This was my first dac I ever purchased, and honestly I must say I really enjoyed it. Prior to this I tried ESS dac and BB chip, which I had borrowed and I actually preferred the JNOG over both, not sure how either measured but to my dodo ears it actually sounded really good. Clarity and dynamics had greatly improved over the previous two dacs.
Second to that, I would like to add the unit itself was flawed. When I used USB without a driver installed I would get a ticking sound. Then when I install the USB driver the coax input would stop working. I contacted Gishelli and they basically told me to pick my poison, whichever I preferred to use the most, but nothing is wrong with the DAC itself. It's just a software issue, not that it rubbed me wrong, but I think that's kind of nuts. Not sure if anyone else experienced this issue. But grateful to have the JNOG over the J2 cause I didn't like the ESS tone and im sure their unit had the same ess hump or whatever it maybe that I disliked about the ESS chip.
Will not count ess out, one day I would like to try the Aune S8 or Gustard X26pro. Not sure how the Aune S8 measures.. not sure if it was ever measured.