It's almost shocking (JCALLY JM20 & Truthear GATE)... big thanks to ASR advice!

[Kr2d2]

...how much sound quality you can get these days for so little money!

And since I’ve just bought these little things and I am so amazed by their performance, I’d like to say a big thank you to ASR and @amirm's advice!

A cell phone I already had, plus new mini DAC & headphone dongle JCALLY JM20 and a pair of mini headphones Truthear GATE IEM — both for 40 to 50€ or even less, depending on where you buy it, and it sounds absolutely fantastic!

It’s almost shocking when I compare this to all the money I’ve spent over my 50-plus years as a hi-fi enthusiast. For just 2 to 3 per mille of that, you get such incredible sound for your money!

The broader question is, what are your similar recent experiences where you are kind of 'almost shocked' by modern audio gear?

 

[waofner]

i've had exactly the same experience with the Truthear GATE IEM's!

it is really hard to find Monitors which are able to compete-especially from 10kHz upwards-that air around the Music!

 

[waofner]

OK-Köln; Claudia Korek- Gute Nacht Freunde

Greetings from Austria

 

[renaudrenaud]

Bought a Salnotes Zero 2 and a Fosi DS2. Despite the fact I have more expansive equipment, I finally use this combo most of the time. Around 50€, and probably less for me because I live in China.

Results are crazy good, I changed the IEM cable, not for the sound but for less knots and now it looks "expansive".

This combo is an easy gift for children or friends.

 

[renaudrenaud]

Happiness is easy.

 

[richardm]

Pretty much sums up my feelings right now.

• $100 Sony MDR-V6: packed in a closet somewhere.
• $100 Sony MDR-7506: packed in a closet somewhere.
• $300 Philips Fidelio X1: soon to be packed in a closet somewhere.
• $120 O2 headphone amp: headed back into my random electronics drawer.
• $24 CVJ Vivian IEMs: undercostly bass cannons pouring sweet nectar straight into my waxy earholes.

Between sub-$50 IEMs, sub-$100 class-D amps, every smartphone with a digital out in the form of USB-C, and streaming music services it's a great time to be an audiophile cheapskate! We've never had it so good.

 

[kemmler3D]

Big fan of the Gate, to the point that I bought a second pair just in case. I've got 4-figure cans for the desk and I worked for a consumer audio company and part of my job was testing IEMs that weren't necessarily available in the US... They really blew my hair back for the money. Was hard to find anything that good below $100-200+ 6-7 years ago.

 

[Winemaker]

Returned the JCALLY JM20 — it fried itself after just over ten days. Honestly, it never worked 100% properly from the start.