Greetings to the community! I’m interested in buying ifi xdsd or mojo chord. Could someone, please, tell me the pros and cons, compared to each other and individually? I want it mostly for desktop usage, but for portable too and for Windows 10. Thnx!
Felix
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I have one of the black label’s… the implementation of the burr-brown dac is done very well with IFI… chord tends to “color” the music in its own unique way which is why their name carries… overpriced if you ask me, or perhaps go with whichever has the better warranty and or maybe which company offers better support near your country.
If you can give them a 1v1 listen go for it… or if your an amazon prime member… buy both… send one back.
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Would you benefit from the extra features the xDSD has? I gave some of my thoughts on the Mojo here. In terms of performance, I’d suspect they’re very similar. If the xDSD sounds like the black label idsd, then the two would sound a bit different.
The xDSD is not as heavily colored with the ifi sound sig as the iDSD BL, along with the fact that the bass boost and 3D features are much more subtle on the xDSD and IMO something you don’t mind leaving on, compared to the very large effect they have on the BL
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Mon is correct. Very small effects.
Prefer the xDSD over both.
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I should say that my only gripe with the xDSD is how poor the finish is. I hate how easily it picks up fingerprints and sweat. I had a 1st run unit that did not have the darker coating over the metal body, and it actually started to rust or develop a rough patina. I sent the unit back and got a new version with type c charging and the coating on the metal. It feels nicer to the touch and isn’t as shiny, but still picks up all the fingerprints and sweat. Right now though, the finish is starting to scrape off from use and expose the bare metal again. I really don’t feel that I am mistreating it, although since it’s strapped to the back of a dap, it’s always touching my sweaty hands (I hate how sweaty my hands get). Otherwise it has to currently be the best in it’s segment. Would highly recommend
I’m actually surprised at how many people complain about the glossy finish vs. how few (almost none) say anything about that wavy shape that looks like cheapo metal roof tiles you’d maybe expect to see on top of a tool shed or outside toilet on a farm. 
It’s not even industrial design like older iFi products and most Schiit ones - which already look completely inappropriate for a living room - it’s… nothing, it’s just anti-stylish, it looks bad everywhere and at all times, fingerprints or not.
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I definitely prefer the design of my iDSD BL, but I don’t find the xDSD’s design horrible, it’s just something I have to live with. Although idk what was going through their minds when the design was officially chosen
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Thnx guys and galls so much… I think the “scale leans” towards iDSD!
Just got my iDSD Nano BL. this is my 1st headphone dac/amp but so far i really like the cleanliness of the sound compared to my phone headphone jack. big difference. took some work to get it to work with android usb audio out and spotify…
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you know the android app “USB Audio Player Pro” ?
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Yes, that is what I am using to gt Spotify to work…
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what would one use with a iPad Air 2? the “lightning camera connection kit”? are there different ones?
I ask because my wife uses Apple iP11 + iPad Air2,
while I use Android Samsung S8+/S10 + old Android Samsung Note 10.1 tablet with ifi OTG cables and the provided blue original ifi usb cable for pc/notebook connection
most of the time her iPad is not used and my android tablet is aging
would I need a iOS app for full mqa unfold on Tidal, like on Android?
there are two lightning connection cables. they are called apple camera cables. One has a simple USB A to Lightning and another has a USB A and lightning to lightning. I would get the latter as you can charge whilst still using the cable. Unfortunately Apple charge ridiculous amounts for simple cables.
this one?
yep, that’s the one. Much prefer it over the cable with just a USB A to lightning. Make sure it is the actual one made by Apple though as fake ones don’t work properly.
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My 660s with the balanced cable lacks
Used 70% the Elegia and some time the 1990s with A-Pads + 770s and 58x
IEMs I tried the Tin Hifi T3 single ended and the Tin Hifi T2 Pro balanced
Sources/DACs: SMSL SU-8 + ifi xDSD- both balanced and the ifi xDSD also single ended
all into the THX AAA 789
What have I learned?
My 660s get sold- want my 600s back
My 2.5mm TRRS balanced to 3.5TRRS balanced adapter and the 2.5mm TRRS balanced to 2x 3pin XLR XLR adapter are crap - I get a small amount of hiss I can’t bare
The ifi xDSD was used in line out mode(balanced and single ended)and later in cabled normal mode with the xBass+ and 3D+ sound options
This was compared to the SU-8
Had different sources…
DSDs, FLACs, Tidal MQA Masters, Spotify Premium and Amazon Ultra HD
So now I am thorn
Prefer the ifi xDSD for the musicality and in not line out mode the choices with xBass+ and 3D+
The SMSL SU-8 is a well build unit with a remote only usabilty and does not match the THX AAA 789 design at all… the screen is barely useable with it’s mini size
But the “Rich” sound profile on the SU-8 matched the
ifi xDSD in both switched on xBass+ and 3D+
I will have to keep on A/B listening the ifi xDSD and SMSL SU-8
The first hours got me more confused than where helpfull
Which rich profile did you prefer?