[jsk ksj]

The most surprising thing that initially stands out to me is how it seems to handle different quality of files. Most of my collection is ripped CDs into flac & 320 MP3, but also the original CDs and streamed radio podcasts and some lower quality mp3's.

Everything sounds good, certainly better.

 

[Tiax]

It seems that i have exactly the same issue. Didn't notice it at first, but with more sensitive iems it's very obvious: hiss from the right channel, from the unit itself, even without connecting it to my transport DAP or PC. And hiss is audible even when music is playing.

And that was the last unit i've bought, will have to return it then and buy another one somewhere else.

I'm happy to report that my second unit doesn't have this issue.
No hiss with both iems and headphones.

 

[gy145]

I'm happy to report that my second unit doesn't have this issue.
No hiss with both iems and headphones.

Just get the iematch adapter. I can tell the hiss can be easily removed by using attenuation (iematch), sound may change a little I believe, not sure. I am getting a second mojo2, hopefully I can return the one with hiss if the second one is good.

 

[Tiax]

Just get the iematch adapter.

I was considering it, but since hiss was mostly in the right channel, and there was a report already from CaptainFantastic about the same case, i decided that i don't want to find any workarounds for what is obviously a faulty unit.

 

[tezla7]

Hi tezla7 In my very humble opinion I very much suspect it would be a waste of money. The mojo2 works great with battery and if towards the end of your listening session it starts to get drained, just continue with it pluged in. Then you can enjoy the tunes and not get stressed! Down the years ive opened up many a can of worms and gone down many a rabbit hole etc etc with that kind of stuff.....Looking back, I wasted my time and money..........

Hi @MgMGM thank you for your comments. I use the Mojo 2 in desktop mode, so it's on mains all the time. I have also messed about with power supplies and power conditioning over the years and I've had lots of different results. I can see how people would come to all different conclusions, but rabbit holes and lots of messing about is certainly how I would describe it. However, when a PSU or power conditioning does improve things, the difference it makes vs the cost can be very significant in my personal experience- as difficult as it is to get there through trial and error. Hence the asking if anyone had tried different PSUs on the Mojo 2 in desktop mode. The Mojo 2 with it's particular DC rails, maybe it matters less, but I would have thought someone would have tried it by now and had some feedback. The fact that a specific desktop mode was designed for the Mojo 2 goes to show a lot of people use it in Desktop mode and the fact it doesn't actually come with a psu, I would have thought more people would have tried different ones and had some feedback- even if just to say it didn't make an audible difference. Maybe I just haven't been able to find those comments. I was also considering moving back to a Qutest as I sold my whole setup a while ago and I'm getting back into it all again. But I do like the Mojo 2 with a mild EQ in a desktop setup, works great.

 

[miketlse]

The most surprising thing that initially stands out to me is how it seems to handle different quality of files. Most of my collection is ripped CDs into flac & 320 MP3, but also the original CDs and streamed radio podcasts and some lower quality mp3's.

Everything sounds good, certainly better.

I don't have the Mojo 2, but I have the Mojo OG and Hugo 2, and your experience mirrors mine.

Over the years, IMHO:

• Ripping CDs to FLAC is best compromise of quality v file size if possible
• High quality mp3 is very listenable as an alternative
• Online podcasts and music shows are also good, especially when they take the trouble to stream the highest bitrate possible
• CDs of jazz performances in clubs in the 1950s/60s do sometimes suffer from the recording techniques available, but still the musicality and the sense of 'those guys were having fun' comes through to the listener
• Poor quality mp3s are improved, but still the worst experience. Inevitably there is a limit to what Chord dacs can achieve, and the old saying 'you can't make a silk purse, out of a sows ear' starts to apply.

Many times I have thought that it would have been great to have this level of music reproduction quality in the 80s/90s, but unfortunately the digital technology and files (apart from CDs) was not widespread or cheap.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

I was considering it, but since hiss was mostly in the right channel, and there was a report already from CaptainFantastic about the same case, i decided that i don't want to find any workarounds for what is obviously a faulty unit.

So now we've had three cases (including mine) reported in the past two weeks. I hope it's not something related to the newest production batches, as there were no such reports before. Three cases reported here in past two weeks should equate to a meaningful faulty units percentage in some recent batch. It's frustrating. Although I have a perfectly functioning unit now, it ruined the experience, having to send it back, explaining the return, encountering skepticism from the shop, getting a new unit that had been opened and "tested" and also incidentally slightly scratched. I lacked the energy to ask for a second replacement and risk getting another hissy unit. 600 euro later I have a unit that might as well have been b-stock.

 

[jsk ksj]

Many times I have thought that it would have been great to have this level of music reproduction quality in the 80s/90s, but unfortunately the digital technology and files (apart from CDs) was not widespread or cheap.

