Joule Electra VZN-160 Mk.III Grand Marquis Amplifiers
Joule Electra VZN-160 Mk.III Grand Marquis Amplifiers
USER REVIEWS
[Jun 21, 2000]
Ron
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Great resolving power and speed; holographic soundfield and imaging capability; most of all, a "cleanness" and purity of sound that will make you shiver.
Weakness:
Won't drive every speaker; gives off lots of heat; requires manual adjustments tha some may find too bothersome for the benefits. I'll get the negative stuff out of the way right at the start. If you want bullet-proof, space efficient, cool running, turn-on and forget it amplification, look elsewhere. The Grand Marquis are big, hot running, tube amps that require a lot of space and ventilation, careful handling and some manual fine tuning every time you sit down to listen. You can't hide the Grand Marquis (fortunately, they are among the nicest, least "industrial" looking tube amps on the market today), but at the same time, the eight exposed power bottles on the top of each monoblock make it critical that these amps be kept out of harms way. You can't just flip a switch to turn these amps on and off. You have to manually "ramp up" the power to the desired level (to preserve tube life) and then individually bias each of the 16 output tubes once the amps have reached a suitable operating temperature (about 25-30 minutes). When your listening session is over, it's probably a good idea to "ramp down" the power rather just shut off completely (again to prolong tube life). The whole procedure is not at all difficult, but it is bothersome enough to make you ask yourself just how much you are willing to put up with to get the "best" sound. Similar Products Used: Pass Aleph 2 monoblocks; BAT VK-60; Sim Audio Moon 5; Audio Research VT 100 Mk II |
[May 17, 2001]
Glork
Audiophile
Strength:
defines the absolute state of the art in harmonic structure and tonal purity
Weakness:
runs best with high impedence loads, meaning you'll have to narrow your choices of speakers audio shows take the romantic sheen of cute packaging and sales literature very quickly. Once fatigue and imaptience set in, you discover how much mediocrity is being promoted, and how few designs rise above the fray. The Joule amps exceeded my expectations. The second I heard them, I immediately knew what was missing from nearly every other amplifier on the market. This was the only amplifier I heard that could keep all the harmonic information together in one coherent image. It sounded like other designs were suffocating the harmonics, but hiding the damage behind oversharp highs or thumpy bass. The Joule is technically underdamped, but the bass has the rare quality of being toneful, rather than punchy or visceral. This ability to be true to tone is the great distinguishing qualty of Joule. The complexity of piano strings is fully revealed instead of glary banging. Large stringed instruments have "cavity" , as if you can hear whats happening internally in the instrument. If classical music or acoustic music of any stripe is you favored listening, Joule will absolutely ruin you for any other amp. It is the most civilized tube design in the world, if not the coolest running or easist to live with. This isn't a toy, and it isn't ulta-convenient. You won't want this for ear-crushing boozy gatherings or adolescent angst sessions. It is an adult experience in the best sense of the word. Similar Products Used: for this review, all the other amplifiers at the new york audio show |
[Dec 28, 2001]
Joseph Ede
Audiophile
Strength:
This is not sound anymore, this is art !
Weakness:
Runs hot, requires ramp up / down time, need to adjust the biais of each tube individually It is an honor and privilege to own a pair of Gand Marquis. Their looks are drop dead and the sound..well the sound, you cannot find enough words. I could repeat what the guys below have said, but this is the ultimate in sound. In the vast world of hi-fi, I could not say if there is better, but if there is, I would really have to ask myself what that would sound like, because I simply cannot imagine what that would sound like. The sound coming out of these amps is beyond imagination. Yes, they run hot and require ultra special care, ramping up and down and adjustments, but this is a small price to pay for reaching the "nirvana" of music. They are also rather pricey, but they are wonderful to listen too. Also the service and support provided by Judd and Marianne Barber, you cannot find words to describe, they are everything a business should be, friendly, prompt, supportive. You actually feel like belonging more to a family. Well, I am real glad to be part of the family and intent to stay a member for a very very long time Similar Products Used: Manley, Cary Audio, Lectron |
[Jan 15, 2001]
Ron Yee
Audio Enthusiast
This is an update of the previous review I submitted, and I'm doing it because I have since had upgrade modifications done to my amplifiers which "raise" them from "Mark III" status to "Mark IV". The upgrade involved doing away with the the external Variac voltage power supply regulator and installing an internal variac in each monoblock. This permits applying and setting proper power to each amp individually, instead of regulating power to both by one external control, and now allows (requires) one to use separate power (AC) cords, 2 per amp. To some, this may sound like more "humbug" and mandatory expense than an "upgrade". To most, especially those (I think) who would be venturing into amps of this quality and price, the ability to individually adjust each block and, more importantly, the ability to select and apply separate AC cords, would be viewed as a real benefit. |