The Chord 2go is the highly anticipated streaming module for the Hugo 2. Finally the owners of that excellent DAC no longer have to look enviously at those who made their cheaper Mojo wireless with the Poly. Thanks to the 2go you can hang the Hugo 2 directly on the network and stream music via Roon and other services.

Chord 2go What is the 2go? An interesting question, because you cannot just classify this device under a clearly defined product type. That’s because it is an extension for another device, and not a stand-alone device itself. But ‘expansion’ is also a bit too simplistic, because it does a lot. Add the 2go to the Hugo 2 DAC and you get a new hybrid device with considerably more possibilities.

The 2go actually does the same as the Poly that comes with the Mojo, but then for that more expensive Hugo 2 DAC from Chord that we have already extensively tested. The concept remains the same: the 2go is an extension module that you attach to the DAC and add streaming. There are also two slots for microSD cards, with a maximum capacity of 4 TB. Put the necessary in this and the device will also operate as a network player and as a media server on your network. Talk about versatile.

We will repeat again: you need the Hugo 2 to use the Chord 2go. The two fit together perfectly. So good, in fact, that if you attach the Chord module to the Hugo 2, you suddenly seem to have one new device. And actually it is.

Just screwing

Somehow it’s amazing that it took so long for Chord Electronics to come up with the 2go. With the Poly for the Mojo DAC, the British had already shown that the concept was right: take an excellent DAC in its price range and turn it into a standalone streamer by means of an extra module. No need to screw open, just click and set via an app. And hey presto: your DAC is a Roon endpoint, which thanks to the built-in battery can be used as your completely wireless music source to listen to music with your headphones. It becomes an intriguing alternative to a DAP and much better suited for demanding headphones than a smartphone.

And yes, you can use the 2go / Hugo2 using mobile. After all, the Chord-DAC is equipped with a battery and the 2go can also be used on the road in hotspot mode. But we feel that this is more of a theoretical scenario. We think it is much more likely that you will use this combined device at home to listen to your music comfortably in high quality via headphones. Or you can use it as a streaming DAC in your hi-fi system. That makes much more sense with this Chord combination than with the Poly / Mojo, partly because the Hugo 2 has a full cinch output and two digital inputs (optical and coaxial). And also: there is an ethernet connection, because in a system there is a better option in terms of stability.

Then why did that 2go take so long to arrive? We guess that, but it is true that Chord Electronics has recently launched many other products. Think for example of the mighty Ultima amplifiers. Such a thing naturally demands a lot of focus within a hi-fi company.

Before you can start using the 2go, you need to get your inner do-it-yourself unleash. Fortunately, only for a short while and without having to call on next-level skills. Why? The connection between the Hugo 2 and the 2go is realized by the two micro USB connections. However, even two of those plugs are insufficient in the long run to withstand the bending force that you get when you pick up the device carelessly. Fortunately, Chord has found a solution. The box of the 2go contains two pins that you screw into existing cut-outs on the Hugo 2 – which immediately shows that the manufacturer has been working on the 2go from the start. You carefully click the streaming module onto the DAC, after which you install two small nimbus screws in the sides with the supplied key. With this you lock the streamer and you get a solid and stable whole.

With the Mojo and Poly you do not have an additional locking mechanism, but the Hugo 2 and 2go are CNC aluminum housings are therefore a lot heavier. When combined, the unit weighs 180 gram. We would recommend a case for mobile use that protects both devices well. That is also a good idea with the Mojo and Poly. Chord itself has cases that you can buy, we had a custom one made for our Mojo / Poly by a third party.

We said above that the 2go only fits the Hugo 2. That’s not quite right, because Chord is also working on the 2yu. This is a small module that you connect to the 2go instead of the Hugo 2. The device only has digital outputs, so you can use the 2go as a pure streamer with another DA converter. The 2yu may be available by summer, we’ll keep you posted.

Setup via GoFigure App You can set the 2go via the GoFigure app, which also serves the Mojo-Poly. It is a great relief that this app has now become much better. At the launch of the Poly, it was sometimes really hard to get the streamer on your network, but thanks to a series of updates that is now very easy. The 2go benefits from this work as this time we set the streamer to 1-2-3 via the iOS version on an iPad 2017. And just to make sure it works properly (and since Chord handled iOS and Android versions separately in the past anyway), we reset the device and reconfigure the 2go via GoFigure on a Huawei P 30 – smartphone. Fortunately, it goes as smoothly as on an Apple device.

