Which Preamp - Modwright or Joule-Electra?

Hello all,

I was an other of the beta tester (I think we were 2 a the beginning), located in France, and I had a LA 150 SE, which has been upgraded in the same way. Joule Electra kindly proposed me to test this upgrade and so I sent back to US my LA 150 SE without hesitation.

I must say that even if the CuTf caps need quite a long time to sound at their full potential, when I first switched on the unit the effect was immediate, spectacular and surprising ! The first CD I put in the Ayon CD5 was Niels Lofgren acoustic live "Keith don't go", and it was just prodigious..

The main audible effect was on the treble extension and definition, and their increased strengh. A multitude of small details became obvious without searching for them, giving the whole presentation a more tridimensional, dynamic and deep soundstage. Typically I use the LA 150 SE with Cary CAD 211 AE 845's monoblocs + Ayon CD5, and before the upgrade I used to plug super tweeters to increase high frequencies contribution (just to boost up the Cary's). After the upgrade no more need for the supertweeters :-)

Concerning low frequencies, I didn't noticed anything special, but I think something has improved also because the overall balance between high and low has remain homogeneous despite the improved high frequencies.
This is something important in this upgrade : the overall sound remain well balanced through all the spectrum.

The cost of the upgade is quite cheap compare to the improvement and I would like to insist on the kindness of Simon (my contact) and the professionnal work of Joule Electra.

The LA 150 SE upgraded is still in the center of my system.

Hi Melkior.

I agree with you the CuTF capactitors take months to break-in but...what a paradise you live in. Indeed, compared to its benefit the upgarde is CHEAP, BLOODY CHEAP !!!!

One correction only: the name of your preamp is LA-150 Platinum !!! not "SE" anymore. Request from Jud or Simon the official certificate

Hello Dob,

Have you try both impedances on the LA 150 ? For me seems the lower impedance is better in terms of dynamics. Maybe this comes from the association with my power amps.

I think I'll upgrade the capacitors of my Carys with these caps if possible :-)

Great thread. wish my la100 could be upgraded....

Melkior,

In my system, the use of the buffer stage substantially improved the sound stage, palpability, detail and overall musicality.

Kbuzz - your LA-100 can also be upgarded but not by J-E.
You can find good modifier and he can do a number of things - particualrly with signal path capacitors, and power supply, filter capacitors