Still Relevant? Chord Mojo 2 DAC Review
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- Опубликовано: 16 авг 2024
- No doubt the Chord Mojo 2 will be great for headphone users but how good is it for Hifi use?
Link to manufacturer's webpage
chordelectroni...
Link to my Patreon
/ abritishaudiophile
Time stamps
Intro 0:00
Design & features 2:37
Technical insights 6:56
Sound quality 10:39
Setup & partnering equipment 14:49
Conclusion 17:43
Your reviews are so... hypnotizing AND calming. And I love them! 😊
Thank you buddy 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 hello . I mainly listen to streaming music Amazon Music with iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 and paired with b & w 706 s2 speakers. The setup is bright sometimes so which dac will you suggest for my set up ? Thanks for your help
Hi Tarun, I just bought the mojo2 and love the sound, I really want to say you should be given a Award for the most prompt at replying to your follower's I have never seen
anyone like you before your a good man.
Thank you Jason. That is very kind. Enjoy the Mojo 2 😊👍
I enjoy your presentation Tarun, you have a lovely voice too. I am on the bottom rung of the audio ladder, I bought a vintage amp and seperated cd player (now regetting lack of digital connections), but just added a WiiM Pro Plus for streaming. A hundred quid bought me a Mojo 1, to use on my desk, and to provide a headphone socket as the cd player struggles to power my headphones. I love it, total game changer, I can't stop listening now!
I'll never have the cash to start spending the eye watering sums even an entry level audiophile needs, but I enjoy hearing the reviews, and seeing your beautiful listening rooms- I can appreciate the aesthetics of it all. I would love to hear some good sound systems, one day I'll make the two hour journey to my nearest dealer, though I'm worried it may reduce the satisfaction with what I have got. Already I've found there's no going back, I've had to give my old headphones away, they sound faulty now, after my ATs.
Above all else the small improvements I've made to my HiFi 'system' has allowed me to listen to other genres of music, which my previous set up made pointless. Now I can appreciate Wes Montgomery's pure notes, and classical recordings, something which would have pointless before with my P.C speakers. Miracle Mojo.
Great to learn about your experiences. You have made some wise decisions with what you have bought. My advice would be to continue to take time and care with future purchases. There are some great products out there at accessible prices. Let system synergy and your ears be your guide. I’m glad my videos add some value on that journey. Thank you for your support 😊👍
Congratulations on a comprehensive, highly articulate account of the Mojo 2. I greatly appreciated it.
One wonders whether the addition of a good headphone amp might improve sonics even more by increasing headroom, and relieving the Mojo of the task of driving (say) 300 ohm headphones such as the Sennheiser 660 s2 directly. Thoughts anyone?
@@AntPDC thank you 😊
After deliberating for far too long, your review is what finally persuaded me to grab a Mojo 2. Brilliant, clear and considered review that was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you Tarun!
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
At Christmas, I purchased my first serious DAC. The Chord Qutest. This was a game-changer for me. I listened to it against the RME and the Denafrips Ares ii and it came out on top with consummate ease. Since its purchase, I have added the MCRU linear power supply which has taken the unit to another level. I can't imagine more expensive DACs sounding much better than this
for the money that you would have to part with. It is very hard to find any low points in its sonic presentation.
Thank you for watching and sharing 😊
I had the Qutest for several years and really enjoyed it, though I hated the interface. I recently moved to a Denafrips Terminator Plus which I think is definitely better, but it damn well should be at the price. The Qutest remains a fantastic DAC and if I hadn't got a great deal on a nearly new Terminator Plus I would still be using it.
Actually, to be fair, the tiny LED based interface on the Denafrips is equally pants. A screen would be so much betterer.
I don't know about "I would love to have that", but a landmark in my system was when I reached "I could live with this my entire life". Not my end game system, just the point where nothing in my system bothered me what so ever, and that was when I added Chord Qtest. Very detailed but smooth without any digital glare. That moment I knew I can always stop getting any new gear and still be perfectly fine with my system all my life.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
Yyyeeeyyyyy finally, was looking forward for your take ok Mojo 2 , as when you asked in your video end of 2021 what your subscriber are looking forward you to review and I answered 31st Jan 2022 , thanks 🙏 Tarun for listening your supporters
Thank you Atri 😊
Great review. You asked at the end of your review you asked about landmark digital audio.
I have really enjoyed using my Chord Mojo for many years driving a range of headphones and love it. In fact I find the Mojo better than my TEAC HA-501 and Chord QBD76 combo (accepting they are getting on now!), I almost don’t want to upgrade for fear of disappointment!
I just bought a Lumin U2 Mini streaming into my Devialet Expert 400 and it sounds amazing. Biggest up-grade in years with my Sonus Fabre Olympica 3 speakers.
Really enjoy your reviews. Keep up the great work.
Thank you Paul. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great review. But I’m happy with the RME ADI-2 FS. Thanks to a Terry Ellis review of the Quad Z-2, I’ve tweaked the equaliser to fill up the dips in the frequency curve below 50Hz and around the 3kHz region.
Thank you Jeremy 😊
Thanks Tarun. Always liked the aesthetics of this DAC too. Over a decade past into more headphone centric listening, one landmark for me was the audioquest dragonfly black; as it was the gateway to understanding what a good DAC could do and to later DAC components. I still use a Cobalt for travel / mobile convenience. Now using power amps, the Schiit Freya pre-amp has become a landmark as well. Would really like to listen to Gato’s component line up future possibilities.
Thank you Wolf 👍
B be
Hi Tarun. The day my digital front end became serious was when I splashed out on the Pink Triangle Ordinal. I owned it for years(after a few early teething problems). It had a lush velvet sound which was quite the novelty for the time.
The other game changer for my digital replay was when I first heard a Transparent audio coaxial cable between my transport and Ordinal. I honestly couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Ha.
