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Integrated Tube Around $1000

Hello,

I'm deciding to dip into the tube world and I'm looking for a few suggestions. I love the warm tube sound but I don't want to break the bank or take up huge amounts of space with mono blocks and a pre-on the floor.

I plan to spend around $1000 US. I currently have a pair of Dynaudio A72 Floor standers and a pair of Totem Model One's. They are both in the 87-88db efficiency ball park. So I think I'll need a little juice to get them going but I suspect that 30-50watts should do the trick. My music room is in the small to medium area. I listen to everything and I do mean everything. From punk to Indian Classical and from lap top music to Jazz. Eventually I will probably go with a more efficient floorstander but I am hoping to use the integrated with the Totems or the Dynaudio's.

I'm thinking about the Jolida 202 with Mods by parts Connexion or maybe the Prima Luna One. I've heard the Jolida and been suitably impressed and I'd love to hear the Prima Luna.

Any suggestions? Should I think about used instead of new?

thanks

matthew
mcrosier
mcrosier OP
61 posts
 
Wes

thanks for your comments, it sounds like you gave the Totems a good work out, trying them at 30watts. My classe 100 mono blocks are also 200watts per channel at 4ohms, so I get a good sense of what you are talking about. I may very well leave the Totem's with my solid state set-up and concentrate my floorstanders around the tubes. I quite enjoyed a Triangle Antal that I auditioned recently, and they are at 91db so I suspect that a 30-50watt integrated would have no trouble at all. But that's a ways off at the moment.

I'm going to try out a Jolida this week-end. And see how that works out. I suspect that the modded versions bring up the quality a fair bit and might get it closer to the Prima Luna, but I don't think I can get my hands on a Modded Jolida in my area. Are there specific mods that improve the Jolida's?

thanks

matthew
classic95
52 posts
 
Matthew,

Yes my experiment cooled me a bit on my amp upgrade desires. Especially considering the lovefest thats been going on here lately regarding older Levinson gear. My only real complaint with my current setup is that it doesn't really sing at low volumes, interesting that you comment that your system does. Please let us know how the audition goes.

Scottz,

No offense meant. Its just that personally I really don't understand all the hoopla over recent far eastern entries into the market. I mean come on do you really want to buy something of (to me) questionable build quality that needs mods right off the bat to sound competitive.

Wes
plinko
256 posts
 
Why would anyone compare a 100wpc tube amp that cost $3,500 three years ago (Music Ref) to one that's 35 wpc and costs $1,000 (Primaluna)? Sure, the prof reviews say the Primaluna is comparable to amps in that price range but it all comes down to your wallet and system matching (at least for most). Looks like Classic's experience indicates Totems are a hard drive. I believe him. Classic95, what makes you think the build quality of Chinese made gear is worse? I've read just as many issues about build quality with respect to Jolida's *and* Cary, for example. The Primaluna needs a few years to stand the test of time but it looks immaculate.
mcrosier OP
61 posts
 
Well I have a Jolida 202 home for a test run. After the kids are in bed it will get warmed up and ready to go. It's a stock model.

Wes I suspect that you are right about the Chinese makes being of lower quality than American or European. And in time I hope to make the step up to a better amp. And on a deeper level it's a good idea to support local manufacturers. I do have Canadian made amps, as well as my CD player, and I have a set of Canadian made speakers. (I live in Ontario). I guess I'm looking at Chinese makes because they are cheaper and apparently of decent quality.

I'm looking forward to enjoying tubes.

all the best

matthew
rar1's avatar
rar1
1,765 posts
 
Matt:

To your last point, I did not get that most responders felt that the Chinese made gear was of lower quality when compared to the European and American made gear (it was only Wes/Classic 95). At your stated price point of $1000, which manufacturers compete at this level these days? At best, you might see something made in Japan ... otherwise it is only Pacific Rim manufacturers.

As to supporting "local manufacturers" ... where do you think your ADCOM preamp is made or has been made for the last 17 years? So many of your British brands ... NAD, Monitor Audio, EPOS, Quad (L series), Cambridge Audio, Arcam (receivers), etc. ... are designed in the UK, made in China. Even Musical Fidelity is manufacturing its X-can line in China now.

It makes for curious discussions in A'gon ... for when it comes to solid state components, we are OK with gear that is made off-shore, but when it comes to tubes, we get into this 70's "local manufacturer" mind-set.

In any event, I hope that your Jolida works out for you.

Regards, Rich
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