Down graded, with fantastic results

As an addendum to the tube recommendations: I should note that New Sensor has reissued a Mullard EL34 (they bought the rights to use the name and have tried to reproduce that famous tube). I have no idea how well it does that though, but it's a whole lot cheaper than NOS.

As far as Bombaywalla's experiences, my perceptions of the stock 502 Jolida I've listened to fairly extensively and in comparison to other two other amps does not resemble the description above (but Bomb's was highly modified). I found the stock amp neither "dark and brooding" nor to have a "2D soundstage" (though I wouldn't say they were champions of depth). It does give more emphasis to the lower end than the 302 and tends to have perhaps a 'fuller' sound for that reason. The 302 posesses more midrange magic and is a bit more light and airy in comparison. I thought both to be fine amps for the money (in stock form). No experience with the AES six packs (nor modified Jolidas), but yes, I'm sure there are many amps that can do things differently/better, and it takes pretty basic experience and or informed speculation to start listing them. But I say, if you're happy and you know it....clap your hands! If your enjoying the music that's saying a whole lot. Don't let others, or your own wee grey matter start spoiling that for you. If you go driving down the road in your new Honda Accord thinking about how much better the experience may be in a Mercedes, well, you'll never enjoy all the good things you could about driving the Accord. Heck you may even cause an accident thinking about that damn Mercedes...whoa, HEY, WATCH OUT! RED LIGHT!

Carpe diem!

Marco

Marco,
Re. your comments about trading up from a Honda Accord to a Mercedes Benz - that's *NOT* what I wrote (if you'd care to read my orig post again). I was talking about taking the same amount of money & buying a better implemented amp. So, I was talking about a lateral move. If you want to use an auto simile then maybe Honda Accord to Toyota Camry or Nissan Altima?
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Gretsch6120,
"Global negative feedback?! I'm talking about listening to music."
Now, you have me stumped & speech-less!!! (err...word-less)

Bomb - You may have misunderstood my point; What I was suggesting is that there is a arguably a "better" version of virtually anything you choose to buy (or any direction you choose to take in this life for that matter). I used the example I did because it was an obvious extreme. My point was that you can sit around looking at all the "faults" of what you have in life, or what you have chosen, OR you can accept and enjoy what you have, realizing it's pretty damn amazing, and stop wasting your time thinking about what you had, could have, should have, etc. IMO the latter is a tremendous waste of time and energy. Yes, if you want to put it on the level of a specific Toyota, that cost the same as your Honda being an arguably "better" choice, it is STILL a tremendous waste of time and energy IMO. What's the point? Why would you want to point out what is 'half-empty' in someone elses glass, rather than help them celebrate the stuff that fills their glass?!? I did read your original post quite thoroughly, thank you.

Like Gretsch perhaps, I don't really care what the mechanism(s) in the background is that actually causes the music to sound good. My ideal (probably like most of us here) is to have the mechanisms disappear entirely, and I find that dwelling on such details just take me further away from being in the moment (enjoying the music). I do know enough about such things as you speak of to be a menace to myself and society in general. Not sure what good it does to dwell upon the why's and wherefors, I'd rather enjoy the music as well in this case. I know there will always be some product out there that does certain things "better" than the one I have. Yes, I have heard the difference between an amp with adjustable global feedback. I owned one (a Mesa Baron). Though I agree with the observations regarding Global Feedback in general, I'm not sure that it would occur to me to share them here, no more than it would sharing any particular knowledge of details of other products unrelated to the one the poster is enjoying. Nor would it occur to me to share the opinion that he made a mistake (given his celebration of his decision I can hardly understand that position nor the inclination to share it).

Marco

Bombaywalla - All I ment was I do not want to get into the analytical side of audio equipment, I just want to be happy with what I have and spend my $$ on music. BTW - what are your musical preferences? I enjoy jazz, (which really shines on my new gear), blues, old rock and roll and Cajun/zydeco (I play guitar in a zydeco band).