Anyone have honest opinion of Jolida amps?

One thing that seems to have been lost in this thread is the budget issue. I own a Jolida 302 that cost me $600 with upgraded tubes. It's a nice unit for my office system and I have bought a few for classical music listening friends on a tight budget. A used Rogue Tempest IS a better amp but goes for about $1500 used. While I have never heard a Kora Mercury, it will set you back $1300 used.

None of these integrated units sound as good as a five figure reference tube system. But these integrated amps only cost between 3% and 10% of a reference tube system. It isn't about having an implied poor judgement with a live and let live attitude. It is about price and budget.

I can remember when the difference in price between $600 and $1300 would have been daunting. If this is the case the Jolida is a good choice. If you can afford better, buy better.

Trelja: I think you are overcomplicating the issue of feedback. What it does mean is that you have owned, bought, or sold a lot of equipment, gear, whatever. It doesn't mean you're an expert, but when it comes to equipment comparisons and opinion, it gives foundation to the fact that you may have experienced quite a few items. Period. Numbers are numbers. Anything more and you're reading into it.

As far as going through a lot of equipment, I don't think that is much of an indicator of anything either. Whatever your reasons for selling are your own. It doesn't mean you were necessarily disatisfied with it. It doesn't mean you are unhappy. It doesn't mean you are sexually disfunctional. It doesn't mean you were abused as a child. How many times have you been asked "Why are you selling?", and wondered the same thing yourself? Probably a topic for another thread titled "Audiophile Psychosis". In any case, it was not my intent to diminish Tweekerman's credibility by mentioning it. Only to make the point outlined above.

Tweekerman: I didn't want to make it sound like a personal attack on you. That was not my intent, and your opinion is your opinion. I apologize if it made you feel that way. Apparently this was the way it came across, as Trelja's post would indicate. Rather, I think everyone should be more open-minded about products and experience them before buying. We tend to take a reviewer's opinion and make purchases based on his or her listening preferences. Certainly the ability to purchase components on Audiogon at a price substantially less than retail causes us to put more value in an outside opinion than our own, since we can't usually listen to the components we buy at these lowered prices. But you know, I have fun doing it anyway.

I put my amp, the Jolida 1000, where my mouth is. I carry it with me from one audiophile's listening room to the next. I've made converts all the way. Each listener has in turn bought a tube amp or is planning to. Like it has been said, Jolida does make the best entry level amps. One just can't expect miracles when using a fourty watt amp with an inneficient system. I have just sold my apogee Stage speakers and now own much bigger Apogee Duetta Signatures. Since the 100 watt JD1000 is Jolida's biggest, for more power I am now auditioning stellar cutting edge solid state and hybrid amps, like Llano Trinity, Musical Fidelity Nuvistas, and Pass Labs X150. I'm only hoping for the equal of my Jolida 1000 in midband purity, and its going to cost me some bucks.

To Glenreno:

I'm not so sure about feedback. I've been involved around 40 transactions on audigon and only have three feedbacks to show.
The number of feedbacks isn't a reliable proxy for the number of pieces of equipment you are familiar with.

Hey Glreno sez Marak. "chinese tubes worthless...basically you are buying a amp. w/o tubes" now that is hilarious. sez Potsey "build quality NOT the best" even more hilarious. sez Ezmerald "NOT worth the money" Let me add 2 more labs that have produced products not worth the money. Rotel's CDP and NAD's amps. Both reproduce horrible sound lets say "unlifelike" sez it best. Fact: Audio Aero and Audio Meca makes CDP almost as good as the Accuphase $12K unit. Fremer's review of the Kora mono's ($6K) in the sterophile dec. issue sez that the Koro pretty much blew away the $11K Audio Research VTM200. Point: you can sometimes spend more and get less and strangely you can spend the least and actually get nothing.(nothing = the hassles of repairs) Will rescind point of view if your rebuttal justifies. As you know there are pitfalls along the way that we all fall into.(wish we never had bought it) I read these threads with a very open mind to try to find out whats best for the money, not least for the money.