[legion1capone]

You should try the Liquid spark for your LCD2's. I think it would pair well, and for the same price $99.

I'm also really liking that track. Could you PM me a few more to enjoy?

An I'm happy to say the quantity of output in dBs is more than sufficent with the Atom even on Low Gain for the LCD 2, but again I feel that the overall power is lacking.

So tonight I'm exploring more subjective comparisons featuring all of my portable Solid State amps both the balanced and un balanced ones!

Starting with the PB2

Right off the bat, volume matched of course the issue I find with the Atom & LCD 2 Pre Fazor is authority and resolve in the lows, been playing this track a lot lately

With the Atom it's loud, but there's a lack of authority, when she lowers her voice the Atom doesn't convey the slight weight of her chest, the same when the piano comes in. There's a nice punch but no sense of weight or authority and that Piano has SUCH a heavy register!!! Very percussive and very deep, took me by surprise when I re-listened to this album the other night

Now switching over to the PB2, now I have sense of weight and authority. An it's most noticeable for me on the release of those heavy piano key notes, as those note's fade to silence you can still feel their weight. Gradually lessening but with sufficient power always present on the LCD 2 PreFazor. That's it's "magic" or appeal, that authority and bottomless low end resolve.

On the Atom that low end simply isn't resolved at the level I expect, there's just not sufficient power for the driver to be able to reproduce those transients at such low levels. Thus the one thing the LCD 2 does better than my HD 800 is missing, so I've no reason to listen to it on the Atom.

But again, for $99 I'm not by any means complaining. An it's not entirely fair to compare the Atom to my PB2 which has been modded quite specifically around my LCD 2! I believe it does 2.5W max with a 32+- Voltage Swing [if I'm stating that right] and to further improve if that big black thing is a battery pack that outputs a constant 16V with no sag [via what I think is an active conditioner built into the plug], plus 4 LME 49900 Op Amps alongside high Current Buffers [don't have the specs at the moment but can get them]

Again, yes the Atom get's loud but no it's not powerful enough for something like the LCD 2. An I doubt it'll be powerful enough for something like an HE 560. But thankfully there are plenty of amazing planars like the HE 4XX and LCD 2C/F that don't need high powered amps like the PB2. An as I stated earlier it's even more powerful than some balanced Desktop Amps!

I only really make that cast/point again'st the Atom to keep my impressions and review of it grounded. I give it a lot of praise, and a lot of praise is deserved. An even it's faults are really non issues in the grand scheme of things.​

 

[volly]

I had something similar with my T50rp mod and my Darkvoice, now I know you just shouldn't use this combo but I wanted to experiment. Anyway, the Darkvoice could not get the T50's to go down low hard enough. You could hear the poor thing struggle but when I fed it through my Asgard 2 or Jot, the T50's low end immediately returned.

I think it's great that you to pointed this out, especially for new-comers who might pick up the Atom and wants to pair it with a thirsty planar and not be satisfied. Good job!

 

[Makiah S]

You should try the Liquid spark for your LCD2's. I think it would pair well, and for the same price $99.

I'm also really liking that track. Could you PM me a few more to enjoy?

Your likely right! I need to get around to comparing the Magni 3 and Liquid Spark honestly

 

[legion1capone]

I'm no expert and am still figuring all this out lol. It's not that I think the magni 3 sounds bad, I haven't heard it. I do own the magni 2u though. It has enough watts when it comes to driving planar magnetics but I think the reason why the Spark really brings my Classics to life is the power supply and the volts it supplies to the rails. I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me can chime in and please correct me if im wrong.

Your likely right! I need to get around to comparing the Magni 3 and Liquid Spark honestly

 

[ngs428]

From what I have read, this amp is better than the Magni 3. If I go the JDS route with the atom amp is it best to get the OL DAC or the Modi 3? I was planning to get the Magni 3/Modi 3 until I saw this amp review for the Atom.

I am powering a couple cans, HE4XX and X2. X2 are easy to drive.

