JDS Labs Element
Aug 21, 2015 at 9:07 PM Post #256 of 636
I would be interested in a comparison of the element to the matrix m stage with AKG phones. The m stage is a fantastic match for the k701q701, I wonder how the element stacks up.

Are you coming to the headphone meet next weekend? You can listen to my Element there, if you like.
 
Aug 21, 2015 at 10:15 PM Post #258 of 636
Unfortunately I can't make it:frowning2: I would love to check out your element,if it sounds as good as it looks then I'm sure it's something special
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I have to say this - even if I did a proper volume matched A-B test between it and the Magni 2, with or without Uber, and I found these two to be sonically indistinguishable, I still think the Element is pretty 
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I like the look of the Element in black, sitting right now on top of black Schiit Bifrost Uber, soon to sit on top of black Schiit Gungnir Multibit. I definitely have a color theme going. And I just love the feel of the large volume knob. The smooth knob along with a 1x gain just makes my low impedance headphones easy to set the volume properly.
 
I'll be sure to take a picture of the setup at the show.
 
Aug 24, 2015 at 6:14 AM Post #261 of 636
  No 24/192 playback 
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 But it looks so good!!! 
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Once you are ready to upgrade, you can bypass the internal DAC by feeding it RCA inputs from a source of your choosing. I think you'll find it makes a really excellent headphone amplifier! Think of the USB input as convenience, something to get you going from day-one. There are many manufacturers that do this at a much higher cost (WooAudio WA7 costs $1000 and Meridian Prime costs $2000). I think The Element is still a good value though I only use it as an amplifier.
 
And yes, it's just beautiful 
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Aug 24, 2015 at 7:51 AM Post #262 of 636
  Once you are ready to upgrade, you can bypass the internal DAC by feeding it RCA inputs from a source of your choosing. I think you'll find it makes a really excellent headphone amplifier! Think of the USB input as convenience, something to get you going from day-one. There are many manufacturers that do this at a much higher cost (WooAudio WA7 costs $1000 and Meridian Prime costs $2000). I think The Element is still a good value though I only use it as an amplifier.
 
And yes, it's just beautiful 
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Haha you totally convinced me!
 
Aug 24, 2015 at 8:54 AM Post #263 of 636
I have to say this - even if I did a proper volume matched A-B test between it and the Magni 2, with or without Uber, and I found these two to be sonically indistinguishable


Sort of what I think too....I think things get said on the internet and they propagate to a point where you have people saying stuff that haven't even heard the equipment in question. Or they get this thought stuck in their head and when they do actually hear the stuff they hear what they want to hear..ie bright..warm...whatever

Elements have been in the hands of initial reviewers for about 1 week. Takes time!



GEEZ: #BobMarley thru @mrspeakers ETHER @jdslabs ELEMENT via @AmarraAudio 4 @TIDALHiFi #OMFGthisSoundsAmazing pic.twitter.com/v66L31ZyIM
— Michael Mercer (@MikeMercer)

August 13, 2015


I know....just excited to see what people think about it....
 
Aug 24, 2015 at 9:55 AM Post #264 of 636
Perhaps this is a little off topic, but probably needs to be said.
 
I definitely compared the JDS Labs Element against the non-Uber version of the Magni 2, which I also own. However I was still reading through the threads on the Magni 2, both Uber and non-Uber variety. About a month ago, I would have told you I did not believe in burn-in. But two products of recent have changed my mind. Those have been the HiFiMan HE-400S and the Magni 2. Both have burned in and become quite a bit darker in sound (in this case, darker means more evenly balanced than they were first out the box). But since then, I've not really been interested in an A-B comparison between the Magni 2 and Element because I've grown to truly appreciate the volume control (and color matching with my other desktop boxes) of the Element.
 
So I'll be doing a few more experiments with my Magni 2, comparing it to the JDS Labs (not for public review, but just for personal listening) as I upgrade a few more components in the chain. Specifically, I am planning to upgrade from Schiit Bifrost Uber to Schiit Gungnir Multibit. So I'd like to have the two flavors of amps to listen. But ultimately I think I will sell the Magni 2, no longer suspecting that it is inferior to the Element - just a little different and with a definitely smaller, harder to turn volume knob.
 
Hope this helps to cleanup an misconception of anything I've written here
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Sep 16, 2015 at 4:58 AM Post #266 of 636
So, Element has a lot of power. And it is nearly load-agnostic. Bright, detailed, powerful. Very, very fun. Quite a steal. Wish its RCA jacks were labelled 'in' and its beautiful knob rotated a bit more smoothly, but apart from those two things, this thing is impressive. 
 
Sep 16, 2015 at 5:57 AM Post #267 of 636
  So, Element has a lot of power. And it is nearly load-agnostic. Bright, detailed, powerful. Very, very fun. Quite a steal. Wish its RCA jacks were labelled 'in' and its beautiful knob rotated a bit more smoothly, but apart from those two things, this thing is impressive. 

Hmm...your comment on the knob concerns me. With the regard to the comments at a recent meet, the only negative feedback was some users found the knob too smooth. They would have preferred to have digital increments like on the Ragnarok or (I have not touched it myself) like the 24-step attenuator on the Burson. These, I feel, are the only ways to make the knob smoother or any more accurate.
 
So if you'd said too smooth, I could agree 
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Sep 16, 2015 at 8:08 AM Post #268 of 636
sheldaze: I need to be more precise. It moves very smoothly, but wobbles a bit on axis. I love perfectly spinning tops and Element, while smooth, wobbles. It is lovely to use. And, it appears to be an R2R pentometre or something similarly accurate. My words were misspoken.
 
Sep 16, 2015 at 12:27 PM Post #269 of 636
  So, Element has a lot of power. And it is nearly load-agnostic. Bright, detailed, powerful. Very, very fun. Quite a steal. Wish its RCA jacks were labelled 'in' and its beautiful knob rotated a bit more smoothly, but apart from those two things, this thing is impressive. 


My thoughts exactly. I agree with your specific critique of the (otherwise superb) volume knob, too. However, to be perfectly fair, if the RCA jacks were labelled "in," that would be a source of some annoyance to anal retentive customers like me who opted to have JDS Labs reconfigure the RCAs to function as a line-level output. 
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