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Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Jadis Orchestra Reference KT90 Amplifier (Tube) by demosasp@otenet.gr

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REVIEW: Jadis Orchestra Reference KT90 Amplifier (Tube)

83.171.241.69


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Model: Orchestra Reference KT90
Category: Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price: $3000
Description: KT90 Integrated Amplifier by Jadis
Manufacturer URL: Jadis
Manufacturer URL: Jadis

Review by demosasp@otenet.gr ( A ) on June 20, 2006 at 13:10:17
IP Address: 83.171.241.69
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for the Orchestra Reference KT90



Jadis Orchestra Reference Integrated amplifier (with passive pre-amp stage - as far as I know) is my absolute reference and best buy before reaching the +6K category.

This amplifier is the only ampifier I auditioned between 2k-5k Euros (about 6k USD) that revealed such qualities and life-like presentation that are almost unbelievable. Before starting writing down my personal opinion, I listened to a lot of 'good' amplifiers under 4K and Its a shame that I read somewhere a comparison between Jadis Orchestra Reference and Primalunas pre-power combo(!). Of course Primalunas are simply 'nice' sounding for the money but when you reach the price point of the Primaluna's Prologue seperates , Jadis Orchestra is galaxies above - so please dont compare Jadis with -at least- amplifiers under 3K.

From about 1 month of continous listening with a Pathos Classic One amp and Musical Fidelity A5 CD player connected with Cardas Golden Reference cables and power cords into a Shunyata Hydra-6 power conditioner, I replaced the amp with the Orchestra Reference KT90. Speakers were the Proacs D15 and Studio series (almost the same price category with the amp.) Speaker cables were my tube-friendly and very nice overall performers Auditorium23 custom made cables. The results: Jaw-dropping performace that cannot be compared with any other integr. amplifier or combo below 5K. Really. I think Jadis Reference is the one & only Jewel of right-price high-end amp and probably the only tube amplifier under 5K who leaves you so complete and never asking for more.

Starting with Mozart's Requiem from Harmonia Mundi (2005 I think) the magic of this amplifier made me think/believe that I mayby brought the best product Jadis ever released or an amp costing x4 the price. I had not tried a Jadis product before. This magic 'feel' continued with Paganini's violin concertos 1 and 2 by Deutsche Grammophone. The violins with the Pathos Classic One sounded just right with slightly less body but with all the 'air' surrounding and close to the real thing. Right until Jadis entered the door. Wrong ! When Jadis entered the same chain of equipment, I understood what is the real thing in your room. Body, richness, air surrounding images, focus, accuracy, right amounts of resolution, huge- an new meaning of huge- soundstage that was not laid-back neither in your face: you name it, it was there. The closest thing to a concert hall. The word height and dimension was inside Jadis. Driving my Proacs (88db) with easy at very-very loud volumes without any compression, like a 150W s-state. Unbelievable.

Then I entered Diana Krall's Girl in the other room. Magic. I never felt so complete. The present of the voice and the detail was spooky. Bass ? Better than any amplifier I tried. Check out your Jadis dealer to find out and listen to the best tube low registers ever. I did not believe that a tube amplifier will produce such bass qualities.The word 'slow' or 'thick' related with tubes is something Jadis never let you think. Instead, it is the most beatuful and correct bass lines I ever listened via a tube amp probably even from much more expensive amps. To check if this was true I entered something really hard: Iron Maiden's Peace of Mind 'Revelations' song. Bass was so prefect that I was laughing like a child, Guitars were so harmonically complete that I thought a Marshall+Fender combo was connected direct into my hall, with stunning micro-macro dynamics. So alive, with no added sugar or sweetness, so right, with the right speed like the real-thing in a guitar shop. Rock and hard rock is a great-great please to listen with this amp. Every Classical CD I own , Jazz & Rock from Zeppelin's to infinity was unbelievable.

Doing some comparison, Jadis made an integrated class A+ leaving probably all same price solid state and tube amplifiers alone in the dark.

This amp is so gorgeous , musical right - Simply the greatest pleasure I listened. Please, listen to this amplifier before buying ANY amplifier. And give me a feedback if you find something not 'right'. Also check out piano and violin/strings reproduction and immediatly after hard rock guitar. Gorgeous.


Product Weakness: NO ONE . Except (something that has not to do with sound quality) , every 2-3 years you need manual-expert help for biasing the new tubes. Thats all.
Product Strengths: Unbelievable top-to-bottom performace, soundstage and 'right' speed, magic, rich, airy , so attention to detail and resolution, fantastic bass, fantastic high freqs. refined but so alive, grain free, mid-band's full glory, imaging. Dynamics and unbelievable real-world clarity. Never boring.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Many
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Musical Fidelity A5
Speakers: Proacs
Cables/Interconnects: Cardas
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical Baroque Jazz Rock Heavy
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Jadis Orchestra Reference KT90 Amplifier (Tube) - demosasp@otenet.gr 13:10:17 06/20/06 ( 0)