[x RELIC x]

Is this your opinion or did somebody at Chord tell this to you? It's pretty much impossible to extract the code out of the FPGA chip that Chord uses. Even if Apple wanted to try, all they would need is to buy a few dozen Mojos at retail. Same can be said about any chinese manufacturer. I would be surprised if someone from Chord actually accused Apple of stealing intellectual property.

I suspect Chord is not willing to pay the royalties to Apple for MFi certification.

John Franks of Chord said this.

 

[bflat]

John Franks of Chord said this.

That's surprising, but good to know!

 

[x RELIC x]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-dac-amp-faq-in-3rd-post/1185#post_12008205

I believe a requirement of using the camera kit Apple chip inside your product is complete design disclosure to Apple engineering hardware software the lot. We might be a bit mad but we're not totally crazy. If we had not much technology to hide. Say if we were just using a industry Dac chip we wouldn't have a problem in doing this, but for us today it's a very different story. This is why we will soon offer a plug in module that swallows the official Apple Camera adaptor leaving just the Lightning tale to plug into the I phone.

 

[faw88]

  You seem to be under the impression that a DAC stage doesn't already have an amplifier in it. In order to get a line level signal you need to buffer (read "amplify") the extremely low level signal coming from the actual DAC chip. In a traditional DAC -> Amplifier setup, you actually have 3 amplification stages, a voltage or a current amplifier from the DAC chip (depending on implementation), a voltage "pre-amp" stage in the amplifier, and a current "power" stage in the amplifier.
 
I'm not an expert on the Mojo, but from what was said here it looks like the Mojo uses a current amplifier directly following its FPGA DAC chip, which it uses to drive headphones. If you set the output of this stage to 1V RMS it will function as a line out, as it has exactly the same components as a traditional stand alone DAC. The only difference you should notice if you set the output correctly is a slightly higher noise floor, as you're running the buffer at a very low output level compared to what it normally outputs. The distortion you're getting is almost certainly due to clipping. In the case of a car stereo, it probably has some sort of smart level detection system that lets it compress (soft clip) the input signal so you don't accidentally destroy your car speakers.

Alright. I get your point. I will try it at 1V RMS. Thanks for the insight! Appreciate it!

 

[buzzlulu]

Look for the sub-section with the red star [COLOR=FF0000]★[/COLOR]:

www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-dac-amp-faq-in-3rd-post#post_11992416

However are there any "longer" cables which allow one to circumvent the CCK? All seem to be 6". I am looking for something around 2 feet

 

[buzzlulu]

Savvy shoppers can often find the Mojo at a discount for $400 to $450.

Pray tell - where here in the US?

Thanks

PS. Not shipped in from Japan but rather US based inventory

 

[Mython]

 

Look for the sub-section with the red star ★:

www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-dac-amp-faq-in-3rd-post#post_11992416

However are there any "longer" cables which allow one to circumvent the CCK? All seem to be 6". I am looking for something around 2 feet

 
 
I haven't seen any, because it's such a niche product, but I am confident that you could find a Chinese maker willing to accommodate your needs.
 
Perhaps if you ask in the main Mojo thread, someone might be able to offer you a specific vendor recommendation, for special orders. Then again, if it's not for pocket usage, then does it matter so much if you just use a normal CCK daisychained with a standard USB-microUSB cable?

 

[bpandbass]

Correction done. Thank you for bringing issue this up. I think that was a major oversight for Chord to not remedy that USB noise issue. To me the iOS integration doesn't feel as well implemented as the OPPO's does. 

 

[Mython]

  Correction done. Thank you for bringing issue this up. I think that was a major oversight for Chord to not remedy that USB noise issue. To me the iOS integration doesn't feel as well implemented as the OPPO's does. 

 
What USB noise issue?
 
The RF issue, with some people's smartphones? That's not limited to Chord's DACs. Not by a very long shot.

 

[bpandbass]

I'm only giving my own opinion, and you know what people think about others' opinions. I do find the humor in my statement that people would go with the better value model on this site, though. We are chasing the magic dragon after all. 

