JDS Labs EL Stack II Review

Sound Signature

In this section, I will describe the sound signature of the EL Stack II to you. I will also talk about pairings. Let’s get to it.

Just like the JDS Labs Atom line, neutral, transparent, clean but better. There is a slight emphasis in the sub-area and also in the upper midrange, which makes the signature slightly more energic and not dry. The presentation is very resolving and sounds effortless. It is quite airy as well, the soundstage is impressive and instruments are scattered across the stage with ample air between them. The EL Stack II delivering much more insight into the finer nuances of a track than the Atom Stack when fed with high-quality tracks such as DSDs. We will talk more about technical performance in the upcoming sections.

Just like the Atom line, the Element line does not manipulate or color the gear’s signature and lets you listen to the raw signature of the device you plug into it. Tonally, it is very natural and transparent while being exciting enough to keep you on your toes. There are absolutely no issues with coherency and integrity. Every frequency section works harmoniously with each other and this completely eliminates any artificiality. No coloration means that you hear what you need to hear from your headphones. I can hear the very vague mid-treble dip of the 58X with the EL Stack 2 and this is no small feat. Tonal balance is felt throughout the spectrum, everything feels right. 58X’s imaging is very good, combining this with the EL Stack II results in an excellent reproduction of stereo image. It is accurate, it is precise and it is transparent.

What more do you want from a roughly 700 USD combination? EL Stack II’s ability to cope with the congestion prone tracks is unequivocally impressive. The rhythm, timing, and agility could be its strongest suit aside from excellent imaging capability. The background is pitch-black & marvelously clean.

Low Region

Punchy, powerful, textured. The bass response of EL Stack II is sweet. It has the power and it has the authority. The bass is very well reproduced, kick drums and bass guitars are easy to track. It has a slight emphasis in the low-bass region, responsible for the thump and rumble and it gives the whole presentation a slight energy boost. The body is very good as well, bass-based instruments do not feel thin or light. As I mentioned in the sound signature section, the agility is impressive and the bass region reflects that to you easily. It can keep up with fast tracks with ease, scales very well with the plugged-in gear. Integration from bass into the mids is seamless, too. Absolutely smooth with no bleeding.

Midrange

The midrange of the EL Stack II is transparent, clear, and defined. Both female and male vocals are delightful to listen to. You get to hear every nuance, every little detail and they are not too bold, not too light, as accurate, and as balanced as it gets. Note weight is good, instruments such as guitars, violas, cellos sound very natural to my ears. They are easy to track, even in a crowded soundstage. It does not feel dry at all. Upper mids are energic but also very controlled. Hi-hat extension is just delightful.

Treble

Like the rest of the spectrum, treble is very well-done as well. It is extensive, clear, resolving, and breathy. Harmonics are felt, the response is energic. Articulacy is impressive, especially for the price. It is everything Atom stack is, but more. Much more. This section is quite open sounding and perhaps the reason for the wide stage. Absolutely no unwanted sharpness, everything is under complete control.

Technical Performance

EL Stack II’s technical arsenal is capacious. PRaT is excellent, the stack deals with congestion like it’s nothing. Attack-Decay, the fadeouts, the transients are very fast and agile. As I already mentioned it earlier, the imaging is excellent. The soundstage is wide and deep while staying breathy across the bands. Focusing and tracking instruments is easy, especially when combined with gear that has good imaging capability. (e.g.58x) General presentation is coherent, fluid, and harmonic. EL Stack II performs very well here.

Pairing with Sennheiser 58X

I have a modded Massdrop (now Drop) & Sennheiser special 58X. (Removed the grille foam and circular damper behind the driver.) Just like the Atom, this as well is an excellent pairing. This combination offers a balanced, transparent, and joyous presentation. The midrange is delightful with velvety tones. Vocals are excellent, especially woman vocal such as Buika, Melody Gardot, and similar artists. The clarity and resolution is very impressive. The bass is tight, fast, and thunderous when the track calls for it. Scaling very well with the signal and recording. The Treble region is just as impressive. Really impressive and budget-friendly.

Pairing with Pears SH3-U

Pears SH3 is an excellent monitor. Its signature is quite flat and tuned with complete accuracy in mind. Combining it with JDS EL Stack II results in a very resolving, detail-oriented, clean & clear presentation. The resolution is amazing. Tonality feels very natural. The soundstage is wide and also deep. Imaging, pace, rhythm, and timing is excellent.

Pairing with Earsonics Velvet V2 HR Edition

Velvet V2 HR is a very fast monitor. It has a similar config-setup like Pears SH3, coming at you with 3 beefy balanced armatures. The presentation is quite relaxed and articulate, instruments are breathy with ample air between them. The stage is wide, but not too deep. Clarity is very good as well as the resolution. Velvet is a good all-rounder, therefore, when paired with a capable DAC & AMP like the EL Stack II, they make a good team. They both have an open, energetic, and vivid presentation.

Pairing with Hifiman Deva

Hifiman’s Deva has a balanced, airy presentation, much like the JDS EL Stack II. The clarity and resolution make you smile as soon as you put the combo on. Deva has a wide stage and features a mid-forward, airy presentation. Deva can be a little bass-light for some people and EL Stack II’s sub energy really comes in play here. DEVA feeds on it and provides a better, more rounded bass response. The bass is fast, punchy, and stronger than before. The midrange is just as magical and tonality-wise it feels accurate and natural. Treble response is extensive and clear. Really impressive. In my opinion, EL Stack II is a great choice for DEVA.

Comparison: JDS Labs EL Stack II vs. SMSL M300 MKII + Geshelli Labs Archel 2.5 Pro

To start things off, I would like to state that every piece of equipment in this versus is on the recommended list. This is the clash of titans. SMSL & Geshelli combo costs $420 USD whereas EL Stack II costs $550 USD. They are both very capable with slight differences. The first one being form & factor. EL Stack II takes much much less space on your desk. Both of the stacks great price-to-performance ratio and both of them sound very capable. SMSL & Geshelli stack is slightly warmer than EL Stack II and also they have a more intimate soundstage. EL Stack II is slightly airier and offers a more linear approach to sound. Technically both of the stacks are very impressive and I can’t really nit-pick. Detail-retrieval is slightly better on the EL Stack II. I use the SMSL & Geshelli stack in balanced mode, so this is balanced vs. single-ended and EL Stack II is doing a great job here, folks. To sum this section up, both of the stacks are very good and I am confident that you’ll be happy with both of them.

Last Words

John and his team did it yet again. I really liked the OL DAC + Objective2 combo, I really liked the Atom stack and now I really like the EL Stack II. They certainly know how to make DACs & AMPs and boy, they’re consistent!

You read the review, I can’t find anything bad about it. Yet again with JDS Labs, you get a solid bang for your buck. EL Stack II offers many input options, features a balanced, accurate, and airy presentation. Technical aspects such as PRaT, resolution, stereo imaging, instrument separation, resolution are all excellent for the price. The black aluminum build quality, small footprint and easy-to-use operation makes it a brilliant candidate. Don’t forget that JDS offers one of the best customer service in the industry so if anything bad happens, they got you covered. Definitely give these a try! To the Recommended Buy list it goes!