Jadis musical value?


If you've heard or owned Jadis amplifiers, I would like your opinion on their performance value. When I see equipment this jewel-like, I tend to question just how much of the manufacturing/design budget was apportioned to performance and how much to aesthetics. Also and more specifically, I have some interest in the Jadis integrateds that come up for resale on Audiogon. Are they recommendable based on their performance alone? Thank you.
phaelon
I realize this is a bit off the thread's topic but how do you feel about the Jadis Preamps? Are they also worth the money?
Phaelon; I use an integrated Viva, the Solista 22watts and with the right speaker, I do'nt find any problems. I like classical too and it copes with a Mahler symphony in full flow, without difficulty.
SET's should'nt limit musical choice, they do limit speakers, but even the 89db Acoustic Zen Adagios I use are no problem. Admitedly I listen at lowish volumes
Hello,
Here my three cents to the topic.
For the question how much is on the aesthetic side and how much on performance side my answer is 30% for aesthetic 70% for performance.
The aesthetic side of the Jadis is not as good as it looks like. Honestly the aesthetic details are quite poor in Jadis considering the price. They developed they house design many years ago and they hold them It is not cheap especially polished chirurgic chassis steel, but if you decide to go with Jadis you have lo live with many aesthetic flaws. For example:
- did you ever seen the remote control for their preamplifiers? It is so ugly that can be dangerous for your eyes. Also all remote controlled preamplifiers have ugly red square window in the middle of beautiful gold front panel for IR signals. It does not look good, believe me.
- remote controls for CD players have only basic functions working. They still cannot resolve problem with good quality remote control for their CD. I do not know why, because their CD players were manufactured with cooperation with other French manufactory – Metronome Technologie and MT have very high quality and fully working remotes.
- other bugs you have to live with Jadis are tarnishing gold plated plates on their equipment.
- also you should consider that higher level preamplifiers like for example JP80 in their basic version has the most sophisticated volume level regulations – with resistor ladder. If you decide to go with remote controlled version – even with these higher level preamplifiers you have not only to swallow surcharge for RC, but you get unit with Alps potentiometers instead of resistors ladder for volume controll.

So aesthetic is important in Jadis but it is not as good quality as some other high-end manufactures like Burmester, MBL, Mark Levinson or Wadia.
If you can swallow hand manufactured quality (almost garage) of their cabinets, you receive the most musical, the most enjoyable sounding equipment in the market.
I got a very old JP-80 for about $2500 several years ago. I'm very happy with it and to me it was definitely worth the money. It is not cosmetically perfect (the brass part has a bit of surface corrosion in places) but it sounds wonderful.

If I had to spend full retail to buy it, I wouldn't, but that's because I'm a cheap bastard and I'd be looking for a different great pre-amp at 80% off original retail.