DAC Shoot-Out : Chord Mojo 2, Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M & Denafrips Ares II
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- čas přidán 15. 07. 2024
- #Chord #Cambridgeaudio #Denafrips
An unpaid review and comparison video of three budget / mid priced DACs
VIDEO CORRECTION - you can set fixed and variable volume output in settings, contrary to my video….apologies I missed this in the manual. See here • Cambridge DacMagic 200...
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PRODUCT LINKS :
Chord Mojo 2 : chordelectronics.co.uk/mojo-2
Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M : www.cambridgeaudio.com/row/en...
Denafrips Ares II : www.denafrips.com/ares
PRICES
DacMagic 200M - £450 / $500 / €500
Mojo 2 - £450 / $725 / €600
Ares 2 - £865 / $840 / €850 (rough approx prices)
KIT USED:
Kit Used in sound tests : PMC Twenty5 23 speakers / KEF LS50 Meta speakers, Monitor Audio Gold 100 Speakers, HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Headphones, Hegel H390 Amp, Bluesound Node 2021, and Innuos Zenith Mk 2 source, SMSL H0200 Headphone Amp, AudioQuest Cables.
TIME CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro Sequence DacMagic 200M
0:30 - What’s the 200M about?
2:33 - 200M Specifications
2:50 - Sound against Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer
3:26 - Intro Sequence Chord Mojo2
4:30 - What’s the Mojo2 about?
5:54 - Mojo2 Specifications
6:14 - Mojo2 as a HiFi DAC too! … 200M versus Mojo2 with Headphones.
7:30 - Denafrips Ares II Intro Sequence
8:42 - What’s the Ares II about?
10:00 - Ares II Specifications / Hegel DAC loop use
10:58 - Sound comparisons in a HiFi Tests
13:01 - Using Mojo2 and Ares II in a headphone system
13:40 - More sound comparisons
Notes:
**1 COMPARISONS OF UNREVIEWED GEAR : Please don't ask me how a product compares to another which I haven't reviewed, as it isn't possible to comment on such products I haven't tested. Check out my website for reviews of products I have completed instead (hit the review tag, and separate tags).
**2 MORE ADVICE : If you are asking me how does X product compare to Y that I HAVE reviewed, or how does something sound beyond comment in videos, or system advice, please sign up to Patreon (small amounts!) where I can offer more of my personal opinions about product A versus B etc... If viewers want this, where you benefit in this way, it is fair to ask for contributions, especially where my time is taken away from videos. Also I can't answer all questions on CZcams anyway.
**3 ABUSE POLICY : I encourage and like debate, and constructive criticism, but people who abuse or troll me, or my subscribers or commenters, post very negative and non constructive and uncorroborated comments designed to put me or others down (where they don't explain themselves), or they could be perceived as such, as well as aggressive comments / hate, or pit my subscribers against me, get their comments removed and I hide them from commenting again. I don’t need the hassle of these people for all the work I put in! - Věda a technologie
What a great video. Fantastic, Simon! Would love to hear the mojo. I have the Cambridge in right now as well. Looking forward to listening to it much more
Thanks very much Randy. The mojo 2 takes some beating
I hope you grabbed yourself a cup of coffee!! 😁😁
Wow - I've listened to a lot of reviews of Hi-Fi products over the past few years and you sir are by far the most eloquent. Not a single wasted syllable. A true master-class. 👍👍
Thank you so much.
Your reviews are so damn good! Plus… they always make me smile, and laugh to myself like a crazy person!
Thankyou, we are all crazy really. Lol.
Simon, well done! Thanks from Chicago. I am a big Chord fan. I own an M-Scaler, DAVE and a Mojo. I have a Mojo2 on preorder.
Thanks Simon for your reviews. I also suffer from depression and I found out from 4 years old that music helped me cope when listening to the details in music! Keep up the good work!
Thank you too. Depression in adults is like back ache - it’s common as muck. I was doing video editing today listening to Verdi’s chorus of the Hebrew slaves and it took me on a classical discovery and massively made me feel better. Somehow when the music is so real with all this stuff we use, it’s a double whammy.
The chord dac is excellent it's has amazing depth I was listening to the crowd in the sting Ailen in Newyork
Live track they were over 100 feet behind my wall outstanding little dac
Great review!!! Thanks again for your insightful comparison 👍
I came here because I was bored, stayed for the information, entertainment and very good production value and now I want a Chord. Nice video.
