Just received the Geshelli Labs Jnog Dac yesterday evening.
I do most of my headphone listening at night when my kiddos are finally asleep.
The Jnog is their new balanced Dac, with optional USB input, ability to control gain from the Dac and including RCA, XLR, fiber optic and SPIDF inputs. The balanced and single ended outputs use separate boards and can be used simultaneously. The Dac chip is the AK4493 and the balanced circuit runs on two TI1656 OPAMPS.
I hooked this up to my SMSL SP200 THX AAA both via XLR cables and RCAs. I was only able to test the SE output last night as I haven’t received my XLR connector cable from Hart Audio cables for my DCA Aeon 2s.
I ran a test playlist from Qobuz via USB for about an hour mostly with the Senn HD-6XX single ended.
PlayList here:
My initial impressions, songs that I know well and have listened to for years reveal micro-details I’ve not heard before, the soundstage feels broader and more enveloping with much better instrument separation.
After one brief listening session I can say that this little gem has changed my daily music sessions more than any other piece of gear that I’ve purchased in the past few years.
Can’t wait to listen to the balanced output.
Since the AKM factory fire AK Dac chips are hard to source, sounds like Geshelli was able to source enough for the foreseeable future but they will run out sooner or later.
I’ll share other thoughts as I spend more time with the Jnog and experiment with different headphones and sources.
I know, they haven’t said anything yet, not sure if now they are saying no more AK chip on their website. So far mine should be coming with the AK chip. 10 business days is on Monday hopefully it ships by then or Friday.
USPS slammed
Was going to purchase the Modius, but I think this maybe a one up. Just spent 1500 on my headphones and my first amp. Unfortunately got to get a decent lower end dac based on available funds
I don’t know when Zeos posted his review. Will check that, however when I ordered it didn’t say they were out or that the AK chip is no longer available
Okay, so I just called, they are officially sold out now. Mine is safe.
The lady said a day after I placed my order they ran out of enough USB’s. Whew, sigh of relief.
Second, she was saying I guess they have two different chips that are AK, the dac and something else that supplements the dac. She said they ran out of those chips[supplement] right after Black Friday. Crazy orders came in.
So they contacted the AKM rep and they told them they had a company which has 1000’s available. Of this non dac AKM chips and they brokered a deal. So all is well, but she said Zeos messed them up at they got so many orders. Luckily that rep helped them.
