Chord Mojo(1) DAC-amp ☆★►FAQ in 3rd post!◄★☆

[salla45]

  Hello all, first post (after reading all the previous!).  I've been lucky enough to have had my mojo since November last year (Apollo Hifi in Oz, excellent service). I have a wide ranging music collection - favourite band of all time is The Wedding Present, love indie, punk, goth, hip hop (Roots Manuva & Company Flow as stand outs), techno (from Surgeon/Jeff Mills to Orbital) and even some French Chanson thrown in for good measure!
 
All the following is my opinion only, of course.
 
I am using a Fiio X3 2nd gen as transport, feeding the mojo via Moon Audio's excellent cable (though I am liking the look of the Dyson right angled cable).
 
In portable set up I have been using Oppo PM3 (with Moon Audio Blue Dragon cable), JH5pro (with ALO tinsel cable) and Westone 3.  The mojo has increased my listening pleasure with all 3 of these headphones.  It's very difficult to stop listening to my Oppo's in this set up.  I was enamoured with them before but I never experienced the smile inducing, emotional closeness with the music that the mojo brings. Old tracks have come out of retirement and had new life breathed into them. It's not the detail retrieval, it's what the mojo does with that detail.  Everything I listen to has musicality in spades through the mojo.  The Fiio X3 is a decent player on its own, if a little lacking in weight in the bass, however, it cannot compare to the mojo (IMO). I can only agree with the praise already heaped on this tiny device. 4 months in and it's only getting better.
 
I also have the Fiio/mojo combo attached to my home 2 channel set up - Rega Brio R amp, Orpheus Audeo 1.5 speakers - when at home. I have never heard this system sounding so alive. My Musical Fidelity V-Dac 2 was in use before the mojo but is now unplugged.  I haven't compared the two yet as i have not had the desire to remove the mojo. I will get around to the comparison, maybe.
 
All my audio purchases are based on bringing me closer to my music and if it does not increase that emotional attachment over what I already own, I do not purchase.  The mojo is easily one of the very best audio purchases I have ever bought. Chord have one very happy customer in me.

Great stuff, you're a man after my own heart & hit the nail on the head there about what the mojo does with the music. It's not a "sound quality" device, but a music making device - Once you get all the SQ clutter out of the way you can just sit back and relax into the musical fantasy.
 
I too have the x3ii and got a nice cable from dergabe, head-fier, for low cost. It's VERY discrete. I sugru-ed mine, taking the terminal covers off in fact. I like my rig. Just leave it connected all the time to the Mojo; USB takes over if i want to listen via PC.
 


 
 
 
Currently listening to Keith Jarrett - Live @ Bluenote - sounding absolutely super via Mojo+K3003+comply TS500 (new acquisitions )

 

[salla45]

  How's the music? 

I haven't noticed any rattling, but you'll get me listening out for that now.
 
OK after "Miles Davies - Kind of blue", "Holly Cole", "Diana Krall", "Kendrick Lamar" oh and some "Bach......"

Hmmm .... Jazzzzzz
 
Just listening to Keith Jarrett - Bluenote live box. Bloomin' marvelous. Soooo good!!

 

[ahmad-bayern]

Hello
If you allow, it is best for my headphones Philips X2 and DT990 pro 250 OHM 
Chord Mojo or NFB-11 PLZ ?

 

[kkcc]

I've got the Onkyo DP-X1 DAP that works great with the Mojo over USB. It does everything you mentioned above and it is pretty decent on balanced and ACG by itself, too.

Yes Dpx1 is definitely at top of my list. It checked all boxes (except only support USB) and is not too expensive. If I can find a good short robust USB cable (best to be right angled on both end) I may just get it and mojo together. What type of micro USB cable you using now? Any recommendations?

 

[x RELIC x]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Thanks for the info! The used unit I had my eyes on was indeed part of the very first batch and will try to listen for any wierd noise.

Re the transport, I probably didn't put it clearly but i m really looking at an Android one with Play store support.

