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JCALLY JM20 Headphone Dongle Review

Rate this headphone adapter:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

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

    Votes: 17 9.2%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 164 89.1%

  • Total voters
    184
Could you please, if you still have the install .apk, send it over some file sharing site? The site has a 404 error
I had this 404 error as well, but it seems to be fixed now: I downloaded the latest v2.1.1 release. I also have v1.0.2, v2.0.2, and v2.1.0 prior releases of the apk.
v2.1.0 is what enabled the online cloud sharing feature in 'Walk Play'.

I also noticed on the TTGK website (https://www.szttgk.com/en) a new apk app named 'TTGK station'. It appears to be a recording test track playing app, but it also provides detailed device information, including each exposed USB interfaces. To download the app, look at the QR code on the Website , it should (sloooowly...) start a donwload of "com.szttgk.audio.apk".
Screenshot 2025-01-03 095014.jpg


Finally, noticed the released of a new TTGK module, the TT39518B01-Pro module, CB5100 + CS43198. A future JCALLY "JM28-Pro" dongle combining (single) CS43198 with PEQ?
 
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Amazon does not have it and before ordering it from Aliexpress I would like to understand why it appears repeated many times with different prices. Which of them is the real one?
I have the same question, especially after ordering from the AliExpress site where my price was a little over $13 for the ‘high end’ version with ‘silver coil wiring’. There seems to be no easy way to tell whether what I’m getting is what was reviewed here, especially with multiple models carrying the same JM20 model number, and all of Aliexpress’ communications coming in German. The receipt actually has two different units listed, one for $20.xx and one for $13.64 which is what I was charged. Free shipping is presumably by pack animals so it may take time before I find out for sure (if then) what I have.
 
I have the same question, especially after ordering from the AliExpress site where my price was a little over $13 for the ‘high end’ version with ‘silver coil wiring’. There seems to be no easy way to tell whether what I’m getting is what was reviewed here, especially with multiple models carrying the same JM20 model number, and all of Aliexpress’ communications coming in German. The receipt actually has two different units listed, one for $20.xx and one for $13.64 which is what I was charged. Free shipping is presumably by pack animals so it may take time before I find out for sure (if then) what I have.

Usually about 2 weeks for the free shipping but holiday season might slow that a bit (thats to UK)
 
BUYERS BEWARE

I ordered the JCally JM20 Pro on Aliexpress for $27 from the Sailboat 3C store.

It was a rip-off.

What I received was a JCally JM12 which is 1/3 the price. Followed by weeks of poor and uncooperative messaging by the seller. Rather than honor the buyer protection policy I got the "run around".

The seller claimed, without proof, that I provided the wrong address to my home ( ! ) Asked for photos of the item and the packaging it arrived in. That the package was waiting at the Post office (I went there but there was no record of any package from the seller) and all I had to do was sign for it. Then later claimed that I received the item even though I already complained that I was sent the wrong item and sent photographic evidence.

I have requested a refund or to be sent the item that I had ordered and paid for but the seller has not responded to these requests.
 
BUYERS BEWARE

I ordered the JCally JM20 Pro on Aliexpress for $27 from the Sailboat 3C store.

It was a rip-off.

What I received was a JCally JM12 which is 1/3 the price. Followed by weeks of poor and uncooperative messaging by the seller. Rather than honor the buyer protection policy I got the "run around".

The seller claimed, without proof, that I provided the wrong address to my home ( ! ) Asked for photos of the item and the packaging it arrived in. That the package was waiting at the Post office (I went there but there was no record of any package from the seller) and all I had to do was sign for it. Then later claimed that I received the item even though I already complained that I was sent the wrong item and sent photographic evidence.

I have requested a refund or to be sent the item that I had ordered and paid for but the seller has not responded to these requests.
Con you provide a link to the item and store? Strangely I have an hard time finding the JM20 PRO directly on Aliexpress, but it is available at HiFi Go
In the last months i had to return\refund various items on Aliexpress, all refunded without problems and almost all even without returning them, but it's not always easy, my last request for an item ordered in October and still not delivered was refused.
 
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BUYERS BEWARE

I ordered the JCally JM20 Pro on Aliexpress for $27 from the Sailboat 3C store.
Not an absolute guarantee of course, but I always look how long a particular store has been in existence on AliExpress. Sailboat 3C Store: established 2024-04-11 (per their business license)…. I would avoid—way too short history.

A lot of “stores” appear and disappear after a few months on AE. Maybe when the number of unhappy customers is high enough to get the attention of the AliExpresss team?

I bought my JM20-Pro from CKlewis Audio Store: may not be the best store around, but has been established on 2016-03-25, more than 8 years ago:
1736030391358.png
 
What I received was a JCally JM12 which is 1/3 the price.
If you wanted the JM20-Pro for its PEQ capabilities, note that the JM12 can be upgraded to the FiiO/Jade JA11 firmware: they both use the same KTmicro SoC.

