John Darko: The Mojo 2 is the 2022's Best DAC
Posted by The Sound Organisation on Jan 6th 2023
John Darko of Darko.Audio is no fan of the term "The Best". By his reckoning, most reviewers (at best) can only review 48 pieces of equipment each year, and even if you limit that to one or two categories, you wouldn't be able to test all the pieces on the market. Things get even more complicated when products begin to blur the line, like DAC/Streamer hybrids or integrated amplifiers featuring a DAC or other on-board capabilities. Then, of course, there's the complication of differing price points. But, if you've only auditioned one DAC this year, would that make it "The best"? And would that be a fair estimation of the current market? Having only reviewed the Chord Electronics Mojo 2 DAC last year, John Darko thinks he can safely claim the Mojo 2 is "the best" DAC of 2022.
The Mojo 2's versatility sits so far ahead of the competition that the case for "2022's Best DAC" could be a strong one.
While acknowledging there are plenty of other DACs on the market, and inevitably some may be better sounding, they also would sell at a price point so much higher than Chord's Mojo 2 that they would cease to be comparable. "But for a dollar under six hundred Euros, it might be near impossible to find a DAC that sounds as bold, as detailed, as spacious and as thrilling as the Mojo 2." In fact, Darko invites you to think of a similarly priced DAC that could compare to the Mojo 2 and put it through the test: was it released in 2022? Does it offer as many connection possibilities as the Mojo 2? Does it have an internal battery allowing you take it on the go? Does it easily connect to your mobile device without blocking the display? And finally, does your DAC-of-choice offer a 4-band lossless EQ and crossfeed settings? If your answer was "no" to any of those questions, then perhaps it might not be the "Best" DAC of the year.
Watch the following video to learn more about the Chord Mojo 2 and why John Darko believes it to be the Best DAC of 2022: