I was wondering if anyone has used the atom as a pre-amp for a tube or solid state amp?
I’m currently looking at a cavelli hybrid amp (CTH) on massdrop and I was wondering how the connections would work. Do I do something different to the atom to make it act as the pre amp? How high up do I turn the volume knob it and in low or high gain?
The Atom has pretty clearly labeled preamp outputs. Just run a cable from those preamp outputs to the CTH input. As for where you put the volume, anywhere you want really. The gain switch will also determine where you set that. There’s no right answer there though. Put it where it sounds good to you.
Reminder re pre amp. You have to unplug any headphones first.
Are you just looking to use the atoms two inputs?
Not exactly. The cavalli cannot be a pre amp for the Atom, but the Atom has pre outs that can be used for something like the cavalli cth. So I was wondering how the volume would work.
I have my pc (source) on 100% volume to get the best out of the amplifier. But am I correct in assuming I can’t do that for the atom if it’s a pre amp for a hybrid tube?
So do you need the atom to go to powered speakers at all?
I don’t know if there will be a sound quality improvement of going from the atom to the cavelli if thats what you are trying to do?
Are you just trying to have two headphone amp sources? If so you would go computer 100% volume out to the atom and then a pre out to the cavelli. I would say stay on low gain for the atom and volume 50-75 % and then see how that translate to the cavelli. You just have to play it by ear. I would just avoid high gain though to make sure you don’t accident your ears/headphones
Thanks.
I don’t need the atom for powered speakers, but I’m curious if I should just keep them separate and swap between them when I want to, or if I could get a better sound out of my setup by going PC -> DAC -> Pre-Amp (Atom) -> Cavalli.
I think you would be better off splitting the signal from your dac to the amps separate. If you where to get a otl tube amp or a tube buffer you could pre that to the atom to get a different sound, especially since the atom has two inputs so you could a/b test
I went and bought a OL switcher from JDS to flip between both the Atom and Cavalli hybrid whenever I feel like using either one.
By the way, this thread is called “The Prestigious” JDS Atom, but, yeah, as Zeos said in his recent review… “everyone’s talking about the Atom but remember, the EL 2 dac/amp stack is their top of the line”.
Significantly better than the atom stack? I doubt it. Not more than twice the price anyway. The atom amp and dac (as well as the magni heresy and modi 3) set very high bars that won’t be easily beat in sound quality without spending a LOT more money.
I mean how much would you consider “a LOT”?
The El Stack is definitely a direct upgrade to the atom stack and many people would probably consider superior. I and probably many others would consider something like the Asgard 3 at $200 to be significantly better than the atom.
i agree, going from the atom to the asgard3 was an improvement. i havent heard the el amp though.
In sound quality?
I’ve been using it for the time being as a little discreet pre-amp for powered monitors while I’m using the Liquid Platinum.
Just put your output into the RCA output on the back of the unit, keep a headphone out of the from jack and its a pre-amp. 
You can turn the volume as high as your ears can handle.
Saw Zeos review. Anyone know how their new EL amp compares to the Schiit Asgard? How about their older Element amp?
Curious to know if it is alright to turn the amp on and leave it turned on when you unplug it and plug it back in to the wall, aka use the plug as an on/off. Would that cause any harm?
Uh, I would definitely not recommend that.
Especially since I had to RMA mine (excellent service though) because a static shock to the RCA inputs burned/broke something inside.
Also, amps are… well, it’s amplifying everything it receives. Sound, interferences when you plug something in it, etc. The recommended way is actually the complete opposite: Turn everything on then turn the amp on to avoid all this.
Even in notes from them…powerbrick first…plug in amp next, then turn on.
I happened to notice I have this in my room. Would I be able to use this on a wall socket and plug multiple amps into it without any sort of problem? Would I be able to have 2 or 3 on at once, or only one?
