Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Just acquire a JPL of early production (circa 1992). Very high quality parts (Rifa, Philips etc). Immediately change the tubes into Amperex Bugleboy 12AX7 (x3). Silky smooth sound. Extended well from top to bottom end. Surprisingly, very dynamic sound for a tube design. The seller lend me a Unison Research Mystery One for comparison. Unison is more nostalgia kind of sound (perhaps because of tube rectification?), warm and romantic. However, Unison's treble is obviously rolled-off compared with JPL. Bass extension is about the same. JPL is thus more "modern" sound. In terms of look, both are good, though Unison seems to be more unique in terms of design. I wish I can keep both of them and use Unison with Apogee Diva and JPL with Sonus Faber Extrema...

Strengths:
warm and romantic

Weaknesses:
the manual claim the gain to be 22db, but seems to be higher than JPL's 35db. No weakness, n\but need careful system matching

Similar Products Used:
Jadis JPL

Price Paid:  $1795.00 from Dooleys of Macclesfi

Summary:
The Mystery One, is one of the quietest preamplifiers I have heard in over 25 years thanks to the grid DC being provided by a couple of batteries. The sound is open and trasparent with a superb soundstage. It''s one of thoes products that makes you listen to the music and not the electronics. All this with looks to die for - it''s the Italian styling! Its a super match for the Graaf GM20 power amp(s)and of course Unisons own Smart 845''s (I don''t like them, the bass is too soft for an 845 design)

Strengths:
Deadly quiet noise floor, imaging and transparency are superb. Will drive anything (80V peak to peak output), high input level of 8V peak to peak ideal for thoes big output level CD players. Fantastic value for money at £1795

Weaknesses:
Audio wise -- none, apart from needing high quality matching power amp and source components

Similar Products Used:
Graaf GM13.5B mkII, Musical Fidelity A3CR, AudioNote and many other preamps