Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: JuicyMusic Blueberry Preamplifier (Tube) by Jrook

Model:	Blueberry
Category:	Preamplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$1795.00
Description:	all tube preamplifer with phono
Manufacturer URL:	JuicyMusic
Manufacturer URL:	JuicyMusic

Review by Jrook ( A ) on February 11, 2007 at 10:38:10
IP Address: 74.244.71.167

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for the Blueberry

Remember the days when almost every preamp/integrated had a phono input?
Then the 80's happened and the "perfect sound forever" marketing titlewave rolled over our hobby as well as the rest of the music consuming public. If you wanted new music and lived from 1985 through 1999 then you had to buy CD's. OK I know there were audiophile pressings and re-issues available, I have dozens. But if you wanted to hear some Luther Allison or Pierce Pettis you had to buy in on compact disc.
I too let go my beloved CJ PV5 for that "perfect sound forever" I even sold my CJ walker 55 tuntable that had kept me in music when I was poor in school and hungry.
Then 22 years went by, things changed... I changed or did I?
I wanted to listen to my records all 3000 of them. When I found the great deal on the Nottingham spacedeck in 2001 I started looking for a seperate phono stage to use with my line only preamp. I think most of us have a line level only preamp and use, like me a seperate phono pre. Another box and more cords, ground loops, etc to deal with. Well I tried at least 6 seperate phono stages some tube some SS. I had some good ones but always had some problems with RF extra wires cords etc. I wanted a preamp from the 50's
OK enough history. I decided to simplify and I bought the JuicyMusic Blueberry all tube preamp with built in phono. Thats right I said it has a built in phono. It's part of the circuit it's designed to have a phono section. Wow one less pair of interconnects! I was excited.
The Blueberry is the brainchild of Mark Deneen of Ferndale CA. His company JuicyMusic has no dealer network or markup no slick ads to pay for.
So you kinda get a $3000.00 preamp for $1795.00 sound interesting?
How does it sound? I a word, musical. The blueberry brings you into the room with the players. If it's on the recording you will feel it, not just hear it you'll feel the essence the juice of the session no kidding.
I've owned several tube/solid state preamps but none of them got the sound of the music down like Blueberry. If you need audiophile lingo, yes it produces a very wide soundstage with accurate placement. And yes it has detail in spades with wonderful tonality and dynamic punch. It goes deep in the bass and if you tweets are up to it will produce the smoothest slikiest highs you could hope for. But I really don't care about all that. For me the Blueberry takes me into the performance it transports the mood of the musicians into your room. And all this with just the CD input!! The phono section takes it up a notch. Everything is more relaxed more organic sounding. The midrange flows like water in a mountain stream. The dynamics bloom like real unamplified music. All the creaks flaws and buzzes of the recording are there.
The blueberry has been carfully planned out. I'm not going to try and explain the circuit though I will tell you that the owners manuel says It's an "open loop cascade triode" with tube rectifier and no negative feedback. The Blueberry takes to tube rolling kindly. I played the unit with the stock Ei Yugo tubes for about 2 weeks with excellent results.
I then went to my tube stores and found a NOS amprex 6922 orange globe with gold pins. The 6922 handles the line level inputs. Next I changed out the 2-12AT7's with Mullards and the single 12AX7 with the same. An all mullard phono section, yummy! I also changed out the perfectly acceptable sylvania 12X4 rectifier with a NOS tungsol courtesy of Jim Mcshane, (thanks Jim) again I can't tell you how much better the preamp became. I have tube swapped many times over the years and have found improvements but never as much as I have found with the Blueberry.
The styling may not be to everyones taste, it didn't really bowl me over but it has grown on me. The cabinet is a beautiful hand rubbed affair. The switches have a very nice feel and the unit has a standby mode for filiment power. This allows the user to keep the filiments warm before activating the plate circuit. A nice feature that will save tube life if the unit is used daily.
To wrap it up I must first confess that I have really enjoyed listening to music more these days. I'm glad to have my LP's back and I also like the fact that I have one less box to deal with.
The JuicyMusic Bleberry is a blast of fresh air and a highly recommended
product. Mark Deneen is a super nice guy who cares about his customers and a music lover to boot. You could spend a whole lot more and not endup with what this preamp brings to the table. Take a listen you'll be glad you did.
Jrook

Product Weakness: I'm still thinking
Product Strengths: Great tonality, dynamic and organic sound, detail, air and slam the quintessential iron fist in velvet glove. Loves SETS and horns

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	DIY Lady day 300B MONO's
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	JuicyMusic Blueberry
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Nottingham Spacedeck/dynavector10x4mkII Audio Note DAC 1.2 AN Zero transport
Speakers:	Fostex FE166ES-R, BLH
Cables/Interconnects:	nordost red dawns, AN copper Litz speaker/Silver interconnects/Wavetrace technologies
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz/pop/rock/Folk/Blues
Room Size (LxWxH):	24 x 13 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition:	40 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Shunyata
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	I'm still thinking
Product Strengths:	Great tonality, dynamic and organic sound, detail, air and slam the quintessential iron fist in velvet glove. Loves SETS and horns