Core Audio Mac Mini vs Mojo Audio Mac Mini

“Ryan:

First, thank you for giving me the opportunity to evaluate and compare your Kaia power supply to the Joule III I purchased from Mojo Audio. Both packages, I must admit, are excellent performers and both sound very good. That said, The Kaia with copper Mac Mini configuration was a clear winner, albeit a bit more expensive than the Mojo offering, but the sound was cleaner, more dynamic, and more open with your Kaia in place. Ultimately I was just more involved in the music when the  Kaia was in play.

I did a few different comparisons. Because it was easier to compare apples to apples, I started by swapping the  Kaia and Joule III with the Mojo mac mini using the internal filter in Ben’s Mini. Initially I felt that in this configuration both power supplies were very similar with the Mojo Mini being a bit smoother here and the  Kaia being cleaner, but with a bit of an edge to the sound. After speaking with you I was informed that you discontinued the internal filtering because it evidently slowed the transient response of your power supply, whatever the case, I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

Upon your request I removed the internal filter and replaced it with your level 3 internal wiring harness and DC cables. It seems that you both use the same connector pinout so I was able to test both power supplies with your filter and DC cable. Your DC cables were a significant sonic improvement over having the internal filter in the chassis. Everything bloomed and blossomed with both power supplies. So much so that the IPF will be permanently removed from my mac mini.

But what about comparison at this juncture? Once again, same DC cables and internal wiring, but swapping back and forth on different power supplies. I should mention that both power supplies were plugged in with a decent power cable into the wall, no power conditioning used. The Core Audio Kaia, again, provided a more coherent and dynamic picture of the music. It just sounded more real and engaging. The Mojo Joule III sounded the best it has ever sounded, really quite excellent. But the Kaia on the Mac Mini is the keeper, it was quieter and more engaging, which allowed me to get more lost in my music. Neither supply was fatiguing, both were incredibly organic and a substantial upgrade for my mac mini. Honestly, a customer can’t go wrong with either choice, but I preferred the Kaia package by a significant margin. I’ll get back to you once I compare your shielded mac mini to the unshielded mojo mini. I think that too will just take things to another level. I will update you in a few weeks after some more listening. Thanks so much!”