JDS Atom Amp+ Review (Headphone Amplifier)

[Nango]

Great to see JDS delivers as always. Thanks for the review!

Perfect even in the layout of the front pannel, only one source used, no wired symbols and includes the C E sign well visible on the back. Just perfect.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Not initially it didn't. That amp seemed to have a rough start. The Atom has been in the field a bit and if it suffered the same failure rate like the L30 did we would have heard about it by now.

Having protection is not the same as failure rate. Atom (at least original) is DC coupled too, so DC input =DC out without protection.

 

[JohnYang1997]

if it has power current protection it seems to be recently as topping l30 gave a lot of problems by blowing up headphone also they sacrifice a lot of gain for cleanness i had one bought 4 months ago and it didn't provide enough gain to high impedance headphones as the atom did i don't if it changed now since they keep on changing the component since topping is a experimental Chinese company that works based on customers review

"Power current protection"
What's that? If you are thinking fuses, no it won't work. It needs DC protection that detects DC component from the headphone output. DC protection was implemented since the beginning but due to some threshold, component issue it wasn't working.

Certainly the issue was blown out of proportion. Yet full recall was issued. The actual number of burnt headphones we hear is very small. And people who contacted us got compensation for it.

"they keep on changing the component since topping is a experimental Chinese company that works based on customers review"
?? Totally not true. And don't know where did you get it from.

 

[Nango]

Sorry, this is no "Topping-makes-it-better-than-JDS" thread.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Sorry, this is no "Topping-makes-it-better-than-JDS" thread.

I saw misunderstanding and misinformation, I correct it.

 

[bahamot]

Too bad JDS isn't available on my country.

 

[Victorfabius]

Sorry, this is no "Topping-makes-it-better-than-JDS" thread.

I don't think it matters when they're both clearly capable of making some quite excellent products. Atom Amp+ looks like a great little amp irrespective of the price. Also incredibly impressed that JDS kept the price the same and shipped the newer product out to buyers who had ordered the non-"+" version (admittedly, I'm confused they didn't tell the customers up front and offer a choice, but that's a different topic and, unless I err in my estimation, inappropriate to discuss in this forum).

Great time to be alive with all these choices of excellent performing products that can meet almost all the potential use-cases I can conceive.

 

[ReaderZ]

At $99 this is the best price to performance ratio right now. But availability and/or price outside of US sucks

 

[GeekyBastard]

I saw misunderstanding and misinformation, I correct it.

My advice is to stay away from replying to those biased person who's clearly trying to provoke you.

 

[MCH]

I thought about selling my Atom and getting the new one. I guess if I could get 60 or 70 I'd do it. Maybe.

If someone in EU is willing to sell the old one, let me know

 

[dweekie]

I loved my original Atom, but it got lost during a move One thing I did change, however, was the dial. I found it too shallow for my fat fingers to comfortably use (minor annoyance, but still annoying since it doubled as a power button). I swapped it out with a mixer dial like this one (https://store.djtechtools.com/collections/accessories/products/chroma-caps-knobs-and-faders). They're perfectly tacky and precise, which is their intended function. Others have used metal knurled knobs as well. I'd def get another Atom if I needed a small desktop amp.

 

[Swtoby]

Having protection is not the same as failure rate. Atom (at least original) is DC coupled too, so DC input =DC out without protection.

And there is more to consider in a buying decision than SINAD rating. A top score in that doesn't mean it is an amp you want or that it is well designed if it is deficient in other areas. Again, the relative failure rate of the Atom, DC coupled or not, seems to show it to be a solid product as us consumers aren't shy about complaining when something goes wrong. That says to me JDS knows how to design good amps. If the Atom was on par with the L30 there would be a red warning note on the first page of the Atom Amp review like there is for the L30. There isn't.

 

[JohnYang1997]

And there is more to consider in a buying decision than SINAD rating. A top score in that doesn't mean it is an amp you want or that it is well designed if it is deficient in other areas. Again, the relative failure rate of the Atom, DC coupled or not, seems to show it to be a solid product as us consumers aren't shy about complaining when something goes wrong. That says to me JDS knows how to design good amps. If the Atom was on par with the L30 there would be a red warning note on the first page of the Atom Amp review like there is for the L30. There isn't.

That's we contacted Amir to put warning there....

 

[Swtoby]

That's we contacted Amir to put warning there....

That's wonderful. I'm also glad Topping replaced headphones. Points for good customer service. However, the optics remain the same for me. As a a consumer, reading all these reviews, both here and elsewhere, of all these products that are competing for my dollar, there are a number of factors I look at: measurements, customer service, product reliability and how the company represents itself in forums such as this. JDS is Top of the Pops in all those categories. I like very much how JDS doesn't make judgemental or snide comments about his competitors designs. That shows class.

 

[JohnYang1997]

That's wonderful. I'm also glad Topping replaced headphones. Points for good customer service. However, the optics remain the same for me. As a a consumer, reading all these reviews, both here and elsewhere, of all these products that are competing for my dollar, there are a number of factors I look at: measurements, customer service, product reliability and how the company represents itself in forums such as this. JDS is Top of the Pops in all those categories. I like very much how JDS doesn't make judgemental or snide comments about his competitors designs. That shows class.

Did I? Maybe it was someone else started with misinformation?
I was(or maybe still am) a customer of JDS. I had the original O2(three of them), EL AMP(early version), Atom. I only joined Topping in 2019 December. And I was active here since 2018.
I very respect JDS I think they are the best people. But reality is reality.

 

[Swtoby]

Yep. Reality is reality

 

[usern]

Would be nice to get these in Europe for similar price.
This Atom gets almost twice as expensive if ordered to Europe.

I got mine for 150€ from amazon.de, but I suspect it was very lucky occurrence since I haven't seen it in stock before that or ever since

 

[Billy Budapest]

How is the volume knob and the chassis? They were horribly plastic and cheap in the normal previous version.

You can ask them to put weights in the chassis to keep it from moving and make it able to use heavier cables.

 

[Billy Budapest]

That's wonderful. I'm also glad Topping replaced headphones. Points for good customer service. However, the optics remain the same for me. As a a consumer, reading all these reviews, both here and elsewhere, of all these products that are competing for my dollar, there are a number of factors I look at: measurements, customer service, product reliability and how the company represents itself in forums such as this. JDS is Top of the Pops in all those categories. I like very much how JDS doesn't make judgemental or snide comments about his competitors designs. That shows class.

Sort of surprisingly, the St. Louis, MO, area is replete with tech companies and is an under-the-radar high tech center. JDS is located in an IL suburb of St. Louis and the region’s startup/tech ethos clearly extends to them.

 

[Victorfabius]

JDS is located in an IL suburb of St. Louis and the region’s startup/tech ethos clearly extends to them.

You mean East St. Louis?