Jadis JA30 Mk2, how great???

Fantastic! Never believe the JA80 can be so dynamic! I am not sure how it compares with the former KT88 model which i haven't seriously auditioned before going to the new MKII.  Sound opens up a lot after few months of burning in! I am currently using it in biwiring to drive my Dali Epicon 2 with great satisfaction! Musical, Engaging & organic sounding that drove us to the music. Plenty of power you wouldn't worry about. Regret to own them so late! Cheers!

However, the Diapason is worth every penny too! It has the sweet sounding character of 6L6 tube and it really has those magic from Jadis! It hasn't got the deep soundstage or details as the JA80 for sure but it really worth for only just one fifth of the price of JA80!

I had a Defy 7 25 yrs ago - beautiful thing. Lugging it over to bias was a pain. Mine never blew up, but finding matched NOS outputs was a challenge, even back then.

I'm retiring in a year and thinking about my "final" (ha!) system in a 16 X 17 room with 12 ft tray ceiling. Thinking about a pair of SF GH's with the JA-30 MkIIs...Let me know if anyone out there is tired of theirs.

Asa, imho SF GH (had them) would not show its best potential with 30w amps...

@alexatpos. consider these comments from @daveyf.

"mk2 and the KT150 tubes make this Jadis amp the most resolving and life like sounding amp I have ever had in my system. The Jadis JA 30 mk2’s drive my SF GH’s with ease..allowing the speaker to define the soundstage with great precision. The highs are as pure as any amp I have ever heard and are ( at least to me) a revelation with the silk domes that the GH’s utilize.
With certain wind instruments the sound of air escaping through the horn section can easily be heard and the ‘blat’ that distinguishes the various openings of the trumpet and the sax are now eerily realistic.
IMHO, if these new Jadis amps will work with your speakers, they should be on your very short audition list."

The OP of this thread had a very different outcome.
Charles

@alexatpos I might agree that the original Jadis JA30’s may not have had enough power at 30 watts/ch to show the GH’s at their best; but the new model Jadis JA30 Mk2 has an output of 48 watts/ch ( due to its larger and more robust power transformers and its use of the new KT150 tube).
The new model is as i stated in the reference from Charles above.

I have not had the chance to try the Jadis and do not want to derail the thread, however, I have paired SF GH with Pathos Inpol 2, Burmester 956mk2 and Krell Evo 302.

Before I tryed the Krell I thought that the other amps are quite sufficient, but to my surprise (I am not a fan of big ss amps) it was the Krell that really 'opened' those speakers.

Few times I have read that some of the folks have even set amps with SF GH and by no means I would argue with anybodys choice, but imho those people with such or similar low powered tube amps will never hear everything what that speaker has to offer

 @alexatpos  I use two different amps with my GH’s. Not at the same time. The Jadis mono blocks are my go to tube amps, but I also have a modded Jeff Rowland model 8 t ss amp. This amp is a real brute, puts out 250 watts/ch into 8 ohms..and doubles into 4 ohms etc. I can tell you that the gain position on my preamp is about the same for both amps, and that the Jadis JA30mk2 doesn’t even break a sweat handling the GH’s. Same goes for the ss amp.

Daveyf, as I have not heard the Jadis, I have no reason to doubt your words. 

500 watts available at 4 ohms from the big Rowland transistor amplifier versus 45 watts available via the tubed Jadis . And the Jadis is an equally competitive amplification choice. There’s so much more involved than quantity of power in achieving superb sound quality. No doubt that the Jadis mono blocks have excellent quality transformers and top notch robustly constructed power supply.
Charles

 Jadis JA30mk2 doesn’t even break a sweat handling the GH’s

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I bought the Defy7 wayyyy back in 2009, before I knew about the JA30 monos , Wish i had the monos, as they are more convenient to move around.
But alas,  stuck with the Defy til....
So i upgarde  most resistors to takman Rey/metal and most caps to Mundorf SESGO .47 (12 X$50) + some nice big F&T's as well. Left the big blue Philips alone, extremely musical cap there.
can't be improved on.
Replaced main cabels inside to navships silver wire.
Copper posts on rear.
anyway, the Center trans is always cold, never breaks evena  warmth. 2 output trans, barely warm to the touch. 
Of course not driving anything too dif.
But goes to show jadis put some cash into those trans.
Although the Defy did have a  few rumors surrounding the amp, decades ago, I think it was all bunk.
This Defy is built like a  tank and has ZERO performance issues. 
I have no idea who started those rumors, but they are all unfounded and a  bunch of baloney.

