Review: Jadis Orchestra Reference Integrated Tube amp

Category: Amplifiers

The JOR provides a beguiling natural sound for something approaching a reasonable price. The build quality is excellent, and the aesthetics charming. Its prime limitation is a modest power and current output, curbing its ability to deliver high volumes in dynamic passages of music.
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I was looking to replace an Audio Research SP9MkIII and D125, the pre-amp purchased new in 1996, and the D125 second-hand in 1997, the latter in turn replacing a D70. The other components are an ARC CD1, from 1997, and Wilson CUBs, from 1999, all these being demonstrators. My listening centres on jazz and classical music - lots of 50's and 60's Blue Notes, most of Miles' Columbia output, Coltrane, and a fair sample of ECM; a fairly broad classical taste, with perhaps an emphasis on works for solo piano. For audition purposes I would usually shoulder a dozen discs, including: Robert King's recording of Purcell's Odes & Welcome Songs (vol8); Nikolai Demidenko playing Liszt's Piano Sonata; Hadyn's Sun Quartets, by the Hagen Quartett; Haitink & Berliner Philharmoker, Mahler Symphony No.2; Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue", "Four&More"; Bobby Hutcherson's "Dialogue"; Prince, "Musicology".
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I prefer to listen at reasonably high volume levels, probably slightly higher than 'realistic' for chamber pieces. The listening rooms has varied in size over the years - we have recently moved to a new home where renovations are planned, with internal walls being removed to provide a living and listening space 5m x 9m x 3m - currently this area is divided in two, so the CUBs are 2.2m apart, and 2.8m from our ears, and, most detrimental to the sound, a wall directly behind the seats. It is a terrace house, with thick but shared walls, so volume is restricted for larger works or rock.
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A lifelike string tone, with sweetness and good imaging of the instrument was a prime consideration in my choice. In orchestral music, detail is important, and again a vivid rendition of the string section. For vocals or piano any hint of harshness disturbs me; I readily trade some definition for a lack of glare. For jazz, a natural tone to the horns was a guiding factor and good drive and definition in the bass.
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The old ARC combination had a great sense of power and dynamic ability; they imaged well, but not perfectly; there was just a touch of grain in their presentation of strings; vocals were rich and engaging. The D125 had reliability issues, so my initial auditions were with a view to keeping the preamp and having a new ARC power amp - to this end a VS55 was hooked up in store, driving CUBs and using an MBL CD player. This did not match the D125, with less control of the bass and a 'denser' picture of the music. A VS 110 was better, but the store's unit was fresh out of the box, and so imagination was required to erase the hardness and constriction evident particularly in orchestral works and seemingly 'around-the-edges' of individual instruments - Miles' horn acquired an intermittent spikiness; still the sound stage was spectacular, and the rhythmic drive was impressive. Next was a used Gryphon S100 solid state - this was surprisingly good; it did lose some sparkle and the sound stage closed noticeably, but the instruments gained a more natural, relaxed tone, and the cohesion in the bass was tremendous, with old foot-tapping test being blitzed - it was very listenable, much in the way of the D125; after a hour of listening, the credit card was edging its way out of the wallet, when the unit malfunctioned! So a new Jadis Defy7 MkIV took centre stage. This was quite different to everything else. Initially I was underwhelmed, but soon I was transfixed. The sound stage was set further back than the ARCs or the Gryphon. Rather than getting pushed back by the music, I was drawn into it. Nothing leapt out of the mix, yet all the details were there ready to be discovered. I had the cliched but pleasant experience of hearing things not noticed previously in favourite recordings, be they the breathing of one of Hagen siblings or an extra nuance from Tony Williams' drum kit. Demidenko's paino sounded as if on a real stage, but not as if it were about to come crashing into the listening room. Whereas I could hardly wait to turn off the less-than-broken-in VS110, the Jadis asked for further exploration. This unit, too, was hardly broken in, and orchestral crescendos did hint at constriction. The Defy7 cost a bomb. It was time for a think.
