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Where
are Jolida products serviced?
- Jolida is located here in the States so IF you ever need any
servicing of your Jolida product, they have a complete facility here.
For products that are out of warranty, we can service your Jolida tube
amp right here at Response Audio also. Either way, you will never have
to send a product across the seas and pay any outrageous shipping
charges.
Please note that all custom built 302/502 "A" Series
amplifiers are service by Response Audio. T
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Why
tubes? -
I'll keep this short and sweet. Many people are starting to realize
(again) that tubes just sound better. They provide a much more
"listen-able" presentation in most circumstances without the
long term fatigue that plagues much of the solid state and/or AV
components on the market today. This is the reason tube audio has made
such a comeback over the past several years and why Response Audio is
so dedicated to tube components. The same holds true for vinyl also.
If you want to be drawn into the music, you will want tubes somewhere
in your system.
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How
much power do I need?
- Your speakers, listening room and listening habits will play a large
role in choosing an amplifier that will meet your requirements.
More power does not always mean better sound but can be the deciding
factor when it comes to dynamic control. If you have speakers that are
of a low to moderate sensitivity, consider more power to bring out the
full potential of your speakers..
Even the smallest of the
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How do
I choose between the 302 and 502 and what's the difference?-
This is quickly becoming the most popular question regarding the
Jolida tube amps. Here is a quick reference between the two.
The difference in presentation is due to the different power
tubes utilized in the two units. The 502 with it's 6550 or KT88 tubes
will have more of a vivid presentation and a bit more control in the
bass. In comparison to the 302, it is more analytical. The 6550 power
tube is not as smooth and seductive as the EL34 used in the 302. I
have always found the 302 to be more full bodied and emotionally
involving. The EL34 based JD302 is for those who don't want to spend
their hours analyzing their equipment and recordings, rather enjoying
the music. The 302 is very popular among Jazz and Blues lovers who
listen to a lot of material concentrating on the midrange. Very
lifelike and listenable.
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What is
the different between the "A and "B" Series
Jolida amplifiers
This is a
question I receive on a daily basis. The differences between these
units is basically purely cosmetic. The new "B" Series
amplifiers are housed in a chassis that utilizes a separate face plate
and has a cover over the transformers. Our exclusive Special,
Signature and Reference Edition units are housed within the
"A" Series chassis. The chassis is slightly different as it
does not use the face plate or transformer cover but the circuitry
within the units is basically identical. The newest "B"
Series amplifiers also contain slightly upgraded components in such
areas as the volume control and one added capacitor in the power
supply as compared to the stock, discontinued "A" series. This is not a factor in our exclusive products as we
completely rebuild these units from the ground up using components
that are superior to even the latest, current production Jolida units.
NOTE: The "A" series amplifiers are no
longer advertised or sold by Jolida Inc. These have been discontinued.
Response Audio purchased the remaining inventory of these units which
are released exclusively by us in a modified form.
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What do
you recommend for tubes for my 202A or 302B?
- This is a tougher question as everybody has different taste and
preferences. I recommend running your amplifier with the stock
tubes to get an idea of what you have. This way when you are ready to
make a change, you have a better idea of which direction you want to
go in. I can say the most popular tubes for these amps are the
Svetlana EL34 and the Electro Harmonix EL34EH for power tubes and
Philips 12AX7WA for the signal tubes with the 5751 input tubes now
becoming popular. Your taste may differ.
For what we have found to be exceptional tubes, please see the
information on the SED tubes at the bottom of this page.
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Why should
I purchased a new modified unit? I receive this question on a daily
basis. I have started to put together a dedicated page to help answer
this question. Here is what we have so far.
Why
Modified Products
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What
about tubes for my 502B or 801?
- Again, to each their own. Most popular on these amps is the SED 6550
or KT88 for power tubes with the 12AX7WA or 5751 tubes for the signal.
Please see the information on the Recommended
Tubes page.
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What
immediate upgrades do you recommend?
If you already know what you want and are interested in purchasing a
modified unit from us, please jump over to the Signature and Reference
Jolida product pages. If this is your first venture into tube world, I
strongly recommend spending some time with your new tube amp to become
more familiar with it. Once you have done this and you are interested
in having our modifications performed, you will have a much better
idea of which level of upgrades would best suite your personal needs.
