[jimdgoulding]

Hi Duke.  Thanks so much for your reply.  I admire what you're doing.  I think you know that.  And I admire what Bob Smith is doing also.  You keep up the good work, ya hear!  I look forward to hearing more about your work in the future.

[youngho]

Can I add to the Duke lovefest? He's a real gentleman, and I sincerely wish I had the space to fit a pair of the Jazz Modules.

[Geardaddy]

Can I add to the Duke lovefest? He's a real gentleman, and I sincerely wish I had the space to fit a pair of the Jazz Modules.

Amen to the above.  You reap as you sow, and Duke deserves good things....for his integrity, transparency, and audio engineering.    

[Berndt]

Three pages of Duke.
I must add to it again.
I had an epiphany about a year ago. I was buying gear based on a lot of internet recommendations. The thing I was missing was the human connection.
The gear I was getting had either poor support or poor resale.
System building can be a be a heavy journey.
I realized that dealing with people I would consider friends added a huge dynamic to my stereo quest.
Duke is a person I am pleased to be friends with.
Bill

[JoshK]

These look exceptionally well done.  The first time I saw Duke's Jazz modules I thought to myself, finally someone came out with the speaker that I think has been missing from the market.  A real medium efficiency two way using hi quality pro sound drivers and the best modern waveguides.

This has been what I had day dreamed about offering if I ever built speakers for a living (which I'm not considering).   

I am jealous of Duke's access to TAD 1101's.  I want a pair. 

[James Romeyn]

For readers who did not read the related link posted earlier of Lynn Olson's comments re. the 96 dB Dream Maker: Lynn has a music test piece w/ 70 dB dynamic range; apparently he regularly uses it to test for live SPL capability at shows.  Lynn mentioned that Duke's room was one of (I believe) three rooms that passed that test at RMAF. 

I asked Duke about it during a visit.  Duke said Lynn walked into Duke's room at RMAF & put on the disc.  IIRC Duke said it was the loudest he's ever experienced, at least in a show venue.  Of course, Duke being Duke, he did NOT turn down the volume or tell Lynn to turn it down (just imagine how any other manufacturer would react).  Rather, Duke waited patiently, curious what would be the first component to fail.

Nothing failed.  Duke reminds me of a Bill Walsh press conference before the '9ers would blow out a team 55-10...something like: I just don't know how we can win against that offense & defense...or some such nonsense like that. 

The amp employed above was the Atma-Spere S-30 Mk III, 30-40W depending on load (also my next audio purchase, from Duke).  When considering the Jazz Module &/or Dream Maker one should include it's low-mid power requirements as part of the overall cost equation.  The speakers appear worthy of the best associated components, including amplification.  The lower the power requirements the less costly the amp, for the same overall level of performance.  Plus, in many amplifier technologies (probably excludes Atma-Sphere), power & resolution/refinement are inversely related.  Finally, heat, mass, size, & AC power drain all go up w/ power output.  AC power ain't gettin' no cheaper!       

As someone who heard Duke's S-30 at home, it appears to be among the top of the heap when properly matched to the correct speaker.     

[Berndt]

I am jealous of Duke's access to TAD 1101's.  I want a pair. 

I've heard many references to alnico magnets having a sound.
There is an effortless bass reproduction that is very engaging.
I am wondering what part the alnico magets of the tad woofers makes to the overall sound of these speakers.
Perhaps Duke has tried other non-alnico woofers and can comment on what the alnico sound might be?

[Duke]

Hi Jim,

What happened with that Mercury "Pictures at an Exhibition" disc was this:  I had been out roaming and came back to hear this loud music from down the hall, and turned out it was coming from my room.  That was the loudest I'd ever heard my system play, but I have heard louder at an audio show in other rooms (Pipe Dreams and 400-pound Gamut amps come to mind).  Anyway, I was nervous but decided to see this as an unscheduled test of system dynamic capability, and I knew Lynn would leap up (on his one good leg) and lunge for the volume control if he started to hear signs of distress.  I figured my crossover parts would cook before the drivers did, or so I hoped anyway - but it was a little unnerving for me.  Lynn's procedure with that disc is to turn the level up until he can just barely hear the tape hiss at the listening position, which he estimates is about 40 dB.  Given the 70 dB dynamic range of that recording, that would put estimated peaks around 110 dB - right at the ragged edge of what one might optimistically hope from that amp/speaker combo (45 watts into a 16-ohm, 92 dB efficient speaker).   Lynn Olson included me in his top three from RMAF in a couple of posts, alongside Feastrex and the Raal ribbons, and in another post he gave me the top nod.  Of course, that's the one that I link to from my website!  I recall him commenting to me at the end of the show that mine did a better job than anything else there that he'd subjected to his "Pictures at an Exhibition" torture test, but I don't know if that specific comment made it into one of his internet posts.  I suppose it's implied.

