New superb preamp with inductive volume control by AcousticImagery (AcousticImagery website): --> "JAY-SHO"

Recently introduced at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, October 2014

-- Completely balanced and fully passive signal path
-- gain/attenuation from -52dB to +7dB
-- 4 autoformers for volume control (balanced signal path)
-- external power supply to keep power transforming noise outside
-- six switchable inputs (XLR) and two parallel outputs (XLR) plus one switchable bypass ("Tape") out (XLR)
-- balance control, with loudness preservation (balance shifting by alternating volume change --to opposite direction-- on both channels)
-- LED indicators for switching functions and clearly readable volume display, both switchable to either permanently-on or auto-off
-- all functions remote-controllable.

JAY-SHO astounds with utmost transparency: Transients, colours, low-level information, grandeur of sound -- all undiminishedly present and rendered with a natural immediacy as if the amplifier wasn’t there.
But the magic of the autoformers even is able to improve things: The lower the volume, the more the preamp lowers the output impedance, compared to the output impedance of the source which is connected.
At unity gain, output impedance of JAY-SHO is identical to the source's, but source impedance is lowered quadratically with volume attenuation: -6dB means merely about 1/4 of the source impedance at JAY-SHO's output, and -12dB equals to 1/16; etc...
So why not also drive headphones directly through the JAY-SHO? This is what I do, with greatest satisfaction.

To me, JAY-SHO is on the top of the most astonishing and innovative audio equipment for music monitoring/listening which we have seen during recent years. You may hardly find a better centre of your audio chain, for switching of sources, volume control and --if needed at all-- even for real gain (+7dB): a modern, luxurious concept of a preamplifier.

Photo attachment shows my JAY-SHO "in action"...

 

Doesn't even have audio clips on the website...

 

Yeah I don't get that either. You guys should put up a demo. *yes*

 

Jeez, it costs $8,995.00 !

The distributor even has a bloody power cable for $895, lol.
How is an overpriced bit of power cable going to make any difference when you connect it to the normal cable running in the walls of your house. Any cabling is only as good as the worst bit.

 

@ Willum: Please don't mix up the US distributor TweekGeek with the manufacturer, and the manufacturer not with me (I'm a customer of AcousticImagery, not part of them nor of TweekGeek)! And a power cable doesn't have to do anything with this preamp, does it?...

@ Catalyst and rickbarratt: Audio clips, what for?? Would they transport the JAY-SHO physically into YOUR studio?? Because that is the location where you have to have the preamp present to be able to evaluate it, if possible even in comparison with other preamps.
Audio clips, that would mean nothing else than:
-- the manufacturer would send music through his DAC and through the JAY-SHO into an ADC and post the result, and
-- you would send the result file again through YOUR DAC and YOUR PREAMP into your active speakers or poweramp/passive speakers.

Do you really think there would remain a meaningful information for you about the specific sound of the JAY-SHO in all that??

And this is the reason that I don't remember having seen ANY website that had posted audio clips of gear which is for music listening...
Gear that has to be part of your audio rendering chain has to be auditioned just there, in your rendering chain. If you add your own chain afterwards, this becomes senseless. Don't mix it up with gear for recording, that's another thing, although I don't give too much on audio clips there, either; my microphones and mic preamps etc. all were bought after personal testing...

 

Lol, you're new here aren't you. This isn't audio as in audiophile (i.e lovers of overpriced snakeoil products) but audio as in making the music you audiophiles love to listen too

And i didn't mix up the manufacturer and distributor but the only link to a dealer, that i could find, is to TweekGeek and thats the price quoted on their site. The power cable just amused me as it demonstates the mindset of audiophiles and the rubbish they buy.

Demos, becuase most things posted here are to do with making music and they often have a sound demo. Plus we just like being ironic around here, dont get so upset by it.

 

Hi Willum,

Yes, I am new here.
And I thought people would stay logical and to the point here, with their communication. Otherwise the posts degenerate to a mere arbitrary rambling around what just comes into sight. Your reference to a power cable with which neither AcousticImagery nor I have to do anything, was off-topic, sorry. And to ridicule the preamp by means of other stuff that accidentally is sold by the same vendor is not ironic but simply meaningless.
What has the power cable "rubbish" that some audiophiles buy (as you say) to do with this preamp that you don't know at all? Who tells you that it is "rubbish"? Is this a forum that cultivates preconceptions? Then I may be wrong here...

And further: Who tells you that I love to listen to the music you make? I am a professional musician and make my own music (classical music, you too?). And my power cables are all around 1.00 Euro.
But what has all that "rubbish" (to use your word) to do with the JAY-SHO preamp????

If you don't have to say anything on-topic, why not simply remain quiet?

 

This guy is kinda right. A Sound demo of a preamp is absolutely useless. You need to hear it by yourself, in real time.

About the price, I've got a QSC PLX3602 Amp that suits my needs and it isn't cheap either. Good amps/preamps are the sound source for many systems, and if they are not good, the rest of the sound is tricky.

And we've got here from Home to Pro users, that can be interested in this kind of products, so don't enter rant mode, if it isn't just for you.

bellegear: a picture of the rear would be nice.

Forget it, Found one: