Kyomi Audio….Hi George, I’ve been looking for reviews of that Jadis JPS2 preamp you mentioned as a mate to the JA30 MK2. Not many newer comments, but some of the older articles suggested that it is great with classical music but not so much for rock, i.e., slower bass and a bit dark on top, so less able to deliver the taut rhythms common to rock and pop was biggest concern. Can you provide any details as to the last time this pre was updated, and whether Jean-Christophe Calmettes was part of that update? As with many Jadis products, it’s hard to know with much clarity when (and to what extent) some of the decades-old products have been improved upon through time………except for a change from silver-ish to blue caps, they look very similar through the years.
As always, thanks for taking the time to provide your input, and know that my listening preferences are for rock/blues first and foremost (with jazz, acoustical, pop, etc coming after, and classical coming in last).
Thanks jond, agree that the silver really makes it look kinda chic & cool at the same time…….you are obviously a man of good taste. I agree that Jadis does not appear often in the press though I think there is a resurgence of interest in the past few years now that they again have a stable distribution home in North America…...hopefully we shall see more written reviews.
Try as I might, could not find a translation for the German article. Though for what it’s worth, I did google an german-to-english translation for the final summary paragraph…..it does not appear to be a great translation, but here it is: `Great cinema with Tubes. Jadis plays wonderfully with the possibilities of the glass flask and dares a little "sound". The final stage is speaker intended degree of phonetic with normal efficiency that phono stage is even a kind of bargain'.
@butler Thanks for posting that link that article looked fascinating and great pics I agree Jadis looks stunning with silver faceplates! Do you know if there is an english translation of that article? There seems to be so little written about Jadis in the press would love to read it. Thanks!
Hi gwalt, Thanks for your comments and listening impressions. When Srajan Ebaen of 6 Moons reviewed the LV speakers he was quite impressed with them. He did note however that they were a bit harder to drive than their stated specifications would suggest. He believes they are at their best with more power than a 300b SET amplifier provides so your findings support that point.
My speakers are an easier load (14 ohms, minimum 10 ohms ) and they thrive with my 300b amplifier. I also have a 40 watt and 100 watt PP amplifiers as well but the SET sounds better than both on my speakers. You and I hear the same special qualities from the Jadis that's for sure. I'm really looking forward to reading your insightful thoughts regarding the Jadis once you've placed it in your system. I suspect that you're going to derive immense enjoyment from this amplifier. Charles,
These new amps. seem to have a lot of the sonic characteristics of a good SET design with more power and control. My comparison was only based on my LV speakers with the older amps. against the newer ones.
I will have a very accurate understanding of the differences between the Border Patrol and the Jadis when the new Jadis arrives and I can do a side by side with the 8WPC then I will have a very accurate description response.
George and I did experiment with the new 300B Luxman from Japan ($17-18K) on the LV and I much preferred the Jadis's power and control on that speaker and it is an easy load of 94 into 6 ohms. I suspect on your speakers you would find the Jadis exceptional with more extension and control while retaining the magic. Just a guess of course but these new amps. are for real and will drive some real world speakers. Again the 300B was not fully cooked but it just sounded less dynamic and in control as you would expect.
I will report back when the amps. arrive and I can make a comparison.
George, I own a modified SL1 Signature with NOS Mullards and GE NOS long plates. Agreed that the Jadis mono blocks are a lot better than the integrateds, but for some reason that was what was being demo'ed.
Hello George, Congratulations, you did an excellent job with yourJadis system at Axpona I'm a very happy user and admirer of SET amplification after a number of years owning push pull(PP) tube amplifiers. The Jadis based on what I've heard would be my choice if I were to venture back into PP amplifiers. It effectively conveyed the emotion of music. This is what good SET ampliifiers do so exquisitely. Charles,
Daveyf, which CAT do you have? And yes, Of course I rolled tubes. I even convinced Ken that some of the NOS improve the sound:) As great as Jadis integrateds are, you really need to hear the mono blocks to get a real taste.
George, great to hear that the CAT preamp plays nice with the Jadis amps....I LOVE my current CAT preamp. BTW, have you tried rolling in tubes into yours....a BIG step-up in sound can be had; and for little money. At the Newport show yesterday, there was only the Jadis integrated playing wth Spendor’s. So, not that great an exhibit, but still a nice intro to the line.
Thanks George, lots to think about. I of course would want the best synergy....when I get up there to audition the Jadis amp I assume I would be able to see/hear both the Jadis and Cat pre's, so that would be very beneficial. Maybe even discuss a package deal<-:)
By the way as to the silver faceplates, I emailed Jadis directly a few months ago after I saw the pics I referenced earlier, they responded that indeed the amps & pre's can be ordered that way. I think I like the cleaner look of silver, but we all have our own preferences.
Butler, Audio research Ref 6 is $14000, if I am not mistaken. The compatible preamp in Jadis line would be JPS2 for $14900 which is basically a line stage version of the venerable JP80 with an extra CD input tube. CAT SL1 Renaissance line stage is $9990 and $11990 with phono that beats any Audio Research stand alone phono stage. Power supply of Audio Research does not hold a chance against massive outboard power supplies of Jadis and CAT. You might have to go to the Ref Anniversary and pay a fortune for it. And then there is sound..........ARC has a totally different sound philosophy - I will have to hear it to have an opinion about the synergy with JA30. PRE1 was designed for use with PA100 amp and is not in the level of JPS2 or CAT. I will have to find out about silver plates.
Charles, Jadis room was ours. I am glad you enjoyed it as much as we did! Music vs Hi Fi is a battle we fight all the time:)
Hi gwalt, I visited Axpona in April this year and the Jadis room was one of the very best I heard at that show. Music yes, hifi no. Its presentation was natural and emotionally engaging. Clearly the Jadis impressed you as well. Do you find it as natural and realistic as your Border Patrol amplifiers during this audition? Charles,
George, not sure how much the Cat pre is, but I really like the Audio Research REF 6 which I've auditioned a couple of times. Of course, don't know if/how ARC & Jadis get along with each other, was thinking about posting that question here (guess I just did). Otherwise, just started reading about the newer Jadis PRE1, which is in my price range......any comments on this one?
butler, the usual lead time is 6-8 weeks since they are all built per order. They do come on a pallet.
I personally like KT150 so much that I would not even care to experiment. Especially after we had new CAT JL7 amps at AXPONA with the similar stunning results. As you probably know, Ken Stevens would not have bothered otherwise. I find them even better then the original Genalex KT88 that I used to have on several occasions. As far as balanced inputs, I would highly recommend pairing JA30 MKii with a Jadis pre or the CAT SL1- both single ended. The synergy is truly magical. Let me know when you would like to visit, I would be happy to demo the amps for you.
Excellent gwalt, appreciate your input on the new amp and in comparison with your older version. Makes me anxious to get up the Windy City for an audition!! Will be interesting to see where you end up eventually as far as tubes, I imagine that you, like most of us, will experiment. Please keep us posted as you go with the new amp.
How soon before it arrives from France and gets to you? I think I remember someone saying they are usually delivered on a pallet to ensure safe transport. Also, don’t know if you care but you can order them with silver instead of gold face plates, which I kind of like from the pics I’ve seen. Also, did George happen to mention that they can be spec’d with balanced inputs, I think I read that Jadis can do such for all their amps, which I would prefer as my current pre (and the one I’m looking at as replacement) works best via balanced connection.
I only heard the amp. with the KT150's but it was sure good. The amp. has strap changes internally for the other tubes so time will tell. One thing to remember is that none of the listening involved "cooked" gear and I personally find that very important with tubes and transformers. I could hear the amps. getting better and better as time went by and they had a much blacker background.....they are quieter for sure. George did not have them cooked when I got there but that was Ok because mine were not either. At any rate they were in way more control than the older amps. and the bass had slam and control which my older ones did not have. My older ones never got cooked with the time I was there but I am certain it would not have mattered. So to answer your question I am not sure I am in love with the KT150's as much as the improvements to the amp. itself with the smaller tubes? I still have to investigate the answer. I have no doubt the smaller output tubes will be magical in it also as I did note the caps. were a tad larger and I believe the outside of the transformers might have been a tad larger also. Hope this helps.
gwalt, glad you made it up to see George and even more so that you verified what I hoped this amp would bring to the party, especially in terms of bass capabilities. Does this mean you are a KT-150 advocate now? At any rate, congrats👍! I hope to be following in your footsteps very soon......
gwalt, good to hear that you thought highly of the new Jadis amps. I am going to Newport on Friday and hopefully someone there will have a pair on demo. I'm sure they must be superb and will be on my short list.
