Jungson JA88D

[UV101]

Has anyone got any experience or views??

Was looking about then just went for it and it's spec is pretty impressive!

80w class A
Massive 700va transformer
160,000uF smothers on the output stage!!!
Another 80k on the pre and input stage.
Full relay switched resistor volume control
Fully balanced design throughout

Downside is heat and size!

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/jungson/70a8e65a.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/jungson/IMG_6880.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/jungson/b9791f0f.jpg


Just wondered if anyone else has heard/ owned one??

Cheers

[hal55]

I own the JA99C, which is basicall the power amp section of the integrated '88D. WONDERFUL amplifier, claimed to be Class A to 80watts and Noel from HiFi World didn't dispute this when he assessed it. Personally I doubt it's a good amp for rock, metal etc, it's just too darn clear. David Price did the listening tests and his only gripe was a claimed slight edge in the treble, I noticed it when I first got mine but it went away when fully run in.
Love mine, wouldn't part with it.

Hal55

[UV101]

I must admit, right now I am wondering "what's the catch"!

It's been sat in the rack (sort of, more like half on the rack) for about 3 weeks and I just cannot get over what it's delivering!

Best of all is the cost! It's next to nothing. I paid £400 which has to be the hifi bargain of the decade!!!!

Edit- oh and then there is the VU meters, I love em!!!!!!!!!


l_qQc9iV5ng

[jandl100]

Nice looking system! :thumbsup:

I'd love to try one of those Big Mutha Jungson amps myself! :drool:

[Techno Commander]

Did you buy it in the UK, or was it an import?

[Effem]

I had the pre/power combo on loan a few years ago and I don't think they were a good match with the speakers that I had at the time.

I do remember it got seriously hot in the rack, just right to warm a pasty up nicely :eyebrows:

[UV101]

cheers :-)

Got it in the UK. Did a deal with a guy in Manchester and picked it up the Sunday after seeing the Stone Roses. I Was in a bit of a state (heavy afternoon/evening) but realised what a bargain it was as soon as I got home. Its 10 years old now, had all the original shipping boxes and papers etc. Even the delivery address on the courier label was the same address I pick it up from!

Yep, it sure does get warm! had to remove a shelf to ensure I had space and that the air could move. Doubled it up under the amp! it a bit heavy!! (30kg) Still trying to find the catch! I have to say I think it punches way above its new price. The current version has a phono stage built in and is still under £1000. Stick a Krell badge on its and add £5k.

I've managed to find the schematics and its like everything is overkill. If was to build a large amp, I'm not even sure I'd g as far as they seem to have gone. I thought 80,000uF in my Restek after a cap refresh (from 40k to 80k) was a bit ott but here you've got 160,000uF output stage and 80,000uF on the pre amp and input stage. Thats madness. Again I thought 2 x 250VA transformers was enough but you've got half as much again here. Build quality is superb.

Having chased one down on spec and reviews alone, I can honestly say I'm not disappointed in the slightest!!

and again....those VU's lol!!!!!

[The Grand Wazoo]

You Tube link sorted now Ian - you can find out how to do it right by clicking here. (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7549)

Nice deal on the amp, by the way!

[UV101]

Muchos!!! I did have a couple of goes at the vid but couldn't work out the BB code properly. I can see how it works now.

Yep seems like it was a good deal alright ;-)

[Darren]

Personally I doubt it's a good amp for rock, metal etc, it's just too darn clear. David Price did the listening tests and his only gripe was a claimed slight edge in the treble, I noticed it when I first got mine but it went away when fully run in.
Love mine, wouldn't part with it.

Hal55

That's fightin' talk where I come from. :eyebrows: Are you saying we rock and pop fans cant take clear? Huh? Huh? :ner::lol:

[Tarzan]

l had one for three years.

[UV101]

I think I saw an se version with a chrome front plate on here a while ago.

I can't fault the way it plays anything. Rock, pop, classical, I even listened to an Oasis album the other day lol!!!!

I'm going to try balanced cables from the Aero. Only issue I have with that it that the aero cheats and converts to single ended for the valve stage and then back to balanced for the output.

