Best Integrated Tube Amp for 2.5K or Less


Got a pair of ML Aerius i. Love them. Lookin to upgrade my integrated amp... right now I have an NAD 340 (yikes!), and can finally upgrade (YEH!)...

how would you spend your $2500?
128x128dennis_the_menace
In response to Marakentz's post: Before I took on any entry-level tube amp line, I discussed various low-priced tube amplifiers with an experienced local audio technician who's a hard-core audiophile, as well as an audio equipment manufacturer and inventor. He builds tube amps. In response to my questions, he said the JoLida amps use decent quality components (equal to or better than some of the more expensive amps mentioned in this thread, though he doesn't like the stock tubes). He also likes the simple, easy to repair topology. He told me that in his experience JoLidas are more reliable than several more expensive brands mentioned by name in this thread (his one-word comment when I asked about one of the brands in this thread was "Boom!"). Based on my technician's extensive experience and their price/performance ratio, I decided to become a JoLida dealer. By the way, just for the record, neither he nor I nor any of my customers have ever encountered any DC offset problem with JoLida amps.

I've only had one customer have a problem with a JoLida product - a bad solder joint on an input terminal, which the factory of course fixed at no charge. I have yet to have a customer complain that the sound of their JoLida amp wasn't up to their expectations - in fact, I have yet to have a customer who didn't tell me he was quite pleased. I'm using a JD-302B in my bedroom right now, and I have numerous more expensive amps on hand.

The Chinese-wound transformers are the key to JoLida keeping their cost down. Nope, they aren't as good as a German or Swiss transformer. But if we're going to compare apples to apples, we need to compare products in the same price range.

If we were trying to drive Quad 57's, I'd say the $2500 CJ amp would make more sense (though the $950 JD-302B sounds very good on my Quads). The Martin Logans need more power than that, so for 2/3 the price, the more powerful and still very good-sounding JoLida JD-1000A makes sense.

Marakentz, as you allude, the JoLidas can be improved by upgrading components. The same is true of all budget audio products - the difference is, the JoLida is fairly easy to work on so it CAN be upgraded. The kind of person who buys JoLida is often an extremely passionate music lover on a tight budget, and this kind of person is more likely to go to the trouble to upgrade it himself.

Most of the gear I sell is quite expensive - my top-selling amps retail for ten grand, and my most successful product is a sixteen-grand speaker. I took on JoLida because I didn't want to only sell to wealthy audiophiles who travel to my by-appointment-only listening room. I also wanted something to offer the college student or newly married or otherwise cash-poor but passion-rich audiophile. Relatively speaking I don't make a lot of money off of a JoLida sale, but I do get a lot of satisfaction out of it.
As a satisfied owner, I have to put in a good word for the Cary SLI-80 Signature (used). To hear it in it's stock form is to hear it's POTENTIAL. To replace all the tubes with NOS is to hear a completely different amp - detailed and musical, esp. in triode mode. Good luck in your search!
I understand that from Jolida it's possible to make something like VTL but than again spending on parts may not be as beneficial as simply buying used VTL.
VTL isn't the bottom line still and can be significantly upgraded and be kind-of Kora or BAT and that's where I'm standing to with my VTL MB100. From my experience most of the tube amps are very simple ecpecially SET(the oldest and the weakest design of amplifier). The complicated ones are Cary and BAT that can switch automatically their type of operation.
Well, I've decided on the VTL IT 85. It should be arriving within the next week (apparently I ordered at just the right time). I'll let you all know how I think it compares to my current NAD 340C.... I also went ahead and took a suggestion to get a CD clarifier from Bedini. $50... what can I lose trying it out?