Well I made the trip to Chicago as I said I was going to do. I took my older JA 30's and my Living Voice speakers to really hear the difference.
After spending an hour in Chicago traffic I finally made it to George's Salon. George was listening to his new Gamut RS7 speakers driven by the Gamut SS monoblocks and they sounded splendid.
We moved the LV into place and warmed the Jadis JA30ll and rolled the que. These amps. are in another league. Gone is the fatter midbass/bass and replaced with a tighter and more tuneful extended bass. Midrange is still full and faster and the top end more open and extended. On my speakers the bass tightened significantly as the speakers lit up with the power. The amp. played with precision and sounded like it was in control top to bottom. As it turned out I ordered a pair and await their arrival.
On the way home George called and said the Gamut speakers that he admires also took a liking to the Jadis amps. I did not get to hear them on the Gamuts but George said it is love at first listen and these speakers are more like 88 DB into 4 ohms and they show plenty of power.
For the money it appears these are a no-brainer and will be able to drive a lot of speakers at their disposal. I can't wait to get mine and anticipate this will be my mid-power amp. of a lifetime.
veriwide100...after twenty (20) years I think the amps have given great service if they have had no other issues in the past! To say they are boat anchors simply because they now need to have new transformers seems a little harsh. BTW, I would be happy to take the boat anchors off your hands.
For your information the the output transformers are not all gauranteed for life. I have a 20 year old Defy DA 30 with a bad transformer and not only is it not covered they do not even have a replacement for it. Jadis will, however, be happy to sell me 2 current transformers for a paltry $2000.00 CAD. My amp will now become a pretty boat anchor! BTW, my amp is the same as a I-35... different transfo though!
Thanks Kyomi, figured you were busy, glad that your room did so well. I have a few more questions, mostly about impedance matching with the preamp when I make the decision which one I'm going with. I'll give you a call before hopping on a plane to Chicago.
butler, sorry for this very late reply. I was so busy with Axpona that I did not really check the thread. We had two rooms and our big room received top 5 from J. Valin and the best cost no object analog setup awards. JA30 MKII have the bass that is better then most SS amps. By better I mean more natural, with more air and greater transparency. They was able to get more then adequate bass out of the two 10in ceramic drivers of Marten Coltrane 3. Several SS amps that I tried failed to do so. "Bloated" would be the last word that would come to my mind. Also, KT150 have the best bass of all tubes that I have ever heard which certainly helps.
Kyomi Audio, I see that you will be demonstrating at Axpona later this month with CAT electronics, very nice. Any chance you will also have some Jadis amps at the show?
Also when you get a chance please see my 3/28 post asking about bass capabilities of the JA30. Know you must be busy preparing for the show, best of luck with your room!!
Yes I would like to make that comparison in person and take my amps. with my tubes to check on both the new and old amp. I am not as particular to the sound of the KT150 on the new amp. as I am relative to some lesser powerful tubes but more pristine sound. I have a had great luck with the Winged C NOS 6L6GC and the new Psvanne WE Replica EL34's using Telefunken NOS as drivers. My speakers for driving are Living Voice 94DB OBX-RW's and therefore the KT150 is not necessary but it would be fun to hear what it does on that amp. compared to mine with less powerful tubes. I will let you know what I find out as this is the only way to really know.
Hey Gwalt, please keep us posted if you get to Chicago for an audition. I think it would be fascinating if you are able to compare your JA30 with the new edition….perhaps be able to verify if the magic is still there along with improved power handling (I believe 45 or so watts with the KT150’s) and presumably better abilities in the frequency extremes. I plan to get up there too but it may take a few months.
Kyomi, I have, through the years, heard a wide spectrum of adjectives used to describe the bass response of various Jadis amps, from `propulsive’, to `detailed but bloated’, to `light’. I’ve been a bass guy ever since attending my 1st concert back in `67 (Vanilla Fudge, for those who remember) and love a detailed, punchy foundation - music does not sound right to me without those solid low frequencies (and I don’t mean overly `tight’ necessarily, as I don’t hear that in a live setting…..but not bloated either). Can you provide some insight as to how the new JA30 does in this regard?
Butler, absolutely! I listened to the whole Dark Side of the Moon (great Japanese pressing) and regardless of it being one of the most difficult records to reproduce correctly, the amps did a spectacular job conveying the sheer scale of the masterpiece.
