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Mojo Audio Mystique v3 DAC

Mojo Audio Mystique v3 DAC

What does it take to build a good-sounding DAC these days? In general, it requires a mixture of the latest technology plus engineering practices that have stood the test of time. Some DACs focus on implementing the fastest sampling rates or on the latest file format or technology, e.g., MQA, DXD, and DSD256. Others might pay more attention to reducing electronic noise and vibration.

But here’s another DAC for your consideration, the Mojo Audio Mystique v3, which focuses on delivering the basics as well as possible rather than trying to push the digital envelope. That means it only plays PCM files up to 192kHz sampling rate/24-bit word length, and no DSD or MQA. One might ask why Mojo Audio chose to limit a new DAC in this way when most other new ones seek to expand the latest technology envelope as far as possible. Benjamin Zwickel, owner of Mojo Audio, explains: “Our DAC is a purist product, much like a dedicated phonostage. For optimal performance we believe that digital signal processing and linestage functions should be performed by other components. We could have easily put an MQA and DSD decoder as well as up/down sampling algorithms into our DAC. But we believe these functions are best performed in the software of a music server. This allows the heavy lifting to be done by a more powerful processor and allows for the upgrading of software to assure the most advanced decoding, digital signal processing, and digital filtering. It also allows the consumer to do as much or as little of these processes as they want as opposed to locking them into one company’s obsolete technology.”

If you’re willing to accept these limitations to realize extraordinary playback of Red Book and medium-high-resolution PCM files, then the Mystique v3 DAC may be right up your alley. After all, what matters more is how it sounds, not the type of input file. Virtually all recordings are available in 192kHz or lower-resolution PCM versions, even if they were mastered at a higher resolution, so it’s not like you’re going to be limited in the availability of the latest recorded albums.


Mojo Audio Mystique v3 DAC

The Mystique v3 (hereafter referred to as the Mystique) was possibly the simplest DAC I’ve seen—just a somewhat hefty black chassis of folded metal with dimensions of 17.5″ by 3.25″ by 12″ that weighs 23 pounds. Features are limited: three inputs (USB, coax, optical), with three buttons on the front panel allowing the user to select the desired input, and LEDs indicating which one is selected. Depending on whether the Mystique has balanced and single-ended outputs ($7555) or only single-ended outputs ($5555), the price is based on what’s not there as much as what features are included. In other words, on simplicity. Per the Mojo Audio website: “Our ultra-purist R2R topology has no digital filters, noise shaping, upsampling, oversampling, or error-correction. Our direct-coupled analog output stage has no output capacitors or transformers to limit bandwidth or color the sound. For optimal performance we use multiple ultra-low-noise, ultra-high-dynamic dedicated power supplies that isolate each type of chip or clock… Our technology brings you closer to the original musical performance.” That last sentence is what got my attention; after all, isn’t that what the high end is all about? Zwickel calls his ultra-purist approach “error prevention vs error correction.” If that goal is achieved without the latest bells and whistles, why do we need gigahertz sampling rates and complex encoding schemes? Sometimes we lose track of that. I know I have. Sometimes I’ve blithely assumed technical advances automatically equal sonic improvements. Was I wrong?

Zwickel claims his DAC “uses the best of 90-year old technology, the best of 30-year old technology, and the best of modern technology. The 90-year old technology is the choke-input power supplies developed by Western Electric. The 30-year old technology is the vintage 20-bit R2R Analog Devices AD1862N-J DAC chips that [Zwickel considers to] offer the purest digital-to-analog conversion possible. And the modern technologies are the XMOS USB input, ultra-low-noise femto clocking, and ultra-low-noise ultra-high-dynamic discrete regulators.” Zwickel believes that “though modern technology allows things to be smaller and cheaper, some of the older, larger, heavier, and more expensive technologies have far superior performance.” I could list a host of other impressive construction features, but rather than cut and paste them from Mojo’s website, I’ll refer you there instead. Zwickel says that the single most significant design feature that contributes to the Mystique’s sound was “the choke-input power supplies that give our Mystique v3 DAC natural, neutral, effortless, time, tune, tone, timbre, and harmonic coherency.” I’ve heard of a single choke-input power supply built around one main transformer, but never before the five choke-input power supplies used in the Mystique. Zwickel states: “You can never have too clean,  too fast, or too isolated a power supply. Power supply is what makes the difference between the DAC playing the music vs. the music playing the DAC.”

