# JDS Labs Element IV vs SMSL DO100: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the JDS Labs Element IV (JDS Labs) and SMSL DO100 (SMSL) among dac amps. SMSL DO100 is the cheaper of the two at $239.

## Side by side

| Spec | JDS Labs Element IV | SMSL DO100 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $549 | $239 |
| Brand | JDS Labs | SMSL |
| Form factor | desktop | desktop |
| Dac chip | ES9018K2M | ES9038Q2M |
| Max pcm (kHz) | 384 | 768 |
| Max dsd | DSD128 | DSD512 |
| Max power mw | 3200 | — |
| Snr (dB) | 120 | — |
| Thdn percent | 0.00025 | 0.00008 |
| Balanced output | No | No |
| Headphone jacks | 6.35mm | none |
| Digital inputs | USB-C/optical | USB-C/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth |
| Weight grams | 570 | — |

## Key differences

- Dac chip: JDS Labs Element IV ES9018K2M vs SMSL DO100 ES9038Q2M
- Max pcm (kHz): JDS Labs Element IV 384 vs SMSL DO100 768
- Max dsd: JDS Labs Element IV DSD128 vs SMSL DO100 DSD512
- Thdn percent: JDS Labs Element IV 0.00025 vs SMSL DO100 0.00008
- Headphone jacks: JDS Labs Element IV 6.35mm vs SMSL DO100 none
- Digital inputs: JDS Labs Element IV USB-C/optical vs SMSL DO100 USB-C/optical/coaxial/Bluetooth

## Sources

- JDS Labs Element IV: https://jdslabs.com/product/element-iv/ (jdslabs.com, verified 2026-07-11)
- SMSL DO100: https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/789.html (smsl-audio.com, verified 2026-07-11)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/dac-amps/jds-labs-element-iv-vs-smsl-do100/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, JDS Labs Element IV ($549) vs SMSL DO100 ($239) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/dac-amps/jds-labs-element-iv-vs-smsl-do100/
License: CC BY 4.0.