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JLTi Tube Hybrid or Music Angel MKIII


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Hi all,

 

I'm intrigued by these two, both based on Chinese amps I think, but I don't know much about them.

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=612832172

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=614791895

 

They would be paired with full range Fostex drivers and mainly used to play vinyl but also to watch movies :)

 

Would these be decent buys you think?

 

Cheers!

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I have a lot of time for Joe Rasmussen. He worked extensively with Allen Wright of Vacuum State and I have one of the JLTi phono stages - excellent piece of kit.

 

The JLTi amp may well use some orientally-sourced parts; I'd be surprised if it didn't. I'll also be surprised if it is less than very good, and if I had the money I'd be taking a long and serious look at it. The seller cites some noise - have a chat with Joe if you go ahead. He may be able to suggest what the problem is and an economic solution.

 

Music Angel is almost certainly an entirely oriental product. This doesn't mean it is bad; a friend in the UK sold Ming Da and found the quality, both sonically and build, excellent. The biggest hurdle to successfully selling these is overcoming hifi snobbery based on the historic extremely poor, even dangerous, construction of hifi coming out of China. That is generally much improved now.

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JLTi's stuff has been promoted/demonstrated by a gent involved with the local Akld Audio Soc. Modded CDP & VSE 300B amp as I recall.

 

Me, I'm not a hybrid tube-MOSFET amp kinda guy, but don't let me influence you. A well built tube amp would be nice, but you probably don't need that many watts for your Mikasas...?

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I think the CDPs mods will again be similar to those Allen Wright offered - see http://www.vacuumstate.com/ for the SACD upgrades (and other offerings). I met Allen, and exchanged emails with him over a number of years. I found him enthusiastic, if (at times and like all hifi folk!) with some very strong opinions on what was 'right' and 'wrong'. Simon Yorke and Tim dP are very similar. :)

 

Get in touch with Joe too. He's a 'good guy' (in my experience). My JLTi phono stage didn't have any instructions of any sort (this was around the time Allen passed away) and had a fault on one channel. Joe was very helpful.

 

To put some related kit in perspective and from what I have heard and been told, the RTP3D pre-amp is generally considered one of the very best in the world, ever, at any price. I had a SVP-2 which was only sold to pay for other things.

 

Hybrid amps aren't for everyone, but well-executed they are very good. I think you'll be very happy.

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What did you think of the sound of the JLTi Owen?

I have only driven the Mikasas with an 80Watt Marantz so far, so not sure how much I need or would do... But I've been told 15Watt would still do...

 

I lost out on the Music Angel as well, seems an inside deal was made. bummer.

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How do you mean hybrid amps aren't for everyone? More like a purist thing or is the sound not for everyone?

 

I always get so tempted by, well, TemptMe... I know I should keep saving for a Line Magnetic, but then I see these things pop up and my brain starts convincing me that this would be good too,.. :)

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'Not for everyone' is more of a case of personal preference in many ways. Some folk love high end Class-D amps, like the Khama MP150s for example, while others prefer tubes, perhaps the Manley SE/PP 300B monoblocks. Theoretically they do the same thing.

 

I have used many different types of amplifier, from Class D and solid state through hybrid (transistors and tubes in one box) to valve rectified and powered. Each had it's own strengths and weaknesses. Why change? Because I like the variety, as much as anything else. If I had the space and could afford to, I'd keep them all!

 

The JLTi will serve you very well while saving for a LM. And, if you wish to do so, should be easy to move on when LM time comes around.

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Tias,

Nothing's perfect in audio. It's really the flavour that you prefer and/or suits the setup or ear.

With the Fostex/Mikasas, I'm guessing you don't need much watts. Also, with xoverless, 'fullrange' style spkr systems, I find that some things are more audible, distracting than 'normal'. Things also are informed by your previous amp or other gear.

 

Even 15wpc might be enough. Valve amplification would be my approach with such spkrs. Such amps can however, be relatively costly per watt. How does the Marantz sound driving the Mikasas?

 

JLTi:

I heard only a CDP, but with unfamiliar amp, spkrs, room.... so can't comment usefully.

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Music Angel amps do not have a great track record, as un-modified amps. I have talked to respected techs who have worked on them and told me they wondered how it managed to run in the first place, and the original schematics which were provided were irrelevant. Most that I have heard that use them have gutted them and used them as the basis of a DIY project to rewire them point to point.

 

As a former VS JTLi phono user, who has also had discussions with Joe, I would endorse the JTLi brand.

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Thanks guys, great info and help.

 

Thanks gortnipper, I did some more research on the music angel, and I must say it was quite funny to hear and watch (some on youtube) people experiences with them, wires not connected to anything, two wires going to the same connection and all sorts,... Since I'm not much of a DIY'er in electronics, I'm happy I didn't buy that one.

 

The speakers sound great to me with the Marantz, but I have never been able to compare with anything else. I don't listen to metal or rock, but I do listen to things with beats (The XX, Flume, Daft Punk to name the latest ones) But I have the sub to help out there.

And I would also use the amp for watching movies, just 2.1 as well.

 

I have just received a fixed offer of $800 for the JLTi, would it be a worthwhile upgrade or should I just wait another 6 months till I can afford the LM? Probably a tricky question to answer...

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I would expect the JLTi to be a significant step up, sonically and musically, from the Marantz.

 

$800 is around 1/3 of the new price, so sounds a good deal.

 

For me this would be one of those situations where if I didn't do it, I would always wonder what I had missed. The LM will still be there as an option.

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Thanks!

I am, not were, considering the LM Audio 211IA as recommended by the great people at turned on audio. It will be my next purchase as an amp for sure, unless they recommend anything new by that time of course.

I hope the JLTi will cure the itch for a bit though... :)

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Nice amp, heard it running at the shop on one occassion and thougt it had all the goods. Would be great to try it out at home. Thanks to the lads at TOA I had the pleasure of trying the LM 218IA a few months back at home, I was most impressed with it. 845 is a super choice tube and doubles great as a heater at this time of year :)

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