Cheers
That is great Jim 👍
Just found your channel Tarun, good sir! I have been watching a lot of different channels recently in a crusade to find something that satisfies my needs as a nerd and professional coder. Thank you!!! Your content is just sublime really. So informative and really well articulated. I have never felt so comfortable in trusting somebody’s views on products of any ilk before, but I have very little issue with doing so with you! I think it speaks volumes that the calibre of the comments on your videos is also incredibly high and people are polite. Feel like I’ve discovered a community of gems!!
My hat is off to you good sir. I ordered the chord mojo 2 today thanks to this video, it had been on my radar for a while and I’m doing slightly better these days so it’s a welcome treat.
Thank you Don. That is very kind of you and greatly appreciated. A wonderful community has built around this channel. It is a please to have you with us 😊👍👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 it’s my pleasure. I’m a big believer in giving credit where it is due simply because I think the world can only be a better place the more we try to draw out positives where they lie.
It’s a marvel of the internet this channel! I have already learned a lot because of how you elegantly balance lots of dense information with interesting but not flowery language. I really appreciate it. The first video I watched you mentioned you had some background in engineering and I might guess some programming or physics which really helps with the trust, but the other thing is you really just cover all the bases where other people would usually fall short in my opinion quite significantly (curse my analytical mind!!).
Subscribed to your patreon. Curious if you’ve considered a discord or something for a certain tier of that? Thank you so much for sharing your great knowledge so clearly!
While being called Don is not without its appeal, you can call me Alex. All the best :)
@@donquixoteupinhere thank you Alex. I very much appreciate your support here and on Patreon. I am planning to add a discord to the ABA tier on Patreon. As for my background, my bachelor degree is Electrical and Electronic Engineering and I am also a secondary (high school) science teacher specialising in Physics 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 ooo great, I hoped as much! Looking forward to the Discord opening in that case.
And I was on the right lines then! I may be a very different person today had I had a high school physics teacher like yourself. Actually my worst teacher at high school was my
Physics teacher and I’ve since developed an interest in it and Quantum Physics/mechanics… it wasn’t a subject that jumped out at me at the time because of that poor experience and I started self learning to code instead!
Thanks for your responses and looking forward to enjoying some of the perks of the Patreon :)
@@donquixoteupinhere thank you Don. Unfortunately, your experiences are common. Physics is often taught poorly by people who such all the fun out of it in high school. It is a major issue due to lack of specialist training 😊
Hi Tarun. Thank you for this review but also for the whole channel. You are really providing so much support on HIFI journey for so much people. What I like the most about it: you never ever crossed the line of leaving the point and ground idea of real HIFI and what real HIFI is all about. Please: Stay exactly there forever.
Your Mojo 2 review is outstanding as well as Mojo 2 itself. I am happy owner of Mojo 2 upgraded with Sbooster. Combination is amazing value and here is not enough space here for me to go impressions. I also know that you know what I could write about :)
With that said: It will be very interesting to hear your opinion here how Mojo 2 + LPS could be compared to: Ares II, Gustard R 26, Chord Cutest/ Hugo etc.
Not sure if I am the only one wondering in this field, but maybe even some review from your side in that direction would make sense?
Happy to hear from you and all the best wishes to your channel.
Thank you kindly Dario. I appreciate the suggestion 🙂 👍
The Shanling M8 is the piece of digital audio equipment that has the biggest impact over the last 10 years. Late night or office listening has been transformed, I guess in a similar way that the mojo2 would if combined with its bolt on streamer. I can move from kitchen, living room or study etc and still get an exceptional audio experience. I did consider the mojo at one point, but i hate the old usbc connector (i know this wont bother most people). Only downside to the M8 is it gets quite warm with extended listening. I use FIR Audio IEM's mostly, or a few different over ears depending on what I'm listening to - I never use eq. Very happy with this setup
Thank you for sharing 😊
Another wonderful episode of A British Audiophile! Well done. I look forward to each and every episode on your channel. The greatest impact a digital device had on me was the Alesis Masterlink Digital Recorder. It was the first time I got to experience the different bit rates and sampling frequencies used to record and playback a digital file. I could finally hear the difference between 24 bits vs. 16 bits, or 88.2 vs. 44.1 sampling frequencies. A song was played in analog by musicians in a recording studio, then recorded to digital at the different bit rates, ect. Then being able to play that back was an ear opener or at least an education in digital recording.
Thanks for your outstanding reviews!
Thank you for your kind words of support. Also, great to learn about your experiences 👍😊👍
That is a great review. I think it answers all my questions about the Mojo(s) plus offers a great user guide! :)
A Mojo vs Denafrips comparison would be great but I guess we pretty much know what to expect already based on what you say here.
Thank you Stelios. Much appreciated 😊👍
Another excellent review, Thanks!
Asus Soundcard (modified with Burson Op Amps) in a home-made A/V Server bypassed with a Chord Mojo= Big improvement in Sound Quality.
Mojo to Qutest= Another jump in SQ and like some Reviewers mentioned, Qutest provides more of what Mojo does, and I couldn't say it better.
Qutest to Chord TT2= Another big step up.
TT2 partnered with Chord M Scaler= Yet another large sound improvement, providing a "Grande presentation".
The Yamaha A-S3200 powering KEF Blade 2 Speakers- A gigantic improvement for those particular Speakers over what I heard previously.
And the (sometimes) surprising differences provided by Speaker, USB and Interconnect Cables which also add to the enjoyment of this hobby.
And then there's the BIG one: Speaker positioning relative to the listening position which in my opinion is second only to the Speakers themselves for sound improvements.
Thank you Ron. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
To answer to your question, my landmark digital product that i heard and gives me that wow is a streamer: the Ifi Zen Stream that i got last week.
Suddenly we understood how this device works with its connections and different functions (I'm new to the world of streaming...), the sound reproduction is the equivalent of my records... and that even with my better versions in DSD or 24 bits.
This is where this device really shines.
It's true that with Tidal MQA via Denafrips Ares 2, Hegel H190, Focal Aria 926, I'm served to perfection.
You are a bit the reason for my purchase of the Denafrips and the Hegel, thank you.
I must say that I was reluctant to come to the world of streaming, considering that it was a regression in terms of sound. I was mistaken.