With the FiiO fw, you’ll get access to 5x PEQ filters (peak, low-shelf, or high-shelf) through either the Android or Chrome WebApp FiiO Control app.
 
Con you provide a link to the item and store? Strangely I have an hard time finding the JM20 PRO directly on Aliexpress, but it is available at HiFi Go
In the last months i had to return\refund various items on Aliexpress, all refunded without problems and almost all even without returning them, but it's not always easy, my last request for an item ordered in October and still not delivered was refused.

The JCally JM20 Pro has microphone capability
 
These clicks that occur on some CS43131 based products seem to be related to the class H mode being used for the output stage. There is a register setting in the CS43131 that allows to choose between class H and class A/B. The manufacturer can decide for power saving (class H) or optimal SQ (class A/B).

--> All I want to say is, that it's not fair to blame the CS43131 (and CS43198) in general - it depends on the implementation of the firmware
This problem cannot be related to H mode because the CS43131 amplifier's power-down activation has a hysteresis of 5.5 sec, which is explicitly stated in the datasheet (page 35, fig. 4-5).
The nature of this clipping is related to the CS43131 modulator gain change when the signal level is lowered from -12dB to -36dB. Here is the measured change in CS43131 noise level relative to the signal level (BW90kHz). The CS43198 behaves in a completely similar manner.
Stepped_noise_dBr.png

The CS gain change has a low hysteresis and if the signal frequency is low, it instantly causes clipping. I tested CS43131, CS43198, Apple (Cirrus Logic 46L06) - everywhere on a signal down from 9Hz clipping appears.
cs43131+noload+-12db.png

CS43131 8 Hz FFT
cs43131 sin8hz -17db.png

So no firmware can change this. Only a HPF maybe.
 
So no firmware can change this. Only a HPF maybe.
Making sure I understand: are you saying that these “clicks” are from <9Hz clipping?
So if a track has no content down there, I shouldn’t hear clicks on these CS chips—hence the idea of a HPF?
 
This problem cannot be related to H mode because the CS43131 amplifier's power-down activation has a hysteresis of 5.5 sec, which is explicitly stated in the datasheet (page 35, fig. 4-5).
Thanks a lot for the clarification. So even with class H enabled and a hefty transient there could only occur one short clipping every 5.5 seconds worst case.

The nature of this clipping is related to the CS43131 modulator gain change when the signal level is lowered from -12dB to -36dB.
I did observe that the level of the noise shaping changes when changing the signal level of a 1kHz sinewave.
Below ca. -33dBFS (sinewave) the level of the noise above ca. 70kHz stays fairly constant down to a sinewave level of -138dBFS.
Above ca. -33dBFS (sinewave) the level of this noise-shaping related high-frequency noise increases with increasing sinewave level.

Very interesting observations @nick_l44.1 . I'll have to dig deeper into this.
 
Making sure I understand: are you saying that these “clicks” are from <9Hz clipping?
So if a track has no content down there, I shouldn’t hear clicks on these CS chips—hence the idea of a HPF?
I don't think the filter will completely get rid of the problem, but it will certainly get rid of clipping when the signal is dominated by low frequencies, only soft rare clicks will remain.
I did observe that the level of the noise shaping changes when changing the signal level of a 1kHz sinewave.
That's right. This is the artificial increasing of dynamic range. Notice that the noise shaping is very high, at least 10 dB, if you calculate that without gain modulation DR=106 dB, and in the THD+N test the noise is about -116 dB. So these methods successfully cheat DR and THD+N tests, but imho are quite useless for music.
 
It's funny... when I try this CS431** test on the dongles I have at hand, the ones where I can actually hear the little clicks are with the CX31993 dongles (VE Abigail and JCally JM6) and KT02H20 (JCally 12) with the latter being by far the worst offender. My CS43131 Meizu Hifi dongle doesn't sound bad at all with the test clip, and I don't really hear any clicks or ticks with the Apple or Samsung dongles. (This is on PC with the downloaded test file played in exclusive mode with foobar.)
 
I have the same question, especially after ordering from the AliExpress site where my price was a little over $13 for the ‘high end’ version with ‘silver coil wiring’. There seems to be no easy way to tell whether what I’m getting is what was reviewed here, especially with multiple models carrying the same JM20 model number, and all of Aliexpress’ communications coming in German.
JM20 - model measured here, you can easily tell it apart from others by black connectors
JM20 Pro - model which includes unknown ADC to support microphone
JM20 Max - model with amp stage based on SG Micro SGM8262, according to specs capable of higher output up to 2.5Vrms, configuration similar to FiiO KA11

Please keep in mind that other models might not share the actual design and hence the performance with the base JM20.

Also beware cheaper JM04Pro (written without space) which is a1Vrms Realtek based dongle, yet looks very much like JM20.

Will this drive Sennheiser HD6**s?
I can 100% the volume out of 2 Vrms sources (including CS43131 dongle, CS-Pro), it is loud enough to be overall usable, but not as much fun sounding as with an amp.
 
Got one for 13usd in Ali, had to get 2 shirts to get free shipping lol
 
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