Company & Product Overview

It’s amazing to us that fighter jets inspired the designs in all of Chord’s products. But, what do fighter jets and high-performance audio have in common? John Franks. He’s the founder of Chord Electronics — a brand born from the world of avionics.

In 1982, John Franks was designing electronics for fighter jets. If an electrical failure occurred, the results could be catastrophic. This is where the love for quality, attention to detail, and the Chord ethos to do things “right,” took flight.

A self-described “audiophile,” Franks started Chord in 1989 out of his home in the United Kingdom and baked this ethos into the world-class amplifiers he designed. Word got out, and a year later the BBC started using Chord gear.

Today, Chord products can be found in the most famous recording studios around the world, including Sony, Abbey Road, the Royal Opera House, and even George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound!

With new high-end headphones coming out every year, Chord recognized the growing demand for better quality sound on the go. So, Chord came out with a line of standalone DACs, which quickly became reference-level favorites by headphone lovers. Chord DACs like Chord Hugo 2 Portable DAC/Headphone Amp are easy to use and carry. However, Chord Mojo 2 is the smallest and most affordable model, yet.

At Audio Advice, we are big fans of companies that use trickle-down technologies that make their less expensive products better, and the Chord Mojo 2 is no exception.

Design & Build Quality

John Franks’ background in airplane design is back front and center again with the new Mojo 2. The chassis is machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminum and then bead-blasted with a matte black finish that repels fingerprints well.

Chord is serious about build quality. To maintain its high standards, Chord designs and builds all products inside its UK facility, so the fit and finish on every part of the Mojo 2 is exceptional. Like its predecessor, it weighs less than half a pound, but the CNC milled aluminum chassis is built like an aircraft that would make 007 jealous.

Visually, the Mojo 2’s black aluminum chassis looks like something James Bond would be proud to use. Like all Chord products, the Mojo 2’s shapely design is interesting and unique. The main body of the unit is rectangular with Chord’s signature rounded, smooth edges. The device is less than 1-inch tall, just slightly under 2.5-inches wide, and a little over 3-inches long, so it easily slips into a pocket, a briefcase, or a purse. 

On one side of the Mojo 2, there are two 3.5 mini headphone jacks for connecting two pairs of headphones at once, and we love this. It’s fantastic to see Chord has kept this coveted feature from the original Mojo, as this makes listening with a friend or A/B testing two different pairs of headphones extremely easy. Either of the two headphone outputs can also be used for plugging an audio cable into an audio system or a set of powered speakers.

On the other end are all the digital inputs. Mojo 2 now has a dual data input, which opens it up for use with Chord M Scaler! There is an optical TOSLINK input and a mini-plug coaxial digital in, plus a micro USB audio in, and one more micro USB dedicated to charging the unit, so you can continue using Mojo 2 while it charges. Right below the micro-USB & coaxial digital inputs is the coolest addition to the Mojo 2. Now, there is a new USB Type-C port that will accept digital audio from USB-C sources.

On top of the unit, there are four rounded “sphere” style buttons which all roll like the Hugo 2. The buttons (referred to as the “power button, “volume buttons,” and “menu button”) illuminate different colors to indicate status, sample rate, mode, and access to special EQ tone controls. But, it’s what’s inside the unit that makes the Mojo 2 special.

Features & Technology

Indeed, there’s mojo in there — and it all happens inside where a custom-designed DAC chip lets you bypass the internal DAC in your computer or phone to improve the analog sound you hear.

Award-Winning Rob Watts Design

Designed completely in-house using Rob Watts’ multi-award-winning DAC technology, Chord is one of the few in the world that can design and build its own proprietary USB DACs. It uses crystal oscillators that are nearly 20 times faster than regular DACs.

This produces analog signals with extremely low-noise, so you hear more details on your recording. Think crystal clear audio the way you would hear it in the recording studio.

Revamped FPGA Artix-7 DAC Chip

Taking Mojo’s already transparent sound to the next level, Mojo 2 has a completely revamped FPGA Artix-7 DAC chip with completely rewritten code that squeezes out every last drop of performance from the silicone.

Built completely from the ground up, this Chord-designed FPGA chip has an improved WTA filter with 40 DSP cores running at full rate — that’s almost 500 times faster than military-grade DAC chips!

The noise shapers have also been optimized in Mojo 2 to improve signal accuracy for better depth and detail retrieval. Think music that faithfully reproduces micro-details from the original recording with fantastic accuracy.

