Jolida 302B or ASL AQ1003DT?

OK, I have settled on buying a tube integrated amp. Now, what do you recommend (and of course why?)? Best prices I could find: The JoLida is $798. The ASL is $985. Again, I have Axiom M22Ti's with a Yamaha 100 watt sub. Would like (not a must, but a l want) a remote, but does the extra $187 justify this?

I wish to listen to CD's....Nothing fancy, just solid music.

PS: There is also a used JoLida 502B on ebay for $800. Anyone wish to recommend this over the others?


I appreciate everyone's advice so far......you have caused me to spend many hours doing web research....Gary

Well Jolida does not have a subwoofer output so you can't connect a sub to it. Now if you were buying new yuo coould contact Jolida and they could easily add the subwoofer output and probably only costs about $50.00 but then you still don;t get the remote or the easy to use built in bias meter.

It is my very subjective view of reading forums for a while that Jolida does nto have as good a build quality. The 202a at one session of mine that i scheduled failed -- I went in a few weeks later after the reapirs were done and it failed again. It had actually caught fire originally and they were selling it for $300.00 Canadian which is why I was willing to forgive the issues.

I have heard no such problems from ASL and they've been around since the early 1990s and IMO are the biggest name relatively inexpensive tube amp maker out there. The 302B is considered to be the best sounding Jolida ntegrated even though it's not the most expensive. I suspect it's the EL34 compliment and the topology.

You can get issue 58 as a backorder from UHF magazine that reviewed the older version of the ASL 1003DT -- it's a good sign IMO when an amplifier LASTS. The amp has been selling now for about a decade and they just keep making it a little better each time -- but it's still the same design. http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue58/Antique.html (not the full review because they want to sell the magazine)

The Aq1003 can also be purchased with different colour face plates such as gold or black -- or they used to do that.

Still I would go tot he tube forum at audioasylum because they will have no doubt many many more suggestions -- Cayin gets a lot of talk and is a little cheaper. But ASL has been around a while -- you don't necessarily want fly by night operations. There may be better but given the functionality remote control build construction even if they lose a bit on sound (and they may in fact not) I think they're pretty SAFE relative to much of the competition.

Someone mentioned the AR Complete -- it is around the same price and very good as well. Tubes well Push Pull tubes do require some work on your part -- and a voltmeter. On the other hand the other factor here is FUN. The amps look great, sound great, and are built like tanks and conversation pieces. All factors in favour of tube amps that should not be chucked.

running w/ my Pio Elite 45TX as the pre, Denon 2200 DVD player, turntable, M22's and Hsu VTF2. I actually prefer listening w/o a sub, YMMV. Depending on your room size (and mine is actually quite big for the M22's, 18'x27'), the M22's can provide ample bass.

The M22's translate the tube sound fantastically, IMHO.

Never mind, I gave the same info in your other thread...

Have you considered PrimaLuna? A lot of buzz about the ProLogue One & Two recently...

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/view_category.asp?cat=36

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Originally Posted by NickWH

Have you considered PrimaLuna? A lot of buzz about the ProLogue One & Two recently...

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/view_category.asp?cat=36

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I have considered the Two. Just a little bit more than I wish to spend at this time and could not find any place in the Chicagoland area to listen to one.

If you can audition them you could also try the MG SI 15 DT It has a switch that you can flip to change it to a single ended amp - half the power but if your speakers are easy to drive still a fair bit. My speakers are 93db --- 89.5db not in corners and my amp is just 10 watts. In fact the ten watts is probably a littloe generous given the EL 84 tubes - probably around 6-8 watts per channel. I can play bass to volume levels that will make me physically nautious.

I have not heard the MG 15 but dealer who doesn;t post here anymore actually liked it better than the AQ1003DT. So at the very least it would be worth a listen if you can.

Also there is a newer company called Almarro. They have been getting much talk. I have not heard ti but Steven Rochlin has a similar take on music as I do and while $1500.00US I understand that one can get some of their amplifiers for a fair bit less -- they have another supposeldy good $800.00 amp called the A205 or something. But it's very low powered. http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazin...marroa318a.htm