I compared a DSD version of Patricia Barber, Café Blue on my USB key plugged into the Ifi and the Tidal signal (not even MQA...) and the difference was minimal. I did the same thing with Diana Krall, Turn up the quiet in DSD vs MQA version... I couldn't really tell the two apart!
From now on, the convenience and immense discotheque of streaming will outweigh the minimal sound difference. We got there!
I suggest you to take a look and review this streamer. With a good dac, it really shine!
Great to hear about your experiences with the Zen Stream. I hope to get to review it sometime 😊👍
Nice review! Can agree about Mojo sounding better than H190’s internal Dac. Tested Cornwall 4’s with the H190 and had the Mojo 2 on me, so that what we used. We were blown away! Going to be doing a YT review of this too!
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
thank you for such a good review covering all the points very flawlessly, the presentation and comparisons are on point, would have liked comparison with other portable dacamps as well for fair playing field however the dacs you compared it with states a lot about its capability as a desktop dac
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
That was a beautiful review. Informative, to the point and enjoyable!
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Since you mentioned the comparison, I also have both the Mojo 2 and VMV D1SE myself and have done some comparative listening (mostly with headphones, Quad Era-1 for the majority). Personally I don't hear the sound stage differences, but that may very well be more of an issue with the headphones/speakers not opening up wide enough to start with (slightly narrow soundstage is about the only negative thing with the Quads).
However, I do find the overall sound of D1SE quite a bit more enjoyable. There's something esp. with Rich2 sound color mode on D1SE that really makes the Quads sing in a most pleasing way. How that combo renders e.g. female vocals, distorted electric guitar etc is quite something indeed.
Having said that, there's loads of similarities with Mojo2 and D1SE as well - both have certain effortlessness to the sound that's missing from many technically apt DACs. And separation between instruments is excellent even in busy passages with both.
So thoroughly enjoy Mojo2 for on-the-go and desktop listening, but would never switch from D1SE on the main listening station.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Great review, th4e device that rocked my world was the RME ADI-2-FS DAC and Headphone amp, the quality of the headphone output and super clean sound signature changed my equipment performance expectation levels.
Thank you 👍
Although I have heard many reviews praising the improvements of the Mojo2 over
the original- I am the sort of person that likes to understand why a product has
improved or even just - why a product is good relevant to its design and construction.
Your reviews satisfy this "techy" need I have. I am grateful....quite. Tarun, this was
an excellent review. Rob Watts should thank you or perhaps send your wife flowers.
A few years back.....
I heard the original Mojo as it fed a decent quality room system. I was very impressed.
If Chord made this product but with a much more conventional way of controlling it I'd
be very willing to buy it even with an increase in price. The coloured balls? I guess I'd
get used to them but I'd rather not. I guess Rob Watts wants to keep the size of the Mojo
for the travelling headphone/IEM gang but this new Mojo, given reviews that support
its use in a larger room setting, could use a slightly bigger sister with more conventional
controls that (perhaps) sits between the Mojo and the Qutest. To tap or not to tap (further)
would not be an issue. The sound quality of the new Mojo embedded into such a unit would
be more than suffice and I think Chord would sell a ton of them. I'd own one real fast allow
my 2 Schiit DACs a much needed vacation. There, I've said it!!! and again, thank you Tarun.
Thank you Charles. Your comment and support is always greatly appreciated 👍😊👍
The schiit modi 3+ was my first dac and for the price It does a phenomenal job. Great video!
Thank you 😊
In the DAC world, I remember the Audiolab M-DAC was the gamechanging device just over a decade ago. It had USB up to 24/96, but to me, it always sounded way better on the coax input which supported 24/192. Musical Fidelity made a very nice little converter that you could connect to your USB host port and it would give you 24/192 on coax or XLR.
The M-DAC was a significant product in the legacy of digital audio. Thank you for sharing 😊
The M-DAC still sits at the center of my Hifi! Sounds great!
What DAC did you graduate to after the MDAC?
@@mig8686 I had an M-DAC+ for a while, then an AURALiC Altair G1. For MQA and headphone listening I have an iFi Pro iDSD with the Elite p/s.
Another great review. I recently sold my original Mojo for the Mojo 2 and for me the improvements are quite marked. Not just in sound quality but the DSP tone and crossfeed options are there if you need them. Also the battery management is a huge improvement over the original, where users discovered it was not uncommon to destroy the battery within 18 months. The original would also randomly switch off and not because of thermal overload. All in all the Mojo 2 fully deserves the "Outstanding" award from Tarun.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Bart. Much appreciated 😊👍
I also have the original Mojo and use it with the Poly. I'm really pleased that Chord have retained the same form factor as the original so I'm also keen to audition and possibly upgrade to the Mojo2. I'm quite lucky as one of my friends runs a high end audio shop and has this in stock! :)
Outstanding as always and thank you for confirming the Mojo 2 should be my next DAC. To answer your QOTD: Mine would be another portable DAC, the ifi nano iDSD Black Label. It was my first "real/external" DAC and it blew my mind as to just what a good DAC could do. Keep up the great work.
Thank you DM. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great review- my digital landmark product was the Benchmark DAC1 HDR. Being able to connect directly to my amp using its pre gave my system a new level of transparency.
