The JDS Atom and Magni 3 are two high-performing amplifiers that come at a reasonable price.
The need for amplifiers is essential if you are looking for a powerful audio experience. With so many amplifiers available in the market, each with its own unique technicalities and functioning, it can get difficult to understand which one to use.
The table below shows the differences between the JDS Atom and the Magni 3.
Comparison: JDS Atom vs Magni 3
JDS Atom
Natural sound at a reasonable price
The JDS Labs Atom is an absolute steal for its price; it offers spectacular audio and has convenient features to offer. Although the build quality could have been better, we certainly have no complaints about the amplifier’s performance. Overall, the amplifier delivers plenty of clean power, has a near-perfectly black noise floor, and articulates a stable balanced sound.
Pros
- Offers clean and transparent sound with natural tonality
- Has versatile gain modes
- Powerful audio response at a reasonable price
- Precise volume potentiometer
Cons
- Poor plastic build
- Gets hot too easily
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Magni 3
Powerful, sophisticated, and versatile
The Schitt Magni 3 are powerful, sophisticated, and versatile amplifiers that easily meet all the requirements of headphones. The amplifier has an excellent build quality, with a flawless and refreshing design. The Magni 3 is made to include low distortion and switchable gain for a pleasurable audio experience. With their impeccable performance and skillful design, these amplifiers can be used with any headphones ranging from IEMS to hard-to-drive planar designs.
Pros
- Minimal and attractive design
- Impressive build quality
- Ability to improve the sound quality of headphones
- Very powerful audio performance
Cons
- Heavy and large power adapter
- Bulky wall-wart design
JDS Atom vs Magni 3: Packaging
The packaging is very important as it leaves the first impression. If the device comes in a neatly packed box with some handy accessories, it leaves some sort of a positive impact on the user. Both the JDS Atom and Magni 3 comes in quite a simple packaging, each with its own accessories for convenience in use.
JDS Atom
The JDS Atom comes in a standard cardboard box, along with a power supply. The power supply is a 16V AV power adapter. Most of the weight of the box is because of the power supply which is quite heavy. Other than that, the JDS is quite light and comes in its own little box.
Magni 3
On the other hand, the packaging of the Magni 3 is similar to that of the JDS Atom, but it comes with a wall-wart instead. Inside the box, you will find the Magni 3 amplifier, a wall-wart, and an instruction manual.
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JDS Atom vs Magni 3: Design and Build Quality
As much as you would want your audio device to sound great, you would want it to look great as well. And when it comes to design, an important factor to consider is the build quality. Poorly built devices often look shabby whereas one with great construction can stand out from the rest.
JDS Atom
The JDS Atom looks like a tiny and light black box at first glance, just like any other amplifiers for speakers that you would get in the market. The design is quite standard- nothing extraordinary. It has a straightforward construction- with the amplifier build entirely of plastic. However, the plastic is of good quality, not like other cheap plastic that feels flimsy to touch. Thanks to the plastic build, the petit JDS Atom is extremely lightweight.
The front of the amplifier has a smooth volume knob, a gain button, an input button, and a connection for a 6.35 mm audio jack. The quality of the knob is quite great; it is not too tight or too loose- it can be smoothly rotated to adjust the volume very easily.
At the back of the JDS Atom, you will find a lot of different connection ports. These include the RCA output, input, and a 3.5-line in. Whilst the RCA connectors are gold plated, JDS left out the 3.5 line to be made of plastic.
Overall, the Atom has great construction, but it should be noted that it is so light because of its plastic build that it can easily move and fall to the ground if the headphone cable is pulled.
Magni 3
At first glance, the Magni 3 looks like it could have been something out of Star Trek. The smooth and shiny silver exterior really catches your attention- and we absolutely love how Schitt tried to keep this amplifier minimal yet eye-catching. The brushed aluminum casing is indeed a refreshing turn from the usual black box.
At the front, you will see the iconic Magni logo imprinted in black at one end. On the other end is the silver volume knob and the 6.3 mm headphone jack. The volume knob protrudes out to easily be rotated for adjusting the volume.
In the rear of the shiny amplifier, you will notice many connection ports. The company’s name is clearly labeled at the back with white font. There are two RCA inputs and two outputs, a power jack, and two switches. There is also a power switch and gain switch which can be used to control the power to the headphones.
The Magni 3 has a linear supply which is a bit bulky, to be frank. The wall-wart design is a bit cumbersome. Nevertheless, the Magni 3 has quite a great build quality overall.
Winner: Magni 3
Both the amplifiers are quite small in size. Whilst the JDS Atom is entirely built of plastic, the Magni 3 flaunts a flawless metal construction. And of course, when there has to be a decision made between plastic and metal, the latter earns a priority. Although some may argue that the Magni 3 is a bit heavy because of its aluminum construction, the Atom is so light that it might have the risk of falling quite easily if the headphone attached to it is pulled.
