FLTWS
Headphoneus Supremus
Just my opinion and I have both JOT1 and JOT2. Both have very solid bass, the presence region (midrange) is very strong, forward, by comparison with Valhalla 2 (depending on tubes use) and I have one of those too. The highs are crisp. I listen mostly to symphonic music and a relaxed midrange is more to my liking and produces a better sound stage with more depth to it, to my ears, with symphonic music.
Balanced versus SE? I've been running amps with both since 2016. Balanced outputs typically deliver twice the power of SE inputs and will sound louder at comparable settings of the volume control and louder always sounds better (one of those audio axioms - people invariably think it sounds better if its louder - just like they will choose a TV screen with boosted colors because they pop!). Unless the volumes are exactly matched (by at least a sound level meter) folks usually pick louder as better. Matching the levels precisely is the acid test. The only thing I come away with using balanced is perhaps slightly better separation which can effect imaging and sound staging in a positive way. Some think balanced makes for better bass as well, I thought so when I started using balanced gear, not so sure about that now. If you are running long cables between your amp and source / DAC, balanced is desirable for the extra power. I think noise rejection improves with balanced but only becomes important for long runs like one typically finds in professional applications, like making recordings. Over a 1 or 2 meter cable it probably makes no difference unless you live in an RFI rich environment as I did years ago, then the local naval air base closed and the almost subliminal background hash I would get from time to time depending on winds and landing patterns went away. I do like balanced for the fat, substantial barrels on the connectors, never had one come loose, but there are RCA connectors that are just as good at staying put but may cost a little more. In the end no matter which way you go, the end sound can only be as good as the recorded quality of the source material, balanced can't fix a problem with that.
Thanks to Yggdrasil's multiple SE and one balanced output, all of which are live all the time, I've run amps I have like the JOT's with both SE and balanced inputs connected to switch back and forth after allowing for balancing the volume levels. I'm not an electrical engineer, nor do I play one on TV, so this is just from my experience as an audiophile.
Balanced versus SE? I've been running amps with both since 2016. Balanced outputs typically deliver twice the power of SE inputs and will sound louder at comparable settings of the volume control and louder always sounds better (one of those audio axioms - people invariably think it sounds better if its louder - just like they will choose a TV screen with boosted colors because they pop!). Unless the volumes are exactly matched (by at least a sound level meter) folks usually pick louder as better. Matching the levels precisely is the acid test. The only thing I come away with using balanced is perhaps slightly better separation which can effect imaging and sound staging in a positive way. Some think balanced makes for better bass as well, I thought so when I started using balanced gear, not so sure about that now. If you are running long cables between your amp and source / DAC, balanced is desirable for the extra power. I think noise rejection improves with balanced but only becomes important for long runs like one typically finds in professional applications, like making recordings. Over a 1 or 2 meter cable it probably makes no difference unless you live in an RFI rich environment as I did years ago, then the local naval air base closed and the almost subliminal background hash I would get from time to time depending on winds and landing patterns went away. I do like balanced for the fat, substantial barrels on the connectors, never had one come loose, but there are RCA connectors that are just as good at staying put but may cost a little more. In the end no matter which way you go, the end sound can only be as good as the recorded quality of the source material, balanced can't fix a problem with that.
Thanks to Yggdrasil's multiple SE and one balanced output, all of which are live all the time, I've run amps I have like the JOT's with both SE and balanced inputs connected to switch back and forth after allowing for balancing the volume levels. I'm not an electrical engineer, nor do I play one on TV, so this is just from my experience as an audiophile.
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