Thank you 😊
Wow, L👀ks like Rob Watts has improved the Mojo a significant amount. Appreciate that you picked out flaws with this 'landmark' product (auto input select, LCD screen) pointing out there's always room for improvement. Many thanks for your pragmatic and tempered assessment of the Mojo 2. Your review has me thinking the updated Chord block-0-aluminium would be a nice addition, though I've no 'need' at the moment. In a similar vein, I've two DACs origionally chosen for portability, the Meridian Explorer 2 and a vintage HeadRoom Micro. Both have found their way into desktop headphone systems - at home, the Meridian's fixed output feeds a 6DJ8 preamp driving a hand built transformer coupled headphone interface with analog crossfeed via a RF Choke tied between the L & R channels, and at work, the HeadRoom DAC feeds a pair of Intact Audio AVCs (Autotransformer Volume Controls) with the same analog crossfeed method employed. I must admit that budget DACs are closing the sound quality gap on far more expensive analog setups (ie: Roksan Attessa TT w/ outboard Nina tonearm, Ortofon MC20, and Origin Live Discovery 1 phono preamp). But these portable DACs offer something unimaginable not long ago, true high end sound 'Off Grid'. Who knew this would ever be a reality :)
Thank you for sharing your experiences Bradley 😊
The most recent digital revelation for me came with the Octave Records DSD gold foil master recordings on my sacd player. Decays, vibrancy, stage, ect.. near to perfect as is possible. Not cheap but what an eye opener.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 👍
Yeah, thank you. I will have to look at that
What an excellent review - thank you so much. I am waiting for DPD to deliver my Mojo 2 in about 3 hours time! Very excited and glad to hear it improves on the original Mojo which I have been using as a desktop DAC (and had to eventually remove a very dead and swollen battery due to overcharging, so glad they have addressed that).
Thank you Emmanuel. Much appreciated 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks very much. I wasn't disappointed by the new Mojo 2 - amazing device and even on my £500 active monitors it outperforms the previous Mojo noticeably. 👌
@@captainhadd0ck Hi. Mine is picking up mobile phone signal noise so I cannot listen to it on the go. Does your unit doing it too?
@@pistopit7142 No, I don't have that issue.
To answer the question, though (late, I know) it has to be the DAC / Pre-Amp I have from April ... up until that time I had only had the DACs inside CD players or AVR receivers, and it was life changing for me.
I want to say the model number was the DA100, but that's probably way off! I even have an uninstalled phono board still sitting on my shelf that I managed to source before the equipment was superceded.
In terms of even knowing this kind of thing was an option, well ... actually that came *afterwards* ... I know. Basically, I didn't fully register the importance until I got my lowly (and still in use) cyrus portable unit. That *also* (reference my other comment) has only micro-b, but tbf USB-C wasn't a thing then. I'd love to pick up a second hand one, or one with a broken USB for a project that I have, but that's a whole 'nother thing!
Thank you for sharing your experiences 🙂
Thank you again for a very insightful review. i will be buying mine very soon for desktop use into Naim Uniti1 B&W 603 S2sig fed from Pi/Allo digione sig coax signal.streaming FLAC from NAS or Radio Paradise. I am currently feeding into the coax input on the Naim, but am hoping for greater clarity and detail. I look forward to your future reviews.
Thx 👍
Excellent review.
I owned an original Mojo that I loved but sadly stopped working last year.
When it came to a replacement under warranty, the original Mojo had been discontinued and therefore went for the Cambridge Audio Dac Magic 200M.
Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with it, but must admit that I was a bit put out when I found out the Mojo 2 was released only a couple of months later! Never mind 😀
Best wishes.
Thank you. You should check out the Denafrips Ares II when you are ready to upgrade 😊
Thanks.Great video as usual. 👍 the original chord dac 64 blew me away back in the day. A great upgrade fron the dac in the Cyprus cd7q I was using. I haven't owned a chord dac since I sold it . But as I'm currently using Kef ks50 wireless ( wife made me downsize system components 🙄) I'm planning a new system as we now have space. 🥳
Thank you Rick 😊
Excellent review tarun I can't understand why chord used colour for the operation of the mojo,anybody who is colour blind is screwed. I agree with you, a small oled display would have been better. I've never had a chord item before. The complicated operation of the device puts me off trying this item unfortunately.
It's meant to discourage plebians like us...which is just as well I mean if paid this much I'd want it to have a nice app to do all these adjustments in addition to these colourful balls for show. I mean if qudelix can do it I don't see why Chord can't🤷🏻♂️. This is for audio-files so it's ok they are used to getting a raw deal anyway😈🤭
Thank you Paul. I agree a small display would be a lot simpler but is not Chord’s thing 😊
Thank you for watching and sharing Simon. I believe your H390 has a better DAC than what is in the H190. That is according to Bill Leigh who imports Hegel in the U.K. 😊
Nice video, Tarun. It occurred to me that you altered your approach to your voice recording (or its mastering in the edit) and this is better - more intelligibility and less listening fatigue.
The micro-USB charging input and USB charger that, as you say, you can leave connected to the device, seem to imply that the device could also run off a USB power bank (would that improve the noise floor?).
EQ in the digital domain is a form of loss as you say, but try to do it in the analog domain. And I guess that also applies to volume control in the digital domain. The only analog EQ device I ever heard and felt to be "perfect" was Cello's "Audio Palette" (Cello was one of the brands by mister Mark Levinson after he lost control of the "Mark Levinson" brand and company. The price of the Palette could by you a very nice midrange car.) So if this DSP approach does a great job at maintaining phase correct wave shape recreations, then wow. My main concern with anything called "headphone amplifier" is if it offers cross-feed and, if so, how (well) it does that. To have a form of EQ type control over this cross-feeding would be important to me.
As to wanting to avoid large EQ swings, we have to go to some radio channels that compress music dynamically and lift the low end - all by a lot. Typically, I avoid such stations like the proverbial plague, but if it is your thing ... This compression/EQ manipulation may only be done to the audio sent to the FM transmitter, but if it is in the digital stream as well, then you may want that big EQ impact. And, some record productions do a similar thing as the assumption in the mastering is that the "music" (not to my ears ;) ) is expected to be played back through (trans)portable playback devices (sometimes called "ghetto blaster").
Thank you JP. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
Hi Tarun. Great review. The digital product that made the biggest difference to my setup has to be the M Scaler which took my Quest to a whole new level 🙂
Thank you for watching and sharing Mark 😊👍
Hi Tarun, great video! I bought a Lehmann Black Cube Linear headphone amp many years ago which sticks out to me of all the audio products I have listened to all those instruments that sounded neglected using say an iPhone came to life with the Lehmann and i purchased a Meridian M80 years ago which I still have, it’s tiny with a 80w amp but in the right room it’s one of those goosebump moments.
