That's the thing. The only thing I have to compare to is a pair of PC360s that was giftedHard to tell.
People tend to describe the sound out of the Mojo being practically magic, not just "I can hear more bass because of a blacker background/higher current performance/more voltage," since in two of those possible reasons it won't be true compared to a good desktop amp, but really just outright magic that in some cases I don't think it's the power or the clean signal but start to suspect it boosts certain frequencies.
Kind of like how Grado frequency response is all over the place but it sounds more "real," ie, the percussion gets boosted in just the right way (plus the high sensitivity gets it loud easily without hitting bad distortion and noise levels) so it really sounds lik the band was shurnk down and is now is inside your head.
I've decided to keep the HD600s, for now, and am now in search of the best possible DAC/amp combo for them. My primary focus is field recordings, so I need equipment that is durable, versatile, and accurately reproduces sound for later editing in Izotope. Portability is essential, as I often carry my gear while walking. Although I aim for superior quality, I'd like to remain cost-effective, but there is not budget. I don't want to spend an excessive amount needlessly. The PC360s served me well, but now that they've reached their end, I'm keen on finding something as good, if not better. Listening to my raw recording in Izotope rather than YouTube this morning convinced me that the HD600s will likely suffice for the headphones, but I need to hear them through a good dac/amp to be sure. The ultimate goal as of today ? A DAC/amp combo that captures reality with utmost precision. Music appreciation, though a bonus, is secondary for me.I don’t want to complicate what has become a jumble of recommendations for all sorts of gear, however, I want to point something out for your reference in the decision making.
While the Mojo 2 will do a decent job it is technically at its best into a headphone with low impedance rather than high. Its maximum power output is into only 8 ohms and at 300 ohms of the HD600 it puts out only 90mw and something around 5 volts.
It will work just fine and will get plenty loud but I would not have thought it was anything close to a universal recommendation for a DAC/amp to make the most of the HD600.
Something like the rather more modestly priced iFi Zen Can is designed more with power output into a higher impedance load and puts out much more power into 300 ohms and something like 3 times the available voltage.
I use an iFi Diablo with my HD600 and it drives them exceptionally well despite being a battery powered DAC/amp. I would recommend one in principle but at the price it isn’t really a good starting point in your situation.
Of course you would need a separate DAC but iFi has several offerings and you could put together a little desktop stack for far less money than the Mojo 2 that is on paper better suited to the high impedance HD600.
Even the very modestly priced Zen Dac V2 would be a great starting point on its own and could provide DAC duties in a Zen Can if you wanted to try more power.
To make the most of these you would need a headphone cable with a 4.4mm balanced plug but they are easily available at all sorts of prices and you would have money left over versus the Mojo 2.
Just food for thought.
https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-can/
https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-dac-signature-v2/
https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-dac-v2/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/ifi-zen-can-review-headphone-amp.25224/
For example: Here's one of my recordings. I just switched between the PC360s (which have a popping sound due to the loose mic) and the HD600s. They are plugged directly into a Macbook Pro. The PC360s sound better by FAR. With the PC360s I feel like I'm walking the road as if I am there. The thunder clap is awe inspiring. The HD600s sound weak and artificial compared. I lack the experience to explain the difference I hear, but it's night and day. I'm thinking they are just underpowered, but I'm just not sure:
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