Chord Mojo(1) DAC-amp ☆★►FAQ in 3rd post!◄★☆
Mar 20, 2016 at 2:57 PM Post #13,846 of 42,856
I have some questions about portable coaxial sources.  Currently I'm using DX90 for source.  But I believe I could downgrade to DX50 and it would make zero difference as a coaxial source.  Even a cheaper gen 1 fiio x3 should be fine for portable coaxial source for Mojo, Right ?
 
Please correct me if I'm wrong.  There shouldn't be any noise introduced by a cheaper source for coaxial, correct?
 
Also any word about a Chord add on source with SD card?
 
Does anyone know any other coaxial sources they are in price range of a used X3 or DX50?
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 3:00 PM Post #13,847 of 42,856
I have some questions about portable coaxial sources.  Currently I'm using DX90 for source.  But I believe I could downgrade to DX50 and it would make zero difference as a coaxial source.  Even a cheaper gen 1 fiio x3 should be fine for portable coaxial source for Mojo, Right ?


 


Please correct me if I'm wrong.  There shouldn't be any noise introduced by a cheaper source for coaxial, correct?


 


Also any word about a Chord add on source with SD card?


 


Does anyone know any other coaxial sources they are in price range of a used X3 or DX50?

 

You should go for a FiiO X5 first gen so that you can have the Coax out but also you have 2 mSD card slots for more music. Otherwise there should be no change unless they have a poorly implemented Coax out.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 4:01 PM Post #13,848 of 42,856
  I have some questions about portable coaxial sources.  Currently I'm using DX90 for source.  But I believe I could downgrade to DX50 and it would make zero difference as a coaxial source.  Even a cheaper gen 1 fiio x3 should be fine for portable coaxial source for Mojo, Right ?
 
Please correct me if I'm wrong.  There shouldn't be any noise introduced by a cheaper source for coaxial, correct?
 
Also any word about a Chord add on source with SD card?
 
Does anyone know any other coaxial sources they are in price range of a used X3 or DX50?

Anyone want to chime in on the other questions ?
 
  I have some questions about portable coaxial sources.  Currently I'm using DX90 for source.  But I believe I could downgrade to DX50 and it would make zero difference as a coaxial source.  Even a cheaper gen 1 fiio x3 should be fine for portable coaxial source for Mojo, Right ?
   
  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  There shouldn't be any noise introduced by a cheaper source for coaxial, correct?
   
  Also any word about a Chord add on source with SD card?
   
  Does anyone know any other coaxial sources they are in price range of a used X3 or DX50?

 

You should go for a FiiO X5 first gen so that you can have the Coax out but also you have 2 mSD card slots for more music. Otherwise there should be no change unless they have a poorly implemented Coax out.

Thats a good point about 2 slots.  The good thing about the iBasso is the Coaxial is pin the same so I can use standard 3.5mm stereo short cable.  I think fiio has the pins swapped, so I would have to buy or make a custom cable.  But I believe the fiio x3 1st Gen has same dedicated coaxial not the shared with different pin out like (x3ii, x5, x5ii) not sure though.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 4:01 PM Post #13,849 of 42,856
Mojo 2 headphone capacity?
 
They say it is for meeting girls on the bus?
 
I say its for kids's sports to tune out the 'parents.'
 
I previously wrote about my wife and I listening to in ear music during kids' hockey games to tone out crowd. 
 
This weekend in New Hampshire, my 14 year old saw a teammate's father removed from the hotel by police, and then next morning,
2 parents were arrested for fighting in the stands. 
 
Tidal offline content + Mojo = watching game in peace.   
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 4:34 PM Post #13,851 of 42,856
Anyone want to chime in on the other questions ?
Thats a good point about 2 slots.  The good thing about the iBasso is the Coaxial is pin the same so I can use standard 3.5mm stereo short cable.  I think fiio has the pins swapped, so I would have to buy or make a custom cable.  But I believe the fiio x3 1st Gen has same dedicated coaxial not the shared with different pin out like (x3ii, x5, x5ii) not sure though.

 

That is true about the tip, I just bought an adapter on Amazon and it worked great.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 4:56 PM Post #13,852 of 42,856
Yeah it j
wow, really? i didn't know that.
it would be great if i can use ultra short cable from JDS Labs...


Yeah with iBasso Dx90 and Mojo, I'm justing using a short stereo 3.5mm that is right angled on both ends and works perfectly.  I just don't think I need a DX90 just to feed coaxial.  I could use the money from DX90 for something else.  Though I still love the DX90.  Nothing sounds better for the $300 that I know of, but I'm sure with Mojo now I will  rarely use the DX90 dac ever.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 4:59 PM Post #13,853 of 42,856
OK, I picked one these up yesterday as I was simply curious, and I now know I've reached endgame as far as headphone dacs and amps are concerned, but not for the reasons you might think.

I compared the Mojo against a Fiio E17 and a Steinberg UR22 audio interface using AKG Q702 headphones as they are the most difficult to drive in my collection. (I may repeat the experiment with the DT880 pro and the DT1770 Pro when I have more time)

And the results were that the UR22 (a $130 prosumer audio interface) demonstrated better control and tonality across the board with whatever I threw at it. Detailing was about the same, maybe the Mojo had the edge, but nothing that really stood out. Comparing the Mojo with the E17 I found that while the Mojo had better treble detail there really wasn't much in it otherwise.

