My first tube amp! HELP PLEASE!

The Jolida with proper modifications is sweet. If your up to kits which can save you money. The Foreplay from Electronic Tonalities is an outstanding pre especially with upgrades. I use this with a modified ASUSA A-4 for less than a grand. The problem with ET is waiting for them BUT you will NOT be disappointed.

I haven't surveyed the whole market, but some good, high quality, ones I've used are older conrad-johnson (mv-50), Sonic Frontiers (SFS-40 or SFS-50), and Assemblage (DIY from sonic frontiers). In the smaller wattage versions, you should be able to find something in your range.

If you are interested in a single source system a used Rogue 88 with EVS Ultimate Nude attenuators would cost roughly $1,100 and would probably be phenomenal. My brother has the Rogue but I have not heard the Nude attenuators. Check out the EVS site at www.tweakaudio.com. The Rogue 88 is very impressive.

How about an Audio Research VT-60-upgraded to MK II status just last summer by the factory. $1100.00. All new tubes, plus the upgraded curcuitry.

What will work best will be highly dependent on your loudspeakers. You may also need to change your speaker cables to something more revealing. My first all tube amps were a pair of used Quicksilvers. If these are in your price range, they are worth auditioning. Older ones are biased high and could require frequent output tube changes. They are a little sluggish in the bass and a little rolled on top, but when properly interfaced, their midrange has few peers.