Try Stewart Marcantoni at Sanctuary of Sound (Weekend Environments)
www.weekendenvironments.com/contact.htm or 360-874-1201 |
I've tried to find any US dealer; Sekei's website is down, and I've tried to e-mail Sekei@Sekei.com with no response... Ohio Valley is no longer a distributor... Who sells these? I want an 88-C or an 88-D!
J |
I just received the Jungson 88D and love the way this amp looks and sounds. This is one of the best integrated amps I've heard out of the many that I have owned over the years. Being a class A amp it is very important to use a high quality power cord; I've tryed the Signal Cable and a few others and found the Purist Dominus was the best choice to really bring out every last ounce of performance that this amp has to offer. The Dominus AC really showed what this amp is capable of doing on the bottom end and brought out more air and extension to the top end; the midrange is gorgeous. |
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Sekei isn't at the address listed at the website. Andy has a regular day time job and runs the business out of his house so you need to call to demo.
Except for the primary system there usually isn't much on display. By the time his shipment arrives. Almost everything is already sold. He usually has a few items not already sold. But not many. His next shipment is scheduled to be received in mid July.
BW Maxx |
Actually I'm off old Meridian street just south of I-465.
The wife just looked up their location and I'll see about driving down there one of these days. I would like to see what they have on display. Looks like their open 9:00 to 5:00 Mon. thru Fri................Pat |
Oh yes Greenwood exit 99 or 103? Sekei is about 10 minutes off I65, exit 64 I think, a touch south of Columbus.
Andy has the 99C/JA1 in his reference. Same as the 88D but in seperates.
BW Maxx |
Yes, that's the place I was talking about. Columbus?, that's great...I thought it was in Bloomington.....I'm just north of Greenwood.
Now it is even harder to not to pay them a visit. |
I guess your talking about Sekei? If so its in Columbus. About 70 miles north of where I live and about 30 south of Indy.
I know I hauled my entire system up to Sekei to audition the Jungson. Its definitly worth the effort to pack at least the speakers if you get a chance to audition the Jungson.
You could also look at the Jungson 99C power amp. Suppose to be the same power section as the 88D but this would allow you to use a tube or SS pre.
BW Maxx |
In general, class A amps will sound smoother, more refined, more natural than their class AB counterparts. I would advise against getting a class AB amp for highly efficient horn speakers, unless it has been shown to mate well with horns. |
The tube Pre is something I have certainly thought about even if it's with a class A S.S. amp. Some tube integrateds out there are looking pretty good too.
Really I was wondering if class A is a big difference in sound versue A/B. I've never heard it before and the Jungson being class A is what caught my attention.
Right now There is a guy offering me an old Musical Fidelity (Dr.Thomas Edition) for 400 bucks in excellent condition. It has 120 watts and the first 30 watts or so is class A. The price is right and I could still use a tube Pre with it eventually. What I'm concerned is, will I be able to hear a difference that 30 watts of class A makes versus A/B.
On the other hand I can keep filling the piggy bank and drop fifteen hundred or so on something in the future.
Sheeesh, decisions, decisions....lol. |
Speedball, another consideration is the noise floor of the amp. Although the Jungson is dead quiet hooked to my speaker with 90 dB efficiency, it may not be hooked up to a speaker with 102 dB. The BFS reviewer states, although the Jungson is quiet for a SS amp, it is not the quietest the reviewer has heard. So you may have to use the balanced connection on the Jungson to gain that extra 3-5 dB reduced noise floor. Or go for another amp more suited for your speakers, but I doubt you can get a SET amp of high quality anywhere near the price of the Jungson. I think you can get the stereo amp version of the 88D for under 1K which is really an absolute bargain. But this is all conjecture as I have not heard the Jungson through a speaker that efficient. Good luck. |
Tube pre is without a doubt, in my mind, the best way to go with a ss amp.
At least with a tube pre some tube swapping can be done.
With solid state what you get is what you got. |
Yes I have begun to realize my choices seem endless. Fortunately it will be a few months before I seriously consider making another purchase. I live about 1-1/2 hours north of where they sell those Jungson's in Indianapolis.
In the meantime my Denon stereo receiver is the Pre for a Sonographe (conrad johnson) 120 watt stereo amp. It sounds better than the receiver by itself of course.
Mmmmm...S.S. and tube or all S.S. or all tube. So many choices I'm glad there is no hurry.......lol.lol. |
102DB! Man that leaves amp selection wide open. The 88D of course as stated by those who have heard it has a tube like midrange. No brightness, grain or grit in the highs and plenty of power for a 80wpc amp.
