[music4mhell]

 

  Yes i got it, please tell me which USB otg cable you are using ?
If possible give a pic.

 
It is a cheap short usb-otg I got from ebay 
http://www.ebay.at/itm/7cm-SHORT-Right-Angle-Micro-USB-B-to-Left-Angle-Micro-USB-Host-OTG-Adapter-Cable-/291627244863?hash=item43e6569d3f
 
I know, the cheap thing might be the culprit, but the optical cable I use from the imac is cheap as well (5€ from amazon) .. so I thought that it might be the optical connection. 
 

Yes i was guessing the same cable. I have that cable too, but i never use that cable, it gives poor sound quality.
You can do a simple test, take any cheap micro usb cable which is capable of 2A charging (Amazon basics, monoprice) and connect it to Mojo through OTG adapter or cable.
You will get same sound quality as you get through optical connection.
 
Why it's happening, that we will discuss later

 

[salla45]

Hah! Another Mojo Moment.
 
Listening to "Low" by R.E.M. off Out Of Time. There's a bloody clarinet in there!! Never in, what?, 25 years of listening to that album, was I aware! Lol.

 

[betula]

I don't get it, mojo sounds so awesome from my imac -> (cheap amazon) optical cable -> Oriolus IEM or Senn HD800 .... but when I want to be portable and switch to my android phone with UAPP and usb-cable the sound is just different (worse!)... I don't get any RF noise or glitches, it is just that the soundstage is smaller, the sound is not as clear, midrange seems more recessed etc....

How is that possible with a digital data transfer? hmm... such a mystery... When I listen from my phone the mojo-magic is just not there.... then on the imac... bam! all the mojo-magic is back!

I am thinking of buying an AK100 as a source now as I think the optical connection might be just better than usb... does anybody has a comparison with it and other sources, maybe imac through optical? Hope the AK100 is as good as the imac

I have the same issue. (And the same micro USB cable.)
From computer (WASAPI) with a quality USB cable the sound is clear and much better than UAPP with mobile phone.

I thought, the little micro cable is crap, but this crap?

 

[freitz]

So I have had the Chord Mojo for a few days. I bought for purely mobile and travel.
 
My home system is a Deckard from Audeze with EL-8 Closed. Travel is the same headphones with the chord mojo. First thing I notice after a few days is I feel like the Chord Mojo is much warmer then the Deckard, seems to have a bit more character. Interesting.

 

[Fausty]

Ican speak for either of these cables, but I found them looking for a plausible way to eliminate the Apple CCK connection cable between the Chord Mojo & my iPhone 6s Plus!  One apparently/obvious has the CCK cable embedded,  and the other does have the CCK have it in the cable at all. Your guess is as good as mine on the absence of the CCK chip?  
 
1.  Chip: http://penonaudio.com/Lightning-Pure-Silver-Decoding-Cable
 
2. No Chip: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pure-Solid-Silver-Lightning-to-Chord-Hugo-Mojo-interconnect-cable-Iphone-4-5-6-/172158889773?hash=item2815782f2d:g:WOsAAOSwYIhWhPFU

 

[Delayeed]

Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

Would use it with Ether C and HD600

 

[Roscoeiii]

  Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

Would use it with Ether C and HD600

I'd be hard pressed to name anything "better", but with DACs like much other gear, it is also a matter of preferred flavors. So something with a different DAC implementation or different output stage may better meet your preferences or better match with your gear for you. 

 

[Torq]

  Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

Would use it with Ether C and HD600

 
I think the only thing I've heard that's genuinely competitive, albeit different in presentation, around that price is Schiit's Multibit Bifrost.
 
The Mojo punches well above it's weight in my opinion; I found it better than the Gustard X20u, the Rega DAC and while I'm not sure it's "better", preferred it to the Mytek Stereo 192.
 
I have a MHDT Stockholm v2 which, again, while not necessarily "better" is comparable if different, and does have a very pleasing and musical presentation, but you're up closer to $1000 again there.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

No from my own testing. Nothing came close.

 

[chillaxing]

  Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

Would use it with Ether C and HD600

 
 
iDSD micro,  I have both and they are very similar.  
 
Micro for desktop use,  Mojo for on the go.

 

[Delayeed]

Thanks for all the suggestions the iDSD micro seems intresting will read more on that.

 

[freitz]

  Is there anything better at the 600$ price point for desktop use than the MoJo?

Would use it with Ether C and HD600

I use the Deckard for Desktop use but considering using the Mojo to feed the deckard and see how I like it.

 

[spook76]

I'd be hard pressed to name anything "better", but with DACs like much other gear, it is also a matter of preferred flavors. So something with a different DAC implementation or different output stage may better meet your preferences or better match with your gear for you. 

Roscoe, what do you think of the Mojo/KSE1500 combination?

 

[miketlse]

  I don't get it, mojo sounds so awesome from my imac -> (cheap amazon) optical cable -> Oriolus IEM or Senn HD800 .... but when I want to be portable and switch to my android phone with UAPP and usb-cable the sound is just different (worse!)... I don't get any RF noise or glitches, it is just that the soundstage is smaller, the sound is not as clear, midrange seems more recessed etc....
 
How is that possible with a digital data transfer? hmm... such a mystery... When I listen from my phone the mojo-magic is just not there.... then on the imac... bam! all the mojo-magic is back!
 
I am thinking of buying an AK100 as a source now as I think the optical connection might be just better than usb... does anybody has a comparison with it and other sources, maybe imac through optical? Hope the AK100 is as good as the imac

Hi Costas,
 
You are based in the EU so you maybe interested that HiFix have the AK120 on offer for £729. https://www.hifix.co.uk/portable-audio/astell-and-kern-ak120-media-player 

 

[costas23]

  Yes i was guessing the same cable. I have that cable too, but i never use that cable, it gives poor sound quality.
You can do a simple test, take any cheap micro usb cable which is capable of 2A charging (Amazon basics, monoprice) and connect it to Mojo through OTG adapter or cable.
You will get same sound quality as you get through optical connection.
 
Why it's happening, that we will discuss later

I have the same issue. (And the same micro USB cable.)
From computer (WASAPI) with a quality USB cable the sound is clear and much better than UAPP with mobile phone.

I thought, the little micro cable is crap, but this crap?

 
thanks for the info guys, I'm glad to see that I am not having a placebo effect. I will check on better usb-cables for mobile use in the next few days and see what happens.  
 
Interesting thing is, that I just tried the short usb-cable that came with the mojo on my imac and the sound quality is great but again different than what comes from the optical connection. Both sound superb but usb-sound is faster and hits a bit harder with more dynamics and pace. The optical sound is a bit slower and smoother but more musical and very beautiful with vocals and acoustic stuff. Neither is necessarily better but different and depends on the music type.
Very interesting to see/hear that the connection makes a (slight) difference, it's like having two tuning options in one device ... not bad!
 
 

  Hi Costas,
 
You are based in the EU so you maybe interested that HiFix have the AK120 on offer for £729. https://www.hifix.co.uk/portable-audio/astell-and-kern-ak120-media-player 

 
thanks for the suggestion, I will however try some cables first to see if they make a difference