Jolida JD-9A Phono Preamp

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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited January 2008
    No, Max....there is NO 95db gain!!!!
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited January 2008
    Probably not, but if there is... :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited January 2008
    Probably not, but if there is...madmax


    If the pre-amp under scrutiny has 95db gain, then our earth is flat and global warming is pulp fiction.......:D:D:D:D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited January 2008
    Here are the published specs for arguably the best phono pre-amp on the market, the Boulder 2008, priced at a mere $33,500. Notice the maximum gain for MC cartridges is 64db.

    http://www.boulderamp.com/pdf/2008DataSheet.pdf
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited January 2008
    I stay towards the center of the earth, just in case.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited January 2008
    Just a tad too warm in the center for me......:D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited February 2008
    I have sent several requests to Michael Allen, President of Jolida, to get a response to the apparent inaccurate published specifications of the Jolida phono pre-amp. Thus far, no answers. I have tired in my pursuit. I have to assume there will be no response and that the published specifications for gain are wrong. When will some manufacturers learn that so little respect paid to a legitimate question will hurt their reputation? :(:( Always willing to recant this should an answer be forthcoming.
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  • mulveling
    mulveling Posts: 505
    edited February 2008
    analog97 wrote: »
    I have sent several requests to Michael Allen, President of Jolida, to get a response to the apparent inaccurate published specifications of the Jolida phono pre-amp. Thus far, no answers. I have tired in my pursuit. I have to assume there will be no response and that the published specifications for gain are wrong. When will some manufacturers learn that so little respect paid to a legitimate question will hurt their reputation? :(:( Always willing to recant this should an answer be forthcoming.
    It appears (maybe not, but probably) to be a symptom of another company that has little or no hand in engineering the gear it sells; a much more common occurrence in these days of easy information exchange and outsourcing. Now to be fair I owned a Jolida JD100a a few years back and think it was really excellent for the money - a great sounding and fairly well built player that I have no problem recommending for its value. Still, companies that have engineers on staff (or are even owned/run by the head engineer) AND make great audio gear that is truly their own creation, companies that really try to combine solid engineering with artistic creativity and good aesthetic sense, are the ones I hold in highest regard.

    Now, normally I'm one to ignore listed-number specs, especially THD and Watts ratings, since they usually say nothing about the quality of gear. However, the gain on a phono stage is of particular importance to insure the right voltage range for a particular system, and botching that number is a pretty big problem.
    Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2008
    I really didn't think they would follow up with an answer right away. Maybe in time, maybe not at all. Sounds like they still need some customer service insight as I've heard in the past.
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited February 2008
    Well, just got an "answer". See below:
    The matter has been referred to our engineer and we we should have an answer shortly. We understand your formula, but we do not think it's applicable.
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited February 2008
    analog97 wrote: »
    Well, just got an "answer". See below:

    How does it feel to be not applicable?



    :D
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited February 2008
    Most of us get marginalized on a daily basis. Me thinks we gotta get Mulveling's help on this.....he sounds like a card-carrying engineer to me.....:D:D
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  • mulveling
    mulveling Posts: 505
    edited February 2008
    analog97 wrote: »
    Most of us get marginalized on a daily basis. Me thinks we gotta get Mulveling's help on this.....he sounds like a card-carrying engineer to me.....:D:D
    Unfortunately I'm only a software engineer, not a Real Engineer. But I did take some college classes with Real Engineers :D

    Certainly, when numbers look fishy (like here) I like to try and figure out what's going on!
    Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited February 2008
    Mulveling, I have double-checked the exact math. 0.3millivolts at 95db gain =16.87 volts. I used to run a 7 mv MM cartridge. At the Jolida 70db gain, that's even worse!!! 22.12 volts!!!!!!!!!!. We now have a bio-medical scientist and a software engineer asking PE's for an explanation. :cool::cool:
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,499
    edited February 2008
    analog97 wrote: »
    Well, just got an "answer". See below:


