Geshelli Labs J2 geshelli.com/product/jnog2-socketed-j2s/ check out my other channel www.youtube.com/@cheapwatchman_official Enter to Win free hifi! subscribe, like, follow me instagram.com/cheapaudioman and fill out this form forms.gle/w6qbPKGPFGUKiasX9 Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com check out my other channel www.youtube.com/@cheapwatchman_official Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com Support the Channel! Shop on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman TRY ROON roonlabs.com/r/RTmYWdCP9kitqouBa5pcIw Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
Friends and I recently a-b'd an original J2 akm to a denifrips Ares 2. Unanimously agreed the J2 was very good but Ares was a major level up. I'm curious how close the upgraded new J2 would get especially with the price gap being closed. We were running both DACs to KLH model 5's on a Yamaha AS-2200.
I LOVE my new J2 with the Sparkos op amps!!!! It’s like a breath of fresh air has been infused into my system. Detail, 3D imaging, fullness, etc. I know the phrase “I’m hearing things I’ve never heard before” is used a lot, but in this case it’s very true. Listening to Heart’s Dog & Butterfly album, the acoustic guitars on Dog & Butterfly (the song) are crisp and lifelike, with subtle plucking notes I’ve never heard in my zillion times of hearing the song. A real ear-opener! I’m glad you are hearing what I am. Fantastic DAC, period.
Fullness = not thin. Drop the mic moment. Anything else? Seriously though, I own the 4499ex J2S and can attest to this description. The increase in the depth of the soundstage is immediately apparent...I estimate about 1-1/2 to 2 feet deeper soundstage compared to the 4493 J2 which I also own.
That’s all you took away from the description? You should get one, then you’ll understand. I apologize for not using proper audiophile terms, but that word was apt for my experience with this DAC. Instruments coming from everywhere, wide, deep and high. How about room filling? Compared to my Burr-Brown DAC, it’s absolutely fat. 😉
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 I get that. I wrote what I did right after listening to one of my favorite albums, which I tried to describe my feelings about what I just heard. When describing the sound, that’s one of the words that struck me. I guess fuller meant simply more of everything compared to what I had been hearing through my previous DACs. You are correct, it is hard to describe sound in terms of size or textures. My experience with this piece of equipment was really a pleasure.
I recently purchased the Z8. I have a Modi 3 and a Bifrost. The Eversolo brings out things in the music that I haven't heard in years or maybe never heard at all. In my opinion, the Eversolo is outstanding value for money.
An observation about streaming source and the new J2EX. I have the J2 being fed optically from both a Wiim mini and from my TV. The sound quality between the two sources is big and potentially can effect whether or not the upgraded J2 is worth it. Streaming from the TV, either with Chromecast or Roku greatly reduces the difference from my old ESS J2 to my new 4499 + Sparkos J2. The 3 dimensionality and increased clarity is lost or greatly reduced. When streaming through the Wiim, the 3 dimensionality and increased clarity of the upgraded J2 is striking. The difference between the 2 sources when using the older J2 was subtle. My takeaway is that the streaming source will effect the performance of the better dac more than I would have guessed
Interesting. Re the J2 4493, I too A/B tested sources between the WiiM mini and my Sony TV via optical. The Sony won hands down which I attribute to a much higher quality power supply in the TV compared to the cheap one that comes with the WiiM. Re the 4499ex J2S, I don't doubt your experience because the two DACs work on different principles...voltage vs current amplification. I have been told the current based DACs really benefit from the use of a LPS. I plan to buy one for my 4499ex J2S to test out, but that will take time. In the interim, I'll repeat the same WiiM vs Sony A/B test and see if I experience the same thing you did. Let's see.
These Guys Customer Service is awesome too! Very Customer oriented USA built Product! Sent a Question at Midnight and received an Answer within 20 minutes from Sherri. Very Customer oriented!
I think your intentions are good, but personally it's difficult for me to take what you say re: the J2 without some reservations because I don't know if you can be totally impartial/unbiased in your assessments of the sound vs. other products because of your friendship with the company. There's nothing wrong with being friends with these manufacturers, but when you make grand statements like "The J2 destroys high end audio" and "walks all over DACs costing multiple times what the J2 costs" you are going to receive some push back. And none of your sound comparisons are done blind so it's impossible to remove bias. Also Geshelli Labs has outstanding customer service and seem like great people so I can see why you would be rooting for them to succeed. But there is nothing engineering wise that Geshelli Labs is doing with the J2 that is radically different from what Topping, SMSL, or Gustard are doing with their delta-sigma chip based DACs. They're all using top of the line AKM or ESS Sabre chips with op-amp output stages and switching mode power supplies. Actually Gustard and SMSL use two AK4499EX chips in dual mono configuration and Gustard's A26 even has a linear power supply with two separate toroidal transformers, so if anything they are operating at a higher level engineering wise. Now I haven't heard this specific J2 spec'd with the AKM4499EX and Sparkos op-amps, but I have owned the J2 with the ESS Sabre chip, and it was just okay IMO. But nothing that made it stand out from the other capable delta-sigma chip DACs I've owned from Topping, Schiit, and SMSL. So I'm a bit skeptical about this new J2 blowing everything else away under $1k or even more. You've said it yourself that a DAC chip is not what makes a DAC great, so why should I expect this new AKM4499EX J2 to be so much better than the ESS Sabre version that I owned? Not hating on you, just my viewpoint.
Your second paragraph made me think of something…. if Randy does go ahead with the podcast idea and interviews some of the smaller builders (ie: schitt, geshelli), it would be interesting to have them explain how they tune the output stage, after the common op-amp. Like, do they just swap out resistors and capacitors randomly to see what sounds best, or do they target a specific component? (“Hmmm… this capacitor needs a few more microfarads.”) Also, assuming it would be a similar situation, but in the guitar pedal building community, even the way the PCB is laid out (despite having the exact same components and signal path) can have a pretty large impact on the sound, due to issues like crosstalk, etc.