I've got a couple of COD boards from twisted pear to build a DAC which will be balanced start to finish. I've also done a fair bit of research into their stars processing and have a quote to get a couple of the magic boxes!!!!! I think this amp is transparent enough to really hear what this filter is doing to the sound. So many layers and such a full sound.

I think balanced from DAC chip out all the way though the amp, my be another step up.

[Tarzan]

I think I saw an se version with a chrome front plate on here a while ago.

I can't fault the way it plays anything. Rock, pop, classical, I even listened to an Oasis album the other day lol!!!!

I'm going to try balanced cables from the Aero. Only issue I have with that it that the aero cheats and converts to single ended for the valve stage and then back to balanced for the output.

I've got a couple of COD boards from twisted pear to build a DAC which will be balanced start to finish. I've also done a fair bit of research into their stars processing and have a quote to get a couple of the magic boxes!!!!! I think this amp is transparent enough to really hear what this filter is doing to the sound. So many layers and such a full sound.

I think balanced from DAC chip out all the way though the amp, my be another step up.

That was mine.

[UV101]

What decade you change it and what did you change to?

Edit.....bloody iPad!!!!!

Why did you decide to change it, and what did you change to?

[Tarzan]

Hi Ian, as stated l had one for around 3 years, beautifully made and a hell of a lot of amp for the money! It is huge and l mean big and heavy as you well know,moving it is not funny, my back is still recovering:lol: The blurb says it outputs 80w per channel, but for me l thought it was a LOT more than that, with a bloody great soundstage, indeed one magazine review l read said they rated it at 121w per channel, the edgy treble went away after a long time of running the amp in( there is a lot of metal in that amp).


Right to the sound...... first of all l must state that it was not the best match for my Harbeths,although Harbs are quite forgiving, l also feel with the power on tap,together with a small room l was not getting the best of the Jungson/Harbeth combo( would love to have heard them together in a big room). My Skylan speaker stands were full of of sand, which did not help at all.

Sound was very, very smooth, which l felt was quite lean and a bit bleached l felt and did not have the biggest bass in the world, reasonable tonal colour, and reasonably musical( this last point is very important to me) and the soundstage was large, but a bit fuzzy round the edges, l tried various cables etc, but the basic sound remained the same, l felt the amp was better for classical and jazz less so for rock.



What did l change it for?


Virtue Audio Sensation M451:fingers:

Whilst l had the Jungson, l brought Mini-T T-Amp, and l was smitten with the sound, so........................ l had found my Amp Heaven but the Mini's power was limited, but gosh what a sound, so l began trawling the Web for powerful T-amps with remote control and multiple inputs, and Virtue Audio Sensation( VAS) came up, so l brought one and l am in amplifier heaven,, this is the best amp l have had in my home( and believe you me l have had a few high end amps here) and to my ears it was a revelation,and l sold the Jungson and now have the VAS.


However l do feel the Jungson would better match with ProAcs or Sonus Faber, or something of that ilk, don't get me wrong it did sound good, but the VAS/Harbeth combo is simply sensational- get it! So for 400 sobs you cannot really go wrong with the Jungson.


The VAS plays anything it is like the musicians are in my room, this is a listen all day amp, it SO musical it is insane ( have you noticed l love this amp), anyway let us know how you get on with the Jungson, is it new by the way?

[UV101]

Thanks Andy ;-)

I'm the 2nd owner almost exactly 10 years after the 1st. I collected it from the same address on the original delivery label!!!!

I guess lots of people are put off due to the pedigree. I think perceived poor build quality of amps like yaquin and reliability of shanling really don't help. It's clear that there is some very high quality stuff without the Gucci name tag on when you look.

Maybe I got lucky with synergy but I can say its clear, it's dynamic and the soundstage is huge.....I can't see me being in a rush to change!!!!!

[Tarzan]

Glad you like it Ian- dynamic eh! Not here it wasn't! Although the soundstage was massive!Then again synergy is everything, keep the music playing!:)

[hal55]

My 99C wasn't overly happy driving a pair of Final 0.3 electrostatics, but they love the WAD 25Ts that I now use. They will be staying in my equipment rack for a LOOOOONG time.

Hal55