JDS AMP Roundup! EL 2 VS Atom VS Element 2

In this video I compare the 3 main JDS Labs setups! The EL amp 2, EL dac 2, Atom amp/dac stack, and Element 2 combo unit.
These Amps Can be found at: jdslabs.com/
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L30: amzn.to/2QGEEIL
A90: amzn.to/3ju4lIU
LD MK2 (tube amp!): amzn.to/3jwwG19
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I'm not being paid or compensated to say anything in this video. Everything said in this video is my own personal honest opinion.

[@neby_nebs]

One great point a lot of people miss about the Atom: If you have a GSX 1000 but need more power u can plug the atom into it as an amp via the 3.5mm in. Now u get more power and can keep things like chat mix

[@Fearinator]

So glad to get the comparison of all 3!!

[@nickb365]

Im sorry to ask this after you explained everything in the video, but in simple terms (for my small brain), is there a noticeable difference in sound between the atom stack and element line?

[@isaac-shapiro]

MAKE THE VIDEO ON THE SOUND PANELS BEHIND YOU.

[@housepianist]

I’m rocking JDS Labs O2 headphone amp and OL DAC stack with my Grado Hemp headphones. I’m good!

[@bubu8339]

I'm using same but with Grado SR325X Headphones love it.

[@mrNLRay]

Shame the atom stack doesn't have a mic in. I use the Sennheiser GSX1000 with the Atom Amp.

[@RayCabrera1]

Will you be reviewing the JDS Element lll Mk2 Boosted with the 2.6watts ?

[@frantisekfurstenceller9453]

I have the original element (ver.1),, couldn't be happier with it,, love it,,,drives all my headphones with ease,,

[@patrikmedia]

not sure if im the only one but as for top view, id much prefer if you would rotate those clips by 180 deg, feels like watching it upside down. watching with my phone turned around was much more pleasing and doesnt hurt my brain lol great vid tho! i got the Element II on release, super recommended.

[@lczp]

You can't upload new videos without answering our existential questions on that TT post DMS Great vid BTW

[@packgrog]

Excellent, detailed, informative, coherent review. Thank you.

[@Scrofitto]

Hey DMS, have you ever heard about E1DA? I would like to hear what you think about those products. They are cheap and seem to be highly praised.

[@Mistermoeshmoe]

Got the Element II for $250 and I just got it in the mail today; I'm loving it!

[@EverythingisFire]

Ouu. Used?

[@Mistermoeshmoe]

@@EverythingisFire Yeah, bought it on AVExchange on reddit

[@EverythingisFire]

@@Mistermoeshmoe I'll look into that. I was going to wait for any potential Black Friday deals but I'm not opposed to going used. Especially for that price you paid.

[@smilelines211]

DMS I always love your reviews. So much detail and I find my preferences align with yours. ALSO, those rca cables are so nice! where do you find them? EDIT: I'm a dummy and didn't just look in the info. I see you posted it already. I should have known you would. Keep up the great content! I love it.

[@steviesteve750]

It appears that the el amp is better than the el DAC, the beauty of the element is you could add a better DAC into the system, or use it solo as it's small and portable. Of course you could just but an el amp and another make of DAC, but sometimes you just want to take one box with you.

[@Farazao]

Nice comparison! I'm with a L30 here and I find its timbre a bit odd, a bit dry with the decay, so I'm sticking with thx so far. I wonder if the a90 has the same timbre characteristics. I'd really appreciate if you addressed this on one of the next videos.

[@jaredpmoser]

I am torn on Schiit and JDS Toping increases the price slightly. Looking for something in the range of 200 dollars

[@tombai6058]

I like these RCA lines ! Where did you buy it?

[@nickthaskater]

Sounds like there is a refrigerator or fan running in the background throughout the "studio" portion of the video. You might need one of those sweet power conditioning PCI express cards like Linus just showed, ha. Hopefully one day I can get an El 2 stack, but until then, I'll survive with my O2 amp + ODAC combo unit.

[@DMS3TV]

It’s an air conditioner. Film lights make the room really hot.

[@nickthaskater]

@@DMS3TV Makes sense! Stay cool and take care :)

[@21972069450471]

WOW! What a review!

[@clownd2]

I can hear the hum of the jds plug lol

[@Princeton_James]

So really the difference between the El Stack ii vs Element ii is versatility right? More inputs? Power and sound is the same?

[@sleepyrhythms6668]

I hope one day you have a chance to try the Elex through the Feliks Echo. One of my favorite position pairings.

[@cernus2279]

Do you have the Echo MkII?

[@sleepyrhythms6668]

@@cernus2279 no but it is the same price as the original on upscale audio

[@cernus2279]

@@sleepyrhythms6668 Super. Thanks!

[@johnsoriano3812]

very nice comparison

[@bill3117]

Would Element 2 Drive a Audeze LCD-2 classic?

[@Dan-vv5kl]

Yes, even the Atom could.

[@scottpater]

Loved the review. Would these power desktop/bookshelf speakers as well, or would the speackers need to be powered?

[@goftm4058]

Headphone amps are too weak for speakers. Atom Amp can be used as a preamp

[@larrisAWSOME]

I just picked up a pair of AKG K553 Mark IIs for a hundred and at 32 ohms I don't need an amp to really run them but was wondering if I should get one anyways?

[@OmarTheAtheistAziz]

can you cover something like Dayton Audio DTA-PRO? or something similar, but prettier. its got different sets of io ports than the typical RCA & USB ports you tend to cover

[@jonathanluttrell1380]

I currently have 58x/Hd280Pros running on a Soundblaster Z. I am planning to buy Sundara soon. Do you like the Sundara on the Atom stack? Your review on the e30/l30 turn me away from them. I would prefer US made over the topping as well.

[@Zalionn]

I just received my Argons and was looking for something to power them. Was thinking the Element II or Asgard, suggestions? Or will a schiit Magni 3+ be enough?

[@cdfarala4723]

L/E30 stack review too please!

[@michaelswitzer3186]

Are there a couple of budget amps/dacs that you would recommend to use with the Hifiman Ananda?

[@megalo-dono4339]

Can anyone or perhaps even DMS speak to the Element II being a dramatic upgrade to the Element I or not? I own the Element I and I'm wondering if the upgrade in sound is worth it or if the two are so similar that it really isn't worth 400...Thank you!

[@jaredpmoser]

Why not the Schiit Hel?

[@Ankah]

Thanks for the vid ! Im planning to use my DT1990 with atom amp+dac stack, is that a good pick and enough power ? (They are 250 ohm headphones), if DMS or any other fella who knows could answer that'd be appreciated, cya next time boiiis

[@cruzingrsx4484]

Hello, Great video. Hopping you can help? Im in the market for a headphone amp. the options seam limitless. The headphone’s I have are HiFiman he4XX, Sennheiser hd 6XX & 580, I read that I needed at least 5 watts is that amount correct in your opinion sir? I don’t listen very loud mostly EDM, R&B and Jazz I would sincerely appreciate any advice you may share. Peace

[@ГеоргиХристов-м8б]

Hello. Im new audiophilic techs and stuff . So my question is : Can i stack El Amp II + SUBJECTIVE3 (Preamp) ? i asume because of the stats of both devices are good .. it must sound better , louder . And i hope ill be able to adjust the sound of steps in FPS games, to sound crispy and louder . is that possible ?

[@TimmyK916]

Wish they would have put those buttons somewhere you could actually see them...

[@bakakafka4428]

Does JDS Labs have a power supply for the stack? Like one supply, two connectors?

[@al-fred520]

No, since there is a voltage difference between the amp and dac (atom stack) you need two separate power supplies.

[@bigjt37]

I'm still waiting on the Heliosdyne headphone. Good review tho bruh..

[@joshe2420]

maybe do a review of the jazz r7.8?

[@johnsoriano3812]

Hey Doug! I replied to your email regarding the Topping D90/A90 Stack you plan on reviewing. Do email us back. Thanks!

