Thinking of going to a tubed amp/pre: any ideas?


HI. I borrowed a Jolida SJ-202 in my system to give a tubed amp a try, and I really liked it! It was a little slower than my old C-J MF-2200 and PV10a combo, but very nice and holographic sounding-just as detailed and lush in the midrange, and a little better frequency extension.

My system consists of Soliloquy 6.3 speakers and an Arcam CDP. The Soliloquy's are great jazz speakers and efficient (89db, 8 ohms) and it was recommended by the Soliloquy manufacturer that I try out a cheaper Jolida tube amp and see if I like it. I was definitely happy with the results, and would possibly like to pursue a tube amp/preamp.

My budget would be $1000-1500 for used gear (either an integrated or seperates). What kind of upgrades would I see over the Jolida SJ-202 in this price range, and what are some models to check out? I like the sound of tubes, but don't want something excessively smooth, just smooth. I listed mostly to jazz and fusion jazz. I figure 40 watts should be plenty of power, as my speakers aren't very demanding. Thanks in advance!
chiho
Just got a PrimaLuna One - pretty much fits your description of your needs. Never listened to the Jolida but based on the Jolida's I've seen, the PrimaLuna's build quality alone would make the case for me. Check it out. I doubt that you could buy seperates anywhere close to your budget that would better this little unit.