Installing and Using the Mystique 
My first impression while installing the Mystique was physical: It’s very solid and non-resonant. That confirmed a statement by Zwickel that “everything we make is more of Ferrari than a Lexus. No bells and whistles. Our chassis are engineered for low resonance, high rigidity, high durability, and low RFI/EMI.” I’ve had other components about which similar claims were made, but the Mystique delivered on its claims more than any others I’ve seen. When I received the unit it had already been broken in, but as with every component I install in my system, I let it operate a few days for optimum playback. There was no user manual available; I’m not sure one is needed but just in case, I’ll write one here:

  • Put the DAC on a shelf and add any isolation devices. • Plug the power cable into the IEC to establish Earth ground.
  • Plug in the digital input cable(s).
  • Plug in the output interconnects (balanced or single-ended).
  • Turn on the power using the switch above the IEC connector.
  • Push one of the three input buttons on the front panel (USB, coax, or TosLink).
  • Turn on your digital source (streamer, server, or transport).
  • Leave the DAC turned on 24/7 for optimal performance. 
  • If there are any problems, turn off for one minute, and turn back on again.

That’s it. I suspect that audiophiles who are cowed by the numerous options on many DACs will welcome this simplicity, which I’d describe as plug-and-play.

Since my review unit was the balanced model, I connected it to my linestage with balanced The Mountain interconnects by van den Hul. A minor glitch: The Mystique’s XLR output jacks were not marked to show right or left channels. A small annoyance. Easy to figure out: The one on the left is left and the one on the right is right.  An Audience Au24 SE power cord that’s specifically designed for digital components provided the AC power. SOtM’s overachieving sMS-200 network audio adapter served as the source, fed by the company’s mBPS-d2s battery power supply. An Audience Au24 SE USB cable connected the SOtM to the Mystique. I used Roon playback software; the Roon Core was installed on a Dell Latitude E6330 laptop, with Roon remote control software on my iPad and on a separate Windows 10 laptop computer I use to jot down listening notes. Music files were stored on a USB drive attached to the Dell laptop.

 

Sound
Although the Mystique was broken in already, I let it play in the background over several days to help it recover from its inevitable travel blahs. Then I sat down to listen seriously. I began by queuing up an album that’s been occupying lots of my listening time lately, Nordic Noir [96/24 FLAC, Decca/London Records/Presto Classical], a collection of minimalist pieces from Nordic countries, with violinist Mari Samuelsen and her brother Håkon Samuelsen playing solo violin and cello, respectively, and the Trondheim Soloists playing the orchestral part. The music on this collection tends to be of fairly low energy, at least until you reach Arvo Pärt’s “Darf Ich” (“May I”), where Mari’s violin could peel paint off the wall. I heard very solid, full-bodied sound, harmonically accurate and complete, with plenty of detail but devoid of etch or peakiness. Even on the aforementioned track the violin still sounded like a violin. Overall, the music’s structure was easy to make out, and dynamics were realistic and wide-range. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard more from this recording.

If the Mystique sounded that good on a relatively new favorite, how would it sound on the oldest fave in my collection, “Folia Rodrigo Martinez” from La Folia 1490-1701 [44.1/16 AIFF, Alia Vox] performed by Jordi Savall and his band of early music specialists? It sounded quite natural and unstrained, with deep, punchy bass from the drum, and very detailed sound from the other instruments. The busy percussionist’s output was audible throughout the piece, whereas with some DACs, those instruments sort of mush into a background noise. There’s one section where the castanets go wild in a clattering cacophony, and the Mystique slightly compressed the energy there. However, microdynamics were clear and continuous; some DACs make them sound like discrete steps rather than a continuously varying-level output. I’ve heard somewhat more widespread soundstaging in this piece through other gear. Although the Mystique’s performance was very good, the instruments didn’t spread across the soundstage quite as precisely as with some DACs, but this was barely noticeable and hardly a shortcoming.

Let’s move on to “The Lads of Wamphray March” from Lincolnshire Posy [176.4/24 FLAC, Reference Recordings] performed by the Dallas Wind Ensemble led by Jerry Junkin. In the unlikely event you’re wondering, Wamphray was a parish located in the former county of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, according to werelate.org. As on most Reference Recordings releases, bass went deep with lots of impact, detail abounded, and instrumental tone sounded accurate. At least that’s how it sounded through the Mystique. I fancied I could tell that the band was having fun playing this piece.


Mojo Audio Mystique v3 DAC

Finally, some solo vocal music: Shelby Lynne’s “Just a Little Lovin’” from the album of the same name [Analogue Productions]. These 96/24 AIFF files were converted from the Analogue Productions DSD64 version by using the dBPoweramp program. Although my subwoofers were temporarily disconnected due to an amplifier review going on concurrently, I still heard fairly deep bass with tons of detail, and Lynne’s skilled vocal inflections as she interpreted this popular song. Instruments were detailed and realistic, too. I didn’t miss the DSD version at all.

Comparison
My $5995 PS Audio DirectStream DAC could hardly be more different from the Mystique. It can play files up to DSD128 and DXD (384/24), and eschews a standard DAC chip in favor of a field-programmable gate array coded by digital guru Ted Smith that converts everything to 20X DSD then back down to 2X DSD; it sends the signal to the 24dB-per-octave decoding filter, which drives the output cables directly—there’s no output stage. There’s an elaborate touchscreen color display, numerous inputs, and both XLR and RCA output connections. One of the DirectStream’s most attractive features is that it continues to improve over time via software updates. PS Audio frequently releases free upgrades for the operating software, which users can load into the DAC via an SD card reader in the back. Unlike some upgrades, these have all been quite obvious improvements, not just minor changes.

The string tone on Nordic Noir was just beautiful through the PS Audio DAC. Instruments had plenty of bloom and air around them. Mari Samuelsen’s violin—even when it shrieked as if in pain during the “Darf Ich” piece—never sounded ugly or like anything other than a violin. Dynamic levels ranged from very soft to quite loud, and the PS Audio DAC tracked them accurately.

On playback of “Folia Rodrigo Martinez” the PS Audio didn’t reveal all the differences between the opening strikes on the cascabels; they sounded less distinct, more alike than on the Mystique, but the bass extended just as deeply and with as much detail. The overall sound was perhaps just a tad darker, but instruments were fully developed harmonically, and dynamics had that coiled-spring explosiveness that gives this piece its rhythmic power. Soundstaging was excellent, with instruments spread out between the speakers.

“The Lads of Wamphray March” was reproduced with infectious enthusiasm. Here again, instruments were fully fleshed out harmonically and soundstaging widely expanded. I had to take a quick glance to confirm the subwoofers were still disconnected; the amount of bass punch and depth made me temporarily forget their absence.

I played “Just a Little Lovin’” twice—once in the original DSD version and again in the converted AIFF 96/24 version. To my surprise, the bass on the DSD version was a bit deeper and punchier, so the conversion was not perfect. But for comparison purposes, I used the AIFF version. Bass was still relatively punchy, and Lynne’s voice was quite palpable, with an upfront presence. There was a lot of air around her voice, as though she were present in front of me. Soundstaging was wide open. Percussion instruments’ leading-edge transients seemed just a little less sharp than through the Mystique, though I’m not sure which DAC’s rendering was more accurate.

Both DACs were among the best I’ve heard. They each sounded different, but it would be hard to say which was better. That wasn’t just my opinion—the usual audiophile buddies visiting my listening room were equally divided: Some preferred the Mystique, some liked the PS Audio. That’s something new. Previously, preferences when comparing other DACs have been universally in favor of the PS Audio. The PS Audio DAC’s soundstage was more fully fleshed-out, but the Mystique was brighter and a smidgen more open.

So far I’ve dealt with sonic differences between the two DACs, but there are also ergonomic contrasts that affect the ownership experience. The PS Audio’s color touchscreen provides lots of useful playback information and allows you to operate the DAC via its screen; its remote control can be used to access most features, including using the built-in volume control to drive one (but only one) power amp directly, so you may not need a linestage. As mentioned above, I also appreciate PS Audio’s meaningful operating system upgrades which have steadily improved the DAC’s sound—for free. The PS Audio has a wider assortment of inputs, including two I2S inputs that let you use HDMI cables to connect other PS Audio digital devices, including an SACD transport, a phono preamp with a digital output (so you can make digital recordings of your records), and a forthcoming server/streamer that sounds very interesting. Also available is a Bridge II expansion card, which plugs into a slot in the rear of the DAC and turns it into a full-fledged digital music playback system, with a network input. It can even perform the first MQA unfolding step, though not full MQA decoding.

So which was better? I’m calling it a tie—it’s a matter of personal preference.

Bottom Line
Earlier I posed a question: Do technical advances automatically equal sonic improvements? I assert that the answer is no, not automatically; it all depends how those technical advances are implemented. Just specifying the latest DAC chip doesn’t mean a new DAC will sound better than an older one. Reviewing the Mystique v3 was a revealing experience. The Mystique showed me it’s possible for a very basic DAC that only plays medium-resolution PCM files to sound remarkably good. Forget MQA, forget DXD, forget DSD—what matters is whether it sounds good—and the Mystique sounded better than almost every other DAC I’ve heard in my system. Isn’t that what really matters? It is to me, but it might not to audiophiles for whom equipment features matter more than music. In addition to its excellent sound, the Mystique v3 is simple to operate—no complex controls, filter settings, up/down/sideways sampling, color schemes, or other choices to confuse you. Very highly recommended.

Specs & Pricing

Inputs: USB, SPDIF on coax and TosLink
Outputs: One RCA and one XLR
DAC and filtering: Analog Devices’ AD1862 R-2R ladder DAC chips, no adjustable filters
Dimensions: 17.5″ x 3.25″ x 12″
Weight: 23 lbs.
Price: $7555

MOJO AUDIO
3501 Vail Avenue SE, Unit C
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(949) 438-6656
mojo-audio.com

Associated Equipment
Loudspeakers: Affirm Audio Lumination; Syzygy SLF870 wireless subwoofers (2)
Amplifiers: Berning ZH-230 stereo amplifier, Audio Research VT80SE stereo amplifier
Preamplifier: Audio Research LS28 line stage
Digital sources: Dell Latitude E6330 laptop computer with an Intel i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD running 64-bit Windows 10 Professional and Roon music server software; SOtM sMS-200 network music player with mBPS-d2s power supply; QNAP TS-251 NAS; all servers and digital players connected to a PS Audio DirectStream DAC
Interconnects: Crystal Cable Piccolo, Clarity Cables Organic, Audience Au24SX, Purist Audio Design Venustas, Wireworld Cable Gold Eclipse 7, CablePro Freedom, Crimson RM Music Link, Van den Hul The Mountain
Speaker cables: Crimson RM Music Link
Power cords: Purist Audio Design Venustas, Blue Marble Audio Blue Lightning, Clarity Cables Vortex, Audience powerChord, Au24 SE LP powerChord
Digital cable: Audience Au24 SE USB
Power conditioners and distribution: Audience aR6-T

Vade Forrester

By Vade Forrester

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