Bill, I chose the Pioneer woofers based on their parameters and midrange performance.  If they had been ferrite or neodymium and still met my other requirements, I'd have used them.  Alnico has self-shorting properties but that can be replicated by using a shorting ring with a less expensive magnet material.  Lynn Olson ascribes sonic benefits to Alnico that I can't confirm - I have heard people more experienced than myself argue both ways.  Maybe Pioneer figured that if they were going to charge so much for a woofer, it better sound pretty darn good so they made a point of getting everything else right while they were at it. 

Alnico's thermal properties probably aren't a factor at the power levels my speakers typically see. 

My "less expensive" version of the same basic concept as the Jazz Modules, the discontinued Stormbringer, used a Ciare woofer with a neodymium magnet that was less than half the price of the TAD woofer.  The TAD is a bit better in the region between 1000 and 2000 Hz, but in the bass region the Ciare actually has a bit better impact.  So it's a trade-off. 

Duke

[ncdrawl]

I just wanted to step in and say that these speakers were such a revelation to me. I have owned and heard many models from Von Schweikert, B+W, Quad, Wilson, the list goes on... these speakers have just floored me since I first piped music through them..Huge Sound Stage, Depth of Image, Timbral Accuracy(but with a "sweetening" effect much like a good tube microphone(Marek Designs, a good U47, Schoeps m221b) has.. I have never, in all my years on this earth heard any sound quite so beautiful, huge, and accurate...........amazing. Just amazing. I own and use tube amps from Mastersound, LFD, FM Acoustics, and Bryston, and each amp works beautifully with em.

Couple that with Duke LeJeune's golden Character ..hell....Pure Bliss.

Duke, you are the man, and these speakers have me smitten. God Bless ya!


Yall need to give them a listen.

[hchilcoat]

I just ordered a pair of the Jazz Modules and should be getting them within the next couple of weeks. Can't wait to hear they sound with my Kronzilla amp!

Howard

[Dave G]

ncdrawl,

I read your message earlier, but just noticed that it is your first Audio Circle post.  Welcome to Audio Circle!  I hope you stick around -- it's a nice place to chat about good audio stuff.

Dave

[Dave G]

I just ordered a pair of the Jazz Modules and should be getting them within the next couple of weeks. Can't wait to hear they sound with my Kronzilla amp!

Good for you, Howard!  I hope you'll give us your thoughts once you've had some time with the speakers.  What finish did you go with?

Dave

[Canyoneagle]

I love the fact that AC is a hub of owner/designer/manufacturer companies with such amazing equipment on offer, with the added benefit of one-on-one communication.

I'd be curious to see if there are any owners of Duke's speakers in the intermountain West, particularly Salk Lake City, Grand Junction, CO, Northern Idaho/Eastern Washington?
I presently live in SLC, but will be moving to Coeur D'Alene in October.

I'd love the opportunity to give 'em a listen, and compare/contrast them to the MaxHemps that have given me tremendous joy so far.

Warmly,
Michael

[Berndt]

I just ordered a pair of the Jazz Modules and should be getting them within the next couple of weeks. Can't wait to hear they sound with my Kronzilla amp!

Howard

I run my Jazz Modules with 200 triode WPC, via the Jolida music Envoys. I really like the combination.
what pre are you using?
regards, Bill

[hchilcoat]

I run my Jazz Modules with 200 triode WPC, via the Jolida music Envoys. I really like the combination.
what pre are you using?
regards, Bill

I have the Kronzilla SXi integrated, so I'm using it's passive preamp. I'd like to try it with a nice preamp sometime, but so far enjoying it as an integrated.
Thanks for talking to me a while back about the Jazz Modules, that was really helpful in my decision to go ahead with the purchase.

Howard

[Captain Humble]

I took these at RMAF 2006

Lori & Duke LaJeune and Guess Who with Jazz Module


Jazz Modules


I'd be proud to own a pair

Jeff

[hchilcoat]

I just ordered a pair of the Jazz Modules and should be getting them within the next couple of weeks. Can't wait to hear they sound with my Kronzilla amp!

Good for you, Howard!  I hope you'll give us your thoughts once you've had some time with the speakers.  What finish did you go with?

Dave

Dave, I went with the walnut finish. I'll certainly post my impressions when they arrive. They should ship next week and arrive the following week after a cross country journey from Idaho to North Carolina. Howard

[hchilcoat]

Got my Jazz Modules on Monday and am having a great time. They sound and look great! Still playing around with position, etc. but getting them dialed in. After they have a chance to break in, I'll play with the ports to see how much bass out of the Jazz Modules my small room can handle. I'll post more when I have spent more time listening and have more time to post. Off the bat, I'm wowed by the dynamics and realistic tone and timbre. Plus, they sound great no matter where you sit on the couch. If you are in North Carolina and want to hear them, give me a holler!

Howard

[mcullinan]

Photo please.

Mike

[mateo]

How big is your room? And x2 on the photos.

Congratulations on your new speakers