Some seem to feel Klipsch are ideal for SET amps. However the 88D is not Euphoric like some tube amps. What amp are you using now? I mean if any SS amp will synergize well with the Klipsch the Jungson would be near top of the list.
So how it would sound to you would be of course based on what you have currently and what you are looking for.
I'm not trying to discourage you from the Jungson. Just trying to get across the point that with speakers like Klipsch and 102DB effeciency there may be better options.
Again though it could be the match you are looking for :)
Hope this helped some.
BW Maxx |
Interesting reading guy's,
From everyones description of the 88 I'm thinking it could mate well with my new Klipsch RF7's for 2 channel listening.
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I agree with Maxx. It's one of the more cooler running class A amps. Nothing like the Krell integrated on which you can fry an egg. My room is 15'x12'x8' and it doesn't warm up the room like my last 30 watt tube integrated. Basically it warms up a room like a coventional 30" TV. If you look inside the amp, there's an elaborate array of copper heat sinks that helps to cool the amp efficiently. |
For class A it runs cool. Not like class a/b or digital of course. But dosen't seem to be any warmer then a Jolida tube amp I had in the system. No problem holding your hand on it as long as you want.
BW Maxx |
How hot does it run, guys? I almost bit on this one a few weeks ago and got scared off by the Class A stuff. I am in the South and already have an elevated cooling bill. Plus the audio room gets lots of sun (not on the equipment though) and stays warmer than the rest of the house anyway. Short of a new A/C duct piped in I would be roasting with a hot amp. Already there are days when I have to have the ceiling fan on, that's no good for listening with the constant whirr being like an elevated noise floor. |
I agree power cords are tweaks. I can't see IC's or power cords transforming a amp or CDP radically.
Bass is very well integrated. It dosen't jump out at you.
I mostly listen to rock. One of my previous amps had very tight puchy bass. At first I thought it sounded great. After awhile it all sounded the same and I realized it didn't sound that natural. The Jungson to my ear really sounds like a bass guitar an instrument I'm very familar with. Bass dosen't sound artificial or hyped as pointed out in the BFS review.
BW Maxx |
Agisthos, the Jungsons are not slow in the bass at least compared to live music. It doesn't throw bass at you like many SS amps. The bass is naturally integrated with rest of the spectrum.
Kck, for the money, it's hard to beat the Signal Cable power cords. I don't think I could ever spend over $1k on cables. My total investment is little over $600 and I'm quiet happy with the results. |
Dracule1, I am with you on this. I did not mean to say cables make no difference, just that the story that a given component sounds good only with a certain brand or type of cable (silver, etc) is poppycock.
For the record, I have between $1 and $2K invested in cables. Not much but at least lets you know that I do believe in the power of decent cabling.
So the Signal Cable is all that eh? Been wondering about that... I use Ven Haus Flavors myself and wonder if Frank's stuff is worth a try against these. Sorry to go OT. |
Of course not all tube amps are slow in bass, but a lot are.
So when reviews of the Jungson just talk about the good midrange and tube sound and never mention bass or PRAT, I put two and two together and presume thats where its strenghts lie.
Some people have said that the Korsun is fast and dynamic but too sterile sounding - those people should try the Jungson!!
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Kck, the only way you'll know is to try it out. I, for one, do not spend more than 300-350 for a pair of ICs or speaker cables. As for power cords, I have the Signal Cable Magic Power Cord ($60, I think) and their Magic Power Digital Cord ($70, I think). At least in my experience, the power cords did make a significant difference over the stock cords - definately worth the minimal investment (by audiophile standard). My friends think I'm crazy buying a $60 power cord. It's all relative. Would I ever buy a $5000 cable, IC, or cord? No. At those prices, I think it's mostly snake oil. I rather buy a better pair of speakers, amp, or CDP. |
Many times I read that xyz amp (cdp,whatever) "must" be used with abc power cords, interconnects, whatever... if this is really the case:
a) isn't the designer hurting his/her own success by building a component that sounds acceptable only with a certain wire, and
b) if it is true, then why wouldn't the company just state that, or better still, include such wire or accessory in the package?
