2. amps-preamps
  3. 151113-136265

JADIS DEFY7, can not get it to sing

Hi
I hope some of you old pros can help answer my,,well lets say help me figure out how to get my Jadis defy 7 to sing. I purchased the amp used (like new, as the seller had a  Jadis JA200 mono blocks laready and the Defy sat quiet, So I bought it in 2008. Months later i purchased a  MINGDA tube pre amp, sounded AWEFUL, Not even close to my jadis Orch reference, KT90's EI tubes, that intergrtaed was really all I needed, i made a  huge costly mistake selling and buying the  DEFY 7, I do believe that w/o a  powerful pre, to DRIVE the FQ's into the Defy, the Defy will not respo9nd. 
The sound is flat, lifeless, no dynamics, The Orch Refer had HUGE sound stage, bass, GORGEOUS life like mids, nice sweet highs. 
I wanted more and bought the Defy,. 
I just had the Defy cked in Baton Rouge, had the KT90's brand new EH tuibes biased . 
I have a  ONKYO preamp arriving next week and am about to buy a  Mitshibushi Pre amp, 
I have a  LITE LS9 , chinese tube preamp, and that pre sounds like the,,no worse than the heftier Ming Da. 
This Lite LS9 is suppose to be a copy of the Jadis 200 pre, It weighs only 7 lbs, the trans is light weight.
I get  the idea the jadis Defy needs a  great hefty powerful prem, which is what folks told me back when i bought it, I did not believe them. 

I am low on  cash and will list the Defy for $3500 and i will pay shipping. 
I will then wait fora  great used Jadis intergrated, say a  DA50.

But I 1st want to try the 2 solid state pres to see if i can get the Defy to wake up.
It I can get some better respose , i may keep it and look for a  good used Audio reserach or a  macnintosh.
I do not have $6K for a jadis pre used. 
My budget is $1K
any help is greatly appreacitaed.
I have the uncredibly  SEAS Thor MTM speakser along with the CAYIN tube cd player with upgraded opamps .
As I say I am very close to selling the hge, hardly used (Like New) amp, due to my doubts that I can get the amp to respond like its tiny brother , The Orch Reference. 
btw I am the one who coined the tag *shootout* wayyyy back in 2000, or 2001 
I stared a  thread of speaker shootouts,,,and based on that long thread, i bought the SEAS THor kits. 
I now see *shoot out* is now the common tag for speaker and stereo components comparison.
My old login was Bartokfan.
Look forward to any suggestions in my dilemma.
paul
new orleans
mozartfan

Showing 7 responses by jond

jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
Keep the amp and sell every preamp you have including the ones on the way use that money to buy a good used tube preamp on Audiogon, It doesn't have to be a Jadis. You made a mistake pairing a bad preamp with your amp, the preamp has a huge influence on overall sound quality.

So you bought the amp 11 years ago, what preamp were you pairing it with prior to the Ming-da? Have you ever gotten good sound in the time you've owned the amp? Also what speakers are you driving?
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
I am a bit bewildered by all your fast moves but one thing that is driving me crazy. You have a superb amp and finally have heard it sing. And yet you continue to throw a series of cheap nondescript preamps in front of it hoping for good sound. Instead of buying a bunch of different things, subwoofer, sub amp, new speakers, why not invest in a really good preamp?
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
I read your post and I don't think you really understood mine. Stop flipping cheap supposed clones of well known preamps. Save your money. Use the Xiang for 6 months or whatever while you save up then sell it. Use that money lets call it $1500-2000. Stop looking on Ebay for Chinese preamps with good user reviews and instead look at used preamps here or at USA Audiomart. Find a really good used preamp and buy it. Looking right now here are several at or below your projected budget that you could buy right now:
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649552585-herron-audio-vtsp-1a-tube-preamplifier/
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649553582-docet-lector-zoe-tube-linestage-preamp/
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649554216-audio-note-m2-phono-preamplifier-w-balance-control-and...
Those are just three examples all below $1500 that would likely kill any of the preamps you've mentioned and be a good match with your amp. Obviously in 6 months they will be gone but other good used preamps will be available.
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
mozartfan at this point I wish you good luck your mind is obviously set on what you want to do. I hope the Leaf is the preamp you've been searching for and perhaps selling the Jadis is not the worst idea. No point in keeping a high end amp and not surrounding it with gear that lets it show its best.
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
@clearthink I don't think that is the case here the various preamps in question were literally billed as reproductions of famous preamps and are very inexpensive hence "cheap knockoff". The OP's continuing dissatisfaction with said preamps reinforces this. Sure there is good Chinese gear being produced but still a lot of cheap and cheaply made crap.
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 
So you have something from Cayin that developed problems in under 3 days and you're still worried about having the money for another Cayin product? As so many of us keep telling you try slowing down and reevaluating and develop a new plan. Take your time save your money and buy something really good when you can afford it. Buying once and buying right can be cheapest of all even if you spend more than you planned.
jond's avatar
jond
5,688 posts
 

Are you sure it's safe long-term running just the 4 output tubes and leaving those other slots empty?

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