Review and Measurements of New JDS Labs Atom Headphone Amp

[Objectivist01]

The measurements show that, under normal listening conditions, there will be no audible differences between the L30 and the Atom. My ears don't come into it.

Yes, when why should i prefer Atom if it doesn't come with warranty in Europe?

 

[Objectivist01]

It's perfectly fine if you don't want a JDS Atom, and you want to buy an L30. You can even provide your opinion (L30 over Atom) to others. Warranty info is certainly helpful. In the hifiheadphones website, 2 years Manufacturer Warranty is mentioned.

>> L30 exists. So no need for a jds labs. >>

Were you thinking aloud when you said this? I assumed you were telling Sombreuil and others that there is no need to tell Europe users about Atom, when L30 is there.

Yes. For Europe schiit and jds are not needed as topping can be found with warranty for the same price.

 

[Objectivist01]

What about the other HP amps (with the same price as L30) that are not tested in ASR? Are they needed in Europe? They might be much worse than both Atom and L30 (or better too).
IMO, the only folks who can decide about not needed are sellers (JDS Labs, Topping), resellers (hifiheadphones), and individual customers for themselves, not the whole continent.

No asr test, no buy. Might be a POS. Simple

 

[Jimbob54]

No asr test, no buy. Might be a POS. Simple

So in your world we collectively agree to give Topping a monopoly on the small, sub $150 headamp market in the whole of Europe? I agree, for me no ASR review of another product in that range would probably stop me buying, but to blanket say "buy the L30" in Europe when the (very well reviewed )Atom is now available from retailers for a sensible amount is shortsighted and ill advised.

 

[Tatteredmidnight]

I wonder what the $100 HPA market would look like in Jan 2021 if JDS hadn’t released the Atom in Nov 2018. I bet you we wouldn’t have so many instrument grade options available at these price points.

 

[frankh]

That Atom and the L30 are both so good that they are transparent and it's unlikely that anybody could hear a difference.

I own both Atom and L30 and I definitely can hear the difference. I'm selling my L30 because it's now doing nothing sitting down on my shelf. Any interested buyers? It was a big mistake that I purchased the L30 thinking that it will sound better than my Atom but unfortunately that is not the case.

 

[Sukie]

Yes, when why should i prefer Atom if it doesn't come with warranty in Europe?

In what way does a product I buy in the UK not have a warranty covered by UK Consumer Law? If I get a L30 in the UK, it has to be shipped over from France (or China).

 

[frankh]

off topic, but what difference do you find between the two? Can you pls share.

Here's the link where I posted my honest opinion between the Atom and L30: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/post-544847

 

[Sukie]

The hifi.. website mentioned 2 years Manufacturer Warranty. What other warranty does Europe offer, I'm not sure . I am still not able to digest equating "I" to "Europe".

The mention of the Atom's availability was specifically referring to a UK company that has it in stock.

I have no idea why the thread has developed as it has over the past day. I'm sure most of us can agree that the Atom and L30 are great HPAs and we can each decide which one we want to buy, based upon the specifics of our circumstances.

 

[raistlin65]

I am hearing that rumour for the first time.

It's not a rumour. Review the last few weeks of the L30 to learn more and about Topping's L30 amp trade in policy to deal with the issue: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...topping-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/

 

[Sukie]

It's not a rumour. Review the last few weeks of the L30 to learn more and about Topping's L30 amp trade in policy to deal with the issue: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...topping-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/

Apologies. I was being facetious when I first used the words "a rumour", which were then repeated by objectivist01. I explained this in a subsequent post.

 

[raistlin65]

Apologies. I was being facetious when I first used the words "a rumour", which were then repeated by objectivist01. I explained this in a subsequent post.

No need to apologize. I know you know the story

Just wanted to make certain objectivist01 knew it was not a rumor.

 

[Objectivist01]

No need to apologize. I know you know the story

Just wanted to make certain objectivist01 knew it was not a rumor.

