Product: Jade Clubman2
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
04/29/2008
at
09:44pm
by
Geoffrey Broadway
Email: hiyalca at bigpond<dot>net<dot>au
Features
:
7
Amplifier head, Solid state, 100 watts into 4 ohms (stated)
Also sold as "Lenon Music Power 100" (black aluminium chassis with red screened printing)black vinyl covered fully enclosed case
Made in Australia by Jade in the 1970s
Single channel, Hi Low gain inputs, line out (all on front panel)
Distortion effect (foot switchable)front panel switch and level control
Usual tone controls, "super treble" switch
Unusual feature being power socket on the front panel. Fuses only accessible by opening the case.
Sound Quality
:
6
Plugged into a box with 2 G12M Celestions.
Starts with a moderate "thump".
This amp generates a lot of self noise - hum, hiss being the most prevalent, even with the volume on zero and the distortion off, nothing plugged in.
Given that this review has a sample space of one, it is impossible to know if this is typical.
Sound however, above the noise, is bright and clean, but not especially dynamic. "super treble" switch adds a little extra top end. Tone controls are not linear, especially the bass control - again this could be just old age creeping in.
Distortion ranges from smooth to quite edgy, even gritty and harsh, but this is definitely not a high gain amp and distortion sounds more like a little overdrive really. Typical of 1970s gear I have come across. Distortion adds some extra noise, but that is to be expected. I could get some nice bluesy tones out of it, and the distortion does assist in giving the amp more dynamic response. Overall, quite bright.
Reliability
:
6
Like all older gear, probably best kept at home. It is not an amp I use every day, but to be fair the fact that is still works reasonable well after all these years is probably testament enough.
From a construction point of view, everything is soldered together (no clips or connectors), the circuit boards are thick, the solder tracks large, solid chassis, large power transformer, all the makings of a solid performer. My only criticism here is that all the pots are soldered to the main circuit board, and I would prefer flying leads. There is no heatsink for the output transistors, they are mounted on the chassis which of course then becomes the heatsink!
Customer Support
:
6
The only contact I have had with Jade is in researching this amp.
They were prompt and helpful - what can I say?
Overall Rating
:
8
This amp is like nothing else I have, and I cannot see myself using it much in it's current condition (too noisy). Having said that, here is always a place for a loud solid state amp in any studio or on any stage. I am glad to have it, and pleased that it works.
To be honest it is a curio.
Rating an old piece of kit like this is difficult, but I would say that in the 1970s it would have been a great amp to own, with a few extra tricks like built in distortion and line out. Quite versatile really.
