User Manual

I started dialling down the 3kHz and arrived at -4dB as the best option for my
system with the Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4s.
Now the balance was similar to the one I get with most mains-powered
DACs and allowed Brokeback’s Looks at the Bird [Thrill Jockey] to deliver its
full tonal depth, especially from the vibes and double bass. It wasn’t quite
as immediate as the at tone setting but was a lot easier and more relaxed;
more importantly there didn’t appear to be any change to timing which is often
undermined by DSP. This backs up Chord Electronics’ claim for transparent
DSP, a state of affairs that was reinforced with everything I played from the
dreamy grooves of Taylor McFerrin to the snappy drive of the Grateful Dead
in full ight. The overall performance is extremely good for a DAC at this price
and given that I was using fairly basic cables this is not as good as it can get.
There is no shortage of power nor of ne detail, I was impressed on several
occasions at the way it could pick out the quieter sounds even when things
were getting very busy musically speaking. This happened with ‘Cumberland
Blues’ and ‘Gravity’s Angel’ where the organ is easy to follow as are the many
effects going on behind the fundamentals of the song.
Whether portable DACs have a future in a world that appears to be
dominated by Bluetooth is open to debate but there are plenty of music lovers
who realise that cables are small price to pay for great sound on and off the
move. I tried the Mojo 2 with a pair of fairly modest Bowers and Wilkins P7
headphones and found that unlike that company’s loudspeakers the tonal
balance here was dull through the midband. Bringing the 3kHz shelf back
to its zero point did the trick though, it brought the headphones to life, and
in a very positive way it has to be said. Now I was able to enjoy a wide
range of music at sensible levels, something that has not been the case in the
past. I particularly enjoyed Joan Osborne’s
‘Pensacola’ [Relish, Universal] and got a
good shot of its emotional impact as well
as an insight into its meaning that hasn’t
come to the fore when played through the
speakers before.
I take my hat off to Rob Watts and
Chord Electronics for the way that they
have managed to incorporate sophisticated
equalisation into the Mojo 2 without
compromising its excellent sound quality.
Add to that this all metal and impressively
well nished little device is made in the UK
for a price that competes with the best in the
business and you have a bona de winner.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Type: High-resolution portable
headphone amplier/DAC
Inputs: One TOSLink optical input, one
micro USB input, one USB C input,
one coaxial/dual-data coax via
3.5mm minijack
Outputs: Two 3.5mm headphone jacks
Device drivers: Not specied
Digital Filters: 40,960 tap-length digital
lters
Battery: Sufcient power at full charge
for 8+ hours of operation. The Mojo
2 can also be powered from a 2V
USB power supply
Frequency Response: Not specied
Headphone output: 90mW into
300 Ohms, 600mW into 30 Ohms
Power Output – at 1% distortion:
300 Ohms, 90mW; 30 Ohms, 600mW
Accessories: USB-A-to-USB-Micro cable,
optional Poly wireless streamer
Dimensions (H×W×D): 21 × 82 × 62mm
Weight: 182g
Price: £449
Manufacturer: Chord Electronics Ltd.
Tel.: [phone]
URL: chordelectronics.co.uk
“I was impressed on several occasions at the
way it could pick out the quieter sounds.”
EQUIPMENT REVIEW / CHORD MOJO 2
Reproduced from HI-FI+ Issue 205 www.hifiplus.com