Chord Electronics unveiled two new streaming accessories. First debuted at CanJam New York in February 2020, Chord Electronics added the 2go, a high-performance streamer/ server designed to transform its flagship – the Hugo 2 – into a fully featured Wi-Fi and Ethernet-enabled device. It also introduced the 2yu, a digital interface that connects to the 2go, to be used with any compatible DAC or digital input device.
In addition to Hi-Res music streaming, the 2go also benefits from 2x 2 TB-rated SD card slots for digital storage and playback, enabling the Hugo 2 as a high-capacity solid-state digital music server (using MPD), all from a compact, space-saving and highly portable device.
When using the 2go with Hugo 2, all forms of digital playback can benefit from battery power alone, negating the need for external power supplies, expensive mains conditioners, distribution boards and cables etc., and removing the potentially degrading influence of AC mains noise and artefacts.
Paired with the 2yu – a digital interface that connects to the 2go to provide four digital outputs (USB, optical, coaxial and BNC) – it effectively transforms the 2go and the 2yu to a standalone Chord Electronics streamer/server. What this means is it can now be used with any compatible DAC or digital-input device.
2go — Small in Size, Big in Power
The 2go contains highly advanced miniaturised electronic engineering that utilises proprietary British technology, as with all of Chord Electronics’ amplifiers and DACs. It enables streamed and SD card-stored digital music files to benefit from Chord Electronics’ multi-award-winning DAC technology, found in the Hugo 2. Adding the 2go to Hugo 2 effectively creates the most sonically advanced compact music streamer available today.
A key feature of the 2go is its auto-switching input function: every audio interface is always on, therefore switching between inputs is as easy as hitting ‘play’ on the chosen control point app. The 2go also switches between all its inputs automatically, giving a seamless user experience when playing music from different sources or even streaming services.
The 2go brings the benefits of both wireless convenience (2.4GHz Wi-Fi and A2DP Bluetooth) plus the stability and performance of wired (Gigabit) Ethernet connectivity, with the latter offering set-up-free plug and play operation. It also brings comprehensive audio interfacing and offers Tidal, Qobuz and Internet radio playback with Spotify (and others) earmarked for the future. 2go is Roon Ready, and offers gapless audio and DoP/Bit Perfect support, as well as being fully DLNA-compliant (server/renderer) and AirPlay-ready.
Like all of Chord Electronics’ hardware, the 2go is handmade in the UK and shares the same aircraft-grade aluminium casework, along with design cues from the Hugo 2. Based around a powerful triple-core audio processor, 2go’s proprietary streaming circuit has been skilfully engineered into a slender chassis which offers Micro USB charging of the internal batteries, a power on/status/battery/network indicator, 2x 2 TB-rated SD card slots, a Gigabit Ethernet port and an IR window; an internal voice engine also allows for audible status information.
2yu — The Enabler
The 2yu is a designed-for-2go digital interface, enabling 2go to transform as a fully-fledged standalone streamer, independent of Hugo 2. The 2yu boasts 2,000 MIPS (million instructions per second) of processing power, an integrated sample rate converter, plus a low-jitter audio phase lock loop. The 2yu connects directly to 2go to add TOSLINK optical S/PDIF, coaxial and BNC (both 75 ohms) digital outputs, plus a cleverly integrated USB-A output.
Highly flexible in its potential applications, the 2go with the 2yu is ideal for music lovers, who wishes to create a discreet remote Roon streaming solution: the duo can be wired into an Ethernet port to provide streaming to a system in any room. The 2yu alone can also be used with PCs and Macs via USB to create a high-quality USB-to-digital-audio convertor for audio.
Like 2go, the 2yu is also hand-made in the UK using aircraft-grade aluminium and the same high-quality manufacturing processes inherent in all Chord Electronics products. Like the Hugo 2, 2yu features four polychromatic spherical controls governing output selection, power, mute and dim functions.
Pricing and Availability
The Chord Electronics 2go is available immediately for $1,899 and the 2yu will be available in April 2020 at $899. Both products retail exclusively at AV One and Lazada (https://www.lazada.sg/shop/
The Hugo 2 is already available, and priced at $3,500.
