What JDS Labs products?

[craigdt]

I have an Asus Xonar DGX soundscard in my desktop with SPDIF and 3.5mm out, Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 powered speakers, and Audiotechnica ATH-M50x headphones.

I use the speakers 90% of the time, but want an entry-level amp/DAC for my headphones.

What items of theirs do I need to be able to switch between powered speakers and headphones with out a lot of fuss?
Don't really want to be clamoring around, switching cables and stuff.

Looking at the Atom amp, and maybe the OL DAC? no idea if thats needed. Or do I need the OL Switcher too?

This stuff:
https://jdslabs.com/shop/?category=featured

 

[IdiotInCharge]

All of them are good, but save the cash and buy better headphones if you want better sound.

 

[xmadror]

If you don't want to go with a "Y" cable and plug the headphone/turn off the speaker as needed you could get a dac/headphone amp and switch the sound output in windows.
Or since you have 2.0/2.1 speakers you could get a switch with optional headphone amp (if you want to improve power to the headphone vs the sound card output) and use the dac from the xonar, with this option you'd press a button on the switch to change from speaker to headphone.
Alternatively you could get a dac and use it with your speaker and headphone and use the switch to connect it to both the speakers and headphone amp.

I have no experience with jds lab but if I can make the suggestion, have a look at the Fulla, Hel, Magni + Modi and Sys from schiit.

 

[BassTek]

The JDS Labs Atom is one of the best amps on the market for the price, it tests better than any of the Schiit amps in the same price bracket or better. You basically need to step up to one of the THX amps from SMSL, Drop or Monoprice that are in the $300+ range before you find something better. I have an Atom and upgraded to an SMSL SP200 THX and honestly didn't notice a quality difference.

As far as speakers, there are RCA pre-outs on the back of the Atom that are active when no headphones are plugged in. So you could run soundcard to Atom via 3.5mm cable, then Atom to speakers via an RCA to 3.5mm female cable and have everything controlled by the volume knob on the Atom. I ran a similar setup with studio monitors on a different headphone amp and it worked quite well.

You don't need a DAC unless you don't like the sound of your Xonar as it is already doing DAC duties.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

I have an Atom and upgraded to an SMSL SP200 THX and honestly didn't notice a quality difference.

Generally, you'd probably need near 10x the investment in a set of cans to discern the difference in the best ~$100 headphone amps and anything better. The THX amps bring stupid clean signal from IEM-level sensitivities up to the current needed for least efficient cans on the market and do so at a far lower price. Most just don't need that capability or flexibility .

[I still want one]

As far as speakers, there are RCA pre-outs on the back of the Atom that are active when no headphones are plugged in. So you could run soundcard to Atom via 3.5mm cable, then Atom to speakers via an RCA to 3.5mm female cable and have everything controlled by the volume knob on the Atom. I ran a similar setup with studio monitors on a different headphone amp and it worked quite well.

This works, but it means wear and tear on the headphone port of the amp, and for the lightweight Atom, it means anchoring the thing somehow. It also means sharing an output in the OS which may not be desirable if EQ, surround profile, or volume differences are involved. If the Xonar has independent outputs for speakers and headphones, it's probably better to use them and do the switching in software.

 

[craigdt]

The JDS Labs Atom is one of the best amps on the market for the price, it tests better than any of the Schiit amps in the same price bracket or better. You basically need to step up to one of the THX amps from SMSL, Drop or Monoprice that are in the $300+ range before you find something better. I have an Atom and upgraded to an SMSL SP200 THX and honestly didn't notice a quality difference.

As far as speakers, there are RCA pre-outs on the back of the Atom that are active when no headphones are plugged in. So you could run soundcard to Atom via 3.5mm cable, then Atom to speakers via an RCA to 3.5mm female cable and have everything controlled by the volume knob on the Atom. I ran a similar setup with studio monitors on a different headphone amp and it worked quite well.

You don't need a DAC unless you don't like the sound of your Xonar as it is already doing DAC duties.

Well this is basically what I'm going to try.

I send the JDS Atom, will feed it from my Asus soundcard.

If I like the setup, I think I'll add the EQ.

Thanks!

 

[craigdt]

I guess if I'm going all in, should I get rid of my Asus DGX sound card and use the JDS DAC? (for my speakers too??)
The software kind of sucks for the DGX...

Or will it make and difference whatsoever?

 

[BassTek]

Hard to say if it will make a difference. I'm still running a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD so I haven't gone down th DAC road yet. If the chip in the DGX is sub-par then possibly you will hear a difference.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

The software kind of sucks for the DGX...

You could try uninstalling just the software and leaving the drivers in place. Depending on the hardware it may still function as a sound card -- meaning a 'DAC'- just find.