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

[headwhacker]

I believe a requirement of using the camera kit Apple chip inside your product is complete design disclosure to Apple engineering hardware software the lot. We might be a bit mad but we're not totally crazy. If we had not much technology to hide. Say if we were just using a industry Dac chip we wouldn't have a problem in doing this, but for us today it's a very different story. This is why we will soon offer a plug in module that swallows the official Apple Camera adaptor leaving just the Lightning tale to plug into the I phone.

That's a shame, if companies like Sony, Shure, Oppo, Centrance, Cozoy etc can then why not Chord?

 
That is why. Chord is not using an off-the-shelf DAC. They invest in their own technology they develop. In this case more of firmware/software in the FPGA chip to get to the level of SQ/performance of Mojo/Hugo.
 
It's just like, asking Microsoft to run Office natively in Linux, they have to publish the source code of Office. You can still run Office in Linux but you have to use a virtualization layer. That's what the Apple CCK is for with Mojo.

 

[Whitigir]

Be glad that Chord make their own chips. The new Orpheus $50,000 is still using ESS chips lol

 

[micropixel]

A week old and nicely burned in now. One of the first 20+ units delivered by John when he was here in Singapore for the launch. Quickly diy'ed my own coax cable for FiiO X5 Gen 2. The 4 pole plug is a nightmare to solder.

With my T51p here.

 

[baglunch]

Any particular OTG cable recommendations for connecting the Mojo to a Note 4 phone? Thank you.

 

[obsidyen]

Be glad that Chord make their own chips. The new Orpheus $50,000 is still using ESS chips

lol

I lol'ed so much at that. Such lazy work from Sennheiser. The least they could do is ask Chord, Meridian etc. for some custom design. Not go the Chinese way and put 4 ESS chips to their dac.

 

[GreenBow]

Here's my Mojo sound impressions after owing it for a while.

The Mojo I would describe as similar to the Hugo but a tad warmer. I would say it's still on the analytical side of neutral. It has a kind of intimate sound to it than the Hugo but it isn't as resolving. The Hugo is more spacious, better detailed and better in every way. This isn't s bad thing as its 4 times the price.

Compared to the Dragonfly 1.2 they are a similar sound with the DF being on the warmer side. Both have s detailed sound but the DF is a bit more musical and run sounding where the Mojo is s bit more analytical. I wouldn't say one is better than the other and they are both pretty much equal. I don't know if thei makes the Mojo overpriced or the Dragonfly amazing value. The Mojo has more functionality so this could be s deal breaker.

Compared to the Fiio X5 Dac section they sound very similar with the Fiio being a tad more airy and open. Mids sound better on the Fiio where as the Mojo has a bit more elevated bass. Again like with the DF they are pretty similar. I'd say they are also pretty close in technicality maybe a slight preference edge to the Mojo as a DAC.


Will write a full review soon.

Scary review.
 
I would think the Mojo leaves the Dragonfly v1.2. No disrespect since the DF1.2 is meant to be spectacular for the price. It held the title of best DAC under £300 with What Hi-Fi until the Oppa HA-2 came along. However according to What Hi-Fi the Mojo bests the Audiolab M-DAC. They say it offers recording insight that nothing up until the Hugo can better.
 
I hope it's a matter that the Mojo needs running in before it reaches its best. It would not surprise me if that were the case. My Meridian Explorer was entirely different run-in (fifty hours +) compared with new from the box.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

 

[Hachiko270296]

Scary review.

I would think the Mojo leaves the Dragonfly v1.2. No disrespect since the DF1.2 is meant to be spectacular for the price. It held the title of best DAC under £300 with What Hi-Fi until the Oppa HA-2 came along. However according to What Hi-Fi the Mojo bests the Audiolab M-DAC. They say it offers recording insight that nothing up until the Hugo can better.

I hope it's a matter that the Mojo needs running in before it reaches its best. It would not surprise me if that were the case. My Meridian Explorer was entirely different run-in (fifty hours +) compared with new from the box.

Scary review.

I would think the Mojo leaves the Dragonfly v1.2. No disrespect since the DF1.2 is meant to be spectacular for the price. It held the title of best DAC under £300 with What Hi-Fi until the Oppa HA-2 came along. However according to What Hi-Fi the Mojo bests the Audiolab M-DAC. They say it offers recording insight that nothing up until the Hugo can better.

I hope it's a matter that the Mojo needs running in before it reaches its best. It would not surprise me if that were the case. My Meridian Explorer was entirely different run-in (fifty hours +) compared with new from the box.

If I listened to a pair of Beats Solo for 100 hours I'd imagine my brain would burn into the sound....Just because my impressions are not glowing and I'm just in complete amazement doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not really an upgrade from my other gear.

