[ToneDeafMonk]

Has anyone here heard (with your own ears) a direct comparison of the J2 4493 (which I have) and the 4499EX? If it's a big improvement, I may sell my 4493 and go for it.

Exactly the opposite In my option having both and doing another head to head listen just a few days ago. I pulled out the Sparkos Op Amp from my 4499EX and put it back in the 4493 besides the V6VIVID running on the balanced output and the Sparkos SS2590.

The 4493 with or without the stock OpAmps sounds cleaner and more neutral and natural sounding , better faster bass and more cleaner resolving. You can tell the implementation is special in the J2

The 4499EX makes everything too smooth and relaxed looses some of the energy and natural timber of vocals and goes for significantly warmer tone kinda of how you hear AKM is described as it's house sound signature.

My advice is keep your 4493 add the Sparkos OpOmps and you have a top tier DAC.

Unless you want a warmer more colored option.
I am glad I have both and use one or the other to get the sound I want.

 

[JerseyD]

Exactly the opposite In my option having both and doing another head to head listen just a few days ago. I pulled out the Sparkos Op Amp from my 4499EX and put it back in the 4493 besides the V6VIVID running on the balanced output and the Sparkos SS2590.

The 4493 with or without the stock OpAmps sounds cleaner and more neutral and natural sounding , better faster bass and more cleaner resolving. You can tell the implementation is special in the J2

The 4499EX makes everything too smooth and relaxed looses some of the energy and natural timber of vocals and goes for significantly warmer tone kinda of how you hear AKM is described as it's house sound signature.

My advice is keep your 4493 add the Sparkos OpOmps and you have a top tier DAC.

Unless you want a warmer more colored option.
I am glad I have both and use one or the other to get the sound I want.

Thanks! I do have the Sparkos op-amp in my J2S (just one, as I use it single-ended into my tube amp). The warmer variant 4499 may be too much of a good thing paired with tubes, based on your description. I watched your full J2 video, by the way. Very well done!

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Thanks! I do have the Sparkos op-amp in my J2S (just one, as I use it single-ended into my tube amp). The warmer variant 4499 may be too much of a good thing paired with tubes, based on your description. I watched your full J2 video, by the way. Very well done!

After the video I have spent a lot more time and it really cemented my Impressions, I paired my 4499 to a Geshelli E2 amp that's super clean so it helps liven up the J2 and the 4493 with the A90D and love that combo as well.

Tubes with the addition of the 4499 would certainly give you the ultimate analogue presentation that's for sure and I am sure will will go gogo for that. Lol.

Thanks for watching the vid glad it helped.

 

[Elegiac]

Is the maximum output on both the AKM units still 2.5 vrms? Might have to throw them a message and find out.

 

[Elegiac]

Geno didn't give any specifics on the default output power... he said it varies between units.

What he did say is that it's arbitrary; you can request your output voltage to be whatever you choose, with the caveat that it be within reason.

Alright I'm back on the train. Fell off briefly there... around 2.5 vrms wasn't going to be enough power.

 

[quawn0418]

After the video I have spent a lot more time and it really cemented my Impressions, I paired my 4499 to a Geshelli E2 amp that's super clean so it helps liven up the J2 and the 4493 with the A90D and love that combo as well.

Tubes with the addition of the 4499 would certainly give you the ultimate analogue presentation that's for sure and I am sure will will go gogo for that. Lol.

Thanks for watching the vid glad it helped.

What was your wait for the 4499? I ordered one in aluminum 2 weeks ago and while there website says the current turnaround is under 4 weeks I’m kinda worried it’ll be more with all the hype around it, i want it now! Lol

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

What was your wait for the 4499? I ordered one in aluminum 2 weeks ago and while there website says the current turnaround is under 4 weeks I’m kinda worried it’ll be more with all the hype around it, i want it now! Lol

I had mine a few months now pre hype. Waiting is the hardest part!

 

[JerseyD]

Anyone using a linear power supply (or any type of upgraded PS with the J2?

 

[quawn0418]

Anyone using a linear power supply (or any type of upgraded PS with the J2?

I was so disappointed with the sound coming from 4499 with sparkos ops that i didn’t even bother trying different power supplies. Returning it this week, and it’s not to speak down on Geshelli, awesome company and i love what they represent, but the j2 just wasn’t for me, i like some heft to my music and while the j2 presented the music impressively, it started to sound rather boring, quickly. To each his own i suppose.

 

[Elegiac]

I was so disappointed with the sound coming from 4499 with sparkos ops that i didn’t even bother trying different power supplies. Returning it this week, and it’s not to speak down on Geshelli, awesome company and i love what they represent, but the j2 just wasn’t for me, i like some heft to my music and while the j2 presented the music impressively, it started to sound rather boring, quickly. To each his own i suppose.

Ordered mine last week.

What were the aspects which impressed you? I'm going to pair mine with a fairly chunky-sounding amp, so I'm not too worried about heft, more about clarity and staging.

 

[Scrufboy]

Anyone using a linear power supply (or any type of upgraded PS with the J2?

After reading up a bit. I found some had reviewed a few and ultimately settled on this one...

I have 2 and I think they work well.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtVtj9e

 

[quawn0418]

Ordered mine last week.

What were the aspects which impressed you? I'm going to pair mine with a fairly chunky-sounding amp, so I'm not too worried about heft, more about clarity and staging.

Clarity and staging are both very strong and again, impressive, but i also paired mine with a warm amp but i never was able to obtain that fullness feel, also i never really got the depth that people are talking about from the j2, my experience was that it sounded very clean, well staged, with some smoothness. But it came across too light for my taste, vocals were too smoothed over with little weight.

 

[Elegiac]

Clarity and staging are both very strong and again, impressive, but i also paired mine with a warm amp but i never was able to obtain that fullness feel, also i never really got the depth that people are talking about from the j2, my experience was that it sounded very clean, well staged, with some smoothness. But it came across too light for my taste, vocals were too smoothed over with little weight.

Soundstage depth is this mystical thing... I find it to be mostly dependent on the music. Then if the DAC/AMP can layer things up with a good amount of space and dynamic range and everything else... voila, depth. Provided it's in the recording.

Uhm. Well, hopefully between headphones and amp, I won't feel as you do, that the DAC sounds weak.

 

[quawn0418]

Soundstage depth is this mystical thing... I find it to be mostly dependent on the music. Then if the DAC/AMP can layer things up with a good amount of space and dynamic range and everything else... voila, depth. Provided it's in the recording.

Uhm. Well, hopefully between headphones and amp, I won't feel as you do, that the DAC sounds weak.

Yes, best of luck

 

[JerseyD]

After reading up a bit. I found some had reviewed a few and ultimately settled on this one...

I have 2 and I think they work well.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtVtj9e

Thank you! Never tried an outboard LPS before. With those dual outputs, is this model made to power two devices at once? And is that a US style AC plug inlet?