Thoughts from Joule preamp owners?

I am not familar with LA-100 but I auditioned the rest of their preamp line. LA-150 Mk1 (original) is not terribly musical on my taste.
LA-150Mk2 is fantastic - seduce you into the listening and you can't stop. Excellent bass. For my taste a bit more midrange lush then I liek.
LA-150SE is just right, texture right, dynamic range, minute details etc
LA-300ME, I own is something exptraordinary and I thought for a few years that it is impossible to make a better one
LA-450ME - when I auditioned it I understoon that it is possible to make better preamp then LA-300, and it is "450". It sound indetical to LA-300 but....better.

Good Luck!

Hello Pubul57,

tube/ss combo sounds very attractive but I tried a number of combinations and results were not always desirable. One, obvious reason, that many ss amps have low input impedance whereas many tube preamps(even excellent like BAT) have high output impedance. Others reasons probably play some role as well but I never know in advance.

I agree with you in regard to Joule not only because its variable impedance and rich vivid sound but also because its very user-friendly even for solid state lover. Its on "standby" 24/7 and with one flick of the switch you are ready (30 seconds) to listen to music and do not have to wait warm up. Another, re-tubing which all of us hate need to eb done once per 5-10 years. You also don;t need to search for best NOS - Joule owns the best and sell them for song.

You can extend their tube life span even more but you would need to speak with them directly, I don;t want to go there.

Hello iSanchez,

Sorry, I could not reply to your e-mail earlier. I will ask Simon Thacher of Joule-Electra send you description. They do not advertise it on web site in mistaken belief that people cannot afford very high quality audio (which is expensive) and offer "Platinum" only to their friends, family , whatever - not to general public.

All The Best

Rafael

"I upgraded my MK11 to the SE and I can tell you that the sound is the same only much better... "

Luv it !

Hi Coxhaus. The Platinum upagrde is very substantial technical improvment and had great effect on the sound in my system. For example, highs while not more extended became much more resolved and....seductive. Three-dimensionality noticeably increased etc

All The Best