Is the Jolida jd 100 as good as the dealers claim?

>>I had the Jolida in my system for a week.

A week! Mjcmt: IMO that's not enough time to evaluate any front end unless it's mass market stuff. The Jolida requires tube rolling, the right aftermarket PC, and other tweaking to properly evaluate it. My modded unit did not perform at it's best until I tried a few sets of tubes. I also tried more than one aftermarket PC. I respect the Cary nameplate and I have no doubt that the 308 is a quality cdp. But it should be, it retails for $1,500. You're comparing it to a retail $900 player. How about comparing apples to apples. And, I've had the Rotel RCD 1072 in my home and it's a fine player at it's price point. IMO the JD100 does not sound like a tubed Rotel RCD 1072.

I happen to like the Cary 308T better than the 308. I think the Jolida is more addictive, but the 308T has more detail. Choose your poison.

"The Jolida requires tube rolling, the right aftermarket PC, and other tweaking to properly evaluate it."

Foster, I didn't mean to tap your turntable, but these are my experiences. I have had their amps and worked in an audio salon representing their equipment, and heard it many, many times. I have owned Rotel as well and made the comparison on that.

Finally by the time you add the Jolida mods, tube rolling and power cord you are not talking about a $900 CDP anymore. Now the Cary, especially used, is a very good deal. The Cary uses a better dac, power supply, parts, etc. It also offers upsampling and HDCD.

I think the extra resolution of the Cary suited my Pass Labs amp and high resolution speakers better.

Mike

Of course we all have different experiences about the gear. Synergy is more important than any one single piece of gear no matter how good it is.

I posted above that it was better than my Wadia 23/ 24/192 Electrocompaniet combo in my system at that time. I also owned the Cary 308T, but in a system ( Thiel 2.3/ SS CJ-amp and pre amp) that I could not get to sound good no matter what cdp I used :-(

I also found the Cary's drawer way too flimsy for a $2500 product( then found out from a chat with Dennis, that this model has had drawer alignment issues with a good number of units that had to be repaired at the factory. Hmmm.

Anyway.. my current happy experience with the Jolida tells me that this player excells at about 3 times its price point, but IF it falls down on the noise/resolution thing, It is not a detriment at all in my system.

My JD100 purchased used for $649.00 with NO level anything mods and very minimal upgrades with Ei ECC-83 Gray Plates(under $20.00 pair)... and a $5200( stupid retail) Electroglide Ultra Khan II Rev/Revised Statement PC found used for a paltry $750(1/7th of retail!! which is quite common)....gives me a sound that is unheard of even at my upgraded $1400 total price point! No one would set out to intentionally buy a mondo expensive PC like the EG to match up with a sub 1K component...but this PC is no ordinary PC, and can transform this player big time, as it does most anything it's stuck on to.Fortunately, I had this one left over from a previous system to use on the Jolida

But,Its not always all about better parts, dacs, transports or circuits..its about the execution and design of such and the synergistic match with your existing components. HDCD is nice..but really not drastically necessary and its also a fact that 24/96 is all you really need to get excellent resolution from well designed digital.

Ill take the well balanced, warm, and nicely resolving Jolida player for the $1400 Ive spent, over the big buck rigs that are perhaps "better" at some things, but cant quite communicate the emotion of my JD.

Im sure at some point when Im ready to upgrade in a few years..Ill be spending some way bigger bucks to have any signifigantly better sound from my digital cdp. The Meitners, Audio Aeros, Reimyo's, Lindemann's and Lectors are out there and blowing us away with their incredible sound.. but I cant afford them right now..and at real world prices, Im just loving this JD

Rocketman4274...you started this thread 8/2/05, but we are yet to hear from you on where you are in your decision to buy a cdp and if you have any thoughts now.

Ken

Sorry it took so long to reply but it took one and a half months to get my player with grade 1 mods from Brice at sound odyssey.He said he was down a tech and that left it all on him.I was first told that they were having trouble getting stuff through customs,then I was told he was short his tech and he promised an upgraded power cord for being so patient.When I finnaly got the player I could hear somthing rattling around inside.I removed the cover and shook the player upside down and a gold plated screw rolled out.I could not find an empty hole so I assumed it was droped by accident.The tubes were supposed to be electro-harminex but all the markings were rubbed off but you could tell it was white letters and the eh tubes are gold markings,no up graded power power cord.
When I e-mailed him he said he had not forgot the power cord it was on its way and the tubes were Mullards he threw in for my patients and he would send eh tubes if I wanted.One of the tubes has the diamond on the bottom,the other looks like an o.It has been about two weeks and no power cord yet.
Now to get to the sound.Absolutly fantastic.Thanks for all of you who recomended it.The sound is lush and full with great bass.The transport is dead quiet and I love it.I have already ordered other tubes to see what difference they make.Any suggestions?The only bad thing is I think the tube bug has bit and I will be looking into tube preamp and amp. Agin thanks too all of you.