I see…
Thanks, Ian. 
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Torq, you mean for Hugo TT2 it’s better not to use it as line-out. My L509x can be used as power amp. I’m newbie. Can you explain why?
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Sorry to be off topic. In case I buy Hugo TT2 should I use RCA or XLR to connect to my amp. I read from head-fi that RCA is better for Hugo TT2.
There is no problem using the Hugo TT2 as a source, via it’s line-outputs. In fact it is as good used this way as it is used feeding headphones directly (for headphone listening).
But since it’s line-outs are variable (i.e. the Hugo TT2 can also act as a pre-amp), it doesn’t need to be paired with another pre-amp or an integrated amp.
The Luxman L509X is an “integrated” amp. That means it has source selection, analog inputs, a pre-amp and a power amp all in one. But unless you’re going to be feeding that with other sources (e.g. another DAC, a turntable, etc.), then with a Hugo TT 2 you only need the power-amp function of the L509X.
In which case, if you do go with a Hugo TT 2, you’d do better buying a power-amp to go with it. Be that a dedicated Luxman power amp (if you like their stuff) or something else. All things being equal, integrated amps are more expensive than power amplifiers.
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Chord’s DACs are inherently single-ended, so there is less stuff in the signal path if you use connect them via their RCA outputs.
Whether that is best for your amplifier/situation or not is hard to say. Some amplifiers do better fed by their XLR inputs. If you have electical/ground-loop issues, you’ll also want to use the XLR connections. And for long cable runs, XLR has advantages. But for normal use, unless there are specific problems you’re trying to address, the RCA connection is the best way to go with the Hugo TT 2.
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Torq, thanks a lot.
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Do you get OVR on the RME analyzer DC content? Ive been getting it a bit specially when I turn the EQ on with dbr 0 (auto ref on [+13]). Otherwise with EQ off its usually hitting the far right at -0.0 on pretty much everything. Im going from my laptop USB to the RME, then xlr to the phonitor x.
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Under “Setup”, “Display”, check the “Hor. Meter” setting:
If that is on “Post-FX” then it’s showing you the peaks based on post-EQ (or other DSP) effects have been applied. If that is the case then:
When you’re using EQ, and applying any boosts to any frequency, then you will see OVR (which indicates digital clipping) when the boosted frequency level + the EQ boost you’ve applied exceeds 0 dB.
You will need to turn down the volume position to a point where those peaks don’t exceed 0 dB (or reduce your EQ levels to achieve the same thing).
Also, depending on the music (it’s more common, it seems, with content encoded with Vorbis, e.g. Spotify), even without EQ you can run into what are called inter-sample overs. I won’t go into the details, but they’re a result of D/S conversion calculating peaks over 0 dB based on preceding samples.
Again, the solution there is to simply turn the volume setting down.
If the meters are set to “Pre-FX”, then the music itself is already hitting/exceeding 0 dB (likely due to the inter-sample over issue), and you’ll need to reduce the volume level until it stops occurring.
Not that your reference level setting (neither the value, nor whether it’s manual or not) is not a factor in this, as it only controls what analog attenuation is applied after all the digital stuff.
Finally, depending on which version of the DAC you have, you may have headroom beyond that indicated on the meters (to the tune of about 2.5 dB), and if so, you have to exceed that for there to be an actual issue with the output.
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Well, that answers some questions I had as well. Thanks Ian!
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ah, gotcha. that makes sense now. I actually set it to dual on the hor.meter to see both when I turn on EQ which is pretty awesome. Ive compared the tracks playing from my laptop vs my older iPad and looks like the hor. meter is higher on my laptop which is interesting. The UV meters on the phonitor are still really off in relation to the adi hor. meters not sure if that’s even an issue or if it matters.
Thanks you for clarifying, much appreciated, and apologies for OP being on the wrong thread.
