You are so good at describing the differences between dacs, and the fact that English is not your native language makes that all the more impressive. Thanks.

and that's called a review ladies and gentlemen, much respect!!! mic drop at the end :)

I own this DAC with Sparkos op-amps and have been impressed from day one. It does sound amazing and definitely outperforms it's price point. Geshelli Labs should be applauded for what this product accomplishes at its price. I've owned it for about 6 months now and am totally satisfied.

This company a small family is one of the kindest and pleasant I’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with . Buying their products is an amazing value but the best customer interaction . Take note being small your order is custom made and takes a bit of time .

To my fellow US citizens, support small businesses! Gishelli Labs is a family run company and produces incredible products.

Videos like this are why i consider you the best subjective Dac reviewer out there. Some good humor in this video as well. I can assure you that i am not the only person in the US that questioned this Dac's performance..as it does get quite a bit of hype for is price point..and believing the hype in HiFi can usually lead one down the wrong path. Nice to see that the J2 is legit enough to get iiwi's recommendation.

So nice to have a review from Europe! I have the J2 with AKM and USB which is $300, it cost about €30 shipping and €100 taxes to get it to the Netherlands (December ‘22). My aluminium case is purple for the best sound 🙃

Your review was palpable and crispy. Modular boards for "Pimpin'" are the future of DAC design and Geshelli was 6 months ahead of the curve. AKM4499/4491 is the top combo with split duties. Sparkos Ops are the "open exhaust" to the hot rod.

I agree. purple sounds the best to me also.

His descriptions are always the most detailed!

Thumbs up and subscribe because of the way you did your descriptions. Links to the times and subjects on each section is much appreciated

Once again, you really rocked this review! So insightful, informative, and clear. Your review was well organized and easy to understand and follow. I was really impressed with your price to performance analysis and your exploration and elaboration of an upgrade path. I feel this analysis is really lacking out there. Thank you again. Keep up the great work.

Great review, I bought the gustard A26 based on your review and have been really happy with it.

Fabulous review and comparison. I think you are the most honest, articulate reviewer out there! Thank you.

Thanks for the review, I was considering it for one of my systems.

Great review, as always. Needed your clear cut perspective...And purple is a great choice!

That review was simply excellent. Most of your reviews are of the same quality and you have a real talent for explaining the sonic signature of audio products. I've always trusted your presentations to be totally objective, truthful and without undue influence. This being said, I think Geshelli Labs owe you a big debt of gratitude for this. I say this because: even though I have listened to other reviews on this Dac and I will be purchasing a new Dac later this year, nothing I heard previously raised my interest to the degree that this review has. This Dac seems to strike the balance of warmth and detail combined without going too far in either direction. First delta sigma Dac to do that.

It was comforting watching this review as I already ordered one and did exactly as you recommended - socketed, 99 chip, Sparkos on the RCAs. Of course, you just cost me another 120 bucks as now I’ve gotta go order a new power supply 😋 thanks for all your great reviews. 🤙🏻😎

Great review!!! I bought this dac with sparkos op amp. I LOVE it. Sounds fantastic.

A really well done assessment of the Geshelli Lab dac. I use the bare-bones variation in my bedroom setup to improve the sound of an Oppo 203. Kudos to your review!

The soundstage depth, the natural and coherent sound is what I noticed so much about my J2 AKM (single ended sparkos opamp and iPower X power supply). It’s smooth while still being revealing and crisp.

Always love your descriptions of sound. I’ve have made note in the past how impressive your mastery of English is. I also like how you’re letting your snark out. I have this DAC with one Sparkos for single ended out. I have vintage McIntosh. It has no balanced in. So, this was an easy choice. I use a LPS than was inexpensive. I found this device to be terrific. I love listening to it. I also have a Ladder Schumann. I really can’t say I like Ladder Schumann better.

Great and honest review. I also own the J2S Dac with the 4499 dac and the two Sparkos Opamps for XLR and have it paired with my Lake People G111 Mks ii Amp. This is best and most amazing sounding pairing that Ive heard for my Arya Organic. Very ironic but I also purchased the Ifi power X 12v last week and agree with you, it does give the sound a cleaner sound and more defined bass its a great addition to a already great sounding dac.

