Is the Chord mojo that good?

[muljao]

I know this is generally touted as a headphone amp, but if you can overlook the remote this item seems to be well capable of being a preamp, DAC and headphone amp. It is better than an m-dac+ if one believes the hype.

Any users here who can say if it's as good as it seems, or is it all hype

 

[Andrewjvt]

I know this is generally touted as a headphone amp, but if you can overlook the remote this item seems to be well capable of being a preamp, DAC and headphone amp. It is better than an m-dac+ if one believes the hype.

Any users here who can say if it's as good as it seems, or is it all hype

If you want a preamp/dac then go for the mdac plus instead as all the connections etc/flexibility

Soumd wise there wont be any difference plus/minus

 

[muljao]

I know this is generally touted as a headphone amp, but if you can overlook the remote this item seems to be well capable of being a preamp, DAC and headphone amp. It is better than an m-dac+ if one believes the hype.

Any users here who can say if it's as good as it seems, or is it all hype

If you want a preamp/dac then go for the mdac plus instead as all the connections etc/flexibility

Soumd wise there wont be any difference plus/minus

I don't want a preamp/DAC at moment. I will be buying a headphone amp DAC soon. The dragon fly red is on my radar, but if the mojo is "that" good and can be multi-purposed also, it might be a more future proofed buy (albeit much more expensive)

I'm just wondering is it as good as the interwebz paint it

 

[nopiano]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

 

[insider9]

Consider if you fancy MQA or not as you get it with Dragonfly.

 

[muljao]

Thanks all. To be honest I have pretty much completed what I need hifi wise and would like a good headphone source. From what I have read the dragon fly is great, small, relatively inexpensive and does what it says on the tin, with the advantage of not needing power.

MQA means nothing to me, neither does hi Res Audio, but maybe other than mp3 these might be only options later on. What does matter is value/performance. This in a way would be a luxury purchase, which will no doubt be followed by a set of headphones better than I own. The m-dac+ was a unit I really would have liked to pick up, by all accounts the mojo may just beat it. It's a temptation

 

[Pedro]

Hi muljao, sorry I don't want to hijack your thread but you seem always very knowledgeable on these subjects...

I'm thinking about buying a chromecast to stream stuff from my desktop PC to my TV. I was checking the thing, maybe it's the bloody heat (some 40C), but I'm a bit confused. Are chromecast and chromecast audio one and the same? And will the chromecast play any audio and video files stored in a UPNP device on my LAN? Thanks in advance.

 

[muljao]

Hi muljao, sorry I don't want to hijack your thread but you seem always very knowledgeable on these subjects...

I'm thinking about buying a chromecast to stream stuff from my desktop PC to my TV. I was checking the thing, maybe it's the bloody heat (some 40C), but I'm a bit confused. Are chromecast and chromecast audio one and the same? And will the chromecast play any audio and video files stored in a UPNP device on my LAN? Thanks in advance.

Firstly Chromecast and Chromecast audio are not the same, one is just for audio and has a 3.5mm jack output, the other had a hdmi output.

I believe the CCA tops out officially at 24 bit 196 music, but I saw a video and it's very very hit and miss, more miss, but it will do flac quality files no prob and likely 24 bit 96 khz also.

I send files from my computer to my Chromecast but I use a third party app on an android phone called bubbleupnp, it costs about 5 euro, if you use apples I'm not sure how to do that.

I believe if you use the Google browser and Google music sending music to CCA is no prob, and if you use Spotify on the same network as the CCA you can send the music from apples, androids or pcs

The little I've streamed video to a normal Chromecast I've never had a video that it wouldn't play, but obviously only the new 4k one will do 4k, I don't have any of that modern stuff

 

[Gray]

Anyone considering the M-DAC + would surely have more than a passing interest in Audiolab's own forthcoming M-DAC mini wouldn't they?

EDIT: See this post from a happy owner!

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/audiolab-m-dac-mini

 

[muljao]

Anyone considering the M-DAC + would surely have more than a passing interest in Audiolab's own forthcoming M-DAC mini wouldn't they?

EDIT: See this post from a happy owner!

https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/audiolab-m-dac-mini

Interesting

 

[Pedro]

Hi muljao, sorry I don't want to hijack your thread but you seem always very knowledgeable on these subjects...

I'm thinking about buying a chromecast to stream stuff from my desktop PC to my TV. I was checking the thing, maybe it's the bloody heat (some 40C), but I'm a bit confused. Are chromecast and chromecast audio one and the same? And will the chromecast play any audio and video files stored in a UPNP device on my LAN? Thanks in advance.

Firstly Chromecast and Chromecast audio are not the same, one is just for audio and has a 3.5mm jack output, the other had a hdmi output.

I believe the CCA tops out officially at 24 bit 196 music, but I saw a video and it's very very hit and miss, more miss, but it will do flac quality files no prob and likely 24 bit 96 khz also.

I send files from my computer to my Chromecast but I use a third party app on an android phone called bubbleupnp, it costs about 5 euro, if you use apples I'm not sure how to do that.

I believe if you use the Google browser and Google music sending music to CCA is no prob, and if you use Spotify on the same network as the CCA you can send the music from apples, androids or pcs

The little I've streamed video to a normal Chromecast I've never had a video that it wouldn't play, but obviously only the new 4k one will do 4k, I don't have any of that modern stuff

Thank you very much!

 

[Gazzip]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array. A few other manufacturers also tread this path, PS Audio being one of them. I have the latter, and my personal view is that FPGA enables the manufacturer to tailor/change their sound via firmware updates. I like what PSA have done (not so much Chord), but it is not a "purist" approach to DA conversion. Take from this what you will!

