You are so good at describing the differences between dacs, and the fact that English is not your native language makes that all the more impressive. Thanks.
So nice to have a review from Europe! I have the J2 with AKM and USB which is $300, it cost about €30 shipping and €100 taxes to get it to the Netherlands (December ‘22). My aluminium case is purple for the best sound 🙃
I second the customer service praise. Shelly responded to a question I had--within 1 hour over the weekend--with images 👏🏾 Ordered mine in canary wood w/teal glass "fully pimped"
When all else fails - read the manual? 🙂 There are 3 output/gain levels, that are switchable with the input button - push and hold for ~2 second goes from high to medium, and then again for low, and then again to back to high. For me, the Geshelli J2S AKM 4499EX and a 50W linear power supply, and the big Sparkos SS2590 - it is my current reference DAC. Until I get Geshelli Labs new flagship DAC, the Dayzee, that is.
@@iiWiReviews same here - it's just that I have mistakenly gone to medium gain, and wondered what happened ... so knowing how to get back to high gain is good.
@@TriAmpHiFi I have heard the Dayzee - Geshelli has generously shared one of the their rooms at Capital Audiofest - and at the upcoming AXPONA - with me. I have designed mass loaded transmission line speakers, and Geshelli has their Dayzee DAC and Zoofa integrated amp. I used a Pine Tree Audio linear power supply on the Dayzee, and it had the stock TI OPA 1655 op-amps. The Dayzee is a fully balanced DAC - it has two AKM 4499EX chipsets - one for each channel. It has eight single op-amps - the optional upgrade is to use eight Sparkos SS2590 units. There are separate 6 pin sockets that "straddle" the DIP8 sockets - you remove the OPA1655, and then plug in the big Sparkos boards. The Dayzee and Zoofa system sounds incredibly great! Open and spacious and layered - a bunch of recordings are palpable 3D. The texture and super subtle details are just evident, right there in front of you.
Tell us more about the SS2590 and your linear power supply. I would be curious to know more about the Dayzee too. Haven’t heard anything yet and haven’t looked yet either.
I have this DAC with full sparkos op amp upgrade in the white oak frame. Yes cost a bit to get it to the UK + import duties as well. But well worth it. It looks beautiful & sounds beautiful 🙂
Looking forward to receiving my J3 and pimping it down the road. They are shipping to Canada for very reasonable rates. Love supporting NA companies when I can!
Great and honest review. I also own the J2S Dac with the 4499 dac and the two Sparkos Opamps for XLR and have it paired with my Lake People G111 Mks ii Amp. This is best and most amazing sounding pairing that Ive heard for my Arya Organic. Very ironic but I also purchased the Ifi power X 12v last week and agree with you, it does give the sound a cleaner sound and more defined bass its a great addition to a already great sounding dac.
The soundstage depth, the natural and coherent sound is what I noticed so much about my J2 AKM (single ended sparkos opamp and iPower X power supply). It’s smooth while still being revealing and crisp.
Thank you very much for this fantastic review of this great DAC. Geshelli is a family business with wonderful people and customer support. Sparkos is certainly the way to go.
Using the Sparkos in the xduoo-xd05-pro with the ESS DAC and external linear power supply. Sounds amazing. The ESS sounds better than the AK4499EX in that system.
How's the sparkos working in the xduoo? i seen early reports that the sparkos cause a ( i forgot the term) and goes into standby until a firmware update comes and fix's it.
As always, a fantastic review. If people can't figure out what you observed with the Geshelli vs. the comparison DACs, it's certainly on them, not you. I've had a J2S 4499EX w/Sparkos (single-ended only) in a metal case for several months now. I also have an SMSL D300, which I slightly prefer to the base original J2. But the newer J2S model wins hands down. Yes, it's twice the cost of the original model, but it's actually a great value when one considers that the search for a wonderful all-around DAC is over. Peace, brother. ✌🏻
Great summary. How does it compare to the e70 velvet - another recent favourite of yours? Are they more similar due to the 4499 chip - or more different due to other design decisions? Thanks
A really well done assessment of the Geshelli Lab dac. I use the bare-bones variation in my bedroom setup to improve the sound of an Oppo 203. Kudos to your review!
Great review! I swapped in the Sparkos SS2590 op-amp in my J2S (single-ended only) and the performance to my ears is even better than with the SS3602 - more separation and layering of sound. For a pre-assembled adapter and two SS2590's it's $126 USD (vs the $80 for the SS3602) direct from Sparkos.
You’ve done a wonderful job on expressing what said sonic differences exist at these price points, which in itself a great service to us fellow music lovers. Thanks for said opinions | honestly above all else.
