Preamble:
Before I begin with my review, I’d like to take the time to thank Jeongjae from DIGNIS for providing me with a sample of the LAETUS case for the Chord Electronics Mojo DAC-Amp free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
The Korean company DIGNIS exists since September 2012 and manufactures real leather cases, mainly for portable digital audio players. Besides products under their own DIGNIS brand, they also work as an OEM manufacturer, with one of their clients being Astell & Kern (for example, the leather case for the Beyerdynamic A 200 p by Astell & Kern is also made by DIGNIS).
In the past, I already had the opportunity to review their FOVEO case for the iBasso DX80 digital audio player (http://www.head-fi.org/products/dignis-foveo-case-for-ibasso-dx80/reviews/15036) and was very happy with the appearance and build quality, and I can assure you that since then, I haven’t spent one day without the case being on the player and it is still in great condition despite being frequently used.
Now I got the opportunity to take a look at the LAETUS case (http://dignis.co.kr/product/detail.html?product_no=119&cate_no=1&display_group=3) for my Chord Mojo. It is available in black PU leather for 80000 KRW (~ 70$) plus shipping, but many other colours in premium Buttero leather are also available for an upcharge of 50000 KRW (making it a total of ca. 117$ plus shipping).
While this is definitely more expensive than the original Chord Electronics case for the Mojo, I hope to find the very premium and well-known DIGNIS quality with it that I am already familiar with.
Buttero leather is by the way an Italian, full natural grain smooth calf leather with a satin gloss finish.
When I got to choose the colour of the LAETUS (there are 12 choices in total), I went for the yellow one because yeah, uh-huh you know what it is, I think this colour combination of black and yellow is very interesting and looks nice.
Ordering:
International customers are of course also welcome at DIGNIS. For ordering, one just need to send an e-mail to dignisdesign@gmail.com; the payment can be fulfilled using PayPal. Shipping with EMS is usually very fast with three to five days at max. Regular shipping takes around two weeks, so I was told.
Unboxing, Delivery Content:
The outer package doesn’t look much different to the FOVEO’s I’m already familiar with but is smaller and black instead of white, with a silver instead of red DIGNIS logo (by the way, “DIGNIS” is a compound Latin word and stands for “from fire”, hence the flame-like logo). The front contains a lug that keeps the box closed and has got a sticker in the lower right corner that specifies the case and its colour.
Opening the lid, one will find a black sleeve which contains the leather case inside; beneath is the warranty card.
Looks:
The LAETUS case is made of two pieces, namely a large, very precisely cut and folded piece of leather for the upper as well as a piece of squared leather for the bottom part which has the DIGNIS sign and logo stamped in, along with two elongated rubber feet that are sewed in and slightly protrude so the Mojo has got a steady stand and so that the case doesn’t get any scratches. Both pieces are nicely and very evenly stitched together with colour-matched sewing thread. The leather’s subtle structure and grain is still nicely visible and due to the nature of the Buttero leather, each unit will look individual and slightly different (I really like the very subtle structure and slight colour differences caused by the natural leather grain – it is really difficult to capture it on photo and better visible in real life).
The back side is open to slide the Mojo in, and the front contains two rectangular cut-outs for the two headphone sockets. While they even offer enough space for larger headphone jacks, I would have preferred to see one large oval cut-out that would fit nicer to the Mojo’s flowing lines than the two rectangular cut-outs, however I imagined them to look worse and visually less harmonious but in reality it turned out to be just a small nitpick in the end.
The shape and labelling for the buttons/balls on the right side is nicely embossed in a darker tone and the cut-out for the Chord logo and the three rotating balls/buttons are precisely cut to the Mojo’s shape.
Many small DIGNIS logos can be found on the inside.
Of course the “Mojo” logo is covered by the leather, which might upset some but might also be a pleasant thing for others (I like the logo, however I know at least one person who doesn’t and prefers to have it covered up by his black DIGNIS case).
Colour-wise, I really like how the yellow leather turned out – it has got a very lush and lively, dark-ish yellow note without looking artificial or gimmicky.
Build Quality:
I am already familiar with DIGNIS’ products’ and their OEM products’ very high and premium build quality, so I was expecting to get nothing less with the LAETUS case for my Chord Mojo. And what I then got was indeed the usual, excellent quality.
