----------------Geshelli Labs J2 DAC bit.ly/3l9ND4b ******J2 Purchase bit.ly/3l9ND4b +++++++++++++++Drop Dan Clark Aeon X Closed amzn.to/3u7bZ2o >>>>>>>>Drop Beyerdynamic 177X amzn.to/3AFgund ----------------------------- FREE MUSIC. Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 ####################www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman###################

@todddonaldson2822

2 жыл бұрын

Ok so riddle me this. Asking for a friend. Say your ok with Bifrost price, what do you pick? Knowing that a lot of my digital collection sounds digital and prefer a analog sound. Like the idea of Made in US of A, and already own a Modi multi bit. Keep up the good work Chief Audioman!

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

@@todddonaldson2822 they’re both fantastic. If it was my money I’m buying the geshelli

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

Bought it. Playing through my crown xls 1002 (I am not crazy about this amp) and holy cow. Best DAC I have tried with it. Using USB out of my note 9 running qobuz premium into this dac and XLR into the crown.....I'm actually blown away at how good this combo sounds. I look forward to trying it with my other Class AB amps when I have more time. I seriously can't justify spending more on a Dac. I have several Dacs to include SMSL m400, Loxjie 50, tried Pegasus and this may be the ticket. The only odd thing is limited volume. It gets loud enough but its not a hot signal. Soundwise / Price this is as big of a gem as the Aimiya 07... Thanks Randy!!

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

@@ufarkingicehole weird. I assume you’re running it balanced. I think you can change the input sensitivity on that crown. That may get it going.

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman you are 100% correct.. I actually did and it helped a bit. This DAC is amazing. The imaging is really holographic. I was seriously thinking of selling this crown for peanuts but the word synergy comes to mind. Is the Ares 2 really "better" than this Geshelli J2 in your humble opinion because this cheap DAC is blowing my mind. Another cheap audio man Gem!!!

I just looked up Geshelli. They are from the Space Coast. It makes sense. There are a lot of engineers there. They also appear to be after an old school non-digital sound. It's not by accident.

Awesome review. These types of reviews are why I keep on coming back to this channel. Thanks!

Great review Randy. I bought this Geshelli DAC awhile ago and can't agree more with your review. I love it and Geshelli has great customer service. I want to get another one for my main PC. I want to try one paired with one of the headphone amps. Hopefully you will do a review of one of their headphone amps as well. I will always support a US company and Geshelli is a great small US company I will continue to support. I'm jealous I didn't get a t-shirt now I want one to advertise for them. Thanks again for the great content Randy.

What a coincidence, I just got my J2 yesterday. Very happy with it so far. Geshelli Labs is a great company. Their Archel2 GMR headphone amp is awesome too!

Loved the review, never heard of Gheshelli at all. I will definitely look them up. Thanks again.

God, I love ur videos as they give me great audio info and totally crack me up! Good stuff! :)

Sounds like my kind of DAC! Any piece of equipment that gets out of the way - and lets the music be front and center - is a great thing!

I really like mine, can’t wait to see what else they make. Thanks Randy.

Just placed my order. Thanks for the recommendation!

Very cool, never heard of Geshelli. But I have now. Love to see a photo of your headphone rig by the nightstand. Have a great day.

Your sponsors are ALWAYS funnu...don't stop!

Thanks Randy that was a great review of a the Geshelli J2 DAC. I am really happy to see that this competes with much more expensive DAC's at a price point that I can deal with. Too bad you have to have a disclaimer about your joking about sponsors.

Thanks Randy! You make me wish I needed a new DAC. 👍😆

Great video and sure looks like a great company! Thanks for introducing them!

Big improvement from your first review. You look much happier and jolly. Keep it up man.

