Chord Mojo 2

Name: Chord Mojo 2
Brand: Chord Electronics

A pocket DAC the measurement crowd and the listening crowd finally agree on — if you can learn the traffic lights.

The 2022 successor to the 2015 Mojo, well below the Hugo 2 in Chord's range. Sold since 2025 in a refreshed form (marketed variously as the Mojo 2 4.4 or Gen 2025) that trades one of the two 3.5 mm outputs for a 4.4 mm pseudo-balanced jack, adds per-output volume and DSP memory, and lets the USB-C port charge as well as carry data. Chord states the sound is unchanged between the two; the internal signal path is single-ended either way.

OverreviewDAC / Amp12 sourcesas of 2026-09-02

The original Mojo settled an argument. In 2015 a battery-powered box the size of a deck of cards turned out to convert digital audio about as well as a desk-bound component, and Chord Electronics — a Kent company that builds its own converters on programmable logic rather than buying DAC chips — spent the next six years selling the point. The Mojo 2 is the sequel, and it arrived in 2022 with the awkward job of improving something nobody was complaining about.

What Chord changed was mostly not the sound. It removed the coupling capacitors, lengthened the reconstruction filter, and then added the thing the original never had: a four-band tone control the company claims is lossless, alongside crossfeed and a proper desktop mode. What it did not change was the interface — four glowing spheres that communicate volume, sample rate, battery state and every menu setting entirely through colour. That decision shapes nearly every review written about it.

The overview

A pocket-sized DAC and headphone amp built on Chord's own FPGA conversion rather than an off-the-shelf chip. Sources agree unusually broadly on the important part: it measures well and it sounds clean and neutral, with the objective bench and the subjective reviewers arriving at the same verdict by different routes. Power is strong for its size — 600 mW into 30 ohms from a single-ended output, near-zero output impedance — and comfortably drives high-impedance dynamics, though hard planars are where reviewers start to disagree about the ceiling. The four-band lossless tone control and crossfeed are treated as genuinely useful rather than marketing. The consistent complaint is the colour-coded button interface, which nearly every reviewer says requires the manual. Opinion on the price leans favourable but a real minority calls it steep against desktop rivals.

Where they agree

Measures as a desktop-grade DAC and sounds like one — the bench and the listening reviews reach the same verdict for once
Clean, neutral voicing with no grain or hardness; a shade less warm than the original Mojo
Strong power for a pocket device, and untroubled by high-impedance dynamics like the HD 800 S and DT 1990 Pro
The four-band lossless tone control and crossfeed are genuinely useful, not marketing — even sceptics ended up leaving them on
A machined aluminium chassis that feels far more expensive than it looks
The colour-coded sphere interface needs the manual, and no reviewer defends it as intuitive

Where they split

Hiss with hyper-sensitive in-ears: the bench rates low-level noise middling for the class and warns about ultra-sensitive IEMs, while three reviewers on named hyper-sensitive monitors hear a black background
Where the power ceiling falls: fine on an HE6se v2 for one reviewer, not enough for the Susvara, HEDDphone or Dan Clark Stealth for others
Whether the interface is a learning curve you clear in a week or a permanent annoyance
The price: most reviewers call it steep but earned, a sizeable minority calls it overpriced against desktop gear that measures as well for less

The verdict, mappedEvery aspect on one axis — criticized to praised. Hover a point for its spread; click to jump.

CriticizedNeutralPraised

By aspect — in detail

Power

Moderate · 7 src

Strong for a pocket device and untroubled by high-impedance dynamics; the disagreement is about where the ceiling sits, and it tracks the load rather than taste. Hard planars are the boundary — one reviewer got a good result from an HE6se v2, others rejected the Susvara, HEDDphone and Dan Clark Stealth.

“In practice Mojo 2 drove every non-planar headphone I plugged into it, bar none”
Alberto Pittaluga, Audioreviews

“The Sennheiser HD800S and Mojo 2 combo is excellent.”
Lieven Vranken, Headfonia

“The power is good, though in 2022, not class-leading given some of iFi Audio's gear can hit 1W into 60Ω.”
Marcus, Headfonics

“Increasing it using the controls on Mojo 2 created static proportional to how much I cranked it up.”
Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

Measured

Chord's published figures: 90 mW into 300 ohms (5.2 V RMS), 600 mW into 30 ohms (4.2 V RMS), 0.06 ohm output impedance, all from a single-ended output. On the bench Amir noted his desktop threshold is 100 mW into 300 ohms "and this is close" — desktop-class power from a battery, but without a balanced output's voltage swing.

⚠ vs. listeners — The numbers explain the split rather than settle it: 4.2 V RMS is plenty for 250-600 ohm dynamics but short of what a desktop amp swings into a low-sensitivity planar, so which headphone a reviewer reached for decided their verdict.

