Interconnect to Mojo

I use a 3.5mm / 5 pin din fashback performance cable with a mojo. (flashback recommend performance with naim.

I’ve compared it to Mogami and Kimber. I prefer the flashback. It does better bass and more musical in my system, but the mids and highs aren’t as open/detailed.

Adapters are the evil 

Sure a Flashback cable will improve

If it matches your budget then why not 

Hmmm - seems that cable discussions lead to a lot of controversy.

First of all adaptors will ruin the signal, so you need to get rid of the adaptor so hear what your expensive hi-fi is capable of.

But nevertheless - this is my experience, and I'd like to share it.

The source to preamp connection appears to my ears to be quite vulnerable, as that is where the signal can suffer some musical corruption.

If using a Naim source, Naim provide DIN interconnects, which are musically very good in a Naim context, i.e. rhythm and pace.

Once out of Naim sources, the temptation is to use slightly cheaper interconnects, which actually do sound OK, I mean you hear the clarity and nothing seems missing. a case of not doing anything wrong, but the problem one of not doing the Naim musical values particularly well either, in terms of engagement, rhythms and musicality. At the level of kit you got 282/250.2, these musical traits should be important to you, as this is what you paid a LOT of money for.

However Naim (and also Chord, and Vertere - to my ears, and I stopped there, maybe there are others) do specialize in keeping the musical and dynamic integrity of the signal, there is a lot more to cables meets the eye.

The musical signal is an alternating current which goes back and forth between the source and preamp, and the signal is modulated in that AC signal, so the job is a lot harder than it appears.

One of the quality features of Naim and Chord cables particularly (I don't know the inner secrets of how Vertere do it) using a non compression clamp on the plugs which doesn't squeeze the cable and change the impedance. There are many details and all together make a big difference musically to my ears.

In short - if you want to really hear what your expensive kit is capable of, I found that indeed, use a Naim cable, or failing that due to non-availability, use a chord one like clearway 3.5mm to DIN, or a Vertere one if they will make it for you. It doesn't really matter which one, as they all sounds slightly different or quite different, but Chord and Vertere (as I said I didn't test others) do understand what makes the Naim sound. I think Vertere make a 3.5mm to 2 RCA cable which actually is really fantastic for the money  (maybe 70 GBP?), but of course a 3.5mm to DIN cable could be even better.

the musical gains are totally worth it in terms of rhythms, Dynamics, proper tonality,  musicality and sheer engagement.

Don't try to save money at this critical part of your system, it's only 80 GBP maximum for your Chord Mojo interconnect.

My experience, my ears, my system, YMMV, etc etc etc, just trying to help.

Try a Naim "Ipod" interconnect - a 3.5mm - DIN5 version of the lavender/grey interconnect.  Of all the ones I have tried, or used, this one still tends to be the one that I invariably reach for to connect up devices like the Pono to my Naim kit.  It sounds right on.

Richard I'd buy one right away if it is available. 

That's a shame if no longer available - I'm sure one can be made if your dealer asks the (right) question.

Well NJB, there is no doubt in my mind, I would/will get the Naim cable...  The RCA to DIN version is very musical, rhythmic and engaging. 

I bought one of the Flashback 'lavender' DIN to RCA cables a month or so back to use with a recently acquired Nait 1. Works fine and to be honest, for connecting a Mojo to the 282 a Flashback cable (with 3.5mm plug to DIN) will do the job nicely. The DIN connection at the amp end is preferred (as Analog mentions) and in my experience (and with some experimentation a while back) if using a non Naim source, cables that split the L&R ground closest to the source are better than those that continue the split up to the DIN connector at the amp. 

Flashback offer a 30 day money back guarantee so you can always have a demo & return it if you don't like the sound...

Here's the lead Flashback made for ND5xs to Mojo for me.

Not been listening to my speakers much since getting the Mojo but when I drag myself away from it I will be buying the 3.5mm - 5 pin Din performance cable to route the signal back to my Nait...

Keep us posted on your choice! 

cheers!

I don't get it: do you think that Mojo improves on nd5xs internal dac? If so maybe just get much cheaper (and good) transport like auralic aries mini. This is my set-up: Aries mini/chord digi rca-jack/Mojo/audioquest Sydney jack-2rca/nait5si. Now I could try some jack-din if any are avaialble here in Poland

Olek_K posted:

I don't get it: do you think that Mojo improves on nd5xs internal dac? If so maybe just get much cheaper (and good) transport like auralic aries mini. This is my set-up: Aries mini/chord digi rca-jack/Mojo/audioquest Sydney jack-2rca/nait5si. Now I could try some jack-din if any are avaialble here in Poland

Well the mojo is my only headphone amp taking a digital signal from ND5. I can't say if it is an improvement on ND5 DAC as I've not ran the signal back from Mojo to NaitXS yet. When I get the required cable, I will do some A-B comparisons & see what I think.  I can say that using headphones on Mojo is how I'm preferring to listen to music at present 

I've looked at the Aries mini & did wonder how it might compare with the ND5....?

