[WoodyLuvr]

Every Chord DAC, including the Mojo, has a mini scaler. They all run the WTA filter to scale PCM to 705.6/768K. The number of taps is limited to what is practical for the device, with the M-Scaler having the most powerful processor so it can get to a million taps.

I occasionally listen to music scaled to millions of taps on my Poly/Mojo as I scale it offline first using PGGB. Mind-blowingly good, but not practical because of how large the files are.

Edited for clarity... M for selectable "Mini M-Scaler" as in selectable output sample rates as seen on the full size M-Scaler so it would become literally a "Mini M-Scaler". This post was more in optimistic jest than what I really expect to be offered though you never know Chord may really surprise us with this new model!

 

[kumar402]

Edited for clarity... M for selectable "Mini M-Scaler" as in selectable output sample rates as seen on the full size M-Scaler so it would become literally a "Mini M-Scaler". This post was more in optimistic jest than what I really expect to be offered though you never know Chord may really surprise us with this new model!

How does it offer any benefit? MScaler is an external device that is used to send data to DAC and hence based on each individual DAC we can select a sample rate that a DAC may be capable of. However Mojo 2 will be capable of say 768Khz then what’s the point to selecting say 192Khz in “Mini M Scalar”.

Ok I see your point so when we select say 192Khz in this said MScaler then may be the dac will only upsample till 192Khz. But going by Chord philosophy I don’t think we will get such feature

 

[DanielListening]

It’s the Moffat button. Chord and Schiit collaborated !

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Ok I see your point so when we select say 192Khz in this said MScaler then may be the dac will only upsample till 192Khz. But going by Chord philosophy I don’t think we will get such feature

This One would always like to see more selectable features for various set-ups and systems that is all but I agree it does slightly run against the Chord grain... though again it was said more in jest than sincerity.

 

[Olliver]

How does it offer any benefit? MScaler is an external device that is used to send data to DAC and hence based on each individual DAC we can select a sample rate that a DAC may be capable of. However Mojo 2 will be capable of say 768Khz then what’s the point to selecting say 192Khz in “Mini M Scalar”.

Ok I see your point so when we select say 192Khz in this said MScaler then may be the dac will only upsample till 192Khz. But going by Chord philosophy I don’t think we will get such feature

M-Scaling refers to the filter taps not to the sampling frequency.
The filter taps are what needs the most processing power, thats the reason for the m-scaler.
The dacs alone doesn´t have the processing power of the m-scaler.
A new fpga could do more taps than its predecessor, but not a million like the m-scaler.
If they can get new xilinx chips for the mojo, it would be the start point for a whole new generation of dacs at chord.
As i learnt here, it´s a question of availability and price.

 

[kennyb123]

Edited for clarity... M for selectable "Mini M-Scaler" as in selectable output sample rates as seen on the full size M-Scaler so it would become literally a "Mini M-Scaler". This post was more in optimistic jest than what I really expect to be offered though you never know Chord may really surprise us with this new model!

The selectable sample rate is really there for non-Chord DACs. It wouldn’t be ideal to scale to less than 705.6/768 (16FS) and input that into Chord DACs.

The following is a diagram of the DAVE, but the flow is the same even in the Mojo. Note that WTA1 filter scales to 16FS but at only the number of taps supported by the DAC (164k in DAVE). That stage is completely bypassed if the incoming rate is already 16FS. Reducing the M-Scaler to 8FS will bring in a half million taps but that will then be scaled to 16FS with far fewer taps. That’s suboptimal.

What Mojo 2 will likely have is a WTA1 filter scales using more taps than Mojo1. No extra scaler needed. It continues to surprise me that Mojo 1 owners don’t already realize their DAC already includes a sophisticated scaler. It’s what makes Chord DACs sound so good.

Eventually there will be a FPGA that will allow a million taps in a device the size of Mojo. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

 

[Olliver]

If chord uses the same xilinx fpga as in the Mojo 1 and Hugo 2, more taps are available for the cost of more heat and a bigger battery
and a higher retail price.
But i don´t expect more taps, than in the Hugo 2.
If there is a new fpga with higher power efficency, more taps are imaginable, but for an even bigger price tag.
Even than it won´t be m-scaler alike, but maybe an impressive step forward.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

In any case guys, I owned the full M Scaler and the sound quality improvement was very subtle. Some subtle improvement in bass decay if you really listen for it and a bit more space on classical music. That was about it for me. True, I did not also invest in $2k BNC cables to try to get more out of it as some suggest.

I even contacted Chord and they said that indeed, the M Scaler makes more of a difference for speaker listening.

So I really wouldn't get excited about any mini M Scaler in the Mojo 2. I would expect that improvement to be very, very minimal even with classical music. IMHO

 

[Olliver]

In any case guys, I owned the full M Scaler and the sound quality improvement was very subtle. Some subtle improvement in bass decay if you really listen for it and a bit more space on classical music. That was about it for me. True, I did not also invest in $2k BNC cables to try to get more out of it as some suggest.

I even contacted Chord and they said that indeed, the M Scaler makes more of a difference for speaker listening.

