[bladesmith]

 
  I currently have a Jolida JD1000RC amp. I have owned it for about a month and I am very satisfied with the overall power and how quiet it works. I really like the steady freq. response across the board at all levels of output..(I am currently using a Rega Dac and Polk Audio Monitor 70 speakers with the Jolida amp..)

My amp uses (eight) EL34B's and (2) 12AX7A's and (2) 12AT7's...

The system works great as is and is completely OEM, no mods...!

But, eventually I am going to upgrade the tubes and need recommendations from some experienced 'tube-o-files'....

Thanks...

[rpf]

The Black Treasure 6CA7s (EL34 equivalent) are the best I've heard (I've not heard NOS Mullard) but they're very expensive. The Genalex re-issue KT77s are quite good and better than Svetlana and NOS Tesla EL34s. SED Winged C EL34s are praised by many.

Raytheon or RCA blackplates and Mullard 12AT7s (CV4024) and 12AX7s (the last Mullard are expensive) are very good. I like GE longplate 12AX7s a lot also.

I've not heard your Jolida. Are the highs extended and clean, particularly with violins?

[BobMajor]

Many people report good experiences with the new Psvane / Pavane tubes by Shuguang, made by the same crew that makes the Treasure tubes. The primary source for these tubes is Grant Fidelity.

[bladesmith]

I've not heard your Jolida. Are the highs extended and clean, particularly with violins?

well, so far the highs have been, excellent. I have a cd of "The Best of Vivaldi" and it sounds great.
I have not been a big fan of classical in the past, but I am starting to really enjoy classical because of the better separation I am getting with this system.

[ltr317]

After trying dozens of combinations, I have settled on either Amperex or Mullard 12AX7, RCA 12AT7 black plates and Svetlana Wing C EL34s in my modded Jolida 302. 

[rpf]

Just a note for those not conversant with the differences. SED, which makes the Winged C tubes, used to be called Svetlana but lost the rights to the name. The new production tubes now labelled Svetlana (owned by the New Sensor Corp.) are not Winged Cs.

[bladesmith]

Just a note for those not conversant with the differences. SED, which makes the Winged C tubes, used to be called Svetlana but lost the rights to the name. The new production tubes now labelled Svetlana (owned by the New Sensor Corp.) are not Winged Cs.

Understand, I think at this point I am going to keep getting advice from tube-o-files and gathering data.
I think right now I just want a descent upgrade from the OEM tubes I have now..

(I realize that not all tubes are the same and can vary from batch to batch, even from the same manufacturer and will give varying results from varying systems..I think that is what makes this all very interesting...)

[bladesmith]

Hey,

   Just wanted to say thanks for all the replies/pm's about my tube inquiry.

I decided to get some "Cryo treated matched sets of Genalex Gold Lion's" (gold pins) from Cryoset.com

I have been breaking them in for about 18 hours and they are very, very nice. I am very happy with the purchase..

The sound is much deeper and realistic with really good separation.

Thanks again...

bladesmith....

[chrisby]

Well, FWIW, I've been very happy with a quad of Psvane 6BQ5 & 12AT7 (Tubelab SimplePP in pentode) and pair of Shuguang Treasure 6CA7 ( custom Eddie Vaughn SET)

Not inexpensive,  but in both cases transformed the amps - both in terms of dynamics ( & grunt in the case of the P/P) but also finesse and low level detail & resolution.   

I don't currently operate anything requiring 12AX7s, so I can't comment on the Psvane version, but I think it's got a lot of good reviews as well. 


8 of any type of zoomy power tubes for this amp will cost money,  but you were prepared for that going in,  right?