A quick look at the new Geshelli Labs J3 Pro DAC. Full review soon.
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- A quick look at the the Geshelli Labs new J3 Pro DAC. The new unit has directly addressable inputs, new internal and external power supplies, a new SMT Oscillator for better accuracy and a relay switched USB board. I am very excited to dig into this unit during the review.
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• Cambridge AXR-100 Receiver: amzn.to/49Nq4Ft
• Cambridge MXN10: amzn.to/44sBhdL
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• Schiit Bi-Frost Multi-Bit DAC with Unison USB
• Schiit Lokius EQ.: amzn.to/3Qhuu0x
• Schiit Mani Phono Pre-Amp: amzn.to/3JyyCVW
• Geshelli Labs JNOG2 SOCKETED [J2S] DAC (on loan from Geshelli Labs)
• Geshelli Labs JNOG3 SOCKETED [J3 Pro] DAC (on loan from Geshelli Labs)
• Elac Debut 2.0 F-62 Speakers: amzn.to/3Jy6eUc
• Elac Debut Reference 62 (DBR62) speakers: amzn.to/3VyQzcu
• Fluance RT-84 turntable: amzn.to/4aMuZrt. Upgraded with the Audio
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• I also use a remote-controlled line level switcher so I can run all my source components through the Schiit Lokius: amzn.to/3w8IZwL
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A quick look at the the Geshelli Labs new J3 Pro DAC. The new unit has directly addressable inputs, new internal and external power supplies, a new SMT Oscillator for better accuracy and a relay switched USB board. I am very excited to dig into this unit during the review.
This looks to be a good fit in the models between the J2S and the Dayzee. All the I/O on the back, and separate buttons, etc. The power supply is a surprise - I am looking forward to your review, Ed!
Thank you Neil. I am going to run it in for couple of days. Those big 2509s look like they could use some breaking in. First impressions are good.
@@OldGuyHifi Like all op-amps that I have tried, they all need some burn in, I think. What I have noticed is usually the treble gets "cleaner" / sweeter? The SS2590 Pro is their flagship and uses the best discrete parts, with less restriction on the size.
I am really looking forward to the full review Ed. I will get a Geshelli DAC some day but I have to pay for a new house first. LOL
Mike, Good luck! I know the feeling my friend. Thank you.
great stuff again. Channels growing fast, as it should.
Thank you for the vote of confidence and your view.
Sounds like a plan. Just commenting to support the channel. - Cheers
Thank you Dylan. I appreciate it very much.
Looking forward to the reviews.
Me too. I am going to run it in for a couple of days and then start serious listening. First impressions are positive.
Wow looking forward to your report on the J3 and the new Sparkos!
It will take me a couple of weeks to sort it out and get through the backlog of reviews. Thanks.
That is a really nice looking DAC. Looking forward to the full review!
Thanks! 👍
just picked up the Cambridge and wowee what an upgrade over my fun-fi streamer.
It is very good. I am convinced that it is a fantastic value and sounds so good. Thanks for sharing and thanks for your view.
Exciting stuff Ed!
Thank you my friend.
Fun times ahead! Enjoy your 4th, Ed. 😊
Thank you Mr. Cook. I wish you and yours the very best this holiday/
Very exciting!
Provocative, aren't I?
@@OldGuyHifi🥴Lol 😂
It looks amazing. I'm sure it sounds fantastic, too. I look forward to your in-depth review. Thank you for your content and valued opinion.
Simon my friend, thank you. First impressions are very positive. I will keep you posted.
Wow Ed it got busy in here quick, you’re getting so popular already!
I’ve got a j2 ess and I’ll definitely be upgrading to this new j3 at some point so I’m looking forward to your full review and comparisons, keep having fun!
Great review sir!!!
Thank you kindly! Listening now.
I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the DMPA6 vs Cambridge streamers!
I have already started on that project. Soon my friend. Thanks.
Thanks!
Rebbel, That's very generous of you. Thank you so much.
@@OldGuyHifi I wanted more but My card allowed just this bcs its empty haha ... so in future will be more ..
Cheers!!
@@theReebell Please don't feel obligated to give me anything. Thank you so much.
Commented before Ben Gleason!
