Jolida 302B/502B?

Hi,

The 302b is one of the better tube amps I've heard for the money. (Indeed, I own one.) I know a dealer whose opinions I trust who says that the 502b really doesn't sound any better than the 302b. (I haven't heard the 502b myself.)

So if you've heard the 302b and like the sound, and it's less expensive, then in my mind it's a no-brainer.

I can't really comment on the Jolida CD player as I haven't spent much time listening to one.

Good luck,

Michael

The Jolida 302/502 are great values. I chose to go with the ASL AQ1001DT. I liked it better than the Jolida. But it's just a preference. Jolida's make great integrated's.

The JD100 is a no brainer and will synergize with a tube amp/pre/or integrated.

I've heard the player stock and feel that any modding will lose some of the original sound - that is what makes these CD players great. I can't say from experience, but that's the impression I get. Others will probably have a better idea about this.

Good Luck and welcome to tubes. You'll find that it's a very musical sound.

The 302 and 502 use different power tubes (EL34 for the 302 and KT88/6550 I believe for the 502). Considering this if vocals are more important to you than bass the 302 ought to be a no brainer (the EL34 is typically considered the best non-SET midrange tube out there).
This said though you may want to take a look at the Prima Luna Prologue One or Two. The Prima Lunas have an auto bias feature and higher build quality than the 302 (all point to point handwiring as opposed to circuit boards for the Jolida, plus the Two can accept EL34, KT88, and 6550 type tubes). They're more expensive but may be worth it considering the higher quality. I just bought a tube integrated so I've been researching amps in this price range for the past two months.

Thanks so much for the responses thus far. You have been very helpful.

One thing that I forgot to mention: I am in a 10x10 room which is well carpeted. Should I get a sub? If so which one and how should I integrate it into the system? I don't even own a TV and have not watched one for years, so it will never be used for HT.

Thanks.

I wouldn't rush on the sub. You can always see how it sounds without it and then decide.
I thought I was going to need one when I got my Cayin but now I honestly don't even feel like I'm missing all that much. I'd still like to try a really nice sub in my system one of these days but I can definitely live with what I have.
As far as connecting a sub goes there are a few ways. Some amps like my Cayin or most Antique Sound Labs models have RCA sub outs built into them (I believe the Jolida and Prima Lunas do not). If not you can just use speaker level inputs. You run an additional speaker line from the taps on your amplifier to the subwoofer's line level inputs (this doesn't affect your amp by drawing wattage or anything like that). A lot of quality subwoofers like REL or whatever have speaker level inputs so I don't think you should have any problems.

I used to run a Jolida 302b with Spendor S3/5: a match made in heaven. I also would suggest the 302b rather than the 502b. The 302b is supposed to have a much nicer midrange than the 502b, while the 502b has much better control in the bass, which won't matter as much for small speakers like the S3/5. In fact, the slightly fuller and rounder bass adds a little low end to the little Spendors. I never even thought about getting a sub and certainly did not miss one.

The Anticables are a good choice as well: If you would like to achieve some more top end extension in that setup, you can try twisting the Anticables rather than well separated parallel runs.

Enjoy!

Rene

I too, have the 302B along with the JD-100...I currently am running a pair of PSB Silvers with them and have just recently purchased a pair of Acoustic Zen Reference Matrix IC's...I just absolutely love the sound!! very detailed and involving...great synergy! I have them in a 16 X 22 room and believe me....the 302 has plenty of power! I don't really have any experience with any heavily modded units...the only mods I have done is some tube rolling and power cords....believe me you will notice a huge difference with a good PC...I have absolutely no interest in getting a sub for my system because there is plenty of bass....good luck!

Wow... you guys have been incredibly helpful. One last thing that I thought of after just reviewing your input:

Is it worth it to drop the extra few hundred to purchase the Spendor 3/1 or the 3/5 SE? Or is the 3/5 really all I would need for this setup?

Thanks

I would try to hear both the 3/5 and 3/1 in your room for a comparison. My suspicion is that the 3/1 will have more bass warmth but will be very similar in terms of treble response, as they use the same Scan-Speak tweeter. I've had the 3/1 and the 3/1P (ported) and felt that the former, in a small room, was superior in terms of bass control. All three are fine speakers, and I can say that the hype over Spendors is well-deserved.

I have the Spendor SP2/3e and Spendor Sub 3 with a Jolida 302b amp. My cd player is a chunk and I have it hooked up to the television so my placement is not ideal. That being said, the spendor and Jolida setup really is a great combination. You will need a nice cd player to get the most out of it. The Jolida CD player would fit the bill nicely. You could also try the music hall cd25 if you are running out of funds.

Having heard the Spendor 1/2e; 2/3e; 3/5 and 3/5se, I would recommend the 3/5 based on your room and budget considerations. They all get the midrange right, which is what drew me to them. Anyway, the spendors really hold their value so you can always sell them and upgrade to a larger pair when your room and budget permits.

The 3/5 has great bass for a speaker its size. But don't expect it (or any of the Spendors) to get low bass notes. If you are into rap or heavy bass you may feel like you are missing something. Otherwise you should be fine. You can have Jolida add a subwoofer output to the amp for less than $100. I would do it, if I were you. Its nice to have that flexibility if you upgrade down the road.

I also got the JD50 remote control volume unit. It was essential for using the spendors as a 2.1 home theater setup and it has a 2nd pre-amp output for adding a subwoofer (sub 3 in my case).