The handmade case’s leather is of very high, premium quality and feels valuable as well as smooth and the Mojo’s shape has been precisely adopted. All “raw” corners where the leather has been cut are sealed with unobtrusive, colour-matched special leather paint to prevent them from fraying.
The surface feels pleasantly smooth and even; the top, bottom and sides are quite stiff and reinforced to provide good protection while adding just very little additional thickness. The stitching on the back appears valuable too, along with the built-in rubber feet, and on the inside, the case is softly cushioned.
Right from the first contact with the case, one can see and feel that it is a valuably made premium product.
Accuracy of Fit, Operation, Daily Use:
Just as known and expected from DIGNIS, the LAETUS case is firmly fitting, just like a second skin.
The rotating balls/buttons on the left side are easily accessible and just as easily tactile as before because of the precise cut-out.
The notches for installing rubber bands/washer rings for stacking are of course covered up, however they also are with the official case from Chord.
For frequent use, I really like the LAETUS case, as it is very slim and therefore doesn’t add unnecessary thickness, feels very well plus is visually appealing and remains the easy access to the buttons. Also, larger headphone jacks still fit and what I really love about the case are the two rubber feet that add a little space between the DAC and a source device, amplifier respectively any flat surface and are also slip-proof. Together with my Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII as amplifier, it is a nice stack and I don’t need to fear any scratches anymore when using the two in a semi-portable or desktop stack.
A few fords regarding my opinion on the LAETUS case versus the official Chord Electronics case:
Chord’s case is designed more for a tough and more or less careless daily use and built for protection (, wherefore it is also quite thick). The DIGNIS LAETUS however does also offer very good protection (all of its surfaces are stiff and reinforced) and especially looks more elegant and I personally also prefer it over the official Chord case because it looks more elegant and is thinner compared to the Chord case with its carrying strap and opening flap that are handy on the go but don’t look as elegant or harmonious.
The only thing I prefer about the official Chord case is the large oval cut-out instead of the two smaller rectangular ones for the headphone ports and that all of the sides are protected (with a slide-in-style case like the LAETUS, one side however has to remain open of course).
Protection:
My Chord Mojo sits firmly and securely in the case and will therefore never accidentally slip out, regardless in what situation. I can even shake the case like mad and the DAC-Amp doesn’t move the slightest.
The LAETUS’ back does not offer any real protection because this is where the Mojo is slid in, however this is unavoidable with this type of case. On the bright side, the four input ports on the back remain easily accessible.
Due to the good protection on the other sides as well as the top and bottom however, the Mojo won’t be scratched by other devices and doesn’t scratch others either.
In quick Comparison with:
DIGNIS FOVEO leather case for the iBasso DX80:
Both cases are perfectly built, padded on the inside, have reinforced and stiff surfaces, offer a great feeling in one’s hands, fit like a second skin and are very precisely made.
Luxury & Precision L3 Pro leather case:
The L3 Pro’s case is just as well made as the LAETUS and FOVEO case and shines with its perfect build quality, reinforced and stiff surfaces, great feeling in one’s hands, fits like a second skin and us precisely made. The only difference is that different kinds of leather are used for the two cases (smooth leather for the LAETUS Mojo case and slightly rough, Alcantara-like leather for the L3 Pro’s case).
Conclusion:
The handmade DIGNIS LAETUS case for the Chord Mojo is a valuable premium product that doesn’t only look but also feel excellent and also offers really good protection from dents and scratches. While doing this, it doesn’t add unnecessary thickness to the Mojo but looks very sleek as well as elegant and fits like a second skin. All of the cut-outs are very precise so that the “naked” tactility of the buttons is not reduced but remains the same. What I also love about it are the integrated rubber feet.
Two nit-picks do however remain – firstly, I think a large oval cut-out for the headphone sockets would be better matching the overall form language, and secondly, especially when choosing the more premium and coloured Buttero leather over the standard PU-leather, not only the product becomes even more premium but the price does, too. But if elegance along with still great protection and a great fit and build quality are what you are looking for, you might still want to take this burden to get a premium protective case for your premium DAC-Amp.
Using any case (also for your smartphone) plus self-adhesive Velcro is something a few people use. There are also some adhesive pads/mattes that don't leave any residue that some Head-Fiers are using (I have no idea what these pads are called).