No matter if on the go with headphones, or a part my desktop setup at home, music listening is so sublime now. I adore mine. Purchased it for $680 back in February in the states.
Im just blown away by this , your description of leaning in when playing music is so true , i cant believe how good this is for the price im now a chord fan , trust me i went through so many dacs and i could never find my sound until now , added ot to my lcx amp and omg , truly amazing .
I wonder if anybody else has compared Mojo (1) with Mojo 2. This would be very intriguing for me. Mojo has become my beloved object, for many years now, for listening to music with my different earphones, especially during my travels. When I learned that Mojo2 arrived, I was excited to hear, how it could be even better. However, eventually, I decided to keep the original Mojo. The comparisons were made after I gave Mojo 2 at least 250 hours of run-in time. Mojo2 has somewhat more detail than Mojo(1) and a tighter bass. However, I was disturbed from the first sessions on that I could not do long hours of listening. I sensed some fatigue after a while. Moreover, the music did not give the same kind of satisfaction I got from Mojo(1). Later on, I realized, this was the result of a certain overemphasis of the leading edges of notes. When you're listening to the piano, the strokes are not expressions of strength and excitement, but more like hammering on your head! This never happens when you're listening to a live piano performance. When the emphasis is not on the FLOW of the music, but on single notes, the inner dynamic and the "drama" of the music vanishes. Emotionally, I was not being moved so deeply, like I was with the same music on Mojo (1).
Sadly I am red green colour blind and memorising all these colour adjustments is rally difficult. I bought one …. But couldn’t use those, over complicated colour button combinations. Got to agree, even in default it sounds brilliant. Thanks for you amazing reviews that help all of us decide what products to buy. 😀
I replaced my Qutest with a HugoTT2 and (later) MScaler. I eventually sold my Qutest and acquired a Mojo2 with Poly for powering headphones while out and about (office, travel, etc.). What a great product, I LOVE the sound of the Mojo2 and am very pleased with the drive of the headphone amp.
Thanks for this John. Great video. I've recently started listening to your podcast as well. I find the episodes featuring speaker designers to be extremely enlightening. Top notch work across the board.
I have Mojo 2 and it has significantly improved the sound of my IEMs. But my god, when I connected it to my old Klipsch R41-PM bookshelf speakers it basically transformed them into something much much better.
Got the mojo2 and poly and it’s a brilliant combo for home systems and on the go. I am continually delighted by the performance and the way Rob Watts has voiced it. Completely agree about perseverance with the buttons, but it’s more than worth it. Thanks for your excellent reviews of all products.
One thing I think nobody really talks about with the Mojo line is the build quality. On RUclips and Instagram, to me personally, they look cheaply made. But in person, they are highly engineered aircraft aluminum with a wonderful look and feel.
I almost never read internet comments and now I remember why. How are so many of us entitled, spoiled, mannerless brats?! I really appreciate your work, John. Thank you for this award video. I look forward to hearing a Chord DAC sometime soon.
I live in U.S. and I did not buy Mojo 2 because its retail price is about 40% over U.K. It takes less than $10 for the international shipping and custom included. To me, it made no sense what-so-ever to pay such a premium.
If a DAC can be called a jack of all trades this is the one. Will it challenge a Holo in a desktop hi-fi system….no but it won’t embarrass itself either. It is one of the best portable DACs and can fill in for desktop use when required and still do a decent job. I’m totally blown away by its sound. Yes it’s not top tier but it’s really good.
I agree! Its the single most versatile (competent) audio device of "all time". What you may have missed, is that the amp inside has enough current delivery to power high efficiency speakers directly (even on battery). Add a poly and you have a portable, highly-resolving superintegrated/streaming amp for hours of off the grid listning. Perfect for enjoying your diy high-eff horns at the cabin :D
Nice Video again.. i use a Topping NX2 and a Gamer Headphone that i mixed accidentally and it came out as the best listening option i have access to and after a while i start using/adding the BOOM 3D App on Iphone and Macbook and that is my perfect listening setup all the last (5) years.. every time i have the chance to check out all the High price and rated stuff i go back to my own system with a big smile in my face.. so i think everybody has a favorite Bundle of equipment that works for em .. thanks for spending your time to show us a lot of nice stuff and stay well to show us more of them in the next years..
The Qudelix 5K does all this, for a fraction of the price. Plus it has a fantastic app that has a lovely granular parametric EQ built-in. Can't speak to the sound comparison to the Chord Mojo. but my desktop DAC is an RME Adi2Pro, and the Qudelix is no slouch in comparison.
I think some of the best buy DACs of 2022: Topping E50, Topping D30 Pro, SMSL DO200, SMSL M500 MK2 (or MK3), SMSL SU-9n, iFi Zen Signature V2, iFi Zen Dac V2, Geshelli Labs J2, Khadas Tone 2 and Denafrips Ares 2, Schiit Modi+ Schiit Modius 2 and Schiit Modi Multibit 2. Maybe the new Topping E70 Velvet is worth a look too.
Am I missing something? In Canada at least, just the Mojo 2 costs night onto twice as much as the Node, at street prices. $935 cdn for the Chord vs $499 for the Node. Streamer on top of that for the Chord. It's a dramatic price difference.
I realize it's great but $700 for portability I don't need, a battery I don't want and a micro usb power port? Pass. Remove the battery., make it less portable thus lowering price and give it external power and I'll bite.
