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

[GreenBow]

I too can grado 225e and with mojo it goes very well, it calms its medium frequencies.

If you have the Mojo on a USB from a computer, I recommend the Audioquest Jitterbug. It makes the Mojo on USB, more like it is on optical, meaning a bit warmer too. ........ The purpose of the Jitterbug is to remove noise from the USB audio signal lines from the computer. That reduces brightness caused by the noise.

(I have the 225e, and personally I find them a bit bright, but they are OK with Mojo, almost. They are amazing too on the Hugo2. I was just pondering about getting some better headphones because of this listening session. I have been playing a bit of Katie Melua, a bit of Norah Jones, and a bit of Sade. Now playing Enya: The Very best of Enya.)

I switched to Hugo 2 because Mojo was not charged after not being used for a few weeks. I was charging and playing just before now, but it was getting warm.

I have not used my headphones for ages. I forgot that headphones allowed us to play music a bit louder than speakers do, without upsetting someone.

 

[cirodts]

If you have the Mojo on a USB from a computer, I recommend the Audioquest Jitterbug. It makes the Mojo on USB, more like it is on optical, meaning a bit warmer too. ........ The purpose of the Jitterbug is to remove noise from the USB audio signal lines from the computer. That reduces brightness caused by the noise.

(I have the 225e, and personally I find them a bit bright, but they are OK with Mojo, almost. They are amazing too on the Hugo2. I was just pondering about getting some better headphones because of this listening session. I have been playing a bit of Katie Melua, a bit of Norah Jones, and a bit of Sade. Now playing Enya: The Very best of Enya.)

I switched to Hugo 2 because Mojo was not charged after not being used for a few weeks. I was charging and playing just before now, but it was getting warm.

I have not used my headphones for ages. I forgot that headphones allowed us to play music a bit louder than speakers do, without upsetting someone.

True, with the headphones does not disturb anyone and then you hear details and nuances that with the speakers is a bit difficult to hear.
To me, the 225 has got tired a bit and I'm looking for another headphones; sundara or hd660s to be used in lg v20-mojo.

 

[musickid]

Using mojo without case at home so it stays cooler helps so much when plugged in charging.

 

[miketlse]

I am panicking with my Hugo 2 about this over desktop mode.

Like if you plug your charger in, and leave it plugged in, after twenty-four hours, it goes into desktop mode. In desktop mode it's supposed to use mostly power from the charger. The taking a drop from the battery for really demanding musical parts.

However for the first twenty-four hours, before going into desktop mode. The Mojo shows a charge and discharge cycle. ... The trouble with mine is, while it indicates desktop mode after twenty-four hours. It appears to continue charging and discharging in the same cycle.

I am terrified of killing my Hugo 2 by leaving it plugged in constantly. Yet that's one of the reasons I was so keen to buy it. ..... I twice asked about this, in the Hugo2 thread but got very little feedback, and ignored by Chord both times. Even though they were answering questions all around mine. . I mean, I wasn't trying to cause trouble. I was asking to determine if I need to take it back to the retailer. Or send to be looked at by Chord. (Risking losing it in the post or getting a damaged item back, from wherever.)

As you can imagine I am hurting over having to use it battery only. Although I use it plugged in sometimes.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-264#post-13529190
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-275#post-13534594
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-787#post-14128703
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-132#post-13359033

 

[Sound Eq]

I tried some dacs fed to my ifi pro can amp, among them ifi dsd micro black label, gustard dac, hugo 2 and mojo

and to my surprise mojo is the only one I liked as it gave a mids presence that was super fantastic, the other made mids sound a bit recessed. I just adore how vocals sound on the mojo when used just as a dac fed into my ifi pro can amp. I was wondering is there any desktop dac from chord that provides the same exact presence of vocals like what mojo offers.

Simply mojo is for me the best dac I heard, I know it sounds strange but that is what i am experiencing and I really need some desktop dac with the same forward full mids and nice bass presentation as the mojo

 

[Mython]

I tried some dacs fed to my ifi pro can amp, among them ifi dsd micro black label, gustard dac, hugo 2 and mojo

and to my surprise mojo is the only one I liked as it gave a mids presence that was super fantastic, the other made mids sound a bit recessed. I just adore how vocals sound on the mojo when used just as a dac fed into my ifi pro can amp. I was wondering is there any desktop dac from chord that provides the same exact presence of vocals like what mojo offers.

