The Jolida JD-9A MK2 is a very good $750 phono stage. It has a tubed output stage and rear panel controls for cartridge adjustment. It has enough gain to run almost all moving magnet and moving coil phono stages.JD-9A MK2 Phono Stage Level-1 mod
We still offer mods to the discontinued JD-9a for the same costs listed below as the new MK2 version.
The following details the Level-1 modification for the Jolida JD-9A Phono Stage ($480 + freight retrofit:
The following details the Level-1 modification for the Jolida JD-9A Phono Stage ($480 + freight retrofit:
- We install 2 Auricap signal path metallized polypropylene coupling capacitors.
- 8 Riken Ohm ½ and one watt signal pat" 1% carbon comp. resistors with gold-plated leads are installed.
- 4r International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery, diodes are installed in the power supply.
- We replace the two stock preamp tubes with a pair of Electro Harmonix Gold pin tubes.
- We Install 4 small EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet.
- 2 sheets of SoundCoat chassis damping material cut & applied where applicable.
- WBT high silver content (4%) solder used throughout.
- The mod takes a total of 3 hours labor.
Sonic changes of the Level-1 mod
The unt has a more liquid midrange and more neutral presentation from bass to treble. It is quiter. Blacks are blacker, resolving more low level detail and ambiance. It is more dynamic and micro dynamic contrasts are much improved. Transparency is improved and you can now look farther into the soundstage. Images are sized better and are more defined. Stage width and depth improve.Bass slam and extension are improved with fuller weight and authority in the critical midbass region. It now competes with much more expensive units in this important area.
Our basic Level-1 mod is $990 for new units and offers exceptional value. Our Level-2 & 3 mods take it to the next level and allow it to compete with world-class phono stages that sell for up twice what these modified units sell for. These mods were designed by Chris Johnson, the founder and former president of Sonic Frontiers.
The unt has a more liquid midrange and more neutral presentation from bass to treble. It is quiter. Blacks are blacker, resolving more low level detail and ambiance. It is more dynamic and micro dynamic contrasts are much improved. Transparency is improved and you can now look farther into the soundstage. Images are sized better and are more defined. Stage width and depth improve.Bass slam and extension are improved with fuller weight and authority in the critical midbass region. It now competes with much more expensive units in this important area.
Our basic Level-1 mod is $990 for new units and offers exceptional value. Our Level-2 & 3 mods take it to the next level and allow it to compete with world-class phono stages that sell for up twice what these modified units sell for. These mods were designed by Chris Johnson, the founder and former president of Sonic Frontiers.
JD-9 MK2 Level-2 mod
The following details our Level-2 mod ($999 retrofit plus shipping):
- We replace the two stock preamp tubes with premium matched milspec Russian Electro Harmonix gold pin 12AX7s, designed for 10,000 operation. These are ultra low noise with ultra low microphonics.
- We add two Auricap metalized polypropylene coupling capacitors in the output signal path
- We install four hi quality coupling, bypass and power supply capacitors
- Eight Riken Ohm ½ and one watt 1% carbon com. resistors (gold-plated leads) are added in the signal path
- Four International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes are installed in the power supply
- One pair of premium Vampire direct gold plated over copper body RCA female connectors on the input
- Two additional 1000uF/25V upgraded capacitors are used in the phono power supply
- We replace the stock $4.00 Burr-Brown OPA-2604 dual op amps in the output driver section with two adapter PCBs, allowing the use of the world's finest op amp, the $25.00 Burr-Brown OPA-627 single surface mount op amp. W use two modules with 4 opamps in total.
- We Install four large EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet
- Two sheets of SoundCoat chassis damping material are cut & applied where applicable to the chassis.
- WBT high silver content (4%) solder is used throughout
- 4.5 hours total labor
JD-9 MK2 Level-3 mod
In the Level-3, we do the following additional mods to the Level-2 ($1,300 retrofit plus shipping):- Replace four additional $4.00 single op amps with the world's finest op amp, the Burr-Brown OPA-627
- We add 10 additional top quality 220uf 6.2V Power supply capacitors
- Two more Auricap metalized polypropylene coupling capacitors are added to the input signal path
- We install fourTelefunken SF4007 ultra-fast soft-recovery diodes in other sonically critical power supply positions
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We replace the stock tubes with RFT (German) 1970’s vintage ECC83’s. (12AX7’s)
- Total install labor – 6 hours
The JD-700 was a quality CD/DVD player with a 2-channel tube output stage. The stock unit was the best sounding, reasonably priced DVD player that we know of for playing Redbook CDs when it was available. The unit also offers balanced outputs for fully balanced systems.
JD300B Level-2 mod - [$3,290 + shipping, $1,500 retro-fit] - Our Level-2 mod installs : -Replacement of the stock input/driver tubes with premium new-old stock Mullard ECC83/12AX7s and NOS mil-spec Mullard CV4003/ 12AU7s designed for 10,000 hour operation - these tubes are ultra low noise with ultra low microphonics
New Jolida Music Envoy mod: The Jolida Music Envoy preamp is part of the $9500 Music Envoy pre/power package and Jolida's best preamplifier. It is fully remote controlled and has a very good phono section. The stock unit is a wonderful value at $1500 retail. Our Level-1 and 2 mods make it dramatically better.
JD100A Level-1 mod [$690 retro-fit] - our Level-1 mod installs: -2 x sheets of Soundcoat damping material on internal chassis to damp vibrations -4 x large Ear compliant Sorbothane isolation feet
JD202A Level-1 mod [ $650 retro-fit] and JD-202RC Level-1 mod [ $650 retrofit] - Our Level-1 mod for either unit installs: -four large EAR brand sorbothane isolation feet -two sheets of SoundCoat
JD302B Level-1 mod [$750 retro-fit to your amp] and JD-302CRC ($750 retro-fit to your amp) - this model adds remote control, XLR inputs, HT bypass, EZ bias and a front panel mini plug input. For either version our Level-1 mod installs: -four large EAR brand sorbothane isolation feet -two sheets of SoundCoat -Russian Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 (2) and 12AT7 (2)
JD502B and JD502RC Level-1 mod [$750 retro-fit to your amp] and JD-502CRC [$750 retro-fit to your amp] - this last model adds remote control, XLR inputs, HT bypass, EZ bias and a front panel mini plug input. For all models our Level-1 mod installs: -four large EAR brand sorbothane isolation feet -two sheets of SoundCoat -Russian Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 (2) and 12AT7 (2)
JD1000A Level-1 mod - ($850 + freight retro-fit to your unit) -Our Level-1 mod installs -four large EAR brand sorbothane isolation feet -two sheets of SoundCoat
The Jolida JD-1000RC is an upgrade from the older basic JD-1000a. It adds a beautiful new look with a large window in front. In addition, the RC model has remote control as well as a preamp/sub outs, upgraded parts quality and a tape out. It also adds Simple Bias. This new bias system can be done without a meter in under a minute.
We now have a modification to the Jolida JD-1000P power amplifier. This basic EL34 tube amp is an upgrade to the amp section in the JD-1000RC integrated. It adds ultra-fast Hexfreds to the power supply as well as other custom Jolida parts. It also has a set of balanced inputs as well as RCA ins. We really like the stock unit.
JD-1501BRC Level-1 mod - $990 + freight to uopir amp. Our Level-1 mod installs -four large EAR brand sorbothane isolation feet -two sheets of SoundCoat -Russian Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 (2) and 12AT7 (2)