To summarize what you wrote then, the J2 has a worse power supply than many other DACs but can use more expensive op amps from Sparkos. Perhaps this combo can make it the best DAC under $1000? I myself doubt it, but it reminds me of a review on the iwii channel of the Aune X8 DAC that allows swapping of opamps too. That review says the X8 can be turned into one of the best DACs under $1000 with similar upgrades, but it still has some weaknesses. This channel isn't the best at comparisons...the J2 is probably a good at under $1k, but the best? Probably not.
@@topspin4hand A summary of what I wrote is that Randy thinks the new J2 "destroys" every DAC up to $1k, but I am skeptical because on paper, I don't think it's much different than similar AK4499EX based offerings from Topping (E70V) and SMSL (D0300EX, D400EX, D400PRO). And I think much of his enthusiasm may be (even subconsciously) due to bias from his friendship with Geshelli Labs. And I'm not accusing him or them of shilling or paying for reviews, I just think it's natural to want your friends to be successful. And I would have no problems with him stating "this is my favorite DAC", but hyperbolic statements like the title of this video just kind of irk me. Especially when Randy has demonstrated that he's not up-to-date on the latest DACs in this price segment to declare this. In the live chat, someone tried to inform him that this J2 was not the first AK4499EX based DAC, and he seemed to think that person was incorrect until he googled the Topping E70 Velvet, which has been out for almost a year. There is a video on this channel from 5 months ago titled "Geshelli Labs Shocks Axpona with First AK4499 DAC", which is just patently false. SMSL and Topping have had these DACs out for 10+ months. It's odd that he would think that Geshelli would beat SMSL or Topping to market with a new AK4499EX DAC when those companies are way bigger than Geshelli. More evidence that he is biased towards them because that seems illogical to believe that.
👍 I'm thinking of the same thing. Already have the Archel 3 Pro 😊. I'll probably get the J2 (AK)4499 with Sparkos op amps throughout. I'm still deciding about the USB option for possible versatility with my Mac G5 tower. Great stuff! 👍
@@robinkleinsteuber5217 Nice. After taking a leap of faith on the A3 Pro and being very happy with it(tremendous bang for the buck) I was very confident ordering the AK4499 DAC. Building this Geshelli stack is the way to go. "This is THE WAY"
It will have to be listened to... But I think the onky delta sigma DAC that will top the J2 now is the Gustard A26. Two AKM4499EX and one AKM4191EQ, two linear supplies - one for each 4499EX. Top notch components and a really great circuit layout.
I like the Geshelli and I do not like the front inputs. Too bad they don't offer an option for no front inputs. It just does not please me aesthetically. Thanks again, Randy.
Nope, I think you did great. I had the J2 AKM 4493 and sold it to a friend as I'm looking to get the 4499EX. The 4493 was amazing and as good as my Denafrips Pontus II that only back to back testing could tell them apart. J2 slightly punchier bass, Pontus II slightly better air.
Good morning, Thanks again for your work. These kinds of videos are complicated. We are all happy to know which of the two is better. Those who bought it will be even happier to hear you say it, others with the Eversolo will be less happy, hence their reactions. For me the real problem is the price, and I think it's too expensive, much too expensive especially when you know that in a DAC, from one range to another it's small steps for a price multiplied by 3, 4. I just ordered SMSL M300SE (new version), SMSL DL200 ES9039Q2M and the Fanmusic S.M.S.L SU-1. I have a zidoo neo s with 9068SA. So I'll keep you posted
I’m not sure if I would call $500-700 a “tremendous value” for a DAC. Something like a SMSL SU-1 with the remaining $420-620 towards a speaker upgrade would go much further in my opinion. Sure if your speakers are already worth thousands of dollars and you already have an extremely expensive amp it could be a worthwhile investment… but I don’t think that’s most of us. And I’m still not sure it’s a tremendous value if you’re in that position anyways.
You can't just say "in my opinion" after spouting uninformed nonsense, circumvent the meaning of the term "value", and slip under the radar. How much have you experimented with allocating system budgets proportionally to different components? Have you actually tried taking money out of the DAC and putting it in the speaker? Have you paired this with a well matched $600 speaker and compared that against the SU-1 with a well matched $1200 speaker? Would love to hear your findings.
I have the 4499 and McIntosh 752 amp and klipsch forte1 the most simple best sounding quietest combo I have listened to in a long time. J2 is amazing with right combo. Great review.
Love the review.. few questions: 1. Wondering if you or anyone has tried an upgraded external linear power supply with the Geshelli. 2. Have you tested the sound quality on the J2 between USB and SPDIF? 3. Last, would love to see a comparison of the new 4499 J2 decked out with Sparkos against the Schiit Bifrost 2/64, which I personally use and think is the best DAC right now for the price
You can buy a replacement gas strut for your chair instead of buying a new chair. Just need to know size of strut. Contact manufacturer to see if they'll send you a replacement strut under warranty.
I've had a 4493 j2 for years now and time to retire it to my secondary system. I had been eyeing the Z8 but really had no use for screen(even though it's kind of cool), using as pre amp or bluetooth so never pulled the trigger on one. In comes the 4499 J2. I love that Geshelli gave me the option to get exactly what I wanted just the 4499 chip set and sparkos SS3602 for the RCAs with the option to update the balanced output if one day i have another amp with XLR.
I have compared eversolo, schiit, node and few more with chord qutest and I can say... Chord is a different league. I bought chord for 699 and I can't be happier.
Have you heard the j2 akm4493 socketed with the sparcos opamps? Looking to upgrade from Emotiva pt2 dac but $170 extra for the 4499 chip feels like more than I want to spend.
I ordered the new AKM 4499 J2S with sparkos as well as the 3.0 Headphone amp (matching wood of course), your video's convinced me!!! thank you for sharing, Im super pumped up!
I just had to go and check out Bruce and the cowbell. Reminds me of the company i was with, give us more batteries. If we went to a customer with any problem the answer was always sell them more batteries, we have KPI's to achieve.
I just got a WiiM pro plus not too long ago, love it. However, can I run it through the Geshelli labs j2 via coax for EVEN BETTER SOUND???? My worry of course is that I won’t see a difference because it’s already running through the DAC onboard the WIIM. Any help would be appreciated.
I've just upgraded to a Pine Tree Audio linear PSU for my basic J2 with AKM4493. The difference is not small. Bigger soundstage . More 3D. "Smoother" sound, if that makes sense. Similar to Ares ii (which I just sold) but with added detail/resolution. The music is more immersive. From what I'm seeing reported about the new 4499EX version with Sparkos upgrades, this is a similar effect. So of course, now I'm wondering how the new 4499EX J2, fully-upgraded, would perform with the linear PSU, when compared to what I already have. The fomo is real. Where's Neil? He's probably got the answer.
Geshelli has been making really great sounding stuff. I was really impressed with their setup at axpona. Their stuff is a great value for sure. Most dacs with a volume control are digital volume that hurts sound quality. Not sure how the ever solo handles volume so I will not comment on that dac. Glad to hear great things about the geshelli. Also thanks for testing with real music.
Geez, I was all stoked for Emotiva XDA-3 when you were clearly taken with the G J2 4499 Sparkos. I don’t actually need all the XDA preamp functions so on sound quality alone I’m guessing you’d lean J2, Randy?
The Topping D70 Octo is the same price as Geshelli's top-spec'd DAC... and has a menu, UI, physical knob, and buttons that destroy the J2... but is made in China and no wood case option.
I spent $129 for a Modi+ and its fine. It takes digital and converts it to analog and the music doesn't sound like trash. Anything more than that is setting money on fire to me.
I'm looking for American built quality and most importantly Soundstage And Quality of Sound , not so much what Eveyone Else says, but I'm glad this video was done!!
Unfortunately with the lack of comparisons I’m starting to get worried that the new Emotiva XDA Gen3 DAC is not in the same ballpark as some of the better DACs on the market. Dam I was really looking forward to Emotiva having something to bring to the table in this area. Does anyone know how the DAC in the new XDA Gen3 compares to the DAC in the PT100?
Have a PT2 preamp & a J2 (J2S on backorder!). The PT2 was a stark improvement over my Sony cd player & laptop DACs, but well outclassed by the J2. This is what got me going on my DAC journey...
Loved the comparison!! The screen and the casework on the Z8 do it for me. Would love it if the J2 had an option to have the 2nd coax and optical on the back instead of the front. That and even just and backlit led number panel that shows 1, 2,3,4...instead of the light pattern.
I'm one of those that need the volume control (and remote)... for now anyway. I just so happened to see that there was 1 Ever Solo left on Amazon and I jumped on it. I'll try to comment again on what I think. I need a dedicated amp though but I'm sure it will be a big upgrade from DAC in my old HK home theatre amp that I'm currently using. Thanks again audio man for all the reviews and videos! Next up is the Emotiva stereo amp. Probably the big one cause they are only powering the Uni-Fi 2.0's but those little speakers are power hungry and it gives me room for improvement if I want to upgrade speakers down the road. I tend to follow Andrew Jones and I'd love to hear his new MoFi's!
You need to get a hold of the smsl ao300ex, sabaj a20d 2023 edition and the topping e70 velvet and do some comparisons to the j2. All have ak4499ex chip.
They just need to clean up the finish on these. Looks like a DIY project. I know they pretty much are. I almost went with one of them but decided to stick with schiit.
Gonna stick with the Topping E50, which has been measured through it's balanced outs to be one of the best price vs. performance values. I have a Bottlehead tube amp if I want to add any flavor to my sound. However, if you like the Geshelli sound then I agree this is the best DAC for you.
How about the SMSL SU-10 (dual ES90038PRO chips), D400EX (dual AK4499EX chips) and their newly launch VMV series D2R (single BD34301EKV chip from ROHM)? All of them are sub $1,000 product, just curious to know. Any chance to review them? Have compared the new SU-10 with their previous old flagship D1 (also with dual ES90038PRO CHIPS too), quite some diffrences and improvements on the SU-10, maybe due the new circuit design and deployments.
Randy I enjoy your reviews but on this one have one issue. I don’t question your evaluation of the sound quality or the outcome of the review. My issue is that your J2 was custom made for you. They created a special unit just for you. It has a cheapaudio man label. This could create a contextual bias. The bottom line is that heard what you heard and I respect that.
if you watch the dedicated video I talked about the differences with the stock op amps and the burson. as the dac can be configured differently I chose my favorite combo with the sparkos. with the stock TI chips or the burson op amps this would have been a different outcome. I'll be the first one to say that I'm biased towards Geshelli labs, schiit, and emotiva. I love all of their products. I report what I hear but I can't help liking people at the companies. Ultimately it's up to the viewer to believe if I"m being honest or being a shill or marketer. I can't control what people think. I can only control what I do. If my enthusiasm towards a product or company calls my integrity into question then I accept that. But I"m either a lying shill or I'm not and I can sleep just fine at night. I get excited about a lot of products. It's interesting... when I give negative reviews people call my opinions into question. When I get very positive reviews people call my opinion into questions. I've been doing this long enough to realize that someone is going to have a problem if I say that the sky is blue during the day. So... I do my thing. I listen and report what I hear. Am I biased? Absolutely.
Now you listen to me, young man! You really turned me off when you gave Emotiva a pass on their outdated hdmi horseshit. Then did a video saying you don't need hdmi 2.1. It was pandering and I hated it. Still watched the videos cuz I'm always entertained. No, really. But I still kinda thought negatively of you. You know why. And then you write this. So honest and frank and succinct and I applaud you good sir. Well spoken, and well played. That paragraph is the best thing you've done. Take care now, ya hear?@@cheapaudioman
I've been doing both over the last few days, and my experience differs. Regardless of the speakers position, the difference in dacs is quite noticeable
You could take the speakers outside as well, and they will certainly sound different ! Zero to do with evaluating dacs, but so was your original comment 😂
I'm surprised that you went with the Z8 for the comparison. Would have rather liked to hear the comparison with the Emotiva Reference Dac, the XDA i believe, instead. Make it so please.
Got the akm j2 with sparkos on the RCA for my headphone setup earlier this year and I’m good with it. Seems like your review put more emphasis on speaker improvements with these so that helps me avoid the fomo.
So if i run a geshelli dac with sparkos lab op amps into my sansui 9090db with sparkos labs op amps, will my house implodelike the ending of poltergeist?
First thanks a lot for your amazing content ! Can you help me pls with an advise? I’m looking for a streamer to change my audiolab 6000n , i,m in between buy Eversolo dmp a6 master use it as a dac and streamer …….or keep my audiolab 6000n and combine it with ever solo dac z8 !t thanks a lot for your time 🙏
I have to go to DAC school. Is the creating of listening bits getting to a point beyond average hearing perspective? Do I need to be 20 years old again to hear these differences.
Admittedly, I also had the same thought...until I had a need for the front optical input. Then, my perspective changed entirely and now I love that feature...unique as it may be amongst virtually all of the DACs.
Z8 looks nice and all, and it "looks" really nice but all these features on a DAC are pretty useless to me. I think a better comparison would be the top J2 compared to the Bifrost 2/64, its purely a DAC and the I/O is very similar.
Fortunate Son isn’t recorded bad. 😂 It’s probably a different sound than you’re used to, but it’s not a bad recording. The album released in 1969, keep in mind. Also, if I remember correctly, it sounds quite a bit better on vinyl.
Don't know if getting the Sparkos within the J2 4493 is possible without DIY soldering. But, that is available via the J2S version...just not the J2 version. But, with that said, I'll refer you to Passion for Sounds review / comparison between the 4493 J2 and the 4499ex with and without the Sparkos op-amps. Not exactly what you're looking for, but close enough. Good luck.
DACs change too much and often. The vast majority of us really can’t tell a difference when comparing similar price points. Go with Schiit, Bifrost and Yggy are both modular, when the upgrade comes out, just buy the module, don’t have to buy an entire new unit.
I would argue that for the kind of money you are talking about once options are added, the RME ADI-2 Dac would be a far better choice. Personally i wouldn't spend $1000 without support from a company who are likely to be around in 5 years
Get yourself a Herman Miller Embody. It's pricey but it comes with a 12 year warranty and your back will thank you. You're welcome. Cheers from Montreal.
The Eversolo Z-8 was $699 on Amazon when I bought one. I compared the Z-8, Schiit modi + & Geshelli J2s 4493 with Sparkos about a month or so ago and ended up returning the Z-8 & J2s. Between the Schiit Modi + & J2s the Modi + easily sounded better to my ears. The Z-8 & modi + was really close in sound comparison, but with the price difference I returned the Z-8.
maybe i'm not reading your comment correctly but I don't understand "but with the price difference I returned to the Z-8.) Isn't the Z-8 the most expensive?
Yes, in the second sentence I put I returned the Z-8 & J2s. So between the Schiit Modi + price of $130 to the Z-8 $699 I returned the Z-8 since sound comparison was so close. @@waltergist8923
@@waltergist8923 I think they mean the performance difference didn't justify the price difference. So they went with the cheaper but almost as good option. At least that's how I read it.
@@waltergist8923what I'm reading is that the small difference in audio quality that might favor the Z8 over the modi + is not worth the very large price difference. The modi+ is $129
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Randy, your Amazon Music playlists seem to be broken or missing or no longer public?
@cheapaudioman how does this compare to the Schiit bifrost 2?
Friends and I recently a-b'd an original J2 akm to a denifrips Ares 2. Unanimously agreed the J2 was very good but Ares was a major level up. I'm curious how close the upgraded new J2 would get especially with the price gap being closed. We were running both DACs to KLH model 5's on a Yamaha AS-2200.
Would love to know this as well. There are also 2 updates for the ares II, which have different sound signatures depending on what you like.
@@lazzzzze1 I haven't updated yet but will likely soon. An updated review after update would be good content for Randy.
@@danielcaswell9945 Don't think that will happen as Randy gave away his Ares II when he got the AK4493 J2.
R2R dacs can't be touched . They just are in a different class
I LOVE my new J2 with the Sparkos op amps!!!! It’s like a breath of fresh air has been infused into my system. Detail, 3D imaging, fullness, etc. I know the phrase “I’m hearing things I’ve never heard before” is used a lot, but in this case it’s very true. Listening to Heart’s Dog & Butterfly album, the acoustic guitars on Dog & Butterfly (the song) are crisp and lifelike, with subtle plucking notes I’ve never heard in my zillion times of hearing the song. A real ear-opener! I’m glad you are hearing what I am. Fantastic DAC, period.
Fullness = not thin.
Drop the mic moment. Anything else?
Seriously though, I own the 4499ex J2S and can attest to this description. The increase in the depth of the soundstage is immediately apparent...I estimate about 1-1/2 to 2 feet deeper soundstage compared to the 4493 J2 which I also own.
That’s all you took away from the description? You should get one, then you’ll understand. I apologize for not using proper audiophile terms, but that word was apt for my experience with this DAC. Instruments coming from everywhere, wide, deep and high. How about room filling? Compared to my Burr-Brown DAC, it’s absolutely fat. 😉
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 I get that. I wrote what I did right after listening to one of my favorite albums, which I tried to describe my feelings about what I just heard. When describing the sound, that’s one of the words that struck me. I guess fuller meant simply more of everything compared to what I had been hearing through my previous DACs. You are correct, it is hard to describe sound in terms of size or textures. My experience with this piece of equipment was really a pleasure.
I recently purchased the Z8. I have a Modi 3 and a Bifrost. The Eversolo brings out things in the music that I haven't heard in years or maybe never heard at all. In my opinion, the Eversolo is outstanding value for money.
An observation about streaming source and the new J2EX. I have the J2 being fed optically from both a Wiim mini and from my TV. The sound quality between the two sources is big and potentially can effect whether or not the upgraded J2 is worth it. Streaming from the TV, either with Chromecast or Roku greatly reduces the difference from my old ESS J2 to my new 4499 + Sparkos J2. The 3 dimensionality and increased clarity is lost or greatly reduced. When streaming through the Wiim, the 3 dimensionality and increased clarity of the upgraded J2 is striking. The difference between the 2 sources when using the older J2 was subtle.