That is great 👍
Have not seen you before - was looking for review of hipdac2 but came across this review of mogo2 - great review
Thank you 😊
The SMSL/VMV D1SE and Cayin Ru6 were the first time I heard the "musicality" that people talk about. Especially the Tube 3 setting on that D1SE.
Cool 😎
You are such a good reviewer. Thank you for helping me to decide to buy a Mojo and a Poly.
Thank you Patrick. Very kind of you. Please let me know how you get on 😊
Your review is perfect. It's really cool.
I got a lot of help in choosing Mojo 2.
This serves as a cost-effective DAC for me.
Thank you kindly. That is great 😊👍
Hi Tarun, thanks for another great review, l like your sicinct informative approach. I'm really considering getting this Dac as a stop gap before I move house for desktop headphone duties. As Razisn commented the DSP tone control looks to be strong option. My first decent CD player, the Rotel RCD 965bx (so good I can remember it's product no to this day!) Was eye opening to me at the time. I loved its natural and detailed sound, at least compared to what I was used to. What's more I passed it on to a friend when I upgraded, and it's still going strong nearly 25 years on! Keep up the good work👍
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Thanks Tarun for your comprehensive explanation and review of the Chord DAC. My ‘landmark’ product in my journey was the Sony Discman as my first CD player. It could be used on the move as well as part of my Hi-Fi, with very good sound. Bit like the Mojo 2, decades ago:-)
Thank you Wouter. I remember the Discman 😊👍
The discmen were great unless you tried to use them for exercise. Even the ones with a buffer skipped continuously.
@@jimfarrell4635 True - was alright in a shoulder bag when cycling:-)
My landmarks were ProAc Response 1SC, ProAc Response 5, ProAc Tablette Ref 8, Quad 57s, Audio Note UK M2 preamp, LFD phono stage, Linn LP12 Radikal, Chord Qutest, AudioQuest Diamond digital and AudioQuest Thunderbird cables.
Thank you 😊
It's good to see you finally got a Mojo 2 to review.
I had to wait in line 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 as a subscriber it was definitely worth the wait.
Thank you Tarun, most excellent job as usual, love the way you cover the technical aspects of the gear. Over here, on the other side of the pond, we have this little DAC, it's called the Schitt Modi 3, and I'm willing to bet ya that it's just as good as the Chord, at least the Chord you reviewed. And the price? One hundred thirty US, probably about 100 of your 'pounds'. The British make some wonderful gear, but we have some pretty good stuff, too. Best wishes and keep up the good work!
Thank you Steven. I hope to review some Schiit gear 😊
@@P1_M1ND Sir, I congratulate you on your most excellent hearing, worthy of a fine hound or a bat.
@@P1_M1ND Thanks, but I will stick to AudioScienceReview (and Tarun). Happy Listening!
@@stevenholt5484 Fagola
had the modi 3 and mojo -- its not on the same level at all. i love Schiit though and their multibit line are great - the modi multibit (for not much more) - which I also had - would be the one that is competitive with the mojo.
Just 1 observation on battery powered dacs in home setups - I used a chord hugo for a couple years permanently connected to a mains supply, being constantly on charge eventually killed the battery, which in turn caused the dac to start playing up.
I replaced it with the chord qutest which is designed for home use and doesn't have batteries!
Thank you for sharing 😊
As always so satisfying to watch you review nice equipment. You ask for landmark sound systems. Well, one of my friends once had an Audio Innovation 500 integrated tube amplifier, Snell JII (original Peter Snell type), Systemdek EII, Helios Aurum Tonearm, Goldring Excel II. I could not afford to spend that kind of money on hifi at the time - even though it is not an absurdly expensive system. This system in his room had a magic sound that I have been chasing for years to follow. Even when I many years after acquired the exact same system the decay of speakers, stylus and tubes - even when replaced - had broke the magic. So so sad - but again - maybe my memory is playing games with me 🙂
Thank you for sharing. Room and setup will have a great baring on the sound 😊
Hi Tarun, this a very inspiring review. Digital audio (besides a CD player) is still something that I have to get around to. Partly because I am still waiting for something that I can get exiting about when I learn about it. Your review of the MOJO 2 is the first DAC review I have seen that is getting in that direction. In any case, I know I would go for a stand alone DAC, that is the only thing I have settled on.
Thank you Hugo. Much appreciated 😊👍
Would like to try a Chord. Little pricey and uncommon here in the US. Thank you for the review.
Thank you for watching 😊
Hi Tarun and thanks for sharing this video. I love Chord products, especially their DAC's. I've heard all their DAC's at my friends HiFi store including the DAVE. I own a Chord 2Qute at the minute, but one day when funds permit I will own a TT2 DAC as I felt it offered the best sound performance out of them all for what it costs and that's including the DAVE. To me it offered three quarters the sound for half the money of the DAVE and that suits my system better as well as my pocket. Enjoyed watching this video as always 😁😁😁
Thank you Steve. Always great to hear from you 😊👍
Audio gear Landmarks: Mojo1, MF A1 (old and new), Maggies.
Cool 😎
Solid review as always Tarun.
The original Mojo was a revelation for me in terms of 'rightness' of digital sound, and all coming from this odd, inexpensive little box. I tried using it as a pre/dac (in to power amp) but found the light-ball volume adjustment too much of a pain and not at all family-friendly. Real shame they couldn't have just put a volume knob on this 2nd gen, especially with its emphasis for hifi use.
I got a 2Qute then Qutest. Really interested how this would compare to either of those now they've removed some of that Mojo 1 warmth. I never minded that tbh and though it might suit some systems better than these other models.
Cheers.
Thank you for sharing Rob😊
Hi Tarun. Very revealing review thanks. Granted, it's more expensive than the Mojo 2 but In terms of superior functionality the one for me has to be the RME ADi-2 Dac (even though it's a chip based D/A converter). I have a substantial CD collection (about 4000) the best of which I've ripped to hard drive and played to my hi-fi from a laptop - so that ease of use coupled with the comprehensive onboard DSP/room correction and the LCD screen in the RME make it a preference for me. But then, I haven't done an A/B test of the Mojo and the RME so I could be talking twaddle! Great work. Keep it up.
