Geshelli DAC's

Yes Geshelli Labs is another small company making their own DAC's and amps.

It is kind of hard to follow their product line (and now likely even more so since the AKM fire).

Let's just say they created in order thus far in early 2021:

• Enog Pro
• Enog 2 Pro (added balanced out)
• Jnog (added USB)

Wayback Mahine has them coming on the scene in February 2018.

Enog is now discontinued and Jnog is the current DAC (as of Feb. 2021)

 

Believe @ChaChaRealSmooth will post a page or two soon.. I have no experience on their dacs. But based on my favorable experience with their amp, I think they know what they're doing. And very likely they do hear their products before selling.

 

Enog 2 info

First, here are the specs I found from the Wayback Machine website:

• 256x Oversampling
• THD+N -113dB S/N 123dB
• 20-20,000Hz Ultra Flat Frequency Response
• 24 Bit 192khz Toslink/Coaxial Inputs
• Independent Ultra Low Noise Power Regulators
• TI OPA 1642 Output Driver Circuit
• 3 Level Volume Selection
• Three Case Options
• FCC Class A Verified
• FCC Efficiency Power Supply Included
• Dimensions - 4.3"x3.0"x1.8"

No indication on different op amps for balanced or unbalanced. Schiit employs LME49724 for balanced output, OPA1662 for SE output (just to refresh your memory and to be thorough).

Now why would I spend so much time on this? Because it sounds damn good. These are cheap DAC's, looks like a project box with just a screened plexi front and back, no display, only one button and some LED's.

Now the power supply is laughable. SMPS all the way, tiny, 12V 0.5A.

Also, power, button, and digital input on one side, analog output on the other side.

The button hit once toggles between Tos and SPDIF. Hold it down for 3 seconds, and output drops, hold it down again and output drops some more. Full, medium, and low. (No specs at this time on actual voltage output, but I will check with my scope later.) This is a feature built in that reduces the output gain. No digital gain change, only analog output gain.

Equipment used:
HD600
HD650
T-50
AH-D2000
Liquid Carbon
Gilmore Lite clone
Zampotech Bachelor

This was all fed via SPDIF from Theta DS Pro basic II as well as direct from Metrum Ambre.

Tonally is very neutral DAC. It might have a slight tilt to the bass side as it sounds smooth and full. Not quite as full as the monster the Theta is, but the bottom end is well represented, but not overstated. Very analog source low end. Top end is non-fatiguing and certainly not peircing. Cymbals have a tendency to be splashy and there is a hint of grain in the upper mids around 2K, but this is I think AKM and D/S. Similar sound to Bifrost 4490.

Now I have to agree with @dematted with his review here on how the SE outs sound just a bit hazy. I think totally the spider chart works, espcially with the macrodymaics. The big plusses here are the cohesiveness and tonal quality. Going from Bal to SE on my Liquid Carbon just collapses the soundstage and sounds more flat losing transients. I still prefer the SE out of Enog over the Modius and still kicked the pants out of my SMSL Sanskrit 10th that just sounds flat and muddy in comparison. However, SE on the Enog terrible and still does so much correct.

The XLR outs are the real winner. There is better clarity and it bumps up that microdynamics, macrodymanics, detail, staging, and layring up a notch or two. I was surprised it was about the only D/S DAC give the Theta a run for the money. Going back to the Theta it just has a more natural presentation overall, but still closer in detail and layering, and still softer than the Theta in slam (there are few DAC's that can compete with Theta slam). However, the Geshelli never sounds congested to me and still an open and neutral sound.

Now, I had the SE outs plugged into my Zampotech Bachelor and my D2000's and it still brought out details and impact and was still a killer setup. So value wise there is still something here depending on your synergy of your setup.

Note: the newer Jnog adds USB (w/Amanero OEM card) that supports DSD. It also uses TI1656 (vs. TI1642 on the Enog).

Note 2: Warranty is only 31 days to 12-months. On the Enog was only 30 days to 6-months.

 

@rtaylor76 Great write-up. Thanks!

By the way, any picture? Because of their customization nature, I am hugely interested with which colors and material combo others chose!

 

Just black case with dark tint plexi.

Here is is atop my Carbon and Gilmore clone. The O2 is above it for size comparison and yes, same depth as the 02. Similar cases, just a bit taller.

 

I realized this is about the ENOG 2 Pro and not the JNOG, but did you ever find out the voltage outputs with the 3 output modes? I currently have the JNOG paired with the THX AAA 789 and I've seen that it has a 7-volt impedance on the first 2 gain settings, which is fine and all, but I'm not sure what the JNOG is putting out. I assume it'll be similar to the ENOG 2 Pro, or at least comparable enough to get a rough estimate. I have it set on the "Blink Twice" voltage output, and I only ever swap between gain stages 1 and 2 on the THX AAA 789, so I'm sure I'm fine. However, I want to get the most out of both, and I'm not sure how to measure it myself.

Thanks in advance, and hope that you're getting as much fun out of the Geshelli products as I am!

 

Hmm really curious about these. Was going to get the Modius but its so backordered i might pick up something else in the meantime. Couple questions:

• Is there much of difference between the Toslink and the SPDIF? i'm hoping Toslink sounds good too so i can use the SPDIF for something else.
• By chance do you know how this compares to the ifi Nano or ifi iDSD as a DAC? (using an IFI Nano BL as my Dac until my sonic frontiers gets here)
• Not sure if anyone has the answer for this, but comparing the ENOG 2 pro to JNOG, im assuming it's very similar since the only difference was the USB input? (found that other comparison of Jnog vs modius by Raimei Templar https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/geshelli-labs-jnog-dac-akm-4493-version.10506/

P.S. For context (if necessary?):

• Going to be using the XLR out to the Jot 2 when it gets here, and the SE to the WA6SE.
• If i pick this up this would be my daily driver (replacing the IfI Nano BL) when not using the Sonic frontier.
• Headphones would be HD650/HD580 / HE5xx & Aeon Flow Closed v1

 

Toslink to me sounds not quite as good as SPDIF, but usually better than USB. This is for just about any DAC, and I would not venture the Enog Pro2 or Jnog to be any different. No fancy Toshiba lightpipe implementation here.

iFi is going to be more bright leaning, flatter soundstage, and a little more sparkle in the top end. The Enog/Jnog have more of the AK4493EQ sound. iFi uses a BurrBrown chip of some kind (that they say is Multibit, but likely a hybrid just like the PCM1798). Not to take anything away from iFi as they sound great on their own and is fast with good impact. The Enog is a bit softer, rounder, and a bit more relaxed sound.

"Note: the newer Jnog adds USB (w/Amanero OEM card) that supports DSD. It also uses OPA1656 (vs. OPA1642 on the Enog)." So both the USB input and slightly different op amp output. I cannot comment on SQ other than to say the 1656 is a newer TI chip.

 

Just with my DMM on AC mode -

• High = 1.35V
• Med = .283V
• Low = .089V

I take it that Low is a standard 1:1 just straight buffered out from the chip. And to be fair this was playing 1K test tone. My Theta measured 1.4V out using same method.

I personally would never use the Low output, because you still need to push that signal through the cable and the output is super super low. I guess if you had really sensitive headphones, but your gain on your amp is also be more of a factor there for noise and such. But the setting is there if you want it.

 

I received an update email from Geshelli regarding the new J2 DAC. It uses the ESS 9026 Pro chip and will be available for sale on April 30. I didn’t see any info on price.

 

Has anyone tried the original JNOG with the SW51+ amp and HD-650s? I know the V2 will use a different chip so the sound could be significantly different, but I need another DAC for when my SW51+ shows up.

Unless that seems like bad synergy, I may just order the V2 on release day due to curiosity. Whatever I buy will temporarily go in the 2ch rig to compare to Yggdrasil V2.