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Cary vs Jadis vs Quad tube amps

I'm deciding between a new Cary-805C anniversary edition (with WE300B), a used Jadis-845, and a new Quad II-forty five amp/preamp combination. The new Cary and used Jadis are the same price, while the new Quads are half the price. I heard these all in different rooms and systems, so hard for me to make a fair comparison.

Anywhere have experience with the amps to help me decide? is it risky to buy a used tube amp? (i live in a different country from where I will be buying the amp)

I loved the sound of the Jadis-845 (didn't want to leave the demo room), felt the Cary was very competent, and found the Quads to be very balanced and fun to listen to. Again, the matching components were of varying quality, so I'm not sure how much to trust my ears alone.

My system includes Mark Levinson 39s CD player and B&W804s.
no_slouch
springbok10
711 posts
 
There is something magical about the Jadis sound - I dont know why - that's where I'd put my money (and did)
no_slouch OP
48 posts
 
I did on search for Jadis on Audiogon, and it seems everyone talks about the magic of the JA-80. How does the Jadis-845 compare?
semi
649 posts
 
I heard the Jadis 845 once against the Nagra. Even though Nagra puts out twice as much power by using 2x 845 tubes, there was no comparison - Jadis has better everything except sheer volume. The SE magic was abundant to the point I thought Nagra sounded like a cheap tube amp. Jadis will be my choice if my speakers can be driven by the low output power.

I heard lots of good thing about Cary 805, but haven't heard it with my own ears.

But biggest question is will any of the amp you are considering be able to drive B&W?
no_slouch OP
48 posts
 
The dealer said that they should be able to drive B&W804s and 803s, but not 802s.

Yes, I think the power issue is the biggest question for me now. Can anyone else help out here?

I don't need to listen to really loud rock, hiphop, techno, etc., but do want significant volume, including bass, in my 400 sq foot living room.

btw, I have a DD-18 subwoofer.
trelja
3,226 posts
 
Agree with the thoughts about the Jadis. Simply incredible sound. My amp provided me with the best sound I have ever gotten out of my Coincidents, clearly superior to my heavily modified AtmaSphere M60 or Granite 861 monoblocks. The sound was tonally perfect to my ears. My good friend, Denis (Springbok10), has the amp now, and as you can tell, he seems satisfied. Rest assured, I will own another Jadis one day.

The one caveat I want to provide, however, is the support you will get from the Jadis. It may not be a problem, as they are fairly simply designed tube amps, but many have experienced reliability issues with the products. Couple that with the high cost and supposedly long wait regarding repair, and you might want to think about it. Personally, I'd contact the new North American distributor, Pierre Gabriel, to see how easily he will work with someone buying a used Jadis.
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