Would Jadis Orchestra work for Dunlavy IV?

Nilthepill, the interconnects really are something that is difficult to recommend. You should have the rest of your system completed, and use them to dial the sound that last nth degree in the direction you would like to take it. I will say that if you can get your hands on a silver power cord, that definitely made a difference. The various copper cods I tried didn't do all that much.

Yes, the JOR/JOE have used KT90/KT88, but you are also able to run EL34, 6CA7, and 6550. I found the midrange sounded the way I described with the EL34. This tube did result in me having to go up two notches on the control to achieve the same volume, and did not produce the same level of bass extension, impact, or quality. Still, the positives definitely outweighed the negative. The KT88 offered a nice balance between what the larger tubes did well, along with improved midrange. The KT90 was a colder sound that left me much less satisfied after hearing the others. I didn't give the KT88s enough of an audition, but it felt like the JJ Blue Glass E34L produced the finest overall sound.

The DA30 was about $2300 more when I bought my JOR ($5800 vs $3500). The difference has possibly changed along with the exchange rate. I have read the prices on the DA60 and new DA88 are now significantly higher than when I was looking for them (about $8500, now $11K), due to the exchange rate.

I think the active preamp section of the DA30 is a big part of why the sound is so different between it and my old JOR. The 3 12AU7 tubes really have a big influence on the sonics. So far, I have tried Ei, National, and Mullard Blackburn, with the Mullards being clearly the best. Though for new production tubes and at extremely low cost, the Ei are most highly recommended. Again, the sonics of the JOR and DA30 amps that I have owned could not be more different in my two systems. Perhaps the current products are more similar? I do know that my DA30 is a VERRRRRRRRY early version, and the design has since changed in the direction of increased thermal stability, etc. (supposedly at the expense of sonics, but I cannot confirm that as I don't have a new one here for comparison). High end in general has clearly moved from the lush to the lean sound in the past decade plus, and maybe Jadis has this trend as well? If so, then maybe the DA30 and JOR of today are more close than I have seen.

I think at this point, we need to turn things around, and ask you what your likes and dislikes are in terms of sonics, music, and the room size, etc. In all honesty, I am thinking that the DA30 is possibly not the amp for you. Again, my DA30 runs out of steam before my JOR ever did. However, depending on things such as your tastes and ability to drive those Dunlavys, perhaps the JOR, DA60, or DA88 would fit the bill. And, I do recommend the JOR over the JOE, as I really enjoyed having the tone controls, despite their being taboo in audiophilia.

And, definitely follow the advice of Russ (Rcprince). Not only is he a wonderful person and friend, there are few who know more about Jadis.

GOOD LUCK!

First off, CONGRATULATIONS NILTHEPILL!!! Welcome to the Jadis family! Secondly, there has been a lot of great discourse in this thread.

I'm really happy that you were impressed with the JOR. As I say over and over again, it is a crying shame that most people do not even know the Jadis name these days. It truly is in that strata of upper end high end gear. Hopefully, over time, Pierre Gabriel will be able to reestablish the marque to its rightful place in North America.

The fact that the entry level amp is able to make music that is glorious to the point of measuring up with components with another digit in their price tag tells one all they need to know. The JOR is a most beautiful component, and its looks certainly have high WAF. Though, as you heard, it is a Jadis, and its sonics take no back seat to its looks. Mating it to a Vandersteen is not a match made in heaven.

Again, as Russ stated, the KT88 really flesh out the lows and add some weight to the sound. They offer a midbass fatness that sounds better to me than the KT90, though the KT90's extension is superior. You can expect a much more lifelike, beautiful, and sunny midrange and treble with either the EL34 or KT88. What sound is right for you in the end can only be determined by your own ears and heart.

Supposedly, an EL34 gives up between 25% and 35% in terms of power to a KT88. Perhaps the famous Jadis transformers allow the gap to be a lot smaller than in most instances. I noticed my JOR and DA30 didn't give nearly as much power up when I ran them with EL34. Interestingly, when I recently tried the EL34 tubes in the DA30 for fun, I sat down to try to sort things out in terms of differences, and to see which was better. However, both my wife and daughter were able to announce in less than 5 seconds that the JJ Blue Glass E34L was clearly superior to the JJ KT88. Just shows that they really do hear better than us...

You can DEFINITELY run EL34, 6CA7, 6550, KT88, and KT90 in the JOR. The standard Orchestra's standard tubes are EL34, and its smaller transformers allow only this and the 6CA7 tube to used. The JOR came with KT90 standard previously, and now KT88. Its larger transformers allowd both the larger and smaller tubes to be run.

Also, I have prepared a six page guide to biasing the JOR, and you are most welcome to a copy. I had to really scrounge to get a copy of the biasing procedure (it mentions ONLY EL34 and KT90) from the North American distributor at the time. In the typical French fashion, it was all but intuitive. One sheet of paper, with an almost illustration, not very many words, and those that were there confused as much as helped. Eventually, I got everything sorted out, and it was not as bad as my dealer tried to scare me into believing. When I sold it, I created this document, full of color pictures, to make sure the person buying it had nothing to worry about. As an aside, my advice is to remove the bottom plate, which you need to do to bias it anyway, and drill additional holes that will allow outside access to the resistors and potentiometers involved in the biasing procedure. Then, it will take all of about 3 minutes to bias. The hardest part in my opinion is reassembling the amp after you bias it.

Hope you love it for a very long time,
Joe

Having owned the JOR previously, and now the DA30, I can say that the DA30 has NOT done a better job in driving the two pairs of loudspeakers I own.

The JOR's "40 wpc rating" is really taken from the Orchestra, which uses EL34s, with smaller transformers. I am unsure of the actual power of the JOR, which used KT90 in my former amp, and currently sold with KT88. I have read 53 wpc, but never anything official. But, it quite possibly could be more. Yes, the JOR operates in Class A/B, and the DA30 in Class A, so there is a lot of apple sauce and orange juice here in trying to compare them on paper.

Like you, I was also told the DA30 was the stronger of the two amplifiers. But, in my case, the JOR easily offers more ultimate power. I will say that before the DA30 runs out of steam, and becomes very wooly sounding, it sounds far more authoritative than the JOR.

They are quite different sounding animals actually, to my very great surprise. The JOR's midrange, once I retubed with JJ Blue Glass E34L has yet to be eclipsed by any stereo system I have encountered. With my Coincident speakers, it was simply perfect. The DA30 has not presented that with me yet, but the sound it produces through the bass and lower midrange is incredible. Not like almost anything being produced today, which tends to highlight the presence region. No, the DA30 offers tremendous liquidity, richness, and weight.

I need to include that my DA30 is of 1990 - 1991 vintage, and the current iteration has some differences. Also, one would think Pierre Gabriel would know best, as he has both readily at his disposal. Still, I must relay my own personal experiences, for what they are worth. And, as my friend Rcprince alluded to, a Jadis is something that most people these days just cannot truly appreciate due to their lack of exposure. Most unfortunate. If you have the chance to own one in the right circumstances, which is the crux of your question (and I cannot help in that regard), I highly doubt you will be disappointed.