JCALLY JM20 MAX Headphone Dongle Review

[DSJR]

But what if it isn't? What if you find that your previously favourite tracks actually sound bad or "meh" (to you, at least), for whatever reason, with your new perfectly neutral and "transparent" gear?

Matching gear to your music is infinitely better than matching music to your gear.

Of course, learning to compensate for that with album specific EQ is a better (more effective and, in some cases at least, much cheaper) solution. But it can be tedious, and even apart from that - it's simply boring.

I reckon it's way more fun and interesting to search for and use "flavoured" gear, if money is no object...

I know where you are with this, but it's not really what this site is about and it certainly isn't what 'High Fidelity Playback' is about if this latter is taken in its purest sense

 

[fcserei]

Can anybody check if the following is an issue for the JCALLY:
It seems each of these cheap dongles have only one serial number for each product ID. Consequently if you plug more than one in to the same computer, only one is visible at the same time, so you can not aggregate or multi output them. I've tried several different kind so far and all had the same issue. It is not a problem for the Apple dongle.

 

[Ajax]

$21 today. $72 tomorrow. $54 the next. It makes me just not wanna buy a great product.

For the quality you are receiving any of those prices are cheap, however, if you are strapped for cash just keep an eye on it and wait for it to dip.

 

[Ajax]

[Updated with more measurements and Jcally standby]

That one has no USB-C output - and sucks, I have that one. I used the FNIRSI FNB48P, the only one in my collection that would work (for various power and USB-C related reasons). Its display works much too quick, numbers jumping all the time, so here are some values averaged by human vision. First: my USB source was at 5.17 V on a Windows computer.

The Apple dongle draws 1 mA with nothing connected (nc), and 17 mA when active. At full level output, that is 0.5 V (EU version, don't have US here) and 2 x 32 Ohms load it's about 43 mA or 222 mW. At 300 Ohms a harmless 22 mA or 114 mW. So that's a reference to compare.

The Jcally JM20 Max makes no difference for nc/connected, but has some little scheme of energy saving (maybe the SGM charge pumps). It draws 66 mA aka 340 mW with no audio playing, and 97 mA aka 501 mW when playing very low level signals. To compare with the Apple dongle I set volume to 0.5 V output level (again 2 x 32 Ohm load), then it's 118 mA or 610 mW. The basic power consumption here clearly ruins energy efficiency compared to the Apple dongle, but one doesn't buy it for that output level. At 1 V I measured 150 mA or 775 mW. 1.4 V -> 170 mA, 879 mW. And at full power aka 2.5 V it's 240 mA or 1.25 W. Wowza - no wonder it's getting hot then...

At 300 Ohms it is only a fraction more than the basic power consumption: 0.5 V -> 99 mA, 511 mW. 1.0 V -> 100 mA, 520 mW. 1.4 V -> 102 mA, 530 mW. 2.5 V -> 109 mA, 560 mW.

Thank you for this information.

Can you advise whether the JM20 MAX has sufficent output to drive a pair of active monitors connected via a 3.5mm - 2 x RCA cable?

I'm thinking a pair of ADAM T5V at $393 with this dongle (connected to a computer or laptop) would provide an exceptional desktop system for around $420.

 

[MC_RME]

Driving any line input is easy at 2.5 V aka +10 dBu. And active monitors are very sensitive these days.

 

[jkim]

[Updated with more measurements and Jcally standby]

That one has no USB-C output - and sucks, I have that one. I used the FNIRSI FNB48P, the only one in my collection that would work (for various power and USB-C related reasons). Its display works much too quick, numbers jumping all the time, so here are some values averaged by human vision. First: my USB source was at 5.17 V on a Windows computer.

The Apple dongle draws 1 mA with nothing connected (nc), and 17 mA when active. At full level output, that is 0.5 V (EU version, don't have US here) and 2 x 32 Ohms load it's about 43 mA or 222 mW. At 300 Ohms a harmless 22 mA or 114 mW. So that's a reference to compare.

The Jcally JM20 Max makes no difference for nc/connected, but has some little scheme of energy saving (maybe the SGM charge pumps). It draws 66 mA aka 340 mW with no audio playing, and 97 mA aka 501 mW when playing very low level signals. To compare with the Apple dongle I set volume to 0.5 V output level (again 2 x 32 Ohm load), then it's 118 mA or 610 mW. The basic power consumption here clearly ruins energy efficiency compared to the Apple dongle, but one doesn't buy it for that output level. At 1 V I measured 150 mA or 775 mW. 1.4 V -> 170 mA, 879 mW. And at full power aka 2.5 V it's 240 mA or 1.25 W. Wowza - no wonder it's getting hot then...

At 300 Ohms it is only a fraction more than the basic power consumption: 0.5 V -> 99 mA, 511 mW. 1.0 V -> 100 mA, 520 mW. 1.4 V -> 102 mA, 530 mW. 2.5 V -> 109 mA, 560 mW.

How about another CS43131-based device, like the Fosi Audio DS2? With no additional headphone amp stage, it should use less current draw, but more than the Apple dongle?

 

[dark132]

How about another CS43131-based device, like the Fosi Audio DS2? With no additional headphone amp stage, it should use less current draw, but more than the Apple dongle?

Expensive and a bit big, you just use it on your phone, so the size of jm20max is just right

 

[orangejello]

Any problems using this with an iPad? They mention Windows, Android, and MacOS. Nothing about iPad.

