Hmmmm! - New Single-ended Class A - Looks nice!
Sep 14, 2009 at 4:31 AM Post #76 of 128
I was thinking of getting a Shanling PH-100, but this looks pretty interesting. Even with the price increase it's just under four-fifty for a hand-made tube amp delivered to your door.

I'll be very interested in your 'post break-in' comments!
 
Sep 14, 2009 at 5:22 AM Post #77 of 128
Hmm, I wonder how much they charge to ship in country to Israel. I have coworkers that go back and forth and I could ask them to hand carry for me...
 
Sep 14, 2009 at 7:12 AM Post #78 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jodet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I was thinking of getting a Shanling PH-100, but this looks pretty interesting. Even with the price increase it's just under four-fifty for a hand-made tube amp delivered to your door.

I'll be very interested in your 'post break-in' comments!



I don't know why you'd want to go with a complete unknown when for the same money you could have an M^3 with a track record stretching back years? And, if you must have tubes, for $100 more you can have a Woo 3, which is another known and respected entity. And I'm not going to even mention resale value......unless it turns out to be the next best thing to sliced bread.....

So we'll have to see how the reviews go.
beerchug.gif


USG
 
Sep 14, 2009 at 2:03 PM Post #79 of 128
Well, it will be a while before I can get to a full review, since I have the Audio-GD Phoenix and the KingRex Headquarter ahead of it, and since I bought the J Sound Lab myself (meaning it is not a "review unit"), it will take a back seat to the others.

However, after a full weekend of break-in, my initial opinion is as follows: It's a very euphonic sounding amp. This is what people who have never heard tube amps thing tube amps sound like - warm and lush to the point of being syrupy. While not overly bloated or slow, and while having acceptable bass definition and treble extension, this amp should be bought if you want a warm mid-bass and a lush midrange, but if you have headphones that are already a little ripe, it would be a very bad match. This amp sounds great with the DT880 - less so with the DT990, and even less so with the JVC DX1000 where it is just too much.

The amp is 100% hum free and dead-quiet. But it seems to be voiced for a strongly toward sounding "pretty" versus being neutral. It sounds very different from my other "high end" tube amps, which are all pretty neutral. It sounds most like the Musical Paradise MP301, which is also sort of stereotypically tube sounding (and interestingly is also transformer-coupled).

My guess is that the output transformers, which in an amp in this price class can't be very expensive, are what is imparting this sound. I know the 12AT7 itself does not always yield this kind of sound.

So while it's a fun little amp to listen to, it will definitely require very careful headphone matching.

I have ordered some 6CG7's - I will see what if anything (other than more gain) changes when I use those.
 
Sep 14, 2009 at 5:05 PM Post #82 of 128
I spent some time this morning with the JSoundLab and my Shure 840. First of all, the amp has PLENTY of gain for the Shure, even using 12AT7's. Can't even take the volume control to 9:00.

It also is again totally hum and noise free. Nice. The Shure's are a pretty good match sonically as well. A little added warmth does them some good. At least from this it appears the JSoundLab can do well with low-impedance cans.
 
Sep 14, 2009 at 10:00 PM Post #83 of 128
That's a rather interesting impression. It's kind of cool for an amp to have such a distinct, "classic" sound signature. As long as it's build to a high standard, which it appears to be, I think it would be a fun piece of gear with the right headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I don't know why you'd want to go with a complete unknown when for the same money you could have an M^3 with a track record stretching back years? And, if you must have tubes, for $100 more you can have a Woo 3, which is another known and respected entity. And I'm not going to even mention resale value......unless it turns out to be the next best thing to sliced bread.....


Excellent point, but some people have fun experimenting with lesser-known equipment. You never know, it might pay off!
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 1:38 AM Post #84 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I don't know why you'd want to go with a complete unknown when for the same money you could have an M^3 with a track record stretching back years? And, if you must have tubes, for $100 more you can have a Woo 3, which is another known and respected entity. And I'm not going to even mention resale value......unless it turns out to be the next best thing to sliced bread.....

So we'll have to see how the reviews go.
beerchug.gif


USG



I give up, what's an M 'little hat' 3?

Woo Audio has always interested me, but I was trying to keep this around four hundred bucks.
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 1:40 AM Post #85 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I spent some time this morning with the JSoundLab and my Shure 840. First of all, the amp has PLENTY of gain for the Shure, even using 12AT7's. Can't even take the volume control to 9:00.

It also is again totally hum and noise free. Nice. The Shure's are a pretty good match sonically as well. A little added warmth does them some good. At least from this it appears the JSoundLab can do well with low-impedance cans.



Do you think this would be a good match with Beyer DT990's or DT880's? (I'm still going back and forth on THAT one).
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 1:14 PM Post #87 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jodet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Do you think this would be a good match with Beyer DT990's or DT880's? (I'm still going back and forth on THAT one).


Very good match with DT880. Not a great match woth DT990's - the sound was too bassy, IMO.
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 2:57 PM Post #88 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Very good match with DT880. Not a great match woth DT990's - the sound was too bassy, IMO.



sound good for k701s. will it be good for hd 650s?
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 3:01 PM Post #89 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I got mine on EBay on an auction where they were offering free shipping. Mine was $300 shipped - pretty good deal (as long as the thing ends up sounding as good as it looks inside and out).


it's 370$ without shipping now. was it around 280$ if didn't get it wrong
 
Sep 15, 2009 at 3:36 PM Post #90 of 128
Quote:

Originally Posted by fdhfdy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
it's 370$ without shipping now. was it around 280$ if didn't get it wrong


They're not exactly flying off the shelves. Only one's been sold so far at the much lower price to Skylab. I think this guy needs to reevaluate his pricing. Especially since his shipping charges are so high....
 

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