    Stay on them! Not applicable. LOL

    I was speaking with someone who is familiar with that phono stage. He didn't measure the output, but said it was capable of extremely high gain.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited February 2008
    I first wrote to Jolida President Michael Allen on January 10. I have followed up with four letters. Gonna try again, but the basic message here is that this man has, by his failure to respond, left an indelible and negative imprint on me. When a company does not take a legitimate inquiry seriously, their reputation suffers deservedly. Caveat emptor!!!!! :(:(:(
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    Did anything come of this ever?
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited March 2008
    No, 4 requests to Michael Allen, President of Jolida have not prompted him to reply. I think everyone should write to him and crank up the pressure. What a lousy thing for an audio company to do!!
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    Well despite fubar specs, I decided to go ahead and order one anyway to give it a try. I'll be ordering a new table this weekend wtih some new interconnects.....now if I could just find someone to help me set this up and get it all configured right.....mhardy....where you be? :p
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited March 2008
    I'm from Pittsburgh, but setting up most new tables is usually pretty easy. Regas are a snap. Projects and MH's are as well. A nice inexpensive tool is the Shure stylus force guage as sometimes TT's lack an accurate setting for this. A small bubble level is helpful as well.
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    Just got off the phone with Walter at underwood hifi...he has tested the Jolida and found the gains to be 40, 55, and 70. He also said he tried to have a conversation with Michael Allen about it and it was like talking to the wall. Allen is convinced it's 95 db and won't change his statement.
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  • analog97
    analog97 Posts: 328
    edited March 2008
    Bagged,

    Congratulations on getting to the bottom of this. Gains of 40,55 and 70 make sense. As far as Michael Allen is concerned, I guess it's just another case of "Don't bother me with the facts. My mind is made up". :D:D Me thinks this is false advertising and he should change the published specifications.
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    analog97 wrote: »
    Bagged,

    Congratulations on getting to the bottom of this. Gains of 40,55 and 70 make sense. As far as Michael Allen is concerned, I guess it's just another case of "Don't bother me with the facts. My mind is made up". :D:D Me thinks this is false advertising and he should change the published specifications.

    No problem, glad I found someone that had the knowledge of the output and actually did testing to prove it. He also said that this phono preamp, despite the ridiculous published output specs will run with those in the $1500-$2000 range without any issues.

    Now it's just a matter of deciding on what table. Project RM5 or MMF7.1 I'm thinking. The VPI scout is just too far out of my range right now and it's just too much of a table for me I think. Walter at underwood offered me a great deal on an MMF7.1 with the Goldring Eroica cartridge and I think I'm gonna take him up on his offer.
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  • mulveling
    mulveling Posts: 505
    edited March 2008
    Great job guys, putting in the due diligence to get to the bottom of this! Looks like Jolida needs a little training session on Ohm's Law, decibels, watts, and logarithms :D
    Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited March 2008
    How does this Jolida Phono Pre Amp sound?
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited March 2008
    MillerLiteScott wrote: »
    How does this Jolida Phono Pre Amp sound?

    I am curious also.
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    I can't really give a good review till I get a new table....and it certainly isn't fair to compare this piece to the Aiwa phono preamp I was using.....so you'll have to wait on my review.

    I can tell you this though, it's freaking amazing the difference it made on my junk TT....I can only imagine when I get the new one in.
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited March 2008
    Looking forward to your review.

    When do you expect to get a beter table?
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  • BaggedLancer
    BaggedLancer Posts: 6,371
    edited March 2008
    nikolas812 wrote: »
    Looking forward to your review.

    When do you expect to get a beter table?

    I have one on hold...just a matter of whether I can afford to pay it off. There is something else on my plate that I have been waiting a LONG time(1 year 2 months) for and it might be coming through in the next week....so I have a feeling that is going to steal some of my funding....we'll see.

    I mean...technically I could just buy the Pro-Ject RM5 now, or I could wait a little and get the Music Hall MMF7.1 that I really want. Not sure what I want to do.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2008
    I heard one at m00npie's, it sounded fantastic!
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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