My takeaway is that the streaming source will effect the performance of the better dac more than I would have guessed
Interesting. Re the J2 4493, I too A/B tested sources between the WiiM mini and my Sony TV via optical. The Sony won hands down which I attribute to a much higher quality power supply in the TV compared to the cheap one that comes with the WiiM.
Re the 4499ex J2S, I don't doubt your experience because the two DACs work on different principles...voltage vs current amplification. I have been told the current based DACs really benefit from the use of a LPS. I plan to buy one for my 4499ex J2S to test out, but that will take time. In the interim, I'll repeat the same WiiM vs Sony A/B test and see if I experience the same thing you did. Let's see.
These Guys Customer Service is awesome too! Very Customer oriented USA built Product! Sent a Question at Midnight and received an Answer within 20 minutes from Sherri.
Very Customer oriented!
I think your intentions are good, but personally it's difficult for me to take what you say re: the J2 without some reservations because I don't know if you can be totally impartial/unbiased in your assessments of the sound vs. other products because of your friendship with the company. There's nothing wrong with being friends with these manufacturers, but when you make grand statements like "The J2 destroys high end audio" and "walks all over DACs costing multiple times what the J2 costs" you are going to receive some push back. And none of your sound comparisons are done blind so it's impossible to remove bias. Also Geshelli Labs has outstanding customer service and seem like great people so I can see why you would be rooting for them to succeed.
But there is nothing engineering wise that Geshelli Labs is doing with the J2 that is radically different from what Topping, SMSL, or Gustard are doing with their delta-sigma chip based DACs. They're all using top of the line AKM or ESS Sabre chips with op-amp output stages and switching mode power supplies. Actually Gustard and SMSL use two AK4499EX chips in dual mono configuration and Gustard's A26 even has a linear power supply with two separate toroidal transformers, so if anything they are operating at a higher level engineering wise.
Now I haven't heard this specific J2 spec'd with the AKM4499EX and Sparkos op-amps, but I have owned the J2 with the ESS Sabre chip, and it was just okay IMO. But nothing that made it stand out from the other capable delta-sigma chip DACs I've owned from Topping, Schiit, and SMSL. So I'm a bit skeptical about this new J2 blowing everything else away under $1k or even more. You've said it yourself that a DAC chip is not what makes a DAC great, so why should I expect this new AKM4499EX J2 to be so much better than the ESS Sabre version that I owned?
Not hating on you, just my viewpoint.
Your second paragraph made me think of something…. if Randy does go ahead with the podcast idea and interviews some of the smaller builders (ie: schitt, geshelli), it would be interesting to have them explain how they tune the output stage, after the common op-amp. Like, do they just swap out resistors and capacitors randomly to see what sounds best, or do they target a specific component? (“Hmmm… this capacitor needs a few more microfarads.”)
Also, assuming it would be a similar situation, but in the guitar pedal building community, even the way the PCB is laid out (despite having the exact same components and signal path) can have a pretty large impact on the sound, due to issues like crosstalk, etc.
To summarize what you wrote then, the J2 has a worse power supply than many other DACs but can use more expensive op amps from Sparkos. Perhaps this combo can make it the best DAC under $1000? I myself doubt it, but it reminds me of a review on the iwii channel of the Aune X8 DAC that allows swapping of opamps too. That review says the X8 can be turned into one of the best DACs under $1000 with similar upgrades, but it still has some weaknesses. This channel isn't the best at comparisons...the J2 is probably a good at under $1k, but the best? Probably not.
@@topspin4hand A summary of what I wrote is that Randy thinks the new J2 "destroys" every DAC up to $1k, but I am skeptical because on paper, I don't think it's much different than similar AK4499EX based offerings from Topping (E70V) and SMSL (D0300EX, D400EX, D400PRO). And I think much of his enthusiasm may be (even subconsciously) due to bias from his friendship with Geshelli Labs. And I'm not accusing him or them of shilling or paying for reviews, I just think it's natural to want your friends to be successful.
And I would have no problems with him stating "this is my favorite DAC", but hyperbolic statements like the title of this video just kind of irk me. Especially when Randy has demonstrated that he's not up-to-date on the latest DACs in this price segment to declare this. In the live chat, someone tried to inform him that this J2 was not the first AK4499EX based DAC, and he seemed to think that person was incorrect until he googled the Topping E70 Velvet, which has been out for almost a year.
There is a video on this channel from 5 months ago titled "Geshelli Labs Shocks Axpona with First AK4499 DAC", which is just patently false. SMSL and Topping have had these DACs out for 10+ months. It's odd that he would think that Geshelli would beat SMSL or Topping to market with a new AK4499EX DAC when those companies are way bigger than Geshelli. More evidence that he is biased towards them because that seems illogical to believe that.
Is there an audiobook version of this rambling mess?
@@davidmeyer1054 You want some Subway Surfers with that buddy? Thought we were adults around here.
I ordered a 4499 yesterday. Sparkos on the XLR only with USB. I went with 100% Zebra Wood. Will stack with A3 Pro amp
👍 I'm thinking of the same thing. Already have the Archel 3 Pro 😊. I'll probably get the J2 (AK)4499 with Sparkos op amps throughout. I'm still deciding about the USB option for possible versatility with my Mac G5 tower. Great stuff! 👍
@@robinkleinsteuber5217 Nice. After taking a leap of faith on the A3 Pro and being very happy with it(tremendous bang for the buck) I was very confident ordering the AK4499 DAC. Building this Geshelli stack is the way to go. "This is THE WAY"
I'm tempted to try that new J2 with sparco op amps. It'd be a J2 V Ares II showdown. 🤔
It will have to be listened to... But I think the onky delta sigma DAC that will top the J2 now is the Gustard A26. Two AKM4499EX and one AKM4191EQ, two linear supplies - one for each 4499EX. Top notch components and a really great circuit layout.
I like the Geshelli and I do not like the front inputs. Too bad they don't offer an option for no front inputs. It just does not please me aesthetically. Thanks again, Randy.
This and some people may need them but an option for no xlr my gear cant use it and may save a few bucks.
@@tikilord66 This. Yes please.