This is one of the best DACs with customizing options anyone could ask for. A phenomenal product =) I am MOST excited for the NEW DAC yet to be finalized... however, .. If that AKM is the type of precision sound you like.. this (JS2) is the way.
I wanted get one, especially with optionals, shipping and taxes add too much, maybe one day they sell via EU distributor. So I bought a Mojo 2 and on special offer and might get an used Ares II or Pegasus in the future, those came down to 500-600 bucks used here.
Thank you! After watching hours on different DACs I believe this fully decked out is the way to go. Now i just need to know which streamer to pair it with.
I really wanted to like the J2 Socketed and buy it with AKM upgrade and Sparkos opamps. But at $740 and clunky casing and obtuse controls I couldn’t buy it. Just not for me. I will just say it- it’s ugly and while undoubtedly great sound with these upgrade options, I chose the Rose Technics RT5000 that you did an awesome review of. And at $599 and including a competent amp I went for that and absolutely love it! RT5000 is definitely worth looking at
I just bought the end of the line DAC combo for me Topping dx-9 at 1000 usd and I'm really satisfied with the 4499 EQ AKM chip. Though I don't think that the Gishelli are any worse with the lower end of the AKM 4499 spectrum. Anyways no more money to buy more DACs. I wish iiwi could review the DX-9 behemoth. thanks.
I have a Schiit headphone amp with the TI 1656 op amps. They are clear, quick, not sharp or annoying, and full dynamic range. Anyone want to save some money, try them in the J2s before looking into the Sparkos discrete options.
Great review, as always, thank you. How does the J2S with Sparkos compare to an Denafrips Ares II? The latter can be had used for about the same price as the J2S kitted out.
Boy-O-BOY! That Dusko Goykovich is one WELL-recorded album…listening with my new Volumio Rivo w/(LHY LPS50), Pontus II 👉🏼Qobuz on Roon (2-week trial). Sounds sublime and Roon is VERY addictive! 👍🏼😀
From your memory, how would you compare the J2S socketed 4499 with the Sparkos op amps to the Eversolo Z8 which you reviewed about a year ago? I am strongly considering these two and would be very interested to hear your thoughts. If it matters I would be pairing the dac with a Rogue Cronus Magnum amp with the KT120's so rated at 100wpc. Price wise would seem similar once an external low noise supply is added to the Geshelli.
J2S with Sparkos is a better performer without a doubt. Z8 has lean and analytical sound, less 3D imaging, and no true benefits compared to this one as a DAC only. But if we talk about fantastic build quality, and head-amp that's integrated, that's going for Z8. If that is not high on your list of priorities, J2S is a better sounding DAC.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for this insight. It is sincerely appreciated! Also, I really enjoy your reviews, thoroughness and candor in comparing different dacs!
extraordinario ...que pena que es tan difícilmente conseguirlo y que cada mejora sube muchísimo...por desgracia es un producto solo para unos mercados mas ricos
Connecting it to a smartphone (Via USB Adapter. I am assuming that it is okay to do that), will it reduce the noise and improve the sound quality? And specifically in the treble (and in general), does it have a neutral tonality? Thanks a lot
I have the Aune X8 with the Sparkos upgrade, can you remember enough to compare what would be gained/lost in going with a Geshelli with the upgrades? Thanks.
Aune is a colder/leaner sounding DAC with more emphasis on high frequencies. It sounds airy but can appear thin tonally. Geshelli is juicier, more liquid like sounding, and with fuller midrange that makes vocals bolder. I personally prefer Geshelli but can't say that it would be better for everyone and in every setup.
Thanks. It sounds as it would be more of what I am looking for when I revamp my system. I find the Aune a bit like you described as well as alot of Topping gear but not so cold or lean to not enjoy. Without the upgrades, the Aune dac isn't anything special, the Sparkos and a better PS transforms it and makes it a more omph like Topping D70s which I also have which is a bit softer in comparison, but the two are very close. I think the upgraded Aune improved slightly separation and depth, but its a small yet perceptible improvement probably dependent on ones amp and speakers as well. This slight advantage may disappear if I use the XLR connections on the D70s which I havn't tried yet. But down the road, strongly looking at options from Geshelli and perhaps Shiit as well. Thanks for the input and if you ever get chance to get your hands on a pair, could you review the new Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator? @@iiWiReviews
@@D1N02 Agree. I have the Douk T8 Pro EQ with (2) tubes and does the same for my system. The main reason was to add a volume control for my TV SPDIF Coax Audio output content. It comes out as "fixed" into my system. And that means full blast. SMSL SU1 DAC, plus Douk EQ with volume. Under $200 for a complete pre-amp solution for Digital-only content. No vinyl.
