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Joule Electra VZN100 Thoughts

Thought I'd post some observations since trading for these amps I really wasn't looking for. That was about 9 months ago. I still have misgivings about them. I have a 2.5 year old who loves music and dancing and don't want to go through the trouble of making them safe. Those 12 6C33 tubes are intimidating - cool but worrisome. They take up a lot of room and they can really heat a room in the summer months. Great now that it's cold, we get a heated room. Customer service was not to be. They hum a bit too.

Here's lies the problem. In all the amps I've ever owned, auditioned, listened too, at the many audio shows I've attended, getogethers too, nothing I've heard so far has sounded better, that possessed the magic, that got me closer to real music than these tubed monoblock OTL's. I know it is system dependent, but the shear beauty and openness of these amps is nothing short of amazing. I've owned Pass, Halcro, Classe, and so many others. I had the Decware Torii when these amps found my living room. Great sounding amps the Torii's, nothing really to complain about, except when I reluctantly (was talked into it really) plugged these amps into my system it was one of those OMG moments.

I tweaked them a bit over the months, better power cords and connectors, and nearly made one unusable because I miss-wired a connector. That's when I discovered there was no support and no available documentation. I was on my own. It ended well, just a bad connection.

I noted during my cable upgrade that there were some bulging capacitors. These amps I guess are around 10 years old. Maybe it's time to replace the caps? That would be quite a rebuild.

These amps are controlled by a Allnic L3000 preamp, fed from a NAD M51 DAC which gets music from a very well filtered server. Super V speakers make it all happen.

So goes my story of these OTL's. Thought I'd share and wonder if anyone who has spent time with these amps, had found something even better?
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Showing 3 responses by desalvo55

desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
Thanks Tubegroover, for the response.

The Joules have been solid except for just recently, a glowing red tube. I purchased 4 of the 6C33 NOS for under a $100 dollars including shipping from Russia so no complaints there. Waiting for arrival. I happen to have on loan an Almarro amp which incredibly and I mean incredibly, uses 2 6C33 tubes! So I borrowed one.

Having great fun going between 2 sources, a Mac Mini using a Kora power supply running Audiovana and a CAPs server using a SoTM card running JRiver 18 both feeding my NAD M51 is it truly eye opening, stunning, whatever I can call it.

What are the limits in this hobby? I may have to start burning incense.

I will keep my eye out for the Berning. I may document the the Joules for a replacement of caps and new chassis. I do not own the "Musicwood" version. I'm pretty sure though, that with considerable effort, I can produce a very upscale chassis for these amps. The problem lies with the complete lack of support. With my former wiring gaf, all Jud wanted to do is sell me another set. And I did contact Steve but since I performed the replacement of the lamp cords that came originally with these amps, no one wants to touch them. Can't blame them really. It ended well, the cords are replaced, the sound even more open, crazy dynamics, and the hum diminished but certainly not gone.
desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
Other than a bad tube the Joules have had no reliability issues although having seen the bulging caps things could go haywire. I wish to be proactive and replace before that happens.

No other amp that has been through my current system has made any noise, only the Joules. They hum and I hear them in my sitting position. I think with any other amp this would be unacceptable for me. But when the music starts playing I simply don't hear the hum. It might be tough to isolate the problem given the variac, the 4 now quality cables that run to the amps to now quality IEC's. When first turned on the hummed very loudly. Flipping a ground switch on the back of the Allnic mostly alleviated the hum.

When I acquired them I knew little about them. I didn't even want to bother hooking them up! Now I'm ruined.
desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
Probably right Tubegroover. My audio buddies think they're miraculous. I call them Frankenstein mono blocks. Especially considering the variac ;)
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