[blueninjasix]

Actually its just dependent on the wiring of the cable, as mojo is blind to what's plugged into the headphone outputs.

All you would need is make (or have made) two stereo plugs and either only wire left to one and right to the other or two mono plugs and do the same.

If you use two mono plugs, what's to stop Mojo outputting eg only left channel signal to each of the two sockets?

 

[vapman]

If you use two mono plugs, what's to stop Mojo outputting eg only left channel signal to each of the two sockets?

It would probably not work unless it was a specific case (if the other non-mojo end expects a stereo connection and is wired as such and it isn't convenient to replace it on the non-Mojo end) but is most likely that you'd want two normal TRS cables and only hook up one of the two stereo channels.

 

[miketlse]

excuse naivity of this question: does it matter what source i use with combo with Mojo? Is there a difference between, let's say cheap smartphone+Mojo and Astell Kern DAP+Mojo in sound quality? I currently use Fiio x5 II and i have an opportunity to buy used Mojo for decent price, so im thinking on selling Fiio and buying Mojo and use smartphone as source.

It is not a naive question, but it often asked.

It would be nice to think that it would not matter, but it does.

There is no one solution which is best for everyone - however which solution is better for you will depend on functionality, sound quality and convenience.

Functionality
Mojo inputs:

1. Rob Watts states that USB input has a slight advantage in regards to the signal clock, but the effect on sound quality can be hard to detect. However usb inputs can suffer from RFI and small levels of electrical noise generated internally by phones/daps, which can make the music sound 'brighter'. Android phones will need to be OTG capable, to output music via USB - OTG is mainly available on the more recent and top of the range models, which can make it difficult to find a cheap smartphone.
2. Optical input is very clean, but you will struggle to find a phone supplying an optical output. Optical is my default input when I connect my mojo to my PC
3. Coaxial - difficult to find coaxial output on phones, but much more common on daps

Convenience

1. phones are convenient, but can generate a lot of RFI, and generally tend to be limited to adding 32Gb max SD cards. The SD card limitation is a showstopper for users who want to carry their entire music library with them at all times
2. Daps usually allow much larger SD cards, and so are attractive to many users for that reason alone. A year ago there were many posts by users happily using an AK100 as their music server, and feeding the output to their Mojos for the DAC functionality. There are now quite a few users reporting good synergy between the Shanling M1 dap and the Mojo - the advantage being that the M1 is cheaper than the AK daps, and can accomodate a 512GB SD card, which is large enough for many peoples mobile music collection
3. Streamers - basically the Chord Poly, which will offer unlimited SD card size (so in theory up to 2Tb, but such cards are not available at the moment). The M1 is cheaper, but the Poly is competitively priced compared to AK daps.

So todays situation is generally:

1. streaming alone using tidal or other similar services - phones are generally the better option, because the SD card size is not a constraint. However wait a month and you have the option of the Poly instead (combines streaming with unlimited SD card size)
2. DAPS/music servers - plenty of choice from the cheap M1, through the Poly, and up to the AK320 at the expensive end of the spectrum
3. convenience seems to be the deciding factor for many users - some prefer the simplicity of using a phone, while others prefer using a DAP and removing their phones/RFI etc from being a constraint (however the downside is carrying one extra device compared to just a phone/Mojo combiination)

There is a lot of info in post #3 as well.

 

[jmills8]

excuse naivity of this question: does it matter what source i use with combo with Mojo? Is there a difference between, let's say cheap smartphone+Mojo and Astell Kern DAP+Mojo in sound quality? I currently use Fiio x5 II and i have an opportunity to buy used Mojo for decent price, so im thinking on selling Fiio and buying Mojo and use smartphone as source.

In my experience yes and yes if you use coaxl, USB, Optical.

 

[jarnopp]

It would probably not work unless it was a specific case (if the other non-mojo end expects a stereo connection and is wired as such and it isn't convenient to replace it on the non-Mojo end) but is most likely that you'd want two normal TRS cables and only hook up one of the two stereo channels.

The Mojo outputs are internally wired together, so it would look no different to Mojo. Just convenience. Two mono RCA cables wired L and R depending on which part of the TRS tip you connect. Just an option, but may potentially sound better as vapman suggested.

 

[canali]

SOUND SYSTEMS

[size=24.57px]Audio advances put a concert in your car[/size]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/audio-advances-put-a-concert-in-your-car/article34266346/
 
yes i know not really mojo related...but portable audio related it is.
exciting to read while sipping my morning coffee.
 
just sharing article in local globe and mail newspaper on car audio.
 
new tech and apps are helping greatly in such a way that 5 yrs ago it wasn't possible
to get the same level of SQ.
 
and how that is a really expanding niche...
eg new BMW M5 series can get a 1600 watt x 16 speaker system.
 
