Jolida JD-9A Phono Preamp

BaggedLancer

Anyone have any experience with this phono preamp? It's hard finding reviews for it and it seems that it's very popular for level 1 and level 2 modifications.

I figured if I'm going vinyl I might as well cement my feet and jump right into it.

The MRSP is $385, but I bet if I hold out long enough I can find a used one on audiogon for in the $200-$250 range. Seems like this one has a little more meat on it's bones than other phono preamps in the same range....

Construction Details and Features:

Phono pre-amplifier that will handle MM, MC and Dynamic head cartridges.
Rated sensitivity at .25 mV – 95 dB.
Two Outputs RIAA, Line stage.
Adjustable settings for cartridge type.
State of the Art Components: Gold plated RCA input jacks.
Low profile full body allows the unit to act as a base for your amplifier or turntable. No need to lose another shelf for a component.
Tube Output.

Technical Specifications:

Frequency Response: 5Hz to 110KHz, (+/- 1 dB)

SNR: > 100 dB
Distortion THD: Less than .02%

Input Impedance: 100Kohms

Output Impedance: 600 ohms
Phono Stage: MM: 70 dB, 5 mV
MC High: 85 dB, 0.5 mV – 1.5 mV
MC Low: 95 dB, 0.25 mV – 0.5 mV
Input Resistance: 100 ohm, 300 Ohm, 1Kohm, 47Kohm
Input Capacitance: 47 PF, 100PF, 150PF, 220PF
Tube Complement: 2 pcs. 12AX7
Size: 17 in. (W) x 13 in. (D) x 2 in. (H)

Weight: 10 lbs., 14 lbs. Boxed
Warranty : Two years parts and labor, one year on tubes

Ricardo

I would recommend the pro-ject tube box II. It is a great phono stage in that price range. I sold mine only because my pre now has a very good built in phono.

BaggedLancer

Ricardo, currently I have the Jolida 502b, you don't think this would be a better match being from the same manufacturer?

Ricardo

Not necessarily.

Anyway, I am just trying to confuse you. I'm sure the Jolida is a fine pre also. Just sharing what worked for me.

BaggedLancer

One of the biggest things I liked about the JD was I can put it under my 502b to save space on my rack. However, I already am beginning to dislike my Salamander rack and want something new.

BaggedLancer

Guess not much opinion on this....anyone else have one?

madmax

I have an opinion on everything. The Jolida is a great preamp. I recommend.
madmax

thehawkman

This preamp has renewed my interest in vinyl. Great unit for the $$$.

madmax

Forgot to mention that it has a real ballsy sort of sound. Thats a great thing for more popular music.

m00npie

I'll let you know in a few weeks. I just picked one up on AgoN.

hearingimpared

I haven't heard it but based on the specs it seems pretty versitile .

The only thing that strikes me odd is how high the gain is on both the MM & the two MC stages. I'm used to seeing numbers like 45 to 48 db for MM and 56 to 68 db for MC. I'm not saying this is a bad thing but this is the first time I'm seeing gain so high. I wonder if with the gain set so high there would be an audible hiss. Maybe they are adjustable gains like my pre.

madmax

They are intermediate stages. The highest gain comes from the tube outputs and a lower gain before the tubes. I believe there is a switched value also. VERY versatile. A little hiss out of the last gain setting but it works very well with the lowest output carts.

analog97

Rated sensitivity at .25 mV – 95 dB.The only thing that strikes me odd is how high the gain is on both the MM & the two MC stages. I'm used to seeing numbers like 45 to 48 db for MM and 56 to 68 db for MC.

I agree with Joe. Something is wrong or unclear in the specs. Either way you slice it, +95db gain for a MC stage or -95db for "noise" is way off the charts. Sounds like marketing people were involved....

madmax

I don't know about the noise spec but the 95db gain seems reasonable. It can output higher than my Manley which is 68 db plus 3 to 12 db with the step up xformer.
madmax

analog97

I don't know about the noise spec but the 95db gain seems reasonable. It can output higher than my Manley which is 68 db plus 3 to 12 db with the step up xformer.
madmax

No, I'm still thinking something is askew here. MC cartridges at the LOW output end of the scale put out about .15 millivolt. As such, even 70db gain is plenty. At 67 db gain, this .15mv cartridge would undergo 31,623-fold amplification. Add another 20 db gain (10-fold) to 87db and now you have 316,230-fold gain. At only 80db, this is putting out 1.5 volts! This is WAY off the charts, unless my math is in error. I think the most gain I've seen in a MC pre-amp is about 68db and that setting is for the ultra-low-output MC's. You don't put a 20db step-up transformer in front of that.

madmax

No, the manley has the step-up, not the Jolida. The Jolida is what it is, a VERY nice pre with all the normal steps of gain and an extra stage for those who want it. That is the point, they are offering as much gain as you would ever want. I have actually read where people with .2mV carts feel they have to wind up the preamp gain control too high when using 68db gain. With a .3 cart I could use either the intermediate or last gain section without problem.

analog97

I have actually read where people with .2mV carts feel they have to wind up the preamp gain control too high when using 68db gain.

If this is so, then it is more strong evidence that there is something askew with the published Jolida specs. My belief is that the 95db gain as stated by Jolida is WAY off the mark. That said, the Jolida may be a fine and dandy pre. But, as a long-time user of low-output MC's, I just don't understand their specs as listed. Something is definately askew...an MC phono pre with 95db gain is not right. So, again let's look at the published specs:

Output Impedance: 600 ohms
Phono Stage: MM: 70 dB, 5 mV
MC High: 85 dB, 0.5 mV – 1.5 mV
MC Low: 95 dB, 0.25 mV – 0.5 mV
Input Resistance: 100 ohm, 300 Ohm, 1Kohm, 47Kohm
Input Capacitance: 47 PF, 100PF, 150PF, 220PF

I am now thinking that the 70,85 and 95db figures for MM, MC High and MC low are really the "noise" figures, i.e. how quiet the Jolida is. They can't be gain. Rather, they choose to use "sensitivity" figures, from which gain must be inferred. Then again, the fact that MC low at 95db is better than MC high at 85db makes no sense, either if these are "noise" figures because noise is always higher at higher gain. I think that this is a Jolida problem, but I'm glad somebody is at least taking a look at these published numbers.

madmax

I can't attest to Jolida's specs because I made no measurements when I had the pre. Not even sure how to do that. With that said it had WAY more output at the higher settings than the Manley or the Acoustech. Look up the Manley, it shows 68 db to 80 db as its output. Why does the Manley have 68 db gain setting plus a 12 db transformer? Don't know. Didn't look it up but I think the Acoustech had 68db output. Is 1.5V output really that outragous?

Didn't understand the above quote. Didn't have anything to do with the jolida.

madmax

analog97

Max,

The quote referred to the Jolida published specs from the first post. Again, I do not accept that this phono pre puts out 95db gain. If someone has some data showing me an ultra-low MC cartridge that can handle 95db gain or another phono pre-amp that puts out 95db gain, that will be news to me!!:):) Best regards!

madmax

I don't know, 95db gain sounds pretty darn high.
madmax

BaggedLancer

http://jolida.com/catalogue/models/jd9a.shtml


Right from the manufacturer site.

madmax

analog97 is thinking the number on the site is faulty. Certainly stranger things have happened...
madmax

analog97

I got curious, so I wrote to Jolida and asked them to clarify this. I hope the questions I posed can find their way to a real engineer as opposed to a "Marketeer"....:D

madmax

Yea, they will probably forward it to the guy who wrote up the specs for the website, ha ha.

BaggedLancer

I'm looking foward to the outcome of your response analog......since I will 90% be buying this within 30-45 days.

analog97

No reply yet from Jolida. This always bothers me and moves me toward not liking the product. OK, we'll give them more time. Maybe the engineer is on vacation.

madmax

I hear they are not the best hand-holders over at Jolida. They even charge you if you want a copy of schematics. They know how to do tube equipment though.
madmax

analog97

They know how to do tube equipment though.
madmax

Maybe. The jury is out on their customer service and published phono pre-amp specs, however.

treitz3

Is this there flagship phono pre? Please excuse my ignorance with this subject, as most of you know I just recently got vinyl back in the rig.

EDIT: I see they have a level 3. I take it that this is the flagship. How would this compare to the one BaggedLancer is eying? Yes, I know Jolida tells you the difference, but it would IMO sway me better if someone [who listens] actually had experience with said product in the listening world and not marketing as an agenda.

analog97

Is this there flagship phono pre?

I believe the 9A is the only phono pre-amp made by Jolida. I have never heard it. My interest is only in the misleading published specs. That's why I wrote to them....to get some clarification. I agree that the real test is in the real world of sound and performance as assessed by good ears

BaggedLancer

treitz3 wrote: »

Is this there flagship phono pre? Please excuse my ignorance with this subject, as most of you know I just recently got vinyl back in the rig.

EDIT: I see they have a level 3. I take it that this is the flagship. How would this compare to the one BaggedLancer is eying? Yes, I know Jolida tells you the difference, but it would IMO sway me better if someone [who listens] actually had experience with said product in the listening world and not marketing as an agenda.

I'm just as ignorant as you on this subject which is why I asked here before purchasing it. I'm not interested in it because of it's marketed specs as much as I'm interested in it because it's made by Jolida and could be a nice match with my Jolida 502b but wanted someone else who maybe had the opportunity to try it report back what they found.(that whole synergy thing)