"Size of a gerbil" haha! Takes my vote for audiophile description of the year ;-). I bought the Mojo 2 recently and am very happy with it. The coloured button interface is quirky, but easy to learn - except I assume for anyone who is colour blind.
Bought one. Simply love it. Got an integrated OTG lightning to USB C cable from aliexpress and it works great. I miss some battery indicator, you have no idea how much power in on the device. Suddenly (after many hours) it just dies. Would like to be able to dim the glowing domes even more. In a dark room they are BRIGHT. Sound quality is great. It can play LOUD and clean. It can really drive headphones.
Great video John (as always :) I have the Mojo2 and I, and many others, have found the best way to achieve portability with less bulk is to pair the Mojo2 with the Chord Poly. Place them both in a case and you're good to go with just one IEM or headphone cable. The phone in one pocket, Mojo2Poly in another, and you're off!
My favourite aspect of the Chord Mojo are the digital input options which gives it a lot of flexibility. The colour scheme of the buttons is a bit “geeky” but if you’re a science / physics nerd it makes sense as it mimics the increasing frequency of each colour in the light spectrum. My only real complaint is the cost of replacing the battery which can be a bit pricey depending on where you source the battery from. However it is possible to remove the battery and power it directly from USB charging port.
Got the first Mojo and it lasted 9 months and Chord totally ignored numerous emails to them, so I ended up getting a dragonfly red, and in all honesty all though not as warm sounding and balanced. It was 85% percent there at a much cheaper price. My advice just avoid Chord they charge the world and deliver little, plus there after purchase customer service is pure garbage.
@@bumbozambumbazebulon6738 As a counterpoint to this, I have owned a MoJo for years, and it's been fantastic. I hope I don't have any problems with their customer service in the future though😱
@@MrGorpm good luck to you. As a non-counterpoint some peeps will say the same you said about Topping, Ayima etc. My anecdotal experience? I'm skeptical re: most dacs, but I'd pick Geshelli labs or Schiit all the time.
I had the Dragonly Red. Then I had the Atom+ dac (which was slightly, but noticeably better than the Dragonfly). And now I have the Mojo2. And I gotta say, the Mojo2 is substancially better than the dacs I've used before. Much more detailed and organic sounding.
I've had the mojo 2 for about 4 weeks now, paired it with the hifiman xs and use it mostly in that combo. I use it in the evenings when due to family complaints the main system unfortunately is not useable - but I get their point and thinking of the great dynamics of classical music, I might complain as well... I cannot say, that I find the mojo LED-ish like, rather condestand light bulb-ish like, very analog, far from artificial for that kind of thing. Yes, it is annoying having to find a micro-usb cable for charging. Yes, there are GMS-sounds popping through every now and then when the devices are back to back. (put the phone into flight-mode) Yes, there are devices with more "features". Yes, there are strangely ánd to brightly lit buttons that have to be used, yes, the manual leaves you a little guessing. But why do I really like it? It's musical! My Martin D-21 special does not have ANY features, but it sounds amazing! I can't understand all this "featureism". The mojo 2 really wants me to listen to music, it is not tireing, it makes me want to explore, let's me dive into music. I don't know why that is. Maybe the chip, maybe certain kind of hardware, maybe a special code - no idea. But in the end I don't care, if it gives me music, that I love so much in a exciting yet very relaxed way. I thank Rob for his work, never mind how he archieved it...
Really like the mojo 2 but have given up on it (and any dongle to be honest) as a portable solution. I have the same Fiio cable and iPhone mini 13 but as good as it sounds, the frequent blasts of white noise (not sure if this is an issue with the Fiio cable?) as well as the bulk has lead me to just be happy/content with my AirPods Pro 2 when I’m out and about. However for hotel and desktop use, I’ve found the Mojo to be great, super AND smashing. Thank eff I’m not colourblind.
6:15 Instead of using velcro, maybe you can go get a sheet of Magsafe sticker, costing less than 10USD, stick it to mojo, effectively making Mojo a MagSafe device
To use the coax, I purchase an inexpensive phono to 3.5mm jack plug which works well. Love the portability of my Mojo (with my Poly) but if anyone from Chord is reading this, please put it in a case with a volume pot so that I can leave it in my system.
Why so many lazy/no effort comments?? If you don’t like something, at least state objective, well argumented facts that prove your point. I think that is an insult to the effort the creator puts in this and every video and it honestly makes me feel bad, only by imagining being in his position to read all that. Please let us all stay constructive and positive, otherwise there is no point having a community 🙏🙏
I think Chord are missing a trick here, they should take just the DAC element of this and create a desktop version. i.e. get rid of the headphone amp and battery, provide a decent power supply and full size input/output. That way they can leverage all the research and development already done and tap into a market that is simply not interested in portability or headphone listening.
@@fredoswego the qutest is based off the Hugo, and it does cost alot less than the Hugo 2. But your right they should do a mojo for desktop which should enable them to cut the cost by a few hundred.
Congratulations! This way, you got to make a video about the Mojo 2 despite not having made a video review about it (when it was released), like you said. 🙂
Hi John. I’m using a THX Onyx (out of my iPhone XS) which I find very high quality and very musical, feeding my Aonic 50 (wired and passive) and my fabulous Advar. Like many, I’d love to upgrade to a better DAC and I’ve been considering the Mojo2 or the xDSD Gryphon. The only thing still gripping me to the Gryphon is MQA which I enjoy a lot out of Tidal and which the Mojo2 does not do, sadly. I also like the screen but that’s a detail. On the other hand, all I read is the Rob Watts device is just a better DAC! Are these “diminishing returns” considering they’re the same price? Any of the two is a budget stretch for me but hey, we’re always aiming for the best. So… my main question is: which should I buy? Which one is REALLY the best one? Thanks a bunch for your reply.