Also, upgrading the power cord from the 18 ga. computer grade power
cord is not only better for your components, we truly believe it does
make a sonic difference allowing the true nature of the component to
shine.
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How do
I choose between the Signature and Reference "A" Series
Amps? - This is a question that
is very difficult to answer. The Special Edition and Signature models
were developed to offer high quality tube sound at a very reasonable
price. The Reference is for those who are looking for the most
possible potential from a tube amplifier costing under $2K. Many have
compared these units with others costing upwards of $5k. The Reference
Series brings out the fullest potential in regards to resolution, transparency,
texture and realism. The Reference Series 302A, 502A and 801A are
quite possibly the best integrated tube amplifiers available under
$3,500
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Biasing
tubes? Sounds too intimidating?
- Don't be scared. Run down to Radio Shack and pick up a $12 volt
meter. (we can supply you with one with the purchase of one of our
exclusive "A" series units). The manual is very clear on this procedure and after the first
time, you will not spend more than 15 minutes to accomplish any
further task. We recommend checking the bias after the first month of
operation (you will have to bias the first day you receive your new
amp), and then about once every 6 months to a year.
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My new
system doesn't sound like I thought it would.
- No, it's not going to right out of the box. It doesn't matter if you
have tubes, solid state or a hybrid design, we feel that ANY system
takes 30 days to settle in. New tubes, new components, new cables,
they all take time to settle. If you don't give your system 30
days.......as a whole.....you are not giving it a fair chance. You
will get an "idea" of the characteristics within a week or
so but it will not reach full potential in such a short time. Be
patient. Even if you purchase all used pieces, the
"components" may be broken-in but the system as a whole
would also need time to break in and open up. Listen to your system
UNTOUCHED for 30 days and then re-evaluate it's presentation.
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What is
the difference with the Hybrids over the All Tube?
- Over the past few years, the Hybrid amplifiers have become
tremendously popular. What you get with the Hybrid is solid state
speed and authority in the lower regions due to the SS power section
with a large Toroid power supply (you should see this thing) while
still maintaining a very seductive midrange and upper end from the
tube input section. Very versatile. The all tube designs are more
seductive (warmer) than any Hybrid design. There is also a large
misconception about the bass performance of a tube amp. Depending on
your personal taste, associated components and the tube amp you have
chosen, a tube amp has much better bass than most people assume. See
"Why Tubes" above.
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Should
I immediately swap the tubes in my amp?
- If you wish. My personal recommendation would be to listen to the
amp as-is for a period of time to get an idea of the sound. Then, if
you want to do some tube rolling, you will have a better idea of which
direction you want to go in. Yes, most people swap tubes right away.
If you have an idea of the type of presentation you are looking for,
feel free to contact us to help choose the tube(s) that would get you
started in the right direction. By the way------it takes less than 10
minutes to change the tubes in the Hybrid amps. In the all tube amps,
they are obviously right there on top. Just make sure you exercise
some caution when tube rolling.
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What
speakers do you recommend?
- I can not answer this question for you. There are so many good
speakers on the market in every price point that only you, after some
listening test, could make that decision.
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I have
a CD Recorder, How can I hook it up?
I am running a Marantz Studio CD recorder with my personal Reference
Jolida tube amps. We offer a tape output on all the Jolida
amplifiers.
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How can
I hook up a subwoofer?
- Well, if you [must] use a subwoofer in your system, all the Jolida
tube amps and all the Hybrids (excluding the 1501RC and 1703) have a
subwoofer output option. If you require a sub out, Jolida or Response
Audio can install this option for you. We have designed a sub out
network for the Jolida amps that is working out nicely.
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I want
to use a separate preamp, what are my options?
This is becoming a popular request. For this reason we have developed
an option to accommodate your needs. We now offer a pre out / main in
circuit that will allow you to utilize an outboard preamp of your
choice. This circuit will also allow you to run the system through the
high and low pass filters of a powered subwoofer that has a built in
crossover. If you are not using this option on your amplifier, you
will only need to run a pair of jumper cables, short interconnects
that we will supply, to maintain the integrated function of these
amplifiers.
