[Mompy7777]

I find the CEntrance Dacport Slim drives my HD650s pretty well, has a decent dac (ak4490) and a class A headphone amp in a very small package (smaller than a pack of orbit gum). Only downside is you have to install a driver from CEntrance so if your work has your machines locked down it might be an issue. You can probably find a used one for a good price or hit up the next massdrop for it.

Schiit Fulla 2 is another good option and doesn't require a driver, but it is much bigger than the dacport. It's still only the size of a deck of cards (minus the knob) so its easily transportable and plugs in with micro USB.

I have been thinking about the fulla 2, but at that price point I guess there is a day and night difference between this and the Jotunheim for example

 

[DavidA]

I have a pair of ATH M50x which I use at the office everyday and the laptop's soundcard literally it's so bad that everything sounds plain and dead, I don't notice a difference between a youtube video, Spotify or a Flac file, heck, my smartphone drives those headphones 10 times better

Since you already have the M50x I would suggest a DAP like a Fiio X3ii (cheap these days since the X3iii is coming out soon) and use it as your source at work, it will drive the M50x and is decent with my HD650, to really notice a difference I need to use a decent DAC and either my Ember or BH Crack. In the future the X3ii has a digital coax output so you can connect a better DAC like the Mimby, and a decent amp like the Vali2, Solstice or Ember, or if you don't want to deal with tubes then there are many reasonable SS amps out there.

 

[x RELIC x]

There is a debate on whether the mojo can drive the hd 650 correctly. I dont personally know. I know the Hugo can.

Hugo and Mojo have the exact same power output for Voltage and Current so 'driving properly' is not really the case here. It's more a conversation about synergy, which will be different for everyone.

 

[chef8489]

Hugo and Mojo have the exact same power output for Voltage and Current so 'driving properly' is not really the case here. It's more a conversation about synergy, which will be different for everyone.

That may be the case. I cant find the output voltage or current of the Hugo anywhere. The Hugo 2 puts out more than the Mojo. It also could be synergy as well. I would love to hear the Mojo and the hd650. I would love to hear the Mojo and any of my cans and iems. Maybe some day I will pick up one.

 

[x RELIC x]

That may be the case. I cant find the output voltage or current of the Hugo anywhere. The Hugo 2 puts out more than the Mojo. It also could be synergy as well. I would love to hear the Mojo and the hd650. I would love to hear the Mojo and any of my cans and iems. Maybe some day I will pick up one.

For information purposes, here is the output for the Hugo1 for you. HugoTT is largely similar. Rob's confirmed many times in the threads that Mojo's output is the exact same as the Hugo1, and both deliver 500mA of Current. And yes, Hugo2 has about 20-30% more output.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/chord-hugo.702787/page-954#post-13070560

Hugo actual output is:
Output power - 1KHz 1V sinewave both channels driven 0.1% distortion
600 Ohms 35mW
300 Ohms 70mW
56 Ohms 320mW
32 Ohms 600mW
8 Ohms 720mW
Also Hugo TT share identical output stages, (except for increased bias current), same PSU voltage, same gain. So will deliver almost identical power for a given battery voltage.

Rob

There's lots of mixed reports about the synergy with the HD650 and Mojo so I guess it depends on one's preferences.

 

[chef8489]

For information purposes, here is the output for the Hugo1 for you. HugoTT is largely similar. Rob's confirmed many times in the threads that Mojo's output is the exact same as the Hugo1, and both deliver 500mA of Current. And yes, Hugo2 has about 20-30% more output.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/chord-hugo.702787/page-954#post-13070560



There's lots of mixed reports about the synergy with the HD650 and Mojo so I guess it depends on one's preferences.

THanks for that.

I have been thinking about the fulla 2, but at that price point I guess there is a day and night difference between this and the Jotunheim for example

Yes big difference.

 

[ahmadfaizadnan]

I will be getting my HD6XXs on december, meanwhile I'm trying to choose the best option for DAC/AMP for about $500 - $600, I need something that I can carry from my home to the office with ease.
After some research I heard about the Chord Mojo and the Ifi iDSD Black Label as possible options, what do you guys think? Do they make justice to the HD6XXs? Any recommendation?
Thanks

I've heard the 6XX with idsd BL (my housemate own it) and IMO it sounds better than my mojo pair. Both are good but the iDSD BL brings out more treble and soundstage to the 6XX.

