raif71
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This is unjustifiably expensive for what it is. If looking at a simple Sinad to Price ratio it would be underwhelming.
This is unjustifiably expensive for what it is. If looking at a simple Sinad to Price ratio it would be underwhelming.
As I explained earlier, the graph lacks resolution to quantify the slope there. So you need to just evaluate it by eye and see how sharp the drop off is, relative to the lazy ones that is typical.Amir, I don't understand this. How is only -40dB at Nyquist good, let alone "excellent"?
Well, the Lecson is a real beauty, amazing design, could have been from Apple. No comparison to Chord, though.I freely admit that the size/shape/look/feel of the DACs I've chosen has often been as important as the performance. I'm in the camp that thinks the differences in performance are very small among many of the best DACs. Just like someone might pay a lot more for a coat based on how it looks and feels even if there are many less expensive coats that are just as warm or even which have more features (e.g. pockets).
DACs are a relatively new category, but if you look at things like speakers and amplifiers you'll see that there are lots of designs that are almost as outrageous. There's a recent Most aesthetically pleasing amplifiers thread on this site with some interesting examples.
As I keep saying, it's a matter of taste. I don't think "toy like" is necessarily in contradiction with "premium." "Toy" can refer to the aesthetic rather than being a reference to quality. The toy like appearance of the Mojo 2 is definitely about aesthetics because the build quality is very high. There are some high-end brands like Meridian and even NAD that have a certain toy-like aesthetic but are very high quality. I think my favorite example from the aforementioned thread is this Lecson:
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Well, it, no doubt, will drive some more difficult headphones than the most powerful dongles to date, but in general I agree.If I need a dongle I will get one. I don't see what this thing does that a dongle does not, apart from being heavy, bulky, expensive and having a weird look. No thanks.
If I need a dongle I will get one. I don't see what this thing does that a dongle does not, apart from being heavy, bulky, expensive and having a weird look. No thanks.
Sure, but as Amir himself seemed to suggest there are many other desktop options available at less cost that outperform this unit. I think it only competes fairly in the portable category, and even then there are other portables with more features that are arguably competitive with this. I’m not taking sides in regard to the MQA issue, but in this category and price range I suspect many consumers (not referring to me) would prefer the competition from FiiO, iFi, Zorloo, Shanling or HiBy that may not measure as well but are compatible with Tidal and cost less.If the only use case you can imagine is plugging it into your phone, then I don't totally disagree with you (unless you have fancy headphones that need a powered amp). If you're plugging it into a high-end AV system where you need an optical input and your speaker amp weighs 50 lbs, then a cheap plastic dongle wouldn't work and wouldn't seem very appropriate even if it did.
Since when is 4.5Vrms lukewarm for a single-ended DAC?The area in which it performs admirably is in its DAC section, and even that is limited to a fairly lukewarm voltage output.
Apparently you can, but I see nothing in their included accessories that offers an OTG cable that is designed for iOS devices, so I would have guessed that the CCK would be necessary—but another user on here has apparently had luck with it working without it. I think it would definitely depend on the generation of your iPad though. There are many other portable DACs, including offerings from FiiO and iFi, that now come with both iPhone and iPad OTG cables that don’t require the kit.Can I plug my iPad into this using the USB-C input port? Do I need Apple ‘camera kit’? Advice gratefully received!
Where’d you see that? Amir’s graph said it operated optimally between 3 and 4.3 volts—my Topping soars nicely at 5.4. And that extra 1.1 volts makes a big difference in clean headroom for my amplifier.Since when is 4.5Vrms lukewarm for a single-ended DAC?
Sure, but as Amir himself seemed to suggest there are many other desktop options available at less cost that outperform this unit. I think it only competes fairly in the portable category, and even then there are other portables with more features that are arguably competitive with this.
OK fair enough (although I’m not sure why Amir would offer this recommendation given his usual vigilance). But in my real-world scenario my amp can tolerate higher voltages and I experienced significant improvements when I upgraded to a higher voltage DAC. This issue was not a prominent point in my post either way—this feels a tad nitpicky. But I do defer to your expertise on the matter.Amir's SINAD vs Vrms sweeps are really coarsely stepped, and so often lack resolution.
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The THD+N vs Power sweeps on the other hand have much finer resolution.
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69.73mW at 300Ω = 4.57Vrms
Apparently you can, but I see nothing in their included accessories that offers an OTG cable that is designed for iOS devices, so I’m guessing the CCK would be necessary. There are many other portable DACs, including offerings from FiiO and iFi, that now come with both iPhone and iPad OTG cables that don’t require the kit.
I would hardly call this Mojo 2 an “Audi”, let alone categorize something from FiiO or the other brands I mentioned (except maybe the Zorloo) a “Hyundai”. C’mon, that couldn’t have been more attuned to their marketing materials had Watts said it himself. This is a decent unit, with a nicely-executed DAC section and nothing more—it’s bare bones in terms of features and the ones it has (such as the dual SE outputs) are superfluous.If you only care about the most features for the lowest price, then the Mojo 2 isn't the best choice regardless of category. But lots of people are willing to pay for premium quality and would rather buy an Audi than a Hyundai (or whatever example you'd like to pick) even if it doesn't go any faster or have more features.
There's also a whole continuum between "portable" and "desktop." The Mojo 2 is a great size to go along with a laptop like a MacBook Air or a full-size iPad when you're sitting on the couch, for example.
No, I’m intimately familiar with iOS devices and would not make that mistake. Not all USB DACs are compatible with Apple’s data ports, including on the iPad—although admittedly I could not say for sure without trying this one out. Many still require the CCK. If you have a Mojo 2 and it’s working with your iPad, I’ll happily defer to you and correct my statement. But that doesn’t imply that I’m out of touch.You don't need a special cable to connect the Mojo 2 to a USB-C iPad. Just a regular USB-C to USB-C cable. You're probably thinking of iPhones or old iPads with Lightning connectors.
I would hardly call this Mojo 2 an “Audi”, let alone categorize something from FiiO or the other brands I mentioned (except maybe the Zorloo) a “Hyundai”. C’mon, that couldn’t have been more attuned to their marketing materials had Watts said it himself. This is a decent unit, with a nicely-executed DAC section and nothing more—it’s bare bones in terms of features and the ones it has (such as the dual SE outputs) are superfluous.
It should be fairly evident that I’m no Chord fan, and that is primarily due to their exorbitant price points. You invoking luxury cars only feeds into that. It’s not earned, it just isn’t.
No, I’m intimately familiar with iOS devices and would not make that mistake. Not all USB DACs are compatible with Apple’s data ports, including on the iPad—although admittedly I could not say for sure without trying this one out. Many still require the CCK. If you have a Mojo 2 and it’s working with your iPad, I’ll happily defer to you and correct my statement. But that doesn’t imply that I’m out of touch.
Is this some effort to reduce the arguably fair criticisms I made into a dismantling of my brain wattage in favor of lining Chord’s pockets? What’s so exciting about this overpriced toy? I don’t get it.
There definitely is, I own two—but if it’s working for you, then I was mistaken. No offense intended!Well I've plugged my Mojo 2 into an iPad with a random USB-C cable and it worked great, but what do I know? As far as I know there isn't even such a thing as a USB-C camera connection kit.