Lastly, the Magni 3 just looks fabulous in my opinion. Let’s be honest, we have all seen something like the JDS Atom- pure black boxes of audio are everywhere. But the Magni 3 steals away the spotlight with its brilliant, shiny, minimalistic, and effective design.
JDS Atom vs Magni 3:Performance
Are the amplifiers effective at getting their job done? As much as we love talking about the design and build quality, our main concern is the performance. JDS Atom and Magni 3 are both well-performing amplifiers with their own benefits and drawbacks, each delivering sound in its own unique way.
JDS Atom
When you look at the specifications of the JDS Atom, you will find some important features. The amplifier can deliver up to 1 watt at 32 Ohms at high gain and has an impedance output of 0.7 Ohm. What this means is that it can perform for both sensitive earphones and louder ones.
It has quite a high SINAD value, about 114 dB, which means that the signal is very clear and precise with limited distortion. It also features dynamic range and articulate imaging which is reflected in its signal-to-noise ratio. Stereo separation accuracy is also possible thanks to the high crosstalk of 87 dB. Overall, the specifications of the JDS Atom are a lot compared to its reasonable price.
The JDS Atom exhibits a controlled and crisp bass which has an astoundingly fast response. The natural and textured bass response is also very versatile in the sense that it can also be very hard and physical. I
The midrange is pretty similar. It is transparent, clear, and vivid with flying colors. The response pretty much depends on the headphones that you are going to choose to connect to the amplifiers, but whatever it is the midrange is controlled and well balanced.
Lastly, the treble is what stands out the most with these amplifiers. The treble is extremely detailed and extended. The response is vivid but not too sharp. The soundstage exhibited by these amplifiers is very precise and airy.
Overall, the amplifier offers neutral sound with smooth clarity and transparent layering.
Magni 3
The Schitt Magni 3 has tremendous power with a full 2000 mW into 32 Ohms. The audio response is robust and clear, with the mids, highs and lows being balanced. Overall, the Magni 3 offers a lot of life and energy to the audio- which is quite a pleasing sensation to the ears.
When switched back and forth between the low gain and high gain mode, it was noticed that the low gain sounded much better. It was more focused and clear. Whereas the high gain sounded warm but it was a little hazy. However, this experience varies from person to person.
Winner: JDS Atom
When it comes to performance, the JDS Atom certainly blew us away. The overall sound production is neutral without any unnatural enhancements. It is not too bright or too dull- it has warmth in the timbre that makes the audio more pleasurable to listen to.
Learn more about How to choose amplifier for speakers through performance.
JDS Atom vs Magni 3:Features
The table below shows the additional features that both the amplifiers have to offer.
JDS Atom
Smart Logic: The JDS Atom amplifier has relay muting smart features that help to get rid of pops and thumps during startup. This feature is essential for desktop listening.
Dual Gain: The amplifier supports both a low gain of 1.0x and high gain powers when paired with powerful headphones.
Dual Inputs: The JDS Atom is designed to support dual inputs. The amplifier combines the requirement for an individual amp and preamp. Two sources can be connected between 3.5 mm and RCA input.
Ultra-High Power: The JDS Atom offers up to 1 watt of clean audio per channel. It is a powerful amplifier that makes the audio loud and clear.
Preamp Outputs: If you unplug your headphones from the amplifier, the volume knob is adjusted for the RCA preamp output. This allows controlling the volume of the powered speakers.
Magni 3
Virtual Pairing: The Magni 3 amplifier is defined as one that is ready for any headphone from IEMs to hard-to-drive planar designs. It is powerful; it eliminates distortion and has a switchable gain- making it perfect for any headphone that is connected to it.
Preamp Outputs:The Magni 3 is designed to include preamp output which makes it possible to connect it to desktop-powered monitors for a complete system. It can also be connected to a speaker power amp.
FAQs
Still have some questions unanswered? Find out them in this section.
Is the Atom DAC a good buy?
JDS is well-known among audiophiles for its excellent price-to-performance ratio. The OL DAC & OBJECTIVE2 stack was a tremendous hit under $200, competing with hardware costing twice as much. ATOM has arrived to reclaim the throne. The DAC is a technological miracle for the price, with superb measurements.
Is Schiit a worthwhile investment?
By nature, Schiit is actually rather good. This is a desktop-friendly slice of hi-fi that is basic but effective. We’re confident you’d appreciate the Magni 3 if you’re a regular headphone user who’s spent a few quid on a good pair of headphones.
Final Verdict: JDS Atom vs Magni 3
When it comes to design and build, the Magni 3 certainly has one of the cleanest and attractive exteriors we have seen in amplifiers. The JDS Atom can definitely improve its plastic design, which feels rather poor.
However, if you are looking for the perfect versatile amplifier that can not only drive your IEM but also your headphones with clarity and power, the JDS Atom is the right choice for you.
Freelance tech journalist & author soundboxlab.com Read More