Nope, I think you did great. I had the J2 AKM 4493 and sold it to a friend as I'm looking to get the 4499EX. The 4493 was amazing and as good as my Denafrips Pontus II that only back to back testing could tell them apart. J2 slightly punchier bass, Pontus II slightly better air.
I’m happy with my current J2.
Good morning,
Thanks again for your work.
These kinds of videos are complicated. We are all happy to know which of the two is better. Those who bought it will be even happier to hear you say it, others with the Eversolo will be less happy, hence their reactions.
For me the real problem is the price, and I think it's too expensive, much too expensive especially when you know that in a DAC, from one range to another it's small steps for a price multiplied by 3, 4.
I just ordered SMSL M300SE (new version), SMSL DL200 ES9039Q2M and the Fanmusic S.M.S.L SU-1. I have a zidoo neo s with 9068SA. So I'll keep you posted
The real question is… how does the j2 compare with the bifrost and the ares 2. Like seriously why isn’t someone doing this video?
Agreed and also the other ak4499ex dacs such as smsl ao300ex, sabaj a20d 2023 and topping e70 velvet.
I’m not sure if I would call $500-700 a “tremendous value” for a DAC. Something like a SMSL SU-1 with the remaining $420-620 towards a speaker upgrade would go much further in my opinion. Sure if your speakers are already worth thousands of dollars and you already have an extremely expensive amp it could be a worthwhile investment… but I don’t think that’s most of us. And I’m still not sure it’s a tremendous value if you’re in that position anyways.
You can't just say "in my opinion" after spouting uninformed nonsense, circumvent the meaning of the term "value", and slip under the radar. How much have you experimented with allocating system budgets proportionally to different components? Have you actually tried taking money out of the DAC and putting it in the speaker? Have you paired this with a well matched $600 speaker and compared that against the SU-1 with a well matched $1200 speaker? Would love to hear your findings.
I have the 4499 and McIntosh 752 amp and klipsch forte1 the most simple best sounding quietest combo I have listened to in a long time. J2 is amazing with right combo. Great review.
Love the review.. few questions:
1. Wondering if you or anyone has tried an upgraded external linear power supply with the Geshelli.
2. Have you tested the sound quality on the J2 between USB and SPDIF?
3. Last, would love to see a comparison of the new 4499 J2 decked out with Sparkos against the Schiit Bifrost 2/64, which I personally use and think is the best DAC right now for the price
You can buy a replacement gas strut for your chair instead of buying a new chair. Just need to know size of strut.
Contact manufacturer to see if they'll send you a replacement strut under warranty.
How does the J2 fair against Denafrips Ares
I've had a 4493 j2 for years now and time to retire it to my secondary system. I had been eyeing the Z8 but really had no use for screen(even though it's kind of cool), using as pre amp or bluetooth so never pulled the trigger on one. In comes the 4499 J2. I love that Geshelli gave me the option to get exactly what I wanted just the 4499 chip set and sparkos SS3602 for the RCAs with the option to update the balanced output if one day i have another amp with XLR.
You experienced any difference between the 4493 and the 4499?
@TheEchelon can't say yet order a couple weeks ago and haven't received just yet.
I have compared eversolo, schiit, node and few more with chord qutest and I can say...
Chord is a different league.
I bought chord for 699 and I can't be happier.
which Chord did you buy?
Hey Randy thanks for taking the time to dig into the weeds a little more 😊
Do you think the poorer recordings would hamper performance of both DACs?
You're The Man Randy! Thanks for sticking up for the common man!
Have you heard the j2 akm4493 socketed with the sparcos opamps? Looking to upgrade from Emotiva pt2 dac but $170 extra for the 4499 chip feels like more than I want to spend.
I ordered the new AKM 4499 J2S with sparkos as well as the 3.0 Headphone amp (matching wood of course), your video's convinced me!!! thank you for sharing, Im super pumped up!
How do you like them?
I just had to go and check out Bruce and the cowbell.
Reminds me of the company i was with, give us more batteries. If we went to a customer with any problem the answer was always sell them more batteries, we have KPI's to achieve.
I just got a WiiM pro plus not too long ago, love it. However, can I run it through the Geshelli labs j2 via coax for EVEN BETTER SOUND????
My worry of course is that I won’t see a difference because it’s already running through the DAC onboard the WIIM. Any help would be appreciated.
I’m needing a new chair too.
Looking forward to your A/B comparison on desk chairs under 300.00
I've just upgraded to a Pine Tree Audio linear PSU for my basic J2 with AKM4493. The difference is not small. Bigger soundstage . More 3D. "Smoother" sound, if that makes sense. Similar to Ares ii (which I just sold) but with added detail/resolution. The music is more immersive. From what I'm seeing reported about the new 4499EX version with Sparkos upgrades, this is a similar effect. So of course, now I'm wondering how the new 4499EX J2, fully-upgraded, would perform with the linear PSU, when compared to what I already have. The fomo is real. Where's Neil? He's probably got the answer.
it feels like ther was a months worth of humor and info in this single vid.thanks!
Geshelli has been making really great sounding stuff. I was really impressed with their setup at axpona. Their stuff is a great value for sure. Most dacs with a volume control are digital volume that hurts sound quality. Not sure how the ever solo handles volume so I will not comment on that dac. Glad to hear great things about the geshelli. Also thanks for testing with real music.
This csn definitely be true if the volume control isn't lossless
Geez, I was all stoked for Emotiva XDA-3 when you were clearly taken with the G J2 4499 Sparkos. I don’t actually need all the XDA preamp functions so on sound quality alone I’m guessing you’d lean J2, Randy?
Thank you Randy
Gashelli J2 AKM4499 vs Topping E70 AKM4499 would be the best shootout.
The Topping D70 Octo is the same price as Geshelli's top-spec'd DAC... and has a menu, UI, physical knob, and buttons that destroy the J2... but is made in China and no wood case option.
@@mattrismatt more feature doesn't mean it sounds better. Topping is a definition of sh*t sound. 😂
@@kato2395 I agree. One of the major reasons for the dull sound of the Chi-fi DACs and amps is that they contain low-end op-amps.
