[apollo11]

 
I'm with you. 

I SECOND THE MOTION, HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

[shigzeo]

Happy new year.

 

[Whitigir]

If only the Koreans would learn how to be less greedy to their customers.... :rolleyes:


I'm happy to see a British company making waves, in the marketplace, in all the right ways; proving that performance, price, & quality do not need to be mutually-exclusive.

Lol, I agree, and I see what you just did there . Happy new year guys ! Happy listening, and I am glad to have listened to the Mojo before the new year began

 

[Mimouille]

From manufacturer point of view, I have to agree with you.

However, from audiophile/user point of view, it is the total system that matters. N5 is one of the better candidates to pair with MOJO given its compact size, dual TF, long battery life (as transport) and most important Coaxial output that support DoP. The total system cost is actually quite affordable for a combo that offers this level of performance.

On the other hand, I can use N5 as a standalone DAP when I want to travel light and yet maintain a satisfactory level of performance, but when I am on a regular backpack outfit or away for a short trip, I sure want the best music I can carry with me and N5+Mojo certainly is a very good choice, so N5 and Mojo can also work as compliment to each other.

Makes sense...I auditioned the N5 and was impressed, but could not bear the looks (I know, I have the Lotoo which is quite...special). So opted dot the Ak100 mk2. Much less nice as a standalone, but I have the Lotoo for that. Will see how they all compare when I actually have time to listen.

 

[mscott58]

Strangely enough three of my top four for 2015 are the same type of unit: portable DAC/amps. In rough bang-for-the-buck order I'd put it as:
1) Chord Mojo
2) Cavalli LC
3) ALO CDM
4) LHL V2+ Infinity

The V2+ Inf is really good, but there's something about the Mojo's magic and the CDM's tube-goodness (especially with the NOS Mullards) that just resonate with the music in my soul. And as a desktop/transportable amp the LC is in a class by itself.

It gets really interesting if you pair some of these! Specifically the Mojo into the LC or CDM takes it IMO to another level of amazing.

Cheers and here's to a great 2016

 

[bflat]

   
 
If only the Koreans would learn how to be less greedy to their customers....

 

If only consumers would stop buying products from companies who are alleged to be greedy........if only consumers would stop buying products at higher prices for purely cosmetic "special" editions.....if only consumers would stop buying products from pure hype advertisements disguised as reviews......if only consumers would trust their own ears instead of someone else's.....
 
See a pattern?

 

[NaiveSound]

After connection of mojo to dx80 now when I try to use Note5, it doesn't work with the usb to usb to mojo, why?

 

[shigzeo]

 
If only consumers would stop buying products from companies who are alleged to be greedy........if only consumers would stop buying products at higher prices for purely cosmetic "special" editions.....if only consumers would stop buying products from pure hype advertisements disguised as reviews......if only consumers would trust their own ears instead of someone else's.....
 
See a pattern?

The problem isn't people buying stuff from greedy people. Everyone is greedy. It's part of what makes (and has made) the world go 'round. The problem I have is with people in magic-oriented industries such as audio taking every marketing prestige as fact. Or, reviewers's words as fact. Or, believing that it is all about your own ears. No, it is about your preferences. And absolutes do exist. If you like a sound, there is no absolute counter that can tabulate why, or how. It is anecdotal and idiosyncratic to you.

But there are factual divisions: how much DR, how much harmonic distortion, how much IMD, how much stereo separation, how much noise. In those cases, it doesn't matter what your ears hear. When facts are called for, opinions need to be shut out. After they are presented, you can argue what is necessary _for you_ but you cannot factually argue 88dB is better than 120dB.

Now, I am a firm supporter in better measuring gear, but am realistic. At normal/safe listening levels, none of the gear we rally behind comes close to even clipping 16-bit spec. And it all comes down to anecdotal stories. If you, like me, prefer to listen to an iPhone 4s, great. Or, an AK380. Or a DP-X1. But don't claim that one is truly better at the ear unless you have a way to prove it. 

In the end, it is about enjoyment. But enjoyment is personal, not factual, not universal. 

I freely admit, and can account for the inadequacies of the iPhone 4s at maximum performance. At normal listening levels, it is on par with the best DAPs out there. Even before I knew that, I preferred its size over larger devices, its speed, and its UI. But those were personal preferences. As is my preference toward its 'sound signature' over the iPhone 6, though I've not put them back to back in a blind ABX. 
 
What I am doing now is admitting personal bias. But I'm not claiming it as fact. The problem I hope that many of us see is that we believe in magic and distrust objective measurements. We apply digital camera understanding of 'resolution' and 'bit depth' to music, despite the two being mutually exclusive, not to mention being slaved to incompatible examples. 

