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Review of Mojo Audio Mystique V3 DAC

Purchased the Mystique V3 DAC months ago to replace a Naim DAC V-1.  Okay, the Naim certainly is not in the same league, but is no slouch for the money either.  The Mystique however is multiples better....and much more expensive.  Go figure.

The Mystique is set on a Quadraspire Reference X stand and has a scratched VPI DB5 Magic Brick on its head.  The DAC sounds wonderous of course.  It is fed by a Naim UnitiServe (powered by a custom external PS) through a Nordost Valhalla 1 digital cable.

In my system, I’ve never heard such resolution, dynamics, soundstage and micro-detail.  Mojo has really pulled out the stops regarding power regulation and it shows.  The soundstage is so stable and full.

All of this is fed through a Manley Neo-Classic 300B (Takatsuki tubes) preamp onto ATC 40 active floorstanders with Gaia II footers.  Decware ICs, Patrick Cullen Crossover II PCs, WireWorld Silver Eclipse 8 ICs pre>ATCs.

I just installed a Perfect Path Tecnologies The Gate, so we’ll see how that goes in addition to the other upgrades.

My therapist gave me written permission to explore my inner audiophile child.  She said it was healthy....at least that is what I heard.
celtic66
joeinid's avatar
joeinid
658 posts
 
Can the Mojo MystiqueV3 be considered on the warm/sweet side of neutral or neutral to cool?
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,500 posts
 
The Mojo Audio Mystique V3 can certainly be considered a tad bit on the warm and full bodied end of the spectrum. It is a wonderful dac revealing nuances that deliver a greater sense of realism and dimension vs other well respected dacs.

The Mojo offers more of this nuance vs the MHDT Orchid and the Lampizator Amber 3. The Lampi was more fussy of the recording while the Mojo just sounds more right more of the time. The Mojo excels in realism, musicality, smoothness and depth of stage. The Lampi Amber 3 is more vivid than the Mojo or Orchid and with its DSD capability can sound more detailed and resolving.

The Mojo is my favorite dac to date. For long term listening it is a joy. I can relax into the music more with it vs. the Amber 3 which had me thinking more about the sound vs. the music. The Mojo is all about the music!

The upgraded Orchid is very close in its musicality and also sounds just right on most every recording. Some may even prefer the Orchid on certain vocals. The Mojo pulls ahead with a greater sense of ease and control and higher volumes by always staying composed and in control. The Mojo sounds more 3D and layered vs the upgraded Orchid. Not day and night, but noticeable.

The Mojo sells for nearly 3-4 times the cost of the upgraded Orchid so one should not be too surprised.
joeinid's avatar
joeinid
658 posts
 
Thank you very much for your additional thoughts!
facten
2,880 posts
 
I traded some emails with Benjamin today and made a deposit for what will be an incoming trade-in V3 that he will get sometime in May to coincide with someone's purchase of the new model - EVO. He stated that I should [probably have it late May or early June after they check it out/tune it up. 

He stated that the EVO will be on the website after he gets the casework for it  on site
jmolsberg's avatar
jmolsberg
467 posts
 
I realize this is a DAC thread, but Ben Z offered to do some mods on my LTA and I purchased his Illuminati V3 PS to go with the mods... It certainly transformed my  unit. I bet that dac is quieter than a church mouse and flat out musical. 
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