[dakanao]

I have bought the Moon Audio Black Dragon USB cable.

Would the Black Dragon be shielded sufficiently enough, and not need any extra clip on ferrite chokes?

 

[Deftone]

I have bought the Moon Audio Black Dragon USB cable.

Would the Black Dragon be shielded sufficiently enough, and not need any extra clip on ferrite chokes?

Its no really the outside interference thats so much the problem its the noise traveling out of your laptop toward the dac, as far as im aware the black dragon cable has no way to filter this out.

 

[Skyyyeman]

The FPGA is just responsible for the filtering, there's an attached discrete output amplifier stage serving as both line out and headphone out. That's why there's nothing to gain by adding an external amp, since you can't bypass what you consider an inferior amplifier – technically speaking.
Line-level mode is just a volume preset, no hardware reconfiguration.

Some would say there is much to be gained by adding an external amplifier.The Mojo's dac is excellent but the analog output stage is less so -- and can be helped by a quality amp. You can't expect a small relatively inexpensive "amp" section designed for portable use - with the resultant compromises, including low battery power-- to compete with a high quality full sized amp with virtually unlimited power from a wall outlet. And the overall quality of a really good amp will be higher than the analog output stage of the Mojo.

Adding an external amp brings some important audio improvements, and some disadvantages. The improvements imo far outweigh the disadvantages, but it is a matter of preference. xRelicx and some other members have commented on this in the past. To me the improvements consist of much better bass, much improved soundstage, greater dynamics and better imaging of instruments and vocals. But because of the additional cable and circuitry of the added amp, there is a slight loss (say 3%) of detail and a softening of the leading edge of a note.To me the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, to the point that I do not even listen to the Mojo by itself without an external amp (unless, of course, I'm using Mojo as a portable with IEMs.) And yet, with regard to detail, paradoxically, I often feel that detail is improved with an external amp because lower sounds otherwise subdued within the mix seem to be more energized and become more noticeable. Everything seems more dynamic and energized, a bigger fuller sound.

Of course, the better the amp, the more the improvement. My Auralic Taurus amp produces better results than my prior Cavalli Liquid Carbon.

But again, it's a matter of personal preference.

 

[JaZZ]

Some would say there is much to be gained by adding an external amplifier.The Mojo's dac is excellent but the analog output stage is less so -- and can be helped by a quality amp. You can't expect a small relatively inexpensive "amp" section designed for portable use - with the resultant compromises, including low battery power-- to compete with a high quality full sized amp with virtually unlimited power from a wall outlet. And the overall quality of a really good amp will be higher than the analog output stage of the Mojo.

Adding an external amp brings some important audio improvements, and some disadvantages. The improvements imo far outweigh the disadvantages, but it is a matter of preference. xRelicx and some other members have commented on this in the past. To me the improvements consist of much better bass, much improved soundstage, greater dynamics and better imaging of instruments and vocals. But because of the additional cable and circuitry of the added amp, there is a slight loss (say 3%) of detail and a softening of the leading edge of a note.To me the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, to the point that I do not even listen to the Mojo by itself without an external amp (unless, of course, I'm using Mojo as a portable with IEMs.) And yet, with regard to detail, paradoxically, I often feel that detail is improved with an external amp because lower sounds otherwise subdued within the mix seem to be more energized and become more noticeable. Everything seems more dynamic and energized, a bigger fuller sound.

Of course, the better the amp, the more the improvement. My Auralic Taurus amp produces better results than my prior Cavalli Liquid Carbon.

But again, it's a matter of personal preference.

Thanks for your interesting arguments! They have led me to do the comparison myself again (I'm not sure if I've ever done it with the Mojo or just with the Hugo).

I used my best headphone amp, the Meier Audio Corda Symphony, and the FiiO X5 II (via S/PDIF), with my (modified) HD 800, EQ preset «HD 800».

I started with the amp in the chain – and was surprised how much I liked the resulting sound. I coudn't find any glaring faults in it. The Mojo solo sounded rather dull and lackluster in direct comparison. So back and forth i went. The longer I switched, the more I found the Mojo solo to sound clearly better – in the sense of more honest and accurate. There wasn't one single objectifiable criterion in wich the amplifier route was better to my ears. The bass was tighter, better «controlled» (accurate) and faster, without being less dynamic or punchy in the least. Through the amp it was definitely slightly slower, although not in an irritating way or to an irritating extent – it even evoked the vision of luxury, like the whole further spectrum: Everything sounded like polished, rough edges were slightly smoothed – certainly the amp in the chain isn't a bad thing for bad recordings. However, to my ears the original HiFi ideal is better represented in the Mojo alone – a wire without gain replacing the added, technically redundant headphone amp. What also struck me is the different soundstage characteristics: wide and expansive with the amp, more modest and with much better depth and imaging the direct connection.

Conclusion: I can absolutely understand the preference for the illogical «double-amping» route, resulting in a more elegant and forgiving sound characteristic, but as I see and hear it, it provides a fake, euphonized image of the original recording. Rob Watts' saying really has something to it: «Some people like harmonic distortion» (the one that any amp adds to the original signal), it's not even hard to do so, but fortunately I'm sort of immune to this seduction (which saves me quite some money). The Mojo is even a special case, in that it is the driest sounding Chord DAC/amp I know. That's why I also had my reservations against its sound and preferred the Hugo to it most of the time. On other occasions I was fascinated by this very trait, a sort of hyperrealism and hyperprecision. With an amp in the chain you don't have to deal with this sometimes magical and sometimes irritating feature, as it is simply cleaned away.

