Mojo Audio Mystique X - SE or X-24

[No Regrets]

Hello,

I am trying to upgrade the digital side of my audio system.I'm in the process of searching for a new dac and trying to learn more about the Mystique X Series of dacs. I would be using it with a CD Transport.

The type of sound that I am seeking from my digital side; I'm looking for...

A fuller, richer harmonic sound, with density and weight. I value the tone of instruments and voices. I want to hear the full harmonic resonance of the body of a cello or stringed instruments. I want to feel the punch of hard hitting drums like from Art Blakey. The breathy tone of Ben Webster on tenor sax. I want to hear the purity and dynamics of brass instruments like trumpets, trombones, etc.

I do not like a lean sounding dac. I don't want it to sound hard, glassy, etched, 2-dimensional.

I want to sense the flesh and blood of the musicians. I want the meat on the bones, so to speak.

I was wondering if anyone who owns/ owned the Mojo Mystique X SE dac would be able to share with me if they think it might give me what I'm looking for in sonics.

I've been dedicated to vinyl for the last 50 years. My vinyl sounds more like real music to me. It's dynamic, without being fatiguing. It sounds more like real performers and real instruments. It sounds more natural and organic. This is what I'm looking for in my digital side of my system.

The problem I face is that I only have a budget of $10,000 and preferably less. Maybe I can't get what I'm looking for sonically for that low of a budget. If that is the case, I will give up on digital and just continue to love and enjoy my vinyl system.

Any help that you could give a fellow music lover would be greatly appreciated!

Best wishes,
Don

 

[the sound of Tao]

Great objectives for the dac that you’ve outlined Don. You’ve given a clear strong sense of the spirit you are looking for.

Hope it’s ok to feed in as I don’t have any useful experience with the mojo dac you’re considering but was wondering how/why you shortlisted the mojo mystique… it’s a reasonably left field choice… what led you to it?

I looked up your gear listing and you have/had an LTA aero… would be good to unpack what you found with that dac (tube zotl output ladder dac) and what you liked and also what you found missing to give some more clues to where you might go in this… I know from reading your posts we have a plenty of overlap in music choice, the visceral verve and drive that your chasing is one of the elements I also love about Art Blakey in full flight… and yes you definitely wouldn’t want to put on Moanin and suddenly have that fierceness and engagement missing in action… that would be horrendous!! There’d be indeed plenty to moan about!

A musically authentic dac at $10k for an experienced vinyl guy into jazz and classical is an interesting proposition... perhaps not an easy task. Subscribed to following how you go. Had you also thought about Lampizator or Abbas?

Cheers
Graham

 

[No Regrets]

Hello Graham,

Thank you for your thoughtful post and you are certainly more than welcome to even though you mentioned that you do not have any direct experience with the Mojo line of dacs.

I currently have a new Aero in my system on trial. I feel that I need to let the Aero continue breaking in and that it would be too early for me to come to any conclusions of it's sonic performance. What I can say it that the unit appears to be built very well. I can also say that both Nicholas and Jacob from LTA are true gentlemen in every sense of the word and that they truly care for their customers!

I am new to the digital world. Been kind of living under a rock, so to speak. So, I have a lot of catching up to do!

As to why I ask about the Mojo dacs? I actually came across them by accident. In any case, I have read comments by some that their X series might appeal to a vinyl lover such as myself.

Sometimes you read of people saying that Dac A might sound artificial or etched; or lean and sterile; or tilted up and fatiguing. Others might say Dac B might sound fuller with better harmonics, with better dynamic shadings and better sense of expression, etc.

I would rather have something along the lines of Dac B in that example. Some people have said they feel the Mojo would be more like Dac B. and competes with dacs that are much more costly.

I can't afford much at this time, so I can't play with the MSB, Wadax, etc crowd.

I've read great things about LTA and the Aero Dac and at $4000 I thought it certainly deserves a good trial and consideration.

I am certainly open to other suggestions of dac's that align with my sonic goals as well.

Thank you, Graham for your post!
Best wishes,
Don

 

[Souldriver]

Hey Don,

Here is an article I wrote about the different X models. The names are now X '24 to align with in 2024 the base dac being the same but the cores being different. But X SE/X ’24 same thing.

Mojo Audio Mystique X Series: An Overview – Sonvs Apparatvs

www.sonusapparatus.com

 

[No Regrets]

Thank you for sharing your excellent write up!
Well done

 

[AudioLibertarian]

Hello,

I am trying to upgrade the digital side of my audio system.I'm in the process of searching for a new dac and trying to learn more about the Mystique X Series of dacs. I would be using it with a CD Transport.

The type of sound that I am seeking from my digital side; I'm looking for...

A fuller, richer harmonic sound, with density and weight. I value the tone of instruments and voices. I want to hear the full harmonic resonance of the body of a cello or stringed instruments. I want to feel the punch of hard hitting drums like from Art Blakey. The breathy tone of Ben Webster on tenor sax. I want to hear the purity and dynamics of brass instruments like trumpets, trombones, etc.

I do not like a lean sounding dac. I don't want it to sound hard, glassy, etched, 2-dimensional.

I want to sense the flesh and blood of the musicians. I want the meat on the bones, so to speak.

I was wondering if anyone who owns/ owned the Mojo Mystique X SE dac would be able to share with me if they think it might give me what I'm looking for in sonics.

I've been dedicated to vinyl for the last 50 years. My vinyl sounds more like real music to me. It's dynamic, without being fatiguing. It sounds more like real performers and real instruments. It sounds more natural and organic. This is what I'm looking for in my digital side of my system.

The problem I face is that I only have a budget of $10,000 and preferably less. Maybe I can't get what I'm looking for sonically for that low of a budget. If that is the case, I will give up on digital and just continue to love and enjoy my vinyl system.

Any help that you could give a fellow music lover would be greatly appreciated!

Best wishes,
Don

No personal experience with the Mojo. Try to locate Ariet Cerat Helena model , on the second hand market. 10 grand should more than enough, in fact get in touch with the distributors & dealers, as may have a demo unit that would fit in your budget. If you don't mind tubes, try Lampzator. Also, Nagra Dacs are very analogue sounding, second hand hand units can be had for your budget, if you haggle a bit. I, personally have owned SMSL D3 (that uses 2 pairs of NOS 1704 Burr Brown chips) for the last 3 years,(after testing about 15 dacs from 500-15000$ range) which is $3500, or so, and have found it to be quite musical, refined sounding, and devoid of digititis.

 

[No Regrets]

Is there anyone else out there that either has or has had the Mojo Mystique X series of dacs that would like to share their thoughts?
Whether they be good, bad or indifferent?

Thanks much!

Best wishes,
Don