[Noor Al-Tamimi]

Hello all!

Right now I'm using a Leckerton Audio UHA-6S.MKII with my IE800S.

I'm a little curious about upgrading them since I've heard there are better options out there.

The one that's caught my eye is the Chord Mojo which looks pretty good.

My question is if that would be a good choice and if it would be worth the upgrade (or even be an upgrade at all?) or if there are better options available.

Also if I went for the chord mojo or another dac would it be worth using it as a standalone unit or going DAC only and keeping the Leckerton as an amp?

Thanks all for your help

 

[Hanesu]

The Mojo ist a nice and very good sounding DAC in my opinion, but to be honest, sound differences between DACs, amps and even DAPs are minimal, not comparable to the differences between earphones/headphones. You will get a bit less of "hiss" here or there and subtle tonal differences, like one sounds a little softer or tighter than the other. The big question is always, could one really talk about "better" or "worse" here - or is it just "different"? Just read some reviews about the Mojo and you will find raving ones (especially some years ago) and "meh" ones (recently people say it does not sound as detailed in the treble). It`s all relative.

So if you want to spend some extra money on a DAC/amp, I would also consider the following:

- Do YOU personally like the signature? If possible, listen to gear by yourself!
- Does an "upgrade" DAC also add functionality? For example, the ifi XDSD has the option to be used as a wired DAC but also has quite high quality Bluetooth to hook up with your phone wirelessly on the go (I use it with my IE800 and really like the combination and functionality)!

 

[yong_shun]

I was thinking to recommend Chord Mojo when I read your title. I think the pairing is good. The musicality in Mojo will bring you a "wow".

 

[Noor Al-Tamimi]

I did end up taking the plunge since from the information presented online it looked like a good pick.

You're absolutely right. The wow factor and musicality with the Mojo is unbelievable and it pairs really well with the IE800S since they're quite an analytical pair of IEMs.

I'm very happy with the setup and think they'll keep me going for awhile. I have to say I love the fun factor of the Chord Mojo as well with the marble LED buttons!

 

[yong_shun]

I did end up taking the plunge since from the information presented online it looked like a good pick.

You're absolutely right. The wow factor and musicality with the Mojo is unbelievable and it pairs really well with the IE800S since they're quite an analytical pair of IEMs.

I'm very happy with the setup and think they'll keep me going for awhile. I have to say I love the fun factor of the Chord Mojo as well with the marble LED buttons!

Glad that you found something suitable! Happy listening and stay safe!

 

[Noor Al-Tamimi]

The Mojo ist a nice and very good sounding DAC in my opinion, but to be honest, sound differences between DACs, amps and even DAPs are minimal, not comparable to the differences between earphones/headphones. You will get a bit less of "hiss" here or there and subtle tonal differences, like one sounds a little softer or tighter than the other. The big question is always, could one really talk about "better" or "worse" here - or is it just "different"? Just read some reviews about the Mojo and you will find raving ones (especially some years ago) and "meh" ones (recently people say it does not sound as detailed in the treble). It`s all relative.

So if you want to spend some extra money on a DAC/amp, I would also consider the following:

- Do YOU personally like the signature? If possible, listen to gear by yourself!
- Does an "upgrade" DAC also add functionality? For example, the ifi XDSD has the option to be used as a wired DAC but also has quite high quality Bluetooth to hook up with your phone wirelessly on the go (I use it with my IE800 and really like the combination and functionality)!

In all honesty the Leckerton is a solid unit but I could hear that with the IE800S there was probably room for improvement. Upon making the purchase for the Chord Mojo the difference is night and day to me in all honesty.

I did have a look at the ifi XDSD and it looks like a solid Japanese unit. I have to say though pricing wise on the used market was far less competitive than the Chord Mojo (I only saw one used unit for sale at near full price).

I managed to get a great deal on a boxed Chord Mojo in as new condition with 5 years left on an extended warranty so I'm pretty happy with that.

I think functionality wise the important aspects for me are USB and Optical (for the PS4 and for plugging into a TV) so I'm covered on those ends.

Honestly I couldn't be happier with this setup. The step up from an IE80S/Leckerton combination is more than I could have expected and it's a lot of fun for sure.

 

[Noor Al-Tamimi]

Glad that you found something suitable! Happy listening and stay safe!

Thank you buddy! You too

 

[Noor Al-Tamimi]

After reading my original post just to clarify something. I didn't personally find any need to use another AMP with the Chord Mojo. The built in AMP is crazy powerful and honestly the sound is just perfect. There's no need to mess around with it. The precision of the volume control is really great as well.

 

[yong_shun]

After reading my original post just to clarify something. I didn't personally find any need to use another AMP with the Chord Mojo. The built in AMP is crazy powerful and honestly the sound is just perfect. There's no need to mess around with it. The precision of the volume control is really great as well.

The power from Mojo can drive HD800 easily haha!