Hi Srboliub, thank you so much for reviewing the J2S 4499ex with the Sparkos op-amps! That's precisely been my experience as well, even the comparison with the Mojo2. However, one difference worth noting is how significant of a difference adding an LPS from Pine Tree Audio had made...the soundstage became bigger, the sound became more authoritative and more fuller in sound. Very sophisticated sound for sure. Can't speak on how the Pine Tree Audio LPS would compare in a head-to-head comparison with the LPS you had tested, but I can just say the results were stunning...so much so that I felt the need to upgrade my components. (upgraded to a PS Audio BHK 250 amplifier and Freye+ preamp) so that they were more evenly matched with the J2S/Pine Tree Audio combo. For reference, the unit I bought was a fully custom, dual-variable LPS, and is the very unit that you see on their landing page. Amazingly well built functionally and aesthetically. Thank you.

I've had the ESS version of the J2 for a few years and I absolutely Love it! I recently bought the Archel 3 Pro headphone amp and couldn't be happier! They make great products at Geshelli. Great Review!!! 👍👍👍

Great review! Thank you for this!

Excellent review. I have the J2S with AKM 4499EX with Sparkos SS3602. I upgraded to a linear power supply, and I also upgraded all three op amps to the flagship Sparkos SS2590, which required some trickery to fit inside the case. The soundstage depth , clarity, and dynamic punch this combination brings continues to impress. I would put it against anything under $1500 USD. Instead of increasing costs with things like an OLED display, Geshelli focuses on implementation, and that is what makes them successful.

Great Review. One of the Best Reviews I've seen anywhere in a long time!! I have a Geshelli Stack with their newest offerings. I went with the Zebra Wood on Both the DAC and Amp and paid for the Kitchen sink extras. I've got the JNOG2 SOCKETED [J2S] DAC with the AK4499 chip that's also loaded with the Sparkos Op Amps. You are absolutely on the money when saying upgrading to the Sparkos Op Amps is a must. It's a huge difference maker and the Sparkos are what really give these Geshelli products their magic. The DAC and Amp are so much better with the Sparkos Op Amps in them. It gives a nice smooth, warm presentation that's still very detailed. No loss of Impact or Soundstage either. The Geshelli stuff is good bang for the Buck that rivals products 3X its price. And while some maybe prefer DACS and Amps with the LED screen... I actually like this simplistic look where you can see the Purple Light etc... inside the units. I prefer the more Intense looking Red Lights in my DAC and Amp stack

This is my favorite review, trashing and all 😉. I think you are the first reviewer to use the very descriptions I do when talking about the Geshelli sound (I have the older ESS with standard op amps). The sound when listening to a good recording is table-slapping good. I am a SMSL junkie (I have 4 of their products!) but Geshelli is my go-to DAC as is my balanced headphone amp the Erish 2. Not only is it my favorite to listen to, but the designer (Geno) and his boss (Sheri) are two of the nicest people in audio, dare I say manufacturing in general. My full time business is implementing manufacturing / warehouse software so I deal a lot with manufacturers and they both are not only 100% into getting the best out of audio at the most affordable price, but are possibly the most customer-centric business owners I know. I am sorry you were not able to get the wood design to match your hand made speakers, but I empathize with the great difficulty you had in getting the DAC at all. Thanks for the great video and I look forward to many more in the future (gotta love my Toppings and SMSL for the product of the week).

I was glad to see you review the Geshelli. Primarily because of the reviews over here in the U.S. seemed overly enthusiastic I ordered the Orchard Audio for use as my computer DAC based on your review I ordered a ARMATURE Hecate XMOS Xcore 208 USB SPDIF Asynchronous Interface to optimize it as my computer DAC and clean up the USB connection. It seems like I would have been better served with the Geshelli with their USB option. Excellent review as always

When all else fails - read the manual? 🙂 There are 3 output/gain levels, that are switchable with the input button - push and hold for ~2 second goes from high to medium, and then again for low, and then again to back to high. For me, the Geshelli J2S AKM 4499EX and a 50W linear power supply, and the big Sparkos SS2590 - it is my current reference DAC. Until I get Geshelli Labs new flagship DAC, the Dayzee, that is.

Well done. Very descriptive. Very precise. And genuine. Listeners need to think about how they listen to music to decide whether the differences matter, but you set the stage for consideration. Thanks.

