Best Dac Amps · head-to-head

Chord Mojo 2 vs Topping DX5 II

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Topping DX5 II is cheaper at $299. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Chord Mojo 2 or Topping DX5 II?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Topping DX5 II is the cheaper at $299.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Chord Mojo 2 Topping DX5 II
US price $650 $299
BrandChord ElectronicsTopping
Released
Form factor portable desktop
Dac chip FPGA ES9039Q2M
Max pcm (kHz) 768 768
Max dsd DSD256 DSD512
Max power mw 600 6400
Snr (dB) 123 133
Thdn percent 0.0003 0.00006
Balanced output No Yes
Headphone jacks 3.5mm/4.4mm 6.35mm/4.4mm/4-pin XLR
Digital inputs USB-C/Micro-USB/optical/coaxial USB/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth
Weight grams 185

Sources — Chord Mojo 2: chordelectronics.co.uk (verified 2026-07-11). Topping DX5 II: topping.store (verified 2026-07-11).

What's the difference between the Chord Mojo 2 and Topping DX5 II?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (9 of 11). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Form factor: Chord Mojo 2 portable vs Topping DX5 II desktop
  • Dac chip: Chord Mojo 2 FPGA vs Topping DX5 II ES9039Q2M
  • Max dsd: Chord Mojo 2 DSD256 vs Topping DX5 II DSD512
  • Max power mw: Chord Mojo 2 600 vs Topping DX5 II 6400
  • Snr (dB): Chord Mojo 2 123 vs Topping DX5 II 133
  • Thdn percent: Chord Mojo 2 0.0003 vs Topping DX5 II 0.00006
  • Balanced output: Chord Mojo 2 false vs Topping DX5 II true
  • Headphone jacks: Chord Mojo 2 3.5mm/4.4mm vs Topping DX5 II 6.35mm/4.4mm/4-pin XLR
  • Digital inputs: Chord Mojo 2 USB-C/Micro-USB/optical/coaxial vs Topping DX5 II USB/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Chord Mojo 2

All three whitelisted reviewers (What Hi-Fi?, TechRadar, Digital Trends) rate the Mojo 2 a standout portable DAC/headphone amp with musical, highly detailed sound that transforms laptop and phone audio; none ran instrumented lab measurements, though Digital Trends hands-on verified the ~8-hour battery life over about a month. All three flag the convoluted colour-coded control interface that requires the manual, and two call it too bulky to be truly portable and criticise the dated Micro-USB charging. (3 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Musical, highly detailed, reference-grade sound that transforms laptop/phone audio; Extensive inputs and can drive two pairs of headphones at once; Customizable lossless tone/EQ via the UHD DSP to tailor headphone sound.

Flagged: Convoluted, unintuitive colour-coded control interface that needs the manual; Too big and heavy to be a truly portable device; Dated Micro-USB charging port.

Topping DX5 II

Only one whitelisted tester, TechRadar, published a hands-on review of the exact Topping DX5 II. TechRadar rates it a near-excellent budget DAC/amp (verdict 'generally excellent'), praising its poised, detailed and dynamic sound, exemplary build and comprehensive specification at $299, while flagging a tendency toward top-end brightness. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Poised, spacious, detailed and dynamic sound with strong low-frequency control; Exemplary build and finish quality across black, silver and white options; Comprehensive specification and flexibility (DAC, preamp and headphone amp) at an aggressive $299 price.

Flagged: Treble can tend toward brightness/edginess, making it picky about partnering equipment; Supplied remote control handset feels less tactile and interesting than the unit itself.

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