... Using PS AUDIO STATEMENT SC Power Cord into the INT: don't know if the European End is available; directly contact PS Audio is your best bet... AND BE FORWARNED: break-in time is a solid 30 day month, 24 hrs/day, continuous play...
Anybody know what happened at JOB...
Hello to all...
I'm a big JOB INT fan - wanted to order another with refinements/changes I'd heard rumored, but it appears they are no longer manufacturing anything (amps, pre or int)... Anybody know what happened?
I thought their products were reviewed very well by both critics and users.... Can anyone shed some light on this - I am greatly disappointed...
And if someone who has a JOB INT can either sell me theirs (can't imagine why you would sell it though) or make a recommendation for another integrated brand/piece in that price and power range, I'd be thankful...
I'm a big JOB INT fan - wanted to order another with refinements/changes I'd heard rumored, but it appears they are no longer manufacturing anything (amps, pre or int)... Anybody know what happened?
I thought their products were reviewed very well by both critics and users.... Can anyone shed some light on this - I am greatly disappointed...
And if someone who has a JOB INT can either sell me theirs (can't imagine why you would sell it though) or make a recommendation for another integrated brand/piece in that price and power range, I'd be thankful...
26 responses Add your response
The majority of woofers, in the majority of speakers, send information, back into the amplifier, called EMF. Many articles on the subject. Some manufactures believe in the concept, some do not. I have always been an advocate of biwiring, and, passive biamping, when the speaker was designed in this way. Passive biamping takes the " back EMF " situation, a step further. The amplifiers, in this case, have less work to do, as they no longer need to reproduce the full bandwidth of frequencies. |
abery, I have to disagree with you, my friend. You had the Rogue pre, prior to your BHK, and you needed to do the same with the Schiit passive. The problem is not with the Nuforce and Zu interface, but the pre’s and the Nuforce. If you eliminate the pre’s, and go passive, without signal playing, turning the passive volume up to max, you would not get hiss or hum ( if no grounding / wiring issues ). It is fine if you want to change the amp, but I remember mentioning a long time ago, the Nuforce, and Job 225, were designed to be driven passively. My Luminous passive ( awesome ), at max volume, without music playing ( dac is on ) shows zero hiss, or hum, through my more efficient speakers, when using the Nuforce. But I understand how much you enjoy tube preamps, so the Nuforce is not a good match, interfacing with your preamps. You are correct. I should have stated for my current system. The amp is dead quiet with a SS pre. One thing between the RP-5 vs the BHK, the Rogue was a tad more noisy in the tube hiss, noise department. With the BHK, I could have actually lived with no passive if my listening position was just a little farther back. Probably just two different pre amp designs or output gain. |
abery, I have to disagree with you, my friend. You had the Rogue pre, prior to your BHK, and you needed to do the same with the Schiit passive. The problem is not with the Nuforce and Zu interface, but the pre’s and the Nuforce. If you eliminate the pre’s, and go passive, without signal playing, turning the passive volume up to max, you would not get hiss or hum ( if no grounding / wiring issues ). It is fine if you want to change the amp, but I remember mentioning a long time ago, the Nuforce, and Job 225, were designed to be driven passively. My Luminous passive ( awesome ), at max volume, without music playing ( dac is on ) shows zero hiss, or hum, through my more efficient speakers, when using the Nuforce. But I understand how much you enjoy tube preamps, so the Nuforce is not a good match, interfacing with your preamps. |
I got my STA200 a few days ago. Driving Klipsch RP600m speakers, The source an Oppo 205 and pre a terrific little McCormack Micro Line Drive and an alternative pre, a Placette Passive linestage. The sound was superb. This despite a far less than ideal acoustic space. I did experience a loud hum, but bringing the system to another room eliminated that. From comments above it would seem that the Job 225 is not really better, just more powerful? |
My zus are super efficient. I have a BHK pre that has tubes. The gain of the Nuforce is do high, I had to install a passive pre between the pre and amp due to tube hiss levels. I reality I have the wrong amp for my speakers (101 dB efficient- at least that is what is advertised). I would say the Nuforce is a perfect amp for speakers under 94 dB or so. |
In my 1/2 dozen times of hearing the RX20s, I always preferred ss amplifiers with well designed, beefy, power supplies. Some were 40 or so wpc, some were 200 wpc. The speakers are a nominal 8 ohm load, so it should not be a problem for the STA 200. What I feel would be amazing : what I suggested to Abery. To vertically, passively, biamp them, which would require a pair of amps, and at a grand, would be killing a few stones, simultaneously ( read up on this amp configuration set up ). As Abery indicated, and as mentioned before on other STA 200 threads and reviews, matching, to the front end gear, can be tricky. Enjoy ! MrD. |
... abit off topic - but do you think the Nuforce STA 200 has enough steam to power my 88bd Gershman Avant Garde RX-20s? I have a Morrison ELAD pre I could hook in but no new DAC, I'd have to use the DAC in the 20 year old CD I use as a transport when hooked into the JOB INT (Marantz SA-8001)...you HO please. Anyone else with opinions about what happened to JOB? |
Abery, I am wondering why Zu does not offer biwiring / biamping options. To be able to vertically, passively biamp your speakers, using a 2nd Sta200, would be, imo awesome. I am using my pair in another system, doing this ( although, admittedly, I listen to my main system, so much more than my other systems ). I know of a few, that have modified their Zus, to have done this. BTW, the statement made by Goldmund, stating the " competition " was fierce, was driven, imo, when Nuforce lowered the price of he STA 200, down to $499. Again, Goldmund, shot themselves in the foot, licensing the circuit out. They are likely getting residuals on the licensing agreement, I suppose. The circuit boards, their layout, the toroids, are quite similar, so factory of manufacture, might, or might not be, the same. Still, at the $499 price, a really nice, musical sounding amp, doing many things right. As I have mention on other threads, this STA 200, made it easy for me, to take an amplifier collection, of over 100 specimens, to now, about 20. Enjoy ! MrD. |
If you recall, the Nuforce was going to be discontinued, thus, the huge discount from $1299. However, demand was so strong, looks like Nuforce kept having units made. I assume the STA200 is made by the same manufacturing facility as the Goldmunds (all outsourced). Nuforce has to be making a little money or they would not continue to sell so cheap. Since the 200 is pretty much identical (except for power), this really tells you the mark up Goldmund had. I currently own the STA200 and that is why I am shopping for a much higher end amp ($4000 +). There is practically nothing under $2500 new that is worth the extra cost over the Nuforce. Possibly the $2900 Benchmark ABH2. |
As I mentioned in another post, I felt that Goldmund made a big mistake ( as the Job products are concerned ) in licensing the amplifier technology to Nuforce ( now Nuprime ). Having heard the Nuforce STA200 ( I own 2 ) side by side to the Job 225, they are truly, that close in sq. In fact, many people I have communicated with, based on the fact, that I have been a very big advocate, and promoter ( simply as an enthusiastic listener ), for the little Nuforce, has opted for the Nuforce, and a few folks, had even sold their 225s, and replaced them with the STA 200s. Sensitivity, gain, input and driving impedance, are practically identical between the 2, and if 80wpc can do the job ( no pun intended ), as opposed to 125wpc, at the $499 price of the Nuforce, it becomes a no brainer. Here is another thing I might have mentioned before, about the Nuforce. I am a big tweak ( 50 plus years ) when it comes to resonance and vibration control ( Klipsch and other horns, cabinets, and, all equipment chassis's ). The Nuforce STA 200 has an amazingly " dead " chassis, when it comes to ringing, resonance, or vibration. I look at amplifiers, such as the new Elac Alchemy DPA-2, and feel, at $1500., Peter Madnick could have spent a bit more time, and money, in stiffening up the chassis, as I am sure, it would have resulted in an even better amplifier than it is currently, and my understanding, it is selling well. Enjoy ! MrD. |
The message clearly says they are closed and production has stopped not sure why you're surprised there is no production? And they say repairs will be available not upgrades or modifications. Honestly I am surprised they were around as long as they were, I don't see how Goldmund could afford to make Job for the prices they were selling. I just accessed the FB page btw it is still there. |
This was posted on their FB page over a year ago... Dear Customers and Followers, we have made the difficult decision to stop the production activity of JOB Electronics after we have finished to deliver our last batches this month. Faced with competition, volume and pricing issues we have made the choice to concentrate on other activities. We will continue to guarantee the repair side of the business. So for all of you who own a JOB 225, a JOB INT or a JOB Pre2 we will still be here to answer your questions and help you with your technical issues. On the practical side of things the website will probably be unreachable by end of the month but you will still be able to communicate with us through the Facebook page which will remain opened. Do not hesitate to contact us on the page or at the usual address: service@jobsys.com. Thank you for your trust and enthusiasm over these years particularly since we have relaunched the JOB 225 dual power in 2013. We will still be around so let’s keep in touch. Thanks again. The JOB TEAM. DeKay |