Martens are 89db with nominal 6 ohm impedance dropping down to 3.7 ohm ( I suspect it is lower, since I had to change the taps of my old JA50 to 1 ohm setting in order for them to drive the speaker). Even though the speakers are rather sensitive, it is still not easy for the amp to control two 10 inch drivers at 3.7 ohm.
Kyomi, please also let us know how it performs with rock/blues (does it do justice to guitar/drums/bass based bombast). Also could you specify how hard the Marten's are to drive......thanks.
Nice! My curiosity is on alert. I live in Ne. and to do it right once I get ready I would just pack a 3 day weekend to come your way for a listen and bring my pair of older versions.
Are your comments based on KT150 tubes only? If so have you tried others?
Gwalt, I am using two preamps : CAT SL1 Legend and Jadis JP200. Currently, I have the amps driving the 100K Marten Coltrane 3. They just came back from Michael Fremer for the upcoming Axpona. It is the only pair in the US at the moment. JA30 Mk ii control those dual 10 in woofers without any problem whatsoever!
Kyomi, thanks, while vacationing in California I've had a chance to listen to the JA120.....what lovely beasts these are, dynamic, great tone and organic. If you are suggesting that the JA30's (with KT150's) are even 'better' than what I listened too (which were equipped with KT88 output tubes), then I need to hear them. Too bad I don't have a layover in Chicago on the way home......
Butler, after living with the amps for a while now, I must state that they are better then any older Jadis amps I ever heard, regardless of the price or the power rating. As I mentioned before, they retain the usual Jadis seductivness in the midrange while adding staggering dynamics, top to bottom extention, incredible resolution and inner detail retrieval. I must say it is a new era of Jadis, thanks to Jean-Christophe Calmettes - the new ears of the company.
I have heard the amps in Europe just recently. I think MKIII was more of the North American designation and was short lived anyway. I will certainly let Bluebird know your wishes. I will also put the retail prices on my website as well - I will update you when I do, hopefully later today. In the meantime, if you have not done so already, please check out Jadis website - there is sufficient info on the JA30 MKII there. I should have them in the first half of February......
Hi Kyomi, from all the information you have provided, it sounds like you have actually heard/seen the MkII amps even though you don't have in stock yet? If so, was that at Blue Bird Music, the US distributor? We've all had a lot of questions, I think in part because info is hard to come by for Jadis.....it would be nice if Blue Bird would update their site to include this amp; as I mentioned above, the only reference to the JA30 is a MkIII version which must be older since it is only spec'd for KT120 output tubes. Prices would be nice also. Thanks, hope you get the MkII amps soon......
Agree with Kyomi. They run class A but the transformers are so overbuilt they barely get warm to the touch on this model. The KT150 tube might put off a little heat but nothing exciting with only two tubes. I am anxious to hear more about the sound compared to the older models.
daveyf, 1) the warranty varies depending on the model. The output transformers are guaranteed for life. The problems you are referring to were mostly associated with manual bias defy 7 (often caused by bad tube rolling and improper biasing), and blown fuses on the old JA200. All other amps never had problems and the preamps have always been dead reliable. New stuff is literally bullet proof. I never had any problems whatsoever, even with accidentally shorted outputs or failed tubes. 2) JA30 do not give off much heat - as you know, there are only 2 output tubes per mono block.
Kyomi audio, thanks for bringing us up to speed. Couple of questions...1) what is the warranty on the Jadis amps...as you may remember, they were not the paragon of reliability in the old days.:0)..and 2) Any idea as to how much heat the new Jadis JA30Mk2 gives off? Thanks.
gwalt,the new generation is considerably more transparent and "modern" sounding without loosing any of the famous Jadis midrange magic. There is considerably more extension and air on the top and tha bass is as extended as it always was, except it is no longer overly ripe - it is tight and well defined. I have had various Jadis equipment throughout the years and always loved it. However, I never pulled the trigger to invest into the line due to those slight shortcomings stated above. After Bluebird Music became the distributor and after hearing the new generation, I immediately jumped into it. It was a no brainier, especially considering new lower pricing due to a strong dollar. As I write this post, I am listening to i50 driving 40k Vivid Gia G3 gloriously!! It only has 2 hours on it and it's already making me want to grab some single malt and fire up a cigar.........too early in the day...
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