[spook76]

Many many pages back I believe that John Franks (Chord) was recommending the Onkyo player as Chord had detected that the Apple Music app was boosting the top end.

My only reservation with Onkyo is that the app does not exclude its high res. data from iTunes (PC) backups so backups are much larger than if using FLACPlayer for example.

For anyone using an iDevice with the Mojo my recommendation for a third party music application is Radius' nePLAYER. I spent (wasted) week comparing nePLAYER, Onkyo, Neutron, iAudiogate and KaiserTone and to these tired old ears nePLAYER was the best sounding.

I was actually surprised that the choice of application would materially effect the sound but it did especially considering my iPod Touch is just functioning as a digital transport. I would say iAudiogate and KaiserTone were a close second. nePLAYER may initially sound bright but it is incredibly detailed which at first blush may seem bright. Further, nePLAYER is the only app to my knowledge to have the Hi-Res Audio certification from the Japanese Audio Society.

 

[fordski]

Many many pages back I believe that John Franks (Chord) was recommending the Onkyo player as Chord had detected that the Apple Music app was boosting the top end.

My only reservation with Onkyo is that the app does not exclude its high res. data from iTunes (PC) backups so backups are much larger than if using FLACPlayer for example.

Regarding the backup size there is a setting on iPhone to exclude apps from the backup. Go to settings>general>storage & iCloud usage>under the iCloud section tap manage storage>then tap your device under backups and then select show all apps under choose data to backup and the select only app. Lots of steps but it will eliminate only data from backups.

 

[Set845]

Regarding the backup size there is a setting on iPhone to exclude apps from the backup. Go to settings>general>storage & iCloud usage>under the iCloud section tap manage storage>then tap your device under backups and then select show all apps under choose data to backup and the select only app. Lots of steps but it will eliminate only data from backups.

I'm not sure but I think that setting is for iCloud backups. I don't backup to my PC so I don't know.

 

[Set845]

For anyone using an iDevice with the Mojo my recommendation for a third party music application is Radius' nePLAYER. I spent (wasted) week comparing nePLAYER, Onkyo, Neutron, iAudiogate and KaiserTone and to these tired old ears nePLAYER was the best sounding.

I was actually surprised that the choice of application would materially effect the sound but it did especially considering my iPod Touch is just functioning as a digital transport. I would say iAudiogate and KaiserTone were a close second. nePLAYER may initially sound bright but it is incredibly detailed which at first blush may seem bright. Further, nePLAYER is the only app to my knowledge to have the Hi-Res Audio certification from the Japanese Audio Society.

Interesting. Can any of the players read cue sheets? That's my only real gripe with Onkyo.

 

[Deftone]

Rob, for somone that uses mojo with pc much more than portable and no opitcal output from pc, would you reccommend anything to go between computer and the usb cable? Some type of "cleanser"

Im using a QED usb cable to mojo that has a ferrite jacket.

 

[fordski]

I'm not sure but I think that setting is for iCloud backups. I don't backup to my PC so I don't know.

Yes that is for iCloud backups. I should read posts more closely, not sure if it can be done for PC iTunes backups.

 

[bixby]

Interesting. Can any of the players read cue sheets? That's my only real gripe with Onkyo.

why would one rip a cd to a single file necessitating a cue sheet?

 

[vapman]

Interesting. Can any of the players read cue sheets? That's my only real gripe with Onkyo.

The Xduoo ones all have excellent CUE sheet support but their optical out DAP is not released yet.

 
why would one rip a cd to a single file necessitating a cue sheet?

It used to be popular in the 90s to rip a CD as a full image and load it up in your audio player via the CUE sheet so you could consolidate your files and still have it properly space the songs apart as they are on the CD as not every CD is set to have the same amount of gaps between songs, etc.
 
Nowadays the practice is more of a holdover from older times than anything...

 

[Rob Watts]

Rob, for somone that uses mojo with pc much more than portable and no opitcal output from pc, would you reccommend anything to go between computer and the usb cable? Some type of "cleanser"

Im using a QED usb cable to mojo that has a ferrite jacket.

The Audioquest Jitterbug is a small but worthwhile improvement - and that's down to lower RF noise levels not jitter. If you use ferrites in the USB gnd the benefits of using the jitterbug disappears; so you may already be good to go with the ferrite jacket QED cable.
 
Rob

 

[vapman]

If the Jitterbug is a $48 device, and it has no benefits over a ferrite core USB cable, why not just get the usb cable? You could get about 50 cables for that money...

 

[sabloke]

I'd like to see how a ferrite core USB cable helps if the USB port plays nasty with your Mojo input. I sense some improvement using it but it also gives me peace of mind when it comes to any surprises from docking station and cheap laptop USB ports.

 

[Skyyyeman]

Lightning to Micro USB cable -- For connecting the iPhone to the Mojo, I've been using the Zees Music Lightning to Micro USB cable instead of the Apple CCK to micro usb cable. The Zees is a Chinese cable and is a BIG improvement in sound quality.   (Thanks to HF member Soundizer and one other member who mentioned the cable in this thread, incl. p.1462 post 21,922.). Here's the Ebay link:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252476440532
 
Cost is $49.99 including shipping for a wire about 6" long. Took about 5 days to get to NYC from HK. The cable itself has a Lightning connector which probably has the Apple chip in it though the outer casing appears to be a copy since it is about 1/32" longer than an original Apple Lightning connector and the edges are seamed while the original Apple connector has mainly smooth edges and is probably one piece. The wire itself is described as braided 8x (8 cores) OCC material and has a silver color. If it were actual silver you'd think they would mention it.
 