Thank you for watching and sharing Rafe 👍
Hi Tarun, I didn’t relisten, but I don’t think you mentioned anything about it’s use with the Chord M-Scaler. That is a new feature for the Mojo (2). I happen to have an M-Scaler and will see how that works shortly as I recently got my Mojo2. But I have been busy at AXPONA this weekend in the Chicago area. But I think that partnership with the M-Scaler could be sonically impactful. However, it does negate the value proposition of the Mojo2 alone.
Thank you. I didn’t have the M-Scaler here. I don’t think many people will be using the M-Scaler with the Mojo due to the price delta 😊
I’m not a headphone user, but I found this review very interesting.The amount squeezed into a small box is fantastic. As I have stated before I prefer plug and play and the controls seem complicated.
Any news of the Harbeth speakers yet?
Please keep up the good work.
Thank you Richard. I shall contact Lan when the schedule clears 😊
"controls seem complicated."
It's really not. It may seem daunting at first, but I learned them all using it in about 30 minutes.
My top recommendation for a desktop dac to anyone just starting out, has been the Motu M2 dac/interface. It retails for about 170 pounds in the UK, has a very clean headphone out (look up Julien Krauss' dac comparison video, he deep dives into all the available entry level dac/interfaces).
My top recommendation for a portable headphone dac is the ridiculously versatile Qudelix 5k, with it's fantastic app and exhaustive list of EQ correction curves for various iems.
I would love to see a comparison between these products and the Mojo2.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
Thank you for this excellent review about the mojo 2.
NB: i love your style .. please don’t change! be yourself elegant precise fair honest ! This British accent gives it some how apart gives some lead 😊 which makes me think : if his analysis matches the high level and articulation of his language then you may peacefully rely on his expertise!
Thank you Thomas. That is very kind 👍😊👍
Great review. DSP based design allows easy EQ. I wonder why they didn't include it before. It is an important feature for users of headphone or iem devices. The ADI-2 DAC covers this, (also Android devices using Wavelet) but the Mojo's pocket size form factor makes it a truly noteworthy device. DSP based design potentially can/should be able to import Oratory1990, Harman, Crinacle or other profiles. Maybe one of these years?
Thank you for sharing 😊
Hi Tarun, I’ve been contemplating a DAC change in my main system for a while, however, until I can afford the Pontus II, I don’t see it replacing the internal DAC on my heavily modified Musical Fidelity CD player. I use a combination of a FiiO Taishan DAC for optical conversion from the TV and the ifi ZEN Blue for connection for guests who want to choose their own background music. I don’t consider either as being worthy of the system, even though both are powered by a linear power supply.
Meanwhile, I installed a ZEN DAC Signature in my second system, to use with its partnering headphone amp, fed by a ZEN Stream. I was so impressed by the performance of the set up, it made me wonder, if I installed the new ZEN One DAC in my main system, could it be an upgrade for the MF internal DAC, as well as lifting my video experience from the TV. It uses the same “Signature” upgrades over regular ifi products as my existing DAC, but with added inputs. At the asking price, this DAC is a competitor for the Chord, particularly when paired with a linear power supply and decent mains cable.
Then, a fellow reviewer on this platform stumbled upon a(nother!) new product from SMSL, the M500 MkII, which comes with a linear power supply built in, for £440 on Amazon. It’s replaced the Ares II as his reference DAC. Clearly, this leaves me in a quandry of what to do next. How about a follow up to this video with a three-way shootout between the Quord Mojo II, ZEN One and SMSL M500 MkII? In your own time, of course. 🤣.
Thank you Mark. I appreciate you sharing and the suggestion 😊
Hi Tarun. In answer to your question at the end I have recently added the ifi Zen Stream to my system and was amazed at the improvement. Before this some years ago the addition of two Rel subwoofers brought another significant improvement. My question to you is how do I explain to my non hi fi wife that I need to upgrade from the original Mojo……😊
Thank you Martin. I would suggest begging is a good strategy 😂👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 😂 Too funny! But I think you could be correct 😊
Great review as always Tarun. I had a Mojo as well and liked it, but ended up liking Schiit’s DACs a bit more. I can’t recall, have you had/heard the Qutest in your system? Would be very interested in your impressions of that one for sure.
Thank you Rick. I had a quick play with the Qutest in my system. I think at the time I was still using my Toshiba Notebook as a streamer so would love to get another go at it 👍
Biggest jump I've ever heard from a DAC was back in around 2010 when my girlfriend upgraded her iPod to the new Classic. I was expecting the main boost in quality to be from the new lossless playback capability, but when I listened to a modest bitrate mp3 I realised, "Hey this is incredible, what's going on here?" - I suppose it could also have been improvements to the headphone amplification. That experience made me more conscious of the many stages audio goes through in playback, and led me into these standalone components and their sadly/fortunately diminishing returns.
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
I do not have mains problems so I have not had drop outs. Yes, there maight be DACs which are more refined or you get higher clarity but, to use a term that is too often abused, the Bigger Bit generally sounds more musical. My main system which includes a server/streamer, record player and CD player uses the DAC in the MusicBook20 based around a AKM4490chip. Having listened to a large number of DACs I have in general found that DACs based around AKM DAC chips do sound just that little bit more musical to my ears.
Thank you for sharing Daniel 😊
Dare I say it Tarun another outstanding review. Very comprehensive and I tend to agree with what you said. There is certainly a sonic Improvement between the original and the version 2. I for one wish they had put some kind of screen on the revised version, as those buttons just did my head in.
In Regard to your question about notable digital products l have owned or heard. I've been impressed with my long-standing luxman da 06 Dac, and only recently have I introduced the Holo audio May kte into my rig with great success and wonderment.
A stunning product that personally I feel is as good or not better than just about anything else under around 30 grand. Probably about half that for your money of course.