Thanks very much Robin.
Excellent comparaisons. Thanks
Thank you. Very informative.
Great review! Found the answers of so many questions of mine.
Thank you Nikolay, glad I was able to help. :)
Well again another great video. This is my third replay in two days. Keep.on keeping on.
Thank you Panagiotis.
Thanks Simon. Very informative and interesting again 👍🏼
Thanks Major Khanage. Love your moniker name.
Great production style and I get the feeling I can learn a lot from this channel. Some of the acronyms are a bit presumptuous, but I don't mind a doing a bit of homework.
Subscribed
I was waiting for this one and it delivered !
Thank you Dustin. I posted a little correction video just now too. Sorry for mistake.
Thanks for another interesting and honest video
Thanks for saying Trevor 👍😀
Fantastic video! The anti-depressant message is well received!!!
Great video thanks 👍
Back before I actually purchased the Mojo 2, I was trying to decide between it, and the ifi Micro Signature. I hadn't heard either and was going into it blind, so it was quite a gamble. I am so glad I chose the Mojo 2!
Highly enjoyable Dac review! I currently have the schiit bf2 and Holo spring KTE but would like to try an ares 2 and mojo 2 at some point.
That edit out from the monochrome depression and the clarity coming back in visually with that uplift minor key song was incredible! Im eying Linton Heritages for background lounge/kitchen use and I am aware I could make it too rounded with some DACs? E.g. the Ares II. But then again I really want to try an r2r DAC or a tube one!
Thank you Peter. I think it’s good to have a theme. The Holo Audio DACs look good. I’ve asked to try and review them.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 they do look good, don't think I'll pony up the 2k+ for a spring 3 though I did consider it, my amp is resolving enough and arguably my speakers too but it's more an HT setup than high end speaker 2 Chan. I think it's more fun to have several experienced of good but cheaper and 'good enough' gear than all eggs in one basket trying to 'end game' it all the time. The journey and expectation is more fun I think than the destination
I recently lost my mind a bought the M-Scaler and Hugo TT2. I'm now homeless. imo Chord DAC's are on another level
Mmmmm,, Simon. You are a true warm ray of sunshine.🌞 I simply LOVE your no bullshit, humoristic, insightful, best on YT reviews.
I wonder what DA-Converter is used in the old SONY STR-DN1050 AVR I bought in 2015, and listening to right now. It sounds pretty descent even with BlurrRay 😋.
The Triangles presents the same enchanting wide soundstage and with some music the depth are breathtaking. (Malia / Boris Blank. Celestial Echo,,,,,
The perfect tone, highly subjective of course, are always there, but without Dirac,, forget about rockfast imaging.
I could easily live with this 100quid/used homecinema amp with unknown DAC, but I rather loose an eye, than my speakers. 🧐
Thanks again, for another masterful review Simon. Cheers and have the best of weeks and I truly hope the sun thaws away all wintery clouds from your soul.
Im standing in front of the worst time of the year right now. I f,,kin´ hate springtime and will be a bit depressed soon as usuall I fear. 😬
Hi Irene , thanks for the kind words. I had a Sony AVR a while back which was gutsy and I preferred it to an Onkyo amp. Dispensed with home cinema and went back to just music. Films are great but music has so much power! 😀
Its true Ares shines in female vocals, acoustics and jazz specially with female singer in jazz. Its just magical. Planning to get the mojo 2 for portability and iem use and also for my nearfield speaker setup. Sold off the ares last year and now im in search for new dac lol
"I had a xxx dac about 10 years ago, that's probably before I considered myself an audiophile".... If you own a dedicated dac, I think you're DEFINITELY an audiophile, lol!
I had 4 OVI's about 10 years ago, but that's before I considered myself a drunk!!!
Beautiful cinematography as always, Simon! You could review a frozen pizza and I'd watch it just to see another video masterpiece!
Thanks very much Joseph , actually I think you are right but I probably didn’t consider myself one then. I could have a bit of fun with a pizza commercial if I can find an amusing way to shoe horn it into hifi video and it had a point. Lol 😂
I’ve hear a lot about the Chord Mojos. I really want to like the DAC Magic as I have a CXA81 and I like the brand. But I’d probably pick the Aeries II. Note, haven’t heard any of them. Maybe someday.
