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JMF Audio - the French School of Thought

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  • HPM500 in black finally leaving France on the way to Hong Kong 


  • Those who are eagerly waiting for the delivery of 3.7 universal transport, JMF confirmed that they are ready to be shipped this week. 
  • These pictures illustrate user's passion for the 3.7 transport.  A protective cover was custom made to protect the transport from falling off because the dalby lignum double decker is a floating design. A linebacker XE is connected to it at the back to further filtrate noises from ploughing back to AC main distribution center. 




  • I asked Laurent of JMF why a high sensitivity horn speakers like her HPM500 requires a high power solid state power amplifiers to drive.  His answers are thoughtful for share:

    1- Math:

    A 100dB/W/m sensitive speaker needs 1000W of power to create 130dB SPL at 1m distance, which is the level a symphonic orchestra produces at the conductor's position... This was used to be mandatory for monitoring in world-class recording studios in the early 80's already. A high-fidelity system is expected to reproduce real life music.

    2- Linearity:

    Making high sensitivity drivers/speakers is not basically our goal. In our case it is because the design is good that the sensitivity becomes high. It is a natural result. Then, the slightest power provided by the power amplifier to the driver makes the driver move and produce sound. This is the definition of high sensitivity.

    "Low sensitivity" for a driver means a significant part of the power delivered by the power amplifiers is transformed in heat, not in sound... The power that is lost means details of music that is lost...

    Not only most low sensitivity drivers fail to reproduce small signals, but they also tend to become non linear with large magnitude signals. Their "linear" dynamic range is therefore limited.

    3- Accuracy, comfort, serenity:

    JMF Audio power amplifiers are powerful. Moreover they are high-voltage (like tube amps) and high current output. In our opinion, people have always underestimated the counter-current (counter-force) returned from the speakers/drivers.

    Most power amplifiers are measured on resistive loads, which is purely static. A speaker is by nature absolutely dynamic, just the opposite... A power amplifiers has to deal with huge counter currents and needs to be strong, powerful to remain stable and provide accurate control. Failure to handle electromotive force leads to intermodulation distorsion, ambiance loss, colorations, etc.

    The power amplifiers are supposed to drive the speakers. And we do it the nicest way with the most refined design which allows timbal accuracy, natural ambiances, three dimensional rendering, etc. Long story...

    The JMF Audio philosophy leads to comfort in music playback: Super high signal to noise ratio and ultra high linearity for the slightest details to be reproduced and made perceptible and for the highest fortissimos to be played seemlessly, easily, naturally.

  • HPM500 speakers, 3.7 transport, PCD302 etc on the way to HK 


  • Hey guys, anyone auditioned the JMF speakers?
  • Would be great to hear more impression of the JMF 3.7 transport.
    Thankyou
  • Bahbah,

    It was voted as product of the year in 16 within this community says it all.  The sound is equivalent to analog density on good 16/44 recording.  You don't need SACD or Hi Rez to prove this.  Of course you can't get the frequency extension on redbook. But if you play SACD or pure audio, and again on good recording, this transport is a jewel. 
  • After the room treatment is done, this system is gloriously passionate and explosive when dynamics call for it.   It doesn't has the ultra resolution and the silence of the full suite trinity room. But it certainly has its own interpretation of music in a flamboyant way. I believe this is the only place in the world exhibiting a full suite with such ultra end analog setup. 

    The rug is cool. That is from David Linley in the U.K.  
  • Hi VoyR,
    Thank you for your response. I wasn't aware it won product of the year. 

    Looking forward to hearing it myself! The speakers look great in black also.

    regards

  • JMF Audio PCD302


    I would first like to say that I really enjoy reading all the input from PT and all the audiophile sifus here.  It’s both heartfelt and technical, which fulfills the needs for most audiophiles. 

    I concur fully with one of the sifus that the systems that we have are a “time machine or portal” which allows us to transcend to the era of the recording and to allow such emotional transfer being portrayed by the music. 

    My limited experience will prevail but I would like to share my amateur experience after living with the JMF PCD302 for just under a week. 

    If a turntable is a source, what is the JMF PCD302 I asked myself.    It may be a source of conditioned electricity or an ancillary to the system.  Any which way the nomenclature goes, its suppose to improve the system output.

    The JMF PCD302 is nothing less than this.  And it does it with suchg style and finesse that I have not heard in other conditioners.  Its isolated all the plugs to one component and utilises a dual mono concept via 2 PC3 cords.  The rear panel also alerts us of potential phase reversal.

    My unit arrived last Monday.  Like a child during the festive seasons, I gained the energy to carry the 25kg parcel across the lawn and up 2 flights of stairs to my listening room.  I listened to my selection of music for the last time before hooking everything up to the JMF PCD302.

    Music:

    Sinatra at the Sands (reprise, 1966 white label promo) – fly me to the moon

    Nils Lofgren – Acoustic Live– (AP reissue) – Keith don’t go

    Dave Brubeck – (King Records, 1965 white label promo) – Take 5

    Kenny G – (Arista, 1989)

    Michael Jackson Thriller – (Epic, 1983 – white label promo) – Lady of my life

    Dead Can Dance – Into the labyrinth  (1993) – Yulunga

    Metallica – Black album (1991 Elektra (reissue) and Vertigo) – Sad but true

    Gounod/Bizet – Faust/Carmen (RCA Victor) – Carmen

    Ella and Louis – (Mono, white label promo) – Lets be friends

    Ernest Ansermet – the Royal Ballet Gala Performances (RCA Victor)

    My immediate first impression once the stylus dropped was how loud the silence was.  My room became bigger and I was enveloped into the ambience.  I was sucked into a vacuum of silence till the first note was struck.  Then i knew I was in for something special..

    The 60’s mic on Sinatra’s voice with Basie on the piano was so harmonious.  The big band playing in tandem and the ruffling of the audience was brought to life as my room transcended to the Copa Room at the Sands Hotel.  In Niles Lofgren’s Keith Don’t Go tract, the solo attack on the guitar was fast, bold and you could hear the plectrum striking the metal strings.  The goose bump factor was there..

    Trying to squeeze every last juice out of the system, I grounded the chassis of the JMF PCD302.  I wasn’t sure what this would do but it was just a matter of unscrewing one of the hex screws and fastening the spade to the grounding device. This improved the dynamics and preciseness of the music even more.  Maybe JMF can consider putting a grounding post on the units for the future.

    The JMF PCD302 maximises the potential of the equipment connected to it.   It refines the music to another level without loosing its original character intended by the respective components.  My hats off to JMF Audio.

    A definite must even when we have enough wall plugs.  Thanks PT for your patience, knowledge and dedication and to all Sifu’s here.  My journey continues…

     

     

  • Hi Chris,
    Have you auditioned the JMF 3.7 transport performing with the JMF DXC2.2 Mk2 DAC?
    Is there a "same-family synergy"?
    Thanks!
  • The 3.7/2.2'mk2 are displayed permanently at the showroom.  They are voiced together to reproduce a very smooth and lyrical experiences. 
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