Simply mojo is for me the best dac I heard, I know it sounds strange but that is what i am experiencing and I really need some desktop dac with the same forward full mids and nice bass presentation as the mojo

It seems your best bet would be to actually audition the Chord line-up at a dealer or show - is that possible for you?

It's also worth bearing in mind that Hugo2 allows slight 'tuning' of the sound, by means of filter choice, so it might allow you to strike a balance that fits what you are enjoying with Mojo

 

[Sound Eq]

It seems your best bet would be to actually audition the Chord line-up at a dealer or show - is that possible for you?

It's also worth bearing in mind that Hugo2 allows slight 'tuning' of the sound, by means of filter choice, so it might allow you to strike a balance that fits what you are enjoying with Mojo

unfortunately audioning is not possible, I really really love how forward full and rich the mids are when mojo is used just as a dac

hugo 2 i heard it with different filters, its great but the mids are not forward and full as the mojo when just used as a dac

 

[GreenBow]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-264#post-13529190
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-275#post-13534594
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-787#post-14128703
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-132#post-13359033

Thank you Mike. I found these posts mostly, when I did a thread search for desktop mode. Then pulled out Rob's links. By the way did you read any of the posts, in specific relation to what I was writing here in my last posts?

 

[Rob Watts]

It's because the Hugo 2 seems to go through heating and cooling cycles, when in desktop mode. They occur with a similar frequency to when not in desktop mode. I will however totally recheck this, because it's not fair to anyone otherwise. I am worried though so far.

You're right that the battery should discharge some when playing and linked up in desktop mode. That's what Hugo 2 does. (Then after playing is complete and Hugo 2 turned off, it tops the battery up.)

As of now though, I think the Hugo 2 is doing the same charge discharge cycle as it were when not in desktop mode. What I have to do to be sure is watch how long the charge and discharge cycles are while in first twenty four hours. (Meaning before the power light goes purple and it's in desktop mode.) ... Then I have to measure the charge and discharge cycles in desktop mode, by feeling temperature. As you can imagine, a nightmare to try to do. I think because as soon as you put music on with your Chord DAC, you just forget anything else.

Really though, since the Hugo2 should really be running off charger, it's supposed to use minimal battery. meaning it won't really recharge while playing in desktop mode. Mine does though. ...... I must re-check though, because I don't want to put anyone off. The Hugo 2 is a great sounding product. Basically it's audio quality is without question.

I think you are overthinking this as you are not comparing apples with pears. The charge discharge cycle on a non desktop Hugo 2 is from (0-100% discharge state to 100%), and so will charge for a long time. For desktop mode, everything is kept to a tight battery voltage (about 80%) so that the battery is in it's optimum state for life. Also the charge current is almost the same as the current that Hugo 2 needs, so only a tiny fraction is actually charging the battery. Once the battery gets above 80%, the charger is off; but when the charger is on, the power to create the 9v to feed the charger is significant, and this makes Hugo 2 a little warmer. But it's not actually a reflection of the current that is going into the battery at all.

 

[GreenBow]

I think you are overthinking this as you are not comparing apples with pears. The charge discharge cycle on a non desktop Hugo 2 is from (0-100% discharge state to 100%), and so will charge for a long time. For desktop mode, everything is kept to a tight battery voltage (about 80%) so that the battery is in it's optimum state for life. Also the charge current is almost the same as the current that Hugo 2 needs, so only a tiny fraction is actually charging the battery. Once the battery gets above 80%, the charger is off; but when the charger is on, the power to create the 9v to feed the charger is significant, and this makes Hugo 2 a little warmer. But it's not actually a reflection of the current that is going into the battery at all.

Thank you for writing. I either missed it or forgot that the Hugo 2 battery goes to 80% in operation in desktop mode. That's very helpful.

However I think I have thought fairly carefully. What I mean is, the Hugo 2, seems to charge and discharge in desktop mode, in equivalent to when not. Meaning if you charge the battery, then run it plugged in and playing, it charges and discharges. However after twenty-four hours, when in desktop mode, it seems to run the same charge discharge cycles. Excluding the first discharge to 80% of course.

