Anyone have honest opinion of Jolida amps?

Glreno, I agree with almost all of what you put forth. Especially, when it comes to Jolida. The Jolida 302A/B is one of my all time favorite components. Upgrade the tubes and power cords, and a lot of people would wonder if they should have bought what they bought. But...

When people bring up Audiogon feedback, it gets my short hairs up. What does it prove? Let's really think about it. It may prove that one is an avid audio hobbyist. It may prove that one is a dealer. It may prove one uses this to make some extra money. It may prove one has a lot of money. It may prove one has a lot of money to throw at audio. It may prove one does not have a lot of brick and mortar dealers at their disposal. It may prove they don't like brick and mortar dealers. It may prove they don't like to deal with their area's brick and mortar dealers. It may prove they are physically unable to go out and see equipment. It may prove they like to buy and sell. It may prove they use buying and selling online in place of a thorough audition or home trial. It may prove they like to thoroughly try a lot of audio equipment. It may prove they are fickle. It may prove they are unable to be satisfied. It may prove that one doesn't know what the heck they are doing, as the question may be raised do they know what they are either doing or looking for.

My point is that Audiogon feedback DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING! Other than they buy and sell things on Audiogon.

I have a fair amount of Audiogon feedback. It says nothing about me as an audiophile. It only says I have made some deals on Audiogon.

Personally, I prefer brick and mortar dealers. I can, and do, go out and hear as much as I possibly can. The relationships(and friendships) I have formed with dealers over the past 15 years allows me an in-home trial of anything I am interested in buying. Yes, there are a lot of dealers(online dealers as well) I cannot stand. I don't deal with them.

What I like to do is to look a person in the eye. I like to like the person I am dealing with. I like to like the person I am giving my hard earned money to. I know a person I meet is MUCH less likely to make me a victim of one of the many ripoff stories that I sadly read on this site by dealing with someone face to face. Thankfully, I have never been left holding the audio bag.

As far as Tweekerman being enthusiastic about Kora, we all have our opinions. I would say liking Kora doesn't mean we have to trash other brands, particularly Jolida. Kora is fine, I like Kora, but there are also a lot of fine brands in this hobby.

One thing that seems to have been lost in this thread is the budget issue. I own a Jolida 302 that cost me $600 with upgraded tubes. It's a nice unit for my office system and I have bought a few for classical music listening friends on a tight budget. A used Rogue Tempest IS a better amp but goes for about $1500 used. While I have never heard a Kora Mercury, it will set you back $1300 used.

None of these integrated units sound as good as a five figure reference tube system. But these integrated amps only cost between 3% and 10% of a reference tube system. It isn't about having an implied poor judgement with a live and let live attitude. It is about price and budget.

I can remember when the difference in price between $600 and $1300 would have been daunting. If this is the case the Jolida is a good choice. If you can afford better, buy better.

Trelja: I think you are overcomplicating the issue of feedback. What it does mean is that you have owned, bought, or sold a lot of equipment, gear, whatever. It doesn't mean you're an expert, but when it comes to equipment comparisons and opinion, it gives foundation to the fact that you may have experienced quite a few items. Period. Numbers are numbers. Anything more and you're reading into it.

As far as going through a lot of equipment, I don't think that is much of an indicator of anything either. Whatever your reasons for selling are your own. It doesn't mean you were necessarily disatisfied with it. It doesn't mean you are unhappy. It doesn't mean you are sexually disfunctional. It doesn't mean you were abused as a child. How many times have you been asked "Why are you selling?", and wondered the same thing yourself? Probably a topic for another thread titled "Audiophile Psychosis". In any case, it was not my intent to diminish Tweekerman's credibility by mentioning it. Only to make the point outlined above.

Tweekerman: I didn't want to make it sound like a personal attack on you. That was not my intent, and your opinion is your opinion. I apologize if it made you feel that way. Apparently this was the way it came across, as Trelja's post would indicate. Rather, I think everyone should be more open-minded about products and experience them before buying. We tend to take a reviewer's opinion and make purchases based on his or her listening preferences. Certainly the ability to purchase components on Audiogon at a price substantially less than retail causes us to put more value in an outside opinion than our own, since we can't usually listen to the components we buy at these lowered prices. But you know, I have fun doing it anyway.

I put my amp, the Jolida 1000, where my mouth is. I carry it with me from one audiophile's listening room to the next. I've made converts all the way. Each listener has in turn bought a tube amp or is planning to. Like it has been said, Jolida does make the best entry level amps. One just can't expect miracles when using a fourty watt amp with an inneficient system. I have just sold my apogee Stage speakers and now own much bigger Apogee Duetta Signatures. Since the 100 watt JD1000 is Jolida's biggest, for more power I am now auditioning stellar cutting edge solid state and hybrid amps, like Llano Trinity, Musical Fidelity Nuvistas, and Pass Labs X150. I'm only hoping for the equal of my Jolida 1000 in midband purity, and its going to cost me some bucks.

To Glenreno:

I'm not so sure about feedback. I've been involved around 40 transactions on audigon and only have three feedbacks to show.
The number of feedbacks isn't a reliable proxy for the number of pieces of equipment you are familiar with.