In general I don't buy this story so much. Yes there are slight differences in well-built cables. Yes tweaks make a difference. But are they ESSENTIAL for a given quality component to perform well? That's crazy talk! |
Before we get another Myth started. Having a tube like midrange dosen't mean the Jungson sounds like tubes in the highs and lows. Neither does it mean any SS amp with a 'tube like' midrange will sound like tubes thoughout.
From the reviews I have read of the Korsun, it has a typical high power SS sound. Lots of slam and speed with SS sound. Possibly similar to Krell.
The Jungson in comparison probably is slow and lacking in dynamics. But IMO this is in comparison to the Korsun, not in absolute terms. I certainly don't hear any slowness like I did with my CA amp and I don't hear a lack of dynamcics. Much more dynamic then the CA or Jolida tube amps I had before.
Drac has a excellent synopsis of the Jungson sound. Very natural. Not artificially tight or hyped. Some may not like the sound. Some will love it.
Koczkal welcome aboard! I really think if the Jungson is as far from your listening preferences as you say. I really don't think any power cords or IC's will give you what you are looking for. You might need to look for another amp. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different taste and its all about enjoying the music.
BW Maxx |
Dracule1, it sounds as if your problem with the amp has worked itself out? I think I'm not alone when I say that we all hope so! Sure is a bummer when this stuff goes on the blink...
Please keep us posted. |
Sorry, my last remark was directed more to Koczka123. |
Well, I'm not hearing what Agisthos is hearing. I agree it is lush and smooth, but not slow by any means. It's more dynamic than any tube amp I have heard under 200 watts (VTLs, AR, Atmosphere, etc). For example, I was floored by the dynamics in the SACD version of Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon. Literally shook the walls on certain passages in my set up. Every tube amp that I have heard is very midrangey compared to SS. The Jungson has a more balanced perspective with rest of the freq range. It's lush and smooth but not bloomy in the midrange like a SET. I liken it to a top non-oversampling DACs (eg, Audio Note, Zanden) with their natural presentation. Many SS amps tend to artificialy heighten the sense of dynamics with artificial detail, and if this is what your looking for then look else where. Or retrain your ear to hear what live music sounds like by going to a nice hall (eg, Boston Symphony Hall) playing unamplified acoustic music. You'll find the Jungson to be a close approximation to the real thing. This I know from 30 hours of listening to the Jungsons. |
Agisthos
I hope you don't mean all tube amps are slow and lacking dynamics. Only SS amps that try to emulate tubes. Please tell me this is what you meant.
Oz |
Agisthos, well I think you right, but I hope not.
I couldn't belive many people say it's a good amp, if it sounds like I hear -withoute dynamic, and speed.
With this amp some of my CD's I can't hear. For example I have a Tori Amos unploged song (it's not an official CD as I know). In this song only Tori Amos and a Bösendorfer, when Tori beat the bass section of the piano it's unbelivable. So many energy, dinamycs and so on.
But with Jungson it's nothing, just a boring song.... |
Koczka123 I think your problem is not going to be solved by cables.
If you read every single review of the Jungson 88d people say the same thing - It sounds like a tube amp, and has great mids -
If someone describes an amp as sounding like a tube amp, I immediately think of it as being slow and lacking in dynamics. It just depends on personel preference and it sounds like you prefer a solid state type amp.
Incidently all the comments I have seen about Korsun say it is fast and dynamic - the opposite of Jungson no doubt |
My new Jungson has developed problems. The left channel started to intermittently go out and produce crackling noise. The power meter went out, and there's hum from the amp and speakers. It was starting to sound so smooth, holographic, and clear. My dealer thinks it was dropped during shipping. I'm going to get a replacement but I will have to wait until end of June. Just goes to show ya, you really need a good dealer behind products from China. If my dealer did not stand by his product, I would be screwed.
Sorry Kocska. I'm not sure if I could help you since I have limited experience. I use Crystal Clear silver cables from PKMaudio.com. With these, it sounds very open and clear. The bass was not as dynamic as I would like but the amp only had 30 hrs of break in time. What kind of speakers and source do you have? A ultra smooth and lush amp like the Jungson may not mate well with speakers that are warm and do not have good control in the bass. I could see how the Nordost, a fast/lean sounding cable, may do well with the Jungson. |
Hi,
I have my Jungson since the beginig of april. Well, it's more than one month old, and I use it more then 300 hours. This amp need this 300 hours to break in. But I have a little problem with it still. Maybe somebody can help me.
