Best Integrated Tube Amp for 2.5K or Less

The Jolida 1000a is an interesting piece. Way more powerful, but so much less. Why is that? it makes me wonder...

Can anyone speak from experience how the Jolida integrated amp has stacked up sound-wise vs. the CJ or VTL?

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?

My VTL IT 85 is here. I just went and picked it up a couple of hours ago, and it's just about warmed up. I'm giving it 1 hour before actually turning it on...

I'm replacing my NAD 340, and man, is it LIGHT compared to the VTL.

I am so excited!! 10 minutes until I see what tubes can do for my music, in my own apartment... !!!

I agree, Asa; I wish all salesman could be as respectful.

THE SOUND of my VTL IT 85 compared to my old NAD340:

(the amp has been on playing music for about 27 hours now...), and here are my first impressions:

1. WOWWWW!!!!!!!

2. Stevie Wonder is groovin me OUT! several times, my VTL remote has turned into a "microphone", INVOLUNTARILY!

3. I never knew how VEILED my speakers sounded until I switched the amps and heard how they sang when those sheaths and sheaths of crud were removed.

4. SOOO FULLL, SOO BIG

5. this song never had this kind of "pick up"!

6. wow, i'm playing it loud, but my neighbor doesn't care... what gives? (in reality, i don't think i'm playing it any louder, it just sounds louder!)

7. bass is so much tighter, not all over the place

8. and finally, DAMN my speakers sound GOOD!!! these are f-in AWESOME speakers! (Aerius i)

... btw, I also got my speakers up on spikes, and found some little disks with divets in them at the audio store to set the spikes into... no more holes in my wood floor.

Can it really get better with more burnin?? o my god, why did i wait this long to get TUBES??? my friends aren't going to be seeing much of me for the next week, taht's for sure!