...changing the Tubes on the Jadis DA50 worth it ?


I am considering changing the Tubes on the Jadis DA50 , what can I expect is it worth it ?
It looks like it will run around $350 and up.
Alternatively I could use that towards a better D/A.
I want to improve my my Jadis DA50 integrated and Legacy Illusion speaker.
(Illusion is somewhere between Focus and Whisper) set up.
I tried different cables not much improvement.
I used my Legend D/A (now von Gaylord) from a different system and had a big improvement.
However that D/A is no longer available and the current D/A model ($13K) is bit much for a second system.

My other sources are a the HK HD7600 (kind of bright on the up frequencies and no emotions),
PC with Headphone out (seems okay), Nakamichi Dragon , Sansui TU9900 and a never used in over 25 years J A Michell hydraulic pretty turntable (just like the looks of it).

Mainly will listen to CD's ,...maybe more Internet stuff in the future, ...maybe at some point records but most likely not.

any advice would be great.
128x128awahl

+1 for EL34's in Jadis amps if compatible or a small mod. JA30's with EL34'S made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, only other to achieve that is the Kondo Kegon.

again after a few years later , ...Thank you for the additional info on the tubes.
I used the DA50 not too much, but the last few month almost none stop.
The amp seems to perform better after being on for a day and seem to prefer when my room temperature is hot 78-80 and humidity of 30-45%. My other amps don't like that.
I did move the legacy speaker further apart and closer to the wall that helped the base performance and with Imaging.
I usually never run the amp volume over 1/4 on the Volume.
At some point I would consider to switch the DA50 from the Legacy and use it on my Klipsch Corner-horn. At the moment I prefer to listen vs messing with the systems. I just play not so great recorded CD on the Jadis/Legacy set up and the better recordings on the IRS Beta.(The music that only sound good in the car stereo, I play on my HH Scott with the Corner-horns.)
If I find better power amplification for my Infinity IRS Beta that could free up my Rowland 7 or my Pass x250. I have a Jeff Rowland pre-amp to drive the legacy speakers and could Bi amp using the Legacy Base control unit.
I just play not so great recorded CD on the Jadis/Legacy set up and better recordings on my IRS Beta.Very poor recordings on my HH Scott with the Corner-horns and I have all of them at the moment in one room.
What may be short list of alternative speakers would be best or ultimate with the DA50 ?

I have 3 Jadis integrateds, an Orchestra Reference, Defy DA30 (grandfather of the DA50S), and a DA60 (father of the DA88S). I own other amps, and have owned many amplifiers, both tube and solid state over the past 20 years. In my experience, Jadis amplifiers have proven more sensitive to tubes than any I’ve encountered.

Though the Defy DA30 / DA50S sits further up the ladder than the JOR, it does not produce as much power or bottom end. Art Dudley also mentions these in his review of the JOR. Your amplifier focuses on sublety, not brute force. In my experience, Legacy loudspeakers work best with higher output solid state amplification, and don’t couple well with low to moderately powered tube products. Sensitivity makes up one part of the loudspeaker - amplifier match. Impedance, phase angle, and crossover topology play an equally large factor. I’ve found my Defy 30 not at all a hot rod, and this match just doesn’t feel especially good to me. If you wish to hear what the Jadis can do, you may want to consider a more tube friendly loudspeaker, or moving on from the amplifier. The former should set the stage for you to begin to experience the beauty of Jadis.

Aside from that, personally, I would first try JJ E34L, JJ EL34, Shuguang EL34B, ElectroHarmonix 6CA7, Shuguang Black Treasure 6CA7-Z, or British made vintage Mullard EL34 output tubes, as I find Jadis integrateds to sound best with EL34. Outside of the Shuguang 12AX7B / Silver Dragon, most vintage 12AX7 better what recent amplifiers run, and that’s the next tube to change. If you don’t want to make much of an investment, but still hear the amp move forward, replace the drivers first, and keep the KT90 for now. Lastly, the 12AU7 input tubes, though I find the aforementioned tubes the first to address
After the responses I did not do much with it since the likely hood of improvement seems limited and unclear to me at this point.
Instead I overhauled a HH Scott 299 with new caps restored to all original and some new tubes driving Klipsch-cornerhorns and that set up sound balanced and as good as I would expect from that combo. (the mid-range on that is nowhere near the Jadis DA50 set up but it plays very musical).
Still running the KT90's on the DA50 / legacy Illusion (one was blowing up but had an extra one and got it running). ( they tested Ok ). Four KT88's (Genalex Gold Lion) may be the next attempt.
I am still not happy with the performance for my taste. I head a great sound experience with Jadis amps during a Demo long ago and my set up is just falling short.
The mid-range is good a touch to antithetical (would like a bit more musical) but just a touch off. Some users push the tubes with a higher Bios or so not sure if i want to go in that direction.
The base is not where I would like it to be. The speaker should go to 20Hz, maybe the amp can't handle it pushing the 3x 15" per Ch with the 15W per Ch. I have heard the speakers perform better. The Legacy Illusion speaker are pretty sensitive 98db , so should be okay I guess.
With the current setup I don't bi-amp and don't use the volume crossover control for the speaker may be that speaker sounds better with more amplification. I was just hoping for a more simple set up.
I have tried KT90, KT88, 6550 and 6CA7 on my Jadis JA30 mono amps (should be pretty similar to your amp) and honestly, there is not a huge difference between the tubes in my amp, even though they are said to be very different from each other. The smaller tubes doesn't normally need to be replaced very often, every four or five years or something, maybe more, depending on how much you use the amp of course. Four KT88's shouldn't be too expensive, like $250 (Genalex Gold Lion).

What tubes do you have at the moment?
Depends how old the tubes are. If too old you should replace or get them tested.