Great video….quality production and knowledge 👏🏻 I’ve just come across your channel while researching a Dac upgrade - you now have a new subscriber. Both the Mojo and Cambridge where already on my list so your review is perfect for me - my budget doesn’t extend beyond these two. I am in a dilemma over the two though. I only have need for a traditional 2 channel set up - not headphones. Therefore the 200M shouts loudest due to its connectivity but everything I read about the Mojo is it’s fantastic sound quality. I am pretty much plug and play so neither DACs adjustment capabilities is of great concern to me…….sound quality is the key for me.
Thanks very much
I had the DACMagic 200m and returned it after a week. While it has great features, the DAC was completely underwhelming at best, to me. Chord Mojo 2 for sound and “portability” , no contest.
@@fadedlogic1 I agree the mojo sound quality is the improver and personally I’d have it over the dac magic, but the dac magic 200m is for people who place less reliance on sq but more about av connections and an upgrade.
Great Review and wonderful production! I have a 200M and Ares II on their way to me. One will stay, one will be sold. I can't wait to do a sound test comparison!
Thanks very much. I’m trying a Holo Spring DAC soon. Do let us know how you get on please with some further comments on here. All valuable for everyone involved. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Will do! I may just start making videos! LOL, unfortunately I have a face for radio!
@@Iowaclass65hello
how went your comparison between 200M an Areas II? Which one did you choose? These are two of my options too but I didn't buy any of them yet
@@hostiaya I thought both were very good. That being said, the Ares II was slightly to moderately better in every way that was important to me. The Ares II has more defined sound, wider, deeper sound stage, and seemed more detailed. The 200M was a bit brighter. Neither became fatiguing, but the Cambridge was a bit harsher. Again, the Cambridge was close, but the Ares II was just a better DAC for my very resolving system. If you have a more reserved "East Coast" sounding system, (think Boston Accoustics) the 200M would likely be a better fit. If you are running Klipsch or JBL, the Ares II is likely for you.
🤗 SIMON…JUST HERE FOR THE SHOW 😁🤩🤩🤩
Such a good review, I subscribed !!!
Thanks for the sub!
Love your video sir!
Thank you very much
This looked fantastic again! I really liked the collage of photos in the middle that moved around! And I kind of expected you to like the Mojo 2 the most. I think I might prefer the Denafrips, even though I wonder what's closer to my ND5XS' sound or the dCS Delius DAC (which is not purely neutral, but sounds a tiny bit warm on top to me...)
Thanks very much Erwin. Yes I put a bit of wiggle on that in after effects, moving around in 3d space. You add position key frame with a wiggle equation. Effective that graphic! I suspect your Naim is closer to Chord than to Denafrips but I’m not sure. The dCS Bartok I tried is more like chord than it is to an r2r dac.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks! I did like the Chord Qutest quite a bit better than the Hugo that I used to have. I’ve never heard a Mojo before, but I always read it was a bit warmer sounding. And yeah, the graphics are gering better every time!
Great review! I loved your opening it cracks me up every time. how did you think the Arya Stealth sounded with the Mojo2, I hear some say the Mojo2 doesn’t have enough power to made the Arya Stealth really shine. Keep up the great work.
Man you make great videos
Thank you. I’m making a speaker review, soon to publish this weekend , with a James Bond theme at the moment.
Ares 2 never harsh , always musical , I have found hifi contentment
That's definitely what it is for!
Simon, very nice job. I always enjoy your content. I’ve got the Ares II. I’ve got it attached to a vintage McIntosh system. It replaced a Schiit Bifrost. The amount of air and space it created was truly shocking. Not worried about MQA. I heard it. It seems all they did was turn up the gain on the mastering.
Thanks Steve. The Ares 2 is a very nice hifi DAC.
Great and interesting post. I was thinking that the Mojo 2 would punch a little higher,in terms of partnering gear.
I’m late to the party but I’m going to try and borrow a Poly to try with the Mojo 2 - as far as I know, there have been no other reviews with the two together, and a comparison to modern phones would be a good one.
The dac magic plus had two dac chips as well one for left and one to right wolfsen
Cambridge audio seem to be a proponent of dual mono designs.