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

Well after over 300 videos I hope they’re better, my man. Thanks so much for watching from the beginning

Awesome review, this is the kinda thing I tune in for

I miss the camera not focusing on the items you are trying to show ;) aside from jokes, production quality has gone up! Keep it up

@DocBrewskie

2 жыл бұрын

I know , the new professional Randy kinda lost some of the charm lol

@rosswarren436

2 жыл бұрын

@@DocBrewskie at least we can see his fake sponsors better...

Thanks for all you do sir - Would love to see a comparison between the Modi Multi bit and the Geshelli J2 using loudspeakers!

Just took delivery a couple of days ago. Have it plugged into a bluesound node 2i feeding Rega Brio and into a pair of unifi reference bookies. Sounds great.

Love your shirt!

Here at Randy's Hi-Fi. Man it looks like Circuit City back there. Love the review. Thanks again. And zero Hate. Truth is all.

Hey my neighbors on either side are Weyland and Yutani! Love your shirt and the review, thanks!

I just dropped $250 on this on your reccomendation. Bought the MT-34 push pull tube amp also on your reccomendation. Listening to you is becoming expensive....but I love the way the stereo sounds.

“This what I think analog sound like”, fair description. The design is something Philippe Starck might do, just fun.

Great review! Randy, you and I have already spoken. I'm kinda writing this for everyone else. Hope that is okay. I also recently purchased a J2. I was waffling between a Bifrost 2 or Denafrips Ares II. While continuing to search, I found Geshelli Labs, practically in my back yard. After viewing other positive reviews, but written and video, I contacted them. Let me just clearly state, Geno and Sherri are just awesome. Just Awesome! As far as the product, this is my fifth DAC, and it crushes all those before it. No questions. And, which is really cool, I have one-off finish and cover plates. Again, it sounds absolutely wonderful, made in the USA, and great people to deal with. Thanks.

@charlesclifton1006

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for writing this. I have a couple of Schiit Dacs (Modi & Modius) but I think I really want a Bifrost. Now I am wondering ... kinda blown away by all this ...like in too good to be true (for the money)

@disastrousemouse

2 жыл бұрын

Is it multibit or R2R ladder DAC? Sounds like just a Sabre delta sigma chip.

I think I just found my DAC upgrade. Thanks Randy!

I am listening to this via my enog2 pro and I've had it for years and I personally think geshelli makes products that never disappoint.

I found the Schiit Modius light in the mid frequencies and the Bifrost 2 cool and muddled, unable to keep up with the dynamic swings in orchestral music. I enjoyed the Ifi Zen dac, but the soundstage was rather compressed. I bought another dac based on the Burr Brown chip, the Lake People RS-06, and it is very neutral with a good soundstage. But I wanted something with a bit more natural sweetness, so I'm now enjoying very much the Topping D70s. So, there are many choices out there. Each of us knows what he or she is looking for. We just have to keep looking until we find it. Thank heaven there is ebay and Amazon return to unclutter our shelves.

That's an excellent tshirt! I have that patch on my photography backpack.

Hey Randy, I'm a new subscriber but started watching your reviews about a month ago. I was initially attracted by your "mission statement" and have been continually drawn back by your great reviews. This one, in particular, was of huge interest to me. I've watched your DAC reviews with great enthusiasm as I was in the market to find a DAC that would complement my new investment from IOTAVX (S3 and P3) and Buchardt (S400 Mk2). But before I made a decision on the DAC, I watched your review of Streamers. I was heavily leaning towards the IFI Zen Streamer but then watched your review on the Bluenote Node (2021). So, I bought it!! Now, back to the DAC. I narrowed it down to two DACs, the Schiit Bifrost 2 and the Denafrips. I was on the fence because of the cost. I very much agreed with your and other reviewers comments about the difference between the Denafrips and the Schiit. When you said that the Bifrost fell in the middle between the Denaprips and the Topping D90, I knew that was the sound I was looking for. So, I purchased one. Then I see your review on the Geshelli... I still think I got a great DAC in the Bifrost. But it would have been nice to only have to pay half the price to get the sound I wanted.

@dungysphincter7974

2 жыл бұрын

I am interested in the Bifrost 2. What are your experiences. What stands out?

@tacofortgens3471

6 ай бұрын

Cant go wrong with Schiit regardless!

I have 2 Schiit Modi 3+'s on my Cambridge amps and my Arcam SA10 has an internal ESS9016K2M. They both sound great, there is simply no need to spend a fortune on a DAC, a nice basic DAC from a decent company is all that you need.

@rajendrabiswas

2 жыл бұрын

Really ? Someone told me big difference between 100 and 500 dollar DAC .. also amp .. but maybe sound is subjective

@lol3ndir

10 ай бұрын

@@rajendrabiswas a $100 DAC is already good like Modi+ since it provides clean sound output... comparing to $500 it might not have a HUGE difference, but slightly. They said it's more expensive due to multiple input.

Judging by the smile and good mood id say someone was up to making a little music of their own this morning! lol.

Love your beautiful humour

Got my t-shirt Randy. Cool vids

Hey Randy, thanks for another great review! How does this compare to the similarly priced SU-8s? Beyond the fact that the Geshelli is perhaps fuller, which do think is better overall?

Thanks for all you do Randy! Please keep up with the sponsors, they are always amazing! Some people don’t get it and that’s OK. HaHa

I am glad you are always entertaining and pinpoint about the items you review. It's great when we don't get a sales pitch during a post. That's good stuff.

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it

Woot! I've been waiting for this review!!

WEYLAND YUTANI!!! Building better worlds… Randy, thanks for the review. I ordered an AKM version yesterday. I know they are on backlog from last year. Hopefully the wait won’t be too long.

great review, as expected from you, Randy 👍👍👍 do you think the Geshelli DAC could improve the sound of a Bluesound node 2i streamer using its digital out (into the Geshelli) vs. the not too bad DAC inside the Bluesound? cheers😃✌️

@alanhuth7568

2 жыл бұрын

I have both. A good DAC definitely helps the Bluesound node 2i. Reviewers said the DAC in the Node 2i is pretty good, but when I plugged in a Soncoz $199 DAC, it sounded WAY better. I swapped in the Geshelli and it sounded even better than the Soncoz. I would definitely do it if given the choice. Even a $100 Sanskrit makes it sound a lot better.

Hi Randy, did you test for any audible difference between the outputs (RCA vs Balanced)? I noticed someone claiming the RCA is noticably inferior on this device. I'm interested in buying one of these, but I'd only be using the RCA's. Thanks!

You just convinced me to buy one. Been going round and round for ages with dacs. Just sent a Topping D50s back meh

Hello from Canada!!! And yes, we do fix them houses in Canada!!!)))

I keep looking at their website. I wish they would show actual photos of the different case/glass combinations. The 3D thing they have going on doesn't give any idea of what the unit you're about to drop $250 on will actually look like. I want to see what the charcoal aluminum case actually looks like with different colored glass. It seems like hiring a photographer (I'll do it) would be about 1000 % easier than that hokey looking 3D thing.

Love the Weyland-Yutani shirt!

Everything about your videos rock, or classical however you want to perceive it, great great review good Friday morning to you sir, I like the thoughts and sound of this product I am interested in learning more so I may have to get this item

I bought the J2 and it was delivered yesterday. (replacing the Cambridge Dac Magic 100) Sound was noticeably better immediately, in almost every way. There's just more depth in every aspect. Hopefully I feel the same way in a month.

@aldrinkinny

Жыл бұрын

Which CHIP did it have?

@kato2395

Жыл бұрын

I am planning to get one for meself. Does the enjoyment still holds up until today?

@sydneybird116

7 ай бұрын

@@aldrinkinny At 1:45, the Sabre ES9026Pro. It is actually the one that Sherri at Geshelli likes for it's instrument-forward sound.

Would this be a good step-up from a JDS Labs Atom? Would be paired with the Sundara.

