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Jolida Integrated or Rogue Integrated MAgnus Cronus II

So...here we are, me being a tube amp "Rookie" and the question which Integrated the Rogue Cronus Magnus II or one of the Jolida's between 60 and 70 Watts.....You tell me please, do not let me steer wrong!

I have  a limited budget, considered the Primaluna, however the phone amp issue detracted me form it and yes, I understand they run at lower voltages that extend tube life and are less stressful, have "Auto Bias" and a plethora of tube options.....tell me who sounds better. That is all I want to know, I want Soundstage, I want to be engulfed and just buried in music when I play Mike Oldfields's "Tubular Bells" with sound..... Thanks!
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10 responses Add your response
rwinner's avatar
rwinner
37 posts
 
I would try to get a used Jolida 502B and a good set of 6550's: it may be the best sounding amp they've ever produced, and for the cost of a used one, it's quite a bargain....
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
1,019 posts
 

Two totally different sounding animals. I tune both of them. When you say "Tubular Bells" I think Jolida 1501 all day long. Get the 1501, take off the top cover, put it up on tuning blocks, low mass power cord, Picasso Type2 interconnect and float away. Personally I like the 1501 (tuned) more than the 502.

Michael Green

www.michaelgreenaudio.net

wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
I keep raving about my Jolida 502P although I sold it when I became snared by the insidious world of low watt single endedness where I remain. However, that pesky "factory upgraded for about 100 bucks" Jolida was great fun for years, ran perfectly, was whisper quiet with blacker blacks and greener greens and more transparent transparencies…and gave me a place to indulge in rampant tube rolling. 
mhart032
34 posts
 
I'm a 502 owner and I love the damn thing, I have MC gear and a CJ with similar wattage but there is something about that amp that I always go back to. It's always been a toss up to me b/t the poor man's MC dynaco mkiis and the jolida 502. Something about them that I just can't quit. 
rbstehno
1,398 posts
 
Rogue hands down, even when you go up the Jolida chain to their monoblocks. I have owned both a 1501 and the 1301 which were nice, I have heard the Jolida mono’s and the better Jolida integrateds at shows and friends houses. I bought the rogue Cronus magnum II with the kt-120 tubes. Much more powerful and better SQ than the Jolida’s. I like Jolida, and would use either the 1301 or 1501 in my non-dedicated audio room. I use the Jolida jd9 II phono preamp.
meadowman's avatar
meadowman
140 posts
 
+1 on the Rogue Cronus Magnum II.  Sound and build quality are bonkers good for the money.  Mark Obrien is a fantastic engineer and the Rogue Audio sound is fast, open, harmonically dense and has the guts to drive most any speaker out there.  No shade to Jolida, just different sound and I prefer the Rogue.
spotcheckbilly12345
30 posts
 
Another +1 for the Rogue. I own a Cronus Magnum (KT120's) and vastly prefer it to any of the Jolida integrateds or mono blocks that I have heard. Rogue is designed and built in the USA and provides excellent customer service. I've been able to speak directly to Mark O'Brien by phone pretty much any time I've called. Remember this anytime you have questions or need to have a Chinese amp serviced!

I've nothing against Jolida, in fact I own one of their JD100 CD players and like it a lot. It's just that given the choice I'd choose a Cronus Magnum over any of the Jolida products in a heartbeat. 
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
878 posts
 
I don't know noth'n about the Cronus or Jolida but I do like my RP-1 and the support from Rogue is, as I have said before, confidence inspiring.
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
Nothing like "going Rogue." IMO. Great value for the money.
wolf_garcia
6,591 posts
 
When I was first considering a Jolida amp I spent time on the phone with Michael Allen who started Jolida, as well as discussing the upgrades and other stuff with various people at Jolida MD. I'm surprised they didn't get a restraining order.  
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