Powerful Headphone Amp

Also housed inside Mojo 2 is a massively powerful headphone amp that will make any headphones or powered speakers come alive. Mojo 2 provides an impressive output that can drive headphones from 4 to 800 Ohms — enough power to drive even the most power-hungry headphones on the market. No matter how you stream or play digital music, Mojo 2 greatly enhances the presentation of details and dynamics coming out of your laptop or phone like nothing else in this pocketable form.

USB-C Audio/Data Input

The new USB-C audio input not only adds more flexibility but also provides even more transparency than before thanks to an improved custom circuit design — greatly enhancing the neutrality of the Mojo’s already natural-sounding sonic signature.

Since many people will be using Mojo 2 to work from home or remote with USB-C compatible laptops & smart devices, we see the USB-C audio input as an added convenience for those wanting the best audio fidelity with their devices.

Improved Battery Performance

Mojo 2’s greatly improved battery management delivers faster charging rates, a huge 75 % reduction in power loss, plus a 9 % capacity gain. So, it charges faster, battery life lasts longer and it runs much cooler while charging than the previous Mojo! You should be able to expect more than 8 hours on headphones with USB, and this is all thanks to a new FPGA charging circuit that squeezes out every last drop of performance from Chord’s custom-designed high-performance DAC chip.

Intelligent Desktop Mode

Mojo 2 can be left connected to a power source at all times if desired. In this mode, Mojo 2 regulates charging to preserve the battery when it’s connected to a power source. Once fully charged, Mojo 2’s menu button and battery status light display magenta, indicating the end of the charge cycle and the initiation of Intelligent Desktop Mode.

New Menu Button System

The menu button illuminates different colors to show advanced features cleverly tucked away in Mojo 2’s new menu system — including mute, crossfeed, button-lock, and acoustically transparent DSP tone controls. Mojo 2’s new tone control is a world’s first in EQ as it does not harm the signal in any way, whatsoever — letting you tailor the sound perfectly to any headphones.

Performance

Setting up Mojo 2 was simple. Connect it to your smartphone, or computer, plug your headphones in and press play.

In terms of playback, Mojo 2 will play any audio file you can find — even up to 32-bit 768kHz! The USB ports and coaxial digital input will accept this signal while optical is limited to 24 bit 192. Mojo 2 also handles DSD files up to quad DSD256. The power button lights up with different colors to show the sample rate. With just a glance at the power button’s LED light, you will see exactly what sample rate your Mojo 2 is streaming.

We tested Mojo 2's performance with most people’s ergonomic scenarios in mind. We streamed hi-res music from Qobuz using an iPhone connected to a pair of Mark Levinson №5909 Noise-Cancelling headphones for our on the go listening tests — and the Mojo 2 had no problem at all driving the №5909s — but it has the mojo to comfortably drive higher impedance headphones without breaking a sweat too.

The Mark Levinson №5909 are wireless closed-back headphones, but they have a cool passive mode that lets you unlock a wider range of frequencies once you use the bundled USB-C to stereo miniplug cable, making them a fantastic addition for more flexible listening with this DAC. For closed-back headphones, the soundstage is first-class and the sound profile is neutral — perfect for Mojo 2.

For testing Mojo 2’s Desktop Mode, we ran an Audioquest USB-C to C Cinnamon cable from our laptop directly into the Mojo 2’s new USB-C audio input and streamed high-quality audio at a sample rate of 44.1. Seeing the power button illuminate a deep red LED whenever CD-quality songs were streamed was cool.

Red: 44.1kHz — Orange: 48kHz — Yellow: 88.2kHz — Green: 96kHz — Light Blue: 176kHz — Blue: 192kHz — Magenta: 352kHz — Purple: 384kHz — Violet: 768KHz

First, we listened to a lot of different styles of music without Mojo 2 instantiated. This always gives us a better sense of how the music sounds just coming out of the laptop’s headphone jack. Then, we A/B tested the same music again with the Mojo 2 engaged.

While everything sounded substantially better with Mojo 2, some of the tracks that stood out were Mozart’s masterful intro to “Requiem in D Minor,” the classic rock crowd-pleaser “Come Together” by The Beatles, and the Motown duet “My Mistake (Was To Love You)” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross in 1974.

First, we listened to music without Mojo 2. We got our ears warmed up with a classical orchestra rendition. We chose the intro to Mozart’s “Requiem in D Minor,” performed by The New Siberian Singers.

With just the headphone jack, we noticed a nice separation of detail in the No5909’s presentation. Each member of the ensemble stood out with some degree of distinction. Violins and tubas were warm, smooth, and present, but not immersive. Overall, the sound was easy for us to lean into.

