[Ichinichi]

thanks ALL OF YOU for your support and insight! i've purchased speakers and a sub. all i need is the amp.

Speakers: Odyssey Audio Epiphonies
IC/SC: Ridge Street Audio Midnight Silver Edition
Sub: ACI Force

Amp: Jolida 102b or similar

Do any of you have a Jolida 102b you're not using?

any alternative amps you feel i ought to consider?

thanks all!

[mcgsxr]

Sounds like a great start, how much remains in the budget again?

[Ichinichi]

at the moment, that's an unknown. lets say around the going rate for a used jolida 102b (sub $400). if need be, i'll dig into the credit card!

the amp ought to be a tube and conducive to imaging, air, musicality, and detail.

[doug s.]

i'd suggest busting the budget a bit, & finding one of these - if patient, you will spend <$600 delivered, likely closer to $500.  amazing deal, imo:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350018791745
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280199972229


this amp allows for bias of indiwidual tubes, is dual mono, can be run triode or ul, has a bypass to eliminate the preamp stage, & looks nice, as well.  if i didn't go for something like this, i would hold out for a wintage refurb'd integrated by scott, sherwood, stromberg-carlson, fisher, eico, etc...  these look really sweet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260210652455


imo & ymmv, (per dan driscoll...    )

doug s.

[mcgsxr]

One of those Yaqin is available from a Canadian seller, so likely less shipping concerns.

http://cgi.ebay.com/YAQIN-MC-10L-Push-Pull-Stereo-Integrated-Tube-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ140206192572QQihZ004QQcategoryZ3280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I would also still stand by my one of my original suggestions http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1207721768

And I would have to consider the Vista, an AC vendor!  http://www.vista-audio.com/ - unlikely to find a used one, but if you do...

[Ichinichi]

hello all!

thanks so much for those pointers, Mark! i saw the amp you show on ebay before, but was scared off by its shininess (again, visual appeal gets me questioning) the fact that many of them are shipped from HK, listing for $200 and then $384 shipping - meaning if anything goes wrong, i as the buyer am not protected at all (shipping is non-refundable via PP).

anyway, my wtb in the trading post was answered today and i'm more or less finished for now! speaker and amp stands are all that remain (i hope)...

thanks everyone who helped! i hope this thread can become a good starting point for future new comers with a modest budget.