American HiFi brand JDS Labs presented the second generation of components in the budget Atom series – the external DAC Atom DAC 2 and the headphone amplifier Atom Amp 2 . In the second generation, the manufacturer retained the distinctive features of the Atom series – compactness and accessibility.
The JDS Labs Atom Amp 2 headphone amplifier features an all-metal design for durability and aesthetic appeal. It is equipped with a more convenient volume control knob and a 4.4 mm SE balanced output and a 6.35 mm unbalanced jack for connecting headphones. The amplifier features DC protection and stereo octo-buffers, delivering 2.5 times more power than its predecessor, the Atom Amp+.
The Atom Amp 2 features a higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower noise levels. The amplifier has low output impedance, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of headphones. The Atom Amp 2 features a fail-safe DC load protection circuit designed to protect headphones.
Designed to complement the Atom Amp 2, the Atom DAC 2 external DAC unit is clad in the same metal case and equipped with a USB Type C input. The Atom DAC 2 DAC repeats the characteristics of the Atom DAC+ and is based on the same ES9018K2M Saber DAC chip from ESS Technology. The USB-C input is implemented on the XMOS XU208 chip, and a MEMS clock generator is responsible for the accuracy of timing characteristics. Through the USB port, the model can work with digital streams with a resolution of up to 32 bits / 384 kHz.
The Atom Amp 2 headphone amplifier and the Atom DAC 2 external DAC are already on sale. Both the amplifier and DAC are offered for US$129 each