Noise

Contested · 4 src

Sources split on hiss with hyper-sensitive in-ears. The bench rates low-level noise as middling for the class and warns about ultra-sensitive IEMs; three reviewers listening on named hyper-sensitive monitors report a black background.

Measured

Amir's 50 mV output noise test returned what he called "middling performance" relative to the portable field. Chord's own sheet quotes 2.7 uV A-weighted with no measurable noise-floor modulation, and 0.06 ohm output impedance — low enough that multi-driver in-ears keep their intended frequency response.

⚠ vs. listeners — Both readings can hold at once: a worst-case bench number ranks the device against its rivals, while audibility depends on the specific in-ear. The one reviewer who split the difference put the threshold around 113 dB sensitivity, above which he heard a very faint floor.

Where it splits

silent in practice, even on hyper-sensitive IEMs73%

“The low noise performance is excellent with monitors such as the Andromeda 2020 and the VE VE7 which is rated at 12Ω and 116dB SPL.”
Marcus, Headfonics

middling by the numbers — watch the most sensitive in-ears27%

“So careful with ultra sensitive IEMs.”
Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

Transparency

Strong consensus · 9 src

The strongest agreement in the set, and unusually it crosses the measurement/listening divide. The bench rates the DAC section as desktop-grade and the reconstruction filter as best-in-class; reviewers independently describe it as clean, neutral and free of grain, and slightly less warm than the original Mojo.

“This would be an excellent performance for a desktop DAC and superb for a portable one”
Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

“Mojo 2 is the cleanest portable DAC/amp I've heard at its price, and by far so, full stop.”
Alberto Pittaluga, Audioreviews

“Benchmark transparency”
What Hi-Fi?

“It's neutral and natural sounding without veering into overly warm or soft coloration.”
Headphonesty

“The stock Mojo 2 sounds a little more neutral than the original Mojo's relatively warm and smooth coloration.”
Marcus, Headfonics

Measured

Chord quotes 125 dB dynamic range and 0.0003% distortion+noise at 2.5 V into 300 ohms. The bench found linearity and multitone distortion competitive with good desktop DACs, called the 40,960-tap filter's stopband the best measured in any DAC, and flagged only jitter as disappointing while adding it was "not remotely an audible issue."

Features

Moderate · 9 src

The four-band lossless tone control is the headline addition and reviewers who expected a gimmick came away using it; crossfeed, the desktop charging mode and four digital inputs round it out. The gaps are consistent: no Bluetooth, no screen, and — until the 2025 refresh — no way to run data and charging over one cable.

“it is worth noting that internally, the Mojo 2 still has a single-ended signal path, so this is more of a convenience upgrade”
Tim Hancock, AVForums

“that newer output is just pseudo-balanced”
Alberto Pittaluga, Audioreviews

“it's still annoying that you have to connect a second USB cable to the dedicated USB power port and there's no way for it to run off a single USB cable for both power and data”
kanefsky, Audio Science Review forum

Measured

The UHD DSP runs on a 104-bit core at 705/768 kHz and offers 18 one-decibel steps per band across four bands (lower bass, mid-bass, lower treble, high treble). Inputs are USB-C, micro-USB, 3.5 mm coaxial and optical; decoding reaches PCM 768 kHz and DSD256. Only the optical input is galvanically isolated.

Ergonomics

Moderate · 9 src

The one thing nearly every source criticises. Volume, sample rate, battery state, crossfeed and all four tone bands are signalled only by the colour of four glowing spheres, so first-time operation means the manual. Reviewers differ on how long that lasts, not on whether it happens.

“Staggeringly unintuitive interface”
Simon Lucas, TechRadar

“you will need Chord's (admittedly, neatly spelt out) instruction manual to have any hope of navigating it all”
What Hi-Fi?

“Chord Electronics has opted to continue with the same infuriating button-based menu system, an absolute red line for some.”
Tim Hancock, AVForums

“It's elegant once it clicks, and genuinely a pain in the arse before it does”
Alberto Pittaluga, Audioreviews

“When I first received the unit, this looked really difficult but it actually is simple and it grows on you fast.”
Lieven Vranken, Headfonia

Measured

AVForums scored ease of use 4 out of 10 against 10s for build, connectivity, audio performance and value; What Hi-Fi? gave design 3 out of 5 alongside 5s for sound and features. TechRadar's buying advice includes a plain warning for colourblind readers, since several of the status colours are close together.

Build

Moderate · 9 src

The chassis is praised without exception — a CNC-milled block of anodised aluminium that reviewers describe as tank-like for a 185 g device. The reservation is the connectors: the USB-C port sits in a bolted-on housing that doubles as a foot, and the micro-USB charging socket that Poly compatibility forced Chord to keep draws durability worries from owners.

