[rlmoss]

Right now I have no cd sound source & was considering the Tjoeb--in part because I understood it had a volume control and I could postpone headphone amp and basic amp until end of summer.
People at Upscale however cautioned me that sound level might be too loud at Tjoeb's headphone in.
It was explained that voltage is 2.5 & it can be halfed at the board, making it 1.25, and then halfed again, so it would be .7. Could someone help out and translate? Also, the owner, I think, tried to clarify--but I couldn't follow--that the volume control was digital, (because it's being done at the board?)
I have Etymotic R-6 and Grado-60. Is .7 volts likely to be too loud? (mostly I'd listen to classical) Is the obvious answer to have a Meta built, or buy entry Meirer or ASL (the ones around $300)?

OTOH, There is also an NAD C521i (refurbished at Yawa) for about 1/3 the price of Tjoeb.

I've read favorable comments here on Tjoeb; in general have not ever read anything disfavorable about NAD--although the preference is for next model up.

If long term, I am thinking about building Paramour from Bottlehead and using it to drive Loth BS-1, would the NAD 521 be a reasonable choice? Then buy headphone amp with pre-amp functionality. Really don't know where to put the dollars, especially given the very modest headphones that I start with.

 

[SumB]

You'll be listening to compromised audio through the Tjoeb's headphone out due the digital volume control. There are more elegant solutions out there with integrated headphone jacks in the same price range, such as the Jolida JD100.

 

[Videoshielded]

I have the Tjoeb. I am really, really happy with this player. That being said, I didn't demo the alternative tube players.

I should explain that my bias is for two-channel listening, and that soundstaging and instrument separation/resolution is as important to me as tonal balance. This makes it a lot harder for me to find satisfactory budget CD players.

The Tjoeb replaced a Rotel 951, which has a reputation as being a budget giant-killer. I liked the Rotel a lot, and I think its reputation is well-deserved. I think Jude once commented that he didn't hear much difference between the Rotel 951 and the Denon DCM-370, a cheaper HDCD-capable player which uses many of the same critical semiconductor chips. I also own the Denon, and I think the big differences between it and the Rotel lie in the Rotel's ability to soundstage well and deliver much better instrument separation/resolution. Point is, if you don't want those qualities, you can save yourself a lot of money!

However, the stock Tjoeb is surprisingly better at instrument separation and resolution than the Rotel. Ah! replaced the output stage on the stock Marantz player, and did a great job on both the solid-state and the cathode-follower aspects. This is the first player I've used where I get decent soundstaging even when I listen with my headphones. It's startling. I feel like I'm sitting in the room with the band. I don't really enjoy listening to the Rotel with headphones any more.

The headphone out of the Tjoeb is nowhere near as impressive as the RCA output. It's also loud as hell. With Senn 580s, it's listenable at minimum volume or +1, but it gets pretty aggressive after that.

To me, the RCA output of the Tjoeb is reason enough to buy it. You are looking down the road to add an amp. When you do, I think you would be happy you had the Tjoeb because it will sound so great. If you can find something else with RCA output this good AND a good headphone jack, buy it (but I'm sorry to say I don't know what it is, because I haven't shopped around for one). In the mean time, I'm sure you can find a headphone extension cord with an in-line volume control, and use that to pad down the volume on the Tjoeb headphone jack.

But that's just what I hear. You may hear something else with your ears. Good luck!

 

[Videoshielded]

Oh yeah, one more thing. You mentioned the Paramours. I'm using the Tjoeb with the Paramours and a Foreplay-type preamp on an interim basis until I finish my 300B monoblocks. It sounds really, really good. The headphone sound I was gushing about above is from an extensively-modified ASL MG Head, again through the Foreplay-type preamp.

 

[rlmoss]

Thanks Videoshield for comments on Tjoeb and Paramour. I must have had Rotel 855 around 1988; Rotel was vitually unknown and barely in distribution: think a DIY speaker place out in Shaddy Grove had it.

I checked reviews on Jolida CD-100--eg Tuberoller here and others are all positive about the CD-100, including the head-phone jack.

Tjoeb is better priced---but there's seemingly wiggle room on Jolida: at Audiogon there's a range from $750 to 1250 (underwally & Parts Connextion) modified.

Thanks for telling me about Paramour--it confirms everyone's positive take on the unit. I get real enthusiastic about DIY until I see a picture of all the parts spread out on a table.

Spoke to people at Deja Vu in McClean VA & think maybe I'd be happier with Jolida integrated amp or see what shows up at Audigon as summer goes on.

Many thanks,

Richard
Washington, DC

 

[Videoshielded]

According to the tube guys in our neck of the woods, Deja Vu is a good shop. I don't go in there because I'm afraid I'd spend the mortgage money.

I have a fantastic pair of Paramours -- well wired and extraordinarily nice looking, with upgraded plate chokes and caps. In about a month, I'll be putting them up for sale, at only slightly over the kit price, with a generous warranty on the amps and the tubes. My 300Bs will be finished and I won't need the Paramours any more.

If you're still seriously in the market after July 4th, send me a private mail through this site and I can arrange a demo for you in McLean.