Anyway as usual a great video and im already looking forward to the next one.🎧👍😁
Thank you Shane. I was very impressed with the Spring 3. I can imagine that the May KTE must be pretty much what I would consider reference quality 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 yes Tarun I would agree. I listened to a lot of Dac's before I eventually upgraded, and it is stunning how good it was. Signal separation and soundstage is just phenomenal.
The first really significant digital product that I could afford was the MSB Link DAC. Although MSB has gone on to make uber-expensive converters and amps, this was the thing that put them on the map. Basically a jitter-solution device attached to a commercial DAC chip. The original Benchmark DAC-1 was also pretty significant. I still own one. As for modern DACs, I've heard and admired products from Meridian, Chord, Holo Audio, Denafrips and dCS. However, I've mostly heard them at shows in unfamiliar headphone setups. It's been hard to distinguish whether the differences are generated by the 'phones or the DACs. Most of the hi-rez I listen to are streams from Qobuz 24/96 or 24/192. They sound great on the Benchmark (as do Redbook files and CDs). Not really jonesing to trade up.
Still using the MSB Link III with upgrade. Tried connecting an old Audio Alchemy DTI and it degraded the sound. I do think it’s time to try something newer!
Thank you for sharing Michael 😊
Great review ...Totally agree with the small LCD screen. I guess you dont change settings on daily base so its hard to get used to the settings if you don't have an LCD screen. Also does it remember the last settings when turned on?
Thank you 😊
Great review 👏🏿 👌🏿 👍🏿you've probably just cost me 1200.00 though 😉. However, answering your question, although it may fall into a different category, the groundbreaking piece of audio gear for me would have to be the Oppo BDP 105D. It did everything(streamed, CD's and SACD's, and Network player) still sounds amazing; to the best of my knowledge, it was my introduction to ESS dac chips; it was my first audiophile preamp, and while it may not get the credit, I believe that component really laid the foundation for some of these better integrated/all-in-one audio systems on the market today. With out caveat a true BENCHMARK piece of gear.
Thank you Issac. That was a benchmark player 😊👍
A beautifully crafted review.
Thank you HB. Much appreciated 😊👍
This dac is shockingly good -- it's a blast to listen to.
Cool 😎
No kidding. It's revelatory. It's astoundingly good.
Love your reviews Terren.
I'm contemplating upgrading my dac soon been looking at the Audiobyte Vox , Zap lps with hub addition later and Sonnet Morpheus MK2 with the Sonnet Hermes I2s streamer .
Thank you Karim 👍
I enjoy your reviews, balanced as always.
I got the qudelix 5k, for around 140 euro a bit cheaper. I wonder how you would rate that?
All the best
Thank you 👍
How many audiophiles does it take to properly explain the Mojo 2 to me from all relevant aspects? One, as long as they're a British one, apparently.
That is very kind and much appreciated 😊👍
I wonder whether by adding a display screen on the Chord Mojo2 if it would introduce unwanted noise into the system from the display driver? Sometimes, simpler is better
Best review of the Mojo or Mojo2 that I have watched. Good job well done 👍
Good point. It can do. I appreciate your kind words of support 😊👍
another great, thoughtful review.
Thank you Michael. Much appreciated 😊👍
Excellent as always!
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great review as always. Re the SMSL D1SE, have you used the 'Sound Color' options? I find that the soundstage width increases dramatically when using Rich or Tube options. But doesn't change much for soundstage depth.
Thank you. I did have a play but preferred the fidelity in stock form 😊
Very interesting and easy going review as usual. Just being curious I need to ask this question. What would have to happen for you to review Schiit Modi Multibit DAC the upgraded version? 😁🙃 That would be very interesting to see your opinion as a pro 😉
Thank you. I hope to review some Schiit stuff soon 😊
Thanks for the excellent review, but I dunno. The one thing that ruled out the Mojo for me was the lack of a remote control, and besides, I don't ever use headphones. It's so eccentric with the control system!
When looking for an external DAC, I eventually settled on an Earmen Tradutto (£699 at the time), which Srboljub at IIWI reviews compared with the Ares II and found to be slightly superior in many respects (though he held on to his Ares II despite that).
But the Ares II doesn't have a remote either, and that clinched it for me. Only Srboljub seems to have reviewed the Tradutto, which is a pity, since it has brought me immense pleasure and I find it very detailed and rich in tonality with wonderful sound stage depth and breadth. Goes a treat with my Dali Menuets, which continue to enchant and amaze me.
The Tradutto has no adjustments/EQ/filters (but you do get a Pentaconn balanced output in addition to RCA). The sound you get is the sound you get -- but it's very satisfying. I can't imagine anything sounding better for the money I paid. Maybe one day you'll give it a listen. I'd value your take on it if you could ever get your hands on one.
He just replaced the Ares II with an SMSL M500 mk2.
Thank you for watching and sharing John 😊👍
@@doifeellucky Yeah, I know. I may get the M500 ii for my second system in the study.
For me, it didn't work out. I'm a long time Mojo 1 owner, using it as a desktop DAC into tube amp and HD800. Mojo2 has all the qualities reviewers have pointed out, like better instrument separation, smoother presentation and the Crosstalk and DSP functions work really well. Crosstalk for headphones is great. But the tuning (maybe it's the 3kHz to 20kHz range?) seems to draw down exciting passages too much and I could only partly correct it with the DSP. It doesn't make me stand on my chair when Beth Hart kicks it in I'd Rather Go Blind, the Hollywood Bowl version with Jeff Beck, like Mojo 1 does.
Reminds me of when my cousin upgraded his 2004 Cayenne Turbo and the new model had electrically assisted steering. The specs were better, but the smiles were gone.
That said, if you're rocking a $500 or $50k system and you're happy, then good on you. I'm not trying to knock anyone else's experiences in this subjective space of home audio - just sharing my own.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Great review! Linn magick DS what an amazing streamer and Dac.
Thank you buddy 😊👍
Just got the chord mojo 3, breathing out the fiio q25, hiby fc6, Cayin ru6 & 7 and several others for my needs.
The chord mojo 2 has had the biggest impact across my IEMs and headphones of any single purchase. And love the colour spheres though a disco mode would be great!
