Preamp for Art Jota

Funny that this post just came up…. I was in the same boat with my lovely Art
Audio Jota.

While it sounded great with a passive in front of it (a Lighter Note LDR volume
attenuator), I also felt I was missing a little bloom and naturalness too that a
tubed preamp would give.

I went back to a preamp that I loved a few years ago, and bought another one
recently: a Dodd Audio Battery Powered preamp. Totally off the grid and a black
as heck background. Very dynamic, quiet, musical, with enough detail and tube
magic that begs you to listen to the music and NOT the electronics. It sure puts
me into the music!

It pairs extremely well with the Art Audio Jota.

Also curious… what tubes are in your Jota? Perhaps there is some room for gains
there?

As I mentioned above, the Jota is very happy with a tubed preamp in front of it. I have been through the whole tube rolling exercises with it while having the LDR passive in front, and it sounded really good, but I felt I was missing something.

My Modwright Oppo-95 puts out way more output than is needed for the Jota input, but unquestionably, I prefer the tube-buffered sound in front of the Jota, even though I don't need the gain.

On the Jota I am using Amperex USN-CEP 7308, Sylvania green label, square getter, black plate 12bh7a, Mullard CV378 rectifiers, and KR VV32b output tubes.

I personally didn't care for the Art Audio preamp I heard, but I heard it outside of my own system, and I don't remember which one it was. Not familiar with the CJ.