Joule Electra LA 150 MK II

dhart86

Hey guys....I'm stoked!~ I just scored on a J.E. LA 150 MKII. I was wondering if anyone had a manual for this guy? And here comes the seemingly dumb question........ how do you open it up to see the insides?

Also, what is a good amp (s/s or tube) to mate with this guy. In a moment of weakness / insanity I gave my McCormack DNA 0.5 to a friend that I was introducing to the hobby, when he suffered an unfortunate circumstance.......giving him my favorite amp was my attempt to console him. I want it back, but you know I can't ask for it back.

Anyway I have the Joule driving a stock Belles 150A into a pair of Harbeth C7. Sound pretty darned good but wondering about bettering the amp. I tend to like listening to music in the warm / lush area. I would look to the used market with a budget under $2000

Any comments are appreciated

kharp1

I believe there are 8 small Torx screws located on the sides, two top and bottom of each side. I put mine in a zip lock baggie and labeled them and stuck them in my tube drawer. The top slides up and off so it fits on snug with a gravity fir. I saw no reason to put the screws back in yet.

dhart86

Thanks Kharp1........appreciate it!

BTW how does your Joule sound with the Pass Labs Aleph 30? (That amp never comes up on the used market)

Seems like you put together a nice rig over there!!!!

WagnerRC

Congrats on the purchase. The joule availability seems very low lately. I will say the pass xa amp and aleph do go well with the joule. I use the xa daily and I picked up an aleph to play with.

WagnerRC

This could be a bargain and it would deliver.

http://audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Amplifier-SS/First-Watt/M2/by-Nelson-Pass/166586

kharp1

dhart86 wrote: »

Thanks Kharp1........appreciate it!

BTW how does your Joule sound with the Pass Labs Aleph 30? (That amp never comes up on the used market)

Seems like you put together a nice rig over there!!!!

Very nice. When I plugged the Joule in to the system I had been using the P5 with good results, I was pretty happy with the sound. Once the joule was plugged in, tubes updated and burned in, I noticed a much larger stage in every dimension. Vocals took on a more natural tone and everything seemed to just sound "more right." The bottom end had more depth and richness. Everything played with a new sense of power and authority as well as finesse, for lack of better words.

tonyb

Nice description, same realized on my account also. Get your McCormack back, the Belles is a nice amp too but the McCormack is a few notches better in my view. Tell your buddy you'll swap amps with him.

The Firstwatt Mr. Wagner posted is also an excellent choice, they make nice sounding stuff. In SS amps though, Pass or McCormack is about as close you'll get to that tube warmth you seek without going into tubed amps.

footwedge

dhart86 wrote: »

Hey guys....I'm stoked!~ I just scored on a J.E. LA 150 MKII. I was wondering if anyone had a manual for this guy? And here comes the seemingly dumb question........ how do you open it up to see the insides?

Also, what is a good amp (s/s or tube) to mate with this guy. In a moment of weakness / insanity I gave my McCormack DNA 0.5 to a friend that I was introducing to the hobby, when he suffered an unfortunate circumstance.......giving him my favorite amp was my attempt to console him. I want it back, but you know I can't ask for it back.

Anyway I have the Joule driving a stock Belles 150A into a pair of Harbeth C7. Sound pretty darned good but wondering about bettering the amp. I tend to like listening to music in the warm / lush area. I would look to the used market with a budget under $2000

Any comments are appreciated

@dhart86

Mine has 4 hex head screws, two on each upper side. I have a manual I could send you late next week once I get back to work.

Enjoy, this is a Joule. Driving a b&k 200 and although my room is far from ideal, it sounds great.

halo

I don't have a J.E. pre but I do have 2 warm / lush sounding amps in the house; The McCormack DNA-125& a B&K ST125.2 & I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either of these amps.

Dawgfish

On the tube side of things Rogue Stereo 100 Magnum.

erniejade

Congrats on the 150!!! I do have a manual I could copy but, it is for the 150A version with a phono board so the tubes listed would be different.

dhart86

WagnerRC wrote: »

This could be a bargain and it would deliver.

http://audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Amplifier-SS/First-Watt/M2/by-Nelson-Pass/166586

HAHAHAHA........I haven't been in this polk forum for a couple days......But I guess if you hangout w/ people long enough, you start to think alike
This is my first day back since I started this thread, but I bought that exact amp over the weekend Bob.

Thanks Footwedge I sent you a PM


tony b....gotta keep an I open for another McCormack (really like the 0.5 version)

tonyb

I think the sound characteristics of the Joule and that M2 could be a real good match. Don't forget a little dish soap and a spatula.....scrap that sack off the back wall.

heiney9

dhart86 wrote: »

WagnerRC wrote: »

This could be a bargain and it would deliver.

http://audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Amplifier-SS/First-Watt/M2/by-Nelson-Pass/166586

HAHAHAHA........I haven't been in this polk forum for a couple days......But I guess if you hangout w/ people long enough, you start to think alike
This is my first day back since I started this thread, but I bought that exact amp over the weekend Bob.