Here's the amp in action. All pre tubes are Teles, (Of course). 
a  few Svets ran out of juice, so I had some used chinese tubes sitting on my shelf, stuck those in the 3 slots and works flawless. 
Hum came around, so I swaped the 3 chinese around between the 3 slots and now no hum at all.
This amp is solid and I'm guessing is **self biasing**
Yet my tech has some neat bias pots  which we will install so it makes it much more easy to bias.
The Jadis pots , just a pinch of a screw turn and its either too cool/too hot. 
But again< i'm wondering if this amp is self biased, thus really no need to swap out the pots>.
anyone?
Tubes have over 4k hours, maybe 5k.

Music starts at 1:25


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcjYiZztHgM

Here's a  look inside at the upgrades.
fast forward to 6 mintes,, in this vid,  I still have the Millennium tweeter, Which I dumped earlir this year and went WBer set up as heard above.
The dual WBers completely annihilates the Seas in midrange fq's, 
And the chinese paper tweeter is superior to the Seas Millennium ($700!!) tweeter by virture of a  higher sens @ 91 db. vs Millennium's crappy 87db. 

The Mundorf SESGO .47's on each tube really gave  up a  nice punch in bass guitar/drum sets. 
Glad i canceled the order for the M EVO.47's and went  with the SESGO. 
The blue adis wires inside are now upgraded to navships 10 gague silvercopper wires.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpVCbHX6jWU

**not stable,,,flawed design,,** are the 2 comments i heard made by 2 dif local tech geeks.
I ain't buying. 


I think Jadis should have  only made the JA30 and JA80, a  few intergrated.
Whats the point in designing amps weighing over 80 lbs??

Even the JA80's are too heavy, Jadis should have made
JA30, JA60 and say about 4 or 5 intergrated and thats it.

@mozartfan  Funny you are talking about weight of amps. Yesterday, I was at a dealers and they suggested that I bring in my big Rowland to demo with their YG's. While this made some sense, as the YG's are notoriously difficult to drive, the idea of lugging this amp in..was a definite no no! The JA30 Mk2 mono blocks, while still heavy, are at least quite manageable in this regard. Something that I think maybe should be a factor for us to consider when it comes to living with an amp. 

IMHO The JA30 is my fav Jadis amp.
Has that bass  solid /tight punch of the JA200.
Its quite a  special amplifer. 
I saw a pair for 4G's months ago, 
Would love to swap the Defy out for the 30;'s. but as i have upgrades in the Defy, not doable.
The KT150's sound great. 
But honestly I can't tell much dif from el34,kt88, kt120's, 
any hoot...
The speakers in the vid below has Sonus Faber Guarneri, my guess is the newer models with that incredible Sacan speaker neo dymium magnet.
Thats one very special midwoofer for sure.
But of course for such a  propriatary special made mid, SF wants gold for tha speaker.
Like $17G's. 
I can say its the only xover speaker that I like. 
Now I know why folks go SF. 
Its really the only low sens xover speaker i consider  in competition with my WBers.
My future WBer design will surpass SF's Guarneri's. 
So I heard this vid,,then went back heard same track on my Defy7.
I mean its like 6 of one, half dozen the other.
The Defy's 12 tubes **might* offer a  slightly superior soundstage as far as separation of instruments, *maybe*,
 SF is a 2 way,.
My WBer design system is 
Dual WBers +  dual Seas W18E001 + a  paper tweeter.
So  its not a  fair shootout. 
I think if we placed a  stock Defy Kt88 vs a stock JA30/KT120's. 
Who knows how it would go. My tech says he does not care for the KT150's, prefers the KT120's, Opinion is a opinion.
these KT150's sound  super.
Both running Kt88's, possibly the JA30 would take  the cigar.
So if i can't obtain the wonderous JA30. this means I must continue developing my WBer with assist speakers.
Which is already in the plans, just waiting on cash. 
Besides the KT150's in this vid may be new, whereas my KT88's have 4k++ hours on them, not sure if well used  tubes  lose some of the sheen.


This YT vid is no doubt the best sound I've heard on any system, 2nd to none.
Thats one very unique midwoofer , carbon Fiber cone + massive Neo Dymium magnet motor. Don't know much about the tweeter. maybe its special as well.
87 db, which is too low for my cup of tea.
Which  only goes to show the ultimate power of these **little baby* monos.  can drive a  low sens speaker with dynamic performance. 
I'd say the Defy has 100 watts, but the lower watts of the JA30 are cleaner with more slam. 
...but then The Seas Thors was dual midwoofers, \vs this single,, Perhaps the Defy driving a single mid, might perform as well..Its hard to say. 
I found  the xover type speakers at 87db  no competition with a  higher sens WBer.
Completely annihilated the Thors. Smoked em...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlOhiTpZCek

@mozartfan LOL, glad you like that older vid of my system, prior to the upgrades and new preamp etc., If you liked the sound then, it is a lot more resolving and impressive now. The GH's are the speakers, they use an Audio tech mid/woofer and a version of the Dynaudio Esotec silk dome. They do not use carbon fibre cones or have a neodymium magnet. System has come a long way since then...

I know my manta lately is
**all tube amps pretty much sound same&&
I did say **pretty much***
IMHO
The Jadis JA30 is best bang in tight bass vs any other tube amp on the market ,, in its SIZE/Weight Class.

Now in price class, we can find other tube amps that will deliver same tight bass. 
= JA30 are over priced. 

@mozartfan  JA30 are over priced?? I don't think this is a true statement. The new JA30 Mk2, NOT to be confused with the older model JA30, is priced at a point that it would be hard for you to name other competing new products at a similar or lower price point that can better it...but do try.

WEll my tech geek always complains Jadis charges for the stainless steel chassis which costs a  small fortune.
The trans are very well made, a  good thing. But come on, all jadis products are wayyyy over priced.
Lets get real. 
Besides the older model would suit me fine.
Jadis are for Dubai Oil Sheiks. 
This idea that  brand X is so much better vs brand y and z is  snakeoil.
All these big power amps from Jadis is ridiculous. 
Jadis should have made 
JA30, JA60 and lets  say 5 or 6  intergrateds.
The future of high end audio is away from big heavy amps.
As WBers will be the speaker of the 21st C audiophile.
Speakers which really only require 1 watt SET amps. 
Caveat, we will need some watts to drive the assist woofers, so 1 watters wont be enough. Bigger SETs and low powered EL34 amps will become The Amps to own.
I'm speaking future, not current audiophile **Ideology cultists* still hung up on big amperage and  low sens speakers.
Jadis has a  hard road up ahead to stay afloat. 

Jadis has a hard road up ahead to stay afloat.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yeah well that might/might not be true
Ck out what Jadis is up to
See this is what sets Jadis apart from the rest of the **pack**.
No one builds  like Jadis.
So over priced??
Not really.

http://www.jadis-electronics.com/en/i70-57.php

OK 
WE all heard the magic of the JA30/Miles Dvaid Kind of Blue
Here's the Defy's take.
With Mundorf Caps, Takman Rey resistors, Teles in front, Svet's on power tubes.
OK  music starts 1:40 
What you hear in this vid, is pretty close to what you'll hear in my room.
Ok
enjoy.

DEfy Miles Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcjYiZztHgM&t=1s

JA30 Miles Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlOhiTpZCek&t=2s

Here's the same Miles  Davis track as the JA30, Rememer my WBer has highs ens in mids, so bass will be lowered SPL.But 1 to 1, the JA30 will have more kick in bass, although the Defy with Mundorf caps offers all the bass i need for a  10x12x8.5 room.
The Mundorr caps brings in more bass.
These are the SESGO caps.
Jadis ' newest intergrated
I-70 with
KT170 tubes
Now what.
 JA30's vs I-70
I think the new I-70 is going to set new standards for high fidelity tube amplification.
Not sure why Jadis does not install side handles for any of their amps over 60 lbs.
I-70 @ 80 lbs. 
My tech will install chrome  handles on the Defy.  @ 75 lbs.
w/o handles feels like over 100 lbs. 

Anyway, this vid gives a  hint at what the Defy is all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRImqIdXRX4

Ok, now back to the regular scheduled programming......

I’m trying to figure out which of JA80 Mk2, JA120 or the new JA170 would be the best match for my Thiel CS 3.7s paired with Jadis JPS2 linestage.

I miss too much tube sound even though I have tried many very high end SS integrated.
I will soon try to demo the Jadis DA88S with KT88 in my system just to have an idea of the Jadis sound on my Thiels.

If you Jadis specialists have any idea please share.

 

@thieliste  IME, the best sounding Jadis for your system is the one that will still drive your speakers and is the lowest powered model you can get away with. This is why i went with the JA 30Mk2's. Like most amps, it seems that the higher powered models sound less impressive than the lower powered models, assuming of course that one can drive their speakers correctly. If your Thiels need more power, I would think the JA80Mk2 would be a good match up. 

@daveyf Thanks for your input, yes the JA80Mk2 seems the sweet spot in the Jadis line up.

A very good Jadis dealer in Paris who used to be a Thiel dealer told me the JA80Mk2 would be up to the task.

Have you compared KT88 to KT150 in your JA30Mk2 ?

@thieliste No, I have not compared any other power tubes in the amp. I am quite happy with the KT150’s. In order to utilize other power tubes besides KT150’s the amp needs to go through an internal modification to accept those tubes. I have rolled in various driver tubes, as the amp is highly sensitive in that area, At the moment i am using a mix of RCA Clear tops and NOS Tungsol’s in those locations.

I do know that a friend of mine believes that in his amp, the KT120’s sound better than the KT150’s, but this is a different circuit and I think the Mk2 Jadis amps are designed for the KT150’s.