So personally I think so, it’s a more fun sounding dac than the ak, if you have the budget it might be worth it if you plan to keep the amp in the long run
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Thanks! I’ll look into it!
JDS currently offers a B-stock of their El DAC for 150. I actually purchased this and got an El Dac 2 and really love it. TBH not sure if this is intentional on their part as the site listing just says EL DAC but the box I received clearly indicates EL DAC II B-Stock. Haven’t tried too many other dacs and was coming from a creative g5 but would absolutely recommend JDS. Excellent support as well.
The el dac ii is a very nice unit, great dac imo
Yeah I’m really happy with it and JDS labs overall. Unfortunately i just checked and looks like it’s been de-listed. Maybe worth keeping an eye on if you’re not in a hurry to get something. Just to note what made the unit i received a b-stock was a very tiny chip in the paint on the top about the size of a pen point
JDS Labs Atom ($99) + Geshelli Enog 2 Pro ($179) would be my bet. You can upgrade to a balanced amp if you so desire later. Bonus points for the Geshelli if you like made in USA.
For more the Archel 2.5 pro ($179) is Geshelli’s premier amp offering, but that throws you into the >$300 range by a bit.
I would have said a geshelli stack but I would say that the argons really like more power
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I am a big fan of matching stacks and made in the USA. Though, I’ll still look at the Geshellis. I haven’t reviewed or even thought much of their products. People just seem to rave about JDS Labs and Schiit seems to have done a really good job on the A3.
I was also looking at the JDS Element II since it has a nice speakers/headphones switch but not sure if that’s enough of a selling point for $400.
I think if you wanted to go with jds I would say the el stack would also be great. As much as I like the archel 2.5 pro and the enog 2 pro, I think with the argons it wouldn’t be the best match
it’s a small thing but the build and feel of the EL amp/element is very nice. The look and feel of the large knob is very satisfying. That combined with the switching, and the small power bump is why i upgraded from an atom. I would say on paper it was not the most economical choice but i’m very happy with it. Had I known more about audio equipment and what i wanted when i started i probably would have gone with the element II outright.
For anyone who’s experienced both, how are the comparisons with sound between the A3 and the JDS El stack or Element 2?
Didn’t realize the El stack is a couple extra hundred bucks, so A3 may still be the best bet.
So I think the el stack does sound a bit more refined, but the a3 has more power. I think they are both pretty great. I personally prefer the el II stack but it is more expensive, and for the argons the a3 does have more power
Would the El stack sound comparable to the Element 2?
I think the el stack is an improvement over the element ii, it’s just a better option but you pay for that
Awesome, thanks for all your help. We’ll see what I settle on soon!
What about the Schiit Magni 3+ or Heresy? More than enough clean power for any headphone. And DAC you can go SU8 or Enog 2. SU8 would stack better with the Schiit amps, looks wise it is.
Doesn’t the Magni have issues with grounding currently?
Doubt the new ones have any issues
I don’t think they have any grounding issues whatsoever for their new products
I think the SU8 on the bottom with the Magni 3+ ontop would look nice as a stack