Chord Hugo Vs. Chord Mojo Comparison - Which Better?

I listen to this Chord Hugo for quite some time.

The fun fact, I had changed my current audio source since a month ago by using my android phones. The phone is Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite as my daily use for phone call, messaging, and all office activity on it. Then to make it suitable as for audio source purpose, I put extra memory card on it and copied all my music files to this phone.

I also paid US$9 and installed 'USB Audio Player Pro' (UAPP) from Play-store. This UAPP is the best music player. Besides the great UI, the main reason using this UAPP is because this player sending pure digital output through USB-C port to the attached DAC device. There is no over-sampling or whatsoever that makes music files not as play as the original files. This UAPP can also control the attached device volume control and disable the android internal volume control to get purer digital audio out.

With this setup, I get more flexibility when listening at home audio system or as portable player while on-the-go by using only one source. I only attaching my phone to any good DAC like this Chord Hugo or Mojo, then I got great sound everywhere.

Before comparing the sound quality between both device, I want to share some of my thought when looking the input and output connection between Chord Hugo and Mojo first.

Outside my stereo listening session, I often using the Chord Mojo connected to my Sony Playstation 4 using optical Toslink cable for playing games. But if I want do the same connection to this Chord Hugo, I got the problem with the optical socket in the Hugo’s.

The optical socket in Hugo is too deep inside the chassis. Even when using the original Chord C-Line optical cable, it cannot plug in correctly. So this issue will keep in you mind for the optical Toslink cable user.

More detail, the reason for this is the cable body is too large to fit inside the optical socket on Chord Hugo. So I should buy another generic small body optical Toslink cable to fit in.

In the Chord Mojo, the optical Toslink socket is flush onto the chassis. So no worries using any hi end cables which mostly have big size body connector.

Not only for the optical socket, the RCA plugs in the Chord Hugo also deep inside the chassis. The good things, they can attach correctly with all of my RCA male plugs. The biggest RCA male plugs I have is CMC RCA. It is screw type RCA and has big body on it. I should remove the screw body to make it fit in this Chord Hugo.

Compares to the Chord Mojo, the digital coax input and line/headphones output are based on 3.5 mm jack. To be honest this is more simple looking in Chord Mojo rather in the Hugo. The reason using this 3.5 mm is because of the tiny chassis of Chord Mojo for sure. To connect the Chord Mojo with my existing home audio plugs which mostly using full size RCA plugs, I should make a converter from 3.5 mm to RCA for both RCA audio out or RCA digital input. This is not become a problem since I can make one and having spares of many different kind of plugs and cables at home.

Now lets talking the sound quality.

Because this device are portable, then the first comparison is treat them are as portable setup.

I plug my Sony MH1 earphones in this comparison. This MH1 become my favorite on-the-go earphones recently. I really enjoying the music comes from this cheap earphones. No doubt for the others big headphones will sound much better, but they also need more power to drive. Thus this Sony MH1 not require so much power and the most important for this earphones is easy to put inside my bag.

So, how does Chord Hugo sounds like?

The sound is smooth. Both Hugo and Mojo almost shared the same sound signature.

But the things I notice is the vocal are warmer in Hugo than the Mojo. Singer voice on Hugo more bodied and focused. In contrast the vocal sound in Chord Mojo seems thinner. Do not upset with my conclusion yet, because there more the Chord Mojo could offer. The Chord Mojo give more detail in mostly high frequency compares to Hugo. This that makes the sound seems more spacious than the Hugo.

So back to the Hugo, it has sound tuning called the cross-fed filter option features. Once you turn it on, at any three level cross-fed option available, then the Chord Mojo spacious sound doesn't count as an advance anymore. This cross-fed features makes sound from Hugo more ambiance and wider. Very similar experience you got from the spacious Mojo sound but you also get the more bodied and focus vocal sound.

Switching from portable setup to home audio system, which I prefer most when doing test because I like the way speakers deliver music rather the headphones. Home audio give precise instruments and vocalist presentation just like on the stage. The music image really capture me as listener. So here are the result.

Once again the different between Chord Hugo and Mojo is noticeably in the vocal. The Chord Hugo vocal sound more focused and warmer compares to Mojo which is sound thinner. The music detail is somehow different. On the Chord Hugo, the detail is more balanced compares to Mojo. This makes  the Hugo more relaxing presentation contrast with Mojo have more detail on higher music frequency. Switching from long listening session with Hugo to Mojo, I feel the vocal on Mojo  cannot compares to the Hugo. The singer presentation on Hugo more realistic right in the center.

To be honest, both Hugo & Mojo are good DAC. I can choose Hugo because the sound is better. But for sure, between Hugo Mojo, they deliver the music enjoyment.

The Chord Mojo is smaller in size and easy to carry around, but the battery life is also shorter than Hugo.

For the sound quality, the newer Mojo not an upgrade over the Hugo. Playing music from both of them are still enjoyable to listen. Somehow, listening those device on the earphones, the Hugo headphones output deliver more power, make the sound more dynamic compares to Mojo. As a line out, both device sound wonderful at my home audio system.

The difference on warmer and focused vocal still pronounce more advance in the Hugo. The sound detail in Mojo can be trick out by activate the cross-fed filter option on the Hugo. This also give the Hugo user to experience the different sound from three option of the cross-fed offered, which are basically all of them makes wider and detail sound.

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