''The sound-quality improvements are the result of better hardware, but also more so
from the software advances being applied in other areas of consumer audio.''
 
 
excerpt:
“Gone are the days when people brought their cars into the shop and ripped out the system,” s
ays Matt Wilson, national product manager for BMW Canada. “They now demand that from the manufacturers themselves.”
Indeed they do, if a rash of recent moves and deals is anything to go by.
BMW, for one, is adding Bowers & Wilkins speakers to its 5 Series in 2017 after introducing the British company’s systems through its 7 Series last year.
Last September, Ford similarly announced it was partnering with B&O Play, the luxury car audio line created by Denmark’s Bang & Olufsen
that was acquired by Stamford, Conn.-based Harman International in 2015.
Previously found in Audi, Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz vehicles, B&O Play’s systems are expected to eventually land in all of Ford’s cars and trucks.
Ford’s Lincoln line has also partnered with Revel, Harman’s most exclusive brand, starting with MKX models in 2015 and expanding to this year’s MKZ. The new MKZ models offer up a whopping 1,200-watt, 20-speaker system, topping even BMW in sheer number of speakers.

 

[cbl117]

I'm sure this has been answered before, so I apologize.  But to confirm, you can't power the mojo from the USB data port, correct?

 

[miketlse]

I'm sure this has been answered before, so I apologize.  But to confirm, you can't power the mojo from the USB data port, correct?

Correct power only through the power port.

 

[musickid]

is there a minimum length for toslink optical to connect mojo or hugo to computer. its been stated 1.5m minimum due to reflections in cable. ive found the cable i want just stuck on this point. the 1.5m thing was the result of professional engineers conclusions. the reflections in cable??

 

[miketlse]

  is there a minimum length for toslink optical to connect mojo or hugo to computer. its been stated 1.5m minimum due to reflections in cable. ive found the cable i want just stuck on this point. the 1.5m thing was the result of professional engineers conclusions. the reflections in cable??

 
There used to be a post within post #3 that detailed some of the important criteria when choosing optical cables. I think these included:
 

1. for short cables to stack a dap and mojo, it does not matter if the fibre is plastic or glass (the cable is not long enough for reflections or transmission losses to be a decider)
2. if your cable has bends with tight radii, it is better to select multi fibre cables, rather than single fibre cables (multi fibres suffer less from reflections issues)
3. for longer cables (probably the 1.5m length), it is better to select the glass fibre options.

 
I think one of the aims, was to explain that if you need a shortish cable, without a lot of narrow radii, you can manage with a plastic fibre cable, rather than spend much more money on a premium glass fibre cable. 

 

[musickid]

hi Mike,
 
the glass ones are a bit too expensive right now. ive been recommened this one kabeldirekt a German company. could you have a quick look and tell me if the cable is okay and 1m or 1.5m. i only really need 1m but will go 1.5m if there is really a benefit here. many thanks for your help.
 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/KabelDirekt-TOSLINK-Optical-Digital-Audio/dp/B00KNQR4UK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1489260262&sr=8-10&keywords=kabeldirekt+optical
 
 
https://kabeldirekt-store.de/index.php/audio/toslink-kabel/kabeldirekt-pro-series-mini-toslink-kabel.html

 

[miketlse]

  hi Mike,
 
the glass ones are a bit too expensive right now. ive been recommened this one kabeldirekt a German company. could you have a quick look and tell me if the cable is okay and 1m or 1.5m. i only really need 1m but will go 1.5m if there is really a benefit here. many thanks for your help.
 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/KabelDirekt-TOSLINK-Optical-Digital-Audio/dp/B00KNQR4UK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1489260262&sr=8-10&keywords=kabeldirekt+optical
 
 
https://kabeldirekt-store.de/index.php/audio/toslink-kabel/kabeldirekt-pro-series-mini-toslink-kabel.html

 
I only have two optical cables, and both are kabeldirekt. One is 1m and the other is 5m, and they both work fine, so you should have no worries about ordering one of those cables.
 
Some people will always argue that a cable cannot be any good unless it costs at least £100, but don't get fooled by them - kabeldirekt are good quality and inexpensive.
Regarding the best length, that really depends how you will route your cable between devices. In general it is better to use a slightly longer cable in order to avoid really tight right angled bends,  and with Kabeldirekt the price only increases slightly as the length increases. 

 

[musickid]

do you think the 1.5m as minimum rule regarding reflections has any truth in it?

 

[miketlse]

  do you think the 1.5m as minimum rule regarding reflections has any truth in it?

It will always be true that reflections off the fibre walls travel a longer route, than the photons that pass down the centreline of the cable.
At the input end of the cable, all the photons will be aligned, but the longer the cable, the more the multiple reflections will cause the leading edge of each light pulse will diverge from being aligned.
I was not aware of a minimum length, but I thought there was a length beyond which the optical properties of glass cause it to be the preferred fibre material. 

 

[musickid]

thanks mike,
 
i think ill try 1.5m. from what i understand anything less than 1.5m for spdif does not allow the reflections that occur to be corrected adequately. thats what the general consensus seems to be. i never knew ordering a cable could be so intense lol. or wait till im 100% sure.....