Best JDS Labs Atom+ alternative available in Europe at the moment?

[Cifer]

Hello everyone,

I want to buy a decent headphone amp for the purpose of making different headphones loud enough on quiet devices. When I add negative pre-amp gain the audio is sometimes much too quiet. That aside, I'd also like to have a volume knob to adjust the volume instead of having to rely on the device's software.

I'm not planning to buy power-hungry headphones in the future, so anything similar to the Atom+ would do. However, I'm not certain which is currently the best option available in Europe. The Atom+ is out of stock here, and last I've heard the Topping L30 is a bit better anyway while being available here for the same price.

Is the L30 still the best choice around this price range or are there equally good/better alternatives? If it's still the best choice: Is the L30 II a noticeable improvement over the previous version, or does it not really matter which version I get?

Thanks a lot!

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I've just bought a Sabaj A10d 2022 on "Black Friday" discount. Outside the US, it's not much more expensive than the Atom stack and is all in one (DAC and HP amp). I'm pleased with it, I can't hear any noise and it drives high and low impedance headphones louder than I can stand!

 

[staticV3]

Yes the L30II is a noticeable improvement, because its High gain is higher and Low gain is lower than on the L30.

Other alternatives are:
SMSL HO100 (120€ via Linsoul)
SMSL SH-6 (100€ via Amazon)
Sabaj A10h (75€ via Hifi-express)
Sabaj A20h (115€ via Hifi-express)

there's also the new Schiit Magni+ and Schiit Heretic, but those haven't been picked up by European retailers yet.

 

[Doodski]

Schiit and JDS Labs both have international shipping options at the cart stage of a purchase.

 

[staticV3]

Yup, here are Schiit's shipping options to Germany for example:

So $109(*1.19 for VAT?)+$30 shipping ≈ €155 for one of Schiit's new Amps.

 

[Cifer]

Thanks everyone. I know these companies ship to Europe. However, I'm quite skeptical that paying 166 Euros (the 30 shipping you mentioned would be for USPS uninsured, and I'm sure as hell not going to take that risk) for a 100 Euro product is a good deal at all. On top of that, I'd have to drive to the customs office or pay the delivery company another 10-20 Euros to take care of all the formalities. And then there also warranty issues. I'd have to send the product to a different country, pay for it myself, and also have much weaker legal protection as a customer in general than if I bought a product from the EU.
Isn't the Topping L30 (which is much cheaper here) better than the Atom+ and the Schiit anyway?

Either way, I'd still like to know if the L30 is what I should buy if I don't want to import the Atom+ or Schiit, or if another common recommendation has replaced that amp.