JCALLY JM20 MAX Headphone Dongle Review

[sheeple]

I have an older iPhone with a Lightning port.

Did anyone try of it is possible to adapt the dongle with a USB-C -> Lightning adapter?

 

[staticV3]

Did anyone try of it is possible to adapt the dongle with a USB-C -> Lightning adapter?

With the correct adapter, yes it's possible.

It has to have "OTG" in the name or product description, ideally a maximum stated output current as well (e.g. 400mA).

Regular adapters without OTG won't work as you'll get a "the connected accessory uses too much power" notification, followed by the connection being cut.

 

[Somafunk]

I have an older iPhone with a Lightning port.

Did anyone try of it is possible to adapt the dongle with a USB-C -> Lightning adapter?

You could try something like this below

USB C to Compatible Lightning Adapter Audio & MIC – Type C Female to Compatible Lightning Male Converter for Earphones, Charging, and OTG Function, For iPhone 14/13/12/11 Pro Max, iPad, iPod, AirPods: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy USB C to Compatible Lightning Adapter Audio & MIC – Type C Female to Compatible Lightning Male Converter for Earphones, Charging, and OTG Function, For iPhone 14/13/12/11 Pro Max, iPad, iPod, AirPods at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[totti1965]

You could try something like this below

USB C to Compatible Lightning Adapter Audio & MIC – Type C Female to Compatible Lightning Male Converter for Earphones, Charging, and OTG Function, For iPhone 14/13/12/11 Pro Max, iPad, iPod, AirPods: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy USB C to Compatible Lightning Adapter Audio & MIC – Type C Female to Compatible Lightning Male Converter for Earphones, Charging, and OTG Function, For iPhone 14/13/12/11 Pro Max, iPad, iPod, AirPods at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

What to you guys think:
Has the £4.99 Adapter the exact same functionality as the expensive one that @staticV3 is using?

Post in thread 'JCALLY JM20 MAX Headphone Dongle Review'
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ax-headphone-dongle-review.62260/post-2283432

Or is the aliexpress adapter with MFI Chip able to do more? (Client / Host functionality if iPad is connected with MacBook?)

I really don’t know, which one to buy.

 

[ShiroPL]

Hello, i'm planning to buy hifiman edition xs + jcally jm20 max, at 19 eur it's the cheapest and most powerful option. I used the headphones power calculator and it shows xs need 59.21mA of current and 63.1 mW of power at their 18ohms impedance. People say that for EQ & bass (i presume lowering pre-amp & giving it more juice) you need 4x the power = 252,5mW.
Your tests gave result of 250 mW / 2 Vrms @ 16 Ohm. Correct me if i'm wrong, but at 18 ohm it should be 222.(2) mW of maximum output power. I am afraid the power might not be enough.

Just wanted to provide an update:

I got a replacement from good people at The Hangout by Crinacle and the new DAC has been working fine for many hours of use. It runs cool powering IEMs but does heat up quite a bit powering my Hifiman Edition XS or Focal Clear. I don't really see that as a problem since I only intend use it with IEMs on a regular basis. If you can get a good sample, this thing is great bang for the buck.

Can i ask if the power was enough for XS's & EQing them ? Did other, more powerful dacs sound better in comparison ? The heat at running it at basically 100% may not be ideal. I plan on using headphones stationary anyways, so i don't know if jm20 max is the right option for me and whether i should look for something more expensive with balanced output for futureproofing.

 

[Ahmonge]

I used the headphones power calculator and it shows xs need 59.21mA of current and 63.1 mW of power at their 18ohms impedance

64 mW will give 110 dB of peak volume on XS. Do you really need such a high vilume?

 

[ShiroPL]

64 mW will give 110 dB of peak volume on XS. Do you really need such a high vilume?

ofc i do not, i'm just trying to understand through the gibberish of "having to give planars more power headroom" if i'm gonna pay quite a lot of money i am trying to make sure it's not gonna be wasted. I'm trying to find an upgrade from my ATH-msr7b closed back dd's after learning the capabilities of letshuoer s12 planar iems & how they EQ. What's the other way than to try completely different type of headphones ? The difference in price between xs & sundara is like 20 eur. I've heard XS is the best value, 85% of the arya's yadda yadda, otherwise i'd start from he400se.

 

[Ahmonge]

ofc i do not, i'm just trying to understand through the gibberish of "having to give planars more power headroom"

My listening experience is that the unused power of an amplifier adds nothing to the sound quality.

 

[klipschsoundsystem]

i think this thing has a power saving feature that makes the audio fades in after a bit of silence. its really unusable. please avoid this dac

also this is not audio related but "let music to be unique"? broken grammar on the packaging is a huge red flag. even if the grammar was correct it'd still be a stupid slogan

 

[totti1965]

ofc i do not, i'm just trying to understand through the gibberish of "having to give planars more power headroom" if i'm gonna pay quite a lot of money i am trying to make sure it's not gonna be wasted. I'm trying to find an upgrade from my ATH-msr7b closed back dd's after learning the capabilities of letshuoer s12 planar iems & how they EQ. What's the other way than to try completely different type of headphones ? The difference in price between xs & sundara is like 20 eur. I've heard XS is the best value, 85% of the arya's yadda yadda, otherwise i'd start from he400se.

