[vlach]

But a Head Fi post or You Tube review isn’t marketing.

Yes people work hard for their money and they want to spend it on something that they have realistic performance expectations about.

I have wasted a substantial amount of money chasing improvements in devices that for me are simply not even close to the level that reviews and comments would have had me believe, for whatever reason, even if that is I am simply in a group that is less sensitive to the differences.

My comments only seem to have served to aggravate some here but they might also offer a counterpoint that gives food for thought for someone.

It is only flogging a dead horse from here on in so I will leave it at that. I have had my say and I appreciate the opportunity to do so.

I think you are 100% right.
My tolerance for the ongoing 'hype train', the constant dramatization and complete exaggeration of SQ differences doesn't exist.
Why can't people realistically portray these differences? That would be so much more reliable and helpful.

 

[Gus141]

… Since my original posts, I have been doing my own Blumlein stereo recordings of acoustic instruments. Even using a Mojo 2 and DCA Stealth the lateral imagery (that is left to right) is spot on perfect with the appropriate cross-feed. By perfect I mean the stage width is identical to my listening position underneath the ribbon stereo microphone, and the lateral placement has identical resolution and focus compared to the live music. …

[emphasis above about cross-feed is mine]
@Rob Watts I have waited 5 pages for someone to ask (and I’ll bet you expected someone to ask), but no one has, so I will: what is your preferred and/or ‘appropriate’ cross-feed with the Mojo 2 and the DCA Stealth for your own recordings; how about for your favorite music recordings?

I would love to know your prefs.

Thanks.
Gus

 

[Currawong]

Why can't people realistically portray these differences? That would be so much more reliable and helpful.

People have different sensitivities. The problem with being involved in any hobby (or sport) is that you become more sensitive to subtleties in what is going on the other people wouldn't notice normally. Small things become big things.

 

[AussieMick]

People have different sensitivities. The problem with being involved in any hobby (or sport) is that you become more sensitive to subtleties in what is going on the other people wouldn't notice normally. Small things become big things.

Precisely. Just like bike riding, cooking, building gaming computers, hiking…

 

[Gus141]

Precisely. Just like bike riding, cooking, building gaming computers, hiking…

Yes. And @Currawong you are actually one of those great reviewers who do keep it real and ‘realistically portray‘ differences in your reviews; something I appreciate as much as I love some reviewers over acting (Zeos anyone?)

 

[Rob Watts]

[emphasis above about cross-feed is mine]
@Rob Watts I have waited 5 pages for someone to ask (and I’ll bet you expected someone to ask), but no one has, so I will: what is your preferred and/or ‘appropriate’ cross-feed with the Mojo 2 and the DCA Stealth for your own recordings; how about for your favorite music recordings?

I would love to know your prefs.

Thanks.
Gus

To get exactly the same image width as per listening directly under the microphone you need cross-feed set to the max (blue on Hugo 2/Mojo 2). Of course, this setting does not mean all other recordings should be set to this, as it depends upon if the mix has hard left and hard right, and ones personal preferences. I tend to stick with blue (max cross-feed) anyway, as many recordings from the 60's to the 80's were pure LCR (60's) or had graduated LCR mixing (70's to 80's). Modern recordings tend to avoid hard panning left or right, so may need less cross-feed.

 

[Gus141]

^ Thank you.

 

[bluejeans]

Has anybody compared tidal/spotify (usb) and a cd transport (optical) to mojo 2. In my system(audiomat tube integrated/falcon ram10 spkrs, senn hd600), the cd (optical) route sounds much much better. Is it a case of usb vs optical/coax input or streaming vs physical media? Opinions are welcome.

 

[AussieMick]

I think maybe most of it comes down to how much electrical noise each of your sources is contributing. The bits will be the same, and Chord DACs are terrific at coping with jitter, but noise is noise and gets in the way. Even if the Mojo 2 isn't being affected, the noise can move on through to your amplifier anyway. It's the nature of mixed signal systems.
I once had a CEC TL5 CD transport that sounded glorious from its XLR digital output, but pedestrian from its RCA S/PDIF. The difference a Poly makes to the Mojo2 is extraordinary compared to running USB form a laptop. Noise is noise is noise...

 

[rlanger]

I think maybe most of it comes down to how much electrical noise each of your sources is contributing. The bits will be the same, and Chord DACs are terrific at coping with jitter, but noise is noise and gets in the way. Even if the Mojo 2 isn't being affected, the noise can move on through to your amplifier anyway. It's the nature of mixed signal systems.
I once had a CEC TL5 CD transport that sounded glorious from its XLR digital output, but pedestrian from its RCA S/PDIF. The difference a Poly makes to the Mojo2 is extraordinary compared to running USB form a laptop. Noise is noise is noise...

I also noticed a big difference going from USB on my laptop to streaming to the Wiim Mini and optical to Mojo.

 

[bluejeans]

Have you tried connecting your laptop optically to mojo 2 instead of streaming to the Wiim?

 

[rlanger]

Have you tried connecting your laptop optically to mojo 2 instead of streaming to the Wiim?

I don't have optical out on my laptop.

 

[vlach]

Has anybody compared tidal/spotify (usb) and a cd transport (optical) to mojo 2. In my system(audiomat tube integrated/falcon ram10 spkrs, senn hd600), the cd (optical) route sounds much much better. Is it a case of usb vs optical/coax input or streaming vs physical media? Opinions are welcome.

Is there any way for you to connect spotify/tidal through optical? That would eliminate the input as a variable in your comparison.

 

[daveya]

Has anybody compared tidal/spotify (usb) and a cd transport (optical) to mojo 2. In my system(audiomat tube integrated/falcon ram10 spkrs, senn hd600), the cd (optical) route sounds much much better. Is it a case of usb vs optical/coax input or streaming vs physical media? Opinions are welcome.

I've just bought a cheap transport to do exactly that , will report back

 

[jarnopp]

I don't have optical out on my laptop.

You can get an inexpensive e adapter to try it: https://www.amazon.com/Reiyin-Converter-Toslink-Optical-External/dp/B07VSFBT82/