Who says the sequel by no means lives as much as the unique?
Cellular Pleasure.
It’s proper there within the identify. Of the entire moveable merchandise that experience come and long gone in my lifestyles, just one has remained. The unique Cellular Pleasure, or Mojo to its pals, has been my go-to supply for comparing rankings of IEMs and headphones and for nearly all my excitement listening on-the-go.
This is, till now. Out with the outdated Mojo, in with the new Mojo 2!
The Mojo 2 appears to be like similar to the unique. It’s were given the similar quirky black aluminum case, even if now there are 4 sparkling multi-colored balls of quite a lot of sizes vs the unique 3. The entire identical inputs and outputs are there, with a new USB-c knowledge port caught on.
But it surely’s no longer the outdoor the place the Mojo has actually modified.
Chord added vital options and acted on evaluations of the unique product. Higher battery control, a USB-c port, and DSP controls are tangible enhancements. For those who use them, the new options are for sure a explanation why to improve. The Mojo 2 has stepped forward readability, tonality, and affect over its forerunner. It sounds herbal and ‘high-end,’ and sure, it merely does sound higher. The Mojo 2 is a refined step up from the primary Mojo.
- Transparent and clear sound
- Suitable with just about each headphone and IEM
- Advanced dynamics over the unique
- Complete-featured EQ
- Crossfeed
- The distinct Chord design language
- Impeccable construct high quality
- Two headphone outputs
- Interpreting the menus and hues calls for the guide
- Nonetheless the use of micro-USB for Poly compatibility
- USB-c port awkwardly added
Within we nonetheless to find an FPGA chip programmed via Chord fashion designer Rob Watts, however this time we additionally get DSP crossfeed and EQ. The battery controller will get a much-needed improve with an ‘clever desktop’ rate control mode to support lifespan and cut back warmth when plugged in full-time for desktop use.
The ones people (and there are lots of) who love the Mojo had been very excited to listen to a revised model was once within the works. Neatly, the Mojo 2 got here out in 2022, and I’ve been residing with it for plenty of months now.
Austin Powers references apart, the movie business has taught us that infrequently the sequel doesn’t at all times reside as much as the unique. (In Don LaFontaine’s best possible film trailer voice): “In an international the place affordable moveable audio assists in keeping churning out redundant sequels… one corporate dares to revamp their masterpiece.”
In This Article
Corporate Assessment
Chord Electronics Restricted, positioned in Kent, England, was once based in 1989 via Leader Engineer and Proprietor John Franks. John took his aviation electronics wisdom and started to design high-end audio amplifiers, together with his merchandise finishing up within the BBC, Abbey Roads Studios, and Skywalker Sound.
Within the overdue Nineteen Nineties, with the addition of Rob Watts to the corporate, Chord pivoted into the virtual audio global with Rob’s distinctive FPGA DAC designs. In 2014, the discharge of the Hugo drove Chord’s reputation and luck, and the 2015 unencumber of the Mojo tripled their gross sales.
Technical Specs
- Shape: Transportable DAC, Amp
- Output impedance (Ohm): 0.06 Ohm
- Dynamic vary: 125 dB
- THD: 2.5 V@300 Ω: 0.0003 %
- Output energy: 300 Ω: 90 mW, 30 Ω: 600 mW
- Headphone outputs: 3.5mm x2
- Inputs: Optical, 3.5mm coaxial, USB-C, Micro USB
- Charging port: Micro-USB
- Charging present: 1.5 A
- Battery lifestyles: 8 hours (approx.)
- Weight: 185g
- Dimensions: 83 mm x 62 mm x 22.9 mm
Packaging
The Mojo 2 is available in an understated white field with black lettering. Simple however elegant and a welcome trade to the ever-present black field for electronics.
Beneath a vellum flap, the Mojo 2 is cradled in white foam, with a brief micro-USB cable nestled beneath.
Within the field
- Mojo 2
- USB-b to micro-USB charging cable
- Fast Get started information
- Hyperlink to video directions
- Guaranty card
- Protection directions
Design
The unique Mojo is iconic. No different product appears to be like adore it. In my view, Chord was once good to construct in this icon with the redesigned 2 and no longer abandon what makes the Mojo particular.
