DAC/Amp Worthy of Separates? | JDS Labs Element III ICE Edition (MK2) Review

[@noturnleftunstoned72]

I have the Element 1 and like it a lot. No need to upgrade. JDS has one of the best customer support I've had contact with. Great review. BTW, the Lomo Saltado at Artesano Peruvian Cuisine in Lower Manhattan is the best I've ever tasted. Love Peruvian especially pork belly anticuchos!

[@scientificaudiophile]

Thanks for sharing

[@jimfarrell4635]

No Peruvian cuisine in my corner of Scotland, and, damn, now I really want some. Is it better than deep fried Haggis and chips?

[@stup1299]

@@jimfarrell4635 Haggis neeps and tatties with a pint of 80 shilling. Better than anything 🙂

[@williammollock4123]

This makes my Elysian Annihilators sing beautifully. For anyone wondering you can ask them to replace the HP connector with a 4.4mm. Also if you don't mind paying extra it looks extra slick with the clear knob.

[@stevezeidman7224]

Your wine recommendation is quite a mouthful. I’m a relatively new subscriber and you have me chuckling a few times. I enjoy your commentary. This seems like a nice device. I’m not a real headphone guy. I look at my multiple 2 channel systems and then my headphones and I wonder why would I want to use them. I realize I’m lucky to have a home that I can play the music with decent volume.

[@scientificaudiophile]

Isn’t being single the best!

[@stevezeidman7224]

@@scientificaudiophile Lol you’ve got me wrong. Wife loves the stuff. Goes to shows with me. Ain’t that the best!

[@rm-mastering]

Really good, thank you. I like the use of the extreme hifi grade usb cable for the printer... 😂

[@scottbennett3119]

Good review and fun!

[@nudebaboon4874]

I'm never changing from my RME ADI!

[@EleaticStranger]

Good review, TY. I might go for the "ICE" even though it's out of my price range. Also, love your coat. I love the burnt orange color.

[@scientificaudiophile]

Thanks for watching!

[@r2d3vadar92]

Dear Scientific Audiophile - great Review: I must ask, would you recommend this MKII for an external DAC to my 2.channel stereo system? Currently I am using the Dac inside the Marantz CD60 connected to amp. Would this improve anything over the DAC in the CD player that is outputted to my speakers? Thank you. Regards, The Greek olive oil guy.

[@scientificaudiophile]

No. There’s no remote. Save money and get the SMSL RAW.

[@r2d3vadar92]

@@scientificaudiophile Thank you kindly. Thank. you my friend.🤗

[@carsten8111]

New subscriber here; I've been binging your previous videos for the past few days. Great stuff! ...a few things: 1) When I purchased my Element III 'Ice' about a year ago, JDS was briefly (begrudgingly) offering the 4.4mm jack upon request, which is how I got mine. (Maybe they'll still do it if asked nicely or sufficiently bribed?) 2) Screw the USB cable; they need to provide a magnifying glass in the box. The default screen isn't too bad, but once you dive into the settings menus, geez is that brutal. 3) Paso Robles is far superior to Napa; fight me. Thanks for the great content, and looking forward to your future reviews!

[@scientificaudiophile]

Thanks for the comment.

[@iamamadman6542]

Great and honest review, as always, many thanks for that. Only one thing remains to be added: It's not a hobby! I'm not sure, but I think that sometimes a pinch of irony creeps into the reviews from time to time. Keep it serious!

[@scientificaudiophile]

Thanks for the info!

[@iamamadman6542]

@@scientificaudiophile You're welcome, I'm always happy to help!

[@proffessasvids]

I love the ai generated floor standers in the background. They have the 2dollar piezo tweeters installed lol xx

[@jimfarrell4635]

Shit, I thought they were real and couldn't figure out what the hell Chris was playing at having four in a row.

