DAC Chip: Conexant (Synaptics) CX31993 (Single)
PCM 32bit – 384khz, SNR: -117dB, Power: Unspecified, USB Type-C Male, 3.5mm SE (Microphone: YES), 5g, Aluminum Chassis with OFC Cable

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Listening Equipment: Etymotic ER4SR, VE Duke, TIN HiFi P1, FOSTEX T40RP MK3, TIN HiFi P1, VE Asura 2.0m, Shure KSE1500. USB 3.0 Samsung S20, USB 2.0 iPhone 7 (ddHiFi TC28i Adapter), Deezer HiFi

LISTENING EQUIPMENT USED IMPARTED HUGE INFLUENCE TO SOUND IMPRESSIONS & RATING

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💚PROS

• Clean neutral and natural timbre
• Great coherent dynamics
• Great Treble textures and extensions with polished smooth decays
• Strong Mid-Bass responses, richly textured density and decays
• Neutral Mids slightly intimate, richly textured and smooth.
• Mild Sub-Bass with smooth decays
• Crisp details retrieval, highly transparent
• Realistic toned guitars, cello, percussions, and piano
• Great speed and transients handling, amazing dexterity
• Properly sized soundstage, commendably holographic spatial imaging
• Clean separation of layers with precise placement
• Great synergy with many type of IEMs/HPs/Earbuds
• Great on poor quality recordings and Lo-Fi music despite being very transparent
• Great sibilance resistance all the time
• Clean black background even on sensitive Hybrids (CVJ CSK)
• Efficient battery drain

💔CONS

• Being this cheap, there’s potential QC issue and consistencies. As with many cheap Chifi items
• No mechanical volume adjuster
• No Balanced Output
• Construction and build appearance seems less durable
• Needed 90/100 volume for normal loudness on T40RP MK3
• Driving power not as great as others, need higher volume on demanding pairing

VERDICT

JCally JM6. This is the second CX31993 that I have tested. I have spent huge amount of time with CX-PRO 31993, I have spent equally huge amount of time as well with this JM6. There’s no mistaking that well balanced neutral sound signature, clean and crisp throughout the dynamic range. As with CX-PRO I will still regard JM6 as a bit more exciting in sonic approach, works greatly to inject life into the music especially for sensitive IEMs and Earbuds.

While sounding good on more demanding pairings, JM6 does not shine the best with the likes of FOSTEX T40RP MK3 and TIN HiFi P1 magnetic planars. Dynamic range was not as extended as how I like it. On my 45Ω 98db Etymotic ER4SR and VE Asura 2.0 155Ω, that’s the limit for JM6 for great synergy. ER4SR and Asura both being natively competent with technicalities and transparency, sounded great with rich density in note weight and remained musical for prolonged listening. However worth to mention that strangely my Monk GO which runs on lower impedance does not seem to sound as great, something off with the balance which makes them somewhat dull sounding, perhaps Monk GO being a bit too flat haha.

The crowning moment for JM6, pairing with VE Duke MK1, HZSOUND Heart Mirror, Moondrop Aria and Shure KSE1500 (as AUX). It was evident to my ears the spectrum of sound is totally wholesome, full of rich and well textured Mids, Bass and Treble, smooth crisp decays. JM6 does not alter the sound unique to each IEMs, and this is a huge plus as I prefer my Aria to remain warm with Harman curve and Heart Mirror with smooth sparkly brightness. Timbre hygiene admirably clean and coherent with no signs of nasty jitters or frequency bleeding. Absolute bliss with VE Duke MK1 in 16Ω mode, spacious soundstage that’s even wider than Aria’s, rich detailed and textured Treble which I enjoyed immensely. Well, Mid-Bass wasn’t as visceral sounding as how it is with the 5 Star performers, but then I was never a fan of rich dense bass so I am perfectly fine with this, especially when the focus was on that sweet smooth highs and neutral Mids.

All in all, JM6 is as great sounding as it is with CX-PRO, with only the following differences that I can tell of:

JCally JM6 vs CX-PRO 31993

• JM6 uses OFC vs CX-PRO SPC
• JM6 slightly less euphonic vs CX-PRO (CX-PRO slightly more energetic and sparkier, JM6 smoother, well balanced and polished)
• JM6 has even better sibilance tolerance vs CX-PRO
• JM6 build and construction looks weaker vs CX-PRO

⭐⭐⭐⭐($8.00)

Best Pairing: Anything below 160Ω or above 98db sensitivity.

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