 

[bpandbass]

*RF Interference noise. The HA-2SE did not exhibit this same interference problem while being connected with a different MFI-certified cable. But by no means is this a problem exclusive to Mojo. But it does affect the users' abilities stream music services over the internet while using the Mojo connected to their phones. And that does detract from the Mojo's versatility to be unable to stream while plugged into a phone receiving radio signals, without experiencing RF interference.

 

[Arnav Agharwal]

   
Pure LINE OUT : only utilize the DAC and give output signal bypassing the amplifier. the signal can then be amplified using any external amp. What mojo does is that it just adjusts the volume to a 2V setting. It causes severe clipping and distortion on my external Car amplifiers. 

The first time I tried Mojo with my car audio system, I got the same, rude shock 

 Took me a few minutes to realize that the 3V was too hot for the poor Sony amp. Switched to the regular mode and brought down the output volume to 2V (some forum post from Chord states that it's at about 4 taps down from double "purple") -- worked like charm! Doesn't hurt to go further down to "green" either.

 

[chicken beer]

Great review. I would also want to see your opinion of those two against Dragonfly Red, another hot portable DAC/Amp that I loved.
 
But after all, the idea to carry a DAC/amp with a cell phone on the street is not convenient enough for me. I end up just plug IEM/earbuds straight into a good cell phone and much preferred the ease. I know, this is pretty low-style for a headfier.

 

[Rob Watts]

 

DAC Performance
 
Both the Mojo and HA-2SE can handle a maximum of 32 bits and support DSD files, with the Mojo having a maximum upsampling rate of 768 kHz, while the HA-2SE with a maximum of 384 kHz. Both the HA-2SE and Mojo can operate as line-out devices, allowing you to use them as standalone DACs with your higher-powered desktop headphone amplifier, speakers or stereo unit. Both require a 3.5mm to RCA cable to plug into most amplifiers. I did not run either device on a desktop rig, so I cannot comment on the sound, but having line out adds extra value to the devices, and can make them your new desktop DAC section. Since the Mojo has some of the most advanced DAC technology out there aside from the higher end Chord Mojo and Dave, and perhaps another UK-made product, the Meridian Audio Prime, it will make an excellent DAC stage in your desktop system. 
 
 

 
NO! ONLY the HA-2SE can operate as a pure line out device. NOT the mojo. Its Misleading reviews like these that made me purchase the mojo in the first place. It cannot function as a line out DAC. Simply not possible to bypass the amplifier section. the 2 button combo for pre-amp is just a volume preset, at which it gives 2v output, nothing else. Its very misleading. 
I required a Portable DAC to use with my car audio system which has its own high end amplifiers. Mojo amplification made the sound horrible. the HA-2 on the other hand has pure line out which bypasses its amplifier completely so you can just utilize that brilliant sabre chip, and it sounds amazing with external amplification. 
Dont get me wrong, I love the mojo, Its brilliant with my headphones. But I love my HA-2SE more as its much more versatile, and sounds almost equally good. 

You are mistaken; with Mojo, unlike all other DAC's has only ONE amplifier, which is capable of supplying 0.5A peak and very low distortion, so may easily drive line level inputs or difficult headphones. Conventional DAC/amps have 4 or five amplifiers in the signal path, which adds distortion and noise, and degrades transparency. So sure, use a conventional DAC which will have a line out via a separate amplifier if you like distortion and veiled sound quality.
 
Rob 

 

[faw88]

  You are mistaken; with Mojo, unlike all other DAC's has only ONE amplifier, which is capable of supplying 0.5A peak and very low distortion, so may easily drive line level inputs or difficult headphones. Conventional DAC/amps have 4 or five amplifiers in the signal path, which adds distortion and noise, and degrades transparency. So sure, use a conventional DAC which will have a line out via a separate amplifier if you like distortion and veiled sound quality.
 
Rob 

 
Thanks for your Input Rob! Indeed, I initially thought that the 2 button line preset could not be changed, But people have clarified it subsequently and I will definitely give this little wonder another go today. Can you Please tell me the Volume preset/Colour at which the supply is 1V? The initial confusion was that the 'Line Out' Preset 3v was too much for my system. which made me think there was amplification going on.