My preference on the connection is Optical > coxial > USB. Nothing to do with sound quality, but more to do with how secure and how ergonomic the socket and cables are. USB just wiggle and disconnect too much when used on the go. The optical cable I use is robust, lightweight and is fixedU shaped with no excessive length that I prefer over coxial. For some reason I thought the dpx1 have optical but it doesn't



Re the SQ, I did demoed it at launch and agree with your assessment. The key qualities I loved from Hugo - the instrument timbre, coherent presentation of stage, precise imaging, superb transparency, and overall musicality are all there with Mojo. The slightly darker presentation didn't bother me and is in fact a nice thing to compliment Hugo.

I'm really hoping to find an Android device that has an optical or coxial out as I find myself using spotify and other local streaming services (has flac support) more and more.

kkcc, have you considered the FiiO X7? Coaxial out and Android. Sounds good on its own as well.

 

[kkcc]

kkcc, have you considered the FiiO X7? Coaxial out and Android. Sounds good on its own as well.

Thx mate I didn't know it runs Android. Really haven't kept up with the latest batch of DAPs and will check it out. How do you feel it pairs with Mojo? Any photo of them stacked and recommendation for short coxial cable? Many thanks!

 

[Mojo ideas]

I work full time as an analyst.  I work with words all day.  It's all I do.  It's also my passion.  It's my hobby after hours.  I do it for a living, pro bono and then just for fun.  Words.  

Yet, I don't have the vocabulary to do the Mojo justice for what it does for the music library I've heard for 40 years.  

Indubitably!

 

[Deftone]

  Really wished there were more smaller Android options.  While I like the Z3Compact, the weird micro USB location just ruins it.  I wonder if there are any other obscure smaller chinese branded android phones that works great as a transport?

Galaxy s4 mini...

 

[cocolinho]

out of topic but I would be careful with Samsung OTG implementation. High chance it will not work natively with Spotify etc...
check gsmarena.com to see all small devices existing

 

[x RELIC x]

Thx mate I didn't know it runs Android. Really haven't kept up with the latest batch of DAPs and will check it out. How do you feel it pairs with Mojo? Any photo of them stacked and recommendation for short coxial cable? Many thanks!

Ha, I just posted this a couple pages ago. Check it out, it's made to be used with the X3ii/X5ii/X7:

Short 3.5mm Coaxial Cable

The X7 is a little larg-ish compared to the Mojo, but 3M Dual Lock would be great to pair them. FiiO is also considering a 'blank' amp module for those that dont want an amp to use just the line-out or coaxial out, which would make it overall smaller, but I don't know if it will actually be produced. I didn't stack them when I reviewed the X7 but here's a couple pics next to the Mojo, and compared to other DAPs.

 

[masterpfa]

Yes Dpx1 is definitely at top of my list. It checked all boxes (except only support USB) and is not too expensive. If I can find a good short robust USB cable (best to be right angled on both end) I may just get it and mojo together. What type of micro USB cable you using now? Any recommendations?

You could try either of these 7cm or 10cm. 

 

[kkcc]

Ha, I just posted this a couple pages ago. Check it out, it's made to be used with the X3ii/X5ii/X7:

Spoiler

Short 3.5mm Coaxial Cable

The X7 is a little larg-ish compared to the Mojo, but 3M Dual Lock would be great to pair them. FiiO is also considering a 'blank' amp module for those that dont want an amp to use just the line-out or coaxial out, which would make it overall smaller, but I don't know if it will actually be produced. I didn't stack them when I reviewed the X7 but here's a couple pics next to the Mojo, and compared to other DAPs.

Thanks. This thread is really moving too fast to follow and track! The 3.5mm jack plug makes it a bit unwieldy and may need to research more for right angled ones. I like Fiio as a company despite never owning their product but will check it out.

 

[kkcc]

You could try either of these 7cm or 10cm. 

Looks promising! Better than the straight jacks one I am using. Hope the right angle jack will provide better stability and durability (for the USB socket on mojo/Hugo)

 

[Deftone]

when listening to metallica - the unforgiven, the sensation i get from the strings being plucked, my lord...

 

[Sound Eq]

can i ask guys with ur iems what volume do you listen to and colour is it at,
 
I for one listen at volumes that show orange colour with my u12
 
I just would like to get a sense how loud other are listening to their iems and if I am listening too loud or am i within the norm