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My experience...

Posted by tketcham (A) on November 18, 2006 at 13:17:30

In Reply to: The numbers don't seem accurate to me... posted by Astroman on November 18, 2006 at 09:25:58:

In comparison to a Rogue Audio Stealth phono preamp the Jolida JD9 has gain settings that are relatively accurate assuming the Stealth's gain settings are reliable. And I have no reason to doubt them. I do not have any way of testing the actual gain, but relative to where I have to set the volume on my integrated for equal sound pressure levels (using a good spl meter) they seem about right:

I use the Rogue Audio Stealth's "B" gain of 60 dB with the same mc cartridge and the signal level is obviously (relatively) lower than with the JD9's "MM" 70 dB gain.

A 5.0 mV mm cartridge using the "MM" 70 dB gain had to use the "LOW" output to keep the signal strength at a reasonable level. Trying to use the "HI" out is just way too much signal; at least with a high gain preamp/integrated.

The notion that perhaps the JD9 is more of a moving coil preamp really only has merit IF you assume that the "LOW" output connectors are not providing a clean signal. The "LOW" connection uses a pair of trim pots to reduce the voltage. Does that "distort" the signal enough to nullify its use as a MM phono stage? Hardly. Can the "distortion" be detected while listening? Some say the "LOW" output does not have quite the dynamics of the "HI" output but it's a pretty subtle difference in my experience. So in that regard, someone using high quality MM cartridges on a quality turntable running a high gain preamp/integrated may want to consider a preamp better suited to high output cartridges.

According to Jolida, the JD9 is designed so the "HI" output can be used with passive preamps or integrateds with passive gain (such as the Creek integrateds) and the "LOW" output can be used for higher gain preamps/integrateds. My experience has shown that the "HI" output can be used with a high gain integrated amp with a high output (2.5mV) moving coil cartridge. The "MM", "High-MC", and "Low-MC" gain labels are only valid for a certain range of cartridge outputs and preamp/integrated gain; better I think, to just consider them 70dB, 85dB, and 95dB gain switches.

Tom

PS: John, I'd consider lending you my JD9 for testing but I'm doing some tube swapping and don't want to have a gap in my comparisons.

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