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Model: | JD102B |
Category: | Integrated Amplifier (Tube) |
Suggested Retail Price: | $550 |
Description: | 20 wpc integrated tube amp/ 4pcs. EL84s/6BQ5s, 2 pcs 12AX7As |
Manufacturer URL: | Jolida |
Review by wpm on February 01, 2004 at 16:41:34 IP Address: 69.91.15.122 | Add Your Review for the JD102B |
I recently took the plunge back into tubes after coming off a Musical Fidelity A300 integrated amp and Magnepan MG-12 loudspeakers. I was interested in a low powered tube amp to mate with a pair of high-sensitivity loudspeakers, as I’ve heard so much about the synergy between the two. To make a long story short, I was offered a great deal on a Jolida JD-102B integrated amplifier, from Tom at GT Inter-Trade, so I bought the amp sight-unseen (and unheard). I previously owned two other Jolida JD-502 amplifiers, but this did not prepare me for what the JD-102B had in store.The first thing I noticed, upon unpacking the amp, was how small it was. It is little more than half the size of Jolida’s bigger integrated amps, but no less well built. In fact, it is actually very well built considering its diminutive size; it also packs a considerable amount of weight, too, thanks to its over-sized transformers. The amp utilizes two EL-84 tubes per channel, themselves only slightly larger than the input and driver tubes within the same amp, and its output is rated at 20/25 watts.
Set-up was a breeze thanks to Jolida’s, always thorough, instruction manual, and I had the amp up and running within minutes. The rest of my system consists of: Castle Acoustics, Pembroke, loudspeakers; Teac PD-H500 reference series CD player; and cabling from Audioquest (Type-4 speaker cables, and Quartz X3 interconnects).
I let the amp cook for about one hour after bias setting, before inserting the first CD, so everything had a chance to settle down a bit. The moment of truth had arrived. I queued up Sade’s No Ordinary Love, from the album Love Deluxe, thinking to myself, could 20 watts do any justice to a pair of floor standing loudspeakers, as small as even the Pembrokes are. The answer to that question was an unequivocal, YES.
Immediately, the sense of rhythm and drive of the music was evident, as were layer upon layer of ambient texturing. Sade’s voice had never sounded so good; it was silky smooth, yet retained the hallmark depth and raspiness she is known for. The soundstage was wide and deep, cavernously deep; much deeper than the Maggies were able to portray when connected to the powerful A300 I had just let go. I could hear instruments and sounds at the very back of the recording venue, which gave a very good impression of how the players were arranged within the studio. This may be a testament to the Pembroke loudspeakers as much as the Jolida, but the effect was alluring never the less.
The succession of other tracks on that CD revealed the same thing, over and over: Chimes, woods, and subtle thwacks of percussion, floated endlessly around the room, while Sade’s powerful yet sultry voice fronted each mix with enervating energy. I could clearly hear the air and space surrounding each instrument, as well as the resonance and vibrations they created. Never before had I heard the air inside the congas as they were being hit, like I did with the little Jolida. The size of instruments now took on a new meaning to me, as did the way each were being played... simply magic.
The JD-102B has the uncanny ability to effectively recreate the scale and weight of instruments, too. Pianos, for instance, sounded full, deep, and rich in the lower registers, while the higher notes rang out with smaller, yet sweetly detailed, clarity. The piano itself taking up most of the soundspace when the recording allowed. Plucked strings had real snap and body, while strums of the guitar filled its cavity with deep, woody tones that could be heard welling up inside. No one instrument dominated the others, and all sounded appropriate to its size. Again, this may be attributed to the speakers, but one cannot deny the synergy between the two.
Another impressive feature of the 102B, and most startling to me, was the way it handled the lower frequencies. One would have thought, indeed, expected an amp with a mere 20 watts to be somewhat lacking in low bass recreation, but the Jolida was certainly not. When the recording allowed, the little Jolida plummeted the depths and was only restricted by the limits of the speakers themselves. Bass sounded deep and full, with tremendous impact and definition.
When assembling this system I had ventured into the notion of eventually needing a subwoofer, due to its small size and limited power output capability. Boy was I wrong, thankfully. Not only do I not need a subwoofer, but in no way does this system leave me wanting for more bass. Bass is simply rendered with such realism and impact that one could easily forget there are lower notes.
CD after CD, song after song, I found the Jolida presented music in a cohesive and natural whole; neither aggressive nor laid-back. One could listen, quite literally, for hours at the way it seductively envelops the listener. It paints its silky textures onto a velvety canvas with such convincing ease that one sits there marveled by its liquidity and see-through transparency. No one part of the audio spectrum stood out above the rest save, perhaps, for its amazing bass quality.
