Chord Mojo 2 Thread ___ [product released January 31, 2022 -- starting on page 95 of thread]

[amigastar]

You need to go to ~2V rms on the output, that's -9 to -7 dB, INDIGO with the M button on white.
But ask yourself if you really need an amp - Mojo 2 can drive most headphones well, and adding an amplifier will reduce transparency and add coloration and distortion.

Ah, yeah i meant -9 to -7 db Indigo with white button.
I will compare the sound amped and unamped and then decide if i use my magni 3.

 

[Charente]

I tend to agree that despite the fantastic design, as portable headphones, the Noire need almost desktop power.

In any case, worth seeking different opinions on this. @Slim1970 is another Noire/Mojo2/C9 user, and perhaps has other suggestions.

The Noire is absolutely not too hard to drive from Mojo or Mojo2, both of which I’ve been using for over a year with the Aeon 2 Closed and then the Noire. With modern ock/compressed music you will not need to go over high red (.1 V) or high green for classical (0.5 V) for sane 85 dB listening levels. But you certainly can get to 120 dB for peaks or continuous, and still have at least an additional volt available! I’ve said before, I consider the Noire the perfect companion for Mojo and Mojo 2 (closed, compact, light, comfortable and sounds fantastic).

I read/watched an interview recently in which Dan Clark mentioned he uses a DCA Noire with a mojo 2 (trying to find it but my google foo is lacking), He made no indication regarding lack of power and mentioned that the mojo/noire pairing is his preferred travelling companion

Thank-you all for your comments ... seems all is not lost for the DCA Noire as a partner for the MOJO 2.

 

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

This is a general question on power / volume / correct driving of headphones, not specifically related to the Mojo 2 but from what I've just read it sounds like I'll have the same question in relation to my Mojo 2 when it finally arrives.

I use some hard to drive headphones like T60 and T50 Argons, Arya V2, Akg K702, Sundaras among others. I was always led to believe that they need to be paired with amplifiers that can deliver a lot of power (at least 1W, but usually 2W or more). But I sometimes use the Monolith THX Portable which has the following output power specs (less than the Mojo 2) but seems to drive the headphones' volume way louder than I would need (75-85db) with about 30% of headroom to spare.

How is this possible? What am I missing?

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

These "facts"about high power requirements on most headphones has been a load of nonsense for years.

 

[Progisus]

Brave man.

 

[rwelles]

This is a general question on power / volume / correct driving of headphones, not specifically related to the Mojo 2 but from what I've just read it sounds like I'll have the same question in relation to my Mojo 2 when it finally arrives.

I use some hard to drive headphones like T60 and T50 Argons, Arya V2, Akg K702, Sundaras among others. I was always led to believe that they need to be paired with amplifiers that can deliver a lot of power (at least 1W, but usually 2W or more). But I sometimes use the Monolith THX Portable which has the following output power specs (less than the Mojo 2) but seems to drive the headphones' volume way louder than I would need (75-85db) with about 30% of headroom to spare.



How is this possible? What am I missing?

One man's "not loud enough" is another man's "waaaay too loud."

 

[ubs28]

Best is to ignore these Noire fanboys as they have no idea what they are talking about. In the Noire thread, some even were suggesting that my Auralic Taurus MKII amplifier and the Chord Dave cannot drive the Noire headphone.

The Mojo (and thus the Mojo 2 also) is fine with the Noire.

 

[surfgeorge]

This is a general question on power / volume / correct driving of headphones, not specifically related to the Mojo 2 but from what I've just read it sounds like I'll have the same question in relation to my Mojo 2 when it finally arrives.

I use some hard to drive headphones like T60 and T50 Argons, Arya V2, Akg K702, Sundaras among others. I was always led to believe that they need to be paired with amplifiers that can deliver a lot of power (at least 1W, but usually 2W or more). But I sometimes use the Monolith THX Portable which has the following output power specs (less than the Mojo 2) but seems to drive the headphones' volume way louder than I would need (75-85db) with about 30% of headroom to spare.



How is this possible? What am I missing?

I think there's a difference between power and control.
Similar to what Rob Watts points out with the DAC, creating a perfect sine wave is an easy task for a DAC, while it's exceedingly difficult to re-create a highly transient signal.

For an amplifier to generate enough power to produce a certain loudness is the easy task. But to deliver the power and control to make a driver follow all transients as accurately as possible requires more.

Using the much overused car analogies, the top speed in the straight line depends mostly on the available power, going fast on a circuit however requires power, torque, brakes, donwforces and so on to accelerate, slow down and accurately follow the track.

