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JCALLY JM20 Headphone Dongle Review

Rate this headphone adapter:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 17 9.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 160 88.9%

  • Total voters
    180
And that impedance detect quirk is the exact reason the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro that I bought after the ASR review, and equipped with said blind connector, has been avoided quickly and no longer used. Too cumbersome, too unreliable.
Sonata BHD (non Pro) and Kuang Pai Player 3 have manual gain switch giving full control to you.

Makes me wonder if the JCally also suffers from the delayed unmute issue after start, under Windows.
No, although using the same Savitech bridge it behaves differently:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...s2-portable-dac-amp-review.57063/post-2104585

The only one out of four CS dongle I own without any little quirk on resuming playback is the old Ugreen that used a CS46L41 as bridge instead of the Savitech, that's why I'm always wandering if this is more of a Savitech setting than CS43131 itself.

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...ed-to-cirrus-logic-cs43131.23138/post-1850567

please ignore the successive post, since the other issues I described where due to my errors, not the dongle, as I stated some posts after.

And just for anyone still not aware, all this Savitech based dongles have this native Savitech Bravo-HD Windows drivers with ASIO support:

https://hifimediy.com/download/SaviAudioBravoHDSwPkg_HsDriverASIOiAP_20230901_v3p13p0p55.zip
 
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I was checking it on Aliexpress and there are 2 new versions 'PRO' and 'MAX', other than the extra OP-amp and likely more power they shouldn't be too different, right?
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I've noticed they mention "8 segment EQ adjustment", is there an APP with PEQ/EQ?

image_2024-11-24_112610060.png
 
I was checking it on Aliexpress and there are 2 new versions 'PRO' and 'MAX', other than the extra OP-amp and likely more power they shouldn't be too different, right?
View attachment 409167View attachment 409168

I've noticed they mention "8 segment EQ adjustment", is there an APP with PEQ/EQ?

View attachment 409171
MAX version has the additional SGM opamp for added driving power at low ohms load.
PRO version has mic input support for calls, so it must use an additional ADC chip since CS43131 lacks it, maybe a different usb bridge with integrated adc and this not so clear eq fuction, but can't find anything more specific.
 
I wear IEMs all day, every day at work.

I have tried and broken just about every popular IEM and dongle you can buy.under £300.

I would pay almost anything for the best SQ, rugged and comfortable IEM/dongle combo.

Ultimate combo for any money is the following IMO:

-JM 30 or 20.
Higher voltage CS JMs deliver deeper bass than most alternatives, don't get too hot, don't break easily, and don't do wierd things when the get older like play full volume hash noise or scary pops!

-Spin fit tips worth the money 10x over.

-Tripowin cables last the longest, and don't tangle as much as alternatives (no microphonics either)

-Truthear crinicle RED.

The journey is complete as far as I'm concerned.
 
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Darn, I went and bought one. Actually I bought the JM30 as it was a few dollars cheaper than the JM20 and as far as I can tell it's the same thing. It certainly has the same DAC IC. I will definitely measure it with the cosmos when I get it. Thanks @amirm for another great review.
Let me know how it goes.

I have both and hear no difference. The 30 might run a little cooler I think.
 
Just ordered the JM20 for around $16.
 
I found this review online..

It has weaknesses would you believe:

Weaknesses:​


  • Slightly dry overall timbre tonality, sometimes barren (sterile)
  • Average dynamic vibe overall, mild visceral bite and groove
  • Less-organic, less-analogue timbre disposition
  • Bass rolls off slightly shorter compared on reference grade comparison.
  • Can be unforgiving on some songs, dependent on recording quality.
  • Moderate layering, instruments sounded spaced closer together.
  • Less than spectacular headstage, soundstage cramped in slightly.
  • Spatial imaging is precise but less holographic compared to reference samples.

I hate it when something measures well but has a slightly dry overall timbre tonality and sometimes sounds barren (sterile) has an overall average dynamic 'vibe' with just a mild visceral bite and also a mild groove.
I hate to say this but at $24.- is also is less organic and has a (not measured but still present) bass roll-off and can be unforgiving on some (but not all) songs.
Add to that the layering is moderate and does not have a spectacular head/sound-stage and is a bit 'cramped' and not as 'holographic' as reference DACs (whatever those are).

fortunately it also has strengths...

