 using its Sucris-DEM 1941-12 R2R module, a quadruple linear power supply, four discrete analog audio stages, volume control, remote control, a bone-free cabinet and yet costing only slightly over $3000. That's the JS Audio DAG2 MK3. Last week we looked at the JS Audio CDT-3 MK3 CD transport which was at a higher price category. Despite that, also the DAG on the review here, let's name it the DAG2 from here on, does have quite some resemblance with the CD transport, design wise but also where the build quality is concerned. I'll get back to that. Let's first see where the DAG2 is to be used. The DAG2 is to be connected to a line input on an amplifier using either RCA or XLR cables. The amp is to be connected to a set of loudspeakers or headphones. Then a digital source can be connected to the DAG2, like for instance a network player. That can be connected over AES-EBU, SPDIF, TOSLINK or I2S depending on the outputs of the player. I've drawn an AES-EBU cable here. Playback volume and input can be set from the front or using the supplied remote control. Since the DAG2 has several inputs, a CD player can be connected to, for instance over SPDIF. You can also connect the TOSLINK digital output or your TV to the DAG2 and have the TV sound play over your stereo at high quality. The DAG2 is built from thick aluminium panels. The front is even thicker than the sides, rear, top and bottom. It measures 430 x 380 x 120 mm and weighs a hefty 15 kilos. On the front right we see the volume control. By pressing it you switch to fixed output level. Further to the left the crossfeed button that reduces the channel separation in four steps for headphone listening. The DAG2 itself has no headphone output though. Then the selector that lets you choose from four different reconstruction filters. The display shows the volume settings that ranges from minus 90 to plus 10 dB in 1 dB steps. The input selector lets you step through the six inputs. Small LEDs show what input is active. Below that six LEDs that indicate the sampling rate active. For 44.1 kHz the left LED is lit, multiples thereof are indicated by the two times, four times and eight times LEDs. The same goes for 48 kHz based sampling rates. DSD is indicated by the right LED. On the rear three panels, from right to left for mains, inputs and outputs. The IC mains socket also holds the mains fuse. The power switch above it need not to be operated after being switched on unless the DAG2 is induced for a longer time. Otherwise it is better to leave it switched on to keep the electronics and especially the clock crystal in operational state. Then the inputs. There is a USB audio class 2 input for connection to a computer. Then there is an I2S input on HDMI. This is not suited for connection to the HDMI inputs on an AV receiver but only to an I2S output of a digital source. Then we have the AES-3 inputs. AES-EBU on XLR, SPDIF on BNC, SPDIF on RCA and TOSLink. The analog outputs are available as balanced on XLRs and single ended on RCA's. With the top panel removed we see left the AC EMI filters that clean up the incoming mains AC. They are separated from the rest of the DAG2 by a thick aluminium screen. Then to the four encapsulated toroidal transformers from the Dutch company Talama. Next to it the discrete linear power supplies containing Skotsky, Diodes, Walshung Super Regulators and other high quality components. This DAG doesn't use a DAG chip but the DAM-1941 DAG module by Sukris from Denmark. It holds all the inputs and is capable of sampling rates up to 384 kHz PCM over I2S and USB inputs. The AES-3 inputs go to 192 kHz by design. DSD is only supported on the I2S input up to DSD256 and on the USB input up to DSD128. From the Sukris board the analog signal goes to four discrete built output stages, two for the balanced outputs and two for the single ended outputs. Operating the CD2 couldn't be easier. Connect it to your amp and digital source as described at the beginning of this video, switch it on using the power switch on the rear and select the input. Then switch on your amp and set the volume on either the amp or the DAG2. Start your digital source, CD player, streamer, TV, etc. and you are in business. The only option you now have, apart from selecting the music to play from your digital source, is to choose what reconstruction filter to use. My recent presentation at the Noire Blanc Business High-Fi show explains about the effects the reconstruction filters have on the sound. The DAG2 has four filters to choose from. Soft minimum phase filter, which is a soft butterwood filter. Linear phase filter, also called brick wall filter, the one you don't want. A mix between linear and minimum phase filter and a minimum phase filter, also called butterwood filter. I did a listening in my set of one where the RAX520 amplifier drives the PMC F12 signature loudspeakers on ISO acoustic Gaia 2 isolators. They are connected to the amp over AudioQuest Robinhood 0 loudspeaker cable. The DAG2 was connected to the amp over Grim Audio SQM XLR cables. The Grim Audio Mu1 digital player was connected to the DAG2 over Siltek ASEBU cable. All was placed in a creative trend 3 rack. After evaluation of the filters I decided on the soft minimum phase filter. The first thing that draws your attention is the royal stereo image, although that might be partly due to the very low jitter signal source. The filter choice has influenced too by the way. The second thing I noticed was the excellent microdynamics. Whenever an instrument was played to stick out, whether it's a rimshot, a strumming of a guitar or timpani and symphony orchestra, it was reproduced with the correct weight. The lows go deep and with a lot of texture. On these aspects the CD2 comes close to the chord Dave that normally does the conversion here. The difference lies in the resolution for where the DAG2 has excellent resolution for its class is no match for the Dave where the resolution is concerned. That places the DAG2 between my set of 1B and 1A, closer to 1A. Quite a feat for the price. I make this remark since I often get questions whether a €1.000 piece of gear is about as good as a €5.000 piece of gear. Recently someone asked me whether the sound quality of the Bluesound Note 2i with Sbooster power supply sounded as good as the Aurelic Air HG1. There are also people that think that a €100 DAG from Aliexpress is as good as a Mitre Brooklyn DAG, since they both use the ESS9020A DAG chip. It is good to realise that I try to judge equipment before requesting a review sample. I get input from retailers and colleagues and warn manufacturers and distributors not to let me equipment that they don't like themselves. I do this channel because I enjoy doing it, but evaluating poorly performing gear is far from enjoyment so I try my best to avoid that. But for someone that has never heard for instance a Grimm Audio Muon digital player on a matching stereo, it's hard to imagine what can be achieved with digital these days. So this time I try to explain that the DAG2 is performing very well on a number of properties, but that doesn't mean it's equally performing to a three times more costing DAG. The price in US dollars, X sales tax, is €3.098. The Dutch price, including 21% VAT, is €3.395. That's clearly more than what Sukris charges for their DAG based on the same DAG module. The differences are clear though, where Sukris uses a single switch mode power supply, J's Audio uses a fourfold oversized linear power supply plus four discrete output stages and has a beautifully built rigid housing. Most important, it sounds great for the money, therefore it rates very high in my reference setup 1B, low end setup 1A. What else is there to say than to end this video? But I'll be back next Friday at 5pm central european time. If you don't want to miss that, subscribe to this channel or follow me on the social media so you will be informed when new videos are out. Help me reach even more people by giving this video a thumb up or link to this video on the social media. It is much appreciated. Many thanks to those viewers that support this channel financially, especially in these times. It keeps me independent and lets me improve the channel further. If that makes you feel like supporting my work too, the links are in the comments below this video on youtube. I am Hans Beekhuyzen, thank you for watching and see you in the next show or on theHBproject.com and whatever you do, enjoy the music.