Coming back to Audio - take the Hifiman Arya planar magentic headphone. I had it and used it with the Chord Hugo2. Loudness was not an issue, detail, separation and staging was great. But it was slow and soft, especially in the bass there was no punch in it. On the Arya thread people recommended getting a powerful amp to drive the Arya properly. I never did and instead sold the Arya, but I have little reason to doubt that the right amp would have improved bass impact and control.

 

[Somafunk]

This is an extract of the thread on ASR discussing Amir’s measurement review of the mojo 2, below is dan‘s reply to another forum user asking if there is enough power in the mojo to use with his headphones, including Stealth. If Dan finds it more than capable then I’m pretty sure you can discount the cries of “more power needed”.

Dan Clark : “The Mojo 2 really pairs well with the AEON and ETHER line… the upgrade to the upper registers from the original Mojo is really nice. I’m waiting to get one for home use with the Poly as my wander-around-the-house system. I seldom listen above 80db to protect my hearing, at that level Mojo 2 is totally fine with Stealth.

Quality DAPs like an iBasso DX220 with an Amp 8 perform very well, and of course a portable DAC/Amp like the iFI iDSD Black Label or Chord Mojo are a great fit. There are less expensive DAPs but they change so often we haven't been able to try any of the recent entrants at a CanJam or other show for a year, so I'm not up to snuff on best of breed for the sub $500 DAPs...”

 

[vlach]

I have little reason to doubt that the right amp would have improved bass impact and control.

I completely agree.

My HD800 sounds great fed from my OG Mojo.....as long as i don't compare it fed from the speaker taps of my very powerful vintage receiver. Everything takes on another dimension; more density, bigger and tighter bass. Mass is lower. Gravity is higher.
There is no denying that more power yields noticeable improvements in sound quality.
More power is not about loudness, it's about what i described above for a given decibel level.

 

[buke9]

This is a general question on power / volume / correct driving of headphones, not specifically related to the Mojo 2 but from what I've just read it sounds like I'll have the same question in relation to my Mojo 2 when it finally arrives.

I use some hard to drive headphones like T60 and T50 Argons, Arya V2, Akg K702, Sundaras among others. I was always led to believe that they need to be paired with amplifiers that can deliver a lot of power (at least 1W, but usually 2W or more). But I sometimes use the Monolith THX Portable which has the following output power specs (less than the Mojo 2) but seems to drive the headphones' volume way louder than I would need (75-85db) with about 30% of headroom to spare.



How is this possible? What am I missing?

I’m not saying your missing anything just have I guess a different look on it. I bought a couple of amps a bit back a Monoprice Liquid Platinum and a Drop THX AAA 789 both fairly high powered like 5 or 6 watts @ 32 ohms but with my OG Abyss they both were loud but did sound a bit hollow. My much less powered Cavalli Liquid Carbon sounded so much more full and not a bit hollow. I don’t think it is a power thing .

 

[amigastar]

Just curious but has anyone experienced Burn-in with this Dac (i don't even know if such thing exists)?

 

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

I’m not saying your missing anything just have I guess a different look on it. I bought a couple of amps a bit back a Monoprice Liquid Platinum and a Drop THX AAA 789 both fairly high powered like 5 or 6 watts @ 32 ohms but with my OG Abyss they both were loud but did sound a bit hollow. My much less powered Cavalli Liquid Carbon sounded so much more full and not a bit hollow. I don’t think it is a power thing .

I do agree that the Monolith sounds "thinner" than, for example, my Dethonray Honey which is much more powerful on paper. But I took that to be a matter of sound signature than a power issue (of course I could be wrong which is why I'm asking). The sound comes across more spacious/better separated and airy as a result. I enjoy both at different times.

The part that confuses me further is that the monolith seems able to drive headphones a lot louder than the Honey despite supposedly being a lot less powerful.

I'm hoping the mojo 2 brings me the best of both worlds but I'll have to wait until it arrives to find out.

 

[Musicophilesblog]

I'm hoping the mojo 2 brings me the best of both worlds but I'll have to wait until it arrives to find out.

Since I got my Mojo 2 2 weeks ago for my Utopias as a travel setup, I must admit I'm just blown away.

And not by "oh wow, what a precise bass", or "look at how transparent the cymbals are all over sudden", but instead just by getting totally out of the way and making me focus again on the music instead of the hifi. Isn't this what gear should be all about?

 

[Charente]

In addition to the DCA Noire and Focal Celestee as my possible candidates to pair with the MOJO 2, I note that I can still get a new pair of Focal Elegia, even though they are discontinued. The price of the Elegia from this French source is down to €489 which, on paper, looks like a bargain. I do recall that some reviews mentioned that they were a touch light in the bass, but I guess the MOJO 2 UHD-DSP could improve that.

Has anyone used the Elegia with MOJO/MOJO 2 ?