You should get to know the philosophy behind the app. You are not supposed to play music from GoFigure. It is much more of an app for setting things up. That seems clear, were it not for the fact that Chord has provided two exceptions: Internet radio and MPD playlists of music files on a memory card. Why not immediately provide a full music player for those files within GoFigure, that is not so clear. We quietly suspect that Chord believes strongly in Roon. In the GoFigure app you will find all the settings you need. Conveniently, you can permanently enter different WiFi networks here, so that the 2go automatically connects to the correct network when you take the device to your office.

Music can be played via Roon, which is fine goes. The module still appears as non-certified, but functions completely as it should. You can indicate in the Roon settings that this is actually the Hugo 2, so that the correct configuration and icon is chosen.

Of course, far from everyone uses the pricey but very good Roon- software. Another option is to stream music over DLNA, where an optional memory card with music files can be the source. But you can also stream from a DLNA share on NAS. You do not arrange all this via GoFigure, but via a DLNA player app of your choice. We prefer BubbleUPnP on Android, mConnect is a popular option on iOS. Bluetooth and AirPlay (not AirPlay 2) are other streaming options, but we’re happy that aptX is supported for Bluetooth streaming.

Chord says work is in progress on adding Spotify Connect . There is no timeline for this yet – but Chord usually develops software at a relatively slow pace. It cannot be expressed in geological terms, but do not expect to see Spotify appear as an update in a few weeks. Of course we always like to be surprised …

Familiar sound Sound wise the 2go does not change the Hugo 2, or not that we can determine. When we listen to our regular test playlist via Roon and with the Focal Stellia we hear nothing that we have not heard before. After all, the Hugo 2 lives permanently next to the iMac we work on every day, and has been used intensively for over a year. We continue to consider it a reference in the price segment. To know more about what the Hugo 2 offers as a DAC, we would recommend that you read the review of this Chord on it.

One of the underexposed aspects of the Hugo 2 is the presence of the X-PHD crossfeed function. With this, Chord tries to bring the listening experience through speakers to your headphones, which some people find more natural than the strong left-right separation of headphones. We sometimes use it, sometimes we don’t, because certain pieces of music with X-PHD appear just more squashed. With other tracks, the weather reinforces the live feeling. No problem, you can switch it on (three positions) or off via a typical, colored Chord ball. The same is true for the four filters on the DAC that Chord offers, although we find the differences less striking than with the X-PHD function. It is very headphone dependent, we find.

We have used the 2go / Hugo 2 very intensively and noticed that it is a very different experience than the Poly / Mojo. Sound wise Chord takes a big step forward, but you can easily put that Poly in your pocket. The 2go / Hugo 2 is a heavier thing that we also moved very consciously and carefully because of its high value. So it is more ‘transportable’ than ‘portable’, but that is not a problem in itself. In this form, the DAC is also much more convenient and interesting to connect to an amplifier.

Chord equipped the Hugo 2 with a battery because this avoids the whole problem of disturbing power supplies. It also immediately ensures that the combination 2go / Hugo 2 can work for a long time without charging: such 12 hour. That never felt like a limitation. A complaint: if the battery is empty, you cannot immediately use the 2go again if you hang it on the charger. It has to draw some power before you can play music again, which will probably make the impatient audiophile grumble. We should also note that the 2go only establishes a WiFi connection over the 2.4 GHz channels.

Conclusion The 2go, by its nature, seems especially relevant to the Hugo 2 owner. If he is glued to his computer or fixed listening chair, he may not benefit from the product. A USB cable is then sufficient. If you would like to get rid of that dependence on that one listening position and that wired connection to your computer, then the 2go is a must-have addition to an excellent DAC. For example, it allows you to be in the garden or – why not? – can listen to your music in true hi-fi quality in bed, without compromise.

But actually the 2go provides broadening, and therefore it is not just any accessory. Anyone looking for a combined media server / streaming DAC will find an excellent solution in the bundle of the Hugo 2 and the 2go. It has a few eccentric aspects, but these are more than offset by the excellent rendering.

Chord Electronics 2go

1. 195 euro | www.chordelectronics.co.uk

Rating 4.5 out of 5