Nad or Jolida....That is the question...?

Hey thanks for all your responses but when it comes down to it i think i am going for the nad. I have heard that the jolida's QC is pretty iffy but...I think the nad may be more for me anyway. Thanks

Yes the 502 series are great amps. I've got one in our master bedroom system and one in my corporate apartment where I often stay a few nights a week.

You are correct, Pls1. I was thinking of the all-tube 502 series, which I would still take over the current NADs. I don't normally associate Jolidas with hybrids, but I guess they now make them too. As did Luxman and does Anthem. But if you can live without the current, I still prefer tubes in the output stage.

Just to be clear, the Jolida 1501 is a hybrid design. That means transistors for the power amplification. That also means NO biasing. There are only two 12AX7 tubes which are used as the preamp/isolation stages.

Thanks!..my spkrs are 8 ohms. And the kina music i listen to is rock,reggae,some rap,classic rock,instrumantals..like santana. Are any of these amps for me?...Also what other brands/models do you reccomend? Thanks :D

Well, I've owned both NADs and Jolidas. You don't say whether your JBLs run 8 or 4 ohm nominal, but 91 db/w is fairly efficient. Note that some tube amps can get a little flabby at the bottom as you demand more current from them. That being said, I think the final choice will depend on your listening taste and tolerance for maintenance. If you like head-banging music with mountains of controlled bass, then I guess the NAD is the way to go. On the other hand, the Jolida does a better job in presenting more palpable mids and sweeter highs. The Jolida has good bass to boot. It will also tame down a digital source better. The Jolida will also require better ventilation and periodic retubing (some cost) and rebiasing (not that big a deal). The other advantage of the Jolida is the ability to fine tune the sound by way of tube choice (and some judicious mods). For what I listen to, I found the Jolida a much more musical piece of equipment. With some select modifications, it was really no contest. Your mileage may differ, however. By the way, there's a lot more out there than NAD and Jolida, so don't necessarily limit yourself so.

I understand your frustration, when I was 16 I had to build my own stuff to get decent sound at a price I could afford. But with the internet market that isn't a necessity. I've owned a series of NAD and Jolida amps in my various secondary systems and recommend them to my friends who don't want to drop a bundle. I wouldn't look beyond those two lines. I'm a tube kinda guy with customized 400W Melos monoblocks in my main system so I tend to keep the Jolidas and sell the NADs to my friends. However, I don't think you can go terribly wrong with either. I would personally recommend the Jolida 1501 and change the 12AX7 stock tubes to some decent NOS. With that change you will get a more musical system than with the 370. The stock Chinese tubes in the Jolidas are so bad that it isn't unusual to find NOS tubes in the used units sold on audiogon. If you don't want to mess around with tube rolling, I'd give the nod to the NAD. Good Luck!

Hey thanks for the responses...still have a long time until its time to buy so i have plenty of time to research,decide. By the way OZ..I have Clarity Wires which i know only you and response audio sell. And i really love them..i got the "emberglow". Looked at the roksan. Nice but a little expensive. for me anyway. Not easy being 16 and loving this hobby. but...This is kina what i have been hearing..go for the nad or the jolida...back and fourth. i am still open to any other ideas..but my budget is limited! Thanks.

Gotta disagree with Curt on this one, the 1501 will outdo the NAD in the bass region without a doubt. If yo can sretch your budget, Roksan's Kandy is REALLY sweet!

The NAD's an excellent choice with those speakers. It' more accurate and will do better on the bass.
Curt