[megabigeye]

Not sure how useful this is since their specs seem a bit less sensitive than the Westones, but my Moondrop Starfields had zero audible noise at any volume level with Atom + SDAC. I was actually kind of shocked because even the Audioquest Dragonfly brings in some noise, Atom has been dead quiet with anything I throw at it.

Awesome, thanks! I did some reading around a bit and learned that the 0dB gain means 2V in = 2V out with the volume knob at max. Which, duh. I should've realized that myself. The DragonFly Red is 2.1V at max, which was perfect for my Westones. And the Atom's performance should be good enough that I won't notice it on my IEMs.

Thanks again!

 

[Vercingetirex]

I have been using the Atom Amp for 2 years and paired it with a Topping D50s dac last year and see little reason for me to ever buy anything more expensive. It's clean, no distortion at all. I can run all my headphones on low gain without ever going past 3 o'clock, and this stack is nice and compact. The sound is about as linear and neutral as it can get.

For $350 total, I am happy throwing any headphone at this setup and am assured it will run fine.

https://imgur.com/VdTqSoy

 

[Diable]

Reading through the review again the headphones that are used are never explicitly stated. He said they can power an LCD-MX4 so maybe that's why he's calling it warm. I don't want to nitpick but but the review also states, "There's nothing that's quite like the Atom in terms of price and especially price / performance". Guess he's never heard of a magni or the liquid spark...

Or he holds the Atom above the two. Neither is as transparent or neutral as the Atom or as distortion free.

 

[SoundDouble]

I have to say. It's been a year now since I got the atom amp. I've changed headphones, iems, speakers, power amps, dongle dacs, ... but I have not replaced this little guy. Still happy with the purchase.

I do wish the jdslabs dac had coax input along with the usb. I would snatch it up for a matching stack.

 

[Lolito]

I got my JDS Labs Atom a year ago now. Very happy with it. I replaced the knob first thing. Sounds really really good I think. Sounds like it's not there almost. I miss a larger knob, I miss XLR outputs for my new subwoofer that takes XLR. I miss a switch to select output if you ask me, and a metal casing, maybe a linear psu... To be honest I just miss the XLR connection, a larger knob, and metal look instead of plastic. Other than that, sounds great, looking to purchase other headphones, got another dac, and will have to get another more expensive amp unfortunately, but very happy with this one really.

 

[holsen]

I got my JDS Labs Atom a year ago now. Very happy with it. I replaced the knob first thing. Sounds really really good I think. Sounds like it's not there almost. I miss a larger knob, I miss XLR outputs for my new subwoofer that takes XLR. I miss a switch to select output if you ask me, and a metal casing, maybe a linear psu... To be honest I just miss the XLR connection, a larger knob, and metal look instead of plastic. Other than that, sounds great, looking to purchase other headphones, got another dac, and will have to get another more expensive amp unfortunately, but very happy with this one really.

I've got the Atom as well. had it for more than a year and with this work from home..... has been been a really good friend. I feed it with a Topping D50s and the combo is marvelous. It's a stunning HP amp for $100 or even much higher.

What knob did you put on it? and where did you get it?

 

[Vercingetirex]

I've got the Atom as well. had it for more than a year and with this work from home..... has been been a really good friend. I feed it with a Topping D50s and the combo is marvelous. It's a stunning HP amp for $100 or even much higher.

What knob did you put on it? and where did you get it?

This is what I used, black version.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FVLVB55/

 

[SolaVirtus]

This is what I used, black version.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FVLVB55/

That's the same one I got. I like it for the better ease of use, but it does change the look of the unit - sticks out a little more and is a smaller diameter than stock knob. The light is more apparent with this one.

 

[Lolito]

same knob at aliexpress is less than 5$ shipped, for one of them.

 

[cel4145]

same knob at aliexpress is less than 5$ shipped, for one of them.

FYI: if you order it right now during Chinese new year, it'll take two to three weeks longer than normal to get it.

 

[Lolito]

FYI: if you order it right now during Chinese new year, it'll take two to three weeks longer than normal to get it.

in your dreams maybe, it will take 3 months total to get to your door. minimum.

 

[Spareribs]

I agree. The Atom is a great amp and really all you need in life assuming that it matches with your headphone and usually it will.

As an option, you could go down the rabbit hole of tube amps. I love tubes very passionately but I admit, its not totally necessary and the simple Atom amp is perfectly fine for most music lovers.

 

[warbles]

I'd like to broach (breach?) a matter concerning Atom amp that thus far i have not seen mentioned anywhere. Has anyone else experienced this? When a passage in whatever music greatly increases in volume, or starts loudly and suddenly, the amp just basically explodes? That is to say, the sound just turns to 'static' so vicious and violent you swear your earphones must be destroyed? You have to kill the music FAST, for it is extreeemely unpleasant.

I exchanged with JDS (John) about this a year or so back and he told me to return the unit for testing. This i did and he ran it for days and nothing. Now i have two units (one 'B' stock he was kind enough to send) but they both still do it

I then discovered my main DAC can do the same thing, when used alone. I have eliminated all possibility that this could bs a problem elsewhere in the audio chain. It *definitely* happens inside the amp.


Yes i love to listen very loud. JDS assures me they have heard of this problem from nobody else.


Nobody else!


Today i am finally getting round to asking Head-Fiers.

 

[eldus]

Could it be a power outlet issue?

 

[warbles]

Could it be a power outlet issue?

I don"t really know what rhat means. Power outlet as in electriicity ourlet on house wall? Cam you explain this "issue"?