I spent $129 for a Modi+ and its fine. It takes digital and converts it to analog and the music doesn't sound like trash. Anything more than that is setting money on fire to me.
I'm looking for American built quality and most importantly Soundstage And Quality of Sound , not so much what Eveyone Else says, but I'm glad this video was done!!
Geshelli manufactured in Florida
@@stevezeidman7224 Eversolo in China?
I believe so.
Wiim with Gashelli Labs J2 vs. Orchard Audio PeanPi Plus (also AKM4499) would be a great shootout
I love my Sabre DAC J2!!! Should I ever want an upgrade I'd go with the 4499 Sparkos J2S. Why Not...!
Unfortunately with the lack of comparisons I’m starting to get worried that the new Emotiva XDA Gen3 DAC is not in the same ballpark as some of the better DACs on the market. Dam I was really looking forward to Emotiva having something to bring to the table in this area. Does anyone know how the DAC in the new XDA Gen3 compares to the DAC in the PT100?
I need to do that comparison. No reason I haven’t other than forgetting.
@@cheapaudioman thanks pal! Your great at what you do, and cover more equipment than anyone else. Thanks for your contribution
@@cheapaudiomanyes please do. I like the HDMI ARC that the Emotiva has while non other do. Let's hear about this comparison next.
Have a PT2 preamp & a J2 (J2S on backorder!). The PT2 was a stark improvement over my Sony cd player & laptop DACs, but well outclassed by the J2. This is what got me going on my DAC journey...
Until we see a blind test, all bets are off. Remember the audioquest power cable video?
Cringe
@@davidmeyer1054😂😂😂
Get you a steelcase chair my dude. Best buy I ever made.
Iwould still deck out the Geshelli to the max and be happy with the price and outcome. Great equipment-- never let down by Geshelli.😂
Loved the comparison!! The screen and the casework on the Z8 do it for me. Would love it if the J2 had an option to have the 2nd coax and optical on the back instead of the front. That and even just and backlit led number panel that shows 1, 2,3,4...instead of the light pattern.
I'm happy with my smsl su 1 for $80 it's tough to beat my speakers are where all my money is
how dose the emotive xda-3 compare to these 2 dacs
I would have liked that thrown in too. Similar price.
I'm one of those that need the volume control (and remote)... for now anyway. I just so happened to see that there was 1 Ever Solo left on Amazon and I jumped on it. I'll try to comment again on what I think. I need a dedicated amp though but I'm sure it will be a big upgrade from DAC in my old HK home theatre amp that I'm currently using. Thanks again audio man for all the reviews and videos! Next up is the Emotiva stereo amp. Probably the big one cause they are only powering the Uni-Fi 2.0's but those little speakers are power hungry and it gives me room for improvement if I want to upgrade speakers down the road. I tend to follow Andrew Jones and I'd love to hear his new MoFi's!
Randy’s a G-Labs fan boy
I think I'll stick with my Bifrost 2/64. It's not nearly as fugly as the J2. 🤣 🤘🤘
You need to get a hold of the smsl ao300ex, sabaj a20d 2023 edition and the topping e70 velvet and do some comparisons to the j2. All have ak4499ex chip.
Can't wait for your chair reviews! (Timestamp 5:00)
They just need to clean up the finish on these. Looks like a DIY project. I know they pretty much are. I almost went with one of them but decided to stick with schiit.
Hi, is worthwhile to connect geshelli j2 to a class d chinese amp (300$)
Gonna stick with the Topping E50, which has been measured through it's balanced outs to be one of the best price vs. performance values. I have a Bottlehead tube amp if I want to add any flavor to my sound. However, if you like the Geshelli sound then I agree this is the best DAC for you.
How about the SMSL SU-10 (dual ES90038PRO chips), D400EX (dual AK4499EX chips) and their newly launch VMV series D2R (single BD34301EKV chip from ROHM)? All of them are sub $1,000 product, just curious to know. Any chance to review them? Have compared the new SU-10 with their previous old flagship D1 (also with dual ES90038PRO CHIPS too), quite some diffrences and improvements on the SU-10, maybe due the new circuit design and deployments.
Randy I enjoy your reviews but on this one have one issue. I don’t question your evaluation of the sound quality or the outcome of the review. My issue is that your J2 was custom made for you. They created a special unit just for you. It has a cheapaudio man label. This could create a contextual bias. The bottom line is that heard what you heard and I respect that.
if you watch the dedicated video I talked about the differences with the stock op amps and the burson. as the dac can be configured differently I chose my favorite combo with the sparkos. with the stock TI chips or the burson op amps this would have been a different outcome. I'll be the first one to say that I'm biased towards Geshelli labs, schiit, and emotiva. I love all of their products. I report what I hear but I can't help liking people at the companies. Ultimately it's up to the viewer to believe if I"m being honest or being a shill or marketer. I can't control what people think. I can only control what I do. If my enthusiasm towards a product or company calls my integrity into question then I accept that. But I"m either a lying shill or I'm not and I can sleep just fine at night. I get excited about a lot of products. It's interesting... when I give negative reviews people call my opinions into question. When I get very positive reviews people call my opinion into questions. I've been doing this long enough to realize that someone is going to have a problem if I say that the sky is blue during the day. So... I do my thing. I listen and report what I hear. Am I biased? Absolutely.
Now you listen to me, young man! You really turned me off when you gave Emotiva a pass on their outdated hdmi horseshit. Then did a video saying you don't need hdmi 2.1. It was pandering and I hated it. Still watched the videos cuz I'm always entertained. No, really. But I still kinda thought negatively of you. You know why. And then you write this. So honest and frank and succinct and I applaud you good sir. Well spoken, and well played. That paragraph is the best thing you've done. Take care now, ya hear?@@cheapaudioman
If there's a Sparkos upgrade available for the Fosi Audio V3 how about a review of that?
You will get more difference in sound by moving you’re speakers 6” in any direction
Instead of comparing differences in dacs.
Good info
I've been doing both over the last few days, and my experience differs. Regardless of the speakers position, the difference in dacs is quite noticeable
You could take the speakers outside as well, and they will certainly sound different ! Zero to do with evaluating dacs, but so was your original comment 😂
I'm surprised that you went with the Z8 for the comparison. Would have rather liked to hear the comparison with the Emotiva Reference Dac, the XDA i believe, instead. Make it so please.
