[loki993]

Nice, though I would have wished he would have compared the sound to Shiit in addition to just comparing them on convenience.

 

[shigzeo]

 
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. 

That certainly makes sense. A bit better labelling would be nice but overall, superb, especially at its price point.

 

[georgelai57]

Headfonia's review is out
http://www.headfonia.com/review-jds-labs-element-bravado/

 

[sheldaze]

Headfonia's review is out
http://www.headfonia.com/review-jds-labs-element-bravado/

Thanks!
 
A good read. The reviewer seems to have a wide range of headphones, which was the reason I bought the Element - to be capable of driving any headphone I encounter in future. I also had no clue it was Apple-compatible, and will need to try for myself. As such, this could become my all-in-one nightstand unit. Nice!

 

[shigzeo]

  Thanks!
 
A good read. The reviewer seems to have a wide range of headphones, which was the reason I bought the Element - to be capable of driving any headphone I encounter in future. I also had no clue it was Apple-compatible, and will need to try for myself. As such, this could become my all-in-one nightstand unit. Nice!

Hey sheldaze. The reviewer is me, Nathan, shiggy wiggy, shigmeister, etc. Yeah, I've been well impressed with the Element. I'll add RMAA scores with USB, iOS, and RCA scores included. That's what I'm working on now. This is a powerful unit.

 

[loki993]

ok I read the new review.....


Question do you have an opinion on how it compares the something like the Magni 2 uber? Lake people g103s?? Im looking at it for some AKG K7xxs and now some AKG 240 Sextetts.....and whatever else I may throw at it but if it can do those 2 extremes it can do anything else I need it to.

 

[shigzeo]

I don't have either of the machines you mentioned. As to the AK7xx, the Element has no problem with it. As to the AK240, I have no idea. I've not paired them. 

 

[sheldaze]

I truly enjoyed the AKG K7xx on my Element at a recent meet. In fact, I hope the guy wasn't getting annoyed at me - the person I borrowed it from. I was kind of using it as a baseline for comparing against all the other headphones I tried 

 
I'm still waiting in the queue at MassDrop for my own personal K7xx, hoping they do another release of this headphone...

 

[loki993]

I don't have either of the machines you mentioned. As to the AK7xx, the Element has no problem with it. As to the AK240, I have no idea. I've not paired them. 

Thats ok I think the fact that you compare it with other amps costing multi thousands of dollars is probably endorsement enough.

I truly enjoyed the AKG K7xx on my Element at a recent meet. In fact, I hope the guy wasn't getting annoyed at me - the person I borrowed it from. I was kind of using it as a baseline for comparing against all the other headphones I tried 

I'm still waiting in the queue at MassDrop for my own personal K7xx, hoping they do another release of this headphone...

Yeah I was set on the Magni until I got the AKGs and I heard some people say it wouldn't be a good fit paring the 7xxs because they're both sort of bright. Problem is I never know if thats true or just the internet talking if you know what I mean.

As for the headphones themselves I love them. Im powering them with a Fiio E10, which isn't really enough for them, and they still sound pretty good. Not as much bass as id like all the time but its not lacking like with say AT AD700s, its adequate and I'm a basshead. For gaming they're amazing, best phones Ive used, I hear things I never heard with the Beyer DT 770s I was using before, to the point where I wonder if people think I'm cheating sometimes because I can hear their footsteps so well. I do have AD700s and did use them for a little bit but its been so long so I can really comment if they're better for strictly gaming, but they're supposed to be. Problem is they're so bass light that its not very fun gaming with them. Everything sounds thin. So once I got DT 770s years ago they became my gotos. The K7xxs gives me the positional accuracy I was missing with the DT 770s but also has enough bass and a rich sounds that makes the game sound fun too. The best of both worlds for me.

Hopefully a good amp will bring out a bit more bass with the K7xx and just fill everything else out. I think it should.

 

[Packdemon]

Here's a poll for the Element Amp/DAC on massdrop: https://www.massdrop.com/vote/jds-labs-dacamps

 

[shigzeo]

In case you're wondering about them, here are 24-bit RMAA scores for The Element.

 

[maxedfx]

Any idea about how well it pairs with the HD800??

 

[shigzeo]

That's of course personal. As for how it drives: no problem. Despite being small(ish) and relatively inexpensive, The Element is one of the more capable amp/DACs out there. 

 

[loki993]

argh I should have bought it last night now its not shipping until late September.....

 

[InebriatedGnome]

I mean, late September is just the next ten days, so not too bad 

 
Would anyone who owns/has heard the Element and the ALO Pan Am be willing to offer me some advice about which one to get? The hardest thing I'm looking to drive would be the HD650s or maybe the LCD-2 in future, and I've heard the Pan Am pairs very well with both—but Headfonia's reviewer replied to my comment saying that the Pan Am 'can't hold a candle' to the Element. Opinions?