edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 What an amp! A picture of my new Jolida is hereby provided for your enjoyment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Your Black Beauty...nice! It's similar to my brother's first tube amp, the JD-202A. It was also the very first tube powered amplifier I ever heard through my Cornwalls, and what started it all! So, how's it sound through your Klipschorns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Author Share Posted August 8, 2004 Thanks jt1stcav. My picture doesn't do my new amp justice. It looks sensational in the flesh. After much prevarication, I traded my Jolida JD-202 on this pristine SJ-302A. After an unnecessary waste of money in an attempt to improve my old amps sound by tube rolling, I realised that budget tube amplifiers are limited in upgrade potential by their output transformers. I attempted the tube roll by changing the stock 202 EL34 tubes for Sovtek EL34's. The improvement in sound was superficial and didn't do justice to the Sovteks which are quite good tubes in their own right. After extended listening sessions, I choose the Jolida SJ-302A fitted with new Electro Harmonix EL34EH's and driver tubes. I also liked the naked transformer look of the SJ as compared with the gold finished, covered transformer look of the comparable JD-302. The sound? What can I say. With barely 20 hours on the tubes, the new Jolida highlights the improvement in sound high quality output transformers can bring to any tube amp. Of course the fabulous EL34EH tubes have something to do with the fine sound quality. Specifics? Well, on the Roy Gaines album 'I Got the T-Bone Walker Blues', the acoustic bass now has texture and real depth and warmth to the sound. The hissing sound I previously heard on a couple of tracks turned out to be a cleverly played brush and snare set. I can now actually hear and appreciate each brush stroke as the drummer intended. Moving on to the soundstage, this is still as wide as my former amp, but what has changed is that each instrument or vocalist 'hangs in the air' in front of me. Quite remarkable. Really, what I am also saying, is how remarkable the Klipschorns are. You can drive them with a budget amp, and they'll play the game. The Klipschorns will sound really good and not show up the budget amp for what it is. But tickle the Klipschorns with a bit of class glass, and Holy Moses! What a loudspeaker! PWK, I know you're up there somewhere, looking down, smilin' and sitting beside the main man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Edwin, it seems we're in agreement about the JoLida JD-202A...it was way better than the SS amps by brother previously owned, but even after much quality NOS tube rolling, the overall sound quality never really improved much, if any. Later when my bro replaced his JoLida with a new Dared VP-16 6V6-based 12 WPC integrated did his system really bloom (and it's only gotten better with both NOS and brand new tube rolling)! Guess high-quality output trannies can really make all the difference in the world, eh? Do you know if JoLida uses quality hand-built German transformers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Here is a Jolida 302B model with the transformer cover. I added the brass sheet from a door kick plate for WAF: Looking at it, right over the outer two small tubes you can see the triode/pentode switches I added. Even with the Heresys I use the "triode" mode almost exclusively. My wife thinks this is the best looking amp I have. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Author Share Posted August 8, 2004 Nice photo 3dzapper. Maybe you should sub contract to Jolida for your sheet metal work! jt1stcav, I'm not sure of the output transformers origins, but I'm assured they are of a much higher quality than that of the budget Jolida's. This is evident in the extended frequency range of the new amp. Incidently, I also considered the Jolida JD-502 which is tubed with KT88/6550's. Nice amp too and featured a great deal of low end punch. But the EL34 tubed amp seemed more musical and 'airy' in it's presentation. Similarly the Audio Research VS55i 6550 tubed integrated was also punchy but lacked the musicality of the SJ-302A. I got the Jolida SJ-302A for less than half the price of the Audio Research model. The decision was easy to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Man those Jolida's look so cool. Very Art Deco. Never heard them but just by looking at the thought that went into the visuals that there is some serious sound coming out of those puppies. Congrats. PS The transformers on jt1stcav look like a Manhatten skyline from the '30's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Author Share Posted August 8, 2004 Another photo. A bit better than my first I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Author Share Posted August 8, 2004 Another photo. This time highlighting the fabulous Electro Harmonix tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Wait until you discover the joys of tube rectificaton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted August 8, 2004 Author Share Posted August 8, 2004 DeanG, I can hardly wait! What a beautiful Quad amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 8, 2004 Share Posted August 8, 2004 Thank you. One of the nice things about pictures is that you can hide what you don't want people to see. There is about a 1/4" scratch on one of the transformer covers, and a couple of itty bitty near invisible dings in the paint on the other one. They were sent to me this way, and even though I was upset, I decided to let it go -- figuring nothing stays new or perfect forever anyway. Now I'm drilling holes in my Klipschorns, and so it seems they won't stay new or perfect forever either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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