Liquid Spark amp VS JDS Atom amp comparison
AKA “why frequency graphs are worthless” (these two amps measure pretty much exactly the same, and have the exact same horizontal, ultra-flat frequency response).
I had the JDS Atom (amp) for more than a year, but needed another headphone amp, so I thought, why not try the Liquid Spark instead. First impression? They sound the same. So, bye! Ok no:
TL,DR: I don’t know if the Atom amp is too clear, or the Liquid Spark is too veiled, or both. The JDS Atom seems to give me more information, in every possible way.
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The JDS Labs Atom got more horizontal AND vertical soundstage (width and height). Some singers tend to sound like they’re “on a stage” (higher in front of you) with the Atom, but they’ll sound like they’re in front of you, at eye level, with the Liquid Spark, for example. So, yes, the JDS Atom is brighter. But bass and sub-bass, on the JDS Atom, also sound like it’s coming from “under” you, less so on the Liquid Spark. Basically, bass extend lower and treble extend higher on the JDS Atom.
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I really feel like, if you want this 3D effect, this “holographic-ness” some people talk about, only the JDS Atom can give you this, and the Liquid Spark, in comparison, will hurt the soundstage and the “3D effect”, and may make intense or extreme music sound more “crowded” (every sound is more “in your face” horizontally and vertically, and the Liquid Spark doesn’t give em “space”). You hear more of the room with the JDS Atom amp. The JDS Atom seems to give me more information, in every possible way.
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If you tried “Class A” amps, but it’s too “smooth” for you, or too… different, the Liquid Spark is a great choice, without “coloring” the sound as much as Class A amps (compared to the Class D amplification technology most consumers know and use). But… originally, everything was Class A. So, is Class D “coloring” the sound by making it too extreme, too “mechanical” and “robotic”-sounding?
If you have planars, well, I noticed something interesting with the Liquid Spark “gain” switch: It’s a sub-bass boost for my T50RPs. It does practically nothing for my other, non-planar headphones. But for T50RPs, it adds a ton of bass and lower mids. Might be useful for those who want T50RPs, but don’t want to “mod” em, if only by messing with the foams and changing the pads, like I did.
If you have a few headphones with a bit too much treble for you, the Liquid Spark is worth trying. The entire frequency range seem “tilted clockwise” (more bass and sub-bass, less treble, less sibilance). So, even if your first impression is “I can’t hear the difference”, your ears will thank you for choosing the Liquid Spark because the “esses” are smoother – well, everything is smoother. So you’ll be able to listen to music longer, and get all the “liveliness” that treble boost gives, without finding it tiring (or headbang to metal with the volume a bit higher than usual… hmm this could be dangerous). On the opposite, again, with headphones with too much treble for you, if you listen to music for a few minutes a day and want everything to feel impactful, alive, intense, the JDS Atom amp is your choice.
Pairing is everything: The JDS Atom can make your headphones sound like a robot, the Liquid Sparks’ smoothness can make high octave voices feel lifeless, and everything sound like it’s recorded in a tinier, more closed space. If your headphones, or even your DAC, feel “lifeless” and lack energy, get the JDS Atom. If you have headphones with (too?) big soundstage, but too much treble, you might want to try the Liquid Spark. As I have a ton of electronic and metal music in my playlist, my next step is to pair the Liquid Spark with an ESS DAC to see if it can “inject” more energy and soundstage into it, without sounding… “painfully accurate” like the Atom amp sometimes does with “treble-y” headphones. Or buy an Asgard 3 or a Magnius or a Lake People or… 
(Now it’s time to copy-paste this in the Liquid Spark thread and hide, lol)