 

[dakanao]

Thanks for your interesting arguments! They have led me to do the comparison myself again (I'm not sure if I've ever done it with the Mojo or just with the Hugo).

I used my best headphone amp, the Meier Audio Corda Symphony, and the FiiO X5 II (via S/PDIF), with my (modified) HD 800, EQ preset «HD 800».

I started with the amp in the chain – and was surprised how much I liked the resulting sound. I coudn't find any glaring faults in it. The Mojo solo sounded rather dull and lackluster in direct comparison. So back and forth i went. The longer I switched, the more I found the Mojo solo to sound clearly better – in the sense of more honest and accurate. There wasn't one single objectifiable criterion in wich the amplifier route was better to my ears. The bass was tighter, better «controlled» (accurate) and faster, without being less dynamic or punchy in the least. Through the amp it was definitely slightly slower, although not in an irritating way or to an irritating extent – it even evoked the vision of luxury, like the whole further spectrum: Everything sounded like polished, rough edges were slightly smoothed – certainly the amp in the chain isn't a bad thing for bad recordings. However, to my ears the original HiFi ideal is better represented in the Mojo alone – a wire without gain replacing the added, technically redundant headphone amp. What also struck me is the different soundstage characteristics: wide and expansive with the amp, more modest and with much better depth and imaging the direct connection.

Conclusion: I can absolutely understand the preference for the illogical «double-amping» route, resulting in a more elegant and forgiving sound characteristic, but as I see and hear it, it provides a fake, euphonized image of the original recording. Rob Watts' saying really has something to it: «Some people like harmonic distortion» (the one that any amp adds to the original signal), it's not even hard to do so, but fortunately I'm sort of immune to this seduction (which saves me quite some money). The Mojo is even a special case, in that it is the driest sounding Chord DAC/amp I know. That's why I also had my reservations against its sound and preferred the Hugo to it most of the time. On other occasions I was fascinated by this very trait, a sort of hyperrealism and hyperprecision. With an amp in the chain you don't have to deal with this sometimes magical and sometimes irritating feature, as it is simply cleaned away.

I agree that the Mojo is a dry sounding DAC/amp, but this is only directly connected to the USB port without a Jitterbug and shielded USB cable. With the Jitterbug and shielded cable, it becomes quite liquid actually.

 

[Wheel Hoss]

I agree that the Mojo is a dry sounding DAC/amp, but this is only directly connected to the USB port without a Jitterbug and shielded USB cable. With the Jitterbug and shielded cable, it becomes quite liquid actually.

Picking up the Mojo next week. Do you have s recommendation for a shielded USB cable?

 

[dakanao]

Picking up the Mojo next week. Do you have s recommendation for a shielded USB cable?

You can try the Monoprice USB A to Micro-B with 1 ferrite core if you want to stay cheap. Otherwise there's the Supra USB for $30 I think it was, it's better shielded than the Monoprice.

I have the Moon Audio Black Dragon, quite expensive actually $90

 

[dakanao]

Hmm strange, the problem of when I press the micro USB cable end of the cable into the Mojo more tightly during listening sessions to get more bass response, and to need to keep repeating that after a minute to get no bass loss, still persists with the Black Dragon cable…

There must be something strange going inside of the Mojo, or my laptop.

I'm wondering if connecting a second Jitterbug will help more with this issue. Has anyone on this thread tried 2 jitterbugs with their USB source?

 

[HugodoubleTT]

What a fantastic little device mojo is, I'm really impressed

 

[Adu]

I own the Silver Dragon USB cable and is dead silent out of my MacBook Pro.

 

[HugodoubleTT]

I'm waiting for the chord mojo case as the dealer didn't have one in stock.
Case hopefully come Saturday so I can go walking with my v moda 100, first time I will be seen in public with over ear headphones

 

[dakanao]

Just ordered another Jitterbug… Let's see if the cable bass problem gets fixed with another Jitterbug.

 

[krismusic]

Hmm strange, the problem of when I press the micro USB cable end of the cable into the Mojo more tightly during listening sessions to get more bass response, and to need to keep repeating that after a minute to get no bass loss, still persists with the Black Dragon cable…

There must be something strange going inside of the Mojo, or my laptop.

I'm wondering if connecting a second Jitterbug will help more with this issue. Has anyone on this thread tried 2 jitterbugs with their USB source?

If you have a problem with a socket would that not indicate a fault on your Mojo?

Just ordered another Jitterbug… Let's see if the cable bass problem gets fixed with another Jitterbug.

I think you are barking up the wrong tree here!

 

[dakanao]

If you have a problem with a socket would that not indicate a fault on your Mojo?


I think you are barking up the wrong tree here!

Yeah perhaps, but the weird thing is, is that the stream is continues and never cuts out, so that doesn't indicate that the socket is faulty. It just gets less bassy after a few minutes...

 

[Amberlamps]

I'm waiting for the chord mojo case as the dealer didn't have one in stock.
Case hopefully come Saturday so I can go walking with my v moda 100, first time I will be seen in public with over ear headphones

Wirral waiting for your review of your mojo and your v moda headphones, don’t worry about the folk who may stare at you with them on outside, they’re probably unemployed and jealous of them and they may want to rob them from you.

Keep power walking, it might stop them from catching up with you.

Hope you like the new case when it arrives, I find it tacky and cheap, but thats because I buy expensive handbags as my part time hobby.