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

[rawrster]

So I'm thinking of purchasing a set of these. I'm planning on downgrading my setup or at least start with selling my Auralic Taurus amp since I barely use my HD800 (or rather haven't touched it in months). I could use these at home potentially with a HD800 after I buy an adapter to 3.5mm and also with my smartphone and my SE846. I'm not sure about home use yet since I'm not sure what I'll do but the question I have is does source really matter if I want to use it out of a smartphone and end up using the dac inside the Mojo? My phone would just be providing the files and using the rest of the Mojo so could one potentially just go with that instead of a better source (audiophile dap).
 
Also has anyone tried it with the HD800? I had some recommendations with the Mojo/HD800 but of course I remain skeptical but some confirmation would definitely help.

 

[jaibautista]

Just a quick question to fellow Mojo owners:
 
What's the color of the volume balls of your Mojo when you activate line level mode? 
 
Mine is violet. Is there something wrong with my unit? I am not hearing anything weird/unusual through the Mojo even if the volume balls are violet. According to the Mojo's manual, the volume balls should be light blue in line level mode.
 
Thanks a lot!

 

[Ike1985]

This forum has been very helpful, informative and super patient with me. I've learned a lot and I appreciate the helpful people, always enjoying my music like never before.

I've noticed that certain files (I believe masters) for example (the same song at the same 24/96 or xx/xx) can sound more * in your face* and ***natively louder*** than the same track in the same xx/xx bit obtained from a different source, I suppose thr master?

I like the in your face forward sound, to me it sounds more hi-fi, more clear. I wish I could only find those types of masters for my tracks...
Anyways, mojo definitely brings the best sound to me from any track (not so much the low end mp3 and poor flacs) without fatigue.

I thoroughly enjoy downloading all the versions available online of an album I truly enjoy., for example I recently downloaded probably 10 of the best but different versions of all of pink Floyds albums. Then I go through in Jriver and compare different vinyl rips, SACD rips, blu-Ray audio rips to different cd rips, compare dynamic ranges, mastering and frequency manipulation across the board and keep which sounds best to me.

With my ADEL A12's I can hear massive differences between the same album when comparing masters and different encodes of then same master. I typically keep downloads with large sound stages first,, the next factor is whether the eq is manipulated or natural. The "wow" effect for me often comes from the soundstage width and depth, especially width w/the A12's and mojo. Sounds often sound like they're coming into my head from 1"-5" outside my ears.

Would you like to know what conclusions I've come to from all this analyzing? Well mastered 16/44.1 FLAC CD rips beat 24/192 vinyl FLAC rips everytime-no matter what version of the vinyl. Vinyl sounds dull and recessed next to a well made cd rip. SACD's sound amazing and often beat FLAC CD's rips(SACD's have more life and emotion, more power), blu-Ray audio is incredible as well. I can't tell any difference between HD Wav's and HD Flacs so I look for FLAC's to save space. DSD is hit or miss-mostly miss, some DSD sounds great but most sounds flat and lifeless through mojo, 95% of the time a 16/44.1 FLAC CD rip that's well ripped and well mastered beats DSD.l w/mojo.

 

[Deftone]

  Never tried IEM that was even close to the sonic experience of a mid-fi open back pair of headphones.
Just my 2 cents.
Portability justifies IEMs, of course. But experiencing limitless sound quality with no compromise is only possible with open back full size hps. IMO.

 
i agree even the IE800 couldnt beat the HD650 and that was at almost 3x the price.
 
i have not heard every iem so i can not agree with you on the second statement. 

 

[Deftone]

cant wait for the SD card add on, no more smartphones hanging from the mojo lol

 

[Deftone]

 
Again, not wishing to go off topic, but..
I attended the London CanJam last year. I'd always used IEM's and never listened to any high end headphones before, but I'd heard all the hype about the new HifiMan HE1000's at that time.
I tried them on their stall, expecting to be blown away, but was.. completely underwhelmed. I tried a few others that weekend too with similar results.
 
I can only describe my impression using an analogy: Imagine the difference between going to see a great 3D film at an IMAX/huge screen cinema with an incredible sound system.
Then compare that mentally with watching blu ray on a Hi-Def TV, but only a 28" one and sitting too far away (and with high quality sound system but volume a bit low).
I could clearly perceive the high quality, but there was there was an almost total lack of awe-inspiring immersion and up-close detail like I got with even low/mid-range IEM's (good ones, obviously).
This is in stark contrast to the effects of listening to some of the amazing IEM's there.
 
 
Well, this is just an opinion. It seems we're at polar opposite ends of the scale lol.
Personally, I'm baffled by all the people raving about headphones or expressing a preference for them, as you doubtless would be by those doing the same for IEM's.
Mind you, it does lead me to question whether I've missed something? Was it a psychoacoustic effect - lack of 'brain burn-in' for a new kind of audio experience?
Was it the equipment setup or the music files (I listened though Hugo and some huge amps if I recall correctly, so that seems unlikely!)?
Plus the fact that others listening next to me (and in my seat before me) were blown away by the sound..
Well, different folks, different strokes as they say..
Like most people on here, I guess I'm forever on the search for audio perfection, so I don't want to potentially miss out on something that's seemingly integral to so many users' ideal set up.
All advice and comments welcome

 
headphones iems dacs amps etc can be very over hyped on here and leads to a lot of disappointment.
 
but sometimes, just sometimes that headphone does live up to the hype.

 

[jarnopp]

Just a quick question to fellow Mojo owners:

What's the color of the volume balls of your Mojo when you activate line level mode? 

Mine is violet. Is there something wrong with my unit? I am not hearing anything weird/unusual through the Mojo even if the volume balls are violet. According to the Mojo's manual, the volume balls should be light blue in line level mode.

Thanks a lot!

Mine are also violet, on low light setting. Also, from there it is 72 clicks down vol until both light shut off.

 

[masterpfa]

64 ADEL line is as close as you can get to an open-back sound in a ciem.

Not heard the 64 ADEL but I found the Final Audio Pianoforte X as the best IEM experience and most comparable to Open Backed HP
IMO and YMMV (probably not suited for all genres of music.
 

  So I'm thinking of purchasing a set of these. I'm planning on downgrading my setup or at least start with selling my Auralic Taurus amp since I barely use my HD800 (or rather haven't touched it in months). I could use these at home potentially with a HD800 after I buy an adapter to 3.5mm and also with my smartphone and my SE846. I'm not sure about home use yet since I'm not sure what I'll do but the question I have is does source really matter if I want to use it out of a smartphone and end up using the dac inside the Mojo? My phone would just be providing the files and using the rest of the Mojo so could one potentially just go with that instead of a better source (audiophile dap).
 
Also has anyone tried it with the HD800? I had some recommendations with the Mojo/HD800 but of course I remain skeptical but some confirmation would definitely help.

I have the HD800 and Mojo combo and love it.

 

[Ike1985]

Mojo converts digital to analog so therefore cables going from source to mojo shouldn't matter but headphones cables could color the sound since they are transmitting an analog signal, is that correct?

 

[Ike1985]

Not heard the 64 ADEL but I found the Final Audio Pianoforte X as the best IEM experience and most comparable to Open Backed HP

IMO and YMMV (probably not suited for all genres of music.

I have the HD800 and Mojo combo and love it.

Wow the forte's are actually more than the ADEL's A12's, had no idea. When I looked them up I was expecting ~$500-700 based on the fact that there iems not customs and the design as well. Must be awesome sounding!

 

[robm321]

Wow, yeah, that's a pricey little IEM. Would love to hear it. 

 

[betula]

I see my comment on IEM vs full sized open cans completely made this thread to go off the line.
Apologies for that.
I am yet to hear any top of the line IEMs. But if you compare IEMs with full size open cans between £150-400 I am pretty sure, cans win.
I consider this price range mid-fi territory, what most people can afford. (In full sized can this means HD600, 650, HE400i, HE400s, Fidelio X2, PM3, K7XX, 701, 702, etc.)
Thanks for the recommendations on IEMs though, 64 ADEL seems to be a well recommended, and very interesting pair. But that is also $1000+.
So according to the comments for the same level of audio experience you have to pay twice as much if you want it with IEMs.

With IEMs I tried in the mentioned price category my problem was, the music is "happening in your head", "between your ears". Even though, the sound quality is relatively good. (IE80, SE535)
With the mentioned full size headphones, the music is happening around your head. You don't have this closed in feeling. Also opened cans sounded more natural with much more space.

This topic (IEMs vs full size, etc) is something that involves each and every head-fier, as it is a big part of our daily life.
So for that reason Mojo thread admins might gonna excuse us for this short debate. (Mojo owners spoke, anyway.)
 

 

[bavinck]

I see my comment on IEM vs full sized open cans completely made this thread to go off the line.

Apologies for that.

I am yet to hear any top of the line IEMs. But if you compare IEMs with full size open cans between £150-400 I am pretty sure, cans win.

I consider this price range mid-fi territory, what most people can afford. (In full sized can this means HD600, 650, HE400i, HE400s, Fidelio X2, PM3, K7XX, 701, 702, etc.)

Thanks for the recommendations on IEMs though, 64 ADEL seems to be a well recommended, and very interesting pair. But that is also $1000+.

So according to the comments for the same level of audio experience you have to pay twice as much if you want it with IEMs.


With IEMs I tried in the mentioned price category my problem was, the music is "happening in your head", "between your ears". Even though, the sound quality is relatively good. (IE80, SE535)

With the mentioned full size headphones, the music is happening around your head. You don't have this closed in feeling. Also opened cans sounded more natural with much more space.


This topic (IEMs vs full size, etc) is something that involves each and every head-fier, as it is a big part of our daily life.

So for that reason Mojo thread admins might gonna excuse us for this short debate. (Mojo owners spoke, anyway.)

 

Try flc8s. It might change your mind on what a $350 iem can do.

 

[masterpfa]

Wow the forte's are actually more than the ADEL's A12's, had no idea. When I looked them up I was expecting ~$500-700 based on the fact that there iems not customs and the design as well. Must be awesome sounding!

Unfortunately only a short time with them about 30Min in total tried with my Mojo and AK100 so listening to my choice of music.

LOVED THEM but alas only from a distance, lottery win required t get these (or at least justify getting them!)

 

[betula]

Try flc8s. It might change your mind on what a $350 iem can do.

Seems to be an interesting one. But also not easy to get it from UK.