2. amps-preamps
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Jolida components: Seems to be many for sale ?

I have always wondered if there is a glut of ONE manufacturers components, or one particular model on the market, then those products or models are either mediocre in performace, or poorly designed. No one should asssume, they just have a high resale value

Even before AG changed its format, I noticed a lot of Jolida amps, integrated amps, etc for sale. In my opinion, they make too many components, or new revisions of a previous model.

So what type of quality do Jolida products provide, especially their hybrid integrated amps?? I ask because I want to buy a "USED" Jolida 1501RC integrated amp for my nephew who will graduate college in less than one month. I think the price is right, but know hardly anything about this model. The amp is 100RMS and should be enough to drive Boulder Dam; I might just give him an almost brand new pair of Music Hall Marimba speakers (cha-cha-cha) that are slightly damaged in the back.

Will appreciate all advice and comments ASAP because I need to pull the trigger on the sale soon. Thanks
sunnyjim

Showing 2 responses by ablang

ablang
165 posts
 
Oh--it's also possible that the number of used Jolidas has more to do with an internet retailer's lack of a return policy than anything else. Folks who buy and find an amp doesn't work in their system have no choice but to resell it themselves. Despite my negative experience with the sound of the 1501RC, it might say nothing about the quality of Jolida's products overall. I want to temper my negative comments of the 1501RC in my last post by noting that I'm considering an audition of the 202BRC--so I'm not turned off from Jolida overall.
ablang
165 posts
 
I owned the 1501, which sounded fantastic with a set of NOS GE 5751 in the preamp section. The build was solid and the sound glorious. I wish I'd kept it. Instead I "upgraded" to a 1501RC from an official Jolida internet retailer. The 1501RC had a cheap-feeling build compared to the 1501 (especially its flimsy plastic volume knob) and sounded much worse--grainy and bright.

When I called the retailer to ask him about the change in sound I heard between amps and if I could expect the 1501RC's sound to settle down with break-in or tube rolling, he told me (a slight paraphrase here), "You can't expect an amp with a remote control to sound as good as an amp without one." This may be the most absurd thing a salesman has ever said to me. When in that case I asked about a return said that he did not offer any return policy. I'd already sold the 1501 I'd owned, so I also sold the 1501RC (at a loss) and went back to NAD.

This was a good 5 years ago, so it's possible that the 1501RC has improved since then and certainly possible that it could sound better with more break-in and better tubes--and that I could have had a better dealer back then!
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