I just finished adding a couple of ClarityCap MRs to the phono stage of mine. Wow, noticeable improvement. It's an easy soldering job, extra holes on the board easily accommodate the larger caps. The biggest ordeal is disassembling the thing. Worthwhile change for sure if you are capable. |
Dear Nandric, Thank you for the note about the wiring upgrade/limitations. I wish you all the best. |
Hi Truenai...(what a name), I am continously messing with different carts of both kinds. In some sense it was inevitable to forget to switch from MM to MC input or the other way round. That is how I discovered that the MM input has sufficient amplification for some MC carts. But my highest MC carts output is 0,5 mV (Ortofon MC 25FL). My discovery was of the 'optical nature' and not acoustical one. I am not sure what this imply for my hearing capabilities but my surprise was of, say, the 'general nature'.
Redglobe, My dear comrade Don bought the new Jasmine with the double phono input. When I consulted the Einstein designer about one added phono-input he refused resolute to make one for me. According to him this will harm the sound.I then decided to buy the Basis Exclusive with two separate and mutual independent phono-pres. I use two tonearms on my Kuzma and was very reluctant to use just one input for both arms. I advised my comrade Don to change the caps for the Jantzen superior but also to change the inside wire for the same kind he uses in his tonearm and IC to the amp. That is what I deed in my 'old Jasmine'. The caps exchange was easilly done but he was not able to change the wire because the new Jasmine has much more complex wiring than the old one. From both 'facts' I deduce that the old Jasmine is a better proposition assuming the caps exchange. |
Keithtexas, I have modest skills with electronics. So, take pictures along the way as you disassemble the unit. Note the location of the loading (ohms) switch before you remove the knob. Remove the locking nut of the switch for the cartridge MM/MC.
Before accessing the PCB (printed circuit board), desolder the DC 24 V connections. Purchase finely-braided desoldering wire. This is the best at wicking the solder. Make a drawing of the wires and their locations. Desolder the ground wire.
From their I believe you can now unscrew the PCB. The output capacitors are easily identified. They are the largest and are labeled 1 UF. The replacement caps will be much larger. Conform the wires to fit in the slots. There are extra holes for longer caps. Use them.
Avoid overheating the connections.
Reassemble the unit and enjoy. I prefer to use silver-bearing solder. Radio Shack carries it as well as Parts Express.
Also, review the Humble Hifi Cap Test website for even better rated caps. The Jantzen Silver Superior Z caps are even better.
View some of the images of the Jasmine using a Google search.
Feel free to private message me if you have other questions. |
Nandric, Are you sure that the MM gain is that high? Sounds like a very high MC. |
Redglobe,
Do you have a link to any instructions to replace the output caps. I'm a novice but can use a screwdriver and a soldering iron. :)
Thanks. |
Deed anyone try MM input for the MC carts? The amplifiaction of the MM input is such (71dB?) that I was able to use MC carts with 0.3 mV output with no problem at all. |
The improvement that the Jantzen Superior z-caps made to the phono also accomplished a similar feat when I replaced the coupling caps on my speakers for the tweeters. It cost a few hundred dollars. But it was a marked improvement. |
Dear Nandric, I am pleased you gave the Janzten Superior z-caps a try and provided the feedback. The silly thing is the enormous performance upgrade for 25. The Jasmine is a real gem. I wish you all the best. |
Dear Redglobe, 'Your horse' decided to drink the water. So your effort was not wasted. For the European members I can
say that those Jantzen Superior Z-caps are easy to get for
about 25 euro, postage included. I order them in Germany. The original caps are MKT kind and about 17x12x7mm 'large'. The Jantzen are ,say, 10x
larger so to fit them in place one need to use the caps wire as fastening device. After fastening and soldering simple cut superfluous wire. The caps will hang in air but
need to be lower than the electrolictic caps near them.
I also exchanged the output wire for my own solid wire which is an alloy of gold and silver. The same wire is use
in my interconnect to the amp. My original intention was to
also exchange the input wire but the risk to damage those very thin wire inside the Jasmine induced me to leave those 'as is'. The comfort being : those are so short it
may not matter...
