Jungson JA-88D 2009 version
Braddles
Posts: 228
Well iv'e had the JA-88D for a week now and had a chance to do some serious listening last night. All week i had the amp running during the day with the kids watching their dvd's through it. Got my old Luxman LV-113 out for some reference. The one thing i got from last night is that i bought well 20 years ago with the Luxman. It stills sounds nice and relaxed and smooth.
The Jungson sound is a little more difficult to describe but i will have a go. (as long as you dont laugh at me)
The first thing i like about this amp is how it puts the vocals out in the stage where i think they should be. This was one thing that the Bel Canto didn't do well. With the BC the vocals were always distant and dry where as the Jungson brings them out for all to hear. Plus they have some body to them. Even compared to the Luxman which also has the vocals out there but not with the same weight. Male and female vocals are very life like with the Jungson. I listen to some Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Christopher Cross, and Mika to get a good opinion on what this amp could do with vocals. Its very good!
Bass is nice and tunefull and quite punchy. The jungson fits between the BC and the Luxman in this depatment. The BC had great bass. It was fast, deep and dynamic. While the Jungson goes low enough it doesnt punch it out there with the same pace or as clean as the BC did, but its still good bass wise. But i found the Jungson blends from the upper bass into the midrange better than the other amps. The midrange on the BC was detailed but a bit clinical and reccessed where as the jungson is warmer, although still a little reccessed compared to the luxman. The trumpet and sax in the beginning of "your latest trick" from dire straits were slightly sharper and more forward on the luxman, only very slightly but noted. The detail in strings are good. I listened to the Dire Straits "love over gold" album over and over because it sounded so good. It seemed to pull apart the music and lay it out infront of me. "Private investigations" was excellent. The footsteps sound effects was like someone was walking staight at me from just left of center stage.
The unlpuged version of "Layla" from Eric Clapton had me grinning. You know the grin you get when something sounds "that good".
The highs are ever so slightly prickly compared to the BC.
They have smoothed out alot during the week so the jury is still out at this stage. When i did the A/B with the Luxman last night, the Jungson had a little more detail and body where as the Luxman was a little more rounded and lighter. (does any of this make sence?)
Overall the jungson has a good soundstage and good depth. By this i mean because it brings the vocals more to the front and separates the instuments well so you get a sence of a thick wall of sound in front of you that (with your eyes closed) you can look into. (i'm realy not good at this am i )
Its not the last word in bass performance but if i had not owned the bel canto i would more than likely be raving about it because it's better than the luxman in it's weight and tunefullness. Again overall sound has good balance with no one section too over powering or recessed. Musical i suppose would be a good descrption.
As far as negatives, well its funny because as much as this thing is built like a tank, some things seem fragile. The volume has an tinny sounding click with every number it goes up or down and sounds very fragile. The same thing happens when you change inputs. Again because i owned the Bel Canto S300iu which was all class and smooth in its operation, the Jungson is a little industrial in comparison. This is where you see cheaper, made in China syndrome. Still i suppose you have to take the cost difference into consideration. Besides the above metioned, the build quality seems pretty good for the price.
More importantly it sounds bloody good for the price. I did alot of research online before i pulled the trigger on this one and i have to say it has so far been pretty much as i expected.
Anyway see if you can make heads or tails of all that.
Cheers
The Jungson sound is a little more difficult to describe but i will have a go. (as long as you dont laugh at me)
The first thing i like about this amp is how it puts the vocals out in the stage where i think they should be. This was one thing that the Bel Canto didn't do well. With the BC the vocals were always distant and dry where as the Jungson brings them out for all to hear. Plus they have some body to them. Even compared to the Luxman which also has the vocals out there but not with the same weight. Male and female vocals are very life like with the Jungson. I listen to some Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Christopher Cross, and Mika to get a good opinion on what this amp could do with vocals. Its very good!
Bass is nice and tunefull and quite punchy. The jungson fits between the BC and the Luxman in this depatment. The BC had great bass. It was fast, deep and dynamic. While the Jungson goes low enough it doesnt punch it out there with the same pace or as clean as the BC did, but its still good bass wise. But i found the Jungson blends from the upper bass into the midrange better than the other amps. The midrange on the BC was detailed but a bit clinical and reccessed where as the jungson is warmer, although still a little reccessed compared to the luxman. The trumpet and sax in the beginning of "your latest trick" from dire straits were slightly sharper and more forward on the luxman, only very slightly but noted. The detail in strings are good. I listened to the Dire Straits "love over gold" album over and over because it sounded so good. It seemed to pull apart the music and lay it out infront of me. "Private investigations" was excellent. The footsteps sound effects was like someone was walking staight at me from just left of center stage.
The unlpuged version of "Layla" from Eric Clapton had me grinning. You know the grin you get when something sounds "that good".
The highs are ever so slightly prickly compared to the BC.
They have smoothed out alot during the week so the jury is still out at this stage. When i did the A/B with the Luxman last night, the Jungson had a little more detail and body where as the Luxman was a little more rounded and lighter. (does any of this make sence?)
Overall the jungson has a good soundstage and good depth. By this i mean because it brings the vocals more to the front and separates the instuments well so you get a sence of a thick wall of sound in front of you that (with your eyes closed) you can look into. (i'm realy not good at this am i )
Its not the last word in bass performance but if i had not owned the bel canto i would more than likely be raving about it because it's better than the luxman in it's weight and tunefullness. Again overall sound has good balance with no one section too over powering or recessed. Musical i suppose would be a good descrption.
As far as negatives, well its funny because as much as this thing is built like a tank, some things seem fragile. The volume has an tinny sounding click with every number it goes up or down and sounds very fragile. The same thing happens when you change inputs. Again because i owned the Bel Canto S300iu which was all class and smooth in its operation, the Jungson is a little industrial in comparison. This is where you see cheaper, made in China syndrome. Still i suppose you have to take the cost difference into consideration. Besides the above metioned, the build quality seems pretty good for the price.
More importantly it sounds bloody good for the price. I did alot of research online before i pulled the trigger on this one and i have to say it has so far been pretty much as i expected.
Anyway see if you can make heads or tails of all that.
Cheers
2 Channel
Amp - Jas Audio Bravo 3.2 set
Power Cord - Tunami GPX
CDP - Marantz cd6002 - Audio gd Ref 5 Dac
Speakers - Tekton Lore,Polk Audio RTA11tl completely refreshed.
Amp - Jas Audio Bravo 3.2 set
Power Cord - Tunami GPX
CDP - Marantz cd6002 - Audio gd Ref 5 Dac
Speakers - Tekton Lore,Polk Audio RTA11tl completely refreshed.