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That’s a case of getting the right Ref Level on the RME, the right setting for DIP switch 3 on the Phonitor and realizing the VU meters are slower to respond and that they are an aggregate signal level, as opposed to absolute momentary peak on the RME.
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Thanks for a fun and informative review. I’m unable to audition gear at home so hearing your impressions helps. I never use headphones/IEMs (what am I doing here 
) but am interested to know whether the superiority of the BF2 carries over to 2 channel audio? If so I may still go for a Yggy as I’m looking for an end game DAC with a real world price.
my rig: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II → KEF LS50/dual REL T9i
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welcome to the forum @digitaldufferme Roy
why should it not translate in 2 channel audio? I´m quite positive in this regard 
feel free to shoot us all a hello at the following thread New Here? This Is The Spot To Introduce Yourself
greetings from a KEF fan!
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I have used both DACs with the LS308. The 308s are terrible for judging sound stage because of the waveguide that makes the sweet spot a mile wide, which is also why I bought them. They are glorified computer speakers.
I have not tried either DAC in my living room setup with normal speakers.
I’m not very familiar with the LS50. I have heard them, but haven’t heard them in familiar settings or for any meaningful length of time. Due to that, I can’t answer your questions.
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they were my plan A for the desk and as I auditioned them, I was positive surprised/overwhelmed
in the end the size(my boss at home used the veto) made them dissapear from the candidates list
do you use them in a 2.0 or 2.1 setup?
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2.0.
I had the 310 sub, but it was flabby and boomy, was a devil to volume match with the 308s, and ultimately I was more satisfied without it.
I got the 308 instead of the 305 because it goes deeper into the bass before it starts to roll off. It doesn’t look like it goes much deeper on JBLs published FR graphs, but I was able to compare the two side by side and I thought the 305 rolled off at a pretty important part of the music. That was such less apparent on the 308.
With the ADI-2 I use a bit of EQ slope starting at about 50Hz to make up for where the 308 start to roll off. It’s perfectly fine like this without a sub. You can still hear 20Hz notes. It’s just not a 15" sub kind of rumble, which is fine by me.
You are right though. They are big and a pain to make room for them on/behind the desk.
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haha yeah the 310 is not the best sub - we use an even worse jbl sub for the 2.1 setup - dialed so low in, one hardly get´s it is doing his job with the KEF´s
for sure the 308 is enough on it´s own
I set me a bookmark on your comment - maybe I get the ok for our guestroom, to set something up in future 
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Regarding the ADI-2 DAC @Torq said: “Its only real weakness is in its slightly compressed dynamics via the headphone output. You can minimize this by running the unit in ‘Hi Power’ output mode for the headphone connection.”
In another post, in response to someone using volume settings of -40 to -50db with hi-power Torq said: “… that’s a lot of digital attenuation, even for a software-volume control as good as the (42-bit precision) implementation on the RME-ADI 2 series.”
So my dilemma is what power setting to use with my efficient 64 ohm Sony MDR-Z1R cans (BTW I have a great 5-band PEQ I use on the RME that fixes some of the issues with these phones). I listen at levels between -40 to -30 dB in Hi-Power to address this “slightly compressed dynamics”. Is that too much digital attenuation? In Auto Ref = ON and Hi-Power = OFF (i.e., Lo-Power) I still set between -40 to -30, the units change to dBr obviously; should I use Lo-Power instead?
On a related note: I have even more efficient Sony MDR-1A and MDR-1AM2 cans that I use on the IEM jack. Is that the best output jack for 16-24 ohm headphones even though they are not IEMs, or should I use the “Phones” output on Auto Ref?
Thanks,
M1k3
Thanks for your kind welcome Martin. The imaging, soundstage width and depth which is presented with headphones does not in my experience translate to the same with a 2.2 system like mine. I realise this is a forum for headphone users but it was worth asking as users often have stereo rigs as well.
Thank you for taking the time to reply, no worries mate, was just a punt in the dark.
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