Hey Randy, Awesome review. I’m considering getting this DAC to update my digital set up. I have the Emotiva TA 100 which I know you have a lot of experience with. My question is…would the JNOG be worth the money to upgrade from the DAC in the TA 100? I’m using a RPi and Andover SB for streaming. Thanks!

@rejean2744

2 жыл бұрын

I have the Emotiva PT 100. The J2 is certainly an upgrade from that pre amps Dac.

I love the fact that you have to explain that sponsors are fake every now and then. It makes me laugh almost as much as the sponsor messages. This message was brought to you by the letter K and Sith Audio chocolate motor cycle helmets.

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

Some people still don’t get the jokes so I have to make sure to let folks know that I’m not sponsored by Shark Week

@billywindsock9597

2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman shark week, when you absolutely must lose a limb.

Oh man, I wish I had seen this before I bought the Cambridge Audio DACMagic. While it's a good DAC, I put my Modi back in place after about a month of using the Cambridge. The Modi really IS a clean DAC and you can't beat the price. I would LOVE to try the Geshelli J2, but it's gonna have to wait for a while. Something tells me that I would much prefer the sound of the J2 over the DACMagic. Plus the J2 has pulsing lights and it's made in the US! How cool is that. :)

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

O love my Modi, but this is orders of magnitude better. Best Money I have spent on my system.

@AlarusOne

2 жыл бұрын

@@christopherhachet8204 When I pay my credit card down a little more I'm going to check this out myself. I'm greatly looking forward to it. :)

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

@@AlarusOne I like owning music, and some things are only available on CD and not vinyl. With the Geshelli, I get 95 % of the vinyl sound (analog) with CD's. It's unreal.

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

@@AlarusOne You will be a happy listener!

Hey Randy, quick question - am I right in thinking Amazon Link ONLY does Amazon Music? You can't get Qobuz or Tidal or anything else (stuff on your NAS) through it can you? And even for Amazon Music, can it do the HD tracks without throttling?

So I just got my J2. Until now I have been using the dac in my Onkyo or the one on the Wiim mini I got last week. Let me tell you, the difference is not subtle. OMG. I thought my system sounded good before. I thought it imaged well and was clear. I had no clew how much better it could be. Believe Randy when says dacs make a difference!

@kurtislowe6749

Жыл бұрын

Which chip did you choose

Nice shirt!

Been streaming through Node 2i for a while now. But just rehooked the Geshelli JNOG into it and wow! Forgot how much of a difference that DAC makes.

Thank you sir! I'm looking for a sabre DAC.

How does this compare to the Dragonfly Cobalt in sound quality? Both chips are 32-bit with similar dynamic range. Cobalt is 2-Channel, Geshelli is 8-Channel.

Hi, hope you see this, would you get this Geshelli J2 or or the Schiit Modius? (for a xduoo mt604, sundara and a pair of JBL 305 monitors) which one you like more ?

HELLO...wondering what you would recommend for a neutral sounding system Marantz integrated feeding BW Matrix speakers - Geshelli J2 or SMSL SU9N...looking for a full bodied large soundstage not overly analytical

It would go great with my Antec Lanboy computer case from 2003.

@nunofernandes4501

2 жыл бұрын

With an Athlon XP and a Radeon 9700 pro to play Half-life 2.

Did i ever mention that i like ur fake sponsors a lot? 😂 as well as i like ur videos 😀. U are funny guy 👍

Sold... looking forward to checking this out

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

He sold me also.

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

@@christopherhachet8204 what colors did you go with? I went purple and this funky green

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

Irony of ironies I almost went exact same but in the end I did purple/clear. I listen to a lot of music at night in a room by cancle light. This lit up with my Mt- 34 Tube amp, vintage silver face Yamaha Tuner, should look fantastic.

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

@@christopherhachet8204 cool man. I hope to hear your thoughts after you have a little break in.