Would love for you to consider a shout-out between Ares2 against the Earmen Tradutto. The Tradutto is going for the Under 1k belt.
great video, thank you so much! I was actually looking in exactly these dacs myself. Is the ground lift on the Cambridge only for the dac part or will the amp also be lifted from ground?
A very well-produced and thoughtful video
Thank you.
I have a SimAudio i-3 fed by a SimAudio CD-1 going into a pair of KLH Model 5. What would your thoughts be?
I have not tried the Chord, but have the Cambridge and Schiit Gungnir. I own the Ares II also, and it is by far the better sounding DAC to my ears. It is not digital sounding as the fore mentioned are to my ears, I found them extremely fatiguing, even in brief listening sessions. The Ares II is smooth, that digital sound is not present and I can listen happily for hours with zero fatigue or pain. I’m sold on these R2R DACS, no more chip DACs for me.
Wow Michael that’s a strong review! Thanks as I’ve watched so many videos on these dacs and your review seemed to hit me strong as being sincere. I wonder if I should get the ares 2 for headphones which is what I like to use.
Great video. Could you share the link or specifications of the cable you used to connect the Mojo 2 coaxial input? thanks!
Hi Simon, great video. This has persuaded me for sure to get the Mojo 2 (headphone listening only) and likely to link it with the Wiim Mini. Please can you tell me what the music is at 13:04 - thanks
Another great video!!! Would love to hear people's opinions on at what point it makes sense to add a DAC as opposed to upgrading the amp. For example if I have a sub £1,000 amp, will the biggest bang for buck come from adding a DAC, or upgrading to a £2,000 plus amp?
IF adding DAC, means that you do not have any real DAC and you are using audio out from your laptop, than absolutely go for it... If you have some DAC and your amp is NOT ADEQUATE in driving your speakers (I am not speaking absolute perfect driving of your speakers) , then upgrade your AMP. If you are using 8+ years old (sub 1000$) DAC and you are happy with everything else (you have good acoustics in your room..., then (even in the same price range of your old DAC) you will have some benefit of new more modern DAC.
Speakers upgrade, step or two above your current one, or if you change the room and speakers are too big/small..., speakers are always biggest upgrade if you do not have room mode problems... if you have room mode problems, than some acoustic treatments, if you can do only passive one (excellent) if not , you can combine passive with some kind of active one (dirac)... Your question is complex and if you really want to do step in the right direction, you can't have simple pub drinking beer answer. BUT maybe you are listening music over headphones and all of this is a blah, blah, blah..
I loved the original mojo for pure sound, but mine was extremely sensitive to environmental noise. I couldn’t have my Samsung phone within 10 feet of it, which made it useless as a mobile device.
Which DAC would you choose for the Sennheiser 800s? Mojo!?
How do the DACs in question compare to the internal DAC on the H390? I own a H190, would the Mojo 2 or Ares II make a noticeable upgrade? Specifically Mojo 2. Great video!
I like my Mojo 2 especially when hooked up with McIntosh MHA200. With this combo, it sounds so satisfying. Question for you- If you could only live with 2 DACs, one being Mojo 2, which other DAC would you have (less than $5000 USD)?
I think an R2R would be the way to go. As Simon says, the sheer easy musicality of those Denafrips. I have one in my main Hfi system. But I will never use it for gaming. if on a budget, I would spent that money else where. The differences between DACs are very subtle and I have to A/B test. I use the Mojo2 for my main computer and it trumps in this use case epecially for gaming. I was using an Allo Revolution Dac before.
Hey Simon great review my friend. What's the music on the intro to the Chord Mojo? That Mojo is hard to beat at its price point, if at all. I'm going to say that though as I'm a Chord DAC fanboy. Keep up the excellent work 😁👍
Thanks very much Steve. It’s called Intrepid Journey by Aaron Static. Reminds me, in a different way, of Robert Miles of 90s house fame. Something uplifting about it. A builder track.
Great video thanks. I have the Ares2 connected to a Node2. What is the point of the DAC loop with the Hegel?
It just allows you to make use of the clock in the Hegel which is a very good one and in some set ups it can make a difference
My Mojo 2 and poly arrive tomorrow and I would like to ask can I use the Poly blue tooth to access music already installed on my iPhone 13 mini without any app etc. I can listen to music with my Apple AirPods Pro 2 with blue tooth and the 13 mini blue tooth with no app. Cheers bud...subbed.