Before Jungson I use Korsun Ks99 -, and a little bit Korsun V8i it wasn't mine. When I got Jungson and switch on in my system first I was very dissapointed. Compare with korsun - KS99, and V8i both - Jungson was slow, and not too detailed in high, and low. Was only good in the mid's, but soo slow.
I try Jungson with so many cables, and I think Jungson very sensitive aboute cables. I try it with AQ, Kimber, and Nordost quatrofil IC, and SPM reference LS. With nordost it was amazing, but still slow.
After that I try wit HT AC10 power, and PRo Silway MKII IC, and Kimber 8TC. The resoult suprise me, the detail growing, and it wasn't soo slow.
But I need little bit more qick, and dinamycs. If anybody has idea which cable can be made this please write it. |
I'll try to email u thru AA. |
Can't send emails via audiogon. Keep getting the set "Cookies" message. |
Could you email me first? Then I can reply. Thanks. |
No didn't get it. Have some trouble with Audiogon emails. Just type in Maxxc at Audio asylum you can find it there. Let me know if you can't find it.
BW |
Maxx, email was sent yersterday. Did u get it? |
Your welcome. Look forward to your email. |
Thanks Maxx. Your input is always helpful. I will be emailing you regarding a private matter. |
Hi Drac, Yes I did. However I didn't notice it at the time because I was going from a Cambridge Audio A500RC amp and the Jolida 202A was a distant memory.
I really didn't bother to A/B with the CA as everthing was better although the clarity was about the same.
After the 100 hour mark I really noticed the difference and commented to my wife that it sounded like 2 or 3 layers of haze had been stripped away from the music. This suprised me because it didn't even realize it was there initially.
Like the BFS review says the amp requires some break in time. Probably about 200 for full breakin.
The Sony I guess is a cheap player till you get the Marantz and its new as well? Yep there definitly will be some clarity issues especially when going from the Shengya CDP to a unbroken in player. Got another very big jump in performance when my Camabrige Audio CDP was replaced by the Eastsound. Almost on the same magnitude as changing amps.
So yes expect a world of difference once your Jungson and Marantz are broken in. I also found that my speakers needed repositioning to sound their best.
BW Maxx |
Well, I have been listening to the 88Ds for two days now. The previous posts about the 88Ds being "lush" is correct. This is the smoothest SS amp I have ever heard. I keep on thinking I'm listening to tubes. So far, it has about 20 hrs of break in time. I'm hearing some fog to the sound, eg the sound isn't as clear and open as I'm used to. I'm attributing this to lack of break in at this point.
Also, this could be due to my new, but temporary, Sony CE595 SACD player I just bought. Both have the same amount of break in time.
Maxx, did you hear this when you first got the amp? How long before this cleared up? Thanks. |
Just received my new Jungson 88D LE-it's a beast. Still in it's massive box. I'm too tired to open it at this time. Tomorrow morning I'll have a look. Can't do much anyway as I still have not received my Marantz SA11 player. |
I've been lucky not having to wait, which has got to be tough.
Got my speakers used from a guy in Singapore. Sent the funds the day before I went on vacation and they were sitting on my kitchen table when I got home.
Jungson wasn't planning on buying. Went to Andy's to order a Mingda tube amp. Listened to the 88D for about an hour or two and took it home.
Called Andy to see if he had any CDP's available in stock. He usually has almost all his inventory sold by the time his order arrives. He only had one CDP that no one had claimed. Eastsound CD-E5. No one knew anything about Eastsound then, including me. Thought it looked cool and the price was right so I bought it. Pure dumb luck!
This one I did wait a few weeks on as his distributor wanted to hear the E5, so back to Florida for a few weeks. Still my Jungson was virtually new so I didn't mind as I wanted to get familar with the Jungson before upgrading CDP's.
Get your muscles ready, its a challenge to even get the 88D out of the box :)
As always BW |
Maxx, Tuesday is the day! |
Drac is tomorrow the day?
BW Maxx |
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Daniel no I have never seen the LE edition. Although Andy says it looks awesome and will be ordering it as his default player rather then the standard.
We checked into it and no differences. Andy is the man when it comes to Jungson perty much got the Jungson thing started here in the states.
However Jungson does do some customization. When looking into the Jungson Moon Harbor CDP, found out the Opamps are welded to the circuit board. Jungson said they could place the Opamps in the outputs and non welded which would allow easy upgrade to different Opamps such as the BB OPA627. So who knows there may be some Jungson products with mods we don't know about.
Have a great Weekend.
BW Maxx |
...and I thought I already was getting a lot for my money : ). |