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

@@christopherhachet8204 Holy cow... haven't had a ton of time screwing with it but using USB c out to USB into the Dac with balanced cables into my crown xls 1002 ..... wow I don't even like the crown that much but this does something to the class D sound that makes it sound better than ever before. I have several dacs from a few hundred to $1k. This may be my favorite DAC thus far

Love the Weyland T-shirt

Randy, Great review, as always. Do you know how Geshelli J2 compares in audio quality to the Schiit Modi Multibit. They are roughly the same price. I understand the Modi Multibit uses a similar topology as the Bifrost 2, without balanced outputs. I am looking for a lower priced dac (than the Bifrost 2) with roughly the same performance. Thanks for your assistance.

@rejean2744

2 жыл бұрын

Good luck getting the Schiit. They're out of stock until at least December. I canceled my order and went with the J2. I'm very pleased so far.

@sopasadena1499

2 жыл бұрын

@@rejean2744 I went with the J2 as well a couple of months ago. The sound has very analog like with no hint of harshness; the balanced outputs are also a plus. The J2 sound very nice coupled with my Schiit Feya S and Vidar. I ordered charcoal with blue glass that cosmetically works with the Schiit stuff.

Good to note that just because a manufacturer uses a "new" DAC chip doesn't automatically make their device any better. Many brands such as Onkyo, Denon, Marantz, and others use DAC chips dating back to 2013 or so and they sound just fine.

New subscriber here! Good stuff.👍😎 Would you have a Minidisc player to test it with please? 💽

Does it have a remote so that it can be used with the A300? Or it there a balanced dac with sub out and a remote to use a 2.1 setup?

I have the Topping D50S any thoughts on sound comparison and if this is an upgrade I should consider. Thanks anyone who chimes in.

I have the original JNOG. I have compared it to a few other moderately priced DACs and I like the JNOG the best for sound quality. I do miss not having a usb and blue tooth connection on this DAC. I might get the upgraded version with usb.

@sherrigeshelli7906

2 жыл бұрын

Hi. If you want, you can send yours in for the upgrade. All you would pay is round trip shipping and the price of $49.99 for the Amanero USB.

@JonMoralesLA

10 ай бұрын

@@sherrigeshelli7906I purchased the J2 with aluminum case. Kind of regret not buying a wood case. Can I purchase a wood case after the fact?

When are you going to review the Geshelli Labs E2?

Ordered one 11.23.21 in boring basic black. :)

Is there a compelling difference between this and Topping E30 to upgrade?

Good stuff Randy!

Hi Randy could review sometime in the future "cheap" speakers Bic venturi dv84 8"- woofer or dv64 6"- woofer

@ufarkingicehole

2 жыл бұрын

They aren't very good at all. High stars 🌟 on Amazon but its garbage. I even had a modified version and they sucked as well. I suppose if you never had many speakers to be able to compare them to, one may find them ok. A ton of better options at the same price point is out there

Can I cord into this from an andriod phone seamlessly through optional USB port?

To run from a phone, is there a cable that can go from the 3.5 to one of the spidf line ins?

LOL I love this direction because the Bifrost was the “poor” audiophile’s choice and now we have one for even poorer audiophiles! I have the Geshelli Archel amp and love it

@christopherhachet8204

2 жыл бұрын

I love my J2

hi, which chip option should i get?

Have you tried the Khadas Tone Board? With an acrylic cover - looks quite similar to the J2 - doesn't have Optical In (only usb and coaxial) and no balanced out - uses ES9038Q2M

@ericdaniel323

2 жыл бұрын

How does the Khadas sound? I like my Modi 3; just curious.