This DAC is above all, VERSATILE. The mobile aspect means it is amazing as a conventional headphone DAC, but I use it mainly as a pre-amp for mobile speakers. I also use it to clean up the sound from my mobile projector. On top of that it’s fantastic with my powered Hifi speakers for home use. The double 3.5mm outputs are really useful too. I also have the Poly streamer for maximum functionality. Just get one.
Especially considering that this little bugger is one third of the price of the qutest and it's completely indistinguishible from it on a high end setup. NO difference. None. Zero. Zip. Nada...
I'd really like to see Chord make a none portable version of this DAC with full sized inputs and outputs and no battery. I don't need the portable functionality so the battery would be a waste and at $600 using adapters to connect to a amp feels a bit kludgy.
I seem to be one of the minority that actually prefers the Mojo 1. The newer model has more linear bass, a deeper soundstage and more detail - along with all the DSP etc - but I felt like the original just had more magic and sense of excitement about the music. For me the Mojo2 was more 'correct' but a bit boring ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As a desktop Dac I didn't think it was any better than the Node. IMO, very much over hyped as a Dac. Portability and the DSP is a different matter though.
It's very nice DAC but I think for the price, they could have done a little effort on the design which looks quite cheap plastic game coming from China... Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your experience which is always very interesting.
Jana says, “This video is sponsored by Audioquest” John says (something like), “The Chord Mojo 2 easily beats USB/dingle DACs like those from Audioquest…” Awks? 🤔🫣
Haha...I caught that too. Here's some irony. I went to the local HiFi shop to test out all 3 Audioquest dongle DACs and the Mojo2. I heard the clear progression as we tested each of the AudioQuest DACs with the cobalt clearly sounding the best. The salesman kept saying I would absolutely love the Mojo2 because it was quite a big step up performance-wise. But, he couldn't get it to work no matter how hard he tried...25 solid minutes! So naturally, simplicity won the day and I bought the cobalt. Touche...Take that Chord...
An FPGA can perfectly do DSP, but neither an FPGA, nor its code can do anything analogue, there must be something else for this, either a dedicated chip, or a resistor network, or another implementation of a DAC. Or this FPGA chip is a system-on-a-chip solution with both integrated in a single chip - call it SoC or ASIC.
I was deciding between this and the iFi XDSD Gryphon - which I’ve ordered but hasn’t arrived yet. I went with the Gryphon for a few reasons - balanced output, no micro usb in 2022, and the controls are intuitive (the main reason). I’ve read through Chord’s literature and I don’t want to have to memorize a code or read instructions every time I want to change a setting. Reviews put them both on par using unbalanced connections (blind audio tests of multiple people).
I have been using the Gryphon for a few months now and it's ease of use is it's strongest asset over other portables. Controls are straightforward and having various information (like remaining battery) always visible on it's front display goes a long way in making it feel nice to use daily. You are unlikely to be disappointed :)
Was extremely interested till John said USB Micro powered. I’ll never by anything with that connector now. Sick of it. Everything should be USB C or lightning for IPhone. Is this only for mobile.
Programmable logic chips allow progressive improvement of the DAC software. That said, "integrated" hard coded chip based DACs are attaining a quality level that gives software programmable devices a run for their money. I love the Mojo from a tecnical point of view, but is it truly competitive?
Instead of a guide with you you could print out a small legend for yourself and attach it to one of the sides of the mojo. Not the best looking but you can always remove it later once you remember what they do without it and you don't have to bring and entire booklet.
@@nikolaygramchev I know, I want the 4.4mm only for convenience (I dont need balanced architecture), now I need to use adapter, because all my iems and HP have 4.4 jack...
What's your favorite DAC / Amp in the 2-3K range? I have the newest upgraded version of the RME ADI 2/4 but it sounds like there are better options for just pure sound quality of the DAC and headphone amp. It was around $2500.00 I use LCD-5, Stellia, clear mg pros, DT1990 and 1770. Soon to add or swap for MM-500, Arya organic, and Empyrean II. What would be your choice to have the cleanest accurate sound. I produce music and a musician so I want to hear all the details of my recordings. I am going to upgrade my portable Apogee Groove to a Mojo 2 to start. Then upgrade a desktop DAC/AMP and the phones I listed. Any Suggestions or thoughts?
Hi John, A lovely video again. As always. But, and a big but, if you use velcro. I should switch the "hooky" part on your phone for the soft part of the velcro and the "hooky" part of the velcro on the Mojo. (I once had a mummy sleeping bag with the same reversed configuration (for an internal pillow in the hood) as your velcro configuration on your phone. So I had to pull my hair out of this sleeping bag every morning, to get myself out of that sleeping bag. So I don't know how you manage to pry your phone out of your pocket with the "hooky" part of the velcro mounted on that phone?!). Just saying ;-)
Had you said "the most versatile", you might have had a better case. For £300 less, you should try the Aune 8 viii magic DAC (also a non sigma-delta FPGA DAC) upgraded with a Sparkos op-amp. Not portable, but it sounds so very good and has balanced outputs. The Aune competes with, and some say betters (in my view at least equals, though a different sound signature) my Tradutto DAC, which is itself currently £100 more than the Mojo. For anyone not interested in the portability, the £300 saving of the Aune could be put towards something else or simply left unspent.
