Prologue: In a recent thread, I asked for advice on a pre-amp to go with my VTL 450s, Martin Logan SL3s, and Sony SCD777ES (Thanks to all who responded!)
I just found a Jadis JP80 used for what I believe is probably quite a good price (about USD2.2k equivalent in yen) but it comes without a manual. I cannot borrow it to test it in my system nor at the store because it is at the wholesale 'trade-in/used components' branch of a chain of reasonably high-end stores which I trust. I have listened to the JPS2, liked it a lot, and think I would be willing to put up the cash to buy the JP80 based on the Jadis family sound and excellent reputation of the JP80, figuring I could get out without too much financial pain if it just didn't work. My questions to JP80 owners are:
1) Are there other pre-amps you would prefer?
2) This appears to be a JP80 with a non-tube power supply. Has anyone compared the with-tube and non-tube power supply versions? Any comments?
3) Are there versions of the JP80 which have balanced input and outputs? Inputs on this one are all RCA.
4) Phono stage: This unit has one phono input. An early 1990s (matching dates of non-tube power supply) Japanese industry catalog suggests one phono input (sensitivity 500mV). I assume this means the JP80 in question has an MC stage. Would I be wrong in assuming this? Is this phono stage any good? Should it also have an MM stage?
5) Counterfeits: Does anybody know anything about Jadis counterfeits? (which products are counterfeited? any defining visual differences? etc.) I ask a) because I am in Asia, where counterfeits are rife, b) the dealer, while a good guy, probably wouldn't know a c/f Jadis from a real one, and c) my impression was that the more recent JP80MC was essentially unchanged from the JP80 but the front plate has a slightly different setup.
6) Photos: Would anyone be willing to send me a photo of the front/back/top(grills on OK) of their older (let's say early 1990s) JP80 (not JP80MC) by email? I ask because I can find no pictures of the JP80 anywhere, as mentioned the front plate is different from the JP80MCMkII, and the top-open view of the JP80MC on the Jadis website is quite a bit different from the grill-on view of the one I saw today (though as I check it again, it appears to be a 'below-deck' view).
Thanks in advance...
Travis [
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