Meridian Explorer 2 vs Chord Mojo

[witchdoctor]

I am looking to get a new DAC to connect my PC with my preamp for 2 channel music and need feedback. I was looking to get the Meridan Explorer 2 because it will also be compatible with the new MQA high res format which will hopefully be streaming on Tidal soon:
http://www.whathifi.com/news/meridian-reveals-explorer-2-dac-mqa-support

Then I heard about the Chorus Mojo. At a recent audio show Kef and Parasound did a demo of their choice reference components costing $$$$. The front end was the $500 Mojo Dac!

"The show system featured a pair of Parasound JC 1 monoblock amps and a JC 2 stereo preamp. An all solid-state Macbook Pro running JRIVER media center served the digital tunes while a Chord Electronics MoJo DAC converted them into analog"

The Mojo DAC is a little more expensive and lacks MQA. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[amirm]

I have the original Explorer. I only use it for testing and on my audio workstation. Measurement wise, it is "OK." It has more distortion products than I like.

I did hear the Mojo DAC at KEF suite at AXPONA. Everything sounded good there and Johan spoke highly of the DAC. But I would be lying to you if I said I can tell if anything about the good sound there was due to the DAC. You have to seek out someone smarter than me to tease out the DAC out of the room/speaker effect.

On MQA, I wouldn't make it a purchase factor. There won't be much content in it for a long time and when there is, these DACs are cheap enough that you can just buy another .

I am sure I just confused you with my random thoughts .

 

[witchdoctor]

I have the original Explorer. I only use it for testing and on my audio workstation. Measurement wise, it is "OK." It has more distortion products than I like.

I did hear the Mojo DAC at KEF suite at AXPONA. Everything sounded good there and Johan spoke highly of the DAC. But I would be lying to you if I said I can tell if anything about the good sound there was due to the DAC. You have to seek out someone smarter than me to tease out the DAC out of the room/speaker effect.

On MQA, I wouldn't make it a purchase factor. There won't be much content in it for a long time and when there is, these DACs are cheap enough that you can just buy another .

I am sure I just confused you with my random thoughts .

That is a good point about not making MQA a factor. The fact that they chose a $500 DAC for a show to demonstrate $8000 speakers and Parasounds most expensive amp and pre-amp I found curious. There are so many DAC's they could have chosen that are in the $5000 range I figured this one must be pretty good. I'll post a review once i get it and thanks for the tip!

 

[amirm]

Well, part of their reason was locational affinity as the Chord facility is very close to KEF. Anyway look forward to your review! Would you also post it in the audiosciencereview forum? I love to have more data on these low-cost DACs. I plan to do one for iFi Micro 2 DAC I have.

 

[witchdoctor]

Well, part of their reason was locational affinity as the Chord facility is very close to KEF. Anyway look forward to your review! Would you also post it in the audiosciencereview forum? I love to have more data on these low-cost DACs. I plan to do one for iFi Micro 2 DAC I have.

OK, thanks! They still could have chosen the more expensive DAC's made from Chord, I will post if I get it.

 

[Priaptor]

I recently purchased a MOJO and can say it is a fantastic DAC. So far I have been using it with a Cavalli Liquid Carbon and headphones. I happen to think it sounds at least as good and in some ways better than the HUGO that will soon be going on the market. I don't care too much about the MQA and had one of the early Meridian which I sold almost as soon as I got it. IMHO the Mojo is in a totally different class. It doesn't do MQA so if that is important to you then there is no discussion. If it is just a curiosity thing I can just about guarantee you will be extremely happy with the MOJO. My reference DAC is an MSB Diamond. I think the HUGO/MOJO outperforms, or at least as it pertains to my taste the Auralic Vega which my HUGO replaced.

 

[witchdoctor]

I recently purchased a MOJO and can say it is a fantastic DAC. So far I have been using it with a Cavalli Liquid Carbon and headphones. I happen to think it sounds at least as good and in some ways better than the HUGO that will soon be going on the market. I don't care too much about the MQA and had one of the early Meridian which I sold almost as soon as I got it. IMHO the Mojo is in a totally different class. It doesn't do MQA so if that is important to you then there is no discussion. If it is just a curiosity thing I can just about guarantee you will be extremely happy with the MOJO. My reference DAC is an MSB Diamond. I think the HUGO/MOJO outperforms, or at least as it pertains to my taste the Auralic Vega which my HUGO replaced.

That is great to know, I was thinking of getting the Aurlalic but the model I was looking at is a streamer and you need apple pc. I am definitely getting the Mojo, thanks!

 

[Priaptor]

That is great to know, I was thinking of getting the Aurlalic but the model I was looking at is a streamer and you need apple pc. I am definitely getting the Mojo, thanks!

The Vega I found harsh and what people equate as "digital" whereas I found the Hugo very close to the MSB Analogue which I had here for an extended audition before ultimately going the Diamond route.

And as I said if anything the Mojo equals and in some ways exceeds the HUGO both as a dedicated DAC and definitely as a portable machine.

I am getting the highly touted new T&A to audition and it will be an interesting shootout between my MSB, the T&A and the MOJO

 

[witchdoctor]

Just saw this interview with the mojo's designer at CES 2016:
https://youtu.be/3e7SRXP3RHI

 

[amirm]

It was a good talk. Thanks Doc.

 

[Lee]

I have the Chord mojo and love it. It offers very good resolution and imaging. It's also very well made. The only minor thing I don't like is the micro-usb connections for music and battery charging but given the size these are probably a necessity.

It's a great product. I use it on my weekly consulting trips with the Audeze Since for a high end road system.