I have this DAC with full sparkos op amp upgrade in the white oak frame. Yes cost a bit to get it to the UK + import duties as well. But well worth it. It looks beautiful & sounds beautiful 🙂

I have both of these dacs. Your review is 100% on every point.

Great review. Thank you.

Dude, I'm 64 year old from Texas and hope to use the english language so well someday. ...Well done and great review!

I like the honesty about the purple placebo :)

Great and very informative review. Thanks

Great review on the GL J2S DAC, and thanks for being upfront about how the reviewed unit found its way to you. BTW, if you ever find your way to Hollywood USA, you would find employment in the movies in record time.

I was hoping someday you'd get to review this DAC. You confirmed all of the assumptions I've been making as I decide. My favorite part was the audiophile "self-own" in the intro. ;) Though I was hoping for a ladder DAC comparison, I was not disappointed. You have essentially mastered the DAC review. I know it's not world changing, but it's still an accomplishment - and one that helps us guys who have to scrimp and save to get anything better than simply good sound. - Cheers

I love supporting my fellow Americans and I try to buy affordable and great Schiit and Emotiva products and now I will experience this company.

Perfect comparison ! Thanks a lot !👍

Thank you very much for this fantastic review of this great DAC. Geshelli is a family business with wonderful people and customer support. Sparkos is certainly the way to go.

I upgraded the Geshelli labs ak4499 with a sparko SS2590 pro discrete op amp and a linear power supply. Sounds AMAZING

😂😂 “ when you pimp it” that was hilarious. Love the review as always!!! what do you recommend for in room presence live type sound front row seat Dac? Thanks

Great review! I swapped in the Sparkos SS2590 op-amp in my J2S (single-ended only) and the performance to my ears is even better than with the SS3602 - more separation and layering of sound. For a pre-assembled adapter and two SS2590's it's $126 USD (vs the $80 for the SS3602) direct from Sparkos.

Very nicely done 😎👍

First of all I would like to congratulate you on this great channel. I like the calmness and precision with which you present the products. You mostly like to compare higher priced one DACs with the SU-10 from SMSL. I have compared several DACs over the past few years. For example, I tried the DX-7 pro +, the D70 and the D70 pro Sabre from Topping, but also an SMSL D0400 and I'm currently comparing the SU-10 with the VMV D2R with his ROHM. I find the D2R to be very beautifully made and designed the more I look at it. He seems to be made of one piece. In the first comparison, the SU-10 seemed to sound better to me. The stage seems wider to me than that of the D2R. However, after listening for a while, I find the sound of the VMV better, as voices and, for example, a violin seem more natural to me. Maybe you want to test the VMV-D2R. I would be interested in your opinion. Kind regards from Germany, Michael

Great review! If you drop SS2590 dual pro opamps in... And add an Intona USB isolation unit. You can take the J2 even higher... I invested into the power supply and I bought an inline supercapacitor and Yes! - cables matter too. This J2 with the SS2590's is by far the best DAC setup you can buy for the pricepoint. Shout out to Geno! Andrew! Mike! & all the SS2590 fans...

Thank you! After watching hours on different DACs I believe this fully decked out is the way to go. Now i just need to know which streamer to pair it with.

I have the J2S w/ Sparkos OpAmps and think it sounds fantastic. I agree with this review.

You are a very funny man. If I threw a party, you would be the only KZfaq reviewer I would invite.🤣

The Mojo can't be left on and can't be turned on without performing a rain dance (I forget the exact details) whereas the J2 can be left on forever and I believe most Topping & similar have signal detection. Unless you live manually switching things on these little things quickly become incredibly important and imo should be in reviews (but never are). ✌️

Great comparison-based reviews. Have you thought of reviewing the Geshelli A3pro? To me, next level reviews would compare dac+preamp combos from Geshelli, Ladder, Gustard, Denafrips... (I own active speakers 😊)

Great review thanks

The J2S dac with the sparkos, for me, made my hifi journey complete. I’ve stopped searching for another sound. Crazy good outfit to buy from.

This is one of the best DACs with customizing options anyone could ask for. A phenomenal product =) I am MOST excited for the NEW DAC yet to be finalized... however, .. If that AKM is the type of precision sound you like.. this (JS2) is the way.

