[thegen]

Thought I'd be getting the Schiit stack for a long time but, I accidentally came across some reviews of the JDS Labs EL DAC and EL AMP. The looks of those things stacked together... oh my.. I just love that.

Anyway, they are not exactly in the same price range but could the EL stack be better? Will be using them with LCD-2C's.

If I'd go with the JDS stuff, I might get the EL AMP first and later on the DAC. But in the meanwhile, could I feed the amp from my onboard soundcard? 1/8 inch jack, you know the one with the green circle around it? I'd need 1/8 - RCA of course. But would this work?

 

[NoisyNeighbour]

To connect the El Amp to your PC you need a 3.5mm(1/8) to RCA cable and you connect the green jack output on your PC to the "IN" RCAs of the El amp.
If you want/need a DAC too and like the looks of the JDS EL line check out the Element. The original or the newer revision, Element II, which is basically the El amp (II) and El dac (II) in one.
I just got the Element 2 and also I have the LCD-2C. Had the OG Element for a while, but didn't keep it because it had only line out, so I couldn't control my desk active speakers, but it powered the 2C effortlessly.

 

[Joe Garfield]

It looks like JDS doesn’t say much about the topology of that amp. I have an O2 and a Magni 3, and the Magni 3 (to my ears) is much better - it has more power and I think the fully discrete channels (no op-amps) helps keep the sound spacious and wide. You can get a Magni 3 amp on clearance for $59 right now. It’s such a good deal I almost want to buy another.

That being said I decided not to keep the Modi DAC. It’s not discrete and it sounded a bit closed in to me compared to some other DACs but not a JDS - sorry I have no experience with JDS DACs yet. I did get the Schiit Modi Multibit and it’s incredible. So for $59 + $250 you can have fully discrete DAC and Amp, with almost double the power of El Amp.

JDS products and service are quality - I’m not trying to say anything negative about them. But I’m picky and after trying a bunch of stuff am very happy with my Schiit equipment.