Strengths:


  • Exceedingly crisp, coherent timbre – sparkly neutral and natural
  • Clean Treble textures with graceful decays, mild airiness
  • Excellent Treble extensions, comparable to Cayin N6ii and Topping D10s
  • Commendable Bass extensions and details with tasty textures
  • Strong, commanding Mid-Bass with lush decays.
  • Bass exhibit solid texture definition, Mids moderately rich
  • Moderately strong sounding sub-Bass seismic sensation and impact
  • Lively guitars and stringed instruments attack
  • Reference grade speed and transients handling
  • Neutral, slightly forward, and clear male/female vocals, good depth
  • Excellent micro details, almost reference grade
  • Great Piano, Violin and Cello tones, attack, and decays
  • Commendable sibilance resistance despite being sparkly bright.
  • Clean background with zero floor noise
Yes... it does have an exceedingly crisp and coherent timbre yet slightly dry/barren/sterile.
The decays are graceful which is a good thing and the airiness fortunately is mild. I would not want it any other way.
Treble is well extended and has 'clean textures' which is important because it also can be (but only sometimes) unforgiving...
Furthermore is has commendable bass extension, moderately rich and solid texture but at the same time the bass rolls off shorter than it should and the seismic sensation and impact are only moderate ... dang I want the seismic sensation to have impact ...
Fortunately guitars are lively, piano, violin and cello sound great while male and female voices are neutral AND forward at the same time which is weird because they can't both be true but ... it sounds that way so there is nothing to complain. ... except for the weaknesses and the sparkly bright sound. The latter is not shown in measurements but hey... it is still there acc to the reviewer.
And not unimportant.... the sibilance resistance is commendable so far from futile.

Majority of listeners who are not as critical as those of us here enjoy fuzzy, unknowingly distorted sound and they are justified in that. It is what is real for them and convenient.

What I have come to understand is that everything from the source material (in my opinion) should be as well measured as possible up to the point where it reaches the headphones. The headphones is where I draw the line from engineering and measurements to where I think it's okay if they are designed to sound a certain way that may involve some unique measurements be it distortions here or frequency there.

One of my favorite pairings of all time is a piece you worked on with Jeremy, the project horizon, and paired up with the hd600 is one of my all time favorite listening experiences.
 
I have never tried a dongle, it seems like they would stress the USB-C port if you were walking around while using it...has anyone had issues with the port due to using one?
 
Always assume that the port will be strained. There is no way that it can't be. Saying that, if you are sitting stationary and not rough with the gear, shouldn't be a problem.
 
Not much to say about the construction so let's get into measurements. Speaking of that, I finally have a fix for this class of device that allows me to perform full set of measurements like a desktop DAC.
I'd like to ask @amirm about this fix, is it something related to measurement setup or maybe just done using the native ASIO drivers?
 
I'm always amazed how people can "hear" all those differences between DACs when even my list of differences between speakers would be quite a bit smaller.
Dry timbre? Some songs are unforgiving? Good heavens, that's just embarrassing. How about "makes some harmonicas sound more melancholy". Or woodwinds who are going through a divorce slightly more flat".
 
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MAX version has the additional SGM opamp for added driving power at low ohms load.
PRO version has mic input support for calls, so it must use an additional ADC chip since CS43131 lacks it, maybe a different usb bridge with integrated adc and this not so clear eq fuction, but can't find anything more specific.
Not sure either about this EQ feature on the JM20-PRO: couldn’t find anything scouring AliExpress & the internet.

I did find a new (?) JM28, which uses the CS43198 chips. Potential replacement of the mytical Meizu HiFi Pro (name?):
1732472478578.png


Ordered both the JM20-PRO and the JM-28 for $56 on Ali. Will see…
 
This stuff is just getting too good. The vast majority buying and using this dongle will probably be oblivious to just how perfect it truly is. Now they just need to make one this performant that sells for $3, and has built in PEQ.
PEQ/graphic eq should be the next feature to become ubiquitous. Charge me more for it. I don’t care.
 
I'd like to ask @amirm about this fix, is it something related to measurement setup or maybe just done using the native ASIO drivers?
The bug is finally fixed in the latest version of ASIO4ALL! I had updated in the past when each version came out and it was never fixed. And sometimes things broke so I stopped doing that. A member suggested in the last review that the latest revision may have fixed this bug so gave it a try and indeed it has!
 
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