Jadis JP-80MC

Here we have an excellent example of one of the premier all-vacuum tube full-function preamplifiers ever made. This unit, serial number 205, was made sometime before 2000, when I packed it for moving from New York to my good friend's new home in North Carolina. Sadly, he passed away shortly after the move and never got to remove the Jadis from its packing. So it has been stored unopened, indoors, and undamaged for almost 20 years, along with the rest of his extensive analog and digital system, all of which I packed for him, most in factory crates and packing. This is the first piece that I am putting up to sell, and I hope that some lucky person buys it and uses it as it was intended to be used: as the centerpiece for a superb and highly musical stereo system that makes a particular point to include a top-line LP playback system. The line stage portion of the JP-80 is excellent, to be sure, but it is in the playback of records where this preamp shines.

 My friend's widow refused to sell the equipment for many years, but I finally obtained it a few months ago, and I am carefully going through all of it so that it can be sold. Included are BIG VTL Wotan amps and Premium JM Labs Utopia speakers (with the old, sweeter tweeters before the beryllium tweeters replaced them later on). A rare Forsell air-bearing CD transport is there, as well as one of Howard Mandel's last Altis Audio tubed 2-pc vacuum tube DACs. More to come from this collection so stay tuned...

But let us discuss this JP-80MC first. It is in excellent physical and electrical condition, and I have verified that both the line stage and (both) MM and MC phono stages function quietly and with good fidelity. Of course, one can always play around with tube rolling to fine-tune it to one’s taste. The dual-mono discrete resistor volume controls featured on this preamp an early example of when the factory tied them together internally with interlocking gears; however, the left channel control can be pulled outward on a loaded spring mechanism and moved separately, so as to easily control channel balance. It features a very substantial separate outboard tubed power supply for maximum drive and dynamic ease.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Jadis marque, I can tell you that they are a very well-established French firm dedicated to vacuum tubes and great music reproduction in the home. This is their second-highest top-line, full-function preamplifier, second only to the mighty (expensive and rare) JP-200MC. It features line inputs as well as separate MM and MC phono stages, and can handle low-output MCs down to about .2 millivolts with ease.

 Here is an excerpt from the Jadis web site on this preamp:

            "SPECIFICATIONS:

Type            phono MM/MC RIAA and line preamplifier

Gain            20 dB (line) / 57 dB (phono MM) / 84 dB (phono MC) à 1 KHz

Input type            1 MM input, 1 MC input (Z>47K), 4 line inputs

Bandwidth            20 Hz to 50 KHz (line stage)

Number of blocks            2 (separated power supply)

Tubes list            ECC88 X 2 ECC83 X 6 EF86 X 1 EL84 X 1

Dimensions            430 x 345 x 175 mm each

Weight            30Kg

Consumption            65W

DESCRIPTION

The Jadis JP80MC is the most well known preamplifier made by Jadis. Built with 4 line, 1 MM and 1 MC input the JP80MC will allow you to connect any analog sources you might want to use. The phono stage will accept all type of cartridges even the ones with very low impedance. Also, the power supply is over sized and separated in order to preserve the fragile audio signal. Enormous technical effort was made to develop this piece of equipment and these efforts had only one purpose: the ambition of building the best preamplifier in the world."

 This unit is in exceptional physical and electrical shape, and I would conservatively rate it as an 8/9 out of 10. It has always been well cared for and then stored correctly. The two pieces of the preamp have the factory power supply umbilical cord in perfect shape, as well as the metal connector itself. The fine Gold finish of the plated parts is in great condition, and the stainless steel chassis is almost in factory-new condition. There are a few small flaws to be sure, but they are very minor. Please look at the pictures carefully and get back to me with any questions.

 The retail price for this preamp when it was new was around $13,000. I am putting it up at $5000. All serious offers will be entertained. If you low-ball me do not expect an answer. I sell only fine goods and they do not come cheaply to me, so I do not sell them cheaply.

I will ship anywhere in the world via DHL International Express, but the two pieces will be over-packed to stave off shipping damage and they will not be inexpensive to ship. Just so everyone knows that part. Local pick-up in Los Angeles is offered and encouraged.

Please understand that I do not ever de-value goods when shipping overseas, and that ALL duties and taxes due at the termination of the journey are entirely the responsibility of the buyer. I accept PayPal or cash. PayPal users need to add 3%.