I had the pleasure of using Bill's Reference modified Jolida 801a amp. For some reason I don't see a lot of discussion about this amp so I thought I'd do Bill a favor and chime in. I paired it with my VMPS RM2's.
I'm going to come right out and say the Reference 801a reproduces vocals so realistic, it's a little difficult convincing myself the singer isn't standing in my living room belting it out. The midrange has a tone and texture unlike any amp I've ever heard--it's worth the price alone.
The upper end and detail is every bit as good as the midrange. Notes pop in and out with superb clarity. The 801a has a very light touch, making music very easy to listen to. Unless something else in your system is messed up, your ears will not be ringing after a long listening session.
Many people complain about the bass response of tube amps. While some tube amps leave a lot to be desired in the boom boom department, the 801a isn't one of them. I'm not going to say the bass sounds like that of a SS amp, but it reaches just as low and doesn't sound bloated. It's a little fuller sounding than a typical SS amp. I'd just say the bass the 801a offers is a little different than a good SS amp, but is every bit as pleasing.
Over the last few months I've auditioned the AVA FetVavle 550exr, CI Audio D-200's, among others that aren't in AVA/CI league. The 801a is every bit the equal of the former 2 and one of the best amps I've ever heard. If you want to hear pitch perfect vocals, you have to give the 801a a listen. I can't imagine a pair of speakers, or set of electronics, the Reference 801a wouldn't match amazingly well with.
BTY, Bill offers amazing customer service and is extremely easy to speak with. During shipping, a capacitor came loose. I return the amp to Bill, and he repaired it in couple days. Not too bad for a guy still recovering from the flood of a lifetime.