Switching to the Mojo 2 is where it all became a lot more interesting. Immediately, we noticed big improvements in the soundstage. The stereo image took on another dimension. New layers of immersive details with clearer dynamics made our session come alive. Dynamic details weren’t just clearer; the entire soundscape sounded more holographic and musical.

Some portable DACs will sound as though a light smudge has just been wiped away from a pair of prescription eyeglasses. Others will sound as though a pair of polarized sunglasses are letting you see through a slightly “tinted” lens. Mojo 2 is not like hearing music through rose-colored glasses. Mojo 2 is more like a clear magnifying glass for sound that you can slip into your pocket.

With Mojo 2, we heard a wider top-end extension and a fuller dynamic range which opened up more musical details in the presentation. It’s as though the headphones’ entire soundstage just opened up with a sense of presentation that was noticeably wider than without.

We could hear the transient “attack” of arco strings more clearly as each violinist glided their bow up and down. We could hear more of the subtle dynamics. Each up-bow and down-bow was like hearing a string section performed live. Tubas resonated naturally with deeper and clearer low-end harmonics.

Without Mojo 2, the tiniest dynamic details fell into the background. This made the music lose the holographic sense of presentation it had gained with the Mojo. Details like individual voices in the choir ensemble sounded farther away and not as easy to pick out as they were with the Mojo 2.

When “Come Together” appeared next in our playlist, we were deeply impressed with the natural transparent sound of the Mojo 2, and especially its ability to preserve the artist’s vision. Recorded by The Beatles as the opening track for the iconic “Abbey Road” album, this cut ranks as one of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” in Rolling Stone Magazine.

Recorded and mastered at London’s EMI Studios, the track features a wide separation of details that artfully plays with a sense of “space” in the mix. Due to the mastering process of these early Beatles recordings, these songs make great source material for hearing a DAC’s sound signature. They serve as a great reference for testing the musical presentation of any DAC worth its salt.

Because the separation of details is already so easy to perceive and pick out of the mix, a DAC will reveal its true colors as it performs the necessary digital to analog conversion to any digital audio file. This is what we mean when we talk about a DAC having a “sound signature.”

Natural harmonic details of George Harrison’s lead guitar sounded more transparent and more up-close. The guitar’s warm, smooth tone had a tuneful sense of timing that made us want to get up and move with the music.

Listening back without Mojo 2, we heard the lead guitar’s warm smooth tone, but there were fewer harmonic details. Without Mojo 2, the music still sounded great, but the holographic details and the dynamic realism disappeared into the background. With Mojo 2, it felt like we were in the studio with the band. We think it did a spectacular job of retaining the artists’ vision as The Beatles intended it.

The Mojo 2’s holographic immersion was conjured the most in Motown’s 1974 “My Mistake (Was To Love You),” recorded as a duet by Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross.

Immediately, the soundstage was wide open with a separation of details that didn’t just sound holographic — it felt immersive. The sound of the drum set came alive. Toms, snares, and cymbals were all clearer and packed more bottom-end weight we could actually feel.

When we removed the Mojo, the low-end energy almost completely disappeared. Using the Mojo 2 again brought it back to life. The rhythm and pacing of the kick drum “thumped” with a steadfast pulse to the bass guitar’s tuneful sense of timing. Immediately, we were back to swinging our shoulders and bobbing our heads along with the groove. The level of dynamic realism and crisp details were musical and so easy to get lost in.

Overall Recommendation

After several hours of listening, we have to hand it to Chord for creating another portable DAC amp that packs in this level of performance into such an affordable and pocketable package. If you own a decent pair of headphones or a good system, you really owe it to yourself to integrate the Mojo 2. Whether it’s a phone, tablet, or computer, you’ll get significant improvements out of your setup.

For its pocketable size, the Mojo 2 will blow you away. It’s also expandable. Attach it to Chord Poly and you’ve turned your little Mojo 2 into a fully-featured wireless music streamer! For anyone on the move, it’s a no-brainer. With just the Mojo 2, you’ll have everything you need to make headphones come to life on the go or even at home. Get the Mojo 2!

We think the price-point for this completely redesigned Mojo is a small investment for the significant upgrades in sound quality and the flexibility of use cases you’ll get. For a small pocketable DAC loaded with this many expandable features and the level of micro details that make portable or home audio setups come alive, the Chord Mojo 2 is amazing — and unbelievably so at this price point. We can’t imagine who wouldn’t choose this?

If you don't need mobility with your DAC and your budget is higher than the Mojo 2 then take a look at the Chord Hugo 2 Review which is more expensive and great for a desktop setup. Also, check out our Chord Electronics DAC lineup for all the other DACs in the Chord family.