So I really wouldn't get excited about any mini M Scaler in the Mojo 2. I would expect that improvement to be very, very minimal even with classical music. IMHO

I had the chance to listen to the m-scaler, Hugo TT2 combination in comparison to an normal dac,
the difference for me was more depth and 3D image, impressive, but the price with BNC cables was around 10K €.
And there where still the ordinary notebook switching supplys and nothing i would suggest to be fitting the quality of the chord equipment.

 

[kennyb123]

In any case guys, I owned the full M Scaler and the sound quality improvement was very subtle. Some subtle improvement in bass decay if you really listen for it and a bit more space on classical music. That was about it for me. True, I did not also invest in $2k BNC cables to try to get more out of it as some suggest.

I even contacted Chord and they said that indeed, the M Scaler makes more of a difference for speaker listening.

So I really wouldn't get excited about any mini M Scaler in the Mojo 2. I would expect that improvement to be very, very minimal even with classical music. IMHO

What was your source when you tried it? And did you use the BNC cables that came with the M-Scaler?

I hear profound improvements using Poly/Mojo when scaling my music offline with PGGB. M-Scaler should provide a good measure of that too.

The greatest improvement I hear on my Poly/Mojo from millions of taps is a more dense presentation. Instruments have more body with more tonal weight. Drums and percussion carry more weight while at the same time being more dynamic. Switching back to music that wasn't scaled is immediately disappointing because it's thin and not as full of life.

I sold my M-Scaler a while ago so I can no longer confirm how it might sound with headphones.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

What was your source when you tried it? And did you use the BNC cables that came with the M-Scaler?

I hear profound improvements using Poly/Mojo when scaling my music offline with PGGB. M-Scaler should provide a good measure of that too.

The greatest improvement I hear on my Poly/Mojo from millions of taps is a more dense presentation. Instruments have more body with more tonal weight. Drums and percussion carry more weight while at the same time being more dynamic. Switching back to music that wasn't scaled is immediately disappointing because it's thin and not as full of life.

I sold my M-Scaler a while ago so I can no longer confirm how it might sound with headphones.

I was just streaming Qobuz, WASAPI exclusive, via optical to the M Scaler (so limited to 705), but I also tried and tested USB of course. I used the stock BNC cables + Moon Audio dragon cables. I did hear the difference, but nothing as your describe (profound). As I said, for me it was very subtle, whether optical, USB, whatever type of music, whatever headphone, stock cables or upgraded ones (but not the $2k ones). I always thought my ears were very good, but of course I might be somewhat deficient on this aspect.

In any case, how many taps can an M Scaler built into the Mojo be expected to do? Surely far less than the M Scaler itself. And it sounds like you are going far beyond what the M Scaler is doing when using PGGB as you describe. So again, what can one expect from a Mojo M Scaler? Personally I don't think that's what the M is for, but I was just offering for consideration that even if it were, would it really be a cause for excitement. Let's see.

 

[alota]

In any case guys, I owned the full M Scaler and the sound quality improvement was very subtle. Some subtle improvement in bass decay if you really listen for it and a bit more space on classical music. That was about it for me. True, I did not also invest in $2k BNC cables to try to get more out of it as some suggest.

I even contacted Chord and they said that indeed, the M Scaler makes more of a difference for speaker listening.

So I really wouldn't get excited about any mini M Scaler in the Mojo 2. I would expect that improvement to be very, very minimal even with classical music. IMHO

Finally someone that speaks clearly

 

[PANURUS]

I remember a post from Rob Watts where the filter on the HUGO2 could showed the difference between HUGO2 and MOJO.
A lot of owners of the Hugo2 found this difference from the filter very subtle but in the same direction that between Hugo2 Mojo, more warm.
Some owners can not detect the difference.

 

[surfgeorge]

The selectable sample rate is really there for non-Chord DACs. It wouldn’t be ideal to scale to less than 705.6/768 (16FS) and input that into Chord DACs.

The following is a diagram of the DAVE, but the flow is the same even in the Mojo. Note that WTA1 filter scales to 16FS but at only the number of taps supported by the DAC (164k in DAVE). That stage is completely bypassed if the incoming rate is already 16FS. Reducing the M-Scaler to 8FS will bring in a half million taps but that will then be scaled to 16FS with far fewer taps. That’s suboptimal.

What Mojo 2 will likely have is a WTA1 filter scales using more taps than Mojo1. No extra scaler needed. It continues to surprise me that Mojo 1 owners don’t already realize their DAC already includes a sophisticated scaler. It’s what makes Chord DACs sound so good.

Eventually there will be a FPGA that will allow a million taps in a device the size of Mojo. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Thanks for that summary and the block diagram!

From what I have read about the different CHORD DACs I understood that another big difference between the models is the output stage - how many parallel "channels" the pulse array is using and how the I/V conversion is designed (output stage which also doubles as "amplification").
It was also my understanding that the Mojo is using a simpler output stage design with a capacitor directly in the signal path, and that this is at least partially responsible for the "warmer signature", or in other words the special flavor of the Mojo.

Is this generally correct?

And is it fair to assume/expect that the Mojo 2 will use a similar output stage, simply because of space limitations?
In that case can we expect the basic signature to still be similar to the original Mojo, with improvements in the digital processing and additional features?

 

[kumar402]

It may be something that we have in Qutest may be. I remember we had a button for subtle change in sound signature. During my ownership of Qutest I found it to be very subtle at best