(Unofficial) Review of JCALLY JM20 MAX: USB-C Headphone Dongle with High Unbalanced Output Power

[patoulol]

I received the MAX instead of the PRO.

I find it's very hot.

 

[vvox]

I received the MAX instead of the PRO.

It is normal. Measured it with pyrometer. It is not hot. It is warm. 40°C on average. If it warm - it working)

 

[CedarX]

One problem: when you connect it to a PC USB port and near is USB Wi Fi... Sound stops for half a second or a second. And then play normally. If I download a torrent, it happens very often. Every 10-20 seconds or less...

This looks more like a PC issue. Have you tried with another dongle or USB audio device?

 

[vvox]

This looks more like a PC issue. Have you tried with another dongle or USB audio device?

Hator 7:1 sound card that's really a chip long dongle with buttons. Work without problems.

Haven't another dongle yet. Wait for e1da 9039s to test it.

Don't think that it is problem of this model. More like a real PC problem. It is China's motherboard for the x99 platform with Intel E5 2699v3 server processor)

On the LG V50, use Wi Fi and jm20max, no problem.

 

[SammySam]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post here and I have been using the JM20 MAX for about a month now. When I reinstalled Windows on my computer, I saw I was having the same issue as @vvox, where the audio would fade-in after a second of playing something. When they said that the cause was from their USB Wi-Fi, I disabled the On-board Wi-Fi on my motherboard and saw that the audio fade-in as gone!

It's a bit weird to be honest. Will have to check if my phone has the same issue with the DAC.

 

[vvox]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post here and I have been using the JM20 MAX for about a month now. When I reinstalled Windows on my computer, I saw I was having the same issue as @vvox, where the audio would fade-in after a second of playing something. When they said that the cause was from their USB Wi-Fi, I disabled the On-board Wi-Fi on my motherboard and saw that the audio fade-in as gone!

It's a bit weird to be honest. Will have to check if my phone has the same issue with the DAC.

It is only a PC-related problem. With the phone, all is OK. I have a Chinese 2011-3 old motherboard. Some protection can be missed.
Have an e1da DAC now, no problem with wifi. But I have some other issues that do not occur in phone use. trying to use the magic of changing ports and cables)

 

[SammySam]

It is only a PC-related problem. With the phone, all is OK. I have a Chinese 2011-3 old motherboard. Some protection can be missed.
Have an e1da DAC now, no problem with wifi. But I have some other issues that do not occur in phone use. trying to use the magic of changing ports and cables)

I have noticed it is a PC-related problem, as it seems to still be doing the same issue across a bunch of the old computers I have which is a shame. I'll probably look about for a different DAC that can handle my HD 490 Pros that doesn't hurt my budget!

 

[Aster]

Hi, I bought jm20 max and I have issue with it, when audio is playing I hear static noise on my phone (nothing phone 2) tested it with Fiio ft1 and truthear hexa, on other phone (pixel 8 a) everything is fine. Is it possible to fix?

 

[o0o]

That is very weird. There is no fade-in from both the JM20 and JM20 Max that I have. Tried both my Windows 11 PC and Android phone (no UAPP, though). Puzzling indeed.

If you have/had Savitech drivers installed (and working), maybe that's the answer to not having fade-in on Windows?

People will be reluctant to take the risk of bricking it. So, I served as your guinea pig Flashing the FiiO KA11 firmware to the JM20 Max was successful. Now the dongle is recognized as "FIIO KA11." But unfortunately, its filter setting cannot be changed from the Android FiiO app. It is changed on screen but has no actual effect (and whenever plugged in again the setting reverts back to default). Recording of test signals indicates it's not in the NOS mode.

Not sure if this is the case even with the FiiO KA11 (i.e., a bug of the firmware itself), though. At least, it works just as before. The only difference (other than the device label) is that it has a fade-in effect when audio starts after idling, which was not present with the stock FW. FiiO seems to always consider power saving as an important feature.

Interesting, after flashing FiiO FW the FiiO drivers and ASIO worked but the switching PCM filters unfortunately didn't. Now the question, did the FiiO firmware introduce the infamous "Cirrus Hump"?

 

[jkim]

If you have/had Savitech drivers installed (and working), maybe that's the answer to not having fade-in on Windows?

Never installed the Savitech driver.

Interesting, after flashing FiiO FW the FiiO drivers and ASIO worked but the switching PCM filters unfortunately didn't. Now the question, did the FiiO firmware introduce the infamous "Cirrus Hump"?

Everything is the same as before, including the max output level, frequency response, filter (fast roll-off low latency / min phase), and response to multitone and other test signals. The only difference is the device label and fade-in behavior (which can be controlled by the FiiO control panel now).

 

[lewdish]

Does it support microphone in?

 

[Viper780]

Does it support microphone in?

As far as I know only the "Pro" Version supports Mic

 

[Ahmonge]

Great dongle. Able to run even my DCA Noires at confortable volume level (max peak 90dB) without distortion out of my iPad Air M2. It heats up a bit, but nothing to write home about.

 

[Luciferium]

Do the Jcally have an app?

 

[jkim]

Do the Jcally have an app?

No, there's no Jcally app.

 

[Luciferium]

Guys do we know USB bridge chip name?
Scitech SA9312L ???

 

[mc.god]

Guys do we know USB bridge chip name?
Scitech SA9312L ???

Savitech 9312L

https://www.pawpaw.cn/media/documents/2022-12/SA9312L_V10_201709041.pdf

 

[o0o]

Everything is the same as before, including the max output level, frequency response, filter (fast roll-off low latency / min phase), and response to multitone and other test signals. The only difference is the device label and fade-in behavior (which can be controlled by the FiiO control panel now).

Thank you for checking all of that. Could you please check just 1 more time if the absolute polarity / phase is correct after flashing the FiiO KA11 firmware onto JM20 Max? It happens to be reversed for JM12 with JA11 FW as we now know. Thanks a lot!

 

[radventure]

I've been using this DAC for a couple of weeks now - with TRUTHEAR GATE IEMs and haven't been able to use the volume up / down or pause / action button on the in-line controls (2-pin cable that shipped with the IEMs), on a Pixel 10. I don't have anything else to test with at this stage. Anyone else had issues with in-line basic controls?

 

[jkim]

Thank you for checking all of that. Could you please check just 1 more time if the absolute polarity / phase is correct after flashing the FiiO KA11 firmware onto JM20 Max? It happens to be reversed for JM12 with JA11 FW as we now know. Thanks a lot!

No, the FiiO KA11 FW does not reverse the polarity of the JM20 Max: