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

[Takeanidea]

Paint the balls BLACK.

Even better!

 

[jmills8]

Even better!

Black marbles option would have been nice.

 

[x RELIC x]

....and if anyone is interested with a recorded investigation into the debate as to how big the differences are please pm me. I understand the 380 might beat the mojo for sq.I would expect it to for that price.
..............

I just want to be clear that I haven't heard the AK380, but based on measurements I wouldn't be that surprised if the Mojo audibly beat the AK380. It's funny how often users listen with their wallet. For the price difference I would simply expect the AK380 to flat out perform better and it doesn't. For me that's money in the bank, but I'm sure others will disagree with my view. I would like to audition an AK380 some day to find out. I can say the Mojo handily beats the AK240 in sound quality to my ears. No question.

At the same time what is a users definition of 'better'? Mine won't necessarily match another person's view so it becomes exceedingly hard to pinpoint differences when the term 'better' is thrown around with no qualification to what 'better' is.

Example of measured performance of both devices from Ohm Image where the Mojo is easily the better performer (for this particular measuring system, but other Mojo measurements are quite stunning as well):

AK380:

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-astellkern-ak380-24-bit


Mojo:

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-chord-mojo-24-bit

"End words

Mojo blows by most if not all hi-end DAPs. It blows by many, if not most bleeding-edge desktop DACs and headphone amps. Sure, they may supply more voltage into high-Ω loads, but no all-rounder I've tested even comes close. Not even close.

Careful though, not all USB connections are created equal. My mains-fed iMac's is nutscapes. Rest assured: if all you've got is an iPhone, Mojo has the power to transform it into the sort of beast you never even fathomed. And, part of that is that you have to expect a bit of hiss.

Absolutely ho, but some hum. Well done. "

 

[Takeanidea]

I've heard the 380 but not tested it at length against the mojo. The only fair way to do such testing is to record the 2 taking time to ensure a volume match and listening over and over again to the results. Its tedious I can tell you!
Sometimes it's just better to get a life.....

 

[x RELIC x]

I've heard the 380 but not tested it at length against the mojo. The only fair way to do such testing is to record the 2 taking time to ensure a volume match and listening over and over again to the results. Its tedious I can tell you!
Sometimes it's just better to get a life.....

Yeah, I've reviewed and compared a few products. It certainly is a chore to do properly.

I'd ask you what your nebulous recollection of the differences between the two are but that would be cruel and open a can of worms. I just think that many users see a price and default the higher price to better sound. Not always the case at all.

 

[Takeanidea]

The AK380 looked worked and sounded beautiful. I wouldn't have felt the need to go beyond that in sound quality

 

[Ereve]

AK380 with Mojo will sound very similar to AK100II and Mojo. Phone with Mojo with the right music player can sound better than any AK dap with Mojo.

goodness, i'm pretty lost now. so would you guys go as far as to say that the DAC matters more than a player? I'll be receiving my k10 in a month time and the only player i have right now is an iphone. Planning to get a mojo but am not sure whether if i get the mojo, i would have to get a better player such as a dx 80 or whatsnot... Also waiting for a seiun pro x. 

 

[x RELIC x]

goodness, i'm pretty lost now. so would you guys go as far as to say that the DAC matters more than a player? I'll be receiving my k10 in a month time and the only player i have right now is an iphone. Planning to get a mojo but am not sure whether if i get the mojo, i would have to get a better player such as a dx 80 or whatsnot... Also waiting for a seiun pro x. 

The audio component of the iPhone should be completely bypassed and what you hear is the Mojo. The source is much less of a factor when listening with a device like the Mojo (although there have been slight differences reported) than comparing devices on their own. The player in this case just feeds the file to the Mojo which handles all the audio conversion to analogue and output to the headphone/IEM. You likely will not be able to tell the difference between the iPhone or a player like the DX80 hooked up to the Mojo. Also consider factors like EQ being used or any other effects that may be added to the sound from the player. If a bit-perfect signal is output then there should be little to no difference in sound from different sources (however, I did a hear a difference between a couple sources).

It's recommended to read the information from Rob Watts in the third post of this thread to understand more about the Mojo. The conversation recently was more about the sound quality from the devices own individual output, not used as a source to the Mojo.

 

[jmills8]

I just want to be clear that I haven't heard the AK380, but based on measurements I wouldn't be that surprised if the Mojo audibly beat the AK380. It's funny how often users listen with their wallet. For the price difference I would simply expect the AK380 to flat out perform better and it doesn't. For me that's money in the bank, but I'm sure others will disagree with my view. I would like to audition an AK380 some day to find out. I can say the Mojo handily beats the AK240 in sound quality to my ears. No question.

At the same time what is a users definition of 'better'? Mine won't necessarily match another person's view so it becomes exceedingly hard to pinpoint differences when the term 'better' is thrown around with no qualification to what 'better' is.

Example of measured performance of both devices from Ohm Image where the Mojo is easily the better performer (for this particular measuring system, but other Mojo measurements are quite stunning as well):

AK380:

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-astellkern-ak380-24-bit


Mojo:

http://ohm-image.net/data/audio/rmaa-chord-mojo-24-bit

And now many are selling their 380s because they prefer to believe the 380CU sounds ALOT better than the cheaper 380 model.

 

[x RELIC x]

And now many are selling their 380s because they prefer to believe the 380CU sounds ALOT better than the cheaper 380 model.

I'm completely staying away from that conversation! :wink_face:

 

[LouisArmstrong]

AK380 Cu. The best of the best of the best.

 

[x RELIC x]

AK380 Cu. The best of the best of the best.

I was wondering how long it would take for you to share that?

 

[YugiRider2]

Is the Mojo supposed to be taken outside?
I really can't see how one can fit it in their pockets - I mean it's undoubtedly an amazing device but I don't see how you can really use it outside. Having to use my HA-2 because of the form factor.

 

[jmills8]

Is the Mojo supposed to be taken outside?
I really can't see how one can fit it in their pockets - I mean it's undoubtedly an amazing device but I don't see how you can really use it outside. Having to use my HA-2 because of the form factor.

I take With a phone plus another phone.

 

[Ra97oR]

  Is the Mojo supposed to be taken outside?
I really can't see how one can fit it in their pockets - I mean it's undoubtedly an amazing device but I don't see how you can really use it outside. Having to use my HA-2 because of the form factor.

I just don't stack them on top of my player. I had far bigger portable stacks that I daily back in the days.