[funkytabla]

Hi All

I've got interested in the jolida 1501 hybrid amp
But being based in the uk, these are impossible to demo, and nor that easy to get hold of.

I would really like to hear any views/experiences of this amp. I'm after a smooth, slightly laid back sound.

thanks
funkytabla

ps. The amp would be matched with a pioneer 747a dvd transport/CAL sigma II dac and dynaudio contour 1.3mk2 speakers. (The speakers are 4ohm/86db, supposed to be difficult to drive, but have a linear impedence and basically need a steady current output. Also, I rarely play music really loud)

[Hantra]

Funk:

I used to own this one.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I think it has the sound you are looking for.  Not too smooth, and just laid back enough.  I can't say whether it will drive your speakers or not, but it does have a really beefy transformer.  I got rid of mine and moved into a Roksan Caspian.  I don't know why really.  At that point, I was blowing through gear weekly, so I don't remember if I liked the Roksan better, or not.  

I can say that the guys at Jolida are great, and their service is really good.  I screwed mine up trying to mod it.  But I never expect anything to actually power on again when I try to mod it.  

[funkytabla]

Hey Hantra,

Would u believe I have a roksan caspian at the moment!
I'm venturing into tubes, but not too much, so hence the query about the hybrid Jolida.

Do u recall, how the two amps differed?

I suspect that this jolida may be a bit of a sideways move when compared with the caspian? But I'm finding it a bit too edgy with the dyn contours, which are rather too revealing sometimes.

funkytabla

[Hantra]

Quite honestly, I think the two amps are similar, but the Roksan seemed to have more oomph.  I do think the Jolida has the potential to be smoother, but I never rolled any tubes through it to find out.  I should have done that, but like I said, I was blowing through gear like there was no tomorrow at that point.

To be honest with you, I didn't find total satisfaction until I met the Plinius integrated I had.  If you want smooth, and powerful, that's the way to go.  They are more money than you are talking here, but I do think the Roksan -> Jolida move would be quite lateral.  

What's your digital front-end?  Perhaps that's the culprit?

B

[funkytabla]

Hi Hantra

My source is a pioneer 747A dvd transport & cal sigma II tube dac, so I doubt very much the edginess is down to this. A few users have said that the caspian can be a little harsh, though the overall opinion is to the contrary...

I think it's basically because the dyn speakers are just too revealing, and play what ever they find. On good recordings/most jazz & acoustics fine, but on a some dance stuff, the compressed/eq'd recordings sound a bit harsh & over-sibilant. I've tried these types of cds on other systems with similar types of results, though perhaps not as bad.

I suppose I could get some smoother speakers, but the contours are superb, so would like to keep hold of these. What I'm trying to do is tune the system further to be a bit more relaxed, hence possibly going down the hybrid tube amp path.

Apart from the whole modding path thing which I'm inept, another possibility would be getting a tube preamp, but adding another box.

In terms of ss, one amp I'm demoing soon is the the audio analogue puccini se. The plinus is beyond my budget

I still would like explore the hybrid tupe amps, though there as so few makes available in the uk

funkytabla

[Hantra]

Man I am in San Fran for a week and I went shopping today.  

I heard the latest from Audio Analogue.  Smaller amp called the Primo.  It's very smooth.  I think it retails for $800!  Pretty too . . .  My wife even liked it.  

Let us know what you end up with!

B

[funkytabla]

Yeh, the primo is a new cheaper amp from AA. Haven't heard it yet, but also alongside the accompanying cdp, has had rave reviews in the uk mags, FWIW.