DAC confusion with chord Mojo

robreid

New member
Mar 20, 2009
21
0
0
Visit site
Is anyone using this as a traditional DAC, permanently plugged into power on their hifi?

I want to buy a DAC with optical input for around £500 and will leave it permanently wired in, I never plan to use battery power.
 
robreid said:
Is anyone using this as a traditional DAC, permanently plugged into power on their hifi?

I want to buy a DAC with optical input for around £500 and will leave it permanently wired in, I never plan to use battery power.
I don't have this DAC.

I would, however, advise caution with your intended use. I'm sure it will sound much better than most devices at that price but some reports suggest it is balanced for headphones - which is what its outputs are labelled. It may be too bright for speakers, therefore.

Also, switching onto a line level seems to require a two button press, so may be fiddly in practice.

Lastly, I'd want to get it in writing from Chord that it is safe to leave permanently plugged in. You'd want to know this didn't adversely affect battery life. And not be likely to overheat, as it Is known to get pretty warm.

I hope you can get it to do what you are seeking.
 

ChrisIRL

New member
Apr 12, 2014
36
0
0
Visit site
I used it like that for several months without issue. It does get warm but not so much that you couldn't handle it. Great dac, one of the best I've used. Leaving it plugged in didn't seem to adversely affect the battery either based on the few occasions I used it mobile. I never used the optical input. The 3.5mm coax input performed very well.
 

Andrewjvt

New member
Jun 18, 2014
99
4
0
Visit site
Sound quality and price aside, if were buying a chord dac for your intended use i would look at the chord qute 2 or a 2nd hand version 1
 

robreid

New member
Mar 20, 2009
21
0
0
Visit site
Thats what I don't understand? Chord seem to just market it as a headphone amplifier and there is no real mention of using it as a desktop DAC, however What Hifi seem to describe its as a DAC, its their best DAC between £400-800. Its not one of the 28 products under headphone amplifiers its under DACS?

Also its comparied vs the irDAC-II, which is a desktop DAC? hence my confusion, as what type of DAC do you just connect to a pair of headphones?

I would also like it written somewhere from Chord that they think its ok to leave it plugged in permanently to use as a desktop DAC, I think they will say its a headphone amp with a dac and the Qute is their cheapest desktop DAC.

I don't understand why Chord didn't make an actual budget desktop DAC, if they did for the same price as the MoJo surely they'd have the market cornered? The 2Qute is a big step at £1000 and one I can't justify that on my second system.
 
robreid said:
Thats what I don't understand? Chord seem to just market it as a headphone amplifier and there is no real mention of using it as a desktop DAC, however What Hifi seem to describe its as a DAC, its their best DAC between £400-800. Its not one of the 28 products under headphone amplifiers its under DACS?

Also its comparied vs the irDAC-II, which is a desktop DAC? hence my confusion, as what type of DAC do you just connect to a pair of headphones?

I would also like it written somewhere from Chord that they think its ok to leave it plugged in permanently to use as a desktop DAC, I think they will say its a headphone amp with a dac and the Qute is their cheapest desktop DAC.

I don't understand why Chord didn't make an actual budget desktop DAC, if they did for the same price as the MoJo surely they'd have the market cornered? The 2Qute is a big step at £1000 and one I can't justify that on my second system.

Chord clearly state that the Mojo is for use with PC as well as laptops etc. However they do also state it was designed with smartphone users in mind. The also list it as a DAC / headphone amplifier. If you charge it then it does not need to be permanently connected to the mains.

If the 2Qute is too expensive you could find a second-hand original.

For most travellers, if the DAC in their device is of reasonable quality, then they are happy with a simple headphone amplifier.
 

robreid

New member
Mar 20, 2009
21
0
0
Visit site
On the Chord website its written as "the Ultimate DAC/Headphone amplifier for your smartphone". Its designed for smartphone/headphones, but it is the best DAC in a catagory I would expect to be from a high quality digital source, laptop/pc/streamer/cd to an amplifier, as its under HIFI>DACs?

Its the output and PSU situation where my quibble is, as the manual says if you select the line output this setting is forgotten when you turn it off and on again and it reverts to the last headphone volume. It also recommends turing it off during charging. So I dont see how you can use this as a DAC connected permanently to an amplifier?
 

ChrisIRL

New member
Apr 12, 2014
36
0
0
Visit site
The line out setting is only a pre set volume setting that outputs about 3v . You could just manually set the volume to the same level and this will be the remembered volume. I found the pre set line out a bit high, 2 clicks down on the volume sets output to a more traditional 2v output.

I had no issue leaving the mojo charging while in use. As far as I can remember Robb Watts of Chord discussed on a well known headphone forum that this was perfectly fine to do.
 

ChrisIRL

New member
Apr 12, 2014
36
0
0
Visit site
thewinelake. said:
It seems standard business practice to charge differently for different sectors and try and "scare" (albeit subtly) away the risk of cannibalism.

Indeed. If 1 optical, 1 coax and 1 USB input are sufficient the mojo has arguably written off all Chord dacs up to and including the Hugo. They just don't make it obvious.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts