# Chord Announces Poly, Hugo 2 and Blu MkII @ CES 2017



## AxelCloris

Not too long after the announcement of the Mojo it was teased that Chord was working on a line of accessories and a few of the ideas caught my eye immediately. On moon-audio.com, Drew Baird shared that Chord was experimenting with add-ons that could add Bluetooth, WIFI streaming and an SD card slot. Based on Drew's recount it was looking like these were going to be separate devices, but I was still salivating over the idea of taking my Mojo around without it constantly tethered to my phone. An SD card reader and a Bluetooth module? I couldn't wait.
  
  ​ (Chord Mojo and Poly)​  
 Today Chord has officially revealed the Poly and I simply cannot contain my excitement. The Poly was designed to mate with the Mojo and it looks like they're a perfect pair. The Poly adds a MicroSD card slot, Bluetooth A2DP and 2.4GHz WIFI connectivity to the Mojo all in one compact package. Thanks to the Poly it's it's now possible to stream any music app, or any app at all really, from a smartphone to the Mojo. It's also possible stream music at home from network-attached storage (NAS) without being tethered to a chair. And thanks to the MicroSD there's no need to fill a smartphone's storage with music for offline playback.
  
 Like the Mojo, the Poly has a precision machined aluminum casing that's designed to stand up to the stresses of everyday use. On the outside face there's a USB port for charging, MicroSD slot and an opaque acrylic window for the wireless signals to get through the metallic enclosure. The Poly contains its own 2200mAh lithium polymer battery and when connected to a power source will charge at the same time as the Mojo's internal battery. With the Poly attached, the Mojo can get over 9 hours of wireless listening on a charge and both can be fully recharged in under 4 hours.
  
​
  
 Poly will be available later this year for £499 GBP.
  
 Chord is also unveiling a redesigned Hugo which they've called the Hugo 2. The Hugo 2 is snuggled inside of a redesigned, precision-machined aircraft-grade aluminum case. It retains the button configuration from the original Hugo, but the new body is sporting a sharper, lower profile shape. The spherical buttons are now top-mounted for future expansion modules (and I do so love expansion modules). The colors are retained as well, indicating the current power state, filter, input and crossfeed settings. The volume sphere locate on the top has been made larger for easier access, huzzah! Chord has even created a full-function remote control for the Hugo 2 in order to improve the user experience when using it as part of a desktop or full-size 2-channel system.
  
  ​ (Chord Hugo 2)​  
 The Hugo 2 is loaded with Chord's latest FPGA and Watts Transient Aligned (WTA) filters bringing the Hugo into Chord's modern age. Chord is reporting improvements in the timing accuracy. dynamic range, noise reduction and headphone amp power in the new Hugo 2. Chord has also improved the battery life with the Hugo 2, increasing it to 14 hours, up from the Hugo's 10. Every input and output from the original Hugo are still here, ensuring that owners of the current Hugo will not have to worry about changing their stereo configuration if they upgrade.
  
 The Hugo 2 will be available later this year for £1,800 GBP.
  
 To round out Chord's announcements they've also revelaed another prouct refresh with the Blu MkII. The Blu MkII is an upscaling CD transport and replaces Chord's original Blu. The Blu MkII features a powerful new FPGA core, one that Chord says has extraordinary capability. The Blu MkII's Xilinx XC7A200T FPGA, containing 740 DSP cores, was paired with Rob Watt's WTA filtering and upscaling algorithms, outputting up to a digital signal up to 705.6kHz. That's 16 times a CD's normal 44.1kHz resolution. Watts' M-Scaler technology ensures maximum memory efficiency to allow the FPGA system to operate without skipping a beat. The Blu MkII also features a redesigned chassis with a curvy face lift, one that doesn't look out of place alongside the Chord DAVE.
  
  ​ (Chord Blu MkII and DAVE)​  
 The Blu MkII will be available later this year for £7,995 GBP.


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## Tom Yum Goong

Slightly disappointed.
 I was kind of hoping for a Mojo add-on that makes it a full-fledged DAP.
 Maybe a bit unrealistic in hindsight. I guess this is the next best option.

 Mojo and Poly together kind of sounds like monopoly....don't get too cocky, Chord


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## harpo1

tom yum goong said:


> Slightly disappointed.
> I was kind of hoping for a Mojo add-on that makes it a full-fledged DAP.
> Maybe a bit unrealistic in hindsight. I guess this is the next best option.
> 
> Mojo and Poly together kind of sounds like monopoly....don't get too cocky, Chord


 
 That probably would have been $1000 or better.


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## Hansotek

Mojopoly does look quite convenient. Seeing as how Mojo works so well on 2-channel systems, it does offer some intriguing possibilities. Would certainly be simpler than my current setup. A bit steep, IMO, but cool nonetheless.


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## Naugrim

hansotek said:


> Mojopoly does look quite convenient. Seeing as how Mojo works so well on 2-channel systems, it does offer some intriguing possibilities. Would certainly be simpler than my current setup. A bit steep, IMO, but cool nonetheless.


 
 I will, without a doubt, get this.  Not having to deal with a stack will be great! Smartphone in one pocket, Mojopoly in the other connected to my headphone. Awesome. Gonna have to get a battery case on my smartphone though.


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## openears

Sorry, novice over here... but is the idea that the Poly is creating its own wireless network, wherever you go? And am I correct in thinking wifi streaming would be the best audio quality (able to stream FLAC files and so on)?


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## Mython

hansotek said:


> Mojopoly does look quite convenient. Seeing as how Mojo works so well on 2-channel systems, it does offer some intriguing possibilities. Would certainly be simpler than my current setup. A bit steep, IMO, but cool nonetheless.


 
  
  
 It's not pocket-change, but the development and production of Poly are not run-of-the-mill. It's a deceptively-complex little beast, under that simple exterior.


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## NaiveSound

How much will Poly be in the US? 
Not that I can buy anything but Ramen anyways


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## esimms86

While I understand the focus of the discussion thus far being the Poly, I believe the major product announcement to be the Blu mkII. Connect your digital source out via BNC S/PDIF to the Blu mkII's BNC S/PDIF input and then connect the Blu mkII to the Chord Dave and you get to enjoy listening to the sound of over 1 million taps. The CD transport is nice to have but I would imagine that the bulk of the interest in the Blu mkII will come from people who already own Dave coupled with their digital source of choice. Yes, £ 7,995 or ca. 9907 USD is a lot of money (and to get a Dave/Blu mkII combo you're looking at over 20,000 USD post Brexit). So no, it's not for everybody, but those fortunate enough to be able to afford Dave/Blu mkII should be in audiophile heaven. Plug your favorite headphones into Dave and it could be game over. I very much look forward to getting a chance to listen to this combo.

P.S.
- Just imagine what you might experience with this combo starting with the S/PDIF out of a Smyth Realiser A16.


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## ProfFalkin

naivesound said:


> How much will Poly be in the US?
> Not that I can buy anything but Ramen anyways



If you can afford food in this hobby, you are doing it wrong.


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## Ike1985

Waiting to see how poly plays with Android, Incredible work Chord!!!!


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## Currawong

tom yum goong said:


> Slightly disappointed.
> I was kind of hoping for a Mojo add-on that makes it a full-fledged DAP.
> Maybe a bit unrealistic in hindsight. I guess this is the next best option.
> 
> Mojo and Poly together kind of sounds like monopoly....don't get too cocky, Chord


 

 That's what your smart phone is for. The alternative would be years of development hell, such as has been going on with FiiO's DAPs. I think this system is better, as a DAP would have limited hardware support over time, whereas if you upgrade your phone, you don't have to worry about it so much.
  
 That being said...some smart person with time and money could always design an X7 adaptor in place of the amp to fit it to the Mojo, once they've got OTG working properly.
  
 Edit: Just saw the Hugo 2 picture with the LCD-4. If that combo actually works well, then the Hugo 2 must surely have quite a bit more serious headphone amplification in it.


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## Andrew Rieger

Yawn. Seriously, this is what everyone was getting super hyped about? A Mojo clip on accessory, an overpriced DAC that gets the crap kicked out of it by Schiit multibit DACs half the price and a CD player? Where is Chord's Mimby/Bimby competitor? Where is MQA support? Big missed opportunity here. The whole countdown thing gets people hyped for nothing.


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## Niyologist

I was close on those guesses. Oh well. I'm glad there's a new Hugo.


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## music4mhell

andrew rieger said:


> Yawn. Seriously, this is what everyone was getting super hyped about? A Mojo clip on accessory, an overpriced DAC that gets the crap kicked out of it by Schiit multibit DACs half the price and a CD player? Where is Chord's Mimby/Bimby competitor? Where is MQA support? Big missed opportunity here. The whole countdown thing gets people hyped for nothing.


 
 What's your current set up ?


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## hifuguy

Does anyone know if Polly "fully" supports ROON's RAAT protocol at all of it's extended sample rates, or is ROON listed as being supported by Polly only because of its Airplay compatibility (limited to 44/48khz)?


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## willowbrook

Meh...for the people who bought their mojo before CES or kept it without selling, good decision


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## BunnyNamedCraig

esimms86 said:


> While I understand the focus of the discussion thus far being the Poly, I believe the major product announcement to be the Blu mkII. Connect your digital source out via BNC S/PDIF to the Blu mkII's BNC S/PDIF input and then connect the Blu mkII to the Chord Dave and you get to enjoy listening to the sound of over 1 million taps. The CD transport is nice to have but I would imagine that the bulk of the interest in the Blu mkII will come from people who already own Dave coupled with their digital source of choice. Yes, £ 7,995 or ca. 9907 USD is a lot of money (and to get a Dave/Blu mkII combo you're looking at over 20,000 USD post Brexit). So no, it's not for everybody, but those fortunate enough to be able to afford Dave/Blu mkII should be in audiophile heaven. Plug your favorite headphones into Dave and it could be game over. I very much look forward to getting a chance to listen to this combo.
> 
> P.S.
> - Just imagine what you might experience with this combo starting with the S/PDIF out of a Smyth Realiser A16.


 
 your "P.S" comment = Mind blown......


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## Naugrim

willowbrook said:


> Meh...for the people who bought their mojo before CES or kept it without selling, good decision


 
 No doubt... I waited to see if I should get an AK70, but this is a much more elegant solution..and now I don't have to worry about the noises coming off of my iphone6


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## music4mhell

naugrim said:


> willowbrook said:
> 
> 
> > Meh...for the people who bought their mojo before CES or kept it without selling, good decision
> ...


 
 How can you confirm ?
 This module will be always connected via bluetooth/wifi and there must be some noise... Let see how it performs in real life !


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## baritone

The Poly is about connectivity and flexility but not sound quality.
 The digital audio  stream BT or WI-FI must be down converted somewhere to analog again to be heard , so if the converter you have is not better or even equal to the super duper Dac of the mojo you just lost quality.
 I do not think direct wired  connection from the MOJO has rivals


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## music4mhell

It will be interesting to see how this Mojo+Poly sounds compare to UAPP+Mojo or DAP+Mojo !


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## qafro

Poly sounds great but abit expensive compared to other dap . However it can become a streaming server.


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## swannie007

music4mhell said:


> What's your current set up ?


 

 Does it matter? Andrew Riegers' opinion still resonates with me and has validity irrespective of his set up.


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## qafro

Same here I was about to buy ak70 and must decide...





naugrim said:


> No doubt... I waited to see if I should get an AK70, but this is a much more elegant solution..and now I don't have to worry about the noises coming off of my iphone6


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## kazz

poly...at these price point was ri·dic·u·lous


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## episiarch

Hugo II looks like it charges via USB.  2-amp USB, but doesn't need a specialized charger.


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## raypin

Mm..the Hugo 2 looks sharp! At its stated price point, the H2 invites comparison with the WA8. Interested.


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## DjBobby

axelcloris said:


> The Hugo 2 is loaded with Chord's latest FPGA and Watts Transient Aligned (WTA) filters bringing the Hugo into Chord's modern age. Chord is reporting improvements in the timing accuracy. dynamic range, noise reduction and headphone amp power in the new Hugo 2. *Chord has also improved the battery life with the Hugo 2, increasing it to 14 hours*, up from the Hugo's 10. Every input and output from the original Hugo are still here, ensuring that owners of the current Hugo will not have to worry about changing their stereo configuration if they upgrade.
> ​


 
  
 Strange, on their website Chord claims only the half: http://www.chordelectronics.co.uk/product/hugo-2/
"*Battery playing time is around seven hours* and two modes of automatic charging are included using the dedicated Micro USB charging port; an indicator shows charging and battery-charge status."


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## Naugrim

baritone said:


> The Poly is about connectivity and flexility but not sound quality.
> The digital audio  stream BT or WI-FI must be down converted somewhere to analog again to be heard , so if the converter you have is not better or even equal to the super duper Dac of the mojo you just lost quality.
> I do not think direct wired  connection from the MOJO has rivals


 
 Wait, what?  I doubt that. The Mojo should recieve the exact same information that would be sent over a cable... why would you think otherwise?


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## TheBigJim

music4mhell said:


> It will be interesting to see how this Mojo+Poly sounds compare to UAPP+Mojo or DAP+Mojo !


 
 I'm thinking the same. The bluetooth is AD2P / Is it APTX? So were looking at 16/44 max from the smartphone into a DAC that is craving more. The wireless will work with the higher resolutions I am sure, but I just feel a bit underwhelmed with it. Why not have a cool liquid ink screen on it for some basic playback ability and no battery usage. Simple to implement as we have seen from plenty of other competitors and the files on the SD are all of a sudden put through at their native state? Just my thoughts, but for £900 including the Mojo, people would be silly not to just get the current HUGO and be done with it. 
 Jim


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## SearchOfSub

andrew rieger said:


> Yawn. Seriously, this is what everyone was getting super hyped about? A Mojo clip on accessory, an overpriced DAC that gets the crap kicked out of it by Schiit multibit DACs half the price and a CD player? Where is Chord's Mimby/Bimby competitor? Where is MQA support? Big missed opportunity here. The whole countdown thing gets people hyped for nothing.





From my experience with Valhalla2 - Lyr2, and Schiit products in general, it was the other way around. Chord products in general - Chord Hugo and Mojo was high quality while Schiit gear offered nothing but gobs of power.


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## willowbrook

searchofsub said:


> From my experience with Valhalla2 - Lyr2, and Schiit products in general, it was the other way around. Chord products in general - Chord Hugo and Mojo was high quality while Schiit gear offered nothing but gobs of power.




Mojo is actually a decent portable solution.


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## Hansotek

baritone said:


> The Poly is about connectivity and flexility but not sound quality.
> The digital audio  stream BT or WI-FI must be down converted somewhere to analog again to be heard , so if the converter you have is not better or even equal to the super duper Dac of the mojo you just lost quality.
> I do not think direct wired  connection from the MOJO has rivals




From your post here it looks to me like you misunderstood the product. The Poly isn't for trasmitting, it is for receiving.

The music is streaming TO the Poly to be converted by the Mojo. The Mojo's analog output IS wired directly to your headphone or amplifier.


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## Allegroz

is Hugo2 support MQA?


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## Whitigir

This means Hugo w has no balanced connection still ?


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## goldendarko

Poly looks interesting but what's up with the price? This looks like a $150 dollar accessory that enables streaming to the Mojo, why in the world make it so expensive. This is nothing groundbreaking here.


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## Whitigir

Li-po battery isn't cheap


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## Muataz

allegroz said:


> is Hugo2 support MQA?




The concept and idea behind of MQA is what CHORD FPGA is doing. But how different I don't know


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## Ra97oR

muataz said:


> allegroz said:
> 
> 
> > is Hugo2 support MQA?
> ...


 

 Erm, I don't know where you get that idea. But MQA encoding and Chord using FPGA instead of off the shelf DAC chips are totally unrelated.


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## analogmusic

No, Rob Watts has always said Hugo addresses the time domain problem
  
 Apparently MQA claims something similar.
  
 MQA on my Macbook sounds decent through Tidal, but for serious listening, Hugo is much better.
  
 MQA is Good for the masses, and is much superior to the 16 bit CD version on tidal.


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## Satir

n/a


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## Ra97oR

baritone said:


> The Poly is about connectivity and flexility but not sound quality.
> The digital audio  stream BT or WI-FI must be down converted somewhere to analog again to be heard , so if the converter you have is not better or even equal to the super duper Dac of the mojo you just lost quality.
> I do not think direct wired  connection from the MOJO has rivals


 
  
 It is converted at Mojo, the same way when a wired connection is used.
  
  
 Remember that Mojo only have Digital inputs...


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## DaveLT

baritone said:


> The Poly is about connectivity and flexility but not sound quality.
> The digital audio  stream BT or WI-FI must be down converted somewhere to analog again to be heard , so if the converter you have is not better or even equal to the super duper Dac of the mojo you just lost quality.
> I do not think direct wired  connection from the MOJO has rivals


 


muataz said:


> The concept and idea behind of MQA is what CHORD FPGA is doing. But how different I don't know


 Both of you ... 




analogmusic said:


> No, Rob Watts has always said Hugo addresses the time domain problem
> 
> Apparently MQA claims something similar.
> 
> ...


 
 You act like you know something about electronics but you don't.
  
 MQA is a format. A FORMAT. 
 Using FPGA instead of a off the shelf DAC is still just a DAC. A DAC.
  
 Go learn some actual electronics instead of talking through ... your poo chutes.


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## GreenBow

whitigir said:


> Li-po battery isn't cheap


 
  
 Ha what! I just bought one for £2.50 on ebay for a phone.


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## LajostheHun

Using BT will ultimately reduces the signal to MP3 level compression at the source [smartphone] there is no going back from that regardless of what "sorcery" the Mojo have or any other DAC in fact. If the Mojo could create it's network via Wifi that would be the ticket for lossless transmission, but I doubt it can do that based on the report on post 1. It can only be part of an already existing network so one will need a router of some sort.


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## Whitigir

lajosthehun said:


> Using BT will ultimately reduces the signal to MP3 level compression at the source [smartphone] there is no going back from that regardless of what "sorcery" the Mojo have or any other DAC in fact. If the Mojo could create it's network via Wifi that would be the ticket for lossless transmission, but I doubt it can do that based on the report on post 1. It can only be part of an already existing network so one will need a router of some sort.




A smartphone tethering ?


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## emrelights1973

200£ max would be nice accessory but at this price it is killing the good value of mojo and making it the most expensive DAP....
  
 so take a VFM product that you are advertising as a mobil solution instead of DAP, add a gadget make it the most expensive solution...
  
 They priced mojo very competitively and regret it, now they priced waaaay too high!!!


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## LajostheHun

whitigir said:


> A smartphone tethering ?




That would be interesting....if it worked.


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## baritone

From your post here it looks to me like you misunderstood the product. The Poly isn't for trasmitting, it is for receiving.

 The music is streaming TO the Poly to be converted by the Mojo. The Mojo's analog output IS wired directly to your headphone or amplifier.

  

 OUGH !  your are right


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## Wilderbeast

I'm a little ignorant when it comes to WiFi devices. Could anyone enlighten me about the following:
  
 To use Poly wirelessly with my iPhone would I need to be within range of my home WiFi? 
 Could I connect wirelessly while traveling? (but not via bluetooth - I don't want diminished sound quality)
 If I plug in my SD card can I control playback via my phone? Using what app? Will I see album art etc? Will my phone remember playback position etc?
  
 I'm happy with my Mojo and Hugo as they are so doubt I'd be interested in Poly, but I am curious to see how it works, and whether the wireless options retain the sound quality of wired connections.


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## psikey

John Franks has just mentioned on another thread the Jude will be doing a Video review detailing its operation soon.
  
 The Poly acts as a WiFi hub so your phone will connect directly to it.


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## RHMMMM

I'm just upset that the Chord branded Leather Mojo case I paid $100 a few months ago looks like it won't work with the Poly.


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## Tiddlesworth

The price on the poly is just absurd, it's like spending 600 dollar cables on 200 dollar headphones.


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## TheBigJim

tiddlesworth said:


> The price on the poly is just absurd, it's like spending 600 dollar cables on 200 dollar headphones.


 
 I agree, for Bluetooth anyway its a much better idea to velcro a little Creative E3 to the Mojo and stream stuff that way to it. If people are using wifi etc, then the chances are they have a NAS / Similar storage at home and they can simply connect the Mojo to a very cheap netbook and run that straight into the Mojo, to an amp. Im going to see if the Hugo (Current Edition) drops in price to make way for the new one and bypass the Mojo and go straight for that.


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## Tiddlesworth

thebigjim said:


> I agree, for Bluetooth anyway its a much better idea to velcro a little Creative E3 to the Mojo and stream stuff that way to it. If people are using wifi etc, then the chances are they have a NAS / Similar storage at home and they can simply connect the Mojo to a very cheap netbook and run that straight into the Mojo, to an amp. Im going to see if the Hugo (Current Edition) drops in price to make way for the new one and bypass the Mojo and go straight for that.


 
 Or just get some cheap android phone with all the bells and whistles, this solution actually comes with an interface.


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## AxelCloris

djbobby said:


> Strange, on their website Chord claims only the half: http://www.chordelectronics.co.uk/product/hugo-2/
> "*Battery playing time is around seven hours* and two modes of automatic charging are included using the dedicated Micro USB charging port; an indicator shows charging and battery-charge status."


 

 Taken from the press release: "Battery playing time has increased to c.14 hours and two modes of automatic charging are now included using the dedicated Micro USB charging port: fast (1.8 amperes) and slow (less than one ampere)." I'd be surprised if the new Hugo 2 couldn't reach the same 10 hour count that the original Hugo can, let alone 3 hours less. Obviously one of the quotes is incorrect, but my money would lean towards the quote from the press release being the accurate one.


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## fuhransahis

Was actually about to sell my Mojo, glad I didn't. But then I saw the price of the Poly... and now back to debating wether to sell it.. £499GBP is absolutely ridiculous. Any chance they'll lower the price at launch? Or that someone can give me £499GBP? Thanks in advance.


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## harpo1

fuhransahis said:


> Was actually about to sell my Mojo, glad I didn't. But then I saw the price of the Poly... and now back to debating wether to sell it.. £499GBP is absolutely ridiculous. Any chance they'll lower the price at launch? Or that someone can give me £499GBP? Thanks in advance.


 
 Their defending the price so don't look for it to be lowered.


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## Mediahound

tiddlesworth said:


> The price on the poly is just absurd, it's like spending 600 dollar cables on 200 dollar headphones.


 
  
 There have always been cheaper alternatives to Chord products. But better or even equal performance/audio quality for less? That would be quite debatable among Chord fans.


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## fuhransahis

harpo1 said:


> Their defending the price so don't look for it to be lowered.


 
 So... anyone got an extra $600 lying around they don't need?
  
 On a more serious note and noob question... I'm assuming connecting directly to the Poly through Wi-Fi is the only way to not lose audio quality, instead of bluetooth, right? I steam from Tidal Hifi on my phone, with little music stored locally... Would I need to connect through bluetooth if I want to stream from Tidal and then send that signal to Poly, which would in turn compress the audio?


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## Tiddlesworth

mediahound said:


> There have always been cheaper alternatives to Chord products. But better or even equal performance/audio quality for less? That would be quite debatable among Chord fans.


 
 What?


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## TheBigJim

tiddlesworth said:


> Or just get some cheap android phone with all the bells and whistles, this solution actually comes with an interface.


 
 Indeed Tiddlesworth, this is how I run my rigs at the moment, through OTG. The issue is that the Mojo isn't as easy to attach to a phone as others, my Ibasso D14 is slightly too fat, the D Zero Mk2 is perfect and I imagine the MK3 will also be quite streamlined. 
 I'm not knocking these Chord products, as I believe in supporting UK based companies who value quality engineering, I just wish they had a bit more foresight into 'how' people will use the products. 
 Jim


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## Ra97oR

thebigjim said:


> tiddlesworth said:
> 
> 
> > Or just get some cheap android phone with all the bells and whistles, this solution actually comes with an interface.
> ...


 

 I believe the whole point of Mojo and now Poly is that smartphone is extremely widespread and powerful enough. It will be reasonable to use your smartphone as the interface instead of building a player with screens and controls.
  
  
 I would love to see how the SD reader portion of the Poly and how it is controlled before passing any judgements.


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## NaiveSound

ra97or said:


> I believe the whole point of Mojo and now Poly is that smartphone is extremely widespread and powerful enough. It will be reasonable to use your smartphone as the interface instead of building a player with screens and controls.
> 
> 
> I would love to see how the SD reader portion of the Poly and how it is controlled before passing any judgements.




Lol. All this does it remove a otg cable... This whole Poly is a cable free device that lacks ability to function on its own (it needs a smartphone screen and interface) 

Total garbage


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## Mython

naivesound said:


> Lol. All this does it remove a otg cable... This whole Poly is a cable free device that lacks ability to function on its own (it needs a smartphone screen and interface)
> 
> Total garbage


 
  
 You are entitled to dislike the ethos of Poly - that is your prerogative, but to call something total garbage because you may have failed to understand the extent of the capabilities of a product, is something quite different.


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## h1f1add1cted

thebigjim said:


> I agree, for Bluetooth anyway its a much better idea to velcro a little Creative E3 to the Mojo and stream stuff that way to it. If people are using wifi etc, then the chances are they have a NAS / Similar storage at home and they can simply connect the Mojo to a very cheap netbook and run that straight into the Mojo, to an amp. Im going to see if the Hugo (Current Edition) drops in price to make way for the new one and bypass the Mojo and go straight for that.


 

 This will not work, Mojo only takes digital input and the E3 does not offer a any digital output like coax, toslink or USB. You need at least the E5 which has toslink output to feed i.e. toslink input from Mojo.


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## NaiveSound

mython said:


> You are entitled to dislike the ethos of Poly - that is your prerogative, but to call something total garbage because you may have failed to understand the extent of the capabilities of a product, is something quite different.




I understand the capabilities, like everyone else that's disappointed, the price asked for these *capabilities* is ridiculous and these capabilities aren't something totally crazy, ... Many Daps do this and possibly better. 

For the price, with what it offers, to me.. It's totally garbage


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## TokenGesture

Only one SD card in the Poly?


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## Mython

tokengesture said:


> Only one SD card in the Poly?


 
  
  
 Having chatted to Chord, I know they are aware of people's eagerness for multiple card slots (I happen to like multiple card slots, myself, wherever possible), but Poly is so small that the space constraints are severe, on the 10-layer PCB. Throw a worthwhile battery into the diminutive chassis, too, and things get rather tight.
  
 Going with one card slot wasn't a decision taken lightly by the engineering team.


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## Mediahound

naivesound said:


> For the price, with what it offers, to me.. It's totally garbage


 
  
 Don't like it, don't buy it. Obviously not every product is for everyone. This is supposed to be a 'no sound quality compromise' item, just like other Chord products. It does not mean it's 'garbage', it just means that you are not willing to spend the money vs. taking a risk on compromise and spending less on something else. Just calling everything 'garbage' by default because you don't understand or agree with their benefit or pricing isn't exactly going to win you any credibility awards.


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## goldendarko

Oh I'm sure the quality is excellent and there's no doubt it's not garbage. But for what it actually does $600 is pure ridiculousness

By comparison I just picked up a Schiit Jotunheim and Modi Multibit for about $600. No way this one little device (basically a dongle) is the same value as a stack like that in my playbook. Don't defend companies who want to price gouge loyal customers (ahem Apple) it only encourages the practice. Good idea. Ridiculous price.


----------



## Sonic Guild

So can we add music to the SD, install it in the poly and use the Mojo-poly as a DAP while controlling it from a mobile device? 
 So is it a DAP?


----------



## NaiveSound

sonic guild said:


> So can we add music to the SD, loaded it in the poly and use the Monopoly as a DAP while controlling it from a mobile device?
> So is it a DAP?




No


You need your phone to control so. In total it used 3 devices to finally get music to your headphone out.... 
Without Poly, you just need 2 devices


----------



## Mython

sonic guild said:


> So can we add music to the SD, loaded it in the poly and use the Monopoly as a DAP while controlling it from a mobile device?
> So is it a DAP?


 
  
 It can be said to be like a remotely-controlled DAP, of sorts, yes, but the smartphone will need to be present to be that remote control


----------



## fuhransahis

goldendarko said:


> Oh I'm sure the quality is excellent and there's no doubt it's not garbage. But for what it actually does $600 is pure ridiculousness
> 
> By comparison I just picked up a Schiit Jotunheim and Modi Multibit for about $600. No way this one little device (basically a dongle) is the same value as a stack like that in my playbook. Don't defend companies who want to price gouge loyal customers (ahem Apple) it only encourages the practice. Good idea. Ridiculous price.




I agree that the price is ridiculous and despite Chord's unwillingness to sacrifice quality, there is definitely price gauging here. You can argue that they need to make money but they would also get more sales volume at a lower price. I would love to have this but can't afford to pay the same price I paid for the Mojo, just to make the Mojo wireless.

However your comparison of products is also ridiculous, this is a a solution for a portable rig, and as such your Jotunheim and Modi stack has zero value to me, for example, vs the Mojo and Poly.


----------



## Sonic Guild

naivesound said:


> No
> 
> 
> You need your phone to control so. In total it used 3 devices to finally get music to your headphone out....
> Without Poly, you just need 2 devices


 

 But the mobile is just to be used as interface for controlling music NOT to stream music, right?
 I assume tis will be much better solution without wires and attaching the player to the mojo.


----------



## NaiveSound

sonic guild said:


> But the mobile is just to be used as interface for controlling music NOT to stream music, right?
> I assume tis will be much better solution without wires and attaching the player to the mojo.




It basically takes the otg wire needed to connect to a phone away. At a price of 600$ or so. And if you want a case to cover more expect to shell out more. 

The actual mojo is the cheapest product in the whole chain. 

Also, expect to drain your phones battery ever quicker


----------



## Mython

Poly is NOT intended to be _'only'_ for DAP-style usage.
  
 It is a much, much, broader product, but you are evidently determined to view it from only one perspective. Again, that is absolutely your prerogative, but others can see more potential.
  
 So be it 
  
 No hard feelings


----------



## Mython

sonic guild said:


> naivesound said:
> 
> 
> > No
> ...


 
  
  
 As I understand it, if you choose to listen to streamed music, then your smartphone would receive the streamed data from your streaming service, over-the-air, and then that same smartphone would stream that music data to Poly (DLNA protocol)
  
 Alternatively, if the music content is stored on a microSD card, inserted into Poly, then the smartphone will only direct Poly which data to send to Mojo directly from the microSD card, with no actual music data passing via the smartphone. In this scenario, the only music data that the smartphone processes is the metadata tags, in order to display them in your smartphone music app. This scenario would be using an MPD-compatible app:
  


mython said:


> deftone said:
> 
> 
> > sound eq said:
> ...


 
  
  
  


mojo ideas said:


> faw88 said:
> 
> 
> > I think the Poly is pretty revolutionary.
> ...


----------



## fuhransahis

mython said:


> As I understand it, if you choose to listen to streamed music, then your smartphone would receive the streamed data from your streaming service, over-the-air, and then that same smartphone would stream that music data to Poly (DLNA protocol)
> 
> Alternatively, if the music content is stored on a microSD card, inserted into Poly, then the smartphone will only direct Poly which data to send to Mojo directly from the microSD card, with no actual music data passing via the smartphone. In this scenario, the only music data that the smartphone processes is the metadata tags, in order to display them in your smartphone music app. This scenario would be using an MPD-compatible app:


 
 But if streaming, then by which connection method would the phone stream the data to Poly? Let's say I'm on the train and I stream my music through regular 4GLTE. If I'm not mistaken, the best way to connect to Poly would be through WiFi (I have a Galaxy). But once I turn on WiFi to connect to Poly locally, I would no longer be able to use my 4GLTE connection to stream from Tidal to my phone... no? If I use Bluetooth then there will be audio compression (no?)


----------



## TheBigJim

h1f1add1cted said:


> This will not work, Mojo only takes digital input and the E3 does not offer a any digital output like coax, toslink or USB. You need at least the E5 which has toslink output to feed i.e. toslink input from Mojo.




I appreciate this and agree it would be double amping, but with a bluetooth connection it shouldnt be the weak link. I do agree with the post previous though, we need to see what sort of interface the SD has with a phone. If we can use an app to tell the mojo what to play from the SD at its native rate, thats a different ballgame and something i might use.


----------



## RHMMMM

While I'm excited that Chord put in a bunch of engineering work on this, I don't seriously think I will use the Poly. It just doesn't seem practical, as many have pointed out, you need to use an external device to control it, plus you're adding a device with the Poly itself. Not that I drop my stuff, but God forbid you drop the combination, it looks like it would break off at the connectors pretty easily and you're out at least the cost of the Poly. 

I think I'm going to just sell the Mojo and get a Hugo2 when it comes out. I don't really need wireless streaming and I'm guessing that getting ad hoc WiFi to work in a portable scenario will take some finagling each time anyways. The Hugo2 already has Bluetooth, if needed. The Hugo2 is not insanely more in price than the Mojo/Poly combination, plus will put out better overall sound quality.


----------



## Mython

rhmmmm said:


> Not that I drop my stuff, but God forbid you drop the combination, it looks like it would break off at the connectors pretty easily and you're out at least the cost of the Poly.


 
  
 Chord will be releasing a purpose-designed protective case to contain the combination of Mojo+Poly.
  


mojo ideas said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## RHMMMM

Can I turn in my existing $100 Chord case for credit towards the new one?

Edit: Also, I see there is only one USB port on the Poly. Do I have to disconnect the Poly to use the USB input mode on the Mojo? 



mython said:


> Chord will be releasing a purpose-designed protective case to contain the combination of Mojo+Poly.


----------



## Mython

Just a friendly reminder to all who may be reading this thread; there are dedicated threads running, for each of the announced devices, where you may find your questions already answered:
  
  
  
www.head-fi.org/t/831343/chord-electronics-blu-mk-2-the-official-thread
  
www.head-fi.org/t/831345/chord-electronics-hugo-2-the-official-thread
  
www.head-fi.org/t/831347/chord-electronics-poly-add-on-microsd-and-advanced-wireless-module-for-mojo


----------



## Sonic Guild

rhmmmm said:


> Can I turn in my existing $100 Chord case for credit towards the new one?
> 
> Edit: Also, I see there is only one USB port on the Poly. Do I have to disconnect the Poly to use the USB input mode on the Mojo?


 

 Yea it sucks that we paid 100 for that case and now we have to purchase a new case for the new combo.
 Please Chord stay away from Apple's approach is selling accessories.


----------



## DaveLT

goldendarko said:


> Oh I'm sure the quality is excellent and there's no doubt it's not garbage. But for what it actually does $600 is pure ridiculousness
> 
> By comparison I just picked up a Schiit Jotunheim and Modi Multibit for about $600. No way this one little device (basically a dongle) is the same value as a stack like that in my playbook. Don't defend companies who want to price gouge loyal customers (ahem Apple) it only encourages the practice. Good idea. Ridiculous price.


 
 What you just did is compare a meh dac and a great amp, apparently so,
  
 against a PORTABLE AMP DAC. 
  
 How do you feel now? This is not a AMP DAC stack. It's a "wirelessly controlled" audio player.
  
 Understood?
  
 It's expensive and ludicrous but could your stack do that? Does that mean nobody should buy it?
  


thebigjim said:


> I appreciate this and agree it would be double amping, but with a bluetooth connection it shouldnt be the weak link. I do agree with the post previous though, we need to see what sort of interface the SD has with a phone. If we can use an app to tell the mojo what to play from the SD at its native rate, thats a different ballgame and something i might use.


 
 Mojo DOES NOT have a Line IN. At all. 
 It's a DAC + Amp with NO line in facility.
  


rhmmmm said:


> While I'm excited that Chord put in a bunch of engineering work on this, I don't seriously think I will use the Poly. It just doesn't seem practical, as many have pointed out, you need to use an external device to control it, plus you're adding a device with the Poly itself. Not that I drop my stuff, but God forbid you drop the combination, it looks like it would break off at the connectors pretty easily and you're out at least the cost of the Poly.
> 
> I think I'm going to just sell the Mojo and get a Hugo2 when it comes out. I don't really need wireless streaming and I'm guessing that getting ad hoc WiFi to work in a portable scenario will take some finagling each time anyways. The Hugo2 already has Bluetooth if needed and is not insanely more in price than the Mojo/Poly combination, plus will put out better sound quality.


 Bluetooth can transmit better sound quality??
  
 Am I missing something there?
  
 Let me know a day bluetooth isn't compressed.



sonic guild said:


> Yea it sucks that we paid 100 for that case and now we have to purchase a new case for the new combo.
> Please Chord stay away from Apple's approach is selling accessories.


 
 Interesting. So by your "approach" all manufacturers SHOULD NOT sell any accessories.
  
 Thanks. Now we have no matching accessories for anything at all.


----------



## Mython

sonic guild said:


> rhmmmm said:
> 
> 
> > Can I turn in my existing $100 Chord case for credit towards the new one?
> ...


 
  
  
 Guys, come on; be fair about this - you didn't_ seriously_ expect a snug-fitting Mojo case to magically have room for an extension module, did you? _Really?_
  
 John Franks discussed the likelihood of extension modules, long before the standard-sized Mojo case even came to market.
  
 For example:
  
*Munkonggadgets interview with John Franks, of Chord Electronics*
  
  
 Pretending that you've been hard done-by because you bought a standard-sized Mojo case and now it won't accommodate an extension module is like expecting the standard-sized Mojo case to come with a magic wand to bend the laws of time-space, in your personal corner of this dimension of the universe


----------



## RHMMMM

Quote:


mython said:


> Guys, come on; be fair about this - you didn't_ seriously_ expect a snug-fitting Mojo case to magically have room for an extension module, did you? _Really?_
> 
> John Franks discussed the likelihood of extension modules, long before the standard-sized Mojo case even came to market.
> 
> ...


 

 Well, "fair" is pretty subjective. I don't think it's reasonably fair to assume that everyone who owns one of these devices will follow forums religiously, scanning for threads on interviews. I also don't think the price for the case at $100 was fair. So yeah, I do feel a bit stiffed. Can you empathize?


----------



## RHMMMM

Quote:


rhmmmm said:


> While I'm excited that Chord put in a bunch of engineering work on this, I don't seriously think I will use the Poly. It just doesn't seem practical, as many have pointed out, you need to use an external device to control it, plus you're adding a device with the Poly itself. Not that I drop my stuff, but God forbid you drop the combination, it looks like it would break off at the connectors pretty easily and you're out at least the cost of the Poly.
> 
> I think I'm going to just sell the Mojo and get a Hugo2 when it comes out. I don't really need wireless streaming and I'm guessing that getting ad hoc WiFi to work in a portable scenario will take some finagling each time anyways. The Hugo2 already has Bluetooth if needed and is not insanely more in price than the Mojo/Poly combination, plus will put out better sound quality.


  
 Bluetooth can transmit better sound quality??
  
 Am I missing something there?
  
 Let me know a day bluetooth isn't compressed.
  
  

 ​Dave, grammar error on my part.  I meant the Hugo2 is better in sound quality overall, not Bluetooth.  I fixed my post to read a bit clearer.


----------



## Mython

rhmmmm said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Globally, the main English-speaking forum thread for Mojo, right here on Head-fi, currently has 2,359,189 views, and clearly-emblazoned in the title of that thread is a note about a comprehensive FAQ, in *post #3*, which conveniently collates a wide range of information, including a list of videos, including the aforementioned interview with John Franks.
  
 Additionally, in that same thread (and included in post #3)  there are photographs of prototype and production versions of the simple CCK module, which also point to the fact that Mojo has long been intended for use with extension modules.
  
 No religious scanning necessary - it's all there, on a silver platter, for anyone who takes the time to heed the thread title.


----------



## fuhransahis

mython said:


> The main English-speaking forum thread for Mojo, right here on Head-fi, currently has 2,359,189 views, and clearly-emblazoned in the title of that thread is a note about a comprehensive FAQ, in *post #3*, which conveniently collates a wide range of information, including a list of videos, including the aforementioned interview with John Franks.
> 
> Additionally, in that same thread (and included in post #3)  there are photographs of prototype and production versions of the simple CCK module, which also point to the fact that Mojo has long been intended for use with extension modules.
> 
> No religious scanning necessary - it's all there, on a silver platter, for anyone who takes the time to heed the thread title.


 
 I was originally in agreement with Mython, however given that the case is in fact $100, and the fact that they planned to introduce modules to the Mojo from the outset, they could have implemented some sort of adaptability into a the case. At $100 the case costs more than many DACs and Amps out there. And it's just a case. Or at least have another option that's more affordable since they knew they would become useless in the future, maybe even make it rubber.


----------



## RHMMMM

fuhransahis said:


> I was originally in agreement with Mython, however given that the case is in fact $100, and the fact that they planned to introduce modules to the Mojo from the outset, they could have implemented some sort of adaptability into a the case. At $100 the case costs more than many DACs and Amps out there. And it's just a case. Or at least have another option that's more affordable since they knew they would become useless in the future, maybe even make it rubber.


 

 ​Thanks for understanding where I'm coming from here.


----------



## eugenius

Yes the Poly is expensive but it's an unique product with no competitors AFAIK.
  
 But the problem is, what's the use case for a *portable* wireless streamer with a battery? Streaming from your phone to your Poly in your man-purse is stupid. Streaming music from your home server using the poly instead of the phone is also stupid, you still need to carry the phone to control the Poly. Can't you just use the phone?
  
 Is Chord going to launch a couple of battery powered bookshelf speakers than can do the Mojo DAC justice? I doubt it.
  
 PS: Don't tell me you can use the Poly at home. You can buy a nice fanless ultrabook with a touchscreen for the same money and play music, movies and have nice touch monitor for album art and control.


----------



## fuhransahis

eugenius said:


> Yes the Poly is expensive but it's an unique product with no competitors AFAIK.
> 
> But the problem is, what's the use case for a *portable* wireless streamer with a battery? Streaming from your phone to your Poly in your man-purse is stupid. Streaming music from your home server using the poly instead of the phone is also stupid, you still need to carry the phone to control the Poly. Can't you just use the phone?
> 
> ...


 
 It's unique... so it can be priced to as much as they want? Great justification.
  
 One obvious use case is that it reduces bulk compared with stacking a Mojo and your phone (fitting that into your pants pocket is not fun nor does it provide peace of mind as to the lifespan of your OTG cable or the Micro USB sockets in your devices). Now you'd be able to have one in each pocket with your phone not tied to anything, and don't have to switch back and forth between phone and DAP to switch tracks then read news etc.
  
 Even better for commuters who can put MojoPoly in their bag and just use their phone for everything.


----------



## pkcpga

Was hoping for a smaller mojo or MQA update for chord products. The poly is interesting, I just don't have a need for more bulk on my portable dac/amp. The blue mk II is definitely going to be an interesting addition for my Dave, hopefully my local dealer gets a demo soon and my wife doesn't kill me after buying two new headphones, utopia and kaiser encore.


----------



## eugenius

It would be cool if the poly can control mojo's hardware volume control, so you gain a remote controlled preamp for speakers.


----------



## bvng3540

I see some people here complain about the price, if you think it expensive DONT BUY IT, no one put a knife to your throats and force you to buy it, this hobby is Very Expensive, get out now and find some other cheap hobby, buy what you can afford


----------



## hernandoco

mython said:


> As I understand it, if you choose to listen to streamed music, then your smartphone would receive the streamed data from your streaming service, over-the-air, and then that same smartphone would stream that music data to Poly (DLNA protocol)
> 
> Alternatively, if the music content is stored on a microSD card, inserted into Poly, then the smartphone will only direct Poly which data to send to Mojo directly from the microSD card, with no actual music data passing via the smartphone. In this scenario, the only music data that the smartphone processes is the metadata tags, in order to display them in your smartphone music app. This scenario would be using an MPD-compatible app:


 
 Yes this.  This is how I'm interpreting it too.  It's basically a DAP with no screen.  Your smartphone will act is the interface/ external screen.  I just don't understand the bluetooth part.  Is it receiving or broadcasting bluetooth?  If it's receiving from the smartphone then what would Wifi's purpose be.  If it''s broadcasting, then why wouldn't you just use your phone's bluetooth?  It's all digital so it's not like it would make a difference where the source is.
  
 Another concern is that if the Poly and smartphone are tethered via wifi, how would you stream an app such as Spotify/Pandora/Tidal without using cellular data (ie. use home wifi).


----------



## hernandoco

bvng3540 said:


> I see some people here complain about the price, if you think it expensive DONT BUY IT, no one put a knife to your throats and force you to buy it, this hobby is Very Expensive, get out now and find some other cheap hobby, buy what you can afford


 
  
 The mojo itself is expensive for what it is.  I bought it.  I swear I thought someone had a knife to my throat though.  At least that's what I use to justify my purchase.
  
 The mojo sounds so good that it's almost as if I knew how to play the song myself better than the artist in my own room.


----------



## fuhransahis

bvng3540 said:


> I see some people here complain about the price, if you think it expensive DONT BUY IT, no one put a knife to your throats and force you to buy it, this hobby is Very Expensive, get out now and find some other cheap hobby, buy what you can afford




Of course we'll complain about the price when it's warranted. Believe it or not I want to support Chord, I did buy the Mojo and still own it, after all. That doesn't mean we can't call out wrongdoing when we see it. It's not to diminish their achievement but this sounds like greed to me. But I'll digress and again ask how this price can be justified? It adds functionality to the Mojo yet costs just as much... this is just plain lack of consumer empathy. "If you want it then pay as much as we want you to pay for it".


----------



## goldendarko

fuhransahis said:


> Of course we'll complain about the price when it's warranted. Believe it or not I want to support Chord, I did buy the Mojo and still own it, after all. That doesn't mean we can't call out wrongdoing when we see it. It's not to diminish their achievement but this sounds like greed to me. But I'll digress and again ask how this price can be justified? It adds functionality to the Mojo yet costs just as much... this is just plain lack of consumer empathy. "If you want it then pay as much as we want you to pay for it".


 
 Right, at what point do you guys draw the line then? If this thing was $1000 are you still cool with it? It costs as much as the damn Mojo does! And it's basically a big dongle, get outta here with that crap Chord.


----------



## gikigill

It costs more than the Mojo.

And to the person saying that if it's expensive don't buy it, we will send a message to the maker by not buying it and telling them the same. Only fools bend over and accept everything thrown at them and we all know what happens to a fool and his money.

Still waiting for the official video from Jude showcasing the Polys abilities before I write it off but it's not looking good.


----------



## Mython

I can understand the surprise & dismay at Poly being stickered at more than Mojo, but, at the same time, I can't help noting that the_ irony _of people slamming Chord for Poly costing more than Mojo is that Chord could have charged $1200 or more, for Mojo (remember, its performance is very close to Hugo 1).
  
_Had _they decided to charge customers that much (and we all know that some competitors, if they owned Mojo, would've charged that much or even substantially more), then it would still have been a groundbreaking product and would still have sold in very healthy numbers, around the globe, but it would've been within the grasp of far fewer people.
  
  
 Had Mojo been priced at 1200 bucks or more, then people would've viewed Poly as being half the price of Mojo.
  
 Viewed from that hypothetical standpoint, perhaps Chord made a mistake in selling Mojo too cheap?
  
 Personally, I'm grateful they didn't charge more for Mojo.
  
 Another point, which few people seem to be sincerely acknowledging, is that Brexit has weakened the pound against the dollar, through no fault of the company, and this makes it (& Mojo) more expensive to produce, than when Mojo was released, 14 months ago.
  
 I'm not suggesting that anyone's heart should be bleeding, for Chord, over this - not at all, but there are mitigating circumstances which should rightly be acknowledged, even if one still wishes the product were cheaper.
  
 It's also a relatively unorthodox product, with significant development costs, both in-house and with consulting partners. The R&D on Poly was not a couple of grand!
  
  
  
 In case anyone is wondering, I can't afford Poly, but that doesn't mean I am jumping to the conclusion that it is automatically a heinously overpriced product.
  
 I can see *both *sides of the situation
  





.


----------



## gikigill

Any how many Mojos would be sold at $1200? 

How many other portable DAC/AMP combos sell for that much?


----------



## Mython

gikigill said:


> Any how many Mojos would be sold at $1200?
> 
> How many other portable DAC/AMP combos sell for that much?


 
  
 I think you underestimate how well Hugo has sold, to those who grasp it's performance (although, of course, it doesn't appeal to everyone).
  
 Mojo is very nearly Hugo in a smaller box.


----------



## swannie007

As I have stated previously, I am afraid our hobby is going down the same financial road that two channel music went down a few years ago towards ridiculous prices and diminishing returns for our dollar. The greed of some companies is quite apparent to me, and with this I am not accusing Chord of being one of those companies but this Poly product seems to run very closely toward this mindset and I will not reward this sort of profit thinking with my dollars. The troubling thing here, as far as I am concerned, is the hype surrounding this particular product, one would think it was the second coming of that besandled chap from Bethlehem! Just my 2c worth and I wish to remind those of you who disagree with me that you are, as I am, entitled to your opinion, however, I do not wish to debate with you on this forum, or any other, with regard to justifying my opinion so please don't expect any further response from me in this regard, thank you. Cheers.


----------



## gikigill

mython said:


> I think you underestimate how well Hugo has sold, to those who grasp it's performance (although, of course, it doesn't appeal to everyone).
> 
> Mojo is very nearly Hugo in a smaller box.




So Chord launched the Mojo for ****s and giggles or to cannibalise the Hugo?

Or maybe they wanted to go for a more mass market friendly price.


----------



## fuhransahis

mython said:


> I can understand the surprise & dismay at Poly being stickered at more than Mojo, but, at the same time, I can't help noting that the_ irony _of people slamming Chord for Poly costing more than Mojo is that Chord could have charged $1200 or more, for Mojo (remember, its performance is very close to Hugo 1).
> 
> _Had _they decided to charge customers that much (and we all know that some competitors, if they owned Mojo, would've charged that much or even substantially more), then it would still have been a groundbreaking product and would still have sold in very healthy numbers, around the globe, but it would've been within the grasp of far fewer people.
> 
> ...


 
 You are correct. In that case Chord has been mistaken in all scenarios. The Mojo should have at least been priced at $1,200 because they can, but then since it's about half the size of the Hugo, the Hugo should priced at $4000, then and only then could they not only A. Not let any other greedy competitor launch products more expensive than theirs, should they release a product such as the Hugo and B. Make the Mojo seem like even more of a bargain, because I mean us suckers will purchase it anyways because they can and should price it as high as they want to.
  
 Then the Poly should sell for $1,200 as well because yes and Brexit.
  
 However let us rejoice that Chord decided to throw us a bone and price the Mojo at a measly $599 USD.
  
 No one is jumping to conclusions. A product that makes my Mojo wireless should not cost as much as my Mojo.
  
 And if I sound frustrated it's because I am, but not directly at you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 

 Just because Chord has pricing power doesn't mean they should abuse it.


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol...who would buy a mojo at 1.2k? I think you'll lose the majority of buyers as you are targeting the wrong demographic. How much did the hugo sell compared to the mojo? I'm sure mojo was a far bigger commercial success than the hugo. The hugo even at 2k is such a ripoff really. The fact they can sell a mojo at the price they have and still make a lot of money with near performance to hugo (not my opinion) shows how overpriced all chord products are. Mojo at 1.2k? With that terrible cramped soundstage, treble problems, terrible usb implementation, recessed treble and mid bass focused sound? For 1.2k and you get a sony wm1a or schiit gungnir which can easily outperform the mojo. Don't get cocky saying it would have been just as successful. I don't know why chord fan boys respond to everyone's comment like it's gonna change minds. Just let it be and stop covering for chord....saying stuff like chord blessed us with a cheap price so its ok if rhey overcharge again....what flawed logic. the market will decide. I don't ever want to hear someone say don't buy it if you can't afford it. Just cause you can afford it you are gonna buy the new 6k headphone from hifiman that has a build quality that looks like sheet metal and cheap veneer wood? Lol...people have gone insane in this hobby. 4k cable at ces loll.


----------



## willowbrook

Mojo at 1200? Please haha


----------



## DaveLT

swannie007 said:


> As I have stated previously, I am afraid our hobby is going down the same financial road that two channel music went down a few years ago towards ridiculous prices and diminishing returns for our dollar. The greed of some companies is quite apparent to me, and with this I am not accusing Chord of being one of those companies but this Poly product seems to run very closely toward this mindset and I will not reward this sort of profit thinking with my dollars. The troubling thing here, as far as I am concerned, is the hype surrounding this particular product, one would think it was the second coming of that besandled chap from Bethlehem! Just my 2c worth and I wish to remind those of you who disagree with me that you are, as I am, entitled to your opinion, however, I do not wish to debate with you on this forum, or any other, with regard to justifying my opinion so please don't expect any further response from me in this regard, thank you. Cheers.


 
 Going down?
  
 Audio has always been bad!
  


dithyrambes said:


> Lol...who would buy a mojo at 1.2k? I think you'll lose the majority of buyers as you are targeting the wrong demographic. How much did the hugo sell compared to the mojo? I'm sure mojo was a far bigger commercial success than the hugo. The hugo even at 2k is such a ripoff really. The fact they can sell a mojo at the price they have and still make a lot of money with near performance to hugo (not my opinion) shows how overpriced all chord products are. Mojo at 1.2k? With that terrible cramped soundstage, treble problems, terrible usb implementation, recessed treble and mid bass focused sound? For 1.2k and you get a sony wm1a or schiit gungnir which can easily outperform the mojo. Don't get cocky saying it would have been just as successful. I don't know why chord fan boys respond to everyone's comment like it's gonna change minds. Just let it be and stop covering for chord....saying stuff like chord blessed us with a cheap price so its ok if rhey overcharge again....what flawed logic. the market will decide. I don't ever want to hear someone say don't buy it if you can't afford it. Just cause you can afford it you are gonna buy the new 6k headphone from hifiman that has a build quality that looks like sheet metal and cheap veneer wood? Lol...people have gone insane in this hobby. 4k cable at ces loll.


 
 Are you just plain salty?
  
 And for the record did you actually A/B both?


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## qafro

Poly is expensive but if you think about R&D and manufacturing cost than it adds up.
Good item though I want one because this can be my main audio source in any audio stack.
Don't forget it's a flexible dap compare to likes of ak120 ak380....


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## analogmusic

well this is capitalism and a free market. No one is forcing anyone to buy anything. Why the tough love for Chord?
  
 I'll have to wait and see what Poly offers, and in the meantime my iPhone 6 does a great job feeding mojo.
  
 A good Vertere DFI USB cable costs 70 GBP. Lot of choices in the free market.


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## Atjt

Great to see Hugo v2 but why no USB c the micro USB is a pain


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## McClelland

analogmusic said:


> well this is capitalism and a free market. No one is forcing anyone to buy anything. Why the tough love for Chord?
> 
> I'll have to wait and see what Poly offers, and in the meantime my iPhone 6 does a great job feeding mojo.
> 
> A good Vertere DFI USB cable costs 70 GBP. Lot of choices in the free market.


 
 I don't get the hard edge reactions either.  This isn't some off-the-map shire we're living in with its own cottage industry economy and I doubt Chord would stack up at all as a predatory marketer in the business world they are succeeding in.  I'm not all over the forums and certainly not up on the latest-latest, but is there anyone else who has come out with a product remotely like the Mojo?  I'm presently using it to feed a two channel system and HD800 phones and continue to be amazed.  To whatever degree the Poly pricing allows Chord to continue to sell the Mojo as it does, then I'm quite glad it's out there for whoever choses it.  The Hugo 2 would have to take something to a whole other level for me and I hope it shows up at the NYC CanJam.


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## emptymt

does the filter option in hugo 2 work together with amp?


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## SearchOfSub

mython said:


> I can understand the surprise & dismay at Poly being stickered at more than Mojo, but, at the same time, I can't help noting that the _irony_ of people slamming Chord for Poly costing more than Mojo is that Chord could have charged $1200 or more, for Mojo (remember, its performance is very close to Hugo 1).
> 
> _Had_ they decided to charge customers that much (and we all know that some competitors, if they owned Mojo, would've charged that much or even substantially more), then it would still have been a groundbreaking product and would still have sold in very healthy numbers, around the globe, but it would've been within the grasp of far fewer people.
> 
> ...





Mojo is nowhere close to Hugo is terms of tone and overall presentation. Mojo is good product for $600.00. Mojo is not worth near $1,200.


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## eugenius

So Mojo-Poly is 1000 euro.
  
 Name a portable thing preferable to the Mojo-Poly for 1000 euro.
  
 Name a home streamer/dac with a good headphone out preferable to the Mojo-Poly for 1000 euro.


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## pytter

Wow! It is as if everyone has forgotten how expensive Chord products are. Before Mojo there was pretty much nothing for less than a few thousand dollars/pounds/euros and the average price point was much high than this. It is a small miracle (no pun intended) that they even made the Mojo and catered for a very different audience than their usual very deep pocketed audiophile customers (who's hobby are in a different league of expensive than ours)!

That said, yes the Poly is expensive in relation to the Mojo. But the economics of these add ons is not going to give us any bargains. Chord know how many Mojos they have sold and how many owners have bought other accessories and add ons (which I guess is not many). They can make an educated guess as to how many Poly's they are likely to sell. They have the spread the R&D and marketing costs over the projected numbers as well as the individual production costs. Now Chord may not think they will sell many, in which case that would explain why it is relatively expensive in comparison to the Mojo. On the other hand the development costs could have been very high and they may think that they are going to sell a lot of these to cover these costs so they may end up losing money on the Poly. But to think they are "gauging" you or trying to rip you off is highly likely to be off the mark. They are just not set up to make cheaper, mass market goods.

Don't forget that Chord is not Sony, they have limited experience of selling to a wide customer base and are likely to get it wrong from time to time. In the U.K. The Mojo case is free with the purchase of a Mojo at the moment so this may indicate the case is not selling all that well. No doubt they will learn valuable lessons from their Mojo product line and your feedback and as a result we can all look forward to seeing more products from them around this price point. Just don't expect any bargains.


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## jupiterianvibe

Pricing a wireless dongle with a card reader more expensive than the item it is designed for is a fail.


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## fuhransahis

jupiterianvibe said:


> Pricing a wireless dongle with a card reader more expensive than the item it is designed for is a fail.



This is the main point I've been repeating over and over. It's just not justifiable. You can convince yourself that it makes sense with the arguments related to R&D and production costs and the fact that Chord isn't Sony (though they've been around for decades), but the Poly should never cost more or as much as the Mojo. I'm not trying to paint Chord as an evil company looking to empty our pockets, but for what it is and in relation to the product it works for, it is overpriced, and they will lose many potential buyers, myself included, because of it.


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## jupiterianvibe

With the current pricing, I would suggest Chord to market Poly as a high end micro sd card reader with wireless connection possibilities and sell Mojo as an accessory that brings dac/amp feature to Poly.


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## Kamil21

Welcome to the high-end! 

It would seem to me that Chord, like many small, premium engineering company has strived for perfection with Poly and suffered from 'feature creep' .. And ended up with an accessory for Mojo that costs more than the Mojo market would expect, with more features than some might need.

As a Dave owner, I for one am thankful that this attitude has resulted in the Blu Mk2... Costs more than a CD drive should, but infinitely better.

 If Poly were sold as an accessory to Dave and sold for double its (Poly)price, few would complain.

The Poly might be a gamble for Chord, and in order to succeed with that pricing, it better well perform in the field.

If it does, Chord will have created a new category of product. If not, it could end up being an expensive lesson.


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## Satir

n/a


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## fuhransahis

satir said:


> With just one SD slot that's a very expensive card reader even with wireless. Users with high resolution DSF and 192kHz files would fill largest SD card in a hurry. Leaving user to swap cards in and out of one slot. Better Chord leave marketing as is and let the chips fall where they may. Good point though that accessories usually don't cost more than the main device they connect to, although exceptions common enough, as example: Leica lenses that cost more than Leica camera.



Right, except camera lenses directly contribute, in a significant way, to the photo quality, some may say your money is better spent on a quality lens depending than a quality camera. But there are exceptions to that as well as in audio... but I find most may contribute to the device's performance. Poly doesn't add to sound quality, but rather adds convenience.


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## Naugrim

eugenius said:


> So Mojo-Poly is 1000 euro.
> 
> Name a portable thing preferable to the Mojo-Poly for 1000 euro.
> 
> Name a home streamer/dac with a good headphone out preferable to the Mojo-Poly for 1000 euro.


 Oh snap!


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## Happytalk

Being the bottom feeder that I am, I don't think the price will stay that high, however this leaves an opening for someone to make a small sized dual (reg) sd card transport for home and portable that doesn't exist yet.


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## Currawong

I think when we complain about prices these days, we tend to forget how good we really have it. You couldn't get this kind of tech for _any_ price a few years ago.


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## fuhransahis

currawong said:


> I think when we complain about prices these days, we tend to forget how good we really have it. You couldn't get this kind of tech for _any_ price a few years ago.



Very true, but I think that can apply to nearly everything in technology these days - Laptops, video game consoles, 2TB USB Flash drives, VR, etc. And again I'm sure Chord has made another fantastic product and that it will preform great, but I can't wrap my head about it being priced higher than the Mojo, to just (for the most part) make the Mojo wireless.


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## reihead

I have never seen any product like this in terms of functionality and portability.

I have never seen any product in which one accessory would cost more than the main product.

Maybe we should take this as a module instead of an accessory? The way a computer graphic card is to a PC? A camera lens to the camera itself as it was previously mentioned? 

Very interesting product!

Mojo or Poly, which device has more chips? More processing power? More features?


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## onecolorist

reihead said:


> Maybe we should take this as a module instead of an accessory? The way a computer graphic card is to a PC? A camera lens to the camera itself as it was previously mentioned?
> 
> Very interesting product!
> 
> This resonates.


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## qafro

Brexit is the blame for the drop in £ pound and R&B cost hence the price


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## GreenBow

qafro said:


> Brexit is the blame for the drop in £ pound and R&B cost hence the price


 

 Yeah but British export is up.


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## ColdFlo

This thread is hilarious.  There is now a changing of the guard with Chord.  You have the old dac crowd frustrated with what Chord has achieved and has all the proper arguments and logic to go with it that just shuts all counterargument down(this means its over).  I too run into this situation on a daily basis doesnt mean the resistance will stop but the future moves on and eventually others clam down as reality sinks in.  I think the Chord gear is worth more than the asking price(30 years of dudes life they really arent asking that much for R&D and hes right about everything and ahead of everyone) when you look at and understand all the tech yeah the Mojo is a little digital sounding but what it does with T90s on edm streams is just interpolation magic its like a hardware upsample that shoots straight through your headphones into your ear(especially with iems into your brain).  I dont use wireless I know WIRES are the future and yes I'm a wire and material science snob that buys silver wires just because its a precious metal(LOL think) as soon as I move Im going to make custom usb cables(I do not worship the Church of Digital Infallibility Computer Weenie aka MONOPRICE Infact I am the MONOPRICE antichrist and I take every opportunity to blaspheme and attack its influence).  The only thing I use wireless for is to use MPC HC remote on android so I see wireless as a terrific upgrade to infrared remotes(LOL) so poly does nothing for me but I have yet to see the real launch material, Bluetooth is even more inferior and only a phone headset technology not for audio.


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## fuhransahis

For those interested, Chord gave an answer as to why Poly costs more than Mojo, below, from the dedicated Poly thread. It costs more because it's more expensive to produce.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/831347/chord-electronics-poly-add-on-microsd-and-advanced-wireless-module-for-mojo/405#post_13158442

Originally Posted by Mojo ideas View Post


We follow simple rules the Bill of material is about thirty percent more and it's far more complex to manufacture Mojo has a four layer board. Poly has a triple core high level processor and a ten layer circuit board with four thousand blind and buried vias its a minute monster of complexity any of you dealing with this stuff in your own industries should realise this


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## aamefford

I have a Mojo.  I love the thing.  It brings an excellent DAC and a fine amp together in one circuit, in one neat little box.  Sure, the colored marbles for on/off/volume are a little annoying, but they work fine.  It works great with my super sensitive ciems, and with my Ether C's.  It even gets a fair amount of duty as the dac into my 2 channel rig.  All of this tethered to an AK100ii that I bought used for $475, or to my phone if I feel some need to stream Tidal when I am not near wifi, which is essentially never.....
  
 I just can't see the value proposition of the poly to ME given my current rig and use of the Mojo:
  
 1) Micro SD card music => AK100ii + Mojo = 2 devices.  Phone + Mojo + Poly = 3 devices:  Win to Mojo + AK100ii
 2) Stream Tidal via wifi => AK100ii + Mojo = 2 devices.  Phone + Mojo + Poly = 3 devices, plus I either loose quality via bluetooth, or hardwire phone to Mojo, making Poly redundant:  Win to Mojo + AK100ii
 3) Stream Tidal via mobile phone => iphone plus kludgy cable set up = 2 devices and a crappy cable set up.  Phone plus Mojo + poly = 3 devices, plus I either loose quality via bluetooh, or hardwire phone to Mojo, making Poly redundant:  Win to Mojo + iphone, but barely because of the cable kludge.
 4) Stream music from my hard drive => AK100ii + Mojo = 2 devices.  Phone + poly + mojo won't do this (I think?)  Win to Mojo + AK100ii by default (I think.  I could be off base on this one.)
  
 So for me, the $500 or so that the Poly is likely to cost in the US just doesn't buy me anything I don't already have.  Granted, the Mojo AK100ii stack is a bit clunky, but the functionality is better, for ME.
  
 Just my 2 cents.....


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## GreenBow

I can't understand why some folk are saying that the Hugo2 will have shorter battery life than the Hugo. I read that Chord have put a battery in with a longer life, like up to fourteen hours.
  
 I am puzzled also by chord putting filters on the Hugo2. I thought Rob Watts idea was to produce DACs that reproduce the original analogue signal as close as possible. Just what we want right. What's the idea then of adding filters that are going to be something akin to EQ-presets.
  
 Even the cross-feed settings leave me a bit puzzled. The directional info comes from the detail. I just want my headphones or speakers to do what's there.  I mean again, that Rob explains the rudiments of the Mojo soundstage, and the mojo has no cross-feed.
  
 I can't help thinking it would be nice if they would also make a flat iteration of the Hugo2. I understand that the Hugo2 can be set up flat. However I mean so we don't need to pay for filters and cross-feed that I personally don't want.


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## che15

How much is the poly going to be in the US?


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## Mark S

greenbow said:


> Yeah but British export is up.




It's because of Trump.


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## maxh22

greenbow said:


> I am puzzled also by chord putting filters on the Hugo2. I thought Rob Watts idea was to produce DACs that reproduce the original analogue signal as close as possible. Just what we want right. What's the idea then of adding filters that are going to be something akin to EQ-presets.
> 
> Even the cross-feed settings leave me a bit puzzled. The directional info comes from the detail. I just want my headphones or speakers to do what's there.  I mean again, that Rob explains the rudiments of the Mojo soundstage, and the mojo has no cross-feed.
> 
> I can't help thinking it would be nice if they would also make a flat iteration of the Hugo2. I understand that the Hugo2 can be set up flat. However I mean so we don't need to pay for filters and cross-feed that I personally don't want.


 
  
 Rob added filters so that people could tune the sound to their liking because not all recordings (especially badly recorded ones) sound enjoyable with the ultimate reference filter. He figured that some people will add a tube amp, other solid state amp, or EQ the sound to change it anyway and he figured why not implement the best possible frequency response change by adding selectable filters. Atleast with this, the transparency is guaranteed to be intact and people could tune the sound to their preference. I like this idea. Infact I suggested a similar thing for Mojo but that may come at a later date with Mojo 2.
  
 Since I own both Hugo and Mojo I will say that for a lot of recordings I prefer Mojo's tuning. It is very relaxing and just seduces you with its sound. I have some older recordings and they sound amazingly musical on Mojo but on Hugo they are barely listenable. Mojo's added smoothness makes all the difference. Right now I have to swap devices if I want a different sound but with Hugo 2 I just press a button and voila!
  
 This extra button doesn't really add much cost to the unit either. It also increases the chance of more people keeping their Hugo's since not everyone is going to like the Hugo ultimate reference filter.
  
 Just my two cents


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## Ike1985

Has anyone paired Hugo 2 with the ALO CDM? I would think this the pinnacle of portable audio.


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## qafro

Please can someone tell me when ploy is released in UK?


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