I know it’s a difficult question but I am looking for some ideas about it.
I actually have this setup:
Chord Mojo → Audiolab 8300A → Acoustic Energy AE500
The Mojo is connected via USB to a Raspberry Pi 4 with RoPiee, and also via TOSLINK to a TV/gaming console.
I wonder, with a “fixed” DAC, like the one the Audiolab sells (8300CDQ for example), or other fixed DACs, for around 1000 euro/dollars, I will improve the quality of the source or the Mojo should be equally good?
Ideas?
I doubt you’d get an appreciable difference going down that route, if it was my decision I would look to spend the cash upgrading the speakers even add a subwoofer either would make a massive difference (especially the addition of a subwoofer).
Sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear but it would offer the most noticeable improvement IMHO.
Good luck with your search…
I agree. I’m not confident that your system is sufficiently resolving to get a meaningful uplift in sound quality. The Mojo is a really great quality DAC. (yes, I know the battery is a bit of a pain for desktop use). Make big jumps in sound quality when you spent your cash and don’t chip away with small increments (which is what I feel this might be).
Of course you could just take the mojo with you for a side by side demo at a local dealers.
Buy better speakers before overspending on a unnecessary DAC upgrade:-)
Or room treatment… Absorber panels.
It would be hard to beat a Chord Mojo, especially the Mojo 2.
I forgot to tell that I also own two KEF KC62s, actually they are cutted at 40hz to extend (when necessary), the Acoustic Energy AE500 range.
I also have many acoustic panels (I even recently remove many of them).
I really thank you for your opinions, so, changing the Raspberry+Mojo as source it’s not something to invest time and money.
The overall response of the setup is good, I always had an issue in the mid-bass area, due to the squared form of the room (I assume) and about the stuff I like to listen (not audiophile records).
Do you think the Mojo 2 could be even more “tight” in the mid-bass area?
In this case it’s difficult to make a recommendation, you could do further experiments with the cross-over point for the subs.
A room analysis, REW or Dirac, with appropriate correction may be the answer but that can be a time consuming (& costly) exercise. Alternatively a friendly dealer (or friend) may be able to let you audition some alternative speakers in your room, it is possible that the current speakers just don’t work in your room.
Thank you for your ideas.
I used Dirac Live (on PC and integrated in a DAC), REW and latelly even RoomPerfect.
I experimented with crossover points for about 1 year.
All these technology always helped to improve something, here and there, but I never had an improve in my macrodynamic mid-bass issues.
Maybe these problems are caused by that shape of the room along with the quality of the music I listen (in fact, “audiophile-like” music never caused a single issue).
Then, I won’t change the sorce (Pi 4 and Mojo) and I’ll look into something else.