Cool 😎
The Chord stuff is very interesting - but as somone who is colourblind, the coloured balls menu is just super complicated and unintuitive for me. I demoed a Qutest and vs my Schiit Modi Multibit 2, it was very close...the Schiit held it's own despite the price difference on the CD side but USB wise Chord was better.
If they had an OSD accesible by an app the Chord might just take my money. As it as, i think i want to explore R2R dacs new and old - i only play CD quality rips or Amazon's "hi-res" so i don't need all the fancy format support.
Hi Tarun, All Your videos are well done, as usual, this one is a great review. I want to add DAC to my AriesMini, do I need to consider Chord Mojo 2 or used Chord 2qute. I never listened to chord DAC this will be my first buy. My purpose is to use it in Home Hifi and the amps are Rega brio and streaming service Tidal Hifi.
Thank you Gilfred. I haven’t compared the Mojo 2 to the 2Qute. I suspect the Mojo 2 may sound better but is a pain to live with in a desktop if you are using more than one digital input 😊
My first DAC - chosen from all those available at my hifi dealer - was the DPA Bigger Bit. It is still in use in my second system and I prefer it to many other more modern DACs I have tried. Despite your remarks about ease of use, I, at my age, would find the buttons and colours on the Chord Mojo a frustrating experience. Regards.
Thank you Daniel. The UI isn’t everyone’s cup of tea 😊
The Bigger bit was my first DAC, dad's first and it was preferable to many a DAC until he got a musical fidelity trivista and I got it. It immediately made a huge improvement to the sound of my Philips CD160 16 bit I had at the time. Much more detail and space to the sound. It took an age to find something that beat it, it was possible to get higher clarity and more refinement but the DPA was tuneful and toe tapping and those were not. I was desperate to upgrade it though because it was a pain. Incredibly sensitive to mains spikes it would drop and reconnect the connection whenever a light was switched on or the fridge kicked in. An external DPA PSU helped it a bit but will still sensitive. Some days no issues but others Impossible to record a mix tape using it. In the end though it got replaced with a USB DAC HRT music streamer as I stopped using CDs. Then a dragonfly red which was a bit improvement. That's been replaced with an Ifi zen DAC V2 which has burr brown chip. That improved the bass and vocals in particular.
Superb review. My only issue with the Mojo 2 is that you can’t leave it on permanently like desktop DACs. With the new power management system whereby the battery disconnect’s from the charging circuit when it reaches 100% I don’t see with this isn’t an option a la Hugo 2.
@@razisn because it turns off after 10 minutes of no input signal
@@razisn apparently that’s the case with usb, but not with optical. And I use optical 🥲
Thank you John 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hello again Tarun. Have you managed to compare the sound of the Mojo 2 to the original Hugo yet?
@@1jhnpennington not the Hugo but if I get it off my cousin to borrow I will 😊
Make a sound measurement of the room with a microphone and then use the REW software to get the characteristics of the room. Chord Mojo 2 as stationary DAC, adjust the DSP according to the sound measurement. This could work.
Thank you. Positional EQ by ear works too 😊
Great review Tarun, I am considering purchasing a Mojo 2 as I travel a lot. I have a pair of BOSE in-ear noise cancelling headphones, but I've tried plugging them into my Audiolab M-DAC + and the noise cancelling did not like it at all!!? I would probably seek out a new pair of decent in-ear headphones (space saving when travelling), does anyone have any hot recommendations??
As for game changing digital audio devices. First would be my Sonos system, which I've had almost since it hit the UK. But in my main listening room, I switched out the Sonos box for an ifi Zen Stream into an Audiolab M-DAC+, the difference is immediately obvious. I've upgraded the power supplies on both those items which again improved performance. Not digital, but I run it through a Sugden A21SE amp, beautiful. I have borrowed a Chord Qutest and had friends come do a back to back comparison with the M-DAC+, it is night and day - I've promised myself a Qutest.
That is great John. Thank you for sharing 😊
I never really understood the hype around the Original Mojo...thought it sounded veiled somehow (maybe just too warm for my taste). But interesting if this new version sounds clearer...personally hoping for a sound nearer the original Hugo which I really liked.
It is closer to the Hugo, if memory serves 😊
One correction regarding the taps. They are not related to how many times the algorithm runs but to how may samples are used from the past and the future to interpolate the new sample. Also the number of taps is related to how much the original sampling frequency is up sampled. So, more taps could mean a longer time window or upsample to a higher sampling frequency. Depends on the implementation on how these extra taps were used.
Wow, never heard that before, that's fascinating.
Wow....with all the variables accessed thru 4 buttons, you need a booklet of the same size!
I have issues remembering how to switch between functions on the Ares2. I had to make a cheat card. Not too big a deal for the Denafrips but Chord takes it to another level
🎶🙄🎶
It does take some getting used to 😊
Great review. Does it have a fixed output mode for use as a standalone DAC in a hifi system? Or did you just max out the volume control on it manually?
Thank you. The mark 1 did but I don’t think the Mojo 2 has a fixed line level output. Just set to taste 😊
Another excellent review, saving $$$ for better a DAC
Thank you Paul 😊👍
Been waiting for this one, thanks!
I am very much tempted to buy the mojo 2 as an upgrade to the audiolab 6000a. Keep the 6000a dac in use for TV viewing and the chord for music through that hifi and a portable / home headphone listening solution.
The left / right blend for headphone listening is something I am really interested in. Although the inherent risk being that I suddenly feel an urge to update the rest of my system!
Question is, would the upgrade be worth while over the amp dac, with the added bonus of the headphone settings?
That is a difficult question to answer as it is a personal choice but you should notice an improvement 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks! I feel I've rationalised the purchase. I was toying with the idea of the ares 2 but this dac seems the more practical and cost appropriate upgrade, especially with the headphone amp functionality
That review was like a fine wine...
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Well, a lcd display would be nice, it’s especially difficult for new user like myself. I am having a hard time figuring out how to use mojo2.
I agree 😊