[@shockafter7]

Stupid question... so if I ever decide to get the stack, what can/could I use the coaxial for? I use a USB usually, and even my DAC/Amp has a coaxial but I never really understood what I could use it for. I assume external speakers? My computer speakers are just Logitech speaker/subwoofer combo which has its own dedicated knob on the speaker. So I’m really stupid when it comes to audio despite loving it lol 😂 as well what does he mean by “balanced” amps and what makes one not balanced?

[@dannybos7024]

Just use USB for ease of use; it's for input. A balanced amp usually has a balanced 2.5mm or 4.4mm pentagon output, which allows the amp to deliver more power to certain headphones that can be run balanced (for example; HD660S, Sundara)

[@shockafter7]

@@dannybos7024 thanks dude

[@dannybos7024]

@@shockafter7 No problem.

[@benitoguison]

Are "transportable" dac/amp devices like the ifi idsd signature or micro black label better than any of these jds lab offerings?

[@dannybos7024]

Depends on what you look for.

[@benitoguison]

@@dannybos7024 curious about 100-200 desktop amp/dac performance vs the "transportable" amp/dac performance of ifi offerings like idsd signature/micro black label/idsd diablo. Price-wise those "transportable" options are really really expensive compared to these 100-200 desktop options

[@dannybos7024]

@@benitoguison I mean what did you expect? It's pretty hard to cramp that amount of power in a device not much bigger than an average iPhone. And some people really need and want those amounts of power and are willing to pay for it, it's not rocket science.

[@benitoguison]

@@dannybos7024 basically I was wondering if the sound quality coming off those high priced portables is just as good from a 100-200 desktop amp/dac combo. I know there's a premium on portability but are they still better than these sub 200usd desktop amp dacs? Or is it just the portability that justifies their existence?

[@dannybos7024]

@@benitoguison Some are better, some aren't. Depends on the unit. The portability does justify their existence.

[@SenorToucan]

what interconnects are those?

[@jeremyneal9746]

Stackedcable.co he mentions it at the end of the video

[@ruusta8042]

9:54

[@DJR5280]

Does anyone know if I can pair the Chord Mojo to the Atom amp and if so how can I do that ?

[@SarusukeTakatsuki]

You could do it by going in Line mode i think, but the mojo is superior to the Atom AMP, it is actually the equivalent of the element

[@CraciunAlexandruGh]

Would love to see jds products in Europe. Order online and you almost pay double for Atom. (99 + 45 shipping + 5 custom tax + 20 VAT). Can't wait on the Atom vs L30.....

[@athmaid]

Any alternatives in Europe that can drive DT880 600 Ohm?

[@jari121]

@@athmaid Beyerdynamic A20

[@athmaid]

@@jari121 thanks! Beyer is cheaper than in the US here in Germany anyway

[@eetu2532]

@@athmaid Topping L30. Should be able to drive them to ~111dB (w/ E30, even higher with a 3V DAC). A lot cleaner AND cheaper than the A20.

[@athmaid]

@@eetu2532 yeah I just saw the prices for the A20. A little high. I was actually thinking about the E30 but wasn't sure if it's enough, so thanks for the info! SP200 would be nice as well I think?

[@TheProgrn]

Dozens of watts for the Argons? If I listen to the Argons on my Jot at noon it’s so loud it hurts. I can’t imagine needing a speaker amp.

[@jeffreymakuch2493]

I'm pretty sure most of the popular headphone reviewers are ruining their hearing by listening too loud and will have much more than normal hearing loss by their mid-late 30s.

[@DMS3TV]

Amps with that overhead doesn’t mean blasting to the amps max potential. Amps with higher overhead and more current tend to make it sound a lot better. That doesn’t mean higher volumes are needed.

[@kbeau937]

Volume doesn't mean they are driven properly

[@TheProgrn]

DMS why are the Argons so hard to drive? Is this some all T50RP mods have in common?

