Amplifier for Joseph Audio speakers

[cloudhead]

Hey there, this is my first post here though I've been lurking for a long time!

I'm setting up a system based around the Joseph Audio Pearl Graphene speakers I've heard on multiple occasions. After listening to many different speakers including B&W, Magico, Sonus Faber and Wilson, the JA speakers were closest to the sound I was looking for. I've heard them with amplifiers from Prima Luna, Vitus Audio and Doshi. The speakers sounded great in all three systems, and I can't quite recall that there were major differences between the three as there were other factors involved. What's interesting is that the speakers sounded similar enough on both the $4000 Prima Luna and $60000 Doshi setup, indicating they should be pretty easy to drive.

I'm looking to buy either an integrated amplifier or separates for under $30K total. Bonus points if it has a good phono stage and/or DAC. This is for a living room, so certain brands are a no-go due to aesthetic preferences. The Doshis are quite a bit above my budget, and I have a preference for solid state amps due to lower maintenance. The Vitus sounded good but I'm not a fan of the design and lack of volume knob on that unit. I'm leaning towards brands like Luxman or Accuphase which I've heard, but not on these speakers. Prices for Accuphase are reasonable here in Europe by the way.

I'm looking for something that won't be overly bright, and can be listened to for hours without tiring. Other amps I've heard and enjoyed, though not with JA speakers:

* Accuphase E-5000 with Audio Vector R6 - nice, balanced sound
* Luxman L-507 with Audio Vector R6 - didn't pay enough attention to this combo as it wasn't their flagship integrated, but it didn't sound bad
* Gryphon Diablo 333 with Wilson Sasha DAW -- great sound, though I can't have that in a living room
* Dartzeel LHC-208 with Harbeth SHL5+XD - nice warm sound
* Riviera Labs Levante with Blumenhofer Genuin FS3 -- great sound though a tad dry
* EAR 861 with Devore O/96 - very rich sound, was missing some bass control perhaps

I have easier access to certain brands than others, especially the european brands, though there is always the option of buying and selling second hand components if I can't borrow one. Two options I'm contemplating currently are: Luxman M10X/C10X and Accuphase P-4600/C-2300. The integrated L-509Z and E-5000 are also options. I'm not totally against tube amps, as long as they don't add excessive tube coloration to the sound. The Doshis are tube amps after all, and sounded great.

I'd appreciate thoughts, ideas and recommendations! The JA speaker specs are here https://www.josephaudio.net/p3specs

Unfortunately I haven't gotten a reply from contacting JA through their website, though I will try again at some point.

 

[No Regrets]

I’d strongly advise you to not purchase an amplifier until after you have a conversation with Jeff Joseph.

He’s a great guy, easy to talk to and he will be best to advise on how to match an amplifier to his speakers.

Btw, I love his Pearls! I’ve heard them many times, always with Doshi electronics, which are a match made in heaven, imho. I know, expensive but really nice! Nick Doshi is a top notch guy too… both are incredible assets to the audiophile community

Good luck!
Don

 

[thedudeabides]

Had Pass Labs with my JA's. Great match as far as I can tell. If Jeff is OK with Luxman (have no idea why he shouldn't be from a performance perspective) and given your criteria, the 509Z should be seriously considered. Great Company, great products, very reliable, outstanding price / performance ratio. But if you think you should and want to spend more money, have at it. It's only money.

 

[cloudhead]

Thanks folks. I will try to reach out again to Jeff. The dealer is recommending Vitus amps which sound fine but don't love the lack of volume knob or phono stage for that price.

I heard Pass with TAD speakers some time ago and it sounded very good, though definitely on the warm side, which I'd have to think about.

 

[gleeds]

With considerable experience regarding this speaker, an ideal amplifier match is WestminsterLab Rei monoblock amplifiers. Mike Winter, an owner of this combination, would, I am sure, be happy to share his experience. Different than either Vitus or Pass, these small Class A derivative analog amplifiers are small and run cool while delivering lots of power to the Pearls. They are also neither warm nor cool-sounding, yet offer exceptional control and add almost no signature of their own.

Importantly, due to their small size and ease of transport, we and our US retailers offer no-cost, no-obligation in-home demos, thus allowing you to spend a week with them at home. You can also hear from multiple owners on WBF about their own experience with various speakers in the attached thread.

WestminsterLab Re-imagining Amplification

Westminster Labs: An Introduction Since 2007 Westminster Labs has been crafting high-performance cables and electronics primarily for the Asian and European markets where they have received critical acclaim. With the introduction of their Rei monoblock amplifier and Quest pre-amplifier, we have...

www.whatsbestforum.com

Regardless, good luck finding the ideal amplifiers for the excellent-sounding Joseph Pearl speakers.

 

[Al Stewart]

Hi cloudhead,
I know JA speakers well. I owned the Perspectives and then owned the JA Pearl 3s for several years.

Joseph Audio speakers sound very good with lots of different amplifiers. Joseph Audio speakers generally benefit from higher amplification. I have heard them with all sorts of solid state and tube amplifiers. I have heard them with Class A amps, Class A-B amps and Class D amps. In almost every instance the most important ingredient for the JA sound quality was to give the speakers an abundance of high quality watts.

You will find that Jeff Joseph generally feeds his Pearl 3 speakers with at least 160W of power at most audio shows. When you go below this amount of power, I found that you lose some of the Joseph Audio sound characteristics. In short, if you drive this speaker with a high quality amplifier that can provide 160W or more into 8 ohms the speaker rewards you with abundant headroom. Complicated musical passages don’t sound strained. Dynamics improve. I ran my Pearl 3s with Jeff Rowland gear—a perfect match at the time. Due to the fact that Jeff Rowland Design Group appears to have slowed down, I would not recommend that match today.

And, BTW my experience with Jeff Joseph has always been he is great when you talk with him; but he can be hard to reach. I found the best way to talk with him was to attend an audio show. He does the circuit.

I hope this helps you.
Regards
Al