Ok - so I'm deaf I hear you cry. Well that might be partly true as I'm pushing slowly towards 50 and suffer from mild intermittent tinnutis, but I'll also add that perhaps I don't look for the same things in music as some of you guys, and this has set me thinking about what I actually do look for in music that's different from an audiophiles perspective.

I've come to the conclusion I look for an overall balanced tonality that gives me the music. I don't look for minute details or accuracy of positioning as these things in truth don't really matter to me. As far as soundstage is concerned I simply don't hear that through headphones at all, not even with binaural recordings - in fact they just sound like a phasey screwed up mess to my ears.

One thing I've found that might help you understand my position is that I've had the pleasure of listening to some really high end headphones and the truth is is that the higher up I go the less I actually enjoy listening to them. i've often played off the HD800 against the DT880 and the truth is that I'd take the DT880 over the HD800 any day. Sure the HD800 is clear and precise, but the DT880 has more meat and sounds more natural and enjoyable to my ears, whereas the HD800 sounds, well, artificial. - Basically I prefer the tonality of the DT880.

I'm not dissing the Mojo in anyway or form - it turns on, connects to my Mac straight away and delivers a good clear signal to my HPs - it does what is says on the box. The fact that I'm not hearing any night and day difference is probably down to how I approach listening to music - I simply don't listen for the things that make the night and day difference to other people.

What might surprise you is that I'm not disappointed at all. It's confirmed to me what I've long suspected in that I just don't hear in an "audiophile" way. As for being 600 bucks lighter, well I'm taking the attitude that it's a cheap price to pay to know that I'm at endgame (It could have cost a hell of lot more), at least as far as DACs and Amps are concerned.

As for the Mojo, well I'll hang on to it as I need something that will connect to my iToys when I need to use demanding HPs, and it seems to be a perfectly competent DAC plus Amp.

I have the UR22, and despite it's a very very good interface, there's no comparison with my dac1, then with Mojo too...
 
but actually we have very different tastes, I have alway hated DT880 for their thin, sibilant, penetrating highs
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 5:17 PM Post #13,854 of 42,856
Hmm it's funny you say that, because the Valhalla2 - an OTL amp supposedly able to drive high impedance HPs like the HD800 - seem to degrade the sound (elaborated on in my previous post).

Even the V200 which I had, though excellent, did not bring me the same level of enjoyment as the mojo alone. Perhaps you could elaborate on what kind of amps you are comparing the Mojo's amp to?

Only then can we make a fair assessment of the Mojo's value!

valhalla2 is a "low" budget headphone amp, and an OTL...
It remembers me the day I had The MG Head MK3
I don't know anything about the V2,it maybe very different compared to the MG Head...
 but if it's an otl, it has many drawbacks, that do not depends on the impedance.
 
My feelings come out using primarly the Yaqin 300b I have, used with a resistor through speakers output.
It is not the best 300b amp(actually it's maybe the worst), it maybe doesn't use 300bs at their full potential...
but it's more dynamic, and can handle difficult passages better, it has a very big soundstage too
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 5:56 PM Post #13,855 of 42,856
Anyone want to chime in on the other questions ?
Thats a good point about 2 slots.  The good thing about the iBasso is the Coaxial is pin the same so I can use standard 3.5mm stereo short cable.  I think fiio has the pins swapped, so I would have to buy or make a custom cable.  But I believe the fiio x3 1st Gen has same dedicated coaxial not the shared with different pin out like (x3ii, x5, x5ii) not sure though.


No, the X5 does not have a shared jack with the line-out like the X3ii/X5ii/X7. It has a standard separate mono 3.5mm TS pin configuration in a separate jack. One reason why I'm never selling mine. It's the same as the iBasso DX50/DX90.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 6:34 PM Post #13,856 of 42,856
certainly going to give der gabe some notoriety publicising it this way


Unfortunately I also only got response from DG by thread posting after PMs ignored. Very nice cable between DX90 and Mojo eventually.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 7:15 PM Post #13,858 of 42,856
No, the X5 does not have a shared jack with the line-out like the X3ii/X5ii/X7. It has a standard separate mono 3.5mm TS pin configuration in a separate jack. One reason why I'm never selling mine. It's the same as the iBasso DX50/DX90.


Thanks for heads up and with two SD slots that should serve better with Mojo than my DX90.
 
Mar 20, 2016 at 7:21 PM Post #13,859 of 42,856
Hi,

I've got a Mojo which I'm generally happy with, but need to use it with my PC. I'm thinking about getting a Chord 2qute for use with my PC which is connected to a Stax SRM-006 amplifier and SR-L700 headphones.

Has anyone compared the 2qute, which is similar to the Hugo, with a Mojo? Would it be overkill to have both a 2qute and Mojo? 

Thanks,

Martyn


My understanding that the 2qute is a Hugo processor inside the older qute chassis and is purely mains powered. So I guess the 2qute and the Hugo would sound pretty similar.

I do have a Hugo and a Mojo and they sound distinctly different. I better add "to me" before someone gets upset. I bought the Mojo to find out what the fuss was about and ended up keeping it of course.

Perversely my home set up is the cheaper Mojo driving expensive Audeze XC headphones while my portable system is the more expensive Hugo with Oppo PM-3 headphones. To me these are two very synergistic pairings.

My point? Two DACs would not be overkill but the 2qute will have a different sound signature. If you like the sound of Mojo between your PC and Stax amp why not use it there?
 

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