I have not enjoyed listening to music this much for many years, and I can see a close relationship building between this Jolida and I. If you value music for its ability to stir emotion, then you owe it to yourself to audition this little amp. Often overlooked by perspective buyers, the Jolida JD-102B deserves serious consideration by anyone looking for a great, low-cost amplifier of impeccable quality. You will not be disappointed.
wpm
Product Weakness: | None at the price point. |
Product Strengths: | Synergy with the loudspeaker. Warmth, liquidity, and the ability to envelop the listener on rich music. |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | Jolida JD-120B |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | None |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Teac PD-H500 |
Speakers: | Castle Acoustics Pembroke |
Cables/Interconnects: | Audioquest |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz; r&b; pop; rock |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 18' x 15' x 8' |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Fully carpeted |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | Initial observtions |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Follow Ups:
Well, I'm also the recent owner of a Jolida JD-102B. I own it since before xmas. Bought it on second-hand, trying to enter the valve world as soon as possible. Actually I was already very late, for having used high-end gear for years, but without valves.
My impressions, although definitively positive (and I do recommend it) are far from being that enthusiastic.
First of all, I'd like to know which valves wpm has actually used. I've found out it can change the sound considerably, although the amp can't resolve that many details.
Perhaps the blame should be on my previous stuff, but, still loving this amp, my impressions, although, once again, positive, are far from being as positive as wpm's. In order to spare you from visiting Inmate Systems section, I'll tell you I used to listen to a DPA (former Deltec) Pre-power combo, using two power amps in monoblock mode. These amps do not sound as solid state as usual with transistor-based amps. In order to have an idea of how they sound do perform a search on www, since it's not what's being discussed here now.
My first impressions were rather negative, since I have received the amp without any kind of valve knowledge, no manual (I'm always waiting for the one I've ordered from Jolida since then), and, worst of all, the tubes being packed apart without any kind of mounting sequence. The sound was decent, but hum was totally intolerable. Fortunately, a friend (a Atmasphere owner) came on rescue, and tuned the bias, putting hum into tolerable levels. After that my impressions became much better and I almost surrounded to the amp's charm, but again, my standards were perhaps too high. There was a weak point I never succeeded in accepting, bass control. There's plenty of bass extension, but it isn't, far from it, how it should sound. Oh, and there's also hum. Even having this cheap computer I'm typing into right now three meters away from the amp, hum is clearly noticeable when music stops. And if you approach your ears, the transformers tell you they're still powered on…
Back to bass control, or perhaps better, to the lack of bass control, I thought it could be some amp/speakers mismatch, but that doesn't happen at other frequencies, far from it, it sounds as beautiful as it should always be. I must reinforce wpm's statements in what concerns music listening pleasure; the amp surely provides a lot of it and that's why I've bought it, so I'm a happy man.
Like wpm, I also have been surprised by the sound levels it can make speakers deliver. Most people I've talked to said it wouldn't work (except the Atmasphere owner friend), most shaking their heads, even in Dankgesang forum, saying ProAc speakers would demand much more than the declared (but surely far from truth) 20 wpc; "While Jolida claims a 20 Watt output per channel, my measurements put it closer to 16.5 Watts at the beginning of clipping" can be read in http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0500/jolida102b.htm, BTW. Anyway, I've constantly being told to low the volume by everybody else who lives in this big flat, which didn't happen when using solid state amps with the same speakers. It really surprises me all the time. Anyway, my experience tells me that if I set the volume so high that means I'm lacking something, and I'm afraid it is indeed so. I must refer here and now my impressions are still fresh ones. Although owning the amp for three weeks, I have not listened to it as often as I'd like to, in order to have more accurate impressions. Most records have had only one or two tracks played, due to lack of time.
I must temper my negative impressions on precision and bass response, among other weak points, because I did perform some demanding tests, as far as chosen music is concerned. I have opted for such heterogeneous music that it would be long to list it. Those who know me here, and I frequent this place since it exists, know I love Bruckner symphonies a lot ("did anybody mention Bruckner?"), and those huge orchestral masses aren't an easy test for any system, far from it. I've tried all kinds of music (although pop and reggae aren't still not allowed here), and the weaknesses remained present all the time.
This is when I should mention the sources I've been using, I guess. I do listen to a lot of radio, but I didn't count on it for system evaluation, but mostly to have the amp warming up only. Serious listening has been performed using two sources, the old Meridian cdp and the Basis 1400 turntable with Benz Glyder cartridge and Lehmann Black Cube phono stage (Basis RB300 tonearm). Meanwhile, the Black Cube as been upgraded to the SE version, and the new power supply had not had enough breaking in yet, so a Rotel RQ-970BX has also been used.
