The JDS Labs Objective2 amplifier, shown with Sennheiser Momentum headphones
(Credit: Steve Guttenberg/CNET )
John Seaber started JDS Labs in 2007 with the cMoyBB headphone amp, which is based on an open-source design. Seaber revamped the cMoy's power supply and volume control, added a DC power jack, and a special bass boost switch. The tiny amp sold well and got the company off the ground. The cMoyBB is still being made, in an Altoids tin box, and currently sells for $60. Seaber is 26 and has an electrical engineering degree from Missouri S&T University.
The JDS Labs Objective2 (02) sells for $144, and it's equally adept with full-size and in-ear headphones. The sound is rich and warm, but still detailed, with no loss of resolution. Better yet, it's battery powered and highly portable, but still gutsy enough to sound great with hard-to-drive headphones like my Hifiman HE 400s and Sennheiser HD 580s. If the 02 retailed for $300 or $400, it would still be a terrific value. The 02 is just 4.25 inches by 1.2 inches by 3.8 inches and the all-metal amp weighs 11 ounces.
The JDS Labs' cMoyBB headphone amp
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