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A friend mentioned Audiogon, so I took a look and started a thread. The replies were very helpful. I decided to try the smaller Jadis Orchestra Reference. Immediately it was obvious that the virtues of the Defy7 were largely preserved. The tone was very similar, with wonderfully precise imaging of individual instruments, and delicacy of timbre. The sound stage was high and wide, and recessed in the unspectacular, and 'un-hifi', way of the Defy7. Intending to listen to the first movement of Hadyn's Op.20, No.5, I ended up listening to all four movements, and some of No.6 too. Then on came "Kind of Blue" - there was something missing - Ron Carter's bass disappeared below 50Hz. On all jazz recordings the propulsion was lost, and the deep bass elements in Prince were not just absent but the upper bass was woolly and slow. The Wilson CUBs sounded far fuller with the ARCs, both new and old. Liking so much about the JOR, I opted to try the addition of a sub, a REL StrataIII. Back came the bass and more, not just more bass, but a richness to the overall tone and added depth to the sound stage. The latter already had a great sense of height, Roger Covey-Crump (what a name!) or Diana Krall hovering above the instrumentation, but now there was a sense of where they were in space, be this in front of the chamber orchestra or beside a keyboard. Needless to say, Reggie Workman was back next to Elvin Jones, and Bootsy Collins was as funky as ever.
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The store wished to sell their last StormIII for a good price, so this replaced the Strata, and it along with the JOR went home. Over the past month the sound has opened up further and is just tremendous. The word 'natural' keeps coming up - to emphasize that in my own mind, I compared the tone to that experienced in three very recent concerts - the Sydney Symphony performing Beethoven's 9th; Tomasz Stanko's quartet, amplified in the resonant acoustic of St.James' Church; and the Tokyo String Quartet, playing Mozart K464, Sculthorpe (amplified at the composer's request!), and Beethoven Op.135 at the City Recital Hall. The Tokyo play four Stradivarii - their tone is sublime; after the concert I listened to the Lindsay's interpretation of Beethoven's last quartet - a different view, but the sound was clearly 'right' - the JOR, more so than the old ARCs, captured the flight of the violins and made it easy to follow the contribution of each player; the feel of live instruments was effortlessly there. The symphony and the Stanko were also as enjoyable at home as live, the sound-stage's virtues particularly apparent in the context of the symphony - it does mimick the sense of having the performers spread out before you at a natural distance.
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Is it perfect? No. The limited power output means it struggles with vivid dynamic passages at loud volumes. It really can't render a concert grand without clipping - as a trial I'd suggest Emil Gilels' recording on DG of Beethoven's "Pathetique" - the chords crash and so does the amplifier. Yet, turn down the volume to what you might experience twenty rows back in an auditorium, and everything is fine - fantastic ambience, wonderful tone. Likewise, discontinuous orchestral eruptions need to be handled with care - keep control of the volume and the experience is genuninely life-like. For most chamber music it is perfect, and likewise for jazz. For rock/pop, personally I think audiophile components only highlight the inadequacies of the production or performers, and the JOR/Wilson/REL certainly does this - Prince can sing but Bono has a few problems - still, favourites are just as exciting as with the ARCs.
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I also auditioned the JOR with Wilson Sophias for several hours. Even better definition, with a more open sound, and even better attack for the depiction of piano; lovely bass tone, but a sub would still be required, as with the CUBs, for depth and richness along with that last octave. Volume levels further restricted too, but I imagine if you can afford the Sophias then a Defy7 and a passive preamp would also be attainable.
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In sum, depending on your listening tastes, this could be a great bargain. Some aspects of the sound approaches, or actually surpasses, that of amplifiers many times as expensive. I find myself listening to, and enjoying, recordings which I avoided with the ARCs, particularly symphonies where the digital transfer was suboptimal, and some horn-led jazz - old favourites have a new flavour, sometimes more subtle, usually more engaging. Hopefully some of the qualifications mentioned above will be of help too.

Associated gear
Audio Reseach CD1; Wilson CUBs; REL Storm111