I'm currently using the Jubilee on a Graham 1.5T and it sounds fantastic. It's also a better mechanical match for the Graham (11g effective mass) than predicted by the relatively high 16cu compliance. I get a lateral resonance of 10Hz and a vertical resonance of 10-11Hz with the HFNRR test record - about perfect. I still have very low hours on my Jubilee, but I'm quite enthalled with its performance. It offers top notch soundstaging and imaging precision with a marvelous tonal balance and realism. The midrange is beutifully detailed and rich without ever sounding too warm; great bass depth/punch and detail (though somewhat less midbass 'weight' than my 103R); very refined and smooth treble range with no brightness/emphasis or glare; quite dynamic and alive sounding; super tracking performance that never lets the cartridge sound ruffled. Though the Jubilee sounds much more extended/detailed/refined in the treble than my 103R, sometimes I feel like it lacks a little 'bite' in the treble - though this may just be its superior tracking and refinement telling it like it is. Bells, chimes, triangles etc do sound very realistic. I've played a bit with loading and no setting on my Plinius M14 sounds less than good - even wide open at 47K. However, I strongly prefer loading this cartridge right down. I used 47ohms initially, but I'm currently using 22ohms(!). Focus and image placement is much superior at these low settings in my system. BTW, tonal balance doesn't suffer at these low loadings - and is NOT responsible for my treble observations above, ie treble balance and characteristics is similar across a wide range of loadings. In actual fact 47 ohms is not really loading down the Jubilee at all since its DCR=5ohms. Output is slightly reduced at 22ohms however - theory predicts 0.277mV at this load (0.340mV nominal). I'm not sure whether my choice to use lowish damping in the Graham arm has influenced my preference for these lower loadings. My 103R sounded best at 100ohms though, and this seems pretty consistent with most Denon users. My system |
The M14 phono is switchable for either 54/60dB of gain. I'm using the 60dB setting and it's fine with the Jubilee loaded at 22ohms in my system. The drop in loudness level from, say, 100ohms to 22ohms is quite audible - but its not really that big, certainly nothing to worry about if you have 60+dB of gain. While I'm certainly getting superior image focus, solidity, palpability, space resolution and bass tightness with the lower settings.....that won't mean this is right for your system. Cartridge loading seems to be very system (and listener) dependent. I know someone else who's using the Plinius M14 and Jubilee with a loading of 470ohms. Loadings of 100 or 470ohms sound fine in my system, and provide a more expansive but less defined soundstage - I prefer the greater palpability and focus of the lower loadings IN MY SYSTEM. BTW, there is one 'niggle' I have with the Jubilee. Ortofon have placed 3 raised ridges on the top of the Jubilee's body - to provide a method of adjusting azimuth for arms with no such adjustment. This of course is not required for the Graham and in fact the right rear 'ridge' is completely outside the Graham's smallish headshell ie only two ridges contact the headshell. You can still tighten down very firmly and adjust for correct azimuth, but I'd prefer a flat top to the cartridge for optimum contact. No big deal I suppose, because the cartridge does sound superb. Oh, and optimum azimuth adjustment is critical to getting the best from this cartridge - as are other fine ajustments. |