@dipanjanbiswas6580

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericdaniel323 I was pleasantly surprised. I had my apprehensions - given that it was ultra-cheap and seemed to be more of a DIY thing than a DAC of consequence. I have had AKM DACs from SMSL, Topping and FiiO and was looking for a different sound. Didn't quite like the Burr Brown (iFi Zen Dac) - a bit too rolled off for my taste. So decided to try ESS next. Tried the EarMen Sparrow first (ESS9218Pro) - liked it - wanted to check out the more popular product in the family - ESS9038Q2M. Chose the Khadas (bought acrylic cover separately) before moving onto something more expensive like the Soncoz LA-QXD1 or Aune X1S Pro. And enjoyed it thoroughly - the sound has just the right level of detail and body that I prefer. Definitely worth a try - given the low cost - would suggest to buy the acrylic cover also - some enclosure needed I feel 😃

There are also 3 chips to choose from. Which chip should one choose?

Yesss, I like it cheap. (I am Dutch)

You can get it without the LEDs if you message/email them and request it without them

I want to connect a pi4, running volumio, via usb, to the J2. The J2 is not in the list of DACs, does anyone know if this is possible?

Nice to have a USA made excellent DAC. Take a break from the Chinese DAC of the week.

Bifrost 2 is a completely discreet R2R dac. One can't compare it to a delta sigma dac using a mass available chip. Schiit Bifrost 2 sounds completely different. Am i wrong?

How does it compare to the Modius?

Which chipset do you prefer?

Hi Randy... What are your favorite IEMs?

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

ohhh. good question. Tinhifi P1 (they don't have much bass though) and the moondrop kanos recently.

@josecintron85

2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman Many thanks. I am not really a bass head, that does not mean I want complete lack of bass either, I like my music to sound as close to flat as possible. IK headphone manufacturers don't seem to believe in this, and they either bum the highs and/or lows and scoop out the mids. In my perfect music listening world the curve would be completely flat and then I can equalize it ant damn way I want if I want. Was looking for those Kanos but those seem to be discontinued but how would compare to the KXXS Flagship (which are supposed to be the replacement of the Kanos). The P1 for $169 don't look bad.

This is singularly the best upgrade to the system.

J2 or E50?

Awesome....I've been wondering about these! Curious also about the AKM version (JNOG). Would love to get your take on that one too : )

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't heard that one, John. Thanks so much for watching

@riccitone

2 жыл бұрын

@@cheapaudioman Of course. Have always enjoyed your reviews.Thank you so much for taking great care and time with these products, while keeping it real.

Randy, J2 or Denafrips Ares II

Please help me folks. I just got my first dac (zen v2). I don’t notice any difference running it through comp to Sansui. I’m going to return it and just assume dacs are not going to make a difference. Am I doing something wrong? I’ve set up tidal etc but still no change. (Full disclosure my light doesn’t change with formats either). Please help before I give up on dacs.

@YuengsNwings

2 жыл бұрын

At the lowest price point many DACs are going to sound similar. As you start to climb up the price ladder to the $500+ range you start getting much better power supplies and analog boards that affect the sound in a much more meaningful way than the DAC chips and inputs.

@dialecticalmonist3405

2 жыл бұрын

I have a sabre 9038pro dac and the Erish 2 sounds great through it. I ran the ZEN through the Erish 2 and the zen sounds like torture. Of course the ZEN is supposed to be run through it's own amp. It sounds pretty good, but very flat, warm and lifeless by itself.

@mikemcnair2026

2 жыл бұрын

Update. I just hadn’t updated my USB port.

Is the optional usb required to connect to PC? Or is there a different input that also works for the PC?

@billedifier8584

2 жыл бұрын

If your PC has optical (SPDIF) output, that will work. Some PCs only have USB, some have optical digital out through the headphone jack.

The jnog 2 vs the modius?

What did one farmer say to the other farmer?

do you think Rob Delaney would consider playing you in one of your episodes?

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

I’m sure he’s busy

Do I want my stereo flashing at me? Why yes!

Do we reckon the Geshelli is good enough to be an upgrade for the DAC on the Bluesound Node? I quite fancy one.

@cheapaudioman

2 жыл бұрын

For sure.

@oliverjosshvac2101

2 жыл бұрын

I do and its sounding better. You loose MQA though.