Nice one Simon, I would love to hear you review the Denafrips Thallo power amp, is this one on your radar?
Thank you very much. I doubt it…I rate the brand but I have to , at my early stage, concentrate on good brands who invest in sponsorships, otherwise I’ll fail, so I can’t do more free reviews really. A shame really for Vinshine audio. Cheers.
Simon, do you have any personal interest in reviewing the MiniDSP SHD? I've seen the test data over at ASR, which appears to be very good, but I just haven't found much in the way of listening tests or comparisons to other similarly priced dacs. Over the last year I've finally began taking in room measurements to get a better understanding of my system set up, and that's led me to wanting to experiment with DSP or possibly Dirac. I've seen your M10 review where you seemed to enjoy the results of Dirac, so I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on the SHD after spending some time with it. The SHD paired together with a Purifi power amp really seems like it could be a very capable system, and for less money than the NAD M33 for example?
I’m interested in miniDSP too but they have a new system called flex coming out. I did reach out to them and I’ll see what response I get because I’d love to try it with my Hegel. I know what you mean that we want the benefits without all the bells and whistles that push up the price.
This a heavy weight battle. I'm usually down there hanging with KZ and whatnot.
I'm still on some Schiit. I will Roon all who test. Amir mortal won't catch me. I'm on topping still the best. Jersey!
Thanks Simon, the Mojo2 sells for $875.00 here in Canada & (surprise!!!)..
it can actually be purchased from a real store. The Qutest is $ 2645.00.
Could the Qutest be even just 20% better at 3X the price? I know this is not
the subject matter of this review/comparison but perhaps one of your
subscribers may know. (or you?). I currently own a couple of Schiit DACs
(Modi & Modus) and they're "good enough" and certainly worth the price but
... I believe, based on all that I have learned about the Mojo2 that I want one!!
Hi Charles, I think the Qutest is probably in that percentage order of improvement you mention. But if so expensive maybe an import?
Hello and thank you for your very informative reviews! I would like to ask you a question: At what volume level / "colour" you are putting the line output of the Chord Mojo 2, when you are using it only as a dac with fixed output, to a preamp or intergrated amp, using their volume control ?
Thanks very much
Thanks for the review. How about the Mojo2 vs RME ADI2 DAC FS unit audio quality comparisons?
Thanks too, if it’s so far as sq and features , the mojo2 isn’t close. Best to check out my rme comparisons review I did.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks. I have the RME ADI2 DAC FS. Just wondering how the Mojo2 audio quality compares. Cheers
I would need your advice in setting up a music at home. My choice is Cambridge DacMagic 200 connected to ONKYO TX NR 6100 . Please suggest speakers supporting ONKYO.
Patreon please
Dear hifi friends, a Benchmark Audio DAC-1 is currently on sale here in Germany. As I have never heard of it before, my question is whether it is a benefit for me. My small hi-fi chain is a Rega io, Cambridge Audio MNN10 and Spendor A2 loudspeakers. As an alternative I would also consider a Denafrips Ares II, but the DAC-1 is half the price and maybe twice as good? The DAC-1 is in my shopping basket as a precaution. Thanks for any help!
Hi Simon,
Superb review as always!
What is the lovely track starting at 13:02?
Cheers from Switzerland
Thanks very much. It’s on epidemic sound (copyright free music subscription service for CZcamsrs) by Brendon Moeller called ‘stimulant’. I use him a lot. I think he is on Soundcloud and some CZcams uploads by him too.
@@13thnotehifireviews7thank you simon! Have a nice day!
What’s that cable you’re using with the Mojo? Can thoroughly recommend the Audioquest Carbon Micro-USB, it really does add that additional refinement and you’ll hear it.
I think it’s evergreen Audioquest you refer to . Really cheap about £30 here in the U.K.
I love my Mojo 2 as well but it drives me nuts that it is picking up on mobile phone signal noise when on the go. Anyone having the same issue? It's the second unit I've tested and I am still getting the noise in my IEMS because cellular signal is interfering with Mojo 2 internals.
Why would you loop the Node 2i digital signal into the Hegel then to the Denafrips the finally in analog form back to the Hegel ?
