Newbie wants tube recommendations

I've listened to the Legacy Audio Classics with tubes a few years back, they sounded great. I'm sure the Jolida will have several qualities that will be pleasing...strong bass response will not be one of them.

Not much point in owning near fullrange speakers and not being able to to enjoy to the last drop so to speak. Regardless of amp types...SS or tube, the two must compliment each other as a working team.

That said, I'm sure you will still enjoy your new Jolida Gssrjpc...a great learning experience (that you will enjoy) for not a lot of money!...way better than a great learning experience, for a lot of money (I've had a few of those HeHe).

Dave

Mapleleafs3, glad to hear you are not prejudging equipment and I am sorry I assumed wrong. My guess is that at the dealer, where you listened, they were using the stock tubes which are much less than stellar. A very basic upgrade of the preamp and power tubes to just better current production tubes makes a world of difference. As for:

[qote]It (the Jolida) is an ok product and is very good to upper Mid-Fi. Its not in the same class as CJ,Rouge,Audio Aero, Unison.[/quote]

I owned the Jolida for 15 months (until I upgraded to SET) and owned the Unison Unico integrated for 3 months at the same time and compared both. Built wise the Jolida feels like midfi, but soundwise the Unico is not even close to the Jolida: The Unico sounded veiled, lifeless, with fatiguing highs. I rolled tubes in both and the Jolida (WITH UPGRADED TUBES) is way better. I really wanted to like the Unico (remote!) but it was not even close.

The Audio Aero Prima MK1 integrated was much better than the Unico and similar to the Jolida, better bass, but not quite the midrange of the Jolida.

I can't compare to Rogue, but the Cronos is three times the price new, so that I would expect much more of course. Also, the Rogue amps come with much better stock tubes right out of the factory.

Anyway, just some minor differences in opinion here, but as VINYLROW mentioned the Jolida is a great starter product, and much better than a Unico in my opinion.

Just my 2c (once more),

Rene

Agree with some of the responses esp restock's comments. When i had my classics for a time I used Jolida 801 and it was wonderful, beautiful sounding. Lush and excellent tonality. A truly excellent system for not a whole lot of money but was always wanting a little more spl and lower end. It just did not get the volume levels in my fairly large open room that satisfied me long term, and I believe its a fair bit more power than the above Jolida amps mentioned. The Arc VT100's had more dynamics, bloom and body and vocals were to die for. I'd be happy with the Jolidas in a smaller room as the sound was more refined than the ARC, but for smaller scale music, vocals, jazz, acoustic etc. Honestly, I don't think you'd be let down with the Jolida at all with those caveats but you also won't hear everything the Classics are capable of either.

In my mind there is no question about the high value of Jolida gear. For many, it may be the end of the line and with good reason. In selling the 302B, I don't feel in any way that I got rid of it so much as I am glad it now has a new home and that someone else gets to begin the journey I am enjoying. Or perhaps for that owner, this will be all that is required for the long haul. For a smaller room such I had before I moved, the 302B was perfect and I didn't require any more oomph, but with a larger room to fill now, the Rogue serves the need much better. And, depending on where and in what condition one purchases a Jolida, it may not necessarily be only 1/3rd the price of a new Cronus. Some 302Bs go for nearly a grand especially if they have been modded.

This is the way discussions about equipment should be conducted. Nobody here is attempting to influence Gssrjpc to buy a Jolida and in any event the point is now moot since he has taken the plunge. What he has received for starting this thread is iinformation about a company and its products from real owners who own equipment from this company and most importantly their REAL WORLD experiences with the equipment.

Real owners have given valuable insights into why they like the product and under what conditions it will operate to its best potential. All the respondants own other equipment and they may have moved on, but few, if any have anything negative to say about what you bought and the way you went about buying it. It should be obvious that you are on the right path and you are going to have a blast. Perhaps in a year or two you may want to change tubes and do some experimenting and your equipment will respond to the changes you make and it will not cost you a fortune to experiment.

For those who attempt to cast doubt or suggest that Gssrjpc has made an unwise choice all I can add is that the participant who made those comments should just stick to what he knows best.
This is the second thread this week that great products that represent value (China sourced) rather than "high end". have been criticised by this person. The other product was the Prima Luna 2 which every possible forum out there has praised. The praise comes from owners of the products --- not a bunch of paid journalists. However Stereophie were extremely impressed with the Prima Luna. I suggest that he / she maybe take the time to revel in the choices becoming available to us music loving tubeoholics. Marvel at the beauty of a product like the Onix SP3 tube integrated at $999.00 and tell me that its sonic abilities, design elegance, and build quality is inferior.That beauty weighs over 50 pounds and and is a perfect integration of high tech looks with retro styling. The best looking not made in Italy Chinese sourced amp out there.

Perhaps there are some that don't enjoy the fact that tube exclusivity is now available to first timers and that the inner sanctun of the "high end" can now be entered for reasonable dosh
I am sure these people mean well but isn't it better to gain info from actual owners and users rather than someone who hears something in a stereo shop snd suggests its inferior. I mean no disrespect to our naysayer but do hope that in the future that he will have a chance to experience a well made musically satisfying product from the value side of the spectrum that lights his or her musical fire.

Welcome to the great tube revival rennaissance. I'm sure that there is plenty of room at the table for all of us.