BrotherKathos
500+ Head-Fier
I thought I would start this thread because I could not find one that dealt specifically with the amp only version of JDS Labs' Element. My impressions of this amp are as follows.
The amp is very neutral and balanced. It is also extremely quiet as well, since you can crank the volume all the way up with no music and get zero of that low level hiss that exists in many systems. This also seems to bleed into its musical reproduction because as you raise the volume on the El Amp, it just gets louder and the sound signature does not change. I'm not sure what the measured specs are on this amp or how much you can crank it before it distorts, but it must be pretty high. The sound-stage is open and bass, mids, and highs are all well represented.
In comparison to a Schiit Magni 3 that I have, the El Amp is able to retain its smoothness at higher volumes much better. This most likely is due to the Magni 3, while having a power rating of around double to that of the El Amp, distorts much sooner before it actually reaches its clipping point and noise starts to rise. This noise causes the Magni 3 to become bright and borderline shrill at higher volumes especially on less efficient planar magnetic headphones like the Hifiman 400i. A headphone amp that I find very similar to the El Amp in overall sound signature is the Audioengine D1.
I've only used the El Amp with two separate dacs. The SMSL SU-8 and the Topping D50. Both of these dacs sound the same to me, at least in initial impressions without very serious listening sessions. Both are very natural and smooth with the El Amp. The Audioengine D1 is also very smooth and is very close to the El amp, but the El amp is able to drive less efficient headphones to a fuller sound since its able to put out more wattage.
These are my impressions of the JDS Labs El Amp.
The amp is very neutral and balanced. It is also extremely quiet as well, since you can crank the volume all the way up with no music and get zero of that low level hiss that exists in many systems. This also seems to bleed into its musical reproduction because as you raise the volume on the El Amp, it just gets louder and the sound signature does not change. I'm not sure what the measured specs are on this amp or how much you can crank it before it distorts, but it must be pretty high. The sound-stage is open and bass, mids, and highs are all well represented.
In comparison to a Schiit Magni 3 that I have, the El Amp is able to retain its smoothness at higher volumes much better. This most likely is due to the Magni 3, while having a power rating of around double to that of the El Amp, distorts much sooner before it actually reaches its clipping point and noise starts to rise. This noise causes the Magni 3 to become bright and borderline shrill at higher volumes especially on less efficient planar magnetic headphones like the Hifiman 400i. A headphone amp that I find very similar to the El Amp in overall sound signature is the Audioengine D1.
I've only used the El Amp with two separate dacs. The SMSL SU-8 and the Topping D50. Both of these dacs sound the same to me, at least in initial impressions without very serious listening sessions. Both are very natural and smooth with the El Amp. The Audioengine D1 is also very smooth and is very close to the El amp, but the El amp is able to drive less efficient headphones to a fuller sound since its able to put out more wattage.
These are my impressions of the JDS Labs El Amp.