[hifi400]

Hi, today I receive my jds labs atom DAC + AMP and after a lot of back and forth between the jds labs atom stack and my dragonfly red with audirvana (tidal) I found that the dragonfly red is the clear winner. The soundstage of the dragonfly red is way better and the amount of detail too. Personnally, I think that the jds labs atom stack look like a downgrade compare to the dragonfly red. It sound way more congested than the dragonfly red.

For specs the dragonfly red have a ESS 9016 and the jds labs atom DAV have the AK4490EQ DAC.

So do you think that I made a downgrade from your personal experience with these DAC ?

Headphone that I use : he400s

Excuse me for the mistake in the text i'm french

Update 1 : After some additional back and forth I think that the dragonfly red have a warm coloration with more presence in the bass than the jds labs atom DAC who seem to be more neutral and transparent without any artificial deep soundstage.

 

[jnak00]

I think you answered your own question. If it sounds better to you, why worry about what everyone else might think?

 

[penguinofsleep2]

^ yep. Don't worry about what other people think - we don't have you ears. Even if some traits from an objective standpoint may technically be better or "more true" such as "enough power" or "low enough Z out" - do what makes you enjoy your music.