I have their original j2 DAC with ak4493 and it played musically ? Better than my original topping D90 akm chipped . Your descriptions as usual are very organic and descriptive. As I’m not in the US it is costly for me as well but geshelli shipped mine at fair declared value . I’m very happy with my J2 OG2 but would love the newer upgrade . It’s still better value than many others . I’m waiting for my PS upgrade as well . Enjoy your always descriptive analysis.

Hi Thank you once again for. An informative and entertaining review. What I realy like about your reviews is that you show some music the I can go and listen to. This gives me some cross pollination on what someone else has in his collection. I would realy like you to make comparisons to one standard reference product irrespective of price. Say when reviewing dacs to do a comparison with say the Denafripps ares II most of us have an idea of what that sounds like and can put the comparison into perspective. I like your taste of music. Keep well from Downunder

The best DAC reviewer on Planet Earth!

best dac reviewer in the world!! 🙌

You’ve done a wonderful job on expressing what said sonic differences exist at these price points, which in itself a great service to us fellow music lovers. Thanks for said opinions | honestly above all else.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on a piped out Geshelli v Denafrips Ares II and Chord Qutest.

Thank you for another nice review. My partner and I really appreciate your style. Unique (in a good way). Are you planning to review Fiio's K11 soon? Thank you.

GREAT review and comparisons of the Geshelli J2 with other DACs. Coming from a long stint on the Cheap Audio Man channel, the fellow there had always held Geshelli in high regard. I recognize the importance of a good DAC, but I am not willing to drop $1000 or more for one. I am definitely considering the 4493 version as I think that the 4499 will not show it's true colors on my system, futher, it starts to get pricey. What I have is more mid-fi than high end system, but ehhh, what can I do? It is what I can afford. I definitely would get the socketed version of the 4493 though.

You have the toughest job in the hifi world!....Describing the undscribable.....And always just nail it,,,,Thank you so much for your work.

Many many thx for that super detailed review. Always a pleasure to hear what you feel/hear on different components. Can I ask you a little question please. Did you ever hear the new Vista Spark III, a specially in comparison to a Dayens Ampino?

Great review as always!! Very nice, but no remote is a deal killer for me.

Thanks for another great video, so J2 would be your top DAC under 1000usd ?

I have two Geshelli JNOG. One in the office on my Macbook Air through USB and another one in main tube amplifier system. The newer one is the fancy socketed AKM 4499 version with Sparkos OP Amps on the SE outputs. The older one uses also an AKM chip but I can't remember which one. I am super happy with the sound charcteristic and system matching. I tested them against a Denafrips Ares which wasn't a good match in my tube system. Too rolled off. In my office I tested the newer JNOG against an older wavelenght BRICK DAC. I kept both JNOG's. They ship to Switzerland by the way. Just ask them nicely.

Serbjuba, Thank you for the great review - as usual. I would like to assure you that DAC reviews, which you do a lot of, are necessary and important. Not everyone probably realizes that the DAC plays a greater role in the entire audio system than is commonly believed. At the same time, it is in DACs that the greatest technical progress has recently been made. There are a lot of them lately, and SMSL and Topping are companies that flood the market with dozens of new models every year: cheap and with good sound. A sound that gets better every year for a lower price. Therefore, purchasing a new DAC can quickly and cheaply change our audio experience. Please consider making a video in another format: summarizing your experience with DACs over the last few years: how you test them, which design elements influence sound quality in what ways, the differences between chipset-based and R2R-based DACs, how important is the volume control function based on an analog preamplifier and linear power supply, types of filters and your preferences in configuration, etc... The information I mentioned above is the knowledge I gained thanks to your reviews. Thank you very much! And I can't wait to review the Topping D90III Saber, Topping DX9, and SMSL-SU-X, the latest flagship models around $1,000. The video - a direct duel - would be very interesting. Best Regards Cezary

Thank you for introducing me to Dusko Goykovich!

I can confirm using the ifi power x power adapter adds 20% to the overall sound quality 👍🏼. I was blown away. It's not snake oil

aaaaaaaaaaaaaah finally

That purple light filter bit was me all the way. 😂

Thank you so kindly for an impeccable review that is greatly appreciated! I too have a J2S w/Sparkos balanced outputs and a Talema 25W LPS thru Topping Pre90 to two bridged SMSL A300’s to my JBL D44000 Paragon and the richly detailed and balanced soundstage is phenomenal with this ‘pimped’ setup as you call it. If I may ask, what XLR cables do you use between your DAC and preamp?