Now I know it. I am a convert. Atom is better overall.i was wrong. After all chinese companies lack service. So better stay away from them

 

[Jimbob54]

Now I know it. I am a convert. Atom is better overall.i was wrong. After all chinese companies lack service. So better stay away from them

Well, you've gone from one ludicrous statement right into another massive over generalisation and over simplification. Bravo!

To your credit, your output is consistent so perhaps you permanently have your tongue in cheek. I just dont know.

 

[Sukie]

After all chinese companies lack service. So better stay away from them

I think it's time for a change of user ID! There's nothing objective about unfounded generalisations!

 

[raistlin65]

Now I know it. I am a convert. Atom is better overall.i was wrong. After all chinese companies lack service. So better stay away from them

That's just Chinese racism and untrue. Hifiman headphones for, example, have had issues with quality control. But there are no customer service issues with getting them replaced when that happens.

As for the L30, I am personally done with recommending it because this is a sort of two strikes, you are out situation. Their misleading specs for the L30 is another problem given that the DAC Topping pairs with it, the E30, does not have enough voltage output to allow the amp to achieve the claims of the specs.

In fact, I'm not sure you can find a desktop DAC within this budget range with more than 2V output. So for all practical purposes, the L30 doesn't come close to achieving it's rated power output

 

[fidelcastropc]

When I look for an amplifier I don't look just for the specs or how good it sounds. Two years ago, I had to replace all the caps for my amplifiers (preamp, poweramp and integrated amp) + 2 KEF and 2 B&W speakers. I learned to solder and spent about $200 just on caps and now I am good for another 15-20 years. The third factor on amp selection should be on how well it holds for the long run, i.e., temperature inside the case. You don't want something running hot inside a small box. As you are probably aware of, caps lifetime is about 20,000 to 60,000 hours. For eletrolytics caps, the greater the temperature the lower the life. A 2,000 hour rated cap may run for 60,000 h at 55 degrees centigrade but only 2,000 h at 105C. I have the Atom amp and the E30 dac and I am happy neither one of them run hot, even after 10 hours of continual use.

 

[raistlin65]

When I look for an amplifier I don't look just for the specs or how good it sounds. Two years ago, I had to replace all the caps for my amplifiers (preamp, poweramp and integrated amp) + 2 KEF and 2 B&W speakers. I learned to solder and spent about $200 just on caps and now I am good for another 15-20 years. The third factor on amp selection should be on how well it holds for the long run, i.e., temperature inside the case. You don't want something running hot inside a small box. As you are probably aware of, caps lifetime is about 20,000 to 60,000 hours. For eletrolytics caps, the greater the temperature the lower the life. A 2,000 hour rated cap may run for 60,000 h at 55 degrees centigrade but only 2,000 h at 105C. I have the Atom amp and the E30 dac and I am happy neither one of them run hot, even after 10 hours of continual use.

At the rate headphone amplifiers have been improving as price/ performance values, by the time the Atom amp fails, a comparable replacement could likely cost $30 and not even worth your time to resolder caps

 

[fidelcastropc]

At the rate headphone amplifiers have been improving as price/ performance values, by the time the Atom amp fails, a comparable replacement could likely cost $30 and not even worth your time to resolder caps

In case caps are rated 1,000 or 2,000 h at 85C, it is likely these caps would last less than 2,000 hours when hot, which for an average of 8 hours daily usage equals to less than a year (250 days). In a few years, maybe you can find a cheaply made copycat board on ebay for $30. Still need to get a $16 transformer + case. Also, don't forget shipping cost and tax. I don't see anything less than $80. By the way, when you do your own soldering you can get a cap rated for 5,000 to 7,000 h at 105C for less than $1/each. I like my old Threshold and Krell, they work just fine with new caps. Fifteen years from now, I hope my Atom amp will still be working almost as good as the new ones with a new set of caps. That is just me.

 

[Haze]

Question, does anyone else find the Atom to be really "close" sounding? I actually find it to be quite claustrophobic. As clean and detailed as it is it has absolutely no air. Everything is in bubble around my head without any space for the instruments to breath.

Just me?