 

[nopiano]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array. A few other manufacturers also tread this path, PS Audio being one of them. I have the latter, and my personal view is that FPGA enables the manufacturer to tailor/change their sound via firmware updates. I like what PSA have done (not so much Chord), but it is not a "purist" approach to DA conversion. Take from this what you will!

Thanks for setting me straight, gazzip. I was close, I suppose!

I like the concept of FPGA because it reflects a designers aim, whereas just assembling stuff around a generic DAC chip seems a bit of a cop out. Not that I don't realise the challenge in doing your own thing, but to get the same chip in gear that varies tenfold or more in price seems a bit barmy.

Apropos nothing much, do you happen to know if Linn use FPGA, and if not how their latest Katalyst is so amazing?

 

[Gazzip]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array. A few other manufacturers also tread this path, PS Audio being one of them. I have the latter, and my personal view is that FPGA enables the manufacturer to tailor/change their sound via firmware updates. I like what PSA have done (not so much Chord), but it is not a "purist" approach to DA conversion. Take from this what you will!

Thanks for setting me straight, gazzip. I was close, I suppose!

I like the concept of FPGA because it reflects a designers aim, whereas just assembling stuff around a generic DAC chip seems a bit of a cop out. Not that I don't realise the challenge in doing your own thing, but to get the same chip in gear that varies tenfold or more in price seems a bit barmy.

Apropos nothing much, do you happen to know if Linn use FPGA, and if not how their latest Katalyst is so amazing?

I don't know what they use, but I do agree that Katalyst is quite brilliant. Some of my current kit I only own because a guy was selling it to upgrade his Linn system to Katalyst. Having now heard it I can understand why. Wow!

 

[nopiano]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array. A few other manufacturers also tread this path, PS Audio being one of them. I have the latter, and my personal view is that FPGA enables the manufacturer to tailor/change their sound via firmware updates. I like what PSA have done (not so much Chord), but it is not a "purist" approach to DA conversion. Take from this what you will!

Thanks for setting me straight, gazzip. I was close, I suppose!

I like the concept of FPGA because it reflects a designers aim, whereas just assembling stuff around a generic DAC chip seems a bit of a cop out. Not that I don't realise the challenge in doing your own thing, but to get the same chip in gear that varies tenfold or more in price seems a bit barmy.

Apropos nothing much, do you happen to know if Linn use FPGA, and if not how their latest Katalyst is so amazing?

I don't know what they use, but I do agree that Katalyst is quite brilliant. Some of my current kit I only own because a guy was selling it to upgrade his Linn system to Katalyst. Having now heard it I can understand why. Wow!

I may have told you before that a mate had a full Klimax system with active speakers and two huge subs. Massive resolution. Not entirely persuaded by the subs on normal music, but on movie soundtracks it sounded like the ground was splitting beneath us. Terrifying!

Almost certainly he will have upgraded, so must reacquaint myself. He was very dedicated even to the extent of removing power switches - which being an telecoms expert he was capable of, safely!

 

[MaxD]

I've only listened to the Mojo briefly on headphones, but it seemed to be everything one could reasonably need.

For me the Chord USP is their programmed DAC - I can never remember the acronym, something like FGPA - which means they've 'tuned' it themselves. The Dragonfly, Arcam and pretty much everything else uses (very good) off the shelf chips from just a handful of suppliers.

This comment about the Mojo is the most reasonable I read here in ages. Simply chords dac are the best all around and mojo is a steal becouse it sound ten thousand per cent better than any other not Chords commercial Dac. It is so good it is also at the foundation of the new hugo2.

Yes fgpa programmable technology is the best all around especially if you, like mojo guys, knows how to program it.

For me Mojo is the only component with the wow factor I listened in long time.

So no comparision IMHO with any other dac around like the acceptable Audioquest or everything made with standalone commercial chips (Ess Cirrus and everything).

Chord attitude is simply another story and people listening to digital music should look in the direction of a converter like this to get some improvement, a lot more than looking for a new amp or a new pair of speakers.

Chords sell gears to Paul McCarthney and I'm sure it is for a reason.

 

[NJB]

I use the Mojo in my Naim based system. I am not really that bothered about how it does what it does, whether it is as 'pure' as other DAC solutions etc. It replaced a well regarded mainstream DAC, and the difference was obvious, immediate, and extremely positive. I have stopped taking it around to my mates, as they plied me with beer and tried to hustle me out of the door, leaving the little mojo behind. I appreciate that other DACs have huge followings on here, we all have a right to our own opinions, but I regard the Mojo as a game changer in my system.

 

[Gray]

...I've just read the WHF review of the Hugo 2.

At its price, it would need to be every bit as special as the review suggests, wouldn't it?

(Best not to think about the DAVE)

 

[Andrewjvt]

...I've just read the WHF review of the Hugo 2.

At its price, it would need to be every bit as special as the review suggests, wouldn't it?

(Best not to think about the DAVE)

Why dont you look at the mdac plus?
I bet you wont be able to tell the difference over a short comparison

 

[Gray]

...I've just read the WHF review of the Hugo 2.

At its price, it would need to be every bit as special as the review suggests, wouldn't it?

(Best not to think about the DAVE)

Why dont you look at the mdac plus? I bet you wont be able to tell the difference over a short comparison

With admittedly limited experience of DACs, I've so far found differences to be subtle, to say the least. (could detect no discernable difference between filter settings on the old M-DAC, for example)

 

[nopiano]

...I've just read the WHF review of the Hugo 2.

At its price, it would need to be every bit as special as the review suggests, wouldn't it?

(Best not to think about the DAVE)

Yes, what you'd call a rave review I think! Puts the £2200 Hugo TT in the shade too, though I could do without the silly lights on the 2, but I admire them for ploughing their own furrows!