I prefer the OG Mojo since the new one sounds a bit thin in comparison. For this reason I'm also not a huge fan of the Hugo2 etc. Also almost every objective measurement of a Topping E30 II etc shows better results.
Hi, very interesting review. I am thinking of using this dac with my hifi Amp. What adapter did you use. From 3.5 headphone 2 rca? Do you recommend any headphone until 500 euro? Thank you for your great reviews 👍👍
Many hifi firms introduce their flagship first, then trickle down the tech to their lower cost models. Interesting to see Chord introducing mojo2 as its next generation, presumably with new qutest2, tt3 or Dave2 to follow?
I bought a Hegel H390 because I liked its sound and it had a dac. I bought a streamer without dac alongside it and couldn’t afford to buy the dac I wanted at the time, so it was a perfect stop gap. However the amp is better than the dac, so in the future the plan is to replace the dac with a tube dac. I personally like only as many boxes as I need, however ideally I want each box to be doing it’s own thing, as I feel the quality will be higher. Whether that’s OCD I don’t know, but to me that sounds the most sensible.
I own the Mojo and Mojo 2 and a Questyle 2dap.... And my winner different. Based only in sound performance. The mojo 1 Is more dynamic, darker, have a great bass and More body. Less transparent and natural. But some iems like kinera nann an imperial match very nice with the mojo 1, the mojo 2 fall in shame to move this iems. The Questyle with the high current design moves everything very fine, beautifully. All three sounds very nice. But I am not so impresed with the mojo 2. Both mojos aré connnected to xduoo xd5 turntable dap. Nice transport.
Hi John. Love your stuff! However, I’m slightly surprised that you’re off pairing an integrated amp with an outboard DAC of better quality. When I put a Qutest in my system that was driven by a CA CXA81 the system jumped a level that was not insignificant. Now in this case the DAC cost more than the amp which might partially explain the good (and worth it!) result, but I’d be hard pressed to give up what the Qutest does for music, at least in my system with my ears. Plus, I love the build-quality and look of the Qutest. I’d so love to have me a DAVE. ☺️
No matter if on the go with headphones, or a part my desktop setup at home, music listening is so sublime now. I adore mine. Purchased it for $680 back in February in the states.
Im just blown away by this , your description of leaning in when playing music is so true , i cant believe how good this is for the price im now a chord fan , trust me i went through so many dacs and i could never find my sound until now , added ot to my lcx amp and omg , truly amazing .
Just FYI, the Chord goes for $775 usd, which changes the cost equation in the US when compared with the Node ($599 usd).
Wow, I see prices have gone up. I purchased mine for $680 back in February.
I wonder if anybody else has compared Mojo (1) with Mojo 2. This would be very intriguing for me. Mojo has become my beloved object, for many years now, for listening to music with my different earphones, especially during my travels. When I learned that Mojo2 arrived, I was excited to hear, how it could be even better. However, eventually, I decided to keep the original Mojo.
The comparisons were made after I gave Mojo 2 at least 250 hours of run-in time. Mojo2 has somewhat more detail than Mojo(1) and a tighter bass. However, I was disturbed from the first sessions on that I could not do long hours of listening. I sensed some fatigue after a while. Moreover, the music did not give the same kind of satisfaction I got from Mojo(1). Later on, I realized, this was the result of a certain overemphasis of the leading edges of notes. When you're listening to the piano, the strokes are not expressions of strength and excitement, but more like hammering on your head! This never happens when you're listening to a live piano performance. When the emphasis is not on the FLOW of the music, but on single notes, the inner dynamic and the "drama" of the music vanishes. Emotionally, I was not being moved so deeply, like I was with the same music on Mojo (1).
Sadly I am red green colour blind and memorising all these colour adjustments is rally difficult. I bought one …. But couldn’t use those, over complicated colour button combinations. Got to agree, even in default it sounds brilliant. Thanks for you amazing reviews that help all of us decide what products to buy. 😀
Always good to hear you talk about equipment John. Thanks for the video!
I replaced my Qutest with a HugoTT2 and (later) MScaler. I eventually sold my Qutest and acquired a Mojo2 with Poly for powering headphones while out and about (office, travel, etc.). What a great product, I LOVE the sound of the Mojo2 and am very pleased with the drive of the headphone amp.
Thanks for this John. Great video. I've recently started listening to your podcast as well. I find the episodes featuring speaker designers to be extremely enlightening. Top notch work across the board.
I have Mojo 2 and it has significantly improved the sound of my IEMs. But my god, when I connected it to my old Klipsch R41-PM bookshelf speakers it basically transformed them into something much much better.
Got the mojo2 and poly and it’s a brilliant combo for home systems and on the go. I am continually delighted by the performance and the way Rob Watts has voiced it. Completely agree about perseverance with the buttons, but it’s more than worth it. Thanks for your excellent reviews of all products.
I order it today with leather case can’t wait to hear better sounding music on RUclips
Got my mojo 2, loving it!
Audio quality on my iems and headphones is brilliant. And love the build quality and design.