Well first of all I was happy to hear that my Jasmin was
functioning after my soldering. Then I was surprised to hear 'some other' phono-pre. This upgrade is unbelievable. The dynamic range is much more extended, the sound is without any sharpness while the harmonics in the conjuction with the keynots are one 'wholeness'. I was very sceptical about the improvement the caps can provide but in this case I am convinced. But, alas, I can't say what the contribution of my own wire is. Those who want to try the same upgrade will nee to first exchange the caps
then listen and then exchange the wire. |
Thanks redglobe. The manufacturer suggests that it may be a loose screw that holds down the transformer. So, not normal. |
I have the older Jasmine and I have to place my ear about a foot away to hear a faint hum. When I retreat a few feet it is quiet. |
I just bought the new version of the Jasmine, the 2.5du. There's this hum coming from the power supply that's quite annoying. I can hear it 7 feet away. In conjunction with the transformer hum I get from my amp, I have a veritable hum cacophony emanating from my rack. It doesn't come though the speakers, mercifully, but I'm wondering if this is common for these Jasmine units. |
Things were not rosy after purchasing mine April, 2012.
I had used the unit for about 3 weeks before the right channel faded out. After much Skypeing with "Katherine" from Salience-HIFI-Audio in Shenzhen, they sent me a main board for the phono box, which I installed. After repairing, I have not had a problem. I leave it on 24/7.
I used several caps from the old board to beef up the new one. I replaced all the small wires with fine teflon-covered solid copper and the input wiring I replaced with cloth insulated solid silver. The output caps I trialed with Russian K40Y paper-in-oil and felt it was too suave and lacking detail but addictive. Between those and the OEM Solens, I most like the Robert Hovland SuperCaps. Neutral, revealing, 3D, transparent and very engaging. The goal was to further open up the top octave to balance the enhanced bass from Nichicon KA audio caps I added to the power supply. What a nice change in dynamics and bass presence the Nichicons provide.
As a side note, Jasmine already installed PP snubber caps on the power supply rectifier diodes. I also replaced the umbilical with Jasmine's upgrade cord. Other upgrades are planned.
Biggest drivers of change? 1.) phono box coupling caps followed by 2.) KA caps in the power supply. The wiring upgrade is definitely discernible but not as quickly noted. |
Nandric thanks for making my point you are correct better wire makes a difference its just another link in the chain |
Rockinrony, 'I could go on but I think I have made my point.' Really? 'Better parts' imply comparison between at least some of them. You should first try and compare, say, 10 different caps and than make your 'point'. Otherwise the 'point' must be made by someone else who actually made some comparison such that you can copy his 'point'
regarding the question which of the compared caps is 'better' than the other. You may have 'a point' with such a strategy but such 'point' is not considered as 'the point'. The 'technical part' in the vocabulary of the amateurs is 'cheap caps' versus 'expensive caps'. 10 x 2 expensive caps = ý. It may than be the case that one is 'better' off with an (much
more) expensive pre with 'better parts' already soldered in by the electronic engineer who designed the pre.
I myself am from the other 'school'. The 'wire school'. Those wire in the Jasmine are not to my liking. They look cheap to me and are very thin.My 'point' is to substitute
those with very expensive 99,999 silver wire. The added 'point' is that all my interconnects, phono-cable included, are also 'pure silver' kind. This way my 'treasure' will become the real treasury.
Regards, |
Hello I received my jasmine from China broken. sent it back got a replacement plus the silver ambilical for free to cover my shipping and hassle the new one has worked perfectly with very good results.
Now I am considering changing out the coupling caps.
NOT TO HIGH JACK THE THREAD BUT
This debate kinda sounds like years back when some folks said all amps sound alike its just a matter of how much THD is in the amp.
well we most all now believe different amps sound different why? parts maybe? hello? what is an SE version of the same amp? better parts. thats why it cost more and sounds a little better
just spend some time on the web reading all the cap comparisons, and even on the jasmine threads here on Agon to realize coupling caps make a difference.
I could go on but i think I have made my point.
|
Dear Lew, that's a bit thick. Redglobe mentioned $25 for
two while the manufacturers pay much less . Besides the
technical guys speak about 'capacitors mythology'. I
hope some of them will shine in.