@@D1N02 Hi! You mean PC - USBcable - Aune X8 - RCA cable - Aune S17 pro - RCA cable - Speakers? I have bought both of them, but haven't used yet. Also got Dual Sparkos 2590 and have to install it . Thanks in advance!
"Pimped"? I asked myself. I've never heard what a pimp does used in this sense; a pimp is "a criminal who is associated with, usually exerts control over, and lives off the earnings of one or more prostitutes." But blow me down, the same dictionary entry contains this also: "informal : to customize and adorn (something, such as a car or apartment) in an ostentatious or lavish way." So you've taught me something about my own language. Good on you! I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts about how the Geshelli compares with the Musician Draco R2R DAC, which I'm considering buying just to see what R2R sounds like. Also, how the Geshelli compares with a Sparkos upgraded Aune 8 VIII (+dedicated linear power supply) which is my regular DAC and sounds very spacious and rich.
I used to watch "Pimp my ride" when I was a kid. 😄 So fully "pimped" J2S is in my opinion nicer sounding DAC than Draco which is sharper and tonally flatter even though it's R2R. J2S is smoother and fuller-bodied and it is like Gustard R26's smaller brother. That goes better with my own preferences. As for Aune, please browse earlier comments, I answered two of them and compared it to this one.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks. I guess I can stop considering the Draco. I guess also I should read all the comments before asking about the Aune X8 + Sparkos! 🙂 Mind you, my own Aune X8 + Sparkos also has its own dedicated linear power supply (The XPS2), and is coupled with an Ifi Ipurifier3, Acoustic Invader preamp, XTZ Edge A2-300 power amp and DIY 40mm thick oak Decware ZF15M open baffle clones. I wonder if it sounds as thin in comparison with the Geshelli as you've experienced. To my mind, it's anything but thin -- instead rich, spacious and full, with highs that are smooth and unfatiguing. But maybe the Geshelli + Sparkos would sound even richer. Hard to imagine for me, but I suppose it could indeed be so. I conclude I'd have to hear the Geshelli + Sparkos in person before risking buying one and ditching the Aune, which at £450 all in with both the Sparkos *and* LPS is astonishing value for money. Also, with longer legs (small speaker spikes) and a plastic cover for the op-amp compartment, you can have it the right way up and it looks just fine.
@@iiWiReviews I had to comment on this. When you said "pimped" my exact response was "I bet he used to watch Pimp my ride"... Thanks for the wonderful review.
I am amazed how you discriminate sound between products. Sound signature also depended DAC chip you use isnt it? Akm 4499EX dacs very similar or Topping-SMSL's ESS 9038pro,9068 now 9039pro and 9069. After you previous and others reviews I dont want to get a poor switching psu with a dac, so wish they bundle with better one. And hope you make a dac buying guide with ratings. I think it is very possible buyers head clouded with all product bombardement from china. Also i wonder what is your listening setup reviewing this. Hi from Istanbul
Sound does depend on the DAC chip that is used but not nearly as much as some people think. Other parts of the DAC like power supply, IV section, output section (opamps in this case) create the final sound signature too. As for the buying guide, I do have a simple excel sheet with best DACs at every price point that is shared on my Patreon profile. My testing setup is listed in the description below the video. Many of those devices are very high quality but not from famous brands... I talked about all of them earlier here on the channel.
J2S with Sparkos is a better performer without a doubt. Z8 has leaner and analytical sound, less sound stage depth, and no true benefits compared to this one as far as sound goes. But if we talk about fantastic build quality, and head-amp that's integrated, that's going for Z8. If that is not high on your list of priorities, J2S is a better sounding DAC.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks. Yes sound quality is the number one priority. Someone should tell Golden Sound. By the way I'm really impressed by your detailed and nuanced reviews.
In this one, EverSolo DMP-A6 was used as a digital source. Both USB and Coaxial connection were tried. Nowdays I use PC only when testing desktop DAC/head-amp because my head fi is connected directly to PC (for music, but also for gaming).
I haven't listened Qutest for a long time. From what I can recall, it has equally deep soundstage and very good layering. But Qutest sounds tonally leaner, I always missed some tone body and vocal fullness with it. So I would almost certainly choose J2S for myself.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you I appreciate your comments. I'm going to order the new DAYZEE and I'll compare with the Qutest and see if I have the same experience. As it stands now, the Qutest doesn't seem "un-full" but I don't always pay full attention either.