Again however though, I will recheck this. As I would not like to put anyone off the idea of the Hugo 2, and I love Chord (and Rob) too. (Or their work at least anyway.) ............ It's not easy to test though, because often I only listen to only one album. By the time I am listening to my second album, I am away from desktop. ... In the past though, during long listening sessions, like when I first bought the Hugo 2. (I could not stop playing the Hugo 2. Life was too short.) I noticed that in desktop mode it seemed to get warm and cool. That seemed just as much as the Hugo 2 does during say the first twenty four hours after being fully charged. While left plugged in. .. Meaning in desktop mode it seems to draw power for battery charging back up, more regularly than I thought.

I have to put a huge disclaimer though, that I must re-check this. I was possibly very exhausted at the time, I last thought this. I often am very exhausted, and that's a long story.. I'd say if anyone wants to buy the Hugo 2, then go ahead. Do not be put off by me. As no-one else is reporting a worry. .. I always ask in Head-Fi first, because it saves me a wasted trip to the retailer. Meaning because it's usually me that's not understood. .. I keep meaning to explain this in the Hugo 2 thread, that I was only checking before maybe contacting retailer. I hope folk in the Hugo 2 thread didn't think I was picking on Chord or Mr Rob.

 

[surfgeorge]

Maybe a strange question after >2400 pages of posts, but I have a question to @Rob Watts about headphone choice.
I read that you like/love the Audioquest Nighthwaks with the Mojo. I tried the Nightowls, and really liked them, but I have never listened to any high-end headphones (>400 Euros), so I don‘t have that much experience.

So the question to Rob Watts is, if you had the choice between Nighthawk original and Nightowl Carbon, which one would you chose, and for what reasons?
BTW - I love the Mojo and very much admire how you combine profound engineering with love for and understanding of music to create devices like the Mojo! I am looking now at the Qutest as a source for my stereo system.

Thanks for you great work and especially for working to make this level of performance available at Mojo price levels

 

[Sonic Defender]

Maybe a strange question after >2400 pages of posts, butnI have a question to @Rob Watts about headphone choice.
I read that you like/love the Audioquest Nighthwaks with the Mojo. I tried the Nightowls, and really liked them, but I have never listened to any high-end headphones (>400 Euros), so I don‘t have that much experience.

So the question to Rob Watts is, if you had the choice between Nighthawk original and Nightowl Carbon, which one would you chose, and for what reasons?
BTW - I love the Mojo and very much admire how you combine profound engineering with love for and understanding of music to create devices like the Mojo! I am looking now at the Qutest as a source for my stereo system.

Thanks for you great work and especially for working to make this level of performance available at Mojo price levels

For a few months I owned both the Nightowl and Mojo at the same time and very much enjoyed the combination. The Nightowl took a little adjusting to as the way the midrange can be presented (depending on the music) can seem odd, but over time I really grew to love the Nightowl and may buy it again.

 

[miketlse]

Maybe a strange question after >2400 pages of posts, but I have a question to @Rob Watts about headphone choice.
I read that you like/love the Audioquest Nighthwaks with the Mojo. I tried the Nightowls, and really liked them, but I have never listened to any high-end headphones (>400 Euros), so I don‘t have that much experience.

So the question to Rob Watts is, if you had the choice between Nighthawk original and Nightowl Carbon, which one would you chose, and for what reasons?
BTW - I love the Mojo and very much admire how you combine profound engineering with love for and understanding of music to create devices like the Mojo! I am looking now at the Qutest as a source for my stereo system.

Thanks for you great work and especially for working to make this level of performance available at Mojo price levels

Here are some of Robs reasons for liking the Nighthawks https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-703#post-14008779

 

[RiseFall123]

I try again: what ios player do you use with Mojo?

I use Roon and Tidal but I need something else to cover the songs that aren’t on Tidal when I am away.

 

[RiseFall123]

I found out an issue with my Mojo.

During the charging I cannot turn on it in "level out mode".

Basically, I press the two buttons but the Mojo start without the normal boot process (changing the first ball colors).

If I unplug the charging cable everything back normal (level out works and the same for the boot sequence process).

Is that normal?