Congrats. Thanks.
@@OldGuyHifithanks for the review! Enjoy the channel!
I'm excited for the full review, but I have a feeling Geno knocked it out of the park like normal. I would be interested in your take on the different opamp options.
Hi John!
@@Brian_Romska Hi Brian
First impressions are, yes. He made some changes to the board. The big difference is the big op-amps.
@OldGuyHifi I was meaning the differences between the Burson, Sparko and It opamps..
I gave up on the Burson V7 Vivid Dual early on. It didn't have the drive or detail that the 3602 does. I am going to give it another try just to make sure II didn't mess up.
I would be very interested in your opinion about diminishing return / value for the increased price points in the Geshelli line. You can get the "classic" ESS9026 or AKM 4493 for around $250 (aluminum sans USB), or upgrade to the mid tier (that you have) J2S with Sparkos for $500-670 depending on number of opamps, and finally $780 for the J3 Pro. So call it $250 vs $500 vs $800 (approx $300-ish jumps to simplify). What level of performance / value do you see between them? Of course we all want the best ;) P.S. What wood did you choose - it looks beautiful.
I can say with a level of confidence, that for the given price point the standard J2 is very good compared to comparable priced units from Topping, SMSL, etc. Now, just so you know, I am not the biggest fan of common Delta-Sigma chip implementations. For years my reference DAC has been a Schiit Bi-Frost Multi-bit unit that has been modified. I started to get an inkling that the new AKM 4499EX/4191 chip set was different with the J2S I have in. I have not finished my reviews yet so, my conclusions are very preliminary. I do hear a positive difference between the J2S and the J3 Pro. I think the differences between DACs that cost from $100 to $1000 can be far more significant and noticeable then the difference between DACs that cost from $1000 to $3000. Usually on the expensive units it is the output stage i.e., tube output or similar that makes the difference not the decoding methodology. Unless you have deep pockets or have a huge investment in your Hifi, I would council against spending much for than $1000.00 for a DAC. Wow! Did I just write "War & Peace?" Sorry. Great question. Thanks for seeking my opinion. Something I am not shy about sharing! BTW, Geshelli just sent me the unit for review. They choose the wood.
I have had the same question. Have seen a couple positive reviews now of SMSL's DO200 Pro as a contender in that range, if it drops in price significantly this month, I'll probably give it a shot. Though I do like the idea of supporting the Geschelli family. So, so, so many choices...
For my money and listening preferences, I would go with the Geshelli J2S for sound quality.
I’m gonna try out the SS2590s using a dip8 extension on the J2S. I had purchased the J2S a few weeks before they announced the J3 Pro 😅.
The 2590 dual will fit on the single ended only. However it does sound great in my J2S. Let me know how it works out.
Really wish Geshelli Labs had UK distribution.
I am not sure if they can do UK Daz. I will ask them if you want? Thanks for the view.
@@OldGuyHifi That would be great. I know I'm not the only one in the UK that would love to get some of their gear.
DAZ, They will ship to the UK and several European locations. Send an email to info@geshelli.com for details and tell them I sent you. Let me know how that goes.
@@OldGuyHifi Thank you!
Look forward to your full review Ed. Great stuff. I have theJ2S with the 4493 chip upgraded with Sparkos 2590 single ended and an external 12v linear power supply. Curious how much of an upgrade the J3S would be over my hot rodded J2S. Thanks
Having had them side by side, they are very similar. I snuck the big 2590 into the single ended on the J2s and one in the J3 Pro and it is very hard to hear the difference. That said I am still burning the J3 in so, I will know more soon. I did really like the J2S for sure. Thanks for tuning Carl I do appreciate it.
@@OldGuyHifi Thanks for checking this out Ed. Interesting that the 2590 seems to have more of an influence thsn going from the 4493 to the 4499 chip if I am understanding your comment correctly
No. My mistake. The J2S is a 4499 chip same as the J3. I was trying to tease out the upgrades on the J3. I do think the 4499 chip set is the best non R2R DAC setup I have heard.
Hi, i need advice, I little confused.. I preparing to order J2s with 4499 and sparco and now J3 appears, so do you think same configuration on J3 should have improvment in sound or just ability to put bigger op amp?