[@carlb86]

I've got the Element II, at the time the only ones offering a similar device was Schiit. Is it actually an uncommon use case to control volume from a single device while toggling between powered speakers and headphones? The gain is still manual on my Element II. It's been needed for my planars. Should I upgrade? Sounds like this thing has digital volume increments unlike the older II. I'm also using a Schiit Loki for EQ because knobs. Can the element do separate EQ between the two outputs? My speakers need no EQ, but my headphones do.

[@powertreadssupremacy]

What is the relation between this unit and the Element III reviewed on your forum in 2022?

[@scientificaudiophile]

I did not review the Element III (in 2022 or otherwise).

[@powertreadssupremacy]

@@scientificaudiophile "amirm Founder/Admin Staff Member CFO (Chief Fun Officer) Jan 31, 2022 This is a review and detailed measurements of the JDS Labs Element III stereo DAC and headphone amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $449. ... Conclusions The Element III brings delightful functionality, look and general performance. Other than running out of power, it doesn't have impairments that would be audible. So they met their goal of fixing performance at a level and focusing on other things. Personally I wish it had targeted even higher performance but I can't say that I can justify this in the face of priorities they set. I am going to recommend the JDS Labs Element III. It is a well thought of product with excellent customer support."

[@scientificaudiophile]

This is the MK2. They’ve stabilized the knob, which had a wobble to it. Other than that, everything is the same as the Element III.

[@powertreadssupremacy]

​@@scientificaudiophileMy apologies; I somehow condused you and Amir as the same person.

[@kellyknight4291]

OMG connected to laser printer! HAH! Hilarious! Thank you for your hard work getting these videos out!

[@PentaAudio]

you should review the hd6xx (or hd650 if you want better qc but for a higher price) EQed to harman 2018 (say, using oratory's EQ) and let us know what you think of it. I believe you are going to have your new pair of reference headphones

[@scientificaudiophile]

Sadly I don’t like the Harman target curve. Too much of a mid-bass cutout. Just tried the Sonos headphones and didn’t like them.

[@PentaAudio]

@@scientificaudiophile understandable

[@stanmyers5994]

Chris you are the man!

[@sagerahotep4779]

Would you recommend this unit for the arya stealth v3?

[@scientificaudiophile]

I have no history with Arya

[@D1N02]

you made me check my right speaker

[@scientificaudiophile]

Something odd in editing. Sorry.

[@jasonk5979]

Did your usb cable transform your printer. Faster printing? Cleaner print jobs. Pictures that look better?

[@scientificaudiophile]

All of the above!

[@proffessasvids]

Bish is such a beast xx

[@scientificaudiophile]

She is

[@JohnBurden]

Not sure for how long they'll be doing it, but I was able to order one of these with a 4.4mm input by emailing them after placing the order.

[@scientificaudiophile]

JDS Labs has got great customer service and support. Good tip.

[@paulwoaert]

When you say that you like a lot Element III because of its great clarity, what do you mean? Is it "clarity" in the sense of "analytical sound" as for example AKG headphones are? So less roundness, warmth? We could illustrate this distinction by contrasting for example the AKG 702 headphones to the Mezze 109 pro. I approach this point mainly by focusing on listening to the voice in videos (host voice or KZbinr voice like you for example). In my own audio experiences, when the sound of the voice is very clear and sharp, it is at the same time often to the detriment of seduction, of attraction: we gain in clarity what we lose in charm. This is a subject that often obsesses me. I have often asked myself this question: why bother looking for an analytical and ultra-transparent sound when the sound engineers of the big HI-FI studios in cinema or music have put all their energy into making the voice very timbre and very cinematic. The example of movie theaters is eloquent: the sound of actors' voices is on the contrary extremely and deliberately "timbre", often enveloped, or if you prefer : improved by the miracle and sophistication of the microphone (this phenomenon has existed since the very beginnings of radio). In the same way, when we listen to classical music recordings on luxurious audiophile equipment (via prestigious labels like EMI, Phillips, Decca, Columbia, Deutsche Grammophone, etc.), the sound is very rich and deliberately transformed (this aspect is even more evident on high-level turntables). It is the same thing when theater actors narrate great literary texts on the radio: the voices are very enveloped, soft, caressing, not at all flat or ultra-clear. So I ask myself the question of understanding why ultimately in the world of audio-tech what was very richly seductive becomes a handicap and even a demonstration of weakness of an amplifier? For sound detection reasons by those who mix or do mastering this is understandable, but for the others?

