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Review 2 of 2
Price Paid:
$450.00
from Simply Sound Summary:
This is a very good way for the novice audiophile to get into vinyl. This phono preamp and a good TT selling for less than $1000 should delight all but the most dedicated vinyl collecting audiophiles.
The JD9 is very versatile. It can be used with a wide range of moving coil cartridges, both low and high output, as well as moving magnet designs. I have tried the unit with three different cartridges — two MC, one MM — with excellent results. A set of dip switches on the back of the unit allow the user to select from eight different characteristics (4 for MC loading, and 4 for MM), and three different output levels (70, 85 & 95 dB). Either of the 2 higher output levels are fine for low to medium output MCs — say up to .75 mV. If you have a high output MC, then you will probably want to choose the 70 dB setting to allow for the greatest control over volume levels from your preamp.
If you use a moving magnet cartridge, you might find that the sound quality degrades a bit through the low (200 mV) outputs unless you have a competent dealer replace the resistor used to lower the signal to one of a higher quality. Although you will lose a little control over the volume levels by selecting the high (1.8 V) output jacks, the sound has a greater balance over the entire frequency spectrum. Using the low output jacks in stock form, I found the sound thins out a bit and sounds less dynamic.
The sound from this preamp belies its moderate price. It is very detailed and dynamic with excellent timbre and transparency. Spatial qualities are great too, offering excellent image depth and width.
I found that I could improve the overall sound of the JD9 by replacing its stock Jolida 12AX7s with a pair of vintage 5751s. I tried a total of 9 different brands of tubes (both 5751 & 12AX7) before deciding on which tube suited my tastes best. In general, I found that RCA, Sylvania and GE 5751s sounded more alike than any of the current production and NOS (new old stock) 12AX7 versions did. There was just a bit more polish with these than any of the 12AX7 tubes. Strengths:
• Price
• Build quality
• Physical size Weaknesses:
The only weaknesses I have found are, first, that there is a degradation to the the sound quality if the user selects the low outputs for his moving magnet or high output moving coil cartridges. This can be corrected by having your dealer replace one resistor in the signal path with one of a higher quality.
Second, the tubes that are supplied with the unit are not as good sounding as some alternatives. (See discussion above.) Similar Products Used:
Rogue, Ming Da
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