The USB-C port looks like an afterthought. It's hosted in a plastic off center bit. They should've just moved to USB-C only on both Mojo and Poly.
then old poly won't work
One thing I think nobody really talks about with the Mojo line is the build quality. On RUclips and Instagram, to me personally, they look cheaply made. But in person, they are highly engineered aircraft aluminum with a wonderful look and feel.
Mine is built like a Bosh washing machine sounds even better 👌
I almost never read internet comments and now I remember why. How are so many of us entitled, spoiled, mannerless brats?!
I really appreciate your work, John. Thank you for this award video. I look forward to hearing a Chord DAC sometime soon.
I live in U.S. and I did not buy Mojo 2 because its retail price is about 40% over U.K. It takes less than $10 for the international shipping and custom included. To me, it made no sense what-so-ever to pay such a premium.
I can 100% concur JD, as I use the Mojo 2, WiiM Mini combo. Love your channel/reviews. Keep 'em coming buddy.
If a DAC can be called a jack of all trades this is the one. Will it challenge a Holo in a desktop hi-fi system….no but it won’t embarrass itself either. It is one of the best portable DACs and can fill in for desktop use when required and still do a decent job. I’m totally blown away by its sound. Yes it’s not top tier but it’s really good.
I agree! Its the single most versatile (competent) audio device of "all time". What you may have missed, is that the amp inside has enough current delivery to power high efficiency speakers directly (even on battery). Add a poly and you have a portable, highly-resolving superintegrated/streaming amp for hours of off the grid listning. Perfect for enjoying your diy high-eff horns at the cabin :D
been waiting for this. did not disappoint. thank you, John, thank you!
Nice Video again.. i use a Topping NX2 and a Gamer Headphone that i mixed accidentally and it came out as the best listening option i have access to and after a while i start using/adding the BOOM 3D App on Iphone and Macbook and that is my perfect listening setup all the last (5) years.. every time i have the chance to check out all the High price and rated stuff i go back to my own system with a big smile in my face.. so i think everybody has a favorite Bundle of equipment that works for em .. thanks for spending your time to show us a lot of nice stuff and stay well to show us more of them in the next years..
The Qudelix 5K does all this, for a fraction of the price. Plus it has a fantastic app that has a lovely granular parametric EQ built-in. Can't speak to the sound comparison to the Chord Mojo. but my desktop DAC is an RME Adi2Pro, and the Qudelix is no slouch in comparison.
I think some of the best buy DACs of 2022: Topping E50, Topping D30 Pro, SMSL DO200, SMSL M500 MK2 (or MK3), SMSL SU-9n, iFi Zen Signature V2, iFi Zen Dac V2, Geshelli Labs J2, Khadas Tone 2 and Denafrips Ares 2, Schiit Modi+ Schiit Modius 2 and Schiit Modi Multibit 2. Maybe the new Topping E70 Velvet is worth a look too.
Am I missing something? In Canada at least, just the Mojo 2 costs night onto twice as much as the Node, at street prices. $935 cdn for the Chord vs $499 for the Node. Streamer on top of that for the Chord. It's a dramatic price difference.
@@razisn yeah man I've been drooling over the magnepan LRS for years but here in Denmark you can't get it for under 1300-1400 dollars
Hope you keep reviewing the odd DAC here and there, for those of us who like to play with add-ons / separates etc. Great video as always.
I realize it's great but $700 for portability I don't need, a battery I don't want and a micro usb power port? Pass. Remove the battery., make it less portable thus lowering price and give it external power and I'll bite.
The very best Dac for me.
Bought it two weekse ago.
The sound is amazing.
this is my favorite audio channel now! I just dont subscribe to everyone...you truley earned my SUB! Great channel!
Thank you for your honesty...
I am using cord mojo2 as a dac for powered amp input and with audeze lcd2 headphone amp. It's awesome.i love the music coming out of mojo2.
Boy that NAD with those green speakers make for a smart looking system.
I just got mine today, amazing sound
I printed the guide for the various colors (both sample freq and battery charge) and taped it to the bottom of the Mojo. Works!
"Size of a gerbil" haha! Takes my vote for audiophile description of the year ;-). I bought the Mojo 2 recently and am very happy with it. The coloured button interface is quirky, but easy to learn - except I assume for anyone who is colour blind.
Bought one. Simply love it. Got an integrated OTG lightning to USB C cable from aliexpress and it works great.
I miss some battery indicator, you have no idea how much power in on the device. Suddenly (after many hours) it just dies.
Would like to be able to dim the glowing domes even more. In a dark room they are BRIGHT.
Sound quality is great. It can play LOUD and clean. It can really drive headphones.
"It has a tremendous talent with layer separation" Did it go to Julliard?
Huh?
Get rid of the Micro-USB and you got yourself a new customer Chord
Seriously. And dual 3.5? Why not one 4.4?
Great video John (as always :)
I have the Mojo2 and I, and many others, have found the best way to achieve portability with less bulk is to pair the Mojo2 with the Chord Poly. Place them both in a case and you're good to go with just one IEM or headphone cable. The phone in one pocket, Mojo2Poly in another, and you're off!
5:35 I'm naming that overdubbed bleep in one, it's the start of New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle.
Well done ! (I think ;-)
My favourite aspect of the Chord Mojo are the digital input options which gives it a lot of flexibility. The colour scheme of the buttons is a bit “geeky” but if you’re a science / physics nerd it makes sense as it mimics the increasing frequency of each colour in the light spectrum. My only real complaint is the cost of replacing the battery which can be a bit pricey depending on where you source the battery from. However it is possible to remove the battery and power it directly from USB charging port.
Really easy to change battery yourself if you can source the same model
I have the ifi zen DAC 2 that works perfectly between my MacBook and Audiolab ❤
Got the first Mojo and it lasted 9 months and Chord totally ignored numerous emails to them, so I ended up getting a dragonfly red, and in all honesty all though not as warm sounding and balanced. It was 85% percent there at a much cheaper price. My advice just avoid Chord they charge the world and deliver little, plus there after purchase customer service is pure garbage.
Yeah, this. At their price point one hopes their quality control is vastly superior to "Chi-Fi" but alas, nope.
@@bumbozambumbazebulon6738 As a counterpoint to this, I have owned a MoJo for years, and it's been fantastic. I hope I don't have any problems with their customer service in the future though😱
@@MrGorpm good luck to you. As a non-counterpoint some peeps will say the same you said about Topping, Ayima etc. My anecdotal experience? I'm skeptical re: most dacs, but I'd pick Geshelli labs or Schiit all the time.
In my experience, the Hugo 2 sounded just as good as my computers own built in motherboard 3.5mm headphone out.
I had the Dragonly Red.
Then I had the Atom+ dac (which was slightly, but noticeably better than the Dragonfly).
And now I have the Mojo2.
And I gotta say, the Mojo2 is substancially better than the dacs I've used before. Much more detailed and organic sounding.
I've had the mojo 2 for about 4 weeks now, paired it with the hifiman xs and use it mostly in that combo. I use it in the evenings when due to family complaints the main system unfortunately is not useable - but I get their point and thinking of the great dynamics of classical music, I might complain as well...
I cannot say, that I find the mojo LED-ish like, rather condestand light bulb-ish like, very analog, far from artificial for that kind of thing.
Yes, it is annoying having to find a micro-usb cable for charging. Yes, there are GMS-sounds popping through every now and then when the devices are back to back. (put the phone into flight-mode) Yes, there are devices with more "features". Yes, there are strangely ánd to brightly lit buttons that have to be used, yes, the manual leaves you a little guessing. But why do I really like it? It's musical! My Martin D-21 special does not have ANY features, but it sounds amazing! I can't understand all this "featureism". The mojo 2 really wants me to listen to music, it is not tireing, it makes me want to explore, let's me dive into music. I don't know why that is. Maybe the chip, maybe certain kind of hardware, maybe a special code - no idea. But in the end I don't care, if it gives me music, that I love so much in a exciting yet very relaxed way. I thank Rob for his work, never mind how he archieved it...
For $800, I’d be much more inclined to pick up the Denafrips Ares II?
Use my Mojo 2 only as a DAC. paired with Drop THX 789 and SMSL DA9 going to Kef LS50 or Hifiman Arya. Amazing little thing!
Wtf at micro usb. Automatic no purchase. So extremely tightass for something so very expensive
Yeah, those connectors are very delicate and prone to being damaged. Plus spacing between wires is too small.
Really like the mojo 2 but have given up on it (and any dongle to be honest) as a portable solution. I have the same Fiio cable and iPhone mini 13 but as good as it sounds, the frequent blasts of white noise (not sure if this is an issue with the Fiio cable?) as well as the bulk has lead me to just be happy/content with my AirPods Pro 2 when I’m out and about. However for hotel and desktop use, I’ve found the Mojo to be great, super AND smashing. Thank eff I’m not colourblind.
Great product, I had the V1 and I would upgrade again to the V2 but lack of a 4.4 mm balanced makes it a deal breaker...
6:15
Instead of using velcro, maybe you can go get a sheet of Magsafe sticker, costing less than 10USD, stick it to mojo, effectively making Mojo a MagSafe device
Great review, as always…;-). Will buy the Chord Mojo 2 together with Audese lcd-x in order to create a fantastic home headphone combo!
love the portable aspect. Old skool.... but I do hate the looks of the mojo. not my thing...
Did you noticed that the colour of the lights corresponds with the resistance colour code? Once you know it it will make more sence.
To use the coax, I purchase an inexpensive phono to 3.5mm jack plug which works well. Love the portability of my Mojo (with my Poly) but if anyone from Chord is reading this, please put it in a case with a volume pot so that I can leave it in my system.
Nice sub bass at 1:44
Why so many lazy/no effort comments?? If you don’t like something, at least state objective, well argumented facts that prove your point. I think that is an insult to the effort the creator puts in this and every video and it honestly makes me feel bad, only by imagining being in his position to read all that. Please let us all stay constructive and positive, otherwise there is no point having a community 🙏🙏
I think Chord are missing a trick here, they should take just the DAC element of this and create a desktop version. i.e. get rid of the headphone amp and battery, provide a decent power supply and full size input/output. That way they can leverage all the research and development already done and tap into a market that is simply not interested in portability or headphone listening.
@@razisn except the Qutest is nearly 3 times the cost of the Chord. Take away the battery and amp, and the Qutest should cost less, shouldn't it?
@@fredoswego the qutest is based off the Hugo, and it does cost alot less than the Hugo 2. But your right they should do a mojo for desktop which should enable them to cut the cost by a few hundred.
