Hi Nikhil,
I do not have any experience with the Job preamp. From all my research, readings and contact with someone who actually had one, I am convinced the Job INT is the better package/combo. Unless you were determined to use a low gain tube preamp of good quality, I would rather see someone go for the Job 250 monos and have more power. If you had efficient enough speakers of a benign load, the Job 225 would be adequate but I still think the Job INT, as a package, is a touch warmer in tone than the 225 with perfect integration and better sound to my ear.
It has been a while since I had the 225 in my system but with the high gain of that amp, it was finicky to match a proper preamp.
Honestly, the best preamp for that amp was the Dartzeel NHB-18NS, dead quiet, low gain, and wonderfully sweet. No one in their right mind would use that combo because of the price mismatch, but I am not "normal". Another great preamp, rather I should say passive, was built for me by Richard Becker of AUM Acoustics. He was able to tailor the piece to my taste. Other preamps recommended are low gain, eg. 0-6db gain, like the Primaluna preamp would work extremely well, this is based on a friends recommendation.
I was able to get the 225 to sing extremely well.
Out of the box, the Job INTegrated is such a great package, no tweaking necessary. Sure it performs best fed by a digital signal because the RCA "analog" inputs are converted to digital and back to analog. Not a concern for me because of the way I intend to use it.
The Job INTegrated, I think, works so well because it is so tightly integrated, meaning the preamp/amp/dac work well together. No gain mismatch to worry about. No additional cables necessary, no additional pieces to worry about matching and wondering if they will work together properly.
The sound of the Job INTegrated has a slight sweetness that typical solid state does not. It has a big sound stage, tremendous separation, wonderful vocals that are clearly heard that are right there in front of you. Bass is supremely articulate and when called upon, delivers powerfully. Image depth is surprising for solid state. You’d swear that this "system" cost a lot more than what you paid for it.
For $1699 delivered, you can not only taste, but actually own an "audiophile" system that delivers in spades. As long as your speakers are not monsters to drive and are reasonably efficient, you are golden.
The Job INTegrated is killer good.
Joe, you've had the INT for a couple of days now.
I would really like to hear what you think specially in comparison with the 225.
The question in my mind now is how does the INT compare to a Job Pre2 + 225 combo.