This company a small family is one of the kindest and pleasant I’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with . Buying their products is an amazing value but the best customer interaction . Take note being small your order is custom made and takes a bit of time .
Videos like this are why i consider you the best subjective Dac reviewer out there. Some good humor in this video as well. I can assure you that i am not the only person in the US that questioned this Dac's performance..as it does get quite a bit of hype for is price point..and believing the hype in HiFi can usually lead one down the wrong path. Nice to see that the J2 is legit enough to get iiwi's recommendation.
Your review was palpable and crispy. Modular boards for "Pimpin'" are the future of DAC design and Geshelli was 6 months ahead of the curve. AKM4499/4491 is the top combo with split duties. Sparkos Ops are the "open exhaust" to the hot rod.
Great Review. One of the Best Reviews I've seen anywhere in a long time!! I have a Geshelli Stack with their newest offerings. I went with the Zebra Wood on Both the DAC and Amp and paid for the Kitchen sink extras. I've got the JNOG2 SOCKETED [J2S] DAC with the AK4499 chip that's also loaded with the Sparkos Op Amps. You are absolutely on the money when saying upgrading to the Sparkos Op Amps is a must. It's a huge difference maker and the Sparkos are what really give these Geshelli products their magic. The DAC and Amp are so much better with the Sparkos Op Amps in them. It gives a nice smooth, warm presentation that's still very detailed. No loss of Impact or Soundstage either. The Geshelli stuff is good bang for the Buck that rivals products 3X its price. And while some maybe prefer DACS and Amps with the LED screen... I actually like this simplistic look where you can see the Purple Light etc... inside the units. I prefer the more Intense looking Red Lights in my DAC and Amp stack
I own this DAC with Sparkos op-amps and have been impressed from day one. It does sound amazing and definitely outperforms it's price point. Geshelli Labs should be applauded for what this product accomplishes at its price. I've owned it for about 6 months now and am totally satisfied.
Hi, Please review Denafrips Ares 12th-1 anniversary vs Geshelli I would like to try next an R2R DAC which is quite affordable, hence the above request.. 🙏
Once again, you really rocked this review! So insightful, informative, and clear. Your review was well organized and easy to understand and follow. I was really impressed with your price to performance analysis and your exploration and elaboration of an upgrade path. I feel this analysis is really lacking out there. Thank you again. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for another great review. I wonder how the J2 with sparkos compares with Aune X8 with sparkos? In your Aune X8 video you said that with sparkos, the Aune X8 can compete with $1000 DAC. 🤔
Aune is a colder/leaner sounding DAC with more emphasis on high frequencies. It sounds airy but can appear thin tonally. Geshelli is juicier, more liquid like sounding, and with fuller midrange that makes vocals bolder. I personally prefer Geshelli but can't say that it would be better for everyone and in every setup.
This is my favorite review, trashing and all 😉. I think you are the first reviewer to use the very descriptions I do when talking about the Geshelli sound (I have the older ESS with standard op amps). The sound when listening to a good recording is table-slapping good. I am a SMSL junkie (I have 4 of their products!) but Geshelli is my go-to DAC as is my balanced headphone amp the Erish 2. Not only is it my favorite to listen to, but the designer (Geno) and his boss (Sheri) are two of the nicest people in audio, dare I say manufacturing in general. My full time business is implementing manufacturing / warehouse software so I deal a lot with manufacturers and they both are not only 100% into getting the best out of audio at the most affordable price, but are possibly the most customer-centric business owners I know. I am sorry you were not able to get the wood design to match your hand made speakers, but I empathize with the great difficulty you had in getting the DAC at all. Thanks for the great video and I look forward to many more in the future (gotta love my Toppings and SMSL for the product of the week).
Excellent review. I have the J2S with AKM 4499EX with Sparkos SS3602. I upgraded to a linear power supply, and I also upgraded all three op amps to the flagship Sparkos SS2590, which required some trickery to fit inside the case. The soundstage depth , clarity, and dynamic punch this combination brings continues to impress. I would put it against anything under $1500 USD. Instead of increasing costs with things like an OLED display, Geshelli focuses on implementation, and that is what makes them successful.
I've had the ESS version of the J2 for a few years and I absolutely Love it! I recently bought the Archel 3 Pro headphone amp and couldn't be happier! They make great products at Geshelli. Great Review!!! 👍👍👍
Always love your descriptions of sound. I’ve have made note in the past how impressive your mastery of English is. I also like how you’re letting your snark out. I have this DAC with one Sparkos for single ended out. I have vintage McIntosh. It has no balanced in. So, this was an easy choice. I use a LPS than was inexpensive. I found this device to be terrific. I love listening to it. I also have a Ladder Schumann. I really can’t say I like Ladder Schumann better.