I have this same Dac, i really enjoy using it with my Eversolo streamer, the sound is nice, i like it.

I was hoping you would review this one.

Using the Sparkos in the xduoo-xd05-pro with the ESS DAC and external linear power supply. Sounds amazing. The ESS sounds better than the AK4499EX in that system.

Damn fine video sir.

Would you recommend pairing this with a wiim pro for streamer/dac combo? As always great job with the review! Rock on🤙🏽

Great review. Peace!

For what it’s worth I had the J2 with stock op amps with the ESS Dac chip paired with an ultra high end power supply from Ferrum Hyspos and switching to a Mojo 2 was a a considerable step up from the J2. Haven’t compared to their latest iteration with Sparkos op amps and things can certainly change favouring the J2. Can’t ignore Mojo 2’s portability as I can take it to go and I am just amazed how good of a DAC it is in such a small package. The Mojo 2 appears to extract so much more information with music and sounds very refined.

Pozdrav i hvala za novosti,živio!!!😊

The Geshelli is especially impressive, since the strengths of Chord DACs are resolution and dynamics! I would like to know how the Mojo was connected, and powered (with the ifi Power X?) in this review. Compared to my previous Audioquest Dragonfly Red, the Mojo 2 is next level in terms of coherency, allowing me to not only hear the musical notes but the emotions in between. It’s wonderful to have such great options in this price class.

Another great review. Thanks for all your efforts. Would the J2S be a strong upgrade for the Eversolo DMP-6?

Thanks for another great review. I wonder how the J2 with sparkos compares with Aune X8 with sparkos? In your Aune X8 video you said that with sparkos, the Aune X8 can compete with $1000 DAC. 🤔

Thanks for this video! Orchard Audio PecanPi plus vs Geshelli Labs J2S with AK4499EX which one did you enjoy most in your system? ...Thanks!

Hi, Please review Denafrips Ares 12th-1 anniversary vs Geshelli I would like to try next an R2R DAC which is quite affordable, hence the above request.. 🙏

Great review! I really appreciate the comparisons. I would be interested in comparison vs gustard R26 tonally/richness?

I just bought the end of the line DAC combo for me Topping dx-9 at 1000 usd and I'm really satisfied with the 4499 EQ AKM chip. Though I don't think that the Gishelli are any worse with the lower end of the AKM 4499 spectrum. Anyways no more money to buy more DACs. I wish iiwi could review the DX-9 behemoth. thanks.

I use an ifi ipower elite on my streamer (pi2AES) and it was a significant improvement over stock supply. You seem to be describing the same kind of improvements on the DAC. It's definitely worth the $300 on the pi2AES to me in my system (Magnepan .7s, Bifrost 2, and a Hypex Class D amp from Buckeye). If you can get the same level of improvement on the DAC, do it.

Thanks for the review. mojo 2 went down to $500 USD for a while. i wonder if its the same in different countries given the tax and import duties.

Lovely stuff. One thing I wish... I wish she came with a remote control for volume xx

"I still prefer the purple though!" Subbed for your honesty! 😁😂

Great review! I have a pair of Klipsch forte 1’s with Crites tweeters paired with a Yamaha a- S801 amp, do you think I will notice the upgrade to the sparkos in this dac? Thanks

Would like it if you could review the Topping dx9 and compare it with this. Seems like a really good unit.

Hello Srboljub, I wonder if it is simply the Sparkos amp that does the magic. Maybe the Sparkos amp in a cheaper smsl or topping DAC would do the trick.

As always, a fantastic review. If people can't figure out what you observed with the Geshelli vs. the comparison DACs, it's certainly on them, not you. I've had a J2S 4499EX w/Sparkos (single-ended only) in a metal case for several months now. I also have an SMSL D300, which I slightly prefer to the base original J2. But the newer J2S model wins hands down. Yes, it's twice the cost of the original model, but it's actually a great value when one considers that the search for a wonderful all-around DAC is over. Peace, brother. ✌🏻

Waves theory did a comparison with the sparkos setup against the r26 in his r26 review. He says they sound soo alike. Like almost identical. I have the r26 and love it. But i would for sure sell and buy geshelli if this is true. What is your opinion on this? Kenneth