[@scientificaudiophile]

To me, clarity is a flat amplifier response through the hearing range, and doing so at volumes many amps can’t achieve or can only do so with distortion.

[@AliArghavan]

As an audiophile I expect you to use headphones to monitor the video before publishing it. Speech is mono from left-channel only.

[@scientificaudiophile]

Exactly

[@gusgusnft8231]

I hope you get to review the Schiit Kraken new amp!!!

[@scientificaudiophile]

So do I!

[@carminedesanto6746]

Greetings from lunchtime in Toronto 🥪☕️

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Fourth baby mama ❤️ HUGE knobs 😊

[@sidesup8286]

Bravo! No, not your review, just this morning before your video appeared, I did some mod work on my Bravo tube headphone amp/preamp. Your video was good too. But not perfect like this little gem now sounds. I listened to decent recordings for many hours and I cannot hear anything wrong with it. Has anyone upgraded from a Bravo Ocean to something else, that is reasonably priced and was a significant upgrade in sound quality? I want to explore beyond perfect. Diane Bish didn't stop at just perfect either. You meet a lot of guys at audio parlors whose sound is perfect, but what the hell, they're looking for an upgrade. It was a nice warm day when A homeless guy wandered into the parlor and took off his winter coat and parka.. There is always a new tag on his shirt. This day it said; 8 years and 121 days since Last Bath. He smelled bad. All the guys with perfect sound, seeing him and his tag, decided to leave. It was an easy decision for them. The audio store owner in a low voice disgusted, said to me " That guy that just walked in could have just cost me over a hundred grand, until they come back in again in a few days".

[@Cooky5600]

Perhaps something was wrong when I watched this, but his voice seems to only come from the left hand side.

[@scientificaudiophile]

Mostly, yes. An issue with post editing, when accidentally clicked on audio left side only just before publishing direct to KZbin.

[@jimfarrell4635]

I will stick with my Burson Conductor 3xp and my old modded Musical Fidelity X-can amp when I want a bit of retro goodness, but this looks like a great product, and I like the aesthetic. SA knocks out another great review, but I find the video and pic clips distracting and juvenile. They need to stop and I shall be writing a terse letter to the Times of London to that effect. More Helmholtz, fewer clips.

[@scientificaudiophile]

I wonder how much of the Element’s cost is due to being manufactured in the USA. Helmholtz is planning on making significant contributions to future videos.

[@Shadepariah]

Ah, yes, knobfeel, a specification as important as THD

[@scientificaudiophile]

You’d be surprised how much I touch my DAC.

[@nudebaboon4874]

Behind last

[@sloboat55]

Last

[@Ffoo_ffighter]

First

[@De132an]

Wondering if you plan on reviewing a Tekton speaker any time soon. I hear they are great upside down with feet screwed in. They also tend to measure perfectly if one wants it too. Ownership is said to be very tolerant of customer service questions. 🦧

[@scientificaudiophile]

I've sent Tekton a request to review every speaker they make. I'm certain they'll send me all of them by the end of the month.

[@De132an]

@@scientificaudiophile Thank you but word of warning, , rumor has it ownership can be a bit litigious . YMMV. 🥸

[@proffessasvids]

​@@scientificaudiophilelol waiting a 'how high' "son, get em!" Review on those tekton wastes of a tree xx

[@jimfarrell4635]

​@@proffessasvidsLawyers letter in the post, my friend. You won't be so witty when the bailiffs are impounding all your pets and garden ornaments..

[@iamamadman6542]

@@scientificaudiophile I'm really looking forward to that! I heard Tekton has a patent on mini downfire bass reflex array in the bottom of the speaker.