me. It wasn't until the last day of the conference that I saw something that made my whole trip worthwhile.
I heard that Chord Electronics from the United Kingdom had a room set up. I had heard their hi-fi gear in the past, but I knew they only had 2-channel and home gear. However, I saw a portable headphone amp on the table for auditioning. This truly sparked my interest so I walked up to the empty table to see if I liked the sound of their new portable amplifier, called the HUGO.
Well, let me tell you, my mouth was gaping wide open after just a few seconds. This does not happen very often for me as I have heard about everything in high-end portable audio.
Game Changer
The Hugo was connected via Bluetooth to an iPhone and a set of Sennheiser HD800s was available for listening. The Hugo is a game changer, all others will have to play catch up at this point. I mean, Chord took the same technology they created for their high-end audio gear that is mostly in the $10,000 plus range and utilized it in the HUGO. Wow! This is very impressive, to say the least, and I mean this HUGO has truly raised the bar when it comes to portable high-end audio.
Here are the top 4 reasons I added the Chord Hugo to Moon Audio's lineup of portable headphone amps:
- The DAC in the HUGO is not a standard off the shelf Wolfson or Burr Brown chip that everyone else uses so the decoding is just spectacular.
- The Hugo can be used as a desktop or portable headphone amp/DAC and it converts USB, PCM, DSD, and tons of other formats.
- I love the sound, it's just jaw-dropping and it can drive just about any headphone on the planet, even hard to drive ones like the HD800, etc.
- It has an AMAZING 12-14 hour battery life. WOW, need I say anything else?
Don't miss out....we have sold out 3 times already, pick one up now with Free 2nd Day U.S. Shipping now.
Moon Audio strives to provide the most relevant collection of curated audiophile products for our customers. Our reviews and product guides are designed to inform our community and share our passion for audio technology. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned professional, we're glad you joined us.
Want more? Sign up for curated content in your inbox.
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Introducing the NOVUS, the second collaboration In-Ear Monitor (IEM) with Empire Ears. Coming May 24'. Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Let's take a look at our best-selling and most popular music players of the year! Bring your complete high-fidelity system... Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Read Time: Approx. 5 min. Summary: Explore the top DAC and amp combos for audiophiles seeking high-quality sound. This guide... Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Read Time: Approx. 10 min. TL;DR: This guide explores the differences between four main types of headphone drivers — planar magnetic,... Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Read Time: Approx. 5 min. TL;DR: Impedance matching in audio is about balancing the impedance of different audio components to... Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Read Time: Approx. 5 min. Summary: DACs are essential for high-quality audio. They translate digital music into analog sound your... Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Introducing the NOVUS, the second collaboration In-Ear Monitor (IEM) with Empire Ears. Coming May 24'. Read more
BY: MOON AUDIO STAFF |
Are you using the Spotify Web Player? Do you wish it sounded better? We have solutions. Also, we talk about... Read more