Thanks Footwedge I sent you a PM


tony b....gotta keep an I open for another McCormack (really like the 0.5 version)

Sweet amp, anxious to hear your impressions and how well it drives a normal speaker.

H9

P.s. Had my eye on that but now I'm looking at an F7.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/first-watt-f7-stereo-power-amplifier/

vcwatkins

Congrats on the pre and amp, dhart. Should be sweet.

H9, here's an F6 that sorta interests me. A pilot run / artist proof type thing which, I would think, would lower resale due to uncertainty and perhaps nudge the price lower than current asking. Especially considering the F7 new price is just 20% more.
http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649202361-first-watt-f6-by-nelson-pass-practically-new-current-model-save-500-from-retail-price/

heiney9

vcwatkins wrote: »

Congrats on the pre and amp, dhart. Should be sweet.

H9, here's an F6 that sorta interests me. A pilot run / artist proof type thing which, I would think, would lower resale due to uncertainty and perhaps nudge the price lower than current asking. Especially considering the F7 new price is just 20% more.
http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649202361-first-watt-f6-by-nelson-pass-practically-new-current-model-save-500-from-retail-price/

All the FW stuff has it's own unique character. I'm sure that would be a nice piece. Go for it!

tonyb

Yep, certainly do Brock. The man likes to tinker with his designs and hardly ever leaves well enough alone. Basically though, all his first watt designs are low wattage single ended class A. Which means buyers have to consider the heat these puppies are going to throw.

heiney9

Yes, they dissipate a lot of heat as all proper class A circuits do. The F7 intrigues me because it only has 4 transistors and 4 resistors with 2 gain stages.

Doesn't get more simple than that

heiney9

With only 4 transistors, I would imagine the heat to be less than say......my Aleph 30. But in the Aleph the trannys are run at 30% of their thermal capacity. Perhaps these only being 4 are run higher into the thermal capacity?

H9

dhart86

The First Watt M2 amp showed up on my door step today. So after letting it get use to its new environment for a couple hours.....I warmed it up for an hour and just started a listen.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been listening to JRiver source via
Joule Electra La 150MKII pre> Belles 150A amp > Harbeth C7 speakers.

First off, this rig sounded pretty darn good with the Belles driving the speakers. Still miss my McCormack DNA 0.5 .....but not as much after getting used to the Belles in the rig. i could have lived with the Belles, but just thought, I wanted a better amp for the Joule to drive.

Enter the First Watt M2. Boy-oh-boy, I could tell w/in 10 minutes that i had scored a winner! I know the M2 provides 25 watts @ 8ohms but it plays so authoritatively. The sound is full and on the warm side of neutral. Definitively
not slow or sluggish sounding. Plays fast, crisp and clear.

Seems to be a great fit in my rig for my listening preference. My listening position is about 14 ft in a 25 x 25 room

Compared to the Belles, i am hearing more extension both ways. I sense a little more air and crystal clear-ness. the mids coming thru the Harbeths sound perfect to my (untrained) ears.

I believe my rig is just exactly where I need it to be!!! I really hope to be done chasing the next better sound ----gonna relax the wallet and enjoy the music. (for now)

heiney9

25 wpc can't possibly be enough! Many veteran members here say you must have more power to create dynamics, scale and authority. I've been preaching if you have a very simple amp by some one who knows what they are doing........it's not necessary. Simple circuits, 1-2 gain stages, minimal negative feedback are all reasons why watts (other than the first watt) don't really matter.

Congrats on a fantastic amp from, in my mind, the best SS amp designer there is.

H9

P.s. Always wanted to try an M2 since it's transformer coupled. Special Jensen transformers.

WagnerRC

These amps kick **** and compared to the pass line is a friggen bargain for sure.

Enjoy that combo

WagnerRC

My 30 watt xa amp kicked the **** of the 500w mf preamp. Totally different power

tonyb

LOL....I think Bob you had some bad juju going on with that MF integrated.

vcwatkins

Outstanding. Congrats @dhart86 !
Any differences in soundstage?

tonyb

vcwatkins wrote: »

Outstanding. Congrats @dhart86 !
Any differences in soundstage?

He can't answer that, his nuts are still under the couch somewhere.

However I do have a question, your using JRIVER straight into the pre....no dac in the mix ?

heiney9

Tony his sig says:

Main Rig:
HTPC (J River) >
PS Audio Perfectwave MKII Dac
Joule Electra LA 150 MK II
Belles 150 A
Harbeth C7 ES3

tonyb

That would be great Brock, if I could see sigs, but I can't for some reason.

heiney9

Really, no sigs? That's weird. Can you see dead people?

vcwatkins

tonyb wrote: »

That would be great Brock, if I could see sigs, but I can't for some reason.

Edit Profile>Signature Settings
Make sure "Hide signatures always" near bottom is unchecked.

tonyb

I've done that....no dice. Thanks for the suggestion though. I've just come to accept the fact, not a biggie.