It’s due to letting the Hegel do the clocking with it’s better circuits for that and they call it dac loop mode, sometimes it sounds better in my experience. Not always depending on gear but sometimes
I was just curious why the loop-thru of the Hegel was used instead of connecting the Node 2i directly to the Denafrips and connect the Denafrips analog outputs to the Hegel, resulting to lesser "detours" for the data.
Because you utilise a better clock in the Hegel which improves the sound.
From your testing, what’s the best input to connect to Bluesound node on mojo?
I don’t tend to get embroiled in which is the best unless it’s obvious but so far I can’t say one stands out , but may be the case in the fullness of time. I know the designer didn’t want to get rid of the optical input and some people rave about the optical on Qutest , so maybe it’s the optical input as best connection. So far I’ve tended to use mine with a MacBook and either usb c or micro usb, and not so much optical tbh.
I’ve gone through most of the sub £1500 dacs over the last year. Started with a NJC Headphone amplifier and matching NJC dac. Had the denafrips. Done the mojo 1 & 2. Tried the auralic. Had a dabble with a benchmark. Even bought a ifi pro plus others. Well I’ve just bought another NJC amp & NJC dac combo and guess what I’m glad to go back to what I was missing. For me the NJC combo does everything a little bit better without all the hype and superfluous features. I fed it from a cd transport with a chord signature digital coax and a dedicated pc via usb. All I want out of a dac/amp combo is just unadulterated sound quality no useless features and quality components on board. All I’ll say to people is step out of the circle and dabble with the different.
Hi. Do you use NJC Dac with a standard amp or just headphone one? Your comment has made me look into NJC for a Dac upgrade for a traditional 2 channel set up but there’s little review material out there.
@@neilingram3973 one of the best combos I’ve ever used. Amp and dac by NJC I has been the pinnacle for me. Rare but well worth it. If you get the chance to buy the combo do it.Way better than mojo or Hugo.
@@bunkerbusterexplore many thanks. I’ve just bought the Audiolab 6000A amp and am really enjoying it. I’ve also upgraded my speakers and CD transport recently so the DAC was next on my list. I do tend to stream mostly though. Which Dac did you go for - the 96 or 192khz variant?
@@neilingram3973 I went for the 192 but the designer at NJC actually prefers the 96. For me the 192 gave a smoother more natural sound.
@@bunkerbusterexplore thank you……making my choice of upgrade more of a dilemma 🤔🥴 Will certainly give the guys at NJC serious consideration
Heard the 200m, rme adi, and the mojo 2. Have to agree, even if the features of the rme are just astounding, the mojo 2 has more in terms of sound quality. You are paying for the features in the rme but if you dont like fiddling much with settings take the mojo 2. The cambridge is just a step down when comparing it to the rme and mojo 2.
The rme has the better dac and sound when you start pairing with headphone amps. But the mojo is the better out and about proposition.
Mojo 2 beats Ares II also in a ordinary two channels setup?
How do you run the Mojo 2 as a DAC? Do you just max out the volume of the Mojo? Thanks for any help.
You have to level match it. Get it to a point you don’t hear any distortion and that’s generally the right point.
Have you tried the Mojo 2 with different usb cables? I wonder if a cable upgrade is worth it.
No cable upgrades not worth it really for mojo2
13, Have you ran the Mojo, coax from a CD transport? I am concerned about jitter problems. Don't want to relive the past. Best, D.
Have you tried Octo Dac 8 Stereo? I can only find a few reviews but all exceptional. Stereophile rated it Class A and comparable to $15k MBL. My curiosity is peeked.
I haven’t tbh 😀🔉👍
Thank you for this review! Is the Mojo 2 close to the performance of the Qutest?
I covered that in the review? Did you watch it all? See mojo 2 review vid alone
@@13thnotehifireviews7 yes! I just watched it. Thank you! Your reviews are awesome! (:
Mojo with a good linear supply can upgrade the sound?
No because it uses a battery supply. Which is one probable reason the sound is so good. The USB power supply to the mojo is just trickle charging the battery as you use it, or charging to use it.
Thank you for you’re rispoun but if it’s on Dac mode and the buttery is fully charged so the buttery shuld disconnect and then the power supply shuld upgrade the sound don’t you Think so?
@@user-be1mf7ko7p no because the power supply to the unit always comes from the stable battery supply
What are your favourite headphones to use with the Mojo 2?