Got the akm j2 with sparkos on the RCA for my headphone setup earlier this year and I’m good with it. Seems like your review put more emphasis on speaker improvements with these so that helps me avoid the fomo.
Wish I could find a place near me to listen to these. But it seems hard to find. And with customs, big bet.
So if i run a geshelli dac with sparkos lab op amps into my sansui 9090db with sparkos labs op amps, will my house implodelike the ending of poltergeist?
Great play list. Yes all are bad sounding, but great music.
Nice comparison. However I think that the DAC to beat at USD800 would be the ARES 2.
First thanks a lot for your amazing content ! Can you help me pls with an advise?
I’m looking for a streamer to change my audiolab 6000n , i,m in between buy Eversolo dmp a6 master use it as a dac and streamer
…….or keep my audiolab 6000n and combine it with ever solo dac z8 !t thanks a lot for your time 🙏
I have to go to DAC school.
Is the creating of listening bits getting to a point beyond average hearing perspective?
Do I need to be 20 years old again to hear these differences.
Is a J2 / Eversolo DMP-6 Battle coming
Was interested until I saw the Opitcal and Coaxial Inputs on the front, my OCD can’t handle that lol. Nice otherwise ✅🍿
Admittedly, I also had the same thought...until I had a need for the front optical input.
Then, my perspective changed entirely and now I love that feature...unique as it may be amongst virtually all of the DACs.
Grow up.
G Labs - best of the best!! Wish I could get one.
Z8 looks nice and all, and it "looks" really nice but all these features on a DAC are pretty useless to me. I think a better comparison would be the top J2 compared to the Bifrost 2/64, its purely a DAC and the I/O is very similar.
Fortunate Son isn’t recorded bad. 😂 It’s probably a different sound than you’re used to, but it’s not a bad recording. The album released in 1969, keep in mind. Also, if I remember correctly, it sounds quite a bit better on vinyl.
You cannot put Bursons in the J2 without using extenders. The case is too short for them to stand up.
The question is J2 Ak4493 with sparkos opam vs Akm4499 with stock opamp...which one sounds better
Don't know if getting the Sparkos within the J2 4493 is possible without DIY soldering. But, that is available via the J2S version...just not the J2 version.
But, with that said, I'll refer you to Passion for Sounds review / comparison between the 4493 J2 and the 4499ex with and without the Sparkos op-amps.
Not exactly what you're looking for, but close enough.
Good luck.
This comes as no surprise to me.
I got a fever, and the only prescription is....more cowbell! (well and maybe one of those J2 DACs)
Time to start up cheep chair guy. Working from home, I'd watch some reviews.
You should get a sith audio chair.
Just found out I wasn’t even subscribed 😱 fixed that. Hopefully it helps towards 200k
You need to get a jack stand to support your chair I might have an extra in the garage you can have 😀
More Cowbell! 🎵
Rat tailed Jimmy is a second hand hood, he deals out in Hollywood.
DACs change too much and often. The vast majority of us really can’t tell a difference when comparing similar price points. Go with Schiit, Bifrost and Yggy are both modular, when the upgrade comes out, just buy the module, don’t have to buy an entire new unit.
Yeah, I have a sinker chair too, I need to fix it.
What stops me from getting the J2 is no volume control.
I would argue that for the kind of money you are talking about once options are added, the RME ADI-2 Dac would be a far better choice. Personally i wouldn't spend $1000 without support from a company who are likely to be around in 5 years
I'm thinking about buying the Eversolo to play it on my 5.1 system and the J2 on my desk computer
Please compare emotiva differential to the j2
I get suspect when I see the company putting the reviewers name and making him his own customized dac .Js
you should be. they've paid me in burritos and wooden boxes before.
@@cheapaudiomanFor the next one, it would be GREAT if they'd put a Sith Audio badge on it!
Sith Audio office chairs? Boomshakalaka
Get yourself a Herman Miller Embody. It's pricey but it comes with a 12 year warranty and your back will thank you. You're welcome. Cheers from Montreal.
You need to review the Arylic BP50! Seems like the perfect partner for all those cheaper (good) amps from Fosi, Aiyima and the sorts.
The 4499 with Sparkos is the best DAC up to $1k
I was a doubter but too many reviewers have come to that same conclusion.
THIS IS NEW !! Pro-Ject Pre box s2 digital - edition 23
Your off the cuff Walken was pretty good. When you become self conscious about it, you lost the vibe. That J2 is looking pretty sweet😎
Summit Hi-Fi has the Z8 for $699
The Eversolo Z-8 was $699 on Amazon when I bought one. I compared the Z-8, Schiit modi + & Geshelli J2s 4493 with Sparkos about a month or so ago and ended up returning the Z-8 & J2s. Between the Schiit Modi + & J2s the Modi + easily sounded better to my ears. The Z-8 & modi + was really close in sound comparison, but with the price difference I returned the Z-8.
maybe i'm not reading your comment correctly but I don't understand "but with the price difference I returned to the Z-8.) Isn't the Z-8 the most expensive?
Yes, in the second sentence I put I returned the Z-8 & J2s. So between the Schiit Modi + price of $130 to the Z-8 $699 I returned the Z-8 since sound comparison was so close. @@waltergist8923
@@waltergist8923 I think they mean the performance difference didn't justify the price difference. So they went with the cheaper but almost as good option. At least that's how I read it.
@@waltergist8923what I'm reading is that the small difference in audio quality that might favor the Z8 over the modi + is not worth the very large price difference. The modi+ is $129
yes, i misread the comment, sorry@@ii1825
Geshelli Labs Burritos All Day! GAME OVER! 🌯
Cowbell !,! The best is by April Wine...Oowatanite play it!
On the J2 what is the USB used for.
It’s the dac input from your pc or phone or whatever, just need that usb b or whatever that printer style connection is called
@@Brian_Romskait’s called usb b
Cool, I’m already a Geshelli fanboy, so, sell me that dac and then u can buy a new chair?