Review and Measurements of New JDS Labs Atom Headphone Amp

[amirm]

I thought I buy a Topping dx3pro. And then this comes along. Is there a dac around the 100$ that can keep up with this amp? Or is it still better to buy the combinaton of dx3pro? I would use it with a beyerdynamic dt250 250ohm. And I would use it for the computer.

The DX3Pro is very attractive and has perfect channel balance due to digital volume control. So if you need both (dac+headphone amp), that is still my recommendation. Later if you really need it, you can add the atom to it as I did in my listening tests.

 

[Silou]

I messaged the JDS Support and they told me that the european distributors will be supplied with the second batch at the start of 2019.

 

[amirm]

I messaged the JDS Support and they told me that the european distributors will be supplied with the second batch at the start of 2019.

Good to know but wouldn't they mark it up anyway?

 

[Silou]

Good to know but wouldn't they mark it up anyway?

Yes, you are right, but it might be cheaper than importing.

 

[graz_lag]

Good to know but wouldn't they mark it up anyway?

Sure they are going to do that.
I usually get better prices if I buy from amazon.com (not amazon.fr or amazon.co.uk ...) but directly from amazon.com and delivered to France, all that including handling, shipment and import fees. (If any for the latter)

 

[Veri]

Good to know but wouldn't they mark it up anyway?

Definitely, but it's also a bit easier in terms of shipping and delivery, plus EU warranty is standard at 2 years parts and service

 

[Bliman]

The DX3Pro is very attractive and has perfect channel balance due to digital volume control. So if you need both (dac+headphone amp), that is still my recommendation. Later if you really need it, you can add the atom to it as I did in my listening tests.

First thanks for the answer. Maybe strange to come here. But I have zero technical knowledge. But does the dx3pro have enough power to drive the beyerdynamics? It looks like this one has much more power. Do you have listened to the amp with the dac of dx3pro? Was the amp of the topping much worse?

 

[graz_lag]

It's based on Objective2 but with different buffers I guess, so with the gain at 1X or 1.5X it's a very good amp for IEMs for sure.

From here : https://blog.jdslabs.com/2018/11/jds-labs-atom-amp-official-release-benchmarks/

... We built it to outperform Objective2 in every way: better specifications, greater power, higher reliability, and more input and output flexibility ...

 

[jsmiller58]

Still would be transparent in basically every way.

Yeah! But are you saying this is the first transparent amp? Nah. Just more transparent... Transparentier? . Point is there will always be better, and who are we kidding, we'll want that too...

 

[graz_lag]

First thanks for the answer. Maybe strange to come here. But I have zero technical knowledge. But does the dx3pro have enough power to drive the beyerdynamics? It looks like this one has much more power. Do you have listened to the amp with the dac of dx3pro? Was the amp of the topping much worse?

Do not worry, you will be just fine with your Beyerdynamics @ 250 Ohms, I have successfully driven the DT-880 250 Ohms with the "little" Roland Mobile UA (which is "nothing" compared to this unit from JDS Labs) before upgrading to an iBasso DAP.

 

[Jimster480]

Yeah! But are you saying this is the first transparent amp? Nah. Just more transparent... Transparentier? . Point is there will always be better, and who are we kidding, we'll want that too...

No I'm not saying that. But based on our own hearing capabilities this is the first completely transparent regardless of all factors (to human hearing capabilities) Amp under $250.
Since I think the THX 789 took the title of "First" overall.

 

[PuX]

wow. now I have to find a way to justify buying 2 amps in a month

 

[graz_lag]

... My main issue is the plastic build. I know it makes no difference, but for me it is a step down in build compared to the Magni 3. I just like the feel and look of metal ...

It is not "plastic" - but rather an injection molded assembly, so much more technological than "pure and simple plastic" ...

 

[Kyle / MrHeeHo]

Honestly I would be willing to to pay a bit extra to get an engraved case if they made that an option

 

[graz_lag]

Honestly I would be willing to to pay a bit extra to get an engraved case if they made that an option

I perfectly agree with you, if you like metal enclosures - it's logical you feel you want to stay with them.
My point was abt. the technological content, which a well engineered injection molded plastic packaging may add to a "strange" item - like an amps, which is historically and by "the standard", enclosed within metal enclosures.

i.e. Look at the technological content you have in a stretch blown molded plastic Coke bottle ... or, even better, a Gatorade one ...

 

[Bliman]

Do not worry, you will be just fine with your Beyerdynamics @ 250 Ohms, I have successfully driven the DT-880 250 Ohms with the "little" Roland Mobile UA (which is "nothing" compared to this unit from JDS Labs) before upgrading to an iBasso DAP.

Thanks for the aswer. But I was comparing it to the Topping DX3pro. And I would like to know if the Topping would drive the Beyerdynamic equally as well?
Those technical numbers don't say much to me.
This is all strange to me.
In my main system I have a Grace Design m902 and to drive the Beyerdynamic I most of the time have it around volume 75 in low gain.
I use the Grace Design m902 with a power amplifier and speakers and subwoofer and cd player.
But when I plug it straight in the computer (the headphone) The sound is blasting at volume around 40. The problem is that the sound is pretty hard and also is pretty lean. The headphone comes alive with the Grace Design (which I sadly can't use with the computer).
So it is all weird to me.

 

[zachary80]

I know this is currently being compared against similarly-priced units for fairness, but could we eventually see it compared directly against the more expensive but well-tested units like the THX and RME?

 

[Jorj]

I know this is currently being compared against similarly-priced units for fairness, but could we eventually see it compared directly against the more expensive but well-tested units like the THX and RME?

Not to be pushy, but is it not enough to have the first-post numbers shown in a fairly consistent dashboard that you can flip back and forth between? Amir has been doing a nice job of steadily improving his display techniques, and for me that has been sufficient. I don't need or expect him to go back and re-do the graphics when I can just review them myself.

 

[amirm]

I know this is currently being compared against similarly-priced units for fairness, but could we eventually see it compared directly against the more expensive but well-tested units like the THX and RME?

Yes, I plan to do a comparison against Massdrop THX unit.

 

[Kyle / MrHeeHo]

I perfectly agree with you, if you like metal enclosures - it's logical you feel you want to stay with them.
My point was abt. the technological content, which a well engineered injection molded plastic packaging may add to a "strange" item - like an amps, which is historically and by "the standard", enclosed within metal enclosures.

i.e. Look at the technological content you have in a stretch blown molded plastic Coke bottle ... or, even better, a Gatorade one ...

I just want the personalization without doing something like putting a sticker on it.


Also I'm curious, how does this amp measure with a headphone load vs a dummy load?