 

[psikey]

Here's my Mojo sound impressions after owing it for a while.

The Mojo I would describe as similar to the Hugo but a tad warmer. I would say it's still on the analytical side of neutral. It has a kind of intimate sound to it than the Hugo but it isn't as resolving. The Hugo is more spacious, better detailed and better in every way. This isn't s bad thing as its 4 times the price.

Compared to the Dragonfly 1.2 they are a similar sound with the DF being on the warmer side. Both have s detailed sound but the DF is a bit more musical and run sounding where the Mojo is s bit more analytical. I wouldn't say one is better than the other and they are both pretty much equal. I don't know if thei makes the Mojo overpriced or the Dragonfly amazing value. The Mojo has more functionality so this could be s deal breaker.

Compared to the Fiio X5 Dac section they sound very similar with the Fiio being a tad more airy and open. Mids sound better on the Fiio where as the Mojo has a bit more elevated bass. Again like with the DF they are pretty similar. I'd say they are also pretty close in technicality maybe a slight preference edge to the Mojo as a DAC.


Will write a full review soon.

 
Had the Dragonflyv1.2, Oppo HA-2 and now the Mojo. For me I didn't notice anything special out of the Dragonfly compared to headphone out on my S6 with Wolfson so that went back. Then tried the HA-2 which did sound nice but got too much noticeable hiss for me with my sensitive Shure SE846's so that went back. Then, even though I didn't want to spend over £250 and didn't like the look/shape of the Mojo compared to the HA-2/Dragonfly I thought I would give it a go with all the good feedback on Chord generally. What can I say, In a different league to me, especially with DSD, sounds superb and noticeably better than I've heard before.
 
I even went and bought a Sony ZX2 for an "all-in-one" device which was lovely and would have kept if I not heard the Mojo. The Mojo with my SE846's and a smartphone sounds much better so the ZX2 went back. I've stopped looking now and will be happy with this combination for ages now. 

 

[OK-Guy]

I think Keef uses Fender Deluxes these days but definitely used to use the Vox. But still lovely valves.
The list of Vox (usually AC30) users is a "Who's Who" of famous players. Everyone from the Beatles to Brian May.

 
I grew up with valve-amps (home use) think that's why I love a rich detailed sound... I'm sure May used valve-amps on Celebration Day, think I'll check out the DVD later... need something to wean me off Astral Weeks...

 

[Mython]

I think Keef uses Fender Deluxes these days but definitely used to use the Vox. But still lovely valves.
The list of Vox (usually AC30) users is a "Who's Who" of famous players. Everyone from the Beatles to Brian May.

 
I grew up with valve-amps (home use) think that's why I love a rich detailed sound... I'm sure May used valve-amps on Celebration Day, think I'll check out the DVD later... need something to wean me off Astral Weeks...

 
 
Wait, all this talk of valves... are there valves in the Mojo?
 
Why didn't someone tell me?

 

[OK-Guy]

   
 
Wait, all this talk of valves... are there valves in the Mojo?
 
Why didn't someone tell me?

 
you weren't in the loop mate, do try to keep up old chap...

 

[GreenBow]

If I listened to a pair of Beats Solo for 100 hours I'd imagine my brain would burn into the sound....Just because my impressions are not glowing and I'm just in complete amazement doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not really an upgrade from my other gear.

An educated guess tells me that, if you've run the Mojo for 100 hours it will be run-in. It's not brain burn in so much, though I understand sometimes people need time to adjust. It's because electronics need time to run in. Say it sounds crazy - I know. Best of luck with it.

 

[Mython]

 

   
 
Wait, all this talk of valves... are there valves in the Mojo?
 
Why didn't someone tell me?

 
you weren't in the loop mate, do try to keep up old chap...

 
 
 
Tut-tut - I think anyone perusing the first page of this thread would be left in absolutely no doubt whatsoever that I keep very much in the loop, as far as this threads comings and goings are concerned

 
 
But I guess my sarcasm didn't convey very well - text being so inadequate for such subtleties of human communication.
 
Was just having a friendly dig that the valve discussion was drastically off-topic, in a thread about a tiny, predominantly-digital, solid state device, after numerous posts on the matter

 

 

[FidelityCastro]

I grew up with valve-amps (home use) think that's why I love a rich detailed sound... I'm sure May used valve-amps on Celebration Day, think I'll check out the DVD later... need something to wean me off Astral Weeks... :wink_face:

It was all valves until at least the 80s, when tranny amps gained popularity (cost and reliability). Even now with digital modelling amps (Fractal Axe FX etc), there's no substitute for tubes.