Budget Chinese Tube amps - any good?

I actually was the importer for one of the Chinese brands mentioned above for several years. Obviously, there are a lot of stories to be told about that.

In general, I would say that if you are going to buy one Chinese high-end audio product, it would likely best be a low cost tube amplifier. In my opinion, as soon as you hit midlevel, you're far better off buying something made elsewhere. The poor resale of Chinese components is reflective, among other things, of the ZERO pride of ownership that comes with the territory.

As I currently own both products, I'll echo the Dynaco and Quicksilver recommendations. You can also do very well (IOW - a lot better than the Chinese kit) by looking into used products from the likes of ARC, Cary, Jadis, Manley, VAC, and VTL.

Nonoise, I believe Jolida represents an incredibly sound purchase. Unlike most Chinese gear, you have support, and won't get crushed if the day comes to move it. As things are, I have a delightful Chinese integrated for sale here on Audiogon at just over 25% of its original cost, and it's attracted just about zero interest.

No one's going to represent Jolida as the best obtainable sound. But the level of performance you will get will far exceed the ratio of its cost in comparison with the better gear available. Though I live happily with Dynaco, Jadis, and Quicksilver products, I could also live happily with a Jolida tube amplifier.

I remain surprised the travails of Jolida, which Forbes illustrated back in 2005 http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/0905/088.html never became the sort of watershed article on this subject.

Michael Allen literally went to the ends of the earth to keep Jolida, a brand I've always been a fan of, afloat. Additional trouble of the business sort, which is at least as common as the mostly nonexistent quality over there, loomed down the road, came to a head a couple of years ago. I find it amazing he made it through in both cases, which serves as a testament to his intestinal fortitude. Obviously, such herculean efforts would represent the exception, not the rule.

Despite the reputation for quality (that one still makes me laugh) and lofty (for Chinese) pricing of the company I represented, they never budged from their throw over the wall mentality. Once a component left their factory, regardless of whether it worked or not, the countless problems their gear encountered was the problem of whoever's hands it landed in.

I'll never forget the turntable motors that ran the wrong way, and how that must have been the fault of the unlucky folks who purchased those units, through their own malicious/stupid actions. A half dozen unrelated people across North America all happened to disassemble their turntable motors, and intentionally or unknowingly wire them so that they would rotate their platters in the opposite direction. Really?!?