[haduel]

...not that the weight is the essential point but weight correlates well with size / compactness which is what I'm after (besides the sound quality) and it's easier to reference a weight than a volume figure.

I currently have a Chord Mojo which sounds amazing (to me) with my QDC CIEMs. It's a bit on the heavy (170g) / big side for my use case: I will take it backpacking and will only use it occasionally but when I do I want the best sound

I was up to date on what the portable DAC market has to offer when I bought the Mojo in 2018. I am pretty sure it was the best sound quality per weight ratio available four years ago. But maybe there is something of equivalent sound quality at a smaller weight/size by now? Suggestions welcome!

 

[WorksUnit]

I used to run the Mojo with battery removed for the desktop.
Maybe remove yours and experiment with whatever you plan on using it with?

 

[haduel]

I used to run the Mojo with battery removed for the desktop.
Maybe remove yours and experiment with whatever you plan on using it with?

I don't fully understand. I plan to use it while backpacking. Are you suggesting that the mojo can run on the battery of the smartphone that I am connecting it too if I remove the battery of the mojo?

 

[BS5711]

No the Mojo cannot be made to run on the battery in the source, you can remove the battery but it will need another power supply, not exactly convenient for your use case.

From your description it sounds like a dongle DAC/Amp is probably the best fit in that there is no battery to charge other than the one in your phone, the dongle will run from your phones battery.

I have an iFi Go Bar and it has plenty of power for all normal IEM. With more sensitive IEM there is a slight noise floor hiss out of the 4.4mm balanced jack but much less out of the 3.5mm single ended. I have a Mojo also and to me Go Bar sounds at least as good and probably better than the Mojo with IEM. It is a bit crisper and more refined sounding to my ear. If trying to power more demanding headphones I would still prefer the Mojo as I feel like the Go Bar sound degrades if pushed really hard but I think that is just a by product of the lower power output and reliance on the battery in the phone/source.

Used with IEM or efficient headphones the Go Bar is exceptionally good.

There are plenty of dongle DAC/Amps to pick from that would probably fit your use case eminently well at all sorts of different price points. Questyle M15 and Cayin RU6 get very good reviews but there are all sorts of options depending on your specific preferences, power output requirements and budget.

Good luck.

 

[haduel]

I did also come to the conclusion that the dongle category is probably best suited. I will post my research notes here to the benefit of those who have the same challenge / set of of criteria:

- Best audio quality: Questyle M15 acc to: https://headphones.com/blogs/buying...obar-vivoelectric-chrono-audioquest-dragonfly,
- Questyle M15 also best dongle (no own power source) acc to https://bloomaudio.com/blogs/articles/best-portable-headphone-dac-amp-2022
- Not much difference between mojo2 and M15 acc to https://www.head-fi.org/threads/int...15-the-brand-new-questyle-shop.962999/page-11. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mojo-2-vs-ifi-gryphon.964373/ also says he prefers ifi gold bar over mojo2. But I have read just as many who said that Mojo is still in another leave vs all the dongles (don't have the references).
- Acc to https://andyaudiovault.com/donglemadness/ best Dongles, in the following order (best to less good): CEntrance DACport HD
Cayin RU6 (2022), Questyle M15 (2022).

From the above reviews my conclusion is that the two hottest candidates are the Questyle M15 and the CEntrance DACport HD. Plus maybe the Cayin RU6. The CEntrance seems hard to get in Germany/ Europe. M15 is more widely available and I can probably test it somewhere.

@BS5711 how quickly does your phone drain with the dongle sucking from the phone's battery?

 

[BS5711]

@BS5711 how quickly does your phone drain with the dongle sucking from the phone's battery?

I don't use the Go Bar from my iPhone, I use it either from an iPad mini 6 (USB-C) or laptop.

On iPad mini running IEM all day the iPad battery will still have about 25% charge left.

I believe normal screen based functions such as browsing the internet etc would use more battery than the Go Bar. The Go Bar is I believe the most powerful dongle available so logically others would use less battery.

 

[haduel]

I don't use the Go Bar from my iPhone, I use it either from an iPad mini 6 (USB-C) or laptop.

On iPad mini running IEM all day the iPad batter will still have about 25% charge left.

I believe normal screen based functions such as browsing the internet etc would use more battery than the Go Bar. The Go Bar is I believe the most powerful dongle available so logically others would use less battery.

Insightful, thanks

 

[dunring]

I have a Soundblaster X1 that works with android and using a Moto G Power with Godzilla battery life. It's got great power and sounds really good too. Just set it into stereo mode using the software and it saves the settings for the phone usage. Light as a kite, and even Linux Mint found it right away and set it up. In Windows you don't need the software except to set up options.

 

[haduel]

I have a Soundblaster X1 that works with android and using a Moto G Power with Godzilla battery life. It's got great power and sounds really good too. Just set it into stereo mode using the software and it saves the settings for the phone usage. Light as a kite, and even Linux Mint found it right away and set it up. In Windows you don't need the software except to set up options.

Interesting. But looks like more of a gaming device than one that can stand a chance against the mojo in terms of sound quality? Do you have any comparison in what leave this one plays?

 

[mrhizzo]

Did you think about the Earman Colibri? I am thinking a lot about it. Portability, battery and good or excellent sound, depending what you read about it.

 

[haduel]

Did you think about the Earman Colibri? I am thinking a lot about it. Portability, battery and good or excellent sound, depending what you read about it.

Thanks for the hint. Hadn't noticed this one. There is also the Sparrow (a dongle, while the Colibri has a battery) from the same company. I will try to test this one as well and then report back here (in a few weeks).

 

[Ilomaenkimi]

I just tested Violectric Chronos with iPhone, seems pretty good.