I’m not one of these people that have loads but so far I really like planar magnetics with the chord. I use Arya stealth
@@13thnotehifireviews7 can the mojo 2 make the arya to its full potential. I’ve heard they need a good dedicated amp
Thanks , how about mojo2 vs qutest??
Hi Vittorio, mojo 2 isn't the detail resolver or quite the soundstage creator of the Qutest.
Do you need amplifier for mojo2?
Because i read some people claim that for PLANAR headphone , mojo 2 need external amplifier to bump the Planar headphone to sound better
If only mojo 2 , planar headphone only do loud sound but no optimal
My mojo2 works great with hifi Arya stealth planar magnetic.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 ok
🙏🏼👍 thank you
Hifiman headphones I meant of course
Great video and shootout. Love the track at 13 min mark, would you share the info of this track. Thanks.
Thanks very much for lovely comment. It’s called Stimulant by Brendon Moeller. I use lots of his music on the service epidemic sound which is for copyright free CZcams music. But I think some of the tracks you can download on other platforms like Apple Music. Best way is to Shazam or Siri it and your phone will tell you. 😀👍
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Wonderful, subscribed.
Hi Simon, do you think adding a Poly makes mojo2 sound better? I mean not just being wireless.
I haven’t tried it yet but watch this space because I will be.
Just got the poly , it’s going to be a review but some time later when finished current ones which should be good so I can compare over time.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for the reply! You care about your fans.
Simon, this may sound stupid, what cable would I need to connect this to my amp or pre amp/streamer, and can I do the same with the Hugo?
Which one? the mojo2 Tony?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 either, I’m thinking of getting Mojo or Hugo 1 or 2.
@@tonyhodgkinson4586 it depends on the connections of the streamer and pre amp as to which you use. I show analogue connection to my amp if you watch my mojo2 video. The chords use fairly similar connections. The ca works with xlr outs and rca outs. The chord manuals tell you which cables you’ll need. The ares uses exactly same cables as Cambridge
Would any, or all of these be a noticeable step up from the dac in the Node 2i?
It depends what HiFi you have. For system advice please read the description and can help on Patreon / Paypal etc.
It's barley a noticeable step up fron the latest Bluesound Node apart from the DSP tone controls, which may be useful. The are very good.
You said you were using a Node 2021 v a Mojo 2. In my system node 2021 v mojo 2 is decent sided towards mojo 2. But with your exposure amp and Kef R3 you probably need a DAC like a Qutest as the mojo2 might be a bit of a sideways step. To get a good upgrade in hifi I always advocate doubling price , generally
@@13thnotehifireviews7 I think you're correct, I’m my case it would be a sideways step and I would probably need to spend double to make it worthwhile. Or cheaper option, be happy with the Bluesound Node for a few years and then upgrade when the better quality Dacs area available at a cheaper price..
And compared to the rme, how does it stack up?
The RME resolves more than mojo 2 , plus feature / connections spec , but hardly surprising with the price hike.
This is going to be a tricky question, if you wish to accept it. You once wrote about the Chord Hugo TT2 on your website, in that piece you had a short video which had a track playing over the top with the lyrics from ‘We had disco’. I have never heard or been able to find that mix, is there any chance you remember this and know what the mix was?!
I think it might have been my friends music he did. I’ll try and find it
Great video i was wondering i bought the NAD 658 is there any reviews on it ?
How can the mojo be connected to a stereo pair of active speakers like Genelec G4 ?
I think you just use analog 2 rca to 1 3.5mm socket, check with Genelec if gain on mojo2 output is ok to drive them.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 ok , thanks a lot ✌️
Would Arya stealth shine or struggle powered by the mojo2
Mine works lovely with Arya stealth
@@13thnotehifireviews7 A huge upgrade from the Hip Dac 2 sound?
What I miss is that you are using to cheap connections with the Mojo. I think if you connect with more top cables like the Audioquest Carbon it will sound even better. I have this on a very serious system and combine this with a Node 3 (N130). I is very difficult to have good connections but I think every system needs good interlinks of connections. What do you think about this that it can be even far better?
You don’t need to spend too much on audio cables.