It was comforting watching this review as I already ordered one and did exactly as you recommended - socketed, 99 chip, Sparkos on the RCAs. Of course, you just cost me another 120 bucks as now I’ve gotta go order a new power supply 😋 thanks for all your great reviews. 🤙🏻😎
R26 has basically the same tonality. Full-bodied, three-dimensional, smooth. But R26's soundstage is even bigger and bassline punchier, with a bit higher detail retrieval. So I would say that these two in line, but R26 is a higher tier performer.
😂😂 “ when you pimp it” that was hilarious. Love the review as always!!! what do you recommend for in room presence live type sound front row seat Dac? Thanks
Hi Srboliub, thank you so much for reviewing the J2S 4499ex with the Sparkos op-amps! That's precisely been my experience as well, even the comparison with the Mojo2. However, one difference worth noting is how significant of a difference adding an LPS from Pine Tree Audio had made...the soundstage became bigger, the sound became more authoritative and more fuller in sound. Very sophisticated sound for sure. Can't speak on how the Pine Tree Audio LPS would compare in a head-to-head comparison with the LPS you had tested, but I can just say the results were stunning...so much so that I felt the need to upgrade my components. (upgraded to a PS Audio BHK 250 amplifier and Freye+ preamp) so that they were more evenly matched with the J2S/Pine Tree Audio combo. For reference, the unit I bought was a fully custom, dual-variable LPS, and is the very unit that you see on their landing page. Amazingly well built functionally and aesthetically. Thank you.
Serbjuba, Thank you for the great review - as usual. I would like to assure you that DAC reviews, which you do a lot of, are necessary and important. Not everyone probably realizes that the DAC plays a greater role in the entire audio system than is commonly believed. At the same time, it is in DACs that the greatest technical progress has recently been made. There are a lot of them lately, and SMSL and Topping are companies that flood the market with dozens of new models every year: cheap and with good sound. A sound that gets better every year for a lower price. Therefore, purchasing a new DAC can quickly and cheaply change our audio experience. Please consider making a video in another format: summarizing your experience with DACs over the last few years: how you test them, which design elements influence sound quality in what ways, the differences between chipset-based and R2R-based DACs, how important is the volume control function based on an analog preamplifier and linear power supply, types of filters and your preferences in configuration, etc... The information I mentioned above is the knowledge I gained thanks to your reviews. Thank you very much! And I can't wait to review the Topping D90III Saber, Topping DX9, and SMSL-SU-X, the latest flagship models around $1,000. The video - a direct duel - would be very interesting. Best Regards Cezary
I have a question maybe u can help me with, i have an hifiman edition xs headphones, why is it that topping amps like the topping l50 and dx3pro go into protect mode at higher volumes.
I mean honestly trust in audio should be an absolute premium because there’s 💰 and one truism is that people will do anything for money which is probably why the trillion profit petrol companies have people confused about weather and climate😂. Apparently bright people can see increasing concentration of juice in a glass prepared for kids but don’t understand carbon concentrations in the atmosphere. So just be transparent about your process, funding, patreons, sponsorship, undertakings etc. it’s not hard I don’t think 🤷🏾 your descriptions are the best in the business though. I marvel that English isn’t your native tongue. Then again I’m 🇬🇧 the only bilingual people are immigrants and their kids from non English speaking countries. When we’re abroad we just shout loudly in English and hope the other person will understand.
Waves theory did a comparison with the sparkos setup against the r26 in his r26 review. He says they sound soo alike. Like almost identical. I have the r26 and love it. But i would for sure sell and buy geshelli if this is true. What is your opinion on this? Kenneth
Great review! If you drop SS2590 dual pro opamps in... And add an Intona USB isolation unit. You can take the J2 even higher... I invested into the power supply and I bought an inline supercapacitor and Yes! - cables matter too. This J2 with the SS2590's is by far the best DAC setup you can buy for the pricepoint. Shout out to Geno! Andrew! Mike! & all the SS2590 fans...
I was glad to see you review the Geshelli. Primarily because of the reviews over here in the U.S. seemed overly enthusiastic I ordered the Orchard Audio for use as my computer DAC based on your review I ordered a ARMATURE Hecate XMOS Xcore 208 USB SPDIF Asynchronous Interface to optimize it as my computer DAC and clean up the USB connection. It seems like I would have been better served with the Geshelli with their USB option. Excellent review as always
