I recently got some denon ah-d9200 phones and the modi 3 + jds atom combo. I think it sounds pretty great but some people in the ah-d9200 thread swear that the chord mojo is end game equipment and goes well with these phones compared to the modi3/atom that aren't capable of driving my phones properly. The mojo is on sales for 20% off until the end of today. Should I?
While I don’t have your headphones I do have the Modi3,Atom and a Chord Mojo. Just looked up the specs on the Denons and at 24 ohms impedance and a 105 dB/mW In sensitivity they would rock out of a phone pretty well and the Atom outputs more power than the Mojo so not sure who said they will not power them well as they should without a problem. Then you get a bit deeper in the weeds as what sounds better. I don’t have your headphones so I can’t say but just say even though not a clear comparison I would much rather listen to my HD-800’s from the Mojo than the Modi3/Atom combo. The Mojo for me has a much richer warmer sound that I prefer with them and don’t know how that would translate for the Denon . I’m not one that has to have the sound be perfectly neutral as some think the artist intended as I’m sure they have no clue about but I like what sounds good to me and you should do as well. Most music tells a story or gives a feeling and how better than with a sound you prefer? I’m not saying yes on the Mojo but definitely not saying no as it is a fine device that I listen to quite often and enjoy more than the Modi/Atom combo but that is me.
I don't know your headphones or current DAC/Amp setup, but I bought the Mojo 2 years ago and for me it was the best purchase on my journey, because
- I love the SQ, there is a magic liveliness and natural quality
- I miss the Mojo when I try to listen from another source
- I stopped looking for upgrades
Disclaimer:
I have not tried that many alternatives, but I once bought a used Sony ZX2 (MRSP $1200) to have a good comparison and quickly sold it again. I also kicked out my €3500 DAC from 2000 which used in my Stereo setup after connecting the Mojo for a try, and replaced it with a used CHORD 2Qute.
Go for it, and if you really don't like it you can sell it with little loss as the price is going back up....
I ordered it then chickened out and cancelled after reading stories about the battery dieing after 18 months and costing a couple hundred each time to replace. I did find a post by a guy that managed to turn it into a desktop dac by attaching a battery connector in place of the battery while soldering the leads to an external power supply. I really wish they sold it that way since the battery thing seems like a scam. The replacement should be maybe $30 tops and they bend you over a barrel for it. Back to the drawing board.
EDIT: theres a place in canada that sells the batteries for $75. That's not so bad I guess. I just wish I could plug it in and forget about it but $75 every couple years is doable.
About the batteries:
With a little care you should get a long battery life, my Mojo is 2 years old and still going strong.
Tips that apply to all LiPo batteries:
Avoid high and low temperatures (since Mojo gets warm from charging and using, don't charge and use at the same time)
Store ideally at 30% charge state, do not store a full battery (I once stored a DAP with full battery for a few months and the battery ballooned within a few cycles after starting to use it again)
Avoid deep-discharge (should not happen with Mojo)
Best use of battery is to keep it between 20%-80%
Based on that, I rarely charge my Mojo to 100% and often charge for 15-30 min when the light turns yellow or red, or when I feel it's time to charge.
It would be nice if we could just forget about all the battery management but it's also not too much of an issue for me.
But I agree - I really wish the battery would be more widely available.
$75 is just about ok, since it contains some electronics as well, but availability needs to be better.
There are >100.000 units out there, it's a bit of a joke that only one internet shop sells the battery.
I think I found the perfect thing for the mojo. It's a timer for usb charging that you can set to go on at a certain time for a certain length of time. I'll just leave the mojo plugged in and set it so it only charges for 30-45 min or so at 3am or something like that. Eventually I'll dial in the right amount of charging time to keep it in the ideal range for how much I use it on average to keep it around 50-80% charge. I'm giving the mojo it's first charge now so I can listen to it in a hour or 2 and see if I like it. here's the usb charge timer if anyone is interested. https://www.amazon.com/Lucstar-Cont..._1_2?keywords=usb+timer&qid=1580964071&sr=8-2
EDIT: nevermind. it doesn't have an indefinitely recurring schedule and you have to set it every day. The quest continues.
The mojo sounds quite good. I just started testing it out but it seems to have sufficient power for my phones. The sound is nicely detailed and deep like people have said. I need to go back and forth between the mojo and the modi 3/atom to test more but I wouldn't call it night and day. Both sources definitely hold their own. Need to listen to more music before I call it though. I have a long way to go but it sounds promising.
EDIT: I'm pretty sure I detect synergy. The mojo takes a tiny bit of edge off which helps these phones out.
EDIT 2: Godammit you guys were right. The mojo is amazing. I can turn music up loud without pain. That to me is the mark of good sound.
Hehe... Yes, the Mojo is amazing, especially with acoustic music and live recordings.
Try listening to the Mojo for a few days or weeks exclusively and then go back to other sources.
PS: very clever solution with the timed charger!
Makes me think it would be interesting to build an Arduino based switch that monitors the charge current and switches it off before the battery is at 100%.
That should also help to extend the life time....
Hehe... Yes, the Mojo is amazing, especially with acoustic music and live recordings.
Try listening to the Mojo for a few days or weeks exclusively and then go back to other sources.
PS: very clever solution with the timed charger!
Makes me think it would be interesting to build an Arduino based switch that monitors the charge current and switches it off before the battery is at 100%.
That should also help to extend the life time....
If you find a better way please let me know. I'm just trying to do a quick easy fix for 10 bucks but if something else works perfectly it might be worth more.
no problem. the atom/modi3 sounded a bit unforgiving and over powered if that makes any sense. it's not night and day and I enjoyed both but the mojo basically shaves a few sharp edges off and sounds a bit more even. the aggression is down by a single notch but not enough difference to jump out at you and think it's a different headphone. the clash of cymbals and high hats and "s" sounds are still there but are now bearable and "high fi" instead of too much. i'll go out on a limb and say they're less peaky.
I forgot to mention that the timed wall charger worked out well. i set it for 1 hour charging a night and my mojo always seems to be at least 50% charged.
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