From first look, you recognize the two is a Mojo.
Returning for the sequel is a black aluminum case that stocks the unique’s dimensions and is simplest about 10g heavier. The addition of a USB-c knowledge port is welcome, even if the implementation is strangely inelegant.
So as to deal with Poly streamer compatibility, the unique’s 3.5mm COAX, twin micro-USB (knowledge and charging), and SPDIF optical ports are maintained. To suit the new USB-c port on as smartly, it’s housed in a rubber quilt that bulges quite from the ground and serves because the 4th rubber foot.
The enter is auto-selected when plugging in cords and prioritized so as of USB, COAX, and optical enter (i.e., if the USB enter is plugged in, the SPDIF inputs aren’t lively.) The micro-USB enter takes precedence over USB-c.
The other finish homes two 3.5mm SE headphone outputs. Word that the quantity can’t be independently adjusted for each and every output.
The obvious design trade is the transfer from 3 equal-sized sparkling spheres to two smaller spheres flanking two middle spheres. Those are, in fact, the color-changing buttons that people appear to like or hate (left to proper: menu, quantity down, quantity up, energy).
It’s precisely this quirky design language that defines Chord’s merchandise.
The ability button shade signifies the pattern price of the report being performed. The menu button shade signifies quantity vary, brightness, crossfeed mode, button lock, and bass/treble cabinets. The quantity button colours point out the present playback quantity.
The new menu button permits get entry to to the EQ (18 steps in 4 audio bands: decrease bass, mid bass, decrease treble, higher treble), crossfeed (4 settings), LED brightness keep watch over (2 settings), and button lock.
Fortunately, concurrently urgent the + and – buttons from the DSP or crossfeed menus resets the Mojo 2 to the default settings (DSP and crossfeed disabled), so it’s clean to start out over should you get misplaced within the menus.
Internals
Beneath the hood, you’ll to find an ATSAM3U1C microcontroller dealing with USB tasks and an ARTIX-7 FPGA chip controlling DSP and oversampling. Coupling capacitors were got rid of from the design.
Enhancements over the unique come with the 104-bit customized DSP working at 705/768 kHz with inner noise-shaping, touted as no longer generating any sound degradation and offering larger neutrality.
Moreover, the clear out has been up to date to the new WTA (Watts Temporary Aligned) clear out, with 40,960 faucets and the use of 40 DSP cores.
Battery
Battery lifestyles is kind of 8 hours, relying on quantity, settings, and report kind performed.
Charging is now treated via an FPGA chip, lowering charging occasions. An ‘Clever Desktop’ mode isolates the battery and, past higher battery well being via warding off overcharging, reduces warmth and improves filtering and isolation. Nice information for individuals who desire a Mojo for desktop use.
Chord Mojo 2 Sound
There is not any query that Chord has made many technical enhancements to the Mojo 2 – evident stuff like battery control and the new DSP options.
Do the technical enhancements equivalent stepped forward sound?
Let’s be transparent. I really like the unique Mojo. It’s an incredible all-around performer, and it’s been my most popular moveable audio software for years. It sounds nice, so the Mojo 2 has to ship giant to outshine its predecessor.
Similar to the bodily design of the Mojo 2, the sound isn’t a reinvention of the unique’s strengths. Quite, the adjustments are reasonably refined, development on a very good basis, however are undeniably an development.
Refinement reasonably than reinvention.
In direct comparability, the Mojo 2 sounds much less intimate and constrained. The song merely sounds ‘larger.’ The soundstage intensity feels extra spacious and with extra air to respire. It’s difficult to place into phrases and is extra glaring with some audio tracks than others, however you’re going to comprehend it whilst you pay attention it.
Moreover, readability and backbone appear to have stepped forward. The Mojo has at all times been an easy-to-listen-to software and not using a virtual or sharp character. It’s impartial and herbal sounding with out veering into overly heat or cushy shade. To me, it’s the sound signature I equate with high-end audio.