Any thoughts would be great!

 

[Makiah S]

From what I understand I believe the magni 3 is current gain versus voltage

It also has twice the power output at 2watts, whereas the atom is voltage gain and only one watt

So if you have hard to drive Legacy planers such as the HE 4 HE 560 some of the preface or LCD2s

Then you will likely find that the added power and current gain of the magni will do a better job with those headphones

And while doing subjective listening I did find that the atom struggled with powering some of those Legacy Planer magnetics to their absolute best

I don't feel that the he4xx is going to benefit from the added gain but not having heard it I couldn't say

Now what I will say is that Dynamic headphones for the most part may not benefit from the current gain stage as much, so if you've got Dynamics in a fairly reasonable planner to drive like the he4xx than the cleaner output of the atom may be the way to go

Hopefully in the future I'll get my hands on a magni so I can do a head-to-head comparison

And of course the final Contender the liquid Spark

It's gain stage is going to determine its worthiness in my eyes, if it is current gain based has a higher output than the magni than it's worth wile but if it is voltage gain based and has a higher output thab the atom then it may fall under a special case recommendation

By the way I would definitely want to hear both to compare them against the Atom before I could give you a definitive answer on which amp is the best for headphones that need the additional power and the higher current output

But again ideally the amp with the lowest Distortion that has the power output that you need is going to be the best, and with the headphones you listed it does sound like the atom meets that description

 

[ngs428]

From what I understand I believe the magni 3 is current gain versus voltage

It also has twice the power output at 2watts, whereas the atom is voltage gain and only one watt

So if you have hard to drive Legacy planers such as the HE 4 HE 560 some of the preface or LCD2s

Then you will likely find that the added power and current gain of the magni will do a better job with those headphones

And while doing subjective listening I did find that the atom struggled with powering some of those Legacy Planer magnetics to their absolute best

I don't feel that the he4xx is going to benefit from the added gain but not having heard it I couldn't say

Now what I will say is that Dynamic headphones for the most part may not benefit from the current gain stage as much, so if you've got Dynamics in a fairly reasonable planner to drive like the he4xx than the cleaner output of the atom may be the way to go

Hopefully in the future I'll get my hands on a magni so I can do a head-to-head comparison

And of course the final Contender the liquid Spark

It's gain stage is going to determine its worthiness in my eyes, if it is current gain based has a higher output than the magni than it's worth wile but if it is voltage gain based and has a higher output thab the atom then it may fall under a special case recommendation

By the way I would definitely want to hear both to compare them against the Atom before I could give you a definitive answer on which amp is the best for headphones that need the additional power and the higher current output

But again ideally the amp with the lowest Distortion that has the power output that you need is going to be the best, and with the headphones you listed it does sound like the atom meets that description

Thanks for the reply. Have you used the OL DAC or the Modi 3? If I go the Atom route, not sure what is a better choice.

 

[Makiah S]

At this time I only have the El DAC

I would like to do a review of the amps First Once I have that completed in the have those products either sold or sent back to their respective owners I would then potentially look at doing something around the Dacs

The big question right now is whether or not JDS Labs will release a update to their ol DAC as well like they did their O2 amp

 

[ngs428]

At this time I only have the El DAC

I would like to do a review of the amps First Once I have that completed in the have those products either sold or sent back to their respective owners I would then potentially look at doing something around the Dacs

The big question right now is whether or not JDS Labs will release a update to their ol DAC as well like they did their O2 amp

I would assume so, but no better time than now with the holidays. I would be very interested if they did.

Edit: I see the OL DAC maxes out at 24/96 over usb. That won’t work for me...

 

[snip3r77]

Any impression ?

 

[Makiah S]

There this! The latest video on my channel also has some impressions for it with a different dac



Jump to 24:30 I believe and I mention the Atom towards the end

 

[ckhirnigs113]

@Mshenay You may be able to answer this very specific question I have since you’ve reviewed several of the products I’m trying to decide between. I’m needing a preamp to lower the signal going to my Emotiva A-100 amp so I can have more useable volume control. I’ve been looking at passive preamps like the OL Switcher and Schiit Sys. I have a OL DAC already, so the JDS option seems like a no brainer as far as aesthetics go.