Thx a lot
I am still trying to figure out the op-amp situation. That said I put the big 2590 op-amp in the J2S on single ended and it fit and sounded great. If you are only using single ended outputs just go with the J2S and upgrade the op-amp later. In truth the differences, to me, between the 3602 and the 2590 are very subtle at best. The DAC boards are almost identical with some minor changes to fit the op-amps. The party piece for me on these DAC is the 4499 chip set. That's where the magic lives. I hope that helps.
@@OldGuyHifi you are the best, you helped me a lot. I will do exactly what you say because I use RCA and I will choose 4499 chip , combo :)
I am confident you will be happy. I know I would!
Hi there! I have j2 socketed with sparko on the balanced side. Really looking forward to your comparison of j2 vs internal dac of dmp a6. Looking for a streamer and considering eversolo and moving my j2 to my headphone rig. Dont wanna do that though if j2 sounds better than dmpa6. Look forward to review. Thx for everything.
Hint: Keep the J2. Shhh.
How IN THE WORLD could someone sit on their couch and pick the right op amp?
Personally, I use magic. I have both the J2S and J3 side by side and as they use fundamentally the same chip set and layout I can compare the op-amps easily from my recliner not a couch! Lol. Seriously, I make extensive notes on the sound I am hearing and honestly, I have been doing this for so long my ears are kind of trained to hear differences and I have been listening in the exact same room for 30+ years. The bottom line is that if you can't hear a difference then there is no difference but, if you can, and that difference has a value for you then swap away. I also use headphones to try and listen in a bit closer. I do not advocate that anybody spend money on something that they can't hear. Wilson, thanks for sharing your thoughts and coming back to the channel for more.
@@OldGuyHifi yes, thanks for the feedback! But from the point of view of a guy sitting on his couch wanting to buy this and trying to select the right op amp WITHOUT buying all the chips, this is going to cause buyer hesitation from out of this world for me.
I get it. Go with the basic unit J2S or J3 Pro and know that they both sound awesome out of the box with the standard TI op-amps and save the money for a nice bottle of Scotch. You won't go wrong. I think the AKM4499 chip set is the bid deal here not the op-amps. I am a nerd so I go for this tweeky stuff.
Looking forward to your reviews! I especially wish you cover Eversolo used as a streamer with J3 external DAC hooked up via SPDIF and USB as a comparison. I’m about to order the A6 MA edition, hoping for less on prime day July 16/17th.
I currently use the Sparkos dual Pro opamp in my aune magic DAC - only one opamp is needed for both SE and BAL outputs. I have not used the ss3602’s since I got the Pro opamp in and I have 3 of them laying around now 😅. I don’t think the pro opamp from Sparkos is very new, I’ve had it for a while now..🤷♂️
Also, please mention how the Burson V7 Vivids are in comparison to Sparkos. I’m very satisfied with the Pro opamp from Sparkos, ordered it unassembled without knowing, had to stack and solder it together myself in under half an hour 🙃🤦♂️
I subscribed because you explained how important the internal clock of a DAC is, seems that nobody else on YT knows anything about it… Thank you!🙏
Ivan, Thank you so much for tuning in. I have been listing to the DMP-A6 with the Geshelli J2S AKM 4499 with both the Sparkos SS3602 and the Burson V7 Vivid Pro. I must say I prefer the 3602s but only just. I think they are more neutral and a bit more detailed. I will be honest and tell you I think the J2S w/3602s has a more detailed less bright sound signature that the DMP-6's built in DAC. I was comparing both over balanced and single ended connections. I am not sure I will have the DMP-A6 review done by Prime days. Thank you sharing your system configuration.
Excited for your review. Please pronounce Geshelli correctly. Thank you.
I thought I was. I watched one of Rachel's videos, and you are right. it is G like germ not G like in green. I will try to remember that. Thank you.
Wow Ed it got busy in here quick, you’re getting so popular already!
I’ve got a j2 ess and I’ll definitely be upgrading to this new j3 at some point so I’m looking forward to your full review and comparisons, keep having fun!
Brian, That review is a couple of weeks out. You will see it first. Have a great 4th my friend. Thanks so much for your support.