Mojo 2 assists in keeping this base personality however dials up the element. Delicate nuances within the sound are more straightforward to select. This imbues a liveliness and effort to the song that improves the listening a laugh issue over the unique.
I by no means idea I used to be lacking anything else with the Mojo 1, however the 2 is in a position to seize my consideration and immerse me within the song much more.
Energy
The Mojo 2 is blank sounding with a black, noise-free background. There is not any audible hiss with extraordinarily environment friendly IEMS, but it has sufficient energy for nearly any pair of headphones available in the market.
Without equal energy take a look at is the woefully inefficient HiFiMan HE6se v2 headphones (impedance: 50 Ohms, sensitivity: 83.5 dB). Lesser amps simply ship sufficient grunt to make those behemoths audible however fail to force them close to their attainable.
Whilst the visceral affect of the HE6se v2 isn’t the similar when pushed via the Mojo 2 (600 mW@30Ω) as it’s via the Burson Conductor 3R (5000mW@32Ω), the whole sound is remarkably just right. The HE6se v2 sound most commonly as they will have to, showcasing their easy ethereal high-end, and flat, managed low frequencies.
For those who don’t wish to purchase devoted desktop tools along with moveable tools, the Mojo 2 supplies an excellent selection to a telephone dongle + desktop DAC/amp setup. It’s versatile sufficient to do justice to just about anything else you plug into it.
The Mojo 2 actually could be a one-and-done form of software.
Crossfeed and EQ
Crossfeed is meant to create a extra herbal ‘speaker-like’ listening enjoy via enjoying one of the left channel’s audio in the best motive force (and vice-versa) after a brief prolong. It lessens the all-or-nothing stereo separation enjoy of headphone listening and adjustments the listener’s impact of the soundstage.
It will have to be refined – the intent is to sound herbal.
The Mojo 2 handles crossfeed with mild gloves and, as is my enjoy with crossfeed circuits previously, is simpler or evident with some tracks than others. It’s value enjoying round with to peer if it suits your sound personal tastes, however in the long run I go away it disabled.
My enjoy with EQ is far the similar. I love to mess around with it first of all, however since I transfer headphones and song genres so steadily, a surroundings that works best possible for one setup is not going to fit every other.
With the guide in hand to interpret the sparkling coloured balls, tweaking the audio settings is reasonably clean. The variability of changes is greater than beneficiant sufficient to song issues in your choice. I will be able to pay attention no distortion or any relief in energy output or dynamics with the EQ enabled.
The place to Purchase
Conclusion
A ways be it from me to face in the way in which of growth.
Whilst I admit my jaded self begins taking a look on the unending revisions of well-liked moveable audio merchandise (v2, v3, nano, stealth, LTD, and so on.) as some way of additional milking gross sales from house owners of the former era, I’ve to confess that infrequently trade is important and welcome.
Chord waited seven years between the Mojo 1 and a pair of. They didn’t simply make refined inner adjustments and unencumber it with the tagline “It sounds higher, accept as true with us.” Quite, they added vital options and acted on evaluations of the unique product. Higher battery control, a USB-c port, and DSP controls are tangible enhancements.
For those who use them, the new options are for sure a explanation why to improve. However what should you don’t use EQ or crossfeed? Are the sound enhancements explanation why sufficient?
The Mojo 2 has stepped forward readability, tonality, and affect over its forerunner. It sounds herbal and ‘high-end,’ and sure, it merely does sound higher. Does this imply the Mojo 1 abruptly doesn’t sound as just right because it used to? Nope, nonetheless nice. The Mojo 2 is a refined step up.
The Mojo 2 is a top rate product with a top rate price ticket – so for plenty of, it isn’t a straightforward purchase. Mojo 1 devotees will adore the two. The ones people get the eccentric design language and include the sparkling ball keep watch over scheme. Alternatively, if Chord’s merchandise go away you nonplussed, the Mojo 2 design isn’t more likely to win you over.
This is, a minimum of, till you pay attention it.
Allow 48h for review and removal.