I would also look into seeing if Witch Hat can make you a custom 3.5 to Din. IMHO they are much better than the Flashback

They are many cables and I’ve tried quite a few of them.

the naim cables boogie the best. 

analogmusic posted:

They are many cables and I’ve tried quite a few of them.

the naim cables boogie the best. 

I prefer HiFi cables to stay still and do their job well rather than having them dance around on the back of the boxes!

Last year I asked Chord to make a custom Shawline cable with twin 3.5mm jacks for a balanced output from my Mojo (this was originally suggested to me by Nigel Finn at Chord); and a 5 pin din on the other end into my vintage CB 62/90, LS3/5a setup. It is very good indeed and well worth the cost. Occasionally I swop it out and put into my 82/250.2 system where I have a QBD76 (via Chord Anthem II) in residence and frankly the Mojo more than holds it own with the Shawline. Chord also have a policy that if you don't like the result you can return it and be refunded. I decided that mine was a keeper after about 5 minutes, it was an easy decision.

quite amazing isn't it that mojo holds it's own compared to their previous hi-end DAC QBD 76.....

Dasher posted:

Last year I asked Chord to make a custom Shawline cable with twin 3.5mm jacks for a balanced output from my Mojo (this was originally suggested to me by Nigel Finn at Chord); and a 5 pin din on the other end into my vintage CB 62/90, LS3/5a setup. It is very good indeed and well worth the cost. Occasionally I swop it out and put into my 82/250.2 system where I have a QBD76 (via Chord Anthem II) in residence and frankly the Mojo more than holds it own with the Shawline. Chord also have a policy that if you don't like the result you can return it and be refunded. I decided that mine was a keeper after about 5 minutes, it was an easy decision.

When you say balanced output, is this left chanel from one headphone output, right chanel from the other.

Dasher posted:

Last year I asked Chord to make a custom Shawline cable with twin 3.5mm jacks for a balanced output from my Mojo (this was originally suggested to me by Nigel Finn at Chord); and a 5 pin din on the other end into my vintage CB 62/90, LS3/5a setup. It is very good indeed and well worth the cost. Occasionally I swop it out and put into my 82/250.2 system where I have a QBD76 (via Chord Anthem II) in residence and frankly the Mojo more than holds it own with the Shawline. Chord also have a policy that if you don't like the result you can return it and be refunded. I decided that mine was a keeper after about 5 minutes, it was an easy decision.

Thanks for the nfo Dasher, I did wonder if you could use both the outputs....

"quite amazing isn't it that mojo holds it's own compared to their previous hi-end DAC QBD 76..."

Well I have it from the horse's mouth that in his view the Mojo sounds better than the QBD, and as he designed both units and spent hours and hours listening to them he should know. As the QBD has 29,000 taps and the Mojo 42,000 then it is probably not surprising, but I am sure it is not a simple as that. I still use the QBD a lot, as it is for me still a wonderful DAC and I really like the design of the case and viewing what's inside it, but the technology has inevitably moved forward. However, what for me is so remarkable is that the Mojo is only £399 and IMHO the best value hifi purchase that I have ever made. The bang for the buck is outstanding, and buying a Shawline has enhanced it further.

"When you say balanced output, is this left chanel from one headphone output, right chanel from the other."

Effectively yes, but to be more accurate the right and left channel outputs are determined by the twin 3.5m jack's and not the output sockets on the Mojo. I've just checked my Shawline and the leads into the twin 3.5m jack's are colour coded black and red. So it really doesn't matter which of the two output sockets you plug into the Mojo.

Well, thanks to Flashback, I have their performance 3.5mm to isolated 5 pin DIN.  Instantly opened up the sound and I am surprised by the change.  Money well spent :-)

Hi NJB, Just got my Flashback Performance 3.5mm to 5 pin DIN also, haven't had chance to plug it in yet!

will report back once I've heard it...

Very happy with my Flashback Performance 3.5mm to 5 pin DIN. I do prefer the sound from ND5XS>Mojo>NaitXS over ND5 straight to NaitXS...

Result= will look for a different (cheaper) streaming solution