[@RayanAbedin]

There's a new Element III 👀

[@DMS3TV]

Just got it in the mail today 😄

[@piwieds]

Nice video but background noise from the ac or some fan running in the background

[@DMS3TV]

Not descriptive at all

[@AresWasTaken]

DMS I think there’s a faint ringing in the background

[@DMS3TV]

Ares probably the cooling system. Room gets hot with all those lights. Once the weather cools down I won’t need to use it.

[@AresWasTaken]

DMS yeah makes sense, probably some coil whine from a fan or something.

[@piwieds]

@@DMS3TV sorry it is that ringing in the background i think wat ares says is right still nice video thanks for making it i have a element 2 and it sounds nice

[@shanksisnoteventhatstrongbruh]

Damn, no optical or Coaxial inputs in a $400 amp/dac unit? that is a big no from me, how else do they expect people to connect devices that use that interface? through converters and adapters? i really wish DMS would review the FiiO K5 PRO for $150 which seems to have any conector you may need, i haven't pulled the plug and buy it yet because it is a big commitment to pay 1 month of my yearly salary for a device non of my favorite audio reviewers have talked about. $150 is too much when you get paid $2.60/hr :/

[@Zerosixious]

I really love the Element II as far as sound and footprint goes... I miss optical/Coax in though, it is a bummer...

[@damau5687]

What's the outro music? Someone tell me pls🙏

[@pointlesspotential9376]

"Siren Screen" by Ooyy

[@damau5687]

@@pointlesspotential9376 Thank you!

[@romarioadriansmall1344]

Linus tech tips send me

[@sebastianibanez7219]

cuphead ost tier list....

[@kurt120032002]

V281 second hand for around $800 will cover anyone needs for headphone amp.

[@pumpe19]

Yes, but no.

[@Floatacious]

Second

[@xk964264]

Ill pass

[@cd-rom.]

Labs

[@ch33kybunn3y]

First :D

[@niddlepiss4974]

just imagine if jds made monoblocks

[@NekoJanz]

thank you for not making me regret my very recent purchase of an Element II. I've only been using it for two days now and I already love it :D

[@MrSeifer159]

Hi :) Do I need a RCA to jack cable or can I drive the amp through usb cable ? And is the usb cable coming with the amp ? Thanks in advance sir !

[@heavenonearth8729]

@@MrSeifer159 the usb cable comes with the amp. You can use the amp through usb cable, but even better the RCA cause technically it bypasses the DAC in whatever device you're using

[@MrSeifer159]

@@heavenonearth8729 Thank you kind sir :)

[@FairZack234]

When I was watching this Roundup the only thing I could think about were the RCA cables. Glad you gave them the shout out.

[@tw1tch09]

I've been happy with my Atom DAC AMP stack paired with the HD6XX. The price point for all three of those is also pretty incredible.

[@Shayed07121997]

I just ordered my 6xx yesterday and I plan on getting the atom. Do I really need the DAC as well?

[@Jenzbullets]

Me too.

[@tw1tch09]

@@Shayed07121997 no, not totally necessary. you can just use the audio outs from your motherboard

[@Motoloen]

Loving my Element 2 along with both Sennheiser HD6xx and Hifiman HE4xx

[@gurugamer8632]

What dac would you buy today?

[@goofyskulls]

can you use the jds subjective3 with either stack.awsome video

[@charlieclifford8965]

Moore Scott Jones Elizabeth Clark Thomas

[@prabinpaudel5572]

Waiting for your A90 review and specific mention of 1266 tc in that review! ❤️

[@StarOnCheek]

What are you saying at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="626">10:26</a>? I just saw another review that also mentioned a word that to me sounds indistinguishable from "shit". I am going crazy

[@DMS3TV]

Schiit. It’s an amp company haha

[@cd-rom.]

@<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="374">6:14</a> you reference the Topping A90. Will you be dropping a review for them? The numbers for the Topping A90 are high. A lot of good press.

[@DMS3TV]

Yep. Sure will.