My test with Focal Celestee: it is nicely detailed i hear that, but compared to my pc's dac(4 years old MSI entry level gaming laptop) it is lacking of soundstage, separation, imaging is better on my pc, dynamics and bass also better on the pc. It is better tuned also: more balanced. I tried to EQ it but then I lost the detailed, I tried crossfeet but then it muddys up the sound. The only thing that I've found was missing to my old pc's DAC/AMP is that it sounded a little thin, like it was lacking of power(its fine pc, u've done what you could, thanks). I was kinda desprate, how can a 4 years old pc sound better than a recent 500E device that is DEDICATED to sound. This is ridiculous. same thing happened with the RU7 CAYIN, only worse. the mojo2 gets really closer to my pc's but still congested feeling like the cayin, and no bass power and texture, so nope, I can't say that it sounds better. Very disapointed, fortunately I was able to send it back, otherwise I would have felt robbed.
Good video Hans. Due to quantization noise and other factors,
the theoretical 6.02 dB per bit won’t exist. For
16-bit, around 90 dB is probably more likely.
Hello, please someone help me. How do I connect my Mojo 2 to my Samsung S24 Ultra phone? I'm really struggling. What do I need and what are the steps.
I hope someone can help me. God willing.
wow ASR really seem to be gunning FOR Chord latterly, just watched another review where they tore apart of the the highest end Chord products after their scathing review of the mscaler
ohh and that was subjectively as well as objectivley
I didn’t think much of the m-scaler but most of their dac products are fantastic. The new mojo 2 is a terrific product.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 my mojo 2 is arriving Tuesday, I can't wait to finally hear what it can produce,
@@adrianmorrish8494how is the mojo 2? Mine is coming today
Great book by Mr Frankl,.... Marvelous him surviving concentration camps..... And for me a great insight into life etc.... Have you listened or watched any CZcams stuff regarding Tyson Fury?........ hope you're OK sir..... I've not long subscribed to your channel, keep up the honest opinions.......
He was a wise old man, not many psychology people of that ilk nowadays. Haven’t read or watched much Tyson Fury stuff tbh. Thanks very much.
Bluetooth used to be bad, but these days not so much, at least not wit LDAC. As soon as you move from APTX to LDAC there is an instant jump in sound quality. In fact LDAC is now good enough not only for portable use but also transportable use, when you just go somewhere and sit down and pay a little more attention to the music then when you just walk around the city. I would not consider any Bluetooth connection if it is not LDAC. It is just not worth the drop in quality.
Can I connect 2 DACs to get more pure hi res. Quality?
what is simple jazz?
Time stamp?
Currently I'm using the Mojo 2 with a Bluesound Node 21, Exposure 3510 amp and Kef R5 speakers. When I match the level as close as I can and switch between the two, initially they sound the same. The Mojo is A-tad smoother and it's only a tad. So in my opinion it's not worth the upgrade. However the DSP tone controls are useful, so depending on your needs, it might be worth the upgrade for just. for that? It would have been interesting if you had compared the three DACs to the one in the Bluesound Node. Which in my opinion is a pretty good DAC. Not sure if I'm keeping the Mojo 2, I've only had it for a few days, so we'll see. I do like your reviews, but like all reviewers I think the differences/improvements in hifi equipment are blow up out of all proportion.
Peoples experiences of course differ but there are common threads but even with some cheaper headphones it is pretty easy to tell between these DACs for me. I’d expect the mojo 2 to be an improver in your system over the Node 2021 but you didn’t say what you were comparing ? The Node DAC ? With the Hifiman headphones sound is easily discernible , so too my Adam audio sp-5.
Of course I’m an enthusiast and I’m comparing small things but in an audiophile sense big. So no I’m not blowing up anything out of proportion and I appeal to people who want to squeeze as much performance out as possible. If the differences can’t be heard in one system or they are small it doesn’t make it an immutable truth to others and so far as my point of small and at the same time big changes. Equally if I hear it and so do others then a positive case for a change can be made but only if a decent one. I also explained I was using a very good amp and speakers which probably reveal lots more than some systems and context is important too
It is all confusing. Only direct analogue sound recording is best.
Wight!!
What do you mean ?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 No "r". It's a British thing I'll never get used to
Jay Em cool thanks, I thought normal dictionary def
@@13thnotehifireviews7 No. Just me being obnoxious.
I'm jealous. I'm near death and living in the 3rd world. High-end hear is virtually non-existant.