ddHiFi Janus2 (E2020B) Review

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Design & Build Quality 

Between the ddHiFi 2020A (Janus) and ddHiFi 2020B (Janus2), not a lot has changed in this regard. Luckily, the first model displayed a simple, but clever design laid out to offer the best of both worlds.

Shell

Over the years, we saw an important shift in the making of most IEM. Manufacturers either went for CNC-Milled metallic shells, like the FiiO FH5, FH7 and FH3, or switched to 3D-Printed cases, thanks to lower build cost and precise controllers. But, to my surprise, ddHiFi chose the third option for the Janus: classic acrylic molded shells. 

Thankfully, like their adapters and DAC, the Janus2 looks and feels much better than I’d expected. The translucent acrylic shell is merged with a steel nozzle, topped by aluminum caps on both sides. All of that makes for one of the cleanest designs, I’ve seen in an IEM for a long time. 

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Driver’s aside, there’s literally nothing more inside the E2020A, and even the previous F(lexible)PCB has been replaced by copper wires, directly soldered from the transducer, to the sockets. Those cables are provided by Effect Audio, who’s known for its high-end cables, so I’m sure ddHiFi did this change for the best.

The shells are smaller than multi-BA IEM, which is a given, and you won’t find the classic marble/shiny/custom faceplate you usually get with 3D-Printed models. That said, it’s still a solid piece of work and I think Demond and his team made a great job here.

Build quality

The ddHiFi E2020B Janus2 build quality is top-notch, like every model of the brand so far.

As stated previously, it’s a minimalistic design, with no cables, one single driver, and two inputs: MMCX and 2-Pins. A strange but clever feature that allows you to enjoy your old and new cables, as I did during this review.

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The MMCX/2-Pin port fits perfectly, there is no gap wherever your hand can touch, no bubbles and the extra-thickness of the shell gives a good level of confidence. Add an aluminum front cavity, color-marked stem on the 2-Pin socket for L/R identification, a sweet golden-toned MMXC port, and I think we are good.

If the previous version came with a ddHiFi BC120A (or Forest) which looked beautiful with its TPE sheath, the new model now comes with a copper/silver one, equally gorgeous in my opinion.

So far, so good. Let’s keep digging and see what’s inside the box.

Bundle

Inside the box

The ddHiFi Janus2 comes in a small paper-brown box, like most products of the brand. 

Inside the box you get :

  • the ddHiFi E2020B Janus2
  • a high-purity, siver-plated OFC + pure OFC cable
  • a storage case wide enough for your IEM and a dongle
  • silicon tips + a magnetic cable strap
  • a set of ports to plug the MMCX

Not the best bundle out there, but definitely not the worst, especially considering the quality of the provided accessories.

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Additional Accessories

Obviously, as an accessory-focused brand, ddHiFi offers almost everything you might ever need to complete your build. 

Out of the box, the Janus2 now comes with a 3.5 mm TRS plug that should fit most DAC and DAP. But, if you’ve already embraced the 4.4mm world, they offer a few options like a  4.4mm cable, or various adaptors like a 3.5mm to 4.4mm one.

The same goes for the source. If you just want to connect your IEM to your phone and don’t want to carry a DAC/AMP, they have tiny adapters/dongles like the TC25i and TC25B directly embedding 2.5 mm TRRS plugs, or models like the TC35 Pro if you want a better sound, in the same small package.

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Last but not least, since the Janus offers two types of plugs, you can either go for MMCX or 2-Pin after-market cables. And that’s super nice.

The review continues on Page Three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.

Page 1: About the brand

Page 3: Comfort & Specifications

Page 4: Sound performances and conclusion

4.3/5 - (60 votes)
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A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

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