Marketing always tries to overrate something, to make it stand out, and thus for the price of the Chord Hugo there is some cottage industry dude somewhere that will kill it for the same money if not for looks, flexibility and brand. This doesn't mean the Hugo isn't an excellent DAC and ideal for peoples' wants, but at £1400 this shifts it into some very very serious competition from a purely sonic perspective.
Have you heard one?
Chord seem to me to have spent virtually nothing on marketing; the enthusiasm for the Hugo has been generated mostly by it's owners, and the willingness of it's designer, Rob Watt, to engage with users on the Head Fi forum.
Would be very interested to hear of a cottage industry dude with a better product, or anything at a similar price that's better.