“the Mojo 2 is built like a tank and refreshingly compact in this era of huge DAPs”
Marcus, Headfonics

“Impeccable build quality”
Headphonesty

“The Mojo 2 is solidly built.”
Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

“Am I the only one who detests with a passion those ghastly Micro USB sockets?”
DSJR, Audio Science Review forum

Value

Moderate · 9 src

Most sources conclude the price is high but earned, several calling it the best pocketable DAC/amp at anything near the money. A real minority disagrees, pricing it against desktop gear that measures as well for less — a view visible in the ASR poll, where 13% of 402 voters rated it poor or not terrible.

“In pure performance terms, the Chord Mojo 2 almost constitutes a bargain.”
Simon Lucas, TechRadar

“at the price the Mojo 2 4.4 remains an incredible product”
Tim Hancock, AVForums

“It is my pleasure to recommend the CHORD Mojo 2. Yes, the price is up there but at least you get great objective performance to go with it.”
Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science Review

“I voted this as "Fine" due to the very high price and fugliness! Otherwise it's a very good product.”
Robbo99999, Audio Science Review forum

“Mojo 2 sounds dynamically and spatially flat in a direct comparison.”
Srboljub Stojanovic, iiWi Reviews

Best for

One box that has to be both a pocket rig and a desktop DAC — the desktop mode is built for permanent mains use
High-impedance dynamic headphones, which it drives comfortably from the single-ended output
Anyone who wants tone controls or crossfeed without the sonic penalty of ordinary EQ
Sources with a coaxial or optical output, which several reviewers prefer to USB here

Skip if

You need to drive a Susvara, HEDDphone or Dan Clark Stealth — that class of planar is past its ceiling
You want Bluetooth, a screen, or genuinely balanced amplification (the 4.4 mm jack is a connector, not a topology)
Colour-only status readouts would frustrate you, or you find similar colours hard to tell apart
You mainly listen on ultra-sensitive in-ears and a faint noise floor would bother you
You want the lowest price for measured performance rather than the smallest package that delivers it

At a glance

↳Consensus

78 / 100weighted mean across 12 sources — an aggregate, not a single verdict

↳Type

DAC/Amp

↳Sources

12 · 5 classes

↳As of

2026-09-02

↳Owner rating

4.3/5 · 252self-selected — skews high

Where to buy

Chord Mojo 2Amazon

Sources12 reviews across 5 classes. Weight reflects expertise × independence; echoes collapsed.

s1CHORD Mojo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)Amir Majidimehr, Audio Science ReviewMeasurement2022-05-21w1.00
s2CHORD Mojo 2 Review thread — poll (402 voters) and member repliesAudio Science Review forumCommunity2022-05-21w0.60
s3Chord Mojo 2 reviewWhat Hi-Fi?Editorialaffiliate2024-11-01w0.80
s4Chord Electronics Mojo 2 ReviewMarcus, HeadfonicsEditorial2022-02-02w0.90
s5Chord Electronics Mojo 2 ReviewLieven Vranken, HeadfoniaEditorial2022-02-01w0.80
s6Chord Mojo 2 Review — The International DAC/Amp of Mystery Who Shagged MeHeadphonestyEditorialaffiliate2023-08-01w0.85
s7Chord Mojo 2 reviewSimon Lucas, TechRadarEditorialaffiliate2022-02-01w0.75
s8Chord Mojo 2 4.4 (2026) Portable DAC/Headphone Amplifier ReviewTim Hancock, AVForumsEditorial2026-02-16w0.80
s9Chord Mojo 2 REVIEW – Clean Power, Pocket SizeAlberto Pittaluga, AudioreviewsOwner2026-07-24w0.90
s10Chord Mojo 2 – Is it Overhyped and Overpriced?Srboljub Stojanovic, iiWi ReviewsCriticalaffiliate2024-03-21w0.70
s11CHORD ELECTRONICS Mojo 2 — customer ratings (4.3 from 252)Amazon USOwnerunknown2026-09-02w0.50
s12Mojo 2 — product page and published specificationsChord ElectronicsEditorialsponsored2026-09-02w0.60

Limitations & method

A read of where the reviews land as of September 2026. The Mojo 2 has been on sale since 2022 and the field of portable DAC/amps has filled in around it since.
Two hardware versions are in circulation. The current one has a 4.4 mm output and charges over USB-C; Chord says the sound is identical, so listening notes from either version are treated as describing the same device.
Owner star ratings skew positive, since they mostly come from people who chose to buy a fairly expensive thing.
How much the colour-coded interface bothers you is personal, and reviewers who lived with it longest minded it least — worth a hands-on try if you can.
Whether it has enough power depends entirely on your headphones. High-impedance dynamics are comfortable; the hardest planars are not, and reviewers drew that line in different places.
Hiss reports vary with the in-ear. Very high sensitivity monitors are where the accounts stop agreeing.

Consensus-of-sources synthesis · as of 2026-09-02 · not a measurement verdict or ground truth.