 

[Robbo99999]

So do I now have to feel not-so-smart "lugging" around my Fosi DS2? I too wanna know if perchance power consumption is a drawback, or reliability? ...Man I'm under the weather, stoned, not feeling like reading the thread started by our good-fellow member

The DS2 does measure better though in SINAD and has more power (except with lower impedance headphones), and the DS2 can be balanced whilst JMCally is not balanced out. DS2 measured at 91 SINAD at 50mv out according to the charts which is really good when operating at these lower powers, and we're yet to see how the JMCally did at 50mv but Amir did say he's gonna update the review with that info. So the DS2 has got more features (being a balanced DAC/amp) and measures a bit better than the JMCally.

 

[delta76]

The DS2 does measure better though in SINAD and has more power (except with lower impedance headphones), and the DS2 can be balanced whilst JMCally is not balanced out. DS2 measured at 91 SINAD at 50mv out according to the charts which is really good when operating at these lower powers, and we're yet to see how the JMCally did at 50mv but Amir did say he's gonna update the review with that info. So the DS2 has got more features (being a balanced DAC/amp) and measures a bit better than the JMCally.

It is also 2x more expensive and considerably bigger. For a small inaudible loss, this is worth it.

 

[Svensson]

2x JM20 Max's ordered. Crazy times for (re-checks invoices) under £50.
The former output king of 3.5mm output (E1DA 9038D) is dethroned. One JM20 Max for home,use, bumping the E1DA 9038D into car use, with the other jM20 Max for work. Completely ridiculous (re-re-checks invoices)

 

[totti1965]

US $22 to $65 Depending on the daily mood of a certain Donald.

 

[Robbo99999]

It is also 2x more expensive and considerably bigger. For a small inaudible loss, this is worth it.

Yeah, they're both fine, I'm just pointing out the differences, and if you want to choose the better measuring one then you'd get the DS2.

EDIT: and the fact the DS2 is balanced out.

 

[Cadillacofminds]

The DS2 also allows for a new cable. Curious, the JM20 have strain reliefs that have some flex to them? My phone's volume control isn't fine enough with the DS2 feeding the Truthear Gate, the DS2's volume control is better. DS2 was probably a dumb purchase for me though, I have no balances cables.

 

[Cadillacofminds]

"Mr. 'Don Gall'" lol
@xNORgate enjoyed your post

 

[markanini]

But what if it isn't? What if you find that your previously favourite tracks actually sound bad or "meh" (to you, at least), for whatever reason, with your new perfectly neutral and "transparent" gear?

Matching gear to your music is infinitely better than matching music to your gear.

Of course, learning to compensate for that with album specific EQ is a better (more effective and, in some cases at least, much cheaper) solution. But it can be tedious, and even apart from that - it's simply boring.

I reckon it's way more fun and interesting to search for and use "flavoured" gear, if money is no object...

Neutrality can depend on the gear. Harman IE 2019, a proposed IEM benchmark, often sounds off to many listeners. With amps and speakers, neutrality is clearer—tied to definite objective metrics. Speakers deal with room issues, and flavored gear might "fix" those flaws, like a band-aid. Recording engineers can totally pack all the excitement that they could want into a mix, and neutral playback delivers it exactly as intended.
Sure, a bizarrely lazy, unpicky, or deliberately obscure artist might demand listeners use specific flavored gear to hear their music, but that’s a rare, quirky case. For most recordings, there’s no solid technical or practical case for anything but neutral playback to hear the mix as it’s meant to be. You can stick with neutral to keep the sound true at the end of the day.

 

[xanalog]

Cirrus Logic 'MasterHIFI' Products
Ability to run up to 24-bit /192 kHz
Low noise: 114dB DNR Minimum
Low distortion: -100 dB THD+N Maximum
Audio ADCs

• CS5361
  114 dB, 192 kHz Stereo A/D Converter
• CS5381
  120 dB, 192 kHz Stereo A/D Converter

Audio DACs

• CS4398
  120 dB, 24-Bit, 192 kHz Stereo D/A Converter with DSD Support
• CS4399
  Audio D/A Converter with MasterHIFI
• CS43131
  MasterHIFI Audio D/A Converter with Headphone Amplifier
• CS43198
  Audio D/A Converter with MasterHIFI

Features

• CS43131 is the evolution of the CS43130. Re-defining Audio again
  • Improved output level up to 2 VRMS into 600 Ω headphones
  • Evolved performance: THD+N increased from -108 dB to -115 dB
  • Increased hi-fi DSD playback rate from DSD128 to DSD256
• Integrated GND-centered, Class H headphone driver
  • Output power
    • 30 mW per channel into 32 ohm load
    • 5 mW per channel into 600 ohm load
• Advanced 32-bit oversampled multi-bit modulator with mismatch shaping technology
  • Eliminates distortion due to on-chip component mismatch
• Serial audio input
  • I²S, right-justified, left-justified, DoP, DSD and TDM interface
  • Main or secondary operation
  • Volume control with 0.5 dB step size and soft ramp
  • 44.1 kHz de-emphasis and inverting feature
• Alternate headphone input
• Seamless switching between high performance and low power playback
• VD/VL Supply Voltage = 1.8 V

Source <https://www.cirrus.com/products/audio/codecs/hifi/>

 

[MC_RME]

How about another CS43131-based device, like the Fosi Audio DS2? With no additional headphone amp stage, it should use less current draw, but more than the Apple dongle?

That's what I also want to know. Unfortunately I have no access to my DS2 until next month. Unless someone else measures power consumption you will have to wait a bit.

 

[Robbo99999]

@amirm , are you still gonna be including the 50mv test for this one?

 

[ErinPraline]

ngl I wish I had seen this review before I bought a Topping G5