WHICH TUBE AMP TO BUY


LOOKING TO PURCHASE THE MCINTOSH MC275/ JAS ARRAY 2.1/ OR THE JOLIDA MUSIC ENVOY MONO'S ROOM SIZE IS 25'X30' REALLY WANT TO FILL ENTIRE ROOM MAY NEED TO UP SIZE SPEAKERS TO HAVE THE BE-718'S W/ A REL STUDIO 3 SUB ANYONE HAVE ANY OF THESE TUBE AMPS THANKS
sjwholesale
I may be biased, but with the 275 music sounds very natural. A very good value for the dollar IMHO. You may want to change out the stock tubes for the best sound.
Hold on a second...JoLida is based out of Maryland. They mft. in China and finish in the US (so far as I know) but that is a bit different than what was posted. FWIW - I went from a 502B to a JAS H-1 Hybrid. Very happy with the move - even after comparing the stock H-1 to the factory upgraded JoLida 502B.
As the former importer/distributor for one of the brands Nsgarch mentioned, let's just say that being up close and personal with them leaves a terrible taste in one's mouth.

A most interesting read on the way things are done in China was published in Forbes several years ago http://www.forbes.com/home/free_forbes/2005/0905/088.html Obviously, Jolida is a much better model because Michael Allen calls the shots. Imagine how things go when the Westerners don't.
Trelja -- thanks for that link. As you indicated, the article points out why most (though not all) Chinese-made products don't measure up, even though there is nothing at all wrong with their electrical (circuit) designs.

What I found REALLY interesting however, that I didn't realize before, is that it doesn't actually take THAT much more money to improve parts quality and fabrication techniques to the point where some of these Chinese manufacturers (like Jolida) will be able to compete with (or even out-compete!) traditionally high quality brands from the US, Scandinavia, Switzerland and Germany.

Personally, I'm very happy with my system. The only major changes in the last 20 years being a new cartridge, a return to tube amplification (MC275) for my electrostats, and finally getting the CLS's up on stands. However, if I were just beginning the process of system-building, I would have no problem considering the best regarded offerings from the Far East. And in a few years from now, I'm certain there will be many Chinese brands that will become synonymous with the highest quality products; at which point, of course, they will all raise their prices ;--))