I have been reading about the new Atom from JDS, and it seems like a great little amp which also has a preamp feature as well. I don’t really need the amp (already have the Emotiva and an iFi iCan SE), but I’m wondering if the preamp section would be superior in the Atom vs the OL Switcher or any other cheap passive preamp. I don’t know enough about preamps to gauge what type of preamp is in the Atom (active or passive). My main use will be attenuating the signal from my OL DAC, so the input switching advantage of the OL Switcher is moot to me.

I appreciate any advice you or anyone else might have!

 

[bequietjk]

@Mshenay You may be able to answer this very specific question I have since you’ve reviewed several of the products I’m trying to decide between. I’m needing a preamp to lower the signal going to my Emotiva A-100 amp so I can have more useable volume control. I’ve been looking at passive preamps like the OL Switcher and Schiit Sys. I have a OL DAC already, so the JDS option seems like a no brainer as far as aesthetics go.

I have been reading about the new Atom from JDS, and it seems like a great little amp which also has a preamp feature as well. I don’t really need the amp (already have then Emotiva and an iFi iCan SE), but I’m wondering if the preamp section would be superior in the Atom vs the OL Switcher or any other cheap passive preamp. I don’t know enough about preamps to gauge what type of preamp is in the Atom (active or passive). My main use will be attenuating the signal from my OL DAC, so the input switching advantage of the OL Switcher is moot to me.

I appreciate any advice you or anyone else might have!

+1

*reaches into non-existent bag of popcorn*

 

[Makiah S]

@Mshenay You may be able to answer this very specific question I have since you’ve reviewed several of the products I’m trying to decide between. I’m needing a preamp to lower the signal going to my Emotiva A-100 amp so I can have more useable volume control. I’ve been looking at passive preamps like the OL Switcher and Schiit Sys. I have a OL DAC already, so the JDS option seems like a no brainer as far as aesthetics go.

I have been reading about the new Atom from JDS, and it seems like a great little amp which also has a preamp feature as well. I don’t really need the amp (already have the Emotiva and an iFi iCan SE), but I’m wondering if the preamp section would be superior in the Atom vs the OL Switcher or any other cheap passive preamp. I don’t know enough about preamps to gauge what type of preamp is in the Atom (active or passive). My main use will be attenuating the signal from my OL DAC, so the input switching advantage of the OL Switcher is moot to me.

I appreciate any advice you or anyone else might have!

Pre-Amp section should be equal to the OL Switcher as it's just running the LINE IN through the Potentiometer and out of the LINE out. I actually Daisy Chain my Atom into my OL Switcher As I've got a few DACs feeding into my Active Monitors atm

The only difference is you do need the ATOM Plugged in and powered on to use it's pre Amp function, where as the OL Switcher works without any power

 

[ckhirnigs113]

@Mshenay Thanks for the info! I have since come to realize a preamp may not fully solve my issues. The noise floor of the amp will not be improved by using a preamp, which is likely obvious to most people here, but it took me a good while to wrap my head around that fact. John Seaber of JDS labs spelled it out for me very patiently in an email exchange, for which I'm very thankful. A preamp will give me more usable range on the volume pot, but will not get rid of the hiss inherent in the amp. I am looking into an attenuator to plug into the headphone out to solve both problems. The iFi iEMatch isn't up to the task according to iFi because of the huge amount of power put out by the A100. I'm inquiring now about the Garage1217 -20dB attenuator to see if it's up to the challenge.

So as not to be completely off-topic, I am still really looking forward to hearing more impressions of the Atom amp. I am especially interested in comparisons to the other $99 options like the Magni 3 and Liquid Spark. Lots of great choices for under $100 these days. It's really amazing the performance you can get now for so little money!