Just got the JCALLY AP20 today (if it wasn’t for your post, Riku, I wouldn’t have known anything about it, lol).
First impressions aren’t overwhelmingly positive. Apart from the fact that HiFiGo made a mistake and didn’t include USB C and USB A cables in the package even though I’d chosen a combo with all 3 cable types (USB C, Lightning, USB A). I had to contact their support, provide a video showing what I didn’t receive (… yeah) and got a promise that they would ship them ASAP.
Anyway, the dongle is well built and looks solid.
Sadly, it features glossy front panel which doesn’t make that much sense - there is no display underneath, so it’s only there to collect all the micro scratches. JCALLY didn’t add any protective film, unfortunately.
In terms of sound: most likely I have to let it play for a while longer before coming to any solid conclusions, but AP20 appears shouty, V shaped, accentuating mostly both low and high frequencies and leaving mids behind. Not my preferred way of tuning but maybe it’ll change over time.
Bass isn’t bloated, it’s fast and tactile. Highs may sting you a little now and then and seem to be capped somehow with no roll-off. This doesn’t really change with GAIN setting.
Also, I don’t know if it’s supposed to be like this, but BAL ports seem to be stupidly powerful. After connecting AP20 to my PC, having it on 1.8 V mode, I still need to run it on 2-5% volume with most of my IEMs. TGXear Serratus ( 500Ω ) are loud enough @15%
3.5 mm SE is slightly weaker and runs at around 40% of BAL volume.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have any separate volume control, the volume buttons are used for changing volume in your source - be it a phone, PC or DAP.
It outputs sound simultaneously through all ports (2.5 , 3.5 and 4.4) and doesn’t alter the volume while plugging in / out any new set. Nor does it make any popping sounds.
It doesn’t seem to get hot, even when running on its internal battery.
Anything I could write more about?
Cheers!