Now this may be called 'Lew's paradox': in this contribution you suggest some correlation between the price and the quality of a component while elwehre you
deny such a correlation ( Eppo, Magic diamond ,etc). |
Nandric, You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink it.
For those interested in reviews of various capacitors and their sonic characteristics, try Humble Hifi Capacitor Tests. Below is the link.
http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html |
Nikola, You can pay several hundred USD per piece for REL or VCap teflons, not to mention Deuland caps. Or, you can pay a few bucks or less each for the same value caps. So I think you would admit that price is an object when a manufacturer selects coupling caps for production purposes. Oh, they like to make us think they carefully selected brand X after arduous listening tests, but I think the considerations are as much economic as anything else. The story goes that you have to mark up your product by about 5X the cost of building it, in order to make money in audio. This means that a $50 capacitor, one on each channel, raises your retail price by $500. |
Redglove, I assume that designers listen to different capacitors before they decide which to use. Then I also assume that capacitors of such small value are not so
expensive such that saving on them is an issue. It would be strange if the amateurs like we are can improve whatever design by changing two capacitors. But I know
that 'believing' is a strong feeling. |
Nandric, Are you suggesting that changing the output capacitors will NOT improve the performance of the Jasmine?
If you have not heard the modified Jasmine (with upgraded output capacitors), you are not in a position to comment for or against. |
Hi Redglobe, I don't believe any producer will save on such
small value capacitors (1uF). But I am tempted to exchange
those thin copper wire to the connectors for the silver
wire. Have enyone looked inside the pre? |
Antnee, While you are having the FETS replaced, upgrade the output capacitors to Jantzen Superior z-caps. They are a big sound improvement on an already excellent phono.
The caps are inexpensive $25 for a pair of 1UF from Parts Express. |
I'm having the unit repaired locally.Apparently the problem is in fact a blown FET. According to the tech, FETS are very susceptible to static electricity. I'm keeping this one as a spare once returned, making sure whatever I decide to get going forward is grounded directly to the electrical outlet.
Thanks,
|
Did you try another phono stage? Might be good to have a backup. |
Maybe I don't understand your description, but if you switched between a tuner and your phono stage and the problem persisted, that would mean that the problem is not necessarily the stage. Can your system play digital? If so, I take it the issues don't arise when using it?
The same sort of thing has happened to me. Once I could have sworn a tube had gone bad but it turned out one of my ic's was problematic. It took me days to figure it out.
But if it is the unit, I can't believe they're making you pay to ship it back! 3 times! |
Thanks to all for your time and response.
All the connection s appear to be in order
With no shorts. It tried switching inputs
To my main preamp ie tuner/phono swap
The problem didn't go away.
Looks like its going back to China.
I will however contact American audiophile
To speak with their tech. |
I personally own 2 of them and have not had a problem with either. I have recommended them and have only heard of one with a problem. The person with a problem said they sent it back and got a new one from Jasmine in China. I had one of their headphone amps that was damaged in shipping. They replaced that one with a new one. From what I can tell, they have been responsive and the units have performed well, in fact, better than units I had that cost 3 or more times the cost. The only problem with sending it back, of course, is the shipping charge. It seems like it is less expensive for items to be shipped here than for US to ship to China. I wonder if the Chinese government is subsidizing shipping from China to make their products more competitive. |
Check first your amp., then phono-cable , then the tonearm
wire and the cart. With a simple Voltmeter you can check
all the wire. My problem was the left channel tonearm
wire which was sometime on and sometime off ( loose contact). |
I have had my Jasmine for a number of years with no issues. Nor have I read of others experiencing problems. The circuitry in the unit is quite simple and solidly constructed.
Like Nandric implies, I wonder if you have an issue elsewhere in your system? |
as Nandric suggests, are you sure it's the stage? 3 units broken is possible but unlikely. I am thinking of getting this but if you're having these issues, it gives me great pause. |
I thought I had (left channel not working) and also posted
the pre back to China and got a new one while still keeping
the old one. But the fault was in my tonearm wiring. I am very
glad with this phono-pre which I use in my second
system mostly to test carts. In this system I use the FR-64
with removable headshell so very easy to change carts. |
While I haven't used them personally you can try calling American audiophile in lynbrook,ny 516.887.7530, they have a veteran repairman 40+ years in the business. |
