How does desktop mode work on Hugo 2 and Mojo 2, and will Mojo 2 drain on the shelf?
Short answer
Hugo 2 enters desktop mode after its charger has been connected for more than 24 hours: it holds the battery at a reduced voltage and balances charger current to what the unit draws Head-Fi, Sep 2018Head-Fi, Mar 2017. Mojo 2 works differently: once fully charged, its battery is disconnected and topped up every 11 days Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Feb 2024. Left on the shelf, he said in 2022, Mojo 2 takes 7 months to go from full to flat Head-Fi, Mar 2022. His advice on leaving Hugo 2 on or off has varied Head-Fi, Mar 2020Head-Fi, Jul 2024.
The practical answer
The two products handle desktop mode differently Head-Fi, Feb 2024. Hugo 2 enters desktop mode after the charger has been connected for more than 24 hours Head-Fi, Sep 2018. Mojo 2 disconnects its battery once it is fully charged and runs from the charger Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2022. Left on a shelf, Mojo 2 takes 7 months to go from full charge to flat, by his March 2022 figure Head-Fi, Mar 2022.
Hugo 2 (2017 to 2024)
How it starts and stops. In 2018 he wrote that you "simply have to have to supply uninterrupted power to the charger port for longer than 24 hours", and that losing charger power resets the timer Head-Fi, Sep 2018Head-Fi, Jan 2018.
What it does. In 2017 he said charger current is balanced to the current Hugo 2 draws, "so no net current flowing into the battery", and the battery is held at 8.1 to 8.2 V to maximize its life Head-Fi, Mar 2017. The battery still supplies short bursts of current Head-Fi, Mar 2017. Auto shut-off is disabled Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Jun 2018. Desktop mode keeps the battery at about 80% Head-Fi, Jun 2018Head-Fi, Nov 2020.
Charging to full. Turn Hugo 2 off with the charger connected and it stays in desktop mode but charges to 100%, ready for portable use Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Jun 2018. He described the charger then being disconnected from the battery Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Nov 2020, with a top-up when the battery falls to a set point Head-Fi, Jun 2018.
Leave it on or turn it off? In 2017 and 2018 he said to keep it on Head-Fi, Jun 2017Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Mar 2018. In July 2019 he said you will be fine turning it off when not using it Head-Fi, Jul 2019. In March 2020 he wrote "my advice changed": keep it on if you use it 8 or more hours a day, otherwise turn it off when idle. He called this "splitting hairs" and added "If it was me, I would keep it on all the time" Head-Fi, Mar 2020. In October 2022 he said it is probably best to turn it off when not in use, particularly for 12 hours or more Head-Fi, Oct 2022. In July 2024 he called it "six of one, and half a dozen for the other": turn it off if unused for two days or more Head-Fi, Jul 2024.
Sound. In February 2017 he could not reliably detect a difference with Hugo 2 charging or not charging Head-Fi, Feb 2017. In October 2021 he wrote that "adding the charger to Hugo 2 can make it sound brighter" and recommended a battery power bank for desktop use Head-Fi, Oct 2021.
Without the battery. In 2017 and 2018 he said Hugo 2 works with the battery disconnected or at 0% Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Jun 2018, though he also said "nor is it recommended" Head-Fi, Mar 2017. In 2021 he wrote that "The OP stage design relies upon the battery being in place when driving headphones" Head-Fi, Oct 2021, and in November 2024 that "it may work without the battery, or it may not work" Head-Fi, Nov 2024.
Mojo 2 (2022 to 2024, with a 2026 interview)
How it differs. Unlike Hugo 2, the battery is disconnected in desktop mode to preserve its life Head-Fi, Jan 2022, and Mojo 2 does not need Hugo 2's 24 hours Head-Fi, Mar 2024. Power comes from the charger through the unit's regulator Head-Fi, Jun 2022. Mojo 2 keeps working from the charger if its battery fails Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Oct 2022.
Top-ups. Every 11 days a trickle charge tops the battery up Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2022Head-Fi, Feb 2024, so months in desktop mode leave it "ready to go fully charged" (February 2022) Head-Fi, Feb 2022. Its 100% is not the battery's full capacity, set that way for battery life Head-Fi, Feb 2024. A 2026 interview transcript gives the same interval; check the recording Distorsiuni Interioare 41:15.
On the shelf. In March 2022 he said Mojo 2 takes 7 months to go from full to flat on the shelf, after he cut the standby current by an order of magnitude; the original Mojo needed a top-up after several weeks Head-Fi, Mar 2022.
Sound. In January 2022, asked whether desktop mode improves sound, he said "You're not going to get an improvement, but you're not going to get a loss", and also "you're always going to get the best sound quality by having it purely battery" Darko.Audio 16:39. In 2024 he wrote that he added regulation with RF filters "so that SQ is not affected when in desktop mode" Head-Fi, Feb 2024. In 2026 he called the battery versus mains difference "actually very, very low" and, if you hear one, suggested a power bank Distorsiuni Interioare 42:28.