Factually, I will claim that the Mojo is the best-testing portable battery-powered source device I've tested. By a notable margin. Does that mean it will 'sound better' to you, me, or anyone else? No. The feel of its eyes will put people off. So will the name. As will a million things unrelated to any of the above or below. Or, they could attract a person. If we can't recognise attractive tendencies and belief in magic, we are in the same position as people that believe in a flat earth. 

So: Mojo: best product of 2015, if not for its at-the-ear SQ, its actual performance. My ears are not up to spec. Neither are yours. Nor are anyone's. But the peace of mind its performance brings is priceless.

Edit: I've been drinking new-year's cool-aid. I won't attempt to fix the grammatical errors in my post. There's a good spirit in it all, but the message is murky because of the grog.

 

[alan_g]

i just added money to the astell&kern train... doh

 

[CNB3]

I just picked up a Mojo, based on some reviews (all, obviously glowing) and prior knowledge of the Hugo.  FYI, it's the first thing I've heard of that fit the niche I was looking for - a truly portable amp/dac to improve the sound of my iPhone (or iPad, or computer).  Wanted something multipurpose like that, plus important to me to work with phone etc., rather than just buying a AKwhatever for example, because (a) I stream music, (b) didn't want to carry both my phone and a separate audio player and (c) didn't want the hassle of separately loading and managing music with a new interface.  Anyway, that's all background.  
 
I'm listening to the Mojo with (alternatively) Shure SE-535 IEMS and PSB M4U-2 headphones.  Sounds good in some cases, great in some cases - unfortunately def displays inferior recordings!
 
Here's the question:  The PSB M4U-2s include an amp, which can be used or left off.  I wouldn't have thought appropriate to use the headphone amp in addition to the Mojo (I mean, why TWO amps)  but I've been playing around switching back and forth between my three options (535s or the PSBs with headphone amp off or on), I find the latter option, using the PSB amp, the best - music is richest, bass is somehow fuller.  
 
Am I nuts?  Is that surprising?  Anyone else using either of the headphones I am?  (FYI source is iPhone 6S plus or macbook; using Tidal.)

 

[AudioBear]

In my opinion Mojo, and several of the other products mentioned previously, bring a very high level of performance to a compact size at a price many more people can afford.  In the DAP and DAC/AMP arena some prices are coming down and performance is going up (yes, there are counter-examples).  A lot of people, myself included, have bought into Mojo.  It's a great product.  Does it represent a sea change? Only time will tell.  It is, however, one of my favorites for product of the year.  It brings me joy.
 
I would put the LC (which I have) on the same short list.  That's where I stop because these are what I own and have experience with. No doubt there are other game-changing products out there. Schiit fans would offer Yggy as a candidate for product of the year.  I have Gumby and it's pretty impressive so I can only imagine what Yggy would do.
 
The point of this ramble being this has been a great year for personal audio. Many fabulous new products have appeared.  Schiit fans have a lot of new Schiit.
 
My New Year's wishes for 2016 are that headphone manufacturers stop the spiraling upward prices and bring higher performance to the masses by making better products at lower cost. My second wish, but it's not going to happen, is we find a way to live with objective measurements and the laws of physics while accepting that we all have different tastes and preferences,  If people would learn to label opinion as opinion and personal preference as their preference then we could all celebrate that we're happy with whatever floats your boat.  

A closing story.  I remember walking through a Sears electronic dept. many years ago.  The air was flooded with a multichannel play-back of the soundtrack from Fistful of Dollars coming out of a $125 all in one system.  I stopped for a few minutes to listen it sounded so good.  It sounded grand. I know not why but who cares?  Maybe it was the distortion I liked.  
 
Happy New Year to you all!

 

[nmatheis]

Happy New Years to all you Mojo fans!!!

 

[headwhacker]

So basically to try and modify a balanced cables would be a waste of time ? Well, perhaps it provides separated ground ? Or even the same ground was being used to split into 2 output as well ? If the 2 outputs grounds are joined inside, then there is no point to try balanced cables.

From the pictures previously in this thread. I can see that by modifying the cables to be balanced, the Mojo will have output signals separately for each channel even separated ground as well ? Should I even try this ?

Don't waste your time. A true balanced system usually have a separate circuitry driving each left and right channels.

 

[hortibob]

Thanks for the help mate,
 
have put into place the suggestions you mentioned, things have been all good so far.

 

[Whitigir]

Don't waste your time. A true balanced system usually have a separate circuitry driving each left and right channels.

True enough ! Thank you for all the confirmation on the dual output...kind of stirred up some ideas in me >.< lol