I love a lot of jazz, but find lots of early jazz (20s and early) largely unlistenable due to poor recording / degradation. I know some believe this adds to their charm, but not me.

 

[HifJ]

Hi!

I have Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and i have connected pair of Genelec Two speakers on it. Im thinking of buying Chord Mojo 2. Im not expert of these hifi systems, so can i connect Chord Mojo 2 to Cambridge (for example with coaxial cable)? I have Sennheiser HD600 headphones.

 

[miketlse]

Hi!

I have Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and i have connected pair of Genelec Two speakers on it. Im thinking of buying Chord Mojo 2. Im not expert of these hifi systems, so can i connect Chord Mojo 2 to Cambridge (for example with coaxial cable)? I have Sennheiser HD600 headphones.

the Mojo 2 is digital input, with analogue output, so your coax will be carrying an analogue signal.

 

[rwelles]

Hi!

I have Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and i have connected pair of Genelec Two speakers on it. Im thinking of buying Chord Mojo 2. Im not expert of these hifi systems, so can i connect Chord Mojo 2 to Cambridge (for example with coaxial cable)? I have Sennheiser HD600 headphones.

If you mean taking the digital coax output from the DacMagic and feed it to the Mojo 2, then the answer is absolutely yes.

 

[headfry]

I still have both the OG and the M2 and IMO the OG holds up very well in terms of SQ, depending on what’s more important to you.
The og sounds softer and more mid forward with a smaller stage and less definition in both top and bottom end, but it has maybe even more emotional power than the M2 with vocals. M2 is more neutral and objectively better, but both are giving similar levels of joy to me. M2 more analytical, og more emotional.

In my opinion from what I'm hearing the OG should cost 1/2 (or less) what the M2 does and my biggest misgiving of the OG's sound is that for me the bass/midbass sounds smoother and lower resolution than the rest of the spectrum. M2 for me fixes that with resolution sounding the same top to bottom. The M2 has better clarity, imaging, coherence, bass texture and other improvements. On some tracks the differences may not be obvious, but whenever there's detail and texture in the bass and midbass it is for me. The eq and crossfeed improved sound quality and enjoyment for me with my equipment.

Rob has mentioned that he did away with the capacitor that was in the OG
and uses a DC servo circuit instead in M2,
which can explain the resolution/detail/speed improvements I hear in the bass/midbass.

 

[ChrisGB]

In my opinion from what I'm hearing the OG should cost 1/2 (or less) what the M2 does and my biggest misgiving of the OG's sound is that for me the bass/midbass sounds smoother and lower resolution than the rest of the spectrum. M2 for me fixes that with resolution sounding the same top to bottom. The M2 has better clarity, imaging, coherence, bass texture and other improvements. On some tracks the differences may not be obvious, but whenever there's detail and texture in the bass and midbass it is for me. The eq and crossfeed improved sound quality and enjoyment for me with my equipment.

Rob has mentioned that he did away with the capacitor that was in the OG
and uses a DC servo circuit instead in M2,
which can explain the resolution/detail/speed improvements I hear in the bass/midbass.

An interesting comparison and one which to a large extent describes the most obvious differences I heard comparing Mojo 2 with Hugo 2.

 

[Kentajalli]

An interesting comparison and one which to a large extent describes the most obvious differences I heard comparing Mojo 2 with Hugo 2.

Yes I agree about Hugo2 bit.
Allowing for inflation , Mojo2 is actually cheaper than Mojo Classic ever was! But since the Classic has gone into used markets, then the comparison is irrelevant .
Mojo Classic was fantastic, and only the 2 betters it, not any other brand or Model, on a like for like scenario .

 

[surfgeorge]

In my opinion from what I'm hearing the OG should cost 1/2 (or less) what the M2 does and my biggest misgiving of the OG's sound is that for me the bass/midbass sounds smoother and lower resolution than the rest of the spectrum. M2 for me fixes that with resolution sounding the same top to bottom. The M2 has better clarity, imaging, coherence, bass texture and other improvements. On some tracks the differences may not be obvious, but whenever there's detail and texture in the bass and midbass it is for me. The eq and crossfeed improved sound quality and enjoyment for me with my equipment.

Rob has mentioned that he did away with the capacitor that was in the OG
and uses a DC servo circuit instead in M2,
which can explain the resolution/detail/speed improvements I hear in the bass/midbass.

Fully agree with your comparison, yet the Mojo OG sounds really great with vocals and compared to other DACs at the price (used og) it still retains that natural quality of the Chord DACs. It has its own magic for me.
For example the Sony IER-Z1R has a quieter/recessed midrange and the Mojo OG really helps to bring vocals more forward and tame the bass and treble.

But no question, the M2 is overall the better DAC, much closer to Hugo 2.