Hello Jman,
You probably mean new "Marianne Electra Memorial Edition Preamp" which is coming as a new flagship - it will be shown at CES 2009. At that time. I am told the info will appear on the web site. A few people who auditioned prototype were literally "shocked"
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello Clio09,
Please post your impressions of this preamp and of entire set up.
Thanks in advance
Rafael |
Hi Isanchez! I was going also to write review. Your review reflect that I also feel - this preamp is the best in REALISTIC reproduction of recorded music. Immidiacy, presence and exquisitite details.
Thank you for your review !
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello Signaturesound,
Thank you for the report from CES - please keep uis informed.
Its good to hear abour clear cable but since its Amp/Preamp discussion forum - tell us about LA-300ME. I did not buy so many (expensive or cheap) resistors, so many capaictors, half a pound of power supplies , three ounces of paint etc etc - I buy performance first of all - and here your observations would be most valid not the price per resistor - if I may suggest....
Thank you in advance
Rafael |
Hello Signaturesound, Clio09 - now after, CES - what is yours impression of Joule-Electra LA-300ME preamp?
Thank you in advance
Rafael |
Bass, oh bass...
- we always pay attention to it. While I reported here that my most important impression of LA-300ME was its realistic music presentation which grabbed me and did not let go until I "wrote the check" - of course I noted separate "audiophile" characteristics. OK, let me comment on the bass.
First of all, previous preamp LA-150 MkII was characterized by its excellent bass. Harry Pearson, in his Golden Ear Award 2007 description wrote:
"...The LA-150, in its new edition, has bottom-octave response - and this includes the dynamics as well - that you seldom get in any line stage....you almost never, in any price range, get the explosive transient dynamics you get here..."
Sure, LA-300ME bass was much better then LA-150 MkII. In all aspects. Instrument's timbre particularly these dominated by low order harmonics were depicted with wonderful warmth , richness, sense of 3D body and presence. The sound had tremendous TREMENDOUS WEIGHT AND POWER in the bottom octaves. I never experienced in any preamplifier before - and I owned REX by BAT, CAT preamps and auditioned countless others - so POWERFUL SLAM this preamp has. The low frequencies reverberations were going thru out my chest, the listening chair I was in also vibrated - so DEEP and CRYSTAL CLEAN it was.
I was feeling the FURY of symphonic music CRESHENDO like I was there, sorry - THERE... Also, full body, rich and warm - the bottom end was extremely articulate, with exquisite rendering of texture and clarity of pitch....so I bought it...
All The Best
Rafael
|
Hello iSanchez,
I started to write review and I am forced to use words and re-used words (re-gifting) and its very difficult when your primary response is totally emotional (i.e. music grabs you and you cannot stop listening - most of us know this feeling).
You are correct we started to talk about bass (which is foundation for all music) and in the last post you mentioned orchestra - and this is much more then bass alone. The LA300ME recreation of an orchestra 's sheer size and scale was unmatched by any other component in my experience (may be except Elrod Signature Speaker Cable..). The soundstage has a "see-thru" clarity that made even quit instruments at the back vividly palpable. The instrument placement is done with stunning precision (razor-sharp) and air between them was "seen" or "felt" . In big orchestral climax, the LA300ME was totally effortless and yet composed. Despite this staggering dynamics the presentation has no hyped details or transients. This is more or less accurate description of orchestral presentation of this preamp. It has unprecedented resolution of fine detail yet - you do not hear these details - you hear or you feel the flow of music, you are surrounded by music be it orchestral or solo cello and you can't stop listening - you discover and rediscover your familiar discs again. Oh, boy!...and yes, the magnificent bass, powerful and crystal clear - its not something you would expect from tube preamp
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello iSanchez,
I am writing review about this magic preamp but truth to be told you put all in one sentence:
"It doesn't cease to amaze me how a single component takes a whole system and ... puff! ... the whole system disappears and only the music is left."
How right you are - its all about music not components here
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello Psag and iSanchez - as much as LA-300ME bass is magnificent and my Spectron monoblocks are not shy in that area - I happened to auditioned a few times David Elrod not new interconnects or power cords but speaker cables, specifically Gold (I can't afford to buy it) These added bass in very, very impressive manner - so I agree with you that addition of Elrod Gold hook-up into LA-300ME was signaificant development.
Chao - I am going back to my listening room....
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello ISanchez: Simon Thacher of MCV Consulting who work with Jud Barber told me that new J-E phono stage is coming. Also based on LAX-300ME technology and suppose to be paired with it. Similar power supply etc.
Regarding Elrod power cord, I use older EPS-3 Signature with my Joule-Electra preamp. I expect that new Silver or Gold are much better but I concentrated on the speaker cables to match my Spectron amplifier which Simon aslo voiced when he was with Spectron Audio
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello Lightminer,
I did auditioned Supratek but not in my system. Still from this experience, I would suggest that Jud Barber new LA-300ME is in totally different class - most strikingly for me is its removal of any artificuality between you and the music. I expressed it in my review (along with many other audiophile attributes) and I believe iSanchez expressed exactly the same reaction as I have ( see his review too). May be its because we are musicians and we appreciate realism more ten anything else. In this (real music representation) I never heard in any other preamp (closest is REX by BAT ($21k) in my opinion)
All The Best
Rafael |
" ...What is interesting is that this is something that is more associated with amps, not preamps"
Hello iSanchez,
Are you suggesting that the sonic improvment you observed and described are due more from Jouole-Electra LA-300ME preamp or your Spectron Musician III Mk2 amplifiers?
Thank you very much
Rafael |
Hello iSanchez,
This is exactly what I hear with LA-300ME. Equally as you, I own two Spectron monoblocks with Bybees. Addition of 2nd amplifier was improvement and I thought "can't be better" - but yes it can.
You are more brave then I am - I was afraid to state that for my ears addition of (rather expensive) preamplifier improved bass and slam much more noticeable then 7000 watts (seven thousand watts!) of Spectron peak power.
Its good amplifier, I own them - monos and not planning to sell yet. However, MUSIC , real MUSIC, nothing between you and MUSIC (and bass and shmass and whatever) - only this preamp did it for me - personally speaking.
Never before I have had such experience (besides live concerts, of course).
Very interesting that my speakers are very different from your - B&W802N , and yours are planar Maggies 3.6 - still MUSIC is MUSIC is MUSIC....is MUSIC !!!!!!!!!!
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello Pubul67,
Read: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1203302256&openflup&32&4#32
I also have auditioned LA-150ME, replaced by LA-300, and I believe its very similar to LA-150SE you are asking.
At any rate - what I auditioned - to put it simply, was so good that one audition made me wanting this preamp and when, very soon, LA-300 ME became available _ I got it and I enjoy it immsensely as no other preamp I ever owned or auditioned.
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello iSanchez,
In your review of LA-300ME you wrote that you need upgrade your power supplies for full spec. I wonder if you did it and if it was sufficiently long enough for burn-in to take place and if so - did you hear improvments?
I am asking because as increadibly good LA-300ME was sound when I auditioned it first time - the sounds is much better now. I hear more details, more "there" - actually much more "there" etc etc
All The Best
Rafael |
"I'll post a follow up once I get more time with the LA-300ME"
Thank you - may be its better to start separate thread. Voices are good if you know them in life...methink. I use cello, therefore since I "know" it - or I want to believe so...
All The Best
Rafael |
Hello iSanchez,
Did you posted in separate or not your impressions of your LA-300ME?
Thanks
Rafael |
