JDS Labs Atom DAC – ultra-budget DAC on a chip from Asahi Kasei
The new series of compact and very inexpensive Atom components from the JDS Labs brand will allow even a poor beginner audiophile to join the good sound.
The JDS Labs Atom DAC model is a digital-to-analog converter with USB-B input and RCA line output. The device is built on a USB XMOS XU208 processor and an AK4490 EQ chip manufactured by Asahi Kasei, capable of receiving a PCM stream with parameters 32/384.
The MEMS clock generator from SiTime is responsible for the timing characteristics and stability of the signal. The model can run under Windows 10, MacOs and Linux with ASIO drivers, and the internal software updates automatically when connected via USB. The signal-to-noise ratio on the analog output is 100 dB, and the total KNI is not higher than 0.0008%.
The most interesting thing about the model is its price. You can buy JDS Labs Atom DAC for just 100$, which makes the device especially attractive in the eyes of a novice audiophile.