[@Floatacious]

Always posting so early lmao

[@angelohantziantonakis1702]

Hey @DMS great videos. I had a question. Is it worth getting the JDS Element 3 if i mainly using the hd560s the 6xx and the hifiman XS. I am looking for a dac/amp and saw the element 3, but I was wondering like something like the Topping DX 3 pro plus would just be fine for those headsets? The element 3 as you know is 450 and the Topping DX 3 pro plus is 200 dollars. Thank you

[@aluisious]

I don't understand the physics of why "driving bass" would be any harder than mids or treble or why it would be related to power.

[@squidiebah]

Reckon I'll notice a big difference with adding in the dac+ in with my existing atom amp and DT 990 Pros?

[@muhammadhadi6391]

So precise sharing, thank you! May I ask few questions, how do i connect the el 2 or element 2 with my goxlr? And lets say i going towards element 2, do i need to power both goxlr and element 2 and connect both to my PC? Which one will you highly advise bro as i wanna use my 600ohm headphone? Thank you in advance! 🙏

[@MattKn0wsN0thing]

Would love to see a review of the L30 👍

[@rayhutfles3997]

I have the original El stack with the original Element as the amp. Is there that much of a sonic difference between the original El series and the current one to justify the investment? I am looking at adding a tube amp and would be interested in any feedback on the two generations of the El Dac , in particular.

[@underby2483]

tried getting cables but website showed error.

[@gurugamer8632]

What’s best dac for pc gaming to buy today ?

[@kcfish4862]

You gonna check out the Topping L30/E30 stack? Pretty competitive products too

[@a_tad_rad]

Fantastic; answered all of my questions.

[@ThevenimX]

Ive come back to this vid a couple times and the amps being upside down still feels funny to me, why not rotate the footage 180 degrees. The video’s already done and out but for next time so the text can be rightside up

[@DMS3TV]

..it is rotated in my recent videos.

[@Cal94]

Moving from an origen G2, I did notice that added bass oomph with an element II. It also happens to fit my setup best, in foot print and aesthetics, and it doesn't fly off the table like my origen did, if I stepped away from my table and forgot I was plugged in. Despite that... it does get hot, and I'm hoping to get argons... Guess I'll have to track down some argons first and see.

[@Zerosixious]

I also love the Element II, but I do miss having optical in. I am using it with the LCD-X

[@goaliedavid30]

If you want to use the element 2s dac(like running it to a tube amp), does it pass through the signal when you turn it off like the 1st one? Or does it just do preamp?

[@goaliedavid30]

Also, is this taking place of your El Stack 2 review? Or are you planning on doing something like that as well?

[@thetndixie]

Great video and another nice shirt😍

[@EndoftheForest]

Would the El 2 to be okay for Beyer DT880 250 ohm?

[@DMS3TV]

It would power it VERY easily.

[@aggroyt5371]

Can the EL stack mix USB and Optical in so you can hear both at the same time?

[@DMS3TV]

Nope

[@vrba3487]

Please tell me if you can drive Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm on Atom stack?

[@jari121]

Can, but better with high ohm amps. Beyerdynamic A20 and A2 best for those.

[@vrba3487]

Jari A20 is not as clean as Atom..

[@timali4976]

@@vrba3487 It can, I'm using an Asgard 3 and no regrets. If you prefer the brighter signature then maybe the Atom would your taste.

[@wej5541]

Barely, I have to set it to high gain with the volume 90% up to get it to good listening levels. I have had good success with the SMSL SP200 driving the Beyers.

[@goftm4058]

Sadly I cant get them in Europe

[@ssuperfly]

hifiheadphones.co.uk has them but they quickly go out of stock.

[@RainbowCuga]

I'm from eu and I bought the jds lab atom stack so idk what you mean

[@ricktifferpowers1762]

Best budget DAC!?!?

[@MC-rb5tf]

Topping E30

[@RainbowCuga]

The apple dongle

[@davidmason8212]

I love the product made in 🇺🇸

[@aceplay100]

Video is unwatchable for me, there's a continuous high pitch beep throughout.

[@McJurrie]

the topping 90 stack is something im seriously hyped for! now i just need to keep cool and not buy the damn thing before the review lands, its gonna be fine!