Original Mojo
It has no desktop mode and should be turned off if the charger stays connected Head-Fi, Mar 2020. In 2026 he said you could "definitely hear problems with Mojo one when you connected up the charger", unlike Mojo 2 Distorsiuni Interioare 43:23.
What he has not said
This archive gives no shelf-drain figure for Hugo 2. For the 2026 Mojo 2 revision he described a built-in 4.4 mm connector and a programmable USB-C charging option, but said nothing on desktop mode Audio Force 21:35Audio Force 22:22.
Quotes
“you simply have to have to supply uninterrupted power to the charger port for longer than 24 hours”2018-09-04 Head-Fi, Sep 2018
“Mojo 2 in desktop mode, the battery is completely disconnected. Every 11 days a trickle charge is applied to keep the battery at 100%.”2024-02-19 Head-Fi, Feb 2024
“now with Mojo 2 it now takes 7 months to go from full charge to flat whilst leaving it on the shelf”2022-03-29 Head-Fi, Mar 2022
“If you are not using it for two days or more, I would turn it off, but keep it on otherwise.”2024-07-15 Head-Fi, Jul 2024
Dated positions
| When | Products | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-03 to 2018-09 | Hugo 2 | Desktop mode starts after more than 24 hours of uninterrupted charger power, holds the battery at a reduced voltage with charger current matched to the unit's draw, and disables auto shut-off. Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Sep 2018Head-Fi, Jan 2018 |
| 2017-06 to 2018-06 | Hugo 2 | Advises leaving Hugo 2 on in desktop mode; turning it off with the charger connected charges the battery to 100%, after which he describes the charger being disconnected from the battery, with top-ups when it falls to a set point. Head-Fi, Jun 2017Head-Fi, Jan 2018Head-Fi, Mar 2018Head-Fi, Jun 2018 |
| 2019-07 to 2024-07 | Hugo 2 | Says turning it off when not in use is fine (2019), then makes the advice conditional on use (8 hours a day in 2020, 12 hours in 2022, two days in 2024), while calling it a close call and the batteries very reliable. Head-Fi, Jul 2019Head-Fi, Mar 2020Head-Fi, Oct 2022Head-Fi, Jul 2024 |
| 2017-03 to 2024-11 | Hugo 2 | Says it works without the battery in 2017 and 2018 while calling that not recommended; in 2021 says the output stage relies on the battery being in place, and in 2024 that it may or may not work without it. Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Jun 2018Head-Fi, Mar 2017Head-Fi, Oct 2021Head-Fi, Nov 2024 |
| 2017-02 to 2021-10 | Hugo 2 | In 2017 could not reliably hear a difference charging or not; in 2021 says adding the charger can make Hugo 2 sound brighter and recommends a power bank for desktop use. Head-Fi, Feb 2017Head-Fi, Oct 2021 |
| 2022-01 to 2024-03 | Mojo 2 | In desktop mode the battery is disconnected once fully charged, power comes from the charger, a trickle charge is applied every 11 days, no 24-hour wait is needed, and the unit keeps working from the charger if the battery fails. Head-Fi, Jan 2022Head-Fi, Feb 2022Head-Fi, Jun 2022Head-Fi, Feb 2024Head-Fi, Mar 2024 |
| 2022-03 | Mojo 2 | Mojo 2 takes 7 months to go from full charge to flat on the shelf, thanks to a standby current cut by an order of magnitude. Head-Fi, Mar 2022 |
| 2022-01 to 2026-10 | Mojo 2 | Says best sound is purely on battery but the loss from the charger is minimized (2022), that SQ is not affected in desktop mode (2024 forum), and in 2026 calls the difference very low and suggests a power bank if you hear one (transcripts; check the recordings). Darko.Audio 16:39Head-Fi, Feb 2024Distorsiuni Interioare 42:28 |
| 2020-03 to 2026-10 | Mojo (original) | Original Mojo has no desktop mode and should be turned off when the charger stays connected; in 2026 he says the charger audibly affected Mojo one. Head-Fi, Mar 2020Distorsiuni Interioare 43:23 |
Caveats and open points
- The 7-month shelf figure is a single forum statement from March 2022 about Mojo 2 as launched.
- His Hugo 2 leave-on advice differs between posts from 2017 to 2024 and he calls it a close call; this archive gives no single rule.
- His Hugo 2 posts differ on what happens after a full charge with the unit off: several say the charger is then disconnected from the battery, one (June 2018) says it is held at 100% with top-ups.
- In the January 2022 Darko interview transcript he said Mojo 2 could run three or four years having been charged only once; his later forum posts specify 11-day trickle top-ups.
- Nothing addresses desktop mode on the 2026 revision of Mojo 2.