The cable has worked flawlessly with my iPhone 6S using IOS 10. Never a hiccup. Aside from being neater, to me the main improvement is the sound quality, which is clearer and an improvement in all respects over the widely used Apple CCK connected to the usual cruddy $2 USB to micro usb cable. Since most individuals are using the CCK method to connect their iPhones to the Mojo, to me it means that most individuals using iPhones have never heard the Mojo at its full potential - or at least at a higher level of potential.
 
I haven't tried the Lavricable or Penon cable so I don't know how the Zees cable compares with those, except it certainly is less expensive. I had been waiting for an improved cable to replace the CCK and cheapo USB to micro USB cables intended for data transmission and feel that the Zees is a decent one, though I'd welcome a well-known cable manufacturer producing one.

 

[cyclops214]

  Lightning to USB cable -- For connecting the iPhone to the Mojo, I've been using the Zees Music Lightning to Micro USB cable instead of using the Apple CCK to micro usb cable. The Zees is a Chinese cable and is a BIG improvement in sound quality.   (Thanks to SH member Soundizer and one other member who mentioned the cable in this thread, incl. p.1462 post 21,922.). Here's the Ebay link:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252476440532
 
Cost is $49.99 including shipping for a wire about 6" long. Took about 5 days to get to NYC from HK. The cable itself has a Lightning connector which probably has the Apple chip in it though the outer casing appears to be a copy since it is about 1/32" longer than an originall Apple Lightning connector and the edges are seamed while the original Apple connector has smooth edges and is probably one piece. The wire itself is described as braided 8x (8 cores) OCC material and has a silver color. If it were actual silver you'd think they would mention it.
 
The cable has worked flawlessly with my iPhone 6S using IOS 10. Never a hiccup. Aside from being neater, to me the main improvement is the sound quality, which is clearer and an improvement in all respects over the widely used Apple CCK connected to the usual cruddy $2 USB to micro usb cable. Since most individuals are using the CCK method to connect their iPhones to the Mojo, to me it means that most individuals using iPhones have never heard the Mojo at its full potential - or at least at a higher level of potential.
 
I haven't tried the Lavricable or Penon cable so I don't know how the Zees cable compares with those, except it certainly is less expensive. I had been waiting for an improved cable to replace the CCK and cheapo USB to micro USB cables intended for data transmission and feel that the Zees is a decent one, though I'd welcome a well-known cable manufacturer producing one.

I am the other person in this thread that bought this cable and I am having the same results improved sound with it over the CCK it also works flawlessly no problems with mine either. Honestly did not think Silver made a difference but now that I have this cable I am a believer and will probably upgrade all of my cables to silver eventually.

 

[GreenBow]

  The Audioquest Jitterbug is a small but worthwhile improvement - and that's down to lower RF noise levels not jitter. If you use ferrites in the USB gnd the benefits of using the jitterbug disappears; so you may already be good to go with the ferrite jacket QED cable.
 
Rob

 
I just had a look at the What Hi-Fi review of the JitterBug since you recommended it. They say,
 
"The thinking goes there’s a lot of noise and interference coursing through the circuitry of your average desktop computer or laptop, including its USB connections. The main source of this interference is your computer’s own power supply.
Audioquest claims this noise and interference can pass into your DAC through both the power line and data lines of a USB port. Jitterbug’s job is to act as a passive filter and dissipate any noise before the signal enters your DAC."

Read more at http://www.whathifi.com/audioquest/jitterbug/review#643Ij76KFbuXHwCw.99
 
I am really keen to eliminate any noise from USB line, or I could swap to optical for my PC to reduce noise.
 
However I bought a Corsair RM650i power supply, specifically because the RMi series demonstrates almost negligible ripple. (According to this guy on OC3D TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqIxweDOw6k)
 
The RM1000i 1000W power supply showed 5.2mV ripple at 50%. About 9mV ripple at 1000W. Results were similar on the RM750i. ..........The most I push my RM650i to is 50%.
 
It surely can't harm though if I can get rid of any more noise by cable or ferrite cores. (I have some ferrite cores but have not found them yet; buried somewhere.)
 
 
It would be great to improve sound with a JitterBug as What Hi-Fi claim it does. I already find my self unable to move sometimes when listening to my Mojo. Via just my modest desktop Q Acoustics BT3 speakers (+ QED Reference Audio J2P and Chord Clearway). 

 

[Rob Watts]

Filtering the VBUS USB +5v or changing it won't make any difference to Mojo as its only used as a control input - it tells the FPGA that the USB input is there, and so should switch to that input. Even though its only a control line, I still heavily RF filter it.
 
The problem is the ground line, and how much difference that can make. If you use battery powered USB sources, then I wouldn't bother with the jitter-bug the improvements are none or too small. But a big noisy PC? Yes it helps. But put a ferrite on a USB cable probably means you don't need to bother adding a jitter bug even with a noisy PC. Certainly when I have used ferrites directly on the ground return then I can't hear any benefits with the jitter-bug with Mojo.
 
Now with other non chord DAC's you may notice a much bigger change when using the jitter-bug - hence What Hi-Fi's positive review.
 
Rob