Next step will be having the Studio 100 speakers (on Atacama stands) replaced for the Response One S (on Target R speakers), when I get the necessary courage to access a fifth floor without lifter…
I do not trust the artificially boosted bass of the cdp, so I insisted a lot on turntable listening. Anyway, some CDs have been intensely used, for example, U2's Joshua Tree ("With Or Without You"), ZZ Top's Afterburner ("Rough Boy"), Pearl Jam's No Code ("Off He Goes"), and so on. All records I own both on CD and LP have been used (including Patricia Barber's "Café Blue" and "Modern Cool", Led Zepellin II, etc., etc.).
I'll include a list of records below, but I'm afraid it might be too extensive.
Back to the amp itself, I was using the provided valves until the friend who tuned bias suggested me Sovtek 12AX7LPs for the preamp section, in order to improve the sound. I did buy them but wasn't very happy with the change, although being clearly better. Next I tried Altron-labelled Tunsgram, which gave me a sound closer to my personal taste, but lack the attack and accuracy of the Sovtek; I dare to say the Sovtek sound more hi-fi, more SS, kind of less valve-like (please be gentle, being aware of my lack of valve knowledge!). The valve seller said the power valves I'm using are Russian, probably Svetlana, and the previous preamp ones (already on the age limit) are Chinese. He purposed me a set of English Philips to replace the Russians, but the amount of money involved was around half of the value of the amp itself, so I have declined it. I've also compared a Vincent power cord with a cheap computer one and confirmed the lack of resolution the amp is able to resolve. I'm considering trying a Kimber 8TC-based one though, here at home.
I agree that the amp sounds as valve-like as possible and that it won't disappoint those looking for the extra charm valves can provide. Voices and most acoustical instruments will be heard as if the musicians were in the room, with lots of intimacy, warmth, and passion. The amp isn't too detailed, so is very musical indeed, allowing you to actually share emotions with those you're listening to.
I don't know about covers. Although being mandatory in EU, mine came without any, exactly as shown in http://www.jolida.com/images/JD102B_big.jpg. I disagree about the build quality raving, since it's rather cheapie behind the looks (don't take the buttons out; you'd be disappointed…).Well, this is just a draft, but I'll try to fill all the possible info though, so:
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Product Weakness: Bass control, accuracy, detail, resolution, small hum from transformers.
Product Strengths: Warmth, intimacy, easiness, ability to play loud.
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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Jolida JD-120B
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): None (Lehmann Black Cube and Rotel RQ-970QX phono stages)
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Meridan 506.20 / Basis 1400 (RB300/BMS Glyder)
Speakers: ProAc Studio 100 on Atacama SE24 stands
Cables/Interconnects: Kimber 8VS (speakers), Kimber PBJ, DPA Slink Two (IC)
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Jazz, Rock, etc. (see below)
Room Size (LxWxH): 4m x 4m x 2,7m (more or less)
Room Comments/Treatments: Fully carpeted, lots of furniture, records, books…
Time Period/Length of Audition: Three weeks
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Non-classical music used (artists only): Alan Stivell, B B King, Beatles, Bob Dylan, Brad Meldhau, Cannonbal Adderly, Carlos Santana, Cinnematic Orchestra, Charles Mingus, Chemical Brothers, Cowboy Junkies, Dave Hole, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dire Straits, Edwin Hawkins Singers, Eric Clapton, Fairport Convention, Gary Moore, Jacques Loussier, John Lee Hooker, John Surman, Keith Jarreth, King Krimson, Led Zeppelin, Leo Kottke, Magna Carta, Magnetic Fields, Memphis Slim, Mikkel Nordso, McCoy Tyner, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Oscar Peterson, Patricia Barber, Patti Smith, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Renee Aubry, Rolling Stones, Smashing Pumpkins, St Germain, Susan Tedeshi, Terje Rypdal, Thievery Corporation, U2, Z Z Top, and so on…
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Note: I wasn't intending to write this until I saw the review, and did it without much thinking. Please do comment it, so I can add what's really missing.
Regards,
Jorge
Regards,
Jorge
My first tube amp was a Jolida 102b as well - thinking it was a cheap amp and i could only do better I replaced it with a Stereo 70 and then a pair of 2a3 SE amps. I wish i still had it - it was a great amp, simple, solid and great price break. I may just go back.
Thanks! You just convinced me to go ahead and get this little beauty :)
i ordered mine todayhope i get it soon
btw, they changed cosmetics a bit, or so i was told.
new ones now come with a transformer cover which isn't to my liking.
so i ordered one without it.
you might want to make sure u get the right cosmetics(transformer-covered or not depending on ur preference)
Your review sounds like something a Stereophile staffer might write after a hard night of mixing way too much tequila, beer and screw-top bottle wine.
nt
And you must be it!
.
Regards,
Geoff
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