Congratulations! This way, you got to make a video about the Mojo 2 despite not having made a video review about it (when it was released), like you said. 🙂
Hi John. I’m using a THX Onyx (out of my iPhone XS) which I find very high quality and very musical, feeding my Aonic 50 (wired and passive) and my fabulous Advar.
Like many, I’d love to upgrade to a better DAC and I’ve been considering the Mojo2 or the xDSD Gryphon.
The only thing still gripping me to the Gryphon is MQA which I enjoy a lot out of Tidal and which the Mojo2 does not do, sadly.
I also like the screen but that’s a detail.
On the other hand, all I read is the Rob Watts device is just a better DAC!
Are these “diminishing returns” considering they’re the same price?
Any of the two is a budget stretch for me but hey, we’re always aiming for the best. So… my main question is: which should I buy? Which one is REALLY the best one?
Thanks a bunch for your reply.
@johndarko any input you can give me on Mojo2 vs Gryphon? Thanks.
This DAC is above all, VERSATILE.
The mobile aspect means it is amazing as a conventional headphone DAC, but I use it mainly as a pre-amp for mobile speakers. I also use it to clean up the sound from my mobile projector. On top of that it’s fantastic with my powered Hifi speakers for home use.
The double 3.5mm outputs are really useful too.
I also have the Poly streamer for maximum functionality.
Just get one.
The price point of the Poly is so high, esp. co sidering it's an add-on to the Mojo. It doesn't even have aptxHD or LDAC. Is it really worth it?
Especially considering that this little bugger is one third of the price of the qutest and it's completely indistinguishible from it on a high end setup. NO difference. None. Zero. Zip. Nada...
I'd really like to see Chord make a none portable version of this DAC with full sized inputs and outputs and no battery. I don't need the portable functionality so the battery would be a waste and at $600 using adapters to connect to a amp feels a bit kludgy.
Don’t Worry Dankpod’s Mojo Isn’t Dead Forever, He Got This Nuggety Mojo
I seem to be one of the minority that actually prefers the Mojo 1. The newer model has more linear bass, a deeper soundstage and more detail - along with all the DSP etc - but I felt like the original just had more magic and sense of excitement about the music. For me the Mojo2 was more 'correct' but a bit boring ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As a desktop Dac I didn't think it was any better than the Node. IMO, very much over hyped as a Dac. Portability and the DSP is a different matter though.
Loving the sound signature of the mojo 2 but can’t life with the auto shutdown without wake-up and all the colorful led buttons.
It's very nice DAC but I think for the price, they could have done a little effort on the design which looks quite cheap plastic game coming from China... Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your experience which is always very interesting.
still micro usb in 2022?
Jana says, “This video is sponsored by Audioquest”
John says (something like), “The Chord Mojo 2 easily beats USB/dingle DACs like those from Audioquest…”
Awks? 🤔🫣
Haha...I caught that too. Here's some irony. I went to the local HiFi shop to test out all 3 Audioquest dongle DACs and the Mojo2. I heard the clear progression as we tested each of the AudioQuest DACs with the cobalt clearly sounding the best. The salesman kept saying I would absolutely love the Mojo2 because it was quite a big step up performance-wise. But, he couldn't get it to work no matter how hard he tried...25 solid minutes! So naturally, simplicity won the day and I bought the cobalt. Touche...Take that Chord...
Not sure if you’ll read this John but would I notice a significant difference between the mojo 2 and the Qutest?
Intro is always ASMR :-)
Hey Darko, just seen the 3050 le on the background. Out of interest - any idea when the review to come out? Cheers
I wonder if this sounds better than Schiit Bitfrost 2?
Helpful review thanks.
Would you recommend the Chord mojo 2 over the Cayin ru7 - listening with HFi Man XS and Sennheiser IE600- liking all genres.
An FPGA can perfectly do DSP, but neither an FPGA, nor its code can do anything analogue, there must be something else for this, either a dedicated chip, or a resistor network, or another implementation of a DAC.
Or this FPGA chip is a system-on-a-chip solution with both integrated in a single chip - call it SoC or ASIC.
living up to your name 😆
Great review. Great work 😎👍🎵🎶
I was deciding between this and the iFi XDSD Gryphon - which I’ve ordered but hasn’t arrived yet. I went with the Gryphon for a few reasons - balanced output, no micro usb in 2022, and the controls are intuitive (the main reason). I’ve read through Chord’s literature and I don’t want to have to memorize a code or read instructions every time I want to change a setting. Reviews put them both on par using unbalanced connections (blind audio tests of multiple people).
I have been using the Gryphon for a few months now and it's ease of use is it's strongest asset over other portables. Controls are straightforward and having various information (like remaining battery) always visible on it's front display goes a long way in making it feel nice to use daily. You are unlikely to be disappointed :)
you should buy it a little leather jacket for the winter.
How does it compare to the old Hugo? I have the first gen Mojo and don't feel moved for the new version.
Was extremely interested till John said USB Micro powered. I’ll never by anything with that connector now. Sick of it. Everything should be USB C or lightning for IPhone. Is this only for mobile.
Yes, they are very prone to failure.
Programmable logic chips allow progressive improvement of the DAC software. That said, "integrated" hard coded chip based DACs are attaining a quality level that gives software programmable devices a run for their money.
I love the Mojo from a tecnical point of view, but is it truly competitive?
Instead of a guide with you you could print out a small legend for yourself and attach it to one of the sides of the mojo. Not the best looking but you can always remove it later once you remember what they do without it and you don't have to bring and entire booklet.
