2. amps-preamps
  3. 1334466827

Could use your advice re: tube gear

I posted a long discussion of my MC240 and 8B which came out of storage a couple weeks ago. After listening to them with several speakers in our little local shop, and in comparison to an Anthem 700 MRX SS integrated ($2K) driving the speakers I'm thinking about, I'm missing the highs I thought I was getting. Quite a bit. And on big speakers the bass is loose and very undefined. Both tube amps (with my CJ PV-5) had vastly better midrange though.

What would be a move to keep the mids of my gear but get the defined bass and airy open highs?

Get a SS amp (like the DNA-1)? But would the CJ kill the tight lows and open highs? Could I mod the CJ?

Can I find a (~$1K used) tube amp that has the lush mids but tight lows and open detailed highs? The Quicksilver GLA maybe?

Trying to solve it with speakers, I could probably find a speaker with much tighter bottom (B&W CM-1 maybe) but that would not solve the highs. I have some Superzeros with spiky highs that help but don't replace the missing air and space.

Your thought would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
river251

Showing 7 responses by wolf_garcia

wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
Yeah...the mods from both Jolida (of course) and Underwood are warranty covered, as is my amp if the KT120s blow it up. Supposedly my Preludes (the latest model...there'e been a couple) are 91db, although I think that's generous. I use the 8ohm taps from the Jolida.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
My upgrades came from Jerred at Jolida in MD and they may be like those which (via Canada's "Parts Connexion") Underwood provides although I have no idea, but they seem similar in description. I use it with a beefy dual mono (Vincent-esque...same factory but the Kavent line is no longer around) Kavent S-33 preamp with balanced outs. Although the Jolida inputs aren't "truly" balanced, I like the solidity of the balanced jacks and I had some great balanced cables so I wanted to keep using them. My speakers are Silverline Preludes and a REL Q150e sub.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
I just bought a new Jolida JD502P power amp, had it "factory upgraded/modded", and stuck a quartet of new matched KT120s in it. All for close to your price point. It sounds wonderful, bass is tight, mids warm, and treble accurate and sweet.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
I second the sub thing...been using a old REL Q150e and it really makes everything around it sing.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
I got the Jolida because I was bored and curious, and I like the sound of it a lot. It holds up really well in comparison to the SS amps I've owned in the sense that it's quiet and has plenty of dynamic juice. I'm really liking the tube "warmth", colorful tonal palette, and the fact that I can mess with it just by changing tubes.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
Here's my meaningless comment of the day: My mods cost less than my dinner last night. Including drinks.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
HA...yeah...there are some pretty serious "Underwood" mods on various Jolida items, which was one reason I went with Jerred's suggested mods which he's been doing forever, and right there at Jolida MD...at a very reasonable cost.
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