 

[Letmebefrank]

I have been thinking about the fulla 2, but at that price point I guess there is a day and night difference between this and the Jotunheim for example

I have the fulla 2 at work and Mimby > Jotunheim at home. Yes there is definitely a difference, but I can't bring a Jot to work every day. The fulla can sit on my desk and I'm not worried about someone walking away with it.

When I first got my fulla 2 I tested it with my HD650s for a few days before I took it to work and I found that (despite its lack of power compared to the Jot) it actually had pretty good synergy with the HD650s and it could drive them to head splitting volume levels. It's not all about power, there has to be synergy as well and the fulla 2 sounds pretty good with the HD650s.

Would I trade my home system for 7 fulla 2s? No. The Mimby > Jot combo is sublime. But the fulla 2 is good enough at work that I'm not constantly thinking "damn I wish I had my other system here."

 

[HungryPanda]

I use the iFi idsd BL at work with various headphones, the HD650 being one of them and it does the job well

 

[xDaveyJ]

Speaking of the Mojo I don't think it drives the HD650 well at all. It does sound better than the Hugo but that's mainly because the Hugo is colder, thinner sounding.

I feel the Mojo doesn't swing a good amount of voltage for the HD650 they kind of sound flat, 2D and muted at both ends. The Mojo also sounds a bit thin, lacking in impact and slam. The cheaper Vali 2 and Modi Multibit combo is a better set up for the HD650 on a budget.

Currently using my HD650 with the Feliks Elise and it's a fantastic combo, lot's of inner detail, smooth treble, amazing timbre, godo amount of tube wetness without over doing it.

 

[DavidA]

Speaking of the Mojo I don't think it drives the HD650 well at all. It does sound better than the Hugo but that's mainly because the Hugo is colder, thinner sounding.

I feel the Mojo doesn't swing a good amount of voltage for the HD650 they kind of sound flat, 2D and muted at both ends. The Mojo also sounds a bit thin, lacking in impact and slam. The cheaper Vali 2 and Modi Multibit combo is a better set up for the HD650 on a budget.

Currently using my HD650 with the Feliks Elise and it's a fantastic combo, lot's of inner detail, smooth treble, amazing timbre, godo amount of tube wetness without over doing it.

How strange this hobby is, to me and a few friends the Hugo is a warm full sounding DAC/amp and pairs well with the HD800, T1 and HE560, all bright sounding headphone. The Mojo on the other hand was the one that sounded thin with the previously mentioned headphones. The DAC section of the Mojo is quite good but it defeats the purpose of a portable DAC/amp if only using the DAC section.

I tried the Elise with the HD650 and with the stock tubes it was a mess, bloated bass, and everything smoothed over so it seemed like there was no separation of instruments and the highs were rolled off.

 

[x RELIC x]

The DAC section of the Mojo is quite good but it defeats the purpose of a portable DAC/amp if only using the DAC section.

This is a repeated misconception with Rob's gear. You can't bypass the analogue out of the device and can't separate the DAC quality from the 'amp'. Line-out mode is nothing more than a volume preset to 3Vrms, nothing is bypassed as there is no seperate 'amp section' like in conventional DAC/amps. Of course, if you like/prefer an amp added to the mix with the HD605 that's great.

 

[DavidA]

I find all Chord gear pretty thin to be fair. Yeah the Mojo DAC is ok but much prefer the more full and musical Modi Multibit if using as a DAC only.

I've not heard the Elise with the stock tubes but the newer Elise comes with Tung Sol 6NS7 which are great tubes. Not sure about the Russian power tubes though.
I owned the Icon HP8 with upgraded caps as well and prefer the Elise with a good tube compliment. My only issue with the Elise is it doesn't have the most clean bass which isn't uncommon for a output impedance of over 50.

This is why its hard to get any real consensus with audio gear, to me and a few friends most Chord gear is on the warmer side and quite full sounding, I've only heard the Hugo TT, Hugo and Mojo so far and I liked the Hugo TT. When we did a comparison of a friends Hugo it was against my Bimby and UD-301, the Hugo was pretty much the one that we all considered the warmest of the three.

FWIW I don't like any of the Chord DAC/amps with the HD650, too much of a overall warm signature to me.

 

[ubs28]

The Hugo isn't warm, it is neutral. If something is brighter than the Hugo, then that setup is too bright. (but the Hugo has problems with digital artifects in the sound which makes it sound harsh. But other DAC's have that issue too)

 

[raybone0566]

The Hugo isn't warm, it is neutral. If something is brighter than the Hugo, then that setup is too bright. (but the Hugo has problems with digital artifects in the sound which makes it sound harsh. But other DAC's have that issue too)

I found bimby had this problem.