The Chord Mojo has long been one of the most recognizable names in portable DAC/amp design, earning a reputation for premium build quality and a sound signature trusted by audiophiles and professionals alike. Rather than chasing constant reinvention, Chord has historically focused on refinement, making careful updates that preserve what listeners already love about the Mojo experience.
The Chord Mojo 2 (2026) follows that same philosophy. At a glance, it looks and feels familiar, but it represents a clear step forward in how the Mojo fits into today’s portable audio landscape. This review explores how the latest iteration builds on the Mojo legacy and whether its updates meaningfully enhance the listening experience for modern headphone users.
Build
If you’re familiar with the Mojo’s design, the 2026 version only makes small changes, but one of them is quite significant. Instead of two 3.5mm headphone plugs, the Mojo now has a 4.4mm balanced connector. As someone who has used the Mojo and Mojo 2 a lot for testing headphones, a 4.4mm balanced plug has been a long time coming. Other than that, you can expect the same basic build from the Mojo 2 in 2026, which is to say it’s still one of the most quality constructions for a portable DAC/Amp on the market.
Side by side, the “2” on the Mojo 2 insignia is a bit different, so at least there’s some design differnence between the two no matter how small and insignificant. What isn’t very insignificant though is its type C connector on the back. Previous versions of the Mojo 2 had a typce c connector for data connection, but the 2026 version not allows you to charge the deivce through its type c connection.
Design
At its core, the new Mojo 2 is almost exactly the same in terms of interior components aside from its new balanced circuit for its 4.4mm output. The Mojo 2 still uses Chord’s advanced FPGA-based digital-to-analog converter, and powerful amplifier that can drive some pretty power hungry headphones. Additional built-in features include a lossless DSP with tone control/EQ, an intelligent battery system for 8+-hour playback, and flexible charging via USB-C, all housed in a rugged, pocket-sized chassis.
Sound Impressions
At its core, this is the same Mojo 2 that launched back in 2022. Having the same interior components should output the exact same performance, at least when listening to headphones though the 3.5mm plug. The 4.4mm balanced plug should make a bit of a difference, so it’s worth testing. I use the Mojo 2 for a lot of my reviews, including some recent ones, so the sound profile is very familiar to me. One of the major downsides of using it has always been its lack of balanced output when so many potable DAC/amps provide one. Those products don’t have the capabilities of the Mojo 2 though, and now it finally has the balanced output to fully tip the scale.
I started my testing of the new Mojo 2 with the Audeze LCD-X. For this pairing I switched to the Strauss & Wagner Porto cable that gave the headphones a 4.4mm termination. I started to notice key differences in the bass resposne, as the LCD-X was able to reproduce a bit more depth to their presentation. Usually, I find that the LCD-X has a neutral timbre that sits up front without getting in the way. Here, the bass felt physically deeper, sitting bellow the jawline and ressoanting with slightly more scale. Everything sounded as tight and accurate as it should, with more separation in the bass adding just enough to hear a difference in clarity through the 4.4mm plug.
The next headphone I tested was the Sennheiser HD 650. Again, I saught after a balanced cable, and found the Strauss & Wagner Lucerne. Like the LCD-X, I found a modest difference in the bass respose. The Mojo 2’s 4.4mm plug helped a lot with its separation while maintaining its warmth. Overall, the soundstage felt expanded, like the headspace was being projected more outward than before. Midrange frequencies were a bit cleaner, and treble cut through the mix with slightly more authroity.
Lastly, I tested the new Chord Mojo 2 with the Dan Clark Audio Noire XO, which I felt had the smallest amount of change. I didn’t need to grab another cable, as the headphones already terminiated to 4.4mm. High frequncies seemed to have a bit more spice to them though, with cymbals showing more sizzle while still sitting slightly back in the mix.
Summary
The Chord Mojo 2 (2026) stays true to what has made the Mojo line so respected while making a smart, long-overdue update. Its sound remains clean, controlled, and unmistakably Mojo, but the addition of modern connectivity helps it better fit today’s portable listening setups. Rather than changing its character, this revision simply removes limitations that previously held it back, making the Mojo 2 (2026) the most complete and versatile version of Chord’s portable DAC/amp to date.
The new Chord Mojo 2 is available at Audio46.
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