You should give the Samsung EO-IA 500 a try:
Watch Sharur’s video: The best IEM‘s in the world are just US$ 8!
In this thread are the correction suggestions:
'The Best IEMs in the World Are Just $8´
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../the-best-iems-in-the-world-are-just-8.67210/
Two YouTube videos later, he says exactly why he likes the Samsungs cheapos so much:
They doesn’t have so much sound isolation than any other IEM, so the sound is not so much trapped in the ear canal and the music seems more to be really there - outside of your ears. Nice illusion.


Conclusion:

The Samsungs only need 3 dB Correction, so you would need only 126.2 milliwatts for at least 113 dB.
So the JCally JM20 MAX would have enough power for killing your hearing abilities and make you deaf in a minute.

 

[totti1965]

ofc i do not, i'm just trying to understand through the gibberish of "having to give planars more power headroom" if i'm gonna pay quite a lot of money i am trying to make sure it's not gonna be wasted. I'm trying to find an upgrade from my ATH-msr7b closed back dd's after learning the capabilities of letshuoer s12 planar iems & how they EQ. What's the other way than to try completely different type of headphones ? The difference in price between xs & sundara is like 20 eur. I've heard XS is the best value, 85% of the arya's yadda yadda, otherwise i'd start from he400se.

Your ATH MSR 7: suggestions of @amirm

You can find also suggestions
at the PEQdB.com website (improved Harman Curve)
Just search for your headphone, the ATH-MSR 7b and click at „Preset EQ“.
Use your windows computer, I can’t click it on the iPad.

By the way: I prefer my other IEM‘s - Crinacle Zero Red - over the Samsung EO-IA 500, because they fit very good to my ears. You will get 6 pairs of Silicone Ear plugs with them and the Cable is also fantastic.
@amirm has tested them about a year ago with strong recommendation, so these are a forum top favourite (like the Neumann KH 150 speakers).

But I have to admit, that I have not tried every tweak, that sharur has suggested with the Samsungs (Channel Switching, turning over by 180 degrees, new Silicone plugs, individual measurements and correction curves)
- which all in all could easily bring the Samsungs from US$ 8 to US$ 150………

 

[thehague]

i think this thing has a power saving feature that makes the audio fades in after a bit of silence. its really unusable. please avoid this dac
View attachment 492560
also this is not audio related but "let music to be unique"? broken grammar on the packaging is a huge red flag. even if the grammar was correct it'd still be a stupid slogan

Do you base this ‘verdict’ on experience?

 

[totti1965]

i think this thing has a power saving feature that makes the audio fades in after a bit of silence. its really unusable. please avoid this dac
View attachment 492560
also this is not audio related but "let music to be unique"? broken grammar on the packaging is a huge red flag. even if the grammar was correct it'd still be a stupid slogan

Now, just between us, dear sisters:
Fortunately, we English speakers can handle Chinese and Japanese fluently and without any problems!

 

[alekksander]

Thanks.

Probably no, don't have enough USB adapters :/
But i've noticed that this issue happens sometimes, not always. Weird.

I also have Fiio JA11 - didn't notice anything wrong with it...

first connect headphones to jcally, then to phones → check
connect jcally first, then phones → check
same behavior?
in samsung, have everything closed and „online” disabled → check
have some demanding tasks in background → check
…at least what i'd do

 

[lemonadetonator]

hello, I have this dongle and hfm edition XS, using power calculator it gives ~115 db loudness. Question is, im planning to buy hd 6xx and it will be ~110 db. Im listening at 80-90 db, is it track dependent or headroom of 20 db always enough (is there need to buy new DAC for 6xx) ?

 

[staticV3]

hello, I have this dongle and hfm edition XS, using power calculator it gives ~115 db loudness. Question is, im planning to buy hd 6xx and it will be ~110 db. Im listening at 80-90 db, is it track dependent or headroom of 20 db always enough (is there need to buy new DAC for 6xx) ?

Hi @lemonadetonator! Welcome to ASR.

If a dongle lacks enough headroom to reproduce dynamic peaks, then this will result in obvious audible distortion.

And at load impedances above 30Ω like with the 6XX, the JM20 Max is incapable of distorting as it is gain limited there.

That means that if you buy the 6XX and your JM20 Max is playing loud enough for you, then there's no reason to upgrade.

If OTOH you set volume to 100% and it's still not loud enough (and you've made sure that you're sending close to 0dBFS Peak to the dongle), then and only then would upgrading your dongle make sense.

 

[lemonadetonator]

oh and bonus for someone at what I wasted half a year searching:
correct me if im wrong, cheap and good alternative to Windows with desktop amp/dac + qobuz/tidal =
android + UAPP with must have settings: HIres audio - bit perfect, format - 32 bit float. Volume - none (to send full sinad, you still can control after in menu). Usb audio - bit perfect


(without this on MBA M1 with 'recommended' 70-80 mW and 1 Vrms [yes dac specs also different, and it was first time I my life when I discovered word distortion] HFM XS sound like completely different headphone [normalization always off, its first what I found after 'joining audiophile forces' if hinted], that's why I asked about 6xx before)