Omg thought there was a spider on my phone
Great review. Now I think I maybe need a new DAC. I am set-it-and-forget-it person; but maybe I’m not 😅
You got the Fiio FF3 ? Interesting! Those are my absolute favorites - and a few days ago the FF5 were shown, but not yet available in germany.
I swear by my Topping d70s, detail and separation are excellent.
Me too. I have the D70S and D90SE and I definitely prefer the D70S over the TOTL D90SE.
I like mojo2, the sound quality is great.. one thing only: they should implement one 4.4mm instead of 3.5mm for convenience...
No Chord device has balanced output
Wrong company for balanced. They're not designed like that.
@@nikolaygramchev I know, I want the 4.4mm only for convenience (I dont need balanced architecture), now I need to use adapter, because all my iems and HP have 4.4 jack...
Sorry to be a pain but would it be possible to have a link to the AudioquesT and zoo audio cables you mentioned?
What's your favorite DAC / Amp in the 2-3K range? I have the newest upgraded version of the RME ADI 2/4 but it sounds like there are better options for just pure sound quality of the DAC and headphone amp. It was around $2500.00 I use LCD-5, Stellia, clear mg pros, DT1990 and 1770. Soon to add or swap for MM-500, Arya organic, and Empyrean II. What would be your choice to have the cleanest accurate sound. I produce music and a musician so I want to hear all the details of my recordings. I am going to upgrade my portable Apogee Groove to a Mojo 2 to start. Then upgrade a desktop DAC/AMP and the phones I listed. Any Suggestions or thoughts?
Try Chord Hugo 2.
the fiio bar 5-7 are crazy value for performance
What do I need to attach the mojo 2 to, to run Audeze LCD 4? Please advise.
Hi John, thanks for the review! Could you tell what are the earbuds? I don’t like iems, always on the lookout for good sounding good old buds…
They’re from Fiio
Hi John,
A lovely video again. As always.
But, and a big but, if you use velcro. I should switch the "hooky" part on your phone for the soft part of the velcro and the "hooky" part of the velcro on the Mojo.
(I once had a mummy sleeping bag with the same reversed configuration (for an internal pillow in the hood) as your velcro configuration on your phone. So I had to pull my hair out of this sleeping bag every morning, to get myself out of that sleeping bag. So I don't know how you manage to pry your phone out of your pocket with the "hooky" part of the velcro mounted on that phone?!).
Just saying ;-)
Had you said "the most versatile", you might have had a better case. For £300 less, you should try the Aune 8 viii magic DAC (also a non sigma-delta FPGA DAC) upgraded with a Sparkos op-amp. Not portable, but it sounds so very good and has balanced outputs.
The Aune competes with, and some say betters (in my view at least equals, though a different sound signature) my Tradutto DAC, which is itself currently £100 more than the Mojo. For anyone not interested in the portability, the £300 saving of the Aune could be put towards something else or simply left unspent.
one can buy a REAL gerbil and some Richard Gere DVDs with the leftover cash!
I prefer the OG Mojo since the new one sounds a bit thin in comparison. For this reason I'm also not a huge fan of the Hugo2 etc. Also almost every objective measurement of a Topping E30 II etc shows better results.
John, you are such a tease - is that a Rega P10 I see behind you? I do hope you are going to review it soon. And what about the Buchardt A700s?
Hi, very interesting review.
I am thinking of using this dac with my hifi Amp. What adapter did you use. From 3.5 headphone 2 rca? Do you recommend any headphone until 500 euro? Thank you for your great reviews 👍👍
Many hifi firms introduce their flagship first, then trickle down the tech to their lower cost models. Interesting to see Chord introducing mojo2 as its next generation, presumably with new qutest2, tt3 or Dave2 to follow?
I bought a Hegel H390 because I liked its sound and it had a dac. I bought a streamer without dac alongside it and couldn’t afford to buy the dac I wanted at the time, so it was a perfect stop gap. However the amp is better than the dac, so in the future the plan is to replace the dac with a tube dac. I personally like only as many boxes as I need, however ideally I want each box to be doing it’s own thing, as I feel the quality will be higher. Whether that’s OCD I don’t know, but to me that sounds the most sensible.
I own the Mojo and Mojo 2 and a Questyle 2dap.... And my winner different. Based only in sound performance. The mojo 1 Is more dynamic, darker, have a great bass and More body. Less transparent and natural. But some iems like kinera nann an imperial match very nice with the mojo 1, the mojo 2 fall in shame to move this iems. The Questyle with the high current design moves everything very fine, beautifully. All three sounds very nice. But I am not so impresed with the mojo 2. Both mojos aré connnected to xduoo xd5 turntable dap. Nice transport.
I also made the comparison, and I was more satisfied with Mojo 1.
Hi John. Love your stuff! However, I’m slightly surprised that you’re off pairing an integrated amp with an outboard DAC of better quality. When I put a Qutest in my system that was driven by a CA CXA81 the system jumped a level that was not insignificant. Now in this case the DAC cost more than the amp which might partially explain the good (and worth it!) result, but I’d be hard pressed to give up what the Qutest does for music, at least in my system with my ears. Plus, I love the build-quality and look of the Qutest. I’d so love to have me a DAVE. ☺️
7 times the price of Qudelix 5K. Hard to swallow when compared with Qudelix or iFi Gryphon. Also those microUsb ports ugh