JDS Labs

JDS Labs is an American audio equipment manufacturer founded in 2007 by John Seaber in his college bedroom in Missouri, born from an accidental discovery when he was disappointed with his iPod's lack of power and mediocre bass response from his headphones, leading him to modify Chu Moy's open source portable headphone amplifier design with a bass boost circuit that he initially sold on eBay as the 'cMoyBB,' marking the humble beginning of what would become one of America's most respected headphone amplifier companies. Based in their expansive 8,000 square foot facility at 909 N Bluff Rd, Collinsville, Illinois (about 20 minutes from St. Louis), JDS Labs has grown from a basement operation to a sophisticated manufacturing company that designs, assembles, tests, and ships all products domestically, operating under the philosophy 'Sound as Science' with a quantitative approach to electronics development focused on achieving headphone transparency through engineering optimization. Led by founder and President John Seaber, who holds a BSEE from Missouri S&T and remains the lead electronics engineer on all JDS Labs designs while working with a team of talented developers and fellow audio enthusiasts, the company has achieved significant milestones including gaining prominence by supporting NwAvGuy's Objective2 headphone amplifier which secured their position in the objective audio movement and caused the company to triple in size as the Objective2 and ODAC gained market dominance. Operating with the mission to pursue 'headphone transparency' and believing that speakers and headphones are inherently imperfect, JDS Labs approaches signal chain optimization through modern engineering and meticulous attention to detail, creating powerful listening experiences for audiophiles who demand clean, transparent sound reproduction without coloration or distortion. The company's comprehensive product portfolio spans multiple generations of award-winning designs including the flagship Element series with the latest Element IV DAC/Amp featuring DSP capabilities and web-based EQ interface launched in 2024, the popular Atom series including the current Atom Amp 2 and Atom DAC 2 offering over 2.6W per channel with both 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm headphone outputs plus failsafe DC protection, the classic Objective2 (O2) headphone amplifier designed by NwAvGuy featuring benchmark performance with 0.0016% THD and supporting both battery and AC operation, plus specialized products like the Synapse USB Isolator and OL Switcher that complement their core amplification offerings. With products spanning from the affordable Objective2 at entry-level pricing to the premium Element IV representing cutting-edge DAC/amplifier integration, JDS Labs maintains their commitment to Made-in-USA manufacturing with all products backed by comprehensive 2-year warranties, featuring modern engineering, exceptional customer support, and attention to detail that has earned them recognition from audiophiles worldwide who appreciate the company's transparent approach to audio reproduction. Since 2007, JDS Labs has expanded from John Seaber's initial college bedroom experiments through multiple facility upgrades from basement to 900 sq ft office to 2500 sq ft facility with CNC capabilities, finally settling in their current 8,000 sq ft Collinsville location where they continue advancing headphone amplification technology while maintaining their core values of scientific measurement, transparent sound reproduction, and customer-focused engineering that serves both entry-level enthusiasts and demanding audiophiles seeking the ultimate in clean, powerful headphone amplification.